Playing Catch Up!

Well I'm trying to play a litter catch up as it is very obvious I have not blogged in awhile.  I'll try to do a quick overview.  We have moved to a new home as many of you know to Snohomish to the Gold Creek Community!  We are loving it!  The neighborhood is just what we need for us and Braden as he grows up.  Here is a picture from the listing from the front.  We are very blessed.

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Braden is enjoying some special time with his Grandpa on the lawn mover. He continues to love to ride it with Grandpa and gets upset when he has to get off.

He also likes to help Grandma in the yard.  Well rather he loves to play with the dirt and grab the flowers!  Not sure how helpful that is but he loves it.

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We moved in May so celebrating Braden's birthday came a little late but we certainly didn't want to let it pass by unnoticed.  We tried forever to get a cute picture of us 3 together but that is a hard task! This was probably the best but Braden was looking at the camera.  He gets pretty excited about the plants and flowers so hard to get him to look up!

Hear is the play by play of Braden experiencing his first birthday cake which as you can see he loved!

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Father's Day in June with the 4 June birthday's at our new house.  I just realized I never got a picture of Braden with his Daddy!  As I remember he wasn't in the best of moods that night so sleepy time came early.

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Braden is enjoying his new backyard.....so many plants so little time!  As you can see we finally cut his hair.  As I look at his birthday pics I wonder why we didn't do it sooner.  His hair definitely was looking shaggy!

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Fourth of July Gathering at the Norwood's House on the cut!

Our group is growing with 3 recent little boy additions!  This is Skyler, Becky and Brett's newest.

This is Jackson, Jenelle & Brent's newest additon!

The Norwood's minus Myla.  Can you believe these little boys were born all within 2 weeks maybe even less.

Braden sitting with the rest of the kiddos for a picture

He's my smiley boy

All the kiddos minus the 3 newest ones! Wow I think the kids out number the adults now!

Our attempt at getting a father son picture by the water but our little man wasn't willing to sit still.

Erin and her girls, Natalie and Lizzy

Steve helping out with the other kiddos, Russell is riding his shoulders down to the water.

Mark and his growing boy, Jacob

Mu and his first child, Kai.  Got to love all that hair!

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I bought Todd a heavy duty child hiking backpack carrier for father's day so we could do some hiking with Braden this summer.  He's definitely getting heavier to carry but this makes it a little more tolerable for long distance with all the padding.  We tried it out on our first and ended up being our only hike of the season on the Chirico Trail in Sammamish.  The very top of the mountain is where people literally run off the hillside to go paragliding.  Totally crazy to see people run off the face of the hillside and jump off a perfectly good hillside but sure is fun to watch.  There were tons of them up there that day.

Braden and Daddy almost to the top of the hike.

Braden missed his afternoon nap so he ended up passing out on the hike down.  Not sure how comfy it was with the constant pounding as we walked down the hillside but he was too tired to care.

Too precious for words!

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Braden got a blow up pool from his Great Grandma Helen for his 1st Birthday gift.  It finally got warm enough to set it up and put to use.  We had to warm the hose water up though since Braden definitely didn't want to get in when it was that cold.  Can't blame him!

There's my smiley boy again!!!  Absolutely love that smile especially with the teeth showing!

Braden has his huge 4th of July beach ball that he got from Grandma Joyce and Grandpa Mike for the 4th.

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My Aunt Shirley was remarried this summer.  I took some pictures at the reception.

My mother with my cousin's son, Liam!  What a chunk and a cutie!

Look at those cheeks!

My sister and her family!  Wow my nephew and niece are growing fast!

Again trying to get a Christen Family photo but it never works out too well since it's so hard to get Braden to smile and look up at the camera.

My cousin Peter had his first child last year.  His name is Andrew.

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End of July to beginning of August we spent a week in Arch Cape just south of Cannon Beach with Todd's Mother, sister & family, and Uncle John.  We rented a house right off the beach.

Braden loves the rock garden in the front yard...no surprise there!

Loving getting all dirty in the sand!

Hanging out on our own private deck at the house.

Braden and his Uncle John!  He couldn't get enough of John over the week.

There were tons of Hydrangeas in the town of Cannon Beach.  Braden loves to touch them.  I like to call them pom poms because they are so big and fluffy! 

Braden, Todd, Christy, and Braden's Great Uncle John

We took a walk from Arch Cape on the beach to Hugs Point to check out the sea caves!

The child carrier came in handy again!

John and Cheryl

Todd and Braden standing at the opening of a sea cave

This used to be a part of the highway were cars used to drive around the point at low tide.  You can still see the tracks from the cars in the stone.

Cherishing these moments!

Gotta love the father son holding hands!

Braden is soaked and dirty.  I didn't want to carry him back home but Uncle John wasn't afraid.

The sun was out but man that wind was cold.  Braden curled up with Daddy all wrapped up.  

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August 7th we went to Mukilteo Beach for fish and chips water side.  It ended up being a cloudy day but wasn't too cold so we went anyways.  Braden had fun walking around the play area and watching all the kiddos playing.  It was a pretty busy waterfront.

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We went to Yakima early August for my Father in laws birthday.  I was pretty darn hot around 100 degrees!  Eek!  There is no way I could live in that heat!

I think Braden is just too hot and tired to even move.  I think that is the longest I've seen him sit in one spot.

I just love all his facial expressions!

Ashley and her son, Dylan

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Molly was in town this summer from Wisconsin so a couple of us girls with our kiddos took a trip up to her family cabin at Birch Bay.  It was another gorgeous hot day.

Molly and her youngest Claire who is 7 weeks older then Braden and as you can see she has another one on the way very soon.

Becky's newest, Skyler

Becky and Skyler

Molly had an extra spot in her double stroller so we put Braden net to his girlfriend.  Super cute!!  Braden looks like he's not so sure about it all as he leans away.

Becky and her boys....Russell and Skyler.

Natalie

Claire

Russell and Lizzy

Claire is not shy about getting in that mud.  I think she thought she was at a mud spa!

Seaweed anyone!!!  Ohh it was so gross walking out in this warm slimy seaweed on our bare feet.  Braden wasn't too excited about it either.

Russell took a mud bath as well.  Actually the girls covered him with mud.

Molly treated all the kiddos and mom's to a yummy popsicle filled with frozen yogurt.  It was a good excuse for us adults to eat one too.

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Braden just looked so cute in his Nike basketball outfit he got from his Grandma Christy I just had to take a picture.

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Pauletta came into town for her shower.  I unfortunately missed the big event but was lucky enough to have lunch with Kelley, Pauletta, and Leah!  Just like old times with all my girls!

The two cute first time mommies due in december and November

Braden is playing with his tissue paper....it's the simple things in life.

Leah, Kelley, Pauletta, & Me

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Surprise we are expecting another little one around March 24th!  Braden is gonna be a big brother!  I hope he likes it.  The below picture is what we used to share the good news with the family.  Braden hand delivered it to people to share the news.  I thought it was a cute way to tell everyone.

First ultrasound picture with my first appointment when I was just over 9 weeks.  It's so crazy what they can see at that early stage!

14 weeks in this picture.  I know there isn't too much showing now but I had to take the pictures just I did with Braden.  I can't believe we are going to find out boy or girl in about 3 weeks.

Well I was gonna upload some quick video clips but I seem to be having a problem with that so I guess that is all for now.