Blessing Dress

It’s been a little over 2 months since Rylee was blessed, and I’ve finally gotten around to posting her sweet little pictures!!!

Rylee’s cousins Addi and Liv wore the same dress when they were blessed and when they went to the temple. They all looked like little angels in this dress! Thanks to Auntie Erika for letting us borrow it.

Lance and I tried really hard to get her to smile like she did the day she was blessed, without much luck!

Rylee made a big impression on everyone in the blessing circle that day. Most tiny babies do pretty good, some fuss or cry a little. Lance and I were both a little nervous that because Rylee was 8 months old she might get scared and cry, or try and grab the microphone. We were way off! Instead, so I’m told, she looked up at everyone with a big grin and smiled through the whole thing! Her Grandpa Barnes and Great-Grandpa Cammack still talk about it, and rank it as the best baby blessing of all time! Rylee really set the bar high that day!

Also, a little update on what “stinker 1” has been up to(as Lance affectionately calls her):

Rylee has begun the super-fun teething process, and now boasts one and a half teeth! She’s been a real trooper, a little more cranky than normal, but still sleeping through the night! (Bless her heart)

Rylee has been getting better and better at sitting up with less and less help. She now enjoys spending time in her big girl chair, watching mommy do dishes, cook dinner, and Rylee even eats her baby food in her big girl chair!

She has gotten very good at rolling over, and seems to make her way around pretty well. She occasionally finds herself in a tight spot requiring rescue from mom or dad (usually crammed sideways up against the couch).

Rylee has also shown great interest in learning to crawl, and we know it won’t be long! For now she just rocks back and forth on her tummy, and occasionally pulls her knees up under her. No hurry Rylee, take your time, REALLY!

Barnes Family Reunion

Over Labor Day weekend, Lance’s aunt and uncle planned a really nice family get-together at their home in Idaho Falls. Everyone had so much fun! They had all kinds of activities planned for everyone: an inflatable jump house, home-made “train-ride”, and bracelet-making for the little girls and for the ladies, some wonderful game involving lots of candy and chocolate, delicious home-cooked food and desserts, and a nice little family roundtable where the all the aunts took turns sharing what their children and grandchildren had been up to over the last year. Lance and I truly enjoyed spending time laughing and catching up with everyone, hopefully it will become a Barnes Family Tradition!!! THANKS AGAIN TO THE COLLINGS!!

This awesome train-ride kept all the kiddos entertained all day long, courtesy of Uncle Brad!

He made it himself, just one of his many projects.

 

   

As you may have noticed, many of the little girls also played dress up, aren’t they adorable?

Family Roundtable

Deanne tells her family story, including how Uncle Brad is still “feeding the sheep”.

(We found out later that he actually has a contract to provide feed for the elk in Jackson, among other things. Brad was glad to know his wife took such a great interest in what he does for a living!!)

Uncle Jeff pays close attention as his wife, Marilee, tells all about events for their family over the last year, broken bones, weddings, expecting mama’s and all.(:

 

Sherry busted out a list for her “sharing time”!

It was such a busy year (thanks in large part to Lance, Rylee, and me), that she didn’t want to leave anything out!

It really was big year:

I started a new job, got pregnant, Lance and I got the Swine Flu, built our first home, had our beautiful miracle baby 3 months early (recovered from a C-section), Lance graduated, and I had my appendix out! Whew!

Amidst all of that chaos, Brett broke his hand showing his son’s baseball team how to hustle, Brady and Cindy had their first baby girl, and Angie and John baptized their little boy!!!

And Allison told everyone all about their trip to Cooperstown, Paige surviving her first week at BYU,

and Bowen needing a little help with the ladies! Yeah right!! Poor Bowen):

  

 

All in all, it was a wonderful day!