On a hot afternoon, we decided to brave the newly opened pool! Brooklyn first contemplates the water...then braved it just a smidge...then LOVED it! Wouldn't get out! Until her feet got pruny. Then we called it a day. :)

Look at me working my grill skills! Limited though they may be, I always enjoy a good challenge! Ka-bob, anyone??

Brooklyn learned a few sounds that we want to share with you. Her little mind is a sponge and we are quickly trying to give her interesting things to soak up!

One of my favorite things about this video is that when Brooklyn hears the video being played, she still immediately answers Kyle's questions. Almost as if she's trying to say them faster than Video Brooklyn. It's awesome. I also love that while Kyle was getting this footage, she was staring intently at her reflection in my closet door mirrors - performing for herself!

For you stat lovers among us, I bring you good tidings. At Brooklyn's 15 month dr. visit on Monday, she weighed in at 22.2 pounds and stretched to a staggering height of 31.75 inches. I must confess, I believe approximately .25 of that height was her little shoes which the nurse did not ask me to remove.... Anyway, she is in the 50th percentile for weight and 90th percentile for height. That's a first for her as far as height and MAY be a last! While I am not, by any means, short for a girl (5'7"), the combined heights of her daddy and I are not particularly impressive.

I do cling to the fact that height DOES run in my family, as evidenced by my very tall brothers, none of whom are less than 6' and some closer to 6'6"...

I may be taking liberties to call her this, but I think it's mostly true...anyway, pictured are Josh and his new girlfriend, Lauren, then me, Brooklyn and Kyle.

This was taken at Amanda & Ronnie's post-nuptials bash in the River Market.

This is how mornings begin on Goshen. With bedhead and our daily Bible study. I realize the first picture is slightly blurry, but it also best captures the full fuzz flare that is Brooklyn's hair in the mornings.

She never seems to mind, though. So we traipse downstairs into our breakfast room which is so bright and welcoming in the mornings. We sit with our fruit (strawberries and grapes for B on this particular morning) and toast and a Black Chai latte for me. I cannot get enough of hot tea. I think I'm half British. Oh my goodness, I love the stuff.
Anyway, little B keeps busy while I spend some time studying the Book of Daniel (Beth Moore's Daniel study is SOOOOO Awesome!!!).

There is no better way to start your day. Making up songs about how awesome our God is - which of course have accompanying interpretive dances...these are moments I cherish...and which DO get me through the 23 hours that follow.

And a very good morning to you, too!

There are days that just don't call for pants. This was one of those days. Oh, it started out with pants, but as the moments passed, we both realized that there was just no need. It was best to just let the legs loose to feel the cool breezes on little thighs and run around unabashedly half-nudie.

In a moment of candor, I must confess those days appeal to me as well as to my one year old daughter. This is why my front door is always locked. Visitors are usually welcome, but one must have time to pull the pants back on, if need be.

This past weekend (May 12), the Goshenites headed to Fayetteville to partake of another UofA graduation - this time, my brother Michael. The major plus of going to Fayetteville is getting to spend quality time with our dear, dear friends, the Walkers and the Cate's. Becky & Greg's kiddos, Mia and Gavin are just fabulous and accept Brooklyn into the mix as though she were a sibling. They all had such fun playing together.

I think it was Brooklyn's first time to kick it on a swing her OWN size with her buddy, Mia!


Then...rub a dub dub, three kids in a tub!! It was almost more than Brooklyn could handle. As the room filled up with onlookers and helping hands and she realized that this was not just HER bath, the tears were produced in mass quantity. It called for a momma's touch and a pacifier.

Afterwards, she was happy as a clam and clearly felt liberated enough to run around in her diaper! Entertainment is pretty much free when you have kids - just sit back and enjoy the show.

Daddy took B down the lane and to the lake which clearly delighted our little gal. She proudly squeals and shows off her toofers.

This is how we walk around, walk around, walk around...this is how we walk around, so early in the morning...

We are so fortunate to live a stone's throw away from two of life's greatest things: a huge lake and a great park! Depending on the weather, this is where you find our little family...

A walker and a climber. My life has not been the same since those two little legs fought gravity and pushed her precious body up into the air and found balance. Now, the rest of our lives are out of balance. Not really.

Melissa, the beautiful bride, lingers in the sanctuary while we prepare for some photos. Chad didn't see her before the wedding, so it was exciting to check the halls and make sure he wasn't around.


The bridesmaids take our positions for the photographer. What the pics fail to show is a single one of us gals hoisting up the bodice of our dresses. Which we did just about every 10 seconds. As gorgeous as they may have been, the dresses liked to slide south...exposing far more cleavage than any wedding guest needs to ogle.

And Grandma Barbara, the quintessential LADY, held Brooklyn for me while pictures were going on. Mom, in her wedding finery, looked totally glamorous! Brooklyn did NOT wear that dress for the wedding, but I am no fool - she needed to be comfortable up until the last possible minute, then her "wedding" dress was slipped on.

In typical Dennis...dare I even utter the word "fashion...Chad, Josh and Michael roll out the style.

Josh cuts loose while Chad pooches out his infamous belly (you have to see it to believe it)...and Michael strikes a VOGUE pose...all in the confines of a bowling alley.

No strippers or untoward behavior for these gents. Just smelly, slippery shoes, fashion that ONLY works with a bowling ball in hand, and a posse of comrades celebrating one man's last night as a bachelor.

The Rehearsal Dinner was at Grandpa's Catfish and it was a feast! Most of Melissa's family was there, and I think around 80 people attended.

Out of nowhere, I felt led to toast the happy couple - and surprisingly, wasn't a bit nervous.

Josh led the toasts as the best man - followed by Lauren and Marylou (Melissa's sister) as co- maids of honor.

The bride-to-be poses with her future niece, Brooklyn! I cheese for my darling husband as I jaunt down the aisle.

The other lone aisle walker is Lauren, Melissa's maid of honor and a new friend of the Dennis family.

Meant to post pictures earlier, but man, has time gotten away from me! A week and a half has already passed since the wedding, and I am way behind on my blog! I have been working on my photo album for Brooklyn which requires that I get pictures printed on real paper, and that always takes so much longer than to upload to this blog. But, someday, hopefully, Brooklyn will appreciate looking through the pictures, as I enjoy looking through the many books my mom has put together for the family. Definitely a labor of love.

Meanwhile, I am finally putting up pictures from Chad and Melissa's wedding. Here are some from the rehearsal. There were 7 attendants - and one of my favorite things about being in weddings is getting to know the other bridesmaids. It stands to reason that if Person A is a friend of the Bride, then Persons B, C and D might very well be compatible with Person A as well. And thus far, my theory holds up! I have made so many friends in my "fellow bridesmaid" categories!

Melissa's friends were fabulous! I loved meeting and getting to know them all.

I love the group shot of the rehearsal as it shows the reality of the event: people waiting in position for people to organize other things that don't affect them - so stand and wait...stand and wait...hence the development of friendships to fill the passing time!

Meanwhile, Brooklyn shows off her new sign for "hold me!" I love it!

Here we are in all our finery - in the post-wedding pictures! Rick snapped this shot while we all posed. Brooklyn looked angelic in her pink, smocked dress, and she was an angel during the wedding! She slept on her daddy's shoulder up until the point when everyone clapped at the big kiss - then she woke up and was ready to party at the reception!