Walk On the Ocean

Brock Joseph Jingle Hymer Schmitt

Halloween

Riley was a young Albert Einstein.

Brock was a fireman. He didn't want to take his "firefighter's coat" off for three days. He wanted to take a bath in his coat and sleep in his helmet. As soon as the helmet went on he was no longer Brock, he was firefighter Rickley.

Will the real Einstein step forward? When Brock saw Riley with his mustache he said, "Riley, babies don't wear mustaches. Cars wear mustaches. Chick Hicks wears a mustache."

Glacier National Park

Riley ruled the roost in the hotel the night before we went through the park.

Riley and Gage on the trail to Hidden Lake at the top of Logan Pass

Brock was the man of the stairs. He hiked over a mile and at each step he would say, "no, I will do it myself." He was one hungry boy when we got back to the car.

The Going to the Sun Highway

We enjoyed the fog much more from above than when we were in the middle of it.

1st Birthday

Riley turned the big one year old on 9/30/08!

When Mommy's away, the kids will....cry

I went to get my hair cut the other day, and ran a few other errands, when I came home this is what I found. Brock was crying for Mommy, Riley was crying for Mommy, and Gage was taking pictures and laughing. What else is there to do but laugh?

Vacation in Montana

Brock, Riley, and I took a trip to Montana at the end of June. Gage came to pick us up a few weeks later. We flew out of Portland to Salt Lake City where my sister Conny picked us up. We stayed at her house for a couple nights. Then we stayed at my sister Jennifer's for a couple nights. We were able to attend Jennifer and Monte's sealing in the Rexburg temple. I met my Mom and Dad in Rexburg and we went home to Dillon with them. We spent almost 2 weeks with my parents. We were able to be there for the Hogan family reunion. Gage was able to come for the reunion and then we went to his parent's house for a week. By the end of the trip we saw all of our siblings and the boys got to see all but one of their cousins. Here are a few pictures from our trip.
Brock and cousin Andrew making smores. Brock wanted to make a smore without the marshmellow or the graham cracker.
Riley in Aunt Conny's swimming pool.
Brock in Uncle Monte's fire truck. He was in heaven.
Brock kissing one of Monte and Jennifer's rabbits

Brock, Me, Great Grandma Jones, and Riley. I was excited to go to Grandma's house, I have so many fun memories of her house. There is really nothing better than Grandma's house!

We took a field trip to one of Grandpa Steve's wheat fields.

This is Great Grandpa Carl Grossman. We were excited to see him. He had never met Riley before. Riley was born the same day that Great Grandma Grossman died on 9-30-07.
Riley and Grandma Nancy.
Aunt Megan reading the great adventures of Skippy Jon Jones.
Riley and cousin Kegan.
Cousins Kaitlin, Kourtney, and Brock getting ready for bed.

Gage overlooking the Shonkin Sag. This is one of the views on Gage's dad's ranch. Gage's dad farms the wheat fields in the valley. Gage is standing about 200 yards from a cliff where golden eagles nest each year. This year the nest was empty after having a cold wet May and June.
This is the view from a hilltop behind Gage's parents house. You can see their house, Lost Lake, and the Highwood Mountains. It was the best time of day, just as the sun starts to set. Square Butte which is the first of these two pictures is portrayed in some of Charlie M. Russell's paintings for anyone interested in western art.
This is Lost Lake. It is what remains from a waterfall found along the path of the old Missouri River. Scientists have come to study it because it is made of a rare form of granite. It is one of two or three places in the world where this type of granite can be found. They also say that back in its day it would have made Niagra Falls look small. The cliffs are approximately 200-300 feet in places. Gage's parent's house is about a quarter of a mile from where we took this picture.


Most of the good pictures taken at my Mom and Dads house were on my Mom's camera... I didn't get them down loaded before we left... Mom could ya help me out here?? :)

Uncle Cary had some fire crackers. Brock is anticipating them going off.

A Day In the Park

Gage and Brock swinging, Brock doesn't like to swing by himself.

Riley thought he wanted to go in that water... until his feet touched the freezing cold water.

Brock was busy having conversations with the rocks, "Hi little Mr. Rock, We haven't seen you in a long time." Then he would pick it up and throw it in the water.

Riley has spikey hair... no matter what we do its stuck like that. We like it though!

Mama's Boy

What happened next????

We went to a park called Watterloo, Brock loved throwing rocks. He kept getting bigger and bigger rocks, finally I threw a really big one and Gage snapped the picture--Brock got wet.

Fire Station Open House

Brock is just sure he is a fire fighter! Everyday at our house we have to pretend to slide down the firefighter's pole, he says to me "slide like a firefighter off of Mom's bed." When we go on walks he has to run to the fire hydrant and pretend to hook up the hose, then turn it on, then squirt the water. I am sure I look funny to everyone who drives by as I am pretending to be a firefighter too!! It is actually quite fun!

Today the fire station had an open house. We couldn't miss it!!

Waiting in line to ride the fire truck. Brock was so excited to have a ride! He loves fire trucks. He knows the difference between a ladder truck, a pumper truck, an ambulance, a bomb squad truck, an airport fire truck, the chief's truck, a police car and on and on and on!!
Gage and Brock sitting on the fire truck, going for a ride! He was so happy, and thought he was such a big boy.
Riley had a good time too! He was all decked out in his fire truck outfit.

Standing on the back of a fire truck.

Riding like a big boy fire fighter.

Brock's Two--Riley's Six Months

Smiley Riley
Opening Sheriff from "Cars"
Gage and my invention-- The "Mater" cake. Brock was afraid of it...
When I asked Brock what he wanted for his birthday, he told me, "a passenger train, a semi-truck and a bulldozer."

Cousins and Aunts...

Cousin Searle taught me how to flex my muscles. Thanks Searle!

Riley is a little over 4 months. He is laughing, smiling, rolling over, eating, and doing all the things babies do. He loves his Johnny Jump and his brother. He is in 9 month clothes and weighs about 16 lbs. (Oh my achin back)

Up-a-side-down

I love lemons!!

Church Canceled for snow?

Here we are in Lebanon, Oregon-- where it hardly ever snows. On Sunday we woke up to this--5 inches of wet snow-- and they canceled Church.

It was a first for Gage, and it happened to me once in Montana when it was 70 degrees below zero with wind chill. Welcome to Oregon!!

Kiss it Better Daddy

So lately Brock is into having his Mom and Dad "kiss it better" when he gets an owie. Tonight while Brock was playing with his "tow truck" he slipped and fell on it on his bum. Without missing a beat he ran over to his Daddy, turned around and said, "Daddy kiss it better."

Smiley Riley

SEND ME BACK

Brock had so much fun in Montana he wants us to send him back!

Home for Christmas

We got to go home to Montana for Chirstmas. We had a blast! (Uncle Cary and friend Marcelle, Grandma Jones holding Riley, Grandpa Jones, Me, Gage holding Brock)

Grandpa reading Santa Mouse to Brock. It is a Christmas Eve tradition.

Getting a tool set from Uncle Cary. He is saying, "OH WOW."