Football Banquet

This year's football banquet didn't just mark the end of another successful season for the Montgomery Bears but also a brand new beginning for the Brooks family.  By the time of the banquet Shawn had already accepted an offer to start a new career with National Oilwell Varco and the banquet fell at the end of his final two weeks as a Montgomery Bear.  Everyone at Montgomery could not have been more supportive of Shawn's decision and wished us the very best.  This year at the banquet the players were not given the chance to get up and talk about the coaches as they have in years past, which really disappointed a couple of Shawn's players.  One in particular, Cade, plans to become a writer someday so he felt it was very fitting to write something for Shawn.  He wrote the most amazing poem about Shawn which will be so special to look back at for years to come.  Those are the things we will miss about Shawn being a teacher and a coach but we are so looking forward to the times we are going to have him at home!

As always, so happy to be there to support her Daddy!

Don't you think it is a little past my bedtime you guys?!

Braelyn's first and last football banquet

Baby Dedication

On January 15, we participated in the baby dedication ceremony at Grace Crossing with Braelyn.  It is so reassuring that so many people are committed to helping us raise our girls to have a relationship with God.  It is a huge responsibility that would be nearly impossible to accomplish without a strong support system.  Gransan, Jerry and Janet drove down for the day to be with us at church and afterwards for lunch.  As always, it meant so much to have them there with us.

A special day for our sweet Braelyn

Precious sisters holding hands before it was time to go...I pray that they will always be there for each other as they already are!

I can't even get comfortable in my car seat with all this dress, sweater, tights and headband!  Is all this really necessary Mom?!

As I have said many times before I know I am biased but Braelyn's picture HAD to have been the cutest!

There definitely weren't as many babies as for Emerson's dedication but Braelyn will have friends at church nonetheless!

May God lead us each and every day as we bring Braelyn up to know and love Him.

Just a small sample of Braelyn's huge group of those that love her and will always be praying for her!

Braelyn went down for a nap after church and Emerson was thrilled to have Gransan and Janet all to herself!

I love these girls SO very much!

Daddies of Daughters

Things are a little different when it comes to being a Daddy of a little girl.  While it may be different, Shawn is incredible at it.  One of these differences was very clear a few weekends ago.  The Texans were playing on Saturday so clearly we were going to be cheering them on.  You would have thought it was the Super Bowl because of the amount of food we had and the level of excitement!  Shawn had meat out on the new smoker and it was a beautiful day outside.  Before the game started we were out enjoying the weather and Shawn asked Emerson if she wanted to camp out in the backyard that night.  Of course the answer was "YES!!!!!".  They went to work getting their tent set up.  You will see the difference I was referring to previously when you see the outfit that Emerson thought would be most appropriate for tent building...she put the ensemble together all by herself!

The girls were in position ready to cheer on the Texans!  Emerson started chanting "Defense" as soon as they took the field!  Definitely a defensive coach's kid!

Mommy!  Daddy and I are building a tent!!!  I need my pink princess bed!

Daddy had lots of help.

I'll straighten these out Daddy.

I really don't know if that goes right there Dad.

So glad I got to witness this...if possible I love them both more every day!

Come in my tent Mom!

Almost done!

She played in the tent ALL day!  The campout got postponed because it really started looking like rain as the day went on, but Em didn't mind in the least.  She had so much fun helping her Daddy and playing during the day.

Happy New Year!!!!!!

We spent New Year's Eve out shopping using all the gift cards we had gotten for Christmas and finished up with a trip to buy fireworks.  Every time we got back in the truck to head to the next stop Emerson was quick to tell us she was ready for fireworks!  Braelyn did better than I expected her to do with some of the louder ones.  We had some lady bugs that spun around and squealed really loud...she did NOT like those!  We have been so truly blessed and are looking forward to what is in store for 2012!

Em loves the little poppers.  She doesn't always throw them down hard enough to make them pop but learned to stomp on them!



 Braelyn and I hung out in the driveway and watched...I don't think she was really sure what to think about it all!

 Who needs fireworks?!  I've got all I need right here!

 OOOO....AAAH!

 We all liked the fountains.

 Emerson get pretty wild with the sparklers...you better pay attention when you get close to her!

 Braelyn had to get in on the action!

 Hard to get pics with all the smoke!

The sisters all ready for church to kick off 2012!

New Favorite Pics

It was beautiful outside yesterday so we spent some time outside.  That is my favorite time to get pictures of the girls.  They both had so much fun on the swing set and then we brought Braelyn's exersaucer outside.  I LOVE both of these pictures!

More Presents!!!

When we got home from Shreveport, Emerson was pleasantly surprised that we still had presents from Grandma and Papa to open!

I can do it all by myself!

Em went to tearing into packages so fast it was hard to keep up with who sent what!

Em with her new Dollie from Grandma and Papa

Braelyn still working on her first present and Emerson was done!

 Em's and her Dollie have matching outfits and pajamas...so cute!

Em with all the stuff in her Ariel spa kit from Aunt Sissy...hilarious!  Her face was covered with lip gloss within seconds and she was trying to get into the nail polish!

Christmas on the Farm

This year we spent Christmas on the farm in Shreveport.  We were so excited to catch it on a year when everybody was there.  We got there on Thursday and stayed until Tuesday.  Unfortunately it rained pretty much the whole time we were there but we still had a great time.  We went to see the Christmas lights at the American Rose Center one night.  Emerson and Gransan bundled up and rode in the bed of the truck on the way in to get a good look and once we parked Em, Gransan, Patsy, and I walked through some of the lights while Daddy kept Braelyn nice and warm in the truck watching Toy Story!  On Christmas Eve, Emerson and I baked cookies for Santa and then we all went up to Jerry and Janet's for amazing food and presents.  When we got back to Gransan's we opened more presents, Em worked on her letter for Santa, put out his cookies and milk and then it was off to bed.  Christmas morning was so much fun.  Emerson was so cute coming in half asleep to see what Santa had brought.  First she saw that he had eaten his cookies and drank his milk and then ran to see what was under the tree.  She was so excited to see the pink watch and camera that she has been asking for for weeks...her reaction was priceless!  Seeing her and Braelyn looking through their stockings side by side was all the Christmas present that I needed!  After church we headed back to Jerry and Janet's to eat and for all the kids to play.  It was a perfect Christmas!

Cheers!  Em insisted that Gransan sit at her table every meal.

Gransan and Braelyn playing ball

This year Em and I took the easy route for Santa's cookies and did slice and bake...he didn't seem to mind!

Emerson was very meticulous about putting on the sprinkles just right!

Are they ever going to be ready?!

She had to do a taste test to make sure they were perfect for Santa!

It would be Christmas on the farm without family picture sessions!  They all turned out really good!

Gransan's girls

Braelyn is quite the Daddy's girl these days!

Emerson loves her Gransan!

Bailey and Braelyn

Emerson wasn't so sure about Janet's singing Christmas puppy but Braelyn loved it...she cried when it stopped singing!

FINALLY! Time for presents!  Bailey and Jenna got Em off to a good start!

Braelyn loved her new book

Thank you Jaf and Shell for my princess tent!

Emerson followed the ribbon to the ballerina doll from Jerry and Janet

I loved just watching her face

Emerson, Jamie, and Braelyn in Braelyn's princess tent(Emerson and Braelyn both got princess tents from Jaf, Shell, and the girls).

Braelyn and Emerson got things monogrammed from Gransan with her name...you can't find Gransan on things in a store!  Braelyn got a Gransan Spoils me bib.

Braelyn, Gransan and Emerson having fun opening presents

Hard at work "writing" her letter to Santa.  She had to give the cookies one more try before she put them out for him too!

YEA!  Santa found us at Gransan's house!!!!

So cute!  Em rolled up her sleeves and went to work finding out what Santa brought!  I was surprised that Braelyn actually got her's out by herself too!

Wait a second...I think Santa brought Em more!

Emerson was so excited about her camera.  Before the day was done she had taken over 100 pictures!

My new favorite family picture!  Best Christmas yet!

So many fun memories made at Gransan's house!

Jon and Dondi were so sweet to be on Braelyn duty while Shawn and I got to eat.

Braelyn snuggling with Janet

Jerry and Braelyn

Patsy and Emerson playing while Mommy and Daddy got a date night.