I am not a huge fan of sand...it just bugs me how it gets stuck all over you...I realize how lame I sound but it is the truth...it makes my skin crawl to see Brielle buried in the sand like this...you should have seen her after--sand was stuck EVERYWHERE and she could have cared less.
The problem with 1 year olds and the beach...the first thing he did was try to eat the sand...then he started rubbing his eyes...with his sand covered hands! Ouch!
Not a great picture of everyone...considering Linds is behind the pole...but it was the best I one I took!
We had a big dinner one night with all our college friends (they all live in Orange County)...it is CRAZY that we all have 2 kids! From L to R -- Garrick & Chelsea's boys, Mitch & Lindsay's little girl & boy, Brielle & Dean, Matt & Marie's little girl & boy and Jason & Holli's boys. We all had our 1st kid at about the same time...Brielle was the first one born, and the only girl! During our 'Party' Brielle came up to me and said--Mommy, why are there no girls my size?
Much of our trip was spent at Disneyland. We stayed at the Disneyland hotel--we did not even need to go into the parks for Brielle to get EXTREMELY EXCITED! She LOVES everything Disney! When we pulled up to the hotel; there was a HUGE Micky Mouse statue...she started screaming 'MICKY, MICKY! Look there is a HUGE Mickey!' Imagine how she reacted when she saw the Mickey & friends wallpaper in the bathroom!
Dean did NOT like the 'Character Dining'...we went to 'Goofy's Kitchen' and 'Breakfast with Minnie'...lots & lots of Disney Characters come around to your table and talk to you/take photos...Brielle LOVES it, Dean started to cry right after I took this picture because Minnie got too close!
Churro's are a BIG Gledhill family Disneyland tradition...my dad (who never buys treats) buys at least 1 for each person and then a couple extras just in case...we love them! This is Dean's FAVORITE part of Disneyland! Aunt Nat bought us this churro and he thought he had died and gone to heaven! He was walking off on his own, dancing...he thought he was all grown up!
After a couple days he started to warm up a little to the characters. This was right outside our hotel and he was feeling pretty confident because he had his Churro...(this was as close as he got)!
I was so proud of Brielle...she was so brave! She went on the Matterhorn, Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, 'wild west train mountain' (I can't think of the name right now) etc. She was not scared of anything!
Aunt Nat & Uncle Tyler came to Disneyland with us the first day...we had so much fun, that....
Bobpa & Nana could not stand being back at home in Utah -- missing out on all the fun--so they hopped in the car and drove to California for a couple days! 
We had such a great time with my whole family at Disneyland...as you can see from this picture...what kind of weirdo's did Nat and I marry? Tyler and Chris are totally posing for the camera! I'm glad my parents drove down...it was really fun to spend the day all together...having a great time! I'll always have wonderful memories of this day!
Dean loved his first trip to 'Never never land' (aka. Disneyland)!
We were so tired after our first day at Disneyland that we we took a break between days 1 & 2 and spent that day at the Pool -- this was the best idea ever! Chris rode his bike from San Clemente to San Diego (about 70 miles) twice -- yes, we had to drag the bike all the way down there! He even made Mitch go with him once - poor Mitch does not 'ride' bikes like Chris (he 'rides' waves), and he is diabetic! They spent the rest of the night on the couch! We had a party with all our old friends and went out to dinner (without kids) with all of them too! We were lucky to have such great friends when we were in college & living in California! I got to hang out lots and lots with my Nat Snat -- I miss you sissy! We relaxed!The trip was great, we had so much fun! However, it is always so nice to come back home and get settled back in to normal life!
We went the game started at 1:00 and we were right on time...unfortunately it started at 1:30 and by the time the game started we were sweating to death and Dean was making me nuts...he wanted to get down and walk around so bad and he was dying to go up and down the stairs! Near the end of the 1st quarter, I looked at Chris fighting to keep Dean in his arms and said 'well, that was fun but I think our time is up'. Poor Chris was relieved to see us go...I don't blame him...plus Brielle and I were sweating to death!
I love this picture of Dean....he makes this face a lot...usually when he is looking at me and waiting for me to say 'No' before he runs toward the toilet or something!
She has the face of an angel...and she acts like one almost all of the time!
I love that this picture 'shows off' Dean and his bow legs!
We also went to the Utah State Fair. What an experience...animals are dirty!
This is how I feel at the end of the day too...I can't imagine how my Elise (my sis. in law) feels!
Dean was lucky to have 5 of his 8 boy cousins in town for his party...add that to my cousins two boys and you have more boys than I know what to do with! Poor Brielle!
I When I first gave him his cupcake and allowed him to eat it on his own (FYI--big step for me...I did not let Brielle get all messy on her 1st birthday. I 'helped' her eat her cake! I figured out this time that I just needed to turn away and not watch and I would not get as anxious about what a mess he was!...chris took the next few pictures!) it seems like he is looking at me saying "Are you sure about this mommy?"
Big sissy helped with the presents...of course!
I remember OBSESSING over what to get Brielle for her 1st birthday for months...then buying a bunch of stuff and she could have cared less about any of it...this time I wised up...Brielle picked out this classic for Dean and this was our present for him...he LOVES it! Best $10 I ever spent for a birthday!
Nana could not resist the matching outfits!