Brink family reunion

We got spoiled rotten this year at the Brink reunion. Our friends have this beautiful cabin in Duck Creek, which just so happens to be a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Brinkerhoff camp site. It was seriously soooo nice... after an evening around the campfire, instead of crawling all dirty into a sleeping bag in a tent, I got to go soak in a jetted tub, and sleep on a nice cushie bed. it was the best camping trip ever!

I love these boys so much!! It is the only time of year we really get to go 4-wheeling and play in the dirt.

Chantel got a little owie and she had to show her uncle Sean. He kissed it and made it all better.


See... All better... =)

There is usually alot of B.S. flying around at the reunion... it is by far one of my favorite aspects...

Three generations cooking on the dutch ovens... Breakfast for me, o.k. not JUST for me...

When these three march off like this you know there is something fishy going on...

hhhmmmm... I wonder what happened to that tent... I am sure that these boys had absolutely NOTHING to do with this wake up call... lol

They had such a fun storytime this year. They took a few of the poems that Grandma Tink had written and did little games to go along with them. I was not really paying close attention, but this little activity had something to do with going to the "Wart doctor". Which I am sure would have made alot more sense if I had the poem to go along with it. But the kids had a blast with it!

Do NOT let the innocent little faces decieve you... these two are trouble...! They really are too cute together though. They both have a personality that is... well.... a bit controling? We can only handle them in small doses together, but they sure do love each other!

Mitch's Mommy and Daddy... they are seriously the cutest! I know they sometimes drive each other nutty, but they are so cute and loving towards each other. It makes my heart smile.

I LOVED this picture... Brittany discovered that he piggy pillow oinks when you squeeze it. What a cute little woman she is!

And this is the woman who started it all. I love her to pieces. She is so hilarious! I love her spunky personality. She says things so unexpectedly. She is so fun to talk to. I am forever grateful to her and grandpa Tink for creating such a wonderful legacy.

This is a classic example of the "Carey" smile. Seriously, try to look at that face and not smile... I bet you don't last long. And then there is SpongeBob grumpy pants... lol

And Last but most certainly not least, THE COTTON CANDY!!! Aunt Neener Weener always brings her cotton candy machine. She is so sweet to make and re-make lots and lots of cotton candy for the everyone. I look forward to it every year, and by the looks of Drayden's face it is one of his favorite parts too!

to work, or not to work?

The news of having a baby has opened a great deal of questions and issues in my life. First of which is WORK... What is a mom to do? I currently work 40 hours a week. It is hard. I miss my kids. I think they sometimes miss me too, especially Drayden, for some reason we just have a special bond that way. But most of the time they are off playing with friends, or going to school, and could really care less whether I am sitting at home or at work. However, a baby... now that seems to me that is should be a different story. I have always had the privilege of staying at home with my babies. I didn't have to go to work until Chantel was almost 3. The cons of having a job are: I have to be gone alot. I have to hire someone else to raise my baby. Breast feeding will be much harder. I will miss out on so much, and I worry that I will not have the same kind of bond with this baby as I have with my other children. We would have to make alot of financial changes. We would no longer have health insurance. The Pros of having a job are: I can afford everything I need very easily. I have AMAZING health insurance for CHEAP, I get that "me" time away from the kids.I have an excellent job with paid vacations and holidays. In my mind the cons are outweighing the pros... but the insurance thing is probably the biggest reason I am having a hard time with the prospect of quitting. It was because we didn't have health insurance that I was forced to go to work in the first place. my Emergency Gall Bladder surgery, $20,000, Drayden's broken arm $7000 Drayden's teeth, $2500, various instacare visits, $1000... that adds up folks, and well collection agencies are fairly ruthless when it comes to sucking that money out of you. We are now down to about $3000 in medical debt, so we have come a long way in just a few short years, but I don't really want to go back to having no medical insurance... it is just too scary! Insurance through my husbands job would cost us $600 a month, and if I wasn't working there would be NO WAY we could afford that. I currently pay only $150 a month through my work. While it is a personal decision, I would like as many opinions as possible because I am at a total loss!!