At the end of July & beginning of August the fireweed come out.  Unfortunately it is one of the signs  winter is approaching, but they are beautiful.  This is the field down the hill from us. 

She seemed to enjoy walking around with all the plants & only occasionally tried to eat them.  Some people make fireweed jam out of the flowers.

 

A few more pictures from our time with Grandma & Grandpa in Washington.  She enjoyed the playground at High Valley, except for the day she face planted off the swing.  Since then she has face planted several times and typically has a few scrapes on her nose.

 

 

 

Visiting Aunt Mary Jane & meeting Bear (dog).  He was great with Brooklyn and would make a drive by licking every time he walked near her.  Brooklyn took quite a liking to Bear & it was  evident that she is used to big dogs.

 

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY to our precious little girl.  A trip to the Portland Zoo was the event for the first day and she loved the animals.

 

 

 

I'm ready to go! Let's go see those giraffe's

 My first dessert.  I'm not letting go of this thing until it is gone (about 2 hours later), as you can see in pictures below and from the crumbs on my face most of the day.

 

 

 

 The cheetahs really liked getting close.  She wasn't scared at all.

 

 

 Grandma & Brooklyn

 The orangutan was up close & personal (only a few feet from her face). 

 

 

Grandpa & Brooklyn

Our daredevil daughter really likes to climb & put things in her mouth.  

 

 

Good friends, Gin, Ben with their son Oliver made a visit back to Fairbanks after moving in April.  Oliver is getting so big and adorable.  Brooklyn was a little bit of a brute with him, but he will soon be able to inflict his own pain.  We miss them terribly and hope to be able to see them when we are in Washington.

 

 

Enjoying a visit from friends Maria, Stian and their daughter Margit.  They are living in Alaska for the year, but will return to Norway next winter.  Margit & Brooklyn are fairly close in age (she about 6 wks younger than Brooklyn) and enjoy each others company. 

 

Uncle Van spent the majority of June with us.  Brooklyn was lucky to have him take care of her for a couple of those weeks and they formed a close knit bond.  She had lots of fun getting in trouble and climbing on anything she can find, but remained unhospitalized on Vanner's watch.  We can't thank him enough for coming up to watch her while Dana was taking a little vacation.