Braden sibling reunion time!

 If I've said it once, I've said it a dozen times: I was blessed with three very excellent brothers. The four of us are very close but for a variety of reasons haven't been all together very much in recent years - the most recent occasions being in August of 2010 for Bailey's blessing and in July of 2010 for Quinn's mission homecoming. Prior to that, it was June of 2008 for Quinn's mission farewell.

 We were obviously quite overdue for a sibling reunion and it happened in February when Sam and Quinn and their families came up for Grandpa's funeral. 

(The funeral itself was really nice; my cousin Brady gave the life sketch and my uncles Randy and Brent both spoke. One thing that was really special is that all 18 grandchildren who are living and in contact with the family were there, and most of us were able to participate by singing a special musical number together. It was so neat to hear again such a great variety of stories about Grandpa - funny ones about his sense of humor, but also very serious and spiritual ones about times when his life was spared, once during the war and once when he was accidentally locked in a walk-in freezer at work for several hours. That one occurred just a month before I was born. It all just served to demonstrate the incredible effect he had on those around him and how blessed we were to have him for as long was we did. It was a beautiful service).

Quinn and Eden and Isaac arrived late Friday night and Sam and Terri and their girls drove up Saturday morning. We hosted everyone (including Cody) at our house Saturday night to maximize our short time together.

 Isaac and Jack picked up pretty much right where they left off in December, with Isaac finding a fun toy to play with and Jack promptly taking it away from him.  There's a chance my kid's a bully...

 

 I'm not sure whom Cody was more excited to see - his two brothers or their babies! Unky Cody was over the moon to meet Isaac and Hazel for the first time and the feeling seemed mutual :).

 Fair warning: if your daughter is at my house (sans parents and suitcase for a couple hours) in an adorable little sweater dress and cute zebra print coat, I will be forced to change her clothes before she plays in the backyard. And as there is a distinct shortage of cute pink outfits chez Izatt, she might have to borrow some boy clothes :). Luckily Bailey looks darling in anything, even orange hoodies!

 At one point Clyde and Will dedicated themselves to writing cute pictures/notes for their aunts and uncles while Bailey supervised.

 

 That evening my dad joined us for pizza and talking and laughing heartily at my expense as I shared a fairly awkward encounter from a too-friendly old man after the luncheon earlier that day, haha.

My dad found this cute outfit for me at a thrift store recently (my love for Savers is genetic!!) and so we got a picture while I modeled it. I love my dad.

 Quinn and Sam were prevailed upon to sing a duet for us; they chose 'Be Still My Soul' and sang it acapella - and it was beautiful.

 That night after the kids, Terri, and Eden were all in bed the boys busted out the video games for some male bonding time. I'm glad Chuck fits in so well with my brothers, especially since he's the only brother-in-law. 

We did take the opportunity while we were all four together for a couple of photo shoots, but I feel like our complete lack of photogenic-ness deserves its own post :). Love you brothers! See you again! Hopefully sooner than two and a half years from now!!