The trip to Drizzleland! (whoops) I mean Disneyland!

Our advent rhyme couldn't have been better.
The kids were totally surprised and so excited.
After reading it through a couple times and still trying to guess what we were doing, Cooper shouted, "you mean Jimmer Ferdette is in our truck?!?!"
So with a little help from mom and dad they finally figured out our destination.

We pulled into our hotel parking lot around 9 pm on Friday and unloaded the truck in pouring rain.
It continued to rain for the next 96 hours or in other words...the entire time we were there.
Mother Nature mixed it up though - drizzle, downpour, more than a drizzle/less than a downpour and so forth.  No blue sky at all.  Just a grayish cloud cover for four days.
But with ponchos, hot cocoa and warm churros a plenty we were up for the adventure.

I never brought out my nice camera so our pictures are those taken with Maddie's little point and shoot.


Cinderella's Castle was beautiful!

The silver lining to all the rain was that there was very little, if any, waiting for rides.  For the first time in the four trips we've made to Disneyland, this was the FIRST time we walked straight on to Splash Mountain. The ponchos really came in handy here : )

Taking a break from the rain

We had tickets to see BYU play in the John Wooden Classic.
The Honda Center was just up the street from our hotel.
It was fun to see Jimmer and the Cougs play live but sadly they lost the game.
I mean why not?  Rain on our parade was the theme of the trip.

 

At least we were dry!!

Mardi Gras baubles, bangles and beads

After riding Pirates we took a stroll through New Orleans Square.  I love this little piece of Disneyland.
The decorations were fabulous!  Maddison decided that she wanted to get a job here doing holiday decorations.  Wouldn't that be so much fun!!

California Adventures

Our main objective this day was to ride the new Toy Story ride as many times as possible.
This was the longest wait in either park and after riding it once it wasn't hard to tell why...
It is so much fun!!  If you like the Buzz ride in Disney, then you'll LOVE this one!
Because I'm not a "turn upside down in a roller coaster" kind of gal, Brent and the kids would ride Screamin' a few times while I waited in line at Toy Story and then they would get in line with me at a perfect join up spot, usually with warm churros in hand.  It worked out nicely.

Our wonderful friends, the Slades, met up with us.  We enjoyed dinner together and then...

we waited in the very rainy weather for the World of Color show.

While the weather dampened our spirits somewhat the show was spectacular!

It was our Merry Christmas present from the Slade family.  Thanks guys!  Love ya to pieces : )

The third day and then some

We woke up Monday to more of the same...rain!  Quite honestly we were discouraged.  We put on brave faces and ponchos and headed out yet again.  The rain was unrelenting and every drop seemed to dare us to give up.  We tried to ride all the big rides one last time but they would close down just as we'd approach or so it seemed.  Part of the excitement of preparing for the trip was looking forward to seeing the holiday fireworks then seeing it snow afterwards, the Christmas parade down Main Street and all the characters in their Christmas costumes.  Day after day all of this stuff was cancelled and today was no different.  It made me so sad.  Monday got the best of us and we went back to the hotel at about 3:00 in the afternoon.  The rain was at it's worst and the wind blew the pelting drops right into our faces as we slopped along.  We were wet, weary and whipped.  We all changed into jammies and while I took a load of dripping clothes to the hotel dryer, Brent took out the hair dryer and started in on the shoes.  Remember the Disney movie Monster's Inc.?  Well, our room smelled like we had taken a can of Sully's odorant WET DOG and dowsed our room with it.  25 pairs of wet socks and 10 pairs of soaking shoes make for a foul smell!  It was during this time that Cooper reported to me that Dad had said "H-E-double hockey sticks".  I'm sure he was thinking of the $$$$ signs being washed away in the rain.

We all went to bed.

I want to remind my kids about our family prayers during this trip.  At first we prayed that the weather would subside and we'd be able to have some sunshine.  But sometimes what is happening around us isn't going to change so we have to change the way we handle it.  Our prayers became more about enjoying the time we had together and being able to have positive attitudes and make the most of our trip.

Tuesday was our last day in the park.  When we woke away to the window we flew like a flash, tore open the shutter and threw up the sash.  When what to our wondering eyes should appear but no raindrops falling, we had nothing to fear!

Spirits were lifted.  Smiles all around.  Enthusiasm restored.

We were able to do our shopping, ride a bunch of rides and do some picture taking without our ponchos on!  We also enjoyed a delicious lunch of warm clam chowder in yummy bread bowls.  It was on my "must do" list while at Disneyland.  Check!!  It was a welcome handful of hours.  And just when we were leaving the park to head for home, the rain began to fall again.  It was our constant companion until we reached the Arizona border. 

So you might ask ~ Did you have a good time?
You bet!  The kids were awesome troopers but it's still too soon to ask Brent.  He's still a little bitter : )

It felt like a long time coming!

Davis was the last of the boys in his primary class to have a birthday.
But finally it came and
he turned twelve!



And the highlight was that he was ordained a Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood.
What a handsome Deacon he is too.
As I watched him on Sunday I could hardly believe that he was mine.
Standing so tall, so reverently.
Goodness, he steals my heart.

Happy 12th birthday you hunk of greatness.
Watching you grow has been and continues to be one of my sweetest joys!

Advent ~ Day 17

'Twas the last day of school and all through the house,

Not a creature was stirring, not even a MOUSE.

But if we look hard, maybe take a drive in the truck,

I bet we could find HIM with a little luck!

Oh! And while we are there

We'll attend a game with some Jimmer flair!

Four days in Disneyland!

It's our present to the kids this year : )

It's suppose to rain.

Please pray for patches of sunshine!

If I had the nerve...

I'd make me an advent for every room in the house.

Isn't this one just too cute!!

You can read about it here and check out a couple more darling, not to be missed advent ideas.

 

 Oh goodness...I really, really want to recreate this one!

Rachel, Collette, Shannon????  How about it?

Advent success!

We really are having so much fun with our advent.
Or maybe it's just me!
But whatever the case, I'm so glad that it is part of our Christmas celebration.
I'm making up silly rhymes for each day.
Sometimes they're great and sometimes...well, sometimes they're not.
But it starts the morning with a laugh.
Like this one...

Go to the fridge and open the door(ing)
It's a holiday treat so your lunch won't be boring!

See what I mean : )

There has been bedtime stories, lunchtime treats, movie passes, gratitude notes, marshmallow roasting by the fire and such as that but yesterday I think I out did myself.  By the suggestion of Shannon (an advent buddy) I bought window markers.  This was my rhyme...

Let's make a list and check it twice,
Of Christmas traditions oh so nice.
Write them in the kitchen on the window
And believe it or not, Mom won't say NO!!

 

 

The kids had so much fun!  And truth be told, I wanted to get my hand in there too!

Go get yourself some markers!

I had a hard time finding these and when I did I bought the last one.  But I'll be on the lookout because I did some searching and found out that they have them in broad tip as well.

Oh the fun to come!!

A tender reminder of who's birthday we celebrate...

The sweet voice of this child adds a special touch to the narration.  Please pause my music.

The advent to end all advents!

This project began three years ago.
Yes...three YEARS ago!


(I'm still looking for a fun way to hang this, but at least it's on the wall)

There are not words to describe this process that pushed four friends to the brink of insanity at times and sheer joy at others.

But thank goodness for our determined Captain...she kept us focused, moving forward and allowed her home to be the epicenter of all this madness. There were no lengths she would not go to get the perfect fabric, the perfect match of thread or sew those crazy tiny blanket stitches when the rest of us gave up.  She would even sew for us after we had packed up for the day and left her and the mess behind.  When we would threaten to jump ship, she would warm us up with hot cocoa and scrumptious homemade gingerbread cake with real whipped cream topping.
Without her, this project would never have seen its final stitch.

Her crew mates were something else.

One was completely useless. Okay - I take that back. She did iron here and there and cut out necessary pieces of fabric and such.  Mostly she watched and talked, which is a good thing because she is a great story teller and she kept smiles and laughter going around in abundance.  She did buy us lunch on more than one occasion over the years and that was vital to our sanity.  We learned you cannot be successful crafters on empty stomachs!  And she was a problem solver.  If something got messed up then she could come up with a solution so that no blunder went unresolved.  Oh, and she did iron my very long and unruly piece of binding for which I was very thankful.  So to say she was completely useless is truly not true at all : )

And then there was the beginner.  She could sew of course but wanted to learn a little bit about quilting.  We brought her on board because we thought this would be a perfect way to start out...simple, not too daunting and we'd have it done quickly.  She had no idea what she had gotten herself into!  And she was ever the optimist.  She listened to lots of ranting and complaining and never held it against us.  She was in it for the long haul, good or bad.  After it was all said and done, she even thinks she wants to do another project together.  She is a Saint : )

So many stitches, lots of unpicking and stitching again.  So many hours of beginning then working then putting it away for another year.  Last year it was put away because I needed to get to Utah to say good-bye to my mom.  Just thinking back on all the talking, laughing, crying, sharing, comfortable silence, teaching and learning  that were shared over these pieces of fabric fills my heart to overflowing.

I'm so grateful to three wonderful women in my life that turned a supposedly little Christmas project into something so grand and precious.
My love to each of you...Collette, Rachel and Shannon.

And now...
I'm way excited to fill up the pockets and share the countdown with my kids!

happenings as of late

we have a pet.
his/her name is Brock Weldington.
it happened one night while i was away.
dads are such softies.



we have a tenderfoot.
his name is Davis.
it happened a couple months ago.
mom and dad think he is a really great  boy  young man.

we have a champion.
his name is Cooper.
it happened a few saturdays ago.
they had to play the only undefeated team in the divsion for a chance at the title.
they did it!

we have a lady hawks basketball player.
her name is maddison.
it happened a few weeks ago.
she was a defensive machine in her first game last night and contributed 5 points to their winning score.

oh, and we have this too...



...daddy warbucks.

his name is davis.

it happened on monday.

he will be performing in the school play in the spring.

he says there is no need for a bald cap when he can shave his head and really look the part.

We have lots going on : )

A happy day...

We got out the china.
Davis and Cooper made the place cards.
Brent and I prepared the meal.
Maddison accompanied us with lovely piano music.

It was a blessed Thanksgiving day.

one year later...words are still so hard to come by

"All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother"

~ Abraham Lincoln

photos here

A sad tale...

It's been too long to admit but yesterday I went to the gym.
I was driving myself and two friends.

I made the correct turn into the parking lot but then I heard my friend say...

"where are we going???"

Sadly, I realized that instead of pulling straight ahead to the back of the parking lot where the gym is, I had unconsciously, without even thinking, totally out of (dare I say) habit, veered right.

Which takes you to...

 


Obviously my heart and head were in two different places!

Do I get to double my calories burned during that 40 minute elliptical run for choosing the gym instead of the ice cream?

Ooohhh what do you do on a Saturday

What can I say???
I'm a mom who loves to watch to her boys play hard!

All I need to know I learned in Primary...

Photos taken on the site of the new Gilbert Temple grounds.
 
I have a family here on earth.
They are so good to me.
I want to share my life with them through all eternity.
Families can be together forever,
Through Heavenly Father's plan.
I always want to be with my own family,
And the Lord has shown me how I can.

I love to see the temple.
I'll go inside someday.
I'll covenant with my Father;
I'll promise to obey.
For the temple is a holy place
Where we are sealed together.
As a child of God I've learned this truth.
A family is forever.

We know His plan,
And we will prepare,
Increase our knowledge through study and prayer.
Daily we'll learn
Until we are called
To take the gospel to all the world.
We are as the army of Helaman.
We have been taught in our youth.
And we will be the Lord's missionaries
To bring the world His truth.

We are daughters of our Heavenly Father,
Who loves us and we love him.
We will stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places,
As we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:
Faith
Divine Nature
Individual Worth
Knowledge
Choice & Accountability
Good Works
Integrity
and Virtue
We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values,
We will be prepared to strengthen home and family,
make and keep sacred covenants,
receive the ordinances of the temple
and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

We are so proud of you Sis!
Congrats on working hard and receiving your Young Womanhood Recognition Award and medallion : )

a JULY post that is long overdue...

The Brown family vacation this year was spent in Southern Utah.
We explored,
hiked,
discovered,
relaxed
and
enjoyed
the beauty of Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park.

I forgot my camera on this trip.  I was so devastated the entire time.  Just as we were walking out the door, it was as simple as setting my camera down to go get the instructions manual.  I was going to study up on some different features of my camera so I could really capture the beauty of our trip.  I knew we were heading for a gorgeous destination and I WANTED PICTURES!!  So with said manual retrieved and in hand, I climbed into the truck and off we went. 
I had no idea I didn't pick my camera back up until we were too far gone.
I was sad.  I whined and complained about not having it at every breathtaking site.


*photo here

We hiked to the bottom of the canyon one day.
Looking back up to the top was truly beautiful.

*photo here

But of course, if you hike down it...
you must hike up it.
Between our three families we had ages ranging from young Peter at five to not so young Grandpa at 75.
It was not an easy climb.  The switchbacks were tight and never ending.
There was a time when Brent, Grandpa and I were slowly climbing out of the hole and Grandpa stopped again to catch his breath. He was bent over and struggling. Brent and I exchanged a worried look and in my head I began to be afraid. But in my heart I offered up a prayer of help. Little did I know that as all the other family members had made it to the top and were back relaxing at camp that Brent's sister thought her dad might need a little extra help and asked the grand kids to join her in a prayer for Grandpa.
Prayers were heard and answered on the trail that day.

Lucky for Peter, he had a dad that carried him out when the going got tough.
Dad's shoulders are built to bear the weight of their little ones.
Lucky for Grandpa, he had a son that lent support and a strong arm when the going got tough.
There comes a time when grown sons are meant to bear the weight of their dads.
It was evident on this day and I loved Brent 1000 times over for it.

After our time at Bryce we drove to Zion and planned a couple more days of hiking and exploring.

*photo here

The big event was the dads and kids (minus Peter) hiking The Narrows.  The were gone an entire day and had quite the stories to share when it was all said and done.  Tired and worn out bodies for sure but all were exhilarated with the fact that they had done it.

One of our hikes took us along this beautiful path.  It is called the River Walk for the obvious reason that it runs parallel with the river.  Although some distance, it was easy and manageable and allowed all of us to enjoy the beauty and enjoy being together.

*photo here

When we got to the end of the path, the kids kicked off their shoes and played in the river before we headed back the way we came.  Once their toes were numb from the ice cold water, they rested on some rocks to let the feeling return.  Soon we were back on the leisurely path.  We stuck together for the most part.  The kids would get antsy and walk ahead at some points but always waiting a not so far off distance for the adults to catch up.  We all stopped at one point as the kids found a large slick rock at the edge of the path.  They would scramble up to the top and slide down, over and over.  At one point I took a quick head count and suddenly I was missing my middle child.  I looked both ahead and behind us on the path and couldn't see him.  All the other kids and adults were accounted for so I knew he was alone.

What is one of the very first things the boys learn when they enter Cub Scouts as an eight year old??  The Buddy System!!!
Not applying the Buddy System as an eleven year old...
1st broken rule.

I walked ahead of everyone at a quick pace thinking I'd find him just around the next bend.
I still couldn't see him.  I quickened my pace to a jog.
Making me jog...
2nd broken rule.

I totally knew that Davis was capable of handling the path and knew he could make it back to the parking lot, but the thought of other crazy people out there and what they are capable of started to make me sick to my stomach.
Making my mind go 100 miles an hour filled with awful thoughts of what could be happening to my child...
3rd broken rule.

With my brain out of control and my emotions unraveling, I kept my eyes ahead of me - searching.
Around a bend I saw him.  He had stopped walking and was waiting on the side of the path.
We made eye contact and relief flooded over me.  I wanted to hug the stuffing out of him.
But I wasn't smiling as I closed the distance between us.
Instead I made a really childish choice...
I didn't stop when I reached his side.  I kept walking and said something like "let's go".
We walked (I was still in fast pace) in silence for a moment and then I proceeded to let Davis get an ear full.
I didn't raise my voice.  I was only talking loud enough so just the two of us could hear.  But I was firm and tears rolled down my cheeks.
I think it began with "I know you are eleven and think you are totally capable of getting back to the car on your own" and ended with something like "but with actions like that you are proving to me you aren't capable at all".
And do you know what Davis did while I was carrying on?
He reached for my hand and listened and let me do what crazy mothers do.
He never made an excuse.  He never tried to justify his actions.
He let me say it all.  Then he whispered he was sorry and squeezed my hand three times...
the "I love you" squeeze that I've shared with my kiddos since they were learning to walk.
I squeezed three times back and he let me continue to hold his hand all the way back to the car.

We ended the vacation with a show at Tuacahn Amphitheatre.  We saw Tarzan and it was truly fabulous!
I now have the site saved to my favorites because we will definitely be going again.  It was so, so good!

But the best part of this trip I came to discover on a Fast Sunday in August.
Davis rose from beside me during Sacrament Meeting to bear his testimony.
I don't discourage my kids from sharing their testimonies but I can count on less than one hand how many times they have done it during Fast and Testimony meeting.  So needless to say my heart started pounding as I thought about what he possibly would have to say.
He began with...
"a couple weeks ago me and my family were hiking at Zion's and I had gone ahead of everyone."
Oh how I remember!!  But just where was he going to go with this, I had no idea.
He continued with how as he was walking that he felt like he should stop but he just kept walking and then again he heard a voice just tell him to STOP.  So he did and waited but he didn't really know why and then his mom was there who had been looking for him.
He bore testimony that he knew that the Holy Ghost was with him that day and that it made him feel good to know that Holy Ghost would be with him no matter what he was doing.  And then he said that most of all he knew he had a mother that loved him and cared for him and was always looking out for him.
He came and sat down beside me and took my hand again while tears of gratitude and humility washed over me. 
Davis took the high road that day.  Letting me carry on without any thought of defending himself or giving excuses.  He had had a moment with the Spirit and he carried that in his heart, waiting for the right time to share it with me.

He is wonderful young man and is growing to become an amazing husband and father.

breakfast brought to you by the Utah peach...

Don't hate me.
Just be happy for me.

Going...

Going...

Gone!