I care...

have you ever had one of those days when you think no one cares about you? like you could fall of the face of the earth and no one would notice? like you are the last on the list or not important enough to even make the list? well i know this feeling well and yesterday when i talked to my bff she was have one of these kinds of days. this made me so sad because she is one of the most amazing women i know. 

 

This is my bff JENNIFER. 

(the finger and camera belong to sweet mason..hehe)

she is BEAUTIFUL, smart, TALENTED, thoughtful, selfless, spiritual, an amazing friend, loving, kind, incredible mom, the best shopper, always willing to laugh...cry...or listen, forgiving and she has a gift of making you feel like you are the most IMPORTANT person in the world.  i look up to her for all these QUALITIES. she has been and always will be a great EXAMPLE to me. i honestly don't know what i would do with out her. i can call her anytime and she will always be there. i feel like i have been so blessed to have her in my life these last 15 years and hope that i can be the FRIEND she needs too. i cherish our FRIENDSHIP. i hold dear all the times we have spent together from laying on the couch watching tv, trying on every shoe in the store, target shopping trips, weddings, disasters, crafting, and babies. did i mention that jen was my "mom" when i had preston?? yup! she held him and fed him his first bottle while i was in a drug induced coma. that is the kind of friend she is and i LOVE her for it. 

i love you jen!

season of thanks...

LOVE thanksgiving!!! This is one of my favorite holidays. When I was a kid (and now at 100) I looked forward to all my sisters coming to mom's in the morning to cook. Sometimes we would have my Aunts and Uncles over and all of us cousins run around crazy probably putting our mom's in the home. The smells....the food...yummy...my mom is the best cook!!!  Tomorrow will be a little different. Some of the family is out of town and others are at their other families this year. I know SAD huh??? Well never fear!! I am picking up my Diet Coke and heading to my mom's. We will eat one of the relish trays for breakfast and cook like mad. We will eat till we are stuffed, look at the ads, and my heart will be happy!

Asked my family what they were most thankful for this year...

Josh- a beautiful wife, healthy kids, the gospel, an education, career, friends/family,and freedom

Pam-MY FAMILY!!! The most important people in my life. I LOVE YOU!!

  Preston- my family, house, and grandparents

Abbie- family and friends

Mckena- my mom and dad, food, my teacher, and friends

Ella- brubber (brother)

Hope you get to spend thanksgiving with the ones you love also!

HaPpy tHaNkSgIvInG!!!

jarvis reunion and girls camp

We had planned to go camping for our Jarvis reunion but my Dad was scheduled for another back surgery the week before so we changed our plans. We camped out in my parents backyard so that Dad could participate as much as possible. We ended up having a great time. We had some yummy dutch oven chicken and potatoes and then Josh set up a movie outside for the kids

Ella followed Kenny's dog, Hemi, around for the whole 2 days

In the morning after pancakes and bacon we did mani's and pedi's for all the girls.

Ella thought it was bath time

k

Jessica planned a family version of Minute to Win it but we ran out of time but never fear we got together for FHE the next week and had so much stinkin fun. Sorry the pic's are on mom's camera:(

One of my favorite things to do this summer was girls camp!!!

We loaded up on Monday night and had the best week. Heber Valley Camp ROCKS!!! Of all the activities the girls liked the challenge course the best. Here they are after completing one of the challenges.

Cute huh??:)

Not only did I get to spend the week with my sweet girls but with some of the most amazing women I know

Here are 5 of the 8 members of the "Dream Team" 

I LOVE these ladies. They are truly amazing and I cherish my friendship with every one of them.

We made memories we will never forget:)

best vaca...

Took our kids to our favorite close to home vaca spot. BEAR LAKE! We filled our days with the sun, sand, water and shakes!

We stopped in Logan for a little lunch and of course the kids wanted to sit outside.

Went to the Minatonka Cave

Ella being funny:)

Spent most of our time here!

The water was warm and beautiful. The kids played...

dug...

rested...

and played some more!

Even though we used sun screen like crazy josh ended up like this

(hahah...he is going to kill me for posting this pic)

oh well :o)

I took the kids to the Pickelville Playhouse to see Bandito Rides Again. If you make it to Bear Lake you must spend an evening here. Never been disappointed.

Like I said the best vaca EVER!!!

annual brown celebrations

Every year the Brown's have super fun traditions. We ALWAYS have a fourth of July water party at Grandma's house and a camp out at the Chrisman park. We would miss either!!!

Josh spent some time feeding and loving on his new niece.

 Then tried to drowned Preston

 Abbie got in on the action
 and got both of them. We really did have a fun time and as always Grandma was the hostess with the mostest.

 The Chrisman camp out is a MUST every summer. We have a BBQ first and then the good stuff is pulled out. SMORES!!! I think Spence is as excited as the kids:)

 I LOVE this picture of Abbie and Mckena:)

 As you can tell Mckena is all girl. The purse of course when EVERYWHERE!

 Spence was super sweet with Miss Ella and helped her make a smore

She LOVED it! Surprise Surprise.

 We set up the tents but it was raining so we went inside for the movie. Then the Browns braved the weather and slept outside.

It wouldn't be a camp out if we didn't sleep in the tent!

Thanks Jo we had a GREAT time!!! 

See ya next year:)

so far behind...

As you can tell my blog is in serious neglect mode. I have been in a funk for the last few months but I am putting on my big girl panties and getting things together:)

So with that being said I am going to try and get caught up!

July was such a busy month so it might take me a few post to get caught up so be patient.
First of all we had cul-de-sac of fire with some neighbors

 LOTS of kids and LOTS of fun.

 Ella with her BFF Ewin (Erin). Thanks for hosting we had a BLAST literally:)

We took the kids to our favorite park for the Thanksgiving Point fireworks. We were sad to be going alone this year since our friends had other plans but we had a great time anyway.

We also had a little reunion for the Gourley side of the family. We LOVE seeing all our cousins. We were missing a few but hey who's counting??

We got to meet these two darlings!!! Sorry you only get to see Quincey's face. Tenley is laying on her beautiful mama's lap (can you believe she just birthed twins???) 

We went over to the Reid's for a BBQ and a few THOUSAND of these

Mckena LOVED it. Can you tell??

and last but not least we attended a few neighborhood activities

Sounds like fun huh???

Wait until you see the rest of the month:)

Preston's Trip to Washington, D.C.

Some of you have heard that we started a family tradition a few years ago (To be honest... we decided this 10 years ago). When the kids turn 12 years old, as a rite of passage, they get to select a trip location and a parent to go there for a few days. When Preston stated he wanted to go to Washington, D.C. we couldn't back down from our end of the promise. So off we went. Preston loved it!!! Lincoln Memorial was his favorite. It was an awesome time hanging out with Preston, riding the metro, and watching the street performers. Only time will tell how this experience will change both our lives.

Make your own picture slideshow

flies...

I don't know if anyone else has noticed but...we have a serious FLY problem here in Lehi. I know that people might consider Lehi "rural" but really people we have a Target and a Costco. SO NOT RURAL! Any who I have come to the end of my rope about the flies. I think that they have mistaken my house for a resort. They lay their sick disgusting bodies on my stucco outside sunning themselves like they are on the beach. Then migrate to the screens of my windows like their little legs are stuck to the wire. Maybe they can smell the new cinnamon vanilla brick that I am melting? (yummy by the way) Then the second we open the door its like a major migration and don't even get me started about the garage! I can not even open my car door without those little suckers swarming in like it is time to go on an adventure. DISGUSTING!

I can not tell you how many flies I have murdered in the last 3 weeks. My fly swatter might need to be replaced from over use. Killing flies has become part of the daily chore list. 1-Kill all the stinkin flies you can find. 2- go through a whole tub of Clorox wipes cleaning up all the dead fly guts. I have actually made myself motion sick over hunting the stupid things down. I am sure you can imagine how awesome I look with my fly swatter at the ready and my head twitching around from one side to the next. Then just when you think that you have killed them all, here come 5 more. What the HECK!!! Then today I came home and right there on my wall were 2 flies doing...IT!!!! I know that gave you a gross out chill and activated the gag reflex. Sorry! Well it sent me right over the edge. So beware you foul, disgusting, regurgitating food eaters. If you come to my house I will kill you DEAD! DID you hear me? DEAD!

the end

growing up...

 much to the sadness of Josh and I our kids are growing up! We knew it was bound to happen but we seriously cant believe it is really happening. 

WHERE DID THE TIME GO???

When Preston turned twelve he decided no more zip ties he was ready for a REAL tie. So we got one. Then Josh taught Preston a double windsor.

 Although it is not perfect he is really trying. All I could think of is how he is growing up and I don't want to miss a single thing!

Then Miss Abbie informed me she would not be wearing shorts or skirts anymore. When I asked why she showed me her leg. Yup it was hairy! So we had a hair removal party. Since she is only nine I thought Nair would be better than actual shaving so that's where we started. We slathered up our legs waited the 3 minutes and washed off. TA DA! No hair.

We are now a house of REAL ties and hairless legs! 

Except for Mckena who is a proud owner of 13 leg hairs:)

reasons to smile

do you ever feel like you are drowning in your...life?? Well that is me lately. The good, the bad, and the ugly have landed on my door step. I have found myself having a love/hate relationship with life. Then I remember all the things in my life that I would never change. 

My boy. He LOVES me. Even though I have worn a hole in the second pair of expensive sheets with my crazy legs and feet moving all night. Then when I got a speeding ticket he brought me home ice cream. Well that made this speed demon, restless leg wife smile.

Preston who just might put me straight in the home but then I went to parent teacher conferences yesterday and guess what? She reminded me that I have the best kid EVER!! Unbelievably smart, responsible, kind and she wishes all her kids could be as good as him. Well that made this eye twitching mom smile.

Miss Abbie who reminds me a little of Jekyll and Hyde told me this morning at our 3am blood sugar check, "thanks for taking care of me mom" Well that made my sleep deprived self smile.

Mckena....oh mckena who keeps me on my toes, informed me that she is pretty sure she needs to start shaving because she has 13 leg hairs. So as I tried to keep a straight face, I told her 6 year olds don't shave. To which she replied do I have to be 88 like you?? Well that made this geriatric mom smile.

And sweet Ella. Who brought be a diaper today and told me poop came out. Awesome. I told her next time poops going to come out let go on the big potty like Abbie, Kena, and Brudder. Then she proceeded to ask, "mommy poop on the big potty?" Yes "Daddy poop on the big potty?" Yes. "Ewin (Erin) poop on the big potty?" Yes "ella no poop on big potty" Well that did not make this diaper changing mom smile but her in Mckenas knee high socks and braids in her hair sure did.

So even though I feel white trash with the 75 million flies in my house, the car that rolled down a hill and cost a million dollars to fix, the sheets with the ginormous hole, all the Jekyll and Hyde outburst, the fights over homework and shaving legs, this 88 year old mom wouldn't change anything.

And that makes me smile.

thursday thoughts...

so I got my carpets cleaned today. they looked like someone was massacred on them. ella was running to show me her strawberry harvest from the backyard and fell flat on her sweet little face. unfortunately her strawberries were under her and died all over my carpet. the carpet guys name was trevor.

I learned a lot abut trevor in our 40 minutes together

1- he just moved to utah. he had to call to get directions

2-he turns his ipod on and sings right out loud. (confident little soul)

3- he likes the color blue.

4- likes converse shoes even if they don't have very good traction

5-takes his job very seriously. once got out a banana stain that happened 20 years ago.

6- accident prone. almost fell down my stairs 3 times and ran into his equipment twice.

while trevor was here it happen to be art time for me and ella. we were coloring. she asked me the same question over and over again. trevor asked me if it was hard being a stay at home mom. i replied that yes but that i loved it. he said "don't you feel like your brain is oozing out from listening to a 2 year old everyday?? i don't think i could stand it. i don't have the patience to listen to them all day. i cant stand it when your at the store and the kid is falling all over the floor and crying. i use to look at those kids and think what is wrong with you? now i know it was really the parents fault for not telling the kids to stop acting that way." as i sat listening with a little smirk on my face, i wondered how to respond to his statements. i thought oh poor trevor. you don't have a clue. i answer the same questions over and over again because that's my job. she is learning so yes i am going to tell her 125489657 times that the crayon is red. i am actually quite intelligent and my brain never ozzes out of my head after a conversation with my kids. and in some years from now when your kid is falling on the floor crying at walmart, i am going to pat you on the back and direct you right to the ben and jerry's isle because guess what?? 2 year olds have a mind of their own.

but instead of telling trevor exactly what i was thinking i just said. well trevor you might feel differently when you have kids of your own:)

today's is the day!

today was a big day at the brown household. the mimi ( a.k.a. binky) is G.O.N.E. gone! yup we made the leap. i always have such a hard time taking it away which is why all my kids have had it WAY too long. i feel so bad taking away their best friend even when the best friend is giving the baby buck teeth. so the plan was layed out

1- figure out how to make her think it was her idea not mine!

2- present her with the plan. "ella, do you want to trade your mimi for a doggy from the store?"
(clarification- NOT A REAL DOG!)

3- get in the car and give her the mimi to suck on like crazy for the last time

(isn't she cute??)

4- pick out the cutest dog we could find

5- leave the mimi on the shelf to trade for the dog.

6- wave bye bye to the mimi

7- leave it on the shelf and just walk away. don't cry just walk away

and that is exactly what she did.

7- stock up on patience, hugs and kisses, and LOTS of diet coke to survive the next 3 days.

the BIG twelve:0)

That's right I am an OLD women. My little bitty baby Preston turned twelve this week. It was a important week for this young man:)

Since I am geriatric now I couldn't remember the number twelve in sign so we got a 10 and a 2. I think it is still cute:)

For his party he invited a few boys over for a movie on the house. Preston wanted to watch Clash of the Titans so that's what he got for his present before school. He choose donuts to give to his class for his birthday treat:) Preston has ALWAYS wanted to go to Washington DC. So for his "rite of passage trip" Josh is taking him to DC!!! They leave in October and Preston couldn't be happier!

Most importantly, though, Preston received the Priesthood on Sunday!

When we asked Preston who he wanted there he said Grandpa, Pappy, and Uncle Boyd. These are the men in Preston's life that have really made a difference to Preston's and we were so thrilled that they made it to this important event in his life. After church we were having a BBQ but Preston was asked to go do fast offering collection. Josh would normally take him but Boyd offered.

This was such a memorable experience for Preston. It was a great weekend. Thanks to all of our family and friends that made an effort to be here to celebrate. It was a great weekend!