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.