Aqua Man!

My little fish completed his last day of swim lessons for the year on Friday! We started out in April with Ms. Farris and then switched to Mr. Jordan because we needed a different day. Ms. Farris happened to be in charge on the deck and she went on and on about how awesome Mason was doing and how much he had improved!

He can swim underwater and above water with his face in and using the proper strokes! Way to go Mason!

He had some beginners join his class and they wanted to go down the kiddie slide but not for Mason! He waited patiently for his sub, Mr. Michael, to get done with the twins so that he could jump off the rope swing!

Climbing out!

WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU MASON! And a special thanks to Mimee for watching Conner during lessons! The two months we took him with us were hard work because he wanted in the water! Next year, Conner, next year!

Cooking with Conner

While cleaning out my desk at work, I found a recipe I had printed out in August of 2009 for Cinnamon Ripple Muffins. I figured today was the perfect day to make them. I set out all my ingredients, bowls, and utensiles last night and I planned on getting up early this morning to have them ready before the boys woke up.

Conner must have known I had plans to do something before he woke up because he woke me up at 6:55 a.m.! Therefore, Conner & I got to cook together! Conner is very mischieveous and we rarely cook together but he did wonderful this morning and even learned a new word - whisk, as I let him whisk the dry ingredients together.

He ran away everytime I pulled out the electric mixer and yelled HOT!

The muffins were good - maybe a 6 on a scale of 1 - 10. They may have been better if I would have noticed that the recipe called for buttermilk and not regular milk and had my regular milk not have expired yesterday (I used it anyway)!

It was fun though!

Mason & Mommy's Miscellaneous Day

I have been putting off having a cavity filled and Wednesday was doomsday and to make my day much more exciting I also scheduled an eye doctor appointment. Mason had an appointment later on that day too; therefore following the country rule of "you only make one trip to town per day (and really per week if you can help it) Mason needed to hang out with me all day! And we decided to skip his appointment and head to the movies instead (I wasn't sure how long my dentist appt would last)>

First stop the eye doctor! I was seeing someone different in order to have some spare contacts before out trip and I really liked him! I was also glad Ryan watches Sports Center all the time . . . Dr. Drummond was very excited about the World Cup games and I know NOTHING about soccer but was able to carry on quite well, in my opinion!

I am still blind as a bat but thankfully not getting any worse even though I am not sure I could actually get worse!

Here is my sweet Mason in the waiting room. He waited so patiently and kept busy looking at National Geographic magazines! During my exam he was also fantastic - I had brought him tons to do but he didn't play with anything because he was very interested in the exam and asked lots of good questions!


After the eye doctor we headed over to the nursing home to pick up my MeMaw in her apartment and bring her to the cottages (on the nursing home campus). MeMaw used to live in yellow cottage after her stroke and my dad got to know the people who worked there and some people from our church were going to sing. I had only planned on visiting with my MeMaw and not singing but somehow I got roped into singing also.

We sang some old songs in hopes the residents would remember them. The first was "I'll Fly Away." That songs always sends me down memory lane to Keatchie Heritage Days when I was a girl. I can remember me, Anna, Lauren, Rachel, Mary Lea, Leigh, Elizabeth, and maybe Elise (??) learning how to make bricks with Miss Liz and stitching a quilt on an old-timey loom, running around like wild little girls past the big black pots with old black men stirring greens with a wooden oar and holding our noses because the greens stunk, and my Aunt Jackie working in the General Store dressed like a pioneer woman. That night a family musical group always sang "I'll Fly Away" and I would stop playing light as a feather, stiff as a board (can anyone remember the rest?) to listen - it was my favorite song! Those were the days. We'd stay there all day and then have picnic suppers on quilts and listen to music.

Back on track though, this specific cottage is for residents who have some form of alzheimers, dementia, or other memory related problem. Yet there was one lady who sang every line to all 8 songs. I want to be that lady, who may not remember anything else but can still sing praises to my sweet Jesus.

Here is my fam - Mom & Dad, Me & Mason, & MeMaw - doesn't she look pretty? She had just gotten her hair done!

After singing and visiting, we headed to Chick-fil-a! Here is my sweet pea! He was so good - he came when I told him playtime was over and I only had to say it once - that's a miracle!

Next stop was my old office to sign some papers and then to the dentist. I have never had a cavity before so I had nerves like crazy because I didn't know what to expect. It actually went good and didn't hurt much at all. I have a little bit of a CSI addiction and all I kept thinking about was one day if I'm murdered and dumped in a known spot for prostitues or junkies then at least they will be able to look at my teeth and say "she took good care of them and paid for dental work" and then they'll know to investigate my case further!! Crazy I know!

Last stop before the movies - Best Buy! Holly & Missy told me I need a Flip video camera and I bought one and it didn't work! I took it back and got another one and it didn't work either! I had camera support, customer service, and the Geek Squad looking at it and no one could figure it out. So I guess it wasn't meant to be! Maybe I can find one that works before our trip!

Finally we make it to Tinseltown to watch Toy Story 3! It was a really good movie and Mason had a great time! He got all settled in with his 3D glasses, Junior Mints, and water and enjoyed the show!

We had a really good day together! Can't wait for another Mommy & Mason day!

Happy Father's Day!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY RYAN & DAD!!

Sunday's are always hectic at the Brown house and Father's Day was no exception. I had volunteered to bring the youth breakfast before Sunday School and was running late so I didn't stop to take pictures of Ryan opening his gift with the kids. They got home a backpack and gift card to Sear's to get geared up for our upcoming vacation!

After church my mom cooked dinner and Amy, Josh, & I gave my dad a $70 flashlight and no that is not a typo. He had already used it on his River Trip 2010 and apparently it is the best flashlight ever.

Ryan, Erica, Amy, & Blake headed to the garden while Mason & Josh worked on their swimming. Uncle Josh taught him how to do a cannon ball and a can opener and do twists in the water! They had a great time! Papa joined them for a bit and then I did too (Conner was napping).

Here is Mason enjoying a watermelon from the garden, country-boy style! He said it was GOOD! He'd been dying to pick a watermelon for weeks now!

I should have some pictures of actual fathers (well Josh counts because he's a daddy-to-be) but I don't -- oops! But Happy Father's Day to two of the greatest dads ever - My Daddy and My Hubby!

Luke Bryan is HOT!

Saturday night Ryan & I met up with the McGovern's for a country Louisiana Saturday Night at the CenturyTel Center to see Danny Gokey, Luke Bryan, and Sugarland in concert. I really had no idea who the first two people were and I the restaurant I confessed to Ryan I liked a song that went something like "rain makes corn, corn makes whiskey, and whiskey makes my baby feel a little frisky." As it turns out Luke Bryan sings that!

They tell me Danny Gokey was on American Idol . . . he actually did a great job!

Next came Luke Bryan and he was SMOKIN' HOT . . . oh and his songs were good too! He was dancing and putting on a great show!

He is a terrible pic of me and the hubby -- I am sporting a double chin and he looks queer but its all I got! I wanted a picture of me rockin' the Justin boots with my sundress but we never got one! We are waiting for Sugarland to come out . . .

Finally after the longest intermission ever Sugarland came on. Let me start off by saying that I am not a huge Sugarland fan but went to the concert anyway. They had a really great show and I was beginning to very begrudgingly forget that the voted for Obama until . . . . they came back for their encore performance and she spray painted a white flag with heart and wrote the word "LOVE" and turned the "O" into a peace sign. Then sang the song that I'm 99.9% sure that they sang at their Obama fundraiser about hope-n-change. That of course ended the concert on a sour note but we still had fun anyway!! Thanks McGovern's for hanging out with us!

splish.splash

Saturday morning Mason & I went to Drake's 6th Birthday Splish Splash birthday party! Conner stayed home since I knew most of the guests would be older boys and I knew he would think he was as big as they were and end up hurt, more than likely.

Mason has always been a little skeptical of big slides but not this time! He hung right in with the big boys! Of course, I haven't figured out my new camera yet and more old camera took his pictures about 60 seconds too late so here is a good shot of Mason's back! If anyone can give me a quick Canon Rebel tutorial I'd appreciate it!


The birthday boy looking less than thrilled to be off the slide!

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY DRAKE!

Fun Friday

We had a FUN FRIDAY playing with our friends, John Ryan and Nora Jo, while their Mommy worked! They were all so good and played well together! I got 4 blog posts done while they were here!

When the kids left and after Mason's swim lessons I headed to a Ladies Night at church. It was fun visiting with all my sisters!

End of Season Party

Last Friday, we had Mason's T-ball party at Coach Robin's house! She had her back patio decorated cute and baseball themed. The kids enjoyed seeing each other again and playing in the yard. Even though it was in the evening it was still very HOT! Robin was prepared though and had water balloons for the kids to play with!

One super sweet mom, Jessica, had taken pictures of all the kids during the year and passed out pictures and CDs for us to take! Here is one of Mason! We can't wait for next year!

Alligators and Magic!

With my newfound days off the boys and I hit the library this week!! Wednesday we caught a presentation by Wildlife & Fisheries and we got to see lots of different animal skulls and hides. The highlight was the baby alligator that they let run around in a kiddie pool! Well the alligator and the popsicles we got afterward!

Thursday we went back for a magic show. Here are the kiddos plus John Ryan & Nora Jo enjoying their popsicles after the show!

When we returned home I held true to my promise that we could splash around outside. I had filled up the little pool earlier that morning so that it would have time to warm up and they played in there while I hooked up the new slip-n-slide. Just as I was about to take their picture on it Mason slipped and busted his lip and then no one wanted to play on it anymore (you know after I spent 20 minutes hooking it up!). Then we turned on the sprinker and enjoyed some grapes and fresh blueberries.

It's been a great two days off with the boys!

Farewell!

After eight years plus one summer intership I bid farewell to Louisiana Ag Credit, ACA on Tuesday. It was a little bittersweet. My fabulous co-workers did a great job of saying good-bye! I had decided to bring some monkey break for breakfast as a surprise and they surprised me with sausage balls and powdered donuts - yummy!! Then for lunch my boss's wife brought Crawfish & Sausage Pistollettes and we ordered in pizza and had Rotel - all my faves! For my 3 o'clock snack (as if I needed anything else to eat) they bought me Maggie Moo's Better Batter ice cream and made a homemade yellow cake with chocolate icing. I think I gained 15 lbs that day alone!

I tried really hard not be sad because I am so happy about being able to stay home with my babies but I am going to miss everyone I have worked with and all my customers who have become like family . . . well because some of them are I guess!

Taking my diplomas off the wall in my old office, now Nicki's office (and very well deserved) was probably the hardest part, not sure why, but it was. Thankfully no one was around to watch that so I didn't cry!

I will miss ya'll - Cecil, Cheryl, Nicki, and Angie!

It is a little sad to see that I could condense 8 years of my life into one Office Depot file box . . .

Downhome Sunday

My sister really stepped up the Sunday lunch last week by having roast with potatoes and carrots, corn on the cob, squash, and green beans from our garden and/or Blake's farm. I felt I needed to use some of our homegrown veggies for lunch at my house this week! I felt a little like a 1950's homemaker on Thursday as I spent an hour snipping green beans and chopping vegetables for my Zucchini Relish. We had Crawfish & Cheese Manicotti, San Antonio Squash Casserole, Fabulous Green Beans, and Zucchini Relish. The relish got surprisingly good reviews!

I was honored to have my family and my friends, Holly, Jonathan, and Nolan over for lunch as well. After lunch Mason & I along with the Whalen's headed to Hillcrest Blueberry Farm in Gloster to pick fresh blueberries. We had a great time and got a bucket of blueberries for only $4!

Check out more fun blueberry pics here!

It's a . . .

Saturday we headed to the McGovern's Gender Reveal Party! I missed the concert at church and my BIL, Blake, was telling everyone I was at a "sex party" (sex as in gender!). It was a really cute party and I can't wait to have one -- hint, hint Ryan!

Here are the kiddos (big brother JP on the far left) finding out what the baby is by the filling in his cupcake and IT'S A GIRL! CONGRATS MCGOVERN'S!

Last Time . . .

Mason is sick today. When I picked him up from VBS on Sunday night I noticed he was feeling a little warm and by Monday morning it was all out fever and sore throat. We went to the doctor today and sure enough he has strep throat.

I told my mom that I am very sad that he has strep because I can still vividly remember all my battles with strep before having my tonsils removed. However I am so excited that he finally has an illness that requires actual medicine and a shot instead of leaving with instructions totake Tylenol and Motrin! For the first time in 5 years I feel as though going to the doctor served some purpose.

We had our first shot, other than a vaccine, and it was terrible while we were there but I know it was the best thing to do.

Which brings me to the title of my post, I am so excited that this is the LAST TIME (for the time being) that I will have to choose between work and family. My last day at work is next Tuesday and I will have a post about how much I have loved my job next week but for now can I just say I am relieved that soon this guilt I am feeling now will be no more.

This is the LAST TIME I will have to tell a sick baby that Mommy can't be here to love on you when you feel no good because some stranger needs a loan or something notarized or some other thing a sick baby cares nothing about. This is the LAST TIME I will have to anguish over who gets my time - work or family. This is the LAST TIME I will have to consider calling work and telling them I can't come in and hearing the guilt-trip and all the things I've got to do. This is the LAST TIME I will have to wonder if I made the right choice. I am so relieved.

All you working mommy's out there know what I am talking about . . . even with understanding co-workers like I have it is still gut-wrenching to choose who to disappoint and some days you may actually want to go to work but know its the wrong choice for your child. That constant tug between work and family is exhausting and I'll be happy to tell it good riddance while I can!

Random Stuff!

I got home from work on Thursday and offered the family a delicious menu of random leftovers. Ryan opted to pass and decided to drive in to town to get supper. The boys both heard the word "go" and jumped in his arms for their chance to get out of the house! They took a really cute picture before they left!


Mason wanted to take the camera with him in Ryan's truck so since I have bought a new one (yea!! but its still in the box . . . ) I didn't feel as nervous letting him take the camera with him. He took about 40 pictures, mostly of trees or the back of the seat but then I came to this picture and thought it was really funny and the most centered picture he took . . .



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Saturday Kelly & I headed to Canton for our second go-around! It was much hotter than when we went in October! When we went before we were doing a lot of Christmas shopping . . . I don't know if we found more then because we were looking for other people or what but we didn't get as much this time. It was still a fun day out though! I did get a big French Bull Multi-Dot platter for above my cabinets, a soup mix, Happy Camper frames for the boys to put a vacation picture in, a shirt, a monogrammed bag, and those bracelets that are all the rage for kids that keep their shape.

When we got to Shreveport we went to Kohl's and spent almost as much money there! But in my defense I had to get the boys blue jeans for camping and swim shorts for summer so it wasn't all on me!

*******
Sunday Mason & I got a coveted invitation to come swimming with Mary Lea, Michael, & Paige so after Sunday lunch at my sister's new house we headed over to swim! It was so much fun! Technology has come along way because Mary Lea's husband, John, was able to watch the kids swim and talk to them over the computer all the way from Iraq! He should be home on leave this month and they are so excited!

The kids all had a great time and we wish the Waller's didn't live so far away! Mason was quite upset that we could only stay for about an hour but we had to leave because he was starting Vacation Bible School!


So there is my exciting if not random weekend!

Let the Countdown Begin!

Only 32 more days until we go to Colorado!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yea!!

For a little background my family first went to Colorado in 1988 and we last went in 2001. I was dating Ryan in '01 and wanted him to come with my family on vacation so I made him a "Top 10 Reasons to Vacation in Colorado" booklet. To poke fun on myself, I will try to describe my booklet . . . first its tied together with yarn strings so that should tell you something! But its just plain white paper that I used glue sticks and scotch tape to affix pictures to . . . I'm still not a professional scrapbooker or anything but hopefully I've come a ways since then!

So this will be my digital Top 10 (I'm using the same pictures and list and all):

10. To be up close and personal with the state's wildlife. My brother, Josh, with a whistlepig in 1998.

9. The beauty of a hard hike (notice I didn't make it!). Dad, Amy, & Josh in 1996

8. Welcome to River Hill Campground!! We actually aren't staying here this year because its full but we are staying at the next campground over.

Mom & Dad pulling out of Site 16 in his motorcycle in 2000.

If you look real close you can see campers and trailers along the circle drive. This is a view of the campground from the road you drive on to get there. The Rio Grande is one side and the mountain on the other. If you like hearing the ocean waves at the beach then you would love having the rapids of the Rio Grande putting you to sleep at night!

7. It's cold!! The high will be around 80ish and the lows around freezing!

Josh doing some belly surfing in 1999!

6. 4-Wheel Drive Trips! We always take one 4-wheel drive trip over the mountain to a nearby village/town. To go about 4 or 5 miles takes around 4 or 5 hours! But the scenery is heavenly! The neatest thing is seeing herds of sheep with an actual shepherd gathering them on the mountaintop.

Harold & Sherrie Jones and their fam, Brett, Elise, & Haley, Aunt Cheryl, and my family at Cinnamon Pass, elevation 12,640 feet above sea level in 1995.

5. Good food, good fun, good fellowship!

Josh & Cecil (my boss) in the middle with Brett and Jeremy at the picnic table. Every night we sit around and play games, sing, roast marshmallows, look at stars, and listen to the river. RELAXING!

4. ELK!

My dad always hikes up to "hunt' with his camera! He took this picture in 1995.

3. Beautiful mountain homes!

The "white dot" on the left hand side of the waterfall is Tom Cruise's house in Telluride, CO.

This house is one of our favorites - I'm told our #1 fave burned down :(.

You can only access it by suspension bridge - its called "Thoreau" (I think?).

2. The Scenery!

The guy in blue is my dad in 1996. This waterfall is about 5 minutes from camp. We were all about to have a nervous breakdown that he was so close to the edge. I've literally had nightmares about my kids falling in right here so they will stay with me on the safe side of the guard rail!

Wildflowers - don't pick 'em! My parents in 1998.

1. TO BE PART OF TRADITION SINCE 1988! The family in 1998 . . . we are so excited to share our memories with Blake, Ryan, Erica, Mason, & Conner!

So now you can see a small glimpse of why I am driving 2 days across 4 states with 2 kids to stay 8 days with no running water or electricity!! I think it is as close to heaven as I can find on earth!

It's the Simple Things in Life . . .

Our endless stream of birthday parties and events have slowed down and its been nice this week to enjoy the simple things in life because those are what really matter! A few enjoyable things from my week . . .

1. Sunday we brought home fresh squash and zuchinni from our garden that went perfect with my pork chops on Memorial Day. We bought a watermelon for dessert - yummy!
2. Sitting on the front porch Tuesday evening after work with Conner watching Brandon (works for my dad) bush hog. Conner passed up cartoons for a chance to watch a "vroom, vroom." The only thing he couldn't figure out is why he wasn't riding on it! Time just stood still as we sat in silence and watched it go back and forth.
3. Returning to the porch with the whole family every night this week to eat homemade banana ice cream that my Mama made! My barefoot boys picked up grass the bush hog left behind and had "hay races," where they ran back and forth dumping hay on the ground and seeing who could get there the fastest.
4. Spending Friday at home with the babies catching grasshoppers! I am an expert!
5. Being a super cool mom (lol) that would pass a turtle on the road that no one else saw and still backing up and going to get it so that the kids can see and then at their insistence carrying it home in my car! Only to find out that I brought a snapping turtle home so then we journeyed toward the sound of the bullfrogs to release it near the water!

I don't think I could have gotten any closer to the "good ol' days" this week and I LOVED it! I am so blessed to live where, as one lady put it today, "even the FBI can't find me!" Because it is the simple things in life like listening to grasshoppers and bullfrogs and watching tractors go by with the ones you love that matter!

America the Beautiful

If any of you went to Central and had Mrs. Sallis for 1st Grade then you can remember starting off every morning with her at the piano and the whole class singing My Country Tis of Thee and America the Beautiful. I can still sing almost every word of each. Then I headed to 4th Grade with Mrs. Bryan and had to learn every Civil War battle hymn known to man.

I guess there begins my love of patriotic music! There is just something about being loyal to God and country that makes you feel good.

On that note I'd like to invite everyone to Fellowship Community Church in the Kickapoo/Gloster area on Saturday, June 12, 2010 @ 6:00 p.m. for a patriotic night of music featuring Sandra Dee and special guest Rex Kramer.

Mrs. Sandra has sang at our church many times and is always fun and enjoyable! She even honored us by singing at my grandfather's funeral as a favor to my mom. She was the 2009 ICM (Inspirational Country Music) Female Vocalist of the Year (George Straight won the Male category in 2008 so I think that makes it a big deal!).

It'll be a night of fun and fellowship and its FREE so come on out! And bring a friend!