Just Perfect . . .

Remember the other day when I was bragging about how great my kids were? And remember the disclaimer about how that was rare to have a 100% perfect day? Case in point . . . we all went into town this evening to get Ryan some new work clothes and eat dinner. When we get home, Ryan decided to go fishing so I was alone with the boys to do bath & bed.

When it was time for the boys to get out of the bathtub, I excused myself real quick to set something down so it wouldn't get wet and when I turned around there is Conner dripping wet on my carpet.

I promptly bring him back to the bathroom to get dried off and I notice his nose is a still a little crusty so after brushing his teeth I start warming up some water to wipe his nose off. Conner notices what I am doing so he takes off running, chase ensues. I finally catch him in the living room and proceed to clean up his face and then I begin to think that I must not have wrung my rag out good because water is splashing my feet . . . um, Conner is peeing on my feet!! I carry him back to the bathroom all the while he is shaking his feet in the air! I put him in the bathtub and dip my feet in - Mason asks what happened and I tell him and then he confesses that he just accidently peed in the bathtub because he didn't feel like getting up; so there we are cleaning off in pee water!

I leave them both in the bathtub to go clean up the hallway and when I come back they have both gotten themselves out of the tub and are getting towels to dry off with - nevermind the puddles they are leaving in their wake. Then I hear the "uh-oh," Mason has tried to wrap his towel around him and accidently draped part of it in the toilet, which he didn't flush before bath, and then slung more water on the floor!

Seriously, I think I must have sighed about 100 times. I have a serious sighing problem - I'm trying to quit and be a little happier!

Thirty minutes later, everyone and everything is clean - again - and finally the kids are put to bed!

Parenthood - gotta love it!

And btw, my kids are still wonderful and perfect - just glad tonight is over with!

Rants & Raves

Forgive the editorial content of my blog post but I'm so irritated!

Mason is getting big and Kindergarten is just around the corner! His old back pack ripped a little last year and we've been on the hunt for a new one. I got an L.L. Bean catalog in the mail when we got home from vacation and we found the cutest back pack and matching lunch box!! I got the OK from Mason to order it and we (ok, me) have been anxiously awaiting its arrival.

When I went to bed last night and all the things I didn't get done whirled through my head I remembered that I should have received my package. I was home the majority of the day and no one ever knocked but just in case I went to the front porch to check for a package at the normal place they leave them and nope, nothing there.

I went online to track the package and what do you know but it had been delivered and signed for at 12:45 p.m. by "Camball." I called L.L. Bean because the tracking had been on there website and a real live person answered the phone on the third ring. Not a recording tell me to press a button for Spanish or please hold for the next available assistant but an actual real live person ready to help me! Imagine that!! She was very friendly and promised to get to the bottom of my AWOL package and if it wasn't found they would send me a new one in time for school. Three cheers for L.L. Bean!

After I thought my mom would be awake I called her to see if by chance she had received my package by accident and the answer was no.

A little background on me and UPS . . . we normally don't receive our packages out here until around suppertime and I'm assuming that we are their last stop or close to it on any given day. Occasionally when my phone number is listed with my delivery the man/woman will call me and ask if she can leave my package at my mom's or at the neighborhood store or can I meet her at the end of my driveway and although this is very ANNOYING if I don't have anything going on I will meet them because I am a nice person. But when I ordered Mason's birthday party favors I got a voicemail saying that the driver was late to her nephew's ring ceremony and she was leaving my package (valued at over $100) at the neighborhood convenience store. I got the message about an hour later and was furious. She just did it without my permission or anything, not knowing if I was out of town, car broke down, sick, etc. I drove on a Friday night in the rain to the store to pick up my package. I really really wanted to call and complain but I didn't because I didn't want anymore packages left all over town if they got mad at me.

Back to today . . . around 1:00 p.m. (24 hours after package was "delivered") my mom called to say my package was literally hanging out of my mailbox . . . and the fact that my mailbox is not at my driveway is a whole other rant. I drove to get it and at least a foot of the package is out of my mailbox and I have other mail in their too. I am MAD!

I finally broke down and called UPS customer service today and told them that I pay just as much money for my packages as anyone else and I want them brought to my door! I do not want to have to drive 2 miles or 8 miles to go pick them up myself, especially if I don't have any idea where they are!

A manager is supposed to call me on Monday before 10 so I will keep you posted! ha . . . it's so irritating!

I called L.L. Bean to let them know I had found the package and they could stop looking for it and again their customer service was exception so HOORAY for L.L. Bean and BOO for UPS!

But on a positive note the back pack is great and Mason loves it!!

Perfect Day!

Ever have one of those days where everything seems to go RIGHT? Very rarely do we have those but yesterday was one!

Both kids woke up happy and feeling better from the day before and both had slept all night where they belonged! We had a good breakfast together and then played and did laundry.

My mom came over and watched boys for a while so I could finally get everything out of the camper and get it cleaned up. Then me, her, and Mason played Hullabaloo.

Mason & I had lunch and got ready to go into Shreveport for speech with Conner. After that we went to get ice cream. The boys sat still and ate their ice cream and even picked up their own trash without being asked to and cleaned up our table! Mason held the door open for me and we left.

Off to Blockbuster to get movies! Conner loves to knock all the movies off the shelf so normally picking out movies is a two-parent event but I was feeling brave and he did great! He found a Thomas the Train movie that he wanted so he held on to it and nothing else!

Mason wanted to watch Jaws, which I had told him about when reading his book, Sharks, Whales, & Dolphins. We found it! And its only rated PG - who knew? (tried to watch it today and it's so scratched we couldn't so maybe we'll buy it?)

We also picked up Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Spiderman cartoons, and the Swiss Family Robinson. I had to persuade Mason on that one and now that we've watched it - he LOVES it! I totally recommend it for any little boy (or girl) who likes pirates and wild animals. There were no boring parts in it and it's rated G so nothing to worry with either. Mason asked to watch it twice!

But back to Wednesday -- after movies we came home. Mason kindly told Conner to watch his movie first and then in the middle of Thomas the Train Conner brought me Spiderman and said "EE (Mason) movie." What sweet little boys!

Anyway it was just an all around great day! My babies are FANTASTIC and I just love them!

Adventures in Babysitting, Day 2

Jack & Sam joined us again today and we were so excited to have more good times! After a little bit of playtime, I called Holly (check out her blog today for a cool craft) and gave her my list of supplies - paint, glue, macaroni, yarn, markers - for her help in creating a project.

We improvised a little from one of her ideas because she's way more crafty and cute than me! Anyway, we stapled two dessert plates together with elbow macaroni in the middle. Then covered the table with a leftover tablecloth and brought out the paints. The boys each got to paint their handmade tambourine.

After our project we proceeded to play some more! During Conner's nap the boys watch Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinousaurs. The boys and I rented it yesterday as our first Red Box rental! I think that will become a weekly grocery store ritual.

During the movie I made Funfetti cupcakes and used them as bribes to get the boys to clean up! It was a super fun day, even though my boys are coming down with a bit of a cold.

Can't wait for more fun play days!

Thought of the Day

As posed by Mason sitting at a red light today, this was totally spontaneous and not in our line of conversation . . . . Hey Mom, one day if we can buy a rocket maybe we find Jesus.

Love it and glad Jesus made it easier than that!

Adventures in Babysitting

I am usually never on Facebook but I go through spurts of a week or so every two months where I can't get enough! This is one of those weeks! Saturday I read a post by my cousin's wife, Samantha, that she had jury duty and no baby-sitter and just as luck would have it we had no plans and were itching for a play date!

I can remember my full-time working days when my mom was sick or busy and I was always scrambling for a sitter and feeling terribly guilty about whomever I called. Therefore, one of the many reasons I love being a SAHM now is being able to help people out when needed. If you ever need a sitter just call! I really find it easier to watch more kids than just my two because they keep each other entertained!

Cliff & Samantha's boys are a perfect fit because Jack is 1 month older than Mason and Sam is 1 month older than Conner. We had a great time and are secretly hoping she gets called for jury duty so we can play again!

Here's Sam eating some Fruity Pebbles

All 4 boys had Fruity Pebbles for breakfast and I probably swept up more than anyone ate!

Jack & Mason - can't believe how tall he is!

Bowlin', Slidin', & Swimmin'

I've still been recuperating from vacation and I haven't been a very fun Mommy this past week so when we got invited to three birthday parties this weekend I decided we'd do them all! I didn't even change my mind when Ryan had to work that day!

We left the house around noon to drive to Holiday Lanes in Bossier City for Michael's 5th birthday party! Michael is the boys' third cousin and about to be a big brother for the second time! Yea Michael! Baby Sister is coming close to his birthday in August so his party got moved up a little! The boys had a great time bowling! Mason bowled at my birthday party but this was a first for Conner. They shared a lane with another cousin, Jack (no relation to Michael - we've just got a lot of cousins!) and friends, Tucker & Allison! It was a great party! (Loaned my memory card to my SIL to download vacation pictures so no pictures sorry!)

HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY MICHAEL!

Now off to Shreveport for J.P.'s 3rd birthday - Super Hero Style! J.P. is also about to have a little sister in November! Lots of new little girls coming our way!

Mason was a pro on the waterslide. Jumpin' and slidin' like nobody's business! Conner alternated between the slide and J.P.'s Power Wheels. The boys play good together and always have a great time! J.P. is the boys' second cousin - I love a good cousins picture! Enjoying some cake! Regretfully, we had to leave J.P.'s early to head to Stonewall, but we had a FANTASTIC time!

HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY J.P.!

Around 6 o'clock Conner finally dozed off for some much needed rest and Ryan was finally off work so he took Conner and Mason and I headed to Dixie Swim Club for Nora Jo's 2nd birthday party!

I used to swim here when I was the boys age and it brings back lots of memories. I learned how to swim at Dixie! I went to high school with lots of the guests and they all made sure to give me a hard time about being two hours late but it was all in good fun.

Dana & Lisa kept an eye on Mason while I changed clothes and when I came out he was jumping off a diving board for the first time and sliding like it wasn't anything. I am so proud of him!

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY NORA JO!

(sorry we were so late to your party!)

Seven and a half hours after our marathon party day began we made it home! It was a wonderful day! The boys behaved and listened and had fun and when all those things happen I have fun too!

Louisiana Livin' Stella & Dot Giveaway

Everyone be sure to go on over to my friend, Lindsey's, blog, Louisiana Livin' to enter in her first ever giveaway!!

It's a $50 Stella & Dot gift certificate! They have some fab jewelry! I found the piece I want!

She has the easy instructions on her website - but hurry you've got to do it before the 25th!

Day 9 & 10: Home Sweet Home

We are headed home! It was great fun! But I sure do miss a good bath and nice comfy bed!

Day 7 & 8: Stoney Pass and Lake City

On the 7th day only Josh & Erica rested - the rest of us headed out on a 4-wheel drive adventure over Stoney Pass to Pole Creek. I get bad motion sickness so I took my medicine before I left. It must not have been seen enough because I still got sick about an hour into the ride. Ugh. Stoney Pass is the way the settlers used to travel between Creede and Silverton before they had highways. It is a one lane "road" (that is using the term very very loosely) and it is not maintained and it is rough and steep and terrible . . . however the views are gorgeous! To make it a little more understandable we travelled 8 miles to the top of Stoney Pass and it took us 2 hours to get there.

Once we hit the trail to Pole Creek, Dad, Ryan, & Blake hiked in and looked for elk and me, Mom, Amy, Cindy, and the boys headed out in search of snow on the mountain peaks. It was a LONG day but worth it!

This picture is out of order but on our way to Lake City we saw

tons of cars on the side of the highway and we stopped

to see a moose having a little snack!

Getting in the thick of things on Stoney Pass

Conner & Ryan during one of our stops

Elk on the mountaintop


The picture doesn't really do the scene justice but
here is an old mine rail and shaft next to
the old cabin. This is the peak of Stoney Pass.



Me & Mason playing in the snow!

Mimee and her sweets in the wildflowers!

The next day we went in to Lake City after we tidied up camp since we were leaving the following morning. We had a good time shopping and looking around. Lake City has a nice community park so the boys played and we threw softballs before dinner at Poker Alice. Ryan was in heaven because he found a place called Packer Saloon. The "mascot" looked like Alfred Packer (of the Packer Massacre - he carried in a family of 5 settlers and they got trapped in a snowstorm and he ate them. Found not guilty because he was trying to survive.) but was wearing Brett Favre's uniform.

Day 6: Horsing Around

Day 6 was the big horseback ride. The gang was riding up to where my dad goes hunting in September and the name of one of the trails was "Bust Your Butt" so it was probably a good thing I let Ryan go and I stayed home with the kids! My parents didn't go either because they were going to pick up our car.

My dad and Mason rode to the start of the trail and then Ryan switched places with them.

Here are my mountain men getting ready for the ride at the unloading zone.

The riders minus Ryan.

While the gang was riding off into the wild west and Conner was napping, Mason & I decided to dip our toes in the icey cold river. He loved it!!!

Everything in Colorado was so dry & dusty. Conner was like the kid on Charlie Brown that always had dirt around him. He drank it, he ate it, he put it in his pockets. His nickname on the trip was "Poor Little Homeless Boy." But as you can see the dirt didn't bother him! This is what he looked like all day!

The riders came back around 3 hours after we had expected them and were so sore Josh & Erica barely got out of their truck! They saw some beautiful county and even a moose. BTW, on day 3 we saw a HUGE BEAR!! It was running down the highway and then up the mountain - it was really neat!

Day 5: In the Wilderness

Day 5 began with preparations for a long hike. Conner was feeling better so we decided everyone would come along. Even though I've been to this same area on vacation about 10 times I have never done this hike . . . and I will probably never do it again! It was tough, especially worrying about two kids and having to carry one part of the way and when I wasn't carrying him (thankfully, we had 8 other sets of arms to help) I could hear his screams for "Mama, Mama."

After we crossed a rickety old suspension bridge there was a big sign that said something like "you are in the wilderness and there is no marked trail and basically you are on your own!"

The hike was rugged and beautiful however there were SWARMS of mosquitoes and flies. I think the oxygen level is around negative 2 so it was very hard to breathe!! Luckily Conner and I only fell once and after that I was pretty much banned from carrying him because again this isn't really a nice level walking trail - some parts were like if you fall you may never stop and we'll send someone in for your body.

We finally made it to the waterfall we were seeking - two waterfalls met together and created a washing machine effect. I was way too scared to look - it was a long way down to slip and fall. Amy tried to hold on to me to help me look and I about hyperventilated!!

It started to rain and Conner REFUSED to be under a poncho so everyone else was mostly dry except for him.

All in all, it was a fun and grueling day!

The boys walking in hand-in-hand.

Conner was carried out asleep!

Mason held strong and hiked all the way through.

Don't tell the forest service but Mason found an aspen tree

that said Jay & Joshua 1990 & 1995 & then we added 2010.

The Brown family as close to the falls as I would get.

The picture does not do the ledge justice.


After we returned we had the most beautiful rainbow!
This is taken from our campground.

Days 3 & 4: Setting up Camp and Sightseeing

Our first morning in Colorado, everyone decided to hike up the nearest mountain to where someone had planted an American flag on the top. Mom, the kids, & I decided to hang back at camp to make it a little more home-y and organized. Plus Conner needed a nap in a bad kind of way.

Here is our humble abode . . . .


Since Mason missed the grown-up hike, when Ryan came back we took a short trail close to camp.

Thanks to the Mercer's, who were camped next door, for giving up their prime spot in order for us to have two spots next to one another. That was super sweet! And their spot had all the good trails!


After that hike, we made the thirty minute trip for ice and ice cream. Even though it's quite cool in CO the sun is unbelievably hot and Ryan & I quickly noticed our a/c had broken! FANTASTIC!

At least the views of the Clear Creek Falls were worth it!


Mason & Ryan jumped the guard rail much to my horror and hiked over to the falls. Luckily they made it back OK.

Here is Mason and his beloved Papa & Mimee!

On Day 4, the big boys and Mason headed to Creede to try and get our a/c fixed. Creede is a super small town with maybe a population of like 500 year around residents and about an hour from camp. The plan was to meet them around lunchtime to eat and do a little shopping. The plans quickly changed when we arrived in Creede and picked up cell service. Apparently, the a/c repairman also ran the hot dog stand and he didn't have time to fix our car so they had to drive to Alamosa to the Chevy dealership, which was another 1.5 hours away.

We had a good lunch in the old fire station and then shopped a little. When the boys finally arrived we went for ice cream - again!

When Josh was Mason's age my parents bought him a mountain hat so dad bought Mason one this year too. Conner was having no part of being left out and he managed to get a hat out of PaPa too.

We had a couple of very busy first days in Colorado!

Days 1 & 2: Getting There is Half the Fun

Last Friday morning, we were packed up and ready to go! Our caravan was 4 cars strong - so if you saw a Honda Pilot, a Dodge Ram, a Chevy Z71 pulling a camper, and a GMC Yukon pulling a camper that was somewhat strapped together in order to avoid falling apart then you saw us!

We met up at Brookshire's parking lot and I passed our my goodie bags. Super cute I think!! I had bought everyone's favorite candy or snack, thrown in some yo-yo's and balloons, crossword puzzles, napkins, plastic bags for trash, trail mix, Clif bars, and my friend Holly appliqued some towels with the phrase "Campers Have S'more Fun!".

We were staying in Amarillo, Texas the first night and with 9 adults (including one last minute addition, Cindy) and 2 kids the trip was bound to include lots of stops!

Mason rode with my parents most of the way and Conner started running fever about mid-way through. That was no good because he wouldn't let anyone near him except for me and he felt terrible. On the positive side, he slept a lot!

Here we are at Brookshire's - all smiles!

That night we continued with Burford family traditions by eating at the Big Texan in Amarillo. The place is huge and really neat. They have a shooting arcade, gift shop, live rattlesnake, etc.

Everything there is Texas sized!

The band played two old songs for us!

Blake, Amy, Mom, & Dad

Conner felt good enough, thanks to Motrin, to clap for the band.

That was the cutest thing!

Ryan thought about trying to the eat the 72 oz. steak and meal

but after seeing it decided against it!

On Day 2, we were in 3 states - Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado! We saw antelope and mountains and it was gorgeous! By the time we made it to Thirty-Mile Campground on the Rio Grande River in the Rio Grande National Forest we were exhausted and still had lots to do. It was pure chaos especially with Conner needing to be held all night. We finally went to bed dirty and unorganized and under so many covers we could hardly move! Tomorrow will be better -- hopefully!

Blogger Vacation!!

Hooray the day is ALMOST here! We are loaded and packed and ALMOST ready to go! I think the boys probably hate Colorado by now because everything is all week as been "not now, Mommy has to do this or that for our trip." Today we came to a stopping point and I took them swimming so hopefully that made them happy!

Tonight, I am regretting that because there are a zillion little things I keep thinking of!

Yesterday Ryan had to unexpectedly work a 12-hour day so that put quite a snag in our packing plans. I was loading the camper until around 10 last night and all morning today. Luckily I have a great dad who put the camper down for me.

Anyway, I will miss ya'll while I'm gone but be sure to check out some of great blogging (and real life) friends on the side bar!

Here are a few snaps from our Church's July 4th celebration . . . (and yes, sometimes Conner does wear more than just a diaper!)

COLORADO OR BUST!

Making Amends . . .

It seems a combination of mud and water is the only way to make amends to Conner for getting stuck at home with Mommy while Mason got to work with Papa!

What a true country boy!

Papa is forgotten (temporarily) and Mommy is cool again!

Laundry Day!

Things have been SO BUSY around the Brown household! It seems we have something planned for every hour of hour every day.

Our long awaited vacation is coming up soon!! We got up early this morning to get my oil changed and I needed a new inspection sticker, then we met my mom at the laundry mat to wash our comforters and sleeping bags. For some reason I thought this would be fun . . . not sure what I was thinking!! The boys ran around like crazy people and the exit doors were automatic sliding doors, which scared me to death! Yesterday at the library Conner escaped and ran into the parking lot so I knew from experience he wasn't the least bit scared of running out of the door.

We survived though and got our stuff washed and dried!

Here are the kiddos "fake playing" the games at the laundry mat.

Here is my mom inserting her quarters - $6.50 for a wash??? Who knew! Apparently not me because I NEVER carry cash and my mom had to pay for all my stuff because I don't think about places not taking debit cards! THANKS MOM!

Afterward we dined at Burger King where Mason ran into a girl from his class. He shyly said he wanted to pick out our table and surprise, surprise it was right next to Libby! The only problem was it was a booth made for 1 or 2 people and we had 4 in our party. It was the craziest thing we all crammed into that table. I had the tray in my lap for most of the meal and if anyone moved anything someone's food or napkin would fall on the floor! He was happy though! And I thought it was hilarious. My mom had to sit with Mason while I sat beside our bags and she got ketchup wiped on her shirt so I'm not sure she thought it was as funny!

We are exhausted but ready for another day's adventures!