Owl-ways my little girl

It is hard to believe I have been a mother for a decade! My little girl turned 10! We celebrated when Brant got back from Alaska and we brought in Birthday treats (Root beer floats) for the October Birthdays, (Ria & Ginger)

Double digits seems like a big deal so, I decided to do a surprise party for her. My friend Robin helped me with the invitations.

We did a ghouls night out until 10pm. It was crazy but I think the girls had a blast. Preparing was a little tough with Brant gone and my best helper being kept in the dark!
Brant took Rianne out on a daddy daughter date because he missed her birthday. Then my friend Annette tied and glued bows to the party hats. When the girls got here we gave them their hats and glasses. When Brant sent me a text we all hurried into the Garage

When the garage door opened the witches flew to Rianne.

Then we came in for some Spooky eats.

We had witches brew, slimy snails, deathly dip, monster toes with blood dipping sauce, dipped eyeballs, spell spices, ogre ear wax, witches warts, bone bits, & Goblin guts. I forgot to get out the evil eyes (deviled eggs) and the mad scientist slime (Jell-O). The girls didn’t seem to notice.

Then Rianne opened her presents or I should say projects. She had to guess which witch brought the gift if she was wrong she ate an eyeball (gumball). She had a mouthful!

It was time for poisoned cake (may age you 10 years).

 I should explain Rianne wanted a wagon wheel cake, but it didn’t really go with my theme so I had to make an owl cake. It is supposed to look like a 10!

 Then I made a Halloween Clue game for the girls to play to find their goodie bags.

The girls who got the game had a good time for the others. I think it took a little too long but they did find their night owl bags. With sparkle spell books and a craft project to do.

We made night owl headbands which turned out really cute!

I don’t know what I would have done without Katie helping me with the glue guns. Well all my friends were a big help in pulling this off! 

Then more games Monster Mash, spin the chicken-truth or dare, egors eye race, would you rather hands and feet.

At the end most of the girls were still bright eyed ha ha! It was a good time.

The 1st one really is the Guinea pig, she is a good sport I don’t know if I’ll ever do another birthday party like that but I hope she knows that we notice the sacrifices she makes and how much she does for our family, as we figure out this parenting thing.

Fitting end is a Rianne Top 10

10. Eats good food, she could have a V8 in lunch every day, she is also a great cook!

9. Loves little kids and is so good with them.

8. So creative, crafty and imaginative.

7. Optimistic

6. Go with the flow, so flexible!
5. She has the best laugh and is so quick to giggle.

4. Beautiful, responsible, smart, athletic

3. So thoughtful and kind, she is a great friend

2. Positive disposition

1. I love how self-assured she is.

No wonder we had such a great turnout for her party, WHOO doesn't love this girl! 

For the past decade she has been teaching me so much I love being her mom!

While the cat's away...

With Brant’s new position he only travels twice a year. He was in Alaska (if they would send him in June, I would totally tag along). So that crazy cat was doing this

and visiting Santa we had our own fun.

After the primary program, we headed out for Kanab. I was telling the kids we would just miss Dalton who would be returning from his mission, Heath responded with I’ve been missing him for 2 years. Some people expressed surprise that with my husband gone I would choose to spend a couple of days with my in-laws but from my previous post you know I had no problem with it. When I pulled up my eyes filled with tears and it had been tough without Brant but it felt so peaceful. My heart needed that quick trip.

 We celebrated Josh and Rianne’s B-days. Grandpa and Heath played I laughed when Grandpa asked how long they would play the game they were playing and Heath answered with “until I win”.

The trip was a great way to break up Brant’s absence.

We missed Brant the kids reminded me daily that Brant does everything better, combing hair, packing lunches, helped with homework, the list goes on. I was getting frustrated with them and said “Dad isn’t perfect, you know” Rianne responded with “well pretty close”. Here he is taking out the trash-- Ha ha, he's so good. 

I noticed too that the dishes I didn’t get to, didn’t get loaded and the laundry didn’t fold itself either. I’m not a good single mom. I told Heath I would come in and read to him, this is how I found him asleep.

I guess it is no wonder that while walking Heath to the bus I saw a car and moved Heath, he asked what I was doing I told him I would rather the car hit me and not him. he said “I would prefer that too”—Funny kid.

For the 2nd year in a row he missed Rianne’s B-day and the Primary program.

We survived 10 hectic days here she is at 10.

Burst of Inspiration

I was asked to give a little 5 minute talk on the blessings of the temple before our relief society enrichment meeting. It really got me thinking. I thought about blessings be predicated on obedience and a temple recommend is issued if you can answer that you have been obedient. So does the temple really add to this, well yes because you are asked to do more and be obedient to the additional covenants you make. There you go; more blessings. Then I thought of my brother and how Satan works so hard to discourage him, and that the powers of discouragement are fought in the house of the Lord. And my other brother and his sealing how the barn froze and the power went out. Satan threw his own temper tantrum that day. 

I have a picture of that day (just can't find it) Boise temple

I thought about miracles like our motorcycle wreck and the scrapes and bruises stopped at our Garments. I thought about my migraine headache and that pivotal trip I took to the temple to do baptisms. I knew of God’s power as it slowly left my body and as I left the temple it returned. I thought about moments of clarity like with adoption how if left to my own thought process I don’t think I would pursue it but the clarity that I felt in the temple confirmed that to me. How scared I was and the peace I felt when I saw Brant in the temple. I thought about my wedding day! I thought of the countless times I’ve fallen down, been scraped up only to return to the house to the loving arms of my mom with a band aid and a kiss. I still feel that, I just want to go home and He will make it all better and in those brief moments in the temple He does! And I’m ready to go back out. How the temple is always warm and the air always seems cold when you come out even in Mesa.

So there it was the temple described in two adjectives that normally don’t describe the same thing Peaceful and Powerful. So the obvious blessings of eternal families, that’s a big one. The personal blessings of personal revelation which has been instrumental in my own life. The protection, comfort, warmth and connection I feel with my Savior and loving Father in Heaven. The blessings of reassurance, every time I leave I want to be better but still feel good enough. That’s when it hit me; all of these women and their testimonies of the temple are at different places. I don’t know what I said but as I sat in the car before the meeting writing down my thoughts, I hope I shared something like this, I really did keep it to just a few minutes:

The best way to get to know somebody is to spend time in their home. I remember the first time I went to Brant’s house I didn’t open the fridge, or hug his mom and dad. I did notice a picture of the temple and I thought it was interesting that in southern Utah where every home has a picture of the St. George temple, here was the Idaho Falls.

As I got to know Brant better I felt more comfortable but it was still my friend’s house, I’d eat a cookie if it was offered. Then I went to Brant’s house as his girlfriend that was weird and a little more observant because I knew who they were and they knew who I was but we didn’t really know each other. I followed Brant around a little nervous of conversations with his family. I should tell you I was never uncomfortable but it wasn’t totally comfortable either.

Then I took on their name I was now a Brown so there home was my home, but I was content to observe the family interactions without getting too involved. I remember leaving and wondering how these people, who were so good, didn’t make me feel like I wasn’t, but made me want to be better. Their 'Go and Do'  attitude was amazing to me. Then we moved our little family into their home.

Their home was now my home, they welcomed back their son and granddaughter and that included my welcome too. I became really sick, and I was scared and it took a while for us to figure out what was going on. Brant’s mother spent countless hours taking care of Rianne and me. It is all a little foggy to me but I was weak, really weak and I remember knowing I needed to take her upstairs to give her something to eat but I was too weak I didn’t know what I would do, then here came Brant’s mom who told me to lay down she fed Rianne while I slept then brought me down something to eat. I remember feeling so loved, so cared for, and so much gratitude. I was making no contribution, but she just loved me, when I got healthier their home was the only place I wanted to be. Brant's parents became our best friends. I know not many people feel this way about their mother-in-law, but I could live next door to her. I can go to their house with complete comfort, I open the fridge, talk at ease with them, I look forward to every visit, and love their hugs. I cry each time we leave.

For me there is a great parallel: the more we go to the temple the more comfortable we become, His home becomes our home as we recognize that He has taken us in and when we are weak he made that decent below all things to strengthen us. The temple becomes a place we long for, it lifts us to be better than we are. And we ache when leave. The blessings of the temple come as it becomes something we need, something we recognize and cherish. I receive so many blessings from being a Brown, far more than I am worthy of. I am a daughter of God. He loves me and I receive great blessings by being His.