To Be 2

 

He gives the best "dirty looks" on command! 

I love that Bennett’s birthday falls over a long weekend holiday.  He gets to have 2 cakes 2 gifts.  2 is significant, he has 2 siblings and 2 parents all because he has 2 moms.  What an amazing gift she gave us. 

I don’t know if a birthday will ever go by without thinking of her.  Oh how I love her and continue to pray for her as well as in gratitude for her.  I want her to know I kiss his belly button every day, it is the mark that he may know she loves him she gave him life, we will take him through it!  I still hold to the fact that she is the most beautiful women I’ve never met!    

He loves trains and almost every night we read Remmy and the brain train.  At nap time I tell him the clickity clack story “the beautiful strong train” about his birth mom.   Sometimes I change what we see along the track but I love it!

look mom no hands

We had cake number 2 made by Aunt Kristi. 

 

We went hiking the week he was born and every year since we hike the beautiful red hills. 

     

These have been the BEST 2 years... preparing him for his future best 2 years:)

Today is his Gotcha Day!  So happy for you 2 be 2 Bennett! 

 

Christmas closeout 2013

 

As 2013 comes to an end we didn’t get out a Christmas card out but did enjoy receiving some.  Hope next year we will get one out.  The Joy of Christmas comes through Kids look at that smile!  We kicked off Christmas season with our traditional breakfast, dinner. 

Christmas Sunday is always one of my favorites especially the music. 

Rianne is such a helper with sock detail she is amazing and loves to bring smiles to her brothers. 

This year we did the 12 days of Christmas for a family and had a blast doing that, it really helped keep the focus on giving. 
We had a great time Christmas eve with friends and Bennett got to have his first taste of mutton, (ours too) we liked it.

 

Bennett really loved the pine nuts!  We loved the tortillas.  I think his favorite was chasing the cat look at that devious grin! 

Bennett helped out prep and landing. 

Thanks to this big guy the big guy did find us.

I was ecstatic about my hot water bag!   

 We had some good friends play Santa for us Heath he was so excited for his new bike.

I love that we closeout the year with Christmas celebrating new baby to usher in a new beginning! 

Talk about new beginnings we closed out the Christmas vacation going to TJ’s wedding.  We always enjoy the Johnson get together every time we say we should do that more often.  It was a beautiful start to a new year!   

 

Thank you Brown Friday

 Just before thanksgiving I was rear-ended, hoping it will be a blessing in disguise, I had this great idea to sell pies for Thanksgiving to make some Christmas money.  I was pretty sore from the wreck but I managed to make 30+ pies. 

We had Thanksgiving in Kanab.  I always love a big brown get together.  This year Brant’s brother McKay did a Movember with all the guys growing out their facial hair.  I of course made him a Peanut Butter pie fitting for the occasion. 

My family used to have pigmy Ping-Pong tournaments at Thanksgiving this year the Brown’s did only not pigmy style.  Brant really took it to me.

What would Thanksgiving be without our little native! He is gets more fun everyday! 

On Friday we had Brown Friday celebrating Delores 80^th Birthday!  VaNae (Brant’s sister) did an amazing job putting a new and improved Brown family cookbook together!  Natalie and Lacee did this amazing Birthday Cake.  I thought it fitting that she gave each family a little serving spatula (like the one she got from her mother-in-law). 

Truly fitting symbol of her service, not only is it a cooking utensil but it is little things she does every day serving up a little love here and there until everyone is endeared to her.  I hope she had a fabulous 80^th birthday and knows how truly loved she is, I have the best mother-in-law in the world!  

We were finally able to visit Mary.  I am so thankful for Brittney taking such great care of her.  
 

Dis- Shuffled

I always learn so much each season, usually the lesson comes to me through one of my girls this season was a little different.  This season was one of the most emotional seasons for me and that is saying something (I coached pregnant/post-partum season).  It has been a card game.  After tryouts I felt like I had a stacked deck (one card I wanted but didn’t play out in my hand).  Then as the deck got shuffled—I had a girl quit and 2 girls go down with injuries.  I played the hand I was dealt.  I had to be flexible, which is not my strength.  I know myself pretty well.  I am passionate about volleyball but I would not describe myself as emotional or impulsive decision maker.  I choose my players on stats.  I could not get these girls to come together I had all kinds of talent but not enough team. 

Personally, I felt it came from a divided coaching staff.  I learned that while there have been benefits to being the behind the scenes coach it also limits your control.  I am a firm believer that if you know better you should do better.  I truly felt stifled and the season was a disappointment.  When expectations are not met there is always disappointment.  The greater the expectation the greater the disappointment with that being said I never want to have to lower my expectations.  I always want my players to rise to the occasion.  I think on the flip side of disappointment if you live up to high expectations it builds confidence.  I want to build confidence, I will only continue to coach if I feel I have power to achieve expectations.  If I have to lower my expectations to avoid the disappointment I do a disservice to myself and my players.  So when the chips are down can you keep a poker face?  Well I am who I am if I like the cards I am holding you will know it and if my hand is no good I won’t fold.  I needed this season for reflection to see that I was holding back and I am better than that.  I don’t know if I can come to the table again unless I am the one holding the cards.      

 

Good thing I took a Time-out after the season ended.  This was my first experience with time-out for women I had my apprehensions but it turned out pretty good it is a long time to sit in such a big meeting but it felt personal and I actually enjoyed the girl time! My five words healthy, inspiring, articulate, efficient, energetic.

  

Buzzin' Dozen

 
I cannot believe I have a beehive.  Rianne turned 12 and we did another combined birthday party.  We are so lucky to have great friends.  So for 2 girls who are sweet as can bee we did a buzzin dozen party. 

Rianne wanted a doughnut cake. 

Then we did these cute honey drinks. 

I love that our lil’ beehives still play dress ups it was such a fun party.  I have said it before but every year just gets more fun, love growing up with this kid (she is growing too)! 

She was pretty disappointed that I was released from young women’s just as she came in.  I had a hard time watching her handle it.  I was so sad to not be teaching I love the youth curriculum.  I knew it was coming and felt peace and confirmation that I would continue to teach, so it was a real blow to be called to scouts I’m still not sure what that is about.  However I know Rianne needs to be in young women’s without me because they need to see she really is that good not for me or anyone else.  This was confirmed when we were talking about river trip she never asked me about it and I thought it was because of the price so when I told her we could make it happen if she really wanted to go she said “mom they are going to be gone over Sunday”  I asked what the other girls who go to church are going to do?  She said they were going to take it easy that day and bring their scriptures” I said so why don’t you want to?  So matter of fact she answered “mom It’s not that I don’t want to it is that Joseph Smith saw what he saw and went through all he did, the church is true and that is where I am supposed to be.”  Another one of my many who is raising who moments!           

To continue playing please insert CANDY

 Halloween seemed to sneak up on us, last minute.

 We went with video game theme: Brant (Wreck it Ralph) Jana (Vanellope von Schweetz) and of course Bennett was (Fix it Felix).  Rianne went as a candy racer and Heath was Luigi.

Sonic tried to wreck it for us by forgetting about Brant as he waited for their corndog special and they thought he was a ghost because they forgot to bring him his order.  He almost missed Trunk or treat, and only caught the very end of it.  We have a BONE to pick with them ;)

Bennett was so cute he just went to the cars and asked for “CANNY”   We came home and sticking with tradition watched Black Beards ghost. 

 

Takes 2 dunks

Heath has been so excited to get baptized!  I wanted to make sure we had pictures, well I was rushing around with the details.  Heath said “I bet in Book of Mormon times it was way easier to just get baptized”.  I asked, “what do you mean? they still needed the priesthood” etc. he said “I guess but once they knew they wanted to be like Jesus the just could get baptized.” 

flippin' pictures ;)

It hit me that I was worried about the memories and he was thinking about the commitment he was making.  You know what it really is that simple.  We appreciated all the people who came to share that special day with him.  I have to say that it was an individual choice for Heath and he made it.    

I have noticed a change in him, he seems to be more confident and I think he feels empowered, that it is up to him no one is making him.  He is choosing and I’m so grateful he is choosing the right!  On his baptism day it hit me even more that he is on his own and so capable, with Dad there, he didn’t need me.  It only took the 2 of them 2 dunks.  J 

I keep thinking about How the Grinch stole Christmas  Maybe Baptism is a little bit more than all the details.  He loved his video, cake, and his comforter from Grandma. He loves being on Jesus' team more.   

Mary & Jeff were in a car accident the day of Heath’s baptism.  They are trying to save Mary’s arm, Heath did his first real fast for the WHOLE day for Grandma Mary it was awesome.  He recognizes that what he does matters and it made a difference.  He has always been determined but now living with purpose he is unstoppable... back to more Dr. Seuss "Oh the places he'll go!