Adventures & Penguins

Ria's second grade class has been studying penguins. She did her report on the macaroni penguin and for the penguin party for the parents she wanted to be one. (Thanks Grandma Mary for hair bows with endless possibilities!) We brought a fitting veggie tray!

It seems like forever since Brant has actually been home on a Saturday, so we made the most of it. Only 30 minutes away we enjoyed a little hike around Grand Falls!

Brant & I always have so much fun checking out cool spots. And with all that run off what kid doesn't enjoy Mud, (why did I vacuum out the Rodeo earlier that day?)

 We proved our theory bumpy roads really do make me tired. Preparedness items packed in the car is genius; it was windy Ria needed that sweatshirt. Nuts to snack on & water to drink make the kids a little better for the ride home.

We got home and quickly changed for a Luau at NAU. We were given 4 raffle tickets to enter a drawing; Ria with her usual confidence said "we'll win one". There were a lot of people there and we didn't purchase any additional tickets so we didn't have great odds but True to our Lucky lil' lady she won a beach bag & towel. We enjoyed the Luau, Rianne liked the Samoan slap dance. Heath enjoyed the fruit punch but wasn't too impressed with the program until they did a rock, paper, scissors tournament for the pineapple centerpieces and he won! I must have really Lucky kids!

Thanks for a wonderful weekend Brant!

It’s a Bunny!

My kids have really been cracking me up lately. I had Heath with me at the store he wanted something and I told him to wait maybe the Easter Bunny would put it in his basket, Heath said "he doesn't go to the store" So I said how do you know, he rolled his eyes and said "Mom, it's a bunny" well good thing hiding eggs is totally probable for Bunnies! I loved having Easter over Conference weekend. We went to the greatest place to celebrate Easter…Kanab! 
Saturday started with the city egg hunt at the golf course. Decorating eggs was next, so that we can Roll them, that's right Roll them.

 When we got to our spot we were surprised to find snow, this did not deter Brant, and he made a snow track, with the assistance of Heath.

We all supported Dad in his efforts, but those wet eggs were cold and lost their color after a few times down the track.

 We were glad to have a traditional track made by Josh, Morgan and Nate.

And I just thought this picture of Brant & Ria was cute, she is a daddy's girl! I appreciate it in the middle of the night when both my kids request dad or crawl in on his side!

 My kids always enjoy thier cousins, Heath especially liked Caiden.

 Ria and Grandpa snuggle during a session! So glad that Grandpa didn't get offended by receiving something of personal significance from the church being off by one letter!

Heath with his "Ognetic" (magnetic) stuffed animal the bunny brought!

Ria with her basket

The Best parts of the weekend we didn't get pictures of. The temple, girl's night and just sitting around visiting. Eating Peanut butter eggs and watching conference, can you really have a better weekend? I didn't want it to end. I always feel so blessed to be BROWN!

 

A little foolin’ around

Not too many tricks this year. At breakfast Heath said "this doesn't taste like egg"

Ria was able to pull a few pranks with her shock pen.

We also had our after school snack "grilled cheese" & "peas-n-carrots"

Even the pickiest eater we know was pleased J and Morgan kept saying "I like this cheese, this cheese is good"

April fool's is great and it always reminds me to be grateful I can read!

So Lucky

I was probably in 6^th grade before I realized not everybody has the same things going on at home. My daughter is in 2^nd. Like a normal morning Ria was lollygagging and I told her she had better get going or I was going to have to beat her, I was kidding. Rianne turned to me in all seriousness and said "Mom did you know there really are parents who beat their kids like for real they hit them"! I told her I was aware that happened to some kids. Then, she said "I'm so lucky I have nice parents"! We are so lucky to have her too!

We are also very Lucky that the Leprechaun found us on St. Patrick's Day! He really tricked Ria this year, who would have thought to look in mom and dad's closet for a shoe!

Heath was more excited about chocolate coins than anything else.

Brant also took a "top o' the morning" breakfast in to work; green egg-ocean (German Pancakes) made into an Irish Flag.

 Later that night we had a "Pot O' Luck" with friends! So much food and fun!
Annette sporting a party Prize!

We even caught the cutest leprechaun!

 Ria also had a good time practicing her Irish accent. I must admit mine sounds more like a pirate!

 And of Course we handed out March Madness brackets. This year the bottom bracket fills a goodie request for the winner. Annette has clinched the bottom and because she is an amazing cook, Brant is really hoping to close out a top spot!

We feel so Lucky to be here in Flagstaff and to have made some great friends!

Hangin’ 10

Doesn't seem that long ago when we took our March fourth To Eternity but look how young we are!

That was then

This is 10

I would totally do it again!   

So much has happened and we still feel like newlyweds! Time fly's when you're having fun; we've had so much fun!

Bring on the next 10!

 

We love ESPN so here is our top 10

10 Education moments Brant & Jana bachelors, Brant's masters, Ria starting School, Jana starting on masters

9 Our Life IS a musical

8 Playing/watching sports together

7 Creating a home with our own traditions and buying homes 1, 2 &3

6 Enjoying so many family get-togethers & Making super friends!
5 Baja Cruise (Kayaking)
4 San Francisco Trip (driving the coast)
3 Getting our little miracle Man
2 Going from husband and Wife to Dad & Mom
1 Being Best friends (FOREVER)

For our anniversary I thought we should spend it on the beach, well a trip to Hawaii wasn't in the budget but we got our share of sand... hiking to "The Wave"! It is such a cool Rock formation and here we are hangin' 10!

 

 

LOVE (totally) BUGS

My love bugs!

Two of the loves of my life!

 

Heath was my little cuddle bug!

And Muffin Man 

We made heart muffins

and heart pie (YUM)

I hope everyone enjoyed some time with the one's they Love, I know we did!

I've felt this way for quite some time but here is my attempt at expressing it! I love holidays but I must say Valentine's is one I don't really get. Don't get me wrong I am of course glad my marriage wasn't arranged (or I would probably be married to Tweeb Gladwell). It is fun for the kids and it does break up the monotony of life which is why I enjoy holidays so much!

I am not a diehard Romantic and February 14^th holds no real sentiment for me. The fact is it turns into a day of obligation, like I should do this but my daily life is filled with should do's. I figure if I show love for 364 days of the year then maybe one day a year should be "be a jerk day" where I get to gripe and complain and say everything that BUGS me, maybe hit something too! For those of you who think I must just be bitter, or that I'm mad at my husband because I didn't get roses, absolutely not true! Brant does everything a wonderful husband SHOULD do! He shows me he loves me EVERYDAY! Those little moments that say I love you for no real reason, we call them Random Tuesdays! I'll take Random Tuesdays (no matter what day they come on) over one February 14^th!

Expect to See Big Things…

From our brand new 46" HD TV! We won it in a drawing at the Chiropractic office! We are still pretty shocked & more excited for March Madness than ever before! Our sad TV has been replaced! Check out the before and after!

I never win anything, which is all about to change, (not that I'll be buying lottery tickets) but I'm going to try and be more like my daughter! This spring, we let her watch the Secret. You have probably heard of it but the general idea is putting positive thoughts out and good things happen. I posted Ria's basketball game awhile back, she told me that when they played in the dome she would score a basket on the big hoop, I said I hope so that would be cool, she corrected me with it WILL be cool I'm putting it out the universe. Well she did score a basket in the dome! A few weeks ago, we were running late somewhere, I said "sorry Ria, I think we're going to be late". "Mom we'll just get all green lights", I was amazed as I hit 8 green lights in a row! I asked Rianne how did you do that? "I just put it out to the universe" she said. Well in December the Chiropractic office entered us in a drawing for a 46" HD TV.

You guessed it Ria put it out and we now have a sweet TV! Every time we'd go in she'd say there's our TV, She said I just keep picturing them pulling out our name! Well Thursday the day of the drawing, we were having dinner the phone rang, Ria said so matter of fact "that's them calling to tell us we won the TV". It was! I still can't believe it!

I now have a list of things I'd like her to put out to the universe for me!

Oh the Faith of a child! Thank you Ria & of course, Dahl Chiropractic!
The next big call we get IS going to be telling us we are going to adopt a baby Until that big call happens, I'll just be picturing my healthy, skinny self holding $$$ in my clean new house!