Olympic Withdrawals!

This year I became totally addicted to the Summer Olympics.  Never in 

past years have I been so interested.  I was up at all hours of the night watching everything from swimming to trampolining (I didn't even know that was a sport, but because it was in the Olympics I was totally enthralled!).  Carter was even sneaking out of bed at night (1:15 am) to see if Phelps was swimming!  It got really out of hand because nothing else in my life was getting done.  Sometimes I think that TiVo is a curse, but then I quickly come to my senses and realize that I am talking crazy.  Because without TiVo how else would I be able to fit in an unfathomable amount of TV watching hours and spend time with my family.   So, this past week I have been having Olympic withdrawals when I turn on the TV and nothing but Walker, Texas Ranger is on (a show my mom secretly loves, but I won't let her watch it in my presence!)  Although, I think that this is a good thing because now I can get back to life!!! 

It's a Miracle!

A Must Read Story

Sometime between Christmas of last year and March of this year we lost our video camera and all the recorded tapes that were with it, witch were everything from Carter's birth on.  I didn't realize it was missing until March and I was just distraught when after many days of turning the house upside down we could not find it.  I had said so many prayers that we would find it, but to no prevail.  By this point I have pretty much written off ever seeing the first time Carter or Aidan walked or hearing their first words again.

On Saturday night Joe went to Harmon's, our local grocery store, and ran into an old mission buddy who is a manager there.  His mission buddy said to him, "Hey I have something that you may want."  Joe wasn't sure what he was talking about and then he told him that he had some video tapes of him on them.  Joe was shocked!  The guy, Jeff, said that he had about 8 tapes.  Jeff told him that about six months ago a bag boy was bring in the carts and found a bag of tapes in one of them and turned them into the lost and found.  They were about to trow them out, but one of the workers said, wait, let me bring in my camera so we can watch them and see if we recognize any of the people in them, so we can return it to them.  Jeff just happened to walk into the room when they were watching them and he said, "why are you watching a video of Joe Brown?"  They were like, you know this guy?  And he said yah, he was an old mission buddy!

Well, low and behold, we have the tapes back and everything thing is there from Carter's birth on!  We think that the camera and all the tapes that were in the case may have fallen out of our car at the grocery store and someone stole the camera, but left the tapes.  My kind of criminal, a thief with a conscience!  It really is amazing and an answer to my prayers; a little creepy to think that some Harmon employees  were watching our home videos, hope they didn't recognize anything from the birth videos:)???!!!  Anyways, all is good and the videos are back where they belong!

Point of the story: Don't keep all the tapes with the video camera!!!

Carter's 1st Day of Kindergarten!

Today was Carter's first day of Kindergarten!  Wow, how time flies, I can't really believe that he's already in school.  He was so ready and so excited and I am so proud of him!  I think he was the littlest kid there, but oh well,... a big personality right??!!  I think he will do great and his teacher, Mrs. Graham seems great as well!  He went into class without even saying bye to me, so I think that he will be fine!  I am not one of those moms who cry, thank goodness, I am just excited for him!

Good luck my little man!

Eating breakfast before school.

What a big boy!

He was so excited to show everyone his new Batman backpack.

Me and my little dude!

A Pitcher, not a Belly Itcher!

Joe had the opportunity to throw out the first pitch at an Orem Olwz game on Saturday.  He represented the Flash and he threw a mean curve ball across home plate! --- Ok, maybe not a mean curve, but he got to home plate none the less!  

Way to go my little A. Rod.!

We also lost Aidan for a while at the game and Joe and I started to panic!  The game was packed and here in Utah everyone has kids and most of them are blonde, so it is hard to find the one that belongs to you.  I finally found him with one of the Owlz security guards.  The guy told me that Aidan kept saying, "I'm not lost, my mommy is lost."  He had tears all down his face and I just felt so terrible!!!  But, he is now safe and sound, thank goodness!

A Weekend with the HOPS

On Friday I got together with the HOPS, which includes, Rachel, Angela, Barbara, and Kathy.  We went up to Park City for the night and had a great time as always.  Rachel moved to Chicago 2 years ago and is here for a visit and so we always try to get together while she is here.  I laugh with these girls more than just about anyone and we always have a great time!  It makes me sad that Rachel doesn't live here any more because of how much fun we always have together.

p.s. Joe named us the Hops, so we will just leave it at that  

Love ya HOPS!

An homage to the girls...

Us in Chicago, June '07.

Us in Jackson Hole, September '07.

Us in Teton, September '07.

A Night for Charity

Joe and I had the opportunity to go to a charity event for The American Lung Association at on Thursday.  It was an opportunity to get dressed up and have a night with adults.  It was fun, but to be honest we had no idea what the charity was until we got there.  To say the least we are not very cultured, nor do we get out much!

First Soccer Practice

On Thursday Carter had his first Soccer practice for Under 6.  He was so excited!  The night before we went and got him all his gear, shoes, shin guards, socks, shorts and a ball.  it was so cute to see him all decked out in his stuff.  His first game it Tuesday, so it should be entertaining to say the least!

Once we got him all his gear I told him that I would go and play with him in the yard and try and teach a him a few things before he got started.  He told me "No, I will just play with daddy".  I kept Trying to convince him that I know some stuff and that I used to play soccer all growing up.  He just kept looking at me like I was talking crazy, and kept saying, "No, I will just play with daddy!"  It was funny because the idea of me playing a sport to him is just silly, and well maybe it is!

Grammie, Grammie, Grammie!!!

On August 7th my mom came for a visit and the boys could not get enough of her.  Aidan was so distraught when she left a week and a half later.  He just kept crying and crying and saying, "my Grammie, my Grammie, I want my Grammie!"  I think it makes my mom a little bit happy that they are so sad to see her go!  When ever my mom comes we get so much done, it is really great.  But when she leaves I am so exhausted!  That woman has more energy then anyone one I know!

Here we are at the Dinosaur museum in Lehi, that we go to every year when she comes.  It has become a tradition, and the boys always look forward to it.  We go eat at the little cafe at Thanksgiving Point and then go to the museum and sometimes we watch an I-max movie and then get an ice cream at the parlor.  It is such a fun day!

Thanks Grammie for the fun visit!

Carter, Grammie Liz, and Aidan.  Watch out there is a huge shark behind you!!!

Carter and Aidan at the dig site at the museum.

Carter and Aidan riding a dinosaur.

Batman Party

On the 9th of August we had a birthday party for Carter and it was a lot of fun until there was a thunderstorm and we all had to go underneath the deck to get out of the rain.  The rain and wind and thunder still did not stop the kids!  We had a bouncy house and a slip-n-slide and all the kids got Batman capes and masks to wear and take home.  It is funny how kids totally turn into someone or something else as soon as the put on a mask!

I went through five cakes to get to this final work of art:).  To say that I am a perfectionist is an understatement??!!  The first cake's bat symbol looked like someone took a big crap on it!  So, we finally got to this one and I think it turned out quite well, and it tasted great too!

Fly, Fly Away!!!

The day has finally arrived when the birds can fly!  Here are the babies and their mom.  Now that they can fly, down comes the nest!!!  On Saturday we knocked down their nest and cleaned up all the crap!  It was a good day!  But, they are still with us and more pissed off than ever!  Now they just sleep on our lights on the porch and every time I walk outside they swarm around me and chirp, chirp, chirp.  I am afraid that they are going to dive bomb me one of these days!  I thought that ripping down their nest would make them leave, but noooooo!  What am I going to do now?  

If any one has any tips let me know!

Here is the mother bird on the tip of the rocker, she is a real B****!!!

A visit from The Rock

Last week we had Joe's best friend Adam B., his wife Kristen and their cute little boy Rocklyn visit from Arizona.  It was so much fun to have them and to see their cute family.  Joe was so excited to have Adam here as well because we don't get to see them much and Adam is like part of our family and now so is Kristen and Rock.  

The boys could not wait to see little Rock and they were so cute with him.  It was nice to see that they were sweet with him and didn't want to gouge out any of his eyes or rip off his limbs!  I thought they were cute with him, Adam and Kristen on the other hand may have thought they were a bit much, I don't know.  So, sorry if they were.  One night we watched Rocklyn while Adam and Kristen went out and the boys were making him laugh and were such a help.  Joe came home and was home for about a half an hour and he said "I know I haven't been home long, but I don't think I am ready for another kid!"  It just makes me laugh that after such a short period of time and he is ready to say that.  Rock was such a sweet and good baby and a joy to have.  It's been a while since we had a baby around.

The boys and Rock.

Aidan and Rock.

Carter and Rock.