Beachblonde...

Are you kidding me...

NOPE... my love did Santa right!

There are few...

places that feel safe in this crazy world these days... one of which is my big sister, Shanna.   Boy have we fought, I still kinda feel bad about that time I threw a full glass pitcher of red kool aid at her... kinda!  She is a great big sister because she knows I'm bratty and loves me anyways, she reminds me about what friendships SHOULD look like, she always listens when I call her crying or infuriated when friends I've loved and/or church people who've been PRIVATELY discussing how terrible I am, my husband is, or how terrible Sandals is makes it's way back to my ears and tears up my heart... on those days when I don't want to smile or pretend I'm ok... I call her and she listens, and helps bring me back to clear perspective!  She doesn't care if our church runs 2 million or 2, she doesn't care if I have a bad hair day (she actually prefers it:), she doesn't care how rotten my kids act, she still points out and reminds me of the best in me!  If you want to meet her, you can check her out because she started up a blog!   

This one's for...

my  mom and sis who love seeing the kiddos on Christmas morning!   Love and miss you guys! Merry Christmas!

Trust me people... I know how to rotate pics... typepad rotates them back...grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

I can bake... d@mmit!

It's a vendetta at this point!  Me or the baking!  You don't even want to hear how I burn, mix wrong, forget how many cups of whatever I've already put in... but at the end of the day that seemed as if (wait, it didn't just seem...) I drove to the store literally for EVERY different ingredient... picking up one ingredient I THOUGHT I had at a time... note to self... read to the bottom of the ingredients sheet BEFORE going to the store!  Anyhow, I think (fingers crossed) that my fudge is better today (it definently needs to be perfected still, but this'll do).  Now... let's see who gets food poisoning from my little "goodie bags".

I'm no Martha Stewart but...

I'm quite sure it's not supposed to look like this! I tried to be home-maker-y with the girls tonight.... We made fudge... none of us had ever made it before.. INCLUDING me:)  And I was trying to let "everyone" be "helpers"...  ANNNNNNd it kinda burned... We'll try again tomorrow, I'll let you know how round 2 goes!

Shopping here, driving there...

everyday there's some... thing! (sung to the tune of Old McDonald...)  EVERY year I say it... I'm gonna be so much more organized next year.  I'm gonna shop earlier, rush less, plan time with special friends, bake with the kids... and then December hits!  I have done somewhat better considering I'm done shopping and it's not the 24th... The house is decorated and it's not the 24th... Lights are on the house and it's not the 24th, and... drum roll please... our cards are out and its not NEW YEARS:)  However, I've spent little or no time with our dearest loved one's thus far this holiday season.  This week alone... we had plans EVERY night with close friends and EVERY night they've been cancelled due to others who are like me... crazy busy!  Anyhow, I can't complain... these past few nights have been just what I needed relaxing at home... lights twinkling around the house, candles burning, kids laughing (while on guitar hero:) and Matt and I snuggling!  AND the COOOOOLD weather has been the icing on the cake... it actually feels like Christmas!  Hope your holiday season is filled with love & laughter!

Hawaii?

Nope... Riverside!                                       

This was the most amazing rainbow ever, it went end to end covering our city!  It was a powerful reminder that God keeps his promises!  This shot was taken from my front door!

Guitar...

Hero BABY!  Christmas came a little early at the Brown house this year.  It was our buddy Scott's birthday AND we couldn't think of anything fun to do soooooooooo... I knew I had Matt's christmas present hidden in the garage soooooooooooooo... I gave it to him early and.... let's just say... it was one of the best nights of our lives!
Seriously, I'm not even kidding  I have NOOO idea why it flips the pics??? But I'm still posting em' This might be our kids only shot at learning to play an instrument!  This is seriously the best monies spend in a long long time! Come on over... that is if you're ready to battle to some Pat Benatar!

over my shoulder...

Ethan is my boy!  For those of you who know us well... you've either said to me/us  that he's spoiled  OR overheard Matt saying to me that "my plan to grow him a vagina is almost complete" (that's how he references that fact that he's a mama's boy)... Well... I don 't care if he is!  He's my sweetie and I'm having the time of my life getting to stay at home to raise him, I didn't have that luxury with the girls so I'm soaking it all up with him... I don 't want to miss a second of it.  BUT back to my point, sorry for chasing that rabbit.  ANYWHOOOO... he likes to sit with me while I'm on the computer to see what I'm doing... and tonight, this is him starring over my shoulder.... seriously, he's adorable!

today I was feeling very

blue!  Blogs are funny.  We can be very selective on how real we are... or on what we're real about.  I read other people's blogs when I know things are going on and their blog paints a picture very different than what the reality is, or they'll share only half the story.  I'm not condemning that  ...I'll be the first to admit that I can be seriously fake on this thing!  I simply chose to share what I want to share or not. It's rare to find the blog that says something like this..." I'm really sad... I've really hurt someone" OR  "I've really been hurt by someone"  OR "I was a real jerk and need forgiveness"  OR "things aren't the way I wish they were"  OR  " I struggle with this or that and it really hurts people and it's damaging my relationships"... these are just to name a few.  Sooo today, I'll admit it, I'm feeling blue... very blue.  I cried today and left church because my heart is hurting... because there are hurts & broken relationships in my life... and just to top things off... on my way out I ran into someone  that has recently been very hurtful and slanderous about my husband publically and that kinda stuff always makes it's way back to us, and that hurts!  Friends in ministry tell me that sort of thing is just a day in the life of ministry~ but it's been 10 years and I'm still not used to it NOR am I thick skinned enough to not let it hurt me.  AM I ok... no, but I will be.  Through happy days and blue days God is teaching me and growing me.But tomorrow... tomorrow  is another day and today... well I have these guys to get me through!