Sunday, October 24, 2010

Barrette Board


I was inspired yesterday at the craft fair to make this board to hold Autumn's barrettes! I had ribbon hung next to her changing table, but she tugs on it - so this seemed like a more durable option!

Super Easy to make!

What you need -

Thick poster board or an old frame without the glass

Fabric

Ribbon

Something to glue or tape everything together! I wasn't in the mood to get my glue gun out, so I used duck tape!!! (-: No one will ever see the back!

Wrap the fabric, run the ribbon and there you go!!!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

13 months


Sweet Girl! You continue to amaze us!!! Everyday you do things that make us so proud, make us laugh and touch our hearts!!! It has been another wild month where we drag you all over the world and you easily adjust and have fun - whether we are in a car, on a plane, in our living room, on the beach, at friends, in our yard or walking around town!

You monkey see, monkey do everything from trying to put on clothes (or anything), snapping buckles, putting on lids, chasing us, talking on the phone, stuffing things in and out of bags to scribbling. You have also started to get creative and start to use your toys in ways that we have not shown you! You are starting to be more interested in books. For long periods of time you entertain your self by running from room to room rearranging everything, moving/stuffing toys and other things. You like to move - run, climb and push, pull and lift things. The first day in Hawaii we got to the beach and you walked up to a large lava rock (bigger than a basketball) and tried to pick it up. I looked at Angie and said - that defines my child!! You are a go getter - busy busy busy!!

Yes, you got up there all by your self!

You have gotten a few more words this month - Fish = Shhh, Ball and Book = Ba, All done, More = ma. You sign all done, more, give hi five and blow kisses.

Things you love!
Milk
Giggling
Being Free - not into holding our hand
Putting things on yourself
Hugs and Kisses
Your car seat - when you want to be in it playing
Trying to drink out of a big girl cup
Running on the beach
Getting hit by waves
Gibber Gabbering
Ellas (puppies)
Baby Dolls
Dancing
Pushing your self down slides (or backing up to a wall or bed and sliding down)

You like anything you choose to do - but have a hard time enjoying the things we needed you to do - like getting dressed, changing diapers, getting buckled in, stopping when you cross boundaries (like zooming out of the house).

Everyday your bright, spunky opionated personality continues to grow and develop! We love you so much and are so proud and blessed to be your mommy and daddy!!!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Quotes that Stuck

I have no idea why this came to mind - but I've been trying to remember specific conversations that have stuck throughout the years.

"You should really play volleyball and basketball next year." Mr. Tate - 6th grade science teacher

"We are so proud of you." Mom and Dad - throughout childhood

"Good work good and faithful servant." Jeff Seacrest - Youth Pastor in reference to a friend of mine who became a Christian.

"Your voice doesn't sound very good." Melody - 6th grade choir

"Cheek to Cheek." Amanda - 7th grade while learning a box defense

"Don't think about it, just shoot." Coach Pro - 10th grade

"I love you." unfortunately, quite a few boyfriends that obviously didn't last.

"It will always make sense." Mr. Adams - 3rd grade referencing math

"You don't want to be a ditch digger, do you?" Dad - throughout school years

"Blahhhhh..." - Chad - pinning me down and acting like he was puking on my face - throughout childhood - and still makes be gag to think of it.

"You don't want to be a doctor." Mom - later HS years.

"I think you'd be a really good OT." Mom - later HS years.

"Knowledge is Power." A bookmark I got from the library in HS.

"My way or the highway." My not so nice HS volleyball coach.

"We love you." Mom and Dad and all my grandparents - all the time

"I think about God all the time, it won't escape me - I'd believe that Old Testament stuff, but Jesus, I don't know about Jesus." A good friend the summer after HS.

"Stay where you are." God - when praying if I should continue dating my now husband.

"You will do well no matter what you choose to do." Dr. Patton - freshman honors physics teacher.

"Are you going to be a Kingdom builder?" - Campus Crusade conference

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Life as Nomads!


Well - it is looking like we are back on the road again! A little crazy, a little fun and a lot exciting!

The next 21 months are sure to be full of adventure, fun, and the unexpected. Many things can change between now and then - but as of now we will hit the road again after Christmas.

December March = spending time with good friends and filling our bank account back up in Pullman, WA
March and April = back in the land of Aloha - playing, working and enjoying friends
End of April = exploring a few places in SE Asia on the Murphy/Bracken/Brown Tour of SE Asia (seeing Aaron's best friend)
May-July = enjoying the Colorado Summer, loving on our friends and family and working
August-May = living on an Aloha contract in the school system again and hopefully coming home with Lil Brown bun #2!

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Hawaii

Wow - what an amazing vacation and scouting trip! We enjoyed our every minute on the islands - seeing and enjoying our friends again, watching Autumn love the beach, the crystal clear blue waters, surfing fun little waves, smelling sweet flowers, eating yummy fruit, sushi, and ono island fare!! We picked up our rental car and headed for the Keisers - we looked at each other and had the same thing on our mind. "This feels like home again." Funny how it was only our home for a year - yet if feels so homey. We'd meet friends and their first statement was usually "Welcome Home" followed by "When are you moving back?" or acquaintances would say - "Welcome back, when did you move back?" It is strange and a bit hard to explain how and why this place feels like home. Some of our greatest joys and our greatest challenges occurred here. We loved our life 10 minutes from the ocean, we loved exploring and treating our eyes to completely new sights and experiences, we had great joy in finding out we were pregnant, we had so many close friendships - bonds that happened quickly and were so deep. We also had to try to figure out how to live in a place where there is constant friendship turnover, where everything breaks, parents of students were not always nice, watching friends grieve from afar
and where we fought feelings of being very lonely at times. Our hearts have fallen in love with Kona. It was refreshing, awesome and fun to be back - and amazing to watch our daughter love the things we love while being there!
(For those of you who are worried right now - Colorado feels like home as well and we plan to try to make both places our home).

So... although this was vacation, it was the variety that felt a little different because our main agenda was seeing friends again and relaxing in places we were already familiar with. The waves rolled in just in time and we got to take turns playing in the waves - something I was so so so so excited for. I hadn't surfed since I was about 6 weeks pregnant with Autumn and it felt like it had been forever! Although it was not quite like hoping on a bike again, I got a feel for it and got to ride a few waves in!

Good friends we got to visit! Keisers, Simanjuntaks, Carpenters, Ang, Tosh, Brock, Hassels, Doctorchiks, Jaspers, Ashley, Jackson, Pat, Becky - plus many other friends from work, church and our upstairs neighbors.

Activities we enjoyed! Surfing, SUP, Wa'a ride, eating at Jackie Rays, Annie's Island Burgers, Denise's Cafe, and the Kona Inn, beach time, the lavender farm and the church celebration Luau.


Hotels we poached (using our beach access rights of course)! Mauna Lani, Hilton Waikoloa and The Grand Wailea

New Foods Autumn enjoyed! Papaya, Apple Bananas, Butter Avocado, Fig, Gold Fish (the cracker kind), Haupia, Okinawan Sweet Potato (baked and as chips)

Number of friends who told us they are pregnant! 2 with a 3rd who could be anytime!
How did Autumn do with the travel and time change?! She did awesome! We got an entire row on the way out there and that helped with the wiggles from California to Kona. We let her take a 30 minute power nap at 6:30 when we arrived and then she stayed up until 9:30 Hawaii time. Not bad. Only took that one night and then she slept in until 6 or 7 am each morning after. Staying asleep in foreign places is tough - but we all got enough sleep to be happy each day! On the way back she slept the entire ride from Kona to LA and then woke up ready to run (@2am Hawaii time) and then slept the next leg to Denver. She stayed up a bit late and slept in a bit, but was right back on CO time last night! Our flight to Maui and back was on a small 9 passenger Cessna - and Autumn had a ball! We're hoping her love of flying (or lack of fear) sticks around for a while!!


On the business side of things and our future: It is still our plan to spend some portion of each year in Hawaii. Aaron is figuring out how to pursue business in Hawaii and he had some good informational meetings with men who do business in Hawaii. So for now we will let God guide, take one step at a time and see what happens!

Again - Mahalo all our wonderful friends in Hawaii for welcoming us back with aloha, open arms and helping us have an incredible time back on the islands! A Hui Hou!!!! We miss you already!