A Most Wholesome Family Fun Packed Vacation

If you thought that my little Brown family couldn't possible have another vacation as sweet as the "Horse, Architecture, and Beach Retreat," then you better hold on to your socks because at the beginning of October the Browns enjoyed another little family adventure to St. George. Not quite as exotic as California mind you, but what we lacked in traveling time, we made up in wholesome family fun!
Every year my pops plays softball in the World Huntsman Senior Games. Last year we went down to watch him play and had so much fun we decided to make it an annual trip. Unfortunately, my dads team was out of the playoffs before we got down there which is a bummer and probably the first time his team hasn't made it to the playoffs...ever. Nory Bug still looked super cute in her official "Second Wind" team uniform even if she didn't get to see her Gramps play.

Because we weren't able to watch America's favorite pastime, we had to fill our little vacation with other wholesome activities because you know what they say, "A family that plays together stays together," or some sort of cheesy jazz like that, right?

We started the vaCae out with a little antique shopping. Well me and my mom did. Chris, my dad and the babyface opted out of this activity.  Rumor had it that the little shop we went to was owned by a hoarder and her kids want her to get rid of everything but she doesn't want to and so she's upset with her family. Of course we needed to investigate. The rumors seem to be accurate, at least on a few accounts. The place was crazy full of stuff. I can't even  begin to describe how packed with stuff the rooms of this little shop were. We did find some cool stuff.  I was a little disappointed because I was sure there would be a ghost in the basement hanging out with all the creepy old dolls and paintings. But alas, no ghost on this wholesome family fun vacation.

There was of course cemetaries on this trip. They may or may not have been haunted (Darn it, still no ghost sightings for me).

This was at Graften, which is a ghost town by Rock City. We had fun looking at old buildings, chasing lizards, rock hounding around (my madre is a crazy rock hounder. Chris and her are always looking for treasures), and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

 

What is a wholesome family vacation without a little apple pickin'? You think I am joking

 

 

 

We were driving around and saw a sign that said apple picking so we thought "what the heck"

 

Little boss loved every minute of it!

 

We even saw a parade.

 

 

Chris and my mom wanted to stop at a rock store. Because they really are crazy rock hounders

 

 

It was pretty exciting. They picked out an uncracked geode and the crazy worker cut it open for them. I wish I had video it was like Christmas morning. Chris and my mom were so excited. They picked a good one. It was really crystally inside :)

 

How about a magical ride on a carousel?

 

(Good thing Grandma and Grandpa stepped up and rode with that sweet little pixie. I was feeling crappy and Chris can't even look at the carousel without getting motion sickness)

 

Nothin' like a good ol' creek stomping fun

 

 

Don't worry of course we let Elanora drink out of recycled water, water that tons of kids were running around in...yum!

 

 

This is where the vacation takes a turn for the worst. We were going to eat at Chuck A Rama and then my parents were going to watch Babyface so Chris and I could have a hot date at the movies, but unfortunately, I was feeling sick that whole day and by evening I was down for the count. No fun to have the flu on vacation :(

 

The last stretch of vacation was a side trip to Grantsville for some pun'kin painting with the cousins

 

 

Baseball, ghost towns, apple pickin', parade watching ,geode smashing, carousel riding, creek stompin', pun'kin painting, does it get any more wholesome or any better then that?

 

 

I think not!

 

I'll Have My Politics with a Side of Civility and Optimism Please

I love politics. I haven't always, mind you. In high school I was more or less indifferent. I can remember when President Clinton was impeached. I got little snippets here and there of the goin' ons in the world but for the most part I was oblivious. Then I went off into the big, wide, open, real world and attended the prestigous Collage of Eastern Utah, my political eyes began to open. I was on student government and consequently surrounded by political astute minds. I have always loved to learn and have had a thirst for knowledge. But that thirst was limited to things I found more exciting, like Biology and Creative Writing. Once I got a small taste of this intoxicating elixir called politics, I was hooked.

In college I was able to be a part of the Intercollegiate Assemble. We wrote bills and then met with all the colleges in the state at the capital building  and tried to pass our bills. I will admit that I went in unprepared and not very passionate about the bill I co-sponsored. Therefore, the outcome of our bill was a big fat negative. But oh what an amazingly positive experience that it was for me. It started me on a quest to become more versed in the illusive arts of politics. I wanted to, and still want to become more informed, more passionate and a lot less unprepared. I am definitely still reaching for this goal and in no way feel I have obtained the amount of knowledge or experience that I hope to acquire while on this mortal journey.

What party do I belong to? Where do I draw my line in the sand? This is a discussion that perhaps we will have on another day. (For the record, my voter registration card proudly proclaims non-partisan and my voting record follows suit. I contently mark the boxes across all party lines... after careful consideration, of course)

For having no assumptions as an undecided, non partisan voter, this election was exciting. Riddled with belittling, and uplifting images that were gracefully and not so gracefully thrown in our faces, I always end up dissapointed in the negative tone the campaigns take. This campaign was no exception. But I feel I was unprepared for the onslaught of comments on the social networks. Comments coming from the different parties, from people with various backgrounds and experiences.

I choose not to listen, I choose to see the future that my daughter has in store for her. I am certain rain or shine, no matter. Her future is bright. Full of love, full of hope, full of unicorns and glitter. Oh yes, unicorns and glitter. I trust my Heavenly Father has a plan for me, for you and for her. So people relax. The world is beautiful, people are beautiful, my baby girl is beautiful and one day she will have her own opinions and her own values to vote for. My little lion heart will thrive wherever she is planted regardless of who is or isn't president. Chris and I will try to instill in her the importance of respect. Respect for oneself and for others. I hope she sees value in everyone and that she can validate and love others even if she does not agree with them. I hope she will find common ground on which she can stand proud and strong. And I hope she is a nice girl. Who does and says nice things to other people.

 President Hinckley once said, “I am asking that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life, we ‘accentuate the positive.’ I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good. … Look for the sunlight through the clouds” (“The Continuing Pursuit of Truth,” Ensign, Apr. 1986, 2–4).

Life is good. America is good. People are good. And my little lion heart is strong and beautiful.

A Perfect Day, Or What?

Is there a better Holiday then Halloween? Not if you spend Halloween with the Brown Family, that's for sure! But holidays that end up being this great sometimes take a little magic...or maybe a little pixie dust
 

(Nora Bug saw Tinkerbell on t.v. and ran right up to the screen saying "ohhh, pretty, ahhh, pretty" Tinkerbell it is!)

  

It takes a lot of demanding...'lovely suggesting,' to get that sweet-hunk-of-a-Captain-Hook/Jack Sparrow into his costume so I can get one picture of our coordinating costumes. Unfortunately, we were too lazy to put too much effort into finding a more Captain Hook, less Jack Sparrow wig and hat. And don't even get me started on why I was Peter Pan and not Wendy (Go ahead and look in your local DI or Savers or both for a baby blue night gown and I just dare you to google Wendy Darling costumes. I am pretty sure google did not see the same Peter Pan movie I saw when I was little. Really? There is a huge difference between a baby blue night gown and a baby blue nightie, I promise) So Peter Pan it is. I definitely caused a few eye brows to raise at the local ward trunk-or-treat for my cross dressing stunt. I stand by my costume that night, which was in fact not Peter Pan the boy, but Mary Martin, the woman who played Peter Pan in the original Broadway play. 



(Have you noticed that the majority of the pictures I post of baby girl are her with crazy cheeto or licorice face, that's how we roll)


Our magically busy day started with a trip to good ol' G-ville where we got to see Great Grandma Skidmore and Great Grandma Brown, Grandma Brown, Aunt Kim and the cute Cousins. The little pixie started her trick-or-treat debut with a route around Great Grandma's retirement home. She was a little confused as to why people were giving her candy but she quickly got the hang of it and ended up just walking around holding her hand out to everyone, including those who were visiting their family members. She did say thank you like a little champ though.

Next on our route was Great Grandma Brown's house.

 

Tink, Cinderella, Harry Potter, and a pink fairy take a break and have a snack to recharge those trick-or-treating batteries. Who needs pixie dust when you have skittles?

 

(Look at those super cute cousins!)

After a much too short visit and too long of a drive, me and the cute little fairy princess were back to Layton for the annual Page Family Halloween Party.



 

We were off once again for a little trick-or-treating. This time with a zombie prom queen, 2 zombie hunters, a ninja, little red riding hood, the big bad wolf, a kitty and a pirate ( Not Chris he only put the costume on for the picture at the very end of the night. My Sis-in-law was a pirate) 

 

 

Nora had so much fun running door to door with the cousins. She kept up pretty good, especially with the encouragement of the cousins.

 

 

She did good with scary things. Nothing seemed to faze her, not even blood and guts.

 

 

 Not disgusting food. No pictures of the food, but you remember how we do Halloween. Not the headless horseman...what? A real headless horseman you ask?

 

(Awesome, right? I mean just look at that picture, real horse, no head...awesome!!!)

She really wasn't fazed, until my parents fog machine came on. When she saw the smoke, she ran to my arms as fast as those fairy feet could fly, saying "No, no, no"

 

(This is right before she jumped up and ran to me. She is eyeing that fog as it gets closer and closer)


We ended the night by shoving our faces with candy. Tinkerbell loved the suckers best!

A little icing on the cake was a sugar induced, tackle Grandpa because we have more sugar in our systems then our little bodies can handle.

What a great holiday. We did a lot of running around and Peter Pan and Captain Hook were pretty tired by the end of the day. But not too tired to take this little gem of a picture. Chris sure did pick a winner