Love is in the Air

Valentine's Day gets a bad rap. I'm the first to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of this consumer driven, card manufactured holiday. I've never been a soft and fuzzy feelin', chick flick watchin' kind of gal. But, I do love many people in my life and how fun it is to let them know how much I do love them.

Being a parent is hard. There are so many things I wish for my girlies. The main thing I want my baby girlies to know is how much Chris and I love them and how much Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love them.

Chris and I tell the girlies over and over how much we love them. We tickle, hug, kiss, chase and laugh with our cute gals. I hope they always know how much we love them.

 

The world is loud. It's full of noise. The noise sometimes tries to block out the love of our Heavenly Father and sometimes the noise wins. We are constantly bombarded with degrading music, TV and magazines. It makes it hard to feel loveable and easier to feel not good enough. I want my girls to know where they came from and how much their Heavenly parents loves them and how they will always be there, even when it seems like they aren't. 

It seems a daunting task to teach my little loves this when the world is so loud. So loud in fact that there are times when I feel down and lonely and not good enough. 

A few months ago I was thinking about what I would ask Heavenly father or Jesus Christ if I were to be able to see them that day. I have a million questions because that's how my crazy mind works. I want to know how everything works. I tried to narrow it down to a few questions. Over the course of a few days I finally thought. "I just want to know you care". 

The next day I was reading my scriptures. I usually read them on my phone but this day I pulled out my triple combination and thought where should I look. I decided randomly to turn to 1 Peter. I turned to chapter 5 and then I read verse 7 "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."  

I found it so interesting that my Heavenly Father loves me so much that he would answer my one question. I want my girls to know with surety, that Heavenly Father "careth" for them. So I will teach them.

For FHE last week we talked about why we celebrate Valentine's Day. We made sure the girls knew and know that we love them and then I asked who loves you the most and without skipping a beat Nory said "Jesus loves me!"

We talked about how Jesus loves us and he want us to love everyone. We then made Valentine's and did a few secret Valentine's service projects (don't want to spoil our secret projects with too many details). As we did these certain secret projects Nora giggled and giggled. Everly joined in the fun. At the end of the night, we were driving home and Nora smiling ear to ear said, "Best night ever!!!" 

 

Over the last couple weeks we've done some other fun Valentine's activities like wreathes

and Valentine's

Chris and I decorated the girls doors with conversation hearts

(In case you're wondering I do let the girls tape art work to their door. It's too cute I can't say no.)

We did an awesome science project. Making crystal hearts. I can't wait to see what they look like tomorrow!

 Love is definitely in the air and I hope my girlies never forget how much Chris and I love them and how much their Heavenly Parents love them!

A Christmas Story

O' Christmas tree, O' Christmas tree. Notice this particular Christmas tree. Notice the decorations. Notice those magical, blue orbs of loveliness. The glittery, twisting ribbon snaking itself around evergreen boughs. Our fluffy, little tree garnished top to bottom with miss-matched trinkets of Christmases past. 

Well, maybe a little more on top and a little less on bottom. You see, a beautiful, little, angelic, 1 year old elf resides in our cozy gingerbread house.

  

What a magical time of the year it is in this little gingerbread house.

We have a rambunctious 3 year old.

A 3 year old who, despite it being December 20th, dresses in her witch costume or Ninja Turtle costume (depending on the hour of which the game is played), grabs her green Christmas stocking, and proceeds to knock on every door in the entire house, screaming trick or treat, all the while holding said stocking open wide for me to put something in it and tell her, her costume is great and have a Happy Halloween. She calls this game "Trick or Treat Vampire." She's definitely my girl. We love Halloween all year round! 

 

We also have an equally if not slightly more so rambunctious 1 year old.

A 1 year old who loves to pull the ornaments off the tree and suck on them for a minute and then throw them around the room. Hence, no ornaments on the bottom of our big tree because she has them strategically stashed around the house. She also really enjoys carrying around the pieces of the Nativity. Unfortunately, her grip seems to always fail her, not when she is walking over the soft, squishy carpet but when she is running on the nice, hard wood floor.  Luckily it's just that Little People Nativity because who would be crazy enough to display a porcelain Nativity in reach of cute, little, sticky fingers?

Joseph, a shepherd, a wise man and Baby Jesus are all holding on strong. Now I'd like to say that the 1 year old isn't the only one dropping these poor little figurines, but it just so happens that the hunky man of the house, just this very night dropped the angel that Everly had been packing around for hours without an "off with their head" dropping episode. It went from safe and sound in her sticky, little fingers to headless angel in Chris's. Nothing a little super glue can't fix.

 

It really is a magical time a year. 

We are trying to teach the girls, in between Santas, lights, and candy, the real reason we celebrate Christmas. He is the gift! (Clearly, with that set up, I should be showing the video the LDS church put out that is in fact called "He is the Gift"  (click the link. It's a good one!) But I'm posting this one. It's just so darn cute!)

 

 

  

 



These Girls

 

These girls though

 

 

 Am I right?



I am in love

 

 

 

 Simply and utterly in love!!!



Because of Him

In our house we have watched this video over and over. Elanora always wants me to read the words out loud to her. It's hard to get through the whole thing without getting a little or maybe a lot teary eyed.  

 



Explosion of Christmas Cheer

We love Christmas and we really try to bring the true meaning of Christmas into our little home. Any chance we had, we would explain to Elanora that Christmas was the day Jesus was born and how much Jesus loves us. I told her it was Jesus's birthday. She didn't skip a beat when she said, "Yeah it's Jesus's birthday and we need to eat cake and sing to him." Sounds perfect to me :)
 How about presents. We love the spirit of Christmas and we also love presents!!!

A week before big man in red would come, Nory and I went through all her toys and put the ones she didn't play with in a bag. Her and Chris took them to DI. We explained to her that we were giving toys to kids who didn't have as many as her. As she put each toy in the bag, she said, "These toys are going to kids who don't have any toys." She made sure to add, "Santa will bring me more toys." Because really, who doesn't love more toys?

Before that excitement there was this, because we did have to wake the wild child up.

She is such a good natured, happy baby girl. She loved every present she received and was so excited that she wanted to play with each one before moving to the next. We had to keep reminding her to open another one

She was excited to get the movie, Tangled

She loved her Anna doll from Frozen
 She really loved her piggy bank and immediately had to go get her "monies" and put them in her piggy bank. She gave it a good shake and then she dumped it all out just to put all the "monies" back, shake and then repeat. After a few 100 times of this process we redirected her to more presents. When she saw her sled she screamed enthusiastically "Yay, I got a boat!"
Everly love hung out in my mom's arms as all this excitement and noise was going on

After presents we had our traditional baked praline french toast

Then of course a holiday photo shoot that went as well as to be expected with a wild 2 year old, whose hopped up on presents and candy canes and a new, little baby girl.

We got one good picture of little Ever and then the rest of her pictures went a little like this

 Big sister's patience lasted 2 seconds longer then Baby Girls

Nory knows how to chillax

These sisters love each other!

After 2 minutes of pictures, our cozy cottage exploded with Christmas cheer and toys

 

 



100 Chocolate Kisses and the Spirit of Christmas

We started our holiday season in a sickly manner and ended it in a sickly manner but we definitely had an enjoyful time in between.
Due to some awesome viruses that were lurking behind every door of our house we weren't able to do all of the Christmas activities we wanted to. In fact we slacked off quite a bit, darn it.
We did get to act out the Nativity at a family party. Nory was an angel, Chris was a shepherd, I was the picture taker and baby Ever was the super cute, cry in the background so everyone has to strain to hear the scriptures being read, until at last she falls asleep, baby girl. Pretty sure the last 2 characters listed are located in Luke 2, right?
 I'm not sure if angels can get much cuter and they definitely can't get much louder. The little angel was having so much fun running around screaming with her cute cousin Camryn. 100 chocolate kisses helps the singing voice for sure!

 

Our production of the nativity is going Broadway, it was that good.

 

 

We had a great time with family! It was a wonderful way to feel the spirit and remember why we celebrate Christmas.

A Hunting We Will Go

Earlier this month...before Everly turned a month and even before the 2nd annual Grantsville Electric Parade because clearly I find it important to blog the Brown family happenings in order, we bundled up our girlies (still seems a little crazy to say girl in the plural form because we now have 2 super cute Littles) in sweaters, coats, gloves and boots and headed to the mountains for a hunt, a hunt for our Christmas tree.

 

 This silly little outing ended up taking us al1 day and 5 different tree pickin' places. The first was in Mountain Green. Not one of us, between my parents, my bro's family and us, found a tree we liked so it was off to the 2nd place which was also in Mountain Green, success...for my parents



No one else found one we liked but we did take a moment to capture our little, mountain adventure.

 We headed back down the mountain and what a sad day because we were actually going to get our tree from a Christmas tree lot :(

Not the first lot we went to, the trees were like $85.00. YIKES. We did get some cute photo ops though.

Super cute kids, super cute snowman made out of tree stumps.

It was chilly enough in the mountains for pink gloves, owl beanies, and light up princess boots but at the tree lots we all looked like a bunch of crazies bundled up because it just wasn't that cold, in fact it was perfect weather.

 

 We couldn't pass up the mistletoe. I didn't have to force Chris for a little smooch but I did have to force him to pose for the camera. We are making cute memories buddy, so you will pose for the camera and like it! 

 

Ahhh cute memories. See the cute, little baby Ever's head in the picture. Ahhhh cute!

Yes, wonderful memories but still no Christmas tree. So off to the Smith's parking lot. Nope, still nope.

So we were off to the old King's parking lot

Yay! We had our Christmas tree and I got this picture of all the little hunters before my camera died.

This little adventure was more like a wild goose chase rather than a Christmas tree hunt.

 

 

 

Electric

Her bright, blue eyes shinning as she jumped onto the porch, bathed in Grandma's Christmas lights, " oh my goodness, it's beautiful."

Christmas through the eyes of our lively little Angel just could not get any better! It is just so darn fun!

(Now that looks like fun splattered all down main street in Grantsville or quite possibly it could be Harry Potter casting a spell on my beautiful baby girl, the verdict is still out on that one.)

The Saturday after Thanksgiving, we had a celebratory dinner at Grandma Brown's house and then we bundled up and moved the troops out. All the cousins marched down to Christmas central, aka main street in Grantsville. Main street just happens to be home of the one and only stop light in the town. In case you were wondering, I know you were. Look at these gems of knowledge hidden upon the pages of my blog.

Anyway, We took a little saunter down to main street. Man, it was a beautiful night! The light crisp air kissing my nose, a sweet, baby girl hugging close, my warm bodied hubby close by and our silly 2 1/2 yr. old so full of excitement it was palpable as she flitted and fluttered down the sidewalk.

As we traveled the 50 yards to main street...it's Grantsville, everything is just 50 yrds away, we asked the Little Love what Santa was going to bring her. She informed us matter of factly that Santa was bringing her a piggy bank. "What would you do with a piggy bank?"
"I will put my monies in it and shake it." well, duh, what else would you do with a piggy bank?

The whole gang lined up on the curb

waiting

And watching

Yay!!! The 2nd annual  Granstville Christmas Light Parade

It was awesome! Nory had so much fun picking up hot chocolate packages, candy canes, and glow sticks that were being thrown out to the kiddos.

 Little Ever cried and then slept cuddled up warm in her moby wrap knock off, my coat, and her blanket.

 Of course the big man made his way through town on the back of the shiny fire truck

As Santa drove by, Elanora looked up at us with her big ,confused, blue eyes and said "Where did my piggy bank goes?" We had to explain to her that Santa was going to bring it to her house on Christmas day and then with Christmas lights in our eyes we skipped and hopped down the street, back to Grandma's house. Oh boy,  life is fun!

 

  

The Night Nora Cried

You really can't beat the 4th of July! The celebrating of our freedom. The expressions of love and gratitude to those who have and still are fighting for our freedom. I am always overcome with emotions on this day and am so thankful to have been blessed to be raised in this wonderful, free country.

Chris and I hope to instill in Elanora a sense of humble pride and respect of America and the ideals we hold dear.

 

 

The 4th is definitely one of my favorite holidays for all of the above reasons. I also love the fact that you can be in almost any town no matter how obscure and still find a celebration. And lets be honest, you just can't beat fried food and fireworks :)

 

The little town we decided to celebrate in was my hometown of Layton (and for the record, when I say Layton, I pronounce the 'T', in case you were wondering).

 

We started out at 8:00 am with breakfast in the park. Although it was a little sad because half our usual party wasn't there. After breakfast, my dad has to sneak over to the baseball games with Elanora in hopes that she will one day play. He is doing a pretty good job because the only shirt she ever wants to wear is "Grandpa's baseball shirt". 

Next came the parade. Definitely the highlight of Nory's day, well the candy part anyway. She shoved as much taffy in her mouth as she could possibly fit and because it was scorching hot, half of it melted all over her clothes and everything else she touched.

 

She had the set up! Her cold water bottle, taffy in the pocket of her little chair and awesome shades.

 

She chilled in her chair most the time. She did jump up and dance as the cheerleaders went by. I'm sure she would have jumped up when the horses went by but she had to make a pit stop at the potty.

 

 We always have a huge group hanging out on the usual corner.

 

 

Elanora loves to be anywhere the cousins are!

 

 

She was one tired baby after the parade

 

 

 

Now the fireworks were a little more complicated then a dancing, music, candy filled Smorgasbord of a parade.

 

We thought a little preparation was in order. So the night before, we bought some fireworks to tryout. Begrudgingly, Chris got some at the store because I refused to let him use the ones hidden in the shoebox.

 

Nory had seen fireworks all over the sky but when we started a few in our driveway, she really wanted no part of it. That little Fire Cracker, after lighting only 2 said," Okay, let's go to bed now, I really want to go to bed." The rest of the night and the next morning she kept saying over and over, "Fireworks aren't scary, they are beautiful."

 

So when the cannons at Layton park went off, I was surprised she jumped and came over to me but wanted to get back down and play with the cousins. As soon as the first fireworks exploded in the sky she wanted nothing to do with them. She jumped in my arms and buried her face in my shoulder, digging into my neck every time one went off. She would jump back and forth from Chris to me, not quite knowing which was safer. The poor Lil' Sug' started crying (unfortunately, I forgot the camera to document).

The turning point was when her cute cousin Canyon brought her some popcorn. She wanted to eat it and she needed to turn around to eat it. So she ended the night warming up to the fireworks but I wouldn't say she enjoyed them. She did go and sit with grandma Page and we got this picture on the phone. She doesn't look too terrified, only nervously chewing her arm a little bit :)

 

 

As soon as the grand finale was over, that silly little baby jumped up, did a double fist pump in the air and screamed, "YAY, WE DID IT!"

 

 The next day she did love holding sparklers at my brothers house. But when we started the fireworks she informed us that she would rather play with barbies inside the house.

 

 

 That Little Fire Cracker is still telling us that fireworks aren't scary, they are beautiful. Let's hope next year she can believe that those affirmations are true.