It Still Did

And here we go. A new year is upon us

 I'm ready for the profoundly, intricate jaunt down the halls of 2016. I love this life I have been blessed with. I love the intense climbs, the deep plummets and the gentle hum of the mundane. The extremes of all complimenting each other as they fold and mix together. Creating a life perfectly, imperfect. I embrace and welcome that imperfection. I'm at home in imperfections strong arms.

 

2015 treated us well and even when it didn't, it still did.

Right off the bat, our poor, little Evers got sick. We spent countless hours in different doctor's offices. We went from her pediatrician, to Primary Children's Hospital, to Mckay Dee hospital, to the allergist, back to her pediatrician and then back to Primary's. Test after test, sample after sample. This poor girl saw so many doctors that to this day she gets mad when we pull into the parking lot of her pediatrican. Finally, we decided to take her to a kinesiologist. He did what others couldn't and along with many prayers and blessings, she was soon back to her spunky self.    

 

I didn't get pictures of her getting a barium test done because that was way too traumatic for me, I didn't even think to pull out my camera as I was trying hold back tears. In hindsight, I wish I would have so one day we could have shown her what she had to go through. They had to tie her legs together, pin her down and make her drink a gross drink which she spit back in their faces as she screamed at them.  The nurse thought she was the cutest, strong willed baby. She laughed about how Evers wasn't just crying but that little girl was shouting angry baby babble at them. It seemed unbearable to watch my baby suffer. How grateful we felt to Heavenly Father for helping us through this trial.

 

Around the time we got Babylove's stuff under control My horse, Blue got sick. He dropped so much weight. I thought it was time to send my old buddy to greener pastures. I had him at an acupuncturist, chiropractor, a couple different vets, until finally, we got some answers. We then calorie packed his diet and he was and is, back to his wild self.

We had some major job changes in our household. When Everly got sick, we decided it would be best for me to quit my job and concentrate on getting her feeling 100%. I loved my job. Working with children with special needs was one of the most rewarding things I've done in my life. It was challenging but those challenges paled in comparison to the joy. I was sad to leave but knew it was time.

A few months after I quit, Chris got a new job in Heber City. He was sad to leave the friends he had made but excited for this new adventure. Change is scary but what's life without a sprinkle of scary.

We had an awesome amount of excellent adventures. We love the great outdoors (I'm pretty sure I could do this whole paragraph in movie titles) so we introduced Hiking Saturday into our weekly mix. The hikes filled our Saturdays with dirt, rocks, waterfalls, caves, heat, a few accidental dives into the water and a few not so accidental dives into the water, a few tears and tired feet. We loved every minute of it.

(We hiked all over the place. In no particular order: The Kays Creek walkway, a waterfall in Centerville, Donut Falls, Patsy's Mine, Farmington walkway, Causey Reservoir, Adams Canyon, Fernwood, Cascade Springs, a fairy garden in the Uinta mountains, Antelope Island, Zion National Park, and to petroglyphs in Santa Clara.)

For my Birthday, Chris surprised me with an airplane ride. It was absolutely breathtaking!

 We went to St. George for a week to watch my dad play softball in the Huntsman Senior World game. We were able to see my dad receive a ring for playing in the games for 15 years. It was so neat. We had so much fun. We watched America's favorite pastime, hiked, ate, swam, went to Tuacahn and many more lively happenings.

At the end of the summer, we were lucky enough to spend a few days at our sister in-law's family cabin in Heber City. We went swimming, bowling, hiking, and best of all we were able to relax and enjoy the beauty of Heber City.

Elanora started pre-school. I can't believe my little Babyface is old enough to go to school. She's a smart gal and she loves every minute of it. On the first day of school she said I could just drop her off and then leave. My independent girl. It was so hard to leave her. Even though she only goes twice a week for a few hours, I miss her when she's gone. How am I ever going to handle kindergarten?

 We went to carnivals, fairs, festivals. We celebrated holidays and birthdays. We played at the park and watched super blood moon eclipses. We played in the rain, the snow, and in the sprinklers. Attended church and visited temples and we swam every week in between. How truly blessed and grateful we are for the memories made within the pages of 2015.

Oh yes, 2015 treated us well, and even when it didn't

It still did.
 

 

 

 

 



Recap and Moving on: September/October

And just like that two months were smashed into one. Fall colors cascading from the sky as they collided. Months filled with blood moons and planets aligning in the morning sky, hiking, a vacation and of course, CANDY!!! 

 Books I read this month:

* "A Greater Tomorrow: My Journey Beyond the Veil" by Julie Rowe (Interesting enough to inspire my curiosity to learn more about the subject matter, although it was not written very well).

* "Visions of Glory: One Man's Astonishing Account of the Last Days"  as told to John Pontius (I just had to read more and more).

* "A Change is Coming "By Hector Sosa Jr. (A very short but straightforward, to the point account).

* ...As A Thief In The Night : A resource/ reference book to assist in identifying kingdoms and events of the last years before the second coming of Jesus Christ" (I've always had a desire to study the Second Coming. My high school seminary teacher taught from this book, I loved the information so much that that year for Christmas I asked Santa to bring me the book. I dug it out and read it again).

* I also scoured over countless scriptures in the Book of Mormon and Bible. I also studied quotes from The Journal of Discourses and past and present Conference talks on the second coming and revelation.

 

You may be thinking this is a little excessive. But this is how Heavenly Father created me :) He gave me a deep passion for learning. Not only was I created this way but I have been admonished to learn and study. I take that responsibility very serious. It is who I am. The Second Coming just happens to be my subject of choice at the moment :)

 

This month's playlist:

* I have mostly been listening to talk radio.

 

Things Elanora has been up to: 

* Loving Preschool.

* Playing dolls.

* Playing "I Spy" and, "What animal make that noise?".

* Going to "Inside Out" at the movies.

* Trick or Treating.

* Avoiding scary decorations.

* Candy, candy, candy.

 

Things Everly has been up to:

* Looking at but not touching lizards.
* Reading books.
* Playing "chase" and "Tickle monster"
* Seeing "Inside Out" at the movies.
* Trick or Treating.
* Avoiding eye contact with scary decorations.
* Candy, candy, candy...candy with no peanuts.

 



Recap And Moving On: August

And then just like that September is crashing in on our summer. We hiked and bike and swam and twirled and ran and swung, but now a warm September breeze is slowly shutting our heavy, wooden door on summer. Bringing with it a backpack full of schedules and early sunsets. I guess we're ready to switch jumping in pools for flying kites.

 Books I read this month:
     I started but have yet to finish "A Man's Search For Meaning" by Viktor E Frankl. Boy it's been a long time since I read a whole book.

This month's playlist:
     Anything loud and fast paced on my ipod. I've been running on the treadmill(I use the term running loosely).

Things Elanora has been up to:

    # Making up puppet shows
   # Blending phonic sounds to make words
   # Making cakes and licking the beaters
   # Playing with the blue hippo on the Hungry, Hungry Hippos game
   # Diving for rings in the swimming pool
   # Holding huge snakes around her neck



   # Doing riding exercises on Blue
  # Bowling for the first time
  # Shooting BB guns (with lots of help)

Things Everly has been up to:

   # Throwing puppets over the couch

   # Reading/sleeping with/driving in the car with princess books

   # Making cakes and licking the beaters

   # Throwing the berries from the Hungry, Hungry Hippo game

   # Writing her name (with lots of help)

   # Riding Blue

   # Giving Random kisses

   # Using the potty (sometimes :))

   # Riding her bike

Recap and Moving on: July

 July entered like a waterfall of adventure and excitement. The waters of this month rushing fast and furious. This patriotic, summer month was not taken for granted. We jumped off the rocks and enjoyed this fast paced ride. Memories of beautiful places and celebrations of those past and present who have sacrificed to ensure our safety and enjoyment of those beautiful places will long be remembered, even after the water has dried from our clothes. 

Books I read this month:

   Yikes, my reading really took a hit this month. We packed so much adventure in, there was little room for anything but snoring as my head hit my pillow at night. Although last month I read 2 1/2 of the Wrinkle in Time books by Madeleine L' Engle.

 

 

This Month's playlist:

    Classical music at breakfast and everything under the sun the rest of the day.

 

Things Elanora has been up to:

* Building fairy houses

* Swimming like a fish

* Belly bumping her sister

* Bike riding

* Hiking like a champ

 

Things Everly has been up to:

 

* Running full speed ahead
* Swimming Like a fish that doesn't like to be splashed in the face with water
* Perfecting her swing, when sister belly bumps her
* Eating "Ot Pop" (Otter*pops)
* Drinking out of a Camelbak while hiking 

Recap and Moving on: March

A wind of change blew through the Brown household this green infused month. A new trail to follow. We're excited to see what's over the hill. An adventure full of sidewalk chalk, bubbles and snow sled rides on grass. Change has come to visit, we shook hands and carried on down the path, smelling the tulips and planting peas.

 

Books I read this month:

     #The message by Lance Richardson (very interesting)

     #Being Zen by Ezra Bayda (informative)

     #The Power of a Teacher by Adam L. Saenz (Thought provoking)

     #Christ and the New Covenant by Jeffrey R. Holland (spiritually illuminating)

     #Life Everlasting by Duane S. Crowther (Just started)

 

I may have spread myself a little thin in the reading department, seeing that I'm only half way through 3 of those books :)

 

This months playlist:

     #Sukiyaki by Kyu Sakamoto

      #Pretty Ballerina by The Left Banke

     #Under the Boardwalk

     #My Girl by The Temptations

     #Have you ever seen the Rain by Creedence Clearwater

     #Spirit in the Sky by Norman Greenbaum

     #Light my Fire by The Doors

     #Vincent by Don Mclean

     #Come A little bit Closer

     #Downtown by Petula Clark 

       #Dream a Little Dream of Me by The Mamas and The Papas

     #Dedicated to the One I Love by The Mamas and the Papas

     #For What Its Worth by Buffalo Springfield

     #The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel

 

Things Elanora has been up to:

     #Playing with a boxelder bug She has named Stewart

     #Planting the Garden

     #Hiking

     #Playing with a tool set she received for her birthday

     #Bday princess tea party at the zoo

 

Things Everly has been up to:

     #Loving to make people laugh

     #Giraffes at the zoo

     #Not loving allergies

     #Hello Kitty

     #Hiking

 





 

 

 







Recap and Moving On: November

To be honest, November was a snowless blur. To write a poetic splurge describing the sensations that were entangled with the events of November 2014 would discredit my less than lucid mind.  November slipped away so fast, I can remember certain important and wonderful events, mainly Ever's turning one, Thanksgiving, Christmas tree hunting, and the Grantsville Electric Light Parade but the rest of the month is a blur. It seems ages ago. It was good in a fast moving, hazy, party sort of way. Don't you worry November 2014, even as I write this poetic splurge about you I'm remembering you more clearly. Days spent at story time and walking through the park, croup, FHEs spent coloring turkeys and writing what we were thankful for on the feathers, "You Are My Sunshine" Birthdays, Everly actually sleeping in my arms (really true story, she did), piggy tails. Ah yes, there you are November 2014, Slowly walking out of that haze. Yes there you are.

 

 

Books I read this month:

     * Fablehaven book 1 by Brandon Mull (Good, but the hype over shadowing the book a little). 

 

 

This months music:

     *Anything playing on the radio in the car.

 

What Elanora Has Been Up To:

 

 

      * Funny faced selfies.

     * Being absolutely in love with hand warmers.

     * Climbing trees while Christmas tree hunting.

     * Playing with the Little People school house.

     * Monsters INC. Movie.

Things Everly Has Been Up To:

     * Bouncing her head on the couch and laughing hysterically.

     * Playing with her Birthday toys.

     * Sitting on the rug at story time for half of the stories (that's a record).

      * Running up and down the halls at church for 2 hrs straight.

     * Pointing at things and saying new sounds (she is partial to a spitty /T/ sound).



 

 

 



 

 

  

Recap and Moving On: October

The crisp, golden air casually transitioned in, as the days of October slowly fell from the trees. Splashes of red and orange now litter the ground, crunching beneath the soles of my shoes. October was full of colors and breezes and candy.

 

 

 Books I read this month:

    *Macbeth by Shakespeare (Who doesn't love a story of strong, powerful women (Although I like my strong, powerful women of a less evil persuasion) and cautionary tales of the guilty.

 

This months tunes:

     * The song Stolen Dance by Milky Chance
     * The song Riptide by Vance Joy

Things Elanora has been up to:

 

     * She is obsessed  with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and she has never even seen the movies or cartoons.

     * Dancing (more or less) in her tumble/dance class.

     * Buckling herself in her car seat.

     * Working in her workbook. Writing her letters, counting objects and learning phonic sounds. She almost knows all of them.

     * Trick or Treating.

     *  Eating Trick or Treating candy.

 

 

Things Everly has been up to:

 

 

 



     * Walking all over the place.
     * Running all over the place.
     *Getting Nory's underwear out of the dirty clothes, looping it around her arm and walking around the house.
     *Kissing her glow worm doll.
     *Eating Trick or Treating candy (no peanuts for this girlie, we learned that the hard way).

 

 

 



Recap and Moving On: July

July shot out of the cannon and exploded leaving trails of colorful sparks splashed across the sky. It was so full of color and excitement that we hardly had time to blink before another firework was streaking across our calendar. When we close our eyes we can still see the beautiful embers glowing bright within the memories we made. 

 

 

 

Books I read this month:

*Finally finished The Poisonwood Bible by Barbra Kingsolver (It took me longer then I'd like to admit, but it was a great book!)

* The Dog Stars by Peter Heller (Pretty good. Another Dystopian book)

 

 

This months tunes:

Nothing special, just whatever was playing

 

What Elanora has been up to:

 



 * Eating a million tomatoes, right of the vine.
* Wearing the cowboy hat Grandma and Grandpa Page got her from Yellowstone.
* Spitting water in Everly's face while in the bathtub.
* Playing at the splashpad.
* Fireworks.
* Watching The Cat in the Hat cartoons.

Things Everly has been up to:

 

* Eating sand.

*Playing Patty Cake.

*Laughing when Nora spits water in her face while in the bathtub.

*Giving High- Fives.

*Anything to do with water.

*eating the cats food.

 

 







 

 

 



Recap and Moving on: June

The June summer breeze didn't feel quite so summery when stuck in

air-conditioned year-round school. June felt like he should have been placed somewhere else on the yearly calendar. Somewhere more school oriented. Every so often I get a glimpse of him hanging out on the freshly cut, school yard grass. As the kids I work with slid down the slides, I would slip my sandals off and bury my toes in the fragrant grass and let the sun warm my cheeks. That's when I would shake hands with the month of June.

 

 

 

Books I read this month:

*The Poisonwood Bible by Barbra Kingsolver (I failed this month at reading. This was the only book I picked up this month and I'm not even close to finishing it. June was way too busy to enjoy one of my favorite past times) 

 

 

This months tune

*I mostly listened to my ipod on shuffle

*A little bit of "Local Natives"

* I dabbled a bit out of my usual genre of music with "Sam Smith" I saw him play on Saturday Night Live a few weeks ago and couldn'y decide if I like his voice or not so I looked him up. SHHH don't tell, I think I like his music.

 

Things Nora has been up to in June:

 

* Eating snow cones.
* Doing her favorite 2 chores everyday. Feeding the cats and watering the flowers.
* Picking out 3 books and 1 movie every week at the library.
* Getting her first x-ray. Finger. Not broken.
* Talking in robot voices.
* Gardening.

Things Evers Has been up to in June:

* Crawling on all fours.
* Pulling herself up to a standing position.
* Eating apples in sacrament meeting.
* Getting into everything.
* Saying DADA and MAMA.
* Not loving the jets that fly over our house.