The Brown's

The Princess is 6 months

2012-01-23T13:53:00.000-08:00

Can't believe our little Princess is 6 months old. Here's a little update on her development:

She can ALMOST roll over. Don't know why she won't just do it already!
She's a great eater. She loves her veggies.
Usually takes good naps, but still wakes up at night :(
Loves the jumperoo and bumbo.
She's gettting strong muscles to hold herself up, but still needs some assistance.
She's a happy baby and rarely cries, except when tired or hungry.
She prefers to watch her older brothers play all day.

Before we know it, she's going to one year old. It's true what they say. The more kids you have the faster they grow up!

Out of Africa and New Year's

2012-01-18T14:33:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve was spent with my parent's and grandma and grandpa Schreiber. It's tradition to order Chinese food and hang out. When it got dark we set off fireworks. We headed home early to get the kids to bed then crashed ourselves. When your babies don't sleep thru the night, you go to bed when they do!

During CJ's break we also had a chance to go to "Out of Africa". A really cool wildlife zoo. It was about a 2 hour drive (not the funnest with little one's) but worth the wait. The kids got to see tigers and lions up close. Feed giraffe's. We took Chuck and JuDene along with us. It was nice to get away and the weather was beautiful!

The Holidays

2012-01-18T12:32:00.000-08:00

Here's what we've been up to:

October:
Took it easy this Halloween. Charlie and Dylan went as "The Incredible's". Hannah went as herself. I'm kinda still milking "the my kids are too young to know what's going on stage". Call me lazy if you want, but I don't see the point in spending lots of money and time if they can't even pick out what they want to be. Next year should be more fun! We went to our wards trunk or treat and did a little bit of trick-or-treating in our neighborhood on Halloween night. Charlie and Dylan loved the candy of course.

Charlie and Dylan in their Halloween Costumes.

Dylan did the same as Charlie did around his age. He tried to eat the pumpkin!

Charlie wasn't into carving the pumpkin.

November:
On the 3rd CJ celebrated his 28th birthday. I think he was feeling a little old that day. The middle of November, Jessica flew in from Switzerland with baby Madison. It was our first time to meet her. The end of November brought Thanksgiving. It was a special Thanksgiving this year. All of CJ's siblings came to town and brought all the little one's. We had dinner over at Chuck and JuDene's. Their were 5 little grand babies under their roof. I know it was so special to them to have everyone in one place at the same time. CJ also enjoyed some much deserved time off of school.

Grammy with her two granddaughters.

Hannah and Madison (4 months apart)

Hannah on her Blessing Day

Papa babysitting his two grand daughters while mommies went to see Twilight.

Maddy and Dylan (7 months apart)

Chance and Charlie enjoying Papa's tractor's

Charlie and Dylan love Grammy's Piano

December:

December brought even more business. Lot's of family and friend get together's. We had "Breakfast with Santa" a fun activity put on by some good friends, the Weikel's for the little ones. There they got to meet Santa, sing carols and make crafts. The annual Brown Caroling Christmas party happened. Yummy Mexican food thanks to CJ's grandma Brown and her new hubby Mel. A thanks goes out to Chuck for lending is trailer for the caroling. It was a special night for caroling this year. We rode the trailer down to great-grandpa Brienholt's assisted living home. Charlie, Dylan and Hannah are his great-great grandchildren. Christmas Eve, like always was with my family. Fun and good food at Paul and Heidi's house. Christmas Day was with CJ's family. More good food and lot's of presents. Christmas Day was on a Sunday this year so we got ready for church then had some time left and decided to open our presents before we left.December also brought a fun trip to "Out of Africa", but that's for another post.

Charlie liked Santa this year

Hannah had no idea what was going on.

Dylan wanted nothing to do with Santa.


First year we purchased a real Christmas Tree. Loved it!

My boys on the trailer ready for some caroling.

Dylan's favorite part of the Holidays was the candy!

Christmas Eve at Paul and Heidi's!

The sassy Stella Lynn with her new Tangled doll.

The kiddos on Christmas morning.

CJ's mom had one last surprise for us on Christmas. A snowball fight!

The boys loved taking down the tree as much as they loved helping us put it up!

Why the blog has been on the back burner

2011-10-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

Everyone told me I was going to have to let somethings go when the third baby came. I think it's safe to say I have. I strongly believe this is what the typical house looks like. If it's not, don't burst my bubble! I can't be the only one who can't manage the chaos flawlessly.

Loving the weather

2011-10-28T13:30:00.000-07:00

It's finally not miserably hot outside. We are loving it! The boys are outside most of the day. We get to let them run wild and burn off energy. We eat dinner outside, we go to the park, we take walks. We had a fun family home evening the other night with some homemade sidewalk paint. The boys loved the mess. We tried to get Charlie to draw something he was thankful for. Not sure he grasped the concept, but at least we tried!The garden is booming too!

Charlie update

2011-10-28T13:11:00.000-07:00

So Charlie has been in pre-school for 3 months now, and WOW what a difference. They have managed to do so much with him in such a short time. Makes me wonder why we struggled for so long to get him to learn things? He is repeating us, interacting with us, following commands, recognizing other people, playing with other kids. It's amazing. I feel like I have a different kid. I am so thankful for all the hard work his teachers put in. They work so hard to help him. Though the gap is closing, he still has a way to go before he catches up to his peers. I'm am so hopeful of the next 2 years. If he continues to do this well, I really feel he's going to be ready for kindergarten. Charlie may be making strides in school, but not with his ears. The second set of tubes we had placed in July have already fallen out and nothing has worked to drain the fluid in his ears. We have elected to have a more permanent tube (t-tube) placed in his ears and have his adenoids removed. Cross your fingers. He has his surgery next week!

Our little beauty queen

2011-10-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

So this little beauty queen keeps growing. She is now 3 months old, 10 lbs. and 21 inches long. She is such a sweetheart. She's smiles and giggles every time you look at her. She also sleeps good. I coulnd't have asked for a more happy baby. I'm lucky she goes with the flow so well. I don't know what I would have done with a fussy baby. Probably nothing! She's a great addition to our family and I am so happy to have a little girl!

Dylan Turns One!

2011-10-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

Can't believe my little man is a toddler! A few weeks before he turned one, Dylan mastered the art of walking. Look out Charlie, there's a new dude in town! Ever since learning to walk Charlie has had a hard time keeping Dylan away. Dylan follows him and copies his every move. I find it very sweet. Charlie finds it annoying. Beside the cuteness of Dylan learning to walk, we celebrated his birthday with a small party. I learned after Charlie's BIG first birthday, that a big production is a waste of time. Dylan had no idea what was going on. Though, it was fun to have family there to celebrate. He got some fun new toys, which he loves. His favorite being the singing Elmo and a cute puppy! Which so happens to be the most annoying toy in the world, but it sure entertains him!

Quick Update

2011-08-29T13:42:00.000-07:00

My time is valuable today. Here's a quick update of what we have been up to.

This little princess is 1 month old. Honestly she seems older to me. It's only been 4 weeks. Feels like she should be 4 months!

Charlie never ceases to amaze me. Just when we think nothing is getting through his head he goes and spells words on the dishwasher and says them out loud.

This chunk is almost a year old. As you can tell he really loves food. He's been standing on his own and taking steps. Hoping by his first birthday we can say he's walking.

CJ is busier than ever with school. I've just been trying to manage three kids. The last two weeks have been hard with sick kids, a sick mom and all three of the little buggers deciding that sleeping through the night is no longer what they want to do. I just hope someday I will manage to get at least a few hours of sleep a night. We have managed to get some things done. Like our fall garden is planted. It's looking so good already. We got the shade cover for the garden made for the wicked hot afternoon sun.

I finally finished my spring cleaning of the house. I know a whole season late, but it's done. The garage is stacked full of junk to sell at the garage sale come cooler weather. Besides the craziness of being busy all the time, we are surviving one day at a time!

Real life

2011-08-19T14:38:00.000-07:00

Okay for those of you that know me well you know I like to be clean and organized and have a beautifully decorated home (even on a shoestring budget). Well I read a lot of design blogs, even those home design blogs that tour "real" houses of people with small children. I always wonder why I can't seem to keep it looking good. I mean just the other day with one hand in a matter of seconds Dylan ripped off the door to my nightstand. Because I can't replace it for a long time, I now have to look at a broken door evgerytime I go to bed. Or Charlie who manages to slime everything from the side table to the top of the tall shelf (yes he's a climber). Anyway, as beautiful as these homes are on the blogs, I know they can't possibly ever look like that for more than a few moments. I came across this hilarious link to a blog of a "real" mom with small children and her take on the "real" home tours of people who manage to have a beautiful home and small children at the same time. It made me laugh and feel better about the way my home looks. I especially like her take on the living room. I feel this is a great depiction of how my living room looks on a daily basis. If you have kids or ever had small kids you'll get a good laugh out of this one. And for those of you who are yet to have small children a word of advice. Don't bother buying anything you love for you home until your children are grown. It's sure to get destroyed.

http://crappypictures.typepad.com/crappy-pictures/2011/08/house-tour-with-amber-of-crappy-pictures.html

p.s. If you have a chance to read other posts on this blog, I highly recommend it. It's my life if I had time to write down all the ridiculous stuff that happens everyday.

A Day of 1st and a little randomness

2011-08-08T12:09:00.000-07:00

This little guy took 2 steps all on his own this morning,

right before CJ left for school.

This BIG boy started his fisrt day of Pre-school!

Hannah's been doing a whole lot of this, and mommy and

daddy can't figure out why we're getting none of it?

I have officially lost control of cleaning and organizing the house.

Those books are still laying on the floor.

And this is the beautiful sunset we enjoyed from

our backyard last night.

Murphy's Law. More like Brown's Law!

2011-07-29T15:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, so Hannah is here. Yeah! I am so happy, but of course she made her entrance into the world in Brown fashion. Here's what happened.

Friday July 22nd 2am: after waking up with Dylan for the second time, I start to feel some strong contractions. Not consistent but defiantly making me wonder if I am going into labor.

When I woke up that morning I could barley walk. I start feeling some strong contractions fairly fast after getting out of bed. I get a burst of energy and start cleaning up the house. I have a big feeling she's coming.

I try all morning to get a hold of my mom and dad, who would be taking the boys for me. They had decided to leave for Prescott for the weekend, since at my appointment on wed. I wasn't dilated or had even dropped enough to be ready for labor. CJ had an ortho appointment that morning and I had to make a decision early if he should go or stay home. I asked him to stay home, because I was 99% sure Hannah was coming.

We called CJ's parents that morning to let them know the exciting news. As with my family they had left early that morning to head for Utah. So with no grandparents in town we called on my brother and his awesome wife Heidi to watch the boys. After getting ahold of my mom and dad, they turned around and meet us at the hospital.

1:30ish p.m.: we arrive at the hospital with contractions 3 minutes apart and very painful. I'm taken back to triage and told that I am probably just dehydrated and my braxton-hicks contractions felt stronger than they really were. I was told to chug a big pitcher of water. I knew I wasn't dehydrated and this being my third kid, I kinda knew I was in active labor. I told the nurse I almost didn't make it to the hospital in time for my last kid. Beside all that, she checked my and told me I wasn't dilated at all and the baby hadn't dropped enough for me to deliver. I was shocked to say the least. She went ahead and discharged me, told me to go home and jump in the pool to deal with the braxton-hicks contractions and to drink lot's of water. It was around 2:10pm when we left the hospital.

We made made it two miles down the road and not even to the freeway before my water broke. We turned back around and all the nurses were surprised to see me there. They took me back (it was around 2:40pm.The same nurse who checked my about 30 minutes prior checked my again and said I was at a six. Within and hours time Hannah was here. The nurses all told me the next time I had a baby, I should tell the nurses that I have babies fast and not to discharge me. UMMM.... I think that's what I told the triage nurses about an hour before my water broke.

Besides, that craziness, Hannah was born at 3:54pm on July 22, 2011. She weighed 8lbs. and was 19 3/4 in. long. She had a full head of dark hair. That was a big surprise to me! She was healthy and as beautiful as could be.

But that's not where the craziness ends. Dylan seemed to be getting sick that morning, but it only looked like he had some drainage and maybe a little fever. Well little did we know it was turning into a nasty viral infection.

Saturday Night: CJ and I came home from the hospital only to have a very sick baby waiting for us at home. With the way he was acting and his high fever, CJ took him to urgent care that night. Sound familiar? We went to urgent care with Charlie the night we came home from the hospital with Dylan. It just maybe a family tradition.

When CJ returned home we decided it was best not to expose a newborn baby to a viral infection. So I repacked my hospital bed and spent two nights at my parents house before returning home to a cranky 11 month old and a wild 3 year old. Luckily I have had CJ home with me all week. He starts back to school on Monday.

I'm glad Hannah is here, but she sure didn't have to make it so memorable!

One more ~~little~~ I mean BIG thing. On the way home from the hospital we stopped by the mail box to see if CJ's board exam results were here. Happy to announce they were and he passed. Some of the best news we've had all summer (besides Hannah of course!)

The 4th

2011-07-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

Not to much is happening around here. We celebrated the 4th of July with CJ's family. Had a fun pool party and BBQ. I didn't manage to get any pictures. Because it was so late in the afternoon before the festivities started, Charlie and Dylan had pretty much had it before we even got there. CJ and I spent most of our time just handling meltdowns. Besides a hot and long 4th of July I do have some good news to share. CJ is officially on summer break! He took the 1st part of his board exam on Thursday. For a few weeks he has nothing to do except wait for his first baby girl to arrive. And coming she is! I am so close to being done. I can't wait to walk again without hurting and eat with out getting heartburn. I sure love my kiddos but I am defiantly not a lover of being pregnant. How do ladies manage to have a lot of kids? I would be so sick of being pregnant all the time!

Since I failed at getting any 4th of July pictures, here's a cute one of Dylan. He turns 10 month on Tuesday and already has 4 teeth. He's such a fun baby. He's really getting a personality, still super sweet, but developing his brother's curiosity! I noticed the other day as I was going through pictures, that Dylan is in a diaper in almost every picture I have of him. I was beginning to think I must be lazy and not bother to ever get him dressed, then it hit me. I know why he never ends up with clothes on. This kid is such a fighter when it comes to changing his diaper or clothes. He fights so hard and with my big belly in the way, I usually give up and let him roam in diaper. I love him to death, but he is very stubborn sometimes.

Move over Thomas the Train, there's a new Space Ranger in town!

2011-07-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

What being a mom is all about!

Charlie adores Buzz Lightyear and everyday we go through the same routine. We get dressed in our Buzz Lightyear costume, put on our Buzz Lightyear movie and fly our favorite Buzz Lightyear toy around the house. To some it may get really old, but I love it. I am so happy to see Charlie mimicking words and actions and I'm excited that he wears his costume. Maybe this year will be the year he really gets into Halloween! So if you ever wonder what we do all day when it's hot outside? Wonder no more. We play Buzz Lightyear!

Finally!

2011-06-28T15:23:00.000-07:00

Okay after 9 months and almost another baby, I finally have in my possession Dylan's newborn and birth photos!

Charlie Brown Exhibition

2011-06-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday we got to take Charlie and CJ's parents to a Charlie Brown Exhibition at the Mesa Youth Museum. We had to go and take three real life Charlie Brown's with us! It was a fun time. The exhibit was aimed towards kids, so it was interactive and kept Charlie busy the whole time. We dropped off Dylan with my mom and got to spend some quality time with just Charlie. Oh how I've forgotten how easy it is to have just one little guy!

2 naked butts!

2011-06-27T08:18:00.000-07:00

Bath-time as been a bit of a challenge around here lately. Charlie doesn't like sharing the bathtub with Dylan and he is picking up on the fact that bath-time is close to bed time. He seems to think if he doesn't take a bath then maybe he doesn't have to go to bed. Boy, is he in for a rude awaking when Hannah comes and three naked butts have to fit in the tub!

Besides the bath-time battle, these two have become little buddies. They still fight over toys every once in awhile, but you can tell they love each other.

Like Father like Son

2011-06-27T08:07:00.000-07:00

This Father's day was a relaxing one. We spent the day at church then with my family. As nice as it would have been to be with both sides of the family, it was really, really nice to not drag the kids to two houses. CJ and Charlie both fell asleep like babies on the floor in the living room as we were waiting for Dylan to wake from his nap so we could head to my parents house. Neither of them wanted to lay on the couch or in their beds. I guess it's a guy thing. Later that night we skyped with CJ's parents, as we got the boys ready for bed. Skype is such an awesome invention! We get to stay in touch with family without having to drag the boys all around town. So nice for a big fat pregnant lady and a wounded husband. CJ and I have no desire right now to be drug all over town. But the bright side is, I only have four more weeks until d-day and CJ has only two more weeks of staying off his foot. Before too long we will actually be able to function as two adults, instead of half of one!

Another busy week

2011-06-14T07:14:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week. Charlie turned 3 last Monday. Wow can't believe I have a 3 year old. We had lot's of doctor appointment's. CJ had an injection in his foot to help promote healing from a basketball injury he acquired a few months ago. He has to stay off his foot for four weeks. That's not so much fun for him or me. I and on the downhill slope of my pregnancy with only 6 more weeks to go. I feel like I need to be off my feet all the time too! Charlie had another ear tube surgery to replace a tube that fell out of his left ear. He hasn't seemed to recover so fast from it this time around. Dylan turned 9 month old and has been cutting his second tooth. Bad week for him to be on the extra cranky side. Saturday we held a small gathering of family to celebrate Charlie's birthday. We wanted to keep it small and simple. I'm just not able to plan a big party at this point and Charlie is still not completely sure what it means to have a birthday party. It was nice to have a simple gathering. Charlie got tons of new toys. His favorite being buzz lightyear. Of course! The Saturday before Charlie's birthday party, my sister in-law threw a fun baby shower for me. I got lot's of really cute girly clothes and a beautiful quilt made by my very talented sister in-law. That pretty much sums up our busy week. Know it's time to take it easy and relax before Hannah comes and life get's to busy!

It's officially summer right?

2011-06-02T17:51:00.000-07:00

A little swimming + Hot dogs, chips and chili + 4 days off in a row = a really fun Memorial Day weekend.

Last bit of fun before summer hits

2011-05-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

Unless you live in a cave, you probably realized that Arizona had and amazing few days of great weather last week. Knowing full well that the summer heat is quickly approaching and a new baby is on the way, we took advantage of this nice weather. One day was entirely devoted to playing outside at grandma's house. Charlie always wants to go outside when we are there and roam when it's just to hot, so I thought doing this would be a good idea and get it out of his system. On Thursday we headed to Superstition Farm. They were having a $5 day. For five bucks Charlie got to feed and pet the animals, go on a hay ride and eat some yummy fresh, farm made ice-cream. That weekend we headed right down the street to Schnepf Farms. It was the last weekend for the Peach Festival. Free admission + a free playground = a fun family outing on a dental student budget.

Superstition Farm

Schnepf Farms

Cousin Stella and Charlie hanging out in Grandma's backyard

25 years, 8 months and almost 3

2011-05-20T07:23:00.000-07:00

May is always a busy month. Tons of family birthdays and mothers day. Here's what we've been up to.We registered Charlie for preschool. I am so excited for him. He's going to love it. Though the timing could be better. He starts the week I'm due! I've come to realize that life never times itself well. Anyway, Charlie has been making some major improvements in his speech and understanding. He has been saying full sentences, combining 5 plus words. He has been telling us yes and no when I ask him a question. He's added several new words to his vocabulary and he has began to show us that he still knows his abc's (he learned them and then we were never able to get him to say them back to us). He has also been engaging in play with Dylan, most of the time initiating it. I hope preschool only enhances his progress. Dylan turned 8 months on the 12th. He is crawling faster than I can keep up and he has been pulling himself up on everything. He will also take a few steps if you hold his arms. He's back to sleeping better. He went through this funny stage of waking up several times a night. He has a bunch of teeth trying to make their way through. That just may be why he slept so poorly the last month or so. CJ is almost off for the summer (sort of). He has his board exams this summer so technically he's not off until he passes them. Otherwise school is rolling along for him. They have passed the bookwork phase and have been drilling on some teeth. I celebrated my 25th birthday by going to the doctors for my glucola test. As crappy as that was I got the rest of the day off. I had brunch with CJ at wildflower, got a pedicure and got to relax. I was lucky that CJ had the day off. He watched the boys for me. It was a nice break. He also bought me the juicer I've been wanting forever! That night we went to dinner with my family at NYPD Pizza. So yummy and my sister in law made me the dang cutest lamp I have ever seen. My mom got me a gift card to Hobby Lobby. How perfect! That weekend was also mother's day. I got a cute pair of earrings from my boys. Somehow daddy and the boys know just what mommy wants. There's our update. We are keeping busy and bracing for the hot, hot weather to come!

Charlie hates to take a bath with Dylan, so sometimes after Dylan is done Charlie jumps in and Dylan stands by the tub and watches him the whole time.

Here's the super cute lamp made by the always so talented Heidi Schreiber!

7 months and crawling

2011-04-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

This week Dylan turned 7 months old, and he decided he was ready to crawl. He's been working on it for a few months. I thought by the end of February he would have it figured out but it took a couple more weeks. I'm excited he can craw. That means he keeps himself a little more busy and wears himself out for better naps. Charlie's not digging it though. The permanent train tracks that seem to never get picked up in the family room are now free game for baby Godzilla. We finally had to just make room for the train table in the boys room to buy us some more time before Dylan is walking. Besides the destructiveness, Dylan is still a super happy, smiling and bouncy baby. This kid is so hard to hold, he just bounces right out of your lap. He loves to eat, but that's no surprise. His mommy, daddy and brother love almost every kind of food. Dylan loves to snuggle and it's the best thing he could do. I can't ever get mad at that little guy cause he always makes sure to snuggle. He's so easy to read. It's not hard to tell if he's tired or hungry or bored. What a blessing he is. He must have known he needed to be on his best behavior because his little sister didn't want to wait for her turn!

Little update

2011-04-08T20:51:00.000-07:00

I'm on the downhill slope. I'm 23 weeks along this week. Wow, that seems so far into my pregnancy. It feels like it has gone really fast, but I guess in a way that's a good thing. I'm ready to be done. I am finally hitting that really big and uncomfortable stage. The one you wish you could remember better, so you wouldn't be so quick to go through it again. Besides gaining wait rapidly, life has seemed to slow down a bit. The weather is beautiful and we get to spend a lot of time outside. Charlie's been busy digging in the dirt and I have been busy nesting. I have a mile long list of stuff to do to the house, but I think it's time to start slowing down. I'm noticing the puffy marshmallow feet greet me each night as it's time to go to bed. Dylan won't stop growing as much as I tell him to stop. He's going to be 7 months old this coming week. He's loving rolling over and grabbing toys. He's pretty much sitting up on his own. Every once and awhile he forgets to focus and falls over. Crawling has almost come. He is so close. I think each day this is going to be the day. He stills loves to eat. A lot! Though his latest trick in the high chair is not so much fun for mommy. He's discovered how to blow raspberries while he's got food in his month. Such a messy boy! CJ is rolling along in school. Almost done with his first year. He's a little nervous for his big board exam this summer. I'm nervous too. My due date is the first day of the new semester. Perfect timing Hannah! Besides the normal craziness, April is turning out to be a fun month for us!

Charlie decided he doesn't want summer to come.

The hot 90 degree weather prompted the first swim of the season. I just wish Dylan hadn't slept through the whole thing. He would have had just as much fun as Charlie.

What a chunk!

One of those "why I'm a mommy" moments. The best part of this is that Charlie instigated it.

Charlie's latest stunt is somersaults. My best guess is he does it because pocoyo does it.

Major Reality Check

2011-03-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

Charlie at about 8 months old.

I've had a feeling since Charlie was about 18 months old that something just wasn't right with his development. But as a mom, who see's all the good things in her child, I made many excuses for his behaviors or lack thereof. There is such a broad range of "normal development" for a toddler. I assumed that Charlie wasn't speaking well because he was a boy and boys take longer to talk. He had chronic ear infections that limited his ability to hear words correctly. My excuse was, "As soon as he turns 2 he's going to take off and flourish in his language skills and mimicking skills. Just like other kids". Well at 33 months of age every friend and cousin younger than him is surpassing him by leaps and bounds. Perhaps the scariest and most alarming red flag is Charlie is actually regressing. He's losing skills and behaviors he once knew. Though I've had a hunch that something was wrong for awhile, I felt like I was mentally prepared to handle whatever was to come, I really wasn't. Last week we had the first evaluation done on Charlie. They wanted to see if he was at least 50% deficient in at least one area to qualify him for further for services. It was mainly a lot of questions for me about what Charlie was and wasn't able to do. I was surprised (and not in a good way)that I answered no to many of them. At the end of the session the young lady told me Charlie was 60-70% behind in 4 of the 5 areas they tested: cognitive, language/communication, social and emotion, and adaptive (self-help). I asked they lady if most 2 1/2 year olds could really do that stuff? She said yes they do. That's when I realized why I was feeling so overwhelmed by motherhood. I had been working so hard to teach Charlie all that he needs to know, and having virtually no success, opposed to other other moms having successes happen all the time. Mostly seeing their children absorb life around them. I was still handling an 18 month old (if that). I feel Charlie learned better at 18 months then he does now. I wondered how most new and young mommies were doing it and having such success and such joys in raising their children, but I couldn't seem to find much joy in the everyday life. It's hard to teach a child anything when they don't know what your saying, you don't know what their saying and they can't look at you for more than a split second for you to try and show them . I wondered why my 18 month old niece could look at a picture of Jesus and know who he was, when we would spend a whole FHE just getting Charlie to look at the pictures so we could say "this is Jesus". In some ways it's a relief to know that it's not me as a mother. I'm not lazy in teaching my child things and my overwhelming frustration with motherhood actually had some probable cause. As we continue with the evaluations and diagnosis, I hope I can learn how Charlie learns. I hope that the dreams we have for him can still have a fighting chance. I hope to experience more of those wonderful mommy moments when what you've been trying to teach your child finally sinks in and they get it. Those moments are too few and far between right now.

Progress on Baby Hannah's room

2011-03-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

So baby Hannah is kinda getting short changed a little. Because she just couldn't wait to join our little family, she's not going to get a supper cute little girls nursery. Wish I had the money but when babies come back to back, mommies don't usually have much money or time to make super cute stuff. Though I did manage to have big garage sale and unload some of my old baby boy stuff to afford an adorable vintage dresser for Hannah. It took some time to redo, but it was worth it. Look at how dang gorgeous this dresser is! With paint, supplies, and the actual purchase of the dresser, I only spent $200 on this bad boy. Pretty thrifty if I do say so myself.

Dylan is 6 months

2011-03-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Where does the time go? Dylan turned six months old this month. He's halfway to a year and that means he only has a little more time to be a little baby. I kinda knew when I got pregnant again that Dylan was going to grow up too fast. He's 17lbs! What a chunk. He loves his big brother Charlie and is really hard to entertain when he's not around. He's almost crawling. He's kinda doing the roll and scoot backwards thing. I bet by the end of the month he will be crawling for sure. He loves to eat and loves take good naps for me. What a blessing. He still likes to drool a ton and spit up, oh and make spit bubbles. Such a joy to have a soaking wet baby all the time! He is a super happy, smiling baby and am so excited to see him grow and start playing with Charlie. They are going to be best buds.

A Day Out With Thomas

2011-03-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

Two weekends ago CJ and I got a chance to spend some time with just Charlie. We took a fun road trip up to the Copper Spike Railroad in Globe to spend a day with Thomas the Train. Charlie loved it. I can't say it was worth what I paid but none the less, it was worth spending a special day with Charlie.

The event had games and toys, movies, story time, a special ride on the real life Thomas, bounce houses, face painting, coloring and so much more. As you can imagine it was a lot to take in for Charlie. It kinda passed the line of being to much. He didn't want to leave, but the second we got in the car he crashed.

Overall it was a long day, but fun to see Charlie so surprised that every fun activity involved Thomas (he sure loves his choo-choo trains). If you ask CJ what he thought about it, he has only one thing to say. "Thomas the Tank Engine, more like Thomas the Bank Engine."

My Garden

2011-03-09T12:15:00.000-08:00

For the longest time I've wanted a garden. I mean a real garden in the ground, not just a small pot growing one herb in it. I wanted to grow stuff my family would actually eat, and this year my wish finally came true. When we moved I immediately put a garden on my to-do list. And I am happy to report that in less than a year from moving in my garden is dug out and producing lots of yummy food. My garden makes me feel so productive and self reliant. I am so impressed with how well it's doing, considering the fact that I can't keep the flowers in my flower pot by the front door alive! It's such a relaxing thing to go into the back yard and get my hands dirty every week. And anything relaxing I can do at this point is worth the rough hands and dirty finger nails.

CJ worked so hard to dig up rock and something like 5 inches of dirt so we good mix our garden soil and compost in really well.

Charlie loved digging up the dirt and surprisingly he loved it when we buried him in it too!

Here's what the garden looked like when we finished planting.

Here's my broccoli, tomatoes, jalapeno, and cilantro. The strawberry plants are over to the left and upward a bit. They just began to sprout, so they were hard to photograph.

These are the onions. They are much bigger now. I took this photo a couple of weeks ago.

These are the carrots. They are growing everywhere. Soon I'm going to have to thin them out because I want big carrots.

This picture is so hard to see, but it's my green onions. I thought they would never come in. I just planted the zucchini and squash so they have awhile before they sprout. I also have some basil growing. Those little seeds took along time to pop up.

Here's the compost pile. It's doing so well and here's how I know. See the little green and yellow plants. That's pumpkin sprouts. After Halloween we threw the pumpkin in the compost and a few months later I have sprouting pumpkin seeds. I had a ton in the compost pile so I transplanted a few into the garden. One even had a tiny little orange pumpkin beginning to grow. It looked like a little orange bead. It should be fun to see if the grown to maturity.

On a completely different note. If you look closely at the bottom of this sour cream container you can see the shadow of a lizard. Yeah a lizard. I saw this little guy by the bathroom door when I walked into the house from being in the garage. He freaked me out and I thought how in the world am I gonna catch a small really fast lizard who just about matches my carpet. A little quick thinking a few squeal's later I caught him and didn't even wake the baby. When CJ got home he took Charlie outside to release him back to where he SHOULD be. It crawled up Charlie's arm and he let out the cutest little laugh.

Oh and this is a random picture that has nothing to do with gardening or lizards, it's just cute and can't believe this little guy will be 6 months on Saturday!

It's officilal, I'm pregnant and it's a GIRL!

2011-03-02T11:03:00.000-08:00

Okay so my ultrasound tech is amazing. At 13 weeks I had an ultrasound done and she asked me if I wanted to know the sex. I said "Wait, I'm only 13 weeks, you can tell?". She said with 90% accuracy she was bettin' on a GIRL. She even gave me the go ahead to buy some PINK clothes. Of course I was so excited because I have two boys and the fact that I may be having a girl makes having two babies 10 months apart sound more bearable. Yesterday was my ultrasound to determine the gender. So it's official I'm pregnant, again, and I'm having a girl!!

Life never slows down

2011-02-28T10:19:00.000-08:00

So in my last post I mentioned that it's funny how Heavenly Father let's you know that your not heading in the right direction. I thought the craziness known as 2010 was over come New's Year's Day. Yeah, not so. I can't say that 2011 is going to be any calmer. Here's the update on the Brown's and why we virtually fell off the face of the earth for a while.

2010 was madness for our family. Major life changes and stresses just kept coming, right up to the end. With the craziness CJ and I made to decision to take a step back and focus on "us" and our family. Here's what I mean by major stress.

January 2010: I found out we were expecting our second son. So excited (this was a very happy moment, but new babies are stressful no matter how happy you are to have one). We also got the much anticipated letter of acceptance to dental school. Again what we wanted, but way stressful. It was hard to come up with the down payment money and a long list of things to do before school started. Not to mention the major debt we were about to incur!

Febuary to April 2010: I'm sicker than sick with morning sickness and tired beyond belief. CJ is working like a mad man to save money before he starts school. We start looking for a bigger house to rent with another baby on the way. We realize that rent is ridiculously high everywhere and we might as well see if we qualify to buy a house. We did and that began the stressful process of buying a house. I pretty much did it on my own. CJ wanted to be involved more, but he was so busy with work. So with a 20 month old and a little one inside me making me sick 24 seven, I embarked on buying a house. We found one and moved in the end of April. Fun and exciting, but a very busy time.

May rolls around and CJ starts school soon, another down payment due and the lingering cost of a new lap top for school on our minds. A routine prenatal ultrasound turns up some fluid is found in Dylan's kidney's and some holes in is heart that haven't yet closed. We are sent to a specialist. Thank goodness it cleared up before he was born.

June has come and the weather is stinkin' hot. Charlie is on ear infection number 7 for the year and we decide along with his pediatrician to have tubes put in. Charlie also turns 2 and my suspensions that something just wasn't right with his development continued to linger in the back of my mind. With hopes that tubes in his ears will help him hear better and began to speak clearly, I decide to wait 6 more months before having him evaluated. During this time our one and only car that is completely paid off decides to utterly destruct. We realize with 4 years of school ahead of us and two little one's we really need a reliable car and a bigger one. So off we adventure to make our first purchase of a car together. Regrettably we have to finance, because were a poor college student family on their way to dental school and who just bought a new house. Now don't get me wrong, we love our new car and it works great for our family, but I hate having a car payment!

July is here and CJ quits his job and starts dental school and we begin to live off student loan money. CJ becomes crazy busy with studying and school events. But a silver lining is he now has weekends and holidays off, though most of the time he's studying for a big test.

August goes by so slow, I am just waiting for Dylan to come. In September we welcome our second boy, who so thankfully is calm and content (nothing like Charlie ever was or even is today). Things are looking super good for us and I am thinking life just can't get any better.

October comes and tragedy hits. My sweet Aunt Becky passes away unexpectedly in her sleep. It's devastating to our family. My side of the family is small. With no contact with my dad's side of the family my aunt Becky was just that my aunt, my one and only aunt. She was young and was expecting her 3rd grand baby in a few weeks, and her first grandson.

As the holiday's made their way here it was hard on family to have Becky gone. I began to feel exhausted and sick again. I had mentioned to CJ on the way to Thanksgiving dinner that I hadn't been feeling good and it was almost like I was pregnant and he laughed and said yeah right, but what do you think it really is? I assumed it was a side affect from a medication I had been taking.

December came and I still felt funny. I decided to take a pregnancy test just to be certain. Sure enough I was pregnant! Again! I had a 3 month old baby! I went to the doctor's and believe it or not I was 2 months along.
That meant I was going to have babies just 10 months apart.

Through December and on into the new year I was way more exhausted physically and emotionally then I had ever been before. I thought morning sickness couldn't get any worse than what I experienced with Charlie and Dylan, but it can! With craziness in full force, CJ and I decided to start saying no to things and start focusing on whats was happening to our family. Charlie's development was still lagging and I was growing ever more concerned. Despite our efforts to teach him things he just wasn't learning. My suspensions of Autism were at an all time high. We decided it was time to have him evaluated.

January and a new year had come and nothing slowed down. My grandma was experiencing declining health and that was a major stress on my mom, in return it was a major stress on the whole family. No one wanting to see my grandma pass away, not so soon after Becky. My grandma regained her strength, but everyone began to realize life is precious and grandma's stress of having to bury two children and her husband before she passed was beginning to manifest itself physically.

February comes and everyone really thinks things are calming down. I finally make the appointment to have Charlie evaluated. I'm nervous but hopeful that it's going to get some questions answered. Thinking life is heading in the right direction, I get a phone call from CJ. It's early in the morning, he has already left for school and he tells me he's turning around to pick me up and take me to the emergency room. My younger brother had called him and said my dad was experiencing chest pains. By the time we make it to the hospital he is unconscious and has a breathing tube in. They inform us that he is having a heart attack and is going to be air lifted to Banner Baywood. The next week would be a very stressful and long week. My dad survived and from what the doctors have said he is incredibly lucky. He suffered a massive heart attack. He's home now from the hospital and has a long road of recovery ahead of him.

So with all the chaos of life in the last year, I sure hope March brings better news. I just don't think we can handle much more. Here's some photos of the kiddos to catch you up. Charlie is 2 1/2 and still loving anything that's Thomas the train. He loves his new bunk bed. He gets to sleep up top and he loves climbing the ladder. Dylan will join him later this year on the bottom bunk. Dylan is now 6 months old. He rolls over and is getting really close to crawling. He's still sweet and calm as ever before. Dylan just loves Charlie. He can sit and watch that kid all day!

Heading in a new direction

2010-12-17T10:35:00.000-08:00

So, it's funny sometimes how Heavenly Father let's you know what he needs you to do. Just when you think you've put your life on the right track, He's not so quiet in letting you know that He's in charge. I could have never guessed how this year was going to end. If I had seen it before it happened I would have never agreed to go along, but my Heavenly Father must know something I don't. He also must know I'm ready grow and I can handle the next few years. So I send my apologies in advance, blogging just may come at the bottom of my to-do list. The Brown's may be signing off for awhile. Just wish us luck!

P.S. Have a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year!!

Dylan turns 3 months!

2010-12-16T15:15:00.000-08:00

On Sunday December 12th, Dylan turned three months old. I know everyone says that they grow up to fast, but I feel like Dylan has been with us all year. I imagine that's because so much has happened in the last 3 months. It's been a relatively easy transition into having two kids. Not as hard as I thought but not easy either. It's harder to take naps and to finish something in one setting, but I have learned that I'm just in that stage of life when I can't expect to be doing much. It's really actually a blessing to have an excuse to not have to be everywhere and do everything people want you to. Dylan is the happiest and most mellow baby ever. He really only cries if he's hungry or tired. He sleeps good too! On average only waking up once at night to feed. He also is a very smiley baby. He gives you the biggest grin ever when you get close to him or my favorite when you go to get him out of his crib. He's also a talker. He's always has something to say. I feel so lucky to have gotten a calm baby. With the way this year is ending, that's just what I needed!

No way! Only 2 more weeks.

2010-12-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

So Christmas is only two weeks away. CRAZY!!! Totally not ready yet. I kinda wanted to take Charlie and Dylan to see Santa this year, but Charlie's still not in the whole understanding what Christmas and Santa and presents are. So I decided maybe next year would be more worth my time, but as I was organizing pictures on the computer the other day I came across last years adventure with Santa. Oh how Charlie's gonna love these when he gets older. I sure do!

Life get's crazy sometimes!

2010-12-06T14:37:00.000-08:00

So life is a little hectic right now. I haven't been very good about blogging about the fun and cute everyday things Charlie and Dylan do. My days are pretty overwhelming with a newborn and a 2 1/2 year old hyper child that doesn't take naps as well as wakes up at 4am!!! I'm a little tired these days..... So here's a few pictures of the growing boys.

Charlie loves his cars and lining them up on the tv stand

Charlie glued to the ipod and Dylan doing his usually chilling

That boy is growing everyday and looking more and more like Charlie

Daddy and Dylan are pooped from a long morning of folding laundry

Dylan's Baby Blessing

2010-12-06T14:25:00.000-08:00

On Sunday we had Dylan blessed in Sacrament meeting. His daddy CJ was able to give it to him. It was a very sweet blessing. It was wonderful that so much of the extended family was able to come. It was especially sweet to have my dad in the circle. This was his very first grandchild blessing he has been able to be a part of. I can't believe it's been a whole year since he entered the temple. What a special month for my side of the family.

Cousin Chance, Charlie and Dylan

Great Grandma Tolman a.k.a GG

Grammy and Papa Brown

After the blessing we had a yummy lunch at our home. It was so nice to be able to entertain in our own home. We love our house and the area we live. It's so beautiful out here. A big thanks to family who drove a long way to be there and to family that helped out with food. It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday!

Family photos

2010-11-16T10:53:00.000-08:00

Okay. Ask anyone I know and they will tell you I hate to be photographed. It is really true what they say about the camera adding ten pounds. For me it's more like 20 pounds of extra baby weight, that doesn't magically fall off as soon as your bundle of joy is delivered. I know it's important to take family photos, so that's why I do it, but that doesn't mean I like it any more. We needed a current family picture for CJ's grandma Brown's upcoming wedding. I dreaded it, because, well, I don't feel like I look like myself just yet. Besides the extra wieght, we set up the camera on the tripod and took some snapshots. We managed to get almost everyone to smile and look at the camera at the same time. Little babies and toddler's have only so much patience. With the treadmill here at the end of this week, hopefully our new year's photo's will be better!

Where does the time go?

2010-11-16T10:42:00.000-08:00

This morning I spent some time organizing the photos on the computer. Oh my, I was like a whole year behind. As I was going through all the pictures and putting them in the right folders I couldn't help but look back at Charlie's old baby photos. Oh I miss when he was little. What happened to my sweet baby boy? He turned into a 2 year old, independent, doesn't need his mommy so much anymore, big boy! Besides my sadness at the lost of my precious baby, I was overcome with smiles as I compared Dylan's photos to Charlie's. They really do alike! I can see the differences and defiantly see more of CJ in Dylan. Dylan has also seemed to pick up on CJ's personality more. Which I am very thankful for. CJ is awesome and if Dylan turns out anything like his daddy, he's gonna be such a sweet person. Everyone's gonna love him.

Can you guess who's who?

Charlie's at the top and Dylan's at the bottom.

2 months already

2010-11-11T14:48:00.000-08:00

Dylan had his 2 month appointment this week. He weighs 12.5 lbs., and is 23 in. long. He's turning into a real chunk. He has started to smile and coo. I love it. He is so sweet and calm. I love that he wants to be around me. He's also starting to look a lot more like Charlie did at this age. Though he does have less hair and is longer. He is such a blessing and joy to have around. He's gonna be my little sweetheart (hopefully, cause I'm pretty sure Charlie's always gonna be hard to handle).

Halloween Weekend

2010-11-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

Buzz Lightyear and Woody the Sheriff had a busy weekend....

Friday night they made an appearance at the AZDA Annual Boo Bash, where Buzz ate yummy BBQ and candy, and bounced around till his little heart was content.

Saturday morning they woke up early to have some fun carving pumpkins and playing at the park, while daddy got a bloody nose playing football with the elder's quorum.

Saturday night Buzz and Woody went to visit Grammy and Papa at the Trunk-or-Treat, where once again they loaded up on candy, chili, and hot dogs.

By the time Halloween night rolled around they had just enough energy left to pass out candy to all the trick-or-treater's.

4 years

2010-10-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

4 years of marriage today! Feels more like 14 years of marriage! That's a good thing though. CJ and I have come a long way since we wed in 2006. We have purchased a car together, bought a house together and even managed to buy furniture together, though he doesn't like it! We have two wonderful boys, and I'm sure more boys are to come. We survived 3 years of undergraduate school and a job in retail (yeah we finally have holidays off!). We have a few months of dental school under our belts, and let me tell you, it has been hard. I'm sure in another four years I will be able to say that it gets even harder but we are managing these difficult times the best we can. I bet that when it's all said and done we wouldn't have done it any other way. In all that we have been through as individuals and as a couple, here's what I've learned.
- Marriage is hard.
- You don't always get your way, but it's always worth it if you can put you're 2 cent aside and go along with what the other person wants to do.
- In laws and parents are always going to be in your life, so get use to them. Learn to love them and deal with them early on, so it doesn't become a problem in your marriage later.
- Remember as hard as you think you work, your spouse is working just as hard.
- Do nice things for each other constantly. Even if that nice thing is something as simple as keeping your moth shut.
- Make date night a priority.
- Make your spouse/family a priority.
- Just say what you need or want. You're spouse can't read minds!
- Stay true the gospel and your covenants.
- Work hard and learn to work as a team. If your on the same page life is easier to manage.
- Compliment each other, especially when you're amongst others.

I know that there is tons more to learn and tons more I have learned, but all I can say is marriage is wonderful and it's worth every moment. I couldn't have picked a better more perfect guy for me. Thank you CJ for the wonderful life and the even more wonderful adventures to come!!!

A star is among us

2010-10-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

So one day at school a girl stopped CJ and asked him if he would pose for picture. He said sure (I'm sure it's because he was flattered and thought he was hot stuff!). A few weeks later we got a copy of this magazine with CJ on it. It's cool that he's on there representing his school. I sure wish people thought I was good looking enough to pose for a magazine. Maybe one day!

Finally getting stuff done!

2010-10-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

With such a busy month, we decided this weekend was the only weekend we could work on the back yard. I have grand ideas for the backyard, but they will probably never happen in this house. A student loan budget kills that dream. But, like everything in this world I make compromises. With just a little money we were able to buy a few plants for the backyard. We plan to have more come spring time, but for now this will have to do.

Cj worked so hard to dig all those holes for the trees and plants. Charlie helped a little. Mostly he tried to throw the dirt back into the holes. Oh my, I am quite amazed that we get anything done with that kid around. I helped a little (so long as the little guy was doing well).

Charlie is learning how to be mom's little helper. We still have a long way to go. A few nights ago as I was dressing Dylan in his PJ's I heard Charlie in the bathroom splashing around in the water. I knew exactly what he was doing. When I was done dressing Dylan I peeked into the bathroom, only to find Charlie sitting in Dylan's bathtub giving himself a bath. Fully clothed and soaking wet from head to toe. I couldn't help but laugh!

Along with learning to be mom's helper, Charlie thinks everything is a play ground. His play kitchen is no exception. I try teaching him how to play with his play food and cook on the play stove, but he thinks it's funner to climb through the kitchen window. Such a BOY!

Congrats!

2010-10-13T08:35:00.000-07:00

A big congrats goes out to CJ's younger brother. Jerry just married a gorgeous and sweet girl named Jessica. They had their reception this weekend. It was a beautiful fall theme. I must say JuDene (CJ's mom) did a fantastic job. Jerry and Jessica have big plans for the coming year. They are welcoming a baby girl into their lives in 2011 and they are moving to Switzerland in less than a month!! We will miss them, but we are excited for their new journey!

One month update

2010-10-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

Dylan had his one month appointment yesterday. He weighed 9lbs. 14oz. and was 21.5 in. long. He's growing fast! His newborn phase is fading fast as well. His calm, sleeping and content personality is disappearing. I was so hoping to have a sweet calm baby. I think I may have another Charlie on my hands. If in fact I have another baby who won't sleep and wants to nurse 24/7, I may just have two crazy, wild boys and that's it! I am still holding out that Dylan is like his daddy (cross my fingers). Besides that, Dylan is a very alert baby and very tolerable of his brothers antics. Charlie is fascinated by him, but not always in a good way. He gets mad when Dylan is crying and wants to wake him when he's sleeping. But there are those few times when he is so sweet to him. Hugging him and talking to him. I always wonder what Charlie is telling him? We can get Charlie to say Dylan's name, but he likes to call him "b" for baby. It's sweet.

In Loving Memory

2010-10-13T08:04:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday morning of last week I woke up to an awful phone call from my mom letting know that my aunt Becky had passed away in her sleep. It was devastating news, as no one was expecting it. I love her very much and she was such a sweet and wonderful woman. Full of love for her family, friends and the gospel. She was always serving others. She loved my children as if they were her own grand-babies. She was always thinking ahead and thinking of others. I will miss her so much and hope that she's had a wonderful reunion with her sweet baby girl Shannon, her brother and father. Thank goodness for the knowledge of the gospel plan. It makes tragedies like this bearable. Love you so much aunt Becky!

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/azcentral/obituary.aspx?n=becky-ann-waite&pid=145825772&fhid=2583&sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4caea26316229f69%2C0

Dang Lucky

2010-09-22T17:06:00.000-07:00

Okay I am so lucky to have a cousin that married a super talented photographer. Claire Waite was able to come to the birth of Dylan last week and take some awesome photos. She also was able to take some way cute newborn pictures of him (photos to come!!).

Check out her awesome web-page. It won't disappoint!
http://clairewaitephotography.com/
http://blog.clairewaitephotography.com/

He's Here

2010-09-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

Baby Dylan Dee Brown was born Sunday September 12, 2010 at 5:48pm. He weighed 7lbs. 11 oz and was 20.5 inches long. We are so happy to welcome him into our family!

Update

2010-08-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

Here's a little update on the family.
Me- 4 more weeks till my due date, but I feel like this baby may becoming a little early (cross my fingers).
I am hating the summer heat and swelling like a water balloon. I don't do much but sit around the house and wait for the baby to come. I guess I'm the typically pregnant lady, tired grumpy and uncomfortable, BUT ALMOST DONE!!!

Charlie- acts more and more like a two year old everyday. He's inpatient and everything is his. Besides the major attitude, he's talking more and becoming more independent. It's fun to see him growing. He still loves trains and is the typical destroy everything kinda of boy.

CJ- School is hard. It's totally true what they say about the first year of dental school. It's just hard on the student and the family. He lives at school and the home office. He's doing great in his classes,but it's not without a lot of studying and hard work. He applied to be student ambassador and got selected. He's excited to a positive influence and encouragement in future student's lives.He's learning so much and has nothing but awesome thing things to say about his professors and instructors. He loving every bit of school.

So there's how we're doing. Hopefully in a few weeks we will have a cute new baby boy to brag about!

Enjoying the Monsoon

2010-08-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

Excluding the high country and maybe some cities on the west side, this monsoon season really blew. Literally, it blew dust and that was about it. I really love monsoon season. I guess because rainy days are few and far between around Arizona. But this year was a major disappointment. We had a little bit of rain and one morning that I can remember where there was an actual downfall. So we threw Charlie outside to enjoy the cooler weather, since he always begs to go outside at like 3 in the afternoon, the hottest part of the day! He loved it of course. Just wish we could have done it more this summer. Maybe we still have a chance to get a few more drops of rain.

Charlie's New Girlfriend

2010-07-21T08:57:00.000-07:00

Charlie REALLY loves anything Thomas the Train. Out of a handful of movies of Thomas that we own, he only likes to watch one of them. For a awhile I wondered why he only liked that one and how he knew the difference between the other ones (I tried putting another one in a 2 minutes later he came up to me with the one he really wanted to watch). I wonder no more about why he likes this particular movie. One word for you "Emily". Every time the "Emily" section of the movie comes on Charlie's little face lights up. He laughs and smiles and goes nuts when the song about her comes on. It's very cute and sweet. He calls Emily "Emm". I'm pretty sure it's because he can't say Emily, but it's like he has is own nickname for her. Oh, young love, isn't it cute?

White Coat Ceremony

2010-07-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

It's officially here. CJ has started dental school. Yesterday was his White Coat Ceremony. It was wonderful. He looked so awesome up on stage, not to mention his white coat looks pretty hot. It seems so crazy to me that we finally reached this point. In four more years he's going to be a practicing dentist. I feel like before we got married and we were discussing what he wanted to do for his career, getting into school seemed so far away. Now look at us, 3 and half years later we have a new house , a 2 year old, another on the way, we purchased our first car together and now full time graduate school. It's a great feeling and I know CJ is excited for the next four years. It's going to be hard , but it's what he wants so bad and I can't imagine him not loving every moment of it. In the last week we had the chance to meet a lot of the students in his class. They all seem so wonderful and motivated and excited about this new direction in their lives. With all the support from family, students and the school, CJ's going to graduate with a great deal of confidence and knowledge. Everyone who knows him couldn't be anymore excited for him, including me. Good Luck Sweetie!!!!!!

The countdown is on

2010-07-12T15:35:00.000-07:00

We have exactly 1 week until CJ starts Dental School. We have waited for this day so long and now that it is fast approaching I'm starting to get nervous. I don't know what about. We have wanted this to happen so bad, but it always felt like it was so far away. We sat down last night and worked out our budget for the next four years. Since our sole income will be students loans we needed to know what it costs to live. We have always been on a tight budget and never made much money while CJ was in school, but this time around a budget REALLY matters. Every penny we borrow, we pay back, with interest! It's so amazing though that we have lived so well off so little. I don't think dental school will be a huge change, just a different one. It really makes you think about purchases in a new way. How much will those new shoes really cost me? $30, plus interest and they will officially be paid off in 10 years. Yikes! It makes you never want to buy anything. Luckily, both CJ and I are wise with our money and we have been taught well. This experience can only help us grow.

CJ is excited to quit work and focus on the carrer of his dreams. How many 26 years olds can say they are doing exactly what they wanted to be doing at this age? I am so happy for him and hope that 4 years of the hardest work of his life with pay off. He deserves every bit of it. Plus I'm still holding out for the beautiful teeth. Despite what family members say, the wife gets first dips on a new smile! It makes since. I have to live like a poor student for the first 8 years of my marriage. I think I will deserve it!

Wish us luck on new journey. We're gonna need it!

Just trying to stay cool

2010-07-10T18:36:00.000-07:00

It may just be me and my 7 month pregnant belly, but it is so HOT outside. This summer seems especially rough with a two year old who thinks 3 in the afternoon is the best time to play outside and a mommy who doesn't want to move from her beloved spot on the couch. Though technically we are half way through this awful heat I'm not tolerating it well. Charlie and I struggle everyday to stay busy inside and only go outside at night or the early morning. To entice Charlie to stay inside I bribe him with a movie and popcorn. He loves it. I just feel bad I can't let him run a muck outside yet. Maybe in 3 more months we can stop our hibernation.

Charlie's Tubes

2010-07-05T22:33:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday Charlie had tubes put in his ears. After six ear infections in six months we decided that something needed to be done. He was constantly on anti-biotics, uncomfortable and not picking up talking as well as we felt he should have been for his age. His surgery went so well. We had to wait a bit in the waiting room and that was the hardest part for him. It was early in the morning and he wanted to eat, but he wasn't allowed to have anything until after his procedure. Charlie hated the name band they had to put on his leg. He tried as hard as he could to rip it off. The hardest part for me was walking into the recovery room and seeing my little boy out cold being held by the nurse. She was holding him like he was a little baby. Charlie never lets me hold him like that. I got to take him in my arms and hold him like I did when he was first born, only because he was knocked out by the anesthesia. He looked so helpless and I wondered how he felt when he went in to the room with only the nurses and doctor. What was he thinking? I am kinda glad we weren't allowed to watch the procedure. I don't think I could have seen him being put to sleep. That would have broke my heart. The whole procedure was about 5 minutes long and he was back to himself that afternoon. I am so glad he had it done. It has only been a week so I can't say that it's a total success. The next few months will be the true test.

Charlie's first movie

2010-06-28T16:32:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday we took Charlie to his first movie at the theater. Of course we had to go and see Toy Story 3, since Charlie loves anything with Woody and Buzz. He loved the popcorn and candy, but had a tough time setting down in his seat. He wanted to move around like he does at home. Nevertheless, we all had fun and the movie was great. It couldn't have ended any better.

Fun at the slpash pad

2010-06-28T16:28:00.000-07:00

Last week Charlie and I got to go to the splash pad at San Tan Mall with my mom, sister in-law Heidi and her adorable little girl, Stella. Who by the way had a 1st birthday on Saturday! We had lot's of fun. It was a nice way to cool down in this ridiculous heat.

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-21T13:47:00.000-07:00

The men in our lives do so much for us. I appreciate every bit of it. Thanks to all the wonderful men who are such loving and devoted father's and husbands. Where would we be without you?

The BIG 2

2010-06-07T13:06:00.000-07:00

Charlie turned 2 years old on Sunday (still can't believe how fast they grow!). We celebrated his birthday on Saturday with a yummy Birthday Brunch.

Here;s what we ate:
Buttermilk pancakes with buttermilk syrup
Lot's of fruit
Egg and sausage caserole
Blueberry muffins
Bacon
Juice
And a choo-choo train birthday cake and ice cream
All the food was excellent!

Of course though Charlie loved the present more than anything else. Here's some of what he got:
Playhouse tent with tunnels
Lot's of Toy Story toys
Thomas the train and Bob the builder movies
A really cool play drill with a tool box
Battery operated train
Some really cute clothes
A golf set.....
Wow, I could go on for a few more pages. He got a ton of stuff and he loves everything. Thanks everyone. You really know how to spoil Charlie.

Charlie had lot's of fun and loved getting new toys. I loved that we were able to have everyone over at our new house. It's so wonderful to have more space and nice house to have guests/family over. I loved the party and the food and the toys and hanging out with family. It was so much fun! Plus CJ had the whole day off. Best thing about the whole day by far!

Happy Memorial Day

2010-05-31T14:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day! Hope everyone's enjoying the blazing hot weather. It's officially summertime in Arizona. The few months out of the year everyone wonders why in the heck anyone thought it would be a good idea to live in the desert. Well, thank goodness for AC and swimming pools. Hope everyone enjoys a little BBQ, cold drinks, games and fun today. Wish I was doing that. Instead CJ and I are taking a chance to catch up on some projects around the house, while he has a rare holiday or any day off for that matter.

Fixing the sprinkle system
Cleaning out the garage
Patching and painting
Hanging mirrors
and the oh so dreaded folding laundry

Hopefully by the end of the day I can check all this off!! I better because Charlie's birthday party in in less than a week! Yikes I gotta get some work done. What am I doing on the computer! Happy Memorial Day Everyone!

One healthy another on his way

2010-05-27T18:25:00.000-07:00

Ultrasound #2 showed good results for baby brown boy #2 this week. The fluid in his kidneys has drained and the holes in his heart have closed. Thanks goodness. I am so grateful he is healthy and strong. He measured about 1lb. 8oz. I can feel him moving and kicking, and occasionally he will move for CJ. Babies must know when it's someone other than their mommies trying to feel them move. They never seem to move quite the same or as much.

As happy as I am that the baby is healthy I am sad to announce that Charlie has to get tubes in his ears. After 6 ear infections in 6 months we finally decided this is the best option for Charlie. We hope it helps him feel better and hear better. The ear infections have been delaying is speech slightly and making him miserable. I feel so bad for the little guy. I hope all goes well and this really helps him feel better. No little kid should have to have pain like that. They are so little and sweet.

Choas has struck!

2010-05-18T15:39:00.000-07:00

This post is quite contrasting to the last one. Life never seems to go perfectly very long. Heavenly Father likes to remind you that life wasn't meant to be easy, only worth it.
So we are officially in our new home. We have been here for almost a month. As you can imagine we have been so busy with painting, fixing, decorating and organizing the new house that we haven't been up to much else. Everyday we get a little closer to calling it home. I have been in a mad rush to get all my big projects done before I get any more pregnant! I don't have much time. I am already having trouble moving around gracefully.
To add to the chaos of owning a new home and being very pregnant we are busy getting ready for CJ to start dental school in July, being forced to buy a new car (CJ's truck is on it's last limb), dealing with Charlie's rapid growth into an independent 2 year old and realizing that being an adult is not all it's cracked up to be. Sometimes I wish I was a little more like Charlie. Free from the cares of the world. Where the hardest part of my day is when mom won't let me watch Toy Story for the fifth time that day.
As crazy as things get I know if you do what's right things always work out. Sometimes better than you even imagined!

Oh to be 2 and free from every care in the world!

Mother's Day/Birthday

2010-05-11T17:01:00.000-07:00

I couldn't have asked for a better Birthday/Mother's Day

A new house

A completley new set of cookware

A cool new hand blender (bring it on potato soup!)

Best smelling perfume on the planet (and the cutest bottle) Marc Jacobs Lola!

The cutest handmade brooches (major props to Heidi Lynn)

A relaxing spa pedicure

Yummy dinner at NYPD Pizza

A hunky husband

A dang cute kid

And healthy baby boy on the way

Life just doesn't get better than this! Hope all the other mother's out there enjoyed their special day as much as I did. Being a mommy is the hardest thing ever, but worth every minute of it.

It's another Boy!

2010-04-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

This top picture is Charlie at 19 weeks,

the bottom is baby boy #2 at 19 weeks.

I think they are going to look like twins!

No mistaking it's a boy!

So, I had my ultrasound yesterday. It's another Boy!!! I am excited. I am ready for another boy, and I really want Charlie to have a little brother he can be close to. The baby looked really healthy in the ultrasound, except for one thing. He had a little fluid in his kidneys. The ultrasound technician said that she wasn't to concerned but wants us to go see a specialist next week, just to be safe. Beside that, he looked awesome. In fact, I think he looks a lot like Charlie did.

Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch

2010-04-13T13:24:00.000-07:00

Last weekend CJ, Charlie, my mom, my dad and myself headed down to the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch. If was perfect weather for a day trip. We had tons of fun feeding the deer, goats, ostrich's, donkey's and birds. One of the donkey's had given birth just the night before. We got to see the cute baby donkey only a day old. It was really sweet. Charlie really likes being able to be close to the animals, except he seemed to like the ostrich's to much, or the ostrich's liked him to much. Charlie got a little to close and one went in for the kill. He grabbed Charlie's hand and nearly ripped it off! As scary as that is Charlie still wanted to stay close and feed the ostrich. That kid isn't afraid of anything. The Lorikeet birds were fun too. They were not afraid of you. They wanted to fly and land all over your arms and head. It was cool but I am so glad one didn't poop on me. That would have been gross!

Easter 2010

2010-04-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

Charlie had tons of fun at the annual ward Easter egg hunt. He just wishes he could have eaten all the candy. That's what mommy and daddy are for. Thanks to my mom for snapping some shots. I am such a bad mom I didn't even bring my camera!!!

A whole lot of waiting

2010-03-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

So we are in the final process of closing on our first home. So excited!!! The only bad thing is we can't do anything more. Our end of the bargain is done. We are just waiting on everyone else. That really stinks. Especially because we are so ready to move. In the meantime here's what we have been up to.

Charlie has has found a new passion, writing. He prefers to write on a note pad with a pencil or a pen and likes to say his ABC's while writing. Oh he also loves to do it while laying on mom's desk.

Since most of the house is packed, Charlie and I have had to come up with fun new ways to entertain ourselves. Charlie has no problem.

Warm weather is quickly approaching and to keep cool Charlie and I have been eating popsicle's. Charlie doesn't realize though that I am really just giving him a giant ice cube. This kid doesn't need any extra sugar!

Last week we had a rear opportunity to have a family date. We took Charlie to ride on the carousel at the mall. He loved it as I knew he would. But at $3 a ride he only got to enjoy 2 times around. He also wasn't digging the huge turtle. I loved it as a child but we really had to work it to get him to stand on it and smile.

Here's Charlie helping me write on the moving boxes. He thinks it's so funny that mom let's him color on a box. Better a box then the walls!

The newest additon to the Family

2010-03-29T13:44:00.000-07:00

Congratulations is in order for Paul & Skye. They gave birth to an adorable baby boy on Friday morning. They named him Chance Paul Brown. He weighed 5lbs. 14oz. and was 19 1/2 in. long. Plus he has a gorgeous full head of hair. So happy for you two and can't wait to meet the little guy. I have no doubts that he will change your lives, but in the best possible way you can't even imagine yet!

Update on Charlie

2010-03-13T13:55:00.000-08:00

Charlie is now 21 months old, he's short like a 1 year old, but acts
like a 2 year old.

Here's his latest:
He loves the outdoors.
Will eat almost anything you give him (even Flamming Hot Cheetos!).
Can't sit still for more than a few seconds.
Loves to read books.
His favorite songs to sing are the ABC's and The Itsy Bitsy Spider.
He's able to open doors and kitchen drawers (no room is safe).
His favorite shows are Sesame Street, Barney and Word World.
Talks all day long (I wish I knew what he was saying).
Loves to color (on everything!).
Loves his nursery class (he never wants to leave).

#2

2010-03-11T11:58:00.000-08:00

I had my second doctor's appointment yesterday and my first ultrasound. It looks like I am a week ahead of what they estimated me to be. I gladly take it. 13 weeks means the 1st trimester is almost over. Thank goodness. The baby looks very healthy and normal. Such a blessing. CJ thinks he has some super power and is always able to tell what the sex of the baby is at the first ultrasound. He says it's a boy. I'm going along with that idea, only because I want another boy. We really won't know for about another 6 weeks. This pregnancy seems to be flying by. I hope the nauseousness, tiredness and crankiness goes away soon. I just want to be fat and happy!

It's about time

2010-03-01T18:49:00.000-08:00

I'm so organized and on top of things. I'm posting my Christmas pictures in March. At least I am getting it done. Christmas was extra fun this year because Charlie actually got excited about opening gifts. Christmas Eve was spent with my family at my Aunt Becky and Uncle Tom's home. Good food and my favorite tradition. Reading the about the birth of Christ in the scriptures. Christmas Day was spent at home, opening presents and eating a big yummy breakfast with my parents, then off to CJ's parents for Christmas Dinner.Can't wait for next Christmas. It's always the best time of year.

Life's been crazy

2010-03-01T18:30:00.000-08:00

Life has been crazy with a growing toddler, dental school preparations, everyone being sick, a pregnancy that's making me tired and sick, house hunting and every piece of technology I own either breaking or wigging out on me. Good news is that I finally got my house clean and my laundry caught up. Though I wish I could say that wanting a clean house and clean clothing is enough motivation to get it done. I had a little fire under my feet to get it done. A husband sick of not being able to find clean underwear! Here are some random pictures from the past month or so. Holy cow no! The past 2 months. It's March already!!!!

A Big Hooray for V-Day!

2010-02-13T19:36:00.000-08:00

It was around this time 4 years ago that CJ and I had our first date. We were set up on a blind date. Which by they way was not so much fun. It was the dates that followed that I like to remember. I would have never imagined, 4 years later that we would be married, with one boy and a baby on the way, 4 years of school under our belts and another 4 to go! As challenging as these last 4 years have been, I would have never had it any other way. CJ is the best guy! So perfect for me in every way. Can't believe he stuck around to marry me. That makes me feel like the best, most prettiest, and most special girl in the world. A big hooray for Valentine's Day! It always makes me think of how lucky I am!

Little Break to Vegas & Crazy Weather

2010-01-28T19:13:00.001-08:00

CJ and I just got back from a fun trip to Vegas. It was nice to get away and have some time alone. MOM #2 (A.K.A Teresa) graciously hosted us. Always a good thing when we get to see her and her kids, and grandchildren.

Last week had to be some of the craziest rain I have ever seen in Arizona. We snapped some photos on our way up to Globe for some much needed Mexican food at Libby's El Ray Cafe.

Some very good news

2010-01-19T13:34:00.000-08:00

I have some very good news to pass along your way. On Saturday we got a letter in the mail letting us know that CJ has been accepted to A.T. Still University. Dental School is going to happen for us and we can't be anymore excited. This year is turning out to be the best yet!

2010-01-13T13:51:00.000-08:00

Of cousre on a day when I have time, Charlie is taking a good nap and I actually feel like updating the blog, I can't find my camera anywhere! I was hoping to finally post Christmas pictures but I may have to find another day to do it. So if I can't post pictures I guess I have to update you on everything else. The Holiday season was fantastic for our family. Charlie was spoiled by grandparents, CJ finally got a day off, and we started the new year with the best news. I'm pregnant! Yes another Brown baby is on they way, coming sometime in late September. CJ also moved to the next step in acceptance process for dental school. A.T. Still University is still considering him. We're praying this year is the year. I don't know how much longer we can stand to wait. He also has some interviews lined up with some local dental offices. He's hoping to get some paying experience that will help his application to schools. With a baby, and a new job lined up for 2010 we can't believe how incredibly blessed we have been. Charlie is becoming a Big Boy. A new bed, and potting training in progress I can't believe my little baby is not such a little baby anymore. He's talking and coping everything. It's fun to see him growing up, but a little sad at the same time. Promise Christmas pictures will be coming soon!

Pictures with Santa

2009-12-10T11:24:00.001-08:00

Last weekend we took Charlie to get his picture taken with Santa. I think we may have traumatized him. CJ and I have noticed that he doesn't like men with beards, so it's no wonder Charlie wasn't liking this whole Santa with a big white beard gig. I think it may be safe to say Charlie will never like guys with beards! Though Charlie isn't smiling in any of the pictures, I still consider it a success. They will be so much fun to look back on when he's all grown up.

Christmas Time Is Here!

2009-12-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

Here's what we have been up to. Charlie and I picked the tangerines from the tree and spent all day juicing them. The juice we get from one season lasts us all year. It's a lot of work but totally worth it. This year was extra fun because Charlie could help me bring all the tangerines from outside into the kitchen. He wasn't much help in juicing them though. Next year I will put him to work!
CJ's birthday came and went. The big 26! We celebrated with CJ's family at park, with a picnic dinner that night, then later that week my parent's took us out some some much needed Mexican food.
December is here. Christmas decorations are up and sweets overload is underway. As well as the dreaded inflatable Spongebob. I always feel so dorky when CJ put this on the roof. It's not up yet so I am hoping he won't find time to do it!

Pumpkin Carving

2009-10-28T13:26:00.000-07:00

Last night we decided to carve our pumpkin. With a busy week ahead of us we determined last night was the only night we had this week to sit down and do it. I am kinda of proud of us because last year we waited right up until the very last moment and we didn't get to enjoy it that much, and the year before that, I hate to say but we failed to even buy a pumpkin. So go Brown family for buying a pumpkin and having it carved before Halloween! I will say though our timing was bad. We carved it kinda late at night. We had no light on the back porch after about 15 minutes and it was dang cold outside! Besides the lack of light we all had fun. Charlie took a nice bite right out of the piece of the pumpkin. He held it in his mouth for like 3 seconds then looked at us and spit it out. I imagine he was wondering why we let him eat something so disgusting. Oh the joys of having a boy who's not afraid of anything!

Happy Anniversary!

2009-10-27T13:47:00.000-07:00

Happy 3 years sweetie!
I love You!

Halloween Next Week?

2009-10-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

Halloween is next week. Holy cow the year is almost over! We have been busy as you can tell from the lack of posts. Here's what we have been up to.

Growing Jalapenos
(and trying to grow grass)

Charlie has been a chubby
little destruction seeker.
The park has become a regular.

Mud is now Charlies favorite
food group.
Oh and pumpkins!
Charlie Brown picking out his
great pumpkin!
Plastic Bins have become
cooler than toys.

Now that you can all see that we have been very busy, hopefully I won't drop the ball this holiday season. We have parties, good food, anniversaries and birthdays coming up. I guess things never really slow down.

It's Official!

2009-09-02T18:21:00.000-07:00

Congratulations on your Graduation CJ.
Charlie and I are so happy for you.
Now on to dental school!

Bithday Bash Video

2009-08-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

Grandpa's Birthday Bash

2009-08-22T11:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday to celebrate Grandpa's birthday my family went bowling and then came back to our house for some pizza and cake. We had a blast! I can't remember the last time I went bowling. I did not do so hot but I had fun. My only strike was from Charlie. I thought I would let him roll the ball down the lane to catch a cute picture of him bowling. Along with a cute picture and video I also got a strike. Thanks little guy! I guess he's my good luck charm! CJ won of course, kicking everyone's butt! He's is own good luck charm, but if you ask him he would just say he has raw talent. Thanks everyone for such a fun night! And thank you dad for having a birthday and being such a cool grandpa!

Seattle

2009-08-12T20:09:00.000-07:00

1 night stranded in Boise with no luggage + 1 tire blow out at 2:30 in the morning + 1 really bad rug burn = 1 girl who is glad to be home from vacation.

On the way back home we stopped in Las Vegas to visit with Valerie, Teresa and Aubrey.

Grammy reading as Charlie took a quick nap.

Dad and Charlie hanging out on the couch in the RV.

Charlie gets a great view of the road up top Papa.

One of the many naps theses guys took in the RV.

Charlie having a blast at the Boise airport.

Charlie and Margo. Margo and her husband Don were so kind to let us crash at their house when we were stranded in Boise for the night.

Charlie's 1st airplane ride

Charlie watching the planes come in at Sky Harbor airport.

To Like or Not to Like

2009-07-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

The other day before church, CJ was feeding Charlie some lunch and decided to give him a slice of watermelon. Now mind you Charlie has eaten watermelon before so he should not have been so surprised by it. But for whatever reason Charlie can't seem to decide if he likes what he's eating or not. Check out this video CJ caught of him and decide for yourself if he is enjoying it. If you have kids of your own it will remind you how fun it can be to have a toddler!

Splishin' & Splashin'

2009-07-23T12:57:00.000-07:00

To beat the heat Charlie, myself and grandma headed down to the mall to let Charlie slash around in the water. Needless to say Charlie beat the heat while mom and grandma sweated our you know what's off! This was the fist trip to the water splash zone for Charlie. He had a blast but I have to say I just might have enjoyed it a little more more. It was so fun to see him playing and running around. I love this age because they become so independent and full of life!

This Post is for the G's

2009-07-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

Grammy, Grandma, GG Brown and GG Tolman Rejoice! The blog is back! You can now ewe and awe at your favorite grandbaby Charlie.