Crispier than a fried green tomato

I'm loving the warmer weather.
Spring had taken way too long to get here if you ask me.
Yesterday afternoon after church I had made a huge mistake.
I had thought that the Orem Owlz (yes with a Z) baseball team were playing so Bryant and I invited my family to come watch the game with us. So we drove down to the stadium, only to find out that they weren't playing until the end of next month. Oops.

We had some cheese and crackers and cokes and blankets so we decided to take advantage of my mistake and go to the park and enjoy a small picnic.


Watching the ducks

Moments before Sage tossed Sawyer's hat in the pond

This morning I had planned on doing some gardening and spring cleaning, but my little sister wanted me to take her and her friend to the public pool since today was the first day it was open for the year. Yeah why not, I'll pull out that swimsuit and read a book out in the sun.

Unfortunately, three hours passed without me realizing it and I got toasted.

(bleh, not only is my leg fried, its a little flabby)

It doesn't look to bad in the picture because it was taken with the iphone, but if you could actually see it, or if you know me personally and know how pale I am, you would know my pain right now. My legs look the worst but my arms feel the worst. I'm just hoping that It tans nicely so all the pain is worth it.

I didn't even want to come home and work on my garden. I took a nice nap while Bryant did homework and now I just want to lay in bed with a coke and a bottle of aloe vera. I'm hoping I can get through work tomorrow. And I'm really hoping I don't run out of aloe.

Gorillas? Really?

So I had the weirdest dream last night and I didn't remember it until just now as I was making some oatmeal for a late breakfast/early lunch and it's so random and weird I just had to share!


So in my dream I had lost my job at the bookstore so I had gotten a job at the mall in a store that sold clothes and books (I know, so far it the perfect dream world... at least to me) and It was my first night closing. So I am folding up the clothes and re-shelving books and I'm just about to lock up the store when the manager notifies me that there is another huge department store at the end of the mall that has 2 gorilla balloon things that need to be taken down, deflated, folded up and stored away every night. I was so mad because if they weren't ours, I didn't see why I needed to go take them down. So I huff and puff and grumble my way down to the other store and I realize that there are people in the mall! But the mall was closed, why would there be people? Apparently, in this dream mall, people use it as a training area by night. There were people running, people swimming, people kayaking, people doing yoga. Yeah, I'm confused too.

So I finally get the two gorillas down and put away and I realize that the sun is coming up. I had been there all night! As I was trying to lock up so I could hurry home before the manager realized I had taken too long to close up, when another co-worker came up and told me that there were small apartments in the mall where everyone lived because no one was able to close up on time, so no one ever left the mall.

I told you it was weird. Well, I'm on my way to buy vegetables to plant in my garden and It's also the first day the public pool is open and I'm off to go work on my tan!

I smell like a wet dog...

I smell like a wet dog because...




We took Ace out for a summer -time swim yesterday.
And yes, Bryant is wearing his suit pants and a shirt and tie... (but, boy oh boy, doesn't his bum look good in them? hehe)

Happy Sunday everyone!!!
Loves and kisses, Brooke, Bryant and Ace

One year later!

So It's been a year since I got hitched to the most wonderful person in the whole wide world! And after a year I am still madly in love with him.

Also, after a whole year I:

Finally got my wedding pictures from our photographer (we have been trying to get them all year and he kept saying he hadn't printed them, then my parents saw him at a ball game the other night and they were all in an album sitting in his car. I'll post some of my favorites soon, after I make a copy of them on CD)

I still have not legally changed my name (Sorry Bryant! I'm making it my goal to get it done my next day off)

I finally got my photos from my honeymoon all on a CD (I had them printed out but lets face it, I live in the age of computers, I wanted them all on CDs)

and the top of my wedding cake is still taking up my whole freezer. (It's also my goal this week to thaw it and eat it!)

Our anniversary was amazing! We had a blast in Disneyland! We left about 6:45am on Friday and got there around 3:30pm California time. We took a nap and watched the end of a movie before we headed off to medieval times where we had dinner and watched a jousting tournament thing. Out knight was kind of a wimp and ended up losing, then got "killed" by the bad guy in the end. But it was still fun to watch and we were front row center! The food was pretty good (and you had to eat it all with your hands, which is always super fun).

Saturday we got up bright and early and got to the park as soon as it opened. There was NO ONE in the park until about noon so we walked onto every ride!


(all photos are from our trip to disney world last year, I have not gotten this years pics on my computer yet but i'll post them as soon as I do!)

Since Saturday was our anniversary, we had made reservations at the Blue Bayou, which is a restaurant inside of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. It was so good! I got a salad, and new york cut steak with potatoes and asparagus and Bryant got the Jambalaya with the gumbo.

Sunday we decided to sleep in a bit and do California Adventure first and stop at dennys for breakfast. Our hotel was situated perfectly. It was on the same block as Dennys which was across the street from the park. everything was a quick 5 minute walk. Sunday was a little busier but everyone cleared out after the fireworks around 9:45 so we got to go on all our favorites again without a line.


(I LOVE Disneyland's chocolate covered frozen bananas, and I made Bryant buy me one almost everyday last year and again this year. Yummy!!!)

One of my new favorite rides is the toy story midway mania. It's a 3D ride where you play classic boardwalk games. The Michel Jackson 3D movie called captain EO they brought back for this year was pretty awesome too, It as so cheesy you couldn't help but laugh the whole time. Plus there was an adorable little kid sitting next to me who kept giggling at the alien spider looking lady and he kept tapping on my knee to make sure I was laughing too.


We left Monday around 12:30pm and we stopped in Las Vegas to visit my Cousin Cody, his wife Katie and their super adorable baby Zion. He's got the biggest eyes ever! I hope I can see him again this summer.

We got home around 1:30am Utah time and we were exhausted. But as I walked into the bedroom what do I find? The room was flooded! Apparently, it had snowed pretty hard while we were gone, then jumped up to 65 degrees and the window well filled up again. The only things to get wet were a pile of cloths that are going to be donated to DI and my little sisters Percy Jackson and the Olympians book. The rug got soaked too and it's still drying out.

But overall our anniversary was amazing! Although it was short, we both had a lot of fun and I can't wait until we can go back.

Now it's time to look forward to our next big summer trip to Mt. Shasta in July! I'm so excited!!!

In just a few hours...

In just a matter of a few hours (I should probably be sound asleep right now!) Bryant and I will be on our way to Disneyland!!!

We have almost everything packed except for our toothbrushes, hair brushes, my makeup bag, (things we will be using in the morning and can just toss in) and our cooler needs to be packed still but we will do that in the morning so it stays cold all day.

I went to wal mart to make some CD's of my pictures from our honeymoon in Florida last year and It was so fun to go through them all and reminisce about our wedding day and our trip. I can't believe we have been married almost a year. A YEAR PEOPLE! This year has gone by so fast and it's been the best year of my entire life. I'm married to the most wonderful man in the whole world! Bryant is my best friend and I couldn't have asked for anyone nicer, sweeter, funnier, kinder, out-going or loving. I am so lucky to stand by his side throughout all of our adventures and trials.


I love this man (and all his funny little quirks)


On a different note, that I feel I should add, I ate a jdawg the other day for the first time. They are pretty popular around Provo and Orem and everyone talks about them all the time. But, lets face it, its just a hot dog stand and I don't really eat anything from a pig unless its at a baseball game, but Bryant took me to lunch there before I went to work.

I thought it was pretty good. I got a polish dog (you probably think this is weird, but I don't know what the difference between a polish dog and a regular hot dog are, but Bryant assured me they were much better)


So for me not really being a hot dog kind of gal, I would have to say that I would definitely eat there again. Whatever those Poles are doing to their hot dogs definitely works!

Sping...

I love spring.


(Ace looking funny with his tongue hanging out and Sadies bum!)



Sunday, Bryant and I went up on my parents deck where they have a swing and we curled up and read our books while my dad threw some chicken on the grill.


Ace really wanted the chicken, but he can be pretty patient when it come to food. He just sits and wags his tail until you give him a piece.


He will be a year old next month! My little boy is growing up too fast...

It's Sundays like these that make Spring and Summer the best!

Some fresh air will do you good.

So Its been about a week since I first got sick, and it just hasn't gone away.
And I really haven't had a day off to just rest up.
And although I didn't work Sunday, I still had to teach my primary class and we had a family party.

Then I had Monday off but I was busy cleaning and then I had a softball game.
In the cold... and in the rain...

So today was my day off again.
I didn't go to the gym.
I didn't run errands.
I didn't clean.
I didn't
do
anything.

I slept until 1:30 in the afternoon, I didn't even really leave the bed until Bryant got home from work around 5:30. But you know me. I can't just be that lazy. I just can't.

So I decided to go outside this evening, get some fresh air, and do some weeding with my mom, dad, Bryant and of course, my puppy Ace.


My parent's dog Sadie was out there too and she wanted to be the center of attention.


She wanted to sit right in my mom's lap the whole time.I didn't get any pictures of Ace, but he was helping pull weeds (well, he was eating them, but it kind of helped haha!) and then he was having fun rolling down the hill into the neighbors yard.

It was nice being outside in the evening air. Lets hope it helps and I can get rid of this annoying cold!

(P.S. One week until we leave for Disneyland! Woo!)

Adorable

Warning! Cute and cuddly alert!

So my youngest brother Sawyer is quite the little farmer these days.
He has 3 chickens that he raised for an FFA project and they have become my family's pets. They are really funny to watch and the best part is that we get free eggs! (really super pretty eggs as a matter of fact, kind of a pink-ish red color) Tonight after work I went to kind of hang out with my mom and watch her bake cookies (who doesn't love watching mom bake cookies?!) and she was adorable when she cracked and egg for the dough and said "I'm so happy we have chickens... by the way, Sawyer has 4 more." So I ran into his room to find...


Aren't they adorable???These ones wings fan outward and they will lay maroon and blue eggs.

Now for adorable photos set number two...


This is my cousin's son Jackson with his grandpa.



My uncle Russel was drinking a cherry coke and he really really wanted it. It was pretty cute. No wonder everyone in my family is addicted...

Also, I have some exciting news!

Next weekend is Bryant and I's anniversary and we are going to....





DISNEYLAND!

I'm so excited! I'm such a sucker for all things Disney. Bryant was making fun of me last night. He was saying that Disneyland would be fun to take me to because I would be just as excited as a little kid. I told him I didn't always act like a 5 year old, and then he pointed out that I was coloring (which, I was, but who can pass up an animal planet coloring book?!)

My mom is superwoman

(haha, Colter's face is the best!)

My mom is amazing.
Absolutely amazing.

She knows how to do pretty much anything.
I think that's what happens when you become a mom. You suddenly know how to do everything.

The first thing my mom has learned to be a pro at is being a mom to me and my two brothers and little sister, and let me tell you, we are quite the handful (Especially me) And over the years, she not only has taken care of us, her own kids, but she has welcomed our friends into her home and treated them as if they were her children as well. (Sage told me the other day that she has 6 brothers, Colter and Sawyer, and their friends Christian, Tanner, Jackson, and Kevin) Kevin even called her and my brother on Christmas while he is on his mission haha!

For us, she has not only had to be a soccer mom but she has had to be a...
Soccer
Basketballl
softball
baseball
dance
football
tennis
FFA
Drama

Mom(My brother Colter is on the bottom left)
She is a master...

Travel agent
chef
referee
therapist
Wedding planner
advice columnist
nurse
pharmacist
gardener
housekeeper
adventurer
seamstress
party planner
(and she's pretty awesome at her actual job at BYU working in the financial services too)

She has had to take care of us single-handedly when my dad had a stroke when he was 39 (she was only 36!). She didn't leave my bedside when I was hospitalized for a week with pneumonia when I was 18. And she's rushed my brothers to the Emergency room numerous times when they've broken, sprained, or cut something.

She knew just what to make if you were feeling sick (toast and sprite) sad (enchiladas, my fav) or just in need of an after school snack (even those tofu smoothies you used to make us were pretty good!)

And she always been patient with me when I call her, crying and hysterical over some little thing. She knows just what to say and how to help.

Mom, you're the best and I love you so much.
I hope I can be just like you when I become a mom.
Happy mothers day.

LP's and flowers

I think there is a difference between a bad day and a rough day.

A bad day is when a bad thing happens to you. It's when it seems that bad things happen repeatedly over and over all day long.

A rough day is when you take that bad day, and you mix in being sick, freaking out over your missing 11 year old sister, and bird crap on your car.

I think it's safe to say I had one rough day. No, it was worse. It was a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day with a side of rough. So it's 4 am this morning, I'm freezing because Bryant has stolen all of the covers. I get up to get a drink, and realize that my ears won't pop and I have a slight pain in the back of my throat. I get up at 9 to get ready for work, and yup, you guessed it; it's a full blown, sore throat, achy body, stuffy head, puking my guts out cold.

Super ultra lame-sauce.

I get to work and it just keeps getting worse and worse and worse. I ask repeatedly if I can go home. No dice, I have to find someone to cover. Fine. I call EVERYONE I can and guess what?

They are all sick too.

Thank heavens for Bryant. He strode into my work, like a freaking knight in shining armor, like a saint, like Bono, brandishing a liter of sprite, dayquil, tylenol, zicam, crackers and zyrtec (just in case I had allergies too).

I wanted to cry I was so happy.


I make it the whole 8 hours. By now I'm tired, I'm irritated and I'm just not feeling well. I go out to my car to find it completely covered in bird crap. There are at least 10 cars on either side of mine and not ONE was hit. Ug, just let this day end in peace.


So I get home, Bryant is upstairs in my parents house, waiting for a pizza he ordered for him and my little sister since my mom was with my great grandma at the hospital and my dad and brothers were camping. There's only one problem. Sage is no where to be found! Once again, I call EVERYONE, my dad my brothers, my grandma (thanks grandma for helping me out so late at night, you're the best!) the hospital, and of course, my mom is not answering her phone (mom, if you're reading this, I suggest you put it in your purse every night before you go to bed... just a suggestion :)


So after freaking out, several calls, taking loads more dayquil and nearly having an anxiety attack, my mom and Sage walk in after having gone to the movies.

Phew!

So here I am, it's almost 1 in the morning, i'm exhausted, I'm irritated, and I'm feeling like crap. I've had one ROUGH day. But as I was doing a bit of general straightening up before I got ready for bed, I put a book on my coffee table and realized something...



I realized that everything on this little table makes me happy. The record player was a wedding gift from Bryant, the flowers were a gift from him when I was stressing out a couple of days ago, the wall-e is from Bryant when Ace chewed up my mickey mouse he had gotten for me on my birthday 2 years ago, the cards in the black and red boxes are all hand made by my aunt and are beautiful, and of course, my books.



It may have been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. A rough day. But in the end, I have to realize that when I have those days, Bryant is right there toughing them out with me. He's like a James Dean reincarnation for heavens sake! He just sits there, calm and looking cool, and he knows how to melt my heart with just a glance. He's amazing. He's my best friend and he always knows just what to do in any situation i'm in.


P.S. Happy 50th post!!!

We may not be perfect but we are family

WARNING! Lots-o-pictures!!!

This week had been insane!


I finally took my last 2 finals. I turned in my 4 page essay-style final for South African History (at 7:35 pm, one hour before it was due!) and I took my art history final the next morning. I really hope I did ok. I was feeling really good about my S. African history final until he handed back my research paper. I only got an 85%. He said I didn't go into enough detail about the history of the Kalahari desert, which bummed me out because I wrote it on animal and plant conservation, not the history. But oh well.

After my last final, Bryant and I went to rubios with my mom and some people from her work for lunch to celebrate!(I just realized that nearly every pic I have of Bryant, he's wearing a green shirt...)


Thats my mom at the head of the table! Her co-workers were taking her out for her birthday.


Then yesterday, my mom, dad, grandparents and I went to my aunt Lynae's graduation!


Thats her with her boys, McKay, Coleman and Wyatt. (And can you see her rad red shoes?!)


Afterwords, We went to her house for a BBQ to celebrate. I always love family parties because I get to play with the babies and all my little cousins!

This is Jaylea. She wouldn't let me take a picture so thats why it's so fuzzy. She's adorable and she did my hair while we were at the party (keep reading to see the outcome)


This is Jackson, Jaylea's baby brother and her mom. He's the happiest baby you have ever seen! And he's built like a linebacker. Bryant is all sorts of excited about this, He thinks he could be the next BYU superstar. But don't tell my uncle that (he cheers for the U of U...meh haha)



And here is my other cousin's baby River with my mom and dad. You think they are ready for a grandkid? You bet your buttons they are! (just hand me a bachelors degree, some money and a dash of maturity and we will get working on that)


And here I am being the multitasker. I'm holding river, showing Macey how to use my itouch, and getting my hair done by Jaylea (she ran away once Bryant pulled out the camera)

And the end result of my hair-makeover...


Beautiful right? haha!

Well, I have a busy day ahead of me. My little sister and I are heading to the craft store to get some stuff to make mother's day gifts, then it's off to work!