Smolder

Uncle Bryton calls this my smolder.

What do you think?

Marriage Problems

Looking back, no wonder our first year of marriage was so great.  Tony was unemployed, but we always had what we needed financially.  Tony not working translated into the two of us being able to spend oodles of time together.  We could drop everything and go on vacation just because.  He could instant message me while I was in class.  My days off were his days off, guaranteed.  We went grocery shopping together.  We checked the mail together.  We took out the trash together.  We SLEPT together [imagine that!!]. 

Fast forward to now.  Tony now has two jobs, and we still have everything we need financially, even without me working.  Tony working two jobs translates into the two of us hardly ever getting to spend time together.  We can't drop everything and go on vacation just because.  We have to request time off.  My days off are rarely his days off because he rarely gets days off, guaranteed.  We don't go grocery shopping together.  We don't check the mail together.  We don't take out the trash together.  We don't even get to be in our outrageously comfy bed at the same time because of a stupid night shift. 

Last week was a rough week.  We were short of temper with each other.  We each expected the other to read our minds and then were upset when they didn't.  Take these two instances for example... 

Instance #1
It's approximately 7:25am.  Tony worked a full 8 hour shift the night before and only got in an hour's worth of sleep before needing to get up again to be at seminary meetings.  I slept and fed Hyrum the night before and I'm still asleep.  I sort of remember a conversation that went something like this: 

Tony:  I wonder if I can get dressed and fix myself breakfast in 5 minutes...
Jeri Lin:  [just barely stirring in bed]  What are you going to have for breakfast?
Tony:  Pancakes.
(This is a smart choice, seeing as there is pancake batter already mixed up and in the fridge.)
Jeri Lin:  Do you have the griddle turned on?
Tony:  Yes.
Jeri Lin:  [totally unconcerned, seeing that the griddle is getting hot and should be ready for pancake making by the time Tony  finishes getting dressed]  Oh good.  You should be fine.  [rolls over and goes back to sleep]

Come to find out, Tony wanted me to read his mind and get out of bed and make those pancakes for him because he really didn't have time to make them and get dressed.  He ended up putting on his tie while driving 70mph down the freeway and made it to his meeting just in time...

Instance #2
I had a rough day on Tuesday.  I didn't accomplish anything that I wanted to get accomplished.  I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with the whole wife and mother role, especially since Tony has zero time for helping around the house.  I'm wishing he could read my mind and just take out the trash and recycle for me or something, but it doesn't happen.

Welcome Wednesday morning.  He's sitting at the computer, right next to the recycle that needs to be taken out.  I gather the trash, juggle the recycle, and try to look as miserable as possible as I walk out the door.  **Read my mind, Tony.  I want you to do this for me!**  Alas, I take the trash and recycle out and I'm bitter.

We laugh about both of these instances now.  Luckily, we both are unable to remain mad at the other for very long.  While tying his tie at 70mph, Tony decided that if Joseph couldn't translate the plates when he was mad at Emma, then Tony Brown wouldn't gain any inspiration at a seminary meeting if he was upset at Jeri Lin.  While walking back from the stinky trash receptacle, I decided that he really was a busy guy and it was silly for me to be upset because he didn't help around the house.  I am perfectly capable of taking out the trash and recycle.  It's not that hard and it's probably the most exercise I get all week.  I also came to the conclusion that I only get mad at Tony for not helping out when I don't get much accomplished on my own.  If I do laundry, clean the bathroom, vacuum, and load the dishwasher, I've had a great day and I love my husband.  If it takes all my gumption to take the trash and recycle out and that's all I accomplish, then I hate my husband for not helping more.  It's all or nothing for me or else it's Tony's fault.  Silly.  I know.

Anyhow, it's safe to say that we've both harbored unkind feelings for each other.  We finally were fed up with not liking each other very much, so we sat down and had a chat about expectations and implementing better communication (not expecting the other to be a mind reader).   We both know that things aren't going to get any easier over the next couple of years.  The night shift is over, but Tony will still be working two jobs and I start school in August.  Things are going to be a little bit crazy.  We can't let the craziness make us bitter and upset at each other.

I've decided that one way to make sure I don't harbor bad feelings is to do extra little things to show Tony that I love him.  When I'm serving him or surprising him with little things that show that I love him, I'm much happier.  So, the first thing I did was I bought a Peanut Butter Snickers on a whim while doing the grocery shopping because I knew he wanted to try it.  I made a little note that said,

Don't SNICKER, 

BUTTER I love you!

I also splurged and bought Tony's favorite Pillsbury Orange Sweet Rolls.  It's sitting in the fridge waiting to be discovered with a note that says,

ORANGE you glad you have

such a SWEET wifey?!

I love my husband, and I want him to know that I love him.  He is so good to me.  He makes me a better person.  I'm so glad that we are eternally Brown!

Daddy, Pops, Grandpa, and Great-Grandpas

I really enjoyed Father's Day this year because it was a year of firsts.  It was the first year that Tony was Daddy, the first year my dad was Pops, the first year Tony's dad was Grandpa, the first year Papa was Great-Papa, and the first year Grandpa was Great-Grandpa.

I am so grateful for the wonderful men that Hyrum has to look up to.

Tony is my very best friend and he makes me better in so many ways.  I know that I can be a good mother for Hyrum because Tony is there to support me and help me.

I love my dad, Pops, because of his easy smile and continuous humor.  He has always been my number one coach and supporter and I know he will do the same for Hyrum.

Tony's dad doesn't fall short in any way [besides maybe a few inches].  He has raised an amazing son and has been a wonderful example to us.  He loves Hyrum just like a Grandpa Brown should.

Papa, Grandpa Shinkle, and Grandpa Burgess are Hyrum's three living great-grandfathers.  He already loves his Papa [Papa tells me that he and Hyrum "have a thing for each other."] and is excited for the chance to meet his other great-grandpas. 

Hooray for dads and for grandpas!

Nap Time

Now that I'm a stay at home mom [at least until August when I go back to school] I find that I have a lot of time on my hands.  Nap time for Hyrum no longer has to be nap time for Momma...not that I don't take advantage every now and again.  So, nap time is when I:

1.  Shower and do my hair [and believe me...I'm glad I'm back to styling my hair...the fresh-out-of-the-shower-and-into-a-messy-bun look was getting old].

2.  Do the laundry. [How come we added one little person and voila! laundry enough for ten people?]

3.  Do the dishes.

4.  Read.  A lot.  I finished the Kingdom and the Crown series by Gerald N. Lund lickety-split.  I recommend.

5.  Eat too much, which is only going to be exacerbated by number 6...

6.  Blog surfing.  I have become addicted to blog surfing.  The latest discoveries...

This blog, my friends, is sure to make me fat.  Husband too, because he likes to eat as much as I do.
Chicken-Bacon Stuffed Pizza Rolls.  Unfortunately, I can't wait to try.

AND

 This one, fortunately, won't kill me.  Mostly I just like to look at all their cute crafts and projects and wish...Wish I was rich so I could afford the supplies...Wish I had a good reason to make half the things they make...

Heartbreaker

Boy did we make one handsome little boy!

He's gonna be a heartbreaker.  Especially if his eyes are blue like his Momma's, he's tall like his Pops, funny like his Grandpa Brown, good-looking like his uncles, smart like his Daddy, sweet as his Auties, and hardworking as his Grannie and Grandma Brown.

Baby Blessing

This last Sunday, June 12th, we were able to celebrate with friends and family as we gave Hyrum a name and a blessing.

During His mortal ministry, and then later when he visited the Nephites, Jesus Christ took time to bless the little children.

"Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God...And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them."  

(See Mark 10:14-16 and 3 Nephi 17)

In April 1830, a revelation was given to the Prophet Joseph Smith which said,

“Every member of the church of Christ having children is to bring them unto the elders before the church, who are to lay their hands upon them in the name of Jesus Christ, and bless them in his name.” 

(D&C 20:70.)

So, today, we take our little children bless them.  They are blessed by men who hold the Priesthood.  Tony, Pops, Grandpa Brown, and Papa all hold the Priesthood and gave Hyrum his blessing.  It was a special experience to have three generations of Priesthood holders surround our future Priesthood holder.

 

 [Hooray for our little eternal family!]

Favorite memory from the day...  We wanted our little Hyrum Joseph to look especially handsome for his special day.  I had him wear a long-sleeve, white onsie and some khaki dress pants.  Unfortunately, he hadn't quite grown into the pants yet.  We giggled through church as we kept pulling them up and they kept falling down.  

[Thanks to Grannie for the delicious meal she fed everyone afterwards.  We had Kalua Pork Tacos with homemade tortillas (corn or flour, take your pick)!  My momma is the best!]

Lake Trip 2011

This is one of my favorite views...one I see every summer at the Gibbons Family Lake Trip.  We love Roosevelt Lake.  The sun (minus the sunburn), the water, the cool nights, yummy food, visiting with family, homemade ice cream...just to name a few of my favorite things I love about this lake trip.  This year was extra special because we got to share the lake with the Browns!

 

Hyrum is Grams and Papa's first great-grandkid.  Papa told me at the end of the week that he and Hyrum "had a thing for each other."  Thanks to Papa and Grams for watching our little Hyrum so that we could go out and play on the water.  Thanks to Hyrum for behaving himself while we were gone.  And, as always, thanks to Grams and Papa for the delicious food, drinks, boat, gas to make the boat go, etc. etc. etc.

 

Once we were out on the water we enjoyed tubing and swimming at the dam.  Thanks to Grannie for being our boat driver.  Thanks to Keila for capturing some awesome pictures.

Probably my favorite part about the lake (because I can sit in the shade and avoid getting sunburned) is visiting with aunts, uncles, cousins, and now lots of grandparents!  We had Grams and Papa, Grannie and Pops, and Grandma and Grandpa Brown all there at the lake with us.  It was Grandma and Grandpa Brown's first time to be with Hyrum.  We're glad they were able to come out for the weekend.  We also stayed at a bed and breakfast with the Browns.  It was a neat little place and we stayed up too late watching movies and playing our favorite game "Settlers of Catan."

 

We're so grateful to be a forever family!  We're grateful that the relationships we build here on earth will be continued in the eternities.

Smiley Goose

 Our little boy is becoming what I call a Smiley Goose.  I love getting that precious smile to come out and play, especially when it's in response to seeing or hearing us.  The trick now is to learn how to catch it on camera.

First we get the why are you sticking that thing in my face?  face...

 

And then we get the Ok. Now Dad is sticking that thing in my face and I still don't know what I'm supposed to do face...

 

And then he gets the hang of it... Oh! You want me to ignore the thing you're sticking in my face and SMILE.  I get it.

 Smiles or not, I think our little boy is just too stinkin handsome for his own good.

 

The end.