Little Baby Christmas Tree

See that cute little baby Christams tree that belongs to us, the Browns?  I don't know about you, but I'm in love.  I think it is so cute.  It's special too, with all the ornaments Husband and I have collected over the years, plus, those little blue balls were a part of the centerpieces at our wedding reception.  It doesn't get more sentimental than that...

 

My favorite part about the tree is how we've blocked it off in a little corner so that Little Boy can't wreak havoc.  He's just too curious for his own good.

  

When we set it up he was trying to figure out what the heck that pokey green thing was...

We decided to entertain him with the blue ornaments...no they're not glass or anything.  He wasn't going to crunch them an hurt himself.

Capturing this was priceless...

And this is when we decided that maybe little blue ornaments and Little Boy don't mix...

We're so excited for Hyrum's first Christmas.  He is going to love every minute of the wrapping paper and boxes.  We'll get to spend it with the Browns this year, complete with a trip to see Grandpa Burgess.  It's about time he met this cute little booger we call Hyrum.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Have I mentioned how much I love Husband?  It's a lot.  I love how much we laugh together.

Yesterday he came home from seminary and said, "I have a prize for you!"  He had four chocolate chip cookies that one of his seminary students had given him.  Boy howdy!  They were delicious, too!  I ate the first one and then the second one and then the third one.  I was in heaven

Let me just explain to you what my brain was thinking:

I am so glad Husband does not like chocolate or chocolate chip cookies.  I am so grateful for that sweet seminary student who did not know this.  These cookies are so stinkin' good.  I think I will eat another one.

And so I grabbed the fourth cookie.  I took a big bite and then said to Husband, "You didn't want any, right?"  Why would he?  He doesn't like chocolate chip cookies.  Still, I thought I would be considerate and ask...

Yes.

Yes?

Yes what?

Yes you want a cookie?

Wait!  I wasn't ready to be done!  And so I took another bite of the cookie and handed him the half that remained.  [This is where he called me a brat.]  He took that half of a chocolate cookie which he wasn't supposed to want and went to the kitchen and poured a glass of milk, which I took a drink of.  [This is where he called me a brat...again.]  And we both laughed.

Crazy Pregnant Lady

I had a silly memory today as Hyrum and I were walking laps around the apartment complex.  I used to do that a lifetime ago when he was just a little Brownie in the oven.  Tony and I walked and walked and walked and walked so that I wouldn't get fat, at least fatter than a pregnant lady should, and so that Baby Brown would come as quickly as possible.

Anyways, there was one day so very long ago when I was huge and Tony was at work and I wanted to be done being pregnant and so I started walking laps.  A little more than halfway around, there was a guy parked in his truck.  It was running.  No big deal.  On the second lap, I realized he was still there and I felt like an absolute idiot.  He was probably thinking, "What is that crazy woman doing walking in circles?"  I tried not to look at him as I speed-walked my way past.

Third lap...

He is still sitting there in his truck, with the engine running, and I am the loony bird pregnant lady walking in circles.  Who does that?

It took me all day--all day of thinking this guy thought I was crazy and was going to tell everyone he knew that I was a crazy pregnant lady who walked in circles--to realize that HE was the crazy one!  Who sits in their truck with the engine running?  for 3 miles worth of the crazy pregnant lady's walking?  And I thought I was crazy...

Fun memory.  Happy Sunday!

Christmas Mail

Last night Husband, Little Boy, and I went on a little walk to check the mail together.  I got so excited when I saw the little envelope that wasn't a bill, an offer to save on cable, or grocery ads.  I was so excited to see that cute little Christmas ornament stamp!  Hooray!  A Christmas card!  I love Christmas cards. 

As we walked back to the apartment I ripped open the envelope because I was so anxious to see who it was from.  I wanted to know who's smiling faces were plastered on the cute little card, wishing me a Merry Christmas!  Much to my surprise, I didn't find any smiling faces.  What I found was much more special...

Merry Christmas!

We are a family in your ward who wishes to remain anonymous.  We feel spiritual promptings to give to your family this year.  Please use this money however you see fit.  We hope your Christmas is a memorable one.  May the Lord bless your family!

                                                                              We love you,
                                                                               A ward friend

The Spirit touched my heart as I read this note and held the $60 in my hand.  We needed that money.  We've done the best we know how and still have so little.  I know that the Spirit can prompt us to know who we should serve.  We don't have money to give this year, but because of this note, we want to pray for inspiration of whom to serve.  It may be something simple such as just going by to say hello or delivering a plate of cookies, but I want to do something.  And then, sometime in the future, when things aren't so tight, I want to be the one who gives the $60 in the mail.

Thank you.  To the ward friend who cares for us, thank you.  Thank you for the money.  More importantly, thank you for your example.

Big Boy Movers

Have we told you about Big Boy Movers?
 
Two years ago, Whitney and Kemp started a moving company up in Utah.  People call and schedule moves and then they send Big Boys out to help them load/unload their moving trucks.  It turned out to be an ingenious idea.  In the first year, they completed approximately 200 moves!  In their second year of business, they more than doubled that!  635 moves completed as of November 28th!  They started out just in Lehi, UT and surrounding areas, but now they have locations open all over Utah, including St. George, and in Boise, ID as well!  And guess what else?  Tony and I are lucky enough to work with them in opening the Arizona location.

This week, Mr. Brown, Tony's dad, is staying with us.  His job is to drive all over town dropping off flyers and business cards at U-hauls, Self-Storage facilities, and the like.  He's also helping Tony with finding quality guys to hire as our Big Boys.  We could be in full swing before too long. 

If you're interested in learning more about Big Boy Movers, you want to be a Big Boy, or you want to schedule a move, let me know. 

Check out our website: arizona.thebigboymovers.com
Email me: jerilin@thebigboymovers.com
Call: 877-70MOVER

Mothers & Babies

Birth is not only about making babies.

Birth is about making mothers--

strong, competent, capable mothers who

trust themselves and know their inner strength.

- Barbara Katz Rothman

Sometimes I look at where I am in life and I'm blown away that I'm a wife and a mother.  I'm amazed that I spend each day with my very best friend, that he loves me enough to put up with me.  I'm flabbergasted that there is a little boy crawling around with blue eyes just like me.  Bewildered?  Astounded?  Dumbfounded?  Yes.  Happy.  Content.  Delighted.  Exultant.  Is there a better place to be?  I can assure you there is not.

Little Boy has had me thinking the last few days.  It is so much fun to watch him figure things out.  Not only can he crawl, he'll come find you if you're in the other room.  He's figured out how to pull himself onto his knees and his feet.  Who taught him that?  I was trying to keep him from doing that...now that he's figured that out, he's gonna figure out walking and then he's going to be six feet tall and it won't be cool to attack Mom with slobbery kisses.  I'm going to miss that.

 

 

 

 

 

All of this speedy growing and changing has put me in a reflective mood.  A year ago I was just getting past that yuck stage of pregnancy.  The heartburn wasn't going to go away and the uncomfort was just going to get worse as time went on, but it was a happy time.  I couldn't wait to be a mother and for reasons other than not being pregnant anymore.  Isn't it wonderful that we forget how hard those months were?  If we remembered, how many of us would do it again?  I look back on April 19th and remember waking up with contractions, but I remember the excitement, not the pain.  I remember that childbirth was hard, but I did it!  If I did it once, what's keeping me from doing it again (at least eventually...no Baby Brown on the way--we have to wait for school to be done). 

[I know that not every pregnancy is peachy keen.  Some struggle with getting pregnant.  Some haven't been blessed with that opportunity and might never be.  Just remember to have faith in God, His plan, and His timing.  Find joy in the life that is yours and know that you are a daughter of God who loves each of His daughters equally.]

Babies are special because they make women into mothers.  Being a mother gives you the opportunity to work with a husband and with God in raising a child.  Never forget that you cannot do it on your own and with God nothing shall be impossible.  (See Luke 1:37)

 

Gila Valley Temple

We went to the Gila Valley Temple last Friday morning.  We went to the open house and Tony took the youth in our ward for a baptism trip, but this was the first time we were able to go and do ordinances there together.  Afterwards we went around telling everyone that this was the twelfth temple we had been to together.  A dozen temples!  Seriously?  We're losing count already?  Good thing we have a blog that has kept track for us.  We've really been to a baker's dozen.  This was temple number 13.

We have been to the following temples (not in order):

     Nauvoo

     Mesa

     Lubbock

     San Antonio

     Dallas

     Houston

     Salt Lake City

     Provo

     Oquirrh Mountain

     St. Goeorge

     Albuquerque

     Las Vegas

     Gila Valley

The Christmas nativity

This temple trip was special.  We were able to seal my great-great grandparents Royal Elmer Tranmer and Ruth Anna Hauntz.  We also sealed my great-grandmother Isabel Clarice Tranmer to them.  She was also able to be sealed to her first husband Frank Albert Shinkle and her second husband Henry Scott Ziegler.  Grandpa Ziegler was also sealed to his first wife and their daughter.  I knew my Grandma Ziegler, Isabel, so these sealings were particularly special.  The sealer told us that we could kiss over the alter since we were being sealed for my grandparents.  It is so important to seal our families to us for eternity.  It is also important to be reminded of the promises we made when we were sealed almost two years ago!  I love my husband!