the water is fine

Back to High School

2011-05-26T06:50:00.025-05:00

This week's Thursday Thunks questions are brought to you by Bud, the color of discovery and the number zero zero seven.

Who was your best friend?
melanie brown and I am lucky enough that not only is she still my best friend, but she's now my sister-in-law!
Did you play any sports?
I was on the tennis team, but I was awful
What kind of car did you drive?
a black grand am until I totaled it my senior year, then a blue geo metro
It’s Friday night. Where were you?
riverside hall in east bernard or at a football game
Were you a party animal?
not really
Were you considered hot?
not really
Were you in the band, orchestra or choir?
no, but I was in debate and the drama club
Were you a nerd?
I think so, see answers to question 7
Were you ever suspended or expelled?
never, I was a bit of a goody two shoes
Can you sing the fight song?
no, but I remember it had the line "all hail lamar high", anybody reading this remember it?

lee's 2! -- june 2003

2011-05-25T07:55:00.002-05:00

our backyard -- sunday six

2011-05-22T21:03:00.000-05:00

so, michael was busy this weekend, he took this:

and this:

and turned it into this:

Pointless Questions in 10 seconds...

2011-05-19T21:00:00.000-05:00

This week's Thursday's Thunk questions are brought to you by Berleen, the color of_______________ and the number__________.

Do you know how to french braid?
yes
Two guys are walking down the street. One drops his hat and reaches down to pick it up, the other kicks him in the ass. Do you laugh?
yes, although that might make me a bad person
You wake up one morning and dogs are meowing and cats are meowing - what are fish, elephants and crocodiles doing?
meowing of course! but more importantly, what are the foxes doing?
You are going to your high school reunion. What award are you going to win?
most family members present at the reunion
You find yourself stranded on a deserted island. Soon you find a laptop with a lifelong battery & internet connection, then you find a cave with an endless supply of food and a spring of fresh water. A cruise ship comes along to save you - do you get on it?
yes, I still need interaction with real people every now and then, besides, how would I scrapbook on the island
How many shortcuts do you have on your desktop?
48, is that a lot?
I offer you a pie... the most delicious pie you have ever seen. You either have to eat the entire thing in one sitting or allow me to slam it into your face, which do you choose?
I'd have to let you slam it into my face
Are you a pen stealer?
no
A dude from China comes up and offers you german chocolate cake, french fries and a boston cream pie... what color is your car?
metallic red
Sometimes you just have to tap your foot to your favorite song - which tv series season finale are you watching?
the office, I'm watching it right now!

papa and ed -- june 2003

2011-05-18T18:45:00.003-05:00

city girl vs. the fox

2011-05-16T18:26:00.000-05:00

so, when I moved from the suburbs of houston to waco, it was a bit of a culture shock for me, waco is MUCH smaller than houston, but I eventually got used to it. then mike moved me out to the country complete with snakes, mice, and country bugs, but again I got used to it. then we moved out to where we live now, where we are out on about an acre with 10 acres behind us, but nothing could have prepared me for what we saw last night.

let me set this up for you: a few weeks ago we noticed where something had dug a hole under the concrete around our pool and we thought we had an armadillo. we've been talking about it and trying to think of the best thing to do about it. meanwhile, on saturday when I came home I saw two furry heads (it looked like maybe two cats) peek up from about the same area. when I went over to investigate, I could not find them, so I just thought it was some figment of my imagination (mike and the boys were gone camping and I didn't want to freak myself out).

then last night (sunday night), mike calls me into the living room and says to bring my camera. I immediately come, camera in hand, and find him looking into the back yard. there is some sort of animal in our backyard (after taking pictures and posting them on twitter and facebook, we found out it was a grey fox). later the momma fox came out again with about 3 or 4 kits, but it was too dark to get a good picture. needless to say we are working on a humane way to get them out of our yard and taking suggestions.

by the way, after being here for almost 11 1/2 years, I LOVE waco and couldn't imagine living anywhere else.

kristin's birthday/graduation party -- sunday one

2011-05-15T22:21:00.001-05:00

the only picture that I took this week was at kristin's party last night. she just had her birthday and just finished grad school. I am so proud of her and consider myself lucky to be among her friends!

a dress a day in may

2011-05-14T19:17:00.000-05:00

so, my friend sarah-jane came up with this idea for a group of us girls to wear a dress (or skirt) each day in may and blogging about it. I was a little late getting started, but I started today, you can view my blog posts here.

words with my friends

2011-05-12T18:51:00.001-05:00

so I love playing words with friends (even though I am horrible at it). I have been playing for a while with someone named balletgal that I thought was my friend karen. then today I found out that karen's words with friends name is the same as her twitter handle (not balletgal). so, on words with friends, I asked balletgal who she was and it turns out that she is an old friend of mine (actually the mother of two of the kids that were in my wedding). weird how social media has enabled us to connect on so many levels that sometimes we don't even realize who we are connecting with.

p.s. I told all this to my father and he just didn't get it

my boys in the crib -- may 2003

2011-05-11T06:54:00.000-05:00

our family picture -- april 2003

2011-05-04T21:30:00.000-05:00

my husband rocks -- he's my prince

2011-04-29T18:03:00.008-05:00

today, when all the talk is of weddings and princesses (and princes, too), I thought it would be appropirate to share with you the reasons why I think michael is a prince:

first of all, he is a child of God which makes him a son of the King of Kings
he treats me like a princess and since he is married to me, it only makes sense for him to be a prince
he takes care of me
he loves me unconditionally

I love you so much, you are my prince charming!

easter smiles -- april 2003

2011-04-27T21:32:00.000-05:00

Thursday Thunks is list form

2011-04-21T06:27:00.022-05:00

This week's Thursday Thunks questions are brought to you by Berleen, the color of green grass and the number 576

Describe yourself, in sentences, using the main word of the sentence with the letters in the word: VANITY
I am Victorious over the devil in my love for Christ.
I am daily becoming a better Athlete.
I am not a Neat freak.
I have my own sense of style and embrace my Individuality.
I have Two wonderful sons.
I strive to always look towards tomorrow and leave Yesterday in the past.
List things you own using the letters in the word: POSSESSION
Pandora bracelet and charms
Oven (that I use more than most)
Scrapbooking supplies (and lots of them)
SUV (red dodge nitro, to be exact)
Eyeshadows (in every color of the rainbow)
Shoes
Ipod (that I listen to daily)
Oversized and comfy clothes
New house (that I've been in almost a year!)
List food items that you absolutely will not eat using the letters in the word: DISGUSTING
Deer meat
Iced tea
Sushi
Instant coffee (or any coffe for that matter)
Greens (collard)
Unsweet chocolate
Spicy foods
Tomatoes (raw, I will eat them cooked in things)
Instant ramen
Navy beans
Ginger ale
List things you do online using the letters in the word: USB CABLE
Update my status on twitter and facebook
Suf the web
Bills (paying them)
Create and maintain friendships
Ask people to follow my cooking blogBlog
Look up things for my boys
Evaluate what I eat

my new advanced yellow belts

2011-04-20T22:00:00.001-05:00

Thurnesday Thunks high on helium

2011-04-14T06:39:00.000-05:00

The Thursday Thunks questions are brought to you by Berleen, the color of red gummie bears and the number 1 because ... I don't know, because I'm not that creative today...

Does anyone ever wonder: who would go to my funeral if i die?
I do, do you?
Sometimes people just make you scrunch up your nose and give that "WTF?" look. Who was the last person you gave that look to?
my husband, I give him that look a lot
A friend recently told you that she tricked her boyfriend into getting her pregnant. You are also very close friends with him, should you say something or keep it to yourself?
I would have to say something
Do you get light headed after sucking the helium from a balloon?
yes
What is the last website you look at each day?
it used to be twitter, but lately its myfooddiary.com where I track what I eat and how much I work out
Since this is a Thursday meme, but we post it on Wednesday, shouldn't this be called Thurnesday Thunks?
yes, I think you should
So some school in Chicago is banning kids from eating bag lunches from home, forcing them to eat school lunches. Hey, I ain't making this crap up, seems the government doesn't trust parents to feed their kids. Go see for yourself. Back in the day, did you eat school lunches or did you bag it?
I bought school lunches
You can say you don't watch the news until you are blue in the face, but everyone has some news story that caught their attention and they followed stories on. Murders, kidnappings, dirty politics, stupid celebrities..... whatever. Which one caught your attention (even if you didn't want it to)?
any crime story
What condiment is always in your fridge?
mayonnaise, don't judge me, I'm a southern cook
You can hug it, pet it and squeeze it and if you really want to you can name it George. What mythical creature would you have as a pet?
a unicorn

the boys in their st. patricks day shirts -- march 2003

2011-04-13T21:29:00.000-05:00

king of mathematics -- february 2011

2011-02-16T21:54:00.005-06:00

lee got a perfect score on his practice math TAKS test, so when I came to pick him up after-school today, he was wearing a king of mathematics crown, I am so proud!

the first anniversary of mike's 30th birthday

2011-02-13T19:32:00.001-06:00

describe the first time you drove a vehicle

2011-02-10T21:36:00.003-06:00

well, my plinky prompt for today was to describe the first time I drove a vehicle. well, I can't remember the first time that I drove a vehicle, but I can tell you this much, I was terrible at it. in fact for the first year or so that I had my license, my nickname was crash. I've gotten somewhat better over time, but I am still not what you might call a good driver.

the family after the boys dedication -- march 2003

2011-02-09T19:43:00.000-06:00

kids, how many it too many?

2011-02-08T18:25:00.010-06:00

so going along with the topics suggested on my friend scooters blog, today's question is:

Before you got married, how many kids did you want (if any)? How did that change/not change over the years?

I have always wanted lots of kids and luckily mike and I were on the same page and both wanted as many children as God wanted to bless us with. this hasn't changed over the years, but as we struggled with infertility after ed's birth, we realized that our dreams of a big family may not be what God had planned for us. as it turns out God only chose to bless us with two boys.

singing along

2011-02-07T17:48:00.001-06:00

my plinky prompt for yesterday was:

What songs must you always sing the lyrics out loud to?

well, as I have said before, I love to sing in the car to anything that is on, but lemo and I love to sing along to anything taylor swift, especially white horse or fifteen

snow in waco

2011-02-06T12:57:00.000-06:00

what was your inspiration for naming your children?

2011-02-05T15:50:00.000-06:00

our oldest son is william lee, william after mike maternal grandfather and lee because it is mike's middle name

our younger son is edward riley, edward after one of our closest friends who was very helpful to mike and I when we were dating, also my father's middle name is edward and riley because I just liked it

2nd chance at a snow day

2011-02-04T13:28:00.000-06:00

well, life is giving me a second chance to get done all the things I didn't get to on tuesday. the kids and I are home again today with 2 inches of snow! so, here's hoping I get further on my to-do list than I did on tuesday.

favorite hobby

2011-02-03T20:58:00.012-06:00

well, since no one answered my question about what you want to hear from me, I am going to use the comments from my friend @scotters blog and the first question is:

What is your favorite hobby (besides blogging, Twitter, etc)?

well my favorite hobby is scrapbooking, something that I have tinkered with for years, but just recently got serious about it thanks to my local scrapbooking store

my sister and me -- late 1980's??

2011-02-02T19:45:00.000-06:00

life, actually

2011-02-01T21:43:00.000-06:00

so, I was home with the boys today because school was closed. I had big plans for today:

I was going to get caught up on laundry
I was going to finally (FINALLY!!) finish my scrapbooking album for 2010
I was going to bake some bread
I was going to paint my toenails

you may not think that 4 goal is a lot for an entire day, but I did not accomplish a single one! life just got in the way today, ever have a day like that? I feel guilty that I didn't accomplish what I set out to do today, should I or is that just the wife/mommy guilt talking? I still have a few more hours left today, I think I'm going to go paint my toenails!

my sister is running a marathon??

2011-01-31T20:07:00.001-06:00

yes, you read that right, my sister is running in a marathon, you can get all the details here: reesa's marathon

it's been a while . . . again

2011-01-26T17:29:00.001-06:00

well, I have been slacking again in blogging, but I am going to do better about posting. part of my problem is that I can never decide what to write about, so I'm going to take a clue from my twitter friend @scotters and ask you, my wonderful readers, what do you want to hear from me?

how we started christmas morning

2010-12-26T22:30:00.000-06:00

well, we started out christmas morning in the ER, not your typical way to start a holiday. during the night lee started coughing really bad (with that barking dog sounding cough) and then woke up saying that he was having a hard time breathing. we took lee to the closest ER (we were down at my parents for christmas) and spent the next few hours learning that he had croup, teaching him to swallow steroid pills (he had never swallowed pills before), and getting humidifier treatments. but once we got him back to my parents house and all slept a little, he was good as new!

tales from the trenches

2010-11-09T19:06:00.000-06:00

I read a blog post today that I think every parent can relate to and it was just too good not to pass on, so take a look at The Urine-Soaked Blanket Mystery I especially love the line at the end "well played sir"

karate and a swing dance

2010-11-07T16:09:00.004-06:00

and another one bites the dust . . .

2010-11-01T21:54:00.005-05:00

well, a few years ago, I talked about our curse of october and how something bad (really bad) always happens to us in october. well it's been 3 years now and nothing really bad has happened to us in october. I think I can safely say that the curse of october is broken, thank goodness!

halloween and the last baseball game

2010-10-31T22:01:00.005-05:00

obsessive much . . .

2010-10-09T13:10:00.002-05:00

so, I think somewhere inside my is a person with OCD because I can become quite obsessed. to give you a glimpse into my psyche, here are some of the things that I am obsessed with:

anything lime green
fountain cherry coke (I can tell you all the places in waco that have it)
dr. pepper made with real sugar
chipolte's steak tacos
pandora charms and bracelets
cookbooks
mac lipglosses
nars eyeshadow
criminal minds
mad men

I'm sure there's more, but that's all I can think of right now. mike can probally think of quite a few more

my husband rocks -- he's home

2010-10-08T18:57:00.009-05:00

I know that it may seem like a simple thing, but today I am greatful for mike simply because he is home. see he's been traveling quite a bit over the past few weeks, but he came home for good (or until he schedules another trip) last night. I didn't realize how much I missed him subconsiously until last night. you see, I'm a really light sleeper and mike is a very noisy sleeper (he snores!). but last night I slept better than I had the whole time he's been gone (even though I had to share the bed and he was noisy), I guess because even in my sleep I was just so glad to finally have him home. I love you, honey!

it's been a while . . .

2010-10-02T13:21:00.000-05:00

well, as one of my facebook friends pointed out this week, it has been a while since I had a blog post on any of my blogs. I've been so busy with the boys in baseball and karate that I haven't had very much free time. but for all my friends out there in the blogosphere, I am doing great and I've been enjoying reading your blogs and I continue to be blessed by how many people are continuing to read my blogs even though I haven't been posting. so hopefully as I start to get the swing of things, I will start blogging more again, so look forward to some more blog posts to come!

a face for radio

2010-08-12T18:39:00.002-05:00

The Thursday Thunk questions are brought to you by Bud, the color of Sarah Palin's bible and the number 333.

What radio personality bothers you the most?
I don't listen to the radio much, but the TV personality that bothers me the most is Glen Beck
If abandoned alone in the wilderness, would you survive?
no, I'm not a roughing it kind of gal!
If a sexy person was pursuing you, but you knew she was married, And neither her S/O or yours would never know, might you to the deed?
no, I love my husband too much!
Do you like to pursue or be pursued?
definitely be pursued
Use three words to describe yourself.perfectionist, friend, loyal
If Berleen was on a camping trip, do you thing she’d attract grizzlies?
I really don't know
Do you think more about the past, present or future?
future
If your house was on fire, what would be the first thing, other than family or pets, that you grabbed?
my laptop
Was your mom a cheerleader?
why yes, she was
Was your dad a jock?
no
Bud’s been gone a while. Do you think he will return or shut down that Googled Warned blog?
I don't even know who bud is, should I?
What’s your favorite junk food?it's a tie between potato chips and ice cream
Do you believe in reincarnation?no

my childhood best friend and me

2010-08-11T18:21:00.002-05:00

kiss him like you mean it!

2010-08-09T19:53:00.000-05:00

so I was reading the honest and lasting blog earlier today (she's the one that started my husband rocks) and she is doing this summer challenge called "completing him" and the topic for today was "kiss him like you mean it." well, if you've been reading my blog for a while you know how special kissing is to mike and I so I couldn't let a blog post like that slip by me. so take sometime today and kiss your spouse like you mean it, I know I will!

my husband rocks -- takes care of the house

2010-08-06T17:55:00.000-05:00

as you know, we moved earlier this summer from our rent house to our own house complete with a pool and almost an acre of land. when we bought the house michael was going on and on about how excited he was to take care of the lawn and the pool and I have to say that he has done a great job for the past six weeks. he has even replaced the shower head and dining room light fixture all by himself. I am really proud of him and all that he does to make our house a home. I love you, baby, you ROCK!!

Thursday Thunks: Special Talents

2010-08-05T20:11:00.016-05:00

The TT questions are brought to you by Bud, the color of Judd Corizan's hair dye and the number 33.

Do you have any special talents? Tell us about them.
no special talents but I do cook well, does that count?
What is your favorite sound?
quiet, the sound of nothing!
What was your favorite TV show as a child or teen?
beverly hills, 90210
There are a lot of specialty TV networks now devoted to things like golf, gardening, shopping, game shows, sports, news and sci-fi. Do you have any favorite TV networks?
the food network, I could watch that all day
What is your guilty pleasure TV show?
snapped, even though it freaks my husband out!
Berleen is on the top of a mountain. How on earth did she get there and what was she doing?
duh, she climbed and she's just taking in the scenery
Have you ever dreamt that you made love to someone you haven’t yet met?
um, no
Berleen decides to run away and join the circus. What could you imagine her performing under the big top?
it's a toss up between juggling or a clown
What is your favorite sci-fi movie?
I can't think of a single sci-fi movie that I've seen
What is your favorite reality show?
the hills, although that's not really a reality show is it?
Bud says he is on vacation. What do you think he is doing?
sleeping on the beach, that's what I would be doing
When shopping at the grocery store, do you always return your cart?
usually
Do you take compliments well?
no

inspiration comes from the oddest places

2010-08-03T18:49:00.007-05:00

as you may have noticed, I have not been blogging very much lately. you could blame it on the move and all the unpacking, but honestly I have not been inspired lately. that all changed today, I was looking through myblogblog.com where I can see how people get to my blog and I found out that my little sister has a blog at reesanneberger.blogspot.com and it was really good (you should check it out). that got me all inspired to blog again, so look forward to more posts from me and even me finishing up some posts that I started but never got posted.

drawing in the sand

2010-07-29T18:21:00.021-05:00

The TT questions are brought to you by Bud, the color of Janera Jepson's eyes and the number 3.

We know how creative Berleen is with her terrific tee-shirts and such, so how about you? Do you draw anything or perhaps your name in the sand when you go to the beach?
I don't draw anything, but my sister-in-law drew this at the beach when we were there earlier this summer, does that count?
Kimber doesn’t always leave her house. I wonder if she knows what is out her back door. What is out your back door?
a ceramic duck wearing a bikini top and a pool float
Do you prefer the beach, a pool or a lake? Why?
the beach as long as it is clean, I love the sand
What is something recently that happened to you that you are REALLY excited about?
we bought our first house!
I am fortunate that I come from a very close family. Are any of your great-grandparents still alive? If not did you ever meet them?
I never met any of mine, but my kids met 4 of their great-grandparents
When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group? Tell us about it.
I spoke at an american buisness women's meeting in february and it was great! I got to talk about how to be a social media butterfly
Have you ever bungee jumped? Would you ever bungee jump?
no and no
How strong emotionally do you think you are?
I can be pretty emotional at times, but mostly I'm pretty mellow
Kimber and Berleen still have NEVER met, yet they are best friends. What is the first thing you notice about people when you meet them?
their nose, I hate my nose, so I am always checking out other people noses
Who do you mess with the most?
my husband and kids
Who was the last person you talked to on a landline?
a co-worker, does that count?
I finally saw Avatar this week. What was the last movie you watched long after it came out and loved?
I have this unhealthy fear of movie theaters, so I usually wait until something is out on tv before I see it, but I would have to say the hangover
What did you dream about last night?
I was so tired, I don't think that I dreamed at all

my husband rocks -- he's my best friend

2010-07-23T18:38:00.004-05:00

well, my plinky question for today was who is your best friend and it was very appropriate for a friday because michael, my wonderful husband is my best friend. I am so lucky to have someone that is not only my partner in life but also my best friend that I can be myself with and know that he will love me no matter what. I love you, baby, you ROCK!

Thursday Thunks: Heatwave

2010-07-08T18:01:00.011-05:00

This week's Thursday Thunks are brought to you by Bud, the color of my eyes and the number 333333.

The temperature in Mooseheadville, Canada was 34 below. Most of the U.S. is in a serious heat wave. In Connecticut, it was 92 degrees in the shade. What do YOU do to beat the heat?
now I hang out in my new pool :-)
What is your favorite summertime song?
boys of summer by don henley
Besides nude beaches what's your favorite outdoor summer activity?
playing on a swingset
I'm inviting everyone to a cook-out with Kimber and Berleen. What should I cook for you?
pulled pork
When selecting your swimwear do you go for sexy or practical?
sexy, even though I should go for practical
Back in the day, did you ever have a summer fling? If yes, do tell. (Names not required.)
no summer fling, I'm kind of boring that way!
Do you know anyone who hates air conditioning? If yes, what is their reasoning?
no, I live in Texas
When and with who was your last skinny dip?
too long ago to remember
How sick of LeBron James are you?
not too sick of him, I've been too busy unpacking to watch much tv
When you were a kid, what was your best summer?
when I would go and visit my aunt in corpus christi
Belly up to the bar. We serve ANYTHING. It's 100 degrees. What should we pour for you?
pina colada!
Is there a favorite meal that you like to have in the summer?
taco salad
Do you think they will solve the oil spill in time for the Gulf states to enjoy summer?
no

my rock collection

2010-07-06T21:27:00.000-05:00

so, I should still be unpacking, but today I unpacked something special, my rock collection. you may think that rocks are a weird thing to collect, but there is this nichole nordeman song that talks about how God is the river and we are the rocks and that over time He smooths us out. I love that song and so for the past few years, mike and I have collected rocks from the different places that we have visited (including mike's trip to san diego last week). the rocks are a daily reminder of what God is doing in our lives.

rolling river God -- by nichole nordeman

Rolling River God
Little Stones are smooth
Only once the water passes through
So I am a stone
rough and grainy still
Trying to reconcile this river's chill

But when I close my eyes
and feel you rushing by
I know that time brings change
and change takes time
And when the sunset comes
my prayer would be just this one
that you might pick me up
and notice that I am
just a little smoother in your hand

Sometimes raging wild
sometimes swollen high
never have I known this river dry
The deepest part of you
is where I want to stay
and feel the sharpest edges wash away

my bittersweet thoughts on moving

2010-06-30T20:06:00.018-05:00

this post is coming to you a little late for two reasons; one, I've been so busy packing and unpacking that I have barely had time to catch my breath, much less write a blog post and two, writing this post has been harder than I thought. this move was very bittersweet for me. as I thought back on the person I was when we first moved into our rent house and the person that I am now living in my own house, I have to admit that I have come a long way in a little under 8 years. when we first moved into the rent house lee was a little over a year old and I was still pregnant with ed. our little rent house saw us go through all the trials with ed's illness, all my struggles with depression, and watched mike and I learn to be parents and fall more in love with each other everyday. the kitchen is where I really learned to cook, but that's another post for a different blog. I have no doubt that we will continue to grow as a family over the next years in our own house, but it's hard to believe all the growth that happened over the last 8 years. it feels some days like I left a little bit of myself back at the old house. as I write this I am beginning to understand how ed feels and why he is having such a hard time with the move. but this move is for the best, it is time that we became home owners and the house is beautiful and perfect for us (now if I could just get all those pesky boxes unpacked).

TheMove

10th anniversary letter

2010-06-13T14:17:00.014-05:00

as I said last year, we do not send out christmas letters like most people do, instead we send out our letters on our wedding anniversary. here is our letter from this year, hope you enjoy it.

Greetings from the Brown family. We are busy packing up! We will be moving to our new home, which is in the same area near Waco, at the end of June. The new house is much bigger, on an acre of land, and it has a pool.

Michael and I are celebrating 10 years of marriage this year. In May, we made it back to the beach where we were engaged. Michael's brother, Dave, took our family pictures there. Here's a quick update:

Michael still works at the same accounting firm where he has been for 9 years. He has transitioned from doing tax work and is focusing on growing the business valuation and litigation services practice. Michael has enjoyed taking time to go canoeing and camping this past year. You can keep up with Michael at: www.facebook.com/michael.l.brown.cpa and www.twitter.com/michaellbrown

Caryn is working at the student loan company where I have been for 9 years as well. We are still surviving despite the government’s takeover of the student loan industry. I continue to stay involved in social media and the Waco Social Media breakfasts. I was even featured in a story on the local news in May about teaching kids how to be safe online http://tinyurl.com/carynsontv. You can keep up with me at: www.facebook.com/carynabrown and www.twitter.com/carynbrown

Lee finished 3^rd grade this year. He says the best part about 3^rd grade was when his teacher would read to him. He took the TAKS test for the first time this year and was commended on both parts. Lee has become an avid reader, and he is growing into a thoughtful, sweet and more mature young man. He is excited about having his birthday pool party this year at his new house.

Ed finished 1^st grade this year. He says the best part about 1^st grade was singing Christmas carols in the school cafeteria. He likes to play on the computer and hang out with Dad. Ed is sad to leave the only home he has known, but he is warming up to the idea of a new house. Ed's comment was: "Dad, this is a major transition, you know? This is the only place that I have lived my whole life. That's pretty major."

Both boys are enjoying posting videos on their youtube channel, you can check it out at: www.youtube.com/theleeanded

where I was 10 years ago today

2010-05-13T17:38:00.000-05:00

10 years ago today, I became mrs. michael brown. it was and continues to be the best day of my life. I would not trade my life with mike for anything in the world, we fit each other so perfectly. what continues to amaze me is that I fall more and more in love with mike everyday. I have no idea where I would be today with out mike in my life, but I know that I would be very lonely and only half the woman that I am today. here's a link to our full love story: our first kiss was at the altar

sxsw interactive -- sunday six

2010-03-14T17:42:00.000-05:00

my husband rocks -- he lets me play with the cool kids

2010-03-13T12:48:00.000-06:00

this post is a day late because I have been busy enjoying south by southwest and that is why my husband rocks! last year I came up to SXSW just for a day and really enjoyed it, so this year when I said that I wanted to go, as usual, mike was so supportive. I am so lucky to have a husband who not only loves me, but encourages me and my creative side! I love you and miss you honey!

sunday six -- the last week of february

2010-02-28T18:12:00.000-06:00

thursday thunks

2010-02-25T06:28:00.004-06:00

This week's thursday thunks are brought to you by Berleen, the color of your keyboard, and the number 4579.

Who is the craziest person in your family?
hands down, my dad
If you could make turtle shells any color you wanted, what color would turtles be?
I would leave them green, because I love green
How fast do hotcakes sell?
faster than you think
Can cannibals be arrested for being under the influence of alcohol if they have eaten someone who was drunk?
yes, you are what you eat
If I had my legs amputated, would I have to change my height and weight on my driver's license?
yes, but my height and weight aren't on my driver's license
Where do people in Hell tell other people to go?
good question, I don't know
Do you make stupid little baby noises when talking to your pets?
I don't have any pets, so I guess the answer is no
Is the light on in the room?
yes
Did the voice tell you that the light is on in the room?
no, but it told me to turn it on, so does that count
If you were to name an alcoholic drink, what would it be called?
the big toe

snow day in waco -- wordless wednesday

2010-02-23T15:43:00.002-06:00

SnowDay1 010
Originally uploaded by mike.caryn

men who cook -- sunday six

2010-02-21T16:38:00.000-06:00

locks of love

2010-02-20T16:18:00.000-06:00

well, my long hair is 10 inches shorter today. I donated 10 inches of my hair to locks of love this morning, I am blessed to have thick beautiful hair that grows very quickly and I am grateful for the opportunity to share it with others who need it. my hair is so thick that they took 2 braids of it this morning and last time I donated about 2 years ago.

my husband rocks -- he drives

2010-02-19T19:30:00.001-06:00

as I type this, I am riding in the car. my little pink netbook and my air card always keep me company in the car, because mike is always driving. for those of you that know me, you know that I am not the best driver, what you may not know is that I hate driving, I would much rather be a passenger. this works out great for mike who always wants to be the one driving, but it is also a blessing to me because I don't have to drive.

chocolate covered lee -- december 2002

2010-02-17T17:17:00.000-06:00

mike turns 30 -- sunday six

2010-02-14T18:28:00.000-06:00

my husband rocks -- he holds me

2010-02-12T19:29:00.000-06:00

I've had a rough week this week and there have been a couple of times that mike has just held me and let me cry. he doesn't ask me what is wrong, he doesn't try to fix my problems, he just loves me and gives me some of his strength so I can carry on. as I struggle down this road of depression, I am so blessed to have someone as wonderful as mike to hold me hand and hold me!

thursday thunks

2010-02-11T18:25:00.000-06:00

This week's thursday thunks are brought to you by Berleen, the color of blood, and the number negative 18.

Kimber is freaking out because I didn't get the TT done yesterday. I had a busy day. Will you ever forgive me?
of course we will, we love you and your crazy questions!
So this weekend is Valentine's Day. When you think of yourself and this love-filled holiday, what is biggest memory?
is it sad that I can not think of one??
Pajama pants. Who knew it could have so many fricken opinions. (Seriously... if you don't believe me) Would you... do you... could you wear PJ pants to a store?
I would not, do not, and could not wear PJ pants outside of the house
I'm gonna give you one of those big heart candy boxes on Sunday. Are you an expert at chocolate candies and already know whats inside them all or will you just take whichever one and enjoy it no matter what is inside or are you one of those people who sticks their finger in the bottom of the candy to see what the filling is then puts it back if you don't like it?
I have to know what it is before I eat it unless it's from cocoamoda!
Scented Candles - whats your favorite?
pomegranate
Snow sucks. We've mostly all been hit. What kind of snow shovel do you have? (The rest of you who live in sunny no-snow places... tell me your favorite sunscreen brand)
I live in a snow-free place, so my favorite sunscreen is no-ad (hey, it's cheap and good!)
The first thing I thought of this morning when I woke up was "Oh crap. Kimber's gonna be pissed...." then I had a whole bunch of good ideas for questions to ask. Now I can't remember them. Do you keep a notebook next to your bed for times like that?
yes, although I rarely write in it
Have you ever seen a groundhog in real, you can touch it and it will bite you, life?
no, but I think I would run if I did
Is there any key on your keyboard that is starting to wear off? Which one is it?
yes, my "f" key, what does that say about me?
Do you think Kimber should move to Minnesota and take long walks in the snow with Berleen?
no, I am not a fan of anyone moving to some place where it is cold, maybe she could visit you in the summer?

another way-back wordless wednesday -- childhood photo

2010-02-10T18:12:00.003-06:00

a prayer request for some old friends

2010-02-07T19:30:00.000-06:00

I love catching up with my old friends on facebook. today I re-connected with a friend from high school and learned that a little over a month ago, they had a baby at 24 weeks gestation. so I am asking all my blog readers to say a prayer for this family. you can read more about their story at: http://thedadds.blogspot.com/

We're Not Laughing At You, We're Laughing With You

2010-02-04T19:57:00.000-06:00

This week's thursday thunks are brought to you by Kimber, the color of doom, and the number 999.

You walk into a room, someone turns and looks at you and laughs. What do you do?
cover my face
You find an egg, take it home and keep it warm. It hatches. What type of dinosaur is it? Do you keep it and name?
triceritops, we would keep it until it gets too big and call it tri-horn
Which superhero would you want to be related to and why?
wonder woman because she rocks
A drunken sailor comes up to you on the pier...he begins harassing you in a most repulsive way....what'll be your defense?
I am who I am
Entering a CLASS A piano bar, you're encouraged to sing atop the grand instrument...you grab the microphone and sing.....
"all by myself"
If you were a character in a Dr. Seuss book/movie, who would you be and why?
mr. brown from mr. brown can moo can you? because my last name is brown
If you have just been called to be a substitute in the Winter Olympics for your country (apparently everyone else was busy), what sport(s) will you compete in?
curling
Did the audience from the piano bar in question #5 applaud when you were done with your song?
no, in fact most of them walked out and left during my song

way-back wordless wednesday -- childhood photo

2010-02-03T20:04:00.000-06:00

Christmas is OVER

2009-12-28T18:13:00.002-06:00

I remember growing up as a child how excited I got for Christmas and how it was always a bit of reality shock when Christmas was over. now it seems to be the opposite, I am stressed out leading up to Christmas and always a bit relieved when it is over. I started thinking about that this weekend and realized that I really enjoy the way that michael and I celebrate Christmas with the kids. santa does not come to our house and we only buy gifts that can fit in the stockings. which means no presents to wrap, no three-page long wish lists for santa, and there are only a few gifts to get and receive. sometimes I think that our kids may be missing out by not having the big Christmas and santa, but they get plenty of gifts and they don't seem to be traumatized by not getting gifts from santa.

our Christmas traditions

2009-12-24T14:57:00.001-06:00

I thought I would share with you our Christmas traditions:

we only exchange gifts that will fit into stockings and everyone in the family gets involved in putting gifts in each others stockings
santa does not come to our house
we get to open our stockings on the last morning we are in town before we go out of town for Christmas, usually a couple of days before Christmas
on the morning that we open stockings, michael makes my mom's recipe for strawberry toast for breakfast

no thunks

2009-12-16T19:54:00.001-06:00

there are not going to be anymore thursday thunks for the rest of the year, what am I going to blog about on thursdays?

sunday six

2009-12-06T19:18:00.006-06:00

the big brown chair

2009-12-01T20:19:00.001-06:00

so I'm part of this group called project 52 and each week we have an assignment to take a certain type of picture. this week our assignment was "It's your private place. The place you go to and hold nothing back. Where you're most vulnerable yet most safe. It's home." my thoughts immediately went to the brown chair in our bedroom. when we moved into our house, one of the first things we did was put a chair in our bedroom, it used to be the big red chair that I inherited from my parents. I had fond memories of that chair growing up and it served us well for many years. then a few years ago, we passed the big red chair down to my sister and got this nice leather chair. to me, this chair and the gorgeous man sitting in it are home!

most beautiful thing I've seen in nature

2009-11-30T17:35:00.000-06:00

the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen in nature would have to be the sunset the day that michael and I got engaged. over 10 years later and I can not think of any site I've seen in nature that even compares to that sunset, you can see a picture of it here. what's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen in nature.

lee and ed -- june 2003

2009-11-25T21:22:00.000-06:00

san francisco pics

2009-11-22T19:00:00.000-06:00

my husband rocks -- he takes care of me

2009-11-20T17:33:00.000-06:00

as I said earlier this week, I had not been feeling too good (and I'm still not 100% which is why this is short). michael rocks not only because he takes great care of me when I am sick but also because he is so understanding when I'm sick and only want to lay in bed. thank you honey for taking such great care of me this week!

lee reading magazines -- june 2003

2009-11-18T16:28:00.001-06:00

on being sick on vacation

2009-11-16T15:35:00.000-06:00

I am on vacation in san franciso and instead of seeing the sights of this beautiful city I am stuck in bed with a cold. being sick on vacation stinks!!

mike kayaking in san francisco -- sunday six

2009-11-15T19:56:00.002-06:00

my husband rocks -- pink train case

2009-11-13T17:58:00.001-06:00

michael rocks not only because when we travel he takes my pink train case with all my makeup (I am a self-admitted cosmetics junkie) as one of his carry-ons but also because he understands (and more importantly doesn't expect me to) that I can not fit all my items even for a weekend trip in a backpack. as we were packing earlier this week for a 5-day trip, I was trying to get all my stuff into the largest suitcase I have and mike walked in the bedroom with a backpack and proudly announced that he had packed everything in that backpack. eventually he did decide to pack a suitcase instead (admittedly, to give me some more room to pack). so this is just my way of saying thanks to mike for always taking my pink train case as one of his carry-ons. as I have said before, this is just one of the many ways he gets me!

thank you God, for giving me life

2009-11-12T19:05:00.001-06:00

my devotional this morning ended with this paragraph:
"Today is just a good day to worship God for giving you life. Thank God for the things you take for granted in your life. Throughout this day, thank Him for His boundless life."

so, I decided to take a break from thursday thunks to write about this. it made me realize that I do not thank God enough for the basic gift of life that He has given to me. it is so simple and so easy to take time out to thank Him, but we get so busy living our lives that we forget to thank Him for life itself. also, as someone who has struggled with suicide, this hit me extremely hard. I thought about how many times I begged God to let me die, yet through His boundless grace, He not only let me live, He called me out into a fuller and richer life in Him. I am truly blessed and grateful to be alive today and I just wanted to let you and God know, how thankful I am for the gift of life that God has given me. have you taken time today to thank God for his gift of life to you?

fall family reunion -- sunday six

2009-11-08T19:42:00.001-06:00

berger fall gathering

2009-11-07T22:35:00.001-06:00

we had our bi-annual berger family reunion at the convent in victoria. I know that I am a little young to say this or feel this way but I really enjoy our family reunions and look forward to them. we have them twice a year, often enough that the kids are really getting to know each other, but rarely enough that everyone really makes an effort to attend. I love that I have a relationship with my cousins that attend (and we keep up in between on facebook) and that my kids have a realationship with their second cousins (I think that is really neat). I love sitting around listening to my dad talk with his brothers and sisters about what life was like when they were growing up. anyways, I just wanted to thank sister and uncle tim for always coordinating it and share my pictures with all my blog readers. hope you enjoy!

sometimes the little things kick you in the pants

2009-10-27T18:23:00.001-05:00

I had a great time at this morning's social media breakfast (read my post on the breakfast here) and it got me thinking about how much I enjoy being with the people in that group. I have been really quiet on twitter and my blogs lately for many reasons but I think this morning was the kick in the pants that I needed to be more active. I miss all my twitter and blogging friends and I am going to try to be more active and spend more time with my social media friends.

my boys on youtube

2009-10-17T14:35:00.000-05:00

so earlier this week my boys decided that they wanted to make videos and put them on youtube, so thursday night they each made a video and I made a channel for them on youtube and uploaded them. I have never seen them so excited about something as they were about their videos going up on youtube. if you want to check them out, here's the link: http://youtube.com/user/theleeanded

my husband rocks -- perseverance

2009-10-16T18:32:00.001-05:00

so, I ran across this blog today with a new meme that I am going to try. every friday blog about one of the reasons that your husband rocks. the blog is at http://honestandlasting.blogspot.com check it out, it's really good.

so, my first blog post is on michael's perseverance. michael and I have been married for over 9 years and as you can imagine, life with me is hard sometimes. but he never gives up on me. he has stood by me through all my struggles with depression and through it all made sure that I knew he loved me, faults and all. I can not think of anyone in my life who has shown me more perseverance than my wonderful husband. I am so blessed to have him in my life and to get to spend the rest of my life with him. I love you honey!

humpty dumpy, kankles, and more

2009-10-15T19:19:00.000-05:00

This weeks thursday thunks are brought to you by

Kimber, the number 32 (as in only 32 people played last week) and the color of dog poop on your shoe.

1. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses,
And all the king's men,
Couldn't put Humpty together again.

Why was Humpty Dumpty sitting on that wall?

because he was trying to find some peace and quiet

2. If Mother Goose and Father Time had kids, what would they look like and what would they be named?

I have no clue what they would look like, but the boy would be named junior

3. Does Barbie have kankles?

now that you mention it, I think she does!

4. Have you ever been featured in a magazine?

kind of, some of my wedding pictures were used in an ad in a bridal magazine

5. Did your parents keep a baby book for you? If so, how often have you looked through it?

yes and maybe twice, I did not make baby books for my kids

6. If someone dropped off a case of candy bars at your front door, what kind of candy bar would you want? (Berleen's question from Insanity Cafe.)

reese's peanut butter cups!

7. Rub-a-dub-dub,
Three men in a tub,
And how do you think they got there?
The butcher, the baker,
The candlestick-maker,
They all jumped out of a rotten potato,
'Twas enough to make a man stare.

What happened to the rotten potato? Further more, if they jumped out of a rotten potato, do you think they stink?

I never knew the end of that song and yes, they did stink

ed's birthday party

2009-10-05T19:53:00.000-05:00

so ed, my 6 year old was having a real hard time deciding what to do for his birthday party later this month. so I told him that if he didn't want to have a birthday party, that I would give him $100 to get anything he wanted. he really liked that idea and his only reservation was if he would still get presents from his grandparents. once I assured him that he still would he said that he wanted to take the money. so, am I the worst mom ever for giving him this option?

playing baseball

2009-09-27T18:38:00.000-05:00

lee feeding ed -- february 2003

2009-09-09T19:59:00.000-05:00

where I was 10 years ago today

2009-09-04T21:41:00.001-05:00

so, 10 years ago today, I got engaged on a beautiful beach in gulf shores, alabama. michael surprised me by taking us to visit some family friends in gulf shores for labor day weekend. michael gave me a rose every hour, leading up to a beautiful proposal on the beach where he first told me he loved me. I could not have asked for a more perfect proposal and even now, 10 years later, thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. these last 10 years have been such a blessing from God and so much more than I ever thought they would be. so, thank you michael for that beautiful day 10 years ago today and for all the wonderful days you have blessed me with since then! I love you!

Kids, falling out, revenge and unmentionables

2009-09-03T19:24:00.019-05:00

this week's thursday thunks are brought to you by Berleen, the number one thousand twenty six and the color of the dirt spot you need to wipe up on your kitchen floor.

Your thoughts on truck drivers?
that is my hubby's dream job
Did you hear Michelle Duggar is pregnant for the 15th time? (but that will be kid #19 if you lost count....)
I did not know that, but I think it's great!
Have you ever done something to hurt someone intentionally... just for the sole purpose of hurting them because you thought they deserved it? Maybe a paybacks a bitch sort of thing?
no
Is there anyone in your life that when you go to their place of residence, you just walk in without bother knocking? Does anyone just walk into your house without knocking?
no
Whats in the trunk of your car? Do you even have a clue?
a few cases of water, a bunch of reusable shopping bags, and a package of socks
When you go to a family holiday get together (such as Christmas or Thanksgiving), about how many people are there?
usually about 8
What is in your kitchen sink right at this very moment?
nothing, the maid came yesterday
You go to a store to buy an expensive item... say $150. You pick up that item and a couple other this n' thats. You get to the register and the expensive item rings up at $40. The cashier doesn't seem to notice and tells you your total. Do you go with what they say and pay it or do you question the price difference? You know you would question it if your $40 item rang up at $150....
go with what they say
Do you fold your underwear or do you just toss it in a drawer?
fold in thirds
There is a Harley-Davidson giveaway. Chances are $100 and they are only selling 250 tickets. Do you buy one?
no, motorcycles scare me!
Who is your favorite Disney character?
ariel from the little mermaid
It's September - most of the weekly sitcoms/dramas are starting new seasons again. Which one are you most looking forward to?
criminal minds
You are at a grocery store and are on your way out to your car with your cart full of grocery bags. On your way to your car you see a black kitten in an empty cart. What do you do?
keep walking
Is there anything that you do for a hobby that you are asked to do for friends/family that most people would hire a professional to do? (example: cake decorating, fixing cars....)
working on computers
Are we there yet?
almost

lee looking at ed -- february 2003

2009-09-02T20:23:00.001-05:00

a question for my great-great grandparents

2009-09-01T17:31:00.001-05:00

so the plinky question for today was:
what questions would you ask your great-great-grandparents if you could chat with them today?

I would ask them two questions:
1. what was your favorite childhood memory?
2. what is your favorite food?

the first question would give me a glimpse not only into who they are, but what their childhood was like and the second question, hey, I'm a foodie!

my boys love to read

2009-08-31T19:36:00.001-05:00

I am so lucky to have boys who love to read!!

back to school and concerts

2009-08-30T12:16:00.000-05:00

here's this week's sunday six (except it's only 4)

school starting

2009-08-28T22:24:00.000-05:00

so school started for my boys this week and getting back into the routine of that always gets me thinking about the other things in my life that I need to get into gear. what about you, does fall make you think about the things in your life that you want to get better control and schedule of?

BS, Dog Kisses, Memories And You Guessed It...More!

2009-08-27T18:47:00.014-05:00

this week's thursday thunks are brought to you by Kimber, the number of kids I have and the color of dead roses.

Have you ever played Bullshit?
yes, but I am not very good at it
A dog licks you on your face. Are you disgusted or thinking it was sweet?
disgusted, in fact I am disgusted right now just thinking about it
Tell us about a fun/special memory you have of a grandparent.
I remember when my grandmother came up to school to tell me that my little sister had been born
Have you ever pet a rat?
no
If I walked into your kitchen, where are the cups?
the cabinet to the left above the sink
Since you already let me in your home, I found the cup and had water, now where's the bathroom from the kitchen?
walk into the living room, turn right and then left down the hall and it is on your left
Have you ever pet a turtle or tortoise?
pet turtle when I was a kid

dave and lee playing the guitar -- february 2003

2009-08-26T07:17:00.003-05:00