Courtney's "made up" word

I was helping Courtney learn how to blend words today so I said "Kuh--arrr" and after a moment she answered, "CAR!" And then she decides to make one up for me to guess:

"Kuh--ock".

There was a moment on silence on my end as I asked, "cock?"

By this time I'm wondering what her friends at school are teaching her.

She says with a happy tone, "YES!"

I ask where she hears that word. Her response: "I made it up!"

Gotta love innocence.

Love it or Hate it, it's gonna stay for the moment

This is what I've done to one of Darren and Ikee's walls. I saw those bags at Walmart for 75cents each and whenever something extremely cheap comes in a pair of three, it's a guarantee that I'm going to buy it.

But the colors of the bags were too bright to match Darren's vintage Americana/Nautical look. So what did I do? I grabbed Loren's brown shoe polish and rubbed it in and it turned out great.

And, while Courtney and I were at the thrift store, I found those box prints for $2.99 each. My first thought was to do what I've showed above and so far, I like it. It may change it in the future.

So this wall cost me a grand total of $10.50.

My Eleven Dollar Wall.

I've been needing to post this for a while! But all this stuff only cost a fraction; a very, very small fraction of the actual price if I bought these all at the store.

Who says you can't decorate a wall for $11? Beat that "Design on a Dime"!

My Dang-Cute Kids!

I took these pictures while picking up Courtney from school the day we got the camera. I so love this camera! It's so small and compact and super simple to use. Granted, it's no Canon Digital Rebel... :P

Isn't Courtney so pretty?! I think so.

And here's Darren being a dork. Yes, he purposefully made these faces. The one on top is hilarious because he does such a good job at looking just plain stupid. I laugh every time I see that photo!

Darren Singing Collective Soul

Whenever we get into the car, Darren will always say, "Can we play my favorite song?"

It's SO FUN hearing him sing along to it. It's Collective Soul's "Compliment"

If you want to hear it from the band, click here.

Grandpa, God Be With You

...till we meet again.

Writing will forever be my therapy. Regardless if anyone reads it, it has and will always be, my savior.

A few days ago Mom asked all of us siblings to write an email to Grandpa since we knew his days on earth were a short one. I personally am one who doesn't care for change; especially when it's my family member and the change was going to be something earth shattering like death.

Yes, we all die but honestly, do we have to? Too many of those close to me are leaving this earth and though I know that I will see them again, it still breaks my heart.

So I took a seat in front of my computer; fully aware that the email I wrote him would be the last. No longer did it seem we were wondering how many precious days he had left on this earth, but how many hours. I didn't want to write to Grandpa for writing to him meant that I was accepting the fact that he was going to leave. And I didn't want to allow that. The last time I saw Grandma and Grandpa was before Courtney was born and I hoped that I would soon see them again.

I felt robbed of my final opportunity to see my wonderful Grandpa and to hug him and let him know how much I loved him. Yes, Heavenly Father knows what best and I know that Grandpa knows I love and appreciate him.

I'm thankful for my Dad for an email he sent where he said:

While it may be hard for us all to realize that we aren't going to have Grandpa with us for much longer, it is comforting to know that none of us have any "making up" to do to Grandpa before he passes on. We have absolutely no regrets for the way we have treated him, because we have all loved him dearly. Not too many families, unfortunately, can say this. Grandpa knows that we all love him and that we look forward to seeing him again after this life is over. He has no regrets either, and is anxious to see his parents again, as well as his younger brother Neil who is six years younger than him, but who passed away in 1954 when he was 16.

What a comfort that email was. I was grateful for the relationship Grandpa and I had and that he knew how much I loved him and never had a reason to think otherwise.

And finally, I gathered strength and wrote my last letter to one of the most amazing people in my life.

Hey Grandpa

I just wanted to let you know how much I love you and wish that we lived closer so I could visit you right now.

Thank you so much for being a wonderful grandparent to me. You and Grandma, as well as Mom and Dad have been excellent examples of the Gospel. I know I've had my times growing up when I've doubted the church; wondered if all the effort put in to attend the long meetings was worth my time if it wasn't even true. I remember telling this to Mom; in tears saying, "I don't even have a testimony of the church," which she replied, "Then you lean on my testimony". Looking back I know that she was inspired to tell me that and I know that if she wasn't raised my "goodly parents" that she wouldn't have been as inspired as she was for all of us kids. Mom means the world to me and I know that my good upbringing and her examples to me are a reflection of the wonderful example you've been to her.

I look back on the day of my Patriarchal blessing with happy memories. Whenever I tell someone that I got my Patriarchal Blessing from my Grandfather they all gasp in awe. How lucky I am, they tell me. How blessed I am to have a Patriarch in the family. How rare that is and what a treat that must be for me to read upon my blessing and know that not only is it from our Heavenly Father, but from my loving Grandpa.

When I hear people say that to me my usual response is, "I am blessed. I have a wonderful Grandpa who is an amazing, cheerful and exceptionally talented person." I love your cheerfulness and how your smile and laughter was contagious.

I remember when you visited us in Mohave Valley and before church started you went up to the stage and played the most delightful music on the piano. I don't remember much but I do remember thinking that, for one, "Grandpa's going to get in trouble" and two, that the music filled the chapel and rolled this beautiful harmony into my ears. After the fear of you getting in trouble wore off--Mom assured me you would be fine, I remember being proud that you were my Grandpa for I had a Grandpa that could play a piano without music to read from like everyone else had to and better than anyone else I know.

I also remember being very little and crawling up onto the kitchen counter only to find myself being instantly removed and scolded by someone for crawling where I shouldn't. I looked to find you to be the scolder. That day I didn't understand why something so--in my young opinion--innocent could bring on such a disciplinary voice from my lovable Grandpa until I heard that you had a brother who was fatally injured from an incident when he crawled on the counter. It was then that I realized that I wasn't being scolded for doing something dumb or for not thinking before my actions but because you loved me. Even to this day when I crawl up on the counter to grab something that's too high or to hang curtains I hear your voice, but it's not scolding; it's has a warm tone to it. I appreciate your love and though I'm one of many, many grandchildren, I've never felt less than anyone and I knew with you, Grandma, David, and my parents that I always had a home in your heart because I was a somebody amidst this world where the average somebody can, at times, mean nobody.

Mom says that you're happy and without pain and I'm grateful for our Heavenly Father for that. We love you and are thinking about you constantly. I check my email hourly just to hear more updates about how you are doing.

Thanks for taking so many photos of us when you and Grandma would visit. It's another cherished memory of mine. Time goes by so fast and little of it we hold close to. What better way to capture even the smallest, most forgetful moments than with a camera? Another way I knew you loved me and the family was the amount of photo albums you had. For if you didn't love us and want to be with us during our every waking minute, would you bother taking so many pictures? Of course you wouldn't. Since then Dad has taken on the same habit and I pray that my children will too appreciate such love in such a small act.

Know that I love you and hold you dear and close to my heart. I wish I could see you and tell you in person of what a strength you have been in my life but for now, this'll do.

I love you.

Love~
Allison

My new camera.

So no, it's not my dream camera:

Canon Digital Rebel XTI 8MP and just one incredibly awesome piece of machinery.

...unless someone wants to give me about $800. Pshhhh, yeah right. I'll keep dreaming for now.

So instead we're happy with this:

Kodak Easyshare c180

So far, we're very pleased with it. I love that I can put it in my purse and Loren can put it in his work shirt pocket. Let's hope it stays from within reach of little hands so we don't end up having to get a new one in a long, long time.

You know what this means, right? More decorating for me to post about! Wahoo!

Little Allison and Family

facebook Allison Brown 9:39pm Sep 20th Little Allison and Family To alliebrownie.mainblog@blogger.com I have added new photos! Allison has shared a link to an album with you. To view the album or to reply to the message, follow this link: http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=609975015&k=46LU52WZPT6G6BD1SG34XTYUZ&oid=134845238380 If you do not wish to receive this type of email from Facebook in the future, please click here to unsubscribe. Facebook's offices are located at 1601 S. California Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304.

What Darren does during his down time...

Make sure you don't breathe.

I took the kids to the thrift store today and Courtney got this bag full of markers. She was ecstatic since I haven't let her have markers in a while.

After spending several hours coloring page after blank page of computer paper and now and then complaining about the scent of a few of them, she walks up to me, with four of the same brand markers in hand and told me I could have them.

She then warns with animation (imagine her hands and arms doing all the talking), "That's fine if you want to use them, but if you use them, make sure you don't breathe. Because when you breathe you can smell and they smell disgusting."

Once she said, "Don't breathe" I was in hysterics!

I've never seen these markers before. I don't think they're permanent. They have stars and doodles on them. Do any of you know what they are? One smelled like glue, another like bad milk, and the others I couldn't tell.