Baby Shower for Elizabeth

Aunts, Grandmother's, and Mommy to be

Here are a few pictures from Elizabeth's baby shower. We had so much fun, and she got lots of good stuff for Baby Hadleigh. I am SO excited to be an aunt.

My Brother the Police Officer

Getting his award
Joe and I
Dad and Joe
Mom and Joe


I'm a proud sister!

Joe graduated from the Fort Smith Police Academy on Friday. He received an award for ranking third in shooting skills (a skill I knew he would be good at, but one I hope is only reserved for hunting). I am glad he has found his thing, and I know he will be an excellent police officer. He's smart and quick witted. Two qualities that will serve him well.

I have given him some grief over this career choice, just because I worry. I know that we need policemen, I respect them, but I'd rather him be doing something nice and safe. Unfortunately, I'm not calling the shots....and really, what defines nice and safe these days.

There was a very good speaker at his graduation, that addressed the new grads. He has worked in the Law Enforcement field his entire life...I will have to get his name from the program. Anyway, he left them with some very good words of wisdom. He kept it simple, but to the point.

The first being:

"With authority comes responsibility."

The second was two rules he gave them:

1. Do your job.
2. Don't embarrass yourself, your family, your chief, or your community."

He said if they followed these two rules, they would be fine. Pretty much good rules for everyone.

A few more John Lleyton Pictures

Poppy Pictures

I love the little "wrinkles" on his side :)
Missa Cindy, look at the blanket in the background! :)

Hanging out with Mom
Sweet face.
Kristy asked me to come do some pictures of John Lleyton, he was SO cute today. He did cry, spit up, and fuss at me some, but who can blame him with all the flashes going off?? He is one of the most handsome and sweet boy's I have ever seen! We had a lot of fun doing the pictures, and plan on doing more later when Mom and Dad can both be in them! I use to take pictures alot, but after undergrad/grad school and life I just haven't done as many these past several years. I love doing it, so thank you kristy for letting me come over and stretch my camera legs with Poppy!

John Lleyton Brown

Sweet Brown Family
Poppy and mommy!! :)
Kristy, John Lleyton, and her parents
Love them!!

Poppy is here! I asked Kristy if she minded if I posted pictures (I didn't want to steal her blogging thunder) and she said, "No, of course not!" So here they are. I got to see him for a few minutes when they brought him back to her yesterday afternoon, and then again today around 200. He's VERY handsome. They are a very sweet little family!!

The Battle of the Sun Roof!

Bryan and I have an ongoing battle over the sun roof in the car. It's turned into a little game we like to play. I like to keep the thing shut that keeps out all the sunlight. Bryan of course likes to have it open so the sun comes through. So, the game is....I shut it...over and over...and he opens it...over and over. Sounds like fun...huh? Usually who ever is driving wins the game.... Well today we were on our way back from Searcy and I was so sleepy, so I leaned the seat back so I could take a nap while he drove. It's what you could call "high noon" and the sun it just beating down through the glass in the sun roof. So, we played our game...I shut the thing, he opened it...about 4 or 5 times. I finally gave in and kind of turned on my side so the sun wasn't shining right into my eyes and whined about how the sun was too bright and too hot, and I couldn't sleep. He told me to shut my eyes...and he was sure I would go to sleep. So, I did. I woke up an hour and half later and the sun roof was shut. Some time during my nap I had won the game! I asked him if he shut it while I was sleeping, and he said yes. It was a sweet moment. And then he said I sleep with my mouth hanging open...and the sweet moment was over! :)

KC for the Fourth of July

The ride on ben the camel.
Bryan at the KC Zoo


Bryan and I went to Kansas City for the Fourth of July. Bryan really wanted to go somewhere for the weekend, and he had never been there. So we stayed at the plaza, and shopped and relaxed. We drove up Thursday night, and spent Friday morning at the KC Zoo (where I rode the camel...haha), friday afternoon shopping (well...I shopped...he napped), and went out to dinner Friday night at Brio. Saturday, we shopped some more and then went to dinner at the Melting Pot. I was SO excited, I had never been before. I did learn that I can eat the cheese course and then the dessert course and be completely content.....The chocolate fondue was excellent, and Bryan isn't a big chocolate/peanut butter person, so I had the entire thing to myself!!! He said I was "woofing" it down. Why, I have never been talked to in such a fashion! I am positive I would not "woof" down chocolate fondue.....(you are all agreeing with me...right??) :) Oh we also managed to go to the Cheesecake Factory twice, once for lunch, and once for dessert friday night. ;)




The only hitch in our plan for the weekend was the hotel swimming pool. We planned on spending time reading some books by the pool and I wanted to get some sun. Well, we booked the hotel on Kati's recommendation. The location was excellent, but the pool was.....no good. Small, indoor, and freezing. I couldn't even get in because it was so cold. I had to sit in the hot tub, and then run over and stick my feet in for a minute, and then go back to the hot tub. And no sunshine at an indoor pool! You win some, you lose some...right?



I just have to mention since this is my official Fourth of July post, how proud I am of Bruce Smith. He is making such a huge sacrifice for our country and I could not be more proud. He is still stationed in Baghdad, Iraq. He should be home for a small leave in August sometime, we are all excited to see him.



I am so thankful to live in the Unites States of America!