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!

The Deck that Bryan built...

Before I left on vacation, Bryan and I had started building a deck. I helped initially, and then just took to supervising the project. :) When I left for my trip, it was nothing but the support beams. He finished it while I was gone on vacation....I think he did a great job! As soon as I got home, he said, you have to come over and see the deck...

I helped plant a few flowers, and now it's done. Last night Bryan, myself, and Mom ate dinner outside on it.....so apparently it's sturdy....haha. Good job Bryan!

A few more vacation pics!

Our favorite spot before dinner....we played trivia almost every day...and lost almost every day. Our big prize was a Royal Carribean keychain...wooohooo!
Liberty of the Seas....the largest cruise ship in the world. :) Trust me, it was big.
Ahhh, vacation.
I loved the towel animals each night....this one startled me when I walked into the room. It's wearing Megan's sunglasses! :)
Jamaica...enough said. Right after I snapped this picture she said "Hey girl, you tip me!" I was planning on it, just had to give me a minute to fish out a dollar. Right after this, back to the boat for me! :) haha

Vacation....YAY!

Haiti!
My Aunt Carol and I
The gang, my cousin Megan, Aunt Lorie, myself, and Aunt Carol...celebrating Megan's Graduation
Haiti

Here are a few pictures from my cruise. We went on Royal Carribean out of Miami, and visisted:

Labadee, Haiti

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Georgetown, Grand Cayman

Cozumel, Mexico



My favorites were Grand Cayman and Haiti.....



I could take or leave Jamaica...just not my cup of tea. However, I didn't spend long there....and went back to the boat to lay out!



We jet skiied in Haiti, it was awesome, that was my favorite part of the trip. Other than the relaxing and reading....and EATING were great. I read "My Sisters Keeper" by Jodi Picoult and "Night" by Elie Weisel on the trip...they were both good.

Reading "Eat Pray Love"

I wanted to share my favorite paragraph so far from the book I am reading. I've really enjoyed it....and have definitely learned some things in regards to controlling your thoughts. When something upsets me or makes me mad, I tend to let myself get worked up over it repeatedly. So, I'm trying a new trick......no dwelling. :)

"There is so much about my fate that I cannot control, but other things do fall under my jurisdiction. There are certain lottery tickets I can buy, thereby increasing my odds of finding contentment. I can decide how I spend my time, whom I interact with, whom I share my body and life and money and energy with. I can select what I eat and read and study. I can choose how I'm going to regard unfortunate circumstances in my life-whether I will see them as curses or opportunities (and on occasions when I can't rise to the most optimistic viewpoint, because I'm feeling too sorry for myself, I can choose to keep trying to change my outlook). I can choose my words and the tone of voice in which I speak to others. And most of all, I can choose my thoughts."