We've Moved!

Just wanted to let you know that A Day in the Life of the Brown Family blog has moved here!

Here's a sneak peek of the latest post:

Love Notes

What wife doesn't love getting them? I love waking up in the morning (or walking randomly into the kitchen) to find a note scrawled on a legal pad that I left on the counter. Usually short and sweet, these notes make my day. It's ridiculous how many times I read some of them. Not only that, I have boxes full of the notes, cards, and other mementos that David has given me over the years. I think the first artifact dates back about 9 years (definitely not romantic but treasured nonetheless). The picture to the left is of the note that greeted me this morning. 

The verse is the same one that has followed David's signature in notes to me for years. 2 Samuel 22:31 says, "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him." Thankfully, David and I have had a relatively "problem"-free life. We've had what we would consider trials, but when we compare those to things that our friends and fellow Christians have gone through, it doesn't seem fair to call them that. Even so, this verse (and Psalm 18:30 which I put after my name in my notes to David) has been a blessing to us. We know that if God has gotten us through the little things in life he will be faithful to get us through the bigger issues that are sure to arise. 

Fall Photos

Even though we had family pictures taken back in March, they still look outdated since Riley had grown so much since then. It's amazing how quickly little ones changes. She's gone up about three shoe sizes, grown out of all her clothes, and probably doubled the amount of hair she has in the past 8 months. Glad David and I can't say the same things about ourselves (except maybe my sweet husband sprouting some extra hair).  

Since we like to send out Thanksgiving cards, we decided to ask our friend who's starting a photography business to take a few shots of us. We met on Wednesday afternoon and here are some she took. Here's a link to her Facebook page.  

Thanks to our friend Danielle, we're going to have a very cute Thanksgiving card this year!  Can't wait to see them.  

Spaghetti Betty

Our little munchkin didn't earn the nickname Spaghetti Betty for nothing. Ever since her first experience with the Italian cuisine, Riley has been hooked.  Whenever "ghetti," as she lovingly calls it, or pizza is on the menu, we have one very happy little girl. The pleas for "morn" are incessant, and it's difficult to get her to eat anything else on the table, especially one of the other foods is green (apparently eating veggies while pregnant does not make your child enjoy broccoli and green beans like the pregnancy books suggest).

Throughout Riley's short life, pizza and spaghetti have provided more than nutrition a full belly.  They've given us many photo taking opportunities; today's lunch was no different. Here are a few shots of our messy eater. 

Disclaimer: Riley usually doesn't walk around without a shirt on. However, when you're wearing clothes that need to be passed down to younger cousins, one must take various measures to preserve their stain-free state. Regardless of the size of the bib, our messy girl manages to get sauce somewhere.  

Brown Family Update

Hi there. Remember me? I'm the one who's supposed to be keeping people updated with what's going on with our family. The reality? I've become a total slacker when it comes to blogging. What made me want to get the ball rolling again? That would be reading all the posts from when I was pregnant with Riley. There weren't a ton, but it was enough to help jog my memory on some things that I'd forgotten. It's nice to be able to look back and see what was going on at different points in our lives. I will do better.  

For those of you who don't know us "for real," life is wonderful. Riley is 19 months old and keeps us laughing and quite busy. She's talking all the time, running all around, and quite attached to three measuring "pucks" from her play kitchen (weird, right??).  

In July, we found out that baby # 2 is on the way. I'm currently 20 weeks and 3 days pregnant. On Wednesday we found out the gender; Riley helped us make the "big" announcement. About 30 pictures and 20 minutes later, this is the best we came up with (just glad it's a horse and not one of the cups in the picture):

Riley doesn't quite understand the whole baby concept yet (as evidenced by the fact that she thinks there's baby in her belly), but she does love little ones. We're hoping she's very excited when the time comes and one is actually living in our house. David and I absolutely can't wait for little Caroline Elizabeth to join our family. 

I'm feeling great! In the beginning, I wasn't able to sleep very well. Since that passed, I've been feeling normal. If it weren't for my growing stomach and the pokes and jabs I'm getting from the inside, I wouldn't feel pregnant at all. I'm doing a lot more this time around to stay in good shape. I never quite lost all my baby weight from Riley, so I started a little bit behind this time. My goal is to weigh the same when I give birth to Caroline as I did when I give birth to Riley. Now probably wouldn't be a good time to admit that I'm probably going to the fair today, would it? Greasy french fries and powdered sugar covered funnel cakes are totally going to be calling my name. Hopefully the apple I just ate for breakfast will help balance everything out.  

And now, so you can see how we're doing, here are a few recent pictures. Unfortunately, the last good one of all of us is from Riley's birthday.  

Riley Update

Let me start out by saying this:  I have been a failure at keeping up with this blog since Riley came into this world.  Not only have we been spending all of our time with our precious girl, I've been busy with other things, too.  Before this sounds like a pile of excuses, let's move on to this "between months" update.  

I can't begin to explain how quickly our girl is growing.  The things she learns never cease to amaze me.  She can blow kisses, do the signs for "thank you" and "more," clap her hands like it's going out of style, locate YOUR nose and her own head and hair, obey many simple commands, etc.  She can tell the difference between a dog and a bear when you hold up the cards in front of her (this only works with certain pairs of animals... sometimes it's obvious that she just likes the butterfly better than the dolphin because she goes for that every time).  She can melt your heart and she can try your patience (you moms know that your babies do it, too... I'm just being honest).  

David and I are constantly talking about how much fun she is.  I knew I would love being a mom, but I have to admit, I never dreamed I'd love it this much.  Having her smile at me, lean in to give me a big, sloppy kiss, and thousands of other things make me stop and thank God for the little one he's put in our care.  I hope we remember to tell her that we go into her room EVERY SINGLE NIGHT just to look at her, watch her sleep, and talk about how big she's getting.  Every night we talk about how time goes too fast and we can't believe that she's going to be one so soon (less than a week!!!).  

On another note, I'm happy to announce that I won our first major battle of wills (the parenting books don't tell you how early those start unless you're reading "To Train Up a Child.").  Lord helping me, I'll keep winning them, no matter how big or how small.  I had to call three people to help me "stick to my guns" and reassure me that I was doing the right thing but it paid off in the end.  I try to tell myself that I'm helping to prepare her to respond to God's offer of salvation.  

Let me just tell you, it's so much easier to give in.  I would have much rather stopped the training session, picked up my little girl and showered her with cuddles and kisses.  I'm thankful for a godly husband, father, and friend who encouraged me to do what was right rather than doing what I felt like doing.  

Photo Ramblings and Vacation Notes

We had a wonderful time on our trip to KY and AL.  We were able to visit with nieces and nephews (and other family members, but we all know the kiddos are the important ones), hear some fantastic teaching on the KJV, make new friends, and enjoy some quality family time.  Enjoy these photos from our trip and be on the look-out for the over due 11 month update.  My baby is going to be 1 in 10 days.  I'm not ready for that.  

Vacation

We're taking our family vacation early this year, and I'm so excited! We're leaving on Monday and won't be back until the following Tuesday! After a brief stop in Alabama to see family, it'll be just David, Riley, and me for almost a week! (Can you say "major overuse of exclamation points??!!??" Every sentence in that paragraph ended with one.)

After our stop at David's parents', we're heading to Danville, Kentucky where we'll be going to a meeting that Sam Gipp is preaching on the King James Bible. I'm hoping Riley does well in an unfamiliar nursery because I'd really like to get to hear the preaching. I know what Bible I believe, and lots of the reasons why I believe it, but I'm excited about the opportunity to learn even more. I told David that if the nursery thing doesn't work, he can take Riley out since he's heard Bro. Gipp before. We'll see how that one goes.  

I can't wait to share pictures and stories from our trip. Our vacations are known to be fun and eventful. This year, we'll be traveling with a Uhaul trailer on the way up to deliver some books for a missionary... I can see that providing much entertainment and frustration along the way. It also means that David will be doing all the driving on the way up. I don't see myself being comfortable driving the Jeep with a trailer.  

Photo Ramblings

Riley Grace: Ten Month Update & Photos

In a nutshell, ten months equals into everything. Into everything but unbelievably fun. The interaction is fantastic. She's gone from a little bundle that doesn't move to a baby who crawls all over you, does things to make you laugh, and talks to you (doesn't matter that you have absolutely no idea what she's saying).  

We are blessed with such a good baby!  Unless she's trying to be forced to go with someone else (namely, my brother or the nursery workers at church), she's a happy camper.  She loves to play, eat, and sleep.  

Here's what's been going on with Riley:

... a second tooth

... her first cold and first sick visit to the doctor :(

... trying to stand up on her own

... saying mama (to me, to her baby, to David... everyone is Mama)

... loving her baby doll.  She thinks that thing is the best thing ever

... sticking random things in any open drawer or basket (I find puzzle pieces in my dresser drawers, Little 

    people in my dirty clothes baskets, etc.)

... growling

... cackling when she thinks something is funny

... modeling the hats mommy makes to sell on Etsy

... sleeping 12-13 hours at night.  She goes to bed around 7:30 or 8 and wakes up around 8:30

I can't believe that in a few short weeks my baby is going to be one.  I'm definitely not ready for it.

Oh, and for the record, she does not always have something on her head...  just take a look at the last picture!! 

modeling :)

two teeth... a little crooked but very adorable

coughing :(

playing on her "gym" from the Harvills

playing with Mommy

with Angelo and Gavin, friends from Australia 

working with Daddy

How to Entertain a Baby...

...so you can fold clothes.

Items necessary:

magnetic animals from your fridge farm

colander, rubbermaid container, spoon, and spatula

baby doll

one clean pair of socks

The result? 30-40 minutes of play and neatly folded laundry.  Usually, she unfolds the clothes as I'm getting them folded.  

Bible Conference Pictures

Bible Conference: Listen Online

The 2011 Bible Conference is in full swing!  The preaching and fellowship thus far have been excellent.  For those of you who wanted to be here and couldn't be (or those of you who don't know what you're missing because you've never come), I thought I'd share a link with you.  You can listen to the messages online!  Click here to do just that!

Owl Hat Update

A friend from church gave me the pattern for this owl hat.  Riley's room has an owl theme, and that's what we're planning on for Riley's first birthday.  I made my first one last night and I love how it turned out! Riley's napping, so the final product hasn't been tried on yet, but I know it'll look even better on... if it fits okay.  It's looking a little bit smaller than I thought it would.

Well, the hat fits Riley just fine.  I love the way it looks on her.  The only problem is the way I hid the orange yarn from the nose, you can see it when the hat is on... I'm going to have to fix that today. 

Bible Conference Time

2010 Bible Conference
BBC Men's Group Singing
"Shout to the Lord

I can't believe it's Bible Conference time again.  It really doesn't seem possible that a year has passed since our great week-long meeting.  This year is a special one.  On January 20th, the last day of the Conference, David and I will have met 10 years ago.  It doesn't seem possible.  I can still remember walking up to his family to introduce myself to the three young people (Sarah, David, and Kimberly).  Little did I know how much that introduction would change my life.  

Since that conference, several couples have met due to it.  Consequently, Bro. James jokingly came up with a slogan:  "Revival and Romance."  I don't know about that.  If you come looking for romance, you're likely to be disappointed.  But, if you come looking for revival, you never know what the Lord will bring about.  I certainly didn't think that I would meet my future husband ten years ago.  I went with an excitement for the preaching and fellowship.  Both were wonderful, as always.  

Now, I look forward to the week with just as much excitement as ever.  Riley won't really understand what's going on this year, but I can't wait until she does.  I hope she loves it just as much as David and I always have.  I hope the preachers, missionaries, and their wives are her heroes.  And,  in about 35 years, I hope she meets a godly husband at church.  

Last year I didn't take many photos (thus the one of the men singing), but this year I need to.  I have so many great pictures from the years...  I need to make sure I keep up with that.