Recap of 2009

Today is New Years Eve. Every year on this date I stop to reflect over the past year. So here is a small recap of what happened at the Brown house during 2009.
*We started the year off with a bang! Two new additions to our family were added on January 27, 2009. Ashley started her family. Karder and Jarrit were born. We have watched them grow bigger and stronger with each passing month. We watched them as they first started to smile and crawl. Now at the end of the year they are starting to take their first steps. And can say a few words. Life with "the boys" has been fun!
* We have celebrated holidays and birthdays.
* In March we watched, with joy in our hearts, as Josh was baptized and then confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
* We moarned the death of a beloved Father and Grampy.
* We cheered as Kent took home the 2nd place medal at the State Wrestling Tournament. A couple of months later we watched him with great pride as he walked down the isle to graduate from high school. And now at the end of the year as he finishes his mission papers, while he works hard to earn his money for his mission. He is helping to build the new Internet Truck Stop in New Plymouth.
* We spent many hours, days and even months at the baseball field. As we cheered on Tristan, Braxton and Tanner.
* We supported and encouraged Cassandra and Tristan as they started a new school year in a new school district. This move was a positive one. Cassandra played soccer and is now playing basketball for Fruitland High School. Tristan has played football and wrestled this year with Fruitland Middle School. They have both made wonderful friends and are doing well in their studies.
* We were estatic as we heard the news of Kerry's engagement to Shalisa Slagle. We have grown to know and love Shalisa. We are excited to have her as a member of our family.
* We were happy for Kerry when he was called back to work at Costco. And soon after moved to Nampa.
* We prayed for Josh as he searched and soon found a new job.
* We helped Ashley and Josh as they moved from their little trailor to a beautiful home a few miles away.

The Lord has poured his blessings upon our family this year. We have been greatly blessed. This year has been eventful! I look forward with great anticipation to the new year.

Traditions

Every Christmas Eve Bills family has a Christmas party. Grammy would love to surprise us with a lunch. She would save up her change all year and then she would buy us lunch. Sometimes it was chinese food, sometimes it was Subway, sometimes it was pizza. It was always a fun treat. Something she enjoyed doing for the family. This year was sad not having Grammy and Grampy there. We celebrated at Ron and Leisa's house. Each of the family takes a turn and shares with us a talent. With the Brown family that always involves alot of singing and instruments. And then we had treats and opened presents. After that the family gathered around the piano and sang lots of Christmas music. It is always a treat to listen to the Brown's sing!
When Bill and I where first married we found out that our families had different traditions concerning Christmas. His family opens all their presents on Christmas Eve. My family got to open 1 present. That present was always a pair of pajamas. When my Mom was still alive she always made our pajamas. So they always matched. Bill and I decided (mostly because I refused to open all our presents on Christmas eve) that we would open the presents from his family at their party on Christmas eve. And then we would come home and open our pajamas. Still leaving us plenty of presents to open on Christmas morning. It is the only pj's that we buy during the year. So it is a fun treat to get new pajamas! This year I was able to find footie pajamas for almost all the children! Even Kent and Kerry got footies! The kids loved them! Kerry, Shalisa, Kent, Cassandra and Tristan even went to Kmart that evening in their new footie pajamas! We had to purchase 14 pair of pajamas this year. Our family is growing!!!
Other traditions include, orange rolls, cold cereal in little boxes and hot chocolate for breakfast. Shrimp for lunch. And lots of game playing in the afternoon.
I love traditions!

My Grandma and Grandpa Winegar

Tonight my thoughts are on my precious Grandparents. My Grandpa Winegar is 82 years old. And my Grandma Winegar is 80 years old. They have lived long enough to see their grandchildren, their great grandchildren and even their great-great grandchildren. I honestly do not think anyone could have grandparents better than mine! They have always set a high standard for me to follow. I have learned at their feet. They have been guiding me and loving me unconditionally my whole life.
When I was little, about 8 years old (33 years ago) my grandparents started a tradition. I don't think they knew then that this tradition would grow to involve so many of their posterity. One Saturday in December our family gets together to have a Christmas party. We have lunch. Which always involves soups, bread, meats, cheeses, and homemade candy. And after the lunch we have a Nativity Story. Grandpa reads the Nativity Story. We stop every once in a while and sing a Christmas hymn. The children dress up as Shephards, Angels, Wise men, Mary and Joseph. When it is their turn they come on stage. After the program my Grandpa always takes the time to bare his testimony to us. It saddens me to think that my Grandparents wont be here on this earth forever. But I know that when the time does come, there will lots of posterity to carry on this wonderful tradition.

Byer Family Pictures

Kerry and Shalisa's Engagement Pictures

I believe

A certain church comes to my door about once a month a leaves me a couple of their magazines. I am always respectful to them and their beliefs. Even though I do not agree 100% with them. This particular magazine caught my eye. It says, "Exposed: Six Myths About Christianity." INTERESTING. So I sat down this afternoon and read through as much as I could. But before I was finished with the first one, I wanted to cry. I wanted to shout from the rooftops! NOOOO!!!!Their Myth #1 "The Soul is Immortal" Their "Fact" AT DEATH A PERSON CEASES TO EXIST. They believe that God gave us the "breath of life" and that is to mean litarally "breath". When we die and stop breathing we stop existing. This makes my stomach hurt. It is the saddest thing I have ever heard. I cannot imagine my Heavenly Father (God) ever wanting me to stop existing. I believe that he knows each and every one of us perfectly. He loves us with a perfect love. I believe that we were sent here to this earthly life to gain a body of flesh and bones. I believe that while we are here that we will be tested and tried. And that by so doing we will become stronger and better people. I believe that our Heavenly Father (God) wants us to live with him again. "Ceasing to exist" does not sound like Gods plan.
Myth #2 "The Wicked Suffer in Hell" Their Fact: "God does not punish people in hell." Because I believe in God, I believe in a Heaven and a Hell. I believe that someday we will stand before our maker (whether you believe it or not) and we will be judged. He will want an accounting of what we did with our time on earth. I live my life every day with that knowledge. Am I scared of that day. No. But I will be prepared. I also believe that God sent his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to the earth. He was beaten, spit upon, called horrible names. He bled at every pore. He was nailed onto the cross and died. He died to Atone for our sins. Why would he do that, if there was no Heaven and Hell. Or if we just "stopped existing". There would be no purpose. This is why he is called our Savior and our Redeemer.
I will not go into the rest. But I just felt very compelled after reading that to write my feelings and my testimony down.
I know that God lives. I know that he is perfect. I know that he has a plan for each and every one of us. He loves us. He knows us by name. I know that someday I will live with Him again. And I will be reunited with those that have passed on that I love so dearly. They will be waiting to greet me with open arms when I pass through the veil. I am thankful for this knowledge. I am thankful to be a Daughter of God.

Here's whats going on at "Our Little Brown House"

I haven't posted in awhile. I am always thinking I need something new and grand to post. But I don't have that. So here's whats been going on at our house:
1. I went to my sisters the weekend before Thanksgiving. I had a wonderful time! We went to the Unique Boutique Bizarre at Bonneville High School. It was amazing!!! I spent a lot of money and still did not see every booth. I can't wait to go back again next year! My sister taught me how to make some beautiful and whimsical bead watches. I love them!
2. Thanksgiving was good. We spent it at Ashley's. Her home is beautiful and comfortable. We ate lots of turkey, took naps, played games and went to see New Moon again. It was a great day.
3. I took down fall and put up winter. My house is decorated. All I need is my Christmas tree. I wont get that until at least this weekend. I always worry about it drying out and dying before Christmas. One more shopping trip and I should have all my presents bought. Not to many more to get. With a big family it seems like a lot of presents, when in reality, it's only a few a piece. But Christmas is much more than presents. Our family has learn that and accepted it over the years.
4. Most of the people in our house, including myself, are sick with a cold. Tis the season. I could think of worse things. But I never have time to be sick. It is kind of inconvenient! But I do have to say, my foot is feeling much better. Not a 100% yet, but better. No more crutches!!
5. Have a wonderful Christmas everyone!

My African watch. I made 3 watches. I call my 3rd watch my Cindi LouWho watch. It looks like it belongs in whoville. I cant find it today to take a picture of it. I am thinking my daughter wore it to school. I will take a picture and post it as soon as I get it back.
Amberly taught me how to make these beautiful bead watches!
My BIG calendar. One of my favorite things!
My Snowmen