2007 - A Year in Review

January: Went bowling with the in-laws for New Years 2007. In bed before the ball dropped...haha. Finished crummy medical treatment - I can't believe it's been a year now! Thank you to everyone who helped me make it through.
February: Celebrated Deyna's Day February 15th :) Thank you Ry. Went looking at houses for the 1st time on Valentines Day.
March: Closed on our new house - Entered the world of mortgage payments and more bills than I had ever seen! Wow. But well worth it.

April: Celebrated our engagement anniversary April 19th...only a few months until the big day went down! Mal and Jared came down to visit for Mal's B-day.
May: I Moved out of Portland to Beaverton. Goodbye to Greenbriar Village after all of the years (happy, but sad moment). Thank you to everyone who helped us get things in order. Spent some time living alone listening to every noise the house made and singing my heart out in the shower :) Pookie's 1st birthday.
June: Had two awesome wedding showers...one in Portland and one in Colville. Interviewed for a promotion at work. The girlies turned 3! So grown up...July: Got a promotion at work. Got to spend a week in Colville - hadn't done that in a few years. Married my best friend in WA on 7.21.07. Had an awesome party :) Saw more people together in one place than in my entire life! I loved it. Went to Mexico for the 1st time - had an interesting (we won't go back), but great time! haha...4 days without a suitcase anyone?? Quite a few stories to tell.
August: Ryan and I moved in together! He started putting his shoes in front of the closet instead of IN the closet. Biggest pet peeve to date! hehe. Got to celebrate with Dad on his 50th Birthday!! September: Celebrated all of the Brown Family birthdays. Mal and Jackie surprised me with a visit for my birthday (Ryan helped)! I was SO surprised. Sang at the PSU Home opener...biggest crowd I had ever performed for. October: Got our first Trick or Treaters! Ryan got a new job/promotion at work on his way to becoming a PGE Lineman. Ryan worked his first 24+ hour shift...I don't know how he does it!
November: Ryan shot his first deer. "Uncle Ryan shot a deer with big horns". Spent Thanksgiving in Colville. Learned we were going to have another niece or nephew on the Tripp side in July (Tiff is due July 3rd).
December: Meg and Trev's wedding. Beautiful and Fun at The Old Church! Gayle's baby shower. We are all grown up :)Became future Godparents. Had an early holiday in Colville and my first Christmas away from my family in Tigard, OR. Christmas with the Browns. Found out we were going to have another new niece or nephew on the Brown side in August! Pookie #2 :)
To all those reading this: Thank you for sharing such a BUSY and wonderful year with Ry and I. This was a year of firsts for us and we wouldn't have made it through all of the major changes in our lives without all of your help and support. We LOVE you all very much. Looking forward to health and happiness in 2008.

things on my mind...

-My house is SUPER clean at the moment and I LOVE that feeling. I even made my bed this morning.
-I wish my husband didn't work so much - as I sit here all alone at 11:00pm :( - but I know he really loves what he is doing. I'm just a worrier...
-I miss my pregnant sister and her already growing tummy -Baby Fred :)
-Work is driving me crazy everyday, yet I still like what I'm doing - as weird as that is.
-When do I need to take down my Christmas tree? I want to keep Christmas around...
-My nieces are the funniest girls in the entire world. I wish I could see them right now. I wish they could tell me a bedtime story.
-Ryan and I are ROCKSTARS -we have a band called the BROWNIE$ on guitar hero. hehe...big kids.
-I need to remember to pay a few bills tomorrow. Sometimes I hate being an adult.
-I think I'm ready for warm weather again. Bring on the spring already...
-Tyra Banks is weird. Late night television is not impressive.
-We are going to Vegas in 3 weeks for Megan and Joes wedding!
-Baby Simone Sideris is almost here!
-What are we going to do for New Years?? I can't believe it is almost 2008...weird!
-I need to remember to take my vitamins everyday. Thanks for the Flinstones Mama.
-It seems like everyone is having babies....family, friends, celebrities..baby boom!
-I love music. I wouldn't make it without it. So many good songs out right now...
-Ryan still isn't home yet...still worried but have to sleep. About to call mom and chat :)

The New 12 Days of Christmas

Consider giving gifts to your significant other for the Twelve Days of Christmas, which I just learned begins on December 26th (today)!! I found a more economical (and more fun) version than the original...This version includes hugs, kisses, love songs, and other inexpensive tokens of your love for one another.

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a sweet kiss on my forehead.
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, two blooming flowers, and a sweet kiss on my forehead.
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me, three nice hugs, two blooming flowers, and a sweet kiss on my forehead.
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, four telephone calls, three nice hugs, two blooming flowers, and a sweet kiss on my forehead.
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, five chocolate gold coins , four telephone calls, three nice hugs, two blooming flowers, and a sweet kiss on my forehead.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, six candy kisses, five chocolate gold coins, four telephone calls, three nice hugs, two blooming flowers, and a sweet kiss on my forehead.
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a seven minute massage, six candy kisses, five chocolate gold coins, four telephone calls, three nice hugs, two blooming flowers, and a sweet kiss on my forehead.
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, eight tasty cookies , a seven minute massage, six candy kisses, five chocolate gold coins, four telephone calls, three nice hugs, two blooming flowers, and a sweet kiss on my forehead.
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, nine hidden love notes, eight tasty cookies, a seven minute massage, six candy kisses, five chocolate gold coins, four telephone calls, three nice hugs, two blooming flowers, and a sweet kiss on my forehead.
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, ten love songs to play, nine hidden love notes, eight tasty cookies, a seven minute massage, six candy kisses, five chocolate gold coins, four telephone calls, three nice hugs, two blooming flowers, and a sweet kiss on my forehead.
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, eleven passionate kisses, ten love songs to play, nine hidden love notes, eight tasty cookies, a seven minute massage, six candy kisses, five chocolate gold coins, four telephone calls, three nice hugs, two blooming flowers, and a sweet kiss on my forehead.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, twelve no-chore coupons, eleven passionate kisses, ten love songs to play, nine hidden love notes, eight tasty cookies, a seven minute massage, six candy kisses, five chocolate gold coins, four telephone calls, three nice hugs, two blooming flowers, and a sweet kiss on my forehead.
Today, the true cost of the original Twelve Days gifts would probably be around $60,000.
However, this version costs just a fraction of that - less than $40.

What you need to actually purchase or do on the 12 Days of Christmas:
12 kisses on forehead (1 for 12 days)
22 blooming flowers (2 for 11 days)
30 hugs (3 for 10 days)
36 phone calls (4 for 9 days)
40 chocolate gold coins (5 for 8 days)
42 candy kisses (6 for 7 days)
6 7-minutes massages (1 for 6 days)
40 cookies (8 for 5 days)
36 love notes to hide around the house (9 for 4 days)
30 love songs to play (10 for 3 days)
22 passionate kisses (11 for 2 days)
12 coupons for not having to do a chore around the house (12 for 1 day)

HAVE FUN!

Do It Anyway - by Mother Teresa

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.

Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.

Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.

Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.

Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.

Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.

Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God.

It was never between you and them anyway.

i LOVE my husband

Hold up there you go again

Puttin on that smile again

Even though I know you’ve had a bad day

Doin this and doin that

Always puttin’ yourself last

A whole lotta give and not enough take

But you can only be strong, so long before you break…

So fall, go on and fall apart

Fall into these arms of mine

Ill catch you every time you fall

Go on and lose it all

Every doubt, every fear, every worry, every tear

Im right here

Baby fall

Forget about the world tonight

All that’s wrong and all that’s right

Lay your head on my shoulder let it fade away

And if you wanna let go, baby its okay

Fall, go on and fall apart

Fall into these arms of mine

Ill catch you every time you fall

Go on and lose it all

Every doubt, every fear, every worry, every tear

Im right here

Baby fall

Hold on hold on hold on to me...

Fall go on and fall apart

Fall into these arms of mine

Ill catch you every time you fall

Go on and lose it all

Every doubt, every fear, every worry, every tear

Im right here

Baby fall

Ry- Thank you for being you and the best husband I could ask for. Thank you for putting up with me through the good days and the "not so good". :) I love you.