Tiffany turns 28!

My sis Tiffany turned 28 a few weeks ago...I know, I know...I'm way behind but I just got a few pics from my mom so I wanted to add them in. My family always does get togethers for birthdays at home and below are a few pics from Tiff's b-day celebration. I wasn't able to be there :( but I was there in spirit for my sister!

I don't know how my sister does it all. Tiff is a mother of 3 now and you may hear me talk about her kiddos sometimes, ok all the time! Adysen and Bayleigh are 4 yrs. old now and little, or should I say BIG now, Parker is 3 months old. (Maybe I will do a special niece/nephew post later with new pics). She is the Colville High School Dance Team Coach and has a team of 22 (I think) this year. She also works for my Dad a few days a week in the office. I don't know about you but just having 3 kids sounds like a full schedule to me! She always impresses me by being able to handle it all and be a GREAT mother, wife, sister, daughter and I'm sure many other things to other people.

It's hard to believe that my sister is 28! I mean, that's SO old. haha, just kidding. I'm catching right up with her now. It seems like just yesterday we were playing barbies, running our own bank with the big keyboards dad brought home for us, playing restaurant or being store owners in the basement. We would lay our clothes out or movies or whatever we could find and then take turns shopping and buying stuff from each others stores. Even back then we loved shopping :)

Well, even though it's extra late on my blog, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Tiff. I hope this year finds you more happiness than the one before. I love you so much and I am always proud of you.

Mom and Tiff at the house for the P-A-R-T-Y! Getting a little help with her candles from the girlies. That seems to be the usual when it comes to anyone's birthday :) Wish I could have been there!

good times...funny pics

I was going through old pictures and came across an album of pics from our rehearsal dinner for our wedding. I was getting married in about 24 hours, was with amazing family and my best friends in the entire world and was laughing so hard I could barely breath. We jumped on the trampoline for what seemed like hours (taking turns doing tricks and silly jumps - see below..haha) and made up a routine in the back yard. This has to be one of my favorite memories with all of my friends. Here are a few pics from the silly evening: Me and Meg striking a pose! I was so impressed we got both of our faces in this one. See next....

This actually turned out to be one of my favorites!The whole gang :) Trying to do a simultaneous jump....yeah right!Me and Jackie....just a little hip bump :) I wish it showed the trampoline below us! Can't you tell we were working hard?

The dancing in the back yard. I think we were doing the move from "Can't buy my love." Oldie but a goodie!You know when you are little and you wish that you could fly? I tried! I'm just glad my dress didn't fly up! I should probably mention that right after this, Ryan and I were jumping together and he bounced me up so high that I came back down and fell on him and we bumped heads really bad. It could have been a catastrophe! But, after a few minutes and everyone freaking out at Ryan for maybe breaking my face the day before our wedding and me thinking that I might have broke my arm, we were back to having fun...haha. Good memory!

TAKE THAT cancer...!

I am happy to share good news this morning. Two people that are very close to both sides of our families have received great news in the past few days in regards to cancer. I would like to share a little about each of them.

Many of you have heard me talk about Lorie. Lorie has been an additional member of my family for many years, I can't even remember how long it's been now. She has been fighting with different types and areas of cancer in her body for more than a few years now. She is a fighter, she is strong and I am very proud of her. She has taken what has happened to her and allowed it to give her a whole new outlook on life. A positive outlook. Yesterday she received her results from her latest bone scan and below is a little of what she shared on her blog. I love you Lorie and I couldn't be happier to help share your good news. I always keep you in my prayers.

"My cancer is regressing which means where active cancer cells once appeared. . . there are places where they are no longer there!!! I am going to continue to get healthy in every way. I am continuing to focus on my health. I am even motivated now. I am grateful for the news and feel it has been a long time coming. I still have a journey ahead of me, but today I was rejuvenated in this fight. I am hopeful. I am more confident. It is forward movement and I will take it."

Also, back in June I shared news of Ryan's 19 year old cousin, Kyle, being diagnosed with Diffused Large B Cell Lymphoma, at a stage 3. We were able to see him a few weeks back and he seems to be holding up very well! He has had excellent spirits throughout this whole process and it was so good to see him smiling and laughing and know he is still doing ok through all of this. Kyle's Dad, Uncle Steve, is really good about keeping everyone updated through e-mail and we are always anxious to hear what is happening. We are always thinking good thoughts for you Kyle, and for the whole family! Kyle recently had surgery to remove a tumor and here is some of Steve's update from today:

"Some of you have heard and some haven't so let me get right to it: NO CANCER IN THE BIOPSIED TISSUE! His doctor called at around 4:00ish with the good news. She said something like Kyle had made a great decision and that he will be facing one more round of the chemo he had last time and then we will have a meeting early next week to map out what will happen in the future. He is relieved as all of us are. Kyle is doing well; he was moving around better today than yesterday and if everything goes well he will be home Tuesday. While he is not totally out of the woods yet (it will take years to hit that point) he is clearly at the edge of the forest!"

SO.......TAKE THAT cancer! :) This isn't over yet for either of our family members, but this is a definite step in a positive direction and I couldn't be happier to share it! If you have a spare minute, please keep them in your prayers. Thanks!

Friday's 20

1. I like tomatoes and ketchup but I can't eat the two at the same time...like a tomato on a hamburger that has ketchup on it. I will take the tomato off and eat it separately.

2. Ever since I was a little girl I have been terrified of walking up the stairs when the lights are off. To this day, I still run up the stairs in my own house because I'm afraid someone is going to grab my ankles. Ryan gets such a kick out of this, let me tell ya.

3. I would give anything to know how to play the violin.

4. If I write something on a piece of paper and it is wrong and should be scribbled out (like most normal people would do), I will have to get an entire new piece and re-write whatever was on the paper - no matter how long. This made note taking in class a nightmare for me.

5. Lately I can't read enough. I have finished 5 books in the last 2 months (and 2 of them were big ones, the kind I used to shy away from). I don't know what's happened to me! On this same subject, I often start multiple books at the same time and go back to finishing them at different times. I guess I get bored easily.

6. I have a knack for the drums in the game Rock Band. I don't know how it happened, but it just clicked on the first day we bought it. I think my husband is jealous :) hehe...

7. I went through a period when I was younger when I was dead set on getting an iguana. I researched what kind I wanted and we even went and looked at them several times. Truth is, I can't even hold small reptile like animals in my hand without freaking out. Good thing I got a dog instead.

8. I LOVE pickles and have decided they are one of my favorite foods. Ry and I have a rule, if we eat at a restaurant and he gets a pickle with his meal and I don't, he has to share half with me. Also, if he orders french fries and I don't, he has to give me 2 fries. Can you tell whose idea these were?? :)

9. I am terrible at drawing. To this day, I can't draw a realistic person or animal without it looking deformed or scary. Trust me, my nieces have pointed out that they are better than me numerous times. It's always good for a laugh.

10. We still have Halloween candy in a huge bowl on top of our refrigerator from last year. Anyone craving a tootsie roll? Stop on by :)

11. I have never met anyone that spells their name the same as mine is spelled. Dayna yes, Deyna no. I know they are out there, but I have never met one in person.

12. A few mornings ago I was told by my niece Adysen that her sister Bayleigh...and I quote..."doesn't want to talk to you on the phone for a whole year." I have never been so sad :)

14. In the beginning I was against getting a DVR...now I think it is the greatest invention of all time. Especially because my bedtime is getting increasingly earlier and earlier and all the good shows aren't over until 10pm. I'm old.

15. After over a year since I changed my name, I finally have a mailbox at work that says "Brown" instead of "Tripp". Yay it's official!

16. I love musicals. I could go to one every weekend and never get bored. If I thought I had any ability to act, that is what I would want to do with my life.

17. I have to chew more than 1 piece of gum at a time...2 pieces usually. I don't know what it is, but I can't help but swallow it if there is only 1. I go through packs of gum pretty quickly!

18. I love the sound of dirt/garbage/stuff being sucked up in the vacuum cleaner. It just makes it seem like you are really getting good cleaning done! This might be my weirdest one of the day.

19. Every now and then I find little things left behind by the people who lived in our house before us. It was a family of four with 2 adorable little girls and the other day I found an old maid card tucked under the refrigerator. It made me smile.

20. I hate to be cold, but I love the smell and feeling of crisp fall and winter air. I always tell Ryan "It smells like Christmas." And of course he proceeds to look at me like I'm crazy because it's only October. It's just a feeling I guess. Plus, cold air means cute scarves and hats :)