the browns

Together

2010-04-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

Brothers and sisters are as close as hands and feet. ~Vietnamese Proverb

3 Months Ago

2010-03-11T13:14:00.000-08:00

3 Months ago - Jace and Sophia were 4 days old. We had been home from the hospital for 24 hours and were still coming to terms with the fact that we had 2 new kiddos in our house! Wow. They were fairly quiet babies, who slept most of the day from being premature and had to be woken up to eat every 3 hours during the night and day. I was nursing them together at this point and supplementing bottles after each feeding because we were rapidly trying to gain back their birth weight. They were getting the hang of breast feeding little by little which I was so excited about and at their 1st pediatrician appointment they weighed in at 5lbs even for Sophia and 5lbs 3oz. for Jace. So, we had some work to do there! Even though they were so little, they didn't fit into most of their preemie clothes because they were so long. So, we had to put them into newborn clothes which were way too big for them! They were sleeping in our bedroom in two bassinets and we were trying to get used to them being very loud sleepers...making so many different noises! They didn't like getting their clothes changed or diapers changed...at ALL, and I finally started to realize how many times a day we would be doing so! We spent a lot of time staring at their little faces..who were already changing so much.

Jace & Ry at their 1st pediatrician appointment - 12/11/09 Sophia, 4 days old...I still can't believe my mom caught this smile

All snuggled up together

Today - Jace & Sophia are 3 months and 4 days old. We are still coming to terms with the fact that we have 2 babies in the house :) Actually, sometimes I forget what it was like before they were here! They are developing such personalities and I hardly recognize the little faces from the pictures above. They are so expressive and LOVE to be talked to and especially sang to. They have the biggest smiles and seem to know just when their Mommy might need one. They love to play on their playmats, swing in their swings and just started sitting up in their bumbo chairs like big kids! They are so strong. Ryan loves to stand them up (and they love doing it)and keeps joking that he is trying to teach them to walk already...trying to give me a heart attack! They are still nursing every 3 hours during the day, but no longer have to be woken up to eat...they will tell us when they are hungry without a doubt! We don't have to supplement with bottles anymore unless they need it and they are both weighing in around 11lbs. Jace is 22 in. long and Sophia is 21 in. We have been working hard on a sleeping schedule and right now (on an ideal night) they are making it 6-6.5 hours before their next feeding! This is a huge improvement from what they were doing up until now! The hours after their early morning feeding aren't going as smooth for both babies but it's still a work in progress.

They are starting to develop such different personalities. Soph is our mellow lady. She loves to just hang out, snuggle, play with her toys (batting and kicking on her playmat) and loves to have conversations with people. Just looking in her direction makes her smile from ear to ear and she is VERY ticklish! She is definitely going to be a social little lady. She is very vocal and has been starting to make many new noises, including giggles. Especially in the past few days, she seems to laugh at everything! She has developed quite the chubby cheeks and I think I find a new roll on her little body everyday (I mean that with love) :) Her favorite place to be is in her crib, laying under and watching her mobile go round and round. She cries when it stops and if I turn it back on she's happy again and smiles to say "thank you mama"! She also loves the motion and sounds of the TV and will find a way to turn her body so she can see it if it's on. She still has her beautiful blue eyes and we are hoping that she gets to keep those.

Jace is such a little man. He is just so handsome. He has big brown eyes and I'm happy to share that he has dimples just like mommy and daddy and they might even be bigger than ours! He has a huge, sweet smile, just like his sister and is also starting to giggle and make new noises. He is also a snuggler but tends to need to move around more than Sophia. He loves to kick his legs and makes it almost impossible to change his diaper or get him dressed at times because he gets moving so fast! His favorite place in the entire house is the changing table in the nursery. He can be crying away and as soon as I lay him there he quiets down and stares all around the room...it's very calming for him for some reason. I think he also likes it because it puts him up higher so when we talk to him he is right by our faces. Finding things that make him happy has been a bit tougher lately because he hasn't been feeling good. Jace has been taking medication since the beginning of February for severe acid reflux. It makes him a very unhappy boy sometimes and it makes me a very sad mama for him. But, we are working on his treatment with his doctors and are hoping that things will start to get better for him very soon. When he is happy he is so happy and we want to see more of that! If anyone out there has any suggestions for dealing with acid reflux in babies, please contact me!

So, that's the scoop for now on our growing, goofy, ever-changing, 3 month old babies. We are falling more and more in love with them everyday.

"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for."
-- Anonymous

11 weeks old...having a moment

2010-02-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

Where has the time gone and how do I make it slow down so this doesn't all go by too quickly? Jace and Sophia are 11 weeks old and I am having an emotional moment :) Lately I feel like time is flying by so fast. They are changing so much every day and I can't believe that in a few weeks they will be 3 months old. When they were born 3 months seemed like a lifetime away and now it's right around the corner! Next will be 6 months, their 1st birthday, the Prom and then before you know it they are off to college and leaving me already :) Ok, ok...so I went a little overboard, but now I understand why my parents always made such a big deal about us getting older and growing up. It all happens way too fast.

Sometimes I still can't believe our babies are here. We wanted and waited for them for so long and here they are...sleeping, eating, smiling, crying, giggling, snuggling, cooing (if that's really a word), pooping, playing and loving all day long. Needless to say, we are so in love with these two little babies. I am loving being home with them everyday and right now I wouldn't change a thing. I might add a few more hours of sleep to my nights, but hey...what new parent wouldn't say that right?

I'm trying to get better about keeping everyone updated on what the babies are up to and now that I am getting more settled into our new routine I am hoping I can make writing something that is a part of that. Trust me, I think every little thing that they do is something to document so be careful what you wish for :)

“Growing up is never easy. You hold on to things that were. You wonder what's to come. But that night, I think we knew it was time to let go of what had been, and look ahead to what would be. Other days. New days. Days to come.”
The wonder Years

We are parents!

2010-01-21T11:45:00.000-08:00

Ryan and I welcomed two healthy babies into our family on December 7th, 2009. I was 35 weeks and 5 days pregnant and these babies were ready to meet the world!

Despite my doctor's attempts to keep them growing even longer, my labor was progressing that morning and I was re-admitted to St.Vincent Hospital. At that time we didn't know if we would be meeting our babies that day or beginning another hospital stay, but within the hour I was taken to surgery and by 12:21pm we had two beautiful babies!

Sophia Raechel was born at 12:19pm, weighing 5 pounds 13 ounces and was 19 inches long. Jace Emmett was born at 12:21pm, also weighing 5 pounds 13 ounces and was 19.5 inches long.

It was the craziest, most amazing day of my life. I plan to share more details of our birth story at some point, but for now I just wanted to get back to my blog and begin sharing our babies with all of you!

Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers as we made our journey to become a family of four. It is more than I ever could have imagined it would be.

Our 1st family photo - 12/7/09

Jace Emmett & Sophia Raechel

"It was the tiniest thing I ever decided to put my whole life into." ~Terri Guillemets

34.....35.....35 1/2 weeks!

2009-11-27T22:48:00.001-08:00

Since I updated last, we reached 34 weeks on November 25th and I was able to be released from the hospital to spend Thanksgiving at home like we had hoped! It was such a great few days at home and Ryan and I were so thankful to spend the holiday together with family and a little more comfort! My bed had never felt so good :)

So, the plan was to stick to my medication schedule to maintain my labor and make it to our appointments with my doctor on Monday afternoon. We almost made it! On Monday morning we went back to labor and delivery at St. Vincent hospital because my contractions were getting stronger and closer together and the babies had completely dropped and their movement had slowed way down - all things we were supposed to go back in if I experienced. We spent a few hours in triage before they couldn't get my labor to stop once again and we were re-admitted. At least we got a different room this time! They hooked me back up to IV meds and we waited for our doctor, being told at this time that we were most likely having our c-section in a few hours because the nurse that we were with at the time thought I had dialated further. While we waited, Northwest Perinatal came and did a growth ultrasound on the babies and we were so happy to find out that they were HUGE! This was Monday, November 30th and baby girl weighed 5lbs 10oz. and our baby boy was 6lb 4oz. We were so surprised and so were all of the nurses and our doctor! Even though the babies were so big and it looked like things were progressing, our doctor decided she still wanted us to wait and hopefully make it to 35 weeks and maybe even 36 weeks after that. As tired as I was at that time and as much pain as I was in, even one more day seemed so long. So, they got me comfortable and we settled in to our room for an undetermined amount of time once again. Talk about a roller coaster ride of emotions.

The next morning, my doctor came back and had decided to change the plan. They took me off the medication to stop my labor because it clearly wasn't doing anything other than adding more side effects. She had changed her mind from not wanting me to progress further to wanting me to dialate when my body is ready. So they set a plan for pain medication and hopefully a way to keep me comfortable and possibly sleep. We would just need to wait it out. We spent a few more days getting used to the medication change and then my doctor decided once again that I could do my bedrest from home and hopefully make it to 36 weeks. So, Thursday we packed back up and headed home with a plan to hopefully make it through the weekend and see my doctor this Monday morning. She did mention when she released us that if we could make it to our appointment on Monday with hopes of a few more days, she will most likely consider scheduling us at 36 weeks (Wednesday or after)! At 36 weeks we will be able to deliver at the hospital we had originally planned to be at (one of the reasons she wanted to get me home before next week)and it would not be necessary for the babies to require time in the NICU if all goes well. This all sounds so fantastic - especially after what will be 4 weeks of pre-term labor!

I can't wait to make it through the rest of the weekend and see what our doctor decides on Monday! Even though we have been going through this for so long now, the idea of having the babies in our arms next week seems so soon even now. I can't believe it. 36 weeks seemed so far away and almost impossible at one point so I am so happy and proud that we have made it this far and hopefully have a few more days to go! I can't wait to meet our 6lb babies! They sure have been testing my patience already :)

"There are two things in life for which we are never truly prepared: twins." ~Josh Billings

A few more days...

2009-11-23T10:37:00.000-08:00

Today we are 33 weeks and 5/7 days, which means only a few more days until our 1st goal of 34 weeks! It seems like I have been here at the hospital forever...12 days and counting. In some ways it has taken forever to get here and then on the other hand I can't believe we are almost to our 1st goal. It seemed so far away when we first came in at 32 weeks.

As of right now my contractions are still the same, ranging anywhere from 8 minutes apart at the most to only 3 minutes apart at times. We have learned that the contraction medication doing all that it can do and is not going to be able to make them go away so it's mainly about keeping me comfortable from here on out. I sleep a lot when I can because of the pain medication so that is why I haven't been able to update in a few days. The good news is that the babies are still doing great and are continuing to grow and become stronger everyday. We had an ultrasound on Friday checking their development (practicing breathing, movements, etc) and the babies looked great. My cervix has stayed pretty much the same despite all of the contractions so far, so we are kind of just in a waiting game now to see what happens. I still see a doctor here everyday and the nurses have been very nice (minus a few!)

Once we make it to 34 weeks, the next goal to aim for would be 35 weeks - December 2nd. I want my December babies!! Taking things one hour/day/week at a time. My doctor has mentioned that if they can keep me on this schedule of medication for the next few days without anything changing, then I might get to go home to finish my pregnancy with a little more comfort! I would still be confined to a bed and would be taking all of the medication, but it would be MY BED and I wouldn't have to spend Thanksgiving in the hospital. She made the comment yesterday that even if it was only for a few hours it would be better than nothing, and I couldn't agree with her more! So, we won't know the answer to that decision until Wednesday but we are remaining hopeful.

"In life, as in football, you won't go far unless you know where the goalposts are." Arnold H. Glasgow

Update from St. V's

2009-11-16T12:14:00.001-08:00

Thank you again to everyone for your thoughts and prayers! Having so much support and hearing from all of you is a blessing.

We ended up getting a visit from the doctor yesterday after I updated because the medication schedule they had me on to maintain everything wasn't working as well as it should have been. At this point they are thinking that I will need to stay in the hospital so that they can supervise everything for the remainder of my pregnancy. We will take things one day at a time and each day that we make it through is one more day for the babies to grow and hopefully less time that they will spend in the NICU afterwards. The goal that the doctors have set is still to make it to 34 weeks, a week and a half from today - November 25th - and then if we make that goal we will set another one.

To be honest, Ryan and I are both surprised by the news that most likely I won't be going home between now and the birth of our babies unless something changes. I think we both really thought that if they could get me on the right medication I could do the same bedrest at home and we would have some time before coming back to the hospital. My mom is in town to help and we have a lot of help from family so we thought we could make it work. But, my body and the doctors have other plans that are out of our control and so we are adjusting and getting ready for the way that it will be from here on out and after they are born. My doctor will be coming tomorrow to go over more details so you never know...the plans may change again and with the way things have been going, most likely they will :)

A lot of people have been asking how I am feeling and I want you all to know that I am doing alright. It is an emotional roller coaster everyday and I am trying to adjust to the fact that I can't do things the way that I want them :) It's difficult to be confined to a hospital bed when so many things are running through my head! The medications and side effects aren't the most pleasant but they are doing what they need to do and that is what counts. I just want our babies as healthy, happy, and as BIG as possible when the time comes for them to meet us...whenever that may be. I am following orders, I promise!

My mom brought me a book from home that I used to write quotes in that meant something to me for one reason or another. Here is one that made me smile today:
"Expecting life to go the way you want because you are a good person is like expecting an angry bull not to charge you because you are a vegetarian." Shari Barr :)

Where we are now...

2009-11-15T11:28:00.000-08:00

So I wrote last week with the intention of updating on all sorts of things - which I hope to come back to soon. But, for now my focus is going to be on my family and how things with our pregnancy and babies are going. I have been trying to keep everyone in the loop as best as I can and Ry brought in our lap top last night so I thought this might help also and give me a connection with the outside world! It has been a scary, emotional, roller coaster of a week so far and I really appreciate everyone's support. Sorry if this is a lot of information all at once.

My original due date is January 6th, so going off of that we are 32 weeks and 4 days along today. My doctor had moved my due date up to December 28th a while back because of the babies growth but it was decided to go back to the original date for the remainder of my pregnancy and for scheduling since we will be having a c-section. So, I hit 32 weeks this last week and went in to Good Samaritan Hospital on Wednesday for my 1st scheduled Non-Stress Test, checking for the babies movements and to see if I was contracting. As most people know, I have been on bed rest or modified bed rest for a while now so I have been laying low and trying to do everything I can to help keep these babies growing. Well, something wasn't working I guess! I knew I hadn't been feeling quite right but I've never had a baby before so I didn't know what to expect!

We checked in for my appointment at 1pm and they immediately picked up contractions on my scan. They started a few different medications to try and stop them and none of them seemed to be working. So, things progressed pretty quickly and I was admitted. My doctor came by and I had dialated to 1.5cm (sorry if that's TMI for anyone) so it was decided to put me on an IV of the heaviest meds they could give me to stop labor and gave me steroid injections to help the babies development if they were to need to be born. Talk about a change of plans from thinking we had anywhere from 4-6 weeks to go. Good Sam Hospital doesn't have a qualifued NICU to deliver babies before 36 weeks, so I was transferred to St. Vincent Hospital for them to take over from there. The IV meds had to run through my system for 48 hours so they constantly monitored me and the babies throughout and finished the 2nd round of meds for the babies development. They were able to get my contractions to slow down from what they were and got them to hold at about 6-8 per hour and as far as I know my dialation has stayed the same also. I did the full amount of the meds I could do so now they have me on a combination of pills/shots every 6 hours to keep me to that amount. They are still monitoring everything and these active babies still look great...they just need to keep my body doing what it's doing now - but no more than that for as long as it can! Once they give you the full IV dose once they aren't able to do it again so if things progress they can no longer stop it from here on out.

On a super positive note, we had an ultrasound on Friday afternoon to check the babies' growth and we found out they are both over 4.5 pounds at least! Once nurse came in and said she thought she saw that he measured 4.11 oz and she was 4.7 oz. Either way we were very excited to hear these results and so were the doctors. They seemed happy that even if they do have to come very soon, at least they would be on the larger size for 32/33 week twins. Very good news!

So, now we are waiting until sometime tomorrow to see my doctor again and get a plan of action. We are just trying to do what we can do prepare ourselves for any possible situation. I just want to be able to take our babies home as soon as possible after they are born. Obviously the sooner the babies are born the more problems they could potentially have so as it is exciting to think about meeting our babies soon, I want to keep them growing and put off their birthday as long as possible...I'm still hoping for December babies and am keeping that my ultimate goal!

All of the doctor's that have been working together with us have been great and are hopeful that we will make it anywhere from at least another week or as long as 2.5 more weeks if at all possible to get to 34 weeks. The plan has changed so many times now to be honest I am really looking forward to tomorrow to see my actual doctor again and get the real deal. Each time a new nurse comes in they talk about a new plan of action and it ranges from the babies coming by this Wednesday to keeping me here on medication until hopefully December 1st. So, now we wait....

I will update more as I know more or possibly have someone update for me if need be. Thank you for all of your concern, messages and phone calls. We love you all and really appreciate hearing from all of you. Hopefully tomorrow will bring good news.

" Never let go of hope. One day you will see that it has finally come together. What you have always wished for has finally come to be. You will look back and laugh at what has passed and you will ask yourself..."How did I get through all of that?"-Anonymous

This and That

2009-11-06T20:57:00.000-08:00

Hubby just informed me that I am "really bad at keeping up with my blog and I need to do better" :) I can't disagree with him on this one so I had to tell him he was right...I don't like to make a habit of that very often so I will do better and prove him wrong!

Things are going well in the Brown household - changing everyday with many more to come before the new year. I have more than a few things to update on and hope to do so over the next week. In the past month, give or take a few days...I had my last day of work, we had amazing baby showers in Portland and in Washington, took a trip to Colville and spent time with family, had maternity pictures taken, added a new niece to our big family on November 2nd and entered the 8th month of pregnancy! Of course there were a few other things in there but that should sum it up for now!

I am also planning to share pictures of our nursery soon so stay tuned for all sorts of updates, picture sharing and randomness..in no particular order :)

"May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to keep you happy."-Irish Blessing

Pregnancy Update

2009-09-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

I have so much to share and it will definitely take multiple posts to do it! So, I'll start with updates on my pregnancy and the babies. Many of you may already know everything I'm sharing, so I hope you don't mind hearing it again :)

So much has happened since I updated at 16 weeks...geez I need to get better about this! We are 23 weeks this week and have seen the babies quite a few times in the past few months. We had our big ultrasound at 18 weeks and found out that we have 1 boy and 1 girl for sure! It was so fun to find out 100% and begin to call them "he" and "she". They are extremely active babies and the techs always complain about them not holding still to get their measurements. Getting into trouble already! At this point both babies are measuring perfectly normal, a little on the larger size actually which is great, and my doctor is very pleased with their progress. We got to see them again last week and they look so much bigger each time.

I felt the babies move around 17 weeks...little tickles just like everyone had told me. I had been waiting and waiting and then it just happened one night. I was laying on the couch looking at my tummy and I felt it! I started freaking out and Ryan was like "What, what is it?" Then we both saw my tummy move! I was shocked! From then on it hasn't stopped! It's like as soon as I knew what it felt like I could feel it all day. It took about 3 more weeks before I felt them kicking and I have to say that is probably one of my favorite things. I'm sure I may change my mind when they get even bigger and stronger, but for now I love it. I hold my tummy all day just so I can feel them. I think it helps to give me peace of mind that they are healthy and growing. Little man likes to hang out way up in my ribs and our little lady lays way down low so it usually feels like I'm getting pulled in two different directions. When they both get to kicking it's like a circus in my stomach and I always laugh outloud no matter where I am. I am sure this will come to embarrass me one of these days :)

I wish that I could share that I have had super weird food cravings that you always hear about, but I'm sorry to report that I'm pretty boring. My favorite after work snack is 2 sliced pickles and a piece of cheese, which Ryan thinks is weird enough. I could eat a cucumber for every meal and if it were up to me I would eat cold veggies and salad everyday, all day. These aren't new things for me, just maybe more multiplied than they were before! I still love anything orange flavored and I go through about a gallon of orange juice a week. I like to put it in the freezer and then eat it like a slushy :) At least it's healthy! I could drink a smoothie/slushie anytime! I still have the same food aversions and don't want bread or ice cream. I guess the weirdest thing for me is that the other day I wanted a piece of chocolate when I was working...I don't even really like chocolate! It's funny to me because I remember my sister telling me that the girls really liked chocolate when she was pregnant :) Who knew I would! I tend to crave spicy/mexican food at times and I am usually the biggest wuss when it comes to anything spicy. I think my taste buds are changing for sure. I have suggested tacos so many times in the last few months and I didn't even realize it until he said something.

Overall I have been feeling pretty good throughout my pregnancy. I am monitored very well by my doctor and am very pleased with the way I have been taken care of by my clinic and the perinatal clinic. I have been dealing with some pain issues over the past few months and was put on bed rest once before and now again for what might be a while. Everything with the babies is totally fine, but they are trying to get my pain under control which means staying off of my feet, resting and laying on my back a lot. I have a very high chance of having pre-term labor so they are taking every precation to make sure this doesn't happen and these babies continue to grow as long as they can. I am trying my best to follow all of their orders and do what I can to have a long and healthy pregnancy. I have learned that I can't do everything I would normally do and that's ok. I am able to work from home so I have been making it all work to the best of my ability for the time being. I go in for another ultrasound next week so we will know more about what lies ahead of us then.

So, with that I will quit rambling and leave you with our latest ultrasound pictures! These are from our 18 week appointment (I haven't had a chance to upload the ones from last week).

This is our little man. He definitely has Ryan's nose and lips and he has calmed down on the camera so we get to see more of him than just his buns finally:) (The first few times all he wanted to do was stand on his head and moon us). I love this profile picture of him..he looks like such a little man and I can't wait to see what he will really look like. I have no doubt that he will look just like his daddy though :)

This is our little lady. The tech told us that she has a little button nose like me! She could have told me that she had my elbows and I would have been happy :) She is so sweet and I can't wait until our active little girl is here.

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us and supporting us. We wouldn't make it through this without our friends and family. Only a few months left and we will be able to share our little ones with all of you!

"God touched our hearts so deep inside, our special blessing multiplied." ~Author Unknown

Pointed Toes & Tu-tus

2009-07-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

Two of our nieces, Adysen & Bayleigh, turned 5 this past month and are starting school this fall!! I can't believe it. They were just babies 5 minutes ago! They have such personalities and I know their teacher is in for a real treat :) They are smart little cookies and have the wildest imaginations. They continue to surprise me every time I talk to them and constantly make me smile.

My sis allowed them to pick 2 activities that they wanted to start in the fall with school. They chose soccer and ballet...and are THRILLED about both! Tiffany made them tu-tus for ballet and here are some pics she sent me of them trying on their special outfits and practicing!

Tricks! Miss AdysenStrikin' a pose! Check our their new ballet shoes they got for their birthday :)

Miss Bayleigh

"Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's looking." -Unknown-

"We are the Champions"

2009-07-30T10:23:00.000-07:00

Well, not me...but Ryan's co-ed PGE Softball Team is!!

This was their 1st year playing in the league and they went undefeated! Games were every Thursday night and it was always fun to watch them all play together. I'm actually sad it has come to an end!Celebrating after the big win! They were SO excited! It wasn't much of a nail biter (I think it ended up 17 to 9) but it started out as a close one!

Team Trophy Shot! Congrats PGE Hotsticks! I guess I should also share that Ry got a home run off of a pop fly to the catcher (hehe). He was embarrassed to take it, but hey...it was for the big trophy after all :) These are all guys he works with and they have become like family to him. I am thankful he LOVES his job and his co-workers!

"Are you Crying? Are you Crying??? There's no crying in baseball!" - A League of Their Own (might be one of the greatest movies of all time!)

Beach Weekend

2009-07-17T13:52:00.001-07:00

We headed to Seaside, OR for the weekend and I couldn't wait to get on the road. I have to admit that on top of everything else I was looking forward to getting out of the super hot heat for a few days. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the summer...but this heat is ridiculous!

Ryan and his Dad, Jimmy, were playing in a golf tournament on Saturday bright and early and I had originally asked if I could tag along to get out of the city...add in my mother in law and brother in law and it made for a fun family getaway! I wish everyone could have came with us, but there is always next time. The weather was gorgeous. A little cloudy and cold in the mornings but high 70's and beautiful in the afternoons. We stayed right on the beach so I spent a lot of time staring at the ocean. We relaxed on Friday evening and then on Saturday the boys headed to golf and Kathy and I spent the day walking around and taking in the sunshine - and ALL of the people! There was a huge motorcycle weekend ("Bike Fest") going on so the town was packed! I have never seen so many people on the beach in Seaside as well as that many Harleys in the same place at the same time. I think I saw some of the most amazing bikes I've ever seen. We strolled and window shopped on the promenade for most of the morning, layed out on the beach and took in some sunshine for the afternoon (I got brave and let my baby bump show on the beach! Agghhhh!) and then met back up with the boys for some dinner and karaoke. A Brown tradition wherever it is available! We had a lazy day Sunday and got in some baby shopping at the outlet stores which was a fun bonus...after all it was their 1st trip to the beach :) It was my 1st clothing purchase for the babies believe it or not! All in all it was a nice, relaxing, great time. We needed that!
I couldn't stop staring at the ocean this weekend and Ryan and I both decided that we need to take advantage of living this close to it more often! From our house in traffic it only took us about an hour and 20 minutes. We made a trip to Seaside last summer with my Mom, Dad and brother and we had a blast also. Definitely something we plan to do more of!

"I have the world's largest collection of seashells. I keep it on all the beaches of the world...perhaps you have seen it." Stephen Wright

Week 16 Update...A few surprises!

2009-07-13T10:05:00.001-07:00

We had our 1st doctor's appointment at the Perinatal Center last Wednesday which made for a very exciting week! It included an ultrasound with a new tech and was the most detailed ultrasound we have ever had...measuring every little bone in their bodies. I was so nervous of what they might find or say was wrong but so far so good. Everything appears to be going well and both babies are healthy and right on track. We got to stare at them for about an hour! The clinic was really nice and I think they are going to take really good care of us there - very thorough that's for sure!

The babies were very active as usual and the quality is much better on these machines than our last ones so every movement was amazing to see. I had just seen them 2 weeks ago, but they have grown SO much again...which I guess I shouldn't be surprised about each time :) These little ones are changing fast and the doctor actually moved my due date up a week and 2 days because of it. The babies have been measuring slightly ahead of what they thought my due date was from the beginning but they wanted to wait until I got to this clinic to change it if need be. So that was the 1st of a few surprises.

Next came the big one, or two I guess I should say. First of all, Baby B is 100% confirmed a boy! We did not plan on finding anything out last week and I really didn't think we would be able to see anything but let me tell you, this little man wanted us to know what he was! He showed us more than a few times that he was a boy if you know what I mean :) He is the one on the left that always stands on his head, hides and acts silly and for some reason I have called him a "he" the whole time. Guess it was for good reason! My mom said that is my mother's intuition coming through :)

So, after that news the tech did some more measurements on the little guy's sibling. At this point the tech is 85% sure Baby A is a girl! He said he couldn't get the perfect shot to prove it but based on his measurements and what she (at least he thinks so) is looking like...he thinks we have a little lady in there too! We have our next ultrasound on August 7th for some more testing and will confirm everything then, but for now it is SO fun to think about! There is still a slight chance that it could be 2 boys, which we would absolutely love also, but just knowing a little bit has made everything so much more real. I still can't believe it's all happening and am so appreciative to have healthy babies.

So, today I am 16 weeks. My new due date is December 28th, 2009, which means if I can carry them to 38 weeks which is the goal they are estimated to arrive sometime around December 14th. 36 weeks would be November 30th. I want them hanging in there as LONG as possible so I am going to be praying for December babies.

Sharing all of the news so far has been an incredible experience. We have been waiting for these moments. Telling our families about our surprise of a boy and possible girl was so much fun. This will be the 1st boy grandson on Ryan's side of the family out of 5 grandkids so everyone was over the moon to add a boy into the mix. See his 1st Football below :) On the Tripp side we have the twin girls and 1 little Mr. Parker so he will be happy to have a playmate! The girls had decided over 4th of July weekend that 1 boy and 1 girl would be best because it would be a girl for them to play with and a boy for Parker too so they just might have got their wish. Many people have predicted a boy and girl combo since the beginning (including my mom from day 1) and a few are rarely wrong...shout out to Trevor Rollinger for most likely his next correct prediction - I believe he is in the 20's now for picking right! We will find out for sure on August 7th so stay tuned!

I don't mean to be too sappy in this post but I have to say that I am overjoyed with being pregnant. Each day is new and exciting and I feel so fortunate for each experience as I didn't know if we would ever get to go through this. I look at life so much differently now and I love the way that I see things. I can't wait to share more as we go and to introduce you all to our new family. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for us and I am happy to report that all is going well!

There are two things in life for which we are never truly prepared: twins. ~Josh Billings :)

2009-07-08T13:48:00.000-07:00

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles." - Audrey Hepburn

Monday Shout-Outs

2009-06-29T10:21:00.001-07:00

A few things on my mind....

I'm so thankful that my grandma made it through her surgery and time in the hospital last week like a trooper. I am so proud of her for being so strong and am so thankful that my family members were able to be there for her, especially my mom...the best nurse in the whole world! She is a miracle worker.

I'm very proud of my sister for making it through an entire week away from her kiddos, especially her youngest Parker for the 1st time, while she took her dance team to camp at Gonzaga. I know that was a really hard thing to do and it was surely a long week but she made it through! She has had so much going on lately with the twins' 5th b-day on Father's Day, then a week of camp and Parkers 1st b-day this weekend. Another strong woman in the family. I learn a lot from her.

I'm so thankful that other than a few relatively small things, I feel pretty darn good right now. I was able to get out and do a few things this weekend that I haven't done in a long time. I feel very fortunate that things are going in the right direction with this pregnancy. Once my energy comes back a little more I'm hoping to get a few things done that have been on my list for a while!

Good luck to Gayle today with Simone's first day of swimming lessons! It's only her 2nd time in the water and I know Gayle is nervous. I know Simone will enjoy herself and I hope Gayle will too. I can't wait to hear all about it and hopefully come watch!

I'm so thankful that on Thursday afternoon Ryan and I will be on a plane to Washington to spend the holiday weekend with family. We have a wedding to go to on the 4th and our nephew Parker's 1st Curious George birthday party on Sunday. Other than that, it's relaxing, visiting and hopefully taking in some sun until Tuesday...maybe a day at the lake! I love home and I can't wait to see everyone.

I want to wish my friend JoAnna (and her fiance Joseph) as little stress as possible as she prepares for her wedding on the 11th (less than 2 weeks)! She has so much going on and I hope that she will get to enjoy herself and this time with family, friends, and future in-laws :) Joseph's family is all coming in from Atlanta so it will be a lot of company, hosting and coordinating everyone's schedules while working and trying to get last minute details done! I can't wait to see her walk down the aisle and be there by her side!

Happy Monday All!

"Before you put on a frown, make absolutely sure there are no smiles available." Jim Beggs

All we want for Christmas...

2009-06-10T11:30:00.001-07:00

For those of you who check in on my blog from time to time, I have been a very bad blogger. I go through phases where I get back on track and then life gets in the way! Well, it's happened again. It has been quite the few months.

As some of you know and some of you may not, Ryan and I have been trying to start a family for a few years now. It has been a long and winding journey and has taken a lot of support, faith, hugs, patience, tears, love, hope and so many other things to get through the past few years. Our families and friends have helped us more than I ever thought possible, and I hope that someday we will be able to thank them as much as they all deserve.

I am overjoyed to share that I am 11 weeks pregnant with twins. It is still amazing and surprising to say that out loud and to believe this is all really happening. I have fallen in love with the word "Believe". It kept coming around in one way or another throughout our journey and it is something that I know will continue to help me get through the toughest times. This pregnancy has had a rough beginning but is now going by so quickly and going well. Each week is a little bit different and we are taking things one day at a time.

Our little ones have a twin due date of December 23rd, 2009. They are measuring perfectly so far and we will get to see them again next Tuesday. It is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I can't believe how much they change each time. We still have a long road ahead of us but are so excited to see what this new journey has in store for us as we become a family of four!

"In our lives there is bound to come some pain, surely as there are storms and falling rain; just believe that the one who holds the storms will bring the sun." Anonymous

fresh cut grass

2009-04-22T09:09:00.000-07:00

I love it! The way it looks, the smell...it smells like summertime.

I had to stay inside and miss the sunshine the past few days but did get to enjoy it on Saturday morning. I was sitting on our deck, reading, listening to music and taking in the sunshine. It was the best few hours I've had outside in a long time. Plus I got the bonus of a visitor stopping by :) which made it even better!

Every year when it starts to get sunny again I always say how much it makes me feel better. I'll say it again this year...the sun totally lifts my spirits and I can tell it does for many people around me! So everyone....enjoy the sun while it lasts and let's all hope it comes back again to play soon.....

because I'm sure by the time anyone reads this it will be raining in Portland again :)

Day 59 of my 365

2009-03-27T11:24:00.000-07:00

1. Fridays: Jeans at work...my favorite day of the week. Enough said.

2. Hot Showers: REALLY hot showers. I make a point to savor my shower every morning and sometimes in the evening too if I'm spoiled that day. They are one of those true pleasures in life... long, hot, burning showers. Ahhhhhh.

3. Hot tea: Orange Spice Tea is my ultimate favorite and I have got to have it 3 times this week! I'm getting a cold...can you see a trend here with the hot stuff?? :)

4. Windows in my office: I'm one of the lucky ones these days that gets to see the sunshine while I work!

5. Ryan watching my shows with me that I have saved in our DVR to get caught up...even though he claims that he's not into them :) right.............

"Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning." - Gloria Steinem

love this photo...and the message

2009-03-09T19:48:00.001-07:00

Rules from God for 2009

2009-03-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

Got this today and thought I would pass it on...

1. Wake Up !! Decide to have a good day.
"Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up !! The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance; but the Lord looks at the heart." I Samuel 16:7

3. Shut Up!! Say nice things and learn to listen. God gave us two ears and one mouth, so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking. "He who guards his lips guards his soul." Proverbs 13:3

4. Stand Up!!... For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything.. "Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..." Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up !!... To the Lord.
"I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me."
Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up !!... For something higher. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, And He will direct your path." Proverbs 3:5-6

7. Lift Up !!... Your Prayers. "Do not worry about anything;
Instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING."
Philippians 4:6

Day 13 of my 365

2009-02-23T14:58:00.001-08:00

Refresher: The idea is to have the goal to post whenever it works best for me for 365 days - a list of five things that have graced my life, either on that day or at any time in my life. Simple pleasures.

1. Text messages - anytime of day, for any reason

2. sunflowers, someone once told me they always make you happy

3. a clean(er) office

4. mixed CD's from when Ry and I first started dating

5. Sunday afternoon naps

Hope is passion for what is possible. -- Soren Kierkegaard.

Day 1 of my 365

2009-02-10T21:26:00.000-08:00

I don't know if anyone reads my blog and that's ok. A lot of things I write on here are just putting my thoughts on paper so to speak; sometimes for others and sometimes just for me. I have recently stumbled upon a project called "Grace in Small Things". The idea is to have the goal to post every day (or whenever it works best for me) for 365 days - a list of five things that have graced my life, either on that day or at any time in my life. I figured that this would be a good place to do this.

The woman who started the project explained why she did it... "The world we live in is loud and bright and demanding, and it is easy to slide into a less than thoughtful survival mode in which we do what we have to do to make it through the day with the least amount of strife possible. This robs us of the time and energy to be mindful of ourselves and those we love and to recognize the grace that exists in small things."

I can't promise that I will be able to post to this project everyday or even every week - but my plan is to post when I can; when I have something in my heart to share. Simple things. Small things. I need to take advantage of the grace in my life. "Cherish life's simple pleasures" - right Mom?

My Day 1 of 365:

1. A long hug after a long day

2. Help at work today from a new employee on his 1st day of work

3. A hot shower with candles

4. People having faith in me

5. My pair of OLD adidas sweatpants that I stole from my sister many, many years ago and she will never get back :)

"Things don't go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and give up. They happen to break you down and build you up so you can be all that you were intended to be."-- Charles "Tremendous" Jones

Oops...Forgot to post :)

2009-01-27T10:14:00.000-08:00

We went to a good friend's wedding over Christmas break and I forgot to post pictures! Our family has been friends with the Fogle family for as long as I can remember. Their oldest daughter, Tasha, got married on December 28th and we were able to make it! Tiffany and Tasha were best friends growing up and they also had 2 other daughters and one son. We were all about the same age and Elizabeth and I were good friends as well. We used to make houses out of pine needles in their back yard :) Here are some pics:

The Tripp & Fogle Girls: Liz, Tiff, Tasha, Alaina, Deyna

Me & Liz. Liz is getting married on the 4th of July this year.

Me & Ry at the wedding.

With the girls :) They were really excited to see the wedding!

Keep Us

2009-01-27T09:48:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me well knows that I couldn't live without music. It's on while I get ready every morning, while I drive into work on my commute, on my computer all day at work when I'm at my desk, then on my commute back home. The funny thing is Ry has a habit of watching music videos On Demand (it seems to be his favorite thing, especially lately) so really I just cant get away from it. It's not only that I just like to have the noise, I relate music to everything that is going on in my life. When I hear something I like, I write it down and look it up later. I am really into lyrics. I write them and have for many years. I appreciate others lyrics and like to find songs that mean something to me or help me through a particular thing I am going through. I post song lyrics on here from time to time, so I figured it was time I explained myself!
I am listening at work this morning and this song came on, a song I have never heard. It really spoke to me so I wanted to share it. I really like his sound. It is soothing and to be honest it just made me feel better. That is what music can do, sounds silly...but it's like a friend that always knows what to say at exactly the right time :)

http://www.myspace.com/peterbradleyadams

When the rain set in we had nowhere left to go
so we just stayed in bed while the thunder rolled
there's a comfort in the rain, one that love only knows
so we lay hand in hand while the water rose ...

Every season will turn til the world is upside down
rivers overflow then go underground
but in the eye of the storm, in the safety of this house
we lay hand in hand while the world turns wrong.

So keep us and keep us, keep us from the storm.

There's a lesson in the rain that change will always come
let us ride this wave and then greet the sun
and though the ground may shake and we’ll think
we’ve had enough
we must raise our flags for the ones we love.

So keep us and keep us, keep us from the storm.
Keep us and keep us and keep us from the storm.

random online siting!

2009-01-18T10:27:00.000-08:00

I got a text this morning from one of my best friends saying..."Holy crap! Did you know one of your wedding pictures is on the front page of spokaneweddings.com"

I had no idea, so I checked it out....sure enough!

http://www.spokaneweddings.com/

Mal just got engaged on Friday night! So she said she was doing a little wedding planning and was surprised to see us on the website. Small world.

Summer vs. Winter

2009-01-10T20:30:00.000-08:00

Snow Day

2009-01-10T20:14:00.000-08:00

We had quite a day in 3 feet of snow! It's amazing how much a little cold weather made me feel like a kid again :)

Christmas Eve in Colville

2009-01-06T10:00:00.001-08:00

Christmas was in Colville, WA this year and Christmas Eve was spent with my Dad's side of the family at my parent's house. We had a great time and I wanted to share a few pictures. There were so many to choose from so I have just picked out some of my favorites for now!Adysen & Bayleigh with their curlers, getting ready for Christmas Eve! They look so grown up here! You should have seen when we first took the curlers out...they looked like Curly Sue. Me & Ady
Little man Parker. He has the sweetest smile.

The girlies.

Me, Tiff & TJ...plus a little sneaker in the bottom left :)

The Christmas Eve fam. Grandma & Grandpa Tripp in the middle.

Me & this guy I know :)

This is one of my all time favorites!

Ryan with what I think was his favorite present...new spices - all his favorite kinds for BBQ'in!

The gang. We love you all.

Stay tuned for Christmas Pics!

2009-01-05T16:52:00.000-08:00

I am in the process of uploading and posting about a million pictures from Christmas :) So, for those that have been asking...I will be working on them tonight and getting them up shortly!

Happy Anniversary Rollingers

2008-12-07T19:17:00.000-08:00

Today (Dec. 8th) is Meghann and Trevor Rollinger's 1 Year Anniversary. I can't believe it has come already! They were married last December at The Old Church in Portland, OR. It was a gorgeous Oregon winter day and we all got ready together and headed downtown. Their colors were brown and pink which turned out so pretty and they had a cupcake tower, all made by the moms...lots of cupcake baking! It was a packed house full of Quinn/Rollinger supporters and for the record I still think the bridesmaids won the dance off during the reception :) Meg & Trev - I love you guys and I'm so grateful I was a part of your special day. I hope it has been a fantastic year for you two with many more to come! Here are a few pics of your wedding week that I have to share...

Jackie in Portland & Salon Hairsay

2008-12-07T15:22:00.000-08:00

One of my best friends, Jackie, has moved to Portland! It's been a few months and I've been meaning to post this for a while now...but better late than never right?! Jackie and I have been friends since grade school in Colville, WA. We have been through a lot together and watched each other grow up and change...but have always remained close. After high school she moved to Bozeman, MT to go to beauty school and I headed to Portland. We didn't get to see each other as much as we would have liked throughout the last 6 years, but I never felt like we were more than a phone call away. We were always able to pick up where we left off. She was a bridesmaid in our wedding and her and Ry have also become great friends too. Like he had a choice :) I have to say that I never thought in a million years that we would actually get to live by eachother again but I am so thrilled that she is here....not to mention she only lives about 2 miles down the road :) Jackie has such a fun spirit. You never know what is going to come out of her mouth. She is goofy like me and many of my other friends. No matter what she can always make me laugh. Since she moved here that has come in really handy. She is working 2 jobs right now and our schedules don't meet up as often as we would like, but knowing she is close by is comforting. I appreciate her friendship.

Jackie works at a salon in Beaverton called Hairsay. It is a really nice, fun salon and they even have a fun playroom for kiddos. She had a large clientele when she left Bozeman but is starting from scratch here. Eventually she would like to work in the downtown area, but has found her home in Beaverton for now. Meg was her first client at the salon when she was able to be her "test" for her interview and her hair looks awesome! I would recommend anyone to check her out if you are in need of a stylist. She does my hair and I wouldn't have it any other way! I promised I would always help her out, so this is my way of spreading the word a little bit to my friends and family :) http://www.salonhairsay.com/

holiday cheer

2008-12-06T15:04:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning and all I could think about was how it "feels" like the holidays. I love that. There is just something about this time of year that makes me happy and makes all other problems seem to go away when I think about getting to spend time with family and friends. I have been home a lot this past week because of medical issues, but yesterday I was finally ready for a few hours out of the house (other than work). So, I did a little Christmas shopping! Even though I only made it to one store which was about a mile from our house (baby steps), I got a few good gifts and some good ideas. I LOVE seeing all of the decorations in the stores and hearing Christmas music everywhere. It can get overwhelming when there are SO many people out and about, but I loved how friendly everyone was and how happy people seemed. I don't know if this can be attributed to some good ol' fashioned Christmas spirit or if they were just happy about the good deals they got...either way, I liked it. I could have just walked around outside forever. I love outdoor malls...especially during the holidays.

I talked to Adysen (one of our 4 yr. old nieces) on the phone yesterday and she answered by saying "Hi Auntie Deyna. Happy Christmas!" I haven't been able to see my family in quite a while now and I'm definitely excited for the holidays this year! I can't wait to spend some quality family time in Colville and Tigard and hopefully play in a little SNOW :) So, with 2 weeks left until we're off on our holiday break...I'm anxiously awaiting everything that December and the new year has to offer.

Oh yeah and I think I've watched every Christmas movie that the Hallmark Channel, Lifetime and the Family Channel has to offer. I love the oldies the best! The original Rudolph made out of clay and the first Babes in Toyland are my all time favs :)

PGE Bowling Night

2008-11-09T09:54:00.000-08:00

Last night was PGE's Monte Carlo Bowling Night. They put these bowling nights together every few months to get everyone together with their familes for a little fun. You bowl to try to win money (I only won $1..better than nothing right?). My claim to fame last night was that I beat Ry 3 games in a row! That is almost unheard of. All of the wives/girlfriends were beating the men! It was funny. I bowled over 100 all 3 games. I can't tell you the last time I bowled a 150! I was feelin lucky. I even got picked to spin the lucky wheel of prizes...but I only walked away with a free soda from the concession stand! I'll take it.

Me & my free soda :) PS- I got a hair cut. I haven't really seen anyone yet!

The whole gang. These are all men that Ryan works with at PGE and their families. I have been having fun getting to know everyone over the past few years. It's hard because they get together a lot and with my busy schedule I am not always able to go. Although lately I have been able to be there a lot more. They all get along so well and like what they do. It's really fun to see that because you can tell that they are friends as well as co-workers. I'm so proud of Ryan and happy that he has found something that he loves and a group of people that love and appreciate him too.

A Brown Halloween!

2008-11-05T12:07:00.000-08:00

Last weekend Ry and I decided to throw a little Halloween party for some friends. We invited close friends, family and some friends from work. It was fun to get everyone together and to get dressed up! Ryan and I dressed up as Dorothy and the Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz. I had not put on a Halloween costume in a few years, so this was super fun! Ryan even let me put make up on him and I came down the stairs earlier in the day and he was sewing his costume...apparently costumes do funny things to boys :) I wish I had a picture of that! We played some rock band...ok a lot of rock band, sang a little karaoke (my favorite was the all girls rendition of "Goodbye Earl"...gotta love the Dixie Chicks, and hung out with a house full of friends! Here are some pics from the night:

Me & 2 of my best friends from high school (Jackie & Mike...AKA Ron Burgundy from Anchorman & Sandra Dee from Grease). It was hilarious because Mike's mustache kept coming off when he would laugh so he had to smile strategically all night :)

Me and JoAnna. Jo and I work together (we actually share an office) and her and her fiance were Fred & Wilma Flinstone. It was SO cute! I loved the oversized pearls. Joseph & JoAnna are getting married next July at a vineyard in Oregon and I get to be a bridesmaid! Needless to say, we do a little wedding planning during the work day every now and then :) shhhh.... Jodie and Kyle were hilarious. They wouldn't tell me what they were going to dress up as because they wanted it to be a surprise. I was definitely surprised! These costumes belonged to Jodie's aunt and they were made in the 1970's. It was so cute and I was very impressed that Kyle went along with it too. Kyle is Ry's old roommate from college. They played football together at PSU. They are getting married in December on Maui...I wish we were able to go!

Me & Meg. Meg was an awesome punk rocker and the rock band guitar added to her costume just right! She is a Learning Specialist at an Elementary School here in Oregon and she dressed up like this for school on Friday too! She has pics on her blog, it was really cute! She had her hair crimped (she was able to borrow the crimper from one of her cheerleaders from TuHS). I remember trying to crimp my hair back in the day :)

Like I said before, it was SO fun getting dressed up with Ry. This was the 1st time we had dressed up as a pair and I was so excited that he got so into it and wanted to make it the best it could be (aka sewing patches on his costume :)). Maybe next year we will pick out something a little less itchy for him...he would probably appreciate that -straw isn't exactly comfy!

Technology Recommendation!

2008-11-04T16:11:00.000-08:00

Ry and I purchased a Webcam about a month ago and I am loving it! My sister in law and her fiance live in Hawaii with our 2 nieces and we have been able to see them a few times already online. My sister also got a webcam recently and we have been able to get online every few days and see what the Darnold family has been up to as well. It is so difficult to be away from family, but being able to see their faces takes the sting out of it a little bit and makes you feel like you are still a part of everything.

Just in the past few weeks...

From Hawaii: Kaley showed us her new shoes by sticking her foot right up on the screen and saying "new shoos, new shoos!", we got to see our new niece, Jordyn up close and personal and see how the two are reacting to each other. Kaley is a great big sis :) She is so full of energy and Tay would turn the camera on her so we could see her twirling around the room and talking so good! We also got to chat with Tay and see how she is handling 2 kids and finishing her nursing program at the same time!

From Colville: Adysen and Bayleigh have been SO funny on the webcam. The 1st time we did it they just kept saying "hi" over and over again and staring with these big smiles on their faces. I don't think they quite understood what was going on, but they sure liked it! Last night Adysen kept shaking her buns and laughing. She thought it was SO funny because we could see her shaking her bunsies :) Bayleigh liked to show us what books she was reading and they made funny faces back and forth with Uncle Ryan. I know Parker probably doesn't see us very well, but it seems like he smiles at us on the screen every now and then...maybe it's wishful thinking. It is so nice to be able to talk face to face with Tiff and see how the kids are doing!

I would recommend this to anyone who has distance between their families!

Tiffany turns 28!

2008-10-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-27T16:25:00.000-07:00

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...!

2008-10-23T08:54:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

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 :)

Sad to see friends go...

2008-09-26T15:34:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to write a little post to say Good Luck and See you Later (I'm not a fan of "goodbye") to the Herrin Family! I have worked with Scott for over 2 years at my current job and last week he moved his family down to San Diego. Both him and his wife, Bridget, got job offers in CA and this combined with Bridget's entire family living there (including her twin sister about to have a baby), plus having a new baby that can be spoiled by his grandparents on a daily basis - made for an easy decision. It was a quick transition and they were on the road last Thursday.

I couldn't be happier for them because ever since I have known them their main goal has been to get closer to family, especially once they had their first child this May. Gavin is the cutest little man (pictures below) and I got the opportunity to meet him on his first day at the hospital. Us ladies in the office also got to spend lots of time with him every afternoon after day care. Yes, we were spoiled here in the office to get to play with a baby everyday. He was just starting to really smile and laugh and is getting so big!

Scott was my co-worker but also a good friend to me and someone that I could talk to whenever I needed an ear to listen. I will definitely miss that around here. I will also miss his sense of humor because no matter what, he was always the one who could bring a little humor to an otherwise stressful situation. His enthusiasm and passion for his job is something that everyone could learn from.

Bridget is one of the sweetest people I know and we have a lot in common. No matter what, we always had fun together whether it was at a work function, football game or meeting for dinner...she was just a fun girl. The saddest thing to me is that we were just getting to hang out more often and then it was time for them to go!

I know I will always keep in touch with them. Like Ryan said the other night, "They are just good people. People that you want to be friends with for a long time." I wish them nothing but good luck in their new jobs as well as making the transition to sunny weather on a year round basis....yeah, like that's going to be hard! Send some of that our way this winter, would ya?

Gavin Westley Herrin...see what I mean about a cutie! Look at those eyelashes!

Scott, Bridget & Gavin. We will miss you!

i LOVE family visits

2008-09-16T22:01:00.000-07:00

My mom, sister Tiffany, nieces Adysen and Bayleigh (4yrs) and new nephew Parker (8wks) were in town last week for a nice long visit! I can't believe we were lucky enough to have them for an entire week, actually a few days longer than that too. We were able to do lots of fun things and just spend some much needed quality time together. My mom and sister did far too much cleaning and laundry as usual, and I am so thankful for all of their help with everything. I can't thank them enough for coming and for doing all that they do. I hope they know how much I appreciate them being here at just the right time.

The kiddos are getting SO big. Parker is the happiest little guy and his smile brightens up every room. All you have to do is talk to him and he coos and smiles at you like you are about to give him a cookie :) Ok, a little early for cookies I know, but you get the idea. He is such a talker.

The girlies are getting so grown up. They LOVE their baby brother so much and they are so cute with him, always wanting to give him little kisses and hugs. They are so very creative and their imaginations continue to amaze me. They are still very connected to each other and I'm sure this will always be the case. Adysen and Bayleigh had a big part in my birthday party and I will post more on this soon!

One of my favorite moments of the entire week was the 1st morning they were here. I got out of bed for a few minutes early in the morning before Ry and I had to get up and when I came back Adysen and Bayleigh were crawling in bed with us. Bayleigh decided not to stay because she couldn't get the spot that she wanted, but Adysen snuggled with us for about 30 minutes before Ry had to get up. When he was about to leave he came in to give us each a kiss and when he hugged her she said, "don't forget to go give Bayleigh a kiss too." It was the sweetest thing. Ahh twins...

I was so sad to see them go when it was time (I always have the worst time with goodbyes) but I feel so very lucky that they were able to come and that my dad and brother in law are very understanding men to let me keep their wives and kids/grandkids for so long! I love you guys...all of you!

Oregon Coast Weekend with the fam

2008-09-16T21:17:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my mom, dad and little brother took a trip to the Oregon Coast for my dad's 51st birthday! I had to work Saturday so Ryan and I joined the fam Saturday evening in Seaside. It was Labor Day weekend so we were able to stay until Monday evening and we had such a great time. My parents rented an awesome townhouse a few blocks from downtown Seaside and we went to the arcade, went out for a great dinner, went surfing, BBQ'd steaks, spent the afternoon walking around Cannon Beach and had wonderful Tillamook ice cream cones and strolled along the beach checking out possible rental spots for next year!

Here are a few pics from the weekend!

Posing in fun and funky hats at the hat store! The feather was my favorite :)

The hubby and brother, TJ, toasting their raw oysters. This was TJ's first experience with uncooked oysters and he said, I quote "It tasted like I just swallowed a big loogie." It was pretty cute.

Me and the parents at dinner. I know mom doesn't like this picture, but we actually got a big SMILE on dad so I had to throw it in! Mom and I enjoying the weather on the last day at the beach house. Can't wait to go back!

another Colville wedding...catching up!

2008-08-26T18:47:00.000-07:00

A girlfriend of mine that I went to pre-school on through high school with in Colville got married a few weeks ago. It was something that I knew I needed to go home for and I am so glad that I was able to. I saw many friends that I grew up with and met their significant others, wives/husbands and even a few kiddos. It is so fun to see how everyone is growing up! Ryan couldn't go with me so I was bummed that he didn't get to meet some of my old friends, not to mention I was minus a dance partner :( but luckily he has met most of them by now!

BrieAnne and Josh have a sweet story. They have known each other since they were little kids because Josh and her brother, Brent, are best friends. She always ran around with those older boys growing up, but we would never have imagined they would end up together...after all Josh was one of the gross boys that was always playing tricks on us girls, and to them BrieAnne fit right in as one of the guys :) Then, I think it was our sophomore year of college, things changed and they started to realize that they had grown up and actually enjoyed spending time together...Josh wasn't quite so annoying to her anymore and Josh noticed that BrieAnne had turned into quite the lady :) To say the least, it wasn't hard for them to fall in love because they already knew everything about each other. My favorite part of the whole story is that when they told their families that they were dating after all this time, BrieAnne's dad said..."Now don't go rushing into anything, you've only known each other for about 14 years." And they were married a few short years later....

During the ceremony they poured soil and water into their "Unity Tree" that they are going to plant at their new home...I loved this - such a cute idea.

Me & Mal...my oldest friend from home - I think her wedding will be next! Singing karaoke with the all the girls...I think we sang almost every female country song we could think of. Just when we would take a break, they would get every girl back up there! It was fun!Me and Kelly Brown. Another friend I went through 12 years of school with! Ry and I went to Kelly and Leia's wedding last summer in Seattle. They were married a few weeks after Ry and I in August. Me & the Bride. It was a 40's themed wedding and they totally pulled off a fun garden party. The wedding was in a secluded meadow by a creek and a really cool old log cabin. They played old music and all of the dresses and decorations fit the theme. She used rainbow colors...the bridesmaids each wore a different color - red, purple, yellow and orange. The also had skittles on each of the tables...it fit perfectly and I think I ate our whole bowl...or to be honest, maybe just the red ones - a bad habit of mine :) We always have so much fun spending time with these two. Leia and I are both Mrs.Brown! We always take a "Mrs. Brown" picture together every time we hang out. Good times had by all.

quote I love...believe...

2008-08-25T22:28:00.000-07:00

"Alice laughed. 'There's no use trying,' she said. 'One can't believe impossible things.' 'I daresay you haven't had much practice,' said the Queen. 'When I was your age, I always did it half an hour a day. Why, sometimes, I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.'"
- Lewis Carroll, Alice In Wonderland

best, last, currently, true or false, random

2008-08-25T20:07:00.000-07:00

Best...
Male friend: Ry
Female friend: I'm lucky to have more than one
Things to do: take a bath, finish a book, talk to an old friend, SEE FAMILY, have a clean house (not necessarily the process that goes with that though)
Day of the week: I would have to say Friday, best day of the work week by far...casual Friday :)
Food: pasta of any kind, lately all I want to eat is salad too!
Website: too many blogs to count

Last...
Talked to on the phone: Jackie
Text: Mom
What are you doing now: blogging, watching tv, eating salad...multi-tasking
Was today better than yesterday? I suppose, I'm working on it
Plans? going to the beach with my fam this weekend
Meal? Actually haven't even thought about dinner yet, so I guess my lunch today...salad :)

Currently...
Missing: family, as usual...and good friends
Wanting: A massage, a big bowl of ice cream and someone to put my laundry away for me! Is that too much to ask? :)
Watching: Law & Order SVU
Working on: a wedding album for a family member, writing, tons of graphic design projects at work...the fun stuff!

True or False:
I am a cuddler...the best, their is no getting away!
I am a morning person...anyone who knows me could answer this one - NO! that means don't wake me up at 8am on a Saturday morning Dad!! haha
I am a perfectionist...I wish I could say no, but with some things yes
I am currently in pajamas...yep, every day when I get off work
I like country music...couldn't live without it
I enjoy talking on the phone...of course!
I have a hidden talent...I can curl my tongue twice (hard to explain but it's weird)
I have all my grandparents...very thankful to answer yes to this. I LOVE my grandparents.
I have been told that I have a good sense of humor...I guess so :)
I have or had broken a bone...broken arm in gymnastics, broken wrist in a car accident... I guess you could say I'm a little accident prone..hehe
I have changed a lot over the past year...I think so, lots of big things going on

Random...
What are you most scared of this second? being disappointed
Do you like being around people? always, as long as I get time to myself when I need it
Song stuck in your head? "All I Wanna Do" by Sugarland, ever since Mom came down I can't get it out of my head because it was stuck in her head the whole time!
Ever been on the Radio/TV? had a radio show in high school to report on our high school sports..."The Dane and Deyna Show"...haha, wow hadn't thought about that in a while
What's your favorite show? Grey's, Brothers & Sisters, Law & Order (any of them)
Who was the last person to hug you? JoAnna
What is your current mood? anxious, tired
Have you ever sang in front of a large crowd? Yep, can be a little nerveracking, but I love it
Do you watch kiddy movies or TV shows? sometimes with the girlies, also for some reason Ry and I always end up watching Hannah Montana when it's on...which is odd because she drives me nuts!
Name something that happened to you today? Ry made me breakfast in bed :) I got to talk to my neices on the phone...silly girls
Do you speak any other languages? rusty spanish...recuerdo video juegos Meg??

a little prayer help

2008-07-23T08:21:00.001-07:00

I woke up this morning feeling a little overwhelmed with everything going on in our families right now. So, I have decided to ask for help. What better way to spread the word than on the internet, right?

First Request:
I know I just introduced my new nephew, but I would like to ask for some additional help praying for Parker to get healthy. He is 15 days old and has spent the last 4 days in the hospital in Spokane with a bacterial infection in his bloodstream. We were able to visit him on Monday and he is being such a trooper. I never knew so many machines could be hooked up to someone so little. They have been running so many tests and he has gone through a lot in the last few days. He is constantly running a fever and we know he is a sick little guy, but he still looks so wonderful to me. My sister and her husband are hanging in there and my mom and dad and family are trying to help in any way possible. Ryan and I spent the weekend helping with the girls after they had to take him in, and I am very glad that I was able to be there. He is estimated to be in Sacred Heart Hospital for 14-21 more days but has wonderful nurses and a great doctor that my sister is very pleased with. So, all in all the situation is under control, just something that was not expected and they are taking it one day at a time.

Second Request: This past weekend was a rough one for both my family and Ryan's family. We were at our family reunion in Deep Lake in WA on Friday when we found out that my 3 year old cousin, Payton (their family could not make it to the reunion), passed away in a drowning accident in Sumas, WA that day. We didn't get many details and still don't know much, but she leaves behind a mom and dad, older step-brother, older sister, one little brother and many, many grandparents, cousins and friends that loved her a great deal. I can't even begin to know what my cousin and her husband are going through and I just pray that somehow they find a way to get through this. The funeral is this Thursday and I pray for safe travels for my family getting to and from Sumas and that together they can help each other.

Third Request: Ryan's first cousin, Kyle Brennan that lives in Tigard, OR was diagnosed a few weeks ago with cancer - Diffused Large B Cell Lymphoma, at a stage 3. He is 19 years old and this was completely unexpected, as he had just left for Florida to take on an awesome job at Disneyworld and seemed to be feeling great. About a week after he had left, he was in the hospital in Florida finding out he has a tumor in his ribcage right next to his heart and is now back home in the hospital getting ready for surgery and undergoing chemo therapy in Portland. We haven't been able to see him yet, but I just got an e-mail update from his dad, Uncle Steve, today and he said that Kyle seems to be handling everything very well and they are moving right along with treatment. He also said that Kyle has been singing karaoke with the nurses and trying to keep everyone in good spirits. He is just beginning to experience some side effects of the medications and will get to go home over the weekend before he is back in next week for another round. Ryan and I hope to be able to visit him soon. I have been amazed lately at how common cancer is becoming and how many people around me is it currently affecting or has affected in the past. I have so many prayers for so many people going through a lot right now and I just hope that I can do at least a little to help.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Have a great day.

Our new little man

2008-07-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

I realize I am WAY behind on keeping everyone updated. Their have been so many things going on, so I apologize for the lateness. Our first nephew, Parker Irwin (named after his daddy's middle name) Darnold was born on July 8th at 12:32 in the afternoon at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, WA. He weighed in at 7 lbs. 11oz. and was 20 1/2 in. long. He looks a lot like his big sisters and they are SO proud to show him off to everyone. He is the perfect little mix of Tripp's and Darnolds and has beautiful olive skin. I was fortunate to be there when he was born and spent his first few days with everyone in Colville loving on him and the girlies. Here are a few pictures of him from his first few days....many more to come.

Monday morning in my old room...

2008-07-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

I woke up in my bed in my old room at my parent's house this morning and it really got me thinking. WOW things have changed since I moved out of here 6 years ago! Not in the physical look of my room and the way things have been re-arranged and painted, but in me. Before I moved to Portland, I was a high school graduate that was nervous about moving to the "big city" where I didn't know anyone, not even my soon to be roommate who I had only spoken with on the phone. I remember trainging so hard before I left because I knew that at my very best I could hang in there in the biggest meets in Washington, but wasn't sure my best would even allow me to compete in Portland or in track and field at all at a collegiate level. Although I was nervous about moving away from family and stepping out of my comfort zone in a major way, a part of it was exciting to me to experience something new. I wasn't sure how I would feel about it when I got there and my parents had to go. It was extremely hard to watch them drive away, knowing they wouldn't be a few minutes or even a few hours away, thinking that I might have made a big mistake, but I got through it.

Getting through it has made me a stronger person than I was when I used to sleep in this room 6 years ago. It would have been easy to go to Montana where I knew people that went to school there and would have probably ran against a lot of the same people I did in high school. But in moving to Portland I have met so many new people with such different backgrounds, life stories, ethnicities and values that have taught me more than I could have ever imagined. I have allowed myself to experience diversity and have embraced it more than I had before. I have new friends that I know I will have for a lifetime and have kept friends from home that have stuck with me even though we have lived miles apart.

All of these things have helped me become who I am today and have helped me face adversity going through things that I couldn't have aniticipated dealing with in years past. It has also made me realize even more what a strong support system I have with my family (new and old), friends and this guy named Ryan that I am so excited to share my 1st wedding anniversary with next month! I have to say that by far, he has been the highlight of my choice to move to Portland. What would I have done without this guy? We always joke that our second school choice for both of us was Montana, so who knows...maybe we would have found each other there too :) Moral of the post, I have changed since I used to lay my head here. Not that I didn't like who I was before. I loved the experiences I had growing up here, but I think no matter who you are their is always room for growth and I am glad to say that I am continuing to allow myself to do that. My outlook on life is something that I thank my family, my friends and my experiences for everyday.

Portland Livestrong Challenge Continued

2008-07-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more pictures from the weekend...

Lorie and I at the dinner.

Lance speaking at the Livestrong dinner. We thought the yellow paper chains in the background was a really cute decorating idea. It's something so simple, but it symbolized the yellow Livestrong wrist bands. Neat idea.
Lorie in front of her name on the powerpoint for raising over $5,000!
The riders....see what I mean about looking official?

Lorie giving Lance a little smooch...don't get jealous Matt :)

Matt's sign for Lorie.

Portland Livestrong Challenge

2008-06-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my very good friend Lorie and her boyfriend, Matt, came down to Portland to ride in the Livestrong Challenge. They stayed at our house, which worked out perfect because the dinner and the start/finish of the ride took place at Nike. In order to ride in the 40, 70, or 100 mile ride each participant had to raise at least $250 to go to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Lorie raised $5,075 and also wrote a grant and they will be matching the amount she raised - bringing her total to $10, 150!! Isn't that incredible?!

Lorie has been battling cancer in many different forms for more than a few years. She has been a champion and has stayed very strong for her 4 kids throughout everything. I was fortunate enough to attend the Livestrong dinner at Nike on Saturday evening with Lorie, Matt, Dave and Debra..another amazing couple that raised money and rode in the race - Debra is a cancer survivor as well. It was a dinner with Lance Armstrong honoring the people who raised over $3,000, Lorie definitely being one of those people. Lance spoke, as well as a few others who raised record amounts for the cause. Sitting there next to her made me so very proud of her for doing what she can to help others while she is going through such a difficult time in her life. Hearing stories about other people made me want to jump out of my chair and tell everyone her story and the story of other cancer survivors that I know that I think are amazing, like my Mom. To me, these women embody what it means to "Livestrong" and have been an inspiration to me. I hope I tell them that enough.

Lorie was determined to ride in the 40 mile race on Sunday. She hasn't been feeling quite up to par, so first Matt agreed to ride next to her. As it got closer to the ride, we were all a little worried about her and were happy to hear when they decided to ride a tandom bike - and I have to say that they were by far the cutest couple I saw on the course - And I was very proud of Matt for hanging in there :) He informed a few of us later that he hadn't rode a bike in a while...apparently no training was required for him ! Dave, Debra, Lorie and Matt all wore Livestrong riding tops and they looked awesome - so official!

All in all it was a great weekend and I am so glad that I was able to be a part of it! Here are a few pics. I'm hoping to get a copy of Lorie's pictures as well, so hopefully I can add more soon. Check out Lorie's blog for more pictures - I'm sure they will be up soon :) www.lorieandcompany.blogspot.com

At the Livestrong Dinner.Lance Armstrong speaking after the race was over. It was pretty cool to get to be that close to someone like him! He's a looker :)
The foursome coming through the finish!!

My favorite picture - after the finish they had a bubble machine that everyone rode through.
The Rarricks (minus the little one). Their boys were SO excited!
Matt and Lorie after 40 miles. I can tell you that I would look a heck of a lot worse than that!Happy to be done!
A bicycle made for two...perfect!

4th of July Memories

2008-06-26T21:43:00.000-07:00

Ry and I were just talking about what we were going to do for the 4th of July and I started thinking about all of the fun 4ths I've had over the years. Here are a few things I remember about past holidays:
-setting off fireworks in the back yard every year and watching them go off all around Colville from my parent's house
-watching my brother pull his little red wagon around the day after and picking up all of the pieces
-SPARKERS! my favorite. Tiffany and I doing gymnastics with them while the parents and grandparents applauded and "ooed and ahhhhd" from the deck :)
-watching the field catch on fire from a bottle rocket one year and everyone running frantically to put it out...haha. that was a good one guys
-racing around to catch all of the parachutes that came out of the bottle rockets, it was always a competition to see who could get the most
-bringing Ryan and my mother in law, Kathy, up to Colville for their first 4th in C-town and spending the weekend at the lake
-weekends at the cabin and spending the holiday there every few years. Sparkler bombs ringing in the mountains...haha, remember that TJ??
-spening my first 4th in Oregon last year and having a culdasac party with the neighbors in Tigard...so many little ones running around!
-Popits...those things that pop when you throw them on the ground - I love those!

Fun memories! Have a safe holiday everyone. Here are a few pics from our last 4th in Colville.

Cheese!

Oh the pretty fountains! We had to time this picture just right. haha

Notice Steve's shirt says "I need to be held"...nice Scuba Steve

I told ya I love those sparklers :)Probably not the safest of ideas :) but of course boys will be boys.

Baby Freddy's Nursery

2008-06-21T20:50:00.000-07:00

As many of you may know, my sister Tiffany will be giving birth to our first nephew in two weeks!! She has 4 year old twin girls, Adysen and Bayleigh, and they have named the baby "Freddy". We all know this is not the real name, which is being kept a secret until he is born, but it is fun to play along with the girls. Some of you have been asking for pictures of the new nursery so I thought I would post some pics that I took last weekend while I was home. It is a fish themed nursery and it has turned out really cute. It is so fun to see something other than pink and purple in the house :) It's still a little crazy to think we will have a little boy around...the last little guy on our side was my brother!

EWU Graduation Weekend

2008-06-21T20:49:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Thomas James Tripp Jr.

2008-06-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

My little - yet has always been bigger than me - brother is graduating from college this weekend! I will be traveling up to EWU for his graduation festivities and I couldn't be more proud and excited to be there for him as he walks across the stage and finishes what I think has been a very impressive few years for him.

He is majoring in Finance, Business Management, Human Resource Management and getting a minor in Economics...all things I wanted nothing to do with in college :) I think this is phenomenal, considering he didn't quite know what to think of college when he first got there. He always had a plan to major in business, with an interest in possibly moving back to Colville to work in the family business someday. However, lately I think his plans have changed...at least for now. For the past few years he has talked about moving to California or somewhere else and experiencing something new. Cheney isn't far from Colville and I think he would like to see what it is like to find a place that he can call "his own". I understand that desire, as it was something I was looking for right out of high school also. I wanted to go somewhere where people didn't necessarily know me or associate me as being just an athlete or know everything their was to know about me - which can easily happen in a small town. Sometimes we just need a little time away from that to realize that someday we could see ourselves back there again.

TJ is a funny, caring, talented, handsome, sensitive, stubborn :), detail oriented and smart young man and I hope that he will find whatever it is that he is looking for. We got along pretty well growing up together (let's just say that we were pretty close in age and both very competitive...I don't think we really ever finished a game of basketball) and we have always been very close. I want him to know that Ryan and I will always be there for him. My family is so important to me and even though I don't get to see them as often as I would like, sometimes that is the fun part for me because I notice the ways in which everyone has changed. Not big changes, but little changes. TJ has made a lot of little changes in his life in the past few years and I am very proud of the man he is becoming. Yes Bud, I called you a man...but don't think that means you have bigger muscles than me now :) I love you.

View from my desk...

2008-06-10T14:18:00.000-07:00

So, I was just thinking about how tired I was of looking at my computer today so I decided to share my view with everyone :) Well, one of my views...I work out of two different areas (hoping to get my very own office with more than two walls soon!)...one cubicle, one open area. I would LOVE my own space. I like my co-workers and all, but what I would give to have a place to call my own!

I don't know if it is easy to see or not, but I have fortunes from fortune cookies all over my desk. I LOVE fortune cookie fortunes. I know they are silly, but I still love them. Every now and then they can give you a little bit of hope, however hokey they might be. Here are a few of my favorites out of what I have collected so far:
"The star of riches is shining on you"
"You never hesitate to tackle the most difficult problems"
"You will soon gain something you have always desired"
"You are realistic and others can relate to you"
"Make use of your finest talents"

I always seem to be able to relate them to what is going on in my life. No matter what it says, I try to find a way to put a positive spin on it :) I'm some sort of a wishful thinker in that sense I guess. We just decided we are going to Panda Express for lunch today so hopefully I will get a good new one! Ryan says your fortune won't come true unless you eat the entire cookie before reading the fortune (I think he made this up just to drive me crazy)....this is really hard for me, but I'm learning to be patient :) A valuable lesson I could definitely use some work on!

Quote of the Day

2008-06-10T09:05:00.000-07:00

Life can seem ungrateful--and not always kind.
Life can pull at your heartstrings-- and play with your mind.
Life can be blissful--and happy and free.
Life can put beauty--in all things that you see.
Life can place challenges--right at your feet.
Life can make good--of the hardships we meet.
Life can overwhelm you--and make your head spin.
Life can reward those--determined to win.
Life can be hurtful--and not always fair.
Life can surround you--with people who care.
Life clearly does offer--its ups and its downs.
Life teaches us to take--the good with the bad.
Life is a mixture--of the happy and sad.

Take the life that you have--and give it your best.
Think positive, be happy--let God do the rest.
Take the challenges that life--has laid at your feet.
Take pride and be thankful--for each one that you meet.
To yourself give forgiveness--if you stumble and fall.
Take each day that is dealt you--and give it your all.
Take the love that your given--and return it with care.
Have faith that when needed--it will always be there.
Take time to find the beauty--in the things that you see.
Take life’s simple pleasures--let them set your heart free.
The idea here is simple--to even the score.
As you are met and faced with--Life’s Tug of War.

-Author Unknown

I Heart MUSIC

2008-06-01T19:41:00.000-07:00

I have been really into music lately, more than normal, so I have been downloading some new music today and I have found some stuff that I really like. I don't know if anyone has heard of her, but Julianne Hough (you might have seen her as a dancer on Dancing with the Stars) is actually pretty good. I was skeptical, but I got her album on iTunes today and her single "Had That Song in my Head All Day" - it plays on her website if you click on it- is really cute and pretty catchy.

Other songs and artists I have been listening to lately (some old, some new):
I Saw God Today - George Staight...I could listen to this on repeat
Secondhand Serenade
Mercy - Duffy...I like her sound
Viva la Vida - Coldplay...their new album comes out this month
You're Gonna Miss This - Trace Adkins
Take A Bow - Rhianna...fun to sing in the car!
New Soul - Yael Niam
Miss Higgins
Kate Voegele - From One Tree Hill, her whole album is pretty good
Matt White
Fever - Peggy Lee...oldie but a goodie
Say - John Miller...I don't usually like him, but I like this song
I'm Still a Guy - Brad Paisley...It's not my favorite song, but he's one of the most clever country songwriters :)
Tough - Craig Morgan...almost makes me cry everytime
Just Like a Star- Corinne Bailey Rae...her whole album is really good too
Miranda Lambert...I've liked her ever since she was on Nashville Star a few years back

"When Deyna Met Ryan"

2008-05-30T13:31:00.001-07:00

I met Ryan Robert my freshman year of college, almost six years ago. I was nervous on my way to my first college track meet in a van with a group of new teammates and Ryan sat down next to me. I had never spoke more than a few words to him so I really didn't pay any attention to him at first. He didn't join the team until after football was over so I had only seen him a few times before. I had brought my MP3 player with me and I got it out and started listening to get relaxed for the ride to Seattle. Right away, he asked if he could have one of my headphones to listen with me. I didn't think he would like the country music that I had on it, but he never complained....he just kept making fun of my "country accent". We sang, talked about track and life (I was pleasantly surprised that we had a lot in common) and it helped me calm my nerves for the weekend. I thought he was goofy, intelligent, really fun, down to earth and pretty darn cute :)

We talked a little throughout the weekend, but not much. Then, when we were all getting back in the van to head home I heard Ryan say "same seats". I remember smiling and thinking "does he really want to sit by me or did he just really like his seat"!! We talked the whole way home and it was a great ride. To be honest, I was glad to make a new friend and it was nice to know that I had new teammates that I got along with really well. I looked forward to the next trip.

Then, about a week later my roommate Gayle's boyfriend, Patrick, told me that Ryan had asked for my phone number and he had given it to him. I don't think I have ever been so nervous or curious about a phone call. "What did he want to talk to me for." He called me that night and we talked for a few minutes but I still didn't think much of it. He said he just wanted to say hello :) I thought he was very attractive and I knew that our personalities were alot alike, but he had an ex-girlfriend that was still on the track team with us and the last thing I wanted to do was cause problems with my new teammates. So, a few days later he asked me to go out on a date and I turned him down. I didn't give any explanation, I just said "no thanks". Sorry Ry! He actually asked me a few more times in the next week-he was determined...I think he just really wanted me to give him a good reason why I wouldn't just go to the movies. Finally, I told my roommates what had happened and and they convinced me to forget about everything and give it a try...have some fun. Thank you Gayle and Camelle :)

We started hanging out almost everyday and became really good friends at first. He made me laugh and smile all the time and I really enjoyed his company, no matter what we were doing. I always give him a hard time, because I didn't even think he really liked me for the longest time because it took him well over a month before he even tried to kiss me or show any signs of romantic interest because he was so nervous! But I have to say, I am really glad that we got to know each other as friends before we started a relationship because I think it has made us stronger together.

Their is so much more I could say about the early years, but I'll save that for future posts :) So, to sum up my "When Harry met Sally" love story...I married my best friend. I feel extremely blessed because we have made it through so much together and he still gives me butterflies in my tummy. Mushy I know, I'm feeling a little emotional today...but it's true and I want to make sure that he knows that I'm very proud of our story and our relationship. It took us a little while to get things figured out and we spent some time apart for a while, but we always remained really close friends. If anything happened in our lives, we wanted to tell each other. He was important to me. I always knew from the very beginning that we would end up together. I couldn't explain it, I just knew.

It is fun for me to think back to the early days of us because I feel like we are still the exact same people we were when we met. If anything, we have changed each other for the better. One of our friends Matt said in our wedding video that he has loved watching Ryan and I together because I never tried to change him. He said that girls Ryan had dated in the past had always tried to change the way he would act or try to get him to quit being so goofy. But I never tried to do that.I was always attracted to his personality. That is one of my favorite things about him. He still makes me laugh and smile everyday and I do have to say that I think I do the same for him :)

just thinking outloud

2008-05-29T20:12:00.001-07:00

Change. It’s a word that both inspires and terrifies. On one hand there’s the opportunity for growth and adventure. On the other, we can be called out of the familiar and the comfortable.And yet, all of life is change.

Lately I have been flooded with thoughts of my family and friends and the changes that everyone has been experiencing around us. In the last few years many people we know have grown by getting married, having babies, losing loved ones, learning some of life's hard lessons, facing life battling health issues and doing it with such power and grace, and learning to color between the lines...this is life.

All of this thinking has caused me to realize that I need to start trying not to rush through my life lately and to really enjoy, focus on the positive and take advantage of the situation I am in. That situation is...being in my first year of marriage with a loving husband and having great friends and two amazing families that support Ry and I in everything we do. I want to work on channeling all of my energy and emotions into where I am today. Honestly, I have been inspired. Inspired by people in my life that have been through so much and can still see the good in everything. I know things happen for a reason and I want to work on focusing on the positive instead of always trying to focus on what that reason is. I heard this song on my way home from work tonight and it helped me put things in perspective....

She was staring out the window of their SUV
Complaning, saying "I can't wait to turn 18"
She said "I'll make my own money, and I'll make my own rules"
Mamma put the car in park out there in front of the school
Then she kissed her head and said "I was just like you"

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good timesSo take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

Before she knows it she's a brand new bride
In a one-bedroom apartment, and her daddy stops by
He tells her "It's a nice place"She says "It'll do for now"
Starts talking about babies and buying a house
Daddy shakes his head and says "Baby, just slow down"

Cause you're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

Five years later there's a plumber workin' on the water heater
Dog's barkin', phone's ringin', One kid's cryin', one kid's screamin'
And she keeps apologizin, 'He says "They don't bother me.
I've got 2 babies of my own. One's 36, one's 23.
It's hard to believe, but...

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

Baby Shower Weekend

2008-05-28T12:41:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I went home for my sister's baby shower. We weren't sure if we would get a good turn out because it was a 3-day weekend, but a lot of people came and it went really well! Tiff has decorated her nursery with a fish theme (really cute by the way) so we decided to go with that theme for the shower. We made fish shaped ice cubes for one of the games, had teal blue punch with fish floating in it and matching blue jello, gold fish crackers, gummy worms for bait :), and lots of yummy desserts - including my favorite...Special K bars! We decorated my mom's patio with red and blue sheets and table cloths and mom even found some red and white rope to tie the curtains off to look like a sailboat. We put the presents in one of my mom's chests with a fishing net so it looked like a treasure chest. My favorite little touch was the fishing pole centerpieces that my mom made...a red flower with a little stick with fishing line and a fish made out of metallic stickers hanging on the end. She is creative! I hope my sister was pleased with everything! Here are a few of my favorite pics from the weekend:

Adysen in her favorite Princess dress striking a pose...not uncommon for her! She loves the camera...and that dress.

Doing a little reading with the girlies on the step to their new bedroom.

Mom set up a big coloring space for the girls, but i think the boys had more fun with it. Dad drew a logging truck that was pretty impressive :)

My husband is a really good uncle! We played a little dress-up with the girls and I didn't get this picture until after he had already taken off all of the play jewelry. Dang!

Here is the patio where we had the shower. Thank goodness the weather held out! It was so fun to see a lot of family and friends that I don't see very often.

Me and my sis. She doesn't seem that big to me because she was so much bigger last time with the twins but everyone has been giving her a lot of slack about her size. I think she looks pretty dang beautiful. She has so many cute maternity clothes.

This was Bayleigh's hunting outfit. She ran upstairs and got dressed because she said she had to go hunting for some deer. The recorder was her weapon, the socks on her arms were her hunting gloves and she even put her camo pants on so they wouldn't see her. She is one funny girl.

Their were quite a few kids there and they really enjoyed the trampoline. We also set up a fishing game (where you throw the pole over and someone puts a toy on the other end) and that went over really well! It was fun to see all of the kids running around and playing together while all of us adults watching Tiff open presents and play games.

All in all it was a good weekend. I was able to spend time relaxing with the family and watching the girls run circles around each other. Ryan got to spend some good quality time with Dad and Steve and we even got to see TJ for a bit on Monday. I'm looking forward to my next trip home in June for TJ's graduation already. I hope everyone enjoyed their 3-day break!

Nothing like going home...

2008-05-22T11:37:00.001-07:00

We are going home (home as in Colville) today!! I am grateful because we weren't originally going to be able to go until tomorrow, but Ryan decided he could take tomorrow off so I am too and we are flying up late this evening. I'm looking forward to this visit for a number of reasons:
5. the main reason we are going: Tiff's baby shower on Saturday...it's a boy! I'm excited to see family and friends that I haven't seen in a while
4. now we will get to spend an extra day with Adysen and Bayleigh tomorrow when we babysit them while my sister is at work
3. Ryan will get some "guy time" this weekend with my dad and brother in law
2. We will both get Friday and Monday off from work...need I say more!
AND the #1 reason I am looking forward to the visit... is their is NOTHING like getting to spend time with family and those special people that can always make you feel better. I have been feeling pretty crummy healthwise lately and the thought of being surrounded by family makes me feel better already. Now if we could only get that nice weather back that we had last weekend we would be in good shape!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Weekend!

Law of the Garbage Truck

2008-05-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

Good Story....

"One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport.

We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches!

The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!'

This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so..... 'Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.'

Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it!"

Do you smile often?

2008-04-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

What is your salad dressing of choice?
Fat Free Ranch...I like the taste better

What is your favorite fast food restaurant food item?
Lately...Burgerville - Tillamook Pepper Bacon Cheeseburger

What is your favorite sit-down restaurant food item?
PF Changs - Lettuce Wraps

Where is your favorite pizza from?
Garlic Jims - Chicken, Bacon, Ranch

What do you like to put on your toast?
butter, strawberry jam

What is your wallpaper on your computer?
wedding picture of me and the hubby - big smooch

What color of cell phone do you have?
blue and grey

Are you right-handed or left-handed?
right

Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
weird question...teeth I guess, and endometriosis in my surgery

What is the last heavy item you lifted?
probably moving a chair from the living room to the family room by myself

Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
yes, a few times...I used to get hit in the head a lot playing sports

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
no way

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
I just got to change my name and I'm pretty fond of it now :)

What color do you like to wear?
Lately, purple, teal and I wear a lot of black at work

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
No way, that would probably kill me...I'm a big wuss

What is in your left pocket?
$1...woohoo!

Is Napolean Dynamite a good movie?
Yes, so dumb that it's funny...and it sticks with you, great quotes

Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house?
a little of both

Do you sit or stand in the shower?
both, sit in the beginning then stand once I have woken up enough

Could you live with roommates?
Did for many years, loved it. I have a crush on my new roomie :)

How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
too many! I need a new pair of brown ones though, they broke!

Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
car accident a few years ago, rear-ender...NOT my fault! Crazy lady was walking on the freeway and caused a big car pile-up

What do you want to be when you grow up?
haha, still working on that, happy with a family and a doing something that I love

Last Friend/s you talked to?
Cassie, Jackie

Last person who called you?
Kathy, my mother-in-law

Last person you hugged?
Ry, my body pillow tonight though...hehe

Favorites
Season:
I like the snow, but I LOVE the sunshine of summertime

Holiday:
Definitely Christmas, no contest...and I'm a big fan of birthdays

Day of the week:
Friday, because I know I have a few days of rest ahead

Month:
probably September, my birthday and a bunch of family members birthdays fall in that month...except I am looking forward to July this year when I get to meet my new nephew!

Flower:
orchids, I love all tropical showers

Missing someone?
My family, as always, and some friends that I don't get to see very often

Mood?
A little irritable and annoyed that I STILL have a headache

Listening to?
Pandora Radio on my computer - Pearl Jam, Jack Johnson, Taylor Swift and Kate Voegle mix...random

Watching?
Gossip Girl...guilty pleasure, then One Tree Hill tonight - double feature!

Worrying about something?
more just wanting to feel better, wanting things to go my way sometime soon

First place you went this morning?
shower, then work

What can you not wait to do?
in life? - lots of things, have a family, see Ry as a Dad, move up in my career
this weekend? - See my family :) and play with my nieces
this summer? - hopefully take a week off, would love to paint the trim on our house and get our yard figured out, take some weekend trips with Ry to the beach, get a tan somehow :)

What's the last movie you saw?
Juno, with mom...it was cute

Do you smile often?
As much as possible...they are contagious :)

Are you kidding me....

2008-04-22T20:28:00.000-07:00

The following is an excerpt from the July 1943 issue of Transportation Magazine. This was written for male supervisors of women in the work force during World War II.

"Eleven Tips on Getting More Efficiency Out of Women Employees"

1. Pick young married women. They usually have more of a sense of responsibility than their unmarried sisters, they're less likely to be flirtatious, they need the work or they wouldn't be doing it, they still have the pep and interest to work hard and to deal with the public efficiently
(this cracks me up....us young, married women are full of pep!)
2. When you have to use older women, try to get ones who have worked outside the home at some time in their lives. Older women who have never contacted the public have a hard time adapting themselves and are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy. It's always well to impress upon older women the importance of friendliness and courtesy (apparently all older women are cranky-this is hilarious)
3. General experience indicates that "husky" girls - those who are just a little on the heavy side - are more even tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters (wow-that's all I have to say)
4. Retain a physician to give each woman you hire a special physical examination - one covering female conditions. This step not only protects the property against the possibilities of lawsuit, but reveals whether the employee-to-be has any female weaknesses which would make her mentally or physically unfit for the job (what exactly are femaily weaknesses??)
5. Stress at the outset the importance of time the fact that a minute or two lost here and there makes serious inroads on schedules. Until this point is gotten across, service is likely to be slowed up.
6. Give the female employee a definite day-long schedule of duties so that they'll keep busy without bothering the management for instructions every few minutes. Numerous properties say that women make excellent workers when they have their jobs cut out for them, but that they lack initiative in finding work themselves (I STRONGLY dislike this one. I can't believe it would be assumed that women need male instruction in order to get through the day....I love my husband, but I could manage just fine without men if I had to :))
7. Whenever possible, let the inside employee change from one job to another at some time during the day. Women are inclined to be less nervous and happier with change.
8. Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. You have to make some allowances for feminine psychology. A girl has more confidence and is more efficient if she can keep her hair tidied, apply fresh lipstick and wash her hands several times a day. (I laughed for more than a few minutes about this. Why are our hands so dirty? I DON'T do lipstick so I would be in trouble...haha)
9. Be tactful when issuing instructions or in making criticisms. Women are often sensitive; they can't shrug off harsh words the way men do. Never ridicule a woman - it breaks her spirit and cuts off her efficiency (yah...never ridicule a woman or we won't get any work done :))
10. Be reasonably considerate about using strong language around women. Even though a girl's husband or father may swear vociferously, she'll grow to dislike a place of business where she hears too much of this.
11. Get enough size variety in operator's uniforms so that each girl can have a proper fit. This point can't be stressed too much in keeping women happy.

This was passed around at my job today and we all got a kick out of it all day long...saying that we needed to go tidy our hair and wash our hands every half hour - oh how far we've come...

Meet the Browns

2008-04-07T21:27:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about my family tonight and I realized that I talk a lot about my nieces and family back home on here, but it has been a while since I gave an update on the Brown Family in Oregon and Hawaii. So, here's the scoop...

Jimmy & Kathy (my in-laws) are still working very hard, with only a few more years until retirement! Woohoo! They love being grandparents and wish they could have grandchildren that lived closer to home. Therefore, we have been informed that we are never to move out of the state of Oregon. That is a conversation that will be dealt with later...hopefully :) They live in Tigard, OR and are looking forward to the summer months to host many back porch BBQ's with Jimmy and Ryan's famous BBQ. One thing I love about them is that they are both very invested in their jobs, yet still seem to find time to be anywhere that any of us would ever need them...which I have always admired about them and my parents as well.

Jordan (my brother-in-law) is 21 and is a junior in college. He recently moved into Ryan's old room in his old house downtown :) How cute is that? He plays football for PSU, just like Ry did, and he is getting ready to start Spring Football in a few weeks. We are all really proud of him because he has been putting on some weight to stick up for himself on the field! He is still taking care of his knee (tore his ACL last season) and will hopefully be ready to go in the fall. I love the relationship between Jordan and Ryan. Ry is really close with his siblings, just as I am, and he loves giving Jordo all of his brotherly advice.

Megan and Joe Lokis (my sister and brother-in-law) who were recently married in Vegas in January, live in Hillsboro, about 7 miles from our house, in a really nice home they bought last fall. We started our tradition of weekly dinners (we only made it one week in a row so far, but at least it's a step in the right direction) and I am really excited and hopeful that we will continue to spend more time with them. Megan and Joe don't have any kids yet, but they do have an adorable bulldog puppy named Apollo who has quite the wardrobe.

Taylor (my other sister in-law) is my age and lives in Hawaii with her fiance and their daughter Kaley. They are expecting baby #2 in August and just found out this week that it will be another girl! Tay is a nursing student on Kawaii and loves her life on the island. They are able to come visit a few times a year and we always have a really great time with them. Kaley is the sweetest little girl, and we can't wait to meet our other new niece!

I consider myself very lucky that my new family has been very accepting and supportive of me. They made it so easy for me to fit in with them and I will be forever grateful that they have welcomed me as a member of their family.

Mother Knows Best

2008-04-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

I did it. I took my mom's advice, took the plunge and started exercising again. I grew up an extremely active girl and even after I finished running in college, I continued to work out in some capacity until I started going through some health problems. To be honest, before today, I don't think I had been running in almost a year.

I have been fighting major fatigue that I can't seem to get a hold of and I was talking to my mom about what to do. She suggested some kind of exercise in order to give me more energy. The last thing I had on my mind after being exhausted at the end of the day was working out, but I decided to give it a try. One of my co-workers has started working out in the afternoon on campus - taking a little break around 3pm and hitting the treadmill. Today I decided to tag along. One completely empty gym, a borrowed Ipod and a machine that I had almost forgot how to use (the treadmill) - turned into the best part of my day. I told myself I didn't want to overdue it, so I stretched, walked for 10 min, ran for 10 min. and then did 2 min. intervals between running and walking for another 10 minutes, cooled down, stretched again and headed back to the office. I was pretty dang proud of myself :)

Mom was right. It felt SO good to break a sweat (as gross as that sounds). I had forgot what it felt like to be an athlete, something I never really saw happening to myself. So, I'm hoping to make this something I can keep up with on a somewhat regular basis!

inspiring words...

2008-03-31T20:15:00.000-07:00

Attitude is more important than facts.
It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success,than what other people think or say or do.
It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill.
It will make or break a company, a home, a relationship.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice, every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for the day.
We cannot change our past.
We cannot change the fact that other people will act in a certain way.We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90 % how I react to it.
-Charles Swindoll

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

2008-03-25T18:56:00.000-07:00

The girls are REALLY into dancing and came up with quite a few new moves this weekend! Here is a video of them in their play dresses dancing up a storm in Mom & Dad's living room.

Oh to be a kid again....

2008-03-21T13:14:00.001-07:00

Some of my favorite things my nieces said this past weekend...

Bayleigh- while riding in the car to Spokane, "Auntie, does JC Pennies have baby clothes?" and then she continued to ask us that about other stores...they love to buy things for their baby brother.

Adysen- "Our baby brother is going to be very little. Like this size (as she held her hands only two inches apart)".

Bayleigh- "and it's very important that he is healthy. All babies need to be healthy so they can grow."

Bayleigh- "I call these boggles (as she points to my chest) because mommy thinks that boobies isn't a very nice word to say to people. We only have little boggles because we are little girls, and you have big boggles because you are all grown up." Thanks for the compliment B.

Bayleigh- "When I grow up I'm going to play the cello". We asked her what the cello is and she said, "Well I can't tell you because I want it to be a surprise." I have no idea where she came up with that....

Adysen- sitting in the car holding a pair of head phones on her ears, "Excuse me, I need to make a call. Hi Auntie Deyna, whatcha doin?"

Adysen- as she comes running in the room naked and I ask her what happened to her clothes, "Well I spilled water and I was afraid I would do it again so I took my clothes off"

What is your favorite thing to wear?

Bayleigh- "Sweats"

Adysen- "Dresses"

What do you want to do when you grow up?

Bayleigh- "Be a skateboarder"

Adysen- "Be a soccer player, a dancer and a cheerleader"

Bayleigh- "Actually I'm not very hungry for dinner because I had a big breakfast."

Adysen- "I don't know if the easter bunny is a girl or a boy but I hope it will bring me something pink."

I love my girlies!

Random Thoughts 2

2008-03-17T21:15:00.000-07:00

-I'm SO excited to go home this weekend and see my family. We haven't seen anyone since Christmas and that went by so fast! My sister has been remodeling their house and I'm really looking forward to seeing it and for the girls to show me their new room also :)
-I love One Tree Hill, maybe because it is the only new show on right now, but I can't wait to watch it tomorrow night. I just got caught up on last week online!
-I get nervous everytime Ryan goes to basketball on Monday nights. He always comes home with some kind of boo boo....and he is kind of a big baby!
-I think my sister in law, Taylor, should be finding out what her baby is soon. Either way, they are naming him/her Jordan.
-I really don't like the new Mariah Carey song...she says "I will hunt you down"...that's creepy.
-I wish our taxes were done already. I have never taken them to anyone else to do them before so I hope that goes over ok.
-My brother in law entered their lab in a dock jumping contest this weekend where they run and jump into the water and their jumps are measured (the dogs, not the people...haha). We have been telling him to do it for a long time because Casey is awesome, and he finally did it! We are all going to watch at the Spokane Fairgrounds on Saturday.
-I have neglected my guitar for the past few years and I have decided that I really want to start playing and learning it again. I wish I had a piano down here. Ryan has been bugging me about my music and writing lately and I wish that I could get more into again like I used to be.
-I love Jujubes
-Almost everyone is going to be gone from work the rest of this week with our basketball team, so work is going to be SO quiet. I'm really looking forward to getting a lot of work done and then taking a few long overdue days off :)

The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.-Frank Lloyd Wright

Hangin with the Sideris Family

2008-03-16T22:01:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I have known Pat and Gayle Sideris for 6 years now. It is crazy that I have even been in Portland for that long, let alone have known my "new friends" that long! Thursday was Pat's birthday and a group of us went to dinner and then the 4 of us headed to Cirque du Soliel. I have been waiting to go for a few years now so I was so excited! I loved it. They seemed to like it too, but I know I was way more into it than the guys were....they even admitted to falling asleep in the last ten minutes. I still can't figure out how that is possible, but Ryan said that the ribbon dancing was just too soothing to stay awake :)

On Saturday, I had a date with Gayle and Simone. I was excited to spend some quality time with both of them. Simone was such a smiley girl, more than I had ever seen her smile before. She is starting to react to people's voices and is SO strong. It was nice to see Gayle get a chance to relax and tell me all about motherhood! We don't get a chance to sit down and visit as much as we would like to. That night, Pat joined us and we headed to Tigard for steak and potatoes with the Browns. Jimmy and Kathy finally got to meet Simone - their grand goddaughter as they called her :) We brought Rock Band with us and introduced them to our latest hobby! Here are a few pics from the day/night.

Must see...

2008-03-14T21:18:00.000-07:00

I just watched what is now my favorite movie - I say for now because I tend change my favorites a lot - It is called Dan in Real Life. I had been wanting to see it ever since I saw the previews and have been needing a good "life" movie. I loved it. It is a comedy about love, life, family and all of the crazy things each of those can bring. It is completely down to earth and I laughed out loud (by myself by the way), cried a few times and caught myself smiling through most of it. A perfect combination.

I have been missing my family A LOT lately and find myself emotional at times for a number of reasons. This movie was just what I needed and I would highly recommend it. Steve Carell, the main character, has such a great sense of humor and it is natural humor, not the forced, scripted humor that you find in most comedies. He reminds me a lot of my dad for so many reasons...that's a compliment by the way Dad. Not necessarily his looks, even though they do kind of resemble each other in some ways, but more his personality. In the movie, Steve constantly tries to relate to his 3 daughters after his wife passes away. It made me realize just how hard it must be for dads to understand us girls/women sometimes. Good thing we have mom to help translate when needed :) Then again, their are those things Dad understands more than anyone else....and he does give the worlds best back rub! "Back rub, Back rub!!" Moral of the story, I miss and love my family very much and I feel very lucky that I have both sides of the equation to put up with me!

PS- For some reason, I think that if you put together Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Steve Carell and Richard Gere you would come up with my dad...weird I know, but whenever I watch movies with these actors in them, some part of them reminds me of him. Dad, you must have been an actor in a past life! Mom, you are a lucky lady...being married to a movie star and all :)

I Wish...

2008-03-09T10:59:00.000-07:00

A little Sunday morning daydreaming....wouldn't it be nice??

Best Music Video

2008-03-09T10:27:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv5zWaTEVkI

Check this out...It's my favorite! Make sure you watch the whole thing. It's an oldie but a goodie - still makes me laugh everytime :)

Wine and Roses - Thank You

2008-03-03T20:24:00.000-08:00

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

Now that the dust has almost settled and I am starting to get things back to normal - whatever that might be :) - I wanted to finally post a few pics from Wine and Roses. I know I have already talked about it with many of you, but it went really well and I was very pleased with the outcome. The look of the Stott Center and the way that the decor turned out was more than I had imagined it could be. I was SO excited to finally see it all come together. My favorite part of the entire event was seeing the looks on people's faces when they entered the gym. It definitly didn't look like the place that we will play basketball tomorrow night! I loved it.

Working on this event was stressful, tiring and a lot of work - but I had so much fun seeing all of our work pay off and I loved what I was doing. The event was very successful in terms of money. We went over our fund raising goal and raised $60k more than last year. The best thing was that people have been talking about how enjoyable it was. I wanted the event to be successful, but also something people would look forward to next year. Everyone keeps giving us a hard time in the office, telling us that we have set ourselves up for much more work next year...which I am sad to say is already being talked about this week! Our Athletic Director loves to give us VERY LARGE goals, which I enjoy because I love a challenge, but it can be intimidating at times. I am looking forward to taking a day off next week, or two or three :) Let's hope I can do it!

I want to thank everyone for being so supportive of me throughout my learning process this year. Their were so many things that were new to me this year and I'm sorry for boring many of you with "work talk"...especially in the last few months. Thank you Meg for checking in with me and being so supportive of everything I am doing. It means so much to me. I love my book! Thank you Mom and Dad for coming to the event again and supporting me. It meant SO much to have you there, even if I didn't get to see you very much. Just knowing you were there allowed me to stay much more relaxed than I would have been. You have helped me throughout all of this more than you probably know. Sorry for keeping you up so late! Thank you Ry for understanding and putting up with my late nights, especially when I didn't plan on spending so much time at the office. I appreciate you being there for me and for showing that you were proud of me over and over again. You looked super handsome! I love you.

Also, I know my boss or anyone in my office probably doesn't read this, but they understand that I like a challenge and a few of them have pushed me and helped me to make this event what I imagined it to be this year. I could never take all of the credit for pulling everything off. It has been so nice to have a good "coach" in the office to help me decide what I want to get out of my job. So many people, hours and volunteer help went into this process and I wish everyone knew how thankful I am for everything.

Operation "Clean the Garage"

2008-02-27T09:13:00.000-08:00

I wanted to give a shout out to my parents and make sure they know I think they are the best in the entire world! Not only did they drive down to Portland last weekend to come to Wine & Roses (which I will post pics of soon) and support me, but they were here a few days early because of a work meeting in Olympia so they decided to clean and organize our garage! Something that my mom and I discussed on the phone last week and then they made it a reality. I felt so bad because the 3 of them had to do all of the work because I wasn't home much, but they still insisted on doing something to help.

When we first moved into our home, we thought we had SO much space in the kitchen. But, a few boxes of wedding presents later and the combination of all of our random kitchen stuff that we each already had and we have been hurting for space. It sounds crazy for only two people to take up so much room, but somehow we have managed to do it.

So, instead of taking the extra time to relax like they easily could have done, my mom mentioned it to my dad and they went into what I like to call “Project Mode”. They had everything done in a few days and the garage looks amazing (hopefully I can take some pictures soon! I’m sure you are all dying to see pictures of a garage…haha). Everything has a shelf or space and there is nothing on the floor so I can park in it with ease now! Sorry Ryan for hogging the space! Thank you Mom and Dad from Ry and I…I would love to say that we will return the favor in your garage, but #1 – It is already clean, and #2 - If we tried to go through Dad’s stuff and get rid of anything, we all know he would put it right back! Hopefully we can come up with something that we can do for you guys soon – as long as it doesn’t involve painting, because we all know I’m really bad at it! We Love You!

a creed to live by...

2008-02-18T18:20:00.000-08:00

Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others,
It is because we are different that each of us is special.
Don't set your goals by what other people deem important,
Only you know what is best for you.
Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart,
Cling to that as you would your life, for without them life is meaningless.
Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or the future.
By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.
Don't give up when you still have something to give
Nothing is really over … until the moment you stop trying.
Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect,
It is the fragile thread that binds us to each other.
Don't be afraid to encounter risks,
It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love.
The fastest way to lose love is to hold on too tightly,
And the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
Don't dismiss your Dreams. To be without dreams is to be without hope.
To be without hope is to be without purpose.
Don't run through life so fast that you forget where you've been,
But also know where you're going.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored every step of the way.

-Author Unknown.

Deyna's Day

2008-02-14T08:54:00.000-08:00

Ryan and I spent our very 1st Valentine's Day miserably sick with the flu, watching cartoons, talking about how neither of us had really ever been that into the holiday. After that we decided that we weren't going to make a big deal out of it because we agreed that it didn't matter to either of us. The following year, I still thought he might do something even though we had clearly made our choice, but he did nothing...no card, no flowers, nothing. I was a little disappointed because what girl doesn't like flowers, but reminded myself it was our decision. The next day, he showed up at my apartment with roses and asked me out on a date for what he called "Deyna's Day". Valentine's Day was too predictable for him - he knew that I would still be expecting him to do something. Anyone that knows Ryan, knows he can't handle parking lots and busy places/restaurants...so going out the day after Valentine's Day when their aren't as many people out and about is more his cup of tea. Not to mention the flowers were half the price of the day before :) He's a clever little fella. So, that's the story of Deyna's Day that we will be celebrating on Friday!

I put together a little slideshow of pics from us throughout the last six years that we have known each other. It was limited in the amount of pictures that I could include, so I had to leave about a million out :) I love you Ry. Thanks for always making me smile and being my perfect non-Valentine.

A Case of the Mondays...

2008-02-11T08:41:00.001-08:00

The countdown is on. When I walked into work this morning, someone said, "Can you believe the event is next weekend? Are you ready for that?" It's no longer a year, month, few weeks away. It's now NEXT WEEKEND. It's funny how time creeps up on you. I was feeling a little sluggish on my way in this morning, but the awakening I got when I stepped into my cublicle, piled high with papers, deposits to be made and random items that will hopefully be just what someone is looking for next Saturday, made me snap out of it and know it's time for WORK. No room for "a case of the Mondays here". I think sometimes I just need a little motivation to get me going and I will hopefully be (cross your fingers) on a roll. Today it will come in the form of a poppyseed muffin :)

SO, for anyone else out there feeling like this week will go on forever and it has only just begun, have a Happy Monday and think of something that will get you through it all. I'm looking forward to a nice, warm bath and a big bowl of icecream when I get a chance!

Work Talk

2008-02-08T17:42:00.000-08:00

This is probably the busiest month of the year for me - right up there with the month of July for Ryan and I! I work in Event Planning and Donor Relations for Portland State University and I am putting on a fundraiser on the 23rd, called Wine & Roses. It is a wine tasting event with silent and live auctions, live entertainment and dancing, and a sit-down dinner served by our student-athletes (I love that part). All of the money raised goes to support scholarships for PSU Athletes, so the interaction between our donors and athletes is really important. It's awesome for me to get to be on the other side of things now and do my part to help new athletes pay their way through college! I have worked at/on the event in some capacity for the last 3 years and am now the person in charge this year! A lot of responsibility needless to say, but I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I wasn't busy - us Tripp girls are just that way right?

With a lot of changes in our department this year and the addition of extra staff hours, we have grown the event 3 times the size of years past and have almost 500 people registered to come at this point. I almost fell out of my chair when I realized what our numbers were at today. Without meaning to, I have changed a lot of little things about what the event used to be so I hope it turns out alright. Please cross your fingers and say a prayer for me! I told a friend yesterday that it is like planning a big wedding - just very professional with a lot of activities and money involved! I have never worked with this large of a budget before :) I have been doing fairly good handling all of the stress so far, but know the next few weeks will be tiring and long (I'm sorry Ry for all of the late nights so far and to come). I'm actually still at the office now...don't tell my boss :)

I was just thinking of quitting for the day when I received this e-mail from my boss. It really inspired me so I thought I would pass it on.

Christian Ways to Reduce Stress
An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."
1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and un-clutter your life.
7. Less is more (although one is often not enough, two are often too many).
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the kid in you everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19 Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people; they probably need it the most.
32. Sit on your ego.
33 Talk less; listen more.
34 Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe
36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. God has a way of turning things around for you.

Our Kiddos

2008-02-04T21:17:00.000-08:00

Ryan and I are blessed to have 3 nieces and 1 goddaughter in our lives and we couldn't love all of them more. You have probably heard me mention them ALOT! In 5 months we will have another new niece or nephew (they find out on the 13th) in Colville, and in about 7 months we will have another new little one in Hawaii! So many beautiful girls that make our lives so much more fun - It will be exciting to see if anyone has a boy! Until we have kids of our own to brag about :) here is an update on our growing families: The Newest Addition: Little Simone Alexis was born on January 26th and is now home and growing strong and healthy with Patrick and Gayle. Gayle did such an amazing job throughout her birth and toughing out a few days in the hospital - even with the bad food, right Mama :) She is recovering really well and I have been so lucky to get to spend quality time with the three of them as they get used to this new life. I even got to have Gayle and Simone as my lunch dates last week! I haven't seen them since Saturday now and I miss them already. It has been so fun to get to spend this time with Gayle. Busy lives and schedules have kept us from seeing each other as much as we would like to. It is so amazing to see her as a mom. She was the 1st person I met when I came to Portland and knocked on our apartment door 6 years ago. Remember that Mom and Dad? I was so nervous in the beginning but then I started talking a million miles an hour and I know Gayle thought I was annoying..haha. The fun thing is that Ryan and Pat have also known each other longer than even we have. They were friends before we ever came along. We have been through so much together and Ryan and I were more than happy to accept when they asked us to be Simone's godparents.
Miss Kaley Pookie: Kaley will be 2 in May and we were so happy that we got to see her over Christmas and recently in Las Vegas at Auntie Megan and Uncle Joe's wedding. She is getting so big and is starting to talk so much more. Her favorite word is "car" which comes out more like "caa" and she uses it to describe EVERYTHING! She calls us "Ry Ry and Auntie Neyna". She is so sweet and funny and I love the time that I get to spend with her. She has the greatest laugh and she is a little ham...she knows she is so funny! She is a big flirt and remembers us now when we see her, which is really fun. I have to admit that I think she has a soft spot for her Uncles. My favorite thing is when she does something funny and then laughs outloud at herself. I love it! She loves to play tag or hide and go seek and do horsie rides with me. I wish we were able to spend more time with the Javier family - we can't wait for the new addition this summer. Yay for another Virgo in the Brown family :) I hope we can make it over the ocean to visit them someday!

The Girlies: Adysen and Bayleigh will be 4 in June (I can't believe it)- right before their new sibling is born. Bayleigh calls the new baby Freddy and thinks it's a boy. Adysen calls her Daffeny and thinks it's a girl. Lately they are really into their babies and just had their first dentist appointments. They told me that they got "big girl toothpaste" and were going to save their "baby toothpaste" for the new baby. Recently, I talked to Adysen on the phone for 45 minutes! Bayleigh doesn't care much for the telephone, unless you catch her on a good night. Every now and then it works...unless she is tired or eating or doesn't feel good or her arm hurts...haha. She is really into excuses right now :) We love them so much and hope they will come visit us very soon....hint hint!

Sideris Baby on the Way!!

2008-01-25T10:07:00.000-08:00

I just got a phone call from my good friend Gayle Sideris and found out that she will most likey be having her baby girl today! They are naming her Simone Alexis Sideris and she will be born at St. Vincent Hospital in Beaverton, OR. Gayle has been such a trooper throughout her pregnancy and is VERY excited to move on to the next step of being a Mommy. Please say a prayer for the Sideris Family today as they go through this amazing experience.

St. Theresa's Prayer
May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let His presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing,
dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.

Randomness

2008-01-23T16:53:00.000-08:00

Lately I Like/LOVE:
-to watch Law & Order SVU re-runs, Gossip Girl, New season of One Tree Hill
-my black boots I got for Christmas
-anything and everything graphic design at work (new hobby)
-to download CD's that aren't played on the radio
-Camisole pj's
-Sonic's Watermelon Creamslush Smoothies
-skirts with tights
-the book I'm reading "Come Back"
-Ryan's sweatpants
-Rockstar Drums
- Super addicting!
-getting auction items for my work fundraiser in Feb.
-warm mittens...so cold here
-when friends visit my office for coffee, lunch or just a "hello"
-Better Homes and Gardens Magazine -such cute ideas
-painting my fingernails
-Solitare on my Treo

Things I could live without:
-the hunting channel...sorry Ry
-RAIN! and/or snow/sleet/hail...it's just not the same as home
-Watching the news
-The Wind- especially when Ryan is working
-Junk Mail
-Grey's Anatomy re-runs...End the writers strike!
-not getting enough sleep
-people being rude for no reason...smile!
-being in the airport for a bit - no more layovers
-LAUNDRY...I love clothes, but I dislike putting them away :)

The Little Things

2008-01-23T15:08:00.000-08:00

You know how you have those days/weeks that just seem to be loaded with stress? I know it's all relative - one person's stress is another's holiday and people might look at me and wonder why I am the way I am - but I've had one of those weeks...and it's only Wednesday (not to mention Monday was a holiday..ha). I was talking with Grandma Brown this past weekend and she told me that everything is going to be fine if I can learn not to stress. Like my mother in law said following that comment...telling me not to worry or stress is like telling me to stop breathing. I was just born a natural worrier - thanks mom!

With a major event coming up at work and a VERY busy month ahead of me, I decided to do a little research on stress. I found that it takes a million years for one gene to change in our bodies. One million years! Physiologically, we're the same humans we were 300 years ago. But look at how things have changed in that short time. Some things make life easier now: washers and dryers, transportation, abundance of food, electricity, etc. But some things make life today more insane: cell phones, traffic, increased population, TV, busy schedules. I heard a statistic that we make more decisions in one day than people used to make in a year. No wonder I'm stressed out :)

Research says that since we can't change our genes, we have to create a map to navigate this crazy life. What can I do to try and stay on top of the stress so it doesn't affect my health and happiness (and those of others around me when I can't sleep and wake people up in the middle of the night..ha)??

My mom always tells me that the only person that can change the way I feel is me. SO, I'm going to focus on working on the little things that can make a big difference.

1. Take my Vitamins - I made a vow to remember to take my medicine and vitamins everyday in order to help myself be as healthy and as full of energy as possible. When I don't feel good I start to think I will never get anything done.

2. Eat More Often - I would really like to get into the habit of cooking "real food" more often for Ry and I as well as eating more throughout the day at work. Even if I don't have a lot of time and it is just a granola bar, there should always be a few minutes to take a break.

3. Notice. I need to try not to let the stress overtake me. It is helpful when I am able to recognize the situations that cause the stress and notice them coming my way. Sometimes I take on more than I can handle because it just feels right, even when I know it will cause more stress later on.

4. Get it off my chest. Stop saying "I'm fine" when I talk to friends, family members or co-workers. Sometimes just getting it off my chest can help unload some of the burden...even if I think it is just something little or silly.

5. Keep my sense of humor. I will try to see the irony and humor in the things that I can not change. Going through life without as many smiles as normal is never fun.

6. Ask myself, "What's the hurry?" Have some fun. Sometimes I feel like we just miss enjoying the moment. I'm only 24. Everything happens for a reason and their is a time and place for everything.

7. Take a deep breath. Lately I have realized that sometimes I just need to get away, even if it is only for a few minutes, to be with myself and my thoughts. The internet suggested take to take a walk, meditate, lock yourself away in a beautiful bath, or go to church. Find the peace and the silence.

8. Keep it simple. Simplify all of the things that I am trying to do. Do I really need to worry about trying to finish unpacking a few random boxes in the office right now? No, they will still be there in a few days...even though walking by and looking at them sitting there bothers me :)

9. Drink water. Everyone gets on my about staying hydrated, so I am going to try and do a better job of getting on myself so they won't have to.

Our First Christmas

2008-01-07T21:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas was different this year than anything I have ever experienced. We spent a short time in Colville before the holiday and Christmas and the rest of our time in Tigard, OR with the Browns. SO, it was my first Christmas away from Colville! I have to admit, it was very hard for me to get used to the idea ~ but Ryan was very understanding and we had a wonderful time with both or our families. This Christmas we were able to... bake cookies with the girlies and see them open a few presents, see both sides of the family in Colville within 24 hours (thank you for changing your plans for us everyone), watch my brother make his own snowboard park in the back yard, go bowling with my grandma on the Wii :), eat my mom's Christmas dinner (she is a great cook), spend time with Taylor and our niece from Hawaii, watch Kaley witness her first snow (which she couldn't take her eyes off), play Guitar Hero on Christmas Eve for about 4 hours after everyone had went to sleep, play dress up with Tara and Audrey, watch a little football of course, eat turkey dinner (thanks Jimmy for catering to my distaste of ham), take a few naps ~ and most of all...spend time together. Thank you for a great first Christmas Ry. I love you and I look forward to making more of our own traditions.

Special thanks to Meg for encouraging me to post Christmas Pictures! Some of these pics were sent to me from my mom and sis but I wanted to share them with everyone. Happy New Year!

2007 - A Year in Review

2007-12-30T21:15:00.000-08:00

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...

2007-12-27T22:47:00.000-08:00

-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

2007-12-26T20:21:00.000-08:00

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

2007-12-17T22:02:00.000-08:00

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

2007-12-13T21:59:00.000-08:00

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.

Find the Pickle!

2007-11-30T14:46:00.000-08:00

Apparently we have all been missing out on this tradition - I'm hoping to add this to our family Christmas tree someday...

"The glass pickle ornaments are the oddest German ornaments of all. For those who know the pickle story and for those who participate in hanging the pickle, it has become a welcomed addition to the present unwrapping dilemma of who is first. The glass pickle ornament is always the last one to be hung on the tree. The parents would carefully hide the pickle in the tree among the other decorations. When the children were allowed to view the Christmas tree decorated, they would begin gleefully searching the tree for the Pickle ornament. The children knew that whoever found the pickle first would receive an extra little gift and would begin the unwrapping of the Christmas gifts. The pickle and other German glass ornaments have become keepsakes that will be handed down to future generations."

Much to be thankful for...

2007-11-23T11:06:00.000-08:00

My sister recently spread the news that she is having another baby! My nieces couldn't be happier to be expecting a new baby sister or brother. They are very into their "babies" right now (any and all dolls and stuffed animals that they can dress up) and we spent many hours throughout the weekend watching them play "mommy" to all of them. Needless to say, they are going to be a big help when the newest member of the Darnold family comes along this summer...maybe even TOO much help sometimes!
The boys had plenty of "manly" time over the break, including watching and trying to help my brother shoot a deer in the field on Friday (it was like play by play between a cell phone and 3 sets of binoculars in the living room) and going pheasant hunting on Saturday. They brought home 7 birds and we cooked them into a stir fry that night. I have to admit that I didn't eat any, but I have to give props to Lorie for trying a bite! I am very lucky to have found a husband that fits in SO well with my dad and brothers. They are like the 4 amigos - you'll find the same goofy sense of humor and love of camouflage in all of them :)
My parents celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary last Saturday! They were married on November 24, 1979 in Colville, Washigton at the Free Methodist Church. Their wedding colors were brown, orange and yellow (true fall wedding) and their wedding song was "We've Only Just Begun" by the Carpenters. I wish I had a wedding picture of them to share, but I think they will be thankful enough that I shared this photo with you all :) Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad. Thank you for being such a wonderful example for us. I love you. PS- We were a pretty good lookin' bunch if I do say so myself!

the girlies

2007-11-11T14:22:00.001-08:00

My nieces, Adysen & Bayleigh, are 3 years old and are the funniest, craziest, smartest, silliest, most loving little girls I could ever imagine to have in my life. They keep my sister very busy and tend to test her patience :) but she is the most amazing mother and they are extremely lucky to have her and her husband as their parents. Ryan and I have learned so much from them and are thank ful that we are surrounded by so many good examples of what it means to be a great parent. We are going to be in good shape when it comes time for us to start a family!

My mother, sister and the girls were able to come visit us last weekend and it was SO nice to see them. The girls have such amazing imaginations and they care so much about each other. It is incredible to see how much they are alike, but so different at the same time. They have developed their own personalities and I love watching them grow and learn about life. They are very into playing with their "babies" and name every stuffed animal they own. You should hear some of the names they come up with. They even like to name each other sometimes and ask us to call them by thoses names...Bayleigh was "Larry" for one afternoon :) Here are a few pictures of what they have been up to!

Best friends! Helping clean up the day after our wedding. They look so grown up!

Hello Kitty for Halloween this year. Their costumes were so cute - they trick or treated at our house when they came down last weekend so we could see their outfits.
My sister's little "mini-me". It's amazing how much Adysen looks like her. Look at that amazing smile!
Bayleigh Louise - trying her long underwear on her head. I love her goofiness...I think she might get that from her Auntie :)

Happy Birthday Lorie

2007-11-08T22:07:00.001-08:00

I want to dedicate this post to my friend Lorie. Today is her birthday and I have been missing her and thinking about her a lot lately. Lorie came into my family’s life more than ten years ago and her and her children are a special part of our family.

One of my favorite things about Lorie is that she always encourages her kids to do exactly what they want to do and to be who they are. I have always appreciated this about my parents and know that Tannar, Chase, Ty and Mia will appreciate their individualities as they grow older.

One of my favorite things about Lorie is that she is always learning - even though she is one of the most intelligent people I know. No matter the situation, she finds a way to learn from it and share her thoughts and feelings with others. I always look forward to reading her blog. She has taken what is usually a negative experience and allowed it to affect her life in many positive ways. I know their are good days and bad and I am proud of her for focusing on the good days.

One of my favorite things about Lorie is her determination. I think that this is one of the strongest traits that she shares with my mother and I am very proud of her for everything she has overcome in the last few years.

Lorie - I wish I could be there for your birthday dinner tomorrow, but you know I am always there for you anytime you need me. I Love you. Happy birthday

Where's My Toast

2007-11-07T20:58:00.000-08:00

I found this story and I thought it was so cute...
A couple in their nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a checkup, the doctor tells them that they're physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember. Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair.
"Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?" he asks.
"Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?"
"Sure."
"Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?" she asks.
"No, I can remember it."
"Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so's not to forget it?"
He says, "I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries."
"I'd also like whipped cream. I'm certain you'll forget that, write it down?" she asks.
Irritated, he says, "I don't need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake!"
Then he toddles into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes, the old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs. She stares at the plate for a moment.
"Where's my toast ?"

3rd Times a Charm

2007-10-31T10:35:00.000-07:00

So I have decided once again that blogging is something I want to keep up with! This is the 3rd time I have started a new blog over the past 3 years - and to those family members and friends who used to read and check up on me…I promise to keep up with it this time! Life got so incredibly busy and I didn’t have time to put my thoughts into this. So, I have created a whole new page and I plan on making sure I give myself time to do it! It will be simple for now, but give me a few more days and I will have pictures and stories to share. In the mean time, here are a few updates:

Name: Deyna Raechel Brown – Still getting used to it!
Age: 24
Marital Status: Happily married July 21, 2007 to Mr. Ryan Brown
Current Employer & Job: PSU Athletics – Director of Donor Relations
& Special Events
Rent or own: Own – bought a home in May in Beaverton, OR
Height: 5'1 and 3/4
The Shoes You Wore Today: Black High Heels
Your Weakness: Ice Cream
Your Perfect Pizza: Chicken, Bacon Ranch – Garlic Jims
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year: Good Health
Your Bedtime: These days about 9:00pm
Favorite Season/s: Summer and winter, but love the fall in OR
McDonalds or Burger King: Jack in the Box – Chicken Fajita Pita
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Hot tea – Orange Spice
Chocolate or Vanilla: Vanilla with Strawberries
Do you Sing: It’s my favorite thing to do – especially in the car
Do you believe in yourself: Most of the time, always working on it
Do you get Motion Sickness: Yes, too easily
Looking forward to: Holidays and family time
Are you a Health Freak: Only with certain things, I like fat free
Do you get along with your Parents: The best
Do you play an Instrument: Piano and still trying to learn guitar – little by little
What country would you most like to Visit: Australia and Italy
Number of CDs I own: Hundreds
Number of people I miss right now: Too many to count – they know who they are
Number of siblings: 2 officially, but one who I also count unofficially :)
Current Mood: Loved and Thankful