Monday, March 15, 2010

Spring Weather~Jealous Much!!

Yesterday was LOVELY (so is today)! After church we all went out in the backyard and enjoyed the spring-like weather. One thing you've got to love about Boise is the weather! It hits spring early and winter late, which means less snow!! (Are you taking special note Thompson family? That was for you!) Here are some pics of us enjoying the sunshine.
Trying to get them to smile for a pic, but they are too interested in the grass!

Aww, mama's little athlete! Sorry Corbin, its just too funny not to post!

Playing catch together

Relaxing

Playing catch with daddy

This is definitely the worst thing about warm weather! YUCK!!

And a pic of Ivy enjoying a girl scout cookie, also a spring classic!

Friday, March 12, 2010

March Book 1: These is my words

These is my words~The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine
by Nancy E. Turner

This book was recommended by Scott's cousin Heather, and I think possibly someone else, but I can't remember who. Maybe Debbie? I don't know

This book is a fictional story of a young woman who lived a hard life in the Arizona Territories in the late 1800's. It is told through the diary of Sarah Prine and starts when she is just 17 years old. She was a pioneer (not a mormon pioneer, in case you were wondering) who trekked in areas surrounding the Arizona Territories with her parents and siblings until they finally settled there. Along the way they encounter Indians, wild animals, and many other trials, and witness a lot of death and mayhem. The trouble doesn't stop once they settle down as they still encounter trials when they have to make a trip into the nearby town of Tucson every so often, and they still end up fighting the Indians on their land. Sarah experiences many hard things in her life, like the deaths of children, spouses, parents and neighbors, and we get to witness these things through her words.

I have to be honest, I was not really looking forward to reading this book. I thought it sounded kind of boring, but I put it on hold at the library anyway. While I waited for it, I read other books and heard from many other people that it was a great book, and I got a little intrigued, but still not totally interested. It must have sat on hold for 2 months before my turn came up. So I decided to read it fast, so I could return it quickly and give someone else a chance.

I got sucked in on page 1! I couldn't put the thing down! I read and read and neglected my housework and children again......and poor Scott. I know he was so annoyed that I couldn't put the book down when he got home from work. I gave him a kiss and went right back to reading! Well, I finished it in a day and half (would have been sooner if I didn't have to stop for an appointment with the Phys. therapist, or take Corbin to and from School and kindergarten registration). Anyway, I was sad when the book was over and felt like I could have kept reading it forever.

I can't even say why, but I LOVED this book. It sounds sappy, and cheesy, and girlie, but I think the main reason I loved it was because of the romantic element between Sarah and Captain Elliot. I found myself blushing and embarrassed right along with her, and I think got a little crush on the captain myself! I'm not normally a fan of romantic stuff like that, but really enjoyed it. I was embarrassed to read in front of Scott (although that wasn't enough to stop me) because I know I always had a smile on my face or tears in my eyes (or both). It was funny, and sad, and interesting and totally great. I feel like I really related to Sarah, and wished this was a true story so I could do some genealogy and find out we're really related somewhere down the line! Just kidding, but she was tough and feisty and my kind of girl. Thanks for the recommendation Heather, (and those of you that may have, but I don't remember), it was a great book. I give it a 10 and an A- (the minus is because I cried too much!).

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

As Different As Night And Day

Anyone who knows my two boys would say, they're different. Not different as in weird, but different from each other. Sometimes I'd swear they weren't even related (if, you know, I hadn't given birth to them, and met them on the street instead). I thought I'd just list some of their differences (which are vast) and similarities (not so much).


Differences in their appearance:
Corbin~Has light brown hair, giant eyes and his famous long, dark eyelashes that naturally curl (totally from the Floyd side). He's also small for his age.
Dexter~Has blonde (almost white) hair, smaller eyes with short light colored eyelashes (just like Scott's eyelashes). He is by no means big for his age, but totally average. Which means he's almost as tall as Corbin already. He also constantly makes this angry, constipated looking face(which I totally did when I was a kid too). It makes people think he's always in a bad mood, even when he isn't.
Similarities in their appearance:
They both have blue eyes, and their daddy's super thick hair which, on both of them, grows into a natural mohawk (due to the two swirlies they both have) although Dexter's is more pronounced.

Differences in personality:
Corbin~is very intellectual. As his teacher says, he's a thinker. He is like Scott's clone! He asks a lot of questions and wants to know why and how everything works. If he wants to know something, he won't stop until he does, and then he'll memorize whatever it is and tell everyone about it. He totally amazes me sometimes with all the things he knows. It is seriously just a matter of time until he knows EVERYTHING! He loves to play video games, read books, and draw (he literally takes a magna-doodle everywhere we go so he can draw in the car, at church, in waiting rooms etc.)
He's generally a happy kid, and pretty easy to get along with. Although, he is ridiculously shy and tends to ignore people when they talk to him (on purpose). I think its because it makes him uncomfortable and he just wants them to stop talking.
Dexter~has a great imagination. He is actually the most like me out of all three kids. He loves to sit down with his toys and make them talk to each other. He takes them everywhere. He sits them at the table during breakfast and insists they get some cereal too. He is constantly pretending he's either Buzz Lightyear or Sheriff Woody. He prefers playing outside to video games or tv, loves to ride his wiggle bike, and enjoys picking on is big brother.
He can be a little grumpy sometimes (told you he was like me), and is skeptical of new people, but warms up to them a lot quicker than Corbin. He's definitely the more physically gifted out of the two. If either of the boys wrestle, its going to be Dex. (Keep in mind, Grandpa Ross, I'm not saying he is or isn't going to wrestle, he's just the most likely candidate. Don't get your hopes up just yet!)
Similarities in personality:
hmmm.....this is a lot harder to come up with! Lets see, they are both pretty silly and will do most anything to make each other or Ivy laugh. They are both obsessed with Toy story. The love to go to the park, build forts, and take walks. They each love water and therefore love taking baths and going swimming. They both want to be first for everything, unless it involves the bathtub, then they want to be last.

For two boys that are so different, they are great friends. I love it when they play together without fighting, or when they can't eat their lunch because they are making each other laugh so hard there isn't time to take a bite of food. They are great brothers, and are lucky to have each other.
Notice Dex is making "The face" in this pic!

Monday, March 8, 2010

Super Fun Weekend

This last weekend we had the chance to head to SLC for Braxton's (my nephew) baptism. We had so much fun. We got to see my family (a lot of them I haven't seen for like a year), our friends and some of Scott's family too. I hadn't been to a baptism in like 18 years so I was excited to see one, and I was glad the kids got to witness what its all about before its their turn (Corbin is less than 3 years away from his!)

We always love coming to SLC to visit everyone and look for any excuse to go. Hopefully we'll get some people to come visit us once in a while though!! The Thompson's are coming over Easter Break, and we're looking forward to that. Anyway, here are some pics from the weekend. Unfortunately I forgot to get any pics with our friends or Scott's grandparents, but here are the ones I remembered.
Anngee, Shane and my dad in the background

Kim and Jesse

Shayne Marie, Regin, and Payton

Corbin, Dexter, and Rayden

Rae, Braxton, Andrew, Ryan, and Jeff

Dad and Mom

Rochelle, Corbin, Ivy, Dexter, and Scott

Corbin, Ivy, and Dexter (is it me or is this the cutest picture you've ever seen?!)

Marde, Corbin, Ivy, Dexter, and Ross

Thursday, March 4, 2010

The Most Common Sentence at the Brunson House

It doesn't matter what question is asked, the answer is always the same.

Me: Do you want a sandwich for lunch?
Dex: No, I want cereal.

M: Do you want some fruit snacks?
D: No, I want cereal.

M: Do you want to go play at the park?
D: No, I want cereal.

M: Do you want to go to Disneyland and see Buzz, Woody, and Mickey Mouse, eat churro's for every meal, and ride on super fun roller coasters all day until we throw up?
D: No, I want cereal.
M: Well, okay. You've made your decision, but you can't say I never asked.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Cutie-Magoo

Here's a little video of sweet Ivy showing off some of her newly achieved skills. She's so freakin' cute!


click the link
So here is the list of her new skills:
~Jumping on the couch
~climbing the stairs
~pointing out her body parts
~saying "I did it"
~and of course, stealing the lens cap!

Monday, March 1, 2010

February Book 3: The Robber Bride

Technically it is March now, but I finished this book 2 days ago, so it counts as a february one. This book was recommended by my cousin Rikki.

The Robber Bride
By Margaret Atwood
genre: fiction/ kinda feminist-ish (if that's a word)

This is a story about three women who come to know each other through similar experiences related to another manipulative, man-eating woman who digs her claws into each of their mates, and tries to destroy their lives. The three women, Tony, Charis, and Roz develop a friendship after they each suffer though their turn with the evil Zenia. They are all relieved when a few years later she dies. They attend the funeral together and all feel as though they can breath easier. Then one day while they are having lunch together Zenia walks back into their lives, and is obviously not dead after all. Now they just have to figure out what she wants and get rid of her before she finds a new way to destroy them completely.

I liked this book and got through it rather quickly. It was interesting and kept my attention. I was kind of annoyed about how easily everyone was manipulated by Zenia's lies when they seemed so obvious to me. I find it hard to believe that so many people would be that naive. I was also annoyed that every man was so susceptible to being taken away from their loving wife, or girlfriend. They seemed to go easily, which may be true for some men, but definitely not ANY/EVERY man. On the other hand, I liked the story of the friendship between the three woman though. Even though they didn't have a lot in common, they complimented each other and made their friendship work. Like the last book I read this one was narrated by the three different women with their different lives and personalities and the author did a great job of distinguishing them from each other.

This book has some mature language and swearing (including the f-word), some sexual references, and one of the main characters recounts her experience of being molested as a child, which was rather disturbing. If these are things you could look past, give it a shot, if not, don't read it. Marde, that means you.....You wouldn't like it!