Just Us Brusiks

Happy Birthday Lola!

2010-05-14T06:57:00.000-07:00

Seriously, I can't believe my baby is 3! She has grown up so fast and has become such an extraordinary girl! She is the light of our lives and brightens any room she runs into. She is so fun to be around and I don't know any kid that doesn't love her. She is so fun and does so much for herself, except of course, go potty. She is for sure, stubborn.

She loves playing dress up, adores ponies, princesses, anything girly. She loves to get her nails painted, put makeup on, and still lets me do her hair. When she plays, she has a play voice, which is her regular voice octaves higher. It is adorable! She loves to boss people around and tells people how it is. If she is mean to you, don't take it personally. She has a problem with everyone! I just love when she talks because she has a rougher/scratchy voice!

I can go on and on about Lola. She is awesome and we love her!

Birthday Boy!

2010-03-01T15:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to my Caden Boy! He turned 5 yesterday and is growing up so fast. We just came home from his kindergarten check up and he was a trooper. He didn't freak out when they pricked his finger and he didn't have a problem peeing in the little cup. The years have flown by so fast and I can't believe my little baby is going to be in kindergarten this fall. He is just amazing and has brought so much joy into our lives. Walk through memory lane...feels just like yesterday...

Lovely Lola

2010-02-21T16:55:00.000-08:00

We were over at my friend Rachel's house where she decided to make a playdate into a photoshoot. I just wanted to show how lovely and grown up Lola is.

Just catching up!

2010-01-28T09:42:00.000-08:00

Cheesecake Factory with some friends! Great food...Great company!

Jazz game with Brad and Cara. They were surprised such noise could come out of such a small person! Boy, they were in for a treat!

Moab 10K Sun Run! Greg and I left at 5am the morning of the race! We made it, it was FREEZING! Do you see the time on the clock when he finished? 10K=6.2 miles He did so great, he placed and got a medal!

Playing (and eating) Snow! We haven't had too much snow this winter, but we sure have tried to take advantage of it as much as we can. We went sledding, but we forgot the camera.

Christmas morning with matching jammies! Each year Christmas just gets better and better!

Crazy times!

2010-01-24T10:36:00.000-08:00

On friday, our morning started with soggy carpets, due to our water heater leaking everywhere. After having someone come and look at in the morning, I got a quote of over $1000 to get a new one and installed...NO THANKS! Greg and I decided to go look for a new water heater and either install it ourselves or find someone, through connection do it for for a much smaller fee. Greg took some leave from work for us to go shopping and on his way home, someone decided to run a stop light and run right into Greg's car. The car wasn't drivable and my husband was stranded. He was dealing with the accident, the insurance (that's always fun), and his crazy wife who is calling every few minutes to make sure he was ok. I was on the phone nonstop with the home insurance, finding someone to install the water heater, and concerned friends. Overall, Greg is doing fine and the house seems to be fine, but we are still dealing with insurances.

Friday seemed crazier than my own wedding day, but of course I didn't have two munchkins all over the place.

Christmas Break

2010-01-20T08:21:00.000-08:00

I know it is so late, but I just entered back into the blogging world remember. So I will post a little here and there of our Christmas. My roommate Becca came to visit her family for a week and I am lucky to live in the same city as her family. Usually it is just her that visits, but this time her hubby, Jared came along too. We planned a double date with all-you-can-eat sushi and bowling. We ate too much sushi and attempted bowling with a full stomach. I haven't been bowling since before I had Caden. I didn't do so good, but I did get a strike. Jared wanted to impress us with his mad skills because he was in a league. He will soon have his picture hanging on the Wall at Miracle Bowl. It was so much fun. We wish you guys lived closer, but it sure is nice to see you when you visit. We need to make a trip to Texas!

2010

2010-01-18T19:47:00.001-08:00

I am trying to be better at blogging. It has been forever, so hopefully no one deleted us. Just a little update with our family...

Greg has been busy with work, biking and running to work. This year he is training for a marathon and a half-ironman. We have been going to races from Logan to St. George with distances of a 5k to 10k to sprint triatholons. This coming up year we have already planned races that we are planning, starting in March with a 25k and ending the year in November with a half-ironman in Nevada. We love supporting him through his goals and cheering him on the sidelines. The best part....IHOP after the races!

Me, well the kids definitely keep me busy everyday with playdates, library trips, and lots of games of hide-and-go-seek. This year I am trying to organize pictures from the past years, read as many books as possible, get the most fit I have ever been, and trying new things. Greg and I just signed up for our first ballroom dance class, which starts next week, and I am looking for a cooking class I can take. We have been taking advantage of the babysitters we know and go on more dates now than I can remember.

Caden is in his second year of preschool. He is growing up so much and I am enjoying this stage, even though I have to put up with his tantrums that I feel like a 4 year should not be making. He is a wonderful helper and does so much for himself now. He has a wild and giant imagination and loves to play pretend and draw. He has been a blast to play boardgames with. It is amazing how fast they grow and I can't believe he will be going to kindergarten next year.

Lola is full of life! She makes us laugh whether it is how silly she or her crazy attitude. Her vocabulary is growing every day and it amazes me how much of a conversation I can have with her. She loves to play dress-up and play with dolls. She loves anything to do with horses and kittens. She is a wonderful dancer and asks to have a makeover with mommy's makeup every morning. She isn't all girly though. She does love swordfights and monsters. She will be going to her first year of preschool this fall and now that...is crazy to believe.

We have been doing great and 2010 is going to be a wonderful year!

Running and Winning

2009-09-05T14:43:00.001-07:00

So Greg has been running again. He probably started about a month ago. We used to go to Bryce Canyon every year for him to run the Rim Run, which was 5 miles. It was a nice vacation and he would train during the summer when he had a break from school. Well now that the kids have gotten older, he is going back to running. It has been great to be a part of it. Last minute, he found about a run here in Spanish Fork. It was either the 5k, which is 3 miles, or a half marathon. Well Greg decided to do the 5k. He will eventually get to the half marathon, just not now. So we had the kids ready to go by 700am. Usually there isn't a problem getting them up. They have been waking up early, but today, they decided they wanted to sleep. We got them up and going and we were there for Greg. They got to the play in the park and we enjoyed pancakes and waffles while we were waiting. It was a fun morning and now everyone, but me, is zonked out.

Greg did great! He got 6th overall and 2nd in his age group. He ran it in 22 minutes. For me, I would've ran just a mile in 22 minutes. He did so awesome and me and the kids are so proud of him.

Silly Billy!

2009-09-05T14:33:00.000-07:00

Since Caden has started school, I have been able to spend more time with her before I put her down for her nap. Man, this little lady is a blast! I love this girl. She makes me laugh all the time.

Crazy Weekend

2009-09-01T12:38:00.001-07:00

So last weekend was a crazy one. It started with Greg working graveyard and we had a yardsale at 730am Saturday morning. We had the yardsale until 1230. We had a princess party at 2, but we didn't get there until 230. We had a family party at 5 in Salt Lake so we had to leave by 4, but I needed to be home by 330 to pack. Both kids took a nap on our way to the family party because we were stuck in traffic so we were actually an hour late to the family party. We got there at 6. The kids played outside and in the hot tub with their cousins and finally got to bed at 10pm. We spent the night at my in-laws. At 1030, Greg and I decided to take advantage of being there and went out to Chili's. We got home at 1130...exhausted. Kids wook up at 730am. We got ready, packed, and left to go home around 1030. We got home around 1130. The house was a disaster so we cleaned. At around 1230, I made lunch and Greg went for a run. He came home, we had lunch. We all had to shower and get ready for the day because we had a baby blessing to go to at 230. After the baby blessing, we came home and changed and met everybody from the blessing at a park for lunch. We got there at 315. We stayed until 415. Lola fell asleep once we got home. Caden wanted to play Lego Batman, and Greg and I decided to sleep. Caden came into my room at 6 to sleep. He fell asleep. I woke up. Lola came in to my room and laid on my bed and fell back asleep. Greg woke up to play Lego batman. I made dinner. Greg and I had dinner. 830pm, we put Caden's jammies on and he went back down for bed. Lola woke up, but didn't want to go back to bed. We watched Planet Earth until 10pm and put Lola down for bed. Greg and I were in bed by 1030pm. Monday started at 6am.

First Day of School

2009-09-01T12:34:00.000-07:00

It was Caden's first day of preschool yesterday. This is his second year and he is going 3 times a week instead of 2. He loves it and can't wait to go again the next day. I just have a hard time with Lola coming home with me after dropping him off. When is it going to be her turn? Soon.

Birthday and Anniversary Celebration!

2009-09-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

I turned the big 2-6 and Greg and I have been married for 6 years. It was a wonderful weekend. My in-laws watched the kids while Greg and I spent two night in Park City. We had a good time eating out, shopping, getting a couples massage, watching movies, and just chilling. 6 years has gone by so fast and it has been the best with Greg by my side. xoxo love you babe

I LOVE YOU SAN FRAN!

2009-08-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love you San Fran. I love your food, your weather, your location to beaches, your large hills that I often climbed, your transportation system that I thought I got, but I didn't. I love your city feel, your sailboats everywhere on the water, your wonderful and clean public bathrooms, your colorful homes on the streets, your architecture, and your palm trees. I love your desserts, your 90 min. wait for your famous Ice Cream Soda Shop, your oh-so-many jaywalkers, and your many wonderful stores, but oh-so-high sales tax. I love your early risers on a Saturday morning, the runners on the piers that seem to run all day, the way there is a Starbucks in every corner and a cafe in between. I love the way English was the foreign language and the way I could never find someone who actually lived there for recommendations. I loved how there were people that were rude and didn't help a tourist get around, but get us even more lost and I loved how there were so many friendly strangers that would tell you to get off the bus because you were on the wrong one. Oh I love you San Fran. I love the memories I have from the moment I got there to when I had to leave. I hope to see you soon and I will let you know the details of my trip to the amazing San Fran.

Spotlight on Lola

2009-08-13T12:28:00.001-07:00

Terrible Twos. It comes with every toddler. Every stage has its ups and downs. Right now, hands down, I would have to say that Lola is at that stage and is by far my favorite age with her. She makes me laugh like crazy, she is so smart, when you meet her, you can't help but adore her. When you are on her good side, it makes you feel good that she likes you. She is so special and our family would not be complete without her. I love you, baby girl!

Summer Time

2009-08-11T20:44:00.000-07:00

We found a few new places around here that we have enjoyed. Spanish Fork has a reservoir that is a great place to cool down. The water is freezing, but it feels good when it was 100 degrees. There is a sand area and you can swim around. It is pretty deep in the middle of it. You can fish and we have even seen scuba divers come up. It has been fun to go as a family and to go with friends. Both my kids are loving the water. We have also had a great time at the Scera pool and the Payson pool. We have been going to so many places that the kids and I can just cool down.

Spanish Fork, every year, around Pioneer day, has Fiesta Days. We were able to enjoy the carnival here. It was the first time the kids have gone on rides. Grandma and Grandpa Brusik came down and went with us. The kids screamed the whole time. There was one ride they chose a different car to ride. It was hilarious, they didn't know what to do with themselves. They kept looking for each other and they weren't able to enjoy the ride. It was so cute!

It has been an amazing summer and it has gone by really fast.

Funny Lola

2009-08-11T20:39:00.000-07:00

I was giving Lola a bath and went to get the phone. I came back and found Lola like this. "Mama, I'm swimming." What a funny girl!

Sleep Over

2009-06-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

Superhero Dance

2009-06-29T13:51:00.000-07:00

So the past couple of weeks, the city offers a Youth Arts Festival which kids can choose to do classes for two weeks and then there is a showcase at the end. Caden wanted to do a Superhero Dance class. It was the coolest class for little boys. Different days they would learn new moves and each would be after a different superhero. The boys got to pick which superheros, but a couple of the classes I did watch, they had props. One was Star Wars and they all got lightsabers and another they got huge rubber bands for Elastigirl. The teacher was amazing and great with the boys. Firm in discipline and energetic in dancing. He did amazing at his showcase and he loved performing in front of the crowd. I had a hard time downloading his video, but this is a pic of his class. I asked him why he wasn't smiling and he told me he was mad because his friends were squishing him.

Swim Lessons

2009-06-29T13:44:00.000-07:00

Caden had his first swim lessons the past week. He did great and loved the water. He may even loved it too much. He even made me nervous while he would wait his turn because he would want to go under the water and show off. I would just watch him when it was his turn and turn my head. We did lessons at a private pool instead of through the city and I just loved it. Right next to the pool was a gated playground and it was great for Lola. He was just a fish in the water and his favorite was the diving board. It was so much fun and I just can't wait for next year when I put both my kids in lessons.

Conversation with Caden

2009-06-18T13:44:00.001-07:00

The funny things Caden says....

Caden: "Mommy, look at that baby. It's a really cute baby."

Mala: "Yes, she is really cute."

Caden: "I want one. Can I have one for Christmas?"

Now what are you suppose to say to that?

Surprise....Surprise!

2009-06-12T14:35:00.000-07:00

So my friend Stef and I decided to surprise our husbands with a mystery date. We didn't tell them what we were doing and just told them what time they needed to get off work. We have had this planned for a while and we went out last night.

Greg couldn't handle the surprise. We are not good at surprises at all. I mean, since we have been married, we have never been able to wait until Christmas to open our presents. It is so hard for both of us to wait so doing this took a lot of effort from me not to tell Greg.

We went out to dinner to Magleby's and got tickets to an outdoor concert. The concert was to see Kelly Clarkson, who Stef and I really like and, surprisingly, Jonathan (Stef's hubby) likes too. Greg is indifferent.

Well, when we got the tickets, we were picturing a wonderful, hot June evening, but it turned out to be cloudy and rainy. At least it didn't pour. It turned it really nice actually. I love the rain and I haven't been in it for a while. Plus I got to use my hot pink rain boots. We even got a rainbow. It was really fun! The music was awesome! Kelly is so good in person, probably even better than on her recordings! We had a great time people watching and eating!

It was a great date night and a fun surprise.

Our view!

The beautiful rainbow

Stef and Jonathan

Greg and I...a picture together...finally!

I know...It's been forever!

2009-06-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

I know it has been a long time since I posted. I warn you...this is going to be a long one. We have been busy working, playing, traveling, and doing the normal things. People say that when your kids get older, it gets easier and busier. The easier part....sometimes I wonder if that is really true or not, but busier....I really believe it. Not like it isn't busy when you have a baby and toddler, but when you have a toddler and one in school it's even more. I know it is going to get even busier when both are in school.

The past couple of months, Caden finished his first year of preschool. He has grown up so much, learned tons of new things, and has made lots of friends. He has another year of preschool before kindergarten so that will keep us even more busy next year because that will be three times a week instead of just two. The end of April he had a school program. He was so cute singing and waving at us when he wasn't suppose to.

May was crazy. The first weekend, I went up to Seattle for Hannah, my best friend since 3rd grade, who had a bridal shower. I went up there just by myself for the weekend and it was fun. When I came home, a couple of weeks later, I went to a bachelorette party in Canada in the middle of May and that was a blast. It was my first time in Vancouver and it is gorgeous. It was the longest that I didn't talk to Greg because it was roaming there and we don't text. It was hard, but I think the kids had a fun time with dad watching movies and eating junk food. I came back on that Sunday and on Monday, the whole family drove back to Seattle. We take a couple of days and it is cheaper for us to drive because we have to pay for all four tickets now. Our dear friends, Hannah and Nate, got married on the 23rd. I was a bridesmaid, Caden was the ring bearer, and Lola was the flower girl. They did a great job and were the cutest. I wasn't able to take pictures, but it was such a crazy time and I didn't have any time . It was go, go, go all week. Weddings are stressful, but with kids, it just adds a little more. It was a good trip to Seattle, but really crazy. It was a beautiful wedding and we are so happy for Aunt Hannah and Uncle Nate to finally make it official. They dated for 8 years and we have all been waiting forever for that day. We came home and haven't had a break since. We have been playing tons. The kids don't have lots of cousins in Seattle, so I had to get them playing with other kids right away. So we have been doing that every day and our wonderful friends, the Morgans from Oregon(with the exception of Kyle) stayed with us for a few days. It was fun to have them here playing everyday. It is so nice for the kids to know each other even though they see each other every 6 months or so. They just left yesterday and it was a wonderful visit. Lots of staying up late, chatting way too much, watching Twilight with our wonderful commentary throughout the whole thing (I think Greg really LOVED that), Stan's fries and shakes, catching up with Defreese, and just lots of playing and plenty of time outs :)

Before I forget, in May before I left for Canada, it was Lola's birthday she is two. I just want to post a little about our Lola. I feel like I don't talk about her enough. They say that with your kids, you spend most of the time with your first. You try to even it with all your kids, but even if you try to make up for it, you still give most of your time with your first. I know for sure that is for pictures. I have tons of Caden and I do have a lot of Lola, but it is really hard to get Caden out of the pictures with Lola. He always jumps in. It drives me crazy. Yes, Caden is cute, but sometimes I just want to take a picture of Lola for goodness sakes :) She is the sassiest, funniest, craziest, cutest, smartest girl ever. When you first meet her, she has such an attitude. Your lucky to have any eye contact from her, and if you do get it from her, you just hope to not get a scowl. You may think it is rude, but it is plain funny. She likes her space and does not forgive easily. She holds grudges with other kids and will play with you when she wants to play with you. She makes me laugh so much every day. Her laugh is so contagious. She has the biggest mouth and she shows it to you when ever she laughs and eats. You can see every little tooth she has. She copies everything you say and is such a bright girl. Instead of calling Caden his name, she has nicknamed him Honey. It is adorable. She loves jumping, dancing, can't stand it if anyone sings, loves getting her nails painted, snacks all day instead of eating meals, likes to put herself in timeout, has cherry red lips that you can't not kiss, has a cute hoarse voice, but knows how to scream to make your eardrums pop. That girl drives me crazy and I just cannot get enough of her. We celebrated her birthday with the family. It didn't faze her at all. She didn't even get into the whole present and cake thing. She just wanted to play with her cousins. We didn't do too much for her bday because it was in between the trips, but we tried to do what we could.

I will post pics or a slideshow soon. I don't have that much time right now.

Well I think that is good for now. It is sizzling HOT outside and summer has begun. Pool days and snow cones...here we come!

It's Official!

2009-03-26T14:17:00.000-07:00

Lola has had way too many breakdowns and tantrums this week. She has entered the world of terrible two's!

Dancing Munchkins

2009-03-08T20:37:00.000-07:00

I Love You!

2009-03-04T19:56:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Caden!

2009-03-04T19:37:00.000-08:00

So my baby turned 4 last week. It was my first real party that I threw and it was so much fun. Caden loves Jumpin Jacks, which is an inflatable fun place, so we went there and he was able to invite some friends. He picked the party room, which was a castle and dragon, so we decided on a princess and knight theme. We got pizza, I made a castle cake (which totally fell apart on the way there), the kids played, the adults played, and I got great favor boxes from Oriental Trading. It was so much fun! Caden loved it.

Over the weekend, we took Caden out to lunch with Grandma and Grandpa at the Asian Buffet, which is just the best. We had a family party and we decided to go to Chuck E. Cheese. The kids had a blast! Caden and Greg went off playing games and winning tickets while Lola and I went and did the rides. They keep asking to go. We had a great birthday. I am so happy and sad that my baby is growing up. It keeps getting better as he is getting older, but they sure grow up fast.

Fun in Oregon

2009-02-18T10:24:00.000-08:00

So we just got back from our trip from Oregon. We went to go visit our best friends, the Morgans and we had so much fun! It was a nice break and it was way too short. Last minute we found out Kyle had to go to class to play Army and was staying on the coast so we wouldn't be able to see him that much. We made plans to stay on the coast for a couple of days so we would be closer to him. We had a blast enjoying a suite life, playing at Pump It Up, napping everyday, driving on the beach, visiting sea lions, playing games all night, and letting the kids play all day. It was freezing, but the weather was overall really good. Caden, Jed, Lola, and Lyla got along great. We miss living so close to the Morgans, but we have been so lucky to visit them and have them come here. May seems like forever.

We flew to Oregon this time because it was going to be a short trip. Our trip was stressful there, but we learned and the trip home was so much better. We haven't flown as a family in forever so it took a little adjusting, but Caden did love going on the airplane. We enjoy driving probably more than flying so I am happy that our next family trip will be to drive to Seattle.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2009-01-26T14:33:00.001-08:00

The Year of the Ox!

Here is a little bit about the ox personality.

Still waters run deep, as anyone who has observed an Ox will tell you.

People born in the Year of the Ox are the supremely self-assured, and as a result are noted for inspiring confidence in others. Generally patient and thoughtful, they measure their words, and will speak clearly and concisely often when it matters most.

Born to lead, Ox people can be quite stubborn — but also stubbornly loyal to those they love. However, when opposed, their fierce tempers are legendary. So always follow this very wise advice : never cross an Ox!

Generally placid and easy-going on the outside, the Ox can be very dogmatic. There are no gray areas evident within their narrow scope of vision, and they often only see things as good or bad. Therefore, they are never easily persuaded by a clever argument. Possessing an excellent memory, the Ox can often recall verbatim a conversation weeks or months after it has occured.

Their physical stamina combined with their mental alertness is a distinct advantage when it comes to completing any task at hand. In fact, Oxen can often be seen patiently working away ... long after everyone else has dropped from sheer exhaustion!

Ox people are also generally good with their hands, and together with sterling leadership abilities are often successful as doctors or surgeons, construction managers, army generals or business leaders.
Years
1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033

Our Holiday

We were able to celebrate Chinese New Year over the weekend. I don't remember too much growing up, but we always had good food and red envelopes with money. We started a few traditions for the new year. The kids still get their red envelopes and they get to pick out whatever they want. Caden decided on a toy that transforms (Bakugon balls) and Lola ended up just picking out a couple of balls to play with because Dozer chewed/popped her other ones. She had a little bit left so I helped her pick out some dress up shoes and jewelry. We woke up the next morning and had a great breakfast and we got all new outfits to start off the new year. We cleaned out the house to wipe away all the bad spirits in our home and then we went to the Asian Buffet, which we love! We relaxed the rest of the day and had a wonderful weekend together.

Here were our fortunes that we got from our cookies after eating.

Lola- An unexpected payment is coming your way!

Caden- you shouldn't overspend at the moment. Frugality is important.

Mala (I got two, lucky me!)- Now is the time to call loved ones at a distance. Share your news.

Your discover treasures where others see nothing unusual.

Greg- Tomorrow your friend or partner will tell you some exciting news.

So, by putting it together... I will find some unexpected treasure and I am going to tell Greg and share the news with friends, but we aren't going to spend any of it.
That sounds pretty accurate. What would be your translation of our fortunes.

Hope you had a wonderful Chinese New Year!

Back from Break!

2009-01-05T08:30:00.000-08:00

Well it has been a while since my last post and has been crazy with all the holidays. We have gotten plenty of snow storms to keep us stuck in the house. Everybody seems to be getting hit, even my parents in Seattle. In Seattle, no one seems to function in the snow. My dad and brother haven't been able to drive to work or drive to the store for my mom so my brother walks to the store to get a few things or just to do something. It is crazy! I wish Greg didn't have to go to work because he couldn't drive, but by the time we wake up, all the roads are already plowed. Why does Utah have to be prepared for snow? It sometimes stinks! :)

Our break was so much fun. We played in the snow, went to the Festival of Lights, went to the Children's Museum, and hung out with friends and family.

Christmas was wonderful. We always get together with Greg's family for Christmas Eve dinner. It was very low key with ham and turkey sandwiches and appetizers. It was great and so fun for the kids. We had a white elephant exchange, sang songs, and did our secret santa gifts for the family. We didn't get home until really late and the kids were zonked out. They weren't even awake to open their Xmas even jammies, but we put them on them anyway. Christmas day was just the best. Hanging around in pjs all day, having a wonderful breakfast, and just chillin. The kids opened their stockings and we only gave a couple of presents, like books and games. We played in the snow and made snowmen and family came to visit so it was very quiet and relaxing.

Growing up, I didn't grow up celebrating Christmas and so I don't go all out. We buy our kids tons of stuff throughout the year and we have Chinese New Year and their birthdays soon after so there isn't a need to go crazy. That's great if you do, but sometimes it isn't feesable. One tradition with Greg and I that has stayed since we have been together is we never wait to give each other our gifts. We can't help it. We make the kids wait, but we just don't. We like that tradition.

Greg had the rest of the week off so we just hung out and shopped. It was so much fun. I love it when Greg doesn't have to work and we do nothing all day. It is the best!

For New Years, we hung with the Wetzel crew until 230am. We played games and ate party food. At midnight, we lit fireworks and confetti poppers. It was a great New Year and we paid for it the next morning. It wasn't too hard to get up, but Greg and I took turns napping in the morning and we both napped in the afternoon. Now that is New Years. A day full of naps. Way to start the new year.

The past couple of weeks have been crazy and the new year is going to be even crazier!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2008-12-13T20:40:00.000-08:00

Let it Snow!
Let it Snow!

Let it Snow!

Oh, Christmas Tree!

How lovely are your stockings :)

Here are just a few recent pics. We usually have a big, fake tree, but this year we got a small, fake one. It is nice to have for the kids and we decorated it with shatterproof ornaments instead of glass. Caden did break a few last year.

We had a storm today so while Greg was at work, the kids, Dozer, and I decided to shovel the driveway. Well, I shoveled while the kids ran around. It was fun and cccooollllddd!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-28T20:17:00.001-08:00

Here was my contribution to our family Thanksgiving dinner. I love making fruit bouquets for family gatherings. This was my first time making it without melons because they are too expensive and out of season. The chocolate covered strawberries were a hit. I made a yummy fruit dip to go with it too. Excuse me for my messy kitchen. It was a crazy morning.

I hope you had a delicious Thanksgiving. As we think about this year, we could think everything that went wrong or what we struggled with. It is so much easier sometimes to concentrate on the bad. There is so much to be thankful for, even the small things. Pondering over the past year for me, here are a few things I am thankful for.

1. Exchanging our truck for our car. It has helped it out so much with the high gas prices and we love it even more that the prices have dropped so much. It hasn't been one year and we have put 20,000 miles on it. We drive it EVERYWHERE!

2. My children. From Caden finally getting potty-trained to him going to preschool and Lola feeding herself to walking on her own. They have grown up so much the past year!

3. Greg's job stability. Since we have been married we have lived in 5 homes and we just celebrated 5 years of marriage and lived in our house for the past 3 years. It was chaotic the first couple of years, but with the disastrous economy, we have been blessed with Greg's job stabilty, for both of his jobs.

4. My best friends. You know who you are. I have had shares of ups and downs and so have you. We have been through the past year full of long talks and laughs. I love you all!

5. My family. I am grateful for them to be alive. I have noticed that we all are aging and especially my parents, they aren't getting any younger. I am so happy they don't have to work as much and I get to talk to my mom whenever I want instead of appointed day and times. We need to go to Seattle soon!

Well that is a few things I am thankful for. I wish I could add that I am done with my Christmas shopping, but I just have a few more things, so not too bad.

Twilight Night!

2008-11-25T12:37:00.000-08:00

So the night finally came. Twilight T-shirt...check! Twilight tickets for the 12:20 am showing Friday morning...check! Fun girlfriends to come with me...check! Purse full of card games to play in line...check! I don't think I forgot anything. Actually I did, a blanket and socks.

So the night started off with going out to dinner at Chili's. A place you just can't go wrong. Stef, Kerri, and I started off with caffeinated soda pop to help us get through the night and appetizers. The nachos and chips and salsa were delicious! After a lot of salty foods, we had to end it with their scrumptious molten chocolate cake. Dinner was full of laughs and casual flirting with our waiter :) Before we knew it, a couple of hours passed. We drove to the new theater by the mall and we had a hard time finding a parking lot and there were lines waiting outside for the movie. It was freezing. I had a hoodie, not even a good winter jacket and I was wearing flats with no socks. I was pretty cold. Luckily, there was a baby blanket in the car that Stef was kind enough to share with me. We were able to find our line and made a couple of friends in line, who ended up letting us borrow a blanket and bought us cocoa. It was great bonding time with fellow Twilighters. We weren't in line too long, it went by really fast. The movie started and there were too many squeals and giggles for me. I admit it, I did it occassionally, but what do you expect from a bunch of girls obsessed with Twilight at 1 in the morning. It gets a little crazy! I did like the movie, not loved it, but it was good. What do you really expect from a teenage love story that involves vampires and werewolves? It was a great night and so much fun. We even talked about doing it again. It was definitely worth going to bed at 330am!

Rakin and a Rollin

2008-11-04T13:37:00.000-08:00

Newbie!

2008-11-04T13:20:00.000-08:00

Here is our newest member of the family. This is Bria Jane. She is the fourth child for Amanda and Corey, who is my sister-in-law and her husband. Now they have 2 boys and 2 girls. How perfect (for them, we like our two). She was born last month and I got to meet her for the first time on Sunday. She sure is a cutie! Can't wait to see what personality she brings into our family pot!

Happy Birthday Greg!

2008-11-04T13:05:00.000-08:00

What a great weekend to have a birthday! Greg is the big 2-8! I took him out on a date on Saturday to Chilis and shopping, while Grandpa and Grandma babysat. We had a family birthday party for Greg (28), Cole(6), and Capri(3) on Sunday. Monday was Greg's actual birthday, he got to come home early from work, we went shopping, and we went out for sushi. I would think Greg had a good weekend and birthday. You will have to ask him yourself, but I loved having him home all weekend. So, Happy Birthday Greg! We love you!

Halloween Fun!

2008-11-04T12:49:00.000-08:00

We had a great Halloween. We got our costumes on in the morning and then we headed over to Greg's work for lunch. We brought monster toes which are pigs in a blanket with mustard for the toe nails. They were a great hit. Greg came home a little early from work and we had Pizza Hut for dinner and is was off to trick-or-treating. We went around half our neighborhood and back. A lot of people weren't home just because they were going at the same time. Greg dressed up as a wizard and I was a witch. I should've gotten Dozer a costume. Lola walked a little bit, but she was a little slower than the rest of the kids so Greg ended up holder her most of the time. Caden was so excited and he had to come to me after every house and show me his candy. It was so cute! Lola even got to say her " Tee too tee!" and she always said her thank you after people closed the door. We got home around 7pm and we left our bucket of candy on the doorstep so we wouldn't get bugged. I let the kids whatever candy they wanted and then it was off to bath and bed time. The kids were in bed by 8. No one came to our door and all the candy was gone. While the kids were in the bath I went through their candy and sorted it out. I just put whatever I didn't want to keep in the bucket outside and that was all gone too. We probably just have a ziploc full of candy. Ladies and gents, let me introduce to you Buzz Lightyear and our Angelic Fairy!

To Infinity and Beyond!

Life... so far

2008-10-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

Dozer is 8 weights so in dog years he is like 2 or so. So what would you do if a child were 2 right now? I am house training, crate training, and bite training Dozer at the same time. So for a toddler, it would potty-training, trying to get him into a bed instead of a crib, and to teach him not to fight ALL at the same time. Plus I have a 3 and a half year old and a 16 month old. How do you think I am doing? It is definitely crazy over here in the Brusik home. It has been better with all three, but my house could look better and I, for sure, could look better. I haven't gone to the gym for a couple of weeks, I am lucky to shower every other day, and grocery shopping is on the top of my list, but it seems like I can't get to that. It really feels like I had another baby, but at least I didn't gain 50 lbs like I did with my other babies. I know all this hard work is going to pay off. We are just getting used to our new member of the family and we just have had to get used to a new schedule. I just got to get back into the swing of things, but before that happens, I am in desperate need of a break. Tonight will be a good one. Going out to dinner and watch HSM3 (High School Musical 3) with Rach.

This week is a crazy one and with my kids older, it is so much fun filled with parties. I am so glad we have so much dress-up stuff for Caden so he can be different things. Today we went to party and Caden decided to be Superman. So did like 5 other boys. They made pictures, painted pumpkins, and had cookies and witch's brew. Lola had a blast with the blown up balloons. This year Lola is a fairy/princess/angel/butterfly. Whatever you want to call her. She has a dress with wings. I love that the kids can actually say trick or treat this year and aren't afraid to get candy. Lola just sounds like " ti de tee" but we know what she trying to say. We'll keep you posted with our Halloween Fun! Hope you guys have a good Halloween week and and fun Halloween night! A few pictures of my babies.

Puppy vs Baby

2008-10-28T13:22:00.000-07:00

People tend to compare children and dogs. Not that it is a bad thing because they are both cuddly, small, and just so cute. Having Dozer has made me realize the similarities and differences so now I know what I am talking about when the subject comes up in conversations.

Team Baby

1. They wear diapers when they go potty.
2. They don't have teeth when they are born.
3. They can help you around the house when they get older.
4. You have a good 9 months or so to prepare for a baby.
5. A lot more variety of clothes and outfits for babies.

Team Dog/Puppy

1. They don't back talk.
2. They sleep a good amount of the day, even when they get older.
3. They will come when called and if needed, you have a leash.
4. You don't have to feed them, their food is on the floor in their bowls.
5. They can be left at your house, unsupervised.

They are both definitely hard work and so much fun. It just depends on your preference. There is so much more about babies and dogs, but those were just a few of my thoughts. Hope that helps anyone who is deciding. If not, you don't ever know unless you do it.

Pumpkins

2008-10-28T13:14:00.000-07:00

So here are our pumpkins form last year. We used print outs to make it look good, but from cleaning them, cutting and smoothing out the edges from the cutting, it took hours. This year we took a different aproach.
I found these pieces at Wal-mart. They are like Mr. Potato Heads, but for pumpkins. The kids had a blast doing these and it took minutes instead of hours. Caden got really creative and thought they looked so funny when he was done. Lola picked a bunch of things and put in on one face, so it looks like monster. We even managed to make a dog pumpkin. They are reusuable and we don't have to worry too much one a mold problem like we did last year.

Tag, I'm It!

2008-10-22T13:29:00.000-07:00

All about Threes

3 Joys:
1. Chips and dip.
2. Nap time.
3. Smell of clean laundry.

3 Fears
1. Pointy things coming towards me, specifically my eyes.
2. What kind of world my kids are growing up in.
3. Spiders.

3 Goals:
1. Fold all my laundry AND put it away.
2. Try not to go out to eat as much.
3. Read at least 2 books a month.

3 Obsessions:
1. Making sure Dozer goes potty OUTSIDE.
2. Paying my bills on time.
3. Getting my kids to put their toys in their designated bucket.

3 Surprising Facts:
1. I would like to open up my own business, but I don't know what exactly.
2. I don't know how to ice skate or rollerblade.
3. I love Root Beer Floats!

Introducing Dozer

2008-10-14T11:59:00.000-07:00

We got a puppy! Dozer is mostly a black lab with a little border collie, which explaines the white, and is 6 weeks old. He is all black except the white one his chest, paws, and the very tip of his tail. We picked him up yesterday. We have been thinking about getting one for a while and we finally did it. The kids love playing with him and he sleeps most of the day. I just fell in love with him the first time I saw him. I have always wanted a black lab and Greg has wanted a Rottweiler. We agreed on the lab first, then the rottweiler later. It was so hard to pick out a name. In this whole process, I realized Greg and I have such different taste. I got to choose the puppy because I am with him most of the day and Greg got to choose the name that I could stand. Dozer won. Can be short for Buldozer and he always dozes off. So we are getting used to our new member of the family and all his puppy needs. Isn't he cute?

He is a little dirty in the picture, but a bath was the first thing we gave him when he came to his new home.

He is not a baby anymore...

2008-10-09T12:15:00.000-07:00

So Caden has grown up. He will always be MY baby, but he can't stand it that I call him that. A few of reasons why he isn't a baby anymore.

1. Today, he didn't need me to walk him into his school. He wanted to do it himself. I let him out of the car and he had to make sure I didn't move from the car. He kept on telling me to stay and finally he ran off and said bye...tear.

2. He now goes potty standing up. He figured that out on his own and prefers it that way compared to sitting down.. We have had only a couple of minor accidents, but in general, he has pretty good aim.

3. Instead of me telling him stories, he tells me the stories and reads me the books before going to bed. He is so creative and imaginative.

4. He picks out his outfits and dresses himself (with shoes) pretty much everyday. He freaks out when I pick out his clothes for him. He does like to wear the same clothes over again, but those are his favorites. When we got shopping, he actually has an opinion on what he wants to buy. It sometimes drives me crazy because he will pass up a really cute outfit. He rarely matches and I just try to ignore it (as much as I want to change his clothes).

5. He get his own snacks for himself from the pantry and in the refrigerator. I love it when he gets snacks for me and Lola too. Apple for Caden, carrots for mom, and string cheese for Lola :) As long as I provide him with a cup or bowl, he does the rest. I love it!

My Caden is growing up and he is just going to get bigger. I wish I could rely on Lola being my baby, but it seems like she is growing up as fast as her big brother.

My baby at 6 months

3 years later...

My Two Favorite People

2008-10-02T12:58:00.001-07:00

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-02T12:09:00.000-07:00

Every year, well since Caden could walk, we have always gone to a pumpkin patch. Last we went twice and this year we will probably go at least twice. There is a fun one that we go to that is south of us. I went with my mom's group yesterday and it was a great and sunny day. We were able to go on a hay ride, which last year there was hay and this year, they made a bench to sit on. So the hay ride went through the orchards and stopped at the pumpkin patch. The kids had a blast looking for their own pumpkins. The rule is, if you can carry it by yourself, you can bring it home. Maybe I ruin it for my kids because they don't get a big pumpkin, but you aren't the ones carrying the pumpkins my kids choose. At pumpkin patches, that is the rule, but when Greg comes with us, we get the big ones. He's the one with the muscles :) So the kids grabbed mini ones. We got donuts, a coloring book, and had ice cream. It was about 85 degrees so it was a wonderful day to pick pumpkins.

I love the Fall! Don't you?

2008-09-30T13:48:00.001-07:00

Tag I'm It!

2008-09-25T12:06:00.000-07:00

The tag is simple. 6 random things about me. Here it goes.

1. I can rewatch anything, still enjoy it for the umptheenth time, and I do it often. So Greg asks me why and how I watch a certain episode of Law and Order, Sex and the City, whatever show over and over again. I don't know. I mean how many times have you watched an episode of Friends and you still laugh, and probably hard than the first time you watched just because you know what is going to happen. I love it. I find something new that is funny or just entertaining. I can't do it as much with movies, but I do it a lot with tv shows.

2.This sort of relates to the first one. I cannot turn off the tv when I turn it on. I put the kids down, the house is clean ( or not) and I want to take a break, I sit down and turn on the tube. I cannot, for the life of me, stop watching unless someone physically turns it off for me. That's why I end up rewatching episodes of a show. I mean, is it the tv or is it that I just don't want to get off the couch?

3. I can pretty much eat anything. I mean I grew up with a house that probably smells weird to most of you and I miss that smell. I have eaten things from pig ears to frog legs and I like it. Usually salty foods are my weakness compared to sweets.

4. I love typing on the computer. When Greg was in school, I had him write his papers down at work and I would type them up for him when he got him. I like doing it, it gave me a break, and Greg didn't use the correct fingers, which drove me crazy. I am faster than him so it worked out.

5. I love writing things down and making lists.

6. I try to be organized with everything and my thoughts, but when it comes down to it, if I am looking for something, I usually put something in a few different places and change the category and location of where it is. So sometimes when I look for a paper, I have to look at a couple of places to finally find it. Sorry Greg.

A few random things. It seemed hard in the beginning, but them once I started, I could think of more random stuff. I am not going to tag anyone in particular so if you wanna do it, go for it. I would love to read some random things about you.

Two Breaks

2008-09-25T11:48:00.000-07:00

My husband spoils me sometimes, well a lot of the time. Greg does so much for me and he is just great at letting me have a break when I need it and want it. This week is just an good example of how great he is. On Tuesday, I got to go to dinner with my friend Rach and we went out shopping so I was out until 10pm. It was a blast! Then last night, I got to go out again.

I don't know if you know this about me, but I have been going to a Mom's "club" for the past year. I needed to expand my horizons and meet moms around here. You just don't realize how many other mothers are trying to do the same and how hard it is to make some friends. I saw that there was a mom's group in my area and I decided on going. It has been a year so far and it has been a great. It started to be a large group with random people coming to outings, but now there is a good 7 of us that come to hang out regularly. We go to parks, go to someone's house, go somewhere and just let the kids play while us moms hang out. Every month, we try, we leave our husbands and either go to a movie, go to dinner, or have a game night. Last night was a dinner night and we went to PF Changs. Of course I had some lettuce wraps. You can't go there without getting those. I also got the lo mein and all six of us shared the Great Wall of Chocolate. Just a wonderful night, with good food and even better company. I had a great time and it has been so great to have something to look forward to each week. It is nice to have support system and it is unbelievable that none of us knew anybody and we came together to look for the same thing. The moms in the group are so much fun and my kids have a blast. Here is a picture of some of the group during the summer.

Mustache

2008-09-24T13:52:00.001-07:00

Can't take this face seriously. Makes me giggle everytime I look at him. Hope it makes your day!

Stuck in the house

2008-09-24T12:27:00.000-07:00

So the past week and a half, Lola has been really sick. We came back from Denver and she had a fever and a huge fever blister on her bottom lip. I gave it a few days to make sure she was sick longer than a day or so. I hate calling going to the doctors and they just tell me that I can't do anything for them, except give them tylenol. What a waste of money! So I usually wait until after the weekend and it seemed like Lola was getting worse and she wasn't eating anything, which is really unusual for her. I googled her symptoms, which I usually do with my kids when they are sick, and I had suspected what she had. Sure enough, it was confirmed by the doctor. Simple terms, she had herpes. The doc said it was common at her age because they like to get into everything and use their hands for everything and just put them in her mouth. I make Caden wash his hands all day, but I forget about Lola. The doctor also said he saw two cases the day before our appointment so it was going around. The first time a child gets it is the worse. Her mouth was sore and bright read and had sores all around. Her throat was covered with sores and was worse than having strep. If we were lucky, it would last a week, but it usually lasts for two. Poor girl! The doc also said that most of us have the herpes virus inside of us, but we don't all break out in cold sores. Be careful out there, especially those with little ones. I don't even know where she got it. Caden has never had a cold sore, but that doesn't mean he didn't give it to her. Who knows? So we have been staying at home all week and she has had a diet full of ice cream, yogurt, pudding, pretty much anything cold and smooth. Doc said, the fattier the better. Just make her eat. So both kids, yes Caden too, had that the past week.

Well, it is nice to have our little girl back. She talks, giggles, and now plays by herself. It is nice to have Lola back. Of course she still screams at us, but it's not all day. Life is more enjoyable these days compared to the past week or so. I never thought something would happen to my Lola, but with more kids you get them out in public earlier and they get exposed by more. Keep them clean and safe. Hope none of you have to go through it.

Here are a few recent pictures of the kids.

Cutie, pa-tooties!

Crazy Kids!

Looking over at Daddy!

Spinning

2008-09-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

A little intimidating at first because you can burn up to 1000 calories/hour. In general, what is spinning. Spinning is a class offered through the community and gyms that have you ride on stationary bikes to lively music to get a cardio workout. I was scared at first, but one of my best friends, Stef, went with her husband one time and thought I would like it. Before we were going to yoga and pump classes so we needed a different scene. We went and we loved it. The class is 45 minutes, has awesome music that just pumps you up, our instructor Brian is so motivating, and it is completely dark. If you want a great cardio workout, go for it. Make sure you bring a water bottle and towel. Seriously, you need it. Hopefully your class doesn't start at 5:15am like ours does!

Diggin' Denver

2008-09-13T19:40:00.000-07:00

Greg had a work conference last week that was in Denver, Colorado. It was for a couple of days and we made arrangements for a little trip, just the two of us! Greg's wonderful parents were so kind to watch Caden and Lola for us. It was pretty much a two-day, two-night trip- the longest we have been away from the kids. We had a really good time, but it is great to be home.

We decided to fly instead of driving, which was the original plan. Greg had his work conference all day Thursday and half of Friday. He learned a lot, but it was really to network. I got to relax. I ordered room service, slept in, and got to read. I brought The Nanny Diaries, which I finished while we were there. It was a good, fast read. We had a networking dinner filled with good food, a magic show, and dancing. We shopped (which is one of our favorite things to do together) and before we knew it, it was time to head home. The time went by so fast.

The kids loved being with Grandma and Grandpa. Lola got sick on Thursday so I got really worried. She is still a little sick. She was the kind of sick that she was tired and just laid around a lot, instead of crying all day, so that was good for the grandparents. Of course, since we have been home, she cries a lot. Caden had a blast and on our way home and before going to bed he kept calling us Grandma and Grandpa. It was so funny.

I asked Caden if he had a fun time, he said, "Yes.I love Grandma and Grandpa." I asked Caden if he was a good boy. His response..."No, I was a bad boy." I asked him what he did. "I threw sand everywhere and I hit Lola in the face with my robot." I had to laugh, but I am sure glad he is so honest.

We are so happy it worked out, even though Lola got sick. I am so happy they were good. Now we are thinking of doing this more often. Hopefully the grandparents agree to it. It was a fun and successful trip to Denver. Denver is big and busy. We like it a lot. A potential place to move to.

Cute and Cheezy!

2008-09-08T13:57:00.000-07:00

So I had to share this with you. I try to give Lola a snack before she goes down for her afternoon snack. Today, it happened to be string cheese. I gave it to her to distract her so I could change her diaper. I put on a little Sesame Street and I went to the bathroom. When I came back, I came back to this...

Yearly Fun

2008-09-08T13:41:00.001-07:00

We went to Hogle Zoo. We go once a year and it is usually during Labor Day weekend. Greg has been working a lot of weekends lately so we finally found a day that worked. I am sure glad we went. It wasn't too busy and it wasn't too hot. The kids loved it and we had so much fun. All the animals were out so we got to see all of them. We usually walk around and after a couple of hours, we just go to the animals we really want to see. The kids were great and we love the yearly zoo trip. Here are some highlights of our trip.

Here the family is having fun at Discoveryland. It is the zoo playground.

Lola riding a ginormous caterpillar.

On the see-saw/teeter-toter.

The elephant's trunk sprays water and Caden put his face there right as it sprayed.

The carousel is a new addition. Caden loved it and had to be on the lion. He rode it twice.

Lola during Caden's carousel rides. She fell asleep right when we got there.

Lola slept the entire time and woke up right when we go to the gift shop to pick out a toy. Lola got a little tiger stuffed animal and Caden got a green camera. All-in-all, it was a great trip!

First Day of School!

2008-09-02T15:33:00.000-07:00

I had the Mommy moment today. My little boy isn't a little boy anymore. Caden had his first day of preschool today. He attends 2 days a week in the afternoons so Lola and I get some time together. I was so nervous for him. At the preschool's open house, he was shy and didn't want to play with the other kids other than Lola. So I got him dressed for the day this morning, went grocery shopping, and it was time to go. The morning flew by. He seemed excited, but I didn't know if he would understand that I wasn't going to be with him. He doesn't know any other kids so I was worried, but Caden is really social around other kids. He befriends anybody and everybody. Once we got into school, he was shy and didn't want to see or talk to his teachers. Oh no....I was more nervous. He went potty there, which he got scared because I shut the door for privacy, but he freaked out that he couldn't see me. At home, he is used to doors wide open and no privacy at all. He was scared I was leaving. I was more nervous than before. He went right to the playroom and I sneaked away. I didn't hear any crying or screaming or a little boy chasing after me so it was ok. Lola was the one that had the fit. She wanted to stay and play at school. On our way home, she didn't make it. Lola was fast asleep.

When it was time to pick him up, I was scared that something crazy happened or he had an accident. He absolutely loved it. He got a school bag filled with Scholastic book order form (which I love), he told me all about his day. They played, read books, puzzles, made play dough, sang songs, and ate yellow, circle cookies aka Nilla Wafers. He played with friends and loves his teachers. He can't wait to go next time. I am so excited that he is going. Lola slept the entire time and woke up right before we had to pick him up. He couldn't wait to tell Daddy about his day at school so we had to call him at work. My Caden boy is growing up.

Tagged: 3 Simple Words

2008-08-29T16:56:00.000-07:00

What is missing from my life? Two little puppies.
Will I find love? Gregory Ray Brusik
Will I become rich? In every way.
Does someone have a crush on me? I know someone.
What is my favorite sexual position? Only Greg knows
Am I good looking? Ridiculously good looking.
What makes me the most happy? Family and friends.
What is my biggest regret? None so far.
How will I die? Whatever happens happens
Do I act my age? Younger and older.
What type of tattoo should I get? Not gonna happen.
What is my spirit animal? A Sea Otter.
Do I like pain? Numbing drugs help.
Is there anyone else like me out there? Somewhere out there.
Do I love to party? If there's food.
Where should I move to? Possibilities are endless.
Am I secretly gay? That's a No.
Will I ever be president? Of something, maybe.
What is fun for me? Pretty much everything.
Will I ever learn to fly? Not a plane.
What is my super power? Tune whining out.
What can I do to move on? Talk it out.

Who do I tag? The Wetzels, Scotts, and Barons.

We Just Need to Accept It...

2008-08-29T16:47:00.000-07:00

from Time Magazine

MESSY IS THE NEW NEAT

Thursday, Jan. 18, 2007 By Jeremy Caplan

Neatness is Overrated. Let those stacks of paper pile up on your desk. Don't worry about the laundry tossed in the corner. Let the icons clutter up your computer screen. And whatever you do, stop obsessing over your letter-perfect filing system. Bless your mess, says a new group of "mess-iahs" spreading the gospel of healthy disorganization.
"Moderately messy systems outperform extremely orderly systems," says Eric Abrahamson, Columbia University professor of management and co-author of A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder (Little, Brown). Abrahamson, a scholar of organizational behavior who admits to being a bit of a mess, says the costs of maintaining order are often overlooked. He and co-author David Freedman make the case that Americans' obsession with neatness has got us so frazzled about the slightest clutter that we're needlessly draining time, money and emotion from our lives in the hapless pursuit of order. Don't spend two hours a day straightening up at home, the authors say. Devote that time instead to your family or creative endeavors or anything more enjoyable than getting on your knees with a Dustbuster. Making your home germ free may actually be harmful to tots. Decluttering it not only wastes time but also saps a home's sense of character.
Filing away loose office papers can be similarly counterproductive. There's a reason people tend to stack stuff on their desks: such intuitive organization can be effective. Not only are things often hard to find once secluded in a complex filing system, but they're also out of sight and therefore out of mind. Those with messy desks often stumble upon serendipitous connections between disparate documents. Don't believe there's a benefit? According to Abrahamson and Freedman, desk-paper mess helped Nobel-prizewinning scientist Earl Sutherland discover how hormones regulate cells.
Devotees of filing often interrupt their thought flow to stuff papers in folders, while pack rats just toss papers to the side for later. Procrastination like that can actually pay off. "Putting off undertaking almost any form of neatening or organizing will probably have some advantage," write Abrahamson and Freedman, "because it's much more efficient to organize a large set of things at one shot than it is to try to organize them in pieces as they come along."
The message at the heart of A Perfect Mess is not that neatness is by definition bad, but that a moderate amount of messiness isn't a terrible thing. For those obsessed with order, though, Abrahamson and Freedman have several suggestions:
MAKE PEACE WITH YOUR CLUTTER
Organizational gurus may reclaim shelf space by getting clients to trash their high school honors or sentimental icons, but aren't their homes losing a bit of personality and history? There's a reason Rachael Ray is gaining on Martha Stewart, Freedman says. People are naturally a little clumsy and messy, and try as we might to cultivate monastery-like sanctuaries, clutter creeps back. Accept that, and you'll stress less.
DON'T WASTE TIME ORGANIZING YOUR LAPTOP
Search tools can instantaneously locate anything from an e-mail message to a Word document, so why spend hours dragging things from one folder to another?
BE SLOPPIER WITH YOUR SCHEDULE
"If you keep a tight calendar and you're not a dentist or a hair stylist, try being looser and not packing as many things in," says Freedman. A less structured date book makes it easier to adapt to inevitable surprises and affords you freedom to just go with the flow.
FORGET FILING
If you organize your CD library alphabetically by artist, the collection will be randomly assorted with regard to style of music. If you structure it by date, it won't be sorted by artist. Whatever parameters you use for ordering means randomness for some other characteristic.
If your New Year's resolution was to straighten up, you still have time to reconsider. Your time, energy and money might be better spent on something else.

Thoughts...Don't sweat the small stuff. Messy is different from dirty. Don't follow kids all day picking up after them. It's ok being a little unorganized. It is all about MODERATION. What are your thoughts?

Any ideas?

2008-08-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

Just posted a poll that is closing on Labor day. Let me know what you think. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions for movies, books, crafts, etc. Hope everyone has a fun weekend! Blog you later~

Happy Happy Days!

2008-08-25T11:55:00.001-07:00

It has been a great weekend. It started out with me turning the big 2-5! Oh time flies! A quarter of a century...CRAZY! Well looking at the events of my life, I thought when I turned 25 I would have just gotten married, maybe pregnant. Well I have two kids now and my oldest is about to start school and Lola is already 15 months, walking and talking. It is amazing, but I feel older or I should be older because many people my age, outside of Utah, are either getting married or still playing the field. I wouldn't want to trade. I like how I did it all at a young age. It makes me happy being a young mom and thinking about being a young G-ma. Did I have goals I wanted to reach by the time I turned 25? Possibly. I tend to put my goals in Greg's timeline. Especially when 30 seems like around the corner for him and I will not turn 30 at all.

Let me tell you about my bday because I consider it the best I probably have had. It started on Thursday night when Greg surprised me with a spa night. I had a facial and a massage, which was so relaxing and great. If you know Greg and I at all, we don't do well with surprises. We tend to open our Christmas presents early every year and then wrap them so we have presents on the bottom of the tree. If Greg does surprise me, I have a tendency to return it. I told him to get me whatever and you should be proud of me for not actually having something specific in mind. In the morning, he let me sleep in, made me breakfast, and I got to go get a pedicure and my hair styled. We made arrangements to drop off the kids with Grandma and Grandpa.

Anniversary Time! We celebrated our 5 year anniversary. We made reservations at the Anniversary Inn. We stayed in the Lighthouse Suite. It was a lot of fun and relaxing. We went out to dinner at Flemings at the Gateway and watched a movie. Saturday we went shopping, which we were in line at Old Navy for an HOUR. The jeans were $12 and we all needed some new ones. It was nice to not have the kids with us. We sometimes forget how much fun it is just the two of us is. We need to do this more often. It was a blast and the kids had a blast with the grandparents. 5 years...Who would've thought that after 1 night of making out would lead to this!

Good News or Bad News?

2008-08-18T09:22:00.000-07:00

Which do you prefer first? Good news or bad news? That is a common question that comes from Greg and he should know the answer by now because I always say the same thing. I prefer bad news. After the bad news, I hope to be uplifted by the good news and that rarely happens. It seems that usually the bad news outweigh the good, but in the news I have to share, it is a fair trade. Well it depends on the audience, so you be the judge.

Bad news first. The sixth Harry Potter movie has changed its release date. It is moving from November 21, 2008 to July 27, 2009. You can find more details in the article.

Good news. Twilight moved from December 12, 2008 and snatched Harry Potter's November spot.

That's the news folks so what do you think? Are you under Harry Potter's spell or are you bitten by Twilight?

Having Fun and Keeping Busy

2008-08-12T12:14:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics for your viewing pleasure.

After my eventful weekend of Breaking Dawn, I didn't know what to do with myself. I wanted to reread it. I needed to keep myself busy so I wouldn't think about it. I continued the whole potty thing with Caden which has gone great and he even wakes up at night to go, which I still put a pull-up on him, just in case. He hates the pull-up because he knows that it is time to go to bed. On Monday, he got enrolled in a preschool that I am super excited about. He keeps bringing it up everyday and I have to keep reminding him that it doesn't start for a few weeks. Tuesday, a friend and I made jam for the first time and it was surprisingly easy. We made apricot-pineapple freezer jam and I am excited to make more because we love freezer jam. I never knew how to make it because I thought it was hard so we would always take some from Greg's mom. Now I know what to do, we don't have to do that anymore. Wednesday, Rachel and I had a date night. We went to dinner at Red Robin, which was really good, and then we watched Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. We were in the front row and it was such a good chick flick. It made me laugh and teary-eyed. It was really good! I would totally recommend this movie to those that are in the mood for a good chick flick. In addition, it had awesome previews, especially the Twilight and Harry Potter:Half-Blood Prince. This year is a great year for movies. The rest of the week, I went school shopping for the kids. Yes, I said KIDS. It is only natural for me to buy school clothes for both Caden and LOLA. How can I not when girl clothes are so cute? Greg had to work all weekend and I ended the week with bridesmaid dress shopping. I have been staying up late looking online for weddings, on a budget, ideas for my BFF Hannah. It can get difficult when I am here and she is in WA. We communicate through email and IM. It is coming along and I picked a pretty, purple dress. I never realized how expensive weddings can be. Do you have any ideas to keep weddings in a reasonable budget? If you are married, what did you do to keep the costs low? Please help me out so I can pass along the info.

It was an eventful week last week and it is just getting crazier as the summer comes to an end. Oh, I forgot to mention we watch the Olympics every night until 11. We love the Olympics!

The Question that Kills me.

2008-08-06T10:58:00.001-07:00

So we have finally come to this point! I must go to the library and check a billion books out and look on the internet for the impossible answers. The past little while, I have been questioned of my intelligence every minute of the day. My Caden needs his mommy to be smarter. I thought it would be when he starts going to school so I can help him with his homework, but the time has arrived in a 3-year-old. Caden has grown up to a curious little boy and has asked the magic question that makes myself question my own knowledge.

WHY?

He is never satisfied with my answer to his question because he asks me "why" to my responses to his "whys" and I just have to casually end the question answer conversation with "the end". He went from "What's that?" to "Why?" Toddlers are amazing. Their minds grow so fast and have to know everything. I love it!

These are a few of my favorite things.

2008-08-04T09:06:00.001-07:00

Eleanor Cleverly Takahashi: One of my favorite people in the whole world.

She is one of my best friends and we have had a great time in Utah (and Indy) together. She is moving to New York to get smarter and stylish (if that is possible). You will be missed, but I know we will see each other soon that I am not going to cry...yet. Here is my dedication to you my friend.

Top reasons why I love El.

15. She totally looks like an Eleanor.
14. It is so much fun to make fun of our husbands together, even though we are the only ones laughing.
13. Great taste in clothes, shoes, and design.
12. Your obsession with Harry Potter. (You have to remember that Greg and I did sort of tell you about them before you started to read them)
11. Your creativity in everything that you do.
10. You rarely answer your cell phone.
9. You would rather take a train instead of a plane across the U.S.
8. Your frequent anxiety attacks.
7. You dropped everything to go to Indiana to be with your husband, who was with my husband, that totally slacked off and were bad influences on each other, then getting pregnant there at pretty much the same time, then getting new cars at the same time, then buying houses at the same time, and having our little monsters 3 weeks apart, and now you are leaving Utah, which we aren't doing at the same time :(
6. Your obsession with Harry Potter.
5. You are one of the funniest and craziest people ever.
4. Your love of books and knowledge.You have a goal of reading 10 books a week, which you tend to reach.
3. Your love of anything that has sugar and everything that is chocolate.
2. You look hot even when you had shaved your head. (Shouldn't that be a reason to hate you?)

AND THE TOP REASON WHY I LOVE THIS GIRL...
DRUM
ROLL
PLEASE

1. Did I mention, your obsession with Harry Potter?

I love you El. I will see you when you either come back or when I come to NY to party it up! Try not to turn into an Upper Eastside Manhattan snot. I know it is inevitable, but just try to slow it down so I can attempt to keep up with you somehow.

Back to Reality!

2008-08-03T14:57:00.000-07:00

Well I have finally come back to reality and just finished Breaking Dawn. I thought I was going to take my time, but I think 2 days was long enough, don't you? Greg was kind enough to be with the kids while I was in my own world.

9:00am-Let's start with Friday morning. So, I decided to wait in line for my wristbands for Rachel and I to get our book that night at midnight. I got to Barnes & Noble at 9:15am and they started to give them out at 9am. When I arrived in the parking lot, there was a huge line in the front of the store and I couldn't even see the end of it. I started around to the side of the store and line continued to stretch. I went around back and it kept going until it finally stopped after 3.5 sides of the building. Was it really worth it? What time did the first ones come? I had to call Rachel and ask her if she still wanted to do it. I called Greg and he wanted me to come home. Greg had work off so it worked our perfectly that he watched the kids. So what did I decide? Rachel got her sister-in-law to watch her kids and she came to wait with me. How often do I get to do this? It was getting really hot waiting in line and I was just hoping to get around the corner of the building to hit some shade. It finally happened after an HOUR. Was it still worth it? I tried to call Rach, but she had already left so I will just wait for her and then leave. Sure enough, she came and we stayed in line. There were women, all different ages, moms their teens, tots, and babies. It was unbelievable! After 2 hours of waiting, we finally got our wristbands and we were the letters F.

6pm- Heading over to Rachel's new condo that her and Hiro just bought. Super cute by the way! We started our fabulous T-shirts. We decided to put I Edward in the front and Bite Me! in the back. It took us a little longer that we thought, but we still had all night to get to the book party.

8:00-We went to Outback Steakhouse for dinner, which was amazing. We ordered all appetizers. Thank goodness for free/no workout days and fried foods. Rachel and Hiro had gift cards for it and it covered our food and tip. Thanks again, Rach.

9:30-We headed over to Barnes & Noble and it is just packed and crazy. They fortune telling, face painting, a fashion show, and live music. They kicked everyone out at 11pm to form in more lines outside of the building. I bought 2 magazines and we read and played games. It was so much fun. It was also hot, stinky, sweaty, and crowded. They finally opened it up again at midnight and we went to alphabetic order to get our books.

12:45-We got our books, yay! We got them and then we went home. Isn't that crazy? You do all that and wait in lines forever and you get your book finally and then you just go home. Greg just asked, "that's it?" and I said, "that's it." It was fun and it was a great night without the kids. Some people brought their kids and I probably would've gone nuts.

1 to 1:30- Got home and went to bed. Some people, probably most, stay up and read the book, but I was exhausted. I have been waiting in line all day.

Saturday- I read most of the day and I went to bed at 1am. The book is really good and I can't really find a place to stop, but my eyes were doing tricks on me so I had to and go to bed.

Sunday afternoon- Finally, I'm done! There are a couple of things I wish would've happened, but all in all, a good way to end the madness that is Twilight. I can't wait for the midnight showing of Twilight the movie in December.

If you haven't read them, they are easy, enjoyable reads. I would recommend them. I gotta find me another book. Any suggestions?

Naptime=Blissful

2008-08-01T12:32:00.000-07:00

Naptime is the greatest, but it is even better when I am taking one too.

Back from Vacation

2008-07-31T08:43:00.000-07:00

Well it has been forever since I last posted. We have been crazy the last few weeks. So this is what we have been up to.

We have been discussing for a while and we finally made the decision to get Greg
"snipped", so he got that done, he had work training for 4 days in Salt Lake and then we left for Seattle. We drove because we now have to buy 3 airplane tickets and driving is so much cheaper. We headed off Thursday afternoon, the car full of snacks, toys, and DVDs. The kids were great, except when Lola had to cry herself to sleep and trying to keep Caden quiet while Lola was sleeping. I get to sleep and keep the kids busy while Greg drives the whole way. We decided to stop in Oregon and stay the night. We could've gotten to Seattle at around 2am, but then our kids would have woken up around 6am so we decided we wanted to be well-rested. We got to Seattle and it was good to see my family, even though we didn't get to see my brother Ming. Caden loved playing with Nana, Papa, and all his uncles and aunties. Lola was shy, but she did finally warm up when we were close to leaving, of course. You might all be surprised, but it did not rain one single day while we were there. There was an overcast for about a day and a half, but we took the opportunity to go to the aquarium. We went on a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island, went to Sharon and Gene's wedding, which was absolutely wonderful, celebrated my mom's birthday,and enjoyed a great vacation in Seattle with friends (Hannah, Nate, and Derek) and family. Next time we are going to stay 2 weeks. We left WA a week later and drove down to Oregon where we got to hang out with our dear friends, the Morgans. It was so good to see them. We knew them in Utah during college and then they abandoned us for Oregon. We see them everytime we go up to see my family. They are only 3 hours away, so why not, right? The kids had a blast together and the adults had fun too. It was great to see Jed and Lyla grow up so much. Caden still asks for his Jed. Saturday, we drove back to Utah and we stopped in Boise and then headed home Sunday. I didn't miss the Utah heat, that's for sure, but Greg did think it got chilly in Seattle at night. Here are some Seattle pics, more of our trip will come soon.

Like father, like daughter.

Cheese!

Twins.

Caden counting the fish at the aquarium.
Ah! I think is surprised her.

We have been back for a couple of days and it still has been crazy. Lola is sick and I have been potty training Caden. You are probably thinking, "oh my goodness, Caden is almost 3 and a half and is still in diapers!" I honestly can say, I don't care for those comments anymore. Getting critiqued as a parent is a norm and I am getting pretty used to it now. It was great for our car trip because we never had to stop for potty breaks unless we really had to. He is doing a lot better than he did the first time I tried and so am I. I let him choose to go when he has to and it has worked out(most of the time). The only thing that has been a real struggle is having Lola crying after me when I am helping Caden. She wants to be held all day because she is sick and grumpy.

That has been us so far and I forgot to mention I am so excited...this Friday my friend Rachel and I are going to the Breaking Dawn release party. If you don't know what it is, it is the fourth and last installment of the Twilight book series. We are making t-shirts, going out to dinner, and going to the party, and we will get the book at midnight. We are going to have a grand time and I will let you know all about it. I will have to control myself so I won't read the book all that night because once I am done, it's over so I am going to try to take my time. Greg and I are busy reading the Count of Monte Cristo right now anyway so hopefully it will slow me down a little.

One word

2008-07-16T11:25:00.000-07:00

1. where is your cell phone? around

2. Your significant other? Greggors

3. Your hair? damp

4. Your mother? teeny

5. Your father? crazy

6. Your favorite thing? naps

7. Your dream last night? nonexistent

8. favorite drink? milkshake

9. Your dream/goal? happiness

10. The room you're in? bedroom

11. your ex? forgettable

12. Your fear? plenty

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? everywhere

14. Where were you last night? bed

15. What are you not? tall

16. Muffin's? banana

17. One of your wish list items? move

18.Where you grew up? Woodinville

19. The last thing you did? shower

20. What are you wearing? clothes

21. Your TV? beast

22. Your pet? chihuahua

23. Your computer? desktop

24. Your life? loved

25. Your mood? tired

26. Missing someone? always

27. Your car? rodeo

28. Something you're not wearing? socks

29. Favorite Store? target

30. Your summer? hot

31. Like someone? mommy

32. Your favorite color? black

33. When was the last time you laughed? today

34. When was the last time you cried? Saturday

35. Who will/would re-post this? whoever

I tag whoever is reading this.

Memories...

2008-07-16T11:09:00.001-07:00

Thanks Delee and El for the idea :)

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Time Flies...

2008-07-10T09:32:00.000-07:00

This summer seems to be flying by. We have been busy , it seems like everyday. We play in the pool a couple of times a week, we have playdates, we run errands, we clean, and we do absolutely nothing. It has been great. Our 4th of July really wasn't that great. Greg had to work all weekend long so I was with the kids all weekend and we just hung out. We spent the night at Grandma and Grandpas and then we had a family bbq right after for Max's (our nephew) 2nd bday. That was a lot of fun. Caden and Lola love to play with their cousins. Too bad he only has 1 in Seattle. We are excited to go up soon.

Hope everyone is having a fun summer. I just wanted to let people know that we are alive and doing well.

Congrats to Kevin and Shannon. They had a baby girl, Hailey. She is so cute and so small. They grow up so fast. I forgot how small they are and how much they sleep.

Congrats to Steve and Holly. Their new addition is Sophee. We are terrible and still haven't seen them and it has been two months.

Congrats to those that have had summer babies and expecting them soon. Congrats to those that are getting married as well. 2008 is the year! Don't expect anything like that from us.

Caden's New Hair

2008-06-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

Caden's hair was getting ridiculously long so we decided to cut it before it gets way too hot. Well we decided to give him a mohawk. After I do it everyday, he looks in the mirror and says that he looks like a dragon. It is so cute and funny! We think he looks cute, what do you think?

Lola's New Hiding Spot

2008-06-21T15:28:00.001-07:00

She found a new hiding spot in our night stand next to our bed. She completely surprised me one day by going in there.

Funny Kids...

2008-06-21T15:23:00.000-07:00

Summer Time Splashing!

2008-06-21T15:14:00.000-07:00

Caden and Lola having fun with their friends, Madison and Hannah, outside in the pool! Definitely going to be a weekly thing. We just put the pool in between our houses and let the kids run around. The moms get to sit the shade and chat. We love the summer!

Movie Reviews

2008-06-21T14:52:00.000-07:00

Great movie! We tried to watch as much as we can. We had to take turns with Lola wanted to wander around the theater. Caden loved it. It is super funny and intense at moments. Wonderful family choice....more if you have a little boy.

Action-packed, humorous, and full of gadgets! This was really good. Greg said that it was his favorite comic hero movie. We highly recommend it if you are into those kind of things. We are going to see the Incredible Hulk tonight so we will let you know how that compares.

Engaged!

2008-06-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

Hannah and Nate are finally engaged! We cannot be more excited for them, but disappointed that we weren't there to celebrate with them. If you don't know Hannah, she has been my best friend from Seattle since third grade. Nate and Hannah have been together for 7 years! They are the best aunt and uncle to Caden and Lola. We are so excited to see them in a month and really celebrate! We love you guys! Congratulations!

Allegies...

2008-06-21T14:33:00.000-07:00

I can't stand them.

Future Model

2008-06-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to take a good smiley Lola pic and she ended up giving me all of these within a couple of minutes.

What's up, Brusiks?

2008-06-03T07:38:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to update what was going on around the Brusik house. We have been super busy doing home projects and spring cleaning. We had to clear our whole house to get our carpets cleaned. We still have tons in our garage because we are also getting ready for our annual neighborhood yard sale. We redid our bedroom closet. We wanted to maximize the space for all of Greg's clothes. Seriously, he has way more clothes than me! We have put furniture together that we got from Ikea. We just finished our yard. We have slowly been doing work on our yard, but after 3 years I think we might be finished. I will post pictures of it soon. We added flowers, a tree, and got rid of those pesky dandelions. We are currently, well actually Greg is, putting up a shed at the end of our driveway. We have kept busy and we are thinking that we are done with all of this, but it never ends. There is always some kind of project or somthing comes up that needs attention. I have been tempted to move to a townhome next because we won't have to worry about a yard. I hate weeds!

The kids and I have been taking advantage of the wonderful weather here. It hasn't gotten scorching hot yet and I hope that lasts a while. I can't stand it being so hot that you can't even go outside unless it is early in the morning or late at night. We have enjoyed playing out side everyday and the kids have loved being able to stay up a little later now that it stays light longer. Lola just had her 1 year appointment and she is 18 pounds, which means she still can't face forward in the car. I call her a "walking ballerina." She walks around and sort of dances. She looks like she is going to fall, but she keeps going and seems to not have much control over her legs. It is so funny because it looks like her legs are moving faster than the rest of her body. Her hair is getting longer so I am able to give her a "fountain" or two on the top of her head. Caden and Lola have been playing so well together. They will go off for an hour and do whatever in their rooms. I am loving it. Caden has been doing great with sharing with her. I usually just have to ask once. He finally got it after a year. He now protects her from other kids too. He has the whole biking thing going, except that he doesn't turn the wheels when he needs to so he runs into things and gets frustrated so he would rather run. He is a pretty good runner, so he is just like his daddy.

Well I gotta end this. I am writing an essay here so just wanted to fill you in what was going on here in good old Spanish Fork.

Happy Birthday Lola!

2008-05-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was Lola's birthday. I cannot believe she is already 1. We had a fun day at the park and going to Salt Lake to meet up with Greg and his parents. Greg has been doing training for work at Salt Lake and the kids have terribly missed him these past few days. At Papa and Nana Brusiks, we had pizza, ice cream cake, and opened presents. She loved digging in the cake with her hands, but the ice cream started to get cold. They both loved staying up late because we had to watch the results show of American Idol. Caden was so sad because it wasn't his. He had to blow out the candles and he had to opened presents. He gets excited for birthdays where Lola didn't really have a clue it was her bday. At least one, for sure, had a blast!

She is getting spoiled with multiple parties. We are going to the Children's museum today and we are having another party this Sunday with the rest of the family. She has grown up so fast. She has grown to be daddy's little girl and she is more that way everyday. She is so sweet and full of energy. She moves unbelievably fast and talks/screams all day long. I am so glad she is a part of our family. She just fits and came out just like one of us...loud and crazy! Caden just adores her and we all feel complete with her in our lives. She is amazing and we love her so much. Happy Birthday, baby girl!

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-12T15:31:00.000-07:00

To all the mothers out there, he is a gift from our family to you.
A happy wife and mother makes a happy home. Hope you had great and peaceful day.

Tags Galore!

2008-05-08T13:58:00.001-07:00

8 things I’m passionate about
1) Family
2) Friends
3) Being a mom
4) Finances
5) Organizing
6) Eating healthy and working out
7) Reading
8) Life

8 Songs I can listen to over and over again and never get sick of
1) Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
2) ABCs
3) Your body is a wonderland-John Mayer
4) Upside down- Jack Johnson
5) Anything by Colbie Caillat
6) All Christmas songs
7) Falling- Alicia Keys
8) Anything Caden and Greg sing

The past 8 books I’ve read
1)Emma
2-4)Twilight Series
5-7)Uglies Series
8)Spiderwick Chronicles

8 Things I say often
1) Greggers
2) Hello?
3) It's okay.
4) I love you!
5) I can't understand, you need to stop crying.
6) Use your words
7) Honey Bunny
8) Do you need to go to time out?

8 Things that attract me to a friend
Someone who...
1) is funny
2) likes to play games
3) likes to talk
4) doesn't mind my kids
5) istrustworthy
6) is genuine, not judgemental
7) doesn't get easily offended
8) doesn't mind my husband, he comes with the package, most of the time:)

8 Random things about me
1) I think my feet are one of my best features.
2) I love being near water, even though I don't like being in it.
3) I love internet shopping.
4) I can't put contacts in my eyes.
5) I love to put things together, furniture and pretty much anything from Ikea.
7) I get tempted to dye by hair blonde, or at least a light brown.
8) I have a love-hate relationship with clothes.

8 Things I want to do before I die
1) Help Greg achieve his goals in life.
2) Go to Alaska and see the Northern lights.
3) See my kids happy in their life.
4) Be super organized.
5) Be fluent in Chinese.
6) Read as many books as I can fit in.
7) Sleep in one last time.
8) Move to Australia

8 Things I’ve learned this past year
1) Kids grow up really fast.
2) Potty training is really hard when your kid isn't ready.
3) I don't care where we move, as long as Greg is able to do well and we are able to stick together.
4) Waking up before the kid's get up isn't too bad.
5) It takes me a while, with or without working out and eating right, to lose the baby weight.
6) Greg and I are the perfect match and he is my best friend in the world.
7) Caden is my baby boy no matter how many other babies I have.
8) When babies finally sleep through the night, it is one of the most wonderful feelings ever.

8 people I'm tagging
Andi B
Shannon M.
Sarah P.
Tara K.
Tara C.
Stef W.
Stephanie B.
The Lights

2008-05-08T13:40:00.000-07:00

What is his name? Gregory Ray Brusik
How old is he? 27, about to turn 28
How long have we been married? 4 years and 9 months
How long did we date? 4 months of dating, 4 months of being engaged
Who said I love you first? Greg did. I cried when he did because I was actually scared of a serious relationship, for the first time. I said it a couple of weeks later.
Who is taller? Greg. Who isn't taller than me?
Who sings better? We are pretty equal.
Who is smarter? We are smart in different ways so I can't say who.
Whose temper is worse? Mine, by far.
Who pays the bills? I do everything online.
Who does the laundry? I do the wash and fold the clothes. I just can't manage to put them away, so Greg has to do it.
Who cooks dinner? I do. If I put Greg in that position, we would be going out every night.
Who drives when we are together? Greg.
Who is more stubborn? Me.
Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? I am the first to admit that I am wrong and I am the first to admit Greg is wrong.
Whose family do you see more? All of Greg's family is here in Utah and mine is in Seattle so we see his more.
Who has more friends? We have probably the same number of friends.
Who wears the pants in the family? Greg wears the shorts, while I wear the capris. We are pretty equal.
Who eats more sweets? For sure, Greg.
Who mows the lawn? Greg does after I have to remind him for a couple of days.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do. That's wear the clock is and I have to know what time it is at night.
Who asked who out first? I did. He was shocked because he was going to do the same thing if he had the chance to ask me out first. Cook dinner and rent a movie.
Who kissed who first? Greg. He would say that he was in control.
What is my favorite thing about him? I love his confidence. To some people he seems cocky, but when you really get to know him, he isn't at all. He beams with confidence and it makes him even hotter. I love it!

Tag
Diane
Delee
Tay (Tara Creel)
Tara Kerr

L-O-L-A Lola!

2008-04-30T15:42:00.000-07:00

Congrats Cox family

2008-04-30T06:56:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the world, Ehlana April Cox. Congratulations on your new baby girl Cox family. She is absolutely adorable.

They grow up so fast!

2008-04-30T06:52:00.000-07:00

Lola took 9 steps yesterday! She has been doing so well lately. She is about to turn 1 in a couple of weeks and she has been growing up so fast. I can't believe it has already been a year. She has walking more, a few steps here and there, but she does prefer crawling. I have been putting her in more dresses lately because it forces her to walk because she keeps getting stuck when she crawls. It is supercute. Hopefully I can get a picture of her walking or at least standing. She tends to attack me with a camera. I was talking to Greg about how cute she was and how much I missed her as a baby and it is hard to believe that she is growing up so fast. All he could say was, " Uh Oh!"

Jumpin Jacks

2008-04-21T14:17:00.001-07:00

I wish I took pictures. Last Thursday, my friend Stef and I took our kids to Jumpin Jacks, which is an inflatable funzone. I didn't know how Caden was going to be without me going with him because I was going to take care of the young ones. To my surprise, he ran off and I couldn't find him. He just went off by himself. You would think I would be freaked out, but those places are sort of enclosed so you can't just leave and you would notice if someone grabbed your child. I finally found him with a huge grin on his face and sliding down the biggest inflatable slide. He just did it over again. He was having a blast. I loved that he was able to run around and not need me every second. I was nervous to leave because I didn't know what to do. Caden gets attached to things and places very easily. Good thing I brought up ice cream. We were able to leave. We are excited to go back.

Hard work pays off

2008-04-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

Well last Friday was my mom's last day of work. If you ever met my parents, they have worked extremely hard as long as I can remember. They have always worked graveyard shifts that long. I am so happy my mom is able to now rest and do whatever she wants. She will probably hang out with Browny, sleep, and watch her Thai shows all day. I hope she can adjust to normal hours instead of staying up all night and sleeping all day. At least she doesn't have to worry about little kids running around all day (except when we come and visit). My dad will join her in September. It is crazy to think my mom has retired and my dad will be soon. We are already planning on a Disneyland trip with them!

Hello Lyla!

2008-04-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

Congrats to our good friends, the Morgan family. On Sunday, they welcomed their new baby girl, Lyla, into this world. She was, 9 pounds and, of course, a redhead. We are so happy for their new addition to their family and wish them well. We love you guys and we are excited to meet her in July. Lola Mei-Li can't wait to play with her friend Lyla Maylee. Yes, their names are that similar. Pretty names for pretty girls!

5 years!

2008-04-01T13:54:00.000-07:00

To the everybody, it is April Fools, to our family it is our 5 year anniversary of when we got engaged. We don't really celebrate our first date or our first kiss, which happened even before we started dating..:) What a funny day to engage to someone. After Greg proposed, I said, "You better not be joking." It is a fun memory, but I hope he doesn't pull any pranks on me.

We celebrate our engagement that happened this day, April fools, 5 years ago. It has gone by so fast and was the best decision I have ever made. We have had a great adventure these past years and I can't wait for the journey to continue.

We had a okay Easter. Caden got sick and Lola has been teething for the last little while. She is working on tooth number 4. We had a mini easter egg hunt on Saturday morning because we couldn't wait and Greg had to go in for work. Sunday morning, Caden had a really high fever and slept most of the day. We weren't able to go to Grandpa and Nana's house for dinner or an easter egg hunt. It was a bummer. Just this past weekend, he finally got to enjoy his easter basket. We flew his Spiderman kite and blew lots of bubbles. Maybe we will have a better one next year. I try to take pictures, but I end up getting attacked by both the kids. I will post new ones soon...hopefully!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

2008-03-17T09:44:00.000-07:00

Hope you have a day filled with good luck, good health, and everything there is good in the world. We have sunshine here so it has started off a good day.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-03-01T07:56:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Caden!

2008-02-29T12:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Caden's Bday. We had a fun time making cookies, going to school, and taking a nap. He chose where he wanted to go eat. He chose Carls Jr because he loves the play area. After we had a dessert at Coldstone, which he enjoyed his Cotton Candy and Oreo mix. He opened his present, which we got him 2 Harry Potter wands that make noises and light up. He has enjoyed them a lot. He is 3! It is crazy! They grow up really fast. Before we know it, he will be heading off to Kindergarten.

Caden has a wild personality. He is outgoing, creative, loving, smart, funny, adorable and everything that is great about kids. He is also the opposite, but because it was his birthday, we will think of only the positives :) We love him so much and we wouldn't be a family without him.

These were pictures from his first 3 birthdays. As you can see in the pictures, he has gotten happier with each birthday!

New Bed

2008-02-19T09:14:00.000-08:00

So, we finally got Caden into a toddler bed. We got him an early birthday present. We just got it over the weekend. We got him the bed and new Cars Bedding. It is a firetruck-shaped toddler bed. He just loved it when he first saw it. He thought it was a toy. Caden and Lola play in it all the time. The siren on top is an actual nightlight. We thought about getting him the racecar, but the firetruck has sides so he won't fall out, so that is really nice.

We haven't had any problems. He goes down and doesn't come out until the next morning. If he does come out early, it's usually around 6am and he can choose to go back to his bed or sleep on the floor. She just falls down on our premade bed and goes right back to sleep. We don't have to get him out of his crib anymore, hoping to not wake up Lola. Yay! We have been letting Lola cry it out through the night. She usually would wake up a couple times in the night. We would put the bottle in her mouth and she would just go back to sleep. She wouldn't even eat. She did have a cold so I felt bad that she was crying, but now that she is better we have been letting her cry. She doesn't wake up anymore. It has been great! It took her a little longer than Caden, but every kid is different right? Still not wanting to potty-train Caden, any tricks you wanna share?

2008-02-15T10:20:00.001-08:00

2008-02-15T10:11:00.000-08:00

Once we shovel our driveway, it seems like another storm comes on in. Right now it seems like we have a foot of snow out there. The other day, I had to get into four-wheel drive just to back out of my driveway. Caden loves it. He loves throwing it, jumping in it, and especially eating it. Recently, I have been trying to teach him that he can only eat white snow, not brown, black, or yellow. He is getting the hang of it.

Forgot something...

2008-02-14T12:27:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to wish you a Happy Valentines Day! Have a fun with your loved ones! XOXO!

2008-02-14T11:28:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T11:09:00.000-08:00

Back by popular demand! If you haven't noticed, I have definitely been slacking in the whole blogging department. It has been crazy busy over here and I really didn't think anyone looked at it.

Caden is about to turn three. He has been getting big lately. It is definitely true when they say once they start talking, they never stop. His new favorite thing is Star Wars and he can turn anything into a lightsaber. He is getting so creative and has a huge imagination. We aren't having a big party for him this year, but we are going to have a family one. I will post about it once it happens. I am finally putting Caden into a toddler bed. Yes....he is still in a crib. He doesn't even try to attempt to get out. I will be attempting to potty-training him as well. I am not too excited...but it has got to be done, right? He has definitely been more interested in the potty lately so I was just waiting for the time for him to be ready.

Lola has been growing up so fast. She is 9 months today. We actually just came back from the doctor's office. She is crawling, clapping, and loves to show us her new tricks. Her new one is to pull herself up onto something and lets go. "Look at me. No hands!" She is getting so good at it. She has two little teeth on the bottom. She loves to eat whatever we are. She tends to refuse the bottle, but at least she is eating something. She is our human vacuum cleaner. She can find the smallest things on the carpet, even after I actually vacuum. She is such a daddy's girl, even though he is home a few hours in a day. Once he comes home, she drops everything and goes right to daddy. She is such a joy. This is one of my favorite stages of babies.

Here are more recent pictures of my bubba and baby bug!

Vacation Time!

2007-11-10T20:48:00.000-08:00

Well, since Halloween, Caden has had the stomach flu and some weird gum infection. We definitely missed our old Caden and we are so glad he is back. Halloween was fun. We ended up just handing out candy and then we turned out all the lights and kept all the good candy to ourselves and hid in the back our house. It was a blast! We now are entering the turkey time of the year, which we are really excited for. We are going to Seattle to visit with my family for about a week and then we are going to Oregon to hang out with our best friends, the Morgans. We are excited that we are going to spend Thanksgiving with them. We haven't seen them in forever. No one has seen Lola since we was teeny so she has definitely grown bigger since then. We will let you know about our vacation when we get back. Have a great Thanksgiving everybody!

Family Update

2007-10-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

It has been forever since the last time I have written in this blog. We all got sick the past few weeks and it has been crazy at our house. Caden goes to school twice a week and loves it. Every once in a while they go on a field trip, so this month we went to a pumpkin patch and went on a hay ride. Lola is now 5 months and has been eating solids. You gotta keep an eye on her now cause she is pretty squirmy. She is either rolling over or moving some way or another. Caden and Lola have a blast playing together and Lola seems to think that Caden is hilarious. He can make her laugh more than Greg and I can. We are hoping Halloween this year will be a blast now that Caden is understanding it more and knows what is going on. Caden had a Halloween party at school and he was a China Man. We borrowed the costume from some friends because we were waiting for his costume to come in the mail. Lola is going to be an angel and I will let you guess what Caden is going to be. I have some pictures. He doesn't like to take it off so I have to hide it from him. We carved some pumpkins too. Caden loved that, but he doesn't like the feeling of pumpkin guts. Here are some recent pics. Greg has been busy with work and the gym. If he has any spare time, I can always find him somewhere in the house reading. I have been busy with a Mom's club I am in. As the kids do get older, our lives are getting busier. Well if I don't write before then, have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Labor Day!

2007-09-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

I know...it is a couple of days late. We hope you had a fun three-day weekend for those who had those three days off. If not...that stinks! My brother Xieng drove all the way down from Washington (without any stops) Thursday night and got here early Friday morning. He stayed until Monday. We had a great time with him hanging out and going to Lagoon, which is an amusement park if you didn't know. We didn't take the kids, we had our good and brave friends watch both Lola and Caden. We had a really good time. We also celebrated our mom's birthday. We hope she enjoyed her birthday. Here are a couple of rides we went on at Lagoon. We had a blast over the weekend! Here are pics of the rides Wicked, the Rocket, and the Spider.