First Beach Day of the Year

Aaron has Fridays off so we headed to Avila Beach where the weather was 78 degrees, it was a beautiful day for a picnic and playing in the sand!

Prego Update

My growing belly!

Today I'm 12 weeks prego! Woohoo, that means that I'm finally in the second trimester and that much closer to holding a cute little baby. Aaron and I have been duking out baby names and have yet to come to an agreement. We have been busy with work and entertaining the little one. Still feeling sick and sleepy from the pregnancy so I've been laying low. Aaron has been really helping out around the house playing mom and dad. I'm truly greatful that he has SOO much energy. Here is a pic of our 9 week ultrasound, Aaron and I thought the baby looks like a little jelly bean.

This is a 2 year old having a tantrum! Too funny!

Colorado River Trip

The beach, 85 degrees, the river, the boat, sand castles, wild river rafting (just kidding we were tied to a rope because the guys didn't trust the pregnant lady rowing), fishing, golf, and relaxation. Just what the doctor ordered!

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Easter Visits

For Easter my Mom, Tom, grandparents, brother and family came for a visit. We had a great time just relaxing and catching up on Baby Claire time. Grandma Debbie made Garrett this really cute sock monkey that is Garrett new B.F.F. The other day while we were in Arizona he was even changing monkeys diaper...too silly. We had an Easter egg hunt at the house, Aaron and I spoke at church and we had an yummy easter dinner with the whole family.

Thank you for coming to visit everyone!

Friends 'til the end!

Kendra, Me and Anna

A couple weeks ago my friend Anna (a.k.a Cupcake) came into town from Santa Cruz, and Kendra (a.k.a Muffin) drove up from San Luis Obispo to visit. Kenda and I became friends our freshman year of college. We were in Student Government together, and after April (1st roomie in college, and still one of my best friends) and I invited her for a trip up to San Franciso with us, after that trip we became best buds. We later became room mates, work together at the Berryman, and shared may funny adventures together. Though we live our busy lives, she will always be a close and special friend.

Ode to the Anna. We met while working as hostess' at Hudson's Grill in SLO we also have shared many fun college memories together and continue to be great friends. She is my guardian angel, and after I had Garrett she lived with Aaron and I for a month or so, and she was GREAT help to us. She is one of the kindest most sweet people you will ever encounter. I love these girls, and they will always be some of my closest friends.

Now we just have to get Alison to come for a visit!

Love you girls!

Backyard Fun!

Current Read

Finished Saving Fish From Drowning, it was an amazing journey through rural Asia with a group of American travelers.

I've now moved on to Gordon B. Hinckley's Standing for Something. Join along, we could start a book club!

Happy News!

Aaron and I found out the day after our anniversary that we are PREGNANT (so much for keeping it a secret)! We are very excited to welcome Smith Baby #2 in late October! I'm feeling sicker than a D-O-G, so I'm no fun at the moment, hence why I haven't been posting much.

I was going to post this with the last one, but it deserved it's own separate post!

Happy Anniversary!

Aaron and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary in Reno on Feb. 22. Aaron had to go to Reno for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Expo, so Garrett and I tagged along with him! Aaron's parents met us there so Aaron and I were able to go out to dinner to Famous Murphy's and enjoy the Big and Rich concert (thanks so much Papa 2 and Meme!). Aaron treated me to a massage and facial at the hotel spa, it was so relaxing I feel asleep during the massage. Hope I wasn't snoring away:) We enjoyed spending time with family and doing some shopping (DSW is my new favorite shoe store). Reno has so many great stores, much, much better than Paso Robles, where the ONLY major clothing store is Kohl's.
On our way up to Reno we stayed the night at my brothers new pad in San Ramon. His new baby Claire is SOOOO CUTE. She looks a little scared in this picture, she was hoping that Garrett the crazy toddler wouldn't attack:) Thanks Sean and Michelle for the comfy place to stay and the delicious dinner!

On our last day of the trip Garrett contracted some sort of cold, so when we returned home we took him to the doctors office and found out he has pneumonia and an ear infection! Poor baby doll! He has been really sick, and has not eaten for three days, only juice. We are taking good care of him, and making sure he lays low for the next week or so.

Love you all!

New Read

Since I'm on a roll, I starting reading Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan. It was been sitting on my shelf for a year, finally decided to dust it off and hopefully get lost in another literary masterpiece.

Sequels to Twilight

I've been hooked and anti-social while obsessing over these most intriguing novels. I've read three novels within the last week...a record for me since I'm not a huge reader. Stephanie Meyer develops characters that you can't imagine how they couldn't be real, you feel their emotions as they struggle with love, hunger and pain. This is a great series.

A forth book Breaking Dawn will be out in August 2008. Since this is a while for me to wait, please let me know if there are any novels that you have read and feel the same way about.

Twilight

Twilight is one of the most moving books I have read in a long time. It kept me thinking about it long after I read the last page. ...craving more. Highly recommend this read, see how so many readers have fallen in love with Edward, the vampire!

Garrett's Best Friend

Aaron's Post:

Growing up as a child, I had alot of things. I was pretty well blessed because of my parents sacrifice. At the age of three something very special came into my life. Her name was Fawn. She was the runt out of a litter of black Lab/German short haired puppies. I don't remember a day of my childhood that she wasn't a part of.

Fawn was part of our family until I was 18, I remember the day that I found her in the backyard. I new something was wrong, because she didn't come to the gate to greet me when I got home from work. There are many fond memories of that old dog and me covering the pages of family albums.

Well, all these memories led me two years ago to getting Koda, and as you can see by the pictures, Garrett and him are best friends. They love to play together, which includes playing dress-up.

There have been many movies of boys and their dogs, "Ol' Yeller", "Where the Red Fern Grows", ok even "Homeward Bound." It's true that they have an attachment that really is inexplicable. I think Garrett will benefit from this friendship for many years to come.

Koda is a great dog, still a puppy, but a great dog. He is really part of the family and he watches Garrett like a hawk. We love him to death and truly consider him a blessing!

Gordon B. Hinckley

From LDS.ORG

President Gordon B. Hinckley, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through twelve years of global expansion, has died at the age of 97.

President Hinckley was the 15th president in the 177-year history of the Church and had served as its president since 12 March 1995.

The Church president died at his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City at 7:00 p.m. Sunday night from causes incident to age. Members of his family were at his bedside. A successor is not expected to be formally chosen by the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles until after President Hinckley’s funeral within the next few days.

He was truly a remarkable man, that I looked up to in every way. He was such an example of humility and tenderness. He will be missed, but we know he is in a happier place with his sweet wife.

Rainy Day Craft Ideas

Sock puppets








Cute Valentine's Day love bouquet using conversation hearts.












Great idea for when your little girls pants get too short.

Crayon carrier








Chalk board mat on one side, placemat on the other. Roll-up design for purse or diaper bag.

For Those Office Fans!

The Office personality quiz, which character are you?

Which Office Character Are You?
	You are part Pam. You are sweet and likable, but your shyness makes it hard for you to express yourself sometimes. Regardless, you are always there for your friends and will usually come out of your shell to help anyone.
	You are part Ryan. You are extremely smart and perceptive, and it irritates you to no end when inferior people try to tell you what to do. Sometimes, though, your critical eye makes you come off as aloof and bitter to others, and it may take awhile for people to get to know you.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

James "Garrett" Brown

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OLE' MEXICO

I just got back from another adventure in Ole Mexico. I went down to the state of Sonora to hunt Coues Whitetail. Man is this a blast. These little deer only weighs about 100 lbs, when they are fully mature. (Average Whitetail weighs about 200 lbs) They are very difficult to see and most shots are 300+ yards.

Its also allot of fun because it gives me a great opportunity to polish up on my Spanish. I still can speak it and seem to be the life of the camp for the Mexican guides who only speak a little English and most of that is foul. I enjoy talking to them and hearing the stories they tell in Spanish. What a great culture. As you can see I was quite the Vaquero, taking a little time to help gather cattle one afternoon.

Anyway, we had a great trip and even got home early. Sarah was happy about that. I wasn't supposed to be home until Saturday but I got home yesterday afternoon. Hope everyone is well. Stay tuned for the the next adventure.

Paso Children's Muesum

New Year's Day

Happy New Year to all! Hope you all had a safe and happy New Year's Eve. We took Garrett to the 6-hole course across the street this morning to golf with Daddy. He LOVED it! Pedestrians were walking by and calling Garrett the next Tiger Woods. I made sure people knew he is still seeking sponsorships:-)





Aaron's Papa made Garrett a small golf club and we brought the red wagon and called it "Garrett's golf cart". We had a great time!










Sending you a HAPPY NEW YEAR in 2008!