Five Question Friday #9

Around here, life has been really good. We're living in the pool. At least until 11 every morning. Then we head inside for lunch, naps, and a little TV time. You know, to stay out of the ridiculous heat. As the evening approaches, we head back out. We've been grilling, and swimming every evening. Yes, this summer is turning out to be a very good one! How about yours? Before it gets too late, I better get my Five Questions Friday posted. :)

1. Vow renewal ceremonies-yay or nay? I'm from the school of, "If it's not broke, don't fix it." I feel as though, unless you and your spouse have made it through a serious situation, it's just not necessary. But if there have some serious marital issues, and as a couple, you've made it past all that, a renewal is a nice way to start the next chapter. A good way, to start the next chapter of a struggling marriage, might be with a new commitment. Or say, if you've made it to 50 years. Now that's a real reason to celebrate. But for people who have renewals every few years, I just don't get it. Is your commitment that weak, that you have to constantly renew it? I'm not trying to judge here, I just don't understand.  

2. What sound/s annoy you the most? Nails on a chalkboard, the "Woo-hoo" yells that these moms around here do, and parents screaming at their kids. I just don't get that. Why do you have kids, if you can't respect them?

3. If you had to pick, would you have only all boys, or only all girls for kids? I don't think I could choose. We have 2 boys, and 2 girls. And because we had boy-girl-boy-girl, I honestly don't know if I would prefer one over the other. I was deeply in love with Ethan, to really notice if it was the fact that I was a mom, or that he was a little boy, that made me happiest. Know what I mean? When Madelyn was born, I was just in love with my kiddos. With Logan, he just excited me. And now with Daniella, well she is just so girly. Such a gentle spirit. I don't think that I could pick. There are things that I enjoy about the boys. And then, there are things I enjoy about the girls. Ask me again in 8 years. When I'll have 2 teens. Yikes!

4. Do you believe in alternative medicine? I do. I believe western medicine is so good, for many things. And to prevent many diseases. But eastern medicine, or alternative medicine, can also be so useful. My hubs is one to use alternative medicine when he gets sick. It's only when he can't "shake" a cold, or the flu, that he'll turn to western medicine. I think it depends on the situation. But both are so useful.

5. Would you take a family member's children and raise them if they needed it? Yes, in a heartbeat. I don't think Patrick or I would even second guess it. We're now in a situation, were we are easily taking care of our kids. And we still could care for other children. I have the ability to completely stop working, to take care of more little ones. And because of Patrick's job, financially, we could handle it. All without taking from our kids. But adding to their lives.

Five Question Friday #8

Is anyone else loving summer, as much as me? I doubt it! I'm enjoying the warm days. The incredibly long days. Filled with love, fun, and family. My kids and I, have definitely gotten into a fun summer routine. Including lots of exploring. I hope it never ends! And without further ado, here's this week's Five Question Friday.

1. If your husband had the BIG V and you got pregnant what would your first reaction be? For the dudes, what would your first reaction be if your wife told you she was pregnant after the Big V? Honestly, my hubs had the BIG V. And if we happened to get pregnant, I'd be really happy. We both would. Yes, we have 4 kids. Yes, we always agreed that we'd have 4 kids. But I think Patrick and I, both still find ourselves wishing for another baby. We'd be happily shocked. :)

2. Best memory about this summer so far. Our Anniversary dinner. I'm so glad, that we included our kiddos. It was magical! A celebration of Patrick and I's love. Including the 4 angels, that we made with our love. Yes, I'll never forget that day.

3. How often do you change your sheets? Your kids sheets? Once a week. Every Friday morning, I change all of our sheets. It makes the weekend, that much more special. Waking up Saturday morning, with yummy smelling sheets.

4. Having just gone through TSA, would you rather have a full-body scan or a pat-down? A full-body scan. I'm not much into having people pat me down. Or my kids. Security is so essential. But at times, I wonder where the line should be drawn.

5. Since it is fair time...what's your favorite fair (county or state) memory? That's easy. The first State Fair, that Patrick and I went to. After we got married. It should have been a glorious time. Something that we had actually planned for a while. Made sure we had the weekend off of work. But it happened after 9/11/01. Just weeks later. And it was a bit eery. But we still had a good time. I'll always remember riding the Ferris Wheel. And that apple with carmel. Yum! That was delicious. We ended up having a lot of fun. Enjoying a concert. And sharing a turkey leg. It solidified for me, what I already knew. No matter what, Patrick would protect me. And always love me, and help me enjoy life. That day, really made me know, that Patrick would always be here for me.

Oh So Pretty!

Again, I took to google for some inspiration. Patrick and I have been talking. We want to actually decorate our bedroom. And that means, we both have to do a little research. You know, make a plan. I don't want my hubby to feel uncomfortable in our bedroom. And I still want it to have feminine touches.

So I've googled, and googled, and googled some more! Then I found this collage. What beautiful pictures! There's something magical about them. I love the light. And these colors. There's just something magical and romantic about them.

I wanted to jump for joy, when Patrick agreed. We're thinking about the middle color, as the wall color. And white and green for the bedding. The 1st 2 colors would be great accent colors. Yes, I'm loving these colors. And I realized something yesterday. The light shines into our room, like that last picture. Great news!

This is a good jumping off point for us. We've lived here for 4 1/2 years. And haven't really done much to our bedroom. It's time. It's time that Patrick and I have a space of our own. The craziest part, is we have the perfect white chair. With that green, in the simplest print.Oh, and that light fixture, would be absolutely perfect! All we have to do now, is to really start looking for the bedding and curtains. Always a great place to start. The rest is about collecting the perfect accessories. Oh, I can't wait!

Five Question Friday #7

We're finally home! I know, I didn't mention it on here. But for the last 3 weeks, our family has been on vacation. It was all about Disney, cruises, theme parks, and lots of time on the beach. Honestly, it was such a fun trip! But it's good to be home. In our bed. Now it's time for some Five Question Friday. So I can get a little rest. :)

1. If you knew your best friend's spouse was cheating on her or him, would you tell her (him)? Yes, in a heartbeat! Even if they got mad at me. I think all people should at least have the knowledge. What they do with that, well, that's their business. But they should have the knowledge. I know, I'd want my friend to tell me. Even though, I know, Patrick would never do that to me. But you know what I mean.

2. Soda in a can or a bottle? Definitely in a can. I'd actually prefer a glass, with ice. But there is just something about a can. I don't know what it is.

3. What do you wash first, hair or body? My hair. I LOVE to lather up my hair first thing. It even makes the shower smell yummy! Makes me feel clean. I'm all about cleaning from top to bottom. For me. And for the kids. It's the only way to bathe. You know what I mean?

4. What advice would you give to any new mama? Enjoy every single second of it! Take in everything. The sweet baby smell. The soft skin. And don't worry about all the books and advice. You'll know what to do. Your baby is an individual, just like you. And they'll do things, when they're ready. Don't rush them. Just enjoy every second.

5. What is your best hangover remedy? Years ago, Patrick and I used to eat a greasy burger and fries. Then drink a bunch of water. That always seemed to work. You know, for the 3 or 4 times we needed it. We're not big drinkers around here.

Makes Me Smile

Some days, you just stumble on something, that makes you smile. It makes you completely giddy. From the inside out. Heck, you feel like you could be a kid again. That's how happy it makes you. That's the feeling I get, when I see these pillows!

I want a bunch of them. With a big white couch. The kind that is so comfy, you sink right in. With a bunch of these pillows. I can imagine long afternoons of reading there. Or hours of cuddling with my kiddos. I think it could be so fun. This might just give me some inspiration. For that one room, that I have no idea what to do with. Yes, these pillows make me smile. And I want a room that will do that too!

Cute Summer Sign

I happened to be searching for some cute summer signs and wreaths lately. All over Etsy. Then I started googling. That's when, I came across this cute set of Summer Blocks.

Jamielyn makes the most adorable crafts! I'd love to make this cute set. But let's be honest, I'm not very crafty. And by the time I get going on it, summer will be over. Maybe I should just buy a set from Jamielyn. I know that this blog post is from over a year ago, I hope Jamielyn is still selling them. Because this would look so cute on our mantel.

Five Question Friday #6

Our family, is definitely enjoying all these summer days! It's just so nice to get out and explore the world a little. If you read my blog yesterday, Patrick and I celebrated our 10th Anniversary. We actually had a fun day with our kids. We even took them out to a fancy dinner, everyone dressed up, and we enjoyed it. Patrick and I are hoping to celebrate our Anniversary, around his birthday, in November. Maybe a tropical trip? For now, we're just enjoying our family. I better get my Five Question Friday done. That way I can spend the day with my family.

1. Do you think cursive writing is overrated? (Schools in Indiana have now voted to take teaching cursive writing out of their curriculum.) No I don't. I think all kids need to learn it. It doesn't have to be perfect. But you need it, so that you can have a signature. Signatures turn out to be very important for adults. Think about things like signing checks, mortgages, and applications. Very important!

2. Do you still use a pocket calendar or notepad or do you keep your info on your smart phone? I've definitely gotten much better at this! I keep most of our info on my phone. But I have a HUGE calendar in our kitchen. I put all our schedules on there. That calendar, is essential to the running of this house. Without it, I don't think we could function. No lie! I also carry around a little notebook and a planner. In my purse. To take down notes. I do a lot of fundraisers, so this is essential.

3. What 3 things would you save if your house was burning down? (family & pets are already safe) This is sorta tough. I'd definitely want to save family pictures. I have doubles of all our pictures, in a set of boxes. I'd also like to save my grandparents wedding rings. They gave them to Patrick and I for our anniversary, this year. Lastly, my kids' scrapbooks/memory boxes. They have so much history in them. Definitely items that you can't replace. Things like first clippings of hair, Baptism clothes, pictures, etc. I'd definitely want to save those.

4. Country Mouse or City Mouse, err Person? I used to think I was a "City Mouse." But since moving out here, I'm more of a "Country Mouse." We live in a gorgeous Southern city. But we have a lake house. Not too far away. We try and spend at least half our weekends, the holidays, and summers out there. It's Heaven! If Patrick didn't have to work so many hours, and commute, I'd LOVE to live there.

5. If you could pick ANY reality show to go on, which would you pick? Hmm, I don't know. Maybe Dancing with the Stars. It seems to be a show that has minimum drama. I'm not into drama. Ooh, maybe the Duggars's show, 19 Kids and Counting. That could be interesting...

10 Years of Wedded Bliss

Dear Patrick,

I can't believe it's been 10 years! Do you remember our wedding day? I don't think it could have been a hotter day. I thought for sure, my dress was going to melt off of me. 105 degrees outside. We knew how to pick the day! I couldn't have felt smaller, in the Cathedral. So huge, and majestic. So much history. So many couples before us, had gotten married there. But I was never so sure, that we were perfect for each other. I knew we were made for one another.

It didn't matter that our wedding was small. That only our parents, grandparents, and a few other friends and family were there. We could have gotten married, just by ourselves, and it would still have been perfect! Just you and me. And God. All that we needed.

So much has happened since July 7, 2001. So many good things. A few tough times. I've always had you to lean on. To depend on. Your strong arms. Your caring heart. Do you remember it all? The crazy meltdowns. In that tiny apartment. Where I swear, we could hear our neighbors breathing. When I'd fall apart, after 48 hour shifts. And I always had you, to comfort me. To tell me it was going to work out.

You've always been here for me. Wanting me to be happy. Making sure I get the things I need. And want. It never mattered to you, where we lived, what kind of furniture we had, or where we'd go. You just wanted me to be happy. I've never felt so loved. Never!

There were days, when I felt less than perfect. Horrible even. Unattractive. Tired. Just not good enough. But you've always had a way, to make me feel amazing. Like I'm the most beautiful woman, inside and out. You just have this way. Even when I was covered in baby food, hadn't showered in days, hadn't slept in weeks. You still made me feel, like I was the sexist woman on the planet.

And these amazing babes that we have. All 4 of them! Made with so much love. The perfect balance of you and me. I love how they've changed our lives. Made us better people. I always knew that you'd be an amazing Daddy. But when Ethan was born, you completely outdid any expectation, that I ever had. So incredibly loving, gentle, kind, nurturing, and knowledgeable.

In the last 10 years, we've been through so much. But our 4 kids, are definitely the most amazing blessings! We've gone through so much. Accomplished so much. Walked hand in hand. Making a better life for ourselves. Improving the world around us. And making a beautiful and loving family.

I couldn't imagine going through life with anyone else. There is no one else in the world, that I'd want at my side. No other man that I'd want to love. Not other man that I'd want to love me. No other Daddy for my babes. No. You, Patrick, are my other half. My better half. I'm only whole with you. The only man that makes me complete. The man I wanted to marry 10 years ago. The man I want to live with, until eternity. The best father in the world. I couldn't imagine going to bed, without you. Feeling your strong arms, wrapped tightly around me, as I sleep. My morning is not complete, without waking up in your arms, looking into your eyes, and getting my morning kiss.



This song, still makes me think of you. Every time I hear it. Our first dance. So many date nights. It just reminds me of you. Of you and me! Yes, 10 years ago, I made the best decision of my life. To become your wife. I love you babe! Happy Anniversary! I can't wait, to see what the next 10 years, have in store for you and me. 

Love,
Your Brookie

Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Daniella is a HUGE Wizard of Oz fan. I don't know how this happened. But my baby girl can't get enough. To the tune, we watch The Wizard of Oz at least 3 times a week. And, she might just dress up like Dorothy, to go shopping. Or to visit her Daddy at work. Recently, we stumbled on the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It's the cutest cartoon!



I used to really HATE for my kids to watch TV. But I think, it has more to do with the kind of cartoons and shows, that are on TV. I don't mind the kids watching PBS. I actually enjoy it. They learn a lot. And just between you and me, I get to do a load of laundry. Or manage to get some cleaning done. Not too bad. If I'm really lucky, a cup of coffee might get involved. :)

Recently, I found a new channel. That shows old cartoons, shows, and movies. Yes, it's a cute station. With lots of fun shows for the kids. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is one of those shows! I'll also admit, Daniella and I snuggle up, and watch 2 episodes every morning. After the kids are at school. While we're enjoying a mid morning snack. Yes, it's a good time!

Five Question Friday #5

Yay! Our family is really enjoying summer. And our time together. There's definitely a lot of summer fun, going on around here. We're all enjoying life, the warm weather, and some restful time together. Why can't Patrick have more time off of work? I'm realizing, just how much we miss him. Is that weird? He's finally off of work, and I'm finally realizing, how much my kids miss their Daddy. When he's working, we pretty much don't see him during the week. It's tough. But what can you do? Well, here's this week's Five Question Friday.

1. If you had the opportunity to bungee jump, would you? Yes, I would. I'd do it again! Years ago, Patrick and I went bungee jumping with my brother and SIL. We had a blast! I don't know how to describe it. But it's such a rush. Really makes you feel alive!

2. Would you rather go to the movie theater or to the drive-in? I'd rather go to a Drive-In. But there's not really any around here. For the one, that's about half an hour away, they only show movies twice a week. I really wish there were more Drive-Ins. They're so fun. And definitely a blast from the past. Of a simpler time. Even my kids enjoy them.

3. Do you have your groceries delivered? Sometimes. I know that sounds weird. But they don't charge extra to deliver. If all I need is the basics, I'll get my groceries delivered. Only when I'm really busy though. Because I actually enjoy grocery shopping. So delivery is not something I do often.

4. Eyebrows: Do you wax, thread, pluck, or stay au naturel? I used to wax. But it hurt. I'd be lying, if I said it didn't. When I tried threading, it was life changing! No lie! And now, I have really nice looking eyebrows. And I keep them up. Honestly, you should try it.

5. Would the people you went to high school with be surprised by your life today? No and yes. They always knew, that I wanted to be a MD. I don't think they would be surprised that I became an MD. But the fact that I'm now a SAHM of 4, I'm sure they'd be shocked! I was much more the "career oriented" person. Back then. I was the last person that wanted to get married. I don't think my HS friends would believe that I spend afternoons at Charity Fundraisers, and evenings at PTA meetings. But I LOVE my life!