The Brough's

Every year on my birthday someone asks, "So do you feel older?". And usually I say, "no". But THIS year when James called me from work and asked, "So do you feel older?", I said "YES". J.J. had come in to wake me up and I was dead tired. I felt like I'd been hit by a truck. Then I went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror and I wondered, "when did I get all those wrinkles?" My brother-in-law, Dave, declared in the middle of Sunday school a few weeks ago that I have a few gray hairs showing. (If I wasn't so short maybe he wouldn't have seen them) So, yes, I feel older. Would I want to be 16 again? Young and feeling good even after a sleepless night? No, I wouldn't trade my husband and two boys and being their 30 year OLD mom for anything. I've got 3 boys that love me unconditionally and I KNOW I didn't have that at 16. I'm pretty lucky.

I can hardly believe J.J. is going to Kindergarten. Sigh.... the school years begin. It's as much as an adjustment for him as it is for me and Danny. Actually, J.J. was really excited to start and has loved going! It's DANNY that we have to worry about! The first day, J.J. put on his back pack so Danny found his to put on. Then we went to the school and J.J. lined up so Danny did too. Then the class was going inside and Danny started screaming and crying that he couldn't go in too! With both arms stretched out to J.J. walking away he screamed, "J.J.!!!!! NO!!!!!!!" He cried and cried and the other moms thought it was cute that he was so upset that he couldn't go in with his brother. They are two peas in a pod.

It's been a few days now and as long as Danny gets to wear his back pack too, he's okay with saying goodbye to J.J. at the door. But as soon as we get home he says he wants to go get J.J.! I guess this is just one of those growing pains that we'll get past eventually. One good thing is that when J.J. comes home and has to trace his letters for homework, Danny wants to too! Since Danny has some speech delay, we figure he may not be able to speak understandably by the time he starts school but at least he'll be able to write!

(Sorry, only 2/3rds of us are in the picture)

Every year James' siblings and families all get together for a vacation of some kind. This year we went camping! (well, sort of. We had a cabin.) We went 4-wheeling, had a paddle boat, the men went shooting, played games (Bananagrams!), ATE, and of course did the s'mores around the campfire. Oh and James killed a baby rattle snake with a shovel! This Brough Bunch knows how to have a good time...

When J.J. turned 1, I wanted to make him a cute cake but didn't really know how to decorate one. My mom had decorated cakes back in the day but I never learned how. (nor did I learn how to sew, quilt, crochet, play piano, and a slew of other things I should have) Then when we were in North Dakota, a friend of mine and I decided to take classes together. It got us out of the house to do something fun and now I'm still experimenting. So if you wonder what I've been up to lately, this is it... Happy Fathers Day! I made one for my dad and one for James and his dad.


Yoshi... (Mario character) for J.J.'s b-day

This summer J.J. has suddenly grown up into "big boy-hood" and Danny has grown up into "little boy-hood" (as opposed to baby or toddler). J.J. is a Wii fanatic and really wanted to have a Mario Party 8/Super Smash Brothers birthday party. What did he get for his birthday? Well, a Mario Kart game for the Wii of course. AND he got to have 2 parties this year with both sides of cousins. He LOVES his cousins!Daniel isn't as devoted to one thing as J.J. is. He loves Thomas, and Cars, Star Wars, and Mario too. He was SOOOOO excited to open his presents this year! He was dancing and screaming and making us laugh! His big gifts were a scooter and Indiana Jones legos. We went to go see Wall-E at the new Syracuse theater. It was fun for the first half of the movie, until the kids got bored and wanted to go home... But it was fun to go anyway!
Both boys bring a lot of joy to our family. Happy Birthday boys!

Last Saturday we went out to the Ogden Airport to see a B-17 there. I believe James said there are only 5 in the world that can still fly and this one came to Ogden for 3 days. While there, I overheard some WWII veterans telling about their old war stories and my ears perked up! I went over to meet them and they started to tell ME their stories! Oh, it was so very exciting for me to talk to WWII pilots! They are heroes! I just wish I had written down all of their names.

J.J. and Danny were not nearly as excited as I was but they enjoyed watching the plane take off and land. If only we had $400.00 we could have taken a ride in it! James is really into planes nowadays so he took a gazillion pictures of the plane (and others nearby) and enjoyed that aspect of it. It was SO AWESOME!

On March 17th we jam packed a Penske truck and 3 cars and moved from North Dakota. And while coming back to Utah has been wonderful in many ways (warmer weather, family, warmer weather), I find myself missing Grand Forks, North Dakota. I miss all of the wonderful friends we made. I mean we made some true, honest, and loyal friends that were wonderful!
































I miss the beautiful ice formations on the windows. I miss the playgroups and activities. I miss the (constant) wind when you take your kids to one of the many parks. I miss when the snow starts to melt and there are GREAT puddles to drive and jump through. I miss going to Canada just for a change of scenery (even though the scenery was the same).

Well here is a picture of Heidi and some skinny blond she posed with. But isn't she lovely.

Warning this might make your stomach turn......................
Well Heidi has been going through a lot of old pictures and scanning them in. Well she found the pictures of my hands when I ran them through a router at the age of 18. So being bored, I am posting them. ENJOY....

Well we arrived and then James got right to work finishing his brothers basement. He has done the framing, electrical, and will be doing the Sheetrock soon. We have settled into our new ward, we are in Grandma and Grand pa's Brough's ward. ( Since we live in their house) and James' older brother is also in the ward so they have the luxury of having three Brough familes in the ward. We are enjoying the better weather and time with family. Thanks to everyone that helped us move we appreciate all the help.