Brownie Updates

Brownie Updates
this is the life

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Summer Solstice

 Longest day of the year!!!! Actually it is past midnight but you get the point. I love how light it is in the morning and I love that it stays light so late. It is my favorite time of year for oh so many reasons.

Do you ever have those days where you are just antsy and bored? That was me last Sunday. I was going to eat everything in my house if I didn't get out of there. So Moki and I biked to the Provo River Trail and enjoyed a beautiful Sunday evening. She ran and played and I followed slowly on my bike.
It is seriously so beautiful in Utah right now. I am loving it everyday.
 I have been busy biking everyday so I try to take Moki on my errands if it isn't too hot. She makes me laugh.
 I biked around 140 miles this week. Not too bad. I went on a different route everyday and just enjoyed all the beauty in Utah county.
 We had a little snow episode mid week here. Crazy weather. It was freezing. I biked on Wednesday after the storm. It was clear and gorgeous but still really cold. I wore sweats the rest of the day when I got home.
 I finally finished my patriotic wreath. My ward made these last year. I paid to participate and then didn't make it. They gave me all the materials and they have been sitting in my closet for a year. I finally decided to just take the time and make the wreath. It's super cute and I really like it.
 Jana and Michelle were having a lake day and they were nice enough to invite me. It was fun to hang out. All our crazy dogs loved it. I love that Moki has been exhausted but man she wreaks like dead fish. Super gross. It was kind of like a dog park.
 The kids just played and played. This is Jana's mini me. This girls is so cute.
I asked the kids to sit and pose. Ben and Jana were taking care of the jet skiis and all these kids were just hanging out in the parking lot. Dirty, sun burned, and tired.
 I told them to act homeless so I could take a picture. Benji was super concerned about why he should do that. I told him I needed to post about it on social media. That was enough to get him to be in the picture:) I wanted to put a kids for sale sign or something.

Yes they are all sitting on gravel. So funny. These pictures make me smile.
Not much else to report. I am trying to do a little housework everyday, a little reading, visit the temple once a week, one outside activity a day with Moki, and bike lots. This week I also got to help a co-worker move and play in two soccer games. It really is the best time of year!

Friday, June 13, 2014

Summer finally

Summer finally happened. Let me tell you it was long overdue. In fact I actually worked the 1st Monday of summer because I have to collaborate some in the summer. When my alarm went off I was sure that it was the CRAZIEST idea I had ever had. Never again!!!!! But I have worked two Mondays and only have one more to go so it isn't all bad.

Summer started with a bang. The last day of school Moki and I hiked the Y in the early morning to celebrate.
 I finally went to the doctor for my jammed finger. It is not broken. Just swollen and inflamed. I am supposed to wear this 24-7. That has been very challenging for some reason.
After I got that first day of work off I was off biking and playing the rest of the week. I think I took this picture the last week of school. I was at Jana's and caught a beautiful sunset.
I biked over 100 miles my first four days of summer. I also got to hike MT. Olympus again. This time Sam, Amanda, and Andrew joined me. I will say that this hike is rated strenuous. I have hiked quite a few hikes in Utah with this rating but this one is one of the more difficult hikes. It is actually a true strenuous in my opinion. The last mile and a half are seriously straight up hill. I gave myself a turn around time and so I ended up booking it to the top. I really almost threw up I was going that fast. It was rough. Moki was with us too she just didn't make it in the pictures.

Andrew enjoyed a little nap on the hike. Love this sweet boy.
 I actually only made it to the saddle and that was 10 minutes after my turn around time. The view was amazing.
 Mandatory selfie at the saddle.
Utah really is beautiful. I realize these next few are pretty much all the same.
 So many different colors of green.
 Sometimes I really love where I live.
 Definitely worth the view.
Moki and I booked it down, but not without incident. I had to stop and use the bathroom, except there was no toilet paper. It was a definite emergency. I think it happened because I pushed so hard on the way up. Yeah that was awkward but what do you do:) After the hike we went back to Sam and Amanda's and swam. That was heavenly.

The first Saturday in June Amber and I biked in The Little Red. An all womens bike ride. We biked the century, it was 103 miles for us because we missed one turn. That happened at mile 90ish so it was not very fun. Overall though it was an amazing biking day. Pre-race photo with the big bad wolf. The theme was "carnival" and so that is why he is dressed up.
 This ride is in Cache Valley and you always bike into Idaho. We decided to actually stop and get a picture this year.
This is around mile 75 and we are still smiling!!! Overall we had a great day on our bikes. Shout out to Ben and Jana for letting my psycho dog spend 24 hours with them. It is times like this where I wonder what I was thinking when I got a dog.

The first week of summer I clocked over 200 miles of biking with the Logan ride. I was pretty exhausted by the time Sunday rolled around. I also found time to hike or walk Moki everyday. It was a very active week, just how I like them.

This week I have been at girls camp. I don't have any pictures since phones aren't allowed. I was lazy and didn't want to take my nice camera. We go to a beautiful camp up above Fairfield Utah. I got up and exercised every morning this year so that was a bonus. So weird that this is my third year going to camp. I was kind of dreading it because I have been busy but once I was there I really enjoyed my time. I am guessing I will be done with camp for awhile because I got a new calling so it was fun to have one last hurrah with the girls and leaders. The leaders I serve with have become my really good friends. It has been really hard to know that I am moving on and they all get to hang out still:( It's the first time I have really experienced those emotions and it was hard at first. I know the Lord knows me and has a plan for me. I am sure there are lots of things I get to learn in my new calling. I am also excited to make new friends because the women I am working with are also amazing. I really am excited to get to know them better!

Guess who was in town this weekend.
 Jennie!!!!!!!!! I can't even remember the last time I saw this girl. She needs to come around more. It was fun to sit and chat with her and Jana just like old times. We missed all are other Oroville peeps.
I put both pictures up even though they are practically identical because it is so exciting!!!

Audrey's Dance Recital

 How do you win the hearts of all the Brown's? Have the cutest niece ever perform in a dance recital. It was so fun to watch Audreys lit...