Sunbeams

Sunday was Joel and my last Sunday teaching the Sunbeams (kiddos ages 3-4 years old) in our ward. We've had this calling since January and now we're finally moving to our house in Columbus for Joel to starts dental school in just 8 DAYS! So anyway- we've been teaching these 7 children for about 9 months.

Has it always been enjoyable? No!!! Did I get a little teary eyed saying good-bye to the kids yesterday? Most definitely YES!!!

Every Sunday these kids wiggle, whine, not follow instructions or listen, and a few occasionally cry! (No- we're not mean teachers... at least Joel isn't.) But so many times these kids will just melt my heart the way the care about one another when they hear one of the kids isn't there b/c they're sick. Or when they seem to not be paying attention at all to what we're trying to teach them & then one of their parents tells me they came home from church asking questions about what we've taught them.

Example: Carmen went home and asked her mom where Heavenly Father & Jesus live. Her mom replied 'Heaven'. Carmen then says, "Okay, good! That's what Sis. Skousen taught us!"

And most of all I'm going to miss their sweet spirits and loving smiles each Sunday. Because even when I'm having a bad morning and I'm a bit down b/c I don't have my own children yet (for some reasons Sundays seem to be the most difficult days in regards to this)... they give me this BIG SMILE or HUG and it truly makes me feel better, even if just for a minute or two.

I don't think I truly took advantage of the blessing and wonderful opportunity it was to teach these sweet children. Luckily when we visit Joel's parents we'll be able to see them again.

I LOVE THESE KIDS SO MUCH!!!

Joel, me, Griffin "my buddy", Carmen, Adra (she's related to us), Dean, & Ella

(we're missing Roman b/c he got sick during class & Zach b/c he wasn't there that day)

I'm especially thankful for this calling b/c it helped Joel completely jump on the "ADOPTION BANDWAGON"! We've had many conversations about adoption and even though Joel said we could fill the papers out I knew he wasn't ready. But after we had this calling for a month or so, Joel said to me, "Let's adopt! I was always fine with the idea, but after teaching these kids, I know how much I can love a child that isn't my biological child!" (this isn't word for word b/c it was a while ago)

Anyway, we had a low-key last Sunday with them b/c we wanted to just enjoy spending time with them. We gave quick lesson, colored our bunny pictures & stuck cotton balls on their tails, and then we had CUPCAKES!!! I made them as a "special treat" for the kiddos. They loved them of course. Then they gave me lots of hugs and they were gone!

Get the kiddos all hopped up on sugar before I send them home w/ their parents... 
aren't we such great teachers?

Griffin, Roman, Dean, Ella, Carmen & Adra

I love all those kids so much but my special little buddy, Griffin, seriously broke my heart yesterday! He's literally the sweetest, nicest, cutest kid ever! I'm just glad he was clinging to me yesterday and sat on my lap all through sharing time in primary. Thanks kids for helping me grow! (especially in patience... even though I'm still not the best at this)

Private Punches

Last Sunday, at the end of church Joel and I were watching the twins, Reid & Gage (our nephews). Their parents had to meet with one of our bishopric members so we were put in charge of keeping tabs on them. While we were talking to my "boyfriend", Aric, and Brad (my bro-in-law, Paul's buds) and the twins decided to start punch "fighting" with Aric and Brad. Cute? Yes!

Well, of course "Silly Brittany" {what Gage calls me} had to join in on the fun. So I said to Reid, "I'm gunna kick your bum bum!" I follow with a low (due to wearing a skirt) & soft kick to Reid's behind. This apparently is an invitation for Reid to transfer is fighting efforts towards me.

And now the FUNNY part of the story comes in!

"Haha! No, I'm gunna kick you in the bum bum!!!" - Reid

"I don't think so..." -me

"Fine... then, I'm gunna PUNCH YOU IN THE WEE-WEE!!!" -Reid

{Reid then precedes to punch me in the "wee-wee", catching me off guard!}

Reid- the "wee-wee" puncher (pic not from day of incident)

hahaha! I know...it's hard not to laugh, but of course I had to take the opportunity to "educate" young Reid about NOT PUNCHING PEOPLE (especially GIRLS) in the wee-wee... no matter how old they are!

Oh, poor little guy! He looked like a puppy w/ his tail between his legs. I didn't speak harshly towards him but I did have to give my "mean/serious" face so that he knew I was not joking.

I told him I love him and I'm not mad but he needed to understand that it definitely was NOT OKAY to go around PUNCHING people in their WEE-WEES! Private parts are not for punching.

You just don't bring those things up to kids until they happen. I saved Nick & Janine from that little talk to Reid but I'm leaving Gage to them. haha! I just thought it was SOOO FUNNY that out of nowhere he said that.

Where did he get/ learn/ think to do that from??? Ah well... it made for a good story!

Goodness... kids really do say the darndest things... especially those twinners!

The Hunger Games

I finished reading the books (all three) 2 weekends ago! I read all of them pretty quickly... Hunger Games: on the drive down to Texas, Catching Fire: 1/2 while in Texas (much to my fam's dismay) & 1/2 on the drive back up to Ohio, then I read Mockingjay that first week back in Ohio from vacation.

I ate, drank, breathed & literally slept The Hunger Games!!! Seriously... I dreamt (still do actually) about the goodness of the books and in my dreams I played none other than Katniss Everdeen. However, I didn't play it quite as well as I think Jennifer Lawrence will.

I LOVE THESE BOOKS SO MUCH!!!

I know everyone (accept my sis, Amanda) said they did NOT like Mockingjay, but I enjoyed that book thoroughly! I don't get the frustration with it? It was a great conclusion. Did certain parts seemed a little rushed to me? Yes. I think that happened in all 3 books a bit though. But overall, well done and now I'm just itching for the movies! I need something since HP has ended. 

I'm going from HP to HG... ah, that's right, I JUST DID THAT!!!

(WARNING: do NOT continue to read the post if you haven't read the books and plan on it!!!)

Oh and can I say I'm totally TEAM PEETA!!!

(and we all know there are going to be "team peeta" & "team gale" stuff everywhere)

I just wanted to get it out there now that I am "Team Peeta" and he is just the best! And I do NOT believe Katniss chooses him just b/c he's there in the end and he's an easy choice. She loved him and while reading all 3 books I always felt like she would end up with Peeta Mellark. Plus- Gale totally didn't want to be with her at the end or else he would've gone to District 12 like Peeta did. Gale made his choice to go w/ his career and therefore chose not to be with Katniss. 

Everything worked out wonderfully, except of course for those characters that died that we LOVED so much! Did it not just break your heart when Finnick scarificed himself? I might have teared up a few times while reading the books.

Hello, my name is Brittany, and I'm a HUNGER GAMES ADDICT!!!

I think I have a problem! First step, is admitting you have an issue, so at least I've gotten that far. I've tried to start reading other books now, but I just keep thinking about the Hunger Games trilogy. I cannot get into books since images I've conjured up in the head while reading (by the way when I read I have to make a movie in my head in order to get into it/ enjoy it/ remember it) are always for the Hunger Games "love triangle".

But I did start reading the Uglies last night. I think I'm finally able to get Katniss and Peeta out of my head long enough to not mix them up with Tally and Peris. I think I will like these books as well. Joel and I think these books will also be made into movies... b/c let's face it, every book is these days. Which I'm 100% ok with. Oh how I do love to read... and watch movies!

IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE HUNGER GAMES BOOKS... GET GOING SLACKERS!!!

We used how much water???

This is your current water bill:

Service dates: 07/07/11 - 07/11/11
4 days?
Wait, we weren't even at the house during those 4 days. Yet, somehow we managed to use some 200,000 + gallons of water... In 4 days. Needless to say, I felt there must be some error. Still, having such a surety that there was an error did not help me sleep any better the night after we received this. The next morning, I, Joel (Brittany wanted you to know that it is I posting this), promptly called the Water & Sewage utility company. The response from the lady on the other end, "why does it do this sometimes." Apparently, this has happened with this company on numerous occasions. I say get some new freaking meters. She deleted that bill and set our usage to zero.

Turns out that the amount we were billed is the entire usage since construction of the house in 2006. 5 years of water and sewer usage. I must say that, though it gave me a mild heart attack and a sleepless night, I was pleased that it was as easy as a 3 minute phone call to clear it up. The new joys of home-ownership... What have we got ourselves into?

P.S. I am actually very excited to be a homeowner. I have a lawnmower. And, a garden!

The Boy Who Lived

(i wonder how many people will have blog posts about HP & more specifically w/ this title?)

On Saturday, July 16th at 2:40pm- Joel, me, mom & dad skousen went to see the FINAL installment of the HARRY POTTER series... Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows- Part 2. To say it was ah-mazing would be an understatement! I loved it so so much... you don't even know!!!

***

I LOVE HARRY POTTER!!! If I could be a part of any book/ movie series, it would be Harry Potter... hands down! If you did not know about my HP obsession, well then... you do NOT know me at all!!! I use to wear HP underwear, I play HP UNO, I own all the books & most the movies (we're waiting for a blu-ray box set to come out & buy that... sa-weet!), and I have weekly dreams about the characters & going to Hogwarts... I think I must have been a HOGWARTS student in a previous life! Boy- do I wish that was true!
***

Now I don't want you to be fooled... just because I did NOT go to the midnight showing thursday of HP, that in no way means I'm not a die-hard fan! I just know my limitations & that I had to wake up the next day at 5:00am in order to get ready for work! I so wish I could've... but if I did I most definitely would've had to call into work the next day. Even though I was subject to seeing HP 7.2 on Saturday, it did not make it any less wonderful! I thoroughly enjoyed the movie!!! The only complaint I have is that it should've been 2 hours longer or been made in to 3 movies. How awesome would that have been?
As far as movies go... I'm not going to have anything to look forward to each year!!!

happy b/c it was superb!!!

All of last week seemed to go by at a snail’s pace b/c I was so anxious for the movie. I knew it would be a difficult time for me though b/c I have such mixed emotions about the whole thing. I was bursting from the seams with anticipation to see the movie, but the reality that THIS is the VERY LAST HARRY POTTER movie was at the forefront of my mind! My excitement was stifled by the sadness I felt for my journey with Harry, Ron & Hermione ending after such a long love we shared! (we had a good run while it lasted) This was a very bitter sweet weekend for me... one which I shall NEVER forget!

*tear* sad that it's all over! *tear*

If only J.K Rowling would write a prequel to HP about Harry's parents & the Order of the Phoenix dealing with Voldemort (oops... I mean- "He who must not be named") back then... I think that would bring me out of this depression of mine!

Don't you think that's a "BRILLANT" idea?

We had a good run Harry & me... but I guess all good things must come to an end! [insert cheese factor here] Except for me & my Joel Reuby! [end of cheesiness] I will just have to join Harry in our special world through the books now... but I've ALMOST come to terms with this fact! The books are fantastic so I cannot get into too deep of a depression.
I will just have to convince Joel to take me to Universal Studios --

The Wizarding World of HARRY POTTER!!!

that'd be WICKED awesome

Doesn't this just get you all giddy... yet break your heart at the same time?

(i apologize for the excessive amount of exclamation marks... but can you blame me?)

St. Patty's Day

St. Patrick's Day is never anything special really. Don't get me wrong, I like it and all, but due to the fact that I'm not Irish and I don't drink myself unconscious, this day really isn't anything more than me wearing GREEN!!! But oh how I love the color green. It is my favorite color you know!

Oh and I do miss the days when people PINCHED those who did not wear green and participate in St. Patty's Day! This is a bonus of St. Patty's that i truly miss. Why can't i be in 2nd grade again? Ah well...

This year I decided to make a "GREEN" dinner!!! As in the color green. I thought it'd be something fun to do. Also, I had about 1-1/2 hours to waste until Joel got home from work and I never cook anymore (or pretty much since I married that handsome+amazingly sweet+excellent cook husband of mine) so I thought it might be nice to have dinner ready when he got home!

Well, I did it and it was a SUCCESS!!! Everything was delicious and everything was GREEN! We had fun with it and I think I'll probably do it each St. Patrick's Day now! I feel a new tradition emerging.

I made/we ate...
- tallarin verde (this is a peruvian dish that is mouth-watering)
- salad w/ cucumber+tomato+real bacon bits (i know it's not completely green but come on...that would've been a boring salad)
- green beans
- pound cake+mint chocolate chip ice cream (dyed the pound cake green b/c i'm awesome like that)
- GREEN "mocktail" (ginger ale+sprite+apple juice+lemon juice+2 drops green food coloring)

just the salad...nothing exciting

this is what I like to call the "GREEN HORNET" mocktail

the yummy meal

Joel thinking, "isn't my wifey the BEST!!!"

(really he was complaining b/c I insisted on taking pictures+he just got home from work & thought he looked grubby)

pound cake+mint ice cream=deliciousness

ignore the shine & deer in the headlights look

So we had fun with St. Patty's Day this year and enjoyed the delicious dinner I made!!! I don't want to toot my own horn or anything, but BRAVO BRIT!!! And I will oblige myself with a "pat" on the back (pat... b/c it was for st. patty's day... i didn't realize this at first but i made myself giggle so...what the hay).

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!

GRACE KELLY

I love old movies! You know, the ones with Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, James Dean, Humphrey Bogart, Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe, Gene Kelly, Jimmy Stewart, etc. The list goes on and on! Although I have not seen a lot of them, my "to watch" list is never ending. I just love the style back then...the clothes, the acting, etc.

Anyway, I recently received an email from my Aunt Lisa (she is the forwarding queen), which normally I would ignore, but I decided to take a glance at it and take this 10 question quiz which would let me know what movie star I am. As I'm sure you already guessed (based on the title of the post), I am...

GRACE KELLY!!!

She is absolutely the most BEAUTIFUL woman!!! I mean, look at her! I'm pretty sure she's universally appealing (at least as looks go). She's near PERFECTION! I just love her.

So this is what is says about Grace Kelly and why I am apparently "LIKE" her...

[You are a lover. Romance, flowers, and wine (canada dry for me though) are all you need to enjoy yourself. You are serious about all commitments and are a family person. You call your Mom every Sunday, and never forget a Birthday.  Don't let your passion for romance get confused with the real thing.]