BACK & READY... 

to be a blogger again!!

I love being a big sister.

It's like being a mom without as much responsibility :)

I can't imagine that I'm going to love my little girl MORE than I love Martha

(baby sis in the picture;)

BUT I'm going to & that's crazy for me to imagine! 

Being a mom is going to be so much fun

& an exciting new journey!!

Feeling very blessed today :)

Hope everyone is having a good Saturday!!

Favorite Time of The Year :)

I LOVE this time of the year!

The smells.

The music.

The food.

The fun.

The lights.

The joy.

& family time <3>

We always go to see our family in GA on Thanksgiving and we took some pictures!

I'm proud of my huge, giant, big ol' family, so I have to share them :)

My silly sis <3 br="br" nbsp="nbsp">

WHOLE family :)

Sisters & Cousin

Typical Browns..

The Family :) 

Whoever took this picture needs some photography lessons.. jussst saying lol

Merry Christmas errybody!!

My Baby Sister Got a Blog!!

Its so sad to see my little siblings grow up.

They just need to stop! lol

Kamry's my 9-year-old sister, and she's 5th in line on all 9 kids,

and shes a funny little thing :)

She's so extremely smart, it's not even funny!

She can probably spell better than i can, and shes so good at everything she does.

Im going to school in Anderson, SC, so i don't get to see my girl as much as i would like,

but I've been Skyping with her all day.

I miss blogging,

and keeping up with every ones lives!

hope y'all are all doing great!

:)

Please go take a look at my sister's blog!

and become a follower ;)

it will make her dayyyy!!

Good Bye 2009!

Well, this is my last post for the year 2009!!

 It went by so extremely fast!

 I think almost too fast, but I like that I'm getting older and, hopefully, wiser. ;D

We ended off our amazing 2009 with an oyster roast at our friends family's church.

We first had a church service, and then we went outside for some fun and food.

I really enjoyed talking to, and meeting, new people... country people are so nice!!

It was a lot of fun, and I'm so proud, and blessed, to be a member of a big family with amazing, God fearing parents!

When we went into the sanctuary, for the service, we took up a whole row of seats, and we just, I think, really stood out... alot.

It was so funny because when the church service was over, and everyone was still patiently, and quietly, sitting in their seats, a man stood up and announced the congregation, "Uuuuumm, someone left their light on in their van... it's a big van... a 15 passenger van..."

Now who could that beeee? ;)

We knew it was us right off the bat, so, with out even asking dad if the van was ours, Cole ran out and turned them off.

Love that boy!

It sounds like a war zone outside, and so I think I'm about to go watch some neighbors shoot fireworks. :)

I hope you all have a very blessed 2010!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

• Week Full of Christmas Fun •

 Just to let everyone know what we've done in the past week...

We made gingerbread houses, as we have done every year since the 90's. We use orange juice boxes and graham crackers... we're so sophisticated!

The one above is Nona's house... my personal favorite! ;D

This is Kamryn's beautiful house. She's so good at doing things! She's really has really seemed more grown up to me lately. She's such a sweet blessing to our family!

We also decorated gingerbred men. That's a newer tradition. One that started this year. hehee

•••

We saw our favorite babysitter in the whole wide world from when Cason, Kimmi, and I were much younger! You can't really see her well, but that's just to keep her identity hidden... no actually that's not true. Remember, my camera got washed. hehee

•••

We went to a live nativity yesterday with friends. It was much fun, and it was so cute because children were the actors for the nativity play. There were camels, lots of goats (I think they were supposed to be sheep, or maybe those angels were speaking to goatherds... not shepherds. heehee)

They also had a donkey which was the cutest thing ever! I want a donkey! I'm gonna name him Lester.

Daddy and Max. It seems like so many picture we have of him he's cutting his eyes like he is in this one. I think it's so cute!

My very handsome little brother, and oh so cute Jessie Carol!

Ok, so the same person who washed my camra was the photographer last night. This person forgot to turn the flash on so we don't have any very clear pictures of the actual natitvity.

•••

We've been wrapping Christmas presants.

 (and opening them...woopz-ie heh heh)

I wrapped this one myslef... TALENT!

Kimmi and I went Christmas shopping today and got our siblings presents.

That girl is crazy good at walking into a store and going straight to the best section for what she's looking for. She doesnt even tell me where she's going or what she's getting.

I would't call myself a follower of very many people, but when we walk into a big store I just follow Kimmi. Really, I do. I don't even realize I'm doing it half the time.

I love Kimmi...her strong will and all!

She's my BFF!

•••

•••

We have lots of sweet, and fun, Christmas traditions.

Do you and your family have any fun traditions you like to do every year?

If so, what are they? I would love to hear about them!

•••

Hope you all are all having a blessed Christmas season!

....and also, if anyone even noticed, this isn't Ten Thigs I Love Tuesdays. I love the idea, but I did it once and I sadly can't be as creative as Alyssa, and have a new ten things every week. ;D

 Just to let everyone know what we've done in the past week...

We made gingerbread houses, as we have done every year since the 90's. (We're old school!)

This one's Nona's house... my personal favorite! ;D

This is Kamry's beautiful house. She's so good at doing things! She's really has been seeming more grown up to me lately. She's such a sweet blessing to our family!

We also decorated gingerbred MEN. That was a newer tradishion, one that started this year. hehee

•••

We saw our favorite babysitter in the whole wode world from when Cason, Kimmi, and I were much younger! You can't really see her well, but that's just to keep her identity hidden... no actually that's not true, remember my camra got washed. hehee

•••

We went to a live nativity yesterday with friends. It was very much fun, and it was so cute because childrent were the actors. The had camels, lots of goats (I think they were supposed to be sheep, or mayby those angels were speaking to goatherds... not shepherds. heehee

They also had a donkey, which was the cuest thing! I want a donkey! I want to name him Lester.

Daddy and Max. It seems like so many picture we have of him he's cutting his eyes like he is in this one. I think it's so cute!

My very handsome little brother, and oh so cute Jessie Carol!

Ok, so the same person who washed my camra was the photographer last night. This person forgot to turn the flash on so we don't have any very clear pictures of the actualy natitvaty.

•••

We've been wrapping Christmas preasants.

 (and openinging them...woopz heh heh)

I wrapped this one myslef... TAAALENNNT!

Kimmi and I went Christmas shopping today and got our siblings presents.

That girl is crazy good at walking int a store and going straight to the best section for what she's looking for. She doesnt even tell me where she's going or what she's getting.

I would't call myslef a follower, to very many people, I mean I could probably name 5, but when we walk into a big store I just follow Kimmi. Really, I do. I don't even relize I'm doing it half the time.

I love Kimmi, her strong will and all!

She's my BFF!

•••

•••

We have lots of sweet, and fun, Christmas traditions.

Do you and your family have any fun traditions you like to do every year?

If so what are they? I would love to hear about them!

•••

Hope you all are all haveing a blessed Christmas season!

and also if anyone even noticed, this isn't Ten Thigs I Love Tuesdays. I think I might not do that, I can't think of ten things one more time! heehee

• Books 'n Blessings •

I love it when God blesses me in little ways. I'm speaking of the  kind of blessing I wouldn't have known I was missing if He just never blessed me with it at all. 

Today we went by Trident Tech to sign-up for my three classes I'm going to be taking as dual credit.

First of all I'm just going to let you all know that I'm still home schooled. 

Although, I am going to be taking two classes every Saturday and one class online. 

My dad is actually going to be taking me to school, and he's going to be standing guard over me there, and I'm perfectly content and happy with him protecting me. He is going to sit outside my classes and have a quiet time and prepare for his sermons. Works out perfectly.

Anyway, after we finished talking with the helpful guidance counseler, he then told us we should head on over to Trident's bookstore to get the books I'll need.

I knew the books were not cheap, but I did't know how much... they were a lot. 

We're talking like $165 for my English 101 book, and I don't remember how much the Computer 101 book was, but it was even more!

Dad and I were looking around and realizing how everything was really going to add up. While we were looking and talking with someone who worked in the bookstore a 24-year-old-ish girl standing close by overheard us talking. When the lady who was helping my dad and I pointed dad to another section I was left still looking through what would very soon be my English 101 book. The 23-year-old-ish girl came up to me and asked, "Did you say you were taking Psychology 201?" and I told her I was and she then pulled out, from her bag, one of the books I would need for the PSY 201 class and she said "I took this class last semester and I tried to sell it back to the bookstore, but they didn't want it. So would you like it?" I told her how extremely thankful I was and now I have one of my books for Psychology! 

Isn't that a blessing?

And I didn't even pray that some random girl would pull the exact Psychology book out of her purse and hand it to me.

God knows our needs even if we don't tell Him, and he always wants us to give the glory to Him for the good things that happen in in our lives.

A lot of times I forget who provides me with good things in my life.... it's always  God!

I'm going to be trying harder and harder to give God glory for everything good.

Actually, I'm also striving hard to even thank God for the not so good times too because I know He puts me through hardship, so He can shape me into His image. 

So let me ask,

has God blessed you lately in anyway?

If so, then will you please share it?

Isaiah 25

  O LORD, you are my God;

       I will exalt you and praise your name,

       for in perfect faithfulness

       you have done marvelous things,

       things planned long ago.

• Max's Musings •

Well, Max has just hit a milestone in his life...

He has just started to become conscious of the fact that girls are much different than boys, and it really doesn't make any sense to him. Boys are just more fun!

Most of us girls, we like pretty things. Like, for one, jewelry serves no purpose but to look pretty, and we girls are perfectly aware and happy with that.

Yesterday Max was having a fit because he had Nona's little plastic crown, and her crown has lots of jewels on it. Two of the biggest rhinestones are this hot pink color, and Max brought it to my dad to try and figure out what the "buttons" would do because he couldn't get it to work properly. Because you know, for example, if you push a button on Buzz Lightyear then his wings pop out. So then, why aren't wings popping out on this crown???

He was having a mini tantrum- which is probably a full blown tantrum for most 3 1/2 year olds- and he was bothered because the buttons weren't working as they should.

My dad had to get his attention, and tell him that it wasn't a "button". He told him that he could try and push it all he wanted, but it wasn't going to make a siren noise or that pushing the rhinestones weren't going to make it start blinking and flashing either.

It was so funny to watch him.

Max said, "What's it for then?!?!?!"
(In a somewhat calmer voice)

My dad told him "Max, it's just there to look pretty. It doesn't do anything."

 He really did just have this look of pure befuddlement.

I mean, I guess it would be sorta cool if you could push one of the rhinestones and something really exciting would happened...... Naaaaaaaaaaah! ;D 

It's perfect just as it is!

• Jessie Worshiping •

  For as long as I can remember, we have been singing the song Crown Him With Many Crowns during our family worship, and once Max, 3 1/2, came along he started thrusting his fists into the air about every 30 seconds with the tempo of the song.  For example: Crown Him wih many crowns (He woud throw his hands up after this line.) And then: the Lamb upon the throne (He'd do it here too.) Hark how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but it's own. (You get what I'm saying? ) It's very cute and contagious but has become more of a sporting event in the Brown household. We all do it now. Even Jessie. It's so cute, and it makes her look like a big girl. We're really not charasmatic, but maybe Jessie's trying to push us in that direction. heehee

The first little Brown kid that really really loved this song was Kamryn, 7 1/2. When  the babies are young they always just walk around while we read the bible and talk, but if we ever want that little one to come sit with us we just break out in Crown Him With Many Crowns. We know if we do that whatever baby is walking around will come running to find a lap to sit and sing along.

Jessies's mouth is wide open because she's singing with passion! Or at least she's attemptig to sing. It's more like a loud yell, but as you can very well see Jessie gets into it what she's doing.

Last night was the first time she started doing it, so this is definitely "blog" worthy! ;)

•Dinner•

I'm at my grandparent's house in GA now, and we just finished eating dinner about 30 minutes ago.

 It was a very yummy country lunch....I mean "dinner".

My family (dad, mom and all of us kids) call the meal you eat in the middle of the day Lunch.

There's breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I think country people that eat delicious country food call the three meals breakfeast, dinner and supper.

 Today when Kamryn was trying to get a snack to take back outside so she could eat while she made this huge leaf pile was stopped by my grandma who told her to wait for dinner.

You should have seen Kamryn's face!

It is oftentimes very hard to tell what is going through this girls head, but I'm guessing it was something like "You mean it's 11:30, I'm hungry, and I have to wait till dinner to eat?!)

I had to explain that from the time I first started eating at my grandma's house wich was 16 years ago, lunch is always called dinner. It's just fine with me because I know that dinner usually means Fried chicken, blackeyed peas, cornbread, sweet tea, hush puppies, slaw and, my favorite, cabbage from a pan... I have no idea what cabbage from a pan that is cooked down with butter is called, so I'm going to be calling it "cabbage from a pan". =)

I love dinner!

• Picture Day •

Every year, with our home school group, we have class pictures. 

Of course every one wants to look their best because that's how you'll be remembered for the rest of your life in what ever grade. 

Everyone wants to look good except for Max.

Yesterday night, when we were getting all of our clothes ready for pictures at 11:30 am the next day, Max decided to go hide away in my room and cut his pretty blond curls. 

He came walking down stairs with a smile on his face, and we all just looked at him for just a moment in shock. 

It seems like little kids always know where it would make the most impact with scissors. 

Max cut his hair in the front on the very top of his head. He looked like a clown... still cute, so he was a cute clown. 

My mom had to just shave his head. 

It was so sad. He had already had a lot his baby curls cut away, but this was for real.

 He had them shaven off. 

Now he looks like a big boy. 

Alyssa and I were just talking about how it's no fun to have a bad hair day on picture day. Max won that award Alyssa! hehe

Well, I'm off to go to swim team.

Hope everyone is having a blessed day so far!

• Race'n For The Cure! •

We did it! We ran the 5k for the cure!

 I was going to run it by myself, but at the very last minute Cason, my amazingly athletic little brother, decided to come with me because when I started thinking about being dropped off all by myself it started bothering me.

So after I signed up for the race yesterday, we went and picked Cason up from swim team, and then, with no hesitation, Cason decided to run with me. We drove all the way back with juuuust enough time to sign him up as well.

I knew he would pass me in the race, but I was totally fine with that. It was better than going alone! There were around 6,000 very pink people running and walking.

It was so much fun to see all the very spirited people doing the 5k.

So many people spray painted their hair pink. The boys were just as pink as the girls.

So, I finished the race in 32:34, and Cason finished in about 19:30. Can you believe that?!? He is fast, and I'm so proud he's my brother!!! I had so much fun spending the morning just him and me.

I didn't have a great race time, but I'm proud because I didn't stop!

 I have sports induced asthma, and it flaired up during the race today. I have trouble breathing when I'm  in a race, but I haven't had a race in a while, and it only takes me a few minutes to get over it and it's never too bad. When I start feeling like I can't get air it's always pretty close to the finish line. It usually starts when there's only a mile or so left, and I never stop running even though it is a little scary.  It seems like it's gotten worse over the year though.

I'm going to the doctor to get a diagnosis and an inhaler (Iguess) next week because I will never stop or even slow down in a race and I'm thinking about entering another race soon.

5Ks are so much fun, and Cason made it fun-er!

• Drivers Ed. •

Well, I did it. I have completed Drivers Education! I am now educated in the art of driving a car! I took an eight hour class and I had three two hour sessions driving with an instructor.

I now know lots of interesting facts about driving, but I still can't drive squat!

The last guy I drove with, the most awkward person on this planet, said "Now, you aren't a bad driver, you're just too slow, and you don't execute like you should, and I can tell you're  nervous while driving, and we still need to work on parallel parking and six point turns more, but you're not bad, and here's your certificate. Good Job Karis!"

Okay people, those all seem like qualities of a bad driver, BUT I got my certificate, and I can now go get my drivers license! hehehee

I'll probably be doing more driving with my parents now. ;)

Here's the A-DORE-A-BLE little car I drove.

Hope you are all having a blessed day!

•Bonnie and Clyde•

I absolutely adore this picture of Cole and Kamryn. It just really speaks for itself. They are definitely a little team. Bonnie and Clyde, right here folks. I'm serious! 

Today Cole and Kamryn- Ok, I'm not proud of what they did, I'm just telling- they were on a walk with Kimmi, and there were two little boyscouts, probably about 9-years-old selling popcorn door-to-door, and pulling it around in the back of their cute little red wagons. Anyway, one of the two little boys said to Cole, "Heeey, don't you know you're riding a girls bike?" and Cole, aka Clyde, the comeback KING said, "Well , don't you know you're pulling a little girl wagon?" and Kamryn, aka Bonnie, added in, "Yeeeah, and where are the little baby dolls that you should be pulling in the back?!?" After this was all said and done Cole, the popcorn LOVER of the Brown family, asked the boys, "How much is your popcorn?" I thought that last line was pretty funny. Just so everyone knows they were corrected. My parents didn't see the same amount of humor in it that I did. They were looking at it from the perspective of evangelists, and Cole and Kamryn were terrorizing the boyscouts. This would be opposite of evangelizing here people. I have to laugh whenever I think about it though. 

Do ya'll have any funny brother/sister stories?

•Jessie's New Toy•

We went to the mountains last week and while we were there, we all went to our favorite little gift shop called The Wrinkled Egg. It's so cute and it has lots of toys, candles, candy, real bunnies and pizza. Jessie, my 15 month old little sister, who usually doesn't have too many tantrums "threw one" in The Wrinkled Egg. My mom was holding her, and she showed Jessie a little toy. Ok, I say toy, but this thing was no toy. Especially not a toy for a baby girl. The toy was shaped like a jelly octopus, and it had eyeballs on each of the many, many tentacles. When my mom put this "toy" back Jessie started to cry. Then it got worse, and worse. She got more and more mad and she was screaming, and she was crying. We were leaving, mainly because she was being so loud, and we got in the van. My dad got in the car and my mom told him why she was so upset, and so my dad sent me in to go buy it for her. My dad came in after me with Jessie. He told her in her ear all the way that" Daddy's gunna get you the toy." It was very sweet and gracious of my dad. She went from crying histerically to VERY happy. It was so cute. That was the first time she has ever cried because she wanted something from a store, so my guess is that's why my dad let in. He's just getting too soft in his old age. Jessie is the youngest and just might end up being a little bit spoiled. =D

Mom and Dad

I think this is a sweet picture of my mom and dad. = ) They love each other so much, and they give such a great example of what a Godly marriage should look like. = ) My mom has been helping me the past few weeks on homemaking. Like laundry, keeping my room organized and cooking, I really need help with cooking hehehe! I'm getting better though.

Well, I just wanted to put a pic of my parents, I didn't have any of them. Hope every one is having a good week. = D