Music is my aeroplane

As I'm sitting in my car waiting for Carsons basketball practice to end, I have a rare moment of solitude. So I'm blasting my CDs. If video killed the radio star, kids killed my ability to listen to cds while driving. But for the next hour, I have my cds. Nothing quite like the poetry of the Killers.  I love when I love every song on an album and I don't have to skip any. Anyways, If you know that the title of my blog is a Red Hot Chili Peppers song A: you're awesome, congrats and B: you might appreciate that this post is dedicated to music appreciation. I don't know if I'm the only one, but I log every song I ever hear in my mind and associate it with a time period or person or event in my life. That RHCP song is totally old and wasn't a big hit, but it reminds me of my best friend in elementary school.  I don't know why it reminds me of her, but it just does. Maybe that's weird, but it happens. I hang my memories on songs. I can't hear Train without thinking of hanging out with friends in Texas. I can't hear Blink 182 without thinking about high school and hanging out at Court Square Towers late at night while my best friends/crushes "borrowed" materials from the YMCA across the street to build stuff to grind skateboards on. They returned the items btw. I cannot hear .38 Special, Lynard Skynard, Nazareth, Steve Van Zandt, or Aerosmith without thinking of my dad and his RECORD player. I'm not sure my kids even know what that is. Tom Petty=my stepdad. Guns n Roses. Paradise City reminds me of a goofy cousin who changed the lyrics. Matchbox 20 goes along with high school soccer practice and a terrible breakup. The Killers CDs remind me of college. Creedence Clearwater Revivial reminds me of my uncle who passed away a decade ago. Travis reminds me of dating Daniel, although I know he doesn't even know a single song. Fats Domino reminds me of my PawPaw (that's grandpa for non southerners) I guess my point is that I love music and I can't help myself when I set my mom,s ringtone to Patience by Guns n Roses. Because A-I need it-it's a warning tone, B-Rehab by Amy Winehouse wasn't readily available, and C- because it reminds me of happier times when I was tiny and she'd open the windows and clean our house Saturdy morning after my dad and I watched Pee Wee's Playhouse and that song was a hit that they'd play regularly on MTV, back when they played music.  And while Enigma and Enya may lull people to sleep, it reminds me of my aunt burning incense and cleaning her house. (after those two statements in a row, I'm beginning to understand why I have to listen to my itunes when I clean ) It's weird too, because I seriously doubt that those songs make those people think of me.  I also think that my crazy diversity in the music I love comes from the diversity of the people I know. I mean, really, I have a crazy collection of CDs and iTunes that makes up my life soundtrack. So if you ever steal my iPod and shuffle it, you'll hear Dave Matthews, the National, Jason Mraz, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Eminem, Counting Crows, Sublime, Regina Spektor, Pink Floyd, the Cardigans, No Doubt, Muddy Waters, Juvenile, 3 6 Mafia, George Strait, and a whole lot more. From Ace of Base (yeah, I admit it) to Frank Zappa (he's the only Z I had) Just don't think I'm crazy...I'm probably just on memory lane somewhere.

Laundry day

Sometimes, laundry day is boring...not today. Wish I had captured this on video but my phone doesn't have a video camera (kinda ticked about this).

He finally gave up and layed down after several (failed) attempts to get out of the collapsible laundry basket. I was also on the floor, but mostly because I was laughing too hard at his cries for help. Cause I'm an awesome momma like that ;)

buggin me

Here's a few things that are bugging me. Since no one really reads this, I figured it's safe to vent here:) People who cannot use proper English. Not King's English, just plain grammatically correct English. For example, in Carson's 2nd grade classroom at a class party, I overheard the following convo...teacher's aide/parent "There ain't no more. Oh, (embarrassed face) I mean, 'There's NOT no more'!" I hope that they saw my disgusting face as a reaction to Ben's crying, and not at the fact that I was actually biting my tongue to keep from correcting her. There's always stuff on FB that irritates me too, like people incorrectly using their/they're/there wrong, and using the word "whom" when it is never called for. As in "Whom knows what time the movie starts?" At least when I read that, I can scream at the computer screen in the privacy of my own home. Not that I have perfect grammar, but GEEZ!
Another thing bugging me is a few people whom (haha, see how it doesn't remotely sound correct) constantly post quotes on Pinterest that are quotes about living righteously by members of our Church. Not that the quotes aren't absolutely wonderful and true...but here's my problem. One of my friends posted a wonderful quote about being as quick to kneel as we are to text. After she found out it was from our Church, she deleted it. BOOO! It was perfectly ok until she found out the author. Seems pretty ridiculous to admire a quote to the point that you share it with everyone you know, but then it becomes an atrocity when you discover the author?! I was surprised how irritated it made me that someone could be so....ignorant. It reminds me of how my kids loved my new pizza recipe unitl they discovered it was *gasp* healthy! I guess I should be happy that they liked the info, even if it was for a brief period of time. Either way, I haven't clued her in that the other 6 pins were totally from General Conference :)
And finally...Italian Chicken Sandwhiches. What the heck, BURGER KING!? Sometimes they carry them, and then as soon as they appear, they discontinue them. GRRR! They're so yummy and I haven't been able to replicate them at home. Deliciousness shouldn't be cancelled!

It's the MOST wonderful time of the year!

How many Christmas movies can the Brown's watch in a week? So far we've watched Fred Claus, Four Christmases, The Grinch with Jim Carrey, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Elf on the Shelf (who knew there was a movie), Home Alone 2 (we don't have the first one), Rudolph, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Elf, Miracle on 34th Street (the old awesome one with Maureen O'Hara), It's a Wonderful Life, Shrek the Halls, Mickey's Christmas Carol, Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas, Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas, Muppet Christmas Carol, Ice Age a Mammoth Christmas...and all in a week. Because we had the stomach flu and a DVR. And some we've managed to watch several times. Being tethered to a couch, blanket, and bowl makes it easier I guess, but we all definitely have the Christmas movies down. Tree is up. Stockings are hung with care. We're out of hot chocolate already. Trans Siberian Orchestra cd has been playing. Lights are up outside. Kids Christmas cd has been playing. I'm ready for the Chipmunk Christmas song to have a scratch on it! We've got several Christmas craft projects in the works, thanks to Pinterest, but I'm still waiting to feel Christmas-y. I'm hoping the Living Nativity will help. It's pretty awesome. My kids call it the drive thru Jesus. This church in town builds a replica of the city of Bethlehem every year and they give you hot chocolate and a cd that narrates the story as you drive through. They even have live camels, which my kids think is awesome. I guess it just usually seems crazier and busier right before Christmas, but this year isn't, so it's a little odd feeling. I'm excited for the boys to see all their cousins. We are going to Laredo to see Daniel's brothers and sister and all of his siblings are going to be in one place, which used to be the norm, but hasn't been that way for over a year. Some of them have never seen Ben and he's over a year old, and by the way, decided today to stand up and walk across the room alone. Maybe he read my mind because I was thinking of taking him to the doctor. I'm not excited about the drive, but we are breaking it up with a trip to Six Flags, and on the way home we're stopping in Dallas to see my aunts, uncles, cousins, my cousins kids, and my grandmother, who will all be in one place, which I don't think has happened in a decade. Definitely won't be a White Christmas...oooh, I think I have that on DVD and we haven't watched it this year. If that fails, I guess we have to follow Buddy the Elf's advice. The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear. For everyone else's sake, I hope it doesn't come to that. I'm not exactly a songbird :)

how random my kids are...

So we had tithing settlement tonight with our Bishop. He wrapped up the discussion by asking the boys if they had any questions. Peyton replied "YES! How old do I have to be to be a grown up? And what do you think I should become when I grow up?" Bishop suggested fireman and he declined. That was the start of a very weird car ride home. Peyton told the story of the first Thanksgiving, Squanto, and pilgrims and Indians complete with details of how many adults got sick and died, leaving kids all alone. His Thanksgiving story ended up sounding remarkably like the Lord of the Flies. The subject changed to missionaries (thanks Carson) and Carson told us that he'd go on a mission even if he got hit by a car. This led to "How exactly do you die when you get hit by a car?" and I found myself explaining how the brain sends signals to the rest of your body's organs. *SIGH* THEN Peyton had a hypothetical question "What happens if you fight with someone, kick and hit them and they fall INTO the road and get hit by a car. Do you get in trouble? Do you have to talk to the Bishop for a long time, like ALL DAY? " At this point Carson interjected and told Peyton he'd go to "Juvee" which made me lol. He thought I thought he was making it up, so he proceeded to tell me the life story of Louis Armstrong, who evidently spent a brief period of time at a juvenile detention facility. That's what happens when you have four boys in a car for 20 minutes. Hope you enjoyed the rambling as much as I did :)

You know what stinks? Finally updating your blog after 3 months and having it delete itself not once, not twice, but THREE times. Not a fan. Anyways, at least it was therapeutic for me to write everything out. Stupid ctrl shortcuts :(

if I ever look exhausted....here's why:

Things overheard at the Brown home:
-"It doesn't matter if he took one of your invisible Go Fish cards, they're invisible...don't punch him, just pretend you have more"
-"Well, ARE you a girl? Ok then."-Mom
-"Dont' jump off of that! No, you cannot fly. Nope, not even with cardboard wings. Because you aren't really a grey slider flying squirrel"-Mom
-"No nunchucks in the house!" (obviously, that's an OUTside toy)-Dad
-"That's what happens when you don't listen!"-Dad
-"WHY aren't you wearing any underwear?!" (probably a whole sub category for the ones that start with "where". We can never find anything)
-"Mom, I need wood glue so I can make this block of wood into a surfboard and try it out in the pond"-Carson (the inventor)
-"Mom, why does the mom on 101 Dalmations get so mad at Cruella deVille for smoking, but Roger can smoke a pipe?"-Carson
followed by...
-"Mom, why don't they just GIVE her one of those dogs? They've GOT a hundred of them!"-Peyton didn't quite understand the movie
-"Mooooom, I need you to make me a ninja mask"-Peyton
-"Do not bend his arm (or leg, or neck, or finger) that way!"-said daily
-"Mom, whatsa for nunch?"-Ryan, he's in a slight Italian accent phase
-"Dad, you in MY house?"-Ryan waking up from nap to find Daniel at home
-"I wike to moob it moob it"-Ryan singing "Move it Move it"
-"I come in pieces"-Peyton said this to the librarian on the summer reading registration day...with his hands in Star Trek sign...and his eyelids flipped inside out
-Jackrabbit vs Dragon fight (Carson and Peyton) "Fine, I'll rub my fluffy tail on you (sits on Peyton and rubs his butt on him) Peyton shoves him off and replies "So, I'll set your tail on fire" (breathes pretend fire)
-"Mom, who is Lee Bron James"-Carson