My Children

Just kidding.

These are my little brothers.

We go on lots of adventures together.

Sometimes we go swimming.

Sometimes we play on the fire truck at McD's.

 

check that out.

As crazy as these two are, I surrrre love 'em.

They're pretty much the only people I talk to these days.

When we're out and about, I cannot tell you how many times the awkward question comes up, "Are they yours?", "Will you be having more?" or,

 *my personal favorite*

"Aren't you a little young to be having children?!"

 I always answer with the same simple reply...

" We're sibblings."

a Big Ugly Sweater

     Or as Hannah Grimmett and I like to call it:

"poncho for Chancho".

     Everybody loves a nice big ugly sweater day. it's the day that you can show up to school, work, the beach, or movie theater wearing something that looks like mom's been using it it to scrub dishes with for the passed three weeks, and get true, legitimate compliments. Because we all know and understand: 

ugly sweaters are the best.

 And if you're reading this not completely sure about that statement, allow me to explain why everybody else thinks so.

BIG. UGLY. SWEATERS.

Sweaters were specifically invented to provide a way for you to "snuggle while you work".  it came up when someone decided that whistling wasn't enough. Besides, what about the people like me who can't even whistle in the first place? What's going to motivate me to get the job done? Sometimes I feel like I just need a long hug to get me through the day. If you've ever come across this stressful dilemma in your life, worry no more. Because now, you have that hug. Yes ladies and gentlemen: the sweater. As it's warm fuzzy goodness wraps itself around you all the day long in the most coziest of ways, It's telling you to keep going. You're okay. You are loved. And don't give up. Josh Groban's word's are practically sewn in with every stitch, encouraging you, appreciating you, and embracing you. What more could you ever possibly need?
Well, I'll tell you: a sweater isn't all you need. No, they must be obnoxiously over sized (more fabric, more comfort) and outrageously ugly (because let's face it, jumbo sweaters can't not be ugly). 'Nuff said.

So sweater haters, the next time you see someone wearing one of these contraptions, think twice before you look at them in disgust and complete disapproval. a sweater might be the very thing you need. And who knows, maybe one of these days you'll convert to its irresistible pure bliss.
Which will lead you to be Happy as a Daisy!

Bring it on, sucka'

I LOVE Rigby Lake. We used to go every summer on a daily basis.

It's the best.

After swimming lots and lots, we usually build sandcastles. What started out as a group of friends working together on their marvelous display, evidently turned into a cliche "boys vs girls" war of who could make the greatest castle.

Who won, do you ask...?

Uhhh....you can be the judge of that ;)

IF runs deep

"She grew up good, She grew up slow... like American Honey"

There is no doubt in my mind that Lady Antebellum sings this song just for me. Well, me and one other thing... 

my hometown. A.K.A. Idaho Falls, Idaho

 A.K.A. IF.

It's like the song's a tribute, specifically for the magic that goes on between me and that place, depicting all of my childhood dreams :)

click here to listen to it's loveliness.

       Everything about it perfectly describes what my hometown does for me. It captivates all the ways IF lives inside of me, and who I am now because of it. And every time I go back, it's just like when she sings:

"There's a wild, wild whisper blowing in the wind, calling out my name like a long lost friend. Oh I miss those days as the years go by..."

I hear it every time.

        Nothing makes me happier than just standing on that hill where my old house sits. Or dangling my legs over the edge of that old bridge by my baby brother's grave. And The sunlight. The sunlight in Idaho Falls is one of those things that no camera can even capture. And it's something you can't force yourself to see. Because if you try, you'll never find it. It just comes to you when you're ready for it. And when it finds you, you'll know why I'm so crazy about it. Just Like that song again:

 "Nothing's sweeter than summer time..."

Yeah, no kidding. Cause I haven't even talked about winter in IF. Winter can be.... pretty bitter. But emphasis on the PRETTY :) It's always a winter wonder land; white Christmas every year. Those kids never get bored. I sure didn't.

"Oh, I just want to go back in time..."

All the time.

But I have to remind myself that little girl is still here in my heart, and so is IF.

It's like in that Chevy commercial... if you changed it from

 "Chevy runs deep" to "IF runs deep",

 you'd be spot on.

I'll never forget all those good times.. But I'm ready for some new adventures. Life is FAR from over. It's pretty much just getting started for that matter; there must be tons of new stuff headin my way.
I'm excited, but also kind of scared.

 

"Couldn't wait to get going, but wasn't quite ready to leave"

...yep, couldn't have said it better myself.

I'm unsure of everything I'll be up against. But there is one thing I AM sure of, and that is:

 IF runs deep.

 I don't have to leave in the first place. My childhood dreams live inside of me, and if it wasn't for IF, I wouldn't have 'em. And if it wasn't for those memories, that little girl wouldn't be the same. And if she wasn't, I wouldn't be me. But she is, and I am so so thankful for that. She's here. No matter what I take on in life, I can always go back to American Honey... er.. little Brookie.



Unstoppable.

       I've procrastinated this post long enough....

{sorry everyone.}

 Friday at 10:00 am to Saturday 10:00 am

(June 29th - 30th)

I . . .

* Got my wisdom teeth pulled
* Received the most vigorously ferocious sunburn of my entire life
* Tried out for American Idol

. . . all on 2 hours of sleep (if that).

        Half of it feels like a dream (most likely cause I accidentally OD'd on pain killers... I hardly even remember singing in front of those judges) but I guess it happened. I must say, it's been quite an adventure!
     
    At the beginning of the week, my beautiful friend Rachael Ross invites me to enter  a singing contest- who ever wins gets a free trip to Chicago with a promised audition in front of the American Idol judges for next season. The only people who have a chance of winning are the first 100 people who show up, and there's only one winner. As she was telling me, I was pretty sure I wouldn't win. I don't have the BEST voice ever. But hey, it'd still be a good chance to get some feedback. And it sounded like it'd be a really good experience :) So why not?
 I'll tell ya why not.Shortly after, my mom shoots me a text saying my wisdom teeth surgery is set for Friday morning at 10:00 am. From what I've heard about the first week of lacking wisdom teeth.... I'd most likely not even be able to open my jaw much at all during the following few days of recovery, let alone SING.Which means no American Idol then...Or does it?
I immediately went to my room and prayed. I prayed like crazy all week long leading up to the big day on Friday, trying to remain optimistic and hopeful through it all.

*The 24 hours Begins*

         I must say, All that praying payed off! God loves me :) I can't imagine surgery going any better. From the time I walked in, wearing my brother's "I'm too epic to Fail" T-shirt, to the time the nurse to wheel me out to the parking lot in a wheelchair, I felt on top of the world. It's kind of incredible! Even when I woke up, I sat up straight, just BEAMING.

      I think I may have even freaked out the nurse a little... she probably wasn't expecting a patient to be so awake and ready to take on the world, seconds after surgery like that and what not. I was even pretty reluctant about the wheelchair, but the nurse insisted.

     At home, I took those pain killers that make ya loopy  along with some amoxicillin, then my mom said I should lay down and sleep for a bit. My femmy multi-tasker ways lead me to the bright idea sleeping off the numbness in my face while tanning it, all at once. I also thought it'd be cool to have a tan tummy I guess...  so I pulled up my tankini and let the sun do it's thang. Something in me said I should ditch the tanning idea though, or at least put on some sunblock. But since I never burn, or tan for that matter, I was hardly expecting more than a slight tint change. To my astonishment, after a nice three hour nap, I was BAKED with a fresh set of new dark freckles lining my face. Good thing my burns turn into tans!

But for now...ouch.

      Right about the time I realized all that, Sarah Rex made my day when she walked out my back sliding glass door with a strawberry milkshake! And let me tell ya, I was downing that thing like none other. I hadn't eaten all day so it really hit the spot. She also didn't fail to make fun of my burn! Guess I deserved that one... but yeah we just talked for a while and then she left to go take care of her momma, who also just had surgery. Which has lead me to this conclusion: Sarah is an angel!

...and much, much more.

         Shortly after she left, I heard little boys running around inside... The kids are awake. My dad was supposed to be watching them, but I knew he was probably doing some work on the laptop. so I decided to just take it upon myself to go check on 'em. I went upstairs to find a puddle of Kyle's pee on my bedroom carpet. I mean it makes sense, toilets are so overrated. Why waste the time and energy walking all the way to the bathroom, when you can just conveniently go right where you're standing? The kid's a genius.

Just kidding. That was disgusting. I cleaned it up. And yes, I did have a throbbing jaw. And yes, my sunburn was sizzling.

         But none of that was going to stop me from going to Pendleton with Rachael and her dad! I took a shower, scrunched my hair, took some more loopy meds n amoxicillin and at midnight, we were off! I don't remember much from that road trip... except that EVERYTHING they said was soooo freaking funny, and I still don't know why.
    

          We arrived at 2:22 am and tried to get what ever sleep we could in that cramped mini van before we had to get in line. We were up at 4:00 am getting ready and figuring out what song we would sing. Then came time for me to take my meds for the morning... I thought I'd just be on the safe side and take two ibuprofen along with an amoxicillin... no loopy meds this time. wouldn't want to be out of it and hyped up for the judges. BUT... I accidentally ended up taking two loopy meds (which is already more than enough) with an ibuprofen. Immediately after that, things got weird. My head started pounding, I felt dizzy and couldn't hear anything that was going on around me...  When I practiced my song for Rachael, she said she could hardly hear me... which is really strange cause I felt like I was screaming. The whole thing felt kind of  like an out of body experience. I felt my voice begin to dwindle. So I just did the only thing I could... kept praying through it. Cause there's no way I would be there with out Heavenly Father. I didn't come all this way just to fail. I'm too epic to fail!! Before I knew it, it was my turn.

I chose to sing a song I wrote called "Daisy". Since my voice was starting to give out and what not, Daisy is the perfect song that'll show off my control without going too high.      

 Here's a video:

       

....Didn't win. But that's okay, I learned a TON about myself! 

1. My voice is sexy ;) That must be good, coming from guys.... no matter how old they are. But GOSH, my cheeks are so chubby, I would have expected cute, maybe.... but sexy? That one blindsided me, for sure.
2. I need to wear sunblock. Banana boat SPF 60. No more tanning for this girl. No tan is worth the risk of this kind of pain.

3. I have awesome friends.

4. With God, I can choose to be unstoppable.