OH NO!

Mamma Mia is going to to have a sing-a-long version! I am SOOOO sad that I'm not home to go with my mom and sister and grandma and any other person that would go with me and sing along! I encourage you all to grab someone you love and go sing to Mamma Mia.

Home Sweet Hotel

I know you have all been waiting and waiting to see where we live! This is our home for the next few months. It's temporary lodging so it really is a hotel. We have maid service and continental breakfast! It's really funny to me actually and hopefully it won't get old. Well, of course the maid service won't get old but the hotel carpet will! I am just SO SO happy that we are all together. I really like seeing my hubby everyday. So here are the pictures! Enjoy.



And this is *most of* the stack of Stewart's study materials! I hope that I get to spend SOME time with him! He has to STUDY! haa haa

High School Tag

1. Did you date someone from your school? If by date you mean make-out then, Yes.

2. What kind of car did you drive? A sweet Buick and then my Mazda 323 that had a sunroof and I bought it because of that sunroof...even though I told my dad that wasn't why.

3. What was the most embarrassing moment of high school? What wasn't embarrassing about high school? It's kind of embarrassing that I would talk my teachers into giving me higher grades than I actually earned...wait they are the ones that should be embarrassed about that.

4. Were you a party animal? No I was not. I liked to have fun but was more of a home body.

5. Were you considered a flirt? I don't really think so. I did flirt but just with a few people.

6. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? nope

7. Were you a nerd? Yes, I probably was. If it weren't for Valerie and Alicia I wouldn't have even know anyone else.

8. Were you on any varsity teams? Nope

9. Did you get suspended/ expelled? Nope

10. Can you still sing the fight song? Nope. I actually don't know that I even knew it.

11. Who were your favorite teachers? I guess the school counselor that worked it out so that I could graduate early.

12. Where did you sit during lunch? I guess we would sit at a table and then go sit on the stairs but I just remember sitting on the stairs. I think I ate a cheese roll like everyday.

13. What was your school's full name? West Jordan High School.

14. School mascot? A jaguar that apparently was named Jamal but I just learned that yesterday.

15. Did you go to Homecoming and who with? I didn't go

16. If you could go back and do it again, would you? No just no, but HELL NO.

17. What do you remember most about graduation? I do remember tying our neck sashes: read about that here and here. I DO NOT remember calling them popularity sashes. I just thought that we were sticking it to the man...because everything that you do in HS is so BAD.

18. Where did you go senior skip day? I senior skipped the last 2 semesters.

19. Were you in a club? Nope

20. Have you gained some weight since then? Yes, Yes I have.

21. Who was your prom date? I didn't go to WJ's prom.

22. Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion? I didn't go and won't go to any I'm sure.

23. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself? Get out! Get out now! I wish that I would have graduated a year early but I didn't know about it soon enough to get out.

I tag: Stacy, Laurie, Jeri, Jill, Georganne, and Stewart

Recipe Request *UPDATED*

OK I need help! My kitchen in KY is lacking in many ways. I need your EASY recipes please! I need recipes like Taco Soup where you open cans and pour it in. I don't have ANY spices and while I don't mind buying a few I don't want to buy weird ones that you only use once in a while. OK so please, please send me your really easy recipes that you like. Send them to me by e-mail or in the comment section so anyone can enjoy them! My e-mail address is my 1st and last name @gmail.com. Please do me this favor and help me feed my poor starving family! :)

**Because she is so wonderful my friend Jeri sent me this link to the website "Recipes on the Run." It looks like the perfect website for fast, easy, good meals. A few of my old standbys are on there. It helped me remember some of them. Thanks Jeri. Hopefully this helps anyone in their "what's for dinner" dilemma.

Our First Kentucky Weekend

We have had a good weekend. On Saturday we unpacked, went to lunch, went to the Patton Museum, and went grocery shopping. I'll have to take pictures tomorrow of this place but I'm not doing it now because then I'd have to get up and it's just not going to happen. I do however have pictures of the Patton Museum so don't worry I'll post those! ;)

It was a really fun time. We saw, what I call, the Tank Graveyard. At Fort Knox they have out of commission tanks placed randomly on post. At the museum they had probably about 16 lined up. It looked so sad all those poor dead tanks.

The bad thing that happened at the museum is that Eli acted like a kid. He was bored because he already knew everything and had seen everything before and it wasn't cool enough. This is the first time this has happened. He suddenly seemed older and I hated that. I wished for the times that he acted like a kid by running around and touching everything. He did like the tank simulator though. He could either use the brake or the controls not both. As you can see Stewart liked it too.

The Commissary was having a case lot sale so we stocked up on the mac and cheese and Top Ramen. Good timing I have to say!

Today we went to church. It was lots of fun. There were a 2 or 3 boys in his class and 1 girl. There was also a lizard in there which is about all that Eli remembers church today. I did meet one the moms of a boy in his class so we are going to set up a play date for next week. Everyone I talked to lives on post so that was interesting. I guess it's about half and half though. The church was about 20 minutes away.

Together Again

We are now Kentucky Transient Residents. The housing that we live on is the transient quarters so it's kinda like a nicer hotel room. Hey, it's got maid service!

So the plane ride went very smoothly and yes Eli got a window seat. He's been talking about getting a window seat for about a month! It seems like a month anyway maybe just 2 weeks. I blame Stewart for Eli even knowing to ask for a window seat. I have to blame someone because it's driven me crazy with anxiety worrying about getting him the dang window seat. We flew Southwest which doesn't have assigned seating. It all worked out though and I traveled with a happy little boy.

Funny side note: A few weeks ago I read this blog. On it is a funny story about a little boy asking his mom for a pet monkey. Whenever I read funny things kids say I always think "I wish Eli said that!" and that's what I thought when I read this blog. Anyway so on the plane Eli asked if he could have a pet monkey. I thought that this was it! He was going to say something funny. Here's how it went down:
Eli: Mom can I get a pet monkey?
Me: No
Eli: Why? (that's not funny)
Me: Because it would probably rip my head off.
Eli: Why would it rip your head off? (Perform monkey!)
Me: Monkeys are strong and aggressive. It wouldn't be a good idea to have one for a pet.
I know! Bor-ring!

Anyway Eli had a great time on the plane. He got to lookout the window, eat fruit roll-ups, play with his sticker book, (thanks Grandma Brough) and his laceup book, (thanks Grandma Sorensen) and watch a movie on my laptop.

When we landed Eli started chanting "I flew on a plane. I flew on a plane."

So for the best part! We got to see Stewart!

Do you think that Eli was happy?! Stewart wanted to get Eli something and I suggested a balloon. Of course Stewart couldn't get just ONE balloon! You might not know this about Stewart but he LOVES to give presents. I got some yummy perfume. At dinner I said, "I'm so glad that we get to see daddy!" Eli said, "yeah and I'm so glad daddy gave me balloons."

Here we are all together and this is what Eli looked like from the backseat. Oh so cute. He was very content.

We are happy to all be together and are looking forward to having a little adventure here in Kentucky.

Too Much TV?

Eli was reading one of his books and it was introducing the question mark. We have read this book long ago but we are going back to the beginning of the Bob Book series because halfway through the 2nd set got too hard. Anyway I asked him, "do you know what this is called?" as I pointed at the question mark. Eli said, "A MOUSKATOOL!" all I could say for a sec was "ummm...no." But in smart news he can read it with inflection in his voice which I think is cool.

More Flowers For Me!

My sweet hubby sent me more flowers. We are going to be together again in less than a week...a lot less! I am so excited and a little nervous. I'm only nervous to pack and travel though, not to see Stewart.

Self Portrait

Eli asked permission to take some pictures and went around taking pictures of things in the house. After a while I noticed that he kept taking pictures in the same place. I looked over and he was pushing the shutter button and while the red eye and auto focus did their thing he ran in front of the camera for a self portrait. I thought that they were so funny and now you can enjoy them too! Oh! The red on his nose is from the clown nose that he colored on himself.

Easy Money

A conversation:

Eli: Mom, if you will take me to see the really big sharks at the big ocean I'll give you....200 dollars.
Me: 200 dollars?
Eli: Yeah, do you wanna do it?
Me: Well, probably not today but maybe some day.

I don't know where he thinks he'll get 200.00 because I didn't ask. I just was trying not to laugh because if he is being serious and you laugh at him he'll feel really bad...or get mad...either reaction is bad.

Such A Chore.

I love blogging but sometimes it's a chore to do. Usually it's when I have something that I really want to blog. For some reason actually having an event makes it harder for me to blog. Anyway, here we go.

For the second year in a row, Eli and I went to Park City with Stewart's family for a few days. It was so much fun we swam and went to the alpine slide and the Olympic Park. Here are some pics. We also did the Alpine Coaster or whatever it's called. I like it so much better than the Alpine Slide. Eli is also holding the penny that he got to smash at the Olympic Park. My sister in law Laurie posted a cute pic of Eli with his cousin Charlie here. I love it when someone takes a picture of your child when you aren't there (or paying attention) and when you see it, it's a surprise. Anyway it was a great time and I hope that this is now the Brough family tradition because I LOVE it.


Another fun thing that Eli and I did this week was that we went to This is The Place Village. Eli has now said that when he grows up he wants to be a pioneer. The garden picture below is so funny because Eli could have laughed in her face when the girl showed him the "garden." Little did she know that Eli is part owner of a garden that could feed a small army! It's a lot of pictures but they are for Stewart so I don't want to hear about it.

Liberty Park

We went to Liberty Park with some of our friends. Eli loves these two little girls. They all used to play so cute together. They are still cute together as long as you aren't in a small enclosed space with them. They seriously SPAZZ out when they get together. I asked Eli when he spazzes out with them and he said, "I just have lots of fun with them."

Their mom is one of my good friends and while we don't spazz out we have fun together so it's nice to have play dates with these kids.

Seriously SO Blessed ;)

If you read this blog you might have gotten the impression that I'm a super fan of Eli. If you have gotten that impression you are very perceptive. :) I pretty much feel really really lucky that he is mine and I think that he's the funniest/sweetest/coolest kid around. Sometimes I think that I love my son more than anyone else has ever loved their child and am surprised when other peoples kids do/say things as funny as Eli does. I know, sickening!

So without further ado...
Eli has learned to pump himself of the swings! YES!!! I have tried and tried to get him to master this skill because although I love my son I HATE pushing kids on swings.


This is Eli's new favorite song. You might be surprised about it but I just think that he's going to learn it to sing to a girl that he wants to woo. It's pretty cute to hear him sing a bit of the song.

Eli has decided that he wants to be a LEGO boy. He is a train boy and when I told him that Jacob, his cousin, was a LEGO boy Eli decided that he would be too...but still a train boy...and a Magnetix boy. So Eli's uncle Danny has let Eli borrow his plethora of LEGOs. Eli woke me up at 7:30 this morning when he dumped that whole box of LEGOs out.


Eli has been very quick to point out that the garden in neither his nor Grandpas but is both of theirs because he and Grandpa are garden buddies. If you ever come over and ask to whom the garden belongs you will get this explanation...take that for a warning or a hint.

And to finish this post I will close with this funny thing Eli said a few weeks ago. Eli was freaking out about something that he wanted and I wasn't moving fast enough.
Me: Eli, I said just a minute! Hold your horses.
Eli: (crying) Ok, I will, but where are they? (As he looked around)

***I do know that you all love your kids as much as I love mine! I promise.***

ChaCha

Have you heard about ChaCha? It's so fun. It's also my new job. Here's how it works:

1) Text 242242 (chacha) and ask them anything. Anything. Ask them how far it is from Salt Lake to Provo or what the weather is in Alaska...or if you like, something a little more risqué. Your question will be answered and maybe by me! (don't worry I won't know it's you.)

2)If you want to become an all knowing ChaCha guide go to the website here and click on the bottom left corner button where is says "become a guide". If you do sign up make sure you put that I referred you by putting my e-mail address in the spot where it asks. My e-mail address is my first and last name at gmail.com.

It's fun to use and fun to be a guide. Do it. Ask a question! ask one now! Do it. Ask a question.