So several months ago I had an idea about "someone
should do a family newsletter".
Clearly we all grew up seeing each other mostly every week, and while
many/most of you still do that - several of us have (and will) move away and it
has been strange leaving such a close family (at least for me). Eventually that idea turned from "someone
should do a family newsletter" to "I should do a family newsletter"; I ignored the idea for months because most
days I feel like I am barley keeping my head above water, but after several
months of feeling that prompting I finally surrendered to the Spirit and have committed
to do it. However, if there is a Young
Woman, Young Man, or anyone in need of a project for personal progress or
scouts or anything that would ever like to take over for a month or few months
- I would love that!
My plan is to "spotlight" a different person in
each family each month. I plan on also
including things like birthdays, important dates coming up, and depending on
how much room I have leftover some fun things like favorite recipes, memories,
family history stuff, special news, etc.
If you have a good idea let me know.
Obviously in this age of technology this would be really
fast, easy, and cheap to do it over email.
However I decided to call everyone this month and found how much I
enjoyed talking to people I wouldn't have otherwise talked to. So you will be getting phone calls from me
when it is your turn to be "spotlighted" so please answer or please
call back. I also decided to send it by snail-mail. I often skim through emails and plan on
reading in depth later and never do. I
want this to be able to be put on your fridge and have your kids read as they
come in and out. This however will come
at a much higher cost - I am guessing about 15 dollars a month (I am sending
20) - so if you appreciate this J
and if you ever have extra stamps, envelopes, paper, or money… please send my
way. I don't know how long this will be
sustainable and if needs be I might end up having to do it through email.
Also I am not a journalist, English major, or perfectionist
- so please give me grace. I will try to
be semi creative but I am spending minimal time on this. If you have suggestions or things that you
think might help please feel free to let me know - I take criticism well. But as far as spelling and grammatical errors
go - please keep that to yourself. J Also I would like a better name than
"The Brown's" but am not creative enough to come up with
something. Naturally I thought,
"The Brown Bugle" but wanted something with a little bit of
meaning. So I issue a challenge for
someone creative to come up with a great title.
I love you all and miss you all. Thanks for being such a strong example to
me. I had no idea how much you were all
apart of me until I moved. Thank you.
It has been a lot harder than I thought, but more rewarding than I thought. I had honestly hoped to do it every month - but has actually been more like every other month. But I guess that is ok. TO be honest I didn't know why I was starting it in the first place - other than the spirit told me too. I still don't know - I don't know if it will be just a "nice thing" that I did - or if it will really make a difference in our family - either now or in the future. I will keep doing it, best I can.
But the real purpose of this post is put our family spotlight from last month. For journal reasons.
(Jason and I were spotlighted back in August and the kids in March of this year)
Jamie (I) am devastated summer is coming to a
close. I love having my kids at home and
if I thought it was best for them would home school. This year I will have a 3rd,
2nd,
and Kindergartener! I am not sure what
to do with just one 4 year old - I don’t think she will know what to do with
herself either. But we have had the best
summer of our lives and I am excited to know that each summer is only going to
get better as my children get
older. They are learning to do chores,
and cook, and read, and hike, and do all sorts of fun things. We love to hike together as a family. I have turned our basement into a preschool
and am about to start my second year. I
loved it last year and am excited to do it this year. It is
way more of a hobby than a job or source of income – and that is fine by me. A few months ago my friend and neighbor got baptized after I
introduced her to the gospel – my ward jumped on that opportunity and I got
released from cub scouts and became a ward missionary. I enjoy watching NBC Nightly News everyday to
feel in touch with the world, along with The Daily Show, The Middle, Modern
Family, and The Good Wife. I also get
together with all the women on my street once a week to watch The Bachelor –
sad I know – but I love it!
Jason is doing amazing at work. His job is everything he/we hoped it would be
when we moved here. He has been promoted
several times since our move two years ago.
He was also called as a ward missionary with me (released from primary)
– he teaches the gospel principles class for all the investigators and new
converts. He loves teaching – especially
in the church – so it is a perfect fit for him and he is doing a great
job. He got into mountain biking with
some men in the ward but a hernia surgery earlier this year has put a hold on
that hobby for now. He has plans to buy
a gun soon and learn to go hunting.
Brock is in the third
grade. He is our little athlete. He played his first season of flag football
last fall and is signed up for his 5th year of soccer for
the spring. He still enjoys basketball
and is planning to play baseball soon.
Everyday afterschool he is playing soccer or football with the
neighborhood boys out in the street. He
loves following the Denver Bronco’s and has recently started playing Madden on
the X-box and loves taking the Bronco’s to the Super Bowl himself. Noah is in the second
grade. Noah loves to talk, learn, ask
question, read, and find out why to
everything. He will carry on a
conversation with anyone for well over 2 hours.
Last year he was in the school Chess Club and has decided to start
taking the piano (first we have to buy one).
He loves to write, draw, and do crafts .
For the last few weeks he has been writing his own comic strip. His favorite past time is building with Legos, however most
weekends you will find him playing Mine Craft.
Megan is in Kindergarten. She spends most of her days doing crafts.
She has about 3 tables in our house that are her “craft tables” – we go
through paper like crazy! She is
learning to read and enjoys writing. She
decided not to sign up for soccer this spring (as was planned) and take swim
lessons instead. She has learned to swim
in just 2 lessons and talks about wanting to compete… we will see. She loves to build with Legos and has recently
started playing Mine Craft with Noah. Madison is in preschool (my preschool). She recently learned to read and shot well
past a Kindergarten level in just 2
weeks – I am amazed at the words she can read – and she loves it! She insists on reading books to me at nap
time instead of having them read to her – even if it is way past her level –
she will sit and sound each and every word out.
Madison loves to go outside and play with all her friends in the
neighborhood. She loves to be around
people and has great social skills – many of the older girls in the
neighborhood love to play with her.
Right now she is really into games.
All day she lobbies people to play slap jack or spot it – if no one will
she practices by herself. She has gotten
really good and legitimately can beat any of us at these games.
1 comment:
That is a really good idea, I have never heard of anything like that.
Post a Comment