Sunday, December 12, 2010

This and That (shallow thoughts)


(Cute pic of Buster that has nothing to do with anything.)

The computer is back home tonight and seems to be working despite flying off the passenger seat onto the floor when Sam had to slam on his breaks on the way home. It still makes an obnoxious humming noise but I can live with it--I'm back to blogging!

Each one of these items could be it's own post but for the sake of time, I'm lumping 'em all together. (Gourmet dinner night will get its own post.)

1. Buster got tubes last Friday morning. Everything went well and he is doing fine. The funny thing is, when I took him to the ENT a couple weeks ago, they had me sit in a small booth with him so they could test his hearing. The nurse would say "Mitchell" over and over through different speakers in the room. Buster never turned and looked in the right direction even one time. I didn't realize until I got home that he would probably only answer to "Buster." They assumed he is hard of hearing and scheduled the tubes. Here he is ready for surgery:


2. Santa came early this year and I got a new coat and scarf. Love it:


3. I just volunteered to do a Sub-for-Santa for a Sudanese family that lives downtown. Am I the only one who completely stresses over these types of gifts? I think it is so sad that a 10-year-old girl is asking for a coat and boots for Christmas. The least I can do is find her the cutest coat and boots on the planet. I think I'm going to buy her something fun too. This project is going to be really good for my kids who have lists a mile long.

4. My mom and I took my kids to a breakfast with Santa at Thanksgiving point on Saturday. It was really cute and the kids had a great time:


Check out this elf:


Doesn't he look exactly like Will Ferrell? Ryan was so happy all the way home:


5. I am currently obsessed with the new Kneaders that opened off Bangerter Hwy. It has delicious food, nice employees and cute decor and stuff to buy. I am loving their turkey, cranberry, sunflower seed salad and peppermint brownie. Delish. If past is prologue, I will probably eat there once a week for a year and then turn my back on the place and never return. That's how I roll with food places.


Sammie enjoying the peppermint brownie after ballet class. My kind of girl.

6. Speaking of Kneaders, I ate there with my high school friends about a week ago. We haven't all been together in at least 8 or 9 years. We were missing Noelle but still had so much fun. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Don't I have cute friends...I'm the big one:


7. My friend Megan who now lives in VA brought me peppermint Jo-Jos and chocolate covered peppermint jo-jos from Trader Joes. Holy crap. Those babies are wicked! I'm in LOOOOOVE.

8. On a more serious note, I was deeply saddened yesterday to hear about Elizabeth Edward's death:


I liked her because she was intelligent and down to earth. I was always impressed with her grace and courage in the face of so much adversity in her life. She lost her 16-year-old son Wade in a car accident years ago, her husband John Edwards (who is a total tool) had an affair and fathered another child all the while she was battling cancer. She knew she would die and leave young children behind--the ultimate heartache for a mother.

Despite all of this, she was optimistic and grateful for what she had. She had these words (from the song Anthem by Leonard Cohen) painted on her wall:

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

Isn't that beautiful?

9. Back to the silly--Here are my kids in their Christmas pjs:


Yes, it drives me crazy that they are not coordinated. I have already bought their pjs for next year and they all match!

10. November and December have been one big binge-fest for me. Well, in all honesty, it started with the Halloween candy and probably won't end until after the girl scout cookies are gone. I feel nasty. Every night I swear I will do better the next day and then wake up and eat Oreos (or jo jos if I've got 'em) for breakfast. I need an intervention.

I can't believe we only have about two and a half weeks until Christmas. This time of year goes way too fast. This post has so much random stuff, I want to hit delete but I'm too lazy to do different posts, so it is what it is. Enjoy.

26 comments:

sarahw said...

Poor Buster...he looked adorable in his little hospital gown. I hope he feels better.

All the kids are cute in their Christmas pj's. You are on the ball for pj's next year. Also, breakfast with Santa looks like that would be so fun. Utah has fun stuff to do.

Great quote that Elizabeth Edwards had displayed. Glad you shared it.

(you definitely look really good, especially in your new coat)

Liz said...

Elizabeth Edwards was amazing and was married to the biggest a-hole on the planet (scuse my crassness, but he is...and I'm a democrat.)

Ryan and his santa hat is the cutest picture I've ever seen.

Good job on the coat and sub for santa. What size snow boot. I have some lands ends ones that I'm to lazy to return. (size 11..probably too small).

Liz said...

too lazy. not to lazy. Have you noticed the time I am writing this...1:15 a.m.

Cindy P said...

I love this post! I love that it's filled with a mish mash of all sorts of different stuff! And the title is the name of my blog. =) Your kids are adorable in their Christmas PJs. Also, I do not think you look big at all in the picture with your high school friends. You look great!

melissa walker said...

Buster does look cute in his hospital duds! I am with you on the eating. I have 5 pounds to go, but I'm afraid that by the end of December it will be 10! And I'm not even living by my mom right now!

Megan said...

Yes! I made the blog! I've arrived!

Glad you're loving the jo jos. I don't even like that kind of cookie normally but could finish off the chocolate covered peppermint jo jos in one sitting. They are like crack (I assume...)

Mandee said...

I love the "life in a nutshell" post. It totally works. And cute Buster in his hospital duds- does he answer to Mitchell now that he has tubes? :)

My friend has a quote in her house that reads- blessed are the cracked for they let the light in- I love it.

WHITE said...

Your kids are so cute! That picture of Ryan coming home from Thanksgiving Point is the cutest thing I have seen in a long time!

brooke said...

Liz,

The little girl wears a size 5 (she is 10) so those boots won't work but thank you so much for offering. She wants fashion boots (not snow boots) and I found a pair at Justice I think she will like. I also found coats for all the kids at Costco for 20 bucks each--the perfect thing if anyone else is looking for nice parkas this time of year.

Denise said...

We adopt a child each year. It has been great for our kids. Then, we bring them to the big dinner where the kids get their gifts. It's been great for Jackson to meet the people he shops for and even greater for him to see how thrilled they are with a simple coloring book. I bought the girl this year a barbie and a jewlery making kit. I hope she likes it. It was SO fun for me to shop for a GIRL.

Love the coat, and I adore that picture of Elizabeth. She really was an amazing woman. I hope I never have to deal with any of the things she had to deal with, but if I do, I hope that I am able to do it with 1/2 the grace that she did.

Jill T said...

Did you get a new family canvas made? It wasn't up the other night... Looks great from here... Where did you have it done?

Sam said...

The picture of Buster in the gown breaks my heart. I am just glad the ear problems have not affected his appetite.

Excellent post. A seamless transition from brownie, to cancer, to pajamas. Pulitzer prize material.

brooke said...

Jill,

I got the canvas made at Cafe Press. I bought the thing on Groupon for 39 bucks and I love it. It came the day after dinner group.

Jill said...

Buster is so cute, his photos don't need to tie into anything in the post at all.

That's rather funny that he doesn't answer to Mitchell.

Cute coat and scarf, you always look stylin!

I'm sure your Sub for Santa kids are going to have their best year ever!

We had a "Support Staff" lunch at school today and they brought in all kind of sandwiches from Kneaders. Needless to say it was fantastic, and I chose a peppermint brownie for dessert.

Your friends are all too cute!

I was sad about Elizabeth Edwards too and hope her husband is positively plagued with guilt over his indiscretions!

Jill said...

P.S. Never apologize for random posts! Your fans want any and all posts you send our way!

Elizabeth said...

This is a great post. You look fantastic! so whatever you are doing ... don't stop.
I love the new coat and all the pics of the kids. Did you do Sammie's Ballet hair? You are both stylish AND clever.
I had to google Elizabeth Edwards.... wow the husband was a winner huh?
We also have kids who don't answer to their given names (but that is because they are impertinent not deaf). I hope Buster is on the mend.
And lastly you are a very good person to share some Christmas love and $ with others. I hope the little girl loves her new boots.

Ashley said...

Maybe I am in some sort of blogging vaccuum but I thought this was perhaps the greatest post I've ever seen. Esp. the pics of Buster in his hospital outfit, Sammie and her brownie, and Dino grinning in the Santa hat. I didn't know Elizabeth Edwards died when we were talking this morning. That's sad.

Linda said...

Loved the whole post! But don't I get any credit for remembering almost the whole quote that Elizabeth Edwards had on her wall?
I'm with Ashley, I love these posts - loved the pics.

The DeVito's said...

Peppermint Jo Jos and Chocolate covered Jo Jos are my favorite thing about Christmas outside of UT! I buy enough that is supposed to last me for 6 months - I usually make them last 6 weeks.

Bond Girl 007 said...

Brooke... I am a friend of Jill's and want to do a little something for her...e mail me if you can....
crubalcava@kbb.com
...and i apologize if I email you already...some of the emails I couldn't match with her sidebar!

cute photos and post....

sheryl said...

perfect post!
Loved it all, loved the randomness and thought I should copy to paper your post to send to Ben, that would save me a letter writing experience! :)

Dave & Kami said...

buster is soo stinkin cute... luv him in his hospital gear...

jojo's are to die for... glad megan brought you some... she is super cute and fun!

Yes....i'd luv to do lunch.. we will have to hook up when i come into town.

The Mostess said...

Ohh..fat little Buster. He's so cute in his little gown. :(

I love your charitable spirit. I'm sure whatever you do will be great!

Kneaders sounds sooo good. You eat that food, girl!

You and your HS friends all look so cute!

Love the Christmas jammers. I have been all over the holiday themed jammies this year!

Amy M. said...

Ha ha. That's totally how my posts are: long and random. I kind of like it for some reason.
Liked the quote.
Your kids are cute as always.
Great new coat and scarf!

Alyson said...

I'm staying away from TJ's this Christmas. Last year, I bought 6 boxes of Jo-Jos to send to family and friends without one around. I ate 5 of the boxes on my own. I made myself sick. Not sure that I'll ever be able to eat one again. Well, that's probably an exaggeration...if I had a box, I'm fairly certain I could devour it in no time flat!
Seeing your little guy in hospital garb broke my heart...though he looked simply adorable. Hope the tubes do the trick and he can tell the difference between his names in the future!
Love your coat and scarf. I'm not brave enough to don a white coat...too many sticky fingers in my house!

comedyrocks.com said...

I love reading blogs like yours - you have a great attitude.
Happy Holidays to you and your family!