Mr. Mrs. & Miss

Vineyard Thanksgiving

2011-12-15T22:12:00.000-05:00

Why do people come to the Vineyard?

Because you can do this...

without any interruptions...

leaving your cares behind.

Does he not look completely at peace?

You also come to the Vineyard

to celebrate Thanksgiving

with the Browns.

This year was extra special.

First of all,

Brent celebrated his 30th Birthday.

Secondly,

We got to cut down our very own Christmas tree

that grew in the wild here on the Vineyard!

Like... a true traditionalist!

With a saw and everything!

How cool is that?

So we picked out our little wild shrub.

And dragged it out of the forest.

With pride on our faces.

And "I'm a Pioneer" on our chests.

After we tied our prize onto the car,

we took a short hike to the beach.

We haven't been to this one yet.

It was beautiful!

Tell me you don't love these color together!

Jamie & Melissa.

Aren't sisters the best?

So are sister-in-laws.

But I think mother-in-laws are the coolest.

Aspiring...

karate kids?

or acrobats?

We love the Vineyard.

Continued GA Trip

2011-12-12T15:33:00.000-05:00

Well the fun certainly didn't stop at the aquarium.
In fact it only got better.

My Dad arrived early for Thanksgiving.
And I arrived early in hopes
of Michelle's baby arriving early.

But it didn't happen.
Even after this:

(note to self: see-saws do not induce labor)

So we entertained ourselves
with outings to the park & antique stores.

That's right.
Antique stores!
Yee-haw!

Unfortunately Maybeline's cold
only got worse.
So we had a lot of this:

And this:

So basically it was this:
Ms. Clouds & Ms. Sunshine

At least Phoebe gave me a good reason for bringing my camera.

I love this girl.

We did get some good bath time in.

With only a few slaps and bites.

Learning to be friends.
Learning to share.

Learning how to dodge the other
after taking their toy.

Our trip wasn't flawless,
much patience was tried and learned
as Maybeline's cold turned into an ear infection.
That was a fun addition to our plane ride.
But like always,

We made the best of it.

Michelle ended up having her baby
Hollis Jean
the day after everyone left
November 28th.

World's Largest Aquarium

2011-12-09T15:06:00.000-05:00

Georgia Aquarium.
So not your average fish tank.

Think movie screen size tank.
With glass 3 inches thick.

Think whales

and gigantic bat rays.

Swimming over your head.

Think how much your sweet and adventurous child
will LOVE such an amazing place!

Think again.

Let's just say...
once again...
adventure & new things?
Not Maybeline's strong point.

This is the one picture I could get of her
where she wasn't latched onto my legs
or crying to be near me.
Blurry.
I'll take it.

But then there's this precious scene...
Shot one:
Me:
"Maybeline! Come take a picture with me in front of this cool tank!"

With your finger in your nose.

Shot two:
Maybeline:
"What? Fish! Ahhh! Run for your life!
Deadly coral."

Shot three:
Me:
"Fine. I'll enjoy it myself."

Shot four:
Adventurous Phoebe runs to save Auntie Lisa
from a school of life threatening
tropical fish.

Shot five:
They enjoy the wonders of the tank together.

Shot six:
Maybeline,
finger still in nose.

You know what was the most interesting event of the day?

Out of all the beautiful and fascinating fish we saw,
Maybeline's favorite were the piranhas.
Yeah, the ones that BITE to kill.
Just... like... Maybeline.
No joke!
She loved the pirana tank.
Weird connection.

It was one of those trips
where you pictured it so differently.

A Day in Boston

2011-12-07T21:26:00.000-05:00

After the craft fair
we decided to spend a day in Boston
with cousins.
We had a fabulous time!

Maybeline enjoyed it.
Madeline enjoyed it.
But I think
Henry enjoyed it best.

Boston Science Museum

Except for the fact
that our sweet Maybeline
has turned into
the beast!
Who grabs, pulls, and bites.
Hard!

And let's you know what she's thinking.

Attack!

Sorry Henry.
She loves you.
Really.

Good Weather

2011-12-04T22:44:00.000-05:00

Good photos.
On a good day.

We're in Business!

2011-11-30T15:01:00.000-05:00

It's official.

I'm an entrepreneur.

What makes me official?
3 reasons:
1. I have business cards
2. I have a paying client
3. I participated in a craft fair

That's pretty much
all it takes.

And soon I'll be rolling in so much cash

I won't know what to do with myself.

Ahhh, the business life.

Okay, well all jokes aside...

I am loving my Lifelaps business!

And little by little,

it's growing.

To help the process,
I went to a craft fair in Lexington, MA
with my sister-in-law Melissa.
She's selling these super cute hair accessories
and handmade bags.

She brought Madeline along.
Maybeline was loving it!

We really had fun together.
And now I have a few more clients
& Melissa made some pretty good cash.
Overall...
success!

And just a reminder...

Christmas is coming

and you know what would make a sweet gift?

A Lifelaps

For grandparents, great grandparents, or yourself.

Just let me know.

Email or comment.

lbphoto.mv@gmail.com

Arabian Nights

2011-11-28T20:50:00.000-05:00

Yes.

She loves dress up.

Yes.

She did this all on her own.

Yes.

She makes me laugh.

This is why...

2011-11-07T21:29:00.001-05:00

In case any of you have ever gotten a

"38mgeej439"

or a

"56ytrtrhy"

or a

"lwe3n22kklsdfjdsjjjjjjjjsdfser43333"

from my phone,

this is why...

Maybeline loves my cell phone.

And knows how to use it.
Well... knows how to push all the buttons
until something cool happens.

She's just trying to keep in touch with all her admirers.

Love!

Happy Halloween

2011-11-02T13:06:00.002-04:00

It was another successfully fabulous Halloween for the Brown family.
This is one of our favorite holidays.
And favorite time of year.

The festivities started
with pumpkin carving.

No surprise.
Maybeline did not like the inside of the pumpkin.
Or what came out.

Brent wasn't too happy what came out of his pumpkin either.
His was a little moldy.

They turned out pretty good!
I did Maybeline's.
The letter "M."
I also did my own.
Can you tell what it is?
You would if you lived here.
It's the island.
Brent did "Pinhead Man"
This creepy man with pins stuck all over his face.

Maybeline's needed some flare.
So I added a small heart.

The next day
we went Trick-or-Tricking.
The highlight of the holiday!
I made Maybeline's costume.
She's a cupcake.

The cutest cupcake I've ever seen!

She was happy.
As long as she had her graham crackers in her hand.

And! Big news for Maybeline!
She started walking!
15 months.
She's still very cautious about it.

But she's getting it.
In her own time.

Brent & I dressed as bakers
wearing a chef's uniform.
Bakers of a cute little cupcake that is.

Some photos from the Primary Halloween party I put on.
We had a blast!
I made a pumpkin pinata, donuts on a string,
and lots of food and candy.

It's a silly holiday.
But a fun one too.

Some of My Favorite Things

2011-10-31T11:59:00.002-04:00

Putting hats on my head

or whatever I can find.

Turning the music on and off.

And when it's off I go

"where'd it go"

like this:

Reading books.

Especially the one where the cricket chirps when you open the last page.

I like that page a lot.

And I like my Buzz Lightyear jams

my cousin Liam gave especially to me.

I'm so lucky.

Socks or Gloves?

2011-10-28T20:21:00.000-04:00

How about both.
I love my little sparkle.

Bubbles

2011-10-27T21:02:00.000-04:00

Blue Skies

2011-10-25T21:45:00.001-04:00

Blue skies
smiling at me

Nothing but blue skies
do it see.

Never saw the sun shining so bright

never saw things going so right.

Noticing the days hurrying by

when you're in love

oh how they fly.

Blue skies

smiling at me

nothing but blue skies

do I see.

Fall Fest @ Morning Glory

2011-10-19T22:06:00.000-04:00

Fall Fest awesomeness.

The Trebuchet:

A gigantic slingshot.

Once used for useful purposes like destroying castles.

Now we use them for even more useful things.
Like launching pumpkins across the sky.

See the pumpkin?

Still see the pumpkin?

Handmade scarecrow.
Not only scares crows away...

...but children too.

Have I ever mentioned that Maybeline is scared of a lot of things?
Trucks driving by.
A wrench I was using one day.
Mom leaving her sight... ever.
The vacuum.
My yoga ball.
Dogs.
Actually, all animals.
And here's new one:
pumpkins.

However,
She is not afraid of kids.
And as soon as she saw this little boy playing on the pumpkins
she joined right in!
Laughing as if they were old pals.

Waving bye to her new buddy.

And last but not least,
the hayride!

Which we all loved.

Happy Falling!

Sunday Walk

2011-10-17T20:41:00.000-04:00

Tisbury Pond

This was the walk we enjoyed beautiful scenery

and a light autumn wind.

Maybeline took a little snooze

while Brent & I enjoyed each other's company...

... it's also the walk we were eaten alive by misquotes
and got locked out of our car,
leaving the rest of the afternoon solving that minor problem.
Oh, and our phones were in the car too.
See... pictures can only show so much.

How to Climb Down A Step

2011-10-14T11:03:00.000-04:00

It's as easy as

1.

Well... we almost got it.

I'm Frederick the Mouse

2011-10-11T20:20:00.000-04:00

A beautiful warm fall day.

But we feel a change in the air.

So we're all holding onto every bit of warm sunshine we can get

knowing exactly what's ahead of us.

It reminds me of the children's book Frederick by Leo Lionni

I always think of this poetic little mouse savoring up summer before the biter winter comes.
While the other mice are getting food to survive winter,
he ponders & absorbs the colors, light, grass, flowers, sun.

That's exactly how I feel.
Food can only get you so far.

What I need to survive winter
is hot sand, long afternoons, & a day in the park

sliding & running

without a coat
without a hat
without gloves.

Just the warm sun on my face
& a perfect mild breeze.

So while others are worrying about what's ahead.
I'm worrying about what we just left behind.

So for now,
we're soaking up the sun.

I have to mention these 2 little lads.

These are two 10 year boys we didn't know
who played with Maybeline for a good 30 minutes.
Chasing her, tagging her
Just having fun with her!
It was adorable.
Brent & I both thought,
"What 10 year old boy would stop to play with a baby at the park?"
Little sweethearts!
We live in a good place.

What a Cutie

2011-10-10T22:02:00.001-04:00

Still not walking yet.

But getting a little braver.

A Natural Princess

2011-10-06T22:06:00.000-04:00

I did not do this.

Nor have I ever shown her how to do this.

Nor have I ever done this.
But she does.
And loves it.

Or at least loves herself like this.
Which requires a mirror.

My little princess.

What A Drag

2011-10-06T21:31:00.002-04:00

For reasons I am unaware of,

Maybeline loves to go through my clothes,

hug them,

& drag them around the house.

I've tried giving her every kind of blanket we have

as a way of trying to channel this fixation,

But it's all no good.

Nothing's as good as Mom's clothes.

I guess?

Little Mad Hatter

2011-10-05T10:45:00.000-04:00

Performed entirely by herself,

Maybeline shows you all that she can do

with a hat.

A Mother's Day

2011-10-02T21:35:00.004-04:00

One question that I get asked a lot since my new employment is:

"So what do you do all day?"

Here's a good visual:

(this doesn't show the Rummikub tiles she tossed one by one down the stairs)

And here's my basic day to day schedule:

Good morning!

Change, feed, clean up, play, nap, clean up.

Change, feed, clean up, play, nap again (sometimes), clean up.

Change, feed, clean up, bath, sleep.

Good night!

So when the next person asks me that question I should just say,

"I'm a Mom."

And leave it at that.

The Park

2011-09-28T15:41:00.002-04:00

We love the park.

Especially on a beautiful September afternoon.

This trip was extra special.

This was the trip Maybeline went down the slide...

all by herself!

She was determined,

excited,

and very brave.

This is her "determined" face.

It's pretty amazing.

I watch her all day long,

never get sick of it,

and always want more.

But you can never get enough of a good thing.

She's such a good thing.

She's my everything.

Reading Is Good

2011-09-28T15:39:00.002-04:00

14 Months

2011-09-28T15:38:00.003-04:00

Maybeline likes:

1. Dolls:

She gets so excited when she finds them lying around the house

or in the car. She gives them huge squeezes! It’s so sweet.

2. Babies:

No matter where we are or who they are, babies & kids

make her light up every time. She has an amazing connection with them

even on the computer, looking at a photo, or in a book.

3. People:

She’s still very friendly making sure everyone sees her waves.

4. Jewelry:

This is a new interest. She loves to rummage through my

jewelry and but my necklaces and bracelets on and off constantly.

5. Birds:

She gets so excited when she hears them chirp it’s precious

and always makes sure she points to them.

6. Pointing:

She points to everything!

7. Music:

She feels the beat!

8. The beach:

After a summer of trying, she finally loves the water!

She’s always loved the sand. She’s my beach buddy.

9. Hair:

She loves to play with my hair while falling asleep

10. Stuff on her head:

She loves putting what every piece of

clothing she can find on her head. She proudly puts it on her head (it’s

usually crooked) then crawls away so confident. It’s so funny!

And the winner of the ipad is....

2011-09-27T12:41:00.003-04:00

Not us.

Lame.

... losing is not my favorite experience.

However, Brent's photo won 3rd place which means he gets a $25 Amazon gift card.

The photos I submitted didn't even get an honorable mention.

Can you believe it?

Check out the winner here

I was shocked when I saw the winner of the ipad.

You think a photo deserving an ipad would be a little more

fantastic than that!

Oh well...

I'll have my pity party and move on.

Thanks for all your help and votes!

Here's a recap of our photos.

What kind of work does Rosbeck do?

2011-09-26T12:22:00.003-04:00

As mentioned, Brent works for Rosbeck Builders Corp,

a family owned business that builds stunning custom homes.

We just got pictures of the last home they finished.

Take a look!

We went to the open house party the owners hosted this summer.

It was absolutely gorgeous!

I love my husband's job.

Family

2011-09-23T11:20:00.003-04:00

I love my family.

Not because we're perfect, never disagree, & every day is bliss.

But just the opposite.

Love is sacrifice.

Sacrifice is giving.

Giving something of value to reach a specific purpose.

It's not about getting something in return.

Except love.

And that is a beautiful thing.

A special thanks to our photographer: Mr. B. Brown

(yes, that's the man in the photo)

A Day

2011-09-17T20:53:00.002-04:00

It was just one of those perfect days.

The ones I say, "Thank goodness for digital cameras!"

Seriously, what did we do without them?

Long time Vineyarders say September & October

are the best months on the island.

I'm beginning to understand why.

You get to do this.

And no one to bother.

You get the beauty all to yourself.

Sounds a bit selfish right?

But when you have to put up with vacationers all summer long,

honking their horns, a bit impatient, & at times rude,

you have the right to say things like that.

So we say like the rest of them,

"It's been nice. But now it's time for you to go home."

All with love of course.

It's all about love.

Loving shells.

Loving sand.

Or not loving sand.

Loving beautiful deep blue skies

& fluffy clouds

Loving birds

Loving Dad

Loving Mom

Loving life.

We do.

To Try A Tri

2011-09-12T12:58:00.008-04:00

Goal for the year:

Finish a Triathlon.

Check!

This is what an olympic champion looks like.

I decided that every year I would do something physically challenging

that I never thought I could do.

Last year... have a baby.

Good heavens. That definitely was a challenge.

This year compete in a sprint triathlon.

Sprint? What'S the difference?

Well, it's basically half of a full triathlon.

1/3 mile swim, 12 mile bike, 3 mile run.

Doable right?

Oh yeah!

I started really training once the weather improved.

Which for New England means June.

So I had 3 months.

Running one day.

Biking the next.

Building up my endurance...

and hardcore muscles!

Just look at this Wonder Woman!

It was absolutely invigorating!

My cheering section & personal photographer:

I got to do it in one of the most beautiful parts of the state.

Plymouth,

where I swam around the Mayflower

into Plymouth Harbor

where the pilgrims landed

(or so speculated)

How cool is that!

The water was cooooold.

But I was so full of adrenaline I was ready and anxious to dive into the water.

The swim was my biggest worry as I didn't train as much as I would like for it.

But once that was over...

It was all down hill from there.

Here's the one picture Brent got of me on the bike.

I'm the blurry one waving my hand.

Gold medal athlete right here:

t was an all around rewarding experience.

I recommend everyone do it.

I did it in 1:32.

Way better than I planned.

11th in my group.

Hooray for Lisa!

Next year I'm thinking I'll shoot the big gun...

and do a full tri.

Doable right?

Oh yeah!

Ms. Independant

2011-09-08T20:17:00.000-04:00

Ahhhh... the beach.

2011-09-06T20:43:00.001-04:00

Contest Update

2011-09-05T10:20:00.002-04:00

Well the deadline for the photo contest we entered has been extended until September 6th.

We've submitted our photos!

Click here

to see our photos as well as the other contestants.

Feel free to "like" any photos you see...

especially ones submitted by Brent & Lisa (:

We'll keep you posted on the winner.

Keep your fingers crossed!

What to do during a hurricane?

2011-09-04T15:15:00.002-04:00

As most of you know hurricane Irene came blowing our way last weekend.

Thankfully it went west of our little island

leaving us only with fallen trees, debris, and some power outages

but nothing compared to some states.

Still, we had to stay off the roads and tucker down Sunday for safety's sake.

What did we do?

Took funny pictures

I was on our deck,

Maybeline & Brent were inside making faces on our glass door.

Funny? Yes!

Creepy? Um... a little.

We also saw a flock of wild turkey's cross our yard.

They're every where here.

After it seemed to calm a bit and we were getting anxious for some fresh air

we took a walk to see the damage.

We did see quite a tragedy...

a fallen victim.

He just couldn't withstand the storm.

Keep our neighborhood safe little guy.

Thankfully we are all safe and happy!

150th Martha's Vineyard Ag Fair

2011-08-28T12:34:00.006-04:00

Aren't fairs the best?

Actually I don't know what's so appealing about it...

greasy food, rusty rides,

wasting money on cheap toys like a giant rubber baseball bat,

and sweating under the hot sun.

And yet we look forward to it every year.

Maybe it's the prize winning rooster, chicken, and horse.

The fattest pig and smallest pony.

the Frog Jumping show

(doesn't he look like a frog?)

Sheep sheering.

(first time we've seen it done)

And our favorite attraction...

the Tractor Pull.

Oh... and the Lumberjack Competition.

Basically NEVER mess with this guy.

Henry, pushing the massive stroller.

Or maybe it's because it only comes once a year.

The End.

(only appropriate)

Just Because...

2011-08-27T22:41:00.002-04:00

... you're adorable.

... sweet.

... fiesty.

... lovable.

... picky.

... at times opinionated.

... cuddly.

... a ray of sunshine.

... & just because I love you.

Summer Love

2011-08-26T15:36:00.005-04:00

End of Summer Fireworks

2011-08-26T15:36:00.004-04:00

Autumn leaves must fall

and all summers must come to an end

... sadly.

But! we get to celebrate an awesome summer with fireworks!

Here we are waiting for the Oak Bluffs firework show.

It was AWESOME!

I love these photos Brent snapped of us.

I still like to think we look a like.

This doesn't mean summer is over!

We're still living it up.

Squeaky Clean

2011-08-26T15:35:00.004-04:00

The Cannons came over from Boston for the weekend.

We all loved their company!

Especially Maybeline.

She LOVES kids!

sneaky...sneaky...

2011-08-26T12:52:00.004-04:00

Who has their little fingers in banana bread?

Sneaky Ms. Maybeline.

It was the morning of her birthday.

I thought how fun! Let's get a special birthday muffin for Maybeline!

So after our run we headed to Morning Glory Farm.

After browsing around a bit we (yes we!) decided we needed some yummy banana bread too.

Then we headed back home to finish our morning exercise.

During our walk I smelled something sweet... like... bananas.

I looked down and saw Maybeline's little fingers devouring the top of the banana bread.

Hilarious!

She ripped open the plastic wrap and was digging in,

lovin' this morning walk with a little snack.

This funny story needed to be captured.

Gladly sharing some with me.

"Thanks mom! Great breakfast!"

Oh and ps...

this is what my "fun idea" concluded to...

Again... not impressed. And no thank you.

But it made for a great memory!

Our Biracial Marriage

2011-08-24T15:52:00.004-04:00

Which one of these things is not like the other?

Which one of these things does not belong?

Hummmmm.....

Which leg works in an office all day?

and which leg does not?

VOTE!

2011-08-16T20:26:00.002-04:00

Wouldn't it be nice to have an ipad?

Uh... yes!

Well we have a chance to win one!

It's a photo contest Woodhole Group is doing

of "Favorite New England Beaches."

All we have to do is post 5 photos (10 total for each of us) on facebook.

The problem is I can't decide.

So I'd like to hear your opinion.

Choose your favorite 5...

(there's 32... thus my problem)

Which one do you think would win the contest?

Place your vote in "comments"

There lettered A-T:

PLEASE VOTE!

ASAP

I'd say I'd share the ipad with you...

but that would probably entail a plane ticket.

Who knows if we will win

but it's worth a shot right?

I'll let you know who/what photo won.

Thanks!

Did I say we heart visitors yet?

2011-08-14T20:54:00.008-04:00

Of course I did.

Because we do!

Next up... the Browns!

Boy did we have a party!

Beach time...

Bathing beauties

Lobster time...

High flying time...

Trying-to-eat-every-rock-on-the-beach time.

Absolutely adorable cousin time...

Look at this chub!

Photo time...

(Henry's done with photo time)

Sand castle time...

Tan time... (for those of us few Browns that can or like to tan)

And wiffle ball time...

(I have to give a shout out to myself who, as the photographer, was not photo-ed

even though I managed to get my team from 1-5... to a slaughter, once I joined the game.)

And always remember to keep your eye on the ball!

Right Julie? (:

Happy First Birthday!

2011-08-11T14:19:00.004-04:00

One Year.

Already.

Maybeline has become quite the character.

What does that entail?

She loves people!

She still waves at everyone she sees.

Always ready to give smiles.

Sometimes I notice her trying to get someone's attention

as I see her waving at them walking by.

When they don't notice,

she moves on to the next person walking by,

and waves at them hoping they'll wave back.

It's adorable.

She also loves babies!

Always taking the opportunity to hold them and kiss them.

She's become very fond of her baby dolls and stuffed animals.

Giving them "loves" as we call it.

Which are super tight squeezes.

She loves doing peek-a-boo by herself.

She loves dragging around a shirt, tank top, or onesie wherever she goes.

Either that carrying something in her hand like chapstick.

She still loves jewlery and lipgloss.

She can say "dog" and gets excited when she hears them.

But...petting them?

She says... no thanks!

I got her this shirt for her Birthday party.

Sadly it didn't come until after.

But she wore it all day on her actual BIG day!

I got it here on Etsy.

It was super cute! & super soft!

The party!

I have to show off my hand-sewn banner.

Love it!

Brent's family came down the weekend before her BIG day.

So we decided it would be the perfect time to celebrate!

Maybeline loved opening gifts.

One at a time.

Very carefully.

And gently.

I love this proud face!

One of her favorite toys was the purse we got her

filled with all the girly things she loves:

lipstick, cell phone, debit card, & keys.

What kind of daughter are we raising?

Now time for cake!

The supposed and assumed climax of the party.

Where you get to eat SUGAR!

and a lot of it!

Without Mom saying a thing...

Right?

Well... not for this Miss.

She did not love the cake part.

As you can see...

Not too many smiles.

She is not the most adventurous eater.

Anything new we give her, she acts like it's canned spinach.

(Which she'd probably like more!)

So we left the cake and fed her lunch and an organic sucker.

Did you know they make organic suckers?

Pretty funny!

Well, she loved it.

Towards the end of our rope of forcing-cake-down-our-child's-throat,

her 6 month old cousin, Madeline, decided to dig in,

like a Birthday girl should!

As soon as we gave her the open door, she was all over it!

That was the actual climax of the show.

One thing I've learned being a mom for a whole year,

and Bill Cosby said it best...

the kids are in charge.

I don't want to sound like a passive mother,

but when it comes down to it

we can do anything and everything to schedule, plan, and organize.

But...in reality

she has the final say.

As was her party.

It wasn't my dream-perfectly-planned-out party.

I didn't even get ready for heavens sake!

But... when all was said and done,it was a perfect day!

Happy Birthday,Miss Maybeline!

Bath & Body Works

2011-08-10T21:18:00.000-04:00

Happy First Birthday Maybeline

2011-08-04T16:08:00.009-04:00

Tada!

I put this "Lifelaps" together especially for our little one's first birthday.

see it here on vimeo!

Happy Birthday of One.

Want a Lifelaps?

Just ask!

email: lbphoto.mv@gmail.com

Oh...

& please leave your comments.

What Summers Are Made Of

2011-07-26T21:27:00.006-04:00

Smiles

Sand

Sunglasses

Sun

And a good snooze

I had to capture this moment...

there were these annoying flies all around us that bite HARD.

As if flies weren't annoying enough!

So in order for Brent to enjoy his nap, he took 2 towels and wrapped each leg.

With his double layer glasses, white "office man" tan, and towel legs...

my heart was pounding.

My beach stud.

We Heart More Visitors!

2011-07-22T09:52:00.013-04:00

This time

my Mom & Dad.

Addicted Beach Combers.

My dad loves sea glass (or "ice" as he calls it).

My mom loves rocks.

I love it all.

By request we did lobster on the beach...

naturally.

Lobsters are our friends, Maybeline.

I love when my parents come to the Vineyard.

They are both so laid back; go with the flow; lackadaisical.

Relax on the beach?

Sure!

Site see?

Okay!

Antique shop?

Yes!

Play games?

Alright! (except my dad)

Eat super yummy food?

Always!

I love life.

Does this look like a whale to anyone else?

My Mom and I took a tour inside the Aqunniah Lighthouse.

Built in 1799, this lighthouse is over 200 years old!

And still standing.

That's us in the tower!

We've never been so close before.

The lights were actually on and moving round.

They made the tight space very hot.

But we had an awesome view.

Love the sand.

Hate the water.

Alpaca Farm.

The only lone lama amongst the alpacas.

Loving her Grammie.

Leave it to my Dad to find a robin's egg.

Aren't they the prettiest little things?

A stunning color of nature.

Well that was fun.

Like I always say...

until next year!

We All Scream For Ice Cream

2011-07-20T15:04:00.002-04:00

Brent & I love ice cream.

It's a major weakness.

Looks like Maybeline is no exception.

By the way,

this was not my idea.

It's Possible...

2011-07-17T18:59:00.010-04:00

...To make it all the way to 40.

I'm going to add to what the Beatles started.

All you need is...

LOVE.

But you also need

patience &

forgiveness

selflessness

& kindness

& a serious good sense of humor.

Happy 4oth Anniversary.

Celebrating Our Independence

2011-07-15T08:30:00.015-04:00

The Vineyard is a beautiful place to celebrate the 4th of July.

My favorite holiday.

So my parents decided to experience it for themselves.

My mom knows how to celebrate with these jazzy toes.

After our pancake breakfast,

we packed up our stuff and headed to the beach.

Too bad the "Katama Fog" rolled in.

But we managed to enjoy ourselves.

Of course.

If you've ever read Sameul Beckett's play "Happy Days"

you'll have a good laugh at this photo:

Brent took the pleasure of covering her body with sand.

Which she surprisingly loved!

Not quite standing up on her own.

But with the help of the sand and her Daddy,

Maybeline was getting the hang of it.

I love love love

these hands.

And these hands

love love love the sand.

Now we're off to the parade!

Anyone know what this car is from?

What's a 4th of July parade without the Scotts Society?

Maybeline loved the parade!

She was waving at everyone going by.

This may look like we're trying for a cute & cheesy couple shot...

But the story is...

I was trying to be stylish for the parade

(because you HAVE to look good for a 10 min. parade)

so I wore these super cute silver sequence wedges.

Well after running to try and make it to the parade,

then walking all the way back to the car,

my feet HURT!

Blisters and all.

So I hitched a ride.

Thanks love.

After a yummy BBQ dinner with our friends,

it was time to hike down to the lighthouse for the fireworks.

For a front row seat.

Taking a little snooze before the big show.

Now here's where we're trying to be cute & cheesy.

Precious.

Maybeline was not a fan of the fireworks.

No surprise there.

So she cuddled with her Dad the entire show

while we sat back and relaxed.

It was another dreamy 4th.

3rd Annual Pancake Breakfast

2011-07-07T08:41:00.006-04:00

Since we've lived here, the Branch has hosted a pancake breakfast

to honor the Veterans on the 4th of July.

It gets a little better every year.

This year was my favorite because

my parents came down for a couple of weeks.

Lucky us!

My Primary kids

Brent talking with one of the Vets

Great food.

Good company.

Even the scouts came.

What a perfect way to start the 4th.

Patience is a Virtue

2011-07-01T14:51:00.006-04:00

And this Mr. has mastered it.

Brent is an absolute sweetheart of a Dad.

And prize of a husband.

I'm not one to publicly say all these shenanigans,

but this once I have to.

Because while we're in the sand under the sun

he's working hard in the office.

From 8-6.

5 days a week.

Usually more.

I'm pretty sure he'd rather be here...

...with us.

One of the many perks of Motherhood.

And a trial of Fatherhood.

Maybeline loves her Dad.

He gives her cookies.

Forgets any schedule or routine.

Isn't worried about all the little things.

Like matching socks and combined hair.

And let's her watch Cookie Monster on his iPhone.

Whenever she wants.

Aren't Dads the best?

Baptism Vineyard Style

2011-06-29T10:29:00.007-04:00

There aren't a lot of people on the island,

I hear about 15,000 in the off season.

That means there are even fewer members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We have a tiny little branch of about 25 people that actively go to church.

That's really not that much.

We meet in an office building that's part of a small business center. And since there aren't very many members, that means everyone has a calling/responsibility if not 2 or more.

For example Brent is the Branch President and he teaches Young Men every week

(and Maybeline's babysitter)

and I am the Primary President (children's organization) as well as the music leader, teacher, and sharing time instructor.

There are only 5 kids so I manage and we really have fun together.

There are pros and cons of being a small branch.

One is we're all very close and there is a special spirit everyone feels when they come to church.

June was a big month for us, 2 (out of the 5) kids were baptized!

And since we don't have a chapel, we don't have a font. So where do we get baptized?

In the ocean of course!

This is Larissa.

Her family is from Brazil.

I'm not sure when it started but we have a huge Brazilian population here.

Too bad Brent speaks spanish.

They, like all people from South America,

are very happy and warm people.

I really love them!

Everyone wanted to get in the water!

Despite it being June, the water takes a while to warm up.

It was cold!

The Oliveira's

We Heart Visitors

2011-06-26T15:59:00.036-04:00

Yes we do.

Especially family.

This was the Wieder's first visit to the Vineyard!

First they flew to Indiana.

Then they and the Ostlund's drove

all... the... way...

to Cape Cod

with an infant... 5 kids... and a hooptie.

Wahoo!

There was Tracey and Trisha

Shailey

Greyson

Emma

Aleigh

Jonas

And pretty Saydie Mae.

All aboard this here hooptie.

What is a hooptie?

from dictionary.com

"a large older automobile, often in poorcondition; jalopy"

Yes, this rented van was definitely a jalopy.

But at a good price, one might sacrifice pleasure for business.

But it got them here and there.

Duck tape and all.

And it was all worth it.

Super Jonas!

I think this is one of my favorite photos.

Maybeline sporting Shailey's new specs.

But it's hard to call them new.

I'm pretty sure these were popular in 1950 by men.

Then repeated in 1989 by women of the business class.

Shoulder-pads and all.

But who's to judge this stylish teen queen?

Certainly not her 27 year old auntie.

Too legit to quit.

Yes that would be me.

The Hostess with the Mostess.

As they say.

I love my sisters!

Tracey captured this preciousness!

This is also one of my favs!

Are they not the cutest little pair?

First Flying Horses ride!

She wasn't thrilled but she managed.

Just another one of those "new things" she's cautious about. Emma trying to get the brass ring The BEST chocolate in the WORLD!

Chilmark Chocolates. Maybeline decided she doesn't like sand anymore.

But she loves her cousins! Little button!

Laughing at Tracey backing up into a street lamp while trying to get our photo.

It was funnier than it sounds.

Clearly.

Hearts & Pink= Tracey

My sous chefs.

Trisha striking it in front of an an old sea captain's home.

Despite some cold & cloudy days, we had a blast!

Wild Thing

2011-06-24T17:49:00.000-04:00

You make my heart sing.

Summer is here...

2011-06-23T14:47:00.006-04:00

...at last.

But this is New England which means if it's a warm sunny day...

stop what you're doing and get out!

They don't happen everyday,

at least in June.

So that's what we did.

On our deck.

Basking in the warm New England sun.

Life really is good.

Especially at Summertime.

But don't be fooled by this happy face.

Like all new things,

it takes a while for Miss Maybeline to warm up to anything new.

Swimming being one of them.

One of many.

No dare devil in this angel.

Sounds like someone I know very well.

Happy Birthday Lisa

2011-06-21T13:01:00.008-04:00

Even in the middle of packing and moving chaos,

Brent provided an awesome birthday!

The best was... LOBSTER!

This time we did it ourselves.

So easy and so delicious.

Does Maybeline like lobster?

Nope.

9 Months

2011-06-21T12:02:00.006-04:00

What I remember...

She got 2 top teeth in

Crawling like crazy

Talking more (which sadly means waving less)

Hair coming in beautifully

Beginning to climb on furniture

Very picky eater

Loves to interact with people

Still and always a delight!

Temporarily Disconnected

2011-06-09T08:17:00.008-04:00

To all our of readers and fans:

In my list of "Neeed to Dos" blogging is at the bottom.

Crushing isn't it.

I realize I haven't given a "Maybeline Review" in a while.

Missing month 9 & 10.

Sheesh.

But we've moved... finally!

Now we're moving in...

which is a long arduous process.

Plus traveling.

Plus Mommy-ing.

Plus cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.

So here's to relaxing in our new tub in our new home!

Pretty slick isn't it?

Well... I wish this was our tub.

This is not our home but a home Rosbeck (whom Brent works for) just finished.

Brent gave us the grand tour.

Absolutely stunning

Someday...

On this Memorial Day...

2011-05-30T15:58:00.002-04:00

I thank my Dad for serving in Vietnam.

PFC Tim Louis

1969

Father Tim Louis

2010

Princess Maybeline Is Hungry By: Mrs. Brown (the Queen)

2011-05-17T08:34:00.006-04:00

Once upon a time there was a little princess named Maybeline.

She lived in a beautiful castle with her maid servant

(who, in this story, is also the Queen),

and the Joker

(who, on this day like all days, was working very hard).

Well one day, Princess Maybeline's tummy rumbled.

She decided she was very hungry.

So her maid servant/Queen quickly bustled in the kitchen trying to find something that she knew Princess Maybeline would love.

"I've got it!" the Queen exclaimed,

"Bananas!"

Oh Princess Maybeline did love it.

For about 2 seconds.

Then, pitch!

Out went the bananas.

Trying to make the little princess happy, the Queen dashed back into the kitchen to find something else.

"But what? she asked herself. "Apricots!"

Oh Princess Maybeline did love it!

For about 2 seconds.

Apparently Princesses don't eat apricots!

So pitch!

Out went the apricots.

So once again the Queen went back to the kitchen,

this time a little less anxious,

to see what she could find.

"Now I've got it! A toothbrush."

She did like it!

For about 2 seconds.

Then, pitch!

Out went the toothbrush.

"Okay," thought the Queen,

"What in the world does she want?

How about a random chip clip."

Well that was all right.

But only lasted for 1 second.

Then, pitch!

Out went the chip clip.

Princess Maybeline was quickly losing her patience.

So was the Queen.

But with love in her heart, the Queen went back to kitchen.

A little frazzled and annoyed.

"A wet rag. She always loves to suck on a wet rag."

But sadly, this time, she did not.

So, pitch!

Out went the rag.

Princess Maybeline then huffed.

And puffed.

Cried.

and hollered.

She was not getting what she wanted.

And now all that she once had was lifeless on the floor.

Begging for a second chance.

But no, the princess would not have it!

And neither would the Queen.

So the Queen decided right then and there that was more than enough demands for one lunch time.

"I know exactly what this Princess needs," she said.

So out went the princess.

Safely and snugly in her bed.

For a nice, long nap.

And so...

did the Queen.

It Starts

2011-05-14T16:30:00.003-04:00

The Little Miss has figured out how to get around.

This means we need to quickly rethink some furniture arrangements.

Including but not limited to the dvd case.

"Tourist" stands for: Sucker

2011-05-12T15:24:00.001-04:00

After 3 1/2 years of dragging it along, I finally decided to pitch this Mr. Elephant.

What's the story?

Brent and I went to the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana for our Honeymoon.

Oh it was paradise.

The sun in our face.

The sea breeze blowing in our hair.

A fresh pina colada in our hands.

We were finally married.

Life was good.

Before we left our tropical resort we decided we needed something to take home with us to remember the blessed place.

Luckily the resort had a special day chosen every week where local artist would bring their chatchas... I mean memorabilia such as magnets and jewelry for all the tourist so we wouldn't have to leave the safe haven.

While browsing in awe at the beautiful trinkets that surrounded us, we were both drawn to a particular table that had, what appeared to be, handmade statues and figurines. There were people and animals posed in various ways.

Cool.

But not for us.

Well to my dismay I was walking around this not-so-stable table and knocked the first statue over. This wouldn't be such a big deal if they weren't displayed back to back creating a domino affect to every....

single...

one.

Causing the biggest statue in the back to fall and shatter.

Curses.

Blast.

Darn.

I was completely horrified!

These poor people! Scrapping together all that they had to bring their precious pieces of art to me so that they could perhaps sell a piece or two and provide for their family!

I was completely mortified!

How could I be so clumsy? so thoughtless? so distracted? The words my mom told me countless times raced through my mind, "Don't touch anything! Don't knock anything over! And be careful!"

I was discombobulated.

What to do?

How could I make amends.

Apologize?

Too easy.

Pay for the gigantic broken statue?

We were poor newly weds for heavens sake!

Was I supposed to take a piece home as my token of remembrance?

No.

How about we buy a different statue and pay extra for it?

Great idea!

So we picked out the coolest looking one.

The black elephant with the initials "D.R." on it's butt.

Perfect.

"How much do you want for it?"

No answer.

Brent and I congregated.

More than it's worth... but enough to have some cash left in our pockets.

$60.

Going. Going. Gone.

So that little elephant came home with us all the way back to Colorado.

It then made it's way to our newly wed apartment in Idaho.

It looked so cute sitting there among our few decorations.

Then one day tragedy struck the poor beast.

We're not quite sure how or when it happened...

but it fell over.

cracked...

and revealed it's true identity.

What's this?

It wasn't a brilliantly handcrafted piece of pottery!

It was a cheap piece of dirt disguising itself as something of value.

Suckered!

Cheated!

Betrayed!

And to think I felt guilty about knocking them all over.

Their entire display probably cost $5.

We laughed. Once again.

Well it added to it's humorous tale and gave Brent and I something to really to remember and joke about.

We then brought it all the way over to Martha's Vineyard hoping to someday piece it back together.

It's been glued every which way with every product imaginable.

Even colored with black marker to hide it's blemishes.

No use.

The piece of c*!$ will never be put back together again.

Now we're moving again.

This time without the elephant.

So for memories sake (and the fact that I'm trying to downsize as much as possible) I decided to take a picture of it and bury it once and for all.

So bon voyage you mockery of fine art.

May your makers be very happy they suckered another pitiful tourist.

Our First "Play Date"

2011-05-12T10:21:00.000-04:00

Because I have become such a germ-a-phobe, poor Miss Social Maybeline does not get very much interaction with other babies.

Well my friend down the street was in the middle of a big move

so we got to babysit her son for a bit.

Boy was Maybeline in heaven!

She was all over this little guy, so excited to have a friend over.

It was entertaining seeing them interact with each other.

(No surprise he started crying after this.)

In the end I was thankful not to have twins!

How in the world would I get anything done?

One would cry while the other would be eating something off the ground they shouldn't.

Then they would cry because I just took it away.

Then I see the other was about to fall on their face so I had to catch them

...phew!

No real accidents just a tired babysitter

... and it was only 2 hours.