Featuring Caleb

Once upon a time there was a bird named Gomo. He lost all of his feathers because he bumped into a tree. Then he asked a squirrel to help him put all his feathers back on. They kept on trying to put the feathers on by just pushing them on Gomo. But that didn't work. Then they tried punching them back on. But then they fell into the sea. A whale was close to them. He swallowed them. Then the whale blows Gomo and the squirrel out of his blowhole and they land in a tree. Then they fell into a Jack-O-Lantern that was swallowed by the whale and shot out through his blowhole! The pumpkin got swallowed by a turtle and they were inside it still. The turtle spits the pumpkin out. Then they get out of the pumpkin. Then they use glue to put Gomo's feathers back on. Then he had to sit somewhere to dry. Then a pig came and wanted to be friends. The End.

By Caleb

Mommy Brain

You've all heard of it. Many of you have had it. I submit that although there may be physiological links to Mommy Brain in the form of endocrinology, there is at least one other culprit.

The lack of time.

When I have time between poopy diapers, bottles, solid food, chauffeuring, and potty-training, I might be able to think things through; be logical; rationalize.

Many times this week I have suddenly had Eureka moments, and immediately realized that those moments should have been much more obvious than they had been.

Today I had a headache. Last week I had a headache for several days, along with some insomnia. Finally, I figured out that I was dehydrated, which gave me the headache, which caused me to have trouble sleeping. Today, I drank water to get rid of the headache, because that's probably why I had a headache, right? Well, it might have been, in part, a logical reason.

After feeding two kids lunch, giving two kids a bottle (did I tell you that I'm watching another 9.5-month-old full time?), packing four kids into the van, taking one kid to school, returning home, and feeding the babies some food and changing their diapers, I realized that I had not yet eaten. My body felt tired, I had the headache, and my stomach hurt. And yet, it never dawned on me that I might just be hungry. (Well, I'm probably dehydrated too, and lack of sleep never helps either.)

My name is Brianne. And I have Mommy Brain.

Next Time I'll Wash the Car by Hand

Go to the bank. It's closed. Make a deposit anyway.

Go to the gas station. Get gas, buy a car wash because we really need one.

Car wash is very clean and wet. Joseph and Savanna are terrified and in tears. End car wash.

Hm. Power-steering goes out. That's strange. On to the Science Center. Car starts beeping unrelentingly. Battery light comes on. Takes all my energy to steer the car and pull into the Science Center parking lot. They're closed. Call my dad (a mechanic among other things). Open the hood. Yep, the serpentine belt is extremely loose.

Go straight to the car repair shop because it will probably overheat very soon. Call Bryan to get directions to car repair shop. Car starts to overheat. Pull over into the car repair shop. Yep, serpentine belt is loose. This model of car needs a water shield thingy that didn't originally come with the van. Apparently, it is common for the high-pressure water car washes to "float the belt." $35 and 2-hour wait.

Which means I got a $42 car wash that took 3 hours, and it's not even that clean.

Bry and Bri in a decade

1. Bri graduated high school.
2. Bry returned from his LDS mission to Portugal.
3. Bry and Bri met.
4. Bry and Bri got married.
5. Caleb was born.
6. Bryan graduated college and ran the BYU school record in the mile.
7. Brianne graduated college and performed a senior recital.
8. Savanna was born.
9. Bryan graduated with a masters.
10. Bryan completed administrator in training program; Joseph was born; Bryan started his first real job.

Happy New Decade!