Ordinary Life

Fisher~Age 2 Celebrating Fisher's first decade. Two Whole Hands ! WE LOVE YOU BUDDY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

 Casting a glance up as we walked across to the rally- that's Mrs. Tingle's  large lettering :)   Safety First!  Learning about the process first hand... Taking pictures in the sun=abstract cropping All Heads Are In The Shot... but not all eyes...  Paul Ryan came to Fernandina Beach today.  The Opening Act (thumb pickin' music) The BrewCrew @ Main Beach  Romney/Ryan Rally~Main Beach Park~Fernandina Beach Little Patriot Flag Waving Is Fun Ryan Arrives...    ...Flags Start Waving  Paul Ryan  ::SPEECH:: ::GO VOTE::

Word spreads quickly in a small town. The rumor that Paul Ryan was coming to town was no exception... you could literally watch the word spread from person to person yesterday, as we watched the stage and enormous flag fill in Main Beach Park.   Secret Service was spotted and security kept a vigil over the set up all night.  We registered last night and printed tickets this morning...  A neighbor brought shared banners with those of us who wanted one. (another neighbor is voting Obama -this may be uncomfortable for her...)  We are walking over now... To Be Continued.... 

Gonna Frame 'Em RYE's FEET ~ Before & After

As Logan practiced for her first audition , Rye convinced her to take a small dance break on the moon:

Rye joined the big girls in a little cheer practice at one of the Brewer Brothers' recent games:

When I had originally talked to the AMTC judge during Logan's audition , she had made a few comments that seemed to tip her hand that she would be calling back, possibly even the same evening. When I went to bed without a phone call, I thought perhaps I had misread her intentions. We started to move into the new week without expecting a call back and with a nod toward what fun we had had going to the audition. But while we were in church yesterday, she left a message on my voice mail and I caught up with her after a few rounds of phone tag. These were her conclusions: Logan is a cute girl with a cute voice. She doesn't have the pitch of the caliber they need but perhaps it is something she can pursue in the coming years. Because she didn't really meet their standards, she couldn't get a call back for singing. However, she is receiving a call back for acting and modeling. Her judge thought she had a natural timing and lean towards acting. She had asked for the modeling...

As I mentioned in the previous post , Logan found out less than 24 hours prior, that AMTC was in town for auditions. With very little time to deliberate, she picked a song and a monologue to sample for her "judge" She didn't truly settle on which pieces she would use until about one hour before these practice videos were taken. I took them to give her feedback as she practiced... and also, to have my sweet girl singing and acting and being brave on film :oP We have about a dozen or more takes of both, but I chose only two of either discipline to share. In all, she probably had appx. an hour and a half of practice time before the real audition. I may be biased, but I think she did a stellar job in that short amount of time. It does make me think that she would be well served by in-depth coaching from people who know singing and acting (as opposed to my off-key-no-acting-still-in-my-own-shell-self) Song ~"I Wish We'd All Been Ready"~ (she'd never heard th...

Logan Aleece Brewer This is Logan.  She has always wanted to be Ariel from The Little Mermaid. Literally. She has asked to dye her hair bright red.  She has threatened to change her name legally once she is of age.  And at least one costume in the past consisted of a mermaid's tail.  So, it should come as no surprise that Logan also wants to "sing and dance" I believe wanting to act is just another way to end up as Ariel on stage someday :)  And the singing... well, we all remember that singing mermaid... and the big ideas she planted in little girls' heads:  "Wish I could be.... part of that world..."  Logan  has "dreamed" of acting or singing or just somehow ending up "on the Disney Channel", but based on her shy nature, we have never really pursued it.  Not to mention, we didn't feel like a career in that industry is always an easy companion with maintaining certain standards. But recently, one of Logan's dear cousins (and frie...

It doesn't take long to share the G.O.S.P.E.L.:

What do you believe? Can you sing it?

Reptar the Birthday Fish did what fish do best;  he died. REPTAR, The Dearly Departed (no worries, he's still alive in well in this candid shot from the family album) RIP~TAR,  Reptar's Stand In Think anyone will notice? Reptar went to Fishy Heaven earlier in the week and Chandler handled it well...as well as these things can be handled, anyway.  So, I'm not trying to fool him, but, there were a few double takes when he woke up to find this paper fish memorial sitting on the kitchen counter.  In his morning fogginess, he had to get right up to the bowl to be sure it wasn't a real fish.   I made this little "memorial " night light out of Reptar's abandoned bowl. ("Who said shrine?!" A shrine would have candles... it's not a shrine!) I made it because no other fish will be moving into Reptar's quarters...  we have all agreed, No More Pets! Rest In Peace, Reptar. You were a wonderful reminder of why we swore off fishy pets the last time... ....

Just a snippet of one of Chandler's recent games:

I came across this video while looking for another song this morning... I like it. As a wife who desires godly leadership, watching this portrayal of men "cross the line of decision" to lay aside "sins which so easily beset"...it is especially beautiful. The video put me in the mindset of things that God has brought our family through as well as things He is still perfecting in our home...things that may never actually be perfect, but are mercifully under His grace. It fanned the flames of gratitude in my heart. I am glad He hasn't stopped at mere salvation - as if that were any small wonder ...Christ redeems ,   restores and  refines me  ...  us .

The kids all enjoy Toca Boca apps... this particular 'snapshot' was the result of one child playing stylist on the  Christmas Hair Salon app...  (not sure which kid, but it definitely wasn't Rye- she gives everyone pink hair) I say "Is it just me or does he kind of favor someone we know...?" Fisher says "...Uncle Ben, kind of..." Logan says "...maybe just a little...from a distance..."  Chan says "...yeah, maybe a little, Big Time!..." You Be The Judge:  See Also: Aunt Barbie ~ * ~ ~ * ~ On another, slightly related note- The new Toca Boca Band app looks like fun.

How we found her sleeping this morning... 

Last night, in our continuing journey through Experiencing God (or back thru, as it were for some) we covered God's desire for a relationship with us that is both real and intimate... the scriptural base for last night was Hosea... Today, when the kids and I started to catch up on our archived DVR Wretched episodes, the topic was Depression--- we were told if we are depressed, we may consider reading our Old Testament... and where else, but Hosea... we were also reminded that we should read it with ourselves in the place of Gomer... A video was shown throughout the television broadcast-apparently a sermon supplement for the included church/ sermon series below. It is a modern take on Hosea & Gomer -  The Big Kids all thought it was an interesting story until I told them that they were Gomer... "Oh, wow ... o.k.... that's c oo l!" said one of my big kids... (not being Gomer, mind you... rather understanding how very, very loved they are by God.) Try it.  You mig...

Last night, while everyone else was at the ball-field, Me and Rye rearranged her toys. We made a 'clubhouse' with the new play door that Grummy & Grandpa brought then filled it with pillows, sock monkeys and books. Here's Rye giving it a try before we finished setting everything up...

Logan is a morning person... sometimes. Logan's oatmeal creation was a decidedly happy one. She wanted to share it with you.  SMILE and have a nutritious day, ya'll. 

SUNNY SNAPSHOT This weekend, Grammy & PaPa came to visit. The Big Kids were excited for days before in anticipation- Chandler sent Google maps to help them arrive at the right place. They worked as a team making up the bed with fresh sheets, creating a pallet on the floor for Logan(she had insisted G&P take her bed instead of going to a hotel). The children were asleep when they arrived (it was after 1 AM) but only a few hours later, we filled the weekend with fun. On Saturday, we all got up early, ran hard and retired weary. We started with Logan's cheer :    PaPa was allowed to push Rye for 3 whole seconds before she protested... she took her own sweet time warming up to  "Grummy & Grandpa"  I'm smiling because I know they have FREE COFFEE inside :)  LoLo & Lilly Logan Aleece Taking a break from the demanding world of cheerleading... We stopped long enough to get cash from an ATM & tea from Zaxbys (sorry, Uncle Ben!) before heading over to ...