The Unsinkable

I just started an engaging series Downton Abbey on Netflix from a recommendation from my friend Alison and also my family. I already am hooked! In the first episode a wealthy family is reading the newspaper about the April 1912 Titanic sinking and referred to a multi-millionaire J. J. Astor and his wife as well as to some Crawford family members who had been aboard. It reminded me of Brooke's HAL program dinner theater last spring, a reenactment of the evening of the sinking of the Titanic.

Brooke's friends (who are also siblings) played the parts of J. J. Astor and his very young wife Madeleine who had a scandalous marriage as he divorced his first wife and then married this 18-year-old who was younger than his son from his previous marriage. Mrs. Astor was one of the survivors, but Mr. Astor drowned.

Brooke played the part of Ms. Dorothy Gibson, an actress in first class who also survived.

We ate a scrumptious eight-course meal and had a fun evening quizzing the kids on details about the Titanic.

Brooke's HAL teacher

Spring Music

Happy Arbor Day, Earth Day, and May Day!

Here are just a few smatterings of photos and video taken this spring from Brooke's recent vocal and band concerts. The video images are poor, but you can hear their songs. Brooke was nervous about trying out in solo in front of the entire choir and was wavering about whether to do it. Her music teacher said that when a person tries out, he or she should sing looking at the audience (and not at their feet), sing with courage, have the words memorized, and be able to stay in tune. The courage came, and she gave it a try - which was a really good experience for her, whether or not she would have been chosen to sing. She was selected and was excited about singing in a small group for the third verse of the song, "Ballad of the Underground Railroad" - slaves sang this song in code to help others get to freedom in the North during the Harriet Tubman days.

Brooke at her Vocal Concert


Brooke in Small Group


Dixieland - Choir


These other images are of her band concert. These band members just started playing their instruments last summer and have come a long way in ability since then. They practiced in small groups with other common instruments and have just recently started playing together as an entire 5th grade band.

Brooke on end playing trombone


Star Wars

This Is Not Sunny San Diego

So while Stewart is off at a history conference in sunny, 70 degree F, San Diego, we are back home having our 6th snow day, mostly staying inside. But hey, we don't really mind being at home, catching up on reading, playing Legos, learning new magic tricks, and watching movies.







Snow banking up next to our 4-ft fence


Snow mound near our driveway


Bella would really rather be in sunny San Diego


And if you're still wanting some leftover holiday cheer, tune in to Brooke's recent Christmas piano concert - (the images are fuzzy, but the sound is better. First pause our "Tunes on the Fly" box, so you can hear the piano music):

Ukrainian Carol - Brooke - Piano


Pat-a-Pan - Brooke and Chloe - Piano duet

Welcome 2010!

This next slideshow is of the Minnesota gathering of the Brewer and Conner families. We were grateful to have family photos and then celebrate New Year's Eve with a dinner and party, and finally have sweet Elizabeth's baby blessing. Many thanks to Jerry and Jen for all they did for the gathering and to Robin and Darren's family for traveling by van round-trip 56 hours to get there and back. Good to spend time with family and fun for the cousins to play.

Christmas with Family in Wisconsin

This slide show has some photos from Brooke's music concerts - trombone, choir, and piano. The rest is of memories of the time with my family in Wisconsin over Christmas week. It was so good to come home and spend time with Mom and Dad, plus Taylor and Darin and Derrick and Amy's families, and the dogs. Thanks Mom and Dad for all you did and do for us and for your abundant love!

Gingerbread and Cookies

It has been a good week. I love the live music at Christmas time and have enjoyed Brooke's recent choir performances (at three different locations, not at once ...:), trombone and baritone ensemble (performed twice), and piano concert (just one performance, thankfully!!). Because of THREE snow days in a row recently, most of Brooke's concerts were rescheduled to this past week plus the ones that were already on the schedule. She missed one of them because of having the flu. I wanted to post some pictures or video of them, but it was getting late tonight, and I just wanted to put something up quick instead of taking time to sort through the various recital videos. So those will be forthcoming... Instead now you will get a few simple photos from today.

All three of us talked in church today for the Christmas program; Brooke's first time being on the regular sacrament program (besides for primary). Later I took Brooke and her Chinese friend (who recently moved here) to a gingerbread display held at the visitor's center near the LDS temple. Each year youth and adults make wonderful gingerbread scenes, truly some remarkable talent in the area. I posted a few pictures of some of our favorite ones. Our friends made an incredible "Twas the Night Before Christmas" display. We also really like the "Noah's Ark" and "Pumpkin Patch and Farm." The last photo is back at home finally decorating some Christmas cookies.

It's a Wonderful Life

Last night we set up the tree. Brooke put up most of the ornaments herself. Later, as we were sitting in the glow of the Christmas lights and talking, Brooke was saying that she likes her childhood. These are part of her childhood memories. We would miss any family member that is not here. We have a mom, a dad, a child, and a dog. Our family is whole, even though we feel small or have other experiences that leave us aching or wanting including living with the seemingly unfairness of life.

But she is right. We do have a wonderful life and glad to have life itself. We have so much to be thankful for. We are thankful for our nuclear and extended family, friends, for the gospel of Jesus Christ, for our warm home and jobs, school, health, for living here, and for this time of year.




Bella is really not the reindeer kind of dog.

Thanksgiving 09

Mom and Dad and Derrick and Amy's family came to our house this Thanksgiving. Many blessings! Glad to spend time together. Enjoy the slideshow...

Slumber Party!

Brooke at her last swim meet.



Dad made hot dogs and Brooke's favorite homemade mac and cheese.


Bella really wanted some of our dinner.


Mom holding the magnificent strawberry birthday cake (at least in taste!)


According to Brooke's friends, she has "one" boyfriend.


The birthday crew


Making ribbon hair bands - they turned out really pretty


The PJs


Good-night everyone.

Something Sparkly

Brooke's getting ready to have another birthday. She worked up the courage to...






Notice anything new and sparkly? Look really closely. (Click on the photo to enlarge it.) She chose her birthstone color and loves having her ears pierced now!

What a Halloween!

Brooke was dressed for Halloween in her white cat costume by 10 a.m. Her girl scout troop was going Halloween rollerskating and collecting children's books for a service project. Fun!






Halloween Mom




Halloween Dog


Halloween Dad


Later on Halloween, Brooke met up with her friend Sydney. They were excited about going trick or treating together.


They had a great trick-or-treating night including stopping at Brooke's teacher's house, one of the nursing homes, and at their school for a party. In her stash of Halloween loot, Brooke's favorite items besides the Butterfingers were a squishy toy rat and a pop from her teacher.


Halloween Moon in Nebraska. It was a really pretty, clear night, and we were glad it didn't rain.

The Fix-It Guy

Last night Stewart was tightening a slightly leaky shower faucet. At times he has given our daughter fatherly advice such as:

When you get married, it'd be nice to find someone who knows how to cook. It would be helpful if they know how to clean, too.

Last night he remarked:
When you get married, make sure it is a guy who knows how to fix stuff.

Brooke: Dad, couldn't I just call you?

Butterfly Morning

Stewart says, "We were walking out the door to go to school. I was asking Brooke a question about that day and noticed she wasn't paying attention to me. She was staring at the driveway. We both walked over there, and she picked up this butterfly. We stood there for awhile and watched it flex its wings. Then we took it over to the flowerbed, to the Lamb's Ear plant, and set it on the leaves. I snapped a few quick photos on my phone and then emailed them to Brooke later that afternoon. That was a nice memory that morning."

Fall in Wisconsin

Last week Brooke and I headed up to Wisconsin for a very short weekend. Many in my hometown celebrate Dam Days (I know, who named this anyway?) after the completion of the large earthen dam (vs. a Marshan one?). The celebration was in swing with lots of activities for the kids and many neighborhood garage sales. Mom and Dad had a massive garage sale (including a "for sale" sail boat) and spent a good part of the week organizing, sorting, and back-hurting-lifting heavy items (ugh!) in preparation. Isaac, Brooke, and Jake happily sold apples and lemonade at the sale. Amy kept up with some of the kids at the youth olymics and took pictures while Derrick, Taylor, and I worked our way through the 10K race. We met up at the end for the closing ceremonies and later enjoyed watching the bike race, train ride, and Folliez talent show that Dad has directed for years. I can hardly remember a time before the Folliez existed. Brooke had a pre-Folliez piano practice, but I did not get a picture of her actually performing (I was turning piano pages). She was surprised when the audience started snapping as she played the Pink Panther at the performance, but she kept up with the beat. And the little kids were very cute dancing, strumming their imaginary guitars, and even just staring at the audience and stage lights (deer in the headlights) during the song. Definitely some up and coming talent!! ;) And always great to see family!

Stewart has branched out on his own

Stewart recently decided to create his own blog space where he could do, well, whatever it is he does.  Head on over to his new blog to check it out.  http://stewartbrewer.blogspot.com/

Your Highness Logic

Today I'm home from work with Brooke who is sick with a cold. Here is a Brooke joke from a few days ago:

Brooke: If we call queens "Your Highness," shouldn't we call kings "Your High-ner" (like waitress and waiter)?
(Laughter)

Then Brooke asked Stewart for help with something.
Stewart to Brooke: Sure, Your High-nie!
Brooke (thinking in her head before her dad's above remark): And princesses and princes should be called "Your High-nie!"

Brooke and Stewart kept laughing and jesting about "your heinie" and about whose joke it was.
(More peels of laughter...)

Summer Gardening and Weddings

O.K., here are more pictures from our summer garden, especially the giant watermelon. Most years Brooke has wanted to grow watermelon, but they've never survived until this year. Here she is happily holding her mammoth one that we will be eating for awhile - breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.



"Hurry and take the picture, Mom, this watermelon is getting heavy."


So juicy!

Stewart said in Spanish cantaloupe is - melon'. He asked a native Spanish speaker on his mission about saying watermelon: melon de aqua (translating literally - melon of water). The person looked puzzled (because there was no such word) and then realized what he was asking, "No, no, no - sandia."




More summer gardens in our backyard - Stewart's freshly mowed grass looks very nice - and it wasn't even in the dark this time (referring to Facebook).


The other pictures are of a reception this past Friday. The bride had been one of my former Young Women at church as a teenager several years ago. I woke up Friday morning and thought, oh... it's Rachel's special day today and remembered the morning of our wedding, too, getting ready on THE DAY. It's wonderful to see them so happy starting this new life together.


Brooke LOVED their blue cake. Someone said it reminded them of something out of a Dr. Suess book. It so reflects the bride's personality - creative, fun-loving, and happy.


The darling couple


Rachel full of smiles