{New} Busy Bee

Visit our blog for an update :)

{New} The Last week of Summer

Come visit our blog to read about what I will be doing for my last week of summer!

oh.my.

new post here

{NEW} Four Wheelin'

Check out the blog to read about our Four-Wheeling adventure!

Happy Birthday MOM!!

Read HERE about my sweet Mom's birthday!

{New} Getting Ready

Come by and read about how I am getting ready for school. It is a little bit crazy but I am excited!

{New} Tim McGraw Concert!

Check out our blog to see how the Tim McGraw Concert was!

{New} Bountiful Baskets!

Check out the blog to read about Bountiful Baskets and all the food we got from this awesome program. It is almost guaranteed you will join the craze!

{New} Ogden Pioneer Days Rodeo!

Visit our private blog to read about the adventures we had this year at the Ogden Pioneer Days Rodeo!

New Post -- Softball!

Check out our private blog to read about our Softball league and see a pic of the team! If you aren't invited to read, leave a comment with your email address and I will add you!

A Separate "Private" Blog...

I decided instead of completely abandoning this blog I would so what a sister of a sister-in-law of mine did. Does this sound like a hoax? I promise, it is not. Because Blogger isn't really savvy enough to add updates on the reader for those blogs that are private, I will just add a short update telling a little bit about what the update on the private blog is. If you didn't get an invite to my private blog, leave me your email address and I will delete the comment once I have sent you an invite :) thanks again for all your patience. I think this will be much better considering the multiple comments I received in chinese (or whatever it is) on the post that was about how I hated getting those. Kind of ironic. 

The private blog is jeffandmelbrewer.blogspot.com  

Have a great day!!

Invited!

Hi Everyone- 


I know there probably aren't even that many who even read this blog, but in any case, I am going to be going private. It just seems too weird that I keep getting these strange comments and this seems like the best solution! 


I will leave this message up for a week and then at the end of this week I will be switching my blog over to private. 


Leave your email address in a comment if you want to keep updated on our ever-so-exciting life :)


xxoo,


Melissa

Private or no?

Click on the comments for this post and see what I'm talking about!!!

Okay, I need some help from my fellow bloggers out there... I have been getting the MOST random comments written in Chinese or Japanese or Korean or something that I cannot read and I do not know who the people writing the comments are. Maybe some of you have experienced the same thing? I feel like I am the only one out there who keeps getting these creepy comments! Whenever I get one I will usually click on the user and it takes me to a blog that is empty. It just kind of weirds me out. I have changed the settings on my comments, required a word verification, and nothing seems to work. Should I go private? What are your thoughts? I really need help with this one!

Do your best, enjoy the rest.

All things volleyball!

Since I was hired as the volleyball coach at Viewmont, I have been immersed full throttle in getting everything in order... Fundraising, Jerseys, Shoes, Socks, Warm ups, knee pads, ankle braces, Sweats, Coaches shirts, new balls, scorebooks.. blah blah blah blah blah. There is so much to worry about and at times I wish I could just crawl in a closet underneath the stairs and hide from all these things that are haunting me! I can't wait until all this "extra" stuff is ordered and over with so we can finally get to the playing and practicing and competing part! That is the fun stuff, not this icky ordering and worrying about fundraising and having enough money to get all the gear we need. The volleyball part is what I love and can't wait to get going.

I have gained a whole new perspective for the coaches and the team. I have been on a team since I can remember. Been a part of that unit and family that constantly is spending time together, not only in the gym, but also just to hangout because you spend so much time in the gym together that your best friends are the people on your team so you hangout with them outside of your sport too. I miss that. However, I feel like I am getting a small part of that back with this calling I have been given. I have the opportunity to make a new family... only this time I am not a player. I am the coach. I realize that this is really going to be a tough job. But, it is also an incredibly fun and rewarding job as well.

I love it and I am so happy where I am in my life right now.

It is all about our attitudes. I was having a hard day last week and I felt like nothing was going right. I had so much to work out, so much to order that I really didn't understand how to do, so much to plan and prepare, I was about going crazy. I know everyone has a day like that once in a while, but I just felt like I wasn't sure how I would do everything. Then I realized. I don't have to do everything. It got me thinking about my wedding and how we planned and planned and tried to prepare everything we could before it came up. I honestly don't even remember if we forgot anything because at the time, it didn't matter. You prepare the most you can for what is to come and when the time comes that your preparation meets opportunity, you just enjoy the ride. You take what you get and if you forget something, you deal with it. Isn't that how life is? I realize that I worry way too much about things that, in the end, might not matter one bit. Enjoying the experience and appreciating what you do have is the most important aspect that I can take from this experience. Yes, there is a lot to work on and prepare for, but in the end, the most important thing is that the girl's have the best experience they can possibly imagine. And about 90% of that experience is how they perceive it to be.

I am so thankful for experiences like this that illustrate how important it is to enjoy life's experiences and take advantage of all the joy that life has to offer. Sometimes we might think that there is no way we will get everything done... I say... who cares! Do your best and enjoy the rest. 



PS... If you or your business is interested in being a sponsor for our volleyball team, send me an email to melissa.brewcrew@gmail.com and I will send you the information. Thanks!

There is a baby on the way!

But it is NOT mine :)

I now have TWO sister in laws who are prego! Last night, Jaimi threw a birthday party for West at a park near their new house. It was such a fun party and during present-opening West opened a baby toy and diapers and made the announcement that Jaimi was expecting! We are so thrilled and excited for them to add another baby to the mix! Jaimi is 3 weeks behind Ashlie (who is 16 weeks! yay!).

 I cant wait to be an aunt to these two new babies! 

Happy 4th!!

The 4th of July is such an amazing time of year. It is a time when we have the opportunity to think of and remember the people who serve and have served for our country and our freedom. Both Jeff and my family celebrate the 4th of July in Bear Lake every year. In fact, this is where Jeff and I met. It is such a memorable place for us because it was where our first "hangout" happened and where all the romance started :) 

This year we went on a hike to Bloomington Lake. It is always so much fun because at this time the glacier hasn't completely melted and all the boys sled down the glacier and into the lake. Usually the girls will participate, but not this year! The water was WAY too cold. So, we watched and laughed and had a great time on our hike! 

Poor Jeff cut his foot on the Sky Ski the day before he came to Bear Lake so he wasn't able to go sledding down the ice and snow. But he did go off the rope swing and plunged into the icy water! Crazy boys!

Jeff and I hanging out in Bloomington.

Jeff and Jake were waiting in line to go on the rope swing. Are they crazy?? The water was FREEZING! And there was a line? They couldn't talk me into it that is for sure! Everyone knows how much I love being cold. haha!

Watching the rope swingers!

The man on the left who is about to go on the rope swing is Jeff's uncle Brian. He is 53 years old and he did a gainer off the rope swing! Pretty amazing right? He works out. Oh, and he is single, so if you know any ladies who are interested!! 

We always have so much fun at Bear Lake and we especially did this year too. It was pretty cool because this year Ideal Beach had a bunch of different contests that the residents could participate in including sand castle creations, side walk chalk art, volleyball tournaments and others! Jeff and I recruited 3 teams (6 players on a team) from both our families and we all played in the Volleyball Tournament! It was so much fun. Our team took the title home with us, of course :) haha, no it was really fun though and everyone was cheering both teams on and we had such a blast playing with our family. You can never go wrong with Bear Lake... you have the sun, the sailboats, the tubes, the grass, the hot tubs, the tennis courts, anything you can think of! But, the best part is having your family there. It was a great 4th!

Forever and Always

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Brewer

Last week on July 1, 2010, Jeff's brother Thomas was married to the love of his life, Whitney! It was such an amazing day with such beautiful sun and sky and just perfect all around. We were so excited to be able to spend this special occasion with them. 

Jeff and I were both able to attend the marriage ceremony. I love witnessing ceremonies because they are always so different and unique. Thomas and Whitney were sealed by Tom and Jeff's Grandpa Don's Brother, Phil. He brought such a special spirit to the ceremony and I absolutely loved his focus on finding joy in the world. It was beautiful.

Richard, Jacob, and Jeff waiting outside of the temple for the bride and groom to come out! Such a beautiful day!

Jeff and Heidi. She is growing up way too fast!

It is always so fun to spend the day at the temple with family. I am so blessed to have been born into an amazing family and also to have married into such a great family. I love them so much!

The little ones waiting to see the beautiful bride!

Here they are coming out of the temple!

They are so sweet to each other. I love the pictures of when the bride and groom come out of the temple because you can see the love and excitement in their eyes. It is so fun to see that pure, true love! It is a reminder to all of us to always act like newlyweds :)

Greeting everyone!

I forgot to take pictures at the reception but it was beautiful beyond description! There were calla lillies everywhere and the yummiest treats - cookies of every kind! Ice cream! - It was such a fun atmosphere. 

Congratulations Tom and Whit!

This little girl is so awesome!

I have seen this video all over, but I just had to post it. Little Jessica says it all. So take the 50 seconds to watch this little ball of sunshine and you will probably watch it over and over again like I did because she is so darn cute! I need to say my own daily affirmations!!

Great Summer Nights!

Can I just tell you how much I love summer nights. Oh, it feels so so good to be able to spend the evening outside with a light jacket and not feel too cold. We have really been enjoying living up here in Mtn. Green for the summer and we know that we will be leaving this paradise soon. too soon. So, we are relishing and living in every moment we can here. 

We feed the chickens. 

Take care of the horses.

Watch the cows graze. 

Mow the lawn and trim the edges. 

Fix broken sprinklers (well, Jeff does that)

Play with the goats and feed them little treats. 

Roast hot dogs and marshmallows with family and friends. 

Enjoy each other's company.

See the beauty that is ALL around us. 

the mountains

the rivers

the tall grass

the small ponds

the green trees

the incredible animals

the birds

the critters

everything.

I can't start missing this place just yet, I have to enjoy it while it is here.

We had Heidi, Brett, Jill, Tom, and Whit up for a nice weinie roast. It was perfect weather and oh.so.fun!

love.these.ladies.

Nothing better than sitting around the fire with your best friends. 

Last night I had a strange dream. I usually dream often, but they never really stay with me like this dream stuck. I remember running. I was running from 3 men, but I was with 2 other girls. It was us 3 against them. I do not know the reason I was running, but they were chasing us in their white sedan. I remember the car specifically, though I am not sure why. I was running in and out of houses (or buildings? I don't know.) Hiding anywhere we could find, underneath desks and behind doors, behind buildings and gardens. They would find us...me, but never hurt or attempt to hurt me. I was scared though. I felt threatened by them and I did not want to get caught. I kept running, they kept chasing. I ran into rooms I did not recognize. But, I felt like I was looking for something. Maybe something they did not want me to find? I also remember a specific instance when I got caught. The man was holding something, but I don't remember what it was. A weapon? I don't know. He had brown hair and facial hair. He turned his back on me and I escaped. He seemed like he did not really know what he was doing. After I escaped, I could hear someone looking for me. I ran through one room, into another room and thought to hide behind the door, but no, that would be an easy find. So I slid underneath and desk and crouched in a ball. then I woke up. 

dreams are SO weird sometimes. 

One Year Anni!

Beautiful view on the drive home from BL. I love the clouds in this picture.

ps. Sorry the pictures are out of order... Im too tired to organize them.

Jeff and I celebrated our one year anniversary on Friday. It is so crazy to think that we have been married for a whole year. It just flew by and it was the best year of my life! Being married to Jeff has been the most natural and comfortable experience. I thought maybe it would take some getting used to or lots of adjustments, but other than actually having to worry about what to make for dinner, it has been awesome. I must admit that I am not good at deciding what to have for dinner. It would be so much easier if someone would just decide for me and I could just make it. I don't know why the decision of what to eat is the hardest for me, but it is!

Hanging out at the beach. It was so relaxing!

I have always heard people say that the first year of marriage is the hardest and that you really have to change your life and your priorities. I definitely think that the changing part is true, but if this was the hardest part of our marriage, then I would have to say that I can't believe how easy it has been. Yes, the worrying about money and saving and what we can afford and worrying about work has been stressful, but I have never once felt like it has put any kind of stress on our relationship and our ability to communicate or work through an issue. Jeff is so incredibly patient with me! Especially when I don't understand something (usually about finances or loans or adult stuff) and he never has a short temper with me. I love him so much and would not be who I am today if it weren't for him. He makes me a better person everyday and we compliment each other so well.

Jeff was determined to beat this level on a game on his iPhone. Love this swimsuit of his!

We felt like we were in Mexico! It was so so so nice outside! Hot sun!

I hear some women say that their husbands never do the dishes or the laundry or they never work in the yard with them, and I think of Jeff and he does all those things with me. He probably does them more than me because he is always on top of things and getting those tedious jobs out of the way so that we can have more time to play. But, I really do feel so blessed to have an eternal companion who is such a strong and perfect example of the Christ-like attributes that I am constantly trying to be better at - serving others, being humble, working hard, never gossiping or talking about others, always thinking of what other people need and then actually helping them out.

just us

Anyway, enough of the sappy-ness... for our anniversary we decided to go to Bear Lake for the weekend and just hangout with each other. I love Bear Lake so much. I grew up loving it and going up there every summer with my family. but I love it especially more because Bear Lake is where Jeff and I first "met." And I say "met" because we have known each other, in a way (mostly through our families) probably since we were in diapers. Or at least since I was in diapers.

Jeff enjoying the scenery. the water is beautiful at Bear Lake. Love it.

Our first fun little hangout and the first time we ever really talked was in Bear Lake. It was such a fun night. I remember Jeff had come down to the beach where I was hanging out with my 5 year old cousin, Gracie. Well, he brought his cousin's little boy, Tyler, down to the beach with him (the babies always get the girls, right? haha) while his family was up at the condo eating lunch. I think he did not want ANYONE knowing that he was talking to me and pretty much flirting with me ;) Anyway, later that night he asked me if I wanted to go on a scooter ride and of course I said yes. (he was a total babe! How could I say no?!) On the scooter ride he was totally flirting with me and I just had this feeling that there was something more to this boy than the other boys.

The cake. MMmmmmm it was delicious. Actually pretty moist. Red Velvet with buttercream frosting. Delish!

The cake looks pretty good for being frozen for a year!!

I know this is really cliche and way cheesy, but for some reason I just knew that he was the one. He was the man I would marry and I knew it before I really knew him. It sounds creepy to say it out loud, but when it is right, you just know it is right. There is a different feeling that is so hard to describe other than you just know what the feeling is and it feels good and different. Almost like an answer to a prayer that you are really praying so hard for and then you just know the answer. Anyway, I am so glad that Jeff felt the same way. He told me that he was scared to start dating me... not because he was scared of me, but because he said he just knew that if we started dating that we would eventually get married. I am glad he felt the same thing that I felt.

At Tepanyaki's

the famous volcano... notice the Lava coming down the sides. I hadn't seen that addition before!

Anyway, the whole day was great! While I was waiting for Jeff at home, the doorbell rang and when I went to the door, no one was there.... except there were flowers and a gift certificate to get my hair done at this awesome salon that a friend of ours works at. It was such a fun surprise and I absolutely LOVED the flowers. My favorite flowers are Gerbera Daisies and he had gotten me a full bouquet of them. It was so sweet! Before we went to the Lake, Jeff took me to dinner at Tepanyaki's in Layton (after his softball game, of course) and it was such a fun dinner! We had the BEST server. He was so entertaining and had the coolest tricks up his sleeve. This restaurant was a Japanese restaurant and they prepare your food at your table, similar to Benihana's. Anyway, it was great and so fun, even though the people at the other end of our table were really weird... we had a great time!

The beautiful flowers Jeff left for me at the front door. I LOVE them!

That night we drove to the Lake and got there in time to have a slice of our wedding cake! I was a little worried that it hadn't been stored or wrapped the right way, but it was surprisingly really yummy! I ended up having a piece both nights we were in Bear Lake! It was great. We did a lot of fun things at the Lake. We hungout at the beach, got some sun, played some great tennis, went on a date Cafe Sabor for dinner, went to the Motor Lodge for breakfast and had delicious French Toast, hungout at the beach some more, threw the softball around, and even got into the freezing cold Bear Lake water! It was the best time because I got to spend the whole weekend with my best friend! After one year, I can honestly say that I am so so excited for the many years to come. It has been the best year of my life!

I love you, Jeff!