Happy Brookers

1/52 { all natural }

2012-01-06T12:51:00.000-06:00

Paint the Moon Photography Let's Do 52 Photo Project
Theme: All Natural

Aaron's 29th Birthday

2011-10-31T12:54:00.000-05:00

Trip to Omaha

2011-10-15T15:25:00.004-05:00

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-08T15:26:00.000-05:00

Girls Day. East Village.

2011-09-27T15:24:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Grandpa Jim!

2011-09-25T12:11:00.000-05:00

Autumn

2011-09-20T16:19:00.000-05:00

Elias Chatting with Kearney Grandma

2011-09-15T15:33:00.000-05:00

Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-05T12:27:00.000-05:00

Elias meeting Grand Grandma Helen Cole

FaceTime with Aaron back in Iowa

Elias with Auntie Monica & Giana

Elias with Great Grandpa Bill and Mary Hughes

Great Aunt Sue Cole and cousin Holly Cole

Mary's got the touch!

Generations! Great Grandpa Bill Hughes, Beth (Hughes) Cole, Laura (Cole) Brooker and Elias Brooker

Great Aunt Karen Berreckman with Kennedy and Claire (Berreckman) Bazata

How's my hair?

Goofballs!

Sleep all day.

2011-08-31T11:42:00.000-05:00

1 Month Old

2011-08-27T11:41:00.000-05:00

Watch out! Stroller on the trail.

2011-08-15T10:58:00.000-05:00

Elias Chatting with Kearney Grandma

2011-08-10T07:30:00.003-05:00

Photo Shoot

2011-08-08T10:45:00.000-05:00

1 Week Old

2011-08-08T10:23:00.004-05:00

Birth Story

2011-07-28T11:00:00.002-05:00

5:30 p.m. - I started to feel some regular cramping and decided that I would go for a walk. Most every one I had talked with had encouraged me to keep moving to progress labor along. Most people also said to prepare to be in "early labor" for a long time. It was hot outside and I walked about 3 miles while talking on the phone to my friend Tamara. I remember saying to her, "Wouldn't it be something if I was actually in labor right now!"

6:30 p.m. - I had called Aaron at work and let him know that maybe my contractions had started. I don't think he cared to take a chance either way and he made his way home early to be with me. He was excited!

7:30 p.m. - We ate dinner. Laid down on the couch and watched television and talked. I was doing my laundry because I had yet to pack a bag for the hospital. I remember thinking, "I don't want to go in too early and have to wait or be sent home." Thus, the delay in packing my bag. Not going to lie. I was scurrying around quite a bit getting everything in order. I hadn't even washed all of the baby clothes yet! Next time, I think I will do that a little differently.

11:30 a.m. - We went to bed. The last load of laundry was in the washer/dryer and I could hear it clunking around downstairs. As usual, I was uncomfortable and I was laying on my side looking at BabyCenter.com on my phone. By this time my contractions hadn't let up, but they were not very painful. I think I was still skeptical whether or not I was actually in labor. I was reading on BabyCenter.com other mom's stories of how their labor started, etc. trying to see if my symptoms matched any of theirs.

12:30 a.m. - I got up to go to the bathroom and I felt a gush - my water broke! Aaron was sound asleep so I waddled to the bathroom and looked at my pants. I was shocked! I was immediately giddy and nervous trying to think of what to do next. I tiptoed back into the dark bedroom and woke up Aaron. He bolted up out of bed and started quickly gathering things to take to the hospital. We called the midwife and told her what had happened and she said, "Yep, take a shower, get your things together and go to the hospital."

It took us a while to get everything together. Once my water had broken the contractions were stronger and more painful that before. I just remember thinking, "This is it. This is it!"

2:30 a.m. - We arrived at the hospital to check-in. This part took a long time because we had to be checked and wait for a room. I was doing my best to cope with the waiting, but I wanted to get in a room and get settled in. I tried really hard to just stay relaxed and remember:

"When fear is present, pain is present. Release the fear."

3:30 a.m. - Our midwife, Beth, had arrived and the nurse had successfully gotten a "good heartbeat" of the little guy so I was free to move around. Prior to that, I had to lay on my back so they could monitor the baby and it was terrible. I remember thinking all I wanted to do was curl up in the fetal position. I was a little mouthy with the nurse and Aaron and once everyone left the room Aaron made a point to tell me, "Get it together. You are doing it. You can do it. Stop acting crazy!"

I could not have done it without Aaron. Could not have done it.

4:00 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. - was just breathing, moving, swaying, kneeling in the bathtub, squatting, humming and more swaying. I'm not sure at what point I said, "I'm ready to push," but when it was time I wanted to stand up to push. So, they put up the squat bar on the bed and I stood on the bed, above everyone, and pushed each time I had a contraction. It felt SO GOOD to be able to push and feel progress. I remember trying extra hard to push when I wasn't having a contraction and quickly realizing I can't work without the help of my body. I also remember thinking:

"Trust your baby, he knows what to do."

5:19 a.m. - Once his head was out I could feel his body rotate and slide down. I was in complete awe. Total mouth-open awe, like, "did that just happen?" Aaron was wide eyed, too. You'll have to ask him about it :)

We were going to name him Asa, but when Aaron went to look at him he came back over to me and said, "He doesn't look like an Asa." I smiled really big. "Okay then," I said, "what other names do we like?" We quickly agreed on Elias because it was the English translation for the Greek name Elijah meaning "The Lord is my God".

Elias didn't cry much. He kept his mouth closed and made some noises but he was pretty calm. I wonder if the all natural labor had anything to do with that? I'm not sure.

He caught on to nursing very well and we kept him in our room one night and sent him to the nursery for one night so we could get some sleep.

Grandma and Grandpa Brooker and Grandma Cole made the long drive as quickly as possible to be with us in the hospital. Grandpa Gary and Uncle Jeff came a couple days later to visit us at home.

TRUE Special Delivery

2011-07-27T11:00:00.013-05:00

Elias James Brooker

July 27, 2011 at 5:19 a.m.

8 lbs, 10 oz

21 inches

Proud Daddy

Proud Mama

Very Proud Grandmas

We are in love! Birth story to follow.

special delivery

2011-07-26T12:37:00.000-05:00

I have some exciting news to share.

Perhaps you knew our family has dabbled in Kettle Corn for 10+ years. Well, this year marks an expansion into the retail sector as Land Alive™ Kettle Corn.

This means that you could pick up a bag of delicious kernels on a shelf near you!

Would you like to offer Land Alive™ Kettle Corn in your local store? Or do you have a special event coming up? Fill out this form and someone will be in touch with you soon.

So, as they say, from our family to yours - taste happiness!

date night at {home}

2011-07-20T12:52:00.001-05:00

before a baby comes

date night at home

chipotle inspired dish

quality time

animated movie - Rango

secret stash of gummy worms

life will change

date night is where you are

home

the hill.

2011-07-15T07:42:00.002-05:00

Rumor has it, that at one point in history the street in front of our house had waters so high a man was able to dock his boat on the side of this hill. It's nice to know if the canal ever floods again we will be high and dry :)

Until then, here's how Aaron handles the hill every 2-3 weeks.

Strrrrrrretch!

this moment.

2011-07-11T08:35:00.000-05:00

A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

* I got this idea from my friend's blog. Thanks Leah :)

It's Monda--er, Tuesday!

2011-07-05T11:06:00.000-05:00

Just like that, we are off and running in July.

Here are a few snapshots from our holiday weekend. We enjoyed a yard party at a friend's house and then everyone headed to the mighty Mississippi to watch fireworks.

Here's a few seconds of the grand finale. Sorry for the glaring lightpost on the right side.

We missed being with family, that's for sure. So, we decided to dig out the ice cream maker and enjoy one of Aaron's favorite family traditions -- homemade ice cream!

We made plenty to share, but the neighbors and kids outside were more interested in bottle rockets than homemade ice cream with berries. More for us, I guess.

I had to laugh as I read my friend's Facebook status this morning, she said:

Having successfully completed the "preparation", "party", "second wind" and "crash" phases of the holiday weekend, we have now entered the "recovery" phase. This phase is typically the longest, lasting anywhere from 1 to 3 days. Dramatic changes occur during this time in the living environment, energy level and attitude & will likely include vows to not repeat the cycle next year. Happy July 5th, everyone.

Here's to a great week! Love you all!

baby month.

2011-07-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

“Birth is God’s time. It can’t be rushed or programmed to suit anyone’s clock. It is a time to simply be there, respecting the woman’s space and the natural rhythms of her body. Think of how time ceases to have relevance when you are caught up in the presence of God worshiping Him or when you are in love and spending time with your beloved. Time flies by and you barely notice. Birth time is the timing of nature. Who knows when spring will come? Can a budding flower be found open? Yet in time, these things unfold. So does birth. Visit the ocean and see the rhythm of the waves on the shore. That right there teaches you, deep within, so much about the patterns, rhythms and power of labor.” – Julie Bell

candid camera.

2011-06-23T21:36:00.000-05:00

Muahaha :) I love him.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

We are fortunate to live one block away from the bike path. We've spent a couple mornings together walking a couple miles in either direction and back again. It's good talk time. Good think time.

Please note: yes, I'm wearing a bandana. If this is not okay would someone comment and bring me up to speed. I won't be embarrassed. I feel uninformed if it is okay now that I'm no longer at 7th grade summer camp.

Also. 35 weeks preggo on Sunday.

Did I tell you that I secretly think I'm actually a week ahead? So secretly 36 weeks.

Wooooooah buddy.

Anyway. We'd love to hear from you, or tell us what you have planned for the weekend.

Love to you!
A+L

truth.

2011-06-22T21:25:00.003-05:00

Moving requires change. And change is hard for some people. If you’re one of those people… remember that it’s not about you. It’s about God and his mission. You are one of God’s people, chosen by Him and sent on mission to restore all things to Him in and through the person and work of Jesus Christ. That’s why we do what we do. If church was about us, we’d do what was most comfortable. But because it’s about Him and His mission, we do things that are uncomfortable. Like moving.
Bob Thune (via sacred city church, via ryanbrancheau)

Rental sweet rental.

2011-06-22T20:38:00.002-05:00

Moving is serious business.

Luckily, my nesting juices and Aaron's previous "don't worry, I-worked-for-a-moving-service" attitude set us up for success.

Here's an aerial view of our patio on moving day.

Why is it that we have to accumulate so much stuff? That's a topic for another post altogether.

I will continue on with the moving details...

We left Omaha, Aaron in the Uhaul and I in the trusty Buick, and when we pulled up to our new home our friends had tied balloons to the front porch.

What a welcome! I had a tear.

Not to mention, 2 hours and 25 people later the entire truck was unloaded, boxes were unpacked, our bed and crib (gasp) was set up and our new friends were sitting around getting to know each other.

It was AH-mazing.

I'm usually the type to "do it myself, thanks" but I'm so thankful I didn't stop that train.

Here's a short video tour.

Sent with love.

2011-06-22T19:35:00.000-05:00

Before we moved some Omaha friends and family showered Baby Brooker with love and prayers to send us on our way. Here are a few snapshots from the sunny afternoon festivities.

Me and my "moms". I am 30 weeks pregnant.

There is no more perfect of a gift than mini-Chuck Taylors! Thanks Auntie Lindsey!

Prayers. Advice. Sending.

More than the gifts we received on this day, which we are extremely grateful for, I will remember what it felt like to be surrounded by so many good friends. My heart felt overwhelmed as I tried to thank every one for their gifts and for the role they've played in my life with their friendship. I felt happy to be surrounded and so loved, but I also felt sad to leave and a little scared for what was to come.

Thank you friends for hosting such a wonderful party. I won't soon forget it.

{LoVE} Valentine's Day 2011

2011-02-15T12:18:00.001-06:00

This year we spread some love around with cookies and Kettle Corn popped fresh and delivered by my brother at Capitol Kettle Korn. Stop by his website if you ever have a craving. It's good and they will ship to you!

I woke up to pretty pink flowers and coupons for everything from a trip to the store to, well, you get the idea. I planned a special dinner for Aaron and gave him a pack of Boddingtons Pub Ale and replenished his supply of white v-neck t-shirts and athletic socks.

After dinner we watched the Bachelor and ate sweet tarts.

Lastly, there was one thing that made the day a little sweeter... Aaron's new startup - Fantasy Disc Golf - blew up thanks to an online story at the Professional Disc Golf Association website and received hundreds of new signups and Facebook fans.

Congratulations goes out to you Aaron and Rob.

Ah, what a sweet day to remember.

ARTS & Crafts

2011-02-08T13:03:00.000-06:00

Miss Anna stayed at our house for a couple days and wanted to spend all her free time doing arts and crafts. Here's what she had to show for herself after two days.

Now, go create something!

Let's catch up, shall we?

2011-01-25T17:05:00.000-06:00

Here we are. February is tomorrow and I'm sure you're wondering how the city championship ended :)

Well, you can rest assured that there was much celebration because the Wildcats were victorious!

Coach Brooker with the trophy and every middle school champion should experience a celebratory cutting of the net.

Wildcat championship team

We had a wonderful Christmas!

Here's a photo from the Cole house. Sadly, I took no photos from the Brooker house Christmas. It was even more festive and a wonderful time with family, both present and via video! :)

(L-R: Dad, Mom, Jeff, Emily, Aaron and me)

OH!
and I guess there is one more thing...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

WE ARE
having a
BABY!

There...

now you are all caught up on the good stuff :)

Wildcats Win Metro Invitational!

2010-11-20T16:06:00.000-06:00

Game One vs. Beveridge
Tied at halftime. Wildcats pull ahead and win 51-30.

Game Two vs. McMillian
Down by 8 at halftime. The press worked! Wildcats win 37-35.

Game Three vs. defending champion Buffett
A solid win, 47-21.

Great job players and coaches! Go KSTM Wildcats!

Happy Saturday!

2010-11-20T11:00:00.000-06:00

Hello there!

What do you like to do on Saturday mornings?
Or, what would you like to do if you had a Saturday morning all to yourself?

Aaron's Jr. High basketball team is playing in a tournament this Saturday so I have the morning to myself at home.

I wrapped a few Christmas presents, browsed some blogs and stores online and, my favorite, checked Craigslist.com for pets (always pets), houses and other interesting finds.

It's so fun!
Well, fun to me.

See, look at the treasures I found today!

Mal-Shi Babies. Enough said. I want one!

Live Table Geese - $10
Geese for dinner they say - who would think of this!

$174000 / 4br - 3-Story Victorian
Isn't this lovely? It's in Ashland, NE.

Tin Ceiling, fancy, salvaged, all - $1800
Look at this treasure! I can just imagine this refurbished in an old home. Beeeautiful!

$93000 / 4br - Gorgeous Victorian Home
Ah, another grand victorian. This one is located in Illinois near the Quad Cities.

Victrola
Some days I wish I could listen to old records. Some days meaning now while I'm getting ready for Christmas. Just sounds so cozy.

Ah sweet finds, I say.

Check back later today for some photos from Aaron's basketball tournament. He has high expectations for his team today!

Love you all,
Laura

Friday Favorite: Crossfit

2010-11-12T12:09:00.000-06:00

A little over a month ago we started working out together at a Crossfit gym.

It is a different type of exercise routine.

It's well-rounded, very efficient and it doesn't require a whole lot of fancy equipment. CrossFit is a core strength and conditioning program that combines fitness challenges into a daily "WOD" or workout of the day.

Here's a quick video to give you an idea of the movements we do.

"Everything in life
gets a little easier
when you kill yourself
in the gym
for 30 minutes."
- Aaron

- Aaron's hands after doing 100 pull-ups with a 35lb weighted vest on.

Laura rocking the tactical vest after doing the "Murph" for Veterans Day. Fun meter at the MAX!!!

This WOD is done in honor of a military hero (http://tinyurl.com/24r9t6w) and consists of a 1 mile Run, 100 Pull-ups, 200 Push-ups, 300 Squats and another 1 mile run.

While it may sound like torture, I (Laura) really like the challenge. And, I think Aaron likes it most days too. Plus, we've met some great new friends and are building into our relationship and with new friends at the gym.

I will close with this.

I have learned I am capable of much more than I thought and I guarantee the same is true for you! We just have to be brave and step into the things that scare us, you know?

Here's to a happy Friday and weekend.

Much love to you all!

Happy Birthday Aaron!

2010-10-31T14:08:00.000-05:00

Aaron Weed Brooker.

Happy birthday to the most lovely son, brother, grandson, nephew, husband, son-in-law and friend! You are an incredible man, loving and so very loved!

Here are few snapshots.

Saturday night and Aaron had a hunch what might be in one of the packages...so he got to open one present early! TOMS shoes! Besides being stylish, with every pair of TOMS shoes they give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for one.

Birthday day!

Friday Favorite

2010-10-08T12:36:00.000-05:00

Pull up a big chair. Huskers win and it's Friday!

‎

Seattle 2010

2010-10-07T13:42:00.000-05:00

Memory board of the Chamberlin clan and past reunions - very impressive!

The view from our hotel room in downtown Seattle.

Top Pot Doughnuts was one of our first family stops!

Fun at the Seattle Center while the rest of the crew took in the view from the space needle (we saw it last year).

Aaron at Tillicum Village on Blake Island.

Dinner together our last night. The bug drawing was a Jo (Chamberlin) Brooker original!

F A M I L Y * P H O T O S

The Jim Brooker (of Josephine Chamberlin) Family. Left to Right: Laura & Aaron, Jim & Julie, Jacob & Lindsey

Make a funny face! The whole gang :)

And, then there's us. I don't know if anyone likes pictures of themselves, I don't like this one of me, BUT I know I will like looking back someday and seeing us.

I want to remember...
* how blessed I felt to be in Aaron's family.
* Aaron bought that shirt that day at H+M and he looks so good in green!
* our family had the top floor presidential suite all to ourselves.
* how great it was to talk with Jacob & Lindsey and how much we miss them
* Visiting IKEA (aka my love language)
* Salmon chowder every day for lunch
* King crab at D+C's house
* Really deciding to change jobs
* Ping pong
* Hansen's soda (gotta love a stocked fridge)

Ah, family.

Surprise! Bathroom remodel.

2010-07-12T22:40:00.000-05:00

When I left for work this morning Aaron said,

"Well, I'm going to redo the bathroom today."

I have to say, I thought it wouldn't happen. Little did I know, a day and $200 later, our bathroom is lookin' fiiiine!

We opted to use a special paint for the tiles and a luxury peel & stick (there is such a thing!) for the floor. We think the overall look keeps with the history of the house and matches our style.

The throne did come out and go back in as well. Who knew about that wax thingy? Woah buddy.

Huge props to my love. Aaron - you completely outdid yourself and you put up with me analyzing everything from start to finish (after you already had) when I got home!

I love you and yep, pretty much love the new bathroom.

More updates to follow because Target has some nice hardware, I'm not sure I can resist...

Here's to a happy Tuesday. Goodnight!

Weekend in pictures.

2010-07-12T08:18:00.001-05:00

Had a pretty good weekend. Hope you did too! Here are some pictures.

Enjoy!

Garage sale
******************************************

YouTube Video

Friends dogs
******************************************

Soccer game at Seydel's with T-dub, Craig, Leah and ...
******************************************

Livia!!!!
******************************************

Double A ron used his iPhone for this.

Yard sale

2010-07-10T08:32:00.001-05:00

Last night at 5pm we decided to have a yard sale this Saturday morning. Some houses up the street spurred on the idea.

We've been talking about purging our things for a while. Simplifying might be a better term. We have no plans of moving, but our rule is...

"If you wouldn't move it, let's just get rid of it now"

Get your shadow out of the pic!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The "big ticket items"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Good movies!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Hopefully some people show up because we never talked about what we would do with the left over stuff.

Double A ron used his iPhone for this. (from my porch waiting for people!---great app)

Come and get it!

Mason St,Omaha,United States

4th if July

2010-07-04T22:23:00.001-05:00

Happy fourth of July!

Way more firework activity than I was used to as a kid.... Especially considering fireworks are supposedly banned here.

Kind of wishing I rebelled and got in on the action.

YouTube Video

Double A ron used his iPhone for this.

River Rock

2010-06-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

Ah, there's nothing like a summer night on the front porch. Yeah, our neighborhood is a front porch kind of neighborhood, so we like to sit out there in the mornings and the evenings. Don't you think it's interesting how our culture went from front porches to now everyone has a back porch?

I should tell you about the wonderful thing that happened to me this week. My mom and dad came to visit, well to pick up some furniture at the mighty NFM and they brought some river rock for our yard!

Talk about love in a bucket! Three buckets of river rock and here's what we decided to do with it. A work in progress...but lookin' good!

Oh hello summer.

2010-06-16T16:55:00.000-05:00

dreaming of yard projects

taste of Omaha

family + kettle corn

buddy the barn

rearranged.

where to put this?

refresh old furniture.

I haven't killed off this plant we got for Christmas. Miracle!

How's your summer going thus far?

Spring Break

2010-03-30T20:34:00.000-05:00

#1 Baby

2010-03-30T20:33:00.000-05:00

The latest standings came out and Aaron is currently the highest rated disc golfer in Nebraska. That's reason enough to have cake. So, we did!

Congratulations Aaron. You have worked hard and deserve it!

March 13, 2010

2010-03-18T20:34:00.000-05:00

My 25th birthday was last Saturday.

I came downstairs to find someone had done a little decorating ...

*Princess Pancakes* was on the menu!

Pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream. A birthday girl tradition.

We then left the house to go to Blick, Mangelsens and Lowes.

When we got back I noticed some things were a little different....

SURPRISE!!!

Aaron had been scheming with my family and his to be there on my birthday!

Momma B, Lindsey and Momma C

Daddio C and Papa B

Aaron went to town and invited more friends later that afternoon.

Here's to 2010 and the first 25 years.

I love you all. Thanks for being there with me.

Girls Getaway 2010

2010-03-18T20:26:00.000-05:00

Second annual.

Lincoln, Nebraska.

The Embassy.

Colorful scarves.

Happy hour.

Lazlos.

Ten Thousand Villages.

South Pointe.

Finishing Touches.

Artfully inspired.

Long talks.

Accountability.

Panera.

Chicos.

Von Maur.

"Only two left"

"We'll take them"

Be there.

Home. Encouraged and inspired.

I love you Mom!

lessons & photo love

2010-03-16T21:39:00.000-05:00

Hello. My name is Laura, so sorry for the absenteeism.

We've had a whirlwind of a year thus far. 2010 arrived and we've realized a few things so far ...

1. We are, and will always be, heirs together in the grace of life. 1 Peter 3:7

Aaron and I are travelers together and we chose to embark on a season of "marriage first" by not leading a home community. Our evenings have opened up for more free time together and with friends. We get to meet with a special couple one on one and it has been candid and oh so refreshing. If you think of us in the days to follow, you can pray for us in this way. We want to invest in each other for the years ahead.

2. Aaron is allergic to border collie/lab puppies.

Sad fact. Perhaps not always to the extent that we noticed after we brought Ripley, a 7 month border collie/lab (a.k.a. FRISBEE DOG) home from the rescue. We found this lovable pup online and we hit it off right away. Five days and two boxes of kleenex later we decided to take him back. What we learned from having a dog for five days:

Prioritize our time. With less time to do things we picked up the slack to get it done.
We like walks and vowed to take more together around the neighborhood.
Raising kids will not. be. easy.
Relationships are worth it. If we could love a dog so much in five days how much more a person that God brings into our life?
Peanut butter makes every thing better. Just don't make me dig it out of a toy with my tongue.

3. It's amazing what you find beneath the snow when it melts. Yucky...

4. Time flies!

We've almost been married for two years and our honeymoon album is not quuuuuite done yet. What am I saying. Not yet started! :) That's about to change! In fact, we have a lot of photos we'd like to frame or place in an album. Here's a sampling of some of our favorites from travels over the past few years ...

Venice, Italy

Italy countryside

Swiss Alps

Washington cherries, Seattle, WA

Chinque Terra, Italy

I do have some terrific photos from my *Surprise* (I can finally say that) birthday party last Saturday! Do I not have the BEST HUBBY ever?

Feel free to comment in the section below :)

Saturday Songs!

2010-03-06T12:55:00.000-06:00

Old Movies

2010-01-07T20:01:00.000-06:00

Snow days make me think of watching my favorite movies. Here are some of our favorite movies and scenes from days gone by.

I'm sure you can tells which are Aaron's and which are mine.

What are some of your favorite movies from growing up days?

Metal Art

2010-01-06T21:05:00.000-06:00

You would be amazed at the works of art my Dad creates using scrap metal.

When we went home for Christmas it was no surprise to see beautiful, one of a kind metal artwork lovingly framed on the wall.

While the weather outside was frightful we were inside dreaming up new ideas and making art out of stainless steel. We had so much fun at Christmas that the time got away from me and I didn't finish my metal art!

No fear ... a few days later a package arrived: stainless steel, drumel set and some words of advice on how to draw trees.

I used a pencil to trace the trees on the stainless steel and then I used a variety of bits on the end to get different textures.

It's kind of hard to draw trees and get the perspective just right. I'm sure if I make another piece I will do it a little differently. It was easy for me to think about trees, I just imagined I was walking in our pasture. I imagined one of my favorite spots, a certain low, flat spot with a circle of trees.

The final touch was to add a fence ...

TAA DAAA!

I LOVE IT. I just love it!

Did I mention my Dad is the best! Thanks Dad for being the coolest dude and for helping me make cool metal art for my house. Love you to the moon!

Pitch a tent?

2010-01-05T20:13:00.000-06:00

Turn up your sound. This is so funny!

Sunday Song

2010-01-03T20:50:00.000-06:00

"Captivate" - Starfield

You say, strength is found in weakness
Peace in incompleteness
So why do I hold on?

You look, For a heart that's open
For beauty in the broken
So why am I withdrawn?

My soul's screaming out
To be found in You

. . .

Spirit draw me to my knees
Captivate all of me, all of me
Here before You honestly
Captivate all of me, all of me

. . .

I'm so messy and distracted
Undisciplined and tactless
Here on the inside

I thought age would tell the secrets
But the secrets are still secret
And the years are passing by

. . .

Teach me to wait in the moments of my need
Teach me to hear the melodies of peace

~
Enjoy this week.

Happy new decade!

2010-01-01T17:41:00.000-06:00

Welcome to our new blog site. Happy Brookers!

Here's a look back at 2009 ...
1. Buying (and renting!) another house.
2. Home community life together.
3. One fantastic, fun year of marriage.
4. Creative Capital Pitch Session (video here)
5. Vacation to visit D+C in Seattle
6. J+L's wedding!

Thinking about in 2010 ...
1. Potential: puppy? travel abroad? house/yard projects?
2. Growing closer to God.
3. Saving money. Year of the crockpot!
4. Going for walks. Working out. Riding bikes.
5. Reunion in Seattle. J+J's 30th. J+L's first year.
6. Turning 25 and 28!

Our New Year's Eve was so good.

Dinner at Chipotle. Dessert with friends. Games and DANCING into the wee hours of the morning. If you say, "Eh, dancing is not for everyone." We say this dancing is for anyone and everyone and luckily our friend hosts dance parties at his house nearly every other month.

Here are few snapshots...

Your turn! What's on your bucket list for 2010?

Go on, comment. We can help each other make the most of it!

Family+Christmas

2009-12-28T18:07:00.000-06:00

All the stockings were hung ...

Mojitos were served!

Howie put on his best sweater.

The weather outside was frightful ...

but inside, oh so delightful!

Crab leg tradition continues!

Snow walk 2009.

Aaron gearing up for his first snowmobile adventure!

Oh brother!

Cole Family (left to right)
Back: Chuck, Sue, Holly, Valerie, Beth, Gary
Front: Grandma Helen, Laura and Jeff

The girls (left to right): Holly, Valerie, Laura

The Brookers

Aaron and "Omaha Grandma"

Brothers scratching their lotto tickets.

Jim got a new favorite shirt! How funny!

The stockings! Over the top, so much fun!

A little friendly competition.

Christmas Mood

2009-12-22T09:18:00.000-06:00

{images reblogged from http://thebookofsecrets.tumblr.com}

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Brooker

2009-11-15T20:43:00.000-06:00

The wedding weekend has come and gone and what a wonderful weekend! Sadly, I forgot my camera. Doh.

Luckily! Khara Plicanic owner of Kabloom Photography, has posted some beautiful photos on her blog! Go, go now!

Here are a few photos. They are so, so good!
Congratulations Jacob & Lindsey.

We love you!

Jacob & Lindsey

2009-11-12T10:37:00.000-06:00

So cute. Look at them!

They're getting married this weekend and the theme is very much natural, nature-ish, brown and green. I couldn't find a good inspiration board to show you what I mean, but its going to be beautiful.

I just know it!

Their invitations were etched wood.

Her mom made her dress. Bless her!
They are having their wedding here.

AND...they are having a candy bar :) tee hee. I love it!

I will update with actual photos of the celebration.
I can't wait! Ta ta for now.

Brooker Video: New Hair Tune

2009-11-09T21:52:00.000-06:00

Where have you been?

2009-11-05T20:34:00.000-06:00

We're still here!

Happy November 2009 !

You know what that means.............Aaron is 27!!

Here's a picture from Uncle Doug, Aaron is four years old!! So cute :)

"I had a happy birthday" he said. He got nearly everything on his birthday list, normal for Brooker boys :) We hung out with our neighbors and passed out candy. We went for dinner at (where else?) the Ethiopian restaurant near our house. It was tasty as usual. No really, its great! We went to a scary movie after that.

Thank you all for the gifts and cards!

Basketball season has begun so Aaron goes to school at 6:30 am and gets home in time for dinner. I am working hard at the Chamber. I've been there three months now and I'm starting to get the hang of things. I've made a ton of mistakes so far and, oh yeah, there are many more to come! Gotta learn I guess .... any advice for transition?

In other news, I got to visit my best friend Monica last weekend and see their new house and do some trick or treating with Miss Giana.

Her grandma made her costume for her--she was the cutest duck ever! I didn't get a very good photos, but trust me, it was adorable!

What else?

Jake & Lindsey are tying the knot next weekend! Aaron is the best man and I'm singing a song. My mom and dad get to come, too, so that will be fun. I miss them and who doesn't love a weekend at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln? I can't wait! I will do my best to capture some photos for you.

Oh, I almost forgot...

Happy Birthday Grandma!

To the best pie makin', bingo playing, basketball watchin', picture takin', rabbit shootin', city girl turned farm girl that made a difference in my life. Summertime at your house is the still the best time ever! I love you!

And happy (early) birthday to you Holly! I hope you have a wonderful birthday!

P.S. Dear readers, don't be strangers. Feel free to comment. We write for you :) Lots of love!

Chill Out 2009

2009-10-25T21:40:00.000-05:00

Chill Out party was fabulous! Here are a few snapshots from the evening...

MMm - marshmallows!

Lovely M came to visit and help get everything set up!

We've been friends a long time!

Details.

The food table. Pizza. Fondue. Veggies. Mini pumpkin pie. Punch. Cider. Hot Chocolate. S'mores. You get the idea!

Party on the patio!

A full house.

Original 2566.

How was your weekend?

Friday Favorites

2009-10-16T10:57:00.000-05:00

(via justbesplendid: m-altruism: this makes me smile)

(via la-belle-vie: booklover: creativeinspiration: mmm cozy nook)

(via Brabournefarm : I love this kitchen!)

(via toodamncute: I would eat all the cherries.)

(via little book of secrets: up, up and away!)

(via little book of secrets: funky, fresh living room. Love this.)

Go Huskers!

2009-09-27T16:42:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, Aaron and I went to the Husker Game in Lincoln compliments of my employer. We hopped on a bus in Omaha and got dropped off at the stadium to tailgate with Snitily Carr, an advertising/marketing agency in Lincoln.

We caught up with my bro, J, and had terrific seats!
The stadium was celebrating it's 300th consecutive sellout. Pretty awesome.

We had a great time! Here's a little video I put together of our trip.

you wanna come over?

2009-09-16T07:40:00.000-05:00

I have had this idea in my head since I moved here that "I just want to make a friend and go over to their house and watch TV!" That feels relaxing to me. Feels like home. Feels like I have someone to kick back with in a "real life" kind of way.

Last night my friend Amy and I got together to chat. As we were enjoying some lovely chai she said:

"you know we could just hang out and watch the biggest loser or something."

(Gasp. Pause.)

Oh yes........can we??

So we did!

There is something so happy about that to me.
So simple and I've so been waiting for it.

Any gals wanna join us next Tuesday??

Home Community Update

2009-09-13T08:11:00.000-05:00

In January we said yes to hosting a home community through our church.

I can't even begin to explain all the ways God has worked and changed our hearts by the study and relationships in our 'HC'. We get together (just about) every week and share a meal and then we talk about life and God.

We started off studying Nehemiah. What a story of urban renewal, prayer, repentance and God's graciousness and kindness toward us.

We multiplied our group to start another.
We moved into a study of the gospel movement and talked about some of the tangible ways we could step into what God is doing all around us.

We began sharing and praying.
We celebrated anniversaries, birthdays and welcomed new people.
We are making new friends.
People come early and stay late.
We started really sharing.
God is answering our prayers.
We welcomed baby Emelia.
We served each other and the city with meals.

Aaron and I are learning and growing closer.

God has changed my heart. I didn't want to let him for a while, but He didn't give up on loving me and neither did our HC...

I just have to say it takes time to really love someone. Don't you think? Time to try, fail and try again. There is no other way to practice what God says. You need others to help you. God has really used our HC to help me grow.

Anyway. We're launching home communities again this fall and I'm excited because our HC blog is going to feature more stories about what God is doing.

We'll keep you in the loop :)

Love to you all.

Living room upgrade

2009-09-04T16:50:00.000-05:00

We've been looking for a new rug for a while. A new rug and a new coffee table and last night we finally decided on both! Check it out.

What do you think is the hardest piece of furniture to shop for? Aaron was convinced last night it was a rug (haha) but as we were checking out the cashier said "Wait 'till you have to buy a bed". Voice of experience I guess. What do you think?

We've got raspberries!

2009-09-04T16:36:00.000-05:00

Aaron put in a garden this summer and we have very little to show for it except for our two raspberries bushes have been in full force! They're so pretty & yummy! Here are a few shots from an evening we decided to make raspberry smoothies. They were delish!

Riley's Rowdies

2009-09-02T15:13:00.000-05:00

Last weekend my family and friends met up in Lincoln for the annual Walk for Autism. Our team raised $820 for autism research. We walked for my cousin Riley - he is awesome!

Here are a few snapshots from the day. You can check more photos in my mom's Flickr Album Here

Gettin' ready to go - my brother, mom and me

Me and our dear family friend Vicki!

Fearless leaders and BBQ hosts - Laure and Steve

Aunt Joanie, Patrick and me

Jeffster and his gf, Emily.

OPA!

2009-08-23T11:45:00.000-05:00

On Saturday night we went with friends to the Greek Festival at the Lewis and Clark Landing.

We ordered a gyro - of course! Dolmathes, grape leaves stuffed with seasoned beef and rice; Spanakopita, baked pastry filled with feta cheese and spinach and finished off with some baklava!

What did you do this weekend?

I will rest in you.

2009-08-21T23:05:00.000-05:00

My friend Jonathan was killed in a car accident on August 14 outside of our hometown. I still can't believe it happened. I have to praise God for the fullness of Jon's life, but at the same time my heart aches because I wanted him to stay.

I pray that God would be glorified in Jon's life and death. I made a play list of songs that I wanted to share. Songs that remind me where to rest.

Sunflowers

2009-08-21T12:27:00.000-05:00

Hello dear friends! It has been a while since we've posted on here and summer (feels like) it's coming to a close around our house. Aaron started school (with kids) on Monday and since I'm working full time now we're adjusting to a new routine.

One thing that I miss about being in the city are the open spaces and exposed sunrises. The summer before I left for college I remember I wanted to take a photo of the sunrise from one of my favorite spots. I woke up late that morning and I had planned to ride my bike to the location, so I remember pedaling as fast as I could with my camera bulging in my jacket pocket.

I made it to my spot just in time to catch the sunrise and I captured a couple of wild sunflowers in the photo as well. These photos below are not mine, but they remind me a lot of that morning and the picture I printed out and have had with me in every season since then.

Thanks to Meg Duerksen for sharing her photos from her home in Kansas. I just can't get enough of 'em so I wanted to share them with you. By the way, you'll love Meg's blog as well. Stop by!

Love to you all!
Laura

Seattle 2009

2009-07-22T10:20:00.000-05:00

We had a terrific vacation to Seattle! We made it home last night about midnight and hit the ground running today. Here are some photos from our trip. You can view the entire album on Facebook.

Big thanks to D+C for hosting us and helping us experience Seattle to its fullest!

Pikes Place Market, downtown Seattle

Lake Diablo in the Cascade Mountains

Seattle skyline from Gasworks Park

> Visit Facebook album

So long city lights

2009-07-16T13:15:00.000-05:00

Hello from Seattle! We have had the best time in Seattle, I have lots of photos to share from our days in the city, the space needle and puget sound. Today, however, we are headed here:

Lake Diablo

D&C hooked us up with camping supplies and we're headed to the Cascade Mountains to enjoy some hiking and camping.

I can't wait to share some photos with you so check back soon!

Love to you all!

A&L

Birthday Girl

2009-07-09T16:34:00.000-05:00

..when's the party?

Sweet Giana is turning one on Saturday, July 11. It's hard to believe that she is a year old. One year ago I was frantically checking my email from somewhere in Africa waiting to hear the good news. Oh what I would give to have been there! I won't be missing the party, that's for sure! The party is "ABC Theme"...

and of course while the rest of us will be enjoying birthday cupcakes I hear Miss G will be having her very own big girl cake! I can't wait!

Here are some pictures I had on my computer. See you Saturday G!

Seattle countdown

2009-07-07T11:20:00.000-05:00

We are headed to Seattle this summer to visit D&C and we're very excited! I've visited Seattle with my family years ago and Aaron has never been, so we have much to look forward to. Today Aaron is narrowing down our list of things to do/see. Here's our research list thus far ...

Pikes Market

Experience Music Project, http://www.empsfm.org/

Bainbridge Island

Cascade Loop

Vancouver Island, Whale Watching

National Geographic Seattle Guide

Seattle Times, "Seattle on the cheap"'

Have you been to Seattle? What would you suggest we do/see? Comment on this post or send us an email at lauraleighbrooker@gmail.com.

4th of July Weekend

2009-07-06T10:19:00.000-05:00

We had a great weekend in Merna for the Fourth of July weekend. My Dad's birthday is the 4th and my Uncle C's bday is the 8th so we go the extra mile to enjoy each other and the weekend.

The weekend even included a "girls night" with my friend Miss Amy Lynn and her mom. We felt so special and declared the evening, complete with the festive tray from Sur la Table, a new tradition!

Aaron and would both agree there was no shortage of scrumptious food. We spent most of our dining time on the deck ... Aaron is obviously thrilled!

Highlights (in no particular order)

Parade - "the best parade I've been to in years!" said Aaron
Eating sunflower seeds while watching softball
Seeing friends from high school - "cheer cheer for 'ol A-M High..."
Girls Night
Tiffany Theater in Broken Bow - you should go, it's nice!
Merna Bar?
Seeing my brother J
Howie had a handkerchief on; super cute!
Giving away heirloom books

We hope you all had a great weekend!

Love,
Aaron & Laura

Heirloom Project: Finished!

2009-07-06T10:12:00.000-05:00

I finished my Heirloom Project- Yipee!!- and over the weekend I gave my Dad, my uncle and my grandma albums with photos of our family and homestead. It was really special!

I also organized and archived the photos, which is a relief because it is a much better way to store the photos.

Here are some page views. You can also view a preview of the book by visiting my profile on Blurb.com. Here's the link.

Thanks for reading. Now, go tell your family you love 'em!
~ Laura

Papillion Days

2009-06-21T23:35:00.000-05:00

Check it out! We had our first official Kettle Corn show over the weekend. My brother met up with us and brought his popcorn popper (CapitolKettleKorn.com) and we setup for the four day show.

Aaron was the salesman. I was the bagger. Jeff was the popper. I am so thankful for my parents, for the way they planted this entrepreneurial spirit within us. I know we will look back and be even more thankful for this time we spent together doing these things. I already am thankful!

Thanks again Jeff for spending time with us. I loved having you around and I'm so proud of you!

Oh, and if you live in the Lincoln/Omaha area and didn't make it to Papillion Days you can order Kettle Corn online! Visit http://capitolkettlekorn.com/contact.html

Happy snacking!

Doug comes to visit

2009-06-21T19:11:00.000-05:00

We welcomed Uncle Doug to Omaha on Tuesday. He was visiting from Seattle to visit family & friends and what fun it was to spend some time with him AND Jake who joined us from Lincoln.

We had a lot of laughs! Here's picture of Doug getting out of the Park Ave after we parked it in our tiny garage!

When it came time for dinner Aaron was quick to suggest The Ethiopian Restaurant just North of our house. You run the risk of them having run out of food (no joke) but this time we ended up being the only ones in the restaurant and the food was terrific! We shared two plates, lamb and vegetarian with injera.

We always so glad to have company and every time that Doug comes he brings something special. It really makes me feel just that - special! - for days after! This time he brought some wine and flowers.

A gal's workspace just looks so much more inspiring with some fresh flowers! Thanks Doug :)

All for now.
Lots of love!
A&L

Player Rating & Summer Shots

2009-06-21T19:05:00.000-05:00

Did I mention that this guy right here is a professional disc golf player. Just look him!

Official gear. Check. Plethora of discs for every shot. Check.
Oh, and did I tell you that he is rated 3rd IN THE STATE!

Yep! Reason enough for a big grin! We'll keep you posted on the rankings as the season goes. Here are just a few more summer shots. We now have a yard worthy of laying on. Awww...the little things.

SPN Interviews Laura Brooker of Holy Cow Design

2009-06-16T11:07:00.000-05:00

by Jeff Slobotski on June 15, 2009

We recently had an opportunity to catch up with Laura Brooker after hearing great things about the work she’s doing and some of the plans she has.

Laura shared that she’s been turning creative ideas into coordinated print and web designs for about five years now and the process requires that she listens well and guide her clients through until the clients tell her “Holy cow, I love it!“…otherwise known as the “holy cow moment.”

That’s the reaction graphic designer Laura Brooker, owner of holycowdesign.com, wants her clients to have. That reaction was the inspiration for her catchy business name and process.

Originally from Merna, Nebraska and an alum of University of Nebraska at Kearney, Laura moved to Omaha in 2007 for an opportunity with Orion Healthcare Technology. It wasn’t long before she met her husband, Aaron, and after they were married and celebrated a honeymoon adventure to Africa and Israel. When they returned to Omaha in August of last year, she made a move on the opportunity to work alongside her tech-saavy mom (thewebservant.com).

Laura specializes in identity (logos) design, print design and branding with the majority of her clients being small business owners, life coaches, and non-profits.

To this point, Laura has conducted no advertising and most of her business comes from word of mouth or from working with thewebservant.com. She’s just begun to work with other creatives here in Omaha and is truly passionate about what’s in store for the Omaha area.

As one of the goals of Silicon Prairie News is to build and connect or innovators and creative class, we hope you check out Laura’s work and drop her a line to encourage her as well as ask any questions.

Laura is also involved in Renew Omaha, a project focusing on the urban renewal of some of Omaha’s oldest neighborhoods, and Moodie Board, the concept she pitched at the last Creative Capital Pitch Session.

You can follow Laura on Twitter at Twitter.com/holycowgal
Email her at laura@holycowdesign.com
and follow Moodie Board at Twitter.com/moodieboard.

Visit www.SiliconPrairieNews.com for more great stories and highlights!

Moodie Board Pitch Session

2009-06-10T14:02:00.000-05:00

Did you know that my mom and I have this awesome idea for an online moodboard/inspiration board for designers and their clients?

Yep. It's called Moodie Board.

We pitched the idea a couple weeks ago at a local creative pitch competition (winner got $1k). We didn't come out on top, but in a way we did. We made so many awesome connections and got great feedback from the creative community in Omaha, it was such fun!

Here's a recap from Silicon Prairie News, sponsor of the pitch competition and all around great news source for good stuff happening in Omaha.

Here's my recap :) Sorry, its quite dark.

Follow Moodie Board on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/moodieboard

d.gallery photography in Merna

2009-06-06T08:21:00.000-05:00

The photo above is taken outside none other than the Village of Merna! I always knew my hometown, also affectionately known as "the mothership", could be so quaint and romantic...

Ok, I suppose of the props for this terrific photo goes to Erin Dunagan, my friend and owner of d.gallery photography in Grand Island.

Erin has been photographing professionally for about 7 years now, and she is TERRIFIC! I would say she's into mixing old, new, and natural.

Don't be surprised if you see her photographing sessions using vintage chairs in grassy fields or alleyways. She has a knack for seeing the beauty in the unconventional.

Visit her BLOG to see more photos.

The Crispery

2009-06-06T08:14:00.000-05:00

We received so much love on our anniversary from friends and family. I just have to show you these humongo rice crispie treats Jacob & Lindsey sent from The Crispery in New York City.

They were homemade and so soft! You can order these delectable treats online and its quite reasonable. You can order sampler gift boxes, a little something for one or two people, individual crispy bars or special occasion rice crispys!

Visit TheCrispery.com for more info. Thanks J&L!

Memorial Day BBQ

2009-06-05T18:51:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Adam & Erica Faris for hosting a terrific BBQ to kick of summer! They had it all -- hot grill & sides galore. Here's Brad & Tamara Steinman and Craig & Leah Seydel playing a round of Bocce Ball

Of course there was a fierce tournament for Ladder Golf.

The host & hostess, Adam & Erica Faris with everybody's friend Timothy.

Newlyweds, Mike & Amy Garrett.

It was an all around delicious occasion!

We have a garden!

2009-06-05T18:48:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Aaron, we now have a garden.
Peppers. Cucumbers. Eggplant. Tomatoes.

Here are a few shots of the planting.
So far, so good. We'll keep you posted. We hope you'll join us when all if ripe & ready!

1st Anniversary

2009-05-31T13:46:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that we are celebrating one year of marriage today!

We spent two months adventuring in Africa and Israel only to return to "real life" to find the adventures continued! As we celebrated with dinner at Johnny's Cafe last night (thanks D+C!) we attempted to make a list of everything that stood out to us over the past year.

New roof and windows
Pigeon wars
Grandpa Weed
Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter with family
Jacob & Lindsey
HolyCow Design Gal
Renew Omaha
Ethiopian Cafe
Home Community

and much, much more...

We certainly realize now more than ever how thankful we are for you, our family and friends. We have realized the ways in which God designed marriage to refine us and help us grow. We are thankful for the support you've given us along the way that helped prepare us to love each other.

There is certainly more to look forward to, but for now we're soaking in today :)

Love to all of you,
Aaron & Laura

P.S. Wedding Album

We bought a house!

2009-05-16T14:01:00.000-05:00

We bought a house!

It's a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house nestled between midtown and downtown, close to I480 and minutes from the Old Market, Creighton and the Med Center. The home has wood floors on main level; fenced in yard; off street parking; laundry and storage in the basement.

As you may know, we want to take the lead in recruiting "strategic neighbors" to help re-neighbor the community.

Our goal is to bring new energy, vision and resources to help support a stable, mixed income community that is safe, socially and spiritually healthy and economically viable.

You can read more at http://renewomaha.com. We are very excited!

Front Yard

Upstairs Bedroom 1

Upstairs Bedroom 2

Upstairs Master Bedroom with walk in closet

First level bathroom of the kitchen

Looking from dining room into kitchen

Looking from living room into dining room, great space off the dining room could be a room, office or family room.

Looking from the kitchen toward the front living room.

Great backyard!

Topsy Turvey

2009-05-04T14:34:00.000-05:00

Put The Plant In The Bottom, Soil In The Bag, Water In The Top And You're Done!

This year, the Easter Bunny (a.k.a. Julie) included the Topsy Turvy® Tomato Planter --"the most ingenious invention to grow nice delicious tomatoes". A "must have" according to many and Steve Hambeck, Walgreens Manager and good friend of the Brookers, agrees they've been flying off the shelves almost as fast as the ShamWow :)

Here's how it works

Because the Topsy Turvy® is upside down, gravity pulls the water and nutrients directly from the root to the fruit, giving you (up to 30 Ibs. they say) of deliciously ripe tomatoes per plant!

It's so simple to use and works perfectly. Just place any tomato plant in the planter, add your favorite potting soil, hang it up and water.

The sun warms the plant like a greenhouse, the root system explodes and thrives inside the planter. Plus, hanging in the air helps reduce ground fungus, harmful bacteria, cutworm damage, use of pesticides, digging & weeding and backbreaking work.

It was easy to assemble and thanks to our good neighbor J.J. who brought shared some tomato plants with us! We will see how things progress. We'll let you know, so check back for no bull updates on the TT.

Happy May Day

2009-05-04T14:16:00.000-05:00

It was absolutely beautiful here over the weekend! While Aaron was at a men's retreat with core community and I spent the whole weekend getting the weeds out and the flowers in!

I planted flowers in the hanging baskets on the patio.

Bought a lovely planter box I'd been eying since the middle of winter ....

... and re-potted some colorful flowers along the walkway.

The monster of the weekend was this strip of 'blah' that was between our fence and the sod we laid last fall. As you can see, the sod is quite healthy (too healthy, needs a trim!) and the area along the fence has been home to all kinds of weeds. Not any more!

This area (West side of yard) was also landscaped last fall and required some serious weeding and cleaning up. Now it is all ready for hostas, native grasses and flowers.

After it was all said and done Aaron was so surprised and I was really tired! It was a weekend well spent and once we get a mower we'll have our own little urban paradise. Well, getting there anyway!

Love to you all! Come visit soon!

Easter Weekend

2009-04-12T20:46:00.000-05:00

Easter Baskets

2009-04-11T14:06:00.000-05:00

How did we get so lucky to get Easter Baskets!
Thanks to J&J, Aaron's parents, for the thoughtful basket of goodies!

Laura's Basket
Topsy Turvy -- oh yeah!
Ahava from the Dead Sea- great bubble bath and mud!
Cutest Note Pad & Stickie Notes for spring (guess I can stop taking my xmas note paper to the store now!).
Candy!
Various goodies

Aaron's Basket
Two Disc Golf Discs
Grilling Chips that smell awesome
Candy!
Cookout napkins
Various goodies

There's a good chance I missed some things, but you get the idea!
We're so spoiled! Thanks again J&J!!!

Toyota

2009-04-11T13:59:00.000-05:00

We got a pick me up!
Check it out - 2004 Toyota Tacoma (topper and all-ha!)

Aaron found a great deal online and bought the pickup from a telecommunications company.
It is just what we've been looking for. Now we'll be able to haul the Kettle Corn stuff around with ease.

Bonus! I (Laura) don't have to take Aaron to school at 6am, although, I did start to enjoy the "togetherness". But its nice to be able to get up at 7am instead :)

Love to you all!

What's to come

2009-04-04T13:10:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends!

I have so much I want to share with you, but I'm slow at posting!

Here's what is to come...

1. We're going to sell Kettle Corn this summer! My family has been in this concession niche for 15+ years and sell machines all over the world! Lucky for us they are helping us know just what to do to get started.

2. We bought a pickup and this no longer a one car family. It's a 2004 Toyota Tacoma with a topper.

3. Home Community is FANTASTIC! And we're getting ready to MULTIPLY!

4. Fish Fry was a huge success!!! We had 50 people over last night and the homebrew truly was delicious.

5. We booked our plane tickets to go to Seattle this summer. Yay!

6. And I think you should know that mustache March is waaay over! So for those of you who may think Aaron's still walking around the world with that mustache, take heart, he is not :)

7. Easter baskets are coming.....

Love to you all! I'll post pictures very soon!

Laura

so very happy

2009-03-27T09:40:00.000-05:00

well said by dazeychic @ studio mela
Happy Friday everyone~ enjoy the day!

around the house

2009-03-26T20:37:00.000-05:00

Mustache March

2009-03-26T20:25:00.000-05:00

Mustache March was born out of tradition Aaron & his buddies began in college. You see, as Furry February came to a close they thought there would be no better way to celebrate that than to sport a mustachio for a week or two.

Who knows if any of the original "gang" are still walking around looking half normal/half molester for the first 14 days of March.

You can be sure Aaron will carry on this tradition for as long as he has facial hair. Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure.

Aaron with our friend Robert. We met Robert at Mosaic Community Development. He lives in the Park Avenue Neighborhood, less than a mile from our house, so we give him a ride home every Monday night after dinner. He and Aaron have really hit it off!

I have to say, I was present for the inauguration of the 'stache and it was quite a process.

Truth be told, Aaron had set out for a "trim". Just trimming his beard. A few snips later and his beard trimmer didn't know what hit 'em.

Thus...mustache march had begun!

It took Aaron a little bit to realize his beard was no more. I enjoyed several good, long fits of laughter over the whole situation and in the end we managed to snap a photo after it was all said and done. All smiles here!

Hope you enjoy!

Fish Fry | This Friday!

2009-03-26T15:46:00.000-05:00

Hosts: Brookers and Steinmans

When: Friday, March 27 and Friday, April 3 @ 5:30-whenever
Where: Brooker's house | 2566 Mason Street

We want to take up two of your Friday dinner hours.
March 27th and April 3rd, join us for some Fish and Homebrew. 5:30-8 Come at anytime

Forget the lines at Holy Name. Drink beer, eat with friends, watch some bball, celebrate the end of the week and the coming of Easter on the Brooker's patio.

You don't need to bring anything except beer if you want more than one....And we are asking for a few dollars to cover expenses. $5

Look forward to seeing you there -- both Fridays!

JOIN FACEBOOK GROUP

rock on.

2009-03-26T11:32:00.000-05:00

Last night we had home community at our house.

We are so blessed to have a large group, but that means some peeps end up going upstairs while other stay downstairs. Well...the group that goes upstairs played a little trick on us.

You see, in the loft (the room where the group meets) I have a decorative tray filled with river rocks.

And I went into loft to turn off my computer and such and notice - RIGHT AWAY - no rocks.

I got a huge grin right away as I set off to figure out where in the world the stashed this PILE of rocks...

Under the cushions? No.

In the shower? No.

In the Catch Phrase box? No.

Hm. "Where would I put rocks if I wanted to play an awesome joke..."

THE BED.

I pulled back the cover -- and nothing. Reached out to run my hand over the sheet and --SURE ENOUGH. There were the rocks. All of 'em. Delicately strewn between the sheets from one side of the bed to the other.

I immediatly got on Twitter and updated ("rocks in my bed! very funny!!!!!") knowing that one of the culprits would recieve my update and proceed to inform the rest of the culprits (who were all together at the Upstream) that they had been found out.

The response, and I quote: "all of Upstream just cheered!!!" Thanks guys for a great laugh and for a great night's sleep on new sheets :)

St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-17T12:37:00.000-05:00

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY!!

Photo courtesy of Tip Junkie Blog. Check it out for great creative ideas for any occasion!

Birthday

2009-03-13T07:14:00.000-05:00

24 Today.

The morning started with a special tradition -- "princess pancakes" as they were called at our house. Aaron went above and beyond and had the whole spread waiting for me this morning.

And then...who doesn't love a little pink box? And ROSES! They are so beautiful!

Aaron also gave me some money to go shopping today. I'm thinking Urban Outfitters.
I'm so blessed. The best part? Aaron's getting out of school early today so we can be together! That's the best!

Thank you all for the birthday wishes~I love you!

Laura