HELP ME HELP OTHERS

Please help me raise money for a great cause.  The money you donate helps pay for mammograms for woman in Arkansas.  I'm running in the Race for the Cure 5k on October 16, and have already raised enough money to pay for one mammogram.  Please help me pay for two to three more!

DONATE TO AVERIE HERE

Ok, I know I'm asking for money but what two great causes to give too (besides your church).  Adam and I and my sister and her husband and about 25 more are running in the St. Jude's Race in December.  We are running for a young man who  has been fighting cancer for several years.  Please help us raise money in support of St Jude's and our team, Team Wiley!

DONATE TO ST. JUDE'S HERE

Thanks for your support,

Averie

On the Road Again

My, My what a great weekend.  Even though the Hogs lost to Alabama in a very disappointing game, we had a great time visiting with family and friends.  We traveled up to Fayetteville to see my brother-in-law and his family.  Ross was able to visit with his only girl cousin.  I didn't get pictures but we went up to "The Hill" and visited with friends who were tailgating at the game. Ross loved people watching, and I did too! You can walk around and see every type of Razorback attire known to man.  Like the gentleman in his khaki pants with little Hogs embroidered all over them (should have gotten a pic but didn't take the camera) or the young woman decked out in her brand new outfit, that I can't describe, along with her moccasin fringe boots (she has more nerve than me).  It's always fun to see what's in style with the college girls on "The Hill."

Well, my coupon frenzy has fizzled. But I have found other ways to save a few bucks here and there.  I found this great website Ebates where you can get cash back on purchases you make online.  I've used it when I bought some boots off of Piperlime and baby food and diapers from Diapers.com.  They send you a check with the money you earn back from your purchases!!! How easy is that? It's legit company who advertises with well to do publications. 

Not that anyone cares how or when I buy my groceries, but I thought I would share in case somebody might be interested in the great deals I've been finding.  Today I ordered baby food off of http://www.diapers.com/ and got a coupon code off of Ebates for 15% off my entire purchase which saved me almost $30 on my order.  Needless to say I'm really excited  about shopping for these groceries online, because I always look like the crazy mom with her shopping cart full of jars of baby food which the cashier then has to scan one-by-one, and then I have to get them home without breaking. 

Now I leave you with a few parting pictures of our weekend and our child we have re-named "HOSS."

Cousins



Lovin' Life



On our way to Fayetteville.

"Who are you?"



Just had to post..My sis-in-law will kill me when she notices her "make baby smile" face in the background! :O)



I've noticed that my child's mouth is open in every picture. Hopefully this is not a sign of things to come :O).

Until Next Time,

Averie

One of Many Chicks, Racing for a Cure

We had a great weekend visiting with my parents.  Saturday, Mom, Dad, and Ross cheered me own as I ran a 5K for Easter Seals! Either they were good luck or I was ready to get finished since it was so hot because I ran 4 min faster than my first 5k!

You see how much cheering they were doing!
and No it is not dark outside  the flash blocked out the sunlight!

Susan G. Koman for the Cure Arkansas

My next 5k is the Race for the Cure in Little Rock.  I am not part of any team, but wanted to run so I am raising money by myself.  I don't expect to raise $5,000,  but I would like to raise enough to cover one mammogram for a woman in Arkansas which is $150.  So if you want to help DONATE HERE and help me meet my goal!!

                                                  

                                                      "Please help my Mom raise money!"

My two favorite boys!

Until Next Time,

Averie

Wish Me Luck

There was a time in my life when I thought I was really lucky.  I mean every time there was a chance at winning something I always won.

 Like the time I won a bunch of beanie babies(when they were popular) at a PTO meeting. I can remember I felt embarrassed because I won most of the give-a-ways and all these little children were looking at me thinking "How could you? You're too old for beanie babies!"

Then there was the time when my sister, cousin, and aunt were at the mall. They were giving away a New Kids On the Block World Tour jacket. We all drooled over this jacket, and we all put our chance in to win.  For reference, I was probably in 2nd or 3rd grade and this jacket was absolutely HUGE so I would never have the chance to wear it, but it was the idea that I could win a NKOTB World Tour jacket!!! We continued our shopping and over the intercom they announced the winner. "Would Averie Brown please report to customer service? She is the winner of our NKOTB jacket drawing!" If I had a picture of how my sister and cousin looked at me in that moment. Probably the same look that those young children gave me at the PTO meeting when I won their beanie babies!

But now, I never win anything. Did you know that people give stuff away on their blogs? I had no clue how much stuff people give away, so I have been registering non stop. Who doesn't like to win something, especially if it is a nice Cannon Camera or an I-Pad.  So without any more luck I continue to register for give-a-ways and hopefully my luck will return, and maybe it won't be to win a pair of socks.  But then again I don't think I would register to win a pair of socks.  :O)

Ross was 7 months old Sunday, and I always try to take his picture the same way each month so we can see his progress. So here are the last three months. 




Forgive the pose! 5 months



6 months

7 months

Until Next Time,

Averie



Ole Trusty

Adam called Saturday morning and wanted me to bring Ross over to take a picture with his old combine.  They are trying to sell it and had someone coming to look at it that afternoon. The farm has had this combine since Adam was a young boy. Adam's parents have a picture of him inside the wheel of this same combine when he was around 2 years old and that was almost 27 years ago.  This past year, the farm retired "Ole Trusty." We had to get pictures of Ross and "Ole Trusty" before it was too late.

Three Generations: Father & Son....Father & Son   

The guys have finally finished cutting rice and we are all so excited and relieved for them to be done. Now, on to cutting beans and getting ready for next year.

"A farmers work is never done."

I have decided to start couponing (if that is a word).  So I got suggestions from friends on some great websites to use...HOLY COW!! Who knew that you had to be a genius to save money using coupons. I'm going to give it a try, but this might take me a while.  I need Coupons for Dummies, and I'm pretty sure they have this book so it might be worth looking into. Wish me luck. 

Last, I thought I would share this recipe that I found. I am debating on when to cook it because I need a bunch of people to come over so there will be none left, and I want feel guilty about waisting such a perfectly good cake and then persuade myself that it's OK to eat the rest of it by myself! Can we say "Death by Chocolate"?

Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake



Until Next Time,

Averie

Free Trip

For every person that comments on my page you will win a free trip to Australia!!

OK, yeah right! But it would be nice.


As I watched Oprah yesterday, (Yes, I watch Oprah but I don't buy into everything she says) I was amazed that she was sending everybody in her audience to Australia. I found out that they are staying for 8 days. OK, my curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to see how much the plane tickets might be. The cheapest plane ticket I found for round trip through Little Rock cost $1508. If you don't want to do the math, for 300 people that would be $452,400. That is just the plane tickets. That doesn't include the hotels for 300 and the transportation once they get there for 300. If Oprah is in such a giving mood, she could give everybody in the United States a little over $8.00. Doesn't seem like much but honestly I can barely give one person $8, no comparison to 307,000,000!!!!

Todays Thoughts

Here is what is going through my mind this morning.

1. I should get up and go running. Wait, I think it is raining (this was my excuse). I'll just go back to sleep. Well, I should have gone, because I have to run a race next weekend and if I don't get my butt up I won't make it!
2. God gave woman hips to put children on.
3. Why am I still watching Mickey Mouse Club when Ross is asleep?
4. Why is the perfect pair of boots over $400?? Why? Just why? Not fair!
5. What to cook for supper?
6. Need to go running!
7. I should try to wash my hair and put make-up on at least one day in the week.
8. Is anybody going to read this?
9. I love Southern Living, updated my subscription today!
10. I need a stylist to buy my clothes and dress me everyday. Maybe a hair and makeup artist too. See #7
11. I think there is a black hole in my house that sucked up my Nike+Ipod wireless receiver and a photo memory card for my camera. They disappeared and have never been found.
12. I should go running.................................................
13. I am going to make those wonderful blueberry muffins 
14. NOW I HAVE TO GO RUNNING

Since I always look at blogs just to see the pictures, I couldn't post without a picture. So here are some random pictures for today!

The Brown family almost 25 years ago!

Halloween costumes back in the day!

The terrible consequences of perming your hair. Notice the hand-painted collar my mother thought was perfect for my school pictures!

Until Next Time
averie

Well, my conscious is going to get the best of me because I am going running sometime today!

Good Times

I have finally gotten into the Fall mood. Probably since it isn't 120 degrees outside. We have been pretty busy too with harvest and traveling to visit my family. Ross and I made a trip to meet all my family at my parents new/old place. I say new/old because they are moving back to where they grew up and where I lived until kindergarten. They are in the process of building a house, but live in their camper in the mean time. Let's just say that when we all went to visit, it was CRAZY HECTIC since we had to stay in two places so we all had beds!! There is no way that my sis, her husband, and three children plus Ross and I then my Mom and Dad would fit well in their one bedroom one bathroom camper!


 Ross had his first experience in cowboy boots and sitting on a horse. He was very good when he first got on, but soon decided it wasn't fun anymore and wanted off.

Dad, otherwise known as Pop, loves his grandsons!

Robert, my bro-in-law, was trying to get Ross to cheer for Ole Miss.

This is Ross's reaction! And if one baby crying isn't bad two more joined in. Guess we don't have to worry about him going to Ole Miss one day. Unless he has decided to go to med-school or law-school.

Pop saying "bye" to Ross

My mother and her brother, Uncle D'arcy decided to play dress up with Ross. The boots he has on were worn by my Mom and Uncle D'arcy when they were Ross's age.  They are extremely worn but were a perfect fit for our boy with big feet.  Can't wait to buy his first pair, when he starts walking.

"YEE-HAWW"

 

Ross loves hats!  Grandma Brown bought him this hat and it is perfect to wear when we ride the combine with Dad.

This is my poor attempt at creating a wreath for fall. I think I would have been better off to buy one for the same price. But I was in a DIY mood and thought I was filled with creativity. Don't know why, but every time I get an idea to do something when it comes down to doing it I forget all my great ideas. (You might not understand, I'm a little weird)

And since I was decorating, I refurbished a centerpiece that was used in my wedding. It was about time I put new flowers in that bucket, since they have been on my porch in the exact same place for almost four years.

Lastly, I want you to know that I use this website, Tasty Kitchen, on a daily basis. It has some great recipes. And may I suggest cooking up these little muffins Best Blueberry Muffins Ever for breakfast one day this week. You will eat all of them before lunch...I promise.

 Best Blueberry Muffins Ever

PS. Please forgive the ugly brown font color, but I just couldn't resist since Fall is arriving!! :O)

By the way, I saved you the agony of seeing an exclamation point at the end of every sentence. I seriously think I have a habit of pushing shift +1 keys, instead of the period. Almost did it again.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

until next time,

Averie