Isabella's first crush!

Yes, at 3 years old Isabella has her first "boyfriend", so she says. I am in just as much shock as you are! My little baby is already interested in boys at 3! We are so going to be in trouble!!!!!

This is Garin, Dylan's friend. He is such a good sport because she bugged him all day on July 4th and 5th. He was really nice about it! =)

And the boots...

I was shopping at Target the other day and ALL their shoes were clearanced. I found Isabella some pink cowboy boots just like the picture below for $6. Couldn't pass it up...thought it would add to the picture! =)

Pettiskirt...

I have been looking for a pettiskirt for a long time! I am so excited that I won this item on ebay! I got it for about 1/2 th price that they cost!

Whoo...hooo... =)

ACN International Training in Detroit, Michigan

What a blast we had! I gained so much from this convention and not just for ACN. It was so amazing! It was also so much fun spending the weekend with Heather! I am so thankful for such an amazing friend!

The Message...

Yes, I actually read a book on the way to Detroit. It was SO good! Someone reccommended it since I lost my sister and my dad. I 100% reccommend it to EVERYONE!!! If you know me at all you know that I DO NOT EVER read and I couldn't put this book down. I had it finished before we even got to Detroit. READ IT!!! You won't regret it!

Where Underware?

Chase got his first pair of big boy underware last night. He doesn't quite understand where to put it yet! We have a lot of work ahead of us, I think! =)

Cousins who LOVE each other...

Look how cute they are. I am so thankful that Isabella and Chase love their cousins as much as they do and that they are able to see them often. I never really had a close relationship with my cousins because they were like 3-4 hours away from me. So I am so glad that my kids are able to see their cousins more often even though they do live 2 hours away!!

Kayaking in Avila...

While we were in Avila Deanna was nice enough to drag out her kayaks and take us kayaking in the ocean. We went to Dinosaur Caves in Shell Beach. It was awesome! Even Isabella went and loved it! We saw seals and even got to touch a starfish. It was so so fun! Deanna is the best kayaking guide around!!!

Our trip to Avila...

I was just now able to get around to posting the pictures from our trip to Avila. Here are a few of my favorites from the beach!

For all you Mothers out there...

My mom read this to me on Mother's Day and I just had to share it with everyone because it is so AWESOME!!!

This is for all the mothers who didn't win Mother of the Year. All the runner-up and all the wannabes. The motheres too tired to enter or too busy to bother.

This is for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at soccer games Friday night instead of watching from cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see my goal?" they could say, "Of course, wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it.

This is for all the mothers hwo have set up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid, saying "It's OK, honey, Mommy's here."

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and made them homes. For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who don't.

What makes a good mother, anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, fry a chicken and sew a button all at the same time? Or is it heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the first time? The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2am to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby? The need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a school shooting, a fire, a car accident, a baby dying?

I think so.

So, this is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the mothers who wanted to but just couldn't. This is for reading "Goodnight Moon" twice a night for a year. And then reading it again, "Just one more time."

This is for all the mothers who mess up. Who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in depair and stomp their feel like a tried 2-year old who wants ice cream before dinner.

This is for all the mothers who taught their daughters to tie their shoes before they started preschool/ And for all the mothers who chose Velco instead. For all the mothers who bite their lips when their 14-year olds dye their hair green. Who lock themselves in the bathroom when babies keep crying and won't stop.

This is for mothers who show up at work with sip-up in their hair and mild stains on their blouses and diapers in their purses.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and thier daughter to sink a jump shot.

This is for all the mothers whose heads turn automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home.

This is for mothers who put pinwheels and teddy bears on their children's graves. This is for the mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them.

This is for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep depivation. And mature mothers learning to let go. For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers. Single mothers and married mothers. Mothers with money, mothers without.

This is for you all. So hang in there. And better luck next year. I'll be rooting for you.

Written by: Cindy Lange-Kubick.

Google Earth

Okay, I have never seen anything like this. I was just introduced to Google Earth today and it is a trip. You imput an address and it give you and ariel view of your house. Totally crazy. You can download the program for free and imput any address. It is amazing the tecnology that we have today. My house is an old picture because our backyard has nothing in it. We now have a semi-completed yard so this was taken a few years ago. It is still very cool! I found my house, my Mom's house, Heather's house, and Vola's house. Too cool!! Check it out!! =)

The Finale of American Idol

Jordan Sparks is the new American Idol. She deserved to win because she has an amazing voice but, I realy like Blake Lewis better!!! I was happy either way because they were both amazing singers!

MySpace...

Okay so everyone is on me about having a MySpace page. I have actually had one for quite sometime now but never had anything on it. Here is my updated MySpace page : Misty's MySpace Page. Enjoy!!

Cafe Press...

So, I just discovered Cafe Press. I love it! I quickly designed a logo and put it on a shirt. You can check it out at: Misty's Portraits : CafePress.com. When I have some extra time I am going to design something really cool. If you have any suggestions let me know!

And I thought they had it all....

I've been thinking about potty training Chase and I ran across this. It is called The Peter Potty. It is a urinal to help potty train boys. I think it is hilarious!! The funniest part is I'm actually considering buying it. It gets great reviews!!

I found the cutest website. They have great ideas for parties. Their ideas are so unique! If you are doing a baby or bridal shower this is your source! If I were to do a bridal shower I'd do this one! I love it! It is a "Orange Crush" bridal shower. Too cute! They are called the Hostess with the Mostest. Check them out!

Avila without Daddy

My Mom, Danny, Isabella, Chase and I took a trip to Avila (Pismo) Beach from Saturday until Wednesday.

The trip was origionally planned from my Dad's birthday, which was May 14th, Happy 71st Birthday Daddy! We deceided to go on the trip anyways because I know that my Dad would have wanted us to go!

It was a fun trip but their was lots of hard times and memories there of my Daddy! He was missed SO much and it will never be the same for any of us at the beach again!

Missing Papa Owie

It is times like this that I now KNOW that Isabella misses her Papa!

This picture was taken in April of 2006 of Isabella and her Papa Owie! He always loved playing with her. Papa LOVED kids!

Last night in Avila Isabella was in bed and was just crying and crying. I kept asking her what was wrong and she finally said,"I miss Papa." I asked her which Papa and she said, "Papa Owie." I'm not sure if she completely understands what has happened but I know from the cry she had that her little heart was broken and so was mine!

Another goal achieved...

On Thursday night I officially cooked dinner FOUR times this week!!! I know this seem odd to some of you but in the Brandow home this is a true miracle. I cooked Nacho Supreme on Sunday, Monday night we had Lasagne , we had Chicken Fajitas on Tuesday night, and Thursday night I made homemade pizza.

Now my goal is to cook dinner four nights a week for more than one week! Keep your fingers crossed!

Me from A-Z

A- age: 29, yikes, I am almost 30!
B- bed size: queen
C- Chore you hate: laundry and dusting and floors and....just kidding.
D- Dessert you love: anything really but my favorite is my Mom's german chocolate cake.
E- Essential start of your day: Isabella and I laying in my bed together while she watches cartoons until Chase get up or she deceides she wants some "Cherrios and Mulk!"
F- Favorite musical artist: I really don't have just one. I like all kinds of much and all kinds of artists.
G- Gold or Silver: Silver
H- Have to Have: my computer and cell phone
I- Instruments you play: piano
J- Job title: many: Wife, Mommy, Housecleaner, Teacher, Photographer, Scrapper, and Telecommunications sales rep.
K- Kids: 2; Isabella (3.5 years old) and Chase(21 months old)
L- Living arrangements: our little cute home with Danny, Isabella, Chase and I
M- Most favorite month: October, and not because it is my birthday month. This seems to be when we take our best family vacations and the weather is usually starting to cool off.
N- Nickname: my dad called me Mis, my sister called me Bratface, my brother calls me Mis Precious.
O- Ordered last on the internet: Pictures
P- Phobia: spiders and the dark
Q- Quote: "It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all."
R- Right or Left handed: Right
S- Siblings: 2; Jimmy (almost 45) and Gina (would be 43)
T- Traffic tickets you've received: I have had three tickets. #1: running a red light in Palm Springs, #2: going 85 on Hwy 41 on my way home from Morro Bay. #3: going 80 on Hwy 99 on my way to Fresno from Bakersfield. #3 was about 8-9 years ago. It has been awhile, knock on wood!
U- Unique Talent: Sit in a butterfly style and I can touch my legs to the ground and my chest to my legs.
V- Veggie you hate: let me start the list; tomatos, squash, peas, asparagus and califlower.
W- Worst habit: picking the pimples on my back and face until I have made it 10 times worse than it was to start off with.
X- What body part would you Xerox?: My hand or lips
Y- Yummy food you make: Homemade Tacos or Chicken Wraps
Z- Zodiac sign: Libra