A new addition!

My younger sister Annie just had her very first baby! A little boy weighing 7 pounds 1 ounce, 20 inches long. Gage Lynn Brower is the name I think but I'll have to make sure. I talked to Annie a few hours ago when she was at an 8 and she sounded excited and happy that her little guy was arriving 3 weeks early ( I would be too)! So I'll get another update going as soon as I hear more. I love to watch our family grow!!!

Griffith Park

Griffith Park is a pretty cool place. We went to this really old merry go round that was built in 1926. All the pictures around the top were hand painted and half were destroyed by water damage. The tails of the horses were real horse hair and they had a old organ playing music as it went around. My mom and I agreed it was the fastest merry go round we'd ever been on. I would LOVE to know the story behind it. I tried looking it up but couldn't find much. Oliver was pretty excited about going but about half way through I think he started getting really dizzy. The motion sick gene lives on.

Amelie decided to opt out of the ride and just enjoy the pretty lights and sounds. Oh I just have to mention how cute Ollie is with his little sister. In the car Ami is not very happy. It's gotten a lot better but she still has her moments and poor Oliver has to be in back next to her screaming. Well anyways, he always get really concerned and asks for her binky (which she never takes). Then if that doesn't work his says "hush, hush, don't cry baby sister". He says "hush" really drawn out and soothing, just like momma does. Then he tells her "almost there, almost there". And then if all that doesn't work, he covers his ears with both hands. Everytime he gets in her face, you'd think she wouldn't like it but she just smiles and smiles at her silly brother. I can't to see them grow up together.Then Ollie got to go on a real horse. There is a lane for the slow ponies which he's only done. When he saw the bigger kids trotting and even galloping on their horses, he started trying to move his horse along to follow. Next time I think we'll let him go in the fast lane. No fear I tell you. I remember that I was totally a horse girl growing up. My mom had Annie and I in riding lessons and we LOVED it. I had this horse mobile, yeah you heard me, hanging from my ceiling that I loved. I could easily ride horses every day. Maybe I'll sign myself up for some riding lessons again. Find the inner horse of my childhood:)

This guy had all these birds on his car, not for sell or anything, just enjoying the great outdoors. I secretly wanted to open all the cages and see them fly away.

The Lot

This is mainly for my brothers and sisters to see since they are not here. My parents have been working on building a house for sometime now (depending on who you ask the time may vary), and it is really starting to come together. My dad has a real knack for building and designing houses and he's a banker, not a builder. An expensive hobby if you ask my mom but still pretty impressive. Anyways I thought you guys would want to see Dad's hard work.
The front of the houseBack of the house

Backyard and pool area

Front entry stairs
Living room and kitchen area to the left
Kitchen windows that look over Pasadena and La Canada

Master bedroom view

This is the stairwell that leads to a seperate entrance 2 bed 1 bath apartment above the garage

Ollie being the worker man that he is. The lot is Oliver's domain. You know those kids that are very cautious around ledges, stairs, basically huge drops over the sides of a mountain, etc. Oliver is not one. This makes for a few heart attacks for mom every time we're up there. I am contantly saying little prayers in my head that he will not fall out a window. But he has such a great time there. Like father like son, Like grandfather, like grandson...

This is the bedroom facing the backyard with those gorgeous mountains. If we ever get to stay here, I call this room.

Miniature Golf

We decided to do a family date night on Friday to miniature golf since Oliver is basically obsessed with all things Dad and he can't do the real thing so this is next best. He didn't want ANY help, a reoccuring theme of the 2's I've noticed, and killed a few small animals along the way. Ok he didn't really but that kid has a crazy fast swing. He was in toddler heaven. He was the only one out of us all that actually got a hole in one. Ami sat like an angel in her car seat and watched the festivities. Ryan and I are still amazed that we have two kids and we are having actual "family outings". I totally remember going on dates to this place when I was in high school. If you ever were to tell me then that I'd be married to Ryan Facer, mother of his children, I'd probably tell you, it makes perfect sense...really.

Christmas, Anniversary and New Years

So the holidays are officially over and it's time to report...

Christmas was a huge success. Ollie got this sweet train set and I surprised Ryan with a new wet suit. Christmas seriously is the most fun when you're excited about giving presents. It's so fun. Ryan and I were asked to give talks the Sunday following Christmas and I decided it was the best gift I got. I do not give talks well so it's something I really have to rely on the Lord to do. I gave my talk on LOVE and that is what I felt on Christmas. I have so much love in my life. My resolution this year is to give others more of the love I've been given.

We celebrated our 4 year anniversary on the 30th. I think it's pretty amazing we've been married that long. What's funny is that I feel like we just got married but yet I can't remember life without Ryan. I don't think I really want to. I am not a believer of opposites attract. Ryan is absolutely my other half, cheesy cheesy I know. He is also the better half if you ask me. Every single day I feel lucky that he is by my side. He tells me everyday that he loves me, that I'm beautiful, that he missed me while he was at work. He is an absolute romantic and reminds me when I need reminding of how in love we are (with two kids I sometimes need reminding). Basically what it comes down to is...we still got it...and will continue to have it on our 10, 20, and 50 year anniversaries. I love you Ry, more than I can say in words.

(By the way, this picture was taken this afternoon at the beach in Malibu. It is January 2nd my friends and it was 75 and sunny. You gotta love that).

On New Year's Day we went surfing at Silver Strand. It was chilly that day but still blissfully wonderful. Ollie and I hung out and played while the boys surfed and Nana hung out with Ami in the car. Ryan got to try out his new wet suit and the surf was pretty decent. I tried to get out there to take pictures but was coming out as everyone was coming in. I got a good one of Jeff.

New Years Eve we went to our friends Robin and Daniel's house and hung out with Parker and Jessica and all 4 of our kids, soon to be 5. We lasted till about 11:00 and then Ryan was falling asleep so we decided to drive home, so lame but necessary. We pretty much turned on the TV when we got home a few minutes before the ball dropped, watched that, kissed and then slumbered. Ahhh, just how I love New Years.

Last night we went to the party of the century at our wonderful friend Emily Brown's house and boy was it truly the party of the century. I can't believe I didn't get pictures. (Ems, if you ever retrieve your pics, please send me some). We left Ollie with my mom for the night and pretty much partied like it's nineteen ninety nine all night. Seriously we went to bed at 3:30 am. I can't remember the last time that's happened. It was like living moments from pre-kids. Ok who are we kidding, pre-marriage is more accurate. Thinking about the events last night seem like a dream, we were that tired. Amelie slept in a room upstairs the entire party, through two bands and music playing all night. Did I mention how much I love that child? The Browns are such a rad family. Ryan and I have goals to be just like them. This afternoon we went to the beach, because it was glorious, and enjoyed the last of our weekend. It's going to be a good year.