Good-Bye 2011

We're not just saying, "Good-Bye" to another year.
There were A LOT of THINGS we said, "Good-Bye" to, also during 2011...to be left behind - maybe for forever?

Good-Bye to most our other board games...
Ticket to Ride now trumps you all! It seems to be the only one we get out for Family Game Night anymore.

Good-Bye to wearing a COAT to keep warm for this teenager....
a hoodie (especially a U of U one) WITH SHORTS is good enough, he claims!

Good-Bye to the little, itty, bitty bike days for Haylee.

Good-Bye Braces!!!
{Aaaahhh}

Good-Bye to ever trying to go on a "Family Vacation" to somewhere like....say, BOISE, ID!
{Cancun ruined that chance!}

Good-Bye to the days with my Primary children
~ I was released from the Primary Presidency after serving for 2 years, 8 months. :(
Ironically, some of these "children" in this photo (from several yrs. ago) are now in the Young Women/Young Men's program of which I am a part of now -- but they're hardly recognizable!

Good-Bye to having multiple children at home during the school day.
Miss B had to say Good-Bye to all her older siblings this school year. :(
It's just me and "B" all alone during the weekdays. I've NEVER experienced that before this year!

Good-Bye to Lily, the hamster - may she R.I.P.....about four (+) times this year...
but then she was located again. Currently, she is found.

Good-Bye to her days of merely being a Soccer Spectator.
Katelyn has now taken the field!

Good-Bye to his pride.
Ryan will do just about anything to earn a paycheck.
{This "gig" was complete with kids trying to pull his hair (feathers?) and kick him in the bum (tail?) all night long...all while being trapped in this Eagle suit that emitted the most potent odor (from multiple uses and no washings - it is property of the City) - it could cause a goldfish to turn belly-up ! Seriously. Our home reeked!}

Good-Bye to diapers!!!
{The 6th diapered bum in the photo represents my niece who I provided Day Care for during her diaper-clad days.}
I had been doing diapers over the last 15 years, 9 months for all my children -- with literally only a SMALL 8 month break during 2007-08. (I realized that's nothing compared to the Duggar's, but that's beside the point! It was PLENTY for me!)
It is with great pleasure that I now say Good-Bye to this chapter of my life!!!

Good-Bye to half (well, too many) of the shingles on my roof...
In the worst wind storm (120+ mph) I've ever experienced.
{We're "in line" to get an entire new roof - along with everyone else and their dog!}

Good-Bye Elementary School.
Kyle graduated from 6th Grade.
{Do you like his "dressed up"?}

And subsequently, said Good-Bye to Primary at church as well.
{And was ordained to the office of a Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood.}

Good-Bye to being considered a "young" Adult for Matt.
{As "educated" by one of our 17 yr. old youth last night at Mutual, 40's are "OLD" - but not yet "SUPER OLD" like he referred to a different age group as.}

Good-Bye to my hourglass figure! :)
{ummm...so maybe that didn't happen in 2011....more like 1990...?}

Good-Bye to my traditional Christmas Card SHRINE.
The Holiday Decor is ALL cleaned up!
Can you see YOUR card up there?
If not, why didn't you send me one?!? ;)

With all these "GOOD-BYE's" in 2011 - there's nothing left for us in 2012, right? ;)
{HA! The only thing that's constant is change, huh?!?}

Although....we ARE hoping for at least one more.....
Here's hoping (& praying) that we will say, "Good-Bye" to our current home -- by way of selling it - FINALLY!

Summer Wrap-Up

SUMMER'S OVER?
Didn't it just barely start?

It is true that we did get gypped out of about 10 days or so of Summer Vacation this year because of an adjusted school schedule...and let me tell you, I'm REALLY feelin' the loss of those 10 days! They make a huge difference!

This one just flew by - and I hardly even blogged about it! Contrary to what my blog posts lead one to believe, we actually did do more than go to Cancun as a family and participate in the Farmington Festival Days 5K.

So here's where I will bring y'all up to speed.
This post will be "the Reader's Digest version" of....

The Brenchley Brood Summer 2011
(and it's too bad since each of these events has a behind-the-scenes story to go with it, too. All could've been it's own post, but it's too late now. That's what happens when I "check out" for Summer! [READ: very BUSY eating ice cream, chasing butterflies, sleeping in, showing our home (blah!) and I'm leavin' on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again...] Oh, sorry!)

First off....Matt's SURPRISE 40th birthday party

And he was completely and totally...as in NO CLUE...SURPRISED! (and thrilled!)

We had a live D.J. play all of Matt's favorite 80's music. Matt and his BFF from childhood, Steve Maxwell, performed a moving rendition of "Sweet Child of Mine" on the "Karaoke stage."

Matt takes his 80's music very seriously - he was "rockin' out on the "dance floor."

Next up....we went to Tuacahn ("Broadway in the Desert") and saw both The Little Mermaid and Grease.

Then we toured the Parade of Homes for a few weekends and saw....

lovely showers and

drool-inducing [for Matt] Home Theater rooms.

We had our annual Read-a-Thon (It's a simple concept; we [including me] read all day together in the Family Room, each in our own little niche with blankets/pillows, and then have pizza delivered for lunch and eat it picnic style on the floor, so you don't have to stop reading!)

And Miss B. copied all of us - she didn't wanna miss out! Aaaahh.

Kennecott Copper Mine "Field Trip" (and it was FREE that day - score!)

We had a great turnout at our Ward Party @ Skateboard Park. Haylee got to brush up on her Trapeze skills.

We spent a week at the Reunion Ranch.
It just so happened that I we were in charge of the Family outings for both sides this year. So, because I am so lazy efficient, I rented a cabin near Jackson Hole for a whole week and...

had the Brenchley's come the first half of the week....

and then had the Fowers come

the second half of the week.

And my brood stayed the entire time!

We tried out a Ropes Course and zip line.

Ryan especially loved it when, on different occasions, I screamed like a little girl, got my foot caught in a net, and also found myself hanging from the cables when I missed my landing. (In response to his shaking of his head and rolling his eyes, I said, "Hey! How many other 40+ yr. old ladies are you going to see doing this?!?")


A few of us took a trip to the land that Anti-Monkey Butt powder was made for to see The President.
{can you tell we are drenched with sweat, soaking through our clothes?}

Well, we did get to see a lot of Washington D.C. - and got into the spirit of patriotism while in our nation's capitol.

We had our annual Movie Marathon. (Another simple concept; you stay in your PJ's and watch movies. ALL. DAY. LONG. Oh, and have lots of treats, drinks, and popcorn.)

{Here was this year's lineup}


We (except Miss B. wanted no part of it, so, basically I!) worked on Potty Training.....and failed.

We drove out to Wyoming the last possible week of Summer vacation to get these cute cousins together!

Now I need a vacation from Summer vacation!

I'm not sure I'm ready for school! Uh Oh....What is wrong with me?!?