2013 Top Ten, errr Eight....just a little late!

Hey, hey remember me??!  My name is Rachel Brown and I once blogged here.   Okay, that is done.  And not awkward at all ;).
So I stopped blogging for awhile.  Life got really busy and I could not justify spending time on it.  Then once one is so behind, it just feels better to ignore it, can I get an AMEN?!
But, during Christmas break, I got to thinking about it and and I really missed my little place here.  And I was super sad that our memories and fun times were not documented.  SO, I made one of my resolutions to blog at least once a week this year.  I am going to make it a weekly priority to write what is going on with us so I can always look back and see these happy faces.  
What better way to catch up than with a TOP TEN LIST!! Nothing better than a good list!!  
TOP TEN LIST OF HAPPENINGS OF THE BACK HALF OF 2013...and where I left off :)
1.  Owen and Bree's Splash Bash Birthday Party! We had a combined party this year for our big SEVEN year old and FOUR year old!  We had a big blow up slide in the back yard and the kids had a ball. It was right before school started and it was like our last hurrah for the summer.  Everything turned out great and I know it was a good party when I can barely walk by the end of it :)....

2. Owen played for his first league football team - THE WARRIORS!!! He had so much and so did we! He did so well and were so proud. His team made it to the championship game, but lost ;(.  He learned so much and we had so much fun spending our Saturdays cheering on our boy. He was awarded the "Four Horseman Award" at the end of the season :). He is playing this Spring as well and he cannot wait!

3.  So we got some other big news last fall - NICOLE AND AARON ARE PREGNANT!!!  AND THEY ARE HAVING A BOY!!! Hayes will be here end of March / early April and we cannot wait!!! They had a super cute gender reveal party that was so much fun.  I love all these babies!!!!!!!

4. Mama got a promotion!  I have the job that I have wanted for many years, but was always afraid it was too much for me as a mother, wife, etc.  After lots of praying, Shane and I decided I should go for it and I did!  Honestly, since then, things have been great!! I have a Team of wonderful women working for me now and I look at this as opportunity to make their lives better as mothers and wives too. It is amazing what you can do when you trust the Lord with your decisions and just pray constantly for Him to get you through it.  I am not going to lie and say things are perfect and I currently am drowning in laundry and every day I feel like I am doing something out of my comfort zone, but we are making it.  It's not easy being a working mother, but it is worth it to me and my kids are doing really well :).  I am so thankful for Shane as he is a huge supporter of mine and is so encouraging.  Of course I could never do any of it without my mother and her help with the kids.  Shane surprised me with a brand new handbag as a gift for my promo.  He is a keeper that Shane Brown :)....

I joined #onebigtruth on Instagram right after my promotion as I felt like it was so appropriate...with my baby girl at my office before her dance class...with a blue slush mouth :).

  5. Fall and Halloween activities.....pics will speak for themselves :)....We love Fall in the Brown house and Halloween was the best ever!!!!

6. OMG - Olivia Mae Gibson was born!!!!!  One Saturday night while all the men were gone to the cabin hunting, us ladies were at the hospital waiting on Livie Mae!!! She is perfect!!!!!!!!! We love her so much and I will post separately all about her soon :), but here are pics from her birthday weekend...

 Owen hunting that weekend :)

7. Claire Isabella turned 10 on Thanksgiving!!! We had a fun Baking Party at our house for all her friends!! It was so much fun....and I am in denial that she is 10.  Not happening :) We decorated cookies and cupcakes, made a big mess, ate enough sugar for an army, and giggled a ton.  Claire has a great group of friends and we are very grateful for them and their families. (if you want to know any details at the party, feel free to email me :) )

8. Thanksgiving!  Thanksgiving was also Claire's actual birthday. We celebrated her birthday that morning for breakfast with chocolate chip pancakes! Thanksgiving was great as usual and we had a great day!! 

Okay - stopping with eight today!!!  Coming up soon, 9 and 10 - Christmas and NYE!!!!!!   Thanks for still sticking around and reading.  Many of you have emailed, messaged, etc and encouraged me to get back here and I so glad you did.  Social Media is not all bad, in fact it is pretty awesome when used for the right reasons.  Here at football and crowns, we are here to have fun and I am planning to keep it up this year!!!  XOXOXOXO