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

Five on Friday - Fall Fashion!

Happy Friday y'all!!!  I am linking up again with Darci and the crew!

Today's Five on Friday is all about Fall Fashion! This past weekend I bought Glamour's 1,001 Best Ever Fall Do's and Don'ts and OMG - I actually loved it and got something out of it!  See Bree was even shocked :)

It inspired me to get to picking up a few Fall pieces and I am pumped about the Fall!   So here are 5 things I am planning to wear this Fall: 1. Leopard booties - I have seen these adorable booties all over the internet and mags. I knew I had to have them when even Teddy on Good Luck Charlie had a pair on in the last episode I saw :).  I bought these Steve Madden ones and they came yesterday - I AM IN LOVE!! I love booties more than tall boots so I know I will get some major wear out of these! They will look great for work and play!

2. Over-sized Button Downs - I have been really trying to collect more items that are timeless and essentials.  My goal right now is to find a couple over-sized button downs, similar to menswear.  I don't want them to be too big and want them to still look tailored.  I have always wanted the perfect shirt, but with my larger chest and being taller, it has been hard.  I am bound determined this year. I feel like once I find the one I like, I could live in a white button down at least once a week and look different every time! I have ordered a couple, even men's ones, so I will let y'all know :) Here are some pics from Pinterest page - sorry could not get the links to work grrrrr - but my pinterest link is below the pics.

Rachel's Pinterest page so these ladies can get their creds! 3. Embellished Sweatshirts - I have seen embellished sweatshirts all over the mags and I might have squealed with delight! Sweatshirt with bling and it is fashionably acceptable?! HECK YEAH! I have seen many already and my faves have leather and plaid on them. Here are some cute ones I found at F21 (I ordered from Plus so they would be roomy for me :) )

4. Cute Hog Gear!!  No secret around here that we are big Hog fans!! Every good SEC girl should have fabulous shirts to wear on game day! We have taken a hiatus from our tailgating days with the kids and all, so I picked up some cute shirts this year to wear at home from my fave boutiques here in NWA...first one from Impressions - second two from Riffraff!

5. Cardigans - Duh! I have never met a cardigan I did not like - true story. They are perfect for work and are probably my most favorite piece of clothing!  Here are two new ones I picked up, first from Copper Peacock and the second from Blue Door!

Happy shopping! Let me know if you find something I NEED!

All a Mother's Heart Can Handle

Blog hiatus thanks to some of the busiest weeks of the year = one big post with lots of pics and me crying about my kids growing up too fast...shall we? :)
In one single week this year, Owen turned 7, the kids started school, Bree turned 4 and we had a huge party at the house!  If that is not enough to drive me to crazy-ville, I am not sure what will :)!
Owen Keith Brown turned 7 years old on August 14th! SEVEN YEARS OLD!  How in  H E double hockey sticks did that happen?  I remember when Claire turned 7, I thought she was so old, and now my baby boy is that old?!  Owen has grown up so much over the last year, especially the summer. He is such a good boy, aims to please, loves Jesus, loves his family, and is usually always happy.  He loves football and Xbox. He loves steak, french fries, and chocolate ice cream.  He is so funny and loves to make us laugh.  He is my boy and always will be.  We celebrated on his actual birthday with pizza, cake, and going to to see Planes...
On his birthday eve :)...

The kid's combined birthday party was that weekend, but that will be another post :).
The kids started school on August 19th.  First and Fourth grade!  They have absolutely fabulous teachers this year and we could not be more thrilled!!  In true Rachel fashion, I barely held it together to get them to class on their first day and then cried all the way to work after leaving the school :).

 Owen's Teacher and I surprised him with getting to celebrate his birthday on the first day of school :)

 Bree did not start school this year but she had her back to school shirt :)

 Homework on the first night...

 Owen Brown goes to school looking like a stud, hair spiked, clothes pressed and clean.  He comes home from school as a dirty mess!!!  This kid must be having a blast at school!

On August 21st, Bree Leighton turned 4!  Good Lord help me, she can NOT be FOUR!!?? Bree is our little ham! She loves all things with sparklers (aka sparkles) and hot pink.  She is always singing and/or dancing!  She loves "sumgetti", pizza, and chicken. She loves to watch movies and play outside. She loves her family and all her people! She is "queen Bee" as we call her and pretty much rules the roost at the Brown home...and we all are pretty much okay with it :).
Nicole got her fancy play heels for her bday and they rarely leave her feet...crazy thing is she can walk in them like a boss, for real!!!!

 Birthday Eve in her bday pajamas :)...

 I got her up early on her birthday so we could eat breakfast as a family before school....as I carried sleepy Bree from her room telling her happy birthday, she says "Mama, don't forget my birthday dress :)

 We celebrated that night with "sumgetti" and cookie cake :)

Post to come about the kids fun birthday party, school days, and the rest of my instagram feed :)

5 on Friday

Well it has been a hell of a week and I am calling it a win if I can get one blog in for the week....so here is our week in 5....

ONE - This week was all about football!  Owen had his first scrimmage Monday night and last night was his first REAL game on a REAL field!  Let's back up to the scrimmage.  Anyone that knows Owen, know that he is real easy going, go with the flow, actually a really sweet little boy.  He LOVES football, but we wondered if when put up against another team, if he would be able to be as aggressive as we thought he could be (did that even make sense?). Well my boy, he delivered! The first time to ever be put up another team, Owen became a man-child! I could hear him growling all the way on the sidelines!! He was awesome and we laughed so hard as his enthusiasm...he was celebrating, talking smack, everything. The icing on the cake?  He was lined up against a HUGE kid.  When I say HUGE, I am taking about a second grader over 100lbs!  Owen was keeping out of the play for the most part, but the kid was so big, Owen could not take him down. Well, Shane and his coaches told him what he was going to have to do get the kid down and on one of the last plays, my Owen TOOK THE KID DOWN TO THE GROUND! Owen was so excited, Shane and Jake were celebrating, and of course I started tearing up like the crazy mother I am. Here he is that night.

 Last night was the first real game.  They lost. But Owen played like a champ and had a blast.  He had a huge cheering section and he LOVED it.  He even looked up in the stands and waved and flashed some peace signs.  Oh my boy :)

TWO - Two is for the twins Shane's brother and sister in law are having - TWO BOYS to be exact. She has two boys already :).  We found out this week at the gender reveal party they are having the boys. The world definitely needs more Brown boys in it and the Lord definitely knew that...but let's all start praying for Lane and her house full of boys, shall we? :) I personally cannot wait to get my hands on those baby nuggets!!!

THREE - We went school supply shopping Wednesday night.  This picture explains it all.  

FOUR - It's August!! August is a favorite month in our house. Two of my kiddos were born in this month, Owen and Bree!  Such a month of blessings!!!

FIVE - Mama got a cut and color this week!!!  I went back dark and it is a fun shorter cut.  That alone made my week so great! 

Happy Friday!!!