Unishippers' new adventure...

What can BROWN do for U?

Jon headed out to a Unishippers franchise owners' convention this week in Atlanta, GA at the UPS headquarters. Unishippers recently decided to partner with UPS as DHL's local market wasn't doing as well lately. A suprise on BOTH ends of the deal. We are excited for the changes this will bring!

While he is there he will also have the chance to see his sister, Dallas, and husband, Harry (who live a few hours from there) for the first time in a long time. Jon's parents happen to be visiting Dallas and Harry also, so it will be a fun family gathering for them.

Mrs. (Newly) Domestic

Our new toy: a WHEAT GRINDER!

Jon and I have really been striving lately to heed the words of our prophet and bishop and get ourselves prepared for emergencies. Especially as things are looking a little scary with the economy and the world in general, we have felt and urgency to get it done. We are almost there with the basics of what we need for now. One of the things we needed was a way to grind our wheat so we can use it more ways! So, we ordered a wheat grinder finally, and I love it! I marched straight to my mom's after the UPS man delivered it and had her give me my first bread baking lesson. It turned out great and we can't wait to keep using it!

The new grinder (on the right)

Cade approves as well! He picked up this loaf and started gnawing on it...what a ham!

Also, the other day my brother A.J. watched Cade for us while I went hunting and Jon worked. He loves his uncle A.J. so much. He took this picture of Cade in a fraction of my parents' huge pile of leaves they get every fall.

OrAnGE and bLAcK PaRtY!!

We had our 3rd (I think) annual BLACK and ORANGE party on Oct. 25th. 

It is always ADULTS ONLY so it gets a little ___(fill in the blank)!

This night is our chance to have a party with siblings in the area and couples we want to get to know in our ward and area. Here are some fun things that happened this time:

-Each person or couple brought a fun dish to share and a lot of it was halloween or fall themed  finger foods. Some people got very creative! Mmmmm....too much good food!

-Everyone wore black and orange and had to strut it to music down the "runway" for a winner!  That got a little crazy...

-we had men vs. women halloween themed pictionary. Everyone got WAY into it!

-the World Series game 3 was on in the background

-a fire in the fire pit in our backyard.

Can't wait until next year!

Greenbluff Farms

"kid ready" PuMpKin PAtcH

Last weekend we went with my Dad Steve's current hygienist, Tanya (and kids), to Greenbluff farms in Spokane. We just thought we would have our hayride to pick a pumpkin, but it turned out to be quite the experience! It was more like a festival! Live bands, food vendors, lots of craft shows, fresh food, takeout pies& pastries to buy, a haybail maze for kids, etc. The BEST part was the FRESH pumpkin donuts they were frying to order! MMMMmmm. It was such a fun time! We came totally unprepared though- we had eaten, and didn't expect to be there longer than to pick a pumpkin and it was COLD! But we each picked a pumpkin... Cade got a little frustrated trying to pick them up like Daddy and ended up with a tiny one he could carry. 

We took another chance and Cade and Mom went with Nana and Papa Gatten and a few cousins to the farms again (Jon spent the day going to his annual WSU vs. USC football game with his brother Brandon) and this time we bundled up and got to see a lot more! Cade went on a pony ride and cried unless I was touching him. So, mom got some exercise! We got a box of the best apples ever, some fresh squeezed apple cider, and a couple crafts. We will definitely make this a tradition!

Cade's 19 mo. photo shoot (8/08)

Okay, I know this might sound like the classic "mom" thing to say, but I was going to pick a few of my favorites to post, and I decided I can't! We love them all. My sister Cassie has such a gift of capturing personality and we appreciate her sharing her talents with us! These pictures show:

His Laugh

Cade is always laughing and happy. He is such an easy going kid.

His Dance

Cade LOVES to dance and sing songsHis gorgeous eyes The little kidder/jokester in him That Cade is always looking for hugs His beautiful, blonde locksHis bashful side
The natural athlete in him
His love for games
(peekaboo)


His flexing...yeah, he's a boy...
His delicate side
His love for his parents and our love for him
We feel so lucky to have such an amazing boy who we, at times, feel has a stronger spirit than we do. We know he will grow up to do great things...but for now, he is still just our little Taters.

Biking the Oregon Coast!

First time posting on the family blog (Jon)... my Dad, brother and I have been talking about doing a trip like this for a while and it finally happened a few weeks ago. We started at the northern most tip of Oregon (Astoria) where we camped at Stevens State Park. Racoons all over the place in and out of our camp all night! First two days were big rains and head winds that made it tough to get to our destination and wore us out a lot faster. We made it to South Beach State park before one of us broke a spoke and cut the trip a day short or so. About 170 miles in three days riding. Only one flat, one non-injury producing crash, plenty of weather, plenty of stops and plenty of good memories. Good times! Next time though...let's be in better shape dudes.

Day 1 just as we left our starting point... (LtoR: Bruce (dad), Brandon and me)

(LtoR Below: Brandon, Jonathan, Bruce)

Saw two whales surfacing here right off the coast Stopped for a cone at Tillamook, day 2
Lots of scenic stopping points like this
Canon Beach and the haystacks
We each had one-man tents
Climbing a big hill, big forest

BYU Sucks!!One of a million stops along the road...we pulled all we had in our trailors

Girls Do it Better!

YW Overnight 9.12.08

My (Brynne's) calling right now is the ward Young Women's (12-18 yr. olds) outdoor and athletic leader. I absolutely LOVE my calling and the few, very select few, girls who love to do that kind of stuff with me! We have done anything from hiking in the rain, snowshoeing, sports, (our next activity we are shooting guns) etc. to this fun overnight. We had an awesome night camping by Cd'a Lake roasting hot dogs and having girl talk. The two men there were even suprised the other leader and I could make a fire without them and that I had come prepared with an axe! We also had some amazing spiritual discussions and object lessons. It was humbling to see the strength in these girls...especially considering the many trials they have to go through in these days. They are great examples and they have testimonies of Christ. I feel so lucky to learn from them and teach them.

Here is a picture of our beautiful hike overlooking Coeurd' Alene Lake on Mineral Ridge.

(LtoR:Chelsea Rouse, Angie Nicolay, Cyra Olson, Camillie Barlow, Olivia Cysewski, me in back)

We hiked from the bottom!