Well, the count-down is on! In just two days Brawleyfam heads out for a cross-cultural adventure. The kids are staying Stateside, while Jon and Elisabeth head across the Atlantic to Basque Country (Northern Spain & Southern France) and London for a total of 16 days. We will try to post updates on the blog from internet cafes along the way, so check back.
We arrive back in PDX on Feb 2.
Please be praying for us!

today while playing Old Maid:
Elisabeth: "I won!"
Jonah: "Oh, for keeps sake, mom!" (Pete's sake)
;0)

Two nights ago while praying before bed:
Jonah: "Jesus please help me to be a good big bruzzer to my baby sister."

Then today during play time:
Jonah: "Ava, don't touch this."
Ava: "Otay, Jao Jao."
Jonah: "Mommy! MOMMY!! Ava obeyed me!!"

Yesterday:
Jonah: "Sorry I hit you, Ava."
Ava: "Your welcome, JoJo."

As Jonah says, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!"
Merry Christmas to all our family & friends.
We hope you all have a wonderful holiday!
~Jon, Elisabeth, Jonah, & Ava Louise

Jonah, looking at his dinner last night: "My tummy says 'No'."

Ava got a new "kitty" with carrier for Christmas from Jon's aunt and uncle. Ava was pretty indifferent to it until Jonah decided HE loved it. He even named it Suzie. So this afternoon, while Ava was carrying it around, and Jonah was longing to play with it, he was being mean to her. While I was talking to him and trying to explain to him that he needed to be nice, he replied, "But Momma, Suzie is my best friend!"

Just a few minutes ago I overheard this conversation:

Jonah: "You charge your phone every night, Dada!"
Jon: "How did you know I charge it every night?"
Jonah: "Cuz your favorite toy is to charge it!"

Today Jonah and Marcus (our next-door neighbor) were playing "Fire Engine" outside with a big wooden wagon.
Marcus was pulling Jonah in the wagon over the bumpy dirt lot next to our house, and it had been raining.
Next thing I know, Jonah landed in a puddle and was covered head-to-toe in mud!
He actually looked so adorable but a little concerned when I burst out laughing (I think I scared him).

I always like to get a "take-off" cup of coffee at the airport Starbucks before we go on a trip. This last time, when we were flying down to Palm Springs, I went ahead and got the kids a "hot" cocoa to share. Next thing I know Ava dumped her entire cup of cocoa on her Beary's head! Jonah took one look at her and said, "You're a trasher, Ava."

Out for a cruise along the Desert Shores 

Jonah (4) and Ava (20 mos) in the pool at Nana and Pop Pop's Casita. 

My friend Ian told me that there is a Chevron in town that has a sign posted:
"Not responsible for lost gas caps".
Oh, please.

Last night:
Jonah: "Mom, you wanna come in da hot tub with me and Daddy? It's cold! It's hot! It's the hot TUB!"

This came to our email today:
"This is so fun and only takes a minute. Sometimes when you have a stressful day or week, you need some silliness to break up the day. And, if we are honest, we have a lot more stressful days than not. Here is your dose of humor... Follow the instructions to find your new name.

The following in an excerpt from a children's book, Captain Underpants And the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants' by Dave Pilkey. The evil Professor forces everyone to assume new names......

Use the third letter of your first name to determine your new first name:
> a = poopsie b = lumpy c = buttercup
> d = gadget e = crusty f = greasy
> g = fluffy h = cheeseball i = chim-chim
> j = stinky k = flunky l = bootie
> m = pinky n = zippy o = goober
> p = doofus q = slimy r = loopy
> s = snotty t = tootie u = dorkey
> v = squeezit w = oprah x = skipper
> y = dinky z = zsa-zsa


> Use the second letter of your last name to determine the first half of your new last name:
> a = apple b = toilet c = giggle
> d = burger e = girdle f = barf
> g = lizard h = waffle i = cootie
> j = monkey k = potty l = liver
> m = banana n = rhino o = bubble
> p = hamster q = toad r = gizzard
> s = pizza t = gerbil u = chicken
> v = pickle w = chuckle x = tofu
> y = gorilla z = stinker

> Use the fourth letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name:

> a = head b = mouth c = face
> d = nose e = tush f = breath
> g = pants h = shorts i = lips
> j = honker k = butt l = brain
> m = tushie n = biscuits o = hiney
> p = chunks q = toes r = buns
> s = fanny t = sniffer u = sprinkles
> v = kisser w = squirt x = humperdinck
> y = brains z = juice

Thus, for example, George W. Bush's new name is Goober Chickenshorts. William Jefferson Clinton is Bootie Liverbiscuits.
John Kerry's new name is Cheeseball Girdlebuns!

And remember that children laugh an average of 146 times a day; adults laugh an average of 4 times a day."

Jon's new name is Zippy Gizzardsquirt
Elisabeth is Chim-chim Gizzardsquirt
Jonah is also Zippy Gizzardsquirt
and little Ava is Poopsie Gizzardsquirt
Have a great day!

Since it was Jon's b-day last Sunday, Jonah is asking everyday whose birthday it is.
So, today we are celebrating "Mum's" (Jonah's Lambie's) Birthday!
And today at lunch Jonah prayed and thanked God for "Mum's" birthday. How cute is that?!

Today on a walk:
Jonah: "I will HIT this wood and it will BREAK and it will DIED!
(then a few seconds later) Mama, will it go to Heaven or to Hell?"
Elisabeth: "It depends if it knows Jesus or not."
Jonah: "Oh. I yuv Jesus. I want to go to Heaven!"

Today Jonah and I were sitting at the kitchen table making pumpkins out of construction paper.
Jonah: "Thanks for doing this, Momma, that was weally nice of you!"
Me: "Do you know why I am nice to you Joe?"
Jonah: "Cuz you wuv me."
Me: "Yup! When we love each other we try to be nice to each other."
Jonah: "And if you died I would be weally sad."
Me: "Uh, good, I guess."
Jonah: "If I BONK you on the head you would died!"
Me: "Well, then please don't bonk me on the head."
Jonah (looking a little confused): "Okay, Mom, I won't."

Jonah, almost 4 years old:
"Mom, I have chapskick on my face from your bafroom. I was trying to get curlies in my hair like Ava's hair. Wow, Mom, you have boingy hair, too!"

Jonah: "I have a yot of work to do today."