our second family: the brownrices

the brownrices.

neighbors for 3 years since they moved into two houses down from me in 2004. seriously - they are neighbors you always dream about having - caring, thoughtful, funny, accept you for just where you're at, and always there when you need them. and they have the pew right in front of me at me at st. charles' 10 am mass.

it's so funny how so many people in my life know about them - and assume that 'brownrice' is their real last name. :) the two 'older and wiser' ones are browns, the two youngest and spunkiest are rices, and the middle - liz - is both a brown and a rice. thus, the brownrices. one big family.

the older and wiser browns
rich - one of the most caring people i know. he has kept an eye on me and my house, and been there for the major bathroom floodings, led the gigantamo crusade of re-finishing the front of my house, and is a photo junkie like you wouldn't believe. i am so glad he's finally starting to post some of his shots online. he was one of the three people jonathan asked (the others being my papa and my brother) for permission to marry me. he's a cancer survivor, and has walked in the tacoma relay's survivor lap for the last several years. i relay for him. :) he is truly like a second papa to me.

sandy - she rocks the kitchen. she makes the very best desserts (followed closely by liz), and gave me the best cookbook of the brownrice family recipes for my birthday, complete with a sweet orange and lime green ruffly handmade apron. i am just pimpin' domestication! she is the matriarch of anything plant related, and it's not uncommon to see that something's been trimmed or fixed in my yard because it's needing a little TLC. over the past few years, i've learned that i can show up on her doorstep, and she'll drop what she's working on to listen to what's going on in my life...and give good advice.

the brown and the rice
liz - my springtime early morning running partner. she tears it up in the pool at the y with me...when she doesn't have a huge cast on her foot, from a freak camping accident. (and you wonder why i don't bond well with dirt?) it's not uncommon to find us catching up over mike's lemonade while hanging with the dogs. but i will save the best parts for her wedding post - she she's going to have a post all her own as one of the bridesmaids in the wedding. :)

the rices
austin - the coolest eighth grader in town. i remember when i first met him just after he moved in - he was hitting me up for his fifth grade football team. a little entrepeneur. he has the best sarcasm - dry and funny. makes a mean cilantro butter for steak, and has all sorts of random facts to fill your head with unique info that no one else knows. he helps take care of my dogs and though he puts up a tough front at times, is a big teddy bear. and i love that.

paige - the newest braces-free resident on the block. she has grown so much in the last few years, and i am so happy she's at st. charles...i transferred into st. chuck's right around the same grade she did, and it's been so much fun to see how she's adapting. she is so thoughtful - keeping an eye on viper and now maggie, and i swear she is a dog whisperer. they do whatever she says. she always has something funny to tell me, and keeps me on my toes when i don't clean the computer room in my house. it's so hard to believe she's starting junior high in a few weeks.

the other night, the brownrices had a special dinner for jonathan's graduation from law school. throughout the evening, jonathan and i were reminded of just how hard it was going to be for me to move away from them. paige stumped me with brain teasers, which jonathan continually answered correctly (except for the famous gus and joe question below). it was so annoying!!



anyway...they served a feast. salmon - prepared on the grill and in the oven, roasted potatoes, steamed green beans (which i ate!), fresh salad, watermelon, and for dessert...one lemon meringue pie for us to share, and one lemon meringue pie for jonathan to take home. he was in heaven.

one of the best parts was when we broke out the screaming balloons, blow whistles, and horns. i'm positive everyone on the block was beyond impressed with our mad musical skills.


to each of you: rich, sandy, liz, austin and paige...
thank you. thank you for loving me, for loving us, for being such an important part of the fam.

we love you!