Beau and Laura Brewer

Josh's Mission Call

2009-02-25T12:14:00.000-08:00

Here is a little gem I found while cleaning my digital shelves. Be warned, if your not a family member it could be a complete waste of time.

Touch Me

2009-02-12T09:03:00.000-08:00

I know, the title has you somewhere between "What The" and "Pervert". I would have hoped to get the same reaction from some of the employees here at work, unfortunately, I did not.

I've been working on a new company/website that requires me to be able to control a printer from a networked computer. It doesn't sound all that difficult, but this all needs to happen without anyone touching a mouse. Just the computer and the printer working together in autonomous harmony.

If you need to talk to someone, or something, you first need to learn their language. Hand gestures only go so far. I realize this from my sad attempts to talk to the lady that cleans my office each day.

After feeling confident in my newly acquired language skills,... I had to put them to the test. I wrote a program that hacks into the laser printers here at work and changes the message on the LCD displays. This happens each day at 10:00 am and randomly picks a message like: TOUCH ME, SET TO STUN, GO AWAY, POUR ME A DRINK, NICE SHIRT, NO PRINT FOR YOU, RADIATION LEAK, TAKE ME HOME, INSERT DISK, COME CLOSER, INSERT COIN, etc.

I guess this could serve as a social experiment as to how many people actually pay attention to things at work. After two weeks of no response what so ever, I had to start making comments like "have you noticed the printers are acting a little strange lately?" A few people are now aware of it, but don't seem to think it's as funny as I do.

WALL•E the Piñata

2008-12-22T12:37:00.000-08:00

Before getting into the subject of this post, I must convey I neither support or condone the dangerous practice of the piñata. Teaching small children to beat things with bats can be extremely dangerous as the following testimonial shows.

We lost our beloved parrot, Polly, to pinata violence. A neighbor boy came by after a Pinata party and convinced our son Jon that Polly was filled with starburst candy. Jon beat poor Polly to death with a bat.
-Brenda Edelbrock

That being said, many of my memories of the "Brewer Christmas Party" revolve around the piñata. As children, my brothers and I dialed in our techniques to achieve maximum candy uptake. We would stay low to the ground (this also helps avoid getting a bat to the face as you dive in), slide on our stomaches, arms stretched as far as they would go, and scoop the candy into a pile. We would then transfer the pile to our ziplock bags as fast as possible. Another technique involved tucking your shirt in at the bottom and scooping the candy down it as you were sliding. This took a bit of practice to get just right.

This year, Goose and I had the assignment to build the piñata. We wanted to build something that would take the traditional newspaper piñata to the next level. Dan and I talked about adding some small explosives in strategic places. We could then detonate different parts of the piñata on demand. I guess this idea was vetoed by our better judgement.

WALL•E was born in my basement over the period of 2 weeks. This is no regular piñata as you can see. It took some serious design preparation and planning to get everything just right. The finishing touches were applied by hand to give him the worn and distressed look.

It seemed the kids were more excited to take home a piece of WALL•E than they were the candy. Here is a picture of the proud new owner of a robotic finger.

Yes, it was bitter sweet to see such a beautiful work of art come to an end.

Sponsor Review 08'

2008-11-11T13:38:00.000-08:00

I'm at work right now to excited to get anything accomplished. Let me explain.

This morning, we had our annual review and budget meeting with MonaVie, our team sponsors. Each year, I create a document that lists some of our highlights and accomplishments as the MonaVie XTeam (with the help of Marie, my personal editing genius). We then sit down with the MonaVie executives and jot down numbers and goals for next year. We must be doing things right based on the fact they more than doubled our budget for 09'. This will allow our team to take things well beyond the next level. I'm really excited to see what lies ahead.

Here is our MonaVie XTeam 2008 Year in Review document. Click here to check it out.

Results Are In. It's a...

2008-10-15T19:56:00.000-07:00

Much could be said about passing on ones chromosomal material. Without giving myself to much credit, the following is a quote from our baby doctor.

Well there's no mistaking that one. It's a BOY!

Laura's intuition was right all along. I'm excited to get a partner in crime for the numerous shenanagens that will take place in the years to come.

Is it already Fall?

2008-09-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

We have received a number of comments on the length of time our "Spring has Sprung" post has stared at our readers without any new insight as to what is going on in the Brewer's life. Truth is... nothing new really has happened. Laura is pregnant, I shattered my big toe skydiving (showing off), we went on a cruise with Brighton (who is also pregnant) and Boggz, celebrated our one year anniversary, all while eating fresh fruit and veggies from our garden. Yea, nothing much.

Let's take it in sections. First off, our baby! We are not sure if it's a boy or a girl yet. We'll find out on Oct 13th. Seeing our current posting trend, you will find out after our child's first birthday.

I have often told people that I was born with a laptop. Pay close attention to our baby's first ultrasound. Like father like (son/daughter).

This was taken at twelve weeks. Laura is now fourteen weeks, due April 4th (one month to the day after Brighton's due date).

Number two, my busted big toe. Sadly, I do not have any pictures or an x-ray of the tragedy. Just imagine pushing the end bone in your big toe straight through your second bone. It split like a bamboo reed. I accomplished this feat a mere 5 hours before we left on our cruise.

Third, the cruise. Leave it to us to book a cruise at the peak of hurricane season. It was the perfect adventure we were in need of. We had planned to visit the Western Caribbean. Turns out, hurricane Gustav had the same plan. We ended up seeing the Eastern Caribbean. It was beautiful! I put together a little Photatobug of our adventures. Click HERE to check it out.

Today is our one year anniversary. I can't believe Laura has been able to cope with me for an entire YEAR. We just returned home from our retreat. We stayed in a Swiss/German cottage in midway called the Blue Boar Inn. It was quaint, personal, and all around beautiful. Our dinner the night before was hard to beat. If you have never been to the "Snake Creek Grill", take this time to jot it down on your list of things to do before you die. It was fantastic. You can gather that Laura didn't hold back with her order when our waitress walked by and muttered "Wow, you really went for it". I'm glad she did because the full rack of ribs she ordered was incredible.

Spring has Sprung

2008-06-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

After the countless posts of hate mail, we have entered back into the light and are blogging once again. Sorry for the stagnant blog. We just had TONS of things going on. One of them in particular... our garden. Don't be fooled. These pictures were not scanned from a "Better Home's and Garden" magazine. They are of the Brewer square foot garden (new and improved).

(These pictures were taken three weeks ago. You should see it now!)

We added a full automated drip system (Not sure if this was driven by innovation or laziness). Each box now has custom drip heads that give each and every plant just the right amount of water. This is not only much less maintenance, but also conserves water by applying it right to the base of the plants and not giving it a chance to evaporate on the surface.

Laura planted all our crops this year. We are growing: three types of tomatoes, onions, numerous different types of peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, white pumpkins, raspberries, strawberries, and almost every herb you can think of.

I may quit my day job and start a garden consulting business with my brother Goose, and brother-in-law, Joe (I haven't pitched the idea to them yet). We have all jumped onto the garden train the last year or two.

The Birthday Boy in his Birthday Suit!

2008-03-02T20:42:00.000-08:00

Saturday, March 1st, we had a birthday party for Braxton (Goose and Karalea's boy). He is now 1 year old. The movie "Cars" was the theme of the party and he had custom made Lightning McQueen and Mater cakes. Karalea made some yummy homemade soup and we snacked on cupcakes. Braxton loved his gifts which consisted of toy cars and trucks, clothes, and a play animal hay ride.

Baby Allison

2008-03-02T20:16:00.000-08:00

Feb 23 our beautiful new niece was born- 7 lbs. 11 oz., black hair, and named after her mother. You've never seen a big sister more proud than Livvy. We are so happy to have her join our family! In fact, the whole experience made me start thinking about having a little one of our own- much to Beau's chagrin :)

A Tribute to President Gordon B. Hinckley

2008-02-01T12:17:00.000-08:00

President Gordon B. Hinckley passed away at his home last night at the age of 97. He served the church for over 12 years, traveled the world offering service to others, and reached out to encourage everyone to stand for something. Glenn Beck, who appears nightly on his own show on CNN says that President Hinckley was his “shining city on a hill,” the person who made him want to be better. Glenn’s message is simply this: find a good example in your own life that inspires you to be a better person. Gordon B. Hinckley was that person for many people. He will be sorely missed by millions in more than 150 nations who considered him to be a divinely inspired leader and prophet, including me.

Click here to see a "photatobug" paying tribute to Gordon B. Hinckley.

President Thomas S. Monson:

“It was my privilege to know and love President Hinckley long before either of us was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles or the First Presidency. Through the years I have sat next to him, have served with him and have learned from him. I am a witness to his prophetic calling.

“President Hinckley was prodigious in his work ethic and was totally dedicated to the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was a friend to one and all and a leader who inspired spirituality. His outreach on an international scale was unprecedented. He was truly a prophet for our time. Like the Master, he devoted his life to doing good, and God was surely with him. His life was a gift to the world.”

President Henry B. Eyring:

“President Hinckley had the gift to make people want to do better and to feel that they could. Last Tuesday I sat in a meeting with him as he considered and then decided matters of great importance, some about individuals and some affecting the entire Church. He was pleasant, incisive, and clearly inspired. For me, he raised the standard of what it is to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, giving all.”

The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

“Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles express our heartfelt love and admiration for President Gordon B. Hinckley and the singular life of service he lived. He was our prophet, our leader, our brother and our friend. We feel a deep, personal loss at his passing. He unfailingly demonstrated his devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ, whose witness he was at home and abroad.

“We will miss his wit and his wisdom, his leadership and his love. However, we cannot but rejoice in his reunion with his beloved Marjorie, with his parents and other family members who have gone before, and with the prophets of God, both ancient and modern, among whose eternal ranks he now stands. As the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles we echo the voice of the Master, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant. … Enter into the joy of thy Lord.’ ”

The Good Life

2008-01-05T16:34:00.000-08:00

Today has been a day worthy of extensive documentation. Our entire family is spending time in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Where is that you ask? Let me show you.

Feel free to explore around. Check out the private Villa's we are staying at.

You might have heard of Zihuatanejo from "The Shawshank Redemption". I have not tracked down Andy Dufrain yet, but don't think that is the only reason to visit this incredible part of the globe.

Jan 5, 2008 - We awoke this morning at 6:00 am, ate breakfast, and jumped aboard our private boat for a deep sea fishing adventure. Our captain, Fito, and co-captain, Barrie Brewer, took us 30 miles from the coast before our first fish hit. My adrenaline surged when one the reels on our outrigger started buzzing. BJ and Fito grabbed the pole and set the hook. It was great watching BJ bring in the 4' Mahi Mahi (our dinner). Moments later we had two more hits. I jumped on a pole and BJ took the other. The beasts on the other end of the lines were 60 and 80 pound Sailfish. After reeling for some time, Laura and Mom took over. My sweetheart, Laura, continued to reel as the fish continued to fight. From time to time the fish would jump from the water as if to show a sign of what you were up against. It was amazing to feel the raw power of these creatures. 45 minutes later we pulled the fish aboard for some quick photos and set them free.

Here is a little video clip of me pulling in the Sailfish. Notice the moment of awkwardness when it flops in the boat. I seriously didn't know what to do to show it off. I mean... you can't really hold it up over your head or anything. I went with the straddle method. I guess it's as good as any.

On our journey back to shore we came across a huge family of dolphin. They put on quite a show for us, swimming alongside the boat and jumping through our waves.

Christmas at the Cabin - 2007

2007-12-30T17:29:00.000-08:00

Mama and Baby Moose
This photo was taken right outside of our cabin.

This year we spent the holidays:

playing games
watching movies
flying remote control helicopters
hanging with friends and family
and competing in the "First Annual Klondike Derby"

Christmas Eve was spent watching Santa Clause vs. The Snowman 3D (IMAX). We returned home and met up with Marie, Joe, Livvey, and Joe's parents. Sharon and Laura made a wonderful Christmas dinner, and we had a chocolate fountain for desert.

Christmas morning we had breakfast and headed up to the Brewer Cabin. Here are some of our favorite photos from the holidays.

Blithe and Lola at the top of the stairs.

Braxton and Lola getting ready to fix up a turkey sandwich.

Braxton can't believe his eyes when he opens his Christmas gifts.

Mom and the girls hanging out.

The 2007 Christmas Pickle

So here's the story. A number of years ago my mom bought me a pickle poker for Christmas. Yes that's correct... a "Pickle Poker". It's any tool with the sole purpose of pulling pickles out of a pickle jar. She thought I would like it because it looked like a gadget you would see on mission impossible. We all laughed at my pickle gift and from then on it became a tradition. My pickle poker collection grew to a unmanageable size, and my mother decided enough with the pickle gifts. My cousin Tia took over as pickle producer and stepped the pickle presents up to the next level. The first year she carved a pickle out of a bar of soap. The following year I received a really cool pickle ornament and story telling about the tradition of the Christmas Pickle. This year I received Pickle Panties. Who doesn't want green panties with text that reads, "I Love Pickles... They're Dillicious? I have already received crazy offers to buy the pickle panties. Sorry folks, can not and will not. I can't wait to see the 2009 pickle present!

Elf This

2007-12-09T13:36:00.001-08:00

So we have received a number of "Elf Yourself" emails recently. I think the first one we viewed was Tiana and JC's. It has become so popular that we hardly go a day now without receiving a new "I Got Elfed" link. Laura has been having elf nightmares the last few nights, and it's really starting to erode our Christmas spirit. To display our complete disgust with this trend we have prepared a little something of our own. Click HERE or HERE.

Memories of McChevitz

2007-12-09T09:34:00.000-08:00

Laramy McChevitz (aka Beau N. Brewer)

I stumbled upon this photo the other day and thought it would be a disservice to everyone I know not to post it. It was taken in 2000 at the Entebbe Airport in Uganda, Africa. What is going on you ask? Let me explain.

One of my best friends, Devin Roane, and I flew to Africa a few days after my family and everyone else. After watching "Fletch Lives" one to many times, we decided to arrive in Africa undercover. I believe we changed into our disguises at the JFK airport, or maybe it was in London?... either way you would not have believed the looks we were getting from passerbys. Our stewardess couldn't quite figure out if we were for real or not. She did everything she could to not look us in the eyes. I'm sure it was the only way she could keep from laughing.

From the Uganda Airport, we took a bus ride to our guest house. When we arrived, we were greeted by the family, a number of other volunteers, and locals. I guess word had made it around that we were extremely handsome young men. A look of utter confusion spread across the group as we stepped out from the bus. One of the locals turned to my mom and said, "Your son is very ugly". I don't know if the opinions changed much after we changed out of our disguises, but there were plenty of laughs to go around and we sure had a good time.

2007 Sponsors Review

2007-11-15T07:56:00.000-08:00

This week, I'm sitting down with my skydiving sponsors, MonaVie, and reviewing things Dusty and I did for them in 2007. For those of you unfamiliar with MonaVie, it's a health drink made with a proprietary blend of 19 body-beneficial fruits. The main fruit in MonaVie is the acai berry, which is listed as one of the top superfoods in the world. Check their website out at www.monavie.com

I put together a document for them with pictures and stories from this year. Check it out here and tell me what you think.

Halloween 2007

2007-11-05T16:45:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2007 was wonderful. We passed out Play-Doh to tricker treaters, hung out with Joe, Marie, and Livvy Dougherty, and ate our traditional Halloween dinner. Our porch won the "Most Impressive Pumpkin Porch Award"... Given by myself. We then paid a visit to the LaSalle residence. Each year the family creates an industrial accident scene at their house. Each year it gets bigger and better. This year there were two work trucks from a Volts Tree Service, road flares, smoke, electrical sparks, dead people and a gallon of blood. You have to see it to truly appreciate the work of art they create in their front yard. A few years ago they had a plane crash scene. Real airplane and all. Real airplane that had been in a real crash. I love when people take Holidays to the next level. The LaSalle's certainly do.

Fourth Annual Pumpkin Carve

2007-10-30T22:20:00.000-07:00

That's right. The annual pumpkin carve went off with a bang. Brighton and Boggz had to leave early because Lola wasn't feeling all that great. I'll have to carve one for them tomorrow. :-)
From Left to Right: Goose & Karalea's... um something. Beau & Laura's Patch Master. Papa Bear's Immortal. BJ's Halloween Hooter.

Halloween is Near

2007-10-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

October 17th, 2007

Lola's Birthday party was today. It was packed with the cutest creatures you'll ever see.

Above from left to right: Brighton and her chicken Lola, Baldy Brit and her monkey Blithe, Braxton in the Pumpkin Patch, Olivia Bop.

Our Honeymoon Adventure (censored)

2007-10-25T08:57:00.000-07:00

I must say that the week of our wedding could not have gone any better. The weather the day before was rainy. Our wedding day, Friday, was perfect and all the flowers at Red Butte Gardens were in full bloom. Saturday morning was back to overcast and cold. Someone we met in Ireland said "the beautiful day was gods wedding present to you". I would agree.

Laura still didn't know where we were going. I gave her some info about the weather and told her to pack some items I thought she might need. Other than that it was kept a total secret. I guess she never really fell for it when I said we were going to Tijuana.

When we arrived in Ireland the weather was pretty wet and cold. We jumped on a bus and headed to downtown Dublin in search of our hotel. It didn't take us long to find our headquarters in Ireland, The Shelbourne Hotel. It was Grandma Lou and Grandpa Dicks wedding present to us. It was beautiful. From that day forward the weather was incredible. A local mentioned that the summer was terrible and that the current weather was the best they have had all year - again we lucked out.

After spending a week in Ireland we jumped on a plane to Edinburgh, Scotland.

Some of our photos can be found below. Click on them to go to a full gallery of our honeymoon images.

The Next Chapter

2007-10-23T21:31:00.000-07:00

September 28th, 2007.

Today a new chapter in our life begins. We were married in the Salt Lake City Temple Friday Sept. 28th, 2007. Someone leaned over and gave us the exact time just after the ceremony, but I don't remember it. The important thing was that it happened and we couldn't be more excited about it.

To the right is one of the many beautiful photos of my new wife.