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Showing posts from June, 2012

Hot Summer Fun

Wow!  It has been exceptionally warm here.  Thank goodness we haven't been in the triple digits like many of you, but for Colorado, we have been HOT! And, thank goodness that my kids have Lesley to play with because they have been having a blast!  Days at the river are by far their favorite and I thought I'd share some pics.

Alone on Amazon

Andy's new book, Alone is available on Amazon now!  Wow!  Book number four for Andy and it is a great book dealing with the main issue we feel like teens are dealing with:  being and feeling alone!  Click HERE to order!

My Teaching Degree

So, I went to Baylor only interested in finding a husband.  School was just a means to my end.  I chose Secondary Education honestly hoping I would never have to use it.  I loved my times in the classroom and my student teaching semester so that love for teaching was definitely tucked away in the back of my brain. Fast forward 15 years. . .Gabby is going to school this year and we need a little extra money, so I have been meaning to apply to substitute teach in the Durango school district.  A few weeks ago, I got an email from the principal at Grace Prep in Durango.  She said that she had heard (from our Men's Director, Luke) that I was interested in subbing.  She asked me to have coffee with her to talk about that possibility last week. She and I met and I loved it!  But almost immediately in the conversation, she said that she didn't want to beat around the bush and that she felt I was an answer to prayer.  (I was confused.)  To make a long a wonderful story short, she

Hays Was A Camper

Hays has been a Kivu camper these past two weeks and he has been having a blast!  I have absolutely LOVED watching him in his element!  He is so comfortable here among the Kivu staff and his camper peers!  I love this boy!

Butterflies

Gabby and Lesley raised butterflies from little caterpillars again this Spring.  They get the little caterpillars in the mail and feed them and watch them make their "sleeping bags" and then they get to watch them "wake up" as butterflies.  After they feed them for a couple of weeks, they are ready to be set free and yesterday was Independence Day!

Family Pictures

As most of you know, we had family pictures taken professionally by Brooke Robinson while we were in Branson over Easter.  She did an amazing job!  I got to give you a "sneak peak" several weeks ago, but the official pictures are here and I love them!  Get ready for MANY pictures!  My family is beautiful!!!  (Can I say that out loud?  Oh well, I did.  They are!  I love them!) This is a great picture of what life is like in our house!  Andy and I just trying to keep it together while the chaos reigns around us!  I love this pic!!! This is my favorite family picture out of the bunch!  I love my family! How is she so grown up already?!??! This is another great picture that captured the Braner Family.  Everyone focused on Gabby while she is just super cute!  Welcome to life in our home! I love this one because it is SO us!  We're all upright and doing it "right" while Tiki is loving life to its fullest!  This is a perfect view into our f

Happy Father's Day!

It is so fun to have three Fathers in my life that I love so dearly and who I am so thankful for!  I am a very very blessed young (getting older) lady! First to my dad.  Daddy, you're amazing!  I love you so very much!  I've loved you since I remember and I love you so much more today.  I love calling you.  I love hearing your ring tone (John Mayer's "Daughters") come on my phone when you call.  I love it that I have someone so compassionate who I can call anytime day or night.  I love it that you answer your phone no matter what. . .and then you'll talk to me for several minutes before you say that you're in a meeting or even on stage.  I love the way that you make me feel so valued and important!  I love the way you love my kids.  I love to see your courage and your love in everything you do and all that you are having to deal with right now.  I'm proud of you in that!  I love to see you love Mom and I love to see your heart for my sister and bro

Proud of Hays

I'm so proud of Hays!  He is growing up into such a fine young man.  (Don't get me wrong, we butt heads like nobody's business, but he really is a great kid!)  This year Middle School was up and down for him both socially and academically.  But this last trimester, he rocked it!  The other day we got his report card in the mail and he had a 4.0!  I'm super proud of his hard work and his determination to be excellent!  He had over 100% in two of his subjects and 95% was his lowest grade in all of his subjects!  He made up his mind that he was going to excel and he did and I am so very proud of my Honor Roll kid!  Way to go, Hays!

Fire Safety

Yesterday Lesley took the kids to a Fire Safety event that the Durango Fire Department put on.  It was perfect timing because Tiki about burned the house down a few weeks ago by burning paper in a candle in his room (not good).  So, she heard about the fire safety event and we both agreed that it was perfect!  I think they had a blast.  The pictures are so cute!  . . . . however. . . . last night before Gabby went to bed we smelled nasty burning and sure enough, Gabby had decided to put paper in the candles and almost burned the house down.  We asked her what she did and she told us.  And then we asked her what the fire fighters said and she said, "to not to play with fire."  Hmmmmm. . . ? So much for fire safety!

Camp Fun!!!

Living and working at a camp is so much fun!  I think dressing up for the parties is one of the best things in terms of raising a family at camp!!! Andy and Maggie dancing at our Barn Dance! Gabby and Rae as the Tin Man and the Lion for our Wizard of Oz Party!  Adorable!!!  Lesley whipped out their costumes in an afternoon.  She's pretty amazing! The Tin Man found her heart, the Scare Crow found her brain and the Lion found her Courage!  :) Dorothy and the Straw Man with 2 Lollipop Kids, the Lion, the Tin Man and ToTo! Our Olympic Rings for the Olympic party! My heroes!

Best Day Ever!!

Yesterday was amazing (and I was only involved in about half of it)!!!  I really think that Maggie had the world's best birthday! She and Hally and Morgan (her kid sitter) had the day planned out.  After breakfast they headed to town for pedicures and manicures followed by lunch (at Sonic) and a movie.  They came back to the house with beautiful nails and quoting the movie.  They were all three so happy! Then Andy and I went to the house to give Maggie her gifts.  This was the best part!  As some of you know, her "big" present (which does NOT happen every year) is that I am taking her to India with me in September and then on the way home we are going to make a quick stop in Germany to visit Carolin and then onto Paris for a day because she has been DYING to see the Eiffel Tower and then a day in London to meet my dear British family (the family I lived with when I went to school there in 1995).  Whirlwind trip and I cannot wait!  Anyway, She got a darling car