Flashback Friday

Happy Friday!!

 

My beautiful niece Lauren has been on my mind a lot lately.  She just started her Senior year in college.  I seriously cannot believe she's already a grown-up.  So proud of you, LaLa!! :)

 

Senior pictures - 2010

1st signs of Fall

Ready or not, here it comes......

 

Sadly, the Summer months just flew by!  In Minnesota, the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day is precious.  There are tons of people outside - eating, relaxing, running, playing, etc.  Last Winter seemed to hang around forever and, just as we were getting used to shorts and flip flops, Fall makes an appearance. 

Don't get me wrong, I truly love the weather in Minnesota.  This time, the season took me by surprise.  :)  Welcome back, Fall!!

Flashback Friday

Happy Friday!!

 

This Flashback Friday holds a special place in my heart.  This was the first year we participated in the MS Walk.  It was held at the Fort Worth Stockyards in the dead heat of Summer.  Charlene was undergoing chemotherapy but, because she's such a bad-ass, she walked the entire thing! :)

Garrett Todd......

 

Delanie Jo......

 

Mom & Bobby (it squeezes my heart that she looks so healthy and happy in this photo).....

MS Walk - 2008

Flashback Friday

Happy Friday!!

 

We are planning a Bryant family reunion next year (details/posts to follow) and it got me thinking of family vacations of days gone by.  I can't believe it's been almost fifteen years since we took a family trip together.  This one was a blast!! 

 

Having had enough of the Texas heat, we packed up and headed to Angel Fire, NM. 

 

The Hairgroves..........

 

The funniest thing I have ever seen in my life happened to Tracey during this trip.  We were all headed down the mountain when Tracey fell about half-way down.  Somehow she ended up face-first all the way down the mountain!!  When she got to the bottom, snow was packed into the front of her shirt.  OMG......we all laughed so hard we almost wet our pants!! :)

Me and Garrett.......

 

The three amigos.......

 

Charlene must have been the one taking the photos.  Pictures of her are suspiciously absent from my stash! :)

Angelfire, NM - 2000

Ice Bucket Challenge

In an attempt to raise money and awareness for ALS (aka Lou Gehrig's Disease) people are taking the Ice Bucket Challenge. This has been sweeping the country on social media and finally found its way to our front door.  The point is to dump ice water on yourself or make a donation to ALS. After you accept and complete the challenge, you can nominate three people.

 

Garrett took the challenge first........

 

Then nominated Maci.....

 

Then nominated me.......

 

 

I nominated Charlene.......

 

 

And Tracey.....

 

Charlene nominated our cousin Tricia (in New Orleans)....

 

 

She nominated our cousin Janice.......

 

 

Tracey nominated her son Ryan........

 

 

Charlene nominated Bill.....

 

 

Tricia nominated her daughter Madison.....

 

 

Madison nominated Aunt Janie.....

 

 



It has been so much fun watching people take the challenge.  Never a dull moment around here......let me tell you!! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flashback Friday

Happy Friday!

 

Is this not the cutest kid you have ever seen?! I remember this t-ball game like it was yesterday. Garrett was four years old and participating in his first season at the Grand Prairie YMCA on a team called the Coyotes. There were as many parents on the field as players.  :)

 

The thing I remember most about this day was what Garrett did as he was running the bases. Garrett's friend - Amanda (or "Manna" as Garrett would say) was playing shortstop for the opposing team. When Garrett rounded second base and headed for third, he stopped in front of Manna and gave her a huge hug!! 

YMCA T-Ball:  1999

Paddle boarding with Bea

 

The funnest thing we did during Charlene's visit (by far!) was paddle boarding. I fell in love with it during this trip last Summer. I have talked about it so much to Bea, she decided to try it too. :)

 

 

We packed up the crew - Delanie, Charlene, me and Delanie's friend Sarah - loaded our coolers and headed to Libbs Lake in Minnetonka for the day. We found a place that would deliver the boards to us so we were all set. 

 

 

I was so incredibly proud of Charlene. She hopped onto that board like she had been doing it all her life. It took her about thirty seconds to get comfortable and she was unstoppable from there. :)

 

 

 

The video below was filmed as she was first setting out onto the lake.  I was so incredibly proud of her that I cried like a baby the entire time I was filming.  :) 

 

 

Delanie & Sarah spent the entire afternoon on the boards!

 

 

I was so impressed with Libbs Lake. It was a super windy day so we were a little concerned about staying up.  Libbs Lake was the perfect spot for us.  It opens up to Lake Minnetonka (the biggest lake in the Twin Cities) but is protected from the elements. 

 

After a few hours on the boards, Bea and I kicked back on the beach to relax.  All in all.....it was the PERFECT day!! :)