tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76201308286089160362024-03-12T20:55:56.443-05:00THE BRYNER REPORTTHE BRYNER REPORTBryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.comBlogger120125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-85200903528695358682012-04-02T08:22:00.003-05:002012-04-02T09:17:10.339-05:00My kids are the best!I have been really enjoying my kids lately. Getting out of the baby stage is a tad bit sad but a whole lot of fun too. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lucas</span> is making us laugh, talking more and more clearly each day, and really is a full-fledged big boy these days! I am too scared to start potty-training him just yet but I fear that day is coming pretty soon. :) He loves to talk but HAS to be acknowledged. If he is talking to me, I have to say, "Yes, ok, mmm-hmm, yay," etc. or else he repeats whatever he's saying OVER and OVER! The other day at the park I was on the phone and he climbed something. The friend in front of him and had said, "I did it!" so when he climbed it, he said, "Mom! I did it!" I saw him do it but was listening to my phone call and didn't realize he was talking to me. My friends at the park with me were saying, "Yay, Lucas, good job," to get him to feel acknowledged and move on but I guess he repeated himself 20 times trying to get ME to acknowledge him! :( Bad mommy move. He likes to say, "Mom, I hungy," and run to the pantry. He still loves to cuddle with his "nee nee" (blanket) and give big hugs and kisses that involve a little tongue licking me (ha ha) and do somersaults and throw himself down and say, "Uhhhh," like he's dying or something. He cracks me up. Oh and he pulled our tall 4-drawer filing cabinet full of music down onto himself the other day about 30 seconds after leaving the dinner table! Ran straight into the study, opened too many drawers quickly I guess, and got his finger pinched between two drawers. We got it upright in about 20 seconds and he has a small scratch on his hand. He likes to show everyone his "squatch" and have us kiss it. :) I tried to put a bandaid on it and he screamed louder than when the cabinet fell on him! ;)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Natalie</span> has always made me laugh. She just has this infectious giggle and a funny sense of humor. One day in the shower she got the giggles and kept laughing the whole time. I said, "Showers are more fun when you giggle, right?" She agreed and has giggled through every shower since. Seriously, she steps in the shower and starts to giggle. That makes me laugh and then she giggles some more. If we all just forced ourselves to giggle throughout the day, we'd be much happier. :) <br /><br />The other day someone called and talked to me about going to "Time Out for Women" with me. That's a women's conference for LDS women and it will be held in Arlington this year, so I've made reservations for a girls weekend. :) Jill asked who called and I told her who it was and said, "She wants to go to Time Out with me." Natalie said, "Time out? But that's bad!" Ha ha. Obviously when I put Lucas in "time out" ten times a day, it IS a bad thing but mommies like to have time outs. :)<br /><br />She likes a new cartoon she found on Netflix and there aren't a ton of episodes but she likes to watch this one episode over and over. The other day she was just bawling and I asked what was wrong. Evidently something sad happened on the show and the little sheep was crying and she empathized with it and cried too! Such a sweet girl. I saw her just put that episode on again while she was eating her breakfast and I said, "Is this the one that made you cry?" She said, "Yeah, mom, just watch it and you'll know what I'm talking about!" :D I sure love my sweet girl!<br /><br />Natalie's new favorite thing to do is READ! Yes, it finally happened! She's had some ability for a while but now the DESIRE is there! She wants to do the reading most of the time but will still ask me to read to her sometimes too. I love this stage! A whole new world has opened up to her now. :)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Miranda</span> attended a birthday party for a friend at a cosmetology school over the weekend. It was a hair & nails party, so it was right up her alley! When I picked her up she had the CUTEST braided crown all around her head and had pretty pink nails on fingers and toes. None of the other girls looked much different from when I dropped her off. I asked why the other girls didn't get cute hair like hers and she said, "I'm the only one that didn't mess with it!" So I guess the other girls were more interested in running around, playing, eating cake, etc. but my little diva sat perfectly still while eating her cake, so as not to muss her hair! :) Ha ha. <br /><br />She has been reading a ton lately and can finish a chapter book in a day, so she's really racking up the points for AR (Accelerated Reader program). She has enough points to go to Midnight Madness (late night celebration party at the end of the year) but I'm encouraging her (along with her teacher) to keep going. Her goal is to reach 100 points and she's in the 70s now, so I think she'll make it! She & Jill both won a ticket to Six Flags for reading so much and we're planning a summer trip to Dallas to use those!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Jill</span> has been so pleasant and helpful lately. She's always wonderful but she's really maturing in a good way and it's fun to see her grow. I'm buying her clothes out of the juniors section now (xs but still!) and her hair is more than halfway down her back. I've told her it's easier to take care of short hair but it really is beautiful and she takes pretty good care of it. <br /><br />We had one of her best friends, Courtney, and her little brother stay with us for a few days while their parents were out of town and she LOVED having her friend here. At this age it's not hard to have an extra one around. They just played together the whole time. :) The little brother played with Lucas and he loved having someone to roughhouse with, of course!<br /><br />The weekend before Courtney & her mom and Jill & I went to paint pottery. It was pretty comical because neither of us moms are crafty at all but all of our things turned out really nice and it was a lot of fun! <br /><br />Chorus Abilene (the group that runs the choir my kiddos are in) held an "Abilene Idol" competition and I took Jill, Courtney, and Miranda to the finale last weekend. It was so fun to hear all the great talent and we even got to text in our vote! I have started working in the Chorus Abilene office for 3 hours every Friday and I actually get paid, instead of just volunteer work this time. My great friend, Sara, watches my kids while I do it and it's nice to feel a little part in the working world. Although I do feel slightly guilty for missing out on my kids for those 3 hours! Luckily I know the kids are having a blast with their friends and the nice praise I get at work when I do a good job is SO nice to hear!<br /><br />This past weekend we watched General Conference instead of the normal church routine and it was such a nice break. I LOVE listening to inspired leaders and am hoping to incorporate what they said into my life. :)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ben</span> is still busy working and bishoping but things are pretty good for now. :) He doesn't have much time for hobbies but his latest favorite thing to do is read! He's in the middle of the first "Hunger Games" book and doesn't want to put it down, so he'll probably be done tomorrow. I told him to hurry up, so he can take me to see the movie!!! :)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">I</span> am helping in Jill's & Miranda's classes twice a month each and it is so fun. It almost makes me think I'd love to be a teacher but all day every day probably would not be NEARLY as fun. :) It's so nice to get to know my kids' teachers and friends. Remember last year when I told the PTA president I wouldn't do my Room Coordinator job because I needed to not be so busy? Well, the lady who took my place moved away and left none of her information of who is a room mother, etc. right before our Winter Carnival (and biggest fundraiser!). So I stepped in and will finish out the year doing that AND already volunteered to do it next year too! But I'll have 3 in school next year and it really is a fun job, so I don't think it'll overwhelm me. :)<br /><br />I'm also singing in a musical program at church next weekend called "Women At The Well." The music is beautiful and I hope it all comes together nicely for the performances. I love to sing but I'm really tired of the time it's taking away from my family on Thursday nights due to rehearsals. It was fun but I'm ready for it to be over. <br /><br />There is usually only ONE Tuesday a month where Ben & I are both home, NO Wednesdays (Ben has church mtgs), and Thursdays have been rehearsals for the past six weeks or so. So freeing up Thursdays will be significantly better! :)<br /><br />I didn't post about Spring Break, so I will quickly sum it up.<br />*My dad calls on Sunday afternoon saying he's halfway here to drive to Kansas with me. He's very sweet but I said, "Don't you remember what happened last time you did that?" He didn't remember but I will never forget Lucas crying the whole drive to Kansas. <br />*We head out the next morning, all is well for about 20 miles, and then Lucas throws up! Dad pulls over and I clean him up, change his clothes, move on down the road. We stop for lunch in Wichita Falls. Lucas won't eat and won't let me put him down and just cries while I try (and fail) to eat.<br />*Lucas sleeps for a while and wakes up screaming. He's burning up. We stop at a Walgreen's in Chickasha where he throws up in Aisle 8 all over the boxes of medicine I'm holding!<br />*Lucas falls back asleep and the girls take turns whining the rest of the way. I need to go to the bathroom but there is NO way I'm stopping when Lucas is sleeping and the girls don't have to stop. <br />*We get to my dad's old house, a.k.a. the bunkhouse (where we stay) and the door is locked! I can't get to the bathroom! I load everybody back in the van and run down the road to my Grandma's! Yay! :)<br />*Kids take turns whining and driving me crazy and I take them back to the bunkhouse. Their behavior was worse the next day but improved after I break down telling them they're ruining my trip to see my family!<br />*The girls ride horses, feed the baby calf, play with the dogs and cats, swing on the swingset, basically want to stay outside the entire time and I feel sad my kids can't grow up on a farm. It is a really cool place!<br />*Natalie's horse spooked and jumped a little, her hands went up in the air, and it bolted out from under her! She fell into a "Natalie-sized" puddle of mud and other than having a mouthful of mud and being totally muddy, she was fine! I'm glad I wasn't there to see it happen because I guess my girls screamed enough for everybody! I was in the house with Lucas while he napped and heard about it later when everyone could agree it was a funny sight since she didn't get hurt.<br />*My Uncle Tim spoiled us all again. All 3 girls got cowgirl boots, Jill also got a genuine cowgirl hat and spurs! I got a bunch of clothes that I really needed and I love them!<br />*I got to visit my best friend since kindergarten and I really wish we lived closer! We are so much alike in all the good ways! :) We can not see each other for a year but when we're back together it's the same as always and I love that!<br />*My dad drove us home and my kids were excellent, so hopefully my dad isn't too traumatized!!! :)<br />*I love my family! Not too fond of the drive! :)Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-54358124163925736572012-01-29T23:04:00.002-06:002012-01-29T23:07:29.916-06:00Family Update - January 2012I wrote this in an email to Ben's siblings but felt like I should post it here for others who might be interested too. I am horrible at keeping up this blog! :/<br /><br />Ben:<br />He passed his 2 year mark of being bishop, so only 3 years left. Woot woot! :) He is still enjoying his job and just hired a new employee last week. The employee that left actually filled a spot in Southlake, so Ben was able to give a good recommendation for that guy to his old boss! He plays basketball 3 times a week with his boss and another co-worker before work and plays Wednesday night with the guys from church and wishes he could play more. Actually he'd prefer to play soccer but it's just not big here! :( He was playing keyboard in a rock band for the past couple of years but the lead singer and organizer of the band got deployed to Afghanistan for a year, so the band has broken up (so sad). ;/ It's actually nice to have him home on Thursday nights!!! :)<br /><br />Jillian:<br />She is in 3rd grade and LOVES her teacher and has a lot of her old friends from her 1st grade class in her class again. It's been nice for her to have some BFFs and she is always having them come over and "hang out." Her current obsession is Harry Potter and she loves to play Lego Harry Potter on the Wii or on the DS and has read all 7 books twice in the last year. Almost every conversation brings out an, "Well, in Harry Potter..." comment and it's driving her mother batty but it's kind of fun to have an HP expert in the house. Who knew that everything in life relates to Harry Potter? Ha ha. She is also in the community children's choir for the 2nd year and her voice keeps getting better and better. Her director is amazing to take this group of chatty, fidgety kids and get them to perform so well! She has a speaking part (in the middle of the song "Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious") in the next performance and it cracks me up when she does it. I think we might have a drama girl on our hands. :) We took a break from piano lessons for budgetary reasons but Mom has decided to start teaching her own children piano (the horror!). ;) It's actually going pretty well but I think they'd do better with a real "teacher." Maybe some day...<br /><br />Miranda:<br />She is in 1st grade and does very well in school and tells me all about her friends. When I volunteered in her class last week, people were talking to her and hugging her and paying attention to her but she just kind of goes about her way and rarely responds. I asked her why and she just shrugs. I guess she can't be bothered by too much socializing??? :) She is our giggly, boy-crazy girl. Recently she started wearing her pink-tinted sunglasses to school. I asked her why and she said that Drake wears glasses and she wanted to be like him. I asked who Drake was and she said, "The cutest boy in my class!" ;) She also loves to read. She's currently working through HP #1 slowly but takes breaks for Rainbow Fairy books and other short chapter books. :) She also joined the community children's choir this year and is really coming out of her shell. She loves to sing but is actually doing the actions and dancing as well now. I started teaching her piano (only 3 weeks so far) and she is super excited because she can already play, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." It must be the fabulous teacher. Ha.<br /><br />Natalie:<br />Super funny little Nat is 5 and will start kindergarten in August. We have to tell her how far away that is every day. :) She has started to read but gets bored with it after a few pages and says, "Ok, now you read the rest, Mom!" She is obsessed with horses and loved riding a real one when we visited Kansas a couple of weeks ago (all the girls loved it actually). She has a new friend that moved into a neighboring ward and we have play dates almost every week. It's so nice for her to have a friend since all the kids her age in our ward are already in kindergarten or go to preschool and there's noone to do play dates with ever. Miranda doesn't have anyone her age in our ward and her friends from school haven't been able to work out a play date yet (parents schedule conflicts!), so she's awfully jealous of her sisters always having friends over lately! We measured and weighed all the girls today and found that Natalie is only 1 inch shorter and 2 pounds lighter than Miranda. And Miranda is a stick, so I guess we have two sticks. :) I checked their BMI on a health website and it shows Jill as normal and the other girls as underweight but I can't get them to eat more! Any suggestions??? Natalie enjoys singing with her sisters and by herself. She's actually quite shy but ask her to sing a song and she'll belt it out. She sang with her sisters in church at Christmas, then again a couple of weeks ago in my Dad's church, and then today she gave a talk in Primary about the creation of the world and sang, "I Will Follow God's Plan For Me," all by herself. Then she sang it over the phone for Grammy to hear tonight. :) So that's kind of fun that my girls can all enjoy doing that together. <br /><br />Lucas:<br />Adorable, crazy, cute, funny, talkative, bossy, sharing, talented with a spoon, always on the run. That about sums up Lucas. :) He does like his own way like all 2 year olds but he's getting better about sharing and when he does he says, "Uh! Uh!" in this little squeaky voice that makes it sound like he's saying, "See? See? See how good I was, Mom?" It's so cute. He's still a rough and tumble boy and other than the literal run-in with the desk last month resulting in stitches, he's been pretty coordinated in his craziness and hasn't been hurt lately. Now to pay off the $1000 stitches bill. Yes, I'm serious... $1000. I tell the kids every time they're being crazy, "Be careful! I can't afford to take you to the hospital!" :) I didn't measure him (he wouldn't stand still that long!) but he's very tall and most people think he's 3. His favorite way to greet a friend is to grab them around the middle and throw them to the ground. Yes, unfortunately, I'm serious. He is a born tackler and I hope he makes millions with that talent some day. :) He doesn't try to be mean at all but he acts like he's giving them an exuberant hug! :) Most of his friends love it and they love to wrestle on the floor but some don't appreciate it and I have to keep a watchful eye when I'm babysitting! He's always gentle around babies and all girls (other than his sisters) but little boys watch out! He's a pretty good eater when he wants to be and can get 90% of his food actually in his mouth with a spoon, which is pretty impressive to me. :)<br /><br />Brandi:<br />I am... tired. Ha! I'm doing well. I'm the Relief Society secretary and feel like that's been a crazy busy job lately but hopefully things will slow down a bit. I'm the Attendance Taker for the girls' choir and that is fun because I get to see all of their rehearsals and I exchange my time for tuition which makes it affordable for us! I have a million projects I'd like to get to around the house and at the school but I think I'm doing ok accomplishing a couple of things each day. :) So what are YOU up to??? :)Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-87557335179387656832011-10-05T22:25:00.013-05:002011-10-05T23:31:26.756-05:00Well, since school started not much has happened. Except:<br /><br />It was my birthday! I am officially 34 and my body is falling a little more apart every day. :) Our summer was good but a little stressful at times but now that we're back on a schedule, I think things will be a little easier for me and I can get back into a groove. My official birthday was the pits (Stake Conference, which I really do love, took my hubby away most of the day and the kids weren't in their best form!) but the next day was great and my family made me feel loved. :) We ate cake after church and one of my girls snapped this photo of me being old now. :) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kcaa3GEFNjTRiROQOq_R8V4getU_IckIBZ4GSGfnvLNr1GwO8a7L_D8yYrkSLJZSJbDwGn4YMXednoQDzYg8J8OU7A1fBMwsuhnELKnO3iFddLGZudin3jRdEn-QhnQJrw1zBHCwh8L4/s1600/Celebrating+my+birthday+082811.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kcaa3GEFNjTRiROQOq_R8V4getU_IckIBZ4GSGfnvLNr1GwO8a7L_D8yYrkSLJZSJbDwGn4YMXednoQDzYg8J8OU7A1fBMwsuhnELKnO3iFddLGZudin3jRdEn-QhnQJrw1zBHCwh8L4/s200/Celebrating+my+birthday+082811.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660219879455436386" /></a><br /><br />Miranda lost her first tooth FINALLY! And then her second the next day! They have been loose, wiggly, TRYING to come out for four months! Finally I asked my dentist for a good way to grab on to the tooth so I could pull it. She suggested a damp paper towel. Worked like a charm! I pulled one out and seeing the blood about made her throw up on me! But the next day she was brave enough to let me pull the other one out. So no bottom middle teeth. Correction. She has adult bottom middle teeth. They were coming up behind the baby ones for all these months, so she never really had a gap! ;) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ivk4AyJ99Vg/To0lv1JtO3I/AAAAAAAAQIk/rDrCHHBf83c/s1600/Tooth%2B%25231%2B082911.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ivk4AyJ99Vg/To0lv1JtO3I/AAAAAAAAQIk/rDrCHHBf83c/s200/Tooth%2B%25231%2B082911.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660221810326453106" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rBSE53QKGEY/To0laTgH7II/AAAAAAAAQIc/qdQ-wTM5uXU/s1600/Both%2Bbaby%2Bteeth%2Bfinally%2Bgone%2521%2B083011.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rBSE53QKGEY/To0laTgH7II/AAAAAAAAQIc/qdQ-wTM5uXU/s200/Both%2Bbaby%2Bteeth%2Bfinally%2Bgone%2521%2B083011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660221440516418690" /></a><br /><br />Labor Day! The first school holiday after the rigorous first 10 days! :) On Saturday we were invited to dinner with some friends, which was nice but Lucas was in his usual crazy mood, so I was chasing him most of the time. On Monday, we had some more friends come over for a BBQ. We had a lot of fun eating out on the back porch (yes, it was pleasant weather unbelievably!) and playing outside. Such a change from those four long months of horrid heat! I took all kinds of fun pictures of everybody and... I can't find them. BUT we had so much fun. :)<br /><br />Jill & Miranda are involved with a community children's choir and I'm the Attendance Taker this year, which means I take roll and a whole lot of other stuff (from taking kids to the bathroom whose cousins taught them about Bloody Mary and now they can't go alone to filling in as accompanist when the real one is out of the room to awarding points to those who brought their music/got in position quickly/listened to the teacher/sang their part well, etc.) It's actually fun but really busy. I take one of Jill's friends to rehearsals too and it fills up a lot of our after school time on Thursdays but we all enjoy it. The girls got to sing with their group on a float in the West Texas Fair Parade last month. The first concert is Saturday! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCqwZrdqPIj3dFJUACnPVV0fb-8y8GNYDhVK2N3yboyz7SPjFSIctzZhEmhRHvPeZe5vx6ogup-be64b-iKOzreSNfkq7I54OqEsRAdLee4NnZqEmn8YT-7v-PB77cl1vmCthDBzkPUtr/s1600/Chorus+Abilene+in+the+parade+091011.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCqwZrdqPIj3dFJUACnPVV0fb-8y8GNYDhVK2N3yboyz7SPjFSIctzZhEmhRHvPeZe5vx6ogup-be64b-iKOzreSNfkq7I54OqEsRAdLee4NnZqEmn8YT-7v-PB77cl1vmCthDBzkPUtr/s200/Chorus+Abilene+in+the+parade+091011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660216367237403330" /></a><br /><br />The West Texas Fair came to town. We NEVER go and Ben never wants to, so I don't go by myself. Well, this year I was determined... and Ben got sick. Seriously! Anyway, he stayed home with Lucas and I took the girls. It was hot, they got tired of walking around (I didn't know where stuff was because it was my first time and I didn't have a map or anything), and they wanted to ride the rides. And they only accept cash in the whole place! I pretty much never carry cash. Woodburys to the rescue! Luckily our great friends found us floundering in the fairgrounds and took pity on my poor, pitiful girlies. They lent me some cash and the girls rode some rides. I will be more prepared next year!!! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51SUoqh3oUZCL6uTDEZp7aNsqZoXRIGFDb7ax2ylMLnWvqgfdbK41052iDxVoTvEYJBHswTv20i3TdjbFIFfANosnjCr3AY2GNCvBJHcaxIo_Qbapg12Rw5c8jt55Pp4Li8dInn7yAr5A/s1600/They+love+the+carousel+091311.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51SUoqh3oUZCL6uTDEZp7aNsqZoXRIGFDb7ax2ylMLnWvqgfdbK41052iDxVoTvEYJBHswTv20i3TdjbFIFfANosnjCr3AY2GNCvBJHcaxIo_Qbapg12Rw5c8jt55Pp4Li8dInn7yAr5A/s200/They+love+the+carousel+091311.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660228143812693314" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCJXrEIUjvpa6rOOvUVZdC3PhBzlyXx21y2nyBPOANzntPrHSGLPLCsP2ZxoWSvDV3T7A6T-ZnFAS1wGFnvg-JxBx_0kfkLNy-Y-5u08sn93u8KlVuKWvMe-Nxv2by2vCUmBqBuEcWaq-/s1600/Nat+has+to+pet+the+horses+091311.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCJXrEIUjvpa6rOOvUVZdC3PhBzlyXx21y2nyBPOANzntPrHSGLPLCsP2ZxoWSvDV3T7A6T-ZnFAS1wGFnvg-JxBx_0kfkLNy-Y-5u08sn93u8KlVuKWvMe-Nxv2by2vCUmBqBuEcWaq-/s200/Nat+has+to+pet+the+horses+091311.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660228411456873922" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H4lurA-K9ks/To0r8evfuWI/AAAAAAAAQJM/1QpZF0a5Wqg/s1600/Big%2Bsis%2Bsays%2Bbe%2Bcareful%2B091311.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H4lurA-K9ks/To0r8evfuWI/AAAAAAAAQJM/1QpZF0a5Wqg/s200/Big%2Bsis%2Bsays%2Bbe%2Bcareful%2B091311.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660228624719001954" /></a> <br /><br />Jill turned 9!!! Man, that makes me feel old! She is such a joyful, kind, and loving girl! I'm so happy that girl came to me in Grapevine, Texas through C-section on a wonderful September afternoon! Surgery never felt so good! :) Hee hee. She is a HUGE help to me and I don't know what I'd do without her wonderful friendship too. As she's getting older, we have more fun conversations and love just hanging out together. I wonder how long that will last! She got her EARS PIERCED as a birthday gift and she was thrilled. No screaming or drama and she's taking great care of them! Her adorable friend Courtney came along and explained how to do everything because she's had earrings for 4 whole months! ;) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eD8y8iDwKH8/To0ngc_4CbI/AAAAAAAAQIs/-zHP3uzyZxo/s1600/Fanning%2Bthe%2Bears%2B091611.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eD8y8iDwKH8/To0ngc_4CbI/AAAAAAAAQIs/-zHP3uzyZxo/s200/Fanning%2Bthe%2Bears%2B091611.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660223745167985074" /></a><br /><br />She had 8 friends over for a party and her Grandpa from Kansas showed up 10 minutes before the party with pizza! He surprised us all! He called me and asked how I was. I had been sick and wasn't feeling great. I told him that I just had to frost the cake and pick up the pizzas and he said he'd take care of the pizzas. I laughed it off and he said, "No really, I'm in Abilene!" Such a great grandpa (and dad!). He brought my uncle Sam (his big brother) along for the ride and it was fun to see them. They went to church with us the next day and then drove back the 7 hours. They must really love us! Sadly, because I wasn't feeling well I totally didn't remember to take pictures!!! I snapped one on my phone and it's not great quality at all but enough to capture who was there. :) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UJ1OpxZHVpA/To0jIJWOwwI/AAAAAAAAQIM/OYMZMEhyxX8/s1600/Jill%2527s%2B9th%2Bbirthday%2Bparty%2B091711.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UJ1OpxZHVpA/To0jIJWOwwI/AAAAAAAAQIM/OYMZMEhyxX8/s200/Jill%2527s%2B9th%2Bbirthday%2Bparty%2B091711.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660218929529668354" /></a><br /><br />The next weekend was the Ward Campout and for some reason... NO PICTURES! Man, I'm doing horribly. Anyway... we had an ok evening. I got everything all packed up and ready to go and... left a grocery bag full of our dinner and snack things. Luckily the state park was only 20 minutes away. I came back for it and the drive home and back was the best part of the evening for me! ;) Ha ha! Ben had all the kids, so I got to blare MY music and enjoy the drive with NO interruptions. I didn't realize how much I missed that! We ate our dinner but since there was a burn ban, we couldn't do s'mores. We brought graham crackers, chocolate frosting, and marshmallow creme to make an easy version of them. I enjoyed them more than anyone else. :) Some of the Scouts took the younger kids on a hike. Jill & Miranda went. About 1 1/2 hours later... they were STILL gone and it was dark! We were getting worried and some parents went to look for them and found them. None of the kids seemed too concerned about how long they were gone! They saw some neat wildlife and flowers and were fine. Jill did say to the Scouts that she thought they should let the parents know where they were at one point but they just kept going. I don't think I'll let my kids go off on a hike like that again. I'll just go with them! That night we tried to all bed down but I knew Lucas wouldn't go for it. People were running around and screaming and flashing their flashlights through our tent as they went by and that's all well and good for older kids but mine were exhausted and wanted to go to sleep at 9:30. So I packed Lucas up and went home. He went right to sleep in his crib and then woke up every hour on the hour screaming. He was fine the next day, so I have NO idea why but I got less sleep than the campers did! Oh well, maybe next year he'll be camping age. :) We did go back to pick them up and went on a family hike with some of the others. That was quite nice even though I was holding Lucas, Natalie, or Miranda most of the time. My little girls are NOT hikers apparently. :) Lucas really loved it though.<br /><br />The next weekend was General Conference and we went to Dallas to hang out with family. We saw Ben's two brothers and their families, plus old friends from Abilene and Roanoke and it was really fun and relaxing. The last 45 minutes of the drive home was the usual madness of weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, of course. Unfortunately, no pictures again, so... I will challenge myself to bring my camera more often! I almost always have my phone, which takes pictures, so I really have no excuse except forgetfulness!<br /><br />Yesterday Jill was in her 3rd grade program. I went to watch it with the rest of the school at 9:30 and went back at 6:45 to watch with the family at the PTA meeting. The theme was US History and they did a great job. Jill sang with a few other girls the 2nd verse to "America the Beautiful" and did a great job. I actually teared up when the curtains opened (I know, I know) and then was openly crying when they sang a song about 9/11. I was so proud of my girl and all of her sweet friends that were up there. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H2moGOzij9I/To0qxKpAwMI/AAAAAAAAQI0/ojIoYYfnQLo/s1600/Jill%2527s%2B3rd%2BGrade%2BProgram%2B100411.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H2moGOzij9I/To0qxKpAwMI/AAAAAAAAQI0/ojIoYYfnQLo/s200/Jill%2527s%2B3rd%2BGrade%2BProgram%2B100411.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660227330832908482" /></a><br /><br />Lucas is getting to be big stuff already. He is saying his sisters' names (clearly to us but probably not to anyone else). He crawled out of his pack and play while visiting relatives, opened the door, and went down a flight of stairs to go play with cousins, all while not waking me up in the next room! He stands up on his changing table after I change him and pull up his pants and he JUMPS at me! I can be 2 feet away and he'll leap towards me! The kid has no fear! Well, he always waits until I'm watching him and I know he's going to jump. :) He is extremely coordinated and physical and wears me OUT! We have a futon mattress up against our fireplace bricks, like an extra couch and he'll jump off the fireplace bricks on to the futon and he jumps high and lands hard and loves it! :) He can totally do a somersault off of the bricks on to the futon but also just flat on any floor. That amazes me! He's also clearly adorable. This pic is perfect because you can see how handsome he is AND also see that glint in his eye. We were at the zoo and he was ready... to... RUN!!! :) I LOVE THAT BOY! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdDAwbF785mj4Uy1xLaB3HjHJBvvHQjOIujgW0oMI4gHWIp1BTwiFYC-KJ_MqLkCaCJGELJDiu0T8wVGhZdY_tGPK-MSUDWbmNLgz883PmbZEkjgNHJmZfPh-QwUEgs_rwwjL0ekKSLMZ/s1600/Ready+to+run+at+the+zoo+092911.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdDAwbF785mj4Uy1xLaB3HjHJBvvHQjOIujgW0oMI4gHWIp1BTwiFYC-KJ_MqLkCaCJGELJDiu0T8wVGhZdY_tGPK-MSUDWbmNLgz883PmbZEkjgNHJmZfPh-QwUEgs_rwwjL0ekKSLMZ/s200/Ready+to+run+at+the+zoo+092911.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660228894487332210" /></a><br /><br />So I guess we HAVE been pretty busy just like normal for us. Ben is at a work conference in Austin this week, so I'm just sitting around wishing he was here, or rather that I was there! But alas, no sitter. :) Another busy weekend ahead of us... stay tuned. :)Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-44895495770982283032011-08-22T21:01:00.002-05:002011-08-22T21:05:23.791-05:001st Day of School 2011My cuties got off to school today and had a successful first day. I'm so proud of my girls being confident and happy to get on the bus and totally expecting the day to be fun and full of making friends. I love these girls so much! :)
<br />Just click the collage to see the pics bigger. :)
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_TPa1tIuicH1jEV3gjGOxEl7jBJzMk2uptJnAGoYr3V4Dfg375r4ao3TJfK338iyo32UrdJaAjd77v1uKkfAZPguhhH1dgJy_hjZFQfG_zX-bNOZLnk1Baz6eOOfIO7JgHjB2qgOZGTZm/s1600/1st+day+of+school+2011+collage.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 125px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_TPa1tIuicH1jEV3gjGOxEl7jBJzMk2uptJnAGoYr3V4Dfg375r4ao3TJfK338iyo32UrdJaAjd77v1uKkfAZPguhhH1dgJy_hjZFQfG_zX-bNOZLnk1Baz6eOOfIO7JgHjB2qgOZGTZm/s200/1st+day+of+school+2011+collage.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643866481466863346" /></a>
<br />Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-74024814933059858872011-08-08T14:34:00.003-05:002011-08-08T15:58:49.162-05:00Long, hot summer!Hi all. We have been enduring a long, hot summer here in Abilene and I am so tired of it but Fall will come someday, right? :) Here is the quick run down of what we've accomplished this summer. :)
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">MAY: </span>
<br />We finished the school year on a high note. Both girls did great and will miss their teachers. We had both of their teachers eat dinner with us (one in a restaurant for Miranda's birthday & the other came to our home). The girls had dentist appointments which they love and they still have healthy teeth, so yay! :) Miranda is officially six and LOVED her birthday party at Bonzai Japanese Steakhouse. We all enjoyed the Hibachi experience and the gong they rang for her birthday. It scared Natalie to tears. Ha ha. ;) I threw her the first friend party she's had. It was at the park across the street in 103 degrees with a princess castle pinata. It was fun for her, so that's what counts. I was so hot and exhausted. :)
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<br />Our air conditioner needed a new coil and we didn't need $1,800 sitting in the bank anyway! :( It's a good thing we got it repaired before this INSANELY hot summer started, so I'll count my blessings. The Easter hail storm last month did a number on the roofs in our neighborhood and I finally called our insurance to check ours out since everyone was getting a new roof. Ours was totalled and the process was begun with our insurance.
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<br />Ben performed his first wedding at church and did really well. I played the piano for it and it all went off beautifully. Happy for Brenton & Tabetha! :)
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">JUNE: </span>
<br />Jill & Miranda took swimming lessons at a local university. It was WAY better than the teenaged teacher at the YMCA and Jill is quite a good swimmer and getting better every day. Miranda is less and less scared of swimming and actually love to jump into the water from the side, go down the slide, or let dad throw her high in the air (as long as she has her life jacket on). A VAST improvement for both of them. Jill did an Art Camp at the library (love free summer activities!) and has kept busy all summer with Activity Days.
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<br />We visited family in Kansas and on the way we stopped in Fort Worth for my dear friend Meredith's baby shower. SO fun to catch up with a bunch of friends at once. Then we headed on up to Kansas and saw my family for a week. Ben was at Scout Camp while I was gone. We went swimming, rode horses, and played with cousins! Super fun! When we got back, Jill & Miranda went to Music Camp. Two people backed out at the last minute and my kids got to go for free! Pays to know the person in charge of filling the class! :) Both girls will be in Chorus Abilene next year. Miranda backed out of her original audition date in May but changed her mind and did great! I will still volunteer this year but am the Attendance Taker this year and will go to every rehearsal, concert, event, etc. BUSY times!
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<br />We talked to a roofer and we started discussing what kind of roof we want (I want the exact same kind because it's the best curb appeal of the house!) and we decided to go with a certain company but they would start in July some time.
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">JULY:</span>
<br />The ward had a swim party and the kids did great. Lessons were so worth it! We have some very generous friends who have pools and let us come over all the time. Thank you Ugazio family, Davis family, and Woodbury family! Taking all 4 swimming is easier now but still not a TON of fun for me. I am always hanging on to wiggly Lucas and I'm constantly watching to make sure everyone is ok and happy and safe. It's exhausting. :)
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<br />I took Lucas for his 18 month appt and he was doing great. The dr said he should have 6 to 8 words by now but he had only 3 or 4. She asked if I wanted a referral to a speech therapist!!! Um, no thank you. I should just work with my kiddo and make sure his sisters don't fulfill his every need without making him ask for what he wants. :) So we started paying attention to it and he has more than a dozen words that he can say just six weeks after that appointment. I think he's good. :)
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<br />Our school kids got free tickets to Six Flags for reading a lot, so Ben & I left Natalie & Lucas with Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Andy and took Jill, Miranda, and our nephews, Jacob and Brady, with us. We had so much fun! It was about 105 and smog alert was on high. Ha ha. The worst day to be outside for hours but we really had fun. We went on water rides to cool down and we stayed nice and cool (and soggy-shoed) the whole time.
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<br />Later that same day, we went to see our wonderful friends, the Coopers, who deserted us and moved to Dallas a couple of years ago. :) We went swimming with them (and Lucas fell in the deeper part for about 5 heart-attacking seconds and I seriously had a nightmare about it later that night!) and had dinner with them and the kids played hard! It was such a great time. We dropped the girls off at their cousins' house in Allen, so they could sleepover and then we stayed the night at Ben's parents' house in McKinney. It was so nice to hang out with family.
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<br />The next day we met the Coopers at the temple and did a session and then ate lunch at the Purple Cow. I highly recommend it! :) We went back to Ben's parents' house to pick up the kiddos and then headed home. A quick, whirlwind trip that was VERY full of fun! Uncle Andy entertained Lucas most of the time and he has a new best friend! :)
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<br />We came home and the next day our friends had us over for Parents Day. Their kids decided it was a holiday and invited some families over. I was vigilantly watching my Lucas at the top of their stairs as I was telling a friend about the swimming incident. Suddenly he fell down the stairs! Ben launched himself across the room and caught him halfway down the stairs!!! Of course he had been looking at Daddy when he stepped off the top step without looking, so Ben saw the whole thing. I about had a heart attack AGAIN and Ben had sent an end table sliding across the room and scared the dickens out of one of the ladies there as she jumped up and screamed. It was SO hilarious! Everyone laughed and it made it not so traumatic for me. :)
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<br />The next week Jill had a Science Camp at the library. She brought home a tornado in a bottle and a lava lamp. Pretty fun stuff for her. We also fed the missionaries a ton in June and July. With everyone going out of town this summer, their calendar has been pretty blank. We have four guys now, so it's a lot to feed but they are very fun dinner companions.
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<br />A friend of mine had to go out of town for a couple of days and I watched her two kids during the day and her husband came to get them at night. They are really good kids and had fun playing with mine. One of the days that I had them, I also watched another friend's five kids for about an hour and a half. I had someone from the lumber company come here to measure my doorways because we'd like to replace our old, yucky doors and he said, "Oh, do you run a home daycare?" Ha ha. No, I do this for free. 11 kids in the house but it was fun! They all entertained each other, so my part was easy!
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<br />I accompanied my friend who sang twice in church in July. She has an amazing voice and I like to be a part of that beautiful performance. :) I am playing for her again at Stake Conference at the end of the month and I really need to get practicing on that song. Why is 2 sharps so hard for me to play???! :)
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<br />Book Club happened all summer too, of course, and I really enjoy going to that. In July, we were able to see the movie adaptation of one of our favorite reads, "The Help," by Kathryn Stockett. It was premiering early on the Air Force base and we got FREE tickets. Seven of us went to see it and it was amazing! I'm so glad they lived up to the book!
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<br />We signed a contract with a roofer and materials were dropped. Then the crew's truck broke down in Houston and we were set back a week! We decided to have our garage sale that we had been postponing and just worked around the roofing materials on the driveway. I made my goal of making $300 and cleared out so much stuff! I still had a bunch of baby boy clothes and little girl clothes and shoes, so I donated them to people at church and they were so grateful! Does a heart good. :) I'm glad people I know are using those adorable things.
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<br />Our hot water heater stopped "heating" our water, so after several days of tepid showers and baths (the kids loved that!), we paid a plumber to come out and adjust it. We didn't need that $50 anyway! :( I'm loving the hot water again and am grateful to not live in a time with no air conditioning and no heated water. Count your blessings, name them one by one...
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<br />Ben & I went on a date to see "Hairspray" at a local university and we loved it! I have always loved live productions and musicals are my favorites. Ben has really come to like them as well now and that makes me so happy. :) The other guys in the group we went with were grumbling about being there instead of watching "Cowboys & Aliens." Ha ha. Thanks for taking me, honey!
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">AUGUST:
<br /></span>The nightmare that is our roof continues. The roofer even told me our house is cursed! A local crew started working Wednesday and just didn't come back on Thursday!!! They said they had a bigger, better job and just left! So no work Thursday. Roofer going crazy finding another crew. They showed up 4 PM on Thursday and worked for a few hours. They came back on Friday but by 3 PM, they were gone. I text the roofer and he says they are too worn out from the heat and will be back Saturday. I TOTALLY don't blame them. Can you imagine working on a roof for hours in 105 or higher heat!!!!!? They were supposed to get the huge dumpster off my property by 4 PM Friday and they weren't done cleaning up, so I said they could leave it until Monday. They were supposed to start bright and early Sunday morning and... the crew leader had a family emergency. REALLY???! So the crew (totally separate crew out of Houston) was supposed to be here this morning to put the new roof ON and the old one was still partially on! There was a layer of wood shake shingles under our metal roof and that is not up to code anymore, so they were removing two roofs basically. ANYWAY, both crews showed up this morning and went to TOWN! The old roof is totally gone and they've decked it and will start putting on the tile tomorrow. It is FINALLY getting going and the president of the company was even here today to smooth things over with me and he really got things back on track. Yay! I wasn't being mean but I made it known that I wasn't thrilled with the progress of this project! Should be done Wednesday or Thursday morning at the latest, so cross your fingers for us! :) The storm was only FOUR MONTHS AGO! Let's hope we don't get another one right after this!
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<br />My dad, his wife, and my brother's three kids came to visit this weekend and it was so nice to spend time with them! My nephews are 13 and 10 and my niece is 10 days older than Jill. They love to entertain my children and I wish they would just move in with me! :) My oldest nephew stayed up late chatting with me and playing games. We've always been close and I love that even though he's a teenager, he still thinks his "Aunt B" is cool. :) The other kids all slept on the floor in one room and stayed up way too late having fun. That is a wonderful part of childhood that I have fond memories of as well, so I allowed it but now I'm paying for it. They are tired and grumpy and sad their cousins are gone. Oh well, it's worth it!
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<br />We have had a TON of baptisms at church lately and I'm so excited for these missionaries that are working so hard! I usually get asked to play the piano at the baptisms. Either last minute before the meeting starts or 30 minutes before it through a text. :) I am trying to be willing to serve but I wouldn't mind a chance to practice!!!
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<br />On Saturday we had a ward Fiesta to welcome the new Spanish-speaking members in our ward. We are holding Spanish classes and we have Spanish missionaries, trying to build up a group big enough to have their own branch. It's been really neat to have people bearing their testimonies in English and then again in Spanish. We are very blessed to have MANY people in the ward who can speak Spanish! Ben even conducted a baptism in Spanish and I could understand 90% of it! I can't speak it worth a darn anymore but oh well. :) So someone had the idea of having a Fiesta but everyone thought someone else planned it! So I called around to those who I thought might be involved and no one knew of anything being planned, so I went with it. I sent out an email, posted it on Facebook, and bought some cheap and easy decorations. 24 hours later we had a rockin' Fiesta! :) I was so glad that so many people came. It was a great turn out with great food. We had an "Enchilada Throwdown," there was a candy cannon shooting candy into the parking lot for the kids to scramble for, there was Mexican music playing in the background, and I think everyone had a good time. The missionaries thanked me over and over for doing it and they say they owe me big time. Ha ha. I didn't do much but now they're offering to do yard work and stuff for us. Score! :)
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<br />If you've read this far, you must be really bored right now. :) I wanted to right it all down to look back at later, so it's mainly for me but now you all know what we're up to. :)
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<br />Jill is still growing like crazy and she looks 12 but will be 9 next month. She wants pierced ears and painting supplies for her birthday. She starts 3rd grade two weeks from today. She is beautiful and kind and tries so hard to make everyone happy. She is very helpful at grabbing the phone for me while I'm changing a diaper, getting something I forgot out of the van, unloading the dishwasher while I make dinner, preparing parts or sometimes all of dinner, and she is my "Mom, let's talk!" kid. Just like I was with my mom! :) She's also the only one who calls me "Mama" and I have no idea why. But it just fits for her. :)
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<br />Miranda is growing taller now and looks much more grown up. Her beginning of the year kindergarten pictures look so different from her now! She is ready for 1st grade! Natalie is still growing like Jill did and is the same height as Miranda and now they have to share clothes and shoes!!! Oh the dread! They have totally different styles (I know, styles at this age? I definitely did not have a "style" at this point) but there are still several items that they love to fight over. In fact, their favorite thing to do together is FIGHT!!! Miranda is stubborn and feisty and doesn't mind throwing a punch. *SIGH* I do not like that! Natalie is a screamer who dissolves into tears at the drop of a hat these days. Can you say, READY FOR SCHOOL TO START!!!!! BUT... Miranda is my most helpful hard worker when she's in a good mood. She seeks out opportunities to help me and can clean up a room (the correct way!) faster than anybody! And Natalie is the sweetest, cuddle bug who just needs a LOT of attention. With her sisters home, she doesn't get as much.
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<br />Lucas is AWESOME! He is so much fun and I love this age. He is unfortunately in the HIT and THROW stage that I knew would come with a boy but oh my goodness! I can't count how many times a day I say, "Don't hit!" "Do not throw!" He totally knows what I mean in almost everything I tell him. It's amazing he's only been here for 19 months but knows so much about this big ol' world. :) He is also oh so handsome. He still has his nice big head (ha ha) and I think it's bigger than Miranda's and Natalie's! :) He fits in 2T clothes and has outgrown his size 6 Sunday shoes. :( Growing so fast! I sure love that cute boy!
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<br />Ok, so I have taken about an hour to go back through my calendar and remember all we have done this summer. It's been fun to remember. I've had some hard times with having ANY motivation on some of these super hot days when I'm trapped in my house with my kids and they're BORED with their DS and TV and the computer and the Wii and all of our board games and books, etc. :) I hope to get back in the swing of things with our school time routine and get some projects done around the house. Painting and stuff. Wish me luck! Ciao for now. :)
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<br />Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-86414410590915397722011-04-11T08:02:00.004-05:002011-04-11T08:18:53.849-05:00ProgressThe first weekend in April we went to Dallas to spend time with Ben's parents and brother's family. Since Ben's parents are leaving on a mission soon, we wanted to get in some good bonding time. :) It was a nice, relaxing visit AND we got to watch Conference, which is always a treat. <br /><br />Lucas was kind enough to sleep through most of almost every session and I actually was able to watch it. Yay! I brought bottles with us to Dallas but once we were home gave him only the sippy cup. He wasn't happy about it at all but he got pretty thirsty by the end of the first day and figured out how to drink out of a sippy. Yay! He dribbled a lot and made a mess but whatever. He is off bottles! He is improving every day and it's actually not too messy anymore.<br /><br />Natalie finished joy school for the year and even graduated! The other teacher taught them the last day and took pics of them in a graduation cap and printed out a certificate with their name and picture on it. She felt pretty special. :) She is a smart cookie and ready to read, so I need to just sit down and work with her a bit. She's already figured out a lot on her own and can read words that she sees often. I catch myself saying, "How did you know that?" all the time. :)<br /><br />Miranda has THREE field trips in the next 10 days of school. Crazy, huh? She had one to the zoo last Fall and now this. Today is the Planetarium, Thursday is Western Heritage Days at Hardin Simmons University (which is pretty cool but I'm getting a sitter for the little ones, so I can actually enjoy it this time!). When I went with Jill's class, I was pregnant and dragging/carrying Miranda and Natalie across the huge campus in the heat. Not so fun! Next week she's going to May Farm. This sweet older lady runs this farm with horses, donkeys, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc. and she lets the kids come out and feed/pet/hold the animals and we all get a hay ride. I've been there for birthday parties and they let you ride a horse too. It's a fun time and there's not enough room to bring siblings this year, so darn! Have to get a sitter again. :) I love spending time with my kids one-on-one. They are so much more fun that way! :)<br /><br />Jill is totally miffed that 2nd grade has not had ONE field trip this year! Luckily her class did a radio show, so her teacher took them to a radio station. But there was no planned field trip for all of 2nd grade. Strange, isn't it? Anyway, Jill is finishing up her ALPS program (the Gifted program) and is so sad that the school cut the budget and there will be NO Gifted next year! Isn't that crazy? ALPS has been so fun for her. She gets bussed to another school every Friday and all day learns about medieval times, knights, heraldry, composers, arts, etc. of the time. It has been an awesome experience for her. I wish the budget cuts didn't have to effect that and that class sizes weren't going from 22 to 24 next year. How are these teachers supposed to teach in a group that size!?? ANYWAY... she is excited to be finishing 2nd grade and looking forward to summertime and play time with the cousins.<br /><br />Ben & I are going to see "Pirates of Penzance" on Thursday at Abilene Christian University. I haven't seen it since a date back at BYU, so that was a LONG time ago. :) I'm enjoying having actual planned date nights with Ben lately. We put those on the back burner long ago and it's nice that they're back now. :) We have a great teenage sitter who is awesome with my kids and I don't worry when they are with her! I also have a dear friend who has watched our kids here and there lately and I appreciate it SO much! I love love love my kids but a break from them is so nice too. Makes the heart grow fonder, right? ;)Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-68985558804710318502011-03-31T08:17:00.002-05:002011-03-31T08:35:06.277-05:00Good timesI haven't updated for a while because I always think I need a lot of great information and pictures and I just don't have a lot of time for that. So... I'll just give a little update. We are doing well here in Abilene. Things have been really busy but I have actually made great strides in balancing out my life. I have been going to bed early (which I hate because I'm missing out on the "me" time where I can watch 24 on Netflix and fold the laundry or whatever in peace), I joined the YMCA and have been going to work out about 4 times a week (would be more but kids get sick or something comes up and I miss a day or two here and there but I'm actually enjoying this!), I've been trying to eat healthier (which is an up and down thing depending on the day), and I've cut out a lot of my volunteer responsibilities (I even told the PTA president that I will not resume my position next year, which was SO hard to do because I love it). <br /><br />So, after feeling out of balance for a long time, I think I'm making some great strides. I'm far from perfectly balanced but I'm trying. I think it's actually made me more lazy to sleep more and not have something scheduled all the time. :) I actually sat down and read a book yesterday. Didn't accomplish much else! So maybe I've gone to the other side of the balance beam... A work in progress. :)<br /><br />I took Lucas for his 15 month check up yesterday and he's doing really well. Hasn't gained much weight since his 12 month but he's always been a big boy and now he's running around everywhere, so it makes sense. We are ditching the bottle since I've been halfheartedly trying for a while and then the dr said something about catching him with a bottle, like it was a bad thing. And I've never had a baby use the bottle this long (not that it's horrible but I'd like him off it), so today should be interesting. :) He loves to bang his sippy cups on everything and chuck it across the room. Not so fond of trying to get a drink out of them... hmmm. :)<br /><br />My dad got remarried on St. Patrick's Day, so we went to Kansas for Spring Break to be a part of that. I feel ok about it but it's kind of sad that my relationship with my dad will change again. After Mom died, we actually got a lot closer. Now I feel like he'll be involved in his "new life" and not need me as a listening ear anymore. His new wife has two daughters, a son-in-law, and a grandson, so it's kind of neat that our family has grown. I still miss my mom a lot.<br /><br />The girls were flower girls, along with my brother's daughter, Maren. They were so beautiful and I WILL put some pictures on here if I ever get any. I was really busy doing things at the wedding and took maybe 4 pictures. I'm waiting for people to share their pictures with me! The girls felt so special. Ben played Pachebel's Canon in D while they came down the aisle and he did a great job. I was holding Lucas a lot during the wedding and reception because there were a ton of people wanting to pinch his cheeks or hold him and he clung to me like crazy! :) I also realized that his new church shoes were uncomfortable for him (a little big), so he didn't want to run around. I figured it out at the very end and took off the shoes and then he was happy to wander around. :)<br /><br />I got two new callings in March too. Thanks a lot, Bishop! ;) I was released as the Primary Pianist and am now the Relief Society Secretary and Youth Sunday School Teacher. I like them both but I am still a little busy on Sundays! Lucas will be 2 months away from nursery age on the Sunday after Conference but the nursery leaders said that I can go ahead and bring him then, since I'm having to find someone to watch him every week for two hours! Hooray!!! He will love it, I'm sure, and I will be so glad to not impose on people to watch my toddler every week!<br /><br />For General Conference weekend (this weekend!), we are going to Dallas to see Ben's parents. We've been so busy that we haven't seen them since Christmas! That seems ridiculous since we're only 3 1/2 hours away! His parents decided to put in their papers to go on a mission and I'm so excited for them. We will miss them while they are gone but time is just flying by these days, so it won't seem like too long. <br /><br />I'm grateful for good friends who listen to me, make me laugh, and support me in my endeavors to improve myself. I've been very blessed. :)Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-24836980937285735962011-01-19T16:51:00.009-06:002011-01-19T19:43:48.224-06:00The Promised PicturesThe saddest little birthday boy...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdr7C-e01I/AAAAAAAAP6E/c5vfW1OxHWM/s1600/Lucas%2Bis%2Bone%2B122010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdr7C-e01I/AAAAAAAAP6E/c5vfW1OxHWM/s200/Lucas%2Bis%2Bone%2B122010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564034526794928978" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdr7Quz4BI/AAAAAAAAP6M/VnIRc-oeis4/s1600/No%2Bhats%2B122010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdr7Quz4BI/AAAAAAAAP6M/VnIRc-oeis4/s200/No%2Bhats%2B122010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564034530487296018" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdr7h8smZI/AAAAAAAAP6U/TaRQ-4HprIo/s1600/Sick%2Bbirthday%2Bboy%2B122010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdr7h8smZI/AAAAAAAAP6U/TaRQ-4HprIo/s200/Sick%2Bbirthday%2Bboy%2B122010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564034535108942226" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdtOX5ADdI/AAAAAAAAP6c/ppGz50B6Jco/s1600/Saddest%2Bbirthday%2Bboy%2Bever%2B122010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdtOX5ADdI/AAAAAAAAP6c/ppGz50B6Jco/s200/Saddest%2Bbirthday%2Bboy%2Bever%2B122010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564035958338227666" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdtOsVaEyI/AAAAAAAAP6k/VSkwHlp4zqo/s1600/What%2Bis%2Bthis%2B122010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdtOsVaEyI/AAAAAAAAP6k/VSkwHlp4zqo/s200/What%2Bis%2Bthis%2B122010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564035963826082594" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdtO-dznAI/AAAAAAAAP6s/_RTuVabyvGc/s1600/Why%2Bare%2Byou%2Bdoing%2Bthis%2Bto%2Bme%2BMom%2B122010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdtO-dznAI/AAAAAAAAP6s/_RTuVabyvGc/s200/Why%2Bare%2Byou%2Bdoing%2Bthis%2Bto%2Bme%2BMom%2B122010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564035968693148674" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdtPLyU1qI/AAAAAAAAP60/wbxVCPtoqIE/s1600/Yuck%2B122010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdtPLyU1qI/AAAAAAAAP60/wbxVCPtoqIE/s200/Yuck%2B122010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564035972268873378" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdtPfRqEsI/AAAAAAAAP68/RJb-3VuGi3c/s1600/Fists%2Bof%2Bmush%2B122010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdtPfRqEsI/AAAAAAAAP68/RJb-3VuGi3c/s200/Fists%2Bof%2Bmush%2B122010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564035977500562114" /></a><br /><br />These are pictures of Lucas on happier days including today (in the brown)...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdr6-vCICI/AAAAAAAAP58/ydfC7JEzpU8/s1600/Handsome%2Bboy%2B120710.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdr6-vCICI/AAAAAAAAP58/ydfC7JEzpU8/s200/Handsome%2Bboy%2B120710.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564034525656391714" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdr6uUbw-I/AAAAAAAAP50/03bHlK9ocfc/s1600/Caught%2Byou%2B120710.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdr6uUbw-I/AAAAAAAAP50/03bHlK9ocfc/s200/Caught%2Byou%2B120710.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564034521249858530" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdunHhWH1I/AAAAAAAAP7U/GymecRQA1yg/s1600/Gonna%2Bgetcha%2B011911.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdunHhWH1I/AAAAAAAAP7U/GymecRQA1yg/s200/Gonna%2Bgetcha%2B011911.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564037482952400722" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFQfOHcQ8MjecgTrsA7K80PrgvQRcReU8A9fg98vCruAzcXp_K3sUPv6nYZzmnmpSIMriwptyxgY5mkmo6EJZnbunDGkHeANexzz3K4rQJow6mbiEg7lg-yJbDSnkOq9qhDFOCGMDXxcE/s1600/So+handsome+011911.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFQfOHcQ8MjecgTrsA7K80PrgvQRcReU8A9fg98vCruAzcXp_K3sUPv6nYZzmnmpSIMriwptyxgY5mkmo6EJZnbunDGkHeANexzz3K4rQJow6mbiEg7lg-yJbDSnkOq9qhDFOCGMDXxcE/s200/So+handsome+011911.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564037473258948418" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdumRxySUI/AAAAAAAAP7E/otAYCwZuRZk/s1600/Standing%2B011911.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdumRxySUI/AAAAAAAAP7E/otAYCwZuRZk/s200/Standing%2B011911.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564037468525840706" /></a><br /><br />Some other random pics of the kiddos. I forgot my camera at Christmas, so all of those photos are on my father-in-law's camera and I need to get those sometime... :)<br />SLY GUY<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTeMfKDXEqI/AAAAAAAAP-c/_e-lVbNaDc0/s1600/Sly%2Bguy%2B120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTeMfKDXEqI/AAAAAAAAP-c/_e-lVbNaDc0/s200/Sly%2Bguy%2B120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564070331541820066" /></a><br />SERIOUS<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTeMewG7l2I/AAAAAAAAP-U/KdzMfly3sxg/s1600/Serious%2B120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTeMewG7l2I/AAAAAAAAP-U/KdzMfly3sxg/s200/Serious%2B120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564070324577474402" /></a><br />NATALIE SMILES<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3_Ikb3AFxqKJlSh7Xoa4Ifga86Kpo6lSdfDBOYCpPeNz122uqJzbLAvbqMJsWGUCd6NjhFS9KtsQAYIUuKcSPkzRfxdxp-YLzaNfxgGSVAbQbYuxrmuv4yIYN__wcUPWqfjG23p7V2RC/s1600/Natalie+Smiles+120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3_Ikb3AFxqKJlSh7Xoa4Ifga86Kpo6lSdfDBOYCpPeNz122uqJzbLAvbqMJsWGUCd6NjhFS9KtsQAYIUuKcSPkzRfxdxp-YLzaNfxgGSVAbQbYuxrmuv4yIYN__wcUPWqfjG23p7V2RC/s200/Natalie+Smiles+120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564070323278019554" /></a><br />MIRANDA SMILES<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwMaB6bw1mKa9iZf-ha6whjQcN1KaMVCLywLnaDx0JspnaMo1WRchh0fLf-P0JFRDHVt9SxI5OSu-U30iGT8hyA3BpqPg43zBxbeNRWJKsbOzaGveuYz4siBB483SVbCh7T-indbA414I/s1600/Miranda+Smiles+120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwMaB6bw1mKa9iZf-ha6whjQcN1KaMVCLywLnaDx0JspnaMo1WRchh0fLf-P0JFRDHVt9SxI5OSu-U30iGT8hyA3BpqPg43zBxbeNRWJKsbOzaGveuYz4siBB483SVbCh7T-indbA414I/s200/Miranda+Smiles+120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564070316385617586" /></a><br />LAUGHING LUCAS<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85CfDOlUvWQIyrsGnxcb3v5WOb8QhLf4Z-bvtQrPKcRdC8ryN8WpuTUt_GUUjbWgX8dZF_rVayMLTDRb2JyDkz_eYSn4GPL-jCTTRYnPsZ6tW0dCfG-V_M5kcyi7jZN0R6Lk_sikJFszj/s1600/Laughing+Lucas+120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85CfDOlUvWQIyrsGnxcb3v5WOb8QhLf4Z-bvtQrPKcRdC8ryN8WpuTUt_GUUjbWgX8dZF_rVayMLTDRb2JyDkz_eYSn4GPL-jCTTRYnPsZ6tW0dCfG-V_M5kcyi7jZN0R6Lk_sikJFszj/s200/Laughing+Lucas+120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564070314997054722" /></a><br />JILLIAN SMILES<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTeKkl196dI/AAAAAAAAP90/VuU9fQXeFkY/s1600/Jillian%2BSmiles%2B120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTeKkl196dI/AAAAAAAAP90/VuU9fQXeFkY/s200/Jillian%2BSmiles%2B120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564068225877928402" /></a><br />NATALIE RUNNING DOWN THE PATH<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTeKkXA7AkI/AAAAAAAAP9s/8LnRf7l1VNc/s1600/Natalie%2Brunning%2Bdown%2Bthe%2Bpath%2B120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTeKkXA7AkI/AAAAAAAAP9s/8LnRf7l1VNc/s200/Natalie%2Brunning%2Bdown%2Bthe%2Bpath%2B120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564068221897343554" /></a><br />JILL & MIRANDA RUNNING DOWN THE PATH<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTeKj2P0m8I/AAAAAAAAP9k/UrnfsfUSOjs/s1600/Jill%2B%2526%2BMiranda%2Brunning%2Bdown%2Bthe%2Bpath%2B120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTeKj2P0m8I/AAAAAAAAP9k/UrnfsfUSOjs/s200/Jill%2B%2526%2BMiranda%2Brunning%2Bdown%2Bthe%2Bpath%2B120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564068213101468610" /></a><br />JILL & LUCAS<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTeKjyeZwLI/AAAAAAAAP9c/NJ2ij2wL5js/s1600/Jill%2B%2526%2BLucas%2B120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTeKjyeZwLI/AAAAAAAAP9c/NJ2ij2wL5js/s200/Jill%2B%2526%2BLucas%2B120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564068212088881330" /></a><br />HAPPY BOY<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTeKjtnrAEI/AAAAAAAAP9U/w0AIYit2VUg/s1600/Happy%2Bboy%2B120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTeKjtnrAEI/AAAAAAAAP9U/w0AIYit2VUg/s200/Happy%2Bboy%2B120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564068210785583170" /></a><br />GIGGLE MIRANDA<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdyfDLx8hI/AAAAAAAAP9M/yFdxae8347Q/s1600/Giggle%2BMiranda%2B120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdyfDLx8hI/AAAAAAAAP9M/yFdxae8347Q/s200/Giggle%2BMiranda%2B120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564041742395765266" /></a><br />GIGGLE JILL<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBkUTfD__j-fqTs_BETGUhE4eyfDKmH1Fm6OtBmH6xMkIDBbBq3zbkVZWY1z0uYaFJ7G55bVt9oJd_OeL5Vghcbf0Jzps5VBVqkc64R1q8xUn_HAYKC9XCZQujbEFJ3pxDzX8j30aUOaO/s1600/Giggle+Jill+120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBkUTfD__j-fqTs_BETGUhE4eyfDKmH1Fm6OtBmH6xMkIDBbBq3zbkVZWY1z0uYaFJ7G55bVt9oJd_OeL5Vghcbf0Jzps5VBVqkc64R1q8xUn_HAYKC9XCZQujbEFJ3pxDzX8j30aUOaO/s200/Giggle+Jill+120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564041741138337842" /></a><br />ESCAPING<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcBo4eJtx0gm351oK2F8sKxF2NbqiwHVybiqsXhFW8InxwSZx1KH-iuEvS-78ptatap3Dt1Wx8sdM8YymWFOhJ7AbNm-c0EojLSE2FlhgjEhugj3kpui3K2bsHj5zuwToYTYAVFvFUozW/s1600/Escaping+120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcBo4eJtx0gm351oK2F8sKxF2NbqiwHVybiqsXhFW8InxwSZx1KH-iuEvS-78ptatap3Dt1Wx8sdM8YymWFOhJ7AbNm-c0EojLSE2FlhgjEhugj3kpui3K2bsHj5zuwToYTYAVFvFUozW/s200/Escaping+120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564041732417069298" /></a><br />BRYNER KIDS<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHtWlS8f8LmVDhWK3aqozokv2W2PB3Kq-DhtrmKegqDe37wsNFiYaI1swvC3BTh4yk7qserr77xCS7aGYAnwTvzIuPXJJhN1QiA8px9rXs1fzVK-wgsvQoC2WdHZyDFllyOGATtfkeWwv/s1600/Bryner+Kids+120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHtWlS8f8LmVDhWK3aqozokv2W2PB3Kq-DhtrmKegqDe37wsNFiYaI1swvC3BTh4yk7qserr77xCS7aGYAnwTvzIuPXJJhN1QiA8px9rXs1fzVK-wgsvQoC2WdHZyDFllyOGATtfkeWwv/s200/Bryner+Kids+120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564041727404406338" /></a><br />BRYNER FAMILY<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdyd7URSNI/AAAAAAAAP8s/345IDhTiFqA/s1600/Bryner%2BFamily%2B120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdyd7URSNI/AAAAAAAAP8s/345IDhTiFqA/s200/Bryner%2BFamily%2B120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564041723104020690" /></a><br />BEN & BRANDI<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGs8puNBSD36oaAZYB_e_2QYHSN0dMFKG_FEFRwNp6VwWs0gscRQ93J6cF2rfiPGRUY94s2Y_StjhrjGfIz-1cjvp0AgdrOIoO24U9iJmbcXy7YqZ6nw0JVCJ9WnK-XJgrPsPYS9LjTPd/s1600/Ben+%2526+Brandi+12.07.10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGs8puNBSD36oaAZYB_e_2QYHSN0dMFKG_FEFRwNp6VwWs0gscRQ93J6cF2rfiPGRUY94s2Y_StjhrjGfIz-1cjvp0AgdrOIoO24U9iJmbcXy7YqZ6nw0JVCJ9WnK-XJgrPsPYS9LjTPd/s200/Ben+%2526+Brandi+12.07.10.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564039911744330850" /></a><br />BRYNER SISTERS<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdC4VHMXb9L5gBMxpGBOY5eZ7LZMWg4x2azRIIRYI0MEX2kPWwOt4JJQWSE6ymxSD-nKmWD3_bci-3e6dz1UE4L-c6wBBN0So7n21AjEDXDJbOFl1OA4onhmPN617Z0iCFXsV5VkIF8Sv/s1600/Bryner+Sisters+120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdC4VHMXb9L5gBMxpGBOY5eZ7LZMWg4x2azRIIRYI0MEX2kPWwOt4JJQWSE6ymxSD-nKmWD3_bci-3e6dz1UE4L-c6wBBN0So7n21AjEDXDJbOFl1OA4onhmPN617Z0iCFXsV5VkIF8Sv/s200/Bryner+Sisters+120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564039905888759106" /></a><br />BRYNER BEAUTIES<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgliVTFpN0UAGIkUY6bjxTvLtcbFX1EgRvSlqOWl1tdSK_QPhBGg72A9oInI1URoYbH0SlJamic2kPAD2-ywt9nNRIz7tt5pwwLBHiI3HD6N5M4KfIwquXxhbx0Kl_REWAWKaGlrYjlGCbc/s1600/Bryner+Beauties+120710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgliVTFpN0UAGIkUY6bjxTvLtcbFX1EgRvSlqOWl1tdSK_QPhBGg72A9oInI1URoYbH0SlJamic2kPAD2-ywt9nNRIz7tt5pwwLBHiI3HD6N5M4KfIwquXxhbx0Kl_REWAWKaGlrYjlGCbc/s200/Bryner+Beauties+120710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564039899656622002" /></a><br />NAT HAD A LONG DAY<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdwzYEujwI/AAAAAAAAP8M/gUdwLXQWKGs/s1600/Nat%2Bhad%2Ba%2Blong%2Bday%2B120910.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdwzYEujwI/AAAAAAAAP8M/gUdwLXQWKGs/s200/Nat%2Bhad%2Ba%2Blong%2Bday%2B120910.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564039892577455874" /></a><br />MIRANDA'S CLASS & TEACHER - THANKSGIVING PROGRAM<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdwzYdRTyI/AAAAAAAAP8E/reoipCWa208/s1600/Miranda%2527s%2Bclass%2B%2526%2Bteacher%2BThanksgiving%2Bprogram%2B112310.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 132px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdwzYdRTyI/AAAAAAAAP8E/reoipCWa208/s200/Miranda%2527s%2Bclass%2B%2526%2Bteacher%2BThanksgiving%2Bprogram%2B112310.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564039892680396578" /></a><br />CUTEST PILGRIM EVER<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdvc3bsEDI/AAAAAAAAP78/adG6E_yw4Z8/s1600/Cutest%2Bpilgrim%2Bever%2B112310.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdvc3bsEDI/AAAAAAAAP78/adG6E_yw4Z8/s200/Cutest%2Bpilgrim%2Bever%2B112310.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564038406346641458" /></a><br />MOM & MIRANDA PILGRIM<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdvc0rqiAI/AAAAAAAAP70/ck1kQPoWrv8/s1600/Mom%2Band%2BMiranda%2BPilgrim%2B112310.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdvc0rqiAI/AAAAAAAAP70/ck1kQPoWrv8/s200/Mom%2Band%2BMiranda%2BPilgrim%2B112310.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564038405608343554" /></a><br />GOING OUT TO PLAY<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyt-gsIrNQ2X316HbXTQ9b5ATaMleURWh0YHwfu6hP0_KdVEby3Fu_J3kn2t_Sk8DNfFT0oOyhpCOPffhx9w69zXE5rx1MXxclFUgzj7ZToAR4sSSnTVPxYd7VV7T4mhCx045__MvpJsc6/s1600/Going+out+to+play+120410.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyt-gsIrNQ2X316HbXTQ9b5ATaMleURWh0YHwfu6hP0_KdVEby3Fu_J3kn2t_Sk8DNfFT0oOyhpCOPffhx9w69zXE5rx1MXxclFUgzj7ZToAR4sSSnTVPxYd7VV7T4mhCx045__MvpJsc6/s200/Going+out+to+play+120410.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564038396301464562" /></a><br />STAGE MANAGERS JILL & COOPER<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdvcFV8iwI/AAAAAAAAP7k/-GBwxcD6rkU/s1600/Stage%2BManagers%2B-%2BJill%2B%2526%2BCooper%2B112210.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdvcFV8iwI/AAAAAAAAP7k/-GBwxcD6rkU/s200/Stage%2BManagers%2B-%2BJill%2B%2526%2BCooper%2B112210.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564038392900782850" /></a><br />JILL'S CLASS THAT GOT BAPTIZED LAST YEAR<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdvb9qB5FI/AAAAAAAAP7c/_WSPVZ7oCUg/s1600/Jill%2527s%2Bclass%2Bthat%2Bgot%2Bbaptized%2Bthis%2Byear%2B121410.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TTdvb9qB5FI/AAAAAAAAP7c/_WSPVZ7oCUg/s200/Jill%2527s%2Bclass%2Bthat%2Bgot%2Bbaptized%2Bthis%2Byear%2B121410.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564038390837535826" /></a>Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-66017656693014107532011-01-19T09:26:00.004-06:002011-01-19T11:48:18.647-06:00Always running behind...on this blog and in every aspect of my life but I don't see it changing any time soon. :) <br /><br />December was fun because of all the Christmasy stuff going on (parties and music and decorations and such) but very busy and all of the kids were sick twice! They all got something, got better, then got something else! All at different times and different sicknesses, so I was nursing everybody ALL MONTH! But the biggest blessing is that I didn't get sick at all! Ben even got a cold after Thanksgiving and then another one at Christmas.<br /><br />We spent Christmas with Ben's family in Dallas and then after a day at home, my dad drove down to drive up to Kansas with me and then drove back down with me and then drove home. Yes, he's crazy and such a good dad and grandpa! He didn't want me to have to travel alone with the kids. Our drive up there was the worst ever! Lucas slept MAYBE 45 minutes and cried 80% of the time. Sometimes he'd just yell and I'd turn around to look at him and he's SMILE so big! He was adorable! Then if I wasn't feeding him or paying attention to him, he made a LOT of noise! A dr visit after that trip found an ear infection, so I'm not too upset at him anymore. ;) Anyway, I bet Dad was regretting this trip! The way home was TONS better.<br /><br />While in Kansas, my dad told me he was getting remarried. I had been upset about the prospect but then I just felt so peaceful about it. I think my mom was sending me vibes of, "It's ok, don't worry," and I've felt good about it since. We are planning to go up to Kansas in March for the wedding and I'm helping to plan it a bit. Trying to focus on all the positives of the situation. I am sure missing my mom these days. <br /><br />Jill & Miranda are happy to be back in school. They loved the break but they love school too. The best part of the break was getting to see Daddy so much.<br /><br />Natalie is back to doing joy school and is amazing me with what she can learn, memorize, and remember from week to week. She just learned the 1st Article of Faith and recited it at church to get a sticker and a sucker! :) She did it so easily, she could probably have done it a long time ago but I didn't realize it.<br /><br />Lucas is SO AWESOME! He has been my hardest, high maintenance baby but he is really getting into a happy and fun phase and I am SO GRATEFUL! He just smiles and talks and wanders around (super speedy crawling or cruising around) and he LOVES his Daddy and his sisters and not just me! He's actually good with babysitters too but when I come in the door he squeals so loud and starts clapping! Can't beat that response! :) My "little" Lucas is looking more and more like a big boy these days. He is standing on his own quite a bit and I actually just watched him stand, bend over to pick up a ball, and place the ball on a chair without holding on to anything. :) The little cutie is going to just take off walking any time now but I am in no hurry. He has been so slow to do certain things like put ANYTHING in his mouth. No little toys, crayons, etc. Awesome! Don't have to worry about the choking hazards! But... he wouldn't put a Cheerio or pacifier or bottle in his mouth either! Seriously! Luckily he overcame that and started holding his own bottle at 11 months (finally!) and started the oral stage right before his birthday and now I have to be careful of everything but at least he can feed himself! Yay! I think he was just lazy but now he realizes he'll get stuff faster if he does it himself! :) His birthday was kind of sad. He was sick and he didn't feel like eating cake and he didn't know how to put anything in his mouth yet, so he just squeezed his cupcake in his fists and made a mess and then had a fun bath. ;) Not much of a party. We may have to celebrate a half birthday for him in June!<br /><br />I think 2011 is going to be a great year for our family and I'm determined to get myself healthier (not a new year's goal, just a necessity since I've had a few minor health issues that can be fixed with diet and exercise, so I'm committed!). One of my wonderful friends is helping me and keeping me going, so I plan to be successful! ;) I got super busy toward the end of last year and hope to keep a little more balanced this year. Always hard for me! I can't say no! I did 4 Christmas class parties (and I only have 2 children in school!) and things got a little crazy with sick kiddos and commitments at the school. Luckily Ben took a sick day to take care of our kids, so I could do school parties for other people's kids. Yeah, crazy. :) But it's fun and I love it.<br /><br />I'm still the Primary pianist and I must be improving somewhat because people keep asking me to accompany them and I guess that's a good thing??? :) <br /><br />Ben got an Ipod Touch for his birthday since his last year's Christmas present Ipod stopped working and we found out it was a fake! We got refunded since it was a knockoff and so he got an Ipod Touch this time (a real one). :) The girls have had a blast playing on it (whenever they can get it away from Daddy) and I got a new Android phone (just the free one for renewing my contract) and now they love to play with that too. So if you try to call me and can't get through, it's probably because the kids have my phone. :) <br /><br />I got an electric blanket for Christmas and it was my favorite gift! :) I love crawling into a warm bed in the winter time! My dad bought us a Wii and we bought a trampoline, so we are feeling pretty spoiled around here with fun stuff to use when we spend time together. <br /><br />Other than not seeing my husband enough, I really can't complain. Life is good and keeps getting better. I hope you are all happy too! I will post pictures soon!Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-1453774664368719342010-11-07T21:45:00.008-06:002010-11-07T23:33:58.973-06:00Quick catch upSo a lot has happened since I last posted. I wanted to post pictures of Jill's birthday and baptism in September but... my aunt took those photos and then her computer died and she has them saved to a disk but I haven't gotten any...<br />:( SO... pictures of that will follow.<br /><br />Jillian was excited to be baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on her 8th birthday, September 18th. We had my dad, my brother & his family, my aunt, my uncle, and Ben's parents here with us to celebrate. A TON of people showed up to the baptism, which was wonderful but unexpected. The program was short & sweet and Jill said she felt, "Awesome," after being baptized. :) Jill & Miranda sang with their Crain cousins, "I Know That My Savior Loves Me," and they did a great job. We had a little slideshow of pictures of Jillian from blessing day to baptism day that we played before the program began. It was to the music, "What Heaven Sees In You," and it set a nice tone for the baptism, I think. I was a bit emotional when one of the pictures flashed up and it was my mom cuddling Jill when she was about 4 years old and I glanced at my dad and we both had tears in our eyes. It is so sad that she had to miss this special day and so many others with the people she loved so much. Jill is still very tenderhearted when we speak of Grandma Nancy. It's hard not to cry when we talk about her because we miss her so much. I know she was watching over us though and saw everything. :) We actually went to my niece, Maren's baptism in Edmond, OK, the week before and I felt my mom's presence there too. She is definitely still a huge part of our lives. <br /><br />So, my baby girl Jill is EIGHT! I'm so proud of her and, although sometimes I think she's turning into a tween, she's still a darling girl and I am happy to have her in our home! She is loving 2nd grade and her special ALPS class (Gifted & Talented), where she is bussed to another school on Fridays. They are doing really neat projects in there and learning about important character traits like perseverance, honesty, and cheerfulness. I love that part! :) They are learning about the medieval time period, learning how to play chess, sewing a banner with their self-designed coat of arms on it, and doing papier mache projects. Fun stuff! Her regular class is doing a radio show set in the 1940's World War II era and Jill is the stage manager and an interviewer of the talent on the show. They perform it for the school on November 22nd and I've been helping the kids learn their lines and gather props and even sewing things for the set. I spend about 2 hours up at the school every Monday and it is a blast! I swap sitting with a friend who volunteers at the school on Wednesdays, so that's been nice!<br /><br />Jillian joined Chorus Abilene's Children's Chorus this Fall and had her first concert in October. Grandma & Grandpa Bryner came out for it and we had a fun time. She did really great and Ben could tell I was itching to get up there with the Adult Chorus but not right now. Maybe someday... The Primary Program was the next day, so the grandparents stayed over and saw that too. I played the piano for it, so I was SO grateful to have them there to watch Lucas as well!<br /><br />Miranda is still loving school and seems to be doing better now at sleeping. She says she can't go to sleep at night (it'd help if she put her book down and closed her eyes!) and she's hard to get up in the morning. Instead of yelling at her to get moving, we've resorted to carrying her out of bed and dressing her! Yes, I'm serious. Not every morning is like that but many are and we find it's easier to get her going if she's upright and half-dressed and then she kind of wakes up and takes over. She does extremely well on all of her work, which the teacher is happy with, and she says she's just adorable, sweet, and well-behaved (which is always nice to hear!) but she's bringing home some bad behaviors that I'm sure she's picked up at school. She actually had to "move her clip" from green to red on Friday for choking a little boy in her class! Evidently they were playing and another girl pretend choked him and then he said, "Na na na na boo boo, you can't choke me!" (WHY he said that, I'll never know) and Miranda said, "Yes, I can." As she did it, the teacher saw her and she got in trouble. Mortified, I am. I made her make an "I'm sorry" card to give the boy on Monday and hopefully this is the end of her behavioral issues! Yes, I know kids get in trouble at school but honestly I never expected my girls to get a Red. Miranda was pretty mortified about that, as well, so here's hoping we never see it again!<br /><br />Natalie is 4! We had a Trunk or Treat party at the church on Saturday and gathered way too much candy, so we stayed home on Halloween (didn't want to go on Sunday anyway and no one came to our door, so I guess a lot of people felt the same) and just enjoyed each other's company. It was a nice, peaceful day. The next day was my sweet Nat's birthday and as if we weren't sick from candy, we got to eat birthday cake and ice cream! ;) We went to Chuck E. Cheese's (tradition!) and had pizza and games. Then we came home for the cake & ice cream (rainbow cake with m&m's & marshmallows). I had made the same cake for Jill when she was 4 (I think) and Miranda when she was 2. Natalie liked the pictures she's seen and I think it's fun to make, so we made her one. Funny memory... when I made Miranda's, I wanted to keep it a surprise, so I wanted to hide it in case she came in the kitchen. My mom had the idea to hide it in the oven. A few hours later we wanted to make homemade pizza and my mom preheated the oven. Uh oh! The marshmallow clouds got a toasty light brown, the frosting started to run, and the m&m's were melting. I thought it was hilarious and my mom was so upset that she'd ruined my cake! Luckily I took pictures of it before she stuck it in the oven, so I had proof that it HAD looked good at one time! :) Natalie got a Radio Flyer Spring Horse for her birthday but I found it on Craigslist in my in-law's city, so we bought it a few months ago and they brought it out in September and she got it early. She LOVES that thing and she also got a pre-school workbook (she loves school just like her sisters), new markers (we go through them like crazy), and a Ty Girl doll to play with online just like her big sisters! She sure is a cute & sweet girl! Plus, our funniest child by far! ;)<br /><br />Lucas is a moving machine! He started REALLY crawling on hands and knees and going quickly on October 16th. He was pulling up by the 23rd. That boy gets ANYWHERE he wants now and is pretty good at stopping when I say, "No!" He loves cords and trash cans but I'm trying to re-direct him constantly. :) He is so much happier now that he can move around and that's been so nice for me! He is a major mama's boy but is starting to warm up to other people now (thank goodness!). He is adorable and getting taller every day! He's stayed about the same weight for the past couple of months but is thinning out as he grows and is looking more like a little boy to me all the time. He & Natalie have a great friendship already and they enjoy their days together. He laughs so much these days and I still love every giggle.<br /><br />I just transferred 285 pictures from my camera to my computer from the past 6 weeks. Whoa. I'm way behind. I'm guessing some of them are photo sessions Natalie has taken when I wasn't paying attention... :)<br /><br />I went to Time Out For Women in October with some friends and had a great time. My awesome sis-in-law & their family watched my kids and I was able to enjoy time with friends and awesome speakers at the conference. Lately I have been busy with Jill's class radio show, going on field trips with Miranda's class (zoo & tee pee village), being room parent coordinator for the PTA, making Jill's Halloween costume (she was Hermione, so I sewed her a robe & crocheted a scarf), teaching joy school 2 days a week for Natalie and her friend, making cloth diapers for a friend, volunteering 2 hours a week at the Chorus Abilene office, and helping make food for a wedding reception. No, I'm not super mom like some people say. I definitely have a problem with overcommitting when it's so fun to help out everywhere. :) My house is not in tip-top shape and some things like hot dogs & chili and free-for-all in the fridge have been passing for family meals lately. I hope to find greater balance in life and spend more time at the park with my kids. :) <br /><br />Ben is still busy being the Bishop. He's excited about being in 2nd place in his work Fantasy Football League and hopes to work his way up to 1st. :) He still likes to watch UFC fights and listen to music loudly while dancing with the kids! :) I miss him a lot but he's busy doing good things and who can begrudge that. I'm very proud of him and love him more every day. We'll celebrate 12 years this month! Crazy! <br /><br />That's all for now!!! Check out this collage. Click to see the images bigger. It's faster to do this than post them all separately on here! ;)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TNeJpx-rXrI/AAAAAAAAP3g/0K74bxnLLrw/s1600/Blog+Collage+Sept+to+Nov.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TNeJpx-rXrI/AAAAAAAAP3g/0K74bxnLLrw/s200/Blog+Collage+Sept+to+Nov.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537045617759182514" /></a>Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-5805345640101295452010-09-14T12:12:00.003-05:002010-09-14T12:24:13.637-05:00Updated Pics of My KidsFor those of you who love to see my children... :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2PHBKoU7SD9FSTehfdL8uvnQ3cR6oY7_Ayv-iFktnG_0TUjrQVTf5q1YR6XQXYv0sQkhygsR8SAWr7vZ2cAeKaKbn31N7ceaFQAVA3s4Bb8xqTQNZZJUZUVguylMisedNfXBRYzQDotY/s1600/School+buddies+091410.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2PHBKoU7SD9FSTehfdL8uvnQ3cR6oY7_Ayv-iFktnG_0TUjrQVTf5q1YR6XQXYv0sQkhygsR8SAWr7vZ2cAeKaKbn31N7ceaFQAVA3s4Bb8xqTQNZZJUZUVguylMisedNfXBRYzQDotY/s200/School+buddies+091410.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516818936822940754" /></a><br />These girls are school buddies. They tell each other everything, so when they get off the bus and I ask what one did, the other one fills me in. Pretty funny! :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ThWd8Xua9H1u7Sm2XUD9XRaBTo_lTNNGcDnx-FmdpjgDJqwNGBILxrMgBKyz5x-YPWQDrMRrPix_bpQkhfo7BFxAw6Xt3x3MKibNUO8qx0jofNhVDkaZmfz9l_HydJZZf3psdVFg4ZK5/s1600/Jillian+smiles+091410.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ThWd8Xua9H1u7Sm2XUD9XRaBTo_lTNNGcDnx-FmdpjgDJqwNGBILxrMgBKyz5x-YPWQDrMRrPix_bpQkhfo7BFxAw6Xt3x3MKibNUO8qx0jofNhVDkaZmfz9l_HydJZZf3psdVFg4ZK5/s200/Jillian+smiles+091410.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516818940329643970" /></a><br />My tween. :( I LOVE this kid and she is growing up way too fast. She will be 8 this Saturday and I love her more every day. We have such fun together! I get sad when I look at her and see a young lady. Where's my baby girl??? She loves all animals and loves to read. We've been reading the same books lately and discussing them in our own little "book club." She loves school and I think she really enjoys having her sister with her on the bus.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYbEfgVDcJoFJWVgpjzKki_qzCnkgW0r_8XDNn-281XDCtLz8T6_OvzuN0PWGCjL4mjSQ2boJ1S4azw_48iSm8ybsBALgaBmxZvijAMtx1to47o4YFkJ1Loq4Pw092A5UdA3WRnzU0Q3t/s1600/Miranda+smiles+091410.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYbEfgVDcJoFJWVgpjzKki_qzCnkgW0r_8XDNn-281XDCtLz8T6_OvzuN0PWGCjL4mjSQ2boJ1S4azw_48iSm8ybsBALgaBmxZvijAMtx1to47o4YFkJ1Loq4Pw092A5UdA3WRnzU0Q3t/s200/Miranda+smiles+091410.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516818946536312626" /></a><br />Miranda is 5 years and 4 months old. She is a super star kindergartner and is friends with everyone in her class. :) She is an avid reader and wants to read anything Jill is reading, which is funny because Jill is an advanced reader. She is now reading "Fablehaven" (which I think is a 4th or 5th grader book) and I told her it may scare her a little with all the goblins and witches but she says she's not scared. :) She has dazzling blue eyes (which aren't visible in the picture) and a winning smile. Her favorite things are hugs from mom!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDtEOYbET0ZzaFj4leMLkPf-pAQo3oqMSju24SgkGku7tlnBQ3brxT7ENOwA6IqcIYv_rx5W9GNv1nm1F9yPxJi0iTvKwxnZXlc0jjOxqS9AAKv5TJCqs8QTRSuQy-5SpAWEb2c8kgbDh8/s1600/Natalie+smiles+091410.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDtEOYbET0ZzaFj4leMLkPf-pAQo3oqMSju24SgkGku7tlnBQ3brxT7ENOwA6IqcIYv_rx5W9GNv1nm1F9yPxJi0iTvKwxnZXlc0jjOxqS9AAKv5TJCqs8QTRSuQy-5SpAWEb2c8kgbDh8/s200/Natalie+smiles+091410.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516818955459472786" /></a><br />Natalie is 3 years and 10 months old. She loves to color and play computer games. She is obsessed with horses of all kinds and is HILARIOUS! I love this kid! :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaO1qxKePVZ7m0BZrqFlQ3g81crkUqX7fTfOUCvDOHp6W9rdIKRlFJj0x1Vl-s3gS2CvIWidEWMVEHnTMyG45WDJXnck7dUk9Nl1AgyCsIetPqMwH5axdkE9irydziL8f1TgbAzcXJ_FC/s1600/Lucas+loves+the+tub+sepia+091010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaO1qxKePVZ7m0BZrqFlQ3g81crkUqX7fTfOUCvDOHp6W9rdIKRlFJj0x1Vl-s3gS2CvIWidEWMVEHnTMyG45WDJXnck7dUk9Nl1AgyCsIetPqMwH5axdkE9irydziL8f1TgbAzcXJ_FC/s200/Lucas+loves+the+tub+sepia+091010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516818959054851490" /></a><br />Lucas the Menace. This handsome little dude will be 9 months old on Jill's 8th birthday this Saturday. He is not crawling yet (all of my kids crawl around 8 or 9 months, so it should be soon) but he moves around rolling and scooting a bit. He LOVES his mama and wants me in view at ALL times! Such a happy baby who loves to splash in the tub!Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-4879413504049801712010-08-24T20:40:00.006-05:002010-08-24T21:31:28.454-05:00Blessings and TrialsMy life has been a series of ups and downs lately. Mainly up because of my amazing family but man, I'm tired of the downs. We've had appliance issues, (bought a new dishwasher, washer, and dryer in the past 6 weeks!), the A/C went out today (but I fixed it... somehow, no idea how, just messed around for half an hour until it came back on!), I've had some annoying health issues causing problems (and HUGE medical bills :P), but we had a fun summer and are ready for school to start!<br /><br />Yesterday was the 1st day of school here and my girls were ready! They were so cute all dressed up, backpacks on, ready to go! They have been practicing for several weeks to get up and be ready by 7:15 (the time to run to the bus!), so even though I took them to school on the 1st day, they were ready, so we left! And drove behind the bus the whole way! ;) <br /><br />***Click on this collage to see the picture bigger.***<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/THR9KiLYJXI/AAAAAAAAPyY/AKJF8e603v8/s1600/1st+day+of+school+collage.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/THR9KiLYJXI/AAAAAAAAPyY/AKJF8e603v8/s400/1st+day+of+school+collage.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509165864107648370" /></a><br /><br />We took some pics in front of the house and in front of the school. Then we sat inside waiting for the bell to ring to let us go to class! Jillian found friends and went off to 2nd grade. She has a fabulous teacher that I was really hoping she'd get. The teacher already knows her from when she was a kindergartener and would go to 2nd grade for reading time. She said, "I've been waiting for YEARS to get Jillian in my class!"<br /><br />Miranda was a little more reserved... just taking it all in. I walked her to class and took more pictures, which she happily posed for and then we put her bag at her cubby and she got to pick a seat and start coloring. One of her friends from church is in her class, so I thought that would make her comfortable but her friend was running late that day and when I left at 8 AM, she still wasn't there! Miranda was totally fine though and the friend showed up a few minutes later, I was told. :) The only problem of the 1st day was that she didn't tell the teacher she'd brought a lunch in her pretty, new pink lunch bag. So the teacher bought her a cafeteria lunch. Way to make me look like a lame parent who didn't send her kid to school with food or lunch money! :) I wrote a note to her teacher and included money to pay her back, so she actually ate her lunch today and all is well. :)<br /><br />Natalie has LOVED being the big girl at home. She's been very helpful and obedient. Lately she's liked to talk silly (like a baby) and act like she doesn't know what I'm asking her to do. :( Not anymore. She is doing what she's supposed to do without me asking and no more baby talk! Seems she was just wanting more attention... oh, is THAT the problem??? :) Yeah, never enough individual attention around here. A couple of cute things I want to record for posterity... the other day I was looking for some framed pictures of Christ that I had put down and forget where I put them. I asked Natalie to look with me and she said, "Jeeesus, where arrrre you?" Hee hee! Also, we were playing Disney DVD Bingo and Rafiki (the baboon from Lion King) came on the screen and I said, "That's Rafiki," and she said, "No, Mom, that's FREAKY!" :) Love that girl's personality!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm57PhPZ4rGHxBVnYgHT9XwfhipKQpF-ZIPB6ukAMZD_dsUwIMk2885Mya_Qx1ejN1paQur3gU4aYOsrLYL6iZQ9vZXvDOQuzmmXH7lVi8z9GO2yIAbqMkatbFEsCxUosl9E7OlCRK7aVD/s1600/Lucas+reaches+for+Mom+081910.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm57PhPZ4rGHxBVnYgHT9XwfhipKQpF-ZIPB6ukAMZD_dsUwIMk2885Mya_Qx1ejN1paQur3gU4aYOsrLYL6iZQ9vZXvDOQuzmmXH7lVi8z9GO2yIAbqMkatbFEsCxUosl9E7OlCRK7aVD/s400/Lucas+reaches+for+Mom+081910.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509163874389179554" /></a><br />Lucas is driving me INSANE! I love the boy to death but I'm struggling to figure him out. He is spitting up, throwing up, ruining his outfit and mine several times a day, crying whenever he can't see me, and kind of moaning any time I'm not holding him, feeding him, and looking at him! I know some of this is normal baby stuff. He's teething. He's 8 months old and has separation anxiety. But the throwing up is REALLY bothering me. Something is wrong and the dr said he's a happy spitter, so it's just a laundry problem. Not so! He seems to be in pain when he's eating at least once or twice a day. Bite, bite, shriek, boo hoo, sniff sniff, bite, bite, repeat. Seriously he is a big kid and they think because he's gaining weight he's fine but I think he's in pain and that's why he's only calm in my arms. When he's in my arms, he is in heaven and he smiles at me and touches my face and "talks" to me. He is a joy in my life. I just want to help him be happier.<br /><br />More on the positive side, he is rolling, scooting, clapping, smiling, playing with toys, sleeping 11 hrs straight every night, taking 2 naps a day (about 1 1/2 to 2 hrs each), reaching up to be picked up, developing wonderfully... maybe he'll crawl someday... but I'm seriously worried about him. I've changed his formula umpteen times and he's on Zantac now for reflux (it's gotta be that, right?) but it's not helping. I've tried Mylanta too but haven't noticed a difference. Any experienced mamas have advice for me???<br /><br />So there have been some frustrations since I last posted but a lot of good things too. My birthday is on Friday and I'll be the big 33! What a cool number! ;) I was asked to accompany someone singing in church last Sunday and I was nervous. She has an incredible voice and I don't practice much, so I really didn't want to mess her up! I was shaking like a leaf and Ben sat beside me to turn the pages and I played it better than I ever had before, so I was happy. One friend told me I did a great job and I said, "That's what I have to do to get to sit by my husband in church for a few minutes!" :)<br /><br />Ben is still the bishop and crazy busy. He's out doing bishop visits right now. Wednesdays he's at church, Thursday he has home teaching... I might see him on Friday for my birthday! Cool! :)Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-91869791358099286222010-07-07T16:14:00.005-05:002010-07-07T22:26:07.127-05:00Summer Vacations, Baby Milestones, & Busy-ness!So after Julie went home, we packed up and drove to Utah! The kids were a-MAZ-ing and we had a pleasant and uneventful drive to Gallup, New Mexico. We stopped for dinner in Albuquerque and just happened to find a restaurant in Old Town and it was fabulous ambience and really good Mexican food. Yay! My favorite! We got to our hotel that evening and it smelled like smoke. UGH! Oh well, we were too tired to complain. Ben took the girls swimming. I got Lucas and myself ready but when we go to the pool, Ben & the girls said it was FREEZING. So I opted to just feed Lucas a bottle. :) They had fun swimming and the next morning we had breakfast and left that yucky place vowing to never return. :) Then we had an UGLY and BORING drive through New Mexico's reservations and THEN we entered beautiful Colorado. Loved it! Then we entered Utah and stopped for lunch in Monticello at the cutest little place called The Peace Tree Juice Cafe. It had healthy food and we were tired of junk food after the day before of McDonald's (yuck) and we got wraps and blue tortilla chips and fresh squeezed lemonade. Yum! It was the cutest place and I wish I had taken a picture! We ate outside on a little deck on multicolored chairs and tables and had a view of gorgeous mountains. I said, “I think this is the prettiest place I've ever eaten a meal!” Natalie said, “Yeah, and there's a car wash!” Hmm, ok. :) Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess. <br /><br />Then we made our way to Moab (Ben's dream place to live) and went to Arches National Park. By this time it was 103 and the kids made it to a viewing area of Delicate Arch and were done. Ben & I walked around Balancing Rock while the kids watched a movie in the van (we could see them the whole time, of course). They didn't want to get out again! <br /><br />Next we drove to Provo and showed our kiddos where we met (The Colony Apartments – woot woot!) and had dinner at one of our favorite places – Stans! I had my banana cream pie shake and BLT and it was heavenly! We saw my cousin Emily for a few minutes (she lives near there and dropped by to say hi) and then headed to Kaysville where we stayed with my Aunt Connie. My kids LOVED her and I think they were happy to have her as a Grandma substitute (she is my mom's sister). She totally spoiled us and fed us great food and played with the kids. Uncle Ferren told the kids stories and they kept asking him to repeat them. We played with her grandkids (and I hung out with her daughter who is my closest cousin, Gini). Actually when we left to go home, Jill & Miranda said, "Bye Aunt Connie!" but Natalie said, "Bye Grandma!" Connie thought that was pretty special and so did I. :)<br /><br />We visited my grandparents' and cousin's grave in Bountiful which is close to the temple where we were married, so we walked around the temple grounds and took pictures of the kids there. Then we went to West Jordan to visit Ben's aunt and uncle who just came home from their mission to Korea and his parents were there too (also visiting from Texas). The kids had fun with their grandparents and Ben's aunt & uncle who are also like grandparents. <br /><br />The next day we went to Temple Square in SLC with my cousin Gini and her kids. We rode the Frontrunner train down to SLC, which was so nice and so fun! Unfortunately the weather stunk. I had packed one pair of jeans and light jackets for the girls but not for me! So I was shivery as we walked around Temple Square. When we got back to the train parking lot, it was 49 degrees and pouring rain! At least we did our touring around before the rain hit! The rest of the trip was unseasonably cold and wet. YUCK! No zoo or swimming like we had planned. On Saturday, Connie & Ferren had a barbecue for us and the kids “burned marshmallows” according to Natalie. Ben went to see a UFC fight on base with Gini's husband, Matt, and they had a great time as well. <br /><br />On Sunday, we went to Ben's aunt and uncle's ward to hear them report about their mission and then went back to their house for lunch and visiting most of his wonderful cousins. We saw so much family on this trip but still missed a bunch too! Off and on Jill wasn't feeling well (actually threw up a few times one night) and this day Miranda got a fever and didn't feel well.<br /><br />We packed up to head home on Monday morning and Natalie promptly threw up, I cleaned it up, then Lucas threw up a whole bottle. LOVELY! We packed up and left knowing we'd be stopping a lot. We went a different way this time to see some more of the country and went through Wyoming and Colorado. The kids did need extra potty breaks but no throwing up. Yay! We got to Colorado Springs and stayed in an AWESOME hotel for less than the nasty place in Gallup! Ben & the girls swam again and enjoyed it more this time. We ordered Pizza Hut into our room and had a great night. Woke up to head home and everyone ate a great breakfast and we got started. Less than 40 minutes later, Jill was throwing up. Again? Seriousy? So we stopped in Pueblo for a potty break and cleaned up a bit (luckily we had a plastic bucket that Jill threw up in, so no mess in the car!). While there, Ben noticed a low tire. It only had 18 lbs in it and he suspected a nail. So we drove to the Discount Tire down the road and got it patched (for free!). We were feeling grumpy but also blessed because that was the last city for a LONG time where we could have gotten that tire repaired. We drove and drove and drove that day and finally got home late that evening. I vowed to never travel again. Ha ha!<br /><br />A week later I took the kids to Dallas while Ben went to Scout High Adventure Camp! I had a fabulous time catching up with my dear friend, Natalie, who up and moved to Dallas last year. Sad! :( But we had fun at the Fort Worth Zoo and swimming in her backyard and staying up 'til 3 to talk. Seriously! We also had another great reason for being in Dallas. Ben's sister, Jocelyn, brought her family from Minnesota to Texas for a visit with her parents. We were able to let cousins play and catch up at a Splash Park, a Jumping Land, and at the house. I sure love my family!<br /><br />So, that's our summer in a nutshell. It sure seems like we've done a ton!<br /><br />Lucas just had his 6 month appointment yesterday (he was 6 months on the 18th but the dr's office is busy!) and he is doing everything wonderfully, of course. He is 19 lbs. 12 oz. (75th percentile), 28 in. long (90th percentile), and his beautiful head is perfectly in the 90th percentile. :) The dr asked if he'd gotten any teeth yet and I said no because the upper canine ones he got a few months ago kind of worked their way back up into his gums (exactly the same ones that Miranda did that with) and today at lunch I noticed... HE HAS HIS FIRST TOOTH! It's one of the bottom middle ones just like you are supposed to get first! He rolled from front to back on June 4th, back to front on June 11th, and starting sitting up on July 1st. He also started eating solids when we got back from our Utah vacation, around the 16th. He is growing up so fast and is just so adorable! Check out the pic of him wearing his first tie! :)<br /><br />Ben is busy at work and as Bishop and takes off time here or there to help other people but hasn't had a lot of RELAX time. Luckily (I guess) there was a furlough day on July 2 (unpaid time off due to budget issues) and he had the 5th off too for the holiday, so he had a really nice lazy weekend and it was so fun to have him home! He played with the girls and Lucas (he's finally old enough for Ben to find him fun!), I won some fireworks (my name was accidentally drawn from the wrong raffle box I guess and I got $150 of fireworks that I didn't even sign up to win!), we set some off with some friends on Sunday (& had birthday cake too since their son turned 4!), set off fireworks with other friends the next day (& I brought a red, white, and blue trifle!-yum!), and we went to Family Storytime at the library last night. The kids and I also caught a puppet show at the library earlier in the day. Summer time is awesome! :)<br /><br />Last week my dishwasher quit draining, washer quit agitating, and dryer quit heating. SERIOUSLY! So after a trip to Best Buy for a new dishwasher and a service call for an appliance repairman, we are poorer but back in business! Hooray! Never a dull moment around here.<br /><br />Life isn't perfect but it's really good! :)<br /><div><embed src="http://widget-47.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=216172782134720839&site=widget-47.slide.com" style="width:400px;height:320px" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width:400px;text-align:left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=216172782134720839&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-47.slide.com/p1/216172782134720839/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=216172782134720839&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-47.slide.com/p2/216172782134720839/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=216172782134720839&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-47.slide.com/p4/216172782134720839/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a></div></div>Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-89815194746972470312010-07-07T13:00:00.006-05:002010-07-07T13:46:03.704-05:00Parties and awards and visits... oh my!Catch up time again! We had a very eventful June and I told Ben he needed to help me blog about it but he's never around, so...<br /><br />I guess I should start with the last week of May actually. I threw a surprise baby shower for my friend Kim and it actually surprised her!!! Woo hoo! I sent out e-vites to a lot of our friends at church that I had e-mail addresses for and then told them to spread the word and we had a great turnout for dinner and a movie. I told Kim I wanted her to have a girls' night out with me and my friend who would be visiting. Then my friend got stranded at the airport with a cancelled flight and I told Kim that my friend wouldn't be here that night but I still wanted to go out. She was thrilled, thank goodness, or I would have had a really hard time making another excuse up to get her to her shower! So I picked her up and people were texting me to say they were at the restaurant and ready to say, “Surprise!” I was at a stop light and said, “We're at the intersection! Be ready!” I know Kim thought I was funny to be texting while driving (I was stopped though) and talking to her at the same time. I made a comment about how Julie was texting me all day updating me on the flight situation. We walked in and they yelled and she was truly surprised. Hooray!!! It was a great turnout and we had so much fun! She got a lot of cute clothing for her baby boy and money towards a double jogging stroller. We ate our dinner and then served up a Trifle that I made and it tasted as good as it looked! Eliza (our fearless RS leader) was thirsty, so asked the waiter to just bring her a pitcher of soda. :) Then some of us headed to the movie theater to watch, “Letters to Juliet.” A pretty cute, clean movie and some hilarious, crazy friends to watch it with – great night!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TDTBvaDFs7I/AAAAAAAAPuY/5Q1dAJL7Cj8/s1600/Love+the+tiny+clothes+052710.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TDTBvaDFs7I/AAAAAAAAPuY/5Q1dAJL7Cj8/s200/Love+the+tiny+clothes+052710.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491226865861768114" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TDTBVIfVMoI/AAAAAAAAPuQ/I-ool60Kfx0/s1600/Cute+Kim+%26+cute+outfits+052710.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TDTBVIfVMoI/AAAAAAAAPuQ/I-ool60Kfx0/s200/Cute+Kim+%26+cute+outfits+052710.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491226414471787138" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TDTCzIXnZLI/AAAAAAAAPug/c7mZI4xvM8Q/s1600/Our+fearless+leader+Eliza+052710.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/TDTCzIXnZLI/AAAAAAAAPug/c7mZI4xvM8Q/s200/Our+fearless+leader+Eliza+052710.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491228029347128498" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6o7DRe9AlS_aYV6NAlMB5c0qG7dy7FGOizW02mnoTuj1EaUq9-H_ntpZRSx-HwDAS1L0D4lzRsLdk0JNPTVpbdy9VI7YnJEEeNZMMjlKALkLQrNS11J11HppGkaOl2Zdq27AS1NdEcc7/s1600/Trifle+I+made+for+the+baby+shower+053110.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6o7DRe9AlS_aYV6NAlMB5c0qG7dy7FGOizW02mnoTuj1EaUq9-H_ntpZRSx-HwDAS1L0D4lzRsLdk0JNPTVpbdy9VI7YnJEEeNZMMjlKALkLQrNS11J11HppGkaOl2Zdq27AS1NdEcc7/s200/Trifle+I+made+for+the+baby+shower+053110.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491230307028916322" /></a><br /><br />The next day was Jill's 1st grade Awards Assembly. She got lots of certificates for wonderful things but I was especially proud of two things. She received the 1st grade music award and I'm not sure what it's for but I love that she loves to sing and she'll always sing or play the piano on music share day. A girl after my own heart! In so many ways, really. Love that kid! She also was the #2 reader out of the 5 classes of 1st grade. She got to go to Midnight Madness (all the kids with a certain amount of Accelerated Reading points got to go to the school from 8 to midnight and play games, do crafts, eat pizza, and watch a movie) and I was a chaperone for that. It was fun for both of us and only three 1st graders got to go, so that was neat. She received a $15 gift card to Books-A-Million, which we have already spent on some childhood classics. She's almost done with “Anne of Green Gables” and she started it yesterday! I was in such a rush the day of the assembly that I couldn't find my camera and asked my friend, Sharla, to take pictures of Jill for me. It was hilarious when all the parents went forward to take pics of their kids, I just sat there and Jill looked at me like, “What's going on?” Sharla was waving at Jill and calling her name and Jill could NOT figure out why Cherith's mommy wanted to take pictures of her. Ha ha. I felt like a pretty lame mom. I told Sharla that if anyone asked I could say I hired a “professional” for my kid's pictures. :) She hasn't sent them to me yet, so I can't post how cute she was that day.<br /><br />My dear friend Julie from my college days came to visit at the end of May and beginning of June. She missed the baby shower and the awards ceremony that she was looking forward to but we still managed to have fun. We went to Buffalo Gap Historic Village, Frontier Texas, the Center for Contemporary Arts, the Abilene Zoo, the Paramount Theater, and the Grace Museum. Basically everything to do in Abilene. :) My girls LOVED her and were sad to see her go. I felt like I could be easily replaced. One time I was trying to open a bottle and Jill said, “Do you want me to get Julie to do it?” Wow, I guess I'm not as good as Julie! :) I really enjoyed having her here and can't wait until I can go see her someday...<br /><div><embed src="http://widget-42.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=2594073385401829442&site=widget-42.slide.com" style="width:400px;height:320px" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width:400px;text-align:left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=2594073385401829442&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-42.slide.com/p1/2594073385401829442/bb_t024_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=2594073385401829442&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-42.slide.com/p2/2594073385401829442/bb_t024_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=2594073385401829442&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-42.slide.com/p4/2594073385401829442/bb_t024_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a></div></div><br /><br />More updates to come...Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-14960410159199289232010-05-25T12:55:00.006-05:002010-07-07T13:45:07.372-05:00May Days!This month we celebrated Miranda's birthday! She turned 5 and we celebrated with a gymnastics play day on Saturday, her favorite meal (tacos) on Sunday, and Chuck E. Cheese for dinner plus cake at home on Monday (her actual birthday). She is such a sweet thing (most of the time) and a great helper to me. She is reading everything she can get her hands on lately and is SO excited to start kindergarten in August. Jill spent the whole day calling her "the five year old" and she really enjoyed that. :) I am glad my girls have each other, so they always have a best friend (and a nemesis). Here are some pics of our festivities.<br /><br /><div><embed src="http://widget-54.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=216172782134704980&site=widget-54.slide.com" style="width:400px;height:320px" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width:400px;text-align:left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=216172782134704980&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-54.slide.com/p1/216172782134704980/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=216172782134704980&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-54.slide.com/p2/216172782134704980/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=216172782134704980&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-54.slide.com/p4/216172782134704980/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><br />Other things we've done in the past month... baby showers, birthday parties, field trips, dentist appointments (Natalie is tongue-tied, who knew?), Echo was neutered (and is a bit calmer surprisingly), Jill gave a talk in Primary, Ben gave a talk in church, I got an additional calling (Primary pianist), Lucas got a double ear infection (and is 18 lbs of adorableness!), I made some really great chimichangas (ha ha), and we're all here and happy. We're looking forward to a visit from my dear college friend, Julie, this week and hope she's going to start the "Let's go to Abilene" vacation trend! :)Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-74293900415938870792010-04-12T08:10:00.012-05:002010-04-12T10:03:21.618-05:00We're Still Here!Ben has been asking when I was going to update our blog. I just kept thinking it would take too long and I don't have any big chunks of time to myself (really, I'm serious!), but I'm starting now. With a baby on my lap and my three girls asking me when they get their computer time. Now is as good a time as any! :)<br /><br />The last update was on Christmas Day when Lucas was just 1 week old. We are loving having him as a part of our family. He is sleeping through the night most nights now and is just a joy to be around. He will be 4 months old on Sunday! He has been such a good baby and I have felt WONDERFUL the whole time. I was on some meds from the day after his birth to keep my post partum depression from kicking me down and it worked! I NEVER felt bad like I did with the girls and I have enjoyed this newborn stage so much! I've weaned off of my medicine and still doing good. So many blessings!!! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5g_c4MQ8kKd7qLElaK-rl6qOoUpib2P4TCLW3tZBxxxnrwuvdw3bmVe8rHd5UcHrEBJh5peLfdbGlMtSNMSod0TrUJCuC0GNJ7bzFwMd5I9tkWEGLM43Jq4mP2ZNCCH_74U8xY3xWE7RT/s1600/Loving+on+Lucas+010810.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5g_c4MQ8kKd7qLElaK-rl6qOoUpib2P4TCLW3tZBxxxnrwuvdw3bmVe8rHd5UcHrEBJh5peLfdbGlMtSNMSod0TrUJCuC0GNJ7bzFwMd5I9tkWEGLM43Jq4mP2ZNCCH_74U8xY3xWE7RT/s200/Loving+on+Lucas+010810.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459254131814170146" /></a><br />2010 started off with a bang. And a shock. :) Ben was called to be the Bishop of our church congregation. For those of you who don't know what that means, this is the official definition from our church: "A man who has been ordained and set apart as the presiding high priest for a ward, or congregation. He has overall responsibility for ministering the temporal and spiritual affairs of the congregation." So, yeah, a LOT of responsibility. He was more than a little bit overwhelmed and humbled by this but we both said yes (he said yes and then they asked if I would support him and I said, "Absolutely."). This calling has definitely blessed our lives already. He has been very busy and has meetings a lot but we're doing ok at balancing our lives.<br /><br />We had planned to have Lucas' baby blessing in church in February but since Ben was made the bishop in mid-January, we bumped it up, so that my dad and Ben's parents could be with us for both occasions. It was really great and I know my mom was there too in spirit. Lucas was so handsome and well-behaved for his blessing, of course. :) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPUFU323I0hQCc79Kf7ID530IXsUPq1rBnuhrr_NEzLR0G57wA1WNNs04LHrNnltyJRIobAQHMSsOgju7EUyZEqT_doRReQD0ZxR3cKDZlNqLI5EKmlkCHU5Tx0axjVkuNh1kTlUHDK4Sb/s1600/Lucas+in+blessing+outfit+with+hat+012310.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPUFU323I0hQCc79Kf7ID530IXsUPq1rBnuhrr_NEzLR0G57wA1WNNs04LHrNnltyJRIobAQHMSsOgju7EUyZEqT_doRReQD0ZxR3cKDZlNqLI5EKmlkCHU5Tx0axjVkuNh1kTlUHDK4Sb/s200/Lucas+in+blessing+outfit+with+hat+012310.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459253515336505138" /></a><br />Later in January we went to Ben's employer's (City of Abilene) health fair and had fun at different booths and we signed up for raffles and guess what we won? A free pet adoption from the city shelter! Ben was less than thrilled. Especially when some of the other raffle things to sign up for were free insurance premiums for a month or a Wii. Admittedly, I would have preferred those as well but they had a million people trying for them, so the odds weren't good. :) So we started the search for a pet but I wanted to take my time and get one we really wanted.<br /><br />In February, my friend Kim & I decided to start doing babysitting trades, so we could go on date nights without paying an arm and a leg for a babysitter. It's been nice to get to go out with Ben a couple of times a month. We usually go to the High Priest Group Social where we eat at a nice restaurant once a month. That's pretty much the only time I get to go out to eat, so I look forward to it! :) <br /><br />We also had a fun ward activity that month. An Adults Only Valentine's Dance! I guess there were a lot of people out of town or sick (everyone seemed to be sick in either January or February around here!) because we only had about a dozen couples come but it was so much fun! Our activities coordinator is really talented and made the gym look beautiful and we had prizes for most romantic couple, most reverent couple, and there was an award for "How did he get her?" Ha ha. <br /><br />The next weekend was the youth Valentine's dance at the church and Ben went to chaperone, so I went with him and that was our date. :) Nothing better than FREE! :)<br /><br />Miranda & Natalie took swimming lessons at the YMCA in February and it wasn't too successful. ;) They didn't like someone shoving them under the water. I find that an odd approach but they always do that in lessons around here. Natalie doesn't ever want to swim now. Miranda actually did quite well and I was surprised how well she listened to the teacher and how willing she was to try new things. Natalie just kept repeating, "I don't want to. I don't want to. I don't want to." Oh well. It was... an experience. :) The teacher said they would both need to repeat the beginning class before moving on. That kind of surprised me because I thought Miranda did great but she is still a little hesitant and the next class requires them to swim independently for 15 feet and she probably wouldn't be comfortable without a noodle or life jacket nearby. I would love to just take the time to teach them myself one-on-one but that would be a little hard right now since I'd have to get a babysitter to do that!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ShZpcSz7UH_4lTC3txKbyPCPwEZFUEQqs7Fl6u19liBDg6rHlIT1x7m9s6Bifn2e8GyTTeewQXoAmihtkRKJ0_KXW_tdRJFKa_FPxmvzLl_VhYNxg4Fj0svcP4pCLrM3SFcbUaruDlRM/s1600/Lovey+sisters+021010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ShZpcSz7UH_4lTC3txKbyPCPwEZFUEQqs7Fl6u19liBDg6rHlIT1x7m9s6Bifn2e8GyTTeewQXoAmihtkRKJ0_KXW_tdRJFKa_FPxmvzLl_VhYNxg4Fj0svcP4pCLrM3SFcbUaruDlRM/s200/Lovey+sisters+021010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459254818707119698" /></a><br />We have had such a cold winter with several snowfalls and I am so glad Spring has sprung. It sure was pretty though and the kids had a great time playing with Daddy in the snow. I didn't want to take the baby out in the cold, so I just ran out to snap some pictures and then watched them through the window. :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFNFC9Mi63B-CqlKUrMjwVoBxY2wEpsXsmc0-XyHdjLKs8nf91YrTRBg40GhsE0qH8aLQlt2SSR79yaBL4XI7hsluAfmQJU6nLYV3VKC8e0hyE7LhGLdwsC82VgkSLC7tb2K4YGPUuURl/s1600/Snow+hugs+021110.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFNFC9Mi63B-CqlKUrMjwVoBxY2wEpsXsmc0-XyHdjLKs8nf91YrTRBg40GhsE0qH8aLQlt2SSR79yaBL4XI7hsluAfmQJU6nLYV3VKC8e0hyE7LhGLdwsC82VgkSLC7tb2K4YGPUuURl/s200/Snow+hugs+021110.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459255209857207986" /></a><br />On Saturday, February 27th, Jillian fell in love with a puppy at the shelter and we brought him home on Monday, March 1st. We named him "Echo" and he's half miniature schnauzer & half they-don't-know, but I would guess border terrier. He was 3 lbs when we brought him home at 8 weeks old. At his last check-up he was 5 lbs, so he's getting huge! Ha ha. I'm hoping he'll stay under 10 or 12 lbs. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/S8MpefuYuLI/AAAAAAAAPoQ/Wi2tFDuAfdk/s1600/Ben+%26+Natalie+with+Echo+030210.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/S8MpefuYuLI/AAAAAAAAPoQ/Wi2tFDuAfdk/s200/Ben+%26+Natalie+with+Echo+030210.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459252777192044722" /></a><br />He's a pretty smart puppy and has done really well with house training overall. He has started nipping at the girls whenever he can and gets really hyper around them, so they are dying to play with him and then screaming and running away from him. *SIGH* I'm going to sign up for a puppy kindergarten and learn how to train him a little better. He used to come whenever I called but now he knows he'll probably get put in his crate, so he likes to make me chase him. He does well with SIT, LIE DOWN, UP, and I can get him to dance on his hind feet and twirl for a Goldfish cracker! :) He doesn't do so well with DOWN but we're working on it. He does pretty well on a walk with me but if the girls are with me, he just runs right, left, forward, back, around my legs. *SIGH* Again, working on it. Puppies are a lot of work and I knew this going in but I just wish he was sweeter with the girls. It'll happen though, I'm sure, as he gets older.<br /><br />March brought us to SPRING BREAK! Yay! We finally went back to Kansas to see my family! We hadn't been back since my mom's funeral in October because I had a baby! Ben and my dad don't think it's smart for me to travel by myself with 4 kids, so I had to wait until Ben had a break to come with me. So my relatives there finally got to see the baby and of course they all adored him. We only spent a few great days there with my Dad (wish it had been longer) and then headed to Dallas to see Ben's family for a day and a half (again, wish it had been longer). We were able to attend the Dallas Temple while we were there, thanks to my wonderful in-laws babysitting. It was a whirlwind trip (with 4 children and a PUPPY!) and it was surprisingly successful and almost stress-free. We were happy to get home though.<br /><br />We had a Scout Spaghetti Dinner and Service Auction at church. It was to raise money for the boys to go to Scout Camp this summer. It was really fun and we ended up bidding on a lot of things and ended up paying $25 for a dessert! All for a good cause, right? :) And it was SO yummy! ;) We also paid $50 to have one of the Scouts help us with yard work for 5 hrs. Well worth it! :)<br /><br />The beginning of April brought our ward Chili Cook-off (which was way fun and so yummy to try everyone's different chilis), Jill's field trip to a tv news station (I loved going to check out the studio & it made me miss my days at Community Cable News in college), General Conference (love to listen to a prophet's voice!), and Easter (Ben's parents visited for the weekend & we had a nice time dying eggs, hunting eggs, going to the zoo, and eating ham & scalloped potatoes!). <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3EnF9WeFm0MxYGEA22GKxOU0_0FMG3_r80TG7-tn2_kNBXmMkMnJ0gDikkdegJsMNLZB6XcgcFT_QvJfCBTevALDNwlfirqBR0vhqrUMLpjnfe05hWbMMVQfrG-Zzb1UTnHzoR_lbFW7/s1600/Giraffes+040310.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:left;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3EnF9WeFm0MxYGEA22GKxOU0_0FMG3_r80TG7-tn2_kNBXmMkMnJ0gDikkdegJsMNLZB6XcgcFT_QvJfCBTevALDNwlfirqBR0vhqrUMLpjnfe05hWbMMVQfrG-Zzb1UTnHzoR_lbFW7/s200/Giraffes+040310.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459264834607609490" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPWLQOwF97pVed51d4JpZCm0p7fRxnPfKsnmp1iKzshz65Y7u8uB1KdEvInmFj2DQPNQ_X8gNasd3ee-6oHW6M-Cog7euYz9UjojMmGmMF4o6zrcVpcUNWUeVHaaROZ9fFF70qpaHEB6J/s1600/Visiting+the+Creepy+Crawly+Center+at+the+zoo+040310.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:right;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPWLQOwF97pVed51d4JpZCm0p7fRxnPfKsnmp1iKzshz65Y7u8uB1KdEvInmFj2DQPNQ_X8gNasd3ee-6oHW6M-Cog7euYz9UjojMmGmMF4o6zrcVpcUNWUeVHaaROZ9fFF70qpaHEB6J/s200/Visiting+the+Creepy+Crawly+Center+at+the+zoo+040310.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459264511433561410" /></a><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-Yn7d-BcKan26QSCM_q6uMglJMd0WE2QDkciBOvWd6sz1QYDs07ZY0nqFit81mk6tu3pLiEA__dI80BCD8u0VgEQMScaCUQWELbwX-oGTHx99KpzahH6aLr8CTdU61c7qbPv-fR6SKYW/s1600/Bryner+Kids+Easter+040410.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-Yn7d-BcKan26QSCM_q6uMglJMd0WE2QDkciBOvWd6sz1QYDs07ZY0nqFit81mk6tu3pLiEA__dI80BCD8u0VgEQMScaCUQWELbwX-oGTHx99KpzahH6aLr8CTdU61c7qbPv-fR6SKYW/s200/Bryner+Kids+Easter+040410.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459263693143657138" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL98JbL6QWfbkQvINIBS_mdhCGC-KHkV2FRlXG-gW7MG_nj0UPQsY3LdGuKUhQdBpZpbszHuaesEC8RK2oyxv2Rz65Dc9kR7CatkxcKnBwkgbWWnF-Jf3tZi90W-373zbOYSRmgRDrEStg/s1600/Easter+Egg+Hunt+040410.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL98JbL6QWfbkQvINIBS_mdhCGC-KHkV2FRlXG-gW7MG_nj0UPQsY3LdGuKUhQdBpZpbszHuaesEC8RK2oyxv2Rz65Dc9kR7CatkxcKnBwkgbWWnF-Jf3tZi90W-373zbOYSRmgRDrEStg/s200/Easter+Egg+Hunt+040410.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459264117412160674" /></a><br /><br /><br />In between all of that stuff is play dates, story time at the library, playgroup visits to the park, zoo, fire station, and grocery store, housework :(, and just general taking care of the kiddos. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/S8MszyIIFXI/AAAAAAAAPo4/NQiRbz3y-FE/s1600/Super+Sisters+013010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/S8MszyIIFXI/AAAAAAAAPo4/NQiRbz3y-FE/s200/Super+Sisters+013010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459256441443980658" /></a> We are all happy and healthy and so grateful for that! Actually, Jill is home from school today with a sore throat and a fever. *SIGH* We expect many happy and exciting times in the future and I will try to post about things more often! :)Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-21753124820512461602009-12-25T14:30:00.006-06:002009-12-25T14:52:56.801-06:00Lucas is here!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvVozjdSwPFFseSgJPqx9CRPfi5Po1ZyMwIkVTQ0RFVh-khimpiN56MVK__d-EzVh5JVRlQOerKVTwdL5kDe_kEPSVRsidfcN3iG55bidqygh_O2Xejtc4nLnQD5eyEph40mzPHcVqrgg/s1600-h/Brandi's+little+boy+Lucas+121809.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvVozjdSwPFFseSgJPqx9CRPfi5Po1ZyMwIkVTQ0RFVh-khimpiN56MVK__d-EzVh5JVRlQOerKVTwdL5kDe_kEPSVRsidfcN3iG55bidqygh_O2Xejtc4nLnQD5eyEph40mzPHcVqrgg/s200/Brandi's+little+boy+Lucas+121809.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419278143300494722" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihX_Gserb_vLHI2u9ZMAk9wYpNnP8ERz5Aza70J5efATV0BL8CCO2taURbOoO-LM2PhUgYQjPSQBhi3gMDzlwqHa_3x4Rv0h3nSgQEJovVH8jF4RD9aYULg_GPgeOWxXSviT5hbLWlrrDj/s1600-h/Does+it+get+any+better+than+this+122009.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihX_Gserb_vLHI2u9ZMAk9wYpNnP8ERz5Aza70J5efATV0BL8CCO2taURbOoO-LM2PhUgYQjPSQBhi3gMDzlwqHa_3x4Rv0h3nSgQEJovVH8jF4RD9aYULg_GPgeOWxXSviT5hbLWlrrDj/s200/Does+it+get+any+better+than+this+122009.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419278361214416866" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtnK7STqW9L56vTZMIhxoTa5MeE5EoXb2xQqYkx1exVICcOZHX5JOGJyk1wIGHHbTGkiWYuiSwDOBfizvQGHHEkuCqbFe0j828hHupqWXcAKw4sgu6okDkSGjE4r6VqHiG111h710Xomw/s1600-h/Grandpa+Crain+with+his+Texas+grandkids+122109.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtnK7STqW9L56vTZMIhxoTa5MeE5EoXb2xQqYkx1exVICcOZHX5JOGJyk1wIGHHbTGkiWYuiSwDOBfizvQGHHEkuCqbFe0j828hHupqWXcAKw4sgu6okDkSGjE4r6VqHiG111h710Xomw/s200/Grandpa+Crain+with+his+Texas+grandkids+122109.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419279027465055234" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeGMxD-NfCSB3JrXiYRCrb_4GSSNdBrWEUo62QmTg34lj4C8-XIqowfXFkV1bWWjnG_OqYLzCApr0brdOQm4UV7ypNsyzUKj10kIoZsUKoLrP6sGmw73Ic51tFGMo66AOH42ORL7i4rwG/s1600-h/Bryner+Family+on+Christmas+Eve+122409.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeGMxD-NfCSB3JrXiYRCrb_4GSSNdBrWEUo62QmTg34lj4C8-XIqowfXFkV1bWWjnG_OqYLzCApr0brdOQm4UV7ypNsyzUKj10kIoZsUKoLrP6sGmw73Ic51tFGMo66AOH42ORL7i4rwG/s200/Bryner+Family+on+Christmas+Eve+122409.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419277493713468146" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSyVGV9VQJr7g0HbnvJFLGquU0ee3SwjXanOx99wIPLwjKqx4H9UJ_2PsmidmhQhEKtrrkzCtMxu93eUtJyDZYtCEWxW4zw2mayweTMZBISnkR5UcFjef3yqOwSzbY7BbC0dUQQTsyjp_/s1600-h/Lucas+on+Christmas+morning+122509.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSyVGV9VQJr7g0HbnvJFLGquU0ee3SwjXanOx99wIPLwjKqx4H9UJ_2PsmidmhQhEKtrrkzCtMxu93eUtJyDZYtCEWxW4zw2mayweTMZBISnkR5UcFjef3yqOwSzbY7BbC0dUQQTsyjp_/s200/Lucas+on+Christmas+morning+122509.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419278754256702066" /></a><br /><br /><br />Lucas Benjamin Bryner joined our family on December 18 at 7:45 AM. He was 8 lbs. 7 oz., 20 1/4 inches long, and PERFECT! He is so adorable and is a great eater, sleeper, smiler (not gassy ones!), and we just adore him. Unfortunately everyone in the family is taking turns getting sick (everyone is on their 2nd cycle now except me!). I am so hoping that Lucas does not get sick! We are loving having a boy and he just fits right in! We've had a great Christmas and wish you all the same!Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-85719168355382719542009-11-08T19:42:00.011-06:002009-11-08T20:01:18.061-06:00I love NovemberI love November mainly because October is over! That was a physically and emotionally draining month! I traveled to Kansas twice and Las Vegas once. I said goodbye to my mom (aka best friend in the world) and then went to Ben's brother's wedding (which was relaxing and fun to attend) and then came home to the news that my mom had passed away, which by this point was a relief because I knew she was finally not in pain anymore. I love her so much and miss her but I am surprised at how well I'm handling it. She must be sending me major comfort from the other side because although I really want to have a conversation with her, I still feel as if she's with me a lot. The funeral went well and I tried to help my dad get things at the house organized as much as possible. My mom hadn't been able to really do much there for weeks and my wonderful aunts did their best, but I tried to get it back to the way it was for him. He's lonely but he's busy with farming and hopefully getting by the best he can by keeping busy. I think that's helping me too. Back to the busy-ness of my life here with my kids. I am 40 days away from having my baby boy, Lucas, join the family and I can't wait! A little nervous and feeling unprepared to start the baby journey all over again but ready too! My great family in Kansas threw me a shower when I visited Kansas in early October and my great friends here threw me a shower last week, so I have SO much great stuff for this baby. I feel so blessed and so spoiled! Although the past 2 months have been really hard to get through, I think I have grown a lot and learned a lot through my trials. At least some good has come from the tragedy of losing my mom so young. I love you Mom. :)<br /><br />Ok, also some good stuff happened. Halloween, Trick or Treat, Natalie's 3rd Birthday!!! Here are some cute pics.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/Svd20BOJWOI/AAAAAAAAOXo/zCJkpLOpz1M/s1600-h/Nat+riding+a+horse+at+Chuck+E+Cheese+103109.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/Svd20BOJWOI/AAAAAAAAOXo/zCJkpLOpz1M/s200/Nat+riding+a+horse+at+Chuck+E+Cheese+103109.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401916914107242722" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/Svd2JNgTcaI/AAAAAAAAOXY/AtdnCQzp__8/s1600-h/Chuck+E+Cheese+with+Flat+Nathan+103109.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/Svd2JNgTcaI/AAAAAAAAOXY/AtdnCQzp__8/s200/Chuck+E+Cheese+with+Flat+Nathan+103109.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401916178670252450" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/Svd1za8BGiI/AAAAAAAAOXQ/nxsI4rVxSp4/s1600-h/Trick+or+Treat+with+Flat+Nathan+103109.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/Svd1za8BGiI/AAAAAAAAOXQ/nxsI4rVxSp4/s200/Trick+or+Treat+with+Flat+Nathan+103109.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401915804319029794" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgeaUeHOyE55PyXzcObRg5egOGIfFoMq6Z9IVAnMzB6e9dUEFXZ7VJPl8cjkifMib1KBvJvb4pG_94eJLi_veRo5UCzfoVmlx7Rukl2m9SQ9KSglz_buGC_eQC75fTck0oVxdfMDFjpYVl/s1600-h/Nat's+Fun+Presents+103109.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgeaUeHOyE55PyXzcObRg5egOGIfFoMq6Z9IVAnMzB6e9dUEFXZ7VJPl8cjkifMib1KBvJvb4pG_94eJLi_veRo5UCzfoVmlx7Rukl2m9SQ9KSglz_buGC_eQC75fTck0oVxdfMDFjpYVl/s200/Nat's+Fun+Presents+103109.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401917347822508674" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/Svd2cPCf9nI/AAAAAAAAOXg/R5HCZnIyj0s/s1600-h/Sweet+Nat+is+Three+103109.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/Svd2cPCf9nI/AAAAAAAAOXg/R5HCZnIyj0s/s200/Sweet+Nat+is+Three+103109.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401916505499629170" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNF8quwfdcThVEKSwcZwYWuNESocWhpyV3LoV6i4VhUqV-cPnmy3bN4gfoHq0eUoRsWGrCMSnYCJEptz8B4MiKDnsAOT_WPBZ9rLjQWc8ue60xKK9qlzPAlbQq_ZKFgPvpDRR6FgG_Ylc/s1600-h/My+Sweet+Nat+110509.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNF8quwfdcThVEKSwcZwYWuNESocWhpyV3LoV6i4VhUqV-cPnmy3bN4gfoHq0eUoRsWGrCMSnYCJEptz8B4MiKDnsAOT_WPBZ9rLjQWc8ue60xKK9qlzPAlbQq_ZKFgPvpDRR6FgG_Ylc/s200/My+Sweet+Nat+110509.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401915127100816530" /></a>Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-61088211776054521152009-09-25T07:59:00.006-05:002009-09-25T08:51:47.466-05:00Way too muchWell, way too much has happened in the six weeks since I last posted. <br /><br />Most of you know my mom is dealing with breast cancer. Well, the past few months she's been having pain and problems and we almost lost her the week of her birthday (2nd week of September) due to hypercalcemia (cancer was causing the blood to leech out of her bones and into her blood). She was very fatigued and depressed and my dad took her to his great doctor. He tried to get the calcium problem fixed with a basic approach that usually works but it didn't. He had her come in to check her levels a week later and while entering the clinic, she barely stubbed her toe on the door threshold and broke her femur! Yeah her bones were in bad shape!!! She said it was the most painful thing ever and childbirth is nothing compared to the pain. So they took her to the ER and she was in surgery the next day to get a rod put in her leg. Turns out there was cancer in the bone but the part that had cancer in it is what shattered and was removed, so as far as I understand, she doesn't have it in any other bones as of now. After a couple of days her calcium levels were still rising and I was so worried but was told to not come by her and everybody. "Take care of your kids. We'll keep you updated." Yeah right. It was miserable. Two days after she broke her leg, I couldn't take it anymore and Mom was getting worse. So I found sitters for my kids for the next several days (thank you so much Ben, Kelli, Kim, and Natalie!) and raced up to Kansas to see my mom. She looked pretty bad when I got there. She was so tired and the doctors were amazed she wasn't in a coma yet from the calcium issue. She was kind of telling people she was ready to go (I can imagine why after all that pain and worry of the last year) and I really thought that was the last time I'd see my mom. The next morning everything had changed. Some time after I left that night, the dr came in to try what I think is the 4th medication to try to fix the calcium problem. It worked! I came in to see my mom sitting up in bed and smiling while she ate her breakfast. She had color in her face again and she said she had slept great that night. WHAT??? It was such a miracle. I know that she has had a ton of people fasting and praying for her (and many friends of mine were fasting and praying as well for her and me) and the miracle was amazing. She has continued to get better. Exactly a week from that scary day that I drove up there, she went home from the hospital! She's doing great walking with her walker or scooting around in her wheelchair. My dad put new carpet in the room (needed it anyway but it's nice and flat to make it easy to maneuver) and rented a hospital bed and things that will make it easier to recover. One of her sisters came to help take care of her all this month and I was able to come home to my family but it's been hard to not make sure she's ok every day. I have had such an emotional roller coaster in this past few weeks. I know she still has cancer and she's not going to live forever but I am SO grateful for the extra time we've been granted together. She has been so excited to meet her grandson in December and that's a possibility now!<br /><br />On to better news... baby boy is growing and as of last Monday, he weighs an estimated 2 lb. 1 oz. and is still very much a boy. He's always moving and flipping and I'm starting to feel body parts now, which is cool. I'm still doing water aerobics 3 or 4 mornings a week and that's been fun. I've only gained 12 lbs so far and everyone says I look tiny (not to me!). I'm definitely carrying different this time though.<br /><br />Jill started school! She really enjoys 1st grade, loves her teacher and their class parrot Murphy, and already has a boy that picks on her or bugs her every day (I'm guessing because he thinks she's cute). She is loving being back in school and Miranda is SO ready to join her next year! <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/SrzJsZ4q24I/AAAAAAAAMuM/vnJ8kLe_GAo/s1600-h/1st+day+of+1st+grade+082409.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/SrzJsZ4q24I/AAAAAAAAMuM/vnJ8kLe_GAo/s200/1st+day+of+1st+grade+082409.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385401019128273794" /></a><br /><br />I turned 32! I'm liking this age too. My parents came down to see me that weekend and although my mom was in obvious pain and couldn't do much with us, it was just so nice to see them. Luckily Mom isn't in pain anymore. Yay pain meds!!! The Young Women from church got me a cake for our regular Wednesday night activity and there was a ton left to bring home, so I didn't even have to bake my own birthday cake! Yay! I ended up going to a 1st Grade Parent Forum on my actual birthday. Yay? :) <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF9mtGB5HfD96mCybP1LQoBU1Aoyxs9TSGrKaDlBBhM8ok8R5SPZ9t4pF69VEjAsY1zu9DEnkp1tmmhcU0GhDTNDmAp7bD9TDsv5wIf5DDEXsxX-mo8PGJ04sJ2d4CRjUdvJcasEZevKde/s1600-h/Girls+with+Gma+Gpa+Crain+083009.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF9mtGB5HfD96mCybP1LQoBU1Aoyxs9TSGrKaDlBBhM8ok8R5SPZ9t4pF69VEjAsY1zu9DEnkp1tmmhcU0GhDTNDmAp7bD9TDsv5wIf5DDEXsxX-mo8PGJ04sJ2d4CRjUdvJcasEZevKde/s200/Girls+with+Gma+Gpa+Crain+083009.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385401290870980978" /></a><br /><br />Labor Day weekend was fun. We went to the zoo and just hung out and had fun. No traveling! On the Monday, we did some much needed yardwork and although we don't enjoy that at all, we appreciated the fruits of our hard labor. :)<br /><br />Jill turned 7! We went to Dallas for the weekend of Jill's birthday and spent the time with grandparents and cousins. Ben was able to go to a live UFC event in Dallas with two of his old friends and he thoroughly enjoyed it. The girls were well behaved for the most part but I've never heard them say, "Are we there yet? How much longer?" more than they did on this trip and it's not even as long as our Kansas trips! <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/SrzKUQU3PVI/AAAAAAAAMuc/ok4kWVs-Xfc/s1600-h/Jill%27s+7th+Birthday+Cake+091809.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/SrzKUQU3PVI/AAAAAAAAMuc/ok4kWVs-Xfc/s200/Jill%27s+7th+Birthday+Cake+091809.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385401703756938578" /></a><br /><br />Miranda is doing karate at the YMCA and Jill does a KidzFit class there. Natalie loves the nursery there ("The Playroom") and it's nice for mom to get a break! :) Jill is also doing Daisy Girl Scouts and piano lessons. Things have been busy lately but I'm not sure what to cut out because it's all good stuff, right? Miranda & Natalie are playing really well together with Jill in school. They fought a lot more when there was 3 of them here but I guess if they want someone to play with them, they have to be nice to the one that's here with them! :) <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayqGsfDCXvSFBQfNH0jFcyFySJniExpTqZNlFGSis8oXL_AFnmgcK8734fn7_SXPLUlvCbllCzVM82ePDWPSoNiWaNtaDTbP7stC3LnHM-9mknm6nz9yOOnyzhx50LAoniu1KPFh-1nnM/s1600-h/Sisters+reading+together+082409.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayqGsfDCXvSFBQfNH0jFcyFySJniExpTqZNlFGSis8oXL_AFnmgcK8734fn7_SXPLUlvCbllCzVM82ePDWPSoNiWaNtaDTbP7stC3LnHM-9mknm6nz9yOOnyzhx50LAoniu1KPFh-1nnM/s200/Sisters+reading+together+082409.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385402101486178578" /></a><br /><br />So as of now, life really is good. I worry about my mom and about having another baby (PPD nightmares!) but we are healthy and happy and I am trying to appreciate the good in every day (and downplay the bad). :)Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-23433276206530046882009-08-14T12:00:00.004-05:002009-08-14T14:13:40.705-05:00Better Late Than NeverI haven't been updating lately but a lot has happened. The most exciting news is we are having a BOY! We just found out this week and the girls are all excited, as well as Ben of course. <br /><br />Second biggest news which is actually HUGE is that Natalie is finally potty trained!!! I thought this day might never come! Now I'm knocking on wood to not undue this wonderful change!<br /><br />Quick update...<br /><br />We went to Kansas for the 4th of July and had a great time with my parents. Spent most of July just going to the library and play group and field trips, etc.<br /><br />Went to Kansas again the first week of August to visit my family and TO SEE WICKED THE MUSICAL WITH MY MOM!!! It was SO amazing and it was so much fun to just have a night out with my mom. We went to this quirky little deli and split an awesome sandwich with potato salad. Yummy! Then we walked to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. It wasn't too far to walk but I sure was tired by the time we got there!<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/SoWyKdKMMhI/AAAAAAAALBU/pN7FSR557qM/s1600-h/Dilly+Deli+Tulsa+080509.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/SoWyKdKMMhI/AAAAAAAALBU/pN7FSR557qM/s200/Dilly+Deli+Tulsa+080509.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369894023404990994" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/SoWyi3G27HI/AAAAAAAALBc/uUOx-TX3Dek/s1600-h/Dilly+Deli+Inside+080509.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/SoWyi3G27HI/AAAAAAAALBc/uUOx-TX3Dek/s200/Dilly+Deli+Inside+080509.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369894442687196274" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRteCreceX7cZMTnZwX6rYwuKdPkT0Im0Ets5DuuVXlcoymCbeartyvDDpJEyb_4w6VotlUeg_tY9bpYIYcTozD0emZRdlkK7VKe-g070RBQ93iG6qjK2UFRfZIDAFJCWj9Dkn8sRk-6m/s1600-h/Mom+%26+I+on+our+way+to+see+Wicked+080509.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 144px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRteCreceX7cZMTnZwX6rYwuKdPkT0Im0Ets5DuuVXlcoymCbeartyvDDpJEyb_4w6VotlUeg_tY9bpYIYcTozD0emZRdlkK7VKe-g070RBQ93iG6qjK2UFRfZIDAFJCWj9Dkn8sRk-6m/s200/Mom+%26+I+on+our+way+to+see+Wicked+080509.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369894744689712434" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/SoW1UquZ65I/AAAAAAAALBs/3EDx6y4DgUs/s1600-h/Tulsa+Performing+Arts+Ctr+080509.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DQonhEMHX6k/SoW1UquZ65I/AAAAAAAALBs/3EDx6y4DgUs/s200/Tulsa+Performing+Arts+Ctr+080509.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369897497380121490" /></a><br /><br />We would love to see it again if we ever have the opportunity! That was my birthday gift from my mom. Isn't she awesome? My dad babysat my girls and put them to bed and everything! He's awesome too. :) <br /><br />August seems like an avalanching snowball. Keeps going faster and faster but it's exciting because at the end of August is my birthday! And Jill starts 1st grade! <br /><br />We joined the YMCA last week and have been going every day. It's been fun. Jill is doing her KidzFit class, Miranda is doing Karate, Natalie LOVES the play room, I'm doing water aerobics almost every day and Ben is playing racquetball or basketball or just doing the cardio machines. It's been good for all of us and I'm glad we did it. I hope I can keep it up 'til the end of the pregnancy and then get back to it quickly.<br /><br />Things are good here and now you're caught up. :) I'll post pictures later...Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-82916880303797441042009-06-11T15:09:00.002-05:002009-06-11T15:12:19.876-05:00Another Update: Daddy's Work Party<div><embed src="http://widget-f0.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=216172782134289392&site=widget-f0.slide.com" style="width:400px;height:320px" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width:400px;text-align:left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=216172782134289392&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-f0.slide.com/p1/216172782134289392/bb_t028_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=216172782134289392&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-f0.slide.com/p2/216172782134289392/bb_t028_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=216172782134289392&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-f0.slide.com/p4/216172782134289392/bb_t028_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a></div></div><br />I forgot about this really fun work party of Ben's. We went to the zoo and had a behind the scenes tour and saw some cool animals up close (some of the tour was boring even for our animal lover). There was a bounce house, a petting zoo, a place to make "green" grocery bags, games, food, and I even got to play "Who Wants To Be A Negotiator" with the cops. Very fun! :) Here are some pics of the day.Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-67560254152029472232009-06-10T17:10:00.003-05:002009-06-10T17:12:45.635-05:00Best News of AllAnd to catch up the best news of all... I've been sick and tired a lot lately. We are expecting Baby #4 in December! Feel free to pray for me. I have a lot of anxiety about the baby stuff and the depression that is sure to follow after the birth but we are thrilled to be having another baby. Miranda knows it's a boy ("It IS going to be a BOY!") and Jill is really hoping for another baby sister (I think kindergarten has taught her that boys are annoying and icky - ha ha!). Either would be fine with me!Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-47061577979597497432009-06-10T16:46:00.002-05:002009-06-10T17:05:03.761-05:00Catch Up Time: Birthday, Graduation, Playing at the Park<div><embed src="http://widget-e9.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=216172782134287849&site=widget-e9.slide.com" style="width:400px;height:320px" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width:400px;text-align:left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=216172782134287849&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-e9.slide.com/p1/216172782134287849/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=216172782134287849&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-e9.slide.com/p2/216172782134287849/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=216172782134287849&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-e9.slide.com/p4/216172782134287849/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a></div></div><br /><br />Miranda turned 4 and we had a fabulous celebration that I videotaped but I took only a couple pics of her eating cake, so it looks like I have no record of it! Oh well. :) She is a beautiful, hilarious, and very entertaining 4 year old. My parents and a niece and nephew were in town and we enjoyed their visit so much!<br /><br />Jill had her kindergarten graduation a few days later. I left the little girls with a friend and Ben couldn't get away at work, so it was just me and it was great! No running around after kids or trying to keep them quiet. :) Unfortunately Jill didn't see me in the packed house, so she was a bit moody-looking until she KNEW I was there. Of course I would be there! Her teacher kept telling her, "I'm sure she's here Jill. She's at everything!" :) Ha ha. A good reputation to have, I guess. She did a fabulous job on her kindergarten program and sang and danced her heart out!<br /><br />We like to get out to a park at least once a week with our church playgroup and I included a couple of pictures of Natalie at a park recently. She's cute too and deserves some pictures of just her in this post! :)Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-26132491533002493142009-06-10T16:17:00.002-05:002009-06-10T16:30:06.301-05:00Catch Up Time: Field Trips<div><embed src="http://widget-9f.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=216172782134287775&site=widget-9f.slide.com" style="width:400px;height:320px" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width:400px;text-align:left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=216172782134287775&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-9f.slide.com/p1/216172782134287775/bb_t024_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=216172782134287775&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-9f.slide.com/p2/216172782134287775/bb_t024_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=216172782134287775&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-9f.slide.com/p4/216172782134287775/bb_t024_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a></div></div><br />Yes, school is out but we went on another field trip. A friend of mine at church had a great idea to plan outings with the kids this summer and we had our first one on Monday. We went to Buffalo Gap Historic Village and it was a lot of fun. A nice hot day, of course, but the kids enjoyed seeing all the old-time stuff and got to rope animals, play on an old-time merry-go-round, and do a scavenger hunt for items in most of the buildings we toured. Here are some cute pics of our day.Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620130828608916036.post-17625529104596104772009-05-14T12:39:00.005-05:002009-05-14T13:25:36.624-05:00UpdateJill has her piano recital tonight and is a little nervous. She's had her piece memorized for months and I think she'll do great if she doesn't get stage fright. :) I'm so proud of her. She's done girl scouts and piano this year and been excited for all of it. I think she's ready for a little break though! Yay summer time!<br /><br />Miranda is really wanting to read, so I've been working with her some on it. Today in the car, she was holding something and wanted to know what it said. She said, "Mom, what does M - A - blah, blah, blah, L - L - C spell?" I had to laugh. I said, "You can't say blah, blah, blah, and expect me to figure out the word!"<br /><br />Natalie is speaking much more clearly these days and saying new words all the time. We were talking about Christmas the other day and she got all excited like she knew what that meant and said, "CHRISTMAS!!!" perfectly. So cute. Then when I tried to get her to repeat it for Ben, it was like, "Kwissmus." Try again. "Plisba." Yeah, nice. Make me look dumb in front of Dad! Oh well! :)<br /><br />Ben got his Lasik surgery done last week and everything has gone well. He said he's never seen this clearly even with contacts or glasses. Yay for Lasik!<br /><br />Young Women's is always busy and I feel so behind but we're getting ready to camp this weekend for a little practice run before Girl's Camp next month. Wish me luck!!!Bryner Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17067804816722854003noreply@blogger.com8