Merry Chri Ma

Just picking Jimmy up from the airport on Christmas Day

I am a "Published" Photographer

One of my pictures has been published in Schmaps Chattanooga Travel Guide. If you click on the title of this post, it will take you to the online guide. Click threw the pictures on the right and you will eventually come upon mine. How cool is that.

Wild Thing

This is old, but I just came across it and thought everyone who has not seen it would enjoy it. I've seen it many times and I still enjoyed it.

Obama's Inaugural Parade

J.P. Taravella High's Marching Trojans win coveted spot in Obama's inaugural parade. Ethan is my nephew. He is the son of my brother Tim. How cool is that. You can click on the title of this post and it will take you to the story. I think he has been on the news down there.

Breast Cancer month 2009

I need your help everyone. Ok, I met with the girls at the cancer charity. They asked if I could help them plan an event for Breast Cancer Awareness month next October. Of course I said I'd love to! They will host a dinner at a resort nearby. That's all they have, so she said it's kind of like a blank slate. She was thinking having a fashion show?? So just thinking and surfing the web, I had a few little ideas, they are: Sell Pink T-Shirts, have bra-fit clinics, have make-ups tips like 'how to do smoky eyes' (asking Estee Lauder, Bobbi Brown MAC, etc to come and do for free), have a girl do free Indian Head massage or neck & shoulder massage, the fashion show. So I need more and better ideas, and a 'theme'. I was thinking 'Busted'! But don't really know how to make that apply??? Anyway, please help!!!

While in Atlanta

Tony and I had a lot of fun in Atlanta. Well, I had a lot of fun. Tony gets bored easily. Here are some of the pictures I took. I swear I take the same pictures every time I go down there and I am still amused by it.

Munich

So here is a little of our trip to Munich. We went to the Hofbrauhouse where we had a beer. They are BIG beers. We finished it and Hayle ended up being in charge of the band as you can see. Then Hayle and I thought it would be a good idea to go up on the stage for a picture. You can't see, but the WHOLE band was drinking those big beers the whole time too. Then the girl at the end of our table wanted to get out. Instead of sliding down, she climbed over. It was alot of fun!! We did alot more, but that's these pictures.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

May you all have the most wonderful, blessed Thanksgiving. I will be cooking for my awesome husband and Charlie. Gerry is in Panama City celebrating with Jada"s family. We will be having turkey, mashed potatoes, rutabagas, gravy, stuffing, broccolli casserole, corn, cranberry sauce and of course pumpkin pie with cool whip. We are thankful to be able to have such a wonderful meal, a wonderful family and so many, many other things. Gerry and Jada are in the process of buying a house, the closing date is Dec 30th but we hope to close by the 15th. I have put some pictures on flickr. It is a 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath house, with a living room, formal dining room, a huge eat in kitchen and family room down stairs. The masterbedroom is ridiculous, the master suite takes up one side of the upstairs and three other bedrooms and a bath take up the other side. There is a sitting room in the master that I could fit my living room in and a huge walk-in closet. There is also a media room upstairs. I wouldn't want to have to clean that house. Thankfully it is a small yard something Gerry should be able to manage. So the kids should be pretty busy until the end of the year. Charlie is working at Kennesaw and working on his masters. There seems one crazy thing after another is always happening on campus. My wonderful husband is back at the Lost Mountain store and the store manager there just gushs over him constantly. The customers are so glad he is back. (of course he is the best) Let's see, that leaves me, I have been busy showing the kids houses and getting them under contract, volunteering at church and the farm, oh yeah and me and Gerry are taking David Ramsey's Financial Peace University, hope we get some good information. Well that just about sums it up for the Georgia Braun's. Enjoy each other and don't eat to much at one time.

OMG You Won't Believe This!

This morning when I got up I put my phone in my pocket and went to the bathroom--just another day. As I flushed, I dropped my phone in the toilet. OMG, OMG, OMG! I had to put my hand in the toilet and fish it out. Yuck, yuck, yuck! I managed to get the sim card and put in another phone.
It reminds me of the time Nancy . . . Oh, I better not say. Never mind

Look, Even the Cat will stand for a Snack

My dog & cat are trained.

A Favorite Childhood Memory

ok, just a topic I thought I'd throw out there. So this isn't a funny one, but share whatever you like.
Sometimes this thought just springs into my mind. I was less than 5 years old, and we lived in that house before Carolina Ave. Can't remember the name, but I can remember all the older kids were going off to school, and I was standing at the screen door waving to them. Then Mom was putting me down for a nap. And I didn't want to go, but she said she'd lay down with me. She did. But when I woke up she wasn't there. I figured it out on my own, that she didn't really stay with me. (duh?) But I was really little. It's like the only memory from when I was that young. Ok, I have more, but does anyone have any they want to share???

John is a Grandpa

Election Night in Time Square

Brittany and Holly went to Time Square to wait out the election results!

1st Class!!

So Pete was upgraded, and Hayle and I were resigned to sitting in the back, boo hoo. But as we waited at the gate, they were announcing the plane was oversold and were looking for 7 people to agree to get off and travel in 24 hours. no way jose. then they called me and hayle to the desk and we were upgraded!! Wah HOOO!!!!! Hayle had been begging Pete to trade with her as she had NEVER been in 1st class, and then she was actually really getting mad, as if we would switch him and her! Hello!? But in the end, we were flying in heaven! OMG remember those days! People in 1st class are so over-treated! We had foot rests, laid back all the way, drinks b4 taking off, and good meals! Oh let's not forget the 'hot towels'!! but we were brought back down to earth for the 7 hour flight from newark in coach, boo hoo....

Week in FL

So, picture number 1, Kelly invited Hayle to go see the Cheetah Girls with her and Christy! How exciting was that! Here you see our 3 wildcats in action!! Picture number 2, Jen took us to a nature preserve by her house, and I was totally freaking out!! Do you see the size of this Gator!! OMG!!!!!! And today, in picture 3, wow what a day!! we spent hours at the beach and it was so gorgeous, i'll post a few more later, the kids had a BLAST in the waves!

New Presidential Candidate

Copy and paste this link in your browser. You won't want to miss this. They will let any one run for president. Who will you vote for?

http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=357563&altf=Nbszboo&altl=Csbvo

Sheesh....

ok, since no one has anything to say, I'll tell you what I did yesterday. My shoulder was still hurting and had me up at 2:30am. So when Hayle and Pete left in the morning, I decided to lay back down. The couch and the morning light wasn't doing it for me, so I figured I'd throw in the towel and go back into BED. But the guy was coming to pick up the dry cleaning around 10am, so I left a note on the door to KNOCK LOUD. And off I went. I was having really bizarre dreams. So bizarre, at some point I thought my sugar must be low. One dream had me putting the dogs outside, where I found the dogs were already there, no, I now had 4 dogs, 2 and 2. I won't tell you the weirder dream! Ok, so I hear a knock on the door. I go down, grab the laundry bag and hand it to him. He's a really sweet older guy that always is so pleasant. He says, 'so the doorbell's not working, eh?' I said, no it does work. Then he was trying to ask or figure out why I had the 'knock loud' note if the bell works, or something?? My sugar was low, I couldn't put enough thought together to tell him anything, and I put my hands on either side of my head, and started shaking my head. I didn't even pretend I hadn't been sleeping, my hair was, well, you can imagine, I still had an eyemask hanging from the back of a ponytail. I just shut the door and he left. I laughed all day thinking how me must think I'm a nut case!!!! So, now I have to explain to him when he comes back!!

Cross

This was in this weeks bulletin at church:

'Piety Shop-carvings on sale. Some olive wood artefacts-crucifixes, rosaries, and crosses are now available for purchase in the Piety Shop. These have been made by the Bethlehem Olive Wood Carvers who are experiencing many difficulties-80% unemployment, political turmoil and violence. (One of the carvers was recently beaten up in his own home in front of his family by the local police force. The reason was that they demanded money and he had none to give). Your support is making a difference. In a community of more than 300, selling carvings means food, heat, medical care and a roof over their families heads. This is a real achievement'

The picture here is of one that I bought. I put it next to a teaspoon so you could see it's size. It's thick, and I think unique. If anyone wants one, I'll bring them over in October and get it to you. It cost £3.50 or about $6.50 USD. If anyone is looking for a gift for someone, communion coming up, or you'd like one for any reason, let me know and send over your donations.

Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards

Hayle and Antonia had so much fun (and ME)!! The 1st picture was taken after the show, you can see the slime and confetti all over the stage. All the kids had the foam fingers. Everyone had seats, but all around the stage, anyone could stand there. So Hayle and Antonia were up agains the stage but not together. You may see them on the show, it airs here on the 20th. Hayle stood against the runway that the stars ran up to the stageon, so she touched every single person! I could see her, even if she wasn't sure who they were, she put her hand on their arm, so funny. The 2nd picture was taken at the 'After Show Party' we got to go to. They are sitting on the ICarly couch, and last one, they did Sponge Bob karaoke. They pretty much screamed the sponge bob song. They got pictures and autographs of alot of people, but most of them I don't think you'd know.

Jonas Brothers Premier

Here's Hayle from Wednesday at the Jonas Brothers Premier! She was SO excited to ride in the limo! There were 6 girls in with her and they had drinks and everything. The other mom's and I ran over to the premier and got there b4 them. So 2nd pic is Hayle arriving and walking up the 'purple' carpet. Then, the 'boys' came over by us and I got their autographs for Hayle. I'm sure I looked like an idiot, a 45 y.o. woman asking for an autograph! Good Grief! But it was for Hayle, so. But they were so cute and really nice to all the girls out there. They stood out there over an hour talking to all the press and the kids. Hayle had a great time!! I'll give it a couple days and then post about the kids choice awards!!

Jada & Gerry's Engagement Party

We had a great time at the engagement party. Jada's family & friends were incredibly warm and welcoming and the food was awesome. They know how to throw a party and have a good time. Gerry is very lucky to be marring into such a great family. There is no doubt that everyone will have a fantastic time at the wedding. I just can't wait.

MY Summer

This was in this weekends paper, take a second to see what we've been dealing with and why I'm so grumpy!

It was supposed to be the stay-at-home year, when millions of Britons chose not to fly abroad but to bask in the British sunshine – but of course it didn’t turn out like that.
For those left in any doubt about this summer’s weather, the release of official figures yesterday proved that it has been one of the wettest and dullest on record.
Met Office statistics show rainfall this summer is already up to 50 per cent higher than normal and August is on course to have the fewest hours of sunshine since records began.
The average rainfall across the UK from June 1 to August 26 is 317.7mm, 40 per cent more than normal, with five days of readings still to be considered. (If we get 40mm more in the next 5 days, it will be the most on record since 1914-already 2 0f those 5 were constant rainy days!)
This month is also expected to be one of the dullest since sunshine records began in 1929. The national average of 96.3 sunshine hours up to August 26 is already 40 per cent below the month’s average. The previous dullest August was in 1942, with 111.4 hours.

History of Labor Day

How much do you know about the history of Labor Day? Here is a little history lesson on Labor Day as we all enjoy this holiday with family and loved ones.

You might need to click on the article to enlarge it for reading.

Hayle's We Rock Video

ok, here's the video she won with. we now know she is one of 17 winners!! Wow!

Hayle WON!!!

OMG! Hayle and her friend entered the Disney 'U Rock' competition and WON!!!! I cannot believe it! She gets to go to the Jonas Brothers Camp Rock movie premiere in London, in a limo, watch them perform, and MAYBE meet them! Here is Hayle finding out she won!

Mexican Fiesta

It's a Mexican Fiesta Celebration. I know there is a lot of traveling in everyone's future, so let me know if you will be able to make it.

Leeman's Genius film work

I don't mean to overwhelm the blog with costa rican stuff......but leeman's film work is impressive

Lake Garda

This is Hayle and I standing in Juliets balcony. There truly is the Montegues and Capulets from Verona, and this was her balcony! Cool! Then we went on a wine tour. OMG! delicious wine, olive oil and snacks! of course we bought too much crap to take home with us, our luggage will be way overweight. And then there is Hayle in the vineyard. It is amazing here! Tomorrow we will hang by the lake. (ok, boys, stop reading now) That is, if I can find tampons, because of course, I got my period a week early and I am not prepared. I know, TMI, but I'm really annoyed right now.

Banana Pancakes

pura vida con leche

Yes...Yes...Yes...

Just another wedding to plan for the Braun family! It doesn't get more exciting than this!!!!!!!!!

Costa Rica

We did the zip lines through the Costa Rican forest. We LOVED it and had so much FUN! Some of the lines were really high...like flying with wonderful views of the forest below. We also did the TARZAN swing which was amazing! A few in the group were scared though. We were pushed off a platform to swing out over the forest. The initial jump was scary but then the swinging was so much fun. That was everybody's favorite. We are off to another adventure tomorrow...adios!

Foam Party!

OMG!! We went into the Bay tonight for what we thought was a little 'Wow!' Festival. It was music and guys on stiltsm acrobatics and stuff. We kind of walked around, then chose a spot by the fence to watch the show. they did fireworks and we thought it was over. THEN, they picked up this bag looking thing, and FOAM came FLYING out at us!! And it did NOT stop! Literally, it was up to our waists!! we were soaking wet, at some points we were wiping the foam from hayle's face so she could breath!! OMG, it was SO MUCH FUN!!!

Go Away

New Date - Friday, August 8th

Fun at the Park

Yesterday we had fun with friends at the park. #Hayle hopped on this contraption. then Pete went over and spun it around for her. then 3 other kids came over and got on. after that our friend helped pete spin it. of course they got going too fast, and you see what happened to pete!! OH, I am still laughing!! In the 3rd picture, it looks like our friend is trying to get away saying 'I didn't make him fall'. and I just showed this to hayle, she laughs and says, can't you make the picture bigger?........so funny!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTY!