Sunday before Christmas

Here we are in our fancy Christmas clothes.

This was a very special Sunday. Haylee and Mickayla were both part of the Christmas Program for Sacrament Meeting. They both sang and Haylee also participated in the orchestra.

Hannah and Madilyn performed with the Primary children.

The presentation really was a beautiful way to focus on our Savior and his birth.

So grateful for my girls and their love of music.

And I am grateful for Dale that he cooperates every year so that we all can match.

Pat on the back to Jill for remembering the camera.

Here is Jill being the single Mom until Ryan gets here.

Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus

We went to Cabela's to see Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus.

It was a long wait but well worth it!

Trip to the Christmas Train Display

We went with some friends to this fun display with all of our kids that are not in school yet.

It was super fun!

Sam was so good for this trip.

He sat in the stroller for the whole time.

Ben loved every minute of seeing all the trains.

Only way it would have been better...

If I would have let him touch the trains.

"Big Tex" at the Texas State Fair

60 POUNDS DOWN

If you have forgotten I just wanted you to see where I started.

This is me on vacation this past July.

This picture actually horrified me the first time I saw it.

I just did not see myself this big.

But now it really is a great before picture.

This is me 60 pounds down!

Thanks to Madi for being my photographer.

This is one of the dresses I am thinking about wearing on the cruise.

Hoping I will need a smaller size by then.

(You can tell the Carey's are coming soon for Christmas because

you can see all of Jill's packages lining my office)

Dale last July, cooking chicken for his family at our Family Reunion.

Wearing his size 44 pants and XXL shirt.

This is Dale this morning before work....

Sporting his 36 pants and a regular large shirt.

I am so proud of him!

Christmas Dinner with the Finans

We had the Finan family over for a Christmas Dinner.

We ate on the new table and both families fit!

(No pictures of that sorry)

We then opened presents and had Suzi's super yummy hot chocolate and Nieman Marcus Bars that Haylee and Mickayla made.

The Dads enjoyed some Football on the new 73 inch TV.

It was a super fun evening!

Haylee and Lauren in their new matching Jeans.

BFF's Madilyn and Jane

This is the worst picture of me EVER but I am wearing my size 14 jeans so it must be posted!

Sam loved the wrapping paper the best!

The Week of Thanksgiving Break

The Week of Thanksgiving my kids have a whole week off.

So I planned

OPERATION:

KEEP THE KIDS BUSY

Mickayla started her week with this.

Works like a charm for allergies!

Monday I helped the kids with gutting their rooms.

With a promise if it was done well I would take them to the movies.

On our way to the movies in the new family van.

It pretty much is a party when riding in it!

Stopped for icecream at Braums on our way home!

Camping Braunersrither Style

Dale and I have been wanting to take the kids camping.

We decided to do a practice run in the backyard to see how much we liked it.

I think a tradition was born.

No need for real camping for us.

Backyard camping is way better!

We had campfire dinners and sat and told spooky stories.

Followed up with smores.

Hannah's turn at scary story telling.

The girls loving each other.

Mickayla and Benjamin slept in the tent and the parents slept in the house.

The other girls got a better offer to go to their friends house for a sleepover.

The next adventure was setting up the Christmas tree.

The boy in the bubble.

This is where we found Sam the first few days the tree was up.

He really is the best present ever!

Mom spending 4 hours decorating the new tree.

The tree all finished!

That lasted for about 1 hour before Sam got his hands on it!

My New Kitchen Table

Above:

This is my old Kitchen table.

We have had it a long time and the chairs never matched and we had out grown it.

And to be honest I have wanted a new one to finish off the kitchen makeover.

I learned quickly that tables are expensive!

Below:

The Table I have had my eye on and have really wanted!

My Brother in law is a furniture dealer and I had picked out this table for my kitchen but it would have 8 chairs. His dealer price was about $750.00, which is a great price but I just could not bring myself to buy it.

I decided I would look on Craigslist and see if there was anything I could find.

I have been looking for about 3 months and feeling like I was going to give up and buy the 400.00 table they sell at Ikea with no chairs and just use the chairs I already had.

Until Yesterday!

This is the beauty I found on Craigslist!

And the price for this table....

drum roll please....

$150.00

I LOVE IT!

It goes with my new kitchen so beautifully and it is huge, 106 inches to be exact. It came with 8 chairs and all the chairs fit compfortably around the table. When friends or family come we can add 4 more chairs to sit 12!

Craigslist...I love you!

Hannah the Teacher

This is what I found today while walking past my office.

Sometimes I can't help but be in love with my children!