This may be the largest blog ever

I know I know I know..

Yes these are old pictures

Yes I should have gotten them up sooner

Yes I am slow

And YES

here they finally are.

Back when Bethany graduated we went out for dinner. Nelyana was so funny! She had some obsession with ice, sucking it off the table was the highlight of the night! She had Mac N' Cheese and after eating it with her hands she rubbed them down her face, and then produced the cheesiest smile ever! Love it!

We stopped by to visit Grandma and Grandpa's grave. It was a beautiful day, and it was good to have all the Braman girls back together again.

The many faces of us! I love the one with mom and bethany, and well Nelyana is just funny! Adella is always all smiles!

Mall of America! SO much fun!! I think Bethany had more fun than Andrina did on the Blues Clues ride! It took them a while before they could figure out how to go up and down-BUT they had a blast!!

Big Truckin!! I just love how Andrina drives! head out the window.. and horn blaring... of course if she could blare it! Nelyana faces are of course.. CLASSIC!! She should live closer I think..

** HINT - HINT **!!

Nelyana LOVED the train ride! She loved it so much she REFUSED to get off.. temper tantrum and all! I of course HAD to get pictures of the tantrum! Sooo Dang Funny!

AAAAAANNNNDDD the carousel ride! I think we went on it twice?! Nelyana and Andrina love it! I think Bethany did too... or she just got really dizzy...

We stole Andrina and Adella from Emma while she went to a church function here in St. Cloud. I just love every moment I get to spend with them. Andrina makes each conversation so child-like and funny.. I roll with laughter everytime I am with her. Adella. Gosh she is getting big quick! I just adore that little bundle of chunk! I think we had them for like 5 JOYFUL hours. They really are amazinly good kids. I think the only time Adella cried was when Andrina tried to squeeze the life outta her...

All the many faces of Adella. That girl LOVES to stick out her tongue. The tird picture in on the top row.. I think she looks like Andrina when she was little. While Andrew and Andrina played at the park I sat with Adella trying to keep her from eating everything and ANYTHING. Really. That girl seems to have quick hands. A bug would be walking by, and she would grab it. I finally just let her eat her dress. I figured it was better than bugs.

That girl has GREAT FORM! She ran and ran and ran some more! I am sure it was based on the fact that Andrew was chasing her! She is such an adorable little girl and I just LOVE having her around! Everytime I see her.. if Andrew is not RIGHT next to me.. I get "where's Anew?" - Not a "hello Auye!" or even a "hi" she is always looking for him to play and to tease. Andrew wont admit it, but I think he secretly loves the fact that she asks for him before she asks for me! Oh well! At least she likes him!

ALSO...

These are the BEAUTIFUL fall flowers that Andrew got for me one day! We had run to the store to get some OJ.. we happened to walk by some fall flower arrangements and I casually mentioned how I would love some. After he picked me up from work I walked in to find these beautiful flowers sitting on the table! the rest of the flowers bloomed all around the same time, which made it even better! They have now lasted me for about two weeks! And are still looking beautiful!

7 years

(Andrew and I at Bethany's prom)

*Quick side note.. for those of you who don't know-when Bethany went to prom she was assisted by her date "walker". Well "walker" was not as fun as she thought and we decided that we would help her out. Andrew and I never went to our schools prom.. but when Bethany needed help.. we were right around the corner ready to help. I grabbed my bridesmaids dress from Kim's wedding and Andrew's suit.. and off we went. Andrew was like her body guard.. while I was the photographer.. each time she went down.. he scooped her back up again.. he was really wonderful and I am glad Bethany had such a fun time!

Almost 8 years ago I met Andrew... on the school bus! Never thought that's where I would meet my boyfriend.. but I guess when you are not looking.. they show up.

The past seven years have been amazing. I wouldn't change anything.. well except for me being such a pain.. but I guess life would be different if certain things played out differently. I can't believe how quickly time has flown by, and I wish I could slow it down. There was a time when I thought I would never turn 18, or 21.. and now.. at 22 I wish I was back in my teens.

Now I know how quickly life can fly by.. so I am trying to live each day -hour by hour... soaking in as much as I can so that it wont pass my by.

To celebrate the 7 years that we have spent enjoying each others company we are going to go to a TWINS game! I really cannot wait! I have been waiting almost a month for this! I was super sneaky this year and got the tickets early, and got twins t-shirts. I just KNEW that I was going to finally be able to surprise him. You see- every time I get a gift for Andrew he somehow figures it out! It drives me NUTS. This time though I had him... OR so I thought. His birthday is October 10th, 8 days from now.. so I have been bugging him to figure out something to do for his birthday. Well a few days ago Andrew picked me up from work. We stopped to get gas, and as the car was filling up he started talking about how he knew what he wanted to do for his birthday-the only thing was... we would have to do it today, on our anniversary. He said he wanted to go to a twins game. Well after he said that my mind was RACING to come up with some reason that we couldn't go. Before I could think of anything I blurted out that the tickets where sold out. He replied with "no they are not, I just checked". WONDERFUL. then I sat there trying to tell him that the plans I told him ( a little white lie) of going to the science museum and hanging out in the cities cannot be changed. He of course could tell I was lying and figured out that I had already purchased tickets. ARGH! I was only a few days away from the big surprise! The one thing that he didn't know was that I had already bought the shirts.. of which I surprised him with this morning. Maybe next year I will be able to surprise him.. maybe... just maybe...

Well I am off to clean the house a bit- then off to the TWINS game! Cannot wait! They better win!! But I hear the dome dogs are good.... so I guess we win no matter what - right?

One step forward

Bethany's Graduation!!

Congrats Bethany on your graduation! (Finally I know!) I know it seemed like it took forever, but trust me. One day you will wish you were back in school when like was simple! Trust me! But I am very proud of you and you looked beautiful! Love you very much! (oh gosh! I just realized you are the last of the girls to graduate! that means Josh is next! And I am getting old.

(ugh.)

Nina!

Happy Birthday Andrina! I can't believe you are already four! It seems like those years have gone by in a blink of an eye! I think I have had the most fun and laughs in the last four years! You always keep us laughing with the funny phrases and faces. I feel so lucky to be your auntie and can't wait to see you again!

We love you very much!

Let's take a moment to go back

Minnesota Zoo

Were going back to June.

With the last computer I was too scared to start putting photos on it.. I had a feeling I would lose them-so I didn't.

Andrew and I got to talking one day. We were trying to figure out what we were going to do the day that Heidi flew in for Bethany's graduation. We both had the day off, and had to drive his parents to the air port that morning. (they were flying to vegas). We had about 9 hours to kill, and in talking we realized we had never gone to the Minnesota Zoo. Correction. I have never been there. I have been to the Como Zoo plenty of times (mostly because it's free) but never the other. We figured it would take up most of the time, and we could figure out something else (like MOA :) - my favorite place) Other than the expensive admission, and parking prices.. it was overall a wonderful experience. I wouldn't say that I would go again-due to the prices-but we had a blast none-the-less. Plus it was a beautiful day!

It's been a long while..

I really gotta get on top of updating this thing. I really wish my life was as exciting as everyone elses seems to be! I am constantly "blog-stalking" everyone else.. and loving it. I love reading all the funny stories about day to day life, and how funny little kiddos can be.

Well since my last blog we have returned that computer.. a Dell- of which I will NEVER get one again. The day it came we opened it up and booted it up... and it froze.. Which the other computer did too.. I was starting to think it was just us.. but how in the heck could the wall plug in and internet cord make it freeze?? Well after spending litterally hours and hours on the phone with dell, and getting transferred to a thousand different people we finally just decided to return it. We now have a computer through HP and I HOPE and PRAY that this one is the winner.. because I am really getting sick of not having a computer.

Class is over with now.. I tested out on the uhhhmmmm... July 31 (or 30th) and PASSED!! (WOO HOO!!) I have been working at Country Manor now for a little over a month and really enjoy it. I just wish I would be allowed to just sit and talk with the residents though.... unfortunatly the only time I have to do that is while they are sittin on the pot :) I love to hear the stories and tend to try to steal away a little time to get to know them. I learned the other day that one of the ladies there used to be a welder! Her husband (boyfriend at the time) was in the war and she worked on some ship yard welding the ships! I would have never guessed in a million years that she would have done something like that. I just love to listen to the stories and all the advice and knowledge that they have. There have been a few deaths since I have started.. and at first it was a little hard.. especially because he was such a kind and loving man.. and had such a wonderful family. I am not saying that it will get easier with anyothers that may happen while I am there.. but his being the first will stay with me I'm sure.

Moving on..

There was a day that Andrew and I were watching some television and came across some show about pet rescues. I slowly have become the type of person that never really wants indoor pets.. I don't want to have to deal with the smell, mess or sounds.. I really hate the hair.. I feel like it gets everywhere.. and some almost always ends up in my throat.. or maybe I just think it does. Either way I don't really enjoy it. Well anyway on this show some lady had posters up saying that she had lost her LoveBird. Well she ended up being reunited with this bird. I fell in love. Weird I know. I have always liked birds, and used to have birds.. and I guess that somehow I had forgotten that you can own birds. Andrew and I started talking about what pretty birds they are and how they are Parrots.. just little. (actually they are nicknamed Pocket parrots!) Anyway.. I had kinda forgotten about the birds until we went into the pet store at the mall and they had some! We talked about buying them, but realized how much they would be.. and I kinda just put it outta my mind. Well later that week andrew told me to hurry up and get ready we were going to go buy some! I was super excited and called my mum. She told us about the little pet store in princeton that had rescued pets and gave us the number. We called not expecting them to have any lovebirds-when in fact they had four! so we ended up choosing two, and we think one is a boy while the other is a girl.. It's kinda a crappy photo because its off my phone, but the one in front I think is the boy.. he is more of a lime green with more yellow, while she is more of a darker green. We still have not named them.. so please give us some ideas! I really don't want anything like "mickey & minnie, or bonnie & clyde" you get what I mean. I want them to "go" together .. but still be unique. yah get my drift??

Really not much else has gone on... I really need a maid! anyone know of a good free one?? After working long days and spending my days off with Andrew on "mini vacations" my house seems to never be clean. I could really use a good week off to just clean. :) or a maid (free of course) any takers?