Long weekend.

Hey guys, I know that its been awhile since I have been in here to even just say hello. I have been working 2 part time jobs, one is more like 24-7! Not to long ago we went to Tulsa to visit my brother and his family, we had such a great time! I miss my brother so much and wish that his lived closer. The weather was great a lot warmer than Iowa. Armando (my hubby) took his golf clubs and now my brother is hooked! My sister in law Brenda made this dish that we never heard of or ever tasted and it was GREAT! I think the name was deeske. We went to this place by the river and that was a beautiful area, I really liked it. The guys where there acting like BOYS!! Here is my brother with his wife Brenda and children, Johnny, Angelo and Aaliyah. I can't wait to go back.




Crazy boys





I hope that next year we can make it back there. I like Tulsa so much that I'd move there BUT, my grandson has my heart.


I just love Christopher so much...he is sooooo cute. Well, you all take care and I will try to get in here sooner next time.....take care everyone.

New member in the family!!!

Greetings everyone,
I know that it has been awhile since I have stopped in to update my profile but I have some exciting news. My daughter Mari had "MY GRANDSON" on Christmas eve, he was 3 weeks early. I have to say, I was so depressed with the way the economy is now a days, I know that God is always around us and his will is unlike anything and I know that he saw how sad everyone in our family had been feeling those few days just before Christmas......so anyways, God allowed Christopher Antonio Braun (my Grandsons name) to come early into our lives lifting our spirits and proving how important family really is...I love him so much! Christopher has brought so much joy into our lives. I get to babysit him over night so that Mari and Jacob can get some rest. I thank God for all our great friends, and for my family. Also, we were so happy to get a visit from our good friend Aaron and his boy Titus! It would have been nice to see Becca too but we understand that she had to work.Thank you Aaron for hanging out with us for that evening. Well, we wish everyone a great new year.

Good to be back in Iowa!

I am so glad to be back home, in my house, my bed!! We went to Brooklyn, New York on a much needed vacation last week, first stop, Aaron and Becca's house in Pittsburgh PA. I must say, it was GREAT to see them again and to meet their baby boy was the best. He is so cute!! Aaron cooked us dinner (something that we never had before but enjoyed, very tasty) We fell in love with their home, much bigger than the one in Iowa City. They where great hosts. I miss them and as far as we know, whenever we go to NY, we will stop in at their place. After the Muellers house our next stop was Wilkes Barre PA for a day and that was good too.....next stop, Brooklyn, NY and what a great time we had!! As the saying goes, "I LOVE NEW YORK" man how I miss my home town of Brooklyn...I lived there all my life and I had NEVER walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and that was one of the first things we did, I made sure of that!, took in Central Park, Times Squares and all that Manhattan had to offer. Wall Street was CRAZY with all that is going on now in the Stock Market.

I would love to hit the lottery so that I can buy me a nice apartment in Brooklyn just to spend the summers there. What a great time....can't wait till next year to do it all over again! We find that going in the spring or the fall is the BEST time to be there, not to hot nor to cold, just perfect for us. Well, just wanted to up date you all on our vacation for 2008.

Stressing out...

Hey guys, this week has been a crazy one for me, I have been so stressed out, to much on my plate I am guessing. Happy news; I found out that I will be the grandmother to a boy! I am so happy about that. I can't wait to meet him, I can't believe it still that my daughter is going to be a mother! I know that Mari and Jacob will be "GREAT" parents, I have seen them around children and they are both so wonderful. I am looking forward to seeing them in the roll as parents. Happy to report that Mari is feeling MUCH better. As for me, I feel run down, so very tired and can't get a break at all. I wish that I could sleep for an entire day, that would be great! With this NY trip coming, I know that I will get even LESS sleep over there. But we can't wait for this week to be over, we are FINALLY going to New York I believe this Friday if not then we will leave Saturday afternoon. First stop, Aaron and Becca's to meet the new addition to their family. We miss them so much, can't wait to see them.
Well, I am guessing this is all for now, I needed to get an update here, been so busy that I don't even have time to do this.

Stopping in

Good evening to all,
I am here, once again watching the video of our friends Aaron and Becca's new baby boy Titus and I will tell you, I can't get enough of that video! I can just hear in Aaron's voice how proud he is of his son! I really do miss them! I think back to when my son Armando was born and the feeling of bringing this life into the world I can't even explain. I see their pictures on their blog and it brings tears to my eyes because I know that now, they have experienced the meaning of TRUE happiness and joy. My daughter and son in law will soon get to feel those feelings too and I will be right next to them to share in their happiness as our family grows. I am truly blessed with a great family and great friends even thought they are miles away, they are in our hearts!

Another day

FYI, I know this is dated August 1st but I just wrote this and today is August 13th.

Hey everyone,
I know that it's been awhile since I last wrote anything so here I am. I have been so busy these last few weeks unlike never before in my life! This past Monday was my 1st wedding anniversary, I can't believe that Mari is making me start over, being that Armando and I have been together for 20 years now and just got married a year ago. We had a good anniversary, we went to the Des Moines state Fair, never been there, it was our first time and we have a blast. Went to the Casino, I broke even but that is a good thing.

I was in Des Moines for a few days a couple of weeks ago, by myself and lonely because I do not know anyone in Des Moines so when my friend Frank Best from Columbus City (he is running for state representative) was in D.M. we had dinner and it was nice so thanks Frank! Also have toured parts of Iowa with the Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission and the Governor and Lt. Governor of Iowa. On one of those tours the Governor even sat next to me on the tour bus! (I was very nervous)

This week I have been attending the Midwest CDI seminar in Moline Il. Today a group of about 30 people from that seminar will be coming to Columbus Junction for a tour of the flooded area, words from the Mayor and dinner. I am over seeing that all goes well! Worked on my first ever power point presentation and could not believe how simple that was!

My daughter Mari is now showing (she is having a baby) and we can't be more happy. I can't wait to welcome this new little person into our family, this baby is all we think about (I think it will be a girl) I can't even explain how I feel knowing that I am going to be someones Abuela (grandma) in my mind I am still young (late 20's...LOL) but this is one of the most exciting things that is going on in our lives right now! I don't even know how to explain how I feel. I just wonder if my mother felt the way I feel know that I am for the first time going to be a grandma? It's funny because I am shopping form cribs for ME. I feel blessed is the best way of putting it! I am happy at this point in my life.

Introduction.

Hello,
I want to tell you a little about me. I have been with my husband for 20 years BUT we just got married last year in August so officially we are going on 1 year. LOL!! I am a mother of 2, getting ready to be a grandmother ( I still can't believe it) and can't wait! My family is the world to me. I moved to Columbus Junction Iowa 16 years ago from Brooklyn, New York. I really like it here in Iowa but I miss Sunset Park Brooklyn so much and I can honestly say that if I was well off, I'd be in Brooklyn right now!

I just got assigned to the Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission and I am STILL nervous about that. Have met at the Governors office for a meeting once and getting ready to 14 people from the state of Iowa got chosen for this Task Force and I am one of them, the only Hispanic on the Commission. I look forward to doing my best for Iowa on this Commission and look forward to a better Iowa.

Stop by from time to time, I hope to have pics, new info here on a steady basis.