My Tiny Dancer

She is SO excited. I never knew a child this young could be so passionate about something she technically knows nothing about. But she does the moves like she was born with knowledge of ballet. She is my Tiny Dancer, my Brynlee.

Happy New Year!

This year starts out KICKIN' IT TAE BO STYLE! I purchased a percentage of ownership at 5280 which was official as of January 1! I'm very excited about this new adventure. I am working on a little story about how it all came about, but here is the Long-Story-Short version!

In September 2007, I found Tae Bo. It changed my life in so many ways. I loved the exercise and how it made me feel, and I wanted to be able to give this wonderful feeling to other moms like me. In March 2008, I went to Los Angeles to train with Billy Blanks to become a Certified Tae Bo Instructor and began teaching my first classes, 2 per week, in April 2008. I loved being a part of such a wonderful thing and was at the gym far more often than just during my teaching times. Toward the end of 2008, I decided I might really like to own a place like this some day. A few months later in early 2009, Sonja (founder of the studio) came up with what was to be an Affiliate Program for the gym, so instead of it being "a place like this", it was going to be a place JUST like this and it was going to be SOON! I was very excited but knew I would need an investor to get the thing off the ground. Sonja and I thought we might make good partners so we started talking about where we might open a second 5280. In August 2009, I told Sonja I was ready to move to another part of Denver and get going, but it just wasn't the right time for her to make that investment. Instead, she asked if I might like to be a part of the existing 5280. I was so excited! So, 5 months later, here we are!

To put all of this into perspective, here are a few Divine Details I'd like to include.... A few things that, if they didn't fall into place just as they did, this story probably wouldn't have unfolded as smoothly as it did.

If my dad wasn't able to babysit the kids...
If I hadn't been at the Farmer's Market that day selling my Pampered Chef...
If that client didn't have to bend down to grab her purse...
If Sonja had been irritated with my constant interest in everything she did...
If I hadn't won the challenge in only 5 weeks...
If Sonja hadn't given me that extra nudge to go to Los Angeles for certification camp...
If my husband hadn't been so supportive on me going out on a limb for a new gym...
If we hadn't made good money on the house we sold 3 years ago in Phoenix...

I could keep going. But you get the idea. This has God all over it. And I am so thankful because now I can work to return the love God has so graciously given to me.

Happy Birthday Jesus

The kids' last Bible study of 2009 was this past Thursday, and as a parting gift, BSF gave the kids each a cake to make for Jesus. Despite being a bit over a week until the actual day, we decided (and found the time!!) to go ahead and make the cakes! Here is video of what we did when they were done. :)

Where did November go?

Is anyone else wondering what happened to November? Here we sit, on the eve of the 7th of December, with Christmas less than three weeks away. The smell of fresh-cut grass in our newly-landscaped backyard is still kind of lingering in my mind. It is hard to believe that 2009 is rapidly coming to a close. Just in case it ends more quickly than I have time to post, I'll give my 2009 re-cap here.

So much has happened this year! I am about to embark upon a fantastic new journey I hope to write about in the coming weeks. This is a dream of mine that is coming to fruition much sooner than I could have ever hoped; truthfully, it's a dream I never even knew I had until the early part of this year! Please stay tuned for more on this amazing story. :)

Darren continues his work with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. Although he has had to take some furlough days (mandatory leave without pay), we are all thankful that he still has a job! I am personally thankful for Darren's dedication, both to the CDLE and to this family. He is a wonderful father and amazing husband and friend.

Tevin is thriving in his second year of preschool at St. Luke's Little School. His teacher, Miss Dawn, told me the other day that Tevin is a refreshing change from "the typical boy" because he often chooses to do his own thing as opposed to running with the pack. She also said she is impressed with his keen social awareness. "He definitely knows right from wrong!"

Brynlee has started writing her own letters, primarly "B" and "E", which she made up all on her own without any tutoring. She is very expressive with her emotions; it appears we bypassed the "Terrible Twos" and have on our hands a "Terrible...." er, um... a "Terrific Three"!!!! I'm still very impressed with how both children behave in almost any situation. Brynlee just gives me an extra challenge on an almost daily basis!

The Lord has been very good to us this year and I know He will continue to provide for us in 2010! Love to all and Happy New Year!

Sunrise

Darren caught a beautiful shot of a sunrise a week or so ago. Wow! God is indeed an artist!

Halloween 2009 (Repost)

Our Jack-o-Lantern and his little Jacklings!

Brynlee the Ladybug...

And Tevin the Magician!

Catching Up

5 new posts this morning! Happy Viewing!