Junior Year HoCo's!

 

Class of 2027-Lylah starts her Junior Year!

Oh my, time needs to slow down!! Lylah started her Junior year and is now off and driving everywhere. I am proud of her for becoming more independent, although I do miss our car rides sometimes! 

She has jumped right into Varsity Poms and is kicking butt at football games, assemblies, etc. 

And of course she is excelling with her Jr year class load and is as responsible and focused as ever. She is just starting to think about colleges and where she may want to go, taking into consideration geography, weathers, majors offered, etc. 

She cares deeply about social issues and has been a fun person to chat with about things in the news and politics. She is passionate and I love that about her! 

I truly believe she could do anything in life that she sets her mind to! 

Proud of you always Lylah Bean!

 

Officially a UTE

 Bittersweet day for sure. Super fun to help Brady move into his dorm and get acclimated with his new campus. His room set up was perfect and he brought just the right amount of stuff. We were able to eat at the dining hall (much nicer than what I remember from college) and got in lots of steps around the campus. Brady's suitemates all seem super cool and it was clear that Brady's room was going to be a central hang out spot right off the bat. 

But there is no way to fully explain how it felt to leave my baby boy and head home without him. I am so excited for all of the next chapters for Brady but it is certainly taking some getting used to with him not here. I had a good cry on the edge of his bed when we got home from the airport and certainly feel his absence every day.

He is off to a great start at school (despite dealing with a breakup) and has been meeting new people, signed up for ski and pickleball clubs and been to a few Utah football games. 

So proud of him and grateful that we are staying close even though he is far away! 

Family Reunion 2025

 We packed a lot of wonderful family time into a few short days in Santa Fe this year. I am so grateful that my brother and Kelly and all of their kids (and grandkiddo Judah) were able to join us. It's been a very long time since we have all been together and although it was a whirlwind of people and activity, I absolutely loved having everyone together and getting to spend time with my adult (and almost adult) nieces and nephews,along with my parents and brother. 

We had lots of home cooked meals, spent time playing pool, shuffleboard and ping pong, did some painting, explored Santa Fe and visited Bandelier National Monumnet (very glad we checked that out by the way!) 

Lots of laughs, food and family time. I wish we could get together more often but we made the most of the time we had. I hope Brady and Lylah keep in touch with their cousins and remember the importance of family, small or big! 

Time to spread your wings and fly!

 

Brady, 

You know me pretty well, so you know as I am writing this, I am full of all kinds of emotions. My #1 in life is you and Lylah and our family. That is no secret. Yes, I have a busy job that takes a lot of time and energy and focus, and I have my own activities and friendships, but nothing comes close to the love and care that I have for my kids. 

You were my first born.... my first experience at being a mama and I know I made mistakes along the way, but you and your sister are evidence that I did many things right too!!!! 

I have loved (and will continue to love) watching you grow up.  Every birthday party, and soccer, basketball, swimming, tennis and even T-ball game and every school event, from band performances to assemblies, I have been so very proud. 

Seeing you learn has been a privilege...every day...from your first words, to the alphabet, learning to walk. and ride a bike, staying on top of schoolwork and getting your first job. Talking to you about teenage stuff, relationships, navigating through Covid and taking trips together, Broncos and other pro sports experiences, concerts, starting an internship....every single day has been a gift to me as a mom! 

I think (and hope) you know that every bit of concern (and nagging) and worry all comes from a place of love and care that is hard to explain. I have tried to let you make your own choices, learn from some of the mistakes, yet still have some boundaries that are also important in life. 

I will continue to love, care (and worry) about you for all the days of my life but I am excited to see where your next chapter takes you. 

I hope you remember that everything in life is temporary, the good and the bad. Hold onto the good and learn from any of the bad. Use it to build and grow. Be courageous and smart, use common sense and be kind. Remember that you are loved immensely and have an amazing future ahead of you!  Life will throw curveballs and how you react and what you choose to do with them is what matters. Keep your family close (even cousins, and your doggies, etc!) 

and know I am ALWAYS here for you, through the ups and downs that life may bring you. I will always be your mama and will continue to be your #1 fan!!

I love you forever! Like you for Always. Forever and ever, my Bubba you will be! (from my favorite book I used to read to you :-) 

Mom 

Brady's Summer Internship

I am not sure at what point this spring the idea popped into my head....but when I received approval for a summer intern for my team at Children's, Brady came to mind immediately. I know he will be the first to admit it's not the flashiest of jobs .but he has had exposure to some elements of marketing (ie: Denver Broncos campaign, sports medicine marketing, and event marketing) and has learned how to conduct himself in a professional setting and even run a Broncos player visit. 

Seeing how a hospital markets itself, both internally and externally, is such a unique way to see a different type of brand highlighted. He has had a huge impact on the team, covering events, helping with giveaways and even offering a unique perspective on how we show up at events and how we market (Broncos logo lock up). 

We have even had some good laughs, to include the virtual shirtless call that I will never forget. 

And just look at this photo, where Kelsey's son had complete hero worship for Brady! 

Proud of you B and what a tremendous resume builder!!! Great work....and glad to have you on the team, even for a short while. 

 

Grad Trip-Glacier National Park

 For graduation, Brady had the option of a trip abroad, or anywhere in the US that he would like to go. I think for this summer (and I don't blame him), he wanted to stay a little closer to homer and be gone for a little less time. It's hard I am sure for him to think about leaving Juliette and his friends and he already had trips to Utah and Santa Fe on the books too! 

So I am thrilled that he picked Glacier National Park in Montana. It was a quick trip, but we saw the beauty of the Going to the Sun Road and did two very different hikes (Avalanche to a lake and Apgar to the top of a mountain overlooking Lake Macdonald). 

We stayed in Whitefish, so we were able to check out the beautiful lake there, along with the ski resort town. Had some great meals (lots of huckleberry), some pool and hot tub time and great weather and beautiful scenery. Going to the Sun Road is well worth it and highly recommended, as it offered views we couldn't see from the two hikes that we did. 

I was so happy to have the time together, in the outdoors, even if a quick trip! Can't wait for more family adventures in the years ahead!!