Bragg Family South

Well, the most frightful thing I saw this Halloween weekend was Brett Favre's performance from the late 2nd quarter up to the beginning of the 4th quarter. So goes a team on the decline, I suppose. But the whole weekend was not lost. The kids had a good time at the "Boo at the Zoo", even though Kenny got spooked by some of the people in costumes, especially those on the train ride. Sunday afternoon our church sponsored a Halloween party, and the kids got a couple hours of candy and sweets-fueled mayhem with their friends. We carved a pumpkin that evening, and tonight is trick-or-treatin' in Monticello. We bought pounds of candy to give out (our neighborhood is very popular), but they are calling for rain, which may dampen the enthusiasm of the crowds. I have posted a new batch of pictures of the kids on our photo link. There are a couple from the parade associated with this year's county fair, some from home, some from Beth's birthday, and a number relat...

I'll just post one picture from Beth's first birthday today, and I'll post a bunch more after the Halloween weekend. Stay tuned!!

Nothing starts a week more slowly than a disappointing Packer loss to a division rival. I guess a decline in their success was inevitable, but it is hard to swallow nevertheless. I may have to take a leave of absence from work to play wide receiver or running back for the Pack, giving their injuries and lack of depth this year... I just returned from a business trip to Fort Worth, Texas. We celebrated Beth's first birthday Saturday night with Hope's parents, who dropped by on their fall vacation trip. Hope's mom is doing much better than when we saw her a couple weeks ago (obviously, since they're on a driving trip from Whitmore Lake, Michigan to Monticello via the Black Hills and Estes Park, Colorado!). I'll post a few pictures of the birthday party later this week. Kenny was very eager to open Beth's presents, but disappointed that he still had to wait a whole month before his birthday party.

We just returned from a brief journey to Michigan to visit Hope's parents. Ann had been hospitalized for some ailments (she is now home and doing fine), and we decided to make a quick trip over the Columbus Day weekend to see them. Rich has been laying in a hardwood floor (rosewood, I believe), and it looks quite nice. We were a little disappointed that the fall colors weren't more pronounced, and that we didn't get to see the Packers finally win a game, but it was a good trip otherwise. While in Michigan, I took Kenny to a couple of his new favorite movies: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Wallace and Grommet's Curse of the Were-rabbit. Kenny does remarkably well in watching these long movies, and he behaves better than many of the other (even older) kids that also watch them. We also got to see a blimp flying around the University of Michigan for their football game last weekend--pretty cool!!

Don L. Bragg (Don C.'s dad) just underwent successful knee replacement surgery on one knee, and when he is adequately recovered, he will get the other replaced. His knees had been slowing him down considerably over the last couple of years, and this should hopefully get him up and running. Unfortunately, it will also mean that he will miss the funeral of his cousin Jeanne Langdon, who recently passed away in California. I only remember bits and pieces of Jeanne--she took us to Disneyland when we went to California on a family trip in the early 1980s, and I think I remember her making one or two other brief visits to our home. I recall her as being very friendly and energetic. Not much else has happened in Monticello as of late. We think Beth is working on her first tooth, as she has been extra crabby and not sleeping well (or maybe it's just the pathetic start the Packers have had this year).