Bragg Family South

Here is a picture of Dad, Beth, Bill, and Kenny returning from a visit to our neighborhood park when Mom, Dad, and Bill came down for Stephen's baptism. Sorry that I have no pix taken during this last week--it seemed so routine that we never really broke out the camera to capture any moments. The biggest news of the week is that Kenny received the "ABC" award of his class. This is a weekly award that goes to students that show good academics, behavior, and character (thus, ABC). Kenny worked hard to make the right choices during this week, and is doing very well in his school work. The highlight of being in the ABC club is that the student gets to have a special guest join them for lunch the following week. Hope will go on Monday for lunch at his school (even though she was his first choice, I couldn't have made it anyway, as I will be out of town on Monday). Kenny's looking forward to having his lunch brought to him (who'd have thought that a peanut butt...

This picture of Kenny was taken last weekend at the Winterville Mounds State Historical Site just north of Greenville , Mississippi. Kenny is stand on the highest of the mounds, probably 60 or 70 feet above the surrounding plaza. I am writing this blog Saturday morning to fill in some time before I have to go and pick up Kenny. Last night, he had his first sleep-over at a friend's house. Given that we got no phone calls, I'll assume that he handled it better than his mom, who felt his conspicuous absence. Kenny stayed at his friend Maclain's house last night. I don't think any of you have met Maclain --he is the son of some friends of ours who teach ceramics and pottery at UAM . The boys also got to share another first-time experience this last week--their first ride as participants in a parade float. The picture below is of Kenny (Thing 2) and Maclain (Thing 1) who were part of a Cat in the Hat float sponsored by some other friends of ours (don't worry--the...

Stephen was baptised over last weekend. Mom, Dad, and brother Bill arrived (after some flight delays in Chicago) in Little Rock on Friday. Hope, Beth, Stephen and I greeted them at the airport and then returned to Monticello for supper at the local Mexican restaurant. Kenny joined us at the restaurant--he had school that day, and was picked up by the Saffolds so he could get somewhere after school without coming to an empty house (given the flight delays, this plan worked just dandy!). The picture above shows Bill teaching Stephen how to slouch with the big dogs... This picture is of Hope, Stephen and I with Father Phillip and Scott and Mandy Kuttenkuler, Stephen's godparents. Scott and Mandy are very good friends of ours--Scott is the debate coach and an instructor of speech at the university, and Mandy is a stay-at-home mom while raising their two boys, "Bo" and Gabe. Their kids are about the same age as Kenny and Beth, and they've grown up together. Scott has helpe...

Hurricane Humberto formed quickly in the Gulf of Mexico off the Texas coast, and came ashore soon thereafter. While this storm dropped a lot of rain in parts of Texas that didn't need it, Monticello didn't get even a half-inch from the system, which largely passed to the south of us. Any little rain helps, though, as August was hot and very dry. I'll try to post more on Mom & Dad & Bill's visit and Stephen's baptism over the weekend...

Wasn't life just great when you could slouch like this? This picture of lil' Stephen came after a busy weekend for he and his siblings. We went to our first Boll Weevil (UAM's mascot--you'd have to have an appreciation for cotton to realize how evil a boll weevil can be...) football game. We always look forward to the tailgating and small-town college football games come September. Though the university is small, and their tailgating pales in comparison to most places, it is a lot of fun! Here Hope, Beth, and Stephen are joined by our friends Mistye and Nora Catherine Saffold (Kenny and John Patrick Saffold are in the background on the right). The gentleman grinnin' as he's grillin' ribs (below) is Scott Saffold, patriarch of this clan. The Saffolds were some of our first friends as we moved to Arkansas (they attend our church), and we're still very close to these dear people, including Mistye's mother Linda, who the kids call "Nanna". Sco...