Owen Bratlie

Here is Owen Bratlie - born on 3/2/2012 .... he's perfect!

Me holding Owen at the hospital.

Uncle Nathan decided to show up too!!

Wine Party!!!

So this is the night before the wine party. We all got pretty drunk and by pretty drunk I mean I woke up with a black eye. And I STILL have a black eye. It was a really fun night though. The next day was the wine party and that was a lot of fun too. I wore an eye patch. There were lots of food and lots of people showed up. I think Ryan made the weekend though, even without Quinn he was pretty funny. He talked like a pirate all weekend. It was a very fun weekend, I got to see a lot of people in Bismarck ... BranDee, Floozy, Ashley, Shayda, Ryan, Steven, Nick, DJ, Erika, Ashley B, Jayden, Ray, Rory, Nashelly, Pete, Kristen, Brock, Sara, Ben, Steph, Bree, Dave, AJ, and probably lots of others that I can't think of off the top of my head .... It was so nice being back in Bismarck, but I had to come home to the love of my life ... Nathan on Sunday. I was sure hurting though. I ended up going to the doc on Mon morning to check out my skull cause I'm pretty sure I whacked it pretty hard on a table and the swelling was getting bad. They took Xrays but they said everything looked fine! So now I just have to explain the story to everyone !!!! Love my life and wouldn't change it for anything ....

Losing Weight ... again ...

I just started using this website .. myfitnesspal.com .. it tracks your food intake and exercise and helps you reach your goal weight!

Chris Stanger

RIP. Just found out my good friend Chris Stanger passed away today. He was doing what he loved to do. Living life on the edge - snowmobiling over open water. Sounds crazy to many but pretty normal to anyone that knew Chris. Love you Chris! I had a rough couple of days when I first found out. I had never really lost anyone that I had been close to for so many years. We had started hanging out when I was a freshman in high school. We partied all of the time. There were a goup of us that always hung out. We for the most part have all stayed in touch too even though some have moved far away and some stayed close to Ladysmith and Hawkins. Chris had moved to Somerset. We had visited him there several times. Apple River was always a big hit and since it's in Somerset we stayed at Chris's house. Living in North Dakota it wasn't as easy to see everyone as much as I wanted to. It just happened to work out though that Chris was working in ND for the last couple years ish I would say. We didn't hang out a ton or anything but we still texted quite a bit just for the fact we were living in the same state most of the time. I had felt closer to him more recently since high school. He was workin up in Minot a while ago and came down to Bismarck to party with my friends and I. We went out Fri night and got pretty drunk and then Saturday we hung out all day just like we've been hanging out for years. We caught up on things and ate lunch and he did his laundry. We went out to eat for supper with more of my friends and he ended up getting to know them and then rode with them to the next bar. I just loved that about him. He had JUST met these people and already said hey I'm riding with them. We partied all night and then when we came home he was passed out in the back of Floozy's car. He wouldn't get up but he gripped his iPhone with his life. After making fun of him and taking some pics of him we finally got him up and into the house and onto the couch. The next day was fun too. We hung out again and brough him garage saling. He hated it. The entire time he was there that weekend he was calling and texting his brother Adam the entire time. It was so funny. Just funny to see how close they had become. It reminded me a lot of my sister and I. So close in age and just act like friends rather than siblings. Chris ended up leaving Sunday afternoon to get back to Minot to work on Monday. What a fun weekend - one of the ones I remember so clearly and actually hung out with just him and I. .... The other more recent visit of Chris was when he had started workin Fargo. I was so excited to hang out with him. We were both pretty busy during the week so we didn't see each other for a couple weeks and then he had texted me one night that him and his brother Adam were going out to eat at BWW but I was so exhausted that I declined (wish I wouldn't have now) but that weekend I had to work until 9 and then I met up with some friends at the Hub. Chris and his friends finally made it there too. Before we had met up I was asking him if he needed a ride and what he wanted to do. He kept saying he just wanted to hang out with me and my friends and didn't care what we did. That really meant a lot to me. He had all of his other friends there but chose to hang out with me. That's just the kind of guy Chris was. Very caring whether he would ever admit it or not. I love seeing old friends and living in ND I don't get that opportunity that much. Chris meant a lot to a lot of people. He was never really mean or hurtful. He was just always up for a good time...especially looking for babes and drinking vodka redbull. He would probably kill me if he ever read this, but even when he came to Bismarck a couple years ago he had went out with my roommates and at the end of the night ended up sleeping in BranDee's bed. He asked her if he could kiss her. She declined! But really, how often does a guy ask permission. I thought it was cute. Also I was trying to hook him up with one of my friends here in Fargo and she even said she liked him because he didn't try so hard to hook up with her - he was just out to have a good time. He ended up sleeping on her couch that night. Those are just some recent memories I have of him. Such a sad sad situation but everything happens for a reason - just not quite sure what it could possibly be yet. We actually have a really good time at his funeral as terrible as that sounds. It was the most bad ass party the night before and then the funeral was just as bad ass. Very sad during the ceremony but afterwards my friends Adam and Tony actually got to drive and ride the hearse down the cemetary. His brothers had his truck and snowmobile in the back and were spinning tires and so they did the same with the hearse and everyone swerved the whole way down there. Just amazing and Chris would have wanted it to be exactly that. Crazy to even think he is really gone. But I guess we'll just see ya on the other side Chris! Love you and miss you every day!

Another Bratlie Christmas!

I had to work Christmas Eve until 4. So after work I headed to Lisbon. When I arrived it was GEORGIE, Jenna, Nick, Nathan, Bob & Robin. Then arrived Crystal, Baby, & Kyle and then Grandpa and Julie. Nathan went to town to pick up Grandma Joan. We enjoyed a great dinner prepared by Bob and Robin. After that we opened gifts. Everyone got some good stuff. My favorite gift was my "I am Tpain" microphone. It's pretty much awesome - I didn't rap into it at all but Kyle did. We were up pretty late like midnight or so. The next day Nathan and I slept in pretty late. We didn't get up till 11:30. They were having Christmas dinner at 1:30. There were a bunch of relatives there. Food was good again! I ate and ate and ate. Everyone was gone around 6. The Packers played the Bears so we were watching the game. Nathan was drinking too many PBRs and was falling asleep at the table. So we went to bed around 9. I finished watching the game. PACKERS won .. again. Christmas was good ... very thankful to have those Bratlies in my life!!

SISSY GRADUATED!

My little sister graduated college last weekend. She's all grown up now. She wants to  move to Houston by March if not earlier. I met my parents at my sisters apartment Friday afternoon. We did some shopping and then met a bunch of people out at Whiskey's that night for some drinks and food. That was fun and we were hope pretty early. Graduation was at 9:30 sat morning. I drove there early with Sissy to find out where she had to go and what not. I then waited for the rents and friends. We sat by Rod cause Cody was graduating too. After graduation we went to Cody and Al's apartment for some snacks and drinks. Everyone eventually made it over. My dad wanted to see Trevor so my mom and dad and Erin and I went over to his place and hung out for a bit. Then we went to see Amber's house in Spring Valley - so Jami, Alysha, Sis, Erin and I traveled over there - stopped for the Cheese Curds at Cady Cheese first - DELICIOUS. Amber's house was super cute and it was nice visiting with her. We then went back to Cody's and drank some beers before we headed to the bars. It was fun going out in Menomonie again. Sissy Jami and I were back at the apartment pretty early ordered some Jeff and Jims. SO GOOD. I woke up the next morning with people all around me - I was on the floor with my jacket and boots still. Must have been a good night. We went out to eat at Perkins Sun morning and I finally got on the road back home around 11. It was a nice weekend with family and friends since I had to work Christmas weekend I couldn't make it back. Here are some pictures:

National Guard Christmas Party

Last weekend was Nathan's National Guard Christmas Party --- Friday when we go to Lisbon we stopped at Mandy and Codys. The boys were there and were so big and cute, I hadn't seem them in forver! We stayed for a while and then went back to Bob and Robins and went to bed and then Saturday the party started at 12:30. The Steakout catered food to the armory. That was good. They had sumo wrestling tournement - Nathan and Rambow had to go against each other....that was funny - but Nathan lost! They also had a hold em tournement and a blow up thing for the kids. After that we drank some beers at the armory and then went to the Cattlemens I got pretty drunk and ended up having Robin come pick us up from the bar pretty early, but Nathan had to be at drill at 8 am the next morning anyways ... Robbie, Russel, and Trent were there - they are fun and then all of the guard guys of course - and gals! ... Here's some pics!