The Brigman family relocated to Destin from Denver, CO, in June 2021. They pulled into the driveway on Leaning Pines Loop in the middle of what the locals report is Destin’s busiest season. So, they spent the summer staying off the roads and in the water.

 

Harold and Danielle Brigman have three daughters – Emily, Brooke, and Megan. The girls frequently say, “We live in paradise” (usually while riding in the golf cart to Kilwin’s for ice cream or “magical” cinnamon rolls at Camille’s before a walk on the beach)! While the family loved their time in the Colorado mountains, they were ready for a lifestyle change. Seeking a slower pace of life, more quality family time, and a smaller town, they packed up and moved to Kelly Plantation.

 

Harold grew up in Florida, Merritt Island and West Palm. In later years, his family relocated to the Carolinas, where he graduated from high school and enlisted in U.S. Marine Corps. Post enlistment, he returned to the Carolinas until the coast called him back. He moved to St. Petersburg to attend the University of South Florida. After graduation and a number of years in St. Pete, where he honed his love of boating, he decided to try something completely new. He packed up his Ford Explorer with his dog Cassidy and headed West. He went off seeking adventure and hoping to make his way to a small ski town to enjoy brilliant blue skies and snowy powder days on the slopes. He stopped in Denver first to get acclimated to Colorado and to earn a master's degree from the University of Denver. Ultimately, he found a Colorado girl in the city and never left.

 

Danielle and Harold met at one of the oldest bars in Denver, “My Brother’s Bar,” on the corner of 15th and Platt Streets. Their wedding song was Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts; fitting because they had each traveled many roads before finding each other. They celebrated the theme of the lyric, “Every sign pointed straight to you,” as they danced on a mountain top at The Lodge at Sunspot, Winter Park Ski Resort.

 

Harold’s job as an engagement executive for SAP, a Global business software provider, allows him the flexibility to work from anywhere. So, when the draw of coastal life called again, and he wanted his girls to experience beach and boating life, they moved. The return to Florida has been good for Harold’s soul. He belongs in, around, and on the water. His daughters love swimming, snorkeling, and fishing with him. When he’s not on the water, Harold is likely working on passion projects around the house, including landscaping, gardening, and making their home even more beautiful than the way they found it.

 

Danielle grew up in Denver. After high school, Danielle headed East to a small liberal arts college in Carlisle, PA – Dickinson College. She was drawn to the picturesque campus and the plentiful study abroad opportunities. She spent her junior year living in Toulouse, France, and traveling all over Europe on her student Eurail pass. After graduation from college, Danielle lived in Boston and New York City. She earned two master’s degrees – one from Simmons College in Boston and the other from Columbia University on New York’s storied Upper West Side. She taught high school English for close to 20 years, beginning her career in Brooklyn and moving to Regis Jesuit High School in Colorado for the last 14 years. She loves teaching and will never say never about returning to the classroom, but through the move, she saw the opportunity and the appeal of slowing down, enjoying her girls while they are little, and taking some time for herself. She enjoys reading, writing, listening to live music (both concerts and musical theater), trying new restaurants, having a good cocktail, making friends, and, most importantly, she loves being a mom. She is thrilled to be able to volunteer at Destin Elementary, where the girls attend Kindergarten and 3rd grade, and to be present for all of their big moments.

 

This new beach lifestyle suits the Brigman girls. In addition to logging hours at the beach and the pool, Emily, who will be 10 in August, takes horseback riding lessons (her most-favorite activity), and also participates in swim team, paddleboarding lessons, dance classes, and camps at Rise Dance Center, and recently discovered a love of acting at the Emerald Coast Theater Company. Emily is passionate and silly, whip-smart, and has an impressive sense of humor. She makes her mom laugh harder than anyone else can by telling one of their many inside jokes. She also loves helping her dad with his home-improvement projects or heading to the dock with him to fish.

 

Brooke and Megan are twins (fraternal) in every way, and they will celebrate their 7th birthday this month. Brooke is a firecracker; she only has one speed setting – full throttle. Though she be but small, she is mighty. She is strong and fast, and she doesn’t miss a beat. Her grandfather nicknamed her “the CEO” because of her steadfast determination, her organizational skills, and her intelligence. Brooke is also a cuddle bear and loves babies, puppies, and playgrounds. She’s juxtaposition personified.

 

Megan is the yin to Brooke’s yang. She is calm, patient, and delightfully laid back. She shares her sister’s passions, but she approaches life as only Megan can – sailing through each day with a smile on her face and something up her sleeve. She is goofy and so very loving. But you can’t be fooled by her relaxed energy; she is cataloging every move you make and every experience she sees. Her vocabulary is vast and well beyond her years. She is an entertainer, a natural athlete, and the purest of heart. She wants to be a singing mermaid donut ice cream maker when she grows up.

 

The final two Brigman residents on Leaning Pines Loop bring a little male energy to their home. Murphy is a 6-year-old yellow lab who is loving but makes questionable choices when it comes to eating out of the trash and gobbling up Kleenex straight from the box. James is three, and he is the most exquisitely spoiled and fabulous Bengal cat in the world. Harold speculates that James just might be all four Brigman girls’ favorite member of the family. If that’s true, they would never admit it.

 

As the Brigmans settle in, they are thankful for the new friends they have made and the warm welcome they have received from the community. They truly do believe that “it’s all part of a grander plan, that is coming true.” – Rascal Flatts