Long time-No Blogin'

First day of School-2011! They were all ready to go-it was Mady's first day of Pre-K. But she cried and really was upset when Julie tried to leave-apparently she was under the impression that Mom gets to stay all day too-Rude awakening! Hailey had Drill Team practice-so Julie had to go pick her up at school-so I haven't had the chance to see any of them. Jordan did come over and said he had a really good day. Alana said Kaytlynn was totally droopy when she got off the bus-at 5:00-she went straight into the AC and onto the couch-she's out like a light! Hopefully the bus ride will get shorter-the usually get off around 4:30-but the bus driver told Alana he has 19 more kids on his bus route this year!

Not much has been going on around here-the biggest reason I haven't blogged in awhile. The hot temps-over 100 degrees everyday-and NO rain! We are still watering the yard in spots and some of the garden-we have jalapeno peppers and a few tomato plants have survived and are still blooming. Sugar never did have her calf-one day she just didn't look bred anymore-but no signs of having a calf-so we don't know if it was a false one or not. But she wasn't bred when we brought her home-so any calf she might have now will be Fozzie's. We had 2 chicks hatch off under a hen-so cute! The turkeys and guinnies are due to hatch next Monday-we'll see!

We were lucky enough to get a camp site back at Crystal Beach for Labor Day weekend! They had a cancelation and called Jeff to see if we wanted the site-you bet! It'll be a great get away!

My boss had to have her shoulder operated on the other day-so we are starting the school year without her-it's been a little hectic at times-but we're getting through it! We are getting more and more Technology equipment and it takes more time and effort to keep it up and running! More job security-Yeah!!

Play Day-(Evening!)

Kaytlynn & Mady decided it was just too cold outside to play-so they turned the livingroom into a play room! They had blankets and CareBears and babies everywhere! It is so much fun to just watch and listen to them play! They had my undivided attention-they just didn't know it! They had the whole place to themselves-no older sisters or brother to boss them around or tell them how to play! And they didn't even fight with each other!
Last Wednesday the kids were picked up for a new class that was beginning at Church. They all had a blast and can't wait til Wednesday rolls round again! It is so great seeing them excited about going to Church. Kaytlynn was the only kiddo in my class this last week-so we had a great one-on-one lesson about Abram and God telling him to take his family-and all the animals and move to another land. She really enjoyed our story time!
The weather has been much nicer today-warmer, but very windy! We have a chance of snow again by mid-week-then back up in the 70's this weekend-I am so ready for Spring-Which reminds me-Spring Break is only about 5 weeks away!!

Wonderful Easter Weekend!

Cayden, Madysen, Jordan & Kaytlynn at the Lufkin Zoo!

We had a really great-although busy-weekend! The trip to Round Rock with Aunt Linda & Uncle Gary was exciting-we didn't get close to seeing everything there! Next time we'll have a better idea of what to do! I did get my big star to go on the house after we get it painted.

Saturday we made the trip up to Lufkin to the zoo-the kids had a ball! Hailey was with her dad-so she missed out this time. The kids were looking forward to seeing the hippos-but they weren't there. They really enjoyed their time there-along with a picnic lunch, train ride, and time to play on the playground.

We stopped by Tractor Supply on the way home to buy some live traps they had on sale-and just had to come home with 6 baby chicks-we'll give it another try! At least this time-we have traps ready to catch any critters trying to get to them! Jordan & Kaytlynn got to pick these out-straight run-hopefully they won't all be roosters!

Sonrise service was a little drippy-with all the HEAVY fog-but it is always such a special service! Bro. Tom is not feeling very well-he wasn't able to make it to the regular service-he even had to sit down during his message at the Sonrise service-he never complains-so we know he's really feeling bad! The choir's contata was probably one of the best I've ever heard-it was beautiful! Julie, Alana & Ricky and all the kids-minus Hailey made it to Church-so it really was a wonderful time.

We spent most of the afternoon at Jeff's parents-the kids had an Easter egg hunt and we sat around and visited for several hours.

I weaned the last 2 pens of bunnies this afternoon-I didn't have a chance this year to try to sell any for Easter bunnies-so looks like we'll have lots of fryers in a few more weeks-several are big enough to be butchered now-Jeff will more than likely take care of that later this week. The squash has come up like crazy-man I wish everything else looked as good as it does! Time will tell!

SNOW!!!!!

We NEVER get snow in our area of East Texas!! It gets cold and we might get a ice storm every few years-but nothing like what's happening tonight!! 30 degrees at 4:00pm is a little cool even for here!

This is the sleet that we started getting about 4:30 this afternoon.

Then by nightfall-there was enough ice for the grandkids to really start playing in it. They thought it was snow!! They aren't old enough to ever have seen this kind of ice storm before!

Randy thought he'd get in on the fun, too!! He ran and jumped up on the trampoline with the kids-only managing to fill his pants with sleet pellets!!

Madyson is not sure about all this cold stuff everywhere!

Jordan, Cayden, and Hailey on the trampoline.

Hailey making her first ever snow angel.

The snow that had accumulated on the bbq pit in the back yard-This is before it really started snowing!

Randy catching snowflakes on his tongue. By this time-the snow was REALLY falling!! Some of the flakes are as big as 50 cent pieces!! We've NEVER seen snow like this in our lives!

Kimberly and Mady-Kim's lived in Colorado and she said she doesn't ever remember seeing snow fall like what we are getting right now!!


I'm sorry to just be going on and on about this-BUT S-N-O-W is something we haven't really seen in like 40 years around here. Like I said-we get ice storms where everything freezes over and power lines snap. Can't wait to get up in the morning to see what everything looks like!!! It is sticking now and should look just beautiful in the daylight!!!

Christmas Tree Farm Visit

This year's tree-the last from our favorite tree farm!!Jeff and Mady cutting their tree.

Jeff and Hailey cutting our tree.

Jeff and CayCay cutting our tree.

Jeff, Julie and the girls at the tree farm.

Well we made our annual trip to the Christmas Tree Farm in Tarkinton yesterday afternoon.

Only thing-it was so SAD!! There were hardly ANY trees there!! WE did manage to pick out 2-then took them up front to be shook and bagged. While talking to the owners, we found out that this is their last year-OH NO!!! We've been bringing our kids and grandkids here for YEARS now!! It was the end of a tradition!! We left so depressed that something else is now gone from our lives.

Mom's heart tests all came back fine!! What a relief!!!! She had just about worked herself into a tizzy over it-but she's OK!!! We did a little shopping afterward and she was great!!

I get to babysit today-Julie's 2 youngest-Cayden & Madysen. It'll be a fun day-Trying to keep a 22 month old out of the Christmas tree and all the decorations-Maybe I'm getting TOO old for this!!! I love them to death-BUT they can be a handful!!!