Happy Birthday Reese

This sweet baby turned 4 yesterday. I cannot believe it has been 4 years since this sweet Christmas baby joined our family. This was how the hospital nursery brought her to us. I still have this giant stocking.

Reese is such a spirited girl. She loves to perform. I need to put her in dance next year. Anytime she hears music with a driving beat she is up and dancing. No slow songs for her! She loves Taylor Swift. I have to remind her that she is only 4 and not grown. She loves to play outside. Her high heel black boots are a constant. It doesn't matter if she has on jeans, shorts, bathing suits or dresses she is in those boots! She LOVES her sister! Reese is a very sweet child who wants to help all the time.

We had a party on Sunday, Dec. 20 at an indoor Jumping place with inflatable jumpers. The kids had so much fun. We also had a face painter come. It stinks so much to have a birthday close to Christmas I think I went a little over the top! I'll post some pictures of the party later.

Reese, you are such a sweet girl and I am so blessed to be your Mom! You make us laugh everyday and you are such a ray of sunshine! I love you big girl!

Running, a family affair!

Reese bringing up the rear!(Yes she has on Mary Janes. She wanted to wear dress boots!)
Landry crossing the finish line

Landry bringing it home

Before the race

I run races. I do not run to win. I run to finish. I have never finished above the top 50% I would guess. I have never been fast. I was on the sprint relay team in school but come on, I lived in McCamey and I ran track. How many people did they have to choose from?

Landry has run the last 2 races that I was signed up for. 3 weeks ago she ran a 5K. This weekend she ran the kid's fun run at the Jingle Bell Run. She was the 1st girl finisher and 3rd overall. She did awesome! Reese ran it too. She finished nearer to Santa who was running too!

I did not do the 5K. I got my shirt and called it a day. Shane is out of town and I hated to ask anyone to watch the girls while I SLOWLY jogged 3.2 miles.

Snow Day

We woke up Friday to SNOW! School was cancelled, a little much if you ask me, but none the less we were home for the day. We started the day with an early morning play in the snow. Reese found it quite irritating soon and declared, "I like the snow when it is warm!". She came and hopped in the warm bath. Landry had fun with the neighbors Brant and Riley.

The girls and I had baked sugar cookies the day before and it was time to decorate them. What a mess! Here are a few pictures of them.

We also collected snow for snow Ice Cream which we made today and it was so yummy! Fun memories!

Cowboys Game

Shane and I were lucky enough to get to go to the Cowboys game last weekend. They played the Washington Redskins. It was less than an exciting game but the accommodations were AMAZING! Shane's boss, Jeb, is a HUGE sports fan. He and his wife, Andrea, have a field level suite at the new Cowboys' stadium. Here is a picture of Shane and me taken from the suite out towards the field. This is a RARE picture of just the two of us.

Next is a picture of the inside of the suite. It is beautiful. He gets 21 tickets to each game/event. Not only can you watch the game from the suite with food, drinks and 3 TVs you can also go up and watch from the 1st 2 rows. There are 12 seats there. The suite attendant was great and we even had our own restroom.

The Miller Lite club is the area where the players enter the field. There is one for the home team and one for the visitors. Here is up close and personal with Tony Romo. The visitors side is where I "bumped" into Troy Aikman.

Yes Jerry Jones has had mucho plastic surgery! He eats up working the crowd in the Miller Lite club.

A Quiet House

It's 9:10 pm and my house is quiet and dark. Shane is gone hunting until Wednesday...I know BIG surprise! The were exhausted! They spent Friday through today at my parents in McCamey. While there they get to just be kids at their grandparents without a care in the world. They get to eat junk food. They get to play outside and get dirty. They get to paint (something I am terrified of at my house!). Landry got to climb big trees and she and Dad made a pulley in a tree and she lifted things all weekend. My dad has 2 shops outside full of "junk". It is a kid's dream, well it is great as long as more than 12 channels aren't required! I had posters waiting for me that the girls had painted. I mean POSTERS! Landry wrote Shane and me an entire letter on a poster. She told us how much she loved us and what great parents we are. She also explained how when she was little we promised her we would never divorce and so far we have kept that promise. (Her words) It was so sweet and wise beyond her years.

One of my absolute favorite sounds is that of my kids laughing and playing through the house. A close second is the quiet of the house after they have played themselves into exhaustion. Sleep well my angels.

A great day!

I am tired. It has been one of those days that just plan wears you out! Girls were both up during the night...uuuh, hello, I don't have newborns! Woke up to go to the Face the Race 5K. I have done many 5Ks but this was Shane's first. Landry ran with him and did the WHOLE 3.1 miles! I was so proud. I got Reese duty and did one loop of the 2. She and I became cheerleaders after that. It was a great day for running and it was an amazing cause, working with jr high girls and their self esteem while teaching them to run a 5K. The girls then had a birthday party to go to that involved trampolines. Sitter at 6:45 so Shane and I could go to a shower for his middle brother's new baby boy due in December. Girls were FAST asleep when we got home, yay!!! A little Texas Tech football on TV while I type.

These are days that remind me that I absolutely LOVE my life! My kids got to exercise, see community involvment in action, celebrate SOMEONE ELSE, and Shane and I got to be with just us for a while. I saw my parents, talked to Shane's mom and visited with my neighbor.

I so often take my life for granted but today I was reminded that I live a blessed life.

34 years-What I have learned

I am 34 today. I cannot believe it! In my mind I am still 22 and somewhat cool and hip. While reflecting on my life I realized that I have learned so much in the last 34 years. Besides the obvious, I have been blessed with great knowledge from an array of people that God has placed in my life.

1. I was born with a man's appetite. *(Dang it!)
2. 5:30 a.m. is very quiet and peaceful. I think I can honestly hear God sometimes.
3. I had no idea how much JOY my children would bring to my life.
4. Being smart will get you noticed but having integrity, work ethic and follow through will get you remembered.
5. My parents really did know what they were talking about (most of the time.)
6. Laundry and housework can wait when your kids want to play.
7. I have the best girlfriends in the world. They are always there and are supportive and honest just when I need it most. I love them!
8. Being right does not always matter when dealing with your spouse.
9. God truly knows what you need, when you need it....Trust Him!
10. Grown up decisions are not always fun.
11. Stories from the past told by grandmothers and grandfathers are priceless.
12. You marry your mother-in-law too! Choose carefully!
13. Sometimes, it is wise to keep your mouth shut.
14. Weekends with nothing to do are sheer greatness!
15. We live in the greatest country in the world....period!
16. Veterans are absolutely the most selfless people in the world and should be treated with the greatest respect we have to offer.
17. Saying yes mam and no sir is important and seems to be a dying tradition.
18. Thank God for unanswered prayers!
19. Surprising people is so much fun!
20. Exercising, no matter how much I gripe, makes me feel better!
21. A child's laugh is the best sound I have ever heard!
22. Beauty is only skin deep but ugly goes to the core!
23. Other people's opinion of me is none of my business.
24. Ultimately, I will have to answer for everything I do and don't do.
25. Making time for myself is important, hard and totally worth it!
26. I love my normal, boring, and mundane life.

Halloween 2009

Here are a couple of pictures of the girls at Halloween. Landry was a 60's girl and Reese was Daphne from Scooby Doo.

The Girls are Growing Up

We attended a wedding this weekend. The girls are now old enough to attend provided kids are invited. It is so strange to look at Landry and see this "big" kid. It really makes me sad and happy at the same time. I cannot believe how fast she has grown up. It seem like yesterday that she was running around in a diaper and wanting to be Cinderella. Now she has on pearls and picked out her own purse...and it matched! She is such a neat kid with a very interesting sense of humor and unique interests. She loves animals and science. She is considerate and mature. She is responsible(as much as expected from an 8 year old!) and loves to feel trusted. She never ceases to amaze me with her intelligence and ability to take in environmental cues. She is a list maker(love it!) and I must admit I have made her a bit neurotic about schedules and time. She does not like when she feels she has not done her best. This will be a struggle for her but also an asset. I love this kid! She makes me laugh everyday and still lets me carry her out of bed every morning. She is getting to the age where she will soon think her mom is the dorkiest person alive and it kills me. I have been her favorite person for almost 9 years. When I hear songs that talk about kids growing up I begin to feel a lump. I have had her in my home for 9 years, she will leave in 9 years. Oh my! Thank you Jesus for such a precious, amazing work. I can see Your fingerprints on her.

Reese will turn 4 in less than 2 months. I sometimes forget that she is not a baby. Until recently she wore "biapers" at night. I felt really sad the night she decided not to wear a "biaper" to bed. I asked her to stop getting big and she said, "Mom, I don't know how to not get big!" She is one of the funniest kids I have ever been around. She thinks she is 8 1/2. She is strong willed and stubborn(yes I think these will serve her well one day) She is sweet and kind. She loves to dance and sing. She has an amazing sense of style for a 3 year old. When I allow her to dress herself, it usually includes a belt, purse and matching shoes. She is wants a baby sister SO BAD! (Not gonna happen) She loves to feel big. She loves to help me in the kitchen. One of these days school and the likes will interest her, just not now. She looks just like her dad. The Lord know what he was doing when he gave me Reese. She is the Ying to my Yang. She causes me to loosen up, laugh, and not be so uptight. "It's O.K. Mom", is a phrase I hear often from her. Lord, thank you for this precious girl. She reminds me daily that You know what we need even when we don't.

Down Home on the Farm

We took the girls out to Stanton and took pictures of them in cotton on Sunday. Not the best picture taking weather, sunny and windy but it was still fun.

Landry gave up trying to keep her eyes open and finally borrowed my sunglasses.

Is anyone surprised at the pose Reese decided to bust out with? So her

Soccer

Landry has been playing soccer since the March she turned 5. She has always enjoyed it but this year the bug has bitten her! She loves it! I wish I was good enough at this to upload video and I'd show you her goal last weekend, AWESOME! Her team had improved by leaps and bounds this year. Way to go Arsenal Ladies!


Landry is the on facing the camers. Reagan is #12. They have been on the same team all but one season.

Crock Pot Elk Chili Recipe

1 1/2 pounds ground Elk

2 cloves garlic mined

1 onion chopped

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1 – 15 ounce can ready cut tomatoes

1 – 15 ounce can tomamto sauce

2 – 15 ounce kidney beans

1/2 cup red wine

Temp: low

Recipe Cooking Time: 6 to 8 hours

Pan Type: crock pot

Crock Pot Elk Chili Directions
Cook ground elk until no longer pink in the middle, drain and place into crock pot.Add the minced garlic, chopped onion, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper, cumin, tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans and wine.

Cook elk chili in the crock pot for the allotted time or until done.Serve crock pot elk chili along with your favorite crackers.Top elk chili with fresh chopped onions and shredded cheese if desired.
Recipe Serves: 6 – 8

O.K., I have over 100 lbs of Elk meat in my freezer and am trying to get creative with it while remaining health conscious. I found this recipe online and made it last night. I have to say it was really good. We took it to Shane's parents for dinner. His dad referred to it as the best chili he has ever eaten, other than Wolf Brand, that is pretty good I think! (He has an obsession with Wolf Brand, I'll never measure up!) You can make it with beef and I am sure it will be just as tasty. It is super easy!

Great news for Landry

As most of you know Landry has worn glasses since she was 4 years and 2 months old. It was sudden, her eyes simply crossed one morning. Susan, the babysitter, called about 10 o'clock one morning ans said she thought her eyes was turning in. I picked her up and took her to the eye doctor. After a couple of days and 2 doctors we discovered that her right eye pretty much did not work 6 feet and closer. She had really bad vision up close. So my four year old not only needed glasses, but bifocals. The worst part was that her vision was so bad and possibly leaving if we didn't take action immediately.

She got the cutest glasses and has been so awesome at wearing them. Her eyes had gotten better in the last few years. Last year, her eyes took a turn for the worse and had begun to stop working again. If fact, her "good eye" had become the bad eye. The doctor said possibly her brain was compensating and we started patching her eye 90 minutes a day 6 days a week. She hated it but was pretty good about it. After 3 months we went back and discovered it was working but now the other one was doing the same thing. It was April and Dr Sheets had her start alternating her patch.

Yesterday we went for a 6 month check. To say we were less than consistent about patching would be an understatement. Much to our surprise and the Doctor's her eyes were great! He started at 20/50 with her correction on. He kept going down and looking at me. We made it to 20/20 with correction and she only missed one letter. That has never happened! Dr Sheets was amazed. He said he has never seen such improvements in such a short time. Yay! She still has the same prescription therefore we don't need new glasses right now. He really thinks she might out grow her glasses with time. Great news!

Whew, what a week!

The last week or so has been quite eventful around our house. We started the week with Robin here for the weekend. We went to trade days in Stanton and she wanted to eat at Rosa's. She was fortunate to get on one of the 2 planes that actually got out of Midland on Sunday due to the fog.
Monday, Mom went from bad to worse really quick! She is still in the hospital. When I showed up Monday about noon, her fever was up to 104.2. After many tests and a couple of scary moments, it was determined that not only did she have pneumonia in both lungs now but also has H1N1. Pretty scary considering she is one of those people with "under lying conditions" that it is really dangerous for them to get it.
Making matters worse, I was scheduled to fly out at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning for Houston. It was for work and I could not get out of it. I headed off that morning with a heavy heart.
While sitting in my first meeting of the day with my new regional director, new manager and the National VP of sales, my phone starts buzzing. A text message from Robin is not unusual at all. She and I will text snide comments and silly things all day long. Unfortunately, this one wasn't funny or silly, it was scary. At her regular OB appt, it was discovered that her cervix was shortening, 40 to 28 in 2 weeks. She had been having contractions and she wasn't aware. To the hospital she went, straight from the OB to the bed. GREATNESS!!! I immediately sent out an S.O.S. to my friends for immediate prayers. At 25 weeks along, there is no way these babies can come yet!
I am constantly amazed at the amazing friends I have. It had not been 20 minutes since the message went out that I'd heard from them with questions of what can we do? Offers to get to Dallas and sit with her. I have the most amazing friends who will do anything! I love them so much!
After my meeting I called Shane to check in and was informed the girls were both throwing up, of course they are....That's my theme so far! Also found out one girls I rode in a car from the airport to the hotel was in her hotel room with H1N1 as well. If you are counting that is twice in 24 hrs I was directly exposed....YIKES! I called in a favor and had Tamiflu called in to a Walgreens in Houston, so far so good!
There were a couple of minutes I felt I could not breathe. Lord, thank you for your arms of peace and comfort. I so often take them for granted and I am sorry for that. How do people without Christ in their lives deal with stressful situations?
Here I sit on Saturday...on the couch watching football by myself! My Tamiflu and I made it home Thursday night about 9:45. All is well at my house at least.
Robing got to go home Friday. Her cervix had grown to 35, yay little cervix! She is on strict bed rest but at least it is at home and free!
Mom is still in the hospital but SLOWLY getting better. Not sure how long she will be there but at least there is improvements. It could have gotten really bad really fast.
There are times I feel like there is a black cloud hanging over us. But ever so gently, Jesus nudges me and reminds me he has my umbrella. When I question why me His answer is always the same, "Why not you"?

Life-trying to be thankful

I am sitting in room 534 of Medical Center Hospital in Odessa looking out the window watching the world go on around me. In the bed next to me is my mom. I hate that she is sick, again. She should not be suffering, again. I should not be sitting here, again. Dad should not be having to be to gather things in McCamey, again.

In August 2007 Mom had a stem cell transplant to finally get rid of the lymphoma she had battled since 2001. It was a horrible ordeal but in the end, months later it was worth it. She was on the road to recovery. 2 weeks ago she had an appointment with her transplant doctor in Dallas and had a PET scan. the areas they had been watching for a couple of moths were going down, her body was fighting! Way to go new immune system!

Now, here we sit in the hospital, reminded that even though she has a new immune system, she still isn't healthy like you and I are. She has contracted pneumonia. Currently they are culturing her blood to see if it is vial or bacterial. She has s mass in her chest, on that was being watched by her oncologist as one of the "spots". The Dr here seems to think it is not a mass but fluid. She was tested and does not have the flu, either one. This is good as she is one of those people who is referred to as having underlying health conditions.

So badly I want her to just be well. This is want she desperately wants. She wants to see normally again. She would love to work again. Most she would just love to be a normal grandma who gets to play, run, sew, cook and keep up with her grand kids. My Reese has never really known a Grammy who isn't sick. There have been times when she has felt better and could do most things.

We'll just sit here and see what happens. Hopefully it is bacterial and the antibiotics will do wonders. Hopefully the mass is just fluid. Hopefully she gets better.

Out the window the world goes on.

How do you know that you attend too many meetings?

You attend too many meetings if your kids "play" like they are having meetings. Is that really fun? Landry had a complete set up with charts, graphs, handouts for her attendees, a phone and lastly a conversation about sales being down and how to fix that. They are going to include tickets in each cereal box that supply snack foods for sports teams when redeemed.

Together, Shane and I attend lots of meeting each week. Most for work but some for community involvement such as Jr League. I have often heard if you want to know what is important in your life ask your kids.......

Control-letting go....

I am not sure about you but I struggle with control issues. I drive my children and quite possibly my friends crazy with my incessant need to control things. Ironically, It does not spill over into all areas of my life. It is kind of isolated to my kids and our schedule.

I am reminded of it whenever I have to leave town for work (it is usually during the weekdays).

As I prepare to leave I go through the week ahead to hopefully forsee events. I leave a detailed calendar, and I do mean detailed! I write each days activities on each day along with anything due at school. I also leave already addressed checks for whomever needs to be paid for the week, such as housekeeper, babysitter, etc... I used to pack Landry's lunches for the week and have them ready in the fridge. Outfits were laid out for the week for both girls. All this took me a great amount of time but it put my mind at rest.

I feel certain that Shane paid it no attention. There are a few clues as to why I think this.
1) On our daily call there are multiple questions such as, does Landry have soccer practice today? What time? My response is never, "It's on the schedule!" but I wanted it to be!
2) I also receive text messages with questions like, "What day is the housekeeper coming? UUUGH! "How much money do I leave her?" Really? There is a check on the bar attached to THE SCHEDULE!!!

This trip I tried very hard to let go. I decided that in all my travels he has never forgotten to feed them, MOST activities have been attended and if they are missed there is never a news story about it...."8 year old misses soccer practice" full story at 10!

I left a notepad sized schedule that said, Monday game 6 pm, Tuesday nothing, Wednesday soccer prac 6 pm, Thursday nothing, Friday Fundraiser due. That's it!

I still received calls and texts but at least I had new info for them and did not feel the need to yell THE SCHEDULE one time. The kids were still alive when I got home. They don't seem underfed. Not sure how they looked each day but, I can deal! I asked Landry if she took her lunch or ate in the cafeteria, something she NEVER does when I'm home. She said she ate cafeteria all week and she is still alive and said it really wasn't too bad.

Less work for me and they survived!!!

Our Farm

This is the 1904 and 1908 Gladewood garden! A little over a month ago we noticed a vine growing in the alley back by our gas meter and trash can. After inspection we discovered it is a watermelon vine!!! Not surprising considering this is where I dump liquid things sometimes such as watermelon juice and grease! It had 2 small watermelons on it. We instructed the kids not to mess with it and we have been monitoring it ever since.

Reese came in one day with one of the watermelons and now we have 1! It is actually getting pretty big. The kids and I have been measuring it every few days. We think that next spring we are going to put a little fence up and grow and 1904/1908 garden with tomatoes, peppers, and obviously watermelons.

We'll let you know how the melon tastes!

My week in Review and a Fast Forward

I am not exactly sure why I am blogging right now, I have approximately 457 other, productive things to do. I've completed 0 loads of laundry, there are dirty dishes on my counter and I haven't cooked since Thursday and I have a dresser to clean out to send to my sister this week.

I just feel like writing. Last week was busy and a blur all at once. Monday was my first spin class. Shane and I did it together at lunch. Before you get all, " how great of them to do it as a couple", let me explain. Shane has been working out OBSESSIVELY for almost a year now. He does it everyday at lunch and gets up early and goes if he knows he will be unable to go at lunch. I have been thinking of working out obsessively for......well since high school, 15 years!!!! Well Sunday he mentioned he was going to Spin class on Monday at 12:00, did I want to go? I'm not sure what came over me but I said I thought I could because I was working in town. Then I decided I could not back out. I went, I spun, I had a very sore butt!!! I have not gone back.

By Tuesday at lunch I was pretty sure death was coming. I ached all over and had a terrible headache. I was not convinced I was sick. I was fearful that my entire body, including my brain, was sore from Spin class. Once the fever set in I decided it was not SPIN flu but perhaps Swine Flu. I felt HORRIBLE and I was in Denver City. I drove home and by the time I got home my fever was 101. I went for my scheduled massage, no way I was missing that, then I went to a walk in clinic. A shot and antibiotics later, I was on my way. My next memory is Wednesday about 10:30 a.m. The rest of the week I felt great in the morning and then by evening I was pretty shot. That does not do much for housekeeping.

Shane had a hunting excursion planned for Saturday though Wednesday or Thursday. He was taking customers and heading to the middle of nowhere, near Ft. Davis. His cook backed out on Wednesday and I stepped in to prepare meals for the trip. Cooked pans of King Ranch Casserole, Chicken and Wild Rice and Crock Pot Fajitas along with the fixings for steaks and Frozen Lasagna. I will be excepting Wife of the Year later in a ceremony in the middle of Cabela's.

Soccer games have started and that is how we spent Saturday morning. No pictures due to the hunting trip and the camera was already packed in the hunting wagon....don't get me started.

This week is home study for me. I am picking up a new drug and will spend Tues-Fri of this week being paid to stay home and study. I couldn't make this stuff up! Next week I'll be in Frisco, Tx learning all about Micardis, exciting details to follow!

The girls and I will be eating all the food Shane hates this week. We will have fried things, macaroni for dinner and Sonic! We are excited!

8 years ago-How life changed

The first picture is Landry at little over 6 months old. Ignore the picture quality. No pictures of Landry at that age are on the computer. (A task I need to do!)

The second picture is Landry at 8 years,, 6 months, 8 years after the first.

Yesterday, 9/11/09 was 8 years since our lives changed forever. I'm not sure why it hit me so much yesterday. Maybe it was because I spend so much time in my car now listening to Fox news or maybe I am just far enough away now that I actually realize how much life has changed in those 8 years.

Like everyone I vividly remember the events of that day and exactly where I was. I was teaching 9th grade that year. I had been sent downtown to an inservice. We were sitting in a conference room and the leader of the workshop told us what she had heard. Of course at that moment it was the thought of how sad that a plane had flown into the WTC. Little did we know how that moment would change our lives forever. As details came in we realized this was not an accident. Ms. Parrish, the leader gave us a little bit of time to pray and make phone calls. It is very hard to explain why but I wanted to drive to Susan's house and get Landry. I suppose it was a mother;y instinct kicking in. After I talked myself down from that I called Susan and checked in. She had one child in college and was doing the same as I was, trying to check in on her. The next phone call I had to make was to my dad. I am not sure why but I needed to talk to him. It was not for the reason one might think. I did not need protection or was it because I was scared. My dad fought in Vietnam and is as patriotic as any one I know. I needed to talk to him to check on him. He sounded awful and was trying desperately to sound strong. I remember thinking how sad he sounded. I cried for him and all the others that have tasted the bitter taste of war. I think I remember him saying he felt nauseous.

The next picture had always gotten to me. I cannot, in my wildest imagination, imagine what it felt like to be told that America was under attack. The most amazing, yet criticized part of this picture is that President Bush did not react. Much like my dad tried hard to sound strong for me, President Bush looked strong for the children he was in front of. He did not just up and rush out of the room. He said he did not want to worry them. We've all been told devastating news before and had to keep a strong face for our kids, students, spouse, or whoever. That is not to say we did not lose our minds once we were in private.

I also remember watching the President speak that night and feeling a sense of peace as he spoke. I knew that he had been praying about what to say and that we were going to be alright. As Shane and I laid down that night I remember getting up to do something I never did and still don't do. I locked the door to the garage. I felt this overwhelming sensation to make sure we were safe. Weird....like terrorists were coming through my garage????

I also journaled for Landry. I wanted her to have memories of the world as I knew it. I felt so sad to know her world changed that day, a world she didn't even know yet. My kids have never known going to the airport and greeting people as they get off the plane. They have never sat with me at a gate as I waited for a plane. They have never known their country not at war. Landry has seen the devastation to a family as they learn their son was killed in action. There is so much about their world that is different from the world I grew up in. The saddest part is that their world is now my world. I cannot remember much about the world before 9/11 except that it was different.

I loved the patriotism that this country showed for the months following 9/11. I truly believe if we always had as much pride as we did in those months we'd be a better country. I have stood at Ground Zero. I felt a feeling that I have only felt in one other place, the Vietnam Memorial in D.C. In a city of millions, it was silent. I wish NYC could get their acts together and get a real memorial erected. That made me sad.

I hope this country can come together and continue to flourish. I worry sometimes though. So many politicians have become more set on their parties' agenda then they have on the agenda for America.

All this being said, America is still the greatest country in the world. God Bless America.

A Family Tradition

Landry, Reese and Gran Gran picking peas

When Landry was 2 she started helping Sandy, Shane's mom, shell black eyed peas. They would sit on the porch for hours with Granna, Shane's grandmother and Caroline, the neighbor down the street. They were all amazed at how long Landry would sit and shell. She has always had a very long attention span. Putting up peas is something that Shane's family has done for years and years. Sandy has an electric pea sheller that her mother and mother-in-law bought together when Sandy was in high school(she thinks).

10 bushels of Black eyed peas

Shane was out of town this weekend so the girls and I spent the better part of two days in Stanton. Day one included Sandy, Granna, Pa Paw, Landry, Reese, Cody(a friend of the family who has joined us many times, she is around Shane's PaPaw's age), Frankie Jo and myself. Day 2 was a repeat of people except Amanda, Jeremy's wife, replaced Cody and their 2 year old Aiden joined us.

I really took time to think about how fortunate we are to live the life we do. The girls get to do things that many kids never do like sit on the porch with their grandparents and hear stories, pick peas, see how plants grow, drive tractors, play in dirt and spend the day with their cousins getting dirty and screaming! Sometimes I think I spend too much time thinking of the things I wish I had instead of enjoying the great life I do have. It's a perfect life but is any one's?

Landry and Granna picking peas

Vivian(Granna) and her daughter Frankie Jo shelling

Pa Paw and Aiden, Shane's nephew join in the action. Pa paw and I ran the sheller behind him. Aiden was occupied with the cat.

The peas were all shelled in 2 days. The peas are cooked and then cooled. They are then put into quart sized bags and vacuum sealed and frozen. They will stay good in the freezer for a year or so. I am not sure if they will stay longer than that as ours never last beyond that time! They are so delicious and easy to prepare this way. We put in lots of work for 2 days and enjoy the fruits of our labor for the year!

After 2 days we had about 100 bags of peas in the freezer and Sandy still had 2 huge bowls of uncooked peas to blanch and freeze.

Lord, thank you for the gift of family. I so often forget to thank you for the great life You have blessed me with with. I take this life for granted so many times. We are so blessed with family that loves us and teaches us amazing lessons. I am so thankful my children are blessed with generations of hard working, faithful families. Please forgive me for taking this for granted. My children will be blessed because of the faithfulness of generations.

Let the fun begin!!!!!

From Tuesday, September 1st, through at least the first of march I am officially a widow. For those unaware, Dove season opened on Tuesday. Shane and Landry joined the hoards of people (men) out shooting on Tuesday. This morning around 6 something he and his brother and a friend headed off to New Mexico for yet another hunting adventure. They are hunting Antelope. I should follow that statement with saying that we already have 2 antelopes on our walls.

Here is a snapshot from the office

4 heads,not so bad you say.....There are 17 heads throughout my house. That is 34 beaty eyes staring at me everyday! We have a variety of animals. Ones from Texas, New Mexico and South Africa. Do you know what a nilgai is.....have you laid awake at night wondering? Well here it is

Wanna see the dining room?.....South Africa at it's finest. Any of you who know me, know that I in no way care if Shane goes hunting. In fact, it is much to the dismay of friends and family members that I NEVER object to him leaving. I decided long ago that he hunted well before I met him and to expect that to change is completely unfair and not going to happen. The girls and I have great fun staying in our PJs all weekend and going for shopping trips. Bring on the hunting!!!

My day as a "stay at home person"

Today was a day that was a bit unusual for me. My company was announcing layoffs today so I was instructed to stay home and wait for a call. Isn't that how most people want to spend a day? I looked at it as a half day to get laundry done that I skipped this weekend and relax a bit.

I got the call early, about 8:45 a.m. I am still employed-Yay! Saying I wasn't worried is not a statement of pride. It is a statement of faith. If I have learned anything in this life it is that there is a purpose for everything that happens. Christ never gives us more than we can handle. I am very fortunate to have a career to fall back on, unlike many people who lost their jobs today. Even though you do not know these people, please say a prayer for them. Many families' lives were changed today. Some great reps are now out there looking for jobs. Such a sad thing. 5 of our 11 reps lost their jobs today.

Anyway, I now see what a blessing it is for me and my family that I do not stay home everyday! I have never doubted that my friends that stay home have a gift that I do not. Today proved that right.

Those of you who know me, I think, would agree that I am a pretty focused person. I generally decide what needs to be done and do it. I get annoyed when things don't get done efficiently and effectively. Well, here are a few pictures to prove that I just may have housework ADD. I told the cleaning lady not to come today, I had this.....besides, if I got laid off, I need to know where all the cleaning supplies are and how long it takes. OH MY GOODNESS!!!!

My lone accomplishment that is still clean, Landry's bathroom.

The kitchen was perfect, then dinner happened.

Yep, it is the "living room". I do have to say this is clean laundry that was somewhat folded at one time. Reese decided to help me. Landry added her backpack to the mix.

I did forget to mention that the girls were not home all day. Once again,. if I'm getting laid off I am enjoying the last day of Susan's house!! Seriously, that is all I got finished today besides washing the cabinets down in the kitchen.

Well, tomorrow it is back to selling drugs. I hope my inability to finish a task does not continue.....

First Day of School-3rd grade

Landry survived her first day of 3rd grade. Reese and I walked her in this morning and it was a pretty uneventful goodbye. She walked home with the neighbors, Brant and Riley. I wasn't home yet but she let herself in and called me just like she is supposed to. (Mom's phone did not ring and I was on the rode home from Odessa. I was getting a little irritated at her then I checked my phone....whoops!)

She was very tired but seems to have had a good time. She did let me know that, "not changed Mom. We aren't having crazy hair day or pajama day though". The things that stick with them.

Reese wanted to stay at the school this morning. She is really wanting to go to preschool but Mom isn't doing it. I figure she HAS to go to school for many years so I'll keep her little as long as I can.

Landry had to write about what she did this summer. Wouldn't you think she would have chosen to write about our week at Disney World? Nope, Great Wolf Lodge it was. I guess it is fresh on her mind. So much for dream vacations!

Last weekend before school starts

We spent the last weekend before school starts in the Metroplex. We left Friday morning and headed East. We spent Friday night in Plano at Robin's house. We hadn't seen Robin and Andrew since March and we were delivering our crib and other baby items to them. It was good to see them and great to put our baby items to use one more time. (I forgot my camera so there are very few pictures attached to this post. Only ones I took with my phone.)

We got to the Metroplex about 2:30 and Shane wanted to go to Cabela's. The girls and I decided a mall was much better for our needs. Landry doesn't need clothes right now. After all, it will be 100 degrees tomorrow and new jeans just won't work! I did think she needed a new outfit for the first day. We found a mall and she found a cute pair of black crop pants and a cute top. She looks very grown up! (pictures tomorrow, I promise!)

While at Macy's Reese wanted and outfit too. I couldn't say no to a zebra print velour jogging suit. She did inform me that she was looking for "Rock star clothes". Where does she get this stuff?

We headed to Robin's and had a great night. I am not sure they (READ ANDREW HERE) are totally prepared for the never ending noise, screams, overall chaos of a child, or in their case 2 at once. Saturday morning, Andrew got a dose of Reese about 8:30. late in her world. She decided he needed to get up and be a lazy bones.

After breakfast, we headed to Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine. Robin decided to go with us and spend the night as well. The girls were so excited. We spent the day in the lazy river, wave pool, fort McKenzie and water slides. Overall we were wet all day!

Reese in the kiddie pool

Landry peeking around the corner at Fort McKenzie

These are the slides that occupies Landry's time. The brown bikini at the bottom is Landry.

Here are the slides in the kiddie area. The blur at the bottom is Reese.

We had a great time at Great Wolf Lodge. I highly recommend going there if you have kids. It is a neat place. I did realize that those of us without tattoos are becoming the minority. WOW, I saw a lot of tattoos! You wouldn't notice many of them until you see people in swimsuits. Speaking of swimsuits....I won't even go there!

School starts tomorrow. Landry will be in 3rd grade. I cannot even believe I just typed that. She is ready for school. Her teacher is Mrs. Kruse. We have known her for 8 years or so. We attended Sunday School with she and her husband for years. She is very sweet and an excellent teacher. We are very excited.

I will be saying extra prayers for all my education friends tomorrow. This time of year has become a bit difficult for me. I feel very left out and uninformed this time of year since I left the district.

Sleep well,

Billye