Merry Christmas 2011

We have posted a video of our Christmas lights, they are the best ones on the block (sorry neighbors).  From a distance it could look like a "Gentlemans Club," but once you get closer it is just your local country home with dogs, cats, one teenage know it all and her 10 yr old sister who is usually in the field driving the mule.  Somehow the parents of these beautiful girls are still surviving with a little help from the Forest Edge Winery (TN).   We are BLESSED every day by these two wonderful girls who make us laugh, cry, scream and shout (but in a good way).  We WISH you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.  Take some time to relax, read a book, watch your favorite movie or stop and enjoy the time with your family.  We do not know what 2012 will bring, but I do know that as long as Chris and my girls are by my side it will be a GREAT year....off to make cookies and wear my favorite apron (too many to choose from) by the glow of our Christmas lights.

UPDATE:  Because of my bragging, one strand of lights has now stopped working...I really think it was the neighbors sabatoging our LIGHTS!  Next year we have now vowed to put lights to loud speaker music, pointed toward a certain train horn.

The Big Transistion

Well it's Regis's last day and am supposed to be cleaning for the guests coming on Sunday for our Thanksgiving, as usual I am side tracked and decided to update the blog.  I know, I know....I never update anymore, but I too have been in a transition trying to go back to work part-time.  Another transition has been Tressa turning 15 last week which only means I turned 45.  Only 180 days until she can qualify to get her permit!  YES!  Kennedy is in 4th grade and just made the honor roll with all A's...YES!  She loves to swim at the gym every chance she gets and loves Legos.  Christmas is around the corner and these girls only want Big Ticket items!  What happened to just being happy with just PJ's, baby dolls, movies or games?  The older they get the less we are going to give!  Whatever! 

Back to Regis...I remember watching him in College at BSU while getting ready in the morning, then I was back again as the girls were born watching every morning while giving them a bottle, then it transitioned to watching him after the girls got on the bus as I picked up the house...transition of life.

Well, we move on and I leave you with a recent picture...

Fall of 2011

Well the first day of Fall has come and the weather has turned cooler.  I apologize that I am unable to keep up with updating you on our blog.  Chris and I are sitting by the fire, watching M*A*S*H, the TV series, as Richie the cat sleeps by my side.  The girls are getting ready for bed which always takes longer then it should.  School has started and T is now a Freshman....where has the time gone?  Before I know it the ladies on 900 N will be hosting the graduation party.  Although she has more mood swings then usual we love her so much and appreciate how good she is in and out of school when Mom and Dad are not around.  Kennedy is in 4th grade and just wants to be out of school as soon as possible.  We love her hugs and kisses and her honest opinion about everything. 

We went to Chad and Karis wedding last night and I have posted a picture from the big day.  What a beautiful day, especially when you are wearing the right hat.

Tressa and her 4 H pictures

Not to be out done by her sister, Tressa has pictures too, they just needed to be tweeked before posting. She is sooooo picky!

Summer of 2011

Tressa when you think of the summer of 2011 what comes to your mind...

HOT, but we have a pool to cool off in...hey, it is a Walmart pool and it brought down the property value but who cares.
Having friends over...GOAL!!!!!  Womens USA soccer team just scored!

4th overall in Swine Showmanship....Senior Division next year...yikes!

Mom when you think of the summer of 2011 what comes to your mind...
Mumford and Sons, Awesome year for K for her first year in 4H,  the makeover of Chris...

Kennedy said she enjoyed swimming, working with Joy and watching TV...
The fair is over and we have enclosed some of our favorite photos...

Kennedy excels at her first 4H Fair

One thing that both girls now have in common is that their first year in 4H was awesome.  Tressa went to State Fair her first year for geology and won Reserve Champion in the Carcass scan, now Kennedy can brag that she won Grand Champion Grade Dairy AND Champion 1st year Showmanship!  We are so proud of her in how she showed and the hard work she put into working with Joy her calf.  She really loves Joy as she does any animal, but this one is special.  Her goal was to win a purple ribbon and she topped that with a plaque, chair for showmanship, bucket and lead rope.  Awesome K, we are so proud of you!!

Pigs are next to show and we all ask that God will bless us with patience.

Kennedy turns double digits...

The baby turned 10 last week!  It seems like yesterday I was holding the new baby as they wheeled me up to the third floor, her dark hair and little toes, how perfect.  Now she is in Martial Arts, up to my shoulders in height, imitating her sister and loving the hot dogs.  She can challenge us and at the same time hug us!  God has blessed us in so many ways and she is at the top of the list...Thanks K for being so loving, caring and always helping when we ask!!

It's been too long....

What? Has it been over a month since I last reported to you about the family?  Too many things have happened that I do not know where to begin.  We are in our last week of school...woohoo...and nobody is as excited as Kennedy!  I am ready for the girls to be home, however, it will be a busy summer for Tressa.  She will leave for camp a week after school, return for 2 days and leave for State FFA convention for 3 days.  Then we will only have 1 week to complete 4H projects and then it will be time for the fair.  I am worn out already!  Kennedy looks forward to just sleeping in and watching movies!  We hope to go to Canada this summer, but that is still being planned...gas prices have shorten our travels. 

The cats are doing great!  We now have 4 pigs and 1 dairy calf for the fair.  The weather has been crazy this Spring, but I think we are finally getting summer weather. 

We had a nice Easter and we hope you enjoy the pictures...one is from the park in Columbus we had a good time, I took the girls to there for Spring Break.  I would like to say we would of had more pics but it takes a half hour to do this one.  Oh well maybe next time.

Must be Spring

It's that time of year again, pig season! Recently purchased 3 out of 4 pigs for 4H. This is the way we usually see them as it has been too cold to come out of the hut. This is Kennedy's first year in 4H and we decided to go purebreed for her. We are still looking for one more pig for Tressa, hopefully soon. We have not named the pigs although Chris has one named picked out, but I think we will stay away from that. We will see how the season goes, wish us luck!!

Family Addition

Although Fancy could never be replaced, we have adopted 2 cats from PAWS, Richie and Marley, they are both 9 months old. Marley is all black with one white spot on her chest. Richie is black and white with a cute pink nose. Marley is shy, while Richie is always into something. The girls are on Spring Break so they are able to spend lots of time with them. Tressa took the cute pictures.

Costa Rica

Chris and I were fortunate enough to take a vacation to Costa Rica last week.  It was very warm and we enjoyed relaxing by the pool and ocean.  There were some Chicago Bears players there too who Chris got his picture taken with.  The monkeys in the trees were great to watch as were the iguanas.  I think the girls enjoyed the break from Mom and Dad, although Kennedy told Grandma that 6 days were too long they should only be gone 2 to 3 days.  Our first day back Tressa was sick followed by the afternoon call from the school that I needed to pick up K because she was sick, oh well back to reality.

Just pickin ice...

We spent the weekend trying to open barn doors by picking at the inches of ice around the doors.Notice my chunk of ice that I conquered with my hay bale hook

Kennedy had an sledding accident and hurt her finger.  If you ask her how it happened she will tell you that it was Dads fault he was going too fast. 

Our Boy...

It is with great sadness we report that our Fancy has passed away.  For those of you wondering who?  He was our 4 1/2 yr old cat.  The girls and I had come home last night and found him asleep in his favorite spot on his favorite blankie in front of the window, where he liked to watch the dogs play and make faces at them as they shivered in the cold and he stayed nice and warm.  He was supposed to go to Purdue when Tressa went to college, but I always said he would stay with me to comfort me while I cried that she had grown up.  We will miss him banging his head against the patio window letting me know that he wanted in or proudly showing off the many mice that he killed, he was a good mouser.  Tressa took the above picture last week during the ice storm.  Chris had always said no more cats after Fancy, I don't think so...

ICE STORM 2011

In the few minutes I have left of electricity, I write this while listening to the sleet hitting the windows.  The house, yard, driveway and barn are covered in ice, but God has blessed us with electricity.  Fancy sleeps on my lap and Chris and Tressa are watching Prince of Persia.  Kennedy has just come out of her room after playing with her toys and now sings for us in the kitchen.  The girls will not have school again tomorrow so we will snuggle in for the day.  The girls enjoyed sledding on the ice today until Kennedy bumped her head on a pole.  We are well and look forward to Spring...

2011 Here we come...

We rang in the New Year with a couple of train horn blows with friends and neighbors or I should say Chris and Tressa did, I ran home to be in my pj's before midnight. Before we got together with neighbors we met with Chris's family to celebrate Aunt Sandy's 70th birthday.  She has had a rough year battling cancer, but has such a positive attitude and knows her priorities, God first. 

 I have included some of my favorite pictues from Christmas.   Me with the traditional stockings, Tressa, K and Grandpa K and the boys and K with their new hats.  I love K's expression!  As you can see Tressa turned 18 on Christmas day.