Christmas Letter

For those who check our blog this is our Christmas letter.  I have just finished sealing the last envelope of our Christmas cards. The Christmas tree lights are shining bright, the house is quite and Marley sleeps beside me.  I am pleased to say again this year that God has outrageously blessed us with health, family and a wonderful ability to be able to travel and see Gods splendor.  The highlights of the year are Tressa's wonderful ability to be scatterbrained it keeps her dad and I on our toes, too many stories to tell.  We really do worry about her when she goes off to college without our daily guidance.  The good news is that Tressa has learned a lot from her graphic design class that she took this semester, she even has gained a job part time from this experience. Kennedy continues to volunteer at PAWS and would also like to volunteer at Humane Society. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a healthy New Year. We look forward to the time of making memories with our family this holiday season and to an exciting 2015 with many changes...bubbles fromT-bird , eat a snack from K!  Spaaazzz from Mar...

Christmas movie night...

Just a reminder that every Thursday in the month of December TCM is showing classic Christmas movies.  As I write this my all-time favorite Remember the Night is on.  I am texting my brother and sister as I watch, all of us in different towns, but one still in our hometown.  It's always nice to go back to our hometown and watching this movie makes me feel just a little closer to home.  #TCMparty

Christmas 2014

This ornament on our tree caught my eye this evening so I thought I would share.  Always a busy time of the year, but we hope you take the time to remember the reason for the season our Lord Jesus Christ the one who has given us all the gifts that we have. God Bless!

October schedule

October consisted of Senior Pictures and a quick trip to Gatlinburg.  We found our favorite spot in the Smokey Mountains where we like to skip rocks, swim and watch the water swiftly move by as we enjoy the sweet sound of the kids playing in the background.  The family picture was difficult for me to take because I knew it could be the last family vacation before Tressa leaves for college next year.  Of course I cried through every photo while everyone laughed.  It is hard being a Mom...

Chris and Kennedy just returned from the Trails of Terror, can we just say Boo Boo didn't last long.  When you are being chased by a guy with a chain saw it is time to go home.

I love this season, wish I could make it up north to see my favorite small town in its splendor this time of year, some of my best memories are from the Fall.

Thank you God for this wonderful season, harvest and family.  God Bless.

Just a letter...

As we start the school year T is a Senior and K is now in 7th grade.  As all parents will say where has the time gone?    For me as the Mom of two wonderful girls, I would say that about Tressa, but as the Mother of Kennedy, the time for her to graduate cannot come soon enough.  It is hard to admit and only within the last year have I been able to admit that Kennedy is Autistic.   It is a daily struggle, not only as a parent, but also as a sister.  I do appreciate her as she is a loving, caring spirit - that is what we gain from Autism - a girl who is blunt and honest, gives hugs, loves pets, knows that God is the answer.  The negatives are many and some days its hard not to think of them, but I am reminded that she is not bothered by it, she does not know different, she is so happy, why should I question God?  I am PROUD of her we are BLESSED to have a girl that loves her parents so much, she does what we ask (we only have to ask once), looks up to her sister and has a great attitude as a 13 year old.

I asked her tonight what advice she would give someone if they asked "what would you do different or is there anything you would do different in your life?" Her answer is "do what you love, volunteer to help others."  She recently started a "job" helping at PAWS every other week for 4 hours on Saturday, she is so excited.  I am happy for her, it should help with social skills.  That is my advice as well to both of my children, do what you love.  Once you find a job you love, stay with it, no matter what others may suggest, you know what is best for yourself not others.  Girls, so many things will come up and you have to make a decision, your soul will tell you what to do, I hope that you will listen.

Advice from a TREE...

• stand tall and proud
• Sink your roots deeply into the Earth
• Think long term
• Go out on a limb
• Remember your place among all living beings
• Embrace with joy the changing seasons
• For each yields its own abundance

Fletcher Avenue, Indianapolis

We did some sight seeing on Sunday to scout out locations for Senior pictures.  We enjoyed the frozen yogurt ice cream where would could swing and enjoy our ice cream.  We ended the day at the Indpls Museum of Art.

New adventures coming this Fall, updates later...

Its about time...

Yes it is about time in so many ways.  It is about time for another Triple Crown Winner, its about time to catch up on the blog, its about the need for more time to get things done so I can catch up on the blog!

Well since March 5th (Mom that is terrible, its been that long?) Tressa has gone to Costa Rica, Kennedy has acquired goats, we now have 8 pigs, we have almost completed our resort patio, Tressa went to the prom, Kennedy now has braces, Chris has stayed up for 25 hours to haul pigs for his daughter, Chris has brought me Leinenkugal, Tressa has texted Olivia 500 million times, Tressa has not listened to a thing I have said, but Kennedy has listened to me and LAST but not least we are a healthy, happy family who in the long run enjoy each other and love our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

A long time ago I started this blog, the 2nd or 3rd blog was about us watching the Kentucky Derby, today we are watching the Belmont and hoping that California Chrome wins the Triple Crown. 

It is pig show season and we have attended some open shows, Tressa did get Reserve Showman at the Hancock Open Show.  We are also working with the Dairy cows and Kennedy has improved so much!  Love watching both of them work together. 

School has ended and I cant believe what I am about to say...Tressa is a Senior!  What?  How can that happen?  Kennedy is ready to move on to 7th grade as we are too, that was a rough year.  We have already toured our alma maters with Purdue now in the lead for the college of choice.  I cry everyday that she is leaving and I still have over a year before she leaves.  When we were at Purdue I broke down in the parking lot, pathetic (according to Chris and Tressa).  Tressa is trying her best to make me grateful that she is leaving by not listening, putting things away and yelling at us, so far it is not working. 

I wish we had more time to get things done, but it looks like that will happen in  13 years when I hopefully retire.  Below are some pictures that we thought you might enjoy.

Pig Season begins...

That time of year again, it comes too quickly.  I wish the weather would warm up before we put the pigs in a barn with no heat.  Chris has been traveling the last 3 weeks and we are ready for him to be home!  This is how much Tressa misses him...




Tressa:  When is Dad coming home?
Mom:  Thursday, why do you miss him?
Tressa:  No, I just need someone to start my car in the morning and drive it around to the garage.


Chris texted back:  Tell Tressa her Butler will be home soon, we will catch up then.  


At least he knows he is missed!


Well, I was going to post a picture of Kennedy with a baby pig, but the blogspot will not download the picture.  This website is getting more difficult to use.  I think it is time to change to a new blog site.  My next post may be the new address to our family blog.  Thanks for your patience.

Another day off...

Well, the snow has caused a power outage where I work which means I will not be going back to work after having 6 weeks off.  This has caused me to have another nap, play cards with Kennedy, yell at Tressa, listen to Kennedy scream because Tressa won't hand over the Kindle.    You ask, "what you were off for 6 weeks, what happened?"  Finally Chris paid for me to have plastic surgery, thank goodness!  My next blog will give you the before and after, I'm sure you can't wait. 

It is so cold outside and I want to report that I am so tired of WTHR preempting the evening shows because they want to cover the "snow emergency" for 24 hours, enough already!  How many times do we have to see the empty bread isle or the reporter in the snow bank, really?

The dogs love running in the snow until the snow gets in their paws and wont come out until they are back in the barn under the heat lamp. Lots of bones and marshmallows for those two tonight.

Well, I am off to get under the covers and watch some TCM...

Snow Day 2014

Just the beginning of 2014 and we are we are supposed to receive 10 inches or more of snow.  The girls made a snowman or I should say Tressa did, Kennedy was busy with the dogs.

We also made cupcakes, took a nap and went to the Wilkinson Mall, twice.  What an exciting day!  Girls go back to school Tuesday, maybe....