Rankin Family Fun

New Job

2012-01-11T18:45:00.000-08:00

Well, back in September, I decided to join Weight Watchers after watching my weight creep up, up, up these past years. It was the best decision I have made and I wished I had joined sooner. Not really knowing much about it, I was certain it would not work for me. I hadn't been able to lose any weight on my own, so I thought I was STUCK! But I was WRONG! I stuck to the plan and the weight fell off. Yippee! I am now back to my "pre" arthritis size and it feels great. I LOVE WEIGHT WATCHERS!

With weight watchers, you get "awards" for losing 5 pounds, 5%, 10%, etc...so each time I lost enough weight to earn an award, I got to say what was working for me; and usually in my "speech" I'd say "I LOVE WEIGHT WATCHERS!" (because I do!! It works!) Anyway, as I was nearing my final goal weight, the leader asked me at one weigh in, if I would like to work there....(she probably liked my enthusiasm about the company!) I laughed and said "yes actually, I would. It looks like a fun place to work..." I admit, I kind of said "yes" lightly, meaning, sure I think it's a nice place to work, but do I really want to WORK there?? After many weeks of waiting, praying, interviewing, I did decide to take the job with Weight Watchers! I am excited about this new journey in my life. I'm excited about the people I will meet (a LOT of people do weight watchers in this town!!), I'm excited about the new skills I will learn working for them, the places I will go and even the money I will make!! (Lord allowing!)

My family helped me make the decision, so I'm thankful for their input on why I should take the job. Zach and I had many talks about me taking this job. Those talks are priceless to me. He really wanted me to do it! Dan listened and encouraged me and helped me make my final decision. I'm thankful for his listening ear to help me make the right decision about it. I'm thankful to God for opening the door for this opportunity to work with adults. While I love subbing and will probably continue to do so, I longed for a steady job with adults. Now I have it. And this won't be a typical job - it's about two to three hours a day maybe twice a week. I'm thankful and excited about this opportunity. AND you have to sign an agreement that you will not gain over your healthy weight range while employed with them. More incentive to keep my weight down. ☺

It really is encouraging seeing people in the meetings and all the weight that has been lost! This plan works and I LOVE WEIGHT WATCHERS!

2012 Calendar!!

2011-12-23T21:39:00.000-08:00

November 5, 2011 Zach got his braces off! After two 1/2 years! While we were in the orthodontist office they said they were making a calendar and asked if they could take Zach's picture to be in it! Sure!!

We got our copy in the mail today.

And May 2012 is my favorite page!! ☺

October 2012 is pretty special too!! ♥

Zach has a great new smile now! I'm glad to have this cool calendar to show it off!! ☺

Busy Month of Concerts and Performances!

2011-12-23T21:25:00.000-08:00

Here is the Admiral Men singing at an Elementary school. Sorry the video is sideways. Good thing the singing is not! ☺ Enjoy!

What a Boy Wants...

2011-12-23T18:14:00.000-08:00

I have found, being a mother of sons, that new clothes or a day at the beauty salon is not what makes my boys happy. What makes them happy is good food. So I was happy to come across this Weight Watchers Recipe! Drew loves a good shish~ka~bob, so I couldn't wait to make these!

We got take~out fried rice and steamed our own veggies. This meal was a hit! All three boys went away happy and I was filled with not only a full tummy, but smiles and compliments on a great meal. ☺

Honey Ginger Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

2 Tbsp ginger root, freshly grated, or less to taste

2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced

1/2 cup(s) hoisin sauce

1/4 cup(s) orange juice

2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken thigh(s), cut into 36 chunks

2 tsp honey

1 Tbsp uncooked scallion(s), fresh, minced (for garnish)

Instructions

In a medium glass bowl, combine ginger, garlic, hoisin sauce, orange juice, soy sauce and pepper; add chicken and turn to coat with marinade. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
When ready to cook, soak 12 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes (or use metal skewers).
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil to catch drippings; place a wire rack over prepared pan.
Remove chicken from marinade; reserve marinade. Thread 3 pieces of chicken onto each skewer and place on wire rack; cook for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, spoon reserved marinade into a small saucepan; stir in honey. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat; boil for at least 1 minute to kill any bacteria.
After chicken has cooked for 10 minutes, remove from oven and generously brush with boiled marinade. Flip skewers and bake until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Place on a serving platter and garnish with scallions. Yields 2 skewers per serving.

Maybe you will enjoy this recipe too and make the boys in your life smile! ♥

SnOw DaY!!!!!!

2011-12-13T11:20:00.000-08:00

We had "threats" of snow before we went to bed on Dec 4th, and what fun to wake up to find the ground covered in snow! I was suppose to sub this day, and the teacher text me at 4:30am that school had been cancelled! So even I was excited! (I guess, no work, no pay for subs!)

I let the boys sleep in, and Zach was the first one up! He was thrilled to have a day to get some game playing time in!!!

I started pulling the boys rooms Christmas trees out and started decorating them. I had seen a cute "boyish" way to decorate it and I got right to it....however, I needed a new strand of lights and I wasn't going to let any snow stop my decorating! Also, Drew informed me that he needs a Colonel Sanders costume for school by the next day! WHAT? There went my relaxing snow day! Drew got out with me to look for costume materials and he spotted this CupCake Barn! We stopped and got us some "fuel" to finish our errands! Yum! Good eye Drew!

We didn't get out and build any snowmen, but someone did! I had to snap a pic of these cute snowmen at the University!!

It was also a great time to pull out our snowman dishes!!!

And after what seemed like all day, I finished the boys Christmas trees!!

Helmets and footballs are easy to find in our house!! I overheard Drew saying how much he loved his tree one night! I was thrilled! When I asked him about it, he said he just loved the multi~colored lights!

Thanking God for unexpected snow days, last minute projects, cupcakes, warm house and multi~colored lights!!

Cookies!! Part 1

2011-12-07T19:33:00.001-08:00

I recently saw a stained glass cookie recipe in one of my magazines. Oh, they were soooooo pretty! I mentioned them to Drew and he wanted me to make them. Years ago I had made some, so I was ready to do it again, this time making Christmas designs. *I made the sugar cookie recipe from the Betty Crocker cookbook I have in my cabinet...(mistake #1)....

Drew diligently went to work breaking the candy and filling in the holes....

I rolled more and more dough to make our Christmas designs....

And .....

Our cookies did NOT turn out beautiful, as we hoped! I realized that I did not make the sugar cookie recipe that comes with the design. The delicious Betty Crocker recipe was not made for the 'stain glass' design....oh well. We will TRY again soon!!!

So Thankful!

2011-11-27T10:59:00.001-08:00

We have so much to be thankful for in the Rankin Household!

The boys had a week off from school and we enjoyed every minute of it!

This year we made the turkey! Dan found a good recipe and took care of preparing it and cooking it! He also made the giblet gravy! He is such a helpmate and I am thankful for him!!! ♥

This is Mylee, our new great niece! She was born on Sept. 1st and she slept so sweetly through our dinner! Her momma was thankful for those quiet moments to eat in peace! ♥

Tia hosted this years Thanksgiving dinner at her beautiful home! Thank you Tia! ♥

I got a lot of "loving on Mylee" time!

Dan's Aunt Ellen and Uncle Forrest came to visit. Ellen just had a HEART TRANSPLANT (4 months ago) so she wears a mask to keep germs away since she is on a lot of immune suppressing medicine right now. We are sooooo thankful the Lord has taken care of Ellen by providing her a heart VERY quickly and for a fast recovery.

Dan helped Ryon pick up a pile of cards! ♥

We are thankful for a BIG chair that we could all relax on and watch the Cowboys play!

We are thankful for relaxing days with family playing Mexican Train! (which Zach won!) Yay Zach!

Dan even got some Mylee time! ♥

We also had time to build forts in the living room, have sleep overs,

put up and decorate our Christmas tree

and keep warm by the fire on a very cold, windy, dusty day.

As you can tell, we do have a LOT to be thankful for around the Rankin House!

~♥♥♥♥~

Lower Cave ~ Carlsbad Caverns

2011-11-16T20:31:00.001-08:00

October 10, 2011 was Columbus Day and a holiday for the boys. NO SCHOOL!! Granddad has been wanting to take the boys on the Lower Cave tour in Carlsbad Caverns since they were born. ☺ BUT, you had to be at least 12 years old to go on this tour. So, now that Drew is 12 - They found the first holiday (that wasn't booked) to go!

You have to go d o w n ....

to see beautiful cave creations!

Walk on narrow walkways....

through tight spaces.....

and even crawl!!

But you noticed the smiles never left their faces!

Once the tour was over, you had to come back U P....

This holiday was the first days off since school had started and they were looking forward it. I was a little nervous they would be upset having to get up early and head out....but from the moment they woke up, to the walk back into the house that evening, they had a smiles on their faces. They both had a GREAT time touring Lower cave. Thank you Granddad for wanting to take the boys on this wonderful adventure!! ♥♥♥

Dove Hunt

2011-11-16T20:20:00.001-08:00

The boys get a lot of shooting time some weekends. They go up to the "ranch" (as we lovingly call it) and shoot clays for target practice.

Once Dove season came around, Dan took them up to try and shoot some. There weren't many that flew in, but they each got one a piece. They were thrilled!

I love this picture of Drew being a little brother! ha! (below)

I did not go on this Dove hunting adventure. And boy, was I glad too. When the boys got home they said there was a lot of baby frogs all over the place! Eek!! I don't love frogs, but I love these boys!! ♥♥♥

Too Much Fun!!!

2011-11-16T20:08:00.001-08:00

One Saturday, when Drew had his friend over, Drew asked to put dish soap in the hot tub to make bubbles...well, being the nice mom that I am...I said "yes!" ♥

Oh, it was sooooo fun being in all those bubbles!!

They even spilled over the side!

Fun times for sure!!! ☺

HaPpY HaLLOwEeN aNd OtHeR HaPpeNniNgS!

2011-11-06T14:15:00.000-08:00

I substituted these 1960's cuties on Friday before Halloween! These little cuties are a kindergarten class at Drew's school. It was FuN DaY and the theme was 1960's. I fell in love ♥ with the lil' Jackie Kennedy's!!

Scary Drew!!
Zach went out with his friend Charles and met up with other friends... his costume was last minute...
Drew was this scary ghoul.

We went to see my niece and her cuties on Halloween night! They were so adorable!

Then on Nov. 2nd, mom came to visit! We celebrated her birthday with this festive cake!!!
And here is mom relaxing going through Toys R Us catalogs to find the best gifts for Christmas for the boys!! ☺
Hope your Halloween was great too!!

14!!!

2011-10-06T19:40:00.000-07:00

Today our first born son, Zach, celebrated his 14th birthday!!! What a day to celebrate!!

Zach is a great son. He is smart, funny, quiet, strong, athletic, handsome, talented, wise, fun to be around, loving ...etc...the list goes on!

What teenage boy wouldn't love a stocked mini fridge?? His even has a lock! (I bet he finds that handy to keep little brother out!!)

H@pPy 14th BiRtHd@Y Zach! We love you X infinity!!!!! xoxoxox

9/10/11

2011-09-10T14:59:00.000-07:00

I had to make an entry on 9/10/11! That is just too cool! Life has been busy and good. School started and we went right back into the flow of things. Start times are different this year with Drew going at 7:45 (which means we have to leave the house at 7:30am Ouch! That's early!) and Zach starts at 8:54 am. Even with all the things that are different this year, things have still been smooth. ☺ Thank God! I worked the first week of school subbing for one of my friends at Drew's school. Her little second graders were adorable and made for a really fun first week of school! I wasn't able to get the first day of school pictures this year. Boo! With me being gone when Zach left, and he wasn't dressed when I left! This is Drew's last year in elementary school. He is a 6th grader!! I know this will be a fun year!

I have had this "painting itch" for a few weeks now. I want to paint everything! (Well, maybe not EVERYTHING! Dan suggested I paint the back fence and I was like, NO THANKS!!!)
I want to paint cabinets, stencil designs onto the wall...decorative things, not fences! ha! However, I can't get Dan to agree on my painting anything!! He likes everything the way it is. I guess in a way, that's okay, because painting is a BIG job! He's saving me some work...

Well, today, not much was going on around here, so I decided since I didn't have any cabinets to paint, I'd pull out a canvas I'd had laying around for about a year and paint on it. Thankfully, I have a full supply of small acrylic paints of many colors, so I was able to paint my design without having to go anywhere to get what I needed. Anyway, I had seen these cute painted canvas's on a website and they were for sale. Of course, I loved them all, but didn't want to pay $25 to $30 dollars for each one....so I decided to paint my own...

And here they are....

They are not my own design, like I said, I "copied" some I liked. I wish I had that much imagination to come up with my own designs! I have them hanging in my laundry room! :) They make me happy even though they aren't perfect and it gave me something to do when nothing was going on!!! ♥

It's VaCaTiOn TiMe!!!

2011-08-09T18:22:00.000-07:00

For this year's vacation, we decided to take the trailer, even though we were not going to cool Colorado. This year, we went to the BEACH! We thought about going to South Padre, but decided on going to Port Aransas near Corpus Christi because it was a little closer! And because long car rides and arthritis don't mix...

Our first stop was San Antonio! Dan had a football "meeting" there. He offered me the truck to drive while he was gone, but I wasn't interested in driving in San Antonio. However the city bus had a stop right in front of our RV park, so me and boys ventured out to the river walk via the city bus!

It was a short, uneventful ride to the river!

We've been several times, but this is the first Drew really remembers it!

Drew always wants to eat at the Rain Forest Cafe and today was the perfect day to do that!

Our next stop was the beach! We had to ride a ferry to get onto the island! It was a short and sweet ride! We laughed at our long load (truck and trailer) getting on the ferry!
When we checked into our RV park, the girl there told us to watch for porpoise swimming by the ferry and where to see Sea Turtles! We were thankful for those tips because we saw both!
We walked along this jetty to look for sea turtles and we saw several!

I loved watching my three boys in the ocean!

We went on a tour of the USS Lexington in Corpus!

Here we are in the chapel! It was neat to see in the ship and how they lived in there!

We had great views from the deck

And Drew and I walked the plank! We could see hundreds of Jelly fish in the Corpus ocean!

We came home and Dan cooked us steak and eggs! ♥

The boys took a deep sea fishing trip and fished next to this shrimp boat!

They fished for 5 hours out at sea!

After 5 hours and many bites, Zach caught this 13 pounder!! It was the last catch of the day!

Drew posed with it too, but Zach was the only one of our group with a successful catch! But Drew doesn't look too bothered! ☺

This nap was well deserved after a busy, hot morning fishing!

We rented a golf cart to ride around town in and to the beach! It was a blast!

You had to be a licensed driver to drive it though!

Here is Drew feeding a seagull! It got it!!! ☺

Drew found this jelly fish washed up on shore!! I was amazed at the colors on it! Wow!

Time for a Kodak moment! ♥

One night we went to the beach and these crabs were running everywhere!!! Eek!! So much for a romantic walk! ha!!

Pictures around the island!

Of course we had yummy sea food! Shrimp Boil! ☺

Sand Castle!!

We found some Geo Caches too!! ☺

We left the island one day early because of Tropical Storm Don heading our way and went back to San Antonio for the night and dinner at our favorite Casa Rio!! It did not disappoint!

Then we went back to the Rain Forest Cafe for dessert! During our 45 minute wait, me and Zach messed around in the store while our dinner settled!!

Then we treated ourselves to the famous "Volcano" dessert! YUMMY!

And it didn't take long to finish that~

And just as quick as our dessert was gone, so our vacation was over! and we wouldn't have missed it for the world!!! ♥♥♥

Summer Birthday ~ July 22

2011-08-03T08:01:00.001-07:00

Drew's favorite day of summer f i n a l l y came!!! His birthday!!
All his "bows" on his gifts were candy! This boys loves candy!!!

He got the new "Bop It" game and Dan is a pro already!!!

He also got the new 3D Nintendo DS game boy and really loves it!! It was funny because he almost considered asking for a Kindle reader, but then quickly decided on something more fun!! A boys gotta have his games!!

Drew asked to go to Genghis Grill for his birthday dinner! The waiters all sang to him and he got this free brownie all to himself!!!

The long awaited day was a hit and thank you for all his wonderful games and cash!!

Happy 12th Birthday Drew!!!

50 Years Celebration

2011-07-16T16:14:00.000-07:00

Dan's parents celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this July 7th, so the whole family got together and went to Ft. Davis TX for the weekend. We stayed at some good friends house they own there. It was the perfect place to celebrate together!
We took family pictures outside the Olympia Restaurant...

The whole family / the grandkids

The great grandbaby!

Dinner!

Games in the game room at the house!

We all loved the big shuffle board table!

We played family tournaments at all the games! Abby paired up with Dan.

We also went on two hikes!

We had a great weekend together celebrating a wonderful milestone!! We are thankful to have a loving family to have fun with and celebrate exciting things with!!♥

Old Made new AGAIN!!!

2011-07-04T15:58:00.001-07:00

Several years ago, I got this table and chairs at a garage sale for $40! It was really old, faded and had no cushions when I bought it...but I just knew a coat of paint and new cushions would make it look great for less money than a new set....well, here it is in all it's green glory....

Well, we recently bought a new umbrella that we thought we might put in the middle of the table, but the umbrella was brown, so I decided to paint the table brown to match it...

TADA!!! Now it's brown and looks much more modern! But believe me, this transformation did not happen overnight! In fact, its taken about two months!! You can bet I was READY for this project to be finished!!! We ultimately decided not to put the umbrella in the table, but I'm still glad I painted it anyway!

And next time, we are buying NEW!!!! ☺ Happy 4th of July!!

Arizona

2011-07-03T13:36:00.001-07:00

As soon as school was over for the boys, we hopped on a train and went to Arizona to see my mom and brother!!! We decided to take AmTrak this year, because it was cheaper than airline tickets and it was easier than driving!!!
However, there are no "frills" on the train. We loaded right there at the cross stop!! And it was about 100 degrees outside!! Needless to say, it was kind of hectic loading!! Especially not knowing what to expect! We also met a true "hobo" while waiting in the train station! My stomach did a somersault when I realized he was homeless!! Riding the train was an ADVENTURE!!!

Once we got on the train, the adventure didn't stop. They didn't have seats for us right away....

so we went and sat in the viewing car.....which really was a blessing in disguise, because the boys loved it in there! And you can see why!

We got comfortable here for a while, had a snack and enjoyed the ride!!!

Eventually, we got our seats, but they were all separated, so I sat in my seat and the boys sat up in the viewing car. Then we went to dinner on the dining car! It was sooooo nice and the food was yummy!!
We were soooooo glad to finally get to Arizona (12 hours later!) and be with Grammy and Uncle Mike! We made a trip to Williams AZ for another train ride and a trip to the Grand Canyon!! Here we all are on the train riding to the canyon!
This trip wasn't quite as long as our first train ride!

It was exciting to see the views of the canyon!!!

Thank you soooo much Grammy for taking us on this special trip!! We love you! ♥

I had fun with my boys, but we sure missed having Dan with us this trip!!! He was back home working.

We stayed at a really nice place in Williams AZ. Williams, AZ is a quaint little town in the mountains. The temps were actually cool there! Drew rode on this carriage one night through town! It was so fun learning some history of the town! Poor Zach was sick much of this trip! He was having 102.9 fevers daily and nightly! So he didn't feel good enough to really enjoy anything. Bless his heart, he was a trooper though and kept up with us!!!

After a week of being in AZ shopping, watching movies, eating, talking, shopping, resting....it was time to come home. We loaded the train at 11pm and rode all night! The adventure didn't end either! We loaded the train with a drunk guy and about 5 miles down the tracks, they stopped and kicked him off. We watched him walk to a police car and get in. From what we saw of him, he was trouble, and we were thankful to God he was off the train and we were safe....
We settled in our seats (this time we had them together!!) and slept the ride away!!

We arrived alittle earlier than scheduled, so Dan wasn't there yet, so we had to wait at the train station again! Joy! ha ha!! At least our "hobo" friend wasn't there!
The whole trip was sooooo fun and we are so glad we were able to get away and visit our family!♥

Memorial Weekend

2011-06-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

The weekend had to begin with a clean pool...
Then it was off to the Drive - In!!! Zach and Charles were getting comfy... We saw Kung Fu Panda II and Thor. Both were really good!!

Drew and Zack enjoyed the shows!

The next morning it was time to swim!!

And a "friendly" game of Airsoft Wars!!

Dan and I went to Drew's "Young Author Day" book signing. He wrote about the Civil War. Dan and I really enjoyed seeing his book.

After a great weekend and last few days at school, we are officially ready for SUMMER!!

FuN TiMeS!!!

2011-05-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

The fun started with Zach's last choir concert of the year. It was a "Pop Show"; meaning the songs were familiar songs from the radio. It was a two hour concert, but it was really, really good. Zach's choir, the boys choir, sang "Sweet Caroline" "Hey There Delilah, 1,2,3,4" and "Walk the Line" There were several solos and even dance moves! It was great! We are so happy Zach is in the school choir!
Drew's fun was our elementary schools annual track and field day! Drew participated in the discus throw, the 100 Meter dash and the 400x2 relay race.

Here is Drew preparing to throw the discus...

Drew got 3rd place in the 100 yard dash and 1st place in the 400x2 Relay!! YES!!!

Zach missed the morning at Jr. High to come support his brother at Track and Field. And he helped me navigate through the people to find Drew at his events!

Way to Go my Rankin boys!! I love you! ♥

17th with the family

2011-05-22T13:29:00.000-07:00

We celebrated our 17th anniversary low~key this year. We just had a family day. It was fun celebrating with the boys. They thought it was neat that we have been married 17 years...

We went to lunch at one of our favorites...and it did not disappoint! We even had enough leftover to eat for dinner! (Thankgoodness, because eating here has gotten extremely expensive!!!)

After lunch we walked over to Barnes and Noble and

to shop! (my new favorite store!)
Then we went to see the new "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie in 3-D.

We spent time talking about the blessings God has given us these past 17 years (mainly Zach and Drew), laughed about good times and probably spent the same amount of money had we gone to a spa for the day! Ha! A great day celebrating life and love!! ♥

17 Years ♥

2011-05-21T07:42:00.001-07:00

May 21, 1994 ♥

Girls Night Out

2011-05-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

Tonight was our Sunday School fellowship. The girls got together to get Pedi's and the boys met to play pool and hang out at someones house with a big game room.

It was lots of fun with lots of yummy food and sweet fellowship...not to mention cute toes!

Getting Ready for Summer!!!

2011-05-17T09:00:00.001-07:00

We have been busyyyyyy around here, getting ready for summer! Our pool needed some TLC!!
We wanted, wait, NEEDED to repaint and decided to put a new border of tile along the top too. Our old tile was sooooooo dated!! And of course, we were going to do all the work ourselves. (too keep costs down...)

So Dan got busy!! I was soooooo impressed when he drained the pool!!! I told Dan how awesome he was and his response was "It is easy to tear something down, the hard part is building it back up". I thought those were VERY wise words!!

At first we thought we would just drain the pool, rinse it with acid and repaint...but then Dan started getting all this advice about how he needed to SAND the pool first to remove the old paint. BUMMER! He got a few quotes on "sandblasting and refinishing the pool" and needless to say, Dan rented the sandblaster and did it HIMSELF!! I never in a million years thought I would have my husband in the backyard SANDBLASTING! It was quite the sight!!! Many times I thought we were "in over our heads" with this project....but with A LOT of hard work from Dan, the project is finished and we are enjoying the benefits~ THANK YOU hunny! ♥♥♥

We've also been working on the yard. THAT is still a work in progress!! (but nothing a little water won't help!!) ☺

Dan's sister cleaned out a storage area and let us have some wicker furniture she had stored. It needed some paint and new cushions and I was up for the task!! After countless spray paint bottles, we have some "almost" new furniture to sit on and enjoy the pool. THANK YOU TIA and EDDY!!!!!
We are officially READY FOR SUMMER!!!

This is BEFORE. See the old tile?

The Rest of the Story...

2011-02-25T17:11:00.001-08:00

Okay, you asked for it, you got it....
The boys went to Big Bend National Park last weekend for a quick get away. I was invited, but decided to stay at home to get caught up on things (like laundry...) and to take breakfast to church Sunday, since it was our week.

I was a little bit disappointed when the boys got home because they had been to places in the park that I had never been.... :(

So here's the truth...(pictured below)...Isn't photo shop wonderful!??!?!!!! hee hee! ☺

Love ya! ♥

FuN TiMeS @ BiG BeNd NaTiOnAl PaRk

2011-02-21T08:21:00.000-08:00

Grandad is amazed at Zach's strength!
They make that rock look light!

The boys went to Big Bend National Park this weekend and had a great time!! ☺

"Heaven is for REAL"

2011-02-15T07:01:00.001-08:00

The other day in Sunday School, our teacher mentioned this book. A child that "went to heaven" and spoke about it....I was intrigued. My sweet mom bought the book for me, Thanks Mom!

It is a very short, easy to read book that brings HOPE of things to come!! I loved it and hope you do too!!

"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe" John 20:29

A Mother's Daily Prayer Calendar for her children

2011-02-15T06:45:00.000-08:00

I found this prayer calendar and wanted to share it. It has daily verses to pray for your children. I love it!! Hope you do too!

http://momandlovingit.org/PDFs/PrayingDaily_new150.PDF

Prayer works! I'm excited to see answers to my prayers and yours!

Winter hits Texas!!

2011-02-05T17:27:00.001-08:00

Finally Snow!!! We got the message bright and early that school had been cancelled!!! The boys pretty much spent their day in front of the fire, going back and forth, outside to fire...it was very chilly outside. Wind chill was -2 at times!! Brrrrrr!!! Too cold to really even play outside in!

Here are a few of my favorite winter pictures!

Our dogs loved the fact that they got to come in and sleep in the garage! Once they came in, they never made a peep and slept the night away in warmth. ♥ But of course, had to make the chilly trip outside at some point...

We are glad we had a taste of winter! Next week we welcome back our spring like weather...

BiRdS & LaUnDrY

2011-01-21T14:04:00.001-08:00

The other morning, we walked down to the lake at the end of our street to see this duck. It is called a Wood duck. (the green headed duck is a Mallard). Dan would love to have both of these ducks stuffed, hanging in our office. But until then, we'll just go down to the pond and look at them! They are both beautiful birds, but the Wood duck has very unique markings. Almost looks painted on. God, you are awesome!!
We brought some bread to feed the ducks. They were all very hungry!!

Dan also fed the pigeons!! It was soooooo funny to see them fly all over him! He loves things like this!

If you can believe it, I even did it! I had a bird standing on my hand and arm! Dan makes me brave!! We took a picture, but it must have got deleted. No worries though, I was making the worst face! ha ha

Laundry...wonderful laundry...I usually stay pretty caught up on ours, but lately it's been getting out of hand. However, I think this new rod we put up will help ours to keep getting done...

My laundry went from drying like this ------>

----------->to this!!!! We hung a round curtain rod in the laundry room to dry clothes! We were sooooooo tired of clothes hanging all over the doors all week! This is such a life saver! It makes doing laundry a little nicer!! ♥

Maybe a round shower curtain rod will help your laundry needs too??? ☺ Let me know if it does!

LoNg LiFe

2011-01-14T21:43:00.001-08:00

Well, it finally happened. Yes, I turned 40. It is one of those ages you dread, but in reality,turning 40 was a gift! I'm thankful for Long Life the Lord has given me!!

To celebrate, we went to dinner with some of our friends. Dan said I needed to order from this page. Ha Ha! You're so funny, hunny!! NOT!

Here's our men...

and here are us women! (and kids!)

My sweet friend Cary invited us over to her house for cake after a yummy mexican food dinner at Abuelo's.

I got the full treatment, ♪♫Happy Birthday to You♫♪ and blowing out the candle!

Here's my sweet friend Cary, cutting the yummy cake!! Thank you Cary!!!

The kids had a BLAST playing NERF wars throughout their big house!

I've discovered 40 isn't an age to dread; its an age to welcome! Long life and many lessons learned these past 40 years. The future is looking very bright! God is sooooo good. ♥

2010 Christmas blessings...

2011-01-12T08:25:00.000-08:00

O Christmas Tree...
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord..."

Baby's First Christmas... Grandmommies Tree...

Favorite Gifts...

Treasured Stockings...

Beautiful smiles and surprises to open!

We are thankful for a blessed Christmas holiday...of course, just missing a trip to AZ to see Grammy and Uncle Mike...

Happy New Year 2011!

2011-01-12T07:20:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since I've posted anything. I was happy to find out that my biggest fan of the blog was my hubby! He missed my posts!! He thinks the blog is a nice way to keep up with the family adventures. So this one's for you Dan!! ♥

I wanted to take a family picture for a Christmas card, and I wanted something in the background. So one Sunday after church, we headed to Carlsbad Caverns to try to get something good...Thankfully, we had the cave pretty much to ourselves, which is nice when you are setting up a tripod every once in a while... ha!

How about this spot? Or this spot?

We were lucky enough to get a nice one at the entrance of the cave! I spruced it up a bit on Picnik.com! However, when I transferred it to an actual picture, it lost some of it's color. It wasn't as pretty on the actual Christmas card. I was disappointed, but oh-well, no use losing sleep over that....

We found these funny aliens close to the cave and had to get a few shots! The middle one is my favorite alien! ♥ ha

Since we all enjoyed Carlsbad Caverns cave sooooo much, the boys decided to take another trip to Slaughter Canyon Cave. It is a separate cave with a short hike up to it. It is totally dark, so it is true cave exploring. Dan and I went to this cave years ago and I truly loved the adventure of it. Now it was time to take the boys! This is on the short hike up to the cave...

There are beautiful formations in this cave and some scary ones too!!! This one is especially scary! Eeks!! Isn't that amazing that it's a natural formation? God, you are awesome!!

This Cave Monster was used in the movie "King Solomons Mine". Cool!!!

Zach is lovin' this cave! (below)

Since there is no light in this cave you have to use flashlights or head lamps!

This is heading out of the cave. They have it barred up like a jail to keep people out! I knew the boys would love that part of it too!!! ha!

If you haven't been to Carlsbad Caverns, you need to go! There is soooo much exploring for every age! And don't just stop at the main cave! There are other tours you can take for more adventures! Let us know when you are going and we'll meet you there!!!!!!

Cowboy Stadium!

2010-11-21T16:17:00.001-08:00

The big screens at Cowboy Stadium!!

Dan got a high school play~off game at Cowboy Stadium!! So we all went to see it!! We got to walk around where all the locker rooms are and go out to the field! It was very exciting!! I stopped my boys on our way out to the field for a picture!! Love those handsome boys!! ♥ You could not wipe those smiles off their faces! They were trilled they got to go out to the field! The officials before the game...Dan knew the photographer was at work! (me!) The "white hat" is my brother~in~law, Eddy.

On the BIG screen!!!!

We enjoyed watching the game in our comfy seats on the 5o yard line with our $10 popcorn and our $6 cokes!! ha!
My dad and his wife joined us for the fun!! It was great getting to have lunch and spend the afternoon with them! They really enjoyed seeing Cowboy Stadium and Dan on the field! ♥

Congrats on your game at Cowboy Stadium!!

Singles Tournament and Youth Hunting Weekend

2010-10-31T15:02:00.001-07:00

Our Saturday started off bright and early for Zach's Singles Tennis Tournament.

Zach and Dad between matches...

He did great and it was exciting to watch him play! We are proud of you Zach!

Then we went to the Rankin Ranch for Youth Hunting weekend. We parked the truck down and road and walked to the Blind.

We had to fight off some wasp, but eventually they cleared out and we got go inside ...

and wait for sundown.

Zach is ready!

Right on time (7:15 pm) the deer started coming in to the feeder. We had to sit so quiet. Some of the deer looked very suspicious though. Like maybe they heard us...or felt us watching them...then here came the first buck. All eyes glued to it in the silence. Boom. We all watched the buck fall.

Wow. Zach shot his first deer.

Now we are waiting for our deer meat to be processed. Drew can't wait for that steak! Zach can't wait for his mounting. I'm just thankful for my family of boys and that I went with them. Precious memories...

Happy Halloween

2010-10-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

Each year at our Elementary school, they have a "Fun Day" the last school day of October. Each year they pick a theme for the kids to dress up as. This year's theme was "StoryBook Character". Of course Drew wanted to dress up, but he wasn't in any hurry deciding what to be. We looked online and found a CUTE Curious George costume, but of course, that was too baby-ish for a 5th grade boy.

So on Thursday, (the day before Fun Day) he decided that he wanted to be a Civil War Union Soldier. He had a picture in a book of what he wanted, so off on the costume quest I went! Believe me, this quest was filled with prayer, because of the last minute and because I was right in the middle of one of my worst RA flares ever! My legs were hurting to say the least. However, I was glad to have a distraction from the pain!!

Here is an authentic Union uniform.
Here is what we came up with!

I found the authentic military hat and belt buckle and they were perfect! Plus the old Boy Scout mess kit with pouch was also PERFECT!! Then found a plain Navy shirt at Target! Hobby Lobby only had FOUR brass buttons, so I did my best with what I could find!
He really needed to carry a rifle, but of course, that is forbidden at school. It was great to see Drew dressed up with all the other kids and it was so fun getting to help him put together what he really wanted. I never in a million years dreamed I would have two boys that love history as much as my boys do. I am sooooooo glad God knows better than me!

Rankin Ranch

2010-10-17T19:16:00.000-07:00

We spent the day at the Rankin "Ranch". (Dan lovingly named it "the Ranch" instead of the "land"). We loaded the deer feeder, killed the hundreds of wasps in the deer blind, rode the four wheeler and shot at targets and birds. Came home tired and ready for some yummy

2 Alarm chili Frito pie! We took these pictures in the cotton fields next to our Ranch. All three of my boys are counting down the days, minutes and seconds until Oct. 30th when they get to go deer hunting!

Tennis!

2010-10-09T11:29:00.001-07:00

Zach had his first tennis tournament today. Here he is ready to leave the house, nice and early!
It was a doubles tournament. His partner, was Andrew.

They had to play 8 matches per game.

One game was a tie, 8 to 8. So they had to play a tie breaker. It was very long and stressful, but they pulled it off and won!!

(bottom) Here is Andrew getting ready to hit the ball. They had to play 5 games with 8 matches each game. (I hope I am getting this tennis lingo right....I'm learning tennis too!!)They came out with a 2nd place win for their division. There were 5 Jr. highs participating. Congratulations Zach!! We are sooooooo proud of you!! Keep up the good work!! ♥

Somebody's 13!!!!!

2010-10-07T16:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, We have a teenager in our house!!! Happy Birthday Zach!!
Okay, maybe the cake is kinda kiddish, but it sure it FUN! And teenagers like to have fun!!

Little brothers like to have fun too!!!

Dan and I can hardly believe Zach is a teenager. It definitely hit me. Whew....but it's such a joy to see Zach grow up and see his interests develop! We can't wait to see what God has in store for his future!! It looks very bright!! ♥

We also had the pleasure of experiencing Zach's first choir concert this week. It's a 7th grade boys choir. They did fabulous!!! Dan and I were so proud!!

As I've said all along...Zach, you are such a treasure. Thank you God for Zachary!!!!!! ♥♥♥

First Day of School ~ Aug 23rd 2010

2010-09-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

Here goes Drew into his 5th grade year! He really wasn't a bit nervous!
This is the first year that the boys will go to different schools. Here is Zach in his uniform ready for his first day of Jr. high. He was nervous...

After two weeks of school, both boys are doing great. Drew never batted an eye about school.

Zach's nervousness has calmed and he is really enjoying Jr. High. His school starts at 8:30 so he can sleep a little later, which he loves! And since we live right across the street from the Jr. high, he walks to and from school. (I love that part!!!)

God is soooooo good!!!

2010-08-20T17:01:00.000-07:00

Lately, dog toys can be found all over our house!! and it seems there are many dogs in my house too!! Dogs, dogs, everywhere!!!

However, last week the boys (and Drew's dog) went to stay with their Grammy and Uncle Mike in Arizona. It was a really nice break for me and Dan, I won't lie!! Every time Dan and I get some days alone, it takes me back to the days when we were first married and it was just the two of us. Those days were sweet and easy. So we really enjoy each "break" we get. We didn't do anything spectacular while the kids were gone, we just hung out together and enjoyed each other's company. At the end of the week, Dan brought these home to me. Sooooo sweet.

And at the end of the week, along with a lot of new games, toys and clothes, Saturn wasn't left out; he got this new shirt. Thanks Grammy!!! ♥

Whats New...

2010-08-08T10:12:00.000-07:00

First and foremost, my "baby" turned eleven on July 22nd! Happy 11th birthday Drew!! He finally got a "ripstick" and he loves it!! It didn't take him very long to learn to ride either!

He got a lot of birthday money, and had been saving to buy the new X-Box, but then decided he would rather buy himself a dog. One that loved him. You see, we have Goldy, our big lab. She loves Drew, but she is outside. We have Pluto, our small Chi, but he doesn't like Drew much at all. In fact he growls at him most all the time. This is sad, because Drew loves dogs. He always has. So, being the nice parents that we are, (ha ha) we let Drew pick a dog from the pound. He found this cute and sweet Terrier mix and Drew now calls him his own. (he named him Saturn Grover Rankin) (that dogs reminds us of Grover from Sesame Street!)

A boy and his dog and their many adventures.... it really is so sweet. ♥

Another "new" thing is my big cross. When mom was here a while back, we were window shopping and came across these huge, beautiful crosses. They were priced at $199 or higher. Mom encouraged me to "Make my own"; the only problem was to find a do it yourself cross. Well, guess what? I found the exact cross, ready to "do it yourself" for only $20!! Here it is at the beginning stages....

And here it is on the wall...I love that silly thang. ha! ☺Thanks mom, for your good ideas!! This cross cost about $35 and is almost like what we saw for $199 or higher!!

I've also been working on the outside of the house. Here are some before pics...This is what the house looked like when we bought it...(Notice the hedges)

This is the house last summer....(without the hedges)

And this is the house after. I painted the shutters and door black and really like the new look.

Thankfully, we also f-i-n-a-l-l-y got a new sectional for the living room! It is soooo comfy and looks much better than our old stuff.
So that's what's new.

Wait...who's couch is it?? (wink*)

Vacation 2010 ~ Fun Valley, CO

2010-08-02T22:02:00.000-07:00

This year we finally made it back to Colorado to camp at Fun Valley! Dan's parents caravaned up there with us! The boys got to ride in luxury in their motorhome therefore, Dan and I rode in luxury too. ha!!

It's a looooong 12 hour drive, so it's exciting to finally pull into Fun Valley campground~

We visited the Great Sand Dunes. We had been there when Drew was, maybe three. He didn't remember it, so I'm glad we went again!

It is sooo pretty there! We picked a cool day to visit, which is good on all that sand!

Once we got to Fun Valley, we took off on our bikes~This trail was alittle scary with the edge right on the water!!

Awwww, a little duck family! these baby ducks were soooo cute!!

We did a lot of this too!! They even caught a few!

Fun Valley makes brothers love each other!!! Awwww!

We played games at night with Dan's parents! Zach loves games, so he was in heaven!!!

Good night!

Good night Pluto! ☺

We took the four wheeler and went exploring! Dan and his dad seemed to have covered almost every inch of the South Fork area already!!

We four-wheeled and hiked to this spot~ It was beautiful!

Dan being extra adventurous!!!!!!

We also played in the creek. Or at least the boys did. I was the on location photographer! ha!

That rapid was fun!!!

My three boys♥

When ya gotta go, ya gotta go!! ☺

Continental Divide

We stopped at this waterfall and the boys went exploring!

And even went behind it~

here I am on one of our trail rides~ It started raining on us, so I have a rain poncho on!

My handsome guys!

One rainy afternoon, we visited Creed, CO and went on tour about their old mines there.

It was interesting and the boys really enjoyed it!

We went up the hill and looked at some real old mines! So beautiful and interesting!

Back at camp we golfed, paddle boated, ate and shopped! We loved going to the Lodge and checking our WiFi and playing our "Words with Friends" games!

Oh, Fun Valley, you are so fun! You never fail to make our vacation fun and restful! We can't wait until our next visit to see you!!

How to beat summer boredom ~ GeoCaching

2010-07-20T07:16:00.001-07:00

"Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers (us) equipped with a GPS device. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experience online..."

Just follow the arrow <--------------

Found it!!!

Sometimes it is a hike to find one!

Looking for another one ---------------->

I found it!!!

This one was so tiny! All we did was sign our names to the log!!

Our last one....at a fish store...(and I thought this was going to be a FREE adventure)

Glad I didn't have to look for it in there!!!

Found it!!!

What's inside???

A big Slurpee was very much deserved after this hot adventure!!

and so was a little couch time....

(p.s. please excuse our summer hair....this was one of those no make-up, no hair combing days!) ;)

How many Baptists does it take to fill up a water slide? [HQ]

2010-07-20T06:52:00.000-07:00

How many Baptists does it take to fill up a water slide? [HQ]

click on the link to see!!!

We had a church family picnic the other night at the water park. The boys had a blast swimming and we had a blast visiting!!

4th of July Favorites

2010-07-13T23:13:00.000-07:00

This 4th, we joined Dan's family at Tia's lakehouse for some 4th of July fun! The weather was overcast and much cooler (most of the time). But not cool enough to keep up inside! We had a great time! Thanks Tia and Eddy for sharing the fun with us!! We had a blast!
Drew had a pull-pop firework! Silly kid!!! But I love him!!! ♥

We all got some good relaxing in!! I just caught Grandmommy at it! The furniture there is sooo pretty and comfy!!!

Here is Tia with her babies this trip! Both her girls were out f town! Actually, Abby was out of the country in Africa on a Mission Trip!! Lindsey was in St. Louis! We missed them!!

Pluto had a great time at the lake! It was so cute seeing him with his cousins, Zowie and Ellie! (above) Although he did fall in the lake at one point!!!

Dan took him out for a canoe ride! (Can you spot him in the canoe? His little head is above the AD on the writing on the canoe!!) SO CUTE!!!

Fun colored smoke bombs!!

A "wild" ride, literally, on the golf cart!! We love riding that thing around the neighborhood!! We usually pass a few other ones on the roads too!!

Lots of fun happens on this patio! Conversations, games, eating!!!

I love my Ninja Zach! ♥

Granddaddy on the boat waiting for the fireworks!!

Zach and Drew decided to wait, IN the water!!

Pluto had a comfy spot on the boat waiting for fireworks!!! ♥

It was sooooo pretty out on the lake at night with all the other boats!! I took my sweatshirt incase I got cold (which didn't happen)...

And the favorite time of the night, shooting our fireworks!! This particular one was HUGE!!!

The night ended with cool sparkler designs!!

There was a lot of fishing going on this 4th of July weekend too! Some fish were caught, but the neatest catch was when Eddy caught his American Flag that had blown off his dock a year earlier. We thought it was pretty special to find it again on the 4th!
God Bless America!!!!!

Things that make me smile! ☺

2010-06-25T12:53:00.001-07:00

cute smiles...

...fast boats and jumping in the lake...

...naps after a fun day in the sun...

...yummy, fun cakes...

...good friends....and

messy, sticky sucker faces!

Happy Summer!!!

How to Make a Cord Cover

2010-06-12T12:48:00.000-07:00

First cut yourself a strip of material. The longer the better!! Even when you think it's too long, it's probably not!
Fold it wrong side out.
Hem your short edges...

Sew your strip together. Leave your opening wide enough for your plug to fit through!

Once you sew your strip together, trim your edge!

Now start turning it right~side out!

Slip your cord into the cover ...

And wa~la!! Your cord looks so much nicer!! Be sure you bunch it up to make it look gathered! If you need an extra long one, make two and push together!

Have fun making your own and send me a picture of what you do!!!

Paint

2010-06-08T16:25:00.000-07:00

Decorating our house has been s--l--o--w. I am always on the lookout for decorating ideas I can use in our home. Recently, I saw some bathroom cabinets that had been "crackle" painted. I fell in love! ♥

The boys bathroom had new tile and counter tops when we moved in but everything was WHITE! The sink, the counter, the vanity. BORING!! But look at it now!! Anything but boring!?

I just used the shower curtain I had and went with the red and brown theme.
I am a little concerned about what will happen when I change the shower curtain. #!@#!*!

(you might see decorating ideas that I've gotten from you too!! Lar and Julie!! Thanks!)

illusions® Faux Finish Crackle Medium from Sherwin Williams (no, I'm not getting paid for this!!! ha!)
Formulated to cause latex topcoats to crackle, providing a textured finish that mimics antique or aged looks
Can be easily applied over any painted, primed or sealed surface
Transforms new furniture and fixtures into instant heirlooms
A fresh take on antique style!

The Lazy Days of Summer

2010-06-08T11:24:00.000-07:00

The lazy days of summer are HERE!!

Some of us are excited! And others, well, whatever!!

We finally got the pool opened this weekend! Just in time with our 109 temps!!

Yes, lazy days are here...

with lots of time for luvin' on each other!

And lots of time to play with the Ipad and Ipod the boys got from Grammy when they finished school! Thanks Grammy!

I've even had time to create some fun things for the house! When mom was here for Zach's graduation, we went to a really fun and ritzy home interior store and saw these cord covers to make your lamp cords look fancy! Mom suggested I make my own since they were outrageously priced!! I was soooo happy mom suggested it because they are very easy and fun to make! Plus they add a touch of elegance to your home! I am hunting down every cord in my house to redo! ha
Hope your first days of summer have been good ones!

LoOnS iN JuNE!!

2010-06-04T12:46:00.000-07:00

How crazy does this look??? We took a day and went to Dan's family land to kick around, and of course one of the favorite things to do when we go is the boys get to drive!! Zach does really good, but I'm so glad he has a patient dad to help him learn!!
Our Sunday School class is having three get togethers in June at our leaders house this summer. They are calling it "Loon in June!" For the first one they rented some large trikes and we all got to ride and race!

Drew patiently waiting his turn...

This picture cracks me up of Dan but he's in the lead!!! He won a $25 dollar gift certificate too!! Yay Dan!

I was sooooo nervous for my race! But it was soooo fun! I came in a close 2nd! I have never pedalled so fast in my life!!

We are thankful for our friends and these fun times together! Can't wait for the next one!!

(Drew was swimming at this point!! and Zach has some crazy bottle pop in his mouth!!)

Graduation 2010

2010-05-30T09:22:00.000-07:00

Reagan Magnet Elementary 6th grade graduation!

Zach as he walked in! Each student walked in alone and very slowly! There were 88 students! While it did take a while for them all to come in, it was very nice!!
The graduates waiting for everyone to get in!
Receiving his award for Citizenship!

Receiving his diploma!!

Proud dad!

Thanks for coming to see Zach graduate Grammy!! ♥

Grandmommy and Grandaddy proud of their 6th grade graduate!

Our Reagan Magnet Elementary graduate!!

We are so proud of you Zach!!

We wore our Reagan Blue!! ☺

Zach and Tia!!! Big conversations as we go to lunch!!♥

THE LAST TIME I TAKE ZACH TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. Last day of school, May 28, 2010. Zach, I am so thankful for all our memories of going to school each morning. I love you so much. ♥

Abby's high school graduation!!!! Seeing her in her cap and gown really made reality hit.

Congratulations Abby!! Keep shining brightly!!! ♥

Whew! What a "stressful" week. Lots of emotions going on this week! But we all made it!

Now to the future!! Good times ahead!!!! ---------------->

Bronchitis in Dogs

2010-05-24T12:26:00.000-07:00

Here is our sweet yellow lab, Goldy, with our sweet friend Mariah.
It is easy to see the love between these two girls! ♥

This weekend our sweet lab got really sick! We have all been so worried about her!!! I really thought it was the end for her...thankfully, after a trip to the Vet, that is not the case! whew! She has bronchitis!!! So after three or four shots of anti~inflammatory, antibiotics and a prescription of narcotics, she is home resting well and not coughing or having trouble breathing. Poor girl!! Here is some info. on bronchitis in dogs! Who knew!?!!

The Telltale Cough
Constant coughing is the most recognizable symptom of canine bronchitis. The cough will usually get worse when you take your dog for a walk or if she does any energetic playing, and it may be worse at some times of day than others. Sometimes dogs will become so short of breath that you can actually see a bluish tinge to their tongue and gums, though if your dog is a Chow or Chow mix, this blue tinge is likely permanent. Dogs with very severe cases of bronchitis may become so worn out by coughing that it causes them to faint.
Difficulty with Breathing
A dog with bronchitis will often be short of breath and may gasp or wheeze as he struggles to get enough air. He may also breathe very rapid, shallow breaths, a symptom known as tachypnea.
Retching and Gagging
Bronchitis breathing difficulties can also cause dogs to retch and gag. It may sound as if your dog is actually going to vomit, but she is just trying to clear the mucus from her throat.
Loss of Appetite
Dogs with bronchitis often experience a marked decrease in appetite and may lose a significant amount of weight. As sudden weight loss can be symptomatic of any number of serious conditions, however, it is important to have your dog thoroughly examined by your vet to rule out other possible causes.
General Lethargy
Lethargy is another symptom than can result from almost anything that ails your dog. If he is exhibiting other symptoms of bronchitis, particularly the chronic cough, the lethargy may well be due to the constant struggle to breathe, but it is still important to have a complete veterinary exam to eliminate other possibilities. Coughing may also be symptomatic of heartworm, and if that is the diagnosis, you dog will need treatment right away as heartworm, unlike bronchitis, is often fatal.

Track and Field Day 2010

2010-05-23T19:46:00.001-07:00

Friday the boys had their annual Track and Field day at school. It was a lot of fun watching them participate in the events. They each did a relay race (4x100) and they each ran hurdles and did a great job doing it! Here is Drew with his 3rd place ribbon for hurdles! Great job Drew!
Each boy also did a field event. Here is Zach doing the long jump! I love this action shot!

Here is Zach with is ribbon from his hurdle event! Great job Zach!!

Drew's field event was the Shot Put. I ♥ this action shot of him throwing it!

Now he gets to measure it...

He was really proud of his 6th place ribbon! :) Hey, you can't win them all, I guess!!

(below)

Zach and his twin friends, Blake and Heath...can YOU tell them apart? It's hard to do sometimes!!! We were happy to have Grandmommy and Granddaddy come watch the boys!! Thanks so much for coming!!! ♥

Me and my 6th grade All~Star at his LAST track and field day! (Sad face!)

Drew's whole class showing off their ribbons! What cute kids!!

Zach got to help with the kindergarten-2nd grade track events. It was quite a learning experience for him, being surrounded with a bunch of noisy, not listening little kids. He had a great time helping out though! It was a great ending for him, since this is his last year at elementary school. We are thankful for a fun school and the boys learning track and field at this young age. (I was in Jr. High before I ever participated in it...)

Thanks for stopping by! The last week of school is now upon us!!!

Family, Football and homeade Tortillas!

2010-05-14T15:45:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, after 2 and a half years of not seeing each other, my dad and his wife came to Odessa for a visit!

We had a very good time catching up with our lives. My dad and his wife are both substitute teachers so we have a lot in common!! On Saturday night, we went to San Angelo to see Dan's arena football game and had dinner with Dad's cousins beforehand. It was great to visit with family in my area!

After dinner we went to watch Dan "white hat" the game!

The referee's biggest fans! Dad thought it was pretty exciting watching Dan as the referee! And I have to agree!

Dan did a great job and looked so handsome out on the field!! ♥ (he's got the "white hat" on!!)

Hmmm...I wonder if these two are really talking about some calls...???

On Sunday Dan asked Dad's wife to make us homemade tortillas. And she was glad to do it!!

Zach got a turn at rolling them out!! Way to go Zach!

They were extra yummy!!

Dad enjoyed seeing the boys. We still don't think he realizes how old they really are after his comment about the boys still needing car seats...whatever dad!!!

Since Hogla was making the tortillas, we asked dad to make my favorite spanish rice too. So they both made us dinner. It was soooooo yummy and a great way to spend my mother's day!

Before they left, Dad thanked Dan for being a good provider, husband and father. It was probably the nicest thing he could have ever said. ♥ I seriously don't think either of us will go two and a half years before we see each other again. It was a good visit. ☺

To God be the Glory!

Strawberries

2010-05-14T15:39:00.001-07:00

We have some cute little strawberries growing! I haven't figured out how to get them BIGGER than what you see ...but even with their pint size, they are full of sweet tart flavor!

No tomatoes yet, but hopefully soon!!!

BOwLiNG FuN!!!

2010-04-16T22:56:00.000-07:00

Tonight we went bowling with some of our favorite friends!!
Spencer and Cary! Luv these two!!

Yikes Spencer!! You scare me!!

Me and Kara!

Kara's hubby, Scott.

And Dan with his great form! I think he had a spare! We usually go bowling with the kids, and are use to having bumpers up; tonight we didn't use bumpers and I bowled pretty well without them! Whew~

♥Yoli

Bible Drill 2010

2010-04-12T06:17:00.001-07:00

When we joined First Baptist, one thing I was really thrilled about was that they had Bible Drill. So this past year has been a busy one practicing and learning the Bible! Both boys were in it, and it really was so exciting watching them in each of the drills they participated in. They have learned soooo much and we are so proud of them!
This past weekend was the State Drill! We were thrilled that Zach made it to State his first year! Way to Go Zach!! We were happy Dan's parents were able to join us watching Zach drill. He did great!

We ran into Dan's 3rd cousin, Scott! Scott lives in Denver City, TX (about 90 miles from Odessa) and his daughter was in the drill too!! It is always nice to see family!!

Dan really worked hard with Zach helping him memorize his references to the right verse! Way to go Dad! I ♥ U!

Here is Zach in the line up!

(below) all the 6th graders!! What a great looking bunch of kids!!! ♥

Zach and his buddies! It was hard getting Zach to give me a good smile...

Here is the whole group! This was the largest Bible Drill group! 26 kids!! The lady in the middle is our Children's Director, Dena! She is great!

After the drill, the kids went to the Main Event for a couple of hours of fun to celebrate their hard work!! Zach and Drew have been dying to go there!!!

They even had us featured on their Events marquee!!

I think Drew's picture sums up how the weekend was!!

♥

We serve a Risen Savior!

2010-04-04T20:12:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, the food looks good, but the family looked better! Wish I had gotten a pic. of them too! Oh well...
I did get a picture of these pretty girls!!

We had a very blessed Easter. Hope you did too!

He is not here; He has risen, just like he said. Matthew 28:6

Spring!

2010-04-01T16:38:00.001-07:00

This year, I finally got the boys and I something to grow!!! We got this "Topsy Turvy" tomato plant holder (to keep them away from the dog) and are growing a tomato plant!!
You sure need a lot of stuff for one little plant! ha ha!!
I thought I'd throw in my polka-dotted toes that look spring~y!!

I have always wanted a strawberry plant, so the boys can just go pick one whenever they want! I hope we can keep this growing and healthy!!

And when this big fern turned brown during the winter, I didn't know if it would grow back! To my delight, it is!! I have always wanted to have a "green" thumb. We'll see if I can grow tomatoes and strawberries!

Happy Spring!!

But he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. Proverbs 11:18

Spring Break!!!

2010-03-20T10:57:00.001-07:00

Our church has an annual Family Ski Trip during spring break. Being new to the church and having some encouragement from some friends that were going, we decided to go too! We went to Crested Butte CO. We took a charter bus with 64 other people up there! 14 hours!!! Talk about a long trip! (I actually learned to ski at Crested Butte back in 1994! Dan and I took a trip up there to SKI FREE! It was great getting to go back!! God is Good!!)

The boys took a one day snowboarding lesson to refresh their memory and the next two days we skied together as a family.
There was alot of this...

and a lot of this...Zach is a great snowboarder!

While the boys were in ski lessons, Dan took the opportunity to ski with some of the men and do some extreme skiing. They had a blast!!! Here is Dan with Spencer, our friend and Sunday School teacher.

Here is Spencer and part of his family. Their son Conner loved hanging with the boys and they have an adopted daughter from China who is 3 and she stayed home with her Granny. She still takes naps and didn't want to come! We all fell in love with Sierra, pictured below.

While Dan skied with the men, I skied with Cary. We had a blast!! It was definitely 'Spring' skiing. We didn't need our heavy coats! It was HOT out there. We even saw a guy sunbathing at one of the lodges! Okay, maybe that was a little extreme... ha ha

There were dogs inside a lot of the shops! And of course Drew pet everyone of them. ♥

Drew really took to snowboarding. He had no fear and wanted to go everywhere! Dan took him out and they did some exploring! Drew is looking good!!!

Dan found some paths through the trees that were made for kids. They were cut alittle wider.

Go Drew!

Boys and video games made the bus trip complete! ha

Sadly, the trip had to come to an end. Here we are packing up the bus to head home.

We had a great time and thank God for new friendships for all of us and great memories!

Thanks for stopping by to see some pictures. I hope you had a great Spring break too!!

Home Made Game!!!

2010-03-04T19:13:00.000-08:00

Zach had a science project to make a board game. He and Dan worked so hard on this together! They did such a good job working together that I didn't even know what was up! Way to go Dad!!
Here they are playing Zach's game "Journey to the Center of the Earth". They decided to play it to see if it actually worked! What a well constructed game board! Cards and all!!

(below) The question reads: "Reagan 6th Graders are the coolest" True or False

The winner!! Go Zach!

Ryon and her cousins ♥

2010-03-04T15:37:00.001-08:00

Ryon was so sweet today. She smiled at Zach so big!! She smiled at Drew too! We laid her on the couch and watched her exercise! She was a wiggly thang!
Such handsome cousins ♥ Look at her chubby cheeks!!

Drew ♥ Ellie - she is such a pretty puppy!!!

Zach looks soo grown up in this picture!!

Photo session over! Ryon's had enough! ☺

Happy Birthday Tia!

Girls Night Out!!

2010-02-28T13:04:00.000-08:00

Every month our SS has a fellowship. We've played BUNCO, gone to parades, and remember our scavenger hunt? Well, this month was for the ladies only! Our SS teachers wife, Cary Dobbs, hosted it at her fabulous house.

The theme was soups and salads, so everyone brought their favorite. We had white chili, enchilada soup, potato soup, fruit salad, tossed salad, roman noodle slaw...I took avocado salad that Zach helped me make!! It went perfect with some of soups!
There was 12 of us there. Here are a few of the lovely faces.
After dinner, some of us watched a movie, No Reservations, and some talked. Here are a few that are left after the movie. I chose to watch the movie. It was okay, but nice to sit in a comfy chair for a while!

We all had a great time getting to know one another better, laughing and eating!!

The girl sitting next to me snuck one or two pics, but no one else did! I guess none of these ladies are bloggers!!! ha!

Snow Day!!

2010-02-23T10:43:00.001-08:00

Snow was predicted for our area and it actually came!!! Yes!! Snow daze are the best!!

Dt. Dr. Pepper break!!

I ♥ Drew's snowman!!!

And what's a snow day without some fresh snow ice cream!!! Yummo!

Luvin' every minute of it!!

Greatest Candy invention!!!

2010-02-15T07:46:00.000-08:00

I ♥ Blow Pops! But sometimes they can be inconvenient to eat!! So when I found these little guys I was excited!!! Now I can have one any time!! Great invention!!!

Welcome Home Dad!

2010-02-09T11:26:00.000-08:00

As soon as Dan walks in the door after a long day at work, this is what happens...

Poor dad? or Lucky dad! I say "Lucky dad!"

As soon as I started taking pictures, they got off! ha! The power of the camera!! ☺

Let there be light...

2010-02-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

This weekend Dan put up some recessed lights in our living room. We only had the light of the ceiling fan and two other spotlights in front of the fireplace in the whole room. During the day, the windows give a lot of light, but at night, it was sooooo dark in there. I didn't like it at all.

We have talked about putting recessed lights in since we moved in, and the day finally arrived!

Drew loved "helping"! ☻

There is Drew. He is up in the attic looking into the living room. Sooo cute!

" Hello hand!! " ☻

The finished product is wonderful. Thanks Dan for your hard work! ♥ And a big "thank you" to my brother in law, Eddy for doing the electrical hook-up! He made it look so easy!!

It's amazing how much better the room looks with the lights to help us see. I can't help but think about how I need the Light of Jesus in my life to help me "see" correctly. ♥

An old favorite made new again!

2010-02-03T11:01:00.000-08:00

I came across this recipe from my February issue of Family Fun Magazine (Thanks April!!) ☺
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sushi Rolls! This recipe couldn't have come at a better time too! We were all out of good snacks at home! Oh No! But when the boys came home hungry from school, I knew just what to make them...and believe it or not...they loved them!!! Plus they are fun to eat!!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sushi Rolls-->
Ingredients:
•
2 tablespoons Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
•
2 tablespoons Smucker's® Strawberry Jelly, or any Smucker's® Jam, Jelly or Preserves of your choice
•
2 slices bread
Directions:
1.
REMOVE crusts from bread. With a rolling pin or large soup can, completely flatten bread.
2.
SPREAD 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 1 tablespoon fruit spread on each slice of bread
3.
ROLL each slice into a tight spiral. Cut each spiral into 4 pieces.
Yield: 1 serving (8 pieces)

Baby Ryon Brooke ♥

2010-02-01T15:27:00.001-08:00

It's a baby Coke!! ☺
(Get it? Lindsey and Brady's last name is Coke! I thought that was pretty clever!!)

Zach meets baby Ryon! ♥ He was a little nervous about holding her, but when he did, he held her like a pro!

Look how comfy she looks in Drew's arms. ♥

And look at her pretty grandma!! aka Gigi!! ♥

Momma Lindsey is doing really well. She is a wonderful little momma and daddy loves his girls. They are a sweet, blessed family. ♥

God is soooo Good!!!

Just for Fun!!!!

2010-01-28T14:10:00.000-08:00

We just got a new experiment book from the Scholastic book order from school! Drew has been looking through it finding really fun things to try!
We thought we'd start with this one! Soap Monsters!! All you need is a soap bar and a microwave! Easy!!

Once the soap melts (two minutes in the microwave on high) - find some little things to make faces...or whatever! Here's my try!! Cute!

Now it's Drew's turn to tear it apart and see what he can make!! The different shapes are sooo much fun!

This was a fun experiment to try - especially on a cold, misty day! Now on to HOMEWORK! BOO

2010-01-27T12:23:00.000-08:00

Ryon Brooke Coke

7lbs 3oz

20.5 inches long

1/26/10 8:58 pm

Congratulations Lindsey and Brady!!

Grandpa Eddy, Gigi Tia and Aunt Abby!!!! ♥

Newest Member

2010-01-25T17:40:00.001-08:00

Lindsey and Brady are about to be parents!!! Baby Ryon plans to make her debut tomorrow sometime!!! We can't wait to see that darling little thang and love on her! Lindsey and Brady, we are praying for you during this special time in your lives!!! ♥

Zach's weekend

2010-01-19T06:59:00.001-08:00

It was finally time to celebrate Zach's birthday, the right way!! We can hardly believe Zach is 12 years old!
Make a wish Zach!!!

For Zach's birthday, he wanted to stay at the "Fun Dome" hotel here in town. So we got him the hot tub suite and had his party! We started the fun off with a Silly String war!! The boys luved it!!!

Yes, I know, it was a complete mess!! But it was very easy to clean up!

The hotel pool was heated and went outside/inside!! You swam under it to get to the other side!

There is a golf course too! Lots of fun things to do!

Thanks Lar for the cool party favor ideas! They were a hit!! ;)

There was a lot of laughs, running, hide and seek, food and friends! What a great way to celebrate being 12!!! ♥

Ice

2010-01-10T22:46:00.001-08:00

It has been extra cold here this past week! Brrrrrrr! So cold our pool actually froze! (the top layer anyway!) We woke up to a light snow covering and icy roads on Friday! It was great! ha! Being that we hardly ever get cold weather, I enjoyed it! One day was fun! (*wink)

Dan and Drew took a early morning walk to the park/pond at the end of our street to see if the pond was frozen...and sure enough, it was! Check out the frozen waves in the picture below after you check out my cute Drew doing dangerous stuff! I told Drew I would have never let him do that if I had been there!!!

He was heading out on the limb to get the baseball frozen in the pond.

BOYS!!!!! ☻

Happy New Year!!!

2010-01-03T18:02:00.001-08:00

Tia and Eddy invited us to use their "home away from home" at Lake Brownwood to ring in the New Year! Thanks Tia and Eddy!! The boys got new fishin' pools for Christmas, so they wanted the boys to use them!! ♥ The golf cart ranked #1 in favorite things to do! (once it warmed up a bit!) Zach LOVES to fish. He was up at 7:30 am in 25 degree weather fishing! Too bad he didn't catch anything this time.

Here's a shot from the dock; at night the S lights up, it's very pretty! Drew brought his new "kick" ball so we broke it in playing kickball and dodge ball in the back yard! Fun times for sure!!!

Here's the boys after a good game of kick ball...

Pluto liked the dock too - can you spot him at the top of the stairs?? He went up there all alone!

Pluto be careful!!! But Drew rescued him! ♥

Relaxin'

Dan made us a great steak dinner with vegetables! yummy! Thanks hunny! ♥

Tia, you got Dan and the boys the "right" jacket this Christmas! Almost every man in Brownwood had one! I wanted to try out this famous jacket too! It was sooo warm!

We did stay up to see the New Year in! We even toasted each other with some wonderful bubbly cider! But we didn't get nice pictures like our friends Gavin and Cassidy! (They won the best toast for sure!) Thanks again Tia & Eddy for your generosity to us and sharing your wonderful home! 2010 has started off right! Lots of laughs, love, and God. Church was so good today as our bible study leader and preacher challenged us! Amen!

And to finish the winter break I went to Lindsey's shower! She has such wonderful friends who threw her such a nice shower to celebrate baby Ryon! Here is the onsie and bow we got Ryon. This is in honor of her grandpa Eddy who luvs peanut m&m's! I found this in one of those random magazines that always come in the mail! I can't wait to see Ryon in it!!!

Oh, and if you want a good laugh, watch this video!!! ☺The second video is one of the lakehouse. NOTE: You may get dizzy watching this video! ☺ (Video's courtesy of Drew! Thanks Drew!)

A House Divided

2009-12-26T20:05:00.001-08:00

One day last week, I told my family that even though they were not a fan of UT, that I was and I wanted to wear some of the Longhorn clothes!! So Dan, being the nice guy that he is, got me a beautiful burnt orange sweatshirt for Christmas! What a funny surprise. However pretty it is, I did get a lot of "ugly" comments from the boys today! ha ha!

I still like Tech better, but had to have a taste of being a Longhorn fan too!

♥ Yoli

We wish you a Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-24T04:41:00.001-08:00

We will be celebrating our 15th Christmas together this year! Merry Christmas hunny! ♥
It was so fun shopping for these boys this year! Drew asked for Lego's and Zach, well, he didn't ask for anything!!!

We went out at dusk one night to "Buffalo Wallow" park to take some Christmas pictures. So, that is a buffalo statue with us, (incase you were wondering)...I can't believe how tall the boys are! They are really growing up!

And Merry Christmas to everyone from Dan's family!! We can't wait until baby Ryon gets here in Jan/Feb!!! (a little smile from Zach and Drew was too much to ask!!)
Merry Christmas family and friends! Christ's birth, what a wonderful time of the year!!

♥Yoli

Great weekend!

2009-12-13T19:32:00.000-08:00

This busy weekend is over and finished with smiles!! God is good! Like our very different gingerbread "pineapple"? We ♥ it!!
Lights finally made it on the house!!! And they look great! Thanks Dan, Zach and Drew!! Each boy took full credit for them, but I think I know which "boy" did the most work!! ;)

I got a quick pic. with one of my new good friends Kara!

Here is her daughter, Brianne, as Mary in our churches big production. Brianne was thrilled because she got to hold a real baby!! It was soooo sweet. ♥

And the biggest praise was the boys made it through a long weekend of preforming every night (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) for the program!! At first (Friday) the boys were a little upset about this "program" stuff. But each night, they got ready (in about 5 minutes! I love boys!!!) and went happily and tonight Zach was already talking about being in it next year! ♥ Thanks for your prayers for us! We made it!

I hope your weekend was as bright as mine. Fa La La La La!!!

♥Yoli

2009-12-05T19:48:00.000-08:00

Well, this Friday it happened. Yes, it actually snowed here and school was cancelled!!! The boys had a blast playing in the snow!! Yipee! Here Drew is throwing a snowball at the door! ☺
I thought I would add a few of my favorite ornaments this year. This little ice cream cone was one the boys made years ago at MOPS. Those MOPS kids were so creative!!

I found these "Mom's favorite" ornaments in a magazine last year! It was sooooo funny when the boys opened them...(and I found the big screen TV with "dad" watching football last year after Christmas at Hallmark! Too cute!)

This one says "Youngest Child - Mom's favorite"

I found this nail polish at Hallmark too (after Christmas!) I ♥ those after Christmas prices!!

And Kelly (at Kelly's Korner Blog) taught me how to make my regular ball ornaments dressy! Thanks Kelly!! ha ha!

Tonight we met our Sunday School class out at the Christmas of Lights parade! It was very chilly! The parade was okay, but fellowship and dinner after ward was GREAT! Here is my sweet new friend Kara and her bundled up daughter!

I ♥ these boys!!

♥Yoli

Lots to be Thankful for...

2009-12-01T06:23:00.001-08:00

We are thankful we were able to go to Arizona for Thanksgiving this year. We had a great time!!
Here are a few pictures of our time together!

These are a few of my favorite "toys" from my childhood! Zach has my puppet "Molly" (that got renamed to "Paul") ☺ and I am holding my favorite life size doll "Amy". Mom made it for me when I was in elementary school! ♥
The boys enjoyed playing the Wii together!!!

We made some fun crafts!! And even Dan enjoyed it! Yay!

(above) Yoli's; Drew's; Dan's; Zach's; Grammy's

(above) I am thankful for Dan! ♥ And I am thankful for my brother!!!

I am thankful for my mom! She seems so happy and much healthier in AZ!!!! PTL!

Dan got to carve the turkey!

The dinner table!! Everything was very good!!!

And back in Odessa, it's SNOWING!! Too bad school wasn't cancelled! I had the whole day planned if it was!! I hope it snow's all day!

♥Yoli

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T08:03:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope everyone has a good one!

♥ Yoli

New Moon (The Twilight Saga)

2009-11-23T20:12:00.000-08:00

This movie was sooooo good. It just reminded me how much I love ♥ this series. It is sooooo fun seeing the book brought to life and it looks just like I thought it would in my mind.

While I do love Edward, I can't help but love Jacob more. So, I'm team Jacob.

Tonight as Dan and I were talking after seeing the movie, he reminded me that I have not finished the last book yet....soooooo I don't know what happens to Jacob! Oh My!
Guess it's time to pull the book back out and get caught up.

Again, thanks to my Aunt Loyce, Misty and mom for passing this series onto me!
Oh and did anyone see Stephanie Meyer on Oprah? I loved that interview! It was fun to know just exactly how Twilight came to be! At first it was a dream about vampires, then it became a fantasy she just keep going with! And she didn't tell her husband at first because she just knew he would think she was crazy! Vampires were the farthest thing from her mind! She said she was in the "middle of raising small kids", alittle bored with life and this fantasy was just that...a fantasy!!

Thank God for creative minds!!!
xoxo

Keep your eyes on the Road

2009-11-21T17:07:00.000-08:00

It was a great day to go shoot some targets! Dan let Zach drive on the dirt roads! "Keep your eyes on the road Zach!" (He is not driving in this picture. We were parked!)I was a "typical" mom with her son driving! "Zach slow down!! Eeks! Zach!" Zach said "Sorry mom that I am not an expert at driving!!" I had to smile at that one.
Dan was very calm, kind and patient with him! Thank God for Dad! ☺ Actually, Zach did a great job. This was his first time driving using the gas and breaks. WTG Zach! ♥

Here is Zach with his .22. Even I like shooting with this gun! There is no "kick" and it's really quiet!
"BullsEye!"

My hunky hubby! ♥

And of course, Drew got to drive some too. Zach drove us in and Drew drove us out. They both did great!

Here's a short video of Zach driving!! It looks like Zach is driving fast; he's not. Going about 20 mph!!

♥Yoli