What a way to start the year!

First, to get caught up, go here. 

Got it? 

Great. 

Now, here we go again!  We have got to be the luckiest family on earth!  January 2, 2011, 9:00 p.m.  I was sitting at the computer and all of a sudden the lights flickered and then the computer lost power.  I thought I heard something scratching on the window outside, so I went to the front door and locked it.  Robert wasn't home, so I called him and told him to come home and look around outside before he came in because I thought someone was out there.  I picked Tara up and went into my bedroom, where I started smelling fire.  *Insert freakout and uncontrolable shakes here*  I thought it was coming from our air conditioner so I opened the closet it was in but didn't see anything.  I called Robert back again and told him to hurry, because I smelled fire.  I heard the "scratching" again, so decided to go outside myself and check it out.  Instead of someone, I found the corner of my house on fire.  I ran back in to start getting stuff out, but as soon as I walked in the door I stopped, stood there for about 30 seconds and turned around and walked out.  I've done this before, I had my baby on my hip and there is absolutely nothing in that house I had to have.  I called 911 about the time Robert pulled up.  He got the electricity shut off  and went in for his guns and clothes.  Tara wasn't wearing a shirt, so he went back in for some of her clothes too.  I moved my car out of the carport and put the kids in there with the heater running.  About 10 minutes later the highway patrol showed up, we stood there and watched it burn, knowing that any second it was going to really catch and start spreading.  Waiting, waiting, waiting, still no fire trucks, but then we finally see lights.....it's the ambulance.  Um, thanks but no thanks!  I'm going to stop there because we had horrible experiences with the fireman the first time, and this time wasn't looking any better.  Let's just say Robert had a few choice words with them after they finally got there (30 minutes later, in a VERY small town), poked him in the chest, and threatened to have him arrested for being on his own roof!  They finally got the fire out, and by they, I mean Robert's uncle, who isn't even a fireman.  The only damage was to the outside, except for a little water damage in our bedroom.  We are still in the process of getting all the insurance stuff worked out and getting everything fixed, and since we still don't have electricity, we are staying with Robert's mom.  I'm still kicking myself for not taking pictures of the last one, but I can say this, we are very blessed!

 



Besides all that, what we have going on, is pigs.  Only 2 more weeks until the show!

If you pray

I want to thank you because it worked.  God is good!  Long story short, the week before Thanksgiving I found a huge knot on my neck.  I already had an appointment with Dr. T the next week, so I just waited to see him.  Without going into icky details, lots of bloodwork, tests, worries, praying and several weeks have gone by, and I finally found out everything is ok.  I have been prepared to have my thyroid removed, but after talking to Dr. G, we have decided to wait.  Yes, the knot is still there, and some days it is huge, and some days you can't see it at all, but he said we will just watch it an wait for now.

So on to more exciting things! :)  Jesus' birthday came and went.....again.  My kids got way more than they needed.......again.  We had a great time with family.......again. 

Charity and I went on our usually Allen trip, so Tara stayed with Nana and Papa Dale.  I dropped her off at the library with Mom, and she LOVED climbing on all the same stuff I used to climb on!  Of course, the first book she grabbed.....Trucks!  Shocker!

Christmas Eve

It's been around 10 years since Robert and his siblings and their families have had a family picture so I MADE them do it!  This was the only time everyone would be together for at least another year.  We were going to take them outside but it was raining so this was the best we got. It's a pretty impressive group though!  I'm pretty sure it has tripled in size since the last one!  Him and his brother REFUSE to smile, but getting them there was enough for me.  I take what I can get!  This was a surprise for their mom and I just know she will be so happy when we give it to her!

These kids are my whole world.  I love them so much!

The best we could do of all of us.  Like I said, I take what I can get!

These 3 have grown so much in the last year!

Christmas Day

What does the little girl want to play with?  Well, first we had to put on her new tennis shoes, and then it was time for some football!  None of that girly stuff for her!

I'm thinking Kase was pretty happy with everything Santa brought him! :)

Off to Nana's we go, and Tara got her first taste of the famous boiled custard.  I'm pretty sure she liked it, she had a death grip on that glass!

And after 2 glasses, I wouldn't let her have any more......so she cried!

All the kiddos playing bingo for movies.  It's become a Nana Christmas tradition.



*I thought I had posted all of this ealier, but I guess I forgot to publish it!  So now I have more "exciting" news to share, but that will be later today.....



Where have I been???

Well, I've been doing a little lot of this....

Very little of this.....

(This is where he requested to sleep when we spent the night with Uncle Mike and Aunt Charity!  We stuck the tub under his so he wouldn't fall off.)

While the boys have been doing this...

(So glad they made good use of our fence boards, since obviously, the fence will never be finished!)

I've taken several of these.....

And I even snuck in a little family time for Papa Dale's birthday.

And this little girl....

Is now 14 months old, and has FINALLY decided to do a little of this on her own!!!



And lastly, we had Thanksgiving and it was wonderful family time as always.  Yes, I am a HORRIBLE person, I did not take one picture!  What is wrong with me!?!?!  (I can answer that too, but don't really care to share at the moment.  Maybe in a couple of weeks I'll be ready.  And just fyi, NOOOOO I am NOT pregnant again!!!  :)  But if you get a chance, and it's not too much to ask, please say a little prayer for me because we all know how strong the power of prayer is.  Thanks!)  Hope everyone has a blessed week!

Birthday Parties and Awesome Pictures

Last weekend we went to my nephew Mason's birthday party.  He had a campout in the back yard and the kids had a blast, and so did the adults!  :)

The boys getting ready to run

Tara NOT walking!

Her and her new boyfriend having a pre-bedtime drink ;)

Already trying to hold hands

Making smores

When you try to get a good picture of 3 kids, this is what you get.  Koy had to dress like a scarecrow yesterday for school so this was the best I could wanted to do.  Yes I'll admit it, I was a little lazy and didn't do my best, but he still looks pretty cute, I think!

Well as you can see, one was in a "mood".....

One just wouldn't look.....

And one was acting the part.

So that cute picture of all three that I wanted....

Well this was the best that I could do!  Ha!

1 Year Stats

*I just realized I typed all this up and never posted it.  So here it is, just a little late.* 

Yesterday I took Tara to her 1 year appointment.  Her doctor said everything is great and she is a "big girl".  She even put her on a diet.  Ha!  Not actually a diet, but she did say it was probably a good idea to give her 2% milk instead of whole. 

Weight: 24 lbs 2 oz. (90%)
Height: 30 in. (80%)
Head: 18 in. (75%)

She has 11 teeth, still isn't even TRYING to walk, loves taking baths and eating.  She will eat just about anything you put in front of her.  Her favorite word to say it "Byyy" (bite).  Ha!

She went to see her Aunt S for her first taste of Smarties.  She is famous for giving those out to the kids that come to the office.

Waiting patiently

Hmmm, pretty good stuff

The Party...Where do I even begin!?!

The Birthday Girls 

Wow, I have 3 words, WHAT A DAY!!!  Saturday, o rainy, muddy Saturday, the one day my kids wanted to sleep late, and I was up by 6.  At 9:30 I finally woke Tara up.  Me + Mandi + two 1 year olds + a "quick" trip to Abilene for the cake and groceries + pouring down rain = torture great fun!  :)  The only thing that would have made it better was if we had taken all 5 boys too!

  Fast forward about 3 hours - party starts in an hour and a half, 40 minutes to get home, load stuff up, stop at the dollar store and grocery store for everything we forgot, 15 minutes to the party place, now it's 1:45.  Party starts at 2.....WE ARE ON TOP OF THINGS!!!  Now to get "decorating".  Or as much decorating as you can do in a really old barn.  236 pictures to hang from clothespins, yeah, we'll pretend those all got hung up.

 

People started showing up, so enough with the pictures.  The rest of them can go on the table to be looked through if anyone is interested. 

Now for the cakes.  Aren't they lovely?  Yeah, they didn't quite turn out the way they were supposed to, but o well, everyone still ate some!

"What is going on?"

"Sure, we'll take some of that!" 

"Really Mom???"

"Mmmmm"

Look at all those boys, these girls don't have a chance!

She would have eaten the whole thing if I would have let her!



Now for presents.

Now the fun begins.  Remember all those little boys?  Remember all that rain?  Now we have mud!  Fun!!  Yes, we gave up on the cute dresses and trying to keep them clean.

I guess it tastes pretty good too.  Tara wouldn't stop trying to eat it.

Ty and Sam trying out the hula hoops

Nasty, nasty kids!  And we had to let them in our cars to get them home.....Let's just say there were lots of trash bags involved in getting my 4 (including their dad) home!

    Now for a little break to repair Ira's pants...

Guess he called in for reinforcements

And a quick trip up the pole to catch a football.....

And now we have 2 very sleep little girls! 

Kamryn sure does love her Tara!

I'm not sure Tara feels the same way.

This is only a few of them.

Overall it was a great day, but I am so glad it's over!!!  I guess it's not a bad thing to get a little muddy every now and then, but next year, I'd prefer it without the mud and nasty children!