Precious Moments

I was in San Antonio last month and got to spend some precious time with my nephew, Colten, and my niece, Cambry, while their momma went to work for a few hours. We had such fun! Colten really enjoyed dressing up as a cowboy for me and showing me all his cars. Cambry was just a doll and even let me give her a mini pedicure. I was really surprised she was so still..she's such a busy little girl! Since Kalyn and Sheldon weren't able to be with us, it was wonderful for me to spend such precious moments just as Colten and Cambry's aunt. Aunt Chera loves you both so much!! :o)

I love you too sweet boy!

Precious girl!

Cowboy Colten

There you are!

Brotherly and Sisterly love...awwww

Mini pedicure!

Aunt Chera and Cambry

Colten and Aunt Chera

With a quack-quack here, and quack-quack there!

We finally have baby ducklings and boy, are they CUTE!! Ricky is now working on their pen with a little pond inside for them. How fun!! Here are some pics of the cuties...enjoy!

Kalyn and Sheldon with the 5 little ducklings

Swimming

I like this one!

And I like this one!

Aflac?!

Heeelp....tell that boy to put me down!

"Small Town" life is GREAT!!

Ricky, Kalyn, Sheldon, and I came home early from the reunion at the lake because it was so hot and we wanted to be able to join our community in Lexington for the fireworks show. We went once before Ricky and I got engaged...in fact, that was the second time the kids had been with Ricky. I remember it was raining then and we had to stay in the truck for the whole show. The kids really loved having Mimi sit in the backseat with them...and they still do to this day! Anyway, we got home in time to take a quick swim in our pool to cool off before we headed to town to grab some supper before the show. Our favorite restaurant, Granny's, wasn't open so we drove through Herk's to get some burgers...they have some of the BEST I've ever had!! Seriously!! After we chowed down our supper we headed to the park and found a parking spot. I loved the whole atmosphere...people talking with everyone, sitting in lawn chairs or on tailgates, sharing watermelon, etc. There were also activities going on at the playground for the kids...free water balloons and different games. Ricky and I enjoyed visiting with some friends while the kids played at the playground...that's one thing I love about this town...everyone looks after each other! The fireworks display hit off with the national anthem. I got chills seeing everyone sing together and honor our country. The fireworks were amazing...the pictures below don't do any justice. We were glad we made the decision to come home early to enjoy the rest of the 4th in our small town with our friends.

Unbelievable!

Every year on the weekend of the 4th my grandmother's family holds a family reunion at the lake. We often enjoy just being in the water whether it is swimming, boating, kayaking, skiing, or fishing. This year was SO different with the hot weather and drought we have been having. The waterfront was about 200 yards further than usual...it was unbelievable! We had to either walk through the stumps or take my dad's gator to get there. Once we finally got to the water, we discovered it was way too warm and mud was everywhere...it wasn't very pleasant. Of course, the kids liked it anyway! Hopefully next year we will be able to enjoy the water like we have in the past. Regardless of the water and heat situation we enjoyed some family time. The little cousins love any chance they get to play with each other and that makes it all worth it.

This is how far the water is from the lakehouse!

Kalyn heading out to check out the water

Look at all the stumps!

Heading back to the lakehouse

Uncle Caleb loading up the cousins in the gator (Colten, Sheldon, Kalyn, and Meagan)

Of course the boys played with the tractors there again this year!!

Playing some game with Cousin Meagan

Papa O and Granny (my mom's parents)

Carie and Kristi chatting while Cambry entertains herself

Unbelievable! Hopefully the water will be alot closer next year!! (it is normally right beside that dock!!)

LLANO!!!

Kalyn, Sheldon, and I went to Llano last week for a few days. It was a well needed rest for me and the kids really enjoyed being at the ranch getting spoiled by Granden and Oni. There is a neat place on the ranch at one of the creek beds. Of course it is completely dry now and there is a neat tree there which was so much fun for the kids to climb. Granden made a rope swing for them too! Oni and I just sat in the sand and watched them enjoy themselves. I had a little fun with my camera and took pictures of their many attempts on the rope swing and their facial expressions and body language...too precious! Kalyn and Sheldon also took turns driving the gator and rode their bikes on the dirt road...they were so happy to be out there! Thanks mom and dad for a relaxing week and we look forward to the next time we are there!!!

Lil' Bit

Remember our bull? Yes, the LONGHORN we actually have on our place! (Ssssss) He has done his "job" so we are fixin' to sell him and get a different bull in the Spring. We originally bought Lil' Bit because longhorns have a smaller frame and make good calves for first time heifers. Our heifers should calve sometime around Christmas...can't wait!!! Anyway, Ricky took pictures of Lil' Bit to advertise in the paper and the kids got in some of the pictures too. You can see how gentle he really is with children...he's a good one even though he is a longhorn. :o)

Kalyn's First Date

Ricky asked Kalyn out on a date a couple weeks ago. She was so excited about the whole thing! She would talk about what she was going to wear and what they were going to do, etc....it was really cute! Even Ricky was looking forward to their date. When the day finally came, they went to Bastrop for dinner (pizza) then they went to see the movie, "Night at the Museum." They had a great time and Kalyn felt really special. I am so thankful Ricky loves Kalyn enough to set aside special time with just her.

Sheldon was jealous, but he admitted he had fun with his mommy anyway! We got pizza and rented a video game. I hate to confess this, but I actually enjoyed playing Indiana Jones Legos with my son for almost two hours! ;o)

Vacation Bible School 2009

VBS was a great success again this summer at Murray Street church of Christ. The congregation from Pecan Street joined us to increase numbers and it was wonderful! Each classroom was decorated according to different lessons...God Speaks to Moses in a Burning Bush, God Sends Plagues on Egypt, God Spares the Israelites at Passover, Jesus Dies and Comes Back to Life, and The Israelites Cross the Red Sea. Bonnie and I did the last lesson about the Red Sea...it was really fun to act out the story with the kids. Kalyn said her favorite was the plagues and Sheldon's was the Red Sea. The kids are already looking forward to next year!

Singing while kids arrive in the morning

Best buds~Sheldon and Mason

Kalyn's group in Ms. Jenny's class: "God Spares the Israelites at Passover"

I was the most impressed with this room..."Jesus Dies and Comes Back to Life"
Sheldon's group in Ms. Mary's class..."God Sends Plagues on Egypt"

Kalyn and Caleb enjoying their mid-morning snack between rotations

Kalyn, Sheldon, Jenna, and Mason on the last day of VBS

Our "bird farm" in progress...

Ricky has worked hard the last few weeks building pens and coops for all our birds. He has done a fantastic job and we all have enjoyed helping him and learning as we go. The kids really enjoy listening for peeping from the hatcher during the day before Ricky gets home. They help him take the baby chicks, keets, or ducklings out and transport them to the brooders outside. I am the official "temperature checker" throughout the day while Ricky is at work. ;o) Here are some pictures of the work in progress...I'll post another post a little later of the result.

Adding the pens and coops under the new roof
Sheldon and Kalyn checking out the guineas' coop

Roosters for sale! Know someone who needs one??? (They are those little chicks we had back in the Spring!)

More chicks just hatched!!! Little fuzz balls!

Ricky transporting the chicks into a brooder

Notice the thermometer in the back left corner? That's what I check everyday in each brooder...the temp needs to be between 95-100 degrees in each of them. I've had to turn all the lamps off pretty early in the day with this HOT weather we've been having.

Showing the chicks where their water is as they are put into the brooder

Guineas

There are 4 brooders with lamps...pretty cool!