Happy Birthday Buck

(Here is the cake I would have made if I made cakes like this, but then again I don't know, because Buck would say something like, "why did they make that deer look like that", "those antlers would never be on that type of buck" Or he would say, "that type of camo is not right for the area we live in, it is too dark" But really he would say, "thanks babe, you did awesome!")

Today is my Buck's birthday. If you don't know to much about him I thought I would share some my favorite things about him.
#1 He is clean, squeaky clean. Not that you would want to...under the most desperate circumstances to eat out of someone's ear, but if you had to you could eat out of his!! He have stock in Q-tips.
#2 He is extremely thoughtful.
#3 He works hard.
#4 He keeps are yard and Pops and Linda's yard looking PERFECT!!!
#5 He is funny, not funnier than me, but funny.
#6 He does things with the girls that make them feel special and teaches them things.
#7 He has nice thick hair, but he shaves it. I love how he looks with a fresh shaved head, and face for that matter. He is fanatical about keeping himself groomed up!
#8 He treats me good, spoils me in fact.
#9 Have I ever mentioned that he brings me flowers?
#10 I am convinced that there isn't ANYTHING he couldn't do.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUCK!!! I, WE, LOVE YOU!!

Old Business

Preesley has had a busy month, she learned to crawl, learned to clap, wave bye-bye and say "papa". I know I enjoyed all my girls at this age, but I think maybe now I appreciate it more. Especially since she is probably our last baby. She is still the most popular gal at our house.

Paige has been dying to go fishing lately, she went last Saturday with Pops and Linda, and is begging every chance she gets to get of school and go. Pops taught her how to tie her own flies so she has really gotten into it. She has also been busy taking the hunter safety course. She will be 10 this year, so she can start putting in for the draw. I have never seen a girl more excited to hunt. She takes the test tonight and if she passes..watch out wild animals! She loves it all, (the boy we never had). She actually loves to do just about anything. In the evenings I have been teaching her how to pass a volleyball. She is getting pretty good, each time we are done practicing says "thanks mom". I think that is so sweet. All kids really want is our time.


Miss Marley has just been buzzing around dabbling into everything. You never saw a kid more happy to be home from school. She comes in drops the backpack, goes up stairs and puts on comfy clothes, comes downstairs flops on the couch and watches tv. Then she starts asking to eat just about anything I will let her, then she sits and snacks, then she is ready to got outside, she loves to play badmitten, then she rides her bike, then she is on the swingset and into the sand box. She does not stop till bedtime. She is just so fun to watch, she really enjoys life. Oh and usually squeezes in some painting and drawing. She wants to be an artist. I have been asking her if the want to be soccer, or dance, and she says nope I want to be in art class! So Pops is going to start doing some things with her when Paige and Ally start soccer.


As for Ally, her days consist of helping me with Preesley, watching cartoons, playing outside on the swingset and going to Preschool. She also seems to squeeze in a weekly play date with one of her friends. She loves to hang out with Brooklyn, Jade and Lydia. Ally is always so willing to help around the house, very rarely does she argue about doing her chores.

It's a GIRL!

Yeap we've done it again. He have added another girl to our family. This girl comes via you local pet store. Somehow, and I do mean somehow!!! The girls talked us into getting a hamster. It all started with Paige earning money and wanting to spend it on a pet, you know a fish or turtle or something. Well, no turtles at the pet store, and I mean why would you want a fish after you see bunnies, puppies, hamsters and macaws!! Paige was not going to buy a fish! Anyway, we ended up with a hamster. And I told Paige I wasn't contributing one red cent to this little endevour!! Ally and Marley kept saying that they would "mix" their money in with Paige's to get everything. (Ally had $1 and Marley had $2) Well they were about $1-$2 short of having all the cash they needed for a cage, food, bedding, and the hamster. So I gathered up some change (literally) from the cup holder in the car, and gave it to them. I couldn't believe they had talked me into this. What happens is that they get Buck on board with stuff first, so if he agrees and I don't, well...then...I just look like a hag! So there you have it, we have a hamster. It's name is Pam, created from an initial of each of the girls names.

Pinch'm..They're Cute

Happy Birthday Dear TRACI....

Happy Birthday to YOU!! If you haven't met my sister Traci, you should. I have looked up to her my whole life, in fact I am still doing it! So I have posted the top 10 reasons why you would want to meet my big sister Traci....here it goes.

#1 She loves my kids just as much or at least dang close to as much as she does her own.
#2 She always had the coolest clothes and hair....still does. She gets prettier every year!
#3 She can cook/bake anything.
#4 She is the best hostest ever.
#5 She is always up for getting a treat..DQ,Sonic, whatever.
#6 She always remembers my birthday.
#7 She always decorates her homes so cute, just the right amount of new, antique,and nostalgic. You instantly feel right at home when you visit.
#8 She likes to shop.
#9 She makes my girls homemade play-dough, they are convinced she has the only recipe in the world. (I'm going to keep it that way)
#10, number 10 already...I"m just getting started.
#11 She loves and appreciates old things.
#12 She is laid back and wants to make others happy, I think Traci of all of us siblings got the perfect mix of mom and dad's characteristics.
#13 She has let me be in charge of canned corn at Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember!
#14 She just plain has it together!
#15 She lets her kids do stuff, pet rats, horses, chickens, cows, cats, dogs, baseball, football, basketball, igloo forts made out of snow, sledding behind a four wheeler on a deer skin, leather crafts and long bows. She allows them to explore their interests even if it isn't hers.
#16 Which brings me to the obvious she and Mark made some awesome kids.
#17 She taught me and Connie how to head bang when were about 8 years old! In case you don't know how to head bang...her instructions were these....pretend you have a pony tail on top of you head, and then pretend you are pulling that pony tail forward with your fist. Got it?
#18 She will stay up late and just visit.
#19 She made me a washer and dryer out of card board boxes so I could play house with them when I was little. I have never forgotten that, I thought that was the coolest thing.
#20 She is the best sister and friend I could ever ask for.

Happy Birthday! Love ya, Tra

Together Again...Forever..........

Look at these two sweethearts. My grandma writes "I was in the eighth grade and Marcel was a Sophmore. He started writing comical little notes just for a joke and putting them in my desk, also all of his scrap paper was stuffed down the ink well in my desk. I would pull it all out of my desk and stuff it in his. We exchanged scrap paper all that school year."..."We started sitting by each other in the shows. I remember he ask me if he could sit by me and I told him he could. However he did not come and sit down until the show was almost half over. He was so bashful. There I had saved a seat for him all that time."
My grandma passed away yesterday, just one week after her sweetheart. To them it must have seemed like an eternity before they could see each other again. This time it was my grandpa saving a seat for her.
I love them and will miss them, but they have left me and family a righteous legacy, and an example for us to pattern our lives.


Dating




Married December 9, 1943 (grandpa's 20th birthday)


(taking their own picture, notice that he is holding the button to the camera in his hand, you can see the cord)

Grandpa

My grandpa passed away last night. Words, especially my words, cannot fully explain the love and respect I have for him. In my eyes he was perfect, everything you would want a grandpa to be. He was a tease, he would always let you sit on his lap, and before he would let you go you had to give him a kiss on the cheek. (that is what I loved about him the most) he loved to slap your hand every time you walked by his chair, he loved to "milk your mouse", he loved to twist your fingers and toes. He was righteous and loving and charitable. He made you feel special, he loved his family. He worked hard, he loved his cabin, and shared it unselfishly with us. Ultimately I think he built if for us, he once asked Marley, he said "Marley, do you know who's cabin this is? She said "yours?", and he said "nope, its everybody's." That cabin has provided his entire family with some of our best memories. I will miss him, but I happy to know where he is.