Yipee Kay Yay Cowboy!

Every year my sister Cheryl does a party after the holidays.
It usually has a theme. Last year was a Luau and this year
was a Cowboys on the trail with the Chuck wagon.

This years party was a great success.
Rewards were given to those who would "Cowboy up"!

Leslie made this skirt just for the party.
Thank you to Cassidy for letting her Mom wear her boots.

Tim was the only one who was wearing an old western six shooter.

Air banjo!

Chuck wagon Menu
Brisket,
Cowboy beans,
Fried taters
Homemade biscuits.
Tim also smoked cheeses as one of the appetizers.

We brought one of our wash tubs to hold the drinks.

Aunt Audry with her husbands over sized Cowboy boots.

My Dad watching the K-State-KU basketball game.

Tim working for a quick draw. (Leslie's Uncle Bill)

Doug's costume was really something. He made a belt buckle that
was about a foot in diameter. Wrapped in foil that read,
World Champion Rodeo,
Paxico, Ks
With nearly a whole box of Kleenex stuffed underneath it, which make
Christy run and hide.

Our plates and cups were tin. Just like they were back then.
Can't wait to see whats in store for us next year.
Thanks for a wonderful time and all you do, Cheryl.

#1 Son

I know he is my only son but in my opinion he is the best anyone could ask for.

He is always full of it and wiling to do what ever needs to be done.

In fact, look closely at this picture, yes, believe it or not he even does dishes.

Dylan decided that he needed a chainsaw for himself because
it killed him to stand and watch as Tim cuts the trees up.

You know, his way is always better.

Dylan and his first tree.
Our log splitter motor quit so Dylan is having to split wood with a maul.
The other evening he came in the house stating the maul broke.
Very disappointed!
So, on our way home from work Friday evening, Tim stopped and
bought him a 16 lb one. Before reaching home Friday, Tim and
I had to stop at the high school to do our
duty of working a concession stand to raise money for
Afterprom. When we got there Tim told Dylan he bought a maul.
Dylan immediately left the school to come home and split wood.
He got up Saturday morning and split more wood.
This time the truck bed was heaping full.
I can't believe how much he loves to use the maul.
This is what I am talking about by 'he can't sit still'.

What ever will we do when he goes off to college?

Dylan got a Wii game for Christmas where you are the pilot of planes
fighting in the WWII battle. He and Tim love to play this game together.
They are wearing crowns made by the girls.

Dylan's love of his life, Heidi.
He and Heidi have an awesome relationship.
In fact, Saturday when Dylan was out splitting wood he left
her in the house and she was so mad she had gotten into then
things just to make him mad. It worked, Heidi spent the rest
of the afternoon in her kennel.

Beginning for another

I had to talk Brooke into playing basketball
but after the first practice she was hooked.
She came home that day and kept asking everyone,
"Will you go shoot hoops with me?" Then later in the evening she
was laying on the couch and tossing the basketball up in the air
and catching it again, and again, and again....

Warming up.
It's good!


Brooke is the tallest girl on the team so she gets to do jump ball.

Brooke has become THAT girl on our team. Several times throughout the game
you can hear the coach say, "Pass it to Brooke".

Tim had to explain to her why when her teammates pass her the ball,
she is immediately surrounded by the opposing team.

Last week, the other team had a girl that was pushing Brooke around
under the goal. Brooke wasn't sure what to do and was getting
really frustrated. After the game she was talking, complaining
about it and Cassidy was telling her that is
her favorite part about basketball.

This week Brooke pushed back and you could tell she was really getting into it.
Now we need to work on her aggressiveness toward the ball.
If Brooke's teammates pass her the ball and the opposing player reaches
for the ball, Brooke will not fight for it. She will let them have
it and immediately run to the other end of the court
to get ready for defense.

These games are fun for the kids but sometimes get really
stressful for the parents.
We feel like we just got done playing ourselves.

But its fun and rewarding watching Brooke's skills and enthusiasm
improve every week.

Ending for one

Cassidy's thought her basketball playing ended after
the "B" team tournament but oh how things changed because the
"A" team tournament was still to come.
Keep in mind, she has been a bench warmer the whole
"A" team season except for about 3 minutes.
The first tournament game was on a Tuesday afternoon
and knowing she was not going to be playing, I had chosen not to go.
Then, I get a phone call at work around 10.
"Mom it's Cassidy, are you coming to my game?
One of the subs is sick and I think I might get to play."
I could hear the excitement but yet nervousness in her voice.
She left me no choice but to go. Well, lets just say
the team didn't play very good so the coach didn't do much subbing.
Then we had a couple snow days, which pushed the whole tournament
to be played on the following Saturday. By doing this it left the
team two girls short.
Now the excitement,
nervousness,
excitement,
nervousness
really set in.
Cassidy did get a lot of playing time in and by the end of the tournament
she was relaxed and enjoying herself.

Warming up before play.

This is the beautiful smile we see on her face on and off the court.

Cassidy loves battles with the opposing teammate.

Not only has basketball come to an end but so has cheering.

This is how much Brooke gets into the games. She wasn't feeling well so we took her pillow and DSi for her to relax. She is laying in between two bleachers.

He came! He came! Santa was here!!!

Merry Christmas indeed

Brooke really loved this jacket, you will see her wearing it in the rest of the pictures.

"Peace out y'all"

Santa must have been watching Cassidy very closely this year.
Though she didn't receive any coal,
she did get a gift wrapped box
containing a gift wrapped box,
containing a gift wrapped box,
containing a gift wrapped box,
containing a gift wrapped note.
The note was tightly taped and folded very small.
In tiny letters in the center of the paper
it instructed her that her gift was still
inside of the very first box, taped to the lid.
It was a lot of fun watching her open this one.

Tearing the box lid apart to find her iTunes card hidden within.

He bought himself a roll around tool chest on Black Friday that was empty.
He was so excited to get this 200 piece set of Craftsman tools.

Caught up in the spirit!

Thanks Montana and Washington!

It's a ritual on Christmas Eve that the kids are allowed to
open gifts from the Montana families and Grandpa Forest.

Thank you very much Grandpa for the cards with money.

The kids were shocked and are very excited to burn through it.
I'll bet more iTunes cards will be coming soon.


The kids couldn't wait to get to these gifts.
Thank you Aunt Melody and Aunt Michaela and their families.

Don't think she's excited do you?
She did nothing but play with her new games the whole week off of school.
Cassidy and Mom even got in on the thrill of these games while
traveling in the vehicle to our next destination.
If you have two DSi's, some games allow
you to connect so you can compete against each other.

The picture says it all!

Wasn't to sure at first, but the shirt quickly grew on her.
She got nothing but complements while wearing it.