Youngest

I can't believe how much she is growing up and maturing.

These pictures aren't very good because I took them with my phone this morning. But, good enough to brag and show off.

She is showing off the shirt I made her Monday evening.

I made the mistake of taking the girls to the cloth store with me a while back.
I was there to buy material to make my niece a baby blanket.

Once they realized pattern were on sale, it turned into a shopping spree for them.

We were in the cloth store for over 2 1/2 hours.
They each had a pattern book going through it and picking out patterns of items they wanted made. Little did they know, I had already thought about it and I was going to make them pick
out their own material. I love to sew but picking out material is the worst.
Brooke would pull her pattern from the drawer and walk through the store looking for material.

The next time I would see her, she would be carrying 3 to 4 bolts of material wanting me to help her narrow down her selection. Honestly, it was fun and I would do it again in a heart beat.

Not only did she pick out the pattern and material,

I showed her how to lay the pattern pieces on the material and she cut them out by herself.

I can not express how wonderful it is to teach the girls to sew.

The time we spend together will never be forgotten.

This is the first one I have made for Brooke but there are more to come.

I am dearly loving it! (Mel I compare this to your picture taking)

I have bragged about loving to sew at work so much that I have three projects at home

that I am either hemming or making something for co-workers.

Valentine Surprise

I love this man so much! He always seems to surprises me.

My Valentines day started off really well.

He had a card and a little wrapped box stored in a place he knew I would find them.

On top of that, he sent me a dozen beautiful roses at work.

There is an interesting story to go with this.
Tim has never been in favor of this day.

For some reason, he has spoken more freely about it this year than prior years.

Cassidy has been struggling with it.

She was consistently questioning him about what he was going to do for me (Mom).

On the evening of February 13, she and her Dad were on their way up the stairs for bed, she stopped him and asked, "Are you going to at least get Mom a card?"

Little did she know, he had already taken care of the card and then some.

Tim and I do not see Dylan and Cassidy before we leave for work so I asked Brooke to let Cassidy know that her Dad did get me something.

Cassidy called as soon as Brooke told her and asked if I would take a picture of the bracelet and send it to Dylan's phone so she could see it.

She was just as shocked as I was.

Then she was really shocked when I told her about he flowers.

Family

I have always made this a special day for my family.

I cook a gourmet meal and the adults have wine while the kids have kids wine over candlelight. This year we forgot the candles, darn, but the meal was awesome! It consisted of chicken cordon bleu, twice baked potatoes, salad and chocolate pudding pie. Now I can't take all the credit for this years meal. Each of the kids helped out.

They each got a little something from Mom.

We had a relaxing evening without the TV, just the Wines'.

Thank you Tim for a wonderful Day and thank you kids for helping make the meal a big success.

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!