Christmas in Austin

We had a GREAT time in Austin for Christmas this year! There are 10 grandkids in all--so you can imagine what that's like with all the little ones running around! They're all such good friends--I love it.

Here are all 10 with Mimi and Pawpaw:

Here's Dustin and Dylan with their two newly acquired dalmatians---loving memory of Roxy: (Jodee got a little one too--very cute!)

Here's Jodee and the only other girl cousin, Samantha: they are destined to be friends forever!
And Dustin with his "best buddy" Micah:

These are all pics from my sister in law, but I'll add another of Dylan later!! (after I download mine)

We also did family pics while in Austin, and here are a few good ones:
the whole family:the girls:
the boys:There will be more to come!!!

My baby is 9!!

I know I've already posted about Dustin's birthday, but today is the REAL day! I can't believe it's been nine years since my first baby boy was born....wow. We have been having fun-finally a break from school! Yes, I look forward to the kids being home from school!! We have been to look at some great Christmas lights, went to Chuck E. Cheese, and Dustin is out caroling tonight with a group of kids from our church. I love Christmas time!

Here is Dustin on Wednesday night at church, reading a letter from his pen pal Kenneth (from Africa). He did a great job!Here he is with a good friend after the 3rd grade program...Dustin was a candy cane. Can you tell?

Dustin with a fun present--electronic drum set!In Kingfisher, 16 degrees outside, waiting for the train to see the lights:On the light bridge...one of our favorite things:

Here is what the train looked like...Jodee and momma on the train trying to stay warm!My funny kids wanted to play on the playground when we went to the bridge. Did I mention it was only 16 degrees outside???Josh and me on the bridge....I had to lighten up the pic, but you get the idea!We wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

The annual Santa pic

I love it... the handsome big boy "cool" smile, the crooked glasses on the beautiful girl, and the cheesy lotsa teeth smile on my precious baby! They are so much fun!

I was just relieved to be past the screaming and crying phase like the lady in front of me. Poor woman....but I've been there too! Haven't we all?

Dustin's Birthday (a couple weeks early!)

We had a little get together for Dustin's 9th birthday yesterday--and it was so much fun! He just wanted to play football--we couldn't have had better weather in December--it worked out great! I limited the amount of boys he could invite (sorry to those out there we had to leave out), but he would have prefered to have probably 20 boys over to play. I limited it to 5--so they could play 3 on 3. My cousin came and was our ref and stand in quarterback with Josh. They all had a blast!!

I can't believe my baby is turning 9....where did all of those years go?
Here we are sportin' the football jerseys:





Yes, I actually did a longhorn cake...it was hard not to put a little OU on it!Showing their team pride:This is what Jodee did while Dustin played football:This is what Dylan did: (he's in a big tub! Oh well, he was having fun!)Overall, it was a great little party! Now on to the real bday on the 22nd, and then Christmas....do the presents ever end? Ha!

Catchin' up...

I have not posted in a while..so it's time to play catch up! I prefer to do that with pictures, it takes alot less time than typing it all out!

Here are our 3 precious kiddos at the OC homecoming parade!! It was sunny that day..can you tell? We had fun painting faces at the omniplex: (Dylan is trying to look tough!)

Had some more fun at the park:

Going WAY fast!!

And we laughed so hard at my cousins, brother, and Dustin posing for pictures on Thanksgiving day!!

We have also been playing dress up with Miley, Dustin's dog. Here she is in her new coat:She is way too cute!

After Thanksgiving last week, I walked outside, and my neighbor's yard was COVERED with pumpkins! They had 2 on their roof, one on their car, and a lot of hay bales stacked in front of their front door!! It was so funny! My kids wanted to count them..and we came up with 46 total pumpkins. (That's just in case you were wondering, Marisa!) This picture doesn't do it justice...but they wanted me to take one, so why would I say no to that?
These are some fun days! We have decorated for Christmas, and are almost done with the outside lights. I love it! More pics to come soon.

We miss you, Roxy.

What a sad day yesterday was. We were gone for the day on Sunday--12 hours to be exact. 6:30 am till 6:30 pm...and in that time, our beautiful dalmatian, Roxy, got VERY sick. We took her to the vet Monday morning, and she stayed there for the day and had an IV with fluids, antibiotics, and got lots of tests done on her. She was almost 11 years old, and her condition was not good. When I took the kids to visit her after school, she was not any better, and the vet very nicely told me the details--her kidneys were not functioning, her liver was failing, etc, etc. He said they could try surgery to see if the problem was treatable, but he said he didn't think it would be, and she most likely wouldn't make it through the surgery anyways. Last night at about 6, we decided to have her put to sleep. It was SO sad. Sunday morning she was fine!!! And now, this. Dustin and I took it the hardest. He was so sad. Even this morning, he was still teary eyed. It makes my heart break thinking about how he's feeling...because I feel the same way. I just never want to see my child that sad. It's awful! I had to go pick up her collar today...that was NOT fun. Well, at least she's not sick anymore...poor thing!

Here are some pictures to show you how much she was loved!

This is Roxy being introduced to Poncho, just about 11 years ago.Here's our "family" picture in 1998.Watching Biscuit, the hamster:

Meeting Ruby (a sweet little puppy that we couldn't keep for long, but she was SO cute!)We miss Roxy!

Frontier City --Bob Moore Day

Josh's employee appreciation day was back in early October, and yes, I'm just now posting about it! October is a busy month! But I had to post these pics--they are way too fun and cute to keep to myself--ha!

We had a blast--free lunch, free admission to Frontier City, what else could you ask for?
Here are the kids on the teacups...well, whatever they're called:

And, on the kiddie roller coaster:

Daddy and Jodee on the pirate ship...everyone but Dylan rode on this ride numerous times. Love it!

Dustin and Mommy on the hangman---very fun!!

This is Jodee's scared face because Dustin is in the driver's seat....

And, let me just say, I have some BRAVE kids! Dylan rode the new roller coaster--where your feet hang down--called the Steel Lasso like 4 times, I think!! What?? My 4 year old wll ride a huge roller coaster, but not a ship...hmmmm. The big kids rode ALL of the roller coasters and absolutely loved them! I'm glad they like these kinds of things, it makes it so much fun to go as a family when everyone enjoys it!

FYI...this is a pic of the steel lasso:

Sports, galore!

We have finished baseball season, but gymnastics never ends!! (I'm not complaining, I really love it!)
Here are 2 of my boys...one is trying to look tough and serious, the other is precious and smiling for his momma! He couldn't hold that smile in for long---not with our clown Dustin! I love this picture!And, here's Jodee and one of her coaches at her very first gymnastics meet!!! I am so proud!

Look at that girl on the bars!!! Woohoo, Jodee!!!
I know, I have none of Dylan in this post, but believe me, he'll be involved in sports soon enough!!

One more reason

to love Fall!!! The kids have been having a blast playing in the MILLIONS of leaves in our yard. We even got Miley in on the action:

Yes, she's putting them on Dylan's head, and yes, he's smiling!