Happy Birthday Grandpa!!!

Happy Birthday Dad! I am so glad that you are on a mission, we sure miss you but I am really glad for the example you are setting for our boys and all the other grand kids. You have been a great Dad and a wonderful Grandpa. I am glad that you made us work even when we hated it and sometimes hated you for making us do stuff. Now as I am trying to teach the kids how to work I am realizing that it takes more effort from the parent to get them to work. One thing you always put first was the Lord. Your pickup always had your scriptures and the Ensign on the front seat. Here are a few things that I have learned from growing up with you as my Dad

1. I can cut the boys hair because of the way you taught me how to use clippers to clip the steers for the fair.
2. I can drive a 26 ft U-Haul through town because you taught me how to drive silage and wheat truck.
3. I can use pesticides and weed killers like no other and I am not scared of using them like most people I know.

I know there are other things but these are the most recently used skilled that are coming to my mind. I sure love you Dad. We all love you here. Thank you for everything and have a Happy Happy Birthday.

Missionary Life in West Virginia

We had so much fun visiting Mom and Dad on their mission. Jennilyn and Cooper were there too.
Chase was so excited when we finally got to pick up Jennilyn and Cooper from the airport. Then we drove a couple hours to get to Mom and Dads.



When we were packing, Evie wanted to bring this jean skirt and a white shirt for "missionarying with Grandma". I laughed so hard because I couldn't believe she thought these would be good missionary clothes! Maybe that is just an internal thing to think these are the clothes you need for missionarying. Anyway as soon as we got to Moms she wanted to put these clothes on and be just like Grandma. Grandma wasn't wearing a jean skirt but she did have on a long skirt and white shirt and Evie wanted to be just like her. Evie really wanted to do missionary work and would ask each day what missionary work we were going to do.


Jake got to go with Dad on an appointment. Then one day Jake and Chase went with Mom and Dad to district meeting.




This is right before we were leaving. Dad is trying not to cry- actually he was really happy it is just the best picture I have.



On this trip I realized that our kids are getting older and they were actually pretty entertaining sometimes. It is getting much easier to take them all places. I am not saying easy, but easier. One of the things I will remember is how much fun Jake and Chase had with Cooper. They really had fun playing with him and getting him excited. Here is a picture when I was waiting in line to check us in at the airport and the kids were sitting here waiting. This is something I never thought I would see even just a year ago, all of them except Nielie sitting there just waiting!


It was such a wonderful time visiting Mom and Dad and meeting their friends back there. I also loved being around them and Jennilyn and Cooper. I am so glad we were able to go. It is so pretty and was so interesting to experience another part of the US.

George Strait

George Strait came and opened up the new Cowboy Stadium. I had seen him in college and thought it would be neat to go but then I thought- Tricia your pretty old, your kids will have games that day, you don't have time and just too much hassle. Well the week before I kinda was getting the urge and when we were in the car I said,"Allie how bout me and you go the George Strait concert next week?" She said "Mom we really should just stay home and spend time together as a family." I responded by telling her that we wouldn't be spending time together because me and Adam had to go to some work function over in Ft Worth and I knew we couldn't go to the concert I just wanted to tease here. The weekend before we had been gone b/c we had to go to a wedding over in Tyler, so it would be 2 weekends with spending time with the kids. Well anyway sure enough we had to leave the baseball game early, Aunt Laura came over to babysit so we could get over to Ft Worth for some work party. All the way there the traffic was crazy b/c of the George Strait concert that also had Reba, Blake Shelton, and Lee Ann Womack. Anyway I was not real excited to go a work party and was getting a little irritated with Adam for going this one way- which seemed to go into all the traffic. I was really getting mad when he stopped to ask a parking attendant for directions until the man asked for tickets and Adam handed him our parking tickets. It wasn't until then I realized that he had gotten us tickets for our Birthdays to go see Mr George! I really was so excited and understood why he told me the theme was Western for the work party and it was in Ft Worth. First of all the stadium was incredible. I didn't know they could make stadiums look that fancy outside the suites. The screen is amazingly huge. They were all great! We there around 5:30 and Lee Ann Womack had just started and the concert wasn't over till 11:30 or so.
George Strait is just so classy. I could have listed to him all night. Adam had actually gotten the tickets back in Feb and kept it a secret that long. He did a great job on this surprise. Allie had actually known and kept it a secret too-
I have say that I was again very glad to be from Texas. I have always loved George Strait since I was probably 1o years old. He sang some great songs, like "If it wasn't for Texas" and they showed all these great places. I really do love it here. When he got on stage he started saying "Jerry open the roof!" and kept chanting it till he opened it. Pretty neat stadium but I would have to say that for me it was the music and Adam's company that made it a fantasic night.

These pictures show all the natural light that comes through and kinda shows how big the screens are. It really doesn't do them justice on just how large the middle screen really is. This is Mr. Blake Shelton.







This Reba singing "Fancy". She changed her clothes and came back and sang this song. She is still so good!

Mothers Days Activities

Chase's class doing a song on Mothers.

Chase receiving his end of year award with his friend David. They received the Skittles award for adding such variety to the class.

Chase getting ready to say his part in the program. One of his best friends Grace is next to him.


Chase's class put on the best Mother's Day Tea. His teacher Mrs. Dwiggins was wonderful! I spent time in her classroom quite often and was always amazed at her great classroom management. Those kids knew exactly what to do, how to do it and when to do it. She spent so much time preparing them for this program or at least it sure looked like it. They each had to draw a picture of their mother and then we had to guess which one we were. Chase had colored my hair with dark roots and yellow ends, how sorry is that ( I really did need to get my hair done). Chase just loved Mrs. Dwiggins and adored her. He was worried about the last day of school and didn't want to cry but he was sure going to miss her.

These girls were all in Chase's class at school, they also happened to have brothers in Jake's grade and were some of Jake's best friends. One of the girls also had a brother in Allie's grade and happened to be one of Allie's best friends. This is at one of Jake's baseball games. Jake played FB with 2 of the brothers and baseball with one of the other boys. I must say that Evie loved these girls too and they were some of her best friends. We love these families!

End of School Days

Before my kids were in school I remember a friend telling me that the last weeks of school and right before Christmas school is crazy and as a parent you are super busy. I really did not believe her but she was so right! Here are just a few of the things.

This is Allie on the last day of school as they were all getting their recognition.


Allie and her teacher- Ms. Meyers


Allie at her 5th grade party



Allie had a Beatnik party where they dressed like a Beatnik, recited poetry for us and were treated like we were in a little cafe. She loved her teacher Mrs. Rolhmeier. She was Jake and Allie's Gate 10 teacher. They both loved her! She really was a very big bright spot in their school year.






The 5th grade also had a "green" fashion show where they had to make something out of a recycleable item. Allie made a bubble skirt out of grocery bags.




Then there was field day. Allie and Jake had field day at the High School track. It seemed almost like Christmas Eve at our house they were so excited. This is note that Jake made for himself and left by the bathroom sink the night before.



Allie and Jake at the end of the day after field day. They both had so much fun. Allie even ran in a boys relay but they took 4th. They did field day with the 3 other elementary schools in Lovejoy. Jake got 1st in 100, 200 and 400 relay. Allie got 1st in the 50 and 100.

Spring Baseball

This spring the boys both played on baseball teams with several of their friends. I have loved it here because they end up playing with so many kids from school that they see everyday. They have overlapped too playing FB, basketball and baseball with the same kids. We are going to miss these great families and boys and coaches.

My boys claim that bats make all the difference. Adam surprised them with composite bats. They took such good care of them to point it was driving me crazy. They wouldn't leave them in garage(too hot and would ruin them) wouldn't use them at the batting cages (need different bats for those) would clean them after each game to get any marks off. This is a picture they took with their old bats. The new ones were able to stay in their room (a controlled temperature) and were actually always leaned against the dresser. This was the killer though, one time I had to go somewhere between games and Jakes bat bag was in the car. He wanted me to take the bat in the store because it would get to hot in the car. I put my foot down and said I am not carrying a bat into a store, it will be okay for 10 minutes. I was actually pretty happy that they were taking such good care of their bats. This is the sad thing though. Chase had a game after one of Jake's games and Jake left his bat bag. We have not gotten it back. It had his nice bat, another bat and his mitt and balls with names on them. We have prayed and even fasted and the bag has not been found or turned in. It has been a good and a hard lesson for all to make sure and not leave anything behind