Happy Birthday, Aunt Reva!

We went out tonight to celebrate Aunt Reva's birthday. Her birthday was actually yesterday, but we had to go to church so we waited until today. As usual, Cheney & Chandler helped open presents. We had a great time & ate too much!!

We love you, Aunt Reva! Thanks for letting us spend time with you!!

Chandler & Cheney with the guest of honor

Travis with his new girlfriend, Marcia. She plays volleyball at SHS.

Aunt Reva didn't want any dessert, but Cheney & Chandler did! Dig in!!

Loose Tooth!!

When Cheney was checking his teeth today-which apparently he does often because he REALLY wants to lose one-he noticed that he has a loose one!! He is very excited about this! His MeMe is not so excited because it means her little boy is growing up. This may be the last time you see this "complete" smile for quite some time. He said that he would be wiggling it!! We will keep you posted!

Decorating the Christmas Tree!

We started decorating our house for Christmas tonight. The kids (mostly Cheney because Chandler just goes along with what Cheney does) decided that we should put up the tree first. Here are some pictures! This is the 1st year that Chandler has been able to participate in actually hanging the ornaments. We only broke 2 & they weren't very sentimental ones. Thank goodness!! Chandler was pretty funny because as soon as she hung an ornament, she would run back to her Daddy & say "MORE." This is definitely going to be a fun Christmas!!

Saying "cheese" for the camera-the 1st time I have heard her say it when I took her picture! There is hope for her yet!!

Look at Cheney's PJs-he has gotten so tall they look like capris

Being sweet-under the tree! Hopefully, Santa was watching because this doesn't happen very often. They had a knock down-drag out about the letters on the frig right before we started decorating.

Why We Live In Texas...

The kids got new cold weather gear this weekend & they just had to wear it to church tonight. It took 15 minutes just to get everyone ready to go. They look really cute, but by the time I made it to the truck-EVERYTHING WAS OFF! Cheney said, "Mom, I just couldn't move around." This is why we live in Texas!!

Uncle Jeff & Aunt Kerry, we might come & visit, but we will be ready to go home!! Your house looks BEAUTIFUL with all the snow...but I like it in pictures only!!

Have a great week & stay warm!!

Happy Birthday Papa Jim!

After church, we met for Papa Jim's birthday dinner. He turned 60 today!

Thanks for letting us share your birthday!

We love you, Papa Jim!

Papa Jim with his 3 grandsons: Karson, Cheney, & Kase.

Sorry, Kase wouldn't look at the camera, he was too busy checking out the big boys. He LOVES being like the big boys!

Chandler & Mariah: they sat at the opposite end of the boys and didn't want to have anything to do with them! Mariah, thanks for entertaining Chandler.

Thanksgiving Day Part III: Visiting the Cloughly Clan

In case you haven't figured it out, we were BUSY today. It was so much fun to see everyone & I wish that we could get together more often. After MaMa & Pop's house, we headed over to Aunt Reva & Uncle Mitch's house. We were going to see the newest stars of the the family: Thatcher & Ashtyn!!!! YIPEE!!!

Thatcher Cade Porter. Drooley Boy!!

Cheney & Chandler love it when Thatcher comes to visit because that means that Rudy comes too! They LOVE Rudy!! Daddy, can we please get a SMALL indoor dog?? Pretty please?? Look at how cute we are??

Ashtyn is getting ready for her 1st Thanksgiving meal. She LOVED Grandma's dressing! Don't we all, Ashtyn?? And it goes straight to our hips!! Be careful!!

Thatcher's favorite was the sweet potatoes! YUM, YUM!!

Cheney & Chandler looking sweet for a minute!

After we ate, this is what happened to most of us!

Cheney & Travis chilling out & watching "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving"

Cheney decided that Bobby's belly was a good place to rest. Poor Bobby!

Chandler teaching Ashtyn how to play with her toy.

Cheney & Chandler learning another family tradition: playing dominoes!

Chandler giving Rudy another hug!

Poor Rudy! Chandler just couldn't get enough of him & he just wants her to GO AWAY!!

So, the Mommies had a great idea! Let's get the kids together & take their picture. This is what I got! Notice someone missing? Ashtyn kept crawling off!! The photo session ended when Thatcher tried to keep Ashtyn in place by holding on to her ears. She didn't like it much! Oh well, maybe another time!!

Thatcher & Ashtyn (and their parents!)-Thanks for visiting us! We LOVE you! Please come back soon!

Thanksgiving Day Part II: Visiting the Stephenson Clan

After we visited with Granny, we headed over to MaMa & Pop Stephenson's house. Cheney was so excited because he knew that Karson would be there. We had a great time visiting with everyone. We had a preview of what Christmas Eve will be like: LOUD!! There were 6 cousins there under the age of 10 plus Konni who was trying to keep track of all of them. They had a great time running around with each other. Isn't it great to have so much family so close by? I love the fact that Cheney & Chandler can grow up with their cousins. Just wait until they are all teenagers! We will have fun & probably be miserable at the same time.

Karson serenaded us with a song about a turkey.

Here are the 6 little ones plus Konni-she is all grown up. Riley did NOT want to be in this picture.

Karson & Cheney always have a great time together. They are 9 months apart in age & they both look so much like their daddies.

Cheney, Karson, & Kase eating Thanksgiving dinner

Stephenson/Mason Grandkids. Aren't they a sweet bunch?

This is what the boys did most of the day!

They were trying to be still for a picture, but it didn't work very good!

We finally gave in & let them go outside. They enjoyed running in MaMa & Pop's yard.

Chandler was being like the boys.

Another picture of the little men!

Thanksgiving Day Part I: Visiting Granny Felscher

Thanksgiving Day started off with a visit to Granny. The kids always love going to her apartment and saying hello to all the other residents there. Today was no exception!

We love Granny so much! We are thankful for all the wonderful things that she has taught each and every one of us! This has been an eventful year for her & we are thankful that she continues to be able to care for herself. She is a very strong woman! Today, she told me that Chandler must have gotten her stubbornness from her Granny!! Thanks for being stubborn, Granny-we love you!!

Happy Thanksgiving from a CUTE Little Indian!!

Chandler had her Thanksgiving Feast yesterday at school. Her teacher, Ms. Kalina, made shirts for them to wear. They looked so cute!

Hope you have a wonderful RELAXING Thanksgiving with your family.

We love you!!

Little Indian Girl

This is her class: Chandler, Victoria, Keegan, & Logan. I am so thankful that she has such a wonderful place to go to school. She loves her teacher & enjoys being with her friends. On most days, she is not ready to go home.

Shed Demo & Garage Construction

If you remember, I posted pictures of the shed demolition a couple of months ago. Well, slowly but surely, Billy is making some progress in the construction of the new garage. He has been working most nights until after 10 pm! When it is finished, it will be pretty cool! Here are some pictures of the progression.

Framing

Completely framed in

Inside Walls-looking from the garage area

Garage Area-looking from the storage area

Standing in the yard looking at the end of the building

Soccer Season Comes To An End

Today was the last game of the 2007 soccer season. Cheney had a great time playing in his first organized sport league. He REALLY wants to play basketball, but he has to be in 1st grade for that. So, he will wait for t-ball. Making new friends was a lot of fun. Hopefully, he will continue to love sports as much as his family does!!

The last time the Monkeys will be together. They just got their medals & were very proud.

Cheney & his assistant coach, Travis. Thanks for helping, Travis!

Grandma? Do you like this picture better? Thanks for coming to Cheney's game today!!

Happy 4th Birthday Terryn!

It is Birthday Party Central at our house right now. Today, we headed off to Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate Terryn's 4th birthday. 4 years old! I remember visiting Terryn in the hospital when she was hours old & giving her parents the nursery enrollment information. Now, she is 4 years old and won't be going to the nursery anymore!! Where does time go?

We had a great time hanging out at CROWDED & LOUD Chuck E. Cheese!

Thanks for inviting us!!

The birthday girl

Chandler & Katie dancing w/ Chuck E. Cheese. Terryn was afraid of him & Chandler was literally pulling her up there. It was hilarious!!

Katie is a CRAZY driver

Chandler, Terryn, & Katie riding w/Barney. Cheney, Deano, Maggie, Bethany, & Kylie were playing the serious games! These girls were just having fun!

Out of tokens...so they had to create their own fun dancing around for the camera.

Happy 81st Birthday Grandma!

We took Grandma out for her birthday tonight. She turned 81 today!

Grandma, we love you!!!

As usual, Uncle Mitch was horsing around with Chandler.

Here is Uncle Mitch teaching Cheney how to shoot spitballs through a straw. THANKS!!

Chandler enjoyed eating crackers under the table! Good grief!

We are definitely at the terrible twos!!