Just Reading

There is nothing better on a summer day than sitting on the back porch & reading!

Outdoor Learning Center Camp 2010

Cheney has gone to the Outdoor Learning Center Camp for the past 3 years. He loves it. For the whole week, he gets to explore, fish, canoe, and learn about our world.

I love these smiles!! These guys were in Cheney's group this year. Connor is from Fredericksburg but is spending some time with his grandparents in Seguin. Reed is in the middle. Cheney & Reed went to preschool together. They are great friends!!

Cheney enjoyed this counselors. Katie is on the left and Amanda is on the right. I taught Amanda. She is great girl!!

Ryan was also one of his counselors. He had fun with the guys!!

Cloughly Great Grandkids

Grandma is proud of her great-grandkids!!

Cheney is 8, Chandler is 4, Ashtyn & Thatcher are 3, and Drew is 8 months old. Aren't they adorable?

They love their Grandma too!!

Summer Showers

Yesterday was the longest day of the year.....and these kids did not want to get out of the pool. MeMe & Pop finally convinced them to get out but they took their shower outside with the water hose. Oh well, at least they were clean!!

Horseback Riding

There are horses in the pasture next to MeMe & Pop's house. Chandler has told us that Grandma bought her one of those horses & that its name is Crystal Grace something or other. It is funny to hear her talk about it.

Anyway, the kids got to ride the horses the other day. THANKS GRANDMA for arranging it!!

I thought Chandler would be scared, but she wasn't a bit!! Now, she wants one of her own. GREAT!!

Cheney enjoyed it.

This horse is very old, but Chandler rode him bareback.

Cheney & Micayla

Cheney & Micayla have been friends since they were born. They always have a good time together. This past week, I got to teach them in VBS. It was so much fun!!

Happy Father's Day!!

We had a great Father's Day!! The whole family went to lunch at Bourbon Street Seafood Kitchen. YUMMY!!

Cheney & Chandler gave their Daddy "The Complete Overhaul" spa package at Hagn House. It includes a massage, facial, hand & foot massage....AND a hamburger & french fries. FUN!!

They love their daddy!!

Chandler helped Pop open his gift certificate for a 70 minute deep tissue massage! We love you Pop!!

Thank you babe for being a fabulous Daddy to our children. We love you!!

Sweet (2nd) Cousins

Chander, Thatcher, & Ashtyn are 2nd cousins. I love the fact that they get to play together--definitely not as much as I would like but more than most families do!! Their laughs are contagious & just too cute!!

Saddle River Ranch Musical

Cheney was asked to play a role in this year's VBS musical. The theme for VBS was Saddle River Ranch. I thought it was great that they asked Cheney but I was a little nervous because he had NEVER taken part in such a big production. He has had a little speaking role here or there, but nothing like this before. Practice was every day for about 2 hours for about 2 weeks--that is a big committment. Once again, he impressed me with his ability. He knew every line & hardly ever missed a cue. I think he has found something else that he loves to do!!

Getting last minute instructions from the music minister about the wireless mic he was using. I think he was impressed that he got to use a mic like that!!

Cheney played a character whose life was changed when he found Jesus. In this scene, Brandon (Cheney) fell down a cliff & got tangled up in tumbleweed.

A cast picture.....Cheney was really hamming it up for the camera!! It was pretty funny!!

Swimming Lessons 2010

Yes, I know my kids can swim. Yes, they still take swimming lessons each year. I want them to learn how to do all the strokes & will encourage them to be a part of a swim team soon. The closest team practices about 20 minutes away so it will be a committment for us, but I will make it if they want to do it. Some of my favorite childhood memories were made when I was part of the swim team in my neighborhood. This year, they took private lessons. They loved it!!

Cheney has a pretty good freestyle, breaststroke, and backstroke. This year, he learned the butterfly. He is doing pretty good with it. I know it was the hardest stroke I ever learned. Also, he learned how to dive in the pool for a race & to do a turn underwater. His teacher thinks he definitely needs to be a part of the swim team!! She is ready to go watch him win!!

Chandler learned the breaststroke (but she calls it the frog stroke) & has a pretty good freestyle. Also, she learned how to dive off the diving board. Her teacher was super-impressed with how well she swims. Her favorite part of swimming lessons? There was slide....she thinks MeMe & Pop need a slide!!

Looking good

She had a ball on the slide!!

Working on the backstroke....he does this pretty well & I am impressed because it was not my favorite.

Working on her dive!!

Saddle River Ranch VBS 2010

I have been teaching Vacation Bible School for the past 13 years. Cheney has always wanted to be in my class....and finally this year, he is!! I have a great group of 13 kiddos this year. The other 3rd grade class has 14 kids in it....that means that there are 27 3rd graders. This is the largest group on the whole VBS! They definitely tire me out, but we are having fun!!

See....aren't they well-behaved, cute kids?

Ok, so this is more like what happens in my class!!

Cheney is enjoying having his mom there....he isn't embarrassed by me YET!!

Chandler is having a blast too!!

Wordless Wednesday

This is wordless because I was speechless....THEY ARE ONLY FOUR!!

Rainy Days

Last week, we had A LOT of rain....I mean so much rain that the river flooded & people in our neighborhood had to evacuate. Once again, we saw how destructive the beautiful river can be, but we are thankful that God protected all our friends & family. Yes, their houses had water & mud in them, but it could have been much worse.

One day, Cheney & Chandler were at MeMe's during a storm so they played with their weaving looms.....it looks like they were concentrating!!

Millionaire Club

I know I am a little behind.....I don't know what is happening to me. I haven't gotten on a schedule at all this summer. I will work on that soon!!

The last day of school was Cheney's awards ceremony. MeMe was able to attend. Cheney was honored as a Millionaire. This means he read 1 Million words this year. Some people have asked how they know he read that many words--they read a book, then take a test online. The books are categorized by difficulty. Each child has an account and statistics are kept all year. It is called Accelerated Reader. The fabulous thing about Cheney being in the Millionaire Club....he was the ONLY 2nd grader to achieve this and there was only one 3rd grader. In fact, the Million Word Club was not even advertised to 2nd graders because they usually don't read that many words.

Because 2nd graders rarely achieve this level of reading, there were no prizes set up. So, a teacher told her husband about what Cheney did and his company bought Cheney a MP3 player and an ITunes gift card. Isn't that cool?? He was so excited and his Mama is very proud!!

Wordless Wednesday

Summer Has Arrived

Before:

After:

I love summer!!

River Time

We love the water! DUH!!

The other night we headed over to the river after work/school. The river was deserted & it was a great relaxing way to end the night. The water was still a little chilly though.

Daddy jumping in with his babies!!

Mommy did join them for a VERY short time.

Pure happiness!!

Sweetness!!

Kody & The Graduation Party

Konni graduated on Friday night & her party was on Saturday. It is hard to believe that she is 18 now. When Billy's sister married her Daddy, she was about Chandler's age. She told us to call her Princess....not Konni. We have watched her grow into a beautiful young woman--and even though she is not our niece by blood we still feel like she belongs to us.

It was fun to hang out with extended family at the party. Chandler made friend with Konni's cousin, Kody. She is adorable.

They danced a little.

And posed for a picture.

This is Daddy with Nanny Gerry & Aunt Stepheny.