Trip down memory lane

As I was looking through my photobucket account I ran across this picture.



Boy that was a trip down memory lane. How long ago do you think this was?

Big Buck

Brandon finally got this big buck this year during bow season (yes he actually used a bow). He was so happy (as you can see from the picture) and of course he’s getting it mounted. **rolls eyes** I keep asking him if anything has “grown” since he shot him but he just ignores me as he doesn’t find my smart ass comments too amusing.

I think he has hope in taking the mounted deer to the Iowa Deer Classic in March for the “Big Buck Contest”.

Christmas, Christmas, Time for Cheer

Christmas Eve we celebrated our family Christmas with my family and our wonderful friends Val & Phyllis. We had lots of food and presents were plenty. The children (us included) were all spoiled and had a wonderful time!

The grandkids with Val & Phyllis



Top: Phyllis, Val, Brady
Middle: Lily, Ty
Bottom: Shari, Guage, Chase, Mason



Ty was “tooting” his horn



His annual Christmas Ornament from Grandma & Grandpa. They get the kids an ornament every year to symbolize something that happened to them throughout the year. Ty got a pacifier ornament because he loves his binki. Mom tried to get one that wasn’t too real looking so he wouldn’t try to use it but he still did.



Chase got a 4-H ornament with a cow on it which is very fitting since he joined 4-H this year and hopes to show a bottle calf next year.

We had a great time


(Brandon was working so he is not in the family photo)

A Super Star is Born!

Well as many of you probably already know Chase is a “super star” (so he thinks). He was featured in Clinton Anderson’s No Worries Club Winter Journal and he was very excited about it.

Clinton Anderson is a world redound clinician that I started following a few years back. Chase started watching him with me and picked up on the techniques. Everyone thinks he looks like a young Clinton but I’ll let you be the judge of that.

Here he is at a show last year.



And here is Clinton with Chase at the Des Moines Wahl Walkabout Tour last year.



Here is the article. I know it is kind of hard to read because it is so small but if you would like to read it let me know and I will try to send you an e-mailed version of the article.



These pictures might help explain why Chase is standing on Nikki’s back. It is a “signature” move of Clintons. He can usually do this after just a few hours of work with a young horse. These are from the Road to the Horse competition that he won.





So if you see Chase don’t ask for his autograph. He’s already gotten a big head out of the deal! He informed Grandma Candy and Grandma Janet that HE made their horses famous.

Guard Christmas

The boys had a wonderful time at the Guard Christmas. Chase seems to be getting a little “older” so some of the things that would typically be fun weren’t any fun for him because they were meant for “little” kids.

Ty wasn’t sure what to think but when he saw the plane he became speechless! His face looked like this pretty much the entire night.



There weren’t a lot of people there so they didn’t have to wait too long for their presents (I almost missed the photo op because it usually takes longer).



Chase got an Airhog helicopter and Ty got a truck and trailer. Both were very pleased.

Here Comes Santa!

Well it’s that time of year again. Tonight we’ll take the boys to see Santa fly in on an F16. Due to wrestling commitments last year we didn’t go (first year to not go) so this will be Ty’s first Guard Christmas. I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he sees the plane come in and then again when he sits on Santa’s lap.

I doubt too many pictures turn out tonight but if they do I will post them tomorrow.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Saturday we got our first snow of the year. I couldn’t figure out why Ty was being so goofy and then it dawned on me. This was the first time he’d really “seen” snow. Last year he was just a baby and had no clue what it was but this year it was a new and exciting experience for him.

He was even more excited when he realized it was snowing out the front window just like it was the back window. I got a chuckle out of him and his excitement.

Chase was ready to go build a snowman and sled. I told him unfortunately that wasn’t the type of snow he needed for that.

We did get enough for my truck to slide out of the drive and into the road. Luckily my neighbor was nice enough to let me know what happened.

This morning Ty had another 1st! Those of you who have been around him know what a little purse digger he is. If he sees a purse he likes to rifle through it to see what he can find (right Aunt Heather). Well this morning while I was getting ready for work he snuck downstairs without me hearing him (he usually plays in his room) when I heard my cell phone alarm go off (a calendar reminder).

The next thing I know I hear it coming up the stairs. Ty was very sweet and brought it up to me. I was surprised he hadn’t messed with it but he hadn’t. As he handed it to me I noticed something red in his mouth. I thought to myself “oh no, he found a piece of cereal on the floor”. I asked him to spit it out and reluctantly he did. Was it cereal? Nope. It was Stride cinnamon gum.

Can you believe he was chewing cinnamon gum? Chase won’t even chew it because it’s too “spicy” for him.

Needless to say when I got downstairs the insides of my purse were all over the couch. It looked like he had fun.

Going Green

The plant in my office was starting to look like it needed a little TLC so I decided to make a project out of it for Chase and I.

Mom always told me that if I wanted my Devil’s Ivy to be thick I couldn’t let it get long. Well it got very long and scraggly looking. A few weeks ago I cut some starts off of it and decided maybe Chase would like to grow his own plant. I went to Lowe’s to buy some pots and headed home with the supplies.

Here is Chase with my poor plant at the beginning.



This is how long some of the vines were.



Cutting up the vines.



Wow! Look at the difference in the plant.



Ty was helping out too (by staying out of the way)



Putting the starts mom took into one of the pots.



The “finished” products



The blue one has the starts I took, the red one is just pieces of the vine in moist soil (I read they should grow that way) and then the last one was the original plant. I need to buy a new pot to transfer it into.

There are 3 full cups of “starts” on my sink so as they start to get vines Chase and I will transfer them into pots as well.

Trick or Treat

Last night was beggar's night in De Soto and time for the ghost and goblins to go out and play.

Like always last minute mom (that would be me) didn’t get the costumes until the day of. Actually thanks to Aunt Tiffany for Ty’s costume. It fit perfect!

Getting ready to go!







Ty trying to figure out what this is all about with his light stick that Debbie gave him.



Look Mom



The scary Ninja







Come on mom! Let’s go!





The first 15-20 houses Ty just walked up to the people, smiled and then turned to go to the next house. About ½ way through I finally got him to take some candy & put it in his bag. By the time we were almost done he had things figured out and wanted to go again.

Here is his small stash.



And this is what happens when you eat too much candy

This & That

I have some random pictures that I wanted to post.

This is Chase & Ty playing with Ty's new truck/trailer combo that dad bought him.



I sure hope it's not in their stars to be behind bars!



Psycho Kitty! This is a nightly occurance between my dog and cat. The cat (Bang) ususally starts it and the dog (Cy Cy) usually gets the brunt of it.

Clover Buds

Shari & Chase are Clover Buds (young 4-H'ers).

This month at their meeting they started off by feeling inside of a bag. The bag contained items you would use to take care of a specific pet. They were then asked at the end what pet they thought the items in the bag were for.



The bag contained a bowl, a leash, treats and a bone. All of the kids picked a dog and were correct.

Then they colored pictures for their record books.



After that they got to make dirt cups to eat! They all thought that was pretty cool!



Chase is going to try to show a bottle calf next year and I think Shari is going to try to show her bunny.

Fall Party

Grandma Candy & Papa Bob had their annual fall party and the kids had a blast!

They got their faces painted!



Doesn’t Chase looked thrilled?



They rode the hay rack ride!







They ate good food (smoors)



They played games!

Needle in a haystack (Chase was helping Ty)



Who can shell the corn the fastest?



And they got to see good friends!
From L-R
Val, Grandma Candy, Phyllis


A zebra and Cat hide in the grass.

It's Birthday Time

Chase is 8! Can you believe it? Time sure does fly.

Chase was able to celebrate his birthday with his family. Aunt Heather made him a wonderful monster truck cake with a ring of fire just like he wanted.







He received lots of gifts!





And had lots of fun with his cousins.