Playing With The New Camera

Tyla's Birthday Party "Aloha"

For Tyla's Birthday party this year we decided to have a Luau. The festive leis, tiki torches, flowers everywhere and of course a big bunch of people.

Everything was set. We got the yard ready. Set out the torches, and put in small Chineese palm trees. I made up a mister of 1/4 " plastic tubing draped up in and around the big pecan tree to give some relief from the heat that was expected. It actually felt very tropical already and looked great. (and it still does, by the way) Then that morning, something very unexpected happened. I woke up to find a beautiful, fantastic, most prayed for thing that everyone had been begging for, for months... RAIN! It was so perfect! A steady and gentle down pour. I was just crushed.

I attempted to put the rest of the decorations up but the rain would not stop. Mom and Dad showed up and tried to help but had to make the decision to have most everything inside. Our very good friends and "Party Planners" finally got here. Susan and Shelly started on the cake and Mandy and Mom put out the decorations. Mom put Dad to work on making the ribs and Ronny went to get Tyla's big suprise. Then everyone started showing up. I'm not going to list everyone cause it would take me an hour just to do so; I lost count at about 30 people.

When the rain let up some we all went outside to play one of the many games that we had planned. Actually it was the only one we played, since the rain tossed our other ideas out the window. It was called the Cheeto head game. You get two teams together, put the team leader in a char. Put a shower cap covered with shaving cream on her head then have the other team-mates stand around her and throw Cheetos at her head. When each team is done, you count the cheetos and then the team that has the most on their head is the "Cheeto Head"

That was the biggest mess, but absolutely hillarous!

Time for cake and presents!

After begging for months and even wanting to spend her own money to get one, we gave Tyla her big suprise!

As always we have a great time, and these few pics do not do justice for all that happened. I am going to put all of them on flicker.com and in myspace pics so check it out! Thanks to everyone that made this so great!

Untill next year...

A Lot Going On!

We have a lot going on right now, and it's things that are great for us.

Here is a quick rundown:

Not only did we get the new car (Which Shelly absolutly loves) I was able to get a promise from someone to take my Dodge truck that I could not get to run, have an person interested in taking the P O S Neon off my hands that also sitting in my driveway, I found out that the money that I have invested so far in my retirement plan has made twice as much as I thought, bought a great suround sound system that I will install in the living room here in a little bit, an official toddler in my household (Brenton is 18 months old as of yesterday) who is in a very hyper and happy mood this morning, a Tyla who will be home soon after spending the night with a freind, who will also be hyper when I give her the Miley Cyrus/Hanna Montana CD I bought her

AND

(Deep breath......)

It's gonna be another beautiful day outside today! Tomorrow will be a complete different story, but today is looking GREAT!

First Snow Of The Season

A snowball fight is always fun! Giggling 1 year old playing in the snow.....Priceless!!!


We had our first really big cold snap last night and boy was it big! I thought the snow in January of this year was great, But this one is just going to be a big mess. I had 4 1/2 inches in my front yard and huge branches laying all over; the weight of the snow was so great that it split the neighbors tree in half and knocked out the power for over two hours this morning.





SnowMan UPDATE: Just to give you an idea of the snowmen we built over the years we could start here when there was not much in 2005, then here when there was plenty and this years:

Tyla had a blast. 45 minutes in 32 degree temps was a little too long for me. But Tyla was the one that said she thought we should go inside after she could "not feel her toes"! (Thank God! I thought my fingers were gonna fall off, never the less a few other limbs, uhum.)

How Do You Spell 2?

My wife was helping Tyla with her homework and asked her how to spell 2.

Tyla - "Well 2."

Shelly - "No, how do you spell 2?"

Tyla - Agressively "2"!

Shelly - "No Tyla, how do you spell it, not say it?"

Tyla calmly raises her arm and writes the number 2 in the air.

I may be blond but I did not hand this, say... dumb blond, down to my kids. It has to have come from my wife. I have posted about some weird comments from Tyla before here.

Tyla's Birthday

Its that time of year again when everything is non stop. Summer time, for my family, is the busiest. Around Tyla's Birthday seems to be more so than most times. And as everyone knows, Tyla just had her 10th birthday.

On a side note: I know this really means nothing to most but I found it neet: As everyone knows yesterday was 07/07/07, Tylas was born on 07/07/97. Its kind of cool, I think, for Tyla since something like that won't happen again for 100 years.

Anyway, we celebrated here Birthday last weekend. Tyla wanted a Ft Stockton Panther theme this year, with a Panther cake, blue and white streamers and paw prints everywhere. Funny thing was that it ended up being a Texas Longhorn party. Seems like Tyla ended up getting a little bit of everything with a Long Horn on it. Including a purse! (Thanks Mom, Dad and Rebecca) That just really got her hyped up and decided to paint her room, with orange Longhorns. Came home the other day to find little Longhorn outlines all along the east wall of her room.

Tyla will be going to Odessa today to spend a week with her Aunt Leslie, and as one final birthday gift, (almost regrettably) we desided to finish her room for her. Thats alot of work since she has got so much stuff. O'well, the things you do for your kids!!!

I am going to post 2 or three more times today so I can add a few more pictures, so keep reading.......

I know its been a while but life has been stupidly crazy. Busy just does not explain it clear enough.

Brenton is now 7 months old and is 20 lbs. (he really looks like my dad when he was this age. Have a great pic that I will post later.)

Brenton is doing his damnedest to crawl. He now get up on all 4's and can scoot his way across the floor. He was rolling over, and over, and over, and over.... to get where he wanted to go. Guess he figured out that the scooting was better. I will give him another week and he will figure it out!

His first tooth finally came through a week ago. (Thank You GOD!) It was the bottom middle, I think it will be the left side. The massive drooling has stoped and excessive crying for no reason has quit. I take that back, he does have his fits when its bed time and he is fighting sleep.

What about Tyla? My cute little girl, has now really become my our beautiful little lady. I could not ask for more! Her teacher has said that she is "her shining star!" Tyla's battle with dyslexia has become a victory for the school and Tyla! I AM SO PROUD! Any more said would be too much. Tyla is so great!

Thank you, Lord, for all you have given me. Both of my children have prospered and seen what a great life you have provided us. Please, be with the families of those who lost their children at Verginia Tech! AMEN!

First (Likely the Last) Snow for 2007

Wednesday produced a winter storm that I don't think anyone here in Fort Stockton has ever seen, (or they have not seen in many, many years.) I got about 3 inches in my front yard alone. This makes a few firsts for all of us. Tyla, 9, has never seen this much snow and ofcourse almost 5 month old, Brenton, had his first encounter with it. Shelly and I can vagely remember seeing this much snow. I don't really know that we ever had more than an 1/2 inch or so.

Tyla and Santa

I think I am going to have to be worried when Tyla gets older...... she is already flirting with Santa!

2 Months and Going Strong

Brenton is now two months old. He is doing good. (Still Shits A lot!) He is eating cereal once a day, FROM A SPOON! not a bottle. He is now smiling more and really knows who is talking to him. He is sleeping through the night when we finally get him to sleep, ohh say about 11:00 or so. (with the time change I hope that will set him straight.)

Its Halloween weekend and Shelly took Brenton and Tyla to Pecos County Memorial Hospital and the Fort Stockton Nursing Center for some Trick or Treating. They had fun. Tyla wore her witches costume and Brent's tiger costume swallowed him whole. Last night was the Fort Stockton's Trick or Treat night and Tyla wanted to spend the night with a friend. So we stayed home this year and suprisingly only had a hand full of kids come by the house. We normally go to my mother-in-law's house since they live on one of the main residential streets in town. Everyone and their dog T or T's that entire neighborhood.

I have some inflatable yard decorations that I will be taking down today. And will bring out what little I have for fall. Shelly always rolls her eyes at me about the decorating bit. I normally go all out for any holiday. They have huge blowups I want to buy but Shelly said absolutely not! Like this Haunted House OK, OK! So $400+ is a little much for yard decorations! I like this too. So instead of spending all my money on Halloween, I want more Christmas decorations. Like this and this! Shelly thinks it cool but just sighs and rolls her eyes... I showed her what decorations I found and she said "Ohh God, Don't tell me you found that big ass turkey!" I am now on a mission. I must have a "big ass Turkey"!

Kids Say The Funniest Things!

My eight year old was in the shower for over 15 minutes. I cracked the door and asked what she was doing. "I'm putting conditioner in my hair, Dad!(ugg)" she said disgusted. "Did you wash your arm pits?"... "YES! Dad!"... "Did you wash your knee pitts?" I said trying to be funny. "YES!!!" she said, hatefully, knowing I was playing. "Did you wash behind your ears?" ...."YES DAD I DID!" sounding annoyed and frustrated. I then asked, "Did you wash behind your hinney?"
She promptly said, "YES!...umm, wait, what do you mean? The wall or the faucet?"