Meet the Hornets 2010

A young gentleman(Dayton) carrying me to the car (picture years to come)Shaleigh being tossed into the air (not really standing on daddy's shoulders)

Me and Miranda (Love her so much)

Me and the Hornet

This year we decided to go and Meet the Hornets and let Shaleigh wear her cheer leading outfit and have fun. We had a good meal and visited with friends and then we met the football players, cheer leaders, and those in cross country and volleyball.

After the introduction we went up and got pictures of Shaleigh with the Hornet and Miranda. Here are just a few that we took and we are so excited to see the new year start up and we hope that the football team does better than last year.

GO HORNETS!!!!!!!!

Goodbye to our Angels

Well folks we are unfortunately having to say goodbye to our three precious angels who will be returned to their birthmom next Friday. Now is the hard part letting them go. We have had such a wonderful time getting to know our nieces and nephew and it will be devastating to let them go. We must have faith that God will lay his hands on them as they begin this journey again and we know that he will bless them until they are once again a part of us. Please continue to pray for us as we all go through this last week with them and especially be with Lee and Kristie as they prepare to let these angels go home to birth mom. Damn that stupid CPS system and that stupid judge.

It will be even harder trying to explain to Shaleigh how the cousins she has had to play with are leaving and not coming back. Pray for her during this time also as they have grown close and love each other. We love you Katie, Hammy, and Jazzy and we will miss you so much. Stay safe and come home soon.

When I Grow Up

Me with my dogs a long time ago

Me with the sheep at the livestock show

Me with two-socks

Me with the girraff

Me as a cowgirl

This is Shaleigh and I decided to share with you a conservation I had with mom the other day and show you how much her, daddy, and the rest of my family support me.

The other day I was walking with mom over to the pool when I looked up at her with my brown eyes and said,
ME: "Mom when I grow up I want to be a doctor."
MOM: "You can be anything you want to be, the sky is the limit"
MOM: "You know that is a lot of schooling and the human body is complex (I do workbook and puzzles with grandad all the time and they are over the human body).
ME: "NO mom a animal doctor."
MOM: "Okay you love animals so much that will work for me."
MOM: "You know I would never stop you from being what you want to be."
ME: "I know mom."

So that is it at the age of 4 I decided I want to be an animal doctor since I love being around all animals. Mom of course knows I will probably change my mind quiet a bit but she supports me. After all I also want to be a Muskateer and protect the prince, and a cowgirl. Only God knows what I will be when I reach that age.

Family Pictures 2010

We were fortunate to have Angela Simpson of Lubbock take our family pictures this year. I love the way they turned out. She was so good to work with Shaleigh and I think the pictures are the proof. We took them in downtown Lubbock and at McKenzie Lake in Lubbock.

MIss Tulia 2010

MiMi doing my hair

Walking across the bridge

Waiting to see who had won

Me and Kaylie

Me after the pageant

Me again

This year since Shaleigh turned 4 she was old enough to participate in the Miss Tulia Pageant. We hunted for days for a red dress that would be perfect for her. I love her in red and thought she would be so pretty.

Saturday started as any day. Sleeping late on the weekend. We got up and had to be at the School for practice at 10:00 and then we went back home to relax until 3:15 when we had Shaleigh's hair done. Mimi did such a good job..so good that Shaleigh even feel asleep while she was doing it.

Back home we had time to relax between hair appointment and getting her dress on her. After we got to the school we dropped her off and waited in the audience for the contest to start. I was so proud of her...she came out, walked across the bridge, and across the stage without stumbling or tripping or for that matter dancing.

She looked beautiful as did her friend Kaylie who was also a contestant. Kaylie won the little Miss Tulia and after I picked up Shaleigh and we went back out to the audience she asked me why she didn't win. I told her she couldn't always win everything. What mattered was that she had fun and enjoyed the event. I also told her she should be very proud of Kaylie and to be nice and congratulate her. I didn't know if she fully understood what I was saying. After it was all over we went to get a picture of her and Kaylie together and she walked up to her and said, "I'm so proud of you and congratulations and gave Kaylie a huge hug." I was so proud of her for understanding that she couldn't always win but she should be proud of herself for putting herself out there and proud of her friends who did win.

Critterfest 2010-Science Spectrum Lubbock Texas

This drum you are suppose to use your hands I believe it is a bongo drum

She loved hearing the different instruments play as she moved along the row

The bells

Baby duck

Baby chicken

Dad thought this was funny

A bait shop with no bait what's up with that

Look at me I'm climbing the wall

Riding the camel

Riding the horse

Dan and I decided to take Shaleigh to see Critterfest at the Science Spectrum on Sunday. When we got there the first thing she got to do was the pony rides. She loves to do this and enjoyed being up on the horse. Next was the camel ride...not as much fun it was kinda bumpy.

Next we went inside and went right down and watched the alligator and crocodile show it was interesting to see how much they could grow in just one year. After that we went back upstairs and started taking Shaleigh through the remaining floors. She loved being able to hold a baby chicken, duck, and pet the huge turtle. She kept going from station to station she was interested interested in seeing what each one did. I'm ashamed to say this was the first time we took her there. She actually touched her first snake and did so with confidence that we wouldn't let anything happen to her.

After going through the floors we went back to the main floor to watch the tiger show. Wow it was amazing to see how big those things get and Shaleigh loved watching them do their tricks. After that we went out to the snack bar to await the next omni max movie. We had about 30-40 minutes to wait so we sat down to rest when all of the sudden I looked up and saw Amber, Ayne, Eddie, Ella walking in. Shaleigh jumped up and took off with them.

Her favorite part other than being able to explore at her own pace was the music section. She loved jumping in front of the lights and symbols and listening to the music play. She loved the drums and enjoyed learning the different tones of them.

We had so much fun and she learned so much. We will definitely have to visit the Science Spectrum again so that she can continue to grow and explore the unknown.

VBS 2010

The three of us ready for VBS

Sitting in front of the hay bale

I wanted to climb onto the saddle so bad

In front of the fireplace

Making a necklace

Coloring our cowboys

Painting the Texas

This year was just a little different...for one thing I was joined by my cousins Katie, and Hamilton. They arrived on Saturday before VBS and stayed until Friday of VBS. We had so much fun...we were lucky that we had Cindy Bartram as our teacher. She encouraged each one of us to listen and accomplish the crafts. She along with her helpers were there to help us make our hats, and many other things.

We as cousins did really good for the week. This is the longest that we have ever spent together and it was a lot of fun to have someone to play with. We would get up in the mornings, get dressed, eat breakfast, and go outside to play with grandmom, then lunch, and then VBS, and when mom got home in the afternoon we went swimming.

VBS ended with a cookout, and inflatables provided by the church. Kori, Hayden, and I had so much fun climbing the inflatable and starting over again. Mom and I left a little early and went home to rest. By this time I was really tired and while I enjoyed my cousins I was ready for my house to settle down. I look forward to many years of us having fun together and experiencing VBS together.