Two Months???

I can't believe it has been two months since I posted anything so here is a quick update.

Mark has been feeling his age. He went and visited the eye doctor and had to get glasses again. Not just glasses...Bifocals!!! He thinks this is the sign that he is indeed old. I told him that will be when he has to get Trifocals!

Kensie is busy with college and her social life!! We are so proud of her because this semester she received a scholarship. If she keeps her grades up it will follow her every semester until she graduates!!! Yeah!!! It pays all her tuition and some of her books.

Kade finally got his drivers license!! It really is nice to have another driver helping do all the running around. He is also right in the middle of baseball. I can't believe it's already that time again. He is also in the middle of plans for Prom!!

Kace has been super busy. He participated in the district Science Olympiad and took first in the Solar System! He was then chosen for the state team. The next weekend they went to New Mexico Tech and competed against several other schools from all over the state. He took 3rd in Disease Detector! If that wasn't enough he finished 4th in the school and district Geography Bee! He told me he is ready for a rest.

The best thing that has happened to me is that for Valentines Day my husband took me on a very romantic trip. He took me to Home Depot!!! I was so excited. We bought each other ceramic tile for the master bathroom. Our bathroom has needed some updating since we moved in four years ago and something else always came up. But not this time! Mark has been working so hard in there and it is looking sooooo nice. Kensie has a friend who didn't think this was romantic at all. To me there is nothing more romantic than my sweet husband working so hard to do something just to make me smile!! Thanks Honey!

Happy Birthday

I really wish I had a big barn outside of town where I could paint this on but since I don't I will just have to blog it....MARK IS 40! Happy birthday Honey.

Happy New Year

Have a very Happy New Year!! From our family to yours!!

Tis The Season

If you are from St. Johns you probably know that decorating for Christmas is a big part of the holidays for me. My parents house is ALWAYS decorated perfectly inside and out. I don't remember a Christmas where decorating wasn't a huge deal. Several years ago my parents made all new outside decorations and gave us a few of the old ones, which I love. So, Mark and the boys always put up the outside decorations just for me. Thanks guys.

Gotta start with the icicle lights.

They are all showing their best sides!

Our little blow ups!! Which will not stand up this year, we will be doing something different next year....stay tuned.

All lit up!

Kensie and I usually do the inside while the boys are working outside. This year Kensie had to work so I did it all by my lonesome. I really missed her.

The tree.

I love snowmen, they are my thing!


And last but not least we made tons of cookies and made goody bags to take around.

Kensie actually got to help with that!! I hope everyone has a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

20 YEARS

Today Mark and I have been married for 20 years!!! Time flies. I remember some people said we wouldn't last a year, I guess we fooled them!!

Honey, how very blessed I am that I get to be with you for all eternity. Thanks so much for being mine. I can't wait for the next 20, and the next 20 ... I love you with all my heart!

All Because Two People Fell In Love

One of my favorite things we did in Texas was take a ton of pictures. Everyone was a good sport about it. I received an email about the family picture that Mark put on his facebook from a friend who loved the picture but didn't know who they all were so I thought I would do a little explaining.

Lincoln and Linda

Us

Melissa's family

Vern's Family

Matt's Family

Brooke's Family

Chase's Family

The Great Grand Babies (Melissa's Grand Sons)

The whole lot of us and still counting...

Turkey in Texas

This thanksgiving all of Mark's family went to his parents house in Texas. They live on their ranch in the panhandle. It's about 2 hours northeast of Amarillo. It was the first time in a long time all the family has been together. I think I counted 41 of us! We left early Wednesday morning and 10 hours later we got there. The weather was beautiful!! So here are a few things we did beside eat.

The quads got a real workout! Mostly by the kids but Mark and I took our turn too!

This is where Kace spent all of his time. He would come in just covered with dirt and a great big smile.

Kensie and Whitney (Vern's oldest) are great friends and spent a lot of time on the red quad. They played a mean game of find the pumpkin with the boys on the other quad.

Kensie and Whit loved giving all the little ones rides. They were usually loaded down.

Vern kids brought their Wii and as you can see that was a big hit with all the kids. Kade plays a killer golf game!

Since the weather was so good the Dad's loaded up the guns and the trucks and went out to be prairie dog murderers. When I saw this picture I thought it was just a little bit scary. That is a lot of guns and a lot of Sherwoods!! When Lincoln saw it he was way scared because he thought they were aiming at his cows!! They weren't, they just aimed at the hundred prairie dogs running around.

I am proud to say that all of my family are accomplished prairie dog murderers. I am so proud!

Even Kensie shot one!

Kace got a couple!

I think Kade got the most!

Here is one of Kades victims. We really did consider taking this one home so Uncle Mike could stuff it. Too bad we didn't bring a bag to haul it in! After two days of shooting the Texas prairie dog population went down quite a bit!

The one thing Mark wanted was a picture of Lincoln and his boys on horses. He plotted and planned and thanks to Lane and Brenda he got it done! It really did turn out great.

We had to get one of Mark and his Dad! Mark just thought they would get on the horse for the picture. He should have known better. Since they were all there and on horseback Lincoln put them to work. Not very much work but they did de horn one of the heifers. They had a great time!

It really turned out to be a great trip!! The cousins just played and played. The adults just visited and we all just ate and ate. The other great thing was all the pictures that were taken! What great memories we have. Thanks Mom and Dad for putting up with all the craziness!