Christmas 2008

Hello everyone, I know it's been a long time but I have been so busy. The kids and I went to Shane's parents for Thanksgiving. It was really hard, but we had fun. These first holidays without Shane have been hard. It just doesn't seem real. I half expect to wake up and have it all be just a bad dream. I have been keeping myself going, it seems like non stop though. Granny and I always do baskets this time of year and we did 47 this year. We have been baking every day since about Thanksgiving. We had fun though. We always do. I love spending this time with her. I will always cherish the many, many days we spend in the kitchen this time of year. The kids are getting excited for Christmas. I am suprised Emilee hasn't tried to open the presents. Her Birthday was the 16th and we had a little party for her. She loved opening the presents. She got quite a bit of things even with just the few people that came. I am not really looking forward to Christmas Day. Christmas was "Shane's holiday". He LOVED opening presents. I am going to miss that. He would get us up around 4 in the morning, the kids would cry and say they wanted to sleep but he would make us all get up and watching his face while he opened presents, was so neat. He was like a little kid.
Well, I also have enrolled for my first semester of college. I am so excited and extremely nervous at the same time. It has been 10 years since I have been in school. I really want to succeed though. I want to have a good job with good benefits so that I can give my children a good life. I don't want to struggle their whole life. So, pray for me while I try to do homework and study for tests again.
Until next time...........

Back to School

I am going back to school. I can hardly wait. I have already registered. I am taking a medical terminology, math and english class this semester. I am so nervous though. I have been out of school for ten years. I am praying I can do well. I have three semesters of pre-reqs and general ed. and then I can apply to the radiology tech. program. I hope to get in the first year I apply but if not that is ok. I want to take a spanish and/or ASL course anyway. The spring semester starts in January, just three days after my birthday. It is hard to wait, I am ready and want to get started. After I graduate, I will be able to get a good job in a hospital. I will have excellent medical benifits for the kids and myself and also get a retirement fund started. We can live off of my paychecks and I want to be able to put the kids social security checks in savings account for them. That way, they have some money put aside for when they go to college. Well, I guess I'll go now. Talk at ya soon.

Thanksgiving in Sac

Hey, I know it's been a while. Ethen's doing well in school. Emilee will be two next month. I can't believe it. I am in Sac right now for Thanksgiving, visiting with Shane's family. Doyle took Ethen turkey hunting today, but they came back with nothing but two very tired "men". Ethen loves coming to Sac and spending time with his Grampy. Emilee is keeping everyone entertained. She talks up a storm and is very bossy. Her facial expressions are what is the funniest. And when she smile, her eyes light up. Ethen just thinks he is hot stuff. He is so cute, he tries to act all grown up. He strutted around all afternoon when him and Grampy got back from hunting. I will put some pics up next week if I can find time. I have been making and will be making more pumkin logs for the holidays, and Granny and I will start making our baskets as soon as I get back home.

Pismo Beach

Pismo Beach

I took the kids to Pismo this weekend. We rented a house in Los Osos. We got there Friday night and just unpacked and hung out. On Saturday we drove into Pismo. Had lunch at Splash and then went down to the beach. I bought Ethen a skim board and he spent all day trying to learn how to use it. He was kind of getting the hang of it when we left. Emilee didn't really care for the water but she loved the sand. I had bought her a bucket and shovel and she didn't move. They both loved it and didn't want to leave. After the kids bath, I think half of the sand at Pismo ended up in the tub. On Sunday we drove to Morrow Bay and went to this little aquarium. The kids fed the seals and got to see all kinds of cool looking fish. After that we went to this little road side fruit stand in Avila. The kids fed some animals, then they had ice cream and I had a grilled corn on the cob. We took a tractor ride back into the apple orchard and the kids picked an apple. We had lunch at Bubba's Bad B-B-Q in Paso Robles and got home about 7:30. It was a wonderful weekend.

I am taking the kids to Pismo Beach this weekend. Last time we went was when Emilee was 2 months old. I can't wait to see the kids play in the water. Kids always have this enthusiasm that I wish I could get ahold of. I know they will love it. When I get back I will attach some pictures. Until then.....

Pismo Beach

This Saturday, I went with a group from the church to Pismo Beach. I had a blast. We played volleyball on the beach. We all laughed so hard and fell so many times I lost count. At least it was sand so it didn't hurt too bad. It was almost impossible. I could not seem to move very fast. I felt like my legs were going very fast but a turtle could have beat me. We played five or six games then went to lunch. I went to the Cracked Crab. I ordered this bucket that came with all kinds of stuff and they dumped it right onto the table. It was delicious. Then we all went to the outlets and then home. I woke up this morning and was so sore. I really need to get into shape. I even saw dolphins. After all the years of going over there, this was the first time I have ever saw them. They were just off shore, jumping out of the water, it was awesome. Next weekend I am taking the kids to Pismo. I can't wait.

Ethen started first grade last week. I can hardly believe it!!! It was very hard for me watching the other parents. I just kept thinking, "Shane should be here too". I'm not sure if I am sad or glad about this, but when we got there, he acted like I wasn't there. He just started talking to his friends and took off to play. When I told him goodbye, he didn't even glance my way as he hollered "bye mom". I wish he would have acted just a little bit that he didn't want me to leave. I miss him during the day, but it is much quieter. Emilee doesn't scream near as much as when he is home. She tries to boss him around and if he doesn't listen she screams at him. I am trying my best to break her of that. Today, she kept screaming so I gave her a swat. She cried so hard she threw up. I'll try to get some pictures of his first day up soon. Until next time.

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass..... It's about learning to dance in the rain"

Sorry slideshow pops up twice....ENJOY!!!!!

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Return from Texas

The kids and I had a blast at the Ranch. We went coon hunting, fed and petted the cows, (Emilee especially loved that), went for rides on the quads and in the trucks, fed the deer, (sometimes 30 and 40 right in the front yard!!!!), we fixed fences, and just relaxed. Emilee absolutely loved the cows. She has just started to talk and she said "cow" all the time, day and night. Just about drove us all insane. It was either "cow" or "walkie". She wanted to take a walk and see the cows. She fed them cow cake and petted them. She screamed and laughed when they would lick her. She was filthy dirty and dead tired every night. I know she really enjoyed the Ranch. We never could get her to say "Hampy" but she always called for "Shiree". Now Ethen, he was Uncle Hampy's little helper...... that is if he wasn't on the quad. He would get on that thing with his little helmet and drive around in circles around the ranch house for hours. We actually ended up running out of gas once when Ethen and I went for a ride. He had to ride back to the house on the back of my quad to get the gas can. He went with us when we went coon hunting and was so excited when I shot the coon. He wanted us to make a hat for him.... I think I'll just buy him one. He helped out with feed the deer and the cattle. He would throw hay from the back of the truck with Uncle Hampy. Ethen and Grandad went for a ride on the quads one of the first days we were there and Grandad ended up spraining his ankle trying to start his quad. Granny and Uncle Hampy took him to the ER and on the way home a deer ran into the side of my van. As soon as they get back we will have to take it into the shop. Around the ranch are some ranches with exotic animals on them. We saw a zebra, a buffalo, sika, goats and these red deer with the biggest antlers I have ever seen in person. There were also other animals I don't know the name of. On the way to church we also some some elk. I took alot of pictures so I will post them next week.

Texas

The kids and I are leaving Monday the 21st to drive to Texas. Granny and Grandad are going with us. We are driving. I'm not sure what we are getting into. Emilee hates her carseat. Now that she is getting older, I hope she will do ok. We went to the ranch in January with Shane and had an absolute blast. Ethen practically lived on the quads. Emilee was still just crawling then, so I think she will have more fun this time. She went nuts last time because of the cows, so I'm sure she will do the same this time. She's going to LOVE being able to run around. Uncle Hampy said he would take Ethen coon hunting. So Ethen is really excited to do that. We should be home on Aug. 10th. Ethen starts first grade on the 19th. So, I'll write back then.