Mom's Birthday!

Saturday my mom turned 61. It’s odd, you do not really realize your parents are getting older. It’s like life goes on around us and things are so busy and our parents are just always there. I’m lucky in so many ways. My mom had me when she was 19 years young. She was young and fun when I was growing up. We are both opinionated and stubborn so there were some rough patches but she loved me in spite of them. She has always been my one constant. Now I’m hoping she lives to be at least 100 so I can have her for 40 more years. How wonderful would that be?! Of course none of us are ever promised tomorrow. So I am going to try to not let the stress of every-day living keep me from cherishing the time I get w/the ones I love.
Happy Birthday Sweet momma…I love you most!

I was sooo happy that they came on vacation w/us in 2013. I'm hoping we talk them into coming this year as well.

I love this picture. We had been down at the beach doing pictures and we were just going back up to the house...

Christmas a year or two ago w/all 5 of us "kids".

Prom

Hiking roaring river w/the grandkids on one of Carrie's trip's home. (So glad she has moved back.;)

Graduations

Shopping adventures...

This was taken on her actual birthday. Being silly....

Tim McGraw concert at the AMP (I was melting, can you tell?!)

Texas Roadhouse on the way back from Dallas! Yummo!

Our sweet Setch, may he forever rest in peace

We got Setch over 11 years ago. He was a gift for Madison. She wanted him so bad. We found him online. He was for sale because the family that bought him decided they wanted a smaller dog. Their daughter had already named him Setch so we keep it. He was about 9 months old when we got him. After we brought him home he got out one day and was missing for 2 days. I think he got to far from the house and couldn't remember how to get back. We found him down an old dirt road a few miles from the house. There were some other dogs there and he had made some friends. He was a mess. He was so funny and could be such a spaz. At times he drove me completely crazy wanting in and out all the time. (Lot's of times he couldn't decide what he wanted!). He was NOT happy when we brought Harley home either. It took him over a year before he would even play w/him. After that they were friends but Setch only played if Harley remembered who was boss. If Harley didn't play by Setch's rules then it was game over.

This was taken when Setch was "thinking" about playing w/Harley. He would tease him but wouldn't let him play.

He was so sweet when I had surgery. He would lay right there w/me and nap when I napped. It's like he thought he was "taking" care of me.

He was NOT in the mood to play here but Harley was doing his best to get him to play...

He looks like such a little old man w/his face grown out like this...

I love his little fuzzy face in this one...

He passed away Friday night. We buried him behind the house under the tree beside our sweet Mia. Oh how my heart aches missing him. I swear I still here him scratching at the door. This morning "he" woke me up w/this little noise he always made. I think he made it because he was a shih tzu and his snout wasn't very big. It woke me up out of a dream...so I must have been dreaming of him. I just hope he knew and felt just how much he was loved.

The kids head back to UAFS

We moved Logan to UAFS Friday. Since he was a transfer student the move in date was the 9th. We had to pay the remainder of his bill and get his keys. He decided not to stay since Madison would be going back on Sunday and he could just ride w/her. We got him moved and headed back home. We thought about going to the game Friday night but we were in and out in the cold moving his stuff in and walking around campus to get everything taken care of that I just wanted to be in the house under a blanket for the night!

The kids packed Madison's car up and left yesterday about 3:30. I thought that maybe since they were going together and not to mention I have been sending them off to school for a couple of years now that I would not cry...and I didn't actually cry...well, only a few tears. My heart sure has ached since they left. Every time they leave they take part of me w/them. Oh how I love them. I am sure they are the reason God put me on this earth and I know they are going to do great things in this ole world.

I'm adding a little something random...

I have been carrying a card w/this blue color on it in my purse for years. I have wanted to paint our room this color and then create like a beach theme bedroom. If I can only go to the beach once a year why not bring the beach to me! Right?! The pictures do not show the actual color blue that we did but I LOVE it. Thanks to my sweet Madi and her Charlie for all their help!

Randy bought me a Kirkland's gift card for Christmas (My most fav store) and I bought 2 pictures. A beautiful one that I hung in our dining room and then this beachy one. :) I LOVE it.

I bought this headboard at Helping Hands for $25! It had the tag from the original purchase too! Crazy. I love it and thought it looked a lot like a fence you would see at the beach.

Our room is a work in progress and we have a LOT left to do but it's going to be so comfy when all is said and done that I may never leave it!

NYE 2015

Every new year we have game night on NYE and I wasn't even sure we would this year w/the kids being older I thought they might want to go out and do their own thing but they both said they were in for game night so yay us!! It was smaller than normal this year which was ok because there were a couple of games that only could do 6 players at a time. We went big and went for Steak and Shake for dinner. :) We went early so we could get home and play games before to many were out on the road. It was Randy and I, Madi and Charlie, Logan and Brandi, and then Austin. We came back to the house and fixed some snack foods and desserts and then the games begin. The final in the bowling came down to Randy and Logan, which happens every year! Then we played some dominos, headbandz, and then played some more wii games. Each game winner received a prize of a lottery ticket. Brandi was the only one that won and she ended w/$10! I was a little worried when Logan left to take Brandi home because I was afraid of drunks on the road but thankfully he made it home safe and sound.

Logan & Brandi at Steak and Shake

Everyone during game time....

Happy New Year!! I wish you all a new year filled w/God's love and grace.

Much love,
Danielle