Welcome 2012!

Shelly — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:42:09 +0000

While reading a few blogs today, I came across this and I just LOVE it!

I’m not into “New Year’s Resolutions” but I do think it is good to set goals. It’s important to have something to work toward. To look forward to. I printed this out to put in my office and at home. I think it’s a great reminder to just do the little things. Things I often take for granted or overlook. In a nutshell, this reminds me to take care of myself physically and spiritually and to think of others. Not just in my thoughts, but with my actions. I want to honor those around me. I want to be a good example of this practice to my kids. I want to be better at this.

I am so thankful for my family and that we are all healthy. We are looking forward to all that God has planned for us this year! I hope and pray that you will have a very blessed 2012.

2011 Year End Review

Shelly — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:25:31 +0000

Wow! This year seems to have flown by in alot of ways. The kids are getting older and busier, but we are having fun as we go! This year we have enjoyed many friends coming to visit us in Temple, TX. We love having a 5 bedroom house that has plenty of room for guests! My parents, Todd’s mom, and Miss Kelly are our most frequent visitors, while other friends come when they can.

This summer we had the opportunity to attend youth camp with our church. We traveled to Orange Beach, Alabama for Student Life Camp. While we were there, we got to know some people from church and experienced camp on the BEACH! It was a very different experience than what we have been used to in the past, but it was fun staying in condo’s on the beach and eating good food. Todd and I enjoyed a special treat when our good friends, Greg and Carrie Skaggs traveled from Troy to visit us one afternoon. That just blessed my heart that they would not pass up an opportunity to see us when we were that close to them.

We made our annual visits to Oklahoma in July, November and December. We were also able to attend the OU vs Baylor game in Waco again this year. This is always a fun game to go to and it’s a great place for the kids to get autographs from the OU players. This year Kelly and I planned our trip to the OU vs Texas game in October. It was a fun surprise for Todd, Blaine, and Briley to receive tickets (from Uncle Stacy) to the game as well. Kenzie gladly spent the day with a friend and the rest of us piled into Kelly’s car at 3:30A.M. to travel to Dallas. Yes, you read that right! 3:30 A.M.!!! As a bonus to our day, Game Day was at the Cotton Bowl so we HAD to drive up to experience it! I must admit, I hated getting up that early (especially since Kelly’s rule of “No talking before 7:00″ was not abided byby certain male persons) but it was fun to experience Game Day. But the best part was watching Blaine enjoy it so much! That made it worth it for me!

Blaine just turned 17 years old (Dec. 22) and is a junior in high school. He is 5’8”, weighs 150, and wears a size 11 shoe. Blaine loves all sports and especially loves to play football, basketball, and baseball. He is very bright and learns fast. Everything is black and white to him, there is not much gray. He plans to study engineering in college. He has always wanted to take things apart to see how they work. I have been telling him that he would make a great lawyer because he loves to “debate.” He has a strong desire to prove his point and he really, really wants you to see things his way. He would also make a great sports analysis, as he gives his opinions to the commentators and officials as we watch sports on TV. Haha!

Briley just turned 15 years old (Dec. 2) and is a freshman in high school. He is 6’1” (and growing), weighs 230 pounds, and wears a size 14 shoe. Briley loves sports as well, playing football, basketball, track and baseball. He is very smart and is a deep thinker. He asks lots of questions about life and makes decisions for himself. He does his own thing and doesn’t care what people think about him. He does not follow the crowd just because that’s the “thing” to do. Briley loves life and is a party waiting to happen! He is so funny! He brings much laughter and joy to our family! Briley has a tender heart and cares about people. He makes friends quickly. Briley has not yet decided on what he wants to study in college. For a long time we thought he would be a missionary, so we’ll see.

Kenzie is 13 (April 30) and is in 8^th grade. She is 5’4” and wears a size 9 shoe. Kenzie has been playing volleyball since 4^th grade and loves it. She is a setter in volleyball and is very serious about it. She has also participated in cheerleadering (7^th and 8^th grades) but is not serious about it. She just wants to be with her friends, so she cheers with them. In high school, she plans to play volleyball and sing in choir. What?! She’s gonna be in high school next year?!!! Can it really be? Yes, I’m sad to say it is true. Kenzie is smart and works hard at school. She really only enjoys school because her friends are there. She is a quiet person but makes friends easily. Life for her is all about her friends (and pedicures).

We keep busy with the kids activities but wouldn’t have it any other way. Time is going by too fast! We are beginning to face the facts that Blaine needs to be looking at colleges and we will soon have one less child at home. Wow! That is such a S.A.D. thought!

So, as we tuck 2011 away in our memory bank, we look forward to all that God has planned for 2012. We know that God is constantly at work around us and our desire is to be in the center of His will. We pray that each of you will grow in your relationship with Christ and lost souls will come to know the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Blaine is 17

Shelly — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:00:45 +0000

Where has the time gone? Can you believe that my 9lb 2oz baby boy is 17?!!! I can’t. I just doesn’t seem possible! Sigh….

Blaine is a smart young man. He is a deep thinker and always trying to figure out how things work. He plans to pursue a career as an Architectural Engineer. Here are a few things about Blaine:

What is your favorite color? deep royal blue
What is your favorite smell? I’ve never thought about this
What is your favorite food? Mom’s Homemade fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, corn, sweet tea
What is your favorite drink? Mountain dew/sweet teaWhat is your favorite athlete? Dirk Nowitzki and Tony Romo
Who is your favorite subject? Math
What is your favorite TV show? Monk/Chuck
What is your favorite game? Fact or Crap
What is your best birthday memory? 16^th birthday at Roadhouse
What do you like to do when you’re not in school? Hang out with friends
What do you want to be when you grow up? Architectural Engineer
What do you think is the most important thing you’ve learned in life so far? Listen to your parents
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
What is your favorite animal? Lab

I love this boy!

Briley’s Broken Wrists

Shelly — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:59:55 +0000

So, I’m in the gym after school one day talking to some co-workers when Coach Boone, one of the football coaches, comes in and tells me that Briley got injured during practice. Hurt both wrists. This is not the first time that a coach has told me that my son had injured both wrists during football practice, so I was concerned but not too worried. (Boyd Brigman (BCS) called me during 2009 football camp. Blaine got smashed between two seniors. The facemask hit Blaine’s hands and they thought both of his hands were broken. Thankfully, they weren’t. And, don’t worry. Blaine did not drop the ball. He came down with it!) As soon as Boone leaves, the Athletic Director came in and began telling me about Briley’s accident. During the last play of the last football practice for 2011, Briley was involved in a collision with #76. We loaded him up and took him for x-rays. No one was available to actually read the x-ray that night, but the doctor thought the left wrist was fine and the right wrist had a chip. The next morning we took Briley to see Dr. Lichota. The left wrist had a small break and the right wrist had a hairline fracture across two bones at the growth plate.

Two days before our last football game and three days before basketball season started. Briley kept his spirits up throughout the whole process. He’s such a trooper.

On the way to get x-rays…

Waiting for x-rays…
That swollen area had me really worried. It looked like the bone was sticking up. But, it was just a swollen area.

Briley had two casts for two weeks…

Then, he got the left cast off and a new cast on the right side. He wore this right cast for four weeks.

This adventure had some pretty entertaining times. Briley was determined to feed himself with two casts on. Homework. Todd helping with the daily baths. My favorite bath conversation was the first one:

Todd: “Which shampoo is yours?”
Briley: “I use this shampoo and this conditioner.”
Todd: “What!? We have to condition too!?”
Briley: “Yes!”

Briley has been cast free since December 14. His right wrist still has a small chip on each side, but the doctor has cleared him to resume normal activites. We are so grateful for the excellent care and concern we received from Dr. Lichota!

Cheerleading

Shelly — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:22:34 +0000

We did not have enough girls available to cheer during football, but we gathered enough girls to cheer for basketball. Kenzie decided to cheer because, well, her friends were cheering! Her greatest passion is volleyball, but she enjoys cheering on the side.

Briley is 15

Shelly — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 01:46:25 +0000

Today my baby boy turns 15! He is a freshman in high school and now wants to get his learner’s permit! How did this happen?!!!

Briley is very bright and makes us laugh every day! His smile lights up his face! Briley makes friends quickly and enjoys hanging out with them. Here are a few things about Briley:

Who is your favorite teacher and subject? Mrs. Hearn
What is your favorite TV show? Parks and Recreation
What is your favorite game? Poker
What do you like to do when you’re not in school? Go to the movies, hang with friends
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
What is your favorite animal? Bobcat
I asked Briley several other questions about his favorite things and he told me that he didn’t have a favorite… (whatever I asked him).Some things he just couldn’t name a favorite because he had more than one. So, this is it.

I love this boy!!!

Basketball 11.18.2011

Shelly — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:51:43 +0000

Basketball 11.17.2011

Shelly — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:47:23 +0000

Basketball 11.15.11

Shelly — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 01:44:45 +0000

Basketball 11.08.2011

Shelly — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 01:26:19 +0000

Do you see the cast-twins sitting behind the bench? Yep, we had two players out with broken wrists.