Life....

Isn't this just about the funniest looking face you have ever seen?

 Jolie, the grand dame of our house and ruler of all, has decided that she can tolerate the kitten.

 Levi has quite the fashion sense. (Thank goodness!) I think his sisters had quite a lot to do with this.

 We have been spending more time cooking now that the weather is cooling off a bit. Levi is chopping dried fruit for breakfast cookies.

 Ahren has a lot of style too, as long as I pick out  his clothes! LOL!  Here he is 'poplin his collar' and reliving the 80-s.

 Having a large yard means a lot of work. Here is Chris out mowing around the pond with the tractor. We are again in a drought so this was a dirty, dusty hot job. I almost had to strip him down and hose him off in the backyard before letting him in the house! Hahahahahahaha!!

Aggie Traditions

Kaytee and Ashley are both attending Texas A&M university. Kaytee is a senior and this past week she participated in one of the oldest Aggie traditions. The ring ceremony. We had no idea what to expect since this is our first experience. 

Months ago we ordered and paid for her class ring. The coolest thing is that the school pays half of the cost and insures the ring for the students. One week earlier all of those participating lined up to pull a time slot for the ceremony. From 2pm until 8 pm, a large group of students is ushered into the receiving room every 15 minutes. They line up by last name, show their IDs and get their rings. Then everyone cheers and claps, snaps pictures and then gets ushered out the other side so the next group can file in. 

Then on Friday, we all drove to College Station, ran several blocks in the rain, and all for this sweet young woman.

In line with her paperwork.

 Her ring box, held by her father. It is tradition that he places it on her finger.

 Placing the ring on her finger. 

 I think she was a little happy.....

 The traditional ring sign. 

 She had goosebumps and was shaking she was so excited. This is a huge deal at A&M.

 Up close shot.

 Kaytee and her father. I wanted to also take a picture with my husband Chris and his checkbook, but it didn't happen. Kaytee will be graduating with no debt, no student loans at all. 

 She really stands that much taller than me. Brat!

 Kaytee and Ashley, our Aggie girls.

 Posing in front of the spirit coach. 

 Kaytee and her little brother Levi. These two are so alike, definitely peas in the same pod.

 All three little brothers. I love how close my girls are to their brothers and vice versa. 

It was an exciting evening, full of proud parents and wonderful memories. We will be doing this again in a few years. And again and again and again, since all 3 boys have already proclaimed they will also be Aggies. Hey Daddy, hang onto that checkbook!!!!!

This is not fall weather...

 Every night Chris goes out to water trees, feed the deer, and feed the fish and turtles in the pond. Sometimes he has company along to help (and ask a million questions and hopefully not fall in...)

See how our lovely drought is treating us? Dead grass in the back part of the property. If we want to water it we will need to dig a well. otherwise it is just way too expensive. 

We never have problems with mosquitoes because our pond has a bumper crop of dragon flies every year. They come in a lot of colors but this is the first year we have seen hot pink! (doesn't it look like the hot pink one has giant googly eyes on the top of its head?)

 I have a riddle for you. What do you get when you give a RAD kid a pop tart?

 A big mess!!! (Good thing he is so adorable!)

First day of 4th grade.

 First day of 2nd grade.

 First day of 2nd grade and running behind as usual. 

 Oh my sweet Rio. He sure loves us and we love him. I gave him a bath the other day and he played in the water like a little kid. He kept sticking his lips over the hose and making water spray all over.

The Tooth Fairy has been working long hours here recently. Just last night Ahren lost his second top front tooth. Now he looks just down right goofy. LOL!

Another baby blanket I have been working on. I used Vanna's Choice Baby in three colors, worked it in strips and made up the pattern as I knit. All I have to do now is add the edging and block the whole thing. I loved this because I could put it down and pick it up later and never have to remember where I was at in a pattern. I did learn that certain stitch pattern pucker more than others, but once it is blocked I think it will lay flat and look right.