Quilt

This quilt is our 24th anniversary present. Starr cross stitched the squares about 10 years ago. Mrs. Jana Nichols quilted it for us. Isn't it just beautiful?

Erynn's Senior Prom

These are pictures taken before Erynn's senior prom. There will be more pictures coming soon!

My Birthday and Easter

I have a wonderful birthday on April 5. I got lots of great presents and ate at Shorty Small's. Wendy and Gray had come up for the livestock show and sale. They spent two nights with us and left on Saturday. We had a wonderful time. Hopefully, they will get to come back to visit soon.

The semester is winding down and I am glad for that. This has been a particularly rough semester. Hopefully things are going to keep getting better and better. Erynn's graduation is May 14. Alysa is starting a new job in just a week or so. Alysa has also changed her major to midlevel education science and math. I think these changes will be good for her even if she has three years until she graduates now.

I am sharing some pictures of me on my birthday, the girls and me on Easter Sunday and then individual pictures of Erynn, Alysa and me. Enjoy!

Long Time No Post

Above: My parents' mausoleum at the Bright Cemetery in Bonnerdale.

Above: The statue at Caddo Gap.

Below: The grave of my Grandpa Alvin (my mother's dad). He died in plane crash.

Below: Four of my Dad's five granddaughters (this count is as of March 2009). Left to right: Erynn, Emma, Lane and Alysa.

Left to Right: Me, Erynn, Wendy, Lane and Alysa...little Emma is in front.

I have fallen way behind in my posting. I have now taken down Erynn's senior proofs because the selections have been made.

Some updates from our house:

We had a nice Christmas that included a visit from our family in Pennsylvania!

Alysa had a really bad car wreck that banged her and her car up. Long story but the wreck was not her fault, the woman who hit her lied and so her car repairs and medical bills came out of our pocket. It has now been nearly three months and she just got her car back and she continues to see the chiropractor.

The ice storm hit us in February and we spent 6 days without electricity! I think this was one of the worst experiences of my life. Between Alysa's car accident and this I was a basket case.

Erynn made a All Region Band and All State band for the third year in a row. We are very proud of her! She graduates May 14.

We made it to spring break and my nephew managed to shoot himself in the leg with a pistol. Scared us half to death! Then my youngest sister, Darrah, who is 15 weeks pregnant, started bleeding and the ER doctor told her there was a tear in the amniotic sac and the baby would probably die. We were all devastated. She spent 3 days on complete bedrest and saw her regular ob doctor. Her regular doctor told her there was not a tear and everything was okay. What a relief!

On the positive side, during spring break I got to visit with my sister, Wendy and her family and little Emma (Darrah's daughter). We went to Hot Springs, Glenwood and Caddo Gap. I also got to have lunch one day and supper the next with my Dad. The girls seemed to enjoy all our travels. I am posting some pictures Erynn took on our trip.

Hopefully, the rest of the semester will have much less drama than the first half!

Erynn's Birthday

So, we had Erynn's 17th birthday. I am posting some pictures from the big day. Erynn received a miniature ASU football helmet and well, she just couldn't rest until she tried in on Baby Kitty. As you can see, he was less than thrilled. Erynn also felt the need to have Suki ride around in her purse. Again, you can see that Suki was less than thrilled!

Rene's Wedding Shower

Week of June 1, 2008

This week, Starr and I, traveled to Camp Couchdale for the FFA State Convention. At the session we attended, I received a State Honorary FFA degree. I was the only woman receiving one and all the other honorees were State Senators, State Representatives or connected with Arkansas Farm Bureau in some way. On the way back home, we stopped by Wendy's house and got to see Wendy, Lane, Darrah, NJ and Emma. I wish Emma wasn't so afraid of me! Maybe one day, I will get to spend more time with her so that she won't be! It is very sad to me that I so rarely get to see my sisters and their children-especially Darrah's girls because I am such a stranger to them.

A Surprise Party for Alysa

Some of Alysa's friends wanted to throw a surprise party for Alysa's birthday. After a little planning, we had it at our house on May 30. We had pizza and cupcakes. Starr, Erynn and Abby created a set of cupcakes like looked like the painting Starry Night and Mary Ann brought cupcakes in the shape of a football! We had pizza, hamburgers (left from the cook out) and chip and dip. We all had a lot of fun but since I mowed the lawn and cleaned house all day I was tired. In fact, I am still tired today!

More Scenes from the Cook Out!

Scenes from our Neighborhood Cook Out!

Alysa turns 20!!!

Well, today is Alysa's 20th birthday. It is so hard to believe that much time has passed since her birth. I remember that day so well. Now my baby is a grown up young lady. Naturally, we took some pictures so I will put some of them here for everyone to enjoy. Alysa has always been such a sweet, precious girl. I love her dearly! I am very proud to say she is mine!!

The first picture is of her and her cake. In the second picture, she is leading us in singing Happy Birthday!

Some Pictures and Some Rambling

The first picture is one of the girls giving themselves facials and mugging for the camera. The second is one of me at the Annual Girl Scout Banquet. I was receiving a 15 year pin. The flowers are all from our yard. The orange iris is actually know as a the Tennessee Vol Iris. My friend Kim Pittcock gave me the bulb a few years ago and this is the first time it has bloomed! And how nice that it has bloomed during the month of Alysa's birthday!

Monday night is the Fine Arts Banquet at JHS. Erynn will be recognized for her All Region and All State accomplishments. This will be the last big event of the school year for us. Erynn will play in the band at graduation on Thursday.

We had a bad storm come through about 6 tonight. Lots of thunder, lightning, wind and marble sized hail! The tornado sirens went off but we didn't go to the basement. Alysa did go down there to read. Thanks to Darrah for caring enough to call and check on us!

Because Darrah Wants to Know!

Ten years ago, I was teaching in the College of Agriculture. My girls were in the first and fourth grades so I was always busy doing stuff with and for them.

5 things on my to-do list:

1. Go to the doctor on Wednesday for follow up
2. Get prescriptions refilled
3. Clean house
4. Work on yard
5. Do my Thursday night class assignments

5 things I would do if I was a billionaire:

1. Pay for my girls' college education at the school of their choice
2. Trip to England
3. Buy my dream house
4. Pay off all my debts
5. Support a missionary and his family

3 bad habits:

1. Procrastination
2. Eating too much
3. Worrying

5 places I have lived:

1. Hot Springs, Arkansas (7 years)
2. Earth, Texas (1 year)
3. Fayetteville, Arkansas (2 years)
4. Monticello, Arkansas (1 year)
5. Batesville, Arkansas (4 years)

5 jobs I have had:

1. TSC
2. ASU-Computer Services
3. Arkansas College-Instructor
4. ASU-Beebe-Instructor
5. ASU-Jonesboro, College of Agriculture, Instructor

5 people I want to know more about:

None-my only friend on this is Darrah and she has already done this!

More Still....