Friends and family

Today is Thanks Giving Day. Today is a day that we get together with family and friends to to let them know how much they are needed and loved. But above all, it's a day set aside to give thanks to our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ. To give him the thanks and praise that he needs and deserves. Somehow that got over looked this year. I'm not proud of that, I should have stepped up to the plate and didn't. Family and friends were here and we did get to enjoy each others company, and I cannot wait until we can get together again because I love these people and consider them family too. After T.J. and I went on our trec around the city visiting friends that invited us to join them we came back home to feast and play games. It was a special year this year with the introduction of the newest member of the tradition, Cliff and Carolyn's 1 month old daughter Caidyn,Sweet,sweet baby. It was a blessing to see Carolyn's daughter Courtney as well. It was also a special treat to see Lyle, who we haven't seen in years. Glad to see that he is doing well.
I miss all of our Family and friends that couldn't make it over, I hope all of you had a blessed holiday too, and hope that you will be here to share with us next time.

Shaggy goes clean

Today was haircut day. T.J. and I went to the barber to get our hair cut. Just in time for ol' shaggy boy. His hair was getting out of controll. I love this kid of mine!! he likes short hair. This time I wanted it spiked and he agreed. This is the turnout. For him it was a good one for me well you can tell how good mine turned out by the picture. I don't get it, same girl, same style, just didn't turn out right. Maybe next time...

Dinner at the Miller's

It has been a long time comming, dinner at the Miller's house. As everyone knows Vance and I have been friends for some time now. Though we live less than two miles from each other (less than 1 mile as a crow flys) we don't get together as often as I would like. When we do, it's always a good time. We eat well, drink well and be merry well. Jenny (Vances' wife) makes the best breads I have ever had!! This time is no exception! I don't know, but I expect, that they're sons have taken them for granted. As I have taken my mother for granted. It's only now that I think back on all the awesome food that my mother made for us with great fondness. We get together for dinner and then we play a game that I can never remember the name of, so it has come to be know as "that game". "Sequence" I had to wake T.J. up to get that information. These are the greatest people I have ever come to know. I hope that in the future we can get together more often. But I know that since they travel so much that it may not come to pass. I still enjoy every moment that I get with them.

halloween 2008

I took T.J. trick-or-treating again this year. As we drove around looking for a good place to do this, we noticed that there were alot fewer kids this year than last. Then we noticed that there were alot fewer lights on this year than last. We think it had alot to do with the way things are going in the country right now. That didn't stop us though, we dressed him up and off we went to the same neighborhood as last year and as we walked and talked we desided that this was the right place. We did start a little early, around quarter to six. The first house he went to was funny. He went to the door and knocked and screemed trick-or-treat! The lady opened the door, then shut it in his face, then the light went out. Though I couldn't see it, the look on his face had to have said a million words. He turned and looked at me as if asking what the hell... I don't know, but it was funny I told him "I guess you got a trick", and we laughed together. The night turned out well, there were more children comming in the next hour or so. As for his "take", about a third of what he got last year. He didn't care, I think he only ate three pieces of it to this point. We ended as we did last year, in our own sub. When he was too tired to go on, we came home and called it a night.

Grandpa's house, learning to be a country boy!

In August we took a trip to Grandpa's house. T.J. got to do his most favorite thing in the whole world,ride the ATV that Grandpa gave him. There was a catch though, he had to help me cut down some trees for firewood. I cut 'em he got to drag 'em back to the house with the ATV. Grandpa's house is in northern Michigan where he lives on 300 acres of woods. It truely is the most peaceful place on the planet. We call it Gods country. This is my favorite place in the whole world because it's the one place where I can realy be myself. Early in the week that we were there, T.J. got a little bored and wanted to do some cutting of his own. He brought the tree down with a hatchet! The chain saw was for the easy part. I am very proud of my son! He started a long hard task, and finished it all on his own. That's my boy!!!

Diverted from the Nellis Air Show

On 11-8-08 we set out to join good friends at the Nellis Air Show. A Quick call in the mourning let us know that The Bogans were already on their way, and we were running late. T.J. and I cleaned up and were headed for the door when the phone rang and the Bogans let us know that there was a two hour wait just to get onto the shuttle bus that takes you to the base. We were diverted, and elected to join the Bogan Family at The Adventure Dome. Good choice. This was important to me because this will be the last time that R.J. and I would get to hang out together for some time to come. Lay offs at work displaced R.J. to swing shift. T.J. and I rarely get to see Michele and Jack-Jack as it is, so this was a good time for all. T.J. and Jack-Jack had a blast going on all th rides together even though T.J. won't admit likeing the "kiddie" rides. He thinks it's not "cool" to like them because he's 10 now. This is just one of the meny phases that he will go through in life and I'm gald to be here to watch him and enjoy the good company. We have been to The Adventure dome before, and there is one thing that I have wanted ever since I've seen it done. I had a real clay sculpture of T.J.'s face done. I will cherish this for a long time.