Swing set fun!!!

For Christmas this year, Nana and stinky pop got all the grandkids a swing set. Well, there is one of the grandkids that absolutely LOVES it!! McKinley has so much fun on the swings, and sliding, and "she can't reach the monkey bars". I guess time will help that! But for now, look at the smiles on her face from just the swings!! THANK YOU NANA AND STINKY POP!!!!

GO SPARTANS!!!!

Emily went to cheer camp about 2 weeks ago.....at "her school".. How cool is that? And as an added bonus to going to cheer camp, she got to do a halftime routine at the VARSITY football game... Now that is cooler than cool!! Here are some pics of her and the varsity cheerleaders and some of her classmates. Needless to say, she had a blast!!

GO SPARTANS!!!!!! EEE with a B, BBB with an A, E with a B, B with an A, EBA!! (this is all I hear!!)

Meet Ruby

Emily has been wanting a puppy for awhile now. The catch was she didn't want the puppy to grow to be as big as Harley. As luck would have it, Shane's aunt's dog which was a shihzu-pekinese had puppies. Ruby was promised to someone else, but that someone wasn't able to take her home, so...........she came home with us! Ruby loves Harley. Harley tolerates Ruby. But occasionally when everything is quiet, we will find them snuggled up together. Right now she needs to go to the beauty parlor!


Actually, I had a dog, Daisy, that looks just like Ruby. I loved her so much. She is living with Granny blue and Robin now, getting fat and sassier!(as they say). I had to give her to them because she didn't like the snow.
Anyway, here they are: Emily and Ruby! Neither one could be happier! They are like 2 peas in a pod. They go everywhere together!!!

GRANNY MONTANA

Granny came to stay with us this past week... While she was here Emily dressed her up....into Hannah Montana!!! I think no other words are needed for this................ Thanks Granny for making your stay with us very MEMORABLE!!!!!!

PS. I am sorry, I had to do it, Granny!!!!!

ROCKSTAR

I am guessing that anyone who is anybody knows who Hannah Montana is!!! But, just in case you have been living in a sheltered world, I will tell you......Hannah Montana is Miley Cyrus..yes, she is the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus of Achy Breaky heart.... Well, any person who is between the ages of 2 (Mac) and 16(Emily thinks she is) is a HUGE fan of Hannah Montana... Well, last weekend we attended the Hannah Montana 3D concert movie, just me and Emily!! We had a blast.... This is a picture of her before the movie...She was so excited!!!!


This is her afterward!!! She thinks that she would like to become a rockstar just like Hannah Montana when she grows up!!! I told her only if she gives me backstage passes!!!! So everyone start saving your money now.....Because here she is THE ONE THE ONLY EMILY MATTHEWS......

Sweet!!!!

Well, I got a lot of flack for not blogging!!! (You know who you are, GrannyBlue!!!) So, I found this picture and I thought it was a really cute one!! Sweet!!! These are the most precious days, having your baby sink into your arms and loving you. This one was taken in Alaska!! Hopefully, I will get my camera back into my hands and start snapping again!! Things have kinda started slowing down a little!!!! So, Lord willing.......I won't get fussed at any longer!!!

Jacob's first deer

Hey guys, I am back!!! Mom let me use her card reader while I am still searching for the cord for my camera uploads!!! Thanks mom!! And quite frankly I forgot all about blogging until I was reminded!!! The Saturday after Thanksgiving, Jacob killed his first deer!!! He saw it, aimed, and took the shot all by himself!! I am so proud, as is his daddy!!!(and Pop)!! You probably can't tell by the look on his face, but he is pretty excited about it too!! HAHA This deer actually ended up weighing in at 150 pounds, he was an 8 point with a 14 inch spread!! Pretty good for the first one! So, congrats baby!!!!

ALL I CAN SAY IS YUCK!!!! It is so a guy thing!!!

Proud cousins!!!!

The Good Ol USA

Hey guys sorry no pics!! I have been searching for my dang camera USB cable. Since the movers left I have no idea what has happened to it.. I think I put it in a REAL safe place where I would know where it was!!! HAHA!!! Well, what can I say...........the view is BEAUTIFUL!!! The roads however not so pretty!! There were a few times when Shane said just Drive, DONT LOOK DOWN!!! I thought, oh my!! I didn't even know that this much land could be uninhabited!! For miles and miles and miles, nothing not even a car....a little mom and pop gas station that charges out the yin yang is a welcomed sight!!! Today, we are in Montana!! It is truly the wild west!! I think we even saw the scene from a cowboy movie!! I could really see Jacob and Em and Mac playing on all those hills!! It is unbelievable!!! Can't wait to show pictures!!! and to be back in the SOUTH!!! and eat at a good ol waffle house!! Will write more later, thanks for all the prayers, I can feel the angels all around us!!! Love you guys!!!

The Supervisor

Since receiving orders that we are to leave Alaska, we have been so busy trying to get everything cleaned out. We have been donating things, throwing away things and putting things up in each room. We were in Jacobs' room this past week and Mac, being Mac, pulled up this spongebob chair, got her sippy cup, Jake's pirate hat, and her binky and sat and watched us. It was so funny, that I had to share this with you guys!! She was sitting there like she was supervising us on where to put everything. Good thing someone is in charge around here!!

Happy Birthday, Baby!!!

Today is Shane's birthday, so tonight me and the kids made his most favorite dinner.....Salad, marinated steaks, baked potato with all the trimmings, corn on the cob, and of course a birthday cake and ice cream for dessert!! We were going to make him a cookie dough ice cream cake, but the dang commissary was out of the sara lee cakes.... Oh well, the cake we made was good too! Here he had just blown out ALL those candles....see the smoke???

These are some babies who LOVE their daddy!!!

side note for Nana.....Mac usually has a hair bow or a pony tail!!! LOL!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

5, 6, 7, 8

These are the cheerleaders for the Panthers!! See their wonderful uniforms??? Well, at least they cheer for their brothers, ok, every now and then.....most of the time they are off playing and don't even know that the team is playing!! LOL!!
As for the 5, 6, 7, 8......this is all I ever hear....as this is the way we start every cheer and dance!!! At least I know Emily can count from 1 to 8, right??!!???

They are a trip!

Just look at this pose!! This one was well thought out and even practiced before I was allowed to take the photo!!! AHHHHH, Girls!!!

A Tribute

The post tonight is a tribute to a fallen comrade. This Santa looking fella is Lt. Colby Umbrell. He was Shane's platoon leader that was killed in Iraq May 3, 2007 by an IED. He was an AVID Philadelphia Eagles fan. He was known to wear his 1940's leather football helmet at briefings coming in to address the guys singing the eagles fight song thinking he was Jack Bauer (off of the show 24.) He went from playing football every day of his life weighing in at 240, to running marathons weighing in at 210. He loved his job, believed in the true cause of helping the Iraqi people attain the freedoms that we enjoy. Most of all, he was one of the biggest practical jokers that I have known. This picture was taken in December 2005. He was Charlie company's newest Lieutenant and he got suckered into being Santa for the Christmas party. I was called to the back where he was standing in this room. There he was all nervous. Is my beard alright? Is my belly ok? What do I say to the kids?? I said all you have to do is say HO HO HO!!! and talk to them. Here is this big tough army guy nervous about being Santa, with his palms sweating!! It was so funny!! He got out there though and did a wonderful job!!

LT COLBY UMBRELL, YOU WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN.

Their first day at school

Sorry girls for not blogging lately, I have been so busy!!!! But, we FINALLY have some good news. We are being transferred to Georgia. We don't know the exact day, but very soon!! The kids also, started school this week, on monday. These are some of the pictures that I snapped of their first day!!!
As you can see, Bubba had to cut his mohawk before he went back to school. He wasn't very happy about that. But, they ended up having a pretty good week at school.

YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE........

Today was a day like no other!! It should go down in history books!! I have never been more proud.... Jacob had a game today against the Steelers.... Well, he has been practicing so hard and really giving it his all....so, Coach Mike let him play the 2 back position.....(he got to run the ball).... so...at the 40 yard line he started his run....he ran a little left and the straight up the middle before he turned on his juke juice for about 35 yards......


Then, on the next play, there was a bad hike, but he picked it up.......there was a guy here and a guy there, and a guy on his knees right in front of him.....he did a spin juke....and TOUCHDOWN!!!!!!Needless to say, this is the face we pretty much saw all day!! And we heard the story about 250 times!!! But, we couldn't be more proud of our ol #49!!! I am sure some of you will be getting phone calls tomorrow....after school that is!!! Even the greatest football players still have to attend the 3rd grade!!!

Ship creek

Today we took the babies down to Cottonwood park. There, they have a creek called Ship creek. The kids love to feel how cold this water is. It flows down from a glacier, I think. I know this water is take your breath away cold. They were walking in it, collecting rocks, and Shane even convinced Jacob to lay down in it, but he only did it for a second. It was pretty funny!! Needless to say, it was a great day for us to be together!!

Faith can move mountains....

My photo editing software is not cooperating with me tonight, so I had to pull from an oldie!!! As you can see this one was taken last winter..... But I love the pink sunset that is on top of these mountains! My faith has been tested and tested here lately!! But, I keep believing that I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. I thought and thought about how I could take a picture of something that you can't see!! And then it hit me, duh, you live around all kinds of mountains.... and faith can move the mountains..

Today I watched the movie Facing Giants!! This movie hit home to me... especially since I have been facing them alot lately. God says 365 times in the Bible 'Do not fear'. It is amazing that this also coincides with how many days are in a year. So, everyday, you have nothing to fear if God is on your side!! I truly believe that God is on my side!! I was told yesterday that I was never part of the Army's plan..... But, I kept pressing on and now, I am seeing God work through my actions. He is making support groups for the families whose soldier comes home with PTSD and TBI's(traumatic brain injuries). He is also making new paperwork for these families to fill out if they need to take their kids with them to appointments in other states.... All of this because I have stood up and had FAITH that God would put me where He wants me to be and doing what he wants me to do...

Perky???

One day while in the McDonald's drive thru, I looked up to admire the mountains all around me and this is what I saw! And just what do you think it looks like??? Doesn't it look so perky?????

NO, Peas, NO!!!!

Mac has been running a temperature for about 3 days now, and I took her to the doctor yesterday. He said that she has a urinary tract infection... So, he gave her some antibiotics to take and she HATES it!!! She is the first of my kiddos to HATE taking her medicine! Everytime she sees the syringe full of her medicine this is what she does! She always covers her eyes...I guess she thinks if she covers her eyes, that I can't see her anymore..... Little does she know.....Today she started covering her mouth!!! It is actually kinda funny!

Three muskateers!

Somebody(nana) wrote me and said they wanted pictures of ALL 3 of the kiddos.. So, here they are!!! I finally rounded them all up together to get this one! They took time out of their busy schedule just for this!! And I got 3 smiles too, whew!!! These babies are our pride and joy!! We thank God everyday that he chose us to raise them!

A softer side

On the football field, he is Mr. Destructo, but he still finds time for his baby sister.. He is such a boy, complete with frogs, getting muddy, and being rough. But, he loves his sisters, and no matter what they say, they love him too. In this picture, he is so delicate and loving, I guess just a softer side of my boy!!