New addition to the family...

Welcome Mater!!

We've been looking for a new horse for little chick.. not really looking for a pony because of the bad rep they can have about being stuborn, etc. A guy I work with knew we were looking and said he had a pony we should come look at. "Mater" seems to be bomb proof and I think he'll be good for KRae, he is only six so they can grow up together!! We are all pretty excited about him. Though, he is a little round and will be going on a diet shortly!

Meeting McKenna and that amazing man everyone loved...

NOTE: I wrote this post over a week ago but just didn't get around to posting it.

For Labor Day weekend K & I headed to Memphis so I could meet my adorable niece and spend some time with my fam. We got there Friday night- I can't begin to describe K's excitement about meeting McKenna. She was literally jumping up and down giggling as we were walking off the plane! When she saw Mamaw and Kris waiting for her she covered she mouth "ohhh" with excitement and took off running towards them. It was SO cute!!

This is excitement on the plane

I was pretty excited too....

She loves her little cousin and wants to do everything for her, feed, change, hold, etc. She's such a good little helper. At one point she was holding McKenna on her lap (with my one handed assistance- since in the other hand I had the camera snapping away) and she leaned down, put her hand on Kenna's check and whispered "Kenna, you the best girl ever". I thought my heart would melt!

This was the point when she said that to McKenna

Our time in Memphis was cut short though, Saturday morning my mom got the call from her sister. My Grandad had passed away. So, I booked a flight for Reed that day and he flew to Memphis then we all headed up to Kentucky to be with the rest of the family to remember him....

He had been struggling and bouncing back for some time now but Thursday (early AM) he fell out of his wheelchair- right onto his head. He ended up breaking his 6th vertebrae and at his age (91!!!) surgery wasn't in the cards.

By Thursday night he had bounced back, and even said so to my Aunt. He was sitting up and even ate an entire bowl of soup. Then on Friday he started to fade away, he had fought for a long time going through ups and downs. There had been lots of times over the past year+ we had thought we'd lose him at any point then he would be up and walking around the next day! He was such a strong man.

The funeral was Monday afternoon, Labor Day, very fitting for him. He grew up a farm boy from a rural part of Western Kentucky. Went off to War were he served our Country for 4 years straight during WWII- the stories he told would captivate you. He came back to home and met my grandma Jean- the most wonderful lady I've ever known. He bought himself a farm where they raised 3 kids and countless head of cattle, hogs, chickens, horses, you name it, they had it.

My grandad was a farmer, a woodworking- he spent so much time in his shop, a stand out community member- he helped build a lot in his community including the major nursing home, softball/sports complex, etc, he was a loving dad, a husband, and a wonderful grandad with amazing stories to tell. As I got older my appreciation and respect for him grew as I learned the story that made him who is was. My grandad had 8 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren! He was so proud of each and everyone of us for the people we've grown into. He always told stories of us and if you knew him you knew his family. He ALWAYS carried pictures of his family (wife, kids, grandkids) in his shirt pocket and showed them to anyone who'd look. I'm posting the below picture because it is one he always carried of me.

This was my 3rd place finish at Nationals in 2005
My G'pa was so proud of me...


We took this picture last week...
I just know he would've carried this one!
He loved that K loved horses

I will miss my grandad so much but I am happy that he is no longer suffering and that he has made it home to be with my grandma- he didn't want to live without her... they were married for 58 years! There is not much more I can say about this amazing man. I love him and he is missed.

Shelton LikinsMay 8, 1918- September 5, 2009

Big news at our house!

We are in day two of Potty Training! K has been doing good and I have to say the only accidents she's had are probably my fault- I wasn't paying attention to her or checking to see if she needed to go. I know, we're probably a little late considering she will be 3 at the end of Oct... but she honestly wasn't ready. Last summer she was using the potty at least once a day (like before bath time then all of a sudden she was over it and has wanted nothing to do with it??? Seriously- she would cry when we talked about it??? In fact she cried yesterday but I am so over this diaper thing. She is okay with it now, since she's been doing good. For some reason she just doesn't want to be a big girl. Really! "Mom, me NEVER be a big girl, never.... me baby!" Who knows. But we've convinced her that being a big girl is so much more fun, plus I told her in order to go on the plane to see McKenna (her new cousin!) in two weeks she has to be potty trained. She agreed.

I picked this weekend because Reed is working and KRae and I could just hang out and play, no errands, no cleaning, nothing but play and potty time. It's actually been so relaxing and nice not running errands and worrying about anything but her. I need to spend more time doing that... she has been a little angel yesterday and today!

We did have fun today painting pictures on the deck:

It all started out so sweet.....

Then I went inside to get some paper towels to clean her fingers.....

I came back to this:

This is when I stripped her down and told her that her bath was ready!

The painting!

All I see for 100 miles is cows, pasture, rodeo, and my lil cowgirl

Just as we are getting settled in our new house we decided we go on a road trip to see Tres (Reed's twin) so we loaded up Kailee, the dogs, our boots and off we went to the panhandle of Texas! 8 hours later-at 3 am we arrived! Here are some pictures from our trip:

Sassy pants

KRae checking the cows at Tio's feedlot

Tio, KR, and Daddy at the XIT days

KRae with her aunt Traci at XIT Rodeo

Ropin'

We've been busy

This is going to be a picture blog... pictures since we've moved to Nebraska!

Ready

As much as Reed and I love our mothers... we are ready to be alone in our new house. When we moved from WI my mom flew in to help out with little chick (i.e. keep her entertained so that we could unpack boxes, etc) then drove to NE with us- she stayed with us for 3 full weeks. Then two days after my mom left, Reed's mom came for two weeks. No offense to either of them but that is a long time to have company. It will be nice just be able to have our own routine and adjust to our house and our new life in Lincoln.

We had a big Friday night, well KR and I did.

Shortly after we moved here I heard the Wiggles were coming to town- for those of your who don't know who they are... google them! Little chick loves them. Reed and his mom didn't go, it was just a mommy/daughter thing. I was fully prepared to endure 2 hours of pain but I can honestly say that is one of the best times I've had. Not because I enjoy listening to the Wiggles sing and dance but because K sang and danced the WHOLE time... she was in hog heaven and it was so much fun to watch her. We moved from our seats (which were about 10 rows back on the floor) to right in the middle of the action at the stage.

The most exciting part of it all is that she got to meet 3 of the 4 Wiggles and give them high fives! She was so excited and hasn't quit talking about it. It was tons of fun and worth every penny.

Unload that truck, I've got boxes to unpack!

It was nice to be able to get stuff done without our stuff in the way, but a week living without your stuff is long enough!

Mammaw and K ate lunch at the window so they could watch the movers unload the truck Hitch really wanted in but they got banished to the back yard for the day

KR was pretty excited to help unpack!

"All my stuff here!!!"

The fireworks lasted an entire week! It drove all of us crazy, they started at 7am and didn't stop until 3am. On the 4th of July we had plans to go see the fireworks the city was putting on but soon discovered that if we just pulled up some chairs in the driveway the entire neighborhood spent TONS of money on fireworks. It was much more convientant, we bought some small ones of our own, and the dogs got to enjoy it too.... well Brew was hiding under the stairs- Hitch on the other hand was in the middle of it!

He kept inching forward....

"Mama..... stop it!" KRae was tired of me taking pictures. haha

Watching fireworks at home allows for snack time and PJ's