Cabins, Critters and such...

The department I work in at our church just went on a mini retreat to Fredericksburg, Tx. After surviving a month long sabbatical of our boss and preparing to enter budget season we were ready! Here's some pictures of the ladies I work with, the cabins we went to and some of the critters we saw.


(Oh yeah...my family came down and met me the second day. We stayed another night just to get away and on our way back home we drove through Austin to watch the bats fly out from under the Congress Ave. bridge. CRAZY!)

Some of the amazing ladies that work in our finance department!
One of the cabins.
The other cabin.
The sitting room in the first cabin.
Donkey & sheep right outside our gate (deer were on the property too)


Bats flying out from under the bridge.

Shelley, Lea & Carrie hiked up & over "Enchanted Rock" instead of taking a shortcut

Bex-she's just so photogenic!

Cooper's BBQ in Llano, TX - SO YUMMY!!!

Sheila & Dawn-licking their fingers after eating barbecue from Coopers!

One clean cut kid!

Thank you Ms. Lisa for cutting Riley's hair - finally! He was trying to do the long shaggy look like some of his buddies. He finally decided he didn't like it so much because his bangs made his eyes itch something fierce. So...now he's one clean cut kid again! Yeah!

Ike didn't pack a huge punch - for DFW anyway...

So Ike has come and gone. Just light rain and a strong breeze all day Saturday. Nothing major for DFW. I hate that Houston and Galveston got it so bad though. Yuck.

Oh yeah...1st thing Saturday, as the outer bands of Ike arrived, we had the joy of going to the ball fields for Dylan's first game of the fall season. At 9 a.m.! Here's a few pictures from my cell phone of us trying to brave the sprinkles then all out rain. Oh yeah...the wind gusts too! (Sorry they aren't the greatest).

Mom and Riley trying to keep dry AND hold on to the umbrella. Riley, and his crazy long hair, blowing in the wind.
Dylan batting in the gusty wind and sprinkles.

We're gonna get some rain!

We're just above where it says Dallas. I think we're gonna get some rain, don't you?

(I'll keep updating this picture now rather than the one in the previous post.)

Hurricane Watch - Ike is coming...

(i think i'll be able to replace the above picture periodically with the most recent picture - check the time and date stamp on it to know when i posted them)

Yep - it's headed towards the coast of Texas and is expected to make a sharp right turn once it hits land then head up towards DFW. Wind...rain...oh boy!

Our weather concious family, of course, is fully aware and preparing.

I filled my tank this a.m. and of course we are making sure we have lots of batteries, flash lights and candles. I know it isn't like being right on the coast but...it never hurts to be ready for possible tornados, high winds, flooding and just general severe weather...especially if we end up on the east side of the storm where the bigger severe weather threats come from.

Laugh at me and Lisa all you want Andrea and others...I'm just saying...it never hurts to be prepared.

Anyone watch this show?

Til' Death.

"Long time" married couples...you can totally understand the humor and truth!
Ron and I practically laugh through every episode.

Soooooo funny!

Every so often

Every so often I feel the need to post pictures of my adorable puppies. Actually they aren't puppies anymore because they are almost 4 years old. But, they are Shelties - small ones at that - so they are our "puppies".

I guess I'm thinking of them more because of posts on other blogs I've read about dogs that have been sick and/or died suddenly.

Only a pet lover, especially a dog lover, can understand the undeniable love and compainionship these furry animals provide us with. I sympathize and pray for each of these bloggers and their animals/friends.

Katie is the brown one on top. Doogie is the black one on bottom.

When we picked them out at the breeders we were planning on getting only one. We came home with two...Riley would not put Doogie down. I'm glad he's here. He's a great dog! So is Katie. Love 'em both to pieces.

Dylan is 13!

13 years ago our first son, Dylan, was born 5 years and 2 weeks into our marriage.
He is such a blessing! We are doing the best job we can to raise a wonderful Christian man and he makes it pretty easy for us (right now).
We love you more than you can possibly imagine!
Happy Birthday!

6 weeks old

1 year old
1st day of school - kindergarten (2000)
1st day of 7th grade - last week