Happy New Year!

We have been truly blessed this passed year. Cody's side of the family has kept us on our toes with health and injury issues but we are very fortunate that all has worked out. Aidan turned 7 and has grown like crazy. Joshua as always kept us on our toes. He started kindergarten and turned 6 in October. Maude has had a wonderful year of health sense being diagnosed with asthma last January. She also grew like crazy after turning 4. Cody seems to be getting busier and busier with more patients. I seem to be losing more and more of my memory by the kids adding more and more activities to our schedules. We have added land and cattle to our busy schedule. We have 50 calves to start with. Aidan thought he wanted to get a horse but now thinks a four wheeler will be just fine. Maude however still wants a horse after getting to ride her cousin's at Christmas. Joshua just wants whatever ever goes fast... I just want safety. So I think we have settled on a ranger for mom and dad.

I look forward to the new year with our growing family and the new things that God has in store for us.

Wishing all of you a very blessed New Year as well...

J Diamond A

Missing Gaye...

Maude just asked me if I had Gaye's number...I think she might be missing someone
So we are posting these pictures to maybe let Gaye know what she has to look forward to when she 'finally comes home' as Maude put it.

more pictures

3 posts

Christmas flew by with 5 Christmases here and there. Then we took off to the Gaylord Texan on Friday after Christmas to see the Ice sculptures. Joshua checked out the Gaylord in a whole new way... He stopped the revolving door, he knocked down a walkway light, he got lost in the thousands of people and dove after a light up necklace in the fountain. Apparently the light up necklace had a hole in it because last night when we got in bed and lights went off our bed was glowing and so was Maude. And we only stayed a couple of nights then we hurried back for the annual football game this morning. They won again this year. Aidan scored this year and was very excited. Aidan and Collin (his best friend #29 in the pictures)have talked about this game for the past year and really a bunch in the past couple of months. So we hated to see Aidan miss it. Pictures are of all the randomness this past week. Hope everyone had a wonderful happy Christmas.

Yesterday I went to have my kidney stones blasted out. Cody was sick so my mom took me. All went as well as it could have. You know if I am involved something is bound to happen. Sure enough when I put on my hospital gown there was a tear in it in a very bad spot. I informed the nurse that came to get me for surgery that when she wheeled me back to make sure nothing was peeping out. She reassured me she would take care of it. I was placed on a nice warm bed of water, then they hooked me up like they were charging a car battery. As she was placing the meds in my IV and telling me good night, I reminded her of our arrangement to keep me covered. The next thing I remember is the nurses telling me to get up and walk and then go to the bathroom. Ok they said you can go home. All I wanted to do was sleep in fact when they were having me sign some paper I just layed over on it. I vaguely remember the ride home, I do remember waking up in random parking lots while my mom was shopping (I think). She asked if I wanted the rest of my sandwich, didn't recall eating the first half. A little sore today but doing much better than I thought I would. Thanks for all the prayers.

Beds

I wish we had the card "Santa is watching..." all the time. I would use it.
Maude has never made her bed. Joshua even tucked in his animals.

Christmas Tree

Notice anything about our tree?
Maybe that a 4 year old found a box of ornaments that we hadn't put on yet. So she did!

$1.34!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh yeah! Gas is at $1.34 in Amarillo. I never thought there would be the day that I would be excited about Gas but here it is. We have been filling up close or over a hundred dollars every time. I filled up for $29 the other day when it hit $1.34 and today for not over $30. I will have to say here in the bustling city of Tulia it is still at $1.69, go figure. My sister and I text each other every time we think we found it cheaper. So what is your home town gas going for?

The Hunt

**Warning, if you don't like blood details don't read**
It has been a while, ok a very long time since I have gone hunting with my dad. I know it has been at least, I think 7 years. I don't think I have got to go since we have had kids. Well, today I got to go with him. We pulled up to a 10 pt buck laying under a tree. This is were I think he wished maybe a guy was with him. I thought it was a donkey. He was huge and had big white ears with a black nose. I couldn't see the rack with the mesquite trees. Anyway we got out and slowly made our way through the mesquite. Finally we made it to a tree we were going to hide behind and when we looked he was gone. I made my way around and there He stood in all his glory with two doe. My dad came around took a couple of deep breath and nailed him. This is also the moment I am sure my dad might have wanted a guy with him. I started jumping up and down, yelling "you got him, good job!" high fiving him all over the place. After calling his friends we field dressed it, I kept asking if we could take the heart for the boys to see. We didn't... Then we (my dad and me) had to load this 200 lb or so deer to the back of the pickup. We did it after several tries and one time it falling off and hitting my eye with his rack. All worth it, I got to be with my dad when he finally got the 'Big one'

Kids pictures

We just leave this little camera laying out for the kids to take pictures when they feel like it. I checked it today and there were a bunch of new pictures hope you enjoy. The song really doesn't go with the pictures but I was enjoying it while making the slideshow. Thought y'all might like it too.

Baylor vs tt

Funny thing about the cookie cakes, everyone who ate the BU one got the stomach bug that night. Our time is probably limited with Joshua liking BU. It sure is hard bringing them up Baylor fans in Red Raider land. Especially living in Lubbock 3 years they got to meet Red and the masked rider several times. Cody wore his Baylor sweatshirt and cap but the day before he sported his Tech sweatshirt. He has graduated from Baylor (undergrad), ut (medical school we hate to claim that one) and Texas Tech (Residency). The kids still think if they make a bad grade they have to go to UT.