Dexter and his brush...

Okay...so Dexter does let me brush him for the most part. It's only when I get to his feet & face that he gets a little crazy. I save those for last. And after I'm through...this is what happens...he grows crazy with it....looks at me with that face like "Ha Ha! I got it now!" Then he runs around and rubs his body all over the brush...all...crazy dog! I love you Dexter!

My New Favorite Snack

Okay, I have a new favorite snack. It's the Quaker Caramel Rice Snacks. I could only find a picture of the full rice cakes...but basically the same thing, I just like the bite size ones, although I probably eat more of them that way! I promise...they taste just like caramel kettle popcorn!

Eat & Enjoy!

Kate Nicole Cherry

Allow me to introduce little miss KATE NICOLE CHERRY. My "unofficial" new niece! She is absolutely beautiful & perfect, but you can see that for yourself. Her Auntie Em can't wait to teach her all kinds of fun stuff. My heart is so full of joy & love in meeting this new life, as well as, for Paul, Lynna & John Paul. I love you all so very much!

My New Blog

I'm loving my new blog! Thought I'd give her a plug...I customized one through

www.thecutestblogontheblock.com

A Tribute to my sweet Wes!

I was thinking last night about him turning 6 and all the things I love about him. I thought I'd take a minute to share some of the things I love about him, some are sweet & some are funny. Wes Kentric Tindel...I LOVE YOU!

Things I love and fun memories with Wes
1. He lets me kiss all over him MOST of the time!
2. He finds way to get you to chase him acting like he doesn't want you to so you will chase him because he secretly LOVES it!
3. If you are pitching to him, you'd better watch out b/c he can hit a whiffle ball hard enough to give you multiple bruises all over your legs!- I LOVE that he's enjoying & learning baseball and really good at it.
4. One of my favorites looks he says is when he "lights" up and says, "Hey guys....I've got an idea....this is going to be GRRREAT!" - Typically if we are all playing or something he does this...you have to experience it to see his excitement and pure joy.
5. His obsession with ketcup.
6. The fact that he can hit a golf ball much better and much further then I can.
7. His love for embellishing numbers...for example last night he got a gun that shoots those foamy things with suction cups on one end...anyway...when he opened it he said, it has 1,000 bullets...anytime he refers to amounts...it's gazillions and thousands, etc.
8. The fact that orange pushups (the popsicle ones) are the best!
9. The fact that he can fit more sand in his pants then anyone I've ever seen. (Of course, this led to him be REALLY itchy and needing a bath.)
10. The fact that he goes to bed easily and sometimes even asks to go to bed! ( I love my sleep too!)
11. The fact that he puts up with his Auntie Em even though she is always joking & teasing him.
12. Just the fact that he is all boy and exists has led to Shelley doing things I never thought she would, like buying him whoopie cushions and stuff like that! (This could be more Todd's fault then Wes'...I'm just not sure!)
13. I remember when he cut his hair for the first time and when I asked him where he got the scissors, he smiled at me and said like I was an idiot, "Auntie Em, I got the scissors out of the knife drawer!" Not safe...but very funny. I think he was maybe 4 then...I can't remember.
14. His obsessions with labs, mostly stuffed ones...of which he sleeps with like 4 or 5 of them I think.

* I have no doubt I could sit here and think of many, many more...but I'll end it now.

LOVE YOU WES-O!

WES IS 6!

It's so hard to believe that Wes turned 6 years old yesterday! He is my one & only nephew and I wouldn't trade him for anything! We had a family bday party for him last night. Today, he's having a friend party with the Iron Man theme at Gattiland. Anyway, I've attached a couple of pictures...one of him opening my gift of John Deere tractors...and the other of him getting ready to blow out the candles. And for the record, Wes decorated his cake. And, those of you who know Wes probably already know this...but Wes does NOT like it when everyone stares at him and he has attention in that way. Earlier, my dad was doing his usual joke of saying "Merry Christmas" instead of Happy Birthday and Wes always get a kick out of it. He also loves Jingle Bells...it's his favorite and he sings it year round. Anyway, he wanted us to sing Jingle Bells instead of Happy Birthday to him with his cake...so that is exactly what we did! His cousin, Abigaile who is 2 was pretty confused at the fact we were singing Jingle Bells.

In Memory of Ruth Dillard

Ruth Dillard aka "Honey", whom I love dearly, passed away this morning and is sitting in the arms of our Lord & Savior. God put her on earth for a total of 97 years and she blessed the lives of many. There is no way I can sum up Ruth in a few words, but I felt the need to give her a tribute and express my love for her in some way.

Ruth was first and foremost a godly woman. She loved God with all her heart and showed that daily to those around her. Ruth was always the life of the party, that woman knew how to have fun! And, everyone knew she kept the side door through the garage unlocked for us and we never had to knock. She was always upbeat and ALWAYS remembered the blessings God had bestowed on her. Every Sunday morning, everyone knew exactly where to find her...she sat on the same pew in the same spot week after week.

Ruth always had words of wisdom and thoughts that she lived by and always shared them with those around her. I had the honor of spending a few hours with her on Monday. I thank God that I had the opportunity to tell her what she has meant to me in my life and to say good bye to her. And during that time, she lay there waiting to go to God, but yet, she was worried about me...about my future...about my hopes and dreams...reminding whose I was and who to serve in this life. On Monday, Ruth said this, "God brought me to Austin, God brought me to Brentwood Oaks (our church), God brought you to me and now it is time to go home and be with our Lord. I'm ready...I'm ready and at peace. It's been 27 years since I've seen my husband and my grandbaby...I can't wait to be with them." She said many things to me in my time with her, but those words keep going through my head.

God does get us where we need to be and Brentwood Oaks was blessed by Ruth in countless ways and there will always be a hole there without her, but I know she will be with us all in spirit and her legacy lives on. I love you Ruth and someday I will see you again.