The Big 40!

Jill turns 40 today! Happy Birthday!

I love you,
Kelli

Wedding Day

Eric and Emily's mother Diane got remarried on 9/26/09 in Crowley, Texas at the First Baptist of Crowley. Emily was a Jr. Bridesmaid and Eric walked his mother down the aisle. Both Eric and Emily looked great and did their duties very well.

Emily dancing with her mom.

Eric dancing with his mom.

Emily and I.

Linda Estes, Eric and me.

I am very happy for Diane and think her new husband Jim is a great guy. Congrats!

Endeavor Games - Oklahoma City

Last weekend I got to witness the most heart warming experience in probably my entire life. My best friend Chantell's son Payton was born with a birth defect at 13 months his leg was amputated above the knee. Payton is an amazing kid he golfs, plays baseball and can run faster than kids with two legs. Last weekend Payton ran in the Endeavor Games, this is his 3rd year of participating in these games. Payton ran the 60 meter, 100 meter, 200 meter, 400 meter and did the softball throw. He received 5 gold medals. Yeah Payton, we are so proud of you. Here is a video I took of the 60 meter dash, he is the blonde boy who wins the race. But watch the rest of the kids... this is why I was so touched. They have so much more courage than I do.

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PROM 2009

Eric's Senior Prom 2009. This is his girlfriend Ashton Keller, they have been dating since last August. She is a very sweet girl. Congratulations Eric! (Can you see Emily and her friend in the door)?

Mother's Day Weekend 2009

My sisters and I along with our niece Britt surprised our mom last weekend in Spokane. Jenne came up with the plan late last year or early this year to have a girls trip or something for Mother's Day. So Carrie and I who live the farthest from everyone else started saving money and were able to purchase plane tickets to go home for the weekend. I flew in last Thursday evening and spent the night with a girl friend from High School and then Jill and Britt drove in from Oregon, picked Carrie up at the airport and we all headed to a restaurant. In the meantime Jenne and Mom were shopping... Well we and our Dad were able to keep the secret because she was shocked when we saw all of us. It was so much fun! I think I gained 5 plus pounds last weekend all we did was eat, laugh, shop, eat and laugh some more. I was positive when I got home I'd have a sore throat from laughing so much. Cheers to my sisters and Mom for a great weekend! I love you girls!

~ NASCAR Weekend - It's a Southern Thing ~

Last year we bought season tickets to Texas Motor Speedway. Which holds two NASCAR races and one Indy car race. We had so much fun that we bought tickets again this year. I can't explain it, being in the stands and close enough to feel the wind from back draft is just a thrill. And the noise, there nothing to compare it too. We take the camper out and camp along with 6,000 other campers who have one thing in common and share the same love of speed. Last weekend was the first race in Texas, Jeff Gordon was Sunday's winner and according to several people at least it wasn't Kyle Busch... Us girls got pit passes for practice and qualifying last Friday, another thing I can't explain. Here are some pictures.

Happy 18th Birthday Eric

Today our little Eric turned 18, I can't believe it either. When Eric first came into my life he was 8 and I knew this little boy was special. Now he is 18 and soon will be off on his own adventures. We love you Eric.

Spring Break 2009 - Taos, New Mexico

We just got back from our Spring Break trip in Taos, New Mexico. After a month of begging Jim to go somewhere other than Texas for a vacation he finally gave in to my pleas of going north to snow ski. Well let me say this will be our last trip snow skiing. If I want to ski I'll be going alone... Jim has skied two other times and did just fine after lessons at a small resort in Arizona. This mountain was a bit overwhelming for him and he didn't last 3 hours. Eric has taken one lesson previous to this trip and decided he wanted to snowboard, well he didn't last 3 hours either, gave up at noon the first day. Emily LOVED it had took lessons two days and thinks this is her new favorite sport... I skied alone for two days and had the best time. I just wish my family shared my love of snow and skiing.

Wii Fit

So after hearing from a few friends how great the Wii Fit is, we bought it last weekend. Sunday morning I'm setting up my Wii profile to start my work out but before I can it has to tell me that my Wii Fit age is 52... However my BMI is in the healthy range. I finally get started and had to take a break 15 minutes into it. So later in the afternoon I talked Jim into setting up his profile, he ends up being a Pro at most of the balancing things and the step aerobic class. Hello I can't do any of the balancing things. Then after dinner Jim asks me if I want to work out some more, of course I say yes. But ended up paying for it Monday and Tuesday, my calves and legs are so sore. It is so much fun and can't wait to enjoy this work out everyday.

Happy Valentine's Day

Last night Jim and I went out to eat at the Melting Pot a fondue experience I'll never forget and will be counting the days until we can go again. Our first course was a fiesta cheese fondue with veggies, apples, chips and bread. The second course was a caesar salad. The third course was an assortment of veggies, steak, chicken, salmon, lobster, shrimp and raviolis with about 10 different dips or toppings. The last course was the chocolate fondue with fruit, cheesecake, brownies, rice crispy treats and marshmallows. This was the best meal I think I've had in ages and you cook it all there at your table. Amazing!

A Few of My Favorite Things

I have a few things I can't live without and thought I'd share these with you.

1) My "shu uemura" eye lash curler. Voted In Style's top 100 things, available at Sephora and Nordstrom.

2) My new Dyson Animal vacuum cleaner.

Rusty: one reason I love the vacuum

Mr. Gus: second reason I love the vacuum

3) My video iPod

4) Ellen's talk show. I record it everyday so I can laugh, dance and cry. I love to laugh.

5) The Wii

Must Read

I finished this book I got from my friend Chantell who got it from her mother. I really really enjoyed it and I hope I can get Jim to read it.

Ozona, Texas

Sunset at the ranch.

Emily and I

Emily and Gus 4-wheeling

Jim filling the deer feeders

The new trailer

Welcome to my new Blog and the first post. This is scary and I'm only doing this for my family (sisters). LOL. So I've been thinking where to start. So I picked the ranch in southwest Texas "El Rancho Relaxo" as Jim likes to call it and actually we have signs at the gates and in the parking area that say it, so I guess it is official. Anyhoo my in-laws own 830 acres outside of Ozona, Texas. This was purchased for Jim, his brother Scott and the grandkids for hunting... Texas isn't like other states (they think they are their own country) just kidding... So the only hunting you can do here is on private land and if you own it your in luck if not you have to lease it at a huge price tag. Jim's parents also lease the land for $18,000 a season (Nov. - Jan.) to other hunters. Crazy huh. The ranch is about a 5 hour drive from our house which Jim doesn't seem to mind, he will leave Friday and come back on Sunday just to hunt and hang out with his buddies. One thing I don't agree with is how they hunt here. We have dear stands with feeders, so our fearless hunters drive to a stand (which is warm), wait for the feeder to go off that has corn in it and shoot the deer that show up to eat. Poor Bambi!

Happy New Year!

Love,

Kelli