spring? are you sure this time

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petting zoo

After our morning safari, we ventured into the petting zoo. At first, the girls were really excited, but Bella then got a little worried about the animals. May have been the deer eating Mimi's jacket or when the white antelope started to run away from another child. I think the animals were overfed in the petting zoo b/c they were not the least bit interested in the "snacks" we had for them.

Johnson City Safari

Lindsay requested to take the girls to the zoo over Spring Break while she had a day off. However, we heard the SA Zoo was packed all week due to Spring Break and the beautiful weather. When I was teaching kindergarten, we took a class field trip to the Johnson City Safari and I remember it being a great visit. We saw hundreds of animals, but our favorite part was definitely the zebras and camels. Goober followed us, I think he had a crush on Granny. Bella's favorite animal is the zebra, but we could not get her to pet one for anything. She just threw feed on the ground for them. We also enjoyed Sitting Bull and his enormous tongue. Thank you Lindsay, we are so glad you had such a great idea.

Heaters

I got the funniest e-mail from our team mom asking about pictures.  She called me the team Papparazi.  The coach asked if I would take a team photo since the other little girl could not be there for our team photo.  She asked if I had any of her son, I started going through the photos I had taken over 600 photos of the season.  Ben and I were able to put together a collage of the team as a thank you gift for the coaches.    

Daily Times

http://dailytimes.com/story.lasso?ewcd=05305d63077309bf

I got the privelege of helping to write Pa-Paw's obituary.

San Angelo adventure park

Our Spring Break adventures continue --- After church on Sunday, we went to the adventure playscape in the city park at San Angelo. We had a great picnic lunch with Uncle Ryan, Aunt Marissa and Mimi. There were so many areas to explore and play in.

Our Pa-Paw

Pa-Paw went to be with Jesus last night, peacefully in his sleep.  No more pain, running on fresh cut green grass with his son, Timmy.

We are winners!

The girls had the most amazing first experience playing group sports. We had the best coaches and Coach Dan at the Y was exceptional. The first couple of games I will be honest, I thought we had made a mistake signing them up at such an early age. By game 3/4 we were so thankful we had. The girls are enrolled in a soccer camp that begins next month. Coach Dan recommended it b/c of the improvement the girls had made and their drive they had for the game. We will see how it goes with more one-on-one instruction. They really love to play, but still prefer to play with their own ball. Way to go Heaters!!

wind in her hair

While we were on the ranch going from barn to barn and back to the house, I let LE stand up and stick her head out the moon roof (disclaimer - we were only ones on the ranch, I was driving 5 - 10 mph and Mimi was holding onto her.) Bella was not so brave and was just as ecited to be sitting in her car seat with her "buckles" undone.

at the horse barn

Ron & Gina's story

This month's outreach was incredibly difficult for me.  It was amazing too though.  First of all we were short team members, which meant it could have been short resources.  There was less than 100 sandwiches and only 3 cases of water, but yet there was enough some how.  Someone donated 4000 t-shirts so I took about 150 and a trash bag full of socks.  The socks were a huge hit, I wish I had twice the number of socks, I brought home about 25 shirts. 
As we were packing up to leave, a team member told me she needed me to meet a mom of 5 kids.  Ron is a builder and has not had work in months.  They were leasing a home on someone's property.  The landlord had not been collecting money for the electricity and then one day wanted $1,000 for the utilities.  When they could not come up with the money, they were evicted.   They tried staying with Ron's mom, but the step dad kicked them out b/c 5 children was not part of his plans.  They have been staying with the Salvation Army for the past 2 weeks.  None of them were wearing socks and all were wearing clothes that did not fit.

forgiven (sanctus real)

Well the past is playing with my head

And failure knocks me down again
I’m reminded of the wrong
That I have said and done
And that devil just won't let me forget

In this life
I know what I’ve been
But here in your arms
I know what I am

I’m forgiven
I’m forgiven
And I don’t have to carry
The weight of who I’ve been
Cause I’m forgiven

My mistakes are running through my mind
And I’ll relive my days, in the middle of the night
When I struggle with my pain, wrestle with my pride
Sometimes I feel alone, and I cry

When I don't fit in and I don’t feel like I belong anywhere

When I don’t measure up to much in this life
Oh, I’m a treasure in the arms of Christ ‘cause

Out on the Ranch

My brother, Bryan has one of the coolest jobs I know of. He is the activities director for the West Texas Boys Ranch in San Angleo. While we were visiting last weekend the boys were on Spring Break and we had the ranch pretty much to ourselves. When we stepped out the back door the horses were standing against the fence, but as we approached them they took off. On Sunday, Bryan took us to the barn to see and feed the horses. The girls are quite citified, but loved every minute. Uncle Bryan showed us how to rope and let us sit on the saddles. The girls were in cowgirl heaven.

the dash

There are two dates that are going to be on your tombstone, but what is going to matter is the dash that is between those dates.  What are you doing with your life?  You pursue what means the most to you, so instead of what are you doing, maybe it should be - what are you pursuing?  - notes from tonight's service, via Jonathan Bowles

honorary team members

We have been telling the girls about the people that Mommy and Daddy go to help each month. We have been praying for them and Landry usually has questions about them.
This month, I decided it was time to get them involved. They helped us make the ham sandwiches and they did an excellent job. Bella snuck a bite of meat, thankfully LE caught her before she made a sandwich with a bite out of it.

prayer request

A couple of weeks ago, my grandfather went in for a checkup and they discovered he had a malignant tumor.  Last week, he had it removed, we are now waiting for his follow-up visit to make sure they were able to remove it all.  Tonight, my dad called and they admitted him to the hospital with blood clots in his legs, pneumonia and the oxygen levels in his blood are out of whack.  We have been praying for weeks for my grandfather & now I am asking for you to agree with me.  It is to the point where I do not have the words to pray, so if there are any intercessors out there, I would appreciate it and I know my grandmother and grandfather would too.

western day

We celebrated Texas' birthday at school last week. The girls got to join my class for our chili cook-off. I just want to know why my class always makes better chili than I do at home. It was so yummy. The girls even enjoyed it, I think the chips were a hit with Bella (she is her Daddy's girl).

whats going on

I am selling more Stampin' Up products on Ebay.  Please feel free to shop, I can deliver to you and not charge shipping.  I am so thankful most items sold on Craig's List or to friends; but these are what are left. 

This Sunday, is our homeless outreach - 9:15, 6th Street Bridge - if you can bring a case of water and 2 dozen sandwiches, would love to have you.

many faces of a Neal

This weekend, we went to San Angelo to watch Uncles Ryan and Bryan play softball. Of course, we also went to love on a little nephew too. Brady was mesmerized by his big cousin, Landry and followed her every movement. I had so much fun snapping these pics.

day in the park

Daddy worked from home this week. We took advantage of it and the beautiful weather and took a long lunch in the nearby city park. We had a great picnic and enjoyed flying kites. I love my husband so much. He even helped a little boy to get his kite to take off too.

spring B-R-E-A-K

This break came exactly when needed.  I am so glad the local school district finally got it right and made spring break the week of daylight savings time.  We have had alot of things happening in our family and I am so glad to be able to get a little extra sleep this week.  I cannot imagine trying to get up for work on a week I had to actually get up and it still be dark. We have a few more days to adjust before we have to get out the door on time again.  I am in the process of uploading literally hundreds of photos of our little road trip.  Will work on posting some soon, but I have two blondies in the bathtub and loads of unpacking to start working on.

worth it all

untitled

I am in no mood to blog, sorry.  I will over spring break.

Yes, I tried to make the blog private, did not work - too many friends without google accounts who care about us.  Thanks for letting me know you were out there & keeping track of us:)

I AM my mother

I have known it for awhile, but it seems every week I am reminded I am turning more and more into my MOM!  And that is not a bad thing, OK, I just don't want to grow up! 

So, I have been pondering what in the world to blog about, I have nothing to blog about, or in reality I have nothing nice to blog about.  Then, Mom goes and blogs about not having anything nice to say in her blog too.  I resolved months and months ago, that I refused to go there - if I have nothing nice to say I am just not going to share it.  I want people to leave my blog with only positive words of encouragement or wonderful images of my beautiful family, but lately I do not have that.  So, that being said, I have turned into my Mom again, and she is walking through the same thing I am walking through, AGAIN.

Love you Mimi.

But, we do have some good news - a new niece - Ruby Jane was born yesterday, as soon as I get pics, I will post some for you.