Annual family float trip

Our annual float trip was on Ricky's birthday and Father's Day this year (although Terry did not go). It was me, Cameron, Tyler, my nephew Alex, Aunt Pam, Uncle Jeff, Ricky, and Chanda. This was the last hoorah before Ricky was deployed to Afghanistan. We had a great time! Lots of laughs, sunburns, and alcohol (not me of course, you know I don't do that kind of stuff)

How to successfully remove someone from a raft.

Step 1: Get a good grasp of the victim.

Step 2: Tell the victim to just stay calm, this is going to happen know matter how much they fight it.

Step 3: Victim may struggle uncontrollably, but use all your strength to lift up and over.

Step 4: Watch and laugh until you cry!

Awww, success!

Bus ride to the river, it was definitely windy!

My nephew Alex. He's all grown up now. Isn't he handsome.

Ricky and Chanda, not drunk yet.

Me and Tyler. Can you believe how much he has grown.

Me and Cameron. He looks just like me, I know.

Me and Alex, this was late in the trip. We were hot, tired, and getting sunburned. As you can see to the left, Ricky has already passed out.

Hey, this ain't no porno!! Keep it clean folks!

Tyler and Uncle Jeff. This is what teenagers are for. You row while I kick back with my neck coozie.

Ricky trying to dunk Jeff. Yea, didn't quite work out, Jeff survived.

How many beers does it take a non-drinking, wife and mother of three to get drunk?......... 2-3

Trying to help a drunk, Chanda, back in the raft and this is what I get.

This is what we have protecting the US? God help us all!!

Pam and Jeff, kickin' back and enjoying the ride.

Come on Tyler, give me a kiss.

Cameron just chillin'.

Jeff trying not to get pulled out of the raft. This was the point where he almost broke Pam's leg.

Tyler, my baby.

Tyler and Chanda, trying to get a drunk Ricky back in the raft.

Of course, you knew we would eventually see a picture of this.

Just relaxin'

Cameron and Alex doing all the rowing now.

Ricky, Chanda, Pam and Jeff

Taking a quick dip.

Cameron and Tyler trying to cool off.

This is what happens when you don't get the sunscreen rubbed in all over. Polka dot sunburn.

Aunt Pam posing for me.

Joel

Most of you know Jenni (Terry's niece....as if you couldn't tell) She came to live with us for a little while a few years back to finish school. She has since married and now has an adorable son with her husband Blake. Baby Joel was found to have diabetes, so life is tough for them, but they manage it very well.

Jenni and Joel

He has his mother's beautiful blue eyes.

He is definitely all boy, just look at that face.

I love his shirt. "I still live with my parents." I'm thinking I need to get one for the boys.

Joel playing outside

Family

It amazes me that no matter what kind of family rift there is between us, everyone always pulls together and rushes to the bedside of one of our own. I know I complain about my family all the time, but in the end, I wouldn't have it any other way.

It was nice to kind of have a family reunion yesterday. Although, it was at the hospital and bad circumstances, it was great to see every brother, sister, niece, nephew, cousin, child, grandchild and friend that could be there, were there for Poo.

P.S. Aunt Pam, thanks for the loaner, you always seem to come to my rescue. Love you!

Thoughts and Prayers

Poo.....just know that all of us are thinking of you and our prayers are with you. We love you. Get well soon.

Thank you to everyone who was by her side yesterday. I know it meant a lot to Rick, Nicholas, and Jakob.

For those of you who didn't hear. Poo (Yvonne) was rushed to the hospital yesterday. She was thought to have a brain aneurysm. Tests found that she did have bleeding on the brain but they couldn't find where it was coming from. The bleeding has stopped but she will remain in the ICU for a few days and then be moved to a regular room for about a week. At that time, they will do another angiogram to see if maybe she had a small aneurysm that wasn't showing up on the tests. So, hopefully, she will be fine and will not need any kind of surgery. Please, include her in your thoughts and prayers.

Just me!

Ok Phyllis, you better print this one off, cuz it's all your gonna get!!

Dad's just checking out what's going on with the Sooners this year.

Half Pipe

This is the skateboard ramp we built for Cameron's birthday last year. I think a lot of you have seen it already. Here's a pic anyway, in case you haven't.

Teenage boys

This is what teenage boys do with their summer vacations.

The game is called trampoline dodge ball. If your hit by a ball then you have to get off the trampoline and you now get to throw the ball and try to hit someone. Luckily, no one has been knocked off. Boys, I tell ya.

Cameron, Matthew, and Tyler

Cameron, Matthew, Tyler, and Jamie (taunting Cameron)

Jamie again!

Brandon, Cameron, and Matthew.

Again, well you know them all by now.

Ricky's girls

Chanda came over with the girls. It's been a while since we have seen them. She is in town waiting for Ricky to get done with his special training (Air Force). He will have a couple of weeks leave before he gets deployed to Afghanistan. Here are some pics of their three beautiful girls.

(left to right, youngest to oldest) Makinley Michelle (after me), Kylee Marie (after Poo), and Halie Mae (after her mommy)

Aren't they adorable!!

So photogenic.

Halie and Kylee bug being silly.

No mom, I swear it's just a sucker!!

I'm an angel...... or am I?

Makinley loves her mommy.