Nanette's 60th Surprise Birthday Party!

Michelle and Kim masterfully planned a surprise party for their mom, Nanette tonight! Her b-day was actually Thursday AND they had a family party for her Thursday night so she was totally unsuspecting and surprised to find a room full of family and friends at Dillan's tonight. 

This is the entrance.... the video is really dark, but I thought I would include it anyway- 

Andy did a great job getting her there! 

Sarah and Andy 

Michelle, Trevor and Nanette 

Michelle crowning Nanette as Queen of the night 

The Cake- 

Michelle, Nanette, Andy, Kim and Sarah 

Sarah and Michelle 

Zack and Trevor

Barb hogging BOTH babies 

The Venable girls- 

Nanette and her littlest grandbabies 

The Buckleys 

Me, Nanette, Sarah and Kenny 

Meril and Nanette

I think it was a successful surprise party and we enjoyed being part of it. 

JumpStreet

After our visit to the vet yesterday Hope got worse... she slept on the couch all evening and didn't move. In the middle of the night she woke me up crying. I tried to comfort her and she finally went back to sleep. This morning when we woke up she was sleeping on the floor by the bathroom (she always sleeps in her bed or at the foot of our bed, but never on the floor). I came home for lunch to check on her and see if I could get her to eat anything and she refused but drank some water. Finally when Kenny got home from Tucson this afternoon we took her back to the vet. They decided they needed to keep her over night. They did some blood work and got her hooked up to another IV. 

We had plans this evening for a double date with Jereme and Melodi at JumpStreet and I really didn't want to cancel and come home to our "empty" house,  so we went. Lame I know. Our poor pup in the hospital and we go out and play. 

Jumpstreet was a pretty fun place, It is wall to wall trampolines, a foam pit and a dodgeball area. Thursdays is 2 hours for $10... funny thing is we barely lasted an hour! 

 foam pit- it was incredible hard to climb out of this pit!! 

 jumping around- 

 Kenny not jumping at JumpStreet (he is STILL sick! I am too, but mostly over it) 

 Melodi and Jereme resting on one of our many breaks- 

 It got a little crowded in the end... I kept looking for the people our age... we found them sitting on the sidelines watching their children jump.. awesome; we are old. 

Hope

Our oldest, Hope, had to go to the doctors office.  She's been sick for the past couple of weeks and lost 4 lbs since we took her to the vet 2 weeks ago. Turns out it was all due to her diet.  We changed her food, and it upset her stomach.  The vet (at Petsvet) gave her some fluids, antibiotics and nausea medicine and $119 later she is back on the right track.  Now we have to decide on what type of food to feed her so this problem doesn't come back.  Dogs can create allergies to certain types of food.  The most common problem is food with chicken.

  The vet used a technique called a "muscle test" used by the Chinese.  It seemed like junk science, but it actually worked.  Basically you stand near the animal, and hold a style of food next to them (ie- beef, chicken, deer, etc). The vet had me touch the tip of my thumb to the tip of my middle finger and hold with all my strength.Then she would try to separate them while I tried to keep them together.  If she could separate the fingers with ease, then it wasn't a good match.  When it was hard to separate the fingertips then that's the type of food she could eat.  It was more the style of the food then the brand, so it wasn't all price oriented.  She tried it with me too.  She had me hold two different bottles of pills near my chest as she tried to separate my fingers.  The pills that I had towards my chest when she couldn't pull my fingers apart were vitamins for men, versus the vitamin for women.  The idea here is my body wanted the vitamins for men, because my body could use the ingredients that were inside.  I tried this on Amanda, and come to find out Hope is her favorite dog.  lol

Posted by Kenny

Crazy Storm

We had some insane weather today! In some parts of the city we were hit with walnut size hail! My grandma's car has a broken taillight and some body damage. Her shed has a broken window and her home has a broken sky light, crumpled awnings and more! 

Michelle's home got it pretty bad too with a huge window broken in their bedroom, broken sky light and dented awning. 

My friends have broken windshields, body damage and more to their cars... it was crazy. 

Out by our house we got a nice storm and these beautiful views of the sky afterwards-- 

I was on the way to dinner with Michelle so I snapped these pictures out the car window. Michelle and I had a wonderful dinner and a very full conversation about life, kids and more. Kenny was out in Buckeye mowing his mom's lawn when Trevor called about the storm damage (funny how it can be sunny and he is out mowing while across town our family and friends are being pelted with hail!). He high tailed it over there and pitched in with Andy to get the window boarded up and secure. After dinner we all met up at Michelle's house and I got to sneak a few Zack, Emma and Matt hugs in :) Despite everyone's storm damage it was an amazing night and I am SO excited for the change in weather-- its about time we get out of the triple digits and into FALL YA'LL! 

1/2 off

I am not much for bartering, but for once I used my mad negotiating skills and got this set up for $50 off craigslist (1/2 the original price and way less than anything comparable) ! 

The tortoises are happy to have a permanent home (at least for the next couple years before they have to move outside!)

Answered Prayers

Today is a day I never thought would come. 

Today I sat next to my brother in church... 

it wasn't for a funeral or a wedding just a Sunday Church service.

 It was amazing.

 It was while we stood listening to the music (Brian and I both don't like to sing) when it hit me and I started to cry as I realized the power of prayer. A prayer I had prayed for years had finally been answered. There is something to be said about my own lack of faith thinking this day would never come, but listening to the lyrics "He can move the mountains" made me realize that only He could draw Brian and Crystal to him. And nothing is impossible. 

Brian and Crystal have been going to been attending Living Springs Church for about a month and seem to genuinely enjoy going. The boys like their classes and Crissy is starting to try her own class rather than go to the adult service.

My heart is happy knowing they are growing in Christ. 

Here is my family after church! 

"Mighty To Save" 

Everyone needs compassion,

Love that's never failing;

Let mercy fall on me.

Everyone needs forgiveness,

The kindness of a Saviour;

The Hope of nations.

Saviour, He can move the mountains,

My God is Mighty to save,

He is Mighty to save.

Forever, Author of salvation,

He rose and conquered the grave,

Jesus conquered the grave.

So take me as You find me,

All my fears and failures,

Fill my life again.

I give my life to follow

Everything I believe in,

Now I surrender.

My Saviour, He can move the mountains,

My God is Mighty to save,

He is Mighty to save.

Forever, Author of salvation,

He rose and conquered the grave,

Jesus conquered the grave.

Shine your light and let the whole world see,

We're singing for the glory of the risen King...Jesus (x2)

My Saviour, He can move the mountains,

My God is Mighty to save,

He is Mighty to save.

Forever, Author of salvation,

He rose and conquered the grave,

Jesus conquered the grave.

My Saviour, you can move the mountains,

You are mighty to save,

You are mighty to save.

Forever, Author of Salvation,

You rose and conquered the grave,

Yes you conquered the grave

Hoppin' John Slow Cooker Recipe

I made this yesterday and we really enjoyed it. You should try it too ! 

Hoppin' John Slow Cooker Recipe

1 pound dry black eyed peas, soaked overnight

4 cups chicken broth

1 pound smoked sausage, sliced

1/2 cup instant rice (or use 1 cup already cooked rice, and stir it in at the very end)

1 (10.5-ounce) can Rotel

1 bunch of collard greens or kale, chopped

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Soak your beans overnight in a bunch of water and drain well in the morning and rinse in cool water. Put the beans directly into your slow cooker. If you don't have time to soak the beans overnight, that's okay! Instead, put them in a pot with a bunch of water and boil rapidly on the stove for 10 minutes. Then turn the heat off, and cover the pot. Let it sit for one hour, then drain and rinse and plop into the pot.

easy-peasy!

Once the beans are in the crock, add broth and sliced sausage. Stir in the rice and rotel. Add greens, and sprinkle on the salt and pepper. Cover ( you may need to shove in greens to get the lid on nicely) and cook on low for 8 to 12 hours, or until the beans are soft. Stir well before serving.

Oooow Firefighters!

We were supposed to meet my brother and his family bright and early Saturday morning on this corner to watch the parade, check out the fire trucks and car show... but they were late (really late!). So Kenny and I watch the parade - 

and even got to meet the gorilla!! 

and they finally got there so we all checked out the fire trucks and booths- 

Little Brian and Jacob checking out how it feels to sit in a fire truck- 

All geared up- 

and ready to put out a fire! (or play in the water) 

Then it was off to the car show --- it was pretty hot out so we made it quick- 

This was my favorite! 

And the boys of course loved this bumble bee car- 

After the show we met up with my grandma and mom for lunch. My grandma always gets her hair done on Saturdays (doesn't it look great!)

Jacob was pouting because he couldn't sit next to me (dang I love him!) 

He cheered up and we played across the table 

They are here!

Today we had a package in the mail and this is what it contained : 

 our 2010-2011 Suns Season tickets!! 

We have been waiting months and cannot wait for the first game (just 11 days away)!  

I hope this doesn't come off as bragging... but we are proud of being able to get these tickets.

I know having season tickets is on a few people's bucket list and we feel very blessed to be have them.

It will probably be a once in a lifetime thing and we are going to enjoy every moment of the 2010-2011 Season!