Phillips Christmas 2013

We know what we said about keeping up this blog.  We made the commitment to catch up and keep it current and we meant it.  But, we've been busy.  Besides, it seems like many other bloggers are either posting less or have stopped altogether.  We aren't going to stop blogging as we find it a good journal of our lives and it's so much fun to go back and remember good as well as hard times.  So, with that in mind, here is a short attempt at Christmas 2013.

This was a little different year for us.  It was our year to celebrate during the New Year holiday.  But, all plans of mice and men can be changed and the flu bug sure changed ours!  While Jeremy and Annie were in Houston for Christmas with her family, Jane and Jack came down with the flu and had to delay their arrival by a couple of days.

So we had Christmas with Jordan and Jennifer's families first and later we had Christmas with Jeremy and Jennifer's family.  Needless to say we were unable to take our usual family Christmas picture.  In fact, we didn't do a very good job on pictures this year at all.  We ate a lot of good food, played a couple of new board games and enjoyed each other's company.  And, most importantly, no one else got the flu!

 Christmas 2013

Kid's tree in the playroom.

Leighton likes to "help" Bebe with these bubble lights on Nana and Grandad's little tree!

Jennifer loved her A&M diploma frame from Toby.

Taylor teaching Jane the tricks of using the Ipod.

Presley is more of a Kindle girl!

A game called Settlers of Catan.

Dan was pretty involved in a game of Ticket to Ride!

No horse, but she did get her guitar!

Jack just chillin watching Cars!

Jane playing her Dad's high school trumpet!

Jack's first "real" Texas haircut.

He cleans up pretty good!

A Michael Martin Murphy Christmas

We are still trying to catch up our blog from last year and we are almost up to Christmas, 2013. One of the highlights of Christmas last year was a trip to Bass Hall in Ft. Worth to see the Michael Martin Murphy Christmas concert.  We went with Bubba and Shirley and Kip and Vicki and the show was amazing. Of course, the surroundings within Bass Hall is something to see in itself.

We enjoyed some good food at Razzoos and a walk through Sundance Square before the concert.  If you ever get a chance to see MMM in concert, do it!

Halloween 2013

The grand kids got all dressed up for Halloween last year.  We had a good assortment of characters. Taylor was Maverick from the old movie Top Gun.  He loves those jets!  Presley decided to be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, which she has seen about a zillion times.  Jane and Jack went with the poultry theme.  Jane was a beautiful, colorful peacock and Jack was a soft cuddly chicken. Leighton was the cutest little Indian maiden!  All the parents decided to go as parents!

A Little Bit of Texas

Jeremy and Annie live in Denver, Colorado so we don't get to see them and Jane and Jack as much as the other kids.  Last fall, Jeremy and Annie took some time off for some quiet rest without the kiddos.  Annie's parents kept them for a few days while they spent some time near Austin.  They found a great little resort on the lake, or at least what's left of it, and just enjoyed some down time.

We were invited to spend an evening with them, had dinner, visited and caught up on everything.  Thanks for including us in your short vacation.

A Crooked Little Trail

Our little town is fortunate to have had some progressive leaders when it comes to parks and recreation. Over the years there have been a number of individuals and organizations that have recognized the need for these types of improvements.  Many people worked tirelessly obtaining grants, securing sponsorship and raising money for these projects.

As a result Hamilton now enjoys a linear park and trail system that reaches from one side of the town to the other.  Along this hiking/biking trail there is creek that leads to the new sports complex containing two baseball fields, a softball field and a soccer field.  It is the walking trail that we enjoy the most, if you call walking enjoyable!  Beverly uses it the most and it is sure nice to have a good place to walk.

Occasionally we will have a very energetic, young dog that likes to go with us.  We don't own him, have no idea who his owner might be, but he loves to go and run.  He shows up, runs ahead of us and then will stop and wait for us and later disappears and we never see him again.  Evidently he knows his way home.

The Guinea Whisperer, Now Retired

Beverly's brother, John has been working at the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant for a lot of years, first as an electrician and then a foreman.  Last July he retired after getting up at 3:30 a.m. or so nearly everyday. It was a big decision but with no regrets, I'm sure.  A big fish fry and retirement party was held at his place in Stephenville last summer and then he settled in to a life of leisure.

He generally keeps a flock of guineas to keep down grasshoppers.  Last fall we went by to see his latest project, the restoration of an early model Toyota Land Cruiser.  He has owned several and wanted to find an early year model to restore.  While we were there he showed us his guinea flock.  He raised them from chicks and they must think he's their mother because they follow him around everywhere he goes.  It was very entertaining to watch them. We call him the guinea whisperer!

He has been working on getting the engine re-worked, seats repaired and putting a lift on it.  He told us recently that the engine is ready and he will paint it soon.  Should look great!

Unfortunately we did a terrible job taking pictures at the retirement party, so we had no pictures of John!