Summer Ramblings

As you may have guessed from the title, it seems that we have once again fallen behind on this posting thing. Our resolution last year was to stay up to date and this year's resolution is the same thing!   A lot of things have happened since last year but we will try to put them  into manageable time frames.  So, lets start with the summer of 2014.

During the early summer Jennifer and Toby finished their new house and moved in.  I think it was a little harder to leave the old house out on the ranch than they had expected.  It wasn't really the house but the location, solitude and scenery.  But being in a new, big house that is close to town and school has it's advantages.  There are still things that they will need to work on later, but for now, they are enjoying their new home.

We planted a garden again along with some pretty flowers.  Although we didn't get a lot of rain, we were blessed with more than in past years and that helped with the landscape.  We made a good tomato crop but the squirrels kept stealing them and sitting up in the tree and eating them.  We felt like they were mocking us so they had to go.

Also, this year we decided to replace some of the old rock work on the back on the house, replace the siding and install some insulation and new windows.  This old house continues to be a work in progress after all these years but we still enjoy the challenge and the results.  The biggest difference is that in the past we would have done all the work ourselves.  But, now, we are beginning to let others do the hard stuff.

In addition, we had some rock flower beds and a rock landing built out front.  We still need some new plants but that will wait until the spring 2015. We did put down 2 pallets of new grass to replace some of the areas that had died out over the past few drought years.

During the time we were working on the house Jeremy and his family came for a visit.  Jane and Jack are growing up and we enjoyed time with them playing outside and over at Toby and Jennifer's house.  Jack found a preying mantis that eventually hopped up onto his nose!  It was cheap entertainment!

The very beginning, the slab is finished and the project is underway!

Walking the road for the last time!

Our little pea sheller!  Think she's watching something scary on TV!

Got to missing tomatoes and discovered squirrels were carting them away!

Rock work completed and grass planted.

Hey baby, is my insurance up to date?

Summer rain!  What a surprise!  Looking off the new back porch.

Yeah, I moved all those rocks myself.

 Even the big kids had to show off!

 Jack found himself a pet preying mantis!

He discovered they can jump, this time on his nose!

Jordan, Ashley and Leighton's Florida vacation.

Grand Baby #6 Is On The Way

We went to Abilene recently to celebrate Jordan's 29th birthday.  Twenty nine years?  Where did the time go?  We all know what that means...we are getting older, too.  It was on a Sunday so we got to attend a wonderful church service at Southern Hills, participate in some great singing and hear a good lesson which we needed and enjoyed.  After services we enjoyed lunch at Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant, even if we did have to get out in the rain.

When we got to their house, we noticed that they went to change Leighton's clothes pretty quickly and when she came back into the room she was wearing an important announcement.  Her shirt said "Big Sis Leighton" and of course, we knew that we were going to be grandparents again!!  It didn't come as a huge surprise that they were expecting, just the timing of it was a little off.  Due date:  December 4.....same birthday as Jennifer and it will be one of 8 birthdays for us within about a 2 month span!!  But, you know what?  It will be great and we will be thrilled to have him or her here at Christmas time.

It was a rainy afternoon and the kids, Leighton and Jordan got to play in the rain.  It was a great visit and we will keep you informed.

Leighton asked Bebe to take her picture.  Quite a pose!  Don't think it was her first time.  

After all, her mom is a photographer!

Random Thoughts and Things

Here are a few random pictures and thoughts from the past couple of months.  There's been a lot of things going on in the Phillips family with the end of school, birthdays and other activities.

Beverly and her dear friend Miz Helm in Austin.  Nice lunch at Saltgrass!

Jane and Jack celebrating Cinco de Mayo in Denver!

Danny helped out by spraying the trees at the pecan orchard this spring.

Jack celebrated his second birthday with a shark theme!

Taylor was the Top Dog for the 4th grade in the Kahn Academy program this year.

Tired little girl after a hard day of kindergarten.

Small but deadly, Jen and Toby discovered this little rattlesnake soon after moving in.

Fresh onions and taters from the garden.  Not as good as last year's crop, but yummy!

Presley enjoying the Nichol's pool.  She said "this is the life!

Presley, Eliza and Ava.  Former classmates Jennifer and Clifford's kiddo's.

A Visit To The State Capitol Building

One of the things we have always tried to do with our own children is to take educational trips.  Even on vacations we always managed to get in something that was educational in nature.  So, when we found out that Taylor's 4th grade class was taking an end of the year trip to Austin to see the capitol building and the Bob Bullock Museum, we just had to go along.

Their first stop was at the Bullock Museum where we went to the Imax Theater to see a wonderful film on Texas.  If you know about the Imax experience, you know that it's like you are flying along with the camera as it soars over mountains and sea or whatever else it's filming.  Sitting too close to the screen is not a good idea if you have motion sickness problems.  We both had to admit that there was a couple of times that we had to look away for a second.  But, the film made you feel proud to be from Texas.

During the afternoon, the class toured all of the monuments located on the capitol grounds.  Each student had been assigned a particular one on which to do extensive study.  There are so many to see and if you're from Texas you should go and see them.  A tour of the capitol ended the day and it was impressive to say the least.  If you have not had an opportunity to go there, do yourself a favor and plan a trip to Austin and take in our history through a free tour.

Taylor's assigned monument for his study.