We love you Toby and we will miss you so much!

Our little dog Toby got ran over by a car Sunday night. We have had Toby for 11 years. Toby was my birthday present, I remember going to pick him out he was the biggest one of the litter, still he was so small that the lady put a ponytail holder on his neck to mark that he was ours. It took Kelly and I two days to decide on a name for him, we went on line to the dog names list. We finally decided on Toby Wayne Hixenbaugh (Wayne is Kelly's middle name). Right away the dog took to Kelly and he definately became Kelly's dog. Toby has always slept on my legs or had his back up to the back of my legs. Toby could run like a bullet and so many times when he was a puppy he would race across the street and across all the yards all over the neighborhood. The girls and I always had to race after him to try to catch him. Toby has bit Aletta so many times because she always would mess with him. She made up a few songs when she was little about toby: Toby Chesnut knows I love him, or she would call him Tobis. The kids would laugh because sometimes I would say TobAss. Toby anoyed me alot also, oh my gosh the barking and jumping at the door. I will miss it now though. Kelly used to have a little red pickup and toby would ride on the top of the tool box on the back of the truck. We will all miss toby but no one will miss him as much as Kelly. Kelly was crying so hard when Toby died and it makes me feel so sad that his little buddy is gone. That dog was more important to him than the rest of our family. I feel so bad that I am on vacation and Kelly is the only one home by himself.
Maybe when I get home I'll get some love and attention and might even get petted. lol SERiously...

Shia likes His Bath!

Shia is having fun puting the block thru the bathtub hoop

He likes to put the crab into the container, then pour it and the water out into tub

Ever since Shia has been born we have had such a terrible time giving him a bath. He always would cry if he got near the tub or if the water was running. When we would put him in the tub he would scream bloody murder and the whole time trying to get out, so I would hurry wash him and get him out and I would always be so drenched with water.

Last week I put only about a half inch of water in the tub and 3 small bathtime toys, ( I have done this before and it didn't work) I put shia in the tub and I showed him what to do with the toys and he started to play. I couldn't believe it, he had such a fun time! I didn't dare wash him or his hair didn't want to spoil the fun. Every day I did this same routine and he played like he never had any problem before. Who knew??? We just had to be patient and wait for him to be ready. Now I need to work on him going to bed in his crib .... patience I keep reminding my self, and it is so true when you are a grandparent you have so much more patience.

Kelly surgery

Kelly after surgery, shia at first didn't know what to think of the glasses

Kelly is waiting to be taken into surgery, we got there at 8am and they didn't take him until 1:00. What a long wait and he was so hungry, I was hungry too, because I didn't want to eat in front of him so I was nice and waited. I drove him crazy while we were waiting, I kept teasing him telling him they were going to give him a catheder. We watched I love Lucy

We are so thankful that Kelly was finally able to get the surgery that he needed on his surgery. He has been in so much pain with his shoulder for a little over a year. The doctor thought that it was a torn rotator cuff, but it turns out that was just fine. Instead he had a bone spur that was rubbing and catching as he moved his arm. My husband is constantly using his arms and moving his shoulder, now I see why he was in so much pain before. He has to take it easy for at least 3 weeks. Do you think that Kelly can do that? No, I don't either. as a matter of fact he went to the junk yard today and he says he was just messing around. His pants were a little dirty and so were his fingers, not at all like they normally are.

Aletta and Auntie Debbie

Aletta's Summer- getting her excersise

Aletta is in Washington for the summer. She is having a great time with her auntie Debbie. It is so nice of Debbie & mom to let her come visit them for 2 months. She will be coming back on August 4th. Debbie and Aletta have been going for walks and bike rides everyday. I am amazed at how far they go. anywhere from 3 to 8 miles. You go Aletta Rose! Aletta is also having a fun time helping out at Uncle Ron's Allstate office and is even earning some money. I miss Aletta but it is a great oppurtunity for her to visit family and do new things and to get healthy. I know I need to get busy excersing and eating healthy so we can keep it up when she gets home.

Spring is here!

I am so much enjoying spring being here! I love to see all the trees and bushes blooming. Spring is a reminder from Heavenly Father that Christ lives! During the winter everything looks so dead with the bare limbs on all the trees. I am enjoying everyday there are new blosoms blooming each a different color. I am thankful for the nice sunny days and the rain storms here and there. With the nicer weather Shia and I are getting out of the house more often. He is constantly wanting to go outside. Each morning when everyone leaves for the day we go outside so he can jump on the trampoline. It is so nice having a net on there for safety.

Lucas James Ramey

Lucas just turned 8 years old and was baptized by his dad (my brother Jimmy). It was such a nice weekend for my brothers family and my family to spend so much time together while our mom was here visiting for the baptism. I am so thankful that our families have been able to be live so close to each other and our children have grown up so close to each other. Reminds me so much of when Jimmy and I were growing up in Anacortes and lived so close and attended the same church as our Aunt Marlene's family. Carol, Colleen, and Cathy were more like my sisters then my cousins. Family is the most important to me and I am thankful for the bond that I share with my whole family. We were sad that Ashley wasn't able to be here and Natasha isn't in the picture because she was sick with the flu. The older the kids get the harder it is going to be to have them all in the same place at the same time. Lucas's favorite color is GREEN!