Playing Catch-Up

I'm taking a chance to update with some pictures I am catching up on. We had to cancel soccer pictures due to the lovely New Mexico winds.

House Update: The painting and drywalling are done!!!!! Unfortunately, I cleaned everything pretty well when the drywallers got done thinking that would be the worst of it. Boy was I wrong! Although the painters hung large sheets of plastic, the dust was unbelievable. I think I actually shed a tear watching my counters and table turn white again, especially since I just cleaned them like 5 days earlier. In Carsyn's words, "It was torrible." I think she it right -- beyond just terrible and horrible. It is actually looking like part of the house now though. Tiling the bathroom floor is the project of the moment. Ron is trying to be ready for the cabinet guy next week.

Had to share a few more from camping. Carsyn and Caydence were pretty good buddies.
Our fishing trip -- Gatlin's patience was slightly better than last year -- I think he stayed interested for about 3 minutes (last year it was 2)

Carsyn waiting out the rain with Grandma. She is just about the cutest thing ever (if I do say so myself!)

Showing off the day's catch.

Sharing a Family Pic

Just wanted to share a picture from while we were in Silverton way back in July. Yes, I'm still soooooo far behind. I have actually been pretty busy the last two months, so not much time for personal stuff. Thanks to my sister-in-law Chancie for taking some shots of us. She did a really good job!

We are plugging along. Gatlin is busy with school and soccer (I'll have to get some pictures up soon). Carsyn and I just chase after him it seems. Ronnie is still putting in long hours working on the house. We hired out the drywall portion, and they were here all last week. Talk about a filthy house -- I had a thick coat of white dust all over everything. I'm glad that part is over, and hopefully the painters will be out next week. Can't wait until the project is finished!

And a bit of sad news (especially for Gatlin). Some of you might remember his duck, Slanky. Well, we are not sure what happened, but Ron found Slanky dead (no apparent trauma) tonight. It is just a hard thing to try and explain to a kid . . . so many questions, misunderstandings, confusion. Gatlin and Slanky hadn't been too close for a while now. The duck really only wanted to hang out with his chicken friends and didn't want much to do with Gatlin, but it still upset Gatlin (and momma who had to try to explain the whole concept again this year).

Our Ribbons

I put a few entries in the county fair this fair and was lucky to do well. Here's the kids showing off their pictures. Carsyn's won a Best of Show, and Gatlin's won Department Head's Choice.


Here are the photos:

And I entered this one I did for Gatlin's fourth birthday. Honestly, I was a little disappointed. It took third place. I wasn't disappointed in the third, more because I thought this photo would do the best out of all my entries. So imagine my surprise when I went to pick up my photos, and it had a rosette hanging on it. It won the People's Choice Award! I did not even know they were having people vote this year -- if I had known I might have actually voted for myself!

I also entered this one of the senior girl I did earlier in the year. It took second. I had a good (and lucky) year at the fair this year!

Gatlin is really loving preschool, and Carsyn and I are adapting. If you want to see a few recents of the kids from when we were in Silverton, click on over to my other blog: www.amberdawnsphotos.blogspot.com