"Huffines Has It!"

D/FW friends will recognize the tag line "Huffines Has It!" and perhaps can even sing the tune from their car ads on the radio. You may have asked, "What exactly do they have?" Well, they have my first...hold on, let me compose myself...











...they have my first car. Yes, friends, the "Japanese suburban" is now owned by someone not of McNeese blood for the first time since 1991. It has faithfully traveled across countrysides, traversed over highways and byways, and sped through the backwoods of East Texas, but, alas, it will not hold two car seats or get Michael to his job without leaving our pocket books empty of gas money. So, it was time.


Vanna, show them what they've won...

Precious memories...
I wish I had pictures of me the first day I had my license getting into this truck, but we McNeeses are generally not a sentimental bunch...so there is no picture of that day. But I did take "adios" pictures on the lot of the Huffines dealership. For what did we trade this beauty? I will tell you, dear friends, when I have at least 10 memories of the red truck in the comment section of this blog or on Facebook.

To help us all walk down memory lane, let me ask a few questions:

Tell me about the time you first saw me in my vehicle. How old was I or what were your impressions of such a hot chick driving such an amazing machine? Ha!

Best road trip you ever took in the truck with me?

Have you ever ridden in the back seat of the little truck? Did your legs ever unfurl?

Have you ever hidden in the camper, waiting for me to get in the truck after a long night of working at the mall, and then bang the back window, making me almost wet my britches? (I'll let them post and repent of such a sin)

Has the truck ever moved anything for you because you didn't have room in your car?

What else?



I'll start with my first memory of the truck. I went shopping with my family for the red truck when we lived in Houston. My dad wanted a little truck, and I remember sitting in the back seat of several extended cabs with my brother Lee, "test sitting." I was in junior high, and he was in elementary school. We preferred the Toyota PickUp over the Nissan because in the back of that one, you sat facing each other...not appealing to stare at your sibling across the backseat. At our ages, the Toyota actually seemed roomy (because we both weighed under 100 pounds and we under 5 feet then). Aaah, 1991....actually, we might have both been in that category until we went to college. Oh, well.

Comment friends and you'll see the new ride.

Thanksgiving with the Arnolds

Our little family has not participated in Thanksgiving with the big family on either side in a LOOOONG time. Living far away, we have usually chosen to fly home for Christmas instead of Thanksgiving. We've entertained family at our house for non-traditional Thanksgiving (one at Del Taco I recall from our Pasadena years), but now that we're back in Texas, we enjoyed Thanksgiving with the Arnolds.

Here's Tammy with June. June loved all the attention from family members.




Rodney celebrated his birthday over the weekend as well. I hear after 40 you need some help with the candles.



Michael, Grandmother, and Shannon.

Rodney jealously wishing he was holding June. Rodney LOVES babies, so Michael did eventually pass her over to her uncle.

The amazing Keely with June. Keely was so good with all of her Arnold cousins. Owen says he "loves her because she is so sweet to me".

Keely with Abilene.

Growing up fast, eh?

Kaden...soccer stud and proud supporter of his daddy's longhorns.


Owen making his grandfather proud. Gag 'em Baggies is what I say. Hee hee.
Abilene giving her mommy a pat on the back.


And with all of the feasting, June tried rice cereal for the first time.


And this is how she's reacted to all food presented to her then and since:

We'll be taking a break on the solid foods for a week or two, but I have a feeling June will catch on soon. :)


June and the granddog, Tasha.
Still working on the stable situp. Mom says her hair looks red, but it is light brown.

This is a leftover from Kaden's house in October, but these are our boys...rowdy, active, and missing each other already. Kaden got to spend the night at our house, so it was Owen's first sleepover. We are so blessed to be back with family, Owen especially!

And June is drooling over the prospect of our next get together...Christmas in Austin.

And three cheers to Glynda and Mike for having all of us over for several days. It was loud and crazy. Three cheers to all the parents for going with the flow away from home. Here are all the grandkids and 1 granddog...in a more "interesting" moment.

Whew, that's better. :)

Until next time...next year, Thanksgiving with the McNeeses. You were missed.

Happy 92nd Birthday!

We were recently excited to celebrate Grandmother's 92nd birthday.

And when I say we were excited, I mean, Owen was especially excited!


A godly woman with a heritage of 2 daughters, 6 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren...with one more on the way.

(oh, that's not mine on the way...Michael's cousin Tiffany is expecting again.)


Here are Owen and Glynda getting the cake ready.

If red velvet cake leads to 92 years, slice me another, please.

I'm sure this reminded Grandmother of when Michael was Owen's age. I hear they are very similar.

Tracie (Michael's cousin), Peyton, Chandler, and Cameron with Grandmother.

Arnold boys with Grandmother.

Thank you Grandmother for your example. You are loved and cherished!

I Know He's Laughing At Me

I can't help but acknowledge (and chuckle) at the way God is providing for me today.

Three goals for the week:
to have a morning quiet time
to work out (my sister-in-laws have reminded me by their example)
to get ready before the kids wake for the day

Mission accomplished by Michael taking my car keys to work so I have to walk Owen to and from school (4 miles total today)...there's my workout (for the week?)

June woke up at 5 am, sleeping again at 5:30, leaving me just enough time to get ready until Owen woke up. I grumbled about it (she usually sleeps longer) until I realized that the Lord was actually making an early morning time EASIER for me. Funny, God. That's funny.

And now, to see what time I collapse tonight. Lord, you are generous...and reminding me that when I pray "however you want it to be done, just help me", I better mean it, right?

:)

One More Advantage of Cloth Diapers

Yes, some cloth diapers are bulky...but they do make for a wide base to SIT UP!!!!!!!



At least until you fall over and land in your brother's lap.



"What, you want me to do this every day now?"

Way to go, Juney-pants!

Amazon Baby

I'd like to tell you that the proportions in these pictures are distorted, but, no, June is actually that big.

She turned 5 months last week. She's only 11 inches shorter than Owen, and she weighs 19 pounds. It's madness that she's almost half a year old, and I get a little misty thinking about it. So, I'll stuff that emotion and move on.



Owen missed school last Friday when his buddies were in town. His sweet teacher gave him his "make up" work on Monday. The letter of the week was "N", so he made a Fruit Loop necklace. He hates cereal, so there was no temptation to nibble.


Once we tried to put it on Owen's noggin...we realized that our necklace was more of a headband. Good thing the letter of this week is, in fact, "H".

Rock star headband. This is really the face he takes with every picture, but sometimes he gives me another pose after.

Try again, please.

The Three Amigos

Wendy came in from Abilene, Julie drove over from Dallas, and the three amigas were reunited...but this post (as most do) turns to our children.

The three amigos proud of the cars puzzle they built. As usual, Casen is holding something related to Buzz Lightyear, Owen is holding Spooky, and Ryan is ready for action.

3 cheers for lunch! Keaton liked standing at the table with the big boys, trying to mooch their food. Pardon my son's "see-food".

Prepare to zone out, I mean, enjoy the movie.

I'd love to show you all 6 kiddos together, but June and baby Chloe slept through the whole experience. Until our next get together...Great Wolf Lodge for the annual K/K/A holiday event.