The Berry Pickers

Katie and I went blueberry and blackberry picking yesterday with some friends and it was so much fun!!! The berry patch was up north kinda by the barn where Katie rides. At first we were worried that we couldn't go because a huge storm came through and it was raining like crazy but the berry patch had gotten no rain and it actually was nice because it was cloudy. We ended up with quite the stash of blueberries and blackberries. Now I am on a mission to have my mom make some yummy blackberry cobbler!!!

I'm A Winner!!!!

Sorry it has been so long since my last post. Summer is here and we are so busy doing all kinds of fun stuff. I think Katie has grown gills and fins because she is always in the pool and loves to swim all the time. Chris is super busy with work and will be seeing what seems like the entire state over the month of June. As for me, well I am just enjoying my time with Katie. Oh, and I also secured a job (part-time) at Katie's school starting in August!!! Our new addition to the the family (Rebel) is doing great. He goes out walking with me at least once a day and I think we are almost ready to start running together. And....I posted a photo that I took of him on a Photographers website and won Photo of the week!!!! I couldn't believe it when I saw the picture I just thought "Oh wow, that's my picture....that's my Rebel!" And then it hit me and I went running into Chris' office to tell him. In the grand scheme of things it is not really that big of a deal but I don't think I have ever won anything! Here is the screen shot of the weekly newsletter that goes out that has my "big" win news on it!!!

Who Are These Two?

We have two new people in the house!!! Well.....actually that is really Katie. She got her braces off today and also decided to go all out and get a major haircut too!!! I know that I am her mother but, I think she looks way too darn cute. We really do have a new family member and his name is Rebel. He is a chocolate lab and is just a little over one year. Rebel comes to us from Georgia/Chandler. My cousin Matt is proudly serving our country as an Army Ranger and will be leaving soon for a destination not so pleasant. So, Rebel has come to live with the crazy Lingafelter family where he is already being spoiled and called Katie's new best friend. Here are some pictures of the new dynamic duo.

Splash Day Fun

Sorry it has been so long since my last post.  I was sick (doesn't happen ever!!!) and really just didn't feel like doing much of anything.  I'm all better now so I have lots of catching up to do.  

Last Friday was Katie's second grade splash day and she had so much fun.  The kids get to play outside all day long with water guns, slip-n-slides, water slides and a ton of other kinds of toys.  The weather was great...lots of sun and warm temperatures.  Here are some pictures that kinda sum up the day.

Horses & Photos

So if you are one of those people (Jeff!!!) who don't believe in lots of pictures in one post, this post is not for you. Today Katie played hookie from school (she has been working so hard on her research paper for LEAP) today and we went out to the barn for some fun. I hadn't taken very many pictures of Katie and Mister Hennessy since they began riding again after his surgery. Part of the reason for this is that we are thinking of selling him and that thought is hard. I also took the camera today because I needed to take a picture of Shane riding a horse that he is going to be showing in a big national Appaloosa show. The picture might be going in an ad in one of the Appaloosa magazines!!!!! I am so excited that one of my pictures might actually be in a magazine. Total dream come true if it happens. I will post the picture that they chose and if it is going in the ad later. Anyway, here are some of the shots that I took of Katie and all of our horses (Mister Hennessy - riding, Able - the Paint horse and Chad).

10 Rules

This totally sounds like the rules Chris will come up with when it is time for Katie to start dating. Although I am sure that he will try to keep her to her promise she made as a 4 year old to either never marry or just marry her daddy!


By W. Bruce Cameron

Rule One:
If you pull into my driveway and honk, you'd better be delivering a package, because you're sure not picking anything up.

Rule Two:
You do not touch my daughter in front of me. You may glance at her, so long as you do not stare at anything below her neck. If you cannot keep your eyes or hands off of my daughter's body, I will remove them.

Rule Three:
I realize it is fashionable for boys your age to wear pants that fall off their hips. Don't take this as an insult, but you and your friends are complete idiots. Still, I propose this compromise: If you come to the door with your underwear showing and your pants ten sizes too big, I will not object. But to ensure that your pants do not, in fact, come off during the course of your date with my daughter, I will take my electric nail gun and fasten them securely to your waist.

Rule Four:
I'm sure you've been told that in today's world, sex without utilizing a "barrier method" of some kind can kill you. Let me elaborate: when it comes to sex, I am the barrier, and I will kill you.

Rule Five:
For you and I to get to know each other, custom says we should talk about sports, politics, and other issues of the day. Please do not do this. The only information I require from you is an indication of when you expect to have my daughter safely back at my house, and the only word I need from you on this subject is: "early."

Rule Six:
I have no doubts that you are a popular fellow with many opportunities to date other girls. This is fine with me as long as it is okay with my daughter. Otherwise, once you have gone out with my little girl, you will continue to date no one but her until she is finished with you. If you make her cry, I will make you cry.

Rule Seven:
As you and I sit waiting for my daughter to appear, do not sigh and fidget. If you want to be on time for the movie, you do not date a teenaged girl. My daughter is putting on her makeup, a process than can take longer than painting the Golden Gate Bridge. Just relax and enjoy my glare, or, better yet, do something useful, like rotate my tires.

Rule Eight:
The following places are not appropriate for a date with my daughter:
* Places where there are beds, sofas, or anything softer than a wooden stool.
* Places where there is darkness.
* Places where there is dancing, holding hands, or happiness.
* Places warm enough to induce my daughter to wear shorts, tank tops, midriff T-shirts, or anything other than overalls, a sweater, and a goose-down parka zipped up to her throat.
* Movies with a strong romantic or sexual theme are to be avoided; movies which features chainsaws are ok.

Places that are appropriate:
* Church
* A retirement home (the elderly love visiting teenagers)
* Our living room

Rule Nine:
Do not lie to me. I may appear to be a potbellied, balding, middle-aged, dim-witted has-been, but on issues relating to my daughter, I am the all-knowing, merciless god of your universe. If I ask you where you are going and with whom, you have one chance to tell me the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I have a shotgun, a shovel, and five acres of dense woods.

Rule Ten:
Be afraid, Be very afraid. It takes very little for me to mistake the sound of your car in the driveway for a chopper coming in over a rice paddy near Hanoi. When my exposure to Agent Orange starts acting up, the voices in my head urge me to clean the guns as I wait for you to bring my daughter home. As soon as you pull into the driveway you should exit the car with both hands in plain sight. Speak the perimeter password, announce in a clear voice that you have brought my daughter home safely and early, then return to your car -- there is no need for you to come inside. The camouflaged face at the window is mine.

Field Day Fun

Katie had Field Day today and I was able to go up to the school for a little bit to take some pictures. All the kids had a blast playing the games and competing against one another. Here are some of the pics that I took.....I just love the look on Katie's face in some of them.