Brides and Burros

Okay, I promise, the grand pics are coming! But while I was making a cd of pictures from the weekend for my brother and niece, I ran across these of the girls and had to share!

Some time ago, I think when one of Blaine's sisters got married, in the tradition of 'stealing the bride' Blaine rode up on his horse and stole his sister...then sometime later... Travis had a horse that wasn't "quite broke" well enough to steal the bride on, so he improvised and led the bride around on the back of the donkey. Since then, it has become a tradition that when you marry in the Shoopman family, you have to ride the burro!

Robin was not immune either. Even if her husband was the one who would generally make the brides ride the donkey. This time her new daddy-in-law would take the lead! So onto the donkey she got!

Four months later, Mike (the burro) would again carry one of our girls.... Tama got her ride around the church parking lot. Her brother threatened to take her down main street, but it was too cold and too late at night! Thank goodness!

So there you have it.... Brides and burros.... Shoopman style! Doesn't get much more redneck than this!!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

We had a good trip to Wyoming this past weekend. Had a good visit with Blaine's family. Got to spend some time with my mom and Jack, even got to go to Ten Sleep and see my brother and celebrate my niece's birthday!

After the birthday party, we heard on the news of an impending storm coming through the state. Knowing just how these "spring storms" in the Rockies can be, we decided to head for Casper Sunday night instead of Monday morning.

That was a good idea.

We woke up to a little bit of snow...

It was a little chilly outside....

When we were driving to the airport, we noticed the highway we would have had to drive on was now closed due to the storm. Good thing we came early!

Our plane arrived, and so did more snow.

And, yes, Wyoming has no jetway to the plane. You have to 'make a run for it' from the tarmac!

We boarded the plane, we got all situated in our seats, we even taxied out on the runway....

Then we did a 180 and came back to the gate! The snow plows couldn't keep up with clearing the runway and they had just closed the airport! Back to the gate, run through the snow again, wait for five hours....

Did I mention there are no shops, no restaurant, no wifi in this terminal? Five hours was fun! I was ready to 'stake my claim' to the "Lodging" they had set up in the terminal!

Oh, but wait! The storm was breaking a bit, the sun was trying to burst through! The plows went out on the runway, cleared a path and brushed off the snow! We again made our way to the plane! (Special thank you to the policeman/security guy who took a snow shovel to make us a path to the plane!) He said it was better than having to do a 'medical' run should anyone slip and break something!

We taxied out, waited about a half hour for them to de-ice the plane, and flew for warmer weather! I have never been so happy to see Las Vegas and Lake Mead!

We got to Vegas, picked up the truck and headed for home!

I'm with Dorothy.....

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!!

Don't worry.... I have LOTS of pictures to share of the grands!!

Coming soon.....to a blog near you!.....

And We're Off!!!

We are going to take a quick trip this weekend!


Where to you ask???


Well..... first we're going to:

Where we will no doubt stay in some seedy little motel....


Then at the crack of dawn on Friday we will fly off into the wild blue yonder...

And finally touch down in......

Don't tell me you don't recognize the state symbol?!....


Okay...I'll make it easy for you.... we're going to....

The main purpose of this trip is to see our parents.


But the best part of the trip is that we are going to get to see these three adorable kidlettes!!

Oh....and let's not forget these two.....

and more family and friends! It will be a wild weekend! Busy I'm certain, but we'll make sure to have plenty of fun and get some good spoiling in with the grands!


Then early Monday morning we will drag our tired selves out and head back to our nest.....

So.....

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE GRANDKIDS!!!

At least I get to see

three of the five!

I can't wait until Easter!!

We'll get to be with all of them!

My Favorite Grandson is SEVEN Today!

March 11, 2002.... Seven short years ago. I became a grandmother!

I was then and still am over the moon in love with this new calling!

I remember standing in the hallway just outside Robin's room as she gave birth! Her mom and I were so sore from pushing right along with her!

We were all so excited to meet this new little spirit that had just come from our

Father in Heaven!

10-10-and 1-- IT'S A BOY!!
KOLBY TRAVIS SHOOPMAN

His dad made sure his love for horses was started properly

We now had four generations of Shoopman men

Kolby's love of horses continued to grow...

He was his dad's shadow!

Not to mention his clone!

While Kolby loves horses, his true desire

seems to be with driving tractors!

He is wise beyond his years! What a smart boy!

A truer cowboy never lived!


He helps take care of his sisters....

And loves them more every day!

(hugs or a headlock....you decide)

He loves to go on the boat with his dad!



and Kolby is just the coolest dude ever!



He is very handy...


An excellent fisherman!


He still loves to ride...

But going as fast as he can is what he really loves!

I'm just glad Aunt Tama was there to
save my truck!

He even cleans up pretty well!


I'm telling you, it doesn't
get any more handsome than this!

And the girls LOVE him!

So do Grandma and Papa!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BUDDY!!

**Warning**

The following picture and video are rated PG

Parental Guidance is suggested!

He is ALL BOY!!

Watering Aunt Tama's apple tree!

His laugh is so contagious!!

(don't forget to pause the music on the side bar first!)

First Five People.... Ready, set, GO!

My friend, Brenda posted this on her blog and I think it sounds like too much fun....so here it is!

The first FIVE people to respond to this post will get something made by me personally. What I make is my choice, but it will be made JUST FOR YOU! My choice. For you. However, (like all things that sound too good to be true :), this offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1- There is no guarantee that you will like what I make!
2- What I create will be just for you personally.
3- It will be completed sometime this year.
4- You will receive no clues as to what it's going to be. I'll let you post a request of some sort with your comment, but still... it could be anything!
5- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange if I so desire... it may blow your mind! Or it may not. It may be very simple and predictable... but hopefully you will benefit from it!And like most things that sound too good to be true, there is a catch.
You must re-post this on your blog and offer the same deal to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. Not too bad, huh? In fact, I think it'll be a lot of fun!!So-- on your mark, get set, GO!
The first 5 people to leave a comment telling me they posted this on their blog and want to win a free, FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift from me will receive just that!!!
**Remember: You have to tell me in your post that you've posted this on your blog before you can be guaranteed one of the five slots!**
Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!

What funny girls we have!!

I just have to share these funny stories I got today!

Baylee was playing on the top bunk of their beds tonight and was hanging from the top bunk and fell!
She cried and cried and after several minutes of Daddy trying to calm her down, he asked her what hurt.
She told him NOTHING hurt! She was mad because her hands were too slippery!!
What a funny girl! She is definitely her aunt Tama's child!
When Tama was around 4 or 5... (same age as Baylee is now) she was learning how to ride her bike without training wheels. I heard this crying and screaming outside and ran out expecting to find her in a mangled hurting wreck, but all I found was my sweet little girl KICKING every spoke out of the back wheel of her bike because it fell over with her!

Also, I was talking to Tama on the phone yesterday and Abbie and Kallie could be heard fighting in the background. Tama told Kallie to be nice to Abbie and said you girls stop fighting! A couple of seconds later, Kallie pipes up "Hey mom, Abbie is doing the fighting" uh yeah....okay, little naughty girl! Then they were supposed to be eating their lunch and Kallie kept arguing with Abbie and picking at her so Tama told them to stop talking and eat their lunch. Then I heard Kallie tell Abbie, "Abbie, you stop talking or you are going to time out!" She has been on a grumpy roll the past couple of days!

Then we have Abbie who was in the kitchen the other day talking about her "spice goat"... Tama and Karlo were puzzled about what on earth she could be talking about, so Karlo finally figured out she was talking about her "SPY SCOPE!!" she had gotten a toy telescope in a kid meal somewhere.... what a nut!

Thank goodness Kolby and Taylor are such angels!! :-) At least we have some hope!! :-)

Until next time, keep your face to the sun and bloom where you are planted!!