With All Our Love

Dear Tanner and Hunter,

It was enjoyable speaking with you tonight, and seeing your cute faces. I miss you! I'm excited for your trips home! Come quickly!  And Hunter, you WILL get on the plane. You guys make me laugh with your stories. My favorite was probably Hunter's ten minute date. Sit, eat a hamburger with me, good bye. Good stuff. We'll continue to pray for your job situation, Tanner.

Cooper and Porter went to a stake dance last night. Those two are hysterical. Porter decided to wear his "happy" shorts, and Cooper jumped on the bandwagon and joined him in the fun. There was a lot of plaid walking out the front door. Your father told Cooper to work the girl crowd like the Sandlot team catcher Hamilton "Ham" Porter worked the lady crowds at the city swimming pool. "Well, hello ladies!" They came home with some good stories. While they were at the dance, some kid they didn't know gave them and a million other invites to his birthday party. Cooper definitely wants in on that kind of party action in June. He was dreaming of mountains of presents and college tuition when he went to bed. This dance they had dance cards and stickers that were exchanged after each dance you danced. If you filled up the card (8-12) you were put in the drawing for prizes: Kindle! Tickets to Six Flags! Video Games! Ridiculous! Apparently they had an anonymous donor, and the leaders thought it would be fun to encourage more dancing. No winners at this house though. Dad was asked to go to represent the young men leadership, so he drove. Otherwise, we would have stayed longer at the football game we were given free tickets to for Tarleton State vs. Texas A&m Kingsville. We enjoyed seeing the school's traditions that were new to us. They drum a drum continuously from Wednesday night through kick-off 24-7. The drum is actually a 50 gallon metal barrel. Supposedly the drumming "wards off evil spirits" other schools might be bringing into town. It was a chilly day, and we were all freezing and were happy to leave early. But between tickets to the game and a free tailgate BBQ for new faculty, it was worth the drive.

We began the morning by going over to the Acton Nature Center. They were looking for volunteers to work their Monarch butterfly tagging project. Due to a cold front that had moved in, and the chilly weather...we saw ONE butterfly! And it was an imitation! And the poor thing was found by everybody! It will be lucky if it survived the day, but it did not get a sticker. Breyer carried it in the net for a while, until we saw a toad the size of a large dinner plate, and a three foot long snake skin. Then she and I went and waited in the van. The best part of the morning, besides watching your father and brothers enjoy their hike, was having someone talk to Cooper about doing his Eagle scout project for the center. He's very excited to help them there.

Friday evening I took Miller and Sawyer to the golf course near the subdivision as they wanted to putt for free on their green. But, as they had just saturated the area with insecticide, we opted to pay $4 for a bucket of balls, and they used their drivers to hit. They were able to collect a bucket or two on balls that could be picked up fairly close, as no one else was there. Then, the pro golfer on site brought them out another bucket for fun. He was a golfer with UNLV when they were ranked #2, and decided he would like to live somewhere else besides Vegas, and took a chance in Granbury. He's very nice, and young, and after hearing Hunter's golf story, is excited to meet him as well. He commented quite a few times on how good your brothers are.

Thursday evening I took Miller and visited the community cub scout pack. It's a very nice, quiet, well run pack. The folks seem very down to earth. We'll definitely be going back.

Wednesday the carpet was installed. Everyone goes in there to lie down and smell new carpet smells. Cooper practices his clarinet in there, with the doors closed, of course. Sawyer lays in there to read. Dad enjoys unpacking all his books, even if they're just sitting on the ground for now.

Monday evening the boys had their weekly golf lesson, which is where I went. And the rest went to watch the high school homecoming parade. Porter had to ride on the basketball team float, wearing black. We kept asking him if that means he made the team, but he doesn't know. They haven't even had try outs yet, but other kids have been cut. Cooper and Breyer enjoyed collecting the candy that was thrown.

Well, Thing 1 and Thing 2, stay safe! Know of our love for you,

Mom