Just getting started

I have decided to start writing as much as possible to keep family in touch with my children.

Carlee Phipps is 12 years old and is going to start 7th grade in Lamar Middle School. She is going to start playing volleyball this year, and she seems to be very excited about getting started. Carlee is also very active in 4-H with her cattle. Carlee goes to quite a few shows during the spring and summer. She enjoys showing steers and then she also shows Angus Cattle. This year she has a steer named Moses and then she has two heifers, they are named Sugars and Goofy. Carlee also enjoys photography and scrapbooking, she is active in 4-H with these activities. I am very proud of Carlee with all of her accomplishments and she is such a hard worker. Carlee loves to be around her family and loves to spend time with her cousins. She loves to babysit with her nieces and nephews. She did some babysitting this summer, and really had a good time. As you can tell she is an apple to my eye!!!

Tanner Phipps is 8 years old and is going to start 3rd grade at Lamar West Elementary. Tanner is starting his first year of tackle football this year. He will start practice on Tuesday, August 21st. He seems to be very excited about playing, I on the other hand may not be to excited after seeing that first tackle on him. I might have to be confined on the side lines. HA!! Tanner also enjoys playing baseball. He kept us very busy this summer traveling with his baseball team. He played a total of 45 games this summer. He had the time of his life, and loves it every minute. He could play baseball 24/7 if we would let him. Tanner is also involved in showing cattle. He is not as active as Carlee, and he doesn't enjoy the chores as much as Carlee. (You can ask Carlee about that) HA! Tanner has a steer named Butters that he has shown this summer. He has done a very good job of taking care of him, and Butters is a big teddy bear. Tanner has two Angus heifers also. They are named Daisy and Tink. As you can tell Tanner is the baby of the family, and he loves to socialize. We are in trouble with him!!

We are very excited to share our family with you and let you hear some of the fun things that our kids do. Of course sometimes we are very boring because it seems to be all we do is farm chores sometimes. We have a good time though doing them as a family. Tanner learned a long life lesson last night. The family was in a hurry and Bert had the kids out running water for the animals before we left last night to go to Snoop Night at the schools and then Tanner's baseball teams picnic. We had to leave right at 5:00 when I got home, so it was a little crazy I guess getting everything together. We got home around 8:30 after all of the functions, and Bert and the kids went outside first to start choring. I noticed when I walked out that it was a little wet by the water tank, but didn't think to much about it. I watching the cattle and Tanner said well I guess the water bill will be high this time. I looked at him funny I guess. He said that he had left the water on from 5:00 until we got home. I was very proud of Bert when I asked him while Tanner was standing there if this was true. Bert just looked at me and shook his head yes. Bert said Tanner it is just part of it, it just happens sometimes. Carlee also reassured Tanner that it was ok because it was a slow water hose and the water doesn't come out very fast on that one. I guess I thought it was so neat that Tanner was thinking of the water bill. I don't think I would have ever thought about the water bill at his age. When we went out this morning there were still water puddles from the water being left on for 3 1/2 hours, but the cattle will at least enjoy laying in them on the hot days.