A note for Jessica

I wanted to post on my blog tonight because Jess has asked several times for us to update our blogs. Since FACE BOOK was introduced to us by Ang in December, it has pretty much taken over our lives when we are at home.

I'll try to update more often, but I am not so creative.

We have enjoyed our Ruby for sure, she has become a part of our family. She sits on the porch as I drive off to work in the morning watching, and when I pull up in the evenings she runs up to my truck and lets me pick her right up. Before she would run and I couldn't pick her up until we reached the back porch, (her safe place).... Our back porch under the bar-b-que grill is her "safe place".. She has taken over Alobar's dog house out there, and the one we have in the garage as well. Because he was such a large dog, she has a bed and a litter box in the kennel in the garage so at night she has her own little space.

Meg is busy as ever. She is working and going to school in her spare time. LOL She spends alot of time in Danville which is about 45 minutes from her, with her new "friend"..... We should be meeting him soon, they have been seeing each other for a month or so now. He wants to meet us very badly, just have not found the time to get together. With Jon and Meg both in night school different nights a week our week nights are pretty full and on the weekends the kids are hanging out away from their homes. :)... As far as I can tell she is doing very well in school. I look forward to mid term grades... do they get those in college :).????

Jon and I went to Florida for a few days a week ago. Over Valentines Day. We went a month early to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary. We had a very nice time regarless of the rain. We didn't do a whole lot, Jon had school work to do, and so mostly we slept in, walked around ate lots of seafood, and enjoyed being together. It was a very nice time for us. We don't get away just the two of us very often. I have to admit that the highlight for me was our fishing trip. I am HOOKED!!! I think it is better than poker, and anyone who knows me knows I LOVE a GAME OF POKER!!!! I caught so many fish I honestly do not think I could have reeled in another fish if I had caught one. I think the the Captain and the Boat Mate knew because they kind of just took my pole away and didn't give it back. Jon was still fishing for another 15 or so minutes. This is what it was like.... They would put the bait on my pole, I would drop this weight all the way to the bottom of the ocean, Capt Mike would say,, reel up 5, by the time I hit 3 cranks I would have a fish. If he said reel up 15 by the time I had 10 cranks a fish would hit, if he said reel 8 by the time I got to 6 I would have a fish... you get the picture. It was so much fun. I LOVED it, I say I LOVED IT!!! My forearms were so sore the next several day :) I had bruises on my hips from where the pole rested as I reeled, and reeled and reeled. Everyone should take a deep sea fishing trip atleast once in their life!!! We had gone in Alaska, but it was so different. In Alaska you are not holding the pole until a fish gets on, here you are holding the pole the entire time, and feel the pulls of the fish and then do all the work bringing them up.

We still miss our Alobar very much. I have my moments where I still cry, and I look for him regularly on my way home. I know I'll never see him again on this earth, but will look for him in heaven.

I hope I didn't talk your ear off, and I hope this is a post that you enjoy Miss Jess!!! and everyone else :)... Love to all, Tree

Happy New Year "2009"

Happy New year Family and Friends,

Jon and I spent New Years Eve in Kentucky with our friends from our Motorcycle Riding Group. We had a good time. Jon went to bed around 1120 in order to get up and go goose hunting the next morning with Jim. Jim stayed up with us until 1:30 and still made it hunting. Teased that when Jon is there he doesn't get any sleep. They usually hunt twice a day. Get up around 4:30, hunt until 10:00 or so, come in take a nap, then go out and hunt again from 3:30-4:50.

Megan spent New Years Eve with her friends from her High School at Auburn University. They had a mini reunion I guess :)...

Still no signs of our Alobar, we have come to believe that he went off and went to sleep somewhere, we miss him very much but have been told this is not uncommon for old animals.

Our Ruby is growing. She came running to me when I called her name yesterday after coming home from Kentucky. She is a piglet though, she sure likes to eat... hmmm guess she is in the right family for that.

I didn't really set any New Years Resolutions. I did say that there are 3 things I hope to have in my home by the end of 2009 though; 1. A new washing machine, ours still works now, but sounds as if it were on it's last leg. 2. a new stove, again mine still works, but I REALLY want a cooktop stove, and think a friend from work is going to give me one if it'll fit in the spot. How lucky is that ? and 3. Gutter guards around the house. It scares me when Jon gets up and down that ladder every year, and then they fill up right after he cleans them out again. So those are it.

I love you all and again wish everyone a WONDERFUL, PROSPEROUS Year!!!

Guess she's a keeper

Well $96.50 dollars later I guess we're gonna keep our little Ruby. She got 2 shots, blood work, and a vaccination that goes on her skin like front line and she is a healthy 4 month old "brown tabby". We will go back in 3 weeks for a follow up shot to prevent Leukemia, which is quite common in cats. I once got my friend Tonia a cat, and within 3 days of having it, she had to put it down because it had leukemia, so I definately wanted Ruby to get checked. Her test was negative of course!

Yesterday Jon and I went to look at a lost Yellow Lab, unfortunately it was not Alobar. It was our first caller in 2 weeks, I was so hopeful. I'm sure we will get another dog one day, but for now Ruby will get all our attention.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

2009 is just around the corner

Well, as 2008 comes to a close I want to wish you all a wonderful wonderful 2009! We had a very nice Christmas day and hope the same for all of you. Our little Rupert (Ruby) is touching our heart rather quickly. Now I have 2 stray "mean" cats coming around so I am afraid I may have to find her a home so that I don't have these mean cats coming around. They are coming to eat her food. That makes me very sad, and we will try to figure out how to not let that happen. Will keep you all posted! Much Love to you and the families!!!

XOXOXO from Aunt Theresa, & Tree

2008 Christmas Letter

This is the letter intended to go into my Christmas cards. Since Grandpa died, I did not send it out in them. I didn't have time to edit that he had died and I was heading to his funeral in Utah.

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Dear Family and Friends;
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

**Our family had a pretty busy year so far, with work travels, graduations, beach trips, motorcycle trips, camping, fishing, hunting, and visits from family and friends; it has been an overall good year for this Chandler family.

**Our daughter Megan is in her 1st year as a college student. She elected to go to a Community college locally for her first year or maybe 2 and is paying her own way. That makes us very proud of her. She is also working on the Army Installation where I work 3 days a week when classes permit. She is an Engineering Aide. She is living at home and I really enjoy having her at home this year.

**Jon and I are going to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary in March 09. Wow time sure flies when your hav*en fun! We have taken a few motorcycle trips this year with our friends from Kentucky and Virginia.

**Jon has also enrolled in college this past year to complete his degree. He still works at Hawk Enterprises in Huntsville as a Training Manager of a department.

**I continue to work for The Aviation & Missile Research Development and Engineering Center on Redstone Arsenal as a Division Secretary.

** I got to go to the Barrow family reunion in Boise Idaho this summer and had a great time!! We all got to spend an afternoon with our Grandpa Barrow at the VA Nursing home and it was so good to see him. We celebrated his 91st birthday with him. It was wonderful seeing my siblings and their families and meeting Jessica for the first time. She is my newest sister in law, married to my brother Malik. (My Grandpa has joined my Grandma in Heaven December 6, 2008, and we had his funeral in Ogden Utah 12 December 2008.)

**Dad and Myron came in June for Megan*s graduation. I really enjoyed having them both in our home! And what a wonderful treat for Megan to have both her grandpa*s here for her graduation. I think Dad and Myron enjoyed each others company as well. Our home is always open for visitors.

**In closing, I ask that we all continue to pray for all of our Soldiers, and the Leaders of our country.

**We wish everyone Love and Happiness this Christmas and Always!!

May God Bless each one of you!!

Jon, Theresa and Megan

Finally Posting a Blog

Happy Days.

The Chandlers are finally blogging. (Tree) Don't expect me to post often, just wanted to let everyone know I'm here :)....