~~ODNEAL FAMILY BLOG~~Port of Readlyn, Iowa

Today is our good friend Kevin Hingtgen's birthday. 39 I believe. Not quite at the big 4-0!! Hope you have a great day.

Since it is Louie's birthday I will post their beatiful boat "The Oasis". This was a great shot of them taking off from the sandbar I believe. And you would have to know the story but the name fits even though "Bloody Woman" would have fit also, but not been very great to have for the long haul! (sorry Helen)

This photo was taken the weekend we closed up the houseboats for the winter in October. Hope you have a great birthday Louie. And may you have many, many more!!!

This bird was on the deck yesterday so I had to take a picture of it. I mostly get sparrows, black birds, and of course squirrels so I like it when I see something different. Put up a finch feeder this winter but haven't seen any come to it yet. Soon I hope. Yep I guess I have a bit of my father in me. He absolutely loved birds. Would even save dryer lint for them to use in winter for nesting!

Here is our "big" baby Gizmo enjoying the weather outside. Yes it was in the lower 50's yesterday and has been snowing all day today. UGGHHHH!!!!! And of course had to get one of the baby Gadget, too. She wouldn't cooperate when they were both together so posting separate pictures. We sure love our kitty cats! Actually we call them both "cat dogs" because of some of their mannerisms. Pretty entertaining.

Here are a couple of pictures from the brunch in Lansing. Now that it is spring I'm getting that fever to get back up to the houseboat and see our river friends and family. We have such great times on the weekends there. Hurry up and melt snow and ice.

This is not a real flattering picture of me at all. I guess that's what quitting smoking and putting on 20 lbs. does for a person! Oh well. Spring is now here and that is my next goal now that the smoking thing is done-to lose the weight I put on these past 8-9 months!! Here is us at Bart & Sharon's on Easter afternoon. Sharon took the pics for us. We had a good time. Played some pepper, and then played quite a few games of Catch Phrase with everyone. It was a really great time I thought.

We are heading to Bart & Sharon's for Easter dinner at the "ponderosa" in Benson. Should be a good time and plenty to eat and drink I am sure. Had to share some of my contribution to the meal. I got dessert and think I made plenty. The decorated plate is for deviled eggs. They sure taste good but smell up the whole house when I make them. Hope everyone has a great holiday. Won't be the same without Mom & Dad Odneal here. They are still in Texas and probably glad since it is snowing here today and the ground is white! YUCKKKYYY!!!!!!

Tyler had a "couple" buddies over after Track practice last night to play some basketball in our driveway. It is nice that most of the snow is gone and they can actually get back outside and do that regularly. Won't be long and they'll be playing football in our yard. So glad it is now Spring. Some of the boys did get a bit muddy when landing on the yard. It is very sloppy right now!

Cole said he didn't mind that I publish these pictures. He was running late one of these foggy mornings this winter(on Hwy 63 on his way to Omega) and went around a car travelling very slow only to find another car in the passing lane going even slower rigtht in front of him. He totalled his vehicle and thank God noone was seriously hurt even though all had to be checked out. Someone was watching over that morning. SLOW DOWN!!!!!!

Here is Jr's boat that Bruce is re-doing over the winter (and now spring is here so need to get it done). It is looking great and will be much nicer on the inside than before with new carpet and such.

Tyler had Science Fair last night. Here is a picture of their board that Kyle & I just happened to "help" with a little!!! And Jason & Tyler standing by their area in the gym. They did an experiment about surface tension. It was pretty interesting but unfortunately they did not win. Bruce built them this trough to hold the water and people said it looked like granite. He made it out of laminate.

Tyler had a basketball tournament today at Wapsie. They played four games. There weren't any brackets, they just played each team that was there. Ty had a pretty good day. But unfortunately we won 2 and lost 2. We lost to Cedar Falls and Crestwood which both are 3A schools I believe. Our boys did a great job even though they had losses which they don't do very often. I think it is good for them at this stage. Last basketball game of the year for our Jr. High boys. Good Job!

This reminds me so much of our cats. Too funny-had to share!!!

Yep, our eldest "baby" turns 22 years old today. Boy if that doesn't make me feel old! This is Cole with his cat "Walker" (yes as in Walker Texas Ranger-Cole's favorite!). And the poor thing is a girl kitty! Anyways, May All Your Birthday Wishes Come True!!!!!! And may you have many more.

I just had to take this picture last Sunday night. We have like 6 or 7 TV's in the house and it struck me very funny that Bruce, Kyle & Tyler were all crowded around my little TV in the kitchen all intrigued by something. Wonder what show they were watching??????

Kyle got his State Championship football ring the other day so thought I'd share it with everyone. They are pretty cool. Now he is glad that he didn't get a class ring last year and waited.

Stole this photo from Sharon's blog. Cole went ice fishing with Uncles Bart & Rick last Saturday. I guess he caught this fish, or is just pretending it was his!!!!

This is a picture I really love that Sharon took. I love the black and white. And thank God for photoshop! It was a good time and I hope other ladies will do some shots for their special someone. My guy personally loved them! And the book she did for me of all the shots is great. Happened to show it to some of our friends last night and they were impressed! Great job Sharon (and photoshop!), and I hope you get some inquiries from people. Anyone interested go to www.imageromance.com. Great photography!!!

These are some great friends of ours from Readlyn-Kent & Wendy Kuhlmann and their youngest one Jaxon. Our 7th grade boys had a basketball tournament yesterday at Jesup and they stopped by and visited last night afterwards. Jaxon even got the older kids to play a few rounds of "duck, duck, goose". Pretty funny to watch Jr. High boys playing that! It was fun. For a very small town we make our own fun I guess. Our boys lost the championship game by 4 points. But they played a great game and should be very proud of themselves. We lost to CPU which is a 3A school I believe. Very low scoring game.

Here is a front view of walking into the "walk-in" closet in the bathroom. Most of you could care less, but those that have seen my huge, old, ugly bathroom can appreciate the change. Bruce absolutely hated this room. When we moved in in 01/99 the washer and dryer were in this room. It is huge. Now it will be just a nice sized bathroom with closet. Bruce made a laundry room off the kitchen quite a few years ago. Such fun. Next house will NOT be a fixer upper!!!!!

Okay, this is me in my new walk-in closet. Can't see much of the size of the closet but it will be marvelous compared to my small cluttered one I had before. Cannot wait to be done with this remodeling project. The dust has been impossible. Don't know why I bother dusting all the time. It will be so worth it when done though.

Cole & Ashley at the Center Inn Friday night celebrating with Leehey (Cole's Friend-See Previous Post). Cute picture of the two of them!

One of Cole's best friends Mike Leehey was back for the weekend from the Coast Guard before heading out to Venezuela. He visited us at our house and then we went up to the Center Inn and had a "few" with him. Good times!!!!