Hello from the Wichita Shooks

We will start the post with a picture from Samuel's  and Erik's birthdays.  Samuel is laughing because the castle creation we made fell over.  Aunt Pam has much better cake talents!

We went to the pasture last month.  Samuel found the red bucket!  Here are another couple of photos  from the river.  One shows a big piece of styrofoam that washed in and the other shows the leaning of the trees from the water speed.

Last weekend we visited Hannah and helped with her back yard.  

We also went to the Austin zoo which is a zoo for animals that can't stay in their regular zoo or their "parents" have had to let them go.

We're looking forward to spring!

Best wishes to all.

Winter Go Away!

My, what a long winter!!  January and February brought lots of cold weather and some snow here.  In January, we went to New York to visit Mary, Kurtis, and Aurora.  Of course, we were there on one of the coldest days(-10 or so).  The restaurant we were in was even cold as you can see from Aurora's hat!
Randy ended up being home for about 3 weeks in February so we were able to get Mary's room back together as well as the main downstairs areas.  He is now out again with consulting and traveling.
I have been helping with CSI's at Dillon Nature Center and have even been the one who killed the animal unknowingly - Ha!  We also enjoyed all the grandchildren - they are sure growing and getting more involved in activities.  It's fun to be with all of them!!
Perhaps the most unique and unsettling event that happened was last week a bat arrived in our bedroom much to my dismay.  Of course, I was the only one home!  The next morning I had the bug man come and take the little critter away.  Luckily I was able to find it at the top of the attic stairs hanging on a window sill.
Here are some of the pictures of our events.

Mary's old room with new sheet rock.

Mary's room finished.

Aurora playing with Grandma's shoes.

Grandpa and Aurora up to mischief.

Grandma, Aurora, Grandpa

We went to a fun play place with lots of fun trucks to play with.

Kurtis, Mary, Aurora

6 inches of snow!!

Emily's teacup chocolate birthday cake.  We delivered it to her as Sarah's family was sick for 20 days straight with someone down with influenza, strep, stomach bug...…  :(

Here is the bat.  Pretty big in my eyes.  I'd say at least 3-4 inches long!

An Atimely Update from Team Givan

Theresa and I are on unemployment and applying to job after job after job so we've had plenty of time on our hands. We've started luring the neighborhood cats to our patio so we get some entertainment watching them.

Marty--we can't tell if he's a kitten or just a really small cat

Our unnamed floofer

Niles, one of our most reliable

Roz, another reliable

I've also been working on a model of one of the earliest gasoline tractors (the Froelich Tractor) which has been a fun little research project: information about it isn't very good so I've had to do lots of reconstructing and guesswork. I haven't gotten to the physical model yet, but I have finished this 3D one and even learned how to animate in the program Blender to show how the inventor's unique clutch/transmission worked. I summarized my research in a series of posts here.

That's a one cylinder engine in the center: 14 inches wide with a 14 inch stroke.

John Froelich's Reversing Clutch and Gear (yes, it's complicated!)

Christmas Past and Present

Past Christmas December 25, 1991

Christmas Pajamas made by Grandma

Sarah, Chris, Hannah, Mary

David, Kate, Andy, Charles

Present Christmas Fun January 4, 2019

Emily enjoying taking care of her new baby.  

Charles got to help!

Olivia, Adelynn, Kinley, and Ava in their new bling from Aunt Mary, 

Uncle Kurtis, and Aurora.

Ollie enjoying the train for his family from Charles and Nate.

A battery operated Santa Fe Train.  

Notice the happy smiles on Uncle Charles and Ollie!!!