kids are awesome. will the next be a girl?

It's time to place your bets. Will the next gillespie be a girl? One week and we'll know. ella votes brother. we'll see if she's right.

Road trips rule; so do our girls

Ella and kate were awesome traveling companions. Only one minor incident on the way home and other than that it was I-20 for about 600 miles.

Sienna and sadie are such cuties; we were sad to leave. But I'm sure kate left sienna with some ideas on how to get into trouble while we are away.

Kate's first can of soda. She was loving it.


It's amazing how quickly kate can escape from her booster seat, her car seat, her stroller . . . my friend thought I just wasn't using the saftey harnesses correctly so i told her to buckle kate tight and just watch. Kate's official nickname is houdini.

This is an exact replica of the ship Nephi built. Ella sewed on the button herself and did all of the carpentry and design.

Road Trip

Brittney and the girls packed up the van and were off to Texas this afternoon before I knew what was going on. I just got off the phone with her and they just drove through Chunky, Mississippi. They should arrive in Dallas about the time the sun is rising in the morning.

They are off to visit Brit's sister Karin and their new baby, and grandma Anne is there as well. Brittney has been pretty desperate/bored or something along those lines for some fun, entertainment, shopping, good food, anything for that mater, all of which are hard to come by in Demopolis. I hope they have great time.

I am now a contributing member of society, in hand my first pay check. Too bad it was already spent before I cashed it. Maybe in the next month or two I will have some spending money.

I took the young men from church fishing at the country club this week, it was too hot and the fish were sleeping I think.

Kate had a great time though.

Looks like she is pulling in a big one.

This kid has talent.

Need to post more pix

Too much text. I know, I know. I've got a whole bunch of pix coming this weekend.

Demopolis update:

• The girls' cousin Sadie arrived Sunday to a choir of puppies and rainbows. (A perfect delivery, with perfect timing, and of course, a perfect baby.) We love you, Shumways!

• Today I asked Ella how I could get her to be more obedient. "I have an idea, you could be really nice to me. Like bring me milk, warm milk, . . ."

• it is so hot even the fish aren't biting

• kyle gave me an eye exam this week. My results were inconclusive because i was a "non-compliant patient". The pressure in my eye is fine, I'm sure. i don't need someone poking it to tell me that.

• I went to get my hair trimmed and came out with a mullet. The front was so cute. The back . . . had a tail. Now, it is just short. I will never learn.

And the best news of all, the baby is moving around and no more nausea. 3 more weeks and we'll know if its a girl.

Fruits of your labors

I hope you all got as much entertainment as brittney did with my golf forum response. She thinks I am a big nerd, which I am, but when you live in Demopolis and work in a small dark room 8 hours a day you would understand.

A little back ground on why I am so excited about my new golf shaft. It is not just my new shaft, it is the fact that I am starting to see fruits of my all my hard work to improve my game and the new shaft was the icing on the cake. I installed a 48" shaft on my driver, my previous shaft was 44" and now I am hitting the ball about 50 yards further. My scores have dropped from the upper 70's to the the lower 70's.

Graduating and getting paid, that is exciting too. I've worked my tail off for the past 4 years and it is really great to see something come of it but the truth is, I'm still working just as hard but now I am getting compensated and if it weren't for taxes and social security I would be riding around in a new golf cart.

Next Saturday I take the Alabama State Board Exam. My last exam ever? I hope. Wish me luck, I need to start studying.

longer shaft equals lower scores

Kyle saw 298 patients in June and got his first paycheck since we've been married. AWESOME. But what he's most excited about is the new shaft on his driver. I stole one of his replies off a golfing forum for your enjoyment.

"the reason the swing weight is so high is because the shaft is so long. It is not the extra weight that is giving me the extra distance it is the increased swing speed from the long shaft. Although I have found that the heavy club helps me be more consistent because I have more feel of the club head.

"You have probably heard all the hype about the TM burner clubs being so long off the tee, they come standard with a 46" shaft but the heads are designed to be lighter to keep the swing weight down so naturally with the longer shaft you will get more more swing speed.

"I think it has been about 2 years now that my 3 wood has been just as long as my driver and it is very frustrating to have 2 clubs go the same distance. I am now a believer in the long shaft, the swing is a little different you have to take it back low and slow but I do not feel like I am trying to kill the ball and it is going 300+ yards.

"today I gave the group in front of me a surprise on a few 350-360 yard holes when my ball stopped 15-20 yards from the green and they were really surprised when a little 5'7" 140lb guy comes riding up to find his ball. Golf is alot more fun now and my scores have dropped from the mid to high 70's to the low 70's

"Sorry about the long winded response but I am so excited about this that I just cant help it.Kyle

It is so nice to have a child who eats

Somedays Kyle and I just watch Kate eat. Yesterday she cleaned off her blueberry waffle and then had a bowl of cereal. She can't say cereal, but she points and says, "like daddy."

Ella and Grandma Anne's yard snake. They are friends for life. Shake and Bake.

Kyle's office threw him a surprise party for graduation. Ella calls them "Dad's Girls." They're awesome.

All Ella wants to wear is purple. So i told her green was lucky. Now, she has a green swimsuit and green goggles. Her water name is "diver." She can swim underwater like a champ.
Ella also loves puzzles. I tolerate them :) I mean, why should you cut up a perfectly good picture. She polished this one off herself.

Two blankies for two babes.