OUR YEAR AT A GLANCE...

2014~ Praising God through the challenges  ...He's always faithful to work things out and we can trust His plan and purpose even when things seem messed up from our view.  

Our only family picture of the year... December 21, 2014.

Ugly Sweater 5K Run at Shelby Farms, Memphis Tennessee.

KIRK and I (TERI)

Our 2014 started with a variety of challenges...

We ended 2013 with a negative surprise in our mail (Dec. 4th); long story short, it was a legal situation based on another party falsely making accusations against Kirk.  The information used to file the suit was false, but still meant we had to take time and money to fight it.  This caused much stress and financial burden starting the new year off not so favorable.  After a couple of months and thousands of dollars, the  pending legal dispute got settled and we were done with it.  Praise God!

Another challenge were the renovations on our fixer upper house- a 4+ year project.  We had decided at the end of 2013 that after this school year we will be moving from Texas to TN so we could be together as a family since this is where Kirk has been spending most of his time for his job; this meant finishing our house so we can get the best price to sell. With Kirk having to be "on call" for his job in Tennessee (800 miles away) the majority of the time, the burden of finishing our renovations was left to me as the kids finished this school year. Jan-April, the laundry room and exterior siding got done in time to sell our house.  Praise God! (here's the link for home renovation pictures)  http://2616countyroad33.blogspot.com/

After challenges with selling our house (not appraising for our original contracted selling price), Kirk and I decided to suck up a ($20,000) loss, and sell the house for the lower selling (appraisal) price just so we could move on.  In the big picture of things, no amount of money was worth us not being together as a family full-time for another year.  We were able to be a blessing to the buyers of our fixer upper house... selling them this house at a price more in their budget.  The buyers are two teachers from our school, with two young boys and a dream to add more children through foster parenting.  Praise God!

Moving day... we're going to miss Texas, but are VERY excited for new adventures in Tennessee.

Our new house in Tennessee...
We got this home at a great price; sellers were very motivated.
We feel blessed and think this home is God's way of making up for what we lost on selling our Texas home.
The movers unloaded our personal belongings on May 31.

...and now the work begins!!!  Time to unpack.
As I write this blog post (Dec. 28), we are STILL unpacking/organizing.
Getting all the way unpacked and settled will be a 2015 New Year's Resolution!

Jessie and Joe having fun with some new friends.

Our guest house developed mold over the past year as the property sat listed for sale unattended.
Not what we planned to use our time on, but a necessary to take care of.
We conquered the mold issue in a matter of several days of heavy duty cleaning. Praise God!

Just a sample of the mold in the guest house; it was all over the floors and furniture.

Kirk's Mom and Dad, Bob and Lillian, came for a visit in December.
Love it when the Grandparents visit and we play cards all day!!!

Ending the year with humor and fun!
Ready to start 2015 the same way.

KELSIE
Kelsie ended her Junior Year at Lee University as an RA (Resident Assistant) for Nora Hall in the dorms.  When she returned to school after summer break, she and three other girl friends chose to live off campus in an apartment.  Kelsie continues to work toward her Theology and Spanish Degrees.   She continues to be active in the Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland (holding on officer position)... Kelsie has such a tender heart for these kids.


Savanah, Myia, Em, and Kelsie

The girls like to host dinners/desserts for their college galpals. 

Kelsie and Cody

ANDREW
Andrew completed his Senior year of high school, "Class of 2014" at Tuloso Midway with aspirations to stay in TX for his college years to study Business/Marketing.  Upon the end of the school year 2014, the rest of us Wymore family moved to TN while Andrew stayed in TX living with a friend for a couple months (during the summer) as he waited for college classes to start.

One of Andrew's Senior Pictures...
an example of his laid back, skateboarding, carefree, have fun kind of personality.

These boys broke a 28 year old school record for TM Boys 400 Yard Frestyle Relay- 3:31.33
(Andrew's personal best time on his 100 Yard Leg, 49.81)  
...a proud Coach Alaniz!

Andrew with his Bronze medal for the 50 Freestyle (3rd Place in Finals with a time of 22.52) at the

Regional VIII Swim Meet in San Antonio, Texas.

Officially Graduated!!!  Class or 2014
Adian, Dalton, Harvey, and Andrew 

 Moving into the dorms...

Freshman at Texas A&M Corpus Christi!

2014-2015 School Year ~TAMUCC

Some of first year College life...

 
Andrew made it through RUSH week and was accepted into the Delta Chi TAMUCC Fraternity.

JESSIE
Jessie loves her friends! At her school in Corpus Christi, Jessie was active in her school band bouncing between 1-2nd chair trumpet player.  Jessie does well academically as a participant in the GT (Gifted and Talented) Program.  Jessie also enjoys staying active in fun-run 5K's with her family and friends.  The move to TN was a scary and sad thought for both Jessie and Joe; but the transition to their new school went well so far, and Jessie immediately started making new friendships, getting involved in school sports (her 7th grade year), and being accepted into the CLUE program, for students with a higher IQ (Creative Learning Unique Environment, similar to GT).

Spring 2014~  Kailin, Jessie, and Abby

Jessie with her friends from London ISD (end of 6th grade), right before our move to TN.

(Cyntia, Abby, Jessie, and Angela)

 Jessie (7th grade) made the middle school basketball team at her new school.  

The team is a mix of 6-8th grade.

Amelia and Jessie before their first basketball game of the season~ (October 2014)

On the first day of school, the first person Jessie met at her new school, was Amelia.  

Amelia and Jess seemed to "click" from the beginning and have grown to be great friends. 

 

OH NO!  During the second quarter of a basketball game, Jessie took a fall on the court and ended up in the ER with a broken wrist!  The same wrist she broke last year, just in a different spot.  A very sad girl, as this injury prevented her from finishing the season actively playing; she sat on the sidelines cheering her team mates the rest of the season.

JOE
Age 9/10, Joe is a quiet boy, who enjoys playing outside with his friends. He also enjoys running in fun-run 5K's, collecting WWE wrestling figures, and has hopes to get a dirt bike once we get settled in our new house in TN.

Joe with his "sewing" category project for the Nueces County Fair, 4H competition.

Joe also entered 2 concrete mosaics.  He had a fun time with his projects.

Ethan (Joe's Best Friend), and Joe and the London Isd end of school (4th Grade) awards

 

Joe and Jessie starting their new school in TN~ Barret's Chapel School

The kids are blessed that Barret's Chapel is also a K-8 and they'll be at their new school together... (2014-15 school year Joe in 5th grade, Jessie in 7th grade)

The boys with the dirt bikes Kirk bought for Christmas!!!
Joe is thrilled to have his own FIRST dirt bike to ride around the property... something he was hoping for from the minute he heard we were moving to a property with lots of running around room!

More Fun~ 

Blues Tunes, Memphis BarBQue and Neon Lights... Beale Street, Memphis Tennessee

Met up with Mom and Dad in Tunica, Mississippi for a couple hours of gaming and visiting at the casino.

High School GalPal annual get together in WA...
Celebrating our 50th Birthdays in 2014!
Nikki, Margie, Peggy, me, Cathy, & Kim.

Our Year at a Glance

2013  In all honesty, this year was a blur of busyness and challenges. But through it all, there were many blessings along the way that we are thankful for.

After being offered his new job with FedEx in late August 2012,  we waited "patiently" for Kirk to get his class date to begin training.  September passed- no call to start, October passed- no call, November passed- no call... December, no call...   It was nice having him home for all this time since we worked on our "fixer upper" projects and also a true blessing we had built our savings account for such a time as this to live off of while he wasn't working, but I must confess, the waiting got harder and harder with each passing month. THEN in January 2013 Kirk got the call to start his FedEx class date for training in early February to fly the B757.  He found a crashpad to rent in Cordova, TN with three other FedEx pilots and began this new chapter of the flying career he always dreamed of.  It was at this point in time, our life became a blur for the rest of the year.  Our family had to adjust to Kirk commuting back and forth between TN and TX with him spending more time in TN than at home in TX. 

To start the New Year off right, Jessie and I ran our first 5K race together.

"Color Me Rad"

 

Kirk completes his flight training with FedEx and takes a "selfie" during one of his first trips in April.

...living his dream!

 

THE KIDS~

Kelsie, our Lee University student (Cleveland, TN), finished her 2nd year of college in May. She spent time over the summer in Columbia with other Lee students focusing on her Spanish and cultural studies.  Kelsie is currently in her third year at Lee.

 (above) Kelsie speaks at a church while in Columbia.

 

 

... she enjoys her "fro-yo"

 Kelsie places 2nd in Ho-am Form in Taekwondo completion through Lee University.

 

Andrew swims  (Junior year in High School) making it to Regional competition.

 

 He was named MVP for his High School boy's Swim Team.

 

Andrew worked a summer job for the city as a life guard and used much of his money he earned to buy an electric guitar and music equipment.  Andrew's passion for pop punk is growing day by day.

...Andrew's still into skateboarding as well.  He is currently a Senior in High School.

 

Jessie participates in Ballet Folkorico through her school for her 3rd year as a 5th grader. 

.

 

 

Jessie broke her wrist falling off her bike several days before her birthday...

... after 2 weeks with a temporary cast and 6 weeks with this pink cast, Jessie finally gets it taken off!  Jessie is currently a 6th grader.

 

Joe turned 9 this year while we were visiting OR.  He got to have a celebration at Grandma and Grandpa Wymore's house in Hood River and another when we got home to TX.

(wet hair after a shower)

 

Since Joe enjoys WWE, we went to see our first WWE show for a late birthday gift.  Joe is currently a 4th grader.

 

More Fun Run 5K's... with Jessie and this time Joe joined us!

 (above) Our London ISD school 5K PTO fund raiser. 

 

 "Neon Vibe" (glow in the dark) 5K

Since Jessie's wrist was broke during our scheduled 5K, we walked the race so she could still participate without re-injuring her wrist.  Jessie's friend Abby also joined us for the race.

 

SUMMER~ We made a trip back home to WA and OR!

 

We visited Kirk's parents in Hood River, OR

and my parents in Castle Rock, WA.

 Jessie thought it was very cool to be in different locations the "Twilight" movies were filmed.  The split screen above shows Jessie at the same school that Bella and Edward filmed some of their school scenes.  Below, this waterfall was also in the movie.

We hiked to the top of Multnomah Falls!!!

 

We helped my Mom and Dad (Jerry and Jerielle)

celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary by throwing them a surprise party.

Mom is a huge Elvis fan and the kids enjoy seeing her Elvis collection she's accumulated over the years... the collection is mostly in 4 rooms of mom and dad's house, but each room in the house is not void of "something" Elvis.

 



 

 Me, Curtis (my brother), Traci (my sister)

Jerielle (my Mom) and Jerry (my Dad)... all who still live in WA state.

I love you guys!!! 

 

 

 

When we visited WA/OR, I got to visit my high school girl friends I've kept in close contact with- Shelley, Peggy and Margie... we all turn 50 years old this upcoming year!  YIKES! 

 ...we had a great time spending the night at Margie's family cabin with the beautiful view of Mount Adams (WA) in the background.  Nothing like a gal-pal sleep over to catch up with old friends.

 

Kirk and Teri~

 This year, Kirk and I celebrated 30 years of being together and our 25 year wedding anniversary!  On June 25, 1983 we had our first date; we dated 5 years and got married July 16, 1988.  The 1983 photo was taken a month after we started dating and I had one of the kids take a quick photo of us a week before our anniversary as Kirk headed out the door to leave for Memphis since he was going to miss our actual anniversary day because of work.

 

A sweet gift Kelsie and Joe made. 

There are rice krispie treats in the foil kisses.

 

Our fixer upper house continues to consume much of our time.  For me, being a DIYer is a full time job.  I work on the house while the kids are at school, and when Kirk is home on his time off from flying, we work on the house together.  In 2013, we focused on the exterior of the house, finishing the front porch, and beginning taking down the vinyl siding replacing it with fiber cement siding.  The laundry room also got demo'ed and updated, making the interior of this house officially complete.  {click THIS LINK for all the home renovation pictures I've posted so far} We will have our home all the way complete to sell in March.  So far 4 different inquiries have been made to us about purchasing this house with two of the inquiries being very serious.  One inquiry is a couple who own all the farm property around us and really want to buy the house. They are very sweet people who make frequent follow-ups; when ever they drive down our country road, they stop by to say "hi" and check in on, "are you still planning to move"... "let us know when you are ready to sell".  The other serious inquiry is a family who are both teachers at the same school our kids attend just .5 miles down the country road.  We prayed for God to bring us a London family with children for this house, and we believe He brought us the Lockett family.  As it is,  they are living in their motor home looking for a house with a little land that fits in their budget.  Our house is on 2 acres and will be the lowest priced house in the London ISD.  The average priced home on the market in London ISD is $375,000-$425,000 (average) with a number of homes $500,000-$650,000 on 1 acre lots.  Come March time frame when the house is completed, the Lockett family will have the first right of refusal for purchasing this house.   They are in a good position to move right in when the time comes. Only God knows how the sale of our house will unfold, but we are confident what ever happens, this house will sell fast. 



 

 

 

 

 

Andrew, Joe, Jessie, and Kelsie on Christmas morning.

As this photo was taken, Dad (Kirk) sits in Memphis and misses celebrating Christmas morning with us this year.

 

Kelsie's college room mate, Emily, flew down on a oneway ticket for a visit to end our year.  Kelsie and Emily left to drive back to TN on Jan 6th for the start of their second semester at Lee.

 

With 2013 now behind us, we look forward to all that 2014 has to bring which will include a move to another state once Andrew graduates this spring from high school.  There will be many new adventures ahead~