Summer 1996 - Brad and Shelley are set up on what Brad thinks is a blind date with the sister of  his best friend's fiancé.  Shelley doesn't like blind dates, so she's told it's a large group of people going out together for a fun night out.  They hit it off right away even though the large group of people turns out to be two other couples.  The next day Brad asks Shelley to go on a float trip the next weekend, but doesn't call till Thursday to confirm (is that too late?).  I guess not, Shelley went on the float trip and they spent all their spare time together after that.

February 1997 - Shelley is working a regular 8-5 shift at Siemens as a customer service rep and Brad is on the night shift as a supervisor at Ace Distribution Center.  The Friday, Saturday and Sundays they get together is enough to realize they are ready to get married so on a Friday night Brad takes Shelley to eat at their favorite restaurant.  Shelley can sense something is up but plays along and mentions how English called her father to ask permission to marry Shannon.  So, before going back into Shelley's apartment, Brad rushes upstairs and phones Larry to ask permission (all the while Shelley waits in the car).  After making Brad work for it for a minute, Larry gives his approval.  Back to the car to retrieve Shelley they go back to the apartment where Brad proposes.  Not completely surprised, but excited just the same she says "yes".    Oh yea, by the way English DID NOT ask permission to marry Shannon come to find out.

August 9, 1997 - The big day.  After talking about how Shelley always wanted a small wedding with close family and no bridesmaids or groomsmen, Shelley ended up buying a wedding dress and all the plans changed.  Now it's a church wedding with everyone invited, bridesmaids and groomsmen included.  After a beautiful (and quick) wedding, the happy couple went home, packed and took off for Cancun.  We can't write about that part, sorry.  What goes on in Cancun stays in Cancun.  (Or maybe on the web for everyone to read about later).  Mike and Kyla threw an impromptu reception at their house without bride and groom.

Spring 1999 - We take a trip to San Antonio and have a great time.  Shortly after getting back Shelley decides something isn't right.  While Brad was out for the day Shelley decides to take a pregnancy test.  Woo hoo, we're having a baby.  After telling her best friend Amanda, she let's Brad know the good (surprising) news.  The happy-go-lucky Youngbloods are about to be the first of their group of friends to become parents. 

Spring 1999 later-  Brad was finally able to get off the night shift and got a job as Logistics Manager for Alliant Foodservice.  Things are looking up.

Summer 1999 - The doctor hasn't been able to tell us what the baby is going to be, so we do what any other couple would have done.  We go to Shelley's dad's house and visit their good friend who happens to be a vet... a vet that has an ultrasound machine for horses.  Well, everyone knows that telling the sex of a pony and a baby are virtually the same thing so Shelley hops up on the table (after removing the sign stating "this table has been sanitized for your pets safety")  With everyone there except Larry (who didn't want to know) the vet informed us that we were going to have a baby boy.  AAAALLLLLL Right!  Now we can finally buy all the stuff for the baby's room.  With the 100% guarantee of a boy we went ahead with painting the room blue and got all the boyish decorations. 

December 1999 - With all the preparations done and ready to bring our little boy home, we made an appointment to induce labor on the 16th.  Fortunately Shelley started labor the night before at about 12:00 am.  So now all the families get to arrive at the hospital in the middle of the night.  With Shelley's low tolerance for pain, we never considered doing this without drugs, so by daybreak she was feeling ok.   Turns out, our idiot Dr. (Pam Wills), wasn't the best Dr. in the building.  After being in labor and pushing for TWO HOURS and getting an episiotomy, she decided maybe we should do a c-section.  Shortly thereafter we got to meet our screaming, crying, dimple-faced baby .......girl?  Uh oh.  We actually did prepare for the possibility that the vet could be wrong and had a girl name ready.  Everybody, meet Riley Grace Youngblood.

Three days later -  We bring our little Riley to our home in Maumelle!  Our first night and we sit down to relax.  Brad decided to bake some biscuits while Shelley was breastfeeding and popping pain pills.  Minutes later we noticed that the kitchen was filled with smoke.  Being a level headed man and always knowing what to do in an emergency, Brad immediately started throwing everything in the kitchen into the oven to stop the fire...somehow that didn't work so Shelley called 9-1-1 and we went outside to wait on the fire department (so did the rest of the neighborhood).  Unfortunately, Shelley was never able to put Riley down and get a shirt back on so we put a blanket over her while the entire neighborhood gathered to see what was going on.   Just imagine Shelley's surprise when all the neighbors approached her, curious to peek under that blanket to catch a glimpse of the newest addition to the neighborhood.  How does one handle THAT situation???  Turns out there was a plastic cutting board in the broiler that we didn't know about.  The firemen pulled the oven out into the front yard and sucked all the smoke out of the house and the excitement died down. 

New Years Eve 1999! - We stayed home. Nothing bad happened.  No clocks stopped, electricity stayed on, computers didn't die.  Oh well, we'll eventually eat all that canned food and bottled water.

Spring 2000 - Shelley got her dream job, (actually Brad's dream job but as long as one of them got it).  Sports Marketing for Alltel!  Are you kidding?  Getting to work with NASCAR drivers, SEC athletics, ACC athletics, trips to Championship games, a Super bowl, and a corporate credit card for any expenses while on the road. (does a bar tab bigger than the room charge count as an expense? Oh yea!)  It's really too bad Shelley doesn't care a thing about sports.  It did make for several fun and cheap vacations to some awesome sporting events.  We actually got to be in Victory Lane when Ryan Newman won a race at Texas Motor Speedway (and poor Shelley was 6 months pregnant).

Spring 2000 -  Tim and Holly have their first child Abby.  Another little girl for Riley and Mary Claire to play with.  Wait a minute Holly, don't drink the water at your house, I think there's something in it....uh oh too late.  Spring 2001 -  Tim and Holly are expecting another child

Winter 2000 - Riley turns one.  She was pretty good at the 'eating the cake with no hands' thing, but she conked out soon after.  We found out the next day she had a double ear infection.  Looking at the picture, I think anyone could see she's sick.

Summer 2001 - Riley made her first trip out of the state on a vacation to Gulf Shores.  English and Shannon went with us and we had a great time.  Not so much night life going on with a six month old on the trip.

August 2002 - Riley's second trip to the beach, this time with her best friend Mary Claire.  The first of our annual beach trips with Ben and Amanda.  Still not much night life, but a lot of fun watching the girls on the beach.  Upon returning from the beach we immediately went to the wedding of Shelley's sister Ashley.  Riley was a flower girl and Shelley was a bridesmaid. 

September 2002 - After several years of trying, English and Shannon have a baby.  Addison Elizabeth was born on the 10th!  We couldn't have been happier to meet her!

October 2002 - The first year of The Annual Tim and Holly Halloween Bash.  Everyone dressed up for the event;  kids and adults (except for the Brights).  The Halloween party has become a neighborhood ritual starting earlier every year, and now expands into parts of Missouri and Texas.  Next year they plan to have it in September to beat the rush.  Shelley made a big announcement to everyone that night.  The Youngbloods are going to be a two kid family! 

Spring 2003 - We now have a new doctor for the next child.  Dr. Julia Watkins is a huge improvement.  She tells us we're having a baby boy.....suuuurrrrre we are.  I think we'll go to the local vet for a second opinion.   

June 2003 - We schedule the delivery of the next baby since we know going in that it's going to be a c-section.  Things seem to go a lot easier the second time and on June 9th, we had a baby.......boy? Yea, it really was a boy!  8lb 7 oz Hayden Dean Youngblood was yanked out of his 9 month home.  He had some chest problems the first night so he didn't get to sleep with us, but he was fine the next day.

December 2003 - Riley turns four and we go to Chuck E Cheese.  She was scared to death, but really, what four year old wouldn't be afraid of a 6 foot rat?  As a bonus for this birthday, Chuck E's sells beer!  If you've ever had a birthday party for a four year old at Chuck E Cheese,  you know what a bonus that is.

June 2004 - Hayden turns one.  He's even better at the cake eating than Riley was.  Toadsuck Park was the perfect venue for the over-abundance of family and friends!  The cake seemed to put a little weight on him; he looks like a one year old Michelin Man.

Summer 2004 - Another trip to Gulf Shores with the Brights!  Woo hoo, we can't wait.  Taking a four year old and a one  year old -what could be better???  Well, we left a day early to come home soooo...I suppose a trip to the beach WITHOUT a four year old and a one year is what could be better.  We found out that one year olds, sunscreen and sand just don't mix.  We had also put our house on the market right before we left and bought another one, so we knew we had a LOT of work to do when we returned.  The stress was almost more than Shelley could handle, so we hurried on back to reality.

April 2005 - Ashley has her second child and this time a girl - Presley Claire.  That is one lucky little girl as she looks JUST like her wonderful, beautiful, amazing Aunt Shelley.  The God's were really smiling down the day she was born! (believe it or not, Shelley wrote this one)

June 2005 - Hayden turns two.  We have the party in our backyard and invite all the kids and parents.  We set up a baby pool in the back and a slip n slide on the incline beside our house.  All the kids put on the bathing suits and run for the slip n slide.  Oh... wait a minute better wear your sandals we have stickers over there.  Too late, 7 crying kids all with stickers in their feet.

August 2005 - We learned our lesson at the beach last year.  This year we are doing an adults-only vacation.  Investing the kids college fund in an all inclusive trip to Cancun with the Brights.  Now that's fun right there!  Going to the beach without having to constantly look for kids trying to catch jellyfish.  I just wish we could have saved more money for the kids college education....so we could have stayed a couple more days!!  The Steeles and the Markhams shared the babysitting duties while we were gone.  Thanks, and sorry about that.

Winter 2005 - Shelley decides she wants to work in Conway and leaves her job with Alltel to take a job with UCA in the Alumni department.  Should be less travel and closer to the kids during the day.  Actually, it's still quite a bit of travel and a lot of hard work.  Brad is still with Software Solutions of Arkansas, but has his feelers out for a new opportunity.

Summer 2006 - Feelers come back with a new job for Brad.  Communications Director for the United Way in Pulaski County.  It's a good job and Brad gets to appear on the morning TV shows occasionally and meets a lot more people.  Things are looking up!

Summer 2006 - Annual trip to Gulf Shores.  Much better as the kids get older.  The Mckennas joined us this year and we had a great time.  Other than a slight misunderstanding on the first night ( Shelley's idea of Brad and the boys going out for A beer, vs. Brad's idea of going out for SOME beers).  The words 'Pink Pony' can never again be spoken in the Youngblood house.   The kids really loved the beach though.

October 2006 - Annual Halloween party is now an international event at the McKenna's as I'm almost sure I saw a little Asian girl at the party.  Tim and Holly have to put a second mortgage on their house to pay for the event, but it's worth it to the rest of us.
Ashley has her third child and another girl, Hadley Paige...another cutie, for sure!

December - 2006 Riley turns 7.  We had a surprise "Disco Diva" dance party for her at Shelley's work.  She loved it.  The girls danced and sang all night.  Then the adults went out on a 'bar crawl' for Mike's 40th birthday.  Kyla rented a van and drove us around Little Rock all night.  Not sure if the highlight was Ben getting locked into his seatbelt when we got there or Mike getting stuck between the seats on the way home.  I guess the first one since that's the only one I remember.

April 2007 - Christmas at the Chandler house wasn't quite crowded enough, so instead of getting another dog, they welcomed another grandchild.  No, Brad and Shelley didn't have another baby, Shelley's brother Kyle had his first.  Little Madeline Reese Chandler was born on April 12, 2007. 

May 2007 - Has it been a month since the last post?  It must be time for another Chandler grandchild.  I'll bet your guessing Ashley right?  You would be wrong!  Ryan and Jill are on the board now with a baby boy.  Travis Hayden Chandler waited until Midnight to pop into the world on May 30th.  Current odds for the next Chandler grandchild as follows - Ashley & Joe - even; Kyle & Heather 3-1; Ryan & Jill 5-1; English & Shannon 15-1; Larry & Laurie 73-1; Brad & Shelley 99-1 (but it wouldn't be mine); Pressley and man to be determined later 42-1 (technically a great grandchild).

June 2007 - Another Birthday party for Hayden.  He's pretty easy though, just have some kids come over to the neighborhood pool, order a pizza or two and open presents.  If you missed the post with Hayden's 3rd birthday party it's because there wasn't one.   Both parties were exactly the same.  Just read this one twice and think about him turning three.