Krysta Keya Lynne Hillhouse Combs Birthday Blast

Krysta Lynne Hillhouse was born on July 8, 1983 at Breech medical Center in Lebanon.
Krysta at about 5-6 months old.
Krysta at one year old, learning to walk.
Krysta and Aunt Susi at her second year birthday party.
Krysta's 4th birthday, she loved her baby dolls and it was a sure bet she would get at least one each year.
Laura and Krysta celebrating Krysta's 4th birthday, always hot, hot summer days.
Krysta with little brother Pete, you wouldn't realize how much they fought and carried on.
Krysta on Kindergarten graduation day at Conway, wonder how big that tree is now?
Another birthday, maybe 5th or 6th, she loved her Barbies now and really wanted a Barbie cake.
The girls at the zoo, we couldn't afford to do much, but we did make it to the zoo, once.
Krysta on the computer, thanks to family owning a computer store, we had one pretty early.
A very lovely young lady, probably on her birthday.
Junior High cheer leading, 8th grade.
This is what happens when you have a two car garage and an older sister driving, Laura's is nice and clean in the second bay, while poor Krysta got to clean hers off, but Krysta's was a 4-wheel drive!
Finding her a sailor at the Gulf, to bad he was only a dummy, she later on found her a real sailor, skip the dummy part.
On the beach, probably one of her favorite places to go on vacation.
Graduating with her Bachelor's Degree in Education from Drury.
Is it Kevin, Brittany and Jaden James, NO, it's just Brian, Krysta and Jordan acting silly at Christmas.
Engagement on the Beach, or should I say in the air, Krysta's proposal was in a bi-plane over the Gulf of Mexico and the sugar sands of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
Wedding day, our baby girl is all grown up.
Graduation from Drury University with Master's Degree in Instructional Math, we are so proud of her.








Krysta Lynne Hillhouse decided to come into this world on July 8th, 1983. Danny and I lived at Lebanon in a little apartment and we already had Laura who was only 16 months old. So, when I started labor the early morning hours of July 8, I drove myself to the hospital across town, so that Danny could stay with a sleeping Laura, I figured they would send me home anyway. But, I stayed and she was born, just before noon, thankfully dad made it, after getting Grandma Long and Susi in to watch Laura. I was so happy to get another little girl, first I had all girl things, plus I figured as they grew up, it would be easier to have a sister to share things and do things with. But, really, I remember one time, before children, seeing a young mom with two little girls, dressed alike, close in age and I knew that would really be my choice if possible. Krysta was born into the hot month of July and she had no choice, but to be a good baby. With no A/C, and a toddler to entertain, she had to sleep and be good, which she was. Krysta always says, she was never the first to do anything in our family, since Laura is older, but she does have the bragging rights to potty training, she was potty trained before Laura!! Of course she did everything her sister did, I had remembered not to long ago, Grandma Helen had bought them a swing set and it had a little slide on one end, well, the slide was maybe 2-3 feet off the ground and while Laura handled it fine, it scared the water out of me to watch that little blond haired girl toddle up those stairs and slide down. It took everything in me to not let her slide, but she was very headstrong and she would have done it anyway. Time goes by, along with our little girl, the little girl who broke her thumb by avoiding hitting Bobby, the dog, she went to school, casted, she could swim like a fish at an early age, she tried to pee in the floor at Bass Pro because I wouldn't listen and take her to the bathroom quick enough. She likes the ears off the chocolate bunny at Easter, she has always loved dolls, baby and Barbie, she has always been generous to a fault, kind, sweet, hard-headed, stubborn, "the baby, gotta love me" until Pete bumped her off that throne, a hard worker, never afraid of a challenge and finally met the man who swept her off her feet. She had to follow in the big footsteps of her older sister and also try to break a trail for her baby brother, and that is a job only a middle child can do or understand, sometimes things have seemed unfair, being in the middle, but she has became a stronger and better person for it.
She has graduated from college with both a Bachelor's Degree and a Masters Degree, all while working full time. Her and Brian have been married for a year and are learning the odds and ends of married life, but even though she has grown up and married she is still our baby girl and that is something she can be first at. Happy Early Birthday Krysta!! WE love you sooooo much! Mom and Dad

The Great Jayce Andrew O'Quinn

Newborn Jayce Andrew O'Quinn, look at that hair!!
Great-Grandma Long with Jayce and me, Mom was so excited, she insisted Grandpa drive her down to see Laura's new baby.
Papaw and Jayce at home.
I know we kind of skipped a bit, Jayce at the Ozark Empire Fair, he was just over 1 years old.
Jared and Jayce on the merry-go-round at the fair.
Jayce O'Quinn, about 9 months.
Aunt Krysta and Jayce, just trying to walk.
Thinking about walking, but very good at stair climbing!!
At Memaw's playing in the sink.
Uncle Pete and Jayce with matching t-shirts from vacation.
Jayce with his new trike at his 2nd birthday party, Aunt Krysta and Uncle Brian got him this cool ride!
The birth of little brother Jordan, a week long stay at Columbia and a very tired little boy who wants his mom.
Aunt Krysta and Jayce with there Navy T-Shirts on, Uncle Brian had left to Go Navy for a bit.
Papaw and Jayce at the park, one of our favorite places to go when he visits our house.
Jayce at 2 years old at Great-Grandma Helen's Christmas, eating a bread and butter pickle, yummy!!
At the new house, Jayce loved riding his bike on the hardwood floors and running over Uncle Pete.
At the Dickerson Park Zoo last summer, who could miss the water spray fountains, so cool on a hot and fun day at the zoo.

Jayce Andrew O'Quinn was born on Tuesday, June 28 at 6:06 pm at Lake Ozark Hospital. He weighed 6 pounds and 9 ounces. It was a pretty hot day and we had started early, the day went on and on, waiting and waiting until finally the doctor decided to complete with a c-section. Jayce arrived in good shape with a wild head of hair. Everyone there, including his Aunt Krysta and Uncle Pete, Uncle Jackie and Aunt Stacey, Pa Jack, Dori, Grandma Barb, Scott, Memaw and Papaw and I'm sure others were thankful for his safe arrival into the world. How fast has time flown, he is now a big boy four years old!!! He start pre-school at Camdenton this fall as a mentor, he is a very smart little boy, always thinking. He comes up with some of the most wonderful stories to tell, he loves to draw and swim and play with his brother, Jordan. He loves to ride on the ATV's especially Memaw's red one, he like sweet/sour candies better than chocolate, he is like his dad this way. He loves to fish with his dad on the dock and go out on the boat. He is loved by many, many people, he is a very lucky little boy. Many kisses and happy birthday wishes and blessings are sent his way by Memaw and Papaw who had to work today, WE LOVE YOU JAYCE!!!!!!

Jordy with his pirate hat on ready to party!!
Welcome Aboard Matey, Watch out for all the pirates!! ARRRHHHHHHGGG
Jayce and Jordan give you permission to board the ship of fun!
Papaw used his airbrush skills to give tattoos to anyone who wanted them, yes, we used non-toxic, water-based paint for the wonderful piratey tattoos.
Even Jared got into the fun by getting a pirate tattoo.
Let's eat, even although it was hot, hot, hot, we ate grilled chicken, hot dogs, brisket, all all the fixins
Yes, we are ready for the cakes!
Jayce blowing out the candles on his Dead Man's Chest cake, complete with gold coins, two drunken or sleepy pirates, fish and sugar candy coral.
How cool is Jayce's cake!
Jordy's cake with a very colorful fish and a Happy Birthday Fisherman!
Another look at the pirate cake
Another view of the really cool cake.
Aunt Krysta and Uncle Brian, hot but glad to be here.
Great-Grandpa Long, yes that is his happy face!!
More of the crowd watching Jayce and Jordan opening gifts.
Jayce mainly opened all the gifts, because Jordy was just too busy playing on the playground stuff and running around.
So many gifts, what a wonderful surprise for a birthday boy.
One of the fav gifts of the night, foam swords for each boy, they carried them around all night, wacking on everybody. Aunt Krysta and Uncle Brian were clever enough to get those pirates new swords.
J ordy taking a break, he found a new package of Hot Wheels from Great-Grandpa Long, of course Jordy had to have the package open and one in each hand.
Watch out for the pirate.
Papaw and Memaw with 2 very tired, sweaty and dirty little guys, as you can see Jordan had had enough of sitting still and look how big our Jayce has gotten!!!
Me and Danny, we look pretty good for a middle aged couple, I was only running on about 4 hours sleep.



Laura and Jared had the boys a combined birthday party last night at Bennett Springs. Jayce's birthday is tomorrow (Sunday) and Jordan's is July 13, so this was a good time for all the families and friends to come help the boy's celebrate their 4th and 2nd birthdays. We had a good crowd there, of course Laura and Jared and boys, Grandma Barb and Scott, me and Danny, Uncle Pete, Aunt Krysta and Uncle Brian, Pa Jack and Dori, along with Christopher, Great-Grandma June and Great-Grandpa Long, Uncle Jackie and Justin and Jaymen Great-Aunt Susi (Kooky) and Uncle Jim with Heather, Rhonda and Brixton, the O'Quinn cousins, Kim and Kathy with mom and little ones, I am probably forgetting someone so I will stop. We had the party under the pavilion near the Susi hole bridge, which was very nice but still hot. The boys wanted a pirate theme, so me and Papaw made flags and helped with decorations. Hot Dogs, brisket, chicken and all the fixins tasted pretty good and of course the cakes were wonderful. Jayce had a Deadman's Chest cake that had golden coins, two funny looking pirates, fish and crystal candy sea coral, it was very cool, kind of like Ace of Cakes!! Jordan's was a colorful fish with mulit-color scales on it and was as tasty as it looked. the boys got a lot of really nice gifts and we were all glad when the sun went down for the cooler air. What a wonderful birthday party and lots of people who love these little guys, thanks to all who came and helped them celebrate. Two very tired and sweaty boys were loaded up in the car with the left over cake and headed home for a good night's sleep. Love to you all!!!

Two Great Men, Our Fathers

Dad at the Grand Canyon, May of this year.
Dad with his brother, Harley.
Dad as a very young and handsome soldier with the Army/Air Force
Robert, with family. Left to right: Robert, Dale, Faye, Donnie and Grandma Bessie.
Robert with Dwane, David and Helen, what a sweet family.
Helen, Robert with the baby, Danny.


I decided to post a blog, honoring our fathers, our dads, our daddy o's. First I want to start with Danny's dad, Robert Hillhouse. I never met him, this makes me sad, mostly that our children were short-changed out of another grandpa, another person who could tell stories about when their dad was little and bounce them on his knee and tickle them and be so proud of the wonderful young adults his grandchildren have become. I didn't get to know this man, I think he would have liked me, I think he has always been a guardian angel to our family and watched over his baby. I think he would have been proud with how his own boys turned out, all three outstanding men, solid, fair, kind and loving just as he was. He loved children, but that is a trait of the Hillhouse guys, they love children, they love being around kids, teasing and tormenting, giving hugs and lots of praise to not only their own but to all around them. He loved horses, I guess you could call him a cowboy or a horseman, probably a cowboy would have suited him better, one of his saddles is displayed proudly in my kitchen, any child who enters the house is allowed to sit and rock on it, I think he would highly approve. He loved sweets, especially chocolate, he was skinny, a hardworker, a loving husband, a father that took the time to teach and love his boys and he also died too young. Danny was only a teenager when he lost his dad, the impact will always be with him, he has always tried so hard to make sure he did everything he could with his kids, "just in case". I think Danny is probably like him in a lot of ways, but he is also very strong like the mom who finished raising him into adulthood, together they scratched by to make a home and living after Robert passed away, it takes a lot of faith and courage to hold everything together, and they did. I wish he was here to see all of the great-grand babies, all 6 of the great-grand boys and the soon-to-be 2 great-grand daughters, how thrilled him would be. Here's to Dad Robert in Heaven looking upon us each day, Happy Father's Day!!!!

My dad, well he is 80 years old and still going strong, he comes from hardy stock, old country people, not hill people, but maybe holler, river and cave people. Dad's family was a bit dysfunctional, a term we use currently for single parent, low income, issue filled homes. When dad was born and small, during the depression, his father left the family to follow his itchy foot, the problem was, is that he left behind a wife, 3 sons and a daughter, no money, no food stamps, no welfare, no help from anyone. Luckily, they had a small little house and a small piece of land from her father and with the generous help of neighbors they scrabbled by a living. Gardens, gathering roots, berries, herbs. Hunting, kind neighbors who shared meat kept the family fed. My grandmother did not have time to be a real nurturing mom, mostly because she was to busy trying to keep the home fires burning and clothes on their backs. So, my dad didn't really get father/son time, his older brothers probably did most of the teaching, he only graduated from 8th grade but got honors from the school of hard knocks. Still he served his time in the Army/Air Force, worked rode motorcycles, traveled and finally settled down to marry my mom and have us kids. Dad has a dry sense of humor, he doesn't like nonsense, he doesn't like yapping women or screaming kids, in fact he really isn't that crazy about kids, he kind of tolerates them in a fashion, oh I'm sure he loves them and cares about his kids, grandkids and great-grand kids but isn't a huggy and kissy kind of dad. He has always worked at very hard jobs, with a hurting back at times, putting in hours and hours, 7 days a week, rain or shine, sick or well. I have learned a lot from him, he showed us how to find wild greens to cook and eat, how to hunt mushrooms, loves his "woods and trees" he really knows how to swing an ax, or a splitting maul and operate a chainsaw. He never, never took help from any one, any man or government, never!! and raised us kids to do the same. He cut the wood and had it sawmilled to build a house for his family, it still stands and is lived in. He is very independent, can be funny at times, has a strong opinion of anything, believes in UFO's, reads, is a very smart man and likes Kentucky Fried Chicken. He would rather have cake than pie and comes to everything I invite him to. He misses my mom and spent a year in darkness from her death, he has found the light again and decided to have some old-age fun, like traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon in May. I love my dad, I don't always agree with him or get along with him, but his has tried to do right by me and at least he stuck around even when he felt his foot started to itch with a travelin' bug. Happy Father's Day, Dad. Love to you all.