Postcards from The Claussen's...

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-07T22:47:00.001-06:00

This is going to be the year of organization and finishing my house. There are sooo many projects that need to be finished that I have decided to start with kitchen. Today I finished about 90% of the cupboards and getting them cleaned out. I did not realize have many extras I have of any one item. Five bags of garbage and donation items later, but it is looking good! I will post some pictures later.

And the 2010-2011 Huntington 4-H Officers Are...

2010-05-11T20:30:00.002-05:00

Dalton was elected to be the Treasurer.

Callan was elected to be the Reporter.

Congratulations to the officers!

Year of the Tiger 2010...

2010-05-11T18:36:00.002-05:00

I am not sure what happened to the last year and 1/2. I was shocked when I saw that my last posting was January of 2009! Anyways, Happy (belated) Chinese New Year! I am going to make a conscious effort to post more frequently than once every year and a half.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2009-01-26T07:24:00.003-06:00

For those of you who do not already know, this is the year of the ox. I have always been intrigued by other cultures, so I had to investigate what the characteristics are of the person born during the year of the ox. This is what I found:

Year of the ox: 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009

People born in the Year of the Ox are patient, speak little, and inspire confidence in others. They tend, however, to be eccentric, and bigoted, and they anger easily. They have fierce tempers and although they speak little, when they do they are quite eloquent. Ox people are mentally and physically alert. Generally easy-going, they can be remarkably stubborn, and they hate to fail or be opposed. They are most compatible with Snake, Rooster, and Rat people (Chinese Culture Center).

Roxy's babies have arrived!

2009-01-24T18:29:00.002-06:00

Here's Dozer, or Bowser, or Brutus, or whatever his new owner wants to call him. He's the big one of the bunch.

Aren't they just cute!?! They were born 1/16, so are a little over a week old now. The one on the far left is always sleeping on his back. It's is so cute seeing this little puppy belly up just a snoozin'. The one on the far right DJ calls Moo-Moo because "she is marked just like a cow." The second one from the right is Bowser, or Dozer, or Brutus. The name depends on the person you talk to.

Little Girl Dancing with Beyonce - Single Ladies

2009-01-17T06:10:00.001-06:00

This is too cute!

Green Bags...

2009-01-11T19:12:00.002-06:00

Have you all heard of the Green Bags for produce? I was skeptical when watching commercials, but my mother-in-law swears by them. While in Wisconsin for Christmas, she gave me a couple to take home and try. WOW, I am sold! My lettuce is on Day 8 still as crunchy as the first day. If I had not tried it myself, I never would have believed how great these bags really are. Check them out - they will save you money in the long run.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T08:25:00.002-06:00

I made no resolutions for the New Year. The habit of making plans, of criticizing, sanctioning and molding my life, is too much of a daily event for me.

~ Anais Nin

This quote sums up my belief about new year's resolutions. If there is something I want to change about myself, I am not going to wait until a new year to do something about it. You never know what tomorrow will bring, if it is change you seek, do something about it today!

I hope you all have a very happy and healthy new year!

Wisconsin Pictures

2008-12-31T20:12:00.008-06:00

Here are a few pictures of what we did in Wisconsin this Christmas break. We arrived at Al's parents on Monday before Christmas. There was approximately 12" on the ground, but shortly after arriving the clouds opened up and the snow came down in full force!

Snow man building...

and skiing...

We went skiing at Nordic Mountain the last day we were there. This was Callan's first time, she did great! Dalton was hooked on the thrill of the big hills. I took my time and enjoyed the scenery.

and snow angels...

and more snow angels...

and sledding!

Thanks to everyone for a great time!

Merry Belated Christmas!

2008-12-27T13:25:00.002-06:00

I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays, we definately are having fun. Waupaca has received record snowfall for the December dating back to 1887 - WOW!! I think they have received approximately 50" so far this month with 6 more inches expected tonight. The kids have been sledding and making snowmen - what a great Christmas. When I get home and situated, I'll post pictures of our fun activities. Have a safe and happy new year!

Good Samaritan Sued???

2008-12-20T21:12:00.001-06:00

I am not sure what this world is coming to when a good samiritan gets sued. I would hate to think that in order for someone to help another human being, they would have to check with local and state laws as well as have them sign a waiver of liability before helping someone in distress. Being a nurse, I always felt I was somewhat protected from lawsuits as long as there was not an exchange of money. Obviously I was very wrong.

Isn't she sweet!

2008-12-17T15:45:00.001-06:00

Here is 2 week old Paula. I saw this picture and felt I had to share with all of you. Enjoy!

clipped from news.yahoo.com

Snow in Huntington, Texas

2008-12-14T21:53:00.004-06:00

I can't believe we had snow this week. Again, I was reminded why I do not leave where it snows regularly - I can't drive! I am terrified to drive in snow, partly because falling snow while driving makes me dizzy and partly because I am constantly afraid I will end up in a ditch.

Dalton's 14th Birthday Party

2008-12-14T21:36:00.003-06:00

I can't believe my baby is fixin' to be 14 years old! Where has the time gone? For his party, Dalton decided he wanted a couple friends to spend the night and watch movies and play video games all night long. For his birthday dinner, Dalton picked hamburgers on the grill and chocolate cake with chocolate and peanut butter frosting - YUMMY!

They had a really good time!

Bush Shoe Incident - 2 shoes thrown at President Bush during press conference in Iraq

2008-12-14T18:17:00.001-06:00

I am really surprised Bush didn't take off his own shoes and throw them at the journalist being the tactful president that he is. I bet it crossed his mind, though!

Launching the Next Century of Girl Scouts in Houston, Texas

2008-12-10T15:43:00.001-06:00

This is too cool! I can't wait to take the girls.

Alvin and The Chipmunks - The Christmas Song - movie scene

2008-12-09T21:23:00.001-06:00

Winter Sucks!!!

2008-12-09T21:15:00.001-06:00

Pretty Sunrise and Sunset...

2008-12-09T20:40:00.004-06:00

Two things I miss about living out west are the beautiful sunrises and sunsets. I took these pictures on separate days. The first one was an amazing sunrise yesterday morning. I could not pass up this photo opportunity, so I ran across our road in my PJ's. I am hoping the neighbors did not see because they might think I was losing my mind ( :

The second picture was a couple of Saturdays ago. We were returning from a pig auction and I had Al pull over so Callan and I could take pictures.

We just don't get sunrises and sunsets like these very often so I thought I would share my pictures with you all.

Evil Pig

2008-11-16T11:47:00.001-06:00

Why ice fishing sucks

2008-11-16T11:44:00.001-06:00

Dalton showed me this video - WOW, he got a bite!

Christmas Pictures

2008-11-16T09:43:00.009-06:00

Yesterday morning I decided to round up the kids and go on a "photo shoot" for Christmas card pictures. We drove to Lufkin and found some pretty cool backgrounds using the old buildings in downtown. It was rather cold and extremely windy, but the kids did good and I think Dalton (who hates pictures) had the most fun, he kept spotting out the brick walls he wanted for backgrounds. The "photo shoot" was fun for me because I love taking pictures, but also had a nice walking tour of old downtown. Here's some of the pictures I took:

This was the last picture I took of them, I'm thinking maybe they were tired of taking pictures. What do you think?

Heeeere's Roxy!

2008-11-10T01:40:00.005-06:00

Isn't she cute!!!

Well, I have managed to adopt another dog. She is an English bulldog and her name is Roxy. We think she is around 3 years old and the vet gave her a clean bill of health. I probably could have figured that out just by her personality - she's rather spunky and violently obsessed with squeaky toys!

Callan's wish list

2008-10-28T16:20:00.003-05:00

new strings for my guitar
Nintendo Wii
new games for my Nintendo DS

I will add more later if I want some more stuff

Stone Patio and Callan's Photo Exhibit

2008-10-19T17:19:00.005-05:00

Well, as usually we are busy with multiple projects. We were lucky enough to receive a lot of flagstone for FREE and decided to build a stone patio and firepit off the back deck. Here are some pictures:

Before we started.

We are about halfway through in this picture.

The kids are enjoying the firepit. That evening we had roasted hotdogs and marshmallows on our new firepit. YUM! We were almost done in this picture, but ran out of stone. We are going to have to buy just a few more stone to complete the project.

Callan displayed her butterfly photo in an exhibit at the Museum of East Texas. The exhibit displayed area 4H kids' pictures. We are so proud of Callan!

Southern Hushpuppy Championships...

2008-10-02T21:48:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday, Callan and 3 others from the Huntington 4H competed in the Southern Hushpuppy Championships. They did not place, but did a wonderful job the hushpuppies. They were YUMMY! The kids theme was Huntington 4H SuperHeroes.

(Callan is on the left with the black mask)

Why God Made Moms...

2008-10-01T20:16:00.001-05:00

I found this on the internet, and thought it was too cute. Enjoy!

Why God Made Moms...

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms & dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic; they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Dye it. You know her hair. I'd dye it, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

Strawberry Meth...

2008-09-28T14:11:00.002-05:00

I came across some disturbing information last night that I wanted to share. There seems to be a new form of crystal meth that is targeting children. Officials state that the new meth smells and tastes like strawberry candy. The crystal meth is packaged to look like pop rocks or pixie sticks which is extremely appealing the kids. Anyone who reads this make sure to get the word out. Remember - Halloween is coming, double check the candy!

Hitchcock's Ninja Cat

2008-09-27T20:09:00.001-05:00

I stumbled upon this video tonight and thought I would share it all of you. Each time I watch the video, I can't help but chuckle to myself. Enjoy!

Post Hurricane Ike

2008-09-26T22:46:00.002-05:00

Sorry it has been so long since I posted last. Hurricane Ike did a number around here, but things are finally starting to get back to normal. We had a lot of roofs blown off, down trees, and power lines in the area. We were without power for six days, but had a generator so we were able to have lights, TV, and keep our food frozen. If there was one lesson learned from Hurricane Rita in 2005, it was to prepare for the worst. I'll post area pictures soon.

Hello Ike!

2008-09-12T18:53:00.003-05:00

You know - if you can get past the terror and devastation that Hurricane Ike may bring, it truly is a massive, yet beautiful display of mother nature. I would much rather see this out far, far away from any civilization; however, we are not going to be so lucky. I guess I'll look at the positive side of this storm; it's not very often one can experience a major hurricane. I thought that Rita would have been our one and only hurricane experience - What was I thinking???? Well, I guess I'll go and finish preparations. My next posting will include area pictures of what Ike brought us. Wish us luck!

Cool Website to Monitor Ike

2008-09-11T22:13:00.002-05:00

Tonight I was checking City of Lufkin website and came across a link to the coolest website. VueTOO has all different views of Ike as well as advisories all on one page. Check it out - Very cool!!!

Bubba broke some bones...

2008-09-10T19:01:00.004-05:00

Well, if you didn't already know DJ broke his arm. He was riding his bike with friends and his bike went one way and he went the other. We can't figure out how to get the real picture from the xray CD on here, but we found one that looked liked his breaks. Along with the crack in his radius, he also broke the little point off the ulna.

Lufkin Middle School Medical Clinic

2008-09-07T15:36:00.003-05:00

I came across an interesting article about Lufkin Middle School offering a health clinic for it's students. The idea was mainly geared towards students with little to no health insurance. Kudos to Lufkin ISD!

Sunday's Hurricane Ike Update

2008-09-07T13:38:00.002-05:00

For some reason I feel compelled to write about the hurricanes this year. I think maybe it somehow makes me feel in control of such as uncontrollable situation. The latest projected map from the National Hurricane Center shows Ike heading straight into the Gulf in between Mom and Dad's Fulton house (#2 on the map) and us (#1 on the map). Yipes!

More updates to come...

Hurricane Ike

2008-09-06T22:04:00.002-05:00

OK... I guess I am starting to feel somewhat stressed out again over where Ike is going to go. I am hoping it doesn't hit the same areas Gustav did. Maybe it will just dissipate before it gets to the Gulf (wishful thinking).

DJ's Birthday and Christmas Wish List

2008-09-06T21:31:00.007-05:00

OK... Here it is, the newly published wish list of Sir Dalton:

PlayStation 2 in black

PS2 Analog Controller (non-rumble)

ATV Offroad Fury 4

God of War II (PS2)
Datel Max Memory 32/16 (the 16 MB comes with it) MB (PS2) (+$5.00)
go to walmart.com search playstation 2Customer's Choice Value Bundle the one with the bullets come with it the other two you have to choose i went through and picked the one I wanted them are the one i want all that is $174.
cabelas big game hunter wii
spyro dawn of the dragon wii
smash bros. brawl wii
flat screen tv small like 22in

To be continued...

We decided to plant 150 trees this year!

2008-09-06T18:55:00.000-05:00

Did I get your attention? I was researching electric companies when I came across Green Mountain Electric Co. I did some checking on the company and decided to switch from TXU Electric to Green Mountain. The price was slightly higher per kWh, but I think it is worth it if we are purchasing 100% pollution free energy (85% hydro, 15% wind). The company states that 2,500 lbs of CO2 will be avoided; this is equivalent to 150 trees planted or 2,800 miles not driven. WOW!!!

Al is somewhat apprehensive because of the change, but I feel good about the decision. I am hoping the company is customer friendly and there will be no problems with the delivery of energy or the switch over. I will keep you all posted.

I think I looove my new detergent!

2008-09-02T22:03:00.000-05:00

As you all have probably noticed by now that I am trying to live more green. I think I have finally found the best green laundry detergent: Purex Natural Elements. Purex has made a green product that is easy on the pocketbook. I got this info from the Purex website:

100% Natural Cleaning Ingredients
Concentrated, less waste, better for the environment
Biodegradable formula
Recyclable packaging
Free of dyes

I have been using the the melon & apple scent; which I loooove!

Gustav Update

2008-09-02T05:43:00.000-05:00

So far so good. All we seem to be getting so far is wind and a nice steady rain. Last night before I went to bed I walked around; it was beautiful outside. The temperature made me want Fall to get here even faster. The kids are mad because school wasn't canceled - oh well. I'll keep you all posted as Gustav gets closer.

DJ's New Room!

2008-09-01T19:01:00.000-05:00

Well... we are finally finished with DJ's room redo! Dalton originally wanted a black room. YUCK! After days of decision making and negotiating, take a look at the finished product. I was able to get the black in his room without it overpowering the room. He also wanted some red which turned out really nice and tied in his love of Texas A&M.

I sewed some WalMart special $3 sheets and made a curtain cover for his closet. Eventually we'll add some closet doors, but he DJ really likes the curtains.

Al painted his old desk and made it into his entertainment center. I still need to paint a piece of thin plywood and put it under his desk in front of the wires to camouflage them.

Another shot of the entertainment center and "reading area" as DJ calls it.

DJ wanted his bed low to the floor, so Al built a platform to put it on. The platform is solid so nothing can get shoved underneath.

Another view of DJ chillin' out in his new room. DJ says it's sweeeet!

OK... I changed my mind

2008-08-30T09:51:00.001-05:00

I thought that we would attempt to go to the Gulf this weekend, but after seeing lines of cars at gas stations, no gas at pumps, and the beginning of total chaos, I changed my mind. I guess Hurricane Rita traumatized me, but I didn't realize it until saw panic setting into the community. I guess I'm not the only one who was traumatized. I'll keep you all updated as the storm nears.

Taking a chance...

2008-08-29T07:27:00.000-05:00

Well, I've been watching Gustav and I am thinking (more like hoping) we are in the clear. We are going to go ahead and meet mom and dad in Fulton for a fun filled weekend of fishing and relaxing. Can't wait! My next posting will be of that record breaking catch.

First day of school...

2008-08-26T21:33:00.000-05:00

Monday was the first day of class for all of us. Every year it gets a little harder to get the kids to cooperate for pictures. Oh well, they will get over it. I can't believe Dalton is an 8th grader and Callan a 5th grader. Where has the time gone??? Before I know it, they will be leaving for college.

This weekend we are planning on meeting Mom and Dad at their in Fulton, but we are watching Hurricane Gustov. We are hoping it will just go away, but know that will never happen.

More to come...

Helpful hint of the day...

2008-08-23T10:43:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share with all of you a cool thing I discovered a few months back - Vinegar.

Put vinegar in the rinse agent compartment of your dishwasher instead of Jet-Dry. Your dishes come out squeaky clean.

Make your own fabric softener with vinegar, water, and hair conditioner. I use an old Downy softener bottle; mix equal parts vinegar and water with approximately 2 cups of cheap hair conditioner, and Voila! You have an awesome fabric softener that leaves you clothes smelling and feeling great without the residue that is left behind from store bought fabric softeners.

Pour some straight vinegar in and on the sides of the toilet bowl, let sit for 15-20 minutes, scrub, and you are left with a clean toilet.

Make you own Windex by filling a spray bottle with approximately 1 cup of vinegar, 1 teaspoon dish soap, and the rest of the bottle with water. I like to use this in the bathrooms because I can clean the mirrors and counters with the same non-toxic solution.

I hope these suggestions help you all get a little closer to living cleaner, greener, more non-toxic lives.

More to come...

Just For Laughs - Snake in Mall

2008-08-22T21:47:00.001-05:00

Callan introduced me to these videos, they are pretty funny!

UT Marine Center Open House

2008-08-21T21:29:00.000-05:00

This is a belated posting, but wanted to share part of our summer vacation with you all.

In June, University of Texas Marine Center in Port Aransas held an open house. Mom, Dalton, Callan, and I went and have an awesome time. They took us out on different boats in the bay to learn about marine life. The kids enjoyed to touch tanks on the boat. Mom enjoyed the boat ride by the Lydia Ann lighthouse. I enjoyed the boat rides themselves the best. What a wonderful opportunity UT gives the public by opening their doors once a year. We had a blast!

Thanks UT Marine Center!

Smiley face on the beach at Mustang Island.

The kids at the end of a long, hot day at UT Marine Center.

Mom and the kids on one of the boat rides that went by the Lydia Ann Lighthouse.

Lydia Ann Lighthouse, Aransas Pass, Texas

More to come...

Getting ready for another semester...

2008-08-20T21:37:00.000-05:00

Go Jacks!!

Another semester is on the horizon and I am so excited to see what it has in store for me. I can not mention SFA without also mentioning TCU, my graduate school, as well.

Go Frogs!!

Be sure to check out my countdown until graduation.

Homemade Floor Cleaner

2008-08-19T21:22:00.000-05:00

OK... so I guess I will share another homemade floor cleaner mixture that I started using on my laminate wood flooring about a month ago. This mixture works great and smells wonderful:

1/4 cup dish soap
1 cup lemon juice
1 to 2 cups of water
2 cups vinegar

I found this recipe at Homemade Laminate Floor Cleaner: A Must-Have for Your Laminated Floors

I have recently become more conscientious about what cleaning products I use. I am not 100% green yet, but I am slowly moving that direction and hope to be one day.

Simple Green

2008-08-18T21:12:00.000-05:00

Once again I am amazed with Simple Green. I always have Simple Green lemon concentrate on hand and use it for various cleaning tasks around the house. I like to clean with it because it is a green product and smells good; it is right up there with vinegar in my book. Today I wanted to carpet clean Dalton's room before moving furniture back in, but was out of carpet cleaner for my steam cleaner. I did not want to go to the store so I googled "homemade carpet cleaner". One of the search results took me to a recipe for Simple Green carpet cleaner from concentrate. I decided "why not" and mixed up 3 ounces of Simple Green to one gallon of water (as the recipe stated). WOW!!! The mixture did such a wonderful job.

Kudos to Simple Green!

It's been a while...

2008-08-18T08:03:00.000-05:00

I was crazy to think that I would have more time for postings this summer. I think this has been the busiest summer yet. This is going to be a longer than normal posting so I can somewhat catch you all up on our activities.

Mom, Grandmother, and I went on an awesome trip this summer. We flew into Seattle, went through the Cascades, down the Columbia river, along the Washington coast, and visited Victoria, BC. Here are some pictures:

Multnomah Falls, Oregon

Calla lily at Butchart Gardens, Victoria, BC

Ruby Beach, Washington

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, Washington
(flock of pelicans in the distance)

====================================================================

Callan's Girl Scout troop used their cookie money to go on an overnight stay at the Houston Aquarium. We slept with the white tigers, well on the other side of thick glass from the white tigers. It was pretty amazing to wake up to playing (roaring) tigers at 4 o'clock in the morning. Thanks Houston Aquarium for a wonderful opportunity for the the girls.

Callan wrestling the fierce tiger!

One the two beautiful tigers we stayed with overnight.

OK... I have run out of wind and need to get back to Dalton's bedroom redo. I'll post pictures of the final product.

It has been awhile...

2008-05-04T10:34:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Time has flown by so fast, I didn't realize I haven't posted since February. We have been sooooo busy the last three months. I'll try to catch you all up to date.

Mom and Dad bought a cute house down in Fulton, Texas and we have been spending a lot of time down there.

Here's a view from the front.

This is the marina and fishing pier just a couple blocks from the house.

We went camping during spring break at Bouton Lake. We love it out there, it is so quiet and is the perfect size lake to take the canoe.

In March, Dalton went on a 3 city field trip with some of his classmates. They went to Austin to visit the Capitol, San Antonio to see the Alamo and the Riverwalk, and finally Houston to see the San Jacinto Monument. WOW! He had so much fun on his whirlwind tour.

Now that the semester is coming to an end, I should be able to post more frequently again.

More to come...

Kroger's $4.00 RX Medications

2008-02-25T18:40:00.000-06:00

For those of you who have a Kroger's nearby, they now have a $4 RX plan for over 300 generic medications. I am assuming they are similar to WalMart's list, but I haven't had a chance to compare the two lists. I have attached a link to the list, so check it out.

medicationlistalpha.pdf (application/pdf Object)

4H youth fair results are in....

2008-02-21T19:03:00.000-06:00

We had a full day of events that included arts, crafts, and market hog. I have included some pictures of the projects:

Dalton received a Blue Ribbon Award in the Junior Arts: Other Division for his tile mosaic of an eagle.Callan received a Red Ribbon Award for her watercolors painting in Pre-Junior Watercolors Division.

Here's Dalton and Porky in the showring. He didn't place, but did a wonderful job showing and raising Porky.

More of Dalton and Porky...

And more...

We had fun watching Dalton and Callan with their projects. Projects for next year are already in the works.

What a beautiful night sky!

2008-02-19T22:14:00.000-06:00

I just had to post and share this picture. The sky was amazing tonight with the full moon and clouds. The way the moon is shining, it looks like a negative print of the sun to me. Anyway, enjoy!

Now I will play catch-up...

2008-02-19T21:34:00.000-06:00

I have been bad about posting pictures of what is going on with the kids lately, so I will try to catch you all up on the lastest.

Callan, her best friend Taelor, and I went to Lafayette, LA last month to see Hannah Montana live in concert. We all had so much fun! We drove over Friday, went to the concert that night, stayed the night there in Lafayette, and then came home on Saturday. It was a "girl trip". Here's some more pictures from the concert:

The girls in front of Hannah Montana's bus. WOW!!!

The girls could not sit still... they were dancing and singing the whole time (and continued for the next 24 hours)

Coco, Dalton's lab, had 10 puppies on Feb. 12th. We had her pinned up, but being the Houdini dog that she is, escaped and... oops, we now have puppies. They are all beautiful, so we should be able to find good homes for them when the time comes.

Here's Dalton with his show pig "Porky". Keep your fingers crossed, he shows on Thursday (2/21). Last year he placed and made $850 at the sale.

More to come...

Clinton wows standing-room-only crowd at Lufkin Civic Center

2008-02-17T09:21:00.000-06:00

I am so upset to find out that Clinton was in town and I missed seeing him. If I had known I would have dragged Al and the kids with me to listen to what he had to say. It is not very often one has the chance to see and listen to a former president up close and personal.

Presidential politics: Clinton wows standing-room-only crowd at civic center

Parkland Hospital Maternal Illegal Alien Policy

2008-02-11T08:51:00.000-06:00

I came across this article discussing how Parkland Hospital in Dallas manages, both financially and medically, such a high illegal alien maternity population. The article got my blood boiling. I find it terribly disturbing that a person can come into the country and receive free medical care, yet a U.S. citizen that needs help has to jump through hoops to get assistance. After the long tedious application and interview process has been completed, the U.S. citizen usually finds out that they make too much money or have too many assets. What is wrong with this picture? Don't get me wrong, I am all for every human being having the right to equal and adequate medical care, but in America our citizens should come first.

Follow the link to the article below:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/parkland.asp

Hold the lemon!

2008-02-10T03:59:00.001-06:00

I think next time I am in a restaurant I'll ask for NO lemons!

2008-01-31T16:41:00.000-06:00

Article on Great Coupons Sites!

2008-01-20T11:13:00.000-06:00

For those of you who do not know, I am a HUGE coupon person. Before I buy anything online I try to find a coupon to use. I am also one of those irritating people in WalMart people get behind that has all the coupons and price matching sale ads. Even though coupons can sometimes be a hassle they are still worth the effort to me. I came across a great article on Yahoo! that has several websites listed that offer coupons for just about everything. Check out the article, I have posted a link below.

Yahoo! Personal Finance

First Day in Class

2008-01-14T20:30:00.000-06:00

Well today was my first in class and met all the students. I think it is going to be a great semester! All the students seem to be interested and ready to learn about pediatrics. This afternoon I toured an amazing pediatric facility in Gladewater called The Truman Smith Pediatric Center. I had no idea that such a wonderful medical facility was so close to home. On our tour, we were told that the Truman Smith Center was the only long term pediatric facility in Texas and only 1 of 4 in the country. This is an amazing opportunity for the students as well as myself to be able to learn about a wide array of disease processes that are affecting this particular population.

Also on our trip, I was introduced to Currier and Ives prints. I fell in love with them and have to show off two reproductions that I purchased.

The Coast of California

The Florida Coast

Aren't they pretty?

France is healthcare leader, US comes dead last: study

2008-01-09T08:17:00.000-06:00

What is going on? How can the United States be "dead last" in health care? The United States, a nation that claims to be the best in the world for everything, has the highest rate of preventable deaths of all industrialized countries in the world according to a recent study released by the Commonwealth Fund. Americans need to speak up, especially when we are in the midst of a presidential election. Don't just think about your current situation when casting your vote, but what could happen in your future, i.e. recession, unemployment, serious illness, etc. Is the current health care situation in America sufficient for you and your family, or could it be better?

Read the attached article, it should make you nothing less than furious.

France is healthcare leader, US comes dead last: study - Yahoo! News

Internet Buyers Beware!

2008-01-08T10:00:00.000-06:00

This morning I received quite a shock while looking at my checking account online. Someone has been using my debit card to buy all kinds of merchandise online. I had no idea anything was even happening until I received a bank account alert email stating my account balance had dropped below my alert balance, I immediately thought, "WHAT! How can that be?". I looked up my account and saw numerous charges that I had not made, things like wines and quit smoking aids. I got on the phone, stopped my credit card, and headed for the bank. The bank was wonderful and said they would get right on it and call when all the paperwork was complete for me sign. When I returned home, I had a package in the mailbox from Boca Raton (one of the fraudulent charges locations). I opened it up to find a quit smoking aid. I called the company without any luck then I started calling some of the other charges just out of curiosity - the items were being sent to my address. Then I really started to panic because I thought the bank may think I actually made the purchases and my money would be tied up forever. Again, the bank was wonderful and said that it was OK, I needed to refuse packages and they would handle the rest.

Learn from my mistakes... Never, never use your debit card online and always check your checking account everyday.

I'll keep you all posted on the progress of my identity theft situation.

Stephen F. Austin University Clinical Nursing Instructor

2008-01-08T08:10:00.000-06:00

"The trained nurse has become one of the great blessings of humanity, taking a place beside the physician and the priest." -- William Osler

Well, there is no turning back, I am officially a Clinical Nursing Instructor at SFA. If someone would have asked me in nursing school if I saw myself teaching nursing in the future, I would have stated without hesitation, "NO WAY!". All I can hope for is to do a good job of helping students find their passion in nursing. Anyone can hand out medications, it takes a special person to care for and help people through their time of need.

Wish me luck!

Hillary Clinton's Heated Response

2008-01-06T20:57:00.001-06:00

You go Hillary! Health insurance and drug companies need be at the top of the agenda right beside Iraq. If Americans are not healthy and being provided with adequate, affordable health care, how can we protect our own land and the soldiers be expected to leave home to fight a war?

Happy's babies have arrived!

2008-01-06T07:52:00.000-06:00

Well, after a long, sleep deprived night, Happy had 11 babies. They are sooooo cute (of course). All of them appear to be healthy for now.

Take a look at the most recent additions to the farm:

Aren't the sweet!

The kids had a really hard time staying awake, so they took short little power naps.

DJ - sleeping on the feed bin.

Callan - sleeping with Momma cat on the goat stand.

Don't they look so comfortable?!

Now I'm off to bed for my quick power nap.

Happy New Years Everyone!

2008-01-01T14:10:00.000-06:00

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.

- Oprah Winfrey

Today I got my first glimpse of this new year's flowers.

Last night Al, Callan, Dalton, & his friend Tyler rang in the new year by watching the ball drop on TV; I could not make it past 10:00 (as usual).

I hope everyone has a great year!

Lucy's Legacy

2007-12-26T19:27:00.000-06:00

Merry (belated) Christmas everyone!

We all had a great Christmas. Nana and Papa were able to be here and are having a good visit. Today we took a trip to Houston to see "Lucy's Legacy" at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. For those of you not familiar with Lucy, Lucy is a 3.2 million year old fossil of a pre-human called Australopithecus afarensis which was found in Ethiopia in 1974.

Check her out:

More to come...

Girl Scout Camping

2007-12-09T02:55:00.000-06:00

Remember that your children are not your own, but are lent to you by the Creator.

- Mohawk Proverb

Last month Callan and I went camping with her Girl Scout troop to Camp Robinwood near Conroe. The theme for the campout was Native American culture. We had such a great time learning about how they lived and their customs. We learned to make Indian fry bread, hair drops, and learned a few native dances.

New Babies on the Farm...

2007-10-27T18:34:00.000-05:00

We have had a busy month with the animals. Dalton's pig "Sassy" had 12 babies, but 2 died so we are left with 10. Callan's goat "Frosty" had twins today. Today we also adopted 2 bobtail kittens. You can never have too many animals ( :

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Here's Sassy with her babies. Aren't they cute!________________________________________________________

Here's Frosty with Twin Boy and Twin Girl (Callan hasn't named them yet).

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And last but not least, Chloe (left) and Lucy (right).

WalMart - Phase 2 $4 Prescription Drugs

2007-10-13T10:54:00.000-05:00

WalMart has added more medications to their $4 Rx Plan. Check it out at the link below. Maybe more companies will follow suit and force a decrease in the cost of medications in the U.S. I hope this saves you all some $$$$.

http://i.walmart.com/i/if/hmp/fusion/genericdruglist.pdf

Callan's Photography

2007-10-13T09:39:00.001-05:00

Callan has taken a liking to photography. She took this picture in front of our house and will enter it in the 4H photography show. We planted butterfly mix seeds and the butterflies truly love them.

The Mom Song Sung to William Tell Overture with Lyrics

2007-10-12T22:33:00.001-05:00

This video makes you appreciate all the Moms in the world. Enjoy.

Evolution of Dance

2007-10-12T22:28:00.001-05:00

This is hilarious!

Hello!

2007-10-12T21:53:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone! I thought I would get with the times and start a blog to share everything that is going on in our lives with friends and family. We are all very busy! Dalton started football (his first year) and is busy raising pigs for 4H. Callan is staying busy with gymnastics, dance, Girl Scouts and 4H. Al is busy doing jobs around the house and running the kids everywhere. I am busy working in the Newborn Nursery, still working on my Master's in Nursing, and toting the kids places. This first posting may be somewhat long so I can get you all up to speed with our busy lives.

Here is Dalton playing his first football game (#26). He plays Fullback on the defense and loves it.

Last weekend Callan and I met Nana & Papa in Port Aransas. The weather was great except for the occasional rain storm. Al and Dalton did not come with us because one of Dalton's pigs was due to have babies and they wanted to stay and make sure mom and babies were OK ; however, she did not have her babies.

More to come...