Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Panhandle Plains Historical Museum

The Panhandle Plains Historical Museum

Hayden wants "this" one.

Rachel combs the wool.

Sarah weaves a rug.

Hayden goes for a ride.


We are enjoying our second week out of school for Christmas break, so today, after breakfast, I told the kids they were going to have a surprise. I took them to the museum. They love going to the museum, whether it's the Smithsonian or the PPHM. They were very excited. They learned a lot about the Texas Panhandle and enjoyed looking at all the exhibits. We all especially enjoyed the Santa Fe Collection. They have a huge collection of tapestries on display. They even had tables set up with instructions for kids on weaving. Sarah wanted to stay there and weave a rug until she found out you couldn't take it with you.

We watched videos on how to skin a buffalo, how to plant cotton and the oil boom. It was very interesting. Especially the buffalo video. Sarah was the only one that could stomach it. Then, she came and told me how the pulled the stomach out and washed it in the river... Yuck!

We had a fun time and will go back again soon.

Celebrating Christmas

Friday, December 26, 2008

Merry Christmas from Lubbock, Texas



It has been wonderful to be so close to family. Our kids have asked, "how many Christmases are we going to have?". We had my dad come visit and then my entire side of the family came to our house last Sunday. Tuesday, we left for Lubbock and are spending Christmas with John's family. I will share more pictures later, but just wanted to give you an idea of what we do in Texas to celebrate Christmas. We had a wonderful Christmas Eve service and then had a very busy Christmas morning with 8 kids, 8 adults and 3 dogs. We had a fabulous traditional ham dinner and for dessert, the family went to shoot guns. Well, that's what we do here. We shoot things. I did learn to shoot a gun when I was about 10. I didn't go on this adventure, but probably will next time. So, that's how we celebrated Christmas here in Lubbock, Texas!

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Small Town Christmas

Emma & Rachel enjoy a Dublin Dr. Pepper

A very Merry Christmas!


Snowball drop

Friends



Town Square Tree lighting

We went to the annual tree lighting on the square in Canyon. They had local groups sing Christmas carols and then they lit the tree. After the tree lighting, they drop "snowballs" from the top of the court house. They are actually ping pong balls with local store offers/discounts written on them. Everyone runs to the courthouse to gather the falling "snowballs". The kids had a great time. We went to the Rock'n Roll soda shoppe after the festivities and enjoyed a Dublin Dr. Pepper.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Christmas Lights!


This is the first year that we have put up Christmas lights on our house. Usually, we have some lighted garland around our door, but that's about it. This year, we were able to put our tree exactly where we wanted it and put up Christmas lights. John did a great job! I got all the decorations up inside and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here. As a matter of fact, it snowed here today. Texas snow that is...snow and blow all morning, nothing stuck and this afternoon, the sun is out. Much different than Ohio! And did I mention it was 70 degrees yesterday? What they say about Texas weather is true. If you don't like the weather, wait a minute and it is sure to change.

"Make Me A Cowboy"







Saturday night, we went to Claude, TX to a remodeled old theatre to see a local play. "Make Me A Cowboy" was full of local talent and included singing, cowboy poetry and audience participation. We had a great time. Now Hayden really wants to be a cowboy.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Thanksgiving in Dallas

We went to Dallas for Thanksgiving and celebrated with John's family. We had a great time. We had great food, played games, watched movies and just relaxed. Brace yourself, I didn't even go shopping on Black Friday! I did go to Costco on Saturday with Carol. I love going to Costco; they have great stuff. We love being this close to family. It only took us 6.5 hours to get there. I know some of you probably think that is crazy, but after living 2 days away, this is close!


Rachel, Hayden, Sarah & Clancy (Kate was reading Twilight)


Hayden & Rachel climbed that tree every time they went outside.




A little peace and quiet (10 people and 2 more dogs inside)


"Chef" Jordan treated us to a great meal

Rock Band!

Thanksgiving in Memphis, Texas (not TN)

Future Cotton Queen?
Dad's Bread Pudding- aka Perini's famous bread pudding

Hayden thought the cotton was cool.



Train wreck just outside of Lelia Lake- where I lived in High School


Lily loves to visit PaBob; he drops bacon.




We celebrated Thanksgiving with my side of the family a couple of weeks ago. We all went to my cousins house in Memphis for the day. I'm including just a few pictures from the day.

Kate's Christmas Choir Concert


7th & 8th grade boys and girls choirs

Kate (center) and a couple of her friends.

Santa even came
Our little Kate is growing up.




Friday, November 21, 2008

Friends in Dallas

ARMD for Jesus: Audra, Ronda, Michele & Dawn

Michele, Angela, Ronda, Me & Dawn

Chick-fil-a

Sam Moon trip


Last weekend, we went to Dallas. The PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel) National Convention was in Dallas about 15 minutes from John's parents' house. We drove up for the event. Since I am not a PWOC member, I couldn't attend the convention, but I could at least see some of my friends from Ohio. My friends asked me to pick them up and drive them around Dallas. I told them they were crazy! I don't drive in Dallas. John's mom offered to pick them up and drive us around. She maneuvered through Dallas traffic, DFW and toll roads like it was nothing. Thank you Carol! We went to Sam Moon and to Grapevine Mills and then to Chick-fil-a for dinner. Well, they don't have Chick-fil-a where Michele lives in Washington, so she had to keep her priorities straight. I enjoyed seeing everyone, but would have loved to just sit down and enjoy the afternoon catching up. Next time, hopefully there is less shopping involved and more visiting.

The Canyon Chicken Project



Well, never did we think we'd be building a chicken coop just a month or so after moving in. Boy were we wrong. This took way longer and cost way more than we ever dreamed. But, we had a great time involving the entire neighborhood in our chicken project. Some funny things happened during the building of this coop...

I was in the driveway painting the run section and I was inside this frame painting the inside when the gas man drove down the alley right next to me. He stopped, rolled the window down and asked what I was building. I told him that my husband told the neighborhood boys it was where he'd put me to keep me from shopping. He laughed and asked if he should call the welfare department. I told him he should probably call animal control.

The day that Hayden and I decided to move the chicken run to the other side of the yard, we let the chickens out. I drug the run across the yard and then we went to catch the chickens and put them back into their home. Easier said than done. It took us a good 10 minutes to catch those chickens. They may look clumsy, but don't let their looks fool you. They can make a 35 year old woman burn an easy 500 calories in 10 minutes flat. I'm gonna start my own aerobics class in my back yard called "fast chicks".

The chickens are the talk of the neighborhood. My neighbor Angela told me that her husband is now talking about getting chickens. All the kids come over to see our chickens and must be telling their parents that we have chickens in our back yard.

They do have names. Did I tell you that? Rosie and Lightening Bolt. Rachel does have plans to put a leash on the chickens and walk them. She also wants to dress them up. I'd like to see that. Actually, I'd pay money to see that.

Well, these are our chicken adventures and there are sure to be more. We'll keep you posted!

Finally done with the entry


Whew! That was a giant project. We hung the french doors a while back, but sanding, priming, painting, handles, trim... All that had to be done before we could texture and paint the entry way. Well, it is finished. It feels good to have it done. I textured the top of the wall above the chair rail and then painted it a creamy tan color. I told the kids that it looks like my coffee in the morning. Then, on the bottom of the wall, I used paint that was already in the house leftover from a small bathroom. It is a very nice chocolate brown. I love the color combination with the white trim.

Fall Fun

Friday, November 7, 2008