June 10, 2008 - ProLife Teenagers.com

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June 9, 2008 - Aprons Are Totally, Like, In, People!

That's right, aprons are popular items to have once more, even though they're still so durned expensive!  But, that's why we cheapos enter giveaways, and I'm here to let you know where you can do just that (and join me in the rank of "cheapos").  Apronista (surprise, surprise) is hosting a summer apron giveaway featuring Carolyn's Kitchen.  And, of course, as is customary with giveaways from CK the winner will also recieve a pair of matching gloves, what a score!

Ladies and Gents (with sisters and mothers) alike, what are you waiting for?  Leave em' a comment, post on your blog, and leave 'em another comment to enter twice!  Tell 'em what your favorite summer recipe is and enter thrice!  Or better yet, DON'T!  Then I'll have a better chance of winning. MWAHAHAHA...ah...sorry about that!  Anyways, you've probably already guessed that I only made this long, ridiculous post so I can enter three times instead of two.  What can I say?  I like free stuff.

P.S. A HUGE thank you to all you who left my ds (dear sister) a comment on our other blog!  I truly appreciate it and I know she does too.  And just so you know, my other little sister, Felicity, posted.  Check it out!

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June 4, 2008 - Needing Comments!

I really don't want to nag anybody but would one or more of you (my devoted blog readers) please go leave a comment on Sarah's post at our sister blog?  She wrote a really creative and beautiful poem and (as happens with me when I say something in a conversation) everybody, well, more or less, shut up!  I'd really appreciate it!  And thanks in advance!

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May 30, 2008 - Let Them Eat Cake!

My grandmother once told me that, back when she was a little girl, a woman was well known in the community by the cakes she baked.  It’s my understanding from the accounts she and my Dad have given that her mother baked excellent cakes.  My only regret is that I never got to try them myself.  But, as I have proved this year, that hasn’t stopped me from trying my own hand at this branch of the culinary arts, and I’m only just getting started.

A great empire, like a great cake, is most easily diminished at the edges.   –Benjamin Franklin 

For New Year’s Eve I made a New Year’s Almond Legend Cake from a recipe from my great-aunt’s cookbook.  Unfortunately I neglected to take any pictures but everyone said it was delicious (and I’d have to agree). Please feel free to e-mail me if you’d like this recipe.

Vegetables are a must on a diet.  I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.   –Jim Davis

In February I made Felicity’s birthday cake.  She requested Lincoln’s Favorite Cake from The American Family Cookbook.  Before the list of ingredients it says, “Mary Todd, before her marriage to Abraham Lincoln, is said to have made this cake for him, and the verdict was--‘the best in Kentucky.’”  It is a white cake with almonds mixed in and a fluffy almost marshmallow type frosting.  The result of my efforts was a slightly dry cake but overall it was a success.  Here’s something to make your mouth water:

You know you’re getting old when the candles cost more than the cake.   –Bob Hope

One month later my sister Josie and I both had the urge to make a cake.  So we found a recipe that sounded interesting and put spoons to bowls, despite the fact that we had obligations later that afternoon and were leaving the next day for a weekend long trip and still had to pack.  This time it was a Flourless Chocolate Cake.  Josie always makes the kitchen, well, different:

Now, it did warn us that the cake might fall, and wouldn’t you know it, it did.  But, as I’ve always said about all of my cakes, so long as it tastes good who cares if it looks good enough to go before a judge (unless of course it was for a competition)! 

A cake is a very good test of an oven: if it browns too much on one side and not on the other, it’s not your fault – you need to have your oven checked.   –Delia Smith

Last month, I made a coke cake from a recipe in the Texas Co-op Power Magazine.  Once again I neglected to take any pictures but this was probably the best of all the others.  Instead of using Coca-Cola I used A&W Root Beer, and let me tell ya’, root beer cake is top notch!  It turned out so moist and there was tons of it from just one batch and it was easy to make.  Find It Here.

A lot of movies are about life, mine are like a slice of cake.   –Alfred Hitchcock

Then, way earlier this month my youngest sister Felicity, our friend Christine, and I baked a basic chocolate cake, whipped up some white frosting, and shaped it into an Easter Bonnet, going off of the example in The New Betty Crocker Kids Cookbook.  This time the cake was just slightly dry and the frosting was somewhat grainy but it made an adorable cake.  Felicity picked a few wildflowers to decorate it with and we all enjoyed it for dessert that night.  I wish I could post a picture but it’s on Mom’s cell phone and we can’t get it off yet.

A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes that he has got the biggest piece.   –Paul Gaugin

Last but not least, this past Memorial Day I made a cake especially for my Dad (‘cause he didn’t get to try ANY of the others I’d made).  He requested a Hawaiian Delight Cake, one his Mom made a lot when he was a kid.   I did get a picture of this one but not until it was half eaten:

The only “mess-up” with this one was a rather runny frosting.  The recipe calls for a can of partially drained pineapple “in heavy syrup.”  I got pineapple in it’s natural juices so should’ve drained them all the way.  Oh well, it was delicious!  And again, if you’d like the recipe please e-mail me, I’d be happy to share it. :-)

Let them eat cake.   –Marie Antoinette

If you have any suggestions for my next cake-baking endeavor, please leave a comment.  Also, I got the idea of all the cake quotes from this post by thector87.  Thanks Thomas!

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May 24, 2008 - Three Cheers for the Graduate!

To a lovely young woman, I wish you God's very best for your life, now and forever.  I'm sorry this couldn't be longer or perhaps more meaningful, but know that you have blessed my life and it is more than a pleasure knowing you.  Maybe we can even meet in person someday!

Please go offer your congratulations to Eyebright, she certainly deserves it!

Sincerely,

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May 23, 2008 - Safe Arrival!

At this moment I am sitting in our new home.  We arrived yesterday evening and actually got to sit down to dinner with Dad.  It really is a lovely house (even Curly, our dog, seems thrilled).  For those of you who have not seen it, well, voila!

I'll be putting up the nicer picture later. 

Thank you all so much for your prayers during our long wait and for safety during our travels.  We are blessed and pray y'all are too!

Sincerely,

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May 12, 2008 - I'm still gone, really.

Actually, since I have the means by which to do so, I am making a post.  And this is to say a huge, HUGE thank you to everyone who has given me an award in the past 5 months (well, beyond that even)!  I do have a request though.  If you have awarded me with anything since January (or if you don't see the award you gave me on my sidebar) please leave a comment on this post telling me so that I can perform my duty in a few weeks by actually passing them on.  Thanks ever and so much!

Also, we, my family and I, will be on the road to WA this time next week.  Any prayers you can offer on our behalf are so enormously appreciated!  God bless y'all!

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April 8, 2008 - ...Until We Meet Again...

Yes, I'm afraid I will have to put it very plainly, I'm vanishing.  Well... mostly.  We, my Mom, sisters, and I, are moving to Washington State in the middle of next month, but right now is no less crazy than it will be at that time.  Two weekends ago (when my sisters had their choir competitions) was the beginning of a very, very, VERY crowded schedule.  So (pardon my bluntness) I will most likely not be blogging again until close to the end of May.  Sadly, that includes much commenting as well, but I will be e-mailing, so if you are just bursting with curiosity about how I'm doing shoot me an e-mail and I will do my very best to reply promptly.

(Random picture for at least something interesting in this pathetic post)

Don't you just love dressing up at the museum?

On the other hand, I am still trying to complete the States Exploration assignments so I may put one of those on if I have the time between now and the official move otherwise, this is it.

Your humble servant with too much on her plate,

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March 6, 2008 - Ladies and Gentlemen, please scroll down...

That's right, I'm doing States Exploration catch-up!  What a task I tell ya'!  But, thankfully, it is a fun task and I hope to have it completed (the catching-up part at least) no later than the end of this month.  So, if you are interested please scroll below this post and see what new information I have about the wonderful state of Texas.  When I have completed the catching-up process I will begin posting entries on top of this one.  Bon appetit!

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March 3, 2008 - Texas Facts #19: State Song

Texas, Our Texas! all hail the mighty State!
Texas, Our Texas! so wonderful so great!
Boldest and grandest, withstanding ev'ry test
O Empire wide and glorious, you stand supremely blest.

Texas, O Texas! your freeborn single star,
Sends out its radiance to nations near and far,
Emblem of Freedom! it set our hearts aglow,
With thoughts of San Jacinto and glorious Alamo.

Texas, dear Texas! from tyrant grip now free,
Shines forth in splendor, your star of destiny!
Mother of heroes, we come your children true,
Proclaiming our allegiance, our faith, our love for you.

God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.
God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.

"Texas, Our Texas," the official state song of Texas, was adopted by the Texas Legislature in 1929.

...my thoughts later...

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March 3, 2008 - Texas Facts #18: State Photos

...More to come...

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March 3, 2008 - Texas Facts #17: State Tourism

Have you been all over your state?  What excites the attention of outsiders that gets ‘em hankerin’ for a visit?  Have you visited the important landmark(s) thereof?  Well, though I’ve been many places in Texas I’ve not been to near how many it has to offer (the one draw back to living in the second largest state in the nation).  And since there are so many tourist attractions, etc., I’m just going to put a + sign by the ones I’ve been to and nothing by the ones I haven’t.  

When the tourists come to Texas, where do they go?  If they’re lucky they take a year long vacation and visit every place mentioned below (something I have not even come close to accomplishing) if that’s even possible.  I’ve listed them by category and in alphabetical order by city/town/park/land...  It took a while and I’m pretty sure they’re not all here.

Texas Travel Trails
Forts Trail – Abilene
Tropical Trail – Corpus Christi
Lakes Trail – Dallas
Mountain Trail – El Paso
Independence Trail – Houston
Plains Trail – Lubbock
Pecos Trail – Odessa
Hill Country Trail – San Antonio
Forest Trail – Tyler
Brazos Trail – Waco

Amusements

 Abilene Zoological Gardens and Discovery Center – Abilene
+Ballpark in Arlington – Arlington
Six Flags Over Texas Hurricane Harbor – Arlington
Wet ‘N Wild – Arlington
+National Wildflower Research Center – Austin
+Zilker Park – Austin
Alamo Village – Brackettville
Gladys Porter Zoo – Brownsville
Texas Safari – Clifton
Natural Bride Wildlife Ranch – Comal
+Texas State Aquarium – Corpus Christi
Dallas Aquarium – Dallas
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden – Dallas
Dallas Civic Garden Center – Dallas
Dallas Zoo – Dallas
Fair Park – Dallas
Reunion Arena – Dallas
Billy Bob’s Texas – Fort Worth
Fort Worth Botanic Garden – Fort Worth
Fort Worth Water Gardens – Fort Worth
Fort Worth Zoo – Fort Worth
Moody Gardens – Galveston
Sea-Arama Marineworld – Galveston
+Fossil Rim Wildlife Center – Glen Rose
International Wildlife Park – Grand Prairie
+Astrodome – Houston
Astroworld – Houston (is now a was)
Fame City – Houston
Houston Zoological Gardens – Houston
+Minute-Maid Park – Houston
+Reliant Stadium – Houston
The Summit – Houston
Waterworld – Houston
Texas Stadium – Irving
Schlitterbahn – New Braunfels
Alamodome – San Antonio
+River Walk – San Antonio
San Antonio Botanical Garden – San Antonio
+San Antonio Zoo – San Antonio
+Sea World of Texas – San Antonio
+Six Flags Fiesta Texas – San Antonio
Splashtown – San Antonio
Splashtown USA – Spring 

Museums

Museum of the Big Bend – Alpine
(+ We're going next month) American Quarter Horse Heritage Center & Museum – Amarillo
Cadillac Ranch – Amarillo
+Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum – Austin
Frontier Times Museum – Bandera
Texas Energy Museum – Beaumont
Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum – Canyon
Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History – Corpus Christi
+George Herbert Walker Bush Library and Museum – College Station
Age of Steam Railroad Museum – Dallas
Biblical Arts Center – Dallas
Dallas Museum of Art – Dallas
Dallas Museum of Natural History – Dallas
Frontiers of Flight Museum – Dallas
International Museum of Culture – Dallas
The Science Place – Dallas
American Airpower Heritage Museum – Midland
Anne Riggs Hotel Museum – Fort Stockton
Amon Carter Museum – Fort Worth
Cattleman’s Museum – Fort Worth
Fort Worth Museum off Science and History – Fort Worth
Kimbell Art Museum – Fort Worth
+McDonald Observatory – Fort Davis
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth – Fort Worth
Railroad Museum/Center for Transportation and Commerce – Galveston
Depot Museum – Henderson
Children’s Museum of Houston – Houston
Houston Museum of Fine Arts – Houston
+Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center – Houston
Museum of Natural Science – Houston
Sam Houston Memorial Museum – Huntsville
Cowboy Artists of America Museum – Kerrville
East Texas Oil Museum – Kilgore
King Ranch – Kingsville
Gregg County Historical Museum – Longview
National Ranching Heritage Center – Lubbock
McAllen International Museum – McAllen
Museum of the Southwest – Midland
Permian Basin Petroleum Museum – Midland
+Hummel Museum – New Braunfels
Presidential Museum – Odessa
Stark museum of Art – Orange
West of the Pecos Museum and Park – Pecos
Texas Maritime Museum – Rockport
Hertzberg Circus Museum – San Antonio
Institute of Texan Cultures – San Antonio
Marion Koogler McNay Art Museum – San Antonio
Red River Historical Museum – Sherman
San Antonio Museum of Art – San Antonio
+Witte Museum – San Antonio
Texas Ranger Museum & Hall of Fame – Waco 

Historic Sites

Caddoan Mounds State Historical Park – Alto
Fanthorp Inn State Historical Park – Anderson
Governor’s Mansion – Austin
+Texas State Capitol – Austin
Old Tascosa – Boys Ranch
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site – Brownsville
Buffalo Gap Historic Village – Buffalo Gap
Landmark Inn State Historical Park – Castroville
+USS Lexington – Corpus Christi
Pioneer Village – Corsicana
Seminole Canton State Historical Park – Comstock
Old City Park – Dallas
Texas School Book Depository – Dallas
San Jacinto Battleground State Historical Park – Deer Park
Eisenhower Birthplace State Historical Park – Denison
Chamizal National memorial – El Paso
Hueco Tanks State Historical Park – El Paso
Magoffin Home State historical Park – El Pas
oFannin Battleground State Historical Park – Fannin
Fort Worth Stockyards – Fort Worth
Sundance Square – Fort Worth
Admiral Nimitz Museum and Historical Center – Fredericksburg
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument – Fritch
Fulton Mansion State Historical Park – Fulton
Bishop’s Palace – Galveston
The Strand – Galveston
Goliad State Historical Park – Goliad
Presidio La Bahia – Goliad
Acton State Historical Park – Granbury
Bayou Bend – Houston
Indianola – Indianola
Monument Hill & Kreische Brewery State Historical Parks – La Grange
Lubbock Lake Landmark State Historical Park – Lubbock
Highlands Mansion – Marlin
Starr Family State historical Park – Marshall
Confederate Reunion Grounds State Historical Park – Mexia
Nacogdoches – Nacogdoches
Lipantitlan State Historical Park – Orange Grove
Sam Bell Maxey House State Historical Park – Paris
Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historical Par – Port Isabel
Governor Hogg Shrine State Historical Park – Quitman
Jim Hogg State Historical Park – Rusk
Texas State Railroad State Historical Park – Rusk/Palestine State Park
Sabine Pass Battleground State Historical Park – Sabine Pass
Jose Antonio Navarro State Historical Park – San Antonio
La Villita – San Antonio
Stephen F. Austin State Historical Park – San Felipe
Sebastopol State Historical Park – Seguin
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park – Stonewall
Lyndon B. Johnson State Historical Park – Stonewall
Study Butte – Study Butte
Terlingua – Terlingua
Thurber – Thurber
+Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historical Park – Washington
Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historical Park – West Columbia
Waxahachie – Waxahachie 

Historic Forts

Fort Bliss – El Paso
+Fort Davis – Fort Davis National Historic Site
Fort Griffin – Fort Griffin State Historical Park
Fort Lancaster – Fort Lancaster State Historical Park
Fort Leaton – Fort Leaton State Historical Park
Fort McKavett – Fort McKavett State Historical Park
Fort Richardson – Fort Richardson State Historical Park
+Old Fort Parker – Groesbeck
Fort Sam Houston – San Antonio
Fort Concho – San Angelo 

Historic Missions

Mission Corpus Christi – El Paso
Mission Espiritu Santo – Goliad State Historical Park
Mission Tejas – Mission Tejas State Historical
The Alamo – San Antonio
Mission Concepcion – San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Mission Espada – San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Mission San Jose – San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Mission San Juan – San Antonio Missions National Historical Park 

Unique Natural Features

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge – Alamo
Whooping Cranes – Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
+Congress Avenue Bridge Bat Colony – Austin
Boquillas Canton – Big Bend National Park
Persimmon Gap – Big Bend National Park
+Rio Grande – Big Bend National park
Big Bed Mosquitofish – Big Bed National Park/Rio Grande Village
Caddo Lake – Caddo Lake
Chihuahuan Desert – Cornudas
Caprock Cantons – Caprock Canyons State Park
+Dinosaur Tracks – Dinosaur Valley State Park
Attwater Prairie chicken National Wildlife Refuge – Eagle Lake
+Enchanted Rock – Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Texas Longhorn – Fort Griffin State Historical Park
Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge – Fort Worth
The Big Tree – Goose Island State Park
The Bowl – Guadalupe Mountain National Park
Capitan Reef – Guadalupe Mountains National Park
El Capitan – Guadalupe Mountain National Park
Guadalupe Mountains – Guadalupe Mountains National Park
McKittrick Canyon – Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Gulf of Mexico
Catfish Creek – Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area
Hueco Tanks – Hueco Tanks State Historical Park
Sand Dunes – Monahans Sandhills State Park
Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge – Muleshoe
Odessa Meteor Crater – Odessa
Padre Island – Padre Island National Seashore
Palo Duro Canyon – Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Salt Flats – Salt Flat
Sea Rim Marsh – Sea Rim State Park
Lost Maples State Natural Area – Vanderpool 

Caverns

Cascade Caverns – Boerne
Cave Without a Name – Boerne
Inner Space Cavern – Georgetown
Longhorn Cavern – Longhorn Cavern State park
Natural Bridge Caverns – San Antonio
+Wonder Cave – San Marcos
Caverns of Sonora – Sonora 

What is the most visited and why?

The Alamo (that should come as no surprise).  Why?  Um, I’ll let you guess (until I can think clearly again and write something better about it).

Have you ever been there? If so, how was it? 

Yeah!  And it is awesome, as always (I’ve been several times).

Where do you go for vacation? Do you have an annual trip?

No annual trip for us.  We just save and save until we have enough for the next big trip, i.e. vacation, that we want to take and then we go!  I love road trips!

Write at least a paragraph about your experience or a memorable time when vacationing. 

     Staying in west Texas (literally out west, not the town) is something my whole family loves.  Our place to camp out (yes, in a tent) is Fort Davis.  Though we’ve actually only been a few times it captured our hearts immediately.  The last time we made a big trip to that specific area we stayed for 5 days.  Our campsite was just perfect.  See, there’s a little wildlife reservation building that is run by volunteers every summer and it was just up a little hill from our camp.  The particular couple that was running it that week were stupendous!  They helped to make our trip so very enjoyable.  We visited Fort Davis and took the “Talking Walls” tour.

     One day we drove out to Big Bend National Park.  It was a rather long drive but so much fun.  Before we stopped for lunch we got out next to the Rio Grande to dip our toes in.  We actually did more than that, Dad helped Josie, Sarah, and I to wade across just so we could step into Mexico for a moment.  Felicity was still a wee little thing but she decided she wanted to go too.  Of course, the river was a little stronger than she at the time and Mom had to reach out and grab her before she got swept to the Gulf.

     The last night we were there we spent at the Indian Lodge: a very nice little hotel just outside of town.  It turned out to be a very good thing indeed ‘cause that night the floodgates were opened!  We would’ve been drenched had we stayed in our tent.

     It was definitely a memorable trip.

Sadly, the picture I would like to post from this trip is… packed, along with nearly everything else.  I may add it some other time, we’ll see.

If you vacation or visit anywhere (museums, amusement parks, campsites, beaches, historical sites), where would it be and why?

I dunno, pretty much anywhere in Texas ‘ll do for me. *bigcheesygrin*

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March 3, 2008 - Texas Facts (or Fiction) #16: State Legends and Oh, So Tall Tales

...Coming Soon...

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March 3, 2008 - Texas Facts #15: State Weather

NOTICE: Be forewarned, I tend to over exaggerate on this topic.  Take most of my words with a grain of salt (on this particular post, not all the time ;-).

The normal weather in Texas is… unexpected, all seasons.  In general though you can expect winter to be mild, spring to be early, summer to be hot, and fall to be late.  But to explain further the spontaneity of the strange weather around here I’ll tell you a couple stories.

First, there was that freakish storm in late spring of 2000.  It had been drizzling off and on all morning; a very bleak, dull day was all we expected.  Then around 2 in the afternoon the sky took on a rather ominous look.  2:30 came and my Mom was getting seriously worried.  We watched a girl about my age after school and the bus was supposed to be there around 3.  My Mom was at the door, wind howling and rain, um, raining hard when the sky turned a sickly greenish gray; it almost completely stopped raining and the pressure dropped.  She rushed my sisters and I into the hall closest and ran back to the door to wait for the bus.  It seemed like ages at the time but only 10 or 15 minutes had gone by before the serious danger had passed.  Mom was so relieved when she saw the school bus drive around the corner at about 3:30.  A little later Dad got home and told us how he had literally driven under the swirling clouds of an early tornado formation.  Well, it kept raining and raining and before we went to bed we all went outside to see the “pond”.  What used to be a nice little fishing pond, no more than a hundred yards across (I think) was all the way up to our backyard and had become the size of a lake that was full of rushing water.

Now the thing about this storm is that, as far as I know, no one ever saw it coming that morning, not even my Dad (a rarity).

On a lighter note, there was the Victoria miracle in 2006.  It was December 24^th during an average winter: cold, bleak, nothing overly exciting about it.  But for the residents in Victoria and the surrounding towns, a miracle was about to occur.  That night was full of excitement for most people in Texas, but the morning of the 25^th was especially special for that small area.  They woke up to the most beautiful white Christmas probably many of them had ever seen, for a most it was first.

While this was somewhat predicted, tell me, have you ever heard of snow in south Texas?  All we got that winter was some sneet, and that was in central Texas!  And for goodness’ sake, how on earth did the snow know to fall right before Christmas?  It was truly a Christmas miracle.

Then of course there’s the rain “issue”.  The weathermen have a hard time getting’ it right (even though my Dad usually does).  Some years it’s super dry, like 2006 when our area was in drought stages.  And then just last year, 2007, it was like the rain knew it should play catch up so we had rain, rain, rain and more rain!  Texas weather is often quite unpredictable.

But I do love living here.  My favorite season is summer.  Many people (including those I know) complain about the heat, they just can’t wait ‘till fall comes and then even better, winter.  But I prefer the heat and I just freeze in the cold.  I know what I said earlier but I honestly think I could live without snow my whole life.  Who needs gray, snowy days when you can have beautiful, bright, sunshiny days?  Hm?  Only real drag for me is that I have very light skin that burns easily and the sun can bake one pretty bad in a typical Texas summer (about which the only real typical aspect is that it’s hot and the sun is usually out).

We loved telling our friends in Germany how hot it gets here in Texas.  They were always so surprised, they had such a hard time believing it could be that warm the majority of the year!  The “Average Annual Precipitation” for the area of Texas in which we live is 30-34 inches.  Texas is just too big for a true, overall average.  Here are the monthly averages for Austin, Tx (I couldn’t copy and paste the chart so I just linked it).

Do I like my state’s weather?  I LOVE Texas’ weather!  Its unpredictability makes it so exciting, and I really do prefer the warmness of it.  And before I get off the topic of weather I must say what I’ve said many times before, my Dad shoulda been a meteorologist.  You know, he’s the only person my family, my friends, and I know who actually predicted correctly where hurricane Katrina would hit.  No other weather guy I heard got it right.  How’s that fer ya’?

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March 3, 2008 - Texas Facts #14: United States Representatives from Texas

Here’s a nice long list of names fer y’all (yes, I really do say for that way)! 

The State of Texas is allocated 32 members in the U.S. House of Representatives, and yes, this took a long time to put together!

Louie Gohmert

Party: Republican
Term: 2005-present

Ted Poe

Party: Republican
Term: 2005-present

Sam Johnson

Party: Republican
Term: 1991-present

Ralph Hall

Party: Republican
Term: 1981-present

Jeb Hensarling

Party: Republican
Term: 2003-present

Joe Barton

Party: Republican
Term: 1985-present

John Culberson

Party: Republican
Term: 2001-present

Kevin Brady

Party: Republican
Term: 1997-present

Al Green

Party: Democratic
Term: 2005-present

Michael McCaul

Party: Republican
Term: 2005-present

Mike Conaway

Party: Republican
Term: 2005-present

Kay Granger

Party: Republican
Term: 1997-present

Mac Thornberry

Party: Republican
Term: 1995-present

Ron Paul

Party: Republican
Term: 1997-present

Ruben Hinojosa

Party: Democratic
Term: 1997-present

Silvestre Reyes

Party: Democratic
Term: 1997-present

Chet Edwards

Party: Democratic
Term: 2005-present

Sheila Jackson-Lee

Party: Democratic
Term: 1995-present

Randy Neugebauer

Party: Republican
Term: 2003-present

Charlie Gonzalez

Party: Democratic
Term: 1999-present

Lamar S. Smith

Party: Republican
Term: 1987-present

Nick Lampson

Party: Democratic
Term: 1997-1005, 2007-present

Ciro Rodriguez

Party: Democratic
Term: 2007-present

Kenny Marchant

Party: Republican
Term: 2005-present

Lloyd Doggett

Party: Democratic
Term: 1995-present

Michael C. Burgess

Party: Republican
Term: 2003-present

Solomon P. Ortiz

Party: Democratic
Term: 1983-present

Henry Cuellar

Party: Democratic
Term: 2005-present

Gene Green

Party: Democratic
Term: 1993-present

Eddie Bernice Johnson

Party: Democratic
Term: 1993-present

John Carter

Party: Republican
Term: 2003-present

Pete Sessions

Party: Republican
Term: 1999-present

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March 3, 2008 - Texas Facts #13: Here I Live, I Can Do No Other.

While I am not allowed to give out too many specifics, I can tell you several things about the part of Texas in which I live and have always lived.

I live “deep in the heart of Texas”, and I’m so happy because I currently live in Texas hill-country.  Living in this area of Texas has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember.  This is what this beautiful area generally looks like:

There are 254 counties in Texas.  Austin, the capital, is located in Travis County and is also the nearest large city to where we live.  I am so glad we have been able to visit the capitol fairly often; it is such an awesome building (to read more about it click here).

El mapo of le Texas counties:

We actually have one of these on our wall and I enjoy looking at it, showing my little sister where we are, and reading all of the 254 different names.

As I can't post a picture of our specific county courthouse I will instead gladly share with you the link to a very cool site I found.  Texas County Courthouses has pictures of all 254 county courthouses.  Enjoy at your lesiure.

To top off this entry, the population of the town we currently live in was 1,752 in 2004.

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March 3, 2008 - Texas Facts #12: Early Historic Settlement and Famous Landmarks

 

Early Historic Settlement

This part of the assignment was tough (to choose just one place that is).  I could write about the Alamo, but who hasn’t heard of it?  When my family went to Germany we heard the Alamo mentioned more than once.  Then of course there’s Goliad, Gonzales, or San Jacinto, but I decided to write about a place perhaps lesser known to those outside of Texas yet just as important as the afore mentioned.

Washington-on-the-Brazos.  That name rings sweet in any Texans ears.  Another name for it is “The birthplace of Texas” for it was there on March 2^nd, 1836, that the “delegates of the people of Texas, in general convention” signed the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Texas.  Now famous men such as Sam Houston, Richard Ellis, and Lorenzo de Zavala signed it, along with 57 others.  Washington was the first county seat of Washington County in 1836, the capitol of Texas from 1842 to 1845, and the home of the last president of the Republic of Texas, Anson Jones. Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site, the seat of Texas Independence, is the center each year for the Texas Independence Day Celebration, under the direction of the Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park Association.

Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site is one of my family’s personal favorite places to visit not just for its natural beauty and friendly atmosphere, but for the rich history in and around it, so strong and deep you can feel it.  Outside of the capitol and the Alamo, on your next visit to south/central Texas you might plan to spend a day on the banks of the Brazos just across the way from Texas’ Independence Hall.  I highly recommend it. 

Famous Landmarks

Obviously tops on this list would include the Texas capitol and the Alamo, but one landmark you may not have heard much of is the San Jacinto monument (or maybe you have heard of it, I'm just guessing).  I must be honest, the reason I’m highlighting it is mainly because of family ties (I can be a deplorable bragger).  My Dad’s, Dad’s, Dad (my great-grandfather) helped to build it and I won’t deny that I find that to be one of the greatest things since sliced bread.  So next time you’re in the Houston area you might drive out and see not only the monument but the USS Texas that is berthed there as well.

Lessee now, I feel like bein’ lazy with the rest of this post so here’s a list I just copied from, der, somewhere (I seem to have forgotten).  ‘Tis a real pity though ‘cause I know there’s more, but that’s why I’m bein’ lazy ‘cause there are so many more!

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Missions San Jose, San Juan, Espada, and Concepcion were built over the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Today these four historic San Antonio landmarks have been preserved and are open to the public as part of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.

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March 3, 2008 - Texas Facts #11: Senator Profiles

Short and sweet!

Name: John Cornyn
Party: Republican
Term: 2003-2009

Name: Kay Bailey Hutchison
Party: Republican
Term: 1993-2008

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February 29, 2008 - My recent surgery.

I sure hope y’all like surprises ‘cause I’ve got one for ya’ (I apologize for not giving y’all fair warning ahead of time).  I had some minor surgery on Wednesday evening, nothing serious really and recovery time was a record low (about 0.2 nanoseconds).  It didn’t hurt me a bit though some in the room were having a difficult time just watching (yes, observers were allowed).  ‘Twasn’t 100% sanitary but I shouldn’t get any infections.  I’m just thankful it’s finally done and over with.  Would ya’ like to see some pictures?  I’ll give you before and after shots and you tell me what you think.

Preparing to enter the operating room:

 

As you can see in the background my dear friend Valerie was there to offer support (not that I look very troubled, though you can clearly see the angst on this observers face).

After the amputation (whoops, did I forget to mention that part of it?):

“Out with old and left with the rest” was never a truer saying.  As far as I know the only side effect is an increased desire to play with my hair (and that goes for everyone, not just me).  I hope this post brought a chuckle to your lips.  “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”  Proverbs 17:22  (I can’t believe the Word dictionary doesn’t have any of the old English ‘eths’ in it!)

And before I forget, you must remember to wish Frederic from Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance” a happy birthday on this 29^th day of February (despite the fact that he’s fiction).  While you’re at it you might wish Gioacchino Rossini a happy birthday as well (despite the fact that he’s dead).  Have a blessed and merry leap day!

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February 26, 2008 - Beware the Lion

The other weekend my Dad came down from Washington State.  Josie, my older sister, was in the All-State Choir so we spent all day Saturday in San Antonio and stayed at a hotel that night (to read more about that visit our group blog, Pennies From Heaven).  Sunday morning we drove about a half hour North-East of San Antonio to Bulverde, Texas for that is the home of Richard “Little Bear” Wheeler.  What?  You mean some of you haven’t heard of “Little Bear”?  In that case you’ll have to look him up.  If ever there was a man that made history interesting, he’s the one.  But more than that, he is a man of God, and it shows too. 

Anyway, my point is we drove to Bulverde to visit the church at which he preaches (Living Water Fellowhip) because we had wanted to for quite a while, and Dad was with us besides.  We were privileged to hear “Little Bear” preach (he takes turns with a couple other teachers I believe) and I thought the sermon was very much worth sharing with others.  Here is my lengthy overview of it:

Beware the Lion

Key verse: 1 Peter 5:8     “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour:”

Here “Little Bear” told us how much he likes the story of ‘The Three Little Pigs’ and how he went all out and bought one of every version he could find, his favorite being the one where the first two pigs get grossly devoured by the ravenous wolf (he’s a hunter).  He cautioned us to build our house out of, or on, the Rock.  From there he started talking about wild pigs in Hawaii and how they are caught.  You start by basically getting them addicted to sweet corn in one area, the one day you set up one side of a gate.  The pigs will be a little wary at first but eventually they will get quite comfortable again.  A couple or few weeks later you’ll set up another side of the gate, and again the pigs addiction will overcome their watchfulness.  As the weeks pass you set up a third part of the gate and finally the fourth, but on this last section you’ll have an opening with a rope attached which you can pull from behind some camouflage to close it.  After the “wild” pigs have adjusted to going in and out the smaller door you can close them in one day.  At first they will be wild, more or less, but eventually, when they realize they cannot get out, they will go back to eating their corn.  And there you have your very own domesticated pigs.

The point of this long description being, LOOK OUT!!!  This is how the devil will try to catch you!  Don’t be a dumb pig and just fall for it, stay on guard at all times!

Romans 6:23     “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

(More about demons, devils, etc.)

Jude 1:6-7     “6And the angels which kept not their first estate,