Grandma Scott's Birthday Card

My mom sends fun birthday cards and this one is really fun, it's the Chicken Dance! Twenty One years ago I was in Czechoslovakia for the first time. Actually, first time out of the country. Our tour group went to a pub out in the countryside where we were served a very potent drink made from the sap of pine trees with our dinner. After dinner the music and dancing started and lo and behold everyone was getting up and doing the Chicken Dance. I'm from a small midwest town and I sure don't remember the Chicken Dance but here all these people from Czechoslovakia and the States were up and doing the dance and having the time of their life. Did I tell you about that little potent drink they served with the dinner? One of those and you lost all abandon. Two and you were laying on the floor sleeping somewhere. Three and you had no idea what hit you and your friends carried you home and it took days to recover. Ask my cousin what not even one drink will do to you! :-)

Hurrican Ike - a few more clips from Sat. and Sunday

13 Sept 2008
We were on our way to Tiffany's because we thought her house was going to flood. We were on E. Panther Creek when we stopped to video tape the canal to Lake Woodlands.




13 Sept 2008
Our daughter's home, Tiffany, with more water in her front yard than anyone has ever seen.




13 Sept 2008
A small tour of Timber Ridge Timber Lakes.




13 Sept 2008
Our good friends, the Griffiths, used to live here. Now our good friends, the Stanley's, live here. Large trees fell on the house and garage, put a hole in the roof so water was raining in their living room 2 floors below.




13 Sept 2008
The backyard of the Stanley's




13 Sept 2008
How the men from Glen Loch Ward have fun in the rain.




13 Sept 2008
A good look at the damage in Tiffany's front yard.




13 Sept 2008
Chainsawing away and Paul practicing his shot put.

Hurrican Ike - the leaning elm tree

There's an elm tree that leans away from our porch. Every year we think it's going to fall but doesn't. If you push on it, it's solid, like pushing on a brick house on a sunny day. During the storm with the ground totally saturated with water it was swaying in the wind to where we thought it was going to go down for sure. Instead, it ended up leaning against the porch with Craig mentioning several times that it was going to be cut down or pulled down using one of the cars.

Craig stayed busy all day Saturday and Sunday helping others and by Monday morning, when he was leaving for the airport, we noticed that ol' elm tree was standing straight up AND it was solid in the ground. Guess all it needed was a serious threat to be pulled down and cut up.

Thought you would enjoy these two video clips of that elm tree during the hurricane.

More pictures have been added to my Hurricane Ike page.


7644 - Unbelieveable, like it's breathing.


7647 - It's leaning against the house.

Hurricane Ike - during the storm

Craig wanted to record the sound of the hurricane, not to mention all the rain that came with it. Didn't know if I should post just one or all. Decided to let you listen to all.


7635 - Hurricane Ike coming over.


7636 - Here comes a gust.


7637 - Feeling the gusts at ground level.


7638 - Power just went out (6:20 a.m.)

Hurricane Ike

We survived! Everyone did extremely well compared to Katrina and New Orleans. We still sustained immense damage but loss of life was low. Rather than post my pictures here, it will be easier for me to give you a link and have you go to another page, Hurricane Ike. While I was taking this picture a movement caught my eye and as I turned around a little flying squirrel swoped down behind me and landed near the base of standing pine tree. He scurried up to the top where I lost sight of him. First time I have seen one in the "wild", perhaps he used to be someone's pet as I didn't think they are naturally in The Woodlands.

Waiting for Ike, we drove the cars to the 3 story garage next to the theater to park two of them there for protection from any falling trees. We thought we were the only ones to have that great idea. Wrong. We got the last two spots before you're on the roof. Coming back home we saw the most incredible sunset, thank you, Ike. Click on pic for larger picture.

I dropped dad, Katie and the little one on the Lake Woodlands bridge and ran home to grab my camera. What you're seeing is the very tail end of a spectacular color show.


I didn't think I had time to get back to the bridge and catch any color so I went to the duck pond and caught these pictures. Note to self: always travel with camera, no matter what.


I was trying for one last shot on the bridge where I left everyone but the wind was strong enough to keep me moving even with the camera braced against the back of the van. Yes, standing in the lane with a car coming right at us. Actually, very little traffic so we were okay. Dad and everyone had already moved off the bridge before I got there as they were being sandblasted from the wind picking up the dirt from the road.

The Little Kewl Kouzinz Band

It was fun to have Paige and Storie here today. Paige helped them set up their band, try to catch a butterfly and learn to use th hula hoops. Here are some clips for your enjoyment.

Wilderness First Aid Basics

Craig's been waiting 10 years to take this class. Me? It was a last minute decision, this class was small and there was room for me to attend. Whitney, as a member of Crew 9-1-1, always participated in these classes as one of its victims in the accident scenarios. She would come home and tell me about her participation, Mom! I got to be the sucking chest wound victim! she would say ecstatically. I could not relate, until this weekend.

My first victim was next to the propane tank when it blew. She had 3rd degree burns over 27% of her body, in shock but alert. Didn't think I should move her until the ambulance came. Later found out there was still gas escaping from the tank, should have moved her.

Lightning hit a tree and fell on Kimmi's leg. This is the moment she found out she is an amputee. I worked with the girl who became deaf.

We had all kinds of interesting accidents to deal with including Patrick who pulled over to help some hikers but hit a pole with his car. As a mom it was nice to hear the main instructor say he was sorry that Whitney wasn't here to help, that she's a professional at being a victim and he showed a couple of her video clips.

Labor Day Weekend

Lived here for 20 years and this was our first trip to Brazos Bend State Park. Walking on the trail through the swamps was fun, kept wondering if I'd see an alligator crossing sign, like a deer crossing sign. At first we saw all kinds of birds. Then Ben noticed the Golden Orb spiders. Lots of them. Everywhere. Catching things like dragonflies.

And families! Watch out, run!


I spotted the first alligator. It was a baby, maybe 2 feet long or so.

Then Dad spotted this big fellow, sitting there, with his mouth open, waiting for small children to hide in there like it was a cave, I suppose. By the way, I only had my normal lens on my camera. It was that close!

Notice where the girls are? Notice where the alligator is? Want to know how fast a gator can move?
Then we went geocaching. There was a rubber chicken travel bug. It's on its way to Utah...or maybe Montana.

Ben took this picture, it's a beautiful park.

Everyone had a good time...

...but it was time to call it a day.

The Cicada Killer Wasp

On the way home from Iowa something smacked against the windshield while we were doing about 60 to 65 mph. Saw it was a wasp, then saw it was still alive! Amazing. It worked itself out from under the windshield wiper to above it then flew off. I managed to get this picture first for evidence. It's a Cicada Killer Wasp, here's a link to a page for more pics which has a link to really interesting material on their behavior and size. Cicada Killer Wasp

Arrow of Light

August 20th, 2008 Tucker received the highest award a scout can earn in Cub Scouts, the Arrow of Light. The ceremony was held outdoors complete with a huge bonfire and Indians who danced and tapped the boys out to receive their awards.

Tucker's and Audrey's Party

So there was this party. And everyone was invited. We were all happy and couldn't wait. Grandpa and everyone were there. The cake was strawberry and chocolate inside. We had an ice cream tasting contest and Breyer's Natural won over Blue Bell, if you can imagine that!

Flood Control

Dad's been working hard on the yard. He had a vision of what he wanted the muddy sideyard to look like and spent the summer looking for rocks and dirt. So here's the first video of him giving you a tour of his creation.

I've been tagged!

I've been tagged by Tonia and she's probably wondering if I ever visit her page. It took me a while to figure out I was even tagged, Whitney had to tell me. Ok, here goes...

1. What were you doing ten years ago?
That would be 1998 in April, I was living in Texas and trying to survive my kids' teenage years.

2. Five things on my to-do list today?
Sew Emma's dress, finish varnishing the large piece of furniture upstairs and get the shelves all put back in, then I can start to clear out the schoolroom, which will give me room to finish the 6' painting I started two years ago, then clear out my downstairs "storeroom."

3.What snacks do you enjoy?
Cliff Bars, peanut butter goop, apples, cinnamon and raisin bread, nuts especially walnuts. I have an idea for a new candy that involves walnuts. Sometime I'll try to make some.

4. What would you do if you suddenly became a billionaire?
I'd make sure the name was spelled right, to be sure it was really me and not a mistake. Then I'd have a new roof put on my mom's house and get other things repaired so that it would be in good shape. Craig would have the option of retiring if he wished. Then I'd hire some people to help me with family research and travel. It would be great to visit ancestral places, maybe some of my family, brothers and sisters would be interested in visiting as well.

5. Three bad habits
Doing genealogy until 3, 4, 5 or 6 a.m., not reading my scriptures daily, not eating better.

6. Five places I've lived
Iowa, Montana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Louisiana, Colorado, Texas, that's seven.

7. Five jobs I've had
car hop, lunch room, waitress, truck stop - gassed up the 18 wheelers, testing tires and cleaning their windshields, and cashier at a hardware store. Only five? There's more....

8. Five things people don't know about me.
highly allergic to poison ivy, wanted 8 kids, last year I read the entire Old Testament, just finished the New Testament, I'm still head over heels in love with Craig. Oh, everyone already knows that last one. How about I skipped class in college once to go canoeing?

Now who do I tag? How about the guys, Ben, Tyler, Maynor and Jeff? Think I could tag Craig? Do you think he'd even have time to do something fun like this? Stay tuned...

Two Little Hatchlings

Katie and the little one took a walk down by the "duck pond" and found these two little hatchlings. There was dog poo nearby and the one duckling was covered with flies.
They cleaned off the ducklings and tried to put them near a mother duck but she tried to peck them and chased them off.
So they brought the little things home and called a wildlife place and found a lady that would take them and give the proper care so they'll survive.
The lady told them that the ducklings must have hatched late, the mother duck didn't hear them peeping and wait around for them to hatch so she didn't know their voice and chased them away. The lady also said that they would not have survived the night. With all the peeping they were doing they would have been hawk food.

Clay Pots

Katie threw this the other day. It's about 8" tall and very nice.
This one she threw next out of one piece of clay. It's much larger and a piece this size might be made out of two pieces of clay then put together.

Take Me to Your Leader

The Little Ones

They're all eyes and as cute as can be. You might think that Abbey left the barf on my wrist but Rush's guilt is written all over his face.

Dad's Birthday Gift

Paige, Eliora, Emma and Audrey had fun helping with the geocache.

Dad got a really cool present for his birthday this year from Ben and Tonia. His very own geocache.

They are duct taping it for protection from all the humidity and bugs.

As you can see it is well hidden...and we're not telling you where it is :-D

Sewing room

This is the before picture of Whitney's room. No, wait, this is the during picture of repainting Whitney's beautiful green room to to dull, blah light tan color.

This is mom's new sewing room, painted a light, clean color to delight all who enter.

Let My People Go

Let my toes go, too.

Nutmeg Cake

A certain 2 year old was helping me make Nutmeg cake. Recipe called for three eggs. The three sticks of butter and sugar were being creamed when we started adding the eggs one at a time. The first egg had a spot in it so I went to the sink to remove it. I turned around and the little one had egg white on her hands, saying "ewwww". When I asked where the egg was she smiled broadly saying it was in the mixer. Yep, I could hear the shell but I couldn't see any. When we poured the batter into the cake pan I saw it all on the bottom hoping none went with the batter into the pans.
The cake was for the Relief Society's Birthday Dinner. So on a post-it that said "Motherhood is not for wimps..." I added "Baked with the help of a two year old who added one egg. I got most of the shell out but the beaters did a great job."

Sewing Machine

August 2004
Becky and I had just pulled Grandma Smith's treadle sewing machine out of the garage where Mom had been storing it. Quite a bit of the veneer is damaged. Grandma had an electric motor put on it so the treadle foot is missing. There's a chance it could still be in the garage, if not, then it's buried about 10 feet under the Medical Clinic building at 420 Water St. in Webster City.





Feb 2008
Here it is taken apart and each wooden piece is being cleaned.










All the veneer had to be replaced and in some places, not only the veneer but the wood layers had to be rebuilt.









March 2008
The side of the cabinet is being rebuilt and clamped into place.












Before the finish was stripped off, there were places where you could see that the original finish looked like a golden oak color.

The Gang's All Here

That is, everyone except for Abbey, who insisted on finishing dinner first.

Anna and Tyler

So which one ate the bird?