Memorial Tour

The holiday weekend found our family in the car once again; this time we were Oklahoma-bound. Our "little" boy didn't join in on our journey since he was headed to Joplin, MO, with our church to assist with disaster relief efforts. We missed having our son with us, but are thankful that he can go lend a helping hand. (I might have to share some of his Joplin photos and stories at a later date, if he allows me to do so.)

On this trip, Mr. Smith was surrounded by girls -- four of 'em! Mr. Smith's cousin, Linda, flew to DFW from SFO to join in on our Enid excursion. The destination? Three cemeteries in the greater Enid, OK, area were on our "must see" list. Would it be in poor taste to say it was a grave experience? Hmmmm. Actually, it was a rather cheerful outing. No somber moods were allowed. :-)

To honor my mother-in-law, we happily carried on her tradition of decorating each and every family member's grave site. Our car was loaded with flowers and American flags (Thank you, Hobby Lobby!) and a tasty picnic lunch (Thank you, Mr. Smith!).

It doesn't seem like it's been a year since we said our goodbyes to Grandma Florence. She is missed.

One of the highlights of the Memorial Tour was getting to visit Zion Lutheran Church in Lahoma, OK. The church was built over 100 years ago. The Krueger side of the family has worshiped here for as long as the church has been in existence. Mr. Smith & Cousin Linda found many interesting photos of relatives, and learned more about their Okie ancestors. 

Although this is a picture of a picture, it shows what the church looked like in 1908.

Things look pretty much the same today; only in color.

This family photo of Mr. Smith's great grandparents and their offspring was hanging on the wall inside the church. Millie observed that these people just don't look happy. I guess toothy grins were not fashionable during this era. Or perhaps the photographer made everyone grumpy.  Just for fun, I'd like to try out my Photoshop skills and add in some smiles, but that's a project for another day.

No visit to the Smith/Krueger/Wehrmann "motherland" is complete without also visiting the Krueger family farm in Lahoma. Our city slicker girly-girls actually like getting out and exploring with their cousins. Both of our girls had dirty feet and contented smiles after tromping through the fields.

OK wheatfield -- almost ready for harvest

I had fun "shooting" the cousins -- Millie, Suzanna, Liesey, and Rebecca.

Outstanding in their field? Or out standing in their field?

This field is growing beautiful young ladies in addition to wheat. Looks like the harvest is plentiful.

Cousin Linda posed with her cousin Eugene.

It is always a pleasure to visit with friends and family in Oklahoma, but there just doesn't seem to be enough time to get everything fit into one weekend. It's a good thing we live relatively close. And it's a good thing we like taking road trips. We'll be back. Gotta keep those wheels rolling.

On The Road Again

Ever since we moved to TX, we have spent a lot time traveling here, there, and just about everywhere. Although there have been several flights thrown in for good measure, the majority of our travels have been made by loading up the family 'mobile & hitting the road. Perhaps we should try staying home sometime to see if we actually like living in Texas!

During the month of May, M., Millie, and I made a trip to Hoosierland. We were gone for about nine days, and experienced almost every kind of weather: chilly, hot, humid, stormy, sunny, windy, not-so-windy... Thankfully, no tornadoes.  We also witnessed some incredible sunsets.

This is a pretty typical evening view from my parents' house.  Add a few lightning bugs to the mix and it is an amazing show. And it's free! Thank you, God, for the glorious display of your handiwork.

Goodbye, Indiana.

This parting shot of the Thompson Ranch represents the calm before the storm. The morning we left Indiana, the winds were still and the sky was mostly sunny; however, we knew that our travel route was going to take us directly into the path of strong thunderstorms. Ahh, springtime weather in the midwest is somewhat unpredictable. Yet it has a beauty all its own.

No matter how many times I drive past this almost 200 foot tall cross in Effingham, Illinois,  I am still amazed at just how large it is. Effingham has long been referred to as the "Crossroads of Opportunity." Interstate Highways 70 and 57 intersect here, and there are other highways and byways that also intersect in Effingham, giving the city its nickname. This cross alongside the road represents yet another opportunity. ;-)

We were treated to beautiful cloud formations for most of the drive through Illinois. Thankfully, most of the storms were tracking just to the north of I-70, so we didn't get into too much wet stuff. This photo was taken at about ten o'clock in the morning, but it looks more like it's early in the evening.

 

Somewhere west of Springfield, MO, we passed a long line of dump trunks obviously headed to Joplin to help with tornado cleanup. This photo is taken looking back to the east, so you cannot see the very ominous dark clouds that were hanging over Joplin. Mercifully, the storm that appeared to be very threatening moved off to the north, so the city was spared from another blow. And we were spared from having to drive into really nasty weather. There were tornado watches and warnings all around, but nothing materialized. Whew!

From I-44 we could see just a tiny bit of damage from the storm in Joplin. Although we couldn't see much, it was still sobering. This flag at half-mast speaks volumes.


The trip through OK was okay, so I didn't take a single photo. We had to make a Mc Wee Wee stop somewhere near OK City, and we got soaked by a cloudburst. Definitely not photo-worthy stuff.

Yep, we most definitely were driving friendly. Is there any other way?

You gotta love the cowbell on this livestock truck's bumper -- only in Texas.

As we were nearing Keller, we were treated to a lovely sunset. The perfect ending to another long road trip. Gee, but it's great to be back home. We'll be back on the road soon, so we won't get too comfy.

You Scream, I Scream

According to #3 Smithling, part of the fun of visiting Grandpa in Indiana is getting to "skip" school for a few days, go to new places, do "stuff" that we don't do during a regular ho-hum week, stay up later than normal, and have LOTS of treats that Mom and Dad don't normally allow at home. (There are many other things that could be added to that list, but I will keep the list short and sweet; emphasis on the sweet part.)

It's a well known fact that grandparents are supposed to get away with pretty much whatever they want, as they have earned the right to do so. Grandchildren should obey and honor their grandparents. Right? This "obedience" typically results in spoilage! Oh, but it's all good.

As we were driving back to "The Thompson Ranch" yesterday afternoon, the offer was made to go get ice cream, and it was not going to be refused. :-)

A soft serve cone is always tasty, but it is even tastier right before dinnertime.

In the following photos, Millie demonstrates her "new & improved" version of the double dip ice cream cone.

No matter how you look at it...

..two cones are DEFINITELY better than one.


Spoilage indeed.

A Sign From God?

Mother's Day 2011 proved to be a bittersweet day for Mr. Smith and me, as we were missing our respective moms.

Oh, but God provided just the right sign to show that he loves us and cares about our loss. He provided hope, joy, and even laughter amidst the tears.

Where else but in Keller, TX, would we find an intersection that bears the names of both of our mothers?!

 

“...this will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD..." -Exodus 31:13  

Okay, so I might be guilty of using this passage a little out of its intended context, but it seemed so fitting!

Any way you look at this, it's a good sign... and this is exactly what we needed to see yesterday.

The Best and the Worst...

According to a recent article in The New York Times, our family now resides in one of the "most unsafe" areas for natural disasters. Sperling's Best Places ranked the DFW area as having the highest risk of disasters in the United States. (I am visualizing throngs of people chanting, "We're number one! We're number one!")

Just this past weekend, we saw a few inches of rainfall, impressive lightning strikes, hail, and wind. And that was just within a few minutes. Okay... hours.

 

North Texas is vulnerable to frequent tornadoes, hail, gusty winds, flood, grass fires and even hurricane remnants, sooooo why did Sperling's Best Places also recently rank this area (in another survey) as the 4th best place to relocate to?  Oh, it must be that relatively low earthquake risk that helps make up for the other bad stuff.

I am confused.

The 10 Best Cities to Relocate to

1. Pittsburgh, PA
2. Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY
3. Omaha, NE/Council Bluffs, IA
4. Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
5. Austin-Round Rock, TX
6. Des Monies-West Des Moines, IA
7. Madison, WI
8. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN
9. Denver-Aurora, CO
10. Indianapolis-Carmel, IN

http://www.cnbc.com/id/39850148/Best_Cities_to_Relocate_to_in_America?slide=8


What I am seeing from merging these two surveys together is that North Texas is a perfect place to relocate to if you are a storm chaser. Or an insurance adjuster. Or a weatherman.
Hmmm...

Windy Festivals & Dusty Trails

Despite being a bit wind blown, we thoroughly enjoyed our outing Friday afternoon in downtown Ft. W. for the 26th annual arts festival. There was no shortage of gusty breezes (clocked at 40+ mph) or artsy items offered up for sale; the vendor booths stretched for seven blocks along Main Street.

The artists generally do not allow people to take photos of their work; however, I was able to shoot pictures of some of the bigger pieces of sculpture without violating any rules. Mr. Smith, the girls, and I did not spend any $$$ on artwork, but we certainly had fun window shopping. The only items that I liked were too big, too expensive, and would require approval from our HOA to go in our 'hood.

My favorite artist at the fair is a sculptor from Seattle named Andrew Carson. His sculptures are colorful and whimsical.  http://windsculpture.com/index.html There are multiple moving parts on these pieces that the Texas breezes put into motion -- these pieces are a fusion of art and engineering. Prices ranged from $3,500 for a small sculpture to $8,000 for a larger one.

Mr. Smith's office is in downtown Ft. W. at 7th and Main, so he is all too familiar with this part of town. He normally works at home on Fridays, so it was rather cruel of us to have him take us to Sundance Square on his afternoon away from the office. We even saw several of Mr. S's coworkers at the festival. A highlight of the afternoon was being treated to a late lunch at one of the favorite workday eateries.

After a tasty yet "tad bit" breezy meal on the patio, we watched a few amazing feats performed by the Acrobats of Hebei China.

Ooooh!

Ahhhh!

Before we left the fair, I just had to shoot pics of a few more sculptures that definitely make a statement. These metal pieces have multiple moving parts, are colorful, and completely frivolous. I cannot imagine where I'd put this rooster if I were to buy it -- not that I would want to! He reminds me of a more vivid version of Cornelius, a.k.a. Corny, of Kellogg's Corn Flakes fame. He is kinda cute...

Longhorn and Longhairs

Much to Millie's dismay, we swung by the Justin Boot Outlet in Fort Worth before heading back to the ranch. Boy, howdy! The colorful array of western footwear lining the shelves was a feast for the eyes. It was a veritable "art festival" of boots!

Now that we have been in TX for over a year, three out of five Smiths agree that it is time to own a pair of honest-to-goodness western boots. My Okie husband has a pair of Justin lizard skin boots collecting dust in the closet. He's owned these boots for years; however, they are really pointy-toed and they just are not that comfortable. It was time for an updated look, any way.

We found just what we were looking for: fashion and comfort! And great prices.

These boots are made for walkin'...

It didn't take long to find the perfect pairs, but  try as we might, we just couldn't convince Millie Girl that she looked adorable wearing cowgirl boots. She'll come around. Maybe.

Mr. Smith ended up with "real cowboy" stirrup-friendly, full-quill ostrich boots. Yee-Ha! These beauties are even approved by the AQHA (American Quarter Horse Assoc.), so now all my big buckaroo needs is a horse to go with the boots. Liesey opted for high-heeled, "city-slicker" cowgirl boots, and I chose a stylish black and teal pair. No cowboy hats this time around. We're gonna have to ease into this western wear thing slowly.

Our salesman told us that we needed to go walk around in the dust and dirt before wearing our boots in public so the double-stitched welt doesn't look so clean, white, and conspicuously NEW! He ought to know about how to get the right look, as he shared with us that he's a rancher who owns over 100 pairs of cowboy boots. He works part-time at Justin just so he gets a discount on his boots. Maybe his corral is really filled with boots, not cattle...

I'm off to find that dusty trail. (I hope it's not windy.)

A Virtual Success

On April 18th, my niece, Rachel, will tie the knot! This is a pretty big deal since she is our first niece or nephew to say, "I do!"

My niece currently resides in Pennsylvania, and the rest of the relatives are scattered from here to there, and all points in between. It would have been a logistical nightmare to try to get Rachel's mom, grandma, cousins, and all of the aunties in one central location to shower the bride-to-be. On the day of the bridal shower, the party attendees were located in the following states: Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin.

What was the solution to get everyone together? My resourceful and clever sister came up with the idea of hosting a virtual shower -- we are certain that this is a first-ever kind of event. Thanks to Skype, we were able to have up to ten video connections; however, we only needed nine.

Weeks before the scheduled event, the guests were instructed to purchase gifts and have them shipped to the bride's residence. Rachel was on the honor system as to whether or not she peeked in the packages as UPS, USPS, and FedEx delivered the boxes to her doorstep. Word has it that she resisted temptation.

My party-plannin' sister, AJ, had asked if Rachel wanted a specific theme to her shower, and the reply was that the bride wanted a "thong" party. That response was a joke, but my sister was off and running. In the 1970s, flip-flops were called thongs. I am not sure that "thongs" as we know them today even existed back then! AJ was able to find adorable party glasses and napkins with a flip-flop design. The flip-flop theme was perfect since Rachel and Chris will be getting married on the beach in Aruba.

 Party favor bags were shipped out to each of the attendees, who also were not supposed to open the bag until shower time. The bag included one party cup, one See's truffle, a flip-flop key ring, and a thong! A theme's a theme. (No thong shots...)

 Key Lime & Lemon truffles -- YUM!

 Party bags were lovingly assembled & ready to be shipped to various states.

 The soon-to-be-Mrs. posed with her unopened gifts.

 Our girl is all ready to be showered by her relatives.



Here are a couple of screen shots of the party attendees. Isn't technology wonderful?

It's especially wonderful when it works! And it did; however, it's virtually impossible to get twelve people in nine different locations to all smile for the camera at the same time.

It looks as if somebody is going to be cooking up a storm.

There is an old saying about marriage that says, "Kissin' don't last, cookin' do." Here's hoping that both last a long, long time! We are soooo happy for you, Rachel and Chris!

Having a Ball

If the shoe fits, wear it.  Our "Cinderella" had a fairy tale weekend, and 

here are a few photos to show you the show. ;-)

 We think these two are related... they certainly look and act alike!

 Mr. Smith and I both cried tears of joy as we watched the performances. It was a wonderful production, despite the assessment by our ballerina girl who claims that it was simply awful. Over the years, we have learned that all ballerinas are required to say that they did a terrible job, no matter what the ballet is or how good, bad, or ugly it was or wasn't. It's a "ballerina code" kind of thing. We saw the ballet with our own eyes, and it was NOT terrible, horrible, or awful. (Spoken like a proud parent...)

Our neighborhood princesses came to support the arts -- smiles all around.

The Thomson girls and Millie posed with Cindy-Lou.

The ballerinas in Liesey's company have had a couple days off to recover, but rehearsals are already underway for the next production.  Sleeping Beauty is on the calendar for June. Despite blistered heels, sore muscles, and bruises, the show must go on.