Flashback Friday. 8-20.

Flashback Friday is the brainchild of Tia over at Christopher and Tia. Go on a flashback with me.

A very young *young is relative* mom with a very young son.  I bet we have 100 pictures of Little J before he’s two months old!  And that was before digital cameras.  I’ve been going through the pictures, sorting and throwing away the duds, getting ready to send another batch to ScanDigital for scanning.   Why did I keep dozens of bad pictures, thinking I had to keep every shot that was taken.  I kept this one because I was having a GOOD HAIR DAY!

That little baby just turned 13 and started 7th grade.

For you younger mothers, let me share something from my heart.  You are stronger than you ever imagine you could be.  You WILL get through these days of scattered toys, spilled milk, temper tantrums, too little money and too little sleep, too many diapers, putting in and taking out of the car seat.  Take every giggle, every wet smooch, every book time, every quiet moment of love, every this-little-piggy-went-to-market and tuck them away in your heart.  Pull those treasures out and run your fingers over them when you think you cannot go one minute longer.  The past 13 years have alternately sped by and drug on, but each day is 24 hours and you don’t get that time back.

Little J, I am proud and honored to be your mommy.

P.S. If you are ready to start digitizing your photos, please give ScanDigital a try.  And even better…here’s a coupon code to get $20 off $100 of services.  Get ready.  Here’s the code. Rf448378

All writing and photos property of LoneStarLifer. 2010.

Happy Father’s Day 2010.

1926 – 1998

My dad grew up on some farmland outside of my West Texas hometown.  When he was 18 or so, he drove a combine and helped other farmers harvest crops.  He saved money and bought acreage as he could.  After he and mom married, the Army wanted him.  He went to Camp Roberts in California for his basic training before going to Korea.

I love this picture of him as it shows a playful side I didn’t often see.  And by the time I can remember what he wore, he no longer wore jeans.  So to see him in these jeans and boots, playing footsies with the Pacific Ocean just makes me smile. Big time smile!  You can read more about  him here.

So Happy Father’s Day, Daddy.  You are still in my heart and I think of you every day.

P.S. I would encourage you to digitize your family’s old pictures and slides.  Doing this with my family’s slides has brought me hours of enjoyment and memories.  Digitizing your photos also makes it easier to share the pictures with other family members, make photo books for gifts, post them on Facebook, pass them on to future generations.  I use ScanDigital to work with my slides and photos.  I first found them through Groupon. If you haven’t started using Groupon, you should! Go here and sign up. They send you an email each weekday (sometimes on Saturday) that offers you great deals. Sometimes the offer is for something in a specific city, and sometime, like ScanDigital, it is for services that can be used anywhere. Even if you don’t live in a city where Groupon is offered, sign up for a city near you. You will still be able to use the Groupons that can be redeemed online. If you decide you want to use ScanDigital, I am pleased to offer a coupon for $20 off $100 of service. The coupon code is: Rf448378. {End of commercial}

All photos and writing property of LoneStarLifer. 2010.

Friday Faves. Yes, I’m still hearting Carnival Spirit Alaska.

Today’s Topic:

I don’t know what was best…

Having a different menu every night……

Being able to order one or five appetizers…

Having attentive, happy servers…..(sorry, no pics of the servers, too busy eating and watching glaciers out the dining room window)

Leaving the tablesetting and dishwashing to someone else……

Eating all the dessert I wanted…..

All this was great.
But the best part was sitting with my guys and family at the end of the day,
sharing good food and stories of the day.

Let’s have one more dessert before we close for the day.
I’ll have one more piece of that chocolate cake over there.

All photographs and writing property of LoneStarLifer. 2009.

First Day of School.

           First Grade. 2004.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Second Grade. 2005.

Third Grade. 2006.         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

          Fourth Grade. 2007.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                         Fifth Grade. 2008.         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sixth Grade. 2009.

 

All photographs and writing property of LoneStarLifer. 2009.

Don’t Blink.

I turned on the evening news
Saw a old man being interviewed
Turning a hundred and two today
Asked him what’s the secret to life
He looked up from his old pipe
Laughed and said “All I can say is”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t blink
Just like that you’re six years old and you take a nap and you
Wake up and you’re twenty-five
and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife

Don’t blink
You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your “better half”
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you’re praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think
So don’t blink

 

 

 

 

I was glued to my tv when it looked like he looked at me and said
“Best start putting first things first.”
Cause when your hourglass
runs out of sand
You can’t flip it over and start again
Take every breathe
God gives you for what it’s worth

 

 

 

 

Don’t Blink

 

Just like that you’re six years old and you take a nap and you
Wake up and you’re twenty-five
and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife

Don’t blink
You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your “better half”
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you’re praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think  
So don’t blink

 

 

 

 

So I’ve been tryin’ ta slow it down
I’ve been tryin’ ta take it in
In this here today, gone tomorrow world we’re livin’ in

 

 

 

Don’t blink
Just like that you’re six years old and you take a nap and you
Wake up and you’re twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife

 

Don’t blink
You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your “better half”
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you’re praying God takes you instead

Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster then you think

Don’t Blink.

 Happy 12th Birthday, Little J!!!!

 

Don’t Blink written by
Casey Michael Beathard
Chris Allen Wallin
Performed by Kenny Chesney

All photographs and writing property of LoneStarLifer. 2009.

There was no adventure he was afraid to try.

If you read the “About” on me, you know a bit of background about how I chose the name of my blog.  I am a 5th generation Texan and have been trying for years to get my rear in gear to make application to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.  You know, they are the ladies who take care of the Alamo.

Little J (in red) in an re-inactment on anniversary of the Alamo’s fall.

You have to prove that you have an ancestor who lived in Texas when it was a Republic.  I have more than one ancestor who would qualify me for entry, but there is one in whom I am particularly interested.

His name is Richmond Dixon.  Love the name.  He was part of the Illinois Elder Daniel Parker group which came to the area of Elkhart and established the Pilgrim Predestinarian Regular Baptist Church.  Some of that group went further west to build Fort Parker.  Fort Parker is where Cynthia Ann Parker and her family were living when Comanches attacked the fort and carried off Cynthia Ann and four other captives in 1836.

Pilgrim Predestinarian Regular Baptist Church

Well, that concludes the history portion of today’s post.

I want to talk about Richmond, the man.  It’s hard to believe that I am only a few generations separated from the man found in the pages of a handwritten Parker family diary.  I haven’t corrected anything except inserting some punctuation to make it easier to read.

J.R. and Richmon Dixon was the hunters.  On one occasion they found a hog hanged up in the woods. late in the eveing they concieald themselves and wated for the Indians. Just at dark two Indians came to the hog. Both aimed to fire at the same time but Dixon’s gun snaped.  (J.R.’s)? Indian fell and he said Dixon droped his gun, leaped over the log, caught the Indian and killed him with his Bowie knife before he could get his gun and get to him. At another time some Indians stole a horse and they followed them on foot to near the Trinity, close to where Barnes was killed. came up with the Indians.  they had stoped to rest. they crawled to a log in range of the camp. could see but one Indian. they fired. the Indian fell, the rest ran off and they brought the horse back. I saw the bones of the Indian.  Dixon was a powerful man, active as a cat, weighed 180, no surpalas flesh and as fearless as a lion.  There was no adventure he was afraid to try.

The last sentence is what stuck with me….there was no adventure he was afraid to try.  There are several nice things my friends could say about me, but there was no adventure she was afraid to try would not be one of them.  What a life those people led.  They traveled hundreds of miles to a place where there was no Motel 6, no IHOP, no public restrooms.  They didn’t know where water was, they had to build everything from scratch, they provided their own food, they literally didn’t know if they were going to live another day.  That puts my not being able to get in for a pedicure when I want into perspective!

I will be talking more about Richmond in a later post.  And hopefully I will be announcing one day soon that I have FINALLY gotten my paperwork ready and submitted.  Maybe putting it out into cyberspace will make me feel accountable?

Do you know anything about your ancestors? Do you find inspiration or encouragement from knowing how they lived and what they went through for us to be where we are now?  I am so grateful for what I have when I remember the path of my ancestors.

Peace to all.  P

All photographs and writing property of LoneStarLifer. 2009.