Number 13!

Kashton turned 13 on March 5th. Due to some scheduling conflicts Vanessa hosted the family dinner for him on Monday, March 2nd.

A close up of the card I made him.

All Kashton wanted for his birthday was money. Money he got. He is proud of his loot!

My cake that is requested by everyone in the family.

Kashton poses with Grammer.

Thirteen got here really fast!

Have a good one!

Winter Storm 012326

Those of you who follow me know that I am a weather watcher. On Monday (January 19th) the National Weather Service of Fort Worth began talking about a possibility of a Winter storm this weekend. That's 4 days in advance!

Now as long as I have been watching weather I have learned that not only is winter weather hard to forecast, the forecast can change significantly that many days out! I typically don't start sharing posts on Facebook until the meteorologists are confident.

January 20th the National Weather Service of Fort Worth issued a "Winter Storm Watch" for Jan 23 - 25th.

Meteorologists are holding firm to their forecast with greater confidence. (We are in the dark purple strip on this map.

January 21st the National Weather Service of Fort Worth issued a "Extreme Cold Watch"

January 22nd Weather update. Confidence increasing at a winter storm.

Friday, January23rd the precipitation started as rain. It stayed rain until after midnight when it became sleet. We are extremely grateful we did not get the freezing rain!

Saturday, January 24th at 4:45pm

Sunday, January 25th all churches in Mineral Wells cancelled services. We had 1 3/4 inch of sleet. We did get a little snow toward the end of the weather system.

Some pictures of downtown (thanks to others who have shared photos). This view is looking west from downtown.

Highway 281 through downtown Mineral Wells, Sunday January 25th looking South.

Families flocked to a street in the Northwest part of town that has a really steep hill so they could slide down.

Schools were closed all week. I didn't go to work Monday or Tuesday.  Doyle and I went to the office on Wednesday to access the condition of our church parking lot. It was still a sheet of ice. After discussing it with our pastor we cancelled Wednesday night services.

I did go by Mom's on Monday (January 26th) to check on her and take her some meals. 4 wheel drive is very helpful and I took it really slow. At least she only lives half a mile from me. This is the view of Mom's house from the street.

Tuesday January 27th 

Thursday January 29th - The ice was very slow to melt once temps got above freezing, especially places that didn't get any or not much sun. The North side of Mother's house is the one she uses and it was going to need help.

I got out a shovel and went to work. I had a young man from our church build the wooden ramp for mother. He actually misunderstood what I really wanted him to do. I wanted a ramp from the door to past where the wooden ramp is. He is in the process of making something for her now. Plus he's going to smooth out the cracks.

A sample of the thickness of sleet.

Friday, January 30th - Almost a week after the winter storm we still had ice in front of the church and the rest of the building. This is looking out my office door. You can see my truck across the parking lot.

Doyle and I knew it wasn't going to melt before church on Sunday so we called someone we knew to use a skid steer to clear it out.

This is looking out my office door toward the part of the building that is the church. If you look close you can see part of the skid steer in the photo.

Have a good one.

The Name of the Lord 012126

Verse of the day Proverbs 18:10.

Have a good one!

God Celebrates You! 01-16-2026

Where is Your Treasure? 01-15-2026

Christmas Day

 

Korin (and Bell the cat) patiently.

Vanessa reading the Christmas story from the Bible before we exchange gifts. 

Korin isn't wearing the pj's I got her because she wore them all day on Christmas Eve after she got them! Mom & Dad bought the kids 2 - 2 seater go carts and they rode them on the family property called "the ranch" ALL DAY!

While the girls take items out of the stockings one by one, Kashton just dumps his out. 😁

Korin found a back scratcher in her stocking which is something she wanted.

Kashton trying on sweatpants. He didn't need them today. It was a balmy 81 degrees here!

Doyle gets a new shirt.

Wider view.

Doyle got Keannon a really bright LED light with a trepied. 

Kashton is the only one in the family who likes to fish so Mom and Dad got him 2 days of guided fishing excursion. 

This is the reaction over pet hair removal mitts I ordered for Mom.

Kashton looking at his photo book.

The big present from me, Doyle, Wayne, Kelley, Keannon and Vanessa.

We went together and bought Mom a Lift Chair. It not only helps her get up but also fully reclines. It also massages and heats. It arrived Christmas Eve but it had to be assembled and Doyle was going to need help from Keannon so I printed up some pictures to wrap in a box.

12/26 Keannon and Doyle take the chair that arrived in two boxes over to Mom's to assemble as Doyle didn't think they would be able to move it assembled. Mom in her new chair! She loves it!

Have a good one!

Christmas Eve

The kids came over Christmas Eve morning. I let them open their pj's for Christmas and ornaments that I buy them each year.

These were the pj's I got Kennedy

Korin watches a show called "Outer Banks" so I got her an Outer Banks shirt. I couldn't find a set but found the shirt and shorts separately.

Kashton doesn't really get pj's. He got just ordinary shorts and shirts.

These are the ornaments I got for the kids.

After they open gifts we had a big breakfast with sausage, scrambled eggs and pancakes!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Have a good one!