Barbie Movies

Is it lame that I totally love Barbie movies??
Answer: Uhh.....NO WAY!! Barbie movies are awesome! and she wears such pretty sparkly dresses!

Is it weird that I have an excuse to get barbie movies if the librarian says something to me or gives me that look like, "Are these for you?! Aren't you a bit old for barbie?"
Answer: No it's not weird. Its good to always be ready. I've rehearsed this in my head many times. My option A plan: "My little nieces love these barbie movies. " Plan B: "I babysit a couple of little girls and they love barbie so much. They even have identical dresses that their mom's made them so they could be just like barbie. Its so cute to see them twirl around and sing like barbie."

Would I be lying if I used either of those options?
Answer: Yes, but(justification is coming) its better then them knowing that I secretly watch these movies like 3 or 4 times before I return the movie to the library. And at times I am known to get up and start twirling like a ballerina and singing along with the movie. All the while duke and becca look at me like I am some giant three year old.

Totally embarrassing if caught by someone?
Answer: Oh YES!! But good thing I have amazing eyes(and a really long drive way)that can spot someone driving up before they get too close to the house.

Will I buy barbie movies for our future girls?
Answer: You know I will!! =)


(ps: I want that movie set collection pictured at the top! =) {pic taken from Google})

Granbury, Texas

By Logan Hawkes

There are a lot of strange places in Texas; just about as many as there are strange tales to go along with them. And Garnbury, Texas, nestled in the gentle Brazos River Valley in the north central region of the Lone Star State, has its share.

Some say Granbury was a central focal point for famous and infamous characters of the 19th century; people like Davy Crockett's wife, Elizabeth, who settled in Hood County following the Texas Revolution. Crockett, as well as other Alamo participants, received land grants, and the Crockett family received land in what is now Hood County. Elizabeth Crockett is buried in Acton State Historic Site, the smallest state park in Texas. A large statue of her marks her grave site. Several of Crockett's descendants still reside in Hood County.

Then there is the tale of Jesse James, who is reported to be buried in the City of Granbury Cemetery. Contrary to the popular legend about James, it is believed by many, including many of his adult grandchildren, that James changed his name and lived to old age in Granbury.

An argument can also be made that William Bonney, better known as Billie the Kid, moved to Granbury after reportedly being shot and killed in New Mexico by lawman Pat Garrett. As the story goes, friend and Sheriff Pat Garrett staged the Kid's death and ordered him out of the New Mexico territory in order to continue to live. Bonney may well have headed to Granbury before later moving and retiring in nearby Hico, Texas, who claims to be the home and final resting place of the kid.

But perhaps the strangest local take of them all is about a tall, scholarly getleman who moved to Granbury in the early 1870s to tend bar and teach school lessons by contract. His name, he said, was John St. Helen, and he loved to quote Shakespeare. But on each April 14th, St. Helen, who attended bar at one point in his Granbury life, would drink himself into a stupor and would occasionally mumble nonsensical utterances about government conspiracies and the death of an American hero.

In modern times, the popular television shows 20/20 and Unsolved Mysteries researched the claims that John St. Helens was the one and same John Wilkes Booth, the man who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. Enough circumstantial evidence tends to support that claim - at least leaves the question unanswered.

Thought to have perished in a bar fire in Virginia, federal authorities of the time first reported they had thrown Booth's body in the Potomac River. That story was later changed and investigators say they turned over his charred remains to family members. But - while on the subject of conspiracies - there are stories circulating around that has it the assassination of Lincoln was a planned consopiracy by some of Lincoln's own presidential Cabinet members. Remember the same night that Lincoln was assassinated, so were other key members of the government. Conspiracy theorist speculate the government has long covered up the real tale of Lincoln's assassination, and that Booth, the would-be-shooter at Ford Theatre, may have been ushered away by feceral agents immediately following the assassination and "reassigned" with a new identity - similar to what happens today in the witness protection program.

Years ago, before ever hearing about John St. Helens and the Granbury connection, when I was a young reporter working for the San Antonio Light newspaper out of the Hill Country bureau, I stumbled in the Bander public library for a little research on local history. I stumbled across a local newspaper clipping from the late 1800s that told the story of a young man who very much met the description of Booth and St, Helens, who had come to Bandera under suspicious circumstances. He was a school teacher and thespian, and opened a school of acting for the children of elite families in Bandera. It wasn't long before this educated foreigner, who walked with a limp and talked with a southern accent, worked his way into the mainstream of local society and fell in love with the daughter of a local cattle baron.

A marriage had been arranged and a wedding date set. But when a member of the brides family arrived to attend the upcoming ceremony, he reportedly recognized the teacher as the one and same John Wilkes Booth. The relative was part of a team of federal investigators who looked into the Lincoln assassination and were not satisfied that Booth was actually dead. As the story goes, the relative politely questioned the teacher, who became nervous and feigned an illness, saying he would answer all questions properly before the wedding. That night he disappeared never to be seen again in Bandera, leaving his bride-to-be standing empty at the altar.

Could this have been the same man that then traveled to Granbury in attempt to start over again with a different name and identity? Evidence seems to point that way.

Of course, St. Helen's limp and predilection for Shakespeare and liquor may have just been a coincidence, but it remains curious why St. Helen quietly left his home in Glen Rose when approached by a federal marshal. As the story goes, St. Helen actually lived in a small cabin in Glen Rose for two or three years before moving to Granbury. Without bothering to pack, Helen left Glen Rose for Granbury as soon as he learned a local woman was about to marry a U.S. marshal.

John St. Helen's later confessed to Lincoln's assassination, on his death bed in a Granbury's doctor's office. He reported confessed to a priest and several others that he was Abraham Lincoln's lone assassin. He then revealed where they could find the gun he used to kill the president. The gun was later found wrapped in a newspaper clipping detailing Lincoln's untimely death. The only problem is, St. Helens didn't die that day, and shortly left Granbury unannounced.

Years later, in 1903, an Enid, Oklahoma man named David George claimed to be John Wilkes Booth while on his death bed, apparently this time for real. George also claimed to have changed his name the first time around to John St. Helen.

Local stories around Granbury, depending on who you talk to, have it that St. Helen's was a big fan of the Granbury Opera House and may have performed there on several occasions. In fact, the restored Opera House, now open for productions by seasoned Broadway veterans and an in-house team of university interns, is said to be haunted by a stately figure in black wearing large black boots and a waist coat to match. The apparition is said to be well versed in Shakespeare and has been known to launch in a tyrannical performance of passion and prose.

The few who have said to have seen the apparition later, after examining photos of Booth, say the ghost and the assassin appear to look very much the same. Is it the ghost of John Wilkes Booth who haunts the Granbury Opera House? Or are the tales and stories nothing more than legend and fable?

Perhaps the only way to know for certain would be to dress like Ol' Honest Abe and enter the theatre one dark night and ask for yourself. Stranger things have happened in Texas.
(http://texaslesstraveled.com/granburylegends.htm)

I have totally been to Granbury, Texas ans heard some of the same things that these people wrote. most people that live there actually believe that John St. Helen was in fact John Wilkes Booth. How crazy would that be? I just finished reading Killing Lincoln and the end of john wilkes booth was not how it was described in the book. But there are speculations still that he could have escaped and that it wasn't really his body that was buried but another's!

(the text was taken from the internet and I tried to sight the website I found it from the best I could)

Drama Drama Drama

I am watching New Moon right now. Ha ha =) I just thought that you would all like to know. and Becca is laying down next to me. =)

Okay I have to just say that these teen girl movies just make me laugh with all the drama and exaggeration. Was I really like that? Was I ever that full of drama? Oh my goodness. I am really embarrassed to say that I was a teenage girl once. Ugh. The truth right smack in the face. Ha ha =)

Oh bella you are full of drama! Ha ha you remind me that i am not that much of a drama queen.

I have some luck after all...

...but only through marriage. Without austin I am not very lucky at all.

Well I guess we were very lucky this morning. Today started out great! We were going through our normal morning routine: Austin in the shower listening to the radio, Victoria crawling out of bed using all the strength she had to accomplish every task. We listen to KONY Country and every morning they have a morning mind bender. I have tried calling a few times in the past but with no luck, once I actually got on the air but mind-blanked and said a dumb answer to the question. Felt like an idiot ALL day. (I even turned off the station because I felt so dumb and embarrased. Issues? yes.)

Anyways today the morning mind bender was:

Finish this sentence..."In the presence of a beautiful woman men are more...."

So I waited, trying to wake myself up more while saying good morning to the dogs, for austin to guess something because nothing was coming to my sleep dead mind. After a little bit austin guesses clumsy(from the shower still) and I pick up his phone and dial the number to see if we could get the answer right. Well I called at least 10 times with no luck each time. The line was always busy. How rude of everyone to call when I was trying to call! haha jk =)

Well I kept listening to the answers that were being guessed and no one had gotten it yet so I tried one last time thinking this is it,either they answer or they don't and then I am done and need to get breakfast going.

Ring... Ring....Hi this is KONY! What's your guess?!

(I made it on the air!!)
(Thinking to self: Don't sound like an idiot and don't blank. KEEP it TOGETHER. You can do it. Speak clearly!)

Me: Hi! ....Clumsy?
KONY: You know what, were going to take that answer because its pretty darn close enough. the actual answer is accident prone but clumsy is basically the same. Stay on the line and we'll get some more info from you.........(off the air)What's your name?....Are you over 21?..... Come by our office and pick up your prize. Have a great day!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! We got it right!! And my voice was SO on the radio station! Austin heard me and everything! AHHH =) So exciting!! Maybe I am totally lame to think its so cool but whatever we won!! =)

I went by the station office today(because I was going to town anyways) and picked up the prize. Guess what we won?!?

Free two night stay at the Virgin River Hotel in Mesquite, Nevada and a free combo meal at Arctic Circle! =) how awesome is that?! Its about an hour drive to Mesquite and we have dogs so I don't know how we are going to make it work but we'll figure out something. =) but still!!!!! My voice was on the radio and I didn't sound like a total blonde idiot this time!!!!

Awesome points for me!!!!!!! =)

And a million awesome points for austin who gave me the answer!!!!!!! =) Thanks handsome!!! =)

WAHOOOOOOO!!!!!! =)

Tired, sleepy, and cold

No I am not sick, I am actually sitting on the couch blogging(obviously). I didn't sleep well last night so I am tired and sleepy. I am on the couch near the front window and these windows are really crappy and let in the cold and little breezes. So that is what I am up to right now.

I turned in my 2nd assignment for American Heritage. I am beginning to work on the 3rd one. I really dislike this class. Ugh. I did pretty well on the first assignment so I am hoping that I get at least a B on it. All i really want to do is get it over with. I have like 6 months to finish so I am feeling the pressure now.

On friday I sent a good portion of the day on the phone with the BYU's Admission's office. I believe I talked to a total of 7 different people, not all at once but at different times. I talked with a:

• Collin


• Travis


• Ashley


• Tom


• Cathy


• Bridget


• Evan

I might have some of the names wrong but the point is is that I talked to a lot of people. You may be wondering why I am talking to them. Well I will tell you why...

We've come up with a plan B just in case austin is unable to get a job once this internship is up. The plan B is for me to go back to school for one semester and finish my degree. I will only have 3 classes to take I believe so it will be nice and easy. I would start school in the fall. I have come to the realization that online schooling isn't as easy for me as I thought it would be. I need more structure and solid deadlines.

Guess what though!?! I have to re-apply to BYU!!!

What?!?!?!

And come to find out if i want to go in the fall I have to apply prior to Feb. 1st! Pressure much!?

Application and Endorsement!! Stress Central!!

Ugh. So I've called the Admissions office a billion times with questions. I am sure they are sick of me, but what else can I do?! I applied to byu like 5 years ago thinking I would never need to apply again. I think its so dumb that I have to apply again. I have only been out a year. I guess their rule is is that if you miss two consecutive major semesters(meaning fall AND winter) then you are no longer a current student of BYU. Ugh... dumb rule.

Anyways, so here I am stressing about the application and endorsement that must be in by Feb. 1st. And the fear that I won't get back in. It was hard enough the first time and my GPA isn't as good as it was when I graduated high school. Ugh. At least I still have Independent Study that won't turn me away.

I am so ready to be done with school. I do hope that austin will get a job or master's position. that's the ideal situation. I hope that he can get a job with the government sometime soon. Great health benefits is what I hear and that would be really nice. =)

Well there you go. That's all I have to say at the moment. Have a good day everyone! =)

What do you think?

So this is what I have come up with so far. This would be for the serving table at New Beginnings in February. We were thinking we could do a somewhat valentines decorations since it is February and everything. =) I could use some feed back. I put this together in like 25 mins so I won't be offended by suggestions for change etc. =)

Thanks!

Aren't they cute!!! =) =)

I have such a good looking bunch to live with =) Look at those cute smiles!! =) I am the luckiest person ever =)