Table Rock Chalk

Happy 2nd Birthday Finn!

2009-06-10T00:24:00.001-05:00

Our grandson, Finnegan, turned two today! We celebrated his birthday last Sunday. He liked watching the police car and fire truck speed around his new race track. When we sang Happy Birthday to him, he put his head down like he was embarrassed. It was so cute! He has grown so much in the last two years. Happy Birthday, Finnie!

Big Fish Pulled in on Table Rock Lake!

2009-05-22T12:51:00.001-05:00

It took three men to pull in the biggest "herring" caught on Table Rock Lake. Jason, Lance, and Joe struggled to pull in the 6 foot 3 inch, 200+ pound "fish", aka Tom Herring!

(story behind the photos...)

Tom works for Rick's Boatlifts in Kimberling City. This spring they have been busy replacing the styrofoam under the dock at Indian Point Marina on Table Rock Lake. The new law requires "encapsulated tubs" to be used in place of the styrofoam. They have to stand on the tubs and balance themselves while moving them under the metal supports. Tricky manuever! Sometimes, the tubs slip under faster than you can react! I happened to be at the marina trying out my new camera and watching the guys remove the styrofoam. All of a sudden Tom slips into the lake in "water skiing" position...I started taking these pictures as his co-workers rescued him! Thank goodness they were all working at the same marina that day!

Mother's Day 2009

2009-05-11T13:07:00.002-05:00

I had a great Mother's Day yesterday. Tom fixed breakfast and then we went shopping. He also washed and detailed my car. It looks good as new! Later in the evening, we went to Branson for dinner at the Olive Garden. We walked down the hill behind the restaurant to see the show "Breaking Up is Hard to Do". It's a musical based on Neil Sedaka's songs. All mothers got in free for Mother's Day and local residents get in for $5.58...pretty good deal! The show has a 4 piece band and 6 actors. We really enjoyed it.
http://www.bransontourismcenter.com/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.htm

Love Those Golden Oldies!

2009-05-05T22:19:00.004-05:00

Last week Tom and I went to the Moon River Theater (Andy Williams theater) here in Branson to see two of our favorite performers...Bill Medley of the The Righteous Brothers and Paul Revere and the Raiders. We have seen their shows before, but we can't pass up "area appreciation" discount tickets! We lucked out and got front row seats. These guys are older than us and still very entertaining! We love their hit songs of the 60's and 70's. (We both remember watching "Where the Action Is " starring Paul Revere every day after school.) During the show, Bill Medley shook hands with a few of the veterans in the audience. Tom was lucky enough to shake his hand! Later in the show, he was telling about his newest CD and he came over and handed it to me! What a great evening of entertainment! After the show, we even got their autographs....our "inner teenager" couldn't resist! For you Baby Boomers, you need to see their show...it will bring back lots of great memories! http://www.moonrivergrill.com/medley_raiders.html

Fun with the Grandkids...

2009-05-03T22:56:00.002-05:00

Megan, Wade, Ceci, and Finnegan came for a visit over Easter weekend. On Good Friday, the kids decorated Easter eggs... Finn, not so much... he preferred to eat the boiled eggs! Saturday we all went to Silver Dollar City. Finn rode the kiddie rides for the first time and really enjoyed it! Ceci kept Papa busy riding with her. The kids, Wade, and Tom had a great time at Geyser Gulch soaking everyone with water. They also got soaked!

Wonderful Weekend!

2009-03-23T22:40:00.002-05:00

Last weekend was a lot of fun. Several of our VIP (Village at Indian Point) friends came to Branson for some R and R. Friday morning we all gathered at The Lakehouse here on Indian Point. They opened the bar just for us to watch KU play in the NCAA Tournament...we had the whole bar to ourselves! Yea, KU won!! After the game we all went to Silver Dollar City to watch "Doc" jam with the Homestead Pickers. He plays a mean hammer dulcimer! Later that night we went to The Rock House in Reeds Spring for a "house concert" and pot luck dinner. Saturday evening we all went to Big Cedar's Buzzard Bar. The food was great and Clay Self was a terrific entertainer. On Sunday, the guys went fishing at Lake Taneycomo. Later that afternoon, we cheered for KU again and they didn't disappoint us. There are three Big 12 teams in the Sweet Sixteen! Awesome! What a terrific weekend! As Mark said..."Priceless"!

Happy Birthday Steve!

2008-11-16T14:14:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday to our son, Steve! Today he is 38 years young. I say "young" because he doesn't seem to "age" like the rest of us! He is like my Uncle Darrell who will always be "young at heart" to me!

In case you are wondering why he's wearing a Michigan visor, he has liked Michigan ever since they had the "Fab Five" Freshmen on their basketball team. Once in awhile we'll hear him cheer for KU, even though he graduated from Washburn!

Hope you have a wonderful birthday, Steve!
Love ya , Mom and Dad

Save Bundles Shopping With Coupons and Promo Codes!

2008-11-12T00:40:00.005-06:00

On our local news tonight (KSPR in Springfield), there was a segment about a local woman who uses coupons and promo codes to save lots of money on groceries and gifts. Here's the news story and the woman's website.... Happy Shopping!

Save Bundles Shopping with Coupons
By Natalie Swallow
Story Created: Nov 11, 2008
Story Updated: Nov 11, 2008
With budgets stretched tight, we're all cutting a little bit where we can.If done efficiently, coupon clipping can save your family hundreds, if not thousands of dollars each year.One Ozarks woman is getting more bang for her buck buying with coupons. In just one shopping trip Alicia Myers bought more than $400 worth of items and spent only $35.The secret is through couponing. She saved more than $243 dollars this shopping trip just by using coupons."There's normally always going to be a good deal for every coupon you clip," Myers said.She gets the majority of her coupons online, where she pays for them!"It's illegal to actually sell coupons, but they charge a handling fee and they just clip them all and mail them right to you," Myers said.You usually pay 10% of the face value of the coupon, but that way you can pick exactly what and how many coupons you want. Myers uses coupon clipping sites, but says ebay is her favorite."You can search for any type of coupon there is," Myers said.She says try to choose from sellers who are close to Missouri. That way you will get the coupons faster and in time for store specials.Most local grocery stores, like Dillons, will double manufacturers' coupons up to a dollar.The key Myer's says is pay attention not only to manufacturers’ coupons, but also store coupons. Many stores will honor both, which once you double manufacturers’ coupons and add on the store coupon, can really knock down the cost of your item.“The Neosporin figured out to be about 25 cents a tube after I combined coupons,” Myers said. "Head and Shoulders and Suave were most expensive down there. Head and Shoulders cost 34 cents a bottle and Suave cost 33 cents a bottle."Myers says she spends about $10 to $15 a week on groceries and household items for her family of four, but she says that doesn't mean her family has to go without."We have more food now that we ever did when we were spending $150 to $200 a week," Myers said.Plus by paying attention to store ads and coupons, her family saves on gas by making fewer trips to the grocery store.Myers says she spends about an hour a week looking through store ads and finding coupons.Myers has broken coupon clipping down to a science, and she is now teaching other Ozarkers in her coupon clipping classes, hoping others too take advantage of the millions of coupons out there to help you save bundles. Myers' website has more information on her coupon clipping classes and all the links she uses to shop for coupons and other good deals. This is her website http://www.gatewaytosaving.com/

Here's a list of $$$ saving links from Alicia Myer's website .....

Online Savings Links *** Note: Clicking a link will open a new window ***

http://www.gottadeal.com/ (You can even find early store ads for Black Friday!)
http://www.slickdeals.com/
http://www.fatwallet.com/
http://www.dealtaker.com/
http://www.freelancebyu.com/
http://www.vickysdeals.com/
http://www.ebates.com/

Coupon Sites
http://www.afullcup.com/
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/
http://www.couponmom.com/
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/
http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/

Printable Coupons
http://www.couponbug.com/
http://www.coupons.com/
http://www.valpak.com/
http://www.vocalpoint.com/
http://www.couponloop.com/
http://www.eversave.com/
http://www.coolsavings.com/
Slick Deals Forum (large list of current IPs)
http://www.couponsinc.com/
http://www.boodle.com/
http://www.coolsavings.com/
http://www.couponsurfer.com/
www.eatbetteramerica.com/coupons
http://www.eclip.com/
http://www.pillsbury.com/boxtops4education.com
http://www.redplum.com/
http://www.smartsource.com/
A Full Cup Forum (extensive coupon database)

Coupon Purchasing Sites
http://www.enjoyprintablecoupons.blogspot.com/
http://www.couponsandforms.com%20-%20powell,%20tn/
http://www.thecouponclippers.com%20-%20tampa,%20fl/
http://www.couponclippersofamerica.com%20-%20las%20vegas,%20nv/
http://www.thecouponmaster.com%20-%20providence,%20ri/
http://www.couponsthingsbydede.com/
http://www.ebay.com/ just type coupon, and any store or product for lots of coupons/codes

Preview Upcoming Inserts and Contents
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Yes, We Did It!

2008-11-11T15:13:00.002-06:00

A week ago, I was glued to the TV watching the election results. At 10:00 p.m. CT, I was thrilled that the majority of voters in our country shared my beliefs. We were wanting a "change". I pray that our country can get back on track economically and that our troops will soon be back home. I know it will take time for President Elect Obama to make the changes he wants, but he's got my support. Now, more than ever, our leaders need to come together for the good of our country. I can't wait for January 20th!

VOTE for CHANGE!!!

2008-10-30T14:26:00.004-05:00

Family and Friends....
Normally, I don't openly share my political views. When I was a school teacher, my students would ask me who I was voting for. I never shared my own personal views, as I didn't want to sway their opinions. I tried to be unbiased. Now that I am retired, I feel free to express my opinions in a "respectful" way. I was raised in a Republican farm community. My grandparents and mother usually voted for Republicans. My dad usually voted for Democrats. When I got married and my husband became a union member, my politics changed. I also became a member of NEA and tended to vote for Democrats.

This year's election is so important. Most Americans agree that the last 8 years under President Bush have been disasterous. We can't continue fighting two wars and spending billions of dollars every month in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our own economy is in shambles. We must vote for a candidate who can start fixing everything Bush broke! Senator McCain has said that he has voted with Bush 90% of the time....how is that "change"? I used to like McCain, but his negative campaign, lies, and political views are not going to fix our problems. I have been impressed with Senator Obama. He is steady and consistant with his message. I truly believe he will make the best president!

If you are still undecided or need some help in figuring out this election, here's a wonderful blog written by an 82 year old woman who has the spunk "to tell it like it is"!

http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/if-you-are-undecided-youre-not-paying-attention/

VOTE on November 4th!

Recent project....

2008-10-14T15:23:00.000-05:00

Last week I stopped at a local antique store and found two old boat oars and a large sign that said "Water Sports". I walked away from them three times, but they kept calling be back! I finally gave in and bought them. Of course, Tom was the one to climb the 13 foot ladder to install the large sign. (He's such a great husband!) We rearranged a few things on our water ski "shelves" and placed the oars under the skis. I'm still looking for a vintage fishing vest, old life vest, or small metal tackle box to add to this display.

Megan and Wade ...recent photos!

2008-10-12T17:42:00.003-05:00

My last blog was about Megan and Wade turning 31 on the same day... October 4th. I couldn't find a recent, clear photo of both of them, so I went back in the "archives" and found a photo of the two of them together. Here's a photo of each of them from this past summer enjoying Table Rock Lake. They are both still "kids" to me. I refuse to let them age....that means I'm getting older too!

Happy Birthday Megan and Wade!

2008-10-04T15:29:00.000-05:00

Megan Amber Herring and Wade Franklin Cottrell were both born 31 years ago today! What a coincidence that they would meet in Lawrence and get married! He grew up in LeCompton, KS and she grew up in Bonner Springs, KS ...just 40 minutes apart on I70. Happy Birthday to both of you!!! We love you soooo much!
Mom and Dad

Silver Dollar City Opens New Cooking /Craft School

2008-09-21T16:20:00.005-05:00

Last Friday, my friend Vicky and I attended a cooking class at the new Culinary and Craft School at Silver Dollar City. The school is in a beautiful "turn-of-the-century Midwestern farmhouse". The kitchen has state-of-the-art appliances and includes flat-screened TV's for overhead viewing of the cooking/ craft demonstrations. (For information on more cooking/craft classes, go to http://www.sdcculinarycraftschool.com/ .) The instructor provided cooking tips and demonstrated how to make Pumpkin Bread and Apple Salad. We got to taste both recipes....yum! Here's the Pumpkin Bread recipe ...enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread

1 1/2 cups of vegetable oil
5 eggs
2 cups of pumpkin (one can)
2 cups of flour
2 cups of sugar
2 (3 oz.) packages of instant coconut pie filling
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix oil, eggs, and pumpkin. Combine all dry ingredients, add to pumpkin mixture. Mix well. Bake in 2 greased and floured glass loaf pans at 325 degrees for 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.

recipe by Betty Dance Uhrig (SDC Culinary School instructor)

Grandkids are the Greatest!

2008-09-12T21:28:00.006-05:00

We have three wonderful grandchildren...

Lauren just turned 12 and is in 7th grade. She plays volleyball on her 7th grade team. For her birthday, I made her a fleece fringe blanket to use at her volleyball tournaments.

Cecilia (aka Ceci) will be 5 in October. She was the youngest player on her Coach Pitch Softball team this summer. She keeps us laughing with her "Ceciliaisms". Here's an example...
After eating too much popcorn, she told her mom that she had "hurt bone". Megan asked her to repeat it and again she complained of "hurt bone". Megan told her we call it "heart burn"!

Finnegan (aka Finn) celebrated his first birthday on June 10th. He has grown and changed so much this past year! He's mastered walking and now he's working on table manners.

I Can't Believe I'm Doing This!

2008-09-09T13:21:00.000-05:00

Thanks to my daughter, Megan, I'm going to give this blogging thing a try! I love reading her blogs and seeing photos and videos of our grandkids! Our life here at Table Rock Lake, aka Branson, MO, isn't as exciting as Megan's, but I will try to add photos now and then and let the world know "what's up in Branson"!

Over Labor Day weekend, we hosted a pot luck dinner with 20 of us sharing good food and laughs! On Sunday evening, we all gathered at the Branson Landing to see "Take It To The Limit", an Eagles tribute band. They were great! I hope they stay together and perform again at a theater here in Branson. On Monday evening, we joined our friends from Illinois for a sunset cruise on Table Rock Lake (T-Rock). It was beautiful and relaxing!

Last week, Hurricane Gustav finally caught up with us and dumped 7-9 inches of rain around this area. At least we didn't have to evacuate like the residents of New Orleans!