Flashback Friday...25

Earlier in the semester I "discovered" Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. I watched every episode I could find online. Then for Christmas I asked for the entire box set of 6 seasons and 2 movies that I found on sale on Amazon. I wasn't sure I would get it though. Then yesterday the second to last thing I unwrapped was Dr. Quinn! BTW the last thing I unwrapped was season tickets to Silver Dollar City! (This year I just went on the free tickets we got with Mom and Dad's passes. I totally have my own for next year!) Anyway, Mom and I hung out and had a mini Dr. Quinn marathon yesterday. We made it through 6 of the 120 hours on the DVDs.

You are probably wondering what this has to do with Flashback Friday...well just hold your horses...haha the show takes place in the Old West, you know with horses...never mind. Dr. Quinn is set in Colorado Springs, Colorado. While looking through some of my pictures I found a photo that was taken when my family visited Colorado. We got to go to the top of Pikes Peak, walk around the top of a volcano, and all that good stuff. I even saw my first piece of petrified wood. So here I am standing in front of it. I think this photo is from second grade, but I'm not for sure; there's no date on it...Dad can you help me out with the date?? My Mom made the adorable little outfit I'm wearing, but sadly I never wore it much. I didn't really start liking it until I was about to outgrow it. Sorry Mom that I didn't wear it more!

Anyway, enough chatting, here is the photo...

Christmas in Branson

(I can't get the formatting right on this post, so just pretend it is)

As you probably know, last Friday my parents and I headed to Branson to spend the day at Silver Dollar City. Refer to posts below if you really don't know yet how much I love that place.

We started the day at home getting off to a later start then planned...as usual. Dad drove to SDC while I slept and we got there about 2 pm.

When we first got to SDC I had to pause for the classic photo.

Once inside the park we saw the giant 5-story Christmas tree and there was a sleigh in front. We stopped for a photo-op.

Then we saw the mule drawn carriage and went for a ride.

Yes that is the same mule (Miss Bonnie), driver, and leader as last year, and like last year we were the second to last riders of the day.

There were beautiful decorations everywhere and like a bazillion lights (I don't feel like looking up the real number).

After walking around a bit we hit the Saloon show. We were told it was probably full, but we could wait in line just in case and we were 3 of the last 6 people in! We got seats in the balcony basically right over the stage.

After the show I headed off to ride rides while Mom and Dad shopped a little. It was COLD! You don't know cold until you've ridden a roller coaster in 34 degree weather. The highest the temp got was 44 and it just went down from there. Each ride had a certain temperature when it had to be shut down, so I planned my riding with the highest temps first and saved the one that closes at 32 degrees for last. After a few rides the sun started heading down and I was fascinated first by the sunset behind the silhouette of the roller coaster, then by the sunset through the trees.

That's when the City really became pretty. The train went by...

....and everything was lit up...

...including the 5-story tree.

I was inspired for this photo when I caught a glimpse before the camera auto-focused. I liked the way it looked so after taking that photo I turn my camera to manual and took this one.

These photos don't do any justice for how wonderful SDC looks all lit up, but this is as good as I can do...except with video :)

Merry Christmas!

I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! I hope you have a wonderful day with friends and loved ones.

My sis and her fiance' came into town for Christmas. We stay at home each year and open presents on Christmas.

My family did our traditional stocking exchange on Christmas eve. It's a tradition I started when I realized that my parents don't get anything in a stocking...so I thought of a way where they would get stocking stuffers too. Each family member buys something that costs only $1 (this year we went up to about $2) for the other family members. So everyone in my family gets 3 things in their stockings...you may think it's lame, but it is a fun tradition :)

What are some of your traditions??

Things I've done

I saw this on a couple of different blogs and decided to give it a try.

Things you've already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven't done and don't want to - leave in plain font

1. started your own blog
2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. visited Hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more than you can afford to charity
7. been to Disneyland/world
8. climbed a mountain
9. held a praying mantis
10. sang a solo
11. bungee jumped
12. visited Paris
13. watched a lightning storm at sea
14. taught yourself an art from scratch
15. adopted a child
16. had food poisoning
17. walked to the top of the statue of liberty
18. grown your own vegetables
19. seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. slept on an overnight train
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch hiked
23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping
27. run a marathon
28. ridden a gondola in Venice
29. seen a total eclipse- I think I saw one in elementary school
30. watched a sunrise or sunset
31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise
33. seen Niagara Falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an Amish community
36. taught yourself a new language
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. seen the leaning tower of pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen Michelangelo's David in person
41. sung karaoke
42. seen old faithful geyser erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. visited Africa
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance
47. had your portrait painted
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the Sistine chapel in person
50. been to the top of the Eiffel tower in Paris
51. gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud
54. gone to a drive-in theatre
55. been in a movie
56. visited the great wall of china
57. started a business
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited Russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold girl scout cookies.
62. gone whale watching
63. gotten flowers for no reason
64. donated blood
65. gone sky diving
66. visited a Nazi concentration camp
67. bounced a cheque
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the Lincoln memorial
71. eaten caviar
72. pieced a quilt
73. stood in times square
74. toured the everglades
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the guard in London
77. broken a bone
78. been on a speeding motorcycle
79. seen the grand canyon in person
80. published a book
81. visited the Vatican
82. bought a brand new car
83. walked in Jerusalem
84. had your picture in the newspaper
85. read the entire bible
86. visited the white house- well, I saw it anyway
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chickenpox
89. saved someone’s life
90. sat on a jury
91. met someone famous
92. joined a book club
93. lost a loved one
94. had a baby
95. seen the Alamo in person- I think I did when I was little
96. swum in the great salt lake.
97. been involved in a law suit
98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee

(Almost) Back from the past

My family made it back from Silver Dollar City yesterday. We had a lot of fun. I rode some roller coaster in near freezing temps...made for a nice frozen face. I even filmed a ride on one of the coasters and the tree lighting; I'm working on getting them on youTube right now. We got back into town just in time to turn on the TV and catch a rerun of Discover Oklahoma, a Lawrence Welk Christmas episode, and an Andy Williams Christmas Special! Nothing like a little of the past to have a great time in the present.

Thursday night I was on the Silver Dollar City website checking the show schedules and other things. At the same time I was on facebook messaging a friend of mine. She was asking what we did at SDC and why I like going there so much. What I responded with sounded like something you would hear on an ad and that made me laugh. I always figure ads like that are scripted even if they say they aren't. I realized that I wanted to tell other people (especially people at SDC) how I much I like Silver Dollar CIty and what it means to me. So while I was on their website I click the contact link at the bottom and wrote a message saying just that. I figured even if the only person who reads it is the person getting paid to read the comments, it's still better then not telling anyone. When we got back I checked my email and in my inbox was a message from Renate in customer service. She wrote this response to me:

"Whitney,
Thank you for your email. It sounds like Silver Dollar City holds many wonderful memories for you. We truly appreciate you taking the time to let us know about your experiences. Your email will be sent to the SDC management team and included in the SDC employee newsletter.
Have a very Merry Christmas"

That is so exciting! I'm glad that other SDC employees will get to hear how much they mean to me. Here is what they will read:

"I've been visiting Silver Dollar City multiple times every year since 1996. Today a friend asked me why I like going to SDC so much and I wanted to share what I said to her:
'It is because of Silver Dollar City that I like music, that I'm involved in photography, and every time I go it feels like going home. Whenever I'm there I just can't stop smiling!'
I tell a lot of people that SDC feels like a second home to me. All of my favorite childhood memories are from there...my first roller coaster ride, meeting Chosen Few, being sung to at the nighttime show, etc.
I guess what I'm trying to say is 'thank you'. Thank you to all the caring 'citizens' at SDC, thank you to all the performers who give it their all in each performance, thank you to the tram-drivers, thank you to the Herschend family who started it all!
I'm headed to SDC later today and I can't wait! I know this will be another wonderful, memorable trip!"


I will be posting pictures from our trip later today or tomorrow.

Flashback Friday...24

Well...it's that time of year again. Time to pack the duffel bag, put on the jackets, and gloves, and scarves, and head over the river and around the curves...to Silver Dollar City.

If you haven't read my blog long enough to notice...I LoVe Silver Dollar City! My family has gotten season tickets to SDC every year except one since 1996. SDC is the reason why I love music, where I got my start taking photos with the Barbie camera, and it just feels like a second home to me. SDC always had really great music to listen to and shows to watch and some pretty awesome rides too. As the years progress SDC has gotten a little more commercial, but it's still an amazing place. There's nothing better then going to a wholesome park (I hate the phrase "amusement park") and getting to step back in time for the day. The entire park is set in the late 1880s and the rides, employee attire, and the signage reflect that. Anyway, I'm getting carried away...

This morning my parents and I are packing up and heading out on our yearly Christmas time trip to SDC. I will hopefully return with lots of great pics to share. This is our first trip since I got my fancy smancy camera and I plan on using it...a lot!

So for today's Flashback Friday I want to share some pictures from past SDC Christmas trips.

December 2000













November 2001

December 2002

Sadly when I scanned photos these were the only ones from Christmas time that I did.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

...or something like that.

Why do the sidekicks always get the short end of the stick??

We owe so much to Tonto. He's the one who thought up the idea of the mask and he even made it (pretty crafty I must say). Tonto named Silver. He even came up with the name "The Lone Ranger." But in the 1940 book The Lone Ranger and Tonto he is often referred to by the narrator as "the indian." Without Tonto the Lone Ranger would have died out there in the hot, dry desert and all those law breakers would have gone free. We owe it all to Tonto! We should rally for the duo to be renamed Tonto and that Lone Ranger guy!

*coughs* *clears throat* umm...I mean...thank you to Fran Striker for writing the book I'm reading and for those TV guys for putting it on the small screen for us to enjoy. *sheepish smile*

In the last three months...

I was sitting here thinking about my friend Jon who is in Iraq and realized how many things have changed since he left only three months ago. I wanted to compile a list of the things that have changed or have happened in the past three months. I'll probably add to this list as I think of things.

-Learned how to sew a newsboy hat
-Started an etsy store
-Pretty much got a whole new circle of friends
-Hit 200 blog posts
-Participated in my first swaps
-Added a lot of camo into my wardrobe
-My sis got engaged
-Like 948 people I know got engaged or married (ok, not really that many)
-Moved into our new house
-Experienced the longest three months of my life...for a myriad of reasons
-I've grown up a lot...other people may not see it so much, but I can tell

Flashback Friday...23- Late edition

Today's Flashback Friday is from December 2000. My family went to pick out a Christmas Tree and we staged a photo of me pretending to cut it down. This was back when I was still hardcore against artificial trees...they just aren't as cool or smell as good. Anyway, I always loved finding that perfect tree. We would pick the top few, then walk around them to see what the best side was, measure them, then finally decide on one (usually the one I spotted...because I was persistent). Anyway, we have a fake tree now...which I admit is easier because it's prelite and you don't have to worry about accidentally throwing it out with ornaments still on it. Anyway, enough of the pros and cons...here's the pic.




















Is it sad that I still have that jacket in my car??

Free at last

Anyway, I am free from school until January 8th! I'm pretty jazzed about having almost an entire month off. Then when I go back it will be my last semester...ever!

On my way home I didn't see the miniature horse I usually see standing outside of its fence...but I did see something else fun. I was driving along and I saw a big white thing squeezing underneath the guard rail to get on the road. My first thought was "man that is an ugly dog." I then realized that it was a goat. So I thought that some one's goat had gotten out. I looked down the little hill and saw at least 10 more goats. It was really funny to see all these goats just hanging out by the side of the road and squeezing under the guard rail when they were only about 2 feet from the end of it...maybe it was a "you had to be there" situations. I was going to take a picture but didn't want to get ran over.

My friend totally got me a Hanson tote bag for Christmas! It's so cool :)

I sold two hats on Tuesday to one of my teachers. She bought them for her nieces for Christmas presents.

Ok...so I don't want to have another post without photos. So here is a picture I took before the craft show of some of my zipper bags.

Finally recovering

Ok, so Friday night the fire alarm ended up going off for an hour...and the fire department never showed up. At about 6:30 am I thought it had stopped, so I headed back, then heard the alarm again. That's when I remembered the couches in the lounge of the dorm I had been taking refuge in. So I laid down on the old smelly couch and finally drifted off to sleep at 6:50...and my phone alarm went off at 7 :(

Earlier on Friday night I finished a hat I had been working on. I made it using a pair of Wrangler work pants that I bought last year and had used the lower part of the legs just a patchwork purse. I was able to cut out enough pieces to make three hats. The pants are a khaki color and the "wrong" side is an off-white. I liked the look of both sides, so I ended up using both sides of the fabric. The other two hats are going to have the Wrangler "W" on the brim from the back pockets. There was a cowboy at the craft show who really like the hat and told everyone about how I made it from some old Wranglers!

Angela and I got to the craft fair at 8 and set up our booth. We were next to a girl, who we found out goes to our school, she was selling some really cool necklaces she made. We didn't sell anything for the first few hours, but by the end of the day we both sold $24 dollars worth (I know that's not much, but it was fun) and the necklace girl gave us both a necklace. Angela and I are both going to make something for her and we are going to try to all three get together some time next semester and do something crafty. This was the first year for the church to have a craft show, and that's why the sells were a little slow.


So now I'm trying to make it through Tuesday and then I'll be done with the semester and be able to relax! Oh and I found some Wishbone episodes on YouTube that I'm watching!

5:46 am

Well, I guess now a good time to update the ol' blog. It is 5:46 am on Saturday. I have to be up and ready to go to the craft fair at 7:45 am. Why you might ask am I up at 5:46 5:48?? Because the fire alarm is going off in my door building. So I'm taking refuge in the hallway of another dorm instead of standing outside in the below freezing temperature.

I ended up with 23 or 24 items for the craft fair (not as many as I wanted to have, but I had to detour a lot for homework last week). Angela has about half a million items :) We went last night to check the place out, and it's pretty cool, not quite as big as we thought it would be, but we do get a larger table then we originally thought.

Well, it's 5:51...do you know where you're children are?? Just kidding. I'm going to try to write a paper know...

Flashback Friday...22

My sis wants me to inform everyone that she got engaged this week! Congrats to Courtney and Chris.

Mary Ann is having an awsome giveaway that everyone should go sign up for...and she has some great things in her etsy stores. I just bought myself an assortment of buttons and a cute rubber stamp.

Today I got one of the papers back that I've been working so hard on lately...I got a 100%! It's the first A I've made on a paper in that class!

I'm planning on having a sale in my etsy store as soon as the craft fair is over! It will be just in time for some easy holiday shopping.


Ok, now onto the long abandoned Flashback Friday series...

Today's picture is from when I was 4-6. At school (don't be confused by me saying school and age 4 at the same time...I've been in school since I was 3) the teacher or a parent volunteer made everyone a milk jug skeleton. Just admit it...we're cute! :)

I've actually been saving water jugs because I want to make another one like this :)

Quicky Update

Ok...so still writing papers, sewing like a madman for the craft fair this weekend, went thrifting yesterday and got 3 sweaters, and a cute little jar for $3.28 (no photos at this time and one sweater has already been turned into a hat/glove set), the second highest up admin on campus calls me "hat lady" because she found out yesterday that I make my own hats (she obviously does not read the university newspaper) but she thinks I'm cool, so it's ok, I'm really jazzed about my oral interp final...we're doing about an hour's worth of holiday pieces readers theatre style, I'm still addicted to Dr. Quinn...but the rest of the videos were removed :( so now I've seen all of the ones on youTube, I'm hoping to start doing Flashback Fridays again during the break, and I think I'm going to be able to come home three days early for Christmas Break! My teacher is acting like the final that is scheduled for next Friday will be something easy and can be turned in sooner.

Last weekend when I was home we painted, made peanut brittle, and started decorating the tree and the house. I have photos of all of that...just not up yet. I do have a few, so I will give you a little preview.

Here we were testing the lights on the wreath and Stanley happened to walk up then. He was quite intrigued by the lights.














Mom's newly repainted shelf thingy (I don't remember what it's called). The paint was a mistint and cost only $1 for a whole gallon and it is coca-cola green so mom loves it! We are putting coke things on it and Santas and snowmen for the holidays. The red apron hanging on the side is one my mom bought from Mary Ann; it looks really cute there :)

While I was watching TV last Saturday I saw something out of the corner of my eye and thought it was one of the cats. I turned around and saw this. The dumb thing sat there forever...long enough for me to go get my camera and take three or four photos. Then we ran it off. I had never realized before just how ugly possums are, especially their tails.

Everyday I walk over the catwalk to get to class and I see this tree. It's really pretty right now with the leaves changing color. I've been wanting to get some pics of it, but kept forgetting, so yesterday I got up there and took this photo and some others in the 30 mph winds.

More photos and other stuff coming soon. If I don't get Flashback Friday up tomorrow then someone please remind me :)

I'm tired of homework!

Blogging temporarily on hold due to ginormous amounts of homework. (According to spell check ginormous is a real word and I spelled it right!)


Oh...I bought some adorable new fleece pj pants today at Wal-Mart for $2 a pair, so I got 2 pairs :)