Totes Magotes and a wee bit Cray Cray

Ava Campbell's 1st Christmas -- #totesadorbs

Razorbacks are good for something in 2013

downtown T-Town

David, Rocky, and me

December has been a fun, busy, whirlwind!  Cannot believe it's nearly over.  We've been so blessed to get some quality time with family and friends!

 thx for the pic, Gala!

12-19-13:  Looks like our ORHF peeps had a wonderful Christmas party as they finish the year off together.  Miss 'em!

David got a kick out of my electric rollers

Cray Cray lotta "clippers"

Spent the rest of the day touring downtown Texarkana (previous blog) and tonite, we went with Gus to see Anchorman 2 -- don't waste your $$ on that movie.

tried Lisa's trick with the hard boiled egg on my FIRST stye -- and it worked after one try! (that rhymes)

I think David did a great job of picking out a purse for me! 

12-20-13:  David has been after me to get a bigger purse that his camera will fit in.  So on our way to dinner we stopped at Kohl's and I had him pick one out for me.  I gave him NO help.  It was so cute watching him walking around the purse section carrying purses and thinking it through.  Loved it!  He did a great job.

Sharon, Edith, and Jimmy

Sharon, Edith, me, and Jimmy

David, me, Edith, Jimmy, Sharon

Tonite we enjoyed dinner and a visit from Edith's niece and nephew, Sharon and Jimmy.  They drove up from Athens to see her.  Always love spending time with them.  And it sure is a lift to Edith to get to see them and catch up on her family!

Today in the news was info about one of the largest security hacks ever -- at Target.  David and I haven't shopped at a Target in years.  But this month we've shopped there twice with our debit cards.  Someone hacked about 40 million debit and credit cards between Thanksgiving and around the 19th of Dec.  So we had our debit cards cancelled and replaces. SMH.

Edith stole my reindeer headband that Kathey gave me! 

 12-21-13:  Bill and Pam came to town today.  David,  Edith, and I met them, along with Jakeb, Lacey, and James for lunch.  Love visiting with my kinfolk!

Edith digging out some candy for James 

Edith with her new hooter -- which she named Becky, Jr.

totesadorbs!

Cutie Pie James!

After lunch we headed over to Edith's to visit for a bit. James came over with his Mimi and Pepaw so his parents could do a little shopping. That kid is too cute!  And quick!  One second he's the center of attention, the next second we hear a door close.  Pam got up to check on him and he'd let himself out of the apt and she had to chase him all the way to the dining hall.  LOL.

Bill and Pam gave us this bomb-diggity picnic basket -- which I'm planning to use as a knitting basket! 

James, Pam, Bill, Edith, me, and David at the tree in the lobby at Edith's place

Cowhorn Cr always has several beautiful Christmas trees in the lobby

"close your eyes and open your mouth"

Pepaw and James spotted the toy train around the big tree

Wonderful visit with the Goff's!

Got to see Mary Bunch at the #peeinacup club this morning!

Kay Rhodes, Janet Rowe, Lisa Siegel, Edith, and me

12-23-13: After early morning bloodwork, Edith and I met some of my college and career besties for lunch.

 Our server took lots of pix of us.

Then we had a diner take a pic with the server in it!

ran into a longtime collegue before we left the restaraunt, Terrie Page

Really enjoyed a lunch FULL of laughter!  Always good medicine to get together with those girls!

Totes Magotes, Bay Bay!

Tonite David and I played Panties with Cranford and Kathey (girls killed, btw!).  Their grandkids came over so I asked Bailey to get a selfie of her and me.  She has quite a selfie rep.  When her cousins were visiting for Thanksgiving, she borrowed Eli's phone and in just a few minutes had added 700 plus selfies!!  Hilarious!

12-24-13:  Enjoyed pizza and gift swap at Edith's this evening before heading over to Central Christian Church for Christmas Eve Candlelight.  Candlelight was one of our traditions when the kids were growing up.  So Gus suggested we go this year.  So glad he did!  Edith hadn't been to one in awhile either. We all loved seeing our former church family on such a special night.  And we missed some of those who have gone on to Heaven before us.  It was astonishing how grown up some of the kiddos there are now! It was a good night.

Asher and Andrew in their new Christmas pj's

Christmas Eve was nice and chilly like Christmas should be, but isn't always in NET.  No snow, just crisp and cool.

Edith and me awaiting Christmas Day lunch

12-25-13:  This morning David and I watched an old black and white "10th Avenue Angel".  It was a Christmas movie we'd never seen and it was wonderful!!  Gotta catch it in future years, too.  Joined Edith for lunch at Cowhorn Creek on Christmas Day.  Really yummy lunch and it was sooo nice to just visit and relax and not cook! (not that I've cooked much AT ALL this month!)

Edith and David

cell phone lesson

the cowl we got Edith was a nice match to the wrap Bill and Pam got her

and she can fly!

Laura Lee and her new hooter

Laura Lee arrived Texarkana today!  Her flight landed around noon and she came out to our place after a few visits.

Andrew and Asher opened their gift from Rocky this morning

We are so blessed! Family and friends are healthy and safe.  Life is good and God is awesome.  Today is a huge reminder about a perfect baby.

you must zoom to read, this very special gift David rec'd

12-26-13:  David got a gift today from former LE student, Torrance Davis.  What an unbelievable remembrance from TD.  I read it aloud for Laura, David, and me.  I think we were all wiping tears before it was over. And the haircut story was hilarious.  Torrance and his family are awesome -- so that makes it super special for us.

Laura Lee and Amy

Laura Lee and Amy got together this evening.  So cool that these girls are still besties after all these years - kinda like me and some of my hs and college friends.

12-27-13:  We got to meet little Ava Campbell today!  She is so beautiful and is constantly smiling and showing those huge dimples!

Emily, Chloe, and Ryan Campbell

Love this family!  They are dear friends to our Gus.

Laura Lee and Jessica

Laura and her friend, Jessica, were at the camper when we got home.  It has been many years since I've seen Jessica.

Ok, so I don't really use all these urban slang, twitter words.  But that James Earl Jones commercial on TV cracks me up.  Had to google some, and had to get Jakeb and Lacey to define some.  #grammyiscrunk!!!!

Love and Happy 2014 to all of our peeps!!

Dizzle, Bizzle, and Rizzle

My Hometown!

State Line Avenue December 2013 - Confederate Mother's Monument &  US Post Office

Same spot sometime between 1905 and 1932 - former Central Christian Church on left

Central Christian Church today at 903 Walnut

12-19-13:  David took me on an exploration of Texarkana today.  My parents and our schools were so good about teaching us the history of our town.  But when we lived here, I took much for granted.  Now that we travel and enjoy learning about other towns' history and points of interest, I decided it's time to refresh my memory about T-Town -- and learn a little bit more!

Monument for Patriotism - probably erected just after WWI

Confederate Mother

 Confederate soldier

Took pix of the Civil War Monument and WWI Monument across from the Post Office on State Line Ave.

at the Post Office on State Line -- which straddles AR and TX

Rocky's first pic on the AR/TX line in front of the post office

our downtown post office is one of a kind

a new downtown structure I read about recently - located near rail yards

one of the pix on the railroad sculpture

trains - how we got our start

Four States Area fallen officer memorial downtown

My Grandpa Goff's name is on this one, as well as the one in Little Rock, AR and Washington D.C.

William Madison Goff

killed at age 34 in the line of duty in Hempstead County, AR

Ace of Clubs House

Melissa, the tour director, and me in front of the Ace of Clubs House

We had never toured the Ace of Clubs House downtown when we lived here.  It was actually still being lived in until about 1985.  The Moore family deeded it to the Texarkana Museums Systems.  However, they did not deed any money for the upkeep.  So the systems have recently reached the end of their funds to maintain it -- and a LOT of maintenance is required.  Unless someone comes forward very soon to help the cause, it may be turned back over to the family in January.  We decided it could be now or never to see this gem.  It was built in 1885 by railroad local entrepreneur and Confederate soldier, James H. Draughon.  He built it with money he won from a poker game (Texarkana was a big gambling town in those days), and had it built in the shape of the ace of clubs - his lucky card.  In 1887 he sold it to William Whitaker who lived in it until 1894, when he sold it to Henry Moore, Sr.  It stayed in the Moore family until deeded to Texarkana Museums in 1985 upon the death of one of its matriarchs, Olivia Moore. Among the intricate details of the structure of the house, furnishings, and belongings, are Olivia's shoes!  This woman had humdreds of shoes, many of which are on display in the house.  She got most from Neiman Marcus in Dallas.  When Olivia became unable to travel to Dallas to get her shoes, NM sent a truck full to Texarkana for her to shop from home.  I might've enjoyed buying hundreds of shoes myself if I'd had her money and her size 5 1/2 feet.

Photos were not allowed inside on our tour, so we had to settle for postcards and an outdoor pic with our tour guide, Melissa Nesbitt. She did a great job and really knew her history of Texarkana and the Moore family.

Spring Bank Ferry is on display now in Doddridge, AR

Last year we read about the Spring Bank Ferry retiring and finding a home at a park in Doddridge.  We added that to our bucket list and today drove out there to see it.  Pretty drive and neat to see this ferry which was one of the longest running in AR.  It made daily trips across the Sulphur River near here.

interesting to be able to see the underbelly of the ferry

captain's seat

info on this ferry

the ramp which cars would drive onto it

Such a great adventure today.  Didn't get to everything I wanted to see, but that'll give us something to do the next time we come to town!  This is a link on a little of the history of Texarkana -- http://www.texarkana.org/Texarkana_USA/History_of_Texarkana.aspx

Hope you all find something great to explore!  It's a great day when we learn something new!

Happy Adventures!

Henry Sr, Olivia, and Henry, Jr