Ole Andrew doing his thang at his Christmas play last Friday night... One would never know that he was Heather's lil boy... or Paul's lil man....haha enjoy... pics are uploading will link asap....

Oh my, have you seen the forecast!!

Looks like we will be in for a bit of a cold snap the next few days. This is the week that contains the first day of Winter, and I for one will be glad to see it arrive, for this means that from that point forward, the days will be getting longer and Spring is not too far away. I do NOT like cold! Used to not mind, but things react differently to the cold now days.. haha.. or maybe it's just age!
Phil stopped by last night with some Christmas goodies... That Tammy is an awesome cook! She can "build" anything in the kitchen!! Phil was telling us about some of the Christmas partys they have been to and some of the things that Austyn has received... wow, I think I'd like to have those toys at MY AGE!! haha.
Jake and Ann went to Andrew's Play at the Hillcrest Baptist Church in Stillwater last Friday night and Jake was our Photographer for the night and he got some great shots. I will try to post them online later today, as I get time.
Jake had been helping Grandma Moffat with her livestock this fall and doing a really great job. He has a keen eye for handling cattle and is really finding them to be a joy. He is also helping our neighbor Fred Shultz who has one of the most inovative cattle operations in the world! Fred uses computer patches on the cattle to check for heats to bred AI at the correct time, and with a 90% first bred conception rate, one can not argue that it's a waste of money! He has one cow, ole 147, who put him on the map. This cow is truly the best Maine Cow in the bred in terms of dollars generated and phenotype. He has sold over a million dollars worth of babies out of her, for real, and her offspring has won over a million and half dollars worth of prize money from the show ring. He was harvesting embroys from her when others where only learning about it. Now this past week, he has signed on board with a special company back East to provide him "Clones" of 147 in 21 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days from today! Jake and I are really excited about his operation and can't beleive it is right across the road from Mom's. Oh, so close, so I go and visit once in a while, just to be neighborly, and see what the latest and greatest is!! Needless to say, his theory is ... quality first, then numbers.. He was telling Jake and I the other day that he is so innovative that he just got through "visiting" with the Federal Boys over the last three years, and he had to write a glossary of terms for them so they could understand what his "Farm" does and what the product is... Now, that is cutting edge!
We kept Andrew this past Sunday while his momma and her mother in law and sister in law made their annual trip to T Town to shop. It was a blast. He and Jake are two peas in a pod!! He loves his Jake buddy... and they play very well together. Andrew and he have been playing games on the computer, and sometimes from listening, it is hard to figure out who is winning..haha..
Ann is off starting today, for the next two weeks. She is really happy to. It seems as time goes on, the Peter Principle takes hold even stronger with her office. She works for a multi milllion dollar company, that sends it's boss over seas on business trips with a big group of folks couple times a year, to places they do not do any business with. And it goes on and on... It is unbelieveable the waste in big business... ok, better quite for now about that.. haha..
Have not heard from Jon, Randi and Kaitlyn. I'm guessing they are still alive. Will see them over Christmas and am really excited about that! On their trip before last going home, they left here at dark thirty, and about 10:30pm our phone goes off, I answer and it's Jonathan... Well, dad, you only thought I might go to sleep.. let me tell you what an eventful trip home we had...(now this was still better than what the call could have been about!!!) He went on to tell about how a car parked on the side of the road seen at a distance by Jon, while rounding a curve, looked like it was parked in his lane.. (think we all have done this one!), and then later on near Strafford, they had a big bird, owl, probably fly into their car, and they had to stop in Strafford and clean off the car... yuck!! and WOW.. needless to say, Jon was wide awake when I was talking to him!!!
Paul is going on days for the first time in years at the SPD. He is really looking forward to it, but I bet he and the family will have some adjusting to do, but I bet in the end, they will love have Dad a home in the evenings... Andrew does love his daddy!! Andrew said "I have pigs at my house. I pet them. I feed them. we eat them" ... haha.. he understands!! Heather reported they will be having baby Boer Goats starting about the time she has Madison Ann... end of April or first of May. OH MY, ANN and I are REALLY excited about this deal of being grandparents... truly are!! But I goofed. I had Heather bring by her picture of Madison, and I messed it up when scanning it, so you guys will have to wait to see her till I get another scan of it in a few days..... but will post as soon as she brings her picture back by...
Ok.. this is too long.. Like they say on Fox news.. if this is not your cup of tea, turn the channel, or hit the off button. hahahah...
got to run, lots to do... want to end on this, Jake removed the old storage building south of our home that the storm messed up years ago, and sawed down a tree or two and made it look AWESOME!! He's wonderful!!!

What welcome mail today.....!!!

I received a letter from Uncle John Emmett Schmook today in the mail. How wonderful it is to get mail from family!! And distant family too!! He sent a note about the history of the Kieffer/Schmook family and it will be include in the kiddos Christmas gifts this year too. I think Ann's Cousin Connie is sending us a care package too. Got our family Shaklee December Newsletter from Bill Shaklee. How awesome he is to take time to put together such a great family news letter. He puts one out about 10 to 12 times a year, and really spends a lot of time on the history, and family updates as the family grows.. wow.. thanks Bill for all you do to keep the history going!! Thanks Uncle John for your great letter regarding the family history.
And by the way, my dearest Cortney.... have I got a deal for you. I have found gold. Some of your early pics from the farm... hahah.. just what Jeff needs to see.... now let's see, what do I put online first.. hummmmmmm..... hahahha...

Merry Christmas, one and all.... Enjoy the season!!

Wanted everyone to know there are.....

There are a lot of new "old family photos" online regarding the Shaklee Family History, Schmook and Kieffer, too.... In the album titled Shaklee Family Photos.. there are sub albums with even more photos.. and after the holidays, there will be even more photos.. when Uncle Mike comes down and trades with us... enjoy the season.. it's God's gift to us... to celebrate the birth of his Son!!

Finally getting to Ann's side of the family...haha..

Here in this one photo is a lot of Oklahoma, and Missouri History! In the picture on the back row are: Emmet Deforest Kieffer, John Anthony Poppa Jack Schmook, Honorable John Schook, and Alto H. Hickox Schmook. In the front row is Reuben Hickox, Mary Cathrene Schmook, Cora Faye Kieffer Schmook, Anna Billman Kieffer, and Mary Cathrene "Kate" Anthony Hickox.
Electric went off... darn it, lost all I had typed blow this... and trying to load pics.. wow.. oh well, could have been worse..haha.

The Honorable John Schmook is written up in the history books for Missouri and his works are housed in the Springfield, MO. Library. He had a long and eventful life as a circuit judge in MO. His son Poppa Jack, as he was known by those who knew him, was a very good influence on all he come in contact with. He attended Military school. He raise 3 great kiddos.. Mary, Peggy, and John Schmook, all went on to live very full and rewarding lives, each in their own way.

Reuben Hickox was the first Postmaster for El Reno, OK. He also was the one who made the motion to call Canadian County .. that Canadian County in an official meeting of the government. He also was with 2 other men when the idea came up to call El Reno .. that El Reno. One of the other men soon left the area and went to New Mexico and became that new states first Governor. He was many more things, too. Hickox Addition, where the old High School is, is the homestead of theirs.

Mary Anthony was the daughter of Elizabeth Calhoun, who was the daughter of the Honorable John C Calhoun, of PA.

Their daughter Alto was working in a bank at the age of 16 when one of the notorious gangs that ran in the area robbed it.

and on and on... Great folks, salt of the earth and it wa the best thing that happened to me, when Ms. Ann said yes to my proposal of marriage!

But if you look at the new pics of the Shaklee family album that I am loading on net now, you will see how her folks received that idea.. think they are the first ones in the album.. Her Mom and Dad using me for target practice... haha.. No way.. hehe...

This is a scanned photo of the Fred O. Shaklee family. Pictured in back row is: Harold, Thelma, and Don, and in the front row is Fred, Merwyn, and Ida Edith Shaklee. This was taken around 1936. Enjoy the day!
Posted by PCCPA

Note the year... even in the old days, there were "personal" want ads....

From the Star and Banner (Gettysburg, Pa.), 15 December 1854, page 3:

"IN THE MARKET"

A young man whose wants in every other particular have been supplied, desires to form a matrimonial alliance for the purpose of securing himself complete happiness. His vocation enables him to support a wife in a proper manner; and he fancies he can secure comfort to any one who will confide her welfare to his keeping. He is in his 25th year, a good height, and passably good looking. He desires a young lady younger than himself, equal in personal appearance, one possessing a good education, and who understands something about household affairs. Communications will be perfectly confidential. Address.

How would this story have been told with today's technology???

From the Edinburgh Advertiser (Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland), 14 December 1802, page 6:

DUBLIN, Dec. 6.

"By the storm and inundation on Wednesday and on Thursday, in addition to the calamities mentioned in our last, the Backs, Weirs, &c. at Old Bawn paper mills, are entirely swept away. Nearly an acre and a half of Mr. Wildridge's meadow, adjacent to the mills, has been severed from the rest by the violence of the flood, and carried completely off! Besides the bridges at Ringsend and Coal quay, formerly mentioned, the bridges of Lucan and Celbridge have also been destroyed.

"Patrick street, Plunket street, Ball-lane, &c. were inundated to a great depth, and articles of furniture were seen floating through them with the current. Boats constantly plying there during Friday, saving such as were in danger, and supplying others with provisions.

"As the different rivulets rushed into the Liffey from the mountains about Kilcullen bridge, the river rose to such an alarming degree in this place, that the country people who lived near the banks took every precaution to guard against impending danger; still, however, cattle, trees, roofs of houses, millwheels, and small boats were soon observed passing with the current; two houses beyond Celbridge were inundated and swept away; the people who dwelt in one of them, providentially quitted in an hour previous, but three brothers who lived in the house became victims to the fury of the flood!

"The Law Courts in Dublin were overflowed, and business was obliged to be adjourned. The room in which the Barristers' gowns and wigs were kept overflowed to the depth of four feet, and ever thing contained in it was destroyed. Every hour brings to our ears some new disasters occasioned by this extraordinary misfortune....


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yiddish saying................

Old age, to the unlearned, is winter; to the learned, it’s harvest time.

-Yiddish saying

And "Uncle Henry Ford" says.....

"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young."

--Henry Ford

How exciting.. opened up the ole email.. and a note from Cortney!!!

hi uncle stan! how are you doing? things here are going really well. i can't
believe christmas is almost here though!!! i have spent the past few
weekends trying to run around & do christmas shopping, buying a tree,
getting decorations and that kind of stuff. and the time is just flying by!

i will try to work on putting something together about my trip from italy. i
am still waiting on the pictures from my mom (i will swap copies with her
the next time we see each other) so that should help me some on taking notes
of what we did. so i will get on my assignment :)! and get back to you about
it. i don't mind if you put it online - i will just try to make sure i write
it so it all makes sense :).

and i mentioned to my mom that you wanted some of her family genealogy on
her side of the family. thanks for saying that you will add it to your
family genealogy and that you will send me a copy of it when it is done.
that would be great and i would appreciate it. thanks for giving me jon's
address again - it was the one that i had in my address book, i just wanted
to make sure my infor wasn't outdated. how are they doing with the new baby?
it must be such a huge change for them in their lives. are they getting any
sleep at night :)!?! i hope so.

i miss you all and send my love. take care and i will talk to you soon.
love,
cortney

and a second one too.....

hi again :). i just wanted to let you know that i forwarded this message
onto my mom's email so she can know all the specifics you needed on birth
dates & places and names so she will probably be getting in touch with you
about it all. (i also told her on the phone so she knows i emailed her :) ).
and you are right, her maiden name was servedio - i think that is the
correct spelling of it.

i am moving in this weekend - to jeff's. i kind of have already been there
the past two weeks but still need to get all my furniture moved in, which we
plan to do either friday or saturday of this weekend. i am excited about it.

hope all is well and i will talk to you later! please tell everyone hi for
me.
love,
cortney

OH... did I tell you guys that Heather called and this little ole sweet girl I used to have is going to have a baby....... yelp.. girl..hahaha Just wanted to share one of Heather's early pics with ya... enjoy the day!

IMPORTANT NEWS.... IT IS A ...........................

BREAKING NEWS..........


YES... IT'S A GIRL.... IT'S A GIRL.. IT'S A GIRL..... ANDREW WILL BE HAVING A SISTER JOIN THEM BEFORE LONG.. YA HOOOO.... IT'S A GIRL......

PAUL AND HEATHER BANKINSHIP WILL BE HAVING A GIRL JOIN THEIR FAMILY BEFORE LONG.. ANOTHER GRAND DAUGHTER.. HOW COOL..... ENJOY THE DAY....


JUST GOT THE CALL.. PICS WILL BE COMING SOON... YA HOO..

Look who dropped by last Friday night!! This is Heather Ann, her Mother In Law Joan Blankinship, and Andrew Paul Blankinship and Hannah Elizabeth Blankinship, Paul's brother's daughter! Just wanted to share!! Enjoy the day!

Andrew's Christmas Program this Friday night...

Friday 17th at 7:30

Andrew Paul Blankinship's Christmas Program will be at the Hillcrest Babtist Church; 902 North Washington Street; Stillwater, OK.


There will be a short program preformed by each class and then snacks and a visit from Santa...

Everyone is invited.... See you all there!

Heather

Welcome.......

The love of our neighbor in all its fullness simply means being able to say to him, "What are you going through?"

-Simone Weil

A Christmas Story, Enjoy~!

Click here to enjoy Santa's Story, Turn up the sound!!
Melanie sent this to us to enjoy!

How our family helped settle El Reno, and shape Oklahoma History!

Mary Catherine Anthony was born in Clearfield Co. July 28, 1853, and
married Reuben R. Hickox March 10, 1874. Mr. Hickox went to Indiana Territory in
1885 as agent for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians. He and his family were
in the "Run" with the "boomers" April 22, 1889, and were successful in landing a claim on which part of the city of El Reno now stands. They erected their canvas "tepee" or tent among a wild waste of prairie grass, where, now stands the red brick schoolhouse on Rock Island avenue, Hickox Addition. Rueben came up with the name for the county, Canadian, and was in the car with two others when the name El Reno came up and they decided to call the new town that... El Reno! He served as El Reno's first Postmaster.

These were "Poppa" Jack Schmook's mother and father. Ann's great grandfather and great grandmother.

These were the pioneers... and both sides of the Stan Moffat family have ancestors that are listed as just that... Pioneers of Canadian County, Oklahoma. What a deal, huh??? haha.. Enjoy the day! God's sending down his big ole smile in the way of beautiful sunshine this am...

A picture is worth a thousand words, especially a great one! This one says it all! .... ok, so I have taken ONE good pic in my whole life..haha.... enjoy the day!!!

Paul's memories......

I wanted to let you know that I somehow got on Mr. Odel's mailing list, and I have found it very interesting. It is not about our family, but his home is Yukon, same as what I call home. There is about 10 years difference in our ages, and the things he lived through, I can still remember my parents talking about! When I started school, and only then, did I come to realize other kiddos around me did not eat meat like we did. Some could not believe we had meat once or twice a day, or bacon, etc... I can remember Dad and Mom saying that ole OLEO would kill ya... so Paul and I shared a bit of history together. He went to Yukon Schools, and I did to for the first 7 years. He is now in a Vets home in Lawton, OK. and is morbidly obese.. I am close..haha.. I will not post all his things here, but only the ones that resemble my experiences. Enjoy!


Los Angeles 1941-1944
I was living in Los Angeles during the World War 11 days 1941 to 1944. My parents both worked for Lockheed Aircraft building P-38 bombers. At night every time a aircraft flew over the air raid sirens would go off and every one had to turn out their lights in their houses, pull the window blinds all the way down put out any cigarettes. There was an Air Raid Warden in every block and he better not see any type lights coming from your house. You would be arrested and pay a big fine. We went through this several times a night, The spot lights would go up on the Aircraft to identify it as friend or foe. Every household had pictures of friendly aircraft and unfriendly aircraft.

Everyone in the family had a ration book for that month. Every thing was rationed, meat, shoes, food, gasoline and sugar. You had to have a stamp for everything.

All of the beef, pork, chickens, bananas, sugar, most fruits, nuts, chocolate candy bars, especially name brands like Hershey bars, milky wave, snicker bars, butter fingers, chewing gum all went to the service men. A candy bar named ping came out during the war. If you had five cents you could buy any candy bar if they were available to civilian for five cents. Americans for

The first time learned to eat lamb that was just about the only meat you could by in the Grocery stores. Saturdays if you had a meat ration stamp you could stand in a long line in hopes that you could buy one beef roast. When the store start running out of roast those women would get into fights over who got the last of the roast.

After we moved off the ranch in New Mexico I never did see bacon, or real butter, Hershey bars, milky waves until we moved back to Yukon, Oklahoma in July of 1944. If you went to DUNNS GROCERY STORE in YUKON, OKLAHOMA at 7 a.m. you could buy a pound of bacon and a bunch of bananas and a pound of real butter. During the war they came out with white oleo that you had to add a package of colored powder and with your hands squesse that oleo until it was the color of real butter. Oleo was nasty tasting until you got oleo that looked like butter. That was nasty tasting stuff .

January 24, 1944 my only sister was born in a Hospital in Los Angeles, California on my parents 12th Wedding Anniversary. Grandma DOLLIE SANNER a friend of my Grandmother (ADDE ELIZA TICE) ODLE lived in Los Angeles with her son GEORGE SANNERS. She came to stay with us that week my mother was in the Hospital having a baby. We loved Grandma Sanners she would get down on the floor on her knees take a long piece of string and tie it¡¯s ends together and lay the string on the floor in a circle. We would but marbles in the center and she would shoot marbles with my brother BUD (ORVILLE LESTER ODLE) and me for hours. She would play rook cards and a card game called Flinch. One day that week in January 1944 Grandma Sanners and I was walking down first street past MIKE and ANNIES GROCERY STORE when to our surprise we saw one green banana in the store window priced at seventy five cents. We had not seen a banana since 1940. We kept walking by it and debating should we pay seventy-five cents witch was a lot of money back then for that green banana. We bought it and divided it into half¡¯s and ate it. I made a silent vowel to my self right then and there if I ever saw the day when bananas were plentiful again, I would buy them every day.

We lived in a brand new housing project called EL LISO VILLAGE it was about a block from the First Street Bridge in the roughest most dangerous part of Los Angeles. My best buddies were LARRY SMITH and LLOYD MORRIS. Larry was from Arizona and he moved with his parents after the war to Fontana, California. LLOYD MORRIS was from OKLAHOMA and he and his father JOHNNY MORRIS stayed in LA. LLOYD was in the Air Force the same time I was but I lost track of him. El LISO VILLAGE was built for government workers housing.

The picture shows would collect aluminum for the war drive. Back then your mother¡¯s cookware was aluminum your Grandma cooked out of cast iron or enamelware. You could bring one of your mom's aluminum kettles for the war drive and get in the picture show free, thus saving a dime. All that scrap metal went to build airplanes or ships.

Every one planted a ¡°VICTORY GARDEN,¡± in their front yard. By raising your own vegetables you helped the war effort. No one minded the sacrifices at home. Our Service Men and women were sacrificing their lives so we could live in freedom here in America. GOD BLESS OUR SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN. AND GOD BLESS OUR VETERANS!

By Paul L.Odle, Sr.

Lawton/Fort Sill Veterans Center
P.O. Box 849
Lawton, Oklahoma 73502
1-580-354-3287
1-580-512-4767

Paul_OdleSr@yahoo.com

yelp....

The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.

-William James

What a quote!!

You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sometimes in life....

Sometimes in life, things that make us the happiest, are the little things... that we don't even realize are occurring at the time! What a special moment this was, and you can see how special in Andrew's eyes! This photo was not staged, not set up! His face says it all! He is holding Hannah Elizabeth Blankinship, daughter of Chris and Jenniffer Blankinship, Cushing. Chis is Paul's brother, so Hannah is Andrew's cousin! Enjoy, the rest of the pics will be up later on!

I wanted to share this with family, as it is very special ..... about Fred O Shaklee, Harold O Shaklee's father!

From: Jerry and Connie LaGrow
To: Stan and Ann Shaklee

Got your email and will forward what I know later this weekend. Grandma's father's (Isaac J. Ward) barn is still standing east of North Enid. When I was a child he had this huge draft horses. His house was built back into a hill. You went in on the ground level and went out the back upstairs. There was a large wooden slat hammock swing between two trees in the front on the west of the house. I don't remember how old I was when he died but I do remember him and going to his house. Grandmother Shaklee (Ida Edith Ward Shaklee, Fred O's Wife, and Harold, Don, Mervyn, and Thelma's Mom) was the oldest of 4 or 5 girls and one brother. Grandma Edith was Grandpa's second wife. His first (Jessie L.Stebbins) died in child birth and her baby is buried in her arms in the cemetery in Enid. I have found the grave! Gm. had one sister that looked like her, Alma, she lived in Yukon and was probably closer to her than the others. There was Aunt Ethel, Aunt Maud Johnson, Aunt Mae, and Uncle Fred. Gm. loved to quilt and always had a quilt in her living room. She was the janitor of the Methodist church for years after Grandpa died and she lived in a house in Jet. She was a member of the Saline Lakeside Home Demonstration club. She was known in the church for her hot rolls and in the family for her macaroni and cheese. Gm. was a supporter of Oral Roberts and I took her over to the prayer tower once and she was awed by the sight of it and put her hand on the wall and said, "And to think that I helped build this with my offerings." She took a lot of flack from the family for her belief in his miracles.
Gm. also bought a lot of the small hymnals in the church with her tithe money. I saved one back for each of my kids with her hand writing in it. Gm.'s faith in her Savior made quite an impression on me! I can remember staying all night with she and Gp. and they always had their evening devotions before retiring to bed together and knelt on their knees beside their chairs for prayer.
She had one other child just slightly older than me but died when she was 5 years old. Her name was Mildred and is buried beside Gp. and her.
I will try and get some more information and mail it later. I hope this is what you kinda of wanted. I'll get her birth and death date later. If you have any information you could share with me I would appreciate it also about her or Gp. *Connie

*(LaGrow, Harold Shaklee's brother Don's oldest daughter, and Granddaughter of Fred O. Shaklee. Rec'd on 12/10/2004.)

Kaitlyn withdrawal time... yucky feeling... no Kaitlyn!!

Knew it was too good to be true, however, we will make it through this tough time. I know many of you are concerned about our condition, may have written in about it, talked with your family physician about our condition for us, studied hours on line looking for an answer, yet... we are starting to feel the pain really well! Yes, there will be no Kaitlyn this weekend. We will not get to see her for the first time on the weekend in 3 weeks!!! We will survive. We will endure!! We will pull through!! At least, we think we will!! What a day yesterday was... too. Jake off to help Uncle Mike. Ann kept Andrew, and he was a trooper! He really plays well by himself, and loves to watch the "good" cartoons on tv. He missed his Jake; however, he said "I can find those computer games, Grandpa", and I answered....... RIGHTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!! Later on, we had one of Grandma Moffat's Awesome HOMECOOKED meals... the kind that sticks to your ribs... haha like I needed it!! He cleaned up his plate, and then reported "I have long legs Grandpa", to which I replied, they only match the length of your tongue! Andrew's tongue was touching his nose the day he was born, I could not believe it.
Been working on some special Christmas projects. Not sure how special to others, but very special to me. I try to get up about 4 or so each am 7 days a week and have been doing this for about two months. It has taken me much longer than I thought, and been much more a labor of love and very rewarding for me. I have learned many things from this adventure, things I did not know throughout my 57+ years of life on this earth. Will write about this after Christmas.
Sorry, side stepped Andrew... haha.. Later in the evening Andrew's Grandma Joan and his mom Heather dropped in to pick him up, and, yes, my arm was twisted.. by Andrew's smile, as his cousin Hannah was with them, and I snapped a pic or two..haha, or three!! Will put those up later on today.
With Jake gone, our home is very quite!! And ole Marvin, our new yellow kitten that I named (sigh, can you tell...haha) is also spending the night at the Perkins Vet Clinic. Jake and Ann decided he needed to become a "nice" little boy kitten, so they took him to be ...... fixed!..... and also get his shots and his front nails removed. Glad my Great Grandma Moffat loved me enough not to "fix" me...hahaha... shu........ Goodness, don't tell her I said that! Anywho... Ann picks up ole Marvin this morning, and I bet he is ready to come home. Jake will be coming back tonight or in the am. One never knows with that boy when or what! He informed Ann and I he is never going to leave home, will stay and take care of us till we need help, then leave!! Little does he know how fast time will fly!
Now back to the original statement.. Kaitlyn is not coming up today.. darn... That pain is starting up again!! Jon, Randi, .... Kaitlyn.... haha... It really is awesome to have kids so close... all of them!!
Will try to update family birthday calendar with all the additions as I get them in. Sorry I missed Ky's, but did remember David and Kent Siegrist, and Austyn and Randi's this past week.
Have a great day everyone! We have a lot to be thankful for, but especially for this fact... God loves us, each and everyone! And in this season, we celebrate the love and birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, let's keep that in the front of what we are doing! Because he came, we are...! The celebration of the birth of the Saviour who gives us Eternal Life is awesome considering what HE gave us in return... Eternal Life everlasting, and forever!
Ok...off of soapbox, and no more sermons.. or rantings!!! Enjoy the day... it's gonna be awesome!!

Ky Shaklee turns 24 ..... or did turn 24 last Monday, Dec. 6th!

Ky, I messed up bad!! I had your birthday in the computer as june 12 instead of Dec 6... I was close! I have 6/12 instead of 12/6!! Guess it's an age thingy!!
Happy belated Birthday Ky!! Hope it was real special and you had a great day! May you have many many more! Hope you're having a great time in your new home in Nashville!! Tell Jade and Julia hi from all of us, too!!

Hey guys... Look who showed up in my email this evening... Really great to pop open the mail and discover a pic of family. This was taken at Ward and Melanie's Association Christmas Party. Thought we would pass it along and thank Melanie big time for sending it along!! .... Well my ole helper is off to Jet to work on fence with Mike on the land up there for a couple of days.. geeze, I might have to get off my large tail end and work.. oh no@@!!!! Enjoy... haha.. Oh by the way, a big happy birthday to another cousin.. Cousin Kent Siegrist has a big birthday in a few hours, and then all day Friday... Happy Birthday Kent, and many many more!! later guys..

Remembering a man.....

The best portion of a good man’s life: his little, nameless unremembered acts of kindness and love.

-William Wordsworth

Happy Birthdays go out to David Siegrist today and to Kent Siegrist on Friday.. Happy Birthday, Cousin's!

Wanted to send a shout out to my cousins Kent and David Siegrist this week. Today is David's big 44 birthday, and Kent's big ole 47th bithday is this coming Friday, December 10th. Hope you guys have a really special birthday and many many more. Please keep us up to speed on your dad's treatments in Californina, please?? Again, here's hoping from all of us to you two.. have a great birthday!! David in the center of Siegrist family photo and Kent to his right, our left. Enjoy!

Special neighbors, The Kastl's celebrating 60 years!

We wanted to send a special shout out to Payne County Cattle Producers and farmers Emil and Pauline Kastle on their 60th Wedding Anniversary! Congrats to you all. You have a lot to be proud of!! and we are proud of You all! The south side of the section we live on was part of the Kastl family. Emil's mom lived on it when our family purchased it from them in the summer of 1960. On September 1, 1960, we moved to Stillwater from Yukon, and began farming and dairying in Payne County. Emil's mom lived in the home now owned by Marilyn. They milked cows in the barn that is still standing and cooled milk in the stream behind the barn. They live about 1 and 1/2 miles south of us on Brush Creek Road. They have a nice family, and have worked hard with their farm and have a really nice operation. You can buy Kastl's Quality Beef, Stillwater Grain Fed online and through Oklahoma Food Cooperative.

Austyn Lee Moffat had a big number 5 Birthday party last night at his home before the OU Super Victory! What a great time had by all. Again, we are so lucky to have everyone close enough to be able to get together. We all know that as the family grows and gets more involved there will be less and less time for such deals, but for now.. it is awesome! Austyn had a good time and I think he and Andrew played quite well, especially when no one was around!! Happy birthday Austyn! love you bunches... many many more!!

Want to not miss out on that important date???

Do not know if it is widely known, but one can join the yahoo site and then sign in to our family calendar and find anyones birthday, and have it send you reminders of the event at different times ahead of time so you will have a little help remembering... Just click on our family calendar link on this site and it will help you through the process.

I am sure I am the only one who can not remember things, but just in case... sometimes a little help never hurt anyone!!

Later.. have a great day, and enjoy the roses!!

Happy Birthday Randi!!!

And while we are at it... the newest mom in our family, and mother of the most fantastic Granddaughter in the World, Ms. Randi, is celebrating a big birthday too. Randi's was on December 3rd, yelp, yesterday! Happy Birthday Randi.. love ya bunches and hope you had a great day. See you all later on today!!

Happy Birthday Austyn!!

Austyn turned 5 December 1st, and TODAY, we celebrate his birth. I am fired up!! Get to see his new toy that is as big as his home, he called on his bday night and was really excited about a big new toy he got that goes with Power Rangers, I think... I am not very versed in toys so bare with me, haha... Think it was a big space ship or plane.. anyway.... I get to see it tonight and play with it if I can get Jake away from it...haha.. Big party at Phil's this evening.. and then, we will watch, or some of us will watch OU beat Colorado, and win the Big 12 Championship, and then, only one step away from their winning the national championship in College Football... Stoops may be the highest paid coach in all of college football, but stop and think for one second what he could earn in corporate america! We are lucky he loves kids!! and education... and winning, and discipline... He walks where very few men ever walk, or even would walk if they could. Can you imagine the pressure.. whew!!!

This is the mighty monster Jake at Kansas City Royal. We showed there several years and got the kids always made the sale there, even Jake!! Jake even got on TV at this show, as he was the youngest in the ring at the time and they were taking a video for the KC news, and he was being a boy, enjoying things and looking around the and next thing you know, he was hugging the neck of his calf, loving on him, turning around with the steer backwards in the show ring, talking to the folks behind him and it was soooooo cute, they filmed it and next am, after we arrived back at the steers at 3am, we set in the truck and watched on the tv the film of "the cute boy from Oklahoma who loved to show!"

Jon is below and this is Heather Ann. She could out show 'bout anyone in showmanship and won lots of honors with her animals. She would honestly disappear in the show ring! She was awesome to watch show. I remember Denver, when her calf won it's class and she was the third calf in the sale order, i asked her what she was thinking in the showring while showing,and she remarked rather casually... it was cool to be from Perkins Schools and be standing in that spot!

Not sure this will work but am going to try. Here are 3 pics from our familys past. We lived on the road for almost 8 years on weekends. We had as many as 12 steers on feed, and lots of lambs and pigs over the years. Each kiddo showed at some time, and showed all species. I do not have pics of Phil in this deal, but he showed as well, just not at the big shows like we learned to do after he started, but he had the Supreme Champion Angus Heifer of Oklahoma at the Oklahoma Junior Angus showed when he started with a heifer we raised by accident.. haha.. long story. Enjoy the photos.. more coming later as I get time.

Amazing what one will find if one just looks around... haha, especially my office!! Here is a pic of 4 generations of the ole Moffat's. Me, Dad, Austyn and Phil. Austyn's Birthday was Dec 1st, and we will be celebrating it tomorrow night, before the big game!! Go Sooners!!! Ok, I know, enough of that...haha. The saga of stan... Jake continues to work me butt off!! Yesterday he and I went to Mom's to load up some new babies to take to the vet clinic to work and you know what. The old baby sitter cow who was watching the babies while the rest of the herd came in, decided the young babies did not need to go to town.. haha, so she stayed in the pasture and just smiled and continued to eat hay with the babies while the rest of the cattle come into the pen, and of course I am sure she really enjoyed watching Jake and I make fools out of ourselves to them, thinking we could out smart them. Long story short, calves 1 - Jake and I - 0! So we stopped that deal, picked up the new tag for the dually, then tired to get a haircut, but my barber now has banker's hours. Geeze, and he used to make fun of me and my hours!! I came home and worked on something I am trying to get done for kiddos for Christmas, and Jake changed a flat on the hay truck, went to Perkins to gather mineral and we decided to try some of the lazy man's feed, feed in a tub, for the weaned heifers, so he got two of those to try. He feed, and came home. He has been such great help this last summer and fall, I will truly be lost without him. He really loves messing with the cattle. I think he has us moving back into the club calf market. We are supposed to go look at some young bulls at Alpha Angus Ranch today for the heifers this spring. Also thinking of maybe trying AI or ET on them. Just not sure. We also need to chase some replacement bulls for cow herd but think we will get some cross breds, probably from neighbor who has the best in the world, or so it seems! They sure look great and don't have to drive around the world looking!! I also uploaded an album yesterday of Siegrist and Snethen items. There are tons more, these are some of things out of the one book I brought home. Will try to put under the pics the comments about what the pic shows. Can not hardly wait to eat dinner with Austyn tomorrow night celebrating his Bday, big number 5! Happy Birthday Austyn!!

To our extended family....

Mom sent home some more things for me to look at regarding the Snethen family that she has. I will try to get them scanned and post later on in the week, or over the weekend. Some really neat things, I think.

To the immediate family, I have a copy of the tape of Grandpa Siegrist and his stories of coming to America, etc. plus some other neat things to add too...

Jake worked me too death yesterday,

And I am tired!!

Jake and I sorted, moved, culled, and gathered up cattle in the am and hauled feed and mineral in the pm, then starting feeding, but that continues today, plus we have calves that need worked and are taking them to OSU Vet Clinic to be worked. Wish it was to Perkins Vet Clinic, but t'is not. If Jake keeps this up, he will make a hand out of me yet!

Then tomorrow we need to go look at bulls in the am and work on books in the pm.
Oh, my gosh, I am starting to sound like my mom...oh my goodness!!! haha... love ya Mom!

Jake and I gathered up lunch and ate with Grandma too. One of those brown bag deals from Sonic... Not nearly as good as Mom's cooking, but when we walked in at noon, she had not started lunch, and it looked pretty bleak for us to get lunch...haha.. so we did second best deal. We thought we'd get mineral at the Coop in Perkins, but they were out... I honestly do not know how that place stays in business. It's the darkest business in Perkins, and not very clean and they show zero respect for their customers.. almost like you are interrupting them when go there.. as you can tell, I hate going there. Enough on that!

Well, to start off today, the old farm feed wagon, Dad's ole rusty gray ford 4 wheel drive pickup has a flat on the front, so we get to fix that, and then it's off the circus called life.

smiling... wonder how Heather and Paul's new pigs are doing...hum. They got a couple to feed out and Andrew does not want to eat them cause he likes them... oh my!

I was going through some old family photos, so in the next week or so, as time allows, I will get more online of the kids showing their animals.. that was a big part of our lives, along with all the other activities.. but we loved our gypsy weekends.. In those days, one really worked to show cattle, etc. I am sure they still do, but in those days, one stayed up late at night cutting up sisal rope into fine pieces, gathering up all the needed supplies and you really dressed a calf, adding hair and fiber where needed and taking away where it was not. In some ways, I think a kiddo learned a lot more about their animals, the animals faults, etc and how to fix it and the next time they needed an animal, they remembered and looked for one without so many faults to correct... thinking out loud... kids would say I am rambling now.. so I'll sign off..

Have a great day, and enjoy the roses!!

What a wonderful day it has been with all the sunshine, after the "lil" ole snow storm we had. It has been many days without sunshine, and now... it's peaking through.
Andrew had a doctor's visit in OKC this am and Ann and Jake went along and with Heather and Andrew to get his ears checked after his surgery. All is A OK! And he is doing quite well. They ran by Farmers Grain in Edmond to get bird feed for Ann's Quakers and her wild bird feed. Our "out side" birds eat as well as we do, haha!!
Ann put up a little train that she got several years ago for Christmas in our living room and Andrew found it today and played and played with it. Our home really looks nice as Ann has done a great job (as usual) decorating it up for the season.
We ended up having a great long Thanksgiving … We ended up having three special meals with most of the family at each… wow, what a deal! But, I think Ann was ready for it to be over and get Christmas underway!!
We received a special note from our niece Cortney Shaklee, in Florida, who just got back into the country. She and her mom went to Italy for some R and R! They had a really special time and truly enjoyed the trip. I can not wait to see the pictures of their trip. What a wonderful opportunity to spend that much time with your family, and see the Old Country in the process.
About it for now. More later! Enjoy the day!

Well, we had the good fortune of having our second Thanksgiving Dinner today. WE had it at noon, because Great Grandmother Moffat said she would be here, and everyone showed up but HER!! hummmmmm oh well, maybe she didn't want to see Kaitlyn... yeah, right.. haha. Anyway, Grandmother Ann got to see her and hold her and right now Grandma and I are watching Kaitlyn while her mom and Dad and Jake run into town for a while. Isn't she growing??? wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have a great day! Oh, I have shared our web site with Tammy's 4th cousin today. Can not wait to hear from her again. She has lots of history on the family and even some copies of some pics.. wow!! Tammy is excited too! later...

Happy Thanksgiving one and all...!

Another Turkey Day come and went!!! I sure thought this photo sure told the truth about the day in lots of way. It's about getting together, sharing with those you love... and sometimes it's the little things, like the hand on the shoulder that seem to mean the most! Amazing how simple life can be sometimes, if we just take a bit to "smell the roses". And the roses were a bloom at our home this holiday. Lots of things to be thankful for this year. Yes, even in the mist of all the things we lost, there are wonderful things that are telling us how wonderful life is, and how fortunate we are to be alive, and living in the great USA! I among men am very richly blessed. I have one of the most awesome family's in the universe. God blessed me with the most wonderful woman on the face of the earth to stand by my side through thick and thin, and sometimes the really thin... and I love her deeply, and know that I am loved in return. I have four of the greatest kids in the world. They are richly talented, amazing smart, and great people kids who love to live life to the fullest, while helping others!! And then, how often does this happen. I have amazing son and daughter in laws! Again, they are richly talented, amazingly smart, and truly special, each in their own way. Again, I am richly blessed. And then I have three very special grandchildren who each are terrific in their own right. Each has something unique about them that makes them endearing to me, and I love them very much.
And I blessed with a great Mom, no other mother on the face of the earth could put up with me, yet she can. She gives me strength to go on, courage to face the tough times, and guides me by her actions to better things. And a super sister, and even though I lost my father this year, I had a chance to tell him the one thing I had put off all my life. On one of our last drives, we stopped the pickup and I told him he was the best father any kiddo could ever hope to have. He was simply simply simple and yet amazing in his own right. I told him that because of him, I am. And he understood... He is gone, yet on this day of Thanksgiving, I knew he was with us. You could see him in the sunshine that blessed this day, feel his arms around you in the wind that wrapped around our bodies this afternoon, and hear his laughter throughout our family all day long, and feel his spirit in my office as I send this note.
Yes, some are gone, others are new, and one is on the way.. but truly, Ann and I are richly blessed to be the parents of one of the greatest familys in the world!! We love you each and every one!
Have a great day.. and some pics are up now from today.. and Jonathan and Randi are coming up tomorrow to be with us.. so more after that too.. we get to see Jon, Randi and Kaitlyn.. can not wait!!! Enjoy the day!

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

Recited by: Doc Quinn To listen click here



Cowboy's Prayer
I was moping around the outer corrals
of a friend of mine's ranch one day.
When I seen this old gray haired cowboy,
kneel down to the ground to pray.

He said, "Good morning Sir, it's just me again,
and I reckon I'm feeling alright,
except yesterday's heat hung on for quite a spell
and I didn't sleep much late last night.

But, I thought I'd stop and kinda talk awhile
just to let you know I'm still around.
I haven't accomplished a lot lately Lord,
I'm just trying to hold this cow job down.

Now you know how it is in the cow game Lord,
when the moisture all leaves the ground.
The grass all dies and the sand starts to blow
and it kinda of keeps the calf crop down.

Ya see, the water holes are nearly dried up Lord
and the cattle's getting thinner somewhat,
but, five or six days of good heavy rain
it'd sure help out a mighty lot.

Now I ain't got no favors to ask for myself,
I reckon things are alright by me,
except that climb to my saddle gets higher everyday
or maybe my knees are getting weak.

So excuse me Sir for taking up your time
but I had a few things to say,
we could sure use a little bit of moisture Sir
if you'd care to send a little bit our way."

Well I slowly turned and I walked away
and I stepped thru the door of a shed,
and I was down right ashamed for standing so quite
eaves-dropping the way that I did.

Just to think this old man, just a common hard hand,
although he never asked a thing for himself,
yet he knelt and talked to God like a friend
as he prayed for somebody else.

Well, we missed that old man at breakfast next morn
when he didn't sit down to his plate
and when we went to the bunkhouse we'd found him dead
but he died with a smile on his face.

And if you should wonder if this story is true
or if maybe it's just a refrain,
when we buried that old cowboy that same afternoon
it had already started to rain.
© Doyle R. Quinn I 1963

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all~~!!

Clinton and Joanna sent this link along and it is AWESOME!!!

The song that silenced the cappuccino machine!!!!

It was chilly in Manhattan but warm inside the Starbucks shop on 51st Street and Broadway, just a skip up from Times Square. Early November weather in New York City holds only the slightest hint of the bitter chill of late December and January, but it's enough to send the masses crowding indoors to vie for available space and warmth.

For a musician, it's the most lucrative Starbucks location in the world, I'm told, and consequently, the tips can be substantial if you play your tunes right. Apparently, we were striking all the right chords that night, because our basket was almost overflowing...............

To finish this wonderful story, you need to click here, and you will be glad you did!

Submitted by Paul Odle.... Yukon, OK.

A dietitian was once addressing a large audience in Chicago. "The material we put into our stomachs is enough to have killed most of us sitting here, years ago.

Red meat is awful. Soft drinks erode your stomach lining. Chinese food is loaded with MSG. Vegetables can be disastrous, and none of us realizes the long-term harm caused by the germs in our drinking water.

But there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all and we all have, or will, eat it. Can anyone here tell me what food it is that causes the most grief and suffering for years after eating it?"

A 75-year-old man in the front row stood up and said, "Wedding cake"

Rec. a note from Ward and Melanie and wanted to share it with everyone....

"How is everyone doing and we hope your winter doesn't set in too early. We made it thru the last hurricane OK. Since I was late getting home from work, and by the time I finished putting plywood up, the wind was already blowing about 25-35 mph. We decided to stick it out and not take the risk of driving in an approaching storm. Didn't get any sleep all night until about 5:30 am when it looked like the worst was over us. Fortunately in our area all the utilities are underground and we did not loose power during any of the storms. Some of our friends were without power for several weeks.

Damage on the beach side was significant and lots of places still closed or condemned. Further south was where the brunt of the storm caused real devastation. Some of our friends on the beach side lost a section of their roof on the first night and when they got back Monday it was a mess. About 16 folks went over and helped tear out their ceilings, dry wall and carpets. Only one room was still liveable. Problem here in Florida is that once moisture gets into the attic, the mildew and mold literally blooms overnight and you have a major problem on your hands. Only a few houses in our development had roof damage and they were on the east side of the development.

In just a few days the hurricane season will be over and we are so very happy for the end of this season. Lots of folks reassessing where they want to live and lots of retirees questioning if they should move a ways north.

We hope that all is going well and we send our love and prayers. So glad the election results were favorable for President Bush. It was amazing how much misinformation was posted by the large broadcasting companies. What is really amazing is that so many people still get all their news from them. Saw so much bogus info on Iraq that it was nauseating. Have several folks in our group who just came back and they said that our news doesn't accurately depict the progress and conditions overseas. Tough on our troops if they think their nation is trying to undermine their good works.

Say hi to everyone and keep in touch. Take care; Ward and Melanie"
(Shaklee,Melborne, FL., Ann's brother and sister in law)

Now if we could just get some pictures from them!! haha... maybe in a bit, huh????

It was great to get this note from them. And we all are relived they did not have much damage. We had sent several notes but knew they were busy helping others get their lives back. Ward and Melanie are true givers, always ready to help others at the drop of the hat.

Enjoy the day!!

K. Melanie sent this link along.. fun, check it out!

Don't Worry, Be Happy! Click on the link to view it.

This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan.

T'was the night before .......

T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY, AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND SOON DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL,
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

Pass it on!

Sent in by Heather.. The Little Things!

After Sept. 11th, one company invited the remaining members of other
companies who had been decimated by the attack on the Twin Towers to share their
available office space.

At a morning meeting, the head of security told stories of why these people were alive... and all the stories were just:

The 'L I T T L E' things .

As you might know, the head of the company survived that day because his son started kindergarten.

Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts.

One woman was late because her alarm clock didn't go off in time.

One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike because of an auto accident.

One of them missed his bus.

One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change.

One's car wouldn't start.

One went back to answer the telephone.

One had a child that dawdled and didn't get ready as soon as he should have.

One couldn't get a taxi.

The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That is why he is alive today.

Now when I am stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to answer a ringing telephone... all the little things that annoy me. I think to myself, this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment..

Next time your morning seems to be going wrong, the children are slow getting dressed, you can't seem to find the car keys, you hit every traffic light, don't get mad or frustrated; God is at work watching over you.

May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little things and may you remember their possible purpose.

Twas a special night Sunday night. What an awesome day! Paul and Heather had some feeder pigs delivered to them, uhmmm good deal! Phil, Tammy and Austyn became members of Lost Creek Church, and Austyn was baptized. Jon and Randi and Kaitlyn were on time for last nights get together in Shawnee.. (Yes, this is a big deal, as Jon is as bad with time as Bill Clinton!), Jake got our cattle fed so we could make the trip last night, and last evening, probably the best anniversary get together Ann and I have ever had! Everything was just right, and every one came, and the place we chose did not run us out ... Here is a pic of a very happy Grandma and Kaitlyn... The new pics are being uploaded right now, and there are a bunch of short videos from last night.. enjoy!!!

It happened not too long ago......

President Kennedy was shot in Dallas, Nov. 22, 1963

Austyn was baptized today at church.

A big day today on the ponderosa... Today is Kaitlyn's 1 month birthday, Ann and I's wedding anniversary, Austyn was baptized, Phillip and Tammy and Austyn joined Lost Creek United Methodist Church, which is half way between Perkins and Stillwater in the country, and half way between where we live and where mom lives (we had Dad's funeral there). We are really proud of them for joining and of Austyn being baptized.
Looks like our kiddos and Ann and I may get together this evening for a small family thing for our anniversary. It is so very hard to get just the kids together anymore since each has family and that family is growing, but Ann and I understand. It's really neat when we can get everyone together. And we are so very proud of each kiddo's family! What a deal.. but enough about me, how bout YOU? How is your day going? Hope all is well with you and yours! Enjoy the day.

Andrew stayed with us all day Friday and he and the kitten had a ball. He was doing magic with the kitten and all of a sudden he could not find the kitten and went to looking for him... ta daa.. the kitten was looking for him...haha... new pics and photo albums have been added for your viewing pleasure.... enjoy!!!

Wanted to take a second of your time to let you all know there are new pics and video, some of the old video that was left off of new list, now online. I used this photo because of several things that are important today! First, it is Kaitlyn's 1 Month birthday today, how cool, and Jon has a new album online. Another is that Austyn Lee Moffat will be baptisted at Lost Creek United Methodist Church today, and his Dad and Mom, Phil and Tammy, are joining the church, I think... so I hear through the grapevine... and last but not least, this is our wedding anniversary, and that is awesome in it's own right. Ann and I have been married since 1972, yelp, 32 years. Not sure how in the world I found someone as neat, loving and caring as Momma Ann, but she is the light of my life, and I am so thankful she chose to be my wife. I know it's not been easy, but I am forever greatful of her love. And I love her dearly! All for now, enjoy the day!

Found this photo of Mom and Dad.. thought I would share it with you all... enjoy the day!
Posted by PCCPA

From the Burlington Weekly Hawkeye (Burlington, Iowa), 28 November 1863

Clipping of the Day

From the Burlington Weekly Hawkeye (Burlington, Iowa), 28 November 1863, page 3:

DEDICATION OF GETTYSBURG CEMETERY.--The New York Dailies of Friday last contain accounts of the ceremonies at the dedication of the soldiers cemetery on the battlefield of Gettysburg. The crowd was great, the ceremonies imposing. The Oration of Mr. Everett was such as might be expected from his master mind. It is very long, and its deliver must of course have delighted all who heard it.

The dedicatory address of the President was brief and, as we think, most happily conceived. We print it below in full:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this Continent a new Nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. [Applause.] Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that Nation or any Nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure.--We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We are met to dedicate a portion of it as the final resting place of those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. it is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our power to add or detract. [Applause.] The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. [Applause.] It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work that they have thus far so nobly carried on. [Applause.] It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here shall highly resolve that the dead shall not have died in vain [applause]; that the nation shall, under God, have a new birth of freedom; and that Governments of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth. [Long continued applause.]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: Today marks the 141st anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. For more information on this historic speech, see: Today in History, November 19: Gettysburg Address (Library of Congress, American Memory)

The One Dollar Bill, submitted by Uncle Ivan Moffat, El Reno, OK. Thanks for sending...

ONE DOLLAR BILL

Take out a one dollar bill, and look at it. The one dollar bill you're looking at first came off the presses in 1957 in its present design. This so-called paper money is in fact a cotton and linen blend, with red and blue minute silk fibers running through it. It is actually material. We've all washed it without it falling apart. A special blend of ink is used, the contents we will never know. It is overprinted with symbols and then it is starched to make it water resistant and pressed to give it that nice crisp look. If you look on the front of the bill, you will see the United States Treasury Seal. On the top you will see the scales for a balanced budget. In the center you have a carpenter's square, a tool used for an even cut. Underneath is the Key to the United States Treasury. That's all pretty easy to figure out, but what is on the back of that dollar bill is something we should all know.

If you turn the bill over, you will see two circles. Both circles, together, comprise the Great Seal of the United States. The First Continental Congress requested that Benjamin Franklin and a group of men come up with a Seal. It took them four years to accomplish this task and another two years to get it approved. If you look at the left-hand circle, you will see a Pyramid. Notice the face is lighted, and the western side is dark. This country was just beginning. We had not begun to explore the West or decided what we could do for Western Civilization. The Pyramid is uncapped, again signifying that we were not even close to being finished. Inside the capstone you have the all-seeing eye, an ancient symbol for divinity. It was Franklin's belief that one man couldn't do it alone, but a group of men, with the help of God, could do anything.

"IN GOD WE TRUST" is on this currency. The Latin above the pyramid, ANNUIT COEPTIS, means, "God has favored our undertaking." The Latin below the pyramid, NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM, means, "a new order has begun."
At the base of the pyramid is the Roman Numeral for 1776. If you look at the right-hand circle, and check it carefully, you will learn that it is on every National Cemetery in the United States. It is also on the Parade of Flags Walkway at the Bushnell, Florida National Cemetery, and is the centerpiece of most heros monuments. Slightly modified, it is the seal of the President of the United States, and it is always visible whenever he speaks, yet very few people know what the symbols mean.

The Bald Eagle was selected as a symbol for victory for two reasons: First, he is not afraid of a storm; he is strong, and he is smart enough to soar above it. Secondly, he wears no material crown. We had just broken from the King of England. Also, notice the shield is unsupported. This country can now stand on its own. At the top of that shield you have a white bar signifying congress, a unifying factor. We were coming
together as one nation. In the Eagle's beak you will read, "E PLURIBUS UNUM," meaning, "one nation from many people."

Above the Eagle, you have thirteen stars, representing the thirteen original colonies, and any clouds of misunderstanding rolling away. Again, we were coming together as one.

Notice what the Eagle holds in his talons. He holds an olive branch and arrows. This country wants peace, but we will never be afraid to fight to preserve peace. The Eagle always wants to face the olive branch, but in time of war, his gaze turns toward the arrows.


They say that the number 13 is an unlucky number. This is almost a worldwide belief. You will usually never see a room numbered 13, or any hotels or motels with a 13th floor. But think about this: 13 original colonies, 13 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 13 stripes on our flag, 13 steps on the Pyramid, 13 letters in the Latin above, 13 letters in "E Pluribus Unum," 13 stars above the Eagle, 13 bars on that shield, 13 leaves on the olive branch, 13 fruits, and if you look closely, 13 arrows. And, for minorities: the 13th Amendment.

I always ask people, "Why don't you know this?" Your children don't know this, and their history teachers don't know this. Too many veterans have given up too much to ever let the meaning fade. Many veterans remember coming home to an America that didn't care. Too many veterans never came home at all.

Share this page with everyone, so they can learn what is on the back of the UNITED STATES ONE DOLLAR BILL, and what it stands for... Otherwise, they will probably never know...

Austyn out in the yard playing with Andrew last friday night. I thought the light was interesting and expecially how it was making his jacket really yellow, and the shadows.. etc. Enjoy.. have a great day!

Caught the boys messing around Friday night, and Andrew telling Austyn about his day at school, and also, how the SuperHeros make things happen...

Forgot to mention that Jake hitched up the ole pickup and loaded up his Mom and Grandma Moffat, and headed off into the wild Northwest... (Oklahoma) last Friday to gather up parts for the 970 Case Tractor that lost it's front end last summer... (Never too soon, haha!). They had a great trip, went to Meno, OK to Sturgis to gather up the parts, and had lunch, thanks to Uncle David Shaklee, at his favortie pizza place, along with Uncle Mike Shaklee. Great time was had by all, the parts were not as expensive as expected, and the pizza was the best!! Thanks Dave and Mike!! Now if we can find a time when it's not raining to get into the field to get the tractor back together... haha... Pic shows the problem with the front end ...haha.. T'was a fast stop! No one hurt!

Only Mrs. Moffat's Baby Boy could do this...

Just when Mrs. Moffat's baby boy has things going good with new daughter and all, and is going to get his college degree, and he has it all lined out... he shares this amazing story with us... check it out! Only Mrs. Moffat's Baby Boy could do this... hahahahaha.. love ya Jon, too good to miss ... haha.. Jon had just shared this story with us, complete with picture... haha..

Here's the deal.. read the next post, pardner... and then..... Just Do It!!!

Get the word out.

Get the word out. We are significantly behind in the poll!!Go to

http://www.cottonbowl.com

and Vote for Oklahoma State to play in the Cotton Bowl.

Brett Owen Fields, Welcome to the world!!

Brett Owen, with Mom and Dad, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Fields, our neighbors to the west. Bruce was a pallbearer for Grandpa Moffat, and worked and helped Oscar and Elinore Moffat for since he was dry behind the ears!! Congrat's to the Fields on the newest Sooner Fan! Photo from hospital website.

Andrew even wanted to have a turn at holding Kaitlyn, and so he did. He liked it for a bit.. but then decided it might be more fun if she was older.. haha.. Enjoy!!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Austyn before Kaitlyn wanted to be changed. Do you think he is proud of her. I think soo...~~!! His first time to hold her and he did very good!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Austyn in training... as Kaitlyn's Mom and Dad change Kaitlyn, Austyn is practicing on a Teddy Bear with a diaper. He did good!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Uncle Paul Blankinship, Husband of daughter Heather Ann holding his new niece, Kaitlyn. What a deal, she looked up at him and winked!! Bet she has him eating out of her hand shortly..!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

and Grandma Moffat has a turn too... for those from the Snethen family.. Mom is Elinore Mae Snethen Siegrist Moffat! She is the daughter of Maude Clifton Snethen and grand daughter of James Bartlett Snethen. She is holding her first Great Granddaughter Kaitlyn Brooke Moffat of Roff, OK., daughter of Jonathan and Randi Moffat. Jonathan is Elinore's Grandson and son of Stan. Sorry to be redundant, but lots of new family looking in and wanted to share who is who with them too.
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Lookie here who come to visit yesterday... oh my goodness, she is a sweetie! Grandma and I and all our family got together to visit with Kaitlyn and her Mom and Dad! What a deal to have a family that can all get together on such short notice, for such an important lady!! Our thanks to all, and to the cooks who made the noon meal special by cooking out!!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Clipping of the Day

Clipping of the Day

From the Freeborn County Standard (Albert Lea, Minnesota), 15 November 1877, page 2:

A million and fifty-five thousand men are reported to be on the military register of the German government. Of this number 398,000 are upon the so-called black list, for not having served, including 190,000 who have left the country to avoid serving. It is estimated that one German in every eight expatriates himself to avoid military service.

One of my most favortie poems...

Thought for Today

A Stumbling Block or a Stepping Stone
Isn't it strange that Princes and Kings
And clowns who caper in stardust rings,
And common people like you and me
Are builders for eternity?
Each is given a set of tools,
A shapeless mass, and a book of rules,
And each must make, ere life has flown,
A stumbling block or a stepping stone.

--R. L. Sharpe

Ok.... no more meetings with Grandma....haha...

I am suffering from Loser's Limp today. Seems we went to a meeting with Grandma last thursday night and did not win a thing. Mom always wins something.. always... but nope not at the cattlemen's meeting in Payne County last Thursday night... not a thing.. so let's not do that anymore...haha..
but a good time was had by all. Great food, good meeting... but entirely tooooooooo long!!! And we think they forgot to tell the Dinner Music .. they were "background" music.. they were so loud one could not visit with anyone without yelling.. but I bet these things are fixed next year... overall good deal.
Saw lots of old friends, neighbors... Mom enjoyed it too...

Later.. Enjoy the day!

Kaitlyn is going to stop in today and visit... ye..haw

OH BOY... Kaitlyn is coming up today... Ye haw.... Kaitlyn's Great Aunt Debbie wanted to hold her again so the kiddos are going to visit her and then they will stop in for a bit to see us, and eat lunch. But what a blessing it will be to see her again, no matter how short the time! Soon, there will be three grandkiddos in our home... oh boy oh boy....
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

In honor of our distinguished Veterans, we honor you this day! May God continue to bless you, and bless America.

Ragged Old Flag
I walked through a county courthouse square,
On a park bench an old man was sitting there.
I said, Your old courthouse is kinda run down.
He said, Naw, it'll do for our little town.

I said, Your flagpole has leaned a little bit,
And that's a Ragged Old Flag you got hanging on it.
He said, Have a seat, and I sat down.
Is this the first time you've been to our little town?

I said, I think it is. He said, I don't like to brag,
But we're kinda proud of that Ragged Old Flag.
You see, we got a little hole in that flag there
When Washington took it across the Delaware.

And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin' at its seams.
And it almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on though.

She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on that Ragged Old Flag.

On Flanders Field in World War I
She got a big hole from a Bertha gun.
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp and low a time or two.

She was in Korea and Vietnam.
She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam.
She waved from our ships upon the briny foam,
And now they've about quit waving her back here at home.

In her own good land she's been abused --
She's been burned, dishonored, denied and refused.
And the government for which she stands
Is scandalized throughout the land.

And she's getting threadbare and wearing thin,
But she's in good shape for the shape she's in.
'Cause she's been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more.

So we raise her up every morning, Take her down every night.
We don't let her touch the ground And we fold her up right.
On second thought I DO like to brag,
'Cause I'm mighty proud of that Ragged Old Flag.
Written by Johnny Cash

Thank you for all your sacrifices, for standing your ground, and for believing in this great country and us, enough to risk it all to defend it's honor and prestige among the nations of the world. We honor you this day!

Some awesome news from Jonathan.....

Be sure to check out his NEWS by clicking on this link ... I am so proud of you Jonathan!!!

The Wheat at Marilyn's is really coming up nicely.
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

sorry for the picture not being bigger of Mom, but the cattle in the picture are part of her pride and joy!! BUT, nothing tops this... Here is MOM at 85, carrying two post at a time to the ditch... This was about 100 yards and she made several trips, two post at a time and if you know Mom.. she steps it off pretty fast... What an afternoon... Mom leading Jake and I by example.. and Marilyn telling us she was a supervisor and as such did not need to do physical labor... that's why she had Mom, Jake and I... haha... all in fun.. I think?!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Also, yesterday, Jake and I helped Marily and Mom fix fence at Marilyn's. T'was an afternoon of fun! I promised Mom I would take a pic of her working on fence at 85... Here she explains to Jake how to correctly attach the wire... or maybe they were just visiting.. anyway... we did get the fence fixed! yeah...
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Yesterday.... the "5 Desperado's" pictured here, were caught! haha.. These "bad girls" of Moffat Farms thought they did not need to stay in the fences, and were constantly visiting the good burmuda grass hay field nearby on our land. Finally had time to trap them in the pasture and fix the fence. I thought it was cool... how they lined up on the pond dam and watched me "fence" them in... Today will see if I can fix fence correctly... or not! time will tell...
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

This new tool, called "My Family Health Portrait" can be downloaded for free ...

U.S. Surgeon General's Family History Initiative
Health care professionals have known for a long time that common diseases - heart disease, cancer, and diabetes - and even rare diseases - like hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, and sickle cell anemia - can run in families. If one generation of a family has high blood pressure, it is not unusual for the next generation to have similarly high blood pressure.

Tracing the illnesses suffered by your parents, grandparents, and other blood relatives can help your doctor predict the disorders to which you may be at risk and take action to keep you and your family healthy.

To help focus attention on the importance of family health history, U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., in cooperation with other agencies within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a national public health campaign, called the U.S. Surgeon General's Family History Initiative, to encourage all American families to learn more about their family health history.

In addition to the Office of the Surgeon General, other HHS agencies involved in this project include the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

National Family History Day

Surgeon General Carmona has declared Thanksgiving 2004 to be the first annual National Family History Day. Thanksgiving is the traditional start of the holiday season for most Americans.

Whenever families gather, the Surgeon General encourages them to talk about, and to write down, the health problems that seem to run in their family. Learning about their family's health history may help ensure a longer future together.

My Family Health Portrait

Americans know that family history is important to health. A recent survey found that 96 percent of Americans believe that knowing their family history is important. Yet, the same survey found that only one-third of Americans have ever tried to gather and write down their family's health history.

Because family health history is such a powerful screening tool, the Surgeon General has created a new computerized tool to help make it fun and easy for anyone to create a sophisticated portrait of their family's health.

This new tool, called "My Family Health Portrait" can be downloaded for free and installed on your own computer.

The tool will help you organize your family tree and help you identify common diseases that may run in your family.

When you are finished, the tool will create and print out a graphical representation of your family's generations and the health disorders that may have moved from one generation to the next. That is a powerful tool for predicting any illnesses for which you should be checked.

For information on other activities of the Office of the Surgeon General, please visit www.surgeongeneral.gov.

Clipping of the Day.. Nov 10, 1824

Clipping of the Day

From the Adams Centinel (Gettysburg, Pa.), 10 November 1824, page 3:

Something new in Pennsylvania.--
A woman by the name of Nancy James, was indicted at Philadelphia, for being a common scold, tried and found guilty, and has been sentenced to be placed in a Ducking Stool, and plunged into the water. The sentence was to be executed on Wednesday last. This punishment for scolding women is rare in our state; but, as it is getting into fashion, we would advise those of the "gentler sex" who have a propensity to "wars of words," to be cautious, lest they go beyond the latitude allowed to "females in the Kitchen."

Since the above was in type, we learn, that an appeal has been made to the Supreme Court, to decide upon the constitutionality of the sentence.--There is no doubt it is sanctioned by a law of the land; but whether it may not clash with a provision in the Constitution, that "cruel punishments shall not be inflicted," is the question now to be determined.

~~~~~~Thank goodness times have changed....or have they..hummmmm haha.....

Uncle Ivan has clean bill of health .... yeah...

Even Andew is "tuning up" to spread the news... Uncle Ivan has a clean bill of health from the last series of test at Mercy Hospital in OKC!!! Whoa Hoooo!! This is great news!! I am sure Aunt Freda and Uncle Ivan are very relieved, as are all of us! ....

Looks like another busy day on the old farm. Yesterday Jake and Grandma Moffat and I helped Marilyn replace a bit of fence that washed out during the "rains of the summer of 2004"! We did get the fence replaced, even with my trying to turn over the Ford! Yelp, all by myself!! Forgot how things work in the mud up here in Payne County after it rains.. like the RED CLAY soil is really slick!! So the tractor ended up with 2 inches of the back tire setting on top of the 4 foot straight down creek. I was even afraid to get in on the side next to the creek. Told Jake and MK there was at least a 60% chance it would turn over. Jake got the John Deere and with DAD reminding me in spirit about using the front end loader to help me as Jake pulled me backwards, we got it out without much of a problem. Just a few heart felt moments, and we owe a big thanks to Dad for "reminding" me! I knew he was in heaven watching over us, this just refreshes my knowledge!

Today, Jake is heading out to cut trees in fence rows, and trim up some, and I am headed to move some replacement heifers to MK's for Mom, and then move some of mine onto the 80 east of Mom's, with some of our other ones. All I know for now.

Will try to take some pictures of the great stand of Wheat on the Kastle Place. One of the best stands I have ever seen, at least in the top 5 in the 44 years I have seen Wheat on it! Judges did good. Guess we never had expensive enogh equipment to grow that kind of wheat, haha! All for now, enjoy the day!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

I like the dreams for the future...

I like the dreams for the future better than the history of the past.

- Thomas Jefferson

The state of your life ...

The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your state of mind.

- Dr. Wayne Dyer

The boys playing at Phillip's Birthday Dinner last evening. They really play good together for a while.. then they became tired... and short wired! Hey, You know.. I am a proud grandpa! Got to show the boys too... shame we don't get to see Kaitlyn Brooke very much, but guess we will just have to accept it. Jon and Randi could not come up as Randi's family was having their Thanksgiving Dinner this weekend. I think we will get to see them for about an hour I heard on Thanksgiving as Randi's folks will be having another Thanksgiving too. Life goes on... and on! Enjoy the day..
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

We gathered last evening in Phil and Tammy Moffat's home to celebrate his birthday, number 35 I believe, wow, no wonder I am feeling old... haha. A great time was had by all. T'was a great meal, and good fellowship. The two cousins even got along for a bit, before the length of the day caught up with them and they started getting tired. Phil received some great gifts, but in the end, the folks who came may have received the best deal, one awesome meal!!! Happy Birthday Phil. I know today is really it, so Happy Birthday to ya!!! But as the evening progressed, we discovered we had a couple of other accompishments to celebrate too!!!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Another look'ie here...... Tammy Moffat received her Teacher's Certificate from the Oklahoma Department of Education this past week! She can teach P-3 and then can also teach a couple of subjects in 9 - 12 grade. She is quite the homemaker and between her and Phil, their home is full of special things they have made over the years. I am so very proud of her, and Phil. They both decided to get their college degrees after they were married, and each did so, both graduating from OSU!! Tammy is one of the best cooks in Payne County, and has entered blue ribbon winning items in the County Fair, and other competitions. She will make a great teacher, if she decides to work in that field. The kiddos would be lucky to have her as their teacher!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Look'ie here! Sure was hard to get this fine young lady to stand still last night to get the photo... you know Marilyn, always on the go, but I finally cornered her and got her to stand still long enough!! Marilyn received the Distinguished Service Award, one of the highest achievements one can receive from OSU! You would not know she is one of the biggest supporters of OSU sports, and is one of the key employees at the Boren Vet. Teaching Hospital, located on the OSU campus. She has been employee there throughout her life, and I know from many of the Vets that teach and work in the field, that she is one of the most valued and respected employees at that facility. I know if you asked her what her job is, she would tell you exactly what her title is and what her responsibilities are, but I ALSO know you can find her leading tours, working on the landscape in front of building, helping shuffle the vets around during their conferences, working booths, and many many other tasks! She is very respected and one of the hardest workers on staff. She would never tell you this as she is very modest and humble, but I know personally, because of my dealings with lots of the folks who work there. And I am very proud of her and her accomplishments! Just wanted to share with everyone!!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)