St.Mary's Church

Check out the virtual tour of our new church! It is so exciting.

Remember, our church burned in a fire February 26, 2008.

Some interesting facts about the new church:

• Additional seating for 1000 people, with closed circuit overflow space in the gym for an additional 600
• Additional parking for 150 and 25 new handicapped spaces24,000 sq. feet
• Additional bathrooms near sanctuary
• New daily mass and adoration chapel, seats 90
• Fire suppression/alarm system
• Single story building
• New organ and piano
• Sound engineered to accommodate traditional music as well as modern music
• Contractor: Wylie Hicks
• Architect: Lavin Associates
• Estimated construction complete date: Fall 2009

The Marriage Calculator

Interesting website. Divorce is never a good thing. The only people who win are the lawyers.

My score was higher than I expected:

People with similar backgrounds who are already divorced: 18%
People with similar backgrounds who will be divorced over the next five years: 12%
* In general for the five-year divorce prediction rates, those with less than 3 percent are at lower risk, 3 - 7 percent are of average risk and more than 7 percent are at higher risk

Here's my husband's score:

People with similar backgrounds who are already divorced: 29%
People with similar backgrounds who will be divorced over the next five years: 5%

Here's the link:
Marriage Calculator

I've done it again

I've totally over-committed myself. I am running ragged. No time to relax. No time to devote to my family. No time to devote to my quilting hobby.

Why do I do this to myself? My husband and I discussed it briefly on the way to our company Christmas party. Do I have a phobia of being at home?

No. I know that for me, it's easier to run away from responsibilities...so I keep helping everyone else, volunteering to do things away from home so that I don't have to face the mounds of paper, laundry, and dishes waiting for me. Not to mention the imminent remodeling that is finally going to take place after the devastating hailstorm in June.

Yuk!

Pray that I have the fortitude to carry on and face my challenges at home. Sometimes I think my life is one big facade. Just peachy on the outside but yucky on the inside.

I would post pics of the home on the blog, but I'm gonna let your imagination work. You know those cluttered houses you see on the show, Cops? That's what mine looks like - minus the drugs and domestic violence. At least it's full of love!

17 days til Christmas. Eeeek!

Blogs I have recently seen and liked!

It's not like I have a lot of time to peruse the internet. I would probably be addicted if I did. But recently, after sitting down and paying about $10,000 in farm bills (yuk) I was left alone in the house. It was eery. All I could hear was the hum of the refrigerator.

So I had a minute to peruse some blogs. Here's a GREAT blog for those who have a business bag obsession and want something prettier than the old black briefcase.
http://www.laptopbaglifeline.com/

This one is a blast for Christmas!
http://weloveholidaysweaters.wehatesheep.com/

And then there's one for techno chics.
http://bling-phone.blogspot.com/

And check out the Hello Kitty keyboard on this site. I'm putting this on my Christmas list!
http://www.techboutique.co.uk/

Hope you enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving.

Anyone ever plant a seed in your head?

The other day, someone told me three reasons why I should consider being an interpreter for the deaf. I thought they were crazy...but the idea is stuck in my head and won't come out!

We have a budding deaf ministry at our church and I had the pleasure of spending time with six remarkable women (who happen to be deaf or hard of hearing) at a recent women's retreat. My hope and my desire is to get to know these women better.

Anyhow, this recent experience was a complete and total surrender to the Holy Spirit. It was remarkable. Maybe I'm just trying to recapture that beautiful moment. But, maybe, this is where God wants me. This is why he put me here, now, with my own life experiences.

God gives each of us gifts to use. He gave me at least three gifts which I could use if I decided to participate in this ministry.

I am willing to be open to His call. He knows just how much encouragement I need! He will make it happen if it is to be.

Isn't broadband great?

I live in the middle of nowhere, so I depend on a satellite dish on my roof for my "high speed" internet. Needless to say, it is NOT high speed. I guess the signal has to travel MILLIONS of miles into space before it comes back to my little home in Texas.

I'm at the coffee shop right now using their free broadband. It is INCREDIBLE! I can push the "enter" key and get a response right away. Wow. What a great concept.

HOWEVER, I like living on the farm away from the world. I feel a sense of independence and heartiness knowing that we are living in our own little "compound." I don't rely on many others to help out. I know how to use a shotgun if I need to. I can walk out and shoot off the porch if I want. Even our little dogs know who belongs on the place and who doesn't. I would have to trade all that in if I moved to town to get broadband.

So for now, I'll take the slow and expensive internet.

But if anyone has a suggestion on something faster than WILDBLUE - I'm all ears!!!

He won...

I prayed for the outcome that I thought was right. Now, it is time for my faith to take over. This is not how I wanted it to turn out, but I have faith that good will come out of this in God's time and not mine.

I love my country. I will continue to exercise all of my rights and freedoms. I will continue to fight for the unborn. I will continue to support and promote the teachings of my Church - especially that marriage is meant for man and woman, and that abortion is murder.

God Bless America

Hurray! My BLOG is fixed.

It's been almost two months since I last posted anything. Sorry.





I'm at home watching WKRP in Cincinnatti on a Sunday evening. (Perhaps I should be "twittering" instead of blogging.) I used to love this show (the reruns, of course). I'm too young to have watched the original.

I remember the time while I was working at channel 4 that they duct-taped imaginary walls to the floor of my cubicle to make me feel more important. The news director at channel 4 was in a glass office - like a fish bowl. The cubicle walls were red, blue and yellow stripes. Those were the days...

Anyhoo ~ I just got home from a four-day women's retreat that was totally awesome! Words can not describe it. Let me just say that I saw at least ONE miracle every day. And I, myself, was humbled to be the hands, feet, voice, eyes of God. God is AWESOME!

Ask me about it some time.

Love you! Glad to be back.

Check out this blog!

I was complaining about my ugly chocolate chip cookies. So quiltnut pointed me to this blog.
cakewrecks.blogspot.com . Hilariously funny photos of professional cakes gone bad.
Make sure you look at the older posts for the one titled "The First Censored Cake Wreck."

Brilliant!

Trend Trays

I'm posting this for a friend I met in Chicago. I hope they are useful!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I just made a batch of those "neiman marcus" cookies. The recipe makes 114 cookes! I didn't realize how long it was going to take me to bake 114 cookies. I should've done the math. 12 cookies at a time...10 minutes each batch (I only baked one batch at a time). TWO long hours of baking cookies. Now I remember why I don't like baking cookies. It's too much of a commitment. With a cake - you just whip it up and throw it in the oven for a good 30 minutes. You're not really tied to the oven every ten minutes. Cakes are better, anyway.

I was baking cookies so that my husband and boys would have some when they went on a trip (without me) to the mountains this week. I hope they enjoy them. The peanut butter cookies were much better than the chocolate chip. Every time I make chocolate chip cookies, they turn out flat...not very pretty. They taste OK but they don't look like they're supposed to. Any suggestions?

Pizza at midnight...

I was out late last night at a jewelry party. The boys wanted pizza anyway. So I brought home THREE pizzas at about eleven. We had a late-night dinner. It was festive. I love to spoil my boys. They deserve it!

Great blog!

The month of July has SPED by! I celebrated my 40th birthday in Vegas with my very dear friends and my sis! It was a blast. Here's a picture of us in front of the huge margarita at Margaritaville. I totally recommend a trip to Margaritaville. They have the PERFECT margaritas. Just don't drink too much. They'll make you grouchy in the morning.

Check out this blog. I LOVE it!

The happiness project.

Look at the bottom of the page

I recently signed up for ads on my blog. You know, hoping to strike it rich cuz so many people would click on the links. (hee, hee)

I always find it interesting to see what ends up there. There must be some kind of link between my subject matter and the ads. I'm really kind of disguested that I have glass ads on my blog when I stil have plywood on my windows. Hmph!

Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got my eyebrows waxed yesterday. I've never had them hurt so much afterward. I'm definitely suffering from POST-WAX-BURN syndrome. Ouch!

So - me being the industrious person I am, I google "eyebrow wax burn treatment." Apparently, I'm not the first cowboy at this rodeo. Here's the sight that popped up.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2250077_treat-wax-burn-eyebrow.html Basically - it says you're gonna hurt for a few days...but you can put aloe vera on it. Hmmmm. I coulda figured that out. I guess I'm putting the neosporin with lidocaine on it and staying in the house (and quilting) for at least 24 hours.

Maybe I should take a picture. It's pretty hilarious! Except that it hurts to move my face. Ouch.
The price we pay to be beautiful. Hmmm.

P.S.
I am fighting with the insurance company over this disastrous hail storm. It is not pleasant! Pray for me. Thanks.

Mother nature is a b*#@%

Those were my husband's words when he woke up this morning. It was a bright, sunny day and he is usually an optimist. But yesterday afternoon's storm had him down in the dumps. "This was a make or break year," he said.

All of our crops are ruined. And they were looking so good. We were already in bad shape because of the draught. We hope we will have time to replant.

Of course, we are so thankful and grateful that we all made it through unharmed. The boys were all huddled with Steve in the cellar while they heard the glass breaking above. They said they prayed the entire time.

Here's some pics from the storm. This tree was stripped of all its leaves and some of its bark.

It's hard to see in this picture but this is out of one of my broken windows...There's a drift of 12 inches of hail against the house.

The hail knocked holes in the stucco at the "old house."

During the hail storm.

You may be wondering why I would take the time to blog when I could be cleaning broken glass out of our clothes or sweeping leaves and mud out of the floors. I've done that. We've had tremendous help from family and friends. They boarded up windows, vacuumed floors and mopped up rain water, mud and leaves so that we could sleep in our home last night. They've also provided dinner and lots of prayers.

I just had to blog just to get this off my chest. The damage is overwhelming.

Please pray that we have the strength and patience to rebuild and keep farming. Thanks.

back from my jewelry conference

My autographed photo from Stacy London! (OK...everyone there got one...but I just KNOW she was speaking directly to me!)

Stacy London introduced our new fall line of jewelry. It is absolutely beautiful stuff. I was totally blown away.

Here are some of the things Stacy said that really hit home with me:

"Style is not a privilege...it is a right. And women should be able to look good and feel good as often as possible.

"We UNDERESTIMATE the power of style."

"Accessories are the period at the end of a sentence. They are an easy way to put your own style on something."

"Modern day women have it tough. We are asekd to be perfect at so many things. We are held to an invisible standard of measure. Allowing yourself to have style is the GREATEST gift you can give to yourself."

Stacy is SO right. If style wasn't important, we would wear cutoffs and muscle shirts to weddings. So embrace your style. And ask me about free jewelry!

I found a great podcast!

I still just adore my ipod - even though I've finally upgraded cell phone plans and LOVE the new blackberry curve! I typically use my ipod to download the freebies from i-tunes. I spend A LOT of time in the car so I'm always looking for free audio books...but this FREE podcast is almost just as good as an audiobook.

It's called "selected shorts," and features short stories, read in front of a live audience, by a variety of entertainers.

Download it now at i-tunes or at www.npr.org

I've always wanted to be a critic

So I have to review the movie I saw last weekend.





To celebrate my very good friend's birthday, we went to see Maid of Honor starring Patrick Dempsey and a lot of other people I have never seen nor heard of before.
(We would have seen Sex and the City but her birthday didn't sync!)

The premise is much like the time-honored favorite, "My Best Friend's Wedding." Dempsey's character has commitment issues (blamed on his father who can't remember whether his current bride is number 6 or 7 - and negotiates the weekly frequency of sex in the prenup right before his says his vows). My biggest complaint is how flippantly they treat sex in this film. Each character is so promiscuous that the very act that should be considered sacred is treated with no more respect or importance than brushing your teeth. The guy has poked more women than a year's supply of Tampax!

Anyhoo, they tried to get Dempsey to do a little slapstick. It didn't work. I put together a list (cuz I love lists) of things I liked and didn't like about this film.

Likes:
1. The guy in the short shorts was funny.
2. Patrick Dempsey is easy to look at.
3. The coffee collar premise was OK.
4. The company I was with.
5. The peach bellinis from Carinos.

Dislikes:
1. The flippant way they treated sex.
2. The future mother-in-law.
3. The renaissance "fight for the bride" scene. Talk about CORNY! Just an excuse to put Dempsey in a tiny (like, Brittney Spears - size) kilt. Ok. Maybe that's not so bad.
4. The beginning.
5. The middle.
6. The ending.

This movie is not even DVD-worthy. Don't watch this unless you're home in bed with the flu and there's nothing else on!

My guy won!!!

I can't believe David Cook won American Idol. It's about a time a rocker took it. He is so talented. I was mesmerized during the show, were you?

Did you watch all the "extra" shows on Fox Reality? There was "American Idol, Where are they now?" and "25 things you didn't know about Idol" plus the "Idol Extra" marathon last weekend. I got my fill!

What am I gonna do all summer? I can't get committed to any more reality shows. It's too emotionally draining. But I'm going to watch the last episode of Idol Extra tomorrow night. They'll be sure to interview both Davids.

And George Michael! I always have LOVED his singing. He was really good on the show, but the sunglasses - what were they about? And he said something after he sang. It was so jumbled up, I couldn't understand a word. Still, I'm glad they had him on. They must be targeting people my age, huh?

The new Michael Myers movie looks pretty funny, too. Good night!

Anyone in search of the perfect panty?

I've found it. And it's on sale right now!

I'm really not making any commission. My oversized bottom is happy in these. Check em out at soma.com

or click this really long link!

http://www.soma.com/store/browse/product.jsp?colorFamily=&productId=100063450&subCatId=&catId=cat2660002&fromSearch=&inSeam=

It's Snake Season

I know I've been lazy about posting to my blog. My REAL excuse is that our internet has been giving us FITS! We're on Wildblue satellite "high speed" internet - cuz we live in the middle of nowhere. And they penalize you if you use too much of it! Isn't that crazy? It's incredibly annoying...so if anyone has any better ideas for a rural internet provider, let me know.

Anyhoo - we saw three snakes on the way home yesterday. Here's a pic of one of them taken from my NEW Blackberry Curve. I LOVE THIS PHONE! I waited a long time to step up to a PDA-type phone. This one is worth every penny.

Enjoy the rattlesnake................He was still moving

so we put him out of his misery.

This time...I ROCK!

I went to the chiropractor for the third time yesterday. Yes...I "drank the Koolaid."

I really like him. Too soon to tell if I feel better. I know it's gonna cost some moola. I am hoping for a cure for the migraines.

This time, when they called me up to see him, they said, "Mrs. Tonya Detten...YOU ROCK! And you're needed at table 4."

Cool. I rock.

Tonya...you are Amazing!

I went to a chiropractor this week - for the first time in my life. I met this Dr. at a civic organization meeting after he gave a speech about stress . The speech was fascinating...about how we all suffer from chronic stress. He said that chronic stress is a major source of our aches, pains and illnesses. He offered us a full evaluation for just $17. I have suffered from migraines for my entire life so I thought, "What the heck?"

I set up my appointment and entered the Dr. office. It was a bustling place. There were crosses EVERYWHERE. Even a picture of Jesus on the wall. They knew me by name and offered me an apple or a cup of hot tea while I waited. They gave me a tour of the facility and gave me a rundown of what to expect. They were unusually happy. Kind of like "Stepford wives." (That's a copy of the movie poster from 1975.) Each time they called a patient to be adjusted they would say, "John Doe, you're AMAZING! and you're needed at station 3." It was nice to be called "amazing."

I really like this Dr. and I am trying to keep an open mind about going to see him. They say that 99% of their migraine patients get rid of headaches after a course of treatment. I told them I'd had them since I was 5 and it would be a miracle if I was cured. They said, "Miracles happen everyday here." I go back for the consultation and results next week. These people truly believe that your spinal cord health affects everything else in your body and if your spinal cord is healthy, everything else is healthy. Of course, that means months and months of treatment and adjustments....and $$$$$$$$$$.

But if it gets rid of my migraines, it'll be worth it, right? I'll keep you posted.

(P.S. I'm keeping the name of the doctor under wraps for now. If a miracle happens, I'll shout his name from the rooftops.)

I am SOOOO hooked!

I admit it. I am an American Idol junkie! I can't get enought of season 7. (Just ask my husband - who is such a wonderful man that he tolerates my bad habit!)

Here's my typical week.

Sunday - watch Idol Watch on the TV Guide channel. You can find out what happened to Justin Guarini from season 7. His co-hosts are adorable. I don't know why they alternate the two women hosts...Sometimes I think they should just have the girls and get rid of Justin. (Not really.)

Monday - no Idol. This is family night.

Tuesday - Forget about talking to me from about 7:00 to 10:00. I catch the Idol red carpet show on TV Guide channel before the show.

Wednesday - I am riveted - enjoying the cheesy montages during the elimination episode.

Thursday - Fox Reality always has the FIRST interviews of the folks who are eliminated. It's a GREAT hour of Idol-vision.

Friday - a day of Idol rest.

Saturday - I can't wait til Tuesday.

Sunday - Just two more days...There's always American Idol Rewind...

And did you see David Cook sing the Michael Jackson song, Billie Jean? WOW! I think he's my new favorite.

Click here to read this great article about David Cook.

What time is it?

I am a total grouch since the time change. (Or at least that's been my excuse the past ten days.) I really enjoy falling back...but springing forward is a bi&*%.

Anyone else having trouble waking up in the morning? Experiencing extreme hunger at 10:30 a.m. - which used to be 11:30 a.m. - lunch time! Drop dead sleepy at 8:30 p.m.! Thinking you've got more time than you really do?

Maybe by November I'll be used to this.

Silly me...

I thought I would have more time when I graduated from school. No such luck. I'm busier than ever...because I think I have more time. And because I have no excuse to say NO.

I fixed a roast beef Sunday and you'd have thought it was the first decent meal I'd cooked in three years. It might have been.

I was definitely more disciplined to blog when I was in school, too. Now I'm too busy watching American Idol, Project Runway and What not to Wear. What a life!

Bob beats Drew any day...

I stayed home this morning awaiting the heater repairman. At 10 a.m. I tuned in to my favorite game show, The Price is Right. I hadn't watched since Drew Carey began hosting.

I was sorely disappointed. I know, I know. I've only watched him once and only for about 30 minutes. But he didn't even look like he was having any fun. He was sort of making fun of the whole price is right show. He was NO Bob Barker. Bob made his contestants feel special - as goofy or quirky as they were. I thought Drew just made them look dumb. There was no passion, no interest in the price of the mattress & box springs or the golf clubs. It made me wonder if Drew Carey has ever had to buy baking soda or a popcorn maker.

I think Bob Barker just brought a little bit of glamour to the daytime talk show. I hope he is enjoying retirement.

Why can't I be thin and rich?

I've been participating in "the Biggest Loser" at work for the past three weeks. I lost three pounds the first week and have put all but one of them back on.

I hate this. Any suggestions?

I'm trying Jazzercise tomorrow evening. We've had shortened jazzercise workouts at lunch at work. I have enjoyed it and felt like it was a challenging workout. There's no way I'd have the patience to walk for an hour...but I think the jazzercise can keep me engaged for an hour. I just hope I can make it. No caving. I've gotta do it.

Your words of encouragement are greatly appreciated.

My dad meets the most unusual folks

After my mom died in 2001, my dad wandered alone for awhile, dated someone briefly and then met a very nice woman in Amarillo and married her. They have since moved to a small town outside of Abilene, Texas where they are adding on to their small home.

He was in the process of trying to set the walls on his addition - by himself. He is that way...just works a lot by himself. His wife, Linda, was attempting to help him...when a man in a van drove up. He got out of the car...barefoot, bearded.

He offered to help. My dad said he couldn't pay him...the man said it was OK. He would just work in exchange for dinner.

It turns out the man's name is Skip Stanley, a renegade former cult member who now builds houses between adventures. The guy and his girlfriend stayed in my Dad's shed for almost a week and helped him finish the walls and the roof of the addition. Dad considered him an angel in disguise. We checked out his website. How does my dad attract such "angels?" I don't know. Just glad he is OK and he got the help he needed.

Stock show photos

My last class blog...for archive purposes only.

I've been postponing the final results of my last M.B.A. class because of my ~nightmare~ experience...
You see, I spent about 12 hours on the final exam in my class. It was tough. I really wanted an "A." So by the time grades were posted the day before graduation - and my final grade was a "0," (a ZERO). I was FREAKIN'! I attempted to reach the professor to no avail.
I fretted about it all weekend...What happened? Did I upload the wrong file? Did he not get it? Did I get someone else's grade? Did he just miss posting my grade? Did I really do that poorly on the final? I have to admit that it took a little bit of the joy away from graduation.
(Here I am complaining about a final grade of "B" instead of an "A" - but these things are important to me!)
Thankfully, it was a happy ending. The professor couldn't get e-mails Friday because the university started remodeling his building the minute finals were finished Friday. He responded Monday, I ended up with 141 points out of 150 on the final! Whew! I got an "A" in my last class.
I can breathe a true sigh of relief and sleep now. Thanks for putting up with all my suffering this last semester. I am finished. I am an M.B.A. graduate.

The stock show is OVER!

We spent all weekend at the Potter County Junior Livestock Association stock show and sale. Stephen's pig took fourth place in his class. I was happy since he made the auction and earned $800 on his animal. (thank you St. Francis!)

I haven't had much to blog about lately. I am very close to turning 40. My mind isn't working like it used to. Neither are my bones. They both ache at times. Hmmmm. I'm not complaining, just observing.

I am really looking forward to my 40s. I am sure it will be the best decade yet!

I wore heels ALL DAY today - even at the airport!

Have you ever walked through the airport and wondered how some women can stand to wear HIGH heeled shoes all day? All that walking and stuff. Yuk. I asked a friend of mine (who was in tall heels at the airport) if she did it for vanity or stupidity. She said it was a combination of both.

Well...one of my new year's resolutions is to step up the way I am dressing at work. And as Stacy and Clinton say, we walk differently when we have heels on. Our posture is a little better, we stand up straight, and we carry ourselves a certain way. (Otherwise we'd fall on our as#@$$!)

So I wore heels yesterday and today in the airport. My feet survived.
These heels I wore are by no means terribly sexy. They're sensible heels. Comfortable. They look a little like this one but I could not find a single pair of aerology by aerosoles shoes online.

I learned that I do not want to buy any heels in which all my weight is on the ball of my foot. And I also learned a long time ago to throw away my "stupid" shoes. Otherwise I'll wear them again and call myself STUPID for not throwing them away after the first time!

Anyhoo. I am proud of my heel-wearing efforts! :)

I saw a cartoon yesterday...

I loved this comic!


Isn't that the truth. I guess that's why Christmas gift cards are so cool. We can use them ourselves after Christmas and get more bang for the buck. Of course, my husband would say that he can give me 40% less! I say NO!

So in Vegas, we went to the zappos.com shoe outlet. It was great. BUT. I found shoe heaven online. This site is even better than zappos!!! Quiltnut - check it out. A little cheaper and I think more variety.



I've actually done too much internet shopping lately. Stuff just too good to pass up.

My favorite internet shopping sites:

onlineshoes.com
amazon.com
soma.com
talbots.com
itunes.com

What are yours? What terrific bargains do you want to brag about?