Win a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer Contest

A Cowboy’s Wife is having a contest on her food blog! You can win a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer and she’ll ship anywhere so everyone is eligible! I really would love to win this! As a domestic diva, I always like nice things for myself, and this would be great. Maybe if I had a cool new mixer, I would cook and bake more. Yeah, right. ROFL!!!

FIRST HOMECOMING OF 2008

We participated in our first homecoming of the year. This soldier returned from a 15-month tour in Iraq. He didn't get home for Christmas but it will be celebrated by this family even if it is a little bit late.

The Patriot Guard Riders were all set to go...



The Spc arrives to a warm welcome by all....


An interview for the Hero...

One Happy Family...

Getting ready to roll...long escort home...

Operation: SAM presents medal...

Byan Weldan of Lafayette Flag Brigade presents flag..

Friends, Family & Supporters...

Proud Mom...

With some of Livermore's finest...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE

Today is Steve's 57th Birthday! We went to Pasta Pomodoro for dinner .....one of his favorite places to eat...



And for dessert.....

A MARINE'S MIRACLES

I speak of my dear friend Diane often here so I thought it would be good to share this wonderful article by Melanie Morgan. She did a telephone interview with Diane at 6:10 am PST this morning which awesome.

Posted: January 4, 2008 by Melanie Morgan
1:00 a.m. Eastern

Even in death, Lance Cpl. Travis Layfield is reaching back to his family.

The Fremont, Calif., Marine was just 19 when he laid down his life in Iraq, one of 20,000 Camp Pendleton Marines fighting off murderous Islamic radicals around Fallujah and Ramadi on April 6, 2004.

Ten others died that day for freedom.

Although Layfield's life ended in a blood-red frozen moment of gunfire, the family left behind to mourn his death continues to receive words of love and support.

There's an almost supernatural connection as well that continues to provide a bond to their fallen hero.

During the funeral services at the Golden Gate Cemetery in San Bruno honoring Cpl Travis and his Lakota Sioux roots on his father's side, a hint of his continuing spirit came when a gust of wind knocked over the photograph of the young Marine. His family stood in wonderment, interpreting the moment as a sign from Travis that he loved all of them from above.

Last fall, a DNA test confirmed that Travis Layfield left more behind than his loving spirit. Diane Layfield, Travis' mother, found out that he left a young son.
(read more)
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Here is the link to listen to Diane's interview from this morning get out the kleenex! Great job Diane! Pass this along please.
Check off the Friday dot and click onto whatever mediaplayer you want to use, I use Windows Media. Then select 6am hours and click go, she went on the air at around 6:15 am

A BIG WIND

We had the first major storm of the year overnight. I peeked out my bedroom window in the morning to see that our back fence had fallen AND see that our backyard neighbors have chickens that are now in my yard....we aren't zoned for chickens here!!




Wish this fence could have made it thru another winter....

Heading back to the Army

Well we headed to the airport to see "The Communicator" and the soon to be ex (he was already telling me he was gonna do this). As we couldn't get both in the truck someone else drove them to SFO for a very emotional send-off. She was from Tennessee so she had a different, earlier flight. They said their goodbyes & we headed to his gate.



We were able to go all the way thru security & go with him until he boarded.


Got a photo taken with him....


And one with his Dad...

A final family picture for this trip...

Here is his plane....

I will never get used to these good-byes.....ever!

Our 2007 Holiday Picture

Even tho "The Communicator" was on leave for two weeks we barely saw him as he decided to go on a road trip to Washington State (my first Christmas without my son here) with friends & a new girlfriend (is anyone keeping count on these?). We did get to pin him down the night he had to fly back...of course we couldn't get him in a uniform at all...for a Family Photo in front of the tree. This is it...