January is almost over.

Well 2007 flew in and it seems it don't want to stick around for long. At least to me it seems that way. I can't believe January is almost gone already! 3 more months until Deidra is done with school! I'm so proud of Deidra, we got paper in the mail regarding Deidra's grades. It appears that she can become part of the National Deans List. We receive the following note:




Dear Deidra:

You have been selected, as indicated above, to receive honorary award recognition by having your biography published in the 29th Annual Edition of The National Dean's List 2005/2006. You are also automatically eligible to compete for a $1,000 scholarship from the $50,000 to be awarded this year. The National Dean's List is the largest, most prestigious publication in the country recognizing gifted students selected by their deans, comparable faculty members or other educational organizations. Each year 2,500 of our nation's finest colleges and universities use the publication as a special award to honor their best students.



Best wishes for continued success

Carol Lynn Martens

Publisher



P.S. Only 1/2 of 1% of our nation's college students receive this award. We commend you for your accomplishments.





Wow! I just can't tell you guys how proud of her I am. 2007 will continue to be a huge positive turning point for our little family. You can bet Ill be first in line to get a copy of that publication!

Next up...Mom's Bday! Happy early birthday mom! Time to go bowling again!

Primitive Species of Shark caught on film alive!

I normally do not post news on my site, but this seemed cool and interesting:

Click on the above pic for film of the "Frilled Shark".

Newspapers report:

A species of shark rarely seen alive because its natural habitat is 600 metres (2,000 ft) or more under the sea was captured on film by staff at a Japanese marine park this week.

The Awashima Marine Park in Shizuoka, south of Tokyo, was alerted by a fisherman at a nearby port on Sunday that he had spotted an odd-looking eel-like creature with a mouthful of needle-sharp teeth.
Marine park staff caught the 1.6 metre (5 ft) long creature, which they identified as a female frilled shark, sometimes referred to as a "living fossil" because it is a primitive species that has changed little since prehistoric times.

Bears vs Colts in Super Bowl

Well, my friend George's team made it to the Super Bowl and I think stands a pretty good chance to win it all. He loves the bears, so I put this little pic above together to represent Super Bowl XLI taking place in a couple weeks in Miami. I believe that the Bears will win it all. The Colts just played their hearts out to take a win from the Pats in the 4th quarter and I do not believe they have anymore fuel in the tank. Then again, you can't count out the best QB in the league. Anything can happen. I believe it will be a heck of a game! Hey George...PARTY AT YOUR HOUSE FOO!

Mom bowles a 227!

Mom took me out for some bowling today and we had a blast! I bowled pretty good, but mom had a heck of a game bowling a 227! Just click on the picture above of the score and you will be able to see it better. That is seven strikes! She marked in all but one frame and almost turkeyed in the 10th! She said it was her highest game EVER and I witnessed it on my birthday. That was special. We will have to do this more often. It was a great time. It feels good to bowl with my grandfathers ball and oddly enough, it is the only ball I have found that fits my fingers almost perfectly. Great time!

Dug the car out...more ice on the way!

As you can see, the ice is thick around the branches of the trees. Deidra and I managed to break most of the ice off of our driveway. Enough anyway to pull the car from the garage out back. The last picture is a pic of our poor neighbors house. His tree just couldn't take the weight of the ice and snapped falling on his car! He has had some bad luck with that tree. During the summer, wind from a bad storm made the tree break the other direction causing damage to his house. I say its time to chop that bad boy down. I hope our trees hold out! Just 2 days until it starts to warm up a bit. Our gutters on our house are frozen and leaking over. I hope they hold out too.

Weekend of Ice!

I was at work today and we heard that the ice was heading our way. Sure enough, at about 3:00 the rain started turning to sleet and the ice started falling from the sky. The patrol car looked as though it was stuck in a deep freeze for a week. The windshield was all iced up and so the crew decided it was time to head back into town. As I got home the ice had started coming down here also. I was outside about an hour ago and it is still falling. Looks as though it will be a cozy weekend with my family. Lots of hot chocolate and a fire in the fireplace. Supposed to be a high of 17 degrees on Monday and a low of 2! Coldest day of the year. Of the last 5 years really. I am off on Monday so this weekend should be pretty nice. This is the first weekend in a long time that I have no plans. WOO HOO! Bring it on winter! You got nothin foo!

First week in January 2007 officially gone!

Well, I am happy to announce that the first week of 2007 is officially in the books. This means that we are one week closer to our goal. Deidra found out that she may be done with school in late April now instead of May. In the near future I have decided to take up a hobby. Those of you who know me know that I have been wanting to start making my own wine. I plan on buying the supplies early spring and I hope to have my first batch out and bottled by fall. I am hoping that it goes that way. If so, the first bottle will be uncorked by us in celebration of reaching our long awaited goal that we have had since early 2004...Deidra finishing college and getting the job she has wanted since she was in her teens. As for the wine, I hope to start my hobby soon but may have to wait a bit. We will see. Why tell you all this? Well, cuz each of you who are close to me will get a bottle of my first wine ever made...this wine will be labeled: 2007 "Just The Beginning". Look for my first bottles to be out by fall or winter 07. Ill keep ya posted.

Denver Broncos Darrent Williams dead at 24.

After the game in Denver last night, Denver Broncos Darrent Williams, while out with friends, was shot and killed by some sad excuse of a human being. He was a great player and I am sure he was a good man. He was only 24 years old and at the beginning of a great NFL career. God bless his family and friends.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2006 has finally come to an end. My sister Michelle and my friends George and Stacy along with their cute little baby Shelby rang in the new year with us and we had a great time. We stayed up till the new year playing cards and having drinky drinks. Enter 2007! My theme for the year?: Simplify! Plain and simple and to the point eh? This year will be the year many good things happen for our little family. All good things! Deidra will graduate and finally have a job she truly loves and makes decent money doing. We will fix our house up and pay off many debts due to the fact that we no longer will have a car payment or consolidation loan payment anymore. That is money we have not seen for almost 10 years people! Once Deidra gets a new job this fall, the ball will seriously pick up speed and start to rocket down hill and before you know it 2007 will be over, and I will be posting my 2008 comments about our nearing life change event: The move to Colorado!!!! After that I will have to rename my web blog from "Pikes Peak or Bust" to something new. I have to quit talking about our future after 2008 and beyond...just gets my mouth watering and its still a little jog off. SO! ON TO 2007 THINGS!!

My New Years resolutions:

1. I will lose another 30 lbs. by years end...hopefully more and be down to my goal weight.

2. We will pay off the car and consolidation loan...yea baby!

3. I will finish my downstairs...completely!

4. I will take Deidra to see a true Theatre event in St. Louis and we will have a much needed vacation ... just us.

5. I will start doing preliminary research on apartments in Colorado in the city of our choice....BOOYA!

There is probably more to add to the list and I will add them later. Welcome 2007! I sure am glad to see you.

God bless you all.