Category Archives: Family Life

Another Week Come and Gone…

What a short, but long week. Recovery from a three day weekend is always a little tough, but this year was a little easier. I set up a new system with my private teaching studio: if there are five Mondays … Continue reading

Posted in Broadway, Fairmont Marching Firebirds, Family Life, Friends, Music - Marching Band, Musical Theatre, NACAC, Parenting, Single Parent, The Haasienda, Wright Brothers | Leave a comment

Labor Day Weekend – Part One

What a wonderful, wonderful weekend! Saturday morning, the house was all cleaned, and smelling fresh, the yard looked great, and the fence was adorned with red, white and blue bunting banners – a gift from my darling neighbor, Kay. I … Continue reading

Posted in Entertainment, Fairmont Marching Firebirds, Family Life, Friends, Indiana, Music - Marching Band, Parenting, Single Parent, The Haasienda | Leave a comment

What Can I Do?

This is a message I posted on one of my hometown’s websites, WILLKIE’S PRIDE. This morning, my sixteen year old son came into my study before leaving for school and said he was really frustrated with something in marching band. … Continue reading

Posted in Family Life, First Ladies, Indiana, Music - Marching Band, Parenting, Politics, Politics - 2008 Election, Single Parent, The Haasienda, Theodore Roosevelt, U.S. History, U.S. Presidents, White House | Leave a comment

First Day of School….

7:35am, Jose walked out the door to begin his fifth year in Kettering Public Schools. Today he starts his sophomore year. Jose is always normally up by 6:50am, but this morning I realized he was still in bed at 7:10am. … Continue reading

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A New Baby In The Family…

My mother’s younger brother, Ronald Dean Barmes, would have turned 56 years this past May. Sadly, he took his own life in June 1987. Uncle Ron had married, and had two daughters, Alicia and Amanda. Both girls are married and … Continue reading

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Beethoven, Bach, Broadway and… Bon Jovi?

When I was a teenager in high school, and throughout college, I did listen to rock music, but preferred the music of the late 1960’s and early to mid-1970’s. There was some incredible music written during that era. I was … Continue reading

Posted in Family Life, Humor, Music - Band, Music - Show Choir, Parenting, Single Parent, The Haasienda | Leave a comment

This past week… and next….

Last week was busy. Jose had marching band rehearsals, and also began his work at One Lincoln Park just around the corner from where we live. Thursday morning Jose, Flyer and I left at 8:00am for Fowler, Indiana, arriving shortly … Continue reading

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Parker & Fred

My brother, Destin, had to come to Elwood for some business, and he told Mother he was bringing Parker, 3. However, he surprised her with Fred and Stacia. Here are some photos of Parker and Fred. Parker, age 3 Fred, … Continue reading

Posted in Family Life, Indiana, The Haasienda | Leave a comment

I Feel Like A Musical Theatre Character…

For the past several months, or so, I have been experiencing a feeling – as John Adams called it in the musical 1776 – “discontentment.” As I was writing a good friend earlier this afternoon, I feel like all these … Continue reading

Posted in Abraham Lincoln, Broadway, Entertainment, Family Life, First Ladies, Inspiration, Music - Band, Musical Theatre, People: Joshua Logan, People: Rodgers & Hammerstein, Playwright, Spirituality, The Secret, Theatre, U.S. Presidents, Wright Brothers | Leave a comment

This week…

Sunday I delivered Jose to Wright State’s campus for marching band camp. He has a neat roommate, a sophomore who just moved her from Vandalia Butler High School. I spent a few minutes chatting with the chaperones – all friends … Continue reading

Posted in Entertainment, Family Life, Family Pets, Friends, Indiana, Music - Marching Band, Parenting, The Haasienda | 1 Comment

Band Camp… Over!

This evening I journeyed out to Wright State University and met up with the Chabut and Karmele families. We watched the band’s 2008 pre-game show and the first two of four movements of their 2008 competition show which is called … Continue reading

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Mousetrap

Mouse Trap Late one Saturday night I heard a pair of footsteps bounding up the basement stairs. I looked up at the clock and figured a commercial had propelled them from the depths of TV Land. “Dad,” my sons cried. … Continue reading

Posted in Family Life, Family Pets, Humor, NACAC, Parenting, Single Parent, The Haasienda | Leave a comment

An old post… Ready, Set, Hike!

Ready, Set, Hike Inside the veterinary office, Flyer, my new puppy, quickly sensed we were on a different mission and began a tug-o-war session. I greeted the receptionist with our names. “You said her name is ‘Flyer?’ Did you go … Continue reading

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Underwear!

You Sexy Thang… When Matthew first arrived in 2002 as a little scrawny 12 yo boy, I helped him unpack his clothes from foster care, most of which were faded or dingy, and put them away. Between my mother, Aunt … Continue reading

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Knowing Our Heart’s Desire

Feeling Jealous Jealousy is one of the toughest feelings we come up against in our lives. There is not much worse than this aching sense that somehow life has been unfair to us, while amply rewarding someone else. It’s even … Continue reading

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Taking Our Turn To Give

People In Need When we see a person in need, we may want to give them something as a way of helping them, but if we give without taking the time to see who they really are, honoring that most … Continue reading

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Peggy Straughen…

Peggy Barbour Straughen (born Margaret Ann Barbour), 70, of Washington Township passed away unexpectedly at Miami Valley Hospital on Tuesday, July 22, 2008. Born in Chambersburg, PA on August 21, 1937, Peggy entered nursing school in Harrisburg where she met … Continue reading

Posted in Christianity, Family Life, Friends, Humor, Inspiration, Religion, The Haasienda | 2 Comments

Houston-based God, Inc.

Karl Taro Greenfeld of Portfolio.com examines the money-making machine that is Houston’s Joel Osteen and Lakewood Church  Last year, Lakewood generated $76 million in revenue, which amounts to just over $1,600 for every member of its congregation. Its take includes … Continue reading

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'Last Lecture' Professor dies…

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (AP) — Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University computer scientist whose “last lecture” about facing terminal cancer became an Internet sensation and a best-selling book, died Friday. He was 47. Randy Pausch emphasized the joy of life in … Continue reading

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Mark Time, Mark….

And the 2008 marching season is off and… marching. Sunday, I take Jose out to Wright State University where he will stay until Thursday evening for band camp. Here is a video taken by one of the students – the … Continue reading

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Guthrie Extends World-Premiere Run of Little House Musical

By Andrew Gans 24 Jul 2008 Performances have yet to begin, but box-office demand is so high that the Guthrie has extended its upcoming world premiere of the musical version of Little House on the Prairie. Melissa Gilbert, who played … Continue reading

Posted in Broadway, Entertainment, Movies, Musical Theatre, Playwright, The Haasienda, U.S. History | Leave a comment

Coming in "Threes"

Three friends of mine lost their mothers within this week… all three died suddenly. Duneen DeVore lost her mother last Friday. Duneen sang in my church choir at Normandy United Methodist Church, and along with her son, Erick, now 21, … Continue reading

Posted in Broadway, Entertainment, Friends, Musical Theatre, People: Rodgers & Hammerstein, The Haasienda, Theatre | Leave a comment

Walt…

“Somehow I can’t believe there are any heights that can’t be scaled by a man who knows the secret of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four C’s. They are Curiosity, … Continue reading

Posted in Disney, Entertainment, Inspiration, Movies, Music - Band, The Haasienda | Leave a comment

What a great weekend! Full of life and energy, and new horizons. When we returned from Indiana and Chicago, it was evident my son was in an entirely new place in his mind, and his life. Being with my brother … Continue reading

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George Washington's Boyhood Home

***NATIONAL NEWS PRESS RELEASE*** LONG-SOUGHT BOYHOOD HOME OF GEORGE WASHINGTON FOUND! Cellars Contain Evidence from the Lives of the Washington Family STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. – Archaeologists working at the site of George Washington’s childhood home have located and excavated the remains … Continue reading

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