Thanks For Sharing

Here's the copy-paste code to share the Texas Events button. 

 Thanks so much for spreading the word.

<a href="http://texifornia.blogspot.com/2013/04/ive-been-collecting-list-of-events.html"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieG8IN2ZJZBkhGwtdEzD9qaSPt2F2_AXziihzHThG5ZHZvBa9ZG_O93YnPcCDWNggS1hG6eLWqoMOTkL324IlaOYG_IcB6CSXNvkOgP9ad7OpEiTzD8HcbyUkq0LeJCHkWmxD-9A/s320/West2.jpg" width="150" /></a>

Pray for West, TX...Give Blood, Donate, Etc.

At around 8:00 tonight the fertilizer factory in West, TX exploded.  There are people injured.  A nursing home, the Junior High, and many other buildings are badly damaged.  More info here.

We live less than 30 minutes away.  Praying for the victims, the doctors, the rescue workers.  If you would like to help, below are ways to donate:

VOLUNTEER:

• Aggieland Outfitters has also set up a number to text for information about volunteering. By texting "HELPWEST" to 99000, Aggieland Outfitters will provide information as it becomes available.  
• Samaritan's Purse is organizing volunteers here.

CASH DONATIONS

• Educators Credit Union accepting donations to benefit West ISD. All locations. Please make checks payable to: ECU – West ISD Relief Fund
• Donations to the West Relief Fund can be made through Baylor online here.
• GENCO Federal Credit Union has established an emergency fund for the Red Cross for use in West relief. Donations may be made at GENCO branch offices in Lacy Lakeview/Bellmead, Waco, Woodway and Lorena. Call 1-800-922-6428 for information.
• Point West Bank in West has a fund established for emergency relief.
•  The Knights of Columbus also have a Fund for West Disaster Relief with information at www.kofc.org/Texas.
• The Waco Foundation will receive donations for a West, Texas Disaster Relief Efforts Fund with information on how to give on its website, www.wacofoundation.org. Call Melissa Miller, director of communications and donor services, at 254-754-3404.
•  You can donate to the Heart of Texas Red Cross here.  The Heart of Texas Red Cross also has an Ebay Giving Works page, so if you have items you would like to sell on ebay to raise funds (or shop items other people have given) you can so that there.  
• Texas Partners Federal Credit Union is accepting donations to assist the community of West through April 30. Cash donations are accepted and the credit union is selling “World's Finest Chocolate” to benefit relief efforts. Donations will be accepted at all branch locations: 2445 N. Main Street in Belton, 809 S. Main Street in Copperas Cove, 1011 Wales Drive in Killeen, and 6935 W. Adams Avenue in Temple. To mail a donation: Attn: West, TX Relief Fund, 1011 Wales Drive, Killeen, Texas 76549. Questions may be directed to Shelley Carlson at (254) 526-3081.
• You can donate at any Heart of Texas Good Will.  
• Aggieland outfitters is accepting cash donations at their stores.

BENIFITS FOR WEST/BLOOD DRIVES

• You can find various places, listed by city, holding events to benifit West here.
• These places also share events benifiting West.
  Bryan
  Burleson/Crowley
  College Station
  Houston (Also try this Pinterest Board)
  Shulenburg
  Temple
  Waco
  
   

UPDATE/REQUEST FROM THE MAYOR OF WEST: 
(Reposted from DFW Scanner Website)

"All the goods donated are wonderful but we have received so much, it has become a problem. At this time there are no real material needs for supplies. What will make the BIGGEST affect, is donate money to the relief at Point West Bank & Trust (254) 826-5333 or State National Bank (254) 826-3741."

The links below  types of local fundraisers, blood drives, in various cities etc.   If you know of other places, please leave a link in the comments.

__
Picture thanks to Bay Area News Station (under creative commons on Flickr.)  Thanks to DFW Scanner Website and 7 On A Shoestring which supplied a lot of my inition information

Texas Sized Giveaway

Hello everyone!    This week I'm helping to share about Texas Tuesday, where you can share your posts about anything Texan!  And I've contributed a a couple small items from my Texifornia Shop...two sweet Texas Magnets:

OK, so it's just something small, but still fun!

Here are all the blogs that are contributing...

Diana @ Down Home Traveler - Big Tex Ad Spot - This ad will run for 30 days and will be above all other ads. Also features a blog spotlight for the month (either a post of your own choosing or an interview).

Down Home Traveler // Twitter //  Facebook // YouTube

Gale @ Texifornia - 2 Magnets

Texifornia // Zazzle

Heather @ Terrell Family Fun - Large Ad Space

Terrell Family Fun // Twitter // Facebook // Pinterest // Instagram

Taylor @ Pink Heels Pink Truck - Custom Post Signature and $5 credit towards selling items at Fabuless Wardrobe

Pink Heels Pink Truck // Fabuless Wardrobe // Twitter // Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest

Emily @ Insanity Rules - One Custom Subway Art Print

Insanity Rules // Twitter // Facebook // Pinterest

Lauren - Enjoying the Journey - $20 gift card to Target

Enjoying the Journey // Twitter // Instagram //  Pinterest

Amanda @ Princess of the Panhandle {Host} - Vera Bradley Coin Purse & $15 cash

Princess of the Panhandle // Twitter // Facebook // Pinterest // Instagram 

Crystal - Next to Heaven - {Co-Host} - $25 Amazon Gift Card & Add Space

Next to Heaven // Twitter // Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest


To enter, use the Rafflecopter Form Below...

Rafflecopter Widget: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Texas Giveaways

Austin, TX - $25 to Fakdoodle (Austin Mom to Mom Service Swapping Site for) (4/6)

Austin, TX - Mother and Me Tea Tickets (4/11)

Anywhere - Add Space on Texas Blogs, Texas magnets, gift cards, and more (4/15)

Grapevine, TX - $100 to a consignment shop in Grapevine, TX (4/16)

This is Wherever Wednesday

Welcome to This is Wherever Wednesday!  At Wherever Wednesday we share those little moments that really show the character of the places we live.   It started on Budget Blond and, after an intermission, restarted here on Texifornia.

Thanks everyone who posted last month!  Had LOTS of Texans represented...and with the post coming just before Spring Break, lots of vacation ideas.  Seriously, if you're planning on vacationing in San Antonio, Dallas or Austin you need to visit last month's Wherever Wednesday!   (I was really excited about the San Antonio Tips since we're planning a vacation there.)  But it wasn't just Texans posting.  Here are a few of the highlights.

• Taylor Brione shared about her excursion to Dallas, and all the fun things she experienced there.
• Chara of Viva La Vida shared about a stopover in Singapore.  BEAUTIFUL pictures and so interesting!  
• Family Love in My City shared a post about Family Day at Art Space in San Antonio.  Looks fun!

LINK UP YOUR POSTS!

Leave your posts on the linky below and share the "this is Africa, Arizona, San Francisco, Canada, Puerto Rico, wherever" moments in your life!   If you're still a little uncertain what that means, this post over at Budget Blond will help you out.  And, though it's not required, I'd love if you would grab the This is Wherever button on the sidebar and share it in your post or somewhere else on your blog!  Thanks for participating!

This is Texas

My son spit in school...and could have won a prize for it.

  This is Texas

Yep, there was a spitting contest at the elementary school...and the teachers didn't even stop it.  In fact, they gave away prizes!

Yep, spitting beans into a can was just a one of the activities my kiddos got to do for Texas Round-up Day, an event at my kids school celebrating Texas Independence last month.  My oldest won second prize in the "pin the tail on the buffalo contest."  They also got to meet a real cowboy (and his horse).  And they got to dress up like cowboys...or would have if I had remembered (doh...bad mom, bad, bad mom!).

On the flyer it said they could wear jeans, western shirts, cowboy hats, boots,  bandanas, etc.  My kiddo drew arrows pointing at the hats/bandana and said "not required" but had another arrow towards that boots saying "I'd really like this."  (Sorry kiddo, but cowboy boots are expensive).

(Yeah, yeah...so this happened nearly a month ago and I'm just getting it posted now.

It's been a busy month!  But a good one!)