New Years Eve (And All Year Round) Gun Safety Tips

These are compliments of my dad, who owned a plethora of guns and gave me a healthy fear of them.

1. Lots of people like to shoot guns in the air on New Years Eve.  BAD IDEA.  Those bullets come down somewhere, and are just as deadly going down as going up.   DON'T SHOOT A GUN UP IN THE AIR, EVER.  Plus, if you plan to be drinking on New Years Eve, it's probably not the best time to take those guns out anyways.
2. People have been killed with guns loaded with blanks, rubber bullets, or even with unloaded guns (the blast itself can kill if it's close enough).  Never aim a gun at anyone you don't intend to kill.
3. Keep your guns where your kids can't get them.  This ones not so much from my dad, as from my own experience raising three boys.   We don't have guns in the house, but they have gotten into enough other dangerous things we've warned them about.  Even if you've taught your kids well about the dangers of guns and are SURE your kids would never touch them, you don't know that their friends will be as wise.  That's what caused a tragedy in the apartments where we used to live.  A little boy was shot and killed by his friend with his father's gun.  The boy may have known not to touch the gun, but it didn't matter, because his friend didn't.  

Have a Happy and Safe New Year!

This Is Wherever Wednesday Taking a Haitus

I am afraid This is Wherever Wednesday is taking a hiatus. I have just been to busy with homeschool, my home business, and other things to keep up with this, even though it's only once a month (sad, I know). I may re-start it again later...so if you would like me to contact you if it starts up again you can e-mail me at ecarian@yahoo.com with the subject "TIWW" and I will e-mail you if it's back running again.

Texifornia Quote of the Day

Around October you will become very tired of summer and wish it would go away.  Then one morning you will awaken and it will be 40 [degrees] outside.  All the leaves will have departed the trees overnight and will be sitting in the yard, demanding to be raked. 

~ Helen Bryant, from Fixin' to Be Texan

Texas Giveaways

Found some local giveaways you might be interested in.

(8/12) On the Go Freezer Kit and Grocery Boquet Workshop - Fort Worth, TX
(8/13) Waco/Temple Area Coupons - Waco/Temple, TX
(8/20) Cirque de Solei Tickets - Austin, TX
(8/21) Hop n' Happy Birthday Package - Austin, TX
(8/24) Lego Kids Fest Tickets - Austin, TX

Know of others?   Share them in the comments and I'll add them too (family friendly only).   California giveaways welcomed too!

Some Texas Printables

A sample free sample coloring page from the Deadly Insects & Arachnids Coloring Book by Dover Publishing--FIRE ANTS.  *Shiver*

Also on the Dover sampler I found this Texas Wordsearch from the All About States Wordsearch Books.

This is Wherever Wednesday (#32)

Welcome to This is Wherever Wednesday...where we share those little moments that show the character of the places we live and love: those "This  Georgia, Gloucester, Germany" moments. Wherever you are, or wherever you've been...we want to hear about those places here!

I always like to share a few highlights from last month, some posts to check out if you missed them...

• At Kate Takes 5:  a visit to Portsmouth, England...and some very old warships from the age of sail!
• At Jenn's RAQ:  A pirate beach at LegoLand, Texas.
• At Olive, Feta, and Ouzo:  A beautiful trip to Symi, Greece.

Ready to link up your posts?   You can share them below.    If you're still a little unclear on what this is all about, this post over at Budget Blond (where Wherever Wednesday originated) will help you out.    And, though it's not required, I'd also 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.

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Sale at the Texifornia Souvenir Shop

Through August 6th use coupon code STUDYINSTYLE for up to 50% OFF the following items with my photos and designs...

An InLinkz Link-up

Homeschool Giveaway Link-up

This is an ongoing link up for HOMESCHOOL GIVEAWAYS which will be bumped to the top of the blog periodically.  This link up is ONLY for giveaways related to homeschooling, for items such as....

• Homeschool Curriculum
• Parenting or Homeschooling Books
• Children's Books
• Toys
• Art Supplies
• Printers or Printing Supplies
• Educational Subscription Boxes
• Educational Programs/Kids Camps 

PLEASE ADD AN END DATE TO YOUR TITLE!!!!!

If you have space please also put what countries your giveaway is open too.

An InLinkz Link-up

Want This On Your Blog?
If you would like to co-host this linky, please send me a message on ecarian@yahoo.com with your blog link so I can see if your blog is a good fit.   
Referral Links

Some of the links above may contain referral links, meaning that I or the person who added the link may get extra entries to the giveaway or some other compensation.   That's fine...I don't prohibit adding these links, just thought you should know. 

Homeschooling/Parenting Blogs With A Giveaway Tag:

Looking for more homeschool giveaways.  The following blogs have frequent giveaways for educational kids stuff, and tag their giveaways so they are easy to find.  (If that describes your blog and you want to be included here, please leave a link to your giveaway tag in the comment and I'll add it). 

Ben and Me, Hippy Homeschool, Simple Homeschool, Teach Beside Me, Living With Autism

Sky Watch Friday

Very different sets of clouds behind the same house  (all taken during June)...

Sky Watch Friday

This is Wherever Wednesday (#31)

Welcome to This is Wherever Wednesday...where we share those little moments that show the character of the places we live and love: those "This  Fairbanks Alaska, Finland or the Falkland Islands" moments. Wherever you are, or wherever you've been...we want to hear about those places here!

I always like to share a few highlights from last month, some posts to check out if you missed them...

• A Trek through Rhodes, Greece that involved beautiful seascapes, old cars, and....Ostriches? *grin*
• A VERY tiny house in Canyon Lake, Texas.
• A foggy day in Texas.

Ready to link up your posts?   You can share them below.    If you're still a little unclear on what this is all about, this post over at Budget Blond (where Wherever Wednesday originated) will help you out.    And, though it's not required, I'd also 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.

An InLinkz Link-up

A Heart in the Clouds

Sometimes the heart rises above...

Sky Watch Friday 

Wordless Tuesday

Living Life: Throwback Thursday

This Is Wherever Wednesday (#30)

Welcome to This is Wherever Wednesday...where we share those little moments that show the character of the places we live and love: those "This  East Coast, Easter Island or England" moments. Wherever you are, or wherever you've been...we want to hear about those places here!

I always like to share a few highlights from last month. Almost all the posts were Texan (not that I mind that *grin*).  Here's a few of the highlights...

• Wander Through the Murad Reis Mosque and a Turkish cemetary in Rhodes (Greece)
• Visit a Zoo in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (USA)
• Find Some Fun Free Things to do In San Diego, California (USA)

Ready to link up your posts?   You can share them below.    If you're still a little unclear on what this is all about, this post over at Budget Blond (where Wherever Wednesday originated) will help you out.    And, though it's not required, I'd also 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.

An InLinkz Link-up

THIS IS TEXAS: 2 Skies - 2 Colors - All Within 15 Mintues

These skies both happened last Thursday, not long after a tornado warning had been lifted.  Thankfully it was calm the rest of the night with no further weather.  To be sure we were watching the sky that day!   This is Texas!

Sky Watch Friday

Local Texas and California Giveaways

California

(5/22) Les Miserables Tickets - Riverside, CA

Texas

(5/7)  Touch a Truck Event Tickets - Austin, TX
(5/10) Medican Spa Package - Weatherford, TX
(5/11)  Ashes, Ashes - Theater Tickets - Austin, TX

This is Wherever Wednesday (#29)

Welcome to This is Wherever Wednesday...where we share those little moments that show the character of the places we live and love: those "This South Dakota, Dallas, Des Moins, and Denmark" moments. Wherever you are, or wherever you've been...we want to hear about those places here!

I always like to share a few highlights from last month. Almost all the posts were Texan (not that I mind that *grin*).  Here's a few of the highlights...

• A Field Trip Through Nova Scotia, Canada
• A Vacation in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
• A Weekend in Crete, Greece

Ready to link up your posts?   You can share them below.    If you're still a little unclear on what this is all about, this post over at Budget Blond (where Wherever Wednesday originated) will help you out.    And, though it's not required, I'd also 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.

An InLinkz Link-up

Latest Visitors

Guess who showed up on my front porch a few days back....

They were being so still I almost missed them.  In fact, my son and I walked right past them, played a game of tag, and didn't see them until we were headed back into the house.

They look like dove fledglings ..they didn't fly away even when my son got really near (no, I didn't let him touch them).  After we went inside they hid in a patch of unmowed grass right next to the porch.  It looked like they might have been there earlier too...it looked well "nestled" into.  My son was supposed to mow there yesterday, but he had bailed because he saw a wasp.  So glad he didn't!  We're going to have to be very careful when we mow now to check for wildlife first.

So, for all you lazy mowers out there like me, just know that one of the benefits of letting your lawn go is...

UNTAMED LAWN = WILDLIFE



Shared On Our World Tuesday

Camera Critters 

Throwback Thursday

This is Wherever Wednesday (#28)

Welcome to This is Wherever Wednesday...where if you stand on your head, spin around three times, and say "Wherever" you will be magically transported to one of the destinations people share in the link-up.  (Really, that only happens on April 1st...you should try it).*

But no, really really, on the 1st Wednesday of every month we do share those little moments that show the character of the places we live and love: those "This Boston, Belaire, Belton, Brazil" moments. Wherever you are, or wherever you've been...we want to hear about those places here!

I always like to share a few highlights from last month. Almost all the posts were Texan (not that I mind that *grin*).  Here's a few of the highlights...

• Bailey, of Let Birds Fly, shared about about the swimming in  Krause Springs, TX.  If you're thinking, what is she doing swimming in early March...well, the pictures were from July.   BUT, they might not have been.  We went swimming at another Texas natural springs this FEBRUARY (yeah, Texas is like that).  The water was cold but the weather was balmy.  
• The same week at Julie is Coco and Cocoa, Julie was sharing her snow pics.  Cause Texas can be like that too.
• Rosamond, from Big Hair and Books, is also a Texan, but she posted one of the few non-Texas posts this week, sharing a review of a book set in Walden Pond (Massachusetts), and some pictures of her own trip there.  

Ready to link up your posts?   You can share them below.    If you're still a little unclear on what this is all about, this post over at Budget Blond (where Wherever Wednesday originated) will help you out.    And, though it's not required, I'd also 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 (though it's not required).

An InLinkz Link-up

*I'm sure you figured out I was April Fooling with you.  

Texas/California Giveaway Round-Up

Texas or California Themed Goodies, Anyone Can Win
Ok, some of these are open in the US only...but I just meant you don't have to be in TX or CA to enjoy them...local giveaways are in the next sections.

DVD:  Lonesome Dove Church (3/30)
The 1847 story of the Lonesome Dove Church built in Grapevine, TX

Local Texas Giveaways

Tickets to Dallas Auto Show (3/21) Dallas, TX
Mad Science Birthday Giveaways (Every Day in March) Houston, TX

Local California Giveaways

Orchard Supply $25 GC (3/27) California and Oregon, Various Locations

If you know of any others, leave me a note in the comments and I'll add them!

You Guys Speak Differently than Ya'll Do...

Definition of the Word "Depressing"

My cousin's flip flops (he let me steal this picture).  He's in Virginia, not Texas, but this is pretty much my town today too.  Well, we we got a snow day out of it...so who cares if the snow's all melted now.  ;-)

This is Wherever Wednesday

Welcome to This is Wherever Wednesday...where we meet up the 1st Wednesday of every month to share those little moments that show the character of the places we live and love:  those "This is Texas, this is Tahiti, Topeka, this is Tanzania moments."  Wherever you are, or wherever you've been...we want to hear about those places here!

Some highlights from last week....

• 1FUNGRL Travels shared a post about scuba diving the great barrier reef.
• Crazy Running Girl shared about playing Footgolf in Houston.

Ready to link up your posts?   You can share them below.   If you're still a little unclear on what this is all about, this post over at Budget Blond (where Wherever Wednesday originated) 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!

An InLinkz Link-up

Supermarket State Pride - This is Texas

I've mentioned before how I find Texas stuff EVERYWHERE!  Our local supermarket is full of it.  

Any other place, I'd have to go online to find state shaped cookie cutter (unless I just happen to live down the street from a souvenir shop).  And yeah, you can find cookie cutters online for any state, but try this...go to Google shopping and search for cookie cutters for any state.  By the end of the first page, you run out of things that have anything to do with that state, most likely.  NOT TEXAS...those cookie cutters go on for pages.

They've got landmark cookie cutters too...

I forgot missions were a thing in Texas too.  I remember making models of California missions in 4th grade.  That and Sutter's Mill was pretty much the extent of our California history lessons.  Here in Texas they learn the State Flag, State Bird, State Mammal, etc. have yearly celebrations of Texas Independence (Texas Round-up Day), learn about all the famous people who founded Texas, and that's just in elementary school.  There's a whole class just on Texas History in middle school (I've subbed those several times).  

Anyways, those were things I found recently...here's some that were hanging out in draft form since last June (oops).  

And On the Candy Aisle

Linking up today at My World Tuesday

Join us tomorrow for...

 

SALE at the Texifornia Souvenir Shop!

Use coupon code TEEBUTTONFUN for 50% off buttons, 25% off t-shirts and 15% off NEARLY everythings else at the Texifornia Souvenir Shop!

Expires 3/7.  Does not include fabric, Brikk iPhones or postage stamps. Can not be combined with other offers or discounts. Only good at US shops.

Freezing Rain...

...can be beautiful.

These were all crops from one large picture of frosted dead weeds.

"Frosted dead weeds" doesn't sound very pretty, but I could explore this one

photo for hours.  It makes me want to be an ant-sized and invincible

so I could climb around in that icy wonderland and explore.

Shared at Royallegacy, Worldless Wednesday,
 Macro Monday and I Heart Macro.

Texifornia Giveaway Round-up (Local TX and CA Giveaways)

Local Texas Giveaways

Sesame Street Live Tickets (2/19) Dallas, TX

Lubbock Family Vacation Package (3/4)  Lubbock, TX

Young Metalsmiths Spring Break Camp  (3/11)  Austin, TX

Local California Giveaways

Rain:  Beatles Experience Tickets (3/4) Riverside, CA

Orchard Supply $25 GC (3/27) California and Oregon, Various Locations

If you know of any others, leave me a note in the comments and I'll add them!

Texas Giveaways - $15 to Just Between Friends

Stumbled on TWO giveaways for Just Between Friends in Fort Worth.  All of them have less than 100 entries.   If you've never been to JBF, it's like a huge garage sale with just really nice (ie no stains or broken things) kids and baby stuff.  If I lived closer I'd enter these myself.

(2/17) $15 for Just Between Friends - Mind of Meesh

(2/17) $25 for Just Between Friends - Big Hair and Books

This is Wherever Wednesday (#26)

Welcome to This is Wherever Wednesday...supposedly posted every 1st Wednesday of the month, but really posted, WHENEVER (think I should change the name to Whenever Wednesday?).  Really, I'm sorry its late AGAIN.  But I do have a rather good excuse.  I have been busy, busy busy at my other blog hosting a giveaway event to raise awareness of modern slavery.  There are still three giveaways up so I hope you'll stop over and visit Hearts Should Be Free, enter a giveaway, and learn about what slavery is, today.     

But back to Wherever Wednesday.   Here is where we share those little moments that show the character of the places we live:  those "This is Texas, this is Tahiti, Topeka, this is Tanzania moments."  Wherever you are, or wherever you've been...we want to hear about those places here.

Some highlights from last week....

• There was a fascinating post on Campfires and Cleats about Mark Twain and Hannibal Missouri!  (I especially enjoyed this as a homeschooling mom).
• From Maple Brown Sugar came a wistful story about a beachhouse on the Jersey Shore that touched my heart.
• And there was some very Texan Christmas decorations shared by Waco Mom.

Ready to link up your posts?  While any post about place is welcomed, we especially enjoy hearing your  "This is (Insert your city./country/region here) moments?  Not sure what that means?  It's anything that happens or that you see in your part of the world that makes you think "Only here!"    If you're still a little unclear, this post over at Budget Blond (where Wherever Wednesday originated) 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!

An InLinkz Link-up

It's coming...

It's coming!  I haven't forgotten it, really I haven't.  It's just a little late.  Thanks for your patience.  It will be up soon.

Long Distance Love - A Sweet Valentines Gift

Looking for a sweet Valentines gift for a Texifornian in your life?  Or do you have a sweetheart living far away? This super cute Long Distance Love art piece by Olivia Lin from her Atiliay Etsy Shop would make a perfect gift.  You can choose any two states--and she will hand-stamp and stitch it for you.  She also does fold out cards (pictured below), if you prefer it that way.

Not only does this make a sweet gift, but it helps a sweet cause!  A portion of every sale goes to help provide meals for babies and toddlers at The Ebongalethu Educare Center Preschool + Nursery in Motherwell, South Africa.  This is just one of the charities Olivia Lin supports through the products she sells in her Etsy shop--you can learn more about that here.   

Texas/California Giveaways

Of Texan/California Interest (but open to anyone)...

(1/9) BOOK: State of Treason (What if Texas did secede?)

(1/24)  Santa Barbara Bars

(1/27) $25 Texas Roadhouse GC

(1/29) Del Taco Giftcard (I've HEARD that Del Taco is now in TX too)

(2/6) See's Candies (oh MAN how I miss these)


Local Texas Giveaways

(1/16)  2 Tickets to The Marvel Experience (Dallas, TX)

(1/17) Wonder Lab Session (Austin, TX)

Local California Giveaways

(1/24) Los Angelos Travel and Adventure Show  (Los Angelos, CA)

This is Wherever Wednesday

Welcome to This is Wherever Wednesday!   At Wherever Wednesday we share those little moments that show the character of the places we live:  those "This is Texas, this is Tahiti, Topeka, this is Tanzania moments."  Wherever you are, or wherever you've been...we want to hear about those places here.

Now, while any post about place is welcomed, we especially enjoy hearing your  "This is (Insert your city./country/region here) moments?  Not sure what that means?  It's anything that happens or that you see in your part of the world that makes you think "Only here!"    If you're still a little unclear, this post over at Budget Blond (where Wherever Wednesday originated) 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!

An InLinkz Link-up

And Now Texas has Earthquakes...

Alright already, first there was snow in Southern Cal, and now there's earthquakes in Texas?  Of course, it was only a few little quakes...all under 3.0.  That would hardly be an event in California, but people out here are more used to blowing than shaking (meanwhile in California, they are crying "tornado" over a dust devil.)

But anyways, back to the quakes...guess theres's been a few of them now up in Irving, TX (yeah, there's an Irving in California too...so I have to specify, this is the one near Dallas).  And funny, in the various news reports I've seen, I haven't once seen this...

www.dropcoverholdon.org

Yeah, that's what you're supposed to do during an earthquake, just so you know.  Not that the little quakes in TX have been all that deadly, but still, I'm surprised, since there's been several of them now, not to see any safety warnings (sort of standard fair.).  Cause actually, if there ever was a larger earthquake in Texas it would be more deadly than one in California, since the buildings out here are build for tornadoes, not quakes.  DO NOT RUN OUTSIDE.  You do NOT want to be standing next to a brick building in a quake.  Or parking under an underpass, for that matter.  Or sitting under your Aunt's collections of heavy glass figurines.

But hopefully no one here in Texas will ever really need that info.  Cause while there's a lot in California I miss, I'm happy to let Cali  keep her earthquakes, thank you very much.