TWR: I got my mind on my money and my money on my mind.

With thoughts of 401ks, 529s, prices of diesel, braces for kids, and school clothes for kids all swirling around in my otherwise sparsely covered, yet if I might say nicely shaped head, I have decided to focus on financial planning for this installation of Thursdays with Rusty. I have as of this afternoon enlisted the services of a new financial planner. The following is a sneak peak at some of the advise Mr. Brian Halata has suggested.



"If you had purchased $1,000.00 of Nortel stock one year Ago, it would now be worth $49.00. With Enron, you would have $16.50 left of the original $1,000.00. With WorldCom, you would have less than $5.00 left of The original $1,000.00. If you had purchased $1,000.00 of Delta Air Lines stock You would have $44.00 left of your original investment. If you had purchased United Airlines, you would have Nothing left of your original $1,000.00 But, if you Had purchased $1,000.00 worth of beer one year ago, drank All the beer, then Turned in the cans for the aluminum recycling refund, you would have $214.00. Based on the above, the best current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle."



I must tell you, I feel weird, it is almost as if Mr. Halata and myself share the same brain? I think we will be able to work well together on my financial planning for the best interest of my families vast fortunes. However, success is not imminent and certainly will not come without great sacrifice. There are sure to be many hurdles to clear (at 38 that itself may be the deal killer!?) and wrinkles to be worked out over a period of long meetings. Nonetheless, I am committed to this and feel stronger in my convictions with each passing breath. Therefore, if Adolf, Anheuser, and the boys from Milwaukee are with us as supporting staff, I think we can bring this vision to reality. Periodically I will keep everyone posted of any new trends or ideas we discover in financial planning.



In closing, in the following weeks I will be soliciting all of your input for my college and pro football organized gambling group. Just another one of my brilliant ideas in my diverse financial planning portfolio!



Stay tuned,

Big R

I think I'm sick!

Today we went school shopping, for a what? Third Grader? No. It can't be. Yet it be. The easy part was there were only 2 stores on her list: Justice & Limited Too. Get this... we bought all size 10 slim pants, 10 tops, and size 4 shoes! I think it was more painful realizing she is getting so big than it was to pay for it all. Last night Rusty says" Gee Morgan you are as tall as your Mom's shoulders!" Why would he say that? If anyone has any suggestions on how to stop this insanity please let me know, I've considered the idea of not feeding her?! This was harder than sending her to kindergarten, it was like shopping with a girlfriend! Then I realize this time next year I will be shopping for Reagan's school clothes and sending them both off to school everyday. Am I old enough to be dealing with this nonsense? It was just a few days ago they came home from the hospital wasn't it?
To top all that off, we had our first appointment with her Orthodontist! Yep, in about two weeks she gets fitted for a permanent retainer...with braces to follow in a couple of years. By the way, paying for the retainer IS more painful than her getting older. Dr. Ellis will get a nice Carribean vacation so my lovely Morgan can have perty teeth!
I think I may need a drink!

Music Disclaimer

Just so you don't think I am losing it, I will explain the Kid Rock on my Playlist. Wade, Julie, Rusty, and myself are going to Kid Rock/ Lynnard Skynnard at Cynthia Woods on Saturday. I am not all too familiar with his music so I added a couple to my list so Ican hear them, although I do like his song Picture. This way maybe I won't stand out like such the sore thumb that I am afraid we will! I am going to take my camera to the concert so that I can get some footage of the crazies I am sure we will see (Drugs and Boobs to start I am sure) I told Rusty to wear his white wife beater tank top! :-)

GSP 2008: Crystal Cave

We made our hike to Crystal cave this year, but this year Reagan climbed for her first time. My brother and his family were there too so my niece Maci came along & did great as well. There is another popular cave to hike to, Icebox, Morgan made it for her first time this year but I stayed behind with Ray so there aren't any pictures...something to look foward to next year.

Here's the 5 of us at the beginning of the trail, we weren't smiling so big on the way down!

Finally we made it to the cave and the girls eagerly went in...and came out just as fast when they saw the Daddy Long Legs!!La La, you OK?

I think Rusty was a little excited about the crystals this year? If you look closely there is one stuck to his forehead right between his eyes, NICE!

Finally Finished & sweaty... Better stop for an ice cream to cool off!

GSP 2008: The Dance

If you are not familiar with GSP, every night at the pavillion inside the park there is a dance. Every night this dance is packed with everyone from all age groups. There is a juke box that you can pay to have songs played and that is what they dance to. Some of the songs are the same ones Rusty danced to when he was growing up & and maybe even his mother, as well as there are newer songs added each year.

The pavillion is walking distance from where we stay in the park so we frequent it on the nights we are there. I told the girls (mostly directed at Reagan) that they did not have to go to the dance, but if they are there and a little boy asks them to dance they can't turn them down b/c it would be rude. The first boy that asked Reagan, she said yes and from then on out she was bit by the dancing bug. A few nights we didn't make it this year because the sun and river can take it out of you, but here's some proof there was dancing...

On this night Morgan and I went to the dance alone, she didn't want to stay long...5 songs, 5 boys and we were outta there!

Lauren and her Dad could do some really fancy dancin'! I have so many more pictures from the dance with their frozen lemonades and frozen pickle juices. There are even moreof dancing, but I think you've gotten the picture. We had fun & on a rainy day like today, we sure miss it!

GSP 2008 : The Big Tree

Every year we venture off the beaten path to have pictures taken with what we call" the big tree". I have pictures of Morgan every year since she was 3 months old on the swing at the tree. This year Maci & McKenna were there to make the photo shoot. I took pictures of the historical signs so you could read for yourself how impressive the tree is, pictures do not do it justice.

GSP: 2008

We're Back!!!

We had such an awesome time this year, I personally think our best Garner trip yet. I came home with so many pictures I am going to divide them up and post a few each day, instead of too many to enjoy. Chilli loved the river so much she rubbed her feet raw on the rocks when diving down to retrieve boulders, we had to limit her river time. Everyone hiked, Mo & Ray did rope swings, there was a LOT of dancing, lots of eating, hardly any beer drinking, Lindy and Lisa changed the flow of the river for Old Man Rimkus, many frozen pickle juices consumed (may sound gross, but not bad really), Wusty couldn't beat Lisa at washers, Morgan was busted by the Park Ranger and "knew" she was going to jail! Stay tuned for future adventures of the River, Big Tree, The Dance, and our hike to Crystal cave.

I will start with just some around the park pics, doing whatever we do to pass the time while not soaking in the Frio.

For those of you that were there:

GOD OF MEWCY WUSTY!