HOWARD CHRISTMAS-2007

♥♥SUZANNE, MADASAN, JO ANN, SHEYANNE♥♥

Christmas night was filled with excitement when the Howard clan gathered at Michael and Joanna's home. We had great food, the kids exchanged gifts and the adults had to play Richard's Swap Game. (He makes the rules according to the number he draws.) ☺

I'm have pictures of the families that were in attendance.

1. Top left-This is Danny's family. Tela and Ace were missing. Ace was in Houston with his new bride's family and Tela had to leave before we took pictures. She did have a big announcement. She and Russell are engaged and plan to get married in April.

2. Top right-This is Ronnie's family. Dana, Shelby and Sammy were not able to attend.

3. Lower left-This is Tom's family. Sonia was visiting her husband's family in Arizona.

4. Lower right-This is Baby Richard's family.

5. Large and in living color is my family. Suzanne, Madasan, Jo Ann and Sheyanne. (I think we need to change Madasan to Madasanne...)

If you will notice that all of the families are standing in front of the SCRAPPER TREE. My girls and I ARE NOT-after all we are OUTLAWS and you know how we feel about Scrappers even if they are family.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADASAN AND FROSTY!

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♫♫♫HAPPY BIRTHDAY♫♫♫
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Family and friends helped to celebrate Madasan Billee's twelfth birthday Saturday, December 22, 2007.

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A few days earlier Madasan's show heifer, Hoppy, became the proud mama of a new baby calf. Without hesitation, Madasan bestowed the name of FROSTY upon him. We were hoping the baby would be a female since Madasan gets so attached to her animals but since it turned out to be a bull we are hoping he will have all of the characteristics of his mom and can go to the fairs next year and eventually become a herd bull. If not....steers are not in big demand on the Broken M Farm.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM JO ANN AND TUFF

This picture has a cute story attached. I took the girls pictures and they took my digital camera card to Wal-Mart to have their Christmas cards made. This picture was on the card so they thought it would be so cute for me to have a card from Tuff and me so they had ten printed up and brought them to me. I did send four of his Corgi friends one of the cards. Rudy, Jack, Tess and Audrey got one. I also sent one to his original owner's dogs. They are the reason I have Tuff. They fought so much they had to be separated. I'm sure they will be sooooo happy to see their friend is doing well and that his ears and neck have healed up nicely.

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I will be serving breakfast to my daughter and her family on Christmas morning and then the girls will tear into their presents. Then on Christmas night we go to my nephew's home where about forty Howard's will gather to feast and enjoy each other's company.

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We have one other celebration before Christmas and that is Madasan's twelfth birthday. We will celebrate that BIG EVENT on Saturday, December 22.

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all my friends and family.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE MUSE FAMILY

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP BRETT, SHEYANNE, SUZANNE, MADASAN AND FLOSSY

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP ROMEO, SHEYANNE, SUZANNE, BRETT, FUZZY, MADASAN

This is my daughter and her family. They have on their Broken M Farm t-shirts and added Romeo and Fuzzy to the picture. Madasan wanted to have her horse in the photo but the cows wouldn't let the horse close enough to snap the picture so we had to do separate pictures.

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CHRISTMAS BUNKO PARTY

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Our December Bunko party was at Erin Wright's in Mineral Springs. After being served a delicious spaghetti supper we played Bunko until we dropped.

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As you can see from the picture several of the ladies wore their pajamas. If you look real close you will see that one on the back row has rollers in her hair. (Her halo is a little off center.) This is Julia, the queen of the Bunko Babes.

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On our way home we stopped at Julia's parents and serenaded them with a Christmas song.

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This is a great group of ladies. Just knowing them and getting together with them brightens my day.

HOWARD THANKSGIVING 11-24-07

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Thanksgiving with the Howard bunch is quite a gathering. Around 35 Howard's and two guest invaded Michael and Joanna's new house and had a feast.

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I forgot to take pictures until things were about over so the four I have are a sample of those attending. The first picture is of my two brothers, Ronnie and Richard, with me smashed in the middle. (The only time I ever feel small is when I am standing between these two big rascals.)

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The top right picture is Richard's wife Jeanna, their two daughters Alicia and Anna, Anna is holding Bella my foster niece's daughter and the three blonds on the end are my daughter Suzanne, and granddaughters Sheyanne and Madasan.

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The smiling couple in the lower left picture is Ace Daniel and his new bride Morgan.

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The lower right picture is the hostess, Michael's wife Joanna and guest Larry White. The little boys are Christian and Walt the sons of my foster niece.

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We had a great time but thoughts of those family members that are no longer with us still make these times sad. We have lost our parents, Ruth and Floyse Howard, my husband, Billy J., and two brothers, Thomas and Danny.

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LADY OUTLAWS DEFEAT NASHVILLE 53-52

Sheyanne is number 32 in the picture.

DOWN ON THE FARM

Madasan checks her horse's feet before practicing her roping.

The girls and their dad are checking out one of their show heifers that is expecting a baby calf on Madasan's birthday.

Suzanne finally got her buck. She doesn't look too happy because it wasn't the big one.

BRETT GETS THE BIG ONE

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Now, I know it isn't exciting everywhere to kill a deer but in my neck of the woods it is a very big deal to bring in a nine point buck. Brett and Madasan were out hunting this afternoon and this big fellow just happened to be in the wrong spot at the right time.

You can tell by the expression on Madasan's face just how much she enjoys the sport. I'm wondering how long this interest will be with her because her sister, at the ripe old age of 17, has already found basketball practice, cheerleader practice, coaching a sixth-grade basketball team and many other activities have put deer hunting on the back burner.

NIGHT OUT TO SEE HAIRSPRAY

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU Iris, Donna, Julia, Ann, Nancy and Jo Ann

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My friends and I had a great night out to see a live performance of HAIRSPRAY at the Perot Theatre in Texarkana. The theatre was packed, we had good seats and the performance was outstanding.

Before the show we had dinner at a new steak place in Texarkana. One of the waitresses was nice enough to snap a picture of us.

MADASAN GETS A SIX POINT

JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ Madasan loves to hunt with her dad. She went out on the first day of the Youth Hunt and saw two doe. The next day she was looking for a big buck she had been seeing in the pasture but he did not make an appearance. Instead a six point buck came into her site and BAM she got him with one shot.

Sheyanne and Suzanne ran down to get a picture of her kill. Sheyanne looked at the little deer and said, "Madasan, you shot Bambi!" Madasas just grinned and said, "Pooooorrrr littttle fellller!"

SENIOR NIGHT FOR SHEYANNE AND FRIENDS

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNLAYKON, WHITNEY AND SHEYANNE

The night started off by honoring all of the senior members of the cheerleaders, the band and the football team. Each senior was escorted onto the field by their parents and a list of their accomplishments, honors, etc., were read.

The Outlaws played the Murfreesboro Rattlers. The Rattlers came into the game with one loss and the Outlaws had only one loss. At the end of the game the Rattlers had soundly defeated the Outlaws. Since both teams had such excellent records they will be playing in playoff games in the coming weeks.

Sheyanne is with two of her cheerleader friends that are seniors this year. Laykon Miller is the daughter of Tommy and Denise Miller and Whitney Icenhower is the daughter of Jeff and Kerri Icenhower.

(I probably shouldn't add this but since this is NONNA'S WORLD, I am. All of the seniors were standing out on the field with their parents and here came my Sheyanne running across the field, up into the stands and presented me with a yellow rose, a big hug and an, "I love you." It is amazing how something so small can mean so much.)

DIERKS SR CLASS PRESENTS:

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The senior class of DHS presented the Craig Sodaro play, AMERICAN IDLE. This is Sheyanne and Dustin trying out for cheerleader in the play. (Taken from the Nashville News)

SHEYANNE AT STATE FAIR

MADASAN WINS THE MAINE ANJOU SHOW AT THE AR STATE FAIR

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This is Madasan showing her Maine Anjou heifer at the AR State Fair in Little Rock. She won the Maine Anjou show with this beautiful little heifer. The pictures shows her showing and then shaking hands with the judge after winning. With this win she will be inducted into the Purple Circle Club again this year.

Sheyanne's little bull won Grand Champion Maintainer Bull but that class does not qualify for the Purple Circle Club.

I will have the official photograph of the girls and their animals when the Fair Photographer gets them to me.

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SHEYANNE OFF TO SPRINGHILL TO CHEER FOR THE DHS OUTLAWS

I have a new camera that I just had to try out. The last one died on me a few weeks back so here we are zooming in on my Sheyanne as she gets ready for a trip to Springhill to cheer the Outlaws on victory. (Right now we are 5-0.) She looks so cute in her little short skirt. (and I do mean short) She is still wearing an ankle brace on her injured ankle but that doesn't slow her down much. GO OUTLAWS!!!

If you are not familiar with the Outlaws let me tell you a little about them. For years other teams have visited us and had outlaws hanging from the goal post, signs with guns and real outlaws but our name came from the most fierce Outlaw Horse not a shoot 'em up outlaw. You know you can't tame an outlaw horse. Our mascot is a large rearing OUTLAW horse.

MADASAN HAS A NEW HORSE

Madasan has been wanting a horse for quite some time. Finally, after some searching they located just the right horse. She fell in love with her instantly. She and Flossy have already become big buddies.

GREEN REUNION 9-29-2007

DENNIS AND JO GREEN AND THEIR FAMILY

(Tia, Dennis, Karen, Liz, Jeremy, Clint and Jo)

We had the Green Reunion on Saturday, September 29, 2007 at the Center Point Community Building. Greens traveled from all over the U.S. to visit with cousins, uncles and aunts.

Uncle Marvin Green's family turned out in great number. Approximately twenty of that family attended the reunion. Five of Uncle Marvin and Aunt Grace's children attended. Those attending were the following: Jo lives in OR, Dennis lives in AR, Mary lives in AR, Carolyn lives in AR and DiAnn lives in OR. Ted and David were unable to attend.

Several of the Green family wore t-shirts that read, "Keep It Green".

Also attending the reunion were Jerald Green and Mildred Green Gibson the remaining children of Tom and Mary Green and Clara Fern Pitts the only remaining child of Bob and Lela Green.

GREEN REUNION 9-29-07

My mother's side of the family had the annual Green Reunion on Saturday, September 29, 2007. The big shindig was held at the Community Building in Center Point, AR. I forgot to count the number that attended but my Uncle Marvin's children turned out in great number. The group above is Joe and Dennis Green's families. The were sporting "Keep it Green" t-shirts. Dennis is on the far right and lives in AR. Jo, second from left, and his family live in Salem, Oregon.

Uncle Marvin's family had around twenty in attendance. They were quite a lively bunch and exhibited many of the characteristics of their father. Jo and Dennis have three sisters. They are DiAnne, Carolyn and Mary

2007 District Fair at Hope, AR

Sheyanne and Madasan at the District Fair in Hope. They won the following: Grand Champion Maintainer Bull, Grand Champion Maine Anjou Heifer, Reserve Grand Champion Maintainer Heifer and Madasan won Jr. Showmanship.

REMEMBERING B.J.'S BIRTHDAY

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Billy J. would have been 73 years old today. He was born September 27, 1934 and passed from this life on August 13, 1992.

We were married June 5, 1954 shortly after I graduated from high school. He had gone directly into the Army after he graduated in 1953.

We attended college at Henderson State Teachers College (Henderson State University now) and returned to our hometown to live and work. He started working for the Dierks Forrestry, Inc. and later for the Weyerhaeuser Co. and I started teaching school.

We adopted our daughter in 1969. She was the greatest thing that ever happened in our lives. She became our sunshine and brightened our lives so much. I wanted to adopt another child when she was two but Billy said we could never be so lucky to find another and love it like we did her.

When Billy got sick our wonderful lives changed drastically. From the time we found that he had a brain tumor until the end it took just about a year. This was the darkest time in my life. You don't get over losing someone you love, you just go on. It is part of life. Life goes on.

So today I remember him and how he hated to have birthdays. He never wanted me to tell others how old he was or how many years we had been married. I hope he doesn't mind this little tribute to him.

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B.J. BIRTHDAY

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Billy J. would have been 73 years old today.

BIRTHDAY MEMORIES

Billy J. would have been 73 years old today. He was born September 27, 1934 to Mattie and Clyde Walters. He passed from this life on August 13, 1992.

You don't get over losing someone you love, you just go on. It is part of life. Life goes on.

TUFF

This is my dog Tuff. He is a Welch Corgi. He is a sweet lovable dog but definitely has a hair problem. Besides shedding too much he has another major problem. He thinks he is the boss. That is the reason I have him. He was with a family that had Jack Russell Terriers and he was constantly fighting with them. When I got him his neck and ears were all chewed up. Because of that I can’t let him run free on the farm because he goes down to the barn and gets into it with Brett’s dogs. Suzanne worries that they will kill him so he has to either be on a chain or in the house.

This is my beautiful daughter and her family. They had Carmen, the local photographer, come out to the farm and take pictures. She does an outstanding job. If you visit Suzanne's house you will find the walls covered with her work.

Madasan

Madasan is my second granddaughter. She is eleven years old and in the sixth grade. She plays basketball and softball in the peewee program at the elementary school.

Madasan loves the farm and doing farm things with her dad. She had much rather be washing her livestock than sitting in class at school. Getting ready to show her cattle takes quite a bit of time. She feeds, walks, and grooms her livestock every day. After she and Sheyanne attended a grooming school they now clip thier livestock.

She entered a steer and two heifers in the Howard County Fair this year. Since Sheyanne was out with a hurt ankle she also had to show her cattle. When her livestock and Sheyanne's were both in the same division she had a friend help with the showing. Her steer and heifer won Supreme in the fair.

*This picture is of Madasan and her parents with her Purple Circle Awards. Her bull, Oscar, won Grand Champion Bull at the AR State Fair in 2006.

Sheyanne

Sheyanne is my 17 year old granddaughter. She is a senior this year. She is a cheerleader, plays basketball, softball and runs track.

Right now she is nursing a bad ankle. She had an accident in basketball practice and tore the ligaments in her right ankle. We took her to a sports medicine doctor in Little Rock and he put her in a boot for a week. We returned the following week and he put a smaller ankle brace on her. She was so proud to get rid of her crutches. He wanted to do surgery but she promised to follow his instructions and let her ankle heal before she starts playing ball or cheering. We return for a doctor's visit on October 4 to see how she is progressing.

The accident happened the week before the Howard County Fair. She had a bull and a heifer to show in the fair but was unable to show. Her sister and a friend showed her animals for her while she sat on the sideline. Her bull won Superior Bull and made her so happy.

Sheyanne

I am a retired educator and find that my past time has been taken up with many exciting things. I love to read, watch good movies, scrap booking and learning new things on the computer. My granddaughters are actively involved in sports so that keeps me traveling to their games and to watch them show their livestock during fair season.

Since retirement my world turns much slower. After thirty-nine years in the school business I had some problems adjusting to life without the children and my co-workers. It took me about three years to wind down and not find myself getting anxious when it was time for school to start. Now I just sleep right through the first day of school and have found things to fill in the gaps.

I have several good friends that add some spice to my world. We go shopping, out to eat, to movies and take trips when the mood strikes us.

As my world turns I find that I must visit the doctor more often and I don't like that. I try to do those things that keep me healthy but tend to find that food seems to dominate my life. I do the Weight Watchers on-line program but am not dedicated enough to make much progress. I have met so many wonderful people as a result of joining this group. We have named ourselves the Arkansas Diamonds. The AR Diamonds are ladies from AR that are doing the Weight Watchers Program. We chat each day on the Weight Watcher's boards and really encourage each other in our struggles. We have gotten together a few times and met face to face but with new people joining us each month getting together has become more difficult.

My husband, Billy J., died in 1992 with a brain tumor. He loved the farm and his black Angus cattle so much. Life has not been the same without him. I still live in the house we built in 1979. My house is out in the country on a small farm.

I have one daughter and two granddaughters. My daughter and her husband have an adjoining farm so they combine the land and raise cattle and have layer houses. They have show cattle and the girls show them during the summer in the local 4H and FFA clubs.

I am active in church work. I teach a class for fifth and sixth graders at the local congregation of the church of Christ.