The Man, the Myth, the Legend: Jerry Jones

If you ever find yourself needing to design a state of the art football arena, I highly recommend consulting with Jerry Jones. I visited his Cowboys Stadium for the second time last weekend and was amazed all over again.

Last January I had the pleasure of watching my LSU Tigers win the Cotton Bowl under Jerry's bright lights. We sat on the fourth level, and while they weren't the best seats in the house, it didn't matter because I couldn't take

my eyes off the colossal jumbotron.

On Saturday I returned to Cowboys Stadium for our season opener against Oregon. A guest of a friend, my seat in the stadium was a tremendous upgrade from the Cotton Bowl. Club level. Row 17. Forty-five yard line. I certainly didn't need the jumbotron but did catch myself looking up from time to time.

As luck would have it, our seats were near Mr. Jones' suite and before kickoff he emerged to greet the crowd. I just couldn't help myself. I had to tell him what I thought about his stadium. So I marched over to say hi. Here's how the exchange went.

Me: Mr. Jones. Your stadium is just amazing.

Jerry Jones: Well thank you so much. Where are you from?

Me: Abilene

Jerry Jones: Great. Well, thank you so much for coming out.

Me: Well, thanks for having me.

Short and sweet. But my friend did snap a quick picture and later I learned that the whole thing was seen on the jumbotron!

Not sure when I'll be back in Cowboys Stadium, but it will be hard to top the experience I had Saturday night. Oh, and we won the game!

Are You Ready for Some Football?

Ok, it's still a few weeks away, but football season is almost back and I can hardly wait! Besides Christmas, it's my favorite time of year!

For me, it's the LSU Tigers. Always has been. But since moving

to the Big Country last year, West Texas High School Football is now part of the fun, too!

It starts at the beginning of the week when viewers begin

voting on Bigcountryhomepage.com for the team of the week. Last year there

were some very close polls and hundreds if not thousands of people logged on

to vote for their favorites! Then Friday arrives and there's such a frenzy a

round the station. Everyone wearing their Friday night football BCH shirts.

Cameras and cars organized for the dozens of folks heading out to shoot highlights of

all the games.

At about 7:30pm I assume my position at the assignments desk and start collecting the scores. We have a huge dry erase board where we keep up with them, constantly adding updated scores to our website, Facebook and Twitter. It takes about 4 of us to do it! We shout back and forth the numbers and quarters. It's so much fun!

Inevitably there's an elusive score we can't find. Most of

the time the result of a loud crowd preventing our

contacts in the field from answering their phones,

but by the time David Robinett hits the air, we've got them all!

That's my Friday and it's a huge rush of excitement. Then on Saturday it's Tiger Time!

I try to make as many LSU home games as I can. It's a chance to visit with my family and friends who are all there decked out in purple and gold. I should be exhausted after working late Friday night, then getting up to catch the first flight out of Abilene at 5:45am. But as soon as I land in Baton Rouge, the adrenaline starts pumping and I'm ready for the day. The buzz of the crowds roaming campus. The aroma of gumbo and jambalaya wafting through the air. The Golden Band from Tigerland marching the streets - like a mini-parade. It's a celebration like no other.

Sure, there are rituals similar to this going on in college towns across the nation at the same time. But this is MY team and it's so much fun to be right

in the middle of it all.

LSU has been fortunate to have had some really good seasons over the last few years, including two National Championship teams in 2003 and

2007! But I've been spending my fall Saturdays like this since I was a little girl. I've rejoiced in the victories and lamented in the losses (and there were quite a few of those back when I was in college). But I still go. No

matter what we're ranked or how we're playing. Because I love football. And I can't imagine that ever changing.

KTAB News: On the Road... Again!

Our 2nd Annual KTAB On the Road Tour has come to a close and I must say, I’m a little sad. It’s a long, grueling, hot week, but it’s so much fun.

We met so many amazing people on our tour that passed through Snyder, Cisco, Buffalo Gap, Breckenridge and Early and everyone made us feel so welcomed.

Some of the highlights:

Discovering the Manhattan Coffee shop in Snyder and picking up a cool John Wayne Film Festival t-shirt.

David Robinett competing in a pedal car race in Snyder (he came in 2nd).

Four and More playing in Cisco and the Cisco High Cheerleaders (who have amazing toe-touches) and the drum line performing.

Learning about the potter in Buffalo Gap who invented the poached egg maker.

The first woman winning survivor in Buffalo Gap, followed by another female winner in Early! Girl Power!!!

The Texas Gunslingers show in Breckenridge and listening to Shane Stockton’s cover of Rhinestone Cowboy!

Being presented with a key to the City of Breckenridge!

Meeting the residents of Ridgeway Gardens in Early who baked us hundreds of cookies and Valerie who opened her home to us when our bus broke down.

The amazing food from places like Skeet’s Texas Grill in Snyder, The Barbwire Cafe in Cisco, Perini Ranch in Buffalo Gap, Nana’s Sweets and Eats in Breckenridge and Humphrey Pete’s in Early. Yes, David Robinette shared and I highly recommend each place!

Five Zach Harmon concerts!

My team winning the Amazing Race 3 times!!!

I loved it all!

But it would not have been possible without the help of our dedicated team! The KTAB Sales, Production and Engineering departments are the people who made this possible. They put in countless hours planning for 5 huge events and each day worked more than a dozen hours in the hot sun to set up the grounds and plan for 3 live newscasts! So my biggest thanks to them!

And a big thank you to everyone who attended! Can’t wait for next year!

Summer is Sizzling!

Summer is officially here. Although, it felt like it arrived more than a month ago! It's funny, when I arrived in the Big Country last year about this time, the temperatures weren't so bad and we seemed to get a lot of rain. When people told me that was unusual, I didn't really think about. Now, I know what they meant!

But I don't want to complain too much. While I'm more of a spring and fall fan, summer is fun, too. I've been working on creating a backyard retreat. I've got comfy new patio furniture, a grill, some lights strung across my awning and most importantly a fan!

My first night to grill with friends went pretty well. Yummy burgers, vegetables grilled in a new grill basket and grilled corn-on-the-cob! Next up - kabobs!!!

I'm looking forward to a fabulous summer in my backyard with pals. Now if we could only do something about the heat, we could start our parties a little earlier!

A Fairy Tail That Did Not Disappoint

Well, what’d you think? I’m a little tired today. Only slept about 3 hours, but it was worth it. It was every bit the fairy tale I thought it would be.

Kate Middleton looked nothing like a commoner when she emerged from a Bently at Westminster Abby. Her dress was stunning. The long lace sleeves, the fitted bodice, the beautiful a-line skirt. I’d say it was perfect. And Her Royal Highness looked comfortable and at ease in it.

The tiara was a beautiful touch. It was made by Cartier in 1936. Queen Elizabeth lent it to her for the special day.

The earrings, a gift from her parents, were made to match the tiara.

She’s now the Duchess of Cambridge, but she’s been a fashion icon since she emerged into Prince William’s life. Today she proved she deserved that status. Her gown, which she reportedly had a lot of say in the design, is an instant classic.

My favorite moments:

-Prince Harry alerting his big brother that Kate was just behind him at the alter

-Kate clutching her father’s hand as they walked through the Abby

-The carriage ride to the Palace

-The crowd flocking to Buckingham Palace to see the “first kiss”

-Kate mouthing “wow” as she walked out onto the balcony and saw the crowd

-The “second kiss”

An Excuse to Hunt Eggs Again!

In the last two months my family has welcomed two new baby boys into the world. Doles, named after my grandfather, joined us in February and Joseph, named after his father, arrived today. They are first cousins and will grow up to be the best of friends.

I know this because they are the children of my first cousins who are like siblings to me.

I'm so lucky to have been born into this family. My mom is the oldest of four daughters. I'm the oldest of 11 grandchildren on that side of the family. Our grandparents were only children and wanted to create a big, southern family. We celebrate everything together and are always looking for reasons to celebrate. We get seven of them in the fall (LSU home games). In the last few years the spring has been reserved for getting married or having babies.

Doles and Joseph are part of the next generation. They are numbers six and seven respectively. Five boys and two girls. The girls are my brother's children. The oldest boy is my godson. The older kids are already close. They love playing together at our family gatherings. It reminds me of the fun times I had with my cousins growing up.

Our next celebration together is Easter. It's especially fun now that we have an excuse to have egg hunts again!

A Royal Mess!

It's been a few weeks since I brought Princess Kate home, so I thought I'd give you an update. She's crazy!

Since Princess Kate (P.K. for short) moved in, I've had to have the fence in the backyard reinforced twice. I've also spent hours looking for her then chasing her down after she dug out of said fence - twice.

She's not good at sharing. When my other dog Shelby tried to get a toy that was really hers to begin with, a fight ensued. Shelby ended up at the vet with 4 puncture wounds. She came home with antibiotics and pain meds.

The door in my guest bathroom will have to be replaced after she chewed an inch and a half off the bottom. I'm also down one chair cushion.

She did help be "break down" a card board box to fit in the trash can. I didn't even have to ask!

I'm not giving up on her yet! I just know she's got potential. We're looking into obedience schools. I'll keep you posted!

Princess Kate is a Rascal!

I am an animal lover. I always have been. I really wanted to be a veterinarian when I was younger but I was terrible at science and knew I'd never get through vet school. So I set out to save animals the only way I knew how - by giving them a home. I love my pets. They are great company and for the most part pretty well behaved. That is until Princess Kate moved in.

Yes, I've adopted a new dog. She wandered into the station last week. Animal control picked her up and no one ever claimed her. I just couldn't bare the thought of this sweet and beautiful animal being put down. So here I am - the owner of a three year old, solid white, shephard-husky mix.

She's quite regal looking actually, thus her name. Her eyes are icy blue. But she's a rascal. The first day she moved in I left her in what I thought was my secure backyard. When I returned on my dinner break she was gone. I drove around for two hours before I had to head back to the station for the 10pm news. As I was driving down S.14th, there she was - prancing along like she had somewhere to be.

It turned out that she had found a rotten spot in the wood fence, knocked a few boards loose then dug her way to freedom. Yesterday I had the fence fixed and the hole she dug filled. Before I left for work today she'd already started digging a new one. It was hard to be angry when she looked up at me with those eyes, covered from head to toe in dirt. Her expression said something along the lines of, "What... what'd I do?".

Now, she's inside quite a bit, but I have a small house and she and my cats don't really get along yet, so I need to be able to leave her in the backyard from time to time without worrying she'll disappear again.

If you've got a "digger" I'd appreciate any ideas on how to keep her from destroying my yard and setting herself free again.

Meanwhile, I've chosen not to think about the fact that she's not happy with her new home and wants out of here!

Family and Fun Filled Weekend

What a great Presidents' Day weekend I had. My brother John, sister-in-law Ginger and nieces Madison and Caroline visited from Louisiana. Madison is 11 and Caroline is 3 and they had a ball in Abilene. They're ready to come back!

We started things off at the Abilene Zoo. Madison is an animal lover and couldn't wait to see every resident at the zoo. It was hard for her to choose a favorite, but both girls really enjoyed feeding the giraffes. Caroline loved the flamingos. I think their pink coloring is what caught her eye. That and the hot pink flamingo souvenir bottle she brought home. Me, I was mesmerized by the lion cubs, who aren't so small anymore.

After the zoo, Ginger wanted to check out some antique stores. We toured a few before she bought a beautiful old cabinet that barely fit in the back of their suburban. I found an old silver tea service that I'll be polishing up this weekend. While were cruising around downtown Madison insisted we stop at some of the outdoor art displays. She loved the giant cows head along S. 1st.

John is a farmer and wanted to visit some of the western stores in town. He ended up getting a new pair of boots.

I didn't do a very good job of planning ahead. I saved the Children's Museum at the Grace and the NCCIL for Sunday, but they are both closed on Sundays. Unfortunate, but now they have a reason to come back!

Instead on Sunday we ended up at Nelson Park. The girls absolutely loved the Camp Imagination playground. They didn't want to leave, but we finally pried them away for lunch and Caroline's nap.

Next up... Primetime! I had never been, but what a fun place. We played games in the arcade for a long time. I can't wait to go back to bowl and play laser tag!

We had a late reservation Sunday at Perini Ranch. Michelle Ashworth and her boyfriend Larry joined us and what a treat. Everything we ordered was delicious! And we didn't really save room for dessert, but we ordered it anyway!

It was a fabulous weekend. I was so sad when they had to leave Monday morning. But I know they had a ball in Abilene and will be back to visit again soon!

Mom's Recent Visit

It's been a busy few months for me. First the holidays, then covering the Hailey Dunn Case and then the February Freeze! But I finally got a small break last weekend and was thrilled to spend it with my mom!

She and her husband have an R.V. and they love to use it! In the fall they head to Baton Rouge seven weekends out of the year to cheer on the LSU Tigers. In the winter, spring and summer they take trips to different lakes and visit kids. This weekend was my turn!

Pedicures and some shopping were on the agenda and a great dinner out at Lytle Land and Cattle. On Saturday afternoon we drove to Buffalo Gap and toured the Abilene State Park, which looks like a great place for camping. (Picture above was not taken in Abilene!)

It's fun showing off the Big Country. My brother, sister-in-law and nieces are coming for a visit soon - a perfect excuse to experience the Big Country through the eyes of a child. I'm thinking the zoo, The Grace, The Center for Children's Illustrated literature and maybe Frontier Texas. There's so much to do here for kids! Let me know what you think we should do!

Who is Hailey?

If you live in the Big Country and haven’t heard about the Hailey Dunn case, chances are you’ve been living under a rock. She’s been the focus of our newscasts for 3 weeks. Her face is on billboards and fliers statewide. Hundreds of people are looking for this 13 year old girl.

It dawned on me the other day that we’ve been so focused on the search, the investigation, the specifics of the last day she was seen and the only named suspect in the case Shawn Adkins, her mother’s live-in boyfriend, that we may have lost sight of who Hailey Dunn is.

By all accounts, she’s your typical teenage girl. One look around her room shows that. Pink walls, pillows that say “princess”, memorabilia from school tacked up on the walls.

It’s not a secret she is a cheerleader. She’s wearing her uniform in the picture on those billboards and fliers. And she loves to cheer.

But she also loves to play basketball, softball and volleyball and she's first chair saxophone player in the school band.

Her teachers say she’s a good student and very popular at Colorado Middle School.

Like most teenage girls, Hailey has a best friend, Heather. She loves having sleepovers. Heather says they like to stay up late listening to music and watching videos on YouTube.

We don’t know where Hailey is, but we know she isn’t doing any of the things she loves. Not cheering. Not playing basketball, watching videos.

She should be spending her evenings doing homework, playing with her siblings and friends, picking out what she’s going to wear to school tomorrow, practicing her cheers.

We all want answers. We are all praying for Hailey’s safe return. And if something bad has happened to her, we want the person responsible to be punished.

But mostly we just want this little girl to be able to be the fun-loving teenager we now know her to be. Every child deserves that.

If you know Hailey and want to share some stories about her, I'd love to hear them.