Factoid of the Day!

Trying something new to keep activity on MuchAdoAboutDuncans lively. Today we're starting the Factoid of the Day!

Today's Factoid of the Day is:

The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.

This has been your Factoid of the Day!

New Look

Hey! I like the new look. When we have time, we'll post pictures from the Fourth.

Hey! They Even Celebrate the 4th in Wagoner, Too!

Despite missing out on the Lawton Festivities this year (shame on us and shame on you if you missed as well!) we did manage to blow some things up in Wagoner. That's what America's independence is all about, right? And no, we don't condone the handling of live fireworks despite standing idly by while friends of the family (and honorary Duncans) Ashley & Bobby shoot off Roman Candles. But it makes for a heck of a photo opportunity!





Despite their recklessness, it was Cassie who limped away with the most injuries for the day with ash burns, shrapnel from a year-old smoke bomb that beaned her in the head and a cat scratch. Okay, the cat scratch wasn't necessarily an explosive-related injury but it still hurt!

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N In The Summer Sun!

Thought we'd post some holiday snaps. Wink wink. Nudge nudge. For those not in the know - we made a long arduous roadtrip to sunny Ft. Walton Beach, Florida last month just to bask in the sun (and avoid a sunburn at all costs) and frolic in the surf of the Emerald Coast. A good time was had by all despite one day of rain (it IS Florida after all) and a very expensive restaurant choice (avoid Captain Kidd's in Destin, FL at all costs)!

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has been in Lawton the last week and half. The Westbrook family has a father who was paralyzed in Iraq. Also a son who was paralyzed in a car accident. Their old home was demolished by a Ft. Sill tank. A new 4,000 square foot home was built to acommodate two week chairs. The eposide will air April 15th.

Left to Right: -- Preston who spend the entire week in Lawton working on the home. -- The Westbrook family going into the home for the first time. -- Ed went down the entire line of specators signing everything handed to him. -- Ty riding in with the calvary. -- Move that Bus! (you wouldn't believe how many times the crowd said that, and the number of times it was filmed).

Flashback: Old Pictures vs Negatives

Negatives have it hands down over printed photos. I had scanned in a number of photo albums. Pictures had faded over time, cracked, faded, missing pieces. Scanning in the negatives you find new colors or missing details. Details around the picture that were not there in the printed photo. Negatives also provide sharpen pictures than the original printed photos.

Top photo is from 1949 with Mom and her dog Shortie.
Bottom photo is Mike and Gail from Christmas Day 1961.

Jordan, Ashley, and Hailey Birthday Bash

The birthday bash was moved to Saturday January 27th, 2007. Last week we had a couple of inches of ice on the ground. The 27th started out with rain. Mid morning we had snow and by the afternoon the sun came out for a few minutes. Jordan and Ashley had previously opened presents on their actual birthday and also helped Hailey open her present. They now think every day is their birthday and want to know where the presents are.

In Loving Memory

Rosie Duncan
2004-2007

We Have A Wiener!

It was a hard fought battle between well equipped opponents. But at long last there is a victor in the First Annual Duncan Family College Bowl Blowout! We all picked our favorites, through long thought out processes, weighing the pros and cons of each team. Which quarterback had the accuracy and quick-wittedness to rise above the rest? Which defensive line was an unstoppable wall of grit and muscle? Which mascot was the cutest?

Then the games began. In the beginning it looked like the girls had the upper hand. Melissa and Julie started out strong, picking the first 15 or so match-ups with almost unerring accuracy. Even Jordan held her own with the best of them in the beginning. Would these girls proof to know more about this manliest of sports than the boys? Hunter and I particularly languished in the bottom ranks. But we vowed to make a comeback as the bowl games stacked up.

And sure enough after all was said and done, when the dust had cleared, our final winners of the highly coveted Duncan Family No-Prize for picking the most winners in the 2006-2007 Duncan Family College Bowl Blowout are Mike D. and Eric H. with 21 correct picks! Congratulations boys! You'll be receiving what's coming to you soon!

We won't mention who came in dead last... sniff sniff.

And Still More . . .

The third one is a picture of our live nativity outside our church. I'm Mary and Cassie is an angel . . .talk about typecasting!

Yet more Christmas Pics

More Pics

Christmas Pics

Here are some pics from Christmas! All from the new camera!!!

Bowl Picks Are In!

Final Bowl Count

NO PRIZE Co-Champs - Mike Duncan, Eric Houck (21)
3rd Place - Julie Duncan, Hunter Houck, Cassie Duncan, Babs O. (17)
7th Place - Melissa Duncan, Ashley Duncan, Jordan Duncan (15)
10th Place - Greg Duncan (13)
11th Place - Tim Duncan (9)

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Tis the season to be jolly, for warm and fuzzy feelings, family get-togethers and good will toward men - and for hard hitting grid iron action! And so we've requested everyone's picks for all the BCS Bowl games starting this evening with the Poinsettia Bowl featuring Northern Illinois & TCU. We've even got an Olson chiming in - so shame on you Duncans that didn't get your votes in on time! Maybe we'll give you some leeway if you can still make it before 6:00 this evening when the game starts!

Here are the choices. We'll give a tally of how everyone's scoring periodically throughout the course of the Bowl Season! The person with the most correct picks at the end receives a fabulous Duncan Family No-Prize! Good luck to everyone!

(-> denotes winner)
__________

Poinsettia Bowl
Northern Illinois - Cassie, Ashley, Jordan, Hunter, Tim
-> TCU - Melissa, Greg, Julie, Eric, Babs O., Mike

Las Vegas Bowl
-> BYU - Melissa, Greg, Julie, Ashley, Jordan, Tim
Oregon - Cassie, Hunter, Eric, Babs O., Mike

New Orleans Bowl
-> Troy - Melissa, Cassie, Hunter
Rice - Greg, Julie, Ashley, Jordan, Eric, Babs O., Tim, Mike

PapaJohns.com Bowl
East Carolina - Melissa, Tim
-> South Florida - Cassie, Eric, Hunter, Greg, Julie, Ashley, Jordan, Babs O., Mike

New Mexico Bowl
-> San José State - Melissa, Jordan, Julie, Ashley, Tim
New Mexico - Hunter, Eric, Greg, Cassie, Babs O., Mike

Armed Forces Bowl
-> Utah -
Tulsa - Eric, Hunter, Melissa, Cassie, Jordan, Ashley, Greg, Julie, Babs O., Tim, Mike

Hawaii Bowl
-> Hawaii - Melissa, Cassie, Ashley, Julie, Jordan, Eric, Hunter, Babs O., Tim, Mike
Arizona State - Greg

Motor City Bowl
-> Central Michigan - Melissa, Greg, Julie, Eric, Babs O., Tim, Mike
Middle Tennessee - Cassie, Jordan, Ashley, Hunter

Emerald Bowl
UCLA - Melissa, Greg, Ashley, Jordan, Hunter, Eric, Babs O., Tim, Mike
-> Florida State - Cassie, Julie

Independence Bowl
Alabama - Hunter, Tim
-> Oklahoma State - Melissa, Cassie, Eric, Greg, Julie, Jordan, Ashley, Babs O., Mike

Holiday Bowl
-> California - Cassie, Eric, Mike
Texas A&M - Melissa, Hunter, Jordan, Ashley, Greg, Julie, Babs O., Tim

Texas Bowl
Kansas State - Cassie, Ashley, Jordan, Babs O.
-> Rutgers - Melissa, Hunter, Eric, Greg, Julie, Tim, Mike

Music City Bowl
Clemson - Melissa, Cassie, Greg, Jordan, Julie, Hunter, Eric, Babs O., Mike
-> Kentucky - Ashley, Tim

Sun Bowl
-> Oregon State - Melissa, Julie, Ashley, Hunter, Mike
Missouri - Greg, Jordan, Cassie, Eric, Babs O., Tim

Liberty Bowl
Houston - Cassie, Greg, Julie, Babs O.
-> South Carolina - Melissa, Jordan, Ashley, Eric, Hunter, Tim, Mike

Insight Bowl
-> Texas Tech - Melissa, Greg, Jordan, Julie, Hunter, Eric, Babs O., Mike
Minnesota - Cassie, Ashley, Tim

Champs Sports Bowl
-> Maryland - Greg, Hunter
Purdue - Melissa, Cassie, Eric, Jordan, Julie, Ashley, Babs O., Tim, Mike

Meineke Car Care Bowl
-> Boston College - Cassie, Greg, Eric, Hunter, Babs O., Tim, Mike
Navy - Melissa, Julie, Jordan, Ashley

Alamo Bowl
-> Texas - Cassie, Julie, Greg, Jordan, Eric, Hunter, Babs O., Mike
Iowa - Melissa, Ashley, Tim

Chick-fil-A Bowl
Virginia Tech - Melissa, Cassie, Greg, Julie
-> Georgia - Eric, Hunter, Ashley, Jordan, Babs O., Tim, Mike

MPC Computers Bowl
Nevada - Melissa, Greg, Julie, Tim
-> Miami (FL) - Eric, Hunter, Ashley, Jordan, Cassie, Babs O., Mike

Outback Bowl
-> Penn State - Cassie, Julie
Tennessee - Melissa, Greg, Jordan, Ashley, Hunter, Eric, Babs O., Tim, Mike

Cotton Bowl
Nebraska - Melissa, Cassie, Greg, Julie, Babs O., Tim
-> Auburn - Hunter, Eric, Jordan, Ashley, Mike

Gator Bowl
Georgia Tech - Cassie, Jordan, Ashley, Hunter, Tim
-> West Virginia - Melissa, Greg, Julie, Eric, Babs O., Mike

Capital One Bowl
-> Wisconsin - Cassie, Melissa, Eric, Babs O.
Arkansas - Greg, Julie, Ashley, Jordan, Hunter, Tim, Mike

Rose Bowl
-> Southern California - Cassie, Jordan, Ashley, Babs O., Mike
Michigan - Melissa, Greg, Julie, Hunter, Eric, Tim

Fiesta Bowl
Oklahoma - Eric, Hunter, Greg, Julie, Ashley, Jordan, Babs O., Tim, Mike
-> Boise State - Melissa (I take no pleasure in getting this right), Cassie

Orange Bowl
Wake Forest - Melissa, Tim
-> Louisville - Greg, Julie, Jordan, Ashley, Eric, Hunter, Cassie, Babs O., Mike

Sugar Bowl
Notre Dame - Melissa, Julie, Jordan, Ashley, Tim
-> LSU - Eric, Hunter, Greg, Cassie, Babs O., Mike

International Bowl
-> Cincinnati - Jordan, Julie, Ashley, Hunter, Eric, Babs O., Mike
Western Michigan - Melissa, Cassie, Greg, Tim

GMAC Bowl
-> Southern Mississippi - Cassie, Julie, Eric, Hunter, Babs O., Mike
Ohio - Melissa, Greg, Jordan, Ashley, Tim

BCS National Championship Game
Ohio State - Greg, Julie, Hunter, Babs O., Tim, Mike
-> Florida - Melissa, Cassie, Eric, Jordan, Ashley

Our annual trip to see the Chickasha Christmas lights and who should we run into but... And when we met some say, his heart grew three sizes that day.

KFC = Klerks Forget Courtesy

I am spitting mad. I mean actually spitting. I'll have to clean that up later. And it all has to do with KFC, ya know the place that decided that if they cut their name back and went with only initials that we, the public, are stupid enough to forget that the word FRIED is in their name. "KFC . . . Look kids, they's a health food joint now, Yeehaw!!!" Back to the spitting mad part.

Last week, Cassie and I decided we wanted a nice chicken dinner after Choir practice (I was having a pretty bad day and hey their chicken isn't fried anymore, so why not?) So I drove up to the drive through in my run down, ramshackle Ford which rattles, hums and spits. If that weren't enough, my car windows no longer roll down so I have to open my door to order and that of course sets off the dinger which "Dings" incessantly reminding me that I left my keys in the car and my lights are on!! So I was speaking a little louder than normal because I was talking over the car, but I was not yelling. Before I got two words out of my mouth the teen on the other end interrupts and says quite rudely:

"Maam, your shouting my ear off so STOP IT" Basically she told me to Shut Up. Me. A customer. So I said back to her. "I'll just go some place else." Granted that's not a really good come back, but I was shocked!! Who taught her how to speak to customers like that. By the time I got home and got really good and mad I called the store and complained to the manager, but I'm sure that did a whole lot of good. So then I called the 800 number to complain to the Colonel himself. After being told that he had passed (God rest his Kentucky Fried Soul) I talked to the next person in charge and was told the complaint would be passed on. Hmph. Probably to the same person I had just talked to earlier at the store. So basically not a whole lot got done. That's when I decided that complaining to them was not the answer. Complaining to everyone else was! Maybe when other people got wind of it, they would think twice about eating at this particular store. They would tell two friends, and they would tell two friends, and so on. . . So I'm telling my two friends and you guys.

The KFC on Lindsey stinks. They are rude, obnoxious and obviously care nothing for their customers. Oh, and by the way, they still fry their chicken . . . I've seen them. Some say a single nut job can't change the world but they have yet to see what this particular Nut Job is capable of . . . Today KFC, tomorrow . . . someplace else that is rude to me. Ah, the power!!!!

How Not to Maintain a Blog

Okay. I admit it. I am not the best organizer in the world. Thank goodness I have a head for numbers that way I do remember birthday's, dentists appointments, weddings, funerals, etc. And usually I can remember the myriad user names and passwords to my various accounts. Call it a gift . . .or a curse (demented musical stinger goes here). The curse is that since I can remember so many things, I neglect to write most things down. LIke my user name and password to this very site. Obviously, I know it now, but I had to jump through a whole bunch of hoops and a circus performer I ain't!!

So I have returned to the Duncan blog. That's means be prepared to experience my weird, goofy and sometimes sadistic brand of blog. Next Blog Subject: Satan Lives in Haileyville . . . Stay tuned.

Ashley with Camera

Ashley has taken up photography. She is using her own technique at this point.
A picture of Jordan and Daddy. The shopper cart and floor. Mommy and Hailey with Ashley's finger in the picture. Maybe she could submit some pictures to her Uncle Mike's web site?

Snow Day

It does snow in Oklahoma!
I remember growing up and the snow was eight to ten inches deep. On Thursday November 30th we received four to five inches in southwest Oklahoma. Snow drifts were in the 9 to 12 inch range. This snow was very powdery. Jordan the first time she saw it said, "Let's go play out in the sand". Pictures Left to Right: Jordan running in the snow, the blizzard in our back yard, Daddy with Ashley.

First Time Bowling

Ashley and Jordan bowled for the first time last Saturday November 18, 2006. In the picture you can see Ashley or was it Jordan (it was a team sport) watching the ball go down the lane. Hailey was also interested in why we were throwing the ball. Several times the girls would both lay belly down at the foul line and watch as the ball slowly made its approach on the pins.