Boo at the Zoo

I want to use "The Scoop" this week to send a quick thank you to all the parents of Abilene. I was very impressed with the turn out at Boo at the Zoo. Now by turn out I don't mean how many people were there (there were a ton, which was great!), I mean the costumes that I saw. Now it is certainly possible that a child can come with the idea to turn themselves into Mac N' Cheese, and then create a masterpiece of a costume by combining a yellow jumpsuit with giant noodles that stick to them. But my gut tells me that great parents were behind the fabulous costumes at Boo at the Zoo. Not to mention, the kids were so well behaved! On paper, the idea of handing out candy to kids at about 2 dozen locations among wild animals seems not only insane, but dangerous as well. But it was so much fun to see all the smiling faces, and watch the kids just let loose and have a great time. Boo at the Zoo is a great idea. It's safe, it's clean, it's really well run, and I know for a fact that all the people who volunteer their time to help with the event get much more in return than what they give. So thanks for making it another great year at the Zoo, and thanks to the parents for making it happen.

Farm livin' is the life for me

So here's the scoop, I just spent the weekend in Houston with some of my family and they suggested that we take the kids to a farm near their house. The Merkel girl inside of me who grew up in the country immediately thought of tractors, cows, and hay fields. But when we got there, I was completely shocked. The place was called Dewberry Farm. It was far more amusement park than West Texas farm. This place had it all. Pumpkin patches, pig races, hay rides, rubber duck races, petting zoos, corn cannons, pvc pipe slides (as uncomfortable as they sound), corn train rides, and even a zip line! As if you couldn't tell from the pictures, the kiddos had a phenominal time. If you are ever in a bad mood, or having a rough day, seeing a joyful kid will do the trick. It was awesome to see my nieces and nephews without a care in the world. They seemed so happy and free. I learned that we all need to find our "Dewberry Farm" in life. Whether it's cooking, shopping, reading a book, taking a walk, whatever it may be. Find what makes you feel like a kid again.

Gummy Bears and Windshields

So here's the scoop, have you ever had one of those days where you just can't seem to get it together? You know, those days where you tear up the entire house in search of a pencil when the darn thing was behind your ear the whole time. I seem to have days like that more often than not.

My most recent moment was when I was leaving Hobby Lobby on my dinner break. I was in my zone, I just found some great deals, I was munching on a bag of gummy bears and when I walked to the parking lot, I noticed something was wrong with my car. I put the candy on the ground and went to inspect. I had a crack in the windshield. Not really a big deal but I couldn't remember ever seeing it before.

Now, my windshield was a little dirty and the sunlight was hitting the window just right so I thought just maybe it was a dirt streak and I could clean it.
So I took my hand and gave it a go, to no avail. I picked up the gummy bear bag and slid it across the glass, again nothing. So without even thinking twice, I licked my hand and tried to clean the window. Gross I know. I think I even said that immediately after doing it. But I think we all have these little moments where we do things that we immediately say afterward, "not a good idea."

In the end, I should have just let it go and hopped in the car, and that is exactly what I did next. I hit the unlock button and went to open the door, but for some reason the door wouldn't open.

Come to find out...I was trying (and failing) to commit grand theft auto. It wasn't my car! I called my husband (again, not a good idea), and he hasn't stopped teasing me about it. One of those days I guess. At any rate, my windshield is fine. My dignity...not so much.

Downing Bolls

I just wanted to take some time to honor a co-worker who made me a better journalist, anchor, and person.

It has been an honor to work with Downing for the past four years at KRBC. With Downing what you see is what you get. The same person you have grown to love and welcomed into your home for over 20 years is the same guy we see whistling in the halls at work everyday. He has brought a level of professionalism and responsibility to this station that has made everyone around him strive to be better at what they do.

On a personal level, I know I wouldn't be a news anchor without Downing. I started working at KRBC when I was younger, and always wanted to deliver the news to Abilene and the Big Country. Downing took me under his wing, gave me the guidance and push I needed to make my dream a reality. Downing would of course never take the credit for helping me, so I wanted to say thank you here.

Downing, thanks for the laughs. Thanks for being the walking encyclopedia. Thanks for making sure that all of us were happy. Thanks for being our guide, and our friend. But most importantly, thanks for being you.

Dog + Vinyl Interior = Big Trouble!

So here's the scoop, I got a new car recently. I love it. I try not to even let my husband ride in it if I can help it (just kidding honey). So when I took my dog Maggie for a ride in it, I took all the necessary precautions to avoid catastrophe. I brought a towel for her to sit on in the passenger seat. I even loaded up on paper towels and cleaning supplies in case of emergency. It was all for naught.
I went shopping and found some fantastic deals (can I hear it from all the clearance rack ladies out there?). And so when I got back, I had an arm full of clothes to bring in. I called Rob to come out to the car and help me unload everything, and that's when it all went down.
I could see it in Maggie's eyes. It was a combination of fear, and maybe a little bit of rebellion. As you can see from the picture, our puppy has a flat out mean streak. To make a long story short, she had an accident and now I need help getting it out of my upholstery. Can anybody help out there?

Welcome to the Scoop

So here's the scoop, for those that don't know me just yet I want to give you a better insight as to who I am. I have been with the KRBC family for almost four years now and I have worked in a number of positions. You may have seen me in the mornings on Abilene Today, or for the last few months on First At Five with Randy Turner. Now I'm taking on a new challenge and moving to the evening shift and I couldn't be more excited! I have always been a night owl so this new shift fits me perfectly. (I'm the type of person who is still sitting on the couch with a chocolate bar well after Conan goes off the air). I don't know why but since I was little, I always enjoyed staying up late. My husband on the other hand is the complete opposite.I will be carrying on a conversation with him and the second the dude hits the pillow he is out like a light! If he snored, we would have a major problem.

Speaking of my husband, if you start following my blog you are going to hear a lot about him. There are a few ways that I would describe him..laid back, always puts his family first, loves sports and is a Disney fanatic! It's strange when we go to Disneyland and he stumps the park employees with Disneyland trivia. I can't decide if it is cute or completely embarrassing. Yep, that pretty much sums him up in a nut shell. He is actually on the couch right now watching Sunday night football. I made it through the first five hours but I pretty much zoned out after the Cowboys game finished. Whenever he says, "Honey, I am going to watch the game...", I always think he means just that one game. I think that if you are married to a big sports fan you know that they mean all day and night! It was a good run from January until now, but my husband is MIA until the Superbowl.

As for a little more about me, I grew up in the area. I went to school fifteen minutes from here and lived out in the country with my parents and brother. He is married and has a little boy. One of my favorite things to do is babysit my nephew. (he's the cute one in the picture playing in the water) And one of his favorite things is when I bring him the latest Lightning McQueen toys. My family is very important to me, and we have always been a very tight knit bunch.

Abilene is my home and I am so proud to be representing the viewers of the Big Country for KRBC. We will continue to bring the most cutting edge newscast to you each and every night, and I will always bring you the latest "scoop" in my life in this blog. If by "scoop" you mean things like: who I want to win the "Biggest Loser"(whoever Jillian trains), or what my favorite fried food is at the fair (fried Oreos), or why my husband refuses to take out the trash in a timely manner (because he loves to play what he calls "Trash Jenga"). This blog is going to be a lot of fun for me and I hope it is for you too.