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Books

It’s St. Patrick’s day with a giveaway!

Books, Other

I hate to sound overly dramatic, but I am devastated that Spring Break is over. Now we face the weeks ahead where it will still be dark outside as I make ham sandwiches to put in Caroline's lunch. And the worst is that I have to act totally enthusiastic about the whole thing because I have to offset Caroline's lack of excitement about re-entering the world of alarm clocks and homework. If she Read More

Fashion Friday: Edition the week of the antelope

Books, Other

It has been a big week. And now I have big plans to sleep all weekend with the exception of 10 until 11 a.m. on Saturday morning when I will go watch Caroline play basketball. I'll also be drawing for the Frye boots around noon today and will email the winner. If for any reason the winner is unable to fulfill her duties as the owner of the Frye boots, they will go to the first runner Read More

Remember the antelope

Books, Other

Well. The last two days have been a whirlwind. But it has all been so fun and I've loved reading all the comments and emails and seeing pictures of the book in your sweet little hands. You have made it so great and I cannot even tell you how much I appreciate it. I had a book signing on Tuesday night here in town and it was the best time. I'll write more about it next week, but I'll never Read More

The Antelope in the Living Room

Another day, Books

Okay, so let's talk about this emotional milestone. I just got home from an informational meeting at the Junior High because Caroline is going to be in Junior High next year. Of all the things happening in my life right now, this might be the one that is the most surreal and has caused me to be a little bit of a wreck. Junior High. As in, MIDDLE SCHOOL. As in, she'll have a locker and Read More

It’s a giveaway for your ears

Books, Other

Does that make it sound like I'm giving away your ears? I couldn't decide. But I think it's obvious that wouldn't really work out because your ears don't belong to me. Remember a few months ago when I mentioned I'd recorded the audio version of Sparkly Green Earrings? (It's okay if you don't. I keep forgetting to buy new razors at the grocery store so I totally understand.) Anyway, Read More

Antelopes and chandeliers

Books, Other

So last week I ended up taking an inadvertent break from my Smart Barre workouts. At first it was because we were busy getting the playroom finished and I felt that using an orbital sander for hours at a time definitely counted as exercise. But then I started feeling kind of bad. And then I couldn't move my neck and I was like Joan Cusack in Sixteen Candles. And then I had friends coming in Read More

Fashion Friday: Edition sparkly green giveaway!

Books, Other

Y'all. It is May and it's going to be forty-something degrees in the morning. I don't even understand what is happening. Yesterday morning I had a speaking thing at a local school and I had no idea what to wear because it was cold and windy and definitely not spring-like. So I texted a friend and asked, "Can I wear my boots in May since it's cold outside?" And she replied, "I wouldn't let Read More

Because it always comes back to the antelope

Books, Other

Listen. I know there are days that I say I have nothing to write about it and then blah, blah, blah for the next 1,000 words. But I don't think today is going to be one of those days. I'm out of words. And here's a large part of the reason why. I've been writing my second book for the last six months. I KNOW. I haven't even said a word about it. But it's true. It's Read More

Fashion Friday: Edition the road goes on forever and the sparkly green earrings never end

Books, Other

When you write a book entitled Sparkly Green Earrings you get a lot of pairs of sparkly green earrings. And I love each and every pair. Because green goes with a surprising amount of stuff. And it's the color of the year. And each pair of earrings has its own unique personality. I don't really know if an earring can have a personality, but let's go with it. By the way, my next book Read More

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Who is Melanie?

Melanie ShankleMy name is Melanie and, in some strange twist of fate, I’m also known as Big Mama because I started this blog in July of 2006 when my daughter, Caroline, was not quite three years old and I was in the process of convincing her that BIG girls use the potty and BIG girls don’t have pacifiers, thus she thought BIG was the highest compliment in the land and began referring to me as BIG MAMA.Read More

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Events Books The Big Boo Cast Diary Fashion Friday

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Well, we have some news I wanted to share because Well, we have some news I wanted to share because I know many of you are really just here for the Piper and Mabel content. ⁣
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A couple of years ago, Piper contracted a rare fungal infection in her left front paw. It began to invade all her soft tissue and we went to several vet specialists who all agreed there wasn’t any way to treat it short of eventually amputating her leg. We held off on that as long as we could and treated her with meds to slow the growth, but over the last month it became obvious that the foot was causing her pain and it was time. So on Monday, Piper got her left front leg amputated. ⁣
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She’s home now and I’m happy to report that she is doing amazing. Apparently she didn’t get the memo that she is now missing a leg because she hasn’t missed a beat. She’s moving around like a champ and I feel certain she’ll be back to running at the ranch and protecting our home from bearded strangers wearing hats in no time. This is why she is currently on some painkillers and sedatives so she can rest and heal. No one gave her the memo this is a big deal. ⁣
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However, at this point I would like to also give Mabel a sedative because she doesn’t understand why her sister is getting so much attention and is, frankly, a little salty about it. Also special thank you to @alldredgevet who treated our girl like a rockstar.
Back in the high life again. 👍🏻🏈🤍⁣
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I love a bright, shiny football season when the Aggies are 1-0 and the possibilities seem endless. Best time, best place, best people. ⁣
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Thanks and Gig’em.
Twenty-six years ago today we got married. At noon Twenty-six years ago today we got married. At noon. During the hottest month of the year. I give that decision one star, do not recommend. ⭐️⁣
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But we made the best decision when we chose each other because we have lived a lot of life together and still make each other laugh. ❤️⁣
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Also, Perry is spending this anniversary fishing at the coast. And I told him he just needs to remember he already made his best catch twenty-six years ago. 😂
🩵 HAPPY 20th BIRTHDAY, CAROLINE! 🩵⁣ ⁣ I 🩵 HAPPY 20th BIRTHDAY, CAROLINE! 🩵⁣
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I blinked and my baby turned twenty.⁣
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But the gift that happened when I blinked was my delightful little girl turned into an incredible woman and one of my best friends.🩵⁣
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Wishing you a year of joy, love, laughter and winning Aggie teams. I love you so much!🩵
🥳 Happy Birthday, Gulley! 🥳⁣ ⁣ A couple 🥳 Happy Birthday, Gulley! 🥳⁣
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A couple of months ago, Gulley and I took a selfie at an Aggie basketball game and we wondered how many times we had done some version of that over the years. Here’s just what I found on my phone and this doesn’t include most of college since, well, we went to college in the days you had to take film to Fox Photo to get developed and it was a whole thing. 
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Here’s an excerpt from 𝘕𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺’𝘴 𝘊𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘠𝘰𝘶 that I wrote years ago. ⁣
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“𝘈 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘎𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦: 𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯, 𝘛𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘦’𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵, 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘶𝘮𝘣 𝘪𝘯 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺.”⁣
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I’m so thankful for every single bit of it and for a best friend who makes life infinitely more fun. 💕 @gulleyfisher
Best cure for the Texas heat? Leave. ⁣ ⁣ Spend Best cure for the Texas heat? Leave. ⁣
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Spending time in the mountains with old friends who have known you and loved you for over thirty years and counting is a great place to be in July. 🤍

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