family photo Sunday

Our granddaughters really enjoyed their visit to the Pirate's Cove at the Wisconsin Dells in June.

Natalie, Meredith and Sophie (all seated) and Brielle at top right.

first tropical storms of the season

After I posted this blog Saturday night, I awoke Sunday morning to find another Tropical Storm had formed off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. Claudette is expected to make landfall later Sunday night and may have increased to 60 mph by then.


It is not even Labor Day yet but the first tropical storms of the season were named as Tropical Storm ANA and BILL have formed in the Atlantic. One or both are expected to become hurricanes. I thought it was strange this afternoon as storms moved into the Atlanta area from the east instead of the west, hmmm. . .

(the five day forecast tracking maps for ANA and BILL - click to enlarge)

college football season just around the corner

There seems to be more interest in the college football season this year than ever before. Maybe because three great quarterbacks are returning to play another season when many predicted they would choose to go to the NFL early - Colt McCoy, QB for Texas; Tim Tebow, QB for Florida; and the Heisman trophy winnner Sam Bradford, QB for Oklahoma. I just happened to catch the end of the CBS NCAA preseason review today and one analyst predicted the championship game would be between Florida and Texas. Another guy predicted Florida and Oklahoma. I think it is way too early to predict who will play Florida for the National championship!

Hero's homecoming for Commander Scott Speicher

As the first casualty of Operation Desert Storm and one of our hometown boys in Jacksonville, Florida, it is with mixed emotions that Commander Scott Speicher will be laid to rest tomorrow. We are sad that he was not really "missing in action" for the last 18 years, but we are happy that his body was found in Iraq recently. A special public ceremony will be held near the Veterans Memorial Wall beginning at 9 AM Friday morning, near the sports complex. click to view details of the procession

Governor Christ has directed all State and National flags shall be flown at half-staff in Duval County, Jacksonville FL, and at the state capital on Friday click to read the proclamation.

the Rush diet

Rush is featured on the calorie count web site today. He has lost 80 lbs on his diet since March 9th, good for him! I started my diet using calorie count to keep track of what I eat on May 1st and so far I have lost 12 lbs. I posted this response to the blog about Rush Limbaugh's diet:

franklybaggs - Aug 13, 2009 11:07 PM

Yes, we men can lose weight a lot quicker that women, sorry I guess that is the way we are made. I have a diet from my doctor (from the 1980's) and the diet limits your intake to 1000 calories per day. All carbs are off limits, some protein, lots of fruits and veggies. I lost 80 pounds using this diet twice, but it is really hard to continue eating this way and I gained it all back plus some. Both times. But using CC I am losing weight slowly, and I think it will stay off this way. I am watching what I eat and limiting myself to 2050 calories per day, but if I treat myself to Big Mac at lunch, then I have very little calories left for supper. So far I have lost 12 pounds (since May 09) and my realistic goal is to lose a total of 50 pounds. People like Rush inspire me to keep at it. Also the emails I receive from CC remind me everyday to keep watching what I eat. Today my foods rated A- for breakfast and lunch, and CC is a great way to keep track of it!

The Rush Diet - click to read the article online

Rush Limbaugh told American Superstar Magazine that he’s using a diet plan from Florida-based Quick Weight Loss Centers, and he said he is eating about 1500 calories a day of real food with a couple of supplements they provide. The 80 pound loss occurred between March 9th and July 31st, but I can’t seem to make the math work no matter how hard I try.

Concord CA Blue Devils win DCI World Championship

The DCI World Championships took place in Indianapolis last week and my favorite corps won again! The Blue Devils from Concord, CA, won the gold medal coming in 1st place with a score of 99.05. The 2nd place silver medal went to a much-improved Carolina Crown with a 97.50 score. Coming in 3rd place this year, the Cadets of Bergen County, NJ, won the bronze medal with a 97.20 score. Click to read more results from Saturday night.

To read more about marching bands and drum corps, check out this link to Halftime Magazine. This magazine is the only publication that presents the sights, sound, and spirit of the marching arts. The website includes links to full articles from each issue back to the premier issue of July/August 2007.

family photo Sunday

Brandon and Rachel having fun in Orlando (photo taken in 2008)

changes in the air

As we traveled the interstate through Illinois recently, we saw these new windmills producing energy on a "wind farm" near Paw Paw, IL - in the middle of the cornfields, of course.

These are called wind turbines now (click to read more.) I added the picture of the older windmills below- the one that you probably have in your memory just to compare.

video - for back to school inspiration

I am posting this video for all of you teachers and students that are gearing up for a new year of school. This is a very inspiring video produced for the Starkville Mississippi School District.

the Cross

One of the unique sites we passed while traveling through Illinois recently was a huge cross in the middle of all the corn fields near Effingham. After a little research I found the website with more info at crossusa.org. The Cross was completed in 2001 and since then a Chapel and a display of the Ten Commandments have been added.

Video:Coach K interview on The Big Idea

if the video does not play, try this link to dukeblueplanet

Slideshow: August Family Birthdays

family photo Sunday

Our newest grandchild, Ethan, at 2 weeks old in his "baseball player" outfit and with the Atlanta Braves blanket that we bought for him.

cash for clunkers

I guess you heard today that the government giveaway program to help the automakers, Cash for Clunkers, is just about out of cash this week. The program which just started may be suspended as the $1,000,000,000.00 (that's BILLION) is almost gone! So if you traded in your clunker and received a $4500 discount from a car dealer, and then the government runs out of money before the dealer is refunded this $4500, do you have to turn the new car back in? And if your clunker has already been crushed for scrap metal, which is required by this government plan, what will you be driving then? Read more...Cash for clunkers may be running on empty (yahoo.com) and by the way, Gary Varvel has a great cartoon today!

Slideshow - Ethan's First 2 Weeks

Thanks to Leah for posting pictures on her facebook site, I "borrowed" them for my slideshow of Ethan's first two weeks of life. As you can see, this was a pretty exciting event that took place on July 9th, 2009.

check out my Gators blog

Check out my other blog "Go Gators, Oh My!"

Click the link above to visit my Gators blog and read the article in this weeks SI featuring Tim Tebow.

This is not your usual sports story as the gospel is presented several times and the Tebow family story as well:

• The Tebows were encouraged to abort their son, and consider him their "miracle boy"
• Bob Tebow is quoted as saying that he asked God for a preacher, and God gave him a quarterback. The SI writer concluded that God had given him both a QB and a preacher
• Tim Tebow has been to over 12 prisons in Florida to preach the gospel and this article recaps his visit to Lawtey Correctional where 14 men accepted Christ
• Tim hopes to go to preach at Starke and to the death row inmates
• Even Coach Urban Meyer was influenced by Tim Tebow to take his own family on a mission trip last summer

family photo Sunday

Recent photo of our youngest son Brandon and his wife Rachel. We enjoyed spending time with them on our family vacation in June.

Video - Coach K discusses his return as US National Coach

click to read: "Krzyzewski going for gold again"

Video - Philip Logan plays "New York Afternoon"

Our nephew, Philip Logan, entertained us by playing his guitar at our family gathering in Georgia a few days after Christmas (2008) - The title of the song is "New York Afternoon"

Video - grandkids in June

We enjoyed spending time with our family in Wisconsin this past June. This short video was taken at the "Above and Beyond Children's Museum" in Sheboygan. Brielle is playing with a hand puppet and Aunt Rachel is helping Natalie make a craft.

all in a day's journey to Wisconsin

Stephen and Leah have been married for six years, but this is the first time we have driven to Wisconsin to visit them instead of flying. We were supposed to be in Orlando this week for the trial of her brother John's killer, but the trial was postponed - again. The trial date has been changed to September 29. Even though the driver of the SUV that hit and killed John was drunk, the DUI charge has been thrown out on a technicality. So the lesser charge of vehicular manslaughter will be brought to trial soon, we hope. It has been almost four years since the accident.

Since we were only going to Orlando for the trial, we cancelled our reservations. Thankfully, there was no fee to cancel. And then, we decided last week to drive to Wisconsin and see our newest grandchild, Ethan. He is so tiny (11 days old today) and basically eats and sleeps 24-7!

Along the journey to Wisconsin, we drove up I-24 from GA passing through Tennessee and Kentucky, until I-24 ends in Illinois. Even with two unplanned stops, we made the trip in 14.5 hours, $77.00 gas and our Intrepid averaged 28.2 miles per gallon! Driving through Chattanooga brought back a flood of memories. I lived there for four years going to college at Tennessee Temple University and met Cindy there. I did not realize that Chattanooga is less than two hours from our home in GA, so we will have to go back on a day trip to visit Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls, Rock City, the Choo Choo restaurant - some of the places we enjoyed while living there. I wonder if "Armando's" (best burger in town) is still in operation?


Near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, we left the highway to find a blueberry patch. Alas, they had none for sale, and we did not have time to pick them. I was surprised to cross the Tennessee River for a second time, the first time was in Chattanooga, and somewhere near the Kentucky Dam we crossed over it again.(see photo above) As we traveled into Illinois from Kentucky we crossed over the Ohio River. I-24 finally ended in Illinois and we traveled I-57 towards Chicago and then took I-74 to I-39N to Wisconsin. Between Bloomington and Rockford, we crossed the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge over the Illinois River.(See photo below)



I have to note that I have never seen as many cornfields as we did passing through Illinois. In Dix, IL, we made a quick stop at Hawkin's Orchard and bought a peck of peaches. Maybe we can make a peach cobbler (made with Aunt Jemima's syrup) this week!

family photo Sunday

Josh and Janelle, photo from summer vacation in Wisconsin, July 2009

Slideshow - 4th of July fireworks at Stone Mtn Park

Video - fireworks at Stone Mtn Park

I recorded this brief video of the fireworks display at Stone Mountain Park on Friday night, July 3rd. I will post a slideshow of pictures shortly.

Slideshow - Trees that had to go!

video - one of our trees had to go

What a surprise for us when we returned home from vacation in June and found the top 20-25 foot portion of a dead hickory tree in the backyard. It smashed a 6 foot section of privacy fence to the ground also. We have lots of firewood now or rather lots of wood to be cut into firewood. They left the tree cut up in 18"-24" sections and each section must weigh about 150 lbs or more. We will have to buy a chain saw for this next project! Cindy took several videos of the tree cutter as he cut section by section.

vacation photos - visit to Sheboygan

On the last full day of our family vacation in June, we visited Sheboygan on the shore of Lake Michigan. We enjoyed the breeze and 65 degree temps that day. The kids really enjoyed the Above and Beyond Museum in downtown Sheboygan. On the way back to Beaver Dam, we stopped to tour the Kohler Design Center and then ate supper at the Pizza Hut in Plymouth. Click to view slideshow

vacation photos - the Dairy Breakfast

One of the unusual things we did on vacation was the all-u-can-eat "Dairy Breakfast" on a farm in Watertown, WI, on Saturday morning. The equipment barn was set up with tables and chairs, and we enjoyed the $7.00 breakfast of pancakes, sausage, eggs, juice and choc. milk. The grandkids learned how to milk a cow (not a real one, of course) and petted some small animals. I enjoyed the room full of model electric trains and took a few pics of the "John Deere" train. Click to view photo album

family photo Sunday

What else but a photo of our new grandchild (and first grandson) Stephen Ethan, born Thursday July 9th for the photo of the week! Oh, and we went shopping for an outfit for him, but I can't say what we bought him, it's a surprise!

vacation photos, the last weekend

Click this link to view more photos from our Wisconsin vacation. These were taken the last weekend including the cookout on Friday night. Stephen grilled burgers and brats. Leah's parents and grandparents joined us for the meal as well as their Pastor and his family. And photos from our visit to Able Sign Company in Beaver Dam on Monday night to ride on the bucket truck.

spending time with the grandkids

Since we were spending our vacation in Stephen's home town, we were able to enjoy some "normal" activities during the week. Even though we visited the Dells, Sheboygan, Kohler and Watertown while on vacation, we also spent time enjoying the kids playing ball, swimming, etc.

This slideshow has a lot of photos of the family at various activities including Natalie's first T-ball practice, swimming at the pool, and Natalie's first game.

Click to view photos on the gallery - "Spending time with the grandkids"

Our first grandson, Stephen Ethan Franklin

Our first grandson was born today in Watertown, Wisconsin, weighing in at 7 lbs 5 oz and 19 1/2 inches long, with red hair and blue eyes. Mom and baby Ethan are doing fine. And today is also the proud father's birthday (7/09/79) Less you fill left out, Happy Birthday Stephen!

Check out the first video of Ethan at Leah's blog

how quickly things change

We can become a little frustrated, but plans change and many times in the journey of life there are circumstances beyond our control. So as the apostle Paul would say in Philippians 4:11 "for I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content."

The lawyers called today and the trial for my brother-in-law's killer (vehicular manslaughter) will be postponed. We have only been waiting 3 1/2 years for this trial, but it seems the defense lawyer decided to hire a "reconstruction expert witness" to reconstruct the scene of the accident. The next hearing will be on September 11th and the next court date for trial is Sept 29th. So we were able to cancel the reservation for the Orlando resort without paying a cancellation fee.


Also, speaking of how quickly things change - Leah is now scheduled to have labor induced on Thurs, July 9th - so Stephen may have a son born on his own birthday!

Slideshow - July family birthdays

family photo Sunday

We enjoyed visiting WI this summer and "thanks" to Stephen and Leah for opening up their home to all of us. We hope to have a "new baby" announcement one day this week! Who knows, Stephen could celebrate his birthday on July 9th with a new child!

Freedom isn't free

As we celebrate the 4th of July, take time to remember that "freedom isn't free." Someone sacrificed his or her life so that we might continue to enjoy our freedom to worship, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, etc.





Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.
Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.
Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.
Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.
They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes,and their sacred honor.
What kind of men were they?
Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.
Eleven were merchants.
Nine were farmers and large plantation owners and many were preachers!

They were men of means, and well-educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Rutledge, and Middleton. (Our county in GA was named after Button Gwinnett.)

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson Home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: freedom is never free!
The Fourth of July has more to it than picnics and baseball games.

vacation photo book 2, the Wisconsin Dells

We traveled to the Wisconsin Dells for the first time this summer. The kids enjoyed the Pirate's Cove which has Adventure Golf and a huge play area with sand pails, jumping pillow, pedal cars, etc. Click to view photo book no.2 from the Dells