Julie's Blog

Let's Do Dinner!!! Tuesday JULY 1st!

2008-06-25T13:51:00Z

If you watch the weather on Channel 2, than chances are we eat at least one meal a day together, right?

You eat, what mom says is "the most important meal of the day"-- BREAKFAST-- with me. We also sometimes have lunch together.

Dan's on when dinner's cooking, and you're probably sitting down to eat by the time he's done.

When you re-join Dan at 10pm-- it's time for dessert, and that glass of water before bed.

And come on-- who hasn't gotten up for a midnight snack (or fourth meal) to find one of us tracking storms late night?

On Tuesday, July 1st, I'd like to invite you to dinner, in person.

Here's the deal:

I'm a board member for the Adoption Center of Northeast Oklahoma. It's a local non-profit that helps find homes for kids in foster care. We specialize in what are called "special needs adoptions". These types of adoptions often involve kids with special circumstances. For instance, some have been passed from foster home to foster home, some are older, have a disability, or are brother and sisters who we're working desperately to keep together.

So here's where you come in, we are having the easiest fundraising dinner ever. All you have to do is go out for dinner to El Chico's at 9705 East 71st (71st and Mingo) on Tuesday, July 1st sometime after 5pm.

That's it, no tickets to buy, no sponsorships to fund, no need to get dressed up... just treat your friends and family, or just yourself to dinner there. When you arrive, please tell them you're there to support the Adoption Center and 10% of what you spend will go to help find kids forever homes.

You gotta eat, right? So, let's all do it together and help out kids in need.

Hope to see you there!

Julie Chin Raw Video of Falling Tree-- What You Didn't See..

2007-12-13T15:14:00Z

If you're reading this, then chances are you've seen the video of me with the HUGE falling tree behind.

If you haven't seen it, CLICK HERE to watch the video.

I know, I know… it was a very dangerous situation.

I'm very lucky... and... what was I thinking putting my hand over my head?!? Basic instinct, I guess, but we all know that wouldn't have done much.

You need to know we were out there to get the word out about how bad the ice storm was. We also were keeping a close eye to the sky, and throughout the morning had dodged numerous falling branches. We had discussed that tree with others, and were pretty confident that due to the weight of the ice and the way the tree was leaning that it was not going to fall our way. You also need to know that I have learned my lesson, and next time I surely won't get quite that close.

Even though pictures ( or in this case--video) are worth a thousand words, it's what you didn't see on tape that has kept me going the past few days. Like you, I am also without a home, heat and hot water, and yes, it's even taking a toll on me.

When I came across that North Tulsa neighborhood Monday, the destruction was unreal. Clearly, this was the worst damage we had seen, and we had been all around the area. Mother Nature had devoured hundred-year-old hardwoods snapping them like used toothpicks. Electric boxes were literally ripped off homes. SUVs and cars were crushed; as bushes bogged down by ice, bowed down to Mother Nature. Our footsteps were punctuated by the snap, crackle and pop of the next branch falling from the sky… sirens screamed in the distance.

The tree that you saw fall, was the last of a group of three that hadn't laid down yet. The first two toppled earlier that morning and rested in the roadway. They were so big, no cars would be able to enter or exit this neighborhood, and hefty machinery would be needed to remove them. When we arrived on the scene, the family that lived in that house next to those trees was outside. They were all okay, but their power was out, so they were packing things up-- heading out for a warm place to stay.

My photographer, John and I were there for hours, talking to neighbors, pushing cars out of lawns, and keeping an eye on that last standing tree. We also noticed the family periodically come and go: once to get blankets… another time to take their dogs to a safe place. Each time-- they, like us-- were staring down the last standing tree-- willing it to just stay put.

As we know by now, that did not happen.

It fell shortly after the family took the dogs away. And as you saw, I was standing on the other side when it lost its fight against the freezing rain.

We knew no one was inside the home (that you can barely see from the video), and there was nothing we could do at that moment, that's why we kept taping. We also knew it was only a matter of time before the family came home to discover it.

They arrived a few minutes later… and silently looked on as the tree rested like a sleeping giant across their front yard and onto their house. Despite the chaos, they were surprisingly calm, cool and collected, and after checking things out--- thought perhaps someday the house would be okay.

We spoke for a while off camera… and they amazed me.

Here's why..

The homeowner told me: "Before I went to bed last night, I just prayed that those trees wouldn't hit any of our cars, or our house while our family was in it. We moved the cars before the first trees fell, and we were out of the house for the third. So, you know what? The way I see it, we're lucky. Our prayers were answered."

As we count the days we are cold, uncomfortable, hungry and without hot water.. Perhaps we should count our blessings too.

I sure am. It sounds cliché, but even I'm living proof-- things could've been a lot worse.

Stay Safe.

Julie

I'll be there... and You're Invited!!!!

2007-09-19T13:20:00Z

By now, if you've read any of my blogs, you know they tend to revolve around 2 things:

The weather…and children.

This one is no different, except...

It's about children without moms and dads.

Consider the facts:

Right now there are 500,000 children living in Foster Care.

More than 126,000 do not legally have parents and are waiting for a new forever home.

It takes $1500 to get them started in the adoption process, and they need your help doing this.

You can help, and I have the perfect way of doing so.

The Adoption Center of Northeastern Oklahoma is throwing a big family friendly Carnival and Concert Saturday, and you're invited to attend.

It's called Spirit Splash, and it is a fundraiser where 100% ( yes-- 100%) of the proceeds go to the Adoption Center of Northeastern Oklahoma. The Center is a licensed, non-profit agency dedicated to finding safe, permanent, forever homes for America's waiting children.

I am a board member of this agency, and am awestruck by the work they do. They specialize in something called "special needs adoptions". These types of adoptions are often for siblings that do not want to be split up, children with special challenges, older kids, and even kids who have been passed from foster home to foster home. What's really special about the staffers at the Adoption Center of Northeastern Oklahoma is they don’t just search for families, they search for the right family fit, and then provide support to help the family succeed. They do this cost free, with some state funding and the rest from fundraising and private tax deductible donations.

Here's your official invite:

You’re invited to join us for …

Spirit Splash 2007 Carnival & Concert

100% of proceeds benefit

The Adoption Center of Northeastern Oklahoma

We’ll have a Jupiter Jump, a fire engine and

all kinds of games and prizes for the kids!

Then the highlight of the evening…

Mark Harris, with special guest Andy Chrisman,

(both of 4Him) will perform in concert!

Saturday Sept 22^nd

Southern Hills Baptist Church @ 56th & Lewis

Carnival is from 5pm until 7pm

The Concert begins at 7pm!

Concert, including carnival, Advance tickets $11 each

Available @ both Mardel locations in Tulsa or on-line at ^{www.itickets.com/events/177737.html}

Tickets $12.50 at the door

Kids 5 and under are free for the concert

Carnival Only… $5 each or $15 for entire family

Oh-- and what's a "Julie blog" without a forecast?

Saturday is looking sunny and hot.. With highs in the low 90s.

I'm also forecasting a great event--- and with your help, a brighter future for our waiting children.

I'll be there, hope to see you!

Julie

Oh What a Beautiful Morning!! ( Singing required)

2007-09-11T14:03:00Z

"There's a bright golden haze on the meadow,

There's a bright golden haze on the meadow,

The corn is as high as an elephant's eye

An' it looks like it's climbin' clear up to the sky…."

(Chorus…ALL SING OUT LOUD….come on you know the song!)

"OOOOOhhhhh…….. what a beautiful morning!"

Mother Nature is serving up some "chilled air" for breakfast... and I like it.

I like it so much, I think I scared some of the folks at my local QT this morning. When I bounced into the store around 2:00am ( early, huh?), to get my daily dose of Diet Coke, I greeted everyone inside and went on and on and on about how "nice" it was outside. Looking back, I know it was a little jarring for all 5 people in the store. But I couldn't help it… I was so excited.

I guess you could say after days of torrential flooding rains, clouds, and sticky, muggy air before that, this morning's weather is a breath of fresh air.

Makes sense, too, because it is, literally.

We dipped to 60 in Tulsa, Wagoner and Tahlequah this morning.

54 in Bartlesville.

53 in Vinita.

52 in Copan.

51 in Pawhuska.

47 in Slapout.

39 in Beaver.

This is our first late summer shot of Canadian air. The leading edge surged in around dinner time last night. We're getting a nibble this morning, and we'll have an even better taste tomorrow morning (translation: it'll be cooler tomorrow morning) with mainly clear skies overnight. ( Might it be time to trade the iced coffee for the hot stuff?)

Sunshine is in the forecast today. Our afternoons will start to warm a little the next few days, then cool back down this weekend.

Fall officially arrives the morning of Sunday, September 23rd. I do believe we'll see 90s before then, so if you're holding onto summer still, not to worry it's not gone just yet. If you're looking ahead to fall, enjoy today's taste test.

And that brings me back to our chorus (will you sing with me now?) from our State's musical... .

"Oh what a beautiful morning!

Oh what a beautiful day!

I've got a wonderful feeeeeeelllllllliiiiinnnnnng…. Everything's going my way".

Hope it does.

Have a great day!

Jules

Final Kids Summer Reading Book

2007-08-24T12:59:00Z

Someone once told me, the way people feel about the weather is kind of how they feel about their hair.

No one is ever happy with what they're given.

If someone has straight hair, they wish it were curly.
Curly haired folks want it straight.
Brunettes want it blonder.
Some look forward to turning Gray, others want it gone.

It's just like the weather.

When we get sunshine, we want rain.
When we get rain, we want sunshine.
We want it to snow... then we want it to stop.

If I had a dime for every time someone asked for a different kind of weather, I'd be a rich gal. Since the dimes aren't coming my way, I thought I'd offer my 2 cents on this-- with the help of one of the most famous Doctors of all time, who also happens to be the author of this summer's final children's weather book.

"Batholomew and the Oobleck" by, Dr. Seuss

We're traveling to the Kingdom of Didd in this one. It's the "Year-the-King-got-Angry-with the-Sky. His beef? He's tired of the four things that come from the sky. Sick of snow, fog, sunshine and rain. So, he calls upon his Royal Magicians to mess with Mother Nature. Their mission? To create a new kind of precip that no one has ever seen before. What will they create? And will it create chaos? You've got to check this one out to find out.

This Dr. Seuss book is a little more obscure than some of our old favorites, and probably best suited for kids over 7. Of course there are so many weather lessons to take from this one. The water cycle for certain, and why rain and snow and sunshine are so important. However, the lesson I like best is the one Mom tells me even up to this day..."be careful what you wish for".

I hope you enjoy this book. I know it probably won't change your wishes sometimes for different weather. That's ok, because honestly, that's what keeps me in business.

I've enjoyed our time together this summer.

Happy Reading… and best of luck in school, Kiddoes!

Jules

Book Blog For Kids #6

2007-08-17T12:57:00Z

No doubt when it comes to the weather where we live, it's either feast of famine.

Consider this statistic that Dan passed along to me for Tulsa for the past two months:

The first 16 days of July we picked up 5.76" of rain.

The first 16 days of August… a whopping ZERO.

So far this month we haven't see any rain showers…

HOWEVER… we have been privy to a pretty cool Meteor Shower.

Last week we were blessed with several days of shooting stars (and I am not talking about the PGA Championship!).

The Annual Perseid Meteor shower peaked last weekend, and it didn't disappoint. We had hundreds of meteors zipping through our skies for days. Dan, George, George ( yes, we now have 2 Georges!) and I mentioned it tons on the news, and I hope you had an opportunity to get out and witness it.

I sure did. While watching the meteors flying through our skies, I was standing near a father and his sweet 5 year old daughter. I couldn't help but listen and smile to her "oohing and ahhing" while watching what she called "the magical flashes of light".

Mother Nature is indeed magical… and the magic of that night (even though, yes, there is a science behind a Meteor Shower) made me think of this week's book.

It's….

"The Rainbabies" by Laura Krauss Melmed

( Also the author of the best selling book "I Love You As Much".)

The Rainbabies is a sweet folk tale that tells the story of a childless couple who, in the magic of a moonshower find a dozen tiny babies in the grass. The little babies take the couple on some big adventures, and despite their tough times, their unconditional love is rewarded in the end. This would be a great story to read with your child. It's beautifully illustrated, and worth the time.

Since I chose this book because of its astronomy influence, this might be a good week to talk with your little ones about Space and Beyond.

I have two great ways to do this:

First NASA has a great kids website: www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/home/index.html. It's super kid friendly, and when it comes to the skies, who better to turn to than NASA?

My second thought is to take a field trip to Tulsa's Air and Space Museum. It's inside a huge hangar across from the Tulsa Zoo and is rich with examples of our area's aviation history. Right next door sits and a planetarium. Been there, done that, and it's so much fun. For more info on that one, go to www.tulsaairandspacemuseum.com/.

It might be a good weekend to pick this book up... the clouds are creeping in, and it appears rain may be on the way!

Happy Reading!

Julie

Summer Reading Book Blog #5

2007-08-01T13:58:00Z

Oh-- the things that you remember about your childhood…

Isn't it funny how memories come back like little snapshots? It always makes me chuckle to think of the random things I remember about my early childhood, and this week's book compels me to tell you this story.

I remember one long, hot August day when my mom packed me up in the car to tackle a number of errands. Not fun errands either ( like going to the toy store or for Ice Cream!). Nope, this was stuff like going to get an oil change, getting my teeth cleaned at the Periodontist , and the one we hated most as kids-- going to the Supermarket. My poor mom had me in tow all day long. Yes, that's right, my poor mom. This is why-- as a child ( and it still holds true as an adult) I was (am) a talker. Mom was bombarded by my non-stop questions. She answered them humorously, but by the end of the day-- she was probably ready for some peace and quiet.

Here's why I think that:

I remember sitting in the front of the packed grocery cart, with my legs dangling down and Barbie in hand, when a loud clap of thunder roared outside, and rain started pouring down in buckets.

Of course, I had to ask the obvious...

"Mom, where does the rain go after it stops?"

Silence.

"Mom. Hey, Mom.. Where does the rain go after it stops?"

Still nothing.

I thought I'd give it a go one more time…

"MOM, MOM! WHERE DOES THE RAIN GO AFTER IT STOPS?"

I'll never forget the look on her face… she looked at me with a tired smile, and said...

"Honey, I just don't know."

(HUH? But moms know EVERYTHING!)

Looking back on this, I am convinced my mom did know, but I had already exceeded my question quota for the day. She needed a break, and she was about to tackle the task of packing up dozens of groceries, and a 5 year-old in a car, after a long day of errands in the pouring rain.

I never asked her about it again, however Mom (and moms and dads of the world) in case you don't know… this week's book provides a perfect answer to the question every kid asks…

"Where does the rain go after it stops?"

So, head to the library or local bookstore, and check this one out.

Down Comes the Rain by, Franklin Branley.

( For Ages 3-10)

This is a great book to brighten any rainy day. Down Comes the Rain talks about the water cycle. You know, stuff like, why it rains, what makes rain, and where all that water goes. It also tackles snow, clouds and even hailstones ( there's even a shout out to our friends in Coffeyville, Kansas -- home to the heaviest hailstone on record). What I love too, about this book, is that it uses everyday things like a boiling pot, or the shower curtain to explain the way things happen in our skies. Cool little experiments that we can all do in the comfort of our homes.

Of course, moms and dad, be advised…. this book will probably lead your kids to the next obvious question. You know, the one everyone asks sooner or later….

"Why is the sky blue?"

You might want to have your answer ready when that one comes. If you need help on that one feel free to write to me… or you could even shoot my mother a note. I am proud to say, I also remember the day when my Mom answered the blue sky question… and she nailed it.

Happy Reading ( Love you, Mom!)

Julie

Summer Reading Blog-- Book 4

2007-07-23T14:40:00Z

Excuse me for stating the obvious.

But…. Green Country is really, really, really GREEN right now. I guess it's the one bright spot in the first half of this Summer's flooding rains. I couldn't help but notice how lush everything is on a bike ride I took Sunday. The rain has really made our trees beautiful, and our grass thick. It's a far cry from the hot and parched conditions we had last summer. All that vegetation too, is helping to keep our temperatures in check, and for that I am super grateful.

Inspired by the "green-ness" ( okay I am sure that's not really a word, but you know where I am going with this) I thought we'd focus on "Going Green" this week. The book I've chosen teaching kids the importance of protecting our environment.

Our Midday producer Andrea Johnson (a hip 20-something) brought this one to me. Andrea loved it so much that she pulled it from her very special collection ( she has dozens of this family of books) for me to read. I guess it's fate too, because just a day after she brought me the book, I was at the library and saw a little girl sitting an reading another from the popular collection.

So, without further ado… our book club book this week is…

The Berenstain Bears Don't Pollute Anymore

by, Stan & Jan Berenstain.

In Don't Pollute Anymore, the popular bear family talks about our environment. The front cover sums it up best, "When Bear Country's cubs learn pollution is a fact, they help grownups learn to clean up their act." This book addresses species endangerment, ecology, conservationism and recycling. It explains the terms simply and even inspires activism (which I love!!!). When we talk weather, we also have to talk about keeping what we have in the best shape possible; and by tackling that message as early as possible, I think we ensure a better place for our kids to grow up in.

Hope you enjoy this one. We're ready for more in the way of blue skies, but in the meantime, why not think Green too.

Happy reading!

Julie

P.S. Because the Berenstain family is so lovable, you might want to check out, The Berenstain Bears: Too Much Vacation. This is another great one that tackles what happens when a vacation doesn't go exactly as planned. The front cover of the book poses the question, "Can a bear's vacation with more rain than sun end up being the one that's most fun?" Go over the river and through the woods with this fantastic family to find out.

Summer Reading Blog Book 3

2007-07-12T17:34:00Z

Okay, so this has not been a "typical" summer for us so far… but one of the things I love most about a "typical" summer is all the time you can spend outside.

As a child, I remember slapping on the sunscreen and spending hours outside. We'd literally be out there from sun-up to bedtime. We'd play all day, splash around in the community pool, read books in the shade, take naps in a hammock under a tree, barbecue for dinner and catch fireflies at night. It is amazing how many games you can come up with outside with the help of mother nature and your imagination.

One of my favorite games was (and still is) "what does that cloud look like to you"? Come on, you know what I'm talking about. The game where you look up in the sky at all the beautiful puffy cumulous clouds that perhaps resemble a UFO, or a dolphin, or a chef's hat, or Grandma? We used to spend hours on that one as kids. Talk about free, safe fun for the whole family it doesn't get better than that.

Well, this week's book, takes this game to a whole new level- a place called..."Sector 7".

So, book #3 is…..

Sector 7, by David Wiesner, it also happens to be a Caldecott Honor Book.

This book is unlike any I've read in years. Here's why… IT'S A PICTURE BOOK! But it's appropriate for any age. Really, any age, even adults!

The Tulsa City-County Public Library suggested this one. So, I checked it out, and read it with my little sister, Keke. The pictures steer the story, but we went ahead using our own words to actually tell it. Each of us took a page and became the narrator. Laughing and ping-ponging our way back and forth, we told quite a tale. It was a fun way to "read" a book together, and work on storytelling too.

Here's the basic story, a little boy takes a field trip with his classmates to the Empire State Building in New York City. While on the Observation Deck, a mischievous cloud befriends him, and takes him on a trip high in the sky to a big cloud making (train station looking) factory called ( you guessed it) SECTOR 7.

This is a great book to talk to kids about clouds.

For instance:

What are Clouds?

A cloud is a large collection of very tiny droplets of water or ice crystals. The droplets are so small and light they can float in the air.

How are Clouds formed?

All air contains water, but near the ground it is usually in the form of an invisible gas we can't see called water vapor. When warm air rises, it expands and cools. Cool air can't hold as much water vapor as warm air, so some of the vapor condenses onto tiny particles of dust that are floating in the air and forms a tiny droplet around each dust particle. When billions of these droplets come together, they form clouds.

Why are clouds white?

Clouds are white because they reflect the light of the sun. Light is made up of colors of the rainbow and when you add them all together you get white.

What makes a cloud turn gray?

If the cloud gets thick enough or high enough all the light above the cloud does not make it through, hence they look gray or dark. Also if they are surrounded by other clouds, their shadow can add to the gray appearance.

Of course, you can always talk about cloud types, classifications, folklore, etc. Frankly, with this one, the sky's the limit ( pun certainly intended).

Speaking of the skies.. come on, play the game with me.

What does this cloud look like to you? I think a muffin top. Any one else?

Thanks to Jeff Chandler who sent this one to us from Jenks on July 12.

Happy Reading! Hope you love this one as much as I do.

Julie

Summer Reading for Kids-- Book 2

2007-06-25T12:17:00Z

As a young child, I loved a good Thunderboomer, although the reason why might surprise you.

Oftentimes a thunderstorm meant the power would go out, and that was a GOOD thing. Here's why: for us kids, there was nothing more magical than spending the rest of the evening watching the lightning strikes illuminate the sky in the distance. We'd play hide and seek indoors with flashlights, and dine by candlelight; and the best part was dinner. With the power out, Mom couldn't cook so that meant we had to order in for PIZZA!!! Don't get me wrong, my Mom is a great cook-- but Pizza then ( and now) was a treat. Oftentimes too, it was shortly after the pizza arrived that-- buzz-- the lights would go back on… our bellies would be full and the storm would be miles and miles away.

While Thunderstorms = Pizza for me as a kid, in this week's selected book, Thunderstorms=Thunder Cake.

Never heard of it? Neither had I until I read this calm, cool and comfort food filled tale.

So our week #2 choice:

( Drum roll, please)

"Thunder Cake" by, Patricia Polacco. (Ages 4-8)

What it's about:

This is a story based on true life. As a young girl, Patricia was scared of storms, so her Grandmother cooked up a way to help her get over that fear... literally. They make Thunder Cake!! What's also fun about this book, is that it actually has a recipe for the cake in the back, so you could make it with your kids. Be advised through, it has tomatoes in it. I have never heard of cake with tomatoes, and even though I have had this book for years, never have tried my hand at it. ( I did recently have a 'Thunder Cake' with some kids from Eliot Elementary- but between us… it came from Merritt's Bakery and it was chocolate :)

This is a great story to get kids talking about their fear of weather. Also, it talks about lightning. Be advised though it's not quite accurate when it comes to figuring out how far a storm is away. You could talk about that with this book, and even work on some math skills.

Here’s the lightning formula for real:

Count the seconds between the Flash (of Lightning) to the Bang (of Thunder).

Divide that number by 5 to calculate the distance in miles ( you can divide by 3 for kilometers).

So if it was 15 seconds from flash to bang /5 = 3 miles away (or 5 kilometers).

The delay between when you see the lightning and hear the thunder occurs because sound travels much, much slower than light.

By the way, if you can see the lightning or hear the thunder, it is close enough to strike, so that's when you should get inside.

Good luck with Thunder Cake. Hope you enjoy. Let me know, too, if you actually make the cake. If not, perhaps read the book with pizza.. And have some for me!!

Julie

Summer Reading Blog for Kids!!!

2007-06-12T12:49:00Z

Ahh-- the official start of Summer is almost here-- but for most kids-- School is out--and that means Summer is already underway. One of my most favorite Summer pastimes is reading. It's a hobby I started as a young girl through our local library reading program. It was a treat! The day school ended Mom would swing by the local library and I'd sign up and check out book after book for those lazy, hazy days of summer.

The Tulsa City-County Library has such a program. It's free and open to kids from now through August 11th. Child readers earn coupons for free admission to places like the Tulsa Zoo, and the Oklahoma Aquarium for the books they read. Super readers can even earn medals. It's easy to enroll. Just visit your local library ( you were going there anyway, right?) and be sure to pick up a summer reading log. Your local librarian will fill you in on the rest. Oh-- and while you're there, be sure to pick up a Channel 2 coloring book (it's free, and you never have to return it).

The library features lots of selections, but each week, I will be blogging right here about my favorite children's book of the week. You probably shouldn't be surprised to hear that most will have to do with the WEATHER!!! I’d like to invite the kiddoes who read these books to blog along with mom and dad and let me know what you think of these silly stories, and ask weather questions. I'm always looking for more suggestions too!

So, without further ado…

( Drum roll, please)….

My First Book is….

"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" by, Judi Barrett ( ages 4-8)

(This is my favorite to take to classrooms around the area!!!)

What it's about:

WHAT IF… It didn’t rain rain… or snow snow… but instead, when the skies opened up, it rained things like hamburgers and hot dogs, and mashed potatoes? This delicious tale takes you to the far away land of Chewandswallow, and will leave you hungry for more.

It's also a great book to talk about rain, what rain is, and why those rainy days are so important to us.

Read it, snap a picture, send it to me, and let me know what you think.

Happy Reading!!!!

Julie

Just "Plane" Fun--Pulling for the Kids

2007-06-05T13:16:00Z

There's lots going on across the area this coming weekend...

Country Fever in Pryor...

the Okmulgee Pecan Festival...

Hogs and Hot Rods in Collinsville...

and a one of a kind event right here in Tulsa.

It's called "Just Plane Fun", and no that's NOT a typo-- "plane" is the correct spelling, and it's an event worth checking out.

Get this-- dozens of teams from across the area will test their strength and ability in a tug of war with a Boeing 727! The winning team is the one who pulls the plane 12 feet the fastest.

The teams are all set, but you're welcome to grab the kids and come on by. It's free to watch, and there will also be a family festival with games for the kids ( you might need to bring some cash, cause these games will cost a few bucks).

Of course, there is a charity attached with this event. It benefits Camp Fire USA Green Country Council, which works to build caring and confident kids, and future leaders.

Interested? Here are the details...

Just Plane Fun 2007
Saturday, June 9
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tulsa Technology Center Riverside Campus
801 E. 91st Street
Benefiting Camp Fire USA

It should be fun for the whole family! I'll be there helping the event move along, so stop by and say hi!

Warm Wishes,

Julie

Who Do We Contact To Lobby For 3 Day Weekends?

2007-05-18T15:02:00Z

Ahhh-- the weekend is upon us!!!

I'm not quite sure who came up with the whole idea of weekends... and don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for 2 days.. but wouldn't it be nice if we could somehow extend that to 3.. and still get the day job done during a shorter workweek? I'm wondering to whom to we write to get that done?

Weekends for me are the days where if I've slacked during the week ( and that's usually the case), then I have some serious make up to do. It's not fun stuff either, mostly chores like mow the lawn, weed the Tomato plants, wash some clothes-then fold them, clean the shower, clean out the Cat Box... blah, blah blah.

That stuff gets even tougher to do when the weather is as nice as it's been. On top of that, I'm having another serious problem... there's just so much other fun stuff to tackle... I'm left thinking what's a girl to do?

So much to do, and oh so little time.

Here are some highlights for this weekend alone:

Mayfest, of course. In Downtown Tulsa. It's called International Mayfest and that's because folks come from all over to sell art, eat food and play music. It's super fun. I especially love Sunday afternoons where local kids take the stage and clog and stuff. It's also just the right price: Free... but bring some serious cash-- a corn dog will put you back 5 or 6 bucks.

Blue Dome Festival. Downtown Tulsa, Blue Dome District. As much as I love Mayfest, I love the Blue Dome Festival even more... here's why... local (some starving) artists have their chance to sell their creations. My coffee table at home ( yes, the one you can barely see because it's covered with this week's mail) came from there. It's beautiful and I love it. Got it at a great price, and have never seen anything like it. Admission is Free... and the art is affordable.

Bark in the Park: Driller's Stadium, Tulsa, Friday Night: You can't take your dog to Mayfest this year, but you can take the old boy to Driller's Stadium tonight. The Drillers take the field at 7:05pm, and man's best friend is welcome. There are even $.50 hot dogs. What Fun!

Renaissance Festival: Castle of Muskogee, Muskogee. Travel back to the days of old at the Castle of Muskogee where there are wandering Maidens and Minstrels and all the Turkey Legs you can handle. Fun for the family. For more info go to okcastle.com.

Sea Lion Splash: Bass Pro Shop, Broken Arrow: Benefits (the Sea Lions at the Tulsa Zoo). Saturday, 11am-2pm. Basically, buy a rubber ducky, and you could win big. Each duck has a number on the bottom, Labrador Retrievers jump into Uncle Buck's lake at Bass Pro and get 20 ducks...each worthy of a prize. Fun for the kids, the parents and the dogs! For more info go to Tulsazoo.org.

There's more too... Italian Festival in McAlester, Boots and BBQ in Claremore, Tulsa Symphony ... Oh-- and I can't forget some High School Graduations! Congrats Grads!!! George Flickinger will have some more events on our Weekend Morning Show on Saturday from 8-10am, so be sure to tune in to him, too if you need more options.

What did I tell you? So much to do.. so little time. However you spend it, be safe and enjoy, the weather looks fantastic.

And-- and please don't forget to write whoever it is to get that 3 day weekend thing going-- the spring festival season is just getting started.. that means there are more fun packed weekends ahead!

Warm Wishes,

Jules

This One's For the Girls! In Celebration of Mother's Day

2007-05-11T14:25:00Z

When it comes to life, personally I can think of no greater accomplishment than that of Parenthood. There is nothing I want more someday than to be a Mother. The time, the place, the right situation hasn't come along for me just yet, but hopefully it will.

Mothers and Fathers, to me, are the real life superheroes of the world-- modern day magicians, so to speak. With Mother's Day upon us, let's be sure to celebrate Mom and thank her for all she's done for us. ( We'll celebrate Dad too, a month from now).

I'd also like to take a moment to thank another famous Mom... MOTHER NATURE. It appears she's going to give us a break from the rain with mainly dry weather this weekend. (Even she shouldn't work too hard on Mom's Day). That's good news, if maybe you're planning on taking Mom to Drillers Stadium Sunday--where it's "Hats Off To Mom Day". The first 1,000 moms will get pink Drillers caps, and all Drillers players will wear pink jerseys during the game to help raise money for *** Cancer Awareness. If you go, you might want to considering taking one of those tiny electric handheld fans for Mom-- because it will be humid.

If you'd like to keep Mom indoors in the Air Conditioning, I have a quick and easy way to give her 15 seconds of fame. I will be working for George this weekend during our Sunday Morning show from 9-10am called Channel 2 News Weekend Mornings. If you'd like to e-mail me your Mom's picture ( chin@kjrh.com) I can put her picture on TV. Won't she be surprised if we put her on TV!?! It's a free way to make her feel a little more special. I'll be putting my own Mom's picture on -- she lives over 1,000 miles away, but I'd bet she'll be watching live on-line ( she does this all the time-- so that she gets to see me each and every day. I am her baby, afterall).

We recently ran a news story about how much Mom should be paid for all the work she does.

According to the folks at Salary.com, Mom recently got a 3% raise.

Here's the breakdown

Stay at Home Moms: $138,000

Working Moms: $85,000 + her current salary

My thoughts on this: duh---- she's Priceless.

( And she certainly deserves more than 3%)

Happy Mother's Day... We love you, and we thank you for all that you do, and all that you are.

Julie

My First Blog

2007-05-09T13:28:00Z

Good Morning.!

Or should I say Good Afternoon?

Or should I say Good Day?

How about Good Something!.

More importantly, THANK YOU. Thank you for reading this, my very first blog... ever.

Yep, EVER.

(They tell me I can just write about anything I want, and people will actually read this. I am not convinced, but we'll see.)

I should probably start by introducing myself. My name is Julie Chin and I am the Weekday Morning and Midday Meteorologist at KJRH-Channel 2 Works for You. My day starts super early ( this morning: Midnight)-- and hopefully yours starts not quite as early-- but-- early enough to join Scott Jones, Erin Christy and I in the morning from 5am-7am on Channel 2 News Today. If you have ever watched, you probably know I have a major love of 2 things, (okay--maybe 3, if you include french fries, but we can go there another day).

My 2 loves? The weather, of course; and the community. I was hired here at KJRH, 5 years ago, because of my love of the weather, little did I know I was walking into a community that would embrace me as warmly as they have. It's funny, I feel more at home here, than I ever felt in my hometown of Scarsdale, NY. I am positive that is because of the wonderful people here in Green Country. Working at Channel 2 has given me the incredible opportunity too, to really get out there, to meet you, and your children and learn about the causes near and dear to you. Believe it or not, in my time here, I have broadcast live from over 400 events. From Pecan Festivals, to Car Shows, to Fairs to whatever. If it's fun and it's happening, and especially if it is for charity-- it's a good bet, I've been there done that, or plan on being there and doing that soon ( weather permitting, of course.)

What I love so much about this place is that there seems to be a volunteer organization for just about everything.. and a surplus of people willing to pitch in and help. I think you'll agree too, that volunteering is contagious, and once you've caught the bug, it is hard to shake.

I've caught it. I volunteer with a bunch of organizations including Big Brothers-Big Sisters (I couldn't write my first blog and not mention my sweet little sister Keke), The Tulsa County Library, The Scott Carter Foundation, The Adoption Center of Northeast Oklahoma...just to name a few. I also spend lots of my spare time at local schools talking to kids both about the weather, and about reading. Most weeks, it is those visits that turn out to be the best part of the week.

Alas, this is where sometimes my 2 loves conflict... the weather has kept me from our local schools this week. Instead I have been busy in the studio tracking showers and storms. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the weather, but we are certainly NOT loving the flooding. And while the highlight a few days ago could have been catching up on much needed rainfall, at this point, the excessive rain can no longer be the bright spot ( isn't there irony there anyway?)...

So, for this week, I guess that would leave this... My very first blog.... COMPLETE! Thanks for reading and being the highlight of this week.

Warm Wishes!

Julie