Hello everyone! I hope you all survived the great snow and ice storm of 2026. It has been sooo cold, and I’m so thankful we didn’t lose electricity. There’s always something to be grateful for.
Last week there was a bank robbery in Fort Smith. When you work at a bank, it’s something you’re trained for — but you still hope and pray it never happens to you.
My niece, Rachel (Michael’s daughter), worked at a bank in Fort Smith while she was in college. On her very first day working in the lobby instead of the drive-thru, wouldn’t you know it… she got robbed that very day.
He came to her window, passed her a note, and asked for $3,000. From what I’ve heard, most robbers don’t ask for specific amounts — it’s usually just “give me all your money!” But in true Wagoner fashion, Rachel gave him way more than he asked for. He hit the jackpot at her window that day.
In her defense… how are you supposed to calmly count money with a bank robber standing right in front of you?
He got caught, but it sure shook her up. We’ve given her a hard time about handing over extra money, but honestly, I’m surprised she could keep working at a bank after that. She was a trooper and stuck with it.
On a different note — did your moms tell y’all all kinds of crazy stuff when you were kids? Mine sure did!
We couldn’t cross our eyes because they’d get stuck like that.
We couldn’t hang upside down on the swing set because we’d “turn our liver over.”
We couldn’t pet stray dogs because they all had rabies.
We couldn’t sit too close to the TV or we’d go blind.
If you swallowed gum, it would stay in your stomach for seven years (which still worries me because I swallowed plenty!).
Don’t hold frogs or you’ll get warts.
Don’t swim for 30 minutes after eating or you’ll drown.
And heaven forbid we talked about animals at the dinner table — I still have no idea why that one mattered so much!
Another one was that we couldn’t go outside at night in the winter because breathing cold air would make us sick. Funny how that worked, considering Mom would slather us in Vicks and call it good.
I have to admit… I’ve caught myself telling my kids and grandkids some of that same nonsense. And I still love Vicks when I’m sick.
Y’all be safe and watch those back roads — there could still be ice hiding out there.
And before I go, here’s a little treat to warm up your kitchen:
Coconut Ooey Gooey Cake
(A twist on the original recipe)
Ingredients:
- 1 box white cake mix
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 4 large eggs
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- ½ cup shredded coconut
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° and grease or spray a 9×13 baking dish.
In a bowl, mix the cake mix, melted butter, and 2 eggs until combined. Press into the baking dish.
In another bowl, beat the cream cheese, remaining 2 eggs, powdered sugar, and coconut extract until smooth. Stir in the coconut, then pour over the crust and spread evenly. (Use less coconut if you prefer.)
Bake 40–45 minutes until golden brown. Don’t overbake or it’ll dry out.
Enjoy!!
