“Momma Knows Best” Contest Winner Q&A

Q:  Tell me about your family.

A: I married my high school sweetheart, Royce, in 1988, two months after graduation. We have two boys, Bradley and Cody, which attend Brock High School. We have lived in the Brock area for about seven years. We have two male poodles and one male kitten; I am surrounded by boys.

Q: What part of DFW do you live in?

A: We live off of Interstate 20, about 10 miles west of Weatherford on 70 acres with lots of mama cows and babies that I spoil!

Q: Are you a working or stay-at-home mom?

A: I am a working mom. I have worked at Parker County Special Utility District for about five years. PCSUD is a small water company in Brock that services about 1400 customers in Parker and Palo Pinto County. I love my job and the people I work with, including the board members that oversee the company.

Q: What do you enjoy doing on your ‘off’ time?

A: I love the outdoors, my favorite time of the year is the summer and I love to be around the water. We purchased a boat last year and never got to put it in the water. I also like to just drive around at home on my golf-cart; watching the fish in the tank or watching the deer and other wildlife. I am always happy spending time with my family no matter what we do, even if it’s just playing our Facebook games in the living room.

PAM, ON WINNING THE CONTEST:

Q: When you find out that you won the “Momma Knows Best” contest, that your high school senior boy entered you into, what was your first thought?

A: Actually, I was reading an email I had received on my phone and I had to read it again to make sure it was not spam or junk mail. I was very excited and curious to what had been written. As many moms would probably agree, we just do what comes natural and don’t expect to be rewarded like this. Bradley has brought lots of tears to my eyes this year. He’s graduating high school in June and attending Tulsa Welding School in September.

A freak accident occurred in February of this year when we received all the freezing weather. On this evening, Bradley, Cody, and Royce were chopping wood in the back of the house for the fireplace. Royce was using the chainsaw while Bradley and Cody took turns chopping a huge tree. Bradley had swung the ax the handle had split and the sharp end hit Bradley inches from his left eye; we rushed him to the Weatherford ER. He had a guardian angel (my dad, Leslie Hair) watching over him. The doctor told us that the blade hit so hard it sliced an inch by a half inch of his skull. We are so blessed that he was able to be stitched up and sent home.

Q: Your son, a high school senior, entered you in to win the “Momma Knows Best” contest. What are the 3 things that you think you know best (your best advice)?

A:1) As a quote that I first heard from the Brock boy’s basketball coach, Coach Bell, was when my son was in High School and what I want my boys to remember is “To be in the right place, at the right time, with the right people and doing the right thing…will always keep you out of trouble.”

2) As your children get older, you just want to know everything they are doing, who they are with and so much more…I give them their space but I want them to know that no matter what ever happens, good or bad, they can always come to their parents for advice or help.

3) Spend time with your children and make memories. It seems like it was just yesterday that they were learning to walk…now my oldest is about where I was when I got married; and I wonder where did the time go? ….I am not ready for him to be released into this crazy world that it has become.

Q: Do you have plans on how you’ll be using the gift certificate to the Sanford House Inn and Spa you won?

A: I have looked at the website of the Sanford House. This is such a wonderful gift! I have not decided if I want to use the certificate for my husband and I to spend the night at one of the cottages and get massages or just go and spend the day getting massages, pedicure, and manicure (something I really could use). I have had two massages in my life and if you have never had one you definitely need to experience it. It is so relaxing! FINANCES AND PARENTING (A TOUGH-Y, WE KNOW):

Q: Healthy financial savvy is so important for children moving into the college lifestage. As a mom to a high school senior what advice did you have for your children growing up?

A: My son, Bradley, is attending Tulsa Welding School in September. He has been working at one of the green houses in Brock and saving as much money as he can. He has recently been receiving several credit card applications through the mail. One piece of advice that I gave him, that no one told me, was not to accept all the credit cards that companies mail out! (I told him to not accept any.)

Q: What’s the best financial advice you received from your parents growing up?

A: To Save Money! My dad has always told me to save money. In 2009, my dad became very ill with fractures in his back and no one could figure out what was wrong. He worked in the oilfield, as a contract pumper, 7 days a week… 365 days a year then one day it came to a complete stop. Since he was self employed, when he stopped working the money stopped coming in. Luckily, my mom had money put into savings for them to live off of.

OTHER MOMS WANT TO KNOW: 

Q: Gabby often tweets about thrifty advice around the DFW area. What’s your favorite, local, family activity on a budget?

A: Local family activity on a budget: When our boys were younger we enjoyed going to the movies, bowling at Main Event, or spending the day at NRH20. Now we enjoy going to the lake and packing a couple of coolers with food and drinks for the whole day.