Baseball is Back

I have an odd prayer request.  My dear Jackson is participating in 7th grade BB this up and coming school year.  If there were just the right amount of kids, no try outs would be necessary. 

Talk about an anxiety reliever.

Well, we get an email last night that there are too many dudes wanting to play and they will evaluate this week (during practice) and make cuts late in the week or early next week.

Talk about an an anxiety provoker.

I am physically sick by this.  What if the child doesn't make the cut!?  How damaging to his AND ANY BOY'S self esteen.  A profound loss this will be for that special boy.  My request is that God's will be granted.  I want the kid to play so bad I can taste it but since when do I even know what I want or need.  I gotta turn this one over to the expert and release control.  That's the hardest thing for me to do so I am trying to stay focused on God's will.

Can you join me?  Karen Kingsbury is one of my favorite authors and in one of the bazillion books she's written she came up with a concept called PUSH...Pray Until Something Happens.

That's what I plan to do.....

Vacation all I ever wanted.....

......I found the cure to a morale problem at work....go on vacation!! Ha!!  Well it worked for me anyway.  But now I am sick.  I am in the middle of a gut problem but that's just not the focus of this post. 

My family bunked up with another family for several reasons:

1.  Split the Cost
2. The kids behave well together
3. We stood a better chance of good behavior FROM THE ADULTS if we had someone not immediate family looking on
4.  We all get along beautifully

This was a first for us and I think, NOT A LAST!! WOO HOO!! I am so excited!!

We went to Dauphin Island Alabama, a little bitty island just off the southern coast of Alabama...the Gulf Shores area.  It's beautiful.  Just look.

Over the next few...days, weeks, however long my 'vacation high' lasts is now long I'll blather on about it.  I mean COME ON!! Can you say 'hello lovely morale booster!!'  I can!! I did. 

Motivation at Work - Suggestions?

Morale at work has been in the tank...there are a variety of reason for this which I won't go into. In the event some work peeps find out about this site, they could KNOW I mean them!! LOL!!

So I am digging online during work hours b/c I figured hey, I'm trying to resolve a work problem so it's a good use of company resources..right????

What I find is a lovely collection of goofy things to do and try and the successes (and failures) of those before me who have explored the topic.

If I may digress for a moment-o.  I work in the Information Technology field.  I am surrounded by the most wonderful nerds out ther and I love them dearly.  No joke.  When it's time to interview peeps for an open position I loook for nerds and detectives.  Due to the nature of our work, these are almost requirements for success. 

Along with people skills and that's where this whole thing goes to pot.  It's very very hard to find a nerd with natural people skills.  Most are awkward, best not presenting in front of people, better behind the scenenes making sure everything work as expected so business does not stop.

So these sites are a collection of what I call 'teaching socially awkward people how to attempt to be cool/fun/witty even when they dont' have people skills.'

A mouthful, eh??  Well it looks a bit to me like this...someone who is not funny trying to be funny. I found myself sad and discouraged.  So now I don't know what I am going to do.  I am going to attempt these idiotic things and see if they at least lighten the mood.

1. Fake Mustaches.  I am gold they are avaiable at the dollar store so what have I got to lose
2. Black Out a Tooth. Another $ store purchase. I will pretend like nothing is wrong and everyone else has lost their minds...there's NOTHING wrong with me!!! 
3.  Disco ball over my desk. I listen to music a lot so when people come over to me I will stand up and dance, and then attend to them.  To get an answer, you must do a little bootie shake.  Everyone has a booty and therefore, can shake them. 

Any other thoughts???  I am lost so nearly any suggestion will be considered.....now don't hold back..lemme have it!!!!

Love, Karen

Missin' My Boy

That's all I can say.  Five solid days without tht child is too many.  What am I going to do when it's time for either of them to move out??  Holy cow!! I'll be a nervous crying mess.  Good news is all that garbage I said about wanting thekids out when they are 18 so I can start my life is just that..garbage.  this week has proven to me how much the kids are a part of me, an extension.  Not knowing of their welfare just about disables me.

Good practice for later in life, No????? 

I get him back tomorrow. I get to see this smiling mug tomorrow and I JUST CAN'T WAIT!!!

Pre-Vacation Menu Plan

I can't wait to put this out there...this is the LAST menu plan before we head out on Vacation. I am SO EXCITED!!!

Sunday 7/14 - Red Robin Burger (Sissistersstuff.com)
Monday 7/15 - Crock Pot Ham
Tuesday 7/16 - Buffalo Chicken Sammies
Wednesday 7/17 - Sloppy Joes
Thursday 7/18 - Honey Sesame Chicken
Friday 7/19 - Grilled Cheeses and Leftovers
Saturday 7/20 - Steak Fajitas

Sunday 7/21 - Grilled Steak
Monday 7/22 - Beef Stroganoff
Tuesday 7/23 - Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Wednesday 7/24 - Marinated Salmon (on the last menu I did, recycled b/c it's completely YUMMO)
Thursday 7/25 - Frozen Pizza and Leftovers

We depart in the early AM hours of 7/26.  I just can't wait.  My oven is still broke so we're relying on the crockpot and grill for the remaining weeks.  Will focus on an oven when we return suntanned, rested and ready to get geared up for the school year.  Yeah that's right I said it..THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR!! Can you believe it!!!!! 

Breaking News.....Bird Nabs 2 People with one Poop!!

Yes it is true.  The bad news is my pants were black so you are not able to see the poo.  But my hubby on the other hand.....got nailed and captured it on camera.  The same dump flew through the air and nabbed both of us at the same time.  Here's my proof.

Do you see that!?  The nerve of that little scoot. I can offically say the last time I was pooped on was.......yesterday!  

A Productive Migraine

I don't typically suffer from migraines but lemme tell ya I was close to it today.  I went to bed mildly stressed.  J went to camp for a week and I am at such a loss without that boy round...just lost.  Woke up today to a pound in the head and a stiffness of the neck which almost seemed unbearable.

With that said, as the day wore on, I found a productive side to myself even if it involved sitting on my rump. 

I got all my Pinterest boards organized and properly labled.  I could still stand to do a bit more but as far as holidays and food go, I am in ship shape!! 

Now I can get back to being a complete junkie while gathering fabulous decorating ideas and making delicious meals.  If not for Pinterest, I think my family would be eating Hamburger helper. 

Yeah for us!!

One Special Bud

So our doggie Buddy of 14 years passed away on us June 24th.  He was put to sleep at the vet's office.  That was one agonizing decision LEMME TELL YA!!!  But one I would do over again if the circumstances presented themselves.

Buddy got loose one night and was found about 5 miles from home on the interstate.  Not on the side of the road or wandering in a ditch but literally ON THE INTERSTATE.  He can't hear and his vision was poor.  I mean come on....in dog years he ws 98!!

Some kind sweet lady gathered up our Bud and put him in the back of her truck.  Along comes animal control who contacted us and our Bud was safely returned to his home.  The night was rough.  I believe Buddy had a stroke.  he was walking funny, seemed disoriented and was lethargic. 

We knew it was time and decided if Bud did not pass in the night, the next day was the day.  It literally takes about 10 seconds for the meds to spread throughout the body and shut 'her down.  Bud refused to sit of course, so he fell when this occurred causing me to let out some sort of guteral scream.  He went out surrounded by love.  I felt him go limp.  I felt him pass.

I miss him terribly.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm...Salmon

I ventured out into the seafood department several months back and have gotten some very good results.  My husband and J are diehard carinvors so they went ape.  As a result I am always looking for creative ways to spice things up.  I found this on Pinterest and HOLY COW you got to try.  This marinade is FABULOUS!!!

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/06/delicious-marinated-salmon-recipe.html

On a side note, I discovered the Six Sisters while getting acquainted with Pinterest and have YET to make a single recipe that sucked eggs.  Give them a whirl and see what you think.....400 years from now, if we're all still around, Pinterest will be too and I am sure these girls' wonderful ideas will still be penetrating juggling mums minds as they have mine.



PS, that is NOT my son or hubby.  :-)

Starting Over - Not Day One but a YTD Summary

So here's the deal.  I am still fat chubby.  :-)  Thing is you have to eat right AND exercise if you are going to lose weight.  Apparently I fell asleep when the teacher mentioned that pesky AND part.

So I got a smart phone, right!?  It's totally cool.

Anyhoo there's aps to help you with the chubbiness!!! My 2 favorites are called RunDouble C25K and Map My Run.  These 2 are terrific.  Check them out. I can bore you with the details but that's just no fun. 

I've taken to the Couch to 5k training, bicycle riding AND walking.  I am hanging in there..lets just say that. Amidst al the items I just juggle, this is something I want to do for me.  So this is me hanging in there. 

Cheers. 

Long Time, No Talk

Well it's been a while, has it not.  I have spent these months juggling kids, work, homework, broken arm, animal loss a parent relocation and all the hub-bub which comes with that....

WHEW!! I am pooped!! 

I thought about htis blog on the way home..or rather it's lack of use and thought maybe it's time I get back out there again.  I am not sure of my focus since I am my best customer so maybe it's just a series of odd Karen stories.  The stuff I share with friends, family and my coworkers.  The kids can look back at this and laugh at my idiocy and make fun of me.  I am just handing them my material.  Hee hee!!! 

S here's my fun thing for the day. It's about food of course.  My menu plan.  Something else I've not done for months.  The fun part is my oven is broke!!!! So talk about being creative.  I've had some help from the cuties at sixsistersstuff.com.  Check out the 25 Summer Dinner Recipes - No Oven Required!!!!!! WOO HOO!!! They wrote this for me, I swear it. 

SO here's what I selected to make sometime over the next 2 weeks:

Philly Cheese Steak Sammiches
Italian Chicken
Chicken ka-bobs (not in the book, just my own staked chicken)
Steak Fajitas
Teryaki Pulled Pork
Chicken Tacos
Spaghetti (my own)
Brats on the Grill (not in book either)
Sloppy Joes
Sesame Beef
French Dip Sammiches

**The heavenly writing equals....YUM!!!!**  A hit even with the picky ones in the house.