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. 

The Brat Board

Necessity is the mother of invention.  Lost remotes invented the brat board.  This nifty little red-neck gadget came from the dear, frustrated hubby upon finding that once again, not a single remote was to be found. After digging through and under couches, and even in other rooms he located then and then in a bad frenzy, went outside with the remotes.  Nobody knew what to expect when they came in..perhaps he tossed them into the burn pile.

But low and behold, he returned...with a piece of wood covered in duct tape and the 3 remotes zip-tied to it.  See the little whole toward the bottom?  For a brief period of time, there was a long rope tied to the brat board which was then tied to the leg of the couch.  So you couldn't run off with the brat board, you see.

Since them we've become accustomed to asking 'hey, where's the brat board?' rather than, 'hey, where are the remotes?'

Got any redneck inventions running around your house!

HURRY HURRY HURRY!!!!!

Boy ever since about 2nd week in July I have been busy like I've never been busy before.  My work responsibilities at work DOUBLED. Literally doubled.  I was in charge of 7 people now I am up to 20.  Nice round number, that 20 is.  I have done more juggling in the last 6 weeks and am holding down the fort at work very well.  School has also started and with it comes homework and PE clothes, lunches and more scheduled tasks.

My blog has suffered.  I had sleepless nights dreaming up the image of this blog and it just hasn't met it's intended purpose...yet.  I will not lose hope as time fixes all things.

I just need to breathe, relax and be kind to myself.  Failure does not exist with this but gaps in posts do.  Cooking for my family is rarely a failure so if the menu planning sides, then it does.  I need an adjustment period with all major changes and this is it.  I've not run in weeks.  WEEKS! I miss it.  I am tired and sluggish and just blah.  That too will fix itself. One goal I have is to purchase, at some point, a treadmill so I can exercise after the kids go to bed.  Typically that goes against my policy but the weight isn't going to lose itself, right!?

So patience is something I need....to give to myself. Everyone else seems plenty patient except for me.  Shame on Karen for that! 

So here's to me, juggling all the balls and occasionaly dropping some but picking them back up and tossing them into the air once more.

Hats off to all juggling mothers out there and here's to a successful, busy but do-able fall season.

*CLINK*

Uncle Woody

I bought a cactus several years named Uncle Woody. I did not name him though I kind of wish I had because it's a goofy little name.  When I claimed Uncle Woody for my own, his 'former' mother game me a picture of him where he bloomed 4 great big pink flowers.  The last time he bloomed was in 1997.  Yikes.  UW is 34 years old..only slightly younger than me.



Every spring he goes out and stays in the shady, warm outside until early October where he's brought in to weather the winter months. 

Well I'll be darned if he didn't bloom!!!!!!!  It's been 15 years and the little scoot pulled it off!! We gathered as a family almost like a new born entered the world. He's just a prickly old catcus but I just love him. His age and his unique features make me proud to sound completely nuts and call him family.

School is Now in Session!!!

Oh school time is back. I am glad for the structure and the ‘something to do’ my kids were badly needing toward the end of summer but BOY DO I MISS MY KIDS.  They run off to school and start learning stuff and I have to drag answers out of them to keeppace with them as they learn and grow.  L Times like this I wish I could quit my job, move to the country and homeschool!!  Meredith actually asked me if I could do that.  With a sad voice I said ‘no baby..gotta pay them crazybills!’

Here they are, grade 6 and grade 4

** On a side note, I wish I had not left when I did.  Little girl's hair looks like she rolled out of bed and said 'I'm ready!!!!**  Ugh...

I did have an opportunity to meet their teachers and they are WONDERFUL!! No anxiety in that department at all.  I’m sure as the year creeps on by you will hear more about school related activities and antics.  In fact, I have a wonderfulmorsel to share with you now!!! First day of school everyone wakes up in a wonderful mood all well slept due to mother nature finally turning off the furnace and bring withit cooler, fall-like overnights.  I walk into the kitchen as a SOCK FIGHT just cleared up between my hubby, the initiator and Jackson. Now you don’t know this but sock fights are only reserved for timeswhen Jackson can get really wound up and take what time he needs to unwind..which is a while.

Why my dear, dear, sweet hubby did this I’ll never understand.  So as a result, I’m hollering and a BIG GLASS of water gets dumped UNDER the microwave.  Feeling defeated I decide the hubby can help with the water clean-up duty asI exit from the now mounting tension in the room. I refill my coffee and retreat to the bathroom.  The door is shut which is weird so I open it...INTO MEREDITH’s FOREHEAD dropping my cup of coffee on to the floor. 

I grabbed Meredith and hugged on her and then Jackson joined in and I apologized for such a rough start to what started out to be a wonderful day.  Then I clean up the coffee, get ready, refill the coffee and end up at work 15 minutespast my start time.  Ah…..my Charlie Brown moment (GOOD GRIEF) hit like a cannon to the head (or the door to Meredith’s!)  In the end, they all had a wonderful day.  Full of excitement and wonder at the new grade that sits in front of them.  I’ll make surefrom now on, I am outa the house before the awake and avoid the train wreck I created that day!

Summer Camp Take 2

Jackson left me shortly after Meredith got home.  I learned a lot more about my kids during their ABSENCE then I anticipated.  Come to find out, here are 2 truths surfaced:

Jackson is not a slob
Meredith is

That girl child of mine will leave a trail of JUNK strewn about the house and then either claim she didn’t do it or that she’s too tired to clean up after her brother.  Well when he’s gone, he didn’t make the mess. I felt horrible for Jackson. Know howmany time outs and scolding’s he got for a mess? He lovingly went right along, not arguing or complaining and picked up stuff he KNEW was not his mess!  I feel like a heel. My sweet boy.  With ADHD and a touch of Asperger’s Syndrome, that child has enough tocontend with.  I feel horrible.

I miss his even more.  His absence was probably felt more than Meredith’s because Jackson is a much bigger presence.  He walks heavier, he talks more and louder and he’s impossible to keep full!! He eats a LOT of food the growing boy.

I had less anxiety with his absence than I did Meredith’s.  I am attributing that too the fact that he’s a boy and PERCEIVED as stronger, more independent.  Weird.  The kid I stew the most over ends up being the more (perceived) resilient one. 

Needless to say I was so excited to get them back in my arms and in my house.  That smile was so weary and happy and spent when I got him back.  It was like Christmas 2 times in one week.  They each want to go back next year and are still talking abouttheir summer camp experience.
Happy Tuesday
Karen

Summer Camp, Take 1

Well the kids are at summer camp this week. Not at the time THANKGOODNESS. It’s an intro week that’s 3 days, 2 nights so it’s not too long but gives the kiddos a chance to see what it’s all about.  I love my kids to PIECES but joke about getting them outof the house for the week.  Let me tell you the first night of Meredith’s absence WAS FELT. I was nervous and sad and excited and restless. I didn’t sleep. If I got 2 hours I was doing good. The next day I was shot. I was so tired I couldn’t even feel the anxietyalthough her lack of presence was not without notice. 

I’ve been accused of not living in the moment..worrying and borrowing trouble from the future. Well this situation was not without its share of that too!! As is custom for Karen I found myself sympathizing with parents who love their kids out to college,marry them off, heaven forbid lose them from this world.

Yeah I warned you..true to Karen. 

How do parents cope! I have Jackson leaving tomorrow for his ½ week at camp and wonder if I have the fortitude to do this all over again.  The worry, the wonder.  I can’t wait to get little girl back in my arms and my line of vision. To see her and knowthat everything went okay.  Once again my kids teach me. 

More to come on my journey of weird self-discovery and here are some pictures.  Pray for me!?  I need strength and calm and peace. I need to let go and not control. I need to allow things to happen as they will and relinquish control.  Thank you!

Fall/Winter Reads

I have a darker side I am almost afraid to admit.  I am gearing up to figure out what books I am going to hunker down and read this fall and winter.  I like the themed reading because I get to overdose on something wonderful.  A few years back I read TheWitching Hour  by Anne Rice. I LOVED IT! I wish I had drawn a map but I loved it nevertheless. 

I have a thing for witches, vampires and werewolves.  It’s weird, I know.  But I am going to indulge.

I am done with my classics for the summer but if you are curious, here you go!!! 

Now the list for Fall/Winter (I have more time, so I get to read more books):

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne CollinsThe Hunger Games
Catching Fire
Mockingjay
Shades of Gray Trilogy, by E. L. James.  Okay I can’t NOW KNOW what these are about! It’s killing me to not be in the know.  So forgive me in advance.
Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades Darker
Fifty Shades Freed
Anne Rice
The Witching Hour
Lasher
Taltos

As you can see, I’ve already jumpstarted!  Yeah!!!

I am also currently reading Catching Fire which I LOVE!!!!  When the Hunger Games movies comes out to DVD I am gonna be WAITING for the movie store uptown to open so I can get in there and see it!! I am also listening to JanetEvanovich’s new Wicked Set.  This series features Lizzy Tucker and the cutie pie Diesel and it’s a super natural sorta thing too which goes along with and perhaps started my craving for the weird and wild.  I have read Wicked Appetite and amnow listening to Wicked Business. Wonder if she’ll make a 3rd one.  I’ve not seen evidence either way online so I’ll keep my fingers crossed. 

What are your plans for books this fall/winter!?  Share with me your stories of these books or others.

Marathon Cookin'

I wore myself out this weekend.  It was a good weekend but I am tired. As I finally sit down to type I realize how very weary I feel but I got a lot accomplished.  School begins in 18 days and I have mixed feelings on the matter.  I am excited for thestructure.  It wasn’t until my kids went to school that I realized how well they respond to a stable, structured schedule.  It helps me too because most things are predictable and schedule-able. It’s a word…maybe.

Anyhoo ~ I also want them around some kids.  They are so friend/people/kid deprived they’re starting to make me nuts.  They can’t for the life of them find anything to do so keep themselves busy.  The angst is escalating and we’re all pooped.  I am notlooking forward to the homework.  Homework is one of those things that make me wonder how a family does everything that needs done with more than 2 kids in the family.  Perhaps other peoples kids are so different than mine that it does work.  Maybe I’m morehands on. Doesn’t matter but I do wonder. 

Leads me to the purpose of this post.

I COOKED/BAKED MY BRITCHES OFF THIS WEEKEND!!!

I shopped until I was broke and then put most of it together.  Here’s what I made:

2 loaves applesauce bread
Froze 60 pigs in a blanket
Chocolate/chocolate muffins
Chocolate Chips
Butterscotch Chips
Froze 3 lbs Marinated in Teriyaki Sauce Chicken
Froze 2 lbs Marinated Lemon Pepper Sauce Chicken
Yeast Rolls
Prepared and Froze 30 individual Calzone Dough-rounds for either Calzones (duh..) or grilled pizza

What’s left:
Address a sack of potatoes (I see French fries and cubed, buttered and spiced potatoes in our future)
Address the big thing of strawberries
Cut up the lettuce for salads
Sort out and bag the Pork Chops (5 lbs worth)
Sort out and bag/burger the hamburger (I have 10 lbs to address)

And I think that is it.  WHEW!! It doesn’t seem like a lot when you list it out like that but MAN I was tired.  The cocoa powder rebelled at some point and with a poofy brown cloud coated me, the floor and my work space.  I had to mop after that becauseit was just a big mess.  I went through 5 lbs of flour, a dozen eggs, LOTS of sugar, 2 lbs butter and all the saran wrap I had left.  I just shopped and now need to restock. Do anything MARATHON related this weekend???

All Greased Up!!

My coconut oil showed up a few days after the vanilla beans and I am getting DOWN with my almost-going-organic-paying-more-attention-to-the-natural-side-of-things-self.  I made a foot scrub with some of the coconut oil. I tinkered around online and found www.simplehomemade.net/ and this woman is a new hero of mine. SO creative, and informative.  I learned many things from her and am smelling terrific.

Here’s what I did…..toss some sugar, regular ole granulated white sugar, some coconut oil  (or canola, or olive or grapeseed) oil and a few splashes of an essential Oil.  I used lavender and Grapefruit…separate of course, not brave enough yet to mix and waste something that comes out smelling like a big fat headache. 

I worked this stuff into my skin during a nice, relaxing shower and felt like a million bucks.  The oil soaks into the skin in a timely manner so while I call this post ‘All Greased Up’, I am not greasy at all.  My feet are in bad shape because I run bare footed as often as I can so yeah, I leave a lot to desire in the foot department. My toes are good, always painted and trimmed and pretty, just don’t turn those puppies over.  I got Jekyll and Hyde feet!!!

My kids also had gross pigs from a dry, dusty weekend of playing outside so I threw them into the tub and scrubbed them from head to toe.  They were put out with me but you gotta deep clean every so often and only a mothers love and her homemade scrubcan do the job well.  What about you? Make any homemade products??  What do you use for fragrance?  I like the idea of essential oil but struggle a little with the STRONG scent and apparently I am a ‘sweet smeller’ because I find it’s not sweet enough.  Makeany sense at all?  What do you use?  DO TELL…. 

Okay I put this picture at the bottom so as not scare you.  But you can't talk about exfoliating the feet without a disgusting visual of gross pigs!! These feet are not so much gross as they are weird.  Looks like weird baby fingers griping the deck.  I also wanna say THESE FEET ARE NOT MINE!  I promise. I'd never lie to you about such a thing or anything for that matter.