And by "Coming Soon," I really meant....

Well, I really meant to actually share our Florida 2011 trip in a timely fashion, but obviously I have been suffering from a case of F.I.B. - you know "Forgetting I Blog" and I have let time slip by in an unacceptable manner for a post that was called "Coming Soon."

It's kinda like the hype of a movie that starts to get promoted LOOOOONNNNGGGG before it actually hits the theaters and then when it's finally released, you are so excited you almost
"pee your knickers" to quote Gordon Ramsey on Hell's Kitchen!

I promise that when it's finally realeased, my Florida production will be filled with so much excitement, adventure, and romance (along with some danger) that you will be so glad you have stuck through the wait!

Florida 2011 promises to be so much more adventurous than oh, this movie:

It will surely be more romantic than this movie:

And it could even be more exciting and dangerous than this film:



Okay, maybe not! But there are sure some really awesome and exciting experiences that I can't wait to share in Florida 2011, which really is "Coming Soon!"

Coming soon...

the beach:



the books:

the babes (aka: B and Me, of course!):



the bites of bliss:

the bizarre:

the beauty:

the bravery:



the BEST time ever!

It's Florida 2011, baby, and I can't wait to tell you about it because it was a BLAST!

So, stay tuned! The details, the stories, and more pictures of this adventure are coming soon, along with an in-depth explanation of YOLO... 'cuz You Only Live Once, so Make It Count!

TACO time

You thought I meant this kind of taco time, didn't ya:

Sorry, but this is not about the delicious crispy beef taco!

This post is about the syndrome of TACO time and no , this syndrome has nothing to do with my dependance upon the crispy beef taco and hot sauce for survival (that's another post!).

As you read through this post, you may recognize the syndrome of TACO time in your own life. If not, I need you to call me right away 'cuz I need help and you can be my own personal Lucy:

Anyway, as I was saying, you may recognize TACO time in your own life if you look like this:

or this:


or maybe even this:


If any of these look familiar, I hate to tell you, but you're suffering from TACO time too (maybe we could start a group!).

So, what exactly is TACO time if it isn't related to delicious crispy beef tacos?

Quite simply, TACO time is feeling Totally And Completely Overwhelmed,and it is not to be taken lightly, as its effects are far-reaching and quite powerful.

Now does it sound familiar?


I know that since it's summer there might be some people who think there should be no TACO time in my life right now (except for the crispy beef and hot sauce variety, but remember, that's a different post!). I mean really, as an educator, I "get the summer's off" right (that phrase shall be a topic for another night).


The reality for me is that sometimes TACO time is actually worse in the summer because there are so many things that I have shoved to the back burner while school was in full swing that have to be tended to. Plus I usually teach a couple of classes for our summer enrichment program at school, and this summer that means the last two weeks in June.

I am not going to downplay the summer perk of being in education because yes, I get a break from getting up so early. No, I don't have to be at work at a certain time each day. True, I have options to sleep in later, go shopping during the actual daytime, curl up with a good book, or head to the late-night movies. Yep, there's more freedom to do these things without worrying about how it will impact me the next day when I have class after class to teach.


But, the list of things that I need to get done before that official "Welcome to the 2011-2012 School Year" that will happen at the beginning of August kinda looks like this:

Not only are the things on that to-do list that I need to-do, there's also all of the other things that are out there that I want to do.

For instance, keeping my blog updated, editing photos and finishing up memory books, catching up on FaceBook, working on my GoodReads challenge, blog stalking and finding so many great ideas that I'll never actually have the time to do in my life because there are just too many creative people out there to keep up with and I don't have half the talent they do and I don't have the energy and I certainly don't have the time and:


I know, that was a really long run-on sentence. All I can say is, blame it on TACO time!


Right now this case of TACO time is picking up momentum in my life and of course, I have made it worse with BIC Syndrome (which I still haven't found the cure for and I'm not going to try hypnosis since I'd probably end up clucking like a chicken!).


So, if anyone has any ideas on how to lessen the Totally And Completely Overwhelmed syndrome in my life right now, I am available to be your project where you can lead me in the right direction because I would really like to go from this:





to this:
Okay, not really. This cheerful gal who obviously enjoys cooking is a little TOO much for me!



But how about this...

You could call me The Meditating Master of All My Moments (or you could still just call me K!).


(All images found through Yahoo Images)

It's our sweet 16th!

16th year of marriage, that is!

How is it possible that we are celebrating 16 years of marriage when we are still just kids?

Okay, I know I'm not really a kid anymore (and my good friend who is my hair stylist knows I'm not a kid anymore, either because she has to work really hard to cover up my "natural" highlights!), but I still feel like a kid!

So, if I still feel like a kid (or at least a young adult), how in the heck can I be celebrating 16 years of marriage to this awesome guy:





I guess time flies when you spend your life with a guy who:

• makes you feel like you are the most important person in the world - every.single.day.




• always listens to you
  
  


• NEVER offers unsolicited solutions to your problems (well, most of the time!)
  
  


• loves you in spite of any quirks you might have (not that I have any!)
  
  


• encourages you to pursue your goals
  
  


• supports you every step of the way as you work toward achieving those goals
  
  


• recognizes the good in you (even when you don't see it yourself)




• cheers and cries right alongside you in good times and bad




• defends you when you need to be defended (even when you are your own worst critic)




• accepts your obsession with candles and books and fun papers and books and candles with only a slight roll of the eyes (did I mention a slight obsession with books?)




• thinks you are the best teacher to walk the halls of the school




• has helped you pack and move and pack and move your collection of classroom materials, teaching resources and um, just a few books, when you have had opportunities to change positions or schools




• takes you to amazing places like Niagara Falls, the coast of Oregon, Boston, and more




• drives many miles out of the way to take you to a small coastal restaurant so you can enjoy the incredible Dungeness Crab sandwiches you were introduced to during a previous road trip with your great-aunt and great-uncle




• knows that Girls Night is important to your emotional well-being and encourages you to organize and participate in these events with your friends




• watches Chic Flicks with you without flinching (even though Gone With the Wind, your all-time favorite movie, is one he hasn't experienced yet)




• knows how important your family is to you and willingly spends time with them




• understands that you and your sister "share a brain" and embraces the fact that the two of you are inseperable a lot of the time




• is an AWESOME uncle
  
  


• shares the same values and the same beliefs as you




• strengthens your faith and testimony in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ by being a powerful example of righteousness




• prays with you every single night and every single morning
  



• tells you how much he loves you every.single.day.
  




• makes you laugh (proof is in the picture....)
  

No wonder time has flown by so quickly in our marriage!

Thank you, B, for 16 sweet (and often times, sassy!) years of marriage.

We really were "kids" when we said "I Do" and in the 16 years we have already shared since that day (not to mention the 3 years we dated before we made it official), we have had some incredible moments!

I am so grateful that even as we have faced some truly hard trials, you make "our song" come to life for me. And so, I will "cross my heart and promise to give all I've got to give to make all YOUR dreams come true" as we continue in our journey together.

I thank Heavenly Father every single day for the blessing of our marriage and for our amazing relationship, and I look forward to an eternity filled with creating more great moments and memories together as B&K!

I love you.
K

I have issues!

... Blogger issues! Thus, the lack of posts.

I am trying to figure out why all of a sudden my posts are sometimes formatted the way I want them to be, and sometimes they are not and everything looks like one big run-on paragraph (highly annoying to this former 6th-grade Language Arts teacher).

So, if anyone knows what the french toast is going on here and how it might be fixed, help this girl out, 'cuz the lack of formatting is making me K-razy (and that's not the kind of K I like to be!).

I Just Need a Little More______

And the answer is....

TIME!

More time to...

keep my house as clean as it is today

work on genealogy

study the scriptures

exercise

cook (I'm pretty sure if I had more time, I'd do it!)

read

sleep

work in the yard

visit family

hang out with good friends

serve in the community

complete all of the DIY projects gathered from the blogosphere

explore the cultural resources of this area

keep up with my journal

blog!

And more than any of that, I just need MORE TIME WITH B!

I'm not ready for tomorrow, so I guess I had better go and enjoy what's left of today!

Dancing with the Stars at a Party in the USA!

My cute little niece, M loves to dance (and now so does her little brother, H)! So, awhile back I taught her some moves to the Miley Cyrus song, "Party in the USA" (simple moves, people - not because she is little, but because I don't have quite the rhythm that she does and I needed it simple!).

Anyway, I taught her these moves and since then she asks if we can listen to "our song" (aka: "Party in the USA") anytime I see her.

Last night I went to babysit M&H and had a mostly enjoyable night. The only non-enjoyable part was when H had a bit of a tummyache and ended up pooping through his clothes - and I happened to be holding him on my lap, in white capris, it was gross. I felt bad for H...and for my white capris... they are soaking!

There were more enjoyable parts of the evening though, like:

Reading books about Spring and Easter (We always read books and if you know me, you know why!)...

Making Easter eggs for Uncle B. We wrote notes on tiny post-its and put them inside the eggs. The cute things that M came up with on her notes! (I can't wait for you to read them, B!)...

While we were "writing," she asked me if I was having fun, and when I told her "yes," she replied: "I am having fun too. This is fantastic, Kirsten! Brian is going to love these notes!" Know what, she is right, B IS going to love these notes!

Having a puppet show with the book: Bark, George (and now a note from your friendly elementary school librarian: this is a book to checkout if you have kids who like funny stories because George is hilarious!)...

Making a new friend named Charlotte (She is a ladybug and now she lives in Maddy's front yard)...

and we danced!

A lot.

It was a dance party!

It was my exercise for the day (and since I was holding H for a lot of it, I am counting it as weight training too!).

I was tired this morning, but it was so much fun!

So, how lucky am I that last night I was Dancing with the Stars!

Being an Aunt (part 4 of 4)

Many, many moons ago, I was introduced to MG Power.

What is MG Power, you ask? Well, it is a special power that fills you with happiness, joy, laughter, and giggles. Not to mention, it boosts your ego, your energy level, and your own super aunt powers - but only if you happen to have MG Power yourself!

So, what is MG Power, you ask again (because I haven't really explained it!). Quite simply, MG Power is Murphy Girl Power, and in our family it's MG: Power of 3!

My first dose of MG Power came with the Power of 1. As in one small cutie, who at the age of 2 called me, "Turten Turtle" (pretty good considering that my maiden name, "Kirsten Sturgill," is a mouthful for grown-ups sometimes, much less a 2 year old!).

I had been dating B for awhile when he told me that his older brother was coming into town with his cute little family - at the time this was just Joe, Christi, and Em. I remember being nervous about meeting them because they seemed so grown-up to me (side note: I was just a 17-year-old kid!). Pluse, B had talked and talked and talked about them so much and I really hoped they would like me (I know, I know, of course they would like me, who doesn't! If only I had known at 17 how awesome I truly am! But who knows that about themselves at 17?)

Seriously...They were grown-ups....They were cool grown-ups...B looked up to them...I was nervous. And then I met them: Joe, Christi, and Little Miss Em. Yes, they were grown-ups (well, not Em, she was just a baby!). Yes, they were cool (especially Em!). But hey, I wasn't nervous anymore! I loved 'em and they loved me back.

Now, fast forward many, many moons to the time when I am no longer "Turten Turtle" (although I think I still have the turtle mug I was given to represent that unique pronunciation of my name by that super cute 2 year-old back then!), I am now an official part of "the family", and the MG Power in Joe's little family has grown from 1 to 3. And what power it is!

Now, Murphy Girl Power is strong with 1 dose (love you, Em!), but when it is doubled (love you, Sarah!), or Tripled (love you too, Rach!) it cannot be contained and you can't help but be affected by it! It makes you happy, brings you joy, makes you laugh, and causes giggles!

I love a good dose of MG Power and I love these nieces of mine. They are amazing young women who are striving to live Christ-centered lives and who seek to be examples of righteousness to others, and I am so proud of them!

They boost my own levels of MG Power and I love them tremendously!

So, enjoy some MG Power for yourself and remember, if the player doesn't pop up you can either hit the refresh button on your screen or visit this link: http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=dce8b7b250219d4406b096&skin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Being an Aunt (part 3 of 4)

Introducing... "The 6-Pack!" Filled with energy and guaranteed to keep you moving and grooving, "The 6 Pack" includes:

• J = The Leader of the Pack, The Big Cheese, The Big Brother... the only boy! J takes his role of big brother very seriously and despite a skirmish here and there (natural in any pack, no matter the size), he loves his sisters incredibly and always looks out for them. Not only is he a great big brother, he is also a great athlete, he's musical, and he's smart. Seriously, this kid has challenged my knowledge of child development and kept my perspective as an educator open about how children learn at different rates and how we, the adults, shouldn't assume that just because they're young, they aren't capable of higer level thinking and learning.




• E = The Sweetheart, The Peacemaker... The Heart and Soul of the Pack! E is a gentle soul who would hurt no living thing. She is a lover of animals, a serious thinker, and is curious to know everything going on in the world around her. Because of this curiosity and desire to learn, she is extremely observant. So you definitely have to watch how you act and what you say when you're around her. Her love for others is pure and true and she gives great hugs!




• C = The Questioner... The Artiste... The Energizer of the Pack! C loves everything from her stuffed animals to playing soccer to dancing around her room at night with her parents before she goes to bed (Waltz Time, to be exact!). She invents games to play and since she is the rule-maker, it's your job to follow those rules. As she tries out her own style, she models some interesting fashion combos the likes of which the catwalks in France have never seen! And if you need a good art piece to hang on your fridge, she's there for you, all you have to know is if you want markers or crayons!




• Next in The Pack is Little G = The Entertainer! This girl has the best sense of humor and can drop a one-liner at just the right time in the middle of a conversation (a skill she has had since she started talking!). She has a great imagination and can play on her own, just give her a toy kitchen built into the stairs and she's good to go for quite awhile (just don't mess with her shopping basket!). She has the cutest giggle and the most intense scowl (which she pulls if you mess with said shopping basket!). She is full of life and loves to be the star of the show.




• Then comes Little L = The Strong but Silent Pack member... at least she's silent until she gets to know you and then you are her bestie (as long as you do what she wants you to do!). She has a strong will, she knows what she wants, and she can hold her own in any crowd (actually, she can quickly own the crowd if she wants to!). She has the most beautiful eyes and a great smile that will warm your heart when she shares it with you. One warning though: if you're trying to keep up with her, you better eat your Wheaties 'cuz this girl moves!




• The last of The Pack is Miss A = The Life of the Pack! Miss A is precious! She's happy, easy-going, loves to laugh, and has the whole Pack doting on her most of the time. Now that she's mobile, she's giving the rest of the Pack a run for their money and chasing them in all that they do! She loves her family - especially The Leader of the Pack (aka: The Big Brother, The Big Cheese, "J") and makes everyone happy.

And now, a look at my favorite 6-pack:

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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Being an Aunt, Part 2 (the real deal)

First - a word about technology glitches - they stink! I was having one last night and so a couple of other posts with this same title popped up on Google Reader. They are not the real deal anymore (which you will quickly notice as you read them) and I say darn those stupid gremlins! THIS is the real deal! So read away, and enjoy!

Did I mention before that I wish all my precious my nieces and nephews all lived closer to me? Oh, I did? Well, let me mention it again: I wish all my precious nieces and nephews lived closer to FW!

When Miss E was little bitty she lived closer to me and I really wish I would have taken better advantage of seeing her regularly, but you know, I figured that they would be here for awhile. After all, my brother had started up his own company and was moonlighting for a local company as one of their tech guys, but then he went and moved his family out to the East Coast so he could go back to school for his MBA. The nerve of that kid, I tell ya!

So, when they leave, my brother (love ya, Chrissie-poo!!!! Ha, ha! Take your family away from me, will ya!), my sis-in-law that I love, and cute little bitty Miss E load up and head out of town for two stinkin' years. They get settled in at Rochester University, where despite some amazing experiences and opportunities because of my brother's hard work and dedication, they face some pretty big trials.

Of course, after the storm comes the sun, and in this instance, after the painful and scary trials they faced came the little charmer - WCS - and WHAT A BLESSING! He is so cute, so happy, so easy to be around (well, he was the last time I was around him, that is), and he has one of the best smiles around!

I wish I could jump on my private jet and whisk away to visit these cutie-patooties, but our private jet is currently on loan to the Travolta's 'cuz we're nice like that! Even though my time with Little Miss E and WCS has been limited (which is why I had to lift pics from my SIL's Facebook account for the video at the bottom!), I love knowing what is going in their lives and I am grateful for modern technology that makes the distance seem smaller.

But, you can bet that as soon as the Travolta's are finished using our private jet, B&K will be on their way to the East side of the USA!

And now, for those cuties....

Note: The video won't open in Goggle Reader - don't know why, it just doesn't. If it doesn't open from the blog directly, try refreshing your computer. Or if all else fails, visit this link:

http://www.onetruemedia.com/my_shared?z=307ed26d6607fe53056e65&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Being an Aunt, Part 1

I love being an aunt and I simply adore my nieces and nephews - all 13 of them! Over the next few days, I am going to do different posts focusing on each family branch from which all of these precious children and youth who range in age from 1 years old to 19 yours old spring.

I am going to start with my niece and nephew that live the closest to me.

Just a sidenote: I wish all of my nieces and nephews lived closer (hint to my siblings and sibling-in-laws that live away: you should move back to FW!).

Some of the qualities I love about each of them include:

• M - extremely polite, loving, kind, creative, and fun
• H - happy, snuggly, fun, and I got to be there when he was born!

I have been blessed the last couple of months to see M & H several times and have had the chance to take them different places and even had a sleepover with my little niece (fun, but exhausting!).

Both M & H make me so happy! I love how excited they both get (or seem to get) when I come around and there are always lots of hugs, kisses, and I love you's!

Check out some of the fun I have had with M & H....

Note: if the video player doesn't load up right away, hit the refresh button on your computer, or visit this link: http://www.onetruemedia.com/my_shared?z=307ed26d6607fe53056e65&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

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Hope for the future

I know some AMAZING teenagers and they give me hope about the world in which we live!

Now these high schoolers (19 of them) act just like normal teenagers in many aspects: they are involved in school, they participate in extra-curricular school activities such as sports and band, they work, they date, they hang out with friends, and once in awhile (just once in awhile), they throw down a bit of attitude (but hey, don't we all!). However, in spite of the similarities they have to your average all-American teen, there is nothing really average about this group of teenagers at all.

You see, these teenagers (and hundreds of others around the world) are striving to live by higher standards than what is necessarily "cool" in the world. They attend church each Sunday, they accept responsibilities of leadership in their youth organizations, they join their families for dinner, they pray regularly, they fast, they pay tithing, they dress modestly, they seek to be morally clean, and they get up before the sun every Monday - Friday so that they can attend a class to study the scriptures and learn about the life, the teachings, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ before school. You see, there is nothing really average about them at all!

You may be wondering how I know this about these high schoolers who range in age from Freshman - Seniors. Well, every morning (Monday - Friday) I wake up, I get dressed, and I leave my house by 5:20 am to teach this early morning scripture study class for high school students that begins at 5:45 am. That's right, I get to join these high schoolers at church each morning before school (wayyyy before school!) to study the scriptures and learn more about the teachings of Jesus Christ.

For all those who know me, this seems a bit ironic, all right - comedic! After all, even though I value the adage, "early to bed, early to rise," I'm not one who actually lives by it! I am much more likely to still be awake at 5:00 am then to be getting up at that time to go somewhere. So I see the humor in me being the one asked to teach this class. But, God works in mysterious ways, and this last year of teaching early morning seminary has proven that to me over and over and over.

I will admit that there are some days when I bring a better A-game to the classroom than others, and there are some days when the students bring a better A-game as well, but it is amazing how blessed we are by the Lord for our efforts to make time each morning to study the gospel. The fact that I am actually able to get up, get there on time (dressed, too!), lead the class, then go on to a full-day of work when I typically don't get enough sleep, is proof of the Lord's hand in this experience. The fact that a group of high schoolers with busy lives can be engaged in great discussions and learning activities that early and that we can feel His Spirit, is proof of His hand as well.

Even though it is really hard to get up when that third alarm goes off, I know that I am blessed for my diligence and obedience and I am the recipient of so many great things because I am teaching this class. First of all, my testimony of Jesus Christ, and my love for Him has been strengthened tremendously. My understanding of His teachings and my knowledge of His sacrifice has grown incredibly. My appreciation for the daily blessings and miracles in my life has increased exponentially and my eyes are opened to the tender mercies given me by my Heavenly Father and my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

I love my Father in Heaven. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I appreciate all that I am blessed with in my life and I love these students that I have the privilege of teaching. They amaze me and they give me hope for the future. After all, the Lord blesses them for their diligence and sacrifice in attending this early morning class, and I know that He is strengthening them so that they can be the great leaders of tomorrow (even if this strengthening has to be done really, really, really early in the morning!).

How awesome is it that I get to be part of that amazing experience (even so early in the morning)!

Online links about the seminary program of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints:

http://seminary.lds.org/

http://seminary.lds.org/mastery/

Wacky and Tacky - on purpose!

It's Seuss Week!


What exactly is Seuss Week, you ask? Well, it's a busy and fun week long celebration of the fantastic children's author, Theodore Seuss Geisel (aka: Dr. Seuss).

You know Dr. Seuss... he wrote The Cat in the Hat, Horton Hears a Who, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and 44 other fantastic books for children.

Now, what you may not know about Dr. Seuss is that as a child his mother let him draw on the walls in his bedroom (don't try this at home!), and that one of his first jobs as an adult was drawing advertisements for bug spray. It might also be a surprise to you that it took him more than 20 tries before a publisher accepted the manuscript and illustrations for his first book, And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street.

So, why does Seuss Week get a spotlight here at B&K? Well, as the school librarian, K hosts Seuss week, and B gets to hear all about it! There is lots of planning (seriously, lots of planning!) and lots of talking about the planning. Then, during the week of Dr. Seuss's birthday (March 2), as K hosts different activities and events at her school each day, there continues to be a lot of talk about Seuss between B&K (and I mean a lot of talk about Seuss!).

One of the fun things about Seuss Week is celebrating a book by Dr. Seuss everyday and dress-up to go with that book. So, "crazy caps" to celebrate The Cat in the Hat, "silly socks" to celebrate Fox in Socks, "favorite colors" for My Many Colored Days, favorite places for Oh, The Places You'll Go, and the most fun of all... "outrageous outfits" to celebrate Wacky Wednesday.

It's because of Wacky Wednesday that today things are, well, WACKY (and a bit tacky).

Case in point... Ms. Wacky-Tacky (all the way from Ar-Can-Sauce):

Yep, that's me... aka: Ms. Wacky-Tacky in all my "whacked out glory" for Wacky Wednesday! The only thing missing are the big ol' Bubba teeth that really make me look strange. It is so fun to become this character and to see the wonder on so many faces of the precious children that I work with as they try to figure out if it's really me behind those glasses and fake teeth.

I always set them up to think that I will be gone to a workshop on Wacky Wednesday (and my awesome teacher friends play along and help me with this ruse!). Then I tell the students that my "distant cousin," Ms. Wacky-Tacky from "Ar-Can-Sauce" will join them for the day (NOTE: Even though I have no cousins that look this wacky in real life, I have to give the children some reason for why Ms. Wacky-Tacky and I look so similar!). Then I show up in my "whacked out glory" and watch for their reactions. All I can say is... Priceless!

There are some children who just aren't sure if it's really me or my "distant cousin," and it's fun to hear them defend why they think Ms. Wacky-Tacky is a different person from me. My favorite this year came from a kindergartener who told one of his friends: "It can't be Mrs. Murphy. Mrs. Murphy doesn't have a brown pimple on her face. It has to be Ms. Wacky-Tacky." In case you were wondering, Ms. Wacky-Tacky doesn't have a brown pimple either, it was a "mole" that I drew by my mouth with eye liner, but I loved his logic!

Wacky Wednesday is one of my favorite days. It is such a fun way to cut loose and celebrate Seuss and it forges a bond between me and my colleagues and students built on fun, laughter, and enjoying a good book. What a great way to strengthen relationships (and a great reason to throw together your own "outrageous outfit!")

Catching up with Reality

How often do you hang out with Reality?

I don't always hang out with her because, well, sometimes Reality is just a little bit TOO real! Instead I try moving really quickly from one thing to the next so that Reality can't catch up. (If you know Reality, than you know exactly what I'm talking about!) Unfortunately, I'm not that fast and it seems that Reality is always two-steps ahead of me and I have to catch-up!

When I stop and think it, I realize that Reality is just looking out for me. After all, she reminds me of important things that need to be done, she shakes her head when I get off-track and nudges me along when I have ignored the little things too long, she pulls me back from getting completely absorbed in a great book or in the world of blogs when the bathroom or the laundry is crying for my attention. Actually, the list of things that Reality keeps an eye on for me is pretty long and I should be appreciative, right?

Yes, I know that Reality is persistent and she keeps me in check (most of the time), but sometimes I really just want to run and hide from her. She doesn't always act like a friend, and can actually be downright pushy and demanding when she thinks I need to get something done right away. Reality nags and bosses, and she really knows how to make you feel guilty when you haven't done your part. Truth be told, sometimes Reality is more of a pain than a pal.

But I've got to face it, Reality is here for the long haul. I can't get rid of her. I can't hide. She's just too persistent! Truthfully, I'm glad. I hate to think of what mental state I might live in if Reality wasn't always there to remind me of my responsibilities and obligations. So, I am trying to appreciate Reality a little bit more. I am trying to see Reality as a friend, not a foe. I am trying to spend more quality time with Reality instead of rushing in and mumbling hello then trying to take care of a million things at the last minute so I can rush right back out.

Sometimes it is hard to listen to Reality and to accept what she teaches, but when I stop and think about it, I know that Reality is just trying to keep me focused on things that matter so that I can be successful and so that I can appreciate the blessings of my life.

But oh, how I wish that there were times when Reality would just take a vacation!

The Love of My Life

The love of my life is...

• kind



• patient



• concerned about others



• hard-working



• dependable



• strong



• handy



• dedicated



• funny



• loving



• righteous



• encouraging



• well-liked



• talented



• smart



• a good example



• accepting



• incredible



• fun



• amazing



• HOT!!!!

The love of my life...

• cooks (so much better than I!)



• cleans



• keeps the yard looking good



• works



• rubs my back



• rubs my feet



• listens



• understands me (even when I don't understand myself)



• pays bills and tracks our finances



• hangs out with my family



• loves his mom



• calls me during the day just to say hi



• watches chic flicks with me



• has beaten me at Scrabble more times than I want to admit



• loves Baker City as much as I do (and that is HUGE in my life)



• knows that I love spending time with my seester



• goes to the bookstore with me as part of date night



• laughs at the irony of my library fines



• enjoys good Tex-Mex as much as I do



• loves children, is an AWESOME uncle, and I know that someday, when we are finally blessed to have children, he will be an AWESOME dad!

The love of my life is...

• my rock



• my confidante



• my best friend



• my partner in grime (and crime!)



• my eternal companion



• my happiness

The love of my life is B and he is EVERYTHING to me!

Dear Blog...

Dear Blog,

Yes, it's true, I have ignored you. It's nothing you did - promise (but if you could update yourself, that would be great!). It's nothing you said - promise (but if you could come up with some ready-made, sharp-witted responses that apply to my life, I would be grateful). Really, it's not you, it's me, I'm sorry.

You see, right now I am spending a lot of my time somewhere else on the internet, and it's true that I have been spending WAY too much time there.

You see, it's all B's fault! Seriously! He recently told me about a word game called Scramble on FB. Now, you know that I love me a good word game 'cuz I like to be all smart with words and stuff! And it is true that this love of word games has led me to have a really bad case of BIC (actually the worst case I've ever seen before. Yeah, it's that bad). It has also led me to avoid a lot of other important things (including you, Dear Blog), but I am trying to limit myself to "just a few" rounds of Scramble - promise (most of the time!).

Oh, Dear Blog, what shall I do? I want to keep you current, I want my house to be clean, I want to go to bed earlier, but I love trying to beat my own personal score (on a daily basis) and so these things are avoided. What shall I do?

Well, at least you're current- for now! Off to play some Scramble!

What a Week!

THE WACKY WEATHER

Coat? Check.
Scarf? Check.
Gloves? Check.

Ready for a cold week? Check.

Well, I wasn't actually ready for it to be the kind of cold with negative degrees !

That's right, this week in Texas has been a negative degrees kind of cold. The forecast predicted cold weather, sleet and ice (an annual occurrance down here in good ol' Texas!), and snow flurries.

I'll be honest, I didn't believe the snow flurries part of the forecast - that just seemed like too much of a stretch. After all, we had actual snow LAST year, so we surely weren't due for more actual snow just yet, right! But, I have to hand it to the meterologists - this time they got it right - and today we have snow covering everything! It's purdy and it gave us another day off from school!

Even though it's purdy today, it sure wasn't purdy around town earlier this week when it was just flat out nasty and icy. Icy enough to close the schools for several days (the cheers from the students in Texas must have been heard in space!). Icy enough to close businesses for several days (another reason why we should be prepared). And icy enough to keep the roads treacherous and dangerous (we might need to add more than sand to our road safety strategy).

I'm sure this sudden weather change came as a bit of a surprise to the Super Bowl Committee and to all of the fans who made their way to DFW for "The Big Game" on Sunday. After all, it was a bit of a surprise for those of us who live here! But right now the weather is wacky all over the place, not just here in Texas!

THE BIG GAME

Since the Super Bowl is here this weekend, ESPN is broadcasting from our downtown FW, so on Monday (before the weather hit), B and I headed to Sundance Square to check out the ESPN Broadcast Booth. We got to be part of the crowd during the broadcast of Chris Berman's segment. Surely you know Chris Berman, aka "Boomer," the guy who makes all the crazy sounds during his broadcasts. His sports reports are pretty interesting and funny (and you know I'm not a big sports fan!). It was fun to be part of the crowd filled with lots of "interesting" people!

We also headed over to where Channel 21 was broadcasting the news and jumped in with the hoopin' and holler' of that crowd too! After all of our television cameos (being on television is exhausting!), we were hungry and headed to Cabo Grande. Mexican food ALWAYS completes the day!

The night was a BLAST and I'm so glad we went down before the madness of the weather and the insanity of the crowds hit!

Just another adventure of B&K as we try to "Live Life Everyday!"

I Am...

I am a girl who likes to stay up late, sleep in late, and unfortunately sometimes arrives late (but I'm working on it!).

I am a girl who likes to have my toes painted but hates to actually do it!

I am a girl who carries tension in her shoulders and appreciates a good neck massage to help loosen up those muscles.

I am a girl who works hard, plays hard, and loves hard.

I am a girl who recognizes that I need some self-improvement - losing weight, having healthier habits, and not procrastinating so much top that long list!

I am a girl who over-analyzes, is known to be a little anal-retentive, and has perfectionistic tendencies which completely contradict the creative side of my brain!

I am a girl who can be silly, serious, grouchy (once in awhile!), and a tad bit dramatic (really... just a "tad" bit!).

I am a girl who loves to decorate her house, host fun get-togethers, and dress up now and then!

I am a girl who has lived through trying times, medical scares, and unexpected loss.

I am a girl who likes the snow from a distance (a very far distance!), appreciates warm weather, and enjoys the beauty of nature (but I sure don't camp!).

I am a girl who loves to read, watches reruns of "Bewitched" and "The Munsters", and loves Friday night movies at home with B (we live a WILD life, eh!)

I am a girl who really has a soft-heart (despite a hard-shell), can't stand to see others in pain, and believes in equality and fairness.

I am a girl who is tolerated by many, appreciated by some, and deeply loved by a few.

I am a girl lucky enough to find Prince Charming at a young age, luckier to still have Prince Charming by my side now, and luckiest to know that Prince Charming and I have eternity together!

I am a girl who comes from a big family where love is loud, hugs are plentiful, and singing on the back porch in Baker is part of who we are (even if you can't carry a tune!).

I am a girl who is a wife, a daughter, a sister, a cousin, a niece, and an aunt (a job I love!).

I am a girl who is a teacher, a librarian, and an educator for life.

I am a girl who tries to be a good friend and who is blessed to have good friends.

I am a girl who faces new challenges (even when they are unwanted and unsolicited) and does my best to rise to the top of those challenges.

I am a girl who knows that I am a Child of God, that Heavenly Father loves me, and that Jesus Christ is my Savior.

Actually, I am a girl who knows that each and every person on this earth is a Child of God, who is loved by Heavenly Father, and that Jesus Christ is the Savior of all mankind.

I am a girl who knows that the hand of the Lord is in all things, that He hears our prayers (no matter how small we may feel), and that no matter what, He is there for me, I just have to seek Him.

I am a girl who knows that when the road seems uncertain, the Lord really does lead the way.

I am a girl who was sent to live at this time, in this part of the history of the world, to do good in whatever ways I can (and there are many ways I can).

I am a girl who has been given talents and gifts to use and develop in my lifetime.

I am a girl who is trying to live in the moment, and for the moment, so that I make each moment count.

I am a girl who has a divine nature, individual worth, and who seeks to live with integrity.

I am a girl who has been given many opportunities.

I am a girl who is blessed - tremendously!

And for all of these blessings that I receive each day, I am a girl who humbly gives thanks to my Heavenly Father.

I am K and I am living my best life everyday!

December Recap

A recap of our December...


Around our house:












Our Christmas Bags:

Remember how B and I have exchanged our gifts to each other in brown bags for the last few years? (If not, you can revisit how that tradition got started here). Well, this year our brown bags got an upgrade, courtesy of my seester!


I had seen the idea for fabric Christmas bags here, at How Does She (an awesome blog that I love to stalk!), so I talked to my seester about making them (she has gotten really good at sewing cute bags) and she offered to make them for us!


We headed to the fabric store, picked out some cute fabrics, and got them done that evening after dinner. They turned out so cute and there was so much room for our presents (even the ones that were huge and bulky)!


Here, see for yourself....


Here's how she made them (with some pinning, turning, and cutting help from me!)...

Thanks Jenny, we LOVE them!




Christmas Eve with my fam....

Maddy...

Hudson...

Both of these cuties...

It was such a fun night! I can't believe I neglected to take pictures of the Phase 10 smackdown that I dealt out to my family! It's a good thing that my memory is like a steel trap and I will NEVER forget the first time I actually won that game!!!

Christmas Day with B's family...

This year my MIL was quite the tricky lady.



I know, I know, she looks all nice and sweet (and she really is), but let me tell you.... she has some wicked tricks up her sleeve!

Case in point, the gift card incident.

This year I thought I was crazy when I opened an old college textbook (make that a CRUSTY old college textbook!) called "The Physics of an Atom." I really thought to my self, "What the French, Toast!" I know I looked completely confused (believe me, I felt confused) and wasn't really sure what to say. I mean I wanted to be polite and all but I wasn't really sure how, it was a PHYSICS textbook, I have never done anything with PHYSICS!

Then, as I turned the book around for B to see the cover, low and behold, a gift card fell out and that nice MIL of mine started to laugh. I admit, it was pretty hilarious and clever too, so I figured I had better watch out for her!

Fast forward to the next surprise present - a jar of dried beans - and again, the total look of confusion. Seriously, how come I didn't learn my lesson from the first time? I was wondering what in the world I was going to do with a jar of dried beans (that wasn't even full) and I was shaking the jar at B, when all of a sudden, there appeared a gift card at the top of the beans.

I told you she had wicked tricks up her sleeve!

We all had a really good laugh but I vow never to look confused again - even if the gift is really, really weird!




And that is a recap of our December! Hope yours was great too!

We miss our family and friends that are far away and want you to know that we love you and think about you often. Here's to a terrific 2011 for all of us!