B and K

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

2011-08-05T18:20:00.017-05:00

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...

2011-07-13T00:27:00.021-05:00

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

2011-06-18T23:29:00.034-05:00

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!

2011-06-11T02:09:00.014-05:00

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!

2011-06-06T00:21:00.006-05:00

... 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______

2011-05-08T01:28:00.011-05:00

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!

2011-04-22T00:43:00.016-05:00

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)

2011-04-16T01:14:00.012-05:00

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)

2011-04-11T00:15:00.014-05:00

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:

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Being an Aunt, Part 2 (the real deal)

2011-03-28T21:09:00.008-05:00

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

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Being an Aunt, Part 1

2011-03-26T03:35:00.011-05:00

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

2011-03-08T18:26:00.014-06:00

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!

2011-03-02T20:54:00.017-06:00

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

2011-02-22T21:56:00.008-06:00

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

2011-02-20T21:52:00.005-06:00

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

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...

2011-02-15T22:22:00.004-06:00

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!

2011-02-04T16:30:00.009-06:00

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...

2011-01-16T22:14:00.015-06:00

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

2011-01-08T23:46:00.017-06:00

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!

"Let's stay-up-the-night-away"

2010-12-21T16:45:00.014-06:00

December 10, 2010... the perfect night to "stay-up-the-night-away," according to my 3-year-old niece!

Mike and D were hosting a Christmas party at their house and so the plan was for The Cutest Drama Queen Ever to hang out with me...The Most Awesome Aunt!

The rest of the regulars were out of pocket: B (who really is The Most Awesome Uncle) was out of town for work and my seester (who is The Other Most Awesome Aunt) was going to visit a friend in San Antonio. So, that would leave just me with The CDQE, but I knew I could handle it. After all, in my family I'm "The Chairman of the Board" (I love you and miss you, Uncle Bobby!), plus she only manipulates me a little!!!!

So, my brother brought The CDQE over around 5 and in she sauntered with a cute little gift bag proudly proclaiming: "I brought you a surprise!" When I asked if I could open it, she struck her thinking pose (lips pursed, and pushed to the side... finger tapping her lip... eyes looking up) and said, "Sure." Inside I found a great new wallflower scent and a nice little letter that The CDQE had "written" with a little help (Thanks, D!)...

As The CDQE got settled into what she calls "her room" (it's the one with the toys and most importantly: The Treasure Chest!), the phone rang. To my surprise it was The Other Most Awesome Aunt calling to tell me that she had barely gotten out of town and realized she was way too tired for a 4-hour drive to San Antonio, had rescheduled her visit to see Megan, and was heading over to hang out with us.

When she got here, we loaded into my car and hit the town for a total "Party in the U.S.A.!"

First to dinner (Pizza Inn) where The CDQE kept us entertained, then to Target to do some shopping (all hail the $1 spot), driving around looking at Christmas lights (with shouts of "Wow!" "Look, on your side Jenny!" "Wow!" from the back seat), then back to the house for a bit of Dora the Explorer (Thank you, B for setting the DVR!), and on to the showdown... aka: bedtime!

Now, you must know that The CDQE has always been a master sleep procrastinator! She has many tools and tricks to help you see that she needs to "stay-up-the-night-away" (her words and the catch phrase for the night). Tonight there were a couple of tears because she missed her parents, but after reading, singing, praying, and talking with both of The Most Awesome Aunts, The CDQE finally fell asleep.

Now, I would like to tell you that I was wise and went to sleep at a decent time to prepare for the next day... but that's not me! Instead I stayed up late and when I heard the little voice down the hall telling Jenny around 7 am, "let's go wake up Kirsten," I knew that I had done myself no favors by staying up so late!

We played, watched Dora, feasted on cereal, donuts, and chocolate milk (sugar 'em up and then send 'em home, is what I always say!), and played some more until it was time for The CDQE to head home.

I think we had a good time at our "stay-up-the-night-away" sleepover and I am so glad to be loved by The CDQE (even though she does give this "Chairman of the Board" a run for the money!).

Songs of the Season

2010-12-16T16:29:00.011-06:00

The radio stations have been playing Christmas songs for weeks to help us all find the Christmas Spirit. We hear the "most popular" Christmas songs played repeatedly from Thanksgiving until Christmas Day.

Have you ever really paid attention to what these "popular" songs are telling us year after year, day after day, as we sing along in the car, at work, at home, and just about everywhere we go during this season?

Here are a few of the messages that we hear over and over during this time of year:

Deck the halls
Santa Claus is coming to town
You better not cry
All I want for Christmas is
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Christmas, Christmas time is here, time for toys
We've been good, but it can't last
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, toys in every store
Whisper what you'll bring to me
Bring it right here

No wonder we feel compelled to overshop, overspend, and overindulge ourselves and others!

Now, despite the emphasis on what "I'm getting" in so many popular Christmas songs, there are other good messages to be found in these modern-day songs as well:

There's no place like home for the holidays
Feed the world
It's the best time of the year
Friends are calling
As long as you love me so
May your days be merry and bright

In addition to the "most popular" Christmas songs, the radio stations also mix in a variety of "classic" Christmas carols, which have completely different messages:

Glad tidings of great joy
Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let every heart prepare him room
Silent night, holy night
Christ, the Savior is born
With wondering awe, the wise men saw
Good tidings of comfort and joy
Oh come all ye faithful
Come and behold him
Peace on earth, good will to men

But have you ever noticed that these "classic" carols don't get as much play time as the "most popular" songs of the season?

As I reflect on this season, I think a couple of lines from songs in both the "popular" and "classic" categories sum up how I feel the best:

Where are you Christmas, why can't I find you
Remember Christ the Savior, was born on Christmas day

As Christmas Day grows closer and closer, and as the frenzy and frantic feelings escalate to get presents and packages tied up with strings, to wish you a Merry Christmas, to attend the parties and have a cup of cheer, don't forget that to REALLY make the season bright, we have to make room in our lives for Jesus Christ.

Oh come, let us adore him,
Oh come, let us adore him,
Oh come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

Living Thanksgiving Daily

2010-11-25T18:26:00.006-06:00

It's Thanksgiving and I am blessed! Not just because I had a yummy lunch of turkey, potatoes, dressing, and pumpkin pie but because blessings come into my life every day from my Heavenly Father. He loves each of us enough to bless us daily in big and small ways regardless of how well we behaved (or didn't behave!) on that day.

Although I realize how blessed I am, I also realize that I am not always good about taking time to be thankful or to show gratitude for my blessings.

So, I have been trying to be more purposeful in being aware and being grateful for my blessings- not just today on our nationally deemed holiday of Thanksgiving - but on each and every day.

Therefore, in trying to be more grateful each day I have been keeping a gratitude journal in which I write at least 3 specific things at the end of each day for which I am grateful. The funny thing is that once I start writing, I usually surpass my self-imposed requirement of "just 3 things." I am pretty sure that the reason this happens is because once I sit down to specifically think of a few things I have been blessed with that day, my heart and my mind are opened to seeing so many more of the blessings I have been given, and so I usually have a longer list than what I started out to create.

It's also interesting how close I feel to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ when I take time to express my thanks and gratitude daily. I think that I draw closer to Them as I recognize all that I have been given. I have also noticed how much happier I am and how much more love I feel for my family, friends, and fellow man when I am purposefully focused on being grateful.

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin once gave a talk titled, "Living in Thanksgiving Daily", where he said that "Those who live in thanksgiving daily are usually among the world's happiest people." I want to be one of those people!

There are a million reasons not to be happy in this life - hey, the world is tough! But, Elder Wirthlin said that "living in thanksgiving daily is a habit that will enrich our lives and the lives of those we love" and that sounds so much better than being miserable!

So, how can we live in thanksgiving daily even after the turkey and the rolls and the pie are put away this year? Elder Wirthlin suggests three things that we can implement into our lives to be the happiest people who live in thanksgiving daily:

Open our eyes. See the wonders and the beauties of the world around us each day.
Open our hearts. Let go of negative emotions and fill our hearts with love.
Open our arms. Bless the lives of those around us.

Today I had the chance to open my eyes and see the beauty of the small town of Nauvoo, Illinois which has incredible significance to those of my faith. And although it was incredibly cold (I mean, there was ice on the Mississippi already!), as B and I explored and learned about this incredible place, the beauty of this area that was once a swampland, was impressed upon me.

I also had the chance while in Nauvoo to open my heart and feel incredible love for people I have never met. It is amazing to me that the early members of The Church of Latter-Day Saints who lived in the 19th century set out in great faith not only to be servants of God but to build an incredible community founded on faith, kindness, compassion, and great sacrifice.

Finally, I had the chance to open my arms and found a small, but very worthwhile way to try and bless the lives of others. One of the great things about exploring Historical Nauvoo is that at each of the sites you visit there are awesome Senior Missionaries who have given time from their lives to serve and teach visitors about these incredible sites. We were so blessed to have great tours and information shared with us by these incredible missionaries and so I put together candy treats to give to them today as they served on this Thanksgiving day. As I extended my arms to drop off this bag of treats, I was overwhelmed by their gratitude and thanks for my small gesture of appreciation and my heart was full!

What an incredible Thanksgiving! I was with B, who I love more than anything, in a beautiful place where the Spirit of the Lord is incredibly strong, and I was given the chance to show my appreciation to others. The blessings in my life are amazing!

Sneak Peeking Harry Potter 2010

2010-11-18T22:11:00.005-06:00

A couple of weeks ago the 9th grade Biology teacher at school popped into the library to tell us about an opportunity she had worked out to see Harry Potter 7, Part 1, at an early showing at Movie Tavern and asked if we were interested in tickets. Um... YES!!!!

Not only is she the 9th grade Biology teacher, she also happens to sponsor the Harry Potter club at TVS which has quite a large number of participants.

The dealio was that she would have to sell every single seat for us to rent out the theater for a special showing. Myself and my friends Jennifer and Marcy snapped up the chance to go and I scored a couple of seats.

So... fast forward two weeks (actually I am pretty sure they were slow weeks as we eagerly anticipated the sneak peek!) and the time to hang out with Harry arrived!

It was definitely the highlight of my day - especially after a crummy dr's appointment that included a rather painful procedure as part of a follow-up appointed to a sickness I have been battling. Thank goodness I had Harry to distract me and help me realize that there can definitely be more painful experiences to endure than a dr's visit!

Before the movie started the manager explained to all of us that Warner Bros. had given special permission for us to have this advanced showing (massive cheers filled the theater 'cuz ya know, we're special!) but that under no circumstances were any of us to have our phones or cameras out at any point during the movie (cue all the camera flashes to instantly start going off - mine included!) and then encouraged us to sit back, dig in to our complimentary bag of popcorn (delish!) and enjoy the movie. So we did!

The movie was great! And being in a theater filled with great friends, my school community, and my fantabulous sister was a blast!

Now the hard part - waiting until July for Part 2 to be released! This is purposeful punishment from the production company! Boo!

So what are you waiting for? Get outta here and go see Harry Potter for yourself. It.Is.AWESOME!

Hooray for Cool Weather!

2010-11-05T16:43:00.003-05:00

But an even bigger HOORAY for car seats that warm up for you at 5:20 am on a shivery fall morning!

I love it when the weather cools down! Texas is blazin' hot in the summer and so these cool, crisp, sometimes flat out cold days feel great. Of course, I realize my limits of appreciation for cooler weather do not extend beyond the borders of cool weather in Texas, and I know that I am not cut out to experience the really cold weather of other parts of the USA. (I'm a wimp, really!).

So, now that it is cooler it's time for:

my flannel pjs (and I am not ashamed to admit that I love changing into them right after school, but I promise that if I go out, I change back - PROMISE!)
hot chocolate (yummers!)
wrapping up in a blanket on the couch (which the cat tries to steal from me - BRAT!)
snuggling with "The Radiator" (aka: B - he radiates serious heat!)
watching a good movie

Actually, this sounds like a great plan for TONIGHT!!!

Saving money? Being frugal? HOW???

2010-10-30T13:35:00.005-05:00

So, B and I are making a HUGE decision in our life that will require some serious sacrifice for the next year so that we can be more debt-free and save enough for the path we want to walk.

The problem is.... ME!

I'm just keeping it real because I am not frugal... at all! I admire people who are and I want to be. I need to be. I should be. I'm just not and I really don't know how to be. But I HAVE to figure it out.

I've checked out some books from the library specifically about women who have learned how to save (and I think that checking these books out from the libary instead of just buying them counts as a "frugal" decision, right!).

I've read some ideas on how to create visual aids to help you see where you spend your money, what your goal is, and how you are doing in accomplishing your saving goal.

I know one of the first things I have to do is STOP EATING OUT so much! Not just to save money and be frugal, but it's not a healthy lifestyle. I'm not going to ban eating out completely, but I definitely need to curb it. That means I have to do something I don't particularly enjoy: cook! (Of course, if anyone wants to be my personal chef for free, I'd take you up on it!)

And now I'm standing here saying "Hi. My name is K and I have a problem saving money."

So, I'm going to start by practicing the art of saying "no, I'm not going to eat out today" and "that's cute but I don't really need it" so that I can help us reach our saving goal. After all, what we want is worth so much more than eating out or shopping in the $1 spot at Target or hitting Hobby Lobby or... well, you get the point!

Of course, if anyone has any practical suggestions or ideas for being more frugal (or learning how to enjoy cooking more!), I welcome your thoughts.

It's B's Birthday!

2010-10-20T17:07:00.012-05:00

I wanted to come up with an idea that would be a super creative, over-the-top, amazing, outstanding, outlandish, incredible, unbelievable, never-been-seen, flat out AWESOME way to celebrate B's birthday and brighten his day.

After all, I love him more than anything and he spoils me a tad bit (just a tad bit, not too much!) so I have been thinking and thinking and thinking and thinking and, well...

...today is his birthday and I've got nada!

It doesn't help that I have been sick with this and sick with that for the last two weeks and am zombied out on several different prescriptions.

But maybe, just maybe, the fact that B is swamped with work right now and can't really celebrate with me tonight anyway will give me some extra think time to come up with a PHENOM celebration for when we can celebrate together (FYI: I am currently accepting any and all fabulous ideas in the comments section!).

So, until I come up with something awesome to celebrate this incredible guy...

all I can say is:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, B!
I LOVE YOU!!!!

You make me happier than I could ever say!

Love, K

A Whole New Sense of Appreciation

2010-09-29T15:30:00.007-05:00

Allergies... flared

Asthma..... slightly flared

Lawn......... managed

Gratitude for The Lawn Fairy's gift..... greatly enhanced

Appreciation for B that he keeps our yard maintained and manicured.... IMMEASUREABLE!

Last week the rains came down and the grass came up. B is swamped at work right now and after the surprise gift from The Lawn Fairy a couple of weeks ago, I certainly didn't want to let the lawn go any longer.

So, with nice weather abounding and since I was around, I decided to get out and mow the lawn. DISCLAIMER: It has been many, many, many, many years since I mowed the lawn. I mean... MANY!

I called B to get a quick review of how the lawn mower works. Don't laugh. It's electric- ya know, to be more green - with a one-button-start option... and the last time I mowed the lawn - many, many, many, many years ago - it was with a gas-powered, string-pulling, good-luck-getting-it-started kinda mower. So, I needed a quick tutorial, but I'm a fast learner and got it rolling with no prob.

Then I mowed the lawn - just the front, and the sides - no frills (like edging or trimming the hedges. Thank goodness the lawn fairy did such a good job there). All I did was mow. It looks good. I got out there and did it. I'm proud.

But the reality check is that... it's hard work, it kicks up my allergies and asthma, and I'm not even done!

This makes me appreciate B soooooooo much more for all the hard work he regularly does to keep our yard nice. Especially since he usually mows the front, edges, trims the hedges and trees, and then moves on to the back yard, which is sometimes an even bigger job. And for me, well, the backyard may just have to be a job I pay someone else to do!

I love you, B!

The Lawn Fairy

2010-09-15T17:12:00.010-05:00

I pulled into the driveway at 5 pm after a LOOOOOOONNNNNNNGGGGG day at work filled with:

running the book fair,
working on a school-wide reading event for next Tuesday,
talking with parents on conference day,
meeting with a teacher about a unit we are kicking off tomorrow,
and planning for an upcoming visiting author,

when what do I see?

...my lawn nicely mowed and manicured.

Now, there are people in the world who are regularly greeted by a beautifully maintained front lawn courtesy of a great lawn service. Great idea and I would love to have that service, but right now we aren't those people.

We are the people who tend to the lawn on the weekend (and by we, I mean B!) after a week of work and other commitments. We work really hard (okay, B works really hard) on Saturday morning, or sometimes even after work in the evening, to mow and edge and water so that our lawn isn't the neighborhood sore spot.

So we (meaning B) either do it ourselves OR we have started to have one of the young men from church come and tend to our lawn for us (also usually on the weekends) so that B can work on other things.

Funny thing was that this morning when I left for work, I thought to myself... "Self, you need to call [young man from church] and see if he can come mow the lawn - especially since we had all that rain last week." To which I replied and said, "Self, I'll do that tonight after I watch the premiere of Survivor." And myself said, "Great - get 'r dun." (I didn't really have a conversation in dialogue, this is just to add to the effect of the story. Just saying. Don't think I'm crazy. Even though I might be. A little. Here and there. Anyway...

I went to work (see the looooong note above!) and then I came home.

As soon as I pulled into the driveway, I knew that someone had been to my house and had mowed, trimmed, edged the lawn and it all looked so purty that I thought, "Did B get home from work early and decide to mow the lawn?" Then I realized that no, it couldn't have been B, it was way too early for him to be here.

I was on the phone with my seester sharing my shock and awe at what I was seeing, when a light came on in my head (this one was a bright one, too!) and I realized my lawn had probably been tended to by my awesome next door neighbor.

So, needing to know the truth for myself, I went over and knocked on the door, As soon as he opened up, I knew that I was right and started to cry ('cuz I do that!) when I asked, "Did you mow my [insert cracking voice] lawn?"

Then I cried a little bit more when he said, "I just thought I'd help you guys out."

And then his sweet wife interjected, "We'll call him The Lawn Fairy!"

So, I gave him a hug, cried some more ('cuz that's what I do!), and walked back across my beautiful lawn with a heart full of thanks that we have such great neighbors and that my life was blessed today with such a generous gift.

And now as I cry again while I write this ('cuz that's what I do), I realize that there are still good, kind, charitable, thoughtful people in a world that is more often than not filled with selfishness and greed, and my heart is happier.

All because The Lawn Fairy is one heck of a guy!

How do you...

2010-09-10T21:54:00.002-05:00

... change poor sleeping habits?

... use time wisely?

... balance life?

... stay spiritual?

... stay healthy?

... stay connected?

... put priorities in order? (and keep them there!)

... follow through?

... live righteously?

... show you care?

... unwind for real?

... live life well?

Just thought I'd ask!

A Special Edition of K's Randomness

2010-09-06T22:35:00.007-05:00

This special edition of K's Randomness is brought you by my grammatical "friends," Simile and Metaphor!

Metaphor says:
Housecleaning is a pit of quicksand you can't avoid. No matter how many times you try to get around it, you suddenly find yourself stuck in the middle of it.

Simile replies:
Lysol/Windex/409 are like the branches you hold onto to get out of that housekeeping pit of quicksand.

Simile says:
The alarm(s) going off at 4:45 am Monday - Friday is like a pitcher of ice-cold water suddenly thrown in your face - shocking and disorienting all at once.

Metaphor replies:
Having the chance to teach an early morning religion class to a group of awesome high school youth who know who they are and what they stand for in a world that seems crazy is worth every single drop of that cold splash of reality when the 4:45 am alarm(s) sounds.

Metaphor says:
Spending time with someone you love is a perfectly baked double-chocolate brownie that has just a little crunchy covering but a perfectly soft and melty center.

Simile replies:
Saying "see ya later" to that someone you love stinks like rotten eggs.

Thanks to my "friends," Simile and Metaphor for sharing my thoughts so well tonight! The only random thing that I can express better than either Simile or Metaphor is that...

I LOVE B!

and that's not random... that's just ALWAYS!

Family and friends make life better

2010-08-22T21:56:00.005-05:00

Life gets hectic for all us, right?!?

Fortunately the chaos seems to rolls in waves so that when your life is hectic (aka: me... right now), you have friends who rush in to help you with your madness because their life is "less hectic" (face it, "less" is probably the best we get 'cuz nobody I know ever feels completely hectic-free!).

Then, your crazy, hectic sprint in life slows down a bit (P.S. I'm looking forward to that!) so that you can step up and help your friends who are now experiencing their own crazy world.

Tonight I realize how blessed I am to have good family and good friends and I feel fortunate to KNOW I am cared about by so many different people!

The list of amazing people that I have cheering for me and supporting me right now in a crazy transition time could go on and on, but tonight before I go to bed (I know, Mary, I should already be there!), I would like to say a special thanks to these people specifically:

My sister for being my project manager!
My mom for saving the day when printer issues threatened to sink me!
My dad for bringing me the paper delivery I needed so desperately.
My friend Laura for checking on me.
My friend (and blog stalker!), Mary for being my "go-to-sleep-earlier" phone call as well as my "'time-to-wake-up-earlier" phone call (GOTTA start that routine!).
My friend Rachel for patroling my Facebook status to make sure I'm not on there instead of sleeping so that I can actually get up when Mary calls!
My awesome hubby whose love and support for me has no limit!

I'm serious when I say that this list could go on and on - I know I am blessed that so many people care about me and are watching my back so that I can be successful.

I LOVE YOU ALL and thank you all for caring about me and for helping me to KNOW that whatever I am called to do, I can succeed. After all, I am blessed with good friends, a great family, and a Savior who truly gave His life for me so that I could live mine.

Life may be crazy - but it is good!

(and now I'm going to bed.... really, Mary... I promise! Well, after I update Facebook... but I won't be on there for long, Rachel... cross my heart!)

Dear Google Reader....

2010-08-20T00:20:00.008-05:00

... I love all that you do for me!

You collect all sorts of interesting information and hold onto it patiently until I have time to get around to browsing what you have collected.

You are always there and I know that at any given time I can discover any number of incredible things, such as:

Amazing transformations of trash to treasure...
Incredible home renovations - all done on the penny-pinching budget of amazingly frugal and supremely talented DIY home fashionistas...
Ideas for creating a scrumptious, gourment meal from a perfect meal plan carefully coordinated to use ingredients from a well-organized food storage pantry or from the results of a well-cultivated, perfectly plotted home garden...
Homes that are clutter-free, polished and poised in tasteful decor, and perfectly suited to be the setting of the next epic romance movie waiting to be produced...
Projects, projects, and more projects - all reflecting superb creative power and execution...
A plethora of strategies, tips, and ideas for keeping everything I could possibly ever own in this lifetime (or the next) perfectly sorted and organized...
Simply incredible and fun party ideas that leave me dreaming of a job as an Event Planner (or maybe just ideas for the next great party I'll "just have to" host!)...

With all of these options to browse during my "free-time" (note the sarcasm, Dear Google Reader, because there is NO "free-time" available in my life right now), I find myself drowning in too many great ideas, too many projects, and too many inconsistencies in what I see in your archives and the reality of my life.

So a change must be made. I'm sorry, but we need some time apart.

Don't be sad, Dear Google Reader, I still love you and I really do appreciate all of the wonderful options you offer, I just have to get real about the time I have to hang out with you.

I'll still pop in to visit. After all, the most important thing you do for me is help me stay current with friends and family. I thank you for this great act of service.

So, I'll see you soon and even though I won't be able to hang out as long as I have in the past, we'll still be friends. Promise. As long as you still keep me posted on what matters most!

Love your pal,
K

Summer 2010 - Lots of Fun in the Sun!

2010-08-13T18:54:00.002-05:00

"Summer 2010"

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The Promise of Possibilities

2010-08-01T22:54:00.008-05:00

This coming week has the promise of possibilities because Brian is off for the week! Woot! Woot! So, this week we will divide our time betwen "Project Week" and "Party Time!"

"Project Week" projects:

Go to the grocery store (why should one of us have to face that madness alone!)
Dum, da, da dum... the garage! Clean it, organize it, park my car in it! Then we can check it off our "Amazingly Long List of Things To Do Around the House" (for this year!)
Create a pantry inventory
Organize and assemble our Emergency Documents binder
New blinds for the middle and master bedrooms

"Party Time" plans:

Visit the MOLA (Museum of Living Art) at the FW Zoo
Attend the temple
Have breakfast at Paris Cafe (aMaZinG!)
And why not lunch at Yucatan Taco Stand (deLiSh!!!)
Dinner will be home-cooked for most of the week. After all... we have a meal plan!

And the most exciting thing about this week of possibilities...
being together!

Summer Recap... WHAT?!? NOW?!?

2010-07-23T13:46:00.025-05:00

Yep, it's true - back to school is quickly approaching and even though I hate to think that it is time for a "Summer Recap," the reality is that a new school year is staring me in the face and I am rushing into it headfirst (even though that could cause brain damage!).

FYI: For anyone who really thinks that "teachers get the summers off" - I'd like to find out which teachers you know that are living that life, cause I need to talk to them and figure out how to cash in on that part of my career since I haven't managed a "summer off" yet in 13 years of being an educator. Holy crumb, just by saying "13 years as an educator" I felt myself age!

So, here are some of the things that I would have to include in my summer wrap-up (oh yeah, I have pictures, they're just still on my camera!)...

Taught classes at our school's summer enrichment camp.
Co-facilitated the Community Partners Program at school where students in 7th - 12th grade act as a board of trustees to learn about non-profit organizations in our community and then decide as a board which organizations to disburse grant monies to and how much each will receive. A totally AWESOME experience!
Met with the young lady who will be my intern this coming year.
Went to San Antonio to visit family that I love.
Hosted an Open House to celebrate my seester's graduation with her Masters in Social Work from UTA.
Went to my little nephew's blessing.
Had some friends over for a chat session. It was such an uplifting evening where we talked about the talks given during our Church's spring session of General Conference. I loved being able to share my thoughts and feelings and to discuss these things with some people that I love and respect a lot.
Went with Brian to Houston for a week where I: Caught up with a friend that I worked with at Sycamore when I was just starting down the road that would lead me to"13 years as an educator;" Visited with Matt-ay Sapp-ay (he's like a brother-from-another-mother, since he grew up in our house with my youngest brother and has always been part of our fam); Went to the Holocaust Museum of Houston and was overwhelmed by the emotion of that event in our history - how anyone could think it wasn't real is beyond my understanding; Met some of Brian's co-workers (who were funn-ny!); Survived the torrential downpour of rain compliments of Hurricane Alex (who thankfully did not make landfall in Houston as originally predicted); Read a couple of great books while hanging out in the hotel room during the previously mentioned torrential downpour; Saw The Last Air Bender (and surprisingly liked it!); Went shopping; and mostly... I just enjoyed being out of town with B!
B and I went with our friends Shelby and Kirk to see a late show of Eclipse as a spur-of-the-moment decision the day we got back from Houston because Shelby was going to miss our July 8th GNO. It was soooo much fun and we all think that we should do more random things more regularly! Just cause we age doesn't mean we get old!
Girls Night Out events to see: Letters from Juliet (such a cute movie) and Eclipse (the movie event of the summer!).
Went with the "Sunshine Girls" to deliver "Buckets of Sunshine" to some friends.
Had a great time on the 4th of July at Heather and Spence's awesome get-together.
Celebrated my birthday... 35 years of living life... I hope I'm living it well!
Started planning for my new responsibility of teaching the early morning youth scripture study class (aka: Seminary) this coming fall. And when I say early morning, what I mean is... 17 teenagers (9th - 12th grade) get up and come to a 5:45 am class to study and learn the scriptures together Monday - Friday during the school year and I have the amazing opportunity to teach this class. I love working with these youth and even though 5:45 am is SUPER early, I am excited to be able to teach this class. Having been a student of early morning seminary many years ago, I know that there are great blessings that come from starting your day studying the scriptures.
Dealt with home repairs like: replacing a section of pipe under our foundation (which is thankfully all finished - including the carpet being restretched) and having the air conditioner repaired when it went on the blink.
Spent time with ALL of my family! Both of my brothers that live out of state came in with their families for a week and so we created "Camp Sturgill" with activities that all of us could do together each day (and by all of us, that would be 21 people - ages 2 months and up). It was fun to see everyone and I enjoyed spending time together.

And something that was really awesome this summer:

Celebrating 15 years of marriage with B - whom I love more than anything!

Now to get ready for the school year - our teacher inservice days start August 11 and then school starts August 18.

So, farewell Summer of 2010, it has been busy but fun!

The B&K Dust Bowl

2010-07-15T01:08:00.008-05:00

A lot of dusting and cleaning and dusting and cleaning has been going on over here at "The House of B&K" since the pipe-job was completed last week. As we make our way room by room, I am amazed that even though all the doors were closed and thick plastic was put down, the dust from the foundation being jackhammered is EVERYWHERE!

No surface was safe (even B&K were both covered in the gritty particles of the dust) and now although we are still waiting for the carpet to be tacked back down (fingers crossed for tomorrow!), "The House of B&K" has moved into clean-up mode following what we will now refer to as... "The B&K Dust Bowl."

Furniture has been moved, shelves cleared, closets thrown open - all in an attempt to get things shiny, sparkly, and dust-free. Of course, B is a tremendous help, but the big shout-outs of appreciation have to go to our good friends, Swiffer and Pledge, who have shown up everyday and worked and worked until they are "worn out." Thanks you guys, you are rockstars in "The House of B&K!"

Now I'm off to rest before the dawn breaks on a new day and the quest for clean continues (never has "The House of B&K" seemed so B.I.G.). I just hope that I'll be working around the carpet-layer (is that what you call the guy who can tack your carpet back in place?) and that things can be as shiny and bright as possible for my bro and his family who will be guests at "The House of B&K" for the next week. Good thing they're family - 'cuz maybe they'll forgive me if things aren't quite up to the standards of a good, old fashioned bed-n-breakfast. After all, I'm just hoping for dust-free!

Dear Professional Plumber...

2010-07-07T09:13:00.003-05:00

Did you notice the shiny white bathroom? How about the lemony-fresh scent of Lysol? Did you see that I followed your suggestions to remove anything from the walls that I didn't want to get dusty?

Well, I did it all to help make your job of replacing the 'y' joint of our bathroom pipes as easy as possible after you have to roll back our carpet and chisel into our foundation in the middle of our hallway.

And now I would like to thank you in advance for doing such a good job, for hanging plastic to prevent dust from overwhelming us, for being so excellent that it wasn't necessary to "chase" any pipe (fingers crossed, fingers crossed, fingers crossed), for working so quickly, and for getting the city inspector lined up to come check your work in a timely fashion so that the hole in our floor could be closed up by Friday.

Of course, I'll properly thank you once you finally get here today to get this party started!

Sometimes I wonder...

2010-06-22T21:19:00.005-05:00

Sometimes I wonder...
How some people become the "role models" of today. I mean seriously, there are a lot of people with talent in this world, they just have no standards or sense of decency, and yet they are "icons" of their industries. GAG ME!

Sometimes I wonder...
"why love has to be such a battlefield... a battlefield... a battlefield!" Well, not really. I don't live in a battlefield of love, the lyrics to that song just popped into my head. Totally RANDOM! And now, as I think about it, why does love have to be that kind of experience for so many people? It shouldn't be, and yet for some, it is.

Sometimes I wonder...
Why Texas summers seem to get hotter and hotter and hotter. Surely the summers get hotter because of global warming or something other than my increasing age number.

Sometimes I wonder...
How to be better today than I was yesterday.

Sometimes I wonder...
Where the cleaning fairies have disappered to 'cuz they sure aren't cleaning up after me!

Sometimes I wonder...
If what I do really makes a difference.

Sometimes I wonder...
If my blog stalker friends are ever entertained when they read my random thoughts!

Sometimes I wonder...
How I got to be in mid-30s

Sometimes I wonder...
What to eat for dinner. Okay, I wonder this A LOT. I have noticed when we have a meal plan for the week that I wonder this less often, but the frequency of a meal plan has decreased in the last few months!

Sometimes I wonder...
Why I am a responsible grown-up (mostly!) and so many other people are not. How did I develop that trait?

Sometimes I wonder...
What the world would be like if we cared about each other just a little bit more like we care about ourselves.

Sometimes I just wonder...

How about you?

15 years with B&K

2010-06-13T18:25:00.011-05:00

Thursday, June 10, 2010 brought with it 15 years of marriage, 3 years of dating, and 2 months of flirting at work and talking on the phone before we ever went on that 1st date when I suddenly went shy and couldn't utter a sound. Yep, that's right... speechless... K couldn't think of a thing to say... what was that all about?!?

Good thing the speechless issue ended later that night when we got ice cream! I'm sure there are days when B wishes I would go silently shy again, but one of the amazing things about B is that he may wish it, but he never says it, and that's just because he loves me.

So, what have we done in 15 years? It is a lifetime, right! Well...

In 15 years we have lived in:

a tiny apartment with no yard
a small duplex with a small yard
our beautiful house with a large yard and huge trees

In 15 years we have visited:

Oregon (countless times, countless places!)
Niagara Falls (Canadian side)
Utah (Salt Lake City and Provo)
Columbus, Ohio
Palmyra, New York
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Shreveport, Louisiana
Sedelia, Missouri
Wichita, Kansas
Massachusetts (Boston, Plymouth, & Springfield)
Colorado (Seven Falls, Cave of the Winds)
Wichita Falls, Texas
San Antonio, Texas

In 15 years we have been blessed with:

an eternal marriage
10 nieces and 3 nephews
a cat who loves us (even though she loves no one else!)
college degrees
good health
jobs that we enjoy
a great circle of friends
family who loves us

In 15 years we have faced:

the difficulty of not having children
the loss of our grandparents
the loss of B's dad

In 15 years we have learned that:

being married is not always easy
sometimes you have to admit you were wrong
love grows deeper with communication and respect
sometimes you give, sometimes you take
we each have strengths, we each have weaknesses
support is paramount to success
sports CAN be enjoyable
(B always thought that, K had to learn it - and it really only applies to basketball!)
you can have fun together without spending a dime
dating each other is still important, even though you're married
someone always has to take out the garbage!

In the next year we hope to:

take advantage of the time we have together
get some things done around our house
explore new places
save more money and eliminate more debt
eat at home more often (even if this means K has to learn how to enjoy cooking. Yes, I can do it, I just don't like to. Plus, B is better at it anyway.)
spend more time reading the scriptures together
grow even closer to each other, to our friends, to our family, and to our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ

B - I could not ask for a better husband, a better friend, a better support system than I have in you. I love you with all my heart and I am so grateful to be taking this journey in life with you. Who knew we'd get to the fabulous 15 so quickly! I look forward to an eternity beside you. Thank you for being my rock - always! Love, K

Confessions

2010-06-08T22:40:00.007-05:00

Okay, so Confession #1 is that there are really no juicy or exciting confessions in this post. I just thought that the title sounded intriguing and that it might draw you in! Don't be sad. Maybe you'll just get a good chuckle out of what I do confess and then you can forgive me for false advertisement!

Confession #2: I am thinking of legally changing my name. That's right, no more "K." Instead I am thinking that my name should be Ima, as in "Ima Procrastinator!" Of course, then I would have to rename this blog and "B & Ima" just doesn't have the same ring to it as "B&K."

Confession #3: I hate summertime in Texas. That's right, I used the words "hate" and "Texas" in the same sentence - the shame of it for a Texas girl. But, there is only one reason I would go there - summer in Texas is HOT! Blazin' hot...Burn-the-skin-off-your-thighs-when-you-sit-on-the-leather-interior-of-your-car kind of hot. What makes it worse is that it doesn't even cool down at night....not at midnight and not at 3 am (I know 'cuz I stay up that late). Don't get me wrong, I love Texas, just not in the summer.

Confession #4: I stay up too late. If you didn't know that, then let me officially introduce myself to you so that we can be friends... My name is Ima Procrastinator and I stay up way too late!

Confession #5: I'm an addict. Let me explain, maybe you know where I can get help for my addiction to... DIY Network, HGTV, and the home decor/home improvement blogs I stalk. That's right people, I live in the "I could do it if I had time, talent, and money" fantasy world of knocking down walls, adding on rooms, and "designing on a dime" with such relish that I could be the next "Design Star." Don't Judge Me.

Confesssion #6: I am HORRIBLE at staying in touch with people I love. I think about friends and family in other places ALL THE TIME. I have good intentions to show that I am thinking of them (gifts that need to be mailed, cards that just need to be addressed, etc.). I know what they say about the road paved with good intentions, I just forget to complete the communication pass. It really is a problem that leaves me feeling like a loser because I don't want my friends and family to think I don't love them or think about them... because I do.

Confession #7: I think that it would be fun to be a party planner. I love the planning, the decorating, and the execution of an event... but I HATE the cleaning, the cleaning, the cleaning. Oh yeah, it would be fun but I don't want to work with drama divas - you know, the ones who want you to help them but then do things their way.

Confession #8: I might be a drama diva - but only a tiny bit.

Confession #9: I want to be a better steward of all the blessings in my life but I struggle to do this on a regular basis. Some of the things I really want to do better are: use my time wisely, be more financially wise, balance my responsibilities, follow the counsel to be prepared, work on my family history. I have really felt the push to do a better job in these areas of my life but I don't really know how to get going and stay going.

Confession #10: Sometimes I wonder if I have ADHD. Well, minus the H, cause I'm too tired to be hyper. So I guess that would just be ADD and I'm pretty sure that I show symptoms.

Confession #11: That's it. Nothing more... tonight. This post is already enough to be too much information for anyone who might have stuck it out this long reading!

But hey, thanks for letting me confess! What do I do now?

The sweet smell of victory!

2010-05-12T19:10:00.027-05:00

So, my friend Lisa is fantastic... fabulous... fun-loving... AND she just turned 40. She thought such a momentous occasion would go by quietly and without any fanfare. Um, hello .... I don't think so! The big 4-0 should be acknowledged and celebrated, after all "40 is the new 20!"

I have to admit that I am feeling pretty good about my skills of stealth and my ability to not only plan a fun-filled surprise party for her under her nose, but even better... she helped me plan a lot of it without even knowing the night was all about her. Bwaa-ha-ha!

The key to the success of this event were my co-conspirators: our fabulous friends who participated, the awesome and amazing B (I love this man! He cooks and cleans and helps me get ready for such shindigs!), and of course our friend Chris - Lisa's hubby - and "the inside man!"

Lisa thought she would have a quiet family celebration followed by a delish dinner with my seester and I at Pappasito's and that would be it. Bwaa-ha-ha... I don't think so!

Then Lisa and I started planning what she "thought" would simply be a Girls' Night to watch the Twilight movies in preparation for the upcoming June release of movie 3 - Eclipse. Little did she know that:

This was a surprise party for her!

This was a surprise party for her!

This was a surprise party for her!

All I can say is... Bwaa-ha-ha! (I've been saying that alot in my super secret emails to the other conspirators and now it seems I can't stop!).

With everyone but Lisa aware of "the real deal for Saturday"...

The food menu was planned
(OG breadsticks & salad AND Brian's famous meatballs)
A basket of favorite things was put together for Lisa's gift
An incredible Twilight-themed cake was created
(Wow, Laura... it was AWESOME!)
The decorations were put up
(Thanks Karin and Shelby!)
And the evening entertainment of watching Twilight was planned

Because Lisa rocked the Bella look at my Halloween par-tay, she and I thought it would be fun if everyone dressed as a character from the book. Well, we all dressed up - just not like she thought! While Lisa sported a modified version of her Bella look, the rest of us dressed in Twilight colors - red, black, and white.

To make sure it was a surprise, everyone arrived early and my seester picked her up just to make sure her arrival took place at the exact right time.

Everything was perfect: Lisa was surprised (the look on her face when she figured out what was happening was PRICELESS!), the food was delicious, the company was great, pictures were taken (Thanks, CJ!) and the evening was a blast!

Happy birthday, LaLaLaLeesa! I know that you wanted a quiet celebration of your big day, but all of us sure had a great time celebrating with you!

* Our friend Wendi wasn't here yet when we took pictures and I guess I was so enthralled by the movie when she got here, that I forgot to take any more pictures, but I am soooo glad she came!

** The awesome quotes that I framed and displayed around my house came from the great website, Hostess with the Mostest.

The Gift of Today

2010-04-25T00:12:00.007-05:00

For the last couple of weeks I have really been reflecting on the gift of each day. Two Monday's ago a family I know lost their 17-year-old son suddenly and tragically as a victim in a violent crime and since that day I have found myself much more pensive and thoughtful about each day that we are given and how we use that gift.

This young man, Eric, made an obvious impact on so many lives. As news that he was in critical condition after being shot by burglers in his home reached the community, friends and family began to flock together seeking ways to comfort and be there for one another.

When it became obvious that Eric would not recover from this incident, and as his family made the decision to give life to others by donating his organs, the circle of supporters grew even larger and a memorial was organized for and attended by hundreds of youth from church and school who felt the impact of this tragedy.

Then, when Eric's life on this earth was no more, visitation and funeral services brought hundreds and hundreds of people who in some way had felt the impact of this one life.

The funeral was a powerful experience. Despite the intensely overwhelming sadness of losing such an amazing young man, the Lord's Spirit was even more intense and love and hope wound their way into the hearts of everyone there.

The eulogy delivered by his older brother was beautiful, the scriptures shared by his sister who was also at the house during the shooting were powerful, the excerpts of letters written by family members about Eric and read by his oldest sister were joyful, and the message of Christ's love and the power of His Atonement for each of us that was shared by his bishop (and my dad) brought hope to all.

Eric's swim coach also took part in the funeral service and shared the quote, "you can count the seeds in an apple, but you can't count the apples that will come from one seed in that apple."

And so, I have been reflecting. There is no way to tell the impact that each of us can have on any given day. We all interact with countless numbers of individuals, in a variety of experiences and situations. Some people we know, some we don't. Some situations are positive and happy experiences, while others are trials from which we must grow.

The question I ask myself as I think about the obvious impact that this one young man had at the age of 17 on such a diverse range of people from varying age groups, ethnicities, races, and religions is this:

What am I doing today to make a difference?

And with this question in my mind and in my heart, I hope that I will continue to be more aware of "the gift of today."

Spring is all about new life!

2010-04-02T12:12:00.019-05:00

I love Spring!

Winter is coming to an end, warmer days are enjoyable, the sun stays out longer, people are outdoors and wave or smile (or both) when they see you, blades of green grass start to appear, the birds are chirping, flowers bloom,windows are open, there is a smell of lemony freshness that comes with hurculean efforts of cleaning the house, the world just feels happy. Of course, I also love that I still have Spring Break (see previous posts) - a benefit you get when you stay in school ALL your life!

Spring just brings a new sense of life to the world.

This is also the time of year when we celebrate Easter and remember the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave all of us a new life by conquering death for each of us. What a gift! One for which I am truly grateful.

This spring is extra special with a new little life, my nephew Hudson, joining my family.

(7 lbs 6 oz & 20 inches long with LOTS of hair and a killer grip!)

My seester and I had the awesome opportunity to actually be in the delivery room when The Little Guy was born. It was incredible! I couldn't help it, I cried when he was born. How could I not! And by cry I mean big tears swelling up in my eyes... a huge lump in the throat that I couldn't swallow... I was overwhelmed! Then HE cried and I just joined in!

My sis-in-law was a ROCK STAR... surriously!

It was amazing to see my brother in the role of husband, coach, supporter, and new dad. I can't believe that this guy is MY "baby" brother!

Not only did I get to be there when The Little Guy was born, but his Big Sis stayed with us through the weekend and had Brian and I laughing a lot!

The Madster always makes you feel like you are important ("Helwooo!"as she runs at you full speed to hug you), she's helpful ("Come on, Kirsten. Kirsten, come on!" with her hand out to help you get up so you can play or dance), she's thoughtful ("Want some?" as she offers you the string cheese where she has taken a bite from the middle), she's concerned about others ("You happy?"), and she's loving ("I WUV YOU!" full voice with a big squeeze around the neck).

I think Mike and D are doing a great job raising Maddy and I know that she will help them teach these lessons to "Baby Hudson".

She will be a GREAT big sister!

I know because I'm the expert on being the Big Sis!!!

Welcome to our family, Baby Hudson!

The Inevitable End of Spring Break

2010-03-22T19:36:00.011-05:00

- EDITED: I forgot to include Friday night (Sorry D, my brain might be scrambled after the first day back to school.) So if you read this earlier than scroll down to read more about Day 5 -

The end of any break always comes too soon! Despite the inevitable ending of Spring Break, I am just grateful for the simple fact that I had a break from work with time to reconnect to my home environment, opportunities to do good, and the chance to sleep in!

The end of Spring Break came quickly and I neglected to wrap-up the week with the same gusto that I started with (tell me that happens to other people too!).

Anyway, I concluded my week off with...

A trip to the podiatrist, complete with shot and anti-inflammatory pills to try and get a flared up nerve in my foot back under control. There was no denying that I had to seek outside help when I woke up on Thursday morning and couldn't walk... Seriously. I crawled to the bathroom... For reals. It made me realize that #1 I don't like crawling and that #2 I need to dust the baseboards in the hallway. After sitting on some ice for awhile (my foot, that is), I was able to get to the doctor for the aforementioned treatment - which DOES.NOT.FEEL.GOOD. I mean, there is this huge needle moving in and out of the nerve that is screaming and even with some good ol' numbing medicine, it still freaking hurts when it starts, but... I am grateful that I could get in and that the shot did it's job. Otherwise I could have been crawling a lot longer... and who knows what else I would have seen at ground level!
Rested, iced my foot (see previous bullet filled with sarcasm), took anti-inflammatory medicine, rested, iced my foot (see previous bullet filled with sarcasm. Felt sorry for myself for just a minute because I.HAD.SO.MUCH.TO.DO. and Spring Break is only one week long (yeah, I know, for some that week doesn't exist anymore. Sorry). I did finally get in some good t.v. time but I'd like to state for the record that I was really working hard to avoid that all week. It was only because of this unseen event that the t.v. came on. Really. I'm serious.
I did get the chance to have a great visit with my KLK-Clack friends (they know who they are!) They are also my awesome visiting teachers who came over, shared a great spiritual message with me, and hung out to chat for awhile knowing that B was off to training and I was "pitifully" alone (well, except for the cat and she's ALWAYS around, even when I wish she'd go lay down somewhere else). You girls are AWESOME!
Had dinner with my sis who shared how excited, amazed, shocked the NICU moms and staff were with all of the scrapbook goodies I had donated.THAT made my day - in spite of the crawling, the shot, the medicine, the dusty baseboards.
Friday rolled around (Sake's Alive, it's Day 5!) and I ran some errands in the morning. Well, didn't really run (see bullet #1), it was more like hobbled, but hey - it wasn't crawling! Then I went to see "The Bounty Hunter" with Laura and Karin, who after visiting me (see bullet #3) on Thursday in my shot-induced state of pity, decided that my Spring Break could not end on that note. Told ya' they are awesome!
Got home from the movies and B was home from his week long training. Boy, I missed that boy! Of course, the cat was a pest as always, but that's how things roll in our little family!
Friday night was a blast with Mike, D, and the Madster. Grabbing Mexican food and delicious queso for dinner was a perk, but hanging out afterwards was even more fun. We headed back to my house and had a few fun-filled rounds of hunting for eggs! Even though the eggs were empty (to start with), Maddy was hilarious "hiding" them (in plain sight) and then hunting for them herself. I was cracking up (Get it, "cracking" up! Bwahaha!). Of course no evening at my house is complete without repeated readings of whatever book(s) have caught Maddy's attention, so we visited and revisited No, David! and David Gets in Trouble by David Shannon a few times and had to discuss "wha happent" with each illustration. I love being an aunt!

See, it really was a GREAT break!

Hard to believe but... it's Day 3!

2010-03-18T00:33:00.004-05:00

Day #3 of my Spring Break was another beautiful day and I have a pretty good "I Did-It!" List of events from the day...

Finished the final sort of my scrapbook stash - organized it, labeled it, boxed it to go with Jenny tomorrow. It feels GREAT to help out in some small way to such a great activity as the scrapbook group for the moms who have babies in the NICU at Children's Medical!
Put some more books into the hands of young readers and added to their personal libraries. It has been so much fun, actually it has been gratifying, to pass along books from my personal collection of children's lit and share my passion for reading with so many great families.
Organized and cleaned the middle bedroom so that the door can actually stay open when people enter the house - amazing, I know! Also had room to set out the materials to finish a project that I kept moving around because my work table was more like "dump city" - now I know that I can get that journal done!
Power washed the deck and back door - apparently a roosting bird has enjoyed flying over our deck after breakfast/lunch/dinner and left a bit of a mess that needed to be cleaned up. I don't think I'm really a fan of birds - especially when they leave a calling card!
Went on a walk with my seester - BEAUTIFUL DAY for it!
Ate a yummy dinner at Mi Cocina - the goal of eating at home has kind-of been blown this week. BUT... the weekend brings the opportunity to get back on track and have some meals at home.
Oh yeah... did laundry again. I'm really bad at forgetting when I have a load in the dryer and so there are multiple times when after I suddenly remember, I end up having to do a fluff cycle, like today!
No blog surfing today - just didn't have time (the horror!!!).
Talked with B - we have THE BEST conversations. Actually, I think we have THE BEST marriage!
Enjoyed the beauty of the day, the awesome weather, and my great neigborhood.

Spring Break - Day 2

2010-03-17T01:24:00.005-05:00

Today's Did-It List...

Entertain the Madster while D is at a doctor's appointment. Oh wait, Maddy entertained me with her excitement over a really quick egg hunt I pulled out of the closet and how much she loved playing her own version of checkers: put Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Big Bird on the checkerboard and then stomp the board with your foot so they fall off. Don't forget to throw your head back and laugh hysterically at yourself!
Talk with D while she "shops" my scrapbook supplies - Encourage/force her to take what she wants since I am "exfoliating" my stash of materials - Convince her that I'm not really using them right now so she should use them- Feel a surge of excitement to see the supplies I have purchased in the past going to someone I love!
More laundry - Specifically the big blankets that need extra time to wash and dry. Isn't it nice to know that the laundry is always there, waiting anxiously for attention? Kinda makes me feel special.
Clean the bathrooms - Scratch that, SCRUB the bathrooms - Hands and knees kind of scrub- The kind of clean that happens ...well, on Spring Break!
Pick up the den - The goal is to actually see the coffee table (Random Question: why is it even called a "coffee" table?)
Blog surf - But just for a little bit - Still trying to avoid BIC this week
Have a great phone conversation with LaLaLaLeesa (who never really updates her blog... what, are ya busy or something?!?).
Talk with Karin - Remind her of what a great friend I am because of the awe-some email I sent her today! No seriously, talk to her about books for her kids.
Dinner with JoAnn - I love that even without B, I can go have a great dinner with his mom. She's an AWESOME mother-in-law (or she could be an out-law... if she wanted!).
"Exfoliate" the remainder of my scrapbook stash for the NICU at Children's Medical Center where my seester is an intern. The moms who have babies in the NICU scrapbook each week and the supplies that they have available at the hospital come only through donations.

I can't even imagine (for many reasons) having a baby in NICU - but my friend Sharla can and I think she totally earned ROCK STAR status for the level of strength she had during that time. So, I want to do something to help other moms in this situation and making a donation of scrapbook supplies is something I can do!
Talk with B... talk with B... talk with B!
Stay up too late - It's a tradition - Or maybe a bad habit - Whatever it is, it just happens!

Spring Break - Day 1

2010-03-16T02:25:00.010-05:00

Just to remind myself of how I've spent my Spring Break, today I...

slept in (just a "tad" bit later than I planned!)
chatted with my neighbor
did laundry plus folded it AND put it away (I know... a-maze-ing!)
went to the dry cleaners
had a DELISH lunch at a new place - Yucatan Taco Stand on Magnolia (warning: the nachos are enormous - seriously enough for two or more)
went to Target with my sister
drove with my windows down and my sunroof open - BEAUTIFUL day!
updated my blogs: Chatter That Matters, The Kingdom of Books, plus B&K (you should really click on the links and check out all my hard work!)
made a homemade barbeque chicken pizza (yep, I made it - me - moi - K! Write it down, it's a memorable moment!)
shopped my house for things to decorate my mantle (pics coming soon)
watched "Surviving Survivor" (this was the ONLY show I watched tonight and that's because I was scrolling through our DVR to see what was recorded)
did a little blog surfing, but avoided BIC (you know... Butt-in-Chair)
read emails
talked with B about lots of things - especially his exciting new job
stayed up too late (ALWAYS a problem - not just during Spring Break!)

Simply Superb Sunday

2010-03-15T01:00:00.002-05:00

Beautiful weather...
Uplifting messages and lessons about the Savior...
A delicious dinner...
Sitting and chatting with my sister =

a Simply Superb Sunday!

Keeping It Real

2010-03-06T10:25:00.006-06:00

I don't know about anyone else, but my life is not nearly as neat and organized as the amazing sites I see when I am suffering from BIC Syndrome and spend too much time visiting the awesome sites over on "My Daily Drop-ins" list. But, I'm okay with my homemaker imperfections (most of the time!).

Sure, I want my house to be so put-together that if someone just dropped by, I wouldn't have to throw things into the front bedroom and slam the door before I let them in.

I would definitely love my kitchen and my bathroom and my sunroom and my master bedroom to be featured in some kind of "House Crashers" episode that leaves me speechless during the final reveal (anyone know how I can get on THAT list!).

While I'm thinking about it, I would love to highlight well-planned weekly menus that feature nutritious homemade meals made with food items already found in my pantry (anyone want to be my personal pantry-stocker and chef?).

And I can't forget that I would absolutely love to have the talent and time to magically transform thrift store finds into gorgeous works of art or repurposed masterpieces.

But, since I'm KEEPING IT REAL today, I acknowledge that I...

have to throw things into the front bedroom and slam the door before letting friends in
am as close to being featured on a "House Crashers" episode as I am to going to the moon
don't really cook (but I'm working on that)
lack the time (and usually the energy) to do anything with those thrift store finds but shove them into my garage

Now that I'm KEEPING IT REAL I guess I'll head back to the piles of laundry that have grown through the week, the kitchen table that collects all kinds of stuff until Saturday, and the blinds that I accidentally pulled out of the window frame in our bedroom when I was trying to open them to see the sun (B is going to love a reason to head to Lowe's!).

And you know what, as I head back to my homemaker tasks for today, I'm going to be thankful that I have a washer and dryer to clean my clothes, a kitchen table to stack things on, and a great husband who can put up new blinds because these are some of the things that help me to KEEP IT REAL!

A Simply Superb Sunday

2010-02-28T23:44:00.006-06:00

A simply superb Sunday is filled with experiences that bring me closer to my family, my Heavenly Father, and my Savior Jesus Christ.

Today's simply superb Sunday included:

A great message taught in a talk at Church about letting the light of Christ shine through me and being an example of faith and righteousness
A fantastic Sunday School lesson about the amazing faith and testimony of Abraham
The opportunity to teach the 16-17 year old girls
Being there to help a friend who needed a jump start when her car wouldn't start after Church
A delish dinner at home (spagetti squash, chicken caeser salad, and garlic toast) with my awesome husband and my rock star of a sister
The chance to talk with my sister about some of the upcoming changes in my life as B gets ready to start in a new position at work (Thanks, seester! I am so glad we are friends now!)
The peace of my home on a Sunday evening that helps me feel closer to Christ

All things things make today "A Simply Superb Sunday" and I am grateful to have my week start off in such a great way.

"Hold on, hold on, hold on..."

2010-02-22T18:11:00.010-06:00

"...gimme a minute..."

And now, a moment of rambling (brought to you by the overflowing mind of K, who needs a little brain drain!)...

There is just some music that makes you cry.
Some days are gloomy, even when you aren't.
A good book can make a gloomy day much better.
I miss my brother (thank you for serving our country)...
I am so honored that Gretchen has proclaimed me her "best friend!" (3 year olds make being a BFF easy!)
I miss my other brother (keep working hard in school)...
And I miss their families.
I am glad my youngest brother is close by...
I can't believe D would actually want me to be there, but yes, I will be there!
It makes me happy that Miss Maddy thinks I'm funny and that she "loves that Kirsten!"
I appreciate my parents (even when I still act bratty!)
I have the BEST sister in the world (but she needs to update her blog!)
I miss the San Antonio crew. They are some of the best in-laws (or outlaws!) a girl could have and I LURVE my nieces! They fill my bucket.
I have THE best husband in the world!
I have the BEST husband in the world!
I have THE BEST HUSBAND in the world!

And finally...

Life passes quickly, don't wait for an invitation to enjoy it. After all, this may be the only moment you have. Don't waste it.

I'm having a "FIT"

2010-02-01T18:18:00.006-06:00

I'm having a "FIT" but don't be scared - there is no foot stomping, hair pulling, or crying going on with this "FIT" - I'm just reflecting on my progress with my 2010 WOTY, which is... FITness!

I have to say that I am proud, pleased, and pleasantly surprised by the progress I am making. Still not perfect, still working on it, but I am giving myself a pat on the back for being focused, for doing a good job, and for continuing to move forward with my goals to improve.

One big accomplishment in January in being more financially "FIT" is how well B and I are doing creating weekly meal plans and then sticking to them. We can eat at home more - saving money in the process and hopefully eating a tad bit healthier - and after a month of really planning and persevering, it's almost easy (I said almost people, almost!).

Another goal where I have felt successful is having a home environment that is more "FIT." I have brainstormed a list of all the possible chores/tasks that come with owning a home and am in the process of catagorizing those chores/tasks into a schedule that doesn't overwhelm me. This way I don't always have to be like She-Ra and move mountains to get my home in order. A really big step for me in this area has been sorting through and finding new homes for many, many, many of the books I own.

And my final "FIT" reflection for today relates to my marriage and the incredible relationship upon which B&K is built. Brian and I have an amazing marriage! We have the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time together, which I LOVE! We work to have an incredibly strong relationship that is built on love, support, understanding, and communication (with just moments of irritation!). I am so grateful that Brian and I spend time together, that we talk about everything, that we are spiritually strong - individually and as a couple - and that each day our marriage becomes even more "FIT" than it was the day before.

So, I'm chalking January up to a month of great "FITness" and I'm moving into February with continued great expectations for myself and the "FITness" I will continue to accomplish.

Wordless Wednesday (but on Thankful Thursday!)

2010-01-28T16:50:00.004-06:00

Today, like each day, is a day to be thankful for the blessings in life.

A few of the many things for which I am thankful include: my amazing husband, my family, my friends, my job, the opportunities I have, my home, my cat, my freedom, my health, my faith, and the love I feel each day from my Savior, Jesus Christ.

What a week! (and it's ONLY Tuesday!)

2010-01-26T17:55:00.005-06:00

Busy... busy... busy... the only word that really fits this week already. The interesting thing to me is that no matter how busy things are, life still happens - literally!

Our family has a new little niece to love, Adelaide Kai, born this morning at 4:30 am (way too bright and early!) at 7 lbs, 4 oz, 20 inches long, and in my brother's words: "beautiful!"

The miracles that happen on an ordinary day in an ordinary week astound me and make me feel a greater sense of love for the blessings God sends into our lives to make those ordinary days something extraordinary!

Congrats to my brother, my sister-in-law, and their precious little ones! I love you all.

Now... what could top that this week?!?

To Jenny, Christi, and April

2010-01-21T22:36:00.006-06:00

Jenny, Christi, & April...

I have finished your Word Of The Year (WOTY) reminder cards and have posted them here. You will also be getting a 4x6 framed version AND a wallet-sized version for... your wallet!

One more thing, here are my thoughts on your WOTY choices:

I think you are a "ROCKIN" group of girls...

...who have more "PATIENCE" than you might realize...

...who do an incredible job of keeping "BALANCE" in your lives...

...and who help me improve my "FITNESS" daily...

Thanks for sharing your 2010 Word of the Year.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-20T17:44:00.005-06:00

Create your own story (and add it in the comments!) ...

LURVE IT!

2010-01-16T14:01:00.003-06:00

Pause my music player at the bottom before watching this history-making video from American Idol's 62-year-old contestent... General Larry Platt... and then make sure you don't have your "Pants on the Ground!"

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-13T18:28:00.001-06:00

Word Of The Year Winner(s)!

2010-01-10T21:34:00.004-06:00

Okay, so in looking at the responses to my challenge, I figured why just choose ONE winner when all 3 responses are good ones.

So, I am going to do WOTY reminder cards for all 3 of my peeps who came up with their own WOTY and told me what it is they are striving to accomplish during this year.

Here's what I need from Jenny (who's ROCKIN' this year), Christi (who's growing in PATIENCE), and April (who's on her way to being BALANCED)...

Some color choices
Size preference = 6x4 or 5x7

Thanks for participating in my challenge, and thanks for checking in on me and for keeping me honest with myself! Now I propose that we all continue to support each other in our efforts to accomplish the goals we have set with our 2010 WOTY.

My "word" - it's my 100th post! (plus a giveaway)

2010-01-04T23:05:00.016-06:00

A New Year...a New Layout... a New Word... AND I have made it to my 100th post! Who knew I'd blog enough to make it to 100!

Reaching this "milestone" number in blogland means I've been around longer than I thought, sharing more than anyone probably really ever wanted to know about the ordinary adventures of the extraordinary B&K - and what fun it has been every step of the way!

So, with a New Year (and a New Layout) comes my New Word for this year. It's a word that in my personal dictionary means living each day with meaning and purpose, and it is the word I am using in 2010 to help me focus on achieving the goals I have set for myself...

This year I want to "be fit" in many areas of my life and will be working to improve my personal fitness, mental fitness, spiritual fitness, marriage fitness, home fitness, family fitness, professional fitness, and of course, my physical fitness.

One of the things I will be doing to improve my "personal fitness" is journaling more often, and so I plan to record here (aka: "journal") the experiences I have as I work toward better fitness in all areas of my life.

To help myself remember my focus throughout the year, I am printing the lovely little reminder above as a 5X7 print and framing it for my dresser, plus I am printing out some wallet-sized copies as well - 1 for my wallet and 1 for my desk at work.

And now... just for fun (and since "everyone else is doing it")... a giveaway to celebrate this 100th post milestone in my blogging life.

What do I have to offer? How about your own "Word of the Year" reminder to help you stay focused on your goals this year. You pick your word, and I'll come up with a framed reminder just for you (frame size to be discussed).

Leave me a comment and let me know what your 2010 Word of the Year is and what the word means to you. I'll number all comments by the order they are posted and then B will close his eyes, reach into a bucket, and randomly choose one of those numbers (high-tech drawing technique over here!). Drawing will occur this coming Saturday (January 9).

As we move forward into a new year, here's to 100 more posts highlighting the continued adventures (no matter how ordinary or extraordinary they may be) in the lives of B&K! Thanks for following along!

December comes to a close

2009-12-31T17:00:00.019-06:00

With 2010 looming just hours away, I realize that I have neglected to update my blog with some awesome December moments. So, what better way to show these experiences than with pictures!

My brother-in-law retired after 20 years of service in the Air Force...

...so we headed down to San Antonio...

Although it was a quick trip for B & K, we were really glad to be able to go down and be there as Joe and his family were honored in his retirement ceremony (of course, we also get to tease him about being "retired!")

Christmas brought with it some ups and some downs. My dad was hospitalized for an infection in his leg, and I battled a sinus and upper respitory infection. Despite these downs, the ups of the season were greater.

We got a little snow...

Maddy made us smile...

We ate yummy treats...

We gave gifts from the heart...

My gift to Brian was a "Brown Bag Special" (brown bag gifts are a huge tradition in my family) containing 30 cards (1 card to be opened each day for the next 30 days) with each card depicting a characteristic or trait that I love about him:

Brian's gift to me was a "Year in Review" letter with pictures and memories describing the different experiences we had in 2009 that were meaningful to him:
(plus an I-Tunes gift card because he's just sneaky!)

2009 was filled with many fantastic days for B&K and now we look forward to a new year filled with more great opportunities to experience and memories to make.

Happy New Year!

Up Too Late (a Christmas tradition)

2009-12-24T04:09:00.004-06:00

Well, since staying up too late is really most every night of my life, I guess it doesn't really fit into the category of "Christmas tradition!"

However, the couple of nights leading up to Christmas are a little different than every other late night in my life life because I am usually putting together gifts during these late hours - as was the case tonight. And the gift I was working on tonight is awesome!

Brian and I have a tradition where one of the gifts we give each other is "A Gift from the Heart." This is a gift that is meaningful, personal, and follows a very important rule: you can't buy it.

In years past, I have had no trouble coming up with my Gift from the Heart to Brian, but it seems that the creative side of my brain has recently turned to jello and I have been floundering around trying to figure out what to do this year.

Don't get me wrong, at the beginning of November I had some stellar ideas, some big plans, actually I was planning the grand poobah of all meaningful gifts... I just couldn't get any of them going (much less finished) because of this problem I have called: TIME MANAGEMENT (I have none, therefore it is a problem).

So, here's my novel idea for next year (I'm sure nobody has thought of this yet!)....start working on those stellar ideas, those big plans, and the grand poobah of all meaningful gifts DURING THE YEAR! Yeah, right... a girl can wish it now. It's just that when spring rolls into summer, which rolls into fall, which rolls into... you got it: Christmas again, I realize I am not organized enough to get it done during the year.

And now, enough rabbit chasing ... back to my post about being up too late tonight.

Even though none of the amazingly awesome gifts I had planned earlier got done, tonight I finally figured out my Gift from the Heart for Brian and I have worked my tail off getting it done.

I loved putting it together and can't wait to give it to him!

I love this Gift from the Heart tradition, it is one of my favorite things!

Sing a new tune with me!

2009-12-13T00:46:00.007-06:00

Pause the music player at the bottom and sing along to...

Kirsten's version of "Deck the Halls"

Deck the halls with boughs of holly
(This year we'll just keep it real simple)...

Tis the season to be jolly
(Doing things that bring us happiness)...

Don we now our gay apparel
(Who needs that we'll just wear comfy clothes)...

Troll the ancient Yule tide carol
(Spending time together matters most).

This season B and I are trying to to do something together each day to help us focus on what this season is really about - family, friends, and our Savior.

So, while "Decking the halls" and putting our tree up together is one of the things we have done (and one of the things I LOVE!), it is just part of what we have included on our Days of December calendar.

The interesting thing about our Days of December quest, is that I am really finding that no matter what we do, when we purposefully take time to do something that brings us closer together or closer to others, we are also drawn closer to our Savior, and that is helping ME to find the true Spirit of Christmas in a busy world where buying gifts seems to matter most.

What about you? What do you do to find the Spirit of Christmas?

Sing with me

2009-12-05T22:05:00.015-06:00

Pause the music player at the bottom so you can keep the tune in your head while you sing...

Kirsten's Version of "Jingle Bells!"

Dashing through the door

Christmas is on it's way

the days will quickly go

laughing on their way.

The boxes must come down

we'll decorate tonight (NOT!)

the ornaments and shiny things
will dress our house up bright.

Oh... December Days, December Days

they fly by in a haze

the hardest thing for me to do

is to avoid the craze.

December Days, December Days

I want to use them well
if anyone knows how I can
please leave a note and tell!

So... with all of the busyness of the season how are YOU managing your December Days?

I've Been Mooned!

2009-11-26T00:33:00.020-06:00

Not THAT kind of mooned!
I'm talking about going to see New Moon...the movie!

So, here's how I was "mooned"...

The plan had been in the works for weeks...
the date was set...
the theater was selected...
the girls were notified by our "event coordinator"...
the tickets were purchased...
the meeting location and time were determined...
Finally... The Day Had Arrived!

The girls gathered...
the cars pulled out of the driveway...
the drivers made their way through traffic...
the excitement was building...
the drivers continued to make their way through traffic...
the caravan pulled into the parking garage...
Finally... We Had Arrived!

We all got into one elevator...
zipped across the street...
waited for our tickets to be placed in our eager little hands...
took a quick detour to the bathroom...
got snacks...
and found our seats...
Finally... The Time Had Arrived!

But wait... what's this... previews... more previews...
WOULD THEY EVER END!!!!!

FINALLY.... NOW it was time!

A hush fell over the theater (it was pretty much just us!)...
with bated breath we waited...
and then...
the movie began!

Of course, since I was hanging out with my grown-up friends (and some of our mothers!), we did our best to be grown-up and mature movie-watchers...

Yeah, right! Jacob took off his shirt and we all started wondering (out loud) how the heck this kid got to be so chiseled.

And then Edward took off his shirt later on in the movie and we wondered (out loud) why the heck he wasn't chiseled, at all (plus, not only could you see his hip bones, but his abs were painted on... GAG ME!).

Edward should be chiseled, he should be cut, he's supposed to be this over-the-top, drop-dead, drool-on-yourself, gorgeous vampire, and while the Edward of the books cuts it, the Edward of the movies (aka: Rob Pattinson) definitely DOES NOT.

Needless to say, as mature grown-ups, we spent quite a bit of time after the movie analyzing these points in depth, as well as discussing the overall quality of the acting, how closely the movie stayed to the book, etc. etc, all while enjoying fried gator, fried pickles, and desserts at Razoo's (dinner of the critics!).

The evening was a blast and I enjoyed a night out with The Girls!

Hip Hip Hooray, it's time for a vacay!

2009-11-23T19:24:00.004-06:00

'Tis the season of thanks, and as I have mentioned before how grateful I am for my fantastic career. Well, today I am also really grateful that I get the entire week of Thanksgiving off from that wonderful job!

I appreciate the time to enjoy the beauty of the season, to get things done around my house, to visit with friends and family, to relax, to do whatever I want!

It's day #1 of our Thanksgiving break and today I: helped a friend rearrange her classroom, had lunch with B, cleaned my house, and done laundry. Productivity feels great!

And although this is a week away from school, I am committed to spending some time on a large work-related project that is never really complete... you know, READING!

Ah, the bliss of time off in the fall!

Sunrise, Sunset (NOT the song!)

2009-11-19T17:38:00.014-06:00

Can anyone explain why the month of November seems to fly by so quickly?

For a month that is centered on gratitude, family, things that matter most, and giving thanks, it sure doesn't seem to stick around very long!

Maybe that's the answer... maybe because we spend November focusing on so many good things, time really flies!

Well, before the sun sets completely on the month of November, I wanted to take a minute to jot down some things that have filled my heart with gratitude and mattered most to me this year:

SERVICE. As I have had different opportunities to serve others, I have learned the truth behind the statement, "it is better to give than to receive" and have seen how incredibly blessed my life can be as I strive to be there for others.

BRIAN. There is not enough I can say to accurately describe my love and appreciation for my husband. He gets me (and loves me anyway!). He supports me. He encourages me. He listens to me. He loves me. He is my rock.

FAMILY. It is an interesting thing to be a grown-up in your family - roles change, responsibilities shift, relationships stretch - and yet we all still cherish, support, and look out for each other.

FRIENDS. I have really come to see how blessed I am to have incredible friends in my life. People who build me up, value my standards, encourage me to excel, make me laugh, boost me spiritually, care for me when I am down... this list of good that I see in my friends could go on and on and I recognize just how lucky I am.

CAREER. I have been blessed to have a career where I really, truly get to make a difference. I get to help children (of all ages!) learn and discover and that is an incredible feeling of happiness in my life. Plus I am blessed to work in a great school where I have tremendous opportunities.

HEALTH. I appreciate being healthy. Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual - all forms of health that must be maintained and nurtured, and although I am not perfect at it, I am working to take better care of myself in all these areas.

HOME. It may not always be 100% organized (okay, it's never 100% organized!) and my shoes may not be put away (ever!), but I am so grateful for the home that we have and for the Spirit of peace and love that resides here. Even though I am still trying to purge, sort, minimize, simplify the things that are found in our home (I have a "creative collecting" problem - you know, I get a "creative" idea so I "collect" what I need to get it done - someday!), our home feels warm, inviting, peaceful, and comfortable and I love it!

EDUCATION. I am always learning and I am grateful for the opportunities that come my way to make this happen. Education comes through formal school experiences, but also through daily life experiences, and from interacting with others. I am grateful for the things that I learn in all these educational forums.

TESTIMONY. I am so grateful to know that I am a child of God, that He loves me, and that Jesus Christ is my Savior. Daily life can be hard, trials can be overwhelming, things don't go as planned, and because of this I am so grateful that I know God has a plan for me. This knowledge brings me peace, even in the most difficult times.

THE LORD. He loves each of us. He sees the best we can be. He is there for us no matter what. He paved the way for us to return to live forever with our Heavenly Father. He is our brother, our friend, our exemplar, our Savior, and for His love I give my thanks.

I am so glad that I sat down and thought about this list and that I took time to reflect and record some of the things that matter most to me.

The sun may be setting on November, but for just a few minutes tonight time has slowed down a bit for me and I feel a sense of peace and happiness that comes from taking time to just be thankful.

Can't Get a Grip

2009-11-13T16:01:00.003-06:00

Have no meal plan... haven't been to the grocery store since I got back from N. Carolina... need to prepare 2 lessons for Sunday... my house is definitely NOT in order... currently in the middle of several projects and other work-related tasks... my head has been pounding and I've been sick since Wednesday so EVERYTHING has come to a screeching halt...

And today I feel all the pressure of what I haven't done.

I can't keep up...

2009-11-02T23:28:00.000-06:00

... and it's ONLY Monday!!!

Murphy's Laboratorium of Madness

2009-10-27T20:00:00.021-05:00

I always liked Halloween as a kid, but I have just recently realized how much fun this holiday can really be as a grown-up.

Don't get me wrong, I love the other holidays we celebrate during this time of year, but I just clued in to the fact that Halloween is a holiday with NO EXPECTATIONS.

There are no dinner commitments, no balancing schedules, no rushing around trying to find the perfect present for someone you love. Halloween is whatever you want it to be (with the bonus of candy being doled out freely by everyone you know!).

So, in light of this recent discovery, B and I decided to host a little get-together. You know, an evening of friends, family, food, and fun. However, there was one tiny requirement for all who would attend... COSTUMES!

Fun photos from the night:

Some of the ways I spooked out our house:

What a great night!

Happy Birthday, B!

2009-10-20T18:37:00.011-05:00

October 20... many moons ago (37 to be exact)... in a cold land far north (aka: Plattsburgh, NY)... a baby boy came into the world (weighing 7 lbs. 11 and 1/2 oz and measuring 20 and 3/4 inches).... and his parents were pleased (the jury is still out on how his older siblings felt about his arrival!).

Of course, when this boy arrived into the world, times were different than they are now. Children could play in the front yard until dark, bikes could be left on the porch, and according to the boy's mother, a 3-day hospital stay for having baby #5 only cost them $7.00 (that's right, the price of lunch in our world today!).

Now back to the story of this boy (a happy, go-lucky kind of kid), who would change the world forever (sometimes for good and sometimes... well, not for good... but always with a smile!).

He was a curious young fellow (with scars to prove it)... always exploring small places (and getting his head stuck)... trying new tricks on the skateboard (and bashing open his head)... rough-housing with his brothers (and bashing open his head)... biking around with friends (and bashing open his head). In truth, it's amazing how well his head has held up!

As he grew up, this boy learned many important characteristics from his parents, his family, and his faith, such as being kind, polite, generous, loving, compassionate, friendly, helpful, determined, diligent... and the list goes on.

What he learned from his friends were important life lessons as well, such as: how to squeeze a milk container to get the greatest mess... the importance of manuevering your way into the Denny's parking lot ... games to play on golf courses... and many other such important lessons.

As time went on, this boy graduated from high school, began college, got a job at a local grocery store (all hail Food Lion!), and there he met a girl... whose life he changed FOREVER!

Movies, dinners, George Strait concerts, shopping, surprise gifts, phone conversations lasting late into the night, hanging out at one house or another (always with someone's siblings around!), the relationship of this boy (now a young man) and this girl (who had grown into her own young adult self!) grew and strengthened until after 3 years of dating, the boy proposed marriage and the girl said yes.

14 years after that wedding, the girl (now a grown woman) sits at the computer writing about the boy who has become the most incredible and amazing man she could ever know, and thanks her lucky stars for the opportunity to spend this day with him, celebrating who he is and who he continues to "B!"

Happy Birthday, B! I love you more than you can possibly know!

Love - K

What causes emotion?

2009-10-15T00:06:00.006-05:00

For the last couple of weeks my feelings and emotions have been sitting right on my shoulders and have been tossed around a time or two, causing me to feel a plethora of emotions: happiness, sadness, frustration, disbelief, anger, humility, sorrow, joy, concern, hope...

So, what is it that actually causes us to feel such a wide variety of emotion?

I know that situations and experiences cause the emotional response, but how in the world do we know (without thinking) the response to have to these situations and experiences?

I know, this post should really be titled: "Deep thoughts with K!"

While I have no idea what kind of neurons fire to cause us to feel specific emotions (it's got to be a brain thing, right), I do know that regardless of the emotions that we experience, the feelings we have, the trials we face, we are never alone.

I am so grateful for family and friends who support me, love me, accept me, and strengthen me in ALL my emotions!

And I am truly grateful for my Savior, who knows better than anyone else exactly where I am, how I feel, and what I am going through. I am also grateful that He always loves me, is there to strengthen me, and He NEVER doubts me - despite how often I doubt myself. His love is amazing!

A Well-Used Phrase

2009-10-11T14:07:00.006-05:00

You ROCK!

What is this?

A phrase has become part of my natural vocabulary (and includes capitalized enthusiasm and exclamation points as part of the verbal delivery!).
A phrase that other people often associate with me.

Where did it come from?

My seester (aka: Jennif) and I have used it for a long time when we talk to each other.

Why do I use it?

It says a lot with very little words.

How did it become a catch phrase at Church?

When I was called to work with the seesters of my ward (aka: the Relief Society), I expanded it's use to describe how I felt about these women as I grew closer to them and came to know them better.

And now?

I use it with the Young Women (where I am currently serving). After all, it is a phrase that definitely describes each of these awesome girls!
Plus, it's just part of who I am!

Have You Ever Felt Like...

2009-10-05T20:09:00.008-05:00

... the wind has been knocked out of your sails because of something a person said?

... giving someone a piece of your mind because they really have NO IDEA all the lengths that you have done to include everyone?

... ignoring the phone, unplugging the computer, and pretending that you aren't around so that people will leave you alone?

... throwing a fit because you are irritated beyond belief about something that you can not address, no matter how much you really want to, because it would hurt someone's feelings, and that's NOT really what you want to do (really, it's not!)?

... someone was making half-baked judgments and assuming that they "know" a better way to do something, even though they weren't there from the beginning and didn't contribute before?

... screaming at someone to "GET OFF MY BACK" and "STOP PICKING AT ME?"

Me too!

(click here for the story on the above photo)

What a Day!

2009-09-27T22:25:00.003-05:00

Change is not always easy - especially when you knew it was coming but had to wait quietly for awhile before it could happen.

Today I was released as the president of the women's organization at Church, where I have served for the last 2 and 1/2 years (plus 2 days!), and have been tremendously blessed in my experience (visit my other blog here for more of my thoughts).

It's a little hard to say goodbye to this responsibility. Not because I like to be in charge, but because of all the amazing experiences that have blessed my life as I have worked with some of the most incredibly righteous, charitable, loving, Christlike women I have ever known.

I am grateful to know that even though my time to serve in this organization has ended at this time, I am still a part of the Relief Society and the Relief Society is still a part of me, and I will continue to cherish the relationships and friendships that have come into my life as a result of serving in this organization.

I also know that as I move forward into the new opportunity I have been given to work with the Young Women in our youth program, I will continue to find my life filled with rich blessings. They are an AWESOME group of girls!

I truly know that the Lord is aware of who I am and what I have to offer. I also know that He will walk beside me and bless me as I do my best to serve Him well.

After all, He loves me... He loves us all... unconditionally... without end.

Ahhhh... cool, crisp air

2009-09-23T17:25:00.006-05:00

All I have to say is YEAH for cool, crisp air! It's one of the things that I love most about fall!

Other things I love about this time of year...

And this year, I am really excited to "get my spook on" in October!

Check back to see how that goes!

Now the question is...how long have we got until the cool, crisp air changes?

Who knows... this IS Texas! So, I'm taking advantage of this cooler air and snuggling down into a nice warm blanket tonight (dreaming of ways to "spookify" my house!).

P.S. Any great and budget friendly ideas for "spookification" are welcome!

Attention Mr. Dust...

2009-09-14T17:42:00.011-05:00

Mr. Dust,

You and your friends are a nuisance!

Somehow you keep finding ways to sneak into my house and plop yourselves down on any visible surface you can find.

Take note... you are NOT welcome!

I know your agenda. You wait until everything has been thoroughly cleaned, then you watch for the cleaners to be put away, and as soon as the closet door is closed you and your friends breeze your way in and start covering things again.

Take note... this is war!

I hereby declare that you and I will continue to be engaged in an ongoing battle (after all, you are stubborn and vindictive), but I will fight you on a regular basis.

Take note... this is MY house!

So, Mr. Dust, you and your friends may be persistent, but this is MY house so...

BACK OFF!!!

Boston Pictures (yep, they're finally up!)

2009-09-04T23:31:00.004-05:00

Who am I?

2009-08-28T23:04:00.006-05:00

I am a girl who has:
curly hair...
fingernails that grow quickly...
legs that are shorter than I wish...
and toes that are "weird" (according to B).

I am a girl who loves:
chocolate...
reading good books...
surfing the net for good ideas that I can't get done...
and spending time with people I love.

I am a girl who has been blessed with:
a good education...
opportunities to visit great places (like Boston!)...
a great career as an educator...
opportunities to serve the Lord.

I am a girl who has:
an amazing husband (but he has weird toes too!)...
a sister who is teaching herself to sew (right now, as I type)...
the CUTEST nieces and nephew in the ENTIRE WORLD...
and an amazing family.

Finally, I am a girl who is trying to:
lose weight...
be a little more patient...
give 100% to all that I do (but can't always)...
recognize that I am still learning and growing daily.

Oh yeah...
I am a girl who hasn't blogged lately (sorry, D)...
and hasn't posted those Boston pics (sorry, Sharla)!

So, that's who I am.
I'm glad to be me!

Back from Boston

2009-07-23T01:31:00.002-05:00

Pictures and info coming soon on our most fantabulous trip to Boston, where the weather was awesome, the food was delicious, the sites were incredible, and we had the chance to spend time with Brian's aunts, uncle, and cousins.

Too bad that reality has returned (along with the laundry and the chores!).

But, pictures will be shared - there are some great ones that would just be too selfish to keep to myself!

Happy Birthday to me!

2009-07-09T11:35:00.022-05:00

What a great birthday I had this year! I was overwhelmed by how many people even cared.

Thank you to everyone for making birthday #34 a day in my life that I'll always adore!

Thoughtful gifts:

Dinner with my family (on Sunday):

Maddy entertains us:

Dinner with the Murphy's (on Monday):

The Smallest Things...

2009-07-06T17:08:00.004-05:00

... Matter Most!

I admit it - I'm a girl who likes gifts. I pretend that I am better than that and that I don't think material gifts are important, but get real... I.Am.A.Girl. Don't we all like gifts? (if you Are.A.Girl and don't like gifts, keep it to yourself!).

But sometimes, although I like material gifts, they can seriously be trumped.

Like when your husband (who you started dating when you were much hotter at 16 than you sometimes feel now that you just turned 34) turns to you in the car while you two are running errands, smiles at you, and says with a look of total sincerity and love says:

"Your hair looks really cute."

And.Then.You.Melt. because you know you have married The.Perfect.Man. and you know that this is just another example of why you love him with all your heart (plus, he's super hot!).

A Day Away

2009-06-29T00:16:00.007-05:00

So, Brian planned this secret day trip. He wouldn't tell me where we were going, but he kept dangling the carrot of "I have a secret, na na na na na na!" (He didn't actually say that, but it wasn't hard to tell he was thinking it!).

It is really hard for me not to try and find things out ahead of time (I mean REALLY hard) and he knows it. But... I was determined.not.to.bug.him. And let me tell you... IT.WAS.HARD!

Especially when I learned that people at work knew, my sister knew, my mom knew, his mom knew. I mean, come on... this was pure TORTURE. But still... I.DID.NOT.BUG.HIM.

And then, it started to bug him NOT to tell me. He wanted to, oh, he wanted to! So, the night before, he offered the chance for clues!

Here's what I got:

"You'll want to take the camera"

"Be ready to leave by 8 am"

"Wear whatever you want"

"We won't be in the Metroplex"

"We're going West"

That was it... my clues. And as luck would have it: I GUESSED!!!!

We had a fabulous day together, planned with thought and care to be something I would really enjoy and be interested in, by my AWESOME husband who knows me better than I think I know myself. He is totally a ROCK STAR in my world and I am just a groupie!

The slideshow of our day is on our other blog called: Don't Blink (click the name to check it out).

Where, oh where, are we going!!!

2009-06-24T00:28:00.003-05:00

All I know is that B has secret plans that he has been cultivating for about a week now. He told me to look at the calendar (originally for this Thursday) and let him know what I had going on, which at the time was... NADA. Then, he made me keep the day clear and when I asked why, the answer I got was... NADA!

Now, instead of Thursday, we're going somewhere, but I don't know where, tomorrow.

Tomorrow is a milestone day in our family, it marks the 1-year anniversary since we lost Brian's dad. Without knowing how to really spend the day, I'm glad that we have something planned that will bring B and I the opportunity to spend the day together. Doing what? I dunno!

But right now, knowing that I CAN'T HANDLE SURPRISES, B wants to know if I want the opportunity to guess where we are going...but I have to get off the computer to make my guess.

So, "night night" blog world - I'm off to guess!

K

P.S. Stay tuned to discover how we spent the day.

14 Years!

2009-06-10T23:10:00.023-05:00

Today we celebrated our 14th anniversary with an evening out together, and just like it did 14 years ago (as well as several, if not most, of our anniversaries since then)... it RAINED!

We were totally oblivious to the rain because we were watching "Angels & Demons" starring Tom Hanks.

Out of 5 possible B&K stars, here are our ratings (and since we are such big movie goers, we know you were wondering!)...

B = 3 stars

K = 3.5 stars (mostly because I'm a fan of Ewan McGregor!)

It was when we came out of the theater that we became aware of the rain (and laughed that once again, on June 10th, "raindrops keep falling from the sky.").

Thank goodness that Palace 9 has a great next door neighbor where we could spend some time avoiding those raindrops...

Barnes & Noble... definitely a stop on our anniversary and yes...books were purchased!

Actually, I just finished one of the books I bought last night and it was FANTASTIC! The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society has been added to my list of favorite "grown-up" books. Thanks for the rec, Lalalaleesa!

When there were just a "few" raindrops falling from the sky, we walked a couple of blocks to eat some Mexican food at...

By the time we finished dinner, the rain had stopped (for a moment) and we were able to get back to the car.

We had a great time! But then again, we always have a great time when we're together!

B&K = Building a great marriage to last for all eternity!

How did it happen?

2009-05-19T22:49:00.015-05:00

I know that there are some of my friends who will be upset when I say it, but for me...

THIS IS THE LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL!

As exciting as that is, how did it happen?

This year has flown by. Seriously! This has been a "kick the bird out of the nest, now it's off and flying, but hey...where did it go" kind of year.

I like that the year was filled with so many great things and neat experiences. But man, if time keeps flying by in this "crazy-busy" way (I'm quoting my blog stalker, Mary!) than there will be NO amount of magic that my friend and awesome hairdresser, Rochelle, can use to fix the color of my hair.

So...I'll have time away from school, but how do I make the most of it? After all, summertime flies even faster than school time!

I have several things to do professionally that will help me in my job (plus, I really don't know how to actually "have the summer off" and none of my friends do, either!)...and there are always things around the house that HAVE to get done now because they don't get done in the fall... but I want to enjoy the time available to me this summer.

I want to savor the time. I want to appreciate the time. I don't want to suddenly look at the calendar, realize it's back to school and think.... "what the" (see previous post for more details on this phrase).

It's not easy for me to slow down. I feel like I should always be busy. So any suggestions? All are appreciated!

Thoughts for Today...

2009-05-11T18:26:00.001-05:00

Accept that some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.
Always keep your words soft and sweet just in case you have to eat them.
Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply be kind to others.
Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
Birthdays are good for you: the more you have, the longer you live.
You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
Every moment matters so... ENJOY TODAY!

What up!

2009-05-07T23:19:00.005-05:00

(I just wanted to use that phrase!)

Seriously, I have nothing to post (yet) but I will (soon).

After all, I had the awesome opportunity to take a long weekend and go to Utah for BYU Women's Conference with my sis and my parentals (aka: the mom and the dad) and it ROCKED (minus the "run" back to campus from Brick Oven, eh sis!).

So, I promise to share (even if you don't want me to!). But first I have to go through the pictures. For some strange reason, my memory card is full. Hum... how'd that happen!

The "Done It" List

2009-04-24T00:06:00.016-05:00

Instead of the "Git 'r Dun" list, which is never-ending and can leave you feeling buried alive (see picture above), I have been trying a new approach with the "Done It" List...

This is a daily list of at least 10 things (big AND small) that I accomplished during the day, and I have to say, it's MUCH... MORE... REWARDING!

Here's my "Done It" List for today...

Major record uploading of new books into the circulation system at work (Whew! Now those "pesky" kids that have been waiting and waiting can check out those new books!)
Submitted paperwork for orders at work (it's like shopping with someone else's money!)
Cleaned out the fridge (and I thought I wasn't any good at science projects!)
Took out the trash (Barf... I hate touching the trash can)
Collected all the recycling (where in the world does all of this paper come from?)
Popped in for a surprise visit to my mother-in-law while she was playing poker with some of her friends (remember JoAnn... dinner money!)
Put away clean clothes (now the "processing room" is back to being the guest room it's supposed to be... at least until the next load of laundry needs to be "processed!")
Talked to my sister-in-law in San Antonio, who I love mucho!
Put back an impulsive purchase BEFORE I actually purchased it (This is a HUGE accomplishment, especially since I was at the BOOKSTORE!)
Cleaned off the dining room table (I suffer from "pile instead of file!")

There it is, 10 things I have done today!

For me the "Done It" list is helping me to see that I do get quite a bit of good work done each day, which makes me happy (see picture below)... even though there are still things that keep rolling over to that stupid (yeah, I said STUPID!) "git 'r dun" list that's never "dun."

So, what's on your "DONE IT" list today?

Catch Phrase

2009-04-11T23:46:00.035-05:00

Everyone needs a catch phrase.

Come on, you know that you need something to say at those times when no matter how hard you try and no matter who helps out, things just don't go as planned. In fact, sometimes despite our best efforts, things just fall apart. (Psssttt... you aren't the only one this happens to!)

Hence, the need for a catch phrase... a mantra... something to help you avoid finishing the famous "what the..." phrase with a "less than positive" word.

Some examples of good catch phrases include: "What the HECK" (note the use of a POSITIVE word to finish it!). "You've got to be kidding" and "Are you SERIOUS" work well in many situations. Occasionally, an "Oh, Man" or a well-placed "Indeed" can do the trick, but sometimes a situation just needs a good ole' solid shouting of "Jiminy Christmas" (my father-in-law's favorite to use when he was alive)!

I personally love the catch phrase Joseph B. Wirthlin shared in his final conference address (FYI: for some reason Blogger won't correctly embed the actual video in my post so it can be played... a perfect example of how things don't go as planned!)

His catch phrase, "Come What May and Love It" helped him out many times during his long life (proof that if an apostle of the Lord needs a catch phrase, then we all need one!).

For me the catch phrase I use during those less-than-stellar moments when things just don't go as planned, has become "it is what it is." The best part is that I didn't even know I had a catch phrase for those moments until Brian pointed it out tonight.

I'm glad to know I have a catch phrase I can go to during those moments! After all...

IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!

(So, what's YOUR catch phrase?)

Happy Easter

2009-04-11T23:46:00.007-05:00

"Without Easter, there would be no Christmas."

I love this quote from Gordon B. Hinckley because it reminds me of ALL the amazing things that the Lord has done for me - for each of us - and for all that He blesses me with each day. We are so loved by our Savior and by our Heavenly Father and the evidence of their love is all around us.

Starting today, I will do a better job of stopping to smell the roses, hearing the birds, appreciating the beauty of the world I live in, giving thanks for the people who bless my life, expressing gratitude for the freedoms I enjoy, and recognizing the eternal love my Savior has for me.

After all, Easter is a time for renewal and rebirth, so it is the perfect time for me to be recommitted to living a life that follows the example set by Jesus Christ.

Happy Easter!

Home again

2009-04-03T16:46:00.007-05:00

After a week in Houston at a work conference, I am so glad to be home! It was a great week, but there is nothing quite like being in your house, with your own things, walking to the bathroom without wearing flip flops! You know - all those "little" things ;)

It was a great conference with lots of break-out sessions, vendors, and resources (gotta love those Advanced Reading Copies!) and my brain is FULL of ideas. This means that I will have to "brain drain" so I can sleep tonight!

I co-presented a session with my TVS colleagues focused on shifting the perspective towards school libraries and it went really well. This reminded me how much I enjoy presenting and sharing ideas and experiences that have worked for me.

I am grateful that my school supports the faculty in attending professional conferences so that I can stay current and on top of my game in my profession (but I sure wish they'd offer a laundry service after getting back!).

Now that I'm home, I'm gearing up for another experience as I get ready for our church's General Conference. I just think I'm tired now, but after all of the great talks and inspiration that will come my way this weekend, I will really be brain-drained! I can't wait!!

What a week!

2009-03-15T16:28:00.017-05:00

It was one of "those" weeks. You know...the kind of week where you wonder "what the heck was I thinking!"

My week was all about Celebrating Seuss at work AND gearing up for our Road Rally quarterly enrichment at church.

Yeah, I did it to myself. It was crazy and more than once I wondered, "what am I thinking!"

The craziness began on Monday and didn't stop until Friday.

Celebrating The Cat in the Hat

Celebrating Fox in Socks

Celebrating Wacky Wednesday

Celebrating My Many Colored Days

And our last celebration was Hooray for Diffendoofer Day

Then there was the Road Rally...

In the end it was worth the craziness!

We had a great week at school celebrating the wonderful, fantastical, incredible books of Dr. Seuss AND the Road Rally was an absolute blast!

What I need now is rest. Good thing it's Spring Break!

Oh wait, I have plans... Big Plans. I'm visiting an exotic location for the week.

You've probably been there... it's called: THE GARAGE!

I've fallen off the blogosphere (can I get back up?)

2009-03-09T19:49:00.007-05:00

I have fallen off of the blogosphere... but did anyone really notice?

My blog postings have obviously not been updated in awhile. Why? Too many things to do, too little sleep already, and too much to worry about. Reflecting on this has made me wonder: why do I blog?

I started this because it was a way to keep in touch with friends and family (and believe me, I do my fair share of "blog lurking" on a regular basis, even when I don't update my own site). Through blogging I have found a whole new world of great people who share great ideas and let me get to know them better. But I have also found that sometimes the blog world shows me just how inadequate I am in a lot of areas.

I pop in and out of great sites all the time and see other houses that are more "put together" than mine, other people's perfectly planned weekly menus, uber-creative geniuses, and so much more that I am not. And again the question: why do I blog?

I guess it boils down to this: I can't keep a "real" journal to save my life (why that is, I don't know) and blogging let's me feel like I am creating a record of who I am and what my life is about - at least when I update - and that is important to me.

I don't have the extensive list of "followers" like some of the blogs I lurk around, and I don't even know if anyone is interested in the ramblings that I post, but I guess I'll keep blogging so that I can feel like I am "journaling" in some way, shape, or form.

For anyone who may want to sound off, the questions are :

Why do YOU blog?
Do you ever feel inferior as you visit the blogosphere?

It's Fun to "Be Funky!"

2009-02-19T22:41:00.009-06:00

Photo editing can be fun, funky (and free!) at http://www.befunky.com/

Fun and Funky Option 1 = Cartoonize

Change an original picture from this:

to this:

Fun and Funky Option 2 = Warholize

Change an original picture from this:

to this:

There are more fun, funky (and free!) options to play with at this site (just beware of relapsing into B.I.C. Syndrome).

A Day Off

2009-02-16T18:23:00.011-06:00

Oh, what do you do with a day off from school?

You probably managed your time well and got everything done.

But if you're me, you slept in until it was time for...

What you didn't do (but should have!) was...

Despite not doing your chores, you (meaning I) felt HAPPY at the end of the day!

(so who cares if the dishes are still in the sink!)

Austin

2009-02-04T13:30:00.002-06:00

I am in Austin at a work-related technology conference for the week and am learning about all sorts of fabulous online resources/tools/toys!

How can I NOT spend time exploring these sites and figuring them out? After all, they will "enhance my teaching" (along with enhancing my "Butt-in-Chair" Syndrome!).

Gotta git - there is more to explore!

K

Random Thoughts

2009-01-29T22:28:00.004-06:00

I have nothing to "show-off" today, I just got tired of seeing the date of my last post. So... behold more random thoughts!

There are so many, where do I start?

I know - how about the fact that I am freaking out because of random dizzy spells accompanied with a headache that have occurred recently in my life. Today makes twice this week. I woke up with one, the room was literally spinning in my world, and I couldn't get my eyes focused. Not sure what's going on here, but I should probably call the doc.
How is it already the end of January?
I head to Austin next week for a work-related conference. I'm excited, but I always hate to leave Brian. Not because he needs me, but because I need him (he's the one who really keeps things working around here, I'm just glad he lets me come along for the ride!).
I am such a procrastinator (I call this random thought 'peat and 'repeat!).
Who knew that moving ALL of your furniture in one room could cause a chain reaction of movement and mess all around the house! (Thank goodness for my seester, aka Jennif, who helped me lift-and-move, then lift-and-move some more.)
Who's coming over to finish cleaning up this disaster I've created (Please Jennif... or D? Remember the song: "we are family!" Ok, I'll clean up my own mess... eventually!).
I am really glad that my mother-in-law's carotid artery scope went well yesterday (I don't know if that's the "official" term for the procedure, but it works for me).
Why isn't there enough time to get the things done that are on my "Amazingly Long List of Things To Do That We Don't Have Time For" list? (yeah, I was an English teacher and yeah, I use run-on sentences, and yeah I use the word, "yeah!").
Seeing Venus so clearly tonight was really cool!
Last one (for today)... I have the itchiest back EVER!

UGH... I've been tagged for real!

2009-01-24T11:59:00.011-06:00

My "friend" Ashley (yeah, okay, you're still my friend!) tagged me with the worst kind of tag ever... a "be honest" tag. Helllllooooo! I spend a lot of time hiding my quirks and weirdness, now she wants me to reveal ten things that nobody knows.... UGH!

I'm doing it, but at the risk of falling of the "wow, Kirsten is the most amazing person in the world pedestal" that I sit on. What? I'm NOT sitting on that pedestal? Whew! Then, it will be ok for me to share these 10 "honest" things about me...

I am the world's best snoozer! I hit the snooze at least a dozen times before I have to get up to go to work during the week (don't even ask about Saturday snoozing!). Because of my snoozing skill, I have perfected the art of getting ready and out the door in 15 minutes flat (including shower). Thank goodness I can "go curly" with my hair because that seriously cuts down on the amount of time I have to spend getting ready and lets me snooze longer. So now you know that when my hair's curly (which is most of the time), I've probably been snoozing!
I hate clutter and I hate "stuff"- BUT I am a pack rat who has a hard time getting rid of things. Definitely a conflict of thought - and one that I struggle with constantly. Right now I am trying to "sort and purge" and there are piles lining my hallway of things to "use or lose," but I am (as always) conflicted in my progress. Can anyone help me? (Other than Peter Walsh and the Clean Sweep team - they make me nervous!).
I am a compulsive shopper. Which means I end up with way too much "stuff" that I don't really need, which leads to clutter, which makes me crazy (see #2 above), but still - I shop.
I ate a brand-new sleeve of Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies ALL BY MYSELF and didn't even realize it. WHAT THE HECK!!! I opened the package, sat at the computer to check email and blog stalk, and the next thing I knew... the package was gone. Completely Empty. I ate them all... IN ONE SITTING. That is just sick (but they tasted good!).
I battle my weight (it doesn't help that I can obviously put down an entire sleeve of cookies in one sitting) and I struggle with self-esteem lows that come from being overweight (especially since I wasn't always). I know that I need to do more to take care of myself. I even know what I need to do, but I haven't been able to stick to the process of developing good eating or exercise habits, and so I battle my weight and my self-esteem.
I am a perfectionist. Okay, this may be something you already know, but you probably don't know that it is sometimes a truly debilitating problem for me because I.can't.let.go. I mean, how many times do you really have to print out a flyer for a church activity to change the font, or the layout, or the picture. Too much of my life is spent trying to perfect small things that don't really matter.
I cannot manage my time. At all. End of statement. I just haven't figured it out.
I'm a school librarian and a college instructor who doesn't pay attention to due dates and ends up regularly paying fines for overdue books (my head hangs in shame). Yes, I teach my students (children and grown-ups) the importance of due dates and deadlines, but I don't listen to myself... a perfect example of "do as I say, not as I do!"
I suffer from C.H.A.O.S. = Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome because I don't want anyone to see the "stuff" and the "clutter" (see #2). The house has to be "perfect" before I'll let people come over - including family (see #6). But if I had better time management skills (see #7) and less Butt-in-Chair (where I blog stalk and find so many other people with beautifully arranged, clean homes on display for the world to see) then I might be able to manage my household better and then I would be free from C.H.A.O.S.
Finally, I hate to shave my legs during the winter.

So, this tag (painfully and honestly written) is finished and you know more than you ever really wanted to about this girl!

Now, I am going to break my rule of tagging others. If I had to do this, then so do my family and friends (who will love me despite this tag!).

The rules are to tag 6 people. So I say, "tag, you're it" to:

Jenny
Danielle (ha! ha!)
Kira
Rachel
Andi
April

Honesty girls, honesty!

Photo Tag

2009-01-23T00:13:00.006-06:00

I love this tag! (I know, I "love" a tag... has the world stopped?).

It wasn't an official tag directly issued to me, but while reading Tammy's blog, I thought it would be fun to go ahead and tag myself (mostly because I figured it would be fun to see which picture ended up following the rules, not really because I "love" a tag!).

So here are the rules:

Go to your documents/pictures

Go to your 6th file

Go to the 6th picture

Blog about it

Tag 6 other friends

Smile!

And here is my 6th picture, from my 6th file...

This was taken of my niece this 4th of July. She was so excited about the fireworks, the flags, and hanging out with the family (well, we choose to believe she was excited to hang out with us!). The face you see above is 100% absolute excitement. Can't you just feel the pure joy!

Revisiting this picture reminds me of how much fun it was to be part of her experience. It also reminds me that we should all try to find that moment of absolute joy and happiness a little more often in our own lives.

Now, I don't pass on tags (D can verify that this is true!) ...but if you want to participate, consider yourself invited! I'd love to see your 6th picture from your 6th file.