tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33767975565312314812024-02-19T04:39:07.171-06:00Lapiz De La GuerraUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger380125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-24460261855393611962013-05-12T13:24:00.000-05:002013-06-03T13:26:13.934-05:00Mother's Day 2013<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ah, Mother’s Day. That day when mothers everywhere are honored for their uncanny ability to raise small humans, and get to sleep in late, eat breakfast in bed, and proceed to be pampered throughout the day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Maybe in some other universe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For me, Mother’s Day consisted of a 5 am wake up call when the five year old decided it was snuggle time. An hour later, and unable to contain her excitement from snuggling, she was promptly presented with a choice: go back to bed or go watch cartoons. She chose the latter, natch. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ten minutes later, she appeared by my bedside and whispered, “Happy Mudder’s Day, mommy. I love you.” This required a kiss and a hug and a sleepy ‘I love you, too.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ten minutes after that, she appeared again. “Happy Mudder’s Day, mommy. Here’s your card!” That required me opening said card, oohin and aahing over it, before she departed again with a kiss.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ten minutes after that: “Happy Mudder’s Day, mommy! Let me know if you need anything!” (I’m good, kiddo! I promise!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ten minutes after that: “Happy Mudder’s Day, mommy! Here’s a glass of water!” (I didn’t need it, but thanks anyway!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ten minutes after that: “Happy Mudder’s Day, mommy! I did some mother cleaning!” (WTF is that!?)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ten minutes after that: “Happy Mudder’s Day, mommy! Breakfast is ready! Are you hungry?” (Hungry for some peace and quiet…)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Seriously, Every. Ten. Minutes. Why can’t the kid be this alert on a school day?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Eventually, I had no choice left but to crawl out of bed at 8 am and make my way downstairs where my husband had whipped up eggs and bacon and had a cup of coffee waiting for me. I love that man.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I happened to notice that there was lunchmeat, cheese, and an applesauce on the counter. After asking my hubby about it, he informed me that when he came downstairs earlier, our daughter was on her hands and knees on the counter, wiping diligently with a cleaning cloth. She then attempted to use the broom to sweep the kitchen, and then pulled out the lunch fixin’s to make Daddy a lunch for the next day (that explains the "mother cleaning", lol!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To mommies everywhere, whether you birthed or adopted, your children are big or small, and especially to all the mothers still waiting on that child in their heart to come home, may you have a blessed and beautiful Mother’s Day! Motherhood, huzzah!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cheers,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kelly</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-66383828072908240672012-12-31T14:03:00.000-06:002012-12-31T14:03:30.247-06:002012, I'm Breaking Up With You<br />
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Dear 2012,</div>
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<br /></div>
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The last 366 days have been…interesting. There were some pretty good moments, and a
lot of necessary healing and growth occurred during our time together, but no
offense 2012, I’m really hoping that 2013 is less dramatic and painful than you
were.</div>
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Of course, it’s not to say that our time together was all
bad. There were certainly some wonderful
moments peppered in with those less than savory days. </div>
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Our time together saw Michael and I enter the Dirty Thirty Birthday
Club. It also saw us enter some much
needed marriage counseling, which has been stellar. Of course, the events that led us there weren’t
so awesome. Whatevs. Water under the bridge, right?</div>
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This year also ushered in a new phase of our parenting: we have
a preschooler now! Sybilla ADORES school
(I will never forget her disappointment that summer couldn’t end fast enough)
and is flying through her achievements like nobody’s business. Our fridge is covered in more art projects
than we have magnets for, and we are deluged with constant requests on how to
spell various words. I won’t lie…I am
excited to see what 2013 holds in this department!</div>
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Additionally, we were finally able to move out of our old
ratty apartment, complete with pest infestation, mold problems, and paper thin
walls into a two story duplex that meets all of our needs and then some. Now that I can finally proudly display my grandmother’s
china cabinet, I feel so grown up. And a
backyard! I actually have to maintain it
and set my garbage by the curb and everything too!</div>
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Lastly, the Mayan calendar ended, but the world did not. Kinda glad for that, aren’t you?</div>
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Our time together wasn’t a total loss. But events over the last few weeks have made
me realize that all good things must come to an end, and it’s time for us to
part ways 2012. I’m sorry that it had to
end on a sour note (really, 2012, wrecking my husband’s car three days prior to
NYE is not exactly an endearing quality).
Maybe after we’ve spent some time apart and had a chance to be on our
own, we’ll be able to look back more fondly and recall the good ol’ days with
each other. I know this is hard for you,
especially with 2013 right here, but I think you’ll agree that it’s for the
best. I could try and tell you that it’s
me, not you, but that would be a lie, and I still have some respect for you.</div>
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If it makes you feel any better, I’m not making any
resolutions for 2013. I can’t imagine
making them with anyone else right now. I
think after all of them pretty much backfired with you, I’m beginning to think
that maybe resolutions just aren’t for me.
I may come out at the end of my time with 2013 and think that otherwise,
but only time will tell.</div>
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Sincerely,</div>
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Kelly </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-59573721502615356762012-02-24T12:32:00.002-06:002012-12-31T14:05:09.821-06:00Vegan WrapupWell, our month long adventure into veganism is over! The verdict is in and while we saw some big changes in our health, the energy and money required to go completely is just too much for us. <br />
<br />
Some of the highlights and our takeaways from this adventure:<br />
<br />
Health - we definitely saw some improvements in our health. The biggest change for myself was no longer feeling the afternoon slump once 3 o'clock rolled around. I'm going to try and not be gross here, but our insides definitely felt cleaner, if you get my drift. As for my asthma, I didn't notice any improvement at all. In fact, I found myself using my emergency inhaler more frequently than I would have liked. In terms of my anxiety, I really didn't notice a difference, but then again, this was a bit of a stressful month for me at work and at home. My acne was pretty much gone for the first two weeks, and then I had it flare up really badly. Whether that was due to fluctuating hormones, a couple of slip ups in the diet department, or other reasons, I do not know. Lastly, I don't know if the diet made any difference on my immune system. I got the flu last week, despite eating very healthily and it was AWFUL. No amount of vitamins or fruits and veggies made me feel any better. <br />
<br />
Money - we did not see any savings in our grocery bill. I would say we actually spent about 15-20% more on our groceries than we were used to. In an era where everyone is watching every dollar, this is huge for us. While we will continue to purchase more produce than we normally do and purchase almond milk over cow's milk, I am hoping our grocery bill will even out once again.<br />
<br />
Time - the biggest thing for us was the time it took doing all of this. Because dairy, eggs, meat and chemical preservatives are so pervasive in the food available to the American public, it required more time for us to plan our meals and purchase better quality food. I am a busy woman. I work 45-50 hours a week and I'm sorry, but my time is precious. I don't want to spend two to three hours at grocery stores (yes, plural) every week trying to get the best deal or find the needed ingredient for my meals. Plus, many of our normal go-to meals were automatically out the window (you try substituting cream of mushroom soup in a casserole...it's just not possible) which required a lot of brainpower we simply didn't have to plan our meals. As the main breadwinner, chef, and homemaker in the family, I felt that all of the planning fell on my shoulders and I was too exhausted most days or too brain dead from work to really do it efficiently, which cost us more money and led to poor diet choices. <br />
<br />
Attitude - the general attitude of this household was not a positive one while we did this. By the end of the month, we were not a happy group. I think a lot of it may be due to the feeling of deprivation; we couldn't eat many of the things we normally did and liked. Emotional eaters are us! Also, it was incredibly difficult to get Billa on board and get her to eat anything we were eating. And admittedly, there were a lot of things we tried that I just couldn't handle, let alone my child (mushrooms or eggplant). Michael will eat just about anything put in front of him, so his opinion is a little biased if you ask me. The lack of variety and feeling bored with our food choices also contributed to a poor attitude. We felt trapped a lot. We paid good money for this, so we have to eat it. And when we weren't at home, it was worse; finding vegan options that are cheap and fast is nigh to impossible, even in a vegan friendly city like Austin. And because we were bored with our food choices, more often than not, it lead to us not eating at all and getting snappish because we were hungry.<br />
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Milk - the one plus to this whole thing was our discovery of almond milk! We LOVE the stuff! It's slightly sweet, and it's wonderful in cereal or in baked goods. Plus, the chocolate almond milk is a dessert in and of itself. The biggest thing I noticed was how my body reacted to cow's milk after doing no dairy for an entire month; I think I am definitely allergic to cow's milk. We had hoped to wean Billa off of it to see whether it affected her allergies, but that was not as easy as we had hoped. It was fine for us at home, but everywhere else, cow's milk abounded. Plus, with everyone getting sick in the last week of the diet, there's really no way to tell if cutting cow's milk for her made a difference or not. I think we will keep trying and see what happens. But we won't be buying regular milk anymore, which was the easiest change for us by far. I think we will still eat cheese and some other dairy products, but in very, very small quantities.<br />
<br />
Hummus - this wonderful spread has become our best friend. Billa even likes it, which is a freaking miracle in and of itself. We ate it a lot before the diet, but it's an item we are now purchasing every week in mass quantity. I tried making some myself which was yummy and had a slightly different texture, but the cost of making it was more than just buying it, so I'll skip the process and save myself some time. Huzzah for hummus!<br />
<br />
Weight - another big plus to this diet was that I found myself eating less, eating more healthy options, and consequently, I lost seven pounds and 2% body fat. I'd like to lose more body fat, and maybe a couple more pounds, but for that to happen I'm going to have suck it up and embrace cardio. Blech. But losing seven pounds was nice!<br />
<br />
Overall, the consensus is that being vegan is just not a lifestyle that was a good fit for us. I found myself missing and craving a lot of things I really love, like cheese, bacon, hot wings, and other not so good for you treats. I stayed pretty strong in avoiding most of them, but the emotional ties to those foods are really hard to break. I can see myself consuming them in moderation now, but giving them up entirely was just too much for me. The time required to make the diet work is staggering and I just do not possess enough hours in the day to do it, plus getting Michael or Billa to contribute to the planning was an argument I just don't want to fight anymore. The money was also a big factor.<br />
<br />
However, we will be keeping some behaviors from this. We won't be drinking cow's milk, and we will be reducing the amount of dairy products we consume. We will be eating more fruits and veggies and whole grain dishes. We will also be cutting back significantly on the amount of meat we eat, probably eating no more than two to three meals per week with meat, and making those lean. We are also going to eat out less, because we noticed that when we did, our bodies were very violent with us afterwards. we could see ourselves being vegetarians, but not vegans. Still, it was a worthwhile experience and I highly recommend that everyone at least give it a go once in their life.<br />
<br />
So there you have it! That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.<br />
<br />
Kelly <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-26635123552536955252012-01-27T20:00:00.000-06:002012-12-31T14:04:32.999-06:00Pachyderms, Leaks, and R.O.U.S.'sI need a moment to bitch.<br />
<br />
I am so effing tired of living in apartments. I am tired of poor
quality buildings in which every noise can be heard. I am tired of inconsiderate neighbors who don’t give a rat’s ass about their
stomping and banging at all hours of the day and night. I am tired of giant unknown critters living in my ceiling, banging about on the pipes and scratching at my ceiling. I am tired of being tired because
I can’t sleep at night, thanks to the pack of pachyderms living
upstairs and the R.O.U.S.<br />
<br />
I’m also irritated with the apartment complex staff for sending me a
lovely warning notice stating that I have three days to remove the
non-patio furniture from my patio. Apparently, using a shelf to
display my plants is considered non-patio furniture. This is
apparently much higher on the priority list for them than noise
complaints and critters And I’m paying close to a
grand a month for what now?<br />
<br />
[Big exhale]<br />
<br />
Thank you for allowing me that. As you can see, things have been
pretty frustrating the last few days. The people who moved in above
us are a family of five, and they don’t speak English at all, so
trying to ask them to soften their footsteps is nigh to impossible.
All of the stomping has been setting my teeth on edge and I’m getting
really tired of having this conversation:<br />
<br />
[Thumping upstairs]<br />
Billa: Mommy, what dat noisy?<br />
Me: It’s the people upstairs, honey.<br />
<br />
<i>One to five minutes later... </i><br />
[Thumping upstairs]<br />
Billa: Mommy, what dat noisy?<br />
Me: It’s the people upstairs, honey.<br />
<br />
<i>One to five minutes later...</i><br />
[Thumping upstairs]<br />
Billa: Mommy, what dat noisy?<br />
Me: [gritting teeth] What do you think it is, sweetheart?<br />
Billa: [shrugs] I not know.<br />
Me: [jumps out of window screaming]<br />
<br />
Yes, this happens on a regular reoccurring basis, at least 30 times a
day (sans the window jumping, of course). I know I am prone to exaggeration, but when my guests comment on
how the walls are shaking and look at me in wide-eyed wonder like I’m
a martyr, I ain’t telling tall tales people. This shit is for real.
And I’ve just about had it!<br />
<br />
The R.O.U.S. was one thing. Annoying yes, but at least it didn’t keep
us all up at odd hours of the night. And an R.O.U.S. can easily be
removed and destroyed if need be. Evicting an entire family solely on
the basis that they are noisy and rude is not legal. It's been done, but I'm not that cold-hearted.<br />
<br />
Oh! and don’t get me started on the leak in Billa’s bathroom. Y’know,
the one we didn’t discover until our new neighbors moved in a couple
of days ago. Since they’ve moved in and have been using the shower
that sits above Billa’s bathroom, a massive leak has been discovered.
I’m talking at least a gallon of water on the floor and dripping into
the tub from a 5 minute shower upstairs. The soffit is so soft that
Michael accidentally pushed his finger through it when he barely
touched it. The floorboards are soaked and soggy as well. AWESOME.<br />
<br />
I really like this community. I really want to. But between the
awful animal smell when we moved in (which now I wonder if it's from the R.O.U.S. and not the previous tenant's dog), the broken oven, the noisy
neighbors, the R.O.U.S., being reprimanded for my plant stand, and the
horrendous leak in the second bathroom, I have just about had all I
can take. And we’re barely into the second month of living there,
y’all. I have never wanted a house so badly in my life. If this is
the Big Man’s way of motivating us towards that goal, He doesn’t need
to tell me twice!<br />
<br />
That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it,<br />
<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-15183462348539702662012-01-23T20:02:00.001-06:002012-12-31T14:05:41.340-06:00Sayonara Bacon!Tonight, I said adieu to bacon.<br />
<br />
I finished reading Rip Esselstyn's book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Engine-Diet-Firefighters-Save-Your-Life-Cholesterol/dp/0446506699/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327370517&sr=8-1"><u>The Engine 2 Diet</u></a>, this
weekend and we have decided to go on the diet for the next month. That
means no dairy, no oils, no sweets and no meats. Especially bacon! But since
we don't like to encourage wastfulness around here we decided to fry up the last of the bacon and make some
gingerbread pancakes as a last hurrah and send off to our old eating habits. I was trying to be all sneaky like about it, but as if it sensed it's own impending doom (because eating it is not doom enough,) every piece came out perfectly crispy and chewy, with no burnt edges, just the way I like it.<br />
<br />
Little bastards.<br />
<br />
But no more!<br />
<br />
We've already been increasing our fruit and veg intake over the last week, and cutting out some of our dairy. I haven't had milk or eggs in a week (save for the lone egg that was in the pancakes tonight), and we switched out our usual dairy creamer for a soy one over the weekend. It's pretty tasty actually, and so is almond milk. Cheese has been a little bit harder. I totally bought a wedge of Manchego cheese just before I read the book, and we had a bunch of cheese sticks and sliced Muenster hanging around here too. And I admit, i bought a small container of feta because while I don't mind veggies on my pizza, I can't stand the thought of not having <i>some</i> semblance of cheese on top of it. But once it's gone, that's it! No more!<br />
<br />
I'm really grateful to my mother in law for taking Billa on Saturday, because it meant I could spend four hours grocery shopping at the farmer's market, Sprouts, and HEB. I normally don't take that long, and certainly won't in the future, but it gave me the time to get better acquainted with the layouts of my stores and read labels on a bunch of stuff. It was super weird checking out without dairy, meat, and especially eggs in my cart. It was even weirder taking the groceries inside and realizing I don't have to worry about not smashing the eggs anymore!<br />
<br />
This week, our menu is going to include a potato leek soup, pasta primavera, a wild rice pilaf, black bean tacos (a regular fave in this household...cheap, easy, and super yummy!), and veggie pizza. Lunches will be finishing off the leftovers from these tasty meals, but also hummus and pita with veggies and salads. Breakfast is pretty much the same-ol'-same-ol' of cereal or oatmeal, but adding in fruit. Dessert has been changed to fruit, and most of our snacks have been too. I've been buying chips from the Food Should Taste Good brand (soooo addicting!) and stocking up on whole grain pretzels and crackers as we run out of the old not-so-good-for-you snacks. I'm looking forward to this week's meal plan!<br />
<br />
The biggest challenge thus far is Sybilla. Michael and I have been fairly easy to convince that this is the way to go, but Billa ain't having anything to do with it! She's been good about eating a lot of fruit and I've successfully added carrot juice to her OJ and other juices, and maybe just possibly convinced her that chocolate soy milk is super yummy, but she's such a picky eater already that it's been frustrating. We keep telling her that the rule is you have to try one bite and that sometimes helps, although tempers have flared mightily over that one bite on more than one occasion. I think it will get easier over time as we keep giving her the same foods and show her what we're eating, as well as having her help cook, but only time will tell!<br />
<br />
Oh bacon, I would say 'it's not you, it's me', but the truth is, it <i>is</i> you. You and all your fatty salty goodness. You're breaking my heart, quite literally. It's time you packed your bags and moved out. Goodbye, sweet bacon! Hellooooo, plant-based diet!<br />
<br />
Kelly<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-78306705324514017392012-01-14T18:36:00.000-06:002012-12-31T14:07:00.577-06:00Hello bloggy world, and Happy New Year!<br />
<br />
It’s been awhile since we’ve chatted. A lot has happened since then!
We moved to a new apartment, Michael’s sister Michelle got married, and we made it through the holiday season in one piece. Phew!<br />
<br />
The dust has been settling slowly but surely, and these are the things
on my horizon:<br />
<br />
<b>Resolutions</b> – I’ve refrained from making an actual list this year, but
my tradition of keeping a theme for the year has not changed. After
hearing the same phrase pop up a few times on different occasions at
church, I’ve decided the phrase “be faithful in the little things” is
my theme for this year. It comes from Matthew 23:25 and Luke 16:10
and I think it’s a really powerful phrase to hold close to my heart. I
think it’s God’s way of telling me that I need to slow down and pay
attention to everything around me. I have a tendency to rush
things to get to the end result faster, sometimes cutting corners or people, and while I might get what I was looking for, I find myself dissatisfied because I didn't truly enjoy the journey and the experience. I
know this isn’t necessarily the original intent of that scripture
passage, but God speaks to each of us in His own way. And for me, I feel that I
need to slow down and be faithful in the little things this year.<br />
<br />
<b>Esme Barrera & Ben Breedlove</b> – if you’re not from Austin, you may not
know who either of these people are, but they are extraordinary
nonetheless. Ben passed away from a chronic heart ailment at the age
of 18 on Christmas Day. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmlTHfVaU9o">He left behind an incredible YouTube video</a>
about his near death experiences that inspired a lot of people and
touched a lot of hearts (the link above takes you to Part 1 of his video, which will then direct you to Part 2 when you're ready). Esme Barrera was brutally murdered in her
home on NYE and her death has rocked the live music and arts
communities here in Austin. She was virtually unknown to the rest of the world, but her
kindness, generosity, passion for music and helping others
(particularly kids), along with her cheerfulness are all anyone can
talk about. <a href="http://www.austin360.com/music/remembering-esme-barrera-2091552.html?cxtype=rss_a-list_123074">An article in the local paper</a> moved me so much, I pasted
it on my wall in my cubicle as a reminder of the kind of person I want
to be like. Hearing the stories of these two remarkable young people
has left me humbled and inspired. <br />
<br />
<b>Forks Over Knives</b> – Michael and I watched this documentary the other
night. We’ve been meaning to eat
healthier for a long time, but after seeing the documentary and doing some
subsequent research, changing our
eating habits is long overdue. My biggest challenges will be ditching the bacon, cheese, and
sugary treats, but the possible benefits of a whole foods plant based
diet are really motivating. If it can reverse diabetes and heart disease, why not asthma, allergies, and chronic anxiety (my triple A’s!)?<br />
<br />
<b>Babies</b> – after seeing so many babies over the holiday season, both
Michael and I were hit by baby fever HARD. We’ve decided that we’re
going to go ahead and start trying for baby #2 this year. This time
though, we’re not going to stress about it like we did with Sybilla.
If the Big Man Upstairs decides to grant us another child in our life,
we will accept that blessing according to His schedule. If it’s meant
to be, it will be. And if it's not, we're ok with that too.<br />
<br />
<b>Financial Peace University</b> – our church is starting off the year with
a great series about finances, and they’re starting FPU classes.
Michael and I have waffled on it before, but this time, we are<br />
absolutely certain we want to do it. We’re tired of feeling like we
can’t really live our lives because of our finances. It makes me cringe when I think about how we've treated our money in the past. It makes my brain hurt to even think about changing the way I view money (much less actually change that viewpoint), but
when I think about continuing to live my life the way we have, it
makes me sad and miserable. I’d rather buckle down for one year of my
life and enjoy the years after that than live all of my life in
misery.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing</b> – I’ve been putting off a lot of my writing the last few
months because of work, moving, the wedding, etc, etc, etc. I threw
myself a huge pity party and woke up the next morning with a mental hangover. As I sat there kicking around the imaginary beer
bottles, I decided enough was enough and vowed that 2012 is the year
that I’m dumping my inner critic and telling her to piss off. I’m
going to get published, y’all. I don’t know when, I don’t know how.
<i>But it’s gonna happen</i>. I guarantee it.<br />
<br />
That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.<br />
<br />
Happy (belated) New Year,<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-27559951189878087762011-09-11T07:55:00.010-05:002011-11-21T22:12:00.310-06:00Ten Years Later...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoerOsSGM9mn6Tjn5Taq7HX9FWdzDxzgfqTtt_IuwM4r26il5LizPbOzvJ_adNd4Y9KmK7bmUX_c1pyw2pOpphazLtW05zQwUL8g0jMwFG91uzE0EOZuynucKVRCosKuOXe-JfsiF3ZHCX/s1600/9-11+skyline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoerOsSGM9mn6Tjn5Taq7HX9FWdzDxzgfqTtt_IuwM4r26il5LizPbOzvJ_adNd4Y9KmK7bmUX_c1pyw2pOpphazLtW05zQwUL8g0jMwFG91uzE0EOZuynucKVRCosKuOXe-JfsiF3ZHCX/s320/9-11+skyline.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I was sound asleep in my bed, or at least trying to be. One of my roommates had already departed for class, and the other was clunking around in the bathroom, oblivious to the fact that I was still in bed. I dozed off as best as I could, until she popped into my room, a worried look on her face, and the phone in her hands. It was for me.<br />
<br />
"Hello?" I said groggily.<br />
"Hey, it's me," my newly minted ex-boyfriend said. "Turn on your TV. Now."<br />
"Why?" I growled.<br />
"Just do it," he said. <br />
"I'm already doing it." I mumbled irritatedly, stumbling into the living room. Even though the breakup was mostly mutual, it was still hard to hear his voice and know that we were finished. Leela already had the TV on, sound muted with closed captioning running as always, her lips moving along as she read the words aloud softly.<br />
<br />
I nearly dropped the phone as my hand flew to mouth.<br />
<br />
"Holy f*ck," I said. "What <i>happened</i>?"<br />
<br />
That is the question we all asked for hours, days, weeks, months, and even years later.<br />
<br />
My roommates and I sat numbly around the television as the chaos unfolded. One tower fell, then the second. We cried silently as we watched footage of people jumping from the higher floors, determined to let their end be of their own choosing. We stumbled through the day in a fog, seeking the comfort of routine as we went to class. One professor asked us gently if we wanted him to teach, if it would help, but despite our best efforts, the lecture dissolved into nothing. One girl left the room in tears and we flipped the TV back on, desperate for more information.<br />
<br />
<br />
I have not personally met or known someone who lost a loved one in the 9/11 attacks, but I have yet to meet a person who was not affected by those attacks in some way. Ten years later, the horror and shock have dissipated. The grief is gone, replaced by a dull ache for things long gone. Those of us old enough to understand what happened that day live with one eye over our shoulder. We live in fear of each other, of people different from us. We live a modern day witch hunt. We live in an age when security is tightened with each passing day, in an effort to keep up safe. I mourn the fact that my children will never bear witness to some of the things I experienced as a child because they are now deemed threats to our safety. They will become the "I walked two miles in the snow, uphill, both ways" stories of my generation. Those stories start with "Before 9/11..."<br />
<br />
Is that what it was like when Jesus walked the earth? Did they tell stories the same way we do now? "I remember, before Jesus died..." Or how about Pearl Harbor? Or when the atomic bomb dropped? Or when the plague swept through the Europe? Or the Inquisition? It seems that we as a species mark our timelines with milestones of horror. We are forever comparing our lives to before and after that moment when the world stopped spinning and we all become acutely aware of our mortality and the value of life. It's almost as if we consider these events to be the passage into adulthood, that moment when we lose our innocence and awaken to the brutality of the world. It makes me wonder what event will transpire in my daughter's lifetime to precipitate the loss of her innocence. What kind of brutal world will she wake up to?<br />
<br />
As we all take time to remember this day in our past, I pray for a better tomorrow.<br />
<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-58627767992390515442011-08-21T22:01:00.002-05:002011-09-06T20:59:23.140-05:00Comfort CookiesThe day started out like any other Sunday. Got up early, volunteered at church, spent the afternoon doing chores and whatnot. School here in Austin starts tomorrow and I promised my best friend to help her finish the last of the tasks for her classroom. As I was getting into her car, my phone rang and I saw it was my mom. Too much was happening in that moment, so I let it slide to voicemail.<br />
<br />
Two hours later when I finally check my messages, tears sprang to my eyes as I heard my mom's voice:<br />
"Honey, it's your mom. I wanted to call and let you know that your grandmother passed away in her sleep last night. Call your dad when you get a chance." My best friend looked over at me from the driver's seat.<br />
"What is it?" she asked.<br />
My voice trembled. "My grandmother died."<br />
My friend was silent and the tears fell from my eyes as the realization of what I said out loud hit me. "I hadn't seen her in forever. I was going to take PTO on Wednesday and go visit her." I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to think clearly. The kids in the backseat took notice and my friend's son piped up.<br />
"Mommy, what's wrong with Auntie Kelly?"<br />
"Auntie Kelly is sad, buddy. She got a very sad message."<br />
<br />
The next few hours went by in a blur. We picked up my husband from work, started dinner, got settled in for the evening. I suddenly had the urge to bake cookies, something I hadn't done in a couple of months. It's been so hot and I got burned out on baking that I'd been taking a sabbatical from it. But all of sudden, it was damn important that I make those cookies. So important, I sent my husband to the store to go get eggs (I'd hardboiled the remaining ones earlier in the afternoon) and I ended up making my own brown sugar instead of sending him back out again for more.<br />
<br />
Creaming butter and sugar and eggs together, I was taken back to the first time I made cookies with my grandmother. I remembered the feel of her hand on mine as we held the hand mixer together. I could hear her voice, a hint of Texas drawl as she issues instructions to me.<br />
<br />
As I pulled the vanilla and baking soda from the cupboard, I saw chocolate pudding mix, muffin mix, cake mix, and other baking essentials stored there. I could see so clearly my grandmother's own cupboard; it was always full of the necessary items to make up a batch of cookies or a cake or jello. I loved spending time at her house during the summer because it meant I got to make something in the kitchen! I shook my head as I realized that I had inadvertently been storing things the way she did.<br />
<br />
As the dough finally come together, I licked the batter from the spoon. The combination of salt and sweet mixed with the taste of my tears as they sprang unbidden from my eyes. I scooped a huge piece of dough, shoved it in my mouth and ran for the bedroom, where I crumpled to the floor and bawled as I simultaneously savored the fresh dough melting in my mouth. All of my memories with her came flooding through my brain in a torrent.<br />
<br />
I've lost many relatives over the years, but none has hit me like the loss of my grandmother. Both of my families of origin haven't been the best at keeping up with each other. We have a tendency to let our human imperfections get the best of us and go long periods without speaking to one another or not at all. I haven't been the best granddaughter. In fact, I was a terrible one. I lived in the same city, a mere 20 minutes away from her, and yet I visited with her but once or twice a year. In college, just after my grandmother was diagnosed with congenital heart failure, my aunt paid me to visit my grandmother and help her with the cleaning and chores once a week. I spent my Saturday mornings scrubbing and vacuuming and running laundry. Consumed by my own youthful ignorance and emotional issues, I selfishly bowed out. I know that we shouldn't look back with regret on our actions, but that is one action I regret. And it's not that I regret missing out on that time with her. I regret the fact that I let shame and guilt from that decision wound me so deeply that I would go months in between visits when I was older and rediscovered the value of my grandmother. Had I been a bit wiser, a bit older, and a bit more compassionate, those mornings could have been some of the best I'd ever had.<br />
<br />
In the last couple of years, I really tried to overcome that deep rooted self hatred and try to visit with her more often, but it didn't happen as nearly as much as I had hoped. But despite the fact that I rarely visited her, my grandmother was never far from my thoughts. I thought about her all the time, I prayed for her all the time, and I would call her more often than I visited. <br />
<br />
The last time I called her, it was her birthday last Wednesday.<br />
"You made it to 91!" I teased her.<br />
"I sure did," she said, the tiredness evident in her voice.<br />
"Think you'll make it to 92?" I asked. She laughed.<br />
"I didn't think I'd make it this far. We'll see," she said.<br />
<br />
We chatted for a good thirty minutes about a whole lot of what seemed like nothing. Our recent vacation to South Dakota. Her recent game of dominoes. The things my daughter was up to and the remarkable cheeky things she's been saying. Her doctor's visit. I wished her happy birthday and she asked me to come visit her. I told her I had PTO I needed to burn, and that I was going to take some time this week. I asked her when would be a good time to visit and she said anytime but Tuesday - she had a doctor's visit and she was hosting dominoes. I promised to call her Monday and let her know when I would make it - Wednesday or Thursday.<br />
<br />
I booked that time off and I made a note to call her, but apparently, the Big Man Upstairs had other plans.<br />
<br />
I wish she would have waited just another week. I know it's incredibly selfish to say that, but I wanted to visit with her one last time. I was going to make a blueberry lemon loaf and we were going to enjoy afternoon tea together. We were going to chat about her past, the things happening in my life now. We were going to sit and do crosswords or put together a jigsaw puzzle. Such mundane little things, but they would have meant the world to me, especially if it was the last time we spent together.<br />
<br />
My cousin got married the day she died. My uncle knew something wasn't right when he kept calling to give her updates and she didn't answer. Maw Maw was a night owl; she never went to bed before midnight unless she wasn't feeling well. My aunt sent her husband to check on Maw Maw the next morning. I can't imagine what that phone call must have been like for my aunt.<br />
<br />
Fast forward several hours later and I'm sitting on my bedroom floor, tears running down my cheeks and my chest heaving. My daughter enters and burrows her way into my arms and we both cry. She has no idea why I'm crying, just that I'm sad and she's sad too. God bless that little heart of hers! Billa proceeded to cover me with all of her blankies and stuff every single one of her most treasured dolls and stuffed animals into my arms in an attempt to make me feel better. I felt all the more terrible for having to explain to her why I was sad.<br />
<br />
"Billa, do you remember Maw Maw?" She nods. I took a deep breath. "Baby, Mommy is sad because Maw Maw died."<br />
"Maw Maw gone?" she asked.<br />
"Yes," I whispered. "She's gone to be with Jesus."<br />
"Oh," she replies. "Maw Maw was sick?"<br />
"Yes. She was very sick."<br />
"Oh." She digests this for a moment and then hugs me before continuing to shower me with every comforting object she possesses. This in turn makes me cry harder and finally, my husband ushers out of the room to let me be.<br />
<br />
In the darkening bedroom, the taste of cookie dough still on my tongue, I weep for the woman I called my grandmother. I weep for the loss of my last grandparent. I weep for the regret and shame that has cracked my heart in two. I weep for lost opportunities. And yet...<br />
<br />
The motto associated with my maiden name is <i>Dum spero, spiro</i> - while I have breath, I have hope. My grandmother was very lonely at the end of her life, her children and grandchildren and great grandchildren spread far and wide. But she was loved. And she was strong. She lasted eight years longer than the doctors gave her, even surviving a bout of breast cancer. She survived an abusive husband and birthed six children. She lived a very long life, and produced some of the most intelligent, compassionate, kindest, funniest, creative people I know. Her life was comprised of many salty moments, and so many sweet. Chocolate and butter and salt and sugar finally fade from my tongue as I savor that last thought.<br />
<br />
<br />
Maw Maw may not be among the living, but she will always be in my thoughts, in my heart, and in every cookie I make.<br />
<br />
Rest in peace, Maw Maw. I love you!<br />
<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-66838373674288566132011-07-05T22:46:00.000-05:002011-07-05T22:46:49.912-05:00SOUND OFF: The Justice SystemThey announced today the verdict in the Casey Anthony trial: not guilty. To be honest, I'm not surprised. And in an even more honest admittance, I'm actually relieved.<br />
<br />
Before you get your panties in a bunch, hear me out. I've been following the case for weeks, reading just about every article on who was testifying, what evidence was presented, and the commentary about it all. My gut tells me that the jury chose correctly. They were presented with evidence, a lot of it circumstantial, a lot of it conflicting, and at the end of the day, they had to make a decision about a woman's crimes based on the facts they were given.<br />
<br />
Do I think Casey Anthony murdered her daughter? No. Is she responsible for the child's death? Yes, I think so. Looking at pictures of Casey and Caylee and reading the testimony of her former friends and lovers, I see a young mom who struggled with motherhood, but ultimately loved her daughter. I don't see her as a person who would coldly calculate and premeditate the murder of her baby. I do see her as a person who practiced poor judgment. She drank a lot, partied a lot, spent the night with lovers and sometimes brought Caylee with her on those excursions. While those actions in and of themselves are not always bad, in excess they can lead to poor decisions. And in Casey's case, they most certainly did.<br />
<br />
But did the jury make the wrong decision? Did they fail at their job? I don't think so and that's why it really frustrates me that a lot of people have already convicted Casey of murder a thousand times over in their minds. The justice system doesn't work on emotions. God help us if opinions from Nancy Grace, gossip columnists, or political pundits are ever entered as evidence in trials; when that happens, you best hie theeself down to your bomb shelter because that is a blinking neon sign that America is ending, friends. (And don't get me started on Nancy Grace; she is entitled to her opinion, but please, take the time to do your research and form your own thoughts before following a sensationalist news anchor.) I have to laugh when I read comments on the web along the lines of "Those jurors didn't do their job!" Ahem, actually, they did. People want to have their cake and eat it too, but if Casey were to be declared guilty today, then it would be a very sad day for democracy and America both. The legal system was set up in a way in which a judgment could be passed down without an emotional taint. We are to remain innocent until proven guilty. Be glad that the system worked properly today! <br />
<br />
For those of you who wish that Caylee would get justice, know this: the rest of Casey's life is going to be hard. Very hard. She will be sentenced for lying to investigators and hampering a murder investigation. She will still serve time. She still has to deal with the defamation lawsuit with Zenaida Gonzalez as well as any other legalities stemming from the money she stole from former friends. When she gets out of jail, she will be hard pressed to find a job or a home. She will be very lonely as most of her friends, and even her own family have deserted her (which on another note, if it's a parent's job to love their daughter no matter what and support her, then it's no wonder that she wasn't the greatest mom herself. Look at how her family has treated her during the entire thing!). <br />
<br />
And while that may not sound like it's that bad, Casey must live with the truth of Caylee's death on her heart every day until she dies.<br />
<br />
My friends, today proved that justice does exist. It just might not be the way you hoped for. Imagine if things went the other way: Casey would have most likely received a death sentence, where she would wait on death row for years, receiving shelter, food, and other amenities at the expense of taxpayers until her number came up. She wouldn't have to deal with the public. She wouldn't have to get a job to pay back the legal fees and lawsuits. She'd sponge off the rest of society. And when she was finally executed, it would be as painless and humane as possible. Is that really justice for Caylee? This way is much better, because it will serve to remind a young woman of her mistakes every day. It will force her to examine her actions and accept the consequences for them. She will have to grow up and be a big girl. And who knows? Mama always said the Lord works in mysterious ways; perhaps he saw fit to give Casey another chance to atone for her sins through suffering. I can only hope that she will recognize this opportunity for what it could be, and make the best of it.<br />
<br />
<br />
Thoughtfully,<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-80013548314859989152011-07-02T09:07:00.000-05:002011-07-04T09:39:10.593-05:00Billa Babble: It's cool!I've been catching up on Doctor Who, which I neglected because I just couldn't bear the thought of having to finally say goodbye to David Tennant as the Doctor [sad sigh]. But now that I've fallen in love with Matt Smith, I am eagerly awaiting Season 6 on DVD so that I can catch up on that! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhcPIRwWsCrKt2hsFViuk7Bus2Chr-lNH0-U3hjiUuPohjhTUvuos8tySSOmDhfFuNZrTsrpx8evj-ZvorEugLJODbtcbBiptUwvL1WVAgXyu_9VkWQpogP29lnyzBytGpHTl-MtORpWO/s1600/Bow_ties_are_Cool_by_Whatyawant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhcPIRwWsCrKt2hsFViuk7Bus2Chr-lNH0-U3hjiUuPohjhTUvuos8tySSOmDhfFuNZrTsrpx8evj-ZvorEugLJODbtcbBiptUwvL1WVAgXyu_9VkWQpogP29lnyzBytGpHTl-MtORpWO/s320/Bow_ties_are_Cool_by_Whatyawant.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <a href="http://whatyawant.deviantart.com/art/Bow-ties-are-Cool-166770098">The 11th Doctor and his companion Amy Pond</a></span></div><br />
I mention the good doctor, because he has a penchant for talking about how cool things are and it reminds me of some of Billa's choice phrases to reveal her enthusiasm. Case in point:<br />
<br />
Mommy: Billa, what's that?<br />
Billa: It's a [insert item here]. It's cool.<br />
<br />
OR:<br />
<br />
<br />
Mommy: Hey, Billa, I got this for you [random object]. <br />
Billa: Wow, dat's cool!<br />
<br />
OR:<br />
<br />
<br />
Mommy: Billa, we're going to go to [insert location here].<br />
Billa: ALL RIGHT!!! [happy dance commences]<br />
And it's pretty much just about everything that gets her excited these days, whether we're going to a friend's house, Target, or the doctor's office (not that Doctor, boo). Heaven forbid we go to the foodstore though; that apparently doesn't rank high on the cool factor scale for her, unless she gets a chocolate milk afterward and then that *might* be cool. Whatever. Maybe it's just as well!<br />
<br />
I'm hoping that she'll add other words to her vocabulary, like 'awesome' or 'rad'. I think 'rad' needs a comeback, don't you?<br />
<br />
That's all for now!<br />
<br />
Radically yours,<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-20947313231776619242011-06-30T20:45:00.000-05:002011-06-30T20:45:00.179-05:00This One's For You, PopOk, so this story is for my dad.<br />
<br />
Dad and I are two peas in a pod sometimes. We have the same interests, the same hobbies, the same illnesses and ailments.<br />
<br />
So this evening, I'm suffering from a cold. My nose is raw from all the dripping and draining and sneezing and I finally got to the point where I shoved tissue up my nose because I couldn't handle it dripping or blowing it anymore. Of course, Billa saw me.<br />
<br />
"Mommy, you have [mumble mumble something slightly unintelligible] boo-kers?"<br />
"Yes, Mommy has lots of mocos {boogers, en espanol}."<br />
"Mommy have big boo-kers?"<br />
"Yeah. So Mommy shoved tissue up her nose to keep them from coming out."<br />
"Oh." [Pause] "Like Papa?"<br />
<br />
Michael and I burst out laughing then. Like I said, Dad and I are two peas in a pod. When our allergies get really bad, the kleenex plugs come out. (Hey, don't hate! Appreciate!) I hadn't realized she'd ever seen him do that, much less make that association.<br />
<br />
Leave it to the kiddo to know how to make mommy laugh.<br />
<br />
And there ya go, Pop. Hope you enjoyed that little nugget!<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-69246267453005354432011-06-13T22:10:00.000-05:002011-06-13T22:10:30.607-05:00Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop: Thief in the NightI lay in the dark, listening to the digital clock tick away the seconds. <br />
<br />
What's that you say? Digital clocks don't tick? I beg to differ. Pregnancy heightens one's senses, allowing a woman to perform feats of strength that would leave Superman sobbing like a little girl. <br />
Digital clocks tick away the seconds (I dare you to challenge a pregnant woman's logic–you're either extremely sadistic or extremely stupid).<br />
<br />
I lay there, listening to the digital seconds tick by when my mommysense detected a noise outside. I sat bolt upright, every muscle in my body on high alert. The clock read 4 a.m. and I was alone.<br />
<br />
My imagination raced, trying to determine the source of the noise. Somewhere in the back of my head where rationality hibernated, my practical self was churning through an old research paper I'd studied in college about the brain's processes when determining unknown noises, reminiscing about synapses and data assimilation. Practical Self tried to soothe Pregnant Self, that it was probably a possum or raccoon, they're common in this rural area of Texas, and nothing more. Pregnant Self shot Practical Self "The Look" and Practical Self mumbled about something in the oven before hightailing it back to the inner recesses of my brain. Pregnant Self then determined the source of the noise to be a burglar. <br />
<br />
I sprang from bed and turned on every light in the apartment, electric bill be damned. I checked, rechecked, and re-rechecked every lock and window to make sure they were secure. My mind racing and unable to fall asleep, my blurry thoughts turned to arming myself. I waddled back to the bedroom and dug under the mattress for my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shillelagh_%28club%29">shillelagh</a>. I crouched under the covers in the blazing bright lights of my bedroom, shillelagh in hand and waited.<br />
<br />
The mind is a terrible thing to waste, you know, and despite the irrationality of my Pregnant Self, it was loathe to waste it's mind. In those wee morning hours, my pregnant brain slapped together a plan of action should a burglar enter the house. I just needed to hold out until daylight. But wait, I thought...when daylight came, I'd leave for work. And what if the burglar came then!? Holy crap, what if the burglar was waiting for me to leave so they could steal all my stuff?! Then what?!<br />
<br />
I waddled out of the bedroom and surveyed our tiny apartment and quickly appraised all of our worldy goods. The Xbox, TV, DVD player, our year old Apple computer, the printer, my straightening iron (those things aren't cheap, you know!), all just sitting there screaming to be taken. I'd be damned if I was going to let anyone think they could take advantage of a pregnant woman! I racked my brain and stumbled on an idea--I'd record all of the serial numbers and carve my driver's license number into the back of everything. That way, if the burglar made off with it, I'd be able to recover it since the cops would be able to trace it at the pawn shops. And just to be safe, I was going to backup all of our files from the Mac so that if the burglar got mad and broke the computer in a fit of anger from not being able to guess my password, I'd at least have that. <i><br />
</i><br />
<br />
So there I was at 4 am, clutching my shillelagh and burning CD's like a madwoman, chortling to myself about how clever I was. I heaved and pushed and pulled all of the heavy electronics equipment and diligently recorded all of the serial numbers, product numbers, and hand carved my driver's license number into the back of it all. By the time dawn stretched it's rosy fingers across the hills, I was crawling back to bed, shillelagh held tight in my swollen hands, my mind finally at rest. <br />
<br />
That burglar must have decided I was just too clever for him, because he never did break in.<br />
<br />
He broke into my trash can instead. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfGwC4d_VO-TjE-F6jYtLADNpqq-NxJ28E6n1_ypHjyzVUcMBPDhGGob-6ZRd7SosNUIGtblM0Eaeh613jazrVijUpL6iNs1jcLlqZrAF9ORRCVgZqTMqQDVhjobaHUM4WmOFw4JpHzVC/s1600/SuperStock_4039-27595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfGwC4d_VO-TjE-F6jYtLADNpqq-NxJ28E6n1_ypHjyzVUcMBPDhGGob-6ZRd7SosNUIGtblM0Eaeh613jazrVijUpL6iNs1jcLlqZrAF9ORRCVgZqTMqQDVhjobaHUM4WmOFw4JpHzVC/s400/SuperStock_4039-27595.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Yeah. But hey, at least I'd finally backed up all of my files!<br />
<br />
<i>This post is part of <a href="http://www.mamakatslosinit.com/writers-workshop-directions/">Mama Kat's Writing Workshop</a>. When I saw this prompt, I died laughing, because what pregnant woman DIDN'T have a moment like this? The prompt is: "Barefoot and hormonal...describe an incident that upset you when you were pregnant, but now looking back makes you laugh." And for the record, yes, I really did wake up at an ungodly hour and proceed to document the serial numbers of all our electronics and back up our computer before heading back to bed. Bless my husband, when I showed him my handiwork the next day, he just shook his head and told me to call him at work next time I was worried. And also for the record, I learned that handy little trick about serial numbers and DL's on your stuff from the cops. Growing up, my house was broken into twice, and after the first time, they told us to do that to all our stuff. It actually worked, because that was how they caught the thief the second time around!</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-63290837136665628732011-06-11T14:33:00.000-05:002011-06-11T14:33:23.145-05:00Summer Project - Kitchen Cabinet RedoApartments are great, especially if you're not ready to commit to a house and take care of your own lawn, pest problems, and fix the AC when it's broken. They're not great if you like to decorate and customize your home (unless you live somewhere, like NYC, where you actually BUY apartments instead of rent them).<br />
<br />
I've been living in apartments for the last ten years and I think I've gotten pretty clever at learning how to adapt my space and floorplan into something less college dorm and more Better Homes and Garden worthy. My current floorplan in one of the best I've lived in–it may be small at approximately 700 sq. ft, but I've managed to make it work so far. We got rid of a lot of things and rethought how to do certain things, like a desk space (we have a built in desk, but it's awkwardly placed across from the kitchen that it's just not feasible for much beyond a bar and craft supply storage) and creating 'rooms' out of a large common area (living, dining, and play). <br />
<br />
Since Michael and I got back together and he moved back in late last year, we've been on a quest to organize and downsize, since the space is so small and room is limited. I decided to start with the kitchen and while the majority of it is organized, I felt it needed just a little bit more color and oomph. Since it's an apartment, I can't really take out or paint the cabinets, so I did the next best thing...decorate them!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/?action=view&current=100_6638.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="232" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/100_6638.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I measured my cabinet fronts and then took some pretty contact paper I found at Target and cut it to fit. Then after cleaning the cabinet fronts (to remove any grease...it is the kitchen afterall!), I peeled it off and stuck it to the front. I think it made a huge improvement and my kitchen is so much happier now!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/?action=view&current=100_6639.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="172" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/100_6639.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Yes, my kitchen is a little cluttered....work in progress, people!</i></div><br />
What do you think?<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-71054693092489944692011-06-08T19:13:00.005-05:002011-06-11T13:27:53.566-05:00Summer Afternoon FunSince we only have one car right now, I work from home on Tuesdays since Michael has really long (and early) shifts at work. That means that Billa is with me on those days and it can be hard to keep her occupied while I'm busy managing my projects. By the time 4:30 rolls around and I log off, I know I need to do SOMETHING to occupy the munchkin while Daddy takes a much-needed nap...she's usually bouncing off the walls!<br />
<br />
On one such recent Tuesday, we built tall towers with our blocks.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/?action=view&current=100_6580.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/100_6580.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Yes, that tower is nearly as tall as she is!</i></div><br />
We went downstairs and drew with sidewalk chalk. Then we raced around the building and up and down the stairs several times. <br />
<br />
Finally exhausted by all that action, we came home and sat on the patio to enjoy a popsicle.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/?action=view&current=100_6583.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/100_6583.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(By the way, the tat on her arm is "giant purple horse" aka a purple unicorn–kid loves her ink!)</i></div><br />
To my knowledge, it was Billa’s first ever popsicle and she was in LURVE! I bought a popsicle mold last summer when they were on sale and I know now that I need to start coming up with some fun recipes for us to try. I know she’s going to enjoy helping me making and eating them!<br />
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We had a fun afternoon killing some time and now that we live in a building with lots of shade around it, I’m actually looking forward to summer afternoons outside now!<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-44962372591567789222011-06-06T23:04:00.000-05:002011-06-06T23:04:51.065-05:00Bloggety Bloggety BlogI've been a bit of a terrible blogger lately. I only have four followers, half of whom I question whether they really follow me or not, so I figure it's not that big of a deal. Not that it really matters in the grand scheme of things; I would love more followers, but I guess one has to post more often (and more interesting material) in order to garner a following. I've always marched to the beat of my own drum anyway, so forgive me if my tune is a little more chaotic than normal right now!<br />
<br />
I have lots of pictures I need to post, but I keep finding things to distract myself with instead of working on uploading and editing them. Work, mommyhood, playing chauffeur (having one car in our family is humbling and wonderful and frustrating all at once), more work, baking stuff, birthdays, cleaning, Pinterest, reading, work, and random nothingness. I'm pretty good at that last one. No matter how hard I try sometimes, I often find myself easily distracted from something that I really want to do. Some wise person out there might say that the task in question isn't something I really want to do, but that's not it. It's fear, really. I don't do what I want to do, because I'm afraid of failing miserably. Or succeeding and then failing miserably. Blech. I've been working on that with my therapist, but I still have a long way to go.<br />
<br />
I've been thinking lately, that I'd love to take the blog in a new direction. I love sharing Billa stories, but with so many other mommy blogs out there, it's kind of hard to make oneself stand out. That, of course, begs the age old question as to what the purpose of standing out will serve, but it's nice to be validated. I'm not, by the way, looking for validation on my Billa stories or my own existence. Ok, well maybe a little, but I don't need a blog to do it. Besides, as entertaining as my daughter is, I'm not nearly as good at relaying the stories in written word as I am in person. Blogging killed the live performer.<br />
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I know, I sound so cryptic. Forgive me. It's just one of those evenings, where everything was so nice and peaceful, and then that little niggling thought crept into my brain and tickled something there that made me introspective and thoughtful and a bit morose. I do this a lot, actually, just not publicly on a blog. I figure, what the hey, it doesn't matter. I'm not running for president anytime soon. Believe me, I'm the last person you'd want in office. I think my efforts to change the world would be better spent speaking softly (something I'm still working on, ha!) and carrying a big stick. Maybe I won't carry the big stick. I never did like violence much, despite my past propensity to yell and throw things. <br />
<br />
Pinterest has tickled my crafty creative side quite a bit lately. I even went out and got some lumber for a project I wanted to do. Guess where it's at? Yep, sitting against the dining room wall. It's not a huge complicated project, but my energy puttered out. I got distracted. Welcome to the story of my life right now! Now if I could write an award winning and million copy selling book on that, I'd be made. <br />
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Speaking of books, I've been trying to read 111 books by the end of the year, but now I'm seriously doubting if that will happen. I could cheat and read kid's books, but there's no challenge in that. Last year would have been easy. But with all my distractions and everything else, I am finding myself lacking in time to get anything done. I need to really buckle down and get organized because the quiet chaos that is my life is getting kinda crazy. Oy!<br />
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Well, I suppose I've created quite a post now. Not much of one, but again, my four followers aren't complaining, lol. I will resolve to try and get those pictures at least uploaded, even if I don't put them in a post. And I'll think about the direction of the blog. And my writing. And my life! Yeah, definitely, all of the above.<br />
<br />
Good night, dear friends! May flights of angels sing thee to thy sleep!<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-8098428682974258082011-05-24T17:15:00.001-05:002011-05-24T17:15:00.586-05:00Pinterest<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>I am soooo addicted to <a href="http://pinterest.com/all/">Pinterest</a>!<span> </span>I’d heard of it before, but I never really looked into it until the other day when I had a little bit of free time during Billa’s nap to catch up on my blogs.<span> </span>A blogger mentioned an item from it and when I clicked through, my world was rocked forever.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>If you’re like me, you’re always collecting little tidbits and snippets of things that catch your eye: a crafty idea, a pretty picture, an awesome quote.<span> </span>Michael and I are notorious Googlers; we’ll Google some of the most random things and could spend hours researching and reading about them.<span> </span>Oftentimes we bookmark it so we don’t forget and can come back to it.<span> </span>Don’t ask to look at our Bookmarks folder,<span> </span>because it is SCARY.<span> </span>Pinterest to the rescue!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjaMj0PKaRD9XNnYlclXHiziU9A75HOEwS2rujq-bs0QAIcxLeyeWcTSXn7fAV1IInfOP7xSBI0q2_HqTNp3fETLmDO1lU-TBhavnhtudqc-4Cw5ZNFL_Y-Gul5d1rYS0rWO073IBqjqBS/s1600/pinterest+screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjaMj0PKaRD9XNnYlclXHiziU9A75HOEwS2rujq-bs0QAIcxLeyeWcTSXn7fAV1IInfOP7xSBI0q2_HqTNp3fETLmDO1lU-TBhavnhtudqc-4Cw5ZNFL_Y-Gul5d1rYS0rWO073IBqjqBS/s400/pinterest+screenshot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> <i>The Pinterest homepage</i></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>With Pinterest, you basically download this tool into your browser toolbar at the top.<span> </span>As you scour the interwebs, when you see something you like, you “pin” it to your board, which compiles a catalog of all those pins and tracks back to where you found them.<span> </span>And the cool thing is it has a Facebook-like air to it; you can follow other people’s boards and repin things that you like from theirs.<span> </span>You can also comment, like something, etc.<span> </span>I could spend HOURS on Pinterest.<span> I admit that I already have.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>As it is, I have several boards already.<span> </span>Interior design, crafty ideas, cakes and cookies, etc.<span> I make a board for a</span>nything and everything that gives me inspiration.<span> </span>So if I’m feeling a little parched in the creativity department, I need only pop into Pinterest and get those creative juices revved and flowing.<span> </span>The fastest way to join is to receive an invite from someone who is already on Pinterest.<span> </span>Otherwise, you submit your email address and name and wait for them to send you an invite to join, which can take a couple of weeks.<span> </span>I’m not really sure why they do that, but whatever.<span> </span>I got a quicker invite by liking them on Facebook and posting a request for someone to invite me. The site is freaking amazing and if you’re the smallest bit creative, you're going to love it!<span> </span>Not to mention, it’s really nice to clear out that bookmark folder finally. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Pinningly yours, </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Kelly</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-23381601467884376542011-05-22T14:31:00.000-05:002011-05-22T14:31:42.340-05:00SOUND OFF: 3D Movies SuckI love just about every movie I've ever seen, except horror flicks, because I absolutely cannot stand paying good money or wasting precious time to watch people get hacked up simply because the director and producers have some sort of sadistic streak that they are trying to play out without getting sentenced to jail. Ick. If I want to be scared, I'll go ride a roller coaster. Or try rappelling off a tall tower. At least then I'll be scared and empowered!<br />
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Michael and I celebrated our 5th anniversary by going out to dinner and the movies. We both really wanted to see Thor, but the only showing that worked with our schedule was a 3D version. I gotta tell you, we loved the movie. Go see Thor. It's fun, exciting, sweet, campy and well directed (love you Kenneth Brannagh!). Don't see it in 3D, however. In fact, please don't see any movie in 3D. This is a fad that needs to die and quickly!<br />
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We've only seen one other movie in 3D (TRON, an equally amazing movie!) and when we came out of that one, I had a migraine for a day and a half. It's bad enough that I have issues watching movies in pitch black theatres thanks to my eyes doing weird things, but having to wear plastic glasses on top of it was a nightmare. But we soldiered on thinking that maybe it was just the dark colors of TRON that made it hard. Nope. It's just 3D.<br />
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Your eye naturally skims everything in lightning fast pace across everything it sees. It's so fast, you don't realize you do it...until you see a movie in 3D. Then, you're stuck having to fixate your vision on spot of the screen in order to see anything in focus and then you miss out on all the awesome detail that the CGI guys put together for you. You're continually forcing yourself to stop that skimming and in turn, you not only miss the detail, you miss parts of the movie because you're too busy trying to focus on what's happening on screen. <br />
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If you've ever worn glasses, you know that when you wear them you have a limited field of vision. You don't really have peripheral vision, especially if you're almost legally blind like my best friend. When you wear the 3D glasses from the theatre, you get that same field of vision. They're supposed to be one size fits all, but these were so poorly fitting that I couldn't see big chunks of the screen thanks to the limited field of vision. I love details in a movie and I was so bummed that I couldn't take it all in. I'm gonna buy the dang movie when it releases on DVD anyway, but still. First impressions mean a lot, Hollywood!<br />
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And don't get me started on the price! We were fortunate to be using a gift card from Christmas, but even then, $30 for a pair of movie tickets moves beyond ridiculous to redonculous. Especially when I can't even really watch the movie because my head and eyes hurt the whole time! For $30, we could have gone to <a href="http://drafthouse.com/">Alamo Drafthouse</a> and had dinner, drinks and movie tickets all in one (and if you don't live in Austin, Houston, or Virginia where they have Drafthouses, my condolences). We recently bought our first Blu-Ray, which inevitably included a 3D Blu Ray version of the movie. We'll never be able to watch that disc unless we drop a couple grand on a 3D hi-def TV, and a few extra hundred dollars on all the components, like 3D glasses and cables and such. <br />
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Honestly, I don't understand why 3D is such a big deal. If you ask me, it's a huge marketing ploy and a rip off. I don't go to the movies to necessarily see special effects (although it doesn't hurt, like with fantasy or sci-fi flicks, of course!); I go for the story and to be entertained. If I leave a movie theatre feeling stressed, then why bother going at all. Apparently I missed the memo that rephrased entertainment to mean "make your head and eyeballs hurt, stress you out, and make you feel guilty for spending money on something ridiculous." If I wanted to feel guilty, I just need to feed my kid candy for dinner. Much cheaper! Whenever I see 3D movies, I am not entertained. I'm just pissed off. <br />
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Hollywood, if you're listening at all, please go back to the basics. Our world is too full of worries and woes enough as it is. Please do us all a favor and let us find a happy escape in your embrace! Or at the very least, take all the extra dough made from ripping us off and donate it to charity for good causes.<br />
<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-80705634717563007322011-05-20T12:10:00.000-05:002011-05-20T12:10:03.206-05:00Five YearsThis time last year my subconscious was beginning to wonder if Michael and I would make it to today, our fifth wedding anniversary. <br />
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Three months later, I consciously mourned the fact that I would never get to celebrate another anniversary with the man I so fiercely loved and hated all at once. <br />
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Today, I am eternally grateful that I was given, no...that WE were given another chance to get here. It has been a long, hard, sometimes gutwrenching and terrifying road to get here, but I am glad it happened. I am glad I am here. I'm glad he's here. And I am more than glad that we are walking that road together. Already the bumps are smoothing out and the road is becoming more pleasant!<br />
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Tonight, my mother in law will be hosting Billa for a sleepover while Michael and I go out to a fancy dinner and a movie to celebrate this momentous occasion. I'm looking forward to spending some time with Michael without a three year old wunderkind jabbering/bouncing/swinging/screaming/climbing/asking/snuggling around us.<br />
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Tomorrow, we'll continue to take steps on our journey, hand in hand.<br />
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Here's to another five and then some!<br />
<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-81281676216518852452011-05-16T21:35:00.000-05:002011-05-16T21:35:13.590-05:00Who's been lazy?Ooh, ooh–me! Me, me me!!!<br />
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Ok, to be fair, my therapist would tell me that I haven't been lazy, my energy has simply been focused elsewhere. It's not like I was sitting on my bum doing absolutely nothing for almost two weeks. Although if I could figure out how to do that without driving myself insane, I'd be all over that like white on rice.<br />
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Instead, my energies were diverted to my trip to Chicago for training. Part of my recent promotion involved heading to the Windy City (well, one of it's suburbs anyway) for a whole week to edumacate myself on how my company does project management. It was a lot of fun when I got there, but the few days leading up were kinda hectic. Packing, worrying that the plane might drop out of the sky (I really hate flying), cleaning, making sure that Billa and Michael would be ok, worrying that I'd experience airplane ear and my head would explode, worrying that something would happen to Billa and Michael, unpacking and repacking, and more worrying. The plane didn't fall out of the sky (duh), and Billa and Michael were fine. I did experience one helluva case of airplane ear, but my head didn't explode. I lost my hearing for about a day and experienced intense migraines, but that was all. I need to find me some earplugs for next time I fly [shiver]. I did get a chance to visit with one of my relatives who live there and to visit Millennium Park for an hour or so before I flew out. I gotta say, Chicago in the springtime is GORGEOUS! <br />
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I also celebrated my very first 29th birthday! Next year, I will be celebrating the first anniversary of my 29th birthday. I spent the momentous occasion getting a mani and pedi, shopping, and eating junk food until I could burst. And the best part was that I did it all by myself. Not that I required assistance for these things. Sometimes all a girl wants is some alone time, ya know? My presents included a new case for my iPad, a super cute laptop bag for my new work computer, and the pedi/mani. My mother in law gave me a really neat solar powered butterfly for the garden that glows at night and Michael's grandmother gave me a fun little ceramic cross that she had for years. All in all, turning 29 for the first time felt pretty good! Most of my friends and family were all out of town or otherwise occupado, so there is still more birthday shenanigans to be had this month, hooray!<br />
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Mother's Day was equally nice. I baked enough to feed a small army and then had half the brunch attendees cancel on me due to some stomach bug. Oh well. It was a lovely morning with just us and Michael's mum. Michael and Billa both got me jewelry; Michael gave me a long necklace made of bluish black pearls that I can wear several different ways. I love me some versatility. Billa gave me a pink and silver butterfly bracelet that she made at school. She was so proud of the work <strike>her teacher</strike> she did. I totally wore it every day the week I was gone!<br />
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Now that I'm back home, I'm just kicking back a little bit before the craziness at work and with the baking sets in next week. Michael and I will celebrate five long years this Friday and Memorial Day is coming up. It's going to certainly be a busy rest of the month and early summer, so if I've been a little lazy, forgive me. I'm just enjoying the calm before the storm.<br />
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Cheers!<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-33532397434124147662011-05-08T13:17:00.000-05:002011-05-08T13:17:15.117-05:00Happy Mother's Day!<div style="text-align: center;">Happy Mother's Day, mamas!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUPryybIv3OYU4-Y4Qbu9cdHipLI3l0ksW926KwHrTMbIafSGU9TkYOjADroBs7igLheHVsW5N8m5F_qIgf2f8meVz5Zqlz1YnvSASkQ1pZUr6zPLmdjuOMS_KZIzOCXNqgkZ3eMy2eH1/s1600/SongInMySoul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUPryybIv3OYU4-Y4Qbu9cdHipLI3l0ksW926KwHrTMbIafSGU9TkYOjADroBs7igLheHVsW5N8m5F_qIgf2f8meVz5Zqlz1YnvSASkQ1pZUr6zPLmdjuOMS_KZIzOCXNqgkZ3eMy2eH1/s320/SongInMySoul.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://paintingmotherhood.blogspot.com/"><i>Song in My Soul by Katie M. Berggren</i></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I just love this painting! I think the name and the image perfectly encapsulates how I feel about motherhood.</i></div><br />
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Even though I cooked and did some cleaning today (I kinda had to after I accidentally dropped and shattered my Pyrex pie dish...Michael had already left for work, boo!), I thoroughly enjoyed my morning with my husband, daughter, and my mother in law. We enjoyed a lovely breakfast of bacon, <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/potato-crusted-spinach-quiche-10000001991825/">spinach quiche</a>, and <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mango-coconut-bread-pudding-10000000223071/">mango coconut bread pudding</a>. My mom was supposed to join us too, but she and my dad were both feeling really ill so they stayed at home. I hope you two feel better!<br />
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A friend of mine who struggled with infertility for years reminded me today that there are many women out there who don't get to enjoy being appreciated on this day. There are some days when I struggle with my role as a mom and throw temper tantrums when things don't go my way. No one ever said mommyhood would be easy, but I certainly wouldn't give it up for anything in the world. So for all of those women who are mothers in their hearts, I offer up a prayer for you today that someday you will know all the facets of motherhood someday. I pray that if you are struggling with infertility or have lost your child, that you find solace and comfort in whatever God you pray to, and that you are not forgotten today. <br />
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To my own mother, my mother in law, my former step mother-in-law, and to all of my mother figures, I send my most heartfelt love and appreciation to you. You have made me who I am, for better or for worse, and I am so very grateful to have your influence in my life!<br />
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Love and peace,<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-56495462027090298732011-05-04T19:28:00.000-05:002011-05-04T19:28:18.010-05:00Billa Bubble WrapI finally got my laptop for work yesterday, hooray! Nothing like getting an electric leash to make you feel so important. Anyhoo, I didn't have a case for it, so to keep it protected on the way home from work, I wrapped in bubble wrap and put it in the box for the docking station. Voila, ghetto laptop case! I pulled it out when I got home to start customizing, hook it up to our wireless network, and answer some emails, when all of a sudden I heard a pop.<br />
<br />
Pop.<br />
<br />
Pop. Pop.<br />
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Pop, pop, pop, popopopopopopopop POP!<br />
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I turn around and Billa had spread out the bubble wrap on the floor and was dancing on it. Talk about the best. toy. ever!<br />
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Now I know what we can do on rainy days...should we ever get some rain :o(<br />
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Happy Wednesday!<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-66264468430746950242011-04-30T00:11:00.000-05:002011-05-20T12:23:27.364-05:002011 100+ Reading Challenge: April<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAbMuCJMW7uTSU5RvfCIV1k1cvq0wg7_4rqRFnhGIrFlUGcBsWh60qoOCREfxvCwTcxaMeWmiW_U44_Fsz3YY-4624qMAtGAPJ5G44mDBM1SjTT3kh-RhioS_kNgF5LLUNp4mdVuvOAL9/s1600/100%252B+reading+challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAbMuCJMW7uTSU5RvfCIV1k1cvq0wg7_4rqRFnhGIrFlUGcBsWh60qoOCREfxvCwTcxaMeWmiW_U44_Fsz3YY-4624qMAtGAPJ5G44mDBM1SjTT3kh-RhioS_kNgF5LLUNp4mdVuvOAL9/s1600/100%252B+reading+challenge.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Well, wouldn't you know it, another month is done!<br />
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I didn't get as much reading done as I had hoped, but oh well. The year is still young!<br />
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<b>22-26. Apothecarius Argentum vols 3-8 by Tomomi Yamashita.</b> The good news: this series is awesome! I loved it! I couldn't put it down. The bad news: The English translated series stopped at part of volume 9. Apparently, DC Comics decided to drop the branch that was responsible for translating the series into English for American readers before volume 9 was released. And of course, that would be precisely when the sh*t hits the fan in the series and you're left waiting to find out what happens. So this means that if I ever want to finish the series, I need to brush up on my Japanese or wait a long time for fans to try and translate it themselves. [sigh] But it was good nonetheless!<br />
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<b>27. She Climbed Across the Table by Jonathan Lethem</b>. This was a very interesting book and a fast read. In a nutshell, it's Alice in Wonderland in a university physics department and that summary probably doesn't do the story justice. It was sent to me by a coworker in CT and when I started reading the first few pages, I was like, WTF?! But I couldn't put it down. So I kept reading and before you know it, it was 4 am and I had finished the book in about 7 hours. I say give it a chance, you might be pleasantly surprised!<br />
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<b>28. Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning.</b> FINALLY finished the series. And it was totally worth the wait! It answered all of my questions, had a great ending, and left me on the edge of my seat the entire time. <br />
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So that's my list for this month! I wish I'd read more, but May is another month!<br />
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Happy reading,<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-18518598030042956922011-04-26T19:26:00.030-05:002011-04-26T19:26:00.411-05:00Easter 2010 Recap!Happy Easter!<br />
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This year's Easter was busy, busy, busy! This year we split our time between Michael's mom and my parents. We'd visited with Michael's dad and grandparents the weekend before, so that made things a little easier. We had initially thought we would only visit with Michael's mom since we saw my parents last year, but my grandmother and my Canadian relatives decided to visit with my folks, so that made it a tough call. It certainly didn't help that I was also performing at the Easter service for church and had lots of rehearsals. If only we could get another couple of days to recover from all the action!<br />
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Anyhoo, we spent a lovely, laid back, low-key Saturday morning with Gigi and a lovely, laid back, low-key Sunday afternoon at my parents after spending an action packed morning at church! I won't bore you with all the details but we certainly enjoyed ourselves on both counts.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Easter%202011/?action=view&current=100_6482.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="231" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Easter%202011/100_6482.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Michael, Gigi, and Billa hanging out on the hammock</i></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Easter%202011/?action=view&current=100_6491.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="245" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Easter%202011/100_6491.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Dying eggs at Gigi's!</i></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Easter%202011/?action=view&current=100_6493.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="218" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Easter%202011/100_6493.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Our eggs from Gigi's...my favorites are the purple one in the front and the blue one with the red orange scribbles that Billa made.</i></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Easter%202011/?action=view&current=100_6501.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Easter%202011/100_6501.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Billa hunts for eggs at Boppa and Papa's house with Daddy.</i></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Easter%202011/?action=view&current=100_6499.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Easter%202011/100_6499.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Look at my eggs!"</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Easter%202011/?action=view&current=100_6506.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Easter%202011/100_6506.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I wonder what's inside?</i></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Easter%202011/?action=view&current=100_6536.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="240" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Easter%202011/100_6536.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The eggs we dyed at Boppa's house. My favorite is the tricolored purple, orange and red one in the back. Apparently my family thinks I should be a professional egg dyer now...ha!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Family members: If you want to see more pictures from this Easter. you can <a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Easter%202011/?albumview=slideshow">click here for the Slideshow</a>! </div><br />
Happy Easter,<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-18229614761801879982011-04-23T19:18:00.002-05:002011-04-26T09:36:20.075-05:00Strawberry Pickin'It's berry pickin' time!<br />
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With my Canadian relatives in town this past week, I took them out to Marble Falls for some strawberry picking. We had such a fun time and came home with lots of berries. The berries weren't as plentiful or as sweet as last year's, but we still got a good haul and had a wonderful time. Last year Billa couldn't get enough of eating berries; this year she was content to hold the basket and tell me "thanks" every time I dropped some in. Silly girl.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/?action=view&current=100_6456.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/100_6456.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/?action=view&current=100_6454.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="240" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/100_6454.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/?action=view&current=100_6453.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="218" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/100_6453.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/?action=view&current=100_6459.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="240" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/100_6459.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/?action=view&current=100_6457.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/100_6457.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><br />
When we were done, we got some fresh strawberry lemonade (yum!) and visited the goats that live at the berry farm. With tummies rumbling, we said goodbye to Sweet Berry Farm and headed into Marble Falls proper for some good ol' Texas home cooking at the Bluebonnet Cafe. I gotta tell ya, my dinner and dessert stomachs were both overflowing afterwards! We all ordered pie and I have to say, I was most jealous of my cousin's peanut butter pie. I know what I'll be making soon!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/?action=view&current=100_6462.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="240" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/100_6462.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/?action=view&current=100_6470.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="243" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/100_6470.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/?action=view&current=100_6461.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/100_6461.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/?action=view&current=100_6471.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/100_6471.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><br />
After eating some of the berries fresh, I made some strawberry jam and pureed the rest for baking. I'm going to use some of the jam for the angel food cake I'm making for Easter dinner with my folks. Michael was sad he couldn't come since he had to work, but we're thinking we might hit up the farm for his birthday in June, when the blackberries are ripe. Either way, I have quite a few strawberries I need to use!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/?action=view&current=100_6478.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="229" src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/kmdguerra/Berry%20Picking%202011/100_6478.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Cheers,<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3376797556531231481.post-36278019448772213142011-04-10T11:19:00.000-05:002011-04-11T11:32:23.257-05:00The Employment Saga Continues...As this blog post title suggests, things are still wackadoodle with the whole job thing. I've signed the paperwork and everything for my promotion at work, but it's still going to be a couple of weeks before they get me going on the training. I thought they were leaning towards NOT sending me out of town for training, but it looks like maybe I was wrong. So I still have to be prepared for traveling, but it looks like that will be at the end of the month or beginning of May, right around my birthday. Either way, whatevs. I'm just glad I don't have to travel next week when my family is in town to visit with my grandmother!<br />
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Michael's last day with Borders will be this Thursday. [sigh] I'm happy and sad at the same time. I'm obviously sad because of the loss of his job, but things at Borders became stressful really quickly and it's like walking into a sea of doom and despair in there. Unfortunately, customers see a liquidation and turn into total jerks. It also sucks seeing your store trashed every day and pieces of it being carried out by people acting like vultures. Such is the way of things, I guess. <br />
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We are so blessed however, that an old colleague of Michael's gave him some hours at World Market. She told him yesterday that she was able to find him some more, so starting next week, he'll be hanging around the 'Market a lot more often! Which is dangerous, because I'm seriously jonesing for some new dishes and furniture [grin].<br />
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Michael is still looking for something more permanent though. He's had a few interviews, but no bites yet. I'm proud of him, nonetheless. He's done a great job with his resume and really getting out there to sell himself. I know how hard it is, and I don't envy him one bit. I pray that something will come out of it all though!<br />
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It's another week and another day; we'll just continue to take one step at a time.<br />
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Cheers,<br />
KellyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2