Just checking in before midnight. I was able to give Austere a personal Happy New Year this evening. Yeah!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hope this year is happy, healthy, and generous to all of my family and friends. You deserve it!

My dearest Asia Moore, I love you girl!

I'm Almost Done!

The pumpkin bread is done. The zucchini bread and banana bread are in the oven. They can bake at the same time. I used my new mixer tonight. Not quite sure if I like it just yet. I am so used to doing everything with a hand mixer or mixing it by hand. It seemed like it took more work to use the Kitchen Aid mixer. I will keep using it though. I probably just need to break it in. I only have to make the lime chiffon dessert and brownies which I will do in the morning.

Tomorrow, pre-dinner will include shrimp and cocktail sauce, chips and salsa, and little BBQ smokies. Josh's sisters are bringing a vegetable and relish tray.

For dinner we are having the prime rib roast. It is a Sterling Silver, which is the best you can buy here. I am also preparing two turkey breasts for the non-beef eaters (if there is such a thing in his family). We are also having my famous garlic mashed potatoes. I am also making roasted fingerling potatoes with parsley and Parmesan Reggiano cheese. More sides include a yellow squash, onion, and zucchini saute, steamed broccoli spears, cream cheese corn, green bean casserole (Josh's sister is bringing this), stuffing (Josh's mom is bringing this), deviled eggs (another sister), and rolls. The only thing not homemade are the rolls. I just couldn't do it. No time - can you believe that?

For dessert we will have the breads I am currently baking, triple fudge brownies (made with three kinds of chocolate), lime chiffon dessert, and I have one of my pastry chefs at one of my stores making a cheesecake topped with chocolate dipped strawberries and chocolate fans. Yumm-O!

Well, I think I am done with the cooking tonight. I just have to season the turkey breasts. I just finished cubing 10 pounds of Russet potatoes for tomorrow's meal. Josh forgot to wear latex gloves and now his hands are brown from peeling all of them. Ooops...lol.

I will finish the night by wiping everything down, sweeping and mopping the kitchen floor. That way no one steps on it until morning. I know, I'm weird.

I wish you all could come over. Something tells me the company might be better. Hopefully there won't be any probing questions. I do wish you all could be here.

I probably won't post until tomorrow evening. Wish me luck and have a wonderful Sunday!

Boy, we are just moving right along. The bathroom is completely done. The computer room is complete. The kitchen will be a "clean as I go". Josh's honey-do list is done (shovel snow, clean front porch, trash, etc.). The kid just finished dusting the whole house and is now drying the dishes. He also cleaned his whole entire room, including sweeping his floor and under the beds. I have done three loads of laundry already. We also went and did some major grocery shopping.

Josh just finished seasoning the 15 pound Sterling Silver Prime Rib Roast. It's sitting in the bottom of the fridge, waiting to go into the roaster tomorrow. He is now wrapping up the remaining gifts for his nieces and nephews.

I just have to finish up the laundry, vacuum my bedroom, and start labeling what goes in which dish. Yes, I am compulsive when it comes to cooking for a large group - there are 17 people coming over! I lay out all of the dishes and crocks the day before and label what is going where. I also get the serving spoon ready for each dish. I also need to get the kids' place mats ready.

Tonight I plan on doing a lot of baking. I am making pumpkin bread, banana nut bread, zucchini bread, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and a lime chiffon dessert. I am also going to have Josh peel potatoes and season the turkey breasts. Hehehehe... and he's trying to enjoy his two days off.

I can't believe how much we have already accomplished and how much I have left. The easy stuff is tonight. It's so much fun working together to get it all done.

Catch you later...

Just checking in again while I have a free minute. I just washed the shower curtains and vacuumed the bathroom rug. I have scrubbed the toilet and the bath tub. All sparkly! I am waiting for the fumes to die down before I go back in to clean the mirror and the cabinets. Last, I will get the floor. Is it detail cleaning? Probably to some, maybe not enough to others.

Well, I better get back to it. I have the computer room to do next.

Well, I am just spending a short time on the computer this morning. I've got lots to do today. I will check in and out periodically. Have a great day!

Had a lot to do today. I was feeling a little under the weather. I have a big weekend ahead of me. We are having Christmas here at my house on Sunday. I have much to do in preparation. If my posts are a little far and few, apologies now. Have a great weekend!

It is a sad day. My dear blogging friend, Dave, has lost his father. If you get a chance to go over and give a few words of inspiration, I would appreciate it. I couldn't imagine losing either of my parents and I absolutely dread the day it happens. It's all a part of life.

Wheel...

Seven Things About Me

Okay, so here goes. I was tagged by Jenni at Prairie Air. Before I get too far into this meme, do go and check out her blog. She is a local girl who kicks ass at photography. Here is one of her photos.

Okay, so I am familiar with this meme. It's called Seven Things About Me. Let's see... I need to post the rules.

The "rules" for this meme are:
1) Link to the person who tagged you.
2) Post the rules on your blog.
3) Share 7 facts about yourself.
4) Tag 7 random people and include links to their blogs.
5) Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.



Seven Things About Me

1. I love eating chocolate chip ice cream in a glass with fruit juice in it. I play around with it until all of the chocolate chips fall to the bottom of the glass and eat the chocolate chips last. Total sugar rush.

2. If you haven't guessed it already, I am a total John Mayer and ABBA fan. I have seen John Mayer in concert once in Kansas City. I have never seen ABBA in concert, but I do follow Mamma Mia whenever and wherever I can. I have seen Mamma Mia seven times: twice in Vegas, twice in Omaha, twice in Wichita, and once in NYC. I would have to say the North American Tour is the best production.

3. I just started another blog today, but will not be sharing it with anyone. It is set for private.

4. I snore. (thanks Josh)

5. I secretly wish I could live behind Palma restaurant on Cornelia St. in Greenwich Village, NYC. It is my favorite restaurant in the whole world.

6. I went skinny dipping in a sand pit when I was 19 with my boyfriend.

7. I love doing memes.

Okay, so these are kind of random. I was eating ice cream as I was thinking about what to say. Yes, it was chocolate chip ice cream with white grape juice, and I just ate all of the chocolate just now. Yumm-O!

I am tagging the following people. Feel free to do this meme if you choose. No worries if you can't.

Bonnie
Crusty
Ja
Kyrie
Annabel
M
Stacy

Say

This is a new song by John Mayer. I am totally in love with it. It is featured on the new movie called Bucket List. I really want to see this movie. Here are the lyrics...

Take all of your wasted honor.
Every little past frustration.
Take all of your so called problems,
Better put 'em in quotations.

Say what you need to say (x8)

Walkin' like a one man army,
Fightin' with the shadows in your head.
Livin' up the same old moment
Knowin' you'd be better off instead

If you could only...Say what you need to say (x8)

Have no fear for givin' in.
Have no fear for giving over.
You better know that in the end
It's better to say too much, than never to say what you need to say again.

Even if your hands are shaking,
And your faith is broken.
Even as the eyes are closin',
Do it with a heart wide open.

(Wide Heart)

Say what you need to say (x7)

Say what you need to, Say what you need to...

Say what you need to say.

As I look out of my window, the snow is coming down ever so gently. You know how you see it in the movies, the perfect kind of snow? That's how it looks today. Small flakes, innocently falling toward the earth. Very pretty.

Had a great time with my side of the family. It didn't last long enough. We are having Christmas with Josh's family on Sunday here. I can't wait. I love this time of year.

Happy Christmas

Good afternoon. I wrote this post last night and decided to post it before I left. I am leaving for my parents' house this afternoon, so I wanted to just say a couple of things to you - my friends.

If I have left anyone out, I do apologize, as these are the people I stop by the most. There may be some who have no idea I even stop by, so enjoy.

To my blogging friends - I wish all of you a Happy Christmas. May you be blessed with good health and happiness. I cherish all of you.

Andrew - my longest and most cherished blogging friend. I wish you the best life has to offer.

Leann - a wonderful woman who has so much to offer the world.

Phelan - girl! You are one of a kind and someone I am so glad to have personally met.

Andfre - I love where you live and what beautiful pictures you take. I come to you when I need to "get away".

M - cool music, cool blog, cool style. That's you - cool.

Austere - always has a way with words. It's like reading a song.

Bonnie - talented beyond belief. You are so very pretty and I love your zest for life.

Rich - total father of the year. You Rock!

Corky - new daddy! We share a love for the Shat. We will always have a bond in life because of it.

Crusty - what a wonderful woman, wife, mother, and friend.

Jamie - I look up to you. You are such a strong and beautiful person.

Stacy - you are not far from home and I am so glad I found you. Hope we can meet one day.

Portia - love the pictures, the stories, and your way of looking at things different than others.

Professor - Dear furry face. How the time goes by. You have been a joy to get to know.

Hyde - my NYC girl! Stay strong. You are an amazing girl!

Emily - Oh, how I just love you and Trent. Kiss your mom for me.

Dave - you are not only a teacher, but a wonderful father.

Ja - I love your blog. You have quickly become one of my new favorites.

Karin - funny. You definitely know how to make me laugh.

Cheryl - Another long time blogging friend. Seems almost like yesterday I started visiting your blog. I know I have told you before, but you are a very special person.

Loving Trevor - I wish I could get a hold of you to see how you are. I miss the updates on your little girl.

Eone - my friend across the world. You speak through wonderful pictures and words. True friend.

MaryKay - great mom. I am so happy to have found you also.

Sue - Ty and Tamaya's mommy! The kids are wonderful and you are such a great mom!

Meloncutter - we share so much. I am glad you are one of the good guys. Thank You!

Sally - hometown girl! Even though we live in the same hometown, we haven't met yet. I am sure one day that will change.

Kyrie - this girl is so intelligent. Reading your blog makes me want to go back to college again. You are so smart and I know you will go places.

Vital - haven't been able to get a hold of you either, but I check in every day.

NYC Watchdog - it's been a very tough year. You've been through more than any one should have to. Thank you for making my Wednesdays a brighter one.

Parlancheq - Funny, funny, funny. You can always see the lighter side of things.

Jenni - you don't know it, but I stop by and read all of the time. I have yet to post a comment. I will one day.

Jade - haven't left a comment on your blog either. In fact, we lost contact after awhile. Hope you post something soon. I'm still here.

Annabel - I am so glad we were able to meet. You have a wonderful personality, so easy to talk to. You are such an incredible woman and mom, and so devoted. You have become a good blogging friend, and one outside of the blogging world as well.

Chad - new dad! You are going to be a great father.

David Kim - my Korean friend from Cali. I plan to visit Cali next year, hopefully with my mom. I hope to meet you then. You live life to the fullest... and I love the spoilers.

The Diva - YOU GO GIRL!

Proxima - I find you fascinating. We have so many interesting things that have happened to us in our lives that most would find odd. I'm glad to know there is some one else out there like that.

Terri - great mom, active in your children's lives. Your family is so lucky to have you.

Becky - she has found love in her life. I knew you would. A person like you doesn't stay single for long. You are truly amazing.

Well, that's all. You are all my blogging family. I am sure I have left out a few, and if I did, I am so sorry. It was not intentional.

So with that...

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Talk to you all when I return!

Wheel - By John Mayer and Me

This is the song my blog is named after. I love this song. I like it a lot better on his album. The lyrics are below. You will need to stop the music on the side bar before you start.

"Wheel"

People have the right to fly
And will when it gets compromised
Their hearts say "Move along"
Their minds say "Gotcha heart"
Let's move it along
Let's move it along

And airports
See it all the time
Where someone's last goodbye
Blends in with someone's sigh
Cause someone's coming home
In hand a single rose

And that's the way this wheel keeps working now
That's the way this wheel keeps working now
And I won't be the last
No I won't be the last,
To love her

And you can't build a house of leaves
And live like it's an evergreen
It's just a season thing
It's just this thing that seasons do

And that's the way this wheel keeps working now
That's the way this wheel keeps working now
And you won't be the first
No you won't be the first
To love me

You can find me, if you ever want again
I'll be around the bend
I'll be around the bend
I'll be around,
I'll be around
And if you never stop when you wave goodbye
You just might find if you give it time
You will wave hello again
You just might wave hello again

And that's the way this wheel keeps working now
That's the way this wheel keeps working now

You can't love too much, one part of it (repeat then fade)

I believe that my life's gonna see
The love I give
Return to me
I believe that my life's gonna see
The love I give
Return to me
I believe that my life's gonna see
The love I give
Return to me [repeat 1x]

Baking, Wrapping, and Packing

Work was treacherous. But it's not as bad as it's going to be tomorrow. Ugh. Thank goodness I am only working until noon.

The praline pound cake I made will be ready to wrap in another hour. The double fudge chocolate brownies just came out of the oven. I am now waiting on the chocolate chip cookies to bake. I have about six dozen to do.

The gifts are all in the rec room waiting to be wrapped. Thank goodness I only have to wrap half of them. The other half are for Josh's family, who will be coming over the Saturday after Christmas. Those can wait a couple more days.

I still need to make two shrimp trays, get all of the food together for the Christmas dinner at my parents' house, load the car with gifts, roaster, and overnight bags. I am leaving a lot out. I won't bore you to death, plus I have to keep an eye on those chocolaty morsels in the oven. I'll catch you all tomorrow before I leave. Night.

Good Morning!

Good morning. I am only posting very quickly to let you know I was able to get some photos up. They aren't very good, but I am taking my camera today, so hopefully I can get some more pictures.

The roads are starting to slowly clear. The trucks took their sweet time getting out this morning. Parts of 54 are still snow packed. Josh said he could only go about 35 in a 60 this morning.

I can't begin to imagine how busy the stores are going to be. Holy cow. I might have to take pictures of that just to show you.

Hope you all have a great day!

Pictures

Josh's neighborhood around 4:00 p.m. yesterday. Look at the drifts.


















Again, the drifts were terrible.

His front porch. These pictures are all over the place. Couldn't get them to fit. Blogger is down again, so I was lucky to get them in.

Enough Snow For You And Me

We received 6.6 inches of snow. The drifts were up to 3 and 4 feet deep. This is the most snow we have had for quite some time. There were major accidents all along the Great Plains, including an 80 car pile up in Amarillo, TX. I thought of Annabel right away, as she does not live far from there.

I took three photos outside of Josh's house, but Blogger is not allowing me to post them right now. I will try again later. I will be sure to take my camera with me tomorrow, since I forgot it today. The visibility on the road was zero at times. My usual drive home from the west side takes me 15 minutes on a regular day. Today it took me over an hour. I actually got stuck in front of the driveway. The best place to get stuck in a snowstorm is your own driveway. As I was walking up to the porch, snow was up to my knees. Oh, fun.

The sun is suppose to shine tomorrow and with some luck the trucks will be out and about tonight, scraping the streets for the heavy traffic of the procrastinating shoppers tomorrow. I can only imagine how the stores will be. Horrific is the only word I can describe. Working retail helps remind myself each year to get it all done a little bit earlier than the year before. I have been done with all of my shopping since Thursday. Thank goodness.

Well, hope you are all tucked in safe in your warm, cozy houses. Catch you all tomorrow.

Snow Shopping

More snow headed our way today. We are suppose to get 2-5 inches. Could be more or less in areas because of all the wind. Hope Phelan is going to be okay.

I worked a long day yesterday. I only made it to two stores. I like to plant myself at a store and just work, especially during the holidays. The departments are very appreciative and love it when you are there to help. I thought of my friend, Meloncutter, yesterday as I was working. I know he is busy preparing for the masses in his own produce department down South.

Today promises to be another long day. If you are one that is shopping at the last minute, you are going to find some big deals if you shop the major department stores. I know Penny's is having a big sale today and so are some others.

If you are brave enough to go out and about today, have a great one. Christmas is only three days away!

Christmas cards went in the mail today. Hope they reach there destination by Christmas! If yours is late, my deepest apologies. I actually completely forgot about them yesterday.

Well, it's off to work I go! Going to be a busy day!

Bored, bored, bored, bored. I am waiting for the kid to get out of school. I am waiting for laundry to dry. I am so bored that I have started going through paperwork from work! Agh!

Okay, maybe some of you have posted something. Later...

Well, I am done with gift shopping! I will be done with grocery shopping today after the kid gets out of school. Then, I will be able to relax! WooHoo!

I am going to be surfing the blogs now. Later...

Grow Up

Well, I worked the 1/2 day plus some. I picked up the kid from school. Dishes and laundry are done. Dinner is in the works as I type. I didn't get the shopping done, but I will tomorrow.

Today was a crappy day. I don't want to complain, but some people really irk me. I mean, I know I may do the same to others, that's why I don't like to complain. I just have to come to the realization I am an ever changing person. Some people are not. They stay the same no matter what. They can't go with the flow of things and small things make them mad, causing them to throw mini tantrums. Sometimes I want to shout, "Grow up people!" You only get one life!

Okay, enough with the ranting. I am off to finish dinner. We are having smoked kielbasa sausage and wild rice. Easy and simple. Catch you later.

Check Check

Today's Checklist

- Work 1/2 day
- Pick the kid up from school
- Get gift cards for nephews
- Get shirt and tie for friend
- Get scotch tape to wrap gifts
- Cook dinner
- Dishes
- 2 loads of laundry
- Catch up on all shows missed the last two days

These are in no particular order, except I have to work 1/2 day this morning. I am off tomorrow, so if I don't get it all done today, that's okay. What's on your check list today?

Last Call For Christmas Cards

Good morning. I am getting ready for work. I'm not posting much this morning.

If you are wanting a Christmas card, there is still time to leave me your address. I want to get the cards sent out by tomorrow morning, so if you would like one, please just email your address. I have received about five already.

Have an awesome day and I will talk at all of you when I get home tonight.

Dinner went okay. We followed it with several games of Bingo and cards. I am getting ready for bed now. Big day tomorrow at work. Good night.

Love For The Food Network

Well, two more hours before I head over to our friends' house for dinner. The kid flunked a social studies test. Not cool, especially because he came home all last week "not having any homework". He is grounded from the computer and all cartoons for at least a week, longer if I don't see improvements on an effort to study. Gosh, I'm mean. lol...


So, I decided to bring a chocolate pecan crostata. Giada has an awesome recipe for one on the Food Network if you ever want to make one. I really love their website. As soon as I see something on the Food Network Channel I want to try, I go directly to the website and download the recipe. That is where the onion and mushroom gravy came from last night. I could make something different every night if I had the time.

Today, I was at the Asian food store and I bought a plantain. I have never actually eaten one of these before, but once again, I saw it made on the food channel, so I have to see if I can make something good out of it. I am going to experiment with it tomorrow. If you have any loved recipes for the plantain, do share.

Well, I am going to try and fit in a load of laundry before we leave this evening. I might try and update on how the dinner went this evening, but if not, I will catch you all tomorrow. Have a great night!

I can't believe Todd won Survivor! I was pulling for Courtney. Oh well.

I am off to take the kid to school, then off to work. Have a great one today!

Pictures

Because I never show any pictures of what I cook, here you go. I made smothered chicken breasts in a homemade onion mushroom gravy, roasted fingerling potatoes with dill, parsley, and Parmesan Reggiano cheese, and a saute of onions and zucchini. This is kind of a small plate. Look at how big the fork is. Okay, so that is what we had for dinner. Now, no more posts tonight. Good night.

Let's Get Cooking

It was a long and tiring day. Frustrating also. But, I am home now and I can get to cooking. Tonight's meal will consist of oven fried chicken breasts, coated with bread crumbs and seasonings, roasted fingerling potatoes with flat leaf parsley and dill, and a saute of onions and zucchini. Yumm-O!

Then it's time in front of the tele. So with that, have a good night and an even better night's sleep.

What's For Dessert?

We ended up only getting about 2-3 inches. My friends in Hutchinson got about 8-9 inches and my parents got about a foot of snow. It was nice to finally get some of it.

Gotta head out to work soon. I am not working all day, so I will be home early. I am cooking dinner this evening, but haven't decided what.


We also got invited over to Josh's friends house for dinner Monday evening. I am bringing the dessert. Not sure what I am going to make yet. I am thinking about brownies. What do you think? They are making Mexican food. I would love to hear any suggestions you may have.


Talk at you all later.

Missing NYC

We are suppose to have more light flurries today with the expectation of 1-3" in Wichita. The rest of the state can expect 4-10" of total accumulation. Don't know how my friends in Hutchinson are doing. As of 8:00 pm last night, they already had 3".

I don't have much to say this morning as I sip on my hazelnut coffee in my I love NY coffee mug. I actually miss NYC. It was so much fun. I did say I wouldn't want to go back anytime soon, but perhaps every three years would be fine. I might just have to do that. If I still have all of you as blogging friends, we may have to meet up. I know of someone who met up with ten of her blogging friends in NYC this past summer. They all had a ball. It would be so much fun! Here is one of the pictures I took while we were there. You can click on it to get a better view.

Well, my blueberry bagel with strawberry cream cheese bagel is waiting for me to devour it now. I am off to read blogs and then heading off to work. Have a great snowy day!

Long day at work. I am going to the hockey game tonight. Major snow is headed our way! You should see the storm!

My parents live in Great Bend. Some of my friends live in Hutchinson and Manhattan. Here we go snow!

I Definitely Worry Too Much

Obviously I worry too much about others as well. It gets me into trouble sometimes. Oh well, at least no one can accuse of not caring.

How was your day! Mine was super long! I had to be at a store at 6:00 am. I didn't get to bed until after 1 am. I was up late worrying about a friend. I realize now I made a mistake. Oops!

Anyway, I am having issues with my little sister. My brother and I decided to get our mom and dad some good gifts this year. My sister is having issues paying her share of the money. She's mad because her and her boyfriend didn't pay that much for his parents' gift. Sorry, not my fault you didn't want to spend that much on his parents. I told her if she couldn't pay, I would pick up the rest of it. Of course, that sent her into a tailspin. She can totally afford it. After about fifty emails back and forth, she has finally decided to go in with us for the full amount. Good decision little sis.

Well, my baked salmon and rice is beckoning me from the kitchen. Later gators!

I Worry

I did get some more Christmas shopping done. I got Josh two gifts, which I won't reveal in case he reads this. I also got the kid some gifts. I got him two books from Borders and a Simpsons calendar. He won't be thrilled about the books, but I am hoping it's something we can enjoy together. I love reading with him, taking our turn back and forth. I usually end up reading to him, which I don't mind.

I've been thinking a lot about my kid today. I worry just like any mom. I worry about his health. I worry about his spirit. I worry about his grades. I worry about what might happen if something were to happen to me. I worry a lot when it comes to the kid. He is everything to me. He is my whole entire complete world. I love him more than anything.

I know I speak for many moms out there. It's tougher when your a single parent, especially if you are the primary caregiver. But I love every moment, even the hard ones.

So, dinner turned out pretty darn good. I made smothered beef burritos with homemade guacamole. I don't think I have ever made these for Josh, but he liked them. He has been taking all of the leftovers to work. It makes me feel good when he does that.

I'm really tired, so I am just going to check in with a few of my favorites before I turn in. Talk at you all tomorrow.

Melting Away

Our small part of the world is starting to melt. Many will be without power up to Saturday. My boss is without power and has been since Monday evening. My city is fine. Go half an hour west and you are in another world. It is starting to melt. I feel bad for those who are living in the cold.

My conference call for work is over. I am going to get my list together and head out to do some shopping. For dinner, I think I am going to make smothered beef burritos with sour cream and homemade guacamole. Yumm-O!

I'll catch up with all of you on a later post. Have a great day!

Weather Unforgiving

Hey there. No school today because of weather. However, there will be school tomorrow. I am scheduled off tomorrow, but I have a conference call in the morning. After that, I am just going to get a list for holiday baking and meals together. If the weather permits, I am going to do some Christmas shopping for the kid.

The weather has been unforgiving here. Check out some of these local pictures.

No School Today

No school today. Taking the kid to work with me today. I'll be back later.

It's Raining, So Stop By This Journey

Freezing rain, freezing rain! I am not staying on the computer long for this post. However, I will leave you with a link to this blog.

Check out Becky and her wonderful life at This Journey. This girl is one of my favorites to visit. She loves life, food - eating and cooking, great conversation, has great opinions on the issues that really matter, and kicks ass on the accordion. Love that girl! Stop by and tell her I sent you!

Six Down, Ten To Go

Well, I didn't get all of my Christmas shopping done. I did get two families completely bought for. My nephew (sister's baby) is done. We bought him three wooden puzzles and enough clothes to last until next Christmas. He is wearing 2T now.

My kid's cousins from St. Louis are bought for. The oldest will be receiving a football. The second child will get a soccer ball. The third is getting a Barbie with accessories. The fourth child will be receiving about 10 Hot Wheels cars. And the baby of the group will be receiving a toy car that makes noise and two sippy cups. I figured $15-$20 for each child is my budget. Now we only have Josh's family and some of our friends. Anyway, looks like we have six boys and four girls left to buy for. I can't wait for it to be over!

Okay, so two posts in one day. You're lucky. I will be pretty busy for the rest of this week, so I may only be able to put up a quick post. I also need to send Christmas cards to those of you who were so kind to leave your address. Yeah! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Back - Barely

We managed to make it to Manhattan and back. It was slow going. The roads were icy most of the way there. We did see an SUV that flipped over the median. Scary. There was a fatality near Salina as well. It took us almost three hours to get there and it usually only takes me two. We got to my brother's girlfriend's house (nmn). NMN's graduation started at noon. She received a bachelor's degree in business, same as my brother. She has received a job in Kansas City, but may be accepting a job in Denver. I hope they choose the best place for them.

We headed back around three. The roads were a little better since the trucks were out. I didn't have much trouble on the way home. I looked out the window this morning and discovered the ground and sidewalks are white. Not really snow, but more like those snow pellets. So looks like more ice today for sure.

I was going to go Christmas shopping today. I may still go, depending on what the weather will do. I am sure today would be a great day to go because there won't be anyone out in this crappy weather. I'll make a decision by noon. Until then, I plan to blog to my heart's content. I'm off to read about your day. Be back later!

Manhattan Here We Come

The kid and I are getting ready this morning for our journey to Manhattan. I can't wait to see my brother, mom, and dad. My sister is staying behind. She never usually goes to these sorts of things. I will post upon our return. Have a great weekend!

Leave Your Address Please

Morning. Another boring day at work. Today I have to visit two stores. They are on the south side of town. Not much going on today. My loads and loads of mail from work needs to be unstacked and organized. Perhaps I will do that later today.

My brother's fiance graduates from K-State this weekend. I am going to Manhattan on Saturday to celebrate. I will be home on Sunday and the kid and I plan on Christmas shopping all day. I don't plan on stopping until I am all done. Brave, aren't I?

There are several of you I would love to send Christmas cards to, but I would hate to ask for your address. If you don't mind leaving your address, shoot me an email. I would love to send you a card. A real Christmas card. Not one from the computer, but one with actual handwriting on it. I see so many people sending cards through the Internet, and while that's not bad or anything, I still love the thrill of opening mail that has been handwritten by someone. Don't you?

Sleet

It's sleeting here. I woke up this morning to hear those tiny little frozen pellets hitting the window. My car will need to thaw. No garage for me.

I think it's going to be a short day at work. I will post later this afternoon. Have a great day!

Not Much To Say

I went to the Chamber of Commerce annual dinner last night where Tony Snow was the speaker. Enough said. I know better than to talk about politics on my blog. It gets people all upset.

Can't decide if I want to go to a hockey game this evening. It's mid-week and I have so much to do. Maybe we will go and eat at the Cracker Barrel on our way out to the game. That sounds good.

I just don't have much to say today. Unusual for me, but oh well. Let's try a question.

If you could get one non-material gift for a complete stranger on Christmas, what would it be and why?

My answer would be a holiday hug and an ear to listen. Many times people around the holidays are lonely and need someone to just talk to.

Christmas Shopping

Good morning. Just wondering - how are all of you doing on your Christmas shopping? I have so much more to do. I am taking this weekend off to go to a graduation on Saturday and then do some major shopping on Sunday. I have to buy the majority for the kid. However, I also have to buy for five nieces and ten nephews. Whew! I am thinking one gift for each one, except for my sister's baby. He is a true nephew. The others are from either Josh's family or they are the kid's cousins.

It's hard to buy for kids you don't really know. I know the oldest niece loves Bobby Jack stuff, so I am probably going to get her a bag. The boys will all get some form of car, truck, or vehicle. I think I am also going to get them all a big candy bar for a stocking stuffer. Most of the kids are between four and eleven. If you have any ideas, let me know.

Well, it's off to another fun-filled day at work. woo.hoo.

Hope you all have a good one today.

Go Bucks!

Ohio State is going to the BCS championship game! WooHoo! Go Bucks!

Okay, I'll stop shouting now. I am so happy they are going to the championship game. This is a chance for them to redeem themselves.

Posting earlier today because I have a lot to do at work. The kid also has a project due tomorrow in which he needs some help with the final touches.

I'll check back in this evening. Have a great day!

Vacation's All I Ever Wanted

Well, it was good while it lasted. I have to head back to work today. I only have to work until about 3 pm. Had a wonderful week of relaxation from work and I got a lot done at home. I still have some things to work on, but not as bad as before.

We went to the hockey game last night and we won. It was a good game. My parents are doing great and my little nephew is getting so big!

Gotta head out and catch up on the 200 emails from work. Have a great day!

Happy Birthday Phelan!

Oops. One more thing I forgot to tell all of you.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY PHELAN!


Please go over there and wish Phelan a happy birthday. Tell her I sent you!

Have A Great Weekend!

Last night's dinner consisted of the recreation of the chicken and rice I had at Cracker Barrel. It was really good! This morning I woke up early and made Josh and the kid pancakes and bacon for breakfast. I have just been in such a cooking mood.

We are leaving for my parents' house today after I pick the kid up from school. We will be back tomorrow night for the hockey game. If I don't post right away tomorrow, you know why.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

I'm Going In!

Great morning! It's going to be an awesome day. I have plans to cook a great dinner and I am tackling the horrid rec room today. This is mainly Josh's domain, so ladies, wish me luck. I'm going in!

Blogs I Love - Welcome To The Family

I have added more blogs to the list of blogs I love. I visit them regularly - once a day usually. So, I would like to recognize some blogs I frequent which I may not talk about like others.

The first blog is ja's ramblings. Check out the blog. I love the way ja writes. The blog is unique and I love being able to take a sneak peek into ja's life. The dedication of time in caring for the parents makes ja a phenomenal person.

The next blog is Jamie from Everyone thinks I can fix it..... You want to talk about a strong woman. Every day she shows the world her strength. Jamie has the biggest heart and is so compassionate of others, despite what might be going on in her life. I look up to her.

Please take the time to visit both of these blogs. These are two of my new favorites. Ja is new and Jamie has been around for a little while. I am blessed to have found them both.

Cooking Mood

The reason I am in the cooking mood is because I actually have time off to do so and I was not able to cook for Thanksgiving. As you may have already guessed, I am cooking again this evening. Would you like to know what we are having?

I rubbed sage, sea salt, and black pepper all over a tender pork roast. This is going into the crock pot and will be done in seven hours. We are also having fresh green beans stir fried with shitake mushrooms, roasted gemstone potatoes with parsley and grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese, and oatmeal cookies for dessert. Oh, I almost forgot to add the stuffing. We are having that as well. I also bought a delicious wine to go with dinner. I won't be able to drink but a swig, cuz' I'm allergic to alcohol, but a little won't kill me.

Well, I am off to get the last two loads of laundry done. Hope you are all having an awesome day!

Dinner

For dinner tonight, we are having homemade chicken tenderloins, oven fried to perfection. I coated the chicken in salt and pepper, tossed them in Italian bread crumbs and Parmesan Reggiano cheese, then lightly grated very cold butter over them. I put them in the oven to bake at 350 degrees. I have potatoes on the stove top boiling to make my famous garlic mashed potatoes. We are also having brussel sprouts, the kid's favorite, and corn which is Josh's favorite.

I finally opened my bottle of olive oil from O & Co. O & Co. is this awesome little olive oil shop in Greenwich Village I fell in love with while in NYC. The flavor is light and fruity. It's going to taste awesome with any fish or chicken I cook. Yumm-O!

I don't have any dessert planned for the evening. I am so sick of desserts right now from the holidays. I need a break so I will be able to do my Christmas baking this year. I plan on using my brand new Kitchen Aid mixer I got last year. I haven't even touched it yet, but Cheryl has inspired me to get it out and use it.

Heroes and The Hills are on this evening. Both are shows I like to watch if I am home. One is completely different than the other. Heroes is about super natural abilities and The Hills are about superficial people. Great combination for a Monday night!

Hope you all had a grand Monday! Here's to a great day tomorrow!

This Past Weekend

It was an okay weekend. Both of our teams lost. KU lost to MU and the Chiefs lost to the Raiders. Enough about that.

We had Thanksgiving over at Josh's sister's house. It was fun.

We left Saturday for Kansas City, checked in to the Embassy Suites and headed for Josh's brother's house. We watched the KU game there.

Got back to the hotel around 10 pm, went to bed and left the hotel around 6 am to head for the stadium. We were 3rd in line. I made breakfast sandwiches the day before and heated them up in the gas station. We ate these and drank coffee as we patiently waited for the pearly gates to open. The gates opened at 8:30, which was about a 2 hour wait. No biggie. We headed to our favorite spot and started unloading our tailgating stuff.

We always laugh when we see these people unloading tables and tents and all this crap. We get out our mini Webber grill, get the charcoal going, and wait oh so patiently. Then, we grab our marinated rib eye steaks and get to grilling. I brought pasta salad and baked beans for the sides this time. Many people always walk by and marvel at our steaks. We don't get all of the fancy tents and tables, we spend our money on the steaks. Yum! Nothing like biting into a medium rare steak at 9:30 in the morning.

My kid went with us. He had a pretty good time. It was a great game, but it didn't go our way at the end. Oh well.

We drove back after the game and got back around 6 pm. Let's just say I wasn't doing the speed limit. It took us only 2 hours and 25 minutes. It's usually almost a three hour drive.

Now, it's getting the house in shape for the holidays this week. I am cleaning from top to bottom and getting all of the decorations in order. I am thinking Josh's family might be coming over after Christmas for a get together. We usually rotate holidays. We had Easter at our house last year. There is one sister who has not hosted a holiday yet, so I am kind of waiting for her to volunteer. I will actually be at my parents house on Christmas. It's going to be so much fun!

Well, I am off now to get laundry going. The kitchen is halfway done. I also need to get the laundry room cleaned when I get done with the clothes.

Talk at you all later. Have a great day!

Back!

I'm Back! Lots of work to do tonight to get things in order. I will update tomorrow about the weekend because I will be oooooooofffff!

Vacation Time - One More Day

I have a headache this morning. Probably too much sleep. I got home from work around 10:30 am yesterday, prepared my share of the dinner, then took a nap. I slept for about two hours, got up, went to Josh's sister's house and ate dinner with his family. We came home and I went to bed about 11:00 pm and I just woke up at 7:30. Entirely too much sleep in two days.

Well, I am back to the daily grind for one more day. Then, VACATION time! I will be off Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I have to work on Wednesday, but not for a very long time.

I have plans to go to Kansas City this Saturday and Sunday. Monday and Tuesday I will be cleaning the house from top to bottom. Thursday I have no clue what I will be doing. Friday and Saturday I will be going to visit my parents.

Hope you all had your fill of turkey and stuffing. I will be going to the gym while I am off. I ate too much yesterday.

Have an awesome weekend!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Word Cloud

This is my new word cloud. It has some of my favorites. You might have to enlarge it to see it. better.

I Don't Understand Sometimes

Well, it was a long day. I may not be able to post tomorrow, so I am posting something tonight. I came home and read some blogs this evening. Now I am in a funky mood and should just go to bed.

I just don't understand why people are the way they are. Why? I don't understand sometimes, these people! Ugh! I am so frustrated at what I read.

Moving along...

Before I go, I promised Terri I would post this.

This tag involves taking your middle name and coming up with something that is relevant to you for each letter.
I will not be using my middle name, but will use my blogger name.

A - Affectionate (I love people)
B - Bold (I am not afraid to speak my mind)
B - Beautiful (I am no matter what people say)
A - Authentic (I am the real deal, take it or leave it)
G - Genuine (I say what I mean and I mean what I say)
I - Inspired (I want more out of life, I am driven)
R - Rambunctious (I have lots of energy)
L - Loyal (I don't forget where I came from, nor where I have been)

I will tag
Leann
Phelan
M
Sally
Kyrie
Becky

13 Hours and 116 Miles Later

Today was a long day. I hit so many stores, it's not even funny. Every one is ready for Thanksgiving. Produce is packed high and watching it fly. Meat has so many birds everywhere, you would think we were South for the winter. Deli has dinners up to their ears. And bakery has enough pies and rolls to feed a small country. The perishable departments are where the big sales will be at this year. Frozen foods and dairy will be next. Then the baking and veg aisles.

Hint for those of you still having to shop. Go between 9 and 10 am. It's the best time. Not too busy, but late enough for the night stockers to have thrown all of their stock and the shelves be filled.

Tomorrow should be a little slower. I wanted to get certain stores out of the way today so I could concentrate on specific ones tomorrow. I am not going to lie, I am beat. My feet, neck, shoulders, and back hurt. I am planning on reading a couple of blogs, taking a nice hot shower, and then calling it a night.

I leave you with this question.

What is one thing you would personally love to see under the Christmas tree this year?

Leave your answers in the comments.

My answer - new cookware (pots and pans).

Painted Eyebrows and Needle Nose Pliers

Have you ever been indecisive about where to eat for dinner? You know you don't want to cook, but you can't for the life of you make a decision about where to go out to eat. This happened last night. Josh and I decided around 8:00 that we were hungry, but didn't want to cook. We decided to eat at Cracker Barrel. I have never eaten there before, so this was going to be a first for me. I always thought this restaurant was sort of weird, with the establishment being half store, half restaurant, all country. However, the place is always packed full of people whenever I drive by and seem to notice.

So we set out on our way. It is about a 15 minute drive from our house. We live about two blocks from the highway. When we get there, it's packed. The thing I notice first is most cars leaving held about four or five people. WOW. They must really like the food here. Large families were seated together and looked like they were having a fine time from the window outside.

As we walk into the store side, I notice all of the holiday items they have. Okay, I can live with this. Cute stuff! As we walk up to the Hostess stand, I notice the girl who is going to seat us. Um... She had painted eyebrows. Not the type of eyebrows that you naturally shade in with an eyebrow pencil if you are missing some hair growth. No, she had on painted eyebrows with a black liner. Ew.

I kept poking Josh immaturely as we were walking to our seats. I passed a wood burning fire place and a deer head mounted on the wall. Okay, I was officially out of my comfort zone. I decided to face the windows and make Josh look at the deer head with the beady eyes.

As we decided what to have for dinner, Josh started playing that stupid peg game where you jump pegs and try to only have one peg left. He did so, crowning himself supreme genius. I could only get two pegs and was deemed purdy smart. While waiting for our plates to arrive, I started outlining my eyebrows with my fingers and belted out "I'm so pretty, I'm so pretty". He laughed out loud and we were hysterical after that point.

When our dinner arrived, it looked so good. I got the Saturday night special, chicken and rice with turnip greens and fried apples. I dedicated the dinner to my dear friend, Andrew, who lives in the South. Josh got the same thing he always gets when we go to places like this - Chicken Fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, steak fries and green beans. Yes, the boy can eat. As we are enjoying the wonderful plate of food, we get on the subject of plucking eyebrows. lol... that poor girl. Anyway, he proudly states to me that once he pulled some hairs out of his nose with a pair of needle nose pliers. I roared with laughter, almost causing the iced tea to squirt out of my nose. I couldn't stop picturing it. Of course, this could only be something he would do. What a riot! No wonder they call them needle NOSE pliers.

Now, you are probably thinking we were causing a ruckus and being disruptive, but actually we were pretty quiet. On our way out, I left our waiter a nice holiday tip, since he is new from Nebraska and didn't seem to like Kansas all that well. We passed the painted eyebrow girl and made a run for it after paying our bill. I laughed all the way home, vowing I would write about every little thing that happened. Josh was mortified when I told him what I was going to title the post.

"You can't tell them about what I did with the pliers!" he exclaimed.
"Oh yes I can."

As If You Care... It Was A Perfect Day

Yes, it was a good day. It was a damn good day. I came home, threw my house clothes on, grabbed a chunk of Robiola Bosina Cheese to warm at room temperature, grabbed my Larzaroni Bruschette with rosemary and sage and headed to read the blogs - you, my favorites. As I put a yummy piece of this creamy Italian cheese on my crusty Italian bread (Larzaroni Bruschette), I start to read M's blog - As If You Care...

I am enjoying the silky blend of cow's and sheep's milk cheese with the savory Bruschette when all of a sudden I am reading about grooming a dog's anal gland. Gulk! Throw up in my mouth.

LOL....

You just have to laugh about it. This really was a good day. Perfect ending to a perfect day.

Work, Marriage, and Children - All In A Day's Work

Good morning!!!!!!

It's a great morning, isn't it? The only thing to mess up my morning is a bad afternoon. But I am going to try my hardest to keep that from happening. It will be a long day at work today. I have to try and get to as many stores as possible. I won't have a full day off until next Saturday. I only work half a day on Thursday, only till noon.

I have been contemplating on plans for Thanksgiving. We usually go over to Josh's relatives house, whomever has been chosen. This year it is my favorite of his sisters. The only problem is that I don't usually feel comfortable. I mean, I can adapt to anything, but as soon as I get there, I don't want to stay long. Maybe it's because they are always asking when Josh and I are going to get married and if we are planning on having a child together. Problem with that is, I already have a kid. He's 12. I am not looking to have any more. Josh doesn't have any kids. He does want one. What's a girl to do? That is one major life changing decision, which is why I avoid it, especially at his family gatherings.

Who knows what will happen. Anyway, it's going to be a great day. And if it's not, you will hear about it. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Milk and Cereal, Cereal and Milk!

I am anxiously waiting for my coffee to get done. Percolate faster!!! I am scheduled off today, but have a conference call I need to "attend". We have visits coming up next week from a bunch of suits. Regional presidents and vice presidents will be here mid-week and the CEO will be here all next week. woo.hoo. (sense the excitement here).

My friend, Meloncutter, is probably getting his beautiful department ready for the rush this weekend. Poor guy. He works his ass off and doesn't complain about it. Oh wait, yes he does. He also talks about farting, Twinkies, Poot, and gas. If this sounds strange on my blog, then you must go and check him out to see what I am talking about. He always makes me laugh.

Okay, gotta get the coffee. Hold on a minute...

Aaaah. Sweet flavors of hazelnut in the morning make the rest of the day perfect. Mmhmmm. Yumm-O! As only Rachel Ray would say.

Okay, so I want to tell you about another blog I visit regularly. I visit every day almost. It's NYC Watchdog. He has a video every Wednesday called Cereal Wednesday. I am totally addicted. He is an interesting individual and I find him fascinating. He's 33, same age as me. He lives in New York, Middle Village and he is an EMT. AND he loves cereal. I love the theme song for his video- "Milk and Cereal". Do check him out.

Well, I am off to get ready for this lovely conference call. Have a wonderful day.

4 a.m.!!!

I have been up since 4 am. Gotta be at work by 5:15. We have major construction going on in another store. This next year is going to suck. We have three remodels happening at one time. This should be fun.

So, I went to bed angry last night. Something I don't like doing. Becky, you are right when you say this is something I can't speak for the both of us. But, he's just not a talker. Never has been. It's something that isn't going to change about him. So, I need to take that into consideration when things like this happen. I guess I could just easily dismiss him. But, I don't want to. I love him and need to work through this. I do have a feeling that little Ms. Hockey (thanks for the name Becky) won't be having too much fun at the game with me there. Hmmph!

Well, I better get ready and get out of here. Work beckons. Have a super day!

Annoying

You know something is up when I post more than twice a day. Remember that communication thing I was talking about? Well, right now I am pissed!

Ugh! Boyfriends can be soooo freaking annoying sometimes. And Josh, if you are reading this, YES! I find you annoying! Especially today.

I hate it that you don't talk to me about stuff. It's really annoying. I can't seem to stop saying that word! Annoying!!!!

You see ladies and gentleman, Josh has a brother-in-law who has a step sister-in-law. Did that make sense? Anyway, she always calls him when she is coming into town for a hockey game. What drives me batty is that this drives me insanely jealous. I hate it that she calls him and wants to know if he is going to the game. Why doesn't she ask her ex brother-in-law to go? Why does she have to ask my boyfriend? And to top it all off, I have never met her. She is from Ok. City of all places and drives over two hours to come to the game. Die hard for hockey or die hard for attention?

Breath...

Okay, so I know I shouldn't be jealous. But ladies! How many of you would be jealous if you were in my shoes? It just pisses me off I guess. F** B!!!!

Today I have learned that some people are cowards. Many of us are, in fact. There are those who perceive themselves as being a wise-ass or crack up, but the truth is, most of them are cowards.

Anyway, work is dragging by so slow. I am home for now, but will be venturing out again after I post this. The days are getting shorter. I can't wait for Thanksgiving. It only means Christmas is around the corner. WooHoo! I love giving presents! I can't wait for this one.

I asked Josh some questions I put on the blog the other day. I asked him about the relationship. He of course did not answer. I mentioned that communication is one of the struggles. Well, I stand correct. Oh well, he's not a talker. I am fine with that. I talk enough for the both of us I guess. lol...

Well, gotta get going. Hope you are all having a good day.

The Internet is slow going this morning. Wonder what's wrong. Anyway, just thought I would check in and say hi.

A friend of mine is going through some life changes right now. Her mom just passed away on Monday. I couldn't imagine the pain and sorrow she must feel. I dread the day it happens to me.

Not much going on today. I have just been busy at work, mostly having to do "office" type work the last two days. Today will be different. Stores are all geared up for the holidays. I need to get in to see everyone this week before Thanksgiving.

Have an awesome day!

Meme From This Journey

This meme is from Not Fainthearted at This Journey.

1. What were you afraid of as a child?
I was afraid of clowns and still am.

2. When have you been most courageous?
I don't really know when I have been courageous. This one is hard. I think I was more courageous as a child. Now as a grown up, I am just a big fraidy cat.

3. What sound most disturbs you?
Car tires screeching right before an accident.

4. What is the greatest amount of pain you have been in?
Gall stones for sure. I agree with Beck on this one. Way worse than labor. I blacked out it was so painful.

5. What's your biggest fear for your own children (or children in general if you don't have children of your own)?
My biggest fear for my child is that I will die and no one can love him as much as I can.

6. What is the hardest physical challenge you have achieved?
I really don't get out much now, but back in college, I had to touch every single step in the sports arena where we played basketball. It was 6:00 am and we were out drinking the night before, got caught by our coach, and he made us run stairs the next day. I did about 25 sets of stairs before I puked. Since I didn't drink, I outlasted everyone. They started puking after 10 sets of stairs. There are over 60 sets of stairs in that arena.

7. Which do you prefer: Mountains or oceans/big water?
I guess I prefer to look at both, but also prefer to live near neither. I am from Kansas, so I like it nice and flat/hilly.

8. What is the one thing you do for yourself that helps you keep everything together?
I think about my kid every single day. He keeps me grounded.

9. Ever had a close relative or friend with cancer?
My grandfather died of prostate/colon cancer.

10. What are the things your friends count on you for?
Laughter, support, and to help boost their confidence. I called a friend of mine to ask her about this question. This was her reply.

11. What is the best part about being in a committed relationship?
Sex...kidding. I bet I am the only one who started off the answer like that. Seriously though, the best part about being in a committed relationship is that there is someone there to help live life to the fullest.

12. What is the hardest part about being in a committed relationship?
Communication.

13. Summer or Winter? Why?
Neither. I am an in-between girl. My favorites are 1. Fall and 2. Spring.

14. Have you ever been in a school yard fight? Why and what happened?
Yes! When I was in grade school, I was made fun of all the time because I was half Korean. Kids used to call me flat face, chink, all sorts of names. When I was in the fifth grade, there were some guys in the sixth grade who were terrible. They would always tease me. These guys got the bully in my class to pick a fight with me after school one day. They all knew I walked home ( I only lived a block away). This girl was waiting for me outside. The sixth graders were all around. I remember her grabbing my hair. I kept thinking back to all of the times my dad made us watch those stupid boxing matches on t.v. I took a swing and landed a punch on her nose. It started bleeding and she started crying. I walked home with my sister and next door neighbor kids. They were all telling me how great I did. Then, my principal showed up at the door. I had to go back to school and have a discussion about what happened. I did not get expelled because I explained all of the teasing I had endured. It helped that my mom was there. The girl apologized and I didn't get teased at that school again.

15. Why blog?
Because I love the interaction I have with all of my blogging friends. I love to read. I love reading about people's lives who live far away and close to me.

16. Did you learn about sex, and/or sex safety from your parents?
I learned about sex from my parents and sex safety from school.

17. How do you plan to talk to your kids about sex, and/or sex safety?
In stages. We have already discussed how a woman becomes pregnant.

18. What are you most thankful for this year?
I am most thankful that I have a wonderful family and supportive friends. My family is healthy and happy. That is all that matters to me.


Okay, enough about me. More about six of you! I am tagging Bonnie, Crusty, Portia, Cheryl, Annabel, and Terri. Let me know when you have posted this on your blog.

Leaves

Remember that beautiful tree I posted about? Well, the wind has been blowing and those beautiful yellow leaves are falling all over the yard. Josh was cussing under his breath this morning when he opened the front door. Looks like we will be doing a lot of raking this week. Another one of my favorite things to do.

I have been tagged. I will post it on the next post.

Why Wait

I just love this video. It shows NYC and beautiful people. This video and song make me think. Why wait.

Front Yard Tree

Here are the pictures I promised. Please click on the photo to get a better look. I captured the tree over a three day period. It changes so fast. Well, I am off to work. Hope you all have a good day.

Car Day

Yeah! I have today off. WooHoo!

The meeting went well. Crusty put it well when she mentioned too many chiefs, not enough Indians. But, I did well with my presentations, so I am happy. I took some pictures of my tree in the front yard. I will upload them later. Right now I need to get my tags renewed, car washed and detailed, oil changed, and I need to watch my missed episodes from this week. I'll catch you all later.

Daily Grind

Agh! It's been such a busy week so far! I am so sorry I have not been by to read since Monday. Hope you are all doing great.

I will try and catch up this evening, depending on how long I am at work. We are having a walk-thru tomorrow afternoon at the newly remodeled store. There will be about 50 store managers there. Great.

Well, here's to the daily grind.

Good morning. We had a wonderful time at my parents' house. My mom made her wonderful Korean BBQ pork riblets. We also had Kimchi and kimchi/pork soup. Yum-O!

Today is a start of a brand new week. I am excited. We have some major events going on at work. Should be great!

Here's to a wonderful week for everyone!

Off To See Mom And Dad

I am headed to my parents house today. I plan on staying until tomorrow. The kid and I are getting away from the city and going "home" to enjoy the low-key life of my parents. They live about a mile outside of Great Bend. Can't wait.

I know my mom is probably cooking up a storm. My sister and my nephew will be there. I can't wait to see everyone. My brother will probably stay home or hang out with his girlfriend.

Anyway, if I don't post until tomorrow evening or Monday morning, you know why. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Healthier Halloween

I am getting a late start to work today. Considering I worked both of my days off, I feel I deserve it. Halloween was all messed up. I decided to stay at my house and pass out treats with my kid. But, if you happened to stop by hoping for candy, you didn't really get any. I bought granola bars, fruit roll-ups, and mini peanut butter crackers. It's great. I found these Halloween treat bags on the candy aisle. I opted for a little healthier versions of candy. It turned out great. I bought 22 bags. That's right, 22 bags. We went through half. The best part about having leftover treats is that it's not candy. I have leftover snacks for the kid to have when he gets home from school. How cool is that?

Well, I need to get ready for work. Sorry I didn't post yesterday. It was t.v. night and I had to get caught up. Have an awesome day!

Chocolate

So much for a day off. Oh well, I don't have to stay for long. It's going to be a half day. I have decided to stay go over to the kid's dad's house to pass out candy. I probably won't be there for long, since I can barely stand him. This is perfect. I will only stay until I feel it necessary for me to get the heck out of there before he completely irritates me. I will have had my night of fun for about an hour.

Well, let me get out of here so I can get back early. I have to decide what treats to buy. Chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate.

To Go Or Not To Go, That Is The Question

Good morning. Here's to another productive day in the world of the single mom, working woman. Ugh... I do not want to get out there today.

I am taking the day off tomorrow. My kid has a concert tonight. I can't wait to get some pictures. Sorry, but I won't be posting any. I am not comfortable putting pictures of him on my blog. Personal preference, I guess.

Halloween can't come soon enough. I can't wait to see all of the kiddies' costumes! Perhaps I can photograph some of them. I can't decide if I want to go to a hockey game, or just pass out candy. Decisions!!!

Well, let me leave you now so I can go out and merchandise the masses in my stores. Fun.

Fall

The dim light of the sun trickles in between the blinds. I can hear the soft motor of the 2 seater airplane flying over. Shadows grow longer as the time passes into dusk. Soon, the smells of fall will say goodbye, new smells of winter will announce themselves. I think about the smell of wood burning fireplaces and the warm glow of lights seen on each little house I will pass by in my car, heading home from a long day at work. My favorite season, fall, is present in full array. Beautiful orange, gold, red and copper leaves blanket the trees, only to fall and accumulate into huge mounds in every yard. The cold, wet air welcomes you in the afternoon, your couch beckoning you to curl up to enjoy a fine read.

I just love fall.

Questions Answered

Morning! To answer some of your questions the past few days, I will divide them up.

First, what message did I leave to my guy friend? I just told him I was thinking of him and wanted to see how he was doing. I told him to give me a call, or I would try back. He emailed me the next day telling me he received the message. He said he would call me back soon, but has been busy.

Second, what did I have to drink when I went out with friends? Water and iced tea. I am allergic to alcohol. Sucks, doesn't it?

Third, who is my favorite female and male character on Grey's Anatomy? Well, that would be easy. The male used to be Dr. Burke, aka Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington). Now I would have to choose McSteamy, aka Mark Sloan (Eric Dane). My favorite female is a toss up between Yang, aka Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) and Dr. Bailey, aka the Nazi, aka Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson). Is it sad that I know all of their names? I do like all of the others as well. The only character I am tired of is George.

So, there you have it. I am off again for another day of work. Here's to a quick weekend!

Night Out

Well, instead of staying at home in front of the television last night, I went out with friends. First, a friend who recently moved to Cincinnati was in town. Several of us met at On the Border to have dinner. It was fun times. Then, three of us decided to go to a bar. I am not usually known to go out to a bar, but I figured what the hell, I already had missed Grey's Anatomy. Now, we didn't just go to any old bar. One of the guys I was with confided in me yesterday that he was gay. Uh, yeah. I knew he was when I first met him five years ago, but was just waiting for him to say something. He finally told me and his girl roommate. Anyway, he asked the both of us if we would go with him to a bar he hangs out in so we could see where he hangs out at. At first I was not comfortable with going, but I thought if I was going to be a supportive friend, what could hurt?

It wasn't bad at all. Most of the people were men that were my age. They were all professionals, mostly working downtown in one of the offices. And yes, there were some hot looking men in there. I didn't have loads of fun, but the conversation and the people were great. I wanted to be there for my friend, and now I have so much more trust in him. He was able to tell me, even though his own family doesn't even know. He said he felt relieved after telling us. That must be such a big secret to let out, having to keep it from those you love for most of your life.

So, I have all of my shows DVR'd from last night. Don't tell what happens!

Pooped Out!

I'm home and I am pooped out! It was such a long day with so much to do. I haven't even had lunch yet. What I need is a nap. I am going to snooze for about an hour or so. I will catch up with all of you after Grey's Anatomy this evening. Later!

I Have Issues

Sorry for the lack of comments on all of your blogs. I am a little behind. I have been putting in more 12 hour days, starting at 5 am. Took a nap when I got home today, then vegged out in front of the boob tube. I have one more big day tomorrow, then all should be back to normal.

Thanks for all of your comments about my issues with dying. I guess I am most afraid of the actual dying. Knowing that it's happening, while it's happening, freaks me out a little bit.

Okay, enough about that. Other news: I called my best guy friend, got the answering machine, left a lame message, and then kicked myself after I did it. I do have issues.

Scared Of Death

Is anyone else out there afraid of death? This subject came up when I visited my parents' house on Sunday. My mom, sister, and I confided to each other that we were all scared to die. I am scared more now that I have a child then when I didn't. I guess for me, I just don't know what's going to happen after it happens. Will I even know it happened? Will I even know I am dead? Mostly, I am scared of what will happen to my kid. No one can love him like I can. This scares the shit out of me. What do you think?

I know some people will comment that you have to have faith in God. I know that. But even with faith, you have to wonder. Wouldn't it just suck if all the people who have this faith end up dying and it didn't turn out like it was suppose to?

This subject is a little touchy. It's a little morbid. It's what I fear. So, there you go folks. Honesty and emotions worn on my sleeve.

Flyin' By

Mornin. I am working late today. I won't be back until this evening. I promise to post something then. Hope you all survived yesterday. It went by so fast!

I'm Back From Airplane Hell

Good morning! I am back. Got back late last night, after our flight was delayed three times. We actually got home about 1:00 this morning, therefore the reason for no post last night.

It was fun!! The last night there was the best. We were taken to dinner by some major "foodies" who are multi-millionaires. We ate at Maloney and Porcelli, located on 50th between Park and Madison. The atmosphere is LOUD!!!! But, having the big mouth that I do, I fit in just fine. The guys we were with were even louder. I asked why everyone was shouting. My response was "classic New Yorker talk". Cool. I could hang with that. I ordered the rib steak, not knowing it was going to be 30 OUNCES. Holy cow, that steak was HUGE!!! I couldn't eat all of it. I also got the yummy fingerling yams in vanilla sauce, and a blue cheese salad wedge. We had choices for dessert. I stuck with the coconut creme layer cake. It was light and airy, perfect for the end of a filling meal. The best part about that night was the company. These guys definitely knew how to have a good time. Even though I will probably never see them again, it was so much fun.

We didn't do much sight seeing. We only went to Ground Zero and our hotel was at Times Square. I took our group to see Rockefeller Center. Our training was in Greenwich Village, so you know I had a good time there. It's my favorite part of the city. If I had to live in New York, I would live there. I found out how much it would cost, and I could easily afford it. The only problem would be transportation. I would never drive. It's way too hectic.

Well, I am very happy to be home. I have the weekend off. My plans are to see my parents tomorrow. It's about a two hour drive from here. I plan on being gone for most of the day. This evening we are going to a hockey game. It's our local team and it's their first game. The arena will be packed for one night out of the season, which is always opening night.

Okay, so I am off to catch up on all of you. Let's just say it's going to take me a little while to do that. Have an awesome weekend.

I'm Off

Good morning. I haven't even packed yet. Everything is laid out on the bed until after I get dressed and groomed. Then it's all going into the suitcase. I would say I am a light packer. The shoes are what weighs me down. I am only taking five pairs, including running shoes. So, only four pair for work attire. You just never know which one you will want to wear until you put them on.

We have the whole four days planned out. Tuesday evening we are having dinner at Artisinal. Should be fun. On Wednesday, we are touring all of the local supermarkets. We will be dining at Patsy's. Then on Thursday, we are spending the day in Greenwich Village (my favorite place in NYC) and working in the local cheese shop there. Sometime on our trip, we will be going to see the Lion King on Broadway. We are cut loose from the group on Friday. I have until 2:30 to do whatever I want. WooHoo!

Oh! I am going to miss my kid so much. He's not happy about me going for a second time without him. I promised to bring lots of presents back for him. You know I will.

I plan on using the computer in the hotel a bit, so I will try checking in. Have a great week!!

Lots To Do

Good Morning. I trust you all had a good weekend. I did. Lots to do today before I leave for NYC tomorrow. I will try and check in later.

It's raining! Yeah! I absolutely love the rain. It was pouring big time earlier. I think I will enjoy this moment while I read blogs. Later...

Back at you later

Good morning. Hope you all had a great weekend. Mine is going okay so far. Not much to write about this morning. Got to head into work. Back at you later.

Quickie

Quick post before I leave for work. Gotta drop off the dry cleaning today. WooHoo NYC!! Here I come again! Hope you are all having a fantastic weekend!

Bring On The Rain

It's starting to rain!! WooHoo! I just love the rain and a good thunderstorm. Bring on the rain!