Thursday Thoughts!

Oh my, can you believe it we are nearly done with 2010. I am in awe how quickly this year has passed. I think time goes by quicker now that I am older...

I don't know about you but I do not do New Year Resolution's. I really have not seen people be successful with them and I think I did make a list many years ago but cannot remember much about it. I usually do try to do new things and try to do some things better but don't name them "New Year's Resolutions" Maybe it's all the same in the end but that's my thoughts on that.

So my thoughts today are:

• Lookin' forward to seeing lil'blue
• Lookin' forward to my FLORIDA trip!
• Lookin' even more forward to seeing MiB!
• Lookin' forward to more great adventures in 2011!

Happy New Year to you hope you make the best of fresh starts and look forward to a great year ahead!

It was a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

It has come and gone, but the memories are there... great food, family time, giggles from the Littles, laughs all around throughout the day and a lot of domino and card playing along with some movie watching. It was a good day!  And although I was able to be with my family, I missed being with MY family.  Ahhh, next time!

Hope your day was peaceful and full of laughter, hugs and hope.

Merry Christmas...

Thursday Thoughts!

It's almost here...CHRISTmas!

Hope you take the time to enjoy all that you have especially family and friends!

Thursday Thoughts are simple today...

• Black walnut brittle...YUM!
• Missing MiB and LilBlue : / 
• Giftcards are a good thing!
• Family time = PRICELESS...
• Planning steaks on the grill for Christmas dinner!

In case you are unaware I am back in MO and internet availability is challenging so posting is again sporadic.

S I X, yes that would be SIX!

And today we mark another milestone...we are now at the half way point! Woot, woot, woot! We are half way people, HALF WAY.

What you don't know, but I will now tell you is there is more wonderfulness...next month, yes January in the year 2011, I will get to see the MiB in FL. Yeah I know MAJOR happy dance!!!  We will have about 10 days together. Of course he will be in a class for 5 days of this time, but still I will see him before and after class and the weekends before and after the class begins, I am sooooo excited. I have already booked my flight, arranged with three doors down for airport transport and housing before and after MiBs arrival and it is all good. I am looking forward to seeing everyone for a few days and being back on the Space Coast.

Looks like there may even be a shuttle launch while I am there!

Today I am traveling to MO and plan to be there til I go to FL, but of course that is all subject to change as I have seen these last six months it is best not to make real firm plans but stay flexible, so I am!

Hard to believe it will Christmas in a week...think I better finish up the gift card buying!

What an HONOR

Earlier in the week MiB was honored with the Medal of St Barbara. I don't know much about this Saint Barbara thing but here's what I've got:

Honorable Order of Saint Barbara

---

The award authority for the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara is centralized to the Field Artillery commanders who are Lieutenant Colonel or above. Division artillery commanders, Field Artillery brigade commanders, Marine artillery regiment commanders or corps artillery commanders have approval authority. Such commanders may approve the award for those in or associated with their commands. When there is no such Field Artillery commander available, the Commanding General of the United States Army Field Artillery Center and Fort Sill is the approving authority for the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara. The Honorable Order of Saint Barbara recognizes those individuals who have demonstrated the highest standards of integrity and moral character; displayed an outstanding degree of professional competence; served the United States Army or Marine Corps Field Artillery with selfless­ness; and contributed to the promo­tion of the Field Artillery in ways that stand out in the eyes of the recipient's seniors, subordinates and peers, alike.

 The "real" medals did not arrive in time so they fabricated some really neat substitutes!

So MiB and his boss were both given this honor a few days ago. I know he is extremely humbled by this and is also a bit proud to have been chosen, you know the good kind of proud. That kind of proud that helps to reinforce your career, that says maybe I am doing something right, I am making a difference and leaving it better then I found it. You are just hoping to be able to continue to be effective, to be a leader with integrity, someone who keeps his focus and continues to make the tough call.  He actually blogged it and that is where I got the info about Saint Barbara above!

Way to go MiB, I am extremely proud of you and proud to be your wife...143

Thursday Thoughts!

It's been such a nice, low key, laid back, week I know I'm going to miss this mini getaway next week when we are in in the moment of the season of Christmas. I will enjoy it but it will be so much more then I really would want and so I will miss this, this extra week of downtime for me. And I will also be a bit on the gloomy side since it will be my first Christmas without LilBlue.

I hope if you are still shopping you are nearly done; I hope you are taking time to enjoy those around you, that you are embracing the season and not dreading it, that you are really, really celebrating the reason for the season. I hope you find peace, love and joy in new ways and that you look for ways to bring those same things...peace, love and joy to those whose path you cross. We never know when we will be on the other side of a situation, be thankful and give thanks for where you are. Make strides to curtail the judgmental attitudes, look for the good in others. And don't shirk the responsibility of speaking up when necessary; that is also hard but doable.  It can always be worse, it can always be better, make the most of where you are...

Thoughts:

• I love, love, love pecan brittle!
• I am so very blessed by others...
• Static electricity is evil and I dislike it.
• This time next month LilBlue will be 20 - YIKES!

Time for some TV, this whole DVR thing is really spoiling me, I can watch whatever I want, whenever I want and skip the commercials, this is way cool and I am liking it way too much!

Things you don't see everyday...

 

It was just an average morning and I was heading south to look at a car for LilBlue after a Craigslist transaction and there it was...

I guess when they decided it was time to move they really decided it WAS TIME TO MOVE! When it passed by there were still things hanging on the wall! Quite a sight for sure. 

It was a slow day yesterday so this is the best I got...good thing tomorrow is Thursday Thoughts cause it's lookin' even slower and I'm just lovin' that! Soon enough I will be back to the real world so I'm soakin' it in as I'm livin' the dream!

Off with HIS head!

I couldn't resist...we went to Panera for a quick dinner and that's when I saw him. He just stared at me with his twinkly eyes across the counter. I noticed his cute little red buttons, took in his slightly quirky white piping against his just right tanned body and knew I just had to have him...so I did!

 Isn't he adorable?






But.....

 You know it had to happen, it was a short lived infatuation and 340 calories later he is gone!

The latest in car decor...

Lest you think I am photographing random cars again (Chris, Dia and/or Kitty!) I am not, this is Gs car and this is the latest adornment that we picked up at the local Walgreen's tonight. I take full responsibility, since I am the one who needed to stop at Walgreen's to pick up my prints and they saw it as soon as we walked in and had to have it...oh my, Merry Christmas, we are starting to get in the spirit around here!

She had to go back to the BIG O!

Took LilBlue to the airport and then headed to Edmond, where my alma mater is and had lunch at Jo's Famous Pizza... I'd never been but I would go back!

The salad was unbelievable! It had WONDERFUL, tasty, shredded provolone cheese, with black olives, Canadian bacon and diced tomatoes on a yummy bed of tender spring mixed greens. The vinaigrette dressing was a tad too oily but still nice.  

 

 The salad was followed by personal pan pizza's. I had the vegetarian which had baby spinach, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, and really, really yummy sundried tomatoes, oh my it was so very tasty!

It will HAVE to be salad for dinner...that's all I'm sayin'...I hope those peanut butter cookies LilBlu left do not call my name...

Lunch with the man!

 

Having lunch (roast, mashed potatoes, brown roast gravy, carrots, corn, roasted veggies and rolls with MiB on the laptop on the bar stool..it was a hoot!

 The rolls were absolutely yum... I had TWO, LilBlue had 4!

LilBlue just looking lovely!

It was a nice day, lots of laughs, visiting and too much eating! It was a splurge day for sure but tomorrow it is salad for lunch for sure and probably dinner as well. I am staying in OKC another week. It's all good, praying for good weather for LilBlue's return travel to the big O. And also for my car which is in the long term parking at the airport and they have had snow and bone chilling -25* wind chill temps for the last two days...

Night for now, it is late and we have had a great big good day :)

He done GRAD-GEEE-ATED

 It was a very nice graduation, the speaker was good, the Hallmark guy from Kansas City, MO was there, it was really cool.  It's a sealed done deal and we are soooooooooooooooo very proud!

 

 LilBlue with the GRADUATE!

 Patiently waiting since we were in our seats 45 minutes before the graduation began, but we had GREAT seats...thanks LilBlue for navigating the crowd and scoping the scene for the best spot!

 

Being silly during the processional in...

 

 Got the diploma, it's all good!

After the graduation, we all went to Ingrid's Kitchen to have a celebratory meal, I had Wiener Schnitzel, oh man it was good, but the carrot cake (yeah, I know, not real Germanish) was divine! It was sooo good, I wanted to take some home but since we had graduation cake and leftover cheesecake I did not!

 At Ingrid's

There was a dragon parade with singing in Gs honor...this was pure delight, there was lots of excitement and activity with the three little girls around and we had several "shows", "parades" and wardrobe changes. It was fun for all and lots of giggles could be heard throughout the loft most of the evening!

FYI:  Looks like I am having so much fun in OKC I am going to stay on another week, I mean seriously, I have no commitments so it's not like I can't, so I am! Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...OKLAHOMA, it's the place to be!!! And besides it's snowin' in MO and NE so who wants to be there!

And the fun continues...

It's been a day we went to Pei Wei...good, I enjoyed it, the Japanese Teriyaki Fried Rice was very good, I got veggie and the veggies were very nice. Tried what everyone else had and it was all yummy, but Gs was soooo spicy I only had a few bites, the spring rolls were great and lettuce wraps were different, but a good different.

 Oh yeah, it was YUUUM...according to G!

 The three Pei Wei lovers!

 These are the statues I so remember and they are all dressed in their holiday finest!

After Pei Wei we stopped over at Cheesecake Factory and brought home a 7 inch original, oh me, oh my!

It was an awesome fun day and of course there was some Wii playing going on tonight too. Also the Grands arrived, tomorrow is the BIG day!

SURPRISE :o)

A few day back I alluded to the fact that we are in celebration mode for Gs graduation and that there were some surprises on the horizon, well, she's here! Lil Blue is here for the graduation too...so let all the festivities begin! She flew in late last night and talk about coming up with a hair-brained story to get out of the house to retrieve her, we did. We went "shopping" which neither one of us are shoppers so the fact that he bought that story and didn't really question it is pretty priceless in and of itself.  So as far fetched as it was it worked! Even with a delayed flight we pulled it off and he truly did seem surprised even though I know I nearly spilled the beans about her coming a couple times! He was caught off guard when we all three came walking up the stairs last night!!!!

 Hug Number 1

I can't believe you are here...

 Splainin' how we pulled this off!

 Hug Number 2

So after some chitchattin' we pulled out the Wii and ended up staying up waaaaaay too late makin fools of ourselves but we had a bunch of fun. LilBlue was hillarious...G ended up skating for us again, we did a new obstacle course game which was so fun and funny; we did the bird flappy one again, too. We took way too long with making a Wii person for LilBlue but at least she is now in the system with the rest of us! Good fun times and priceless memories for sure!

 LilBlue playing that bird flapper game on the Wii!

Oh and for lunch today we did Chick Fil A...and I was amazed at the drive-through line. This was AFTER we were in it, we had to wait to turn into the line, so we waited in line to turn into a line to get in line to go through the drive-through. Is that nuts or what? I mean hey I do like Chick Fil A, I do not love it but I like it but this kind of line was surprising. Amazingly enough it moved pretty fast! However, I have to say I was severely disappointed to be told they were OUT OF the Chick Fil A sauce. I mean come on how do you run out of your signature sauce; I was very unhappy :(  I substituted with the Polynesian sauce instead. It was okay at best, I will not choose it again. Therefore, I did not enjoy my nuggets near as much as I would have had I had the right sauce. Oh well!

Later today we are going to LilBlue's new favorite place..Pei Wei. I have never been, so I will let you know what I think but LB thinks it's the bomb and so do the Gs!

Night!

Thursday Thoughts!

Busy week, not a lot to say, been fun this week with G&G, have made them roasted veggies twice, they like them too, we have also made candy, played Wii and I have done a little cleaning for them and it's all been good. Today is a full day of errands and trying to make the final prep plans for the graduation event this weekend, we will definitely be doing some running and it will all be fun!

Thoughts:

• I'm abundantly blessed!
• I know the Season's Reason!
• I'm liking saving vs spending...
• The gift giving is out of control!

How we steer clear of the over buying and focus on what we know is truly important...

Uh NO, candy!

I know we are in "the season" but seriously this is why I don't make candy cause I eat it and if I eat it I wear it...so yeah, I know I will be wearing this cause I've been eating it...don't get me wrong it's yummy but heaven knows I do not need to wear it.

 

The Candy Makers!

Reese's Balls

Caramel and Pecans and then we added chocolate...

(If you think you notice some missing caramel pecan blobs, you are NOT seeing things...I don't think I need to explain what happened to them, you can figure it out!)

Weeeeeeeee....

While in Vegas with the Gracious family I experienced the Wii for the first time ever! I bowled, it was fun, I liked it, I even got my own little Wii person created for me...so tonight I got to play Wii again, I had the WiiFit experience this time and I think I LOVE it...so I think this is a really neat thing, maybe I need one! I did this bird flapper thingy and at first I was not doing so well, then G got me loaded in the system and I made it all the way to the cruise ship by flapping, leaning, soaring and flapping some more! I landed on targets, which looked like tall tree stumps in the middle of the ocean, and got extra time and soared right onto the big boat! WooHOO I did it!

I'm in the system now!

I think I will be doing more on this thing before I leave, I think I not only need too, but I want to!

There some pics of me, maybe even video...but not on my camera so I will share these fun shots of G&G playing! It was a hoot, it was harder then it looked and it was FUN! 

G skates for us...he got a real workout!

Flapping and soaring and landing, oh my! We will all have sore arms tomorrow.

Put your traveling shoes on!

I am off again...I'm so excited it has worked out for me to get back to OKC for several days. I am heading down for the graduation of G. It will be a grand celebration as this is a major milestone that has been a long time coming and really it is just about having that piece of paper for the official validation of the incredible talent, skills, and knowledge of all things IT that he has.  WooHoo let the party begin...we will next weekend and there are some surprises on the horizon for this celebration. But I'm not tellin'

Have a great Sunday, it's a beautiful crisp day here and I am enjoying some mighty fine sunshine.

Thursday Thoughts!

Florida is a good place to be and I think the temps are above average, I mean come on 65* in December, what's not to like, I think these snowbirds are onto something...maybe that is my future...I think I can live with it, but not yet.

Yesterday it was 79* in the sunshine state, wowsa! That is nice, yesiree!

Enjoy your weather wherever you are, I am!


Thoughts:

• Whoa...it's December!!!
• Not pretty on the added poundage :( 
•  I'm looking forward to the new year...
• I'm pretty much doing cash or gift cards!
• I am not a big fan of all this buy, buy, buy holiday, but I do love CHRISTmas!

DECMEBER, really?

Can you really believe it is December? I mean, really? Where in the world did November go? It was crazy busy I know but how did it fly by like it did? I do not know and actually, I am looking forward to 2011 but I am sad that 2010 is so quickly coming to an end! It's been a good year no doubt, but it certainly has not been without it's challenges. It's all good when you consider the things I have seen others experience and I am so very grateful for my life, my family and my Savior!

Off to the USPS, Wally World and then to do some serious scrapbooking!

Possibly my future???

My MIB thinks he is ready to retire and thinks he wants to get one of these and jaunt about...course he wants to do this near water.  I'm not sure about that just yet. I really think we should go ahead and finish out with 30 in the good 'ole USAF then think about this as a potential lifestyle. I also think I need to re-enter the work force for a few years to beef up our retirement savings. Guess we will see...definitely not ruling it out, just think we may need to give it some time before making the plunge!

Whatever it is I know it will be an adventure with my MIB!!!

She's outta here :(

Snapped this before she got on the road this a.m.

We had a such a nice time with her here....but it was waaaay too short of a visit! I'm so thankful that the Bud was able to come down with her, I felt much better that she wasn't traveling alone on this trip!

Thankful Thursday Thoughts

There is much to be thankful for, always, so today I will just highlight the BIG ones, my family, my health, my friends. I am so very fortunate to have an awesome family, to be in good health and have some wonderful friends. What more can you ask for? Well, lots, and I have a list of those things just like everyone else, but they are wants, they are certainly not needs. I can truly say that my needs have never not been met, how blessed I am. I am thankful for that. Thankful to God!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have much to be thankful for as well!

Color me BLUE

She's here...I've hugged her a half dozen times already but I plan to go for another half dozen before nightfall! Just hope she doesn't get this cold that is trying to invade my world!

I would make this post longer but 1) I'm using my phone to do it and 2) I need to go hug the girl again!

Oh and the Bud is here too!

She's coooming...for real this time!

So she’s arriving today…yeah, I know, I know that’s what I said yesterday but barring any other unforeseen circumstances she will be arriving later this afternoon. I am bummed!!!!! Yes, I really am and actually I am just a bit peeved if you want the real truth about it... I know it is only one day, but still. The amount of time she will have here is so limited that every moment of every hour she does have here counts to me.

So, anyway, more travel prayers are being prayed today as they make their way down and hopefully before too much longer I will be giving her squeezes of love! And maybe a few pinches of irritation as well...

She's coooming!!!!

In a mere few hours Lil Blue will be on the road to MO for a few days. I am thrilled she will be here even though she will have to head back sooner then I would like she is at least able to come!  WOOHOO! Really glad that she will not be traveling alone, the Bud will be with her!

Prayers for her safe travel will be going up throughout the afternoon as she makes the trek down...So far so good on decent weather and praying the same for when she has to head back!

Branson Trip

On Friday a duo of vans headed to Branson, MO. It's been a day or two or maybe even 15 years since I've been there, but I really can't remember when it was so anyway... We headed south to watch the NHS choirs do the opening act for the Neal McCoy show. It was a beautiful day out for the ride down and I had the bestest travel buddy!

My travel buddy

One of my nieces is in the Soundsational Singer group and she did a fantabulous job on her solo for the event, all the kids did great! The Trebs were awesome too and I like their outfits this year!

MalMal

If you have never heard of Neal McCoy ( I did not recognize the name, but do know his songs after I heard them). He does the Shake, Wink, and Beer Goggles just to name a few...so I know you know him, you just might not know his name.

Doin' the SHAKE!

I have to tell you if you should make a Branson trip I highly recommend Neal's show. He was an awesome entertainer and did a heckofa show. If I ever go again I would see him again!

An absolute class act!

Neal has also done countless USO tours and shows for our deployed men and women overseas, so you know that always gets an extra gold star from me!

GO CHIEFS!

Five-5-Cinco-Cinque-Cinq

It's been 5 months...not that I am counting but I do know when we reach a milestone and we have.

Just thought I would share; so far it is rolling along as life seems to do. We have weathered a major car accident, a death, and other daily life goes on situations. I feel like I am doing just fine but would rather be doing it with the MiB...nuf said...we are at 5 with 7 more to tick off.

Thankful Thursday Thoughts!

I believe I need a thankful Thursday post this week! Cause I certainly have a many, many things to be thankful for!

I have a pretty healthy body (though I could stand to lose a few pounds), I am loved, I am well fed (hence the needing to lose a few pounds!), I have abundant clothing, I have a vehicle in good working order, I have extended family who love me, I have wonderful friends, I am just really, really blessed! And I really am thankful for all these things!

As we are just a week out from Thanksgiving day I am thrilled that there is a plan for LilBlue to come to MO for a few days, I wish it were longer but at least as of today she will be here for a few days. The Bud may even be coming down with her, it should be a good time, I know everyone here is anxious to see her it has been too long!

The weather here has been chilly but not cold. I am thankful for this, as I am not at all looking forward to cold temps. There have been a few days of coolness but all in all fall is shaping up nicely. I am praying for a mild winter!!! I am also praying in advance for good travel weather in December for my trip to OKC. I will be driving down and LilBlue will be flying so we will be praying for good weather for flying too! She has to connect in St Louis coming down and Denver on the way back. The Denver connection can always be dicey in December but we are just trusting God to make the travel provisions necessary and know that we have good friends in Denver and St Louis should there be a need!

This weekend I am headed to Branson...its been awhile since I have been in that neck of the woods and I will only be there a short time but anticipate it will be fun.

Last weekend I was in SW MO at a big scrapbooking crop and had a bunch of fun with a great group of ladies; how in the world I was talked into being dressed up in black and white trash bags I'll never know, but it happened and there are pictures to prove it! They will not be on here though, sorry! I am still trying to recover from scrapping til 2 a.m. on Friday night and then getting up at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, scrapping again til 10:00 p.m. Saturday night but not getting back to the room til somewhat later and being up to head home early Sunday morning. I was worn out and still think I am!

Enough on my end, have a great weekend, I will in Branson, MO!

Veteran's Day Tribute!

 Today I waive my flag high, stand up straight and proud!

I say "Thank you" to those who serve the red, white and blue... 

I am so thankful and so proud to be an American! Thank you Veteran's, you have given more then can ever be repaid, you are America's finest. Thanks so very much to all who have already served, who are currently serving and those who will serve in the days, months and years to come we still need you to keep our country safe, secure and free!

 

The MiB meeting his daughter for the first!

Happy Birthday!!!

It was a good day, the weather was gorgeous!

Our crowds were diverse; we had the family, the family friends, and the church friends. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves…we had plenty of cake, did I mention that we had two cakes? One chocolate with whipped icing and one white with butter cream icing. I did not eat the cake for the celebration but I did have some awesome pumpkin bread that my niece made. Can I just tell you that if you put pumpkin in it I am pretty much all over it regardless of what it is? Well, yeah, it’s true.

Back to the party, two of the three brothers were able to attend. I think they had a good time…there were lots of laughs as they relived some old family stories. Some things never change; they are a hoot for sure.

The brothers!

It was good to see some of my cousins that I have not in recent days, they all are doing well it seems and some I will see again for the holidays in just a few weeks.

Turning 80 is what I would consider a milestone; it also means you have been given 29,200 days of life.  That’s a bit intimidating to think about. I know there are always things we would do differently but overall I think my dad has been pretty pleased with the way his life has turned out. I hope so cause at this stage of the game you need to be living with no regrets. Make decisions you CAN live with, I think this is a good thought no matter your age, but the older I get the more I think this is a good thought process. In our younger years I think we just don’t think about the ramifications of our decisions or we think that will never happen to us, but as we get a few more years on us I think we realize how totally off that is.

I can never really say enough about my dad, as there are so many things TO say, but I will say this: I love him! I cannot say that we always see eye to eye but I always love him AND I know he loves me. I know he would do anything he could to help me if I needed it and the same goes for him if I can I will.

Happy birthday dad!

The youngest attendee!!!