since my last post...

in my defense i tried to post a blog.  twice in one day actually.  and it didn't load...twice.  i ran across an old friend's blog and it inspired me to post a new one and i tried.  unsuccessfully.  i was so compelled by her new blog because it made me think!  as i read her post i just sat there and cried!!!  she opened my eyes to the fact that the only time i had mentioned GOD was to say, "thank GOD for this or that!"  of course i have shared stories of things that we are able to do because of God, but never had i once mentioned what we were doing to please HIM. 

the new year is here and of course we ask SO VERY much of him throughout the year.  THIS year i plan to see what i can do for him this year to GLORIFY HIM! it's the VERY least i can do.

since my last post he has been with Muh Man through two (hand and knee) surgeries and 4 other surgeries for family members.  he has also provided a miracle in the life of my SIL and BIL.  PLUS, he has protected me as i traveled over 40 thousand miles this year on very dangerous roads. 

those are just the BIG things that he's done for me.  that does not count the daily blessings i receive and that i am totally unworthy of.  so, it's the very, very, very least i can do. 

thank you stemmon's family for opening my eyes!!

Hello!!

since there has been such a PUBLIC OUTCRY for me to post a new blog i thought i better get right on it!!!  seriously, i have been busy and i have been busy and i have been busy.

doing what you say?

my job (thankful i have one)

my lawn (thank God for the riding lawnmower invention)

working cows (kevin gave himself a vaccination and had to have emergency surgery, story to follow)

cleaning out closets and cabinets (it only took me 6 months to complete my new years resolution)

going to the lake (it's a muddy mess but its my summer oasis)

playing with my girl (she's the sweetest)

eating popsicles (my weakness, along with wine, cheese, and donuts)

getting a new neighbor (our first and only neighbor....we live so far out we don't even have one, yet!)

sleeping, reading, eating, and exercising (a little)


so stay tuned and i will post a new blog about my man and his EMERGENCY SURGERY!!

we remember

multiple times i have caught myself saying, "this world is so crazy, i am so glad i live in the country.  i am so glad i live in Oklahoma," and then i remember.  i will always remember.  On September 11, 1995 i was walking down the hallway of my highschool in my senior year and somebody grabbed me and took me into the library and we watched the news coverage of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah building in downtown OKC.  the bombing was unimaginable.  it was unthinkable.  it was shocking and tragic.  it hurt so many people, it killed 168 people and it brought so many Oklahomans together.

15 years later we celebrate and remember the lives of the 168 men, women, and children who died.  in remembering those individuals, each year for the last 10 years people from all across the nation join together to run or walk in the OKC Memorial Marathon.  three years ago my family and i made the decision to participate in the memorial 5k.  this year my girl participated in her first 5k.  she was such a big girl.  i was so proud of her and it was a walk i will always remember.

as we walked i kept talking to her.
i told her i was proud of her.
i told her that we were blessed to have such good health.
i told her that we have such an amazing life.
i told her we were walking because 168 others could not.
i told her i loved her.

each day is a blessing and a true gift from God.  each year for as long as there is a a OKC Memorial Marathon, we will be there to remember those lost and to celebrate the life they lived, and our life!

Happy Easter.....

Dont you just LOVE Easter?  It's a special time of year.
Not only is it a celebration of the resurection of Jesus but also the resurection of flowers, trees, bermuda grass and......Morel Mushrooms!!!!!

It's a tradion in my family to hunt for Morel Mushrooms right around Easter.  They are delicious little morsels that you find in the woods and eat.  The recipe is simple.  Cut in half or fourths if you have a large one and then you dip em in egg and then flour and then you DEEP FRY 'em till they are golden brown in half canola oil and half butter flavored Crisco.  Sprinkle with seasoned salt and serve with baked beans and potato salad!!  All I can say is YUMMO!
BUT.....here is what they lool like.

DO NOT get the wrong ones.  Here's a hint....if the Red Bud Trees are not blooming it's not a Morel and if it's RED than you do not pick nor eat it or it will cause serious gastrointestinal complications and maybe even DEATH...ok maybe not DEATH but....just maybe. 

We will be hunting tomorrow after church.  I will post some pics of us hunting and of Master Chef Mike cooking up these delicious fungi.

The Easter Bunny just stopped by and left My Girl a goodie basket filled with a swim suit, clothes, and candy.  Do you know what he also left behind?  He left his tradional trail.  He's done that for as long as i can remember.  He starts at the bed or bedroom door and leaves a little trail of jelly beans all the way to the stash of goodies.  This really is a tradition that is loved by all who wake up in our home....except me for some reason?  hmmmmm.....maybe i haven't been good since i moved out on my mom and dads?!?
Here's what it looks like......

This trail goes into the livingroom where My Girl will find lots of JOY on Easter Morning!

Happy Easter....I hope your day is filled with tradition and family in celebration of the Resurection of Jesus!!!

one fine day....

yesterday was sunny and 60 degrees!

IT WAS ONE FINE DAY!!!

we've been living in a snow globe for the last 3 months.
**see previous posts

but yesterday.....was a FINE day and here's how it went down.......
slept in
had a bowl of Wheaties with a banana...yummm
visited with my mother and father in law
put together My Girl's trampoline with the help of my father n law
watched My Girl jump
got to see the BIG FAT HOG that Jimmy Earl caught
(seperate post to follow)
watched UP (must see movie) in the livingroom with the windows open
took a catnap with My Man
wormed and fed the cows
took some really sweet baby calf photos
and had a yummy dinner. 

and for the record.....fried cabbage is waaaay underrated

have a lil look at our fun, fine day!!

one fine day......

it was enjoyed by all....

but i bet someone shakes the snow globe again......before spring actually arrives.

ICE STORM 2010

i told you that THEY were gonna name the recent storm we just went through, but seriously...as bad as this storm was............the name was a total let down!

ICE STORM 2010?
what?  it should have been
Artic Blast
Winter Whiteout
heck, Winter Wipeout

anything other than just plain ol' ICE STORM 2010 would have been better!

this storm was not like ANY other storm that i have witnessed in my 33 years.

there were poles down everywhere.  there were metal poles shattered.  there were cross country poles down for miles.  it was like a domino effect!! 

almost everyone i know lost electricity and some are still without after over a week.

here are a few pictures...they do NOT do it justice.

That line across the picture on the left is an electric line covered in 3" of ice!!! 

burrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

reeeeeed riverrrrr....(singing it like the song....moon river)

me:  "yay, we just got back from skiing......."
people:  "o cool, where'dja go!!!!"
me:  "Red River"
people:  "o"

me (thinking in my head):  whatever snow snob!!

seriously...Red River has the same snow as all the other mountains.  its fresh, cold, white and fun.  BUT i guess its not as big as other mountains and parks so SOME PEOPLE aren't as enthusiastic about it as i am.  but here's why i love it so, so, very much.

i love it because its small.
i love it because its where i learned to ski (sorta).
i love it because its where our kids learned to ski and snowboard.
i love it because it has some really cool OLD lifts and even a new one.
i love it because you can walk everywhere you need to go (not that i do, but i could).

i love it because it is the home of the Sundance Mexican restaurant for the last 37 years.

i love it because everytime we go back there is someone we know and knows us.

i love it becasue it feels like our town....even if it is for only 5 days a year.

and here's proof of all these reasons.....

Red River 2010

flashback to falls...past

did i ever tell you how much i like fall?

i am dreaming of fall at this moment.

instead we are sitting here in the livingroom....in the light of 20 candles!

we are having a bad ice storm.
we have been out of electricity for the last 6 hours and i have heard that it may be several days before we get it back on.

when you live out in the country and you don't have an address or neighbors....your the last ones on!!

tomorrow they (the news stations or the Daily Oklahoman) will have named it.

storm names of the past....
May's Fury
Blizzard 09
**i'm drawing a blank, but it's a new one each time.

we are having a nice time and making the best of it.  My Man is playing the guitar and My Girl is singing, dancing, humming, eating, and drawing.  i am taking advantage of the 1 hour and 47 minutes (57%) of battery time on my laptop and my Sprint aircard.

ok......so i am thinking happier, warmer thoughts.
thoughts of fall.

look how much fun fall has been in the past!

2008

2009

warmer fun fall days!!

my how time flys when you are having fun in the fall!!

hello strangers...where ya been?

hello darling,
nice to see ya,
it's been a loooong time since i held ya...
your just as lovely....as you....use to beeeeeeee........

have i ever told ya how much i LOVE Conway?

conway twitty...
i do.
his songs are important.
his songs are sexy.

and seriously....i have no idea where this is going.

i really just wanted to say i missed ya and i have lots of post headed this way.

they include:
secrets to a good roast...
make a bunny ear, and a loop and a swoop....oh yah
baby, green, blue, black...black and blue
bye bye my hard earned lbs.....
wine...whos whinning???
organization....who me???
and fall......o how i love fall....still

photos of me...ick, but whatever!

i was looking at my fall pictures and realize that its over and i didn't get to share enough fall STUFF during fall.  where'd it go?  i miss it. 

its my favorite and EXPECT to see a few fall blogs soon.

but right now i wanna talk about me.  more specificly, i wanna talk about photos of me.  i do not take good pictures.  i MEAN i REALLY DONT!  and i am not just being hard on myself. 

honestly i think i am a nice looking gal. but when it comes to pics.....see for yourself.

i have squinty eyes and i have a horrible fake smile. my real one is not good but my fake one is worse.

and here i look like a deranged gorilla.  granted i wasnt trying to look good but when i look bad....i look BAD to the bone.

in this self portrait i look fake, puffy and a little like eeeeyah, whats up doc?

o wait, here i look ok. why do we have to be so hard on ourselves? i ALWAYS tell my friends and family that we need to enjoy who we are right now because this may be as good as it gets. when i am 40 i know i will die to look like this in pictures.

after further review i did find a few pictures that make me feel silly and shallow for saying what i said up above.

check this out.....

and look here......not to bad even with the double chinny chin chin and belly!!

hmmm hmmmm.........this is ok too even with the poochy tummy

so anyway, i need to take some advise from my 5 year old.

"be who you are!"

she's right and i am gonna love who i am and embrace my pictures. good and bad!

i am healthy, happy and loved by God, my husband, my family and my friends.

i have a job, food, and a warm home.

i am thankful....even if i don't take good pictures. 

girls will be girls......

we can't have it all, but i do have more than i deserve.

brrrrrrrrr.......

well, well, well, i have been soooo busy with work and Christmas preperations that i have not had time to blog!

but now we are in a full on blizzard so i have lots of time to blog!

this happened today, in my courtyard!

and you can't see out half of our back door!

and the winds are amazing!!!!

and baby it's coooooooold out siiiiiiiiide!

i sing while i freeze tra la la! freeze tra la la! freeze tra la la!

la la!!

holiday shopping trip......gone so wrong!

Yesterday i bought a Christmas tree from Woodward's Furniture Store. Tonight, my mom, my friend and i went to their annual Christmas open house. I asked the owner for the price of a Christmas tree for my mom and made mention that i had bought the tree (a display tree that was for sale) and i LOVED it! She said she knew and that she "wanted to kick my A**!" She said it sorta joking, BUT SHE DOES NOT KNOW ME AND WHO SAYS THAT TO A CUSTOMER?  If she didn't want to sell it she should have told me it wasn't for sale until after the open house!!!  SO, we continued to shop and found that we had our hands full! I asked if there was a place we could sit our things and they said NO. My friend had her hands full with all her large items so when she added a LARGE piece of 8 dollar greenery..she stuck it in her $850 purse, but it was hanging out at least a foot! She made her $80 purchase (including the greenery) and was followed to my car and her things were searched. She came back into the store and told me what had happened. At that point, I made the decision NOT to purchase the things i had picked out. We pulled the owner outside (not to cause a scene) and asked him to give her a refund! He said he would have to ask his wife and then went inside and left us outside. We then took the box of stuff inside (it was 34 degrees) and asked what they were going to do. It seems it's store policy for no returns on open house night items?!? After some time they were thinking about a return when they began comparing her receipt to the things i had NOT bought and found that there was a discrepancy! Of course...her receipt did not match the things I WAS going to buy! Anyway, while they were thinking about giving a refund..two things happened!!! One.....my friend's name was drawn to win a table and two....another old man was accused of "stuffing his pockets full" and he had NOTHING! So, once I pointed out that the things they were looking at were not her box and her box of things were on the floor where the owner had placed them. At that point, they didn't know what to say! THEY DID NOT SAY SORRY FOR ACCUSING HER TWICE! So, I said, "forget it, just give us her things she PURCHASED and her FREE TABLE and we will leave if you don't want to do a return?!?  He said OK and we got back into the Honda Element we rode in on! Make your own decision where to shop but we will NOT be going back! I was going to buy a desk from Santa for my lil girl there....NOT NOW! The cop was embarrassed because he had to search two people who did NOTHING wrong! It would have been nice if they had let us sit our things somewhere or had offered a box for our things! I am sure it was a busy night for them but it was a horrible night for us!!!

my lovely friend. who is not a thief.......

and now that i think about it.....i think the owner was just mad at me for buying her display tree and took it out on my friend!!!!!

a picture says a thousand words..

i haven't blogged in a while because quite frankly i haven't felt like it.
i feel like this gal...

it's probably because i made 4 delicious Pecan Pies.

here's the recipe......

3 eggs

1cup sugar

3Tbs butter, melted

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1tsp. vanilla

1Tbs flour

1- 1/2 cup chopped (not fine) pecans

here's whatcha do.....

wisk 3 eggs

mix in sugar

mix in butter

mix in dark corn syrup

mix in light corn syrup

mix in vanilla

mix in flour

add nuts and mix with a blender on low for just a few seconds

pour into a pie shell

make our own or use a premade......

here's what you get.....

*note* you have to chop up your pecans (NOT FINE) so that when you cut the pie, it will cut better!  If you leave the pecans whole you CAN NOT cut a pretty piece of pie!

Dinner Club....

this week has been a crazy week.  the week of "Dinner Club" is always a crazy week and then you add on all the extra activities of our busy life and we've got ourselves a CRAZY WEEK.

extra activities of the week include:
rearranging my book shelves and redecorating the living room.
cleaning out closets. why?  nobody is going to look in the closets you say?  so...
work...early morning inservives.
cleaning up the yard.
cleaning out the garage.
Thanksgiving Dinner with My Girl at her school.
ordering My Man some well deserved custom Elephant Boots for his cute lil tootsies.
making dinner menu.
shopping.
cooking.
working.....oh yay, i do have a JOB!
and just plain "Gittin Ready" for a house full of hungry friends.

why all that work for dinner club?  what's dinner club?

well, for the last 7 years 7 fabulous couples have joined every other month to eat, socialize and knock back a few spirits! 14 wonderful people make up a group known as "The Tasteful Two's Dinner Club."

it's our turn, so on Saturday night we will feast on Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Holiday Stuffing, Mixed Green Salad with Cranberries, Carmelized Pecans and Asiago Cheese, Green Beans, Homemade Pecan and Apple Pie.....

a Thanksgiving Dinner with our friends whom we are so very THANKFUL to have in our life.

ps...i am also thankful that every 14 months we have a serious motivation to clean up, clean out, and redecorate.....even if it does make for one seriously CRAZY week.

carmel apples...

my girl has loved apples for as long as i can remember but NOT with the peel.

but a few weeks ago, when we went to the Pumpkin Patch, the school sent along a sack lunch for the kids.

it included:
a sandwich
carrot sticks
cheese doritos
one whole apple
chocolate milk

when it was time for the apple....

i bit into it and removed a large section of the apple peel so she could get to the "meat."

after she noticed her classmates eating the peels, she tried it and do you know what?

she liked it.

she's been eating lots of apples lately so when we were at the store we bought some carmel apples.

she calls carmel..."carnbull"

here's what the taste test looked like

i love the fall.  i love fall foods.  i love carnbull apples.

BUT My Girl doesn't like em!!  she doesn't like anything that makes her hands sticky. she gets that from her daddy.

o well, more for mommy!!!

book signing!

went to see PW at her book signing.  it was lots of fun.  Lainie and i got in line about 5:15 (even though we were in DESPERATE need of a glass of wine) because it started at 6:30 and there were lots of people already there and we weren't sure how many people would be there.  anyway we chose to just stand there and wait it out.  THANK GOD WE DIDN'T GET OUT OF THE LINE.  the line lasted 5 hours!!!!

in line we met a couple of gals (Lynette and Karen) and had fun visiting with them.  Lynette has a blog and you should check it out!  she too lives in the country and she homeschools her cute 8 1/2 year old son.  check out her blog here.  she was very sweet to take pictures and send them to me so that i could have pics for my blog.

we waited one hour for our turn but PW sat there for 5 hours and so graciously spoke to everyone for a bit and signed the cookbooks with a personal message.  i had 7!  she even asked who each person was and then she personalized each signature.  LUV HER!!

so, here's how my second meeting with PW went down:

Lainie and i walked up to the table.
i pushed Lainie in front of me and peeked around her!
then PW said, "hey, I know you!"
i died.
then i said something like, "well we have met before." and she said, "where?"  i told her that we had met her at the Range Round Up Rodeo.  she said she never forgets a face!!

**note.....i had my eye liner permanently done 2 hours before this picture and my hair was not dirty!

then Lainie asked all sorts of brilliant questions and i just smiled and bobbed my head all goofy like...again.

Lainie asked why MM took so long to call. he had a girlfriend.  he waited to call until after they broke up. she then asked PW when she was finishing their love story and she said...soon.  but we'll have to buy the book.  i'm buyin!

i told her that MY MAN is sure she has a crush on him and she said it was true.  she signed MY BOOK and it said, "To MY MAN, Thinking of you every day!"  then there were lots of hearts and her signature!  the good news is that later in the evening MM signed my book too.

right above the picture of his...tail in chaps!!  it say's. "the end."

the cookbook is fabulous!

so far i have had the Olive Cheese Bread, Rosemary Garlic Potatoes, and the Flat Apple Pie.  all yummy and last night i made the Potato - Leek Pizza!!

make it soooooon!  what?  you don't have the book yet...for shame!!

there will be another book signing on Tuesday, December 15th at the Barnes and Noble on May Ave.

sadly, i can't go BECAUSE she might call the law on me for stalking her since she already remembered me!  hmmmmmm......i wonder what i would look like as a brunette? 

just a thought!

where's spell check????

in the beginning i told you that i can not spell.  http://www.milesofkate.com/ told me there was a spell check! 

where? 

my last post is terrible.

sorry.

i will do better!

please still love me.

i need lots of love and acceptance!

family

i am just a sittin here in beautiful Tennessee and i am just soakin it all in.

we came for the wedding of two wonderful kids.  seth hall and becca mccall.  last night we witnessed some AMAZING young adults.  who says that the kids of today are not like they used to be?  these kids restoreth my hope for the future our great country.  these educated, well spoken, christian kids make me proud.  it made we really think about the parenting choices i make with My Girl.  i am a strong believer that it all starts with good parenting...and LOTS of PRAYER. 

speaking of good parents.  i just have to say.....i love MY Man's parents.  they are exceptional, supportive, loving, christian parents.  they are people you want to immulate.  i want to be MARTHA (Mimi) and My Man is so Glenn.  In more ways than just a little....it seems.

as i sit here listing to some fabulous music Mimi is playing on her Bose....I am just soakin up the sweet smells of her home.  it's actually the smell of Mimi.  it's a combination of wood, fire (even though there is not one going), lavender and vanilla.  it's almost like the smell of expensive pipe tobacco.  there are plants, pictures, and color everywhere.  AND there are notes.  Mimi is a note girl.  just looking around i see notes that i see say:

To thine own self be TRUE.
Toas N.M. red chili peppers....505.267.3226
Isaiah 65:24 Before you call, i will answer, while you are still seeking, i will hear.
A reminder to get online and get Katie a bording pass @ 2pm.
Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be.

o and there's laughter......mimi's special laughter.

i have no idea who she is talking to but BOY how she is sharing her sweet laughter with them.  i always enjoy hearing Mimi laugh.  it's one of my favorite things. 

man, there's nothing like family.  i love this family.

i gotta go get dresssed for the wedding.
i gotta go wake up two sleeping beauties!

and i am NOT taking about My Man and his Daddy!

bff update...

remember my bff brandi?  she did get her braces on and as i said she would....she looks beautiful with braces.  she's the only girl i know that can look beautiful with braces. 

remember i threatened her with posting more pictures of her if she didn't tell me something?   well, she delivered and hopefully one day i can share that with you but for now i will keep it hush, hush, BUT just so you know......she is NOT pregnant with the world's 4th cutest kid on the planet.  it's something else...something i will tell you...later.

i told you that she was brilliant and i meant it.  she chose me as her bff right?  seriously, she is a brilliant artist.  she has a masters in teaching and she was an art teacher until she got a real job.  now she's a momma and a homeschool teacher.  she is teaching linc and berty to be brilliant too and she is still doing some painting.

last week when i went to her home i took some pictures (she does not know) and now i am posting them!!  i am posting them because i am proud of her and i want you to see what i saw in her kids playroom!

if you ask her........this is a work in progress.  if you ask me.......heck it looks finished!!  when she does complete this art  project....i will post the finished product! but for now.......take a look.

at the time i took these pictures i just took them to show My Man and My Mom but when i downloaded them i thought i am going to post these and share them with the world...or at least the 15 people who read my blog!  you would think that i should ask first but heck no!  i know her and she would want me to wait, but i know me and i figure she can't get too mad at me...we are BEST FRIENDS FOREVER.

i am so proud of her and a lil jealous too.  i thank GOD he put her in my path...I LOVE MY BFF!

and P. S. Brandi.....if i don't get my original B. R. for Christmas.....i will be FORCED to post the picture of all pictures!!!

what can i say...i'ma gal who knows how to get what she wants...and i will do it by force or bribery.