Tuesday, October 13, 2009

It's Official....said that [we] could do it and indeed [we] did

[We] knew it , [we] knew it.

Our offer's been accepted! Whew. Now to get all riled and worked up for closing on November 13th. Or try obsteniently to avoid getting riled up, however difficult that may prove. Which it will.

The house is not completed, so we've had the (should I say the word opportunity?) opportunity to pick out a few things like flooring, light fixtures, appliances, and a few upgrades. I had a nervous breakdown at the light fixture place. That may have been my AHA! moment. Realization hit with the force of a ton of bricks. I am OCD. I relish when I am in control. I grasp wildly at straws and want the unknown figured out immediately when I am not. Which leads to buyer impulses I'd rather not talk about right now (hang head sheepishly here). So what do I do? Go into counseling to figure out how to be less OCD? Try to work on it myself? Or just understand that's how it is with me. Is this OCD friend or foe?

I've made a list (yeah, okay a totally OCD thing to do).

OCD is FRIENDLY when:
-I make lists
-I teach Sunbeams
-I organize my closets
-I get a calendar together
-it's flu season
-I make cards
-I clean
-I make binders for easy access games, lesson plans and ideas for the future
-I take notes

OCD is a MEAN SOB when:
-I try to choose bronze fixtures from a pile of 15 different bronze samples (who knew they had that many types of bronze?)
-I look over wood color choices, "do I want oak expresso? walnut expresso? 3 inch across, 2 inch across? glossy(this is called traditional, I later learned) or hand scraped? Wait, will that lighter color still look good with the kitchen cabinets? But I want darker, right? Juan, what do you want? Oh, okay darker. But do I really like that?"
-try to organize items for a garage sale. It's all for a GARAGE SALE, no one cares, stop worrying about where to put the candles, will ya?
-I'm running on empty, yet the cleaning's not done...4 in the morning is not really all that late afterall.
-I am "dusting" levelors, which turns into taking a damp rag and going over each individual levelor 3-4 times til you feel smooth metal/plastic with no trace signs of the slightest dust bunny. Dare I say it....I washed the levelors.

So, all in all, I think I'll keep it. Surely the positive outweigh the negative. At least that's what I'm telling myself.

WOO HOO! Looks like we'll be in a house by Thanksgiving.

Monday, October 5, 2009

We're excited....but not official...

We made an offer on a house! We don't know if it's going to be accepted, but we sure hope so.

So we thought we made pics only exclusive to a few on Facebook, ends up we didn't. If you are looking at the pics on Facebook, know it's not official. We hope so and really want it to happen, but don't know anything yet.

We will let you know when we do!

Friday, September 25, 2009

Active Yeast, Soaker and Biga

Surprised? Twice in one month. I mean thrice, if you count the card post. But Lindy says I can't count it as a real post, so twice.

I made bread! Okay, so I cheated and went to see the bread lady (www.kneadfulthingsnow.com ), and Mom is mortified this is the first time I've made bread in my life since we grew up on her homemade cinnamon buns and all kinds of homemade bread. But I made my first ever loaf of bread. And it's wholewheat buttermilk none the less.

And our camera is broken, so I can't show you a picture of my perfect little loaf, but I did it!

Now, I have to do it all on my own, no biga and soaker pre-mades to fall back on. And I will.....first I need to find 15% protein wholewheat flour. Good luck, right? I'll probably just order some from the bread lady. She's pretty much awesome.

I kneaded like crazy, even other people in the class who make bread all the time said it was busy work; but I wanted my gluten strands long and perfect and my dough smooth as a baby's bottom. AND I wanted it to pass the window pane test, which it did not, but kneading for over 2 hours just isn't normal.

And my little loaf of bread looks SOOO good. Almost looks like it can't possibly be wheat bread. I am so excited.

Next, I'm trying out Alicia's directions to see if I can make the Hansen Famous Loaves.

I made bread...now on to the canning and jam making!

Saturday, September 19, 2009

The Real Deal...

Here I sit. I've just watched "Ghost" on TV, courtesy of Lifetime Network's assumed tribute to Patrick Swayze. First watch of the entire movie, and my, technology and special effects have come a long way. Not to mention, I think Demi Moore looks younger today than she does in "Ghost". Really? Right...date a younger...er, marry a younger man and you'll spotaneously look younger. Naturally, those vacations for weeks at a time to Brazil and Mexico were simply vacations, no time spent under a surgeon's knife. Wha....? NEVER. Never ever....who done it?

I feel as though I don't have much to report. We teach our sunbeams, who have come so very far, leaps and bounds over the last few weeks. Just in time for the next class, indeed. Those 3 and 4 yr old souls capture me wholly and unequivocally. A few weeks ago, one of our cuties attached his tiny arms of steel around my neck and simply refused to disengage, despite bribes of extra lemon drops, pleading and begging. I carried him out to his car where, sadly I admit, I proceeded to trick him into his car seat. He was pretty well adjusted by the next week, great thing about 3 yr olds, simply resilient. We still do quite a few wiggle exercises, truth be told, mostly for Juan and me! They are fabulous, fun and fanatical about lemon drops. We looked high a low for a treat for especially good days (2 don't like chocolate, 3 don't like pretzels, 3 won't eat goldfish, 1 hates animal crakers) and found lemon drops to be the one and only treat they ALL go ape for. Lemon drops you ask? How in heaven's earthly name did we figure out the lemon drops? Our lesson on "I love my home" invovled a quick story on Brigham Young and his beehive home and how he handed out lemon drops to visitors.....I was very hesitant to hand each child the lip puckering morsels and absolutely shocked to hear requests for seconds... ha, the key to eternal perfection in each child's actions...loverly, just loverly, lemon drops.

In other news, Daisy got her first ever name tag....I told her if she could manage to stay alive for 7 years, I'd break down and get her one. I caved and bought one at 6 1/2 years, but figure she's been through enough and I've been through enough, what's half a year early? She keeps trying to move more slowly, to keep her tags from clinking together too violently. In due time, she'll adjust and now if she's lost, there's a tag with her name and my number, so maybe she'll survive. Hopefully, anyway. If she can manage to stop barking at whoever finds her long enough for them to help her. Doubtful.

Non-challenge. One more word to add to my "never should have said it" dictionary. That's right, they just said 'non-challenge' on a lower-your-cholesterol-Honey-Nut-Cheerios commercial. Why not state it's 'easy', instead of making a oxymoron out of everything.

Challenge: I'm going to stop doing it myself. No longer will I claim taking out the trash to be 'sanitary take out'. No more with the 'painfully simple' statement when I cook hamburger helper. 'Never more', 'clear as mud', 'pretty ugly', 'exact estimate' (at work), 'original copies' (work), 'alone together', 'same difference', oh the list goes on and on.

I spend too much time being dry and sarcastic. I'll now try to be uplifting and exciting. Greatly impressed with others acheivements, optimistic when others complain (no more comiserating), happily thrilled with the joy's of work and challenges.

Oh, who am I kidding? That is seriously funny. The sweet sorrow of realization hits. I attempt a rolling stop, but to no avail. 'Good grief' comes my silent scream.

I cannot deny my contradictous self. On with life. Being one with my oxymoron thoughts.

ENJOY! :) It's unbearably doable.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Doot dah doo dah doo....

Ummm, really? I'm speechless. Were are my strong-armed bullies who yell at me to get to it? Where? What? When? HUH? Have I been busy?...well, yes...after a fashion. Work WAS busy from May to August....but really...not like it comes home with me. Oh fear, dread and jelly beans...WHATEVER have I been doing? NOT Blogging, that's for sure.

Okay, so I've made some cards....get ready...lots and lots of pics...

FRONT: The Big Day


Inside The Big Day




"Bee Happy"- LOL, I love it!
They are much cuter in person....but I guess you'll just have to put in an order!! :) Each card is $3.99. And it will come with it's own envelope and tons of cuteness all provided courtesy of Kourtney's Kreations!

Friday, May 29, 2009

I really can be quite creative when I put my mind to it...

Most recent creation: Mom's birthday card....yes, it's homemade! I make to order on these. For a one a kind card, call 979.574.7510

"Homemade card by your daughter: PRICELESS"
Made with love by Kourtney with a K Creations



These were made for an Activity Days Program. They are little Hershey nuggets wrapped in paper, flowers with silver dot centers and a label saying "Treasure the Temple". Our activity day was all about the importance of temples.


Made this for Jefferson's first birthday...pretty cute, huh? You cut pictures and attach to the squares for a one of a kind multi-picture frame.



First cake attempt....we're working on it..slowly we'll get it figured out!




This is the oh so famous tradition of the garter the girls make for their dates to wear on their arm for Homecoming. Yes, I DID make those clothes for the little bears. And YES, I do take order for garters and mums. Seriously. If you live in Texas, you know this is a mandatory evil for your homecoming football games and dance. So call to place an order (979.574.7510). The deadline for orders is one week before Homecoming every year. If order received later a $15 fee is added.





Easter cookies circa 2008

Friday, May 22, 2009

The things you'd like to say and what actually ends up coming out...

So, I've never been a great diary keeper. That sums that up.

Ever notice you are constantly thinking one thing and saying another. That's my definition of conscientious. People's feelings. Good heavens. It's so stinking easy to say the wrong thing, say the right thing the wrong way or say what you say without really meaning it. Dang inflection tones.

So, I am going to find a class. A FBI, CIA, 'train you to lie so good you even think it's true' class. Yeah, they exist, no one tells you about them because they are being greedy. Greedy FBI'ers! Funny, it sounds like such a dirty term! Maybe because it starts with an "f". Who knows. Boy, I am chatty tonight.

I've got the dog in my lap, laying down like the good little lap dog she is, loving on me like I don't deserve. Why, might you ask? I forgot to feed the little nugget today. I didn't get a lunch break, so I'm sure she thought she was starving to death. She didn't even have a chew toy to keep her occupied and mind off how hungry she was. I came home and still didn't realize I hadn't fed her. I swear if this head of mine wasn't attached sometimes... FINALLY, at 9:45 Daisy decides it's time to give me a little reminder. She saunters on over to her food bowl and lays down pathetically in front of it and does a doggie sigh.
"Oh, did I not feed you?" I think aloud.
Another pathetic doggie sigh.
"Ha ha, I was just making sure you knew how to communicate on a whole different level than most other dogs. And look at that, you still know how to lay in front of your bowl without whining or crying, just a simple sigh. What a good dog I have."
Of course this charade was simply to help me feel better. That's why I love my dog. I can mess up big time (I mean technically, I was STARVING her) and she still doesn't back talk or get whiney. She just sighs, eats and then forgives easily enough to come sit on my lap and love on me immediately afterward. Oh, how I do love this little companion of mine.

So big news.....



















Ha Ha....not really. Made you look. Hey, I didn't post on April Fool's, so there.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

La dee dah dee dah dee dah...and a bucket of chicken wings please

Kourtney stumbles over the words, "Sorry, did you actually just say 'a bucket of chicken wings please'? "

Greasy haired man looks up, "Well I wasn't der talkin' to yous ack-shullee"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Have a nice day.", patiently she waits for him to leave her office with a rather forced and genuinely fake smile.

"So when's yous bringin' my uh chickin wings to me?" he grunts.

"Sir, this is an insurance agency, we don't serve chicken or any other type of food. If you'd like an insurance policy, we can help you." as she thinks this is what I get for staying late to finish up a few things after working hours.

"Nah, that der lady I spokt to telled me I be gittin' my chickin wings her'(yes, that's her', as in here)." comes the rather sassy, unclassy reply.

"No sir, not HERE (just in case he may be taking notes on pronunciation), we don't have chicken wings." after a moment of sighing inwardly.

He tips his head back in a roar, "When you be gettin' chickin wings?"

"Never, we have a worker who is allergic to chicken." A little white lie never hurt too many, right?

"Dis 'bout the dumbest All-skate I never did seen." Yes, he actually said THOSE words, tragic.

"That may explain your problem sir. This is Allstate insurance, not All-skate. I assume you may need the skate park down the road?" the only thing running through my head is the Wolf Pen Ice skating rink, but who really knows at this point?

"A'ight, I gotchou, I be back if I can't seen it." he replies as he (FINALLY) walks out the door.

Um, no, I am NOT waiting around. I am gettin' the heck outta her'. Dis her' office, dat is.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Sail away with me, to another world, and we rely on each other uh-huh....

Oh come on, every now and again it's good to take a little trip and get away from reality. Who's with me? Departure in 15 minutes. The catch? Ah, yes. The catch. We have to be back in 30 minutes so I have enough time to blow dry my hair and get to work. I'm sure there's a multitude of extravaganzas on your table too, so let's just take a breather and sail away, come sail away with me for all of 15 minutes before we are jerked back to our busy, hectic and rather mundane lives.

The Oscars have me thinking....can you imagine what it would be like to get a prom or homecoming EVERY year for the rest of your life? All you have to do is eat nothing, tone like crazy and pay thousands for designer gowns. And the pop. would flock to you as wild geese flock to dried corn, thrilled and embattling one another to capture the "best" picture of you. You would practice your possible Oscar worthy speech or performance and walking in 5 inch stilettos for fear of falling flat on your face during the red carpet parade. Schedule appointments with the make up artist, hairdresser, jewelry specialists and designers amid the gown fittings, teeth whitening (perhaps a few more veneers this time), oh dear is that another wrinkle, call the botox doctor straight away. All the while trying to film your upcoming horrid movie about a gay or lesbian couple (I mean those ARE the worthy Oscar winners lately, right?), keep the nanny in check (good heavens, she is letting your kids run wild around the house, does she not realize your designer couch is a cool 50 grand?), and try to keep up with the Pitt-Jolies across the street who just seem to have it SOOO together, except for the whole babies out of wedlock and constant talk of splitting up. ...all alone, in my own, little room What a relief...I AM back in my own little room, enjoying life immensely, never followed or hounded by 30 or so crazed pop. with cameras, not having EVERY detail of my life scrutinized by the world......ahhhhh.....I LOVE LOVE IT! Thank heavens I don't have to deal with the glamorous, glamorous, going first class..., what a relief I am not a single lady harping all my single ladies, all my single ladies...if you liked it then you should've put a ring on it on an old flame, I kept my flame, thank you very much, for the eternities (YAY!) and stars alive I am so lucky to have the wonderful friends and family I do and IIIIIIIIIII, will always love youooooooooo.

Thank you to my friends who keep me grounded, thank you to my family, who without, I would not be who I am today. Thank you to all those I have come in contact with that have made my life a better one. Thank you for making me want to try to be a better person. The production of this little thing I call my life is a wonderful and amazing one thanks to those around me. Thank you, thank you, thank....awwww dang it, Juan needs to get in the shower now (as I put the shampoo bottle slowly down)...maybe I will have enough time to finish my Oscar worthy speech next shower. :)

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Hee hee hee...

Wow, I've never met someone who could blog less than me. Where's this girl's commitment and vow of a New Year with resolutions and all that jazz? We're gonna paint the town red....and all that jazz...sorry, I do love Chicago!

Don't worry, I made New Year's resolutions including walking Daisy at least 2 miles 3 times per week and going to the gym on a more regular basis and all kinds of stuff...blogging on a regular basis wasn't in the stars, so deal with it. And no, I didn't really feel like changing my stars on that one.

Not much is new. I work, play with my new Cricut (cuts out all kinds of shapes for scrap booking) and attempt to keep house (or apartment in our case).

Juan works and goes to school and still manages to come home in a happy mood. Oh what a husband I have!

Christmas was fun. We drove out to Florida in our "blackbird" (what we call our TransAM) and Juan was a speed demon! It's a wonder we are back with no major accidents or jet lag. Really, 105 on I-10? Yes, really. Very scary for me. I don't know how Juan put up with me yelling to slow down for a full 10 hours! We took Daisy with us and that saved us SOOOO much money. Boarding is a ridiculously expensive commodity. But Daisy HATES car rides, I felt bad for her. We have to keep her covered with a pillow when we travel so she doesn't get carsick. She's a good sport, though. She will fall asleep and stay asleep until we are ready to stop for gas or food.

In Florida Juan watched all his football games on a projector in the guest house. It was funny. My Dad kept disappearing and we knew it was to sneak out and watch the football games with Juan. Thank heavens for ESPN total access or whatever it is b/c my parents don't have cable. They say they wouldn't mind it, but would rather save the money. Anyone who knows Juan knows that's a bad thing. He lives for sporting events....therefore cable is a necessity, not a desire.

So the girls played with Jefferson (he was spoiled ROTTEN by New Year's) and the Cricut (that's the advantage to driving, you get to bring TONS of stuff!) and the boys watched the games out in the guest house.

Fun times.

I promise to post a more exciting blog later. This is it for now!