The Tomball Three

Rustic Star

2012-02-15T09:24:00.000-08:00

Conrad got me some new dinnerware for Christmas - western dinnerware and I LOVE it. It's called Rustic Star and he got it from RND Rustics, my new favorite store. After Christmas, I went back and got the chargers. 4 for $ 22 - steal and deal! Conrad was so happy ... I thought it was a bit odd that a man was dancing around the kitchen because of a great deal on chargers - seeing as how he didn't know what chargers WERE in November- but it turns out the lady at the store told him I NEEDED them and it was a MUST HAVE and he should buy them for me. My table would not be complete and would be SAD without them ... he was really upset about that! Only at that time it was about $80 for 4. RIDICULOUS! Here are my dishes, with chargers!

I went ahead and decided to unpack the plates. I was going to wait until we were in the new house, but it could be a year or even MORE at this point - and I wanted to enjoy them now. I was thinking in the new house, I would have so much more room. I could have 3 different plate sets if I wanted! (Our everyday plates are still Mikasa French Countryside C's grandma bought him) So I took the Christmas table and turned it into the western table. Really most people don't leave dishes out unless they are staging their houses, but what the hay - I can do what I want!

Christmas Table:

and then fully set western, Rustic Star table:

I love it! ... and maybe someday soon I'll even relax enough to let us eat off them. Won't THAT be a treat??? I was going to wait for the new house ... but, it doesn't make much sense. I bet my grandma's chili will taste goooooooooood in those bowls! YEE-HAW.

Kah

Happy (?) New Year

2012-02-08T06:07:00.000-08:00

I have found this year, so far, to be pretty exhausting. Thus, little to no blog updates.

It's not a BAD year so far ... (I mean hello 2011 - that was BAD) it's just ... super tiring. I'm so glad we already went on one trip this year- to Lake Charles- and we had a blast ... because I'm not sure yet when they next one will be. When I set up this Explore Houston thing- I was thinking at least one "trip" a month - and truly I was thinking a day trip an hour away would count. There's tons of stuff around here - Galveston, First Monday in Winnie, Beaumont, Alvin, Lake Conroe, Livingston .... but thinking about going to one of those places in the next 3 weeks is really exhausting! I'm not sure it will happen!

But I'm still committed to it - just not sure it will get done in February. I have another restaurant review or two ... there's a new "fancy" grocery store I discovered .... there's lots of things to discover right here, I'm just disappointed that I'm so dad gum tired already 5 weeks into the New Year! I also don't want to drag Conrad out and about, if he's exhausted too and he is .... but I suppose I could always climb in the car and go by myself if he's not interested in visiting the Dollhouse Conservatory of New Orleans (not a real place) ---- and I can only imagine he would NOT be excited about going! :)

I don't think it's a health issue or anything - it's just I had two weeks of really hard, rough weeks at work. When you have that going on, you can barely drag yourself to the couch and just sit there until bed time. It was hard and for me, emotional ... and I didn't feel like doing squat when I got home. I barely even grocery shopped or cooked. I think we lived on pizza for at least one week. Weekends were my time to just get back to normal and by the time I did, it was Monday again ... and another rough week.

Conrad's parents are supposed to be coming in early March - so we have some decluttering and organizing to do anyway. Both guest rooms have been storage rooms since Christmas- we have that to look forward to. I heard someone or read something one time that said the state of your house reflects the state your mind/emotions. So perhaps if I declutter and get things cleaned up at home - things will realign themselves in my brain. Right now, if you looked at my house, it would reflect a crazy, lazy brain.

Everyone has these periods of non-creativity and exhaustion and non-productivity!

Here is to making February a little less tiring than January was!

Karyn

Exploring Houston: Cypress Station Grill - Cypress, TX

2012-02-05T18:35:00.000-08:00

Well, Explore Houston 2012 has begun! I looked on some Houston foodie blogs and they mentioned this place had the "Best Comfort Food of 2010" ... I'm a little late to the party - but I looked it up and it's still open, had decent reviews and was only 20 minutes or so from the house. Explore Houston begins --- and begins pretty close to home!

Conrad and I agreed to try it out for Sunday lunch and all the reviews I read said the food was really good - even outstanding in some instances. They said the service was terrible and the place was run by "young kids" - and since Cy-Fair High School is literally across the street, it made sense to me!

We arrived and it's a very unassuming place - right next to the railroad tracks - I guess, thus lending the name "Cypress STATION Grill". Clever.

They have a HUGE parking lot which always wins my vote! They also have a pretty decent outdoor area - for outdoor eating, concerts, etc - had it been evening, no doubt the fireplace would have been lit. It's very nice. I liked it! We are thinking of building a very similiar fireplace outside, when our new house is built.

The interior was nice and they had various railroad company logos all over: Union Pacific, Amtrak, BNSF, etc ... clever. Menus were fair (sort of boring looking) ... but they have a HUGE selection. Tons of apps --- salads, tons of burgers, pastas, and comfort food. It took forever for us to decide, but in reading the reviews everyone recommended the chicken fried chicken. Said it was NOT TO MISS. The prices were fair - burgers about $8 although they did offer a bison burger for $15. The pastas were around $12 - the apps were $4-5.

So we finally decided and ordered the queso to start. DEFINITELY the star of the show. The chips were warm and crispy - and the queso was WHITE QUESO. LOVE LOVE LOVE and it's so rare! This queso came with taco meat, guacamole and pico de gallo on the side in little cups. So we added that, of course, and it was delicious. Still missing something though- so we asked for jalapenos to add. They came and it was PERFECT. It didn't have much zip without them, and Conrad and I are pretty zippy people. I recommend this queso - I mean I would DRIVE there just to get it. It's pretty, huh?

Conrad got a burger. I asked him was it akin to Chili's ... or a more homestyle burger like this place in Tomball - Mel's --- and he said more like Mel's. So I thought this was good. Homemade type burgers always win my vote. I went with the chicken fried chicken. It was HUGE - and the gravy was really nice. I went with green beans which were a good solid B - they had the bacon and onions like I like but were a tad too crunchy .... and the broccoli and cheese was off the CHAIN. It had the white cheese like the queso. I could have licked the bowl. The CFC was a bit of a disappointment. It was seasoned well - and was pounded out to a nice thin/but not too thin, thickness - and the batter stuck to the chicken. BUT it wasn't near crispy enough. I like it be like --- when you go to Long John Silver's and get the crispys --- I like to have a few really crispy, battery pieces on it and this one didn't have it. You can tell by the picture the batter just isn't brown enough. It should be dark, in my opinion, KFC dark, you know?

We give this place a good B+. The service was great - we didn't have a problem in the world and the place WAS filled with kids that worked there. Our drinks were filled a million times, the food came fast - it was fine. The queso is worth the trip --- and I'll go back for that, if nothing else. They DID charge me $.79 for the jalepenos which I think is CRAP and I left them a note to say so. I buy giant jars of them for $1.19 --- that is a RIP OFF. It came to us in this tiny little cup (see the honey mustard cup next to Conrad's french fries? It was a cup like that, SMALL) - probably 15 altogether, I mean REALLY? I don't like being nickeled and dimed to death - it was already a $30 check for goodness sakes. That was a turn off, or I would have probably said A- on this place.

Explore Houston will be continuing! I won't always be talking about restaurants - I want to see other things too and I have an idea of what those places are, but I'm hoping there will be tons of resturants reviews too. Finding new places is probably one of my favorite things!

Kah

Lake Charles, Louisiana

2012-01-25T07:48:00.000-08:00

So ... as part of our getting out of dodge, and off the couch and out of Tomball plan for 2012 - we hit the road last weekend and went to Lake Chales, a little under 3 hours from our house. It's mostly a casino town and about 45 minutes from Beaumont, Texas where I did some growing up. Lake Charles isn't unfamiliar to me at all, but I haven't been in a long time- since my dad moved away in 2003.

Conrad works with someone, who has become our dear friend- who has a husband in a band. We met him Ireland, and found him delightful and now we want to spend as much time with them as we can- but alas, they live 5 hours away. So a pact was made around Christmas that when the band is close, we'll be groupies and meet them when we can!

The band is MoJEAUX and they can be found here: http://www.mojeauxband.com/

......... and may I please recommend them because they are fabulous! We had such a blast last weekend and it was great to get out of our 5 mile radius. I was so excited to get out of Texas, I took a picture of it. Here's the Louisiana sign off of I-10.

Laissez les bons temps rouler

All my life, I've driven down that little stretch of I-10 and seen a resturant called Steam Boat Bill's. It's always packed to the gills- and I always seem to drive by at odd times, or I'm in a hurry and I never can stop. This time, we made sure we were good and hungry when we passed by and we FINALLY got to stop and only a few months after they were featured in Southern Living which is my Holy Mecca of magazines.

If Southern Living says to grow it, eat it or paint it - I'm digging, chowing and working. I don't mess around when it comes to them. Sage advise, given monthly - I can't wait when I get my issue every month!

This place did NOT disappoint. I had the red beans and rice and they were FABULOUS. I don't know how they made that roll but it was crunchy on the outside and mushy on the inside and I just wanted to crawl inside it and fall asleep. It was outstanding. The beans were so good, even after I was done and had moved on to just chatting with Conrad and waiting for him to finish his po boy - I spied a grain of rice I had left in the bowl, exclaimed happily, grabbed up my spoon and went in and got it. I can't believe I almost left a piece of rice! I'm still thinking about that dog gone lunch.

You come here to me, you delightful bowl of legumes

Upon arrival at the hotel (which was free, thanks A and M!) .... I settled in to watch some HGTV and Conrad went to the casino to gamble.... after a few hours we met up with our friends- had some dinner ... and then went back to the hotel to get ready for the show.

It didn't disappoint either. They did a really good job and Conrad knows a lot about music. He knew much more of the technical stuff than I did - him and his dad being muscians and all - but I just enjoyed it. Here is our friend up on stage.

Rock it, Mike!

and dancing commenced, hilarity ensued:

... the Dallas Cowboy fan (that would be me) got a shout out from on stage ... and we really had a good time watching the people dance. There was one crazy guy who was trying to dance "with" the singer, but from the dance floor. I think she was into it at first - pointing at him and kind of dancing along ... but then he sort of got out of control and started "humping" and gyrating at her and so she stopped and tried to ignore him .. and he spent the rest of the evening looking for people to gyrate with him. Always with a beer clutched in hand!

Enjoy this! Sorry you missed it -- and sorry for the poor sound quality. I took the movie from my phone.

Hire MoJEAUX for your next event!

.... and in the next weeks we will begin our search for food and fun in Houston.

Karyn

Homesick Texan

2012-01-11T13:02:00.000-08:00

This is my adopted city, Houston:

I'm ashamed to say I haven't been giving it a chance. November was 5 years since I've moved and I don't regret it. I left Dallas, to come here and pursue some job opps and to marry Conrad. I have a great job (5 years next month) and Conrad and I have been married almost 4 years. I do miss my friends in Dallas, but I've made some great ones here in Houston. Some people I can't imagine my life without. It's so weird that 5 years ago, I didn't even know they existed!

So - it's been good to me in a LOT of respects. But I have not been ready to let go of Dallas, and even now, I'm not sure I need to. I think I just need to embrace Houston. When I talked to my counselor before Christmas and told him that I think I drive too far for work, I don't have time to workout, I don't like Houston, it's an ugly city, etc ... it really came out how much this move affected me. Not all for the bad, not all for the good. I told him I had more energy in Dallas, I had gained weight since coming here, etc etc - the complaints were a list a mile long. It's true that the city is HUGE- like 100 miles from the Northern most part to Galveston - and it's true the traffic is maybe just a shade less awful that LA or New York. I lived 7 miles from work in Dallas- so my daily life has changed a ton. But my problems are not ALL Houston's fault.

I found this awesome blog, written by a Houston ex-pat, now in New York City. You totally should check it out. http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/

It's a cooking blog mostly and I am SO getting her cookbook on Friday! She also seems to wax poetic about Houston -- and Texas in general and it really has sort of made me proud to live here. She clearly loves her life in NYC and clearly yearns for home too. Well, isn't that just the way for everyone? I could go back "home" to Dallas, Beaumont or South Carolina tomorrow ... and feel just as comfortable as I do in Tomball these days.

So anyway - I have been reading her blog and she's given some OUTSTANDING tips on what to do, where to go, where to eat in Houston. She gets TONS of comments from people who live here or have lived here and their information rocks too --- and I realized that I get to work as fast as I can. I don't venture far for lunch. When work is over, I hightail it out of here - and I get back to Tomball on the weekends and there I stay. I don't venture out. I don't experience new things. I have no idea really what this city has to offer. One of her commentors said something about going to college here and on the way INTO town, heading down I- 10, she passed all the refineries with a sinking heart. YEAH, me TOO! I used to think Houston was so ugly - so industrial -but, take a gander at the photo again. It's really NOT. I just haven't given it a chance.

I didn't want to make NY resolutions. I never keep them. BUT I think this year I want to strive to come out of my shell a little bit, out of my 5 mile radius on the weekends and get out and experience things. Her blog also said Houston is a "City of Cities" so true. There's no reason on the earth we shouldn't be able to get out here and again and head down the road apiece to one of those cute little cities for a day trip.

As I do, I'll blog about it here.

Here's to ... falling in love with Houston? Letting go of Dallas a little?
Happy New Year

Kah

Pintrest

2012-01-09T12:57:00.000-08:00

LOVE PINTREST!

Pintrest is a social CATALOGING site - like Facebook is a social MEDIA site.

I'm sure most people in the blogging world know what it is, but I LOVE it. I knew about it last year, but I just hadn't had the time to jump on the bandwagon. Now that I'm on, I REALLY don't have time. Although it sure does make my life easier when it comes to seeing a great recipe or a project online and not being able to remember where you saw it. Not a problem now. I just PIN it and forget it!

I think this year I want to try to make at least one FOOD item from it and do one PROJECT from it a month - I think that will be so much fun! I spent hours on there every week. When I get home, the computer comes out and I start pinning away. SAD. I'm hoping I get over the addition soon. Conrad may be wondering if we're still married. I can just make him something delicious from Pintrest and hope that he forgets about it for a bit ... like the pink lemonade cake, or the empandas I pinned yesterday. YES!

At least once this week I vow to NOT go home and open the computer. I need to allow myself a Pintrest break, once a week. I just don't want it to be tonight. Tonight is the National Championship and if it's anything like the high school football game it was earlier in the year when these two teams met, I will need to find something to amuse myself!

Kah

http://www.pintrest.com/

TRY IT

Rachael Ray: Love

2012-01-08T07:27:00.000-08:00

I think I'm almost done with my Rachael Ray utensil collection! I MAY still get the spatulas, but only if I find them on sale, or have a coupon.

For Christmas I got the lazy spoon set from my Mom and Brian.

I used them last night - since it's the NFL playoffs, I thought I would do football food - so I made chili and turned it into Frito Pie last night. I used the lazy ladel and it was GREAT. Best ladel I've ever had. SO happy to finally have this set!

Then after Christmas, I bought myself the set I might have asked for (can't remember) and didn't get. It's usually $30 but I found it for $19.99 and free shipping on Amazon. So I went ahead and bought myself the Rachael Ray bamboo set. It's SO pretty when you see her cooking with them on TV. I love the three different colored woods - I think they're beautiful. I just had to see for myself!

They came in on Friday afternoon - and they did not disappoint! They are beautiful. I used the spatula looking one to cook the chili last night. It's GREAT. Best wooden utensils I've ever had. I'm so happy I decided to get myself a set and so happy I saved $10. That just makes them that much more lovely to me.

So, I MAY one day buy these:

I'm just not sure yet - cause the wooden one is a great spatula too. I'll let you know! For now, I am happy .... cause I also got the spoonulas for Christmas and they do a nice job too, although I don't think I could flip a pancake with them.

I only cook pancakes once a year - so no biggie there!

LOVE Rachael Ray cookware!

Kah

Oh, Oh, Oh - I'm on Fire (Johnny Cash?)

2012-01-05T08:41:00.000-08:00

I headed out Tuesday night to get a pizza. The Sugar Bowl was on, it was the first day back to work and cooking made me feel like crying. Our favorite pizza place had been closed for days - and so I decided to run out and grab a pie.

As I got to the intersection where I turn, I notice the car next to me APPEARED to be on fire. The backseat was full of smoke and while I was contemplating, the driver lept out- and ran over to the other side of the street and ducked back down behind the brick wall by CVS. I didn't blame him - I was thinking at any minute that car was going to blow! I inched up closer to the light and away from the car and finally was able to pull forward and go.

I went down a 1/4 mile - was in Vito's like a minute and a half and went back the 1/4 miles to the intersection, where I was greeted with this:

You can see the empty space to theright of the car ... that was where I was at just a mere 3 minutes before ... That dog gone thing had erupted in flames! By the time I got back around to it- the doors were open, things were melting and dripping out of the car and I could hear little explosions like fireworks- which I think MAY have been the gastank. I could NOT get through that light and away from it fast enough.

AMAZING how fast a car can burn. We drove back by it last night when we went to dinner with a friend and there were black scorch marks on the pavement.

GEE, makes me think twice about parking lot cars in garages!

Kah

Lasagna Tip

2012-01-02T17:41:00.000-08:00

I've had a nice holiday weekend to catch up on all my shows, including Good Eats with Alton Brown. Sometimes he irritates me with all the science and stuff he talks about, but when he gives a good tip, I usually follow it.

I got a Rachael Ray lasagna pan for Christmas- THANKS CONRAD- and wanted to use it, so this weekend I watched the Good Eats show called "Use Your Noodle" - all about lasagna. I had to watch it in a hurry too, cause this is Bowl Game week/weekend and it's hard for me to watch what I want in between ALL of these games. UGH! :)

Alton says it is not necessary to boil your noodles. You can get them wet by soaking them in hot water - he used tap- and letting them sit until flexible. I actually boiled a small pot of water tonight and poured it over my noodles - and let them sit. I was REALLY worried about it - but it was TONS easier to build my lasagna without using slippery noddles falling apart every time I touch them AND when you boil them, they are screaming hot and hard to handle. So I tried it Alton's way today. It was MUCH easier to build the lasagna, as I said, but I also covered it with foil to hopefully build up some steam and soften those bad boys while cooking. About 10 minutes before it was ready, I took the foil off and let the cheese get bubbly.

All in all, I would say success. The lasagna came out GREAT - it was a little hard on the end pieces - so maybe soaking a little longer? But in the grand scheme of things, a tasty lasagna - no burned fingers - and a much more enjoyable building process!

Kah

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T04:26:00.000-08:00

Ah, we did it - another year gone!

I, for one, am happy to see 2011 go. Thrilled is more like it.
I don't think the entire year was horrible - we did have a great trip to Ireland. Christmas was nice. We both had nice birthdays- and we are closer to building the house. We accomplished a LOT - like, I owe NOTHING but my car. All credit cards GONE.

There were just some things that happened - I barely want to think about them. I'm not being dramatic at all - some things I will just never understand. Some things can't be fixed.

I have spent the weekend cleaning, organizing, putting things away ---- I've used my new labelmaker and all my new Rubbermaid tubs! Conrad cleaned out the garage and put things away. Our trashcan overfloweth. Christmas gifts are up, Goodwill run has been made - things are looking pretty shiny around here.

I've got some goals moving forward - not gonna call them "resolutions".

Here is a great big BUH-BYE to 2011. Don't let the door hit ya!
... and great big HI THERE to 2012.

"May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:7

Karyn

Cowboy Tree

2011-12-16T06:49:00.000-08:00

This year I went to Hobby Lobby and got a Dallas Cowboy tree. It's blue & white - called a fan fever tree. I noticed that in the past few years I've gotten several Cowboy ornaments for gifts ... or things I've picked up. Why not have an entire tree? I love it!

The tree, clear lights and the white furry tree skirt were like $28 all together ... can't be that! I'm happy to have it. Next year, if we're in our house, it can go in the gameroom.

Taking pictures when the lights are on results in a terrible blur - but perhaps before I take it down, I'll put it outside and use the natural light for a proper photo shoot!

My friend Kelley made me the CUTEST ornament and I LURVE it. It's a GLITTERY (I know!) football ... and she tied on some blue and white ribbon. I don't have an actual star, so this ornament is the highest ornament on the tree - hung from the top, pointy branch.

Kah

Let There Be Light

2011-12-15T04:34:00.000-08:00

Conrad and I have finalized our house plans. We had a few things to rearrange and shrink. It's darn near perfect now. SO happy to say that we did not have to give up our marvelous entrance and shrink the foyer and get rid of the winding staircase. That means --- we are IN business for a fabulous chandelier.

Pottery Barn

Restoration Hardware

Lowe's

Pottery Barn

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Ballard Designs

KAH

HOO HOO

2011-12-13T05:26:00.000-08:00

You know what?

I'm really starting to dig owls. West Elm (online) seems to have the best selection. I mean I think they are adorable! I don't think I want to start COLLECTING them - like 300 crammed on every shelf and surface ... but a couple of these placed here and there, beautiful!

This owl lamp, slays me ... when it goes on sale, I am TOTALLY getting it. It's very whimsical. Love it!

Love these owl measuring bowls. They come in 4 colors. I thought about buying 6 or 7 sets of these for gifts -- like for Conrad's office ladies, but ... the best intentions. I never ended up doing it. Who says they will really love them as much as I do anyway?

... and then check this out - owl butter molds. I mean WHAT - I would melt butter all day long so I could pour it into these and mold me some owl butter. Brilliant!

Kah

When Mama Is Happy ...

2011-12-11T13:26:00.000-08:00

Everyone is happy!

Groupon had a deal this week for 1 or 2 seats salvaged from Texas Stadium (where the Cowboys played before the new stadium) --- and I went back and forth about it all weekend. Conrad told me to get them, I said I didn't want to spend the money. He said it was a once in a lifetime thing and THEN when he said I could watch the games in them - you know, like I have in the past when I attended games ... well, that sealed the deal! What a lovely vision that was ... me, in my jersey, sitting in my chairs, MAYBE in my silver and blue gameroom, if Conrad can be so convinced. It's enough to bring a tear to my eye!

I bought them today.

They are going to look SO GOOD in the new gameroom!

... and if not, then I'll pull the seats out of my car and all visitors must then ride in the Cowboy seats. :)

Kah

Christmas ...

2011-11-29T06:10:00.000-08:00

NOW is the time to use the Christmas cups, people!

IT'S NOT JUNE!!!

Kah

I don't ...

2011-11-27T14:01:00.000-08:00

have any idea why I haven't posted. November just wasn't my month, I guess!

I'm going to try to do better.

I WILL say that I think I'm going to start getting into polymer clay and crafting - thanks Robbie and Mom!

So ... I'll be posting my stuff here. Christmas is a GREAT time to be getting into that. Think of all the snowmen, santas and fun stuff I can get into!

Kah

Slow Posting and Halloween

2011-11-03T08:28:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. Work was waiting on me when we got back from Ireland. I dropped full force back into it and the end of the month. The house has been a mess ... I just haven't had the time or really the energy for blogging, but I will finsh the Ireland trip stuff soon. It seems like it happened so long ago.

So on the family front things have calmed down some. I did, however, decide to seek out a counselor to just help me talk stuff out. I was bottling it all up - and either just spewing it out in fits of frustration or not talking about it at all. I started to not be able to sleep much and the weirdest thing- I started to HURT. Like my arms and legs and teeth - everything was aching. I guess it was true "internalizing" ... and not good for me. So enough was enough and I found someone to go see. LOVE HIM.

This past weekend I did try to get into the spirit and did some fun cupcakes.

EYE SEE YOU!

Kah

Heading Over ...

2011-10-23T15:53:00.000-07:00

So just for people who don't know - Conrad is in sales and every year he has a chance to earn an incentive trip from one of the companies they sell for. It's the same trip we got to go on for Hawaii, Dominican and Colorado ... so this year it was Ireland. They handle everything - and most of our days are planned out. We do have free time, but they also plan a lot and they do everything right. They put together an AMAZING trip. In order to see and do everything they have us do, we would have to do some crazy research before traveling. They really make sure we experience whatever place we are in!

So we left at 1PM on Friday the 14th. About an hour before we left, my brother called with some stuff. I just refused to let it ruin my trip. So - I turned the phone off and it never really came back on (maybe once when we landed in Newark). I discovered being disconnected was REALLY freeing. Now I turn my phone off every night, and when I nap and when I don't need it. There is no need to be constantly connected and besides, if you are, people can find you. LOL

So we went to the airport and I decided I did NOT need my meds to get from Houston to Newark. It was 3 hours to NJ and that is about my max before I start freaking out. HATE TO FLY. Well that was a mistake cause it was a bumpy flight! But we were on a 777 which makes EVERYTHING better! It was such a big, luxorious plane and they had SO many movies to choose from. I watched Something Borrowed and Hangover II and loved both of them.

When we got to Newark, Conrad made me take my meds and BOY did they help. They said the flight was 7 hours, but it wasn't- it was 5.5 and it was GREAT. I felt like I had the gift of time or something. It wasn't bumpy - we were in a 757 which sucked, it was tiny - but they had games and stuff you could play on the screens in front of you. I didn't sleep, I was so excited ... so I just played my games until we landed.

We were picked up at the airport and it was about an hour ride from Dublin into County Wicklow where the Druids Glen hotel was. I was pretty much trying not to fall asleep on the way. We got there, the room wasn't ready but they had a sitting room ready for us with chocolate croissants and tea/coffee and we hung out there until they were ready for us and of course ... we had to do the obligatory hotel photo as soon as we checked in!

We are TIRED!

Well it was noon Saturday when we checked in (6AM Texas time - and we had been going since 6AM the day before when we woke up) - so we decided to lay down before the big welcome reception at 6. We slept for 5.5 hours! LOL - and I don't know it was a good idea to lay down or not. We were so sluggish! But we got up, got dressed and headed down.

They had a Guinness pouring station and Conrad just helped himself. This is his first beer and he had 5 more, LOL!!!

Dinner that night was rack of lamb - but I don't really "do" lamb and people who didn't got chicken. It was very good and I did try Conrad's lamb. Tasted like roast or steak to me. But ... I'm still glad I got the chicken. We headed out of there at about 10PM and hit the sack. We were exhausted. The next day was Sunday and we had a team building event called the Celtic Challenge and it started at 9AM - so we had to have plenty of sleep!

Oh and dessert that night was something called Banofi. We had never heard of it before- google it - it's like this caramel, banana, whipped cream thing. In Ireland whipped cream is NOT sweet. Ever. It was weird, but the Banofi was SO sweet, you sort of needed the whipped cream to not be sweet. It was delicious. We were all raving about it!

Kah

Back From: IRELAND!

2011-10-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

Hello!

We have returned from Ireland! We had a weeklong vacation there and it was JUST what the doctor ordered! I had been under a ton of stress - and to be able to turn off the phone, the computer, the TV was HEAVEN. Those Europeans know how to live! They eat better, they walk everywhere, they have crappy television ... it was awesome. I have had extreme tummy trouble since my gallbladder surgery but in Europe, I had NO problems. They eat very differently than we do. I wasn't ever hungry, never craved junk food and had two of the BEST bowls of soup I ever had in my LIFE.

I intend to post some pics and tell you all about it coming up. Today and MAYBE tomorrow is going to be used to just sleep and try to get back on schedule. We took very little in terms of clothing, really ... but we had to take layers as it was very very cold there - and it rained. So you wear a shirt and sweater, and jacket and scarf - so we didn't take a ton, but we wore what we took multiple times! So the next day or so is laundry, laundry!

We enjoyed really great food and met some NICE people. I think we got the true Irish experience and thanks to some informative tour guides, we got a LOT of information such as did you know, red haired people aren't REALLY Irish?! No - Irish are dark haired people, which now makes since to me. My mom has told me my whole life that her dad's side of the family, the Doran's were Irish. My granddad had a head full of black hair - and my mom's, my aunts and mine are all very very dark as well. I never could understand how we were Irish, if we had such dark hair. Turns out, we are! I also found our family history in this old celtic shop - turns out the Dorans were some of the first families documented in Ireland. We go back a long, long way ... and it was CRAZY to get information on that. I have never been able to go into a shop like that and see the Doran family history. You see every one else, you know like: Reilys, O'Connells,Fitzpatricks, Flannigans, etc ... you NEVER see Doran. Not here. But in Ireland, it's everywhere. VERY interesting and of course I'll share it all with you and my family as well. Coming up!

We had an amazing time! We were sad to leave, cause it DID feel very much like home for me (maybe that's built into the genes?), but also it was good to get back here too. Adjusting TO the time change was hard, but getting home and readjusting is easier!

I am so grateful we had the opportunity to go - and we had a really wondeful time. We're lucky people that Conrad has a chance to earn these trips. I have thanked him several times for the hard work that sent us there. Pics to follow as soon as I recover!

Kah

Secrets of a Design Stylist

2011-10-19T06:32:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this show on HGTV? Emily Henderson was a Design Star winner ... and she got her own show. I think it's in its second season now and I love it. I DVR it and watch it every week. I can't wait until she has enough episodes so that they play them more than once a week!

Her "deal" is she takes the people in her design studio and has them review items, pick their favorites and tell her why. It's especially fun to see her do this with couples, because she has to combine the design styles of the two. So what she will do is lay out 10 pictures of different couches. It could be one that's red, one tufted, one sectional, one leather, one victorian, etc ... and the people say "Oh I like the tufted sofa, because it's traditional, but I don't like the brown color ... I like the red of this other couch, it's so fun!" ...

She usually has them also pick out a favorite fabric and sometimes she'll have items there to choose from as well ... like plates, or pottery or books or something. They usually get three choices. Then she will take their choices and come back to them and say, "Ok I've reviewed everything you picked ... Mrs. Brown you are contemporary hippie and Mr. Brown you are traditional bachelor pad ... and so together you are Contemporary Hippie Bachelor. Then she'll design their room as such.

I really, really like it ...

I designed to diagnose myself and I came up with Traditional Whimsical Thrift.

Don't you think so ?? I totally DO!

Kah

Shirt ReVamp

2011-10-18T06:12:00.000-07:00

I have the cutest white peasant-type shirt. It's not ironed, sorry, but it's REALLY cute on! The only problem is, it's white ... so it's getting dingy and I am getting those yellow deodorant rings UGH!!! HATE THAT! (you do know you can soak them in vinegar and it removes the rings, right? But ... I was tired of the white as well) It's a T shirt material too - so super comfy!

So the solution was, to dye it, cause I want to keep it! Say goodbye to the white!

I went out into the garage and grabbed one of Conrad's buckets - filled it with HOT HOT water- and dumped in a packet of RIT dye. I decided to try to go with a navy blue.

Here is the end result - a blue shirt! This shirt REALLY needs to be ironed, I realize it looks like crappola ... but I did get a little result I was NOT expecting but that I really love!

The white stitching on the shirt did not absorb any dye - not anywhere on the shirt, so it gives it a real denim effect and I LOVE it. I can't wait to iron and wear it! I just wanted to show that when something is sort of used up, it doesn't HAVE to be. I've always used dye to revive my clothes, especially if I still love them. While this was going on I got a second bucket from the garage and dyed two pairs of black capris ... they were getting sort of gray and washed out, and I wanted them jet black again. So I saved THREE pieces of clothing and I'm really happy about it!

I suppose if you found something at a thrift store, or a garage sale and you didn't LOVE the color or the buttons or the sleeves, you could do something about it. I am really trying to learn to use up everything I have and if I get tired of it, just change it up! I am TRYING to save money and get this house built!

Kah

Purging - Part Deux

2011-10-16T05:25:00.000-07:00

As part of the purging ... I went through the medicine cabinet. It had not escaped my notice that our little tray we keep it in was becoming WAY full - and I was piling things one on top of the other.

So I was taking out the trash in the bathroom and I thought ... hmmmm... wonder if I should quickly go through the medicine "cabinet" and see what's what.

HERE is what we ended up throwing away - because it was ALL expired.

HOW ridiculous was this? No wonder I sometimes feel like we are living among piles of junk. We combined two households and CLEARLY we had two of everything and a lot expired stuff to boot.

The worst? The WORST made me laugh!

THIS is a bottle of aspirin Mr. CONRAD had, NOT ME, that EXPIRED in December of 2001. That means ... it is almost ten years gone bad and he probably bought in 1999 - that is CRAZY.

I am VERY glad I have started this purging process. I know it sounds nuts, but I feel good knowing that all the medicine we have is good and that the bathroom is WAY clean. We probably should have done purging when I moved in and we combined everything ... we'll have to call the garbage man and have him bring one of those dumpsters they put in your driveway!

Kah

Purging

2011-10-13T05:44:00.000-07:00

Ah! A very happy post ... for me anyway!

So lately there has been so much going on with me. All family related (between mine and Conrad's) and probably 70% brother related. His situation went from bad to really bad to horribly horribly worse ... and came to a head last week. When said situation was over - or the problem of the moment was over (the situation is not over), I looked around and realized my house was a mess. I don't have rats having a party in the kitchen or anything, but it was dusty and disorganized and I had piles of things everywhere. I read somewhere a long time ago that what your house and the things around you look like - is a reflection of where your head and your life is. So when I looked around I saw a chatoic mess ... and I am NOT like that naturally. I am neat, clean and organized. I keep a nice house. I have pride in my house and in my life, but lately no ... and my head? My head a big mess!

My brother is no longer in Austin. As of this exact minute I don't know where he is. It has taken me a VERY long time to be able to say I love my siblings very much, but loving them has nothing to do with taking care of them. I don't make enough money to take care of them. I shouldn't have to take care of them. It's not my responsibility to take care of them. I am VERY sad about the situations they find themselves in. My heart hurts everyday about that ... but I am starting to get angry. I am mad that my parents can't ... live the lives they should be at this stage in their life. I am mad that they and I, am made to feel guilty (probably self inflicted) that we are doing better than they are. I am mad that they constantly come to me for support and money and whatever else. I am starting to get angry about they way they treat ME. Like a revolving bank. Like a parent. Like the things I want and need are not important - as long as I get them back on their feet.

So I look around me and I realize that my head hurts, my heart races, my heart palpitates, I cry a lot ... I get lumps and bumps everywhere. I'm depressed. I'm sad. I lose weight, I gain weight ... all self inflected and my house isn't doing much better. For some reason this really inspired me and I decided NO MORE - the junk was headed out. Time to clean!

You want to see what the inside of my head looked like? A lot like my cabinet!

A MESS!!! Look at that ... stuff from my pantry. Dishes everywhere ... it's fall, I wanted to bake the other day but I did NOT want to rummage through the cabinet to find what I needed, so ... no baking. Well, no more! I sat down and took about 30 minutes and pulled it all out onto the floow. I figured out what was going to be kept, where it would be kept ... what was trash and what was for the donate pile. I found SIX round cake pans. SIX.

My cabinets and my head now look like this:

... and now that they look like this I found plenty of room for my new gifted pizza stone and my new roasting pieces ... I found ALL my baking things and a purple Pyrex casserole dish I have been looking for forever ... all the food was moved back into the pantry where it belongs ... and slowly ... I am making my way around the house.

I am still REALLY sad about what all is going on, but I have got to get myself under control and this is the first step.

Kah

Generous

2011-10-11T05:34:00.000-07:00

I think I had mentioned before I REALLY wanted a pizza stone ... from Pampered Chef. They are pretty expensive so I never ordered one before. I go to the PC parties all the time, but when it comes time for ordering, I always go with 8 small things instead of 1 big thing. Probably that "I want more for my money thing"- but really, I've ALWAYS wanted one! When my birthday rolled around I decided to bite the bullet and get me one. THEN some stuff with my brother happened ... and I had to go to Austin and well, there wasn't much extra money to be had.

I mentioned it to Kelley and she said uh, I have one and I never use it. You can totally have it ... and I said No No - that's ok and she said really, it's going to waste, please take it. So I said well at least let me pay you for it and she said absolutely not.

A few weeks later I had to go by her house, and she had it ready and waiting for me. YAY!

and while I was there ... she loaded me up with another two pieces! Never Used!

I KNOW, how sweet was that! What are those two pieces you ask? Well ... two casserole dishes for SURE ... and a ROASTER, when you put the little one on top of the big one!

I was so happy .... and it was VERY generous of her. She wouldn't take my money --- but I did take her stuff! HA!

Now ... where to put them? Another post on that soon!

Kah

Cheap Facials - Olay Skin Smoothing Scrub Cream

2011-10-09T06:41:00.000-07:00

I met my friend Tracy about ten years ago. We traveled a lot together on the FLW tour and various Wal-Mart events, etc -- and we are a lot alike and clicked immediately. One of our favorite things to do on the road, or at home, was hit the spa. I was a huge massage fan but Tracy never was. She was a facial girl. I didn't really get it because a massage- I mean aromatheraoy, foot rubs, etc ... who would turn that down? Tracy did!

I talked with her a few times about it ... trying to encourage her to come over to my dark side ... and she used to laugh at me and say wait til you turn 30! (I was 26 when we met) --- and she was just a few years older, but she promised me my skin would change later on.

Years went on and one day, maybe 3 years ago, I decided to buy a spa package ... massage, facial, pedicure, etc ... and have an entirely relaxing spa day. I did and I loved it. I got home, went to change into my jammies so the entire day was relaxing - I glanced in the bathroom mirror and WOAH NELLY!

I looked again - and I looked, seriously, 5 years younger. My skin was clean, tight, shiny, sort of pink and dewy.... not a line in sight. I was such a supermodel. How could Conrad be so lucky to have ME? I could NOT believe it and from then on, at about age 33, I was a facial convert. Now adays I get maybe two a year. I always get one in the winter (February ish) because as much as I love cool weather, my entire body gets itchy and flaky ... and I need help after winter ends ... and I usually also get one during the summer, because my pores get all clogged up since it's so hot and humid here. Facials aren't cheap ... I try to be strategic about it.

My friend Kelley is into the microdermabrasion and I probably eventually will be too ... but if you need something to just pick yourself up once a week or even everyday ... and your facial soap, cleanser, whatever is just not doing it for you, then HERE YOU GO.

I recently read a magazine which was reviewing facial products and I found one and decided to try it. They had ones for anti aging, acne etc ... they said this was one was to retain youthful radiance ... I decided to bite. It was $6 at Wal-Mart so why not?

Hello Olay Skin Smoothing Cream Scrub! This little thing is like a facial everyday! I tried it and loved it. It does have the tiny little exfoliating beads but it also has Salicylic Acid and that's good stuff! It tingles and takes away all my little imperfections. I KNOW. You didn't know I had any imperfections well ... maybe I don't - but I won't get any using this.

I have read some reviews where some people have to use it once or twice a week only. I think it just depends on how the acid feels on your face. It sort of burns me if it gets on my lips ... It probably can be very drying. For me, daily has been ok. I do use a Mary Kay mositurizer which works great for me - and maybe that's why I haven't dried out, but this scrub cleanser I am really digging. I use it every morning to start the day all tingly and radiant. For me, it feels like it's just sort of removing that layer of dead skin which makes me flake and sort of ... run down looking.

Suddenly for 6 bucks I am feeling like that day I looked in the mirror and said WOAH hello 2003! ....

I encourage you to give it a try!

Kah

Saving Money

2011-10-07T08:18:00.000-07:00

I was just so excited about this, I had to post. It's pretty random, but whatever ...

It is Customer Service week, so we've been treated a lot this week- even with an ice cream social! Lunch twice!

* Monday they brought in pizza.

* Tuesday I brought in my roast leftovers - I made my grandma's roast. Haven't tasted it in 15 years, since she died! It was such a treat.

*Wednesday they took us out to Cyclone Anaya's which is one of my FAV places.

*Thursday Taco Cabana gave me a free meal.

It's not my birthday, but TC sent me a free meal/birthday coupon. They DIDN'T send me one on my real birthday so I didn't feel bad about cashing it. I got a free flauta meal!!!

So this week I have LITERALLY not spent a penny on lunch. Not until today anyway ... but I mean, SERIOUSLY for a person who buys lunch everyday, to buy it only once is like big time stuff!

I could not be more proud!

Kah

Country Bumpkin- Tomball, Texas

2011-10-05T06:16:00.000-07:00

So we found a new little haunt which actually isn't new at all. I think it's been around awhile. It's back off Telge Rd.- sort of out of the way, in an old house. You would have to know where it was OR have someone tell you. I had someone tell me.

Country Bumpkins is only open towards the end of the week and the weekend. So you have to get there while you can! It's run by an older couple and they cook GOOOOOOD. If you've ever been here to visit me or you know me - it's very much like Mel's Country Cafe, but it's closer to our house.

They have FANTASTIC hamburgers and cheese fries. YAY!

It's really quaint on the inside and pretty small - but I totally love it. You can see the menu board on the wall below ... and you order at the counter that sticks out. The counter is attached to the kitchen, so they make everything right there. It's fabulous! They also have this half BBQ/half burger sandwich. It's a burger with some shredded BBQ on top. I've had it. It's good and very messy! ... and very inventive.

.... and I took this pic of the Coke benches and rocker for my SIL - to tease her. At some point, people started giving her Coca Cola stuff- even a set of Coca Cola china. So now anytime we see Coca Cola stuff, Conrad says we should get it for her and then we laugh. I think she likes it fine, but she doesn't LOVE it and she's not a collector. So I took this pic to show her and then Conrad said well actually, these are pretty cool. She'd proabably like them. That's true. They are very cool. I am loving that rocker. It's really nice ... I'd like to have one for the new house.

If you are ever in Tomball, stop by this place. It's great!

Kah

Days 3 and 4 - Pineville, SC

2011-10-03T07:32:00.000-07:00

No pics for this post! SORRY

Day 3 was spent at home, we just read and hung out - I had a nap. We watched college football and the Food Network. We had some Totino's pizza for lunch which was good. My mom cooks them extra crispy. Delicious! Then that evening we went back to Moncks Corner to the bowling alley - where they have karaoke set up in the bar area. It was really fun. My mom and Brian had a ton of their friends show up. Brian did good - and some crazy couple got up and sang Rock Lobster and made my ears bleed. My mom had a friend show up and he was SERIOUS BUSINESS about his singing and did well. It was fun. We got home really late ... and I slept like a log.

Day 4 was Sunday and my mom's birthday. I gave her present to her. We ate lunch at the house and then headed to "town" that evening for dinner at Chili's and I had to run over to the outlet mall. This wasn't really planned since town is far away ... but at the last minute we decided to. Conrad is not a Gamecocks fan and especially not now that Texas A&M has changed to the SEC- but he does think the shirts that say COCKS are funny. So we ran over to the mall, which was the only place we could think of to go, and found one that was pretty close. He was thrilled with it and I'm sure he'll be wearing it and embarassing me this weekend! He said technically A&M is not SEC until next year, so he can sport it proudly for now. No doubt I'll be having to live with this one for a looong time.

Monday morning I came home and washed clothes and got ready for the week.... and a long week it was! I had a really good time though and it's always nice to see Mom and Brian and the doggies! It's alway sad to leave ... and I wish I could have seen more of my friends and family but it doesn't always work out that way. Maybe next time!

Kah

Day 2- Moncks Corner, SC

2011-10-01T06:14:00.000-07:00

Day 2 was fun too!

First we went to the Pink Oleander which is a little vintage shop in Moncks Corner. I had seen their website and my mom knew about them too. So we stopped in there and had fun - just looking around, seeing all the things my grandma used to have and trying on fun hats. My mom always wants me to do that!

Pretty hat! It's black- hard to see.

Then we were off to lunch! Mom said she had heard about a diner called Howard's ... and she wanted to go. I thought it might be new, but NOPE, it had been there 50 YEARS !!! The owner still works there, she's 74 and she bakes all the delicious pies.

I had the veggie plate. You know I live with the veggie hater AND they had speckled butter beans on the menu, so the choice was made for me. It was DELICIOUS and I chased it down with the coconut custard pie.

Then we headed home, all stuffed and ... ready for a nap. But then we stopped at a place called the Treasure Barn and I got my BIRD DISH which I love. It was $4 and all I had was a 20, so Brian had to buy it for me, but I LOVED it and I WANTED it so bad!!! ... and it made it home in one piece and now lives on my coffee table.

Then finally that evening ... we were back at the Alpine and as much as I should have ordered something different - just cause I don't live there. I didn't. I got the patty melt again - I am in love with it.

But this time, I went with the pine chips!!!

I happily snarfed down my food, looked at the Alabama elephant and went home. Successful day!

Kah

DELICIOUS

2011-09-29T06:12:00.000-07:00

I was hungry the other day - but it wasn't suppertime, so I cut myself a few pieces off a cheese block and gave her a taste. She LIKES cheese!

Isn't my baby the cutest?!

Kah

Day 1 - Kingstree, SC

2011-09-28T08:10:00.000-07:00

I went to see my mom last Wednesday- oh, a week ago today! It was her birthday weekend and I was due for a visit, so I went - and Conrad stayed back at the hacienda.

On Thursday morning we got up and it was raining, but we still decided to head out on a little thrifting/vintage/eating expedition and we had a REALLY good time. My mom and stepdad normally take their dogs to a vet in Kingstree -but they had never been there just to hang out, but they said it was a cute little town, so we set out.

When we got there, it was lunchtime and we were ready to eat! But since they had never been there for fun stuff, we didn't know where to go. We drove to the downtown area that had little shops and I thought maybe there would be something fun to eat around there ... we saw the police station, with a few cops standing around and there was one rather large one in the middle of the bunch ... and mom just offhandedly said, "Let's ask that fat cop right there, where to eat. He looks like he knows where the good stuff is" ... and that set me and my stepdad off into gales of laughter. We were like UH, you can not ask a fat man where to eat! ... and I think I might have said, "MOM!" ...

So we went along and we found a place that looked pretty ok. The Cafe on Academy (Academy was a street).

We went in and I ordered the special for the day. It was lasagna, bread and a salad for like $6.99 and it was GOOD. It tasted just like my mom's! I didn't leave a drop!

But then something outrageously funny happened. I had my back to the door, was facing my mom and Brian ... and was focusing on my food, when I looked up and fat cop walked by! I could NOT believe it. I said OMG - OMG - look who's here! I guess this IS the best place to eat in town!!!

We were HOWLING. It was the funniest thing!!! We talked about it all the rest of the weekend. We could not believe that man walked into the cafe.

We went on to some thrift stores and this cool antiques/trading post place where my mom bought this cute little nightstand thing - for only $30 !!!

After that, we went home, still laughing about the cop.... and later that night they took me to a new favorite place they discovered. It's been there forever - but they didn't realize it was a restaurant. It's called the Alpine and it's in Eutawville and it's GOOD. I think I want to live there, AT the Alpine.

I got the patty melt, on Brians's recommendation and OH MY GAW it was delightful. The right bread, the right cheese ... the onions ... kinda buttery and greasy on the bread. It was PERFECT. I got fried okra to go with it, which was just fine but I should have gotten their homemade potato chips - PINE CHIPS! (more on that in another post). My mom got the chips and I tried them and they were WONDERFUL and I was sorry I had the okra.

Ohhhhhhhhhh looking at it again makes me WANT it again. I LOVE YOU ALPINE PATTY MELT!

They also sell college and professional team signage. They are handmade by a little old couple who live close by. Brian has a Florida Gators one. I fell in love with the Alabama one. Not cause I love Alabama but because the elephant was so cute. Everyone CALM DOWN! and no ... I didn't buy it. But now I have the picture, forever.

Anyway, that was the end of day 1 - and we also stopped and got some boiled peanuts. YUM YUM.

Kah

Horse Pics

2011-09-26T06:30:00.000-07:00

You know I love that new store I stumbled upon, RND Rustics. I actually found out it's not that new. It's been there awhile!

They have the CUTEST stuff and most of it is reasonably priced. Actually I'm sure ALL of it is reasonably priced, there are just some things I don't want to pay a ton of money for. I can see paying for a leather sofa, but pictures, not so much.

I saw these two horse pics and I fell in LURVE. They are so different, they are also $80 each. ACK!

More horsey- happiness ...

I love them, I do. But the more I think about it ... I think I can do that myself. I think I can go to Hobby Lobby and get some canvases - probably take some newspaper articles and copy them on a copier ... and then dip that paper into tea to stain it or into like a very diluted food coloring or something ... then find a horsey pic and put that on top of it ... I don't know. I'm still playing with it in my mind.

I just love that it's not the normal, horses in the old west, with a cowboy on top of them thing. These are really fresh looking and I love that turquoise! They would be pretty for the new house.

Kah

Strike a Pose

2011-09-24T06:28:00.000-07:00

I wish she would go be a dog model and bring in some money!

Kah

Puppy Love

2011-09-23T06:27:00.000-07:00

........... and they call it, Puppy Love.

Kah

Healthy Football Dinner

2011-09-21T07:58:00.000-07:00

Conrad had a hankering for wings on Saturday - after a day of college football. Usually we just get up and head off to Buffalo Wild Wings - but now it's football season and it would be loud and crowded. Not to mention we can easily drop $30 in there on wings ... I mean WINGS?! And they are fried ... so .... I made them at home.

Kroger carries a bag of 24 wings/drumettes in their frozen section. So does everyone else ... HEB, Wal-Mart, etc ... they sell for $9.99 but I found them on sale for $7. So 24 wings (which is two dinners worth) for $7 - I mean you can't beat that with a stick!

So I put the oven on 375 - and line a baking sheet with foil. I thaw out some wings (in this case 12 of them) hours before. So while the oven is heating, I tossed these with olive oil, salt and some smoked pepper (regular would work fine too). I line them up on the sheet and they bake about 45 minutes. I turn them once, 1/2 way through. This is what they should look like:

Then I get a bowl and put some wing sauce in - there are SO many kinds out there- I think I use Frank's ... I add about a tablespoon of butter and I nuke it for 2 minutes in the microwave. Then I just take the wings, 2 at a time and dunk them in the warmed sauce. I try to let them sit like 30 seconds each side ...

Then I just pile them up in a big ol' bowl ... they look SO lovely and especially since these were like $3.50 for ALL of them and they AREN'T fried.

For the rest of this dinner - I made fries and corn. I just popped the fries in the oven with the wings - and baked them that way. When they came out of the oven, I dabbed at them with a paper towel to sort of "drain" off any excess oil. They were garlic fries from Kroger! The corn I just boiled.

I think all in all, VERY healthy and SUPER cheap and it was SO good. I also used Ranch dressing, but made with yogurt. YUM, A ++++

GO COWBOYS

Kah

Toad in a Hole

2011-09-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

I first saw these on the Pioneer Woman's website ... years ago and I make them once in awhile.

I don't know if you know, but she now has her own cooking show on the Food Network. It's been playing on Saturday mornings - although they have only filmed 6 shows, and I think this weekend will be the 6th one. I don't know if she is filming more. I think she's on the fence!

Anyway - I made these again this weekend. SO quick, SO easy and SO delicious. Conrad loves them too. While I had these going, I was cooking up a few pieces of bacon I needed to get rid of, in the oven. (on a sheet tray, 400 degrees, 20 minutes)

Back to the Toads!

You just ... get yourself a skillet, turn it on low/medium heat - toss in about a tablespoon of butter .... and let it melt. Get a piece of bread and cut out a hole (with a glass or biscuit cutter)

***YES I own a set of biscuit cutters and NO I am not 80 years old. It's an essential part of a southern kitchen! ****

Then you drop both of these guys into the skillet and let them brown on one side. I think it'll take 60-90 seconds. Then flip them over. When you do, they will be crusty brown and BUTTERY --- and at that point you crack in your egg and put him in the hole!

Ok and then - you just sort of let it sit there a bit and cook on the bottom. You need it to be NOT raw on the bottom when you flip it. It takes a few minutes which sounds like a lot with an egg, but if you're on low to a low-medium, you'll be ok.

Then you flip it and let the yolk sort of cook a little- a few seconds ... but not much. I like mine runny!

These are SO good. Two WAY fills me up!

Happy fall breakfasting! - and sorry to gross you out, Kelley. I know you hate eggs.

Kah

P.S. The little hole you cut out, is just a delicious, buttery lovely snack ... that I use to sop up my eggs. It doesn't go back in the hole or anything!

Research

2011-09-15T18:05:00.000-07:00

I did some lookin' ...

That crockpot is called the Rival Game Day Crockpot.

Amazon sells them for $49.99 and there are 4 on Ebay for $131.

I know! WHAAAAAAAAAAT???!!!

I had no idea it was made of diamonds!

Kah

Are You Ready for Some FOOTBALL ???

2011-09-14T06:04:00.000-07:00

I was ... until the Cowboys disgusting loss on Sunday night. I guess my 'boys are back ... in the same style as last year. How lovely. How fun.

Today we are having a football themed potluck at work. We have them a few times a year, but this is the first this year. I got lazy. I am typically the hostess for these events and I don't know why. Probably because they are not super fun to organize ... trying to get a sign up sheet going and then sending out reminders. Set up and clean up ... OMG. I started them when I first came here, because I had done them at my other job in Dallas.... and they caught on. I tried to hand it off to someone else in my group, but nothing doing. I am stuck with the honor! :) ... so I theme them the way I want too- and this one was FOOTBALL.

So what better thing to bring for fall, football, etc. than my grandma's chili?

How to tote such a thing into the office? Crockpot!

What kind of crockpot?

FOOTBALL CROCKPOT!

I KNOW. How cute is HE? I lurve him. One of my prized possessions.

I love the football lid.

and I love the little football nob.

As you can see it's made by Rival. I have never been able to find another one. I wanted to see if I could find one for other people - you know, gifts. I've looked- online and different places. I didn't even know they made themed crockpots but I love mine. Can't find another one!

Even though the Cowboys promise a disgusting, hate-filled season ... I am ready for some football. Along with it comes fall, college football, cooler weather, sweatshirts, Halloween, lazy movie Saturday's, cuddles with my dog ... so I am looking forward to it!

Kah

Never Forget

2011-09-11T06:38:00.000-07:00

I got up yesterday and scrubbed this house (YAY) - and headed out to the library and as I was driving through the little downtown section of my town - where all the little shops and restaurants are I was stunned into silence. Every single store had an American flag flying in the breeze. I wish I had gotten better pictures- because lined up - side by side, etc ... it was a stunning site. (If you click on the pics, it enlarges them and you can see better) It stopped me in my tracks.

In December of 2002, my dad, sister and I stood at Ground Zero for what seemed like an hour. It was just a giant crater in the ground, twisted metal and a chain link fence. It was still very sad - and as the city moved and lived behind you - loud and you know "New York" - the area at Ground Zero was strangely silent. No one spoke. It was very erie.

Sometimes I think to myself "what have I really done with my life" ... and it's easy to get caught up in that when you get up and go to work, come home, sleep and do it all over again. The truth is I've been to a lot of places- 3 countries (4 soon!), 41 states ... and have had many experiences most people haven't. Being able to go to Ground Zero a year after the attacks, was one of them. I don't know that many people who have stood at that chain link fence and I am happy I was with some members of my family when I did.

God Bless America.

Kah

So Ugly They're Cute

2011-09-09T08:40:00.000-07:00

I've got my mom's weird obsession with odd/cute/unusual shoes. I don't think I used to have it, but it's been presenting itself lately. I mean, really who else has monkey shoes?

HOW CUTE are these?
HOW UGLY are these?

Yes, they are both!

I know! They are adorable. I got them at Kohl's last weekend. LURVE them. Wore them as SOON as we came back to work from Labor Day. I had quite a few comments from coworkers and most of them were, "Those are Karyn shoes!" ... I don't know what that means, but I'll take it.

Need a close up?

I know, you're super jealous. Well go to Kohl's and get them then - they are on the clearance rack. These were ORIGINALLY $55 - and no way would I have EVER paid that for these ugly shoes. But they were actually $10 - and I could swing that. Even if just for the shock value. Conrad stood in the shoe department with his nose wrinkled up. THAT sealed the deal and they came home with me!

LURVE them.

Kah

Thoughtful Pose

2011-09-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

When she looks this way, it's like ... she's begrudgingly committed to something.

Kah

What a Difference 20 Years Makes

2011-09-07T05:05:00.000-07:00

Oh YEAH ... that IS my car and I DID parallel park it.

YES I sure DID fail my drivers test 4 times ... and in 2 states (Texas and South Carolina) ... and I failed them because of parallel parking. But now? HA! Now I can slide that car in between two others like it had been rubbed down with a stick of butter. Like BUTTAH'.

So take THAT Texas (and SC) Department of Transportation!!!!! You broke my heart into a million pieces 20 years ago - but you have no power over me now.

Kah

Cookbook Review: Guy Fieri Food

2011-09-05T04:52:00.000-07:00

I have gotten SO MUCH smarter with my cookbook obsession. I now rent them from the library before I buy and BOY has that saved money! Some of them newer ones I've seen lately have really not been all that great.

The exception is the new book by Guy Fieri (you know, Guy's Big Bite and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives). The book is called Guy Fieri Food: Cookin' It, Livin' It, Lovin' It

and I LURVE this book. I am SO getting this book. I hope I get an Amazon Gift Card (HINT HINT) for Christmas so I can buy this book. I want to cuddle up in bed with this book. I want to have one in my car, office and house, so I never have to be away from this book. I want to marry this book. I wish it was scratch and lick ... Ok?

It's illustrated by his tattoo artist (I know, cool, right?) ... and it has lots of fun stories and stuff from his and his family ... its dedicated to his sister, who died in February (sob), and is FULL of super fun rockin' recipes. I am SO going to be cooking from this thing for the next few weeks. I think Target is carrying this book for under $18 right now. Run, don't walk, and get yourself a copy.

One of the recipes: S'mores Pizza (this recipe is on Amazon, I am not stealing it and posting it)

Ingredients: 2 pizzas

2 store-bought 1-pound pizza dough balls

1/4 cup slivered almonds

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed (about 1-1/4 cups crumbs)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup fine cornmeal

3 cups mini marshmallows

Two 4-ounce dark chocolate bars, broken into 1⁄4- inch chunks

Special Equipment: pizza peel and pizza stone (or pizza pan)

I say it on Triple D all the time— everything has a “kicker.” It’s what it takes to make the dish outta bounds. The kicker here is chili and cayenne. . . . Ooooh yeahhhhhh!

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Form the pizza dough into two 12- to 14- inch rounds, 1/4-inch thick. Bake, preferably on a pizza stone, for 4 to 6 minutes, until just beginning to brown. (See page 157 for more help on shaping and baking pizza crusts.) Leave the oven on at 400°F.

3. While the pizza crust is baking, toast the almonds in a dry medium skillet over medium- high heat. Transfer the almonds to a plate to cool.

4. Melt the butter in the skillet. Add the graham cracker crumbs, chili powder, cayenne, and salt. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the crumbs are well- coated. Remove from the heat and set aside.

5. For each pizza, top the crust with half of the marshmallows and scatter half of the chocolate over the marshmallows. Return to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, until the marshmallows are puffed and lightly browned. Sprinkle the pizza with half of the graham cracker mixture and top with half of the almonds. Let rest 3 to 4 minutes, slice, and serve. Repeat to make the second pizza.

Uh, you're WELCOME!
Kah

Dunkin' K Cups

2011-09-03T16:47:00.000-07:00

Oh happy day!

For two years in a row, Conrad has gotten a $15 gift card for Christmas ... to Dunkin Donuts. It comes from one of his companies - which is GREAT- but I didn't know Houston had any Dunkin Donuts. Well they DO and one of them is about 4 miles from my office.

Imagine my surprise the other night when I see a commercial come on, talking about new Dunkin Donuts K-Cups for the Keurig!!!! YAY!!!

So I went in this week at lunch and BAM, walked out with two BOXES of K-cups for free! I even got one of their delicious blueberry muffins (a favorite since I was a kid), and STILL I have $5 left on a gift card.

I enjoyed two cups of deliciousness this morning. FREE stuff tastes so much better!

HAPPY Labor Day indeed!

Kah

Belle's Consigment

2011-08-29T07:34:00.000-07:00

I wanted to SLEEP this weekend, but I didn't really need that. I needed to RELAX. I did sleep late Sunday which was nice.

So Conrad did the laundry and some carpet stuff (left from the hot water heater problem).

I went out to a consigment shop I had been eyeing for awhile. It's called Belle's and it's right near where we will be moving. So I went in and found a few treasures!

First of all, I needed a rectangular platter. I make a lot of desserts, cakes and breads in my loaf pan and I don't have anything I can put my baked goods on. I had been using a big round platter I had, but I've had my eyes open at garage sales and stuff for a rectangular one. So- I found this one and I loved it. It's SO pretty. $12

Then I spotted a little game table. It's really too small to be much of an end table, but I think in a game room (which will we will have soon) I think it's perfect! It even has ALL the pieces! ... it is chess, checkers and backgammon which I used to LOVE to play. The table and the pieces are wood and it's precious. I really liked it a lot. The chess part slides off to reveal the backgammon and if you slide the chess part completely off and flip it over, it's just plain wood that matches the table ... no one would even know it was a game table! Didn't need it NOW, but ... the lady explained since they were consigment things are here today and gone tomorrow. She did give me 10% off since I was going back and forth on it. Anyway, love it ... and Conrad and I can just sit on the floor in front of the TV and play. $40

Sorry bad lighting = bad pics.

Kah

Today

2011-08-27T15:03:00.001-07:00

Today is better
.... and pedicures make EVERYTHING better.

Kah

Absence

2011-08-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

Sorry for my disappearing act. My life sort of got up-ended again ... and I haven't slept and I haven't felt like posting.

Thursday night our hot water heater ruptured and poured water into the laundry room. It probably happened during the day but we didn't see it until the evening, so we had to call the plumber and he was out there for a long time. I didn't go to sleep until late.

I popped into work on Friday and worked until I had to go home and help clean up the mess. Plumbers, believe it or not, DON'T travel around with new water heaters in their trucks. So he had to come back on Friday and why clean up REALLY when they are just going to track all kinds of stuff into your house? As I was doing that, my dad called and then the week really got rolling.

Some of you know, some of you don't ... but I have a brother in Austin who is in trouble. He has found himself on VERY hard times. If you want to know more, you can email me, because I don't feel ok just putting his stuff out here - but Dad called and asked in a roundabout way if I could go to Austin and check on some things- and I needed to go during the week. So I got in touch with my brother who resisted, and I had to call my dad back and say yes, but not when YOU want me to go, when HE wants me to go. The conversation did NOT go well and ended with me in tears, and packing my bags for Austin that MINUTE and Conrad being upset ... it was a disaster. My brother called back, we agreed on the time my dad wanted and that was that.

I spent the weekend in tears. I was so upset with both my dad and my brother. I felt like my heart was cracking in half. Not to mention I have a husband too and I had to take his feelings into consideration. I think though - the ONLY person I haven't been WORRIED about is me and that is the WRONG thing to be doing. Because at the end of the day, it's me that's suffering. Not to say my dad, brother, family members are NOT suffering - but in this situation on Friday, I seemed to be the one who was being pulled in 4 directions .... and I was the one I didn't really take into account. I rushed around trying to make sure everyone else was happy. I was miserable ALL weekend cause my FL parents did not call me and I felt like ... they didn't know or maybe DID know I was upset ... and let it go by the wayside. So I called my dad Sunday and we hashed it out. But my stomache was just in KNOTS because after the screaming phone call in July with my brother... I knew the next day I would be walking into something I really was not prepared much for. But I did it anyway. I do love my brother and I did want to see him.

Monday I went to work, left at 3 and hightailed it to Austin. It is a VERY sad and upsetting situation. That alone was enough to make me cry all week ... but it was really what transpired that did it for me. Things didn't get bad until Tuesday afternoon when we had our first argument. I literally could NOT say ANYTHING that did not send him into a rage. I mean a RAGE - it was like the phone call, only live in in color. It's hard to drive someone around and hand out money and advice, love and errands and have them tell you they hate you, to your face. When he popped into stores to run errands I would call Dad or Conrad and sometimes both and just SOB. I haven't really ever been spoken to this way before ... and it was hard to deal with. If I told him it was hard to deal with or reminded him I was sensitive, it seemed to anger him more. By the end of the day everything we set out to accomplish was done and so my dad would be happy and my brother would be better off, but WE were barely speaking. He would look at a spot over my head, on the wall and just speak monotone to me. It was a nice way to put me in my place and make me feel about 2 inches tall.

Wednesday was ok I guess. I dropped my brother off, and cried almost all the way back to Houston. I came straight to work and got here about 1. I got home and was looking foward to going to sleep around 8 - and instead we had a rain storm (first in like 8 months) and the electricity went off til midnight. The house was HOT, the mosquitos were out and I could not sleep.

Went to work exhausted on Thursday and got through it - and now it's Friday. I slept 9 hours last night and feel better, but not great. My brother texted me some good news from Austin, so that was good ... but I am still a mess. My arms and legs ache like I have the flu. My tailbone has been sore for some time, but now it's like SCREAMING in pain ... my shoulder which hurts sometimes was flared up. I have like these sores RIGHT on the inside of my nose. My mouth had little raw places but now is full blown raw- I can't eat or drink much. My head pounds and my eyes are permanently (at least for now) red and puffy. I am an absolute mess. Emotionally I can't feel much worse. I feel like the insides of me have been scraped out with a knife.

I'm having a REALLY hard time and I don't care much about decorating or recipes or building this house. While cute pics of Blanca make me smile I haven't been taking any. This blog may either be me ranting for awhile, or just ... quiet ... because I feel like my spirit needs to be quiet. I try to talk to people, if they inquire .. or text or worry for me ... I call or email people ... and sometimes the responses just make me want to run away. I have found I have 2 family members I can really count on to like take calls or talk to me whenever ... and I have 3 really great friends that will listen and mostly stay quiet OR be outraged for ME which is what I need. I am sure there are sides to all the stories. If you put the entire family in a room we would see the same thing, in 50 different ways ... but I take things harder than most people ... and I am NOT doing well. Not even a little bit. I'm not even going to pretend I am ok. Conrad wants me to go to the doctor and talk some stuff out. Maybe I will.

No one understands that I look at baby pics of him or whatever and I see that kid still when I went to Austin. Even when he is hollering at me, I can see his little soccer picture and the sweet boy he used to be and sometimes still is. I am trying to hold on to that, keep my compassion, try to STOP being so sensitive, and this weekend I need to be all about me. I need rest and peace and whatever else I want. I look like I'm 10 years older than I am. Dark circles and all that ... I just need it to STOP for a little while. My mind races a 100 miles a minute.

I pray a LOT. I wake up praying and fall asleep praying and pray all day long. I could sure use some extra prayers if you have time. For me, for him and for my family. We are being eaten alive by stress. I can't even describe it, although I have tried.

Kah

Cracker Barrel Chicken N Rice

2011-08-20T07:36:00.000-07:00

Cracker Barrel Chicken and Rice is my FAVORITE meal. I love it. They only make it on Saturday's and I am lucky enough to get it a few times a year. The other day I was thinking CB food is SO SIMPLE surely I can make this myself ... it's not a gourmet restaurant. So I went online and found a lady with a You Tube video who told how to make it. She had a comment from an actual CB worker who added more information ... and so I decided to try it.

Tuesday I went to my water class, but I decided to set the crockpot and get it going, so that it would be ready by the time I went to bed, I could still go to class and we could eat it on Wednesday.

So in a crockpot I put in 2 cans of cream of mushroom, 2 cans of cream of chicken, 2 lbs of chicken tenderloin pieces and 1 small can of those chopped mushrooms. I set the crockpot on HIGH for 4 hours and walked away. Later that night, I turned it off, let it cool down, put in a bowl and put it in the fridge and went to bed. (I also used low fat soup ... so this dish wasn't too bad!)

Wednesday when I got home- I boiled up 2 bags of boil in a bag rice. In a skillet, I sauted very very thinly minced onion - maybe 1/4 cup, in some butter. When the rice was done, I took it out of the bag and dumped it in with the onions and butter. I turned it way down on low and added about 1/4 cup of chicken broth and let the rice sort of soak it all up - for about 20 minutes; while all that was going on, I had put the chicken mixture in the oven to slowly heat up. (chicken in the microwave heated up is GROSS).

So then, I just simply but the rice mixture on the plate and then put the chicken and gravy on top and it was SO GOOD. It tasted JUST like CB! I am so stoked. I have this anytime I want now !!!

Kah

The Republican Race

2011-08-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

Introducing ...

your TEA-vangelical candidates

Bachmann

Coyote Killin' Perry

HA! How funny is THAT? I heard that phrase this weekend on Meet the Press- and I thought it was the most clever thing I had ever heard. MAN I wish I could come up with this stuff ... I totally wish my job was just to sit around and come up with clever sayings like that.

Kah

The Villian

2011-08-18T07:42:00.000-07:00

How did we all miss this classic movie, The Villian???

Were we all living in a hole? I've never even heard of it.

Uh ....

Yes, that is former California governor, and resident Baby Daddy, Mr. Maria Shriver, AH-nold ... cast as a cowboy. I don't ... I don't know who the Hollywood casting director was, but I hope they never worked again. I hope they are now a manager at Chipotle. THAT is ridiculous!

Conrad spotted this at a recent window shopping trip to Target. Good news though, this movie can be yours for $5!

Kah

Transformers

2011-08-16T07:39:00.000-07:00

I have transformed ... into a 36 year old.

Kah

My birthday

2011-08-14T07:35:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I'm old.

My birthday was really great ... thanks for the calls, emails and Facebook posts! I enjoyed hearing from everyone!

My friend Debbie took me to lunch on Monday - yum! Kelley took me to lunch on Friday - yum! Kelley also brought me back 4 stamps from her trip to Grand Cayman - with pics of the Royal Wedding on them. I was a tad obsessed with the wedding and watched it over and over for two days - I am going to have them framed. So excited about that!

My SC parents sent me some $ - and I've decided to buy a Pampered Chef pizza stone with it. I've wanted one FOREVER and have never really just buckled and bought one. But now I will!

The FL parents sent me a donut maker. It's SO cute and I busted it out last night and made Conrad and I some sour cream donuts with powdered sugar and they were SO good. (I will have a post soon on those).

Sherry at work gave me some beautiful yellow baking dishes. A big one and a smaller one - and Vanessa got me a portfolio - a girly one- with an H on it. SO CUTE. My boss has a similar one - black leather with a giant pink A on it and I have been jealous of it forever. I typically glare at her in meetings, because I want it so bad. HA! Just kidding ...

Really BAD pic of my new donut maker!

Girly Portfolio

Yellow dish - the smaller one, the larger one is on the bottom

After work I met Conrad at Mia Bella and we had a great dinner. I decided to shake it up and go for the whole wheat pasta with mushrooms and tomatoes -and two GIANT meatballs. It was SO good! Then I turned in my coupon for the FREE bottle of champagne and Godiva dipped strawberries. O.M.G. - I have never tasted anything like that! Conrad and I are actively looking now for meltable Godiva chocolate (hello donuts!) ... and I figured out that I do like champagne, it just has to be EXTREMEMLY dry. Good stuff man! GOOD STUFF.

On top of spaghetti .... all covered with cheese .....

My all, My Everything, My GODIVA

It was a great day - thank you all for everything!

Kah

August 12th

2011-08-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

If you can't wish yourself Happy Birthday, then who elsse can? 36 years on the planet - it never seems to get any easier. However, I am happy!

Hopefully Conrad will take me out to a yummy dinner tonight. That restaurant I told you about a month or so ago- Mirabella over in the Vintage Market - they give you chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of champagne for FREE on your birthday. So that's where I'm campaigning to go!

Kah

Nail Shop

2011-08-11T07:47:00.000-07:00

The other day, as I was heading out of town, I realilzed I needed a pedicure - but my normal place was too full. So I drove around Tomball for a bit and I found a place called Aloha Nails. I LOVE THEM. Totally gonna be my new place. First of all they were QUITE reasonable, they had a ton of people working and it just had a nice vibe about it.

You know what else is SUPER cool about this place?

The little girl's pedicure chair!

Couldn't you just DIE?! It's pink and it's little and it has a giant pink teddy bear head on the top. I loved this chair. I don't want to rush out and have a baby or anything --- but I for sure want to see some little girls having a super fun time in it. It was empty this night - but I bet on Saturday's it's packed!

YAY Aloha nails!

Kah

Precious Baby

2011-08-09T07:41:00.000-07:00

The baby's daddy was out of town some last week and she was PITIFUL.

Of course, I, her MOTHER, was out of town too - but she didn't seem to care much about that! I left Tuesday for Indianapolis and Appleton, WI - and came back on Thursday. I don't even know if she was gone. Conrad left Thursday morning - came back on Sunday ... and she has barely been able to pick her head off the floor.

If you look closely, you can maybe even see a tear in her eye. LOL

Kah

Garage Sale Haul

2011-08-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

I went out this morning and brought back quite the haul. First of all it was HOT - but I decided to devote a couple of hours to it anyway. I have finally learned after five years in the area, the place to garage sale is Magnolia. It's a nice little town, not to far away and mostly has acerage houses, and people with money --- and so they have GOOD stuff. I drove around for two hours and only hit about 6 sales but I got such great stuff ... usually I would drive around for a hour, hit 12 sales and get hardly anything. These sales are spaced farther out - but SO WORTH IT.

First I hit up a small sale and she had some good books. First is a Readers Digest with cool, short stories on America - stuff like How was Monopoly Invented? It's a good bathroom book or a guest room book - just interesting information, trivia, with nice pics. It was a $30 book I got for $1. Conrad will enjoy it. I also got two books with novels condensed into 1 book - so essentially 8 novels, all current books by great authors. Both books were 10 cents each. SCORE. (pardon the doggie feet in the picture)

I also got this pretty coffee mug for 10 cents. I like big mugs because I can eat soup with them. I only have 2, and 1 is Christmas and you KNOW how I feel about that! So now I have 2 normal mugs and 1 Christmas.

I also found a few Christmas items. SUPER cute snowman ornaments. NEW with tags. Each one was $3.99 - and she let me have all 3 for $1. I like to use these in either the baskets I put together for the girls in Conrad's office at Christmas OR I can use them for decoration on wrapped packages. I also found a Rubbermaid wrapping paper/tissue paper/gift tag organizer. It's still in plastic, never used. I think they run about $20 and I got it for $2. SCORE!

At one sale I got a cute orange shirt. It has a tank (not shown) and then over shirt. It was $2 and the tag says it came from Cato's. I took this pic before I washed and ironed it, but trust me, it's cute. It has little pilled up decorations all over it. Very cute. Nice with black capris.

Next up - I found a box of stamping stuff. She has 32 stamps here all from Stampin' Up and another stamping club ... and she had included 8 pads of various inks and a stamp cleaner. It was all in a box for $3. Some of these stamps have $10 price tags on them. I'm not a stamper. I don't really "get" it but it was too valuable to leave behind. So I bought it - and I'll post it on Ebay to get WAY more money back. It could go for as high as $100.

..... and finally my big find. This is a double fruit bowl/ with a bird and crystals. I really loved it. It's a coppery metal color. I might paint it, but for now I like it just fine. In the new house I'll put it in the kitchen and use it maybe for fruit or onions/peppers ... for now I will just put it on a shelf or something. I don't have the counter space here. I paid $10 for it - it's a really substatial piece and I love it. LOVE IT. It's so heavy!

So that was my haul and I think I did well. I spent $19.30 and I know all of this stuff is worth more than that! I think I got some good deals. That's all that matters!

Kah

Cube Decorating

2011-08-04T03:58:00.000-07:00

Yeah ...

Ready for football season. I've cleared away all my "work nonsense" - and printed out a BEAUTIFUL Dallas Cowboys schedule for 2011 - complete with little squares to mark their wins and loses. No, at this point I do NOT wish to hypothesize on which side will be more full. I'm not going to think about it!

For now, I revel in my blue and silver.

GO BOYS.

Kah

Cuteness

2011-08-01T04:01:00.000-07:00

We went to Dallas a few weekends ago to see Conrad's sister and BIL and family off ... on their journey to El Paso. At their (now old) house, you pulled up next to the house, for the driveway.

We would load into the cars and go off to dinner every night -- and this little sad face would always watch us pull away. LOL

Kamden's window was JUST doggie height enough.

Kah

Relax

2011-07-31T19:03:00.000-07:00

My brother starts his hardship tomorrow ... I know he will be ok. It's for his own good that he goes through whatever he needs to go through. I am praying. I know brother # 2 just came off a 7 month hardship and he told me last week it was the hardship that showed him what he needed to do and now he is doing it. He has never sounded so healthy.

In the meantime, it seems like this would be the perfect little "mind" getaway:

Probably not exactly practical, but it seems ... relaxing and awesome and totally attainable all at once.

Here is to a mind vacation!

Kah

Borders Bargains

2011-07-30T15:49:00.000-07:00

Hola!

I am so sorry I've been missing ... I got SICK SICK SICK.

Wednesday morning I woke up and felt really bad - made it through half a day of work, waved the white flag and went home. The next day I woke up with screaming pain in my ears and throat -- I could not stop coughing and sneezing. One nostril was stuffed up and one was running. On Friday I went in - and worked another half day ... and finally went to the doc. Viral infection. Could have turned into upper resp if I had kept at it but I've got some meds to just ease my pain ... today I've been in bed or on the couch all day. Conrad won't even let me fold a dishtowel. I'm on an "island" (the couch) and I can not get off!

Anyway, on the way home Friday -- I passed a Borders store. We have none where I live, this was the only one and I figured what the hay and I went on in. As you know, they are closing all stores should be a done deal by September or so. I went in looking for Christmas bargains but it turns out that's not to easy. First of all, most things are only 20% off right now. I'd rather catch some deals at 40% off or better ... and second of all, if I buy a novel or something to give away at Christmas, chances are people will already have read it by then ... so it was not such a great idea after all. Maybe only on things like cookbooks, games, kids books, coffee table books.

I did swing by the cookbook section. I have told myself from now on just ask for them as gifts, but I wondered if there may be a deal and there WAS!

As a person, I don't care much for Sandra Lee. She is her own biggest fan - she doesn't need us. On her shows, she raves about herself and her endless talent. I used to watch Semi-Homemade just to see what her kitchen was decorated like and how her outfits matched. Conrad and I would bet on it before we watched, based on the description of her show that day ... for seafood, sometimes her kitchen would be blue/white with sailboats on the curtains and she'd be in a striped naval shirt. Or the description would say she was doing easy home take-out --her kitchen would be red and black and she'd been in like an asian kimono ... one time her kitchen was like ... taken over by crayons for a kids birthday party theme and she was wearing rainbows all over her shirt.

She is RIDICULOUS. She may even be CRAZY ... she made her fortune on QVC in the 80's with those plastic things you hung above your windows and pulled fabric through to make those PUFFY curtains. YES. But, she's a fairly good cook.

I have her Money Saving Meals cookbook and I like it. I like her giant pictures and the way the books are set up. As a cookbook goes, they are some of my favs.

Her cookbooks are $19.95 - almost always. So anyway I found her 20 Minute Meals and her Easy Weeknight Favorites there at Borders. Marked down from $19.95 to $4.99 - and then with the discount for going out of business, I walked out at $3 apiece. So that was WORTH breaking the "no buying cookbooks rule" ... I danced out of there with glee. For $3 for a nice cookbook like hers, it was ok to buy at 20% off. I felt like next time I went back, there would be no more.

If I felt better this weekend, I'd be cooking for sure.

Kah

Sleepy

2011-07-26T06:47:00.000-07:00

We are back from a whirlwind trip to Greenville- an hour outside of Dallas. Conrad's sister, husband and family are moving to El Paso this Friday. So we needed to go in and see them off and help them pack up- if we could- etc ...

Blanca CRACKS ME UP. She loves to go on these trips - she really really loves little Kamden, our 4 year old nephew. I don't know if it's because for so long they were the exact same size, looking eye to eye or what ... but she loves to go. We get her all piled up in the car and she dances around with excitement. I laugh at her because I always put her bed in the car and she is able to sleep there and back .... on Saturday afternoon she and I both laid down and took a nap. She slept ALL Saturday night ... and on Sunday we left around ... 11 or so. We went to Conrad's grandmother's house and dropped B off so we could do a quick family lunch. B couldn't stay in the hot car! So she got a BIG giant comfy bed at Grandma's house for 2 hours ... and then she slept all the way home. She would wake up once in awhile to come to me for snacks or water. SPOILED.

BOY HOWDY if I could fit MY bed in the back of the car- I would have slept to and from Dallas too. So ... my question is WHY IS SHE SO TIRED?

This was her on Sunday night. Just tuckered clean out. I took Monday off - so all day Monday she laid on the couch and NEVER moved. She slept, she snored, she was OUT. ALL DAY.

It usually takes her 2-3 days to get back to normal when we go on a trip. She is so funny - but also this picture is just so precious. She is such a sweet baby, when sleeping !!

Kah

Deleted

2011-07-25T11:36:00.001-07:00

I deleted all my crazy ranting posts.
It doesn't help ... someone could see them and I don't want to make things worse.

Everything will be ok.

Simple Things ...

2011-07-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

I like the simple things in life. I went to HEB on Saturday to grocery shop (yes RIGHT before the fridge broke) and I saw a pack of happy, neon straws. I had been wanting some straws for awhile. Oprah uses the stainless steel ones and I love those. I have them holding in my cart for Amazon.com - my birthday is almost here, so I should maybe ask for them. Anyway, so I wanted straws and I saw a bag of 275 for 99 cents. SOLD! There are pink and yellow, green, purple - etc- so many happy colors.

(and YES -- those are my fancy Mikasa drinking glasses! Conrad's grandmother had MAD good taste and she set him up in full Mikasa when he got his first apartment. He doesn't know what it is - so I have been reaping the benefits for years. We have been set up in a fine kitchen! )

I often remind Conrad how lucky he is. A wife who is happy with 275 neon straws? Doesn't want to empty out the bank account on clothes and shoes? Well I DO want to but I never do ...

and then later that night - we decided grilled cheese and soup was JUST the ticket. I made the Potato Cheddar soup from Tastefully Simple. Just 6 cups of water, the mix and 30 minutes on simmer. We added cheese and bacon bits. Simple!

I don't know why I take pictures of my food. It started when I ate at Paula Deen's restaurant. Sometimes it looks so yummy, I have to share!

Kah

RND Rustic- Magnolia, Texas

2011-07-17T08:37:00.000-07:00

So LAST Saturday Conrad and I were running around like crazy people, meeting builders. The timing was a bit off. We didn't have time to go home in between, but then again ... we really were sort bored and needed something to do between the meetings. I hate that. It's like ... afternoon weddings. Your morning is shot getting ready and getting TO the wedding and then after ... there's not enough time left to really DO anything else that day, but still ... enough time left that you sort of feel like you gave the entire wedding your day.

So we were driving down this 1488 road that I rarely travel and I saw this cute store off to the side called RND Rustics. They had the wood porch furniture and rockers and stuff piled up by the door and I thought WHAT THE HECK - and pulled in. OMG you guys, HEAVEN. They have the NICEST stuff. If you like a tiny bit of western on yourself or in your decor, this place is for YOU. They have the cutest barbed wire plate set ... they had my Outlaw mug for $6!!! They had towels and the bathroom racks/rods/toilet paper holders. Pictures, serving stuff, tables, lamps, rawhide lampshades, funny cute stuff ... the pillows, OH THE PILLOWS- animal print, leather, fringed.... They had furniture- really unique and comfy furniture. The couches they had blew me away. Such nice buttery leather - they had one couch for $850 and one loveseat for $650. I think that is a fair price for nice big comfy leather furniture. But what got my heart to singing were their sectionals. I have never seen one bigger. They had several colors.

It could seat me, Conrad, his sister, and BIL ... both their kids AND his mom and dad and I think that leaves even one seat left open. I mean that's like ... the best seating ever for something like Christmas where EVERYONE is over. It was $1800 which I think was a fair price. The two ends recline and it had a couple of fold down consoles with cup holders and little box like console things were you could hide the remotes.

I REALLY like their furniture. Conrad doesn't want to do the entire house Texas, of course, but he did suggest I could do my craft room upstairs as such - or at least a little bit of it. So I went up to the counter and asked if they did custom furniture and they said that was ALL they did. They said they could do me a nice, thick, black daybed with like a Texas star really tastefully burned into it in like ... 8 weeks. NICE!

When we move, we are coming back here for sure. We'll need one of these giant sectionals for the game room if nothing else. I am really loving their stuff. Also PERFECT place for me to shop for Christmas for the people in the family and friends that are into rustic. There are a few! ... they had loads of Texas A&M stuff, not much Longhorns ... they had the barstools that looked like saddles. I could seriously go on forever.

I HEART RND Rustics!

Kah

Outlaw

2011-07-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

SO SORRY.

This week has FLOWN by. Work has been crazy, home has been crazy, meeting with builders, not exercising ... fabulous!

Anyway, even an Outlaw needs a Keurig!

I got this cup at my NEW favorite store, which I will post about later. It seemed to fit me AND it's big enough that I can use the large cup setting on the Keurig.... and I can remind Conrad I live a little outside the law and can be you know, a bit "off" .... Everyone wins!

Kah

New Builder?

2011-07-11T09:23:00.000-07:00

Conrad and I spent the weekend looking at new builders ... and we ran into one we had heard about a year or so ago. We didn't think we could afford him, so short of just looking at one of his spec homes when one popped up, we didn't consider him an option. However, I called him on Friday and he had us meet him this weekend at the house pictured above.

IT.WAS.GORGEOUS.

We found out we CAN afford him. All we have to do is cut down a little on the square footage. He builds all his houses the same- he does not scrimp on finishes or on lumber, etc. He is not a guy that says well you can do granite here and royal granite here and then up in this bathroom, do the cultured marble. No- he just said look, here are the finishes I use - I am a sq foot builder.

I really appreciated that honestly. He also showed us at least three areas of dead space in our current floor plan. We are going BACK to the drawing board because if I have anything to say about it, this man is builder our house!

His cabinets are absolutely to die for. For that alone, I would have him build my house !!!!

Kah

Tastefully Simple

2011-07-09T07:36:00.000-07:00

Many years ago- like eleven years ago- my friend started selling Tastefully Simple and I loved it. Life happened, she stopped selling it and I bought it once in awhile when I would be invited to a party or something ... but no major reordering.

My friend is back in the business (email me if you want her info) - and I had a party I think it was earlier this year ... maybe late last year and we had a good time. They do have a normal catalog they keep always and then they have seasonal items. So it changes twice a year. I never can WAIT when the new catalog comes out! I also gave out a ton last Christmas ... oh ok, so my party was late last year!

I had a lot of it on hand - and I got a hankering on Wednesday for some artichoke dip. I also love the beer bread. I make it with Blue Moon- you can use any beer - but I think the Blue Moon makes it really sweet.

The thing about TS, is that it never requires more than two ingredients for you to add. If you wish to spruce it up, or use in a recipe, then that's different ... but the only two items for the beer bread are beer and butter ... and of course the mix. So anyway - I made the bread and got it in the oven. Then I made the artichoke dip - on the sides of the box are all the variations you can use and one of them was to use actual artichokes and I did have some. So I made the dip and chose to go to "oven baked" route. I also then popped some frozen cheese raviolis in some boiling water and use up some sauce I had hanging around. The result was a DELISH dinner. (Hello Mikasa French Countryside plate! ... if you want to buy me a present, I could use their soup bowls -8 of them- and also maybe their serving platters- thanks!)

It was really quick too! The bread baked for an hour while I puttered around the house. 20 mintues before it was ready I put the dip in the oven and I started the boiling water ... and nuked the sauce. So .. I mean SERIOUSLY it was no time.

I really do recommend these products. I love most of it. The almond pound cake will make you cry. As will the corn and black bean salsa ... I totally dig all the jarred sauces and condiments like the teriaki sauce and the bourbon glaze ... good stuff! Conrad digs on the bread and he has pushed me out of the way every night as we re-heat our artichoke dip ... he LOVES LOVES LOVES the almond poundcake and gets near panic when we get down to one box. I never liked key lime anything- but the key lime cheese ball with the graham cracker twisties - is like my favorite thing in the world. If Conrad eats it, I glare at him the entire time. Those are MINE!

Tastefully Simple can turn you into a REALLY selffish person! Anyway - should you wish to find out more, please let me know so my friend can get in touch with you. They also have a website ...

http://www.tastefullysimple.com/default.aspx

Kah

My Precious Baby

2011-07-08T07:35:00.001-07:00

Skirt?

2011-07-06T07:20:00.000-07:00

It is SO HOT HERE. So hot that I was actually driven out of the house, to Steinmart, to get some skirts. I got two - one is just your standard black - but this one was super cute and different. I never wear skirts. I am a capri girl - but I don't know, I feel like I need the wind to blow up my skirts to cool me down or something. We shall see how this experiment goes.

In the meantime, it's a cute skirt - and I'm excited to wear it. It does have yellow in it - and guess what color my last pair of shoes are ????

Kah

Happy 4th

2011-07-04T12:28:00.000-07:00

We haven't even heard ONE firecracker. People are taking the burn ban seriously and YAY for that! Blanca is scared of them and every year she cries.

Normally I would do what my mom taught me - put a pork butt in an oven bag, salt, pepper and garlic salt. For four hours, then shred, the back in the oven with BBQ sauce for an hour - in a casserole dish.

But it's too hot. So this one went into the crockpot on low for 3 hours, then high for 2 hours. Then I pulled it out, shredded it and then put it in the oven with BBQ sauce for an hour.

SUPER yum on hawaiin rolls. Happy 4th!

Kah

Chocolate Banana Cake

2011-07-03T07:38:00.000-07:00

It's a long weekend and I'm feeling all domestic ... so I thought I would load up on pantry staples and spend the weekend with my little family here- making treats, reading books and watching movies. I REALLY need to slow down on my cookbook collecting. HELLO - I still want them for gifts but I have to stop buying them or at least paying full price for them. I have helped feed my addiction and also my bank account by renting them from the library instead. This weekend I got Tyler's Ultimate (Tyler Florence from Charleston, SC!!!!) ... and um, I'm disappointed. It's SUPER fancy. There really isn't anything I would make just for me and 'Rad - or even if we had people visiting. It's like a fancy french restuarant cooking ... So it turns out try before you buy at the library is a GREAT idea- cause I do not like this book ... BUT they did have a recipe for chocolate banana bread which is nothing I have ever heard of OR ever even thought about.

I buy bananas every week for the baby. She likes them and also I can grab one when I am heading out the door for work. But if you get a bunch of 7 or so - they go ripe and I won't eat them that way. We had 3 ripe ones yesterday and all the other ingredients, so I went for it.

This cake batter was SO messy. It calls for cocoa powder and melted chocolate. I had chocolate all over the kitchen, counters, sink ... it was everywhere.

See? On the counter- on everything!

The bad thing about silicone pans- they tend to break your stuff. They are very unstable, so when you pull them out of the oven, CRACK. But I like mine- they're pink. Here's my little powdered sugar secret. I got some tea set gift basket eons ago and I kept the little steeper thing. Never made any tea, but if you open it and stick it in a bag of powdered sugar and then do a little "shake, shake, shake" over your stuff, it's the PERFECT duster. I never did have to invest in a salt shaker to use for this purpose. We just don't powder sugar THAT much stuff!

Delicious!

This morning I got up, sliced some strawberries, got out the whipped cream, heated up my cake and poured a cup of coffee.

It was SO good this morning. I sort of wish the cake was a little more fluffy - it's very dense, but it's filling and it was GOOD. Chocolate and bananas are a strange combo - and I like it!

RECIPE:

Preheat over to 350

In a bowl:
2 cups of flour
3/4 cup of sugar
1 tsp of kosher salt
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
STIR

In your mixer (or another bowl):
Cream 1 stick of softened butter
Add in 2 eggs
1 tsp of vanilla extract
4 oz. of melted bitter sweet chocolate (I used semi-sweet, it was what I had)
3 ripe bananas- all chopped up

Then you need to slowly add your dry to your wet and make the batter. Pour into pan and bake 50 minutes. Mine actually took a full hour.

Tyler says he makes this once a week and eats on it all week, with his morning coffee. I could totally see that because it's a hearty cake. It was a MESSY process so I'm not going to make it weekly, but it's worth it to make. Also, I maybe would have added nuts- like a banana nut cake.

You should try it!

Tomorrow's post? Pulled pork!

Kah

Skate Bootie

2011-07-01T06:13:00.000-07:00

WHAT. IS. THIS?

This is the "Skate Bootie" by Jeffrey Campbell and it can be yours for $199.95

Words fail me. THIS is why I am not a fashion maven. People are going crazy for these things on the fashion blogs. $200 for these? Do you know how many pairs of shoes and/or flip flops I could buy for that? Do you have any idea what they would do to me if I waltzed into work wearing those. I would look like Dorothy Hamil on steriods. Actually I don't know how you would waltz or walk in them. I would have to be wheeled in wearing my fancy skate shoes. Do people in New York City REALLY run out and catch cabs in such ridiculousness? I am completely cattywompus at the thought. Can your shoes GET termites?

Wow, this really did a lot for my self esteem this morning. Sometimes I look at my shoe collection in the morning and I think WHY don't I wear more heels? Why don't I have any puce colored shoes? Why don't I have more black sandals? Why can't I wear flip flops to work? ... and then I get sad. But then when I saw this - I felt better. I think I'm doing fine. Maybe bright yellow sandals and monkey shoes are really as far into "outlandish" as I really need to go.

At least I know I'm not crazy... liking these would be a good barometer ... and Conrad can rest in the fact our fashion budget is safe.... and that his wife doesn't look like Lady Ga Ga.

Kah

P.S. I can't stop staring at them ... and that revealed to me, if you look close, these have a PEEP toe. REALLY? Skate booties don't have toes. OMG. This is the most fascinating thing I have witnessed since Lady Ga Ga's "meat shoes". I am freaking out. LOL

Italian Casserole Creation

2011-06-29T05:21:00.000-07:00

This one just came straight out of my head and it was GOOD. It's a combo of all the other Italian, penne-type one pot wonders I guess!

Ingredients:

1/2 box of Penne Pasta - boiled until ALMOST done in salty water

1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb italian sausage - taken out of the casings
1 onion chopped
1 bell pepper chopped
1 or 2 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 jar (or the whole jar) of Sauce --- I used Bertolli Carmelized Onion & Roasted Garlic

1 bar of cream cheese softened
1 egg
1 package of spinach, thawed and drained and squeezed dry
1/2 cup of parmasan cheese
2 cups of mozerella

Ok so ... get your noodles to boiling
Then brown your two meats, after they are brown, add in the onion, bell pepper and garlic until soft.Then add in the sauce. I only used 1/2 jar because I HATE it when my casseroles are runny. Let this just sort of meld together. Put a cover on it, turn it down low ... let it go.

In a bowl, add your parmasan, the egg, the cream cheese and spinach. When the noodles are done, drain them and add them HOT to this boil. It REALLY helps it melt your cream cheese. I just started stirring until this was pretty well combined.

Then in a greased dish I added a layer of meat sauce, then a layer of the cheesy noodles, then meat, then cheesy noodles, then meat - done!

I actually cooled this in the fridge for an hour and let it meld in the casserole dish.

After an hour, turn the oven on to 350 and I let this cook, uncovered for 20 minutes. Then I took it out and added the shredded mozerella to the top and stuck it back in for 10-15 minutes.

OH MY GAH.

Deliciousness. We have plenty left over too - so this week is gonna be GREAT!

Kah

Status Update ...

2011-06-27T09:20:00.000-07:00

Oh but last week was fun. (INSERT UGLY FACE HERE)

I barely did anything but go to work and come home. I only did the ONE Zumba class. Didn't go to any water classes. I feel like a loser. I could have done it this weekend, but truly I just didn't want to. I am determined that this week be better, even if just by 1 class. You know if I could make 2 I would consider it a successfull week!

The good news is I had a GREAT weekend. So much done AND so much lying around. Perfect combo!

I started and finished the newest Danielle Steele book. I also woke up Saturday and scrubbed the house from top to bottom. I am not even kidding. I took the vacuum attachments and cleaned the baseboards, the blinds, the windowsills, even the slats in the door leading to the laundry room. I washed and put away dishes, wiped down all the kitchen counters- heavyduty style! I cleaned the bathrooms- including scrubbing the shower. (I have gotten smart here. I spray it down, clean the WHOLE house, then when I am disgusting and dirty, I climb into the shower and scrub it down - then myself- GENIUS). I washed clothes, washed the bed clothes, mopped all the floors. It was RIDICULOUS. That should probably actually count for an exercise class, huh?!

I also watched TWO of my Netflix movies- one was Hocus Pocus from 1993. Probably should have saved it for Halloween but what the heck, I was in the mood. Also saw You Again with Kristen Bell and Betty White. SO FUNNY. I howled. Conrad was cracking up - at me.

We actually went out to a great dinner on Friday. New place or NEWER place, been open awhile called Mia Bella. SUPER YUM. Then I made fajitas Saturday and some Italian casserole creation on Sunday that was DELISH and came out of my own little brain. Recipe on that later this week! It was fabulous.

Anyway, weekend was a success. Back to Zumba tonight.

Kah

Hello Yellow

2011-06-24T06:11:00.000-07:00

I got a coupon a few days ago - my Kohl's had been rennovating and they sent out $10 off any purchase. I don't need anything, but it was a free $10 and they sell Rachael Ray, so I went. What I got was SO MUCH BETTER.

They had black, a natural linen, a yellow and a deep coral. I have never in my life owned a pair of yellow shoes, so even though a little impractical, I went for it. They were regularly $40 - marked down to $20 and I had my coupon. TEN BUCKS - quite the deal!

When I saw them, there were other women there ooing and ahing them ... several were trying some on. I just could not resist. LOVE!

You need a close up? Hello lovlies ....

Conrad laughed at me - he thinks my shoe problem is funny and of course HE would never want a yellow flowered shoe - so I amuse him. But I will be BEAUTIFUL this summer. Laugh at that!

Kah

Da' Beach

2011-06-23T07:14:00.000-07:00

More fun beach pics! I promised ... sorry they were delayed

My dad, taking a picture of me, taking a picture of HIM. HA!

View from the house, complete with our missing pier.... also thanks to Katrina

My dad sitting on a tree stump on the beach. He looks like he's contemplating. But he's not- he has his earbuds in, plugged into the Iphone- singing at the top of his lungs. I could hear it from the beach house balcony

Kah

Did I?

2011-06-21T19:10:00.000-07:00

Did I go to Zumba on Monday night? YES I DID.

I fought it HARD too. I came home from work and talked with Conrad until I had like 2 minutes to get dressed out of the house. I SO DID NOT WANT TO GO. But I went.

It was good too. She did more Latin music this time, which is not my favorite. I like the Rap and R&B stuff ... I tend to "dance" better to that. My little white girl hips were not make for the samba and the merengue and the like ... but it was good and I'm glad I went.

Although it was HOT. It was hot outside and it was hot inside. I don't know if the AC was having to work overtime and thus, not doing such a great job or what, but I was sweating hard. Everyone was.

Today I am a little sore and I didn't go to my water class. I decided to ease back into it. I go back on Thursday for water.... wish me luck. No doubt I will try to get out of it. But if I make my intentions known here - I feel rotten if I don't go. My own accountability group.

Kah

Status Update ...

2011-06-20T06:42:00.000-07:00

So .... I have not been doing so well with my exercising. The gallbladder surgery derailed me big time! I was FINALLY getting into a groove and got to where I was looking forward to the gym when it all went down. I actually get BAD if I didn't go to the gym. Since the surgery I have been back ONE TIME. I am such a loser !!!

I just can not get back into the swing of things. Work has gotten SO busy for me. I have been managing a major project AND I took on some new accounts. The largest we have. There's a learning curve. I knew from the beginning that work was going to be getting more involved and that June would be CRAZY. I leave here, lately, more often than not, exhausted. It's ok - It will get better and it's not forever ... and it's just because my brain is exhausted from learning new stuff. No big deal, but it makes me NOT want to work out after work. I already have a 2 hour commute a day, plus 8 hours here. Then go work out? No. I am exhausted.

Anyway, I am thinking Zumba today at 5:30. I have been trying to talk myself out of it ALL DAY. All morning I have been thinking well it's too much to start with all over again. I should start small with water aeorbics. It's too hot- I should just do water this summer, yadda yadda. I'll do it next week. Maybe I should do water only for two weeks, then add in Zumba, etc ... I am GREAT at excuses.

So let's just be honest: It's MONDAY. Monday's are terrible. I rarely sleep well Sunday nights. I wake up tired. Blanca was being a pain this morning. I got to work late. I am STARVING but am not a breakfast person, so I have nothing here to eat... I have to wait til lunch. It's HOT HOT HOT and there has been NO rain ... and the last thing I want to do is drive the gym for a one hour HOT workout after working for 8 hours and being on the road a total of 2 for the day. BUT I am going to do it. I am just not going to think about it anymore today. I will think about it on the way home from work. If I think about it all day, I'll just talk myself out of it. One day at a time. I will not even committ to water tomorrow. Just ... get to Zumba today. That is the ONLY thing I need to do today. No cleaning, no cooking. JUST.GET.TO.ZUMBA.

Kah

Irrational

2011-06-18T06:04:00.000-07:00

Proof I can be a little irrational...

What is this?

This is a Santa Clause cup ... it's to be used at Christmas --- not on June 17th ---- and it's used to create a bit of festiveness ---- not something to be used for utility. They sell them 4/$1 at Wal-Mart or any mass market store, around the holidays.

Apparently we have run out of clean cups. They are all in the dishwasher. So instead of cleaning one up and using it, Conrad went into the cupboard, reached WAY up on the top shelf, and got himself a Santa cup. He KNOWS this is a huge pet peeve of mine. I don't like Christmas and holiday items to be out or used, if it's not around the holiday time in question. He must have done this last night, after I went to sleep. Clever.

I woke up this morning, wandered in to make my coffee and saw Santa smiling out from the living room at me this morning. This morning of June 18th. Grrrrrrrr .... no amount of coffee can cure this.

I understand it's a bit irrational, but REALLY, it's unpleasant.

Kah

Biloxi Beach

2011-06-16T05:47:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the absence! I was on vaca at the beach!

View from the beach house porch

Conrad and I took a few days and drove to Ocean Springs, MS which is a small town RIGHT outside of Biloxi. We met my FL parents there ... and a good time was had by all! We rented a little beach house that had to be rebuilt because the original one was destroyed by Katrina. We had several trees right outside the house - and two of them (not shown here) were very noticably bent. I'm thinking Katrina had something to do with that. All around us were skeletons of former homes (and piers) and it was REALLY weird to realize a few years ago this was like a MAJOR hurricane area and it was so dangerous and that calm ocean we were looking at and enjoying was like a deadly, bubbling cauldrom. FREAKY!

Anyway, the beach house was nice and it had big wide, long porches. Every single day I was up early (as is almost always nearly the case these days) and I would take my Kindle and my coffee outside and there I would stay for ... well about 8 hours. We bought groceries and cooked most nights. Made lunch every day. (Wal-Mart pizza is good!) We did go out to eat once at Anthony's Seafood and Steakhouse in Biloxi and we also went to a casino, but mostly, the parents and I didn't move from the porch. Conrad wandered in and out and watched some TV - he's not a reader or a porch sitter. We had a fire in an outdoor fireplace and made smores. Good times!

It was very relaxing and just what we all needed. I will have more pics soon. Catching up at work and at home right now!

Kah

Mr and Mrs

2011-06-07T06:39:00.000-07:00

Doggie Daughter

2011-06-06T05:37:00.000-07:00

Yes! She's beautiful!

Seriously, she could be a dog model. I wish she'd get on it and apply to some places. She could pay her own vet bills and for those bones she's forever demanding.

Kah

Keepin' it Real - The Laundry Room

2011-06-04T06:04:00.000-07:00

Part of the Memorial Day cleanup was to put some order to a laundry room that had gotten out of control. I have to pass it every time I go in and out and I hate it. If some random stranger came in they wouldn't know what to think. I bring shame upon my family.

You see that tall box? My Ballard Designs safety pin plaques I had to have in NOVEMBER or I was just going to die. Sitting in a box.

Oh want me to back up some? So you can see my shame?

We are such pigs

So I cleaned it up ... and hung up my plaques. I'm digging it, but it made me realize we have SO go to get rid of those blinds. I wanted to make a roman shade like a year and a half ago. I am so lazy. Also - that piece of furniture Conrad bought eons before I came on the scene. I like, but I'd like it more if it were a lovely shade of robins egg blue. Conrad has been resisting this idea, but I am wearing him down. I either get my way here, or I keep talking about "what my headaches COULD mean" on Web MD. :)

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh - restored order and some lovliness on the walls!

I love the Ballards pins - I just can't wait to have them in a really pretty laundry room and yes I said PRETTY laundry room. It could happen!

and then ....... who I would be if I didn't open a cabinet and show you how AWFUL it has really gotten. I have batteries, flashlights ... all over the place. We are in hurricane country but my stuff is scattered too and fro ... if the lights went off, we'd probably head butt each other, pass out and come too in several feet of water. It doesn't matter that this house is pier and beam - and we are 3 feet off the ground. IT COULD HAPPEN if I don't get organized!

Chaos

But - I got some cute boxes at Target - and was able to make one for candles, one for batteries, one has flashlights ... one has all of Blanca's stuff like heartworm meds and her Chrismtas collars.

Better, not great

I consider Memorial Day weekend- organizing and cleaning to be a massive success!
If a hurricane hits, we will be prepared. No matter that this next time I'll be somewhere in the region of Nebraska by the time they figure out I'm gone - the house will look nice.

Kah

Ambrosia

2011-06-03T05:45:00.000-07:00

I am in LURVE .... I haven't been struck by shoes like this since ... the Michael Simon monkey sandal incident of 2007.

Yes these ARE cable-knit sweater ballet flats!!!!!!!!! Need to see more? Ohhhhhhhhhhhh-kay.

I KNOW! These are called "Ambrosia" by Chinese Laundry. They come in black and gray. I found them in Southern Living, of all places. I have SO ordered these. (I got gray - no one hardly has gray shoes) Good news! They were only $39 - which I was really surprised about. When I first saw them I thought they might be Tory Burch which would have broken my heart since her flats are like $199 --- but they weren't. I went online to order them and they are down to $29 AND I got a 10% coupon on southerliving.com -- I know SHUT THE FRONT DOOR, right?!

I''m a shoe girl, like most girls - but I don't shop a lot. I find a couple of shoes a year that stop me in my tracks. These were in that category - the only bummer is ... well I think they are winter shoes. They probably aren't like lined with sweater material - LOL - but I mean, sweater = winter. I don't know. I think they will look great with some denim-like trousers in the winter with maybe a white sweater. SO CUTE.

SO HAPPY.

Kah

Doggie Feet

2011-06-02T05:41:00.000-07:00

I can't help it - I think she is the CUTEST when she's sleeping. She always crosses those little feet and it just tickles me. She is so sweet and cute - when she's sleeping !!! When she's awake, well ... (SMILE)

Anyway, nothing is cuter than crossed doggie feet.

Kah

A Fine Dusting ....

2011-05-31T05:32:00.000-07:00

Conrad and I went to Home Depot this weekend so I could show him subway tile live and in person. I couldn't find any. See, NOT TRENDY!

Anyway - I just realized as I look around and think I NEED TO DUST AGAIN? ........

This is a 1700 sq ft house.

Now I'm going to have to dust a 3000 sq ft one?

CRAP.

Kah

Subway Tile

2011-05-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

Conrad just broke my heart into a million pieces, y'all.

As you know, we're moving forward on this house building thing. We met with the builder last week and gave him the re-vamped plans. We shrunk the house by 144 sq feet, removed some built in's, killed a porch, etc - in an attempt to lower the price some. I expect to hear from him in a few weeks. Once we do, we'll call a couple of loan places and then I think before we know it, we'll be off to the races. I'm trying to be a little proactive by putting together a little story board on each room. So that way we'll know what flooring we want, what colors we like, the cabinets we like, the stain we like, the faucets, etc ... and there will be no tears as we move into the design center to decide on finishes.

So as I've found things to paste in our book I've run them by Conrad. I have ALWAYS loved subway tile. It's CHEAP # 1 - I think it's like less than $1 a tile - and I think they are classic and won't "date" our house. They aren't trendy - like those itty bitty glass tiles are now- and I just love them. So I showed him a picture similar to this:

I wanted him to see the white tile against the black cabinets. We've decided on black cabinets.

You guys THIS is the kitchen of my dreams

When I showed him these, he scrunched up his nose and was like mmmm .... eh ..... and so I thought OH we have such a white kitchen right now, he's probably super tired of it. He doesn't want to see anymore white tile. White would be my choice but COMPROMISE! Got it! Back to the drawing board.

So today I showed him some colored tile and even some glass subway tile. Look at this deliciousness!

So I proudly show him and he says to me, "Um, I think I just don't like subway tile." I ..... I have been speechless for hours. WHAT? How can he just not like subway tile? What does that even mean? I just stared at him. I don't think he knows he ripped a jagged hole into my subway tile loving soul.

I could cry a thousand rivers. I think in my heart, I had a vision of the kitchen just ENCRUSTED with this stuff. I am SO hoping he doesn't want big, chunky, super square tiles. If so I am going to FREAK OUT. But I'm trying to remain calm. This is OUR house, I get that -- but I WILL have my subway tile. Even if it's the back wall of the bathroom upstairs in the tub - I will have it. That's 84 inches STRAIGHT UP, baby ... I WILL HAVE IT. If it's relegated up there though I can not be responsible for what I will do. He will be looking for me all over the house, and will pull back the shower curtain and find me in there, stroking that beautiful WHITE subway tile. I am hoping to gain some self control between now and then.

My question remains, however, WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM? I thought his mama raised him right?! I need to call her and see if his hatred of subway tile stems from her. I bet if I showed his sister, she would LURVE it.

I'm going to go now and try to put the pieces of my heart and soul back together. Grrr ....

Kah

Office

2011-05-29T08:32:00.000-07:00

I was DE-termined not to waste this Memorial Day weekend. I took Friday off and used it to clean the house and run my errands, like the post office and grocery shopping. That always seems to eat up at least a day during the weekend. I also wanted a lot of laying around ... book reading, moving watching and super yummy grilling. But more than anything, I wanted to do a few things around the house we never seem to get around to:

* Hanging pics
* Organizing the laundry room
* Organizing all my magazine and recipe clippings

Etc ... and I am happy to say all of these things are either complete or in progress.
That is a GOOD feeling.

For instance, I got Conrad a NICE picture of Texas. He always wanted one that looked like a map and had that nice, big, thick leather frame. Those are not cheap. So ... I waited until Christmas and got him one. How I got that GINORMOUS picture home in my tiny Toyota Solara with only two doors is another story unto itself, but I did it. Well after all that, it has sat for exactly 5 months. Finally I said Conrad, let's HANG IT and so we did and it looks AWESOME.

Before the pic:

Taking a break - while the drill charges: (and yeah, they are ALWAYS together)
WAIT ! Is he holding her HAND? Good Lord!

Picture hung:

Yeah, I know, night and day difference. I don't know WHY we waited so long. Lazy.

Also, you may be asking why we are spending money (even if it was 5 months ago) on THIS house when we are going to be building another one. Well I told Conrad a few months ago, as money allows, as I find things here and there I will be dragging them home to "stage" this one, as we build the other one. Conrad has always wanted one of those Texas map pictures and it's REALLY nice as you can see and will be perfect for his office in the new house. So why not buy it and enjoy it now? It will go with us to the next house and will just be one more thing we don't need to buy when we're faced with a big house to fill... and really wanting things to look "complete".

Kah

More Rugs!

2011-05-28T07:34:00.000-07:00

After making the front door area all spiffy I started thinking about the kitchen. We seem to have random rugs thrown everywhere. Like a rug fairy has come to visit. But if that were true, I'd have much higher quality of rugs!

There are actually nothing wrong with these rugs, except that there is no navy in the main areas of our house. Conrad had them when I moved in - so I don't know, I guess boys gravitate to stuff like navy. He must, our master bedroom is navy.... anyway, the rugs ... they are still in good shape.

But I thought we needed a fresh look and for like $11 - why not? It made me feel better. So I threw these in the washer and folded them up and put them away. I figured we could use them somewhere in the new house, even if it's outside. I still have all the navy bedding from when Conrad lived alone before I took over :) --- and heck, maybe the upstairs master will be navy and these can be the bathroom rugs. Who knows? I am NOT a waster!

So here are the new lovlies ...

I think these are totally great! We have tons of these colors in the house - white, black, browns ... all over the place. So these really look good. They are also really fluffy. I can tell the difference when I do dishes at night. It's like standing on a cushion. LOVE!

But don't tell Conrad ... I don't want him to think I ENJOY doing the dishes.

Kah

What a Difference a Rug Makes!

2011-05-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

Conrad had this rug at the front door when I moved in. I think I had the SAME rug in Dallas, before I moved. Pretty sure mine were in the kitchen. This rug was fine, for a long time but last weekend when I was sweeping I noticed how bad and how frayed it looked and really - for a 7 year old rug from Wal-Mart probably, not bad. But can you see where at least in three places the strings are coming out?

So I took myself down to Wal-Mart last week and bought a new one. One that's a little different, or quite a bit different. I just needed something small in the space there - but I wanted it to POP, for whenever we start showing our house - so I went with a bold color. Red and khaki.

The reason is, if I back up a little you can see our dining room is red and khaki and I think it looks GREAT (click on the pics to make them bigger). I was so surprised how good it did look when I put out the new one. Blanca doesn't like it. She keeps smelling it and glaring at me. I guess she can smell all the people who have handled it - and it does not meet with her approval. She doesn't like change. She had probably JUST gotten that old rug to smell like her and now she has to start all over again. I'm a terrible mom. :)

Kah

On Top of Spaghetti!

2011-05-26T07:34:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorites now - regularly in the rotation. It's Conrad's grandmothers spaghetti with meatballs. These meatballs ROCK. I made this Friday night. Look how delightful!!!

1 lb of ground beef
1/2 lb of italian sausge - I get the kind in casings and just make a slit and pull out the meat - usually if there are 5 sausages in there, I use 3 for this recipe. Freeze the other 2
4 pieces of toast / ripped into tiny pieces
2 tbsp of chili powder
1 tbsp of garlic powder
handful of parmasean cheese
1 onion- chopped fine

I just dump all that in a bowl - and mix it up with my hands. I make meatballs with it - and bake them for 30 minutes at 350. His grandma makes her own sauce, but I don't. I never have time. I just pour some Ragu or Prego or something in a pan when the meatballs are done, transfer them to the pan and let them just sit in there on med/low while my noodles are cooking.

Good stuff, takes no time at all! It's one of Conrad's favorites. I never liked italian sausage until I started making this. Now I love it.

Kah

MEN!

2011-05-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

Can ANYONE on the EARTH please tell me why boys can't put a new roll of toilet paper on the roller? I swear I go into the guest bath once a week and find this ... I don't get it. How hard is it to change it out?

Kah

Weekend

2011-05-23T07:31:00.000-07:00

My weekend was GREAT! Which is good ... because work is going to be crazy between now and July 1. So I need every weekend to be good - relaxing and yet productive. If I can fit those two in, then I will be doing good. On the work front, we have one person moving on via promotion and one person moving on via a new job, elsewhere. So that's a lot of change in a small amount of time. I am losing some accounts and gaining some others and am also I guess LEAD person of the transition. So I have to be managing all the transition .... So between today and July 1 - craziness, but busy!

I cooked a couple of times this weekend. We also went to see the new Pirates movie. I really liked it - we went to the Movie Tavern. I almost always see movies this way now - a little lunch, a little iced tea, sitting back and watching the movies. Regular movie theaters don't appeal anymore!

I got a lot of cleaning done Saturday morning too. I took an hour and straightened, swept, starting washing clothes, did some dusting ... also some extra stuff like - washing a load of bathmats and things I don't need to do every week. Conrad cut the grass ... I did a small amount of re-decorating and cleaned out the DVR on the TV. I also fit in a nap .. and we watched an AWESOME Saturday Night Live. I love it when Justin Timberlake hosts, his skits are pretty funny. I also went to the library and got a ton of books, including two new cookbooks. Love that! I smiled almost the whole weekend, which was just what the doctor ordered!

This week- LONG WEEKEND! I took off Friday and of course, Monday is Memorial Day. So I have 4 days. I am hoping to do a lot of napping, a lot of cleaning and organizing and a lot of nothing. We'll see how I fit that all in! Oh and I also plan to garage sale this coming Saturday. I have been on a long hiatus because frankly we're busting at the seems in this house - but I figured I'd head out and see if I could find some books or some cute LITTLE stuff. I'm excited about it!

Kah

Happy Roses

2011-05-21T06:05:00.000-07:00

I discovered something new!

They are called Happy Roses or Rainbow Roses. Have you ever seen such a thing?

I think they are SO beautiful. I want some so bad but they are EXPENSIVE.

Here is how they do it, according to Wikipedia:

The rainbow rose is a rose which has had its petals artificially colored.
The method exploits the rose's natural processes by which water is drawn up the stem. By splitting the stem and dipping each part in a differently colored water, the colors are drawn into the petals resulting in a multicoloured rose.

CRAZY and they are like $89 for a dozen. That's a lot - but I would pay that for a special occasion. They are so pretty !!!! The process doesn't sound too bad. Maybe I could get some white ones and try .... Think about if I had known they existed when we got married! That would have been such a colorful and happy looking wedding.

As a matter of fact, let's pretend:

SWOON!

Kah

Repair or Toss?

2011-05-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

I got this bag about ten years ago from TJ Maxx - I think it was about $35 and it was SO nice. It's leather, it's a nice bag - and it's made to look worn. I bought it when I was traveling so much - and I needed a nice overnight bag or if I was going to be gone longer (in the days before Kindles and IPads) and I was carrying books and magazines - a nice carryon bag. The longer you carry this thing, the more worn it looks. It's really nice.

About 3 years ago I pulled it out for an overnight trip to Philly and one of the back straps had snapped and I was HEARTBROKEN. (here it is fixed!)

I don't even know what happened but I was SO SAD. This is where my frugality kicked in - I didn't know what to do. It is a nice bag - and it's pure leather and I think the tag said it would have normally sold at something like $200 - so I just stashed it in the bottom of my closet. I have a hard time throwing anything away. I buy RIT dye for when my white clothes start to look dingy and the next thing you know I have new black pants or a new navy shirt. I'm just like that ... and I could not bring myself to throw my bag away.

So this week I pulled it out again - since my credit card is paid off- and finally felt like whatever it cost, I could afford to go get it repaired. So I took it to a tailor over here by my work on Friday and I picked it up Monday at lunch. $20 and it's like new. If I had known it would be that cheap, I would have done it a long time ago. I really am so glad I had this done. Every time we would travel I would pull it out and just be sad all over again. This bag served me very well back when I was living in Dallas. Welcome back into the rotation, leather bag!

Now I can't wait to travel again!

Kah

Old Emails

2011-05-19T09:26:00.000-07:00

I was going through old emails - and I found some from everyone. Funny pictures, birthday greetings, etc ... and I save some of the sweet ones Conrad has sent.

I ran into this one- where it was this game to email everyone and ask them to use one word to describe you. Here was his answer and he is the SWEETEST.

I KNOW. His word was " Everything" .... AWWWWW
As if I needed a reminder that he is PERFECT and that .... I could not have found anyone more perfect for me.

Kah

Wilton

2011-05-18T06:10:00.000-07:00

Conrad got me a Hobby Lobby gift card for Christmas and I had not yet used it. I was feeling sort of shoppy this weekend and so I decided to run by there and see what there was available.

I used to cross stitch - so I wanted to check out and see if they had any new kits or patterns I liked and they didn't. Those things are getting SO corny. I am probably going to have to design my own. Then I remembered HEY- Hobby Lobby sells Wilton cake stuff and I need new cake pans SO BAD. I swear the ones I have are the ones I bought in 1995 when I got my first apartment. They are all rusty and crusty - and I think I threw them away a long time ago. For the wedding I got some nice square ones and a loaf pan which are all silicone. But I wanted some round pans and I thought I would check out their selection. I have been baking square cakes now for three years.

SO glad I did.

I got two round pans AND found a set of three sheet pans which I needed so badly. I have one sheet pan with no edges and one with edges. The one with edges is starting to turn black. YUCK. These all have edges and I love them! Three different sizes. HEAVEN. I also found this cute mini loaf pan. I've never had anything like that before - I started imagining little banana breads around Christmas- and mini meatloafs - some to eat now and some to freeze. I am going to have SO much fun with that little pan.

Grand total was $43- and my gift card was for $50. Nothing like FREE money shopping!

Kah