Pretzel

I have been craving a soft pretzel for 4 days! I thought I would get lucky at Legoland yesterday... but no, I waded through a jungle of kids with no pretzel at the end of the tunnel.

So disappointed.

Today I woke up and I said to myself "By golly Kathleen, we are gonna find a soft pretzel.  A good one. A TARGET soft pretzel!" And that goal is pretty much what I scheduled my day around.

It was a GOOOOOD pretzel too!

Karen and Stacy joined me on this quest.  Stacy was being good... but Karen came to the dark side and even ordered cheese on hers.

There was a crazy lady in the parking lot (not me). She looked normal, but clearly was not.  They will give a drivers license to anyone these days.  (If they gave one to me...)

Also... I'm a dumb ass...

Lego...land

We finally visited the land of legos to celebrate Caitlin's birthday.  Hubby gets all the credit for coordinating the whole party.  I just showed up dreading the experience.

All the girlies had a great time... and... I thought it was pretty nifty too.

Mad Hatter

Spartacus popped our rubber bounce ball... just in time!

Caitlin and I have cuddled-up to watch Alice in Wonderland. You can't watch a mad tea party without a mad hat!

Kate, Hank, MIB

I woke up cuddled with my littlest girlie.  Honey was at a friends house and Hubby was at work.  Just me and my baby.  She has agreed to stay my baby forever. 

We headed over to my sister's to visit Kate and Hank. Caitlin agreed to this trip after I PROMISED that she would not have to hold, touch, talk-to, or take a picture with the baby. It is so funny.  My kids freeze around babies. There is no "oh, so cute!" It's complete deer-in-the-headlights!

I think it is my fault.  When my third girlie, Eleanor, was born and we went to the hospital to meet her I might have... threatened them a little. You know. Don't be loud. No running. No playing. All the things you tell a 6- and 2-year-old before going into a hospital. But I must have over-done it.

Anyway, I hope they get over it. I really want grandgirlies in 15 years.

I won't lie.  It is my goal to become Kate's favorite.  I even let her play with my lipstick.

She. Is. A.dor.a.ble!

That is some fancy lipstick!

My sisters get major kudos for not giving me any crap while I played make-up with Kate. When my girlies were little I was so strict and mean about make-up and nail polish. If they even pretended with my girls I flipped out. I'm older and wiser now.

I did pay a little attention to Henry too.

But honestly, my main man isn't very interesting yet. He chilled the whole time... 

he's gonna be a heartbreaker!

I'm trying really hard to get out more. Get over myself already. Get over my issues. So when Hubby proposed dinner and a movie I said yes.

Dinner at Genghis Grill and then Men in Black 3.

Caitlin was too distracted to look at the camera. She has a beautiful profile.

Honey is so beautiful.

Hubby... is a wise guy. Always trying to be funny. We coordinated while he was buying tickets to laugh at everything he said. It was hi-larious! The girlies did a perfect job. This is totally a game we'll play again. Hubby wanted us to admit that sometimes we were laughing for real. (We will never admit that.)

Okay, MIB3 was awesome! My favorite one for sure.  I think if you saw this movie without seeing the first one it wouldn't be as funny... but it would still be fun.

Caitlin just walked in with a home-made MIB costume. She even created a Neuralyzer and she's about to erase my mem...

Gamma Rays

This morning I was working with three men in the studio.  Normally they demonstrate, to varying degrees :), a calm and professional demeanor... but today we worked with "prototype" equipment.

Apparently "prototype" equipment triggers an excess of testosterone. Three men. Multiple pieces to assemble. Talking at the same time. With opposite theories and solutions.

I decided to stand back and bang my head against the wall. The testosterone was turning into gamma-rays... and I'm pretty sure when I wake up tomorrow I will have developed a superpower while in REM.

While I was watching this circus act I wondered what power I would most like to develop. It seems I am selfish. Instead of something that would make me a superHERO and a national treasure... I think I would like to have teleportaion... including anything I'm physically touching. No hour commute twice a day. Lunch with my girlies. Vacation spots! Think of the time and money I would be saving!

Of coarse, I'll have to keep this a secret when I wake up in the morning...

"Kathleen, can you drop my family at Disney? Pick us up at 10pm (EST)?"
"Kathleen, can you pick me up on the way to work?"

See, selfish...

Silence Haiku

a thumb and finger

capture the awkward muscle

trap words best un-said

What the fork?

I had another fun lunch with Karen today. The office was having a BBQ lunch on the patio. We were going to work through lunch so my hands were full with my computer and my plate.

I asked Karen to grab a fork for me. She did... And then used it! Made me laugh when I saw that she was unaware of her two forks.

A "Technique"

I love my visits with Vera.  But they are so private and personal that I rarely share the content of my visits.

Today I'm going to share, well I'll try to share but it's hard to find words to express my wonder.

So, blah blah blah, stuff going on in my life... and my fourth grade year of school came into our session.  Last week I cried and raged (and laughed, because I really do love to laugh) about how a teacher refused to let me go to the girl's room. (Fourth grade was relevant to the topic.)

I told Vera about the physical pain I was in because my bladder was so full.  She (the teacher) told me to go sit down, I could wait till class was over.  I asked my best friend, who the teacher liked, to go ask again for me.  I had to go to the bathroom so badly I was afraid to breath.

When my friend came back to our table of desks shaking her head no, my bladder just released.  I completely lost control.

I remember tearfully whispering to my best friend to go tell the teacher I'd wet my pants. I was sitting in a puddle of my own misery.

I was waiting in the nurses office for my parents to bring some clothing.  The teacher came in, stooped to eye level, and with an accusatory finger jabbing in my face said in the scary whisper "Don't you ever do that to me again."

Today Vera took me through a "technique," a journey really.  (I'm already at a loss for words.) Knowing and believing that Jesus is always with me, with us, we are going to visit my memory again.  This time I closed my eyes and brought all my memories of that day together, I've just wet my pants... and then Vera said, "look at the door, Jesus is walking towards you."

And he was.  And as Vera spoke Jesus and I walked through the whole memory. But this time I can SEE him protecting me.  I can HEAR him kindly telling the teacher not to speak that way to me, that I've done nothing wrong.  He asks me to give him my pain. And I asked if he could also take my anger. And please forgive me for taking so long to forgive this teacher.  And he does.

And there is a wonderful warmth of lights and colors.

And he loves me.


I don't have a photo to share today.  A photo doesn't feel right with this post. My fourth grade experience is so mild compared to the pain that so many children suffer, I know this. And this experience is not why I'm seeing a counselor... I just wanted to share a wonderful experience.

= Good Times

Karen + Tom Thumb = Good Times!

Karen asked if I wanted to run to Tom Thumb with her at lunch, ha-shizzle! I do not pass-up an opportunity to experience TT with KG... cause there is gonna be some shizzle happening.

Stacy came along too.  I was a little hyper on the drive over. "Little" might be an understatement.  I am stressed to the max (although God keeps giving me new "max" to reach) anywho, I wasn't fit company for anyone who doesn't find my bizarreness amusing.

Fortunately for me, these two cuties seem to find me amusing... 

although Karen did ask if I had taken my meds today. (Yes)

Note that Karen's car has been strategically placed in the back of the lot with no other cars around her. 

This is mainly because of the time that a freak-of-nature-hyped-up-on-steroids man waited in his car to blame Karen on a "door ding." When one of us (can't remember who) tried the lick-the-thumb-and-wipe-the-mark-away test he FREAKED OUT!  It was actually very amusing.  He called the police but since we hadn't fled the scene of the "crime" they said "no" police weren't necessary.  We kinda wish they would have come.  Cause most police officers love the company we work for and for-shizzle they would have given this psycho a lecture

She's also had a dead battery and a flat tire in this parking lot.  I think she was verbally assaulted by an old Chinese woman too...

So you can see why this trip had high expectations.

Unfortunately... except for a watermelon almost falling the trip was uneventful.  I did buy some tastykakes though.  Buy one get one free.  The Stephanie Plum in me can't pass them by.

After Tom Thumb we drove through Wendy's.  The drive through wraps around the building twice.  So you have to get in the outside lane and work your way around and around to the window.  But there was a line-cutter.  I begged Stacy to go tell them that they were cutting-in-line but she wouldn't.  I asked Karen to honk obnoxiously, but she wouldn't.  

It is a little amusing how many drinks three women ordered... 6, but you can only see five.  We had to bust a u-y on the way back to the office, there might have been some excitement there but Stacy is too coordinated. Sigh.

These are some gooooooood Tastykakes.  Chocolate cake on the inside, then marshmallow, then an outer chocolate shell.

Plus, it made a smiley face.

:)

Freckles

Caitlin bought (with her own money) the Irish warrior Merida.

We were cuddled up on the bed with Merida admiring her beauty and her bow.

Caitlin said she loved how different she is from her other barbies... Freckles! And she wished she could have blue eyes too.

No, Caitlin is too beautiful to change anything... But I would love to have Merida's hair.

What about her freckles? Caitlin wants to know. I love her freckles and your freckles too, but I have way more than both of you. Angel kisses.

You don't have any freckles mommy!

WHAT?

We investigated closely... Even asked hubby to come look. Has my face merged into one big freckle... That no one can see anymore?

Well, we are glad Caitlin still has hers. And I'm covered on my arm and shoulders... I'll miss my face freckles now that I know they are gone :(

Eyeball

Caitlin's self-portrait...

Algebra

I'm pretty sure that Algebra is a 4-letter word... if only I could figure out the formula. Something like:

x(hell) = algebra

My brain hurt after helping Honey with her homework.  It made me admire her.  She missed 3 days of school and they cover a LOT of material in three days and she's handling the make-up work pretty well... better than I am.

I broke out the calculator.  She got really upset because she considered that cheating.  I explained that I needed the calculator to make sure that I was remembering algebra correctly. I'd use it on the first problem and then it would all come back to me... it did. But this is only 8th grade algebra, I don't think I'll stand a chance next year.

angel above... nightmare below

Funny & Smart

Funny Hubby & Smart Dog

(both handsome)

I am so lucky to be married to someone who genuinely makes me laugh!

I loved his comment on his sister's post.

Character and Character

Caitlin is very proud of her Character Awards, she earned Respect AND Perseverance this month! I was so excited to see them when I got home.

Caitlin's a little photo shy lately, she's over-it! She said I could come to field day on Friday if I promised not to bring a camera (as if!) Unfortunately I don't think I'm going to be able to make it... maybe some of my peeps can take pictures for me, we won't tell Caitlin ;)

While Caitlin was SHOWING character I was BEING a character!  Had such a fun lunch with my friend Stacy today.  After we had some pizza I stopped to get my boss a sub from Jersey Mike's... definitely a guy's joint... until we invaded!

I wrote down specifically what Peter asked for: regular #13 on wheat, Mike's way... he said "they'll know." So I told the young man "a regular #13 on wheat Mike's way" and he nodded. I'd spoken the language they understood.

The young man sliced the bread and revealed a bread bubble (technical term for... I don't know, when there is a big bubble of air under the crust.) Eeek. Bread. Yummy. No room for air bubbles!

"Um, this is for my boss... can you use a different bread? This one has a bubble."

He looks at the man working the vegi section and shows a slight smile, "you got a tough boss?" as he slices new bread.

The man standing next to him says "What are you having?"

... "Nothing, just the sandwich for my boss."

"You're not going to eat one of my sandwiches?"

... "Um... I always thought this was a 'guys place.'" I say glancing at Stacy.

"Her boss won't let us eat." Stacy pipes in. (BTW, I should mention that Stacy is a-dor-a-ble!

Both the men laugh. I can tell now that the vegi guy is the Manager and he says "It's 2012! There's no 'guy's place,' you two come back and your sandwiches are on me."

Such a sweety!

We are so going back for a free sandwich! And plotting free food from the other restaurants in the area!

So check out Jersey Mike's 'cause this guy was charming :)

Man of Steel!

My boss was discusted with hubby's top 10 superhero list and created one of his own... But I forgot to bring it home for hubby's review.

For Christmas 2010 I gave hubby a bunch of superhero undies that Target was selling... And he wears them! Today he was wearing Batman, who is #1 on his list. He looks kinda sexy in them.

I asked if I could take a photo for today's post and he agreed to do it!

Common sense prevailed and we took this photo instead (don't want 'the blog' call from Gorgeous in the morning.)

My Day

Spent with my three favorite mothers... And blessed by two wonderful daughters.

Oh, and presents too!

Princess in the Hood

Cuddles

rain taps the window
light flashes and the wind blows
cuddle my girlies

A Good Cry

Sometimes I need a good cry... I can't pin down a specific reason, just the need to get some emotion out.

I like to turn to movies for these "good cries." I used to have the perfect movie, Silence Like Glass, but I can't find it anywhere. Tonight I'm watching Stepmom. It's playing on ABC Family. Otherwise I would have watched The Notebook... That brings on tears and has the bonus of Ryan Gosling :)!

After my good cry I always count my blessings... Here are two big ones!

Third Ear

I missed two days posting this week! Just emotionally spent.  But some good times to share too...

Monday morning...

Walking into work I pass Lee, "Does that mean you have a third ear?"

Very FUNNY! Look at the picture and think about it.

Aaron had to explain it to me... but it's hi-larious!

Almost made up for the day that followed.

Tuesday...

Big music day for me.  I had a lot of data entry to do and listened to Pandora radio.  It reminded me of the old days of making mix-tapes/cds.  You type in a song or group and it selects like songs.  I find a lot of new artists this way and have started taking pictures of them so that I can remember that I liked them when I decide to purchase songs.  I was SO excited when this song, Dog Days Are Over, came onto the station.  I l-o-v-e this song but didn't know what artist performed it.

Now I know!

Kinda interesting how I found this song to begin with... a pole dance routine.

This is an amazing feat of strength and beauty.

Total rock star, right?

I originally couldn't access this video on YouTube because of parental-lock-controls.  I was a little frustrated because I couldn't figure out how to turn parental-lock off. Siobain said "It's easy" and then showed me how... doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of the parental-lock?...

Wednesday...

Very productive day... and much better than Monday and Tuesday.  A project approved and a birthday celebration at Hard 8.  I think of Hard 8 as a guys place to eat.  You basically walk by this hugh-mung-ga-loid grill/smoker and point to the meat you want.

It is yummy.

These are the smokers you pass to get to the "serving" smoker/grill.  Everyone smells like smoked meat afterward. You cant see very well in this photo but there are four huge smokers at work here, you can see the smoke coming out of the seams.

I'm not sure what they cook in these fire pits... but we discussed that a person would die instantly if they were thrown in here.  I was thinking of Hansel & Gretel. But even with these morbid thoughts I was able to enjoy my beef skewer and the best beans in Texas.

For shizzle if you are in the DFW area you gotta stop by here.

When I got home Caitlin had turned into Katniss.  She made a bow and arrow... the bow was made from a puppet stick and string, the arrow is her Harry Potter wand. Very creative!

She is ADORABLE!

My baby, 13!

While my sister Siobian is in the hospital with her 24-hour-old son, Henry, I am spending the day with my birthday girl, 13-year-old Siobain. I can't believe my baby is a "teenager"! We went to the early show, 10:00 am, of The Avengers. A completely packed theater, but it was a good movie. When we got out (12:30!) we came home to grill hot dogs, open presents, and eat cake!

I broke down and gave Siobain a bunch of Hetalia gifts... but I also gave her the Animation-ish program.  I can't wait to see the awesome projects she will create! Here is her first test project...

Apparently Derp is something you say when you've done something clumsy or ignorant... I learn something new every day.

Hubby wins the best-daddy-award with this cake! He took in a printout of Honey's favorite character and had a cake made... one-upping me at every turn :)

For dinner we went to Five Guys... Siobain's pick.

The main dinner topic was super-heroes.  Marvel vs. DC comics.  Hubby's top 10... 

1. Batman

2. Silver surfer

3. The Flash

4. Superman

5. Spiderman

6. Ironman

7. Wolverine

8. Kato

9. Mighty Mouse

10. Underdog

I think Caitlin enjoys the Hulk...

Wishing my baby a happy new year!

Let's Get Together!

Caitlin asked me to set the camera up and show her how to take pictures.  She didn't want any other help, so I left her to it.  Then she was ready to put it into the computer and I helped her navigate iMovie.

My beautiful baby! Here is her masterpiece...

Happy Birth Day!

I had a wonderful evening with my sisters and Gorgeous last night.  I've been lucky to help take care of my littlest girlie in the evenings this past week.  Siobain has gotten too pregnant to pick Kate up, so I became part of their bedtime routine for three wonderful nights.

Last night Gorgeous came over and so did Sarah... the contractions were three minutes apart and then two minutes apart.  Siobain was such a trooper, giving Kate this bedtime routine for the last time while breathing through pain (I can only assume the routine will change when the baby comes home.)

I got my iPhone out and using the stop-watch I wrote down the contraction times and durations.  Such a little thing made me feel part of the action.

Of coarse we had moments of laughter... and I felt closer to these three important women than I had in a long time.

I stayed home with Kate while Mom and Sarah took Siobain to the hospital.  I'm sure there was lots of excitement going on, but I was happy with my job of making sure Kate and Auggie the Doggie were safe and sound.

When hubby Jason arrived at the hospital everyone left and let them experience this miracle together... and Henry arrived...

So exciting! I now have 5 girlies and 1 main man.  I was admittedly disappointed when I found out that Siobain was having a boy but there is nothing but joy now, how can there be anything else once I set my eyes on my  main man.

This photo is a little funny.  My baby girlies (9!) and (13!) are not that "in to" babies.  So we discussed the photo plan before we went into the room.  No one wanted to hold Henry... so I decided Caitlin would hold Henry and Siobain would hug them both.

Once we were in the room it was clear that I had prepped this photo... and my girlies followed directions... and then handed Henry off as soon as possible. Hubby on the other hand... I had to tell him "NO, we are done having babies." I don't think he would have given Henry back if I hadn't taken him right out of his arms. 

Such a joyous day and thanks be to God for a healthy mother and baby.

Baby-sitting

Both babies are sleeping... Now if I could only figure out the 1000" tv!

Seizures

A few weeks ago I was frustrated with the pharmacy because they said they didn't have a prescription from my GYN...

... This week I was filling out my expense report and found the slip mixed in with my receipts. Yea! I won't need to call and ask for a new script.

When I dropped by the pharmacy on the way home tonight I happily handed over the slip to the new, handsome, young assistant.

He looked at it and said, "okay, this is for seizures."

"No, it shouldn't be... "

Unless my eggs are having seizures... Which would explain so much!

But he came back with a blush, reading from a printout. "Pain due to blood loss durring menst..." His voice fades.

I like to call them B!tch Pills, but I spared him that information.

I'm just happy to have them.

Caitlin has said that she never wants to grow up, Neverland is a plausible destination to her.

And I'm happy to have my baby...

Dinner with Kate

So much fun!

Tiny Dancer

Caitlin cracked me up tonight with a second performance of her latest dance.

The first performance was held in the Doctors office... Poor Honey has a bad sinus infection. Hopefully she can go to school tomorrow!

I prayed with Vera today. I love praying with her.