Let It Snow

My hero husband! He was out at 6am trying to snow-blow us outa here. Notice the Colts Santa Hat? Now that's what I call a cutie patootie! By the way, while he was outside in single digit temps, I was snuggled in my warm cozy bed thinking about getting up. Yes, I lead a charmed life! But I'm not spoiled, I'm not spoiled, I'm not spoiled!

View outside our back deck, just before sunrise this morning. Great shot of those big pretty snowflakes! Florida Boy would just LOVE to be playing in this right now! Officially, there is 12.4 inches of snow at the airport. If you are planning to fly in to see me, I would re-think that.

View outside our front door just before sunrise this morning. No snow plows have been through our neighborhood. I am scheduled to be in Senate Chambers today for work, the courts are now closed, and our law firm just declared a snow emergency. So far this morning, I've watched the news, made a German Choc Cake and ate half, been on the computer and telephone, and took snow pictures.

I repeat --- I am not spoiled, I am not spoiled, I am not spoiled!

Blond Ambition is Gone Gone Gone

Do not be fooled by that smile!

Seriously. Who said blonds have more fun? I've had a ton of fun as a blond during the last 15 years, but we're moving on ... game over baby ... pony up for brunettes!

I've been on a de-junking binge for about a month. But we just took the Christmas tree down last Monday - go figure?! The cat is mad.

The winter weather is definitely a deep freeze! But it doesn't bother me because I think it's sort of exciting to live in a cloud. {?!?} Besides, I luv luv luv sweaters and scarves and kickers. When I toot around downtown to/from court or out to lunch with friends, I have an extra bounce in my cold step! It's amazing how much weather influences our lives.

A friend is having some health issues and I'm wondering what I can do for them? Sometimes there are no words.

My dining room table has one inch that is not covered with paper crafts. Happiness! Brunette ambition is in high gear!

Princess Rhegan is checking her calendar to see when she might be available for a sleepover. She will have her people call my people.

Recently, my mom, my sister, and my sister-in-law had eye exams and will soon have new glasses. If they see a brunette that looks vaguely familiar ....

O'bama gets to keep his Blackberry. Now I can sleep at night.

Have you ever had someone put their stinky socks under your nose while you are sleeping? Enough said.

News Flash: I've switched to Sprite. No more Diet Coke, people! I am not traumatized. I am not traumatized.

Tinkerbell Says CHEESE!

Check out them Tinkerbell Boots! Who needs pants when you've got such a cool pair of kickers?! Rosalie says, "Oh my heck, I've wanted a pair of these all my life, and it makes my set of wheels go faster too." Well, Aunt Kay & Uncle Kevin are happy to see you enjoying them! A word to the wise: stay off the road. Rosalie's driver's license isn't valid, but the cops haven't figured it out yet. But Aunt Kay is not too worried, because if Rosalie gets pulled over she can just flash 'em with this cheesy smile and who could resist?! Not even a cop.

You can't depend on your eyes if your imagination is out of focus.

Revolutionary Road

Kevin & I met the "hood" at the movies tonight. Revolutionary Road is not a film for everyone, but it achieves what not many films do these days. It is a learning lesson.

Marriage is not always an easy thing, especially if you spend all your time dreaming of a life of adventure. So, let's imagine for a minute what it would be like for a liberal married couple living in the conformist world of the 1950s! Frank & April Wheeler, a young Connecticut couple, saw themselves as special and vowed never to conform to a world of picket fences and manicured lawns. As time passes, however, they become the very thing they feared most -- a typical suburban family complete with abandoned dreams. Their marriage turns into a cycle of jealousy and bickering while they both strive to maintain their independence. The film itself is so beautiful, yet at the same time so dark. I must say that Titanic shipmates Leonardo Dicaprio and Kate Winslet give the performance of a lifetime!

Now I wonder ... how many of us have ever identified with feeling "trapped" in your life? And what can be done, or not done, to remedy that? Do couples rescue themselves or is the trap bigger than they are? Well, I have one word for that: commitment. God will bless you. Enough said.

JUST STUFF:

Joke: How do you make God laugh? Tell him your plans.

Cold vs. Colder: Below 0 temps lately. I'm not bothered. Why else would God have created sweaters and scarves and a good pair of kickers?

Work: We are speeding through trial, and witnesses are playing nice so far. I love my new high heels. How did I ever do trials without a computer before?

Scrapstuff: Stamp Club is coming soon and so are the new catalogs! I can hardly sleep thinking about it!

Inauguration: Puleeese smile with your teeth, Michelle! And do not wear red/black. And I just want to say in all sincerity, thank you Mr. Bush.

Hair: My magician beautician almost found my natural hair color this morning. Welcome back brunette! No more blond jokes kids!

Hissy Fit: None so far in 2009.

Marriage: I love my husband, and he loves me very much. I am grateful for commitment, and I love my suburban picket fence manicured yard {minus the fence and the shrubs and the flower garden in real life}. But you get the jist of it, yes?

Ramblings

BIG trial starting tomorrow! Why am I still up and not in bed? Excited, I guess. This is the first time we are transporting the file to court electronically. Who was in charge of the discovery website? Moi. Who designed and organized the site? Moi. Who do they look at if it doesn't work? Moi. Enough said.

WONDERFUL church service this morning! We attended Meadowbrook's service .... electronically! Guess it's the thing for us, these days. Just think. There was Keaton, sitting in church in Ocala, FL. And here we were, sitting in church in our living room. All the while, attending church together! If you have an opportunity, why don't you attend church with me?

SOOPER DOOPER set of gift cards on my other blog, that I made this afternoon (after that wonderful church service). My craft room was rocking today, and it's all cleaned up again cuz the cleaning lady is coming tomorrow. Let me think about that one ...

IPOD FOR DUMMIES was my choice for reading material today. Learned some snazzy new shortcuts and downloaded some new tunes. I wanted Kathy Smith's Walkfit, but I guess it's so ancient that I'm going to have to get it on CD first. I'm so stuck in the 80's - but I am getting somewhat away from big hair!

SLEEP cometh to those who go to bed. Wish me luck at trial! I have new high heels, that should do it!

No rest is worth anything except the rest that is earned.

2009 - And We're Off ...

Welcome to basketball! How much fun is it to watch a bunch of 3rd and 4th graders chase around a big orange basketball and wear themselves out? Well, a whole lota fun! I mean, raise your hand if you would rather be at home on a Saturday afternoon doing laundry? I thought so. These kids rock! They put the "N" in Nike. They put the "D" in Dream Team. And they made us old geezers smile! {Okay, technically we are not old geezers but in a gym full of parents of 3rd and 4th graders, well ... maybe we were geezers for an hour today. But as soon as we left there, we were no longer geezers. I just wanted to clarify, ya know, for the good of the order.} Sorry, I digress. The Upward Basketball program combines teaching the skills of the game with lessons in the game of life through bible teaching and devotions at every practice and game. How cool is that? Way to go Clayton! You got game, buddy!

I gotta go do my laundry now, imagine that?!

Last Reflections of 2008

Best Memory: Keaton's college graduation. Last kid is done - check that off the list! Way to go Florida boy! The math world has been waiting for your arrival!
Best Family Gathering: Turkey Day in Atlanta. Joyce & Larry are awesome hosts and we always have a great time together with the gang. Watching Lark/Traci's skydiving video, playing Guitar Hero, playing ball with Lexie, and trying to snap perfect pics of Rosalie!
Best New Discovery: My Nano IPod! Need I say more?! Facebook is another one. It's great to keep up with new friends (in Ocala) and old friends (no I'm not old - they are).
Best Trip: There were two. The first was planned and the second was not. The combo graduation/Disney family trip to Florida was magical. The second mad-dash to Florida later in the year after Keaton's accident turned out to be something I will never ever never forget if I live to be 101. Living inside Keaton's world, attending his church, meeting his friends and co-workers, learning his town, shopping his mall, eating at his Panera .... it's all good. Especially after such an emotional journey!
Best Project: A Baby Photo Box for Mandy's new little angel. This was not only a fun project, but Robin & I each made one, and it required many late night craft sessions. Oh darn.
Best New Food Discovery: (1) Potato 'n Salmon cakes. What a great way to use leftover mashed tators! Yumola. (2) Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice soup from Panera, in a bread bowl. {GOT to have the bread bowl!}
Biggest Surprise: Brandt and Erin's break-up. I have no opinion here. I only want God's plan for my son's life - nothing less.
Best New Item on our Want List: Did someone say "winter home" in Florida?
Best Movie: Mamma Mia! Long live the Dancing Queen 4ever!
Biggest Change: Moving Jane to Indiana from Ohio has been the most unexpected, challenging, enjoyable change in our life this past year.
Deepest Hurt: Saying goodbye to Janet, as she said hello to Jesus! Feeling Debbie's pain in the loss of her sister hit me with emotional tears. Do you know Jesus?
Biggest Disappointment: Someone who is finding their own way, but we love them anyway.
Best New Friendships: Regular Hood get-togethers have produced much more than a good time! The stamp club was also a big kick, not to mention a creative outlet that I so desperately need to stay sane (is that possible?). I also made a special new blogland friend, Mary, who is a witty sister-in-Christ, and I'm so glad God put her in my electronic path of life!
Worst Fear: Rhegan growing up. Will Grandma still rock?
Best Book: Oh there are so many! I LUV to read. Maybe it was Amy Grant's book {thank you Kevin} or the last Yada Yada Prayer Group book in the series. Maybe it was Wednesday Letters. Maybe it was What In the World Is Going On, by Dr. David Jeremiah. Or maybe it was Cooking With Hot Flashes. Or maybe it was Bunny Suicides.
Best New Toy: My new laptop rocks! So do my spellbinders die cuts for scrapbooking.
Best Reflection: From January to December, from cold season to warm season and back to cold again, through laughter and tears, from Cracker Barrel to Disneyland, through home and car repairs, from health to heartache .... the journey is complete with Kevin by my side.
Biggest Question: Will I lose my gallbladder in 2009? Can our family live without a spleen and a gallbladder?

The life given us by nature is short. But, the memory of a well-spent life is eternal.

The Real Eve

VIEWING TIP: Hold cursor over any picture to stop slide show and read captions.

Dear Hood Members:

God bless ya gang! Kevin & I are happy to be card-carrying members of the Hood! Thanks for ringing in the New Year with us old farts! {that was for you, Bear} Dinner at Stone Creek was scrump-dilly-ishous. Will the Waiter was worth 20%. I am hoping Brent & Eleanor enjoyed "swimming" at the hotel, we missed you guys after dinner! Apples-To-Apples is THE game of the century, I want to own stock in it! Ya think it was no coincidence that Bear got the card entitled "sensual'? {see slide show - Lynn LOLing with tears} I have to say, it is SO powerful being a game judge. I can now mark JUDGE off my bucket list. So after that rip-roaring round, it was down to the Lusks and the Squires. First up, ROOK rocks! Then a round of Sequence. Then a 5-minute break to watch the ball drop, kiss your Honey-Bunny, and "hop" into the New Year. {Yes, Eleanor, we hopped for you!} Then back to ROOK. And the party ended with the Squires waving good-bye to the Lusks from their front porch, wishing them safe travels on the l-o-n-g drive home. Should you walk next year?

We loooove all of you! 2008 was truly "The Year Of The Hood" and we look forward to running amuck with the gang in 2009!

Love {insert yet unknown gang sign},

K&K