Winter Wonderland?

I missed my family while I was away on business this past week! So much so that I had Scott bring the kiddos to the airport to pick me up late Thursday night. They were all in their footed PJs and I couldn't stopping reaching back to touch them on the ride back home. (I wish I'd gotten a picture of them!)

It's been cold and gloomy since I've been back (it was around 77 degrees in California when I left) but I am still happy to be home with the family. I'd be cool with a Snow Day tomorrow though...

Captain Morgan

Friday was a hard day to get through. I was dead tired when I headed in to work but I had a few reports and other business to attend to so I had some coffee for the first time in a few days. The only coffee I had in California (this coffee hiatus was so NOT planned) was a sugary sweet coffee caramel drink from the Fresh & Easy. It was not good. So Friday I only needed a little coffee buzz to get my work day done.

After work I took Kirby in to the vet because he'd been drinking a lot of water the week before I left and was asking to go outside more often. Thursday night his eyes pleaded with me to help him. He also felt thinner to me and he wasn't barking or wagging his tail.  I went to a new vet because in the past, other vets have taken the long way in determining ($$$) what was wrong with my pets and I'd heard that this vet shot straight. I found this to be true....he didn't mess around and he didn't charge me an arm and a leg. The first blood test was to rule out diabetes. Thankfully my boy does not have diabetes. He does have Ehrlichiosis though.

A tick disease is not something I'd even considered and I was surprised at the diagnosis. I've never seen ticks on our dogs (I have seen fleas on occasion.) and we keep up with their tick/flea treatment... Once we get Kirbs healthy again, we'll get him and Abbey in for the dental carnage. Cavis have the worse teeth!

Kirby has been more active and wagging his tail and loitering around in the kitchen for baby carrots this past weekend and I am happy he's going to be around for a little while longer. I was actually in tears when I saw him Thursday night. I love my Kirbs and it breaks my heart to think about him in pain...or gone.

Saturday was got out in the icy wind to go to Emi's basketball game and then we hung out at home and watched Pride and Prejudice while Ketiesha gave Emi a new do. (We are soooooo thankful for Ketiesha!).  There was laundry and ironing (just some Girl Scout patches on Emi's vest) and cleaning of course. But nothing major. It was nice to just be home.

Right now I'm getting ready for the new season of The Walking Dead (last night we caught a few reruns from the first season) and wondering if we really might get some snow tonight....hope so!

I hope you are enjoying your Sunday evening and that you have a great week! Here's to a snow day!

On Such a Winter's Day

All the leaves are brown

And the sky is gray

I've been for a walk

On a winter's day

I'd be safe and warm

If I was in LA

California Dreamin

On such a winter's day

Well, friends, I got a reprieve from the brown "winter" of Oklahoma this past week when I scored a work trip to sunny California...

My home away from home...

The first night in town we spent with my friend, Gail-san! at Rutabegorz.  We gals enjoyed some nice red wine and some chips with jalapeno dip. The restaurant reminded me of being in Austin...

Gail-san and Nolita-san (not pictured Chantelle-san)

Can you tell that Nolita-san needed some sleep?

The next day was filled with meetings and side meetings and training sessions and face time and getting to know my new co-workers. My stomach and brain were on Oklahoma time so by the time the work day was over, I was starving....and also ready to get into my PJs and order room service. But I pushed through that when my co-workers mentioned free drinks for Happy Hour (sangria, sangria) at their hotel (next time I might have to stay there!) and then we enjoyed some Korean BBQ.

See the squid?

I grilled my own squid and chicken and we gals watched the guys go into caveman mode cooking and eating plate after plate of meat. It was very entertaining.

On the 3rd night there my brain was crying "uncle" so I stayed in my hotel room and ate leftover sushi and sesame chicken. And I had myself some more of the red wine we bought at Target.

I HAD to buy this brand of wine...(note: I was not disappointed)

For lunches we stocked up on roasted tomato hummus (will definitely make this at home!), pita chips, fresh fruit, almonds and water etc from the Fresh & Easy grocery store. I thought I was inlove with that store until we hit Trader Joe's (!) on our way to the airport on our last day. Just kidding....there's actually room in my heart for both awesome stores!

TJ's Produce!

For my airport lunch, I picked up a wonderful pasta salad comprised of spiral pasta, chick peas, feta cheese and a wonderful vinaigrette. I plan to recreate this yummy salad at home soon... it was very satisfying.

Yummy TJ's Breads

I showed restraint in the bread section and only got some Curry Flavored Tandoori Naan to take home. I also brought home a few dark chocolate items, baking items, brown rice, taco seasoning, veggie/fruit bars, etc. (items I could easily shove into my luggage)

My TJ's Haul (not picture: 2 Dark Chocolate Caramel bars with Black Sea salt)

The manager I spoke with told me that TJ's was opening 2 locations in Texas and 2 in Oklahoma in the next couple of years!!!! (30 more locations in all) This excites me beyond words. He said that they would locate in college towns and I am hoping that that means OU!

Ivy on the Wall

Last week I found out that a friend of mine had died.We went to school together from middle school on... It was sudden and sad but some beautiful things came out of her passing, or homegoing as her family is calling it. Some referred to her funeral as her send off and from what I've seen, it was a true Celebration of Life. She touched so many lives and heaven is a brighter place with her now. No doubt she is singing in the choir up there much like she sang down here and made our world a brighter place. I haven't seen her in many years but I continue to be blessed by her time on earth reading all of the tributes to her on her FaceBook page and the e-mails I've received from friends.

I've been telling Emi about her because she reminds me of Emi so much....always singing and acting dramatic (comically).  Emi would have liked her for sure. I'm so proud to be part of the many that were blessed to have known her...

Easy Like Sunday Morning



Breakfast Bagels - Everything Bagels with a Schmear of Cream Cheese, Grape Tomatoes, Bacon and Italian Parsley



What's Up?

My second RDO was more like it. Woke up at my normal time and made pancakes for the family and fed the animals.  After I kissed the mister goodbye, I put on my flip flops and dropped the kiddos off at their schools. Then I headed home to catch up on laundry and other household chores...and a nap during the thundery part of the day. Love napping during a rainstorm...

When Emi got out of school we headed out for a quick grocery trip and to retrieve little brother and little sister. Once I had the kids and the groceries unloaded I headed out to meet the girls (Stacey, Stina and Kristy) for a Happy Hour at InterUrban. It was so nice to catch up in person...most of our talk lately has been via e-mail or FaceBook since I started my new job...

Saturday involved more cleaning and Emi had another basketball game. We lost even though the girls played very well..the other team was older and taller and well, better. That will hopefully force us to get better.

Scott and I tried in vain to whittle down our DVR queue and we had some success. We watched 4 episodes of Glee and deleted at least double that of SuperWhy. Of course I added more to the DVR queue in the bedroom Friday as we have free movie channels this month and some movies seemed to jump out at me while I was folding laundry. Last year this time we watched 2 seasons of Dexter because we were down with the flu and had so many snow days.  This winter's been warm and balmy...so no luck on TV marathon opportunities. It's so warm these days that the plants are even corn-fused.

Is it Springtime yet?

Ready or not, here we come!

Enjoying the long weekend...with my family and friends...