Today…

Okay, my brain is really pissing me off. My fingers are refusing to type out a coherent blog post that doesn’t make me want to throw my computer across the room.

I think I need to get out more. The most exciting part of my week so far is that I got a new set of tires on the car. Which is just plain sad.

I’ve been catching up on more blogs lately and browsing pinterest and instagram for inspiration, but bottom line is…I got nothing. It’s life as usual around here which means I’m wearing either jeans + tee or workout wear (let’s not discuss that most days I don’t actually workout), daily happenings that include driving kids to school, cleaning/laundry, taking the dog to the groomers, eating a so-so dinner and not really doing much else. Blaaaaaaaahhhhhhh! Note to self: Do something more exciting than going to Target! 

So, since I refuse to give up on this NaBloPoMo thing, I’m chatting about random, trivial crap that’s on my mind…

  • You might have heard that Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale are divorcing. I was so sad when I heard the news. I’ve loved Gwen since her No Doubt days and my Bush cd was definitely in rotation back in the 90’s. Well, today it came out that Gavin might have actually cheated on her with their nanny! For THREE years! OMG. First of all, how could you cheat on Gwen Stefani?! She’s Gwen-freaking-Stefani! You’re just a moron. Second, I need to ask what the hell Gwen was thinking when she hired a young, hot blond chick for a nanny?! If I were a celebrity and had to hire a nanny, you can bet your a** that she’d be older and not my mates type. Although I don’t really think that stopped the Terminator, but you can be dang sure that I’d not be hiring some hot young thang who will be hanging around my house with my husband. I wouldn’t hire a hot young guy either so it’s not that I don’t trust my husband, but marriages have their ups and downs and when opportunity is staring you in the face 24/7, during one of those down times, you might not have the will power to say no.
  • I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I still watch the Real Housewives reality shows. [Only the OC, New York and LA ones though. I never got into the Miami, New Jersey or Atlanta ones.] The OC just wrapped up a few weeks ago and the whole Brooks thing is cray! I can’t believe he thought he could get away with fabricating his medical papers! At first I was reluctant to believe that he was lying about something as serious as cancer, but with this new scandal, his answers just keep getting wackier and wackier. After the hospital he reportedly went to for treatment said he was never a patient there, he confessed that he faked the papers. Why? Because he never intended on disclosing his actual medical records or discuss his medical history, ergo, the fabricated papers. Really? The story just keeps getting crazier.
  • The Starbucks drama. *sigh* No I’m not going there. Only pointing out that it’s happening, it’s ridiculous and the media is blowing it up way more than necessary.
  • DWTS – Tamar Braxton had to drop out due to health issues. She was such a trooper and I hope she heals fully, but is it wrong of me to wish they’d bring Alexa back?! Alexa was one of my favorites and she killed it on Monday. It was such a bummer that she got eliminated. They’ll probably just have a free week next week and not send anyone home instead of bringing Alexa back. 🙁 Bindi is probably my absolute fave though so at least she’s still there.
  • All I have to say about this apparent clip-in man bun is…just say no! It’s creepy and weird. Not every guy looks good in a man bun, but NO man looks good in a clip-on man bun.
  • I could have said every word in this video rant about car lines. “for people who do not pull forward, the world is bigger than you!” Amen sister!
  • And finally, Happy Veteran’s Day! Today was bigger than just a day off of school. Thank you to all the veterans who have served or are currently serving our country!

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Slow start…

This whole blogging every day thing is off to a rocky start, eh? Our exchange student left on Thursday so we were busy spending time with her before she left to go back to Germany. After we dropped her at the airport, I spent the rest of the week feeling like this…

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Who can relate? Please tell me I’m not alone.

I kept trying to write a post because I didn’t want to miss yet another day of blogging and I would just stare at my blank screen waiting for a lighting bolt of inspiration to hit. It never did.

After the busy week and then refusing to adult, I’m feeling a bit more energetic today and ready to get life back in order. Dishes to be cleaned, clothes to be laundered, floors to be vacuumed, toilets to be scrubbed!

Sadly that means blogging takes a back seat…again! Here’s to hoping I get my blogging mojo back and write at least something partially interesting in the next few weeks. I have several topics in mind, but have to gather my thoughts long enough to write a whole post that is somewhat cohesive. 😛

 

 

 

#MicroblogMonday

Keeping it simple today with a short little Halloween post.

15 years ago I had never carved a pumpkin in my life. I’d just had a baby the month before and I was all about starting new traditions that we could continue throughout the years. Thus, annual pumpkin carving was born! This year we have an extra family member (a German exchange student) so there are 5 finished pumpkins.

2015-11-02_0001Top Row: (from left) hubs carved Germany and mine is the witch
Bottom Row: (from left) our German teen carved the cheshire cat, my boy drew his own pattern for the first year and my teenager carved Hellboy, but it was already kind of wilting. 

The teen is 15 so I’m not sure how many more years of trick-or-treating we have ahead of us, but both kids were still game for the festivities this year. Halloween night the kids all trick-or-treated as a group with a couple of the teen’s friends and my nephew. Here’s 4 of our group of 6…all dressed up and ready for candy!!

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We’ve had our temporary German daughter for almost three weeks now and we’re so sad for her to leave in a couple of days. More later in the week (hopefully) on our first experience as a host family. Spoiler: it was pretty awesome and Germania (inside joke with her) has set the bar high for any future exchange students we may host!

Let’s get it started!

Um, it’s 8:30pm and I’m just now starting todays post. Let’s hope this isn’t foreshadowing of how this month of blogging is going to go down.

Since it’s been fo-ever since I posted and there might be new readers, I thought I’d start off with a short intro.

I’m Katie. I’m a Florida girl, parenting 2 teens (well, one is 12.5, but that’s close enough) and wife-ing it for 17 years. I used to be a photographer (for a hot minute), but now I use the skills I learned to obsess over everyday photos of friends and family. I have fun occasionally with fashion, but most of the time you’ll find me in jeans and a tee with no make up on and my hair in a ponytail. My fitness routine ebbs and flows like the tide. It’s a lot reminiscent of this…

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I talk [blog] about whatever is on my mind…food, fashion, fitness, every day life, nothingness…anything and everything.

Tonight on the blog, I bring you “random conversation with the hubs about man buns.” I was saying something to him about man buns and then he said that he read that it caused a receding hair line. I was all, “really?!” He was like, “yah, it’s because they pull it so tight.” Clearly he hasn’t seen as many man bun photos as I have so I was telling him that they’re not always super tight. I mean, I guess some guys pull it tight, but I’ve see a lot of messy loose ones too. So I told him about this hot-man-bun-guy that I’ve seen posts about, but I couldn’t remember his name so I googled “hot man bun guy”. He was literally THE first hit! lol. Apparently there’s a hot guy with a man bun, but only one guy that is THE hot-man-bun-guy. Is it just me or do you feel like man buns will be one of those trendy things that we’ll be looking back on in a few years and wondering why the heck everyone thought they were hot. I mean, hot man bun guy is cute and all, and he works out so his body is spot on, but I’m just not a long hair, man bun kinda girl.

In case you haven’t come across hot-man-bun-guy and you wanna see for yourself, his real name is Brock O’hurn. His Instagram is here and these are two articles (one, two) that popped up in my search. You’re welcome. 🙂

NaBloPoMo 2015!

Clearly I need a kick in the pants to get back into the swing of blogging. Last year I participated in NaBloPoMo and really enjoyed it, so what better way to jump back into blogging than to start with a challenge!

Please join me! The more the merrier! If you’re participating, comment and link your blog. I’d love to check out your posts.

NaBloPoMo November 2015

#MicroblogMondays // 04

I’m taking the easy route today and using Blogher’s NaBloPoMo daily prompt.

Monday, January 5, 2015: Tell us about your worst habit?

Hmmm…my worst? I’m not sure I can choose!

I often…

procrastinate

chew my nails

pick at my cuticles

leave hair in the shower drain

start something and not finish it

mindlessly eat

sit my fanny in front of the TV

worry too much

overthink a task so much that I fail to ever start it

Clearly I have many bad habits to work on. I think my worst is probably procrastination.

At least I’m aware of my downfalls, right? Admitting it is the first step to recovery! 😉

Happy Dance!

Wahoooooo!! We made it! The last day of November NaBloPoMo!

Who just blogged for 30 days in a row?

I’m awesome and I know it.

If you need me, I’ll be over here doing the “I just blogged for 30 days straight” dance

And for everyone who participated in or even attempted NaBloPoMo…

and now…

I’m going to go hibernate for a couple of days, but I’ll be back soon! 🙂

Post Thanksgiving Hangover

Blugh…I feel blahhhhh today. I didn’t even eat that much, but man, I’m feeling the hangover.

Our day was filled with yummy food, crazy kids (and dogs) running around and good conversations.

Growing up my mom would be infamous for making a food dish and then in the chaos of trying to get everything on the table, she would forget it. In the middle of dinner she’d say, “OH!” and run and grab another side item. lol. Well, yesterday I totally did that. I made THREE batches of cranberry sauce and it didn’t hit me until dinner was over that I never took them out. *sad face* Oh well, I guess there’s plenty for leftovers now!

My brother lives in Pennsylvania so he and his family weren’t able to make it, but my other brother and sister and their families were there.

My mom got a new little puppy and she’s only had her for about a week so her other dog is still getting used to having a sibling, but the two pups ended up like this at the end of the night. It’s the closest my mom’s older dog has ever let the new puppy get to her while sleeping.

IMG_9054So sweet!

Today we’re headed to a craft show. We don’t go Black Friday shopping, but we do have our annual tradition of attending Christmas Made in the South, which happens to always be on Black Friday. We’ve done it for at least the last 10 yrs, maybe more. I don’t find a ton to buy there anymore, but it’s more about the tradition.

Speaking of, I better get ready to go or I’m going to be late! I hope you all got some good shopping done if you’re into the Black Friday thing and if you’re not, I hope you’re cozied up and feasting on leftovers today!

Cranberry Sauce is a must!

I was never a fan of cranberry sauce. That jelly mold that came out of a can did not appeal to me at all!

Then in 2012, I decided to try my hand at making “real” cranberry sauce.

Oh.my.heavens

How had I celebrated Thanksgiving all these years and never had real homemade cranberry sauce?! Not only is it super easy to do, but it’s delicious!!

Of course I couldn’t just go with a basic recipe. I’m always trying to improve on greatness, but after 3 years, I can confidently say that this is my go-to recipe.

IMG_9044Orange Cranberry Sauce

1 bag (12 oz) of fresh cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup water
1/2-1 oz Cointreau
pinch of salt
sprinkle of cinnamon

Bring the sugar, orange juice and water to a boil. Add the cranberries, Cointreau, and salt and simmer for 8-10 min. I stir in some cinnamon during the simmer process (optional). The cranberries should be all popped open and the mixture getting thick. Then chill!

Super easy and super delicious. It’s just as good without the Cointreau too. A lot of recipes call for orange zest, but I’m not that fancy.

This year I tried an Apple Ginger Cranberry Sauce from Clean Eating Mag. It’s got a bit of a different flavor and it’s not bad per se, but I think my absolute favorite is still the Orange Cranberry.

Does your family use canned or homemade cranberry sauce? Do you have a favorite way to prepare it?

I hope you’re all spending the day surrounded by loved ones, eating a smorgasbord of delicious food and taking a moment to be thankful.

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He had a dream…

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and I’m pretty sure, this wasn’t it.

If you’re living in the United States, you would have to be in a bubble to not know what’s been going on lately.

I’m not going to choose sides and I’m not going to get all preachy (I’m not good at that anyway). This whole thing is weighing heavy on my mind this morning and I need to get this out…

I agree that change needs to occur, but actions that can be likened to those of a feral animal, does not get your point across. Do you know what happens to animals that become feral? It’s the very thing you are rioting against. Anger and violence does not beget change. Reasoning, patience, listening, creating empathy and providing solutions is likely a good start on the road to change. I may be naive, but I have to believe that the majority of Americans are not in favor of innocent people dying, no matter their color. The majority of American’s are not unreasonable. The hatred, violence and division has to stop. Martin Luther King Jr. is probably rolling in his grave. I don’t believe he would have wanted this. From what I understand, he was an educated, quiet man, who listened and worked towards forming solutions instead of lashing out in anger and violence. Even after he was arrested numerous times and assaulted several (reported) times he still fought back using words and peaceful actions. I only wish there was someone like him now.

My thoughts are with everyone. I will never know what it feels like to be a minority and it angers me that people are treated wrongly or unfairly based on the color of their skin, but there HAS to be another way. Violence is not the answer. I really hope we as Americans can get our act together. We’re regressing instead of progressing. Let’s form relationships and work towards a solution together…not become further divided.