One Woman

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T10:21:00.000-07:00

To my sweetheart,

It's been a wonderful 26 years. Here's to the next 26! Love you!

I hope you're spending this Valentine's Day doing something special with those you love.

Til next time ~ find your joy!
Kelly

Snow! Hair! Food!

2012-02-04T20:37:00.002-07:00

Our snow storm has come and gone, leaving us with about 10 inches of the fluffy white stuff. We were in need of some moisture. Areas south of us received a lot more snow, but 10 inches was plenty to shovel (thanks, honey!).

Luna, Thursday afternoon before the snow started. The temp had dropped and it was quite breezy.

Thursday 10:15pm about 2-3 inches

Friday, 6:30am - about 6 inches

It lightly snowed most of the day Friday leaving us with about 10 inches. It's already quite condensed as the ground never froze.

* * * * * * * * * *

On a totally different note, here's my new hair cut and no makeup. I really need to plan better.

* * * * * * * * * *

Tomorrow we will enjoy the Super Bowl and the commercials at my brother's house. I'm in charge of dessert so today I made cookies and a cheese spread that we make during the holidays. My brother specifically requested the cheese spread and I don't think he realizes how much that meant to me. My dad loved the spread and always looked forward to enjoying it during the holiday season. He and daughter #2 would sit and pile it on top of crackers. It was their thing. A wonderful memory of my dad.

I don't have that recipe on my blog yet, but I'll post it soon.

These are the cookies I made. Click on the picture or link below to get the recipe.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I'm also bringing Rice Krispie bars, hummus, jalapeno dip and artichoke dip. Alas, I bought the hummus and dips. Costco is my friend.

We always have more food than we need. Can you say, "food coma?" But it's always yummy!

What are your plans for tomorrow? If you're watching the Super Bowl, I hope you have a wonderful time hanging with your friends and family, and that your team wins, and that the food is fabulous! I'm not sure who I'm cheering for yet. Blasphemous, I know.

Til next time ~ find your joy!

Kelly

2012 Word of the Year

2012-01-30T16:21:00.000-07:00

Since January is almost over, I thought it was time to get this post written. I've been thinking about it for a couple of weeks now.

It seems that many in the blogosphere are choosing a word of the year instead of listing out their new year resolutions. As I thought through all the events that affected my life last year, all the changes we went through, and what I wanted to accomplish in 2012, I thought choosing a word was the way to go. I still have specific goals I plan to accomplish this year, but this one word is at the core of all of them.

My 2012 word is BELIEVE

I think this word was subliminally planted inside me from my Weight Watcher meetings, but whatever works, right?

It's such a fitting word for me. I know in my very soul that if I just believe in myself, I can accomplish great things.

In 2012 I will...
~ believe that I can accomplish my health goals
~ believe that I can accomplish my weight loss goals (while this is tied to my health goals, it is definitely a different goal)
~ believe that I can be a happier, deeper, more inspired version of me
~ believe that I can learn to use my camera in manual mode and be a more confident and competent photographer

I will touch more on each item periodically throughout the year, definitely sharing more details - my S.M.A.R.T (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, timely) goals for you business peeps out there - and how things are progressing. Accountability is my friend. Right?

I think I actually put off writing this post for that very reason. If it wasn't in print, if I didn't put it out there, there was no accountability, no pressure, I could fudge or modify what I wanted to do. I can still do that, but now I have to do it knowingly and on purpose. It's not just my little secret anymore.

I hope you made goals for 2012. Whether they are public or private, they are yours and yours alone to do with what you will. But let's be honest, success rocks! And a little accountability never hurt anyone. There will be bumps in the road, in my road for sure, but we'll get over them and keep on truckin'.

Source: Uploaded by user via Beverly on Pinterest

BELIEVE.

Til next time ~ find your joy!
Kelly

Quiet Sunday

2012-01-29T20:31:00.000-07:00

Where did this week go? It's been over a week since I last posted and I'm not sure how the days got away from me. But it's a quiet Sunday, so I thought I'd share some random thoughts and updates from the last week. Ahhh, who am I kidding, now that we're empty nesters, it's pretty quiet around here all the time, lol.

I cut my hair off this week. Well, I didn't cut it, I went to Salon Salon in Boulder and Stephen cut it for me~ to the tune of about 7 inches gone. It's a simple chin length bob. Still getting used to it. Heading back to Stephen on Tuesday to get my hair colored/highlighted. It's been years since I've had my hair colored at a salon. I'm pretty much a 'do it yourself' kinda girl. Once it's colored and I'm used to styling it, maybe I'll post a picture.

After my haircut, I met Haley for lunch and then we went to see One For The Money at the theater. We enjoyed it. For the most part it stayed true to the book (One For The Money by Janet Evanovich). Hope they continue with the book series on the big screen. The book series is very entertaining. I highly recommend it!

* * * * * * *

I made it to H20 aerobics Monday-Thursday. Missed Friday because of my hair appointment. H20 is all part of my 'get healthy' regime for 2012. I'll tell you more about that later.

* * * * * * *

Haley has been working on her sister's bridal shower, which is in Minnesota at the end of February. She's chosen a really cute theme. Can't wait to see it come to life!

* * * * * * *

Haley texted me earlier today and asked what we were doing. I knew right away that she wanted to come home for the day. So, off I went into Boulder and picked her up. She's currently doing homework on the couch and watching the pro bowl game that's at Aloha Stadium in Hawaii.

* * * * * * *

Hawaii. I wish I was there, lounging on the beach soaking up the sun. Yeah. Not that I can complain about the weather, it was near 60 degrees today, but a vacation in a warm, sunny, beach locale sounds heavenly.

* * * * * * *

Next Sunday we are heading down to my brother's for Super Bowl 46. Should be a fun time.

* * * * * * *

Random photo of my fur baby, Luna.

I think that's it for my randomness today. I'll be back soon with my 2012 word of the year.

Til next time ~ find your joy!
Kelly

'Save the Date' Unveil

2012-01-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

Now that they have mailed and most have been received, I thought I'd share what we put together for Eden and Luke's Save the Date notifications.

We were really happy with the results.

We had them printed as a postcard. They turned out so cute!

Did I not tell you that Luke and Eden were great in front of the camera?

Have I not told you how much I love taking photographs and how much I love my software?

Til next time ~ find your joy!
Kelly

Back to School

2012-01-17T21:57:00.000-07:00

We took daughter #2 back to college on Sunday, after her month long break.

As usual, I felt the need to document the event but Haley wasn't feeling it. It took a little persuasion (read her dad telling her that I wouldn't quit until she smiled for me and if she wouldn't, I'd post the pics anyway) to get her to cooperate, but she finally came around.

waiting for the car to be backed out of the garage...

look at that cute little tush...

last load.

And off my baby goes back to college. Hard to believe she's half done with her freshman year. How time flies...

Til next time ~ find your joy!

Kelly

My Little Man Plays Basketball

2012-01-15T09:16:00.002-07:00

My Little Man has started Winter League basketball. He's on the purple team. If you're unfamiliar with My Little Man, he's my 6 year old nephew, John. Saturday, we watched him play.

It's amazing how much more he understands the game from just a month ago when we watched him play in early December. He made his first basket during a game!

Cousins, Paul, John and Haley

Til next time ~ find your joy!
Kelly

Indulgence

2012-01-11T20:48:00.002-07:00

Did you know that if you pour half and half on frozen berries, it freezes and turns to ice milk? And if you sprinkle it with a sweetener (I used Splenda) it turns into a decadent dessert? And, if you're on Weight Watchers it's all of 1 or 2 points plus values (depending on how much half and half you use)?

Most of the time I eat the frozen berries plain, even without the Splenda, but once in a while, you have to indulge. This works for me.

Til next time ~ find your joy!

Kelly

Adieu

2012-01-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

A cold front moving our way provided a spectacular sunset.

With that, I bid you good evening.

Til next time ~ find your joy!
Kelly

Sunday Stroll

2012-01-08T12:23:00.000-07:00

My baby had her wisdom teeth removed on Friday. She's had a rough couple of days. She hasn't bruised, but she's pretty puffed up. She allowed me to take a picture for posterity, but I had to promise not to post it. So, instead, I'll post one from a couple weeks ago.

* * * * * * * * *

Today, daughter #1 heads back to Minnesota. We had a wonderful couple of weeks with her here in Colorado, but it's time for her to get back and look for a job now that she's a college graduate. She needs to find something to hold them over until they head off to graduate school this coming fall. And of course finish planning her wedding!

Here are a couple more shots of Eden and Luke.

* * * * * * * * *

I need to take down the inside and outside Christmas decorations. We shut off the outside lights on January 2nd, but haven't taken them down. That's on our agenda for tomorrow.

Happy Sunday all!

Til next time ~ find your joy!
Kelly

Hodge Podge

2012-01-03T13:10:00.000-07:00

The sunrise this morning was spectacular. The sunlight reflected off the low clouds and turned everything shades of yellow, orange and pink.

God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. Hebrews 6:18

* * * * * * * * *

Luke flew home to Minnesota today. Eden flies home on Sunday. Plans for the remainder of the week include shopping for wedding dress shoes and undergarments; wedding dress fitting/alterations; and taking down Christmas decorations.

We had a lot of fun while all the kids were here. In addition to celebrating Christmas and ringing in the New Year with horseback riding we also spent one evening in downtown Denver.

Dinner and margaritas at the Blue Bonnet. Yummy food! We were stuffed!

Lights! Denver City Hall.

More lights! Union Station.

The snow is all but gone now...and that's alright by me! I love having snow over the holiday season, but now it can stay away until late March/early April ~ one last blizzard before spring. Works for me!

* * * * * * * * *

Today is my brother's birthday. Happy Birthday Greg! Hope you have a wonderful day! Love you!

Greg and John

'Til next time ~ find your joy!
Kelly

Happy Trails

2012-01-01T20:10:00.001-07:00

Today we finally made it up to Estes Park to go horseback riding (Thank You Groupon!) We were originally scheduled to go last Thursday, but due to gale winds in the mountains (80-100+ mph) it was rescheduled for today.

The day started great, but took a slight down turn when I realized that I neglected to put the battery back in my camera that I'd taken out to charge. Crap crap crap.

Luckily, I gave my Nikon D40x to Eden and she had it with so we did get pictures. Yah!

Driving up to Estes Park.

Lunch on the River before our 2 pm ride. I had a Reuben. It was scrumptious.

Hubby checking out the Elkhorn Ranch. We've ridden horses in Estes Park before, but this was the first time at this ranch.

Luke and Eden

Haley and future brother-in-law.

Bringing out the mounts.

Jim befriending one of the horses.

Eden and her horse, CJ.

On the trail.

Eden on CJ, Jim on his horse, Sadie, and Luke on his horse, Cain.

And here I am. Look at this beautiful animal. Her name is Cowgirl. She was a great horse. I did give her a hug. She was very patient with her rider. And we tipped our guide. Yeah, have no idea why I'm not smiling.

Haley on her mount, Daisy.

Picture break. Waving at our cowboy guide, Matthew, who was taking pics with our cameras.

Back at the Elkhorn Ranch.

Waiting to dismount.

Haley saying goodbye.

Eden posing one last time.

It was a beautiful day, upper 30s, no wind. Our ride was about an hour long which was perfect. What a great way to start the new year.

Happy New Year!

Til next time ~ find your joy!

Love,

Kelly

Saying Goodbye to 2011

2011-12-31T21:22:00.001-07:00

The only word that can describe 2011 is 'change' ~ though filled with both happy and sad moments, they were significant life changers for hubby and me.

In May, daughter #2 graduated from high school.

Graduation Day!

Grad photo

In August, we lost my dad. And while it's been four months, it still hits me out of the blue and the tears fall. I miss him so very much. We are so lucky and blessed that for the last 7 months of his life he spent it with us here in Colorado.

Me and my dad, circa 1966.

My dad and Eden (daughter #1), circa 1991

I have this same picture of my dad with Haley, too, but can't find it!

UPDATED 01/19/2012 I found the picture!

My dad and Haley, 1994

In August, daughter #2 became a University of Colorado Buffalo!

Haley and her two new friends, Karsen and Stephanie and school mascot, Chip.

Family weekend at CU. Father and daughter.

With daughter #2 off to college...

Empty Nesters!!! Well, as wild and free as we can be with three big dogs, lol.

Libby

Luna

Bleu

In December, on top of the holidays, Eden graduated from college. Yah!

Eden ~ St. Cloud State University graduate, cum laude!

Eden and Haley ~ sisters forever

Proud parents with our college graduate!

We've had a busy December. Early in the month we helped my brother move into his new house. Mid month while back in Minnesota for Eden's college graduation we were able to see family and friends before heading back to Colorado to celebrate Christmas with my brother and family and then Christmas at our house.

Christmas with the cousins...

Nephew John examining the tree.

Patiently waiting to open presents.

Greg and Raelene

Erin, John, Greg and Paul

We even squeezed in a day of baking...

Christmas Cut Out Cookies

Chocolate covered pretzels

Truffles

Eggnog Trifle

Christmas Eve Night ~ Santa didn't forget us!

Christmas Day Evening

We opened our socks on Christmas morning, but we waited to open presents until Luke arrived on Christmas Day night.

Jim, doling out the loot.

Luna thinks the big box is for her. Libby is not too keen on the chaos.

Eden and Luke

Haley's thermal shirts she wanted.

Vikings shirt from Haley.

Eden!

Gotta love the Minnie Mouse blanket behind Luke's head. We bought new outside lights for the house this year...the boxes came in really handy for wrapping presents!

Clean up!

And me? Well, I received a few things for my new camera~which technically was my big Christmas present (and next year's birthday present, Mother's day, Father's day, July 4th...). My favorite gift (besides the camera) was Lightroom 3! Yah! I have so much to learn, it will keep me busy well into the new year.

Well I've managed to cram a review of a few key events from 2011 and a Christmas season post all into one!

As we ready ourselves to ring out 2011 and ring in the new year, I hope you're celebrating with your loved ones and counting all your blessings. I know I am.

2012 is shaping up to be a stellar year with Eden and Luke's wedding in June. They've been doing a lot of planning while they've been here the last week. It will also be exciting to find out where they're headed once Luke gets all of his graduate school acceptance offers back. Will it be Texas? Louisiana? Boston? West Virginia? Nebraska? Washington? Colorado? Only time will tell. Wherever it is, it's sure to be an adventure! (And a place for us to visit and explore!)

Jim and I are jumping into the new year with much hope and excitement as we follow our own journey as empty nesters. Will we buy a house? Will we move up into the mountains? Where will our careers take us? Where do we want them to go? So many opportunities...and I'll be sure to share the journey with all of you! Thanks for sharing the journey so far!

Happy New Year!

'Til next time ~ find your joy!

Love,

Kelly

Engagement Pictures!

2011-12-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

Today was a perfect day to get out and take some engagement photos of daughter #1 and her fiance, Luke, with my new camera. It was nearly 50 degrees and a bit overcast so the lighting was perfect.

We had a good time and Luke and Eden were great at acting natural. We got some great shots.

I think this one is my favorite. At least it is at the moment. Thanks to my new 32GB memory card, I shot over 400 pictures today--so my favorite could change!

I ordered a few prints from Mpix. Excited to see what they look like printed.

They will most likely do an official engagement session with their wedding photographer to make sure they work well together, but I had a fun time playing photographer today. We're going to take more pictures tomorrow when we go horseback riding in Estes Park.

Til next time ~ find your joy!

Kelly

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T20:58:00.002-07:00

It's a quiet Christmas Eve at our house. We opened a couple of presents tonight to stave off the anticipation of our celebration Christmas Day evening when Luke (daughter #1's fiance) arrives.

I hope your Christmas celebration is all you hope it will be as you celebrate our savior's birth.

"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6)

'Til next time ~ find your joy!

Joy & Peace

Kelly

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T20:01:00.002-07:00

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

Hoping your Christmas is filled with happiness, love and peace.

Love,
The McKees

My Little Man

2011-12-12T18:37:00.001-07:00

This past weekend Jim and I helped my brother move into his new house. I brought my camera to document this fun filled (*sarcasm*) event but we were so busy packing and moving I didn't take one picture. Bad Kelly, bad Kelly.

My brother, Greg, and I did get a little break for an hour when we went to my nephew, John's, basketball game. Greg is their coach. Here I did take pictures!

My Little Man

listening to the coach

say what?

lining up before the start of the game

running down the court

[my brother the coach] giving pointers to players on the bench

watching the ball

paying attention to the game while the other players get their turn - not

dribble, stop, jump, shoot!

father and son

Why do I call him my little man?

~Because I've watched him grow since he was 20 months old (he's now 6).

~Because I'm his favorite Auntie (well, at least from my point of view and since this is my blog, that's the POV that counts!)

~Because I let him get away with just about everything~within reason (I'm practicing for my future grandchildren.)

We did get them all moved. I'm too old for all this physical labor. I ache in far too many places. Thank goodness we had a lot of help!

I edited the photos with PW's seventies action.

Til next time ~ find your joy! I did!

Kelly

Away In a Manger

2011-12-05T19:01:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, before the snow and cold Jim did this:

Since the trimmed twigs were red in color, I decided to keep them. I thought I could use them somehow in my Christmas decorating.

Then I got this bright idea (picture light bulb here)...I could build a building/barn for our nativity set! We have the "jewels" nativity set from Lenox. It's a beautiful set, done all in white with colored jewels adorning each piece. We've collected pieces for this set over several years, growing it to many pieces but never bought the barn piece. Truth be told, I never liked the one made for it.

We started with this:

Jim put on his general contractor hat and began picking my brain about how I wanted it to look. A snip here, a snip there, some hot glue and it began taking shape.

The roof

Hubby hard at work.

The back 'fence'.

A couple of twigs for bracing and viola a background for our nativity is complete.

It turned out even better than I imagined. Definitely gives a background to the manger scene. I know it's rustic for a porcelain nativity set, but I think it gives it depth.

At night.

We also finished our interior decorating.

My Santa collection.

I'm still playing/learning about lighting and my camera, so bear with me.

Til next time ~ find your joy!

Kelly

Winter Wonderland

2011-12-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Over the last two days we've received about a foot of snow, with 2-4 more inches forecast for tonight. Since our human babies have flown the coop, I have to take photos of our fur babies--and my hubby.

We were out playing in the snow and I snapped a few shots of the dogs playing in the powdery white stuff. They had a blast...well, Luna and Libby did. Bleu is not overly fond of the cold on her feet. Nor does she like to pose for me and my camera. Libby and Luna are hams.

Oh, and I'm LOVING my new camera!

Warning! This post is photo heavy!

Libby

Luna

Bleu (see, look at the stern look she's giving me!)

Libby and Luna love to chase/catch snowballs. The next few are a series of them chasing after one.

Waiting for Jim to throw a snowball.

Luna watches it fly overhead. Libby's on it!

"Where'd it go?"

"There it is!"

"I got it!"

"I love the snow!"

Posing for mom and her camera.

Regal.

Beauty.

Queen.

Hubby cleaning off the car.

I also took a couple of the snow in the trees.

Beautiful. Peaceful. Perfect.

Til next time ~ find your joy!

Kelly

Peppermint Brownies

2011-12-03T13:55:00.001-07:00

Most of the baking I do is from scratch. However, there is one item that I make from a box (I know, shudders from you bakers out there). It's a very specific box. And I'm talking about brownies.

I've tried many brownie recipes but none of them are as yummy as these Ghirardelli brownies. They are moist and chewy with a crusty layer on the outside. I buy the big box from Costco. I prettied them up with some peppermint flavored frosting and crushed candy canes. They turned out very festive!

See what I mean? Crusty outside, moist and chewy inside. And, can you say triple chocolate? You chocolate lovers out there know what I'm talking about.

Cool brownies completely before adding this:

PEPPERMINT FROSTING

2 cups confectioner's sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 Tbps milk

3/4 tsp peppermint extract

green food coloring

Crushed peppermint candy canes

Note: I doubled the frosting recipe for a 9x13 pan of brownies.

I used 4 candy canes. Place in a baggie and using a rolling pin, gently crush into small chunks.

When you put it all together you get a very festive, rich and sweet treat for those holiday parties or to enjoy just because.

Hubby gave them a double thumbs up! Works for me!

I cut them into 1 inch squares and placed in cupcake liners to serve on my red tile tray. I only had white ones on hand, but I think they look good. Colored or holiday themed ones would work too.

Enjoy!

Til next time ~ find your joy!
Kelly

JOY

2011-12-01T16:59:00.001-07:00

Happy December 1st!

It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season and miss out on the joy we are supposed to be celebrating. This year, I'm striving to find joy every day, whether it's in a greeting to or from a neighbor, baking holiday treats, satisfying a client, or taking our dogs for a walk.

bokeh!

Hubby and I are trying to keep the stress at bay (or at least under control) by getting a jump start on things so we can enjoy the season. We are also traveling for daughter #1's college graduation this month and wanted to ensure we weren't running around last minute to finish before Christmas Eve. Been there, done that, not this year.

Our 10 ft. tree is up and decorated. We are almost done shopping, and there are several wrapped presents already under the tree. It's so pretty and we get to enjoy it for the whole month!

The outside lights are up and have been lighting up our street in the evenings since the day after Thanksgiving. And, every night there seems to be another house in our development that has decked the halls. So far our street has the most lights--love it!

If all this wasn't enough to find joy on this first day of December, we woke up to a beautiful blanket of snow!

I hope you're doing what you can to minimize the stress and find joy this Christmas season.

Cheers!

Til next time ~ find your joy!
Kelly

Brussel Sprouts!

2011-11-27T14:03:00.001-07:00

I love brussel sprouts. Yes, those baby cabbage looking things are one of my favorite veggies. I didn't make them for Thanksgiving as I'm the only one in my family that likes them, but I keep them on hand and saute a batch when I'm craving them.

It's so simple and delicious!

Cut off the end of each sprout. Slice into thirds or quarters. Toss in a pan and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Add sliced almonds. I add about 1/4 cup for about 1 1/2 - 2 cups brussel sprouts. Saute until warmed through. (I like mine lightly browned but crunchy.)

Season to taste. (I sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt and creole seasoning.)

And voila! A scrumptious, green-leafy-vegetable-good-for-you meal!

Til next time ~ find your joy!
Kelly

Giving Thanks

2011-11-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

"O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!” (1 Chronicles 16:34)

Today I'm thankful for my family, the love of my husband and daughters, the roof over our heads, the food on our table, the gift of friendship, my health and a thousand other things too numerous to list.

I'm also thankful for you, who allow me to put fingers to keyboard and share my thoughts and photos. I'm truly blessed.

I wish you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving!

'Til next time, find your joy!

Kelly

Lights! Camera! Christmas!

2011-11-21T22:05:00.002-07:00

Guess what we'll be finishing tomorrow?

Til next time ~ find YOUR joy!

Kelly

Apple & Triple Berry Crumble

2011-11-20T20:39:00.002-07:00

This afternoon we made an apple and triple berry crumble. It's actually a triple berry crumble recipe, we just added the leftover Honeycrisp apples we didn't use in the apple pies we made a couple weeks ago. The once crispy apples were reaching the end of their shelf life so it was use 'em or lose 'em. So we cut them up and added them to the berries.

INGREDIENTS

4 1/2 cups berries (fresh or frozen, if frozen, thaw and discard excess liquid)
4 tablespoons white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups butter

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, gently toss berries and sugar, set aside.

Although we added the few apples we had left, we didn't cut back on the berries or add any additional sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Cut in butter until crumbly.

Press half of the mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Cover with berries. Sprinkle remaining crumble mixture over the berries.

Bake 30-40 minutes until berries are bubbly and topping is golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream, or whipped cream, or cream! Or eat it plain. It was delish.

Note: If you add apples, you need to bake for an additional 15 minutes to ensure the apples are cooked through.

The best kitchen helper/partner in the whole world!

Til next time ~ find your joy!
Kelly

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T17:17:00.003-06:00

To my dad, who's always been there for me, who loves unconditionally, who instilled in me my strong work ethic, who always has a smile for everyone. Happy Father's Day Dad! I love you!

Dad and me, circa 1966

To my wonderful husband, who has shown our two beautiful daughters the kind of man they can love. I love you with all my heart! Happy Father's Day, babe.

Hubby and daughter #1

Hubby and daughter #2

Happy Birthday Eden!

2011-06-15T00:16:00.001-06:00

Today is my first born's 22nd birthday.

First, just let me say, I'm not old enough to have a 22 year old daughter. Okay, now that that is out of the way...

Eden, your arrival into this world is the single most impactful event of my life. I loved you long before I held you in my arms. You made me a mom, and being a mom is the most important job I will ever have.

A few days old~ You were perfect...

Funny face ~ one of many over the years...

Such a happy girl...

A tender moment...

Your first Minnesota Twins game at the Metrodome...

An exhibitionist at a young age...

Pondering how becoming a 'big sister' will change your life...

Always a fish in the water...

Ever the ponderer...

First grandchild ~ successfully spoiled by her grandparents...

Always creative...an awesome snow fort built with dad...

Smile for the camera! Cheese! Grandma taught you well!

Always full of expression...

One of the many first days of school...

The best big sister ever ~ antagonist and fierce protector...

Ever the adventurer....

A past birthday, tickets to NSYNC!

Never afraid to be her own person...

My first born ~ but forever my baby. You taught me what's important in life. You taught me that love is unconditional and never ending. You've made me a better person. I love you Eden.

Happy Birthday Toots!

In Remembrance

2011-05-30T19:10:00.001-06:00

Miss you dad.

Thank you to all the men and women who've given their life defending our freedom and to all those, past and present, who've served in our armed forces. There are no words that can express my heartfelt thanks for all you do. God bless you.

Happy Memorial Day

Pomp and Circumstance!

2011-05-28T19:09:00.008-06:00

It's hard to believe...

that my baby...

is all grown up.

Say it isn't so!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My baby graduated from high school today. God gave us a glorious day to celebrate with these young people who are so full of hopes and dreams. We are so proud of our girl and so excited for where her bright future will take her. But it's also bittersweet~she's our baby.

A donut for breakfast!

Getting ready at home.

Waiting for the festivities to begin.

Greg, John and Dad. Greg sprang Dad from the hospital for the day. He did really well!

Pomp and Circumstance ~ Miranda and Haley walking in together. Both are attending CU Boulder in the fall.

My Baby. Jim and I did pretty good with the waterworks...but see that flower in Haley's hand? During the parent song, "Never Grow Up", by Taylor Swift, all the seniors left their seats, found their parents and gave them the flower. Oh, yeah, there were tears. Many tears.

Front Row ~ Miranda, Haley, Bridget and Topher.

Standing tall and proud. See that glorious sky? Given the rain we've had the last two weeks, God truly gave us a wonderful day. And the wonder came home with us in the form of sunburn. Failure to bring sunscreen = bright red lobster skin!

Bridget turned to hug Haley after receiving her valedictorian medal.

Haley receiving her valedictorian medal from Principal Payne.

Co-Valedictorians. All sixteen Erie High School co-valedictorians had GPAs over 4.0 (due to AP and college classes available as part of their cirriculum).

Haley receiving her diploma from Principal Payne. She LOVES those shoes!

Haley and Principal Payne.

Seniors batting beach balls in the beautiful Colorado sky.

Listening to Topher deliver the farewell speech.

It's official!

Haley and Bridget, best friends.

New graduate and her big sister!

Haley with mom and dad.

Our family ~ Backrow Jim, Me, John, Eden, Greg; front row, Haley and Grandpa. Photo by Megan

Haley and best bud, Foley.

Eden, Haley and Megan! Daughters #1, #2 and #3.

Haley, Topher and Bridget.

Dinner and celebration at Buffalo Wild Wings!

Haley and Grandpa.

Congratulations Haley! Dad and I couldn't be more proud of the young woman you've become. We hope all your hopes and dreams come true!

'til next time~find your joy!
Kelly

The Season Begins...

2011-05-05T19:42:00.004-06:00

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. --E.E. Cummings

Last night was Erie High School's NHS Ceremony where they inducted the sophomores and said farewell to the Seniors.

It was a nice program--not too long, not too short--and there were no tears from yours truly.

The ceremony begins.

Haley receiving her NHS certificate.

Outgoing officers, Haley, co-secretary, Bridget and Topher, co-presidents and Jason, co-secretary.

Haley lighting the scholarship candle, one of the four pillars of National Honor Society.

My baby.

Haley and Bridget.

Best Buds.

'til next time~find your joy!
Kelly

Pretty in Pink

2011-04-30T21:55:00.003-06:00

Today is Haley's Senior Prom.

Haley and three of her closest friends spent the afternoon primping in our master bathroom, readying for their last high school formal.

It took us about an hour to do Haley's hair. She has sooooo much of it!

Makeup!

Haley, Bridget, Miranda and Foley (bent over).

My princess, pretty in pink, her favorite color.

Dad and daughter.

Mom and Haley. Yes, I'm in front of the camera instead of behind it.

Once everyone was ready, we headed to the park for some fun pictures.

Foley, Bridget, Haley and Miranda.

Foley, Bridget, Haley and Miranda. Beautiful laughter and smiles. I love it!

My girl. Oh yes.

Bridget and Miranda. This is one of my favorite poses.

Haley and Miranda. Both headed to CU~Boulder in the fall.

Haley and Foley.

Bridget and Haley in vintage form (and color!)

Heading into Safeway to pick up a boutineer.

Ooh la la.

From Safeway (Colorado grocery store), we headed to the home of one of the 13 people in Haley's prom group to take group pictures. There had to be 40+ people in this house with all the prom goers and their parent-photographers! I should have taken a picture of the chaos.

Haley's shoe of choice. Being her own person.

Shoes, shoes, shoes. The bright colors under the shoes is an inlaid sun in the hard wood floor. It was really beautiful.

Beautiful girls. If you can't tell, I love these vintage looking 'actions'.

The group! The colors of the rainbow. Beautiful girls, handsome guys.

Haley's and Bridget's corsages.

A quiet moment before the festivities begin.

Backyard playhouse.

Had to get one photo with the mountains in the background. After all, this is Colorado.

I tried to fix that shadow, but didn't have much luck. Have to practice with my software. But I thought this looked so 1940s.

The girls in vivid color!

Classic beauties. It warms my heart.

Yea! Let's get this party started!

From here they were off to go bowling, then to dinner at Turley's in Boulder. After the dance, they have 'After Prom' which is an all-nighter of fun and games at the high school.

My baby is in the home stretch of her senior year.

I think I'll go cry now. *sniff*

'til next time~find your joy!

Kelly

Happy Birthday Luna!

2011-04-20T07:00:00.004-06:00

Today is Luna's 1st birthday! We're guessing she's about 110 pounds. And, while we call her looney Luna (which is much deserved) we love her.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUNA!

10 weeks old

5 months old

7 months old

1 year old

So very glad you are part of our family! We love you!

'til next time ~ find your joy

Kelly

Homemade Donuts

2011-03-28T15:11:00.003-06:00

After Jim's suggestion that we make homemade French fries, he suggested, since we already had the oil in the pan, that we make donuts.

Now, neither of us have ever made homemade donuts before, but we thought, what the heck, let's give it a try!

I knew I'd seen a donut recipe on one of the food blogs I follow not too long ago, so off I went looking and I found it on Our Life in the Kitchen, one of my favorite foodie blogs.

Here is the link to Karen of Our Life in the Kitchen's Donut Recipe (her pics are much better than mine-- she's a photographer too!).

DONUTS INGREDIENTS:
2 packs Rapid Rise Yeast
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup water
5 cups flour
1/3 cup shortening
1 tsp salt
Vegetable Oil

GLAZE INGREDIENTS:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 tsp vanilla
4-6 tbsp hot water

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water. Add lukewarm milk, salt, eggs, shortening and two cups of the flour. Beat on low until it's blended. Scrape down the sides and continue mixing on medium for another couple of minutes.

Add the remaining flour.

Beat until smooth and well blended. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set in a warm spot. Let it rise for an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out the donuts. Gently re-roll the scraps so no dough is wasted. Set the donuts back in the warm spot, cover, and let rise for about half an hour.

Meanwhile, mix up the glaze.

Heat vegetable oil to 350 degrees.

Gently drop in two or three donuts at a time and let them cook until they float, only about a minute. Flip over and cook for another minute.

Dunk them in the glaze. Set on a rack to cool.

Best eaten while WARM!!!

I would encourage you give making donuts a try. They're not as hard as they seem and they are delicious while they're still warm!

'til next time, find your joy~

Kelly

Homemade French Fries

2011-03-26T14:54:00.001-06:00

We enjoy good homemade French fries every once in a while. Today when Jim suggested we make them, I went online to find the secret to making them crispier. I found a few different recipes, and settled on one from Emeril Lagasse.

His recipe was different in two ways. First, he suggests soaking the potatoes in ice water for a minimum of 30 minutes and second, you double fry them.

Let's get started!

INGREDIENTS

· 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 by 1/4-inch thick batons

· 2 quarts peanut oil

· Sea salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Rinse cut potatoes in a large bowl with lots of cold running water until water becomes clear. Completely cover with water and ice. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days. Because we were hungry, we opted for the 30 minutes.

Drain ice water from cut fries and wrap potato pieces in a clean dishcloth or tea towel and thoroughly pat dry.

In a 5-quart pot or Dutch oven fitted with a candy or deep-frying thermometer, (or in an electric deep fryer), heat oil over medium-low heat until the thermometer registers 325 degrees F. Make sure that you have at least 3 inches of space between the top of the oil and the top of the pan, as fries will bubble up when they are added.

Increase the heat to medium-high and add fries, a handful at a time, to the hot oil. Fry, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are soft and limp and begin to turn a blond color, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Using a skimmer or a slotted spoon, carefully remove fries from the oil and set aside to drain on paper towels. Let rest for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 hours. Again, we were hungry so we opted for closer to 10 minutes.

When ready to serve the French fries, reheat the oil to 350 degrees F. Transfer the blanched potatoes to the hot oil and fry again, stirring frequently, until golden brown and puffed, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to paper lined platter and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve immediately.

What can I say, they were yummy! I will definitely soak them and do the double deep fry going forward. Thanks Emeril!

'til next time, find your joy~

Kelly

Thursday Randomness

2011-03-24T16:09:00.003-06:00

I've been a bit lax at posting lately, not so much for lack of time, but more so for lack of organization. Throughout the day, most everyday, things will pop into my head and I'll think, I really should do a post about that. But, I don't write it down and then when it comes time to actually sit at my keyboard and type I have all of these random thoughts bouncing around in my brain and I don't know where to begin.

So, today, in honor of those random thoughts bouncing around in my brain, I give you Randomness Thursday, or loosely translated, Tidbits I Was Able To Put Together In Somewhat Coherent Sentences.

Let us begin...

It's a beautifully sunny day today, with much less haze hovering from the wildfires up Indian Gulch (west of Golden, CO near Lookout Mountain). It's extremely dry here and we've had gale winds on and off for the last few days. High winds are forecast again today. They're hoping to have the fire 50% contained by tonight. Luckily, no homes have been damaged, and it appears they are out of imminent danger. Let's hope it stays that way.

Update: Another fire reported in Franktown, which is west of Parker, CO. 911 reverse calls go out. Oy vey.

* * * * * * * * * *

My lack of organization (which is NOT my normal modus operandi) is spilling over into everyday life....today I forgot my cell phone on the counter and I headed to work in my flip flops (had intended to change my footwear before I left for work). While they (said flip flops) don't necessarily match my outfit (which is pretty darn casual today), it could be worse. At least it's supposed to be near 60 degrees today so I won't freeze my toes off.

* * * * * * * * * *

Twitter is a social media phenomenon. And I love it! I currently follow 164 other Twitter-ers (which is a pittance compared to most others!) that run the gamut from news to marketing/business gurus to inspirational speakers to writers to food bloggers to probloggers. I follow a few celebs like George Stephanopoulos, Arianna Huffington and Martha Stewart, but I draw the line at crazy Charlie Sheen. What I'm trying to say, is there is no rhyme or reason to who I follow. I don't twitter to promote/gain business, I do it mainly to gleam knowledge from others.

I've tweeted 805 times in a year and a half, which in the big picture is not very much. I am sporadic, at best, in the frequency of my tweets, although I do retweet the interesting things I come across. I don't have to check it on a regular basis, just when I want to or have time.

It keeps me in the know, ya know? Do you Twitter?

* * * * * * * * * *

'til next time, find your joy!
Kelly

Bath Time!

2011-03-18T21:36:00.001-06:00

Luna getting a bath. SOOC.

'til next time,

Kelly

Snowed In

2011-02-21T21:22:00.001-07:00

Snow.

The fluffy white stuff.

Eighteen inches of the fluffy white stuff.

Daughter #2 and I flew in to Minnesota for the weekend to attend a bridal show with daughter #1 and her future mom-in-law, Ann.

It was supposed to be a quick in and out.

We are still here, snowed in by a record snow fall in a 24 hour period. 770+ flights were canceled with flights overbooked for the next 3 days.

Oy.

Vey.

While I miss these types of snow storms, I really want and need to get home to Colorado! I almost didn't bring my computer. If I hadn't, I would have been up a creek without a paddle. At least I can work remotely.

I'm sleeping in daughter #1's bed, which is a mattress on the floor. She's sleeping on the couch. There is no food in this college apartment. I'm out of clean clothes. I did not pack boots. Or gloves.

But, it's not all bad. Tonight I made these starving college girls broccoli smashed potatoes and served them with a rotisserie chicken. Speaks to my need to nurture.

They have cable, so I'm getting my fill of Food Network. Speaks to my food obsession.

I love to hear these young women laugh, and they include daughter #2 like she belongs. Speaks to my heart.

Such is life. I hope you're finding the silver lining in your daily challenges. When life gives you lemons, listen, laugh and make a margarita.

'til next time,
Kelly

A Little of This, A Little of That

2011-01-17T20:53:00.006-07:00

It's been a long time since I've written a post, other than posting a picture for my 365 Project. There's a very good reason for that. Well, not that good a reason, but a reason none-the-less.

My computer died. About two weeks ago. I'd just spent another $165 to have the hard drive wiped and reloaded. It worked great for 5 days. Then, after I downloaded the most recent HP/Windows update and had to restart the computer, it went into a 45 minute perpetual logging off, then the screen went white and it shut off. After that it wouldn't turn on again.

It's back at the computer doctor, so he can extract my files. Maybe he can perform a miracle. I'm not holding my breath.

So, I have to abscond with Jim or Haley's computer to get anything posted.

Liar

What? Did you say something? Yeah, I know. As much as I'd like to use that as an excuse, I can't. Life is just busy right now.

Without further ado, I'll share a few tidbits...

1. We have a new TV station...Antenna TV. They show classics like The Three Stooges, The Monkees, The Flying Nun, Gidget, Hazel, Maude, Good Times and Here Come the Brides among many others. I've caught bits and pieces of a few of the shows. While many are even before my time (at least I was too young when they were originally on to watch them) it offers a nice alternative. We gave up Dish a few years ago and have regular antenna TV. Surprisingly, we have survived. I do miss Food Network, but I just check it out online.

2. I'm heading to Vegas on Wednesday for work for a client's annual convention. I haven't been to Vegas in 20+ years. It should be interesting. Hopefully, I'll get some good pictures.

3. I'm heading to Vegas again in February for work for the IFA Convention. Joy. I love traveling with my family, but for work? Not so much. I was born under the sign of the crab. Cancer's love food and are homebodies. What can I say?

4. Luna will be 9 months old on Thursday. We're guessing she's pushing 95 pounds. None of the pictures I take seem to capture how big and long she is. I'll keep trying.

5. I just started the last book (at least the last one that's written) in the 14 book J.P. Beaumont series by J.A. Jance. It's a great series...I'm very sad. What will I read next? Hmmm...

That's my update for now. Gotta go, Harry's Law is premiering! I just love Kathy Bates! But, I'll be back again soon.

'Til next time...

Kelly

Big Girl

2011-01-17T20:10:00.002-07:00

Luna - 9 months old

Snowman Ornament

2011-01-02T19:18:00.003-07:00

Snowman Ornament (SOOC - Manual Focus)

'Tis the Season

2010-12-26T18:01:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas to all!

I'll Be Back Soon!

2010-12-14T19:42:00.000-07:00

So sorry,

So sad,

the fact is

I've been bad.

A month since I last posted,

I really should be roasted.

But, computer's on the fritz,

It's finally getting fixed!

I'll be back soon,

"I promise, " I croon.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Pillow Fight!!!!

2010-11-14T14:41:00.000-07:00

PILLOW FIGHT!!!!!

John throws the first pillow.

This is serious business.

Side swing.

Full swing!

No, Paul, no!!

I'm gonna get you!

Strike!

Watch out!

Strike two.

Haley, Paul and Greg.

That Kind of Day

2010-11-13T11:17:00.002-07:00

Disclaimer: I apologize in advance for the length of this post. Once I started the words just came pouring out. I couldn't seem to stop my fingers. Oh, and for the commas too. I just love commas.

Friday started like any other, Haley and me up early, showering and primping, getting ready to head out for the day, Haley to school and me to work. Jim is usually downstairs making us breakfast but in honor of his birthday week we let him sleep in.

Am I an awesome wife, or what?

Today, however, Haley was riding all the way into Boulder with me to tour the CU campus and participate in ‘Be a CU Student for the Day’. The University of Colorado-Boulder (CU) is Haley’s first choice of college, and lucky for us, it’s conveniently located in the same city where I work!

Haley needed to arrive between 7:30 and 8:00 am to register. I needed to be at work by 7:50 because I was conducting a training starting at 8:00.

Friday is trash day. I rolled the garbage and recycle cans to the curb and noticed the car, parked in the driveway, was covered in heavy frost. I headed inside to get the keys to start it and blast the defrosters, but the keys weren’t on the hook. Since Haley had driven us home the night before, I thought she probably had the keys in her coat pocket up in her room. After checking with her, she couldn’t find them. We spent 10 minutes looking for them and finally decided to just use the extra car key.

Car started, heat on full blast, good-bye November frost—check.

We have a Mr. Coffee Jr. which is 25 years old. Jim and I don’t drink coffee, but we purchased the machine years back so we’d be able to make coffee when my parents would visit. Both of our daughters have become coffee drinkers, so now, instead of sitting for months on end on a shelf in the back of a cupboard, this dated, out-of-style mini coffee maker has a prominent place on the counter.

I pulled open the plastic tray that holds the coffee filter expecting to find yesterday’s grounds, but instead found it prepared with a fresh filter and fresh coffee.

I thought, my husband is so awesome and thoughtful.

I proceeded to fill the coffee carafe with the appropriate amount of water and pour it into Mr. Coffee Jr.

It never crossed my mind that my awesome husband had also filled the water reservoir. Instantly water started coming out of everywhere. It seemed to be leaking from the pores of the plastic.

Yeah.

When all was said and done and the mess cleaned up, the coffee was a tad on the weak side--a very light brown color. I made Haley a cup of coffee anyway.

Coffee, International House of Coffee Caramel Macchiato, sugar. Coffee prepared—check.

No need to pack lunches today. Lunch is part of Haley’s day at CU and I had plenty of lunches in the fridge at work. Seems I’ve been eating out a bit more often than I should.

Lunches—check.

As we were about to leave, for some unknown reason, I went to the closet and rummaged through the pockets of the leather coat I wore to work yesterday and what should I find but my set of keys. Haley must have handed them to me as we got out of the car the night before.

Sigh of relief.

Missing keys not missing anymore—check.

Twelve minutes later we’re zooming down 52 when I’m instantly struck by one of those sock-you-in-the-stomach thoughts that cause a gasp and sudden intake of air.

You know the ones I mean.

You’re basking in the glory of the beautiful sunny morning and BAM! Suddenly no amount of sun can fix the fact that the key to my office is on my key ring. NOT the key ring that’s in the car’s ignition.

I’m the trainer, mind you, for an 8 am training session. This is not good.

In my past life, this would not have been a big deal. We had cards we scanned to get in the building and I would keep that in my car before and after work. And we had regular hours in which the lobby would be unlocked.

Not so in my small office of 15 employees. We all have keys. And, I’m the first person in the door.

Every day. Well, 98.258483% of the time, anyway.

What can I say? I work with a bunch of 24 and 25 year old computer software developers who have Nerf gun fights in the commons area for their afternoon break.

It’s actually quite refreshing. One day I’m going to surprise them all and show up with my own Nerf gun—but that’s another story.

These young but wonderfully talented engineers don’t typically roll in until nine. Or ten. Or sometimes later.

Don’t worry. They pull far more than 40 hours a week. They just start and end their day on a very different schedule than I do.

I digress—back to the gripping story…I mean, you are riveted to the screen to read what happens next, right?

I thought so.

I pat my pockets and try to remember what I did with the keys once I found them.

I thought about hanging them on the hook. Or, did I leave them on the counter?

Haley grabs my computer bag, digging through the pockets. No keys.

Missing keys are missing once again—uncheck.

Suddenly, I’m doing a 180 and heading back toward the house, knowing that the trip back home was going to cost us 25 minutes and our carefully planned travel window was now in the negative.

I’m the trainer, mind you, for a training that starts at 8 am. This is not good.

I pull up to the driveway and Haley has the car door open and her feet on the ground almost before I’m at a complete stop. Oh, and her coffee travel mug is in hand to deposit on the counter. Ah, yeah, she couldn’t drink the mixture of sugar and creamer. Remember, I did say the coffee was a light brown color.

Coffee, undrinkable—uncheck.

Moments later she’s back in the car.

No keys.

They are not on the counter. They are not on the hook.

I panic and pat the pockets on my jacket again. Then, I actually stick my hands in my pockets.

What do you know, the keys are right there, deep in my rightside jacket pocket.

*@#&(*&$!!

Haley is tense because she’s now going to be borderline late for registration and I’m stressed about the training that’s supposed to start at 8am.

Did I mention I have a training at 8 am?

All I can say is thank God for my Droid phone and Google Docs and my lead foot.

Once I dropped Haley off at CU with ten minutes to spare (thanks to the aforementioned lead foot), while waiting at the stop light (after all I did sign Oprah’s Don’t Text and Drive petition) I was looking up my trainee’s phone number to tell him we’d start a few minutes late and I would call him when I was settled in the office.

Oh, and ever fuflfilling my motherly duties, I did tell Haley to do as I say, not as I do. No speeding.

Turns out, the trainee wanted to reschedule anyway.

Stressed out for nothing.

Turns out the information Haley got on line regarding the registrations time was off by half an hour. Registration was from 8:00-8:30. She was there with plenty of time. She stressed for nothing.

I mistakenly thought the day was looking up. Poor assumption on my part. Remember what they say about assuming...

Settled at work, one fire after another ignited. What I had planned to work on for the day went up in smoke.

So, to ease my frustration, I went to lunch with the boys.

It’s okay. I call them the boys in front of them.

I went out to lunch again. NOT good.

We went to the Dark Horse Saloon. It’s an old western saloon that has wall to wall paraphernalia cabled to the ceiling. I’m talking big stuff. Like real horse-drawn wagons and sleds (minus the horses, of course), a Bob’s Big Boy figure from I’m guessing the 50s, and a freaky looking humungous clown figure, to name a few.

The thought that it would come crashing down on us did cross my mind.

I barely escaped with my life.

Just kidding. Wouldn’t you know the chipotle chicken sandwich was pretty good. I’ll probably have to drag some out-of-state visitors there.

The afternoon continued to be a fire drill, culminating in me trying to get out a communication before I left and cutting the time really close to get Haley back to the school for basketball.

In my haste I left my computer power cord at work.

CRAP. CRAP. CRAP.

Good thing my awesome husband has the same power cord and we can share.

- - - - - - - - - -

The day--better yet-- the work week has come to a close.

I made it home without incident.

My keys are safely hung on their hook.

And I'm snuggled in my chair in my pjs. Everything that is right and good has been restored.

There is balance in the world.
Thanks for listening. I feel soooo much better now.

‘til next time,
Kelly

Apple Crisp

2010-11-11T05:00:00.015-07:00

My hubby loves baked apple dishes. So, for his birthday I made him Apple Crisp. This is just for you, babe!

APPLE CRISP

Peel and slice 4 tart apples. (I used Honeycrisp, our favorite apple.) Sprinkle with a splash of lime juice and a shake or two of cinnamon. Spray baking dish with spray oil. Arrange apples in baking dish. It fit perfectly into a 9x6 dish.

Mix together 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, heaping 1/2 cup oatmeal, 3/4 tsp nutmeg, 3/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter.

Mix with fork until...

(it looks like this) well combined.

Spread mixture evenly over the apples. Bake in 375 oven for 30 minutes.

Hot out of the oven!

It's wonderful served as is, or dress up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. If you're really daring, try with a bit of shredded sharp cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.

Jim enjoyed it as is, hot out of the oven...for breakfast. **big contented smile**

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker's New Cookbook circa 1996

'til next time, enjoy!

Kelly

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-10T10:33:00.003-07:00

Luna, 6 1/2 months old, 75 pounds, enjoying her first snow fall...

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-03T20:45:00.001-06:00

Minnesota in October

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-26T11:10:00.000-06:00

I couldn't resist reposting this little funny from last year. Have a wonderfully scary Halloween!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Kelly

October Sunset

2010-10-15T21:58:00.001-06:00

Longs Peak

Purple Mountain Majesty...God certainly knows what he's doing...

Peace,
Kelly

Homecoming 2010

2010-10-09T08:22:00.001-06:00

This past week Erie High School celebrated Homecoming week, culminating in a victory over Skyline HS at the football game last night. This was Daughter #2's last HS homecoming. A wonderful tradition at EHS is a homecoming parade. The XC team had a float in this year's parade.

I was there.

I snapped a few shots.

And viola! here they are.

Team Spirit!

XC Team Float

I was sleeping on the job, and didn't have my camera ready to snap a pic of the front of Bridget (Haley's BF) and Topher, members of this year's homecoming royalty.

Happy Haley! (Happy that it was the last pic I took!)

Oh, and the dance is tonight. I'll have more pics of the girls all decked out!

'til next time,
Kelly

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-06T08:00:00.005-06:00

I thought I would start participating in Wordless Wednesday. So, here goes...

Sunday Road Trip

2010-10-04T20:16:00.002-06:00

This past Sunday, we took a day trip up to Estes Park via Big Thompson Canyon. We wanted to check out the autumn foliage. We took advantage of the scenic drive and beautiful backdrop to shoot more grad photos of Daughter #2.

We were very happy with the results.

True Texas Barbecue

2010-10-02T21:35:00.000-06:00

I have been to Dallas three times over the last two and a half months for work. We usually go for two days/one night and after a long day of meetings, we go to dinner with our clients. On this last visit they took us to Rudy's Country Store and BBQ for some real Texas barbecue. In Texas, I'm told, it's not about the rub, or the sauce, it's about the meat and how it's smoked/cooked.

Now, all you Texans out there, understand, I'm only repeating what I was told. Whether it was true Texas BBQ or not, it was fantastic!

There are some 25 locations in Texas, two in Albuquerque, NM, one in Norman, OK and, of all places, one in Colorado Springs, CO.

Main seating area.

We chose a large table in the corner.

Vintage signs.

Loaves of bread and buckets of beer and soda.

No plates. You eat off of butcher paper. The cream corn was unbelieveable!

Okay the smoked turkey was to die for and so was the sausage. Oh, and the ribs! It was all fantastic.

Co-workers and Clients

Oh, it's also a gas station.

Great meeting, great clients. Great food, great time.

All photos taken with my Droid.

Until next time...

Kelly

Erie Biscuit Day and Farmer's Market in Pictures

2010-09-18T12:57:00.004-06:00

Today was the 8th Annual Erie Biscuit Day. We drove into old town Erie and had some biscuits and gravy and checked out the Erie Farmer's Market. It was a much welcomed cooler day (although we're headed to 90 by Monday). Come on autumn, I'm waiting!

Biscuits and Gravy, Sausage. Pretty good.

Dinner! Yummy jalepeno and cheese tamales!

All pics taken with my Droid. Not too bad!

Until next time...

Kelly

A Lazy Labor Day Weekend

2010-09-06T16:13:00.002-06:00

It's been a lazy holiday weekend! Sunday it was a toasty 96 degrees. Monday, a breezy 74 degrees. We grilled, managed to get some yardwork done and I started my fall inside cleaning. It was quiet and relaxing.

Luna

Luna & Libby

Hot Day - 96 degrees

Libby enjoying the pool!

Man and his dog.

The Grill Master

Top Sirloin - It was delicious!

Potatoes, Onion, & Mushrooms

Ready for the grill!

Ready to Eat!

Baby-back Ribs!

They were fabulous!

Hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend!

My Sweetie...

2010-08-29T20:17:00.005-06:00

My Babies...

2010-08-28T21:34:00.001-06:00

Grad Photos

2010-08-23T21:26:00.001-06:00

We thought we'd take a crack at daughter #2's graduation photos. After our first session, 76 photos later, there were two shots we really liked. They look pretty good on the computer...we'll have to see how they look printed. We sent them off to a professional grade printer. We should have them back by the end of the week! Very excited to see the results! If they turn out well, there are a few more poses daughter #2 wants to try so we'll head out for a second photo session!

THANK YOU Pioneer Woman and The Texas Chicks and Pics for the great Photoshop Elements Actions!

What do ya think?

Til Next Time,
Kelly

Celebrating June!

2010-06-19T16:23:00.004-06:00

June for our family brings many celebrations-- a nephew's birthday, daughter #1's birthday, father's day, my aunt's birthday, my cousin and his wife's anniversary and my niece's birthday. We celebrated many of these events while Daughter #1 was here in Colorado earlier in the month.

John, our nephew, turned 5 on June 4th.
We celebrated with cupcakes and a barbecue!

Daughter #1 turned 21 years old! How can that be?

I'm not old enough to have a 21 year old. Huh.

Ahhh, she left one candle for Luke...

Opening Presents...

Sisters...

Better Than Sex Cake...Eden's choice of birthday cake!

Father's Day!

Jim wanted a hammock.

So the girls and I got him a hammock.

Setting up the hammock...

Trying it out for the first time...

"Come on girls, let's get a picture with your dad," I said.

"MOM! Hurry up! The sun is making my eyes water!" they all said.

But I wasn't deterred.

Eden turns to her father, "Tell me again why you bought her that camera."

Haley, who has to live with me and my camera, is still smiling...

Meanwhile, Jim has just given up and shut his eyes...

"OMG, just shoot me now," Eden said.

Happy Father's Day Babe!

My Auntie celebrates her birthday June 20th.

Happy Birthday Aunt Bev!

My cousin, Shannon, and his wife Emilee celebrate

their first wedding anniversary!

Happy Anniversary Shannon & Emilee!

Here's to many more years of wedded bliss!

My niece, Erin, celebrates her Sweet 16!

Happy Birthday Erin!

Erin and her dad. Erin and Paul on trampoline.

Sweet 16!

Until next time...

Kelly

Memorial Day 2010

2010-05-31T09:34:00.002-06:00

The poem "In Flanders Fields" was written after John McCrae witnessed the death, and presided over the funeral, of a friend, Lt. Alexis Helmer.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Take a moment today to remember those who've served and sacrificed to keep us free.

God Bless

Kelly

Prom 2010

2010-04-25T18:56:00.001-06:00

I thought I would share a few pictures from daughter #2's prom.

Daughter #2

Best Friends

The Troops

My Princess

Kelly

Veggie Pizza

2010-04-24T16:08:00.003-06:00

PROM is finally here!

Today is daughter #2's prom. She is going with a group of 11 highschoolers, 9 girls and 2 guys. We are taking pictures at one of the girl's houses at 5:30 pm. When the kids head to dinner after pictures are concluded, we parents are having hors d'oeuvres. I decided to make something I've had countless times before, but I've never actually made-- Veggie Pizza! I found a few different recipes and kind of put them all together to make my version.

VEGGIE PIZZA

INGREDIENTS
16 oz crescent roll (2 cans)
16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 package dry ranch dressing (1 oz.)
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ cup green pepper, chopped
½ cup red pepper, chopped
1 cup broccoli, chopped
½ cup green onions, finely chopped
½ cup carrots, finely chopped
¾ cup cheddar & monterey jack cheese, shredded

CRUST:

Unroll crescent rolls and pat into a 15 ½ x 10 ½ x 2 inch cookie pan. Bake for 10 minutes at the temperature indicated on the package. Let cool

SPREAD:

Mix cream cheese, mayo & dry ranch mix.

Spread over the cooled crust.
VEGGIE LAYERS:

Fresh veggies of your choice! Any raw vegetables work nicely.

Mushrooms! As you know, one of my favorite foods!

Chopped red & green peppers.

Chopped mushrooms & carrots!

Chopped green onions

Chopped brocolli florets.

Sprinkle chopped vegetables and cheese on top of crust spread with cream cheese mixture. I gently pushed the veggies into the cream cheese mixture.

Cut into small squares and serve.

Enjoy!

Kelly

It's What's For Dinner! Grilled Asparagus & Top Sirloin Steak

2010-04-13T19:35:00.001-06:00

Tonight for dinner we grilled steak and asparagus. It was heavenly! It's been ages since I've cooked fresh asparagus. I'll be doing it again soon while it's still in season.

In a platter, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Salt and pepper. Roll asparagus over and over until coated. Grill until slightly tender, but still firm/crunchy.

This was so good!

Top Sirloin! I drizzled each side of the steak with olive oil (just a little bit) and then rubbed in steak seasoning.

Steak seasoning (Sam's Club) and Asian Sesame dressing for my.....

...salad! Steak, romanine lettuce, fresh mushrooms, green onions, crumbled feta cheese and All Seasons Asian Sesame dressing!

It's what's for dinner!

Enjoy!

Kelly

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

2010-04-12T18:52:00.005-06:00

Recipe from Cathy over at Noblepig.com.

I made these for Daughter #2 and 6 of her closest friends tonight as they worked on their team t-shirts for track. They received a 'thumbs up' from the girls. I thought they were pretty good even though I made them with whole wheat flour (we were out of regular). I think they would be even better with white flour. We will definitely try these again.

PEPPERONI PIZZA PUFFS

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
4 ounces pepperoni, cut into small cubes (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup pizza sauce
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes.

Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through, then stir in 1 Tablespoon basil. Sprinkle the puffs with the remaining 1 Tablespoon basil. Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping.

Enjoy!

Kelly~

Chicken Fajitas!

2010-04-11T18:12:00.005-06:00

We made chicken fajitas for dinner tonight. They were so very yummy! Recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated.

CHICKEN MARINADE INGREDIENTS

⅓ cup juice from 2 to 3 limes
8 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons brown sugar
1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, minced
1 Tbsp southwestern chipotle seasoning (optional)
1½ tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
table salt and ground black pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds), trimmed, pounded to ½-inch thickness (I did not do that this time)

VEGETABLES

1 large red onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch strips
1 large red bell pepper, quartered, stemmed, and seeded
1 large green bell pepper, quartered, stemmed, and seeded
8-12 (6-inch) flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS

In a gallon size ziploc bag, mix together the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, Worcestershire, brown sugar, jalapeno, southwestern chipotle seasoning, cilantro, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¾ teaspoon pepper. Scoop out ¼ cup marinade; set aside. Place the chicken in the marinade; refrigerate 15 minutes or longer. (I marinaded for 2 hours.)

Brush both sides of the onion rounds and the peppers with some of marinade mixture; salt and pepper. Preheat gas grill for 15 minutes; scrape the grill grate clean with a grill brush. Leave one burner on high heat while turning the remaining burner(s) down to medium. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place it on the hotter side of the grill; discard the remaining marinade. Place the onions and peppers on the cooler side of the grill.

Cook the chicken until it’s well browned, 4 to 5 minutes; using tongs, flip the chicken and continue grilling until it’s no longer pink when cut into with a paring knife. Cook the peppers until spottily charred and crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once or twice as needed; cook the onions until tender and charred on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 3 to 4 minutes.

Slice the bell peppers lengthwise into ¼-inch strips and place them in a bowl with the onions. Add 1/2 of the remaining marinade to the vegetables and toss well to combine.

Slice the chicken into ¼-inch strips and toss with the remaining reserved marinade in another bowl.

Serve with the warmed tortillas, shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream and diced tomatoes.

Mine was a chicken fajita bowl (minus the tortilla) except it was on a plate!

Enjoy!

Kelly

Easter Cookies

2010-04-02T21:21:00.003-06:00

So sorry it's been so long between posts! Things have been a bit crazy. Hopefully, I'll be back to regular posting soon. Here's what I was up to today! Easter Cookies! Enjoy!

Have a wonderful Easter holiday!

Kelly

Life Lessons from Bill Gates

2010-03-16T18:24:00.002-06:00

Gotta love it. Just had to share. Enjoy!

Life Lessons from Bill Gates

Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!
Rule 2 : The world won’t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won’t be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it’s not your parents’ fault, so don’t whine about your mistakes, ‘learn from them’..
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent’s generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they’ll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.

Kelly

My Weight Loss Journey - Month 5

2010-03-14T17:19:00.001-06:00

See, I told you I was late with last month's weight loss journey post! I just posted it 10 days ago, and I'm posting the next month now.

The month started with a very slow week, and was a bit frustrating considering I doubled my workout time and saw no results on the scale. After talking with fellow WW members and my leader, she thought I may not have eaten enough to compensate for my increased workout. I have kept that in mind as I move forward.

Additionally, this past month introduced a whole new set of challenges for me as I introduced traveling into the mix of trying to eat healthy and exercise. I have a pretty good routine down while I'm at home, I guess it was time to through something new into my journey to health and fitness. My weigh-in after my trip was frustrating none-the-less. But, I learned a lot from the experience.

I traveled to Minnesota for a week for my Uncle Frankie's funeral. The trip started out long on good intentions, but didn't last past day three. I flew in on Saturday morning my bag filled with my trusty Fiber One Bars. Daughter #1 and her roommate, Laura, picked me up at the MSP airport and we headed to Mall of America where I ate at Subway--one point for me! That evening, we went to a Chinese buffet restaurant near my daughter's apartment. I was good and chose items with vegetables and unbreaded meat. I think I ate a full plate of mushrooms. I LOVE mushrooms...they should be their own food group! I did eat two wontons, but other than that, I made good choices.

The next two days, food wise, were filled with hotdishes, various Jello salads, scalloped potatoes and ham--all of which were a throw back to my childhood and were quite tasty. I ate small portions, enough to satisfy but not over due it.

The last three days were a free-for-all. I met friends for dinner, and ordered a steak salad, but also ate onion rings. On the last day I went all out and ate breaded mushrooms and a reuben sandwich, after having McDonalds for breakfast. I think I used all my weekly points that day and then some.

On top of all of this, I didn't work out at all. Nada, nothing, none.

And all of this was reflected at my weigh-in the Monday after returning to Colorado. I was up for the first time since joining WW last October. What did I learn? That my food choices just were not worth the weight gain. I've worked hard for these last months to get to where I'm at and don't want to go backwards. I know the next time I travel, I will better prepare and not make the choices I made this time. The week after my weigh-in, I went back to basics, and it showed the following week where I lost what I'd gained, and then some! I also learned that if you go off program, buck up and get back on! Don't give up! Life truly is a journey with many ups and downs and you just gotta get back on the path if you wander off.

Time for this month's results...

Month 5 -2.8 lbs
TOTAL -23.4 lbs

Month 5 Details         Weekly     Total
Feb 15 (Week 17)    -.2 lbs       -20.8 lbs
Feb 22 (Week 18)     *in Minnesota - no weigh in
Mar 1 (Week 19)     +1.6 lbs    -19.2 lbs
Mar 8 (Week 20)     -4.2 lbs     -23.4 lbs

Foods that got me through: 1) Fiber One Bars, as usual. 2) Eggbeaters and hashbrowns, and 3) stocking up on fresh vegetables (mushrooms, of course!) and fruit.

Goals for Month 6: 1) Continue with my exercise regime 2)  Back to Basics all the way!

Until next month...

Kelly

My Weight Loss Journey - Month 4

2010-03-04T19:19:00.003-07:00

I'm a little behind on getting this post out. I have plenty of excuses, but I won't bore you with them here. Without further ado, let's just jump right in!

Month 4 was very non-eventful. I lost a total of 3.6 pounds, losing steadily every week. I continue to workout regularly (4x week H20 aerobics). I also added 45-60 minutes of treadmill walking a couple times a week, which was one of my goals for the month. I wasn't too regular about it, but I did do it a few times. I don't want to hit a plateau--feels a bit like one is coming on.

My other goal was to hit my daily fruit/veg goal. I did better this month, but am still working on getting them all in everyday.

Time for this month's results...

Month 4     -3.6 lbs
TOTAL      -20.6 lbs

Month 4 Details          Weekly Total
Jan 18 (Week 13)      -1.4 lbs -18.4 lbs
Jan 25 (Week 14)     *no weigh-in Jury Duty
Feb 1 (Week 15)      -1.4 lbs -19.8 lbs
Feb 8 (Week 16)       -0.8 lbs -20.6 lbs
                                 *16 week Stay & Succeed Award *5 lb star award

Foods that got me through— Fiber One Bars (again) 2 points per bar. I ran out of these at one point and was going through withdrawals! Note to self, never run out of Fiber One Bars. Never. Ever. My new discovery this month is Tex-Mex Creamy Dressing. It was actually a dressing for a WW black bean salad recipe but I use it on everything. 1/2 cup is 1 point. Get the recipe here.

Goals for Month 5: 1) Continue to increase my non-H20 activity 2) Back to basics - weighing and measuring everything. I'm not bad about this, but there were a few things I have started to 'eyeball' and I know that's not very accurate.

This month I leave you with this..

When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. --Harriet Beecher Stowe

Keep at it!

Kelly