Christmas Time.....

Call me the "Grinch". I only wanted to put up one manger set that's it no more.


Rain asked me if I was going to put up the Christmas Tree, I was not happy at that moment and told him if he wanted a Christmas Tree put it up yourself. I have since apologized and we have our tree up
, the snowmen are out and Santa is sitting on our shelf.
Angles have flown to the perfect spot on our tree..:),
and Cloves are heating on the stove to make the house smell like Christmas. I am no longer the "Grinch" and more in the holiday spirits. Heck I even washed my Christmas sock's to wear tomorrow.

Calm, Cool, and Collected

Coming up for air and to get my wits about me. Between work, cleaning house, traveling, having visitors, and getting a new church calling life has kept me busy.

Rain and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary back in October and realized that time can fly when you are having fun. November can and went quicker than you can snap your fingers.

I have a new church calling, I get the opportunity to teach in relief society. Who knew that a calling 18 years ago would give me the confidence to stand up relief society and deliver a lesson with confidence. My lesson was on Spiritual Gifts (lesson 22). In my preparation for this lesson I was amazed at how my obedience to the commandments has brought happiness and blessings to my life. On the flip side I see the absence of these blessings during the sheer disobedience of my life. Next, lesson Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. This will be interesting.

Keep warm and enjoy this Christmas Season.

Here is a picture of what my kitchen looks like after cooking for holiday baskets.

And they live

Time goes by........

So much has happened in the last months, I had a birthday another year older and wiser too happy birthday to me.....

We went to the Nascar race in Fontana and froze our self's into human Popsicles, then thawed enough to have a good night at Dave and Busters......

We celebrated Valentines day, hip hip hooray.......

Mom and Dad came down for a long weekend, Dad and Rain went to Nascar, Mom and I went shopping..... we love our individual sports.......

St. Patricks day was so much fun, wearing green and eating corn beef and cabbage....

We are on a Monday night bowling league, I bowl a strong 80 per game trying to improve, Rain is a strong 140-150 bowler.....

We took a road trip to Salt Lake for Easter mostly to see the kids, they are growing so fast...we had a good time shopping and dying Easter eggs......

We filed our taxes on time and made sure uncle SAM got all his money......

We went with some wonderful friends to So. California....we went out on a 1/2 day fishing trip(not my idea of fun), then went to see the New York Yankees play the Los Angles A's, and the A's won, our car was a happy ride home.......

We had a very good Memorial Day with friends at their pool and a BBQ you could not believe....

We have planted some flower pots around the back yard ,Ok Rain lifted the dirt for me I planted the flowers......

We celebrated Cinco de Mayo at Cafe Rio, is there any place better.......

We have survived the endless winds of Southern Nevada (and yes it was questionable)

We have to get ready for a friends wedding her in Vegas and then get reved up to head to Albuquerque for our friends ordination to the Priesthood in the Catholic Church.....

Now that the month of June is 1/2 over lets get ready to celebrate the forth of July!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Rain 2010....

What would my life be without you. I wish for you my husband a wonderful Birthday and a year of fun and exciting adventures together.
Love you

Kari

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Vows.....

Did you have specific vows at your wedding or a romantic toast at the reception? We had neither standard run of the mill vows, and no toast at the reception. Today I went to a movie and heard the best toast from the wife to husband. Don't steal, lie, or cheat from me: but if you must steal,steal away my fears, if you must lie, lie beside me each night, if you must cheat please cheat death. I love writers, where do they get this stuff. If I only had a bone of creative writing..... Oh, by the way you can no longer get the snack pack unless you actually have a child with you at my movie theater. Well I saved $5.50 then, I will show them.

The skies are gray and full of rain here...it is gloomy, I don't mind we need the rain so badly.

It is winter now in Vegas, I'm not complaining but I do prefer the high 70's low 80's... Can never be happy with what is given I guess.

I better stop playing around with the computer and get some dinner started. We are going to have roasted red skinned potato's in a butter garlic sauce, green beans, and grilled lamb chops in a mustard-tarragon marinade. My stomach is ready and waiting.

HG TV..........

Can one watch to much HGTV? This is the question I ask myself after 4 hours of non-stop HGTV. I love to see the make overs, I wish I had the money to put some of the makeovers on our home. But come to think of it we have made over 50% of our home since moving in a year and half ago. I have a bright and cheerful Lemon Yellow Kitchen, with mis-matched chairs and seat cushions (thing back to Friends and Monica's kitchen). I have a Fig and Plum family now with my Piano in residence. Thank You Mom... I have a man room that is garbanzo bean and carrot color, it is awesome. We now just have to decide on colors for our bedroom and bathroom. I am holding our for a red guest bedroom, Rain has yet to see the beauty it will be, some-day I pray each night.
I am so grateful for our home. I truly never thought I would get here, that I would be either living in my parents basement, or paying rent on an apartment the rest of my life. But no I live on Gran Paradiso and love it. I just can not wait till spring when my Cottonwood Tree gets leafs and my vines grow up my arch way at the front door. The tulips will bloom and make a wonderful pathway addition to our home. We are truly blessed.
I am not going to tuck myself into bed and sleep tight and warm in my home.
Sleep like a rock........

10 Minutes to Brothers and Sisters......

Sunday was another good day. I teach the 11-12 year olds in primary, I have 13 kids they are fun and they are SMART..... I have one kid who will be baptized on the 23 January 2010. I am so excited. It got me thinking about the last baptism I attended. I have to say it was in 1995 in Japan, Kiki was the lady. It has truly been a long time. This kid is so ready and even more excited. I am going to get him some scriptures of his very own, he has none at this time. I asked him his favorite color, first green then blue. He looked at me with question in his eyes, would they be just mine, my heart wept with joy and I responded yes they are would be yours to have and to cherish and to daily learn from. So I will be visiting Desert Book this Wednesday to get Blue quad scriptures with the name of D. Blue Anderson. The newest member of our Ward in my Primary Class. This makes the weekend all worth it and let's me work even harder at this calling. Love the kids they are smart, and their spirits are so beautiful. So tonight I send this post out in the names of Hannah, Bailey, Jena, Lauren, Macyee, Josie, Aaron, Alex, Ethan, Devin, Noah, Blue, Nick, I love you all very much.

I think the world is glorious......

I love Wednesdays..why you ask? I have every Wednesday off, yep I get a vacation in the middle of the week. I live (truly) for this day, I get to sleep in and do what ever I want. Ok, not what ever but pretty close. I arose bright and early at 730 am this was wonderful good time to get up the sun was shinning and the temperatures outside looked wonderful, maybe I will get some gardening done. I walk out to the kitchen and see the floor, yes the black encrusted floor. I set to the washing and scrubbing and now I have a beautiful shinny floor in our kitchen. The weather here in Vegas is rather strange, No complaints as all. I jut my walking shoes on and went on a walk about. I had to go to Target and wanted to go to Michael's for some paint. So off I went with a back pack headed to Target. I should have taken my camera there was much to see in our neck of the woods. I live by an orchard/farm and there was much activity going on today. We are now minus a few trees in the orchard, but there are a bunch of birds they were singing to each other. I kept on my way and found 40 acres for sale, if I only had the money then I would not longer have HOA'S to worry about. Inside the acreage are trees any kind of fruit tree you can imagine. Further down the road was a skate park and of course the butterfly park, so may moms with kids, did I say how beautiful the weather is here. Well I found those things at Target and was so pleased with the weather I headed over to Michael's for the paint. I met an old man at Michael's who had the most beautiful bolo(sp)tie, it was this yellow stone (i can not remember what he called it) the side of my hand. Well all purchases made time to head home. I enjoyed the walk home just as much as on the way over. For those of you who don't know our area it is quite a walk over but it was worth every step to be in the sunshine.

My goal today: I did not make a goal, but I will take the walk around by neighborhood as a good replacement. Stay tune for tomorrows goal it is a good one.

so......................

Do you ever wake up so tired you just want to crawl away and cry. That was today, I must have had some busy dreams. I am lucky to day is the first Friday of the week for me. I have Wednesdays off so i will sleep in and enjoy it all.

More to say but must go to bed......

Goal today was to no say anything negative in my office. I did dang right good today. And to celebrate tomorrow I will wash my kitchen floor.

Sleep tight....Good night

Monday , Monday........

I usually don't have an issue with Mondays but today, let me lay in bed just a few more minutes enjoying the warmth, but no bladder alarm is screaming get up or you will be sorry. So up and at them sailor. I work the 7am to 530pm shift 4 days a week. This means I am up and in the shower at 505am. Now anyone who knows me knows exactly how much I dislike getting up early in the morning. I have attempted to find the good, but as to date there is nothing good about 5am. Your eyes should still be closed and your brain carrying you away in a delightful dream.
I dashed out the door at 550am to pick up Toni my carpool buddy and we were off to work. It is really nice to have someone to chat with on the way to work and honestly it makes the commute bearable. Finally today was a busy day at work, I felt liked I had earned my keep. Decembers always make me feel lazy, due to the lack of travel people are planning at that time.
The battle was put to test today in the office to watch the Bachelor or no to watch the Bachelor. The majority is watching so if I want to participate in the mindless chatter of who is a skank I had better watch just a few minutes this evening. I just have the gut feeling that I am going to get sucked in once again. I really like the mindlessness of reality t.v.

My goal today was to make dinner. This may seem like a duh Kari you make dinner each night, "oh contraire mon frair (sp try phonetics)", we at our home we are going 100 different directions and dinner falls by the way side, or rather sits on top of the fridge in the cold cereal boxes. Well we had wonderful sub sandwiches and some chips for dinner. Goal done, we ate dinner together on a Monday night.

I have got to get to sleep I am so tired. Good night sleep tight don't let the bed bugs bite!!!!!

Happy Birthday Jacob.....

This is my little brother Jacob. (borrowed from his blog/with his two daughters) Today is his birthday. I will never forget his birthday because it is exactly one month before mine. Yes we share the date of the 3rd his January and mine February. This is my special connection to Jacob. One memory I have of Jacob is helping him ask Katie so some dance, (I can't remember which one). He had me write in chalk on her sidewalk to ask her to the dance, we were so sneaky. She said yes, and to date they are married with two beautiful girls.

I wish for Jacob a year of health, happiness, and many great memories with his family.

On another note today is Sunday. I teach primary in my Church. The kids are 11-12 year old's. I love them so much, I have 5 kids from last year and another 6 new kids. I look forward to the study this year of the Old Testament. The creation of the earth to start us out. The lead question today was "if we are spirit sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father who are his parents" anyone have an answer............. I don't know the names or who they are.

My goal today was to get to church on time. This is a huge downfall for me. I only have one person to get ready that is me and I am always late. I was thinking since this year church is at 11am this should be a non-issue for me. Well I have to hang my head, goal was not accomplished, I walked in during the announcements but prior to the opening song of Sacrament Meeting. I will try again next Sunday.

My gift of knowledge and Testimony to all is " We are sons and daughters of a Heavenly Father who loves us dearly, and know the desires our our hearts".

Sleep well I pray.......

Did you take time to see it.....

Tell me you took some time just a 5 second break this evening and looked at the Moon. It was a beauty.....all yellow with a band of orange where the slight sliver was missing. I love to see the moon each night. It is a calm reassurance that the world is still moving on coarse for me. We were coming home from dinner and there it sat over the east mountains just whispering to me (yes the moon and I talk) here I am remember me.

Today was a wonderful Saturday here in Vegas, the weather was warm enough for me to sit in the garage and sand all the wood blocks I had cut, so that I can make my holiday decorations for our home. I am working on January and March right now. I already have February. This was my goal to get all the wood blocks sanded and have the January and March blocks covered in the first layer of decoration. I can proudly report my goal is done. I will have to work on the second and third layer of decoration to each block tomorrow afternoon. Sounds like a good quite Sunday activity, right....

I was introduced to "Dexter" this holiday season. I have finished Season One and Two.. the word on the street is I can also go and rent season Three. I have to say what a show. I love the whole story line of a Blood Spatter Specialist who works for the Miami Police, is also a serial killer, love it. I highly recommend this series to anyone who has the time or likes a good drama /thriller.

I will sign off tonight wishing all you out there a good night sleep with wonderful dreams.

Hugs and Kisses to Keanu, Michael, Matthew, Eliza, Leah, Huckleberry, Kennedy and Macy.......

New Year of 2010 and my 100th post

Happy New Year to you all out there.
The talk last night at our party was all about the goals to set for the New Year.
I am not a big fan of setting goals for New Years. Why? well I know myself well enough that with in 24 hours all goals are lost..... So I am going to try and set daily goals for myself. I don't think these are going to be big and life changing goals, or they could sneak up on me and change my life. Today I woke and had a conversation with myself and set two goals. One to get all the laundry done, I have to define the statement of laundry done = washed and stacked on the spare bed.

The second goal was to take a picture of the moon this first night of 2010. We have a full moon that shone this evening. The photo does not do it justice but here it is. Goal two done for the day.

Now it is time to read my scripture and say a prayer for the night. I have got to get to bed and get these bones some rest a day on the computer playing games sure can take it out of person.