Writer's Workshop - February 24th

Describe a time when someone was proud of you.

I've been struggling the past few weeks to think of anything I want to write about.  I've been struggling trying to find time to jot down the ideas that seem promising, which in turn means I've been without material for some time now.
 
I got into the office early today and decided that I may as well check-out my old standby of the Mama Kat's Writers Workshop because really?  Why not?
 
The prompt that I chose for this week seemed perfect.
 
I've been very lucky in my life to have family and friends that are, in a word, amazing.  I've been especially lucky to have my grandparents in my life.  Gram and Gramp have been my rock, through good times and bad, and I'd like to first thank them for that.
 
Throughout the years I hope that I've given my Gram and Gramp moments to be proud of me.
 
Like when I graduated High School...
 
And graduated College...
 
And when I got married...
 
And when I had Keagan.
 
But I know that the moments that really make them proud are when my old High School teachers see my Gram at the store and tell her how much they enjoyed having me in class.   Or when they see one of my coaches and they ask after me.  The little things that most people would think nothing of, the acknowledgement that their granddaughter was someone that is thought of as sweet, and caring and smart.
 
These are the moments that I hope make them proud of me.
 
I love you guys.
 

Writer's Workshop - January 6th

If the way you spent your New Year’s Eve is any indication of how the rest of the year will go, how would you say your future is looking right about now?

2010 was an amazing year for my family and I. It doesn’t seem possible that I’m already at a stage in my life that I’m a wife, a mother.,,and I’m doing pretty well at both {not great, but pretty good.} We’ve started new jobs, gotten promotions. We’ve welcomed new members {Baby Jameson} and said good-bye to others. We’ve loved, we’ve laughed.

All in all 2010 was a great year. It should come as no surprise than that we rang out 2010 in the same fashion that we rang it in. With good friends, good food, great wine.

And we were in bed at 12:15am.

If this is any indication as to what 2011 holds for us, then I say bring it on.

Mama Kat's Writers Workshop - November 4th

A Hair Disaster.

Those that know me, and especially those that have known me for a long period of time, know that I change my hair like I change socks {a tad bit of an over-exaggeration...but only a tad.}

Red, brown, black, streaked. Long, short, REALLY short, shaggy, chic.

I've been there and done it all.

So it could only be assumed that somewhere along the line I have walked out of the salon plotting death on the bitch with the scissors and wondering how on Earth I was going to hide my head for an entire semester without anyone noticing that I look like a cross between a cockapoo and a skunk.

And believe me, it has happened.

But there is one particular hair disaster that haunts me to this day.

I'm still not sure how old I was. I figure that I'm blocking out the unpleasantness and absolute horror. All I remember is that I could have won, hands down, in the poodle category of a dog show.

Yes, it's true.

I'd been permed.

Not just any perm though. Oh no. No, I was permed so tightly that you could have bounced quarters off my head.

It was horrible.

I vividly remember this picture of my sister and I, in our matching, but different color, dresses with equally matching poodle perms.

Some how Sara pulled it off.

Me? Not so much.

Unfortunately I can't find a copy of this picture to share, and I know my father is probably chuckling to himself right now because he knows EXACTLY what picture I'm talking about...so this re-enactment will have to do:

I'm still the taller sister too.

Mama Kat's Writers Workshop - October 28th

Link up and show us something you’ve created for Halloween, anything qualifies…costumes, recipes, crafts, party invites, treats, decorations etc..

Fall is one of my favorite season's, not just because of the cute kids in costumes, the awesome colors of the trees {for those of you in the South, you have NO idea what you are missing there} and the essence of cinnamon, wood fires and apples that seems to be everywhere. Yeah, those things are great and all, but the real reason I love Fall so much?

Is the food.

Shocking, right? I know.

There is something about the Fall and the flavors that accompany it that just never seem to sit right in the middle of the summer. Yeah, pumpkin pie is fantastic, but do I want it in June? Not so much.

The following recipe was shared with me by a former co-worker Sherri and I will forever be in her debt. Seriously, these cookies are to die for and truly capture the *taste* of Fall.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fudge Frosting

Ingredients:

4 cups unsifted flour
2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats (uncooked)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup of butter, softened
2 cups of firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin
1 bag (12 oz) chocolate chips

Optional:
1 container of your favorite fudge frosting.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour - salt) and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the butter, sugars, egg and vanilla until fluffy.

Add the pumpkin and mix.

Slowly add the dry ingredients.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Drop by the spoonful on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake 10 - 12 minutes, until done.

Let cool and frost with your favorite fudge frosting (optional - these are just as good without the frosting!)

Note: This is NOT my picture...I totally lost all motivation to make cookies last night, so Google Image was my BFF.

Enjoy!

Mama Kat's Writers Workshop - October 21st

About me. Do you have an about me page? Because people want to know. Write a page that describes who you are and what you’re about or spruce up your current about me page!

My current "About Me" page is well...pretty lame. Let's face it. No one *likes* writing an "About Me" page any more than they like having a job interview start off with "Tell me a little about yourself."

I mean come on.

Do you want to know that I met my husband while dancing on top of a bar? {note, this may in fact be a good jumping off point if you are interviewing for Coyote Ugly.}

Do you want to know my sign? {Cancer by the way.}

What about my favorite color or shoe size is? {Purple and 9 respectively.}

Seriously though. I always feel so self-indulgent when I try to talk about myself.

But, in the blogging world, and in the real world {two worlds that more often than not coincide} it is a necessary evil.

So what do I say?

Also, is what I'm going to write going to reflect on how I view myself?

A good friend of mine once told me a story about how when someone asked her about herself she answered "I'm a mom." She then proceeded to run screaming in the opposite direction for fear that this was the only way she (and the rest of the world) viewed herself {I may be exaggerating slightly.}

Not that she wasn't thrilled to be a mother. Not at all. It was more the feeling that the rest of her, the love of fashion, her passion for writing, her amazing ability to make people laugh weren't the things that she immediately thought of when she was asked to talk about her self.

And boy, can I totally relate.

To the point where I really don't know where to start with writing my own "About Me" page.

So what did I do?

Well I went to my Interweb friends and asked them to help me. {what else?}


@MusingMom6 asked: What are your hobbies?

Oh woman. If I could only remember.

I kid. I'm a HUGE reader. Like, anything I can get my hands on I will read. I generally stick to the same genre {think Nicholas Sparks, Nora Roberts, etc.} but recently have been trying to read some new stuff {most recently Water for Elephants which was EXCELLENT.

Also, I love to shop. To the point where I probably should seek professional help. But if it is any consolation, I'm a Target girl before I'm a Macy's girl so there is *some* silver lining. Right?

akalutts asked: If you could have an entire 24 hours to yourself, what would you do?

I must have died and gone to heaven.

Seriously? 24 WHOLE hours? To myself?

Wow.

Well, first off I would be waking up at a spa. Followed by spa day. Followed by wine. And then more spa. Did I mention wine?

Really and truly, an entire 24 hours to myself would probably render me frantic and in search of something, ANYTHING to do.

But it's nice to dream.

MamaPeanut asked: If you had to use a fruit to describe yourself what would it be ?

To which I stared blankly at the screen wondering if I should be comparing myself by size, shape, taste...what?

I mean. I'm long like a banana.

I'm sweet like an apple.

I'm {currently} red like a strawberry.

And I'd be remiss to leave out the passion fruit because...well...you know.

TotallyNot_Isha asked: How did you know your husband was the one? Cheeseeeey but I like hearing answers.

While it may be cheesy, I too like hearing these answers.

I knew that Randy was "the one" the first time he kissed me. Yes, I know that he was trying to get me into bed {oh god, my Gram is going to lose her mind} There was something so sweet and so real in the way he leaned in over the beer bottles with the techno music thumping in the background {that is an entirely different story} that got me all sorts of twitterpated. I just knew.

And now over a decade later, here we are.

So, this is my work in progress "About Me" page. I'll be linking up and opening up comments here so ask away - I'll answer most anything that won't get me arrested or cut out of my family will.

Writer's Workshop - October 14th

This weeks prompt made me think a little bit, which is nice.

Share a photo that represents how you see yourself.

At first I started google image searching "multi-tasker"...but most of these pictures included either weird non-cartoon ladies with super imposed arms coming from every orifice and well...it weirded me out.

Or, they were harried looking moms with a baby at her breast, dinner burning on the stove, a computer falling to the ground and a dog begging to be walked.

I'm not harried.

And I only burn dinner on the very rare occasion.

So I kept searching.

And searching.

And finally, inspiration.

Because really? It's all a balancing act in the end.

Mama Kats Writers Workshop - September 2nd

Childhood fears you've taken into your adult life.

I still remember it like it was yesterday.

My sister and I had been playing up the street when these two officer's kids (we lived on base housing at the time while stationed in Maryland) started bullying us. It just so happened that this week Sara and I were "friends" and there was no way in hell I was going to let a bunch of jerks pick on my little sister.

So I ran.


I ran and got some badminton rackets.


And I came back with them.

I wish I could say that I emerged victorious, putting those kids in their place and forever sealing a spot in history as the best big sister ever.

I wish that's what happened.

Nope. Instead these two kids grabbed me under a bunch of trees and held me to the ground. What they did next I will never forget.


They put caterpillars...IN. MY. HAIR.

Down my shirt.

On my face.

I'm quite seriously shuddering over here at the thought.

WHO WOULD DO SUCH A THING??

Furry little worms (and don't give me the "oh, they turn into beautiful butterflies" BS either, I don't want to hear it) EVERYWHERE!


To this day I scream like a little girl and dart across the street away from the little creepy crawling monsters. And let's not even get me started about the park during early spring, dodging the trapeze artists swinging from the trees. BLECH.

In closing, I will let each and every one of you know that I went into big-time flashback mode last week when I saw a commercial for A Live Butterfly Garden where for just $19.99 they send you TEN CATERPILLARS.

Let me just say, Keagan will NEVER receive this. So help me god.

Mama Kat Writers Workshop - July 29th

Describe a memorable camping trip.



This weeks prompt brought back some of the most fun memories I have with Randy. WAY back in 2008 we took our first Camping Trip with our friends Ray and Kristen (and our first borns).



The four of us spent two days in the most beautiful weather and stunning scenery you could ever imagine.





We set up camp and spent hours hiking (yes, me...hiking...not in stilettos either for a change). We explored the woods. We walked through the amazing gorge that had ridiculously gorgeous mini-falls everywhere.



But it wasn't the view or the hiking or the subsequent wine by the fire that made this trip so memorable.

This was our last trip before we found out I was pregnant.

Just a short month later we realized that our family was growing.

During this weekend Randy and I were given a gift of being together, laughing together, bonding together and having the time of our lives together. We were given the opportunity (unbeknownst to us) to share a special alone time that over the coming months and years we would never have again.

So yes, while we had a fantastic time with out friends on this camping trip, looking back I see now that it was the close of one chapter in our lives and the start of another. A chapter filled with more laughter, more tears, more happiness than we could have ever imagined.



Check out Mama Kat's Writers Workshop if you haven't already.

Mama Kat Writer's Workshop - July 22nd

Post a picture and a description that fits into this quote for you:

“How far to heaven? Just open your eyes and look. You are in heaven” -Shankar

This weeks prompt was pretty easy for me. Above is our first family photo. After 9 months of multiple bedrests, sciatic pain, weight gain (oh the weight gain) and being forced to wear flats (yes, forced. I would have worn my stilettos up to the very end...if Randy hadn't all but forbade it) (to be fair, I really shouldn't be wearing stilettos in CNY winter weather anyway, but definitely not while pregnant, but I digress) we finally met our son.

After re-reading that paragraph it sounds like I'm complaining about my pregnancy. I'm really not. I had a relatively easy pregnancy to be honest. I was one of those lucky few that never had morning sickness. The only food that absolutely repulsed me was chicken (and let's face it, I've eaten enough chicken in my lifetime that taking a few months off was probably a good thing). It was almost difficult to tell that I was even pregnant unless you saw me from the side.

No, I definitely wouldn't complain.

Anyway, back to the task at hand.

The morning of March 2, 2009, after all those months, after all that anticipation, we finally met our son. And with it, we saw heaven.

Check out Mama Kat's Writers Workshop if you haven't already.

Mama Kat Writers Workshop - July 8th

What would you change about your life if you could?

I'm not going to lie. When I chose this prompt I immediately said "well, I wouldn't change anything at all."

But that's not true.

I wouldn't change deciding to go all the way to Buffalo for college despite not really having any idea what I was getting myself into.

I wouldn't change meeting my husband that night at the bar.

I definitely wouldn't change our decision to have Keagan.

No, the really big decisions in my life I continue to be happy about.

Except for one.

I really and truly wish I had put my nose to the grindstone and actually gone to law school. I even took the LSATs (mind you, I really didn't study nearly as much as I should have and probably could have done much better with a little effort...but I didn't bomb it.) But I didn't. I didn't even apply anywhere. Nope, I just took the exam, and let it go at that. Now I work at a law firm...but as an assistant, not an attorney.

You don't have any idea how often I think about it. How often I say to myself "you're not too old, we'd figure out a way somehow." It's more often than you would expect.

Do I think I could do it? Absolutely. It would be tough. We'd have to totally re-vamp our standard of living, but we could do it.

Will I? ::shrug:: I honestly don't know. But it's nice to dream.

Check out Mama Kat's Writers Workshop if you haven't already.

Mama Kat Writers Workshop – July 1st

While visiting over at Charmingly Chandler I was directed to Mama Kat's Writers WorkShop and I thought - hey, what a great idea to get my creative juices flowing again. So, here we go.

Write a list of 10 things that are sure to put a smile on your face when you are not happy.

1. A smacking kiss from my husband, son or pup.

2. A surprise cup of coffee in the middle of the afternoon delivered by the tall, bald and handsome man in my life.

3. Chocolate. 'Nuff said.

4. Reading, usually a book that I've read a gazillion times over (hello Harry Potter series).

5. Talking to my Gram.

6. Retail. Therapy. It works when nothing else will.

7. Hearing from an old friend.

8. My son. His laugh is contagious.

9. My husband. His laugh is contagious.

10. Cuddle time on the couch, in the middle of the day.

Check out Mama Kat's Writers Workshop if you haven't already.