Another Day In Paradise

Cloudy

2009-03-04T18:46:00.002-06:00

Cloudy is the way my mind is feeling today. I have just felt very slow on the draw. And I am talking about everything that I have done today has been slow. Which makes working a bit hard especially when you need to be fast about a medical or a serious accident. Luckily today was not very busy and there were no serious accidents. A few medicals, but I think the adrenaline kicked in and got me through those. Now I am finally home and ready to relax for the rest of the night.

I think that I may be getting a cold. My face is a little tingly, my teeth hurt, and the cloudiness is still there. It will be early to bed for me tonight. Probably some nyqil will also be used to assure a good nights sleep. I call it the nyqil induced coma.

Parents

2009-03-03T15:20:00.002-06:00

I have been all over town today and something that I am seeing/hearing more often is kids talking back to their parents. It has completely gotten out of control. I sat down for lunch today and listened to a young girl yelling at her mother on her cell phone. So much for a peaceful lunch! I was trying to read a book. It was after the lunch rush...seriously there were like 3 tables occupied in the whole restaurant, but I thought that it was really rude. Not necessarily to me, but to the parent on the phone. I don't recall ever really talking to my parents that way. I would have gotten into some trouble if I even tried. It just blows my mind how disrespectful some kids are today. I am not saying that it is all kids, just some.

Dinner

2009-03-03T10:33:00.003-06:00

Last night was great. Scott and I went to the casino for the buffet. The food was okay, but the company was great. It has been a while since we were able to just sit down and chat. We both really enjoyed ourselves. It made me realize that we are way too busy and we need to set more time aside for just the 2 of us. Away from the house and all of it's distractions. I am thinking that we need to do this once a week or once every other week. It was really nice and refreshing for both of us. The stress from the past days/weeks was not present and it was just us. It was really awesome.

Daily Chores

2009-03-02T17:08:00.003-06:00

I love when the daily chores are done and you can just sit back and relax! It is really rewarding. It is also rewarding when your significant other comes home and realizes the work that you have done. And they say something to you about how nice it looks. Chores accomplished.

Now I can go to dinner and not think about the things that I left for tomorrow. Tomorrow is it's own list of chores. So for tonight I get to sit back, enjoy the buffet at the casino, watch some tv, read some of my book, and just be.

So excited for Chuck and 24 tonight. Also can't wait to start the new James Patterson book. Can't wait!

Gossip

2009-03-02T11:04:00.003-06:00

Why do people gossip so much? Do they not realize that it is hurtful toward the person they are directing it? It just really gets old! And living in a small town makes it even worse. Everyone already knows too much about everyone else's business, but then they try to create their own version of what has happened. It just sucks!

I try to stay out of the gossip, which isn't as hard now as it used to be. I used to love to sit and gossip... especially when I was at work, but now it really bothers me. I have even had someone concerned about me because of my lack of gossipping! That is when you know it is bad. I now have come to hate it and do not like it going on around me. I no longer participate, even though sometimes it is really hard to keep my mouth shut. I am learning to be quiet.

Thank You God

2009-03-02T08:51:00.003-06:00

It is amazing how things just seem to fall into place. Things have been pretty tight in our family as far as money goes, but we are still making it. I don't really know how we are staying afloat, but it is happening. It must be an answer to prayer. That is the only thing that I can come up with. God is so good!

Tagged

2008-05-05T19:31:00.002-05:00

I was tagged by Penny 'n' Pound. I am finally getting around to it as we had a jam packed weekend. I am supposed to post 6 quirky things about myself and tag 6 other people. So first off I am going to tag:

Everyone Needs A Ride
Nellie's Nook
T Woman
Teachbroeck(when she returns)

That is it, only 4. I am kind of new to this whole thing.

Okay, here are 6 quirky things about me.

1)All of the food on my plate cannot touch. I am very picky about this. Corn and mash potatoes were so not meant to be mixed!
2)Along with the food not touching, I only eat 1 thing at a time. I will completely finish one portion of my plate before I go onto the next.
3)I am a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to certain things. The bed sheets have to be perfectly lined up and pulled up to about my forehead. Scott hates this!
4)I think that I am the only person over 21 who goes to a bar and orders a kitty cocktail. We have dubbed them Katie Cocktails at our local hangout.
5)When I buy a new notebook or journal I don't always start writing on the first page. Sometimes I start in the middle or go from the back to the front.
6)When I butter toast or put cream cheese on a bagel, it has to be all the way out to the edges. I have to have the butter/cream cheese all over the piece otherwise I won't eat it.

There you have it! 6 little quirky things about me.

Champagne Thursdays?

2008-04-29T15:19:00.004-05:00

Has anyone seen the movie Failure to Launch? I like the idea of champagne Thursdays. It sounds like a fun tradition to start. I really like champagne and Thursday is the day my hubby is off work, could I ask for more?

Anyway, the last few days have been a bit busy. I had the absolute pleasure of babysitting my niece yesterday. That is always fun! She is a total cutie and is so hilarious. I had her repeating sentences that were just funny. My parents have some coasters from Outback Steakhouse(yeah, I know that is weird!) that say funny things like, "I am so hungry I could eat a cow." Yeah, I had Ellie saying this! It was hilarious! Your welcome Kris and Greg! She totally wore me out though. I could have used a nap in the afternoon.

Then it was off to Culver's for dinner with Mom and Dad and Ellie and Kris. We called Scott, but he was really busy at work and unable to make it. Ellie is always the center of attention whenever we go anywhere and she always keeps us laughing and smiling. God bless her!

Today was a bit busy also. I got up at took care of the dogs and then got ready to do some much needed grocery shopping. I spent $160 at the grocery store. This is just for 2 people and it will last probably about a week, two if we are lucky! So after shopping I came home and whipped up some lunch for Scott and the boys at work. About 2 years ago I bought a little Pillsbury cookbook that you can buy at the checkout at the grocery store. Anyway, it was a chicken pot pie casserole recipe and I haven't been able to find the exact recipe for the last 2 years. So I went on their website and found the back issue for the book that I had lost and I purchased it. It took a little while to get it, because get this...it was on back order. It is an October 2005 issue and it is on back order...huh? Oh well, I finally got it and was able to make it for Scott and Jon today. They both enjoyed it and almost ate the entire pan. Scott really appreciated it and I love being able to do little things like that for him.

So I am on my own tonight, Scott had a Twins game to attend. He and his dad have season tickets.

Did I mention that we are buying a motorcycle? I really can't wait. I am super excited. I miss our old bike! I can't believe I am saying this! We went to the dealer to look into financing today and are just waiting to hear back if we can purchase some accessories for it before we get it. As soon as we get it, there will be pictures posted. I guess we need to buy new leathers too. We sold them when we sold our last bike. I really can't wait...can you tell?

Gotta run, Raven is outside barking at the neighbor and probably driving him crazy.

Can't seem to kick it...

2008-04-27T16:57:00.002-05:00

I can't seem to kick this cold crap. I thought that it was gone, but this weekend has been hard. I came home sick from work last night and today I worked a little over a half day. I have been getting lots of rest and have been drinking lots of fluids, but I just can't kick it. I came home and made cheesy chicken tortilla soup. Yummy! I am going to head off to bed here shortly.

Hope everyone is keeping warm if you are up here in MN or if you are somewhere else I hope the weather is beautiful for you. Our furnace is dead, so we are making it through these next few cold days and hopefully we will have central air and a new furnace for this summer and next winter.

I am going to finish my soup, say goodnight to my hubby and head off for bed.

Dinner, Weather, and Excitement

2008-04-24T09:06:00.002-05:00

Last night we headed over to Stew and Marie's for dinner. It was delicious...stuffed mushrooms, caesar salad, cheesy bacon twice baked potatoes, breaded mustard chicken, and chocolate cake. And a bottle of Shiraz. It all was awesome! The company was great too. They just bought their house a month ago and are recently engaged. I look forward to many more dinners with them!

I am looking out the window at the yucky weather! I wish it could be nice today like it was Tuesday and Wednesday, but no. Scott and I have the day off together and it has to be crappy outside. That stinks! I was hoping we could hit up the bike trail for a ride today. Don't think that is going to happen. Oh well, the grass and flowers with definitely enjoy the rain. April showers bring May flowers, right?

Today we are meeting with the owners of the business we are buying. I am really excited! They are going to give us the price for the store as a whole and some figures so we can finish out business plan. I cannot wait for this thing to be done and for Kris, Greg, Scott, and I to walk into OUR store and just be! Oh, white chocolate mocha here I come! I am going to become addicted to coffee I can just feel it. I can't wait!

Wow, 3 in a row!

2008-04-23T10:51:00.002-05:00

Don't get to used to it, I am sure that I will flub it up one of these days.

I just need to share something that my husband said last night that really touched my heart. He had a frustrating day at work yesterday and when he came home last night, he was sharing it with me. Then he said something to this effect, "Today was really frustrating, but that is okay because I get to come home to you, these 2 buttheads(our dogs), and this house." That made my night. I thanked him for saying such a thing! It is nice to hear this every once in a while.

I love that Scott can come home and share his day with me. I am just a listener. I don't give feedback unless I feel that it is necessary. It is just him trying to vent his day so I sit with open ears and just listen. Sometimes that is all people need, just someone to listen to them.

God gave us 1 mouth and 2 ears. We should listen twice as much as we talk. This is something that is hard for me as I like to talk things to death! I really need to remind myself of this.

My 100 Things...

2008-04-22T20:12:00.004-05:00

I have seen others do this list and have never really thought about it before, but since I am sick and can't think of anything better to do tonight...here I go.

1. I am stubborn, just ask any of my family members.
2. I love my husband very much, he is my other half.
3. We have 2 dogs, Raven and Junior.
4. We bought Raven right after we bought our house and we were only supposed to have Junior for the weekend and we have now had him for over a year.
5. I don't travel without my pillow...I love my pillow.
6. I listen to KTIS 99% of the time.
7. I love to talk about anything and I will talk it to death.
8. I read more books that I watch movies in a year. I love books.
9. I have rediscovered the library, because I think Scott will kill me if I bring home another book that I have purchased.
10. I love huge, oversized sweatshirts...even though my husband hates them.
11. I have amazing people in my life who love and support me. I love to love them and support them back.
12. I love to counsel people.
13. I want to go back to school.
14. I am a 911 dispatcher.
15. My lucky number is 3.
16. A few of my favorite bible verses are Jer 29:11, 2 Tim 1:7, Luke 1:37, Ecc 4:12, John 3:16, and 1 Cor 13:4-7, 13.
17. I love that my husband loves to cook. I would probably starve otherwise.
18. I love peach tea. I drank a gallon of it today.
19. I love fountain pop and I love drinking from straws.
20. I find baking to be very therapeutic.
21. Sudoku rocks.
22. I am a very emotional person, but love myself for that.
23. I have had more cars since I have been married than I had when I was single.
24. I loved my Aztek the best. I waited a long time to get that car.
25. I am not very good at blogging. As you are all very well aware.
26. I have a bizarre issue with having my food touching on my plate. Scott is trying to break this habit, but it is still holding strong as of now.
27. I am good at multi-tasking, which make my job easier, but I can't multi-task worth crap when I am at home.
28. I am not very good at making decisions, but when I am at work and have to make a split second decision I can do it without missing a beat. Figure that one out.
29. I just take a really long time to make a decision. I can't just be thrown into something.
30. I can't believe that I have come up with this many things in one sitting.
31. I am really bad at cleaning...apparently my sister inherited all of those jeans from my father.
32. I am a very patient person...which my sister didn't really inherit much of.
33. I love Diet Mountain Dew. I can't drink the real stuff anymore...it is way too sweet. Didn't think I would ever love a diet soda more then the regular.
34. I love any kind of food...mexican, italian, american, chinese, thai, etc. I just love food.
35. I used to hate flip flops, the piece between the toes used to drive me crazy. Now that is all I wear in the summer. My husband used to have the same problem until he married me.
36. I love the saying, "Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want".
37. My husband make really great smoothies. He needs to learn to make a Pomamango smoothie like Caribou.
38. I used to hate the color yellow, but now I have a yellow kitchen and dining room. I guess it grew on me.
39. I won't chew on my fingernails if they have polish on them. That goes for my toes too. Just kidding!
40. I love Half Baked ice cream. I really don't care for chocolate ice cream, but this combination really seems to do it for me. I bought 2 little cartons of it today. One is for Scott if he gets to it before I do.
41. I love to sing to the radio. I don't do this in front of people as I am not very good at it. I hum if other people are around and it drives Scott crazy.
42. I want to make wedding cakes at some point in my life.
43. I really like the color pink, more of a fuchsia than a pastel pink.
44. I dye my hair dark for the fall and winter and light for the spring and summer.
45. I love Nichole Nordeman. She is very inspirational and has the best lyrics.
46. The best time of spring is right at the beginning when you get to start opening your windows and let the breeze blow through.
47. Fall is my favorite time of the year. I love wearing sweaters and sweatshirts with flip flops and going to the apple orchard.
48. I have a few very close friends. You all know who you are. I love all of you and am glad God brought you into my life. You all have such different things to offer.
49. We went to Door County, WI for our honeymoon. I am looking forward to the day we can go back! It was so beautiful there. Lots of good site seeing.
50. Wow, I am half way there.
51. My family is very important to me. I believe I have the best family that God could offer anyone. They are my best friends.
52. I am amazed by my niece everytime I see her. She is going to be 2 next month and always has something new to say or show you.
53. I can't wait for the day that Scott and I have our first child!
54. I would also like to adopt children.
55. We would definitely need a bigger house at that point.
56. I love to travel, but haven't done much lately. Scott and I are going to Milwaukee for the Twins/Brewers games in June. I can't wait.
57. I love to scrapbook and bought a little scrapbook to do after our trip.
58. My dad is the best at doing laundry. I wish that I could pay him to do mine. He can fold a sheet like you wouldn't believe. I think that he should teach a community ed class about folding clothes.
59. There was a girl in high school who used to tease me about my clothes, because they always looked new. They had a crease down the front from being folded so perfectly by my dad.
60. Yes, my dad did my laundry. He always made sure that I brought my laundry home from college so he could do it for me.
61. My mom is a beautiful woman! She thinks that her salt and pepper hair makes her look old, but it just makes her more beautiful.
62. My mom is a great cook/baker. I learned to bake from her and my grandmother. I have some of their recipes that I will someday share with my children.
63. This is going to be a really long entry!
64. I am really excited about my meeting tomorrow night. We are meeting with the owners of a business that we are looking into buying. They are going to give us figures and a price. I can't wait!
65. I wish my backyard was fenced in so I could send my dogs outside for the day. And I could go out there and throw the ball with them.
66. My kitchen is so nice! I love how the remodel turned out. It was a pain in the butt during the remodel, but the end result made it worth the hassle.
67. I love that I can have Diet Mountain Dew and Half Baked ice cream for breakfast.
68. I want to write a book someday. I don't know what it will be about. I just know that I want to write one.
69. I love Meg Cabot, James Patterson, Karen Kingsbury, Dee Henderson, etc. I love reading books by these people.
70. I love books that make you cry and laugh at the same time.
71. I need to spend more time reading my Bible.
72. I am looking forward to starting a devotional book with my husband. It is about reconnecting. I can't wait!
73. I can't wait for the day that I can accept a compliment and say thank you instead of brushing it off.
74. I love juicy pear Jelly Bellys. They were the treat that we gave to the guests at our wedding. We were the "Perfect Pair".
75. I want to take Scott to Hawaii some day. I went there for spring break in 2000. I know that Scott will love it there!
76. I love giving gifts to other people. I wish I had more money to give to others.
77. I am not very good at journaling. I used to do it all the time, but have kind of gotten out of the habit.
78. I like my job, but it isn't something I want to do for the rest of my life.
79. My job has made me nosy. I don't really like this trait. It seems to be very negative.
80. I love that God gives me scripture that is relevant to the problem that I am having. I just need to open my ears and listen to him.
81. I like spending time alone. This is new for me. I never used to like this.
82. I like houses that look lived in. I take it as a compliment that someone can come into my house and dig through my fridge for something to drink/eat.
83. I picked out my own wedding ring. I just didn't know when I was going to get it.
84. I have lived in one town all my life. I did leave to go to college, but never really left my hometown. I am proud to be from here!
85. I love to watch sports, especially hockey, football, baseball, and tennis. I love tennis. I need to get back out there and start playing again.
86. I need to learn to be better with my money. I spend too much! I am trying to change this, but it is really hard.
87. I love going to women's conferences! The Women Of Faith is one of my favorites! They come to MN every October. I am really looking forward to seeing them this year. They get you back on track. Lisa Bevere is another amazing speaker.
88. I do not have a green thumb. I have the thumb of death. I can't keep a plant alive for the life of me. They are doomed as soon as I buy them.
89. I worked at Perkin's for years(7) before I got my real job as a dispatcher.
90. I really like my boss. I am really going to miss her when I leave my current job. She is really funny and makes me laugh constantly!
91. I love to laugh! Whether it is at myself or at something funny. I love laughing until I cry.
92. I think that hard work is good for the soul. I like to be able to look at something I have done and feel accomplished.
93. I like to see the positive in things. I don't really have time for negativity! It takes you in too many directions.
94. I am really bad at surprises! I can't keep them in. I have to tell someone! I have one in store for my husband and all I want to do is tell him. I don't know how much longer I can keep it in! It is such a little surprise, but I am having a hard time keeping it to myself.
95. I need to understand that change is scary, but that doesn't mean it is bad. Change can be very positive, you just have to make it that way.
96. I love being outdoors! Especially when the sun it out.
97. I really wish I had a hammock so I could lay outside and read a book without the ants crawling on me. And it wouldn't matter if I fell asleep! It would also be fun to lay in at night at watch the stars. The other night was perfect for this.
98. I wish that they wouldn't cut parts out of movies when they show them on tv. The movie just isn't the same when it isn't shown in it's entirety.
99. There is an exercise bike that has been sitting in our backyard since the day we moved in. It is kind of a conversation piece.
100. I hope you all take the time to read these and learn a little bit more about me!

Mmmmm Peach Tea

2008-04-22T11:32:00.002-05:00

I am sick at home again! :( So tired of having colds. I guess it could be worse...I could have the flu constantly. I think that I will stick with the cold. I have called in sick the last 2 days and now I have 2 days off. Hopefully I will be feeling better to return to work for the weekend.

I have seriously drank 2 quarts of peach tea already today. Mmmmmmmmm! I know that you need lots of fluids when you have a cold, so I am trying to flush it out with some delicious peach tea.

I am so glad that spring is finally here. Yesterday was gorgeous. I really didn't get to spend anytime outside, but I did step out a few times when I was putting the dogs on the leash and when I went to get the mail. It was beautiful! Then last night at a little after 1, S and I were awoken to a ridiculously loud crack of thunder. Seriously, it sounded like the War of the Worlds was happening in our bedroom! We were both awake for a while after that. It was so loud.

As you all are probably aware, I am really bad at this whole blogging thing! I am not going to promise that I am going to get better, because I probably won't and I don't want to break any promises. But I will try to improve to at least once a month. I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but that is a major commitment for me. If you happen to see me blog more than once a month, consider yourself blessed!

Sorry if there are any errors in this, but I am typing without my glasses on. Can't really see worth a darn!

Yesterday...

2008-03-08T10:25:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was a blast! I had the privilege of spending the day with some of my favorite people. First off, I picked up E from G in the morning and then we went and visited K at work. E was happy to see her and she justed wanted her mom. So after that E and I went grocery shopping and awaited the call from KQ, one of my girlfriends. KQ and I were going to spend the day baking cakes for her boyfriend's, J's, birthday. So E and I did some quick grocery shopping and then hauled off to Target to pick up a gift for KQ to give to J. KQ new exactly what she was wanted, so E and I picked it up for her. After Target, E and I hit up McD's for some lunch and dropped off a bag to the dealership for S. Then it was off to KQ's house for some fun. E is a little afraid of dogs and KQ has 2 cockers, so it was going to be interesting once we got there. We got to KQ's and as soon as we were inside, E started crying about the dogs, but that only lasted about 30 seconds, because Auntie K is great at diversions. I pulled out color crayons and a coloring book and sat E on the counter and away she went. The dogs were no longer a concern!

We actually beat KQ to her house, so we waited just a few minutes and she arrived home with her groceries. As E was coloring, KQ and I got to baking some cakes. As you all know I love to watch the Food Network and I love to bake. KQ and I had found this recipe off of the show Barefoot Contessa. It was a chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. It is to die for! So we whipped up the cake and threw it in the oven and sat E down to watch Shrek2. E was so tired, so she laid down for a 2 hour nap. KQ and I just sat around and talked and started on the frosting. The frosting on this cake is almost better than sex! It is that good! S, I said almost! Anywho, the frosting on this cake is enough to clog a few arteries, but it is amazing! There are 6 sticks of butter in it. I know that that sounds like a lot, but it makes a ton of frosting! We made a 3 layer cake and still had enough frosting left to probably frost another cake and a batch of brownies! There was a ton of frosting!

The next step of the cake was to dye some fondant and cover the cake. KQ and I have never played with fondant before, but it was kind of like Playdo. It was really fun. She dyed a section of the fondant black, as we were making a racing theme cake and it was going to look like a checkered flag...I know we are pretty creative! I rolled out some plain white fondant to cover the entire cake with. I was under the impression that fondant tasted terrible and it was only used because it made cakes look really nice. Not true at all. I was feeling daring and decided that I would take a bite of the fondant. It was really good. Not something that I think I would eat a lot of, because I would end up with a terribly belly ache, but good enough to have a few bites. I had to leave KQ's before the cake was complete, because I had to get the groceries home for S to make dinner.

I made it home just at 6 and S was already home prepping for dinner. I was told that my parents were coming over for dinner. Jeff was here hanging out and having a beer with S. So I made E some dinner and she sat at the table with Jeff and ate. E loves mandarin oranges. She ate a ton of then yesterday! I also discovered that she likes blueberries. Jeff hung out for a little bit while E was at the house. K came and got E and stayed and chatted for a bit.

My parents got to the house a little bit later and we drank some wine while S finished dinner. He was making his amazing pasta dish...one of them. My parents haven't been over for dinner since we finished the kitchen and dining room, so they were impressed with all of the work and changes that have been made. Dinner was awesome as always and my parents enjoyed it. Hopefully it didn't bother Dad's stomach. It is a little touchy sometimes.

All in all, it was a great day. I can't think of a better day than that, except maybe my wedding day! I got to see most of my favorite people all in one day. That doesn't happen too often!

Now today I get to go see more of my favorite people. I have a baby shower for E and then we have J's birthday party tonight. Yummo! We get to finally eat cake! I can't wait!

Tata,
Kt

Sick of being sick!

2008-03-05T12:23:00.002-06:00

I am so sick of having the crud! I am sick of having to use sick time! I know that it is there to be used for such purposes, but I hate being sick and missing work. I have had this for almost 2 weeks and no I haven't gone to the doctor, because it will be a waste of my time. They will tell me that I have the crud and I need to rest and drink lots of fluids. I have been doing all of these things regularly lately.

I am sick of sleeping and am not all that tired, so I have been cleaning. I know that doesn't sound like fun either, but things just need to be cleaned up. I am not overworking myself as I don't feel well and should be sitting in front of the tv relaxing. I will do that in a little while.

It is snowing...again! I am so sick of this weather! I just want spring to be here already! I want to be able to not wear a jacket and not have to worry about sliding on some ice and getting in an accident. I just want everything to melt and be done. March is always the worst when it comes to snow in our area. Last year the worst snow days fell on days that I had to work! YUCK! Talk about being busy. I hope the girls aren't too busy today! I fell bad being home, but I don't want to get anyone else sick. I know that they can handle it, but it is always nicer to have 3 working instead of 2. Sorry D and M!

I am going to go finish tidying up and then I am going to go and watch some Food Network and play some Sudoku. Talk to ya soon.

Kt

Appraisal coming up...

2008-03-04T13:22:00.002-06:00

So we are refinancing on the house...again. And the appraiser(sp?) will be coming next week to hopefully tell us that our house is worth a certain amount that we have fixed in our minds. But the down side is that we have to clean. Now we have done some major construction in our home and things have not been totally put back together yet. That is why the cleaning needs to be done. I have been cleaning for 2 days and will probably be spending my weekend off cleaning also. Did I mention we really need a cleaning lady? K are you listening? Anyway, the refinance is going to allow us to pay off a bunch of debt. Which will be great when we can actually put money in our savings account. I don't really remember what that is like seeing as it is winter and we have almost completely drained our savings. The whole business adventure will be much easier if we have a significant amount of money in our savings! I know S will agree with me on that one. Anyway I am off to clean somemore. I have a friend coming over who is going to be using my computer, so I thought that I better post quickly. Yeah right we all know I am really good at posting!! Hahahahaha! Talk to ya soon.

Kt

Psycho Suzi's

2008-02-28T19:48:00.003-06:00

S and I jumped in the truck on Sunday to head to the cities and go where ever the road led us. I wanted to take him to Cafe Latte on Grand Ave, but after driving by and seeing how busy they were he decided he didn't want to eat there. He has never eaten there before and I know that he would really enjoy it, but anyway. We drove by and were going to head some place else. I mentioned a sports bar in the area, but he didn't like that idea either. He said there was another place the he wanted to find. He didn't really know where we were going, but thought he new the area where the restaurant would be located. Did I mention S and I love the Food Network? That is how this whole adventure started. After leaving Grand Ave, we headed to north Minneapolis to find Psyco Suzi's Motor Lounge and Tiki Bar. I know it is a mouthful, but the hours of trying to find it was totally worth it!!! Back to the Food Network, S was watching a show called Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and they were featuring this Tiki Bar that we were looking for. S thought that it looked like a place that we would enjoy. So onto dinner. We loved it!! We tried some appetizers and then had pizza. It was delicious!!! And we couldn't leave without having one of their specialty drinks. We ordered a fruity number, can't remember what it was called, but it was YUMMY!!!

We continued towards home after Psycho Suzi's, did some grocery shopping and then headed over to the Harbor. Yes I know, you are saying to yourself right now, the Harbor on a Sunday...what were you thinking? Well, we met a friend of S's over there for a few drinks. We got home around 8 pm...I think... and headed straight for bed.

Hopefully this has nothing to do with Psycho Suzi's, but I spend the majority of my night in another room of my house...and NO, I wasn't puking! I had to call in sick for work the next day, because I finally go to bed around 3 am. So all in all, it was a great day spent with my hubby!!! I look forward to many more days like this!!! Minus the bathroom part!

We look forward to taking family and friends with us to Psycho Suzi's next time we go. We know some people who enjoy food as much as we do!!!

Well, I am going to get back to watching some TV before I have to head for bed. S is off bowling...hopefully he is doing great.

'Til next time...
Kt

Homicide...the word of the day!

2008-01-20T19:21:00.000-06:00

Well, looks like my quiet Sunday was turned into the day from hell. There was a homicide in my pretty little town last night. Looks like some people just can't get along. Well, this makes my day crazy! With newsies calling and people related to the victim calling, my day was packed. Then not to mention the search being on for the suspects. There were so many officers and investigators on today that I couldn't keep them all straight. It is nice in my line of work that you become very familiar with voices. You can pretty much know who the person is just by hearing them say hello or just by catching a little of what they are saying on the radio. That is a godsend! Today with how many people were working we would have been lost if we did not have the years of experience that we have. We have pretty much worked at least a few shifts with every officer/deputy/investigator/trooper that was working. So my sudoku playing Sunday was nonexistent. Oh well, at least the day went really fast. The suspects were apprehended and have been hauled to jail. There is nothing better than to close an icr(complaint) with an arrest. Especially when it is a homicide.

So home I came right after work. I am spent and am really looking forward to sleeping tonight and not having to be up by 6 a.m. And what better to come home to than a pot of chili and a steak dinner. No we are not eating both tonight. The pot of chili is for the next week as leftovers. But the steak, garlic mash potatoes, asparagus, and crescent rolls are for dinner tonight! It looks like it is almost done, so I am going to boogey.

My growling stomach says goodnight,
Kt

By the way the chili tastes great. I had to have a little taste!

Not Much Happening

2008-01-16T09:25:00.000-06:00

Work has been a bit crazy lately. We have had a lot of newsies calling about an explosion that happened in the area. Well, it was some guy who decided to blow up a dump truck in his front yard. He is currently in our jail and will be facing several charges. The problem with this event is that he lives near a Nuclear Plant. You can read more about this at the website for the Republican Eagle Newspaper. There have been several articles. I believe that the Minneapolis/St Paul newspapers have also been covering the event. Enough about that!

My sis and I are talking about opening our own gift shop in our pretty little town. We went to B and N the other day and bought a bunch of books on starting your own business. We also sent in a request to a group called SCORE who helps people start businesses and gives out business advise. It is a group of retired business men and women who are putting their expertise to work for others. We filled out a form for SCORE and are waiting to hear back about setting up an appt with them. My sis and I have both worked in gift shops before. K worked in one for about 10 yrs. and I worked at the same shop on and off for several years. We are also looking for a space for our store. There are not many spaces available at this time in our town, but there is one building that we both love. The only problem is you can't rent the building, you have to buy it. And there are 2 apts above the storefront. I don't know if we have the funds available to start and business and buy a building. We also run across the issue of finding quality renters. I think that we need to just sit down and talk about it and maybe take a look at the building. Who knows, maybe we will absolutely love it all and want to buy it. Probably not, but who knows!

Anyway, there isn't much going on today. S is at work and I am obviously sitting at my computer catching up on things. I am going to say bye for now. Maybe I will post again tonight depending upon what happens during my day.

Tata for now,
Kt

Mmmmmm Good!

2008-01-13T20:41:00.000-06:00

We had the most amazing dinner tonight! Have I ever mentioned how great of a cook my husband is? Well, he is absolutely amazing! Tonight we had jumbo pasta shells, stuffed with cream cheese, fresh mozzerella cheese, cottage cheese, parsley, and minced andoili sausage. S made his own pasta sauce which is really good! A caesar salad with this really good dressing. It is Lite.hou.se dressing. I found it at Wa.lmar.t. It is in the produce section. It is the best caesar dressing I have found out there. Anyway, back to dinner. S baked the stuffed shells and them plated them with a bit of pasta sauce and more andoili sausage. Ohhhhhhhh so good! And for dessert we had a trifle with cubes of pound cake, strawberries, raspberries, whip cream, and some strawberry puree. Mmmmmm good! This was our second meal in our new dining room. Yes, the remodel is just about done. It has been a long few months between the kitchen and the breezeway/dining room, but there is an end in sight! The last few things that we need are doors for the coat closet and trim work. We are thinking about putting a stained glass window in this cut out area that we have. We just need to find a large enough window that won't break the bank. It may be a while before we find the right piece and get it all finished. At least the room is usable. We bought a new dining set from Slum.ber.land. It is really nice. It is a table with drop leaves, 4 chairs, and a long bench. I really like the bench. We actually bought 2 benches and one is being used near the entry to sit on to take your shoes off. The room as a whole looks great.

Kt and J came over for dinner tonight to enjoy the amazing meal with us. They are great company and are very appreciative about everything. I don't know how many times Kt said how great the meal was. I am not complaining about this as I completely agree with her. It is just really nice to know that she genuinely enjoys spending time with us. I don't know how many times we clinked our glasses, but it was a few. She also brought over a little house warming gift for us now that our house has become our home. It was alcohol. I can't think of a better gift than some great drinks. So of course we had to crack them open and have a few drinks. We had espresso martinis, which S has dubbed as capatinis, as they have 4 shots of espresso in them. They were delicious! I am not much of a martini fan, but these were good. Then we opened an always tasty bottle of E and D's wine. It was their cherry version. Wow that was good too!

All in all the night was really fun. Kt and I got to bs while the guys made the entire meal. Yes, you heard me correct, the guys made the entire meal while we sat and drank martinis. Could life get any better?

Well, I am off to bed. Now that I am on days I have to get to bed earlier. Just a note to Kt and J. We love your company and look forward to many more meals shared with you two! Hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as we did.

Off to bed,
Kt

Oh... if you want to see pics of the meal and our new breezeway/dining room, check out S's blog, everyoneneedsaride.blogspot.com.

Rambling....

2008-01-09T22:24:00.001-06:00

I know that I just completely rambled, but just go with it. I am pretty tired. :)

I am loving days!

2008-01-09T22:06:00.000-06:00

So I am finally back on days. It only took about a year for us to hire and train the right person for the job. We went through two hiring processes and had one failure, but are finally almost fully staffed again. We are finding that the younger generation can handle the training process that comes with being a dispatcher. Now I am not saying that someone who is older can't do the job, I am just saying that they have not had as much computer experience as some of us younger adults. We have had a few people that were over 40 who were hired to do this job and the have washed out(as in did not get through the training, because they just couldn't do the job). This totally sucks, because we have to completely train them and give them the full opportunity to develop the skills. Luckily some people just decide to quit and not finish the training, but others have decided to go through with the whole 3 month training process and then wash out. This totally sucks for me, because I am at that point in my seniority that I get tossed from days to nights and back again. As you can see from the title, I am back on days. It has only been 4 shifts, so I am not getting my hopes up quite yet. Although the person who is almost done with training is doing a great job and seems to get the whole picture and can really multi-task. That is a huge part of the job. If you can't listen to two conversations at once, while typing up a complaint and running someone's license plate all at the same time as listening to what calls your partner(s) are taking, then this is not the job for you. It is a difficult job for someone who can't do all of the above things at once. Amazingly there are 12 people who work in my office who are pretty great at this and we all work pretty well together.

Anyway, back to the whole working days and loving it. Did I mention that I really like to spend time with my husband? I find this very difficult when I am working nights and he is working days. I kind of feel like I have a roommate that I sleep with and really don't ever see. It is very difficult! If you have never had to do this, you are a very lucky person. It totally sucks! So I am now working from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Yes, they are pretty long shifts...11.5 hrs, but when you work 2 days one week and 5 days the next it isn't too bad. The weekends get a little long when you have to work 3 shifts in a row, but it is doable. So now that I have had a whole whopping 4 shifts on days, I am really enjoying the time that I am able to spend with S. We have been home together the last few nights. It is taking some adjusting for both of us, but we are up for the challenge. I have worked nights since we started and dating and pretty much the whole time that we have been together. So adjusting to me being on days is going to take a little bit of time. S is a great cook and I love being at home at night to watch him cook these amazing meals. I sit on a dining room chair with my glass of wine and just am mesmerized by his cooking ability. It is really fun to watch. He is very NOT by the book, which I am not used to. I grew up with my mother making amazing meals that were cooked strictly by the recipe. It is fun to see S add a little bit of this and a little bit of that without really measuring it out. He goes strictly by taste and smell. I love it. He should have his own cooking show on Foo.d Net.work.

That is enough for tonight, I have to get to bed as 6 a.m. is going to come really quick. Sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite!

Night,
Kt

Now Don't Pass Out!

2008-01-08T18:30:00.000-06:00

I know my last post said that I would write that week, but things kind of got away from me.

Since my last entry, I have become another year older(puting me at a whopping 26), held another Thanksgiving at my home, my dad became another year older, we celebrated another Christmas with family and friends, I puked my guts out from the flu, we rang in another New Year with loved ones, and unfortunately mourned the loss of my grandmother. There was a lot of stuff in between, but these were the major events.

How about if we start with my birthday. It was a blast! In my family you don't really have a birthday, you have a birthweek or birthweekend. This would have been the first week of November. Yes, it has been that long! The first time we celebrated my birthweek, was with our friends Kt and J. I went over to Kt's earlier in the day and she and I made a cake. This wasn't your ordinary cake. It was kind of a tiered wedding cake. We really wanted to make one and what better excuse than a birthday. It was really fun. Her kitchen was a mess when it was all over, but the cake looked great. It was 2 tiers and have little purple flowers all over it. Right about the time we were finishing the cake, S and J showed up to make some dinner. We had an awesome meal! Halibut, chicken, garlic/parsley red potatoes, and mediterranean vegetables...yum! The meal was amazing! Then we had the cake and coffee for dessert. Who could ask for a better meal? Well, my mom is a pretty good cook too, so we had supper at my parents house the next night. My mom made her famous chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. One of my favorite meals. She makes the best chicken gravy! Kt and J came over along with K, G, and E and my parent's neighbor F. It was a blast.

Then comes Thanksgiving. This was the 4th Thanksgiving held at our home, but the first one in the new kitchen. It was much easier with the open floor plan that we are creating. The kitchen is pretty much complete, the only thing left to do is the trim. It looks great and this was the first time that some family members saw the new look. Just a little note, we bought our home from S's Aunt. She always held Thanksgiving here, so we've kept up with the tradition. Our new project is the dining room/breezeway(it is almost complete).

Christmas was different this year. I will explain more in a little bit. S and I went to his cousin's house to celebrate with his side of the family. We have done this for the last couple of years. We had some great food and good company. The kids opened their gifts and we opened a few. I was really tired from working the night before and had to get up early to be at work by 7 a.m. This is early for someone who normally works until 2 a.m. So we left, came home, and I went straight to bed. I got up early on Christmas Day, so I could go to work for a few hours. It is a really easy overtime shift and I work it every year. I have a coworker who likes to spend the morning with her family, so I work for her every year. I only worked two and a half hours. Like I said, it is a really easy shift. After work, I came home and wrapped all of the presents that we were taking to my families Christmas. Earlier I had said that this year was a little different. Well, almost everyone was sick. My mom had gone to the doctor a day or two before Christmas and found out she had strep throat. My sister came to celebrate with us and my dad ending up taking her to urgent care...as she had strep throat also. My husband was not feeling well either and spent much of the day curled up on the couch. My dad had a touch of a cold and my little niece, E, had a touch of a cold also. I was the only healthy one at the house until my brother-in-law arrived after work. My healthiness did not last for long. Scott was up at 3 a.m. with the flu on the day after Christmas. I slept through it. I went to work that night and came home at 5 a.m., after working all night, and started puking also. I hate having the flu and I hate puking even more! So, I missed a day of work, but am healthy again.

While I was sick, my grandmother died. I was pretty upset, because I couldn't go and say goodbye to her. She was in a nursing home and I didn't want to go and get everyone else sick. Plus, I don't think I could have moved off the couch even if I wanted to. Walking from the couch to the bed was hard enough. I don't think that I would have made it out to the car. So, I didn't get a chance to see her. We had the visitation and funeral last week. It was a nice funeral service...if you can say that about a funeral. My mother gave a great eulogy and my cousin, A, read some of the memories that the grandchildren had of our time with our grandmother. After the funeral the ladies at our church made a great lunch for everyone. The desserts were really good and I think we are still eating pieces of cake. The burial was at Fort Snelling. We were all huddled together to try to stay warm. It was bitter cold outside and the wind was wicked. Pastor said some words and we each said our final goodbyes. Still a little upsetting to talk about.

I do have to say having all of the cousins in town for the funeral was a good time. We got to spend some time with cousins that we haven't seen in many years. Last time I saw one of my cousins was when I was 14. We went to dinner with some of my cousins and then went bowling. It was a freaking blast! My cousin gets married in July of next year, so I think we will be making a trip to Virginia for this. Last time I was out to Virginia was when I was 6. S and my cousin B got along pretty well.

So, I know that this was a long post. A lot more has happened since November, but I highlighted the important things. The last bit of info is that I am finally back to working days. I hope that it lasts longer than the last few times I have gone to days. It will last as long as no one quits or goes out on maternity leave. I hope the next person on maternity leave is myself. You will all know when this happens!

Now, don't pass out because I finally blogged again. If you feel light headed, please place your head between your knees and take some deep breaths. Or grab a small paper bag and breath into it.

Hahahahahaha!
Kt

I am still here!

2007-11-18T21:50:00.001-06:00

I am just letting everyone know that I am still here. I haven't fallen off the face of the earth! I am going to do an entry in the next couple of days about all that has happened since the beginning of this month. There has been a lot going on. I am off to bed, so until then...

Night,
Kt

What Famous Leader Are You?

2007-11-18T21:46:00.000-06:00

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com">

What Classic Movie Are You?

2007-11-18T10:51:00.000-06:00

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Fun Day

2007-10-30T22:02:00.000-05:00

I had one of the best days today!!!! First, I got to spend my whole day with E and then tonight I had one of my best girlfriends over for dinner.

Babysitting E is always a fun day!!!! I love everything about her. She is so humorous and her facial expressions make me laugh for hours. I love her to pieces!!!! She is so much fun to be around! Today she kept saying my name! I love it. She hasn't really been saying that much unless you ask her to. Today, she was just repeating it as I put her in her car seat. It was awesome! She is just such a great little person. Thanks to K and G I get to spend days like today with E. And enjoy every minute of it!!!! We went to lunch today and found out that she likes hot roast beef sandwiches. Of course, she had to dip it in ketchup, but she ate every last bite. My dad couldn't believe that she was eating it....and neither could I!!!! E is the coolest little kid I have ever met!!!!

So then tonight Er came over for dinner. We have been meeting every other Tuesday for dinner, either in RW or H. Tonight I made meatloaf and au gratin potatoes. It was delicious. I am getting better at cooking, but timing is everything and I stink at that. The meatloaf took forever to cook!!!! I thought we were going to be eating at 10 pm! We had a good time catching up and talking about things that have happened in the past few weeks. It is so nice to be able to spend this time with her. There was a time when we grew away from each other. Er wasn't the problem then, I was!!!! I should say that I grew away from her, but I found my way back. She knows way too many secrets for me to loose her now. I am very lucky and grateful for a friend like her. I think that we met in middle school and have been friends ever since. I know that we will always be there for each other and that is a great feeling. By the way she is preggers!!!! I can't wait!!!! She is due in April. It is her first. I am so excited for her and J.

I know S did a post about the movie Transformers. He loved it and so did I!!!! It was awesome. If you have not seen it yet, but want to....run to the nearest movie store and get it!!!

Well, I am off to do some reading and wash my uniforms for work tomorrow.

Night, Kt

Tag, You're It!!!!

2007-10-29T22:11:00.001-05:00

I have been tagged by my BIL, G, so here it goes....

1. What kind of SOAP is in your bathtub right now? Melalueca Platinum Body Bar and Green Apple Bubble Bath

2. Do you have any watermelon in your refrigerator? No

3. What would you change about your living room? I would like a new couch(the dogs have ruined the one we currently have) and curtains so the dogs can't bark at everything that moves

4. Are the dishes in your dishwasher clean or dirty? Clean, they just got done washing

5. What is in your fridge? beer, leftover spaghetti, diet mountain dew, milk, I could go on forever

6. White or wheat bread? wheat

7. What is on top of your refrigerator? dust, there is a cupboard above our frig

8. What color or design is on your shower curtain? blue plaid

9. How many plants are in your home? None, I am too good at killing them!!!!

10. Is your bed made right now? No, S is laying in it.

11. Comet or Soft Scrub? Neither, we use Melalueca products

12. Is your closet organized? Ah, no!!!!

13. Can you describe your flashlight? My cellphone?!?!

14. Do you drink out of glass or plastic most of the time at home? Glass

15. Do you have iced tea made in a pitcher right now? No

16. If you have a garage, is it cluttered? Yeah, majorly

17. Curtains or blinds? We only have curtains in our bedroom, otherwise we have not bought them for the other rooms in the house. We DESPERATELY need them!!!!

18. How many pillows do you sleep with? 1

19. Do you sleep with any lights on at night? No, just music on the TV

20. How often do you vacuum? As much as possible, hard to keep up with dog hair!!!!

21. Standard toothbrush or electric? Standard and electric

22. What color is your toothbrush? light blue

23. Do you have a welcome mat on your front porch? Yep, I think it says "Welcome". I want to get the one that says I can see your underwear.

24. What is in your oven right now? nothing, just the racks

25. Is there anything under your bed? Just piles of dog hair.

26. Chore you hate doing the most? I hate cleaning anything!!!!

27. What retro items are in your home? Don't think we have any.

28. Do you have a separate room that you use as an office? Used to, but we built one into the new kitchen we just finished remodeling

29. How many mirrors are in your home? 2, one in the bathroom and one in the bedroom

30. Do you have any hidden emergency money around your home? Yeah, I'm not telling where.

31. What color are your walls? Our house is kind of a Tuscan feel. The kitchen is called august moon, it is a yellow color and the living room is called Cafe Au Lait, it is kind of a mocha color.

32. Do you keep any kind of protection weapons in your home? no, we have a shotgun somewhere, but it isn't loaded

33. What does your home smell like right now? Harvest Yankee candle and my dog just farted, YUCK!!!!

34. Favorite candle scent? Harvest or Mandarin Cranberry

35. What kind of pickles (if any) are in your refrigerator right now? Milwaukee baby dills

36. What color is your favorite Bible? It is multicolored. It is the Jesus Bible. Blue, green, yellow, red, white, blk, purple, etc.

37. Ever been on your roof? Nope

38. Do you own a stereo? Yeah, but we don't use it.

39. How many TVs do you have? 4, 1 in each living room, 1 in the bedroom, and 1 in the kitchen

40. How many house phones? 2

41. Do you have a housekeeper? Nope, but I could use 1

42. What style do you decorate in? There is a Tuscan feel to our house.

43. Do you like solid colors in furniture or prints? I like both!!!

44. Is there a smoke detector in your home? Absolutely!

So, G, there you have it. Did you learn anything that you didn't already know? I am anxious to read S's version. We will have to wait until later, because he is already in bed. I am off to bed myself.

Night, Kt

Trying to Cook

2007-10-24T20:16:00.000-05:00

So if you haven't read my hubby's blog(everyoneneedsaride) he had a really bad day at work and being the nice wife that I am I decided to make him some dinner. So I thawed out some stuffed chicken breasts and am making cheesey potatoes. Okay, so I am not that great of a cook, but I can try...right? I have really bad timing when it comes to cooking. I put the chicken in, it had to bake for 45-50 minutes and then I mixed up the potatoes. I didn't realize that the potatoes had to go in for 55 minutes...oops!!!! So here we sit, S got home from work at 8 pm, with the chicken done and the potatoes still have over 20 minutes. REALLY BAD TIMING!!!!! Thankfully my husband is very gracious and kind of laughs and sarcastically tells me that is why he is the cook in the family! I am going to get sappy now....I am very luck to have S as my husband. He takes great care of me. I have not been feeling that great lately and have been very tired, so he has been doing a lot of stuff for me! I do things for him as well, like bringing him lunch when I can and supporting him in his many adventures, but he has just been so great lately!!! Okay enough of that stuff.

My sister had a Mary Kay party the other night and it was great fun!!!! We did pedicures! So there I sat soaking my feet in a tub, which I come to find out was an unused kitty litter box, and my little niece, E, is standing in front of my tub with her back to me. I don't know what she was doing at the time, but she was backing up for some reason and she fell butt first into my tub of water. We all started laughing and of course, she knows that we are laughing at her, and she starts crying. She was soaked. When I got to my sisters house, E had just come out of the tub and was getting a fresh diaper and clean clothes. I guess it wasn't even an hour later and they were putting clean clothes and a clean diaper on her again. I wish we had a camera...it was hilarious!!!!

Well, I am going to run. The potatoes are almost done and I have to get some veggies ready for dinner. Hope everyone has a great night!!!!

Kt

Soooooooooooo tired!!!!!!

2007-10-21T20:26:00.000-05:00

It has been a really long weekend!!!!!!!

I had the Women of Faith conference last Friday in the cities and barely got any sleep. As you read on my past post, I went to be at 0600 on Thursday morning and then slept all day Thursday. Well, sleep was non existent on Thursday night. I think I got my share during the day. I had to be up at 0530 hrs on Friday and I believe I went to bed the night before around midnight. I could not sleep for the life of me!!!!! So Friday the conference was awesome!!!!! They had some extremely talented people who travel with the WoF. They have so many stories and insights to share that somehow are relevant to your life. It is amazing. Anyway, we left at 0630 hrs for the cities. The conference started at 0900 hrs and went until 1500 hrs. It was great!!!! Afterwards, some of us went back to the hotel and my mom and J went to Cafe Latte to get some grub. It was delicious!!! They have some great food and even greater desserts!!! Huge piece of cheesecake! It was awesome!!!!! Then we went back to the conference from 1900 hrs to 2200 hrs. Lots of fun! We ended up going to bed at 0200 hrs and had to be up at 0530 hrs. 3.5 hrs of sleep does not go well with me!!!! I need at least 7 hrs to be somewhat functional. But I drove home anyway and crashed as soon as I got through the door. I slept for about 1.5 hrs and then had to get ready for the wedding we were attending on Saturday afternoon.

The wedding was so much fun. It was a group of colleagues....we always have fun when we are together! S(who doesn't dance) was cuttin' a rug almost all night. The Crown and 7's were going down way too good for him. I was sober as can be. Diet Pepsi and water all night long. The meal they served was amazing! Salad, veggies, roasted potatoes, stuffing(this was delicious!), prime rib, turkey, alfredo, wild rice(ewww, not for me); it was all good(except the rice of course). The dinner and dance were held in a tent at the marina of a local casino. It was beautiful! My friend, Kt, just bought a new camera and we took lots of pictures. I will post some as soon as I see them. They were hilarious! We are talking lots of liquored up people who are dancing the night away.

So after the wedding, we went back to the casino hotel and decided to go and try our luck. S played blackjack with some of the boys and I went a little ways past them to a slot machine. S walked away from the table a winner, $65 ahead! And I walked away a winner also, $60 ahead! All in all it was an amazing experience and we had a blast. We were sleeping by 0300 hrs. But this time we didn't have to be up at 0530 hrs. I actually got to sleep until 930 am. The casino we stayed at has a breakfast buffet....we are talking build your own omlettes...all of it was yummy. So we got home at about 1145 and I immediately crashed and took a nap. Apparently I am still trying to catch up on some zzzzz's.

No big plans for today so I got to veg a bit. Made a run to the store and had some dinner and now it is quality time with S, so gotta go.

Night,
Kt

Now that I know how to add photos!

2007-10-18T15:32:00.001-05:00

So here are some photos of my family...

My hubby and I at my cousin's wedding.

My sister, K, her hubby, G, and my niece, E.

Her are all of us with my parents, R and J, at an outdoor restaurant.

El Sicko

2007-10-18T14:52:00.000-05:00

I woke up from my nap, that is what I will call it, and still don't feel well. I called in sick to work and have been in bed all afternoon. Sleeping on and off and reading...still in my pjs now. I feel like my head is ready to explode...BOOM!

I have the Women of Faith conference tomorrow in St. Paul and am really looking forward to it! It is always so inspirational!!!! They are amazing women who have amazing stories and insight to share. It is awesome! I suggest that you check out their website and attend a conference near your area. It is life changing! It is a Friday and Saturday conference, but I have a wedding on Saturday, so I have to miss the conference that day, but I am looking forward to Friday. The Pre-Conference is titled: "God Has a Dream For Your Life", I am really glad that I get to listen to Henry Cloud and Sheila Walsh on this topic. I need help in this area. Thanks God!

Pew!!!! My dog has really bad gas!!!!!

Well, I am off to bed again.
Kt

BTW, check out my hubby's blog at Everyone Needs A Ride. He just started it today!

Wow, What a Night!!!!!

2007-10-18T04:48:00.000-05:00

I woke up feeling pretty crappy today and didn't really want to go to work!!!! I got myself dressed in my uniform and was getting my food together for the night when my phone rang. I was trying to get ready early so I could go and get some lunch. It was my boss on the phone telling me that one of my partners called in sick and she was wondering if I wanted to come in later so I could stay later. Usually I would have gone in at my usual time and taken the extra hours as comp, but because I have been feeling so crappy I decided that I would go in at 1630 hrs and work until 0400 hrs. I usually work from 1430 hrs to 0200 hrs. Tonight was terrible. I don't think anyone could have gotten along tonight if they were paid a million dollars. We had domestics up the ying yang!!!!! One after the other. I couldn't believe it!!!! I am used to maybe 1 or 2 a night, but come on....I think we ended up with 7!!!! Can't we all just get along!!! Obviously there was something in the water tonight. Talk about getting the adrenaline pumping!!!! I am going to be up for hours now, because I have to come down off my high! I am hoping that I am so exhausted by 0600 hrs that I will crash then. We will see.

To top my night off, we had someone who didn't really want to live call us tonight. These are always fun calls to get!!!! Not!!!! But I have to say that the officer who spoke with this individual did an amazing job!!!!! I am glad that he got to talk with this person and neither my partner nor I had to do it. It made the last couple of hours of my shift go by pretty quick, but now my adrenaline is so high, like I said before, that now I won't be able to sleep for hours. Hopefully it will only be 1 or 2 hours!!!!

All in a days work. A day in the life of a dispatcher.

I am going to go and read and try to calm down a little bit. I have stopped shaking, which is a good thing. I think I stopped a little bit after we started the call, I can't remember. My body goes into auto mode when there are things that I need to do and I know I need to do them now. I don't really remember much of what I did in the last few hours. Oh well.

I am out for the night.

Night, Kt

Shopping With KT and E

2007-10-15T19:25:00.001-05:00

Today I went shopping with my girlfriend Kt and my niece E. We had a blast. E was great through the whole day. She is only 17 months old, but was a little angel for me. We went to a mall about an hour from where I live. E loves to say hi to anyone and everyone. Sometimes it is embarassing, because she doesn't care who she is talking to and other times, I could care less. It is funny to see how people react to her. Some say hi back and start talking to her. Other people laugh and keep going. And other people don't look at her or say anything. I hope that she brightens those people's day!!!!

Anyway, E was great and I think Kt had fun spending her afternoon with us. She kept commenting on how great and content E was and how her nephew would be whining and running all over the place. I am glad that E likes to shop. The best part is when we look at shoes. She likes to try them on!!!! When you put one on her, she sticks her foot out, looks at it, and goes "Oh". It is absolutely hilarious!!!! She loves them. The hard part is getting them back off. She gets angry when you take them off! Oh well, I guess she is going to be like her mama and me!!!! Good luck G!!!! You can ask my dad how it is with all the women in the house and all of their shoes!!!!! I am sure he has lots of advise.

I had to work all weekend, so nothing much happened there. I caught the cold crud that has been going around. I thought that I was going to get by without catching it....I guess I was wrong. WAY WRONG. I don't think that I can hear out my left ear, it is so plugged up!!!!

I will blog more later, but dinner just got here.

See ya, Kt

I Love To Read, But Hate Water in My Basement

2007-10-10T02:29:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I love to read. I work in a job where we are not allowed to watch tv until after midnight and seeing as 9 hrs of my shift happen before midnight, I need something to fill my time when we are not busy. So, therefore I read.....a lot!!!! I read 4 books this last week. I love James Patterson and Janet Evanovich.

I read Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich. It was a filler book. I really love her Stephanie Plum series. They get you rolling on the floor laughing!!!! All of the ladies that I work with, and some of the men, have read these books and we all have the same reaction. We just can't get enough!!!! This one was not part of her series, but the main character is Stephanie Plum, bond enforcement extraodinare!!! The situations she gets herself into are priceless!!!!!

Then I read 3 James Patterson books...The Quickie, You've Been Warned, and Step on a Crack. Don't bother reading You've Been Warned, it was not a good book!!!! It is a waste of money to buy it, so don't. If you insist on reading it, check it out from your local library!!!! The other two were great. The Quickie had so many twist and turns, my head was spinning!!!! I love that. I think they need to make more of his books into movies. They make great suspense/thrillers!!! I would love to see all of his books(except You've Been Warned) made into movies. I would buy them for sure. I know that S would love the movies, but I wish I could get him to read a book. It is almost like it would kill him to pick one up and try it!!! I think he would really enjoy it. If only I could get the XBox 360 controller out of his hand! Oh well, maybe someday.

S woke me up yesterday morning and told me that our basement was flooded from all of the rain that we have been getting. It was 8 am. For a girl who goes to bed around 3 am, that was a little early!!!!! I went downstairs and was barely comprehending what he was telling me. I actually think he wanted me to start cleaning it up, but I was so out of it I wasn't sure. He jumped in the shower and left for work, and I crawled back in bed. He called me about 30 minutes later and woke me up. He was asking how the basement cleaning was going. I told him I was sleeping and would get to it. He said that the shop vac was in the garage, so I went in search of it. I was still on the phone with him while I was searching our garage and told him that it was no where to be found. I found the hose attachment for it, but couldn't find the vacuum. So I hung up the phone with him and took some towels downstairs to start cleaning. After soaking through a few towels I decided that sucked and went back in search of the shop vac. This time I opened the garage door and it was sitting directly in front of me. Remember I said that he called and woke me up. Apparently I was sooooooooooo tired that I couldn't see what was right in front of me!!!!! To make it even worse, the hose attachments that I saw were actually attached to the vacuum!!!! Yeah, I guess I was a walking zombie the first time I looked for it. So off to the basement I went again. I started moving things around and getting things cleaned up, but I hate bugs and spiders. There were a bunch of them back in the spare room that we never use. I eventually got so grossed out that I couldn't clean anymore and had to call it quits. I called S at work and told him that I had the creepy crawlies and couldn't do anymore. For the next 3 hours I felt like I had bugs and spiders crawling all over me. The feeling would not go away. But the basement is now water free and a bit cleaner than it was before, so I guess something good came out of it.

I guess I am off to bed. Hope you all have a good day!!!!

See ya, Kt

Just For My BIL

2007-10-06T16:20:00.000-05:00

This post is for my BIL who says that I never post. I don't post very often, because I don't have a cute little girl, like you and my sis have, to post about. Nothing really happens to me that is all that interesting to other people. I don't really do anything cool. I go to work, sleep, eat, poop, read, read, read, and read. I don't really watch all that much tv, so I don't really talk about that. I guess that I could talk about reading, but I don't think anyone would be all that interested in that. Anyway, I have to bring S to a bachelor party. See ya!

Same Old, Same Old

2007-09-13T21:15:00.000-05:00

Work never really changes!!!! I thought that I would be refreshed after we got back from vacation, but...I guess not! I have another week of vacation, it started yesterday. We have a wedding in St Cloud this weekend and then I have Mon and Tues off. And then it is back to work on Wed. I wish that I had an "I don't give a shit" recording at my job sometimes!!!! Some of the calls we get are just bogus! I do know that I am there for the important calls, i.e. when someone is in trouble, and I love these calls. They make me feel productive. It is the everyday ridiculous calls about neighbor disputes and property disputes that get really old! And for these calls I wish I had the above recording!!!! I wish I could just say, "Oh, let me transfer you," and the above is what they would here. There are other recordings I would like to have as well, "Grow up!", "Be a parent!", "Get a life!", I could go on, but I won't!!!!

In other news, I just started weight watchers and am learning a new way of eating and living. I am considered obese, though some may look at me and not agree. I would like to lose about 50 lbs. The plans says that I should lose about 75, but we will see. Once I reach 150 lbs I will have to see how I feel and whether or not I want to continue or start maintaining the loss. My goal right at this moment is to lose 20% of my weight, which is about 21 lbs. So far I have lost 10 lbs. I am half way to my short term goal. I feel pretty good! I have done some sort of activity everyday for the last 2 and a half weeks. I just started going to the gym last weekend and am enjoying it way more than I thought that I would. It has been very quiet there, as I go when other people are normally working.

Well, that's it for today. Time for me to go and pick up my husband from the bowling alley and jump into bed. I have to get up early tomorrow to get to the gym and pack before we go away for the weekend.

Night, Kt

Sleep... all I want is sleep

2007-08-29T10:50:00.000-05:00

Here I am sitting at my computer again.... wishing I were sleeping. Dogs have been barking all morning or else they have been jumping into bed with me and won't stop moving. I wish that they new that I was sleeping and knew to be quiet. It would be so helpful if they did.

Anyway, I have worked the last 2 nights and boy people don't change!!!! I was hoping that when I came back from vacation I wouldn't notice how petty people are... in reference to my job. Boy was I wrong!!!!! Things have not changed at all. It is really sad what some people call the police for. Here is one of my favorite calls of all times. I have only been doing this for 4 1/2 yrs and have more stories to tell for some other time, but I will share this one.

We have a frequent flier(what we call people who call all the time) who we all know likes to hit the bottle. This person called in to inform us that she was locked inside her apartment. I know, I know... we are all asking... inside her apartment. That is correct, she was locked inside her apartment. So the call is given out to the officers. They all know this party and one of the officers respond. The officer arrived, got into the apartment and then she left. We didn't know what the officer had done to help this woman, but we were about to find out. So the same person calls in about 10 minutes later and tells us again that she is locked inside her apartment. I got on the radio and asked the officer who went to the earlier call to head back over the assist this party again. The officer proceeds to tell me to have her turn the lock toward the blue post-it note. Now, I didn't know what the officer did while she was at the apartment, but after hearing this I had to mute the call so I could laugh my ass off!!!!! Once I composed myself I picked the phone back up and passed on the info. Turn the lock toward the blue post-it note. The caller told me that she had taken all of the post-it notes down. The officer was sent back over there and took care of the problem again. All in a days work!!!!

The above caller(frequent flier) also likes to call and when I answer she usually says that she wants to talk with someone older. Okay, I am 25 and my partners are 25 and 26. I happen to sound like I am 12, but what does that matter, I guess she thinks that there is a 12 yr old that is answering 911 lines and has a full time job?!?!? So I do as she asks and hand the call over to my 26 yr old partner. And let me tell you how much she likes this!!!! Oh well, it is off my hands!!!!

I have more stories to tell and will post them sporatically. Did I tell you that this woman has sheep that don't like to stay inside the fence? That is for another time.

Just Starting Out

2007-08-26T20:18:00.000-05:00

I have read several blogs and find them to be very interesting and informative, so I decided to join the ranks. A little bit about me.... I am 25 and from southern MN. I am a wife to my incredible husband of 2 yrs, S. I am a mother to 2 dogs, who are treated more like children. Raven is a 3 yr old black lab and Junior is a 6 yr old yellow lab/german shepherd. They both weigh over 80 lbs. They are my pride and joy, besides S that is. They don't have total run of the house, but most(S would tell you different). I am a 911 Dispatcher for the county that I live in and enjoy the job...most of the time. I work straight nights :( which sucks terribly!!!! I have also just started my own at home business with a direct sales company. I will call it PC as I don't believe that I am allowed to advertise it on a blog. I love the new business and am hoping for it to take off and become my only job. I would like to be able to stay home with our future children, but still be able to get away a few nights and make some money. I could continue to ramble, but I won't bore you anymore. I need to go and spend some time with my husband. We just got back from vacation today and have been doing a lot of cleaning, YUCK!!!! My family will be very proud that I have done several loads of laundry today!!!! I know, can you believe it!!!!