Cute Furry Faces

Ahem, I know I missed last week, the theme was music and the concert I was banking on to get pics for the challenge canceled at the last minute.....so I bagged it and now this weeks theme is animals sooooo I'd like you to meet.....

My class pets at school! Pepper is the grey guy on the left and Barbie is the reddish one on the right. It was cage cleaning day and Thursday and I snagged a picture. They are always intensely curious about the other hamster they smell, but I'm nervous to put them in the same bucket.....

Pepper is an adopted pet, he belonged to an older kid class but then when that teacher left the new gal didn't want him, so I took him in. He bit at first, but I've held him enough now he's great with the kids! And Barbie is actually the class next doors hamster, but again, the old teacher left and the new teacher isn't into rodents, so I clean and take care of Barbie for her!

In other animal news, growing up my parents had the coolest fish tank.....

And I've been looking for one for years. I was once again reminiscing about it when my dad found it on Amazon (like duh, I never did think to look on there, just on Pinterest.....) so I ordered it and it should be here in a couple days *squeeeeeee*!!!!! 

But, since we have a cat at my house, Pepper and Barbie will be getting a new aquatic friend! Hopefully if I don't name the new fish Sushi (I made it up to Sushi Jr. the 9th before I gave up on that name. The last one banged his head into the side of the cup all the way home from Wal-Mart and was almost dead by the time we got home.....) this one will live a little longer!

With laughter and love,

KatySue

Drum Roll Please.....

One of the kids stuck this little man in a glass at work and I was suddenly hit with a vauge memory. I just couldn't remember the little guys name though..... 

So I googled: little guy in a glass who lived in the kitchen, and got exactly what i was looking for, I was pretty excited!

Finally have a name tag with my name on it for teaching Sunday school. My last one just said:

V.I.P.

Very Important Parent

So, after weeks of fielding questions about my kids(ahem, they as of this very moment do not exist, but I'm sure when they do I will be very important to them!) I was very excited to get my name tag this morning!

Did you guess the theme for this weeks, though I guess technically now it was last weeks, photo challenge? In case you missed it, it was excitement!!!!

With love and laughter,

KatySue

Silhouette

This weeks theme was silhouette, a word I can never spell correctly on the first try! I've always loved the way the sun rising and/or setting creates a silhouetted horizon! Snagged this picture from my churches parking lot, it's one of my favorite views, no power lines or houses to interrupt the gorgeous sunsets! 

With laughter and love,

KatySue

Just a Swingin'

This is my lovely Mommy on the swing at my sisters house! It was taken awhile ago, but when I read what the theme was (twirl or swing) this week it immediately came to mind! 

With Laughter and Love,

KatySue

Water

This weeks theme is water and I was despairing of what on earth I could take a picture of considering the most exciting water related thing that happened to me this week was the potties in my classroom finally flushing correctly because they took them out and put them back in to put the awesome new floors in my room!!! 

Before old, scratched linoleum....

.....after beautiful wood, well fake wood, but still, it's a vast improvement, makes the classroom feel much more homey and it make me smile every time I look at the floor!

Anywhoodle, back to the reason for this post, my Mom and I were out and about and stopped for an iced coffee in our adorable town square, then we sat right in front of this fountain, and you were all saved from a picture of a tiny toilet flushing! ;-)

With love and laughter,

KatySue

Worth the Hype?

Alrighty ladies, let's talk about something ubber exciting, shall we?

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You ready?

(on a side note, am super sad that this show is over, but really did like the ending!)

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Lets talk oatmeal!! 

More specifically the creamy, wonderful magic that is overnight oats! I had been seeing recipes for it around Pinterest for awhile now, and the idea of a healthy, on the go meal was intriguing. But not being  a yogurt fan none of them caught my attention, yogurt being the main ingredient besides oats. Then I saw a few that took soy/coconut/almond milk and the wheels in my head started turning!

I combined and experimented and came with a basic recipe and some flavor combos that I and my whole family love!

Basic Overnight Oats

3/4 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup milk of your choice

1-2 Tablespoons honey

1 splash vanilla

Pinch of salt

Put all of the above in a pint mason jar, put the lid on and shake, shake, shake, until well combined then let it sit in the fridge overnight and get ready for a fantastic on the go breakfast!

*White Chocolate Chai

Add the following to the basic recipe:

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cardamom

1 Tablespoon white chocolate chips

*Peanut Butter Cherry

Add the following to the basic recipe:

1 Tablespoon nut butter of your choice

Splash almond extract

Chopped fresh cherries

Add the cherries after you've shaken the oats, or even the next morning!

*Triple Berry

Add the following to the basic recipe:

1 tablespoon white chocolate chips

1 tablespoon raspberry jammy bits (buy here)

Fresh blueberries and blackberries

Add everything but the fresh fruit in before you shake then top with the berries!

Notes

*Old fashioned oats are best, the steel cut stay to hard (like eating birdseed, yuck!) and the quick oats turn to mush.

*I use whole milk, but fat free woks as well, the finished product just isn't as creamy and chocolate milk is pretty fantastic as well!

*I've let these sit anywhere from 5-14 hours and they are good. just as long as you use the old fashioned oats!

*Not just for breakfast, I've been taking them to work for lunch!

*The flavor combos are pretty endless, pear or peaches in the chai would be good. Or I'm already planning on a pumpkin spice for fall and an eggnog version for Christmas!

Let me know how your oats turn out and I'd love to hear about any fun flavors you come up with!

With love and laughter,

KatySue

Colorful!

Week three of the challenge is colorful and I think this picture fits the bill pretty well!

Wednesday was my two year anniversary at work and that called for a celebratory stop at Target for some sparkly nail polish, a cake pop and a black tea-mango-lemonade, which was pretty good! Plus, how cute are the summer Starbucks cups?

With laughter and love,

KatySue

Happy Fourth of July!!!

Our town had it's first 4th of July parade this year and while it was small, it was still pretty neat!

We had Uncle Sam.....

which also is my picture of the week as the theme was patriotic!

James K. Polk, who lived in our town for a few years when he was collage age!

I love our downtown, and would not mind at all living in a place like this one day!

Mmm, fresh peaches from the farmers market, we also got some cherry lime and spicy caramel popcorn! 10lbs may not seem like much to carry, but the awkward way I had to carry the basket and the 1/2 mile back to the car it I'm pretty sure the basket gained a few pounds.....

My patriotic manicure!

Us kids got to set off some smoke bombs during a break in the rain midafternoon

Colleens first time lighting fireworks!

I told them to stand like cool ninjas.....

Megan, Shawn, Hannah and Lizzie got here around 1pm and I told Hannah to smile and she said, "Aunt TayTay, I make cheeeese!"

Brownie pie with toasted marshmallow icecream, it the perfect summer dessert!

The local fireworks show was still on in spite of the rain and it was a great show!

Hope your 4th of July went well and it was filled with food, friends, family and fun!

With laughter and love,

KatySue

*GASP*

What?! Two posts in one week? 

Took Becca shopping for her birthday and I was done trying on my pile of things before everyone else (apparently I'm a fast try-er on-er, rather then everyone else being slow.....humph) So I took an outfit photo in the mirror at the end of the hallway. Never tried to get a mirror shot without the camera in front of my face, it's not as easy as I assumed!

I tie dyed the shirt my self last summer at work, wasn't planning on wearing it again, but I actually really liked how it turned out! Hmm, it's blue, black and pink and looks better in person.....

Of course it rained because I wore my maxi skirt, but I also wore an umbrella scarf so there was no hope of it being dry! ;-)

Finally tried Buffalo Wild Wings and it was fabulous, we all got different sauces and shared, Beccas Parmesan garlic were the best!

With laughter and love,

KatySue

Year 29....

Something else pretty big happened in these past few months, this girl (or is it old lady now? Hmmm....) turned 29, for the first and only time I might add! ;-)

Age has never been a huge issue for me, (a few age related break downs have happened over the years, but let's say I'm cool with it 95% of the time!) I mean it's only a number right? I still feel as spry as I did when I was a teen and have waaaay less medical problems and complaints about aches and pains then the girls 10 years younger then me at work, and I know I am extremely blessed in this and thank God often for this huge blessing of good health!

I kind of meant to start this on my birthday to document the last year of my 20's and my journey towards.....well.....erm.....*insert whatever touchy feely sentiment you want*..... but alas a stomach bug decided to join me on my birthday this year and so when I wasn't at work trying not to erupt on the kids, I was in bed zoning out in front of my computer!

Now that I suddenly have more free time on my hands I was going to get back into blogging as I've missed it, so drum roll please.....

I am going to attempt this, hopefully a weekly photo challenge will be more easily met then the daily ones I've attempted before! Starting with week 25, mostly so I don't have to try and come up with the seasonal pics off schedule! ;-)

Week 25, subject Summer! One down 51 to go, I got this! =)

My family went to a bluegrass concert at the park and our entire meal was in mason jars, BBQ pork, potato salad, baked beans sundaes, little lemon ice box pies (not pictured) and my Dr. Pepper was in my favorite teacher cup! 

Not to mention those FABULOUS boots, huh, huh? Aren't they purdyful?

With laughter and love,

KatySue

Cha, cha, changes..........

Hmm, hey, yep I'm still alive, wasn't arrested or kidnapped and the aliens didn't manage to pick me up this time, but there is always next time.....

Anywhoodle.....

You may have noticed that there have been some posts removed. The reason being after spending more time with Miles in his home and seeing how he and his very nice and supportive group of friends and family lived, I realized that there were some basic, but never-the-less important, lifestyle differences and a few ways we see the world differently that would have made a long term healthy relationship impossible. So, I called off the wedding, and ultimately the relationship.

There is nothing wrong with him or his family and friends, there is nothing wrong with me and my family. We should have spent more time around each other in our own environments before getting engaged as it would have led to these conclusions without the sticky awkward, painful mess of canceling a wedding a week before it was supposed to happen.....

A few things I have learned through this experience are long distance relationships are hard, and are going to take longer then your traditional dating relationship, so be patient and make spending real time together with each others family and friends a priority! Online dating is a good tool, but just know, it will most likely lead to a long distance, drawn out courtship process!

If you and your loved ones are constantly fighting about your relationship and you normally don't fight long term about things, you might want to take a good long hard look at what is causing the arguments.

Doubts are normal, but burying them and not talking about them with anyone is not. If you have doubts about something, find someone to talk too besides the person directly involved in the doubts. A pastor, friend, a parent or sibling, just someone who is removed form the drama enough to be a more neutral third party.

Keep God always at the forefront, in all areas of your life. Sadly, I put mine and Miles relationship ahead of my relationship with God and that was my biggest mistake, a good healthy relationship should be leading you closer to God, not distracting you from Him.

 Did I make mistakes, YES! Do I think calling the wedding off was one of them? No! My only regret in calling off the wedding is hurting Miles, he is a good man and I know God has wonderful pans for him.

I have learned a lot this past 7 months or so, and know God is using this experience to grow and make me more like Him. I feel peace and joy returning to my life and am excited to see what God has next for me!

As always, prayers, comments and questions are always welcome! =)

Snow Day #3

I'm one my third snow day in a row, and it's been both wonderful and a little stressful.....yeah for time off, but I'm not getting paid.....so I'm trying to enjoy the time off and not stress!

The ice that came off my car this morning!

Poor little guy, but he looks pretty cool!

Then for the first time in a couple years we went sledding in our front yard!

Mom joined in the fun as well!

The driveway is a sheet of ice with a thin layer of snow, but I tried it anyway! It was much faster and there for more fun!

Abi doing her penguin impression!