Back ...

Good evening!

We are back from Dallas/Greenville area - and had a fabulous Christmas. We're happy and warm in our house- doing laundry (which includes some new Dallas Cowboy apparel) and watching the Cowboy game. We ordered some pizza and I'm sucking down some virgin eggnog. YUM!

We had a great Christmas and hope you all did as well ... the New Year is always a time of cleaning and organzing (both at work and home) for me. I have been making lists and donation piles here at home ... and filing and organizing at work. It's such a great time to do that ... fresh start and all!

Conrad got me a KITCHENAID MIXER which I have wanted FOREVER. I am about to order the Kitchenaid recipe book from Amazon, which will tell me all the ways I am able to use it. He also got me a pearl necklace with matching bracelet and earrings ... Conrad got a spotting scope and a cigar store indian (3 feet tall) from me. Those were our big presents to each other.

On some sad news, a family that Conrad and his family know were killed Christmas Eve driving in the surprise ice/snow storm in Dallas that day. They hit a patch of black ice and hit two other cars head on. The man was a band director that knew Conrad's dad ... his wife was driving and died on the operating table ... and then her mother, who was 92, was with them and killed instantly. It was a very sad thing ... and made everyone pretty reflective this Christmas. So keep them in your prayers, if you will.

Here is to a quiet, relaxing, clean, organized New Year!

Kah

Merry Christmas!

Just a quick post before we get busy with family and Christmas and phone calls and all that ... to say Merry Christmas to you all! I feel very blessed this year ... Conrad and I will have completed the first "calendar year" of marriage and our dog is happy and healthy ... along with all our friends and family ... Amy is getting better and she'll be back here in January for one last round of treatment.

Please have a happy and safe Christmas. I'll be back to tell you all the fun cool stuff we got. (wicked laugh) .... and yes, I know it's not what it's all about, but it sure is fun !!!!

Kah

I am MAD at the library

If ya know me, you know my "thing" is reading. I love it ... I could do it all day everyday. I frequently scarf my lunch at my desk and then run outside to sit in my car and read.

The Harris County Library is one of the best I have encountered... and MY branch is awesome. We have a DRIVE THROUGH! I go online, reserve my books, and they email me when they come in. I simply drive up, give them my card and they give me my books. Like ... a free McDonald's!

Yesterday on the way home from work I thought well- let me swing by there and pick up my four books I have holding. I didn't feel like getting up this morning and going. Thank goodness I did !!!! So I swung by there at 5:40 (20 minutes before closing) and saw all these signs that said "Library closed, Book return open" ... so I hurried to the drive through and the lady was there. I hurriedly asked if the library was closed and she said no, not until 6 - so I got my 4 books and I parked the car and RAN into the libary.

They are closed until JANUARY 4th !!!! I mean WHAT?!

They are redoing the entire electrical system over the holidays ... I was shocked. no email, no notificiation, no nothing ... so I ran to the shelves and grabbed 5 or 6 more books ... and checked them out. Fuming all the while! That is like THREE weeks they will be closed.

So I got home and when I got here, my mom had sent our Christmas presents. I opened the box to unpack it and there, were about 6 books she had packed. Oh GLORY I might make it after all. Thanks Mom !!!!!

... and we do have other branches. Not as close to my house and not with a drive thru. I have to find some way to tough it out throught the holidays - or I can take up a new hobby to slow my reading down ... like ... drinking.

Kah

Do It Yourself Wreath

My friend Sherry liked those ornament wreaths that have been floating around blogland ... her colors are red and silver and she collects frogs. I happened to run into a frog in a Santa hat ornament at Hobby Lobby ... so I made her a wreath.

SUPER SUPER easy- you need a glue gun, wire hanger and ornaments. The only thing you MUST do is use the glue gun to make sure the little tops stay on the oranaments. Then thread them on the hanger you have opened up ... fill it up as much as you want- close it up and there you go.

Here is the one I made her. It looks crooked in the pic, but it's not. I was taking the pic at an angle. Click on the picture to make it larger.

Merry Christmas!
KAH

Decisions

I made a copy of my test results and sent them to Doc # 1 with a letter. Saying shame shame on YOU ... and I am NOT coming back.

Well, if you know me or read this blog you know that finding a new house or building a new house has been tormenting us. This is not our dream house or even one step down from our dream house ... but we are so much alike in that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mindset. There's nothing WRONG with this house, why leave it? Why spend more money? What if the economy never gets better? What if we can't sell this one, and on and on ...

So I made a list the other day of 10 things we could do here that would make ME more comfortable and I feel like ALL of them would have to be done anyway to sell this house ...

and I made a list of furniture I either wanted or wanted to get rid of to make things more livable here ... cause really we need SPACE. Better closets, less bulky furniture ...

I presented my list to Conrad over Thanksgiving weekend. This weekend he finished two thing on the list already. He replaced our old toilet seats which had the paint worn off them (don't even ask ... ) and he tore out one closet and made it MUCH more useful with cubbies, etc ... it already freed up SO much room. He even agreed to my furniture requests.

He is a good husband and he listens to me and what I want/need. I am so lucky in that regard! Very selffless - that one.

So we agreed to do these things in this year coming up of 2010, we will find a builder we like. I think we like Westin. By this time next year we'll pick out a floorplan and start building ... this house will be better shape, we will be in great shape $ wise (I hope) and we'll be emotional prepared. Westin takes exisiting floorplans and let's you move things around and take thing outs ... it's a non-custom, custom house if that makes sense.

I LOVE this plan of ours!

Kah

NOT Pre-Diabetic

New doctor finally sent my test results.

I had three tests: glucose, insulin and then one I can't pronouce but is basically a two week AVERAGE of your blood sugar. I fasted for these tests. By the time my blood was drawn, I had been fasting for 15 hours. I'd say the tests are very accurate.

Yeah - NOT Diabetic, NOT Pre-Diabetic, NOT even insulin resistant - not ANYTHING, perfectly healthy - well within the ranges they like to see. For instance if the range for Healthy on the glucose the expected range is 65-100 : I had an 82.

On the insulin, expected range is 6-27 : I came in at 8.

I mean 8! I wasn't even BORDERLINE. Not even anywhere near where there should be concern. That first doctor is SO irresponsible! I am making a copy of my blood results and sending them to him along with a letter. I had my follow up Byetta appt with him on Wednesday - but as you know, I never took the Byetta - and so when they called to confirm my appt I told them I wasn't coming. They asked if I would like to reschedule I said no, and I'll send him a letter to tell him why. To say I am shaking with rage at doc #1 would be an understatement. I KNEW he hadn't tested me and I knew in my heart I was ok. What a dillweed.

I am so glad I checked ...

I told Conrad well - this is good news. Diabetes is nothing to mess with. So I am healthy - not even under any sort of "watch" ... but this also means I'm fluffy cause of ME. I think the thyroid thing helps with the fluffiness but mostly it's me - time to buy a treadmill!

Kah

I LOVE MY HUSBAND

On Saturday I went to see New Moon - (LOVED it) - and when I got back Conrad said he needed to get some shopping done and left. I didn't think a thing of it.


I've had a rough couple of days - and he could NOT have known those days were going to be coming ... but he sure planned this right!


When I walked in the house tonight, LOOK what was waiting on me.

OH. MY. GAH.

I am in Lurve ... and so grateful. He is so good to me. Boy did I luck out! Not cause he bought me something ... I'm not like that ... but because he has listened to me over the past few months when I said I thought our dryer may be eating our towels ... and because he snuck off when I wasn't looking and bought us the exact ones we had been talking about for TWO YEARS but I felt were WAY too expensive (thank you Black Friday sales!!! ) and because he had them delivered while I was at work and never said anything for the past four days.

I had NO idea - it was SUCH a thoughtful surprise. I am love.

... with the washer and dryer (LOL) and Conrad too!

Kah

Goooood

Dinner turned out amazing! The mac n cheese was UN-belieavable! I have now officially eaten that same meal THREE times - by tonight I'll be ready to go out!

Today will be spent doing yardwork (Conrad) and housework (me). I also have lists of things to organize. I'm not a big spring cleaner, but fall cleaning inspires me! I desparately need to go through EVERYTHING and see what needs to be chucked, donated or Ebay'd ... I am not going to freak myself out and say this will be done TODAY - but I do have a timeline of New Year's ... a little each weekend, a little each night will go a long way. My days of coming home and watching three episodes of Ghost Whisperer are over. :)

I hope everyone had an awesome Turkey Day - even those of us who opted for ham!

Happy Christmas-season to you all.

Kah

Happy Thanksgiving

Hey everybody!

Happy Thankgiving!

Conrad and I stayed home this year. We had so much travel right before the holiday, we decided to stay home. I'm actually cooking this year for just the two of us! I made the pumpkin pies last night. YUM! I have the crockpot mac n cheese going (since 7AM) and the cornbread for the stuffing is cooling ... all that's left is the rest of the stuffing, the ham and the sweet potatoes!

My favorite part of today, besides the football, is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I love it. It kicks off the holiday season for me ... LOVE LOVE LOVE it !!!! We are usually on the road driving when it comes on, so I miss it a lot. But not today. I got up, got some things prepped, made my pumpkin spice coffee - and now I'm waiting on the parade kick off.

I'm thankful for my health and my entire family's health - and for Conrad and Blanca - and my family that I love. I'm thankful we have a nice home, good jobs, that we live in the US - everything we all have.

Special thanks to my Uncle Kelley who is spending this holiday in Iraq, protecting us. Y'all say a special prayer, for him, ok?

Kah

WANTED

This woman:
Martha Stewart

There is a reason she went to prison and I am thinking it wasn't just insider trading. It was because we, as women, have decided she belongs there. She is RIDICULOUS.

Conrad and I went to look at KB Homes one afternoon and signed the little card and I guess with that, they sent me a free subscription to Living magazine - it should be called You Could Never Be As Good as Me magazine.

I was sitting here last week flipping through the Christmas issue and God bless Conrad, I had a mini meltdown. I just don't think it is possible to be as perfect as this woman wants us to think she is. There's no way I can look at a box, a fabric scrap and a broken down ribbon and see instead a gloriously wrapped present - AND who has time for that ???

and how she is always jumping all over people like Rachel Ray by saying "well, she's a good cook, but she can't bake and does she have her own garden?" .... Uh, you know MARTHA/DEVIL most of us work 8 hour days, commute 2 hours - I barely have the energy or WILL to even throw some hamburger helper on the stove when I get home, much less tend a garden with white asparagus, heirloom tomatoes and arugula ...

But never-the-less, I was sitting here looking at all her Christmas tress she puts up every year - in EVERY room- and looking at the cookie recipes YOU MUST bake and I just sort of had a breakdown - a "I'm not good enough" moment. If I baked those cookies for Conrad and I would love to - who is going to eat them? 48 cookies, really ???

To his credit, Conrad listened to my insane rant very calmly. He also reminded me that the devil has minions - Martha has a full staff that tends her crappy little garden, that puts up those ridiculous trees and hunt down, kills and cooks her fresh free range chickens (raised on her farm) and bakes her cookies. I doubt the woman even dresses herself.

Regardless, I think she should be stopped. Prison is the only way. I'm about to start a petition.

I was also reminded by a male coworker that her husband left her and her kid hates her ... so ... I don't know ... perhaps it all came at a price. Just sometimes I wish I could do it all, have it all.

Can I hear a what, what ????

Kah

What's Up, Doc?

Ok, sorry there have been no updates. I've been busy!

So I saw the new doc. LOVE HIM. He spent ONE WHOLE HOUR with me !!!!

First of all, yeah, you should never take medicine for a condition you do not have. Since I do not have Type 2 Diabetes, if I had taken the Byetta, there's a good chance I would have become hypoglycemic ... which is so scary. I can't even imagine ... GIVING myself something I don't really have ... how IRRESPONSIBLE was my doctor?!

Second of all, new doc doubts very much I am pre-diabetic. He said that is the new trendy buzz word in endocronology and it's very irritating. He said most endocronologists deal with overweight patients- because some people who have diabetes or lupus or hypothyroidism ARE overweight. He said sadly, some of the docs have decided to run fat clinics. You can make a LOT of money if you can start offering that side service to people.

Look I WANT to be skinny and cute again - but mostly I want to be healthy. I don't WANT diabetes and breast cancer and heart disease. By losing weight I can greatly slash my chances of getting those diseases. The first two don't run in my family - so my weight going down will almost guarantee I don't get them and disease number 3- well, losing weights helps that 100% !

Doc # 2 told me also that since I was very very HYPERthryoid at one time, and so that triggers something in your hormones and brain to eat eat eat ... and I did! When I first got sick I could eat and eat and I lost 22 lbs! He said well, once we fixed your thyroid - we didn't fix that center in your brain that says HEY - I'm full! He said my blood levels are good - so really ... the only thing keeping me fat is ME - and my brain ... made SO MUCH sense! It's not that I'm a lazy slug who stuffs herself all day - there's something in my brain that tells me I am constantly hungry ... and when you eat larger portions, it's very hard to get motivated to find a treadmill. I really don't snack ... but we do eat out a lot and the portions are way out of control at restaurants ...

Most likely he is going to put me on Metformin, which does reduce appetite. If that can helpe me dump you know, 20 lbs - I should be more energetic for the workouts and as mentioned before, the appetite will be greatly reduced. But he will only do this for a little while. It's not a fix, there is NO fix except diet and exercise. This is a BOOST ...

He also ran all the tests I need to see if I am pre-diabetic but he said he would be shocked if I was. He said you have to run three tests - my old doc ran ONE and it wasn't even a fasting test. The results from that test, if I had been pre-disabetic would have been 101-125 and my level was 93 back in March ... without fasting. New doc said he is also going to run a test to give him a two week average of my blood sugar ... but he said he thinks I'm fine. I should know in a week.

I am SO angry at doc # 1 who clearly doesn't care much for me ... I am about to write him a letter and fire him offically and I asked doc # 2 - Dr Wilson if he would please take me on as a thyroid patient. He happily accepted.

I did ask him, as well, about Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome - because it's all hormonal to. He asked me if I had facial hair or chest hair and after I stopped snorting and laughing, I told him no- most assuredly not. I might have some extra pounds but I've always had great skin and a decent face - I don't have to SHAVE! He said well ... we can certainly run some sonograms ... and I said woah woah woah - I don't ... I don't want to do all that. He asked if Conrad and I were having some trouble conceiving ... and again. after I stopped laughing and rolling my eyes I said um, yes ... thank GOD. I don't want children ... he raised his eyebrows and said why and I said I don't know - i don't care for them. He grinned and said he didn't either. A kindred spirit! .... and I said look, i don't need the ovaries to WORK not for their intended purpose - if they produce hormones or whatever and you're concerned about it, then ok ... but if you mean do I want them to work so I can fill Conrad's house with children, then I'm good ... let's just .. let them go and he said ok, if they ever cause pain, etc - we'll check it out.

Thanks to Kelley who helped me question it and I now fully support and ENCOURAGE second opinions!

As soon as I get my results, I will post them!

Kah

Getting it in gear

Ok ... so ...

I began this morning with oatmeal and had a salad for lunch. A homemade salad - so I could control what was going in. I sort of messed up on the dinner thing, BUT more often than not I mess up on lunch as well as dinner, so we're off to a good start!

Tomorrow is a new day and I should be able to swing all three meals, in a controlled and orderly fashion. So I'm getting it in gear!

If you're on my Facebook you probably saw my post on Saturday morning- Conrad was gone and its not often when I have an entire day at my disposal. SO- I used it to Christmas shop and I do believe I am 90% done. I almost always find something cute here and there for someone ... and we are still waiting for Conrad's parents to send in their lists, but other than that, I'm done baby - EVEN with Conrad!

Conrad, however (shakes head sadly) not so much. He SAYS he will do it and finish it this weekend ... we shall see! As for me though, I got my Christmas rear in GEAR!

Kah

Manage Your Own Healthcare

First of all, happy Saturday- Happy November!

I had an apple/cinnamon pedicure this morning and then put a big pot of beans on to cook. It's fall, y'all!

My message today is to question, question, question and to be your own health advocate.

Wednesday I had my three month check up with the thyroid doc. I like him, I trusted him, I never had a problem. I HAVE asked him about insulin resistance before (which he has never answered and never tested me for) and I have spoken to him about the weight gain I've had since being diagnosed with Graves Disease. THIS particular visit, he asked how I was feeling, yadda yadda and immediately launched into what I can only call a sales pitch for a drug called Byetta- google it - it's for people with Type 2 Diabetes and while not insulin, it DOES do something funky with your blood sugar. It is also injected, twice a day, not a pill.

He tells me he has had some success giving this to his patients as a weight loss drug, for one year - after a year, the weight loss part of it wears off. One lady lost 45 pounds. He said we only had this small "window of opportunity" ... he also told me it's $200 a month and that my insurance may NOT pay it because it's not supposed to be used for weight loss and I am not diabetic. He gave me a one month sample and also casually told me I was Pre-Diabetic. WHAT?!

I had that test in MARCH and he told me I was fine ... it never came up again. This is NOVEMBER. I was very bothered. I went home with my sample and put it away ...

Friday I mentioned this to my friend, Kelley, at work who has thyroid issues as well. She was very concerned and asked me to call the doc and get my blood test results please for the entire year. In the meantime we looked up Byetta and WOW-EE folks. Nuh- huh. NOT doing it. It has been known to cause pancreatitis and more scary, renal failure. NO THANK YOU. Not for 45 lbs. It has caused enough renal failure (which is kidney) that the FDA is now looking into it. The drug is only 5 years old.... it said it HAS been known to cause weight loss because what it does is it shuts the stomache valve. Closes it tight. It is physically IMPOSSIBLE to eat while on this drug. The tummy won't open, so uh yeah- it causes weight loss alright! One of the side effects is severe upset stomache - which if you think about it, it's like plugging up your sink and turning on the water- eventually it will overflow, i.e. vomit.

My blood tests fax came over in record time. I even had gotten my results from the day before. My levels are good - no change. We looked and he did check my glucose in March and it was 93, which is completely within range. I also had not fasted that day because I didn't know we were testing it ... so basically he just LOOKED at me a few months later, ok almost a YEAR later and decided, hey I need to push this drug on her .... I am NOT pre-diabetic. In further conversations with Kelley she said I COULD be insulin resistant which makes you feel bad, whether you eat or not and makes it impossible to lose weight. They do have meds for that.

She helped me get an appt with HER doc for 11/18 and I am going to have a fasting insulin test as well as a PCOS test -Polycistic Ovarian Syndrome. Very common with thyroid patients and insulin resistant people. I do seem to have more tummy problems than most people. When I called to make my appt the lady answering the phone was VERY concerned and told me not to take the Byetta.

Thank goodness for my brain, thank goodness for my friend who REALLY cares about me and thank goodness for second opinions.

In the meantime, I am moving and exercising and eating as well as I know how. I can not wait to see Dr Wilson in a few weeks. I am very interested to know his thoughts on this Byetta pusher.

Seriously, google it. I would not get NEAR this stuff unless I was well and truly diabetic.

Kah

Relaxin'

I still haven't downloaded my pics yet- I think we're still recovering.

I had a tough day at work. I had to catch up for five days worth of being gone (although my replacements did a FABULOUS job), plus it was month end, plus I was dealing with a little bit of hurt feelings and some frustration related to being gone for a week .... so when I got home, my wonderful husband suggested my new Fav Mexican restaurant, Rico's. It was DELISH. I love that he knows what will make me happy and bring me down off the ledge.

We had a really good time in the Dominican and we found things to do we both wanted. Like I was really focused on the Hard Rock Cafe Punta Cana and coffee and he was all about the cigars. We both like the history - so we both got what we wanted. The beaches were unbelievable - and the hotel grounds were fabulous. It was the HOTEL that was terrible. We had roaches in our room, everything felt damp - and a little dirty. The food was absolutely inedible. We tried it for about three days before we broke down and left the resort. My frustration came from the fact we were at an all inclusive resort. We're not hurting for money at all, but I hadn't PLANNED on spending money for food and it made me mad that we had too. I felt like the company who had sponsored our trip (this was an incentive trip for Conrad) had paid a lot of money, per day for us to enjoy the resort, room and food and we only got one out of three... and that is such a waste of money ... I hate that they paid that - they should ask for SOMEWHAT of a refund. 70% of the people in our group got sick - although we did not- and it was really frustrating. I think it was just due to the resort not being clean ...

After I got home, I looked up the resort on Trip Advisor and saw all the bad reviews. People getting sick, the health inspectors shutting the lunch buffet down, the Dominicans on the water sports portion of the resort hitting on teenagers, people stealing from the rooms, running out of liquor - the list goes on ... so I know it wasn't just us.

I think next time we tour the Caribbean, it will be perhaps on a cruise, not stuck in one place for a week. I'd like to see the Bahamas and Grand Cayman and all that, but I'm starting to think a boat is the way to do it. I've never been on a cruise and it's on my Bucket List ... so ... I'm about to get started on that! Maybe a girls cruise ... I dunno.

Kah

Dominican Republic

Hey!

Back from the Dominican Republic - we were gone for a week on vacation. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ... LOL - we were in Punta Cana on the east end of the island. It was very very pretty ... beautiful and the water was so clear ... it was amazing.

Soon I will post about it and pics - but for today we are both exhausted and trying to nap and wash clothes and most importantly EAT. It was very hard to stay full there - their idea of food is certainly not ours!

Kah

Friends

My friend Tracy from Arkansas popped into Houston tonight. We had a lovely visit and an awesome dinner. Here in this GIANT city, she happened to be working about 15 minutes away from me. It was so lucky that happened ... she could have been in Galveston, which on a weeknight, might as well be as far away as New Orleans.

Anyway she reminded me that I miss her so much and good friends are hard to come by. We have one of those friendships that seems to pick up right where it left off. Although it's never really LEFT OFF - we just don't live in the same town and we don't work together anymore. But she's one of those people that it doesn't seem to matter - she'll always be there and so will I.

Last year when I lost my "best friend" I really went around feeling bad for myself and being mad and hurt and confused ... but it has occured to me that you can have several close and best friends - and you shouldn't maybe put all your eggs in one basket.... and that the true ones are always there for you, no matter what - that love lasts forever, and slights can be forgiven and family is family. Tracy is family.

We have so much fun and she loves Conrad and we love her husband - it's all really good. A match made in heaven.

Loved seeing you Tracy! What a wonderful, unexpected treat.

I totally should have filmed you with my new videocamera!

Kah

New Toy

We got a videocamera! ... it's a Vado HD pocket mini videocamera, from Amazon.com - I'm not at ALL a tech person and I generally don't care about these sorts of things but it's so TINY and I got a little pink case for it.

Now I can interview and post interviews of Conrad on the blog. I can catch Blanca doing things only she seems to do. I can get family members, vacations, everything! YAY!

Our life, captured. That should be the new slogan for this blog ... I'll just stop writing and start posting videos. "A Day in the Life" ... :)

Our new baby

Frugal, Frugal, Frugal

You may not know this about me, but my frugality stretches even into my closet.

This morning I got up and pulled out the sewing kit and started repairing perfectly good clothes that both Conrad and I have. Why throw them away? I fixed them in about an hour - and I watched tv while doing it. I bought some pants last year for $40 - and they are missing a button or two ... yesterday I found the same pants, on the clearance rack for $10 - I had them in my hand and finally debated and debated and said I can totally spend that $10 elsewhere - and so I put them back - came home and sewed my doggone buttons back on!

I have also been known to bleach the heck out of my dingy whites OR dye them a different color. i.e.- a white tank, now navy! I also re-dye my black clothes - because they tend to turn gray after awhile.

Got some favorite capris, but you're sick of them? Go by some fun buttons and sew them on the sides of the legs - as decoration. Same thing for a shirt. I find them at garage sales sometimes. Plain white shirt, plain white buttons- go buy some big shiny black ones, sew them on and BAM - new shirt!

I do stuff like that all the time. This week- I will be cleaning out the closets. Going through and getting rid of things that don't fit or are beyond repair and starting a stack to sell on Ebay. Brand name clothes sell like crazy on there ... and a stack of things for me to play with or "fix" ...

I got a sewing machine for our wedding, so now I'm envisioning tearing the arms off of stuff and making myself some tanks. I've seen picures of sweatshirts cut up the middle and turned into jackets.

The possibilities are endless. Be frugal and/or send your stuff to me! :)

Kah

Mornin'

Conrad is watching a show on Beowolf - that might have been the WORST book I was ever forced to read. It was painful and awful and now I am watching people "theorize" on it - on a show. The kicker? Conrad has never even READ Beowolf - why are we watching this? Thank goodness for coffee and creme brulee creamer!

I am off to Target this morning ... I've got a small list AND we've begun some light Christmas shopping. I need to pick up a few things .... I figure a little for each payday? I think we're going for quality vs quantity this year. I've tried really hard to listen to what people want and then I can add slightly to that ...

Oh! ... and it's getting cool in Houston and by that I mean like, 69 degrees. It's like a raging winter storm! I got to wear my Dallas Cowboys sweatshirt last weekend and it was HEAVEN - this week is their bye week, so at least I won't be anxious and crazy this weekend. It will be a nice break- they better get themselves together. They should NOT be 3-2 right now. If anything, 4-1 at the LEAST. Ugh ... disgusting.

Kah

Good

The mammogran was painless and it came back ok. Which is good - but of course this is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I keep reading and hearing about all these women who had good mammograms, but the results were wrong and they actually had cancer. What is the point of telling us this? They pound it into your head to go get checked, then you do and then they tell you- oh, by the way, the test isn't 100% it isn't even 66% - but um, yay- glad you went!

Damned if you do, damned if you don't?

I'm watching the Cowboys. They are doing TERRIBLE - I don't know if I can stand to watch anymore!


... and here's to all the rain and cooler weather in Houston. I SMELL FALL!

Kah

Weekend and Anxiety

Hola!

The weekend, once again, flew right by ... it was a good one though.

I went to see Meet Me In St Louis - with my friend Kelley - she invited me. We went to Cracker Barrel first (yay hashbrown casserole) and then we were off to the theater! It was really nice - and next year they have Little House on the Prairie. I mean YAY! Love that show ... the theater will be great too.

I am anxious though. Tomorrow I am having a mammogram. Baseline - which means ... well, nothing. They get you to take them while you're young - so they will have your "normal" results to compare to, when you get older. I sort of pushed this one though. I have some sort of weird skin thing going on- I itch ALL the time - and I was in the car wreck last year which caused all kinds of lumps and bumps and MAYBE the itching too. I hear when there is trauma .... well, things aren't ever normal again ... it's a new normal!

So I went to the doc about the skin thing and she ordered the mammogran to put me at ease and because in December she would have ordered my baseline anyway- since I would be 34/35 ... and she does that, then again at 40. So - anyway, this whole thing is my fault. I shouldn't have even gone to see her ... LOL

I am really nervous and scared and freaked out. Spent a good hour curled up in bed, crying while Conrad helplessly petted me.

I am hoping it's all ok ... and if the results come back suspicious, it is only due to my wreck - which the doc said can TOTALLY happen. I could still have damage deep inside and of course, the technician would never know why that was- so they would order an ultrasound. So ... please all of you pray for me, think of me and send good MOJO my way ... my appt is at 5PM tomorrow afternoon.

So please think of me then - like 5-6 tomorrow afternoon.

Thanks!

Kah

Charleston Two

We took Conrad, the same day as the "hair hat" day - downtown for some learnin' !

First - the market. It IS the old slave market, which is a sad and terrible thing. But they have preserved it and now it's like a giant flea market. Each one (there are four) has an opening on each end and the Sweetgrass Ladies sit at each opening. They weave the sweetgrass baskets - Charleston is known for them and they cost more than a car. Ok not really - maybe an older car ...

Ah - a water fountain. Donated by the Daughters of the Confederacy in 1896. You go girls! I am a TRUE Daughter of the Confederacy by birth - and so proud ... so I took the pic. Also, God bless Jefferson Davis. Just saying ...

Me and the cannonballs. Waterfront Park - known for the cannons and cannonballs there. I have a picture, taken in the 70's, of my Aunt Margie (may she rest in peace), in her nun habit, there by the cannonballs. So I got one taken of myself there as well. Made me briefly feel closer to her. I didn't have a nun habit handy, but I was wearing black- so it was meant to be, I guess.

Karyn and Conrad self- portrait on The Battery. Like a seawall, of sorts.

Ft Sumpter. Get out your history books - or your Bible- (kidding!) and you would know the first shots of the War of Northern Agression were fired from this spot - you can still visit there. You just go to Patriots Point and they have a boat that goes out to the fort in Charleston Harbor several times a day. The last time I went was with my good friend and Southern sympathizer, Tracy ... ah, good times were had that day. I think we were hungover from the moonshine the night before, but we have pics of the day and we don't look that bad.

Conrad with Ft Sumpter in the background. He probably has family that fought in the war there, but we'll never know because the boy AND his family know nothing about their heritage ... and show no signs of even wanting to know. *sigh* I hope we don't have to do a blood test on him eventually.

A shot of the canal my mom and stepdaddy live near. This was taken from the yard of the restaurant there. It was GOOD- they had a philly steak sandwich that will knock your socks off. My mom had one with no cheese and no peppers and no sauce. I don't know really what that is- a dry steak and onion sandwich I guess. I had mine the REAL way and I would almost kiss a Yankee to get the recipe.

Last day of the trip will be the next post. We went to visit the Swamp Fox!

Kah

Benjy's

You will be pleased to note the "old married couple" - (1 year, 5 months TODAY) got out of the house this evening AND out of our ten mile comfort zone ... we never seem to stray too far on the weekends, unless it's back to Dallas to see fam and friends.

So I got tickets (and a parking pass) to the Astros game tonight. It's the next to last one for the season. I'm not an Astros fan - and I really don't care about baseball - but sometimes it's good to get out and participate in what's going on with your city - and who I am, REALLY, to keep the people from enjoying my company? I try to pretend I am still a Dallas-ite, but the truth is, I've been here three years ... we own a house here, I married a man who lives here and likes it here, I have a great job - and even tho' I miss my friends in Dallas, I've suddenly found myself with quite a few good ones here too ... *sigh* - so Dallas in my heart and Houston in my reality.

So we kicked off the evening at Benjy's. http://www.benjys.com/

It has foo foo food - Conrad is not a fan - but he had been to this place before and he knew I would love it, so he suggested it and I did love it.

They have stuff like (and I am making this up, but this is how the menu reads):
Quail stuffed with hazelnut and asparagus spears over a bed of corn polenta, with blue corn chips
or .... Parmasean crusted wild salmon on a bed of wilted lettuce with dill lemon vinegarette

I am SO all over that kind of stuff. The more fancy and imporant I feel, the better! This place was just that kinda place and even better, you get to see all the other people who think they are hot stuff come in and out. Women teetering on heels they shouldn't be on- women in thigh high boots with jeans (it was 91 degrees today) ... I mean RIDICULOUS people.

It was awesome! I had a beef and noodle salad in a seasame-soy sauce. It was good - but it did NOT stop me from ordering some loaded nachos at the ballpark. Conrad totally understood. It's just something you have to do.

Big props to Conrad for making the outing great and for making sure we ate somewhere he knows I would like. LOVE you C!

Kah

Charleston- Part Uno

Hey ya'll!

Happy Friday. We had homemade BLT's for dinner and I just pulled chocolate chip and sugar cookies out of the oven. It is the WEEKEND! It's just starting to get brisk out there (mostly in the morning) and I found pumpkin spice creamer at Target this week and I.AM.READY for fall!

Ok so the Charleston part of our trip has way too many pictures, so I have to spread it out a little more. The day after Savannah, we decided to take Conrad downtown - to Charleston to really see the city. The old slave market, The Battery, Rainbow Row, Waterfront Park - we wanted him to see it all.

The first thing he saw was a 28" pizza. It's the biggest one I've ever seen in my life. It was good too! Giovanni's downtown, across the street from the market. Super yum - we couldn't finish it.

After shopping and walking around ... we hit one of those tourist type shops. This is the place where I made Conrad wear the Confederate hat - seen in the post a few posts ago ... I, however, found the long hair hat ... and I put it on and IMMEDIATELY looked like a prison escapee - on the lam- out to cut as many people as possible.

My mother, however, looked like Little Bo Peep, missing her sheep. Why IS that?

... and then I don't know ... preening for her sheep?

My stepdad? Just crawled out of the river, deep in the woods of Georgia - someone start the Deliverance music! Even more scary? Later that night he showed us pics of himself, several years back, with an impressive mullet - and he looked very much like he does below.

Good times were had by all that day. My stepdad bought a T shirt that said "It's my Duty to Please that Booty" .... and it tickled me so bad, I laughed all the way back to the car. I laughed so hard I couldn't walk up the parking garage stairs. HIGH-larious.

to be continued ....

Kah

Savannah

I am SO sorry ... I just have not "felt it" when thinking about blogging. I have been exhausted every night when I get home. Now the cooler weather is coming, it's been raining and I've made some headway on my bills - one of my cards- and suddenly I am feeling better.

Ok, so then here was our day trip to Savannah. First of all, SPECIAL MOMMY HUG to MY mommy ... she got us VIP tickets to Ms Paula Deen's - The Lady & Sons restaurant. They start taking names at 7AM and I heard the lady at the podium say by 7:15 they were sold out for lunch and dinner. CRAZINESS. Mom got us a reservation for 12:15. It made my entire trip I was SO excited. It was all I cared about doing. So without further ado ... the famous Lady & Sons!
Poor Conrad and Stepdaddy Brian - we drug them there and they took it well ... and here is Conrad. I wanted him to be famous and have proof he was there. He likes Paula Deen but only because he is convinced she secretly talks dirty during her show- like when she moans and talks about "drizzling" chocolate or something on her desserts. He just howls. He thinks she is so bad! ... and ALL thosse people in the pic are there begging to be let in. I think it goes on all day long.

Ah ok- so there are THREE stories at Lady & Sons - and each floor has it's own kitchen and own buffet ... and that's what three of us had. The EXCELLENT buffet ... Conrad had the crabcake sandwich. The buffet items were: fried chicken, ribs, black eyed peas, mashed potatoes and gravy, rice, lima beans, mac n cheese (OMG!) collared greens and sweet potatoes. BABY - it was GOOD. They also give each person a cheddar garlic biscuit and cornpone.... and yes I SURE DID take a picture of my lunch. I wanted to remember it forever - and I can still taste the greens.

Oh- and even tho' she wasn't there, I did get an autographed cookbook from Paula Deen. It is and shall remain one of my prized possesions and it wasn't even expensive. It was only $15 - which is good I mean even for a normal cookbook. They can run $10-50 - you know? So this just tells me her celebrity has not gotten to her head and she doesn't think she's all that and a basket of cornpone, ya mean ???? I LOVE HER!

We had a super fun time. My next blog will be about our day in Charleston, my hometown. THAT was a funny day!

... and a big happy birthday to my Papa Dick up in heaven - I think this would have been # 88 ... and also a big happy birthday to my mom (tomorrow). I guess she was his birthday present and I am excited to say she is 29!

Ok, TGIF

Kah

Confederate Conrad

That's what I'm talkin' about!

Back on Track

Our router broke! We were without internet for FOUR DAYS! It's crazy how much you reach for your computer during the day and very frustrating when you can't use it!

Anyway, tomorrow is Bible study night, but afterwards - I am hoping to come home and download my pics and start posting about our vaca.

We went back home, well MY home, to Charleston SC and also went to Savannah and the highlight of the trip was eating at Ms Paula Deen's resturant in Savannah, The Lady and Sons. THANKS MOM!!!!

Anyway, I will detail it all for you shortly. :)

Hope you all have a good week.

Kah

Back!

Hey ....

We've been gone on vacation but home safe now. Sorry for the silence. I left computers and cell phones behind!

We were in Charleston with my mom and made a quck jaunt to Savannah too!

I will start posting all about it with pics. Fab time!

Kah

Fall

I went to Starbucks this morning and OH MY GAH ... Pumpkin Spice latte is BACK! It's not even November. They brought it back early this year!

Pumpkin Spice Latte is like THANKSGIVING IN MY MOUTH.

I was so happy ...

Kah

Posting just to post

Whenever the end of the month falls on say a MONDAY, like it did this month ... it just exhausts me. It's two days of running around like crazy and while you're trying to close, regular business doesn't stop ... so I have been so tired. Sorry for not posting. I don't even really have much to say but I didn't want you to wait for a whole week - which seemed to be rapidly approaching.

Nothing really to say or add, sorry for being so boring. I appear to be in somewhat of a mood.

Hopefully the holiday weekend will snap me out of it. LOVE having a short week! .... and I also love that the weather is starting to change. Come on FALL!

Kah

Things I Love ...

Conrad ...


Blanca ...

My cookbook collection ...

My super cute polka dot coffee cup collection - wedding gift. I use them every weekend and picking a color always makes me smile ...

Candles ...

Kah

Excited

Let me add on something to my last post ... my big boss, Angela is not leaving ... it's my supervisor ... I had some questions. :)

It's Friday, I'm excited.

I asked Conrad today if I was a nag and he said NO, I'm excited.

My friend, Brenna, invited me to join a ladies Bible study this fall, I said yes. I'm excited.

I'm going to get to see my mom - very very soon. I'm excited.

It's Friday- I'm excited.

Kah

Change is acomin'

Lots of things seem to be changing

* My supervisor at work is leaving. She put in her notice today. Seems change is always afoot at work ... keeps things interesting I guess ... keeps us learning new things ... keeps us changing up responsibilities. I wish her well. I'll miss her and change is always hard ... but alas, these things happen.

* The humidity seems to have let up. It's almost pleasant tonight ... reminds me that fall and Christmas and pumpkin spice at Starbucks is right around the corner!

* Along with fall comes FOOTBALL~ I am so excited! I noticed today that Texas A&M plays a game this year at the new Cowboy stadium. YA-HOO! Sign me up, buddy!

First Cowboy game this season is against the much hated TAMPA BAY BUCCS. You are going DOWN TB. DOWN!

Kah

Two Things Every Southern Cook Needs

There are two things every modern southern cook must have. I'm not talking about butter, cast iron skillets and fry daddys. Those things are a given. I am talking about new products on the market.

I have been watching a LOT of Paula Deen and reading a lot and experimenting a lot and I'm really learning. I am on the verge of becoming a really good cook. You can have plenty of happy accidents, but in order to be a good cook you have to do things for a REASON and know why you're doing it.

Example: I never knew you dredged meat in flour and seared it in order to put a crust on the outside, so the inside could be tender without the entire thing being mush.

Ok so the first thing you need is this fabulous new cookbook. I LOVE COOKBOOKS. They are my weakness. One day I'll take a picture of my shelf and show you. If you ever don't know what to get me for a gift- you can not go wrong with a cookbook. I even tried once to get them from the library and make copies of recipes. NOT something I am interested in. I am interested in owning them, stroking them, reading them and gazing at the pretty pics ... I am a saver, I don't spend a ton of money on anything, but I'd almost sell Conrad and Blanca up the river to get money to buy a new cookbook I've got my eye on. (Kidding).... Sort of ... I can TRY them out from the library. But if they're good, I'm buying it, budget be busted!

This is my new pride and joy. It's the new Southern Living one and it is FILLED with delights. I have never come across a book that I would actually make almost every single recipe inside. The only ones I don't care about are the fish - everything else looks awesome. I made my first one tonight and Conrad loved it- he said it WILL be in the normal rotation. This book is a SCORE! I think it was $19.99 on Amazon.com

The next thing you need to do is get to Kroger or Wal-Mart and get this Gold Medal Wondra. This is a specific type of flour, a in handy dandy canister that can sit RIGHT on your counter. I can't stand digging in the fridge looking for flour when I'm making my sauces. This one, is all you need. I saw it in a magazine about a year ago and have never been able to find it. Today I walk into Kroger and there it was for $2.49

If you make a lot of gravy or sauce, you NEED this flour. I am in LURVE ... I don't make tons of gravy but with all those stuffed chickens I've been making I've been experimenting with pan sauces. MAN this is going to make my life easier.


Kah

Carbon Footprint

I've been thinking lately about the little things I do everyday that effect the environment. Dasterdly deed # 1 is using too many sandwich bags when I bring my lunch and Dasterdly deed # 2 is brining my lunch in Wal-Mart sacks ...

I solved problem # 1 a few weeks ago by buying a Wonder bread container- shaped like bread! So now I can take bread or sandwiches in a tupperware type container.

Problem # 2 was harder, but was solved today. When my friend Amy was here last month we took a trip to Steinmart and they had the CUTEST little insulated lunch totes. They had three or four styles to choose from. At that time, I didn't get anything, but they stayed on my mind.

My mom sent me birthday money - and so today I ran back to Steinmart PRAYING they were still there. THEY WERE!!! and they were on sale AND I had a 20% off coupon. SCORE for $10 - I'm saving the enviroment AND I am going to look SO SUPER CUTE ... it even has a "K" on it !!! It was meant to be.

Not only have I reduced my own little tiny carbon footprint ... I'm gonna be stylin' and smilin' ... I mean the minute my coworkers see it, they are gonna be jealous of me !!!!

Kah

Another Great Saturday

This morning we got up and got ready and headed out to the Whistle Stop Tea Room. Second week in a row. I talked Conrad into going since I DID see men there last week. We went, super YUM and then I went and had my hair done. It has been close to three months and I was sorely in need of a little refresh. My stylist went to Africa to do some wild game hunting and she was gone almost a month! So we had a lot of catching up to do ... anyway, she did a great job.

On the way home I stopped at Kroger. Today only, and only in TX and LA - Kroger was doubling coupons up to $1. Usually they double up to 50 cents and triple up to 35 cents. MAN- it was a free for all. Shelves were bare, people were EVERYWHERE and women were stopped dead in the aisles flipping through their coupons. It looked like a hurricane in Houston or an ice storm in Dallas. $130 before coupons, $70 AFTER coupons. SCORE!

I got home, and fired up the new breadmaker. We had Italian Herb French Bread for our first try and it was AWESOME ... it was crispy and herby and perfect. To go along, Conrad grilled some steaks - I baked some potatoes and I made smokehouse pepper and mushroom brandy cream sauce (got it from Rachel Ray) for over the tops of our steaks. MAN, we had a great night. My sister also called which is good, cause today I opened a funny birthday card from her and a Amex gift certificate fell out. I don't know yet what to get with it. I'm kicking around holding on to it until the next Bath and Bodyworks Semi Annual clearance ...

Now it's starting to get dark and I'm full and sleepy ... I've taken pork chops out to thaw for tomorrow's dinner. I am going to make smothered southern pork chops. Saw it on Paula Deen this weekend - probably roast up some potatoes to go with it and finish off our bread.

Happy weekend to you all.

Kah