Friends (Friendships)

As every day is a new journey of emotions, highs and lows, positives and negatives, I have begun to understand how important my friends are to my happiness and to a large part of my life.

Growing up I had very few friends (I still have some of these issues today). This is because of many factors. Moving, shyness, not being popular, low self-esteem, not being super athletic with school sports, and not being book smart put me in that loner group we are aware of…

I was never really forced to make friends or overcome my shyness…until I starting working and later when I entered community college. I was awful worried about what people thought of me and if they would or wouldn’t be my friend or if they would disappear (this fear was/is caused by death and moving). And working as a nanny for so many years had put me in a very comfortable bubble of not having to deal with much of the real world.

When I moved to Arizona, everything changed. I was no longer in my comfortable and secure job, and I was living a completely different lifestyle than I had experienced, ever.

My first job when I moved was working for a specials needs preschool class, which opened me up to only slightly more people than I was used to as a nanny. But when I ventured out and got a job with a very fast paced, culturally overwhelming company I realized, I loved it! I loved all this “life” that was surrounding me. And through those interactions I realized I liked being in this crazy mess of the world and making friends, being popular, just as much as I hated and feared it.

As I continue to make friends, more so than I ever have in all my years combined I realized that friends, being with them and talking to them, sharing things with them, is so vitally important for me. And it is important now more than ever that I have these relationships. My friends have saved me so many times!!

Friends have been the most eye-opening lesson in my life thus far. I’ve been hurt by a few, and learned a great deal from those people, yet it has not stopped me from venturing more (you think it would).

Every book I have read throughout my life has said that you have to be happy and love yourself first. Well I don’t know if I could do that without the support and love of my friends. I might put too much effort into my friendships, but I don’t regret any of it…regardless of the outcome, because the ones still around are….amazing.

Decisions…

As I continue my journey of going at life, on my own, I have discovered the “thing” which I miss the most (to this point…), and it involves decisions.

Since the separation I have had to make all the decisions, there is not one thing that someone else decides for me at any given point or time. This, oddly enough was not something I ever thought about as a “side-effect” of divorce. Yet each day and each decision made, I have realized, was something I had very few of during my twelve years of marriage. It’s n

And as I was pondering all these emotions and feelings I have been overwhelmed with, I realized that one of them is the power and energy that making decisions on one’s own. Even something simple like after a long day I have to decide what to make for dinner, and at times, it feels like the hardest thing.

Honestly I miss a having decisions made for me, not because I couldn’t make them or didn’t want to, but because some days I am to exhausted to make them.

How NOT To Dye Your Hair

Anything under $3 (unless on sale and with a coupon) won’t last regardless of what the box claims.

• Using the food handlers gloves they provide, thinking they will actually stay on your hands or that you can use your hands with them on is false.

• Dying your hair with clothing you like on.

• Having a white counter top, white tile, and white bathroom rugs.

• Having any kind of itch that is not on your head.

• Forget you have dye on your hands or “gloves” and pet your dog.

• Pile your dyed hair on top of your head, walk around and expect it not to fall and spray tiny splotches of dye everywhere.

Awesome and Dog: Christmas Special

Awesome: We want to share with you a cute little Christmas story (just like me! cute and little).

Dog: You are far from little.

Awesome: Okaaaaaay, just cute.

Dog: People don’t want to hear a cute Christmas story.

Awesome: Of course they do. Christmas is a a time for cozy memories and happy stories.

Dog: I think you mean sappy stories.

Awesome: So what Christmas story should we tell them then…DOG?!

Dog: That is not a very Christmasy tone…AWESOME…okay folks, grab your cup of hot cocoa and marshmallows.

Awesome: mmmmm marshmallows.

Dog: Once upon a time there was a Dog, she lived in a small little house with her mom and dad. The Dog’s mom spent several hours making a glorious gingerbread house. For several nights and days later the Mom remembered to put the gingerbread house on top of the refrigerator whenever she left the house. But one night Mom forgot and had to rush of to class. Mom called Dad and asked him to put it on top of the refrigerator, but Dad forgot.

So the Dog wondered into the kitchen and pulled the gingerbread house off the kitchen table. Well that gingerbread house broke into pieces when it hit the floor, and Dog got right to work.

Awesome: Oh My…did Dog eat it!?!?

Dog: Shhhhh….The Dog got busy hiding, not eating, each piece. The Dog hid the pieces in the couch cushions, in shoes, behind dressers and beds, and desks until nearly every last piece of the gingerbread house was hidden. When Mom and Dad got home they flipped out thinking that Dog had eaten all of the gingerbread house. But Mom soon noticed a scratch mark on Dog’s nose, soon putting two and two together, she located the first piece in the couch cushion. Mom continued searching and located more and more pieces. Wouldn’t you know that Mom found a final hidden piece a year later when she was packing to move?

Awesome: Great story Dog. Did you make it up?

Dog: The Dog in the story is me! I was rather sneaky in my earlier years. Merry Christmas blog fans!

Awesome: Merry Christmas!!

Just a Fool

Carrie Underwood’s song Change has been rambling around in my head…but not about changing the world…just the line she repeats “just a fool, just a fool” whispers in my ears over and over.

There are many other Carrie Underwood songs that I could discuss but I don’t want this post to become that type of post….”wishing…missing.”

So let’s go back to “just a fool, just a fool.” I have allowed others to fool me or I’ve been the fool…(not sure of the correct order) for most of my life. I could go back to elementary school, but maybe further back than that. Of course it does not matter when it started but that being a fool started in general. Let’s jump ahead to the last five or so years…when the “fool” really clicked in. I won’t go into detailed, but you would think by now I would have learned my lesson…to not be a fool or to be fooled.

How does one prevent being a fool? Smarts? Not trusting anyone? Being positive? Negative? I don’t think the answer can so easily be typed out in a blog post…I think preventing being a fool or being fooled is about trusting one’s self. Knowing one’s self. Standing up for one’s self. Trusting others only after you trust yourself, after you know what you want or expect in life. You can’t be a fool if you’re in control of your life.

 

 

Baby Shower For Men??

I’ve noticed a lot more men proudly showing off baby photos. It got me wondering…are mens’ involvement and enjoyment switching or evolving to have a positive attitude about their wife or girlfriend having a baby?

Recently, over the last several years numerous articles are popping up in top gender-neutral magazines about stay at home dads on the population rise.

So should baby showers turn into a shower for both parents?

History of baby showers varies from country to country yet the main purpose here in the Unites States is to provide gift to make welcoming baby easier.  Today, showers are treated much like a bachelorette party, women show up, play specific games, etc. Would we be taking something only women can own by doing this? What things would change if it became gender neutral? Would guys want to partake? What would change? Do men start having their own baby showers, with gifts of ear plugs, self rocking chairs and doctor’s notes saying they can’t change diapers?

I Call Him…Wind. A Story by Awesome

I prayed I could be like Wind someday

The other day Mom took me out on our typically slow walk. I was doing my normal awesome things when HE appeared. Out of the corner of my eye his owner started to appear. His owner was riding a bike and there HE was…Wind.

His ears flopped back in excitement, his mouth open and happy as he passed, just as fast as the wind.

I tried desperately to pull Mom to chase after him. I could barely contain all of my excitement for Wind. I bucked like a bull ready at the gates, I think I even heard a few things pop on Mom as I yanked and yanked for forward. But just as fast as the wind…Wind was gone. Only his happy fast smell remained.

Oh How I’ve Missed You…

Dear Writing,

I’ve missed you greatly. I went to a local SCBWI “I Love To Write” mini-workshop focused on you, writing (spurring on ideas, thoughts, getting it down on paper). Familiar faces showed up, followed by friendly warm hugs, and new acquaintances were made.

How often I forget that you, writing, is where I can explore, grow, challenge, and feel confident and proud. The creativity which I find and love in life comes out in you, my…writing.

So thanks for staying in my back pocket when my life is crazy and remembering that I haven’t forgotten you.

Sincerely,

Karin

Awesome and Dog: Thanksgiving Special

Dog: I'm thankful for Awesome because he lets me do this!

Awesome: I had this great idea to list the things we are thankful for, for Thanksgiving.

Dog: I had a better idea, but I forgot it because I am older, wiser, and forgetful.

Awesome: So, are we ready? Dog?

Dog: After my nap.

ONE HOUR LATER

Dog: Okay now I’m ready. I’m thankful for naps.

Awesome: Of course you are, you just took one. Okay…I’m grateful for Mom.

Dog: That’s too broad!

Awesome: Why are you calling Mom a broad? I don’t think that is very nice!

Dog: Broad – like too open, too vast, not specific.

Awesome: Oh okay, well Mom because she lets me be lazy.

Dog: I’m grateful for bedtime.

Awesome: I’m thankful for  treats and breakfast and dinner and food Mom sneaks me.

Dog: Mom sneaks you food?

Awesome: Uhhhhhhh…

Dog: I’m changing this to things I’m not thankful for!

Tortilla Soup

Here is my recipe for Tortilla Soup:

 

32 fl 0z of chicken broth

5 limes

1 avocado

2 medium tomatoes

half of a red onion

1 bunch cilantro

1 pound chicken (cooked, preferably shredded)

1 jalapeno pepper (optional)

Tortilla chips

• Cook chicken (I boil it and shred it).
• After you finish using the pot to cook the chicken rinse it out and add the chicken broth, bring to boil.
• Dice all ingredient (minus chips) and add to bowl, then take 2 of the limes and squeeze juice into the mixture and gently stir.
• Squeeze remaining 3 limes into the boiling chicken broth, remove from heat.
• Add large amount of mixture to serving bowl, ladle in chicken broth, and sprinkle with crushed tortilla chips.