I Heart the Superbowl!

I love the Superbowl for one reason. My friends Jenny and Matt host a party and I get to some of my favorite people.

These are people I have been friends with since High School. You know, the friends who know all of your secrets from way back when you were 16 and dumb.

These guys are like family. No matter where our lives take us we will always be connected.

Everyone brings something to share (so there is a ton of awesome food) so we eat until we cannot sit comfortably.

There are two TV's. One in the basement where the guys gather to actually watch the game.

And the one upstairs where the rest of us mostly have it on for background noise.

I don't see the game save for watching the scoreboard to see who is winning the numbers board.

I don't see the commercials because that's when the guys come up for more food and it's just to loud.

I do see the halftime show. And I generally love it every year.

But I do get to spend 4 hours with these people who I consider my extended family and their kids. And Heidi gets to play with kids who she really likes but doesn't see too often.

As an added bonus for Heidi, she got to sell Girl Scout cookies with a fellow Daisy, Maddie, to everyone at the party.

And as an added bonus for me, I finally got to meet Jenny and Matt's newest addition, Ryanne.

Happy Monday!
Hugs,
Kara

That Time I Had to Have Glass Surgically Removed From My Foot

It all started last night. I had just gotten home from Atlanta and was walking around the house in my socks when all of a sudden I got stabbed in the heel by something very sharp.

"Ouch! What the heck?" I said (or maybe yelled).

I reached down and pulled a shard of glass out of my sock.

"Really, what the heck? Did someone break something?" I asked.

No one responded.

I threw the shard in the trash and went about my evening.

An hour later, after returning from dropping Heidi at Gymnastics, I am walking around the house unpacking my suitcase when I realize my heel really hurts when I put pressure on it.

I take my sock off and there is a black spot right in the center of my heel. I try to see if I can just pull it out but it is wedged in there.

I throw myself on the floor in front of Shawn and (dramatically) put my foot in his lap.

"What is in my foot?" I (shriek) ask.

"Um... I don't know. Go get a tweezers and a flashlight."

Now that I know this ginormous (tiny) shard of glass is in my heel I lose the ability to walk normal and hobble around the house locating the tweezers and a headlamp.

I toss myself back on the ground. Shawn starts to poke at it and I (freak) tense a little. Which is apparently Cupcake's queue to come jump on my head while I lay on the floor and hit me in the face with her toy.

"Mama!!  You are on the floor!! Play with me!! Why you scream? Play with me!! MAMAMAMAMAMAMA!!!!" Cupcake seemed to be saying.

After (a lot) a little (screaming and crying) whimpering on my end Shawn says I need to soak my foot to loosen it up a bit.

Again I hobble around the house looking for something to soak my foot in.

A bread pan! Of course!  It is the perfect size 9!



Check out my AWESOME pedicure! I love Hanna Nails so much I get a pedi every time I am in Atlanta.

I sit here for a few minutes soak as the water gets increasingly cold. I am fighting off cats left and right who love that I am now keeping a bread pan of water for them in the living room. They just want to know why my foot is in their water.


I (whine) tell Shawn the water has gone cold so we are probably ready to try again.

I hobble back over to where he is sitting and toss my leg back up on his lap. More (screaming, crying, flinching) whimpering on my end ensues. More Cupcake whacking me in the head with her toy also ensues.

Shawn says "Hang on, this might hurt."

What?! It has been hurting all along! If that wasn't HURT what are you about to do to me?!

I brace myself, he yanks, it's out.

A sheet of glass the size of a plate glass window (the size of a discarded pinkie fingernail) is pulled from my heel and I instantly feel better.

So maybe the title of this post is a bit dramatic.

And maybe my Facebook post last night was also a bit dramatic.

But I will not apologize for it! That suck hurt like nobodies business!

Happy Friday everyone!
Hugs,
Kara

Book Review: Bloodstone Heart by T. Lynne Tolles

Bloodstone Heart by T. Lynne Tolles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bloodstone Heart is the forth book in the Blood series by Tolles and it certainly does not disappoint!

This book introduces us to two new characters. Josh, an young man who is able to hear everyone’s thought and does not know how to turn them off. And Lanie, a young woman who can see the history of an object simply by touching it.

Josh and Lanie connect during a change encounter at a corner store and begin their journey to save themselves from Vampires and loneliness.

A few chapters in, Josh and Lanie connect with the series characters who are still located in California. And after awhile the story collides with the ending of the third book.

I really enjoyed how Tolles made book three and four over lap and then meet up. In book three, it was very easy to wonder why the girls did not go to Connecticut to help Darby and Devon in their time of need. But after reading book four the reader now understands what else was going on in their lives.

Once again, I was very pleased with how the story keeps moving forward and does not drag on. It was another page turner and I am looking forward to book five.

Keep it up Tolles! I recommend this book to anyone over the age of 15 interested in Vampire, Werewolf adventures.


View all my reviews

Amazing Things Are Happening!

I am working from our Atlanta office this week which means little to no time to write blogs but I wanted to take a moment to tell you about my friend Clay.

Clay is a co-worker of mine. Last year he shared with me photos of a trip he took with his family to Africa. I was beyond moved by what he did while he was there and his plans to do more. Yesterday he shared more pictures with me of his second trip.

Clay has started an organization called Just One  - http://www.justonehope.org/

This organization is working to make an orphanage on Lake Victoria self sufficient. They are also bringing clean water to the area. All of the residents have access to the water in Lake Victoria but this water is very dirty. Clay and his group are working to make that water drinkable.

Please take a moment to visit his website. I promise you will be as touched, humbled, and moved as I am.

The glass on the left is the Before Shot. This is the water straight from the lake. The glass on the Right is the After Shot. It has been run thru the filer. Amazing!  Source

Hugs!
Kara

What's For Dinner? Campbell's Soup!

Oh. My. Cats. Yum.

Have you seen this new Campbell's Soup?

 Shawn and I were at the Grocery Store a few weeks ago and they were sampling this soup. With the coupon the bag of soup was $1. They got me! And I picked up two bags.

I love Chorizo! Add a little chicken, some black beans? Look at those red peppers and that corn. You have got to be kidding me!  And it was every bit as good as I wanted it to be. 

 I haven't tried this one yet but Chicken and Quinoa with Pobalno Chilies?  Yes please!

 All you do to heat it up is tear a vent in the pouch and pop it in the microwave for a few minutes and you are done!  I ate mine at home so I poured it into a sauce pan and warmed it on the stove but you know, even that only takes a few minutes.

Each pouch is 2 servings but I ate the entire thing and it was the perfect amount for a lunch. So in this case I don't think 2 servings equals 2 people.

Look at that soup! So yummy!!

Quick note - I was so impressed with this soup I wrote this post. Campbell's did not ask me to write this and I paid for the soup out my my own money.

I hope you enjoy as much as I did!
Hugs,
Kara

Book Review: The Summer My Life Began

The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I won this book on a blog giveaway over the summer and finally got to it a few weeks ago.

This YA Novel is a coming of age story about a girl, Em, who comes from a well to do family. Her life is planned for her, all she has to do is live it.

But shortly before she graduates high school she starts to think she might not want this bought and paid for life.

Along comes a card and note from an unknown aunt and with a little convincing she talks her parents into letting her spend a month at this aunts Bed and Breakfast on the ocean.

Em meets family she didn't even know existed, learns a lot about herself, and unravels a dark family secret setting her life on a new path.

I give this book 4 stars and recommend it for anyone 13 and over.

View all my reviews

Monkey Bread

I have a few friends who make Monkey Bread and then share their pictures so one morning while on vacation I broke down and made it. It is so easy and oh, so yummy!

Here's what you need:
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
2 can Canned Biscuits such as Grands Biscuits
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted

Cut the biscuits into 4 equal chunks.

Put the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a gallon sized plastic bag, add the biscuits, and shake until well coated.

Place the biscuit chunks into a bunt cake pan (fluted pan). I didn't have one so I used our bunt cupcake pan and it worked very well.

Melt the butter on the stove (please try to resist the microwave here). Add in the brown sugar and stir over med-low heat until well incorporated. You should no longer see butter on top of the brown sugar.

Pour the brown sugar over the biscuit chunks.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let stand in the pan for about 10 minutes.

Turn the pan over and dump the Monkey Bread out. Separate the chunks and serve.

We just eat them like this for breakfast. Some people serve for dessert and add ice cream.

I put the left overs in a bowl on the counter and we snack on them for the rest of the day.

Enjoy!
Kara