The Donut Whole

This place didn't open until after I had moved away but it was while Sam still lived in Wichita so she was able to check it out and wanted to show it to me while we were in town. We went around noon on Friday and the light coming in the windows was AMAZING! It was an ameteur photographer's dream! Such a cool, ecclectic place! I asked the woman behind the counter if she minded if I took photos and she said they had photography students in there snapping away all the time. I would have liked to take more time and take some more artsy-fartsy shots but Sam was making her way for the door!

We went back Saturday evening with Sarah. It was getting dark and cloudy so the lighting wasn't as good but the donuts were just as good as they were Friday! This is not your ordinary donut! Interesting flavors and combinations and all made fresh right there! YUMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!! They also have live music some nights too. It was such a cool place and I wish it was closer to me but maybe with as good as those donuts were it's a good thing it isn't! And no, I do not know what a rooster has to do with donuts but there were a lot of the little guys decorating the place!

Home again, home again...

but I'm too tired to do any jiggity jigs. And a headache decided to join me yesterday morning and hasn't decided to leave just yet. Some guests just don't know when they've overstayed their welcome!

I had a great time traveling with my oldest young'un this week-end and seeing all my scrappin' peeps back in Wichita! There are people there that I miss greatly and I'm sure I always will. Working with some of them was really like working with family, things weren't always sunshine and roses but all in all we worked well together, knew and accepted each other's little quirks and STILL liked each other! Where I work now is good too but it's a different environment being a bank and not a store where you can get creative so the atmosphere is understandably different. Not as many occassions to break out in boy band dance moves or to quote movie lines incessantly! lol

But with all that said I think that, after almost two years here, it's finally hit me that this is really now our home. Floating around in the back of my head was that after the three years Mark would have to work here so we wouldn't have to pay back any moving money that maybe, just maybe, he could get his old job back in Wichita. I've associated so many negative things that have happened to this move, some probably less fairly than others. I still have flares where I take issue with how it all went down but it is what it is at this point. Moving back to Wichita isn't going to make Robbie's "issues" go away, it won't make Samantha's life any easier and I definitely wouldn't be getting my old job back! And Katie hit the ground running here and I doubt we'd be lucky enough to have it happen in reverse too. I don't think the job here for Mark was as big a bonus as he envisioned. The cost of living is definitely higher here so the extra money in the paycheck is a wash but he tells me that there's more chances for advancement here. If that makes him happy in his work life then I have to accept that. It's time to try to force some roots in Indiana.

Samantha had her own revelations this week-end. We both are full of conflicting emotions right now but we both agreed that growing up is sometimes "pretty sucky". ;-)

Road Trip

After a somewhat chaotic afternoon at work Sam and I hit the road. We stopped in Vandalia, IL at a Sonic and got our first Sonic fix of the week-end...YUM! However it caused the need for a rest stop and for some reason Sam didn't think we should stop in a rest area late at night! Just because I mentioned the most recent Criminal Minds episode we watched?! We stopped for gas and a potty break in a well lit area but even that felt kind of creepy. It's funny how even though I think I'm an independent "hear me roar" kind of woman I still feel safer with Mark around in certain situations! But we made it through some rain and some heavy traffic in spots and got to Columbia, MO and stopped for the night. I just don't sleep well outside of my own home anymore for some reason so I slept for maybe 15 minutes at a time and not too many times! A cup of coffee or two the next morning though and I was ready to hit the road.

We hit some rain and a lot of areas that looked like they had had downpours but thankfully we missed that while driving! We got through KC and stopped at a QT (and it wasn't me who needed the potty break that time! lol) and I got a French Vanilla cappacino...aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Yes, it's a convience store cappy but it's the BEST one I've ever had!

We got to Wichita at lunch time and Sam picked Louie's for lunch. Fried green beans?! Who knew they'd be so yummy?! We got to check into the hotel early and then Sam dropped me off with Mary and she met up with some of her friends. And now I'll spare you the play by play for now! LOL

It's good to be back here visiting but I also think that we both have found some closure. I can't speak for Sam but I think it's finally hit me that while I loved living in Wichita and it will always be full of fond memories it's no longer "home". I guess it's time to start forcing some roots in Indy. (But Mark and I both agree we'd like to find a different neighborhood to live in within the next couple of years!) Sam and I agree that growing up sometimes sucks (and I hate using that word but it fits this situation).

And I'll cut this short because soon it will be time to head to Get Scrappy!!!

Westward ho!

I go to work in a bit and then after work Samantha and I will be hitting the road. Mark and the kids are going to come over with Sam in her car and pick up the van and then we'll jump into evening rush hour traffic--oh the joy of that timing. @@ Sam seems to think she can drive the night away. I'm useless once it's dark thanks to the kerataconus and no night vision so things could get interesting tonight! We'll make it at least to St. Louis but she wants to push further. We'll see what happens. I have visions of her being juiced on Amp and my wondering how I can safely knock her out and get some peace and quiet! lol

I have mixed emotions about going. I'm excited to see Mary and Sarah and everyone but feeling guilty about leaving too. Katie has a busy schedule these days which means Robbie will have to ride along as Mark ferries her about. Which they would all say it's no big deal but it's just the tip of the Mommy guilt iceberg. We'll all survive though and Mark already told them it was Ci-Ci's for supper tonight so they were pretty happy about that!

So look out, Wichita, I'm on my way!

A month??

Almost a whole month since I've blogged! I started a couple but never finished them. What can I say?! Apparently not a whole lot..at least not on the electronic page!

My first Saturday off in a month and we had to get up at 0 dark thirty to get Katie to the school by 6:50 this morning so she could board the buses with the rest of her junior high band and go to their competition. I'm surprised the kids were walking a straight line that early on a Saturday let alone play three pieces of music beautifully in my opinion! All three judges scored them in the GOLD category so way to go FJH Varsity Band!!!! I was trying to take a picture of Katie on the stage before the concert and you could tell when she spotted me in the crowd from the expression on her face! LOL It was like "Oh geez, here she goes again with the camera!" Then I had to sneak pictures during the concert since the announcer said no photos as the flash could interfere with the musicians, but I didn't USE my flash so I don't think I'm really a rule breaker!

After the concert we brought Katie home for about an hour before Mark ran her to an event she had to volunteer at to get her hours in for National Junior Honor Society. The girl is in 7th grade, I thought we had another two years before she was overbooked!!! She also joined the track team too. Whoda thunk a child of mine would enjoy track?!? But so far she seems to be enjoying the practices so good for her! So band, NJHS, track, Girl Scouts, Campus Life and CTV.....I THINK those are all her activities on top of classes and home! No wonder I'm so tired all the time, it's from watching my kids go in a gazillion different directions!

Robbie went down to the playground today and evidently climbed a tree and has said several times since he liked it. I've seen those trees, they're rather young and I'm not sure their branches are strong enough to hold a tall 9 yo boy for very long! I envision a trip to the ER in our future! I miss our old house and backyard! There was a GREAT tree for climbing in the back! Katie used to climb it all the time.

Speaking of the old house, Samantha and I are leaving after work Wednesday night for Get Scrappy 5 in Wichita! Well, she had a gazillion plans with all her friends but I'M going to hit Get Scrappy both days and she'll be there on Saturday. I have plans to hang out with Mary on Thursday evening and I'm really looking forward to that! I miss our talks, the phone is great but sometimes you just need that face to face interaction with a few "Are you NEW????"'s thrown in! lol And Samantha and I will re-create the "noisy table" from last year with Sarah! I miss her a lot too! I miss working with people who understood my "quirks" like talking to and answering myself or dancing in an aisle to 80's music and getting caught doing it by a customer! I just miss my "peeps"! I guess Toni and Nikki can't make it to Get Scrappy this year and that makes me kind of sad but that's life. sigh

And I really should get off of here and start figuring out what I'm going to pack for the crop! You think Mark would get worried if I just packed it all?????

At least it wasn't snow!

After a beautiful sunny Friday (and with 40 degrees it even felt warm!) we've had nothing but dreary drizzle since early Saturday morning. It's helping to melt the snow (we found we still have a deck!) but it's creating yucky, dreary looking mud pits instead. But at least it isn't more snow! And the yucky dreary looking mud pits were going to have to happen eventually so maybe we'll get it all out of the way in the next week or so just in time for March and hopefully the beginning of spring! But I really hate looking out and seeing nothing but dirty snow mounds and mud buuuuuuuuuuuut at least it wasn't more snow! (Notice a theme here?!)

We had a scout filled week-end this past week-end. Robbie's Blue and Gold Banquet was Saturday evening. Next year he'll be a Webelos II and crossing over to Boy Scouts and if next year's ceremony is like this year's I'm sure I'll be a bawling mess! I appreciate the value of ceremonies and marking achievements but boy is that rough for a parent sometimes! ;-)

Sunday we spent over five hours at Thinking Day for our local Girl Scouts. Katie's troop's booth was Costa Rica and they did a great job! It was really neat seeing all the different countries that were represented. Some of the troops went all out on their booths! And there was a group of Pakistani dancers that were just awesome! I know the dancing told a story and I wish I knew what the story was! But it was so cool to watch even if I was clueless!

Today I had the day off from work so I've cleaned bathrooms and have spent the day washing towels and bedding. Wheeeeeeee! I've also been listening to Celtic Thunder's latest CD. I think they could sing the phonebook and I'd buy the CD and enjoy it! They just make me happy and when I think back to Katie's excitement at the concert last November and Ryan putting his arms around me and Katie ("He touched my shoulder!" "I know, he touched mine too!") it just makes me even happier. I can't remember another group that I can listen to over and over and never get sick of listening! And their version of Amazing Grace IS amazing. That was my Grandma Lambert's favorite song and even though she never got to meet Katie (whose middle name comes from Grandma) listening to this song with Katie just makes those family ties seem tangible. I'm not putting it into words very well but it's an amazing thing!

Now I think I'm going to maybe go scrapbook!

It's been awhile

It's been almost a month since I've blogged. I wish I could tell you (and by you, I'm thinking it's just Jeanne and Kelli who are reading!) that it's because I've been living a fabulously exciting life and had no time to write but alas, I'd be lying! (It's so easy to use the word "alas" when writing but how often do you hear it used in vocal conversation?!)

It's just been a routine kind of life lately which sometimes is a nice thing. Take care of the family, go to work, fight this never-ending crud that won't seem to completely let go of any of its victims, be Cookie Mom for Katie's troop and swear, once again, that I will NEVER do it again. I think I mean it this time though. I don't want to go publicly into details but it's just been frustrating on my end. I was told I was the "odd one" for being responsible and on top of things (and not saying all the other parents are irresponsible parents) and I just don't have the need to add that frustration to my life again.

There's also been the never-ending snow this year. I think this year it's just been spread out over a longer period so it just feels worse. We did have glorious sunshine yesterday but today it's lightly snowing again and the weather folks are saying it's going to get pretty ugly Sunday and/or Monday. I was threatening to find the bleepin' groundhog and hang him last week.

Bright spot is, even though I didn't think I'd make it this year, I'm going to Get Scrappy in Wichita at the end of March! I'll get to hang out at the "noisy, cool kids" table again and hopefully get some mass quantities of layouts scrapped! Ok, with all the laughing and noise there may be not be mass quantities!

And now I've rambled for a bit and it's time to go serve some food at my cafe on Facebook!