Today I Will Be Free

This will be the last blog post that I write wearing glasses!! I am joining some of my blog pals in Fill in the Blank Friday!  The topic is books!!  

1.  My favorite book growing up was     "Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein  I was passionate about his books.  I would check them out from the library and rack up major late fees!!  .

2.  The funniest book I've ever read was     a series by Janet Evanovich- The Stephanie Plum Series.  They are hilarious!!

3.  The one book that has truly changed my life is      The Bible and The Book of Mormon.  Both full of truth and guidance .

4.  If you're looking for a real "tear jerker" you should probably read     "The Mark of the Lion" series by Francine Rivers.  Crying during a book is a rarity for me and this one did me in.  I was so sad when I finished reading these books    .

5.  If I could meet any author living or dead I would want to meet    Jane Austen. I have read and re read her for as long as I can remember. She have been apart of my life for such a long time.  Longer than any other author .

6.  The next book on my "to read" list is     Catching Fire (I know. I know,) Then the Mortal Instuments Series  .

7.  If I was snowed into  remote cabin in the woods and could only choose three books to bring with me I'd bring      My special edition Jane Austen (it has 5 novels,,,but its technically one book), Eclipse (from the Twight Series), Where the Sidewalk Ends   .

Its not funny any more.

Yeah.  I am not really know for my ability to "have it together".  I actually am know for my gift of lateness, forgetfulness and classic procrastination.

I have decided that I am far to old for this.

It is time that I stop joking about it and be embarrassed about it...because I should be!
I mean, REALLY??  I had to bring my printer and laptop to and event because I KNEW that I would forget to print something.  That is just sad. I actually plan on screwing things up!

Well, those days are over! I hope...

I have come up with a system (sorta).

I calling it "Take 5"!

Sometimes I wake up dreading my day.  I think of all the things that I need to do.  Then I get a little sad because there are things that I want to do and I know I won't have time.  This makes me resent the things that I have to do.  See the vicious cycle forming....

There had to be a way to fix this.

I realized that I just need to me more organized.  That I needed to make lists and prioritize those lists and then manage my time.  Sounds simple enough...right?

I have started making lists.  We have this board from IKEA that is awesome!!

Its called a notice board. WE LOVE IT!  This is where I make my lists, where we write the things that we run out of, the weekly menu (basically its a list of everything that I can cook so that we are staring blankly at the fridge wondering what to eat) and... You get the idea right? Good.  The lists also ensure that important things don't get forgotten.  I am also getting in the habit of making sure that important dates make in to the calendar on my phone!

Now that I have my list of things to do I make time for them.  This is where the "Take 5" comes in!! 

 In the morning I do 5 things.  This is general "Pick - Up" things. Start a load of clothes, unload the dishwasher, wipe down the bathroom counter...that sorta thing.  I have been getting up a little earlier everyday to sort of train myself and timing myself during the "get ready" process.  I won't time myself forever. I am doing it now so that I can be more aware of how much time each thing takes me.  Like I know that I can to my make up in 5 minutes...but if I don't watch the time could take me 10.  I have NO concept of time.  I can easily waste 15 minutes on absolutely nothing. I am hoping that by being more aware of the time that I will get in to a routine and I will be able to get ready in the same amount of time everyday!

During lunch I do 5 more things.  These things are more "do while watching TV" type things. I am home for lunch so I usually watch something from the DVR so during that time I can fold clothes or something mindless.   Of these 5 things I do 2 things that I want to do.  Not a chore...something I enjoy. Editing photos, reading or writing, blogging...this keeps lunch enjoyable but I still get something done.

In the evening, I do 2 "have tos" and 3 "want tos"!  This is the best!  Since I did some little things earlier in the day the house doesn't need much and I get to relax with Will and enjoy my evening!! This also leaves the weekends free from the restraints that household chores put on us!

Just to give you an idea of how things are going...

I started Saturday with the board full of things to do.

It is now Thursday and my list is gone and the house is very clean and organized...for the most part. I got up at 5:30 this morning and STAYED up after Will left (in the past if I get up I just go back to sleep).  It really wasn't that big of a deal.  I got to do a lot and it was kinda relaxing! The best part is I don't feel over worked...I feel accomplished.  I even had time to work on me.  I exercised and BLOGGED!  I even got to leave some comment love! 

I am sure that there is someone out there that will read this and think...really?  She needs to do all this to stay organized and she doesn't even have kids??  Yes.  Yes I do.  I hope that some of this will just become habit. That I won't have to be so strict on myself. 

Maybe someone will read this and think...no way!  Me too!!

Sorry this was a bit lengthy.  I do usually do long posts.  If you are still here...thank you!

Remember that time...

Remember that time I was so super excited to have my eye surgery and be rid of the glasses and contacts that I have been wearing for more than 20 years (that is basically my ENTIRE life, by the way)???


Remember that time I had my sister (Dear Sweet Amanda...I LOVE YOU) come all the way from Texas on Easter weekend to be with me for the previously mentioned surgery?


Remember that time the secretary at the surgeons office called while we were actually in route to the office to cancel said surgery??


Remember that time I had a melt down over all of this??


Well as it turns out... Will had to have an emergency appendectomy (isn't it always and emergency??) and he was on deployment in Philadelphia.  There is no way that I could have driven 8 hours to get him right after having surgery.  So...Bright side- Amanda and I had a fabulous sister weekend. I made it to Will while he was still very heavily medicated (which made the 8 hour solo drive TOTALLY worth it). Eye surgery is set for this FRIDAY!!!  Wish me luck...and if you could wish for perfectly functioning equipment that would be greatly appreciated!

Letting go...

of stress.

of worry.

of insecurities.

of doubt.

of fear.

of all the things that I can’t control.

of things that hurt me.

Holding tight…

to faith.

to my loved ones.

to the things that bring me joy.

to things that I can change.

to the knowledge that I have.

to things that give me strength.

I know…

that I am flawed.

that some of those flaws are ok.

that if I work hard I change the ones that are not ok.

that my Redeemer lives.

that I am a daughter of God.

This is what I learned from my soul searching. I have been struggling a little and now I know why. I needed to refocus, re-organize and prioritize.

So, I'm working on it.

Remember When I Used To...

Blog

Read blogs

Comment on blogs

Yeah. I miss those times.

So...I am working on a comeback!

I missed you. All of you.

I am sorry that I have neglected you all.

Please forgive me!

Random.org has spoken...

Allison won the certificate to The Vintage Pearl!!

I would like to thank Erin and encourage you all to visit her site and blog if you haven't done so already!!

Also, you should check out Allison's blog as well! If you tweet you can find her there too!

I would love to stay and chat but I need to head to the airport to pick up my sister!!

Luvs!

Is it really only Tuesday??

So far I have managed to...

Rip a pair of pants {I will NOT go in to detail on this}

Mend said pants {First time for everything- the seem was pretty straight and I only poked myself once! Well, several times, but only once that bleed.}

Missed my mouth while drinking a piping hot green tea latte and pretty much dumped the whole thing in my lap {grrrr}

Get paint on that same pair of pants {not sure how to explain this either...}

Luckily the paint was water based and pants are safe once again

As if these poor pants hadn't been through enough...

I forgot to take them out of the washer and I tossed in my towels :-(

I then put the towels and the pants in the dryer...

I am now lint rolling this sad pair of pants and thinking of tossing them in the trash!

I feel like Desmond trying to save Charlie.

The End.

Hey Y'all!

You know I dislike Mondays...{Remember that time that I thought I had a brilliant idea and then it tanked} Anyway, this Monday is full of bad. Will had to leave again, it is rainy and nasty out and the overall mood in my office ranks somewhere in between "cranky" and "full-on grumpy". In an attempt to turn my frown upside down I am turning my focus to happier thoughts...

1. I am only working 4 days this week and 3 days next week.

2. My lovely sister will be here on THURSDAY!

3. I am having vision correction surgery {it’s like Lasik but different} on FRIDAY!

4. Last but certainly not least...I have the honor of giving away a $25.00 Gift Certificate to The Vintage Pearl!! I am totally in love with this charming site!

So inventive, original and uniquely beautiful!

Take a look for your self...

My very favorite is the Heart and Circle! I will be ordering it very soon!!

So here is how this is gonna go down...

For one entry- Visit the very talented Erin at http://thevintagepearl.blogspot.com/ and become a follower

For a second entry- Visit http://www.thevintagepearl.com/ and let me know which piece is your favorite

For a third entry- You must video yourself doing a somersault followed by 3 back flips...No? Ok...Just become a follower of my little blog!

Leave a comment letting me know what you did so that I can enter you the right number of times!

Comments must be in by 8:00 pm {EST} on Thursday, April 1^st {no…I’m not joking!}

I will announce the winner that same night!

Good Luck!

I don't want to forget...

Sometimes there are moments that are beautiful,

Moments of perfection,

Moments of true happiness.

These are the moments I never want to forget.

I want to memorize them.

I want to let my mind take a picture.

I have many of these moments tucked away.

I keep them in a safe place that is just for me.

I go to this place when I need uplifting,

When I need cheering,

and when I need to be reminded of how blessed I am.

I created a new memory last night.

Laying in bed, snuggled close, with the faint flickering glow of the television.

I looked up at him and let my mind take another picture.

His sleepy smile, his loving eyes, the leftover smell of his cologne and his arms around me.

I immediately connect this memory to another...

The day that I became his.

I took a picture that day too.

It was late.

We were finally leaving the reception.

We had a two hour drive ahead of us.

I watched him as he drove {he was certain that I had been sleeping}.

His sleepy smile, his loving eyes, and the leftover smell of his cologne and his hand holding tight to mine.

I will use these the next few weeks while we are apart. I will be thankful for the time that we have together to make these memories and worry less about the time that we are apart.

Lovesick/Good News

Preface: I wrote this post awhile ago...I thought I posted it. Clearly, I did not. *Facepalm*

These last few weeks have been difficult. By difficult, I really mean nearly unbearable.

Will being gone has been so much harder this time.

I can’t put my finger on the reason…

This ain’t my first rodeo, after all.

I always have my transition time;

Where I sulk a bit,

Be anti-social,

Sleep on the couch instead of our bed and

Cry into my Ben & Jerry’s.

Then, I move on. I keep busy and spend time with friends.

I shop a little too much.

This time has been different.

[Will, if you are reading this…I am not trying to make you feel guilty. I’m just expressing.]

I have been so emotional, so unmotivated, so lonely and just plain old grumpy.

I have been thinking about this…why this time is so different.

Here is a breakdown of 2010 thus far:

January- gone

February- home 18 days out of 28

March- gone...well, will be home for 7 days at the end

April- will be gone

See my problem?? I freaking miss my husband. I’m totally lovesick!

I can't wait to see him. Really. Can't. Wait.

Bright side...I just have a few more days left! It may only get him for 7, but you better believe I will make 'em count!

In other good news...I have the best family EVER. No lie. They would do anything for me.

Example: I am scheduled to have eye surgery April 2nd. I was going to cancel cause I am a big baby and didn't want to do it while Will is away. Even though all of my sweet friends AND my boss offered to help me...I still wanted to chicken out. Until I got this text late one night from one of my big sisters...

Amanda: I have thought about it. I want to come when you have your surgery.

Me: Really?

Amanda: Yep. You say the word.

Me: No. It’s Ok. That’s too much trouble.

Me: Well...Are you sure???

Amanda: Yes. I don't want you to put it off. I would really like to help you.

Me: It would make me less nervous. Wow. I feel better about it now. {totally crying and feeling very loved}

We continued to text back and forth and I booked her flight that night! I have no idea what I did to deserve such love. This surgery has been making me very nervous. I want this so bad but I am not sure what to expect. I had this big cloud of uncertainty over my head...until  Amanda offered to be there for me. I am still nervous. Still uncertain. Somehow, how knowing that she will be here helps me to push all that aside. It helps me to be excited. To focus on the fact that in 15 days I won't need the glasses or contacts that I have relied on for 20 years. Now I can focus on what it will be like to wake up on April 3rd and SEE! It may sound silly...but this is a dream come true for me. I have wanted surgery for awhile but I never thought it would happen. Well it is going to happen in 15 days!

Thank you Amanda! I love you and I owe BIG!

Women

Women are interesting creatures. 

Obviously, we differ from men.  We differ physically as well as mentally.

This isn’t ground breaking news…

However, I have learned something about women.

We are beautiful, we are thoughtful and we love on a thousand different levels.

We can be so completely different…yet put us in a room together and we find common ground.  We will relate.  We find a love and respect for one another in under an hour. 

I had the pleasure of having lunch yesterday with some extraordinary women. Some I knew and some I didn’t.  Thanks to this great lady we all had the opportunity to meet.

We all hailed from somewhere different {3 from the same state…Texas is so big that we still all came from different worlds}, we are different places in our lives and yet we talked for 2 hours without a single awkward pause.

I would have to consider myself the odd woman out.

I lack a college degree, though I have attended A LOT!

I do not have children.

I am not a gifted writer or photographer.

I am just Kimberly and that is ok.

I never felt left out. 

Because women will see what you are instead of what you are not.

We found away to communicate and discuss our lives in a way that included the group.

One major thing that we have in common is our outlets of expression.

We blog.  That’s right.  We write and share our lives on the world wide web. We know its kinda weird...that's cool with us.

Our reasons are the same but different. 

We also share a love of pizza and brownies!

I really enjoyed our time together.  It was something I needed. It was thought provoking and…you know what?  It was fun!

Thanks again!

**PS. I’m not knocking men. I happen to be the proud wife of a great man.  I’m also not saying that all women are perfect…I’m just sharing some thoughts.  After all, that is what this space of mine is for.

Cell Phone Photography

One of my favorite technological advances is the camera phone.  Yes, I am aware that we can now surf the web while flying across the country.  Yeah, I heard about that iPad thing.  Come on...a camera and a phone!  Brilliant!  OK.  I'm easily amused.  

Anyway, we take oodles of pictures with our cell phones.  We always have them and if it is something that we want to share we can text, tweet and facebook that baby all over the place {because we know that there are so many people that are on the edge of their seats anxiously awaiting our next self-take...}.  Back on track. I was flipping through our photos trying to find some from our recent adventures and I was coming up empty.  Then I check my phone...TaDa!  I found 347 little gems just waiting for their time in the spotlight.  So now I will share with you what has been hiding out on my blackberry... This may to be spread over several posts.

{Do be afraid…I am not going to post all of them.}

New Years Eve/First Moments of 2010

Yes...I am totally ashamed.  I can't believe I forgot to blog about this.  Who forgets the start of a new DECADE???  Really, Kimberly, REALLY?  On with the story…

We made our way to Boston via the good old MBTA, which is always free for holidays!  Our friends, Ethan and Laura, braved bitter cold and the crowded city with us.  We had an early dinner {Sushi...the norm when we are with Ethan and Laura} and checked out the fireworks and ice sculptures in the Commons. Once we had our fill headed for the car.  In order to "head for the car" we have to pass Mike’s Pastry...oh how I love me some Mike's!  We stopped in and fought our way to the counter, in true Mike’s tradition, for our treats!! We were home and in our pjs in time to have our last '09 kiss and out first in '10!  It was a great night...

  

Good times, Y'all...real. good. times.

We frequenters at the New England Aquarium!  We both have a love of nature and all the things that God has created to make our world unique and beautiful.  We love the water and the creatures that abide there.   Here is a sample of what we love about visiting aquarium!           

{Yes.  I am aware of the poor quality of these photos.}

Last one...

In an attempt to embrace winter an all that comes with it...here is us playing!

Snow Angels...

Lazy Snowmen...

Crash landings...

Zipfy Mini Luge= $30.00  Fluffy Warm Jackets= $60.00  Snow Boots= $50.00

Hours of Fun Together and New Memories Made= Priceless

Coming Soon - Cell Phone Photography: B-Day/ V-Day Edition!