HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLIE!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to KYLIE!!! She is 12 now, the "pre-teen" has hit. I have been trying to figure out how to get her what she wants and exactly what it is and even with her mom and dad's help, I stink at figuring it out. Guess you could call me the worst Aunt ever!!! I'll have to let her get it herself!! Anyway, Kylie is one amazing young lady. She has lived the life of a military child and has done it well. All the moving, the daddy leaving, the changing schools, the making new friends, the visiting and putting up with crazy relatives (me for one), always dealing with the crying ding-dongs and the horrible Aunt and taking it all in stride. I am sure she has her moments, but overall an amazing, gorgeous young lady.

I love her and miss her so much.

When Kylie was born, she came home to my house (where I am now). It was the HOT, HOT summer of 1995, maybe some of you remember that summer. I know Kylie's mom and I remember we were both pregnant, staying in a house with 1 window unit air conditioner (central air was not in a newly weds budget). You have no idea what hot is until you spend a summer pregnant without AIR. She was so beautiful when she was born and we were all so proud and yes I was crying then too!

I cannot believe it has been 12 years since she was born and how grown up she is. Happy Birthday to one amazing, brilliant and resilient young lady. I know Kylie is going to grow up to be one of those women you read about and just want to meet, nothing will stop her!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLIE!!!!!

Meet the other teachers!

MIS had the school openhouse this evening. I was able to go and meet all 3 of Adam's main teachers. Again, I am just tickled. I could not have picked a better set of teachers for my boy. They are organized and together and like a team, a team of teachers, how cool is that. I do find it funny that in 6th grade the teachers are more involved than in 5th grade, whatcha gonna do?! And guess what..........all of his teachers email and agree it is the best way for them to communicate, I AM CONNECTED. I did not get to take pictures of his teachers, it is frowned upon by the too cool boy (one day I'll sneak a couple shots).

Adam's heel is still doing better, can't wait to see the Dr. on Friday to see what more we can do for him or if it is something more than growing pains. I have been researching and as close as I can diagnose him is this Severs disease and we'll need to get him to a specialist. I know that Dr. gave him heel stretches to do last year when he got his check up and complained about the discomfort he has endured. I need to ask him about doing those stretches more! His heels are flexible though, he walks on his toes or flat footed neither is a problem. Please continue to keep him in your prayers and thanks again.

Being wrong happens more than I would like to admit!

Thank you for praying for Adam. Today was much better for him. He could not wait to get to practice and hustled while he was there! I still made, another, appointment for Adam. I am very concerned about his "growing pains".
May I tell you that girls are not the only ones who go through crazy hormonal changes at the age of 10, 11, 12 etc...... I love my boy, he is not himself right now. Besides growing pains he is going through changes. Sometimes we can joke about it and sometimes he is so sensitive. I had a crazy thought, when he was first born, that because I had a boy I wouldn't have to go through this, I thought we would have to go through the whole "Peter Brady voice change" and that was it. Boy oh boy was I WRONG!!!!

Real quick

Please pray for my oldest, Adam; he has been suffering from heel pain for over 1 year. We have been to the Doc for it and it is growing pains. Today the pain was so severe he did not play in his football game, I gave him the whole, "suck it up" pep talk and it didn't work, I gave him the whole "I love how you played last week, let's do it again," and it didn't work, I gave him the whole "your team is counting on you" and it didn't work. I know the pain is there and he is growing very quickly, he aches and needs prayer. Adam knows God can heal him and is trusting for it, he has a very positive outlook, Please pray, when you remember Adam! Thank you in advance, I am trusting for a miracle in His name!

I paid attention

Yesterday we had a picnic to go to and my husband volunteered me for salads, in his words: "Not pasta or picnic salads, GREEN salads". For those of you who know me, this was not my norm. I couldn't believe it, I usually take some kind of dessert or entree or something that takes a little more effort. He said it was the only thing left so I went with it......

I made two salads, one was Cesar Salad and the other was just an oil and vinegar dinner salad. Anyway, I paid attention when I was putting together the Cesar Salad Dressing and can share it here it goes:

2 egg yolks
1tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1 clove of garlic (peeled)
2 anchovie filets (right out of the can)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper (fresh ground is best)
1 lemon juiced
1/2 cup fresh parmasean cheese

put all above ingredients in a blender to chop and mix until looks somewhat creamy, you could also put it in a food processor, or just chop it all by hand and then mash it up together and then mix.

1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Using a whisk: Whisk in olive oil, slowly, whisking quickly adding oil slow, being sure to incorporate it all before adding more, it is very important to emulsify the oil and other ingredients, otherwise you will have a "seperation".

Taste and adjust flavors as necessary to your liking.

Now put together the salad:
Romaine lettuce is best, tear into bite size pieces add black olives, tomato, parmasean cheese, and red onion, mix together and then put in the cesar dressing and get your hands in it and mix the dressing all through!

Some additions:
Croutons: store bought or you can chop up french bread and fry in a mixture of olive oil and salad oil until it looks of a goldenish color, remove and add salt, pepper and parmesean cheese.

Grilled Chicken Breast or Tenderloins: marinate chicken breast or tenderloins in something like lemon juice salt, pepper, garlic (either let it sit up to one day or use immediately). Grill until the markings, grill marks, are pretty, remove from grill put in a baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes and you will have still juicy all cooked chicken. If you are using tenderloins, just grill and use, they are thinner and more tender so they do not take any amount of time to cook (we really started using these more when I went back to work). Slice up and add to salad.

Steak: Grill to your liking (please season first) slice and add to your salad.

Anyway, we had plain old cesar salad with croutons and I liked it! But I was more impressed that I paid attention to the ingredient amounts that I had to share!

Training and signing

In case your wondering the kids had a great second day.

I had an interesting day, the best way to train on a new job. Our hostlers put a locomotive on the ground, derailed, first thing this morning. Because of the rain there were tracks washed out in Wisconsin on Sunday night. They have now repaired that or rerouted the trains (not sure) and we are getting all the locomotives we were expecting Monday and Tuesday. Lots of moving around and making up consist to get trains out on time. I saw frustration in the faces of the gentlemen I am training with. They still trained even through it all. When I was in commuter service a derailment is even more stressful!!!!!!! We have to get trains out, there are thousands waiting on trains to pick them up and take them home to those that love them!! We need to run on time!!!! If this would have happened in the commuter service I would have been home late, around 8pm or so, but it happened in freight and I went home on time, yea!!! Still stressful, but not the same stress we rescheduled a couple trains and pulled the other engines away and found other engines to work and it was fine. Talk about learning in the midst!!

So neat for me, God has been so faithful in this new career choice of mine. I have went from not knowing 1 THING about the railroad to having a good understanding! I am putting things together. It is so awesome to recall from your memory something that didn't make sense earlier and does later...........WOW.............

Off to do my homework for the kids school and sign my name and sign my name and sign my nammmmmmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..... you get what I mean all these papers that come home from school and we as parents need to sign. I spent all Tuesday evening, Wednesday evening and tonight just reading and signing!!!

School starts

Am I the only one who used to get excited about wearing my new clothes to school on the first day? I am viewing the pictures of my kids getting on the bus for the first day 2007 (I wasn't there, Larry took pictures) and I can't believe they are in the same old clothes they have been wearing!! Alright, except Adam, he has on new shoes and a new t-shirt (woohoo). I remember picking out the cutest or coolest outfit of the two or three mom bought for back to school and wearing that and it was a big deal. Maybe it was just me!? They were all excited for back to school and all had a great day (YEA).

I am so pleased, my husband has stepped right into the roll I used to have (he is no mama) he has taken it so well and is says he is proud to do it. I know this roll is different for him (and me) but he does it so well. I know taking these pictures was just for me (I charged the camera and left it where he could conveniently find it and left a big note on the door about pictures) maybe I helped a little. I believe we have to help each other out and not wait for our spouse to figure out what we want (another post at a later time).