Welcome!!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Make yourself at home and take a few minutes to find out a little about my crazy little world!

11.18.2009

Hey!!

Wednesday nights are soooooo much fun!!!! We're practicing for our Christmas production and it's sooooo gooooood!!It's called "Rejoice, a Soulful Celebration of Christmas". It.is.great! But wait! There's more!! But I just can't tell you right now... so sorry... if you go to BBC, you'll find out soon!! You want a hint? Nope! But you'll like it, we're sure!! :-)

The Christmas production is on Dec 6th at 9:15 and 10:45... then the BBC choir will be caroling to our shut-in members on Dec 13th at 5pm, (we will do some traditional Christmas songs, so everyone's welcome!!) Then on the 20th, we're going to carol at Bridge Street! YES!! Bridge Street! How cool is that?! We've never done anything like that before, so we're super pumped!! :-)

Listen to this song, it's so pretty!!



And because a post is always better with a picture... here ya go!

Ain't they so cute?! :-)

11.12.2009

A day in the life...

Hey everybody... I know you must feel so neglected. I really hate that I don't blog as much as I want to, but it's so hard to take a minute and just type about the daily happenings of lil ole me... really, I can nut-shell it for ya... get up (late), fix lunches, bolt out the door (late), get Trey to school, get Blake to school and go upstairs to work... work a little, play a little, get Blake (late), pick up Trey (late), * or go home (*insert random errand here), straighten the house, take the boys to practice (for whichever sport they happen to be playing at the time), sit at practice, go home, get boys into bed, check my email and facebook, go to bed.

And that's about it... I would say boring, but no, no, no my friend... never a dull moment with me. (if you are around me for any amount of time, you will find out that I have a very infectious laugh... as I'm told quite often!) Not only that, but with two boys, it's crazy more often than its sane... ask any mom of boys, they'll tell ya that I'm shootin' it straight. This is not meant to belittle other mommas, yet it is to let you know that it takes some-kind-of-momma to be a mom of only boys... some-kind meaning a half crazy one.

So as you can see, a day in the life of me is not boring, per se, but it is pretty mundane.... mostly the same ole, same ole. BUT THEN... there's a day like today when I decide that I'll cook my homemade-made-up-by-me soup and I decide to get the boys hair cut... don't worry, nothing catastrophic happened, everybody liked the soup and the boys hair looks great! Hey, even SUPER picky-eater-children's-pastor, Justin ate a whole bowl of soup!! He doesn't like soup, tomatoes or vegetables, so this is a huge win in my favor... especially considering that it was especially hard for him to pick around all the veggies in the tomato based "Italian soup"... ((let me know if you want the recipe!)) So I guess you may be wondering why I said, "BUT THEN... there's a day like today when...". And so, the rest of the story...

I took the boys to get their hair cut at a local salon... she did a great job, but her 4 year old grand-son was there and to say he was a hand-ful would be like telling you that Katrina was a small storm that got a few houses wet. Ok, usually I'm the one mad as fire at my kids for cutting up and not listening... but this time, my kiddos looked like angels, I mean trumpet-toting, halo-wearing angels!! At one point, I made Blake sit on my lap because even though he wasn't doing anything that was 'bad', but just him being able to walk around was feeding this kid's rambunctocity (yes, I am aware that I just added a word to the dictionary) to levels that no one on earth could possibly measure. I know my kids are rambunctious boys and many times they go overboard... waaaaaay overboard, but this kid asked me "Why can't he get up?" and I said, "Because you two are being very wild and I told him he has to sit in my lap so y'all will settle down." Pretty straight-forward, right?! And then it happened... the next few things from his mouth B.U.R.N.E.D M.E. U.P... I mean, I could feel my blood pressure rising and my face had to be flaming with fire! He said, "If he can't get up and play with me, I'm NOT going to be nice!" I said, "He has to sit down because I'm his Mommie and I said he has to, and you need to listen to your Mommie too." (She was washing a lady's hair, within earshot, but I don't know how much she actually heard... she had gotten on to him several times, but with very obvious meaningless threats) THEN HE SAID TO ME, "Just go home, go home, go home, just go home." ((My face is getting flush just thinking about it!!)) I was sitting down, so I leaned closer to him and said, "_his name here_, that is enough, you WILL NOT talk to me that way, do you understand me? And you better go over there to your Mommie. Now." (Yep... read it just like you know how I said it... I was BOILING!!!) I don't know if said Mommie overheard what I told him or not, but the next thing I knew, she was taking him to the back room (for the ump-teenth time during our visit)and I overheard her say, "___name____, you better listen, you don't want your grandmother to come over here, you know what you'll get." WHAT?!!?!!!???!!! Excuse me here, but again, my blood pressure rises because I'm thinking "grandmother?????, seriously?!" COME ON MOMMIE!!!! What in the world are you doing?! I know all of this was bothering the lady that was getting her hair washed, she had already asked me if "all of those were my babies"... I was quick to show her my kids and disclaim __name__... Bless her heart, I know her nerves had to be shot! I know mine were!!

So tell me about your latest 'experience', was it as fun as mine??!!

8.24.2009

Football + Ms Ashlynn

Well, it seems like it's been 4eva since I've posted... so sorry for that!

So a few weeks ago, the HGHS football coaches hosted a 1/2 day camp for the 'little kid' football teams... there were probably 100 kids out there learning the game from the high school coaches. Blake had a great time and learned a lot! Here's a few pictures from the camp:





You're probably wondering why the title of this post has a "+ Ms Ashlynn"...
well, here's the reast of the story...

Toward the end of the camp, an adorable blonde-headed, pink-polta-dot-dressed little girl comes up to me and says "You take piture 'me, k?" So of course I took one, how could I resist! Little did I know that this 'little girl' was a 'little diva'! She had gotten some dirt on her dress, so I told her it was on there and she looked down and said, "I go get s'more, you take piture 'me, k?" So of course I quickly scanned the parents looking for her Mom... "I have a visual"... but to no avail, by that time, Lil' Diva was D.I.R.T.Y... I mean dress and all... "Oh goodness... lil Diva's dirty and Momma's gonna have a come apart" was going through my mind... and then, lil Diva headed over to Momma, "Oh no, she's gonna say something about a camera, point my direction, and then..." was running through my head... "Whew, Momma knew about the dirt adventure and thank the Lord, I went to school with her... now maybe I won't be in too much trouble!" She didn't look too happy about the dirt, but it appears that she wasn't going to fight that battle today... We've all been there, huh Mommas?! :-)

So here comes lil Diva... she said, "I'm go down'dayer, you take picher, an I come riiiiite back, k?" I thought I'd giggle my head off as she came back a little dirtier than the time before, repeating the EXACT same statement each time! So here I was, taking photos of the rough and tumble boys out there on the field and this adorable, dirty little girl... when I came home to download the pics, there was a football pic, a diva pic, a football pic, a diva pic... here are a few pics of Ashlynn, aka "Lil Diva"









This is from Traci, aka "Momma"... "Girl, they are soooo good!!! Thank you so very much! I appreciate you sending those to me, you are a great photographer!... She loves having her picture taken, she is a little diva, hahaha! And BTW, that dress came all clean, thank GOD! That is the first time she has really ever gotten dirty haha!!! Thanks again..."

To Traci... thanks for allowing me to take pictures of your little Diva... she's adorable!!

8.02.2009

Anna Kate is 9 months old!

It's hard to believe that our grand-baby girl is already 9 months old!!! She's grown so much... time passes too quickly...

Posts are always better with pictures, so here ya go!





You can see more on my Flickr... (look under 'babies')

7.28.2009

Piggies2

Well, last week I told you about a contest I entered over at IHeartFaces...
I didn't 'place' in the contest, but my pic ended up on their 'lead in pic', meaning the picture that is posted above where they reveal the winners...
Little Braden's grass covered piggies are in the 1st column, 3rd row!

Make it a great one!!

7.20.2009

Piggies...


Hi everybody!
This is a strange one, I know... but I love to check out what "I heart faces" is up to each week... this is my first time to participate, usually I'm just an innocent bystander. But, since this week is all about feet, I decided I'd take part! I love taking pictures of baby feet... they're just so precious! So here we go!


What's funny is that I was really wanting to get a good 'feet' shot on Sunday afternoon at Jackie & Chris' after the kids played on the Slip-n-Slide, then came home and found out that this contest was going to start today!

Have a fabulous week!! :-)

7.09.2009

I heart Jasmine Star & Natalie Norton.



If you love great photography, you'll heart them too...
I first heard about Jasmine on Natalie's blog, I first heard about Natalie on DPS. I've been following both of them ever since... cuz they are FABAULUS (yes, fab-a-U-lus) photographers and FANTASTIC women... they are doing what I want to do... but ya wanna know what blows my mind??!! These two girls have been in the photography biz for about two years... do you hear me?!! TWO YEARS!! So that gives me GREAT encouragement... I got my first DSLR a little over a year ago, which ignited a fire that can't be put out! I've always loved taking pictures, but photography is a whole different ballgame. There's so much to it, but yet after you take some time to 'play' or experiment, you'll catch right on and you won't want to stop!

Yesterday, I was thinking how much I love photography and would love to be able to go 'full time', but I'm just not 'there' yet... I can't wait for the day though!! And I think God likes to laugh at me... yesterday he sent 3 people my way to ask me about photographing their children! (little kids to a wedding!) He blows my mind too...

And now, back to J & N... take a look at their sites, you'll see what I mean.
Not to mention, they're beautiful too... of course they are.

7.05.2009

My Little Blakers' B'day Weekend...


This weekend was really... well, great!

Friday: I was able to be off work which is pretty rare... I went shopping and had some fun out messin' around with Mama & Blakers and lunch with my hubby! We went b'day shoppin' for Blakers, can you believe my BABY is SEVEN YEARS OLD!??!?!! Besides asking for a 4 wheeler or dirt bike, we had it pretty easy... we took him to Toys R Us first... and crazy as it seems, he really didn't want too much! He wanted a Pitch-back (pitch a baseball, it bounces back) and some baseballs, but then he wanted to go to WalMart... yeah, WalMart... that's where he went partially crazy. He started wanting everything!! He wanted a bunch of 'odd-n-ends', so instead of making him tell me different things that I could go back and pick up later, I went ahead and let him just put them in the buggy so he got exactly what he wanted... but he didn't know that Mom had gotten him a new PSP at Toys R Us and he didn't know that I had gotten him a new game, so he was REALLY surprised!! It was so funny to watch him open the game before the PSP! He was so confused...
Saturday: Steve was off work, which was VERY rare... we slept in (another rare-ity) then went to get fireworks... that was super-fun... well, for the boys that is! Dad and Uncle Wayne met us over there... they were checking out the Big Stuff while the boys were throwing stuff in their baskets faster than Lil E on race day! We left with $220 worth of fireworks... this is the yearly 'boy trip'... I always go along, but I don't answer questions such as "Mom, can I have this" or "Mom, what does this do"... I throw my hands up, raise my eyebrows and make a wierd 'i dunno' face and say "This is a boy trip, ask a boy"... I love it!!
Then we headed to Aunt Ann & Uncle Jip's new house for Dad's side of the family's get-together for the 4th.... there was food, fun and swimming! We had a ton of fun... I took Blakers a cake (that he picked out!) and everybody sang "Happy Birthday" to him!
Then it was time for Fireworks!! Chris, Jackie, Ethan, Anna Kate, Jamarri, Mom, Dad and Memaw came over to see the whole neighborhood 'light up'! It's always fun to watch one road 'battle' the other!
Sunday: We slept in again... yes, I was convicted... but I'll have to say it's been a LONG time since we've done that... anyway... we went to eat and then to see TRANSFORMERS at the IMAX!! It was definitely a great movie and a cool way to see it!!

Well, that's our weekend in a nutshell... time for nighty-night!!

6.23.2009

ABC's of Me

These are the ABC's about being Karen.


(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your ABC's of Me, tag 20 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.


A - Age: 22... that's what Keith said on my bday and I'm sticking to it. JK 33...

B - Bed size: King!

C - Chore you hate: laundry

D - Drive a: SUV, Buick Rendezvous

E - Essential start your day item: juice or milk

F - Favorite Foods: Tokyo Japanese or Rosie's Mexican

G - Gold or Silver: silver

H - Height: 5'3

I - Instruments you play(ed): trumpet and the microphone.

J - Job title: Ministry Assistant

K - Kid(s): 5... 26,24,22,11 & 6 (3 are step, I have stretch marks to prove the other 2)

L - Living arrangements: home in subdivision

M - Married or single: Married

N - Nicknames: KAY-ren, Kar'n-Earl (thanks Jim McClure),

O- Outdoor activity you enjoy the most: to watch? Baseball and football... to do? sit

P - Pets: none, but am currently being begged to get a dog

Q - Famous Movie Quote: "Help me, help you"... "You had me at hello"... any guesses?

R - Right or left handed: right, but can use both sometimes...

S - Siblings: Nada.

T - Time you wake up: 6:30-7am

U - United States favorite place to visit: Beach!

V - Vegetable favorite: Tomatoes, I know the whole veggie/fruit thing, but tomatoes.

W - Ways you run late: um, anything... always late

X - X-rays you've had: can't remember!

Y - Yummy food you make: Hamburger helper, spaghetti and that bbq chicken my kids ate like they had never eaten before!

Z - Zoo favorite – tigers

Ok, that was fun... fun over.

5.13.2009

Bizzy, bizzy, bizzy...

Yeah, I know, I spelled it wrong... but that's where being the owner of this blog comes in handy! :-D So, I'm just wondering... does it seem like you're staying bizzy all the time?! I can't seem to slow down!!! We're either at the ball park, church or work ALL.THE.TIME. My house looks like a tornado hit it... messy and laundry needs to be folded and put up... and I just stare at it like it's gonna clean itself. (Boy, what I would pay for a self-cleaning house!)
So tell me, is it just me? I have a list of things I'd LOVE to do, but I can't seem to stay home long enough to do them!!
I love my life, though... maybe being this bizzy has something to do with a fun heart!
Love til next time... whenever that is!!

4.07.2009

Pierced...

I just wanted to take a minute to invite you to
“Pierced”

the Annual Easter Production at my church, Bethlehem Baptist Church in Hazel Green!

Admission is FREE! Also, sign language interpretation will be provided for the deaf!

Hope to see you there!!


Here are a few pics from last year's production...






I hope you get to come!!! Bring friends, family and neighbors to see the Real Story of Easter!



2.25.2009

Stupidity... and Mastercard...

This has taken me way to long to post, but I had a lot of folks asking what I did to my SUV a couple of weeks ago... well, here's the story:

I backed into the garage to unload the groceries as usual, but what was UNusual was that Steve was home to help unload... so he opens up the back hatch and takes in a few bags. Nothing bad about that, right?! That is FABULOUS! Here comes the bad part... I realized I had parked too close to Steve's van to get me and the supper out of the car, so I thought I'd move over a tidge... (yeah, you know where this is going)... I forgot that the hatch was open when I pulled up!!!!!!!! The rear windshield wiper got caught on the bottom lip of the garage door and bent the door... but that's not the worst part... because of the pressure on the wiper, the BACK GLASS SHATTERED! Here's a nice little pic of my damage:I have to take a moment to brag on my hubby... he didn't KILL me! This is my 2nd run-in with the garage door (pun intended)... we bought the current door only 3 years ago, so I thought I was a goner for sure... he did turn around and walk back in the house to the refuge of the 'big chair' in the living room (his non-matching eBay find) for about 10 minutes, then he walked to the front porch and said "Don't worry about it, we'll get it fixed"... WHAT?!!?!! I said, "Are you ok, are you in shock or do you have a fever?" He chuckled and said he was fine and came over and gave me a hug and said, "That's why we have insurance."
I was blown away!!! So to all you hubbies out there, take this little piece of advice from me... next time she does something really stupid, just take a time out and evaluate what's most important... her or the boo-boo... I bet you'll react like Steve did if you take this little gem of advice!

So now for my MasterCard commercial:
1 garage door repair: $110
1 rear glass replacement: $250
1 husband that didn't scream or kill: Priceless

I love Picnik'in!!

(((Been a while, huh??? Well, if you're missing me, it's cuz you're not on Facebook!!! I am loving that site!!!)))
You're probably wondering WHAT IN THE WORLD I'm talking about when I say ""I love Picnik'in!!""... well, I'm so glad you asked! My friend, Amy, told me about a FREE (yes, FREE) photo editing site named Picnik... You can upgrade to the 'ad-less', bigger workspaced, Premium version for only $24.95, like I did, but you have a BUNCH of options available on the Free version!
If you've edited any pics or gone farther in photography than just taking pics of your kids and pets, you've heard of Photoshop... I have tried to take time to learn it, but to little avail. I have learned a few things, but only a few because I learn by doing, not reading a book... I definitely do not have a 'technical mind' so I thought, "Why not! I'll try Picnik!" (Ok, so it wasn't that dramatic.) So I tried it... and I LOVE IT! Before taking the full dive, I Googled some reviews... I found one review that really stuck out... Pam said something like 'I have Photoshop CS2 on my desktop and everytime I open it, I look at it, then close it'... I'm pretty much the same way, so I contacted her... come to find out, she's a PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER in Okinowa, JAPAN!!!! Her photos are truly amazing...
I have Photoshop Elements 6, which is much easier to use than CS2/3/4, but still aggravating with all the layer stuff and 'technical mess'... I love photography because I can be creative and capture moments in time that would have passed and been forgotten, but because I had the guts to snap the button when no one else would, I have captured a memory that now can never be completely forgotten. With so much going into an image, whether its a pretty landscape or a gorgeous baby or a beaming bride, I don't want to spend my precious time trying to figure out what layer I should put in or whatever... so I find my self clicking open Picnik 100% more than I click open the Photoshop...
Will die-hard, pro photographers gasp at the thought? Of course!
Will people like me love the ease and fun of Picnik? YES, YES, YES!
Will I eventually learn Photoshop? I dunno... I may try, but for now, Picnik is my obsession!

You're probably wondering why I posted about Picnik instead of something grand going on in my crazy life... well, it's cuz right now, my boys aren't currently playing a sport and it's cold outside... Needless to say, I'm not getting out much... that is, not past going to church and work (which is one in the same) Mom's house, Wal Mart or some other warm spots around Hazel Green... I can't wait for SPRING to get here so I'll want to go outside!!

Ok, so tell me what you think of this... of course it was edited on Picnik!
The original:

Picnik'd: