Cookies, cards and people like me...

We have been the recipient of many holiday cards and cookies. All of which are greatly appreciated. They really are. But what makes me feel crummy is wondering if people I have sent cards to in the past are wondering why I didn't send THEM a card this year. And the answer is... I didn't send any cards this year. Not one. Not a single one. Nor did I bake cookies.
But so many of you have been in my thoughts and on my mind, really you have been. I just didn't get around to it.
What I do want to share though, is THE BEST COOKIE RECIPE EVER.
EVER.
And if you want, just pretend I made them and brought them to you along with some holiday wishes.
Enjoy!
Frosted Walnut Pumpkin Cookies from Cooks.com Just follow the link to heaven:
www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1813,147176-249199,00.html

Bad habits/good times!

I know, know know this is a bad idea, but I do it anyway. I have fallen into the habit of letting Caroline sleep with me on non-school days. Again, yes, I know this is a bad idea but she loves it and honestly, I love waking up and seeing her face next to me. She always wakes chatty and in the best mood. And some days, she wakes up and sings me a song. What's not to love about that?

'Twas the week before Christmas...

I should be cleaning my house

It's our year to host Christmas

The family of my spouse

The stockings are hung

By the chimney with care

But our dog Brook, RIP, hers is not there

Our first Christmas without her

It's been bittersweet

Remnants of her fur on the tree skirt I didn't sweep

The boxes have been delivered

By Amazon with care

Knowing I don't have it in me to brave the holiday crowds out there

It's Tessa's last year here

Full time in our care

Next year will be college

Tears stay away

Damn you, beware!

Caroline is so excited

Christmas at five

Littlest Pet Shop and Screature

Rank high on her list

Small plastic toys, you get the gist

I'm thankful for family, and for friends

Wishing that the childhood years could never end

Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas

Kwanzaa and more

Here's looking forward to what 2010 has in store!

I gave up and left...

Do you ever realize that you need to confront things about yourself? Maybe something you realize in yourself as a weakness and know that you need to address?

I'm not sure why, but sometimes I am quick to give up and walk away.

At times, it seems easier.

Today I did it at the grocery store.

As I was passing through I saw a soup mix for a white bean soup.

This appealed to me, so I picked up the packet.

And the recipe was right up my alley.

I needed salt, water and a ham bone.

A ham bone?

Isn't that a dance move?

Where on earth do I find a ham bone?

I honestly could not find one.

So I left.

With my soup packet.

Looks like this will be a vegetarian soup.

Maybe after dinner I'll address my shortcomings.

I ain't too proud to beg!

Remember that song? OK, let's get down to biz-ness here. I need you. I need you to make me look good. All these years of free entertainment by me have culminated into my needing something from you.
And seeing as how it IS the holiday season and we should embrace the spirit of giving I'm going to ask for a little audience participation here.
I have submitted writing samples to two companies for freelance writing gigs for their websites. This is something that has been in the back of my mind for a while now, and I just happened to come across two good opportunities. One has already contacted me and it looks as if it is a go.
In order for me to be successful at this, I need readers. Commenters. Followers. Referrals. If I am able to make a successful go at this I will pull out all the stops to drive traffic to these sites and share what I have written. Are you with me? Trust me, the last two years of my goofy style of blogging will not come to an end. This is just a way to show off a little more of my journalistic polish and flair. Help a sister out here, ok? I promise not to let you down. There will still be tales of near- mishaps at the Canadian border, anatomically correct cheeseballs and woes of the mother of two. Don't worry. Link to my blog if you are a blogger, sign your self up as a follower, leave the occasional comment. And last but not least, feel free to vote in the upper left hand corner of the blog. Because once again, I ain't too proud to beg...

*Editing done by my cousin Ron. Thanks Ron, I wouldn't be where I am today without you!

How to entertain your friends (and look like a hero)

Did you know that right here in Columbus several local store owners allow you to host your own private parties in their stores after hours?
Yep.
Bring in your own food and drink? Or in some cases have it provided for you?
Yep.
Ladies, I give you three AWESOME venues to have your next ladies night. Gather your friends, have some fun and leave the work to someone else.
1) Leal. If you've never been, Leal is one of the hidden gems of Columbus. It is a small boutique in Arlington located on Arlington Avenue. GORGEOUS pieces, and when something goes on sale, it is ON SALE. One of the best things you will find at Leal is the service. OK, and the selection. You will find things at Leal that you will never find at a mass retailer. A fun way to introduce yourself and your friends to Leal might be their Ladies Night Out. What do you have to lose? Invite ten friends and shop the night away! (If you invite me, that brings you down to nine invites...)
2) OK, so we've got the clothes covered. Now we need to get "un-covered." As in Undone. The best lingerie boutique in town. Without a doubt. And again, fantastic customer service. The ladies at Undone at just plain fun. I've had a few par-tays with girlfriends at Undone and never leave empty handed... Oh, they have some pretty sweet shoes, bags and accessories too!
3) So. You're looking good from top to bottom. Now, wouldn't it be great if your house smelled as good as you look? Thought so. Enter the Candle Lab. Fab.U.Lous. Love that place. Custom scented hand poured candles. And again, a great place for a Ladies Night. So after you look good, your place can smell good and you can...
Hey, I don't have ALL the answers. Some things you just have to figure out for yourself.

Takes the sting out...

You know, there are a lot of remedies for getting rid of the "sting" of pain. But what about verbal stings? You know, the kind that are quickly delivered and hit just in the intended spot and leave their own sting? You may not be able to see the red pin-prick from the verbal zinger, but that does not mean it isn't there.

And as parents, we sure would not let our children do this, so why do we do it to other people? Is it because we are adults that we think it is OK? Our defenses are better, our feelings more shallow? Not true.

I can tell you, my five year old recently hurt a friends feelings and told her to go home. And I can also tell you that once my daughters temper was dealt with that we walked to the other child's house to say "I'm sorry." But as adults, who holds our hand and helps us to do the right thing and say "I'm sorry"? Because without having someone to do so, it isn't always that easy.

I will also tell you that I was recently told by someone that I was not always nice to them. And it took years for that person to tell me that. And to that person, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting your feelings, and I'm sorry I felt it was OK to not be as nice to you as I could have and should have been. That was wrong of me.

As we finish up our holiday shopping and wrap up the year, maybe we can stop for a moment and bite our tongues when lines seem too long and tempers flare. What seems OK to say or do one minute really won't matter in the next. And you never know whose feelings you may spare by doing so.

This segment of Deep Thoughts, brought to you by me.

On the 12th day of Christmas

My email gave to me...

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Dear Santa...

Just in case you are wondering what I'd like for Christmas (other than world peace and for my family to be happy) I would like the following:

1) Automatic car starter (The only problem with this is that as of today, the remote car opener for my Volvo broke. Go figure. Like I need to lock that car anyway. Geesh.

2) DJ Hero OK. I know I'm a wee bit old for this one but for real yo. Can't you just see me spinning some mad tunes with my boys Eminem and Jay Z? I can TOTALLY see this happening.

What's on your Santa list this year?

Sounds of the season...

Well, I have to admit that I have not been feeling very "bloggy." In fact, I seriously considered giving up the blog. But then I got to Caroline's school to pick her up and I heard music. Holiday music. The principal was practicing his tuba in the office. And I have no idea why, but it perked me up and I thought "I'd share that on my blog."

Yep. That is the best I have to offer right now.

Oh, but I guess I'll share this "Elf on the Shelf" story.

A few people I know had mentioned the "Elf on the Shelf" This is a little elf who is sent by Santa to visit your family during the holiday season and report back on who is naughty and who is nice.

We-ellll...... This bad momma didn't make the correlation between Caroline's complete and total paranoia of all things mascot-y, face-painted or the like. So the six inch elf on the shelf FREAKED HER OUT. She could not even walk past the elf. No way, no how. We had to hang a note on her bedroom door stating that the elf was NOT welcome in there. Nor was the elf to enter the bathroom. The elf lasted one night in our home, and Caroline requested that Santa come back and get his da*# little elf back. She woke up crying around 6 a.m. panicked about whether or not the elf was still there. He wasn't. Let me tell you, explaining to Barnes and Noble why I had to return their #1 listed seller the Elf on the Shelf was embarrassing! So, we are elf-less once again and are just plain old emailing Santa to let him know how all is going.

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Luck and blessings...

As oft reported, it's been a very emotional year. Some things I have recognized as being emotional (Jordan moving and breaking my heart) and some things I may not have recognized as being as emotional as they may have been. (Returning home after 15 years) Tomorrow will be a day in which I feel both lucky AND emotional. Over the past several years I have become friends with an amazing group of girls. These girls have given me so much and I'm not sure I can ever repay the favor. They are all Mormon, and while the differences between us have never been an issue (I am not Mormon) they have inadvertently taught me so much. From the simple (I cuss less) to the more important (genuine friendship and a certain grace) they have enriched my life. I am lucky these girls came into my life. They have included me in so much. I have asked so many questions of them and their faith, and they have always been very open and honest in sharing with me. Tomorrow is a very special day. Two of my friends, Leah and Brittney each have new babies (Kate for Brittney and Jackson for Leah) that they are blessing tomorrow and I have been invited to be there. I can not tell you how much it means to me to be included in this. It is always an honor to me to be included in my friends lives, especially something so special. Looks like I will be crying again! But in a good way! Thank you my dear, dear friends for including me in this most special event! I am thrilled to be a part of your special day.

Facebook... Bringing people together!

Go ahead and laugh. I believe that facebook is a valuable tool. I really do. Had it not been for facebook I would never have gone to my class reunion. I've never kept in touch with anyone, but through facebook have chatted with so many people as if no time has passed. People who in the past would never have spoken with one another encourage each other on a regular basis. It's interesting to me.

And through facebook I was able to reconnect with an old classmate. Steve. What's interesting about Steve is that he seems to be the most visited of all of our classmates. In China. No one visits me in Ohio, yet Steve has people looking him up in China.

And as we got closer to the reunion, my phone rang. With Steve on the other end! A friend from high school gave him my number. And laugh at me if you will, but I've never had an international phone call! OK, depending on how you look at it I've had restaurants in Canada call me to confirm dinner reservations while I'm there. Not sure that counts...

Well, Steve has some crazy important job in addition to being a husband, avid facebooker and father of two. Yet, he still had time to play technical support to me and teach me how to use my blackberry properly! Now that is a friend! Now, thanks to Steve I can use blackberry messenger! A lesson learned from across the world! I feel like a television commercial!

Now, if anyone needs a dinner suggestion in Shanghai, just let Steve know.

*Photo courtesy of Steve via blackberry messenger. Who knew???

**Another interesting Steve tidbit? If guys can be called BFF's, Steve is BFF's with Dan, my middle school swing choir partner. We had many, many dances to Lionel Richie.

It hit me like a ton of bricks...

The tour.
Something I had looked forward to for months.
Possibly even more than the class reunion itself, I was excited to return to the halls of North Side along with a trip down Stadium Drive, my old street.
I should have known I was in trouble when we turned down the street and I felt like I had never been there. Half of the homes have been torn down to clear more land for the school.
On to the school, literally around the corner, at the end of the street.
This was a building where like my other 500 plus classmates, I spent the better part of my days for four years.
A majestic building facing the river.
At least it used to.
The entrance? Is now in the back of the building.
Which was hard to swallow, but it is what it is.
The journalism program? Room 113?
No more. Apparently, no one wants to read the paper, they just want to watch it on tv, hence the hi-tech media program now in place at the school.
Impossibly hard to swallow.
In an unrecognizable building, I realized that a mid-afternoon swim at the hotel would have suited me better.
Some things are better left in the past.

More free stuff!

And really, who doesn't love that?

Free Aveeno Tote Bag
Free Luggage Tag
*The fun thing about the luggage tag was that it let me upload one of my own pictures for the tag and customize it with the information I wanted. Hopefully it comes in time for Christmas!
(Don't worry Tessa, it's not for you. I know you are tired of getting free stuff I get for birthdays and Christmas!)
Just click on either of the above links and they will direct you to the site with the free goodies.

All grown up...

It's been a whirlwind of a week, at least as far as thought processes and emotions go. In the days leading up to our class reunion, I got lucky in the fact that I was asked to take the Q&A forms and arrange them into a format where the information could be shared with everyone. And when I say I got lucky in being asked to do this, I really mean it. It meant a lot to me to be able to see where the years have taken so many of us, and how we got there.
It was amazing to me to see how many people were so candid with their answers, and how honest.
The spirituality was amazing.
If I were a different person, I would ask people "What makes you believe?"
The individuality was impressive.
The classmate I recognized without even seeing her face was candid as always. Refreshing.
The comfort level of being in our own skin. Priceless.
Meeting the children and babies of people I was a child with myself. Fascinating.
The feelings I got while touring my old school and driving down my old street...
That's for tomorrow.
Cliffhangers? So very 80's...

Free lifetime overnight shipping from Zappos!

Um, hel-lo? OK. I found the link to this deal on hey its free.net and thought this was worthy of sharing. Because you know, sharing is caring.

The deal is that if you sign up today before midnight you get a lifetime membership (no cost) to Zappos entitling you to free lifetime overnight shipping.

Consider this my early holiday present to you...

Don't forget, you only have until midnight!

A night 20 years in the making...

Just like Thanksgiving our 20th class reunion came and went before I knew it. Months of internal debate has come to an end.

The pressure is off to find the perfect dress, lose 20 pounds, put faces with names and cover, pluck, tuck, or hide any grey. And you know what? After all of the angst over the past weeks that many of us have felt, it didn't matter.

The night was a smashing success, thanks to the dedication and determination of four diligent planners.

It was fun to see the excitement in everyones eyes as they recognized former classmates, co-workers from first jobs, early crushes. It was especially fun to see all of our senior pictures posted on our name tags. Man, did we have a lot of hair!

One of the nicest things was to see people having actual conversations. There were very few "What do you do?" type conversations going on, as there were more "How ARE you?" conversations happening. People were genuinely interested in one another. And mostly, everyone was very well behaved. There was one old school poppin/lockin and breakdance session that went on which was fun to witness. See? We can still bring it!

Seeing us come together as parents, professionals, scholars, advocates and friends was amazing! It truly seemed as if there had been no passage of time.

The requests have already begun to plan a 25th class reunion. I hope it happens!

Thank you fellow Redskins for a great time! Looking forward to seeing you at the next reunion!

*For those of you interested in getting a copy of the Q&A sheets let me know and I will email them to you.

ktlangmeyer@yahoo.com

Reuniting and it feels so good...

So, back in the day (the day being 1985-1989) I was a Redskin. Obviously, this was a different time. I went to a school where our mascot was Chief Mac. If you knew us, you might have referred to us as "River Rats" as a river flowed right in front of our school. And what a school it was. North Side High School. There was a place for all of us, whether it be the sanctioned smoking area or one of the gyms, or even just hanging out in the round by the lockers. You could find your place, wherever or whatever it might have been.
We hung out at Glenbrook Mall, where there was an indoor ice skating rink and an Arbys. Arbys was special, because there were cute boys who worked there. I worked at the ice cream place and we would trade sandwiches for ice cream. Even a high school girl knows the way to a boys heart.
Had you known me in high school, you may remember me as the girl who was always asking questions. It was my job as a part of the Northerner, my high school paper. I spent many hours mocking up blue prints and publishing the paper on an Apple computer, which was a BIG DEAL back in the 80's. You could usually find me in room 113, the journalism room. I was the girl who excitedly boarded a bus on Saturday mornings to travel to a speech team meet. Yeah, that girl. I was also the girl who chased boys and wine coolers. Again, this was the 80's. We had crushes on boys with big floppy hair and acid washed jean jackets, or if he was really hot, a leather bomber jacket. And if you were really lucky, you had one too. Head to toe matchy matchy outfits from Ups N Downs or the Limited, complete with scrunchy socks and peg rolled jeans. The very definition of 80's hot.
After much soul (and Internet) searching I have my dress. I've even gone so far as to check on the feasibility of getting a cab in Fort Wayne Indiana on a Saturday night. I've also come to the realization that I'm not going to lose 20 pounds between now and Saturday. The good news is that no one else is either. My hair is not going to magically straighten, but at the same point no one without hair is going to unexpectedly grow a new head of it over the next 96 hours. So why worry? Why not just enjoy? We've had 20 years to live with these memories, now all that remains is to sit back and laugh at them and create some new ones.
So, my fellow River Rats. All that stands between us are the next 96 hours. After that, we'll have some new memories to carry us through the next 20 years. See you then...

Shame stick...

Well, I had my own version of the shame stick. For those of you who don't know what a shame stick is, I'll explain.
I learned about shame sticks from According to Jim. That's right. Relating life to television. Who relates?
Anyhow,
Jim's brother in law Andy was upset with himself and ate a "shame stick."
A shame stick is a stick of butter rolled in sugar. And you eat it.
And no, I did not really eat a shame stick, but I feel pretty shameful right now.
I cleaned out my closet (which amazingly enough was not the problem as I've really, really been on the mend for a long time about shopping if you've followed my own personal saga at all.) The problem came when I cleaned all around the baseboards of the closet. And found what appeared to be a collection of BAZILLIONS of plastic pieces from price tags. You know, the tags you rip off of your clothes after the shopping euphoria has worn off? Shoppers, you know what I mean.
Wow. Do I feel silly looking at all those tags I scooped up.
My own personal version of the shame stick.
This Thanksgiving I am thankful for my own personal lessons learned.

Sweet home.... Indiana.

Well, I'm allowing myself 24 hours to revisit the past.
24 hours.
I haven't been back in 14 years.
A little over a half an hour for each year since I've been back.
Sure, I've spent time in other Indiana cities, just not Fort Wayne.
So..... I've got to make like Santa and make my list and check it twice.
Things I want to do/see while I'm there.
Hmmmmm....
IHOP? That one ranks high. A nice selection of syrup flavors after a night of drinking and catching up.
Claras Pizza. Man, that is a toughie. At Clara's you can sit on a porch swing inside of the restaurant and eat pizza. And you pick up a phone at your table and it dials into the kitchen to place your order. As tempting as this one is, it is low man on the totem pole.
Higher Grounds Coffee- Now, I've never even had a cup of coffee in my life, but I sure do love Chai Tea and Higher Grounds is owned by a former classmate from high school. So, that means it ranks high on the list.
A drive by of my old house. Now that is a must see and do for me. I've only got a few days left to figure it all out. Not sure what it says about me that all but one thing on my list involves food... What I do know is that I've now spent more time thinking about this quick trip than I will actually SPEND on this trip!

New Moon and Old Katie

Hey Katie, Do you want to go to the midnight showing of New Moon?
Why yes, I'd love to.
Mmmmhmmm.
Can I say how unbelievably tired I am???
This is the second year I've done this, and the second year I have been EXHAUSTED.
I do have to say, the movie was GREAT validation for all of us Jacob fans who have had to endure the "Edward is so much better" comments over the years.
Have you seen the movie?
Nuff said.
Jacob.Is.Hot.
Go see the movie girls. I won't spoil anything for you.
It's a Jacob thing.

Z Cucina- Great deals,great food!

Tuesday night (tonight, hope you didn't have plans) is Buccatini & Meatballs for $15.00 night at Z Cucina.
If you've never been to Z Cucina I strongly urge you to do so. One of the best places to eat in Columbus! Trust me on this, I've had four years worth of their meals and excellent service!

Z Cucina
1368 Grandview Avenue
Grandview Ohio 43212

Shabby Apple strikes again!

They ALWAYS have a way of coming through for me. I tried, I really really tried to go to a "real" store versus shop online for a dress for my reunion. I just really, really dislike going to the store. It makes me feel un-inspired about getting attired. Shabby Apple should have been the first place I looked. They never let me down. Cute dresses, flattering fits and excellent customer service. Why did I look anywhere else? Sure enough, five minutes on their site and I found my dress. The Truman dress. So cute!
The Apple. It's quickly becoming my new Banana. (GASP! Did I just say that?)

Thank you once again, Shabby Apple!

The fine art of negotiations...

Many times, marriage requires some negotiating. Or some down right bribery. Or both.
You know, the old "scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" routine.
Well, Brian has been gone for work quite a bit. And like many households with children, there is a fine balancing routine of "but it's your turn to be in charge of bedtime tonight." So, on Sunday I was looking forward to a little sleeping in and catching up on Season Three of Melrose Place. (Don't judge on the Melrose Place, I'm hooked)
Sunday didn't work out as planned.
As bath time and bed time got near, I mentioned that these things needed to be done, fully anticipating the "but you're better at it than I am" verbal exchange. The give and take of "But there's a game on" combined with my counter answer of "But you were at a game yesterday."
I entered this exchange already knowing my bottom line, because I knew I had something the other person wanted. Quiet time.
So, I started in with the "Caroline needs a bath tonight." Which was quickly met with "What do you want to do it?" A-ha! I knew it! Just like I already know that my foundation is almost gone, that I have Beauty Insider points at Sephora I want to use and that I get my free shipping on orders over $50. So, I threw out my offer of $50 for bedtime and bath, knowing it would get a counter offer, and knowing that my services could be refused if I was too greedy. But I also know I have a tired husband, and one who really wants to watch some football. The counter offer of $20 was made, quickly refused, and we struck a deal at $45.00. So, placing my order at Sephora will now really only cost me $5.00. And I get 8% cash back using my ebates account.
Rub a dub dub.

For once! A compliment came out of my kitchen!

Tonight I made what was noted as possibly my best meal ever. This coming from a person who has had eight years of my cooking. (Including chicken enchiladas where I forgot to add the chicken. Oops.) Compliments on my cooking are not handed out very often, so it is a BIG DEAL when they are.

From Katie's kitchen (OK, really, cooks.com) I give you Slow Roast Standing Rib Roast. A snap to make, and a compliment earner. And really, who doesn't like a compliment?

SLOW ROAST STANDING RIB ROAST

Any size rib roast

Black pepper
In the morning, remove roast from refrigerator.

Wipe with damp paper towel and let stand for 1 to 1 1/2 hours to reach room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pepper roast and place in roasting pan rib side down. Put in oven for exactly 1 hour. Turn off oven. DO NOT OPEN DOOR. One hour before serving. Turn oven to 375 degrees. At this point oven may be opened and another dish added. Restart oven and let roast cook for another 30 to 40 minutes. Rest 20 to 30 minutes before cutting to allow juices to set. Enjoy!

*I also used Kosher salt and garlic salt. And you know where it says DO NOT OPEN DOOR? I opened the door. And it still tasted great!

KT and Luda on a Friday night...

It was Friday night and I was feeling a'ight. Thursday night was a late one and I'm pretty content to lay low.
And as I was debating whether or not to watch my beloved Melrose Place dvd's, read or shop online for a new dress I had Luda playing over and over in the background. Which led me to reminiscing.
So.... I'll share my fave Ludacris story. (Not that I have loads of them, since it's not like he's ever accepted a dinner invitation from me or anything. I hope he knows it's an open invite. You know that, right Luda?)
Back on track Katie, back on track.
Prior to the Katie "no cell phones at work" ruling of 2008 I accidentally left my cell phone on in my desk one day. And as I'm in my office talking to the husband of one of my residents my desk starts playing "Pimpin All Over the World" Um, embarrassed much? Good news is that he thought it was pretty funny and he never saw me as a closet Ludacris fan. Although if I openly love him I guess I'm not a closet fan, right?
Happy Friday!
*Just to clarify that I need to get a life, I used Urban Dictionary to make sure I spelled a'ight properly. And to further clarify, I have NO DRESS to wear to my class reunion.
STAH-RESS-FULL. (Not found in Urban Dictionary)

20 years later...

Well well well. It's two weeks until the Fort Wayne North Side High School 20th class reunion for the graduating class of 1989. There were over 500 of us in our class.

And it was fun. While I can't say that I would go back, I did love high school. I was involved in any activity I wanted to be from gymnastics, to speech and debate team (Come on, that's hot and you know it) and editing our school newspaper. For such a large school, we felt close knit. And as we get closer to the two week mark, I've really started thinking.

For months, I've told myself to drop a few pounds. Well, the time is here and I've realized I'm not fooling anyone. Short of chopping off a limb or emergency liposuction this is the best it's gonna get and I'm going in.

Attire. I had expected to spend hours debating a dress. You know. For when I make my ENTRANCE. Yeah, I have no dress. I've got plenty of time.

A little lift around the aging eyes. Took care of that. Whew.

Need to schedule hair, nail and wax appointments.

Who am I doing all of this for? My own ego. She's a real expensive girl that one.

Story line? I've considered pulling off the Romy and Michelle and telling people I invented post it notes.

The cast:

Visit with THE GIRL I WANTED TO BE. The writer who succeeded? Monica Yant Kinney. Co-editors on the Northerner, the paper ruled by the iron fist of one Norma Theile, a woman who taught me more than any other person ever has.

Kenny- The "bud" I hung out with. After 19 years reconnected only to find out we live a matter of miles from one another. Seeing him doesn't make me feel a day older. It's like were kids again.

Wendy- The cheerleader in school I never hung out with but had dinner with a few weeks ago. Cheers to Wendy!

Matt- The kind, quiet guy. Got to have dinner and some conversations with him as well. Good times.

Abby- The girl who taught me how to pick up older high school boys. Worked like a charm.

Jenny- Boy did we have our share of fun. Have any possible statute of limitations run out before I cross state line and come back in?

Steve- Sorry you can't come. You will be missed. At least until 9 p.m. when we don't remember your name!

My question is, after not going back for 20 years am I opening a can of worms, or opening up to new experiences?

Putting forward the person I am today versus the person I believed I would be? If I get my hair, nails and makeup down will you perceive me to be more successful than I am? Happier? Will you take me at facevalue? Or are you more concerned about what I am seeing of you?

The best I can figure is that this is our chance. In 20 more years we're just going to be exhausted. Let's get this party started now!

What do Tessa, Bobby Knight and John Mellencamp have in common?

Hmmm...

Now THAT could be an interesting question.

So, I'll just go ahead and make it easy for you.

Indiana!

Tessa got emailed her acceptance into Indiana University today.

Congrats Tessa!

By the hair of my chinny chin chin...

Did I narrowly miss a BIG mishap. Very typical for me. Very.
So, Brian was headed out of town for the weekend. To Canada. And let me tell you, we've had a few run in's at the border before. Which is why it is a GOOD THING that I noticed last night that I neglected to renew the plates on the car. Um, like two months ago. And I wasn't sure how to break this news to Brian as he drives through Ohio, Michigan and across the bridge into Canada.
But I had an idea.
I could get to the BMV in time to be the first person in the door at 8 a.m. and back to my house by 8:15 just as Brian would be getting home from school drop off and put the sticker on the back of the car and no one would be the wiser. I KNEW I could make this happen. And sure enough, I did. Only when I got back to the house (8:17, but who's counting?) there was no one there. So I'm thinking "Crap. I have to get on the road for work. I'm going to have to leave the sticker on the counter for when he gets home and fess up to the fact that I forgot and just ran and did this before my husband has border patrol turning him away." Yes, I goofed but I corrected it.
But then I remembered. He was going to the GYM after school drop off. So you know what I did? I drove that freaking sticker to the gym, pulled up to the car in the parking lot and put it on. Crisis averted.
And that my friends, is how I roll.

New Moon, Wendy Brandes and my little woolfie...

Many moons ago (play on words here...) I ordered the woolf necklace from genius jewelry beyotch Wendy Brandes. Now, I'm sure she would prefer much stronger language than that but I'll stick with what I've got. Anyway, as we come up on the much anticipated New Moon movie, I thought I would throw this necklace up there for all of you Jacob fans. Which true Twilight fan wouldn't want to pay $50 for a piece of custom jewelry depicting the COOLEST and most buff movie dude out there? For $50 you accomplish the following:

1) Get a kickin piece of jewelry by a hawt NY designer

2) Wear around your neck the cutest little woolfie you ever did see

3) Declare your loyalty to team Jacob!

www.wendybrandes.com/blog

And oh yeah, I've got my movie tickets already. Midnight showing. I'm so there!

Help wanted...

Whenever I run a "help wanted" ad I have to mentally prepare myself. There is always the inevitable "Have you made a decision yet" applicant and the "But I gave you a resume so I didn't think I needed to answer all of the questions on the application" person. And lately, interviewing has been depressing as you see so many people who are applying for ANYTHING. People who have years and years of experience in one field but JUST NEED A JOB and you can tell they are applying for anything they can get their hands on. And I don't blame them. We all need to put food on the table. And I could tell you LOADS of stories about job applicants, but I'm going to narrow it down to my favorite from this last week.

Question on application: Have you ever been convicted of a felony?

Answer from applicant: Maybe.

Interesting.

Happy Hump Day! (That one's for you Jordan!)

OK, one last trip down memory lane.... I did have an applicant once in Iowa (Those Hawkeyes know how to have a good time!) who when asked if they had ever been convicted of a felony wrote: Caught fishing with no license. THAT was a good one.

Hard work and determination paid off!

Well well well. Tessa has her first college acceptance letter. Before I tell you the good stuff, let me start from the beginning of our special day.

A few days ago I had a couple of dishes of ice cream in the back of my car. Which I neglected to properly dispose of. So the sat around and fermented in my car and have created a doozy of a smell in there.

Cue up Saturday morning, 6:45 a.m. smack dab in the middle of a monsoon where there will be no visible light for a few hours. Open the car door to the stench of rotting dairy products which have been closed up and festering inside of my car. Yummykins. My only solution was to light a candle and drive around with it to help alleviate the smell of death coming from my backseat. And it helped, really it did.

So we arrived at Collegians Day at University of Kentucky. They had invited top students from around the US based on their test scores. Tessa got an invite, so we went as there was mention of scholarship money. Hellz yeah we're there! Spent Friday night finishing up the app so we could turn it in while we were there. Over lunch the University announced Tessa's acceptance and initial offer of scholarship money! Yippee! Show me the money!

So, all in all it was a good day! A good day indeed.

How was your weekend?

Happy Halloween!

As usual, Tessa is the best big sister! Caroline wanted to be a vampire for Halloween, and Tessa gladly stepped into the role of being Caroline's victim.

You won't believe this one...

So, Caroline and her BFF from her daycare days had to part ways this year as they embarked on their respective Kindergarten careers. And as we all know, maintaining friendships takes some work when your lives go in completely opposite directions. Or in this case, opposite school districts. Well, we were able to squeeze in some much needed Gwyn time. As a part of this celebration of friendship we went to Graeters. When we dropped Gwyn off I realized I had neglected to bring ice cream for Gwyns brother, so I asked the girls to leave their used ice cream cups outside while we walked Gwyn into her house. And me being me, I forgot about the ice cream cups sitting on the back of my car and drove to Barnes and Noble. Where I noticed the ice cream cups sitting on the back of my car. Still. I was pretty amused by this. Amused enough that I decided to see if I could make it home without the cups falling off. (FYI- I am not a proponent for littering. I told myself if the cups fell off I would pick up trash around my neighborhood to make up for it.) By the time I got home, I forgot about the cups. But here is where the story gets good. In the morning, I got up, took Caroline to school and proceeded to drive to Beavercreek Ohio (A Dayton suburb) to my property there for the day. When I got to Beavercreek the CUPS WERE STILL ON THE BACK OF MY CAR! No joke! I drove over 70 miles at an average of 70 miles per hour and those freaking ice cream cups were still there! I made the manager of the property look out of her office window at my car in the parking lot with the ice cream cups still on there! Spoons and all! (And then I finally got rid of them. OK, truth, I tossed them in the backseat of my car. I suck.) Can you even believe that???

At what point do you become "That girl?"

Do you know the girl I am talking about? If you do, I'm interested to hear about her, because I've been thinking about her.

She came up in a conversation I was having with a friend the other day.

"That girl."

We were discussing spinning class at 5:45 a.m. and it was decided that neither of us was "that girl."

Until last year though, I was "that girl."

I never wanted to be a stay at home mom, until Caroline inched closer and closer to Kindergarten and I felt like time and opportunities were slipping away from me and then I realized I wished I had even a few months to be "that girl."

There was a time where I would never have been "that girl" and purchased a pair of Louboutins, but sure did appreciate the thought of them. (Although I sure did jump all over them when Gilt had them on their website for all of 15 minutes before they sold out!)

A matter of years ago, I would never judge anyone for having/wanting Botox, but wasn't sure I would ever be "that girl."

And as all of these scenarios play out, I can't quite put my finger on who "that girl" is.

Is she the person we want to be? The person we never thought we would be but are becoming?

The person who is easy to judge and is interesting to talk about? The girl down the street or in the office next to ours?

I'm not quite sure who "she" is, but I sure am spending a lot of time thinking about her lately.

Seventeen!

Well, the time has come once again. Birthday time. This time, my "baby" is 17. Seven-teen. That is a One followed by a Seven. And while this stumps me every year, it really, really hit home this year. This is is the last time Tessa will be spending her birthday living at home. And my heart breaks just a little. Sigh...

So, here goes a little play list I've put together for Tessa:

A little tune by the Beatles

Another by Metro Station

Stray Cats

Happy Birthday Tessa! Thanks for being a great big sister and a wonderful daughter! May your last year at home provide you with many great memories!

Love you!!!!!

Wish list- We'll start with Vera Bradley...

OK, as much as I try to avoid catalogs that get sent to me there are a few that I have a hard time not thumbing through.

And as we roll into the holiday season (sorry folks, sad but true, the signs are everywhere) the catalogs get harder to ignore. My mailbox is BOMBARDED.

Well, Vera Bradley caught my eye. Devil. You know how she got me? She got to me through my five year old. Dirty devil rat. Man. You know what Vera did?

I'll tell you, and it was a SMART MOVE. My intent was to quickly thumb through and then add the catalog to my recycling. But, as I thumbed through there were heavy card stock pages in the center of the catalog. Damn you Vera Bradley! The most STINKING CUTE paper dolls I have ever seen. Complete with little Vera Bradley handbags. Smack dab in the center of the catalog. And a little paper doll house for the two cute dolls to hang out in. With little holiday gifts wrapped in Vera paper. Yes, Vera Bradley, you got my attention. And now, well now I have decided I NEED the So Over It bag in Imperial Toile. And the microfiber clutch. (I'm pretty much banking on the fact that I will cave and order the clutch.)

And I'll tell you something else. This year I said I was going to the Vera Bradley outlet sale (held annually in my hometown of Fort Wayne Indiana) and I didn't. Well, next year, I'm in. Until then, I'll order online.

This weekends read- After You

I loved this book. Sometimes I devour certain books as fast as I can because I NEED to know what is going to happen next. (Twilight, Luxe, Rumors, Envy...) Then there are books that I savor. I draw them out because I know that the end is the end. Not like a series where I can get more, more, more. After You by Julie Buxbaum was one of my "drawn out" books. I was not ready to reach the end. After You is the story of what happens to a friendship, life and a family after your best friend is killed. How you can drop everything to come to the aid of a friend, but also to the aid of yourself as well. I have to admit that as the pages dwindled in this book I was not quite ready to be done with it. Good news is that I am picking up Julie's other book The Opposite of Love today.

If anyone wants to read After You let me know. You will absolutely enjoy it!

ktlangmeyer@yahoo.com

Real Simple...

I LOVE Real Simple. Love it. I get more recipes and useful information from there than just about any other magazine.

Today for lunch I made roast beef salad with goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette. Just like the magazine says: Real Simple.

And so yummy!

Try it!

TGIF!

Just when you thought it would never get here, it's FRIDAY! And while I won't be hanging with Ice Cube I will be:

Celebrating Tessa's 17th birthday. How did this happen? Father Time, what did I ever do to you???

Watching more Melrose Place. Yes, I was hooked the first time around, now I am hooked the second time around. And I have to fess up to ordering Season 1 (original) from Amazon to watch.

Reading After You by Julie Buxbaum. I started this earlier in the week but keep getting sidetracked. So far it is a good read though.

Making more progress on my basement. I don't know about you, but I am big on avoiding stuff I don't want to deal with. And there is a HUGE pile of it in my basement and I've been weeding (throwing this crap away) through it and am determined to finish it. Unfortunately as my family knows (and hates about me) when I "deal" with things it means I just move them to another room. It's kind of progress, right???

And finally, to tell the truth... for MONTHS I have been debating Botox. To Botox or not to Botox. That has been the question. The question has been answered. Monday is the day. I'm not getting any younger here kids.

Happy weekend!

You never know until it's too late...

The value of a hug. I don't consider myself (unless my perception of myself is off) to be a very "touchy feely" kind of person. At least I didn't think I was. Until today. I have had the HARDEST time figuring out what it was about my old position within my company that I missed so much. And while there are many answers, I think I have it narrowed down. (Because when you spend 4 hours alone in your car with no car stereo, you can figure a lot out.) I miss the hugs. If I were smart enough to know how to do graphics I would do a chart of my job. (Actually, this one comes down to laziness. I bet I could do it if I wanted to.) I would guess it is like many jobs that involve dealing with the public. A huge portion of my job was being a social worker. A listener. And in many cases, being a participant in the day to day lives of people. And sometimes, this goes on year after year. A lot of times, I got hugged. Today I realized that as I travel for work and am not really involved in the day to day aspects of individuals and their lives that they don't know me and I don't know them. Which I miss. And now I realize. I'm not getting hugged enough. A little hug goes a long way.

Hugs. Give somebody one today.

Secret crushes....

Which after this, may not be so secret. I got to thinking about this after a facebook posting from another person which prompted me to fess up.

I am HOOKED on Buddy the Cake Boss. Love him. Love that show. Tessa and Caroline even watch it with me. I got asked what it was that I liked about him. I just think he is so cute, and I love the way he likes to play little pranks on people at work to keep things fun and entertaining.

So, my question to you:

Who is your secret, or not so secret crush?

You'd think I would grow up at some point, right?

WRONG. Given just about any excuse to be silly and have fun and you can count me in. For sure. It was the 50th birthday of a co-worker and I was not about to let a great opportunity pass me up. I was able to combine two of my favorite loves, cake and humor and turn it into something really special for the event. This, ladies and gentlemen is exactly the type of behavior that got my short story published in the Cake Wrecks book. Which, I have not even ordered a copy of for myself. Boo hiss on me. Any-who, I present to you my latest culinary challenge. Possibly better than when I did the boob shaped cheeseballs. Those were pretty good. Still, not quite up to the level of this little doozy. Don't worry. I'm not quitting my day job. Contact me for custom orders! :)

Columbus Marathon

The Columbus Marathon is one of my favorite days to call Columbus home. The race is a big one, and is a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon. So many people come out to support the runners, and it is so much fun to be a part of. We are especially lucky, because our neighborhood is along the race route, right at the 19th mile marker. Every year I get out my calculator and figure out about what time I can expect to go outside and see the race leaders go by. I have my little formula for doing this and for the last seven years my system has not let me down! (Which is more than I can say for Ohio State this season...) I have no idea why, but the combination of the camaraderie between the runners and the crowd always gets me fired up, and a little emotional. You have to admit, the time and dedication to go into preparing for a race like this is impressive. And to see the runners support one another mile after mile is really something to see. This year we got to see our friend Jurriaan whiz right by us! Rumor has it that he ran his personal best today!

Good job runners! Looking forward to cheering you on next year!

To be or not to be...

Noticed?
Whenever I get "serious" I know it is like throwing a curveball at people. I tend to keep these thoughts to myself. I'm just not a big one for inviting deep conversations. But I'll still share this one.
I was driving home today and turned at the corner. Just beyond the crosswalk there was a man attempting to get across the street, and no one was paying attention to the fact that he was trying to cross. This was a man who was visibly handicapped. Granted, he was crossing at the wrong point but it made me think.
Are we all so busy trying to get to where we need to be that we fail to notice the needs of others?
Do we overlook those people who WANT to be seen? Or those who need to be seen?
Is it too easy to not pay attention to people we perceive as invisible or those not wanting to be seen?
Guess I'll get off my soapbox now, but I can't stop thinking about that man and hoping the next intersection is not so unkind to him. For some reason it really bothered me.
My Volvo. Coming soon to an intersection near you.

I don't often do this...

But I'm going to talk in advance about what I'm reading tonight. I AM SO EXCITED! I have been waiting for this book to come out.

The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance by Elna Baker

I have been waiting to read this, and it just came out today. Not that I was on the phone with Barnes and Noble ASAP this morning having them hold my copy. Keep your fingers crossed, but I already KNOW this is going to be a great read. I'll post deets on how much I enjoyed it. ('Cause I know I will.)

Sisters...

Let me tell you who I nominate for sister of the year. Tessa. That kid is a good sport. This past weekend was homecoming and all of the kids got together to do pictures prior to the dance. I took Caroline to see Tessa off on the big night and Caroline was just itching to get in on the action. One of the parents was gracious enough to invite Caroline into a group photo with all of the "girls" and Caroline could not insert herself into the group fast enough. All of the kids were so gracious about including Caroline. At one point Caroline thought she was not going to be in a group photo and she started BAWLING. Tessa had to come down a set of stairs to comfort her and lead her back in to the group. Love her.

When it was time to see Tessa (and her date) off, Caroline lost it. She really, really had every intention of going to the dance with her sister. When the realization hit that she was not going she told me it was the worst date ever and that she was never going on another date again. Whew. Although she did insist that she is going to prom with Tessa. Thankfully we have a few months to tackle that one.

Shu Uemura- Free falsies!

Shu Uemura= LOVE

Free Shu Uemura false eyelashes= SWOON!

Of all of the falsies I've ever used, Shu Uemura's are THE BEST!

Orders over $50 get free shipping, orders over $75 get the free falsies.

Use promo code HALLOWEEN.

FYI- Shue Uemura has AWESOME eyelash curlers, mascara and gel eyeliners. LOVE THEM!

And the bride wore leopard print Loubies...

And let me tell you they were gorgeous. GORGEOUS. I can not believe I did not snap a photo of them. AARGH. Any-whooo, here's the deets. This weekend was the awesomely fun wedding reception for Al and Allison. No joke, the cutest and fun couple a girl could hope to befriend. My friend Kathy was my date for the evening, as she is also a big fan of the happy couple and was hoping (and requesting) that she could be my date for the event. So off in the Volvo to Louisville we went. And what could make it even better? Well gee, maybe if Kimberly could be there also. Mmmm hmmm... It was a bloggy smackdown evening. Fun any way you cut it.

I'll tell you the details as I remember them:

8:15- arrived. Late. Frazzled about that. Ugh.

8:30- Beer #1

Sometime later: DJ. More beer.

Sometime later: DJ, more beer, Lil Jon. Kimberly, tell Dave for the rest of my life this song will be associated with him in my mind. For real. Too fun.

Party ends, we decide to hop the trolley from another wedding back to their hotel. Why? Seemed like a perfectly fine idea at the time, and they invited us. So why not???

After the trolley ride: Walked to 4th Street Live.

Sometime around 4 a.m.: Back to the hotel.

Upon arrival back in Columbus and in the shower, found a huge bruise on my foot. Why is it that whenever I have a night with Kathy I come home bruised? Is she kicking me in my sleep?

This my friends, is why I don't go out and play very often. The next trolley ride in my future is in November at my 20th class reunion.

I need to lay low for a while. Whew.

Feelings...

If everyone has them, why do they make you feel so alone sometimes?

Ugh, what is the word I want???

Absentminded
Blech
Challenged
Distracted
Exhausted
Frustrated (With myself)
Grrr
Harrumph
Irresponsible
Jumpy
Knackered
Lackadaisical
Mojo-less
Nostalgic
Overly everything
Pesky
Querulous
Resistant
Stagnant
Tired
Unsure
Very ugh
Wishy Washy
Xactly all of the above
Zampone

In summary, I'm just not feeling it. I think it's time to recharge my batteries or something. I've got nothing people. Nothin'. And if anyone actually reads through all of these words, I got stuck by the time I got to the letter Z. And I have to fess up that I researched words beginning with the letter Z and chose Zampone. Anyone who decides to look it up, enjoy. Let me know what you think.

Un-motivationally yours...
KT

Sephora's Cash for Clunkers Program!!!

Yippee!!! Until October 12, 2009 you can bring 5 of your old beauty items to Sephora and get $10 off a purchase of $50 or more!!!

Click on the link for full details...

Guess which girl will be headed to Sephora soon???

The Water Giver

What a great book. This is the true story of what a family goes through when their teenage son is in a traumatic skateboarding accident. It chronicles his illness, recovery, triumphs and setbacks as he faces the long road to recovery. A very inspirational book. If anyone would like to read it let me know. Well worth devoting some time to if you would like a feel-good book with a positive outcome.

The Water Giver by Joan Ryan

Sweet Success!

Well, after 6 months of planning, the Swap N Shop that I organized is over. At the end it made me think of Thanksgiving dinner. A lot of work, but over so quickly. I was glad I did it, because it showed me another glimpse of what I am able to do if I have a plan and follow it. I was able to take an idea, a handful of people and a little time and turn it into something big. We had over $5,000 donated in door prizes and goody bag items. Girls came from Kentucky as well as other parts of Ohio. It was fun! We were able to benefit the Dress for Success charity, which makes me feel good. Many, many thanks go out to everyone who participated and made it such a nice afternoon. I was asked... will I do it again??? Well, it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks so let this old dog take a breather and we will see.
Next up on the agenda... A relaxing facial. Ah, Aveda.

Reading is fun!

I think I'm making headway in my "I love to read and so should you" campaign. I talked someone into giving reading a chance! Presious!!! Now, some of you voluntarily read the books I mention. That alone makes me happy. Really, it does. Now Presious on the other hand needed a little arm twisting but I got her!!!! I knew she worked with children, which means she has "Presious" little time but I knew of the perfect book for her and talked her into letting me send it to her. And she likes it! A-ha!

A convert! Be careful, or I may get you next!

Speaking of good reads- A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore. This is a great story about an unusual family dynamic and a girl finding her way during the college years. If anyone is interested in reading this just let me know!

TGIF!!!!!!!

Just when you thought it couldn't get any better...

It does. Trust me, it does.

Let's recap the week:

Monday- Lock myself in a hallway prior to interviewing a new employee and had to exit the back door and walk around to the front.

Wednesday- Left for work wearing what I believed was a dress but turned out to be a tunic top that I was wearing with tights and boots. Had to stop at Target to pick up pants.

Thursday- Stopped by Z Cucina (The best ever) on Grandview Avenue to pick up a gift card for an event I am hosting. Dropped my glasses and they flew under the demon Volvo. Could not even see them. Decided to screw it and drove off and over my glasses.

Hey everyone, tomorrow is Friday!

Oops I did it again...

Well, it appears that I am in fine form this week. Today, I left for work with no pants on. I thought I was wearing a dress. I wish I could say I was exaggerating, but I'm not. I bought a new "dress" recently. I knew I would need to wear it with tights, but it was REALLY cute. The girl at the store offered to sell me the leggings that went well with the outfit, but I said no. (This might be where paying attention to a salesperson might come in handy.) So I left with my new dress. And today, I decided to wear my new "dress." I got dressed and left for work. And you know how sometimes you have a bad feeling? I had a bad feeling I did not look right. My "dress" felt a little short. And I still had the receipt in my purse, so while I was driving I looked at it. Well, I was wearing a tunic and tights. And knee high black boots. Mmmm hmmmm. And I'm already in the car and I was working out of town again. So I stopped into Target to buy a pair of leggings to wear for the day. Amazingly enough I got a compliment on my outfit from two people. Little do they know I started the day pant less and clueless.
Looking forward to the weekend and the much needed facial I have scheduled at Aveda!

How NOT to conduct a job interview...

True story.

I have been out of town A LOT lately for work. And at one of my sites, we have been interviewing for a new employee. So, as I interview I always try to remember that as much as I am interviewing them, they are interviewing me as well.

*Is this a person I would want to work for?

*Is this someone I can respect? Trust them for leadership?

*Does this person set the standard for this company?

Well, I had an interview first thing Monday morning, and it is about an hour drive to get to the site I was interviewing at. I got there about a half an hour before the scheduled interview, allowing myself enough time to look over their resume and other paperwork. The person interviewing was a little ahead of schedule. Better to be early than late. Well, I needed to use the restroom after my drive, so I introduced myself to the candidate, shook their hand and let them know I would be with them in a minute.

I then proceeded to go to the restroom, which is off of a hallway in our building. After I came out, I realized I had locked myself into the hallway in the back of the building. I was not about to knock to get let back in. No way, no how. I opted to go out the back door of the building, walk around and let myself back in the front door where the applicant was sitting. Well, there are a bunch of windows and everyone saw what I had done. Great. So much for my good game face.