I've lived in Oklahoma my whole life. In the same town and for the most part in the same area of town. We don't stray to far from the city when we do move. I can recall some of the countless times we heard the tornado sirens go off growing up. When I was little I cleared the take cover closet and at first I would stock it with water and food and blankets. As time went on and I grew up I quit stocking that closet when severe weather threatened. Sirens would go off and dad would turn the news on and then go stand on the porch to watch the clouds. We never had to use the closet. We took cover just in case, but we were only hit with high winds or strong rain.
When last Mondays storms hit in Moore, Ok they were expected to hit in Tulsa also. We had hours to get ready for it and seeing the images of the massive tornado that stayed on the ground for an hour we knew we had to. I'm sure my kids will have some of the same memories that I have had growing up hearing sirens and getting ready for tornado season. I remember them playing Monday afternoon in our take cover closet. They would run in and out yelling a tornado, a tornado. If we are lucky that's all they will remember and they won't actually ever be in one. By the time the storm reached us it had dissipated into nothing more than strong rain.
If you know me you know it is a want of mine to go storm chasing. There is something about seeing one of natures most powerful forces that intrigues me. In the after math I am always hit with the urge to help and the overwhelming need to cry. After the storms cleared and programing went back to regular tv all you saw were images of the tornado's path. For days that's what we watched. Mostly because that's all that is on but partly because you couldn't turn away. I spent the next week donating what I could to help and watching my facebook fill with ways to donate money, buy a tshirt, or a necklace, even a candle to help the victims, and stories coming out from the survivors.
I am very thankful that I have never had to face this type of disaster. I am sad for those who have. We live in a state where people help others. We don't ask questions, we don't expect anything back, we just do because it needs to be done. I like to think a lot of Americans are that way when faced with disaster, not just us in little ole Oklahoma. But we're a different breed down here. It is going to take months if not years to rebuild these towns affected by Monday's tornado. If you want to help there are plenty of ways. You can volunteer, donate to the cause whether it's money, water, food, etc., or buy merchandise that supports relief and rebuilding efforts. I have included some links below.
Oklahoma Red Cross Salvation Army Samaritan's Purse United Way Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma Central Oklahoma Humane Society LifeChurch.TV Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief
May 29, 2013
May 21, 2013
Mothers Day and Milestones
My mothers day weekend was busy and fun. We had some major milestones this weekend. The older two went to their first concert. And while we had fun, we will probably wait a couple of years before we do a concert with them again. Halfway through my daughter decided it was time to go home and after I told her no she had a melt down right there in her seat. Lots of crying ensued. My son sat the whole time so he didn't ever really get a good look at the stage. Twenty minutes until the end we decided to go sit with our friends up in the nose bleed section, the kids had more fun there than by the stage. Lesson learned! Cheap seats are better with kids.
The baby spent the night away from home for the first time ever! I was so busy and tired that I didn't miss her like I thought I would and I had a little time to clean with out her under toe the next day. She had a great time at Grammy and Grandpa's and all survived.
My son won third place over all in a Major League Baseball sponsored Pitch, Hit, Run contest. He also won second place in the hitting contest. First place was two feet taller than him and he didn't hit it much farther than my son. I could watch that kid play baseball all day. I'm so glad he loves the sport as much as I do. He also broke his first window with a ball this weekend. While I'm sure it's not his last, when I ran outside to make sure all was ok after hearing the window break he immediately started crying so I didn't get on to him, and all the neighbors were outside at that point also because they had heard the commotion...oh and he caught his mom, me, in the leg with a line drive. It left a bruise that is still there a week later. What was I doing in the way of his hit you might ask. Pitching to him while holding a baby of course! Someone had to keep her from getting in the way.
I was very blessed with lots of family time this weekend, expected and unexpected as my great aunt made an appearance and was able to stay for dinner. Along with my parents who declined dinner only to call a few hours later to say they were hungry, right as our grill decided to quit working. But it all worked out and dinner was great. I always like it when we have more people in the house than we have room to sit and eat a meal. It makes for a blessed life. And it wouldn't be with out all the wonderful women, who happen to be moms, in our family.
The baby spent the night away from home for the first time ever! I was so busy and tired that I didn't miss her like I thought I would and I had a little time to clean with out her under toe the next day. She had a great time at Grammy and Grandpa's and all survived.
My son won third place over all in a Major League Baseball sponsored Pitch, Hit, Run contest. He also won second place in the hitting contest. First place was two feet taller than him and he didn't hit it much farther than my son. I could watch that kid play baseball all day. I'm so glad he loves the sport as much as I do. He also broke his first window with a ball this weekend. While I'm sure it's not his last, when I ran outside to make sure all was ok after hearing the window break he immediately started crying so I didn't get on to him, and all the neighbors were outside at that point also because they had heard the commotion...oh and he caught his mom, me, in the leg with a line drive. It left a bruise that is still there a week later. What was I doing in the way of his hit you might ask. Pitching to him while holding a baby of course! Someone had to keep her from getting in the way.
I was very blessed with lots of family time this weekend, expected and unexpected as my great aunt made an appearance and was able to stay for dinner. Along with my parents who declined dinner only to call a few hours later to say they were hungry, right as our grill decided to quit working. But it all worked out and dinner was great. I always like it when we have more people in the house than we have room to sit and eat a meal. It makes for a blessed life. And it wouldn't be with out all the wonderful women, who happen to be moms, in our family.
May 7, 2013
If you need me you can find me on the floor...
I have recently had my third child. I say recently loosely because she is 1 now. My body seemed to snap back into shape after my first two. But this go around, combined with my new age of 30, my body is not snapping back into any kind of shape. It is staying quite round actually. So when two friends of mine decided it was time to hit the gym, I was right there with them.
Well, the gym turned out to be BOOT CAMP! Our goal, work out five days a week. Did I mention our classes start at 5 A.M.?!?! This, as I have found, has turned out to be a good thing. When I get home I have and hour to myself before anyone gets up. I can clean, browse the web, or sit in front of the t.v. if I wish, all with peace and quiet. We have had less tardy slips at school and less rushing around to make sure all are ready because of this. So until I start to see results in my body, this is the silver lining.
The object of this boot camp is circuit training. You have different stations and spend so much time at each alternating between two exercises and switch to a new station. Some days you only go around the circuit once, others two times, I think one day we did it three, but I might have just been delusional from the workout by the time it got done that I counted wrong. Everyday you work a different part of your body. For example this week goes as follows, Mon: Core Tues: Lower Wed: Cardio Thurs: Full Fri: Upper.
The first day I was so full of myself and my ability that I pushed hard...really hard...only to be knocked down the next station. I started with squats and while holding a kettle bell decided I can go all the way down to the floor the whole time. The next station were lunges...I couldn't go down at all!!!! It took me two days to be able to walk again. Going down stairs was the worst! I even groaned trying to sit on the toilet. My fiance laughed at me for the whole two days. I have to say I was put back in my place quick.
I went back though and in time, hopefully soon, I will be glad I stuck with it. I just vowed to feel the burn, but not try to own it until I get a little bit stronger. There isn't a day that goes by that I am not sore. But it's been a good sore, it lets me know I had a good workout.
So here's to everyone who gets up and out to stay fit. If you don't, what are you waiting for? A better body is on the other side!
Well, the gym turned out to be BOOT CAMP! Our goal, work out five days a week. Did I mention our classes start at 5 A.M.?!?! This, as I have found, has turned out to be a good thing. When I get home I have and hour to myself before anyone gets up. I can clean, browse the web, or sit in front of the t.v. if I wish, all with peace and quiet. We have had less tardy slips at school and less rushing around to make sure all are ready because of this. So until I start to see results in my body, this is the silver lining.
The first day I was so full of myself and my ability that I pushed hard...really hard...only to be knocked down the next station. I started with squats and while holding a kettle bell decided I can go all the way down to the floor the whole time. The next station were lunges...I couldn't go down at all!!!! It took me two days to be able to walk again. Going down stairs was the worst! I even groaned trying to sit on the toilet. My fiance laughed at me for the whole two days. I have to say I was put back in my place quick.
I went back though and in time, hopefully soon, I will be glad I stuck with it. I just vowed to feel the burn, but not try to own it until I get a little bit stronger. There isn't a day that goes by that I am not sore. But it's been a good sore, it lets me know I had a good workout.
So here's to everyone who gets up and out to stay fit. If you don't, what are you waiting for? A better body is on the other side!
April 30, 2013
And So It Begins...
It's finally here. I had to make myself sit down and start the blog. Mostly because I don't know where or how to start, but I think I'm ready. I'm not writing this alone though. My new best friend and I have decided to go at this together. Her name is Anna. She lives in Kansas City with her son. But I'll let her tell you about that later.
So we've got the blog name, grabbed it on facebook, twitter, instagram, we even have a Pinterest, (so be sure to follow all, but please be patient. We are new to this.)...researched how to write your first blog, what to include, etc..., got advice from my awesome aunt, who by the way has her own blog also, go check it out, Peridot Sky's. And now here I am, thinking of what to write! OK, OK enough thinking out loud...let me tell you who I am!
My name is Katie. I just turned, gulp, 30. I have three awesome kids, a son and two daughters, and one fantastic fiance, who will in one very short month be my HUSBAND, can't wait. We have two dogs, one of which sheds entirely way to much. We, I say we because they are supposed to be my sons but are really mine, have five fish give or take some weeks (having a slight problem keeping them all alive at any given moment, and I can't help but buy more when one dies). And if that wasn't enough, soon we want to add chickens to the mix. All in an eleven hundred square foot house, let me tell you we need a bigger one!!!
My kids are seven, six, and eleven months old. The older two, my son and daughter, are from a past marriage. So we live in a split home. This has created some issues within and we've all had to adjust and figure out how to make it the best for everyone. They go see their dad every other weekend. But for the most part I do it all. I'm very lucky to get to stay at home now. Which we have found is better in our household than me working. My youngest daughter was a surprise to my then boyfriend and I. But we are loving every minute of her and one day will try for one more, hopefully on our terms!
We live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I've lived here my whole life and most likely always will. It's hard to move away from family. Tulsa's a fairly decent size town. Not too big, but not too small. It's surrounded by other smaller cities. Because of this I find some areas to be having growing pains and things seem to be growing on top of one another due to the fact that they can't move outward any more. So some days I dream of the country. But most days I love my midtown life and all the comforts it provides. Mom and dad are just a few minutes away and so is the neighborhood Target, corner Starbucks, and we can't forget about Quiktrip! (one of my first places to work and one of the only convenient stores I'll go to. But more on that later.)
That pretty much sums it up. My time spent here will be about the trials and errors of parenting, life, and lots of stories, my house is never quiet. Hopefully with some advice, probably some questions, a little bit of faith, and maybe some fashion thrown in every now and again, I do like to shop! I hope you find life as fun as I do and can look at this and say, that happens to her too! Please leave comments and stories if you wish, I love laughing at what other families go through, especially raising kids, as I hope you will do with my stories.
Until next time
Katie
So we've got the blog name, grabbed it on facebook, twitter, instagram, we even have a Pinterest, (so be sure to follow all, but please be patient. We are new to this.)...researched how to write your first blog, what to include, etc..., got advice from my awesome aunt, who by the way has her own blog also, go check it out, Peridot Sky's. And now here I am, thinking of what to write! OK, OK enough thinking out loud...let me tell you who I am!
My name is Katie. I just turned, gulp, 30. I have three awesome kids, a son and two daughters, and one fantastic fiance, who will in one very short month be my HUSBAND, can't wait. We have two dogs, one of which sheds entirely way to much. We, I say we because they are supposed to be my sons but are really mine, have five fish give or take some weeks (having a slight problem keeping them all alive at any given moment, and I can't help but buy more when one dies). And if that wasn't enough, soon we want to add chickens to the mix. All in an eleven hundred square foot house, let me tell you we need a bigger one!!!
 |
| My Family!! |
My kids are seven, six, and eleven months old. The older two, my son and daughter, are from a past marriage. So we live in a split home. This has created some issues within and we've all had to adjust and figure out how to make it the best for everyone. They go see their dad every other weekend. But for the most part I do it all. I'm very lucky to get to stay at home now. Which we have found is better in our household than me working. My youngest daughter was a surprise to my then boyfriend and I. But we are loving every minute of her and one day will try for one more, hopefully on our terms!
We live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I've lived here my whole life and most likely always will. It's hard to move away from family. Tulsa's a fairly decent size town. Not too big, but not too small. It's surrounded by other smaller cities. Because of this I find some areas to be having growing pains and things seem to be growing on top of one another due to the fact that they can't move outward any more. So some days I dream of the country. But most days I love my midtown life and all the comforts it provides. Mom and dad are just a few minutes away and so is the neighborhood Target, corner Starbucks, and we can't forget about Quiktrip! (one of my first places to work and one of the only convenient stores I'll go to. But more on that later.)
 |
| My City |
That pretty much sums it up. My time spent here will be about the trials and errors of parenting, life, and lots of stories, my house is never quiet. Hopefully with some advice, probably some questions, a little bit of faith, and maybe some fashion thrown in every now and again, I do like to shop! I hope you find life as fun as I do and can look at this and say, that happens to her too! Please leave comments and stories if you wish, I love laughing at what other families go through, especially raising kids, as I hope you will do with my stories.
Until next time
Katie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)