A Reality Reject

It's Finish the Sentence Friday and many thanks to Janine, Kate, Stephanie, and Dawn for hosting! This week's sentence to finish is "When it comes to reality TV, I..."

So, without further ado...

When it comes to reality TV, I... am completely ignorant. My knowledge and experience is practically non-existent. I've caught an episode here and there of a number of reality shows but an addiction or obsession with any particular one has yet to develop.

In all "reality," my TV time in general has dwindled immensely since the arrival of our little one. I'll occasionally curl up on the couch and watch a movie or a re-run of some sort, but to commit myself to a TV show is asking a little much. I've managed to stay committed to a very select few shows of which I can only think of two that I wouldn't dare delete off of the DVR before watching - and not a single one of those are reality TV. Truthfully, there are just other ways I prefer to spend my time.

However, today's FTSF is about reality TV, so I must come up with something... How about a glimpse of what I haven't stuck with but have at least tried?

Cuteness Times Five

One week ago today, I pulled in the driveway to find a litter of puppies waiting on me. (Feel free to read about that adventure here.) And since it's been exactly one week, I thought I'd share with you our puppy progress.

Out of the nine puppies our Doggie Mama delivered, five remain. It may be a little exaggeratory, but I feel as though I can tell how much they've grown each day. Today they look fuller and more satisfied.

Doggie Mama doesn't need to be with them at every waking moment anymore. When she is away from them, they are no longer whining continuously until her return - they are all just snuggled up together.  Their eyes are not yet open, but I believe we can begin to expect that to occur over the next few days.

Here's a bit of cuteness times five for your mid-week pleasure.

Thanks for reading.

Kate

January 30, 2013

The Case for Baby Surprise - Five Things to Consider

I loved being pregnant. I had a few weeks of nausea, but rarely actually became sick. I am prone to headaches, yet while pregnant they were practically nonexistent. Despite my attempt to gain as much weight as possible, I was never chastised for being too far ahead of the curve. My blood pressure stayed below or right around normal. I did eventually have swelling, but it wasn't until the very end. And although I was incredibly large and at times uncomfortable, I don't recall losing too much sleep (aside from bathroom trips). I am so very thankful that my pregnancy was a healthy and uneventful one, and I can only hope that any future pregnancies would result in the same.

But aside from physically and emotionally adapting well to pregnancy, I loved being pregnant because of the anticipation and excitement it holds, especially for a new mommy. It's a blessed adventure to embark upon - a gift from God. And in addition to the natural anticipation that comes with expecting your first child, we thought we'd add just a little more by taking the road less travelled - by opting to not learn of our baby's gender prior to his arrival into the world.

When I Was A Child...

This week's Monday Listicles with Stasha at The Good Life is to share 10 Things You Thought as a Child You Would Do/Be.

Mine are really pretty simple and stem from different phases in my childhood.

In no particular order, I thought I would:

1. Be the cool little sister - although six years my senior, I wanted my brother's friends to be my friends.

2. Be a professional singer - truth is, I can barely carry a tune. But, on numerous occasions I recorded myself singing on cassette. I was so disappointed when I played it back. I still sometimes sing in the car, when it's just me, like I'm a super star.

3. Be a professional 4-wheeler rider (assuming there is such a thing) - I went up and down our driveway day after day pretending I was on a real road, driving with real drivers until one day I drove through a barbed wire fence. I put a pretty good cut in my nose and forehead.

4. Work the summers as a 4-H counselor - I went as a camper a few times and always hoped I'd get to serve as Counselor. We moved away before it could come to pass.

5. Be a strict and difficult teacher - I'd play school a lot when I was a child and my students (stuffed animals) were always getting into trouble and I was always having to be stern. I enjoyed being bossy!

6. Be just a tad skinnier - had I realized how "skinny" I was back then, I would totally embrace it with confidence instead of being insecure that I was a bit bigger than my friends.

7. Work in a library - I loved to read and I loved to go the library, so I felt it natural to want to touch and feel all of those books, organize them, and go through each and every one deciding whether or not it should be read.

8. Be a star basketball player - even though I loved to play basketball and was fairly good at it, I wasn't a "star." I was actually much better at volleyball.

9. Go to medical school to become a doctor - I did start out on the pre-med track my freshman year of college, but two chemistry's in and I felt the need to choose a different path.

10. Fall in love and get married - I've always been a romantic, hoping I'd be swept off my feet and that I'd do the same for someone else. I'm so thankful that God really did paint a beautiful fairy tale for me in this area.

What were your desires/aspirations as a child?

Thanks for reading.

Kate

January 27, 2013

Looking for Work at Five

It's Finish The Sentence Friday and this week's sentence is "When I was younger I tried..."  And I can promise you that I have wracked my brain trying to think of just how to finish this sentence. I'm not sure why I found it so difficult, but things I kept thinking of were either boring or embarrassing enough that I couldn't bare putting them out there for the world (or my family) to see.

But finally, this evening while watching Mickey Mouse with my little one, it came to me. It's not overly exciting and it's not one of those memories I personally recall. As a matter of fact, I called my mother to make sure I had it straight. It is, however, one of those stories I love to hear her tell.

So... When I was younger, I tried to get a job at McDonald's.

The Resurrection of a Farm Girl

It's been an interesting evening on the homestead today. And I should probably first start with a bit of background.

I don't believe I've yet mentioned that I am a country girl. I grew up on a farm - around cattle mostly and hay. I spent my summers fishing, riding 4-wheelers, and getting ready for the fair.  I ventured off to the city to attend college, and afterward married a country boy. Shortly after we were hitched, God blessed us with an amazing opportunity, and I returned to my roots of farm life. The difference, however, is that the effects of my time away from the farm were clear - I call it cityfied. Although the farming way is in my blood, my actual contributions to our farm are sparse.

Each day, when I pull into the driveway from work, our dog comes to meet us. She either comes out of her doghouse or from around the front side of the house. If she does not, she's in trouble - because that means she's temporarily ran away from home. (Since we put in an in-ground fence, she's been much better about not getting into trouble.)

Seven Folks I'd Like to Meet

It's a peaceful Tuesday evening and while browsing my favorite blogs, I stumbled upon Tuesday Topics with Tiffany from The Austin Family Diary and Lauren from Life Love Lauren. I love this idea, so of course I must participate (but quickly because I'm getting sleepy.)

Today's Tuesday Topic is Seven People I'd Like to Meet. And those seven people are...

1. George Bush - I think he is brilliant with a sense of humor. I think I could listen to him for hours. I picture sitting on his ranch in Texas scoping out the terrain and talking about simple things and drinking lemonade (I'm not a fan of tea). My husband would be with me and we may even ride a horse.

2. Kate Middleton - She's beautiful for one. And for two, I'd love to hear about what it's like living as Royalty.

3. Sarah Palin - Completely down to earth. Incredibly funny. A tad crazy. And really, just truly impressive considering all that she juggles.

4. Kevin Costner - There's just something about his mannerisms. I think I could listen to him for hours and he'd impart wisdom in everything he'd say.

5. Candace Cameron - DJ!! That, and I admire her strong stand for Christ. I think we'd be friends if she weren't famous.

6. Cynthia Cooper - She was the whistle blower from WorldCom. I'd love to hear her story in person. As a matter of fact, I need to finish the book. It's on my Kindle.

7. Stephanie Plum - If only she weren't a fictional character. I need to tell her that the love triangle is killing me. Plus, she's just hilarious. I'd like to go to a family dinner with her too. And maybe if I meet Joe Morelli and Ranger in person, I can make a choice for her.

That's my quick, kind of funny list of folks I'd like to meet but more than likely never will. :)

Who's on your list?

Thanks for reading.

Kate

January 22, 2013

From Stinky Shoes to Elmo's Potty

This week's Listicle challenge is to expose your closet. I find this just a tad intimidating. A close look into your closet doesn't only reveal your style in clothing and shoes, but it provides a glimpse into who you are. I may be attributing way too much thought to this, but the truth is, I learned a little bit about myself.

For starters, I have entirely too many clothes that I no longer wear. I keep saying that I'll lose weight and be able to wear them again, but never actually do. Clearly I have no follow through. I have a collection of beautiful scarves that I have never worn and a slew of belts that I never use. Although I desire to be stylish, I'm not willing to do what it takes. The portion of the closet that my husband shares is probably a 1/5th of what I am occupying. I am either a hoarder or just a tad high maintenance. I hide things that belong to my toddler that I do not want him to have unlimited access to. I must not completely trust him - but I think that's to be expected.

So, what did I find in my closet... Here's my list of ten.

1. A collection of sweaters and shirts. Below is a picture of my current favorites.

2. A collection of shoes including dress flats, boat shoes, high heels, and boots. The rough looking pair below I found at Walmart. I absolutely wore them out. This is actually the second edition and I refuse to toss these stinky things.

3. A step stool with a humidifier sitting on it.

4. A storage bin with clothes I can no longer wear.

5. A collection of scarves I never wear, but totally should.

6. Sheets for the bed.

7. Dumbbell weights I never use.

8. A pistol.

9. My little one's karaoke machine.

And my favorite...

10. An Elmo Potty - Yes, the potty training with Elmo back fired. It is seen clearly as a toy and not as a potty, so I put it in the closet to prevent confusion.

So, what's in your closet? (And I said this to the tone of the commercial "What's in your wallet?")

As always, thanks for reading.

Kate

January 21, 2013

Sunday Social - All About 3s

Today's Sunday Social is all about 3s!

Top 3 favorite kinds of food.

I eat pizza at least once a week. Cereal makes for a good breakfast, dinner, or snack. And I can eat potatoes baked, mashed, scalloped, fried, in a casserole, as a fry or as a chip. (I sort of sound like Bubba Gump here, except I'm not talking about shrimp.)

First 3 things you do in the morning.

Check my phone for any messages, emails, or anything exciting tweeted or posted to Facebook.
Plug in my phone to charge.
Jump in the shower and start the get ready for work process.

Fab Five Friday 1.18.13

Thanks to the Friday Chaos Blog Hop, I met Falen from Upward not Inward. She and Laura are the authors of this great blog and each Friday post five fabulous things about the week.

I intend to join in with this as often as I'm able because I believe it is a great way to cultivate an attitude of thankfulness. And honestly, that is something I need to do this week. Instead of whining and complaining about all of the things that didn't go just as I had planned, I need to be thanking God for each and every one of His undeserved blessings.

My Fab Five for the week ending 1.18.13...

Sunday Social 1.13.13

I am so excited to report that I found another great blog hop to participate in. Sunday Social, hosted by Ashley Lately and A Complete Waste of Make Up, is a great way to meet and learn about other bloggers. I love the "answer the question" format and that it's the perfect combination of simple and genuine.

So, without further ado, here are my responses to last week's Sunday Social questions. (I was going to wait to start until the next Sunday, but couldn't pass up answering these.)

1. What is the name of your blog? How long have you been blogging?

My blog is Seriously Kate. I came up with the Seriously part because I am always saying "seriously" in many different tones - as a question, sarcastically, and sincerely. It just seemed fitting.

When I first thought of my byline, embracing all things seriously, I actually looked up the definition of embrace and seriously to make sure what I was saying made sense. Essentially it means that I'm attempting to accept all things in earnest - whether it be with humor, love, anger, or even indifference.

Seriously Kate was created in December 2012. So, it is still the newbie blog on the block.

Top O' the Morning to You

It's Finish the Sentence Friday and this week's sentence to finish is "The last time I went on vacation, I…"

And I, very much like Kate at Can I Get Another Bottle of Whine, have nothing very exciting to report about the last time I went on vacation. It was a pleasant and relaxing trip to Carolina Beach with amazing family - but nothing exciting or earth shattering.

So, I took a moment and thought back over the past few years to see if there was ever a vacation worth sharing and I landed in 2004. It was actually not a vacation, but may as well have been. It was actually a two week study abroad, and it was amazing.

I was given the rare and privileged opportunity while in college to spend two weeks in Ireland. As a bit of background, my years on this earth have not involved much travel - I've been to neighboring states and a few beaches, but I had never even been on a plane. So, a trip to Ireland was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and an incredibly new experience.

Best Movie Quotes (According to Me)

I am excited to join up with Stasha at The Good Life for this week's Monday Listicles. As I've mentioned before, I love lists of all kinds so I was quite pleased to have found this awesome hop.

Today's Listicle challenge is to share the 10 Best Movie Quotes. I initially thought this would be a piece of cake, but it turns out there are just too many to choose from. Regardless, here are 10 of my favorite, in really no particular order (except for maybe the first three).

1. Legally Blonde

Elle - Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't.

2. A League of Their Own

Jimmy Dugan -  It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great.

3. The Holiday

Iris - Because you're hoping you're wrong. And every time she does something that tells you she's no good, you ignore it. And every time she comes through and surprises you, she wins you over, and you lose that argument with yourself, that she's not for you.

4. Never Been Kissed

Josie - That thing, that moment, when you kiss someone and everything around becomes hazy and the only thing in focus is you and this person and you realize that that person is the only person that you're supposed to kiss for the rest of your life, and for one moment you get this amazing gift and you want to laugh and you want to cry because you feel so lucky that you found it and so scared that that it will go away all at the same time.

5. The Shawshank Redemption

 

Andy - Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.

6. Tombstone

 

Doc Holiday - I'm your huckleberry...

7. The Sandlot

Ham Porter - You're killing me Smalls!

8. Two Weeks Notice

George Wade - Before you came into my life I could make all kinds of decisions now I'm addicted I have to know what you think. What do you think? 

9. Miss Congeniality

 

Gracie - You think I'm gorgeous, you want to kiss me... You want to hug me... You want to love me... You want to hug me... You want to smooch me... You want to...

10. A League of Their Own

Jimmy Dugan - Are you crying? Are you crying? ARE YOU CRYING? There's no crying! THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL! 

 

Would love to hear what your favorites are.

 

And as always, thanks for reading.

 

Kate

 

January 14, 2013

List: Top 5 New Baby Items

One of my favorite people to shop for is a new mommy. There was a time when I didn't look forward to this - when I wasn't a parent. I had no idea what a new mom really needed and I found registries incredibly overwhelming. I usually gravitated towards diapers, wipes, and a plush stuffed animal and hoped for the best.

Now that I've had the privilege of actually being a new mommy, shopping for one is so much fun. I know the things my baby and I needed, the things we loved, and the things we used the most. My gifts to new mommies are now practical yet precious. I realize I sound a bit prideful here, and that's because this is huge for me - having confidence in a baby gift!

But aside from my newfound ability to shop for new parents and their baby on the way, I also love to share with them some of the things we really did need, love, and use the most - things I believe every new mom should have or at least consider. A lot of them make your life as a new parent just a bit easier, and I am thankful someone shared them with me.

Thoughts of an Exhausted New Mommy

It's Finish the Sentence Friday over at Janine's Confessions of a Mommyaholic. Today's challenge is to finish the sentence "One of the most embarrassing things I ever did was..." I first saw the post last night, so I've had some time to think about what I'd like to share.

I can think of all sorts of embarrassing moments where I find myself ashamed - instances where I've said the wrong thing or failed to filter before speaking - but moments of embarrassment that are now comical to look back upon and that I'd enjoy sharing seem to have escaped my brain. It IS Friday! But, thankfully, one of my dear favorite memories in which I was incredibly embarrassed but strangely proud about simultaneously crept into my memory this evening.

So, without further ado...

List #1: 13 Random Things About Me

Lately, I've been doing a lot more blog visiting and less posting. I love finding new blogs and new people to meet and that I can relate to.

As I was perusing the blog circuit, I landed on Carol's blog, For What It's Worth. Her latest post is a list of thirteen random things about herself. She intends to do thirteen different lists during 2013. I really like this idea. I love lists and more than that, it's a great way to get to know blog owners and have a little fun.

So, below are my "13 Random Things About Me." I think this would be great if we could get lots of participants. If you do, be sure to link up to Carol's post. And let me know too, so I can learn about you!

Review: Safe Haven

I have not read all, but several of the books written by Nicholas Sparks. We've developed this love-hate relationship, of which I am sure he is unaware. What I mean by love-hate is that I love the overall story and there are so many wonderful moments intertwined within. However, I hate getting through the realistic, non-fairytale scenes. I know they are coming, they are what make the fairytale aspects seem realistic. But they are full of suspense and fear of the unknown - hoping it ends in roses but knowing it could take a turn for the weeds.

Startling Stink Bugs

I am not really a fan of any kind of bug, but I have a special hatred for a select few. Ticks, spiders, and stink bugs are sitting at the top of the list. Today, I'd like to tell you about the stink bug.

First and foremost - they are clearly not my friend. Despite the fact that they are relatively harmless, I have developed a "freak out" mantra for when one appears. They started arriving in our house towards the end of Fall, trying to escape the colder weather. Once inside they really are harmless, flying around like they are lost and hiding behind things to hibernate. "I don't want to bother you, I just need to sleep through winter." Even so, the sound they make while stumbling around lights and windows and the brown armor shield of a look they portray frighten me.

Tears for a Reason

Today, I watched The Polar Express with my little one. It was a first for both of us. I really enjoyed the movie, so much that I could not hold back tears on more than one occasion. For what reason, I am not certain. I only hoped my little one didn't look up at me and become alarmed because there were tears in my eyes. My heart ached for the little boy who had no friends and believed that Christmas didn't work out for him. Tears formed when all the children were so happy to see Santa, and when the gift that was thought to have been lost was found.

Such instances are not a first for me. Moments of sadness and moments of pure joy will cause my eyes to spring a leak! My husband knows just when to look at me during a movie because he knows I'll be trying desperately to hold back the tears. Movies, music, pictures, books, and the people and things I see on a day to day basis can all have that affect on me at any given time. It doesn't happen always but it happens often enough.

Reflections of 2012

It's New Year's Eve and I am right where I want to be. Cuddled up in my bed with one of my favorite movies playing on TV - The Holiday, and enjoying Rolos and IBC Root Beer with my hubby. Our little one is fast asleep and I'm thoroughly surprised I'm even still awake. I may even watch the ball drop.

I was also perusing blogs I enjoy reading and came across the 2012 Questionnaire posted by Kelly at Kelly's Korner. A set of questions offering one an opportunity to reflect upon the past year and a challenge to consider the next.

1. What are you most thankful for? I am most thankful for my family, my health and my family's health, my employment, and God's mercy and unconditional love.

2. What were the highlights of 2012 for you? I have thoroughly enjoyed watching our little one grow into a toddler. He is so much fun. He keeps me on my toes, and truly brings out the inner kid inside - in me, in all of us.

3. What are you hoping for in 2013? I am hoping that I can restore the joy of my salvation - that I can rebuild the relationship with Christ that I once had. I want to be a better Christian, church member, mother, wife, and friend. I want to achieve balance, and I want to take better care of myself health wise.

4. What were some of your favorites of 2012? (Clothes, movies, songs, TV shows.) I love my new coat from Express and the new line from JC Penney - jcp. I enjoyed reading the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy, Pretense by Lori Wick (for the 3rd time), and a variety of other novels by authors like Sophie Kinsella and Emily Giffin. Oh, and the Stephanie Plum series. NCIS is the one show I must watch. I thoroughly enjoyed the new series Smash, and I think Modern Family is hilarious - I am a lot like Claire.

5. Who was God to you in 2012? God is a loving and patient Father. He is faithful even though I am not. He has never neglected me, although I neglect Him. And He has never moved, while I have drifted. Faithful and True.

Cheers to a new year and a fresh start - may God bless each of you in 2013.

Thanks for reading.

Kate

January 1, 2013