Food, Football, Addicting Games & Tornado Warnings

As I promised, I headed off to SonRise this morning for my second installment of the Relentless series. I'll tell ya what, when there's a message meant specifically for you, it's meant FOR you. This time it was all about maintaining relenting faith under pressure, under unfavorable odds and especially when we are called to step outside of our comfort zones.

 

I checked the church's website, but they've not yet uploaded the podcast of today's message. I did however, find the one that rocked Rob and I last week; it's never too late to share some good news. It's a little long [well, standard sermon length but timely for a blog entry], but it's good nonetheless.

 

Enjoy, and I'll try to get today's up here ASAP.

After work, I had two goals:
1. Retrieve my debit card from P.F. Chang's from last night, where I signed my bill and left my card in the little holder thing. [You can face palm that one, it's okay.]
2. Make it out to Brittany's house.

I accomplished the first, and the second greeted me with a welcoming surprise: they had cooked brunch and had it laid out pretty much in front of me when I walked in the door. It wouldn't be a complete experience without scrambled eggs, homemade hasbrowns, fresh fruit, bacon [not for this allergic kid, womp womp...] & of course, mimosas.

And then.. an afternoon cozied up watching the Bengals game.
It's about TIME...we whooped up on the Browns.

cozying up to some WHODEY action!

I noticed at one point during some replays that all four of my friends were curled around their cell phones playing CANDY CRUSH. I couldn't help but take a picture, for the sake of showing them the visible proof of their addictions. Joe even looks to be fist pumping a victory over a level. I'm not judging; honestly, I've never even thought to play it, but it's still fun watching and hearing other people do it.

candy crush-aholism.
brittany. joe [yesssss! #fistpump]. kalyn. keifer.

Keifer eventually headed out for work, and the daylight started to wear down. We started watching North Country, but were thwarted by all the tornado warnings and watches going on in the area. It was literally raining sideways across Brittany's backyard, and all over the news were pictures of damage here locally, but more seriously devastation in parts of Illinois and some other areas. My heart broke for the people caught in the path of this, and I am so thankful that, even though we ate dinner [delicious, thank you, Joe!] in the basement and had weather alerts as background music through it, that we and those all around us are safe, untouched by the storm.

little red riding pup!

^ Daisy, especially, seemed grateful for another night cozying up to everyone on the couch.. and now that her cone is gone, she's as happy as ever. So is little Maddie, creepin' there in the background.

I'm home now, glad to have the rain and wind gone.
It's another week to conquer, starting tomorrow.
I'm ready. (:

xo | cmd

Fallish Mondays

I said a few days ago that it is starting to finally feel like Fall! I'm not typically a girlish person, nor have I ever been a trendsetter of any sort, but I admit I was a little excited today to break out the autumn color pallet and boots. I love boots. It's beanie & boot season, now.

I'm pumped.

fall colors, here we come!

 Oh, and yenno what else was pretty daggone awesome today?

yeah. buddy!!

I took to the house to wrap up a few things there before heading out to Salem Gardens to meet up with Kalyn & Keifer to watch the game. I declined a couple of invitations to tailgate tonight at the stadium because 1] I wasn't going to the actual game, 2] traffic/parking down there is a heinous affair not worth the stress, and 3] I'm an old lady apparently incapable of functioning during the work week if I'm up too late. And that would have been way.. too late. The three of us barely made it to the third quarter before we opted to finish it up at home after some grub & a few drinks.

We're apparently all old folks; I don't feel so individually guilty. Haha. Either way, the good old Cats brought a WIN on home turf against the Steelers, which means my father and uncle [born/raised in Pittsburgh] will likely not speak to me for a week now... haha.

Kinda-sorta-short week this week; we're Detroit-bound Friday!

xo | cmd

Emma's Birthday | Lovin' Ohio Sports!

What a Saturday! I'm spent. And I'll tell ya why.

It started off with some early morning errands, some photo editing, and finally out to Becky's for Emma's birthday party. It was a great time with our friends, and the kiddos had a blast, too. Jason & I got to babbling on about cameras, Jimmy & Joe finalized their plans to have an eating contest, and Jarod was hailed as the reigning champ of trial mud runs, despite his affinity for Slim Jims and Mountain Dew. Oh, and there were plenty "That's what MO said"'s to go around. Haha. Don't ask; we're a funky bunch....

[I'm still editing down the pictures I took, so I just borrowed Jason's. Haha. I'll get mine up later....] Either way...

HAPPY THIRD BIRTHDAY,
EMMA!!!

[photog: jwisely] | happy birthday, sweet emma!!!

... of course it wouldn't be a show without something random, unnecessary, and silly. For that reason, Becky dug out the crimson gloves she snagged at the Towerview yardsale.. and, well.. here's that mini-story [thanks, Jason]: 

you can't see it, but that is a uc sweatshirt.. just sayin'
.... oh. and the gloves? you can thank becky for those ;) 

*I love our friends.*

You know what else I love, in a separate but equally-awesome way?

Being an OHIOAN. Hehe. 

I know, I know, I live in Illinois, but let's be honest. I breathe Ohio, and I don't expect that to change anytime soon, even if I never set residence outside this state ever again. Sorry to disappoint. Haha. Anyway, today was one of those days that made me super proud to be a Bearcat [alumni], a Buckeye [state allegience], and also a supporter of the Redlegs. 

O-H! .... I-O!

ahh! my alma mater! happy homecoming!!!!
[with a victory, too?! not a bad way to go!! ohh, ohhh, ohhhh uc!]

My alma mater! Cincinnati's homecoming was tonight, and since I obviously was unable to be present for the festivities, I sure do remember homecomings and the fun we had at the games. Nippert was packed tonight, and those Bearcats did their job to earn a WIN over Miami for homecoming! 52-14, we'll take it! SO PROUD OF THOSE BEARCATS!!! (:

the ohio state, at it again!!

Ohio State, also failing to disappoint, came out on top of Nebraska on Columbus turf with a big win. O-H.... I-O!!! 

brandon phillips.. you sir, are fantastic! yeah, reds!!!

Last but definitely not least, Brandon Phillips and the Reds came through with a win tonight, and basically left us Ohioans [Cincinnatians, specifically] on the edge of our seats for the last couple innings. The Reds took it with a win over SanFran, and if we do it right, we'll snag another W tomorrow! 

*Whewwww. I'm definitely not the one to continuously post sport-related updates, but I had to today. Hopefully the Bengals will take a win tomorrow... and we'll be all set :)

Church in the morning. Time call it a night! 

xo | cmd

Do Re Mi Fa So La Theeee Voiiiice :)

It's back, it's back, it's back!
Season 3 of The Voice! I've so missed my weekly appointments

Soooo... the work day flew by without much of a hitch, which is a little frightening considering it was Monday [eeeeeeerie ...]. I'm not complaining! I made it a point to get Sydni, run our errands, and high tail it home with a due sense of urgency... pardon...

7PM = THE VOICE...

... aaaaaaaand...

... THE BENGALS!

'ello there, awesome Monday.

How did I forget that there are three nights of blind auditions? Who's a happy little hooked-on-power-notes viewer? This guy. 

Ceelo wore silk pj's.Christina wore a leather jumpsuit smaller than what my kid would wear. Adam donned a plain t-shirt that, in its ironic simplicity, probably cost more than everything combined in my closet, and Blake stayed true to his cowboy swagger [is that an oxymoron? I'm not even sure, really.]. 

Highlight reel? Okay. Sold. 

^Yodeling! She's got a killer voice to boot.. I know I can't yodel. Kudos.


^^ This guy just turned EIGHTEEN. He looks like he's at least 24, and even though I think Christina's a bit over-done these days, I would have to agree with her that I love love loved it. (: 
Sounds silly, but this show is pretty encouraging, even if it is a televised thing.
[Oh, and the Bengals lost tonight. Sad me. It's okay though. We'll get it!] Here we go, week!
xo | cmd

Superbowl 2012!



[just some] of the gals of my family ♥



Man oh man! This weekend flew right past me. We woke up this morning to find that Paul had already headed out close to 6:45 to play an early show at one of the churches in St. Louis. Lynn left out homebound for Cincinnati around 8am, and Heidi & Jonathan left to rendezvous with Paul right as we were bound for church. Tim was the last man standing, and joined us for church and lunch afterwards. We were bummed to drop him off for his flight back to Seattle, especially since his next trip is homeland-bound for Taiwan. [We are praying for your safe travel! Have fun back home!!!]



amazing.
simply amazing.



Just as soon as we’d left Tim for his flight, we kicked it into gear again to tidy up around the house, clean where we could, and order pizzas for our Superbowl party. It wasn’t long until Pastor Ron & Debbie, Meagan & Rob, Jimmy & Mo, Adam & Cathy with the girls, and Kyle with Tessa were all gathered around a food-covered table munching away. I promise that every one of the guests that’ve been through our home since we moved into it have all been excellent cooks; we are all benefiting from that. Haha. I would like to note the chocolate drizzled popcorn brought by Mo & Jimmy: It has officially added a little spice to my already avid affinity for popcorn. Good call, guys. J



sydni got some goodies from
back home, thanks to
nana & pappy!



As for the actual Superbowl, I don’t think there was much preference one way or another, and save for Kyle, nobody really seemed all that interested in which team finished victorious, but we did join the ranks of Americans everywhere who probably had a better time watching the commercials. Plus, speculating on the halftime performance is always necessary. Lol.

So yeah, congratulations to the Giants, and to Manning & his new corvette. Haha.

It’s back to it, tomorrow. Briiiiiing it.

xo | cmd

Now THAT Is A Saturday

WHAT A DAY! {phew!}

So today was one of those days that seems like it should be a culmination of all the good stuff the regular week didn't tangibly produce. To put it simply, today rocked. I won't waste any time explaining why [[in an order dictated by chronology, not necessarily by scaled awesomess ;) ]]

my mama ♥

1. [This one's actually #1 in chronological and awesome order, fyi.] First off, my mom celebrated another year young today. Happy, HAPPY birthday to a woman whose life has been dedicated to the success of her family [pets, included], and to taking aggressive advantage of every moment and opportunity this life will offer. I look up to her in so many ways, from the first time she acted on her heart's intuition to adopt, to faithfully tolerating me at my worst. Her love has never shaken, and the quality of life I try my best to display is paled in comparison to the energy and sheer joy she exudes to those around her. I love you, Mom. Thank you, times the world over and then some, for all that you are, all that you do, and all that you will continue to do for your family.

daddy's girl @ the dino exhibit :)

2. St. Louis Science Center! Joe was gone when I woke up this morning, out with Alex galavanting all over St. Louis; he called me mid-morning to inform me that Lara and Landon would be by within the hour to pick up Sydni and I, and the four of us were scheduled to meet him and Alex at the Science Center in St. Louis, to which we hadn't been. We obliged, and within two hours were touring through the displays and indoor attractions that comprise the Science Center. Landon was so excited to show Sydni the 'real, live dinosaur' that inhabited the ground floor, complete with animatronics, realistic textures, and sound. Despite our hesitations, Sydni surprised us all by not fleeing from it, but rather demanding she touch the 'dinahorse' on its eye. Don't ask; I'm really not sure myself. Anyway, she loved it, and enjoyed everything else about the place, too. Good call, guys. I'm checking the Science Center off my list of newbie to-do things of St. Louis!



pretty little altima

 3. Since Lara and I drove separately from our husbands, we parked in separate lots and therefore had to drive down to meet them. We turned a corner and spotted them walking down the hill towards Alex's truck. It wouldn't have been a big deal, except for the fact that I spotted a shiny white Nissan settled right behind Alex's pickup; I knew at that instant that my husband had bought us a new car. See, a few days back, Ole' Trusty [our Honda] finally gave up the ghost and is likely finished beyond reasonably-priced repair. That left us with one car, and therefore in need of another set of wheels. We pulled up alongside and I hopped out, confirmed by the dealer tag still on the back plate, that this was our newest addition. It is beautiful. :) Thank you, to my wonderfully secretive husband, and to Alex & Lara, for not spilling the beans on this one. Haha.



nikon!

4. Back in July, I had taken that big fancy roadtrip out to Phoenix with Kalyn and Sam and had consequently wound up with a busted D90. I dropped that off with the folks at CreveCoeur at the beginning of September, and that long-awaited day of retrieving it in repaired form was finally here! Well, they actually called me on Christmas Eve, but I was just now getting around to it. Woops. Thanks to the U.S. Postal service's negligent handling, and then to the glorious reprieve of advice from Miss Diana Owens, my camera experienced its first [and hopefully only] major accident and patch-up. Anywho- it's home, it's functioning, and I am now back on the photographic prowl. Beware :p.

still a fan.

5. Football!!! [Poor, poor Tebow, I know...] While the games themselves may have ended a bit sour [depending on which side you're on], the good news was, we had some great friends over to share the evening with us, and even do a little manual labor [i.e. Jimmy, Adam, and Joe attempting to drive the Honda up the street and eventually having to tow it back to the driveway, haha]. Oh, and for the record, I'm still a fan of Tebow. True story.

And that is why.... today was awesome. :)
This is a good platform for Sunday, yeah?

xo | cmd

I'm a Fan of Days Off

Today was one of those coveted days during which I found myself doing many things, but NOT at work. Amen!  :)


iphone 4 | evo 3d



We took our time getting moving, and when we finally did, our first stop was the Sprint store for some new phones. Thank you, annually-expiring contract. Please know, I do absolutely consider myself blessed to have a phone that works, but here's the part where I have to admit I like to have a little fun. I'm all about simplicity in most aspects of my life, but hey, if I'm going to make something complicated, why not carry it around with me all day long, too? Anyway, it was time to upgrade from the his-and-hers Palm Pre's. Joe had his heart set on the iPhone 4, and after a bit of playing around on the display models, said yes to the HTC Evo 4g. Since the Evo was on back-order through our Sprint store, Joe came home with a new phone; I won't get mine until later this week. Oh poor Cori. Jk. I went to Google both of these and found a picture of them sitting side by side. I hadn't seen them like that before; my phone is a brick. Haha.

Anywhoooo..



accidental matching with mo :)
p.s. - nice photobomb, jimmy!



Sydni begged me to take a nap with her once we got home, so I of course obliged without protest. When I woke up, Joe informed me that some of our friends would soon be en route for an evening of football and hanging out. I mean, fall asleep for one second in this house....... :) Just kidding. About an hour or so later, the Babots & the Prescotts rolled in, and we spent the rest of the evening watching football, discussing weird names for children, goofing off with the kids, and laughing hysterically at some of the stupid things we've said and done. Good stuff. This is just one of the bazillion reasons I thank my Lord every night for Towerview. Aaaamen.

We figured out that Joe's new space phone has a camera on both sides, so once the guests were gone, we finished off the night with a mini family photo shoot. I'll start the week off right with a little preview of all that ;)

xo | cmd

Give Thanks on Thanksgiving!!



happy thanksgiving! | *cupcake!

In the true spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought I would compile a list of the things or people for which/whom I am most thankful. Since it quickly blossomed into quite the lengthy thing, I shaved it down to the ones that stuck out in the front of my mind. This isn't to say I don't count myself blessed for each and every wonderful facet of my life, but for the sake of Thanksgiving, I will give thanks. Mmk??

Getting down to it:

.: My faith. I seriously doubt I would be who or where I am today without the faith I have in the Lord, my Savior. There was a point of my life in which I thought I really was capable of handling my life on my own terms without tearing the whole thing to shreds. I couldn't have been any further turned around than I was, and looking back, I'm thankful also for the times that tested me to my core. I know there was a plan, and I know that plan now is taking me to places and blessing me with things I couldn't have imagined. Taking that one step further, He has graced us with a church and a church family unlike any that I've ever had before. The fellowship we have with our Towerview family is incredible. Our Lord is responsible for the creation of our world, and yet He crafts my blessings one by one, specific to my needs. Hallelujah, I will praise Him!!

.: My family. When I say family, I realize the broad scope of the term, so I'll leave that to encompass my entire family. That starts with my incredible husband Joe and our daughter Sydni, without whom I would be lost in this world. They are my better halves? thirds, and they complete me in a way even I don't think I could begin to explain. It continues on then to our parents, our siblings, our nieces and nephews, our cousins, aunts, uncles, and everything in between, even on down to Bootsie, our dog. I look at the intricately woven mix of people in my family in particular [woo, adoption!], and I can't imagine my life any differently. I couldn't fathom anything less or more than the outstanding, unique group of people that comprise my [our] family tree.  I love you all, so very much.

.: My friends. Some are young, and some are gettin' up there ;), but when it's all said and done, there are a few who I believe are truly indispensable. To highlight just a few - my best friend, Kalyn, who lives right around 1,525 miles away from me, is probably the only other girl I've ever met that is truly on my level in just about everything. She is certainly a kindred soul, and I surely wouldn't trade our friendship for the world. I miss you, KP!! I also don't think this year would've been quite the same without our big vow renewal ceremony back in September, and I wouldn't have thought twice to ask anyone other than the girls I did: Jennifer, Laney, and Brittany - you girls are inspiring in your own specific ways and I admire the qualities you have that make us such good friends. [Cynthia and Maricor, my other two bridesmaids, are part of my family, but don't you dare feel left out! Hah.]  Happy Thanksgiving, to all of my dear friends; I hold you close to my heart and I truly do value how you've marked my life!



turkey!



.: My job. It sounds silly, but the sole mission of my job is to find work for other people, and to supply qualified employees for clients in need. On a daily basis, we hear story after story of people whose lives were smooth sailing until employment went sour and the bottom fell out from underneath their feet. Some deserved to lose their positions, yes, but others just couldn't control the economy and were consequently left behind in the wake of recession waves. I feel for all of these folks, especially during holiday seasons. There is such a reward in what we do when we've done it right and matched up the best people with jobs in which they'll excel. On top of that, our boss[es] gave us each a turkey as a Thanksgiving present this year - so thoughtful! :)

.: My life. Vague again, I know, but I'll allow this one to be somewhat all-encompassing as well. To keep it simple, I categorized my life's blessings and boiled it down as best I could. Our family and friends, jobs, housing, transportation, health, and salvation are the elements upon which we find ourselves building a life as individuals, as a couple, as parents, and as a family. Sure, I'm still human with human emotions, mistakes, and faults. There are ups and there are definitely downs, but even in the seemingly endless, intolerable times, I am still blessed with the wealth of what is actually a beautiful life. It's not perfect, but if it were anything other than what it is now, it wouldn't be mine.

SO, with just a glimpse at my blessings, I will let that be and get on to our Thanksgiving celebration with Joe's family here in Cincinnati. Earlier this morning, Joe went and played football with the old Milford HS guys that annually get together on Thanksgiving and make an event of it. Now he's back here resting up, and I really should get to making this dessert for his family's get together. I cannot wait to see them.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

xo | cmd