Kerri's Klutter

Update your reader, blog roll, etc....pleasepleaseprettyplease

2010-04-17T21:26:00.000-04:00

Hi!

I really don't know if there is an easier way to do this or not...I'm working on finding out...

But for those of you who don't mind doing it this way

and making sure your reader gets updated with the correct site

please do the following!!

Go to www.blogger.com

Sign in to use Blogger using your normal sign in name and password

You are then at your Blogger dashboard

If you follow more then one blog you will see them listed here. Scroll down till you see the Manage button at the bottom of reading list

Click on the Manage blogs I'm Following button

Find Kerri's Klutter and click on settings off to the right

Click the Stop following this site

It will make sure you are sure by asking Are you sure?

Click Stop following

Refresh your screen

Then Go to www.kerrisklutter.com

Off on the right side, down a little bit you'll see the headline "Join the Mess" Click on the follow button

Then confirm and Follow www.kerrisklutter.com

Now you are following the correct blog....and you won't miss a thing!!

I tried to make it read as easy as possible. I have some friends and family who know very little about this blogging thing. I'm trying to make sure they "get it"

Fingers crossed I don't lose too many followers from here to there................

KERRIS KLUTTER HAS MOVED

2010-04-17T10:12:00.000-04:00

WOW WOW WOW

Eliza showed up this morning

and said

"It's time"

and by the time

I finished

my English Muffin

and coffee

KERRI's KLUTTER

was all moved in

over

www.kerrisklutter.com

So, update your links to be taken there

instead of

www.krazi8.blogspot.com

And bare with me

as I unpack my boxes

and get used to the place....

Oh, and Jb -

you left a comment on Saturday Share

could you leave another at the new place?

and please leave me a link to your blog...I can't seem to find you.

Ok, so go now to

www.kerrisklutter.com

and let me know what you think!!

I think it's FAB

and so very totally

ME!!!!

THANK YOU ELIZA!!!!!!

AKA

The Style Dragon!!

Saturday Share

2010-04-17T08:23:00.000-04:00

Today is Saturday Share.

A weekly post about us, what we've been up and pictures

to fill in the blanks.

(Saturday Share tends be a fairly long post...sit back and enjoy)

This week started things back to normal. After no school for Jacek for a two weeks he about flew inside the class room the second the teacher opened the door. He emerged like a blur for 3 seconds to say "Oh yeah, oops...I love you Mommy" and he was gone again. I was glad to see the feeling of "being cooped up together too long" was reciprocated. It sure does help the Mommy guilt of wanting him to go back to school.

As I mentioned yesterday very briefly, we got the letter from the school accepting Jacek into their Universal Pre-K Program (UPK) come September. It is a FULL day, 5 day a week pre-school. He'll be riding the bus, going to gym, music class, and doing lots of fun great wonderful stuff with Mommy. I am so happy for him and I'm trying to relish in that right now. I'll worry about all my sobbing and wet pajama tops come September.

Aidan is getting big and taller, it seems, everyday. I've been working with him about the potty. We started Jacek at about 20 months so he's right on track. He GETS it but has had no success yet. Yesterday, as I've been nagging the poor kid all week he told me he had a poopy diaper. In his little chinese language (which I totally should capture on video and post before it goes away altogether) he said, "Mabee, I have poopy". Then Jacek was jumping up and down, apparently just as excited as I was that his little brother had just clearly and undeinabley grew a little bit more little boyish right before our very eyes. Way to go AIDAN!!

The day that Jacek got his acceptance letter in the mail his DADDY got his very own acceptance letter. Darren was accepted into the State College of Brockport for the Fall Semester 2010. He is thrilled and hopefully, I sure his is but he doesn't let on, very PROUD. He's been hemming and hawing on this for years. He now has the road open to leads him to accomplishing his goals. So two of my boys are going to school this fall.

And Aidan and I...heck...we're gonna be whopping up this town.

On Wednesday night Darren had a flat tire, luckily he noticed it while he was still at the schools parking lot. Have I ever mentioned he works at a local college here? Oh, sorry if I haven't...he does. The whole flat tire thing showed me that both Darren and I are both working on US and our patience and learning what is important and what is not so much.

The Kerri and Darren show of the past would have been a bit cluttered, choosing not so nice words to convey our disgust and frustration over the situation BUT you know what the Kerri and Darren show of the here and now did? We were calm, cool, and pretty smart and sexy too. We both went with the flow, adjusted our schedules where needed and we just did what had to be done.

I'm proud of us. We've come a long way. And it's when this crap happens that I'm reminded that the choices I've made, no matter how hard or wrong they may have seemed at the time, were definitely the right ones!!

I am doing well. I successfully had my tooth yanked yesterday. The experience wasn't all bad but it still sucked. The nitrous gas was awesome. Wow, did it feel good. I took one pain pill last night and slept great. I'm swollen and the right side of my mouth is very tender which kinda causes me to drool and that's not very hot. It's just not. I'm calling out of work today. I'm supposed to answer the phones and since that would be pretty difficult I'm taking a day to hang with the boys. They don't mind so much if I drool.

Oh, almost forgot to mention (shame on me) that I am

over at The B Keeps Us Honest.

If you're stopping by from over there, HELLO and THANKS!!

I'm gonna post a picture. In it you'll see a rather large pile of clothes.

Let's see if you can guess why I cried over this pile not once but two times in the last week.

I will update later with the reason

So, that was a little bit of our week. How was yours?

If you're new to Kerri's Klutter

thanks for checking it out.

Please leave me a comment so I can come and visit YOU too.

Comments are awesome....almost as good as having all your teeth and not having to drink your meals with a straw.

Thanks for stopping by!! Have a wonderful Saturday. Ta. Ta.

Friday Fragments and Follow

2010-04-16T07:00:00.002-04:00

Chaos in the world brings uneasiness, but it also allows the opportunity for creativity and growth.

Have you ever taken 10 minutes and browsed through your SPAM email folder? Here's a few I've received recently....

Rob and Karen Spam sent me the following email:
We would like to show you why you may be "fat" and why you're unable to lose weight no matter how hard you try. First off, please always know that it's not your fault...
So, it's not my fault that I eat cheese puff after cheese puff at 10 o'clock at night and then go to bed resulting in instant weight gain? That's the best news I've ever gotten!! So, who's fault is it?

I also received this short and sweet email:
Forklifts at Unbeatable Prices - New and Used
I didn't even know I wanted a forklift but now I totally do.

And this email just had to be mentioned:
You're fired. Earn money without constant effort.
I got fired by Spam. I'm unclear on what emotion to feel right now.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Yesterday I....

ran 3.12 miles in 36 minutes

went to the doctors. My blood pressure was 138/80. What an improvement from 203/117. Right?!?

bought 3 lottery tickets and won NADDA. That sucks.

signed up for a 5k next Sunday.

got the letter stating that my 4 year old son got accepted and will be attending a full day pre-k program next fall. Now we must figure out what is best for everyone as far as me working on the weekends.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Today I....

am going for my reattempt tooth extraction. I was instructed to take my blood pressure medicine and 2 Xanax. I'm almost positive I'm gonna make a fool out of myself somehow. I took 1 Xanax yesterday and felt like a zombie.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ian suggested that I solicit questions about me, pertaining to me, etc. that my husband will answer from his perspective as a feature for a post during my 6 month blogging anniversary party(which is at the end of the month).

So, please could you come up with some for him? I'll be taking them from now until next Saturday the 24th.

You can leave them in a comment here or email them to me at klynnski8 at gmail dot com. If you prefer you can comment anonymously so I won't know who asked what. It's up to you!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Yesterday I attempted a "funny" post. Quite a few readers told me they were rolling on the floor while reading it. I always have a hard time with being funny...I've found that not a whole bunch of people "get my sense of humor"....so if you didn't have a chance to check it out yesterday I'd love it if you'd check it out and let me know what you think. Be warned though, it's about sex toys and is titled "A Girl And Her Toys"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thanks for stopping by to check out

Kerris Klutter

I'm on a journey of sorts

learning how to write

honestly about EVERYTHING.

I've been blogging for just about 6 months

and I *think*

I'm getting a hang of it.

Mother of 2 small boys

work part time on the weekends

Look around to find out more

and please

enjoy the Klutter.

A Girl And Her Toys (Warning! Sex toy talk)

2010-04-15T07:00:00.002-04:00

I got invited

(by a Mom at playgroup)

to a pleasure party.

Pleasure party?

That's the politically correct term nowadays.

For those of us, non-hip nor PC people
we say Sex toy party

I attended without a plus 1.

I went prepared to feel awkward in a room with 12 strangers
surrounded by latex, silicone and gadgets

but with an open mind as well.

The woman were drinking

a lot.

The person selling the toys was sweaty

a guy

and very openly over the top gay.
(How many times do you have to reference the fact that you're gay?
I get it, we all get it...)

He was funny

but became more funny rude as the party progressed.

He did well taking the attention away from

the TOYS and putting it on himself.

Some of the women seemed to appreciate that

but

he also made jokes that were kind of inappropriate

(maybe I'm just old school)

For instance,

He commented on the size of one woman's breasts and continually addressed her as "titties" even after the initial joke had come and gone....
and he told a woman she would need a firming gel for her "va-jay-jay" because she had had 4 kids.

They were noticeably insulted but

remained a lot calmer then say....
maybe I would have.

I was ready to take him down with a nice

big

Just sayin.

After he asked me,

"Are you just quiet or socially inept?"

I was thinking....

Seriously?!?

THROAT PUNCH

"I just don't really like you is all."

{{Laughter...smile...eye glare}}

He retreated as he tried to figure out if I was joking or being serious.

That's right biotch! Suck it!

The first 20 minutes were spent

drinking, ~~pretending~~ trying to socialize

and laughing at the host

as he set up his goods on the only available table...

A baby changing table.

He started with lubricants

which were passed around

and us ladies squirted little drops onto our hands.

A few ladies rubbed it elsewhere.

They were drinking. A lot.

Then he brought out the rabbits.

(Warning!! Clicking on the above picture will take you to a sex toy site!)

The room of women grew very loud at this point.

My ears began to hurt.

Squealing and cackling becomes very annoying very quickly.

The guy sharing his personal stories

about ramming and jacking and stroking

was becoming a bit too much for me.

To each their own but seriously

I DON'T NEED VISUALS

PAIRED with PROPS.

I just don't.

One guest asked the guy if he had brought any other "animals".

Apparently she was looking to buy a dolphin.

"I only sell rabbits"

I mean duh, can you imagine how hard traveling with dolphins would be?
With the large water tanks and all.

The room quickly became littered with toys,

rabbits, tubes of lubricants, a tongue

and a suctioned cupped purple dildo on the TV.

I am not against having fun with toys

but I'd rather avoid the hoopla next time.

The party was fun but a bit over done.

After all the crude stories and somewhat belligerent ranting about straight guys and how they all need delay cream

the guy announced he was going upstairs to discretely take orders.

Seriously? Now, you're being discrete.

I sent a text to Darren.

Me: Can I spend a $100 on stuff?

Darren: Uh no

Me: So nothin then?

Darren: A little not $100

Me: The cheapest rabbit is $58

Darren: WTF...that's a lot..nothing cheaper? 20?

I laughed out loud. I could feel the drunken stares burning into the back of my skull.

Me: Um no

Darren: I gotta say no. That's your grill money. I don't want to be a bummer but that's a lot. U agree?

I did.

I want a red shiny gas grill a lot more then a rabbit.

But Darren wasn't done texting me yet.

Darren: Any clearance vibes?

I about fell out of my seat

Gotta love the way the man thinks..
Mr. bargain vibe shopper.

The only clearance vibe I'd use is the one I already have, the one that is free and wrapped up in the fancy package..
ya know, my husband.

I got home and googled the rabbit I had set my sights on.

Turns out some places get rabbits by the truckload

and sell them for $50 not $100.

So I can get my gold jack rabbit

(Warning! Clicking on the above picture will take you to Amazon.com's
listing for the Jack Rabbit Vibrator)

And

a red shiny gas grill.

How dare that guy try to sell me a $50 rabbit for $100?!?

THROAT PUNCH

You don't mess with a girl and her toys.

You Just Don't.

**This post is not intended to insult or offend anyone. This is my personal take on a pleasure party I attended recently. The guy was a nice guy and I would recommend him as a host if a raunchier type party is what you're looking for**

I Run But I'm Not A Runner

2010-04-14T07:00:00.001-04:00

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
-Mohandas Gandhi

I am short.
When I was in junior high I was over weight.
I was on the basketball team but apparently I wasn't very good.

I don't know why.

Did I mention I was short and over weight?

I never liked to run. I dreaded gym class on warm days when I knew the teacher would make us go outside. That meant jogging around the school grounds, that meant I would be out of breath and sweaty and LAST. By the time I was in 9th grade there were a few of us. We'd walk. The teacher eventually stopped trying to make us, "lost causes" run.

After school running became obsolete unless I had to scurry across a cross walk or J walk across a busy intersection.

Or when it was raining. I run pretty fast when it's raining.

I amaze many with my quick dash --ya know--from the van to the entrance of Walmart.

Skill baby, skill.

Barely a drop gets on me!

But what now? What can I say about running now?

Last year I started running. I wasn't running to run though. I had an ulterior motive.
You see, I was running to get myself out of bed and out the door by myself. No kids in tow, no lugging a diaper bag, no twenty return trips into the house...I was out the door, with the tunes cranking and I was by MYSELF.

It was this little slice of bliss every morning that I couldn't wait to sink my fork into.

I mean seriously, by the end of the first month I C R A V E D it.

It wasn't running that gave me peace of mind
it was the quiet of the morning.

It wasn't running that made me feel good
it was that I was doing something for myself.

It wasn't running that made me sign up for a 5k and complete it
it was self efficacy.

I've run a few times so far this spring each time faster and longer then the last.

If you ask me "Do you like to run?" I'd still say no. I'm not a runner.

If you ask me

"Do you like a brief moment of clarity? Do you like quiet mornings?
Do you like to watch the sun rise in all its beautiful glory and feel its warmth on your face before so many others get to enjoy it?
Do you like doing something for yourself?
Do you like to accomplish goals you thought would never be your goals to accomplish?"

Yes.

I run but am I a runner?

Nope.

I hate to run.

Unless it's raining.

Comment-Love Letters

2010-04-13T07:00:00.002-04:00

A fun and often hilarious way to show off the comment love received on the previous weeks posts.

All week while receiving comments to my posts I copy and paste each one into a word document, removing any spaces between the comments. On Sunday I start to cut and paste the comments together to make a letter or as close as I can get to a letter. I try really hard not to read through the whole thing until I'm completely done. The end result is pretty funny.

Welcome to Comment-Love Letters:

Dear Kerri @ Kerri’s Klutter

I'm a new follower...found you through Ian. I stumbled across your blog and wanted to say hi. Take a minute and check my blog out. I have lots of great giveaways going on. For the good of all humanity I tore apart like 100 Cadbury crème eggs. I mean I figured that it was the least I can do, right?

Oh what a joy to find out you're playing crash derby in the garage. THE exercise equipment in question was supposed to be utilized by you, now it's taking a trip to the dump..hmph! Sure could go for a jelly bean.... Ohhhh! Jelly beans! I forgot to have the Easter Bunny bring jelly beans! I am a wife and a mom to 2 boys... any help in that area is welcome!

I would totally get a "lift" if we had the money. I've told DH as much, too. After nursing 4 babies there is almost nothing left. :( Plus, I think bigger boobs would totally make my stomach look smaller. Watch out when you are on the lookout for idiot things to happen they seem to hit ya all over the place. Been there, done that at Walmart with a go-zillion checkout lines and only a few are open resulting in long lines. These always crack me up!

Told you that you'd run into the Carnival sooner or later! ;) You throw a word out there like smuck and then dare not tell us what it's supposed to mean? The nerve...lol. Smuck is good! I am just so happy to know that I am not the only one that ends up on the kitchen floor when they are over thinking all things mortal. And oh yeah I'm totally linking up next Wed or the following for the comment thing. I've been saving em up and notched another one today.

I am so happy to hear that the medicine is working and that you are feeling much better. I understand about feeingl like your readers are there for you more than your IRL friends. I have the same thing going on. Crazy but that's why I love to blog. Meeting people like you :) You put the fun in FUNNER!

All RIGHT! You joined the party. Yeah! Pass the cake and the chips please? You got salsa and corn chips? I would keep it, because believe me I NEED IT! Ha-ha you little 1st grade hussy! That is great!

Glad I found you. I will see you tomorrow. Have a great day!

Sincerely,

Your Biggest Fan

P.S. my word verification word right now is "fatties"...what are they trying to say...

This blog post was made possible by
"comment-love leavers" like YOU!

Did you spot your comment?

Wanna join in on the fun?

Pull your comments from last week and put them together to form some sort of "sense."

(Using "sense" real lightly here! )

then link up below (linky will be open till Friday) so we can stop by and check out your

Comment-Love Letter.

A Minute with Ian on Monday (Be warned, we're talking sex here)

2010-04-12T07:48:00.000-04:00

Kerri's Klutter
is
BLOG OF THE WEEK

over at

The Daily Dose Of Reality.

If you're visiting from Ian's

THANK YOU and HELLO!

Last week was my first time linking up for

Monday Minute

(don't you just love this creepy "button"?)

and it was lots of fun so I'm doing it again!!

How old were you when you lost your virginity?

Wow. Cut right to the chase why don't ya? Oh me oh my...my Momma reads this blog. I was two years shy of 18. For whatever reason, I feel better about writing that then the actual number. I do think now I was a wee young BUT I loved him and we stayed together for 4 years.

Any good sex advice or tips?

If your significant other likes to watch porn (in moderation not like ALL THE TIME) put all your insecurities aside or whatever else you think you have against porn...and join him/her. (At least once..to see how it is. Call it the "No, thank you bite" and give it a try.)

Ever catch your parents or kids having sex?

Parents don't have sex...well not mine anyway....or at least I never was the wiser. Where do babies come from again? The closest I came was seeing my Dad in his tighty whities or seeing my Mom smack his butt when he was doing the dishes.

My oldest boy is only 4. The word sex doesn't exist yet but penis does. He likes to say penis.

Ever been caught having sex?

Caught how? In a net? Nope. In the restraints? Nope. Ha ha. Never been caught.

Lights on or off when having sex?

Is this really a priority? When you have kids...you do it when you can do it...I have enough to worry about (are the kids REALLY asleep, are they gonna wake up and cry, are the dogs gonna start barking, do I have enough energy, etc.) and whether the lights are on or off is not one of them.

Get your comments together and come back to Kerri's Klutter tomorrow to link up for:

Comment-Love Letters.

<a  href="   http://krazi8.blogspot.com/search?q=Comment-Love+Letters "   target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Kerri’s Clutter"   src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F87Mq0wr53A/S5fnlKjtg2I/AAAAAAAABcg/Kh7BR3vdZl4/S186/buttoninfotest.jpg"    /></a>

A fun way to show your comment-love leavers that
you love them back!

I'm also linked up with Menu Plan Monday today

Click here to read my awesome menu for the week

Weekly Menu Monday

2010-04-12T07:00:00.002-04:00

This week is definately going to be SPRING like. Temperatures will be in the mid 50's to 60's all week. After the past week of rain it'll be nice to get the lawn to dry up a little so the boys can play sans mud.

I also want to start running again AND start working in the yard.

This past week's menu had a few WINNERS.

Seriously...the food was phenomenal.

The healthy mac and cheese is made with pureed squash. I had some still frozen from last summer and used that. While I admit it looked GAGalicious before baking, it looked, smelled and tasted delicious upon doneness.

The Slow Cooker Thai Pork with Peanut Sauce had me questioning my gag reflex again. Putting a big scoop of peanut butter into the sauce half an hour before serving it made me so nervous and kind of yuck but paired with the teriyaki sauce and rice vinegar it was super good.

The layered summertime salad is from Taste Of Home. It's always been one of our favorites. It keeps super well in the fridge for a day or two, even with the lettuce and it's healthy, crunchy and fun!

This picture is borrowed from www.tasteofhome.com

Here's what's cookin in the kitchen of Kerri's Klutter this week:

Monday: Ham and Spinach Quiche

Tuesday: Tater Tot Casserole

Wednesday: Sweet -n- Sour Sausage

Thursday: Faux Jerk Chicken

Friday: (Reattempt at my tooth extraction) YOYO(you're on your own) for the boys

Saturday: Pizza

Sunday: Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

That's what's cookin in the Klutters Kitchen

What's cookin in yours?

I'm linking up over at "I'm an Organizing Junkie" for Menu Plan Monday

Happy Weekly Menu Monday

I'm also linking up with Ian at The Daily Dose of Reality

for Monday Minute (sex talk)- click to check it out

Get your comments together and come back to Kerri's Klutter tomorrow to link up for:

Comment-Love Letters.

<a  href="   http://krazi8.blogspot.com/search?q=Comment-Love+Letters "   target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Kerri’s Clutter"   src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F87Mq0wr53A/S5fnlKjtg2I/AAAAAAAABcg/Kh7BR3vdZl4/S186/buttoninfotest.jpg"    /></a>

A fun way to show your comment-love leavers that
you love them back!

Winner Announced (You've been Sentenced)

2010-04-12T06:50:00.001-04:00

The winner of

"McNeill Designs for Brighter Minds has generously offered an entire set of games that I reviewed to one lucky reader!

This includes the You’ve Been Sentenced game, all the Add-on packs, the Twisted Fish game and the Wheel of Chore-ture."

A $78.00 value!

ANGIE @ In My Own Little Corner

CONGRATULATIONS!!

I will be contacting you for a mailing address to forward on to Mcneill Designs as the games will sent directly from them.

Getting to know you. And me too.

2010-04-11T12:04:00.003-04:00

Today I'm just out and about

I stopped by Keely's blog where a whole

bunch of fun people were answering the following questions.

1. What color do you wear the most?

I love color!! Today I am wearing a shirt that is about the same color as this font color! I have a spring jacket that is GREEN. I have a few shirts that are bright pink. I love color!! The majority of my clothes are probably green or blue.

2. Would you rather have $10,000 dollars or a dream vacation?

$10,000 please. Do you know how far I could stretch $10K? Wow!!
Is someone actually gonna give me 10K or was this a hypothetical question? Cause that would be s-w-e-e-t.

3. Do you have a weird, quirky or unusual habit?

Weird - Quirky - Unusual. What crazy funny words. I would never use them to describe me or my habits!! NEVER!! HAHA.
Actually, I think those three words about sum me up!! Just put dork in there too and presto you've described me! Examples? Okay.
I hate when people read my fresh out of the mailbox magazines before I do, I pick, I will push my glasses up on top of my head and then wonder why the heck I can't see that well when I'm wearing them instead of my contacts (dur!), I tend to look into THINGS for deeper meaning and end up over thinking A LOT, etc...

4. I really need to start..........?

running. I started again and then stopped. This week looks super springy!! A great week to put the spring back in my step. Now if I could find someone to kick my arse outta bed in the morning I'd be alllll set.

5. What was the first blog you ever read?

Wow. This is a great question. One of the first ones I read that really started me thinking on how I wanted to blog and GET MYSELF OUT THERE was, Confessions From A Working Mom. Elizabeth has been so helpful, insightful and FRIENDLY.

6. Do you collect anything?

I don't think I do. I have a small collection of Willow Tree figurines that my Mom has given me over the last few years. It's more a set (husband/wife, preggo Mom, boys, etc) then a collection. I have a Christmas Village that I started a few years ago. It only comes out at the end of November though...

7. How old were you when you had your first kiss?

When I was in 1st grade a boy I really liked kissed me while I was drinking from a water fountain. I had made a fishy face and he planted one on me. It was awesome. He made me so boy crazy. I was 7, I think.
My first "real" kiss was when I was 13...not as good as the water fountain kiss. My first "french"
kiss...TMI?...was when I was 15...yeah so much better then the water fountain kiss. Yummy.

8. Do you text/twitter while driving?

I text. I do. I know I totally shouldn't. Normally, it's a quick OMW (on my way) or a one word answer but there are times when I will have a text conversation. It's getting less and less though. Unless I'm stopped then I'm like the Quick Texter off the East firing off crazy amounts. So bad.

Thanks for stopping by and GETTING TO KNOW ME a little better.

If you want to check out other people's answers...go to Keely's sight and click on the

linky links!!

Party!!! Party!! Ultimate Blog Party that is!!

2010-04-11T00:04:00.000-04:00

Many of my FAVORITE bloggers

are participating in

The Ultimate Blog Party 2010

And as always, much like in real life

I'm last to jump on the party wagon

and start blowing my party kazoo

But I'm here now, I'm here for the Partay----ayay (sung like Gretchen Wilson)

Better late then never, right?

So, hi there! And Welcome to
Kerri's Klutter

I started this blog in attempts
to learn a few things about myself
about writing honestly
and to connect with others.

I've done pretty well so far (I think)
I'll be celebrating my 6 month blogiversary at the
end of April. The plans are being made now...I'm looking forward to it. It's gonna be a PARTY...and I won't be late...I promise!!

I have been married for 7 years and have two boys.
A 4 year old and a 1 1/2 year old.
They are MY BOYS.

I am both a stay at home Mom (during the week)
and work outside of the home (on the weekends).

One of the things I absolutely love
about blogging
are the COMMENTS.
They remind me that I am not alone.
My readers have been an amazing support system for me recently.

I pay tribute to my COMMENT - LOVE LEAVERS
every Tuesday with

Come, check it out

and then LINK UP your letter to share with us.

I would be lost with out my weekly menu, My Boys,

and realized recently that making new friends kinda sucks.

Thanks for stopping by I hope you poke around and find something you like.

Please leave me a comment so I can pay a visit to you!

As far as the prizes I'd like to win,

US6, US7, US11, US18, US31, US36, US37, US48, US73, US105, USC15

Saturday Share

2010-04-10T10:45:00.002-04:00

Today is Saturday Share.

A weekly post about us, what we've been up and pictures

to fill in the blanks.

(Saturday Share tends be a fairly long post...sit back and enjoy)

Easter was wonderful. The Easter bunny dumped out all the toys onto the couch, what a naughty little rabbit! Jacek was quick to make notice that HE would not be picking them up since it was the Easter bunny that had made the mess and not him. He was more concerned with that then finding his basket!

Jacek found his basket not too far from the toy covered couch and then quickly hustled about the house to help Aidan find his.
They found it in the unclosable cupboard.
(do you have one of those?)

After finding the baskets and looking through the goodies inside we went outside to look for eggs. The boys, for whatever reason, were impressed with the eggs strategically placed on the porch steps.

Aidan was a very serious egg hunter.

On Wednesday we went to Wal-mart for our weekly grocery shop and for once I was able to snag the shopping cart that has the additional children seat attached to the front. It's a great idea but it's HUGE. Once it's full of groceries it's almost impossible to manuever. We were coming around one aisle when I almost hit two people.

"Beep, Beep Excuse our big bus!!" I shouted.

Jacek laughed and says.."Did you say bus or butts?" (This kid is cracking me up recently)

"I said B-U-S, Bus"

"That was very good manners Mommy."

(Why thank you do I get a special treat?)

What do you do with your Easter Baskets once they are empty?

Wear them of course!!

This guy fought the Easter Basket Hat Man

He may not look dangerous but lasers shoot out of his cute innocent dimples!

This week was Lily's turn to go to the vet. Surprisingly she did not empty the contents of her stomach like Charlie had(that is to be celebrated!!).

She was really good, although she did think she was Superdog and launched herself out the back of the van the second I opened it. I suffered a few sore fingers and a couple broken nails. But..in the end she checked out A-ok so it's all good.

On the way home from the vet we witnessed a full rainbow. The colors were brilliant but OF COURSE I only had the camera on my phone to use. It's still a fairly good shot but only of half the rainbow.

Today is Cards4Cancer day. I'm supposed to be delivering these beautiful cards (over 130 made and collected) to the

James P. Wilmot cancer center in Rochester, NY today but I can't get a hold of the contact person there. They will get there though.

(Thank you so much to those who helped me in this wonderful project. Life gets busy but you didn't let that stop you from showing someone else...your heart. In return, I hope you feel the good you've done by being a part of this with me. Everyone needs a spirit jump every once in awhile.)

Another busy week is coming to a close. Jacek goes back to school on Tuesday, only 5 more weeks to go and he'll be done for the summer. We havn't received the Pre-K determination letter yet. It was supposed to arrive at the end of spring break which was yesterday. It'll be here soon and it'll set into motion our decisions about be continuing to work on the weekends come September. We've got some big choices to make in the next months. It appears as though Darren will be back in school as well and I've been toying around with the idea of going to school. I'm getting all excited about some pretty neat possibilities. Yea!!

Speaking of toying.......Sex toy party anyone? I got invited by a play group Mom. I feel a little weird (I wrote a bit about it HERE) since no one else I know is going but I'm gonna go(it's tonight)...ya know for the greater good. Should make for a fun blog post if nothing else!

So, that was a little bit of our week. How was yours?

If you're new to Kerri's Klutter

thanks for checking it out.

Please leave me a comment so I can come and visit YOU too.

Comments are awesome....almost as good as a warm snuggly blanket on a cold day.

I have an awesome giveaway ending tonight. Last chance ya'll.

Get there and enter. The games are fun, fun, fun!

This is the inside of a card that Jacek made. He told me what he wanted to write, I spelled it out

and he wrote it all by himself.

He's an amazing little person.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great Saturday! Ta. Ta.

Friday Fragments

2010-04-08T23:30:00.000-04:00

“When you have cleared all of your clutter, you can be of greater service to those around you.”

Michael B. Kitson

The Easter Bunny brought Jacek and Aidan some tubs of cotton candy. The other day Jacek requested it for snack. About 20 minutes later I glanced over at him and found him staring into his snack bowl at the mound of cotton candy he had barely touched.

"What's wrong buddy?" I asked

"Mommy.....

am I eating...fur?"

(I ended up eating the rest. He asked for fruit chews instead)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Walmart I go to always has ridiciously long lines and there's only like 3 open at a time. So, I'm waiting, patiently and calmly in line (the boys were being great) when this hairy gangly dude comes up behind me with one thing in his cart....

this...

He's behind me and Aidan is staring at him. The dude grunts in our direction and I turn to look at him.
I realize then that I have half the store in my cart (really he was just creeping me out) so I say, "You can go ahead of me." He nods his head and says thank you. And then, there we are again with this gangly dude now in front of us. He keeps looking back at me. After like 15 minutes he turns to me and says, "I should have stayed behind you."

Um, kay. I was speechless. I just gave him a smile about as crooked as his teeth and looked away. You see the only thing that made sense to me was that he was implying he should have stayed behind me so that he could look at my a$$. Seriously, that had to be what he meant, right?!?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Returning home from Walmart I was pulling into our garage when I hit something. It was an old piece of exercise equipment that my husband had moved into the middle of the garage. I checked the bumper..there was a little smudge. I didn't tell my husband cuz I didn't think it was a big deal.

Yesterday pulling into our garage I hit it again. doh!

Someone should really move it out of the way. Seriously.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I have two free giveaways going on right now. One is for two family fun games. Check it out HERE. The other is for a book titled "It's Either Her Or Me!" Check it out HERE.

You don't need to be a follower to enter either giveaway but each one does have a mandatory question you must answer to be entered. Both have low entries as of right now....just sayin.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There are no more jelly beans in the house. I ate them. Someone had to. I don't even like jelly beans. The things I do for the good of the family. Always sacrificing...

It's Either Her or Me Review and Giveaway

2010-04-08T07:00:00.007-04:00

Back in November I wrote a post titled Relationship A and shared some insight on the relationship I have with my mother in law.

In the post I concluded that I needed to take a step back and allow my husband, her son, to take a hold of the reins.

Since then our relationship has been less strained, maybe a little more open but definitely less complicated.

In her latest book, Ellie Slott Fisher addresses the dynamic of Mom and daughter in law along with the dynamic of other relationships, such as sons, sisters, wives, girlfriends, husbands, and brothers.

It's Either Her Or Me:

A guide to help a Mom and Her Daughter-in-Law Get Along

I read this book mainly from a perspective of a daughter in law but since I have two sons of my own...the chapters on being a mother to boys also caught my attention. Before I knew it I was imagining the future and them asking me where their girlfriends should sleep during "sleep overs" should they bring their girlfriends home for the weekend. I was reeling. I can't even imagine it happening.

At the end of each chapter there are keepsakes to state the key points of the chapter. I found myself reading them more then once and really thinking about them.

Here are a few that really stuck with me

- A Mother in law may be difficult to love, but in some way, no matter how small, the man you love reflects her.
- A mother wants someone who will make her son happy. A girlfriend/wife just wants her to recognize that she does.
- Sons and boyfriends should never avoid the melee, especially since they're at the center of it.
- If necessary, a man has to consider the concerns of both women, and act as a mediator.
- Grandparents do not assume the role of parent-unless expressly asked to do so by their son and his wife
- A woman you view as a difficult mother in law may very well be viewed by your children as a
loving Grandma. And that is something for which to be truly grateful.

Don't think this book is for just the mom or the girlfriends/wives...There's a whole chapter about the son/husband and what his role in all of this is. He needs to be involved and he needs to have open communication with both women.

So, it's okay to tell him to get his head out of the sand. (Ahem, be nice)

Based on research and interviews Ellie covers a range of relationships and this book is definitely not just a guide on how to survive a relationship you may feel is doomed. There's some great tips in there and a different perspective which is a wonderful thing to gain when you're feeling you're at your wits end.

This book offers practical situations that you can apply to any relationship and Ellie does it all with a sense of humor. It was an enjoyable read, a valuable tool and I'll probably be pulling it back down from the bookcase over the next 18 years.

Are you in a strained relationship?
Do you and your in-laws get along?
Are you a man who needs to regain control over the two most important women in your life? (lol)

You should get yourself a copy of this book.

Lucky lucky you!! I have a copy to give away for free.

Mandatory Entry - that means you MUST answer this question in a comment in order to be entered.

If you won this book would you keep it for yourself or give it away? Why?

Extra entries can be achieved by doing any or all of the following:

Be or become a follower of Kerri's Klutter (If you already follow just say "already follow". New followers say "I now follow".)

Subscribe to Ellie's blog (Leave a comment so I can verify)

Become a fan of Ellie on Facebook (Leave a comment so I can verify)

If you're not the lucky winner copies of the book can be purchased on Amazon.com for the sale price of $11.25.

Ellie has also written: Mom, There's A Man In the Kitchen And He's Wearing Your Robe: The Single Mother's Guide to Dating Well without Parenting Poorly

AND

Dating for Dads: The Single Father's Guide to Dating Well without Parenting Poorly.

Giveaway will end on Sunday April 18th at 8:00 pm EST and the winner will be randomly chosen and announced on Monday April 19th

Disclaimer: I received this book free to review from Random House through Business 2 Blogger. The winner of the giveaway will be mailed their copy directly from Random House. No monetary compensation received.

Sitting On The Kitchen Floor

2010-04-07T07:00:00.009-04:00

I was sitting on the floor in my kitchen last night. I end up there when I'm Over-Thinking.

The rainy day had been spent doing very little. During my boys nap/quiet time I just sat.

I'm good at sitting.

So, there I was sitting again, this time on the floor in the kitchen not on the couch and I got to thinking about what I was gonna pour my heart out about.

I poured myself a glass of wine and that was when it occurred to me that I wanted to say Thank-You.

I am now on a blood pressure medicine called Bystolic. From what I understand Bystolic is a beta blocker. Beta blockers counteract the effects of adrenaline. It's amazing to know I should be totally feeling anxious and not feel a bit of the old shaky crazies. I've taken 6 pills so far and I already feel such a difference. Next week I'll get to see the difference (hopefully) when I get my BP taken at the doctors.

I need to say Thank-You to those who left comments of encouragement, support and understanding. I've read through all the comments again and realized that YOU (I call you "the people in my computer") supported me more then some people I've known IRL (in real life) for years.

Thank-You.

I also want to recognize and thank the newest followers of Kerri's Klutter and say I hope you find yourselves at home here.

A whoop whoop must go out to BOSSY BETTY for being my 100th follower. (And because I love the name and wanted to type it out)

And an apology to my husband Darren. Last week, I told Ian from The Daily Dose Of Reality that he was my first non-female follower when in fact (shame on me) my hubby was my first non-female follower and he totally counts, maybe even more so. So, Ian I have to ~~EAT~~ edit my words, you're the first non-female I don't know IRL. That still totally rocks (probably more for me then you) but thank you. (and don't hate me, k?)

More thanks to
Adrienne at All These Things
The Girl at The Girl Next Door Grows Up
Jen at A Daily Scoop Of Chaos

Bridgette at Fancybelle
and
El at Chapter Twenty Something

for putting together their own comment-love letters and linking up with me yesterday. I enjoyed seeing more then just little 'ol me on Mcklinky. It was getting lonely and it was nice to finally have some company.

May 1st will be my 6 month blogging anniversary.

Can you believe it?

It's been such an experience so far. I feel the "addiction" part finally waning. I don't refresh nearly as much as I did in the beginning, eagerly awaiting each and every comment. I do enjoy seeing the stats on site meter from day to day though.
That part is really neat-o.

The best part of this learning how to write honestly journey has been getting the opportunity to connect with all of you along the way. I had anticipated it but NEVER imagined it would be so much fun.

Aside from blogging I've got to (and I mean I've got to!) get re-focused on a few of my life list goals. There were a few I had planned to accomplish this year. I've gotta get my ass in gear and get. 'er. done.

Guess that means I've got to stop sitting so much.

Such a shame

I'm so good at it!

Comment-Love Letters

2010-04-06T07:00:00.001-04:00

I think I speak for most "bloggers" when I say receiving comments on blog posts is one of the things that keeps us going. We're in search of others that will laugh with us, share with us, relate with us. When I receive comments I'm reminded that I'm not only doing this "blogging" thing for me. I have readers. YOU!!

I wanted my readers and those that leave comments to GET that I appreciate it, that it makes my day and it makes Kerri's Klutter my home inside this computer.

For you, I created

A fun and hilarious way to show off the comment love received on the previous weeks posts.
All week while receiving comments to my posts I copy and paste each one into a word document, removing any spaces between the comments. On Sunday I start to cut and paste the comments together to make a letter or as close as I can get to a letter. I try really hard not to read through the whole thing until I'm completely done. The end result is pretty funny.

Welcome to Comment-Love Letters:

Dear Kerri @ Kerri’s Klutter,

Love your blog! Had to stop by when you said it would be 68F today where you are and say it is going to be 80F here, just a week after we had six inches of snow and 38F with arctic chill factor winds. Checking the weather is a great idea. It will all be OK. I am a follower!

I'm glad to hear you had a great time! My dog used to like car rides, until she realized that we were going to the vet. I went through a lot of paper towels on those days. Who knew that a 40-pound dog could, er, eliminate so much? What's with the monkey balls? It's definitely SO important to get that checked out. Ya know I was thinking maybe they could prescribe you something...when my hubby had the nut cut he took a "chill pill" of sorts and it took away the anxieties. Glad you're getting it checked out...good luck!!

People of walmart is such a funny website... All I could imagine is a person walking into a field with really tall grass. You totally disappear. Then, after minutes, everybody is tense in the car, until a small hand with the rocket can be seen over the tall grass. Everyone erupts in applause! This brought tears to my eyes. I hope that you can get answers. Thanks for pouring your heart out.

You had some great material to work with this week! I am thinking I am going to do this with my daughter, it would be fun for her. Anyone who dresses like that is doing so for attention! We have an entire closet devoted to games. We love them all - games of chance, skill, cooperative games, you name it! I do believe you are correct- that THEY will always matter the most. I want to grow old with my kiddoz too, thats my dream!

I love karaoke! My brother and I can sing 'til the wee hours of the morning. Too bad he doesn't live next door. I have dreams about one day singing Goodbye Earl on stage- then I'd like to kick the asses of abusers- maybe we could be a team. I am so going to join ya today I just have to get mine together!!! I'll be back I promise. Karaoke is always fun!!!

I'm glad you got some answers and had some fun! High blood pressure apparently runs in my family. Luckily, I haven't shown symptoms yet, but my father says it's only a matter of time. You kind of have to look at it this way though.... Which is better, taking a pill and being healthy? Or not.... I'm glad that medication can help and really why are you thinking in terms of the rest of your life. Focus on right now. All you have is now. Keep your courage! Good luck and good for you for getting it checked. Health problems haunt my brain constantly......I am well overdue!

Yay for date nights, family fun, and awesome big brothers! Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,

Your Biggest Fan

This blog post was made possible by
"comment-love leavers" like YOU!

Did you spot your comment?

Wanna join in on the fun?

Remember Madlibs? This is so much funner. Yes, FUNNER!
Pull your comments from last week and put them together to form some sort of "sense." (Using "sense" real lightly here! )

then link up below (linky will be open till Friday) so we can stop by and check out your

Comment-Love Letter.

McNeill Designs for Brighter Minds Giveaway.

I really don't understand why anyone would pass this up.
Get there now and enter!!

Monday Minute with Ian - 4/5/2010

2010-04-05T08:04:00.001-04:00

I'm curious? Have you had your daily dose of reality yet today? I thought I'd join Ian over at The Daily Dose of Reality in the Monday Minute. Ian's blog is great and we recently started "following" each other...that kinda sounds creepy...but at least it's mutual. He told me in an email that he's a lot of fun. I'm thinking he's right!!

What's wrong with fake breasts?
Well, I guess nothing is wrong really unless something happens that leaves you with a horrific experience to recall every time the doctor or somebody else says "Lift your shirt please."
I could use a lift so if I had the money I MIGHT (calm down honey) want them but gonna be honest here and say that I'd be helluva nervous and would probably chicken out. I'd probably go and get another tattoo or something...easy.

List your latest run-in with the Carnival of Idiocy.
I'm going out to get blood drawn, possibly an ultrasound on my kidneys and then will stop at Tim Hortons...I'll be looking for the carnival all along the way and will be back to update this question later.

Update: There wasn't too much goin on out there this morning BUT as I was sitting in the parking lot of Timmy Hortons a beat up pick up truck comes through the drive through. After a few minutes I see him coming around the other side. I can see the driver sipping his newly received coffee. He notices he's about to enter a two lane street and SLAMS on the breaks. In doing so, his driver side door flies open...a Tim Hortons bag falls out to the ground. He's getting honked at..from behind and from people trying to turn into the parking lot. (I assumed he was covered in hot steaming coffee). He calmly picks up the bag off the ground, pulls his door shut and makes his exit safely. Then I hear....HONKING!! It's the same guy...finally honking back at everyone honking at him!! Priceless. I almost snorted coffee outta my nose.

Name one thing you'd like to tell your ten year ago self.
Ten years ago I was making the best decision of my life. I was packing my bags, meeting a lawyer, finding my own place and getting the hell outta dodge. If I could of told myself something back then it woulda been "Take more of your shit". I left so much stuff behind. Something will pop into my head and I'm like, "Crap...I musta left it behind." Behind in that other life I lived. But it's all good.

What's your favorite word that's not in the dictionary?
SMUCK

Why do fools fall in love?
Because sometimes it's the falling in love part that stops us from being fools the rest of our lives.

Alright I'm off to go give away like 6 vials of my blood.

and then of course

Tim Hortons...cause I am Timmy's biggest Ho.

Get your comments together and come back to Kerri's Klutter tomorrow to link up for:

Comment-Love Letters.

<a  href="   http://krazi8.blogspot.com/search?q=Comment-Love+Letters "   target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Kerri’s Clutter"   src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F87Mq0wr53A/S5fnlKjtg2I/AAAAAAAABcg/Kh7BR3vdZl4/S186/buttoninfotest.jpg"    /></a>

A fun way to show your comment-love leavers that
you love them back!

Weekly Menu Monday

2010-04-05T07:00:00.001-04:00

You've Been Sentenced

E N T E R T O W I N T H E S E A W E S O M E F U N G A M E S

You've Been Sentenced! Review and Giveaway

Darren IS off today but he's spending it with our nephew....

Video Game Day. Fun for them.

I'm off first thing to get a whole crap load of blood drawn to continue with getting this health business taken care of. I have to fast for 12 hours before the draw. Yuck to fasting. Yuck, yuck, yuck.

I'll be hungry by the time I get back to the house.

HA! Who am I kidding?!? You know I'll be stopping at Tim Hortons!!

The weather this week looks to be nothing like last week. It appears that we will actually have a spring. That's nice. Some years we seem to go right from winter into summer. We'll be in the mid 50's into the 60's BUT I think we'll be getting some rain too.

APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS!

Last weeks menu was really good. I did not feel like cooking on Thursday and instead went right outside with the boys after I got back from the doctors. We ate hot dogs instead so Hamburger Stew is back on the menu this week.

The crispy rosemary chicken and red potato fries was good. The smoked sausage zucchini saute was perfect the Turkey Burgers were AGAIN melt in your mouth and the cherry glazed ham... Um.....YUM.

Here's what's cookin in the kitchen of Kerri's Klutter this week:

Monday: Slow Cooker Hamburger Stew

Tuesday: 4-Cheese Healthy Macaroni and Cheese

Wednesday: Lemon Garlic Tilapia

Thursday: Slow Cooker Thai Pork with Peanut Sauce

Friday: Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
(As featured on Our Mommyhood)

Saturday: Layered Summertime Salad (Hot dogs for the boys)

Sunday: Buffalo Chicken Wing Pasta

There you have it.

That's what's cookin in my kitchen.

What's cookin in yours?

I'm linking up over at "I'm an Organizing Junkie" for Menu Plan Monday

Happy Weekly Menu Monday.

May you have a week of stress free yummy meals to look forward to

or just take my menu and call it your own!

Get your comments together and come back to Kerri's Klutter tomorrow to link up for:

Comment-Love Letters.

<a  href="  http://krazi8.blogspot.com/search?q=Comment-Love+Letters "  target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Kerri’s Clutter"  src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F87Mq0wr53A/S5fnlKjtg2I/AAAAAAAABcg/Kh7BR3vdZl4/S186/buttoninfotest.jpg"   /></a>

A fun way to show your comment-love leavers that
you love them back!

Sundays In My City

2010-04-04T13:57:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter

This local man, Batavia, NY

(yes he made People of Walmart)

dresses up like this for several holidays.
His Halloween costume is INSANE.

(Photo shared from Peopleofwalmart.com)

He also dresses up his truck.

Isn't it awesome?
(I admit I was nervous about asking him for a picture but didn't think twice about snapping one of his vehicle sitting in the parking lot)

Aidan enjoyed his 1st Easter Egg Hunt this morning.

HE DID NOT WANT TO LET GO OF THAT BASKET!!

And a few more of Hamlin Beach/Lake Ontario
from our 1st visit of 2010, Friday April 3rd.

Saturday Share

2010-04-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

Today is Saturday Share.

A weekly post about us, what we've been up and pictures

to fill in the blanks.

(Saturday Share tends be a fairly long post...sit back and enjoy)

Last weekend we launched the rocket again. This time it went at least a mile or more North, over the railroad tracks and beyond. We were able to track it a bit more easily then the previous launch. We almost declared the rocket: G-O-N-E but the awesome parents we are, we threw the boys in the van and drove over to the road where we thought we might find it. And as luck would have it, it was laying smack dab in a big old field. Mommy...that's me...jumped outta the van and RAN to it. Screams and happy shouting erupted from the van when I reached the rocket and gave the thumbs up to my boys.

Successful launch #2.

Will the 3rd launch do us in?!?

Stay tuned!!

Saturday night found Darren and I out on a date.

Yea for date nights!!

It actually "classified" as a date too because we didn't do anything for the boys, we didn't buy anything for the boys, etc. That's so hard for us...to go out alone and not still focus on the boys. It was a night for us. We had a totally casual dinner and beer and then watched and became crazy cheering fans at a lacrosse game.

Kenny stopped by as you may already know....here's another shot of him in case you missed it last week on Sundays In My City post. I circled him in red so you wouldn't get lost in the awesomeness that is my husbands extreme close up.

Monday night I had to take Charlie (one of our dogs) to the vet for a heart worm test.

In wasn't long before I remembered that he doesn't like riding in the van. The smell of the contents from his emptied stomach drifted through the van. Barf and Crap. Can we say "GAG!!"

Positive take on this adventure: Charlie checked out A-ok!!

Reason to never take this adventure again: He barfed 3 more times ON THE WAY HOME as well. Yea.

Jacek and Aidan are doing great. We went out and spent some quality time in the back yard on Thursday. I found myself just staring at them. Jacek has a power wheels jeep and what a big brother he was yesterday helping Aidan in and out, buckling him up and even offering to let him drive. That made me so proud. Aidan switched seats with his big brother but didn't know what to do. So, Jacek both stepped on the peddle AND steered from the passenger side but still was adamant that AIDAN WAS DRIVING.

Aidan climbed the play set all by himself. Last year at this time he wasn't even walking yet. He also slid down the slide.....well backwards and on his belly but he did it all by himself. Three times! Go Gooberbutt!!

Jacek loves green beans.

Aidan does not.

Aidan loves potato pieces.

Jacek does not.

I'm trying to think what's new with Darren. I think it's about time he does another guest post, don't you????

He has to work on Monday which I think is stupid. He should not work. He should stay home.

He has been really great supporting me with all my medical concerns and issues. He tells me I can do anything and I ~~almost~~ believe him.

He's a pretty awesome husband.

I am so much better then I was last week. The doctors appointment was scary but eye opening at the same time. The doctor had no second thoughts in diagnosing me with hypertension. The readings of my blood pressure were lower then at the dentist but still way above what normal anxiety should cause. Over time my heart will weaken due to all these inconsistent readings. My body can't regulate it. Medicine can help.

I am 32 and on high blood pressure medicine.

I am okay with that.

but I'm working on being okay with having to take it for the

REST OF MY LIFE.

That's the part that kinda kills me mentally.

but I get IT now. I get it.

So yea. I'm hopefully on the right track.

The boys and I went down to Hamlin Beach today (Lake Ontario). My parents live really close so we stopped by and picked up my Mom/Grandma.

It was Aidan's first time seeing the lake.

He was amazed.

It was Jacek's first time really getting the idea of LAKE and

how big it is.

And that is the news on us.

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave me a comment.

If you have NEVER EVER EVER left me a comment let today be the first.

If you don't leave me a comment then I won't know you were here. (Is that what you were hoping for?)

PLEASE

Let today be the day you de-lurk yourself.

I will love you for it....4-ever

After finally listening to me and leaving a comment GO GO GO to the:

McNeill Designs for Brighter Minds Giveaway.

.I really don't understand why anyone would pass this up. Get there now and enter!!

Ta Ta.

Feel Good Friday

2010-04-02T07:00:00.006-04:00

It just turned Friday. I also JUST got home.

**Shocker** right?

I was out singing Karaoke with my neighbor

yeah

we're tight like that!

Yesterday I was a busy bee.

I went to the doctor. I ended up having an EKG done.

I walked out with answers

and medicine prescriptions.

I got my hair cut and I really, really like it.

I got to hug the babysitters

- my Mommy and Daddy.

I played OUTSIDE with my lovely little boys.

I closed my eyes and let the sun shine on my face.

And then I got to go out with my neighbor.

Did I mention my neighbor is also my SISTER!!

And we went to KARAOKE NIGHT.

I love karaoke. (Kerri-oke)

We sang our fannies off and we were pretty smuckin awesome!!

Crowd cheered (all 13 of them) for us and everything.

I ran a tab at the bar for the first time ever
(I bought exactly 2 beers and 3 glasses of water)

What a night!!

I love my sister.

Thanks for capping off a day of answers with an evening of not thinking of a smuckin thing 'cept what's coming next on that fancy little karaoke teleprompter thingy.

And as we went to step on the escalator I still swear you said

"Es-ca - LATER" to that security cop

rather then "See you later"

but whatev........

What about you?

Any die hard karaoke fans out there?

What's your favorite song to sing?

Together we sang:

Goodbye Earl - The Dixie Chicks

and

Sin Wagon - The Dixie Chicks

I sang:

Suds In The Bucket - Sara Evans

and

Let 'er Rip - The Dixie Chicks

My sister sang:

We Belong To the Night - Pat Benatar

and

Born To Fly - Sara Evans

You've Been Sentenced! Review and Giveaway

2010-04-01T07:00:00.008-04:00

I was so excited to have the opportunity to review these games from

McNeill Designs for Brighter Minds.

You've Been Sentenced!

Simply put:
It's a word game.
It's a party game
(3 or more players...and in my opinion, more the merrier).
It's really, really fun.
Add alcohol and you'll be shushing your guests to quiet their laughter and threatening bodily harm should they wake your sleeping children.

On Tuesday night I had my sister and brother-in-law over for

GAME NIGHT to play and review the game.

I personally loved every thing about this games packaging. The game comes with 5 decks of cards (that's 540 cards) which are a unique pentagon shape, just like the box. It has a 4 page rule book that is very clear and understandable. It also offers several variations to game play which I thought was awesome. I also stated several times how cool it was that there are score sheets included(and you can print out more at the games website). This has become a rarity in board games now a days. It also comes with a pencil and a sand timer.

When playing a round, each player takes 10 cards from the word pool. On each of the cards are 5 words. You must choose one word from each card and try to form a grammatically correct sensible sentence using your other cards. You must use at least two of your cards and if you are lucky enough to use all 10 you may receive a 10 point bonus.

Once every one has selected their sentence the players begin to read theirs aloud(trying hard not to spit out Chicken Wing Dip in the process).

They are able to "defend" their sentence to the jury (the remaining players).

Each player with an accepted sentence scores points for their cards.

Sentences that the jury votes out get a big fat zero points.

(I am ashamed to admit I was the first one to get my sentence voted out...ashamed!)

Along with the main game I also received 5 Add-on decks.

Reader’s Digest National Word Power Challenge, Gourmet Cuisine, Pop Culture, Sci-fi/Fantasy, and Sports Highlights.

We were able to play with the Pop Culture (still trying to figure out what Grok is?) and Gourmet Cuisine.
These decks opened up even more possible sentences, making the results endless and hilarious.

At the beginning of the night our sentences were guarded as we played safely, trying to be careful, feeling the game out. Half way through game night (and a few drinks) the sentences were becoming bold and some quite astonishing. By the end of the night the sentences grew shorter and very entertaining.

Here are a few of the best sentences from the night:
(click on the images to view them larger)

My personal favorite was:

Martha Stewart ordered guns and Iraq got scared.

You've Been Sentenced has received positive feedback from teachers and students. This game teaches sentence structure, parts of speech, grammar and oral presentation.
Most importantly (I think), it teaches creativity. Not that I'm in a rush for my boys to grow up but it'll be fun playing this game with them in the future. The game is recommended for ages 8 and up.

Twisted Fish

Twisted Fish is a more challenging version of Go Fish. I played it with my husband, my 13 year old niece and 14 year old nephew. We had such a blast. The illustrations on the cards are funny and kept us laughing through out the entire game while the zinger wild cards kept us on our toes. Twisted Fish is easy enough for younger children to play alone but it also a fun family game for all ages.

Wheel of Chore-ture

A fridge magnet WITH attitude.

A very cute and light hearted way to remind yourself and others that

"there are chores to be done!". A quick spin of the wheel and your next chore is selected for you. Just be careful--you could become overly ambitious and spin the wheel repeatedly like I did. I kept getting Feed The Pets. Eventually, I realized it must be the Wheel's way of saying, Take A Break.

Hey...you don't have to tell me that twice!!

McNeill  Designs for Brighter Minds    has generously offered an entire set of games  that I reviewed to one lucky reader!   

This includes the You’ve Been  Sentenced game, all the Add-on packs, the Twisted Fish game and the Wheel of Chore-ture. 

A $78.00 value!

Here are the ways you can enter.

First and foremost a mandatory entry

(must be completed before other entries are excepted)

Simply leave me a comment telling me:

What games and/or activities do you and your family like to play/do for fun?

EXTRA ENTRIES:

Once you have left a comment answering that question you can get extra entries by doing any or ALL of the below.

Please leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do.

Be a follower or become a follower

(even if you are a current follower please leave a comment saying "I follow" or if you're new "new follower")

If you are a friend of mine on Facebook - re-post this Giveaway on your wall page.

(Leave a comment saying "Re-posted giveaway on Facebook)

Refer a friend. Please make sure they mention YOU sent them in their comment. (2 entries)

Include a link to this giveaway in a blog post. Leave a comment telling me where to find it (3 entries)

Giveaway ends April 11th at 11:59 EST winner will be selected by random.org and results will be posted on Monday April 12th.

Good Luck!

This review was made possible by Business2Blogger.

Free product was received from McNeill Designs for the purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was received.

The opinions expressed in this review are my own and may differ from yours.

Winner of Whoop Whoop Giveaway

2010-04-01T06:00:00.010-04:00

Thank you, You're Awesome, Whoop Whoop Giveaway

Here's The Goods I'm Giving Away To ONE of YOU

Lucky Followers:

Quilt of Love. Kneeded Angel.

This pretty key chain.

AND

A $5 gift card to Target.
(actual card looks different)

And the winner is:

Kel @ Between the Lines

Congrats!!

(I'll be in contact to get your address)

An awesome

review and Giveaway

will be posted at 7:00am EST..

It's guaranteed fun!! You won't want to miss it!

Whatever It Takes

2010-03-31T07:00:00.004-04:00

I've gotta tell you. The image of the blood pressure machine with it's glaring red reading of 203/117 has burned itself into my brain. It's been flashing at me all week, every day....and has even caught me in my dreams.

Imagining the unimaginable stole quite a bit of quiet time away from me.
I can't quite put it into words.

I went for a run on Saturday, the first time since completing a 5k back in August.

It felt great to "get back out there".

I surprised myself by being able to begin running and not have to walk up to it.

I liked surprising myself.

It was nice not to have any doubt for a few minutes. It was nice to feel my heart beating steady and healthy.

I believe that when it's our time it's our time.

But something is telling me that I need to pay more attention to ME.

(And it's not just my Mom saying, "Kerri Lynn, you need to nip this in the bud!")

I called the doctors office on Monday morning. When I told the receptionist at the nurse's station what my blood pressure had been while at the dentist she asked,

"How old are you?"

"32", I said. And all I heard was silence.

"We can get you in here on Thursday" her voice boomed back.

Thursday it is.
I am scared of what I will learn there.

B u t

t h e n

I think about my sons.

and my husband.

My life. The life I share with them,

as a F A M I L Y.

For a moment I think about their life

without me in it.

Imagining the unimaginable
strikes chords of determination and strength.

I've been through a lot of emotions since last Thursday.

My mind obviously having a hard time processing it all.

I think I've reached the other side. My next step is in place and that quiets the fear. I have focus.

When you're looking for answers sometimes you just end up with even more questions.

I'm not good with waiting for answers.

My husband says,

"You expect instant gratification."

Maybe so.

I like having a direction to point my feet.

Whatever it takes though.

Whatever it takes.

My boys. My loves. I want to grow old with them.

I W i l l D o

W h a t e v e r I t T a k e s.

T H E Y

will always matter most.

Before you leave the Klutter make sure you

enter my current Giveaway HERE
Hurry...it ends tonight.

Comment-Love Letters

2010-03-30T07:00:00.004-04:00

A fun and often hilarious way to show off the comment love received on the previous weeks posts.
All week while receiving comments to my posts I copy and paste each one into a word document, removing any spaces between the comments. On Sunday I start to cut and paste the comments together to make a letter or as close as I can get to a letter. I try really hard not to read through the whole thing until I'm completely done. The end result is pretty funny.

Welcome to Comment-Love Letters:

Dear Kerri @Kerri’s Klutter,

Good morning and Happy Saturday Sharefest! I once had 2 little boys (now very big boys!)...and sure do miss the fun! Mrs. Butterworth did in fact have a son. He had large monkey balls so media kept him a secret. Oh that was funny and it totally looked like him!!

Your family is just the cutest ever! I laughed at your poop story because that is me everyday right now trying to get the 2 year old trained...he won't poop on the pot! Kids are great...lol..I remember those time outs in public places...not so fun.

You are definitely not the only one who hates the dentist. Whenever I go, I dress in a t-shirt and bring a cardigan because I know that I'm going to sweat buckets and want to cover up when I leave. I tell you that I HATED THE DENTIST and I say THANK GOD FOR PLASTIC TEETH! AMEN I can eat what I want, no cavities, no drilling, no filling, no needles and no shaking in my breeches all the way to the office!! I say it is just wonderful and when I need a new set, I just have to sit for a mold setting!! I love PLASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sorry the dentist didn't go well. (To say the least.) Keep me updated on you.

I have horrible O.C.D...I check things often and sometimes to the point where I am laying in bed telling myself I do not need to go and check. I am a lip biter - I have awful, bleeding, peeling cracked lips because of it - only when I am feeling stressed. I definitely understand where you are coming from. All of our fears play out in different ways. I hope that you get better...sometimes we just have to tell our minds to slow down...it will all be okay. A lot of people use anti-anxiety medication to help with it. Ya I agree life does suck big `ol monkey balls sometimes...haha actually that just sounds nasty! Good luck though...!

Ahhh the first pulling the car over moment. My dentist asked if I was having a seizure or low blood sugar. He was shocked that I was shaking that badly out of fear! Sent me to an oral surgeon who prescribed Valium to get me into the office and then used conscious sedation while he worked in my mouth. I love those moments when good friends brighten up the day! Sounds like a great night!

I'm a follower...heehee...and I follow you 'cause you threatened bodily harm if I didn't...umm, hmmm, no I follow 'cause I love you. I love how open and honest you are in all of your posts and all of the feedback that your followers are able to give you. I don't know you, but I have to say that I'm proud of you for admitting this and for having the resolve to say that you will not let fear win.

You know you're lucky; very few people get to have seasonal ponds in their backyard. I started working on one and then got delayed by life! I was floored when I hit 50 and now I am over 100. It will come soon.

Your rocket adventure sounds fun, I bet it was hysterical! I could enter in every way possible, but I'm only going to enter once :)

As always, my mouth is watering and waiting for each yummy day to come!

Have a great weekend and good luck with the doctor! So glad that I can be one of them!

Be strong. (HUGS)

Sincerely,

Your Biggest Fan

P.S. Kerri! I found mine - twice!

This blog post was made possible by
"comment-love leavers" like YOU!

Did you spot your comment?

Wanna join in on the fun?

DO I NEED TO START BEGGING YOU!!!!
Puhleease....please...please.....please.....please.....
come and play along
Pull your comments from last week and put them together to form some sort of "sense." (Using "sense" real lightly here! )

then link up below (linky will be open till Friday) so we know to stop by and check out your

Comment-Love Letter.

Weekly Menu Monday

2010-03-29T07:00:00.003-04:00

Hey! WHoooooooSH------------>

Come back here!! Weekends sure do speed by don't they?

Last week is kind of a blur. It was filled with tears, and smiles, nervousness and fun. I remember little of our actual meals since I kind of ran through the week with my eyes closed.

I do remember the Turkey Burgers on Friday though.
My husband and I were trying to determine:

What makes a good burger?

Do you think it's the meat?

Or how about the condiments? (this is what I said)

Maybe the squishy-ness of the bun?!?
(this is what he said)

We both decided it didn't really matter who was right. (I was!) What mattered was that they were delicious.

Slap my hand! Send me to my room. I have no photos to share.

Before I start planning the menu for the week I always check the weather forecast. This coming week we're starting out chilly and rainy. By week's end though we'll be in the mid 60's and slapping on sunscreen!

Here's what's cookin in the kitchen of Kerri's Klutter this week:

Monday: Pancakes, Egg and Sausage Links

Tuesday: Crispy Rosemary Chicken and Red Potato Fries

Wednesday: Pizza

Thursday: Slow Cooker Hamburger Stew

Friday: Smoked Sausage and Zucchini Saute

Saturday: Turkey Burgers

Sunday: Ham with Cherry Glaze, Mashed Potatoes, Veggies

There you have it.

That's what's cookin in my kitchen.

What's cookin in yours?

I'm linking up over at "I'm an Organizing Junkie" for Menu Plan Monday

Happy Weekly Menu Monday.

May you have a week of stress free yummy meals to look forward to

or just take my menu and call it your own!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Don't forget to come back on tomorrow to read mine,
write your own and link up to

Comment-Love Letters.

<a href=" http://krazi8.blogspot.com/search?q=Comment-Love+Letters " target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Kerri’s Clutter" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F87Mq0wr53A/S5fnlKjtg2I/AAAAAAAABcg/Kh7BR3vdZl4/S186/buttoninfotest.jpg" /></a>

A fun way to show your comment-love leavers that

you love them back!

Sundays In My City

2010-03-28T07:00:00.008-04:00

My husband and I had a date last night.

A delicious dinner

followed by

The Rochester Knighthawks vs. The Buffalo Bandits.

The hawks lost but I enjoyed my evening out with hubby.

Here's a few of my captures from the evening in Rochester, NY.

Kodak Tower

Eastman Kodak Headquarters

(yes, I meant to get the left turn only sign in the picture)

Times Square Building

A shot of the Hawks...

Wait!

Delicious dinner, my first lacrosse game

AND

Kenny Rogers??!!??!!??

Haha. Nope.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Saturday Share

2010-03-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

Today is Saturday Share.

A weekly post about us, what we've been up and pictures

to fill in the blanks.
(Saturday Share tends be a fairly long post...sit back and enjoy)

Last Saturday after I got home from work the four of us went out to our backyard.

Yep! That's a rocket. Jacek got that for Daddy for Christmas. It was chilly out and WINDY but yeah
Boys will be Boys.

This was the calm before the chaos.

(A video was supposed to be here but it wouldn't load..well it may have if I had like 3 hours to sit and wait for it.)

The video is pretty funny. When the rocket launches all you hear is Jacek squealing in delight and then laughing so hard.

The rocket went up and up and up...and Darren screamed
"There it is, do you see it? See it! There it is"

and then you hear me screaming in a high pitched voice

"Where?!? I can't see it. Where is it?!?"

I never caught sight of it and I still kinda don't believe that Darren actually tracked it.
Eventually he did lose sight of it. We searched for the rocket for a little while but it was too chilly so we went inside. The next day my niece and her friend found the rocket about a 1/4 mile away near a pond still intact.

It was a successful launch!

Jacek has been a real spit fire lately. He's been very defiant when it comes to doing what he is told. He says No and stomps his foot. He huffs. He whines. He's 4.
We're working with him. I'm trying to find ways to give him sense of control because I know it works with him. The more he feels he's in charge of the more controlled his behavior is.
He came home from school on Thursday in the best mood. He'd had an Easter party and he was so excited. I tried to soak up every minute. It's so fun to see him just loving life.
I was looking at a picture of him that was taken in September on his first day of school. I can't believe how much his face has changed. Much less a little boy...so much more a little man.

Aidan has been calling me BaaPee this week.
He's been hitting his head a lot. He's in the stage where he doesn't quite grasp he's his own little person. He walks into cupboard doors, walls, floors, cabinets, yeah pretty much everything.
He goes into complete screaming fits the minute I ask "Aidan, do you have a poopy diaper?" He RUNS in the opposite direction. When I catch him and attempt to carry him to the bathroom he starts kicking and screaming. This continues as I try to wipe the poop off of his butt, which is very difficult when the child won't stay still.
Even after he's in a clean diaper and in his pants again he will continue to scream and cry. Yesterday he carried on for so long that I ended up having a break down. I started crying. What a mess!Darren is feeling better. Healthier anyways. He's quite defeated that his beloved college basketball team, Syracuse, did not win Thursday nights game. Even with my headphones in I could hear him screaming at the television. Well, let's be honest here shall we. It's kind of hard to miss a 6'1 man waving a green dish towel over his head. He puts on quite a show. He even managed to smack himself in the face with it once. Of course, he'll probably deny it if you asked him about it but you heard it here folks.

He came home last night with his pupils dilated. He had an eye appointment after work. Jacek couldn't look at him, he kept covering his face every time Darren would take off the sunglasses. He looked pretty freaky. But everything looks good with his eyes.

The pneumonia appears to be gone but he says he still feels like there's something left...but do you think he'll call the doctor? I am doing okay. I won't lie and say everything with me is great. It's not. I'm still feeling down about the dentist, about my anxiety issue and about other things. I called a doctor yesterday to get in for a physical and an exam. I was told to call back on Monday. I called the dentist to talk to him about my options. He actually stepped away from a patient to take my call. I really like him. He has a very deep voice and it's soothing. Feeling comfortable with him should help my anxiety. He scheduled me again for April 16th. He figures by then I'll either have a primary doctor who has prescribed me with anxiety medication or he will administer Ativan and see how that affects my blood pressure.

I hate that I will most likely have to take medication but I think I need to. The more I think about how high my blood pressure actually got I get a little more scared. I won't go into that on this post but yeah, I get scared.
I told my Mom, I'm a work in progress. Since turning 30 and having my two boys there's an ever present NEED that wasn't there before. Every day I try to take a step in the right direction. It's not always possible but I haven't given up and I don't plan to....

And that is what we've been up to. A little bit of this and a little bit of that.

If you're new to my blog thanks for checking it out. Please leave me a comment so I can come and visit you too. I love comments.... I love doughnuts more but those are kind of hard to leave.

Oh and when you're done doing that make sure you stop by my current GIVEAWAY!

Anyone who follows or become a follower of Kerris Klutter can and SHOULD enter. It ends next Wednesday at 11:59EST. If you don't like what the prize is please consider giving it away as a gift or donating it. It's a win-win situation ya'll.

Please participate....it'd make my day...no no...it'd make my WEEK!

Have I guilted you into it yet? C'mon just do it already!!

Thanks for stopping by. Ta Ta.

Friday Fragments

2010-03-26T07:00:00.002-04:00

"As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness." - Henry David Thoreau

I don't like dentists. Have I said that before? Yeah, I think I have.

I warned him. He didn't listen. I showed up yesterday.

Let's cut to the chase. He was unable to yank.

Not because I won the fight. Because I lost.

I set a record for the office.

Highest Blood Pressure ever recorded.

203/117. No I'm not kidding.

I told him I had an unhealthy fear of dentists.

He musta thought I was jokin.

(Yes Mom I am making a doctors appointment ASAP. I promise. Love you.)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jacek had a time out yesterday at a grocery store.
First time out in the chip aisle.

Then on our way home I pulled my first
"Mommy can still reach you even if you're in the back seat" maneuver
AND then
we had our first "pulling the van over and yelling at the kid in the backseat" episode.

Firsts are so much fun. Ya?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
This week hasn't been all bad. A bit off kilter but I know it could be worse.

Thanks to in real life FRIENDS and bloggy FRIENDS.....

You kind of made it lots better.

I received this advice from a friend.
"life is all relative"
"don't let YOU get in the way of YOU."
Candace you are amazingly strong. Thank you for your words.

and on Thursday evening when I was feeling low I got this in my inbox:
"Woo hoo! You made my day (and it's been quite a day-- I needed something to brighten my mood)"
Little did you know Elizabeth that this is exactly what I needed as well!

and then after sitting and staring at her post for like at least an hour I realized that Mrs.4444 had quoted little 'ol me from my last weeks Friday Fragments post.

“More important than learning how to recall things is finding ways to forget things that are cluttering the mind.”

~Eric Butterworth

(I didn't know that Mrs.Butterworth had a son.)
From Kerri's Klutter

Reading it again..I still chuckled. I mean seriously, did you know that Mrs. Butterworth had a son?

Sometimes life can really suck monkey balls don't cha think?

but

It Is What It Is.

I hear if you can laugh your way through it, it makes it kinda nice.

But who am I to give advice?

I'm just a crazy chick setting records at the dentists office.

(Seriously, I know it's not funny Mom. I'm calling the doctor today. I will text you later. Love you)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Psst! Kerri's Klutter Current Giveaway. Click R I G H T-H E R E

Thank You, You're Awesome, Whoop Whoop Giveaway

2010-03-25T07:00:00.002-04:00

March 5th was a beautiful day wasn't it?

That was the day I was able to cross something of my life list.

Now, I know it's just a number.

But it made me pee in my pants a little bit.

50 of YOU were following ME.

To be exact I reached and then exceeded 50 followers.

Now there's 82 85 of you.

It's time for a "THANK YOU, YOU'RE AWESOME"

"WHOOP WHOOP GIVEAWAY."

Here's The Goods I'm Giving Away To ONE of YOU

Lucky Followers:

Quilt of Love. Kneeded Angel.

This pretty key chain.

AND

A $5 gift card to Target.
(actual card looks different)

I know I know, I'm awesome right?

Yeah, yeah...right back 'atcha

Here's how you can enter:
(please leave a separate comment for each entry)

1.) Be a follower or become a follower (1 entry)

2.) Tell me why you chose to follow me (1 entry)

3.) Look through my archived posts and pick one you really enjoyed. Tell me why you enjoyed it. (2 entries)

4.) Refer a friend.

Make sure they let me know you sent them. (2 entries)

5.) Include a link to this giveaway in your blog post. (3 entries)

Giveaway ends Wednesday, March 31st at 11:59pm EST.

All my followers deserve the opportunity to win something!! So, this giveaway is open internationally.

Please, please make sure I have a way to get a hold of you should you win. A great way to assure this is by having your email visible on your profile. That way when you leave a comment I can reply directly to you at your email.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE

and

Seriously, thanks for following me around and stalking me and stuff

You Rock.

The Winners of Three Cups Giveaway are....

2010-03-25T06:50:00.003-04:00

The two winners were chosen by

Random.Org

And are:

9 and 2

Which breaks down to:

Erica
and
Elizabeth @ Confessions Of A Working Mom

Congrats! to both of you

and thanks to everyone else who read the review and entered the giveaway.

NOW GO AND ENTER THE

THANK YOU, YOU'RE AWESOME

WHOOP, WHOOP GIVEAWAY!
Posting at 7AM 3/25/2010

I pick me

2010-03-24T07:00:00.002-04:00

I continually say that I welcome fear into my life. It’s a wonderful motivator with its ability to get me up, out of my comfort zone, trying things I normally wouldn't think twice about. I think it pushes me in ways very few things can

Recently, I have begun to notice the amount of power I allow fear, cleverly disguised as anxiety, to have over me.

I now realize that fear, when it is not motivating me, is busily working away at weakening me.

The raw scalp beneath my hair and the scabs along my shoulders and scattered cleverly around my jaw line and sides of my face attest to this volatile relationship that I have with fear.

My favorite place, my go to place, is right at the back of my neck just below my hairline. My hands go there almost instantaneously when I begin to feel uncomfortable. Meeting someone new, running into someone I haven't seen in years, unexpected things I can't control, waiting in a long line at the grocery store, what if's, etc. will bubble up emotions that I don’t know how to process. Even writing this post has found my hands creeping to those spots. I count 7 bumps there already, results of my anxiety towards a dentist appointment tomorrow. To list all the things that drive me to pick would make this a fairly long post. It boils down to this, I pick when I become anxious

which is often.

This condition has a name. I just found that out recently. It’s amazing what you can find out when you google “picking and anxiety”. It is called dermatillomania also known as compulsive skin picking or CSP and it is very common. There are various levels to this disorder. My case compared to the others I've read about seems pretty mild.

I have never taken this behavior very seriously always assuming it’s just something I do to combat nervousness. I never took the time to really assess how seldom my hands are at my sides or in my lap.

With a hand full of people, people that may find themselves at my mercy when over come with the urge to pick, I joke about it. I elicit their help asking for gentle reminders to "stop picking" should they see my fingers start to dig and scratch their way to a less uncomfortable state. My husband has gone as far as pulling my hands away and sometimes he will hold on to them so they can't find their way back.

I have never looked at what I do as a compulsion

but it is.

When I pick I feel better. Even when the sore is raw and my hair sticky from the blood

I. feel. better.

Those feelings of stress and anxiety are lessened by this behavior, this thing I do, this compulsion.

For me, the first step in figuring out how to conquer this compulsion and the fear behind it is writing about it. If I vow to myself to work at this and share it with what could possibly be hundreds of people I will be more likely to hold myself accountable to changing.

I don't want it to get worse.

I don't want to eventually have to rely on medication to help curb the compulsion.

I want to rely on myself.

And maybe, by writing this, I will find just one other person who says "Hey...I know exactly what this feels like."

And then maybe we can hold each other accountable.

First and foremost I need to be more aware of when I do it and where I do it. I have to create distractions, I read about a woman who would place a barrette over every scab on her head so that when she went to pick, her fingers would touch the barrette and she'd immediately refrain.

I need to watch for high stress situations and be more constructive in dealing with the anxiety that riddles me. I need to find a healthier way to combat those stressors.

By continuing to pick I am allowing fear to win.

I have to place fear in front of me. Fear that if I continue to pick, my scalp will no longer be beautiful should I some day choose to be or become bald.

I will laugh in the face of fear. Picking is just merely a habit that I’ve formed, a crutch if you will, a choice I make to avoid fear rather then face it head on.

I am not embarrassed or ashamed about picking. I see it simply as a defense mechanism that my mind created for one reason or another to counteract fear/anxiety.
But as I said before I have a mild form. For some this is a very serious condition. I feel for them, for their need to resolve their anxieties, their stress and their worries by essentially hurting themselves. Picking leaves scars that serve as reminders. No one should have to bear those scars. No one should be okay with bearing those scars.

I am not okay with that.

I am a picker but when it comes down to fear vs. me.

I pick me.

For those interested in learning more about Dermatillomania or for those needing help please check out this site, Skinpick.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

WHERE ARE YOU GOING??

Today is the last day to enter my

current giveaway. Please click HERE

to check out the giveaway.

All you have to do is be or become a follower

Comment-Love Letters

2010-03-23T07:00:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Comment-Love Letters. A fun and hilarious way to show off the comment love received on the previous weeks posts.

Below is this weeks result!

Dear Kerri @ Kerri’s Klutter,

Hello! I'm a loyal reader & follower!!! Very cute post today! Enjoyed reading it and laughed with you in commiseration over the kid’s desires and the kitchen cobwebs! I'm going to have to remember to do this. I had some awesome ones I could link together.

Parenting is soooo tough. Last year we made the difficult decision to put my son in Kindergarten (versus Early 5's...due to his age). We are now trying to make another difficult decision on whether or not to have him repeat Kindergarten. I think you have to separate your mis-givings from any you feel Jacek may have. Bottom line is you know your child and probably have a really good idea of whether this schedule will work for him or not. How lucky Jacek is to have parents that will put themselves thru nervousness and anxiousness in order to explore an opportunity for him. You'll smile more than you'll cry. And Jacek will also. LOL. My heart goes out to you...but remember, he will LOVE it!!!! And as each day passes, it gets easier on Mommy :) ((hugs)) Good luck with your decision.

Your menu plan sounds good. Way better than my (lack of) plan. Yet I'm sitting here reading blogs instead of making a menu. Hmmm. Procrastinate much? I love your use of adjectives on your menus. I am like that and I swear if the meal sounds "awesome", my kids will be more excited to eat it! Gulp, Gulp, Gulp Mommy ... there is always something new and it's always deliciously scary :-) I'm impressed that you know your whole menu ahead of time; I usually don't know what we're having that night until the last minute! Ahhh, our evening out seems like forever ago already! Here's to another week of yummy delights!

I so would have stalked the Dawson's Creek people. They mostly filmed in Wilmington and I lived about an hour north of there- and thought about going down and stalking. Ok that was so funny. I swear as soon as I catch up (I am really behind) I am going to do this!! Life Without Pink just wrote something similar to this on her post... My five year old is ALWAYS dressed up in some costume or another. (His nickname is Spidey since that was a fave for so long.) I think I may start to take his lead. LOL! Might get some looks in the grocery story with my super hero cape and tiara! Heehee!

Pretty neat how you can do the giveaway stuff... :) “Snuggle pups huh? Do they need a bone?” I love this blog giveaway and there are SO many new mommies this week in my friends that would benefit from this book. So important. SOOO important.

I think you should write that former boss of yours and send her a copy of what you wrote about her; she needs to hear it. That would be some under worded love letter... Here is my comment...lol. Three inches?! WOW! You're a very naughty girl!!

Love getting to know your family and I love that you respond to your 'name' regardless of how it comes out of your little one's mouth that is a great mom:). Oohhh I hate dentists as well. Your boys are adorable and ahem I am married to a man that was a firefighter for 15 years.. not safe for my presence in the vicinity of bunker gear or firemen after a run... it does things to me ... ahem moving on..

Spring cleaning is the best! I kind of like the empty spaces though- like taking down Christmas decorations and your house looks soooo decluttered! Wish the weather would just stay nice....blah...want to get out and play!! :)

We are already followers of your blog but wanted to stop by to check out what was new and to say hi! Hope everything is going well for you. Have a fabulous day!

Sincerely,

Your Biggest Fan

BTW, thanks for commenting on my guest post!

This blog post was made possible by
"comment-love leavers" like YOU!

Did you spot your comment?

Wanna join in on the fun?

Pull your comments from last week and put them together to form some sort of "sense." (Using "sense" real lightly here! )

then link up below so we know to stop by and check out your

Comment-Love Letter.

Weekly Menu Monday

2010-03-22T07:00:00.002-04:00

I'm ready for warmer weather that sticks around and doesn't trick me by running away for a week and allowing much cooler temps to take its place.

I'm exited about cooking and eating outside.

I have a problem though. I have never really learned to cook on the grill. I need to. I want to but it just hasn't happened yet.

This is the year I conquer the grill. I say it is, I will make it so!!

Can I buy a pretty red grill as motivation?

Last week's menu was pretty good. We tried two new recipes, the Smoked Sausage and Zucchini Saute which I didn't get to try until Thursday for lunch since I enjoyed Corn Beef and cabbage that my brother in law had made on Wednesday. The smoked sausage saute takes the prize for best meal of the week though. It tasted so fresh and healthy.
On Saturday I made the Pizza Pie Quiche. It was good. Everyone(I had my niece and nephew over) thought it tasted just like pizza but it was not as heavy. Jacek didn't like the texture. I will make it again in a few weeks and tweak the ingredients a bit.

I haven't baked in over a week. I'll have to pull out my recipe book unless...UNLESS...someone suggests something for me!! (hint hint)
(Anybody, anybody?)

Here's what's cookin in the kitchen of Kerri's Klutter this week:

Monday: Tacos

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Maple Country Style Ribs

Wednesday: Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

Thursday: Slow Cooker Kalua Pig (If I'm able to eat..might be a YOYO night)

Friday: Turkey Burgers

Saturday: Out to dinner (It's our date night)

Sunday: Will do the Kalua pig if I don't make it Thursday or Chicken Tetrazzini

There you have it.

That's what is cookin in my kitchen

what's cookin in yours?

I'm linking up over at "I'm an Organizing Junkie" for Menu Plan Monday

Happy Weekly Menu Monday.

May you have a week of stress free yummy meals to look forward to

or just take my menu and call it your own!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Don't forget to come back on Tuesday to read and link up to

Comment-Love Letters.

<a href="  http://krazi8.blogspot.com/search?q=Comment-Love+Letters "  target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Kerri’s Clutter"  src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F87Mq0wr53A/S5fnlKjtg2I/AAAAAAAABcg/Kh7BR3vdZl4/S186/buttoninfotest.jpg"  /></a>

A fun way to show your comment-love leavers that

you love them back!

Sundays In My City

2010-03-21T07:00:00.002-04:00

Last week as the temperatures began to rise the edge of our backyard turned into what my son called a

"walk in pond".

Clouds reflected

The temperatures this week were perfect. On Wednesday evening we took a walk with the boys. I captured this with my camera phone. I love the golden hue the sun setting behind us created.

If you look closely on the left you can see the train.

We've been staying close to home lately but as the weather continues to improve

(although I think it might snow again this coming week)

we'll be getting "Out and About"

I look forward to sharing more city pics and not just my backyard!!

Thanks for coming by though...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Don't forget to come back on Tuesday to read and link up to

Comment-Love Letters.

<a href=" http://krazi8.blogspot.com/search?q=Comment-Love+Letters " target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Kerri’s Clutter" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F87Mq0wr53A/S5fnlKjtg2I/AAAAAAAABcg/Kh7BR3vdZl4/S186/buttoninfotest.jpg" /></a>

A fun way to show your comment-love leavers that

you love them back!

Saturday Share

2010-03-20T07:00:00.001-04:00

I've gotten away from the more personal aspect of blogging and friends and family have mentioned they would like more "inside information". I am happy to oblige. Who doesn't like to talk about themselves?" Well, I don't actually but I will do it for the greater good and to keep true to my "honest writing" journey.Today is Saturday Share. A post about us, what we've been up to and pictures. Everyone loves pictures, right? (I hear the crowd going wild!)

On Friday we took the boys to their well visits.

Jacek weighs 37 lbs and is 41 1/2" tall

Aidan weighs 26lbs and is 34" tall

Both boys are tall for their ages, having both grown about 3 inches since last check ups.

Jacek had to get a anemia finger prick, an ear and eye test and pee in a cup. He was nervous but he didn't cry.

Aidan only had to get one shot. He screamed and about knocked the nurse out. "Wow, he's strong." she says. Yeah strong like bull.

WHAT'S UP HERE AT HOME:

Jacek likes to dress up in costumes.

On Thursday morning he was Billy Basketball player, sporting a new red tank top and blue basketball shorts while running around the house. I called to him at one point, calling him Jacek only to be scolded for incorrectly addressing him. "I am Billy so call me BILLY!"

He is often a fireman paired with Super Why glasses(the photo above is sans super why glasses). He's in love with Rescue heroes, hero figurines made popular by a TV show from the early 90's. Our antenna picks up a few Canadian channels, Qubo being one of them. Rescue Heroes is on at 4pm during the week and he watches and recreates the scenes with Billy Blazes, Jake Justice, Hel E. Copter, Rocky Canyon, etc. For his birthday I scored a heck of deal on Craigslist and purchased a huge LOT of rescue heroes and their command center for $20. He is quite a happy boy.

Aidan is plowing through this house. He's into everything and talking up a storm (although it sounds like Chinese at times).
He loves music and rocks out in his car seat when Mommy plays the radio in the van really loud. The louder the better. I know, I know, not exactly the best way to teach him safety while driving but I can't resist those chubby little legs be-bopping in the backseat.
He adores his big brother and tends to listen to him more then to Mommy or Daddy. He copies pretty much everything he sees him do. The picture above is after his big brother "convinced" him to dress up as Bob The Builder. Does he look happy? No? But he still dressed up. All in the name of pleasing his big brother.

He still doesn't call me Mommy. The other day he kept calling me BeePee. Yeah, it was cute so I kept responding. I'm an enabler.

Darren had not been feeling well for about a month so he finally drug (dragged?) his be-hind to the doctors. He was diagnosed with pneumonia. He's been on antibiotics all week and is starting to feel better.
He recently applied to Brockport State College to complete his bachelors degree in Sociology. He's awaiting word from them.
He's been busying himself playing basketball twice a week, running, working out and well, working at work and spending as much time with us as he can find. March always seems so busy here.
*Side Note* Darren is not a fireman but when we toured the town's fire department they let him dress up in a full set of their gear. I was hoping (fingers crossed behind my back and everything) that they'd let him take all that gear home with him. ~~You know, so we could play "Fireman, Fireman, show me your hose"~~ Sorry I got carried away on that one.

I have been busy trying to get the house uncluttered and reorganized. It actually looks like I haven't done anything all week. Rescue Heroes are everywhere. When do I get rescued?
I had my "first beer outside" of 2010 on Wednesday with my sister. It was around 60 and amazingly sunny and beautiful! Beer tastes extra yummy on days like that.

I am fretting over my approaching dentist appointment next Thursday. I am getting a wisdom tooth pulled. My first ever tooth pulling experience. I have an unhealthy fear and immense disgust towards teeth and anything relating to teeth.
I used to have dreams that all my teeth would just fall out. I cringe anytime anyone mentions they had dental work done. Why do so many people want to show you their fillings, or missing teeth or disgusting things having to do with teeth? {{Shudder, Shudder}}

We still have no resolution on our loan modification on our current mortgage. We received and returned a whole crap load of paperwork at the beginning of March. We were told we'd hear something back within 10 days. We didn't. I am not surprised.
Somebody really should call them. (that's just a gentle nudge for my husband)

And that people...is what we've been up to. Exciting and not so exciting all rolled into US.

If you have never commented or haven't in a while please drop me one so can I say hi back. If you're new here...thanks for stopping by please drop me a comment. Comments are awesome.

Also,

Before you head outta this here blog, please go and leave a comment on the giveaway post I have going on. It ends next Wednesday at 11:59pm. If you don't have small kids it would make an awesome gift. It's free people. Who doesn't like free? You could win and then donate it. Come on and just participate already, will ya!!!!

Thanks for stopping by.........ta ta.

Friday Fragments and Five Question Friday (Douple Dip of Goodness)

2010-03-19T07:00:00.002-04:00

“More important than learning how to recall things is finding ways to forget things that are cluttering the mind.”

~Eric Butterworth

(I didn't know that Mrs.Butterworth had a son.)

I have bruised "snuggle pups" thanks to my brilliant decision to run without wearing proper running gear. I can't imagine what they'd feel like if they were actually full grown "snuggle pups". Normally I'm not thankful for being stuck with the runts of the litter but this time I'm pretty thankful for what I don't got.

Jacek had to pick out a toy to take for show-n-tell yesterday. He picked a new monster truck that his Aunt and Uncle had bought him for his birthday. On the way to school he asks, "Why didn't I get the other monster truck for my birthday? Ya know, the one with high torque?"
I turned down the radio a bit thinking I must have misheard him. "What'd you say bud?"
I want a monster truck with high torque!"
"What's high torque?", I questioned
"I dunno, something that makes you high and I want it!"

Don't you just hate it when you're all like spring cleaning and stuff and find so much stuff to get rid of that you end up with all this space that you now need to fill back up again? I just hate that!

I'm thinking this 3pc. bistro set would fill that space perfectly.

I just hate having reasons to go shopping!

I have a giveaway going on right now.

It's a book, Three Cups, that is geared toward teaching children about money. Check it out HERE. There will be 2 lucky winners!! Good Luck!

-----And my double dip-----

1. Have you ever had a celeb sighting?

I don't think so although when we lived in Raleigh, NC Dawson's Creek filmed an episode there.  My husband and I saw it as a feature on the 11'oclock news and (no kids back then) we were out the door and in the car.  We drove around and around and yes, AROUND the location.  Laughing our butts off and pretending we were seeing famous people..but I think we only glimpsed someone going into a trailer on set...so close! 

2. What temperature do you keep your house?

It was set at 68 until we couldn't afford our electric bill anymore. It took me awhile of layering on layers but it's been between 64 and 66 ever since.

3. Do you notice dust at other peoples homes?

When I first read this question I snorted out loud. I was at a friends house last night and we were in the kitchen talking. (She might not be happy with me for writing this next line) I glanced up and above her was a fairly large cobweb gently swaying in the breeze she was creating below it. I laughed to myself because I have a similar kitchen cobweb in a corner that I could reach if I tried really hard but since I don’t want to, it’s still there… I suppose I could have told her that it was there but I didn’t. Partly because I think that may have been rude but also because I don’t think she’d really care. I wouldn’t care if someone pointed out mine so I doubt she would. In fact, I think she’d say, “whatever”.

4. What's the worst job you ever had?

I worked for the meanest woman in the world. She made me cry. She made me doubt myself every single day. She made me have anxiety attacks. She made that job the worst. She was a big catalyst in my decision to up and move from NY to NC. Being older now and looking back I CAN NOT believe that she would treat another woman the way she treated me and several others. I don’t know if she got a high from squandering and belittling us but she was really, really good at it. I just facebooked her...she adopted a child. I guess she can't be all that bad then, huh?

5. What is your most sentimental possession?

I have a faded stuffed animal owl that is more light blue then purple. It has hung from the rear view mirror in every vehicle I have owned since my Grandfather passed away. I won it at a carnival when I was 12. I gave it to him because the owl's beak had been sewn on upside down and I didn't like it. It hung from the rear view mirror of his Cadillac for almost 8 years.

"Three Cups" Book Review and Giveaway

2010-03-18T07:00:00.003-04:00

Money.

How did you teach your young children about money?

Jacek, our oldest, just turned 4. While we have a savings account for him and two "piggy" banks in his room we have not yet sat him down to teach him about money.

Have you thought about what you'll say when you have the talk?

Have you thought about how you want to teach your young children about money?

My husband and I plan to set up allowances for our two sons. Before doing that though we need to have an idea of what we want to instill in our sons, when it comes to money. My husband and I come from different "ideas" on money, how much to save, spend, donate, etc. so we'll definitely need to create a united front before we begin to teach our sons.

I was selected and graciously accepted the opportunity to review the book:

Three Cups is based on a true story and it removes all the complications related to teaching the value of money.

What's left, is simple.

With it's focus on teaching children the value of money starting at a very young age the book is easy to read, fun to look at and simple to understand. The lessons that are taken away are so positive. It teaches the ease of saving, the value in spending, and the generosity of giving.

It makes all three sound fun...like an adventure.

It does all this in exactly 21 pages.

When Jacek turns 5 we will begin giving him an allowance. We will also read him this book and follow it's simple idea.

Teaching children about the value of money is so important, especially now with the hard economic times we're all facing.

I was lucky enough to receive a copy from 3cupsbook for myself for the purpose of this review.

I also have TWO copies to GIVE AWAY!

(That means there will be 2 winners!)

Would you like to get your very own copy of Three Cups?

Here's how you can enter the Three Cups Giveaway (each entry must be a separate comment):

1. Be a follower of Kerri's Klutter. Existing and New. Leave me a comment telling me you are.

2. Grab my blog button and leave me a link to where you have it on your blog. (2 entries)

3. Blog about this contest with a link back to Kerri's Klutter. Comment and leave the link to the direct blog post.

(3 entries)

4. Refer a friend to become a follower of Kerri's Klutter. When they become a follower simply have them put your name in their comment. (They will receive 2 entries and so will you)

This giveaway will end on March 24th at 11:59 EST. Two winners will be selected by Random.org and announced on Thursday March 25th.

Please be sure that I have a means of contacting you should you win.

Good Luck!!

*This review and giveaway was made possible by Business2Blogger. Business2Blogger is a wonderful site that makes it easier for the connection between businesses and bloggers to be achieved.
I signed up with them not to long ago and am already working on two reviews. Thank you Business2Blogger!

*No monetary compensation was received. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. You may have a different opinion after reading this book.

Waiting to Be Ready

2010-03-17T07:00:00.001-04:00

Last Thursday as Darren and I pulled out of our driveway my tummy filled with butterflies.

"We've never done this before. I can't believe we're doing this, are you nervous? I'm so nervous"

I don't remember his exact words but he wasn't nervous.

I grew more and more anxious as we drove.

We arrived at the school and I became nauseous. I took a deep breath and stared at the elementary school that my son might be attending in the fall.

My son.

Going to school.

Gulp.

Our school receives a grant each year to offer

40 (4 years old by Dec 1) children a

Pre-K, ALL DAY, 5 days a week program.

I want Jacek to go.

but then again

I don't.

I know he is ready. I know being in this learning environment at 4 1/2 will benefit him in ways I can only begin to imagine.

I know this will be good for him.

Gulp.

But what about me?

Mommy.

{{{Sigh}}}

We were there for a parent...

(oh my goodness we're parents)....informational night.

There are two Pre-K classrooms and two very different teachers. Both the teachers spoke about themselves,their expectations and thoughts on the program.

I was impressed by the curriculum.

I was impressed by their enthusiasm.

The butterflies in my stomach disappeared and were replaced with a heavy feeling.

A mixture of pride, sadness and amazement.

I was there representing my son who will some day

represent me.

I was there to make a decision

about my son's future in education.

The pressure is great.

A part of me thinks 5 days a week, all day from 8:45a to 3:30p is

A LOT for a 4 1/2 year old.

What do you think?

A part of me isn't ready to hand over any trust to a bus driver

or wave bye bye to my 4 1/2 year old as he gets on the bus on his way to school.

A part of me is just not ready

but I think

that part of me is never going to be ready.

Ever.

In 6 short months I could

have a son starting school

and starting

down the path that leads him in the opposite

direction of me.

{{{Sigh}}}

If more then 40 children registered then the acceptance defaults to a lottery system. We will find out if he's enrolled by the beginning of April. It'll be exciting to know and we'll have the summer to prepare or plan an alternative plan of action.

If he is enrolled and we begin to prepare for him to attend I have a decision to make.

I currently work on the weekends.

If Jacek is going to be in school 5 days a week the last thing I'm going to want to do on Saturday and Sunday

is drive away from him and go to work.

I know things will work themselves out

and change is good and necessary

and him starting school will happen
whether or not he starts this year or
next...

but knowing that

doesn't make it easier.

It just doesn't.

It's a complicated weighted issue.

At least for me.

I'm his Mommy

and as much as I tell him to not have a FIT over things.

Mommy is having a FIT over this.

A stomping, crying, anxiety ridden, sometimes screaming, heart breaking FIT.

And, no...it ain't pretty.

{{{Sigh}}}

Comment-Love Letters

2010-03-16T07:00:00.014-04:00

Welcome to the third installment of Comment-Love Letters. A fun and hilarious way to show off the comment love received on the previous weeks posts.

Below is this weeks result!

Dear Kerri @ Kerri’s Klutter, 

As I type this, I can't help but feel a little worried about what it will be attached to in your post on Tuesday, haha!!  Too funny.  I know you do not know me and I just know you but I would like to show you how much I appreciate your blog. Hope you will accept my kind tokens.  Seven is my lucky number!  Congratulations!  

My mom always said love isn't about wild passion and romance. It's about finding a person who is on the same "track" as you-- someone who wants to get married when you want to get married, wants to have kids when you want to have kids, etc. So far, that logic has worked for me! I commend you on your healthy insight and love for your husband and family. I can't imagine my husband ever posting on my blog and definitely going on about how attached he was to my dog since he won't let me have a dog. That is so cool that he did that for you! What a guy!

Okay, your troll story is hilarious. Maybe they put her somewhere useful, like the gun counter?  LOL - After we had an unpleasant encounter with a supermarket cashier, we didn't see him for a few weeks. When he reappeared, we learned that he'd been PROMOTED to front end manager. Ugh. He's the one who said that chocolate milk isn't milk.  That so just put a huge smile on my face!  What can I say, I'm pretty cheery! I found this out a long time ago. And your post reminded about that. Thanks.
 
  

Your cat is odd. Cooper sometimes stares at me when I'm on the toilet. I think it's to get me back for not looking away sometimes when he's doing his business outside, haha. Oh my gosh this is completely hilarious and awesome! I'm SO doing it next week. We have two curious cats here that sound similar to yours. They don't jump up while you're peeing, but they do rub up against your legs.  Yeah, slightly strange cat, but I'd still take a strange cat over any dog, any day, lol.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on THIRTY. Will totally mention your comment love letter...I think it's creative and fun...and, we all love to read our own words - we can't help it! If we didn't, we wouldn't blog at all, right??? And your comment was so detailed, and so appreciated. Thanks for the life buoy!  How sweet.  Happy Anniversary!! I can only imagine (and that is where it will stay) what my husband would post if he were to write something!?

I love that a stranger inspired you. It's nice to think that we can inspire each other without even being aware that we are a source of inspiration. Another masterpiece! You could tell that guy he inspires you, but that might ruin it; too bad you can't send him an anonymous note. Major kudos to the fire department for their Hose-pitality! I'm sure it left lasting memories in his ever-growing little head! Omigosh that's the cutest idea, wow I can't wait to see what he has to say in the years to come. 

Kerri I love your blog you share so many great things with everyone. Just a super great job all the time. Theme days are a lot of fun and I like them. If you want to let your inner comic out on Thursdays I would like to recommend the "Throat Punch Thursday". A chance to vent and be ridiculous and say all the things you wish you could say... humor greatly encouraged. I certainly enjoy your posts so you'll see me continue to stalk :)  And being a runner in my 50's, I resemble that "older guy". Ahem. I am sure there was no pain involved.

Oh, and work is your FAVORITE place to go? I bet Jacek is wrong on that one! I thought it was the hockey rink (lol). This is so cute-- and a brilliant idea, to boot! I am going to steal it for my kids.  Love the building (church) and the look of joy on the boys face with the fire hose is priceless ;) I agree with you 100%, very well said.  I really hope that my mom reads this. Hopefully it will help her understand my relationship choice. ;)

Me got tributes and awards for you!  Please drop by..... You have ONE AWESOME BLOG.  Keep up the great work!  I'll see you on Sunday! 

Sincerely, 

Your biggest fan

P.S.  The button and scroll box look hot!

This blog post was made possible by 
"comment-love leavers" like YOU! 

Did you spot your comment?  
Wanna join in on the fun?

Pull your comments from last week and put them together to form some sort of "sense."  (Using "sense" real lightly here! )   
 then link up below so we know to stop by and check out your 
Comment-Love Letter.

Weekly Menu Monday

2010-03-15T07:00:00.007-04:00

The pizza and wings, the dips and chips, the soda and subs...were all scrumptious but if that's all you eat for about three days...yeah...the idea of any of those things is enough to make you....sick.

I could not wait to eat the tilapia fillets last night. Something light and healthy.

Then I ate left over cake and ice cream.

Yep. That's how I roll.

While I would love to give myself props this week I have to give the best meal award to Larry's Steakhouse which is where Darren and I went to eat dinner on Monday for our anniversary.

I think Darren and I could eat just about anywhere and walk away happier then we were when we arrived. We always have great conversation and I absolutely love not having my train of thought interrupted every few minutes. The fact that our meal choices, prime rib for me and NY strip for Darren, were delicious we also had an absolutely wonderful waitress. It was a well deserved evening out for us.

Here's what's cookin in the kitchen of Kerri's Klutter this week:

Monday: Golden Chicken Tenders w/Mac-n-Cheese & French Fries

Tuesday: Awesome Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Wednesday: Nobody but me wants Corn beef & Cabbage so I'll be making Smoked Sausage and Zucchini Saute instead. Maybe my neighbor will share their Leprechaun dish with me.

Thursday: I will be over at my friend Candace's house watching her two boys. She said she is making dinner for all of us(me, Darren & the boys) and her and her husband are going out to dinner.

Friday: Pasta

Saturday: Pepperoni Pizza Pie Quiche

Sunday: Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

There you have it.

That's what is cookin in my kitchen

what's cookin in yours?

Do you plan out your meals or fly by the seat of your pants?

Do you have a recipe that you think is just "to die for" and want to share it with me?

I love trying new recipes.

Happy Weekly Menu Monday.

May you have a week of stress free yummy meals to look forward to

or just take my menu and call it your own!

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Pssssst! Don't forget...tomorrow is

Comment-Love Letter Tuesday.

Get your letter together and come back tomorrow to link up with me!

Whoop Whoop to Unknown Mami for hooking me up with the html code

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Sundays In My City

2010-03-14T10:44:00.000-04:00

On Friday we went to the city of Batavia, which I just learned is the birthplace of western New York, 1802.

It's just up the road from where we live and I work there on the weekends.

We surprised Jacek with a tour of their fire department. They surprised us with a full, hands-on experience.

We have piles and piles of gray snow. It's kind of depressing.

They even drove Jacek around the parking lot in this fire truck!

As we were leaving I was trying to take some shots of the town's historic features but it was raining and chilly

Here's a couple..

Coffee Culture...off to the right...is the town's newest coffee shop

My lazy, too cold and rainy out, taken from INSIDE the van shot,

heading South out of the city

I'll be back to take more when it's warmer out.

Saturday Share

2010-03-13T12:47:00.000-05:00

This last week in bloggyland there were a whole bunch of posts offering suggestions on what not to do in your blog, what to do to get ahead in your blog, blog burn out, etc.

Blogging appears to be a pretty serious epidemic and boy do I have a bad case of 'em.

Why are you blogging? What is your blog about? What do you want to get back from your blogging? What is your theme?

I maintain my beginning proclamation. I blog because it is part of the journey I'm on to write open and honestly.
My blog started out being about me. However, the more readers I get I see myself wanting it to be about me and YOU. It is about life. It is about real things with a bag full of goodies mixed in.
I want connections and to feel connected. I want dialogue. I want feedback. I want to inspire and be inspired.

I want to write. I want to be read. I want you to know that I am sharing who I am and that I'm not always the best at sharing.

I want you to know that I'm a HUGE fan of organization. With two small children I can't imagine not having at least an idea of how our week ahead looks. I used to never allow for disruptions though and now I can't imagine not leaving room for unexpected mishaps, changes, mood swings, etc. Sometimes that's all that you can plan on..is for your plans to change last minute.

I want you to know I have a weekly menu. I have a weekly to do list. I have a daily chore list. Actually, that last one is a lie. I don't have a chore list but I should have one. Our house is dusty. We don't have dust bunnies we have dust dinosaurs. YuCk!

I want you to know I don't have a weekly blog schedule, yet, but I am working on it. I like to write whatever I'm thinking, feeling, doing, etc. while I'm thinking or feeling it. I will continue to do that BUT I have to organize my blog folder or I will begin to feel overwhelmed and then I might become UGLY about it.

I'm also thinking like this because with the weather getting nicer and us spending more time outside and away from home, away from my butt imprinted couch cushion ALONG with my day getting busier with an added morning walk/run and house projects and laying in the sun laziness I will need to organize my thoughts, my posts and schedule them in so that it is less a chore and more a dose of fun and keeping life interesting type of thing.

I want you to know I have a tentative plan to

give better blog.

I'll be working at it and tweaking it

(that is totally my hubbys word) over the next few weeks.

Monday - I hope to continue my Weekly Menu Monday because my hubby really likes it and it keeps me focused on meal planning. I am thinking about being super ambitious and planning the menu out for a whole month. So, they'll be a Monthly Menu Post the first Monday of a new month with links to recipes for the first week. Then the following Monday I will update/review the previous week's menu plan and include the links to the upcoming weeks recipes. My thinking is that this might generate more participation and feedback from you since you'll have more time to "plan" or pick a few of the same recipes as me and report back the following week.

Tuesday - Comment-Love Letter day. I do not see this changing anytime soon. I like doing the letter, look forward to it and am hoping for increased participation as I continue with it!

Wednesday - Serious post day. I love writing about serious things because I get to use my skills. HA! This will be the day I get to use my "noodle" and share my thoughts and opinions.

Thursday - Review/Giveaway / Funny day. At least for the next three Thursdays I will be having a review post and related giveaway. This is a new *thing* that I'm trying. It sounds fun and I can't pass up the opportunity to SHOW you how much I appreciate you reading Kerri's Klutter. I love the idea of being able to offer free things that I KNOW you will enjoy.
On the Thursdays I don't have anything to review or giveaways to offer I will try to channel my inner comic. I think I'm a funny person but funny in a different way then most. I don't know if I am read as funny though. That will be something we'll have to figure out together.

Friday - Meme participation day. I love doing Friday Fragments and Feel Good Friday. This day will serve as a Wild Card day should something else come up that just needs to be shared.

Saturday - Sharing day. I will update on me, the boys, and Darren, my husband. You might find pictures of us, stuff we've been up to, fun stories and just general updates. This might also be the day when Darren does a few guest posts. I love reading his words, don't you? Luckily he also enjoyed his previous posts and has said he'd like to do more.

Sunday - Sundays In My City Day. I'll be linking up over at Unknown Mami and sharing photographs and tidbits about my city and town. I did this for the first time last week and loved it. It was like a mini tour around the country/world. This encourages me to not only get out and enjoy the place I live but to see it from a different perspective. Nothing helps you really SEE then when you're taking photographs with the intention of sharing them with other people. It really helps you capture things you might otherwise overlook.

I'm not anxious to pin point myself into a category or theme. I've always marched to the beat of my own drum...and I think that's kind of what I want my blog to do too. If it is to be a direct reflection of who I am I can't force it to define itself.

I think over time it will be clearer where it fits in. It could take it years though. I'm 32 and it's still not clear to me where I fit in but I've never really searched too hard for an answer.
Those who get me, get me. Some will find a piece of something here at Kerri's Klutter and will come back for another piece and then another. Not everyone will want seconds though and that's okay with me.

For those that do though...I'll be here, dishing it out.