Mom couldn’t find Phat Boy this afternoon. We figured he had just found a cozy place to sleep the chilly afternoon away and he’d come running for dinner later.

Well, dinnertime rolled around and Mom went to call the kitties to come inside to eat. It was almost dark and she was startled by movement in daddy’s shed.

Yep… we had a prowler as evidenced below…

Phat Boy Isn't Happy!

The little sucker had apparently wandered into daddy’s shed when Pops was in there earlier… and trust me when I say that Phat Boy was NOT happy…

I let him out… after I snapped a couple of pics…

The Beginnings Of A Hissy Fit!

Lovely little hissy fit he’s having… jumping all over the place, scratching the window, meowing loudly, and leaving paw prints streaked all over the window.

The minute I opened the door, he streaked out straight for the food dish. I thought he’d have a heart attack because he assumed Mom had already filled the dish and Fifi had eaten it all up! LOL

P.S. Yes… we WERE calling him Tangelo… but he’s so huge and fuzzy and full of trouble that Phat Boy seemed to suit him better….

Not me… I had a teachers’ meeting to attend…

Of COURSE I'm Hiding At The Back Of The Room... DUH!!!

Eat Chocolate... Buy Shoes... Yep! Karen Has Her Priorities Straight!

Well, dangitall! My coffee cup doesn't seem to be as fancy as Karen's... at least I remembered to slap on my lipstick this morning! *discreetly sniffs pits to see if I remembered the deodorant too*

*splutter* What do ya mean... I gotta work? Can't I just sit back here hiding... and admiring Karen's coffee mug? *pout*

I SPECIFICALLY requested a highlighter with red sequins, but NOOOOOO... I had to settle for a plain old pink one... now I'm REALLY pouting! *lip quivers*

Fine! Fine! Since I don't seem to have any red-sequined items to play with, I'll simply walk around taking pictures of OTHER people working!

I wonder what they're going to draw...

What's so funny? *checks for lipstick stained teeth*

*whispers* I suddenly have a craving for Red Lobster!

Geez! I come near people and they hide their faces! Poor things! They're simply blinded by my extreme beautimosity!

FINALLY! Somebody that's happy to see me! *pause* Oh, never mind... the boss is behind me... I think they're just sucking up again.

*whispers* Notice how the ART teacher was put in charge of the drawing for this group?

I also took copious notes... please notice that the pink highlighter came in handy after all!

At the end of the day when all of the fun was done, our principal left us with a little motivation!

Our Esteemed Leader!

Afterwards, he made a VERY good point… it doesn’t matter what a child’s background or family history is… it doesn’t matter what a child looks like… it doesn’t matter where a child comes from…

EVERY child matters and EVERY child has great potential!

He pointed out that 47-year-old Susan Boyle was adamant when she came onstage that she wanted to be a professional singer. When Simon Cowell asked her why it hadn’t worked out for her so far, she simply said, “I’ve never been given the chance before.”

To everyone’s shock and amazement, the awkward, mousy-looking, older woman has an extremely powerful voice that can reach to the depths of your soul.

Our principal really brought the message home to us –> make sure every kid that walks through your door doesn’t have to wait until they’re middle-aged to get the chance to make their dreams come true.

P.S. This post was tongue-in-cheek… I really did work and learn things today…

P.P.S. I promise!

P.P.S.S. No, seriously! I did! I swearz!

P.P.S.S.S. Thanks go out to Ginger, Becky, Karen, and Mr. Case for a great workshop!

*toddles off to bed so I can wake up early enough to make sure I have BOTH the lipstick AND the deodorant on tomorrow*

In all seriousness, if you’re a writing teacher, the method we were learning about today is called Four Square Writing. I HIGHLY recommend it!

This program teaches children how to organize their thoughts into a cohesive story and spans across various grade levels. Small children can begin with drawing pictures and progress to adding words and simple sentences. Older children can add more details and complex sentence structures.

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Isn’t Hobo Joe adorable? <3

Vallory's class had to create an Angry Bird and write an essay about it for Language. For the past year, she has been absolutely fascinated with hobos. When her teacher made the assignment, she quickly got to work and brought the fictitious Hobo Joe to life.

Yeah... I have NO idea where she gets that vivid imagination from... *adjusts halo to hide crack*

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Countryside Barn Card by Kcstore

My friend, Ellen, often posts her photography on Facebook. I finally conned… er… uhm… talked her into opening a shop to feature some of her work. Her first product is now live, so I wanted to show off her gorgeous greeting card that features a lovely, country barn to my minions.

Ellen was driving through rural Platte County in Missouri one day when she spotted this rustic beauty. I think the photo came out lovely and the sepia tone gives it such a vintage feel.

As you know, I really love old barns. It saddens me to think about how many are disappearing from our landscape, so I’m continually stopping and shooting their decaying beauty. I was tickled when Ellen showed off her first product and realized she’s a girl who takes after my own heart.

Keep it up, Ellen!

Oh… and you named that store in my honor, right? *snicker*

I’m not really sure who owns it now, but it’s a hollow echo of the majestic campus it once was.

Mississippi County High School in Arkansas

My mother and I drove up to the front and I marched resolutely up to the door of the steps underneath this sign that once led to the Superintendent’s offices and Ms. Wilmuth’s room.

Knock… knock…

Nothing…

After repeating this futile exercise a few more times, I returned to the car. We drove down to the end of the campus in hopes of finding a human that would allow us to enter and capture the interior on camera, but nothing emerged except desolation and memories.

We turned the car around and I clicked off a few shots as we slowly drove by.

Where It All Began

THIS… this is where it all began… these side steps led to the beginnings… Kindergarten and 1st grade.

The Kindergarten program wasn’t established until I had started first grade, so I missed out on daily snacks and nap time. But my baby brother, Anthony, went through Ms. Colburn’s class.

First grade was filled with a lovely contraption called an abacus and stories about Dick and Jane. It’s also where I had my first crush on a boy named Michael.

Across the hall was 2nd grade and stories about Flat Stanley. Next door was the coveted music room where I vividly remember crooning to the tune of, “Up On The Housetop” while practicing for a Christmas program… the teacher rambunctiously playing the piano with me dinging along on the triangle.

On the other side stands the cafeteria where my mother worked and the remainder of the elementary rooms… most notably 3rd grade… it was that room where I spent the better part of the year in a futile attempt to persuade my peers to refer to me as KayeCee instead of plain, old Mary Kaye.

Fourth grade was a blur, but fifth grade brought Ms. Lovell and a glorious sleepover for the girls that included my first introduction to an actual swimming pool. Sixth grade brought my best friend, Karren, who remained by my side until I was 20.

Reflections of Gym Class

The gymnasium has undergone SUCH changes! The doorway where we used to hide and exchange secrets is gone… replaced by white metal doors. Big drum barrels line the playground in front where the tennis courts used to be. I have no idea what’s in them… not really sure I WANT to know.

But the windows… ah, yes… the windows are still there… somewhat…

The top two rows are boarded, but the bottom ones still shine with the mirrored coating… reflections of the past that have changed so much… trees sway defiantly in the reflections… they seem angry to me… perhaps they seek revenge for their ancestors that were so savagely uprooted with the death of the campus those many years ago…

None of these living trees are as majestic as the one beside the courts that we used to romp around as children… massive roots… perfect hiding spots… skinned knees… ducking from the teacher’s view…

But the windows themselves… What’s behind them? Does the girl’s locker room still stand? Are the showers still there? The benches? Are the echos of games and Fall Festivals still rebounding through the expanse?

Memories of playing Uno and eating lemons in the bleachers while the basketball team practiced on the floor come floating by.

The Valedictorian’s speech I gave on that glorious wooden floor has long since been forgotten, but ironically, I can still remember the shoes that a few of the girls wore that night.

Science Notes: The Definition of Decay

Decay is part of the life cycle… I believe that’s one of the things Ms. Craig taught us in this building during Science class so long ago… that truth obviously still stands…

Crumbling

As we drove slowly by the High School, that decay was further evidenced when I glanced skyward to see the crumbling chimney…

Whispers from the Halls

And here it is… my last stop before I left my comfortable surroundings to begin my studies at ASU.

As I sit here, I can’t help but laugh at the memory of the computer lab located behind these windows. We felt so advanced with our archaic computer games. I look around the room I’m sitting in now… at this website I’ve built… the Nook held by my daughter… the Droid resting beside me… the iPad my niece is working on… it is indeed awe-inspiring at how far our technology has come in the past 20 years or so.

The steps that led to this hall are gone now. I’m not sure what happened to make concrete steps completely disappear, but the memory of them is still there.

How many quick kisses were stolen on those steps? How many theme assignments about dogs did Mr. Rowlett hand out in that hall to late students? How many drinks were taken from the fountain?

Who knows? Who remembers? You? What are your fondest memories of MissCo School?

It’s that time of the year…. everyone’s sick! *groan* We’ve been talking about the benefits of hot toddies over on Facebook and someone wanted to know what it was.

A hot toddy (or hot totty) is a warm cocktail. People seem to love them on cold nights, to drink them before bedtime, or use them to fight colds. A variety of liquors can be used, with brandy, whiskey and rum being the most popular.

Personally, I can’t stand the thought of drinking one, but a lot of people swear by them for colds, so I did some research and came up with a hot toddy recipe for my minions.

Irish Claddagh Coffee Mugs

Why these ingredients? The hot tea and lemon help your congestion while the cloves and honey soothe a sore throat. Nutmeg and cinnamon help fight the coughing. Cinnamon is also a known antibacterial and has anti-inflammatory properties. The liquor helps you to rest a little better. Sip your hot toddy very slowly to allow it to soothe your sore throat, clear your nose and relax your aching muscles.

If you have a sick child that you’d like to make one for, simply leave out the liquor.

Remember, I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on tv.

Enjoy!

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2012 Resolutions from KayeCee

2012 Resolutions

Hurry! Hurry! You’ve got to make yourself perfect! What are you going to vow to do this year in order to achieve that goal? Are you going to lose 12,000 pounds? Are you going to make more money than Donald Trump? Are you going to turn into Martha Stewart and have the perfect house with all the crusts cut from your sandwiches? Come on… come on… time’s a’wasting… what are you going to modify to create a whole new you so that you’re absolutely perfect?

*pause* Wait a minute! I’m pretty dang sure you’re doggone wonderful just the way you are!

Yep… we’re at that time of year again when we find fault with ourselves and vow to change. Don’t get caught up in that whole negative cycle!

Resolutions… Not Regrets…

Yes… this is the perfect time of year to reflect on the past year to determine what went well and what might need some revision, but don’t beat yourself up and try to change a thousand things. For the most part, I think most people are like me… you only need to work on your self-confidence and realize that you’re already perfect enough to be a huge success in the coming year at whatever you set your mind to.

With that thought, instead of making a ton of resolutions that I know I won’t keep, I’ve decided to do a self-reflection meme for 2011. I think it will not only let me see what went right and what went wrong for the past year, but it will be fun to do this every year so I can take a walk down memory lane in the future to see how much my life has changed through the years.

If you want to answer the same questions on your own blog/site, feel free. At the bottom of the post, I’ll add an area where you can share your own reflections. Enjoy!

If you’ll remember from last year, there weren’t any 2011 New Year’s Resolutions from KayeCee. Once again, I believe I’ll defer to those same sentiments.

Very quietly… at home with Vallory watching all of the festivities on television and keeping up with the Facebook statuses from a bunch of my teacher friends who will be ringing in 2012 from New York.

That's My Boy In The Pink!

My biggest achievement was actually my son’s… he graduated from high school, turned 18, and started going to college. I believe that having a child transition so eloquently into adulthood is one of the best achievements a parent can boast about.

Even though Landon’s still at home most nights, I’ve begun to experience the empty-nest syndrome. See the question above. LOL

Meh…. I still procrastinate and am a bit indecisive… I think…. I dunno… I’ll make up my mind about it tomorrow…

My daughter will participate in an art show this spring. My son will graduate from college in May. My niece will be getting married in July.

A soulmate… I’ve spent the past 2 years getting to know ME again and building a life I love… I’m finally to the point where I’d like to have someone to share it with.

Dating… once I get past my initial fears of a person, I have fun, but… it still makes me nervous to think of trusting anyone. I know that I’ve just got to keep stepping out on faith, but it’s really hard to fathom being able to place confidence in another human being again.

I mentioned the procrastinating, right? Oh… and I probably need to stay away from Pinterest and Facebook! LOL

Nope… I don’t drink the Haterade…

A few weeks ago, I developed a sudden floater in my eye that resembles a spider hanging from my bangs. Since the retina specialist is of the opinion that she’ll be around for a while, I’ve affectionately named her Charlotte.

My second cousin had an adorable baby boy.

Thankfully, no… although I’ve sadly had several friends and family that lost loved ones this past year.

My niece and her sweetie pie got engaged. Their wedding is scheduled for July 2012.

Heather & Mark

I’m divorced and supporting two kids all by myself… one of whom is in college… where do you think it went? LOL

Vallory With Her Nook!

DEFINITELY Vallory’s Nook that I got her for Christmas! Since she got it on Christmas Eve, she’s plowed through EIGHT books!

*sigh* Because of all the transitions going on in our lives, we really didn’t get to go anywhere this past year.

This one has fond memories for the year!

I don’t watch a lot of tv, but when I do, we tend to favor reality shows. Cake Boss probably tops the list, but we’ve laughed our way through some weird ones too. Gotta love Lizard Lick Towing, Operation Repo, Call of the Wildman and Swamp People. Our catch phrases for the year? “Choot, Lizbeth, choot!” and “LIVE ACTION!” LOL

Landon even met a couple of the Ax Men at Blytheville earlier this year. Poor guys… Landon had to hunch down a little bit so they wouldn’t look so short! LOL

Landon with the Ax Men

I Can Make You Thin by Paul McKenna

I Can Make You Thin by Paul McKenna… it has helped me ditch dieting and get a handle on my emotional eating. Because of Paul McKenna, I now understand that I need to eat when I’m actually hungry… not when I think I “should” eat. I’ve also ditched a lot of crappy diet foods… my body doesn’t want chemicals… it wants food!

ADELE!!!! ‘Nuf said!!! Thank you Misty!!!

Two words –> Hoochiemomma Shoes!!! I added high heels back to my wardrobe a few months ago! Yep! I even rock out the stilettos!

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Uhm… I don’t remember… I think I went out to eat with the family?

Friends and family.

The same person I’ve missed the most for the past 15 years…. my baby brother.

I met a lot of interesting people from a nearby town this year because my son dates a girl from there…. too many nice people to name….

a) MUCH happier b) about the same c) richer

Nope.

Click Photo to Buy Greeting Cards or Fine Art Photography Print

I went for a little walk today and came upon this haunting beauty. As geese honked overhead in their frantic flight for warmer climates, this red rosebud fights for life among the winter carnage of dying blooms.

Once I started processing the photos from my nature walk, I immediately knew that this gorgeous rose needed a vintage feel. The scratches and grunginess highlight the photo perfectly.

Buy a Fine Art Photograph or Greeting Card Featuring this Vintage Winter Rose!

Scroll down to share this post with friends (pretty please) or leave a comment! *smooches* Thank you!!!! *flounces off*

Tangelo and Fifi

Aren’t they adorable?

My Face Is Just A Wee Bit Dirty!

You’ll have to pardon Tangelo…. you’d think a kitty’s face would be cleaner than that. Tangelo spends most of his time walking underneath my feet. He’s also the one that tries to jump through the glass storm door… repeatedly… yeah… not too sure how intelligent this one is. LOL

I'm The Innocent One...

Fifi is the timid, quiet one. She’s also the one Mom is about to have a nervous breakdown over because she LOVES to run inside and hide underneath her bed ANY time the door is opened for more than 2 seconds.

Who’s first in line for kitty kisses?

Buy a Fine Art Photograph or Greeting Card Featuring Tangelo!

Scroll down to share this post with friends (pretty please) or leave a comment! *smooches* Thank you!!!! *flounces off*

Google’s at it again! Their latest ‘Easter egg’ brings a gentle snowfall to a user’s search results!

As you may know, Google likes to entertain its minions by adding surprising little ‘Easter eggs’ for users to find.

To see Google’s latest search result feature, simply go to Google.com and do a search for, “let it snow” without the quote marks. (This may not work in Chrome.)

Your screen will return the results with a gentle snowfall. If you’ll leave the page alone for a few minutes, you’ll see your screen window begin to fog over. Use your mouse to “wipe away” the fog… or do like I do and start writing all over it… no nasty windows to clean later. LOL

Google's Latest Easter Egg: Let It Snow

Don’t want to “wipe off” your entire screen with your mouse? Take a peek at the Search button… it becomes a handy, dandy “Defrost” button.

Want to see it in action… check out my video below… or, heck! Just go to Google and have fun playing with it yourself!

Yeah… yeah… yeah… I know… you just did the same thing I did and wasted 10 minutes playing around with it didn’t you?

*scurries off*