Happy Christmas !!

Today is the 15th which means just ten more days until Christmas !!
And I'm ready...
And so happy about that
Most of our gifts are wrapped,and under the tree with cute little homemade pom poms
My "thing" this year
Its been a busy,  fun season and I have loved it so much
I hosted our second annual "Favorite Things" party and we had a blast!
I made lentil soup, tortilla soup with all the fixins, and a big delicious spinach salad.
There was going to be 7 of us and our dear friend Vickie who moved away was going to face time with us and send her gifts ahead of time
Well I went to answer the door and who was there?  
Yep she flew in for the fun !

We were all so shocked!
We had the best time and were so blessed with lots of fun gifts!!
Some of our "favorite" things were
Soft lips mint chapstick  {which is fabulous} Soft cozy socks,Candles and a cute vase,Frozen Yogurt gift certificate,Tea, and Christmas Kleenex, wine chillers, Homemade Christmas wreaths {which were to die for cute and I got one! Thanks Vickie}  A cozy "red" blanket, and I gave my favorite scalloped cake plate.
Hilarious Janice wanted to include a piece of Sees  candy but was over her $7.00 limit so she made her hubby meet her at Sees and they stood in line twice to get samples !
We  all cracked up because only she would go to so much trouble to bless her friends and still follow the rules
We had lots of laughter and fun and decided we are going to have another Summer Favorite Things party because we dont want to wait another year.

Good friends, great conversations, giggles and hot cocoa ....
I cant think of anything  more perfect !
The gift of friendship is the very best of all ! 
ps
If I could have given a perishable gift it would be these!!!  Do yourself a favor and try these.
It is my new favorite thing and I am addicted. They pop in your mouth and are so juicy and fresh
Trust me ......

We love fighting over gifts !

My bunco group is soon having our annual Christmas Party !
We always have so much fun, and include the guys for a night of merriment and cheer!
There is much laughter and always great food
Then us girls have a gift exchange with a $30.00 dollar limit
We draw names, open the gifts and steal like crazy to get the one everyone wants
Its all such good fun, and most of the time no one gets hurt

So I try like crazy to find that one terrific gift that will be the hit of the party and everyone will scratch and claw for!

So I am asking you, My sweet readers to help me find the perfect present !
What has been a gift that was so fun to receive ?
No gift cards...
A real gift...
One worth getting ghetto "get me some of that" crazy over
My tree is up
My mantle is done
The stockings are hung !
I have been a busy elf , and this one gift has me stumped
Send me your thoughts elves 
I Love you ~ Mrs Claus 

One day...

My new, old friend Chris { Who is remarkable,more on her later }
had on her instagram the idea of sharing a day
Just a ordinary "day in your life"
I took the pictures but was so busy that the "day" got away with me
So I thought I would blog my day
It was Wednesday
My least favorite day because it is the day we change prices at work and I am up and off early !!!  I leave my house at 2:45 am    #nevergetseasier

I had been down to see Beckham Tuesday and Ashlyn brought me the yummiest pumpkin treat from my favorite spot in San Diego {Con Pane} so I took it to work and shared it with my girls over Starbucks coffee.  I would have rather eaten the whole thing but I was extra nice since Santa is coming ! 

After work I had a hair appointment with my doll Kristy ! She is the cutest and so darn fun to be with. She was running late so I snapped a pic of her putting on her shoes in the car {and by shoes I mean killer boots that were darling } Left her place with a new do and all the gray gone!

Then I put out these darling flowers that I picked from the kids back yard! Flowers always make me so happy  !

I ran a few errands extra happily because I found a ALL Christmas station ! Makes not having my satellite anymore so much more bearable.I know its only Nov 13th but clearly I am not the only one who loves to start the season off early  

When I got home there was a box from Amazon.Everyone knows this girl LOVES her mail and getting packages. It was full of Christmas gifts for my loves so of course that thrilled me 

That night I was going to be away in the evening so I decided to make my hubby a nice dinner. Even though he said he was fine with making a quick sandwich, I know he appreciates it.Not too pretty but delicious and in my favorite pot from Le Creuset !

Then it was off to Book Club for me !  We met at Macaroni Grill for appetizers, drinks and  always great conversation !  We picked our book for next month. Wally Lambs new book" We are water" We all really like him and are anxious to read this one

Got home at seven, threw in a load of laundry and snuggled on the couch. Then off to bed at 9 because it had been a long busy day !
I don't remember but I bet my sleep was filled of dreams of my little best friend! I had the best day with him and his love for those silly gnomes by their house makes me smile! I saw him kiss two and hurriedly put my phone on video to capture the last kiss. He slays me!

It was a good day, a ordinary day, but looking back it was filled with love and joy !
And those are the best days of all

Just thinkin...

I love singing this song to Beckham boy !  I remember my own mom singing it to me
Random sweet memories have been filling my mind lately and  making me smile
Dave and I often text back and forth little snippets of our childhood and we try to remember things long forgotten
So fun to have brothers who you can text with silly questions like " what was the name of the pizza place on our block" or "remember how much Dad loved Bobs Big Boy dressing"

Life has been crazy busy with all kinds of fun...
We went to a wonderful wedding, I threw a baby shower for a sweet friend from work,we celebrated Chloes birthday , I had book club, had lunch with my dear friend Krissy and I have been working a ton! I am so tired but I'm so thankful for crisp Fall days and such sweet people to share life with!


I also have a fun tip to share !
I love tortilla soup. Not as much as my home made lentil which is still always such a hit,but tortilla is next in line. My friend Barbie brought me some and when I asked for the recipe she showed me a bag?

It is seriously amazing. I add fresh rotisserie chicken and serve it with tortilla chips, fresh cubed avocado and  jack cheese. It's really good with fresh cilantro too. I served it at the shower and everyone wanted to the "recipe"  Try it ...I think you'll love it too!

Lastly The Tennessee Krikacs are coming for Thanksgiving, and at least five days a week Sara leaves me a message with the countdown to how many more days!
She is so excited to be with our big Greek family and hang out at aunties
It makes me even more excited too!

Pray that I can take some time off from work to really enjoy them. It is such a busy time at the "palace" and I am so stressed about them coming all this way and me having to be gone ...
Praying for a miracle and at least a few days off 

Well hows that for random? Just a little bit of this and that to share with those who pop by. Thanks to my childhood friend Donna for always encouraging me to keep writing.
I LoVe that you read my blog and that it makes you smile !

This guy sure makes me smile....
Being his YaYa is pure joy ! 

Beckham, Birthday Bliss

Amen !!
I love October...
But first there was a fabulous September ! It has been a wonderful month with many joys and so much fun. We had Beckham for a week of pure bliss. I often feel like blogging is redundant because I already posted on Instagram and Facebook about all the fun we had. But I want these days to be on my blog forever  
Travis and  Ashlyn went to Europe for their 5th wedding anniversary.  Off to Paris and Spain and every photo they posted looked so fun and relaxing.  
They are darling!!

 

but I would much rather be right here in T- Town with this sweet babe

He was a pure delight!  We  fed the ducks, went to Chuck E Cheese, the park, went on walks and giggled and bonded like crazy
Steve and I missed him so much when he left. The house was too quiet and no one was calling "YaYa" from his crib in the morning. {the first time I heard it I stood outside his room and cried } This little boy has such a sweet spirit it chokes me up just thinking about him. He is so obedient and kind. I took a week off work and all we did was PLAY ...
I had the Greeks over for dinner so they could see him too and of course they fell in love all over again

We had BBQ, sat outside and had the best day ! My sweet sis brought me a birthday cake and we celebrated my birthday too !

I also had a great birthday breakfast with the book babes.They spoiled me rotten and we chatted for three hours catching up. Those are the moments I love most ! Great conversations,over yummy food with the people you love ..Perfection

My sweet Chad treated me to dinner at our favorite spot " Hodads"  Any date night this sweet boy is a treasure!

He loves his momma and when you are with Chad you feel like the luckiest person in the world. You have his full attention and the conversations are exciting and funny ! As I was waiting for him to close up the main tower, he told the surfers that the guards were going off duty for the night over the intercom and then he added " and a happy birthday to my mom Karen Carter"  He is so darling.....I love visiting Chads office ! 

Lastly my friends sure know me well! This is a sample of the "pumpkin" goodness that I received for my birthday !  I guess my love obsession of Pumpkin is quite well known

And I got the most delish white cupcakes !

Thank you Trish and Jamie for the fabulous treats and fun visit

It truly has been a wonderful week!!!
And here is the highlight....He calls me YaYa in the sweetest little voice ever

Wishing you all happy, crisp Fall days....time with loved ones....and joys big and small
As I said , I would rather have his chubby fists around my neck than a strand of priceless diamonds

{ I look horrid in this pic, but the squeeze around my neck is just too sweet to ignore }

My heart explodes with love for all I have been given...

Little joys

This post could really be all about Beckham ! He truly brings so much joy to this YaYa's heart.
Last week I was missing him so much, so I drove up for a few hours to play
We had so much fun ! We played with cars, the hose, his little tricycle and he shared his crackers with his sweet dog
This little video is a snapshot of a perfect day and his giggle and shy "Hi" makes my heart smile

A few weeks back Lindsay' s niece and her friend came to visit. We had the best few days with them . We went to the beach to see Chad, played darts at Travis's house, they came here for tacos and we went there for church and dinner. They are remarkable girls and so fun to be around. We missed them so much when they left... 

We have been having Sunday dinners with my brother Ken, Lindsay and Chloe. It has been so awesome!  We appreciate so much that we have family close and have the chance to see them as much as we do. I still pray that somehow Dave and Sandy will come back "home" to us.
In heaven I just know we will all be on the same block
That's my idea of heaven
Last week Chloe cooked for all of us and it was awesome. Enchilada casserole, rice , salad and watermelon.
I LOVE my niece !!
She feels so much like a daughter to me and I swear we are the same person in almost every way. Her sweet phone calls, texts, and her love for Steve and I warms our hearts!
Yesterday Lindsay cooked dinner and made the most heavenly ribs
Such a wonderful way to end a week !

And shes here .............

Bella Amor Krikac
Dave and Sandy are grandparents to the sweetest little pumpkin ever !

 

There is just nothing sweeter than a new baby straight from the lap of God...

Lastly, We have had a HUGE answer to prayer and I just want to say  
Thank you
To my Father in heaven for His goodness, and overwhelming love for us!
I pray that you all are blessed this week, no matter what you struggle with or valley God allows you to go through. Stay strong and know that He has you in His mighty grip.
My heart aches after hearing of two suicides this week of people I didn't even know.
I realized how many people face discouragement that is overwhelming , and I only wish they knew the peace of our Savior ! 
Our days are often not easy ones, but we never walk through them alone
Sending every reader a warm ,heartfelt hug and if I can ever pray for you in any way...
Please let me know
Or if you are sad and are struggling with finding joy....call me for a tea
I promise we can find some giggles  !

Blessed is he that considers the poor

This post has been brewing in my heart for a while now
Funny how a life lesson hits so deep and somehow for me it wont be settled until it is shared.
I am going to try to keep this brief but I am so incredibly thankful for what I know the Lord taught me and how He used a situation to change my heart to be more like His

When I was first called back to work I was sent to a really poor area in Escondido.  I started with a bratty attitude with comments like
" It's such a barrio"
" those people are all on welfare"
As if, I myself  was above anyone. I grew up in Hawthorne with very middle class hard working parents. Who did I think I was? I am embarrassed that those comments even came out of my mouth
Well it wasn't even a week later that I called Steve on the way home crying my heart out and humbled by such truly sweet people in that area. Mostly I was met with hardworking families trying to create a good life.
One customer came up to me with his recycling slip and was so happy that his cans had been more than he thought.  He said he was going to get a frozen pizza and a red box movie for his wife!     
And he was grinning ear to ear !
He was so excited to surprise her with this fun treat! That $8.00 extra made all the difference

Then another really sweet young couple came through and were watching their total the whole time
They were around 40 and the wife had a toilet brush and a mop and said
" I wont take these today after all"
Her husband said " no honey its OK, we are going to be fine this month, go ahead and get them"
She decided on the brush but left the mop behind. Even ten more dollars would have affected their life that week.

How many times do I fill my cart up at Target with a $100 dollars worth of stuff and I could leave it behind and really not miss a thing.
I often called Steve on my drive home and would be so emotional because we have always had enough for food and necessities and I never,ever want to take it for granted.
We have never been wealthy but we have never had to go without 
Every day I saw people who truly struggled just to stay afloat  
I know that after my three months there I was changed....
I had more of Gods heart for the poor than I ever did before...
And now I find myself thinking of little ways I can share
I ran through McDonalds and dropped off some burgers to the day labors who wait under the shade tree in old town. I got thumbs up and big ole thank yous !

There is one sweet homeless customer "Eli"  who always comes into my store now, and I will sometimes help him pay for things if he is short. Last week he walked all the way back to the store because he forgot to pay for his green bell pepper ! I was so touched by his honesty
{ He mostly buys Payday bars, he LOVES them! }
I keep wondering what his story is and where is his mom ? He is so handsome and funny and I tease him endlessly and he thinks I am just hilarious.
I used to see him as that smelly guy, who is sometimes loud, and I would almost hope he went through another line  
I am more aware than I ever was before, and have been trying to live out 
"LOVE DOES"
I no longer think of them as "those people"
I want to always be content with a frozen pizza and a movie
I want to have  Gods heart

And I can feel my Moms pleasure....
She always lived that example , but somewhere along the way I forgot

Sunday Six...

I decided it was time to sit for a few minutes on this beautiful Sunday and share six things that I am grateful for !
I used to be so diligent in blogging our life and somehow lately I am just so busy living it
But as always there is so much to be thankful for   

1- In case anyone is worried that I outgrew my  "dork"  factor as previously shared  here ,
I can assure you it is still in full force ! Just last week while eating my salad at work I thought it would be better to dip my fork in the dressing rather than pour it on my salad. I no sooner finished and looked down and there was dressing in my hair, on my apron and my lap.
What??
My friend said I couldn't dip worth sh*t so that made me a  "dipsh*t"
We cracked up....then the next day I came to work with a lisp and a swollen lip because I roasted a marshmallow on the stove with a fork and then stuck the fork in my mouth! I heard the sizzle and couldn't talk right for a few days as the HUGE BLISTER healed. I seriously think I should look at some old folks homes and join the wait list. Steve still says he is going to get me that life alert !  But I am grateful for humor and the ability to find it in my crazy life

2- I love my bunco friends! Got a text a couple weeks ago that said to wear camp clothes and be ready to sing campfire songs at bunco. We arrived at Paula's and had a blast !

She BBQ ed for us and gave us hoola hoops and darling little solar flower pots.We sat around the fire and chatted and laughed all night. Then the other night at Kim's we had another wonderful evening !  Always a place of acceptance and great conversations without judgement or filters. I am so thankful for friends who are real and who let me be real ! 

3- Last week was Travis's birthday and they wanted to go away for a little surf trip without the baby! So you know what that means.... YaYa was on the job.
We read books, played with the hose, took long walks and even longer naps and ate yummy popsicles !  It was a perfect day ! Poppa came later and so did uncle Chad. It was the sweetest day and the kids had a much deserved get away
This boy.....Be still my heart

Photo credit his momma

4- I am thankful for this man...

 

My handsome sweet hubby. He is a great dad, grandpa and husband. And sometimes I take him for granted. I seriously don't remember the last time we had a fight but lately we have been kinda on each others nerves.Sadly I think I am to blame for most of that. I have been snarly. So last night with my brother Ken and his family here we talked it out , counseling style.  I am so thankful for our family who has so much insight and wisdom. I can see why Kenny is such a good a marriage counselor/ pastor because he can see areas which need attention and articulate well how to set things right again. And  Chloe & Lindsay are so much like Steve that they can help me see how he thinks and feels. Feeling blessed , forgiven and renewed.  
I think we just might make it another 30 years!  

5- Our little Krikac family is growing again !  My nephew Koby is getting married

He is the sweetest young man and is so mature and ready to be a husband. Even though they are young I know it will be a solid marriage with lots of love and faith. We all are looking forward to the wedding and seeing his joy as he sees his beauiful bride.
Also next month my nephew Kory is having a baby girl. So my sweet brother Dave becomes a grandpa and Sandy a grandma! I am so excited for them and can hardly wait to see the sweet baby girl. I just might need to fly to Tennessee to meet her in person.  

6- Summer Swimming ! Today was the first day I dove back in the pool !  It felt so good to be in the water and I remembered how much of my time was spent there last year. I simply love floating, thinking and swimming my laps. Generally summer is not my favorite time of year but having a place to cool off and escape makes it so bearable. {Thank you Casey! 
The only problem is I just hate crowds 

Wishing you all joy and summer breezes
Time for family and good conversations
And always lots of love and giggles ! 
And remember to always be silly