Happy news!

Things have been crazy busy, but there is good news to share !
I have been back at my old store helping out for the last couple of weeks but knew it was only temporary. They have to bring people back by seniority and there was quite a few more ahead of me.My sweet boss kept telling me he had a plan and that he would do all he could to keep me, but I was already anticipating going back  
But today he told me its official !
I am "home" to stay!
I'm so blessed that he loves me and I'm so incredibly thankful he did so much to get me back! 

Working with my peeps, three miles from home for the GREATEST boss in the world ! 
Now that's good news  

Our other good news is ....
We are going back to Alaska this weekend !  We are meeting Dave and Sandy in Seattle and sailing off for a nice long, relaxing week!  We love Alaska and are so excited about going back. And spending quality time with them is the very best part!
I am packing  some good books, card games, and my camera ! Everything else is just stuff
And two ex Navy seals will be house sitting watching Brody so I can leave and not worry about a thing  :)  

Blurry , but it was the only one I took~ 

Lastly .....
I had the BEST Mothers day ! 
We met the kids in La Jolla for a long walk and  a wonderful dinner  at " Herringbone" . It was such a cool restaurant and we had such a great dinner. Travis generously treated all of us which was so sweet. Walking around with Beckham looking at the seals, watching him play with uncle Chad at the park, and chatting and strolling with Trav and Ash were  my favorite moments of the day  And I LOVED being able to celebrate "Mothers Day" with my daughter in law! My heart felt like it could burst with joy. Of course I had to read the cards later but they were so tender and loving. I also got the cutest gifts!  A darling little brag book , a tote bag with "YaYa"  on it, a fun travel book and  some yummy treats.
I am so blessed with my little family ....

And just so you can see the cuteness of this little guy....

He really is a heart stopper
And he will probably continue to always be my BEST NEWS !
Wishing you all a wonderful week,filled with love and lots of happy news !

Happy Mothers Day ~

I can honestly say I truly had the sweetest Mother ever! She taught me so much and the things I learned from her still bubble to the surface as gentle reminders of how to live and treat others. I can hear her voice telling me sweet stories and her joy that came through every conversation.
I miss her every single day , but rest knowing we will all be together again soon !

And being a mom to these sweet boys is my biggest claim to fame!
They are my biggest accomplishments and source of joy     

Happy Mothers Day !

A few things I learned in April

It has been quite a month, and  I have been way too busy
But I thought I would reflect on a few things I learned during the blurry days of April

1~ The friends you grow up are most likely the friends you will have for the rest of your life!
My dear friend and childhood neighbor lost her mom this month so we all gathered for the funeral and I hosted my friend Paula for a few days. Between the services and time helping Jeanette we got caught up on life. We talked until two in the morning ,laughing so hard my stomach muscles were sore for days. Even Steve said he just loved having her here !
We literally took up where we left off so many years ago. We have all been friends for over 30 years and they were bridesmaids in my wedding. These girls are my core.
They know me...they get me ...they accept and LOVE me..and I them!
They are such a blessing! 

And I hope this will be us in another 20 years!

 

2~ I have no concept of working full time and keeping up on life. I simply don't know how people do it! And never mind how many moms with young kids seem to manage life and laundry while working full time. {yes Kaci this is you}
I am a wimp!
I am wiped out and hardly have time to think !
To all you ladies who juggle a home, kids, a husband and job , I salute you!
You are truly a hero to me!
I am counting down the days until I am working my normal few days a week, near home and can return to a more calm life. And have more time for family and friends


3~ This little boy is my joy! Simply put he is always on my mind and in my prayers. I wonder what he will be like when he is older. I already pray for his wife and his sweet tender heart.
I pray he will always walk with the Lord and know how much he is loved. Steve and I spent time with him last week and fell even more in love !  He is so special and precious just like his momma and dadda

4~ This world is crazy! The bombings, the lack of conviction, the economy and life in general is so stressful for so many people. I am more than thankful for our quiet life and pray for peace for our nation and the victims of crimes that occur every single day. I pray that people will realize our need for God and His statutes. We have wandered far from Him and His word and are paying such a price as a country for doing so. I am thankful that the Lord continues to teach me daily about living my life in His Grace , with His heart for people   

I love you all !!
I hope you all find moments of joy and love this week

Fight for JOY ! 
Choose JOY ! 
I remind myself of that every day , because usually if i look for it...I can find it

Love and kisses Karen~ 


 

Christos Anesti

He is Risen....
And  what a fun celebration with my family
Ashlyn decided to host this year and she did such a amazing  job !
Our girl can put together a party with sweet details and great food and make it all look easy. And she does it all with a one year old busy boy under foot
It was so nice to be with her family, it has been years since we all celebrated a holiday together
The Greeks decided it was too far to travel and were very missed!
A few fun images from a wonderful day
Sara's been calling me to complain my blog is the same every time she logs on so I just had to put up a few quick pics { thanks for always stopping by Sara! Auntie Loves you  } 

 My talented daughter in law hand painted this darling tablecloth ...it was so stinkin cute

Uncle Chad loving on B

 Its exhausting being this adorable ...

 The newly engaged ....Kimberly and Russell

 My handsome boy ...And left Right Center winner!

 LOVE them...and love the views out of their house...ahhhmazing

Fun Fun Fun....
We certainly embrace our crazy

Punching In ...

Last week when I decided to return to work I started this crazy list in my head of all that I wanted to do before jumping back in
Amazing what "normal" people can accomplish while working full time and here I am with a part time job feeling like I have  so much to do before returning
There is not enough time in my normal life to see everyone, do all the chores that need to be done, and have all the fun that needs to be had! 

So away I went crossing off my list....
I cleaned out the fridge and freezer , and once again organized my pantry

Washed the down comforters and packed them away until next winter

Did all the laundry and put everything away  { I even matched all the socks }

Had our taxes done !

Filled all my bird feeders with thistle and made nectar for my hummingbirds
 
Straightened up the garage and trimmed my rose bushes

Celebrated a very special birthday with the book club girls for our dear friend Nancy !
Breakfast at Mo's and lots of fun conversation 

I also met Trish there the very next day for another two hours of chatting! So fun

Had Chad come down for a sleepover and enjoyed time with him playing cards, getting massages, taking walks and eating all his favorites
Just being with Chad makes your heart smile ! He always makes us feel like we did such a great job and thanks us constantly for being such great parents
{ we all know darn well he is just a extraordinary child }  

I also met my sweet aunt Mary for lunch and we chatted for three hours at Marie Callendars 
She is almost 87 and is so full of life. She loves a great conversation and I am never bored chatting with her. I actually spend half the time just cracking up ! 

I also met my friend Katie for lunch out in the winery and it was wonderful
Some friends just bless your life by being in it  
And she is one of those friends! It was such a beautiful day ....

So I think I'm ready!
I got my schedule and feel so thankful to have three eight hour days so even though I am driving it is the best possible scenario
God showed me clearly when I was wrestling with the idea of going back or just retiring that He wanted me to be "diligent"
Only God knows my future and I do feel like it is the diligent thing to do. So I am laying  my resentment of being laid off after 33 years aside and replacing it with a grateful heart that they have called me back
I am Choosing Joy ! 

And wishing you all a wonderful week filled with fun and giggles! 

Bragging rights

“Recent college graduate” and “vice president” are two terms not often spoken in the same breath, but they describe Travis Carter quite well. Carter is vice president at Hughes Marino, a leading commercial real estate firm in San Diego......

This boy of ours is so blessed !

He was written up in the Alumni Newsletter about his achievements in business
It is such a terrific article and we are very proud of his love for God and the balance between his business and spiritual life
He truly has found his passion and we rejoice with every success he has

A link to the article is here

A Beary Special Birthday

Our sweet Beckham is one! 
And Ashlyn did so much to make it extra special and sweet
It was a "Bear" theme and there was so much love in all the details
Travis also worked so hard getting the house ready to go and making everyone feel welcome
We had a BLAST!
Beckham was a little overwhelmed at first but he loved having everyone over
I've said before he is such a nice boy. He has such a sweet temperament and a kind little heart. He loves to give kisses and snuggle and quietly takes everything in 

Sweet parents

Chad with Grammy

 

Both sets of grandparents!

There was "Beary" punch, gummy bear favors, grilled cheese sticks with yummy tomato soup
Ashlyn made mini " Beary"  pies which were as good as they were cute! She also made bear party hats for all the kids. So many sweet details and such a fun time with family and friends
I hope this sweet boy always knows how Beary LOVED he is !

And because almost everyone has one of these shots from their first birthday !

Maybe he wanted chocolate cake  :)

Serendipity!

My moms favorite word and it has become mine!

A "Serendipity"  is a happy accident or pleasant surprise !

And lucky me that I keep getting them !!

Ashlyns sweet friend Stephanie is a doll ! She was in the kids wedding and I remember that she RAN out on the day of the wedding back into town to find a photography prop so the kids could easily take pics of themselves on their honeymoon.
So thoughtful and always thinking about making life easier for her friends!
Ashlyn always tells sweet "Steph"  stories and I feel like I know her so well because of their friendship. I follow her on Facebook and Instagram and love seeing pics of her precious family and darling little boy   
But I really don't know her that well...
I have only visited with her a handful of times at showers, the wedding and different little events
Which makes this sweet surprise even more special
This came in the mail for me this week!

She saw that I am collecting Starcucks cups and she sent me one from her home town of Charlotte. And it is the cutest one yet!
She also included my absolute favorite tea "Trader Joe's candy cane"
Who goes out to buy, pack and ship such a generous gift just to be nice?
Stephanie I can hardly wait to find some fun things to ship back to you!
I want you to know the joy of a Serendipity too because you sure brought a huge smile to my face!
And because it was marked fragile my sweet mail lady Dianna brought it to my door
We ended up talking for a really long time. She is going through a divorce after 24 years of marriage and I could tell she really needed a friend and a ear that day
I would have never had that chance if this gift had not come that very day
God sure works in mysterious ways and nothing is ever by chance!
I feel so blessed and I could hardly even call her to say Thank you without crying with sheer joy

Wishing you all a happy day filled with love and giggles!
And hopefully a fun Serendipity    

A source of my JOY!

I often get these little video messages sent to my phone  from my niece Sara !

She thinks of her auntie all the time and wants to give me  little glimpes into her day or share things that are on her heart

These along with her voice messages almost every day :) sure makes me feel so loved and blessed
And they fill my heart to overflowing with
JOY!
Who could ever be sad with a Sara in your life
She always finds things to giggle about and she truly walks in the sunshine every day

How lucky I am to have her love !
To have someone who thinks of me and prays for me every single day
And who reminds me that I need pretty dresses and to drink plenty of water!   
And yes, she spilled the beans, we are off to Alaska again
It was the best cruise we have ever done and so Dave, Sandy, Steve and I are going back...!!!!
And we will be taking Sara's advice and packing sunscreen and get plenty of sleep
Find joy today in your life....
And if you cant find any , create it !
Sending you love and kisses from ...
"Auntie"         {one of my favorite titles} 

Loved this day...

Started with a fun surprise from my hubby!

He stopped off on the way to work and got me flowers so when I woke up I would be surprised!  Although we say Valentines is for rookies, I cried with his thoughtfulness and really loved my sweet surprise

Then it was this sweet pic from my Beckham Boy wishing us a happy Valentines day

This boy melts my heart ....I know I say it all the time but I simply cant get enough! 


Then I ditched my sweet hubby and went off for a girls day with Chloe, Lindsay and her sister and niece who were visiting from out of state! We had manicures, massages, lunch, dinner, shopping and giggles!
What could be more perfect
 I still owe my sweet hubby his special dinner but he insisted I go join the fun even though it was Valentines day !

We even stopped by Sees for a treat or two...
It was a fun , fabulous day ! 
Both the boys text me and of course Chad asked if we could be Valentines! I hope his future wife knows she will always have to share the day with me. He is so darn cute
I also got this sweet message from my brother Dave
He said he thought of me when he saw this sign and I love that it reminded him of me
It is a fabulous life and I am truly so incredibly grateful!!

You bet I am....

Pat and Vanna here I come!! 

I tried out once before 25 years ago and I am going to try again!

What the heck...
Someone has to win  ! 

I hate to brag but....I am quite often blurting out the answers from my couch without even trying,so only imagine how good I will be knowing I am solving for big money and a chance at the show case show down.

Oops wrong show? 
Well you know what I mean. So I am off to the lovely Casino Morongo this week to give it a shot. Wish me luck being darling and getting picked

I am already practicing my "come on big money"  and my "intro" speech
I am going to buy lots of vowels and never take the 50/50 chance of 10, 000 dollars
And I am certainly never going to scream and be obnoxious like some people are
That is so not like me....

Sunday Six ...

It's been a while since I did a "Sunday Six" but as always this week has brought so many things to be thankful for !

1-Saturday Ashlyn attended a baby shower and asked if I could watch Beckham. Of course I couldn't say yes fast enough! He is simply the sweetest baby! Just talking about him makes me well up. When he got sleepy he went into his room, grabbed his little blanket and rested his head on my shoulder. No crying or fussing but simply told me he was ready for bed. I rocked him to sleep , staring into his sweet face and feeling like the luckiest lady in the world. He reminds me so much of Travis at that age and it makes my heart remember so many sweet moments with my own babies  

2- We had a really fun Book Club meeting and I got all excited thinking about all the GREAT books we are going to read this year. I love my book girls and always look forward to our times chatting and sharing thoughts on life and books. And I'm ALWAYS so thankful for books that take me away and introduce me to so many new people and experiences

3-Its February ! One of my favorite months for so many reasons
It has been cold and gray and nothing  makes me more giddy!
And it is the month we celebrate  L.O.V.E.
So I bought a cute little mail box from Target and put it on my table. I told Carter if the flag is up there is a surprise inside. One day it held a note saying there was a McDonalds sundae in the fridge :)  I love trying to think of new little ways to say I love you everyday 

4- My baby boy has been spending lots of time in Mammoth this season. I love seeing pics of him on his Instagram LOVING life! It is what Chad does best. His passion for life and fun makes me so happy 

5- I know people often post so many silly things , but sometimes they just crack me up !
I saw these and smiled....
I like to think this one pertains to me. Although the 'brilliant' part might be a stretch

 See I do go the Jim everyday !!

6- I love music and I love PANDORA! I have it on my phone and Ipad and whenever I move from room to room I take that great music with me. Crazy but I was missing my mom so much the other morning, so I put on my worship station to remind me where she is and that God is in control of all things. And the very first song that played was the very one we had her funeral slide show made to !  
Yep a God wink to remind me we will all be together soon.



Wishing you all a wonderful week ! 
Living with a thankful heart and filled with lots of giggles and God winks !! 

I'm happiest when...

These sweet people are in my life! 
Dave Sandy and Sara were just here for a week and we had so much fun!
They got sick toward the end of the trip but we even loved just hanging out on couches under blankets together.
We had a fun family dinner Sunday and then took little trips to the beach and wineries
They have lived in Franklin for 18 years now and I still cant get used to not seeing them all the time. We are happiest when we are all together ! 

                                                                 I love this guy with all my heart~ The sweetest brother! 

We also celebrated Chads birthday and played a little Left Right Center...
Travis won again....the kid is gold

Usually January is a bit sad with the after Christmas blues , but ours was wonderful!
A great way to start off the New Year!
And our sweet little Beckham is walking!   
It is the cutest thing and he is simply delightful 

Wishing you all a wonderful start to a year filled with JOY and giggles