Kats~

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What an interesting concept Nintendo has with this new Wii Fit! I personally can't wait for it to come out and have already pre-ordered one. Not that this is going to completely help everyone, but I think it is worth a shot. When I get it I will keep everyone updated on how I am doing with it and if I have actually lost any weight. Here is a link to the article I was emailed and there is also a video you click on in the article!

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/W
iiMakerPushingWeightLossGamesToWomen.aspx

Have a great weekend!
~K~

A friend and I were talking one night over dinner and we started talking about wedding rings and what the point of having them or being married was if you don't ever wear the ring. Her hubby has a job in which his hands get very dirty so he has two rings that he wears. One for work and another for evenings out. A girlfriend of ours has a very nice ring and for some reason she never has it on regardless of if her husband is with her or not. We both have asked her why she doesn't wear her ring, but she never really gives us a straight answer. I know that a ring isn't all there is to a marriage, but to me it is a symbol that hey I am taken and I am not out there looking nor do I really want anyone out there looking at me. Is there a reason for people not wearing their rings other than it not fitting anymore or do we just notice odd things???

My aunt sent me this email today and it is so powerful and so true. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
Hugs
~K~
Live A Life That Matters         by Michael Josephson 
Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end.   There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.   Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. 
It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed. 
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear. 
So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire. 
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away. 
It won't matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived, at the end.   It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.   Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.    
So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured? 
What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built;  not what you got, but what you gave. 
  What will matter is not your success, but your significance. 
What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught. 
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched,   empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example. 
  What will matter is not your competence, but your character. 
What will matter is not how many people you knew,  but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.
What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you. 
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.    
Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident.   It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice. 
Choose to live a life that matters.     Make great choices today and all year long! Make your life matter! 
 

Hey everyone our friend Shannon's mom was in an accident last night and has some very serious injuries. If you all could please keep her mom and her family in your prayers I would really appreciate it as would Shannon and her family.

Thanks so much!

~Katie~

I have not seen a blog about this so I figured I would write one. On Feb. 21, 2008 the community of St. Charles lost a member of our family who was fighting for our freedom. LCpl Drew W. Weaver lost his life in the line of duty. We may not know this soldier and we may not support this war, but the least we can do is pay our respects and say thank you for what he did for us while he was over there. While I personally didn't know him my sister did and from what she has said this is one person who was very nice and caring.

Here is the information I got off of the funeral homes website.

St. Charles City Mayor Patty York would ask the residents of St. Charles and surrounding communities to appropriately pay respects to LCpl. Drew W. Weaver and the family by lining the streets of the processional routes and in particular as the funeral motorcade passes through the City of St. Charles. Mayor York has also requested all flags within the City of St. Charles, Missouri and be flown at half mass until services are concluded for LCpl Drew W. Weaver.

FUNERAL PROCESSION ROUTE FRIDAY FEBRUARY 29, 2008: Departing the Funeral Home at approximately 9:30 AM East on West Clay to North on Droste Road, passing his former High School, St. Charles West, to Zumbehl Road to the Church. Entering west into the North drive of the church parking lot. Departing the Church at approximately 11:45 AM South on Zumbehl Road to West Clay to St. Charles Memorial Gardens.

I know that I am going and a few other bloggers, but if you would like to go just leave a comment in here and maybe we can all meet up somewhere and stand together.

Hugs

~K~

It is time for the annual St. Louis Mardi Gras parade. We go almost every year and always have a good time. The first time I went to it I really didn't care to go and ended up having a great time. It is now one of the events in St. Louis that I don't plan on missing for a long time. I was wanting to know who all from here is going and thinking that we can try to meet up. I know how hard it is to meet people down there because there are so many people, but maybe if we chat about it now we can all plan something out. Leave me a comment in here and we can try to get something together. If you have never been you can go to: http://mardigrasinc.com/ and get more information. Hope to see  you there!

Hugs

~K~

 

I just wanted to stop in and say hello to everyone and yes I am still here. I didn't fall off the face of the earth or win the lottery and take off to the beach. I went back to work! While it is a challenge balancing out home and working it is exciting. I am finally starting to get used to all of it! I hope that all of you are well and staying warm in this cold weather. Get out and do something fun this weekend it is supposed to be warm!!

Hugs

~K~

I really got to thinking the other day about friendships, after hearing my sweet daughter come home upset about a girl at school not wanting to be her friend. I consoled her the best I could and told her that everything will be ok. Now that I am an adult and have kids I don't have as many friends as I used to. I have a lot of acquaintances, but the people who I actually call my loyal true friends are very few. Growing up I always had one very best friend who to this day is still my best friend and she probably will be until the end. I have never really understood having a ton of friends, that just isn't me. I know that there are other people in the world who have lots and lots of friends and that is the way they like it. What I have a hard time understanding sometimes is how people can be really close friends and then someone else walks in and they are no longer friends. I watched this happen to one of my very good friends and she struggled with it for quite sometime. She has since moved on with things and grown to look past it, but still doesn't understand it. I know firsthand that in friendships there can be falling outs and that not all of my friends are going to like each other, but those are the people that I like and who I choose to be my friend.  As adults we have the right to choose who we want to associate ourselves with and whom we don't.  I have come to realise that good true friends are kind of hard to come by and when you have that one friend who you can confide in and you can trust them with your life you need to hold onto them. So I ask that after reading this blog you also take a step back and look at those friendships that have come and gone and always treasure the ones you have and hold dear because you never know when it will be gone for whatever reason.

Hugs

~K~

Tonight after watching the news and hearing Martin Kilcoyne talk about the blues being one goal away from tacos I figured I would check it out to see if the 35cent tacos were back at taco bell. Well after looking at the blues site I figured out that it isn't Taco Bell tacos and that what they are doing isn't worth a hoot unless you live downtown or work downtown. Don't get me wrong I know they are trying to do something for the fans to bring the old taco chanting back, but nothing will ever be the same as pulling up to the drive thru the day after the blues scored 5 goals and getting 10 tacos for a little under $4. Not the healthiest lunch, but a cheap one! The break down of the new one is that if you went to the game the night before and the blues scored 5 goals then you can take your ticket stub and go to Scottrade center and get 1 free taco and then only pay 99cents for each one after. Now unless you work or live down there who is honestly going to burn the gas to get down there for 1 free taco?

Here is a fantastic website for you to go to if you are looking for something to do with your friends, family, or even by yourself. The website is:

artszipper.com

This site has events and classes listed on it with everything from theater, visual arts, to music. This site is produced by the Regional Arts Commission, which is the largest funder of the arts in the St. Louis area. It is sponsored by your very own Fox2! There are even reviews on some of the shows on the site. If you like arts and entertainment this site is for you. I love it and have found a lot of events I want to go to on it.

This email was sent to me and I thought I would share it. 

If you live in St. Louis , you'll understand this.
If you've ever visited St. Louis you'll understand this.

If you've never been to St. Louis , consider this your Warning To Driving in St. Louis .

1.. There are 75 "official neighborhoods" in the City of St. Louis . St. Louisans commonly give directions (especially for restaurants) to strangers based on these neighborhoods which aren't marked on any maps that are handed out by the tourist board, the AAA or Mapquest.
2.. There are 54 school districts -- on the Missouri side alone -- each of which has their own school bus system and scheduled times to block traffic.
3.. There are 91 official municipalities in St. Louis County . Each Municipality has its own rules, regulations, and often their own police departments.
4.. More importantly, most have their own snow removal contracts so it's not uncommon to drive down a road in winter and have one block plowed, the next salted, the next piled with snow and the last partially cleared by residents wanting to get out of their driveways.
5.. Snow plowing is never a problem in the City of St. Louis . They plow nothing, and if the forecast calls for snow, they close everything. Except on "The Hill" (refer to #1 above) where each homeowner goes out to the street and shovels out one car-sized rectangle and then stands watch over it.
6.. Any car parked longer than 4 hours in the city is considered a parts store.
7.. The City of Ballwin actually proposed that drivers use connecting strip mall parking lots to get from place to place rather than drive on Manchester Road to cut the traffic on Manchester.
8.. Laclede Station Road mysteriously changes names as you cross intersections. As do McCausland, Lindbergh, Watson, Reavis Barracks, Fee Fee, McKnight, Airport Road, Midland, Olive and Clarkson. Gravois Road can only be pronounced by a native. Ditto for Spoede and Chouteau.
9.. A St. Louisan from South County has never been to North County and visa versa. West County has everything delivered.
10.. No native St. Louisan knows that Lindbergh runs from South County to North County ! And, if you tell them, they will not believe you.
11.. Lindbergh belongs to every neighborhood except Kirkwood , who had the nerve to creatively change the name to " Kirkwood Road ".
12.. There are 2 interchanges to exit from Highway 40 onto Clayton Road and 2 for Big Bend . Stay alert, people!
13.. If you need directions to O'Fallon, make sure to specify Illinois or Missouri . This is also true for Troy , Maryville , St. Charles , Springfield , Columbia ....
14.. The Page Avenue extension and Airport expansion projects took over 20 years to get approved and St. Louisans lost track of how many political figures claimed them as their own ideas.
15.. St. Louisans were aghast when the federal government required them to redo the highway signs to indicate that the federal highways went to cities in other states instead of local municipalities.
16.. Drivers are starting to cut their OWN plates rather than go through the Missouri Department of Motor Vehicles to get new tags. You can also purchase tags from dealers behind QuiK Shops in the city. They are cheaper, the clerks are nicer, and the service is faster.
17.. Lambert Field and St. Louis International Airport really are the same place. The East Terminal, however, is a different place.
18.. Highway 270 is our daily version of the NASCAR circuit. (Same goes for Highway 70.) You can go all four directions on Highway 270: North and South in West County , East and West in South County , and East and West in North County . Confused? So are the St. Louis drivers.
19.. The outer belt is Highway 270 which turns into Highway 255 in South County . The inner belt is Highway 170. Highway 370 is an outer-outer belt. Highway 40 is the same as Interstate 64 (but only through the middle part of St. Louis ).
20.. The morning rush hour is from 6:00 to 10:00 AM. The evening rush hour is from 3:00 to 7:00 PM. Friday's rush hour starts Thursday morning. Never ever try to cross a bridge in St. Louis during rush hour unless you have a sack lunch and a port-a-potty in the car.
21.. YIELD signs are for decoration only. No native St. Louisan will ever grasp the concept.
22.. If someone actually has their turn signal on, it is probably a factory defect, or has been on for the last 17 miles.
23.. Construction on Highways 40, 64, 70, 255, 270, 44, 55 and 170 is a way of life, and a permanent form of entertainment.
24.. All old ladies with blue hair in Cadillac's (driving on Olive west of 270) have the right of way.
25.. If it snows or rains? Stay home!!
26.. Many people in St.Louis don't know that you don't need a passport to get to Illinois or St. Charles .

I found this video on you tube and I am sure that all of the parents out there can relate to this song. It is so true and so funny.

The NFL season is in full swing now and I have once again become 2nd to the t.v. on Sundays. I like to watch football and even have a fantasy team, but why is it that when the NFL is on men get in their own little zone, and tend to tune everything else out. Between the meaningless clicks of the remote to the constant running over to the computer I feel like I am watching a 3 ring circus. Watching him get a workout with all of the running back and fourth is more entertaining than watching the game itself. So for all of you football widows out there this blogs for you! Heres your chance to moan groan gripe whatever you want about your hubby and his wonderful football watching antics!

and for all of the men this isn't meant to put you down. I just find it rather entertaining and heck some of you may have wives that are way into football so feel free to post away if you do.

Come and help us celebrate Jana's Birthday!

We are having a birthday get together for Jana's Birthday and would like it if you all came out and helped us celebrate. The festivities will begin at 8p.m on Friday, September 14th at The High Ridge Eagles Club. Mr Wildflower will be our entertainment for the evening with his karaoke services, there is a bar available if you want to drink, but they only except cash so leave your credit cards at home.

The address is:

2911 High Ridge Blvd.

High Ridge, Mo 63049

and in case you get lost the phone number is:

636-677-6044

Jana really does a lot for the blogging community so lets all go out and help her celebrate and show her how much we appreciate her.

Please post a comment in this blog to let us know that you will be there no later than Sunday, September 9th. This way we know how many tables we will need. If you have any questions feel free to post them in this blog and we will answer them the best we can.

Thanks,

Katie, Michelle and Dan

The past six years of my life have gone by in the blink of an eye. I have 3 kids who require a lot of attention, but are also involved in extracurricular activities which requires me driving them there and picking them up and a majority of the time staying there with them. I love the fact that they want to do these things and they like to do them, but at the same time I feel like they may be damaging to our at home life. It seems here lately that when we don't have anything to do they want to leave and go someplace. It doesn't really matter where, they just want to be on the go. I began thinking to myself about when I was little and we would have movie night or game night and just stay home and hang out as a family. I have now dedicated one night a week to staying home and playing games or watching movies as a family. Even if it is only one night a week it will be time spent together as a family. I know that I am the one in control of the situation and I am the one who has signed them up for these activities, but they do things that they love to do and want to do. So I wonder does anyone else feel that there are so many activities offered for kids that it is taking the focus off of having an at home life??