Ketchup Packets

I just noticed that squirrels got into the sack of trash that was sitting on my front porch and left packets of ketchup everywhere.

If you come over for a visit, try not to step on one. It could get a little messy.

crickets chirping...

lots of crickets...

Aren't you jealous of my Saturday night?

Little Known Facts

Because it is Wednesday...

And because I am car-lagged and full of Velveeta...

And because my email inbox is so overwhelming I may leave work and go back to bed...

I am making a list of little known facts about me. Stand back, peeps, and try not to be overwhelmed.

1. I hate hominy. I am not sure I even know what it is but it is detestable.

2. Bleachers scare me, especially the ones that fold up against the gymnasium wall. Just thinking about walking down them makes me want curl up into the fetal position. I am hoping this is a real phobia otherwise it makes me sound like a freak.

3. Aqua Di Gio is my favorite cologne. Everytime I smell it in the mall, I immediately turn and walk towards it. Sometimes I just stand there, sniffing. Is that weird?

4. I have always wanted four children. This started when I was six and my darling cousin Lori told me she wanted four kids (which she has today). And everything Lori said was like pure gold to me. So four has always been my goal.

5. The older I get, the more introverted I am becoming. This will come as a shock to anyone who knew me during my musical theater days in high school or saw me perform in family talent shows circa 2001.

6. The 4th of July is my favorite holiday. I am pretty sure it has something to do with homemade ice cream.

7. I am not a huge fan of going to concerts. Although the two *NSYNC concerts I attended in my late teens were spectacular.

8. I bite my nails. And I am 31. This is not good.

9. I don't like horror movies. And I don't like movies that make me sad. My favorite are action/adventure movies. That is probably why The Goonies is my favorite movie.

10. The Goonies is my favorite movie, followed closely by Braveheart, Pride and Prejudice and Strictly Ballroom.

11. I am not a huge fan of salsa...as in the condiment. Salsa dancing on the other hand, is what I live for.

12. I have been to 22 countries but have yet to visit New York City, Seattle or Chicago. This must be remedied. Immediately.

Okay, there you have it. That's as cerebral as it gets today. Happy Wednesday to you!

Velveeta is Not Organic

Oh people.

I have tried to eat well down here. "Tried" is the operative word. But it is nearly impossible. At least that is what I am telling myself.

I came down here with a tub of organic spinach, roasted red pepper hummus, celery sticks, Greek yogurt and walnuts. Apparently I thought that is what I needed to sustain me for these five days. Apparently I thought that would be enough to fight off the dessert demons that scream for me to give in. Apparently I thought the power of rabbit food would reign victorious over everything fried and delicious and comforting and homemade.

Apparently I had lost my mind.

First off, the power of Velveeta is like a magnetic force that sucks all forms of self-control and will power out of your body and slaps you around until you give in and succumb to the almighty queso dip. And once you taste it, there is no turning back. The addictive chemicals found in this processed cheese substance make you do all kinds of things, like pour it on top of chips, enchiladas, beans, rice and even your salad. I even considered naming my first daughter "Velveeta Marie."

Secondly, there is no such thing as "organic" in northwest Oklahoma, unless you count beef. There's lots of organic beef roaming around. The only problem is that they still have hooves and are mooing.

Third, Snickers just taste better down here. And I may or may not have driven to the Quick Stop to buy one. Or seven.

Fourth, the Shattuck Pizza Hut (the town 7 miles from Gage) has the best pizza of any Pizza Hut IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. Trust me, I know this. And when you request things like "I would like an organic crust made with sprouted grains, extra crispy, with pancetta, goat cheese and basil, with fresh oregano and a sprinkling or parmigiano-reggiano on top" they look at you like you just grew a second head and say "Excuse me, honey, did you just say you wanted the double bacon cheeseburger pizza?"

Actually yes, yes I did.

Finally, my Aunt Marge and Uncle Larry are the best cooks in the world, hands down. Last night I was met at their door with roasted chicken, root vegetables, fresh bread and homemade apple pie. And to top off the evening, Marge made kettle corn.

Stick a fork in me, I'm done.

So if I don't come back to Colorado, you'll know why. I'll be rolling around down here in a euphoric, albeit chemically processed, state wondering how my organic phase lasted as long as it did.

Margie Sue's Top Ten Dating Tips

She's back! It everyone's favorite Aunt Margie Sue!

This morning while we were sitting around chatting, I asked my aunt Marge what her top ten dating tips would be for a girl such as myself (READ: SINGLE). And since she and her handsome husband have been married for over 50 years, I figured she knew a thing or two about how to pick 'em...and keep 'em.

Are you ready for this?

Here you go, in no particular order:

10. Make a list of all the qualities that you want in a guy and rank the qualities. Put it in a place that you see often.

9. Don't set your goals too high that they can't be reached. "Men are human and they will never be perfect."

8. When you are in a relationship, you need to give 100%. If you give your all, he will give his all. You can't do it halfway.

7. You can never change a guy. You can only change yourself. "If you change yourself, you will realize he looks different to you...he looks more perfect."

6. Be a girl. Let him do things for you. Let him buy you dinner, let him take charge of the date.

5. When it is the right guy, you will know very soon into the relationship. "I knew I would marry Larry before he ever asked me out on our first date."

4. Be on time, don't make them wait for you to get ready.

3. Cooking is the way to a man's heart.

2. Save the "ooh la la" for marriage. "Keep the honey in the pot, if you know what I mean."

1.  Guys like to feel like they are doing a great job. "The more praise you give them the more they will like you. It's just how it is."

Right after she finished this list Larry walked through the door and Marge said: "Oh Larry. You did such a good job getting the chicken ready for dinner tonight. Thank you so much, honey." Larry beamed.

And then she winked at me.

Margie Sue has still got it.

(Un)Familiar Territory

Howdy, peeps.

I am writing from northwest Oklahoma where the wind is sweeping and the wheat is waving and vanilla Dr. Peppers are flowing with wild abandon. If you haven't tried a vanilla Dr. Pepper from a fountain, not a can, then you have not truly lived.

My mom and I hit the road at o'dark hundred yesterday morning and headed east until we couldn't handle I-70 a mile longer. Then, we turned south where we drove through exciting towns such as Wakeeney, Ness City and the infamous Dodge City.

SIDE NOTE: Dodge City is not all it's cracked up to be. They don't even have a Starbucks. Stinking Kansas. No literally, it stinks.

But then, oh then, we crossed that glorious boundary into God's Country and my mom and I let off a rendition of "Oklahoma" that would have knocked your socks right off. My mom hit harmonious notes that were nearly unidentifiable and when you combine that with my need for a bathroom and lack of sleep, it was a spectacular car wreck waiting to happen. Thankfully, there were no cars on the road (SHOCKING!) and since the shoulders consist of plowed prairie and an occasional tumbleweed, we moved along just fine.

And before we knew it, we rolled into Gage and breathed a sigh of relief.

There is something so safe when I come here. I can sleep in my familiar bedroom and listen to people downstairs talking about the plans of the day or when the guys are going golfing and the girls are going swimming. I have brought friends with me who know the secret closet in the north bedroom and have seen my childhood home just down the street. I even run into people who say "Are you still dating 'what's-his-name'? You two were so cute together." And I look at them and say "Thank you for asking but we broke up 10 YEARS AGO."

I love when that happens.

So for the next few days I will be here, in this familiar territory. I will spend time with cousins, aunts, uncles and friends. I will eat at Ed's and Pizza Hut and a few quick trips to the Quick Stop. And if I'm lucky, I'll sneak in a trip to Super Walmart. There is nothing better than an Oklahoma Super Walmart.

And at the same time, I will try to navigate the unfamiliar of what it looks like to come without him here. My Grandpa had a way of making a place magical.

Faces and Places of IDEAS

I get asked often: "Sarah, what is it you do exactly?" And I love telling people because it involves using cool words like "Djibouti" and "holistic" and "I have no idea what I am doing but thankfully I am still employed."

(Click here to read my blog post about it)

However, as a way to help our constituents, friends and colleagues better understand where we work and what we do, we put together this picture video. It's a glimpse into the lives of people we hope to impact and the transformation we see occurring around the world.

Enjoy!

Visit our website if you want to know more about IDEAS. It's a pretty stellar organization. And they aren't just paying me to say that.

Eight

On Thursday, my Women's Group celebrated our eighth anniversary.

CAN YOU EVEN BELIEVE IT? (You probably can believe it, but just go with it.)

I can't. Not at all.

I feel like it was just yesterday when we had our first Christmas PJ exchange.

Or when some of us we went on a cruise to the Bahamas.

Or when we made t-shirts to commemorate years 3 and 7.

Or when we took classes in candle-making, cake-decorating and self-defense.

Or when Heather had her first kiddo.

Or when Abby had her first kiddo.

Or when Rachel had her first kiddo.

Even in this past year we have added a baby girl, celebrated a marriage, started a business, traveled to far away lands, traveled to not-so-far away lands, began a new job, lost family members, gained family members and had our first-ever WG photo shoot.

It is just hard to believe.

So in honor of this milestone, we went out to eat.

Naturally.

And we took pictures.

And we talked.

It's what we do. And after eight years, we are almost proficient at all of them.