Happy Birthday, PattyCakes!

 We celebrated PattyCakes today, even though his actual birthday is tomorrow.

Birthday breakfast of cinnamon swirl French toast, board games, and presents of succulents, followed by a birthday parade, a beautiful cruise to El Paso and back that included a stop at a tasty taco truck, and then pizza, the original Rush Hour, and graham cracker cake.

A truly glorious day.

#CelebratingPattyCakes

#RidingWithHercules

#ManCrewHouse

#PizzaAndMovieNight

#BoardGameNerds

Patrick was pretty pleased with his Succulent Of The Month subscription

Cinnamon Swirl bread for French Toast, Mmm!

As always, Dan found a new friend.

Before the "French"-ing 

Makenzie is stunning in front of any background. 

PattyCakes prepares for the dismount. 

Bunch of show offs! Oof, these guys. #GentlemanSavages 

Well, we can't fault their form, that's for sure! Well done, BIGS

It was perfect for riding! Warm and sunny, with good company and great backroads cruising. 

The sunset was so lovely on the way home

Taco Taco Taco!

Cynterra did a great job of planning and preparing for Pat's special day

We Found the Taco Truck again, woot

Time for Graham Cracker Cake!

Worth waiting for, to be sure!

Happy 22nd birthday, Patrick!

There are no words for how wonderful this day was! Everyone was happy and cheerful all day long, the weather was perfect, and we all just had a ball together.

Friends, Family, Food.

Cake, Cars, and Crazy good times.

Birthdays, Boys, Board Games, and great big Blessings!

#YesAndAmen PS. And one of Dan and I, because #WeCute

Selfies with Thea's help

 

When the 1 year old helps take the picture. LOL!
Best worst photo ever  

#TheaB
#ToddlerThea
#TheaTheRipper
#GrandMamaK
#CoronaVirusPandemicQuarantine2020

12 Years Ago...

12 Years ago...
     I arrived in NM after a 3 day drive with my mom, David (9), Derek (2), 2 hysterical dogs and a few tote boxes of belongings to a place I'd never been before to start a new chapter of our life away from everything and everyone we'd ever known.
      And while I miss my Illinois family like crazy even all these years later, I've never been sorry I said yes to the adventure of a lifetime, not one single time.
      Daniel Meyer, I'll follow wherever you're going for always, because I love you to the moon and back.




#TeamMeYeR
#NotOneBitSorry
#AdventuresWithHercules
#TheManCrew
#NewMexicoForLife


PS. I should add that Dan and Patrick (7.5) had left town before the rest of us and had arrived in Mid-July. By the time we arrived, Dan was gainfully employed by the company that would employ him for the next 7 years, and Patrick had Auntie Karen wrapped around his little finger. 

#100HappyDays2018: Day 99

#100HappyDays: Day 99
Funny pictures of my extended family that make me laugh. This is an oldie but a goody.
#100DaysOfSummer
#OldPhotos
#MyMomNeverMakesFunnyFaces
#JayLooksLikeASerialKiller
#100HappyDay2018

So...A Funny Thing Happened Last Night

After I posted this photo...

First Family Photo after moving to NM in 2007. Derek 2, Dan, David almost 10, Patrick 8.5, Kristy

 ...on FB earlier this week to celebrate our 11 year anniversary of living in the great state of New Mexico, I had several requests for a humorous photo remake. And so, here in all of it's radiant and ridiculous glory is that much requested photo.

Derek 13, Dan, David nearly 21, Patrick 19.5, Kristy

You're welcome.

This super silly photo brings me so much happiness that there are no words.

None at all.

Just a bubble of laughter ever time I look at it, and a deep abiding joy that my family is just as it is. Silly, loud, occasionally obnoxious (okay, perhaps more often than occasionally) loyal, hard-working, and some of the very best people I know. *See Gentleman Savage* Every single of them would give you the shirt off of their back, tow and /or repair your car, feed your belly, snuggle your baby, laugh with you, tell you when you've messed up but that it's okay and they know how to help you fix it, cry with you and in general love you like you've never been loved before.

And THAT is a legacy I'm comfortable with being part of every single day.

It's the Little Things: Days 238 and 239

I want to focus on the good things this year.

All the things people get right.

All the times that everything works out just perfectly after we assumed disaster had already struck.

All the times that the right word was spoken at the right moment.

So, let's celebrate those little moments together, shall we?

•  It's a Saturday at home, with nowhere to go unless I decide I want to leave.
• It's the hubster calling to say he was on his way home (quite a rare occasion) and asking me to please order some dinner and not cook so I could hang out with him. *You best I did! 
• It's a quick visit from a friend that was unexpected but very welcome.
• It's so many texts flying back and forth between your bestie and you since she's home from work for a few weeks due to a medical issue. She's healing well and feeling better each day.
• It's getting a little closer to your son's room being reasonable again after realizing is was WAY out of control a week ago.
• It's pizza and movies with the regular attenders again and having leftovers.
• It's getting 2 movies watched and everyone still getting to bed before 10. SCORE! 
• It's a friend that is soon to move away bringing over doodahs to share from her nearly empty apartment in a pretty striped 31 Bags bag that I've been drooling over and then giving me the bag, too. Thanks!
• It's a hilarious photo remake that the family indulged me by making.
• It's winning a phone conversation with the Man-Child. :)
• It's getting nearly caught up on the dishes after cleaning out the fridge and making myself tons of new dishes to do. 
• It's Hercules hanging out in the kitchen with me and helping out by making his own Kombucha and chopping up an enormous watermelon. 
• It's a grocery shopping trip that reminds of exactly why I don't take Dan grocery shopping with me, but that was so pleasant that I'm tempted to throw the grocery budget caution to the wind every week. 
• It's a full fridge AND meal plans to make sure we use up that food.
  
  See how easy it is to come up with things once you start looking around?
  What's on YOUR little things list?
  
  

#100HappyDays2018: Day 65

 

#100HappyDays2018: Day 65

 A Happy Days photo mixed with a recent Throw Back Thursday post. Our current at-home family. Hercules, Mama K, PattyCakes and Slick at the races for Independence Day. Green flag racing, friends, glow sticks and fireworks. Not a bad way to spend an evening. It's one of our very favorite traditions. 

#100HappyDays2018: Day 14

#100HappyDays: Day 14
My front walk is passable again! It had become quite overgrown recently and thankfully I had 2 amazing helpers to get it tidied up.

#YardWork
#100DaysOfSummer
#100HappyDays2018 — at The Man Crew House.

2018 Word and Goals for the Year

  I know I'm a bit late to the party, as it's well into January already, but I wanted to share my word/motto for the year and some goals I will be working throughout the year. But first, a quick recap of 2017 goals/word.

  It took me a while to determine whether I was done using the word ENOUGH, as it's been my word for a few years now. I finally decided that with 2017 fully in the rear view mirror, I was ready for a new word and new goals. I retired my #PlateSpinner hashtag in June of 2017 by retiring from the B-Bunch House after 5 years and starting a new job at LFAL. I fully embraced my new hashtag of #NoLongerAPlateSpinner just a few weeks ago by bidding my snack bar lady work trade job at Gym Magic a fond farewell and reclaiming my Saturday mornings after 8 fun-filled years. So, I'm calling 2017 a win on goals, since my only true goal of last year was to retire the plate spinner tag.


     Moving on! Hello and welcome 2018. The word I've chosen for this year is "Progress". My motto is more of the same by choosing "Progress, not Perfection" to print in my planner and on my heart all year long. I've spent too many years either in one camp or the other...exacting perfection (or beating myself up for lack thereof) or a lackadaisical Meh, close-enough-is-good-enough attitude. Neither actually work for me, or lead to a healthy balance in my life, so I think Progress is a better fit. I can give myself grace on the days where it all goes to the dogs, and encourage myself to do better when I'm not giving things enough effort to make it come together.
     As for my specific goals, I've tried to just be reasonable with myself this year. We are in a season of change. Dan is currently unemployed. I don't make enough to support us. That is stressful and requires a good portion of our attention until that resolves one way or another. PattyCakes just turned 19 and will probably move out within this year, leaving us with just one child left at home, a situation we've NEVER encountered before as even when we were young parents with only one actual child, I was nannying for 2 littles and caring for my young nephew many MANY hours a week. I've never parented ONE child before, let alone a child who has FULLY embraced his 12 and a half-ness like this one does. It's not going to a dull or boring year, that's for sure. And that's ok, I just need remember that as I attempt to be real about how many/how specific of goals I can work on while I live this life I love so much.

     So, for the nitty gritty:

Spiritual:

• Make a new habit of praying WITH Dan as often as he is willing. 
• Read the Bible every day.
• Make a prayer list and pray more often and more specifically.

 Health:

• Instead of specific numbers/servings/grams, etc. I am adopting a eat-to-live attitude instead of my usual live-to-eat policy. I'm trying to pack simple healthy lunches each day, get more veggies in than in the past, and make sure I get my water every day. By end of year, I want to be able to hike Dripping Springs, A Mountain and Aguirre Springs. That's it.

Books: 

• Read 52 books (or approximately one per week) hopefully along these lines
  
  • 6 marriage 
  • 2 financial
  • 10 novels
  • 1 magazine subscription
  • 2 gov't
  • 3 history
  • 10 read-alouds with DT
  • 2 book club choices
  • 1 spanish
  • 10 Christian Living
  • 10 books that I had on my list from last year

Family:

• Start eating together at the table at least twice a week
• Get away together for at least one long weekend and 4-one day trips
• DE-CLUTTER the whole house. I mean it. For reals.

Cultural/Social:

• Attend one cultural/social activity per month that's inexpensive or free~ Game Night does not count, no matter how much we love it
• Attend 1-2 BIG events this year (Newsies, Lion King, TobyMac, etc)
• Participate in #NoPantsApril2018 and #100HappyDays 

Personal: 

• Wear Make Up 1-2 times per week
• Slowly upgrade my wardrobe with an emphasis on high quality classics with a few trendy pieces thrown in for fun (Limit t-shirts with writing on them)
• Plan meals and cook 4 times per week, plus pack healthy lunches for DT and I at work

Financial:

• Get back on track once Dan gets a new job and stay current on the bills
• Save 50% of my monthly earnings to start and grow our emergency savings
• Tithe more generously (not just to the church, but to our community)
• Pay off Dan's Honda
• Put up a clothesline, repair the breakfast nook roof/ceiling, install raised garden beds in the back yard, get a coop and 4-6 chickens, and plant dwarf fruit trees along the rear fence line. (probably only 1-2 two of these will happen this year and that's OK) 

I know that despite my trying to be "reasonable" with my goal setting, I've set some pretty challenging goals. And that's not a bad thing. I will try to update once a month to see how I'm progressing.

Feel free to share your goals so I can cheer you on this year as well! ~K~

Photo Remakes are Hilarious!

Tonight at my birthday party, we asked all the boys to indulge us by taking a remake photo. It is a combo of two "cousin" photos at the family Christmas party from way back in 2011. This is the hilarious result.
Oh my word...these boys! They fill my heart.

Pat 18, Titus 9, D***d 20, Tyler 24, Derek 12, James 15

These are the two originals. Just as good, only younger :)

Pat 12, Titus 3, D***d 14, Tyler 18, Derek 6, James 9

#100HappyDays: Day 35

Day 35 of #100HappyDays
Watching the sunrise and listening to The BIGS (plus two) laugh together this morning with Dan as we wrapped up our VERY quick camping trip.
Breathtaking!
#100DaysOfSummer
#TheManCrew — feeling happy in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

#100HappyDays: Day 34

Day 34 of #100HappyDays
This.
A quick camping trip with the family, and a few of the tribe. Fire, s'mores, tunes and stars. — feeling happy.

Oh my word, this was the craziest, most ridiculous, silliest, most adventuresome, shortest camping trip I've ever been on. PLANS were to take the Beast Truck and the Pathfinder and go for a quick overnight in the sticks, possibly even off-roading to a cave we've visited before. However, in true MeYeR fashion, things didn't go as planned including adding more people and vehicles than previously thought and a missing camp stove which turned into a later than planned departure that meant we couldn't get to the cave. As Hercules repaired Nathan's tire after a failed attempt to drive over a bush that was much sturdier than it looked, we realized that we had less than 15 minutes until  sundown and we were literally in the middle of nowhere. *ahem* So, we scouted in each direction for anything that looked remotely level and cleared of shrubbery and thorns. In the rapidly fading sunset, we decided that tents were out of the question and that we would just build a fire circle and sleep in our vehicles. Dinner was served from the top of the cooler while Mama K served as a human lamp stand while wearing a headlamp. After s'mores and much laughter, we all headed to bed. P and N used Nate's Blazer, while David, Johnny and Derek used the Pathfinder and Dan and I opted to sleep under the stars in the bed of the Beast Truck. Annnnnd....Cue the rain. LOL! We fussed with the canopy to keep ourselves dry and that worked for a while but then the wind picked up and nearly carried it away, so we laughed and gave up sleeping. Shortly thereafter, it quit raining and the sun came up. we gobbled a quick breakfast and packed up "camp" and headed back to civilization as Kristy had to be at work by 8.

All's well that ends well, right? We were all safe, no one got carried off by predators, no one wrecked a vehicle, and I was on time for work smelling like the great outdoors and camp smoke.

In other news, while this was a delightful experience and I shall long cherish the memory of it, next time 6 men ask me to go camping with them in the boonies, I shall politely decline and enjoy a few hours of reading and quiet music (and indoor plumbing) all alone. Amen.

#100HappyDays: Day 33

Day 33 of #100HappyDays
Fireworks at the dirt track is a family tradition since we moved to NM years ago. As I sat surrounded by so many of our tribe, all with smiling faces upturned for the excitement of the fireworks, I peeked around at all these amazing people whom I call mine, either by blood or by choice, and my heart overflowed and leaked out of my eyes. Along with our 5, we added Nathan and Johnny, plus our annual companions, Jodi and her boys.
That moment was only captured by my mind's eye, not the camera lens. Let's just suffice it to say there was much laughter, much jostling, much giggling, more food and drinks than you can shake a stick at and well...there may have been a few shenanigans. Oops.
In the absence of photos, I offer this gem. A lovely reminder that while man created fireworks, God created the originals that light up the sky.
#100DaysOfSummer
#TheManCrew
#Creator — feeling happy at Southern New Mexico Speedway.

#100HappyDays: Day 30

Day 30 of #100HappyDays
Tickets to the dirt track for fireworks night at the races! 💥 It's one of our fave family events every year. 💥 We've only missed one time since we moved here nearly a decade ago. Everyone loves it. Race cars, fireworks, carnival food, glow sticks out the wazoo and every single year, Derek has fallen asleep near the end by either curling up in Dan's lap or on a blanket on the bleachers. 

#100DaysOfSummer
#TheManCrew — feeling patriotic at Southern New Mexico Speedway.

If you like this challenge, head over to www.100happydays.com to sign up. You can choose a start date, your favorite photo posting platform and even a custom hashtag if you want to be more original. Do it, you might just decide you love it. 

#100HappyDays: Day 24

Day 24: Bowling with James and Titus.
   Each summer our local bowling alley has cheap bowling packages for the kids that are on summer break. Jodi and I decided to take the boys one day together and the hilarity ensued. Derek continues to be a better bowler than I am and while it stings my pride, I'm glad he's good at it. It's fun to see him having fun with his cousins, especially since he's practically an only child. My cousins have always been some of my favorite people even though they all lived far away.

Goodness, he's really looking like a MeYeR these days. And so tall!

 If you like this challenge, head over to www.100happydays.com to sign up. You can choose a start date, your favorite photo posting platform and even a custom hashtag if you want to be more original. Do it, you might just decide you love it.

Easter 2017

He is Risen. He is risen INDEED! Christ is ALIVE!
Dan, The BIGS and I all volunteered to serve at the Easter service (first one in our new building!!) Dan and Dastroyah worked security, Pat worked in SonTown, and I was a greeter (who turned out to be needed as an usher) while DT attended SonTown. Pastor D brought the truth, Larry and the worship band brought the praise and Jesus brought the reason for celebration. Twas a lovely service. You can watch it at www.getrealchurch.org if you want. It's pretty good.
After church was finished, we went home and I did dishes, prepped some food and got ready for company. People started showing up around 2 and we sat down to eat at just after 5. Everyone contributed to our dinner and we laughed and gamed and laughed and played with the little ones and laughed some more. Little Carissa-Pie declared that Nathan was her new best friend, much to the amusement of everyone there.
I managed to convince everyone that we needed a photo for my mom, so...Mom, you're welcome.

In this picture, there are:

• 5 Meyers
• 3 Starnes
• 3 Baldings
• 2 Sanchez
• 1 Bruno
• 1 Delanoy
• 1 Clark
• 1 Bean
• 1 Kimbrough
• 2 crazy dogs
• a partridge in a pear tree 
• and a whole lotta love

Best. Easter. Ever. 

Screen Free Week is Coming!!

Yes, friends, it is time to start preparing for the upcoming Screen Free Week 2017! It's as simple as it sounds. No screens, except for the necessary like homework, email, and GPS.
We are opting for "just" a week right now, as opposed to our month like in years past. But I think we will have several Screen Free Weeks this year.
Don't know where to start? Here's a short list to get you started:

• Take a hike/skate/bike ride
• Go to the library
• Enjoy cooking and eating a meal together, uninterrupted
• Take a nap
• Read aloud to your children 
• Soak in the tub while music plays quietly
• Have coffee/tea with friends (and actually be fully present with them)
• Bake a cake
• Do a science experiment with the kiddos
• Swing at the park
• Go to the zoo
• Go Bowling
• Make a puzzle
• Blow bubbles
• Rock a baby to sleep
• Board/card/dice games
• Paint/sculpt/sketch
• sew/knit/crochet/tat 

Come on guys, who is with me? Let's do this!