Kara needs to write a new post

I think this every time I go to my blog. Soon...

Kara needs...

Ok, this is hilarious, so I had to share. What you do is go into Google and type your name and the word needs in quotes, like this: "Kara needs" and write down the first ten sentences that you see that make sense and comment on them. Here it goes:

1) Kara needs to have a civilian ID. (I do need to renew my driver's license)

2) Kara needs to hook up with a regular guy to help ground her character. (Do I?)

3) Kara needs to be more humble. (Always)

4) Kara needs a vacation. (Wow! Right on target.)

5) Kara needs a lighter by Shane. (If you say so, but I don't really ever use a lighter.)

6) Kara needs to go. (on vacation)

7) Kara needs healing vibes. (I couldn't make this stuff up)

8) Kara needs to go on American Idol? (Sweet.)

9) Kara needs to quit hitting. (Just stop the fighting)

10) Kara needs some gatorade and a good night's sleep. (Amen!)

The Montgomery Challenge

I love taking the kids to do fun things around town. Every time I think of or see a new place that might be kid-friendly and fun, I try to take the kids there. Last spring and summer we pretty much spent most days at the pool. While that is very fun, I'd like to branch out a bit more and add some variety. Now that the weather is getting warmer I'm trying to get out more. I'm constantly on the internet looking to see if there's something going on around town that I can take the kids to; something to do so that we're not just sitting at home on my days off. I never can find anything online.

Growing up here, my mom took us to a lot of neat places around the city and now there are even more great places to go. You just have to look for them. Just go downtown and you have history and character tucked into every little corner. You just have to know where to go.

I hear a lot of people say Montgomery is boring and there's nothing to do here. I've said it myself MANY times. But I'm determined to find fun in this city. So, I am challenging myself.

What I've decided to do is to hit all the fun kid spots around town that are cheap (preferrably free) and I will post about each spot so you too can discover what Montgomery has to offer in the way of kid venues. Let me know if you would like to join us in our journey to find the fun in Montgomery. Also, if you have any suggestions, feel free to share. Operation 001 will start this Friday. Call me and I'll tell you when and where. Be there!

Etsy, here I come.....

Not really. I'm not really up for that yet. But I have been working on some things lately. For a year now, I've been tossing ideas around in my head about things that I'd like to make and sell. I would like to use my almost art degree for something. I say almost because I haven't fully completed the degree (two classes left). And I love making stuff for Jack and Riley, like wall art and shirts and bows. Stuff like that. And of course the next thought that comes to mind after I make something for one of them is, "hey, I could sell that."

Enter my niece, Adriana's, 2nd birthday. My mom wanted to make her a step stool because back when Jack was about that age her and my dad made him a really cool surfboard step stool with waves and all. She wanted to make Adriana a flower one. So, she came up with the idea, my dad built it, and I painted it. Now I totally think we should make more and sell them. What do you think we could get? I say at least $40. Here's a not so great picture of how it turned out. Notice the base is leaves. I thought that was cool.



I'm designing a bed for Jack right now, and whenever it gets built, I will share pictures because it's gonna be, as Jack says, "totally awesome," with secret compartments and all.

Dear Ryan,

Here is a picture of Lauren with her new military haircut as requested. Sorry it's not that great because that overhead lighting was a killer, and this was the best one out of the few that we took.

Our sister, Lauren, got accepted into the military as an officer a little while back and has now been in Officer Training School for about six weeks. They kept complaining about her hair saying it was almost too long so she went ahead and just got it cut really short so they wouldn't keep hastling her about it. She has about six weeks left until she graduates and then goes down for more training in Panama City. Not a bad assignment, if I say so myself. Here's another picture that I think is pretty cool. (My mom's not too fond of it. "I don't want to see my girl holding a gun!") Her first tough military picture:

Dear Ryan,

Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden (weirdest video, check it out on youtube)
Crazy by Aerosmith
Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm by Crash Test Dummies
I'd Do Anything for Love by Meatloaf (longest video ever)

These are just a few songs off the top of my head that we used to listen to as kids. Remember the song "Molly" by Sponge? We would sing this at the top of our lungs and get right in Lauren's face, singing "don't ask why!" My brother and I tended to always pester Lauren.

Like the time she broke a window and our parents weren't home yet. We turned the stereo on full blast playing the song "Deep Deep Trouble" by the Simpsons. It was quite funny at the time.

We also used to bring the radio outside and dance to music in our backyard. We got especially excited for some reason when "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler came on. When she said "turn around" my sister and I would of course turn around in circles. We thought we were real cool doing that. Disclaimer: we were very young at the time. Ahh, nostalgia....

Dear Ryan,

This is for you.

My brother, Ryan, apparently feels that I do not post on my blog often enough. (My mom feels the same way: "Nobody's gonna read your blog anymore if you don't put something new up there.") But this is for Ryan. Please join me regularly for my Dear Ryan segment. They will be sweet and short.

Today I introduce you to something Ryan introduced me to: Sporcle.com. For those of you who haven't been here, you can waste so much time on this site, but it's so much fun. It's all about lists and your memory, technically "mentally stimulating diversions." Like seeing if you can name all 50 states or if you can name 30 corporations by looking at their logos. There's also the misheard lyrics game, that's a favorite. It's a great thing to do online if you have nothing else to do, or are avoiding doing something else.