Funny Signs

In true Sars style, I saw a couple of photo opps I couldn't pass up. Inappropriate? Maybe. Funny? I think so.

You may have to squint to get the full effect of this one.


Stuck in rubbernecker traffic on LBJ this morning. If the paint comes off your Ford, paint it back!

New Food Tryout

I'm tired of having to figure out what to cook for dinner each night. Todd is tired of figuring out what I should cook for dinner each night. We both come home from work so tired & I usually don't think anything in particular sounds good. I'm trying to hold off going to the store until this weekend, so I'm trying to be creative and use food we actually have on hand. This is a novel concept since our two refrigerators & pantry are usually stuffed full.

So, tonight's dinner was Sausage, Onion & Pepper Stuffed Crescent Rolls. It was random, but so easy and good! Todd took the first bite & said, "Mmm, that's pretty good!" which means "I'd eat this again." The food looked prettier when I first pulled them out of the oven, but this was all that was left since we ate most of them. :)

Sausage, Onion & Pepper Stuffed Crescent Rolls

1 package smoked sausage

1/2 onion, chopped & grilled or sauteed

1 green and/or red bell pepper, chopped & grilled or sauteeda

2 "tubes" of crescent rolls (I used 1 flaky butter style & 1 regular - regular worked better)

spray butter (optional)

parmesan cheese (optional)

Cut smoked sausage lengthwise & then cut into smaller pieces - about 4 per link. Lightly brown the sausage in a skillet. I guess you could add it to the onions & peppers (mine were leftover from last night's dinner). Lay out each individual crescent roll flat on a cookie sheet. Pour a 1/2 tsp or so of the pepper & onion mix, add sausage, fold dough around. Bake according to directions on roll package. Towards the end of them baking, I did a quick spray of butter & sprinkled some parmesan on top. Serve w/ spicy, yellow, or honey mustard - or all 3, whatever you like!

No Dwarves Were Injured in this Entry

Hi Ho, Hi Ho
It's to the R.E. I go.
I've now lost three,
Is there help for me?
Hi ho, hi ho hi ho . . .

(Kristin whistles & sings while tromping through the forest wielding a fertility ax over her head.)

Wednesday is RE - Reproductive Endicrinologist - day for me! As my OB/Gyn told me during my post-op appointment on Thursday, "We don't need to wait around on this. You're running out of time." (aka - Damn, Kristin, you're getting old. Or as I'd say, my eggs are drying up and crackling out of my body as I sit here.) I'm not sure exactly what to expect, but I'm sure we'll talk about my dismal fertility history, bum uterus, whack DNA, and I'll get the crap vampired out of me again. Fun times!

My mom said she knows of a female RE in Plano, but I told her I want a male. I'm of the opinion that a egotistic, hard-driven male with the need to "win" will get me what I want. Sound sexist? Sure it does, but I don't really care. At least said sexism is coming from a woman.

Hell, I'll be satisfied as long as we get a plan on not just getting pregnant (remember, we can do that!) but STAYING pregnant. All we want is a baby . . .

"Chickin"

Doesn't take much to get our big dogs excited! :)

(Disclaimer: Mackey got his chicken after the shooting of this video. He was neither forgotten nor neglected.)

A Common Thread

I'm having a bit of a difficult week. Thursday the 24th will mark the one year anniversary of our first miscarriage. That is when our whole nightmare of trying to have a baby began. I am sad and frustrated and feel alone. I'm grasping to whatever I can right now (faith, family, friends) to maintain hope in the fact that we WILL have our own baby.

As I was feeling down today, I saw the following posted on a pregnancy loss forum of which I am a part. I emailed it to many friends that I know who have gone through some of the same struggles. Through that I even learned of another friend who is currently experiencing another loss. We all know there are far more of us than we have been told. I plan to go buy my thread and will proudly wear it. Here is the post:

Referenced in this blog posting: http://stirrup-queens.blogspot.com/2006/09/history-of-infertilitys-common-thread.html

For anyone who has ever had a miscarriage, struggled with pregnancy, and all things infertile…there is a movement upon us that you might want to join. It’s rather simple actually: a discreet ribbon on your right wrist to signal to others that they are not alone in their struggles.
As someone who has had 5 m/c but am currently 5 months pregnant (YEAH), I wonder who looks at my big belly with sadness because they are in the month-to-month struggle. I mentioned to a friend that I wished there was some secret nod or international sign as if to say, this belly was hardwon. Well, she posted this quandry on her blog, and the response has been quite overwhelming…and a movement has been born!

The pomegranate-colored thread holds a two-fold purpose: to identify and create community between those experiencing infertility as well as create a starting point for a conversation. Women pregnant through any means, natural or A.R.T., families created through adoption or surrogacy, or couples trying to conceive during infertility or second infertility can wear the thread, identifying themselves to others in this silent community. At the same time, the string serves as a gateway to conversations about infertility when people inquire about its purpose. These conversations are imperative if we are ever to remove the social stigma attached to infertility. Tie on the thread because you’re not alone. Wear to make aware. Join us in starting this conversation about infertility by purchasing this pomegranate-colored thread (#814 by DMC) at any craft, knitting, or variety store such as Wal-Mart or Target. Tie it on your right wrist. Notice it on others. Just thought I would pass the word along!

A Public Greeting Card

Today is my sister Cindy's birthday!!!!! And, yes, she's older than me. :)

My sister is my most amazing best friend. We met when she was 8 and I was 5. Our parents married the next year. Some people would say that Cindy is my step-sister, but I wholeheartedly disagree. She is my sister for many reasons.

There are two major reasons why you'd know Cindy & I are sisters. First of all, my Dad adopted her (and my other sister) when we were young. We were raised together with the same last name. Secondly, the three of us exchanged blood when we were young. Aren't sisters related by blood??!!

The main reason I can tell you that Cindy is my sister is because she has always stood by my side - more than anyone. I would do anything for her, and I know she would do the same for me. She knows me like no one else. She teaches me, defends me, motivates me, inspires me & loves me unconditionally.

We've been through a lot of things together. There are the childhood memories of riding bikes, banana splits, playing games, stealing junk food before dinner, listening to everything from the Bay City Rollers to Ozzy, learning to drive, and family road trips. Some of our experiences have been devastating - the divorce of our Dad & her mom, loss of family members, breakups, her cancer, miscarriages, divorce, loss, and more. We've also experienced some beautiful and fun things together -the birth of her two amazing daughters, our weddings, hanging out at Dad's, watching TV together while on the phone, openly discussing female things & other bodily functions, and endless time on the telephone.

We complete each others thoughts, argue and forgive, and love one another immensely. And today I wish her a very happy birthday. There's no way I would have survived the past year without you. I love you, CJ.

Pippin, My Flycatcher Pup

When the weather is nice, I like to open the door to the backyard and let in some fresh air. I'll play with the dogs for a while before coming inside. The past few times I've left the door open, I've let in a fly.

Poor Pippin. Flies make her crazy. You can hear her running & snapping all over the house trying to catch today's fly. It's really cute to hear and watch, but I hope she doesn't feel insane. Guess we need to buy a screened door for the back. I'd hate for our pets to become as neurotic as we are.