Sara and Ethan Sittin' in a tree...

So this is the conversation my 6 year old Sara had last night with my very best friends son Ethan.



E: Hi Sara, it's me - - Ethan.
S: Oh, hello Eefan (she still can't say Ethan)Whatcha doin'?
E: ooooohh nothing. (Very long pause)
S: HEEEELLLLLOOOO? Are you there?
E: Yeah, Im here.
S: So... what are you doing?
E: ooooooh nothin'. (Another long pause ensues)

S: So, didja want to tell me something?
E: Yeah...
S: Sooo.....
E: Remember when you were at my house the other day (Like 3 months ago) and you were sayin somethin to your mom about growin up and marryin' me?
S: (With huge smile) Yeeeeessssss...
E: Well, guess what?
S: What?
E See, I had this girlfriend - - her name was Payton. But she broke up with me.
S: Uh oh...
E: yeah, so I really like you.
S: I know... (So nonchalently)
E: So... will you be my girlfriend?
S: (with no hesitation or pause) Sure!
E: You will?
S: Okay Eefan. I'll talk to you later. Bye

My baby has a boyfriend. Awwwwww. Ali and I are trying to figure out when we can go pick out the china patterns now.

Best line of the night? It came from my 14 year old daughter. "GAWD, I am so jealous! I'm in 8th grade and I don't have a boyfriend yet but Sara is only 6 and SHE has one. It's SO UNFAIR!"
Aaaaaaand the drama continued!
Sara runs in screaming "MOM, Balemtimes (thats Valentines)Day is comin'! I HAVE to start on my card for EEfan NOW!!

How do I know the content of the entire telephone conversation? Speakerphone, of course !!

(The pic is of Sara and Ethan with their friend Colton in Tulsa)

Nervous Tick

I used to make fun of people who has little things that they did, be it from nerves, anxiety, whatever - as nervous ticks. Not really "make fun", just stare adn try to figure out WHY they do it. For example, my old boss would pop her knuckles over and over - incessantly until she drove me right out of the office. My brother will look up to the right - - all the time - why? I really don't know, he just always has. Is there something there? No. Something in his eyes? No! It's his TICK. My daughter Amber, cannot complete a sentence without using the word "like" 50 times. It's her tick.

I've never had a tick... until now.

I just realized it today. You want to know what I do? I freaking pick at the skin on my left hand thumb with my first finger! Eww. I know. I actually made myself bleed once. Why do I do this? It's like I can't think without doing this.

I need a program - - at least 12 steps.

So... what's your tick? C'mon, tell. I won't make fun. ;)

Anatomy of a great Friday night

Do you ever have one of nights - - you know, where everything falls into place and it just seems perfect? Tonight was one of those nights.

Monty asked me out on a date! I figured on the typical dinner at a casual eatery like Chili's and a movie. Oh no, he took me to Cattlemens. Those of you that live in the OKC area know of Cattlemens. Old steakhouse in Stockyard City, the best steaks, local legendary resturant from way back in the 40's. Very rarely do we go there, mainly because the wait is forever long. We get there and they tell us our wait would be 15 minutes.

"WHAT?" he says,
"Dude, don't tempt fate" - - and off we went to the bar to wait. Half a beer later we were seated and had a faboo dinner. I am such the carnivore - - I could never be vegan unfortunately.

So after dinner we walk out and it was raining! YES, after 575 years of drought and flippin' fires it finally rained. I love rainy nights.

We spent the rest of the night just hanging out with each other. Sometimes you can feel like you are married to a stranger. I mean, you get so busy with jobs, kids, household, etc. that you don't have time to just chill with each other - talk (about something other than the above listed laundry list of crapola) and be a couple. I love this guy - - he's so much fun to be around. I love that I married him...

More highlights:
-------------------------------------

* Went to Barnes and Noble and looked around. Flirted with each other between isles. Made out in the self-improvement section.

* Sat in the coffee shop right by the window as it rained and asked each other silly questions from one of those question books.

* Shared a decadent piece of cherry cheesecake - - sin on a platter.

* Laughed and talked while driving across town like 2 people that are not married with 4 kids, mortgage and bills, but a couple in love.

* Came home and wrapped up in the big, white down comforter to "warm up"

You know, the rest just in not any of your business now that I think about it...

I'm a GIRL again!

I went and had my hair done yesterday. Baaaack to the blonde. I swear, I am the palest Greek you'll ever meet. Wait, are there Albino Greeks? LOLOL. No, seriously, what is it about having your hair cut and colored that makes you feel so much prettier?? I'm a blonde (cue the jokes). I just can't pull off the red anymore - Much to my husbands chagrins. I was all excited about putting on my pink top and pink lipstick today. Blondes do pink better than any other. Geez, and I am only going to go to work for 3 hours today... LOL Monty took a picture of me with my pretty "color changing" (see last post) tulips and a close up. The man loves the closeups. They wont last much longer though. Momma's starting to see crows feet, etc... :(

Everyone in the family had their hair cut. Jin got about 3 inches cut off - - it was straggly. Monty about had to hold me down while she was cutting. I knew it needed to be done but it was like, the last of the cute little girl curls... gone. Wonder of wonders, she still has a little curl, but if shes anything like Sara it'll go straight in the next year. Maybe not... lets hope.

Oh, and apparently the problem with my husband's hair is not that he's just goofy, but that he uses the wrong product. He uses plain old gel, which sent our poor hairdresser reeling (so overdramatic). Of course, she had just the perfect product for him, for the bargain basement price of $$$$$$$. Puhleeze. He's a boy. He's certainly not metrosexual enough (although he does get mani's) to buy high priced, high falutin' "product" that takes a chisel to get out of his hair. She did give him a good cut though. SUCH the cutie.

Amber got Kelly Clarkson long layers. Teenagers...

Everyone else just got trimmed.

God, how sad IS my life right now? I'm going out this weekend. GOTTA have better stories than this.

Tuesday Thoughts

Okay, so Monty loved those tulips that he got me, and while he was on out [freakin'] daily trip to Wal-mart, he saw that they had hot pink tulips and bought them for me. I put them in the vase and when my 6 year old, Sara saw the pink ones she yelled "Hey look Daddy, they are changing colors! Do you think they will change blue next?"
Priceless...
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Also, I am looking for clean white 100% Cotton dresses for Sara and Jinny. Used or new, I dont care. I need a 6X and a 3X. Where should I go? I want to take pics of them this spring at Woodward park in Tulsa when the azaleas are going crazy. You know - - barefoot, hair down, plain white cotton dresses... ya feel me??
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I have a hair appointment this afternoon - praise the God's of hairdressing. I'm leaving the red behind and going back to the blonde. I have decided she just had much more fun.
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Back to you Bob...

MY FLOWERS

Since the beginning of this new year, my husband has been doing something so sweet. Every week he brings me fresh flowers. He said he resolved to bring me a small gift every week this year. he's doing SWELL...

This week they are purple tulips. Gorgeous! Had to share the pic.
This guy is a keeper, huh? How DID I end up with such a romantic dork? I love it.

Have a great Monday all!

Blonde Joke!

Being a true blonde, I totally related to this joke. Rather that take the time to cut and paste it, I will just send you the link to this guys blog. He is too funny anyway and you should totally check his blog...
but first, check out the BLONDE joke on his Friday blog entry!! You are going to DIE laughing!

ENJOY!!

http://fifththcircleofcubichell.blogspot.com/

PAAAAAAAARRRRRR---TAAAAAAYYYYYY!

Wanna know what I did this weekend???
Check out my husband's January 21st blog entry for all the lurid details.

http://montyketch.blogspot.com/

Have fun!

MASH!!!

I got this link off of Tequila Red's blog - - she's the coolest Chickadee.

You KNOW you LOVED playing mash with your girlfriends when you were a kid - don't lie!
Oh, and make sure you let me know what yours says.

Your husband's name is Keifer Sutherland and you have 2 children. You're a Movie Star who drives to work every day in a Arrest Me Red Convertable.
It's truly a wonderful life when you consider the countless romantic nights you have spent with Keifer Sutherland in your mansion in Laguna Beach, CA

http://dollarshort.org/mash/

Have Fun!!

Introducing the 2006 Oklahoma Pilot's Association President BILL PAPPADOPOULOS

MY DADDY!

I am so proud of my Dad. He was nominated and voted in as the President of the Oklahoma Pilot's Association last night. Dad has been a pilot for... well, I don't know - - forever as far as I am concerned! As a little boy in Athens, Greece, he would see the German airplanes flying overhead and wish he knew how to fly (even if those planes were dropping bombs). It was many years before he finally learned to fly. He kept it a seceret from me that he was taking lessons. I was a young teenager when he took me out to Sundance Airpark to see a buddy of his and said to his friend " Hey you think I could fly this?" His buddy said "Sure Bill" and off Daddy went in the plane. I was freaking out! I kept telling this friend of his "YOU are CRAZY! He does not know how to fly!" My Dad took off circled the airport and landed. Needless to say - my jaw was on the floor! When he got out out the plane, silly Joy said "HOW DID YOU DO THAT?" I still had not figured out that he had taken lessons - - a bit of the "invinceable Daddy" notion that I had left over from childhood, I guess. I was so proud and so surprised that he had received his pilots license. That was a great day. Now, alllllll these years later, he is very involved in the piloting community of Oklahoma City, and as of last night is now the President of the Association.

As an aside, every time any of the grandchildren see an airplane, be it a Cessna or a Boeing 747, they yell, PAPOU'S AIRPLANE, PAPOU'S AIRPLANE! It's always been so cute.

YeaAAAH Daddy! You are going to be a great President this year! I am really proud of you and I love you so much!

Joygirl

Out of the mouth of babes

So my 6 year old is at my best friends parents house tonight in Tulsa. Apparently "random girl" ran into the living room and told them "My Mommy pee-pee'd in the woods once. I think she might have used a leaf to wipe."

Dead silence...

They were laughing their butts off when I got there and could not waith to let me know that they "knew". Hey, when ya gotta go you gotta go.

Time to have the talk with Sara about what we can and cannot talk about with other people...

FAVORITES

Four jobs I’ve had in my life:
I will list the most interesting and funny...
1. Karaoke Deejay and business owner
2. Sutherlands girl (infamous all female cashiers at a chain of hardware stores)
3. Voice and Performance Teacher
4. Mortgage Originator (the most boring job in the world for me)

Four movies I could watch over and over:

1. Gone with the Wind
2. LOTR Series
3. Almost Famous
4. Harry Potter Series (I know, I am SO sad) [Editor's note: It is wrong to make me pick only 4]

Four places I’ve lived:
1. Indianapolis, Indiana
2. Tulsa, OK
3. Edmond, OK
4. Baltimore, MD (albeit only for a summer)

Four TV Shows I love to watch:
1. CSI
2. Lost
3. 24
4. Young and the Restless

Four places I’ve been on vacation:
I will list my faves, again not fair to only list 4
1. All over Florida many times
2. New Orleans
3. Southern Cali
4. Colorado Rockies

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Roasted Chicken (I could eat a whole one if given the opportunity!)
2. Cobb Salad
3. Steamed Crab (I miss Baltimore)
4. Greek Pastitio (I need to get in the Kitchen)
*** Monty will get angry if I don't list Monty's famous breakfast. He truly does breakfast best. The man should open a diner!***

Four places I’d rather be:
1. Disney World (obvious answer)
2. On the beach in Destin
3. Laguna Beach
4. Thessoleniki, Greece

Four books I’ll read over and over again:
1. The Bible ( you've Gotta list it)
2. Eleni by Nicholas Gage (story almost mirrors my Daddy's exodus from Greece during the war.)
3. The Harry Potter Series of books ( Im a big kid)
4. The Cronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis (reminds me of my childhood)

States I have visited

I totally stole this from my friend Tracy's blog.

I have traveled to all of the contigous United States. The thing is, I dont remember some of then so I have only listed the ones I can remember! I am hoping Monty takes me to Hawaii for our 10th Anne. (hint, hint)




create your own personalized map of the USA

Point to Ponder

In the 60s, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal, and Pepcid to get rid of acid.

My eldest - Rikki Joy Lynn

My darling "Red" - - She means so much to me. I was so scared of her - - having a teenager and all that it implies. She is such a joy to have around. The sunny spot in our days. Her laugh is infectious.It is a full throated belly laugh and you cant help but smile when she starts up! Shes charming, witty and soooo stinking funny. Kids her age don't "get" her dry sense of humor but adults typically bowl over laughing.

Her curly red hair is to die for - - but like every woman, she wants what she does not have. Straight hair. I l ove her hair. It defines her - - and one day she will love it too. The man that falls in love with her will say it was her hair that caught his eye.

She is turning into such a young lady. I get this overwhelming sense of pride sitting in church looking over at her sitting with the youth group. She is always the best dressed, sitting up straight like I've taught her - -looking almost regal. She doesnt look like she fits the other kids - sloched over ahir in their face looking dumpy and tom-boyish. Don't get me wrong, there are times when I have to remind her to sit up straight, or keep her knees together and ankles crossed, but hey, shes 14 - and trust me, you would not believe the transformation she have undergone since she came into our life. She is a beautiful young lady.

My girl has the biggest heart - she is so sensitive to the plights of others that she sometimes overlooks her own. She is considerate - a rarity with teenagers. She loves her sisters so much, and she loves her parents and looks up to us and actually wants to spend time with us... I wonder how long that will last? She has this amazing faith and resilience. She can bounce back from anything. I truly love & admire that about her.

RIKKI JOY LYNN KETCH.

God, what would I ever do without her? What did we do before she came bouncing into our life?

***DISCLAIMER***

Data, information and pictures contained within the entries of this blog are provided for informational, and entertainment purposes only, and is not intended for purposes of angering and/or offending readers. The writer of this blog does not intend to retract the information given as all of it's entries are opinion based, and (most of the time) said purely in jest, or other light hearted nature.

This apparently needed to be said. I really love all of you and if you really know me, know that what I say is never meant to offend or anger. Thank you, come again...

Happy Birthday Baby!

Sorry folks - - you have to endure a love letter to my husband...

Today you turn 34 years old, despite our daughters telling everyone you are 35.
You are more handsome, more sexy, funnier, wittier, smarter (need I go on) than the day I married you and I love you soooo much more today than then.

I am so proud of you and all that you are accomplishing in your life. You are the perfect example of persistance and doing what ever is needed for your family.

I love going to sleep next to you every night - even though as the years go by your snores get louder ;) and I love waking up next to you in the morning. I love that you love me exactly the way I look. I love that you think I am the best Mom in the world (boy, have I got you fooled). I love the idea of our getting to grow old together - and that I truly know just how awesome and important that is now. I love that you get ALL my silly jokes and never get offended by what I may say and that I can still laugh at your jokes, corny as they may be. I love that I can look in our daughters eyes and see you - and what a miracle that is for us - - you are there because their Daddy is the light of their lives.

You are growning in your years so gracefully. I love those little lines that you have around your eyes. They are there because of your smile. I love the gray hairs that are becoming more and more frequent in your hair and beard. They show wisdom and wisdom is not given but earned - - usually the difficult way.

I love that you would follow me anywhere on any of my tangents and never even raise a question. I love that you are there when I fall and there when I succeed, there when I laught and cry or worry about bills.

We've defined patients throughout our marriage, havent we? Patients with our inlaws, families, educations, "baby's mammas", DHS adoption, careers, etc. Amazing when you think about it all, huh? We've grown up together me and you - -

I love you my sweetheart. I thank God for you all the time. I pray that you will have a wonderful 34th year. A great year!

Yours always and forever,

Joy

Beautiful girl

Just wanted to share these pics of Sara. She looked especially pretty yesterday and I grabbed the camera.
She is growing so fast. Her little eyes are so unbelievably green.

I love my little Princess Sara so much...

Oh, and

Sorry about the red eye.

SPIN THIS!

"I swear... I really don't know HOW I get myself into the situations that I do..."

I had that very thought as I was sitting in the Grand Salon A of the Doubletree Holtel in Tulsa, waiting my turn to play a round of Wheel of Fortune. Thats right folks, I said Wheel of Fortune. You may remember recently in my blog how I went to audition for WOF in Tulsa? Well, I got an email right before Christmas saying that I was selected to come to the final auditions on Wednesday, Jan 4th. Well, I went and survived every elimination! They even had us take a written test of the puzzles and I really felt like they would eliminate me then but they didnt! I played several games, had a great time and got a Wheel of Fortune "Spin This" hat to show for it! They told us IF we receive a letter in the mail (not email) within the next two weeks then we have been selected for the show, if not - then good luck next time.

Oh, I also want to give a shout out to LISA QUALLS, who is another bloggee in the blogispere that was at the auditions. She remembered me from the first set of auditions and left me a comment on my blog and LO AND BEHOLD - I rode in on the elevator with her and we realized that we knew each other. SMALL WORLD!
Girl, I dont know HOW they could not have chosen you to stay! It was a bummer when you had to leave! I missed ya after that.

I don't know HOW I get myself into things but I am so glad I did this time. Wouldnt it be cool? Joy on National TV playing the Wheel? BIG MONEY, BIG MONEY!

Happy Birthday Momma

Happy New Year all! I hope that this year brings you everything that you desire - and more.

Forget the cheesy resolutions - - they are not for me. I am going to continue on with what I was already working on. That does not count as a resolution, right??

To get myself in better shape.

To be a good Mom to my kids and good friend to my friends.

To make sure my Husband knows how much I love him.

Today brings a different feeling to me. Today is my Mom's birthday. She would have been 62 today. She was named Jan because she was born just after midnight on New Years Day - the very first New years baby recorded in Texas. I miss her so much.

Here's to you Momma - if any resolution should be made it should be to be more like you in every way. You were the best.