Let me start out by saying I am blessed. I have my health, a terrific husband, a loving family, and the most amazing friends a girl could ever ask for. This past year proved it to me once again - that even at the lowest of low times, we always need to remember to count our blessings.
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes.....how do you measure a year in the life? Man o man so much can happen in the course of a year...
My first memory of 2010 was attending the funeral of my lifelong friend Beccee Kujawa. No one single event in my life has made such an impact emotionally on me. It was the most surreal feeling walking into the sanctuary for the first time. Being completely grief stricken yet feeling totally "at home" all at the same time. Beccee brought me back to the church and I became a member at Crosspoint this year. The outpouring of love that day was indescribable. Hundreds of people from all stages of Beccee's life were there to pay their respects to a friend that had made such an impact on their lives. I remember giving Ron a hug in the receiving line and thinking he looked so broken (wouldn't we all?). At this time I hardly knew Ron...pretty much just from our time together planning the benefit. As I said, things can really change in the course of a year :) I remember Carol as she was leaving with the family. We made eye contact and she stopped and gave me the biggest hug ever. I know that there is no way that I could have, but if there was a way I could have taken away even one small portion of her pain and sorrow that day I would have done it in a heartbeat. It was bizarre to see faces from my "other" life so long ago...the Mirgage guys, Benet, Lisa, etc. I remember the video playing at the end of the service with Beccee singing. I literally could not move. I could not take my eyes off of the screen. Even though I know with complete certainty that Beccee was taken home to be in Heaven....saying goodbye completely broke my heart. Beccee's passing has affected me profoundly. Not a day goes by where I do not think of her or pray for her family. Beccee's light continues to shine in my life....I imagine it always will.
In January I became a Supervisor! Go figure! I am very fortunate to have a team of people who are dedicated to their jobs. I'd still drop everything in a heartbeat for a job at Summerfest (in case anyone is connected) - but I honestly am lucky to have a job that pays my mortgage and puts food on our table.
My friends continue to amaze me with their "wonderfulness" (my blog, I can make up words if I want to!). I just can't express how cool it is to be surrounded by such amazing individuals. Some friends I am lucky enough to see on a regular basis - but even those that I see only occasionally continue to be a HUGE part of my life. Know that each and every one of you plays a very important part in my life. Thank you for putting up with me. I know that I'm opinionated and relatively (ok VERY) impatient...but I mean well :) I am also excited about the new friendships that developed this year. It's always very interesting to me how certain people are put into our lives.
It was a tough year in the job department for Casey. This put a lot of stress on us emotionally and of course financially. I won't drudge it all up - but I will say that I am very happy that he has settled into the job at Nona's.
I "retired" from my (very small) role in the music business. I had been managing Majestic Mudd as well as booking them and a few other acts from time to time. I said I would get out when it wasn't fun anymore and that's what it boiled down to. We all know I don't like to chase people (musicians, bar owners - anyone). It just wasn't a good fit for me anymore. Now I'm a fan....and please do not call me a groupie ha!
Where one door closes, another one opens. My dear friend Laura Kiley asked me to work with her on her latest business venture localstopp.com. We will be going full force come the new year....it's a brand new website devoted to all things Lake Country. The backstory is what I find most endearing. Laura came up with a business to fund a foundation to help others. She's my hero. More to come on that soon.
I've been bouncing around an idea to start an online bakery business.....thoughts?
Of course the year was filled with seeing live music......Amileigha and Mike,Majestic Mudd, Keith, Ryan, Phil, Rebel Grace, the Love Monkeys, Erin and Matt, Ron and Droopy, Old Mil, and the list goes on and on! Love me some live music!
I no longer make resolutions (Brea and Debbie will remember our NYE at Cactus Jacks writing resolutions on bar napkins!). I will say that I am very excited about the new year. I'm calling it the year of reinvention. Stay tuned!
I hope all of you are doing something special to ring in 2011. Here's to a happy and healthy New Year for all of us!!!!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Sunday Dinner ~ soup is your friend
With Casey starting his new job, I've had to be very careful about keeping the grocery bill in check (this is one area that we tend to go a little crazy because we do so much cooking). There might be a few of you out there that are watching your budgets as well...so I'm here to tell you....soup is your friend. I love making a couple soups on Sunday for the week. They are inexpensive and they are (usually) pretty easy to make.
This week we are having creamy potato leek soup and sweet potato peanut soup.
I have oodles of recipes so if you are looking for some ideas let me know. Here are the ones that I can think of off the top of my head:
butternut squash
carrot ginger
chicken pot pie
beef vegetable
french onion
creamy tomato
chicken dumpling
chicken corn chowder
And no, I don't have a recipe for mulligatawny (hell I don't even know how to spell it)...but all of you Seinfield fans will know what I'm talking about! Let me know if you are interested. I'm always happy to share!
This week we are having creamy potato leek soup and sweet potato peanut soup.
I have oodles of recipes so if you are looking for some ideas let me know. Here are the ones that I can think of off the top of my head:
butternut squash
carrot ginger
chicken pot pie
beef vegetable
french onion
creamy tomato
chicken dumpling
chicken corn chowder
And no, I don't have a recipe for mulligatawny (hell I don't even know how to spell it)...but all of you Seinfield fans will know what I'm talking about! Let me know if you are interested. I'm always happy to share!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Missing You...
Because Beccee has been on my mind so much lately, today's post is dedicated to her. One of the questions I have been asked probably more than any other in the past year is "how do you know Beccee?" ~ here ya go!
Hands down, one of the biggest influences in my life was my friend Beccee. Let's start at the beginning~first of all, I met her when she was still "Becky" (ha!) We both went to Horning Middle School. We must have been 12 or 13 when we met. What I remember most about her from that time was her outgoing personality. Yes, even back then :) I remember that even then, she was so comfortable in her own skin. She was so sure of herself. I am fortunate to have a group of very loving friends NOW, but back then ... not so much. I was kind of a loner. I was NOT popular by any stretch of the imagination. Beccee had this gift of making me feel good about myself. She didn't care about what other people thought. Not even a little. I never had a chance to tell her this, but her acceptance of me really helped shape me into the person I am today. I don't always succeed, but I honestly make a point of trying to be accepting of all people and make them feel special.
When it was time to move on to high school Beccee went to North and I went to South. In all honesty we lost touch for several years. This is where it gets interesting. One of those things you look back on and say, yep...that was meant to be.
This is the part where we get to the story within the story. Anyone who is currently reading this blog probably knows me well enough to know that my passion is music. More specifically - live music. When I turned 21 and was able to go out (ok let's be honest, go out LEGALLY), I was introduced to a band called LONDON USA. The guys in the band and their friends were a great group that I spent a lot of time with. A LOT of time with. I was at pretty much all of their shows. I have no idea where I found the money for that! Anyhooo, I digress.
At one of their shows at the City Club (for those of you too young to remember this club, it was downtown on Broadway and Wells) I remember running into Beccee (yes, now she was two cc's and two ee's). Turned out that we had a few mutual friends. It was so nice to see her. Because of this chance meeting, we managed to reconnect. Turns out that Beccee was in a band called GERARD. When she found out about my dream of working in the "biz", she said that the Gerard Office was looking for a secretary...she would hook me up.
And so it began. I have shared this sentiment many times. I give Beccee all of the credit for me getting introduced to the music business as well as introducing me to some wonderful people who in turn introduced me to more wonderful people. You've probably heard of that game where people trace their degrees of separation to Kevin Bacon? I can do that with Beccee. Seriously. I can also play the Kevin Bacon game but who really cares! ha!
I got the job at the Gerard Office and started going out to see the GERARD band. Gerard Entertainment booked many of the local bands. Through this job I met so many wonderful people... and no I'm not going to name drop all of them. Quite frankly there are just too many. However, I am going to name drop one of them ~ Keith Pulvermacher. You may have heard of him :) He is another very important piece in this puzzle. We'll get to that later.
There have been many bands and musicians that I have befriended over the last 20 years. Each and every one of them can be traced back to Beccee. I'm glad I had the chance to thank you for that Beccee. Not just musicians either. Let's not forget all of the wonderful people that I have met by going out to see said bands. The circle just gets bigger and bigger. It's really crazy.
Beccee and I managed to keep in touch over the years. I don't know this for certain but I think we had a special relationship because she knew I wasn't a "musician" and was not interested in getting knee deep into all of the drama. We were always very open and honest with each other.
There is a very distinct memory I have from -- gee it must be about 5 years ago? I was headed out to see Keith play at Rooters. I invited Beccee to come out. She hadn't seen Keith in years. I remember that night they were chattin' like crazy because Keith had recently moved to Oconomowoc. Beccee was telling him how she saw him riding his bike past their house. Beccee was telling Keith that they had lots of girls clothing that she could pass onto him and Tammy for Isabella. I believe that is the night that THEY reconnected after many years. It was cool to see.
Fast forward to 2009. We find out that Beccee has lung cancer. Keith had a vision to throw a benefit for Beccee and her Family. He enlisted some people to help him and the rest is history. The Love for Life Benefit was one of the most glorious days EVER. I have never literally felt such an outpouring of love. You could actually feel it in the air. It was amazing to see Beccee's face light up as she saw friends from all phases of her life. There was definitely something larger than any of us going on that day. I will NEVER forget that day or the smile on Beccee's face.
Due to my involvement with the Benefit, I was blessed to meet so many wonderful people. Once again, all can be traced back to Beccee. Funny how that works.
Beccee lost her very courageous fight on December 30, 2009. She continues to make an impact on my life through all of the people that I have met because of her. I cannot tell you how many people have shared with me that they have been inspired by her....some of those people never even had the chance to meet her face to face, they have been inspired by her story.
Beccee will always hold a very special place in my heart. She was a beautiful soul and I miss her very much. I will continue to draw inspiration from her and live my life with an open heart and an open mind. I love you Bec.
Here is where you can find her story....caring bridge
Hands down, one of the biggest influences in my life was my friend Beccee. Let's start at the beginning~first of all, I met her when she was still "Becky" (ha!) We both went to Horning Middle School. We must have been 12 or 13 when we met. What I remember most about her from that time was her outgoing personality. Yes, even back then :) I remember that even then, she was so comfortable in her own skin. She was so sure of herself. I am fortunate to have a group of very loving friends NOW, but back then ... not so much. I was kind of a loner. I was NOT popular by any stretch of the imagination. Beccee had this gift of making me feel good about myself. She didn't care about what other people thought. Not even a little. I never had a chance to tell her this, but her acceptance of me really helped shape me into the person I am today. I don't always succeed, but I honestly make a point of trying to be accepting of all people and make them feel special.
When it was time to move on to high school Beccee went to North and I went to South. In all honesty we lost touch for several years. This is where it gets interesting. One of those things you look back on and say, yep...that was meant to be.
This is the part where we get to the story within the story. Anyone who is currently reading this blog probably knows me well enough to know that my passion is music. More specifically - live music. When I turned 21 and was able to go out (ok let's be honest, go out LEGALLY), I was introduced to a band called LONDON USA. The guys in the band and their friends were a great group that I spent a lot of time with. A LOT of time with. I was at pretty much all of their shows. I have no idea where I found the money for that! Anyhooo, I digress.
At one of their shows at the City Club (for those of you too young to remember this club, it was downtown on Broadway and Wells) I remember running into Beccee (yes, now she was two cc's and two ee's). Turned out that we had a few mutual friends. It was so nice to see her. Because of this chance meeting, we managed to reconnect. Turns out that Beccee was in a band called GERARD. When she found out about my dream of working in the "biz", she said that the Gerard Office was looking for a secretary...she would hook me up.
And so it began. I have shared this sentiment many times. I give Beccee all of the credit for me getting introduced to the music business as well as introducing me to some wonderful people who in turn introduced me to more wonderful people. You've probably heard of that game where people trace their degrees of separation to Kevin Bacon? I can do that with Beccee. Seriously. I can also play the Kevin Bacon game but who really cares! ha!
I got the job at the Gerard Office and started going out to see the GERARD band. Gerard Entertainment booked many of the local bands. Through this job I met so many wonderful people... and no I'm not going to name drop all of them. Quite frankly there are just too many. However, I am going to name drop one of them ~ Keith Pulvermacher. You may have heard of him :) He is another very important piece in this puzzle. We'll get to that later.
There have been many bands and musicians that I have befriended over the last 20 years. Each and every one of them can be traced back to Beccee. I'm glad I had the chance to thank you for that Beccee. Not just musicians either. Let's not forget all of the wonderful people that I have met by going out to see said bands. The circle just gets bigger and bigger. It's really crazy.
Beccee and I managed to keep in touch over the years. I don't know this for certain but I think we had a special relationship because she knew I wasn't a "musician" and was not interested in getting knee deep into all of the drama. We were always very open and honest with each other.
There is a very distinct memory I have from -- gee it must be about 5 years ago? I was headed out to see Keith play at Rooters. I invited Beccee to come out. She hadn't seen Keith in years. I remember that night they were chattin' like crazy because Keith had recently moved to Oconomowoc. Beccee was telling him how she saw him riding his bike past their house. Beccee was telling Keith that they had lots of girls clothing that she could pass onto him and Tammy for Isabella. I believe that is the night that THEY reconnected after many years. It was cool to see.
Fast forward to 2009. We find out that Beccee has lung cancer. Keith had a vision to throw a benefit for Beccee and her Family. He enlisted some people to help him and the rest is history. The Love for Life Benefit was one of the most glorious days EVER. I have never literally felt such an outpouring of love. You could actually feel it in the air. It was amazing to see Beccee's face light up as she saw friends from all phases of her life. There was definitely something larger than any of us going on that day. I will NEVER forget that day or the smile on Beccee's face.
Due to my involvement with the Benefit, I was blessed to meet so many wonderful people. Once again, all can be traced back to Beccee. Funny how that works.
Beccee lost her very courageous fight on December 30, 2009. She continues to make an impact on my life through all of the people that I have met because of her. I cannot tell you how many people have shared with me that they have been inspired by her....some of those people never even had the chance to meet her face to face, they have been inspired by her story.
Beccee will always hold a very special place in my heart. She was a beautiful soul and I miss her very much. I will continue to draw inspiration from her and live my life with an open heart and an open mind. I love you Bec.
Here is where you can find her story....caring bridge
Monday, December 13, 2010
Rainy Days and Monday ~ at somewhat of a standstill
I've been remiss about posting for awhile. Bad Cari! Really ...there is not too much to report. I messed up my knee about a week ago. I wish I had some really exciting story to share about how it happened. Unfortunately, I have no clue how it happened. Since the knee went out, going to the gym has been put on the back burner. Not happy about that, not happy at all. Let me just say I don't think one really appreciates their knees until one of them isn't functioning properly :)
Some tidbits:
*Still focusing on "waist management" vs. "weight management" as that is what Dr. Oz says is crucial to optimal health. Have lost a few inches so that makes me happy :)
*I really like almond milk.
*I still have a tough time getting all of my water in.
*I have started drinking green tea. Fabulous antioxidant. I'm not a fan of hot bevvies (except hot chocolate and that would certainly be defeating the purpose) but it's growing on me.
*I rarely have more than one soda in a day. Soda is just plain bad for you. The body doesn't know how to digest it.
*We cook just about every night. Real food....no boxed/pre-packaged foods in this house.
*Dessert is becoming something of the past.
*I am trying really hard not to eat anything later than 8. With my lifestyle that is very very difficult. It will definitely not happen every night....but I'm making an effort. That's what counts right?
*Staying away from deep fried food as much as possible. Period.
*Alcohol---have not been drinking a lot. Lots and lots of empty calories in alcohol!
There it is. I am continuing to take one day at a time. I feel better, I feel stronger. That is a great first step as far as I'm concerned. For any of you reading that are also on a path to a healthier you....I hope that you are finding successes on your journey as well! Keep it up!
Some tidbits:
*Still focusing on "waist management" vs. "weight management" as that is what Dr. Oz says is crucial to optimal health. Have lost a few inches so that makes me happy :)
*I really like almond milk.
*I still have a tough time getting all of my water in.
*I have started drinking green tea. Fabulous antioxidant. I'm not a fan of hot bevvies (except hot chocolate and that would certainly be defeating the purpose) but it's growing on me.
*I rarely have more than one soda in a day. Soda is just plain bad for you. The body doesn't know how to digest it.
*We cook just about every night. Real food....no boxed/pre-packaged foods in this house.
*Dessert is becoming something of the past.
*I am trying really hard not to eat anything later than 8. With my lifestyle that is very very difficult. It will definitely not happen every night....but I'm making an effort. That's what counts right?
*Staying away from deep fried food as much as possible. Period.
*Alcohol---have not been drinking a lot. Lots and lots of empty calories in alcohol!
There it is. I am continuing to take one day at a time. I feel better, I feel stronger. That is a great first step as far as I'm concerned. For any of you reading that are also on a path to a healthier you....I hope that you are finding successes on your journey as well! Keep it up!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Sunday Dinner~bacon bacon bacon
Let's face it, bacon is meat candy. I mean really - who doesn't like bacon? Right now the house smells like bacon. Not a bad thing. Casey made me a wonderful breakfast which, of course, included bacon. Then he prepped his jalepeno poppers (yes he makes his own) so he had to make yet more bacon. Bacon is your friend.
The other night there was a show on one of the cooking channels devoted to all things bacon. There are bars out there that have bacon happy hours. They actually give each table a big bowl of bacon (Tony?) and serve bacon themed drinks. Brilliant. Bacon is salty. Salt makes you thirsty. Eat bacon, drink more alcohol.
If you've been reading my blog you will probably question why I'm talking about bacon when I'm trying to lead a healthier life. I'm here to tell you, everything in moderation. Life is all about balance. Here is one of my favorite bacon recipes. Super simple. Enjoy!
Pecan Sugared Bacon:
The other night there was a show on one of the cooking channels devoted to all things bacon. There are bars out there that have bacon happy hours. They actually give each table a big bowl of bacon (Tony?) and serve bacon themed drinks. Brilliant. Bacon is salty. Salt makes you thirsty. Eat bacon, drink more alcohol.
If you've been reading my blog you will probably question why I'm talking about bacon when I'm trying to lead a healthier life. I'm here to tell you, everything in moderation. Life is all about balance. Here is one of my favorite bacon recipes. Super simple. Enjoy!
Pecan Sugared Bacon:
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
- 12 thick-cut bacon slices
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Process pecans in a food processor 20 seconds or until finely chopped. Stir together pecans, brown sugar, and pepper.
2. Place half of bacon in a single layer on a lightly greased wire rack in an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat procedure with remaining bacon, placing on another lightly greased wire rack in a second foil-lined baking sheet. Press pecan mixture on top of bacon slices, coating well.
3. Bake at 400° for 22 to 25 minutes or until browned and crisp. Let stand 5 minutes.
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