Postcard Puzzle

Friday night on my way to MV to see Casey & Kaylynn's new purchase! (land....so envious) I called my Mom to chat and she said that on my way through to stop by and see what Caleb, my brother, got in the mail today.  I just thought it was something from a college or something like that...boy was I mistaken.  So when I walked in my Mom through a little yellow envelope down in front of me and it was addressed to my brother but the return address was from an APO which is a military post. 

I asked Mom who it was from because I didn't think Caleb new anyone else at an APO, other than me when I was overseas.  She said just open it so it did.  I pulled out two pieces of cardboard and this was the message. "Found this in a geocache and thought you'd need this.  Tell your brother he's cheap!! :) Al Burke Cairo, Egypt"

Then I removed the top cardboard piece and was dumbfounded as to what I found inside!

 

 

A post card!  And I recognized it immediately it was a post card that I had bought...I turned it over and on the back of the post card was this. "I was going to send this to my brother but never made it to the post. Ha Ha Ha :)"

 Ok so now I'm really confused!  The writing is mine and I couldn't remember why I would have written this on the post card.  I obviously had never made it to the post office or I would have written something else and there's no postage.  I figured I had maybe left it at my hotel or something and some nice person found it and sent it to my bro.

I racked my brain with my Mom and couldn't come up with anything.  She said it was a mystery.  We laughed and I had to be on my way before it got completely dark so I headed out. 

I drove and still thought about what I had done but couldn't come up with anything.  I thought that if I didn't come up with the answer soon I was going to have to write back to the sender and find out more of the story because this was bugging me...WHY WOULD I WRITE THAT? 

 

I got to Kaylynn's and was telling them the story and showing them the pictures I had taken of the thing with my phone and Autumn couldn't make out a word. I said that the word was geocache but I didn't know what that meant.  Kaylynn shed some light on this and told us it was like a treasure and that they have like GPS geocaches where its like a treasure hunt and they go around digging things up and stuff.  This struck a memory and it all made sense!

 

While I visited Egypt I went to the Valley of the Whales and while hiking the park I went to the top of this really tall sand mountain thing and found a box half buried in the ground.  I opened it up and there were other people's items in it...it's like a time capsule or in this guys vocabulary a geocache!  I had a postcard in my bag that I had intended on mailing to my brother but never did so I wrote on the back and put it in the box, locked the lid, and continued on my marry way totally forgetting about what I'd done.

at the Valley of the Whales January 2011

 

Apparently Al Burke found the box and saw my postcard and mailed it to my brother assuming that I, was Caleb's brother and was too cheap to mail it myself. LOL  I think its awesome and an amazing story and what an adventure has this little postcard had. I hope my Mom keeps this little package in a safe spot because its really neat and I would really love for Caleb to keep it.

 

I think I might pen Al Burke a letter and send it off just because you never know.....stuff like this never happens to me... I mean really what are the odds.

 

NOW THAT'S A GOOD STORY! LOL I still can't believe it.

Love After Death?

Yesterday at work a co-worker was telling me about her great uncle whose wife suffered from Alzheimer's and passed away a few months ago.

Her great uncle has since started dating and is now engaged to a woman whom the couple had known for years and years. The older couple had been married for almost 30 years and although the wife had sort of really been gone for the past 4 or 5 years because of the disease she was still there in person and had been this man’s companion for the past 25 years.  

 

While watching TV this week Lincoln and I saw a show or something that had the same type of situation.  Now I’ve never been in this position but my co-worker I both feel that this is WEIRD.

 

I don’t really know how to explain it other than I would feel betrayed and like I was easily replaceable, not too mention I would be highly pissed off if my husband got with a family friend any time after my death.

 I mean I would for sure haunt their asses!

 

I just don’t really understand how a family friendship can go from that to lover or romantic companion!

I understand the one friend is there for the griever and all that but if you never have felt those sort of romantic feelings while your spouse was alive then how does it cross to seeing this person in another light,

NOW of all times?

 

If anyone has any thoughts or insight on this please share because I would like to know…

just in case I need to come back and give one of my friends hell for hooking up with Lincoln after my death. LOL

State Fair 2012

Monday Kaylynn and I went to the State Fair in downtown (ghettoville) Dallas.  We left early, around 7:45 and got there pretty early.  We walked around and visited different exhibits my favorite was the auto exhibit that showcased a lot of the new cars from different makers.  We went through a few kid exhibits that involved animals and we petted some sting rays.  That was really neat not to mention we left the barnyard exhibit with wants of baby goats and yaks. LOL We ate a yummy German lunch and rode the famed ferris wheel.  After our ride we walked around a bit more and felt we accomplished what we come to do so decided to head out  I had a few tickets left so bought an ok funnel cake and some salt water taffy.  Overall it was a nice cool day at the fair with one of my great friends but the fair itself was a tad overrated.  We were both expecting something pretty big and more content that was there but what it boils down to is that it's just a regular county/city fair that you would find in your local area.  I'm glad I experienced it but I think I'm good for about 5 years.

Big Tex

some pretty Monarchs that were in the garden at the butterfly exhibit

We rode bumper cars and I think were able to take out all/any anger that we had on all the other people by ramming them! LOL They should have these set up outside each work place for only adults.

My yummy Reuben sandwich on a pretzel roll....it was so good

Dallas skyline from the top of the wheel

me and Kaylynn

I couldn't decide which picture so I did a collage of several I took...its a post on the fair you can't have too many pictures of the ferris wheel!

Today was a great ending to a great long weekend!  YAY only a 4 day work week this week and next week!

Book Review: WJA Series

I recently finished a series of books that are amazing.  It is a lot of spy/criminal behavior mixed with some really neat futuristic weapons stuff and the ending OH BOY the ending.  You will be so surprised it's unreal.  I hope the author comes out with more of these books to follow up because I'm hoping to find out the fate of Mark Appleton (main character).  There are 3 books in this series, Sweet Dreams, Dream On, and In Your Dreams and they MUST be read in order otherwise you will be super lost. I highly recommend these books and they are cheaper than the super popular authors on Amazon.  Go check them out I promise you won't be disappointed.

 

Description from Amazon-

Mark Appleton is living the American Dream. Beautiful wife, loving daughter, and a high paying job in New York City. But when his family are killed in a accident he must reinvent himself. A year later in the midst of putting his life back together, Mark finds out that his family was killed and it was...No accident. Mark will stop at nothing to hunt down the men responsible for the death of his family and what he finds will change his life forever.

Kirk Weston is a Detroit detective. He hates his job, his ex-wife, and his life. He is hand selected to help the FBI on a high profile case and just when he thinks things could not get any worse...

They do.

 

 

 

Description from Amazon-

Evil is on the hunt...And it s tracking you!

RUSSIA, JUNE 19, 1966 THERE is a story about a Red Dog that is running wild, killing sheep and other livestock under the watchful eye of a full moon. One farmer, who claimed to have seen the Red Dog, said it looked like a man, but ran on all fours and foamed at the mouth. This account was never confirmed.

NEW YORK, AUGUST 23, 2009 RUMORS of a secret agency arise with questions about the government's involvement. Speculation is that this group, known only as the WJA, is involved in countless assassinations involving the Russian Mafia, terrorist leaders, and suspected murderers and rapists. The FBI and CIA deny any such group exist and claim the rumors are just that rumors.

THE BATTLE BEGINS IN YOUR MIND...

Dream On thrusts you into the mind of a killer so tormented, that you will ask yourself if evil lies within all of us. The evil nature is like a caged monster, begging to be set free so it can come out and play. Whatever you do don't let it! The highly anticipated second book in the WJA series will have you excited, and scared all at the same time. In this thrilling and intricate work, Aaron Patterson spins a tale of shadow and sunlight. Prepare yourself. Check the locks. Leave the lights on.

Description from Amazon-
Mark Appleton must figure out what time he is in as he fights to bring down the worst enemy he has ever faced. Himself.

Kirk Weston is back and falling for Isis, the dark deadly killer he cannot stop thinking about. It is a race against time as he tries to save her life, as an enhanced virus is sweeping through the country.

This is the final chapter in the WJA series, and will push you and your ideas of reality, to the limit.

Happy Reading!

Happy Things

It's been a busy, fun filled, and let us not forget exciting weekend so far and I have tomorrow off so it's not even over yet!  Tomorrow Kaylynn and I are going to roam the state fair but I will post about that later.  Right now I'm going to give you some things that are making me happy and all these things are just from this weekend!  Sometimes I get wrapped up in life, school, love and the stress of it all and forget how awesome my life is.

Happy Things:

*Random I love yous

*Coming home to a clean house

*Getting woke up by Lincoln on his way out to work to tell me bye and that he loves me then getting to sleep in his warm spot for a bit longer

*Cool mornings

*Warm cups of coffee

*Slumber parties with friends

I went to NaShae's housewarming/ gender reveal party Saturday and Piper and I stayed the night. We had a lot of fun and it was nice doing the next item on my list.

*Catching up and reminiscing- we did a lot of this and it was really nice just having girl talk and relaxing over great chili that Ryan made and later on pumpkin spice cappuccino

*Talking/thinking about the future

*Being a grown up

*In-N-Out Burger- on my way home I grabbed a yummy burger for lunch from In-n-Out

*Good news of a baby girl for NaShae & Ryan- Piper captured this amazing picture of Shae's face as Ryan cut into the cake.  NO ONE at the party knew what the gender was and as you can tell from Shae's face she really thought it was a boy but it was a GIRL!  We are so excited for Ryan and Shae and can't wait to meet Miss Riley Katherine.

*A baby on the way for Rachael and Brad- more baby news was delivered this afternoon!  Brad and one of my besties Rachael are pregnant.  They recently moved into their huge and beautiful new home and this is very surprising news to me.  We are so happy and excited for Rachael and Brad.  I can't wait to know what she's having so we can plan for two babies!

 

 

It has been a great weekend and it makes me realize that I am very grateful for my life and how I get to share in all these important memories with my friends and family.  Good times of the past are remembered, we continue to have a good time with each other in the present, and I can't even imagine all the good times that the future holds for us!

 

Happy Sunday, I'm going to drink hot chocolate in my Christmas socks while I watch DVRed Harry Potter movies! 



Weight Loss Motivation

I haven't done well this week with working out or much of anything else so hopefully I will get myself together....I only have 2 more weeks to complete the challenge I made with myself!!!! :O  I really have to kick my own ass the upcoming weeks or I may not make it!  Since I have let myself down this week here are some ladies to keep me and you motivated.

Amazing Race Premiere Party

Sunday night we had Colby, Lara, Casey and Kaylynn over for an Amazing Race Premiere get together. 

 

I made sure to have everyone were the same shirt as their partner since we of course had to take pictures and all that. 

Everyone showed up around 5:30 which gave us plenty of time to visit, cook, and eat supper before the big show. 

I made Kaylynn’s eftoufee recipe and it turned out great. Lara was a bit skeptical of it since I am known to cook some “off the wall” things according to her and she doesn’t eat fish so it was a new thing for her…BUT as far as I know she liked it and so did everyone else so. 

YAY!

Recipe is at the end of this post 

 

After a scrumptious dinner that ran past the show, thank goodness for DVR, we cleaned the kitchen up and got ready for the big premier. 

Before we started the show we took our team photos and boy was that an ordeal. Everyone rolls their eyes and doesn’t want to play along with me….NO FUN! 

The girls were good sports but it was getting the guys attention that was the hard part.

 

THE COMPETITORS OF THIS YEAR'S AMAZING RACE ARE.......drum roll please.....

Lara has her game face on and Colby is overjoyed as always LOL

Our fiercest competitors...Casey insisted on doing a "live" picture!

the winning team in my book. LOL

After that we were ready for the show to begin. 

I had looked up the teams to check out what this season was going to look like and found a really cute couple that I picked to root for. 

I always try to go for an actual couple because most of the time they are the most interesting. Once the show began and all the teams were being introduced the team that I had picked was actually from Texas…sadly they came in like 8^th place so I hope they step up their game or I may have to switch who I’m rooting for. 

The first episode was great and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the season holds. 

I saw some pretty noticeable places so it’s bound to be great!

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Kaylyyn's Crawfish Etoufee- this is the regular serving recipe, I doubled this to feed 6 and it was the perfect amount

 

1 1/2 stick butter

1/4 c flour

1 lg onion chopped

1 lg bell pepper chopped

2 ribs of celery chopped

2 garlic gloves minced

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1-2 cups of water

1 package crawfish tails

1 tbls lemon juice

french bread

green onions chopped

white rice

 

1. Made medium brown roux with butter and flour

2. Add veggies and cook stirring frequently until tender and light brown

3. Add crawfish, seasoning and lemon juice

4. Mix well

5. Gradually add water as it cooks to get desired thickness

6. Simmer until tails are tender

7. Serve over cooked white rice  with bread and green onions as garnish