KISS...Keep It Simple Stupid

This phrase is perfect for so many things in life...in work, in marriage and, I think, in cooking too!  A friend of mine told me about this magazine by Kraft Foods that she use to get and said that they had a website too!  She said they were easy recipes, usually only a few ingredients- nothing too crazy- and really good!  Right up my alley- easy and good!  So I looked into to it and just had to add it here so that I do not forget about it!  Kraft Recipes  Chris has made a few casseroles from this site and they were simple, cheap and really pretty dang tasty!  So KISS when you cook!  My new slogan!!


This is one that he made...Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie

Not Much Right Now...

Well there's not much going on right except Chris is working a lot and I am trying to get a good handle on my job and make my communities events much better!  Little stressful for both of us and not really enjoying not getting to see Chris much...Hopefully in a few months he will go through his 3 month review with flying colors and be able to just work his main job!  Right now I am also trying to lose about 10 lbs and for some reason it is really hard right to do right now!!  Story of my life! :)

What Do I Want To Be When I Grow Up???

Chris and I are both starting new jobs and I hope that we are both starting new careers!  I was let go from my job at the end of Feburary and I am not going to lie- I was so glad!!  I had actually talked to Chris about quitting that same week because I was unhappy and it showed in my performance.  I had set things up so that this would not be too much of a problem financially and I decided I wanted to answer the question of "What do I want to be when I grow up?".  I started reading 48 Days To The Work You Love by Dan Miller and all of the sudden, I started to see that I wanted to begin looking for opportunities in non-profit.  I was also doing some volunteering at my church and that helped with this eye opening revelation as well!  After 2 months of looking, I began working for the American Cancer Society!  So far...I love it!!

Chris started working in construction a year after I moved to Nashville.  He was in commercial construction and, although that lasted longer the residential construction market, he was laid off.  He went to work for another company building Jett's Pizzas but after about a year, that dried up as well...not to mention the owner was pretty shaddy!  We had a lot of talks about that same question- "what do I want to be when I grow up?" and he finally told me that he had always wanted to be a fireman!!  I told him to go for it and Chris then began EMT school.  He graduated 4 months later and passed his boards with flying colors...then the real world hit!  EMTs make no money and getting on as a fireman takes time and connections!  So, while he was working on making this happen, he started working 16 hour days and trying to figure things out.  After I was let go, we went to a marriage night at church and volunteered to help with set up and greeting.  We greeted with another couple and the guys got to talking.  Turns out that after college, Chris had worked for a company doing the exact same thing that this guy did at a company here in Nashville!  His name was David Smith and the company is Steve Ward & Associates.  He told Chris that people do not normally leave but when they do it is when they retire.  He asked Chris that when that happens, would he like to come by and talk about working with them??  Chris said yes and next thing you know...he called, they interviewed and on July 18th he started his new job...his new career and for both of us it is just the beginning!!

Couch to 5k...Lazy to Tired

So right now I am in my 3rd week of the Couch to 5k program so that I can run my 1st 5k on August 13th!  It is a 9 week program and I only have 3 more weeks until the 5k so looks like I am running a little behind but I am so excited!  I am running with my neighbor, Audra Parrish, and if it wasn't for her, I could not do this because I would be SO bored!!  I want to be a runner!!  I want to enjoy running!!  I want to look like this!!

but right now I am just tired!

Chris' First Day

Chris started a new job today!  He will be a project manager for Steve Ward & Associates.  I am so proud of him!!

Lucky number 3

3 years down and many more to go!!!  We had such a great anniversary and did not even have to leave Nashville!  We both got home from work and poured a glass of wine in the wine glasses that I had engraved!

Cute huh??  Then he gave me a pair of diamond earrings!! LOVE THEM and do not want to take them off!!  We could've stopped there and I would've been fine but we didn't of course!  We went to dinner at Mafiaoza's for their 2-4-1 pizza and beer night.  We really just wanted to have a night that we went out and had a lot of fun hanging out because we have both been so busy lately.  The placed was packed and we loved it!  We had to wait for a minute but went to the bar and ordered a beer (2-4-1) and waited in that area.  We got a tale in about 15 minutes and it was outside which was so hot but we were seated right beside a HUGE fan!  Also, our table was in the corner so it was somewhat private which was nice.  Chris ordered this really spicy pasta - his favorite there- and I got an awesome salad that has the friend goat cheese medallions!  yummy!!  Next, we went bowling and I kicked his butt!!  We bowled 5 games, I won 3!!  Woo Hoo!!!  This was so much fun and we are going to be bowling a lot more!!  We ended the night by stopping the Brewhouse since that is where we met!

When we walked in Chris saw that they had karaoke and he looked right at me and said "DO NOT SING!!".  Oh he knows me so well but guess what- I did sing my favorite- Proud Mary- Tina Turner and it was awesome!!  When I got back to my seat he told me that it was actually my performance yet!!  haha  So after hanging out for a little bit we headed home.  I have to say that it was one of the most fun anniversaries and Chris told me that he wants to do this every year!!!!  No wonder 3 is my lucky number!!

O'Connor Weekend...A Good Time Was Had By All

What a great weekend!  We left after work on Friday and headed to Knoxville!  The O'Connors were having a get together at Anne and Chads to welcome baby Torin (Bill and Brads new baby boy).  These weekends are always really quick but we enjoy them so much!  Friday when we got there all of the O'Connor siblings and spouses were having dinner at Ye Ole Steak House to thank Becca for all she does for everyone.  We stopped by there and then we went over to Nanaw's because Claire was babysitting and we wanted to surprise her and see Torin before Saturday when everyone wanted to see him!  After that, we headed back to Maggie's and just hung out with everybody.  Of course there were a few games of skip-bo played and unfortunately I did not win any that night...  The next day we got up and Hillary and I went for a run and with the hills in East Tennessee we got a good workout because contrary to what we were told, there were no flat roads!  A few other people went to play tennis and then we all got ready to go to Anne's.  Austin was there Friday night and Saturday and that was good because we had spent a lot of time with him before then!  We all headed to Anne's where I used Josh's iphone to get us there and learned that "If you don't have an iphone, then you DON"T have an iphone"!  Great time at Anne's!!

They have the perfect house for an O'Connor function...7 bedrooms, I think, 2 more rooms that could be bedrooms, 2 kitchens, 2 decks, swimming pool and backyard for us to play games.  Hillary, Jake, Austin and I played bocci ball and they killed me!  Hillary won by quite a bit and I am going to have to defend my honor next time...it was pretty pathetic!  haha  After we hung out at Anne's most of the day and everyone passed around baby Torin! 

 Then, we headed back to Maggie and Greg's.  The most memorable part of that night was watching Charlie St. Cloud...really had high hopes for that movie but have to say it was, as Eileen described it, too "hokey" for us.  But atleast Zac Efron was in it!  Poor Chris watched it with us and that really surprised me because normally I am forced to change those type of movies!  Sunday we hung by the pool all day and Hillary and I read our Janet Evanovich books!!  She's on #3 so she still has a lot of good times ahead!  The Canfields, Brad and Bill, Terri and Tim and Greg's parents came over for Greg's 50th birthday!  They grilled out, ate cake and ice cream and then it was time for us to head home.  Great weekend but too short...

Just The Beginning

Well, I have finally taken a few minutes to begin a blog that I have been thinking about doing for a while!!  Chris and I always have so much going on and anyone who knows me knows I am always doing something.  Right now I am couple months into a new job with the American Cancer Society, I am starting a Couch to 5k program for a 5k run coming up here in Nashville and I just got back from Jackson (Milan, TN) because my grandmother, Electa Frances Wilford, passed away. (like I said in the "about me" section- the good, the bad and the ugly)  Chris is starting a new job, heading this weekend to visit his birth famiy and, as always, putting up with me!  I want to be able to hold on to some of our memories and share what we are doing with others, so, here it is the beginning of the Kormos blog...Enjoy!