Happy New Year!

Once again I'm so sorry its been awhile since I've written, but I feel that no one reads my blog anyway and its just for me to go back... kinda like an online journal.

Anyway.... the holidays are over, kinda glad so I can get back on track with weight watchers (and suprised myself at the scale today, I lost the 3 pounds I gained over the holidays already) #victory

Christmas was amazing! we actually did things differently and did Christmas the weekend before just because Keylee and Kev were going to do Christmas with her family and I wasn't sure about my work schedule, but turns out I got the day off as personal leave, but then the president declared that the VA could close on Christmas eve, so I got it as a holiday! woot woot!

So much fun just being with my family and our dogs. Kev and Keylee's puppy Scouty is so big and she's actually been at my parents house for the past couple of weeks since KS2 had a weekend basketball tournament. Its been so nice having her so close, but I know KS2 will be excited to have the little terrorist back (family nickname, she just chewed up my dad's remote!) LOL! my dad of course was annoyed, but Scouty is just so cute I don't think anyone could stay mad at her. My mom thinks Casey is going to be so sad when her daughter goes back home with KS2 though. :(   They've been having so much for the past two weeks playing and napping (life of dogs must be so rough!)

We also call Scouty wet head because when Casey first saw her again since KS2 took her home, she started to bit Scouty's head, so hence the nickname. LOL!

Christmas was so wonderful though... my favorite gifts included picture frames of the family from KS2 at their wedding, Jackie got me a tablet (yah!) and mom and dad got me an ice cream maker and Dole Whip mix, I'm so excited to use it!

We ended up being lazy all weekend, naps and movies, which was so great!

For new years I went to Jackie's place to ring in the new year. I actually joked with her that its weird that we planned this because growing up she would always complain when she had to entertain her little sister and my friends. LOL! we watched episodes of Scrubs, SNL skits, and kitten videos and the went to bed shortly after midnight! #weold

Well Happy New Year everyone! hope 2019 is the best ever!

PS Joe Mauer update... he did retire and his press conference was so hard to watch, I think I started crying two seconds in when he was tearing up but get this... him and his wife just had a baby boy, so maybe we'll have a future Mauer in a twins uniform in 18-19 years! yah! #loveyoujoeypatrick

Joe Mauer possibly retiring

My blog title is freakin me out. The whole reason I got into MN twins baseball was 12 years ago when I was flipping channels and came upon a twins game and they were celebrating a very cute baseball player by the name of Joe Mauer as he won his first (of eventually three) batting titles, which is very hard to do as a catcher.

Fast forward 12 years to the last game of the season last Sunday and I can't believe I am going to say this, but it was "Joe Mauer day" at Target Field. His twin girls (because of course the Twins hometown hero has twins) 5.5 year olds now greeted him at first base (they look JUST like Joe!) https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1500/1*Tg8_X9lD5iWgWIUJ5P_0sw.jpeg  super funny how he is in the catchers crouch when his girls nearly knock him over with big bear hugs! LOL! he was meant to be in that catchers crouch!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r99vWt5asEc

Every time he went to bat he got a roaring ovation... reminded me of when I witnessed the last couple of games at the metrodome in 2009 when he was trying for MVP (and we chanted MVP everytime he batted) and he did win that year and coincidentally it was announced on my birthday, I remember someone posting on my fb happy bday and Joe is MVP! LOL!

Of course he got a double during what could possibly be his last game!! classic Joey!

As I was watching the end of the game, just because I knew they would interview Joe afterward I caught the end (I have to admit with my brother getting married and my new job... I haven't been as big as a twins fan as I usually am) but then I was shocked and so happy to see Joe in his CATCHER'S GEAR!! eekkk!! I legit cried! I couldn't believe it! Joe was catching again after not being able to catch anymore due to his health and he was in tears, such a wonderful moment, if I had been paying attention to the twins I would've known to get tickets to that game and I am so sad that I wasn't there to see this in person. There is even a clip of a little girl watching from behind home plate and her mouth is wide open and shocked and I was probably doing the same thing. And to see him with his classic Joe Mauer catchers gear and the helmet he always wore when he caught... wow what a moment!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y2M-q6iMhM

This is a great video clip of the last day:
https://www.facebook.com/Twins/videos/494416554301652/

And these are great pictures:
https://twinsphotog.mlblogs.com/joe-mauer-day-ca4a8b444f58  credit goes to MN twins photographer!

Then after the game to hear and see him in tears after what could be his last game ever, I'm not sure if I would be mad or glad or even sad to see him with another team, but it sounds like he just wants to be with his family as he said he was glad he could take his girls to kindergarten the next day and his wife is expecting around my birthday (ironic right!). Also he said he promised his wife he wouldn't catch anymore, so the opposing team agreed to let the pitcher throw him a ball and he caught one pitch and then he stopped, but wow what a moment. I don't know that you can end your career on better terms. We shall see though.

I know Joe won't read this, but what a wonderful classy baseball player you are. Thank you so much for all the great memories! I've met him numerous times and he's always been so nice to me! The first time I met him my dad told him I wanted to marry him and Joe's response "he called you out!" LOL! I was so embarrassed, but secretly glad that Joe said that! haha!

And of course you probably know from this blog site (joemauerforme.blogspot.com) that he's a pretty special guy to me, and also my email address is named after him! LOL!

congrats Joe and here's hoping that you don't retire, although if you do it for your family, I suppose I can forgive you. #sayitaintsojoe

Love you Joey P Mauer!

PS I had a dream that his girls became figure skating greats... how awesome would that be, my two favorite sports would come together! #olympics2026 #marenandemilymauerfuturefigureskaters

updates on life

Hello!

Just wanted to share what has been going on in my life lately.... many good things!

I feel like things are getting better at the new job, so that is nice when things start to click. Still feeling new, but doing better! Keep praying though that I can keep up!

So my parents dog (aka my dog!) Casey Ann (yes I middle named her after me!) had her 2nd litter of puppies! and they are so chute! I love them already and am so glad that one of them is going to Kev and Keylee! Hooray for keeping one in the family!

So yesterday I went home to check on the puppies, since my sister was in town for work and she took dad and I (mom was working) out for supper to Triple R (we are becoming regulars, since we went there after we decorated the venue for Kev and Keylee's wedding). It was fun to just chit chat with my peeps! After that we drove around Kimball and then we went home and played with the puppies and watched a new show on NBC called Manifest and I'm already into it (oh great another show to watch, at least I work out while watching tv-LOL!) and its so funny "watching" shows with dad since he ALWAYS has questions! BAHAHA!

Dad was so cute saying that he was missing his favorite daughter (aka Keylee!) and I'm totally okay with it because she is awesome, we always joke that we love her more than Kev! haha! I think I got downgraded because I haven't gone to Disney with dad in a couple of years, and he's been "stuck" having to go with Jackie and mom and there stipulations, where as I am game for anything! LOL!

Then this weekend I found out that a townhouse I really like is having an open house and KS2 is going to be in town, so hoping I can get my brother to come and look at it and get a point of view from a guy in construction (since I don't have access to Johnathon Scott) and I'll get to see KS2 and the puppies!

And I started to go to church at the Waters in Sartell and I really like it! So things are going well. How are you?

Wedding Weekend #KSsquared

Wedding weekend was soooo much fun, I want the Sommers family to host another wedding soon! Jackie?? :)

it started out Friday morning... I went to the farm to help with the rehearsal dinner food prep. My parents, kev and Keylee and my uncle Jon were cutting up fruit and I was put on husking corn detail! LOL!

after we got done with that it was time to decorate the reception venue, which I came to find out that my dad and my aunts went roller skating there growing up on Tuesday nights! LOL!

decorating went really well and we got it done quickly, even though dad and I were there "helping" which was more like us attempting to decorate and then my mom's friend "redecorating" what my dad and I attempted to do.

After that my two aunts, my cousin and my dad and sister and I went out for lunch. My aunts asked where we could go for lunch and my dad was like "there is only a Triple R in town!" LOL! gotta love small towns.

after lunch my sister and I went back to the farm and just hung out with my mom and her friend before rehearsal and grooms dinner at 6:00. Then Kev came and hung out while Keylee and her bridesmaids got there nails done and he was more crabby than usual over a STINKIN background at the venue. it was pretty funny! That boy though,  he's usually disgruntled anyway but times that by a 1,000 and it was out of control. I usually just ignore him, but our sister usually likes to ignite the flame. Watch out!

I was SOOOO nervous for rehearsal since I was reading scripture. Of course I thought of all the things that could go wrong, like tripping over my words or my feet. Which my dad did trip over his words.. he was filling in for Keylee's dad at rehearsal and when Adam asked "Who gives this woman to this man" my dad was like "My wife and I.. oh wait.. she does" and pointed to Keylee's mom, it was so funny.

Then it was time for the grooms dinner.. it was so fun with Kevin's friends that we all grew up with and good food too. And my mom's friends did the serving for the dinner, which was so nice of them.

I met all of Keylee's siblings and it was there that her youngest sister Tripp (who was the flower girl) was like "Hi I'm Tripp... its spelled T-R-I-P-P" and then her brother goes "I'm Rigg... and that's spelled R-I.... G.G". He's 4 or 5, it was so cute. So then everyone started spelling there names.

I went home to sleep and slept for a little bit last night, but it just seemed like no more how hard I tried to sleep, it wasn't gonna happen. Oh well. I got through the day with diet mt dew (my dad knows me so well!)

I got home and mom started on my hair and then family started to arrive and kev stopped by after golfing by himself in the rain and finally my stylist arrived (aka my sister!) late though, so it was a very stress filled hurry up and wait kind of day, but it was a BEAUTIFUL day! and I can't believe my baby brudder is a married man.

so we got to the church... late (of course) and then we got pictures done (which didn't take long because its Kevin and he hates pictures) and then we had lunch and I just got all kinds of nervous for my scripture reading.

Finally the wedding started and Keylee looked so beautiful in her dress. My reading went well, I kind of tripped over my words at the end, but then my sister kind of tripped over her words and then Kevin kinda tripped over his words in his vows, so I guess I started the Sommers word vomiting yesterday! LOL! I'm so embarrassed though because I came to discovered that I ripped my jumpsuit right by my knee. how embarrassing. I was so relieved that I got through my reading that I zoned out during my sister's poem and had to ask her about it later. A friend of Kevin and Keylee's sang and she did such a great job and then it was time for the vows, which were so great and Keylee got a bit teary eyed toward the end and then when they prayed together with there heads together, it was beautiful. Adam (Kevin's best man and officiant) was AMAZING and was definitely a highlight of the night! such great references to Kev and came to find out during Adam's best man speech was that because Kevin did a sermon during his youth group days and Adam was so inspired by that sermon that he went to seminary and does what he does now. Talk about a special moment.

And then Adam said they could kiss and Kevin goes "you betcha!" LOL! so minnesotan!

after the ceremony Jackie and I went home to try to fix my jumpsuit, but of course we couldn't find anything, so I changed into a dress and then we headed to the reception with the lighted backdrop (yah for Keylee winning!) and then we got to eat, but of course we ran into everyone we knew on the way to the food, so I didn't really eat. but it was so fun to see our childhood friend Josh and a group of girls we grew up with (Bria, Adrienne, and April) and to see our family that came into town. So much fun and then finally it was time to dance. It was so fun dancing with my whole family, Keylee included. Jack Miller sliding all over the dance floor and then my dad dancing aka marching around the dance floor. So much fun! my brother is such a great dancer and it was fun to dance with the Magnuson crew!

Even thought the bride ended up not feeling well at the end of the night, but in SICKNESS and in health right? such a fun weekend! so happy for Kevin and Keylee. Follow #KSsquared for pictures on social media!

and now I have a major headache. Probably from the loud music and heat, but so much fun. Let's do it again next weekend! LOL!

Stress

Do you ever just feel so stressed out and trying to be so perfect that you make mistakes? That's where I'm at. I love my new job and have already gotten my first compliment from a patient, but I was so busy trying to catch up that I didn't full say thank you or recieve the compliment, when I should've. (insert face palm!)

I just need to remember to give myself grace. I found this that my sister wrote to me a while back when I had started a new job and it really helped me this week.

Dear Jesus, i believe that You are in control of everything, including giving Kristin this job, and so I trust that You will provide her with all she needs to succeed.

in fact, what she needs to succeed is YOU, and she already has YOU! please be with her every step of every day this week.

hold her hand; let her feel your presence with her.

give her confidence to ask questions and give her a strong memory to retain all the new things she learns.

give her favor in the eyes of the people she works with and for. help them to slow down a little bit, and speed Kristin up, at the same time, so that they can compromise and meet in the middle without either side having to say anything.

God, CALM HER NERVES. She survived the interview AND the first week! So please calm her and sustain her. Be her peace. Guide her through this entire week, and help her to quickly find her feet at St. Cloud VA.

Amen.

I changed the name of th ejob around, but it was defintely from God and he gave the right words to my deetie, so that was a great gift to get this week.

So I'm on my own next week, but I have awesome coworkers who have said how great of a fit I am with the group and one of them said she is going to sit next to me next week and she will charge $5 for every question (she's joking!) but I think I might bring in a 100 grand candy bar or something like that as pre payment. They keep joking that another new hire keeps bringing in baked goods for everyone, so I better step up my game.

I have a good feeling about the job, but I just want to know how to do it all NOW!

Today I had the realization of "Why do I go to God last", He should be my first stop. Please keep praying that I catch on quickly this week.

today has been AMAZING!

Do you ever just feel like you need a day to do nothing?? Well that was today and it was AMAZING! I FINALLY slept in, but it was weird. I got up at 7:30 because I had to go to the bathroom (darn uterus) and then I felt like I couldn't fall back asleep, isn't it weird how you can feel awake or asleep and feel like no time has passed and then all of the sudden you see time has so passed. I then woke up at 10:00 feeling like I couldn't fall back asleep after getting up initially at 7:30, so bizarre. I felt bad since I promised my friend I would meet her at weight watchers, but I just needed to sleep in today and I slept for 12 hours-yikes! must've been all of the training...

After sleeping in... i basically was lazy (kind of), more like "lazy at home", which means working out like crazy and cleaning. Almost done cleaning. Its crazy to me how it takes me forever to clean and its just me, I'm such a slob! LOL!

I think the lazy part is just relaxing and taking forever to take a shower. I think I showered and dressed at 1:00. whoops!

I hope you all have an amazing weekend and stay cool! it's so hot out, I almost prefer winter just because you don't run into the predicament of what to wear... example should I wear clothes for how hot it is outside or how cold I can get inside with the air conditioning?

#thirdworldproblems right?

I think I had a panic attack at work yesterday...

ugh! my heart goes out to those who have had panic attacks before. I literally had to leave my desk and go to the bathroom. Full on alligator tears and all and of course there were a ton of people in the bathroom, so I had to keep flushing the toilet. Do you want to know why I had a panic attack?? BECAUSE OF A FREAKIN TEST AT WORK. Ugh. I passed, which I was so relieved by, but still I wanted to be like "seriously, you have Jesus on your side... get it together Kristin!". Then I come to find out that we have another test tomorrow and I originally thought it was a group test, with all of us new hires, but it is a group and then an individual test. ugh. Could use some prayers. But I do feel confident because I passed the first part, so now I have the second part and then starting next week I am in my area, no more training! But my trainer will still be with me, thank goodness she is awesome!

Being the newbie is so hard, but could definitely use your prayers as I get going at the new job! Life has been tough lately what with losing my friend Brittany and being a newbie, but I'm excited about things coming up, like my brothers wedding in August and today is Kristi Yamaguchi's birthday! Happy birthday to my bestie, who so doesn't look like she is 46!

Let's have a great Friday and a great weekend! I plan to just relax and study! LOL! i know, I'm totally a nerd!

I found a couple of quotes that I want to share:

"When Life Puts you in tough situations don't say why me say try me" unknown

and from my very own deetie:

"Its what I am telling myself every day

To give myself grace

God certainly does

We withhold it from ourselves far more than he does" Jackie Lea Sommers author extraordinaire