Our Dining room took on a transformation.  We pulled the wood trim outlining the walls off, removed carpet, popcorn ceilings and replaced the light fixture.  My great grandmother's dining room table was broken in the move from Enid as the packer (aka Mike) stacked way to many heavy things on it and the legs were broken.  In all honesty it was beautiful but it had seen better days and was definitely an antique so I was happy to purchase a new table and chairs for my contemporary dining room. 

Now I do have a story for you... Mike and I invited our first dinner guests to our home and sat in our dinning room with a plastic long table (new table wasn't in yet).  Our new chairs had arrived days before and my sister and I had assembled them.  When the guest sat down and leaned back in his chair the back popped off and his legs flipped in the air, knocking our food and beverages everywhere.  How embarrassing!  Fortunately he wasn't hurt and we have a good memory to laugh about.  That night was a disaster.  My kids had a fire in the fire pit that night - fire department showed up.  The Weber Grill failed to ignite so our BBQ dinner couldn't be cooked ( ate leftovers).  And then the chair....we are lucky this family is still our friends.  Needless to say we waited a few months to have anyone over for dinner again.    

Mike and I recently joined SKY  http://sky-fit.com/clubs.  Although Mike does miss the true Cross-fit box gym this seemed like a perfect match for us with one location near our house and one near work.  I join my sister for workouts of body-pump and yoga/pilates while Mike does his own WODs of Crossfit.  I should mention I tried Zumba for the first time this month an the teacher is fantastic.  She can really move and it is a new favorite.  

  Join the Jansen Family at the hometown huddle this Friday evening before the Jenks/Owasso Football game.  There are lots of events for little ones, dinner too.  Michelle and the boys are in charge of trash pick up for the evening (glamorous job).  

In the parking lot just south of the football stadium

Enjoy a fun event that is part pep rally and part street party.  At 5:00 we ask all Trojan fans to line the street on the west side of the stadium to cheer on our players as they walk to the event venue.  Follow the team to the event for a community pep rally.  Stick around for a street party for all ages.  Activities include:  a bounce house, 18’ inflatable slide, dunk tank, egg toss, life sized Operation game, make and take art projects, sidewalk chalk, game day gear, pony rides, petting zoo, train rides, music performances and more.  When you get hungry stop by one of the many food vendors including On A Roll Sushi, Mike’s BBQ, Marble Slab ice cream, Cookiedoodle, hamburgers, kettle corn, cotton candy, sno cones and much more.  No cost to attend.  There is a cost to purchase food and participate in most activities.

A big part of my job is just helping people understand Risk Management.  It is one of my favorite things to discuss and whether it's healthcare, finances, or home hazards-sometimes Prevention is the best answer.  While we can never prevent ALL risks or causes of loss, some things are just tried, true and proven.  Visit www.floodchek.com for one of my recommendations.

1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
6 (4 ounce) fillets trout
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:
1.In a small bowl, mix together paprika, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, cumin, black pepper, white pepper, thyme and salt; set aside. Heat a heavy cast iron pan on high heat until extremely hot, about 10 minutes.2.Pour 3/4 cup melted butter into a shallow dish. Dip each fillet into butter, turning once to coat both sides. Sprinkle both sides of fillets with spice mixture, and gently pat mixture onto fish.3.Place fillets into hot pan without crowding. Carefully pour about 1 teaspoon melted butter over each fillet. Cook until fish has a charred appearance, about 2 minutes. Turn fillets, spoon 1 teaspoon melted butter over each, and cook until charred. Repeat with remaining fish.

RECIPE HINT:  I used stripper fish and cooked this in a skillet on the stove since I didn't have a cast iron skillet!

Julie inherited a Rainbow Loom from our dear friends in Dallas, TX.  It has finally found it's way to Tulsa and it is available at Michaels craft store.  Pictured above are some of the creations Julie has made.  I'm so impressed with these creative innovations.  Wish I could have come up with this idea in my basement.  For just $14.99 this is a great gift for any girl 5 - 14.  We are all wearing custom bracelets made by Julie.  She has enjoyed hours of fun and learning by watching videos online of how to make different styles. 

Summer has been fun, but I am ready for a break from the heat!!  My kids are even talking about it and hoping to visit the slopes this winter after missing it for a couple of years.  Looking forward to hunting season as well.  A friend at the office, Mark, just returned from a successful CO hunt on public land and filled his buck mule deer tag.  Way to go!! 

Just prior to school starting my kids thought it would be a great idea to have a pet mouse.  After they watched youtube videos of how to make homemade bedding, gathered my paper towel rolls and placed the cages in Jack's room the PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE began.  I was sure Daddy would put the big, "NO" on the subject once he came home but to my dismay Daddy drove them to the pet store and came home with 4 pet mice.  That evening we had planned to watch a movie together as a family but the kids were into their mice and loved playing with them so much that they wouldn't come out of the room.  No fighting, no whining just getting along perfectly.   Mike and I looked at each other surprised and enjoyed a date night watching a movie ourselves on the couch.  What I thought I would never do turned into a pleasant experience until the smell came.  
The mice began to poop everywhere in their cage, kids started school and the fun of watching them started to wear off quickly.  At night (remember they are nocturnal) they would run on the wheel in their cage and you could hear this loud annoying noise.  By day 12 we were off to the pet store to return these little creatures.  (16 day return policy, thank you PetCo)  Kids got their money back minus the wheel.  All in all it was a great learning experience.  My kids learned that taking care of something this demanding isn't all its cracked up to be.  

Many life situations you can't just return it... I hope they learned their lesson.