Tuesday, August 30, 2011

It’s Finally Football Season!


It’s Finally Football Season!
August 30, 2011

LSU’s football team has made many headlines so far this season…unfortunately for the wrong reasons.  Let’s hope that these distractions will be left off the field when the tigers take on the Oregon Ducks this weekend in Dallas! 

It’s been a tradition for a LONG time that we go to the Wednesday night “Coach Miles Radio Show.” The show used to be held at our friend’s restaurant Walk On’s, but now it’s at TJ Ribs.  Thankfully, we are still able to get reserved seating.  Here are some photos from last week!





Pretending to be shy!

Graham caught a t shirt!

Graham terrified of Mike the Tiger (the big stuffed animal one!) but loves the cheerleaders and Head Coach Les Miles.  He literally jumped into Coach’s arms moments before this photo!  
Cheerleaders!

Graham with Coach Miles!
 
I love fall for many reasons and one of them is college football season...Geaux Tigers!


Thursday, August 25, 2011

You Can’t Fool Me…Unless You Try!

August 25, 2011

You Can’t Fool Me…Unless You Try!

I love my job and my coworkers…even though they play jokes on me ALL THE TIME.  They got me again today!!!

It goes WAY back…to gift wrapping Lee’s desk a long time ago.  Fast forward to April 2011 – just before Easter – she retaliated against me.  I arrived at my desk to find a bag of candy and a lottery scratch off ticket.  I scratched it off and FREAKED out (in a calm manner) when I saw I’d won $10,000 (who couldn’t use an extra 10k right?) only to discover the ticket was FAKE.  I can’t even begin to describe how sad I was the ticket was a phony.  The ticket now hangs on my office bulletin board. 













I attempted to get Lee back in May before she left LLT only to have my plan completely backfire.  This was hysterical throughout the entire sequence of events.  Let’s just say I respect the breed of mouse and will never purchase one again.   Enjoy the adventure.  

From: Sara Kleinpeter
Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 4:35 PM
Subject: Lee's Departure

Ladies and gentlemen: While we are all sad Lee has found greener pastures and is leaving us Friday, it is only fitting that we send her off in the way she loves best: with a practical joke or two.  Please do not tell her, but here’s the plan:  since we all know she loves varmints so much, we will be gifting her a sweet LIVE mouse/rat/hamster in her desk following her morning smoke break.  Pictures and/or videos will follow.  Suggestions are welcome for additional pranks.  :) 

Also, do you guys want to go to lunch Friday with her?

From: Sara Kleinpeter
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2011 12:23 PM
Subject: RE: Lee's Departure - GAME OVER

Well…looks like the joke was on me the whole time.  I was so excited – left work and went to the pet store and got the cutest mice I could.  (photos included are stock photos, not actual pics of our friends)  I was also required to purchase for our little friends a cage, food and bedding.  The mice came in a cardboard box that had all sorts of writing on it that I did not read.  I returned home around 6:30 pm and took care of my little one.  Once he was down for the night around 9:00 pm, I returned to my car to assemble the cage, feed the pets, etc only to discover they had eaten their way out of the box. After hours of trying to catch them in my car IN THE DARK, I gave up, placing traps on the floorboard with peanut butter.  Woke up this morning and the traps were untouched.  I am hoping they found their way out of my car on their own, but  have a feeling they are not based on the activity trail left when I dropped Graham off at school this morning.  Now, the car is outfitted with two live mice traps looking like the one pictured below as well as lots of double stick tape.  Let’s hope we catch them soon!  I’m happy to humor you all with my predicament and blame it all on Lee.   The joke’s on me (again) instead of her.  I’ll never win against her, thus quit trying.  Game over for me.  We will miss you Brenda Lee! 

brought the box inside to find this...

left these overnight in the car...found them the same way in the morning

see the holes on the bottom right of the box? 

traps in my car

what the mice looked like


From: Cathleen Carney
Sent: Thu May 12 11:26:22 2011
Subject: RE: Lee's Departure - GAME OVER
Anyone besides me laughing their A** off?????

Cathleen Carney

From: Michael Taylor
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2011 11:32 AM
Subject: Re: Lee's Departure - GAME OVER

Me. That is so Sara!
Mike Taylor

From: Sara Kleinpeter
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2011 12:55 PM
Subject: RE: Lee's Departure - GAME OVER

I’m happy to humor you all and to report that with the help of Eddie Legnon, Spots mouse is in custody.  See picture attached.  She’s getting to know her new home.  I’ll let you know when/if we find Brownie!   

we caught Spots...she's resting in her new home


NOTE:  We never found the brown mouse.  Spots went to live with one of the teachers at Graham’s daycare.  I am still subject to jokes about the incident. 

TODAY was different though.  My coworker Rachel called me before 7:30 am (WAY to early if you know me well enough) to tell me she’d seen something on the fax machine at work that I need to know.  Our office was recently, routinely drug tested and the results were in.  Rachel told me that my test came back as positive for cocaine.  I was in shock.  I’ve NEVER done an illegal substance in my LIFE.  I knew for certain that the test was dead wrong.  I immediately called Ben to see what I should do.  After a couple minutes we both thought it was best I call my boss Mike. I decided to wait until I was on the way to work before calling him – during the time leading up to calling him, I was furious.  I knew the results were wrong; no doubt about that; but I was furious that this company had so carelessly returned confidential test results to an unmanned fax machine over night.  I was also mad that the results were wrong…what kind of company was this anyway?   I wanted to march over there and tell them to retest me immediately and to it the right way ASAP. 

So I finally worked up the nerve to call Mike.  I went over all the “business” I need to talk to him about then started in on my plea about a retest.  I told him I knew Rachel shouldn’t have looked at the results but she just did and that was beside the point...that the results were wrong and I needed a to make sure the correct results were reported because I know I’ve never ever done drugs...(he could barely get a word in).


Then just like that, he simply told me that I needed to go along with it but he was pretty sure they were pulling my leg.  THEY GOT ME AGAIN.  This time without Lee’s mastermind – and the whole BR office was in on it. 


You know of any good practical jokes that I can do to them?  I’m obviously not great at executing them…so keep it simple. 

Hope you enjoyed a few light moments in my workday!

Until next time…

Friday, August 19, 2011

GO GREEK - as long as it's pink & green!

August 19, 2011

GO GREEK- as long as it's pink & green!

Many years ago, this St. Landry Parish girl moved to LSU and participated in Rush (now called Recruitment). In August 1998, I pledged Delta Zeta Sorority and over the past 13 years (has it really been that long?), I’ve been blessed to meet the most amazing women of all ages that are also members of this fraternity.  I serve as the Delta Zeta Baton Rouge Area Alumnae Chapter President, and part of our mission is to support the Sigma Chapter of DZ at LSU.  The most time consuming part of the chapter support is during recruitment – and for the last week, I’ve been working “behind the scenes” to help recruitment run smoothly.  For those of you not familiar with recruitment, visit here for an overview. 

This year, over 1,000 women signed up to participate in the historical tradition of rush to become a member of one of LSU’s ten sororities.  The alumnae and active members’ moms scurry around in the kitchen and between parties to refill ice water glasses, coke/diet coke/root beer floats, raspberry iced tea and more ice water.  I’ve had the pleasure of working with so many alumnae of all ages and moms this week and am so thankful for their hours of volunteer service. 

glasses and glasses of ice water...
sigma chapter readying for the start of an 'ice water' party

alums working to get the ice water out between parties...the ones behind the scenes!

I am more than honored to work for a chapter that allowed me a bit of home while at LSU and still is a place of memories and fun when I return.  The active members of DZ work so hard to bring in a new class of women to carry on the DZ traditions.   I am thankful that in this position I get to continue to know the active members of DZ and remain proud that they are such beautiful women – on the inside and out.  

sigma chapter house sign of historical significance to lsu - taken by alumna jeanne lester

Here’s a quick story (though there are many more) about the connections that make such a large network of Delta Zetas a little bit smaller:  Amber, (visit her blog here), a talented member of the senior class is from Carencro…her mom, Stephanie, used to work for my mom when she was pregnant for Amber - and used to drive my sister and me to school when my mom needed her to.   

a little camera shy, but she agreed i could use this adorable picture!


The DZ mascot is a turtle; the reason the turtle charm from my birthday necklace is special to me. Part of the Delta Zeta Creed states “To those whom my life may touch in slight measure,/May I give graciously/Of what is mine;” I received a text from an active DZ member on my birthday telling me they are lucky to have someone care about them and help them through life…yet, I truly feel that I am the lucky one to continue to watch these young women from freshman year move on in life and become adult women in society.  I hope that soon other alums from my years will take the time to visit with these girls and work with our alumnae chapter.   

Until next time…

DZ Founders

The Delta Zeta Creed

To the world,
I promise temperance and insight and courage,
To crusade for justice,
To seek the truth and defend it always;
To those whom my life may touch in slight measure,
May I give graciously
Of what is mine;
To my friends,
Understanding and appreciation;
To those closer ones,
Love that is ever steadfast;
To my mind,
Growth;
To myself,
Faith
That I may walk truly
In the light of the Flame.

-- Dorothy Mumford Williams, Alpha Zeta (Adelphi University), 1939 

Friday, August 12, 2011

Puppy Face

Just another Friday afternoon...how Graham looked when he was picked up from school today. 
Well...I thought I was done posting for the day until Nene (Mrs. Renee) send me this adorable photo of Graham!  We love our daycare, especially when he leaves looking this happy each day!

Weekend Celebration!


August 12, 2011

Weekend Celebration!

My birthday celebration continued into the weekend – hey, this Leo celebrates for a week!

On Saturday, Graham and I traveled to the historic town of Washington, LA  to see my family! Mom cooked lunch for dad, Momee, Jeanne, Lauren, me and her grandkids – Graham, Hunter & Camille.  Momee made the most delicious chocolate cake using a recipe from Ms. Winky Parker in Pine Mountain, GA.  It was a great day!

Momee and me
Momee

Momee and Lauren
Camille, Graham and Hunter

Poppa Dwight and Graham

Then, on Sunday, my in-laws cooked dinner and my mother in-law, Renee, made the most amazing strawberry cake.  She managed to outdo Ambrosia’s famous fresh strawberry cake.   

Graham enjoyed blowing out the candle!

I had such a wonderful birthday (week). Thank you to all of my family and friends for their calls, texts, facebook messages and emails.  I feel so blessed to have each of you in my life.  
Here’s to 31 being a better year than last! 

Until next time…