The beginning of the current craziest week of my existence thus far.

Y'all... your girl is about to have a mental break. SNAP. Kaput. I'm somewhere between I absolutely CANNOT do this and LET'S F*CKING GOOO. It's a very strange and humbling space to be in. 

This is my last week at my current job. As in... the company I have been with since I was twenty-two years old... the company I have spent going on fourteen years with... the company that took me from being a surviving kid to a surviving adult... that company. It won't be the company I work for come 3:30 on Friday afternoon. THIS FRIDAY AFTERNOON. JANUARY 09, 2026.

And I am not ok. But... I am ok. Does that make sense? No, not really... I guess it wouldn't.

I'm not ok because it's a big change. It's emotional and in a way... devastating. I've put my heart and soul into my current job and built it into what it is today. It quite literally didn't exist before me and I was hired for something completely different. But... over the years we've grown and adjusted and I've managed to form this career out of pieces. And... I'm proud of that. I feel accomplished because of that. At one time, I even felt valuable because of it. I know everyone is replaceable at any job, but it truly felt like I had risen to a position of appreciation and it felt good.

And now, I have to start over. I don't know if "have to" is the right way to say it, but it feels accurate so I'm going with it. Am I excited? Yes... but it's also a HUGE change and will be a MAJOR adjustment. 

I'm nervous... and anxious. I'm trying to reassure myself that I totally got this (fake it til you make it, right?), but if I'm being honest, I truly have no idea. Am I going to put in my all and try everything within my power to learn and thrive in this job and do what we have to do to get out of Indy? One hundred percent... but does that mean I'm perfectly settled about this turn of events? Absolutely-fucking-not.

I want to be able to do this and I'm determined to make this life change. Am I in over my head? Only time will tell... but honestly, it's nice to know while it feels like I'm drowning, my hubby is wading through the waters to me with my arm floaties.

Things will be stressful and nonstop and intense for the next few months (like they haven't already been going 120mpm), but we're hoping to come out the other side better for it and living a much happier and peaceful life. 

Only time will tell, but it's getting here fast. I finish out this week at my current company (I feel like I want to cry but also want to put itching powder in everyone's undies) and then come Friday afternoon... the Glissons are southbound so I can start on-location training come Monday morning.

One week. That's all that's left between me and a new career path. And my anxiety KNOWS it.

Side note: did y'all know finding/buying pants for a new job or I guess just in general was such a fucking nightmare?

I don't know what 2026 has in store for us... we're five days in and life is already cranked... but I do know for sure changes are coming and they're coming fast. Wish us luck... because the Glissons are about to make this year their bitch. Or this year is about to make us it's bitch. 

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

Hopefully, there won't be many more winters spent like this. *siberian*

Has your ass ever hurt so bad that the thought of sitting in a car for another road trip quite literally makes you want to commit a felony? No? Ok... thanks for that... asking for a friend.

This past Saturday, Dev and me loaded our babies into the car and took a little WRTTMM trip. Spending a day with our entire family together is the shit my dreams are made of... but having to sit in a car for like a total of nine hours to accomplish said goals? Exhausting.

I digress... because at least we got the important shit handled and we can move forward. And by move forward, I mean concentrate on renovating our house and staying out of the frigidness that is Midwest winter. 

Seriously... have y'all seen shit out there? Frigid. Unappealing. Bluck!

I only mentioned Saturday to bring up the fact that the temperature started dropping rapidly that day and is in NO MOOD to realign itself. It's been raining since midnight last night and here we are at eleven the next morning... and look at it go... strong and steady. 

I read a report last night that said by this coming Saturday the wind chills would be somewhere around -14° and that's just where we are. That's not counting all the shit we would have to deal with if we go out. Hopefully, we've gotten all our "running" errands accomplished and only small "run to the store to pick something up" errands remain.

Why? Because f*ck this. It's frikkin' freezing out side! If you need the Glissons, we'll essentially be holed up in our little shoebox trying to manage boxes and paint and stay warm... exuberantly planning our future in the Sunshine State. 

Side note: I received a perhaps encouraging message from my MIL earlier... so good vibes and happy thoughts out into the universe for us, please and thank you.

 

Whose f*cking roads are you talking about again?!??!

I seen a recent study... survey... whatever you want to call it.

There was an article that claimed Indiana has some of the best roads, if not THE best roads in the US. And as someone who lives in and traverses the Indy roads on the daily... on behalf of our city (and most of the state) I call bullshit.

And if you don't believe me... I got receipts.

Last year when we still had Doug Judy... had to buy five tires in five months. That doesn't include the patches.

This year? With four months to go?

In June... Bonehead patched my tire for me.

Last month... had to have Trudy's front tire replaced completely because of a hole in the sidewall.

And just this week... me AND Dani had to have our tires replaced. My front passenger side. Her rear passenger side.

So... this whole best roads in the country bullshit you're trying to sell? We ain't f*cking buying.

Dev and me travel ALOT... lots of states... lots of highways and county roads.

Indiana? F*cked. Ohio? F*cked. Michigan? Amazing... after the first couple of minutes from point of entry. Y'all keep doing you! Tennessee? F*cked. Kentucky? Yee-F*cking-Haw kinda f*cked. Georgia? Pretty good. Alabama? F*cked. Florida? North is fantastic... once you start getting midways? F*cked.

The audacity of these folks to even pretend these roads aren't Jacked to Jesus and we're all just doing the best we can. If they're so fantastic, then y'all pay for all these tire problems... cause shit be expensive!

That's gotta be what heaven looks like.

Dev and me travel... a lot. Whether we're driving to another state to visit family or we drive out of the city to get a little peace... either way... we're driving.

Spending so much time in a car is both rewarding and a pain in the ass. Literally and figuratively. Sure, we have to travel to do and get the things we want, but if it wasn't for the fact I get to hang out with my best friend/soulmate... I would riot.

Why? Because while Trudy Judy is a comfy little Bronco... you can only be so comfy for so long with a bony ass. I said what I said.

One of the bonuses for these wide ranging trips though... Dev and me talk about the most random shit. We see some of the most beautiful views. We spend an insane amount of time together.

Give me all of that for the rest of my life.

Friday was one of our travel trips. I got off work a tad early and we left the house around 2:30 or so... and didn't get home until midnight. Because that's how we roll. 

An interesting trip... complete with torrential downpours... an allergic reaction to ants for poor little Steve... a piece of a semi flew off and hit our Bronco (and straight up looked like a bullet ricocheted off our windshield)... and a situation where an asshole van in front of us made all of us merge onto the highway going 27 mph.

Side note: If anybody has any good news... or vibes... or juju... anything like that... we're in the market and will take it. We could use some positivity in life right now.

The positive spin though? Well... besides getting to be together and accomplishing what we wanted to. 

This view. When the skies open up and things feel a little less heavy and a little more clear for a few minutes. And it reminds you what's important. And what's important to me? I had it all right there in the car with me.

We're definitely more Trikru than Skaikru.

On January 29, an American Airlines plane and Blackhawk helicopter collided. And I can't help but to think... January 29th must be a bad omen type of day. It shouldn't have to be said, but I'll say it anyways, I feel absolutely terrible for all these people.

Since then, it feels like I have seen NOTHING but news reports about plane crashes. 

We're a traveling family, but we do all driving because my hubby is scared of... well... flying in planes. I always thought it was a valid fear but now more so than before. Didn't think it was possible, but it is.

Apparently there hasn't been a major US plane crash since 2009... and now we're creeping the deep in 2025? The fuck?

Listen... I don't know if this means some kind of Terminator malfunction is happening and it's crashing planes from here on out until they (hopefully?) find the glitch or if it's because this one major plane crash happened and the media feels the need to tell us about all the crashes that have been happening the whole time.

Either way... super uncomfortable and not fucking on board with it, dude.

I don't even check gas prices. Either I'm paying... or I'm walking.

I keep waiting to be one of those people that settles into their car and becomes so comfortable that it's no longer "cool." It's just your car. I'm not there yet... driving the Bronco? Still f*cking cool to me. I still have a hard time believing this is our car. It's still a dream and I'm still loving it.

Don't get me wrong, I loved our Equinox. Doug Judy was a good bird and did right by us for as long as he could. Sadly though, it just wasn't meant to be. 

Trudy Judy, though? She's got it. And by it, I mean me... and my entire family.

It's been around (but less than) a month since we got Trudy and we're still learning new things. We're still looking at pictures and saving things to add in the future. It's my dream car that somehow became our dream car and that makes me so damn happy. Like... my husband is not only on board with my crazy but is signing off on it and adding to the list? Yes, please.

We've officially put 1,000 miles on Trudy. When we drove her off the lot... she had twenty... five of which I put on during our test drive. We're a traveling family... we like to be together and on the go. Well... when we're not all hibernating and trying to find a way to stay in our house forever. And Trudy makes that happen for us. 

We had a great trip on the last run we made and we can't wait to make a million more. Nothing gets you closer to your family than roadtrips... right?! We sing and dance and point out the randomness around us. We talk shit and eat crap and drink way too much coffee. We walk our pups and wiggle our butts and rate all the gas stations.

It's the little things in life, and I'm fortunate enough to get to do it with my soulmate and our babies.

Here's to 1,000, Trudy. May you have a million more and continue to be the best family ride we could ask for. *Skirt Skirt*

🔆 Back at it like... well... just back at it. 🔆🔆

Last week was our annual FL trip to see the family. We didn't get to go last year because D had two surgeries, our pups had some veterinary things, and well... shit be expensive. Needless to say, we were well do for some Sunshine State family time.

And once again... the fam did not disappoint. 

We got to my MIL/FIL's house Saturday morning and by Saturday evening, we were at Mitch's bonfire, surrounded by live music (shout out to Silver Springs, FL band- Propaganjah!) and all kinds of people we love.

By Sunday, we were out at River Ranch riding quads and drinking booze. Ok... I only had one beer and a shot of Jack Fire but you get the idea. We were there for hours getting sunburned (peeling, party of one right over here), laughing until our sides hurt, and memorializing our dude... Dennis.

And let's not forget the family dinners (which by the way... you kids need to help your damn mama cook and clean more!), the family injuries (my Gatorbaby fractured his foot and my BIL, Brad, broke a rib), and the family talks (nothing beats early morning coffee with the in-laws!).

We stayed at his mom's Saturday through Tuesday and headed out to my other FIL's house on Wednesday morning. 

On the way over (it's about a three hour drive North), we even got to stop by and see my Uncle Wayne and visit with him for a couple hours! It was so good to see him and get to hang out for a bit. I (technically) have other members of my family that live in FL, but honestly, the only one I cared for seeing was Uncle Wayne. Most people don't see my Uncle the same way I see him. And I get it, he's very opinionated and set in his ways. However, he's never been anything but accepting of me and he truly makes me feel loved just for being myself. I'm 100% me and comfy around him and we both just go with the flow. We're different, and the same, and are just happy to be in each other's lives any which way we can. I love that dude and wish I lived closer so I could see him more often.

By Wednesday afternoon we were at my FIL's house and having a grand ole time. It's much more lowkey at Dev's dads house (he's a han solo liver like us), but we still love going and getting to hang out and spend time with him. More lowkey is not a bad thing for us and honestly, I feel like this trip was really good for all of us. We definitely needed it.

As always, the family teased and asked when we were moving back to FL. We hear it every time and they love to joke and mess with me about it. Ever since I moved out of FL when I was seventeen, I've always said I'll never move back. F*ck FL, right? I ain't going back! I've been talking mad shit for like going on twenty years now. And we all know how much I love to talk shit. 

But... I mean... I talked mad shit about never getting married for almost thirty years and now look at my ass. I f*cking love being married. My husband must think my favorite f*cking meal is crow or something, because I be eating it left right and center when it comes to him. The truth is, we have no plans for moving back. Ok... not "no plans" but no plans in the near future. I know we will, because honestly, if I said let's move today, my hubby would have been packed three days ago. He misses his family... hell, I miss his family. And this trip around, really cemented the fact that yes, one day, we will be going back. 

We always say we're not staying here the rest of our lives. City life is just simply not for me... I do it because I have to but do I like it? No... I never have. I moved here for Momma, and while I don't regret it, it's also not what I would have chosen if it was just me. Truthfully, I want to live in f*ck all nowhere again and very few people have access to me. I want peace and happiness. That's what I want. Nothing fancy or expensive or extravagant. 

The only thing keeping us in Indy right now is my job. I simply can't justify walking away from the stability and amazing job that I have... I also can't leave my girl out to dry. I've been part of this team for going on twelve years and while that might not mean anything for some, it means something to me.

So no... we're not planning on moving back anytime soon. But yes... we are planning to move back someday. When that will be, I have no idea. Maybe retirement... maybe before then. Honestly, life has a way of throwing curve balls my way and one of these days I might say f*ck it and pull an Elizabeth Ann. TBD.

Afterall, with five acres waiting for us... it's something to look forward to. #ForeverHome

You know what we didn't anticipate this time around though? The fact that this past weekend was the Kentucky Derby. F*cking Louisville, amirite? We got beyond lucky when we came through because the highway was a clear and straight shot... but every single exit to get off the highway and into Louisville? F*ck that. Glad we were headed straight through. Although, I will say we watched the Derby with my FIL this year and we actually really enjoyed it. It's not really my thing... even being raised in damn near Kentucky, I'm just not that kind of Derby gal. I mean, I'm f*cking terrified of horses so why would I be about it? But, we had fun and it's added to my list of memories with dad.

So yeah... we had an amazing vacation and my ass 100% almost didn't come back. And this is the first time I said that and I truly mean it. We'll be (hopefully) heading back down in September for a couple days because my MIL is the f*cking best and got me JELLY ROLL tickets. Three days before Momma's 60th birthday and one month before mine and Dev's four year anniversary. Can I get a whoop whoop?!!

And now that we're back home, we have decided (well... Dev decided) that when I'm not at work, we are on vacation time. All about Katie all the time. And I have to say... I don't hate it!

I don't have the heart to tell her they creep me the f*ck out.

When D moved to Indy so we could be together, we both knew that he would miss his family something terrible. He doesn't complain about it often and never tries to make me feel guilty about it, but I know deep down that he misses seeing them as often as he once did.

Luckily, his mom has been able to make a few trips up in the last year, once even bringing one of his nephews, and now more than ever, we've learned that Facetime can be a beautiful thing.... like when she facetimed us during his brothers baby shower and we got to partake in the festivities, even though we couldn't technically be there in person.

With that being said, we are planning a trip for the beginning of next year, and hope to make it down sometime in March. D knows how much I hate the heat (even though I would endure it so he could see his family), so he wants to go down while it's still fairly cool.

We'll of course be taking our three pups and driving his car for the journey. Since we can fold down the backseats and make a giant palette, it should be fairly comfortable. Even though Tayder will demand to sit up front with me the whole time, because he is not a backseat kind of pup. We plan to see the majority of his family (mom, stepdad, dad, brother, sister, grandparents, etc.) and one of my uncles that doesn't live too far from his grandparents. It should be real nice.

His mom insists that we spend the majority of time at their house, as they live on a few acres of land and have room for days. They have horses, pigs, dogs, ducks, chickens, cats, etc. and with my love of animals, she figured it would be a good fit. She is also pretty adamant that she's going to take me riding, since I've never been on a horse in my entire life.

Yes, the girl who grew up on a farm, surrounded by other peoples farmland, working tobacco, hauling cattle, hunting, fishing, and generally being in the middle of nowhere backcountry, has never been on a horse. But.... that's not by accident. You see, horses freak me the f*ck out.

I'm an awful "girl" by way of, I don't think they're majestic or magical creatures (unless you put a horn and some glitter on them), although I will admit that there is something freeing and amazing at watching them run through fields, or in moments like Dances with Wolves. I've never had the fantasy about being "rescued" by a prince on a white horse and I never wanted to own a "pony" growing up. And I never understood the girls that did.

It's not that I hate them or anything, they're beautiful creatures, I just happen to prefer cows. Not saying that's a substitute, but you get the idea. I even took an Ag class in high school where we had to count the hands high of horses and I was all about the book work, but didn't necessarily love the dealing with horses one on one part.

I know, I know. TRUST ME, I KNOW how ridiculous this sounds. You would think that my twenty-nine year old ass would be over this ridiculousness at this point, but I am not. In fact, there are very few things that creep me out in life.... outer space, ventriloquist dummies, Freddie Krueger, and horses. (Now that I think about it, the list of things that freak me out is getting longer and I'm not sure if that's anxiety related or I'm just a f*cking psycho?)

The sad thing is though, no one knows about this. And it's not necessarily a fear or anything, like the thought of horses doesn't freak me out, but the thought of being with them or riding them.... I kind of might have a slight anxiety attack. Which isn't that bad anymore, considering that I have so many anxiety attacks that they all just kind of blend together at this point.

But, she is most definitely looking forward to teaching me how to "ride" and while I want to panic and shake my head no, I don't have the heart to tell her that the animals she loves so much might kill her DIL. Not to be dramatic, but I'm being dramatic.

I guess come March, we shall see how this goes.