Holiday recap

The mariachi band was awesome but our group didn't win top prize for the best team. We didn't even get one of the top 3 which was a little disappointing but overall the party was pretty awesome.

Christmas this year was really nice. Among some other small things, I got a remote car starter, a crock pot cookbook (which I can't wait to start using!) and a cookie press kit that will put words on cookies. So many possibilities! Plus I always enjoy spending Christmas with my family. My niece is now a little over 2 so she's really able to enjoy Christmas this year.

In all the years I have been working, I've never exchanged gifts with my co-workers so I didn't budget any money towards gifts for any of them. Well come Christmas week, I found a bottle of wine on my desk one morning, a gift card from my boss and a cute little ceramic sheep from the girl I share an office with. I felt like a giant jerk not getting anyone anything. But at least now I know for next year.

I read 101 books this year. I had set a goal for 100 so I just made it under the wire. Most of the books came from the library because there's no way I could have bought all these books. That and some of them were just crap so I would have felt like I wasted money owning them. Also, my house couldn't hold all the books. I still haven't come around to a e-book reader. My library is starting to get a better selection so maybe some time.

 I'm waiting for the day when I can relax a little and stop comparing myself to other people. I'm hoping in the new year I can learn to relax. I think that will be next year's new years resolution.

Work hard, play hard

I've discovered at my office we work hard but we also play hard. Our office holiday party this year is an around the world party. We were divided up into 5 teams and we each had to choose a country. Then each team had to choose a drink to represent their country. We can bring in props and wear costume but we also have to bring in apps and deserts. My group chose Mexico. So clearly we're bring in a mariachi band lol. That's going to be pretty hard to top I have a feeling. I'm very much looking forward to seeing people's reactions when all of a sudden there are three music playing guys walking through the office. We're having them come up through the service elevator to make it a surprise.

I volunteered to make deserts. The first batch of stuff I made last night didn't come out so good. Tonight I am making mexican brownies and mexican wedding cookies. Hopefully these work out better. The brownies smelled pretty tasty when I took them out of the oven. I'm interested to see what other teams come up with. It's nice that we get to let loose and party with each other and our managers.

Reunions

High School reunions are an interesting thing. Thanks to facebook many of us already know what our classmates are up to. We know who got married, who has kids and who are still living in our hometown. Although even though I am facebook friends with a couple people from high school, some of them still don't know much about me. Case in point, one of them thought I flew across the country to attend. Nope, just drove 45 minutes.

Anyway, I was excited to go to mine to see people that I knew in high school with. What I find most interesting is seeing if people have changed and seeing people who think they have changed but really haven't. I was genuinely interested in seeing some people.  I'm not going to lie, part of the reason why was to show people I didn't grow up to be a complete loser and look, I even got married! Now, I didn't really have that many friends in high school. I had a couple girls I was friendly with but for the most part they hung out with each other and never really with me. I was the shy kid who was a bit of a homebody and not having a boyfriend in high school, I didn't really have a lot in common with them.

Anyway, these girls are still friends with each other (and some of the other people in the group) in real life as well. I haven't seen anyone I graduated with since I left for college so I was looking forward to seeing them specifically. We're friends on facebook so I had an idea of what they'd been up to.  The last time I saw them, we were hanging out before we all left home, going through our yearbook and they were making fun of people who were all going to the same college, staying in their same cliques and whatnot. I knew when I said goodbye to them that day that I couldn't wait to get to college and meet new people. Stuff like that just isn't something I am interested in doing. If 10 of you decided to go to the same state school, good for you. I'm not going to pass judgement on going to the same school as your friends.

When I saw the RSVP list, I was excited to see these two girls since it had been so long.  One of them I had known since kindergarten and our friendship waned as we got into high school. Even though we are friends on facebook, she wasn't aware of how close we lived to each other. We exchanged phone numbers so we'll see if anything comes from this.  At some point during the evening, these girls got bored with each other, because well, they still see each other on a somewhat regular basis so there was less to catch up on. They decided to go around to some of the more snobby people and see if they were still the same people. I suspect alcohol may have had something to do with this decision. But this also proves my point that you really aren't that much different than who you were in high school. I really don't see the point in this behavior. Maybe I'm an old fuddy-duddy, I dunno. But if I didn't talk to you at all in high school, I'm not going to seek you out now. I didn't go to my reunion to see if you are still a mean girl. Now, did I stand back and observe people and see that yes, you are still a jerk? Yes but I didn't do anything about it. I made my decisions just based on watching you interact with your friends. Does that make me now much better than these two girls? Maybe, maybe not, I'm not sure.

There were some people that I had classes with or worked on a project with or just had some interactions with that I did talk to that night. If we saw each other, there was a quick hello and I even caught up with my old lab partner from my junior year. We didn't exactly get along part of the time but guess what, when she came over to talk to me, she seemed genuinely interested to talk to me. And for that reason, I was genuinely interested in talking to her. There was no agenda, I wasn't talking to her to see if she was still mean, and we were friendly to each other. Am I going to hang out with her now? No but that's not the point. It was just nice to talk to her and see where she is now 10 years later.

Some of us gained maturity in the 10 years since I graduated and some of us haven't. I don't think going around talking to random people seeing if they've changed at all show maturity. I think it shows the exactly opposite. But this didn't ruin reunions for me. I'm still going to go to my high school reunions but I am hoping to see more people at the 15 just to see more people. 

Grace

To know me in real life is to know I am not the most graceful person in the world. In fact I think that's the least likely word you would use. Case in point:

In preparation for our wedding, I practiced walking around & dancing in my shoes. The first couple days my darling husband said I walked like a duck. Aww, thanks hun!

I have managed to break both my baby toes twice. Once I past a suitcase and caught my toe. Another time I dropped my hair dryer on my toe.

This week I was at the hospital visiting my doctor. All of the doctors I go to are in the same place which makes it very convenient. As I was walking down the stairs I managed to miss the last step, fall down, hit my head on the railing and twist my ankle. And of course there was a doctor behind me when I did this. My ankle is fine but my head still hurts.

I've had my shoelaces get looped together and fallen over, I fell down a hill walking to my car and scrapped up my knees so badly that I still have scars and one winter I fell down so hard I ended up with a welt on my leg the size of my fist. After that accident my college roommates told me they were revoking my walking privileges. 

Winter is just a little dangerous. Last Christmas, I got me Yaktrax. Best things ever. My mom likes to tell me she wants to name one of our kids Grace. I like to tell her I don't think our sons would appreciate this.

In my alternate universe

As much as I like my job, I sometimes wonder what it would be like not to get up and go to an office everyday. Don't get me wrong, I like having a desk and I like the routine but it's the same thing everyday. Variety is the spice of life.

I think if I could I'd like to have a side baking business. I don't want to run a bakery because I don't want the stress nor do I want to manage employees. I'd rather bake out of my own house and not have to worry about making rent. I think it would be a fun side business and I could be comfy all day long. Then again I'd probably go stir crazy not seeing the public all the time.

I love baking things and impressing people with what I can come up with. Nothing makes me happier than bringing a dish somewhere or making something for friends and having them say "wow" or "yummy!". I can't decorate very well but I make some pretty tasty cookies. I once tried to make my MIL an egg-less cake and after making two layers of  8" cakes and two 9" ones, only one layer of each came out right. I put them together and it was nothing short of a cake wreck. So as long as I can bake a cake and not decorate it, it's all good.

Maybe someday I can do this but for now it's to the office 5 days a week.

Happy Anniversary!

Today is our 3 year anniversary and we've also been together for 9 years today. Having one anniversary is kind of convenient in that sense. Fall is my favorite season and we had a perfect fall day. It wasn't too cold which is kind of amazing for November.

Unlike tradition dictates, we didn't keep our top layer frozen. We ate it when we got back from our honeymoon and just kept a slice. It too was never eaten and is still sitting in our freezer.

When we met in college, I knew the moment I saw him that I wanted to date him. We were friends for a couple months first before our first kiss. That's kind of how we've been counting our first date since I went to a party where there was a specific intention to get us together. From the beginning our dates weren't all that typical. The night after our first kiss, I went back over to his place and since neither one of us wanted the other to leave, I spent the night (fully clothed mind you). Most of our weekends our sophomore year of college was spent in my dorm because I really didn't have a roommate.

The day he proposed I was genuinely surprised. Yes, we knew we both wanted to marry each other but we'd been talking about it for so long that when he actually proposed I said "are you serious". Eventually I said yes. And since I always wanted a fall wedding because the rich colors are just gorgeous, when I saw our dating anniversary fell on a Saturday, DH liked the idea. The decision that actually took the longest was our first dance song, our honeymoon spot was chosen before we picked a date. And since I'm a pretty big klutz I had to practice walking in heels around our apartment. I still can't walk really well in heels but I didn't fall down that day so that's a plus.

Can't wait to see where this next year takes us

Train On

For the last two weekends I've been meeting with a trainer. The first time he just came over during my normal Saturday workout and showed me a few new routines to work in. After that Saturday, I felt a little like jelly and I couldn't move my arms for a couple days.

Last Saturday I had the brilliant idea that working out with a slight migraine would be ok. Worst idea ever. The migraine got worse and worse and by the time our hour was up, I felt sick. I came home, actually got sick and collapsed into bed for about 2 hours.

Either way, I've been enjoying working with a trainer the last couple weeks because I've been learning new way of getting myself in shape. I never knew what kind of exercises to do to work on my abs since I can't do crunches. I can't really afford to take many more sessions with him but the last two have been fantastic.

Domestic Day

Since I had vacation days to use and no real plans for the rest of the year, I decided to take today off and do all things domestic that I needed to catch up on. Now, considering it's just the husband & I taking a day off to do things around the house may sound a little ridiculous. But the past couple weekends I've been feeling behind on things around here. So the plan of the day is/was grocery shop for the next two weeks of meals, shop for some clothes for work, catch up on laundry, clean out my car and wash & dry my hair. I've been up since 9, so the shopping is done (and under my budget!), laundry is in the washing machine and once the rain stops I can do my car.

Once the cooler weather hits, I dry my hair straight. Unfortunately since my hair is full & thick, this is a whole process. The washing part and the drying part don't take a long time, it's the inbetween. I usually let my hair air dry for a couple hours before I take it to a hair dryer. If anyone has any other ideas to cut down on this, please let me know.

Wegmans has come to Massachusetts! I went the day of the grand opening and it was a zoo My husband made fun of me for wanting to go the day it opened but thanks to a full liquor store and the huge food court, he had to admit the store is pretty cool. I went back again today, and it was still a little crazy but I manged to get all my shopping done without killing someone in the process. I also have ingredients for meals for the next two weeks. It does help that Mondays & Thursday I don't cook because I have we have our own plans(him sports, me choir). I also keep a lot of basics on hand so I'm not constantly buying stuff.  In case anyone is curious this is our meal plan for the rest of this week & next week:

Tonight: pork chops with apples & garlic mashed potatoes (out of a box)

Friday: broiled chicken with rice

Sunday: beef stew in a crock pot. and since DH has sports on Monday, sunday's meal is Monday's leftovers

Tuesday: Italian chicken skillet

Wednesday: grilled fish (from the frozen food section) with fries

Friday: fajitas

This weekend is a friend of ours annual Murder Mystery party. I can't wait for Saturday :-). Also, I've been rocking the same phone since 2003 and I finally upgraded. It's not an IPhone 4s but I did get a smart phone & I got it for free since it wasn't the latest, greatest thing. It's been nice being able to check my home email from work though. I also have a camera I can upload pictures online now. This will be convenient since I commute on public transportation and I work in the city lol.

Stuffed

Have I mention how much I generally enjoy my job now? Because I do. Today we had a fall kick off party at work which was essentially just a lot of eating all day long. The morning started with yogurts, donuts and quiche. Lunch was potluck and did we go all out. There were wings, there was pizza, meatballs, pulled pork and chowder along with tons of deserts. And this afternoon we had beer, wine and tailgating foods. I was very thankful the food was on the other side of the office for lunch, it helped me not too over eat. Work essentially shut down about 3:30-4 o'clock. I love that we work hard and we get rewarded and are given a chance to just relax in the office as well. Everyone generally seems to like working here which is such a change from the last place I worked.

I need to buy some more work clothes, I just need to let go of scrimping and just getting buy. Not that I can afford to go on a shopping spree of course. I finally have a little savings, it's ok to go out and spend some of it. Especially since it'd be better to wear clothes that fit. And as much as I am trying give our house an emergency fund, I can take some of that money to get myself some pieces for work. If the two recent deaths in my life have taught me anything, it's that life is short. Enjoy yourself a little more. Currently I own two pairs of work pants for my professional days. One pair of pants is way too long and I have no idea how to hem. For right now I have just been tying them to my legs when I walk to work in sneakers. When I put on my heels in the office, it's still long but not as bad. So ladies, where can I go for professional looking clothes that aren't going to cost me an arm and a leg and what the heck can I wear in the winter/fall? I'm still trying to figure it out.

I would love to know how Facebook comes up with friend suggestions. Tonight I got one and it turned out to be someone I exchanged emails with for a few months...my freshman year of college. We have no friends in common, maybe similar interests I'm not sure. I didn't send him a friend request because I am not really sure he'd remember me.

No big plans for the weekend but my house is a mess so I am looking forward to being able to clean and get everything back in order. Although the weather is supposed to be beautiful this weekend.

5 Things you may not know about me

Stole this from Kat :-)

1. I can't bend my back. I'm made of steel much like the bionic man. When I was 11 I had a spinal fusion so I can bend at the waist and be an instant table. It got me out of sit-ups in high school which was kind of a plus.

2. I was born with my own "tattoo". I have a heart shaped birthmark on my hip so I have no need to add ink.

3. I hate the taste/texture of shrimp but I love the smell of it when it's being cooked.

4. I never learned how to ride a bike

5. I alphabetize all of my movies and keep my books organized by size

We said goodbye

Today was the funeral. I managed to survive most of the wake without breaking down and sobbing. Mainly because I couldn't go in and see her and say my goodbyes. Today was harder. Today was the last day I'd ever see her. And I know that's just her body, her soul lives on but that doesn't make it any easier. I managed to avoid crying most of the church services without crying, mainly by digging my nails into my arm. But as we left the church and I heard my mom start to cry, I couldn't stop myself. Seeing other people at the church crying didn't help either. But the priest did a wonderful ceremony. He met with her a couple times while she was still sick so the sermon seemed much more personal. The priest actually said to the family he wished he'd met with her more but she didn't realize how sick she really was. None of us did towards the end. We knew she wasn't doing well but didn't expect everything to move so quickly. I know she's at peace & in no pain now though.

It's going to be very weird going to that house and not seeing her there. Half the afternoon, sitting in the reception afterwards thinking she'd just be sitting in the living room chatting with her friends. Silly, I know. But it just didn't seem entirely real. I don't think it will for some time, until I go over to their house and she's not there.

I am not looking forward to going to work tomorrow.

On top of all what happened the last few days, the memorial for my dad's twin is this weekend. We've all decided as a family no one else is allowed to be sick for quite some time.

She's gone

I can't believe she's actually gone. I really don't know how else to say it. She was as close to me as family could get without actually being blood.  She was my mom's best friend. I can't imagine what's like for my mom. My mom spending a lot of time with her, visiting her in the hospital & taking care of her (along with her immediate family of course), mainly because she lives a lot closer than I do. She's know me since before I was even born, I still called her Auntie and I'm 28 yrs old. My mom had my baby shower at her house and then when it was time for me to get married I had my wedding shower at her house. We almost came full circle.

We all knew things weren't good and that she more than likely was not going to survive the cancer. I just thought there would be more time. We always think that ya know? She was diagnosed last April. When I last saw her in June she didn't look well but she was up & alert and talkative. I got to hug her and tell her I loved her. I'm glad that's the last image I have of her instead of in a hospital bed. But it didn't expect to get a phone call from my mom this morning that she had actually passed. My mom felt bad calling me at work, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. I was glad to know right away. I had to get up from my desk for a few minute and compose myself. Going over to see everyone tomorrow is going to be very weird. I can't imagine walking into that house and not seeing her there. It's like it's not even real. Even going to her funeral on Tuesday it's going to seem unreal.

The priest had come to see her earlier today for last rights and within a half hour of them leaving she was gone. The sorrow comes and goes in waves. Sometimes I am fine and then I sit and I think about the reality of her not being here anymore and I start to tear up. Thankfully I have some great pictures of her from our wedding when she was healthy and smiling and happy. I know she's at peace now and not in any pain but that doesn't help the hurt. And this one is going to hurt for a long time.

I'm going to bake cookies for tomorrow. I know that sounds a little weird but baking relaxes me and I feel like I need to bring something with me to see her family tomorrow. I know we're all "family" but I mean her husband and kids and the rest of us who will be there tomorrow. It's going to be a rough day.

Open mouth, insert foot

3 posts in one week, be impressed!

I have a tendency to put my foot in my mouth, especially with my husband. He has this weird, red rash on his side (a little TMI, I know). Last night when we both crawled into bed, he asked for a goodnight hug. I told him no because he was gross. Yea, that didn't go over so well. He rolled over and ignored me for the rest of the evening. While it was gross, I probably shouldn't have said that outloud to him. He's going to see a dermatologist by the way.

Lesson learned

I got called into my boss's office today. Apparently people have been commenting to him that they don't always see me working when they come into our office. Crap. Now, I'll admit that I do go on the internet probably more than I should. However, it's usually not for very long periods of time (10 mins, unless its lunch) and I get all of my work done on time and accurately. When you come to talk to me, I focus solely on what you've come to see me about. I thought I was pretty fast with the Alt + tab key but I guess not.  I have my suspicions as to who has been saying things but I'm not sure. The worst part is I can't complain to anyone about it since I am not sure who says things. There are very few people who actual stop by our office and I thought these were all people who didn't care but apparently not. Everywhere else I have worked, no one cared this much. I really am working in a very different environment now. *sigh*

Fall Festival

My house is now decked out for fall. I opened the tote that contained all of my stuff and was struck with the homey smells from all the candles. I try and keep my decorations to a few rooms-kitchen/dining room, living room and the bathrooms. I put candles in the bathrooms and I change my hand soaps. Currently if you come to my house, your hands will smell like pumpkins or caramel apples.

I found myself getting annoyed getting annoyed with the family sitting next to me in church today. I realize this is not the point of going to church. The mother kept checking her phone and she sent text messages. One of her kids was putting his feet on the back of the pews and on his library book. I understand kids aren't always going to behave in church but I draw the line at putting feet on library books. But then I also realized this meant I wasn't exactly paying attention either.

The priest I grew up with at my home church was on one of the planes. He was on his way to visit his sister from what I have heard. In a small way its comforting knowing a priest was on board that day.

Irene

So the hurricane last weekend? I should have prepared a little better. We lost power around 11am last Sunday and didn't get it back until Monday night. Now compared to some of the other people I know we did get lucky. But since we have a well, we lost water. Thankfully my husband was smart enough to fill the bathtub so we could flush the toilets. We also have a water bubbler so we had water to wash our hands and brush our teeth. Monday I called out of work because I just felt so gross from not showering for two days. A friend of mine who lived close by had running water and power so I went to her house to take a shower and then I went to work. Guilt is a powerful thing and I felt guilty staying home when I wasn't sick. My friend thought I was crazy.

I've also discovered Boy Meets World is back on TV. I loved those nights watching TGIF :-).

My in-laws came over Saturday and helped clear up the down tree branches in our yard. They also cut down a few small trees to help clear up the backyard a little. It looks a little more open back there now which is nice. Sunday I got to spend time with my mom which was kind of nice. It was a parents weekend of sorts. I hadn't seen my mom is over a month.

My aunt died last weekend during the storm. It's kind of weird to think that she's not here anymore. Probably because she was so young. She wasn't even 60 yrs old. And while she was in NC, I did get to see her for the occasional special event and I just spent time with her in June and she didn't seem sick. I remember she loved bloody mary's and DD coffee that she was always reheating. I'm glad I did get to see her when she was well and give her a great big hug. They had her cremated and they spread her ashes at the beach. We're celebrating her birthday this fall up here with the rest of our family.

Speaking of fall, I can't wait to start decorating my house. I have one tote of all my fall stuff and one of all my Halloween stuff. My fall stuff will go up next weekend and my Halloween stuff goes up within the first few days in October. I love the look of pumpkins and mums on the front steps, picking apples and the leaves changing. I just wish you could see our front steps more, we have trees which helps block the noise from the road but you can't really see our front porch. I may put a few things out there anyway this year. For the most part, my husband just kind of lets me decorate for the holidays however I please.

My husband, the warrior

My husband became a Spartan warrior today. He along with several of our friends competed in the Spartan race. For those not familiar with this event,  it's a 5K and an obstacle course. They carried gravel, climbed walls, lifted weights on a rock, crawled through the mud and jumped over a fire pit. It took them around 2 hours to complete the challenge. I sat on the sidelines and cheered.

So, we're getting a hurricane this weekend. I'm not worried really. We took in the loose items on our porch and in the yard but we really didn't stock up on food. I know they are saying 40-60 mph winds but until they actually hit, i'm eh. We do have water and I've made some extra ice and we do have a radio and flashlights so we'll see. I've also charged my cell phone, MP3 player and my DS2. That's how I prepare!

Painting, it's not for wimps

So it took us 4 days but we got on bathroom re-done. We started on Saturday cleaning & scraping and patching the walls. Sunday we primed. However we under estimated the size of our bathroom and ended up having to go back to the paint store twice. So a project that should have taken a couple hours took us about six. Monday we painted and with enough paint it took us two hours. Last night we did up all the touch up work and put up the fixtures. There were very few arguments but it'll be quite a while before we paint another room. Our kids may have to deal with a mauve room, boys or girls :-).

My aunt who was up a couple months ago is worse than we realized. My parents are down there tonight and through til Sunday. Her doctor's are giving her a couple more days of being lucid before more than likely going into a coma. She's my father's twin. I can't imagine what he's feeling. I can only hope that this goes quickly and she doesn't suffer. I have some very good pictures of her dancing at my wedding which I am quite thankful for. I'm also really glad the whole family got to spend some time with her while she was up here earlier this summer before she got really sick.

College life is hard

Being a "college kid" again is for the birds. The mattress is uncomfortable, mainly because I don't have an egg crate like I did the first time around. It's not all bad; walking around on a college campus has me feeling nostalgic, and I feel about 5 years younger than I actually am. I like what I am learning but I just feel that my brain is very full of stuff. Processing it all and trying to keep it straight is a little overwhelming at this point. I'm learning all about trusts & the basics of estate planning. What's also kind of neat is all the different people who are here from all over the place. I never realized how many people dealt with what I do (sort of). There are people here from states that I never expected to be here like Iowa, South Dakota & Wyoming.  Saturday is the day of the exam (for everyone in all the different classes). At night I've been coming home, watching a little TV on my laptop and then doing my studying. This actually isn't much different than the last time I was in college except I was watching TV on an actual TV. The suite I am in didn't have a TV and my suitemate who shipped just about everything else didn't bring one.

At home DH is working on taking down the wallpaper in our bathroom. He says he's going to take down the mirror and take off the toilet on Friday or Saturday. The plan is I'm going to scrub down the room when he's done and hopefully we can paint on Sunday. I can't wait to see what the final result is. I've been looking online at new shower curtains all week.We're planning on painting the room blue but i am not sure if i want to go with a solid blue shower curtain or an accent color. I suppose it'll all depend on how the color comes out.

It feels like forever since I have been at work. In reality it's been a week and two days. Maybe because I have been going to class as opposed to being at home on vacation and relaxing it just feels that way. I'm in Boston, where I work. From my dorm window I can see my office building, kind of. I don't know why it feels like I am so far from home. Maybe because I haven't been there in over a week? I'm feeling quite homesick at this point. I just want to get home, clean (lol), and do some cooking. The cafeteria food is ok, I mean it is campus cuisine, but I miss cooking. Not that I would have gone out and bought groceries and packed pots and pans like my suitemate did but I do miss my kitchen. Is that weird?

Time to stop procrastinating and plug in my music to study. I need a 70 to pass although I have been told our test results are only sent home to us and our work doesn't know if we pass or fail. Seeing as how they are paying for me to be here you would think they'd have vested interest in knowing if I pass. I haven't made up my mind if I am going to come back again next year and take the next level course. It's a three year program and I can earn a certification. We'll see how Saturday goes I suppose!

2001 all over again

Instead of working this week, I'm "away" at school taking a week long class. And by away I mean I can see my building from my dorm room. That's right, not only am I going to class for a week but I am staying in a dorm with roommates. I have a 4 bedroom suite for a week. It's got a kitchen, two bathrooms and a living area. So far I have met one of my roommates and she's a neat freak as far as I can tell. I've been sitting here listening to her clean since I got here about an hour ago. She even called the student housekeeping to have them vacuum our rooms and clean our bathrooms. As far as I can tell everything looked pretty clean but then again it hasn't been that long since I lived in a dorm and maybe my level of clean is not as high as other peoples. Regardless of that fact, I think she went out and bought all her own cleaning supplies to clean up all the surfaces and pots and pans. I think she also brought her own ironing board. I'd love to know where she's from and how in the world she brought all this stuff here. This is going to be an interesting week.

This weekend husband and I took a mini vacation to visit NH and our friends house in Maine. The place we stayed in in NH was tiny. I'm all of 5'3 and husband is 5'10 and he almost touched the ceiling. The cottage we stayed in was maybe 6' tall. Thankfully it was only one night otherwise I may have gotten claustrophobic. Also the bed was a full and we are used to sleeping in a queen at home so it was a little tight. Maine was a lot of fun though. 14 of us crammed into my friends tiny little 3 bedroom cabin from Friday until today. There was beaching, hanging out, drinking and generally having a good time. All the meals were at home so it was a pretty inexpensive weekend unless you count the tolls. I feel refreshed for this week.

Nature

Yesterday I decided rather than go to the gym I would spend some time with my husband and go on a hike with him. Actually, it was a nature trail where he went running in preparation for the Spartan Run and decided to just walk. I'm a bit of a klutz so running amongst the trees would not be a good idea, that and I only run when I need to run away from something. About 10 mins in to the walk I remembered why I never join him, I hate bugs. I sprayed myself down with bug spray except for in my face and that's the one place the bugs were attacking. At least half a dozen ended up in my eyes. Even though he ran, I was able to catch up with him for a short while and when he stopped running period, we finished the trail together. He was impressed with the speed I was maintaining so that's a plus. I've also agreed to go camping one night with a bunch of our friends. Lord help me. It's only one night and my husband has promised we can borrow an air mattress and a fan so we'll see how it goes. Pray for me, please lol.

Mixed tape memories

I was getting ready for bed the other night and I found some of my old mixed tapes from when I was in high school. They were all songs that were my favorites, in no particular order, and either taken from the radio or a CD. Some of the songs I must not have known the real names of the songs because You've Got a Friend became See you Again. I also found a tape of my song and by my song, I mean that literally. I had someone write a song for me when I was 17.

The story of the song began when I was 15. Back in the day when AOL was your only option for getting online, I was browsing AOL profiles looking for someone to talk to and I found one for a guy who sounded really interesting. So I sent him an IM and we started talking. Through talking we became very close, up until a few years ago I still had the printouts from some of our conversations. We were very sweet on each other. The conversations were kind of cute and almost made me want to be a teenager again...almost.

After two years, we finally decided to meet in person. Before our meeting he said he had a surprise for me. Now he had mentioned in our conversations that he had been writing music on the computer and I assumed that the surprise was a CD sample. When we met, he was exactly as I expected him to be. My mom drove me to the mall and after seeing he wasn't a creepy old man, we roamed the mall together for a couple hours. As we hugged goodbye, he gave me the CD. I opened in the car and read what has to be the sweetest thing I've ever read. The basic summation of the note was that I was the first person he'd ever written a song for and it was the most beautiful one he'd written to date because I was so beautiful to him. I still have the CD with that note in it.

Now, being all of 17 years old I thought this was just kind of incredible and thinking about it now, it still kind of is. We hung out a couple more times in person after this meeting as well. I really wanted to kiss him but since we weren't even sure what we were to each other. Sure we were friends but we flirted regularly and wanted to take it to another level and actually date. The only problem was he lived about an hour away and when you are a teenager, this seems impossible. So, I broke his heart and told him I didn't think I could actually date him. We didn't speak for years after this. I didn't have it in me to remove him from my IM list and occasionally I'd check his "away message" to see that he was still doing all right. It took about 8 years, but when he joined myspace (what is it with us and internet meetings?) I felt brave enough to friend him. We reconnected and we're friends again. Not on the same level we once were of course, but I have seen him a few times and we message each other online sometimes.  Turns out, he never took me off his IM list either and he'd been checking up on me all these years as well. I still look back fondly on our relationship all those years ago and he'll always be the one that got away I think. I never did kiss him and I'm still the only girl he's only written a song for.

Hotlanta

New England ended up being hotter than it was in Atlanta. We only had temps in the lower 90s all week and the humidity wasn't bad. Just ask my curly hair :-). When we landed in Logan, the pilot said the temperature outside was 102. You could hear a collective groan in the plane.

Work put us up at the Four Seasons. I have a feeling unless I travel again for work, this will be my last stay in a Four Seasons. They were fantastic though. Every morning they came and cleaned the room and at night they turned down my bed, closed the blinds and dimmed the light on my alarm clock. The room also came with a DVD player which meant I didn't have to watch movies off my laptop. The bathroom had both a stand alone glass shower and a separate tub. The bathroom in the hotel was bigger than my bathroom in my own house.

The food was pretty fantastic too, most of the time anyway. We went to Empire Street South one night for dinner and the menu was pretty funky. It was Hugh Achenson's restaurant. If you watched Top Chef masters this past season, he was the tall guy with a uni-brow who looked like a muppet. The group I went with order appetizers like rabbit liver, sweetbreads, picked beets and boiled peanut humus. I'm not a very adventurous eater so I just stuck with roast pork for dinner. I also was able to enjoy chicken and biscuits for breakfast and authentic fried chicken one night as well. That's my idea of southern cuisine.

All this heat has been upping my migraines. I'm trying to stay hydrated as much as I can but it only helps so much.  I much prefer lemonade to just plain water. The fact that we don't have central air and just two wall units (one in our bedroom and one in the office) isn't helping with all the heat either. I love my summer dresses but I hate what the heat does to the house. I miss my hotel room.

Leaving on a jet plane

I'm off to Atlanta for a week! Work is sending me for training as a new hire. I'm kind of excited about this trip. They have plans for us every night except Monday. I'm trying to find somewhere to go out to dinner but I have no idea. Anyone out there every been to Atlanta got any suggestions?

I went out today and bought two new pairs of ballet flats for work. I'm starting to learn that while in expensive shoes are just that, they don't last as long and make my feet feel icky. So I bought replacement pairs today at DSW. Hopefully these won't leave stuff on my feet.

DH left for his white water rafting trip today and I'm not sure if he's going to be back before leave for my trip tomorrow so it may be a whole week before we see each other again. So last night we just hung out, grilled up some swordfish and watched a movie. There's a farm stand less than 2 mins from our house so we had some fresh ice cream as well. All and all a good night together.

I just finished a fantastic book the other day. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. It's a true story of a man who survived as a POW during WWII after crashing in the ocean. Amazing story, I can't even imagine what it was like to be him. Now on to the other...15 I have sitting in my living room to be read.

Vacation, all I ever wanted

Hubs has been invited to go to Vegas with his friends. I told him I really don't want him to go, partly because of the cost. Tonight he asked me how much the trip would have to be before I would let him go. I gave him an arbitrary amount. He said the amount I gave him would cover the flight and hotel. But really, the biggest problem I have is this would be the third vacation with his friends and we haven't gone away on a really vacation since our honeymoon...almost 3 years ago. Sure, we've done little weekend trips away but the last time we took a week long vacation and flew somewhere was the day after our honeymoon.

Now I don't want to be a mean wife, I don't want to be that wife that never lets her husband have guy trips. But really, the next trip my husband takes on a plane for a vacation better be with me. That's not so wrong is it? 

Terrified

Father's Day weekend was the annual jello shot party at a couple friend's house. There were about 50 us and we consumed over 700 shots. I went over the night before and between the wife, her friend and I, we knocked out 650 in 5.5 hrs. That night several of us who are married or engaged were all hanging out together and made a "pact" to all get pregnant next year after the party so for the 11th annual party we'd all be able to drink. The wife walked in on our conversation and we tried to get her to join us. She's been married the longest and she's the most maternal so were trying to get her in on it. She told us we were all crazy. The husbands also kind of backed away from the conversation like we were crazy.

Last night we attended their vow renewal. There were about 60-70 of us between her friends and family. They will be celebrating 5 years of marriage tomorrow.  They had decided every 5 years to do a vow renewal. Saturday when I was at her house making cupcakes for the party, I was teasing her saying at the next party her kids could be the ring barrer/flower girl. She found this hysterical and asked when she should get started on kids to have them old enough. Her other friend who was there said we'd give them 3 months.  Last night they announced they're expecting in February. We're all very excited for them but part of me is also terrified.

In our group of friends, 5 of us are married couples. We've joking talked about all having babies together. My husband hates this because he thinks the idea of waiting for one couple to plan their family should have nothing to do with us. One of the girls said last night she'd take her early childhood teaching degree and open up a daycare out of her house for us all to drop our kids off at. She has a finished basement and they live near us. Plus knowing the lady taking care of our kids would be helpful and she could quit her teaching job and make money.  She keeps bugging her husband that she wants to have babies. He keeps ignoring her lol. I know we're all going to grow up and have babies but I'm scared. I've never had a maternal bone in my body. I like the idea of kids, I think, but the puking, late nights, potty training and all the other gross parts of having a kid are scary.  But then there are the fun parts-holidays together, building memories as a family, teaching our kids, the giggles, the hugs, and passing down traditions are awesome. And as weird as it sounds, I like think about Miranda from Sex and the City and how she never thought about kids until she had one.

My husband wants kids and he's just waiting on me. The thought of being pregnant also weirds me out. Surrogates are expensive and my husband really isn't into adoption unless we don't have any other options. But I've been told feeling a baby moving inside you is the most incredible feeling ever. And labor?? Ahh! As it stands right now, I had spinal surgery when I was 11 and I have a tumor around my spine so I don't know what kind of pressure adding a baby would do. We need to talk to a high risk ob-gyn and see what he says. And I have no idea how to talk to my husband about this.

when the cat's away...

The mouse gets scared.

Husband is away until tomorrow. He's in Florida, driving around in a convertible. I'm a little jealous But I also don't always sleep so well. All the noises outside make me think someone is trying to break in even though I know the rational part of me knows I have nothing to worry about. I leave outside lights on when I go bed and close all the miniblinds. Not sure how this is actually helpful but it makes me feel better. Thank goodness he'll be home tomorrow night.

I came home the other night and I now have two bunnies in my yard. They were munching on our grass clippings. Last night I threw celery in my front yard to feed them. Hopefully it's all gone before my husband mows the lawn otherwise that's going to be a really interesting conversation when he finds them :-).

My hair got fixed! I can't post a picture because the last one was done with my husband's phone. I went to the place that screwed them up in the first place to put a toner in. The color is now this redish brown color. I love it, my mom said that I should go back to the place I usually go to to have it fixed. But since it's my head and not hers, she gets no say.

I got to see my niece on Sunday for father's day at my parent's house. She's 23 months old and so cute! I'm trying to get her to say auntie. It's a work in progress. She's so giggly and it's fun to try and make her smile and laugh. She scrunches up her nose when she laughs. Not sure what to get her for her birthday next month.

So, does anyone else have a husband who's not so good at emptying their pockets? Last week I found his sunglasses in the washing machine. Yesterday I found a beer bottle cap (when he's keeping them, I don't know) and a pair of nail clipper in our dryer.

Mid Week Review

So, it's Wednesday.

Saturday at the salon didn't go exactly as planned. I went in with roots down to my ears and walked out with brassy blonde/copper highlights. Half the time I look at myself in the mirror it looks like my hair is grey. I have darker brown hair and my highlights kind of look like the color of copper pipes. Some of the people at work like it and think it's light & summery. I do not happen to agree. Sometimes I think maybe it's just me and I'll get use to it and then I look in the mirror a second time. Anyway, Saturday I'm going back to have a toner applied to fix the problem. I'm not entirely sure I'll be going back there again when I need to get my "fall" color done, not without a picture anyway.

There's a slight chance I may be headed to GA in July. Our corporate headquarters is down there and they are putting together a new hire orientation. I'm sure Atlanta will be pretty hot in July but I'm still excited about the prospect of going. I've never been to GA before, unless you count flying through the airport. I'm also going to attend a week long class in August in Boston that work's paying for.
 
Meal planning the last week and a half has been working out nicely. It's nice not worrying about what I'm going to cook when I get home.Saves the old conversation/argument "what do you want for dinner" "I dunno, what do you want?"

You know what show I really love, still? I Love Lucy. I've seen every episode, at least a dozen times and yet, I still laugh at the same jokes.

And here's an odd admission, after living on a really small budget for 5 years, it was actually harder to budget myself when I started making more money. Sure, it's been nice finally to spend some money on myself but it's almost been too much. Crazy, eh? So I've started adding more to our house account (one of my list of things to do this year) and still giving myself more than I had before. Pretty good compromise if I do say so myself.

I'm starting to miss spending time with my sister again. We're 8 years apart in age and technically half sisters so we didn't grow up in the same house. Just when I start to think things are getting better, something happens and I feel like we're slipping apart again. I keep asking her about getting together on the weekends and she never reciprocates. I've asked her twice now to let me know when she has a free weekend so we can do lunch and she's yet to say that she will. I understand that during the summer, weekends tend to fill up pretty quickly so I don't think she's intentionally blow me off but I wish she would want to hang out with me. And it's not that she doesn't like me, she does...it's just that I'm always asking to see her and not the other way around. I wish I knew how to talk to her about this...but I don't know how. That's always been a problem, for as long as I can remember really. We don't have a whole heck of a lot in common, so maybe that's why, but I'm also my niece's godmother. I don't think she'd not let me see her but I'd like to have a relationship with my sister.

Organization

So I keep being told what a good idea meal planning is. Up until now, I've never really tried it. I usually defrost some sort of meat or protein on my way out the door and then figure out what we're going to have on the way home from work. Sometimes this is fine, other times this leads to arguments. So, I'm trying my hand at meal planning. I wrote up two weeks worth of meals this weekend and it's now posted on our fridge door. We'll see how well this works out.

Also, I tend to be a little forgetful or more specifically time seems to get away from me and I often find myself thinking "hmm, when did we last change our sheets?" or "just how long have I been using this kitchen sponge?" So, I also wrote up a "schedule" for myself for the next 6 months. My husband looked at me curiously when he saw the print outs. I told him it's not so much a commandment as it is a reminder. Every sunday-change out towels. Once a month, change out our sponges. Once every 6 months, flip the mattress. Stuff like that.

Does anyone else do anything like this?

In other news, this weekend I am finally getting my hair highlighted again. It's been almost a year, I figure it's time.

I'm also participating in a gift exchange through my online book group. We each have to send our "giftee" a book and something local with a limit of $25. I'm really excited to see what my elf sends me!

Catching up

I'm sorry for neglecting you blog.

First, my new job is still pretty awesome. Fridays during the summer season we shut down at 4 and since this past weekend was right before a holiday most people cleared out of work early so I was able to catch a 4pm train home and I was home for 5...on a Friday...amazing I tell you. I keep thanking God for this job. It really is a blessing and it's so wonderful working for a company that cares about a work life balance. It makes me want to work hard for them and it makes me want to stay.

My husband just got back from Florida on Friday as well which was kind of nice. It's always nice to have him home again.

So here's an ongoing argument we've been having-his being inconsiderate. Many a time, he's not had his phone on him, he looses track of time and I am sitting at home waiting for him and often. I haven't eaten because I am waiting for him because we have plans to go out when he gets home (or I don't want to eat without him because he'll complain there's nothing to eat). His argument is that he didn't have his phone and had no idea what time is was.

Case in point this weekend: Sunday he volunteered to help a friend move at 9am. We were going to go to a party at 2pm so that was fine. 1pm rolls around so I start getting ready, putting on suntan lotion and waiting for husband to get home. 2pm rolls around, he's not home so I send him a message asking when he'll be home. 3pm comes and goes and then a little after 4 I finally hear from him. Now I'm pretty annoyed and while he says he's sorry this isn't the first time he's done this. Now, do I expect him to be at my beck and call at all times, no? Do I expect him to be aware of the time at some point in the afternoon and call me to let me know when he's going to be home? Yes. He doesn't get this. He said he never thought to check what time it was. I think this is terribly inconsiderate of him. Since the party was a  BBQ, I expected to be eating lunch there and didn't eat at home (there was also really nothing to eat in the house). So, who's right and who's wrong? Am I wrong in thinking at some point he should check what time it is in the middle of the afternoon?  The only thing we've been able to agree on right now is if I can't reach him, eat and it's his own problem to figure things out for himself.

For the record, we went to the party afterwards, there really wasn't much food but I did have something and we had to stop for dinner around 9 when we left the party. 

June is looking to be a pretty busy month. Next weekend we're going to a soccer game at a stadium, the 16th is our friend's annual party followed by Father's Day the next day and the 25th is an engagement party.

I'm very happy that the warmer weather has finally arrived. I love wearing skirts and dresses and the warmer weather means I can finally break mine out for work and the weekends. I even went out and bought a couple new dresses at Target and Old Navy. So now I have some more cute things for work. Can't figure out how to post things from Target's website, but it's the Mossimo Kimono dress in black and purple. Since they are a little low cut in front I have some second base tops to wear underneath for coverage. I have four of these (white, black, cream and green) and I love them. They've made it possible to wear some of the lower cut stuff out in the market and make them totally work appropriate.

Also bought this in white and blue from Old Navy:

This I wore yesterday with the skirt above in navy blue with a tank top. I was cool and comfy in the afternoon and pretty covered from the sun. 

I also bought this to go with some skirts I have. I figure it can go with some of my long and mid-length skirts. I want a couple more...I think.

Happy Memorial Day and start of summer!

Brain Droppings

I've been at my new job over a week now and it's still awesome. My husband keeps joking he's waiting for me to tell him something bad about my work.

I've started keeping track of all my food. First, writing down everything you eat in a day can be a little scary to actually see what you are consuming. Second, it's amazing how fast calories can add up when you aren't paying attention. As a way to try and incorporate more veggies in my diet, I've started "hiding" them. For instance, I hate carrots. However, I've started including shredded carrots in my salads. When mixed with lettuce, peppers and celery, I can't taste them. Same thing with baby spinach.

I'm kind of in love with the show Extreme Couponing. I think it's a little weird to buy 30 deodorants in one order or have a stock pile of 5 years worth of toilet paper, I give them a lot of credit for that kind of dedication. Then again, I can't imagine spending 30 hrs a week prepping for a shopping trip. If I could find a way to spend about a fifth of that time and save more money off my bill, I'd be happy. I'm just not good at matching sales with the coupons and I also don't have some of the cheaper grocery stores in my area.

The Tastefully Simple party last week was awesome. I picked up a number of great, fun foods to make for entertaining.

Last week one of my friends participated in an awesome program called couch surfing. He hosted a guy from Australia for a week. He's been traveling around only having to pay for his travel expense but free place to sleep. So "surfing" from couch to couch. I think he's here in the States until June and then he has to go home and get a new Visa. He's braver than I am.

This weekend my momma is coming up to see me on Sunday to spend time together for Mother's Day. Since we have no kids, I see my mom for Mother's Day and hubby sees his. And since I have no plans for Saturday yet, I can spend the day cleaning. I love my mom but I really hate when she criticizes my house keeping skills. I shouldn't let it get to me but I do. I may be 28, but I still feel like a little kid when she says stuff. Le sigh.

Bliss

It's only been two days at my new job but already I love it. First, getting to sleep the extra hour in the morning is awesome. Second, instead of cube land, I share an office with someone. Also, being on the top floor of the building means I get a great view of the city (usually, the last two days have been foggy). Waiting for me in my office the first day, I already had a desk, computer and working email; today I got access to the systems I need. Talk about fast!

Summer attire starts early this year-next week in fact which means we are business casual which means I don't need to go out and buy a bunch of new clothes. So even though I complained that I felt the casual clothes made my last job too casual, I don't think that here. I can already tell the culture of the office is dramatically different than where I am coming from. I don't feel like a cog in a machine. Everyone wants to put in the effort and do a good job because everyone feels like they matter.   Also, everyone around me seems to feel this is a great company to work for which is nice. Sure, they could be lying to me but I doubt it.  Starting Memorial Day through Labor Day, Friday's the office shuts down at 4 pm. Fantastic benefit. I'm blissfully happy at this point and it's a great feeling.

Today I squeezed myself into pants that were way too tight but unfortunately I had nothing else so during my lunch break I went to Macys which was a 10 minute walk from the office and I bought new ones. I felt much more comfortable after that. Shopping on my lunch hour will not be a regular thing however.

Easter was good this year, Holy Week I sang at church on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for the Easter Vigil. I knew the mass was longer for the Easter Vigil but I didn't realize how much longer church was until I got to my car and saw it was 3 hrs after I got there. Easter Sunday was a nice lunch out with my parents and spending a little time with my family.

This Friday is Girl's Night at home at one of my girlfriend's house. It's a Simply  Tasteful Party. Yum! Kind of a fun way to end my week.

Last day

Tomorrow is my last day in the office and I am beyond excited at this point. Although people coming to my desk everyday and saying "three more days", "two more days", etc is getting a little old. Things I am most looking forward to:

An extra hour of sleep every night. I've been running on an average of 5.5 hrs a night, hence a nap on the way home.

Seeing the sun up when I get up, rather than watching the sun rise and getting up when it's still dark out. It's tough getting up when you go to bed when it's dark out and it still looks like night time when the alarm goes off.

Not answering the phones all day long. I get real tired of talking to people after a while and often yell at the phone "stop ringing!" but since it's an inanimate object it doesn't listen very well.

Being in the city again. I love Boston, even in the summer with all the tourists. I'll also be in walking distance to shopping and Fanuel Hall.

More options for lunch and things to do on my lunch break. I'll get a whole hour off for lunch.

Since I won't have the option of driving to work anymore, no traffic and saving money on gas. See? Getting a new job means I am also helping the environment. I'm expecting a thank you note from Mother Nature any day now.

Getting to spend more time with the hubs at night. Although he did ask "did anyone ask how I feel about that?" lol

Having more time to spend with friends after work. Most of my friends either work in the city or live close enough that meeting up with be much easier.

Being a happier person in general

Possibly getting a pet. When I told my husband I got a new job he said "Congrats!" followed by "Can we get a dog?"

A new adventure and the chance to meet new people at work

The adventure starts Monday! Wish me luck!

Renewal

My first day at my new job starts next Monday. Given that we are in the season of Lent, it seems only appropriate that my new job starts in the season of renewal. I'm so very excited about this new adventure. I just need to buy new clothes. For the past few years I have worked in a work casual environment and now it's work professional. So far I have two jackets, two shirts and one pair of pants. Can't really wear the same pair of pants every day though.

I think one of the things I am most looking forward to besides a shorter commute and more money is meeting new people and hopefully more professional people. One of the things that has been driving me crazy lately is the personalities and it's probably more evident now that I am leaving. I actually had to bring up to one of my managers that two of my male co-workers were discussing where their children were conceived. While they were joking, it was still a highly inappropriate conversation for the office. And I think it's because we are so casual that people think we can get away we these sort of things. Because I am leaving soon, I don't mind rocking the boat and complaining to management. A couple of my other co-workers are sitting in silence and don't want to tell anyone.

I'm also hoping being happier at work and in general will inspire me to take better care of myself. I've been very lazy when it comes to taking care of me. I've put on a considerable amount of weight the last few years. I've been in a funk for over a year now.  I've read that not getting a good amount of sleep can contribute to weight gain but I also know a lot of it is all on me. For a year my lunches were all microwave meals because we didn't have a fridge at work so I couldn't keep fresh cold cuts at work so that's just a whole lot of sodium intake. And not being happy for 13-14 hours a day is a big chunk of time so I just let myself go and didn't really care. Sure I hate that my clothes don't fit but in my head I still look as good in the clothes as I did several years ago when they did actually fit. And then I see pictures of myself and I'm dropped back into reality. But when you are getting up at 5, working from 8:30-5 and then getting home at 7:30, dinner becomes later and quicker meals that aren't really healthy for you.

Now, I can sleep an hour later in the morning and I'll be home earlier. I'm also hoping with more money in my paycheck I'll be less stressed. I'm constantly looking at my bank account and checking to make sure I'm living within my meager budget. I'm constantly worrying about the fact that we have very little savings and how in the world are we every going to afford to add children into the mix. I can now add more money into our joint account and give myself a little more money.  I know God will provide in the end and he's provided in the form of this new job.  I know I seem to be putting a lot of weight on this new job and how much it's going to contribute to my happiness, I just hope it's true.

I sing in my choir at church and I am one of the youngest members. I told the ladies I got a new job and they were all very excited for me. One of them told me she could now take me off her prayer list. I had no idea I was even on her list. I felt very special hearing that.

On a different note, 2011 is not starting out to be a very healthy for my family and friends. My mom sprained her ankle last month, my aunt was unpacking her car after returning home from Florida and she broke her ankle and had to have surgery, my other aunt who already has MS just found out she has brain & lung cancer, and finally my hairdresser who I have gone to since I was 11 found out she has breast cancer. I hope it gets better from here on out.

Hallelujah

I can cross one item off my New Year's resolution

I got a new job :-D. My two weeks notice goes in tomorrow morning.

Popular

Every few months I become "popular". Right now I have two companies interested in me. I go through dry spells where I will apply for several jobs and not get one bite and then every once in a while I'll get more than one response. I had one interview last week and a second interview yesterday. The location is pretty perfect in downtown. The other job would be a pretty big change from the field I work in (finance) and would be in executive education. But I am not so sure of the location and they are doing rounds of interviews so getting away from work would be very difficult. So I have my fingers lightly crossed that the job I had a second interview for works out. I'll find out Friday or Monday. Sometimes I think looking for a new job would be easier if I didn't already have a job, at least when it comes to scheduling interviews. However, I have gotten use to that thing called a paycheck so...

Work is starting a flex schedule arrangement that is going to allow me to work from home twice a month. Better than nothing right? Certainly will be a short commute to work on those day ;-)

Ever since we bought our house, or just about, my husband has been wanting to put a couch in our office. The office chair isn't exactly comfortable fornwhen he wants to play video games or watch movies. I've been trying to build up our savings and cut back on unnecessary purchases and I view a couch as one of those things. At first he wanted to take the chair from our bedroom down which I vetoed because I liked a little sitting area in our room. Our bedroom is kind of big and having a chair makes it feel cozy. Then he wanted to move the futon from our den into the room. The futon is a pain to take a part and aside from the bookcase, it's the only piece of furniture in the room. The argument generally goes away but it always comes back. Finally he got really irritated with me because he didn't want to have to go watch TV in our bedroom when he wanted to lie down and he stormed up to our bedroom.

Now personally, I thought this was a little ridiculous. We have a comfy bed and a TV in our room. The TV in the office is tiny and really we don't need any more furniture. However, we are married now and marriage means compromise (that and I was tired of the circular argument). I was due to get a bonus from work so I told him I would look on Craigslist for something. If I could get something decent and cheap (read under $125), I would buy it if he could find a way to get it home. The couch had to fit comfortably in the room because the room isn't exactly spacious as it is. I found a couch with a sleeper sofa for $100. So the desk has now been rearranged and all of our bedrooms technically have a bed in them. It's not an ugly couch and I do like the way the desk is now situated so it's all for the best.

My husband has been trying to get me into some of the sports he likes. I like baseball, he likes almost everything else. So we're going to a soccer game this weekend because he's bound and determined to get me into some sport he enjoys. Good thing he's cute and handy to have around.

A-Z

A. Age: 28

B. Bed size: Queen

C. Chore you dislike: Do I have to pick just one? Laundry and cleaning the bathroom

D. Dogs: I want one someday

E. Essential start to your day: A shower

F. Favorite color: Green.

G. Gold or silver: White Gold

H. Height: 5' 3"

I. Instruments you play(ed): Piano and flute

J. Job title: Client Service Administrator

K. Kids: None yet

L. Live: House in the burbs

M. Mom’s name: Mom

N. Nicknames: Jenn

O. Overnight hospital stays: When I was born, when I was 6 and when I was 11

P. Pet peeves: when I ask my husband to do something and he does it as I am walking in the door, texting during dinner, loud talkers on the trains/planes

Q. Quote from a movie: "Not all who wander are aimless. Especially not those who seek truth beyond tradition, beyond definition, beyond the image"

S. Siblings: 1 older half sister

T. Time you wake up: during the week 5:30am, on the weekends usually 9am

U. Underwear: Yes, I wear it (stealing this answer)

V. Vegetables you don’t like: most of them. How about the ones I do like? lettuce, green peppers, celery and corn

W. What makes you run late: My husband lol

X. X-rays you’ve had: My teeth, my head and my abdomen

Y. Yummy food you make: My friends call it Chicken (my last name), buffalo chicken dip, chicken marsala, turkey tacos and salsa roll-ups

Z. Zoo animal favorites: Tigers

Lent and other things

The last two days of my vacation have been so relaxing and this past weekend wasn't bad either. I spent 5 hours cleaning and folding laundry on Saturday. Throwing on music rather than leaving the tv on was a big help and it's been awhile since the house looked this good. My husband even complimented how nice the house looked which made me happy. Sunday I spent the afternoon with two of my girl friends planning board games and chatting. Who'd have thought an afternoon could fly by so quickly playing games?

Monday I spent almost the entire day in my pjs. I cleaned the kitchen from the night before and my husband's breakfast, played computer games and had dinner on the table by the time my husband got home. Today I got to run some of the errands I never seem to get to on the weekends and once again we had dinner at a reasonable hour and just finished watching a movie together. And, I still have 5 days left. Thursday night we leave for a weekend away with friends so I'll be packing Thursday during the day.

Tomorrow starts Lent. Since I have returned to the church in the last year, I'll be going to Ash Wednesday (and since I'm home I can actually make it to Mass) but I haven't made up my mind yet what I intend to give up this year. Maybe complaining so much? :-) This weekend I put away the last of the winter stuff (I still had some penguins out) and spring-ed out the house. So now we have bunnies, garden gnomes and Easter eggs out.

I am finally able to see my lawn again thanks to the warmer weather the last few days. Can't wait for spring to actually get here now. I'm tired of sweaters and I miss my skirts and dresses. And because those days will be here before I know it, I've started eating more fruits and yogurt because I'd like for all my clothes from last year to still fit me.

I have to say E! did a much better job on the series finale of Sex and the City. Every other network has cut out too many details and I was always annoyed that they cut out the last scene where we find out what Mr Big's real first name was and so many of the other plot details. And with that, i'm off for the night.

A case of laziness

The past few weeks I been a little lazy when it comes to the housework. Dishes started piling up in the sink and on the counters but at the same time because of our schedules lately I hadn't been cooking for both of us as much. We also have been busy on the weekends this past month which didn't help. I just didn't realize how bad I had gotten until I went to empty the dishwasher last week and I noticed I was putting away glasses we drank out of at our Super Bowl party. Needless to say, Saturday I am looking forward to giving the house a good deep cleaning. Never thought there would be a day when I would look forward to cleaning.

Next week I have the entire week off as a vacation week. Bliss! It'll be nice to pretend to be a housewife for the week. Husband and I and 8 of our friends are going to Vermont next Friday for a weekend trip. One of the friends in the group has a condo at one of the mountains. It'll be nice to spend a good weekend with good people.

Last weekend I went home to spend some time with my parents. I also dropped off the paperwork for my mom to do our taxes. Next year I'll try and do it myself, seeing as how I am a grownup after all. Looking forward to getting our refund and fixing up our bathroom. I want to take down the wallpaper and paint the room, replace the blinds and get a new shower curtain. Apparently my husband didn't realize I had been waiting on getting a new shower curtain until we painted the room. I also want to buy a few more hand towels and nice big shower towels. The rest will be savings.

Last Friday husband surprised me by getting me new windshield wipers for my car. I had been meaning to pick some up during the week but I kept putting it off. My husband was a Target during his lunch break and bought them for me. The romantic gestures in marriage :-). 

Just what the doctor ordered

This weekend away was perfect, blissful and just what we both needed. It was so nice to just get away from everyone and everything for a few days. I came back renewed and refreshed and while I still don't like my job, I didn't dread it nearly as much as I usually do on Sunday nights.

We left Friday night after work and checked in and essentially went straight to bed. We got up Saturday morning and packed up. My husband hit the slopes and I hit the lodge. I had internet access, movies and a comfy couch to sit on. Around noon we met for lunch and after I went back to our room to nap. We went out to dinner that night at one of the favorite local restaurants. Being in between towns, the roads weren't lit very well so it was slow going because we couldn't see more than 10 feet in front of us.

The next day we went had a fantastic breakfast at the bigger hotel in the ski area. It was a buffet and they had fruits, bacon, sausage, bagels and a Belgian waffle & omelet station. It was all so yummy! We went out driving to one of the nearby towns and just spent the day doing a little sightseeing and shopping. Being daytime, we were able to really take in how beautiful it was up there. I just kept saying wow over and over again. It's amazing where a three hour drive can take you. We did a little snow tubing that night and then did dinner out before returning home.

Monday, we had to return home but not before doing a little cross country skiing. We got home early enough to do a little laundry and still relax before preparing for work today. We're already talking about our next weekend vacation this summer with another couple friend of ours. It wasn't a very long vacation nor was it a very far trip away but it was just what we both needed to renew our relationship.

My husband is awesome

My husband is wonderful, amazing and just plain wonderful.

So Friday was my interview and I left without knowing anything. I emailed my recruiter and she said she would definitely call me on Monday. Monday came and went without hearing anything. So for Valentine's Day I was in a big funk. I had no desire to do anything, celebrate or even cook dinner. All I wanted to do was curl up and go to bed. I had no appetite and just wanted the day to be over.  Instead, my husband just let me curl up on him and essential sulk. He didn't complain, didn't force me to get out of my bad mood and just offered to make me whatever I wanted for dinner. 

Then yesterday, I get The Call. No dice, I didn't get the job. As soon as I walked in the door, he was there to give me a hug and just hold me for a few moments. He made dinner and suggested we get away this weekend since this week has been pretty crappy. So that's what we're doing. It's a three day weekend because of President's Day and we're off to a ski lodge for 3 nights. He snowboards and I am pretty fantastic at sitting in front of a fire with a book or my laptop relaxing. Oh, and I can window shop.  I've excited. This is the first vacation we're been on just the two of us since our honeymoon.

Also, going grocery shopping after a holiday that's about sweets is not a good idea when you are hungry...or maybe it is. I have a peanut butter heart, marshmallow hearts and peppermint pattie hearts in our fridge.

Nervous

I have my job interview tomorrow and I'm nervous. I'm not nervous about the person I am interviewing with because I have been told he's very easy to talk to. I'm also very confident about my skill set and what I can bring to the job. I know I rock at my job and at making clients happy which is a big piece of the job. It's all about client servicing.  I want to be in more of a client managing role and not be so much in the front end of client relationships so this job would be perfect.

So what am I nervous about? Not getting the job. I've been told by my recruiter, she wouldn't be surprised if I get offered the job on the spot. How awesome would that be going into the weekend? Pretty sure I'd leave the building dancing and maybe crying with happiness. But that also means if they don't like me, I may know right away. I've gotten myself excited and I know that can be dangerous.

I'm also nervous about impressing them. My references all spoke very highly of me and my recruiter was impressed with what they had to say so the person who I am meeting with knows that. I've been told it's also to see if I'd be a personality match.  I know I almost need to go into this interview like the job is already mine but it's also going to be highly disappointing if I don't get an offer. I know if they don't hire me, it's not personal it's business but it's so hard not to.

My bookclub ladies gave me their good karma thoughts so I have that going for me. My husband also sent me an email with a photo of my odometer and it was all 7's. 15 mins later the recruiter called me about setting up the interview. So we'll see what happens tomorrow. I also have a one on one meeting with my boss on Monday which would be a great opportunity to hand in my two weeks notice. I think I just need to stop thinking about this and talking about this....but it's hard.

Looking Back

Sometimes when I think back to some of the things I did when I was younger, I have realized how very lucky I am.

I was very shy when I was younger and found it much easier to make friends online rather than in real life. In real life you aren't looking at someone and can say things you may not say in person just because you are much more comfortable. Also, when talking with members of the opposite sex, you can't see each other and prejudge the other person.

Anyway, one college winter break I struck up a conversation with someone I met in a local chat board. He was about my age, friendly and very easy to talk to. After a week or so, I gave him my phone number (!!). After a month (winter breaks were 4-5 weeks), we met in person and he gave me flowers. He was also emailing me on almost a daily basis with song lyrics that remind him of me prior to meeting in person. A week or so after I returned back to school, I thought it would be a great idea to have him come up to meet me and take me back to his house for the night. We slept in separate beds but it was just him and I alone in his house together (!!!). The only person who knew I was doing this was my roommate and as a freshmen, no one had a car so trying to get to me would have been extremely different. I was also almost an hour away from campus.

Now granted, he turned out to be a very nice guy (whom I am no longer in contact with) however, really spending the night at some guys house, alone, who I had only known a month?? He wasn't a very small person (built like a football player) and could have easily overpowered me if he wanted to. Not one of my brightest moves. In general I have been very lucky with the people I have met online and then met in person. One of them I met when I was 17 and we are still friends 12 years later. Aside from my husband, he's been the one constant, non-family man in my life.

Back in high school, I had this one friend I had met at work. Our birthdays were only a few days apart and we had a lot in common. However, her car only sat two people and often, there would be three of us in her car. I sat on the floor on the passenger side. One night, while speeding, she lost control of the car and we swerved off the road. Thankfully we came to a stop and there was little damage to the car and ourselves. Because I didn't want my parents to get mad, I didn't tell them. Pretty sure I hit my head on my dashboard because when I woke up the next day, I was slightly dizzy. Yes, I probably went to bed with a very mild concussion that night.

I'm a very lucky, very blessed girl. I've never been in a situation where I have been truly scared and I hope I never am. And looking back now with more wisdom and experience, I realize that the outcomes could have been very different.

I'm tired of being tired

I'm getting tired of being tired all the time. I'm tired of getting home, throwing together a meal when i get home and then just falling into bed at night. I don't have energy and I feel like I just don't get the quality time with my husband that I'd like. My home should be a haven to come home to but sometimes I feel like it's just the place I sleep. Given what I do, I know I'm going to be commuting into the city so I'm going to have an hour commute but even that's better. One of my co-workers compared my commute to a part time job and to be honest she's right. I spend 25 hours a week getting to work. Seeing that is kind of scary. I'm grateful to have a job that provides for us but I will be even more grateful when I have a job a little closer to home. I just have to keep hoping and praying,

My husband laughs at me that I still watch wedding shows when we have been married for over 2 years now. But I really enjoy watching the (sometimes) crazy brides on Say Yes to the Dress.

Last night when I went to pick up dinner the woman next to me was .08 short and was going to have to break another dollar in order to pay. Having my wallet on me, I gave her a dime. It was my little good deed of the day and she was very thankful which made it even better.

Why do ads for period have to be so fancy? I just saw one where the pads looked like they were on vacation with beach umbrellas. And have a happy period? Come on now, really.

I surprised my sister yesterday (in a good way). Her birthday is coming up so I went online to her wishlist, bought something and had it shipped to her house. She had no idea it was coming so when she got home and saw a package on her doorstep she thought she ordered something and just didn't remember. Nope, it was from me! :-). And apparently she had been having a crappy day so the surprise just made it even better. My sister and I's relationship is a work in progress. As we get older and both are in a similar point in life, we have gotten closer. She surprised me last year by making me my niece's godmother. That just meant so much to me.

It's another weekend of working (from home) on Saturday but Sunday is game day and party day so I need to get ready for that later today! 

Snowmegdon

That's what they are calling the weather around here. We already had nearly two feet on snow in my yard, we got 4 today and we're expecting anywhere from 10-20" of snow overnight into tomorrow. Work surprised me by telling me I could work from home tomorrow. Yea pjs! Yea Gilmore Girls! That's my idea of a good work day. That and being able to get up from my "desk" anytime I want during the day. I really don't have that luxury at the current moment. I usually have to tell someone when I get up and walk away from my desk so there's phone coverage.

My lovely husband is outside snowblowing the driveway right now. We figured it was a good idea to get the latest layer taken care of now rather than waiting until tomorrow to take care of it all. I'm blessed to have a wonderful husband who takes care of these things.  Although I am starting to wonder where the snow is going to go. Our mailbox is barely visible at this point. But as long as the mailman can find it, that's all that matters I suppose.

One of my old managers approached me today to let me know he got a phone call from the recruiter I have been working with. I listed him as one of my references. He said he had a good 20 minute conversation with her about me and she seemed really pleased with what he had to say. I wouldn't expect anything less than a glowing review from him but it was still nice to hear. I'm hoping this means I will get a call about an interview soon.*fingers crossed*

We're hosting a Super Bowl party again this year. I have my menu all planned and right now the guest list is up to 12 people. Once I get the official head count I'll actually buy everything. I don't want to make too much food. Last year we had 20 people in my house. I asked one of our friends this weekend if he was coming and he told me he wanted to but because he lives a couple hours away he wanted to see if anyone else from the area was coming so he could carpool. He said he really wanted to come because he likes my cooking. That made my day. There's nothing I like more than entertaining friends and being told that I am a good cook. I don't always get a lot of time to entertain or have friends over for parties so when we do, it's nice to know they like my cooking. My husband has to tell me he likes my cooking lol

My Conscious

My conscious is a prickly thing. The things I feel guilty about are things most people wouldn't or shouldn't. For example, I get migraines. Often times my body is wonderful, it wakes me up an hour before my alarm goes off so I can take some excedrine, throw on a migraine ice patch (LOVE those things) and go back to bed. Usually by the time I wake up I'm all better. Then there are the days when an hour is not enough and I need to stay home and rest. I feel guilty taking sick days. I'm entitled to sick days and given that I hate my job as much as I do you would think I would look for any reason to miss work but nope, not me! I feel like I am going to miss something or someone is going to call in on an issue I was working on and no one will know what to do. I realize this is completely irrational thinking and yet I can't help it. 

Now, when I have scheduled day off or week off? Don't care that I may missing work. I think because when I schedule a day off I can plan and tell people things I can work on so they can take care of them for me. Probably the planner/control freak in me. 


For the first few weeks when my accounts moved out to their new site, I worried about the quality of work they were putting out. I have built a reputation and a service quality with my clients and handing it off to someone else was stressing me out. But like anything else in life I had to learn to adapt and let go. With this current job, as I have no accounts that under are my control, letting go will be easier. Letting go for a new job will in fact be joyous.


I keep praying that this is where I should be going next. I keep hoping this is where God is leading me. All the other job interviews I have gone on and not gotten I have tried to learn from and see why it was not a good idea. I went on interviews for jobs that would require me to drive everyday and my husband does not drive a snow friendly car. This has been one of the snowiest winters on record and there's no way my husband would have been able to make it to work  as often as he does now without my car. There's also no way he can afford to get a better suited car right now. The job I am hoping to get an interview with will shorten my commute but I'll still take public transportation so my husband can still take my car in the winter. Now, I just need to get that interview...

Sometimes you just want a bag

Tonight's dinner was a 10 minute dinner out of a bag. It was tasty and filing and honestly, sometimes you just want something quick an easy.

The husband and I have been trying to make an effort to go to the gym more. We pay for the membership so should go. I told him no more lame excuses to skip going. Unless it's dangerous to drive, or too late when we get home or we are sick, we're going. Since dinner was over tonight by 8:15 instead of the evenings when we start eating that late, we'll be headed out tonight.

We're expecting more snow again tomorrow. I'm starting to wonder where we are going to put it all. Of course work asked us if we wanted to be put up in a hotel to make sure we are at work on time. I'm not a brain surgeon and while we do have clients to service, no one is going to die if I am not at work. I understand that I have clients in FL where there is no snow but really, they have the news and they know what kind of weather we are dealing with. I really, really can't wait to get a new job.

The job I really want right now is a consulting job. It's something I've never done before but it gives me the best of both worlds of what I want and what I am good at. I like being in client service and helping people but the day to day processing can be a little boring sometimes. Being a consultant for a company, I get to work there for a year or two, get a project accomplished and then leave. They've already told me that not being a critical processing unit for the company I would be working on site at that being put up at a hotel to ensure I am at work on time would never happen. Being chained to my desk so that I can't leave me desk to go to the ladies room for an hour or having to tell someone when I leave my desk won't happen. I keep praying that this is where God wants me. I tend to get my hopes up only to get heartbroken so I am trying really hard this time not to. But it's hard. When all you want is a new job and to be happy, you can't help but think of all the positives something will bring if you get it.

Thursday starts up my church choir again. I'm one of the youngest ones in my choir. I really like singing and being involved in my church but it's hard to deal with people who are so set in their ways. People have their own seats where they are comfortable so you feel like you are stepping on people's toes sometimes. I've managed to find my own seat for the moment but I'm still slightly torn as to how long I am going to be in the choir.

Last Sunday our church was so packed for the Mass I usually attend people were parking across the street. Granted part of the problem was due to the fact that snow covered some of the spots but it was really nice to see so many people there. I also read in the bulletin they are thinking of putting together a group for the young adults in the church (20's & 30's). I'm kind of excited about that. My husband doesn't attend church with me and since I have no children, it's hard talking with people at church. I'm not terribly outgoing so I feel awkward talking to strangers. I have volunteered for  projects at the church hoping to meet more people my age but so far it has just turned out to be all people my mom's age.

Today at work I had a craving for baking. It's been a while since I have baked anything so that's what I am planning on doing this weekend. But I don't want to make my usual chocolate chip cookies or my sugar cookies. I want to make something different. Since it's just for DH and I, I don't want to make a whole cake. Any suggestions?

Sesame Street

I recently learned they have classic clips from Sesame Street on You Tube. It's been kind of neat reliving my childhood watching them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrJaN-OD1ig

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ5Y3TizswY&feature=fvst

They definitely don't make kids show like they did when I was growing up.  I miss shows like the Carebears, David the Gnome, Under the Umbrella Tree, Gummy Bears and Adventures in Wonderland to name a few. So, this is how I am spending my Saturday evening, looking up clips from the shows I grew up on. Some evenings are more exciting then others.

Resolution #1-Hunt for a new job

Leaving in New England inevitably means we are going to get snow. In addition to simply being miserable every day I added a new reason to look for a new job last month. The weekend of Christmas they called me and asked me if I wanted to be put up in a hotel to make sure I was at work on time the next day. Excuse me? I promptly told them no, I was with my family and that I would make a decision in the morning about making in into work safely. My bosses response? We expect you to be in work tomorrow. Well, it's good to know my safety and my family are important to you.

I met with a recruiter yesterday in attempts to find a new job. It would be a job fairly different from what I am doing now and working for a much smaller company. This is so much more appealing to me. During the interview they asked me if my boss knew I was looking for a new job, presumably for a reference. I told her no.

I understand some people have a good enough rapport with their boss to have these conversations but I don't. My co-workers all know or most know. Heck, I hear conversations among themselves about their own search is going. My company encourages us to grow in our career path but I'm not so sure how much they would encourage me to leave the company completely.

Turning Point

Fall of 2010 I found myself miserable. I hated my new job (and still do), I hated my new hours and being away from home as much as I was, and was just feeling unfulfilled. 13 hours of my day was spent involved in work. When I wasn't at work I was either sleeping or too tired to do anything else. I needed more but I didn't know how to make any changes to make me feel more fulfilled. And then, I hit the point where I just couldn't take it anymore.

Since I take public transportation to work every day, I get in a nap some nights on the way home. 99.9% of the time I wake up in time to get off at my stop. One night, my husband had taken my car to work so he had the responsibility of picking me up. After a long day of work, he fell asleep waiting for me and this was the same day I slept through my stop. I kept calling and calling him telling him to pick me up at the end of the line and he wasn't picking up his phone. When we finally reached one another we went back and forth whether or not he was going to pick me up where I was or if I was going to ride the next train home to him. By this point it was nearly 3 hours after I had left work and nearly crying because I was just stressed. When he finally arrived, I was spent and on the verge of breaking down in the car. We got to a restaurant and I just couldn't hold it in any longer. I broke down and cried in the bathroom. My husband, of course, sees me get up from the table and has no idea what's going on.

When I calmed myself down enough to return to the table to I told him my being upset wasn't his fault. It was that it was 3.5hrs after I left work for the day and I still wasn't home yet. When I got home I realized that I needed to make a change. I immediately started looking for a new job and I took the next day off from work. I needed a mental health day. No job should make you cry and mine was.

I had also been thinking of returning to church for some time. I broke away for a number of years. Despite attending a catholic college I never attended mass on campus. I was struggling with my relationship with God and my faith. After crying out to God that night in the bathroom of a restaurant, I realized that I needed something else in my life. I started looking into churches in my town. I've found a church that I love, a community of people who are friendly and welcoming, and I've joined the choir. Going to church on Sunday mornings (or Saturday nights) is now part of my routine. I look forward to hearing the pastor's sermon every week.

While I am still miserable with my job, returning to church has helped. Strengthening my relationship with God has made my life feel more full. I'm allowing God to open doors and present himself in my life. Prayer is more a part of my life now and I find myself not only asking God for his guidance into where my next job should lead me but also thanking God for the many blessings he's already given to me. I'm also my niece's godmother. Having my own relationship with God is only going to help to strengthen hers as well.