Well, tomorrow is the first day of the new job. I'm a bit nervous, as I have to get to know a new set of co-workers and bosses and filing systems and a different coffee maker. Wish me luck!
(Just waiting for my nails to dry so I can lay in bed and stare at the ceiling and not sleep.)
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Conundrum
OK, here's the situation:
I was unable to sleep one evening and randomly submitted my resume to another company that was looking for an admin assistant position, and requested a salary requirement in the cover letter. I threw a number down, considerably higher than my current base salary and still higher than what I make with my quarterly and annual bonuses, thinking that I would never hear back.
Well, a week later I received a call from their Director of Operations who was very impressed with my resume and wanted to speak with me about the position. I managed to return his after a few misses, as it was difficult to find a quiet space to call and I had worked through my lunches and late. Well, he talked about the company and about the job and said that they were prepared to offer me what I was asking because I had experience in the area and I knew what "redlining" was and how to do it.
Anyway, I mentioned a couple of my concerns and the hours that I wanted to work, which are slightly different from their hours, because of daycare schedules. He said he would talk to the partners that I would be supporting and he didn't think it would be a problem. This job would basically entail supporting four Partners and the Director I spoke with with the basic, plus reviewing leases and proposals, etc.
My concerns are do I want to take a step backwards in title for more money. The office I would be working in is larger, so down the line there may be something better. But that's not guaranteed. The company I work with is growing, as well, but only has 8 (soon to be 9-10) people. I have my choice to support my current boss and continue to run the office or go more towards the marketing side and support our leasing rep and soon-to-be project manager. This would mean that I would get to do all the fun stuff that I like about my job (doing the creative bit). I think, if I had my druthers, I would work with the leasing rep on the marketing and run the office and let the new admin work support Joe and the project manager.
I don't know. I have my list of questions for the lunch meeting tomorrow, but need someone to start soon, and this is a bad time to leave my office. Our leasing rep's wife will be having the triplets within the next few weeks, and my boss will be out traveling for several upcoming meetings. Our associate property manager is on maternity leave, so we have a temp filling in with some of the support work and phones, while our customer service coordinator does the assoc. pm's job. The temp is leaving at the end of next week because she landed a permanent job elsewhere (child-welfare protection as a case worker).
I would hate to seem like I am taking advantage of the situation should my boss decide to give me a raise to keep me, but I also don't want to leave the team in a lurch, since I like them for the most part. Plus, my job is fairly interesting. Yikes. Then again, I have not officially been offered the job, even though the Director did seem quite interested in hiring me.
And we do need the extra money to pay off all of our debt (the horrors of having to use the cc to make it through the month) and start saving for a house and college funds for the kids.
So, what are your thoughts?
UPDATE:
I was offered the job officially today at a little lower than I was expecting, but not too much. DH has been hashing over the pros and cons and I still have not come to a conclusion. Now to talk to the boss tomorrow. Ack.
I was unable to sleep one evening and randomly submitted my resume to another company that was looking for an admin assistant position, and requested a salary requirement in the cover letter. I threw a number down, considerably higher than my current base salary and still higher than what I make with my quarterly and annual bonuses, thinking that I would never hear back.
Well, a week later I received a call from their Director of Operations who was very impressed with my resume and wanted to speak with me about the position. I managed to return his after a few misses, as it was difficult to find a quiet space to call and I had worked through my lunches and late. Well, he talked about the company and about the job and said that they were prepared to offer me what I was asking because I had experience in the area and I knew what "redlining" was and how to do it.
Anyway, I mentioned a couple of my concerns and the hours that I wanted to work, which are slightly different from their hours, because of daycare schedules. He said he would talk to the partners that I would be supporting and he didn't think it would be a problem. This job would basically entail supporting four Partners and the Director I spoke with with the basic, plus reviewing leases and proposals, etc.
My concerns are do I want to take a step backwards in title for more money. The office I would be working in is larger, so down the line there may be something better. But that's not guaranteed. The company I work with is growing, as well, but only has 8 (soon to be 9-10) people. I have my choice to support my current boss and continue to run the office or go more towards the marketing side and support our leasing rep and soon-to-be project manager. This would mean that I would get to do all the fun stuff that I like about my job (doing the creative bit). I think, if I had my druthers, I would work with the leasing rep on the marketing and run the office and let the new admin work support Joe and the project manager.
I don't know. I have my list of questions for the lunch meeting tomorrow, but need someone to start soon, and this is a bad time to leave my office. Our leasing rep's wife will be having the triplets within the next few weeks, and my boss will be out traveling for several upcoming meetings. Our associate property manager is on maternity leave, so we have a temp filling in with some of the support work and phones, while our customer service coordinator does the assoc. pm's job. The temp is leaving at the end of next week because she landed a permanent job elsewhere (child-welfare protection as a case worker).
I would hate to seem like I am taking advantage of the situation should my boss decide to give me a raise to keep me, but I also don't want to leave the team in a lurch, since I like them for the most part. Plus, my job is fairly interesting. Yikes. Then again, I have not officially been offered the job, even though the Director did seem quite interested in hiring me.
And we do need the extra money to pay off all of our debt (the horrors of having to use the cc to make it through the month) and start saving for a house and college funds for the kids.
So, what are your thoughts?
UPDATE:
I was offered the job officially today at a little lower than I was expecting, but not too much. DH has been hashing over the pros and cons and I still have not come to a conclusion. Now to talk to the boss tomorrow. Ack.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
A Moment of Silence, Please
Marcel Marceau has died at the age of 86. He was an inspiration to many, including Micheal Jackson, who reportedly borrowed Marceau's "walking against the wind" routine and created the Moonwalk.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
What to do
Well I have already posted for the day, or month. On our way back from dinner (reminder of why we have not gone out to eat in public in some time, outside of the lack of dinero), we were thinking of what to watch together after the kids go to bed. This reminded me of another fascinating part of the summer's felicities: Fame.
A long time back, I had found a deal on DVD's (buy 2 on sale, get 1 free). Well, two ended up as gifts (the first season of Scrubs and the first season of Radio City). The free one was the first season of Fame, and I subjected my long-suffering husband to a weekend of Leroy, Julie, Coco, Doris, Bruno, Ms. Grant, Ms. Sherwood, Mr. Shirofsky and the rest of the crew. It was a warm, fuzzy reminder of childhood, kinda like Little House on the Prairie.
I wonder if more seasons are available... Or maybe I should look into Little House? Honey, how would you like a weekend of Half-pint, Ma, Pa and Mary?
A long time back, I had found a deal on DVD's (buy 2 on sale, get 1 free). Well, two ended up as gifts (the first season of Scrubs and the first season of Radio City). The free one was the first season of Fame, and I subjected my long-suffering husband to a weekend of Leroy, Julie, Coco, Doris, Bruno, Ms. Grant, Ms. Sherwood, Mr. Shirofsky and the rest of the crew. It was a warm, fuzzy reminder of childhood, kinda like Little House on the Prairie.
I wonder if more seasons are available... Or maybe I should look into Little House? Honey, how would you like a weekend of Half-pint, Ma, Pa and Mary?
Incommunicado
For some reason I have not made the time to post here. I find myself closing doors that should be at least left cracked, not returning phone calls, not chit-chatting around the water cooler. Maybe it's a regrouping, regathering of the spiritual troops. Taking a breather from life. Vacation helped a little, but not much. I find myself very impatient and frustrated by the same old crap from the same old people. Not being supportive when I know I should be, wanting to give a kind word or a pat on the back, but feeling feeling "out of sorts" instead. I know this, too, will pass. Another period of the blah's.
As always, there are blessings to count. DH has a contract job for the next 10-12 weeks. Stinky Magee is enjoying school (except for Language Arts...not the teacher, just the work). Pumpkin Pie has had a harder time adjusting, as she is the socialite, the drama queen, and cannot hold her tongue, but some days she does manage to stay on "green." Apple-S has enjoyed his time home with Dad, going to the park or to the Y. He's still not keen on using the potty, especially #2, but hopefully, before he starts dating, he will be consistent. (Right now, he his hands and half of his face are teal from the marker he was using to write the alphabet.)
And now that Fall has begun, it's time for the "What I Did While on Summer Vacation" essay....
This summer our family went to the Swiss Alps and French Riviera and blew glass with the Venetians.
Or not.
Like most people, it revolved around work and the kids. One bright spot was the week we spent up at my folks, mostly just hanging out on the back porch and watching for deer in the evening. We went to Rural King and looked at farm equipment and bought cracked corn out of barrel to feed the ducks at the park. We shared ice cream cones outside the old-fashioned Dairy Queen and left behind little puddles of vanilla. One afternoon was spent in IL in Amish country, seeking some little shop the DH wanted to investigate, watching the horses and buggies, and trying to guess which of the homesteads were Amish (based on paint color and propane tanks). We did stop to pan for diamonds in Arkansas, but only found a bit of quartz and various colored stones.
The year is flying by, hard to believe that it is nearly the end of September. Less than three months until Stinky's b-day, then Christmas. MIL will be stopping by (hopefully) for a visit during the holidays.
Now to finish up the books that I have started this week and finish work on a couple of necklaces that are still in progress, one with freshwater pearls and Japanese seed beads, the other with SS chain, garnets and onyx. The latter will be a two-strand necklace, of which the first is done and I have worn, but I think I need to shorten. I plan to make it so that you can wear them together or apart. The former is a double-spiral that takes forever to stitch, as I have only finished about 2 1/2 inches, and plan to get about 8 or 9 inches done before I use up the pearls. I'll finish with about 3 1/2 inches of double spiraled seed beads on each side and SS cones to cover the ends, if I can find some decent ones that I like. Can't decide if I want to do a pretty clasp or a lobster claw with an extended chain. I, obviously, have time to decide.
As always, there are blessings to count. DH has a contract job for the next 10-12 weeks. Stinky Magee is enjoying school (except for Language Arts...not the teacher, just the work). Pumpkin Pie has had a harder time adjusting, as she is the socialite, the drama queen, and cannot hold her tongue, but some days she does manage to stay on "green." Apple-S has enjoyed his time home with Dad, going to the park or to the Y. He's still not keen on using the potty, especially #2, but hopefully, before he starts dating, he will be consistent. (Right now, he his hands and half of his face are teal from the marker he was using to write the alphabet.)
And now that Fall has begun, it's time for the "What I Did While on Summer Vacation" essay....
This summer our family went to the Swiss Alps and French Riviera and blew glass with the Venetians.
Or not.
Like most people, it revolved around work and the kids. One bright spot was the week we spent up at my folks, mostly just hanging out on the back porch and watching for deer in the evening. We went to Rural King and looked at farm equipment and bought cracked corn out of barrel to feed the ducks at the park. We shared ice cream cones outside the old-fashioned Dairy Queen and left behind little puddles of vanilla. One afternoon was spent in IL in Amish country, seeking some little shop the DH wanted to investigate, watching the horses and buggies, and trying to guess which of the homesteads were Amish (based on paint color and propane tanks). We did stop to pan for diamonds in Arkansas, but only found a bit of quartz and various colored stones.
The year is flying by, hard to believe that it is nearly the end of September. Less than three months until Stinky's b-day, then Christmas. MIL will be stopping by (hopefully) for a visit during the holidays.
Now to finish up the books that I have started this week and finish work on a couple of necklaces that are still in progress, one with freshwater pearls and Japanese seed beads, the other with SS chain, garnets and onyx. The latter will be a two-strand necklace, of which the first is done and I have worn, but I think I need to shorten. I plan to make it so that you can wear them together or apart. The former is a double-spiral that takes forever to stitch, as I have only finished about 2 1/2 inches, and plan to get about 8 or 9 inches done before I use up the pearls. I'll finish with about 3 1/2 inches of double spiraled seed beads on each side and SS cones to cover the ends, if I can find some decent ones that I like. Can't decide if I want to do a pretty clasp or a lobster claw with an extended chain. I, obviously, have time to decide.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
I'll take this result.
She's always been one of my favorite actresses.
Your Score: Katharine Hepburn
You scored 11% grit, 28% wit, 47% flair, and 19% class!
You are the fabulously quirky and independent woman of character. You
go your own way, follow your own drummer, take your own lead. You stand
head and shoulders next to your partner, but you are perfectly willing
and able to stand alone. Others might be more classically beautiful or
conventionally woman-like, but you possess a more fundamental common
sense and off-kilter charm, making interesting men fall at your feet.
You can pick them up or leave them there as you see fit. You share the
screen with the likes of Spencer Tracy and Cary Grant, thinking men who
like strong women.
Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the
Classic Leading Man Test.
| Link: The Classic Dames Test written by gidgetgoes on OkCupid, home of the The Dating Persona Test |
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
This is why I was late getting home...
Your results:
You are Spider-Man
Click here to take the "Which Superhero am I?" quiz...
You are Spider-Man
| You are intelligent, witty, a bit geeky and have great power and responsibility.  |
Click here to take the "Which Superhero am I?" quiz...
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Hello Again
I have been thinking about blogging for a while, but never seem to get around to it. So here's the update...
Working, working and more working. Imagining having a clean home. Beading a bit. Looking around home and wishing it would clean itself. Picking up socks from the floor. Doing laundry. Playing with the rugrats. Debating what to do about the cats. Wondering why my home won't clean itself, so scrubbing the kitchen counters. Weeding the herb garden. Debating about getting a haircut. Resolving to clean at least the bathrooms today. Counting the days until DH's graduation and knowing that I have to finish cleaning. Wishing I had trained the family better in putting their things away and not leaving papers and coke bottles and socks and toys all over the place.
DH and I took Stinky Magee, Pumpkin Pie and Apple-S on a picnic Saturday, per Pumpkin Pie's request. It was a lovely afternoon, just the right temperature in the shade. Threw some sandwiches, cherry tomatoes, pickles, chips and water bottles in a bag and set out for Nob Hill Park. The kids had a great time with the jungle gyms and the water fight. (Thank goodness for fountains to get refills on ammunition.) DH started it (imagine that!). The kids ran around, screaming "Get me! Get me!" By the time we headed home so DH could get some more work done on his take-home final, the kids were soaked. Of course, DH and I were tired from being out in the (gasp!) sun and ended up taking naps. I fell asleep in Pumpkin Pie's room, since DH, Apple-S and Pumpkin Pie were sacked out together.
Stinky Magee has been practicing for his play. He plays "Grubworm" in the upcoming Second Grade production of "Bugz." He does have a speaking role (8 lines) and has had to stay late for after school rehearsals. The show is on the 8th at 7 p.m. for all those fans of his. Poor DH will miss it, since he has a final that evening. I'm excited for Stinky, and he seems to be excited as well.
Counting down the days until DH's graduation: May 19th. This will be an extraordinarily busy week. Sun is Mom's Day, on which I will be traveling for work (yea.). Monday through Wednesday will be an office administrators meeting at our corporate office. That Tuesday will be my b-day (I'll be 29...again). I'll get home late on the 16th and head to work. My folks will arrive on the 17th and my MIL and MIF will come in the 18th, along with the kid's early dismissal from school. Then the main event (Graduation) on Saturday. Followed by DH's fishing trip with the Dads on the 20th and carting MIL and FIL to the airports on the 21st. (Thank goodness I'm taking the day off from work). My folks leave on the 22nd (which is my mom's b-day).
Speaking of the 22nd, it's a milestone b-day and I'm trying to come up with ideas for the 21st. Was thinking, perhaps, an morning at a spa or something, but not sure. Actually, I don't know any good ones around this area, so I'm open for recommendations or other ideas.
School ends for Stinky and Pumpkin on the 24th or 25th. Another year is almost done. Yikes!
One a side note, I'm thinking of packing in my Mary Kay business. No time to fit my schedule right now. I still love the products though, and will use up what's left of the formulas that work for me. So.... now's the time to stock up. I'm selling off the remainder of my inventory at my cost + shipping to you. I'll put in one last order in the next week or so if there is something on the website that you need and I don't have. Shoot me an email if you want anything.
Working, working and more working. Imagining having a clean home. Beading a bit. Looking around home and wishing it would clean itself. Picking up socks from the floor. Doing laundry. Playing with the rugrats. Debating what to do about the cats. Wondering why my home won't clean itself, so scrubbing the kitchen counters. Weeding the herb garden. Debating about getting a haircut. Resolving to clean at least the bathrooms today. Counting the days until DH's graduation and knowing that I have to finish cleaning. Wishing I had trained the family better in putting their things away and not leaving papers and coke bottles and socks and toys all over the place.
DH and I took Stinky Magee, Pumpkin Pie and Apple-S on a picnic Saturday, per Pumpkin Pie's request. It was a lovely afternoon, just the right temperature in the shade. Threw some sandwiches, cherry tomatoes, pickles, chips and water bottles in a bag and set out for Nob Hill Park. The kids had a great time with the jungle gyms and the water fight. (Thank goodness for fountains to get refills on ammunition.) DH started it (imagine that!). The kids ran around, screaming "Get me! Get me!" By the time we headed home so DH could get some more work done on his take-home final, the kids were soaked. Of course, DH and I were tired from being out in the (gasp!) sun and ended up taking naps. I fell asleep in Pumpkin Pie's room, since DH, Apple-S and Pumpkin Pie were sacked out together.
Stinky Magee has been practicing for his play. He plays "Grubworm" in the upcoming Second Grade production of "Bugz." He does have a speaking role (8 lines) and has had to stay late for after school rehearsals. The show is on the 8th at 7 p.m. for all those fans of his. Poor DH will miss it, since he has a final that evening. I'm excited for Stinky, and he seems to be excited as well.
Counting down the days until DH's graduation: May 19th. This will be an extraordinarily busy week. Sun is Mom's Day, on which I will be traveling for work (yea.). Monday through Wednesday will be an office administrators meeting at our corporate office. That Tuesday will be my b-day (I'll be 29...again). I'll get home late on the 16th and head to work. My folks will arrive on the 17th and my MIL and MIF will come in the 18th, along with the kid's early dismissal from school. Then the main event (Graduation) on Saturday. Followed by DH's fishing trip with the Dads on the 20th and carting MIL and FIL to the airports on the 21st. (Thank goodness I'm taking the day off from work). My folks leave on the 22nd (which is my mom's b-day).
Speaking of the 22nd, it's a milestone b-day and I'm trying to come up with ideas for the 21st. Was thinking, perhaps, an morning at a spa or something, but not sure. Actually, I don't know any good ones around this area, so I'm open for recommendations or other ideas.
School ends for Stinky and Pumpkin on the 24th or 25th. Another year is almost done. Yikes!
One a side note, I'm thinking of packing in my Mary Kay business. No time to fit my schedule right now. I still love the products though, and will use up what's left of the formulas that work for me. So.... now's the time to stock up. I'm selling off the remainder of my inventory at my cost + shipping to you. I'll put in one last order in the next week or so if there is something on the website that you need and I don't have. Shoot me an email if you want anything.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
I'm not a universal genius
Of course DH wanted me to post this since I didn't do as well as he did...
Friday, February 23, 2007
Mid- to late- February
| You Belong in Amsterdam |
 A little old fashioned, a little modern - you're the best of both worlds. And so is Amsterdam. Whether you want to be a squatter graffiti artist or a great novelist, Amsterdam has all that you want in Europe (in one small city). |
What European City Do You Belong In?
I think I am looking for excuses to take these silly online quizzes. Oh well, a little self-indulgence from time to time is entertaining--for me, at least.
Anyway, as usual, our family has been quite busy. Working over 45 hrs. or more per week, since I have been staying late and working through lunch. Eventually, the piles on my desk will go down (I hope!). But my boss thanked me the other day, and told me that I have doing a great job helping him out. It was nice to hear...never got compliments from my old boss.
Kids are doing well. Younger-DS has changed his name to Apple-S___ (no! not that word, but his name). It stems from DD mentioning that she was too old to be called Pumpkin, so she needs to be called Pumpkin Pie now. Anyway, Apple-S now says that his name begins with A instead of S.
Older-DS (who won't let me give him a nickname...so I think I will start calling him Stinky McGee) had Rodeo Day at school. They were to dress in "Rodeo" attire. Yes, cowboy hats, boots and the like. Um, we don't have those. One of the groups of trail-riders passed in front of their school, so they got to watch the horse riders.
I managed to catch a gander at a group on the way to work, right along Fairbanks. I felt bad for the cars trying to get to work, as this is a heavily traveled road in the mornings.
Pumpkin Pie had Rodeo Day on Wednesday, and had farm animals at school today. She was excited to see the donkey and pig and lambs and goats. But you cannot shriek and talk loudly and hit the animals, or else it will scare them and they will run away. You have to be quiet and pet them very softly. It was pretty humorous to hear her explaining this, oh so very seriously.
It is driving me nuts! The rugrats keep doing things that I intend to write down, but when I finally have a free moment to type everything up, I cannot remember a darn thing. I really need to start taking notes. Once, my memory was iron clad, but ever since I had kids, it seems nothing sticks around. Gads.
Oh well, this weekend will be busy. I've been purging the house, working my way through. I think we have tossed out about 15 boxes of crap in the last 3 weeks. Tomorrow I'm going to start tackling the kitchen and the rest of the living room. I've mostly finished the master bedroom and closet, Pumpkin Pie's room, part of Stinky McGee's/Apple-S's room, and the front half of the living room.
I don't know what has happened, but I am so tired of the clutter. DH even asked if I was pregnant. Thank goodness not! I can barely keep up with the three I have now.
Anyway, as usual, our family has been quite busy. Working over 45 hrs. or more per week, since I have been staying late and working through lunch. Eventually, the piles on my desk will go down (I hope!). But my boss thanked me the other day, and told me that I have doing a great job helping him out. It was nice to hear...never got compliments from my old boss.
Kids are doing well. Younger-DS has changed his name to Apple-S___ (no! not that word, but his name). It stems from DD mentioning that she was too old to be called Pumpkin, so she needs to be called Pumpkin Pie now. Anyway, Apple-S now says that his name begins with A instead of S.
Older-DS (who won't let me give him a nickname...so I think I will start calling him Stinky McGee) had Rodeo Day at school. They were to dress in "Rodeo" attire. Yes, cowboy hats, boots and the like. Um, we don't have those. One of the groups of trail-riders passed in front of their school, so they got to watch the horse riders.
I managed to catch a gander at a group on the way to work, right along Fairbanks. I felt bad for the cars trying to get to work, as this is a heavily traveled road in the mornings.
Pumpkin Pie had Rodeo Day on Wednesday, and had farm animals at school today. She was excited to see the donkey and pig and lambs and goats. But you cannot shriek and talk loudly and hit the animals, or else it will scare them and they will run away. You have to be quiet and pet them very softly. It was pretty humorous to hear her explaining this, oh so very seriously.
It is driving me nuts! The rugrats keep doing things that I intend to write down, but when I finally have a free moment to type everything up, I cannot remember a darn thing. I really need to start taking notes. Once, my memory was iron clad, but ever since I had kids, it seems nothing sticks around. Gads.
Oh well, this weekend will be busy. I've been purging the house, working my way through. I think we have tossed out about 15 boxes of crap in the last 3 weeks. Tomorrow I'm going to start tackling the kitchen and the rest of the living room. I've mostly finished the master bedroom and closet, Pumpkin Pie's room, part of Stinky McGee's/Apple-S's room, and the front half of the living room.
I don't know what has happened, but I am so tired of the clutter. DH even asked if I was pregnant. Thank goodness not! I can barely keep up with the three I have now.
| Your Scholastic Strength Is Deep Thinking |
 You aren't afraid to delve head first into a difficult subject, with mastery as your goal. You are talented at adapting, motivating others, managing resources, and analyzing risk. You should major in: Philosophy Music Theology Art History Foreign language |
What Should You Major In?
I thought I would see what I should have studied when I was in school. Funny thing is, I didn't really care for most of the above subjects. My Italian was atrocious. History was OK. I thought about taking Art classes(but chickened out). Theology, um, well, four years of Catholic school killed that. Hated applying the rules of Logic to Philosophy. As for Music, my husband knows just how well I can carry a tune.
Oh well, some day I will figure out what to be when I grow up.
Oh well, some day I will figure out what to be when I grow up.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
This week
So, we are all "alive and kicking" still (as one of my dear friends loves to hear). This has been one of our tougher weeks. I'm getting used to Steve's school schedule after, after having a few weeks off from single-parent evenings. But this semester, there are only two days per week, plus one partial, where he leaves for school about an hour before the kids' bedtime. So, it's not so bad, and not quite as hectic in the evenings as in past years.
My kids were little troupers, though, on Tuesday when I managed to miss the first step while carrying laundry down the stairs. I flew down head first, managed to grab on to the railing, of which the metal support promptly snapped in half, and barely managing to pull myself upright before hitting the ground, found myself wedged between the opposite wall and the railing doing the hurdler stretch. Suffice to say, I was doing everything in my power to not cry and scare the kids. Older-DS hearing the ruckus, tore up the stairs with DD on his heels. "You broke the railing!"
"Yes, honey, I fell down the stairs. Please give me a moment."
"Can I see? Ohmygosh, you'll be OK, Mommy. Just take a deep breath. You'll be OK; it'll only hurt for a little while."
DD, peering around Older-DS, cried out, "Mommy, are you OK? You broke the railing!"
Patting me on the back, Older-DS reiterated, "You'll be OK, Mommy. Now Ava, help me pick up the laundry so the cat doesn't pee on it. We'll put it by the washer." And he and DD, kindly gathered up the laundry and brought it the rest of the way downstairs and put it by the floor of the washing machine." (Of course, when DH called to let me know he was on his way home from class, they told him that I had broken the rail, without telling him how.)
I was proud of my little ones, who were quick to re-assure me and prompt to take action-even if the main excitement was the fact that the railing was broken and the scraped off portion of my shin, while I managed to only cry a little before limping the rest of the way down the stairs.
Suffice to say, I'm still not walking normally, and most of my foot up to about 2/3 of the way up my shin is a lovely mix of greens and yellows and blacks with a fist sized bruise on my other leg. But, now that I've stayed off of my foot for most of the weekend, my foot and ankle have stopped swelling up. It was lovely during the week, since I was still wearing "work" shoes and hobbling around. I didn't break anything, I don't think, but there are two spots on my shin that still really hurt, and DD kicked them last night while she was sleeping in our bed.
Wednesday my grandmother on my dad's side passed away. She's been ill for some time, and has been doing very poorly for the last couple of months. My parents have been traveling to VA to visit her frequently. Unfortunately, life got in the way of my little family seeing her. In fact, I have not seen her since junior high, I think. Military families don't seem to be that close to outside relatives. I don't really remember her coming to visit us very often growing up. And she lived in AZ after my grandfather retired. (He passed on in the early 80's). I do remember her, though, as quite the cosmopolitan lady. She seemed to always be traveling after my grandfather died, visiting her scattered family--brothers and sisters and their families. I think she visited my aunt and my uncle and his family more often, though, than us. I feel for my father, though, as he has had to watch his mother's failing health.
Thursday, Youngest-DS when do the doctor with suspected Pink-eye, which he has (but is nearly gone now).
Friday, DD woke up in the middle of the night with a fever and ran one around 102.7 for Saturday, with Older-DS quickly following with one just under 102. They're feeling better today, though, and are hovering just over 99 with a bit of a cough and runny noses.
The good news of the week: Older-DS received 2 awards during an assembly this week-Perfect Attendance and All A's Honor Roll.
It's Sunday and the beginning of a new week. Hopefully this one will run a bit smoother.
My kids were little troupers, though, on Tuesday when I managed to miss the first step while carrying laundry down the stairs. I flew down head first, managed to grab on to the railing, of which the metal support promptly snapped in half, and barely managing to pull myself upright before hitting the ground, found myself wedged between the opposite wall and the railing doing the hurdler stretch. Suffice to say, I was doing everything in my power to not cry and scare the kids. Older-DS hearing the ruckus, tore up the stairs with DD on his heels. "You broke the railing!"
"Yes, honey, I fell down the stairs. Please give me a moment."
"Can I see? Ohmygosh, you'll be OK, Mommy. Just take a deep breath. You'll be OK; it'll only hurt for a little while."
DD, peering around Older-DS, cried out, "Mommy, are you OK? You broke the railing!"
Patting me on the back, Older-DS reiterated, "You'll be OK, Mommy. Now Ava, help me pick up the laundry so the cat doesn't pee on it. We'll put it by the washer." And he and DD, kindly gathered up the laundry and brought it the rest of the way downstairs and put it by the floor of the washing machine." (Of course, when DH called to let me know he was on his way home from class, they told him that I had broken the rail, without telling him how.)
I was proud of my little ones, who were quick to re-assure me and prompt to take action-even if the main excitement was the fact that the railing was broken and the scraped off portion of my shin, while I managed to only cry a little before limping the rest of the way down the stairs.
Suffice to say, I'm still not walking normally, and most of my foot up to about 2/3 of the way up my shin is a lovely mix of greens and yellows and blacks with a fist sized bruise on my other leg. But, now that I've stayed off of my foot for most of the weekend, my foot and ankle have stopped swelling up. It was lovely during the week, since I was still wearing "work" shoes and hobbling around. I didn't break anything, I don't think, but there are two spots on my shin that still really hurt, and DD kicked them last night while she was sleeping in our bed.
Wednesday my grandmother on my dad's side passed away. She's been ill for some time, and has been doing very poorly for the last couple of months. My parents have been traveling to VA to visit her frequently. Unfortunately, life got in the way of my little family seeing her. In fact, I have not seen her since junior high, I think. Military families don't seem to be that close to outside relatives. I don't really remember her coming to visit us very often growing up. And she lived in AZ after my grandfather retired. (He passed on in the early 80's). I do remember her, though, as quite the cosmopolitan lady. She seemed to always be traveling after my grandfather died, visiting her scattered family--brothers and sisters and their families. I think she visited my aunt and my uncle and his family more often, though, than us. I feel for my father, though, as he has had to watch his mother's failing health.
Thursday, Youngest-DS when do the doctor with suspected Pink-eye, which he has (but is nearly gone now).
Friday, DD woke up in the middle of the night with a fever and ran one around 102.7 for Saturday, with Older-DS quickly following with one just under 102. They're feeling better today, though, and are hovering just over 99 with a bit of a cough and runny noses.
The good news of the week: Older-DS received 2 awards during an assembly this week-Perfect Attendance and All A's Honor Roll.
It's Sunday and the beginning of a new week. Hopefully this one will run a bit smoother.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Another random personality test...
| You Are Midnight |
 You are more than a little eccentric, and you're apt to keep very unusual habits. Whether you're a nightowl, living in a commune, or taking a vow of silence - you like to experiment with your lifestyle. Expressing your individuality is important to you, and you often lie awake in bed thinking about the world and your place in it. You enjoy staying home, but that doesn't mean you're a hermit. You also appreciate quality time with family and close friends. |
Hmmm...nothing like those skinny "Dad" legs
This about knocked me out of my chair.
According to Yahoo News, we can look forward to this starting in the Fall. Send our thanks to Milan and all the wonderful fashionistas of the world.
According to Yahoo News, we can look forward to this starting in the Fall. Send our thanks to Milan and all the wonderful fashionistas of the world.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Counting Down to the New Year
Ah, the quiet after Christmas. Younger-DS is napping, exhausted from two days of mad playing and shrieking and running. DD and Older-DS are chewing Chicklets and pal-ing around in low volume.
We had a good Christmas this year. For the first time since we've been married, we actually made it to mass, er, church, er, service...whatever they call it in non-Catholic terms--still trying to get used to the terminology of Protestantism (and gearing up for my trip to heck-in-a-handbasket, as the nuns in school would say...don't tell my parents ;-) )--on Christmas Eve for a candlelight vigil. DD and younger-DS hung out in the nursery, and you could see a little blonde head running hither and yon through the window. As we found out later, she was using her star wand to turn everyone to stone. Older-DS did a very good job sitting still, even though he was ready to fall asleep (as it lasted past bedtime).
We hightailed it home after services and put the rugrats to bed, and they finally all passed out mid-protest. Nooooooooooooo....snore.
Sometime around midnight, Santa came and put the presents under the tree. Older-DS woke up around 3. DH heard some rustling downstairs and when to check it out. Older-DS was arranging all the presents by whom they belonged to, in order to keep himself from opening them. DH did what he could to get ODS back into bed, but he was way too excited, so he was allowed to play on the computer for a while. Then he was ready to go back upstairs to sleep for an hour or so. He popped in our room around 4:30, when he was told to go into his sister's room and read for a bit, as his sister was curled up on our bed at the foot (right where my legs should have been if I had been allowed to sleep in non-fetal position). He came in again around, then 5:30. Around 5:45 we gave up and crawled out of bed. DD did not want to get up until she heard the word "Santa." Then we woke up Younger-DS and went downstairs to open them up.
They all had a wonderful time tearing off paper and finding the surprises inside. Younger-DS managed to open up a few items before getting completely pre-occupied by his stocking (which, btw, Gramma, you did a wonderful job!!! She has made stockings for all three of the kiddoes and they are gorgeous!). He did a better job at age 2 then his brother did...the first thing older-DS did at 2 was to pull out a set of alphabet flash cards from his stocking and would not open another present for several hours.
Our living room has not been the same since, with all the cardboard boxes and twist ties and various pieces of theft resistance packaging.
Yesterday they played and played and played and blew bubbles and shrieked and hooted and hollered and ran up and down the stairs and through the hallways, kitchen and living room and over furniture and under tables and up the walls and danced on the ceiling and crashed cars and turned us all into statues. Then cried, "Noooooooooosnore!" when we put them to bed.
The oldest two were a bit more mild mannered today, but that may have been their trip to the dentist and their favorite hygenist (who someone has a BIG crush on).
Tomorrow I head back to work. I could still use a few more days of vacation. Had a half day on Friday, we were given the day off on Monday, and I used up my last personal (use-it-or-lose-it) day on Tuesday and a vacation day for today. Luckily, tomorrow will be my only full day, as we will probably close around 3 on the Friday for New Years. Yea!
I think the kids are itchin' to get back to school, at least the older two. We'll see how Younger-DS does when he starts back to daycare next Tuesday, after staying home for three weeks. Should be interesting.
Well, here's the new year and all sorts of new adventures. Wish you all happiness and prosperity and a good night's sleep.
We had a good Christmas this year. For the first time since we've been married, we actually made it to mass, er, church, er, service...whatever they call it in non-Catholic terms--still trying to get used to the terminology of Protestantism (and gearing up for my trip to heck-in-a-handbasket, as the nuns in school would say...don't tell my parents ;-) )--on Christmas Eve for a candlelight vigil. DD and younger-DS hung out in the nursery, and you could see a little blonde head running hither and yon through the window. As we found out later, she was using her star wand to turn everyone to stone. Older-DS did a very good job sitting still, even though he was ready to fall asleep (as it lasted past bedtime).
We hightailed it home after services and put the rugrats to bed, and they finally all passed out mid-protest. Nooooooooooooo....snore.
Sometime around midnight, Santa came and put the presents under the tree. Older-DS woke up around 3. DH heard some rustling downstairs and when to check it out. Older-DS was arranging all the presents by whom they belonged to, in order to keep himself from opening them. DH did what he could to get ODS back into bed, but he was way too excited, so he was allowed to play on the computer for a while. Then he was ready to go back upstairs to sleep for an hour or so. He popped in our room around 4:30, when he was told to go into his sister's room and read for a bit, as his sister was curled up on our bed at the foot (right where my legs should have been if I had been allowed to sleep in non-fetal position). He came in again around, then 5:30. Around 5:45 we gave up and crawled out of bed. DD did not want to get up until she heard the word "Santa." Then we woke up Younger-DS and went downstairs to open them up.
They all had a wonderful time tearing off paper and finding the surprises inside. Younger-DS managed to open up a few items before getting completely pre-occupied by his stocking (which, btw, Gramma, you did a wonderful job!!! She has made stockings for all three of the kiddoes and they are gorgeous!). He did a better job at age 2 then his brother did...the first thing older-DS did at 2 was to pull out a set of alphabet flash cards from his stocking and would not open another present for several hours.
Our living room has not been the same since, with all the cardboard boxes and twist ties and various pieces of theft resistance packaging.
Yesterday they played and played and played and blew bubbles and shrieked and hooted and hollered and ran up and down the stairs and through the hallways, kitchen and living room and over furniture and under tables and up the walls and danced on the ceiling and crashed cars and turned us all into statues. Then cried, "Noooooooooosnore!" when we put them to bed.
The oldest two were a bit more mild mannered today, but that may have been their trip to the dentist and their favorite hygenist (who someone has a BIG crush on).
Tomorrow I head back to work. I could still use a few more days of vacation. Had a half day on Friday, we were given the day off on Monday, and I used up my last personal (use-it-or-lose-it) day on Tuesday and a vacation day for today. Luckily, tomorrow will be my only full day, as we will probably close around 3 on the Friday for New Years. Yea!
I think the kids are itchin' to get back to school, at least the older two. We'll see how Younger-DS does when he starts back to daycare next Tuesday, after staying home for three weeks. Should be interesting.
Well, here's the new year and all sorts of new adventures. Wish you all happiness and prosperity and a good night's sleep.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Christmas is coming...
Well, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas here. The tree went up yesterday afternoon, with much "help" from the young 'uns. It even has the "beautiful" angel that older-DS made with Gramma a couple of years ago.
The youngest found his favorite part of the festivities, as well.
It took a while, but we finally managed to get all of the ornaments up without too many problems, and gathered around for a mug of hot mulled cider. DD was enthralled with my old smiley face mug, and showed it off to all of us, over and over and over.
The tree is surviving the best that it can. I have never seen an artificial tree have to try so hard...it's been knocked down twice so far, with glass balls flying. Oh well, younger-DS will grow and lose his fascination with pushing it over (hopefully). Last year, we put our tree away on the 26th, after older-DS and DD were running around like banshees and caused the poor tree to topple. This poor tree has had more bad luck than the one in the Charlie Brown special.
At least we haven't had to pull either of the cats out of it...(knock on wood). Although, they may have knocked it down in years past, too.
As I mentioned in my earlier post, I am posting a couple of pics of my recent creations.
This sterling bracelet is made with a Bali silver ball, noodles (aka tube beads, but that doesn't sound as fun), various SS beads and crystal rondells.
The necklace on the right was stitched in odd-count tubular peyote with silver-lined, matte cyrstal , size 11 Japanese seed beeds, with SS beadcaps and AB crystals.
Here on the left is an illusion necklace, this time with 10mm amazonite rounds with SS diamond dust (aka snowball) beads, spiral spacers and crystals.I've made a couple of pairs of earrings, too, but have not tried to photograph them. They are based on a pair that I saw in one of my beading books. I would give credit if I could remember off hand who designed them, but I can't, and I don't feel like getting up to find the book, and have been fighting with the pictures in this post, which wouldn't move where I wanted them, and then wouldn't let me type where I needed to. Grrrr.
That's it for now. Need to get back to the laundry and give the stew a stir. Maybe I will post a second time in December...it's worth a shot.
A special note from DD, to wish you a happy holiday season (OK, I admit that I like the term "happy holidays" because to me, (1) it's inclusive of all the celebrations around and this time and (2) it's alliterative):
VVBHGGFGFdtffRUJYHGYTUGSYFTEYGTYTRTF HUU
UTYTTYRTREU
FGHfgffdfDDSGHJHGHFGSHF
MOM FF DADDY TTFTEREDRT
FDSFAGSDAFGDTGHDSRDRSDTDRRRDSXSZTADFDSG
R5RT55 R6TRREDRSWUJGTTWADFRDRWHYER
,TFGFTDRSQESW.GFTERF FTFDADGSA
HYGTFHFRTHDRSDRWSDHTWTEDER
frgdcfGXSDFSZDFSDFXGVGFCFGHDFGDCGDFGHffgdfrghfsgtfxgxfdfdx
sedsdesd
tdrderdertererewsreaa
gfyggugytfrytgfrugumgggggggmggyrftfrnfrnhtertffffcedxfAFGFGHFGH
SHFGHFDSGFCGEYFTEYSGYWRTRFD
FFGTDTGDTHRDRESW
Love, DD
Now a special note from Older-DS:
Happy Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, November 26, 2006
November's Post
| You Are The Chariot |
 You represent a difficult battle, and a well-deserved victory. You tend to struggle to get what you want, both internally and externally. You excel at controlling opposing forces, getting down the same path. In the end, you bring glory and success - using pure will to move forward. Your fortune: There is great conflict in your life right now, either with yourself or others. You must find a solution to this conflict, which is likely to be a "middle road" between the two forces. You posses the skills to triumph over these struggles, as long as your will is strong. You are transforming your inner self, building a better foundation for future successes. |
I have been rather behind in posting. Work is keeping me very busy, staying late almost every evening, then rushing to pick up the kids and make dinner. Sometimes not eating until nearly 7, which is tough on the little on the little ones. Then I get to spend the next hour nagging my 7 year old to finish his homework and do his mandatory 20 minutes of reading that must be logged and initialed by me. The tuck them all in bed by 8, so they can get enough sleep for school, since they need to get up at 6 a.m. I feel bad sometimes, that I don't really get to enjoy the only time I get to spend with my kids during the work week.
But they are all healthy, and don't seem too much worse for the wear right now. Today, while DH was at school studying for finals (which he has been doing for most of this weekend) and younger DS was napping, DD and older DS and I weeded out on the patio and found some snails and a small anole (lizard), which periodically would peek its head out and watch us. We had a good time.
We watched The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe numerous times this weekend, as well. That seems to be the favorite movie for November. At least it wasn't Sleeping Beauty, which was the previous flavor of the month.
I also managed to purge several bags worth of old paperwork and broken toys and torn books. That was only the beginning. Still need to finish the rest of the family room and move the table and couch to find out what has migrated under there, as well. Even did about 10 loads of laundry. Someday, I would love to have a housekeeper.
Oh yeah, and I also make the traditional turkey dinner. With sausage stuffing made from fresh bread crumbs, smashed garlic potatoes, green bean casserole, peas (for those who don't like green bean casserole, DH), rolls (OK, these were heat and serve), sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, and gravy from the drippings and roasted veggies that baked under the turkey. It was pretty good, although next year, I think I will stuff my bird, instead of cooking the turkey unstuffed. Although it cooks faster, it seems that the bird itself was a little drier, even though I started cooking it breast side down and make DH flip it over for the last hour of roasting. (It's easier to flip unstuffed). Still, older DS gave it a thumbs up, which is pretty good, since he's at the stage where he moans and groans over just about everything that I make.
Now, I get to find a cheap, yet experienced, babysitter for Saturday. We are having our office party that evening. Any volunteers? Try as I might, no one else in our office would go for a lunch hour. Seems most everyone wanted an "upscale" dinner with adults, which I had to coordinate. Of course, next year, I will be starting that in early October. It was quite a mistake to wait until November, since the only private dining rooms left had $2K+ minimums. We'll be close to that with gratuity, with 12 people (including spouses), but those minimums don't include tips, which are usually calculated around 20% (which I have found out since coordinating our Broker event for December).
Now it time to start getting ready for the holidays. Older DS's birthday and Christmas, all within a week of each other. Somewhere in there I need to take some vacation days, although part of me it tempted to wait until January so I can have some time alone in the house to get it cleaned from top to bottom, including the carpets. For some reason, I don't think that is what most people plan during time off, but it will never get done any other way. How do other women manage to keep everything coordinated? Gads.
On the lighter side, I have managed to make another necklace and a couple of pairs of earrings. The earrings will be Christmas gifts, I think. I'll have to post some pictures as soon as I find the batteries that I bought for our digital camera. (I even made a special trip, and for the life of me, can't remember where I put them.) I have had a couple of offers from people to buy some the items that I have made, a couple of the necklaces and a bracelet. One of these days I will have to take them up. I ought to start pricing everything while I'm making them, so I know what to say.
The kids are themselves as much as ever. DH posted about what DD was thankful for (for being a princess, for those who may have glossed over that), and older DS's list of 50 or so items was read over the intercom at school. He's even thankful for our cats, one of whom has his head resting on the back of my left hand, which is making typing a bit of a challenge. (I guess the drumming of my fingers on the keyboard is like a massage for him.) Younger DS is his chipper self, when he gets his way. He acts more and more like his older boy sibling at age 2, including the scowl when he is crossed, and his love of climbing out of his crib and dislike of going to bed. Although, he does look peaceful when he succumbs to slumber, unlike his sister who always looks P.O.'ed when she finally passes out. Younger DS is talking up storm now, although I'm still unsure of everything that he is talking about. I've probably sold my soul to the devil several times over during all of the yeses and mmm hmmms that I have done during his monologues.
Well, I guess it's time to take a break from the typing and join DH while he watches America's Next Top Model.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
| Your Element Is Water |
 A bit of a contradiction, you can seem both lighthearted and serious. That's because you're good at going with the flow - but you also are deep. Highly intuitive, you tune in to people's emotions and moods easily. You are able to tap into deep emotional connections and connect with others. You prefer a smooth, harmonious life - but you can navigate your way around waves. You have a knack for getting people to get along and making life a little more peaceful. |
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