Photog time

Conviction

"A 'No' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'Yes' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble." ~ Gandhi

that was hot

have you ever had a dream about a co-worker?  you know the kind i'm talking about.  not the 'hanging out shopping together' or a work related dream.  the 'holy shit, that was hot' kind of dream.  i admit i have had a dream in which a coworker kissed my neck the other year and that was quite embarrassing because he can be an odd duck.  but the dream i had last evening, wow.  that was hot.  i woke up thinking 'what the hell was that' and could not look him in the eye today without feeling like i was turning tomato red in the face.  i think it stemmed from the end of the Castle finale on monday night as that is almost how it started out.  if my dream is even half true for this guy, his partner is one luck lady.  ;)

2012 Promise Walk

Our family will be participating in the Neenah Promise Walk this year and have decided to do so with a pirate theme!  Should be fun!

positives

Free Disney Tickers


Free Disney Tickers

just my luck

the old external hard drive finally died.  and we had yet to purchase and copy over files to a new one.  eight years of data is gone.  j called a local store and it sounds like they would have to send it in for a minimum of $250.  yikes.  i have a few years on cd that we can copy over, but the last several were all just uploaded to a photo site.  now we are looking at how to handle our photo/video/file storage in the future.

and we bought a new external hard drive this afternoon.

Where to begin

Oh, where to begin.  I guess a quick update from my last post is a good place to start.  I have given my notice at my FT job and will be ending my time there at the end of May.  It is very bittersweet to come to this as I thought that was the job I would be working until it was retirement time.  However, it just isn't meant to be.  The stress of the job is changing me and I cannot allow that to continue to happen.  I could go on and on, but am choosing not to dwell. 

I will begin my next adventure after we get back from vacation in June.  I will be working for a prior place of employment, an abuse shelter; working with their volunteer program.  I am excited at this opportunity and think it is a great fit for me and me for it.  The hours are part time which leads me to having more time for the rest of life.

And the rest of life....the kids are winding down the school year and hopefully we are getting things squared away with their "extra needs."  After having some struggles with school and other areas, Ari was tested for ADHD.  In discussing it with her doctor, we thought we'd give meds a try in addition to the therapy she is doing now.  In the last 6 weeks, she is a different kid when it comes to homework.  There are days she is even finishing everything at school, which was unheard of before.  We are going to start weaning her off the anxiety meds and are hoping the anxiety is a by product of the ADHD.  We will see.  Ari's been attending weekly sessions with a therapist, which while she likes to go, she also hates going.  Miss Katie is very open with Ari in telling her that if she works hard to achieve the goals we have set forth in her treatment plan, then she can stop the sessions. 

Phoenix is doing alright.  He had some hiccups after this tonsil & adenoid surgery, but we made it through that.  We had improved sleep with him for about a month afterwards but it is now back to shit sleep and night terrors.  He has an appointment with a behavioral pediatrician to see what she can do to help us.  She's thinking possibly another sleep study....awesome. 

Lots of yelling has been occurring in our home.  It drives me absolutely frickin' insane.  I am hoping that once I change jobs things will settle in and I can assist the kids where/when they need it and have the house running a bit more smoothly.  Life is a work in progress.  That is my life lesson I am attempting to remember daily this year.  Things have not been the greatest and I am trying to hold onto the good things. 

catching up

it has certainly been awhile since i have posted.  sorry about that.  life has been life and i continue to not take time to write.  i have sat down to write this post a number of times in the last two weeks and finally here it is.  i am meeting with my old supervisor tomorrow to discuss a job opening they have.  my current employment has become a torture and i have discovered that it is causing me to change as a person.  and i am not okay with the changes.  the job itself i can do, but the micromanagement and mismanagement i can no longer stand.  each day as i awake to the buzzing of the alarm, i have to give myself a pep talk to actually go to work.  and when i round the corner to the office, i am filled with dread.  i adore most of the people i work with and count many of them as friends.  however friends can only do so much throughout the day and now that i was warned against socializing last week, i have taken the passive-aggressive stance of working with my office door closed.  of course, the fucking windows they cut into our doors last year make it so anyone can still look in. 

it all boils down to money in reality.  do i keep working a job that i have come to loathe for the paycheck and the comfortableness we have at the moment or do i take the part time job at a prior place of employment making half the wage i make currently.  there are pros and cons like any situation and that is what has been weighing on my mind.  do i resign and hope to reclaim myself knowing that money cannot buy happiness?  that leads to less stress for me, however the hubs will probably stress out more due to lack of extra fundage.  the opportunity to work PT would allow me to build up my travel business more and volunteer at the kids school.  but it also takes away the new camper next year or any large vacations in the coming years.   i know that we would make it financially, we would have to readjust our spending of course, which is not a bad idea altogether anyway.  less money = less stuff, right?

it is scary to think of making a change like this.  but i know have come to appreciate life in a different manner this year.  we can work and work and work to buy and buy, but things do not make a life.  spending time together and doing quality things together makes a life.  i am nervous to pass up the PT opportunity that is available at this time, knowing i would enjoy the job and a similar opportunity may not be available later.  quite honestly, i am scared shitless to make this decision.  but i know what i am doing right now is not healthy for me.  it is unhealthy for my heart and soul, and ultimately that is why i need to make a change.

Lovin' on my iPod Touch

pupster

Chewbacca, 5 months

Chewbacca, 4 months old

Makes getting a dog priceless

Chewie has been a member of the household for two months now.  It's been an interesting two months with the whole puppy thing, but the pick w/ Ari above totally makes it worth it.   He's a fantastic pooch.

Celebrate

I am no longer of the minivan mom league.  YES!!!  Bessie was awesome to us for the 6 years we had her, but her time had come.  It was bittersweet to say goodbye, lots of good memories.  But now we've got a newer vehicle to help us with our travels.  It just needs a name.....

2011 Book Challenge Recap

This was my third attempt at finishing 52 books within the year.   Didn't quite make it in 2011, but I'm hoping to get beyond 52 in 2012!


Here is a recap of this last year's reading pleasures......

2011 Book List:

1. Born in Death by JD Robb
2. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
3. Awakened by PC Cast & Kristin Cast
4. Zuzu's Petals by Lauren Ward Larsen
5. Naked in Death by JD Robb
6. Glory in Death by JD Robb
7. Immortal in Death by JD Robb
8. Promises in Death by JD Robb
9. Origin in Death by JD Robb
10. Fantasy in Death by JD Robb
11. Reunion in Death by JD Robb
12. Holiday in Death by JD Robb
13. Loyalty in Death by JD Robb
14. Ceremony in Death by JD Robb
15. Conspiracy in Death by JD Robb
16. Witness in Death by JD Robb
17. Treachery in Death by JD Robb
18. Creation in Death by JD Robb
19. Purity in Death by JD Robb
20. Memory in Death by JD Robb
21. Visions in Death by JD Robb
22. Kindred in Death by JD Robb
23. Divided in Death by JD Robb
24. Vengeance in Death by JD Robb
25. Survivor in Death by JD Robb
26. Innocent in Death by JD Robb
27. Betrayal in Death by JD Robb
28. Judgement in Death by JD Robb
29. Indulgence in Death by JD Robb
30. Imitation in Death by JD Robb
31. Portrait in Death by JD Robb
32. Seduction in Death by JD Robb
33. Three in Death by JD Robb
34. Strangers in Death by JD Robb
35. Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling
36. A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard
37. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
38. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
39. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
40. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins 
41. Destined by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast 
42. Sing Me Home by Jodi Piccoult
43. Cut by Patricia McCormick
44. Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue by Stephanie Laurens
45. In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster by Stephanie Laurens

rough week

The boy child had his tonsils & adenoid out last week.  And it has been a rough go of it since.  Ended up in the ER the same evening for a post-tonsil surgery bleed that cleared up by the time we made it to the ER (of course).  Then over the weekend, he continued his protest against fluids and food so back to the ER it was yesterday.  And he ended up being admitted until he could maintain his own hydration.  Which took place this morning.  Hooray! 

I admit I am pretty cool when it comes to my kids have surgery.  They have each been under before so I do not really get nervous.  But the worry this child caused over the last week has rung me out.  He is so damn stubborn.  (Hmmm, where does he get that from, I wonder?)  He looked so frail and scared yesterday, it took everything in me to not burst into worrisome tears.

But we survived, thankfully.  The most awesome part of all this is that he is already sleeping better! 

the new year

i know most everyone makes some sort of promise to themselves for the new year and even though i find it slightly corny....i cannot help it.   i must do it.

i hope 2012 brings:

• peace to our household
• sleep, as in uninterrupted sleep
• shedding of my of my fat arse, my preggo belly and firming up the jiggly arms
• less yelling and more loving for our family
• continued and growing friendships
• getting even closer to being debt-free (hell yeah!)
• falling in love with my partner all over again
• lots of funny jokes with gut busting laughter
• lots of changes at work, although i'm not too hopeful for this one
• a smashing birthday party for the hubs as he turns the big 4-0
• witnessing a dear friend reach one of his goals
• two fantastic vacations with family

i guess i should stop now, huh?  don't want to be over the top, but i'm hoping more means at least a few occur in spectacular fashion.  ;)

Kiss my a$$, 2011

2011 was not my best year.  Or our best year.  Sure, there were some pretty awesome things.  But there were also some shit things.  I'm looking forward to a smashing 2012.  Wishing you all a fantastic New Year!  See you on the flip side.