Vacations and new job…

Well Phil is leaving his big corporation at the end of May. He will take about 1 month off or more. We plan to take an early 15 anniversary trip by going to the Carribbean!!! Woohoo…I am excited. I have spent oodles of time researching deals and have found some great ones through www.applevacations.com . I had to go and apply for my passport yesterday and hopefully it gets here soon so we can make reservations.

Caleb is dealing with a case of strep throat. He missed school yesterday and that put my work schedule back a day. I forgot that I was helping at another store today but that was changed to Thursday, which was good because I needed today to do some of my own! Tomorrow is going to be a killer if I try to do too much so I might leave a store for Thursday after I help at the other one. I should be done helping early enough that I will have time to go finish my stores. Ugh. I almost thought Jake was staying home today but he got up and Phil drove him in to school. I guess he was on time. Caleb managed to finish all his “make-up” work and his “gifted homework” in school today. Whew, that’s good because tonight is scouts and that means busy.

I did plan a menu out for the week and did some orderly food shopping. I haven’t done that in weeks and it has been hurting us. So tonight is sloppy joes, beans and salad. Wed is breakfast for dinner. Thursday Jake turns 13 and he requested burgers, fries and root beer floats! lol…Friday is undecided but Saturday is pizza and chips and snacks for Jake’s laser tag party. At least I have most of the week done.

I got to chat via the webcam last night with Brit and the babies. Elizabeth is still doing the “I coulda had a V-s” head slap my brother taught her at Easter. Asher can lift his head up when on his tummy. They are just so adorable!

Yesterday, while getting my photos done for my passport, I shopped at Walgreen’s. I bought a Ped-Egg for Phil to give me for Mother’s Day! I requested one and figured I would pick it up for him while I was out. He later told me he had plans to  get one for me. LOL…figures, just when I help him, he has it all under control. I think he and the boys are getting me a bunch of flowers to plant for MD.

Ok that’s it for this week. Busy busy busy. Better get cracking on those homemade sloppy joes.

2 lbs. ground beef or turkey

1/2  vidalia sweet onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic

1 bottle chili sauce

1/2 bottle water

Brown meat, onions and garlic. Drain fat and add chili sauce and water. Simmer for 30 min. or more. You can add in salt and pepper if you like. Or more garlic! Serve on buns w/cheese if you like it like that. Seems like my crew does.

Thursday Thirteen

I can’t seem to upload picture files, so I’ll do without it!

Thirteen quirks about my job:

1. I get asked way too many times if I work for the store I am in.

2. I am really tired of hearing 80’s Pop “muzak” in the stores.

3. On the other hand, I like that one store plays a local country station.

4. People think I am doing an important job cause I have a “computer-like” device in my hand. Hah!

5. The pay is still good for what I am doing.

6. I get to read funny bumper stickers. How about this one, seen on a gas-guzzling Land Rover-”Tree hugging dirt worshipper”! lol…

7. I am still finding time to complete my house duties.

8. In the busyness, I still found time to take up an old hobby-sewing.

9. I feel good about myself and what I am doing.

10. I get to see what is on sale and where to shop for good deals.

11. I spend less time online, good-but less time playing Literati=bad!

12. I am getting better at organizing my time and things.

13. I don’t have a boss hovering over me every day I go to work! That is a good part although my boss is really a nice guy.

So there are some thoughts about my job I have been wanting to blog about but haven’t found the time. Visit Thursday Thirteen for more fun!

Proud momma moment…

Last night my son Caleb earned his Arrow of Light award, the highest award in Cub Scouts. He then crossed over into Boy Scouts, joining his brother, Jake, in the local troop. He is so proud and so am I and his father. That boy worked hard! He earned it in about 5 months instead of about 2 years. He was in Webelos I in September but because of issues involving the den leaders and others, he was ready to quit. We got permission for him to join the Webelos II den and move up, since he is 11. It was in that den that he worked like crazy to complete all the requirements to get his AoL award. I will post a picture or two later. I am waiting on some through email from other parents who had cameras. We have yet buy a new one! That is coming soon.

I am loving my new job even though I am still in training. So far it’s easy but lots of headwork. I have to use my brain a lot to work this job. I am still asking myself the questions out loud while I go through a store and all it’s different displays that I have to scan. I think once I get my rhthym down, it will be easier and I won’t be asking all the questions out loud. They will just come natural.

Tomorrow is spring break for the boys. Yippee! No more getting up super early for me! I am not working again till next Thursday. Phil and I are getting away for a few days next week. The boys are visiting Brit and going to help her with the babies for a few days. I know they will love it. Maybe I will post a Thursday Thirteen later. Right now I have to make a snack for Caleb’s class since it’s my turn this month. Green rice krispy treats!

What a day!

It’s been busy and hectic. First we started our morning off with an ice/rain/freezing rain mix that caused 1/4 inch of ice on everything, including my van. Then I had to go to my first in-store training session in that weather. I had to scrape off ice from the windows so I could see. Then I took my life in my hands and drove the 30 min. to the store to meet Mary.

We spent 2 hours and 10 min. just going through 2 stores and talking about the job. It was tough on my back, that is going to be an issue for the first few weeks or so. I will have to get used to all that walking and stopping. Mary says it’s gets easier once you have a pattern in each store, so that’s good to know.

Then after I came home, Jake came home from school so defeated. He had 2 assignments due tomorrow and was in no shape, brainwise, to complete them. So off I sent an email to the teachers asking for the first extension I have asked for in months for him. I am sure they will give it to him. He was student of the month for January!

Seeing as how the weather was not letting up, we decided to stay home. Good thing because we discovered our roof was leaking. Water was coming down onto my bedroom carpet from the ceiling by way of the ceiling fan. Phil checked in the attic and found 5 leaks. He put buckets and a pot under them. Hopefully we can get it all worked out soon and not cost a lot of money.

Weather worked weird on our behalf today. We stayed home from the choir concert and scouts and my class was cancelled because of weather. But the same weather caused our roof problems. We did gather as a family and pray for the house and invited “heaven to invade earth” like Bill Johnson says in his book. We took possession of our house for the Lord. I pray this rain/sleet/ice mix lets up and we can sleep peacefully.

Sunday news

I haven’t felt like doing my normal blogging this week. Not sure why. Anyway, today I am home from church as I did not feel well. And tomorrow I am meeting the guy about a job. So I want to be well.

Last night was our last Blue and Gold Cub Scout banquet. Caleb crosses over to Boy Scouts next month so this was it for us for the B & G’s. Caleb and I worked on a cake for the dessert contest. His idea was to make a cake and decorate the top to look like the cross-over ceremony. So we found pictures of his Cubmaster and his new Scoutmaster, cut them out and taped to popsicle sticks. We mad a bridge with the Arrow of Light symbol on it. Here is the picture. Oh yeah, he won Judge’s Choice! Way to go Caleb!!!

   Click for a larger view.

We had to take a picture of Caleb for his stick to go on the bridge. Well we didn’t know it was an anonymous contest so Phil covered Caleb during the judging. He was very proud of the job he did. He did a lot of work with me.

So I got an email on Friday about a job doing data collecting for AC Nielsen. I hope I get it as it’s something I want to do and something that has flexible hours I can work into my schedule. I called the supervisor who emailed me and from the way the conversation went, it sounds like I have the job if I want it. That’s kind of cool. I was going to apply for 2 different library positions last week but found out that the deadlines for applications had passed. And one job had over 70 applications alone! I knew it was hopeless.

I guess we will find out if I can hold down a job and will it work for my family. Stay tuned.

Not a wordless Wednesday…

Today is not starting out to be good. My lack of organization and Jake’s lack of the same caused him to not get his permission slip and money in for a play this Friday. Poor kid! He’s been doing so great in school lately and here I go and mess it up, albeit he helped as well. If it’s not written down then I forget.
Then he called to say he needed his pencil pouch and could I bring it. Ok, yeah since I messed up on the form. But when I went looking for it, it was not here. No where to be found. So I called and left a voice mail for his teacher to ask him to look in his things again for it. Plus he was supposed to bring in pizza? for some class project. He told me two times, one last week and one time last night around 9PM. I don’t have pizza makings around here!!!!
I am hoping this day gets better, like with a job offer for Phil! That would be uplifting. Or that I can successfully make some Christmas treats and they turn out good. Something has got to give!

What would you rather they be doing?

Fighting or giggling? Yes, I am speaking of my boys. They are 12 and 11. Perfect ages for either fighting or giggling about a silly joke. Yesterday they had a day off of school. I use that time for dental appointments and a haircut for Caleb. Boy were they in rare form. Maybe they were nervous about the cleanings? But they were telling awful jokes, the kind that only kids would laugh at. And then Caleb started on the bad jokes, I guess his friend taught him a few inappropriate jokes. It was hard not to laugh with them cause let’s face it, any time you end a sentence with “hairy pickle” is funny. To a boy. Yep, I have boys.

So the dental hygenist would not clean Jake’s teeth till he pulled out his last baby tooth that’s been hanging by a thread for months. He pulled it out! Yeah Jake. Then she had him bite down on gauze cause it wanted to bleed a lot. The report on their teeth was good. Caleb has lots of baby teeth and needs some sealant to protect them for awhile. Jake has a surface cavity that will take all of 5 minutes to fill and no novacaine. He is happy about that.

Caleb got a haircut. We scheduled the next trim. Phil can’t believe his son has a salon and he doesn’t. Well unless you count Great Clips as a salon! lol….

Phil has an interview tomorrow morning with the company we have been waiting for. Ever since I visited the website this company has, I have had a peace about this place. Not sure why, I am hoping and praying it’s the Lord.

Time to go. I have women’s fellowship and lunch to run out to. Then spend the evening doing laundry and other junk. Have a great day to all my blog visitors.

Oh one more thing. I am thinking about a give-away. What do you think? Should I give away a Pampered Chef product that I no longer use? One that was used once or twice in a show? Leave a comment if you are interested in something like that. Maybe we could have a bunch of blogs doing it all at the same time.