Mabel's House

Do y'all know Liz at Mabel's House?  She's witty, spunky, and recently became a (working) mom.  Oh, and she's hilarious and a great writer. 

Which is why.... while you wait (and wait... and wait...) for all the great things I'm going to tell you just as SOON as I get a minute to blog... I want you to go meet her.  Today her blog  reached out and grabbed me.  In The Silver Linings of Working Moms, Daycare & Beano she describes the life of a working mom in a way that I think any working mom can relate.  From the paralyzing sadness (so glad I'm not the only one!!) to the special, really ordinary moments you might take for granted otherwise.  I totally agree when she says it's not the mommy guilt that gets you.  Sure, there's some of that... but it's that sadness that gets to her, and I'm on the same page.

G-man turns 3 this weekend, so for now, I'm eyeball deep in some last second party planning.  Which I'll share before he turns 4, I promise. 

xoxo,

Priorities

Well.... it's Back-to-Work Eve.... and I was planning to share with y'all the fun things I did during my leave... the sweet acts of kindness shown to me by friends and family.... the semi-homemade projects I worked on at my house.

But this is what I've got.  Instead of doing all that, I'm spending time with this sweet thing.

And entertaining this guy.  mr. fix-it's college roommate... even I've known him for 12+ yrs - he was in our wedding over 9 years ago.  And he stopped in for dinner tonight on his way from OK to LA for business.  The trips we took down memory lane were just what I needed to keep my mind off leaving my sweet punkin tomorrow. 

But I WILL share with you the fun things I did during my leave... the sweet acts of kindness shown to me by friends and family.... the semi-homemade projects I worked on at my house.  I've got G-man's room all ready to show you.  And once I get a couple of decals delivered for the girls' rooms, those will be ready, too.  Can't wait!  :)

My New Favorite Thing

Ain't that the truth?  So why do we all keep tryin'??
By last night, I was really wondering if having Monday off was worth it.... when I worked 25 hrs Tues/Wed to make up for it.  But tomorrow is Friday - we can make it! :)

xoxo,

March 9

4 years ago today..... I became a working momma. I say that because on March 9, 2006, I left my 10-wk-old Big Sis at daycare (that's her, above) and went back to the office. And isn't it crazy how I always remember it all every year when March 9 rolls around?

Reading back through what I wrote about this day last year, I found myself still feeling the same way (isn't it nice when you agree... with yourself?) ;)The recession has had a big impact on so many moms I know - moms who were staying home, but had to go back to work.... wives who are supporting the family while a husband has lost a job.... and more!

Tell a working momma how great she is today! (And she'll probably tell you how great YOU are - and that you've made her day!) Hugs to ALL my mommy friends!

This was me

Last week. At work. I thought this pic of the kiddos in our home office pretty much displays my 2 main emotions last week. Big Sis looks stressed out. G-man is crying.

Bear with me while I get my head back on straight. And while I help mr. fix-it get through some major drama at his job. Then I promise to be back to normal. Thanks - y'all are the best!

Snow Day in TEXAS

Or what I was doing while management was in MY meeting. (I'm over it, I promise. Okay, I'm mostly over it. I'll BE over it after happy hour on Thurs. And again on Fri.)

Quiz: Is G-man crying because:
a) he was forced to wear his sister's coat when his mysteriously disappeared?
b) he hates the snow - that's why he lives in TX, damnit!?
c) he took 1 step in the snow and face planted? (okay, I can't help but giggle. sorry, g-man!)
d) all of the above



You know it's always, always d!!! Poor g....

Seriously, Big Sis was out to impress! mr. fix-it said, roll a snowball for a snowman... and she did it like it was part of her regular day. You go, Southern girl!

The finished product! Frosty with his new friends, the Semi-Homemades. And yes... Frosty is an Oklahoma State fan (go, pokes!) He's sporting his o-state cowboy hat and scarf! (And that's popcorn from Mom and Popcorn for his eyes and mouth, lol!)

Big Sis making snow angels. We got a FOOT of snow! A foot! Which means that Big Sis could do snow angels and not even sink to the ground - crazy!

She convinced daddy that HE needed to do snow angels, too... lol....

G-man was watching safely from his post on the porch. That boy did NOT like the snow. He must get that from his momma. And he's trying to pull off that manly hat to combat his pink & grey plaid peacoat.... I'm still laughing. ;)

The snow missed us today - woo hoo! And seriously, I have a call in to Spring and she better be on the way stat. But we'll always remember this snow day... in more ways than one! What a fun day with my kiddos!

Right now...

I am trying to calm myself. Before I respond. And say something I shouldn't. Now, don't get me wrong.... I want to put forth the maximum amount of frustration & pressure. Without going overboard. Ahh, when you're a working mom, it's all about balance. (And here you always thought they meant the balance between work life and home life!)

Let me catch you up. We have a foot of snow in my north-of-dallas suburb. Today I had a can't-miss-meeting at work... a twice a year review with upper UPPER managment. Today Mr. Fix-It also had a can't-miss-meeting at work.... his annual review and meeting with his VP.

All night I worried about what we'd do with the kiddos today. Schools are closed. Mrs. Everything is at home with two feverish little girls, so that option is out. Our babysitter is snowed in, 45 min north of us. I was considering calling another preschool mom to see if she could take my 2 kids for a few hours - but hoping not to have to leave my kids with an adult they don't know well.

But this morning, the decision was made: no meeting. They'd push it back to next week because 2 key players (myself included) couldn't make it in. (Did I mention that all area schools are closed and most people aren't working today?!)

I was elated! But shocked. Picture my job... in an industry that most closely resembles...

Okay, my industry might actually BE The Devil Wears Prada. It's intense and usually stops for no one. Instead of leaving work early yesterday to get home before the roads got bad... we all worked like crazy and left at 6. But I have a new buyer and she's actually... well rounded. She made this happen.

.

I decided to take a day off from stressing about work. We played outside. Built an OSU snowman (go, pokes!) Made snow angels. Had a snowball fight. Mr. Fix-It left for his meeting and we settled in for a day at home.

.

The kids are napping, I just got off the treadmill... time to work. So imagine my FURY when I read my email to find out that the can't-miss-meeting is back on! And starts... in 10 min. Wow. The other missing player and I have spent the last 10 months putting everything we have into this business. Missing out on time with our families, their events - big and small - to put the business back on track. Then "they" retract the original decision and take away our only opportunity (until 6 months from now!) to tell the big guys the strategies we've put into place. The success we've started to see. Our plans for the future. That's wrong.

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It's days like this that I struggle more than usual with the position I'm in. And now... the meeting has started. My kids are waking up. And I'm going to try to forget about this and go make cookies with them. (I didn't realize this rant would be so long. Thanks for listening and letting me scream! )

It's official....

My siblings and I are currently deciding just WHO will finish up the last of the gifts for our parents (we go in together, which we all love, but this year we're challenged to finish up my mom, because she doesn't want anything!) The 2 young, single siblings are 'too busy.' Hmmm.... ask them what they're too busy doing and it's something like this: work, ski trips, get togethers, etc. Stuff they're doing for their own self. No doubt they're busy. But no doubt we all are, right?

Just got off the phone with my other sibling (full time working mommy of 2).... and she's in the same boat as me. I haven't gotten to pee all day and probably won't when I get home tonight either (which won't be until 8). It's official... I've given up sleeping AND peeing (which is difficult to do when you're surviving on massive doses of caffeine!)... and sometimes even breathing. ;)

Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is an extra few hours in each day. ;) Kisses, Elaine

Anyone else? :)

Right now, I'm.....

~ munching. on spiced pumpkin seeds that big sis and i roasted yesterday. because we didn't even carve pumpkins until yesterday. which wasn't even october anymore. but we didn't care... (for the record, big sis hated the seeds... which means i get them all!)

~ missing my kids. having one of those days that just sneaks up on me. one of those mornings where i'm so sad to leave my kids and go to work... so sad that my heart physically hurts. days like this make me quiet (i'm sure you'll find it hard to believe that i'm usually anything but quiet). it seems like these days often come after a big rush of fun family things... after weekends where the kids were especially good... after holidays... after mornings when the kids wake up and want to hug my neck over and over... mornings like this morning.

.

~dreaming. of all the fun times that are fast approaching. i love, love this time of year. i spent a few minutes trying to add a christmas countdown widget to my blog (is it bad that i don't think it's too early at all?), but couldn't figure it out, so i'll have to try again later.

this is a picture from big sis's first christmas, which was 4 days before her 1st birthday:

seems like ages ago! and yet it seems like yesterday.... christmas of 2006

~ balancing. trying to figure out how to squeeze in some blogging time tonight in btwn hugging my kids as much as they'll let me and starting wk 6 of c25k. because i've got to finish my recap of our halloween party. there were some costumes you do not want to miss!

C25K & New Fall TV

Seriously.... y'all know how much I've been working and how it's taking a toll on... pretty much everything. But I think the new fall tv schedule can help me get back on a regular workout routine! I've been doing The Shred 1-3 times/wk (kinda sporadic!) And I'm going to continue with that, but add back in the C25K. You may remember I was doing pretty well (before I took this job!) and even ran my 1st 5k.



Time to get back in it! I started last night with wk 3 and it was easy.... on to wk 4 starting Sun! Anyone else doing c25k right now? Or want to know more? Email me!


And what could be more perfect for recommitting yourself to the treadmill than the new lineup of fall tv!! Metroplex Baby & Kids (a great website if you live in DFW) posted this schedule, with dates of season premieres, day/time/channel info, and they even color coded it to alert you that your fav show has changed time slots!


I'm horrible at keeping up with tv, because I don't have that much time for it! I did accidentally get involved in Heroes (Mr. Fix-It loves that show.... and I'm sure it has nothing to do with the cheerleader!), although I prob miss as many episodes as I catch. (I'm confused on most of it either way, so what the hell?) ;) But looking at this list, I'm a casual viewer on these shows, at most. I randomly get inspired by Biggest Loser (I can get into it at the end, when there are less contestants!) Apparently, Dirty, Sexy, Money was cancelled and I was into that last year (apparently, I should catch up on those last few episodes on my tivo). What should I be watching? And when does Big Love come back on?!

Mmmmm..... all this fall tv makes me even more excited for fall! Good thing I just finished making a big pot of chili (I'll be working late tomorrow night, but I'll feel better knowing Mr. Fix-It and the kids are having one of their fav dinners!)

As it turns out....

....today has shaped up really well. Hear that sarcasm? I've pretty much solidified my title as Mother of the Year.... See, the kids had a End-of-Summer bash at school from 5-6, and we promised that one of us would be there. Except that Mr. Fix-It sold my old car today (yea!!!), so he ended up at home without a vehicle. And I ended up stuck at work. Unable to get away at 4:30, like I needed to.

.

So when I showed up at 6pm, poor Big Sis was stuck in her classroom (with only 1 other kid who must also have losers for parents), while all the other kids were outside at the party. Eating cotton candy and listening to Rockin' Rhett. (He's actually really good! This is him- click on the pic to listen to one of his songs. I'm a big Barenaked Ladies fan, and he reminds me of them!)

.

Big Sis looked up when I walked in and said.... but Mom, you said you'd be here for the party and you weren't!

.

Broke my heart. Something must change.... work is costing me too much. Life plan brainstorming in progress....

Happiness is....

~~ Going thru your baby's bag (can I please still call him a baby?) after (another) long, hard, stressful day at work.... and finding this:

I love G-man's teachers....I have a million thoughtful pieces of 'art' like this - so many that I could build several scrapbooks. If I had that kind of time. Maybe instead I'll scan the good ones and make a photobook online... hmmm....

~~ having your boss's boss stop by your desk at 6pm... knowing you'd still be at work... to tell you that he knows the special 'situation' you're dealing with at work...that the time and effort you're putting in is not going unnoticed.... that your presence on the team is changing everything... and that he's proud of you. (WOW!!! This is huge! And went a long way in easing my exhaustion/frustraton/anger/sadness over what's been going on at work!)

~~ coming home late from work to find that Mr. Fix-It has gotten crafty and made a yummy dinner that smells like comfort....

.

~~ finally finishing a work project before 10pm! Tomorrow night will likely be a later night... but at least it's a day from Friday, right? And - I've said this a million times before, but - I really think that if I can make it thru this work week, it's going to get better....

SO this one is called: Tired of the struggle...

....or why I've started the 30 Day Shred. ;)

So, I've started this topic 100 times in the last couple months... and the drafts just keep piling up in my little corner of bloggy world. Partly because I've been at a loss as to what to say, how to say it... And partly because I've had even less time than usual to breathe, much less blog. I mean, tell me if you think otherwise, but life just seems TOUGH right now! I have friends everywhere who are going through hard times.... friends with moms/dads that have cancer... friends whose child has been diagnosed with autism.... friends who have lost their jobs or their spouse has lost their job.... friends dealing with depression.... friends struggling to deal with mommyhood....

And those are just my friends in real life! I'm reading similar stories from online friends, from the blogs I read.... like this one on Ashley's Closet.... and reading comments of people who can relate.... One reader even had this comment, which I just love:

"When God closes a door he opens a window...but it's hell in the hallway."

I have friends - like me! - who are really, really struggling with the juggling act that is being a working mommy. To the point, that something's gotta give. I can't say much about work, except that it's been beyond stressful - to levels I've never seen before. It's affecting my family, my health.... And it's leading me to think alot about what I can affect, what I can change. Because I'd rather spend my time caring for and helping my friends with these much more important life struggles! I'm not sure what it entails yet - maybe a small change that would have a big impact?

But there are a few things keeping me going....

~I keep having relevant conversations with good friends IRL... esp other working mommy friends like Sasha (my personal therapist, sometimes! my personal trainer, apparently, who got me started on c25k and the shred!)... She's such a good cheerleader and knows alot about the stresses I'm under..... Then there's my friend Julie, my current mom-spiration.... I think I've mentioned her before - she works 60 hour wks and has 2 kids (just like me!) But she must have gotten to that breaking point, too, and now, on top of everything, she's going back to school to become a nurse! WOW! We laughed about how we both have been working 12 hr days anyway... being a nurse is tough (my longest, dearest friend is the best!), but at least she's thinking 3 12-hour days a week (instead of 5 and occasional Saturdays!)

~And then I drop in on moms of all kinds, who blog about their struggles and I realize I'm not alone. Ahhh, that really does help, you know?

~And Mr. Fix-It.... i.e. Mr. Wonderful..... a few weeks ago, on a particularly crappy Monday..... I came home to a Starbucks giftcard (that man is genius!) and these:

....orange gerber daisies. He's the best. He understands that a grande iced sugar-free vanilla latte can make my entire day better. Or at least until it's gone. ;) He has been my rock.... He's kept the kids while I've worked all hours of the night. And he makes it fun for them - whether it's Wacky Pack night at Sonic, or shoulder rides, or even playing with dolls! He kept the kids most of the weekend my friend Amy was in town, so I could have some girl time and recharge from all this work nonsense! He entertained them last weekend while I hosted the Pink & Orange Baby Shower at our house - and he even helped me prep for the shower! And this weekend.... while I'm likely working on Sat... he'll have the kids again. He deserves a medal. Or an iphone. Or something! But instead - he has traded in his truck so that I could get a new vehicle! What?! The man's generosity tears me up....

~The 30 day Shred. It's killer! But it was great when I was on hiatus with that bum toe. ;) And I had been meaning to jump on the Shred bandwagon.... ever since Sasha first started talking about it You see, I have plenty of motivation, ALOT to look forward to this summer... but when I envision all these fun things, I picture a skinnier, more toned me... not this person who has been working 60+ hour work weeks and eating entire bags of Smartfood popcorn. ;) And I had been doing fairly well... even worked up to jogging 3 miles at a time! 3 times a week.... But then, the toe injury. ;) I can see a difference, as far as toning goes! And I intend to add jogging back in and I think that the 2 of them could have me feeling great! Maybe after swimming lessons are over....
.

Speaking of.... swimming lessons have been the face of my working mommy stress in general. Meaning, that my 3 1/2 yr old child is just in her first swimming lessons EVER in her life. Which is unheard of in TX suburbs. She's a good year older than anyone in her class - but the next class up is only for kiddos who have had lessons before. I spent all of last summer stressing about not having the time to take her to lessons, while I was working late hours (oh, and being 9 months pregnant!) So, as swimming lessons represented ALL that I miss - all that my kids miss out on with 2 working parents - they are almost a sad subject to me. And now, Big Sis has to watch the girl her age (with the Ariel swimsuit, who Big Sis went made friends with in 4 seconds, while waiting for lessons to start!)... because she's in the next class up, on the other side of the pool....


Which is why I'm now taking applicants for a fill-in mommy.... who could do a better job with extra-curriculars than i am! ;)

So, thanks for listening to my therapy here.. ;) And don't give up on me yet - I know my blogging has been sporadic.... I promise to have semi-homemade greatness for you soon! In fact, G-man's Pirate Birthday Bash is just 10 days away! Ahoy!!

A model day...

Okay, not a model day as in the perfect day.... like being home with Mr. Fix-It and the kids.... having a leisurely morning, heading off to the pool... no, nothing like that.

But today definitely wasn't ordinary! This morning at work, we had a big monthly meeting that typically includes... a couple hundred people? (I'm not good at estimating crowds!) Anyway, I was sitting in the front row (somewhere you'd never catch me... I'm more of a back row, closer to the Starbucks, kinda girl...)

Anyway, we had heard rumor that today's mtg would be special. About halfway thru the presentations, the production assistant (or whoever she was) asks me and a peer to move out of our seats, obviously making room for someone more important. (I know, I'm sure you can't imagine that!) She pulls in 2 chairs and now I am sitting in FRONT of the FRONT ROW! I'm practically on stage and totally not comfy with it.

Just about then... in walks Cindy Crawford. She came right past me and actually looked at me on her way down the aisle. (I know that sounds cheesy, but it's true!) When I'd heard she was coming, honestly, I was only mildly interested. But seeing her in person was totally different! It was exciting and she truly was different than I expected. She talked about being a working mom... she talked about relating to middle America and regular people.. and although lots of stars try to say all those things, she seemed genuine and real. She spoke intelligently and proved she wasn't trying to be just a pretty face. I was impressed!

Anyway, Mr. Fix-It nearly died when I told him I was within feet of Cindy Crawford today. ;) I'm pretty sure he was thinking of her, circa that 1992 Super Bowl commercial where the 2 little boys are watching her in amazement. ;) hee hee

Quick update on Magaw Camp 2009. Big Sis is having the time of her life! She's gone swimming the last few days and even made a new friend there, named Cheyenne. Big Sis loves to call the shots, and she even scheduled her own playdate, telling Cheyenne to meet her at the pool tomorrow morning. We did get a call on Sun, that almost broke my heart.... after being gone for 3 days, she missed us so much and called saying, "Momma, I want you... I want to come home to Teeeex-as...." (You'll remember I've told you about her drawl!) Anyway, some reassuring words from mommy and talks of all the fun things she still had left to do, and she was fine. She's such an independent, grown up little 3 year old! Anyway, our house is unbelievably quiet and we just can't wait to see her on Friday!

How smart is....

Smartfood popcorn if you eat the whole bag? Damn stressful job...

I'm hoping to finish enough work to get home and tuck the kids in... before I work from home. This job. is. killing me. Or maybe that's just all the calories from this yummy white cheddar popcorn! (Seriously, have you tried this? YUMMY! But I have to fight Big Sister for it.... hence, the reason I brought it to work where it's safe! LOL!)

Okay, my reports are done printing! How fast can I get outta here?!

Un-mom Mother's Day Gifts

Modern mother's day gifts..... to me it's an oxymoron..... or it's like saying I have "free time." It's something to dream about, but not expect... right?

I wanted to get together ALL the fun mom's day gift ideas I've found, but since the day is coming quickly (and my free time is super sparse lately!), I thought I'd give you my absolute faves of the moment - then follow up later with some additional ideas.

My absolute favorite mom's day gifts ever are the 2 necklaces I have from Julian & Co. They are IT for modern momma jewelry, in my opinion (for what that's worth!) I've ordered 3 necklaces from them (yes, both of mine, but don't let that take away from Mr. Fix-It's thoughtfulness... he just wanted to make sure they said exactly what I wanted them to!). I also ordered one for a friend of mine when her adoption was final - with her new son's name and adoption date on it. Let me just tell you - if you're looking for awesome customer service (yes, it still exists!), email Julian & Co. and let them work with you!

This is my newest necklace and current fav - I have one with Baby G-man's first & middle name on the front and all his birth info on the back. It's super cute!

This is new, but I'm liking it! (Almost looks like it could come in a little blue box, huh?) And it's similar to the Square Birth Necklace I have and adore with Big Sis's name & birth info on it.

Several of my most admired working momma friends swear by their momAgendas! And God knows, I could use some help getting organized.... hmmmm.... they come in tons of super cute colors (some of them BRIGHT! so they don't get lost in the sea of artwork, bills, and other things on your counter). I've heard great things about the Day Planners and gave the Kitchen Folio to Mrs. Everything and my sister Ellen when they hosted my baby shower last summer.

So, everyone I know that has the Chi is over-the-top in love with it.... it has changed their life... etc, etc. So, this is what my very own momma is getting for mother's day! (Gotta love! having 3 siblings to share costs with on holiday gifts for the parents!) We're getting ours from amazon. Duh. We got an amazing deal. AND free shipping.

Custom art is always so expensive, donchathink? But it doesn't have to be.... kiki & polly offer sketches from your photo and prices start at only $35 for an 8x10. Throw it in a cute (and cheap!) frame from Hobby Lobby or somewhere and you're done!

For lots more ideas.... visit the cool mom picks site!! Just click on the button below or on my sidebar!

And what am I hoping for this mother's day? A maid? Ridiculously healthy kiddos? I'll include that in a later rambling about the big day... as well as pics and memories from my very first mom's day in 2006!

A blog for you fellow Etsy Lovers!

Just how I didn't know about this blog is beyond me.... (and seriously, why didn't I think of that?!) It's a blog for all you Etsy Lovers and Sellers.... so, if you have a shop - or know someone who does - have them email Celeste to set up a give away and get lots of traffic. And if you're just an Etsy lover like me, head over there and enter all the giveaways. It's like they do the browsing for you. (Of course, we still have to check out the site for ourselves. We don't want them to have ALL the fun, now, do we?)

OH, and I'll be back as often as possible this week, after the Big Promotion. I'm wondering what I got myself into.... especially when I hear things like 'don't let the fear tactics affect you,' and 'you have immunity'...... did I apply for a spot on Survivor? Yikes!

But this Friday is a big day in the Semi-Homemade family..... G-man gets his helmet off! Watch for me to share his before and after pics with you, so you can see the amazing transformation! What a beautiful noggin on that crazy cute little boy!

Also, I've been gathering a bunch of fun non-mommish mother's day ideas! Great ideas for your own mommas or to hint to that hubby of yours, especially if you're like me and don't want to end up with a "mom jeans"-type mother's day gift!

Working Momma has Big News!

So, for some big news and one of the reasons I was feeling stressed/whiney yesterday..... I'VE BEEN PROMOTED!!

And while I'm really trying hard to see only the good in it, the truth is, this is less than the great news it would seem to be. Now, before I sound like one of those 'glass half empty' types, let me explain....

The good: I'll now have a Senior in front of my title. Honestly, I've never been a title whore, especially not since I became a working momma, so it's not that important to me. But nice, I guess, especially for the recognition. I also got a raise! And we all know how hard that is to come by in this economy. Especially in retail. Geez.

Now, the less than good.... (See, I didn't say 'the bad'.... that has to count for something, right?)
So, let me explain a little.... each 'team' is set up with 3 different organizations, all which are a system of checks and balances. Each team has 2 leaders, but when it comes down to it, the ultimate responsibility is on one person. Let's call her the President. That makes me - the other leader - the Vice Pres. We should keep the team working towards a common goal, working a strategy within our finanical boundaries, etc, etc.
The new Pres I'm going to work with has a reputation for being hard to work with - it's no secret. Her people will say upfront that they don't feel valued. I'll be her 3rd VP in less than 2 years - and both the girls before me left because of her. I'm being put on this team because I have a way of being direct, of instilling discipline and process, all the while being friendly and easy to get along with. I'm influential. At least this is what the higher ups (both mine and the boss of this new Pres) have told me.

Do you feel the pressure? The stress? Did I mention that this is a highly visible business with lots of (bigwig) eyes watching it? OMG, somebody take my blood pressure....

Oh, and the team complains there is no work/life balance. This is probably #1 on my list of most sensitive topics as a working mommy. I must have work/life balance; I insist on it. I know I'll have to put in long hours at first, but then 50 hrs/wk is my absolute limit. That doesn't even take into account the 7 hrs/wk commute I have. But again, this is another reason I've been put on this team. My time is valuable. I will not waste it. Being efficient, finding faster ways to do things, cutting out things that aren't working - that is what I do. But it'll take some time to get the ball rolling...

This job isn't my dream job.... maybe at some point I'll be able to discuss that later - it would be an entirely New Life Plan and I need to read up on that way of thinking. But for now, I'm happy to be promoted and I'm going to try to roll with the new situation.

And another reason I was so whiney yesterday? I hadn't jogged in 9 DAYS! I only jogged a couple of miles last night, but what a stress reliever! Remind me of that the next time I try to skip my workout. Time will be tight as I'm transitioning into my new job, but I must find the time to jog! Oh, and maybe another reason? As relaxing as our Easter weekend was, that drive to my inlaws is 6 hrs each way! Getting home at 7pm on a Sunday is a quick way to stress a working momma out! Especially this one, who usually uses Sun to do a million loads of laundry, cook 2 dinners, and get everything ready for a busy week!

More on our Easter later. And don't worry, I won't bother you with every little detail. Maybe just a semi-homemade activity or 2. And some fun Easter basket goodies and a couple pics.

Oh, and those file folders at the top of this rambling? I'm just kidding. Kind of. I do like my boss though. I was just looking thru fun office products (at Spoon Sisters, click on the pic if you must have them). ;) And then I found this one and it might just apply....

40 hours and counting....

That's how many hours I had already worked by the time I left the office at 2:30 today to take Big Sis to her 3 yr well appt at the pedatrician. Yes, the one I thought I could 'skip.' Turns out that when your daycare is being audited by the state they need all the necessary paperwork. By tomorrow. Sigh. I wonder how much it'll cost us for them to tell us that she's tall (duh), that her BMI is low and that she's hit every developmental milestone for her age and then some.

I had my Big Financial Meeting at work today (the monthly one that I run), and lots of big changes came out of it that I wasn't expecting. So... I'll be leaving my house at 5:30am tomorrow (I don't even want to think about what time I'll be getting up!) so that I can hope to finish up by noon so we can leave town.

Oh, yeah, and that's IF the whole state of Oklahoma hasn't caught fire. Have y'all heard of this? I talked to my mom and sis earlier and it sounds bad. They've been asked to evacuate.... It's all over the news, but if you haven't heard anything, you can click here. Keep them all in your prayers - my family and lots of close friends live across the state and it sounds like this is far reaching. Very scary.


Good thing we have this to make us smile. This picture is from a week or so ago (you can tell because it's pre rocker hair cut) and Gman is getting oh so close to crawling. Which is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. I've GOT to start baby proofing!!

Okay, gotta go. I've got 3 loads of laundry to do AND get us all packed up and ready to go. Mr. Fix-It is having a well deserved break (I say that because he's had the kiddos alone every night this week while I've been working my butt off.) He's at a going away party for one of the guys that was laid off. And all I know is that he walked out the door this evening with his Rock Band. ;) I won't be waiting up.