November 30, 2007

Today is my brother Adam's birthday.
Work is going well. I really like everyone that I have worked with.
Not a whole lot planned for today. I am going to enjoy my day off. Hopefully we'll get our tree this weekend. Maybe next weekend. Debi's birthday is the 15th, so I plan on taking her to dinner. I have to be in Maine anyway, to get my Christmas decorations out of storage. Hopefully, we'll get a chance to go to church Sunday morning before I have to head back to Rhode Island for work.
The next two weeks, I will be working mostly in Newport.
Mitch's parents and brother will be spending Christmas Eve and Christmas with us. I can't wait. We'll have fun. The last time Ryan was here, we had a fun evening of playing American Idol! I bought Mitch the ESPN Scene It for his birthday so I am sure they will love playing that, since his dad and brother are also college coaches.
I have to take a shower, vacuum the floor and then wash it! The joys of tile! It looks beautiful, but sweeping only does so much. After awhile, you need to do a good vacuuming to get up sand and dog hair that finds its way in the corners. I also have to finish up the laundry and load/unload the dishwasher. By then it will be time to get the kids from school.

Long Day

Half of my long day is over. I got Zach to school at 8:15 AM, went home, took a shower and got ready and back to his school by 9:45 AM for a parent teacher conference. That didn't take as long as expected, so I ran a quick trip to the grocery store to buy some lunch items for me and I took them home to hide in the fridge. I blame the years that I taught preschool and raised my own little ones on my lunchtime diet. If I have to eat lunch, I prefer to have a string cheese, low-cal yogurt, a banana, either some flavored applesause (no sugar added kind) or jello/pudding. Throw in some pumpkin or sunflower seeds and I have myself a yummy lunch. Plus I can kind of graze with my lunch that way. Have a banana, get back to work, munch on some seeds or a string cheese and get back to work. I can't stand that heavy feeling in my stomach if I am not at home.

Now I have to finish the second half of my long day. I have a staff meeting in Jamestown 12-3 PM and then I work 3-8 PM in Wakefield. I get paid while in transit and mileage reimbursed so no complaints there!!! Then home to watch Charlie Brown Christmas followed by Dancing with the Stars! The season finale.

I have tomorrow off, so I can at least clean the house and get caught up on some laundry. I work Thursday and have Friday off.

Okay, I have to take Sierra out for a little walk and some attention. She is definitely someone who is NOT excited about Mommy going back to work!

Thanksgiving Update

The weather was beautiful in NYC on Thanksgiving. That was good and bad news. Good because it was t-shirt weather, bad because EVERYONE was there. We parked in New Roc City (New Rochelle) just outside of NYC and took the train to Grand Central and from there, we took the subway to Times Square and from there to Columbus Circle, where we watched the Macy's Day Parade. I have pics of all the balloons and will have Mitch email them to me so I can post them.

After the parade, Mitch, Zach and I had Thanksgiving dinner at Boston Market. Apparantly alot of people had the same idea. The manager said they did $20,000 MORE than they did last Thanksgiving. Craziness. Mitch's parents stayed over Friday night. We went shopping at Providence Place, which should have been crazy since it was Black Friday, but I found it to be less busy than the weekend before. We also got there about 1 PM. There is a good chance the craziness of Black Friday happened earlier in the morning. I chose to get my hair cut the morning of Black Friday, hoping the crowds would be at the mall. Which they must have been. After the mall, we had supper at The Cheesecake Factory. Very yummy. Then home to watch Christmas Vacation before calling it a night. I worked yesterday 10-4. After work, Mitch and I had to run to CT to pick up the girls at my sister's and bring them home. The girls stayed with them the whole weekend and gave my sister and brother-in-law a break from my (almost) 2-year old niece, Gracie.

That is about it. It seemed like a nice quiet holiday even though we were surrounded by 3 million people! I want to get back to do the Rockefeller Center skating and some shopping at FAO Schwartz, but Thanksgiving was not the day for that!

11/20/07

My second day of work is over. So far so good. I'm liking it and I get out of the house. The paycheck will be nice, too.

I have to get Zach from school in about 45 minutes. The girls are staying after until 4. Then I will buy some groceries and get ready for supper. I have a brief meeting tomorrow at 2 and then tomorrow evening, Mitch and I will be driving the girls to my sister's house in CT. We have to decide when we are leaving for NYC. We're probably going to drive close and park and take the train in, which will be a 15 or so minute ride.

November 18, 2007

The kids and I went shopping at Providence Place yesterday. For those of you who don't know, it is an awesome 4-floor mall, with pretty much every store under the sun. I had to pick up a few more presents for Mitch's birthday. Now he has 5. His birthday was Friday, but he's still out of town until today. I don't mind when he's gone...I do mind, but he makes it okay by having flowers sent to the house and buying me presents when the team is on the road, so I at least have something to look forward to about his trips.

We also talked to my sister to finalize Thanksgiving plans for the girls. Macy's Day Parade countdown...4 days!!! I am so excited!!! Can you tell?

I bought some new pants from Old Navy for me. I don't usually get anything new for myself so close to Christmas, but I felt like celebrating my new job. I did find lots of stuff that will be on sale or clearance by the time the holidays are over and I have money to spend on just meeee!!! A major shopping spree will be in order for my sister and me come January or February.

Now I am going to make myself a latte. Mitch isn't home so it won't be one of his famous love lattes. I have to make my own! Boohoo!! I am so spoiled now.

November 17, 2007

Holy crap! I slept for 12 hours and 40 minutes! I rarely even sleep 12 hours! But to go over? This is how it happened. Kayla, Zach, Sierra and I were all waiting to watch Titanic. It didn't come on until 8 PM, so I went to be at 7 pm so I could catch up on some of my Bible reading. I figured that would give me an hour of solid reading. About a half hour later, Kayla and Zach came up to join Sierra and me. I was out like a light by 7:59. I didn't even get to see any of Titanic. I woke up at
8:40 AM this morning!!! The night before last, I was out by 9 PM and slept until 7. I thought that was sleeping in! Maybe this is how I am recovering from my cold???

I bought some yummy homemade raisin bread for breakfast this morning. Special for two reasons. One, I hardly ever eat breakfast. I don't usually start eating until around dinnertime. That is just the way I am. Kind of a one meal per day person. I will have a banana here or a light yogurt there, a handful of crackers or something, but if I eat a real meal before 4ish, I feel this heavy full feeling that creates discomfort thru-out the rest of the day. Two, (you forgot there were two reasons didn't you) raisin bread doesn't last long. I buy it and it is gone in a day. Kind of like a gallon of milk. So the fact that I bought raisin bread last night and it is still available for my breadfast (a pun!) this morning is special reason number TWO!!!

Macy's Day Parade Countdown: 5 days

Kayla informed me she is expecting a Super Sweet 18 birthday party in February. Super? Unlikely. Sweet? Maybe. 18??? I can't believe we made it!!! We are discussing things right now. She wants a limo ride. I would like to rent a hall and hire a dj and invite all of her friends and family. My brother dj's, so that could be his gift to her. Allison could use her Culinary Arts degree and cater it for her. So that just leaves the limo ride and hall rental and food as major costs. Really not so major when you think that this will be her last birthday "party"...last party meaning one that Mommy has planned. There won't be any other parties until her wedding reception. That isn't true...she'll have a graduation party. And then a college graduation party. Those will be smaller, though, because her friends will have to have their own parties.

11/16/07

The kids have today off giving them another 3-day weekend. They had a 4-day weekend last weekend and will have another 4-day weekend because of Thanksgiving.

We are looking forward to a lazy weekend. My only big goal is to hit up Providence Place at some point. Grocery shopping is done. We had a great supper last night. Ham, mashed potatos, sweet potatos, fresh green beans, and corn on the cob.

SCDS

Same cold, different symptoms.

Now it is soley affecting my sinuses. And inner ear. So if I turn my head too fast I get some drunk vertigo feeling. Super!!!

I am in the mood to cook today, so I think I will make something special for the kids tonight for supper. Zach wants ham. And green beans. It will be the extra stuff that I make that will make it special. I think we can have a big dinner since we'll all be apart for Thanksgiving. The girls are looking forward to being at my sister's. Zach will be in Maine and Mitch and I will be in NYC. They love it when I make the toasted baguettes with fresh mozzarella and thinly sliced roma tomatoes with a brush of olive oil. They also love homemade toasted pita bread with balsamic vinegar or homemade hummus to dip. Then again, we LOVE olive cream cheese spread on toasted pita bread, or baguettes or stuffed in some celery. So many options!

After next week, I can start decorating for Christmas.

Cindy has her first Maine game tonight coaching. I wish I was back in Maine for that one! Good luck UMaine women! I hope you have a fantastic season!

Blah!

Gosh, my blog has gotten soooooo boring! Every time I read older posts, I am amazed by how much more I had to write about.

I wish this cold would go away! I made the kids some of my Sante Fe chex mix...this time adding pumpkin seeds, which they love love love! We're having pizza rolls and seasoned fries tonight. Mommy is not in the mood to get any more fancy than that.

I bought Sierra an updated dog tag today with our new information. She was still wearing her Maine tags. Zach plays ball with her every night and tonight he was in his room watching tv and she was sitting at his door waiting for him to play with her, every once in awhile coming back to bother me or the girls...finally I figured out what was going on and Zach came out to play with her. Other than their nightly ball game, she is still Mommy's girl even though Mitch is trying to convince me she is now Daddy's girl.

I have wedding pics and some new Sierra pics to upload onto Flickr, but I have to wait until Mitch gets back to RI. His laptop has the only working USB ports...mine crapped out thanks to Hayley and Allison.

I got my nails done today. Nothing like a relaxing manicure!

I can't wait to be in NYC for Thanksgiving! Hopefully I will get some good pics of that, too! I bought some egg nog tonight. My once a year treat! Really my one glass per year treat. I enjoy it but it is a bit overwhelming. The kids love it, too, so we'll enjoy the half-gallon and wait until next year.

November 14, 2007

I am watching Extreme Makeover. I guess I just don't get it. There are things I would change about me, and I do get that everyone has a few things they would change, but the list of things that get changed on these people is staggering. Lipo, teeth, eyes, facelifts, chin implants, nose jobs, and breast augmentation, dermabrasion...at what point does someone need some counseling to find acceptance of his/her self? For me, I plan on fighting the aging process as long as possible...diet, nutrition, exercise, cosmetic surgery if necessary (face lift only)...but to change one's entire appearance structurely? Seems a bit extreme...hence the title of the show I guess. I guess I am more for enhancing what one already has naturally, if possible. This episode is about a bride and groom who undergo extreme makeovers...and unveil themselves to their families and each other at their wedding. Hmmm...wonder what their kids will look like? I can't imagine being happy about one of my kids changing their look permanently.

I have got to say, Eric's friend Holly has probably the nicest face I have ever seen. She should be on an Ivory Soap commercial. She has a beautiful smile and a healthy complexion.

It is showertime.

11/13/07

Five days since my last post??? Craziness!

Lots of goings on around here. Some good, some bad, some great, some sad...good news...I got the job! Yay! I am going to love it there! The people are so fantastic. Bad news...the kids, Mitch and I all have a bad cold. The great news and sad news are private and personal.

Zach is trying out for the basketball team as I write. Hayley is on the school's dance team. Kayla is after school three days a week getting help with Algebra 2. She was going to try out for the dance team too, but I love that she decided Algebra 2 is more important right now, with college coming up next year, than extra curricula.

I start my new job on Monday. I am getting my nails done tomorrow. Mitch will be out of town for a soccer tournament. He leaves tomorrow and depending on when (if) they lose, will determine when he's coming home. No later than Sunday. That is if they win the whole thing. I think the kids and I will hit up Providence Place Friday or Saturday. I need to start at least a little bit of my holiday shopping.

11/8/07

Oh so much to do. I have quite a list of stuff to get from Walmart. And then pick up the kids. Come home, make supper, pack Mitch and I up for the weekend. After our brief trip to Maine, we have to immediately drive to CT for some recruiting. At least we'll get reimbursed for gas for that.

I talked to my sister yesterday. She is excited about having the girls for Thanksgiving and she wanted to make sure Mitch and I knew we were invited to dinner as well, but I am really excited about spending Thanksgiving in NYC.

11/7/07

It will be a quiet day today. I pick Zach up at 2:30 and then don't have to get the girls until 4:15. I have to run to the post office and bank but other than that stuff, it will be a nice day at home.

Dancing with the Stars is coming to Providence on February 9th. Mitch asked if I want to go...YEAH!!! That will be awesome!

Other than that, not a whole lot going on.

November 6, 2007

I am doing a load of laundry and a load of dishes in the dishwasher, so I thought I'd take advantage of my waiting time and blog.

However, there just isn't a lot to blog about. It is rainy. The kids all have stuff to do after school, so they won't be home until 4ish. Mitch won't be home until about 7ish. We have a date to watch Dancing with the Stars.

I am making my Christmas lists for the kids. Just ideas about what to buy them and checking prices so we'll have an idea and not be stressed out about the crowds and not having a clue about what to buy. The girls really like the cash or gift card option...so aside from a few token gifts, they'll be getting a lot of those and they will do their own shopping the days after Christmas. Teenage girls are easy!!! A few promises of big malls and tons of gift cards and cash and they are happy for a long time! Zach loves loves loves the Patriots, so I will pick him up some fan gear (hoodies, pajama bottoms, maybe a neon type light for his room) and he loves video games. And more video games. Lucky for him, we all love certain games, so we're getting the new guitar hero 3 and a Dancing with the Stars that you can use your DDR mat with. A country song version of American Idol for Kayla. I think Mitch wants some of the Sing Star ones, but you have to buy the sing star mike and can't use your American Idol mike, which I think is ridiculous as both games are for the ps2. Anyway...

I have to check in with my sister. She wants the girls for Thanksgiving. Well, all of us, but Zach is supposed to be in Virginia and Mitch and I want to be in NYC for the Macy's Day Parade with his friend Jerry and then we'll have dinner in the city or at Jerry's parents in New Jersey. I love that Thanksgiving is so flexible with us. I love the traditional dinner with my family, I love a romantic private dinner in the city, really any kind of adventure works. Christmas for now has to be a little more traditional, with lots of expectations and places to be. Mitch and I hate that part of it and long for the day when it is about the true meaning. Ideally, I want to go away for Christmas. And someday, when we have our condo at Sugarloarf, that is where we'll be spending our skiing holiday, or our condo in Florida...plus I am hoping that the 5 of our kids disperse themselves to nice locales when they are grown so we have fun places to visit!!! Mitch and I share a dream of owing a VW van and driving around the country having fun adventures.

Cool.

Soooo I got invited back for a second interview. If you pass the 1st one, then you get invited back to have an interview with the program manager. Then I will have 6 weeks of paid training, if they still like me, then a raise and 6 months probation. If they still like me after that, then another raise.

Benefits to boot.

I have the worst headache ever. I have been getting a lot of headaches lately.

November 2, 2007

Today has started out stressful. After some time in conversation with God, I am feeling better. I made some revelations about myself so that is always a good thing, whether they are positive revelations or not.

I am hopeful the interview will go well. I have a healthy level of anxiety about it...I know my stuff and I have a passion for this type of job and I know that will shine thru in the interview...but my anxiety has to do with new people and new places. It is really difficult for a person like myself, who is a very social being by design, to have this type of anxiety. I didn't start having problems with it until about age 25. I took medicine for a bit until I could learn skills to deal with that anxiety in more healthy ways...exercising, limiting alcohol, praying...and now it is hardly ever a problem. A new job is cause for anxiety in everyone, not just people with a general anxiety diagnosis, which is what I meant by having a healthy level of anxiety today. I am not letting it spin out of control and it is what it is. An interview. I need the job, though. Correction. I need A job. Staying at home has been nice but my kids aren't little anymore. I loved staying home with them when they were small. Those will always be my most happy and most memorable days. Not every parent gets that opportunity, so I thank God that I was so lucky, even though it was a financial strain. (Except when you figure in the cost of three kids in daycare!) So if I can find something I like, that has flexible hours, that will allow for me to continue with my master's degree, I will be very happy. This job pays well, has flexible hours, provides full benefits and offers tuition reimbursement for those that are interested.

Happy November

It is a beautiful day for being the 1st of November! I am so glad my busy day (yesterday) is over and I never have to go thru that day again! It left me very grumpy this morning. But whatever.

Now I am gearing up for my interview tomorrow. I wish I wasn't in such a grumpy mood!