When honey's out of town...

Well...you know what they say? When the cat's away, the mice will play??? Yeah...that's kinda true here too, LOL! Nolan's out of town for a few days and while I do miss my honey...it's also a time when the kids and I can break from tradition. For instance, this week on the menu so far...hot dogs, sloppy joes, etc...no meat and potato meals here! We watch whatever we want on TV (or surf the web) and it's all good!

One of my favorite things about honey being gone <> is that I usually share my my bed with someone else. Now...before you go gasping and jumping to conclusions, it's probably not what you think! Yes...there's dogs and cats, but usually, one of the kids sleeps in Nolan's spot! At this point in time, it's usually Paige as the others are "too big" to sleep with mom. I can recall when Taylor, Chase and Paige were all little, I often had all 3 of them with me. Now I'm down to just my baby...and at 9, not sure how much longer she'll take these opportunities to bunk with mom, but I know I will cherish it and enjoy it for as long as it lasts!

What really defines you?

Awww...this is one of those touchy subjects that women rarely speak of, yet I just have to talk about it!! As my 6 month evaluation at work is quickly approaching...I have to say that I am extremely happy!! I LOVE my job!! I have gotten wonderful compliments, flowers, baked goodies, etc. from our staff as well as the members of our congregation. I'm pretty sure that Pastor Dave wants to keep me, ;-)!! Anyway, I got to thinking about my last job working for Nolan...and how I know he and Tim truly appreciated all that I did, but for some reason, I never felt fully satisfied. It wasn't until getting this job that I began to see what it was I was missing from my last  job (and from my life as a sahm)...and it was the recognigion/appreciation!

At least once a day (if not more), I receive an email, phone call or personal visit from someone who tells me how "great" I am, how loved I am and how appreciated I am! I'm like on "wow" overload here! Compliments are a great motivator, let me tell ya! I think about the later years of strictly being a sahm, and how I felt that somewhere, somehow, my identity had been erased at some point and all that I was....was a mom! I knew deep in my heart that I was more than just a mom. Now granted, I'm extremely grateful and happy that I was able to sah to take care of my kids, etc. while they were little...and at the time (and for the most part), I was quite fulfilled back then...but as they began to grow up, and now new babies came...I really didn't know who I was anymore. Since turning 40 (5 yrs ago), I have been on a journey of self awareness...self actualization I guess. I began having honest to goodness thoughts. Thoughts that weren't interrupted or undeveloped...I began feeling like I was awakening to a whole new world after being in the sahm shell for 14 yrs.

It was very scary when I first went to work for Nolan...mainly because I really didn't work for him, but all the guys in the field...Tim in particular. When I first met Tim...I thought to myself, "...how am I ever going to work with this guy?"...he was very shy, very soft spoken...and I knew I had to break the ice somehow. I think the ice really broke for the first time with the "Rubber Toe" joke...ever since then, we hit it off great and had a really awesome working relationship. I was really shattered when I had to be laid off after almost 2 yrs. I was really devistated. After about 6 months, I knew I probably would not be hired back...and I was right. Not only was I not hired back, but Nolan took a 10% pay cut.

After trying relentlessly to get hired by the school district, I finally came across my current job just by pure happenstance. I applied with my whole heart, soul and mind. I honestly didn't figure I had a rat's chance. Imagine my surprise when I got a call to schedule an interview. OMG...it was my first interview in over 19 yrs...to say that I was scared shitless would have been an understatement. When I arrived at the interview, not only was Pastor Dave present, but an entire panel. Heck, I figured I might be able to dazzle the pastor, but an entire panel?? Well...I laid everything I had out on the line...whatcha see is whatcha get! And to my utmost shock and surprise, I was offered the job! Wow...I felt this quite an accomplishment that at age 45, I could go out and get a job (that I probably wasn't entirely qualified for)...and a funny thing happened! I began to find myself, know myself and understand who I am again!!

Don't get me wrong...I would change a thing about my days of being a sahm and the joy that all my children have brought me over the years. But...I am beyond grateful that I was able to find a job that fits me perfectly! I think taking time off from work when having babies is a really good thing if you can afford to, but I also think it's a really good thing to have a plan B...because things will not stay the same. I think about my own mother...and the years she seemed to be "lost". I have realized that I CAN have it all in this life, just not all at the same time!

A new school year has arrived...

Hard to believe that our summer is officially over and school is in full force. School started August 17th and we're on a new 4 day school week. It's great because it follows my work schedule (I'm off on Fridays too), but it's gonna take some getting used to some very early days and late afternoons. Elementary starts at 8 a.m. and gets out at 3:30 p.m. and Middle/High School starts at 7:30 a.m. and gets out at 4 p.m. This is a very rigorous schedule especially for Taylor who also is a vasity Cheer Leader and in her second year of Student Council...she's also trying to get a job (when she'll have time for that, I don't know LOL). So...once again, I've got one child in elementary, one child in middle school and one in high school (got all the bases covered, LOL).

Taylor is a junior this year (11th grade)...
Chase is in 7th grade...
Paige is in 3rd grade...

Hard to believe! Where did all my babies go??? Jimmy is getting ready to head back to Las Vegas in a couple weeks as he has a job at Zappos waiting for him. He is not happy about living in Vegas, but it's a job and he needs to get caught up on his bills...so that's what it's going to be for the time being.

I'm a little void of pictures right now since my camera was ruined at Sea World when we were in San Diego...but I've recently aquired another one via my good fortune I guess. As luck would have it, we've had a camera in the church lost and found since May. I put a sticky note on it with the date and put it in the lost and found box at work. I completely forgot all about until my camera died. I had never even taken the camera out of its case until about a month ago. I looked thru all the pictures, but could not identify anyone from the church. I didn't want to take the camera until I was absolutely sure I'd done everything possible to locate its rightful owner. I sent out an all church email saying we had a digital camera in our lost and found and for the owner to identify. I got one call, but their camera was silver and this one is red/burgandy. I then put a notice in the Sunday bulletin which has been running for about 3 weeks with no responses. Our youth paster (and senior pastor's wife) told me to just take it. So...I now have a pretty nice Nikon digital camera. I just need to order a cord for charging and uploading into the computer. So, hopefully...I will once again have some new pictures to post!

The Boys Are Back in Town...

Yeah...the boys are definitely back, LOL!! An afternoon on the lake with Jimmy, Aaron, Ryan and Matt:

We just spent most of the afternoon sitting in the marina as the boat is slipped this summer. We had some cold beers and then the boys wanted to take the boat out for a spin...then they decided to jump in and swim to a little island out in the middle of the lake! It was a fun day with them crazy kids!!

My baby is NINE!!

How'd that happen so fast?? Gosh...seems like just yesterday, she was a tiny newborn baby!!

So...my baby is 9 this July!! It was a rushed week after we got back from San Diego because not only was Paige's bday that following Friday, but I had guests coming from Oklahoma that same day as well. My friends Susan & Steve were coming thru our town on their way to Provo, Utah to deliever their oldest son to the MTC (Mission Training Center). Yes...my mormon friends from Okie! I met Susan about 11 yrs ago when I very first discovered Baby Center. We were both thinking about having a 4th child and ended up in the same group. We soon left the group and formed a  more intimate email friendship. For many, many years we've stayed in touch via email. We've also talked on the phone and I had even met Susan and her family on two separate occassions while traveling thru Oklahoma. And...one of the funniest things about our friendship was wayyyyyyyyy back when (at our old house), I had had my eye on a schoolhouse clock that was carried by Service Merchandise...however, our SM did not carry that item. She looked at the SM in Tulsa (I believe) and they had it, so she bought it and shipped it to me (and I paid her back)...I love that clock and it's still hanging in my kitchen to this day, chiming on the quarter, half and hour (though it does shut off during the night, LOL)...anyway, Steve and Susan (and their 3 kids) arrived around 6 pm...I had made a big meal of BBQ pork, BBQ chicken, home made potato salad, roasted corn on the cob, watermelon, and birthday cake! We really had a nice time...in fact, I just got a text from Susan today asking what exactly I put in my bean dip (refried beans, Velveeta Cheese and Salsa...mix together and bake or crockpot til cheese is melted through). We put them up in our basement for the night and they took off mid morning on Saturday heading for the Royal Gorge! Here's some highlights from Paige's bday bbq:

Happy 9th Birthday my Paigey Pie!!

San Diego BABY!!

Well...what can I say, we had a great time in San Diego! Nolan's boss had asked him if he and I would like to represent the company at the mid year DCA convention in July, being held at the La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, CA (just outside San Diego). Hey...any place that has "resort" in the name...I'm there!! They also said we could bring the kids. So...Nolan and I had a very diabolical plan ...we told the kids that we were going to be spending a few days in Denver for Paige's upcoming birthday. I had to take a couple days off work (but that all worked out fine). Wednesday morning (July 14th), we headed to Denver bright and early. I packed the little kids' suitcases and T packed her own. When we arrived at Denver International Airport...we told them we were just stopping by to pick up a package and we needed to take our luggage in to make room in the car (T wasn't buying it, but the others did, LOL). All was going well, until we checked in and the guy behind the counter said, "Have fun in San Diego!"...

♦ New clothes for trip $500
♦ Gas to Denver $60
♦ Look on the kids' faces when they found out we were flying to San Diego = PRICELESS

T, C and P had never flown, so this was their first flying experience! It was great...

After arriving in San Diego, we got our rental car and drove the 30 minutes to the resort. It was a gorgeous resort, and like always, DCA greeted us with lots of goodies! The first night we were there, DCA had a welcome reception/dinner...and the food was fabulous! Here's a view from one of our rooms (we had adjoining rooms):

Thursday, we headed to Sea World San Diego. I have to say that I was a little disappointed. It really cannot compair to Sea World San Antonio, IMO...But, we had a good time anyway! Unfortunately, my digital camera was ruined on a water ride (grrrrrr), so I only have a few photos from SW. I got a pretty bad sunburn dispite wearing spf 50 sunscreen...but the kids had a blast!

Unfortunately...do to the camera accident, I didn't get any pics of our day at the beach or at the San Diego Zoo! We spent Friday at the beach and then Friday night there was another DCA poolside dinner (which was spectacular). Saturday morning, we headed to San Diego to do the Zoo. The TomTom was determined to put us smack dab in the middle of a gay pride parade, LOL...we finally pulled over and a very nice older gay gentleman, told us exactly how to get to Balboa Park! The SD Zoo was awesome...we were there in 1999, but it's even better now! I'm so glad all the kids were old enough to enjoy and remember it! I got a really awesome wooden windchime which I'm going to hang in one of the aspen trees in our back yard. Then Sunday...back to the airport. I was amazed at how small the SD airport is...we had a nice flight home and arrived 15 min. ahead of schedule at DIA...It was a whirlwind trip for sure, but I'm so glad we went and took the kids!

We do have one picture from the Zoo that was taken before we went on the guided tour:

This is where it all happens!

Okay...just thought I'd post a pick from my desk at work as this is where all the "magic" happens, LOL! I love my office as there's a big picture window that looks into the church lobby and also a nice big window that looks out on the front of the church and main road! Then, Pastor's office is connected and right behind mine...funny when he gets a call...I just yell back, "Dave, phone for you..." LOL! It's pretty informal! I can't believe that my 6 month evaluation is closely upon me. I hope they like having me run the office as much as I enjoy running the office. As jobs go, this is really a great job, and I am extremely grateful that I was able to get this job, especially when jobs are pretty hard to come by. So...take a look at my viewpoint: