Friday, November 4, 2011
COME ON!
This week has been crazy. A few weeks ago I emailed the director of public affairs to ask if I could volunteer in there a few times a week while my son is in preschool. Monday morning I received an email from him telling me he wanted to forward my information onto the CEO of the company who holds the contract for the base newspaper because they were looking for a full-time staff writer. Of course I said it was okay for him to do so. Tuesday, his email asked for writing samples to be sent to the CEO and himself. Wednesday evening, the CEO called me to schedule an interview for Thursday afternoon. The interview was really short and I kind of thought it was just a formality before he hired me just to meet me in person. I kind of feel they really need the position filled and I never saw it posted anywhere and that all made me think I was kind of a shoe in for the job. At the end of my 15 minute interview, he told me he would be deciding today by 4:00 pm who he would be hiring and would let me know at that time. Well it is 7:45pm and still no word. I don't know for sure if it is even a job that I really want but would be happy to have it for the experience alone. Who knows I could end up loving it and want to continue news writing as a career. I guess in order to make that decision, I need to know whether or not I got the job. It doesn't seem too promising though! Well that is my rant for now!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Decisions, decisions...
Today I hesitantly went to a moms group that is held at our church. I say hesitantly because the moms I occasionally spend time with do not attend these things and it is me going somewhere with some familiar faces and a bunch of new ones. I am always worried about being judged as a wife and a mother and even more as a person when I am around groups of moms. I think part of it is my want to work and not to be a stay at home mom, and I feel like most of them WANT to be stay at home moms. I love my son and enjoy spending time with him, but I am more than just his mom. That being said, I did enjoy myself. We will continue to go back and I will hopefully get to know the women better instead of seeing them as only moms. I need to learn that there are probably other moms out there, especially in our location, who would love to be at work, and providing for their family in other ways than raising their family. I try to stay true to who I am without sinking into mother and wife being my only roles. I love how much Cooper learned during his few years in the daycare and want that for our baby girl, but does that make me a bad mom for wanting other people to teach them those things. I love him and would do anything for them but what's the cost of them being in daycare?
I am itching for this baby to get here, not only because I can't wait to meet her, but so I can finally start my job hunt. Of course I am scared, I worry that I am getting too old to compete with other recent graduates and the little amount of related work experience I have for what I want to do. At this point, I am just hoping for something that pays well, I don't hate, and can get my foot in the door to lead to something that I will truly enjoy. Again then the issue of paying for two children in daycare. I think the expense of daycare is worth it for my own selfish reasons of wanting to work, but only as long as we are making enough money to justify the expense.
Then of course, I have been given the duty to decide where it is we will be moving to. I play to start applying for jobs as soon as the baby gets here, assuming I will hear something within the six week recovery period. After those six weeks, I will be able to move and get a head start on our new life outside of the military. So where is that magical location that will please us, our family, our friends, our career goals, our children's education needs? This is tricky. We can't please everyone to the fullest extent but we need to decide the importance of each variable and what we are and are not willing to sacrifice. I would love to be moving sometime in the month of May because that would mean I have a job lined up and hopefully at least a temporary home for us. My husband will follow me wherever I choose to go and that scares me. I hate having the decision based on me and where I find a job. It's so scary to think about it. I know he will find something where ever we end up and he has a lot more options than I do with his veteran benefits and education options. I have to work. I want to so that is okay, but at least he has options. Maybe this is where I should start my hunting. I am also free to suggestions. Our family is spread out all over the Midwest, but Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Ohio are the multiple family member locations!
I am itching for this baby to get here, not only because I can't wait to meet her, but so I can finally start my job hunt. Of course I am scared, I worry that I am getting too old to compete with other recent graduates and the little amount of related work experience I have for what I want to do. At this point, I am just hoping for something that pays well, I don't hate, and can get my foot in the door to lead to something that I will truly enjoy. Again then the issue of paying for two children in daycare. I think the expense of daycare is worth it for my own selfish reasons of wanting to work, but only as long as we are making enough money to justify the expense.
Then of course, I have been given the duty to decide where it is we will be moving to. I play to start applying for jobs as soon as the baby gets here, assuming I will hear something within the six week recovery period. After those six weeks, I will be able to move and get a head start on our new life outside of the military. So where is that magical location that will please us, our family, our friends, our career goals, our children's education needs? This is tricky. We can't please everyone to the fullest extent but we need to decide the importance of each variable and what we are and are not willing to sacrifice. I would love to be moving sometime in the month of May because that would mean I have a job lined up and hopefully at least a temporary home for us. My husband will follow me wherever I choose to go and that scares me. I hate having the decision based on me and where I find a job. It's so scary to think about it. I know he will find something where ever we end up and he has a lot more options than I do with his veteran benefits and education options. I have to work. I want to so that is okay, but at least he has options. Maybe this is where I should start my hunting. I am also free to suggestions. Our family is spread out all over the Midwest, but Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Ohio are the multiple family member locations!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Busy Busy Busy
The fall is simply the best! So far one trip to the apple orchard and lots of apple crisp in and out of our house! I hope to get back up there before the season is over (I guess it wasn't a great season and a lot of the farmers have some trees with no fruit this year). Then with a surprise trip to a pumpkin patch we have cut up and roasted those little scrumptious pumpkins and so far have only made pumpkin bread. I just love the way the house smells when these wonderful things are in the oven!
As for the sewing adventures, I have decided to make military uniform bags and will be selling them along side my other bags at our annual bazaar. I am really excited to have people see my stuff in person instead of photos!
As for the down side, our stupid washing machine has started making this awful grinding sound. Apparently when I bought it, not even two years ago, it was a fairly new model and not too many reviews existed. I bought this GE King size top loading washer because of its large 4.1 cubic foot capacity and after reading the recent reviews, I found out a lot of people are having problems. There is a bracket inside that habitually bends and warps because the machine is big enough but not strong enough to handle large loads. So we had to order a part, thankfully only $30, and get it fixed. After its fixed we will have to run it at half the capacity in order to prevent the brackets from bending again. SO frustrating! Hopefully it holds us over until we can get a new one. I will not be buying a large purchase again with out making sure it is a good product. Lesson learned.
As for the sewing adventures, I have decided to make military uniform bags and will be selling them along side my other bags at our annual bazaar. I am really excited to have people see my stuff in person instead of photos!
As for the down side, our stupid washing machine has started making this awful grinding sound. Apparently when I bought it, not even two years ago, it was a fairly new model and not too many reviews existed. I bought this GE King size top loading washer because of its large 4.1 cubic foot capacity and after reading the recent reviews, I found out a lot of people are having problems. There is a bracket inside that habitually bends and warps because the machine is big enough but not strong enough to handle large loads. So we had to order a part, thankfully only $30, and get it fixed. After its fixed we will have to run it at half the capacity in order to prevent the brackets from bending again. SO frustrating! Hopefully it holds us over until we can get a new one. I will not be buying a large purchase again with out making sure it is a good product. Lesson learned.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Cakes and Crafts
This week is starting off great! Our local cake baker is running a sale for $8/dozen regular flavor cupcakes and only $10/dozen for special flavors! You bet I ordered us some! Chocolate cakes with half orange and the other half peanut butter butter cream! I cannot wait to eat them! Her special runs the 1st through 15th of October.
I also decided to run my own special for custom wooden letters. Again in the past I have just made them for gifts, and wasn't quite sure how well they would sell. Well, apparently people want them! So far I have 4 pretty good size orders. Off to the craft store I go tomorrow to get supplies. I am really excited to make them. I get to be really creative and the fun stuff of buying supplies! I love that my son calls this my job. When he sees my sewing machine or anything that belongs with it he refers to it as my job. So funny.
I also decided to run my own special for custom wooden letters. Again in the past I have just made them for gifts, and wasn't quite sure how well they would sell. Well, apparently people want them! So far I have 4 pretty good size orders. Off to the craft store I go tomorrow to get supplies. I am really excited to make them. I get to be really creative and the fun stuff of buying supplies! I love that my son calls this my job. When he sees my sewing machine or anything that belongs with it he refers to it as my job. So funny.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
I cook, I clean, I sew
Today has been productive! Right now I have chicken stock boiling from the bones of a chicken we had earlier this week and for a little cheat, I'm going to use Sandra Lee's Chicken and Dumpling Recipe. My husband hates the thought of dumplings so I just add noodles instead. It smells so good in my house right now!
Sewing projects today have been great. I completed an entire Grab 'n' Go Diaper Clutch for a local customer and finished the changing pad for a bag that will be sent to Nebraska early this week. I am really excited that I am finally starting to turn a profit on my projects! These bags are amazing. I made them for a few people a year ago as baby shower gifts and have decided to start selling them. They have the bag with a matching changing pad. The bag holds the changing pad, a travel wipes case and 3-4 diapers. However will I decide which one to make for myself?!
As for the cleaning part, it is Sunday after all. Maybe I will clean tomorrow!
Sewing projects today have been great. I completed an entire Grab 'n' Go Diaper Clutch for a local customer and finished the changing pad for a bag that will be sent to Nebraska early this week. I am really excited that I am finally starting to turn a profit on my projects! These bags are amazing. I made them for a few people a year ago as baby shower gifts and have decided to start selling them. They have the bag with a matching changing pad. The bag holds the changing pad, a travel wipes case and 3-4 diapers. However will I decide which one to make for myself?!
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Happy Fall!
Today, however, I took a leap and decided to brand myself. I have been sewing and crafting for a while with the majority of my projects to be gifts. I have recently decided to tip toe into the waters of selling these items. So far this week, I have three bags to make and one to finish and get in the mail. I created a facebook page and made labels to attach to the finished products. It was/is certainly scary but so happy about the little success I have had so far!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Autumn Eve
With the first day of fall being tomorrow, this week has started me on a deep cleansing of my house. I'm not sure if it's the pregnancy talking, the fact that a year ago we had someone coming and cleaning our house once a week, or simply that I am home everyday and realize how gross a house can get. Either way it's something I had to do. So I decided lets go to the experts of the internet and ask for a suggestion of fall house cleaning to-dos. Well, little did I know you should have a fall cleaning like you do a spring cleaning.
I started on Tuesday and managed to clean my living room from top to bottom, left to right, and front to back. Now ask me if you can tell. Well the answer is no. I feel better knowing it's clean, but my husband didn't even notice. Sure the baseboards are all nice and white and the tops of everything hanging on the walls are vacuumed as well as the lamp shades. Nobody noticed. I guess this is another thing that goes unappreciated to the stay at home domestic parent.
So far the living room and both showers are all I have managed to deep clean. The showers cleanliness did not go unnoticed so that gives me hope for the fest of the cleaning. I am a person who likes lists, and tried and true ways of doing things so luckily for me and for you, since I am going to share, my favorite magazine Real Simple, offered up a fall cleaning checklist. I hope you enjoy it and get your houses all clean for fall and smelling of those wonderful fall smells. MMM fall is my favorite time of year! Happy Cleaning!
I started on Tuesday and managed to clean my living room from top to bottom, left to right, and front to back. Now ask me if you can tell. Well the answer is no. I feel better knowing it's clean, but my husband didn't even notice. Sure the baseboards are all nice and white and the tops of everything hanging on the walls are vacuumed as well as the lamp shades. Nobody noticed. I guess this is another thing that goes unappreciated to the stay at home domestic parent.
So far the living room and both showers are all I have managed to deep clean. The showers cleanliness did not go unnoticed so that gives me hope for the fest of the cleaning. I am a person who likes lists, and tried and true ways of doing things so luckily for me and for you, since I am going to share, my favorite magazine Real Simple, offered up a fall cleaning checklist. I hope you enjoy it and get your houses all clean for fall and smelling of those wonderful fall smells. MMM fall is my favorite time of year! Happy Cleaning!
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