Life as a reformed Zookeeper. Now living a life as a working mother who dabbles in karate, scrapbooking, and Coors Light!

Thursday, August 30, 2007

A New Venture....

... so I got a job at a scrapbook store. Am nervous and excited about it all at the same time. I've not done retail in almost 10 years, so this will certainly be something new for me. The upswing? I'll be selling PAPER! STAMPS! ooooh... am way excited about it. Am still a bit nervous on the time away from home, though. Griffin already thinks that all mommies do is work. I hate that he thinks that. He does think that mommies tickle, too, so I'm not a complete loser.

....The absolute funniest part of getting this job is when I went for the interview. I went during my lunch hour. And, well, people knew what I was doing. When I got back to my desk, I got an email saying that they were giving me a raise. I appreciate the guys and the fact that they know I need the extra money. And, well, damn it, I've been busting hump for them and really deserve it.

....I need to figure out what to do about Griffin, though. We're having to put the smack down on his behavior right now, though. He's not being the sweet cuddle bug that people should remember him as. He's being the turd that makes me wonder if his prematurity is going to bring about things that will make it harder for him to adjust to school. He sits in the cafeteria with his hands over his ears becaues it's too noisy. He will not take direction very well. Am hoping that these are things that we can remedy before they become huge issues that will impede his learning..... We shall see.....

Peace out, fine folks.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

A "Wicked" Good Time....

...so I'm turning 30 this year. (20+10, as Katie calls it) I'm OK with this. I just can't believe it's already here. I do feel older, though. Am currently suffering with frequent heartburn that landed me in the docs office a while back, getting an EKG to make sure that my body wasn't completely revolting against me. It's just heartburn, I'm thankful to say. My knee occasionally gives out. My hip (same side, actually) groans at me every time I'm in karate. My upper-right back hurts, thanks to years of using a mouse at the computer. But I otherwise, in my sick little head, don't FEEL like I'll be 30 in a little over a week. Where does the time go??

Anyway, my former boss and dear friend Kimberly decided that I should celebrate in style. And celebrate in style I did..... here's a run down on this past Saturday/Sunday for me....

1. Kimberly picks me up at 9ish and takes me directly through the McD's drive through for a huge diet Coke.
2. We chat for the next few hours in her car on the way up to her parents' house, which is on the Indiana side of Chicago. Wonderful to be able to catch up on all the day-to-day stuff, since we don't work together any more.
3. We hop out of her car and into her parents' car for the ride into Chicago, where we stop at the Borders store right beside the theater in hopes that her parents can score discount tickets to "Wicked". Kimberly had already got our tickets, which were fan-stinkin'-tastic tickets.....All four of us entered for these discount tickets and all four of us had our names drawn.
4. We have a few hours to kill and big hunger to kill now, so Kimberly's dad treats us to lunch at the Walnut Room in the old Marshall Fields-turned Macy's store. It's a fun place to eat and makes me feel like a queen. I had some awesome scallop and shrimp pasta. And we can't go anywhere near the Marshall Fields store without getting something with a Frango mint in it, so we got Frango mint pie for dessert. YUM!
5. After lunch, we beat a path back to the theater for "Wicked". It. Was. Fantastic. Loved it. Am sitting in the theater not wanting to baby-fy myself by sobbing, so I held back the tears until Kimberly came out and had tears in her eyes.
6. We went from the theater to Salpicon, a gourmet Mexican restaurant. Sooo yummy. Highly reccommend it. It's definitely not your average taco/burrito joint! Though, I do say, I love trying new food. I do, however, have to draw the line at some points. I was a big girl and tried something with goat cheese in it. Only to reaffirm the fact that I don't like it. Not at all.
7. We went to a store that was the Sam's club version....there was no way to make it through all the wine bottles they had. I did find the yummy Italian wine we had for dessert, plus some Woodchuck, so that was a good time.
8. We got up in the morning, and were greeted by two SUPERSIZE diet Cokes!! They don't have them in Indy, but they are the special up in the Region! Her dad and mom are very cute, by the way.
9. And to further the cuteness of her mom and dad, as well as Kimberly, they got me chocolate covered chocolate cake doughnuts and birthday cake to enjoy. So very rich and decadent....so very yummy!

I do feel utterly and completely spoiled...... All that, and my birthday's not for another week and two days!!

So here's a shout-out to Kimberly. Thanks for a loverly weekend!

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Long Time, No Post, eh?




Hello, anyone who actually reads this. Sorry for my negligence....you might not have wanted to hear from me the past few weeks anyway....it's been a nutty few weeks and I've been Miss Bitch.

Here are some pics to tide you over for a bit.... The first one is of me and Erin (and my dad and mom) at my brother's wedding. It was a good time. It was perfect...and that makes me all the more happier for my brother. Erin did scream down the aisle, but it was because we had asked the ring bearer to hold her hand, so she couldn't toss petals....In the pic I'm holding her because the aforementioned ring bearer wouldn't dance with her. She was shattered for the rest of the night because "that boy" wouldn't dance. Poor girl. Rejection isn't fun for anyone!
The second is self-explanatory, no?