Sunday, July 31, 2011

Blessing in disguise?!

Okay, so I'm really, really nervous about this new job move.  I totally have it made in the position that I am in.  I hate walking away from a job that I love!  But after days and days of mind boggling thoughts, I believe the pros out way the cons!
Pros.
  • Only working 3 days a week - Saturday, Sunday, Monday
  • Having 4 days off with Jerry - currently we have no days off together
  • More time with my kids.
  • Shorter commute to work - less gas
  • Off by 330pm on the days that I do work
  • Off for doctor's appointments
  • Off for most Girl Scout events and meetings
  • Available for Chloe's school parties and field trips
  • Jacob can go to preschool - simply wasn't an option before.
  • Available for Jacob's school parties and field trips
  • WAY more money!  Over $800 a month more.
  • No responsibility - do my job and go home
Cons.
  • Giving up a job I love for one I'll probably hate
  • Working in the freezer - negative 52 degrees!!
  • Stuck in the same position for 6 months - at least!
  • Giving up my weekends off - no trips to Iowa once the kids are in school
  • Being at work at 4am - Ugh!
  • Jerry and I overlap an hour and a half Sunday and Monday morning. . . have to pay a baby sitter
  • Jerry and I work opposite shifts so the 3 days we do work are going to be VERY long days
  • Still only have 1 working vehicle.
I could probably go on and on forever but I don't think I have to.  One of the things I am most proud of and one of things that just wasn't an option because of work schedules and money - sending Jacob to preschool!!  I am going in tomorrow and registering him for Thursday-Friday Preschool Classes.  It was a lot of money that I couldn't justify with three kids and the rising cost of gas, rent, and car payment.  But now that I will be bringing in quite a bit more, it's totally justified.  Plus, I will be off those days and able to take him to and from school!  I am so excited, it's something I started doing with Chloe three years ago but Jerry had to take over once I got the Department Manager position.  So starting in Mid-August on Thursdays and Fridays from 8am until noon, Jaxen will be the only kid at home!!

Also, today we went and registered Chloe in cheerleading. . . so I am officially a cheer-mom!  She is totally stoked, she got to try on a uniform {for sizes} and everything!  So my schedules getting full again!!  Starting tomorrow - Monday and Wednesdays until school starts - Chloe has Cheer practice on the school football field.  Once school starts practices move to Tuesday and Thursday - which are better for us anyways!  Only have to figure out how to get her to and from the games that fall on Saturdays. . . because Jerry and I will both be working.  Hopefully, another mom will help me out with that. . . if not oh well, it's just for fun anyways.  :-)

So begins my crazy, busy life as mommy!!  Wish me luck. . . I will have 2 kids in school!!  Splitting my time between work, preschool, first grade, mommy, cheerleading, girl scouts and wife!  Poor Jerry's gonna get left out I'm afraid!  Oh wait!!  We will have Thursday and Friday without 2 of the 3 kids!!  :o)

Saturday, July 30, 2011

2 week Update. . .

It's been a LONG two weeks and I'm so sorry for the lack of updates.  I've had a lot of things going on!!  Like kid/scout stuff and inventory stress at work.  Plus Jerry and I have had a lot of major decisions to make.  I've been wanting to update for days now, but my minds just not been into it.  Hopefully, I can get you caught up a little bit tonight.

Monday, July 18th
My littlest niece turned 4!!  Happy Birthday Emily!

Tuesday, July 19th
???  I have no idea what we did this day.

Wednesday, July 20th
I got to work and Jerry started spasing out my cell phone.  So when I got a chance to call him back, he had great news.  The Walmart Distribution Center called and they had a job position open and they needed my transfer request before 3pm.  I went straight to it and had my personnel office fax a copy of my transfer request to the DC.  However, according to my personnel manager, the fax wasn't going through.  {I feel she was sending to the wrong number on purpose because they got the first transfer request just fine.  But since that one was expired, I had to send another copy.  And since they had a position for me, all of a sudden the fax wouldn't work.  Very suspicious!!}

So after fighting the personnel office, I gave up, had them give me a copy of it and I drove it down to Harrisonville on my lunch break.  The personnel manager was very nice and took the time to talk to me.  It was a very positive meeting and she promised to call me by Monday.

Thursday, July 21st
After work, Jerry and I looked at a house that we wanted with a realtor.  We both really liked it and set things up for a meeting to make an offer.

Friday, July 22nd
It was a long day of shopping and packing for me!!  Chloe and I had Girl Scout Camp!!  I'm planning on sharing a bigger seperate post to this event so watch for it on another day!


Saturday, July 23rd
Girl Scout Camp ended at noon and when the parents arrived we had a short flag, awards, bridging ceremony!  The girls and I had a lot of fun; hopefully, next year will bring even better camping adventures!


After camp, we went to David's Bridal to pick up Joanna's wedding saches.  It was a long couple of days and I was happy to be home with my boys!!


Sunday, July 24th
Had a meeting with the Realtor to do house paperwork and make an offer.  We got a lot of good information from this meeting but also got a feeling that this house wasn't going to work out.


Jaxen learned to stand up in his crib!  And he decided to play instead of going to bed!!

Monday, July 25th
??? Besides going to work, I have no idea what we did this day.

Tuesday, July 26th
Jerry's 30th Birthday!!  It was a good day, we celebrated Daddy!!  He got spoiled with presents from the kids and ice cream cake.
 

But on his birthday, we got bad news from Realtor. . . the house that we made an offer to wasn't going to work. The seller actually decided not to sell at all. So back to square one on the house hunting. . . :-(

Wednesday, July 27th
Day before Inventory. . . worked 7am until 10pm {14 hours}.

I hadn't heard from the Walmart DC yet so I called them on the way to work.  The lady I needed to talk to wasn't in the office and they took a message for her to call me back.  14 minutes later, she called me back.  And the news was great. . . she was faxing me a job offer.  And let me tell you, it was a total shock because once my transfer request is sent and I job comes open, I am to be interviewed for the position and then offered a position.  I never got an interviewed, I skipped right to the job offer!  :-)

And truth be told, I was nevous about the job offer, ideally it is NOT what I want to be doing but it is a good raise and better hours/days off!  And the new position requires us to have a babysitter. . . because Jerry and I overlap by an hour and a half.  They offered me Frozen, Dairy, Deli Replisment Lift Driver working Saturday, Sunday, Monday from 4am until 3:30pm making $17.00 an hour (I only make $11.15 an hour now, working 7am - 4pm five days a week).  So roughly it's $340 more a paycheck working less days and hours!!

Jaxen's first taste of Chicken, too bad it was from a dog bone.  :-(
Jerry and I spent tons of time weighing the pros and cons of my job offer.  I hardly slept a wink. . . the stress of making the wrong choice was killing me.  I'm really good at supporting other when their plans don't go as planned but I'm not good at being the one to make those decisions!!

Thursday, July 28th
Walmart Inventory. . . worked 6:45am until 6:10pm {10.5 hours}.  And for my Walmart friends, our Inventory was .72 which was up from last years .57.  However, this year we were only a 9 month Inventory so it was going to happen.  The Toy department and Furniture department did better than years past, so that's all I'm worried about!!  In fact, it's the only numbers I can control!  So, Go me!

My sister-in-law called around 9pm and said she would help us out and watch the kids for us, so that I could accept  the job offer at the Distribution Center.  I didn't sleep at all!!  Still tossed and turned about my pending decision. . . didn't even eat dinner because I was stressing!

Friday, July 29th
Day after Inventory. . . worked 7am until 5:30pm {9.5 hours}.

After a lot of thinking and talking to friends and family, I accepted the job offer at DC.  I felt a thousand times better once the fax was sent. . . I am going to miss my friends and job now but I think in the long term I will be successful and happier at the Distribution Center. . . sure my weekends are gone, but I get to spend 4 whole days off with my husband and kids!!  Jerry and I get NO days off together unless I take a day off during the week.

Saturday, July 30th
Today, I've relaxed and watched "Bring It On" movies with Chloe.  She's really into cheerleading, tomorrow's the day we go register her for cheerleading.  I'm nervous as to what her schedule and my new working schedule will bring us, but like all things we will take it all one step at a time!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Testing Mobile Posting

Now I can post blog updates on the go! This new phone is awesome!!
Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.3

Sunday Update

It's been a crazy week!!  Let's see how much of it I can remember!

July 17, 2011
HAPPY 7 MONTHS, JAXEN RYDER!!


July 16, 2011
Saturday was my domestic chores day!  And Jerry started his work week.
  • Laundry
  • Vacuum
  • Dishes
  • Cook Lunch - Maid-Rites and homemade fries
  • Updated Jaxen's Baby book
  • Started packing for GS Camp, AGAIN!

July 15, 2011
Family Night!! Friday night was by far my favorite night this week. I came home from a hard days work and out of nowhere Jerry wanted to go to the movies. So after a nice relaxing shower and some clean non-walmart related clothes we took the kids to the movies. We left the house thinking we were going to see Transformers 3 because Harry Potter was selling like hotcakes around here. But when we got to the theater they still had tickets for the 3D showing. We were there early enough to get great sets and a couple tubs of popcorn and sodas. The kids loved it!! **Chloe was super happy because she didn't want to see Transformers, she wanted Harry Potter.** The movie was AWESOME!! Totally loved it. Some parts scared Chloe a little, like when the snake looks like it jumping out of the screen at you! But all in all, we all enjoyed the movie and all the kids quietly sat through a 2+ hour movie!

**One a side note, Chloe's first movie in the movie theaters was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, so it just seemed fitting to take her to this one! lol**

After the movies, we headed to Walmart for milk and baby food. And picked up McDonald's for dinner. It was a fantastic night, fun had by all. It's not every day that I can get all three kids to behave during an outing. Someone always has a moment, there were no moments Friday night which made it fun - instead of being mean parents we were able to spoil them a little!


July 14, 2011
Thursday night, I came home to everyone in a good mood. Jerry had a headache and took a little nap to make it go away. I gave the kids a small snack when I got home so I could make lasagna. I wasn't sure how long it was going to take to make and bake. We ended up eating around 7ish - good thing I gave the kids a snack!! The kids gobbled it up after I assured them that I wasn't feeding them cat food. {Too many Garfield cartoons?!?!}

July 13, 2011
Wednesday night after work, we did yard work. It was by far the coolest night of the week and the grass needed cut badly! I mowed the yard and Jerry weed eated, while the kids played and watered the plants. It was a lovely family evening outside and I'm so glad we got it done before the 100+ heat came back!



July 12, 2011
I can't remember what I did Tuesday. . . Darn.

July 11, 2011
Typical Monday Madness around here.  Me work.  Kids.  Jerry work.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Good, No make that GREAT News!!

Okay, so I know my facebook friends have found me randomly posting odd, happy, lucky-changing statuses on my account.  And after months and month of hard work. . . it's paid off!!  I am so proud to announce OUR GREAT NEWS!! 


How awesome is that?!?!  I can't believe we got our official approval letter in the mail Thursday!  Now the real work begins with actually purchasing a house!!  There is one we like and are in the process of setting up an appointment to see it.  Jerry's been on the phone non-stop contacting and getting quotes for land surveys, home inspectors, etc.

We haven't gotten a house yet and are still in the early stages of all this, but our luck has turned and life is finally looking good from where we are sitting.  {Not that life was bad, but Jerry and I have been handed our fair share of curve balls in our 7 years together!} 

Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayer as we continue on this crazy journey!!  I will update you all as I see fit.  Definitely don't want to jinx any of it!    :-)

Crawler Extraordinaire!

Crawler Extraordinaire!

Wowza.  I can't believe it's been a while since I last updated!  A lot has been happening around here and before the month is up, a lot more will happen.

First and for most, we have a crawler in the family!  Jaxen has been cruisin' for a week now but he's finally got it down.  With this accomplishment, Jaxen has become my earliest crawler.  {According to the baby books. . . Chloe - 7months, 11days ~ Jacob - 7months, 23days ~ Jaxen - 6months, 24days} I think it's time to start baby-proofing the living room!! 


Other than crawling, Jaxen has been adding a lot of other "firsts" to the baby book.  He's diet finally consists of more food than formula.  Which is a major pain some days when we are on the go-go-go, no longer will just packing a bottle do.  I am lucky that he is such a good eater.  I don't think I've found anything he refuses to eat. 



We've also started him on snackie stuff that teaches him how to chew.  These Graduate Puffs are awesome because they dissolve in his mouth, so if for some chance he swallows it before chewing it completely he doesn't get choked up.  And they are by far, Jaxen's favorite food.



So here he is, the man of the hour.  Tomorrow he will be 7 months old. . . Doesn't. seem. possible. at. all.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Welcome to the family, Brixton!

I just had to post this - many of my friends and family believe in the power of prayer.  And a few more prayers can't hurt. . .

My cousin Faith had her baby this morning, four and a half weeks early because of complications with preeclampsia.  Preeclampsia causes high blood pressure and major swelling.  The only cure for it is the delivery of the placenta.  It is the most common of the dangerous pregnancy complications; it may affect both the mother and the unborn child.

Faith went to labor and delivery at 5:30pm on Thursday for a 24 hour observation.  By noon on Friday they had induced labor and broke her water.  Brixton Keith Jones was born Saturday, July 9th at 3:34am, weighing 4 pounds 9 ounces.

Last I had heard, Faith was in mandatory recovery and couldn't have any visitors for 24 hours.  Brixton went to the NICU and at 1pm - according to Daddy - he's "looking great and doing better".

I ask everyone to please keep their family in your prayers! I know exactly how she's feeling, it's so hard to have your baby in the NICU.  Hopefully, I will post a picture of momma and baby as soon as Faith is feeling better and able to post one!

**Get Well Soon Faith and Lil' Brixton!!**

Fresh off the press. . . Brixton Keith Jones!