Saturday, August 13, 2011

Searching for my replacement

My resignation was not as epic as I thought it would be. My manager understands the reasons why I told her I was leaving and didn't really say much else about it.  Nice.  I was also glad to see they are already scheduling interviews with people to replace me. It's about time they did something before it is too late. 

I can honestly say I am very excited about this change of pace for me. I have to ton of project ideas that I really want to work on, but just haven't had time. Not working weekends is going to free up a bunch of time for me to work on everything from the giant scrabble board to the rubber hose chair and even more. I can't wait!  I have so many plans and ideas of stuff I want to make and now I will have time. 
I have to go and open up a storage unit to put some extra stuff in. Once that is done though it is on! I will get my dremel tool and router attachment and get to work.  It will be awesome. 

Summer is plugging along at an alarming rate and our apartment looks like a hot mess. We are getting ready for our annual family camping trip and as things get packed, they are being stacked anywhere we can find space.  It reminds me of an episode of hoarders when they are part way through the clean up process... piles everywhere, but it's starting to make sense.  lol  The kid's school supplies are in bags in a pile in the corner until I can get a few minutes to separate and label it all. With school starting soon and everything else seeming to happen so fast, it has made me think of just how fast this year is flying by. Seems like yesterday there was a ton of snow and we were having trouble remembering to write 2011 instead of 2010 and now in 4 and 1/2 short months we will be making resolutions and saying good-bye to 2011.  The kids are getting older, Toad will turn double digits this year!!   The big 10!  I can't believe my baby is getting so big.   Monkey is starting First Grade!! OMG!  Above all else I will be 28 in 10 days.  Where did time go?! 
Oh well, just keep plugging along.


Friday, August 12, 2011

Gear Making hiccups

Every kid wants their own things. Knowing this I decided to make camp stools for the girls to take on our annual family camping trip.  After some research I decided to go simple and just make a little fold up flat stool out of pvc pipe and fabric.  I stopped a few days ago at the hardware store and got all of the pvc pipe and fittings I needed and came home to mixed reactions.  The girls helped me clean the pipes and Crankybear helped me cut a few of the pipes a little shorter.  Well after some work I got one put together and tested it under my butt and it held. I begged Crankybear to try it and I don't know who won but it was hilarious. The fabric gave way to his butt and he landed on the floor.





I will be making new seats obviously. This is the one I got pretty much done and the one that Crankybear sat on after I sat on it. 
In other news. We are almost ready for our camping trip, work is trying to find a replacement for me, and I have had an enjoyable day off today.  Max went to the groomers today, he smells nice and looks sweet. Although I don't think he really likes getting his picture taken...




The second one makes him look kind of chubby. He isn't, but has a good amount of extra skin.  Well it has been a long day and I am pooped. Off to bed for me so I can post another time...lol

Friday, August 5, 2011

Sparkle Booty jeans on the supply list?!?!?!

Some how every year the school supply list gets longer and more ridiculous. If I remember correctly when I was younger my mother griped about buying tissues for the class, but most everything else was just for my personal use, I must say though, I have seen a disturbing trend involving school supplies.  Part of the list is made up of specific items that are almost as impossible to find as the pot of gold that is supposedly at the end of the rainbow, part of the list is made up of things that I know my kids will use, but they ask for extra, and the rest of the list is comprised of items that make you wonder where your tax dollars are going.  Easiest way to explain this is by example, so here goes.
Specific and hard to find items---3 inch binder--now I wanted to buy a nicer one that would hopefully last the school year, but not spend an arm and leg (just the arm). After hours of searching and finding nothing under $20, I spent $12 on a binder with 2 sets of 1 and 1/2 inch rings...the equivalent to a 3 inch binder. It will have to do.
Items I know my kids will use, but they have asked for extras---3boxes of plain yellow pencils!!!!  So, I am buying pencils for every kid in class who's parents don't keep extra pencils at home!?  That is exactly the case!
Last but not least, the items that make you wonder where your tax dollars are really going--hand soap?! sanitizer?! They hold fundraisers for technology(like promethean boards) but do not have the funds for the children to wash properly?!?!! Hold a fundraiser for soap! and of course what school year would be complete unless I bought ziploc bags in various sizes, and lysol wipes?!  

Well, everything is bought, and I have to sit and separate everything and label it with each child's name, if for no other reason than to let the teacher know who actually got what was on the list so later in the year they don't come begging me for more.

Now for the fun, what school year would be complete without a few new clothes? NONE.  So while we were out today I found a couple of awesome deals I couldn't pass up and neither could the kids.  I found some nice shirts at walmart and khols, but I think the best find was at walmart. Monkey has had a nice growth spurt this year and doesn't really fit any of her jeans anymore, she has been wearing a lot of Toad's clothes because none of hers were fitting. While at walmart we spotted some jeans marked down to $6 a pair. Monkey HAD to spend almost 10 minutes looking through them all to find her size in the sparkly jeans. They fit her perfect and she is in need of new jeans, but I was a bit shocked to see how quickly school supplies turned into sparkly booty jeans.  

All in all it was a great day off. Enjoyed shopping with the kids, had lunch at taco bell, paid my car insurance for the month, went to the pool, had dinner and relaxed watching movies with the zoo. I am dreading tomorrow! First, I don't want to go to work, and second, I don't want to deal with the talking about my resignation.  I haven't gotten a response after sending it last night, but I am sure it was received and I can just hear the mess now... ugh! 

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Resignations and windows 98

WOW! I didn't realize just how long it had been since I posted. Feels like forever ago. So now for the news...  Summer is almost over (which I am very sad about). We have a week and then we are off on our family camping trip. School starts a week after we get back and before we know it Halloween will be here.
My b-day, Crankybear's b-day and Toad's b-day are all right around the corner. I can't believe I am the mom to an almost 10 year old!!!   Hello!? Freaking out a little!  It's good though, she is growing up to be an extraordinary young lady. I couldn't ask for more.  Monkey is starting first grade and is 8 months away from being 7! OMG my babies are growing up so quick!...lol  
The week after we return from camping I will be starting a new job!  YAY!  A very family oriented owner who stated that weekends are family time and that is why we don't work them...  To be home nights and weekends is going to be a shock to my system after spending the last 2 years working nights and weekends.  The kids are excited that I will be home more, as am I. 
Monkey has started at a new dance school and is loving every moment. We couldn't be happier, and while she will miss her friends at rec council dance she will thrive at the new dance school.  Toad is happy to be starting gymnastics in a few weeks, and will be enjoying time spent bare footed pushing her limits in the gym.
Lets not forget that both girls are dreading the start of swim lessons in the fall, but swimming is a life lesson that will serve them well since we live in a waterfront community.  They understand and are willing to endure as it is one of the few requirements for the ability to do some of the things they want to do.

It's amazing to me how much things can change in just a couple short months.  I didn't think I would see the day when I would be sending in a resignation letter, but I have made it.  It is a hard thing to do... typing up a resignation letter. Your first instinct is to tell the place(that has caused your blood pressure to be through the roof) to "shove it" and walk away as fast as you can, but something in you says "you better not".  The other(more reasonable) part of you says it should be positive, and if you can't say anything nice just don't say it. For example: I can say that I did learn a lot during my time of employement here, but I shouldn't say what I learned specifically like....  how not to treat customers, how to work for cheap bastards, how to screw people over, how to deal with windows 98 in 2011, or how to bust your butt for a company that not only doesn't respect or care for it's employees, but would sell you out to a foriegn buyer if they thought they could make a buck off it.   Now I have tried a few different times to come up with the right words and basically what my letter says is thanks for the job here, but it's time for me to move on.  The other part I find so insanely hard is getting hotmail to work on windows 98. I have tried numerous times to type and send this letter and each time the computer crashes. I have decided that if they don't have the proper notice it is not my fault as I have tried dozens of times to type and send it and the computer crashes.  It has also given me the error message that it "has performed an illegal action and needs to close" to which I say bullshit. It is not illegal for me to quit my job and the computer hasn't done anything illegal on it's own.(aside from being the oldest computer still getting used daily).
I can't wait to be done here. It's scary to do something new, but I think this is going to be the best choice for now. Honestly, I would be stupid for not taking the new job... more money and nights and weekends home with the kids. That is every mom's dream job, work while the kids are in school, and home for all of the evening activities. 
Well, I think I am going to go and try again to send my resignation letter.
Hopefully this new job will afford me the time to post a little more often... (since i am sure I won't be leaving work at 9pm wishing I could crawl into bed the minute I walk in the door)  :)