"Snow" Day!

Actually, its an ice day, but the term snow day takes me back to childhood. He, he. You know, when the weather would get bad and you would wake up early. "Please let IISD (Irving Independent School District) be closed". And the happy dance that occurred when it was! And mom and dads across the city would groan....... I kind of felt that this morning (except I don't think my mom and dad really cared this time around :)). Our office only closes if the DISD closes. That was just the gauge they came up with -- I don't know why. The thing is, it seems like the DISD never closes. You just have to get your booty to school (and in my case, work). I am so close to the office that once it gets daylight and the ice melts, I can get in pretty easily. That is what I was planning to do today. I, for some reason, was wide awake at 4:30. Seriously, that was just annoying. But, i did get the notice that the school district was closed and could just turn off my alarm and head back to happy sleep land!!! I did check 4 sources to make sure it was true :).

Everything with the actual job is going well. Our new contract begin Feb 2. The benefits look good and I am getting a raise in pay. I won't complain because I need to appreciate the abundance I am getting right now. They do have tuition reimbursement and I am back in my "wanting to get some sort of degree or cert" mode. I am a dork, I realize this. Plus, I have CEUs I need to get to maintain that PHR I worked so hard on.

Now it is time for catching up on the DVR stuff! I wasn't able to this weekend and I have a few shows I need to watch :). Have a safe and warm day!!!

Thursday. No Title

Okay, remember yesterday when I said I assume my salary would stay the same, but I have to call the lady to find out. Well, I found out today that it won't be the same...... she is going to bump us up to get us the highest possible starting salary since it will be a new company. She hasn't called back with my new number, but, well, I can be bought :). I am still a little leery but I am sure it will all work out for the best. It has to because I said so :).

That is pretty much all for today. I am tired. Its been busy but that is good. I hate it when it is boring and slow. I only have a few more hours and then I can escape. It is such a beautiful day and I would much rather be outside playing in the sun. People around me are sick and so I am trying to stay away from them -- I DO NOT want whatever it is again. That was no fun!!! Have a wonderful Thursday. Bye!

Boo!

Okay, so everything is still good. Sierra and Simon haven't fought since their scuttle a few weeks ago. She is healing fine and has had no problems. I am still having to give her the antibiotics, but she is taking her medicine pretty well (its in liquid form. Easy breezy.) She does have to go back to the vet on Monday, but that is just a followup to make sure it is all going well.

Now the job.. oh the job. We know I am just so happy to be there. Hey, at least I have a job. I was told today however, that while I may still have a job, it will now be with a different company. They had to go with a smaller contract. I am going to assume my salary is still the same but I am calling the contact tomorrow. I have to complete an application. Yep, have to apply for my own job. Its a weird little situation but I am certain it will all work out for the best. I shall focus on the most important part, which is that I still have income and benefits. I am attending a networking happy hour tomorrow and will try to make some connections. Plus, hey, it will be fun to get out :).

Okay, "Lost" is on. I am watching a recap of the last 4 seasons. I haven't been watching and so I probably won't catch up or understand what the heck is going on. I have fallen in love with "How I Met Your Mother". Oh my, it is funny! Every time Neil Patrick Harris is on the screen, I laugh hysterically. And I loved Alyson Hannigan in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". I really wonder what took me so long to catch on to it. And it isn't complete complete mind crack like "Rock of Love" and "Real Housewives of Orange County". It has a point :).

Okay, later!

Poor Kitty!

I just brought Sierra home from the vet and she is not happy with me right now. I had to leave her at the vet today and I hate doing that! I was good though, I only called them 2x to check on her :). I guess she hit something Saturday night and split her nail so they removed it.

Poor thing is trying to figure how to walk, use the litter pan, and eat with this thing on her leg. That is food you see in the picture is what I put out next to her so she'd have something to munch on. Simon just wants to play with her and she wants nothing to do with him. I get this feeling she won't be moving much over the next 24 hours while the bandage is still on!

Cat Fight

Oh my goodness. I have no idea what has gotten into my two furbabies lately but they have been fighting and hissing on and off for the last few weeks. Well, last night, they got into a knock out, drag out fight! It was a pretty horrible sound. I break it up and notice a little scratch on Simon's nose. He wasn't bleeding but I decided I might need to check Sierra for any injuries too. Well, she was bleeding from her nail - I think somehow it broke in the fight. I cleaned her up and ran to PetsMart to get some feline first aid spray. I got her cleaned up and she wasn't bleeding anymore. She is fine today, just limping a little. So a trip to vet is going to be in order tomorrow. I decided that it wasn't an emergency and she isn't in pain so we can wait. She is chilling next to me on the couch and I am trying to keep Simon from messing with her. Although she can still knock him out, I am sure.

So that is it for now. It's been a low key weekend and I have totally enjoyed it! Have a great Sunday.

Finally feel alive!

I have been sick for the last few days and luckily this weekend I feel much better! Still somewhat stuffy, but since I can actually function, I am not going to complain. I really don't know why the cold hit me so hard. A lot of people have been sick, I just think the travel allowed my body to be a tad weaker and therefore I got hit hard. That is why you have had little insight into the fabulous trip to Cali :). They are mad I left my Texas germs but well, I am sorry they got sick. At least they got to see me :).

Here are a couple of pictures from Cali:

Chloe and me at Fairy Tale Town. Fairy Town Town is just what it sounds like, a place where all fairy tales come to life. There are little sections dedicated to certain fairy tales - Cinderella's Carriage, Sherwood Forest (with a great play set that we ran around on for 20 minutes!), and even the cheese, that stands alone. It is a great place for kiddos, right across the street from the zoo.

Dr. Chloe! The best doctor visit I had all December (and I had a few!). And she made sure I had several doctor's appointments, all in one day. Still, I got sick. Oh well :). My favorite part was that she always made sure I got a treat for being good during my appointment. However one time I didn't eat my candy cane in what she thought was the appropriate amount of time, and she ate it for me.......

The Christmas tree at my Aunt Gail's house. We really did cut back this year.......

Cheater....

I am back from Cali and it was awesome!!! I didn't get to spend as much time there but the time I did have was a lot of fun. I will reveal little stories over the next few posts and get some pics up once I download them. It will be kind of random as I remember them!

Now to explain the title of this blog... well, little Chloe, it turns out, likes to cheat at Candyland. Yes Candyland. We only played twice and she tried to cheat both times. It really made me laugh, but you can't let her get away with cheating, especially since it was so obvious. So I corrected her, she straightened up and then she decided the game was over. So she says to me "okay cheater you can pack the box". Okay, I kid you not, I laughed for a good 5 minutes. Her grandma (my Aunt Gail) was in the room when she said it and she laughed too. It was hard to explain to Chloe why I was laughing so much. I was relieved to find out her dad calls her cheater all the time too. (BTW, we never finished a game of Candyland. She has a shorter attention span than I do :)). I tell you what though, she is a genius child. And she is a total ham. I still have the "The Last Unicorn" stuck in my brain. (Another story)

The Nyquil is kicking in and I need to log off and lay down. I picked up some California germs and have been coughing like crazy for 2 days. I am fine for awhile and then just hit a coughing fit. So, I ran to CVS for Nyquil and am very happy now. I will tell you about the zoo, Fairy Tale Town and the winery at a later time!

Finally Warm

The heating in the building today was a little wonky and it was soooo cold in the office today. The bathroom on our floor was seriously too cold to use. I went to the first floor once I realized it was the warmest place. In our Regional Administrator's office, it registered 61 degrees. He is luckily out of the office and didn't have to endure it. I would guess that it was about 69 in my cube. Someone on the elevator asked if anyone worked for OSHA. Ha, ha. We told them we were suffering too. I hope tomorrow it is much better!

That is about it. I am getting ready for my trip to CA! Leave Wednesday and I can't wait. I made a trip to Target today for a few last minute things. The toy aisle was kind of nuts but the rest of the store really wasn't that bad. The check out lines weren't awful. I know had I gone Saturday, I would have tried to kill someone. It was a good thing I waited. Now I am just chilling. I am sore and tired. Ryan beat me up again tonight but I did get to hit the punching bag. We know I love that. Time to go lay down and read. Maybe dreamy land soon. Hopefully :).

Oops, Sorry!

I realized it has been awhile since i wrote anything. Not that I have been boring and sitting at home, I just haven't wanted to log in and think of anything to write. :) 1 week and I am off to CA. I can't wait. I only get 4.5 days there this year, but it will still be good. Mom and Dad will be there this year too, so it might just be like when I was younger and we'd go to visit Grandma and the family. Grandma is no longer with us but I know she is always there in Spirit. But I don't want to get all weepy and sentimental just yet in a blog post, so I will move on. I received Katie and Kenneth's Christmas card yesterday and it has picks of the kids. It is pretty much the cutest Christmas card ever :).

So, the big mystery for me now is where the heck my ice scrapper went. I didn't think I would need it so early (weird to say since it is Dec, but true) but alas, last night I get to the train station and my car is covered in ice. No ice scrapper. I sat in my car for a good 20 minutes just defrosting. I found some sort of scrappy thing however it wasn't as effective. The important part is that I got home safely. Now I have to go buy one for the next cold snap. This morning was fun too but I warned my boss I wasn't going to be in until about 9. More for the fact I needed to let the back window melt. Even if I was taking the train, I still needed to see to drive to the train station. And let me tell you, I am very glad I took the train. Even with just the little ice we got, there were accidents all over the place. It is foggy and cold and I guess it is good because it gets me in the Christmas mood. As long as I get where I need to be safely, I am good!

Okay, that is it for now. I need to get some stuff done. It is slow now that it is the end of the year, but I do have projects to work on.

Later!!! Stay warm :)>

3 Weeks and Counting.....

A little more than 3 weeks and I will be in CA. That also means it is about 3 weeks until Christmas. Since I refused to get in the Christmas spirit until after Thanksgiving, that means I have 3 weeks to sing and enjoy the season :). I just want to be with my extended family. Chloe hugs just cure all. I can't wait. I have a cat sitter and a ride to the airport, so I am all set. Just need to buy the kids' gifts, and ship them to CA. Thats easy..... Shopping online rocks! There is no way I am going to try to haul that stuff in my luggage. I will be lucky enough to get my own clothes in the suitcase without overflowing (dang it, just remembered I need to buy a new backpack to carry on the plane. I killed my zipper a few months ago and so it is pretty much non-functioning.....).

Okay rest time. Trivia is tonight and I want to be all refreshed and happy. Hopefully, this time we won't get last place (although, I kind of like getting the Pez...... It might be a Christmas one this time!)

Later! Have a good night :).

No Thanksgiving Football Miracle

A&M lost. :( I do have to admit that I thought tu would pull 60+ points but it ended up 49-9. Still bad but not as bad as I really thought. I got mad at the amount of flags A&M got. Seriously guys, those were stupid mistakes!!! Michelle was very sweet and didn't completely rub it in. Her last text was "You know I love you, but...". Yeah, I know.....

So now onto next season. We will come back, like a phoenix from the ashes, we will compete with the OUs, Texas', and Tech's. While it is nice to see the Big 12 South dominate the top 10, I would like A&M to be a part of it. Gig Em Aggies!!!!!

The food was awesome yesterday. My "friend" even said that my pumpkin pie was probably the best he ever tasted. It was pretty dang good. I love making Pumpkin Pie.... it is very easy to make and can be used to impress :). My Cooking Light recipes were very good as well. I have now found a great source of goodness. I did have some sink issues (clogged kitchen sink on Thanksgiving is probably not the best news there is! But hey, I still had water... I just have to wait to do dishes until tomorrow night.). I need to go to bed now. It is way too late (or early, depending on your perspective. He, he).

Bye for now.

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

I am briefly on to say hi and Happy Thanksgiving. Mom and Dad are coming here for dinner and I have 2 more dishes to prepare. Just did the mashed potatoes and the pumpkin pie was made last night. Cooking Light Magazine has some great recipes -- I am using 3 of them this year. Goat Cheese Mashed potatoes. Oh my goodness, they are heaven. I don't think I used enough Goat Cheese though, but they still taste good. I am resisting the urge to nosh on them before the parents get here :).

Anyway, everyone have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving! And NOW we can start thinking about Christmas! And go Aggies!!! The A&M/tu game has been moved back to Thanksgiving and I am happy about that. My entire college career, we had that game Thanksgiving. I am not sure why they moved it -- but glad its back! Okay, now, let me clear things up.... I know we have had a challenging year, to say the least. But maybe, by some Thanksgiving miracle, we can pull an upset. Maybe....... I am just expecting us to show up to the game and show some Aggie pride. :). I will be rooting for my team though.

Back to cooking. Love it!!!

Top Chef!

Okay, so I was wanting to sew during Project Runway and now Top Chef is back on! I am going to be in a serious cooking mood soon. I recorded the season premiere and I am watching it now. Hopefully I can get into it and the new chefs. They are in NY and I am loving the backdrop of the show! I miss NY. I think it will take me a few shows to get my favorites in mind. It always takes a few episodes.

That is all. It is close to midnight (and something evil's lurking in the dark).... oh sorry, I channeled "Thriller" there for a second. Anyway, I really need to think about going to sleep now!

:(

Okay, I didn't expect A&M to actually beat OU. But, 3rd Quarter and OU is ahead 52 to 14. I guess to good news is that we scored....... It isn't over yet. I just expect more carnage now. Be nice Sooners. I rooted for you against Texas. (A&M just scored. 52 to 21. It was a beautiful run too!!!). Now, we might not pull off an upset -- but still watching and rooting for my Ags. There is talent there. We have to rebuild! As long as we stay somewhat proportionate to their growing score, I will be happy. GIG EM Aggies!!!

Has anybody watched "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" on Bravo? I avoided TRHW of Orange County and New York. But I have gotten SUCKED into these Atlanta Housewives. The drama is amazing. I highly doubt these ladies actually represent real Housewives anywhere. But it is such mind candy, I can't look away. They are replaying the marathon on Bravo today and I flipped over during halftime. Its a trainwreck. It's over the top. And it is kind of fun.

Well, f***. In the time I started this post, OU scored a few more times. 66 to 21 now. Still 3rd Quarter. I might need to hit my mind candy for a few minutes......

Everyone have a great Saturday.

Word of Advice

So, when you are changing the litter boxes and you must take a break from this task for a brief moment, you should put the lid back on the bucket of Fresh Step (or whatever brand you are using). If you don't, you shouldn't be surprised when your little one decides that he wants to use this very fresh litter to pee. Even when there is a completely clean litter box just inches away in the bathroom.

I haven't laughed that hard in a few days.

Everyone have a great weekend!

Vote!

You are going to read it everywhere, so no big long speech about it. I just voted and it feels pretty dang awesome. I swear, there is something about putting that ballot in the machine. I was going to do it this morning and the line was super long. Now, I don't mind the lines for voting, but I would have been waiting outside, in heals, and really, this is no time to be a martyr. I knew I could get off early, go back home, change into sweats for the wait. I had no wait, 5 minutes, in and out. I can guess though that the line will get longer as people get off work. But who cares. This is our right and responsibility as an American Citizen. This is our voice. I just heard that 537 votes decided the election in 2000. So, if you don't think your vote counts, you are wrong. (Did I say at the beginning I wasn't going to do a speech? well, I said long speech, so.... :)).

Have a great day!

Jury Duty and other random stuff

I had jury duty today. I got a lot of reading done...... Actually, I was sent to another court off of I 30 (Justice of the Peace) and it was supposed to be a small claims case. It ended up being postponed because the lady (representing herself) wanted a change in venue. And he had to give it to her based on some law in Texas code that I can't tell you because I am not a lawyer. So, we were dismissed. I will say I did get some work done at the main court house, just a little, but hey, I was proud of myself!

I have Ryan in an hour. We keep having to reschedule but tonight I plan to get my booty kicked. I need it. Maybe I should go early and get some cardio in. I need to look into Krav again. It is good cardio, I need that outlet, and truthfully, I think it will make me feel stronger. The ability to kick someone's a** is such a good reason start!!

My trip to CA has been scheduled. I get to go Dec 24. I can't wait. I have seen pics of Colby and Skyler and can't wait to meet them. And I get to take Ms. Chloe to the zoo (at least I hope I do!) and I can't wait for the cuteness that is Chloe. Oh, yeah, and I get to see the rest of the family :).

Later!

Baby News!

Skylar Addison Younger was born yesterday afternoon! Congrats to my cousin Kelly and her husband George. I saw the pictures, she is a cutie. I believe she was 7 lbs and 19 inches long. Now I have two babies to visit -- have to get my act together and get some plane tickets to CA!!!

I am just chilling today. I am currently watching the Texas A&M/ Tech Game. I am not going to jinx it with commentary. They just started the 2nd Quarter. I am waiting for Mia and then we are going to head out and find a place to watch it. Okay, off we go!

Later!


update: Dang it..... Tech pulled thru and beat A&M.....

Stuff From Around

There is a thing in the Federal Government called the Combined Federal Campaign. This is yearly thing and they give you a book load of charities that you can donate to (payroll deductions if you chose. I can't do that though since my paycheck does not come from the government. At least not directly.). There are plenty of charities to chose from as well (anyone heard of the International Potato Center? Yep, that is an actual charity. Promotes sweet potatoes for vitamin A in Africa. Learn something new everyday!). I do have a point for bringing this all up, I promise! Today, in order to promote animal charities, there was a small 'open house' for lack of a better word. And people, they brought puppies!!!! Puppy kisses in the middle of the day at work is the best thing ever! Actually, having kittens there would have just made it heaven but I understand why they chose not to bring them. A lady was giving a demonstration with a yellow lab who was trained as a guide/helper dog. This dog was gorgeous! And it was amazing to see what he could do. There was even an apparatus the dog could pull to help open heavy doors. There was also baby chihuahuas and a couple of other mutts. I was very happy playing with the dogs, even if it was only a few minutes.

That is about it for today. It was Bosses Day so we went to Thai food and I am still stuffed. Love that stuff. My cousin Kelly went into labor about 2 or 3 hours ago so I should be announcing her baby's birth soon. Hopefully she has a smooth labor, especially since this is her first kiddo.

Everyone have a great evening!

???

So, do babies need legwarmers and toddlers yoga mats??? Target seems to think so. I am looking up baby gifts for this family growth spurt we are experiencing and I swear, they have some of the most interesting items for the wee ones. They do have some of the cutest items though. I might have a hard time picking!

The week is good so far. I got called to Jury Duty on Oct. 30. I don't even get to go to a different location in the city. I can see the Court House from my office window. But it is the first time I am actually doing jury duty at this location (several courthouses across Dallas. I usually end up at the one by the jail). I have no idea where to go, etc. I know I have time! Just writing/thinking out loud.

Okay, time for lunch. I am very hungry! Later!