Choir Concert...

Who is this kid? He has grown up so fast! Last night was Martin's Fall Concert. I must say....pretty impressive! Everything at Martin is BIG. Including a choir concert! Everyone was dress in black! ALL the boys had black tuxes. I thought the whole wearing the tux deal was a little much til seeing the concert! It looked nice! Everyone had exactly the same tux, same shirt, same tie, etc! It made them look very professional (if choir can be)! I am still adjusting to the fact he is in high school! I keep waiting for all the terrible teenager issues to come up! Suprisingly...nothing yet...as I knock on wood! He is growing into a very responsible young man! I am still amazed at the fact he gets himself up every morning, gets ready, eats breakfast, has time to surf the internet a little and goes out the door at 6:40 for the bus. He does his laundry when it needs to be done. Gets all his homework taken care of. He really manages his time well for a 14 year old. I think! Who are we kidding he takes after me! Sort of! lol I know all this could blow up and he turn into the EVIL TEENAGER! But for right now I am going to enjoy this!

What's been going on?!?!?!

I've been told I need to update my blog (thanks Kristy!). I didn't think I really had anything to blog about but I guess I sort of do! I mentioned in one of my posts that I was training for a new job and how its been so busy around here and Steve's had to help get the kids around. Well, I finished training on Oct. 2nd. Was very nervous about starting to take live calls. When I say nervous I mean very nervous, very preoccupied with it. Which only got worse. I started my first shift Saturday night. My worst fear came true. My very first call was a total nightmare! On top of that I had computer problems. I won't go into lots of details here but I was just freaked out! I was off Sunday. Had to work on Monday. I was so nervous and scared. Once again computer problems to top off all the other feelings I was having. Got those fixed....finally. Finished my shift. Tuesday....I am sick to my stomach. Wasn't sure if I had a bug or it was the job. Couldn't get the job out of my mind. Its the oddest feeling I'd ever experienced. I didn't like it. This could be a really long, long story but the short of it all is Steve didn't like the way I was acting, I didn't like how I was, I'm missing all the kids stuff at night, etc., etc, and its was the hardest most complex thing I've ever done. Its not just people calling in to get their balance or pay over the phone. I knew they could call in for all kinds of things from what we were taught in training but each account was different. It was not cut and dry simple! No! Every situation had a twist and there were all these reason codes and of course we were told where to look those up but you don't have to memorize them or study you just look it up. There was just lots of stuff. Its just not for me! I'm not thick skinned enough either for the rude customers. I hadn't talked to mom since I started so I called her yesterday morning and started getting upset. Then Steve had called and I called him back and cried and cried! I couldn't keep doing it! He told me to quit it was no big deal but he'd rather I be back to normal than be all moody and yucky like I had been! So, yesterday afternoon I sent the email telling the Lead that I was quitting! I'm done with that! After that I totally felt better. The sick feeling went away! All those thoughts that where in my head went away! I just feel 100% better knowing I don't have to get on the phone and take those calls. I feel better knowing that I can see the rest of Jacob's football games and not have to miss any of Jerrad's baseball games! I just feel very relieved!

Rearranging...

I'm getting very bored with my blog! With that said I've moved the two slide shows to the bottom of the page...that is if you still want to see them! I'm sure by now EVERYONE is as tired of those as I am! lol Hopefully I can figure out how to change this up and make it fun!

And finally...

(hopefully my last post tonight...playing catch up!) my new friend!

I know its a treadmill! I am trying to make friends with it! Steve bought a treadmill this weekend! I have to say its just too miserably hot here to actually go outside and walk! I just can't get motivated enough to do it! Time just doesn't pass as quick either. I listen to my mp3 but I have this fear of someone coming up behind me or a dog sneaking up to me! I've had the crazy dog experience before! Creeps me out! Everyone is so busy. You want to walk with friends and say your going to do it but stuff is always coming up. Your schedules don't always match up so your available to walk at the same time. I was seriously thinking about a gym membership again til Steve told me he'd been looking at treadmills.

So, its up and running (it runs...I only walk!)! I walked 2 miles yesterday and 2 miles today. I'm going to try to do that at least 5 days a week and see if I get any results. I NEED RESULTS! I'd love to wear some of my clothes in the closet! Do you know when they hang in the closet long enough they begin to collect dust! How sad is that?!?!?

I'd better get to bed. Surely I set some kind of record for posts! I think I did 3 tonight (NO! I did 4 of them)! Woo hoo! All the craziness begins again...bright and early!

Busy...

It seems like the first weeks of school are always hectic. There's getting back into the routine of things, football practices, homework, etc. Well, this year just seems more hectic! Jerrad is up at 5:45 (this is AM folks!) and getting ready. He walks out the door at 6:40! I wake Jacob up at 7:00 and he is out the door at 7:25 (he started riding the bus this morning! I love the bus!) This is making time for me to get in 2 miles of walking (see post about New Friend!) before having to get ready. I've been spending my days doing PTA stuff, copying in the workroom, running errands and HOMEWORK! That's right...I said homework. Towards the end of July I applied for a job with this company called Alpine Access. Its a work from home deal. I only did it cause it came on the recommendation of someone that worked for them and said it was great. Well, she also still has friends and connections there and happened to let the recruiter know I was applying. Needless to say things moved pretty fast. Short story is I got the job. I will be answering phones at home using my phone/computer (complicated explanation but awesome how this all works!). I am on the GECF (General Electric Consumer Finance) account...credit cards...store specific to the GAP. There is lots to learn! So, of course there is training. Just so happens training is Monday through Friday from 7:00 to 11:00 PM. This is where we've gotten real busy. Steve is having to help get the boys picked up from different places in the evenings. He is having to attend all the beginning of the year functions that fall at night! I hate that I'm not the one taking the boys to every single thing! I know Steve is so tired after working his long days! This week has been bad too and then he's had to drive all over creation! I love him for helping me right now so I can get this training behind me and start work (training ends Oct. 2nd)! He has had to pick Jake up from football practices! Today he had to drive to Irving after work to get Jerrad (he started a bible study tonight with the teens). We've got upcoming football stuff (games/weigh ins/practices), Jerrad bible study, Martin Open House, Grand Slam Baseball Event at Martin, football pep rally...the list just goes on! Its only my 4th day of training but so far he hasn't complained about helping me! I keep telling him its only temporary til I get to my "flexible" schedule (training is 100% attendance - mandatory!). I'm excited about the job. I hope it all works out and this was a good thing that I did!

Shingles update...

I must have the mildest case ever! All I've got is still some pain. Its not the type of pain you'd associate with shingles. It's not that sensitive sensation to the skin. Its more deep inside and just aches. I told my mom it almost felt like my back feels when I've got a kidney infection. Its about the same place too! No, its not a kidney infection. I've been able to control it with mostly ibuprofen! So, I guess you could say I'm over it?!?!? Not really sure. The spots I had have very small scabs (you can't see can only feel). They are a little purple like scars which I think will lighten with time. The waist band of my pants aren't irritating like last week. I am very fortunate that I did not have them bad. I just hope that if I ever get them again (yes, you can have them more than once) that its a mild case like this. I can handle this. It wasn't so bad! Watch, I will be in severe agony next time! lol

Labor Day...

I know its a little late posting this but its been busy around here. (Explanation in another post!) We just hung around the house for the day. We slept in (as late as we could)! Steve got up and got the smoker going and put on a brisket and 3 (yes, 3) chickens. About lunch time Staci and the boys came over to hang out for the day. I think the boys (yes, including Steve) had fun playing around in the pool! We had plenty of water guns! Although I might be a little worried about Staci...she had SEVERAL guns!

Jerrad had stayed the night at a friends house. He and Danny showed up later after all the pool fun. Although they found ways to entertain themselves. I'll have to get the picture off Jerrad's phone to post for ya'll. Its pretty funny stuff.

The boys (Hunter and Drew) had naps. After that it was playing PS2 (Hunter is obsessed with any car game!) and trains! We had trains upstairs and downstairs. And let me tell ya...Drew can be gone and at the top of the stairs before you know he's gone! We did try the gate! We took it down after he climbed over it and made it to the top before we figured out where he went! YIKES! He's a fast little dude!

It was a good relaxing day just doing nothing! The food was good too!