homeaboutourstoryphotographyinfertility

Friday, April 30, 2010

5QF!


Today is Mama M's Five Question Friday! You should answer the below questions in your own blog & then head over to My Little Life & link up! =)

Here we go...

1. If you could, would you go back to high school?
Absolutely NOT!
I will be shocked if anyone says yes to this.
It's not that high school was particularly AWFUL for me, but that age is hard! And it's so much more fun to be a grown-up, even if you do have more responsibilities.


2. If a genie showed up & granted you 2 wishes, what would you wish for (& no saying 'more wishes'.)?
Money. (A lot - like enough to pay my debts, buy a new house & pay for any expenses we'd need for the rest of our lives.)
Lifelong health for me & my loved ones.

3. What kid's shows do you secretly like?
Um, none?
I can't remember the last time i saw a kid's show. Actually, it was when i was a nanny, i know all the Barney songs still...
Except movies - I loved "The Princess & the Frog" & i can't wait to see "How to Train your Dragon"! Haha.

4. What is your beverage of choice?
ACTUALLY!!!! WATER!!!!
Ok, i'd rather sweet tea or lemonade or sprite zero. And i also love coffee.
But i've been drinking about 90 ounces of water a day! I rock!

5. What is something that you would change about yourself (or are working to change about yourself)?
My weight. I want to be a healthy fit person! I'm down 17 pounds, with lots more to go! You can visit my other blog, Try Try Again, to cheer me on! ;)

Happy weekend!

Fill in the Blank Friday: Movies

Well, it's that time again - Fill in the Blank Friday! Woohoo! If you wanna play along, just answer the below questions in your own blog & then head on over to the little things we do & link up in Lauren's blog hop!!


Lauren chose the theme music last week & i just am terrible at thinking of names of songs or names of bands... i don't know why. So i skipped it last week. But this week's theme is MOVIES. Now, that i should be able to handle! ;)

1. My absolute favorite movie of all time is...gosh, that's really difficult to choose. I'm going to go with Les Miserables, The Blind Side & The Notebook. (Can't pick just one.) I feel strange saying The Notebook because for so many years i HATED it. I thought it was so unrealistic. I tried it again as a recent newlywed, thinking that maybe i was just bitter the first time. I was right. Confession (& i know this sounds crazy): I actually could not stop crying when it was over because i was overwhelmed by how similar our stories were & i was so incredibly thankful about my own love story.

2. My favorite movie as a child was Pippi Longstocking. I just loved her.

3. The best movie quote ever is I'm terrible at remembering these. The one Lauren mentioned is the best, though (from The Notebook): "So it's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be really hard. We're gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever,you and me, everyday." ~Noah. (Sorry to copy, Lauren!)

4. My favorite actress is Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep & Amy Adams (again, can't pick just one!) My favorite actors are Morgan Freeman, Ryan Reynolds & Michael Emerson.

5. The movie i could watch over & over is Sleepless in Seattle or The Proposal.

6. My favorite genre is romantic comedy or suspense.

7. A movie I'd like to watch this weekend is Precious, but i keep forgetting to add it to my Netflix! But i will be watching Sound of Music because i'm having Brad's little cousin over to watch it with me - she's auditioning for it next weekend!

So fun! Now it's your turn!!
Oh & Happy Friday!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Great Week!

It's Thursday! Almost Friday, whew!! It's time for Thursday 5!


This is a new meme from Keely over at MannLand5, where you share 5 good things that happened this week...things that made you either... 

Happy
Giddy
Grateful
Joyful
Gleeful
 (: or all of the above :)

So here are my five!!

1. My good friend Ali had her first baby! A boy!
April 28th at 4:58 PM.
8 lbs, 20.5 inches long
Elijah Daniel

Sweet! Can't wait to see him! I can't believe this friend who was my neighborhood friend in our pre-teens & my roomie in our twenties - is a MOMMY!

2. Hubby & I walked the lakes again & the traffic wasn't any worse when we were done than when we go straight home from work at our usual time (which was a concern)! Can't wait to go again today! The weather is beautiful!

3. We had our first Sound of Music meeting. Actually, it was a Sound of Music/Pirates of Penzance/Rent meeting about auditions - we're doing auditions for all three shows at once! It will be crazy! But i can't wait!! I love auditions when i'm not the one auditioning! ;)

4. I lost another pound!! 17 total!! Yeah!

5. Siobhan was sent home on American Idol - sorry, i know that sounds mean. I'm sure she's a total sweetheart. But she is the only one left that i really do not like! I used to like her, but i liked her less each week. I'm over her singing. And i HATE her screaming. There is nothing pretty or well-done about that, in my opinion. I was nervous with Siobhan, Casey & Mike standing next to each other! EEK! Mike was right, they ALL had such a great week this week! I'm pretty sure Crystal is gonna win! & i LOVE Lee as well! YAY!

That's about it! How was YOUR week? Type it up in your own blog & then link up at MannLand5!

Sunday, April 25, 2010

the LSU lakes!

This morning, Brad & I went for a walk on the LSU lakes! I am so glad we did! It is just a gorgeous day & it is so beautiful out there! I will talk more about it on my weightloss blog, but i had to share some pics with you! ;) 




Hope your weekend is as gorgeous as mine! ;) 

Sunday's Meme

Today is Sunday & you guessed it! That means Keely's Getting to Know You Sunday! 

If you wanna play, just answer the below questions in your own blog & then head on over to MannLand5 & add your link to the blog hop! =)





1. If you could star in any movie genre, what would it be: romance, horror, comedy, suspense or action? 
I'd love to do a romantic comedy, drama or suspense!! 

2. Do you recycle? 
Nah. 
Well, at work they have a garbage can next to the regular one for cans & water bottles & such only. So if i have something like that, i definitely toss it in there! But i've never really cared much about recycling, to be perfectly honest! 


3. Have you ever been to a strip club? 
Nope. And this is definitely NOT on my bucket list. ;)


4. Do you have a nickname? 
Tons. I am called "Mel" as often or more often than Melissa! In fact, i am often introduced as Mel. A lot of my family calls me Lissa as well. But then i have a bunch of random other ones that i'm sometimes called for fun: Lilla (the families i used to be a nanny for), Lissaraye, Lizzer (my sister), Melraye, Melicious (some theatre friends, rhymes with delicious, haha), & Lemissa (my sister-in-law)... just to name a few!


5. What's a name you hate to be called? 
Missy. There are 1 or 2 people that call me Missy that actually get away with it for some reason, though! But typically i do not like being called Missy! I don't know why.


6. What are your summer staples? 
Flip flops, capris & fruit!


7. What was the last thing you bought for yourself? 
2 black shirts (i needed them for my new part-time job - i have to wear all black & it can't be a t-shirt!)


8. Are you happy with your boob size? 
HAHA. Always got to throw in one of these kinds of questions! LOL. Actually, i'm happy with my boob size. They are huge, but they are proportionate to the rest of me. As i lose weight, i'm sure i'll lose some of them. But i definitely am not unhappy with them, even now!


Your turn. :)

Linguine with Chicken Ragu

We were having dinner guests & I have this thing about always wanting to try new recipes. I realize that having people over to taste your cooking for the first time is not the best time to try something NEW... i mean, stick to what you know, right? But i did it anyway. They said they like pasta the best & maybe pasta with chicken or something. My dear friend Robyn introduced me to this recipe & told me it is a hit in her family full of boys! I thought i would give it a go! And it turned out to be a hit! It was delish! =) 

It is easy to make, but the prep takes awhile. We cut up the chicken & onions ahead of time so that was ready to go. You will also be making homemade marinara! Robyn had told me that she likes the marinara so much she often makes double & freezes half for later. I would have to agree - it was delish! =) But if you're short on time you may also want to do the marinara sauce early.

Linguine with Chicken Ragu 
by Giada De Laurentiis 

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hr 30 minues
Serves: 6

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, finely chopped
salt & freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2/3 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
4 cups marinara sauce, recipe follows
1 pound linguine
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken, season with salt & pepper & cook until the juices evaporate & the chicken is golden, about 10 minutes. 
Add the shallots & garlic & saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the wine & stir to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the skillet. Add the rosemary & mix well. Add the marinara sauce & bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low & simmer gently until the flavors blend, about 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine & cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid. Add the linguine to the ragu & toss to coat, adding some reserved cooking liquid to moisten (i forgot to do the reserved cooking liquid part - i don't think it made any difference). Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with parmesan & serve. 

Marinara Sauce
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled & finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 (32 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves

In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over medium-high flame. Add the onions & garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots & 1/2 teaspoon each of salt & pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes & bay leaves & simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove & discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt & pepper to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover & refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.) 

Yield: 2 quarts

There are about 434 calories in one serving of this recipe. I know pasta is sometimes considered "BAD" but i used whole grain pasta & had only 1 serving, which was plenty filling! However, figuring out the total calories in a recipe is not that easy, so i'm not positive that it is 100% accurate. You can check out the nutrition info here on Sparkpeople to see how i figured it up! 


ENJOY!







Family Reunion & Dinner Guests

Yesterday was wonderful!

Friday night the weather was horrible & it was expected to be awful yesterday, too! Not really the greatest time to have a family reunion, right? But thankfully the weather turned out nice after all! We had a family reunion at Brad's Aunt KK's & it was great. TONS of Brad's extended family... delicious food & lots of laughing. Mostly sitting on the porch swing chatting w/ the fam. I love it. :) I didn't take lots of pictures...hate it when i do that. :(


 Whitney & Crystal

 Me & Brad

 Granny & Whitney

Jaimie, Aunt Phyllis & Granny

There were SO many more people there, though! It was a great time! After the reunion, we went home & cleaned house & then i got to cooking. We had two friends from the theatre come over for dinner. I really wish i took pics, but i just didn't even think about it! I have known Davis since i started theatre in 2006 & i met Robert during The Producers. They're both good friends & have a lot in common with my husband (they're both musicians too) & me too (theatre). When we went to Robert's bday dinner in January somehow Brad & i ended up seated in between Robert & Davis & man, i laughed the whole time between the two of them & Brad. Hilarious! Brad & I told them we'd have them over for dinner sometime & we finally did! I'm so glad! I tried a new recipe on them & it was pretty good (will blog it soon). And then we played Phase 10. I couldn't believe it: neither of our guests had played before, but Robert won & Davis was 2nd. I was 3rd & Brad lost. LOL. We had a great time, though! 


It was a wonderful day. =)

Friday, April 23, 2010

Kid's Names

Ok, so after the baby post, my friend Ashlee at Blessed Chick followed up with,
"I wanna hear those baby names!"

HAHA. This is really hard because i like WAY TOO MANY NAMES but am not sold on any of them.

Actually just today my hubby & i were discussing this & came up with some names we REALLY like. But since i've changed my mind on this SO MANY TIMES in my life... i figure none of these are definite until i'm 9 months prego (or so)! ;)

I have to start by saying that i want to pass on my middle name. My middle name is Raye. Rae Rogers was my mom's best friend growing up & she was killed at age 15 by a drunk driver. Rae was the only person who invited my mom to church. Mom visited church with her as a young teen. Years later, my mom had it in her head that church would fix her problems & she chose a nearby Baptist church because that's the kind of church Rae belonged to. I think it's really cool how God works, because that set the course for MY life, long before i was even thought of! My parents both became Christians at that Baptist church when i was just a baby. That is also where my parents met the parents of my husband & started a lifelong friendship with them! How crazy is that?! Who knows - if it wasn't for Rae Rogers, my parents may have never known Jesus & i may not have either!!

For that reason, i think it's important to carry on that middle name. I'm also named after my great grandmother Ray (which is the reason for the spelling of my middle name RAYE. Mom's way of putting Rae & Ray together).

For a long time i have been SET on the boy's name Hudson. I just love that name. Back then i wanted to name him Hudson Taylor after a famous missionary. But now I've come to love the name Judah, so Hudson Judah is a possibility.

Boy Names I Like:
Hudson
Judah
Logan
Gavin
Nathan
Taylor
Kellen (this is a blog friend's husband's name & i've loved it since i heard it!)

Girl's Names I Like:
Reina
Mariah
Hallie (pronounced like Halle' Berry's name...maybe i'd even be cool & spell it like hers!)
Layla
Grace or Gracie (i know, so popular! but i just recently fell in love with that name!)
Mallorie
Mara
Alayna

There are probably a lot of names that i LOVE that i've forgotten about as i'm writing this post. Reina is a new favorite name of mine. I have a coworker with that name & everytime i say it, i just like the sound of it. It's pretty. I told my husband about it & he really likes it, too. Brad is big into linguistics & such & said it is a Spanish name & means "Queen". I might not want to tell her it's meaning for awhile! ;) I guess it might be wierd to have a Reina & a Raye, but at least Raye is going to be a middle name! And I promise not to pair them together ("Reina Raye"?! YIKES!).

Hubby's favorite name for a girl is Mariah & has been since we met. I should probably mention my sweet friend Brooke here. I was her nanny for years & told her the name Hudson when she was pregnant with him! Her first two were Madison & Bryson & she wanted a "-son" for this kid, too! I said, "well, i know a boy name that i love that ends in a "-son" but idk if you will like it!" & i told her. She fell in love with it & asked if she could "steal it" - of course, why not!? (I didn't have a boyfriend or any prospects back then! Pregnancy was surely a LONG way away!) So her 3rd son is Hudson. So before she even had Hudson (he is now 7? 8? Gah, they grow up too fast!), i loved that name & she knew i planned to use it! Well, fast forward years later & i get married to a guy whose favorite girl name is MARIAH. Guess what? That's Brooke's 4th child's name! HAHA. Except it's spelled with an "o", Moriah. Anyway, i am not sure if it's okay to take BOTH of her kid's names! But Mariah is really the only name my husband is set on! Who knows?!!? HAHA! (By the way you should check out Brooke's blog - SUPER CUTE FAMILY!)

So there ya have it. And since i'm really only stuck on ONE boy's name, i might have decided i want 2 girls & a boy: Reina Grace, Mariah Raye, & Hudson Judah?? I don't know, something like that!

P.S. All this baby talk! Whew! If future grandmother's of my children are reading, please do not get TOO excited yet!!! HAHA!

a fun meme & ooh, a new blog!







Before i start the usual Friday meme(s), i have to tell you that i am so excited! I know this awesome lady who just started a cooking blog! We went to church together for YEARS & i was her son's sunday school teacher (can't believe he's in college now - eek!). Anyway, Jana has been posting her recipes on facebook & people have been begging her to start a blog. Well, she did it! It is so cute & i can't wait to try some of her recipes! Please head on over to Happiness is Homemade & show her some love! ;)

Now, on to my regularly scheduled programming. ;)


Time for Mama M's Five Question Friday! I hope you play along! Just copy the below questions in your own blog & answer them - then head over to My Little Life & add your link to the blog hop! (When she posts it...she hasn't yet...this is from her preview where she lets us know ahead of time what the questions will be!)

1. What was the first car you owned?
A 1996 maroon toyota corolla.

2. What song are you embarrassed to know the lyrics to?
Uh...I couldn't do theatre if i was embarrassed to know cheesy songs! HA!

3. Have you ever had stitches?
No!


4. What was your first job?
afternoon preschool teacher - i had the k-3 class. Loved it!


5. Who is your favorite Sesame Street character?
Cookie Monster...DUHHHH. ;)


That was easy! Your turn!
Happy weekend!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Kids.

New Formspring Question!! YAY! =)

This one came from Patti at Emersyn Grace, Our Biggest Little Blessing & Less is More.  Patti is one of my favorite bloggers out there. I love both her family blog & her blog about her weightloss journey (yep, she has two just like me!). She is awesome & encouraging & one of those bloggers i wish i could meet in real life! 



Anyway, here is her question:

If you could pick to have a boy or girl first, what would you pick? How many do you want and what genders if you could pick in a perfect world?

Honestly, Patti? I have no idea. HAHA.

It's just funny because growing up I always new EXACTLY what i wanted. I started out wanting 8 kids (in my preteens) & i had all their names picked out. I remember wanting a baby girl named Alayna first. 

Then it went down to 7 kids. I stuck with 7 kids for awhile and then i guess maybe all those years teaching preschool, working in a daycare & then nannying caught up with me? My number dropped from 7 to 4. 4 kids. 

I stuck with the four kids thing throughout all of my twenties. And then all of a sudden, i think maybe right before we got married or engaged or something, it went down again. To 3. And i'm still stuck on three.

So yeah, whenever Brad makes a face like "THREE KIDS?!", i remind him that at one time i wanted 8. =) 

Brad wants 2, a boy & a girl. I want 3. If i had 2 girls, i'd be happy. If i had 2 boys, i'd want a girl. If i had 3 girls, it'd be okay. If i had 3 boys, well, haha - that'd have to be okay because i don't think Brad is cool with FOUR. Besides, i'm not getting any younger!

And this is all subject to change. I know i sound like a really want girls, but there was a time when i wanted ALL BOYS! It's just that i KNOW Brad will be SUCH a good daddy to a girl. Not that he wouldn't be to a boy. But he just seems like the kinda guy that would have a "daddy's girl". Ya know?

It's crazy how it all changes!! I hope that answered you good enough, though! To sum it up - 2 or 3 kids. As far as the sex, no clue! I know we'll be thrilled with whatever we are blessed with! 

Secretly, i'd love twins. 

And also, you didn't ask names. It's a good thing though because i have far too many names... 

Thanks for the question! If you have a question for me, feel free to ask it in that box in my sidebar! Leave your name or blog link! =) 

a question about marriage

So i got a couple more questions on Formspring. YAY. Thanks, y'all!

Here is the first one -

"You might have already addressed this, but I'd love to know what the most challenging parts of marriage have been for you! I'll have been married 8 years in August and we are SUPER happy, but the first 1-2 years were INCREDIBLY hard for us!"


Thanks for the question!

And actually...HONESTLY...it hasn't been that hard. Like, at all. I feel like i should have to say that the first year was incredibly difficult or something... but it just wasn't. We were told over & over while we were engaged that the first year is the very hardest, but it wasn't. It was a dream! And it still is! We've been married a year & five months, btw. The only thing that was hard in our first year is that everything (appliances & cars) kept breaking down & we were sick more than we have ever been in our lives! That was no fun! But as far as not seeing eye-to-eye on things...not at all, really.

It has been fun, exciting, sweet, & wonderful. I always say it's like a neverending sleepover with your best friend - & that includes the movie nights, getting the giggles, & having tickle wars! (Though it doesn't include staying up all night, eating nothing but junk & being in sleeping bags on the living room floor! Haha.)

But seriously - I would have to say the hardest part of our marriage was while we were engaged. Is that wierd? But there were some situations we had to talk through & work through while we were still engaged. Not going to go into specifics here, but don't worry - it wasn't anything crazy & awful that would mean i shouldn't marry him! HAHA. It was just learning things about each other that we didn't necessarily LIKE - ways he handles things that i wasn't cool with or ways that i do things that he doesn't like. We didn't live together first, but we did talk about everything & through those conversations, we discovered some things we weren't okay with (or at least, we didn't think we were okay with! HA!). And also, some typical wedding planning drama that was no fun at all. And we had to talk through that as well. Plus, i'd just started birth control & i was an emotional MESS. It is a miracle he kept me! I'm sure at times he worried that he was marrying a crazy woman & that i wasn't the woman he found when he first proposed! But thankfully he stuck with me anyway! (& i was back to my old normal self pretty soon!)


Anyway, since we've been married, there have been few problems like that. Sure we have the things we'd rather - but we learn to either get over it or fix the issue (depending on it's importance)! We compromise. We allow each other to be human. We are considerate & understanding. There are times he isn't listening (when i'm telling him a LONG story, haha!)  & i hate that. But there are times i go into la-la land when he's talking to me as well! But there is NEVER any fighting. Or yelling. EVER. Not in engagement or marriage. It's just easy. It's a good relationship that works well. Even when we disagree...we don't really fight. Though just last night i got an attitude with him haha. It was because i was cranky. And he knew that. And there are other times he may be in a bad mood & i understand & it's okay. But for the most part, we're laughing & smiling & kissing all the time. ;)

And don't get me wrong - i know that marriage is for a lifetime. And there are bound to be bumps in the road & things to work through. And i've had people tell me that the first year wasn't their most difficult, but their 5th or 6th - just because of circumstances at that time. So i know that things may happen that alter our over-the-moon state! HAHA. But right now - & so far since being married - things have been pretty awesome. Sometimes it feels too good to be true! And you know how they say, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is? I agree w/ that saying - but it's just not true in this case! :)

I love you, hoobie!

Thanks for the question! I will answer my other one in another post!
If you have a question for me, feel free to ask it in the box in my sidebar! Leave your name if you want me to put a link to your blog!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

I'd love to Dance.

So i got another question on Formspring! This one came from my friend Ashlee at Blessed Chick. You should really check her out - she is HILARIOUS! ;)

Her question was,
"If you could have any talent, what would it be?"

And i'm going to go with - DANCING.

All kinds of dancing. Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Pointe...

& even Salsa, Line, Swing, Ballroom.

Yeah, THAT kind of dancing.
But this is kinda what i look like dancing now...








I took dance when i was little. For 7 years. But since i started at 3, that means i finished at 10. I still to this day don't know why we quit dance. I don't remember asking to quit. I don't remember hating it. In fact, i remember loving it! I was only ten, but i had JUST started on toe when we quit (I'm not sure what the normal starting age for toe shoes is, i just know i started dance at 3 & took for 7 years). My sister took for 10 years & she loved it too. More than i did. I don't know why we quit! One of the reasons we moved to another part of town was to be closer to (a) church, (b) our new school & (c) the dance studio. And then mom took us out of dance. (Why, mom, why??????)(Just kidding - i don't think she reads my blog. But i'm sure she asked if we were okay with it? & we said yeah? I don't know. But i so wish we had stuck to it!)

I sometimes think that if had stuck with it, i would not be the size i am today. Because when you dance regularly you burn more calories. And most dancers i know eat better than i did. And i didn't start gaining a lot of weight until high school.

Oh-well.

When i DO lose all this weight, i am going to take some lessons! But i still can't imagine ever being as good as those girl's who have had years of practice...


WOW.

Beautiful.

If only...

Gorgeous!

It's no wonder i love working the dance shows at the theatre. I could watch them dance all day! I just wouldn't mind being one of them. ;)

Dancers: You Rock.

If you have a question for me, just ask it over in that box on my sidebar! Don't forget to leave your name or blog name so i can put your link in my post when i answer it.

Great question, Ashlee!

Monday, April 19, 2010

My Job

Someone recently asked me a new question on Formspring! YAY.

The question was,
What is your full time job?

Funny, i realized then that i never really mention it! At least I haven't in a long time.

I work for a non-profit organization called Capital Area Agency on Aging.

I am a Provider Relations Specialist.

Fancy title, huh?

Well, I started here in July of 2008 as an Administrative Coordinator. But really, it was a receptionist. I answered all incoming calls & I had a lot of secreterial work as well. It sounds easy, & it was until about April of 2009. Then it got really stressful. As in, the #1 most stressful job i've ever had. As in, going home several times a week in tears with a migraine. Not good. I talked to my [wonderful] boss & she wanted to keep me & she wanted to help me out, but there was no other position she could move me to & not much we could do to fix what was making my job so stressful. The reason it got bad in April of 2009 is because we started a new program for the elderly. With that came a new database which didn't work properly & 8 new coworkers who didn't want to do their job. More to it than that, but probably shouldn't go into it on here! I guess with any new program, it's gonna have a lot of kinks to get out, but wow - i can't even get into it, but just trust me... it was extremely stressful. I kept sending my resume out EVERYWHERE but no one was calling - & my resume is a good one! ;)

I realize now that it was all a part of God's plan. That He was working it out because He knew that they would be creating a new position very soon - one that i would enjoy!

At the very beginning of this year, my boss told me to think about if i would like to work with our providers. We help the elderly & disabled get long term care in their homes if they can't afford it. (That is just one of our programs. We have many others.) At first i was hesitant, but then i figured, why not!? This may be exactly what i need!

And it was. I've been the Provider Relations Specialist since mid-January & i LOVE it. Sure, it has it's stressful moments, but it is nothing compared to what i was going through before. I could not be more thankful!!

But basically - i work with the provider companies that provide the long term care for our clients. If a client is not satisfied with her services, i help them thru the process of changing provider companies. Also, there are sometimes technical problems with the system that gets the funds to the provider companies...so they call me if there is a problem & i figure it out & fix it. Sometimes a client's health declines & they request more hours of care - i work those cases also. Besides that a ton of secreterial stuff to keep me busy. But i am mainly happy about one thing - i no longer have to answer those phones! Unless they're for me specifically - & those i can handle. ;)


Sound boring? It can be! I'd love to stay home w/ my kids (& hope i can do that when i have them!) & I'd love to work in the theatre full-time! But for now, this is where God has me & i do like it. I am so thankful for it!

I don't have a lot of work pics, but i'll share a few...

The CAAA staff - October 2009

Me & Tracy (my boss) at the Staff Christmas Party 2008

It is a great company to work for & i am truly thankful!

Have a question for me? Ask it in that box in my sidebar! Be sure to leave your name or blog name if you want me to tell who asked it & put a link to your blog!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Getting 2 Know U

Today has been great! We went to church & then went to my parent's for lunch. We brought our Nike's along & took our walk in my parent's subdivision before coming back home. It was nice. And longer than our usual walk. Came home & are now relaxing. =)

Today is MannLand5's Getting to know YOU Sunday. I like these. =)


1. Men's chests - hairy or hairless? Hairy but not too hairy? HAHA, that's how Brad's is & i think he looks hot! ;)

2. How often do you run red lights?
Uh, i shoot for never, but sometimes i do it on accident. Or it'll be yellow & i'll decide to step on it rather than stop - sometimes i make it before it turns red - sometimes i don't.

3. If you could raid any celebrities closet, whose would it be?
Huh. Idk. This one is hard for me... maybe Reese Witherspoon or Katie Holmes... but i'd have to save the clothes for when i'm skinny! ;)

4. Would you rather have more followers/friends on your blog, facebook or twitter?
This really does not concern me at all. If i had to choose one, i'd say my blog, because i don't twitter (tweet?) & i have wayyyy too many friends on Facebook as it is! HA! I am not concerned with the number of followers on my blog because i'd blog even if i only had  5 followers. That being said, i do love getting to know my blogger friends & many of them feel like people that should be living in my own neighborhood! What great friends some of you have become!

5. What makes you feel sexy?
Hmmm - after getting my hair done - it's all soft & flowy & styled "right". There is a certain dress i got to wear on our cruise & another one i have that i wore at a ball - that just flatter me perfectly & that is so rare - yes - those dresses definitely make me feel sexy!

6. I get excited when...
There's a day off work coming, when we have a date night planned, having friends over, planning vacations, when the number on the scale is smaller than what i expected...

7. Are you the "outdoorsy" type or more "indoorsy"?
Mostly an indoors kinda girl. Though i do love it outside when it's nice & springy. I like picnics & walks & such. But lately i have wanted to spend more time out. i haven't been hiking or camping in many years & that sounds kinda fun! But overall i've always preferred the indoors - it's just within the last year or so that i'm starting to wanna be outside more.

8. Would you rather your dream home or a million bucks?
Million bucks! Because my dream home wouldn't cost NEAR a million bucks, so i'd have lots leftover! ;)

Your turn! Head on over to MannLand5 to join in!

My Saturday...

Today was a wonderful day. This morning I got up & met my friend Jenn at the Farmer's Market downtown. You can see more pics & read more about my little Farmer's Market Field Trip here. Basically, i've been meaning to go & i finally did. =) It was fun! I enjoyed it & will definitely be making more trips out there!

me & jenn at the Red Stick Farmer's Market =)

After that, i ran to Bed Bath & Beyond to pick up a wedding gift for my friend's wedding tonight & a shower gift for a friend's shower that's in a couple of weeks. I loved what i got! Also, i had an old gift card from there in my wallet - from OUR wedding. I thought those things expired after a year, but they don't - woohoo! Well, not THAT much was left on it - just $11, but hey! Better than nothing! I ran to Old Navy after that because I need some black shirts to wear at my new part-time job at the Manship... I only have one black shirt, other than t-shirts (can't wear those to work). & I am SO glad i went in Old Navy, rather than buying them at Lane Bryant. LB can be WAY too expensive! They have awesome coupons at times, though. I was going to get me 2 shirts from LB b/c i got a coupon for $20 off $40, & so i thought i'd get 2 $20 shirts for $20 - um, no, all the shirts were 34.50 or 39.50. That's dumb! I went in Old Navy & got 1 for $10 & 1 for $12. MUCH BETTER! =)

Hubby & I went for a walk when i got home. YAY. Then we just relaxed until time to get ready for my friend's wedding. Her wedding was beautiful. Liz is a good friend of mine that i met in my first show at BRLT, Beauty & the Beast. (She played Babette!) Anyway, I am so glad i got to go to her wedding. It was nice. And i got to spend a little time with some other theatre friends (who i also met during B&B!). We had a good time.

My friends Chris & Mary - they are getting married in December! =) 

My friends Randy & Ronald! Love them!

Me & hubby. =)

One of me & Mary. =)

And one of me & the beautiful bride, sweet Liz. I love her!

After the wedding, hubby & i had planned to go to Barnes & Noble. But gosh - we were SO uncomfortable! HA! Brad hates wearing ties & i hate wearing heels & all that other stuff we women wear to make ourselves feel our best... ugh... I was awfully uncomfortable. We went home & got in comfy clothes & went back to Barnes & Noble. We had a good time together. I love my husband!!

Tomorrow we're going to my parent's for lunch after church. YAY. =)

Hope your weekend was happy too!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Five Question Friday


Time for Mama M's Five Question Friday!!! Woo-hoo! =)

Here are the questions:

1. What words do you use on your blog/online that you don't use in real life?
Well, i don't normally go around saying "IDK" & "LOL" - Haha. Other than that, i pretty much write exactly how I talk. I would say there are more words i use in real life that i don't use in my blog!

2. Do you still write checks?
Hmm. Only to the groomer & for some bills, really. Anywhere that doesn't take a debit card. For most things, I use my debit card. I don't use a credit card at all. I don't even have one. Though i will say "credit" if they say "credit or debit?" because it's wayyy better security-wise.

3. Who was your favorite president & why?
Blerg. Uh...yeah. I don't know. Lincoln?

4. Are you a yeller?
NO. And i am against it. I don't like it. Sure, i yell on occasion at work or something to let out a frustration. But i don't yell AT people. And they better not yell at me. (Though they do - at work - on the phone. It doesn't work.) Yelling doesn't resolve ANYTHING. It only makes me furious &/or upset. A lot of times it makes me cry (because i cry when i'm furious &/or upset.) I am sad for households that yell. And i know what it's like because growing up - well, there was a lot of yelling going on. Not so much anymore, thankfully!Anyway, yeah. I don't yell. And you shouldn't either. Instead, deal with the issues that cause you to be a yeller. Because yeah - i think there are definitely issues there (not if you're just having a bad day - i mean if it's a constant all the time thing for you to fly off the handle!).

5. Have you ever dumpster dived?
Um, wow. LOL. No? I don't even believe i've heard this term before. But i've never dived in a dumpster, if that's what you mean. ;)

Your turn! Answer these in your own blog & then hop on over to My Little Life & add your link to the blog hop!

Fill in the Blank Friday!


I love Fridays & this is one of the reasons. Fill in the Blank Friday. My favorite. If you want to join in, just answer the below questions in your own blog & then head on over to the little things we do to add your link to the blog hop!

1. The first thing i do in the mornings is turn off my alarm & think about how i wish it wasn't time to get up yet.

2. Every night before bed I set my alarm on my cell phone, plug it in to charge it & usually read a couple chapters from the novel i'm reading. Depending on how sleepy i am.

3. My favorite thing to do when i'm having a bad day is get some quiet me-time, whether it's by getting in the bed with a novel or going to get a pedi. Also, a hug from my husband works wonders.

4. Something that makes me cringe is when some of my fellow Christians act all self-righteous, hypocritical or judgy. Kinda makes me sick. And mad.

5. Social situations can be a bit nerve-wracking if i don't know anyone. And if i have nothing to wear. And sometimes i'm just not in the outgoing mood that i need to be in. Sometimes i'd rather stay home.

6. I like to collect books, if that counts. I also love to get cookbooks, and notecards or stationery.

7. Weekends are for relaxing & for having time with family & friends. Also, for getting re-charged before Monday.


That's all! Your turn! And happy weekend!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Thursday Five!



So, there's a new meme in blogland. It's only the 3rd week, i think. It's Thursday 5 with Mannland5! I love it! This is a time to look back over the week & share 5 things that happened to make you feel:

Happy
Giddy
Grateful
Joyful
Elated
Appreciative
or all of the above. :)

I really like it. A time to remember all the GOOD things that happened that week. So here are my five.

1. The IT guy at work fixing a problem at work that i've had FOREVER. WHEW! Finally.
(Now i have a huge project ahead of me. But at least the issue is resolved!)

2. Meeting a TON of new really cool really kind people at my new little part-time job. I got a (VERY) part-time job at a theatre here & went to training last night. It was fun! i was VERY tired, but i enjoyed it & met a lot of great people. This is especially cool because i can be very shy on first days at places with tons of new people. But they were all really easy to get to know. =)

3. Getting to spend time with my dear friend Shannon! We hung out for my first few years of theatre & then I didn't hear from her in forever. Funny that we were both single as could be then (not that long ago) & now are both married! Anyway, she trained me for my job last night & i LOVED getting to catch up with her!

4. Being invited to dinner at the in-laws (tonight)! Oh & this is sort of seperate but i'm running into my limit of 5 - also cooking a very delicious dinner! It was a hit!

5. Finish the series "Seasons of Grace" by Beverly Lewis - SOOO GOOD! & started "A Bride Most Begrudging" by Deanna Gist which i am also enjoying!


So that's my 5! Your turn! =) (Don't forget to go to MannLand5 to link up!

Questions Questions - YAY!

Yesterday, due to extreme boredom, i posted on facebook my formspring link & told all my FB friends to ask me something. Well, ask they did. Of course, wouldn't you know it, when i got questions, i got busy at work. So here i am answering them the next day. But still - thanks for the questions!! =)

Here they are:

1.) What is your favorite memory?
From childhood, all my favorite memories are of family vacations. We didn't take them every year but I am lucky that we did go on them several times & those are some great memories! I also remember the summers from about age 9 to 12 - I would explore the woods behind my house with some neighborhood friends - what fun we had exploring!

The more recent memories i can share - of course are with my sweet husband! I have so many wonderful memories of us just talking together laughing until we can't stop. These are times when we are supposed to be going to SLEEP but we just start talking about stuff & get to being silly & giggling. I love it. I told someone once that married life is like a never ending slumber party with your best friend. I still believe that. =)

Honeymoon - 11/2008

More specifically, my favorite memories have to be some days i have already shared in this blog - When Brad said "I do" too quickly in our wedding vows (cutting the pastor off!), when we spent the whole day relaxing on Passion Island in Cozumel (during our honeymoon cruise), when we took a walk & exchanged wedding gifts to each other the morning after our wedding at our bed & breakfast. Aw, such sweet memories. =)


2.) What is the one place in the world that you wish you could go to but haven't gone yet?

Ooh, fun question! I really love to travel. It's just hard saving for it, especially when there are other things you need to spend/save your money for. But if i had the money right now, i would book a trip to...

HAWAII!

Oh yes. How beautiful! I used to consider it a tourist trap for some reason - but i have changed my thoughts after talking to someone about their vacation there. Oh, i want to go!!!

I also would love to visit...

Scotland!
Or Ireland, or England, anywhere over there really. =)

I really could go on & on with this post. Because i want to see the world. I would love to see China & India & Africa & Nova Scotia & Greece & so many other places ...haha. I could go on & on. I also would love to see all of the U.S. I am constantly thinking that i'd love to visit Charlotte, North Carolina or Savannah, Georgia. I'm not sure why, really. They just sound like places right up my alley. Kinda strange i haven't gone yet as i have cousins over in North Carolina. One day!


The next two questions are kind of random! HA! But i'll put them anyway.

3.) Should i watch this movie "I love you man"? It's on & i have nothing to do...
Hmmmm... i have a guess of who wrote this!!! But anyway - i have no clue because i've never seen it. =P

4.) What is your view on birth control?
Um, wow. Yeah. Um, i am in full support of birth control! HA! This is a wierd question for me because i don't have a strong viewpoint either way. People use a variety of methods of birth control. Other people don't use any at all & just have as many children as the Lord blesses them with. I definitely use it as it is what is right for us. =) I am not really one to judge how you do it. It's kind of between you & your husband & God. I don't believe there is a RULE one way or the other. I believe it is up to the couple. (Unless of course you are unmarried - then i do have strong opinions. But i don't really wanna go there in my blog. Although if you're curious, leave a comment & i'll email you an answer!) =)


Thanks for the questions!! If you have one for me, either ask it here or just type it in the little question box in my sidebar. Don't forget to add your name if you want me to say who asked it! Otherwise, it will be anonymous.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Blerg.

I have absolutely 100% nothing to blog about. I am bored. All my work is done for the moment (lots to do but waiting on other people!). Anyway.

First - Ask me some more questions! Pretty please! So i will have something to blog about!! ;) You can ask them in the little box in my sidebar. It's completely anonymous, so if you want me to leave a link for your blog when i answer the question, then please add who you are after the question!

Second - I left my breakfast & my cell phone at home this morning. I am doing so good with this healthy lifestyle thing but i have to eat breakfast! I never have time before i leave, plus i am not at all in the mood to eat that early. So i usually eat it at my desk around 8 or 8:30. Oops. Forgot it today. I did find one of my low calorie mini pizzas in the freezer at work. So that's what i had. Not very breakfast-y. But i was starving.

Third - My schedule is about to get real busy! All fun stuff, but i'm just saying. I took another job at the Manship Theatre. It's closer to home & it pays!! It's VERY part-time. Kind of like, only if i feel like it part-time. ;) But it's extra cash so i'm going for it. I will work as a House Manager some nights & as a Rep other nights. HM's work the lobby area & such during a concert. Reps work backstage - kinda help out with anything that the performing artist needs. This isn't a community theatre. It's just a nice place downtown that has concerts & dances & plays & art & such all the time. So it'll always vary. So that's cool. Tonight i'm going for my first night of training. My dear friend Shannon works there & i haven't hung out with her in ages, so i'm thrilled about that. But it's a long day! 7:30-4:00 today at work & then i have to be there by 4:45 & i have no idea how late i will be there. I'm thinking kinda late because tonight's artist is a singer & her concert is 7:30-9:30. I'm training for the Rep position & Reps are the first ones in & the last ones out. EEK! I am going to be SO TIRED tomorrow! HA!

I am also considering (well, it's pretty much decided) putting every dime i get from the Manship towards that last debt that i owe (student loans). That would be awesome. I would be so proud of me. And then i could start saving for that house!! =)

Fourth - Remember that crazy schedule i told you about? Well, i just feel like typing it out because my brain is kinda swimming with it all right now. So here we go. (Obviously i'm not including my usual - daily work of 7:30-4:00 & church on Sundays):

April 14 - tonight - training at the Manship
April 15 - dinner at the in-laws. Yipee!
April 16 - possibly having some friends over for dinner. Yipee again!
April 17 - morning - visit farmer's market with my friend Jenn. YIPEE!!
April 17 - evening - my good friend's wedding! Double yipee! (Ok, i'm stopping w/ the yipees now. Just know i'm excited about pretty much all of it.)
April 22 - training at the Manship, take 2.
April 24 - morning/afternoon - family reunion
May 1 - morning - Walk like Madd (5k, good thing i can WALK it!)
May 1 - afternoon - my friend Megan's wedding shower
May 6 - work adult vocal auditions for Sound of music
May 8 - double-booked - work children's auditions for Sound of Music - or go to sister's BBQ? (Not really double-booked, just don't know which i will be doing yet.)
May 9 - work dance auditions for Sound of Music
May 10 - work callbacks for Sound of Music
May 16 - begin rehearsals for Sound of Music.

WHEW!!!! & that does not even include some other friends we want to have for dinner one night or my May Manship schedule! (Haven't gotten that yet.) Woohoo!

Getting crazy this summer, i suppose!

Fifth (or last but not least) - American Idol last night. I saved this for last so those of you who could care less can just stop reading here. :) I missed last week so i missed all the drama with Mike almost getting sent home. I was surprised though! Anyway, this week was pretty good (i mean considering this is not the best AI season.). Crystal was AWESOME. Crystal, Lee, Mike - those are my favorites. Then Casey. Then Katie/Aaron/Tim - in that order, i think. This was my FIRST TIME to LIKE Tim. My mom hated it & usually we're on the same page. So I don't know. Siobhan is no longer one of my favorites. She screams. Everyone is in awe of that & i don't get it. There is nothing pretty about it. Yes, she can hold a note out FOREVER & that rocks, but does it have to be a screaming note. They shouldn't have raved about it because now she tries it all the time & i HATE IT. It is NOT good. Anyway, she has dropped to one of my least favorites. Though i like her as a person. Who does that leave? ANDREW. I am glad someone sang "hound dog" that is my dad's favorite Elvis song! HAHA. But i wish it had been someoen cool. I am SO READY FOR ANDREW TO GO!!!! AHHHHH!
OK, so that's all! Now head on over to formspring & ask me something! ;)