My cleaning ADD June 30, 2005

Today I attempted to clean my house for the first time since the baby was born. Seriously, you could walk through my house with no shoes or socks on and have a foot full of stuff on the bottom of your feet. It was disgusting. I had so many projects I wanted to do that I really did not know where to start. I found myself starting to clean the bathroom and then needing to go downstairs for something, forget what I was doing and then start cleaning something else. Then heading back upstairs and remembering what I was originally doing. I figured this is either a normal woman thing (anyone else like this?) my brain is multi-tasking on crack speed or I have ADD with cleaning. I eventually finished some projects and have more fun cleaning to do tomorrow.

More news on the coffee thing – received an email from corporate that says they are trying to place me in the Inland Empire. I filled out an application online (different from the other one I did with the availability filled out) for part-time management. I have corresponded with this lady in a couple emails so hopefully I will hear something soon.

Seth spent the night at a friends house last night. That kid is growing up too fast. He will be starting kindergarten in August. Audrey is sick right now but she is starting preschool next week. She will be going to Crossroads Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday full day. They have an awesome summer program there with lots of fun stuff to do. Then in the fall, she will transfer to the half day program on Tuesday and Thursday. Rachel is doing well. She is getting nosier and displaying her displeasure when we are not doing what she wants. She is in the 3-6 month clothes and still has those blue eyes. (fingers crossed!) She is a load of fun to watch as she interacts with Seth and Audrey.

Went to work tonight and they wanted me to sign my paperwork for the leave. In the paperwork, it stated that I was not guaranteed the same schedule or position when I came back. So I told them that I was not going to sign it. I can tell this tested their patience. But hey, that was the deal made with corporate. Good thing I don’t have the ADD with this stuff!

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No free coffee for me – not yet! June 27, 2005

I did not hear back from the coffee store. It is always reassuring when you can’t even get a minimum wage job as a college graduate. I am assuming it was because of my availablity. Maybe later I will try again.

I just fought an interesting battle with my employer. As you know I was approved for the Family Leave Act and get paid another 4 weeks. Well, they would not let me take the leave or I would lose my job. After much calling around to the EDD (Employment Development Department) and the EOE (Equal Opportunity Employer) we discovered I was a victim of pregnancy discrimination! I left this information along with the pending claim number on a message to my HR and later heard from the head of HR who is also an attorney that my leave was approved and should I need any extra time just let them know! What a pain in the butt that was!

Sharing the good news June 22, 2005

Tonight we finished a program at our church called Alpha. It was a bible study with about 1500 people and our church served dinner. It was a great program. We sat at a table with 8 other people and had a lesson on Chrisitianity 101 and then were able to have a discussion. It was fun to get in on a small group study. Jon and I are thinking of starting one out of our home for parents. We already have two other couples wanting to join.

For me, studying the bible is something that normally gets shoved into that 3 minute span of time when I am about to fall asleep but remember that I should read the bible. Having a group study will make these stories come alive to me and help me relate God’s word to my life. I am excited. We will probably start it in the fall because the church is doing a marriage class in July and then in August they do a music concert series on Tuesday’s. I am thankful that Alpha is over because maybe I can start serving Italian again!

Some other good news is that I received a note and a check stating that I was eligible for the Family Leave Act. This is an additional 6 weeks of paid leave. My employer had told me I did not qualify for this and that I missed it by 80 hours. So I went back to work. Well, I now get the month of July off because I am finishing out the schedule there.

The news with the coffee thing is that I went to the job fair they had on Saturday. I have no idea if they will want to hire me because they made a comment about my availability. I wrote that it was Monday-Friday from 4am-9am. I told them that I spoke with one of their “partners” and that this was an available shift. Who knows? I should hear this week if they want me. I will let you know.

Happy Father’s Day June 18, 2005

I want to thank my wonderful husband for all he does for our family. He is the best father to our three kids. Thanks Jon for all your hard work and love. I know the kids love to hang out with you and play. Please enjoy today as a symbol of all you do. I love you very much and I am so thankful for you.

Have not decided yet June 17, 2005

I am thinking about going to work for the coffee store. Considering how much of my fun money I spend at the place, it would be amazing that they would actually pay me to be there. They have a 4:00am-9:00am shift that is available and I am thinking about taking it. Yes, I would be making less money and all but I would get to be home with the kids and be available to do homework with Seth when he starts school. I just don’t know. I would not be getting much sleep.
Why can’t I just relax? When I try, I just keep thinking of all the things I am not doing! I guess I just like to be busy. I think it started in high school when freshman year I said that I wanted to be the girl who had the most achievements under her name and I think I tied with three other people. I did those things all the while working at least one job, sometimes two. My high school friends can back me up here.
I just received a note from the EDD stating that I qualified for the Family Leave Act. That means I get an additional 6 weeks of paid time off. I better tell my work that I am not planning on coming back.

Getting together with the girls

Last night was my once a month girl’s night. I am always in awe in how awesome it is to have a great group of girlfriends. It is nice to get a break and just relax.
We celebrated Andrea’s birthday with a big cooking bash. We broke out the wine and the Pampered Chef stoneware and recipes and had a blast. I have pictures coming. Don’t worry ladies – I won’t show the ones where you flashed me. (Seriously – if you want to see these – I will email you) You can pay the blackmail directly to Starbucks!
I am looking forward to next month when my fave movie comes out – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and I can celebrate going into my thirties. Yikes!

Sucked in by the bonsai kitten June 13, 2005

Okay – I admit it. I was sucked in by one of those emails – you know the kind. Now I never signed one or forwarded one on and never will – but I did get sick to my stomach over an email a friend from MOPS sent me. It was about cruelty to kitties and how this website crammed kittens into jars and molded their bodies into the shape of the jar. They fed them by inserting feeding tubes and put a catheter in to help with elimination.
I went to this website and really believed that they did these horrible things. Yes, I have not fully gone to full throttle in the brain department yet. I was telling Jon about it and he would not believe me. (He is so smart!) He insisted that the photos might be altered. He then asked if I went to snopes. NOPES!
Boy did I feel stupid. I showed Jon this website and he laughed for like twenty minutes – okay, not really twenty minutes. Have a good laugh on me today and check out the website. I don’t know how to link yet but it is http://www.bonsaikitten.com

Growing old gracefully June 12, 2005

I just love old people that still have some life in them. No I am not talking about a heartbeat! I am talking about those old people that still have some spunk left in them. My grams was this way. She still was crawling on the floor playing with her great grandkids until the day she died. She was quite the spitfire!
I met one of those lovely ladies this weekend at a family gathering on Jon’s side. She was verly lively and animated – I just love it. Her grandkids and future great-grandkids are so lucky to have her around. I hope that when I get old I can keep my ailments to myself and enjoy life and the people in it. Any of you all still have a grandparent this way that makes you smile?

First day back at work June 9, 2005

I returned to the lovely world of waitressing at my restaurant today to find that nothing has really changed in five months. I really did not want to go this morning because Audrey started to cry and tell me that she did not want me to go to work. That was a really rough way to start the day.
Customer service jobs suck. Plain and simple – waitressing even more so because people judge you on your “performance.” Some people just give a certain amount no matter what you do. We have one at my place – he is called five buck Juan. No matter how much the bill is (normally around $200 for his family of 6) he always leaves 5 dollars. Luckily, I have never had him in my section – I am always in good with the hostess staff.
I just checked out a hilarious book called Waiting – The true confessions of a waitress. Good book for any of you that have had a waitressing job – so true. For those of you who have not been “blessed” with a service job, check it out anyway because it gives good insight into the restaurant industry and it is a funny, fast read.

Learning to cry it out June 7, 2005

We have reached that point where Rachel is learning how to comfort herself. She is nearly 2 months old and the easy-going personality is still there however, now instead of napping on her terms, they are on mine.
We have done this for the last two kids but this time it is harder. I think it is because I know I am not doing this baby thing again. It just sucks to hear her cry. Though, I know she needs to learn to fall asleep on her own – it is agony to hear her cry. I mean, it has been hours – no, I guess, just 15 minutes.
If we never learn how to comfort ourselves then we can never be comfortable when left alone. Now I know several people like that and to each his own. I know when I get some alone time that it refreshes me and I am ready to take on the world again (or just the laundry).