Weekend recap

Another weekend flew by and to be quite honest, I hardly remember it; we try to squeeze so much into a 2-day period that it just goes by quicker than a person can blink!

Friday night was carry out night. It was cool and rainy and quite frankly, depressing out. We ordered some Go Roma and Big J, E and I sat down to watch Sand Lot (Big J has been bored by "kiddie" movies, so PG movies here we come .... God help me). He loved it.

Saturday morning was "Mommy and boys" morning. We got ready and went to Starbucks over by the train station. Big J tried the sample pumpkin latte and flipped out because it was so good ... I am doomed. We watched the trains and ate our muffins and then walked over to the Farmer's Market. Big J picked out some veggies for the soup I would be making and one of each type of apple that he saw. :) We headed over to the Party Store to start looking for costume ideas: Big J is going to be a cowboy. Little j? Well, he detests hats and hoods so we are trying to come up with an idea that can do without those. Then it was off to Home Depot to pick up some mums to replace the sad looking impatiens on the front porch.

Saturday afternoon I went to a friend's house for a Tastefully Simple party. I ordered just a few things and it was nice to be on my own for a couple hours (until I came home and saw the house in MASSIVE upheaval ... is it that hard to clean up after 2 children for two freaking hours? I do it, why can Dad not do it?!?!?!??). We went to Durty Nellie's (one of my faves) for dinner and the start of the ND game (since my Alma mater cannot seem to win a stinkin football game to save their lives, I will hope that ND can pull out a few wins this season). A bowl of chili and beer started the evening off pretty nicely. Another trip to Home Depot on the way home (only to see Big J run around in the garden center and trip on the gravel and bust up his elbow ... poor little dude!) and then home to the couch to see the end of ND beating Purdue!

Sunday we went to Mass and then to Einsteins to grab some pumpkin bagels and Autumn roast coffee and then we went to my Uncle's house to watch the Bears game and eat some food. The boys behaved pretty well, Big J always enjoys hanging out with his great uncle ... it is his surrogate Grandpa S when we cannot be in Florida!!!!!!

Where did the weekend go????????

So, it is back to the usual crap I deal with Monday through Friday. Listening to bosses whine too much, clients bitch too much and wishing I was inherently wealthy. I am hoping that my week can go by pretty quickly (although, with 2 days - in a row - in this office, it could make for a slow go. At least I am finally getting my hair cut and colored on Thursday. I am embarrassed to go out looking like this any longer!!!!

My goal of the week? Pick out a web hosting company and start building the website. That isn't too lofty of an idea is it?

(Oh yea .... About the Sand Lot movie. So, we reminded Big J about the language used by some of the kids that he watched. He said that he understood. So, on Saturday he was on the phone telling my Dad about the movie and this is what I hear: "so, Grandpa, then the little boy takes the ball and runs away from the dog and yells 'oh SHIT!'" Both my Dad and I stopped, tried to quell our laughter and tell Big J that he shouldn't repeat those words. For the next hour he kept saying, 'Please don't tell Dad that I said a bad word ... I didn't mean too!'")

Find a starting point and go with it

I need to get back into the swing of things - and quickly.



I am falling into the traps of routine .... and I cannot afford that.



I have been talking about getting my business up and running for months now, and I am still not up and running.



I have been waiting on my sister to finalize my logo ... not done.



I have to choose my host company to create my website ... not done.



I have to get the logos made so I can order some business cards ... not done.



WTF?!?!?!??!



How do I expect myself to ever get out of this dead-end, crap-ass job of mine if I do not create a future for myself???



And what is with my utter EXHAUSTION lately? Seriously, I could go lay down at any point in time throughout the day and just pass out.



I feel like I am getting fatter by the day, lazier by the hour and crabbier by the minute. Did I not just go on a "refresher" weekend for myself.



I have to get my act in gear and pronto!!!!!!

Family Fun

I finally convinced E that evenings in the Summer cannot always be about working on the house. So, yesterday we packed the boys up and headed over to Twin Lakes - a golf course/park/lake.

We bought dinner and sat out on the patio ... hot dogs for the boys, grilled chicken for me (and some french fries) and a burger for E. Big J loved sitting by the water and watching the fish swim by. Little j enjoyed running around the deck for a while.

After dinner we took a paddle boat ride. Thank GOD we only had it for a half hour. Little j hated wearing the life jacket and pretty much screamed *screamed* the entire time. Joy.

Big J got a kick out of riding and just wanted to go faster!

After the peaceful and quiet (HA HA HA) boat ride we bought the boys ice cream cones and walked around for a bit. It was actually a fun evening.

I worked on my logos for the business for a bit when we got back and then I called it a night .....

I am SO ready for the weekend!!!!

I need a PERMENANT VACATION!

Another glorious 4 1/2 day weekend has come and gone way too quickly.

Thursday was another early start for me. I was up and out of the house by 5:15. But ... DONE with my appointments at 10:00!

So, I spent most of Thursday mowing the lawn, weeding, etc. I also got the house prepared (somewhat ... with all of our demolition and construction mess, it wasn't so easy!) for my parents arrival on Friday.

I met a girlfriend for coffee after Spin and grocery on Friday morning, and I realized just how much I loved creating my own schedule. This was how it used to be before I was thrust into this 24-7 work role. I talked about my future endeavors with her and it felt good to be talking about something for myself.

I went home, cleaned the rest of the house, got the boys ready and headed out o the airport to pick up my Mom and Dad. Big J was so excited he could hardly sit still. They arrived, we headed to Corner Bakery for a snack and then home to hang out. The boys were ecstatic.

Unfortunately, E had to work at a nearby Summer festival that evening, so it was just my parents and I with the boys (maybe that was a fortunate turn???!). We decided to fore-go dinner out, we ordered a pizza, opened a bottle of wine and enjoyed out evening. I miss them being around!

We had the wedding on Saturday ... my MIL came to watch the boys for us. We had a good time - realized that some of my extended family really and truly are TPT ... but, then again, I think we have known this all the time! E and my parents actually got along quite well this trip ... that was LOVELY! I crashed in my parents' room since I drank a few throughout the day.

On Sunday we took the boys to the Festival that E was working at ... I let Big J ride a few rides and hang out with E and then we headed to the house. When E got home we all cleaned up and headed out for a nice Italian dinner.

The boys behaved BEAUTIFULLY ... I think I stole someone else's children for the evening! It was such a nice night out for all of us ... it was a shame to know that my parents were leaving so quickly in the morning. :(

Big J had a horrible time dropping off Grandma and Grandpa at the airport. I do believe his words were, "I want my Grandma and Grandpa back!" He sobbed with his head in his hands ... heavy, adult-like sobs. It truly broke my heart.

I had decided that since these good-byes were getting harder each time, to take the day off. When we got home I put little j to bed, filled up the pool and Big J and I had a pool-side day. I grabbed a beer, some Doritoes and watermelon and we ate junk food and swam and burned our shoulders to a crisp. It was simply AWESOME.

At the end of the day I thought about it all and realized that is what I want. I want to be there with my kids ... more than just a vacation day every few months. That is why I want to create the new business. That is why, even if I get fired, I will not miss my hellish job. My kids. They drive me nuts and I want to strangle them some times.... but mostly. I love being around them and just being Mommy.

I so hope something starts to culminate soon. I need to get hot. As I sit here in this hell-hole of an office, taking phone calls that no one else can take and watch my children on the day-care-cam, I realize that I have grown to truly and 100% hate this place. I can honestly say that I have no friends here anymore. The ones that I did have? Well, after seeing that they have stolen business from me and talked shit? I have no friends. I work for myself and that is IT. Its funny how something so great can become so bad in such a short period of time.

I know that the right thing will happen at the right time. I just hope it is soon. I am ready for a permanent vacation from this place ... and I want it to be on MY terms ... not theirs.

Decision

A Thought Outside the Box ...

My new company name.

More info to follow!

Any thoughts?

Here are some ideas I have for me company name ... any thoughts (good or bad)?????

Outside the Box
Baskets, Boxes and Bows
It’s in the Bag
Think Outside the Box
BasketCase
Bas.ket.ol.o.gy
Spoiled Rotten A Gift Basket Boutique
The Unique Boutique
Packages and Bows
Tied Up with String
Without Tags

Playing Catch-Up

So, I have been gone for a few weeks. Vacation (yippee!) and then returning to work (poop!) ... well, I have yet to figure out which direction I am heading! Why is it that a break always leads to chaos????

Anyway .... I will catch ya'll up soon ... in the meantime I am narrowing down names for me company and dreaming of the day I say .....

"I quit."

Thoughts, revelations and a big leap of faith

Random thoughts .... in no particular order:



My family will be here in 3 days! Yahoo Mountain Dew! I am psyched. I also have a 5 day weekend coming up ... praise God!


I just walked outside for my lunch break. It is BEAUTIFUL!!! I deem it a "why-oh-why-can't-I-be-a-stay-at-home-mom-Day." I have to sit in this nasty office for FOUR more hours ..... I am going to die!


Speaking of lunch (like my sedge way?) I just opened a bag of new Baked Lays Southwestern Ranch. They have been redeemed!!! I was just thinking about how the plain ones were starting to taste like cardboard ... these, well, ... YUMMY!!!!!!

So, I sit, and I eat my Lean Cuisine Chicken Ranch Flat bread Wrap, Southwestern Ranch Baked Lays and drink my Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper (addicted, yes) and listen to the thoughts in my head about my new venture in life .... a business. A massive leap of faith.

For quite some time I had been trying to find a way to make money doing things I love to do. One thing I love to do is make gift baskets. Not a basket filled with crap, but. unique, themed, cool gift "baskets." Well, my youngest sister is in the process of starting an event planning business. We were talking and I am going to piggy back onto her. I can attach my website (um - I think I need to come up with a product first) to hers and see where it takes me ..... Who knows. Maybe some day I can quit.

And, ha ha, dear readers (whoever you may be ... if any at all), you are the first, besides my sister, to actually know about this. I played around with it in my head for a few weeks ... but I am actually going to do this!!! Yeah!

I actually think I am going to take the plunge. Put some money into myself and my talents and hope that God gives me some help. I have to believe in myself (I am not very good at that, you see) and know that I have what it takes.

I think.