Farm Chicks Show this Weekend!!

I am so excited!! Not only do I get to go to the show, but I finally get to have my hair done again! I go so long between appointments because my stylist and best friend lives in Spokane and I can't always justify a 2.5 hour trip to do my hair. Well I can justify it to myself, just not the hubs. hehe I cannot wait to shop and ogle the pretties!

Last weekend was the Carrie Underwood concert... Which was amazing! I had so much fun, and she puts on such a good show. I'm pretty sure we would be bffs in real life. Oh well. And the shoes she was wearing were gorgeous!

Time for me to go workout. I need Jillian to come live with me for a few months, we would not be bffs, but at least she would get my butt into shape!

I planned to blog today..

 I haven't been on the computer long enough to do much of anything lately, and I really planned to sit down and entertain you all with my fabulous musings; I got side tracked. Sorry. I was catching up with the blogs I follow, and getting sucked in to reading blogs they linked to and, well, here I am now.

Work is crazy. It is busy and easy at the same time. The easy part bothers me. I like to be challenged. I need to be challenged, and so far it just isn't happening. I was scared at first; my new co-workers were telling me how hard it is, how there aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish what they ask of us etc. But I haven't had that problem yet. I guess the hardest part is the directors expecting me to create results out of nothing, with no money. Hmmm, not sure how I am suppose to make that work, but I am making a plan.

The kids and hubs are good. I'm good. Things are different. It is weird being away all day, I still am not use to that. We have looked at a few houses, and if all goes right may be getting one by the end of the year. Fingers crossed!

You would think after a month with nothing to say I would have something! Sorry. I will do better next time, promise!

Why did the chicken cross the road...?

....so he wouldn't catch my cold! I am miserable. Stuffed up, throat hurts, back aches miserable. I think the worst part about being sick is waking up; first thing in the morning my symptoms are more pronounced and that makes me feel horrible. Plus I finally found a church here that I like, and was so looking forward to going this morning, but now I can't. I'm bummed.

Work is going ok. It is far more political than I thought it would be which is draining. But I adore my clients and look forward to advocating for them. I do not enjoy being away from the kiddos though. I feel like I get very little time with them now and it's sad. But I know in the long run this is going to afford us tons more opportunities with them so I am going to stick it out.

I have also decided to go back to school. I am going to take online classes to finish up and get my BS in Social Sciences. Things will be busy for me, but I think I can do it. Time will tell!

In which I earn a paycheck!!

I got a job!!! I started last week, and things have been crazy busy since then. I am a little torn about it though. I miss the kids like crazy while I am gone, and most nights get about 3 hours with them before they are off to bed. I only see the hubs in passing, and I am afraid this is something I won't be able to keep up with long term. I am hopeful though that things will settle down with our schedules and we will be able to work something out.

With the way the economy is going, I feel blessed to have gotten hired. This is going to open so many doors for us. We are avid Dave Ramsey followers, and just weren't making much headway on the hubs salary. But throwing everything I make at our debt, we will be free in 4 years, and that includes our mortgage! I cannot even begin to explain how freeing that feels. Of course to accomplish this in 4 years we would have to be ultra strict, and I don't quite see that happening so I figure it is more likely 5 or 6. But either way it happens, and I am good with that!

We are taking the kids to see Walking with the Dinosaurs on Saturday. I think I may be just as excited as they are. The commercials for it look so amazing! They have been getting their own lessons in money lately. We started having them earn commission on chores, and they seem to really enjoy having their own money to spend on extras. Right now they are saving up to buy souvenirs at the show. It's funny how the second they complete a task they are right at our feet with their little hands out! I wish my pay day worked that way! 

I have finally gotten the family on board with eating better. As we finish up the junk food in the house, I am replacing it with clean, healthy alternatives. Big Boy is still a bit resistant, and told the hubs yesterday he was going to throw all the healthy food away, but I think we are making progress. He even eats broccoli now! Hopefully this will help me stay on track too. Over the hubs vacation we ate out a lot, and even the food made at home wasn't so great so I managed to completely sabotage myself and between the horrid eating and failure to work out I gained back all I had lost. It is a bit discouraging, but it also helps to motivate me not to slip up. I don't want to see all my hard work undone again.

Vacation!!

No where exciting. Unless you count staying home as exciting, but nevertheless the hubs has been on vacation for 10 days, and has 10 or so more to go! It has been so nice having him around, and getting a break from all the household responsibilities has been relaxing. I am not looking forward to him going back.

In other news, I finally got an interview. They are checking my references and background and I have a feeling if all goes well I will be offered the job! Hopefully my feeling is correct.

My clean eating has been somewhat sporadic the past few weeks, and my workouts have been nonexistent, but  I am back on track eating wise. The workouts will probably wait until the hubs goes back to work. But we have been walking everyday so I count that!

We are getting ready to put our house on the market. I am so over being a landlord. Hopefully it sells quickly but with the market the way it is, who knows. What I do know is I look forward to getting it sold and finding a new home here!

So much going on, I am sure I am forgetting something.

Three more days....

till our 6 year wedding anniversary! Six years, I can hardly believe it. We were married at 19, two years after we had our daughter and I was pregnant with our son. I am certain most in our extended family didn't expect us to last. And if I am honest I even wondered sometimes if we were making the wisest choice. We've made it so far! Sure we have had our difficult times, but everyone experiences those, and it is coming out the other end that has strengthened us.

I am so looking forward to the next 60 years with him. Raising our babies, planning our future and spending every day trying to love him more than I already do.

Listening to the scanner is bad for my health.

I should be in bed already, but the hubs got in a pursuit and I am glued to the scanner. Why would anyone think it is a good idea to run from the cops?

Tomorrow I have jury duty. My first time ever and I am dreading it. I mean really, I have much better things to do with my time then fulfill a civic duty. ;-) Like bake cookies. I am sure my children would agree that is a much better use of my time! Oh well, I am sure I will get released due to a certain sexy person I am married to and his job which helps  make me biased!


Or I will get chosen and serve my civic duty for 3 days. I guess they don't care much about who you're married to when it is a civil lawsuit!

Letting go of Fear

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

I have been struggling with fear and discouragement lately. I was passed over for a job, which would have been perfect for us. I haven't heard back from another. And I feel like a FAILURE.  With all the violence against officers lately the hubs leaving for work is a huge source of fear for me. HUGE. Sometimes I don't even get to sleep until he is home, which leaves me exhausted. I worry about the world our babies are growing up in. Will there even be a safe place for them when they are older?

But, I know that God is there and  I am trying to give my fear and failures to him. Trying but not quite succeeding...yet. It definitely has a grip on me. So I turn to this verse, this silly little verse that my babies memorized for bible camp and still run around the house saying. And I cry. Because sometimes that's what it takes. I have to break down and realize I can't handle this by myself.

So today I am letting go.

I need to use my camera more!

I love reading everyones blogs, where they include photos of their life or other things which interest them. And everyone seems to have such great photo taking abilities, where as my camera is always set to auto. I have just never taken the time to figure the darn thing out! I guess now that everything is starting to green up it is time to learn!

I just finished my second day with Miss Jillian Michaels. I think she hates me. I don't know why, I think I am pretty likable, but she insists on making things painful for me. Yesterday we Banished Fat together and today we Shredded like no ones business! My arms are shaking and my thighs hurt, and yet I keep coming back for more. Oh well, I'm a glutton for punishment I suppose!

Tomorrow my husband will be attending a retirement party for one of his coworkers. Unfortunately that means he will be running into a badge bunny* who has been pursuing him. And I will be sitting in a Love and Logic course so I can't be there to glare at her ;-). I just don't get it. There are plenty of single troopers on the force, why my husband? He thinks it is harmless, that she is just being friendly, but I am a woman, and I know the games some women play. I know I have nothing to worry about and I trust him completely. Is it bad to hope she eats some bad eggs or something in the morning and can't make it!?

*Badge Bunny: A female that goes out only with cops and firemen.

Whew!

I don't know what it is. I haven't had much going on lately, but I feel like I have been going non stop! I do have a little to brag about though! I have been eating clean using this book for 2 weeks and have lost 9 lbs. I'm sure it is from the initial shock to my body that I am not subsisting on carbs and dairy, but I'll take it! I never lose weight this fast, normally 9 lbs would take me 3+ months. I had my husband and children all weigh themselves to make sure the scale hadn't broken before I did my happy dance!

Next week I am going to start incorporating some workouts, and in March the hubs and I are staring P90X again. I totally recommend it. You don't see much move on the scale, but the measuring tape sure shows that it is working. It is hard, and I can't do it unless the hubs is with me and pushing me, but I feel great afterward.

Sill on the look out for a bulldog puppy. The hubs ripped out a photo of one and posted it on the fridge for me. Sometimes to screw with him I talk to it in a puppy voice! And I renamed our cat Roscoe, which is what I will call my dog when I get it. Everyone in the house looks at me like I'm crazy, maybe that will persuade them to just get me a puppy already!

Had to share this

In which I try to not lose my mind

I am applying for a job. I have not worked for the past 1.5 years, and I miss it. Now don't get me wrong, I love being home with my babies but there is something about work that centers me. It is only a part time job, and the hours will allow for the hubs to be home so no daycare. But I am so nervous. What if I don't get it, make a horrible first impression, or worse yet get hired and fail. My overactive imagination it taking control and I am trying fervently to reign it in. I wrote my cover letter last night, am preparing my resume and have almost completed the application. Bonus points for buying a new interview outfit too!

Saturday I turned a quarter century. I am now officially closer to 30 than 20. My husband lovingly refers to me as the older woman, his cougar... we're a month apart. My very best girlfriend came and spent the weekend with me and it was fantastic. We didn't do much, but just having her here was so very awesome.

I am becoming more domesticated as the months go on. My house is clean now at least 95% of the time, which is a major improvement! Laundry is still the bane of my existence. I'm working on that. I have yet to sew anything impressive, baby steps.

Think human resources will judge me if I show up in harness boots?

New Year... already?

So I'm a little late to the party. Had to make my grand entrance you know! I have deep cleaned my house, including ridding it of junk food. Cleaned out clothes we no longer wear and pulled out the work out DVDs. I am ready!

Resolutions you ask? To be kinder and more forgiving. One of my major flaws is holding a grudge so I am going to work on that. Of course working out and eating better is on the list, but only because I resolve to do it and then never do!

I am going to post at least once a week. Not a big deal, I know. But when you are a sahm in a town where you know very few people it helps. I find when I get lonely if I post and then go read others blogs I feel more connected. As strange as that sounds.