Job Update

I love this Christmas card that Allison from Stampin When I Can sent me. The colors remind of when it snows at night it is so peaceful looking. She used the Cuttlebug snowflake folder on the blue background layer and the chalk pefectly matches the paper color. The snow drifts have sparkles on them too. So pretty.

Inside Allison included a thank you note for visiting her blog. Let me just say that she has a lot of visitors and I am amazed and blessed that she included me on her card list. It's been so long since I have RAK'd her and I am happy she remembered me! Thanks Allison.

**Job Update** So many of you have asked for a job update and I keep forgeting to do it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my job. The hours are perfect and flexible enough for me to drop off my kids at school and pick them up. I get the responsibility of steering the decisions made by the entire Marketing Committee.

For example, once the committee agrees upon a Marketing initiative then it is up to me to implement the plan and bring back a progress report each week. Right now I am working on our new WEB site and working with a company that does the creating of it and I get to say what I like and don't like and have them tweek it along the way. I am also going to start the same process for our Comcast TV commercial in March.

On a daily basis, I submit ad requests to the advertiser and give my two cents on what I want changed. These are ads that will run in three newspapers including the Chicago Tribune. (My rep for the Tribune is Fabio....every time he comes to visit me all the girls in the office get giddy...including our 80 year old receptionist. Get the typical Fabio image out of your head...my Fabio looks more like Tom Cruise.)

Then I am responsible for tracking new and closed accounts. I mail out letters almost daily and attempt to "track" why people left or how they heard about us which will help determine if the money being spent on Marketing is being used in the right areas; newspapers, TV, community support, etc.

I am also responsible for all donation requests from the local community. If the donation is approved by the committee then I am responsible for making it happen. I just finished up a Charity Drive where the bank donates $100 to a Chicagoland Charity chosen by new customers in the months of Nov and Dec. That was a nice project to do...it's always nice to give away money...esp when it's someone else's money. LOL

I work in the executive office area of the bank and I have two bosses. The main person I answer to on a daily basis is the Executive Vice President who happens to be an alumni of the school my kids attend. My other boss is the Chairman of the Board who happens to be a woman that is three years younger than me. I just found out that she graduated with my brother and knows him well....to say the least. Small world...really.

So what have I learned about working in the real world? Basically, it
cost me $5 if I want to wear a dress or skirt. Every single time I wear a
dress or skirt I ruin my panty hose. Therefore, I usually wear pants or a suit on a daily basis. LOL

Honestly, I LOVE my job and was floored to receive a Christmas bonus after only being on the job for three months. The Chairman of the Board pushed it through (part time employees don't get bonuses) and when I called her to thank her she thanked me and then said "just so you know, retirement age at the bank is 83 so don't plan on going anywhere". Let me tell you...they are going to have to push me out the door kicking and screaming.

So there is the job update for those enquiring minds. See ya on the blog!

Work and Tag...so lame...I know!

I have not even had a chance to blog this week. Between the new job (which is totally awesome) and volleyball (which is totally awesome some days) I barely have time to think! I am sooooo tired at night and my feet are killing me from wearing real shoes...no flip flops at the bank...go figure.

I promise that I will post some stampin stuff this weekend and a full report about my first week at work. I really really really like my new job.

Anyway, Laura and Gena both tagged me this week so here is some silly randomness for you to read. I tag Jacki, Trish, Nicole and Beth to share in this sill game of tag. Copy the stuff below and change the answers to suit your silly names.

1. YOUR ROCKSTAR NAME (first pet, current car): King Venture
2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME (favorite ice cream, favorite cookie): Pralines and Cream Oreo
3. YOUR FLY "GUY/GIRL" NAME (first initial first name, first 3 letters last name): Dbry
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME (favorite color, favorite animal): Red Kitten
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, city where you were born): Ann Evanston
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME (first 3 letters last name, first 2 letters first name): Bryda
7. YOUR SUPERHERO NAME (2nd favorite color, favorite drink, & add "the"): The Purple Water
8. YOUR NASCAR NAME (first names of your Grandfathers): Maurice Herbert
9. YOUR STRIPPER NAME (favorite perfume, favorite candy): Tommy Girl Twix
10. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME (Mother's & Father's middle names): Sue Kevin

Lots O Bloggin

Shwooooo....now that the crazy week from HELL is over with I have Lots O Bloggin to catch up on.

First thing on my list is the pic to the left. This is the haircut that I was wanting. See how it is longer on the sides and bobbed and stacked in the back. NOTHING like the multi short layers that I received in this pic. The good news is I don't have to wait too long for it to grow and be ready for this cut in the near future. Yeah!

Went to the bank yesterday to take my employee test. Yikes! One hour and fifteen minutes of Math, Reading, Grammar, Punctuation, Number Comparisons and "What Would You Do" scenarios regarding stealing! Talk about stress? I felt like I was doing Sarah's homework and having moral dilemas over my answers. Let's hope I am not a moron and passed the test.

On a funny note....last night at Parent Night one of the new parents said she recognized me when she walked in because she has read my blog and knew all about my haircut! Toooooo funny! {Hi Ms V if you are reading this!}

I will post more in a little bit....got some cards in the mail and my Design Team package arrived full of Halloween goodies! My brain is overflowing with ideas. I am totally diggin the challenge of getting creative with a limited amount of supplies. I might be singing a different tune later but Anna sent me some awesome stuff! Lucky me.

See ya on the blog!

Working Woman

My dilema has come to an end. Starting Sept 17th I will be working at the bank. My interview went very well yesterday and I left after two hours with an impromtu interview with two other people and I was told they would call me next week. As I pulled in my driveway my cell phone was ringing and they offered me the job because they "loved" me.

Yeah for me! I am very excited to be a working woman again...well I have always been working as a professional volunteer but it's going to be nice to get paid for what I regularly do as volunteer.

Oh and I called Archiver's yesterday morning and told the manager that I wanted to be open and honest with her about my interview because if it were offered to me I would be taking the bank job due to logistics and pay. She was appreciative and understanding and I felt so much better for not starting something I couldn't finish or leaving her in a bind.

So with that being said....I am getting off this computer and spending my long weekend STAMPING! Yes, this blog will now go back to being a stampin blog as so many of you have expressed you would like to see something....anything that I have created other than a mess in my personal life!!! LOL....hopefully the past visitors will come back to see what that I do still have my Mojo.

Thanks to all my regular visitors for sticking it out through my recovery, first week of school and the job hunt! See ya on the "stampin" blog!

A Moral Dilema

Hi Everyone.... that thinks they are coming to a stamping blog and have yet to see anything stamp worthy! I have not posted any stamping since my surgery in July and I really don't blame you if you are tired of reading about my personal life. I promise stampin will make a come back appearance....soon.

I did create something but I am not ready to post it here. I did a write up for Nicole about the Big Shot and Sizzix and I made ONE card.....a really cute card too I might say. My intentions are to make a few more cards to go along with my article. Poor Nicole has been patiently waiting for my article but my life is so busy right now I hardly have time to think much less stamp.

So here is the update on my quest for a job. I was waiting for a response from the bank and couldn't put off Archiver's anymore....they called me twice. So I went in on Monday to finalize my paperwork and I accepted the position at Archivers.

As life would have it....the bank called me on Tuesday and wanted me to come in for an interview on Friday....which is my first day at Archiver's. I feel terrible and I am so torn because the bank pays way more (double) and has set day hours. But I love the work I would be doing at Archiver's...being an instructor and working with fun stuff....but not fun cleaning up and working late hours on nights and weekends. Um...I think I just answered my own dilema and brought myself down to reality...take the bank job stupid!

Well I don't have it for sure so let's not count our chickens before they hatch. Just keep saying those prayers for the bank job! Sorry Archiver's.

So here is moral dilema question of the day.....I work at Archiver's tomorrow at 9:30 and my bank interview is at 2:00. Do I tell Archiver's that I am going on the interview and it is a possibility that I won't be returning or do I just wait and see what the bank says? I feel really really bad for doing this to the Manager at Archiver's. She is so nice and in a huge bind right now because she is very low on staff at the moment. She has been so nice to me and really flexible with my schedule and even gave me day hours to accomodate my busy school schedule right now.

Thanks for listening to me ramble and for feeding me your wisdom. You were great with my question about cleaning the tile so lets see where we go with this one!

See ya on the blog!

Question

**Question** I figured someone here could help me with my question. I have white ceramic tile in my kitchen and it it textured as well which means dirt and stuff gets built up and the tile always looks dirty. I have Googled how to clean tiles and everything say use soap and water which isn't cutting it. I have used everything on this tile and it still looks dirty. Any suggestions?

**Random Blogging** School starts tomorrow and I am ready...maybe! Ready for my kids to get out of the house, ready for alone time, ready to get a job....NOT ready for stress which went into full swing today. So let's focus on the positive here. Picked up the last minute school supplies today, exchanged shoes, and stocked up at the grocery store!

Also, I applied for two jobs this week and had an interview on Saturday at Archivers. I was so excited because I will get to work in an environment that I am familiar with and enjoy....but will be so hard to not spend all my money there! The purpose of working is to help with the debt diet not spend more. The other trouble is that the pay sucks...$7.50 an hour as well as the hours....nights and weekends. UGH.

Yesterday I emailed a resume to a bank right by the school and they emailed me today to confirm that I know it is part time 9-3 Mon through Fri and pays $15 an hour. Um HELLO....perfect job for me! So say lots of prayers and pray for the bank job. I am excited to work in the real world and contribute to our debt diet.

That's about it around here. Sorry for no pics and such a lame post but that's what is happening in my oh so exciting life. I hope to get back to stamping once the kids get back to school.

Just Me and My Hair

Here is the pic of my haircut and I am adjusting well. Today was a good hair day for me. Really, this is my usual haircut as you can see by my profile pic on the left....but this is just a tad bit shorter in the back and just so shocking because my hair was past my shoulders before the cut.

Did you read the comment from Amy's husband? "The difference between a bad haircut and a good haircut is two weeks. Be thankful you have hair!" Thanks for putting it into perspective D....I am thankful and I am over it.

Since I haven't been doing any stamping lately here is another little blog filler of random facts about me and my oh soooo exciting life. Feel free to skip over it.

High school was : fun and traumatizing at the same time
When I'm nervous : I talk a lot more than normal , my knees shake and my lips quiver
My hair : dark blonde or as I have been told dirty dishwater blonde...nice. But now that I dyed it apparently my hair thinks dark blonde is dark brown with a red tinge.

When I was 5 : I lived with my Grandparents and slept in a double bed with my mom and my aunt...talk about tight...oh and occassionally I peed the bed...tee hee!

When I turn my head left : I see a messy desk

By this time next year : I will once again be dreading the end of summer

My Favorite Aunt : In my book Janalee and Laurie are my only two aunts and of course both are my favs.
I have a hard time understanding : teenage boys {mostly mine}
You know I like you if : I send you a hand colored card because I hate to color but love the finished product....I don't do them often.

My ideal breakfast is : coffee {really a biscuit with bacon which Bill makes me every weekend...yes I am spoiled...I know it.}

If you visit my home town : You will see lots of planes flying overhead because Des Plaines is right next to O'Hare airport. Planes fly so low you can see people in the windows.

My Favorite blonde : My best friend Jenny.

My favorite brunette : I don't know...right now...myself

Last night I: I fell asleep while playing cards on my new laptop. I woke up with my finger still on the mouse pad...nice. LOL

I've been told I look like: Someone familiar. People always tell me I look like someone they know but can't figure out who.

Let's Get Ready To Rumble

**Stampin Stuff** Another card I made last fall. Love this stamp from Whipper Snapper....totally makes me think of fall with the whole carmel apple goodness. You can't see it but I covered the apple with Crystal Effects to make it have a glossy shine to it. Almost looks good enough to eat!

**Random Blogging** I am totally getting back to my old self as my family will tell you because I am on a huge cleaning binge. Partly because when I have a chaotic house I feel totally overwhelmed and like my whole life is falling apart and then when every little thing happens {such as fridge leaking and new digital camera not working} it seems like it's worse than it really is. I hate feeling out of balance and overwhelmed....it just makes everyone else miserable....if Mama ain't happy ain't nobody happy.

Yesterday, I kept saying to myself "oh great...what else is gonna happen today?" Big mistake!! That's like taunting God and saying bring it on....when really you don't want anymore on your plate. That was yesterday and nothing seemed to be going right and every corner I turned was just one more thing! But today is a new day.

I got up early and showered before the kids woke up....it's always a good day when I have alone time in the morning. I am finally adjusting to my haircut and actually liked it this morning....you know that is a good thing! I have put on my boxing gloves and I am so stinkin ready to kick some butt because I am not about to have another crappy day!

So with that being said....something is up with my digital camera and I am guessing that Cody touched it while I was recovering. Cody has this midas touch...everything he touches some how gets broken. I tought I saw him taking a pic one day but I am not sure...could have been a drug enduced hallucination. No camera means no pic of my haircut. Darn....maybe tomorrow or later today.

Gotta run and do my first load of laundry in three weeks! Can you believe that I have been missing my washer and dryer? I have missed it even though Bill has been totally caught up on the laundry during my recovery....but I feel off balance not taking care of my responsibilites. Oh wait...it's that pesky OCD issue again. LOL

I will end this with the words of my dear friend Amy......get over it...you have a flat tummy...what are you complaining about! LOL...thanks for the reality check...flat tummy does make things better but I still have to do the laundry.

Bad Hair Day

Have you ever had a bad haircut that made you cry? I have had a few in my 37 years and my impulse haircut the other night is high on my list of bad hair days! I spent the entire summer wearing my hair up in a clip and letting it grow out to shoulder length and it is now up to my chin! I look like a guy and my husband so kindly told me...It's ok...I still love you...Dennis! LOL...leave it to Bill to make me feel worse. LOL

I have had short hair {I am talking above the chin length} before and loved it but this is not what I was expecting or wanting and considering I haven't done my hair in three months maybe I just need time to re-learn how to blow dry it and use the round brush all over again.

Sarah just dyed my hair for me and I am about to jump in the shower and then attempt to do my hair. Let's hope the new color doesn't send me over the edge. LOL. Really I feel like my hair is now at that annoying inbetween annoying stage and I might have to go shorter to deal with it! UGH...shorter wasn't my intentions because I am a dork and short hair with highlights is for the summer and long dark hair is for the winter. Just my OCD coming out again.

And I am clarifying for Beth and anyone else that misunderstood my last post....the doc gave me the sheet of before pics and jokingly said to hang it on the fridge. NOOOOOOOO I am not hanging them on the fridge....NASTY! {But very eye opening on how far I have come in three weeks.}

I'll attempt to post a hair pic later...maybe. See ya on the blog!

Full of Google

My Google Reader has overfloweth....love that Google Reader. I wish every blog had the "add me to your Google Reader" button such as I have right there on the left column....makes life so much easier...no cutting and pasting of feeds...just click and bam you are in my Google Reader. How do you get that little button you ask? Sign up for Google Reader and it's on their home page with directions to add the little widget to your blog. Easy peasy.

So Jen and I were sharing our latest scoop {aka family gossip} yesterday and of course talking blog smack about how our favorite stampers have fallen from grace....such shock....yes we talk smack about y'all like you are family members that we know on a personal level.

So sad that we both had a super star fav that you all know and love as well {I won't mention names and spare some really hurt feelings} but she is no longer one of my inpsiration "go to" girls as her style is moving in a total opposite direction of mine. Which is good for her...not for me. She is still good but been replaced with a new "go to" girl. If you look through my Google Reader favs it won't be hard to figure out who I am now stalking. {Don't be scared...I am friendly...really I am.}

Since I am on a crabby roll let me just say that I do really like the My Favorite Things stamps but the whole headless thing is getting to me now. I understand that is sort of their trademark but I just can't get into the headless body at the beach or the headless teacher....kinda creepy. But I do love my headless shoppers....probably cause I don't want to think about the damage I am doing while shopping..LOL. I am not slamming MFT....just babbling....probably the lack of pain killers effecting me. {Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain....or the woman at the keyboard}.

Today I attempted to try on some clothes which was not a good idea because I can't stand up straight which makes my hips pucker out and it's next to impossible to slide on a pair of jeans and I certainly can't button them if I am hunched over....duh....won't be doing that again any time soon.

Mary brought me my first Starbucks in weeks.....it was wonderful! Been far too long since my last mocha. She also brought us dinner and I ate homemade mac and cheese for the first time! I don't like box mac and cheese so I have always steered clear altogether....what was I thinking! Yummmy!

Ok off to the recliner for some coffee and HGTV....or Hannah Montana....I am so much on HGTV I have resorted to Disney Channel which my kids are happy about but Bill isn't so responsive.

See ya on the blog!

P.S. Since I am not stamping I am just going to randomly post some of my old cards. This baby card is one of my favs that I made for a teacher at school. She had her baby on Bailey's birthday, July 19th.

Takin It Easy

Sorry for no pics....blog posts without pics seem so boring....but I am sure you understand why I haven't been snapping any pics lately.

Just another slow day here. I am starting to go stir crazy in the house now and I am definately not ready to be taking public trips yet. I think I would look like a big dork walking around hunched over holding my tummy with this big huge binder/girdle thingy wrapped around me.

I wonder when the day will come that I can actually stand upright again. Just the thought of it makes me ache as my tummy is so tight and still sore. I know I am making progress as I can can now shower without any aid (I couldn't reach up for the soap on the shelf and now I can) and last night I finally slept in my own bed (I couldn't do that before because I was too sore and was afraid I would accidentally put my legs straight and pull my stitches). So progress is being made here....just in super slow mo.

Thank you to Trish at Tah-Dah for the nicest card full of stamped images. She wrote me the sweetest note and gave me a ton of images to color and yes Trish...you are right most of the images are not my usual style but I relish the challenge to step out of my box. Thank you for your kindness.

I also received all my Bella ATC swaps from Laura and I really like what I received. Can't wait to get back into stampin mode and make them into full cards. But right now I really have no desire to stamp because I can't just sit in one spot...I am always jumping up and reaching for things and pieces to add to my card....I am a busy body stamper.

Ok...Allison at Stampin When I Can tagged me to list 5 bloggers that make me think. Hmmmmm...funny that she listed me as blogger that makes her think. LOL...at least I know someone likes my ramblings from Granny tales to stitches in the tummy. I will have to scroll through my Google Reader and pull out my top 5 blogs that I regularly stalk as a voyeur .....I doubt they even know I exist but I enjoy reading about their lives.

See ya on the blog. Oh and thanks for all the uplifting comments. Hopefully, I will be back to my normal stampin self soon. Thanks!

Me again

Hi again...

Today is my first day alone without adult companionship since my surgery as Bill went back to work. So sad...so lonely...I miss him already. He called to check on me this morning and I was still snoozing in the chair. But I have managed to get up for a cup of coffee, a granola bar and a Percocet....feelin pretty good now. Mornings are always yucky cause I am stiff and achey.

I have pulled myself away from the recliner and HGTV to venture onto the computer and attempt to read some of the Google Reader...OMG I have over 1,000 posts in my Google Reader! I am sure I will be doing lots of skimming and picture looking as it is too much to read.

Got some cool happy mail from my friend Anna at the blog Stampanna. Remember I told you that she owns a store in New Jersey called Stampingly Yours? Well we have been chit chatting and brain storming back and forth for months and I said that I would help her with samples for her store and then she ran with it and created a store Design Team. There are 7 girls and we are each assigned a shelf area to decorate with whatever we want. She sends us a box of goodies that she would like to promote within the store with a theme for the month! We have a montly deadline with a theme and product of her choice and we can supplement from her inventory as well.

The cool thing is that she carries My Favorite Things, Stamping Bellas, and Amuse just to name a few stamp companies. She also carries Basic Grey and Bo Bunny too! How fun is it going to be to receive a box of goodies and total creative freedom to come up with whatever I want for my area? We are not limited to just cards....we can do scrapbook pages and altered art too! So excited and thankful to Anna for this opportunity to be part of her team. I only wish I lived closer so I could come to the store and help with classes and of course to shop!

Oh and to answer some questions about my surgery. I have lots of stitches...three layers of stitches (inside and out) and I was cut hip to hip. Yes, my tummy is definately super flat but looks very odd right now as I am swollen and do have pucker marks on my hips. I am not able to stand up right but over time in the next few weeks I will gradually be able to stand up more and more each day. It will take a few months for the swelling to go away and my puckering on the hips will also decrease but probably won't totally disappear. No biggie....wasn't planning on showing off my hips to anyone. Anyway, my body will be healing and changing for months to come before I really see what I am left with.

Over all I am very happy with my plastic surgery and I am THRILLED beyond belief that my hernia is gone. The hernia was my main concern and tummy tuck was extra just cause they were working on me and willing to accomodate my wishes for a flatter tummy. I am even more happy that this was no where near as painful as I had anticipated. Painful, uncomfortable and achey...for sure....but definately bearable and worth it in the end. I would do it again and don't regret it at all.

Ok...back to the recliner and cutting up magazines. See ya on the blog!

I am alive and a BIG thank you!!!

Hi Everyone... I have ventured out of the recliner while Bill is working out in the yard and I am on HGTV overload. NEVER in my life would I have dreamed that I am tired of watching home decorating shows but I am...mainly because I want to re-do my whole house which isn't possible from the recliner in the living room.

Thank you sooooo much for the comments, emails and most importantly the prayers! I have had a wonderful recovery as you can tell by Beth's daily reporting...she is so funny and totally sweet for doing that...not sure how many people are interested in my recovery but for those that are interested Beth has got it all down.

I am still sleeping in the recliner but desperately wanting to sleep horizontal. Yes, the couch is big and big enough for two but not comfy enough for me to adjust my body and prop it against Bill as I was afraid I would roll onto my tummy. Anyway, I won't be laying down any time soon.

As for my doctor visit the other day Beth was too embarassed to quote me on the removal of miles and miles of itchty tape that was binding me together and basically making me incredibly miserable. Taking the tape off was so WONDERFUL even though it was painful at times it felt SOOOOOOOO good and I said almost orgasmic....and it was funny because I was oooohing and ahhhhing along with my doctor and as I was explaining that although it hurt it was a good hurt and he said a pleasurable pain...yes, exactly and I am soooooo incredibly thankful to have that damn tape off my body.

I can now see my new belly button and I don't believe I have ever in my life had a flat tummy as I do now. They took off 6 pounds of my pooch and additional 1 pound on my sides through liposuction. I did comment in recovery that I did feel smaller but I swear that pooch thing weighed a heck of a lot more than 6 pounds...I need a recall on the docs measurements please!

Other than that my pain management has been soooooo great. I did not throw up once which is a pure miracle in itself. I am up and slowly moving on my own now...I am a big girl and able to potty by myself but still need help with the shower. I am unable to stand upright which is odd as I feel like a hunch back. Not pretty to look at in the mirror either as I have basically been cut in half with my scar going hip to hip and lots of stitches....inside and out. As time goes on I will be able to stand upright more and more each day but it feels super tight and totally numb. Very strange sensation as I am numb but feel pressure.

So there you have all the scarey details. But I just wanted to drop in and say thank you very much for your thoughts and prayers. They have defiately lifted me up and made my recovery go so well.

I am enjoying my down time an relaxing while my sweet husband takes care of me. Yes, he has slept next to me on the couch every night and never left the hospital once. I am sooooo blessed to have a wonderful husband....and he has turned into an awesome cook too!

See ya on the blog.