October/November recap

OMG!  I didn’t realize it has been mid October since I’ve blogged.  Oops!  I have been working a lot through October and November and when I wasn’t working I was busy either getting the house back under control or resting up lol.  I may not have been good about blogging but I have been pretty good about taking pictures of things.  So I will listen to Christmas music and catch you up.

 

 

 

This is our bedroom window, shattered.  I was working one day and Joel text me saying he woke up to hear shattering glass and the dogs barking.  We aren’t really sure what happened.  It wasn’t able to be fixed that night so it was boarded up til the next day.  Unfortunately for us that night happened to be one of the cold ones and it was freezing in the bedroom.  Thankfully we have a hide a bed so we “camped out” in the living room that night.  The window is now “hidden” in case Chip was the broken glass culprit. 

 

 

 

Every month or so my mom comes down for the weekend to visit. We rarely plan much besides a few little minor crafting projects. Well I’m not even sure how we came up with the project but we ended up deciding  to rent a rug shampooer and cleaning all the carpets in my house which then led to rearranging my living room.  Wow what a project! I love having mom around but geesh I work too hard when she’s around.  I think I wore her out too because she’s not talking about coming back to visit again til February. (This was the beginning of November….)

 

 

 

 

 

So while mom and I worked our tails off moving furniture and scrubbing floors and such this is what everyone else was doing.  At the bottom of the picture by the arm of the couch is Chi Bug my mom’s dog, who aligned herself with the resting crew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chip got a little sock monkey of his own. We tried (successfully for a little while) for it to be just his and not let Bella play with is because she gets a bit rough. It was so cute how Chip took it everywhere with him and kept it close. When we’d go to bed he’d even go get his monkey and bring it to bed with him. After a while we felt bad not letting Bella share so we started letting them play with it together and well as you can see from this last picture …poor monkey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We started feeling bad that it was like we got Chip a toy but not Bella so I bought her a penguin. She too kept it very close but as you see in picture 3 she likes to chew on them, hence they don’t last long. Picture 4 Chip has Bella’s penguin and she’s trying to get it back. Needless to say neither toy has a squeaker or any fluff anymore. They are just limp pieces of cloth but the babies still like and play with them so it was well worth it. I sure enjoyed watching them play with and protect their toys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                 

We traveled to our hometown for Thanksgiving.  Despite that we are way closer to home then we were a few years ago we still don’t go home often, I just dread the 2 hour drive of just sitting there.  If I have to be in the car I prefer to be a passenger so I can read and entertain myself.   Here’s partly why I hate the drive.  This is how my copilot handles the trip.  To his credit this is us driving about 8 a.m. Thanksgiving morning and he had to work the night before and didn’t get home til about 3 a.m. But still……

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For as long as I can remember my maternal grandmothers family gathers for Thanksgiving.  Some years we don’t have many and other years we turn out a pretty good crowd. This year we had about 35 people.  Many from my local hometown area but my grandmothers brothers from Texas, Oklahoma, and California were able to make it in.  Its’ nice to be with family for the holidays and these gatherings are special not only because it’s a family tradition but sometimes this once a year is the only time we see these family members from out of state.  

 

One of the biggest highlights was getting to see my Jesslynn.  She’s 4 months old now and starting to get fun to be around.  She is getting so big and starting to babble and dancing around.  Here she is with Aunt Daniele and Bailey then a close up shot while sitting with Aunt Destinie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And below is the prize shot of Jesslynn with Uncle Joel.  It is such a prize because Joel and a baby in his arms is a rare thing.  Jesslynn is 4 months old and this is the first time Joel’s seen or held her.  I think he held our other niece (his sisters daughter) like maybe twice ever as a baby.    I love how they are both sizing each other up!

Making and spending the money

Well school has been in session long enough now they are starting to need subs and I’m working quite a bit.  I’ve worked 9 days so far and already have one scheduled way in advance for next month.  I’m feeling pretty good with things.  I love getting to go to the different schools and various grade levels.

 

 

 

 

 

Heres a shot of my desktop screen.  On the left is the jobulator, the program that I pick up jobs through.  On the right is my interactive calendar I use to keep up with my jobs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Being that I’ve started working and making some money it is only natural order that I have a shopping trip and spend it.  Last weekend I went to my cousins in Little Rock and we went shopping.  I needed some good work shoes.  I’m on my feet so much and need some comfortable support for my feet and unfortunately my wonderful tennis shoes don’t go with my work clothes.  But most dress shoes I find don’t have the support and my feet hurt.  We spent the whole weekend and went to many many stores searching for the perfect combination of comfort/appropriate/cute.  I’m very pleased with my pick.  They are pretty comfortable on their own but I intentionally got a bigger size so I could add some super cushiony insoles.  Feels like I’m walking on clouds!

 

 

 

 

 

The shoe store was having a sale and I couldn’t pass it up so I decided to get some boots.  They seem to be the in thing, I swear everyone I saw was wearing some kind of boot.  Now I have no excuse for buying the ones I bought except they looked hot and caught my eye.  As bad as my feet are I don’t do heels, EVER!  So these nice things are basically for looks only. You know straight to the restaurant for dinner and back home when there’s not much walking required. LOL  For some insane reason I decided to wear them to work one day this past week.  HUGE HUGE HUGE mistake.  I don’t really remember anything about that work day except for thinking how bad my feet hurt.  I took them off as soon as I got to my car and drove home barefooted.  I just knew my feet were raw and bleeding.  Thankfully they weren’t that bad, only a little stone bruised.  Fortunately I didn’t have a job the next day so I was able to keep off of them most of the and get them to feeling better.  So defiantly for looks only, not for long walks.

 

 

 

It’s the beginning of a new week and no work has been scheduled yet but I’m not worried.  I know something will come up, it always does.  In the mean time I’ll try to be prepared for an unexpected work day by having meals atleast planned if not precooked and keep on top of the house work.  In the down time I’m stitch, stitch, stitching away working on Christmas presents.

 

 

 

Here’s a cute picture to leave you with.  Chip has already gobbled up his carrot and is watching Bella eat hers in hopes to get another bite.

What have I been doing?

Oh geez it’s been like a month or something since I’ve posted.  My intentions are to post during the weekends but I’ve been busy or sick every weekend lately so it hasn’t gotten done.  Though I don’t have a full time job I don’t just sit around at my house doing nothing this is far from the truth. My husband works nights so I spend the morning cleaning house, wake him up then make lunch and spend early afternoon with him then I spend a few hours on the computer catching up on facebook and talking to my mom then I rest and watch tv before bed. Usually even if I’m “resting” and watching tv I’m doing my crosstitching which though it is enjoyable for me to do I don’t just do senseless work.  I’m making gifts for people for birthdays and holidays and such.

So here’s a visual over view of what I’ve been doing, not necessarily in any particular order.

      

Getting my hair done and an after picture with my cousin who did it. It’s a long process and painful at times as well as takes upkeep maintenance but my cousin says platinum is a good color for me.

     
The fair was in town and they had a demolition derby.  Joel and I don’t go out and do things together often. #1A car on top of the trunk of another. #2 That’s fire above the wheel. #3  Is that bumper suppose to be that high? #4 Hood crunch.

      
A high school football game we went to.  The local high school are the Razorbacks so we root for the Razorbacks Friday nights and Saturdays.

 
#1 My new purse! I’ve been wanting one for a while now. #2  A healthy snack.  Trying to eat some healthy snacks between meals so as not to over eat.  On this last shopping trip I bought no sweets for me.  Only fruits and vegetables. #3 The subbing school year has begun for me.  So far I’ve been in first grade, 3rd grade, and 2nd grade 3 different days.  This is a picture of what my last two days in 2nd grade were like.  I was with a bilingual class. Thankfully they only did all Spanish work for the first hour and the rest was in English.  I managed through and the kids were great but I often felt lost in translation literally.

 

#1 Right after I burnt my hand.  I even had a pot holder but I guess not in the right place.  #2 The burn the next day. #3 The pile that seems to accumulate by the front door on a daily basis. #4 The truck wouldn’t crank so we’ve messed with it for many days trying to jump it or put it the battery on a charger but finally gave in and bought a new battery.  Ugh

My niece Jesslynn got to spend the day with my mom last weekend.  Mom did share the baby with my grannie for a little bit.  ( This is my Grannie holding her in these pictures.)

And last but not least pictures of my babies. One being used as a pillow by my lumberjack husband.  I should have gotten an after picture because shortly after this picture he (the husband) got a hair cut and shaved.  Looks way different LOL.

A little of this and that

Well this week was pretty typical for me taking care of household chores, watching tv and crafting, and playing with my four legged babies.  School around here has now been in session for atleast 2 weeks so I have started the many times a day task of checking the substitute website looking for jobs.  I still don’t really except much to start opening up til mid September or maybe not even til October.  However, I am trying to keep up with my picture taking and that alone gives me plenty of blog worthy topics.

                 

For my craft of crosstitching I have to have close and direct lighting.  This is the lamp that is behind my left shoulder.  I’m guessing maybe the bulb is too strong for this shade?  LOL  I noticed this yellow spot the other day and when I touched it the shade plastic just crumbled under my finger…oops! 

                      

This is my battle wound from being a dog momma.  We have a retractable leash.  Chip is pretty hyper when people or dogs are around.  The other day he was running around out side, got excited when someone walked near and wrapped around me in the leash.  Sometimes I’m quick enough to escape but not this time.  That thing slices into my leg leaving an angry red slash that stings.  I have several of these battle scar and they never get any easier to handle.

                   

This is my new keychain.  I am so excited about it.  I always have to dig and dig for my keys.  My cousin has one of these tab keychains and I’ve been wanting one.  I havn’t been able to find one in a store so crafty me decided to discuss it with my mom and come up with how to do it.  We bought the stuff for it and laid out the measurements the weekend she was here.  Since I don’t have a sewing machine she took it home with her, sewed it and mailed it to me.  I got it yesterday.  Haven’t gone anywhere yet to get to use it but I did put my keys on it and have it waiting by the door.

         

This is what becomes of Joels dresser scarf and the things on it when you leave Chips bone up there.  He tends to bring his bones to bed with him and sometimes we have to put it up so he’ll stop chewing it and go to sleep.  One night we did and forgot to give it to him the next morning.  Later when I went into the bedroom for something this is what I found.  He preceded to help himself to his bone since noone would help him.  Joel comes home from work in the middle of the night and cleans out his pockets on the dresser while talking to me.  His donut wrapper, money and an earplug are all scattered across the floor all for the likes of a bone.  Silly boy!

More antidotes of chip….he enjoys looking out the window and watching what goes on.  Unfortunantly that doesn’t bode well for things like the blinds.  We have blocked off our other windows so he can’t see out and this one is usually covered by a bush but the bush was recently cut back and thinned a whole bunch so he can see through it pretty good.  If you look close in both pictures you can see I have attempted to defer his desire to look out by covering the corners of the window with poster board.  The picture of the broken blinds is on the left side, there is a coffee table then the other picture is from the right side of the table.  The left corner blocking method has worked but the damage was already done to the blinds.  He just leans over farther and looks past my covered right side corner.  Guess I need bigger piece of posterboard.

So this blog has seemed to be come all about Chips antics.  He is a mess and gets excitable when people/ dogs are around.  But generally he’s a good dog and very sweet and lovable.  He’s a mommas boy.  He has to be by me most of the time and likes to sleep touching me.  If I happen to readjust and don’t get settled back up against him he will move so he is touching me again.  My sweet babyboy .  Look at this picture of him and tell me how a momma can not love that sweet baby face.

By the way if you happen to notice there, that is my husbands ear.  Chip is laying on the back of the couch using Joel’s head as a pillow.  See what I mean, just cuteness.

This blog has ended up mostly being about Chip. But we must not forget I have another sweet baby.  I don’t lover her any less she’s just much MUCH more relaxed and laid back than her little brother.  Therefore she doesn’t have as many interesting opportunities for pictures. My pretty girl Bella.