SO WHAT Wednesday!

    SO WHAT... if I declined the promotion I was offered at work. I wanted it, but they were not offering me enough money.  I counter offered and they refused to budge.  Now I will wait and see who they will get to do the job... or if they will offer me more money.   SO WHAT... if I spent too much money at the mall today.  Madison and I had a great day shopping and going out to lunch.  It was a much needed girls day out.   SO WHAT... if I meal planned and grocery shopped for the week... but tonight Maddie has cheer practice and cheer uniform pick up and I know we are going to end up eating out... oh well.   SO WHAT... if I am STILL not pregnant. Some days it feels like I am going to be 40 (which is 6 years from now) before we have a baby... and that is just going to have to be okay.   Becuase the alternative... not having a baby is just not okay.   SO WHAT if... I am thrilled that a certain moocher relative moved away. It was nice to enjoy a meal out with family this weekend and not have to pick up the tab for someone who feels entitled and cannot even say "thank you".   SO WHAT if... school starts in less than two weeks and Madison still has not even come close to finishing her summer work.  I have to get her to finish asap.

Our Family Beach Trip to Duck, NC

In no particular order, here are some of my favorite photos from our trip to Duck, NC.  There are ton more - I compiled all of the photos into a Shutterfly album to send to my parents as a thank you.  They have no idea and it should be arriving soon.

Madison getting ready to drive the go karts.

Uncle Chris and Owen getting ready to drive the go karts.

Maddie and Owen about to do the bumper cars.

My sweet nephew, Owen.

Owen

Getting ready to do the bungee trampoline.

Owen loved the bungee trampoline.  He jumped very high and did all sorts of flips.

The best photo I could get of all three grandkids.  I had this made into a 16x20 canvas which should be on the way to my parents' house a special surprise thank you for our week at the beach.



My sister, Keri and niece, Olivia.

Ny nephew, Owen

Our backyard pool... where we spent most of our time.

Owen on the beach.

The group of kids (the other 3 kids are the grandchildren of my parents' best friends).

Chris and I.

Chris and Maddie... being silly.

DUCK, NC

Miscellany Monday

1. I haven't blogged in what seems like forever.  We had an amazing vacation - trip to Virginia Beach, VA and Duck, NC and I hope to blog about that this week and to share some great pictures from our trip.

2. I also haven't baked in forever.  I have a Pina Colada (no alcohol) cake in the oven now and I hope to share that recipe later today or this week.  It it so good.

3. Am I the only one that feels the grocery store prices are crazy?  It seems since our vacation I cannot get our weekly groceries under $100.  I spent $160 this week and last week.  Things are just so expensive.

4.  I was promised a new position at work.  When my job offer arrived - it wasn't the job title or the pay I was expecting.  Also the job responsibilities are very close to the ones of the position I was promised.  So I am in "negotiations" to get at least the pay I want and hopefully the position/title as well.  I feel confident we can come to an agreement - if not I am fine with keeping my current position/pay and am willing to decline the offer.

Insta-Friday - Blogging from the car version

We are currently in New Jersey on our way to Virginia Beach for a night. We are all looking forward to catching up with friends we left behind when we moved exactly a year ago. I'm also looking forward to a hair appointment tomorrow morning with my favorite hairdresser. We've been in Rhode Island for a year and it's been that long since I've had a haircut. On Saturday we will continue on to Duck, NC for a week at the beach with a group of 21! My parents and their best friends rented a beach house. Together there are 6 adult children, 4 spouses, and 7 grandchildren ages 13 months - 12 years. It should be a fun and crazy week.

Here are some of my Instagrams from the week- minus captions for now since I'm car blogging.

It's OK Thursday

It's OK to be leaving on vacation tomorrow and to have not packed anything.

It's OK to already despise my new co-worker.  Here is a convo between us this morning.  Mind you she has made some reference to Spanish every day.

About to lose it on my new co-worker who insists on greeting me in Spanish.... I am ASSuming because of my last name...

Co-worker - Melissa, I'm here. Buenas dias!

 ME - Good morning. Do you speak Spanish?

 Co-worker - I took 3 years in high school, that was over 35 years ago (mucho anos atras!) I can provide rudimentary face-to-face customer service if no one else in the store understands Spanish - that's what I did when I worked as a pharmacy technician

  ME: Oh.. because I don't.

... then she proceeded to talk about work. So obviously it went right over her head and I am expecting a "buenas tardes" at the end of my day...

It's OK to be really annoyed after learning people are stealing photos off of my blog.

It's OK to have strongly considered "forgetting" my laptop when we go on vacation so that I won't have to do any work while I am gone.

It's OK to be equally parts happy and sad that Madison returns to school in about a month.

It's OK to finally give in and let her create a Facebook... we are her friends and have access to everything - it will be monitored often.

Insta Friday

Some of my Instagram photos from the week -

I have been working on some small little canvas paintings for our bedroom



These are flowers that Madison picked from our yard and arranged.



My two new Pandora charms for our wedding anniversary this past week.

Anniversary flowers from my husband.

A yummy spicy turkey taco salad I made last night for dinner.  Instead of using tortilla chips I topped them with little tri-color tortilla strips.  It added the perfect bit of crunch.

Our anniversary dessert - we brought two home - one for me and one for my sister-in-law who watched Madison when we went out.  This was the Reeses's peanut butter chocolate cake cheesecake from The Cheescake factory.. it was so rich, but oh so good.

I ordered a bunch of my Instagram prints from Postal Pix.  I love this company - affordable prices and fast shipping.

Last weekend we went to a cookout at my aunt's house. This is Madison and my cousin's daughter, Natalie.


I am linking up to Insta Friday.

Today We Celebrate Our 2nd Anniversary

Today we celebrate our 2nd anniversary.  Both of us are working today, but this evening Madison is going out with my sister-in-law and niece and my husband has planned a dinner out.  I'd love to write about how this 2nd year of marriage has been amazing... but it hasn't.  It's been a roller coaster with far too many lows. We both went through periods of unemployment, we had a move from hell, I struggled to get acclimated to our new surroundings, and we conceived and lost a pregnancy which caused me tons of sadness and anger. 

On a more positive note.. things are getting better, we are happier, and I am happy to say my husband was hired on with the new company and today is his second day of work - so we are super thankful for that.  We are just really both hoping that our next anniversary is celebrated with either a newborn or me... pregnant.

Here are some of our wedding photos -

Friday's Letters

Dear New Pediatrician's Office,


I chose you purely for the reason you are in walking distance from our house. I was pleased today how much both Madison and I enjoyed meeting her new nurse and doctor today. However, after leaving and arriving at CVS, I was not happy to realize you forgot to give Madison the one immunization she needed... so now we have to go back at 1:30. And... scheduling lady at the front desk who called me back to give me a new appointment... when you tell me I can come anytime and I suggest 12:30... and you chuckle and say "We go to lunch from 12:30-1:30"... like I am somehow supposed to know this... I hope you weren't offended when I told you I didn't know your lunch schedule and picked 1:30.


Sincerely,


Mom Who Only Wanted To Come In Once Today


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Dear New Possible Employer of My Husband,


Please hire my husband. I can think of no worse personal hell than for me to possibly have to return to work full-time outside of the home as a teacher come this fall. My husband hasn't mentioned this... but I am sure he is thinking it. Also, when you hire him please make sure we can go on our family vacation.


Sincerely,


Worried Wife of Unemployed Husband


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Dear Viacom/DirecTV,


I am 34, married, and a mother of one. However a large part of what I watch on TV is on MTV and VH1. PLEASE get your shit together so I do not have to miss next week's episodes of Teen Mom and Love & Hip Hop Atlanta. I know you keep blaming one another, but I don't care who is to blame. I would just like the insane amount we pay each month for DirecTV to allow me to watch these two channels.


Sincerely,


Woman Who Watches Too Much Reality TV


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Tuesday Randoms {Job Joss & The Beach}

1. My husband lost his job the last Friday in June.  Yep... the job we uprooted our lives for... he lost.  He is a government contractor.  The contract ended and the company who has had it for twelve years lost it and laid off the workers.    The good news is that he was able to apply for a job with the new company who took over the contract.  They called this morning and he has an interview tomorrow.  We are so relieved and he is pretty confident he will get this new position.

2. We are slightly worried about our vacation plans for the end of July/early August that we have had planned for many months.  We have prepaid hotels down and back to the gorgeous beach house we are spending a week in with family and a plane ticket home early for my husband (as I am staying longer at my parents' house)... so while getting this job is our #1 concern... we are still hoping like crazy my husband can still go on the vacation... and I will not have to drive with Maddie all of the way to Duck, NC in one day.  So are thinking positive thoughts that it will work out so the three of us can go on vacation as a family.

The Beach House

3. Since our income is a little sketchy for a bit I have really buckled down with meal planning to try to reduce grocery costs.  I also made these meal plan templates because I only meal plan for four days... so they work for me.  I am going to print 1 or 2 as an 8x10 photo, put it in a frame I have and use a dry erase marker so my family knows the weekly menu.  I plan on sharing them and some others as a free dowload once I get mine printed and framed.

4. One day last week Madison went to the beach for the entire day with my sister-in-law and two cousins.  She had a blast.  She has spent 4 days total this summer at the beach and is already the most beautiful shade of brown.

Friday's Letters

I am linking up here for Friday's Letters.

Dear B.E. Lopez Construction,

        My husband believed our landlord when he told us how great you all were.  He lied.  We are now on day 4 of you replacing our roof... and I do not think you will finish today.  I am not pleased with your multiple breaks, your two hour lunch breaks, and your afternoon naps all sprawled out in our front yard.  I am not happy that at 2:30 after finishing your nap... you then take an hour to "clean" up before leaving at 3:30 on the dot.  I am not happy that yesterday you destroyed many of my hydrangea bushes.  But... to the ballsy one who rang our doorbell yesterday and asked my husband to use our restroom... then proceeded to take a POOP... you my friend sealed the deal of royally pissing me off.  I explained to my husband that today your workers could ring the bell all day long.. but NOBODY was pooping in our house today.  Oh... and on Monday they removed our DirecTV dish and we had to pay $50 to have someone come out and replace it... you better believe I deducted $50 from the rent I paid today.

Sincerely,

One Pissed Off Renter With a Half Assed Roof

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Dear Crappy BBQ Guest,

           It is rude to call someone an hour before you are due to arrive at their home for a BBQ and ask them for a ride.  It is even ruder when the host picks you up... and you do not have the soda and bag of Scoops tortilla chips you were asked to bring about three different times.  It is equally as rude to then ask the host to take you to the grocery store.  This is why I sent you home with NO leftovers... even though I had a TON.   If I have my way you will no longer be invited to our home for any event whatsoever.

Sincerely,

Your sister-in-law

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Dear Crappy Slacker Co-Worker,

          YOU WIN!  You skip your shifts and do no work... and a position was created just for you.  Yet you continue to do the same things you did before in your new position. I now try to pretend you do not work for the company instead of getting pissed off that you are being catered to.  This may fly here at this job... but listen here... this will not work in the real world.

Sincerely,

The Day You Are Fired Will Be a Day to Celebrate

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Dear Sweet Innocent 12 1/2 Year Old Daughter,

           The next time I go to turn your alarm off on your cell phone and see that you have set the alarm message to "WTFU"... you will no longer be in possession of that cell phone.

Sincerely,

The Mom Who Didn't Think Your Dad Should Get You an iPhone