Unemployment has been filed. I found out yesterday that I am qualified and will make within a few dollars the same money I was making while working. Thank you God!
I'm hoping to get a call for an interview for the job that I really want at the hospital. I have a connection there...a former boss is the past president of the hospital foundation (that's where the job is), and she is currently still on the board. I've also been praying for favor for this job. I've not worked in the fundraising world before...I've lived it with football, band, church, etc, but never had to do it for work. I think this position would be exciting and not boring, but also one that I could do well as organized as I am. Please join with me in praying for favor with this position!
Today is the first day Jake's been back to school. They were already scheduled to be out yesterday for professional development. This is a day I would have normally been at work after dropping Jake at school. So far today has included dropping Jake at school, one load of laundry, updating the checkbook and organizing some bills, filing all the paid bills from the beginning of this year, grocery shopping at three different stores, putting said groceries away, and beginning to cook two boston butts I bought.
I also took some time while folding a load of laundry to watch the episode of Jon and Kate Plus 8 that I recorded last night. I just really like that show. She cracks me up most of the time. There are moments that I can SOOOOO relate to her, then, of course, there are others where I think she's way too hard on her husband. But we're all guilty of that at some time or another, aren't we? They're officially moved into their new home. This house seems amazing! They have so much more room and actual acreage with the house, too. I'm excited to see future episodes to see how the family adjusts to the new home.
I've officially completed my first whole scrapbook ever! I'd never scrapped our vacation to Orlando and Cocoa Beach from 2005. Now it's done. Guess I'll be moving on to do some more work on Jake's football book. I started it last year, but didn't get very far.
I'm also doing something new this year...Project 365. Becky Higgins designed a kit for Creating Keepsakes to help scrap these pics. Here's what it's all about...you take one photo per day for an entire year. At the end of the year you've got 365 pics. Well, the kit went on sale and sold out within an hour or two on New Years Day. Needless to say I didn't get one. Now you can order it, but it'll be on back order. I'm still debating on whether or not to purchase the kit. I know it'd save lots of time...but would be very individualized. In other words, my Project 365 book will look like hundreds of other's when we're all done. So, I'm still thinking of just winging it on my own. However, at some point pretty soon, I am going to have to begin the scrapping process of these pictures...'cause I sure as heck can't wait till the end of the year! =)
While I'm waiting for that call to schedule an interview, I've decided to make the most of my time. I'm going to try to get some extra cleaning done around the house and get some extra food in the freezer (already cooked). I know once I'm back at work full time things around here will have to change some. I haven't worked 40 hours per week in about two years. I'll admit it's been wonderful, and I have felt very spoiled. But I will also admit that having two full time paychecks coming into our bank account will be very nice, too! For now, though...I'm gonna be Miss Holly Homemaker...and enjoy every minute!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
Menu Plan Monday
Last night's sports extravaganza prevented me from posting this early. Please forgive me. When I got back from the Super Bowl party we went to, I was in NO mood to blog. Argh! Let's just say the game didn't go my way. Oh well...
This should be a faily easy cooking week. I'm hoping to have to squeeze at least one job interview into my week. =)
Monday: baked pork chops, salad, peas
Tuesday: ham and cheese quiche
Wednesday: baked chicken breasts, potatoes, broccoli
Thursday: leftovers
Friday: eggs, hashbrowns, sausage and gravy
Saturday: chicken a la king
Sunday: leftovers
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
A wrench...
Well a wrench definitely got thrown in my Menu Plan for this week. However, it wasn't because of the winter storm as I'd previously expected. My microwave decided to die last night (Tuesday). Tonight was to be turkey a la king over baked potatoes. Well, there was no way I was gonna bake those potatoes in the conventional oven. That'd take waaaay too long. Instead I made a nice pot of chili. It kind of "suited" the day anyway since we had about 3 inches of sleet/freezing rain topped with 3-4 inches of snow on the ground outside.
It's now 8pm, and I have a nice, shiny, SPOTLESS, new black microwave installed over my stove. Jim was able to get it done with very minimal grunting and grumbling (for which I am extremely thankful). I know installing a microwave was not what he had planned for his evening. I'm am so thankful he is a great handyman!
He boiled some water in the new appliance, so it's been initiated. It's workout will come tomorrow when we're reheating all the leftovers from the first half of the week.
I'll wrap this post up with one of the cutest pics ever taken of our dog, Tuffy. He LOVES the snow. It's like he's a puppy again - running and cavorting in the fluffy white stuff. Anyway, I made him wait to come in until after I could snap this pic this morning. He looks none to happy about it either! =)
It's now 8pm, and I have a nice, shiny, SPOTLESS, new black microwave installed over my stove. Jim was able to get it done with very minimal grunting and grumbling (for which I am extremely thankful). I know installing a microwave was not what he had planned for his evening. I'm am so thankful he is a great handyman!
He boiled some water in the new appliance, so it's been initiated. It's workout will come tomorrow when we're reheating all the leftovers from the first half of the week.
I'll wrap this post up with one of the cutest pics ever taken of our dog, Tuffy. He LOVES the snow. It's like he's a puppy again - running and cavorting in the fluffy white stuff. Anyway, I made him wait to come in until after I could snap this pic this morning. He looks none to happy about it either! =)
25 Random Things About Me
This little beauty is running all around Facebook right now. My cousin tagged me, so I had to do my part. Figured I'd post it here to my blog for posterity's sake.
25 Random Things About Me:
1. I am most times embarrassed by how many jobs I have had...especially now that I'm looking for a new one AGAIN. But, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God led me to each of those jobs for a reason.
2. Jim and I talked on the phone every night for at least 3 or 4 hours the week before we met.
3. Jim and I got engaged after only two weeks of dating.
4. I have the most wonderful husband in the world.
5. My desk/work area at my job MUST be completely in order for me to be able to work, but my house is cluttered. Go figure...
6. Some nights from out of nowhere I still have extremely vivid dreams about my mom (she passed away in February 2004).
7. I will never, ever forget the details of the last night/hours of my mom's life. It was a horrible night, but God was gracious enough to place a handful of "sweet" moments thoughout those hours.
8. I still get giddy at the thought of missing work for a snow day.
9. One of my eyebrows is slightly higher than the other.
10. I love to work word search puzzles...I keep a book of them in my car, in the living room, and even in the bathroom.
11. When I was in high school cruising the "big block" I used to have everyone's headlights memorized so I could honk at the people I liked. (yes, I was/am a dork!)
12. I love staying in hotels.
13. I love planning trips...even if we never get to take them.
14. I have a notched ear from falling onto a fireplace hearth as a child. My son was born with a notched ear just like mine. That's how Jim knew the nurses were bringing us the right baby while we were in the hospital after his birth.
15. There are times I miss my Mom and Granny so much I think my heart will explode.
16. Any time I hear a siren near my house I am VERY tempted to get in my car and chase it. My eyes get big, and Jim just laughs at me.
17. I love monster trucks, mud races, NASCAR and football.
18. I love nail polish that stays on even after showering and washing dishes.
19. Snakes up close and personal make me need clean underwear, but put them behind glass at the zoo and I could watch them ALL day.
20. I love going to the zoo.
21. I have had a few paranormal experiences, but think I'd be too scared to ever do an investigation with TAPS.
22. 99% of the time I no longer need an alarm clock to wake up by 5:30 or 6am every day.
23. If someone calls our house and can't pronounce our last name when they ask for Mr. or Mrs. Monteith, I usually just hang up on them.
24. I hardly ever cook something according to the recipe...I usually have to "tweak" something in it. Amazingly, I have only had to throw out TWO dishes of food in our 15 years of marriage. One of those I even followed the recipe exactly.
25. Other than the dog, I am officially the shortest person in my home now.
25 Random Things About Me:
1. I am most times embarrassed by how many jobs I have had...especially now that I'm looking for a new one AGAIN. But, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God led me to each of those jobs for a reason.
2. Jim and I talked on the phone every night for at least 3 or 4 hours the week before we met.
3. Jim and I got engaged after only two weeks of dating.
4. I have the most wonderful husband in the world.
5. My desk/work area at my job MUST be completely in order for me to be able to work, but my house is cluttered. Go figure...
6. Some nights from out of nowhere I still have extremely vivid dreams about my mom (she passed away in February 2004).
7. I will never, ever forget the details of the last night/hours of my mom's life. It was a horrible night, but God was gracious enough to place a handful of "sweet" moments thoughout those hours.
8. I still get giddy at the thought of missing work for a snow day.
9. One of my eyebrows is slightly higher than the other.
10. I love to work word search puzzles...I keep a book of them in my car, in the living room, and even in the bathroom.
11. When I was in high school cruising the "big block" I used to have everyone's headlights memorized so I could honk at the people I liked. (yes, I was/am a dork!)
12. I love staying in hotels.
13. I love planning trips...even if we never get to take them.
14. I have a notched ear from falling onto a fireplace hearth as a child. My son was born with a notched ear just like mine. That's how Jim knew the nurses were bringing us the right baby while we were in the hospital after his birth.
15. There are times I miss my Mom and Granny so much I think my heart will explode.
16. Any time I hear a siren near my house I am VERY tempted to get in my car and chase it. My eyes get big, and Jim just laughs at me.
17. I love monster trucks, mud races, NASCAR and football.
18. I love nail polish that stays on even after showering and washing dishes.
19. Snakes up close and personal make me need clean underwear, but put them behind glass at the zoo and I could watch them ALL day.
20. I love going to the zoo.
21. I have had a few paranormal experiences, but think I'd be too scared to ever do an investigation with TAPS.
22. 99% of the time I no longer need an alarm clock to wake up by 5:30 or 6am every day.
23. If someone calls our house and can't pronounce our last name when they ask for Mr. or Mrs. Monteith, I usually just hang up on them.
24. I hardly ever cook something according to the recipe...I usually have to "tweak" something in it. Amazingly, I have only had to throw out TWO dishes of food in our 15 years of marriage. One of those I even followed the recipe exactly.
25. Other than the dog, I am officially the shortest person in my home now.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Menu Plan Monday
What a great weekend! It's been fun! I attended my first ever scrap. There's a small group Bible study at church that meets once a month from 9am to 5pm that I've been trying to get to for almost a year. However, every Saturday it's been planned I've had something already planned. Until yesterday! There were about 15 of us that showed up. Some stayed just a few hours, and some stayed all day...like me. I really didn't know what to expect. I spent Thursday and Friday evenings putting together about 9 spreads to take and complete. I had everything planned, so all I had left to do was piece it all together. By the end of the day I had completed 5 spreads (10 pages). I had the best time, too. It was nice spending time with the "girls"...something I don't do nearly often enough. What was funny, though, was that the "girls" ranged in age from late twenties to early seventies! It was a blast. I'm already ready for next month's meeting!
I think I'm FINALLY gonna get the snow I've been hoping for. Right now the National Weather Service is calling for us to get at least 4 inches of snow plus some sleet between Monday night and Tuesday night. OF COURSE I'll HAVE to go to the grocery store tomorrow. Not really because we need all that much, but just to experience the mayhem. =)
I've got my Menu Plan ready for this week, but if the snow comes we may throw caution to the wind and just eat whatever we want. And if the power goes out I'm not promising any plan will be followed!
Here's what's on the books for this week:
Monday - turkey pot pie, broccoli, salad; Tuesday - marinated chicken breasts, hominy, salad or green beans; Wednesday - turkey a la king served over baked potatoes; Thursday - chicken stir fry; Friday - Mexican take-out probably (my guys will be at our church's annual Wild Game Feast); Saturday - tacos; Sunday - velveeta dip and bacon-wrapped little smokies while we enjoy the Super Bowl.
I'm also chugging right along with the job hunt. I applied for another job Friday with the foundation of one of the local hospitals. I'm praying for favor with that application. One of my former employers is on the board of the hospital foundation. I was able to speak with her on the phone Friday afternoon and give her a heads up that I applied for the spot. I believe this is a job that I'd really enjoy. It's full time and has great benefits. I'll keep you posted!
I think I'm FINALLY gonna get the snow I've been hoping for. Right now the National Weather Service is calling for us to get at least 4 inches of snow plus some sleet between Monday night and Tuesday night. OF COURSE I'll HAVE to go to the grocery store tomorrow. Not really because we need all that much, but just to experience the mayhem. =)
I've got my Menu Plan ready for this week, but if the snow comes we may throw caution to the wind and just eat whatever we want. And if the power goes out I'm not promising any plan will be followed!
Here's what's on the books for this week:
Monday - turkey pot pie, broccoli, salad; Tuesday - marinated chicken breasts, hominy, salad or green beans; Wednesday - turkey a la king served over baked potatoes; Thursday - chicken stir fry; Friday - Mexican take-out probably (my guys will be at our church's annual Wild Game Feast); Saturday - tacos; Sunday - velveeta dip and bacon-wrapped little smokies while we enjoy the Super Bowl.
I'm also chugging right along with the job hunt. I applied for another job Friday with the foundation of one of the local hospitals. I'm praying for favor with that application. One of my former employers is on the board of the hospital foundation. I was able to speak with her on the phone Friday afternoon and give her a heads up that I applied for the spot. I believe this is a job that I'd really enjoy. It's full time and has great benefits. I'll keep you posted!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
God's got it all under control...
I've know for months that at some point my job would come to an end. I found out in December that the target date was January 31st. Since I only work Tuesday through Thursday, that makes the date January 29th. One week away.
I'm kicking myself now for not applying for a job where my brother-in-law and sister-in-law work. They had openings back just before Thanksgiving. At that time I didn't know the definitive cut-off date for my position and, truthfully, still had hopes that something would work out where I am. Now those spots are filled.
For the past two or three days I've scoured the internet for state and federal job openings and have applied for a couple of them. Today I took the test for Census 2010 jobs (it's a government job...and yes the test-taking was as bad as you imagine). There's a resume and application that I mailed today that I'm praying heavily over. It's full time with awesome benefits and extremely decent pay. It's a job that technically I'm over qualified for, but a job that I'd be perfect for. It's at the place where my mother-in-law retired a couple years ago. My hope is that my last name alone will get my resume a second glance.
At this point, I still need to bring in an income. Otherwise, I wouldn't be searching at all. Truthfully, up until a couple weeks ago I really didn't feel an urgency in searching. That changed last week...big time. I haven't stressed over it, though. I've prayed. I know God is in control. I believe that I've always gotten the exact job He had lined up for me. This time will be no different. I have always sent out multiple resumes or applications...but I've never had to choose between multiple job offers...there's always just been THE ONE. That'll happen this time too. In God's time - not mine.
I'm kicking myself now for not applying for a job where my brother-in-law and sister-in-law work. They had openings back just before Thanksgiving. At that time I didn't know the definitive cut-off date for my position and, truthfully, still had hopes that something would work out where I am. Now those spots are filled.
For the past two or three days I've scoured the internet for state and federal job openings and have applied for a couple of them. Today I took the test for Census 2010 jobs (it's a government job...and yes the test-taking was as bad as you imagine). There's a resume and application that I mailed today that I'm praying heavily over. It's full time with awesome benefits and extremely decent pay. It's a job that technically I'm over qualified for, but a job that I'd be perfect for. It's at the place where my mother-in-law retired a couple years ago. My hope is that my last name alone will get my resume a second glance.
At this point, I still need to bring in an income. Otherwise, I wouldn't be searching at all. Truthfully, up until a couple weeks ago I really didn't feel an urgency in searching. That changed last week...big time. I haven't stressed over it, though. I've prayed. I know God is in control. I believe that I've always gotten the exact job He had lined up for me. This time will be no different. I have always sent out multiple resumes or applications...but I've never had to choose between multiple job offers...there's always just been THE ONE. That'll happen this time too. In God's time - not mine.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Menu Plan Monday
Sorry my blogging has seemed to drop off completely...I've been puny this week. When I wasn't working, I was curled up on the couch with the humidifier going. Not really sure what the problem is - sinus, viral infection, etc. Guess if I broke down and went to the doctor I could find out, huh?? :)
Anyway, on with the important stuff...this week's meal plan-->
Sunday: chicken casserole, salad.
Monday: turkey, broccoli, mashed potatoes with gravy.
Tuesday: sloppy joes, grean beans, hominy.
Wednesday: grilled lunchmeat sandwiches, salad.
Thursday: baked chicken breasts or salisbury steak, stuffing or baked potatoes, salad.
Friday: Domino's pizza or eating at school function.
Saturday: turkey pot pie, salad.
Today I'm baking the turkey I'd originally purchased for Thanksgiving, but forgot to put in the fridge to thaw as we were leaving town the weekend before the holiday. I bought a smaller turkey breast to get us through Thanksgiving. So, now I'm baking the beast I bought first! Will be nice, though, to have supper ready for tonight, then put the rest in the freezer - including the carcass. I'll boil down the carcass at a later date to make stock for soup...which I'll freeze after making.
I hope you all have an awesome week. If you've been in the "deep freeze" like we have been here in Missouri, I pray warmer temps come your way!
Anyway, on with the important stuff...this week's meal plan-->
Sunday: chicken casserole, salad.
Monday: turkey, broccoli, mashed potatoes with gravy.
Tuesday: sloppy joes, grean beans, hominy.
Wednesday: grilled lunchmeat sandwiches, salad.
Thursday: baked chicken breasts or salisbury steak, stuffing or baked potatoes, salad.
Friday: Domino's pizza or eating at school function.
Saturday: turkey pot pie, salad.
Today I'm baking the turkey I'd originally purchased for Thanksgiving, but forgot to put in the fridge to thaw as we were leaving town the weekend before the holiday. I bought a smaller turkey breast to get us through Thanksgiving. So, now I'm baking the beast I bought first! Will be nice, though, to have supper ready for tonight, then put the rest in the freezer - including the carcass. I'll boil down the carcass at a later date to make stock for soup...which I'll freeze after making.
I hope you all have an awesome week. If you've been in the "deep freeze" like we have been here in Missouri, I pray warmer temps come your way!
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