This week I start consulting through TutorABC online. I'm actually quite nervous. I've had it pretty easy that last few years with being in the same line of work and feeling equipped for the job. Now, I'm joining the teaching field (never been there), consulting Mandarin speakers (don't know a lick of it), helping them perfect their English comprehension and pronunciation (I'm an Art Major)! I know English. I did quite well in college... but college was a long time ago and I'm worried that I'll be sub-par. Plus I get graded after each session (class) by my students and if they grade me poorly my hourly wage goes down. Scary!
The timing should be interesting as well. Each session is 45 minutes. No problem. But I need to coordinate these sessions around Lucy's naps or when she's occupied and won't need me at all. I tried to get up this morning at 5:00 am to see what it would be like if I chose to start a session at 5:30 am (which is the plan). I rolled over when Adam got up at that time and didn't wake again until 7:00! It's going to be very difficult. My plan is to teach 4-5 classes a day, but I'm thinking realistically it'll be 3 or 4 at the most. Luckily I can work 7 days a week if need be to help with our cash flow.
So, the first class is today at 1:30..... wish me luck!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
4 of us
So apparently a year is not long enough to remember you have a brother-in-law. Joe will be in Monterey as well. Which is a good thing, because he'll be DD :)
Sigh...
Well, I am up this morning, as early as it is... I was supposed to start consulting today online for my new company, but again there's another glitch and it didn't happen. But rather than going back to bed, I decided to stay up, enjoy the silence and wait to see if the garbage man will take all my cardboard boxes on this glorious recycling day.
Life is not "normal" around here. "Normal" however is a subjective word... Normal for us has really changed in the last 2 months. I look forward to our new normal, but that will require the roof being completed. Adam is such a hard worker-- after 10 hours a day working in the forest, he comes home and works ANOTHER 4 hours on the roof. And then after his 40 hour work week, he works on it all weekend. Needless to say, I don't see him much. BUT I'm honestly not complaining. If he were camping this much, or backpacking, or even being lazy, YES, I would complain. But we have a common goal here and it includes getting a roof on our house before the sky starts falling in what we predict will be about 6 weeks. For those of you in Paradise, it's called snow. REAL snow :) with -15 degree below weather.
With not being able to spend as much time with Adam as we used to (it IS just momentary) Lucy and I have had to find ways to entertain our selves. This weekend we're going to Chico for a Gardner family get-together. We have family coming in from out of state and it'll be fun to get to see everybody. Well, almost everybody. We know a few won't make it (Matt and Kait, Katie, Beth and Dave) and they WILL be missed.
I'm very excited about next weekend's potential (Labor Day weekend). We were planning a family trip to Yosemite, however with the roof occupying Adam's weekends, we decided to postpone. So, that gives me an opportunity to go to Monterey with my mom to help her orchestrate a wedding that weekend. It will be work, but it's going to be SO much fun, because my dad is also going, and my sister is in the wedding. It'll be just the four of us for the first time in over 5 years! Yes, just the FOUR of us. I'm shipping Lucy out. I'm hoping Marian will be able to take her and it's sounding hopeful, but I won't know for sure for another day or so.
I am so excited about the prospect of my OWN schedule. Taking a walk down cannery row BY MY SELF. Granted I'll be at the whim of my mom (which is the point of this trip--she's the boss and I like ti that way) but even if there's 10 minutes down-time where I can just do one thing by myself that doesn't involve "running" to Wal-Mart for TP, or orchestrating a trip out of the house around naps, it'll be the BEST WORKING VACATION EVER.
Well, the recycling truck is almost here and I don't want to be rude. :)
Life is not "normal" around here. "Normal" however is a subjective word... Normal for us has really changed in the last 2 months. I look forward to our new normal, but that will require the roof being completed. Adam is such a hard worker-- after 10 hours a day working in the forest, he comes home and works ANOTHER 4 hours on the roof. And then after his 40 hour work week, he works on it all weekend. Needless to say, I don't see him much. BUT I'm honestly not complaining. If he were camping this much, or backpacking, or even being lazy, YES, I would complain. But we have a common goal here and it includes getting a roof on our house before the sky starts falling in what we predict will be about 6 weeks. For those of you in Paradise, it's called snow. REAL snow :) with -15 degree below weather.
With not being able to spend as much time with Adam as we used to (it IS just momentary) Lucy and I have had to find ways to entertain our selves. This weekend we're going to Chico for a Gardner family get-together. We have family coming in from out of state and it'll be fun to get to see everybody. Well, almost everybody. We know a few won't make it (Matt and Kait, Katie, Beth and Dave) and they WILL be missed.
I'm very excited about next weekend's potential (Labor Day weekend). We were planning a family trip to Yosemite, however with the roof occupying Adam's weekends, we decided to postpone. So, that gives me an opportunity to go to Monterey with my mom to help her orchestrate a wedding that weekend. It will be work, but it's going to be SO much fun, because my dad is also going, and my sister is in the wedding. It'll be just the four of us for the first time in over 5 years! Yes, just the FOUR of us. I'm shipping Lucy out. I'm hoping Marian will be able to take her and it's sounding hopeful, but I won't know for sure for another day or so.
I am so excited about the prospect of my OWN schedule. Taking a walk down cannery row BY MY SELF. Granted I'll be at the whim of my mom (which is the point of this trip--she's the boss and I like ti that way) but even if there's 10 minutes down-time where I can just do one thing by myself that doesn't involve "running" to Wal-Mart for TP, or orchestrating a trip out of the house around naps, it'll be the BEST WORKING VACATION EVER.
Well, the recycling truck is almost here and I don't want to be rude. :)
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Adam's Anniversary Band
I've had many comments requesting a photo of Adam's new ring...
So here you go. It's actually pretty massive. It's a size 11 and weighs a lot. Kurt (the designer) and I wanted to use all the gold from my grandmother's bracelet so that it's thick and IF something happens, it's less likely to break or bend. Adam primarily uses his right hand at work, but on the weekends he's working on the house, chopping wood, he may get called on a fire, so we wanted it to hold up to as much abuse as possible.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
ditching the bottle night 1 & 2
Well, last night Lucy really wanted her baby. She kept saying, "Baby, baby." We gave it to her at bed time instead of a bottle and she made it about twenty minutes. After 20, she started crying. I let her cry for 15 more minutes and then went in and she was asking for a bottle. I gave in and gave her a watered-down bottle of milk and made sure to take it out of her crib when we went to bed, and she slept through the night (not uncommon).
Tonight she made it a half hour with the baby and then cried. She didn't ask for a bottle though, she just wanted to be held (today was a rough day with an off nap schedule and too-short of a nap as well). So I gave her a bottle of water and explained that if she wants a bottle, the baby cannot sleep with her in her crib. She was ok with that. So she's sleeping soundly now and at least the bottle is water and not milk.
Tonight will be another night--in Paradise actually, so we'll see if being in a different place hinders this process... probably, but it has to be done! If I have to start over on Saturday night, it won't be a big deal. But I think she's getting the idea.
Tonight she made it a half hour with the baby and then cried. She didn't ask for a bottle though, she just wanted to be held (today was a rough day with an off nap schedule and too-short of a nap as well). So I gave her a bottle of water and explained that if she wants a bottle, the baby cannot sleep with her in her crib. She was ok with that. So she's sleeping soundly now and at least the bottle is water and not milk.
Tonight will be another night--in Paradise actually, so we'll see if being in a different place hinders this process... probably, but it has to be done! If I have to start over on Saturday night, it won't be a big deal. But I think she's getting the idea.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
5 years
Adam and I celebrated our 5-year anniversary this month... technically we celebrated last month, but our anniversary was actually August 7.
On a whim, we decided to go out to dinner to celebrate, about 3 weeks ago. We went to Lake Almanor and ate at Gamboni's Grill. The meals were fabulous! We had such a great time on the drive there, during the meal, and on the drive back. We were made for each other!
The most exciting part about our anniversary was the gifts! Yes, I love what he gave me (Hot Diamonds After Hours Embrace Cuff Bracelet--see photo), and I wear it every day. BUT I was REALLY excited about what I got him.
When we got married, Adam was working odd jobs with construction and we wanted a ring that would hold up to Adam's abuse of his hands. For a wedding band we purchased a $40 titanium band from Overstock.com. That ring held up wonderfully and served it's purpose, but now that he has his career and is "nicer" to his hands, I waned to buy him a "real" wedding band.
I had a design in mind so I went to see Kurt at Leslie's Jewelry here in Susanville and he totally executed it. I used some of my grandma's gold jewelry to melt down into the ring which is kinda special, because it was the same grandmother whose ring we adapted for my wedding set. Adam has a degree in forestry and it has been so wonderful seeing something he's passionate about and being a part of it. I wanted the ring to feature two trees with trunks that met in the middle--two strong, independent beings that meet together and are better as one (us!). The trees are engraved and unique--they are un-uniform like redwood trees, which is fun because we spent the first 4 years of our marriage living in the redwoods! The engraved trees are coated in chromium and the rest of the band is polish yellow gold. It's BEAUTIFUL! When I gave it to him he said "I finally have a REAL wedding band." YES! That was the best thing I could have heard. He made me happy--even without giving me the bracelet of my dreams...
There is so much to the story of this anniversary and many more details! It was very special and I will always remember it.
Here's to 60 more baby!
On a whim, we decided to go out to dinner to celebrate, about 3 weeks ago. We went to Lake Almanor and ate at Gamboni's Grill. The meals were fabulous! We had such a great time on the drive there, during the meal, and on the drive back. We were made for each other!
When we got married, Adam was working odd jobs with construction and we wanted a ring that would hold up to Adam's abuse of his hands. For a wedding band we purchased a $40 titanium band from Overstock.com. That ring held up wonderfully and served it's purpose, but now that he has his career and is "nicer" to his hands, I waned to buy him a "real" wedding band.
I had a design in mind so I went to see Kurt at Leslie's Jewelry here in Susanville and he totally executed it. I used some of my grandma's gold jewelry to melt down into the ring which is kinda special, because it was the same grandmother whose ring we adapted for my wedding set. Adam has a degree in forestry and it has been so wonderful seeing something he's passionate about and being a part of it. I wanted the ring to feature two trees with trunks that met in the middle--two strong, independent beings that meet together and are better as one (us!). The trees are engraved and unique--they are un-uniform like redwood trees, which is fun because we spent the first 4 years of our marriage living in the redwoods! The engraved trees are coated in chromium and the rest of the band is polish yellow gold. It's BEAUTIFUL! When I gave it to him he said "I finally have a REAL wedding band." YES! That was the best thing I could have heard. He made me happy--even without giving me the bracelet of my dreams...
There is so much to the story of this anniversary and many more details! It was very special and I will always remember it.
Here's to 60 more baby!
ditching the bottle
In a moment of desperation, a year ago I gave Lucy a bottle at night to help her sleep. This is a horrible habit and one that I have wanted to break for months. Sure, quit cold turkey would work, but I'm weak. I can't take the hysterical screaming and pleas for a "ba-ba."
SO! I've come up with a plan! I'd like to bribe her! Yeah, from one faux-paus to another, right?
Anywho... Last night I bought her a baby doll. Her FIRST baby doll. It has it's own blankie and is just the right size. It will come out right before before bed when she starts her nightly bottle, and then while putting her to bed, the baby will come out of the box! She can either take Baby to bed, or "ba-ba." She may choose "ba-ba." If she does, no Baby. Baby will only be for ni-night, just like bottle. We'll try again the next night... and the next night... and hopefully it won't take too much longer, but when she kicks the bottle, she can have Baby any time of day.
Simultaneously, I'll be watering down the bottle just in case she doesn't ever choose Baby. I know the milk is bad for her teeth so hopefully we can get to just water. Worse comes to worse, after she's transitioned to water, I'll transition her to a sippy cup.
I have used the word hopefully several times... Hopefully, this is a good plan!
SO! I've come up with a plan! I'd like to bribe her! Yeah, from one faux-paus to another, right?
Anywho... Last night I bought her a baby doll. Her FIRST baby doll. It has it's own blankie and is just the right size. It will come out right before before bed when she starts her nightly bottle, and then while putting her to bed, the baby will come out of the box! She can either take Baby to bed, or "ba-ba." She may choose "ba-ba." If she does, no Baby. Baby will only be for ni-night, just like bottle. We'll try again the next night... and the next night... and hopefully it won't take too much longer, but when she kicks the bottle, she can have Baby any time of day.
Simultaneously, I'll be watering down the bottle just in case she doesn't ever choose Baby. I know the milk is bad for her teeth so hopefully we can get to just water. Worse comes to worse, after she's transitioned to water, I'll transition her to a sippy cup.
I have used the word hopefully several times... Hopefully, this is a good plan!
Monday, August 9, 2010
reality check
I have to keep myself in check with what I post on this blog. It is public. It's not a journal that is stored under my mattress and anything I emotionally write is not kept private. I have not always handled situations maturely and for that I am human but not necessarily kind.
Slanderous words travel fast, but apologies are slower. I do not wish to take back my words for I feel that would not be honest, but I do wish to apologize for the manner in which I have handled the situation.
Slanderous words travel fast, but apologies are slower. I do not wish to take back my words for I feel that would not be honest, but I do wish to apologize for the manner in which I have handled the situation.
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