Bronwen and Ava's Cute Words

Tonight Bronwen made an airplane out of legos. She put on the wheels, wings, and a smiley face (airplanes need to have cute faces too, you know). Lastly, she plopped a large lego on top of the airplane's head. She then looked at Conrad and me and said, "My airplane friend needs to wear ear muffins so she can fly in the snow." Hee-hee!

Like her momma and aunties Natasha and Bianca, one of Ava's favorite foods is "wasanga". It's so cute that we can't bring ourselves to correct her because we love hearing it so much! "Ava, what are we having for dinner again?"...

Our first snow in Seattle

True to the forecast it snowed about an inch in Seattle last night, leaving a beautiful Winter Wonderland.

The previous owner of our house let us know that the hill behind our backyard was a magnet to kids for sledding. Bronwen must have heard this through the grapevine because as soon as she saw the snow she said, "We have to put on our coats, mittens, hats and shoes and go down the big hill." We all had a great time!

Adventures on the big hill

All jobs are not created equally...

Okay, sad, but good news...I quit the 'fantastic' job.

After looking for a job for six months I thought I found the answer to my prayers when I landed my job that offered 'flexible' hours.

When hired on I was told that I would have to work a swing shift for two weeks for on the job training. After that I could set my schedule as long as it met business needs.

Within one week I met with my boss, who then informed me that he needed me to continue working the swing shift for six weeks. It was a stretch, but I was willing to tough it out (as was Conrad who had already started going to work late to take care of Bronwen and Ava so I could sleep).

Well the last straw came Monday when I found out I had to work graveyard all of Christmas week (and New Year's Eve!). I realize the economy is terrible and employment options are grim, but some things, like the impact of a unpredictable schedule on my family, just aren't worth the money.

My takeaway, get clarification of what 'flexible' means (is it flexible for your or the company's benefit), and talk to current employees. I later found out the turnver rate ran rampid in this company. Gee, I wonder why...

Oh, I almost forgot to mention the creepy 60-year-old scientist who moonlights as a cross-dresser on the weekends (and carries around an 8X10 picture of him in drag to work). When he showed me the picture (he's standing next to a lady wearing the same outfit) he had the nerve to tell me, "I'm the one on the right." Yeah, I thought, I know. You mean the obvious looking man on the right wearing an obvious wig and obvious protruding fake boobs. Yeah, I know.

I got a job!

After a several month long job search, just when I had given up, I got a job!

I will be the supervisor of the forensics analytical lab, which processes 2000 samples/day. They operate under flexible hours, so Bronwen and Ava will only have to be in childcare 3.5 hrs/day (I was thinking about putting them into preschool anyway since the job search was taking so long), the commute is great (only 0.5 mile isn't on the highway -and it's against traffic), the pay is exactly what I wanted, and the people are great.

I couldn't have asked for anything more!

Thankful for so many things

Okay, okay, I know Thanksgiving is still 5 days away, but I truly feel thankful tonight.

Here are my top things I am thankful for:

1) Rollerskating with Conrad and the girls today

2) Cami printing out my resume

3) My dad's spaghetti recipe

4) Talking with my mom in the afternoon

5) Talking with Tash when she's on her way to work

6) Bianca visiting during the summer

7) Watching my dad play with Bronwen and Ava

8) Seeing Puppy Springer in the Halloween costume Bronwen and Ava picked out for her

9) Happy face balloons

10) Health

11) Going to the car show

12) Living the American dream

13) Staying home with my two little best friends for the last 6 months

14) Fireside chats with my best friend (Conrad how I love you!)

15) Having a beautiful life filled with family and friends

My Latest Home Projects

Conrad thought he was in the clear of home projects when we moved from ABQ because it put physical distance between me and my great friend, Fotini. See, what would happen is that I would go to Fotini's house, get inspired by something she had done, then come back to ours and want to 1) plant; 2) paint; 3) buy furniture.

Well, the projects have begun; I met my wonderful new friend and neighbor, Cami. Hee-hee! Cami is an artist, and likes colors. We went to her and her husband's house for dinner on Saturday, and inevitably two projects were born.

Project One, THE ISLAND

On Monday and Tuesday I stripped, sanded, primed and painted our kitchen island red. A vast improvement from it's earlier state (CORK BOARD on the back, stainless steel metal plates on the bottom of each leg, and an overall white and brown color combo). It was functional so I didn't want to get rid of it, but it just looked awful. It's like the old owners tried to buy an island that matched the cabinets, but they couldn't quite get it right...then the back of the island was originally white but they glued squares of cork board on the back (were they trying to camouflage the white with the cork board so it would look brown??). Anyway, I'm much happier with the new look. Now the floor... :-)

Project Two, Painting something for Bronwen and Ava in their rooms

Cami painted at beautiful ocean/beach scenery for her daughter in her room. I wasn't quite brave enough to paint on their walls, so I settled for their doors instead. Ava's is Silvermist, and Bronwen's is Tinkerbell. The girls got huge smiles on their faces when they saw the finished products, which made me feel like a queen.

My thoughts are if you're thinking about doing something bold in your house, go for it! You can always repaint/repair if it doesn't turn out, and it's so much fun!

Oh the fun you can have with Thing One and Thing Two

"The sun did not shine.

It was too wet to play.

So we sat in the house

All that cold, cold, wet day."

The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss

I got out the glitter

And two containers of glue

Then wondered aloud

Why are the messiest of projects

What kids gravitate to?

Despite the newspaper

I laid out for her spot

Ava tipped over the glitter

And out came the mop

(I foolishly thought securing the table was enough)

Both girls covered in glue

From their heads to their toes

There was so much glitter on their shirts

They needed a change of clothes

By then it was two,

Plenty time left to play

So I succumbed to Bronwen's wishes

And put the tent out for the day

The lower floor is a disaster

And I'm afraid the mess will soon spread

To their room, my room,

And even to my bed

But I wouldn't change anything

About this cozy, wet day

I love my Thing One and Thing Two

More than any words can say.