Sometimes I wonder if i can ever be a timely blogger....nope

The two jobs are going well but sometimes I get pretty tired. I have learned a lot from my new job at UPS and some days are pretty challenging. Some people are pretty challenging. There are many different personalities to deal with and its been quite a ride. For the most part, I love it. Wal-Mart is another story. Do I still like it? Yes and no. I like that I know everything I really need to know and that they come to me when they need help. I also hate it. I get to do the crap stuff because I know how to do it. At the same time, I get away with a lot of stuff that maybe I wouldn't normally be able to do. For the most part, its working well but at the same time I cannot wait til the day i get to have just one job again.

Time is going by way too fast. Its November... yes November. How did that happen? My baby is three...I also keep getting asked about when the next one is coming. Maybe if my body cooperates and allows me to have another child it will happen. Today is the due date of my brother Tyler and his wife's baby. Pretty excited for them :)

Today is also the day that Jason's grandma Anna is going to hospice. She has pancreatic cancer and she is not doing well and they say she probably only has a couple of days. Although I am quite sad that she will leave us soon, I will be happy when I know she is not in pain anymore. She has been so strong about everything but I know she has been suffering and I know God has a better place prepared for her. Keep her and her whole family in your prayers as we all have to say goodbye to a wonderful, caring woman.

Also, pray for Jason's Uncle Bruce. He is dealing with a rare stomach cancer and it will be a long, hard road for him.

If anyone has any good potty training trips I need some for Colton. He knows everything about it and will do it...just not consistently.

I am sure there is much more for me to write and a few pics to post, but I'm stopping for now...

Life Just Got Crazy...

So I DO NOT work full time at Walmart anymore. And it is the strangest feeling ever. For over 8 years of my life, that has been my job. And now its part time and I dont have the same responsibilities that I used to have. Now I just have a ton of experience and knowledge and value as a part time WalMart employee. I dont know how valuable that really is but its good for me.

However, part of my new life now includes a part time job at UPS where I start at 4am. That is going to take some adjusting and I am going to have to learn ALOT for this job. But I am really excited about it.

We are also now experiencing a pretty strong thunderstorm right now. excess of 60 to 70 mph hour winds hail possible tornadoes...exciting and scary..

Changes

Today was a day of many things. I learned at Wal-Mart that along with accessories I will be in charge of Jewelry and shoes....I think it will be a crazy busy job for me!! Hopefully fun most of the time. We will see.

I also had a job interview at a bank. It was a strange experience for me because I haven't had an interview outside of Wal-mart in 8 years!!! You read right...8. Hopefully that went well as well. If I get that job and the pay is right that could mean some big changes for me and hopefully open up a new career path for me. I will hear in about 2 weeks. That means some hard core patience on my part. Several people have asked me how I thought the interview had gone and really I have no idea. Could I have done better? Probably but I did the best I could and I was myself. Hopefully that is enough. I also have some issues with leaving a job I have had for 8 years. It is going to be a really hard decision. I am pretty loyal and I feel like I am betraying my job. There are many things I like about Wal-Mart and like I said- this wont be an easy decision if I get offered the job.

In other news, our garden is up! Everything we planted is coming up and hopefully it continues to grow well. Colton is enjoying watching things come up and helping mom in the garden. He most likes finding the rocks that are in the garden and throwing them :)

I also need a good weed spray that doesnt kill grass....any ideas???

Recipes for Clarissa

Ok, Clarissa.

These are a couple of recipes that I have tried lately and the people who ate them thought they were great. Perhaps you have made something like them? If not, try them....sooo good. Not good for you by any means but good none the less. They are both from Trisha Yearwood's cookbook, Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood. I like it. Some really good recipes. I want to get her other cookbook now... Anyway.... Also, I know this is a public blog that others can read but I hope you are well my friend...I miss you !! :)

Ok, first recipe.

Asparagus Bundles

2 pounds fresh asparagus, ends trimmed

12 slices bacon

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Divide the asparagus spears into 12 bundles. carefully wrap 1 piece of bacon around each bundle, starting about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the tips. secure the bacon-wrapped spears with a toothpick. lay the bundles in a low sided casserole dish.

in a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, soy sauce, garlic salt, and pepper. bring the mixture to a boil. pour the hot sugar mixture over the asparagus bundles. transfer the dish to the oven and roast for 25 minutes, or until the spears have begun to wilt and the bacon looks fully cooked. remove the toothpicks before serving.

I dont have a picture of this one but it is soo good !

Then, the second recipe.

Key Lime Cake

1 3-ounce package lime-flavored gelatin

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

5 large eggs, slightly beaten

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

3/4 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup Key lime juice (from about 25 small Key limes or 4 large regular limes)

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the gelatin, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir to mix well. Add the eggs, oil, orange juice, lemon juice, and vanilla. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Test for doneness by lightly touching the tops of the layers or inserting a toothpick. Cool the layers in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto racks.

While the layers are still hot, mix the lime juice and the confectioners' sugar and pour it over the layers on the racks. You can pierce the layers with a fork to allow the glaze to soak in better. Allow the layers to cool completely as you prepare the icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

1/2 cup butter, room temp

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temp

1 1-pound box confectioners' sugar

Cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in the confectioners' sugar until the mixture is smooth and easy to spread. Spread the icing between the layers and on the top and sides of the cake.

* The cream cheese icing in optional. This cake is beautiful and tastes great with just the glaze poured over it.

Update

I have been at home since about Monday at 1:00 in the afternoon taking care of the little man who picked up RSV somewhere. Oh the joys. However, He hasn't felt absolutely terrible which is good. Perhaps tomorrow I will go back to work depending on the fever situation. In other notes about Colton he has learned how to climb out of his crib. Fortunately he had decided to wait this long to try but now we get to find him a big boy bed. He thinks he's excited but we will see when he actually gets it. I am worried about him staying in the bed and not coming in to wake me up all the time or walking around at night and getting into things he isn't supposed to.

At work I feel like I am going to have to make a choice soon. I feel like its not somewhere I should be anymore. I don't really enjoy my work there anymore. This also means I have to start looking and I have no idea where to start. Anyone have any ideas?

Some people know that I am having difficulty with PCOS. Its called polycystic ovary syndrome. Basically there are many cysts on my ovaries and it throws everything out of whack. Since last March we have been trying to have a baby and so far it hasn't worked. In December the doctor gave me some medicine to see if that will help but also gave me instructions that if I wanted things to move faster to let her know. That may be something I will be looking into soon. I am scared of things like fertility drugs etc. I am hoping that there is some way to fix this without that or more but I don't think that will be the case. I want to have another one before Colton gets too old and they don't want to play with each other. Pray for some peace and progress with this situation. Some days I am fine with it and others are really hard where I feel like I am defective somehow.

I am so incredibly excited for spring to get here!! I am excited to smell dirt, new grass, rain, worms, the FIRST THUNDERSTORM, etc. I am also excited to go to Palisades Park and take some pictures. This year we are preparing for a garden which will be fun to teach Colton about. Hopefully we will make him a sandbox and if it is at all possible a fence around the backyard so Colton can play. I dream about this fence and just pray we can pull the money out of somewhere to get it. I just would feel so much safer with a fence around our yard. Not that our neighborhood is bad, but with new houses going up and Colton being extremely adventurous he would be safer.

I am also missing friends. I would love to see Gabriel, Clarissa, Becky, Chelsie, B*, Matt and April etc. It has been too long and I really miss them.

What are looking forward to this spring?

Oh Days Off....

I had to work all weekend so my next two days are off.....Thank goodness... I have big plans of cleaning etc.... we will see how that goes. Jason gets to have his first plane rides this week and I am hoping that goes well. It will be just Colton and I until Thursday when Jason gets back. Hopefully Colton and I will have fun....

I am patiently waiting for spring. Although the melting snow is probably going to create a floody mess....I miss green and the smell of grass and worms. And rain, and walks with Colton and the wagon and fires...mmmm I cant wait...

I'm waiting for Colton to be able to ride his Christmas bike etc...

alright back to cleaning for now...:)

Exciting!

So I just found out that I won a handmade card from The Dotted Duck !! Yay. These ladies make some super cute stuff! There are handmade cards and some awesome towel bibs for the little ones in your life or for your friends....Go there and check it out. Thanks again ladies :)