I had the best day ever today. Jeff and I woke up at 8:00. We declared it a “Zero Calorie Day” – since we haven’t had one in weeks and I’ve been doing so well with my exercise and eating recently. Basically, when we have one of these days, no matter what or how much we consume, we are taking in zero calories and will not gain weight. We love these days.
We got ready and went to Coco’s Restaurant and Bakery. It is like a Perkin’s. I got my usual – a short stack of pancakes. Yum!
We went to Pratt’s Pet Store and “awwww-ed” at all the cute baby chicks, baby ducks, bunnies, hamsters, bearded dragons, turtles, and iguanas. Of course, I also “ewwwww-ed” at all the snakes, tarantulas, and other creepy things that I can’t understand why anyone would want to BUY much less OWN.
We went home for a few minutes before venturing off to Castles and Coasters. It is basically a small, ghetto Mount Olympus. We only went to play miniature golf, but couldn’t resist acting like big kids in the arcade. We had a really good time.
There is a large mall across the street from Castles and Coasters, so we went and walked around it for a good hour or so.
For supper, we went to our very favorite Mexican restaurant – Arriba Mexican Grill. Oh. My. God! It was HEAVEN! I can’t even describe how tasty this place really is. You will have to try it for yourselves.
We are just going to lounge around for the rest of the night and eat some ice cream while watching TV.
Tomorrow we are going to the gym together to work off the zero calories that we took in today.
Miss Allison Donna Marie Josephine Hendrix will be here three weeks from today. I’m so flippin’ excited! :]
Until next time, folks…
Love,
Ash
4.18.2009
4.17.2009
Not Much To Report Here...
but I will give you a quick update anyway. :)
Last weekend, Jeff took me shopping for summer clothes at the mall. I got some good deals because of all the Easter sales. I only got a few outfits, but will slowly build up my wardrobe. I, Ashley Marie, bought and fit into a size 10! No muffin top for this chicky. I was so excited! :)
We shared a pretzel at Pretzel Time and went and looked at all the cute puppies at the pet store. I was in love with all of them.
We went out to Buffalo Wild Wings for Rod's going away party. We had fun, but I started to get tired around 9. After all, that is way past my bedtime lately! The party moved from BWW to Brookside, a nice little club a few miles down the road. I didn't really want to go, but went anyway. I'm glad that I did!
I was walking to the bathroom and some guy started waving at me. I had no idea who he was, so I looked at the people sitting next to him. It was Eva from work and her husband. I was so happy to see them. They ended up hanging out with us and after the club closed, we went to their house and were there until about 4:30 or 5 in the morning.
On Sunday, I made shredded beef tacos. They were tasty. :) Then, we watched "Band of Brothers."
This morning, after I worked out at the gym, I stripped down and wrapped myself in a towel. I locked all my clothes in my locker, but my padlock was acting funny. It kept sticking. I turned it a few times until it was working normally. Something told me to try to open the lock - just in case. Sure enough, it didn't work!
I tried to unlock it for a good five minutes or more before I broke down and asked a lady to find a staff member to break the lock. The scrawny front desk girl came with the massive lock cutter. She was having a helluva time trying to break it (thanks, Brinks, for making such heavy-duty locks!). She gave it her all for close to 10 minutes before she decided to bring in the big guns - one of the male personal trainers. How embarrassing! You can bet that my towel-clad self hid when she told me she had to bring a guy in.
It took her about five minutes to locate someone, but once she did, it literally took 1.2 seconds for him to break the lock. Thank God!
Humiliated, I proceeded to shower and get the heck out of there. I guess it happens a lot, though, from what the front desk lady was saying. Plus, two women in the locker room had it happen to them, too. Whew!
Work was fun today. We took the participants horseback riding, and I got to ride, too. :) Jeff was going to come with, but had to go into work early today. We are going to go another day, though.
Jeff applied for an opening in Florida. He has a good shot at it, so I will keep my fingers crossed for him. It's a better job that he has now.
He had weekend duty, but we are hoping that he doesn't have to go in because we had a date planned out. We will still do it regardless, but it'd be more fun to have the entire day instead of just a few hours. Oh well.
That's all that I have to say for now.
Last weekend, Jeff took me shopping for summer clothes at the mall. I got some good deals because of all the Easter sales. I only got a few outfits, but will slowly build up my wardrobe. I, Ashley Marie, bought and fit into a size 10! No muffin top for this chicky. I was so excited! :)
We shared a pretzel at Pretzel Time and went and looked at all the cute puppies at the pet store. I was in love with all of them.
We went out to Buffalo Wild Wings for Rod's going away party. We had fun, but I started to get tired around 9. After all, that is way past my bedtime lately! The party moved from BWW to Brookside, a nice little club a few miles down the road. I didn't really want to go, but went anyway. I'm glad that I did!
I was walking to the bathroom and some guy started waving at me. I had no idea who he was, so I looked at the people sitting next to him. It was Eva from work and her husband. I was so happy to see them. They ended up hanging out with us and after the club closed, we went to their house and were there until about 4:30 or 5 in the morning.
On Sunday, I made shredded beef tacos. They were tasty. :) Then, we watched "Band of Brothers."
This morning, after I worked out at the gym, I stripped down and wrapped myself in a towel. I locked all my clothes in my locker, but my padlock was acting funny. It kept sticking. I turned it a few times until it was working normally. Something told me to try to open the lock - just in case. Sure enough, it didn't work!
I tried to unlock it for a good five minutes or more before I broke down and asked a lady to find a staff member to break the lock. The scrawny front desk girl came with the massive lock cutter. She was having a helluva time trying to break it (thanks, Brinks, for making such heavy-duty locks!). She gave it her all for close to 10 minutes before she decided to bring in the big guns - one of the male personal trainers. How embarrassing! You can bet that my towel-clad self hid when she told me she had to bring a guy in.
It took her about five minutes to locate someone, but once she did, it literally took 1.2 seconds for him to break the lock. Thank God!
Humiliated, I proceeded to shower and get the heck out of there. I guess it happens a lot, though, from what the front desk lady was saying. Plus, two women in the locker room had it happen to them, too. Whew!
Work was fun today. We took the participants horseback riding, and I got to ride, too. :) Jeff was going to come with, but had to go into work early today. We are going to go another day, though.
Jeff applied for an opening in Florida. He has a good shot at it, so I will keep my fingers crossed for him. It's a better job that he has now.
He had weekend duty, but we are hoping that he doesn't have to go in because we had a date planned out. We will still do it regardless, but it'd be more fun to have the entire day instead of just a few hours. Oh well.
That's all that I have to say for now.
4.09.2009
After Much Anticipation, I'm Back!
It’s been awhile, which seems to be my opening line in the last few blogs I’ve written. I will try to be more diligent, but I’m not making any promises. I don’t have a lot to say and my time is consumed by other things lately. I have developed a routine, and my blog has kind of fallen by the wayside. It’s not that I don’t want to blog – because I do. After all, I love to read my old blogs and relive memories – I am just too lazy and find other things that I’d rather be doing.
Anyway, work has been okay. At last week’s meeting, I felt targeted by one of my coworkers. No matter what I do, it is wrong. She is always on my case. She said that people are sitting around in the kitchen instead of coming to the floor to help out and relieve people. She specifically mentioned the day before (when I was in the kitchen) and had all these bullshit numbers to back up her case. She said that at 10:00 there were 26 participants and two staff members and at 10:25 there were 29 participants and two staff members. Bullshit! I was on the floor with the other two ladies and two volunteers! I was particularly offended because I have NEVER sat down while in the kitchen – with the exception of when I was rolling silverware. I am always busy. My supervisor said that if it didn’t improve, she’d shift assignments – that maybe some people weren’t fit for the kitchen. That REALLY pissed me off. I am NOT going to work the floor five days a week without a break from the floor.
Anyway, I needed to talk to someone after my meeting. I feel more comfortable talking to the activity lead- I love her to death. So, I asked her if she had a minute. She pulled me into the staff room, and I no more than got two words out and I started crying. I told her that one of my coworkers is always yelling at me. I told her that she will tell me to do something one way and the next day yells at me because it’s wrong. I said that I’m trying my best and don’t know what else to do. I told her that I’ve kept my mouth shut since I started – thinking that it’d eventually stop when I got the hang of things- but it hasn’t eased up at all and I’m to the point that I DREAD going to work everyday. This isn’t the usual, “Ugh. I don’t want to go to work today.” I actually feel like crying on my way to work because I hate it so much and always feel like I’m going to get fired because I do everything wrong.
The activity lead immediately called my supervisor into the room and I had to tell her everything. She was pretty livid. She’s a really nice lady, but she doesn’t stand for anyone trying to control other people. She said that she is the only supervisor and the only person that has the right to say anything to anyone. She gave me a hug and told me that I’m a great worker. She said that she knew that this lady had a controlling side and was a little leery about that when she hired me because I am quiet and easy prey for people like her. So, my supervisor had a long talk with the woman.
Our activity lead told me that I’m the best worker they have and that the co-worker would always come and complain about me, but she would ignore her and go tell our supervisor all the positive things about me. I always thought that this coworker was their “star pupil”, but apparently I was wrong. My lead said that she is lazy and never works and that she is always trying to get people into trouble. That made me feel so much better!
I’ve been more confident at work and am no longer afraid of my coworker. She has pretty much ignored me since I ratted her out. It’s better that way. :)
Jeff started working swing shift a couple of weeks ago, so we don’t really see each other. He’s gone when I get home and I’m asleep when he returns. I miss him, but we will make up for it on the weekends. On the plus side, it’s so much easier to stay within my calories when he is not around. I’m not tempted to go out to eat or snack late at night.
Last weekend, we went to Culver’s with Brian, Denise, Jenny, and John. We were going to go bowling, but we ended up just going back to Brian’s house. Jeff went to the pub with some friends. I was supposed to go, but decided to stay behind. The rest of us went to Jenny and John’s house. They drank. I stuck to soda. We played “Catch Phrase” for a bit, but about thirty minutes after we got there, Jeff called me for a ride. All of his friends left him to go to another pub, so he was stranded. He came back to Jenny’s with me. We were there pretty late, but we had a good time.
On Sunday, I cleaned out my car and washed it. Jeff put some chicken on the grill and I made some long grain rice. It was sooo delicious!
We planted some flowers, tomatoes, and strawberries. They are all doing great, except the tomatoes. Toby dug them up. Brat.
Oh, and a couple weekends ago, we went to Jeff’s friend’s wedding reception. Since it was a quick wedding, they didn’t have a huge reception – we all just went to Olive Garden. It was fun. Afterward, we went to their house and hung out. We made ‘smores and talked all night. I was actually very talkative and got to know Jenny and John. I’m glad I did. They are so nice.
Today I was in CPR and First Aid class all day. I passed though and am certified. Yay! Things have really changed since I last took it in 2004. I’m glad, though, because the new way is less confusing and easier to remember.
I am still looking for the perfect short hairstyle. So, please offer some advice. I grew it out for almost three months – intending to switch to a long bob. However, my hair was so nappy at the ends that I couldn’t stand it anymore. I really wanted to chop it off, but ended up just going back to my same old bob because I didn’t know what else to do. Summer is coming and I’m sick of pressing my hair. Help!!
This weekend we might go on a picnic with friends for Easter. We are undecided, though. Otherwise, who knows what we will do?
I hope that everyone has fun at Maddy’s baptism. Take lots of pictures and send them my way!
Anyway, work has been okay. At last week’s meeting, I felt targeted by one of my coworkers. No matter what I do, it is wrong. She is always on my case. She said that people are sitting around in the kitchen instead of coming to the floor to help out and relieve people. She specifically mentioned the day before (when I was in the kitchen) and had all these bullshit numbers to back up her case. She said that at 10:00 there were 26 participants and two staff members and at 10:25 there were 29 participants and two staff members. Bullshit! I was on the floor with the other two ladies and two volunteers! I was particularly offended because I have NEVER sat down while in the kitchen – with the exception of when I was rolling silverware. I am always busy. My supervisor said that if it didn’t improve, she’d shift assignments – that maybe some people weren’t fit for the kitchen. That REALLY pissed me off. I am NOT going to work the floor five days a week without a break from the floor.
Anyway, I needed to talk to someone after my meeting. I feel more comfortable talking to the activity lead- I love her to death. So, I asked her if she had a minute. She pulled me into the staff room, and I no more than got two words out and I started crying. I told her that one of my coworkers is always yelling at me. I told her that she will tell me to do something one way and the next day yells at me because it’s wrong. I said that I’m trying my best and don’t know what else to do. I told her that I’ve kept my mouth shut since I started – thinking that it’d eventually stop when I got the hang of things- but it hasn’t eased up at all and I’m to the point that I DREAD going to work everyday. This isn’t the usual, “Ugh. I don’t want to go to work today.” I actually feel like crying on my way to work because I hate it so much and always feel like I’m going to get fired because I do everything wrong.
The activity lead immediately called my supervisor into the room and I had to tell her everything. She was pretty livid. She’s a really nice lady, but she doesn’t stand for anyone trying to control other people. She said that she is the only supervisor and the only person that has the right to say anything to anyone. She gave me a hug and told me that I’m a great worker. She said that she knew that this lady had a controlling side and was a little leery about that when she hired me because I am quiet and easy prey for people like her. So, my supervisor had a long talk with the woman.
Our activity lead told me that I’m the best worker they have and that the co-worker would always come and complain about me, but she would ignore her and go tell our supervisor all the positive things about me. I always thought that this coworker was their “star pupil”, but apparently I was wrong. My lead said that she is lazy and never works and that she is always trying to get people into trouble. That made me feel so much better!
I’ve been more confident at work and am no longer afraid of my coworker. She has pretty much ignored me since I ratted her out. It’s better that way. :)
Jeff started working swing shift a couple of weeks ago, so we don’t really see each other. He’s gone when I get home and I’m asleep when he returns. I miss him, but we will make up for it on the weekends. On the plus side, it’s so much easier to stay within my calories when he is not around. I’m not tempted to go out to eat or snack late at night.
Last weekend, we went to Culver’s with Brian, Denise, Jenny, and John. We were going to go bowling, but we ended up just going back to Brian’s house. Jeff went to the pub with some friends. I was supposed to go, but decided to stay behind. The rest of us went to Jenny and John’s house. They drank. I stuck to soda. We played “Catch Phrase” for a bit, but about thirty minutes after we got there, Jeff called me for a ride. All of his friends left him to go to another pub, so he was stranded. He came back to Jenny’s with me. We were there pretty late, but we had a good time.
On Sunday, I cleaned out my car and washed it. Jeff put some chicken on the grill and I made some long grain rice. It was sooo delicious!
We planted some flowers, tomatoes, and strawberries. They are all doing great, except the tomatoes. Toby dug them up. Brat.
Oh, and a couple weekends ago, we went to Jeff’s friend’s wedding reception. Since it was a quick wedding, they didn’t have a huge reception – we all just went to Olive Garden. It was fun. Afterward, we went to their house and hung out. We made ‘smores and talked all night. I was actually very talkative and got to know Jenny and John. I’m glad I did. They are so nice.
Today I was in CPR and First Aid class all day. I passed though and am certified. Yay! Things have really changed since I last took it in 2004. I’m glad, though, because the new way is less confusing and easier to remember.
I am still looking for the perfect short hairstyle. So, please offer some advice. I grew it out for almost three months – intending to switch to a long bob. However, my hair was so nappy at the ends that I couldn’t stand it anymore. I really wanted to chop it off, but ended up just going back to my same old bob because I didn’t know what else to do. Summer is coming and I’m sick of pressing my hair. Help!!
This weekend we might go on a picnic with friends for Easter. We are undecided, though. Otherwise, who knows what we will do?
I hope that everyone has fun at Maddy’s baptism. Take lots of pictures and send them my way!
3.23.2009
In Short...
This will just be a quick blog, as I am super busy watching "30 Minute Meals." :)
Last week went by pretty quickly, which was nice for a change. Hopefully this week flies, as well.
Last Tuesday when I walked into work, Diane handed me a menu and told me they were ordering out for lunch and wanted to know if I wanted anything. I completely recognized the menu, looked at it as if it were something that I saw everyday, and said, "No thanks. I brought my own." Then, it hit me. "Holy crap! That was a Culver's menu!!" Yay! The one down the road finally opened. You can't even begin to understand the excitement that I was feeling.
Jeff took me there on Wednesday night. It was packed, but so worth it. It tasted just like I remember it, except the cheese curds weren't as crispy. Hopefully that was just a one-time thing. I got my usual - chicken tenders kids meal. Then, I followed it with my free scoop of vanilla custard. So good! Jeff got a bacon deluxe cheeseburger with cheese curds, and a Butterfinger concrete mixer for dessert.
Jeff found out on Tuesday that his brother was in San Diego with his wife, son, and in-laws. Plus, he's been trying to get to California to see his cousin before he deploys to Iraq.
Jeff wanted me to get off of work on Thursday and Friday to go there with him, but I didn't even want to ask because I knew what the answer would be. He was bummed, so he looked at one-way flights to San Diego for Friday night and wanted me to ride back with him Saturday. The flights were cheap, but not worth it for 12-hours in California. I told him to go, and that we'd go together another time.
He left Thursday morning. I did my usual - worked, went to gym, watched Food Network, and ran errands while he was gone. It actually wasn't too bad, but I was super happy to see him Saturday night!
On Sunday, we woke up early, so that we could leave for the air show by 7:30. We looked at all the jets, then ran home to get lawn chairs because we didn't think to grab them before leaving.
I don't think that either of us was expecting to be there ALL day, so we didn't bring sunscreen. It was VERY windy and sunny out, so by the time we left at 4, we were both burned to a crisp. Ouch! Aside from that, I had a really good time.
I tried all of the foods that Jeff got, but I did not overindulge. I was proud of myself.
We went home and showered, then left for Rod's house. He is leaving in April, so he asked if we could get together. He made some really delicious brisket. It was really nice to see him again. It's too bad that he is leaving! I'll miss him. He is a really great guy.
Tonight Jeff and I went out for Chinese. Our favorite Chinese place just became a German restaurant. What the heck?! Who craves GERMAN FOOD? Not I! So, we found a new one. :)
On Wednesday, I have to be at work at 6:30 for an all-staff breakfast. It is the mandatory quarterly meeting. I am thrillled. Not.
Anyway, I am going to give Rachael Ray my undivided attention now.
Ciao!
Last week went by pretty quickly, which was nice for a change. Hopefully this week flies, as well.
Last Tuesday when I walked into work, Diane handed me a menu and told me they were ordering out for lunch and wanted to know if I wanted anything. I completely recognized the menu, looked at it as if it were something that I saw everyday, and said, "No thanks. I brought my own." Then, it hit me. "Holy crap! That was a Culver's menu!!" Yay! The one down the road finally opened. You can't even begin to understand the excitement that I was feeling.
Jeff took me there on Wednesday night. It was packed, but so worth it. It tasted just like I remember it, except the cheese curds weren't as crispy. Hopefully that was just a one-time thing. I got my usual - chicken tenders kids meal. Then, I followed it with my free scoop of vanilla custard. So good! Jeff got a bacon deluxe cheeseburger with cheese curds, and a Butterfinger concrete mixer for dessert.
Jeff found out on Tuesday that his brother was in San Diego with his wife, son, and in-laws. Plus, he's been trying to get to California to see his cousin before he deploys to Iraq.
Jeff wanted me to get off of work on Thursday and Friday to go there with him, but I didn't even want to ask because I knew what the answer would be. He was bummed, so he looked at one-way flights to San Diego for Friday night and wanted me to ride back with him Saturday. The flights were cheap, but not worth it for 12-hours in California. I told him to go, and that we'd go together another time.
He left Thursday morning. I did my usual - worked, went to gym, watched Food Network, and ran errands while he was gone. It actually wasn't too bad, but I was super happy to see him Saturday night!
On Sunday, we woke up early, so that we could leave for the air show by 7:30. We looked at all the jets, then ran home to get lawn chairs because we didn't think to grab them before leaving.
I don't think that either of us was expecting to be there ALL day, so we didn't bring sunscreen. It was VERY windy and sunny out, so by the time we left at 4, we were both burned to a crisp. Ouch! Aside from that, I had a really good time.
I tried all of the foods that Jeff got, but I did not overindulge. I was proud of myself.
We went home and showered, then left for Rod's house. He is leaving in April, so he asked if we could get together. He made some really delicious brisket. It was really nice to see him again. It's too bad that he is leaving! I'll miss him. He is a really great guy.
Tonight Jeff and I went out for Chinese. Our favorite Chinese place just became a German restaurant. What the heck?! Who craves GERMAN FOOD? Not I! So, we found a new one. :)
On Wednesday, I have to be at work at 6:30 for an all-staff breakfast. It is the mandatory quarterly meeting. I am thrillled. Not.
Anyway, I am going to give Rachael Ray my undivided attention now.
Ciao!
3.15.2009
Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
I haven’t had much time to blog lately, hence my brief hiatus. However, I did attempt to blog last week, but the computer froze up on me, and I lost my entry. It was long-winded, and I was too lazy to retype it. So, I will now give you a condensed version of the past couple weeks.
Work has been so-so lately. I love the participants, but feel like my co-workers all hate me. I never see Rosa anymore since she is only on-call and they don’t need her. I miss her a lot. She saw that I would bust my ass while the others more-or-less sat back and relaxed.
Since she has been gone, I’ve begun to feel more and more like everyone at work thinks that I am worthless and/or stupid. They talk to me like I’m an idiot, which pisses me off. Maybe I am 30 to 40 years younger than them, but that means absolutely nothing. I watch them all day at work and can’t believe how dumb some of them really are. You throw a wrench into their routine and you’d think the world was coming to an end. I can see the most logical solution to most of their problems, but whenever I have offered my advice, they act like I’m insane for suggesting something or they simply don’t understand what I’m saying. So, I’ve given up. I just sit back and enjoy the show when they run around like chickens with their heads cut off.
For a bit there, I was really worried that I was going to get fired. My supervisor was never around to see the wonderful things that I was doing. Instead, she always showed up when I wasn’t doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing. I was always the one to get yelled at - even when I wasn’t acting alone. Most of the time it wasn’t my fault - I was just following the lead of my lovely co-workers or doing what they told me to do.
However, about a week and a half ago, I was serving food and I overheard our activity lead, Gertie*, yelling at Frita* for something. Frita said, “I quit. You’ve been yelling at me all day.” The ladies came into the room where I was serving food and starting bickering. At first I thought that they were joking around, but it started to get a little heated and I heard Frita say, “It’s not fair for you to compare me to Ashley because I’m not her!”Gertie told Frita that she should be more like me because when I’m on the floor she never has to worry – she knows that things are being done. She said that she was going to tell Viola* the same thing. I was so embarrassed that I left the room. Later on, Gina came and apologized to me and told me that she thinks that I go above and beyond and all this other nice stuff. I was flattered, but worried that my co-worker would be even ruder to me than she was before. I also worried that she would tell the others and that they would be out to get me.
So far nothing has changed, but I feel more confident at work. I was very relieved to find out that Gertie thinks so highly of me because I like her the most at work. She’s really good with the participants, and she is always giving me new ideas. I love when she works the floor with me.
Jeff and I picked my mom up at the airport on Saturday night. We came home and sat at the table for awhile talking before we went to bed.
On Sunday, we went out for breakfast at Denny’s before Jeff had to go in for work. My mom and I went shopping while he was gone. She bought a ton of groceries. She made spaghetti, macaroni salad, and tuna melts for us throughout the week. I was in heaven!
On Monday, we stayed home most of the day, but went to Whataburger for dinner. For the rest of the night, we just watched TV and looked at stuff on EBay. Jeff’s best friend, Joe, was in town on TDY. Jeff decided to have a cookout on Tuesday. So, Mom made the macaroni salad since we planned on being gone on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, we went out for lunch at Red Robin. I’d never been there before, but thought that it was pretty good. We went to Wickenburg to Vulture Gold Mine and took a tour. It was really neat. Jeff grilled brats to go along with the macaroni salad. It was so good! Mom and I watched American Idol.
On Wednesday, I had to go back to work, which was no fun at all. Such is life, though. We went to In-N-Out Burger for supper. Mom loved it. It’s too bad that they aren’t in Wisconsin! After dinner, we watched the American Idol results show. I was very disappointed to see that Adam guy stay. I can’t stand him.
Thursday night, Mom made tuna melts. Delicious! It has been so long since I’ve had them. I got her hooked on Food Network this week. :]
On Friday night, we took her to Olive Garden. Then, we watched the movie “Australia” before calling it a night.
We woke up at 6:30 on Saturday morning and got ready to leave for the airport. It was sad to see her go. The week flew by! I had a great time with her. There is so much more that I could write, but it's 11:00 PM and I'm so tired that I can hardly think straight.
Jeff, Joe, and I went hiking after that. I wasn’t expecting a difficult hike, so I didn’t wear hiking boots. It wasn’t until we were walking to the Camelback Mountains that Joe told us how difficult of a hike it was going to be. It wasn’t as bad as Angel’s Landing, but it was hard. We didn’t eat breakfast or bring any kind of snacks. We were unprepared. There were parts where there was no trail and we were just climbing rocks. It got really steep in some spots. We made it though! I will post pictures on Facebook soon. I was pretty sore today!
Last night, Jeff had some friends over. He grilled carne asada. I went to sleep early. I was wiped out. I actually fell asleep talking to Allie on the phone. Oops.
Today Jeff and I went out for lunch at Pizza Hut, and then we went to Cabella’s. Jeff still had a gift card from Christmas time, so he bought a TomTom with it. I’m so jealous! :]
We went to see the movie “Taken”. It was so good! If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it!
Anyway, that is about all that I know for now. I will try not to let it go so long between blogs next time.
*Names have been changed to protect the identity of the magnificent people that I work with.
Work has been so-so lately. I love the participants, but feel like my co-workers all hate me. I never see Rosa anymore since she is only on-call and they don’t need her. I miss her a lot. She saw that I would bust my ass while the others more-or-less sat back and relaxed.
Since she has been gone, I’ve begun to feel more and more like everyone at work thinks that I am worthless and/or stupid. They talk to me like I’m an idiot, which pisses me off. Maybe I am 30 to 40 years younger than them, but that means absolutely nothing. I watch them all day at work and can’t believe how dumb some of them really are. You throw a wrench into their routine and you’d think the world was coming to an end. I can see the most logical solution to most of their problems, but whenever I have offered my advice, they act like I’m insane for suggesting something or they simply don’t understand what I’m saying. So, I’ve given up. I just sit back and enjoy the show when they run around like chickens with their heads cut off.
For a bit there, I was really worried that I was going to get fired. My supervisor was never around to see the wonderful things that I was doing. Instead, she always showed up when I wasn’t doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing. I was always the one to get yelled at - even when I wasn’t acting alone. Most of the time it wasn’t my fault - I was just following the lead of my lovely co-workers or doing what they told me to do.
However, about a week and a half ago, I was serving food and I overheard our activity lead, Gertie*, yelling at Frita* for something. Frita said, “I quit. You’ve been yelling at me all day.” The ladies came into the room where I was serving food and starting bickering. At first I thought that they were joking around, but it started to get a little heated and I heard Frita say, “It’s not fair for you to compare me to Ashley because I’m not her!”Gertie told Frita that she should be more like me because when I’m on the floor she never has to worry – she knows that things are being done. She said that she was going to tell Viola* the same thing. I was so embarrassed that I left the room. Later on, Gina came and apologized to me and told me that she thinks that I go above and beyond and all this other nice stuff. I was flattered, but worried that my co-worker would be even ruder to me than she was before. I also worried that she would tell the others and that they would be out to get me.
So far nothing has changed, but I feel more confident at work. I was very relieved to find out that Gertie thinks so highly of me because I like her the most at work. She’s really good with the participants, and she is always giving me new ideas. I love when she works the floor with me.
Jeff and I picked my mom up at the airport on Saturday night. We came home and sat at the table for awhile talking before we went to bed.
On Sunday, we went out for breakfast at Denny’s before Jeff had to go in for work. My mom and I went shopping while he was gone. She bought a ton of groceries. She made spaghetti, macaroni salad, and tuna melts for us throughout the week. I was in heaven!
On Monday, we stayed home most of the day, but went to Whataburger for dinner. For the rest of the night, we just watched TV and looked at stuff on EBay. Jeff’s best friend, Joe, was in town on TDY. Jeff decided to have a cookout on Tuesday. So, Mom made the macaroni salad since we planned on being gone on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, we went out for lunch at Red Robin. I’d never been there before, but thought that it was pretty good. We went to Wickenburg to Vulture Gold Mine and took a tour. It was really neat. Jeff grilled brats to go along with the macaroni salad. It was so good! Mom and I watched American Idol.
On Wednesday, I had to go back to work, which was no fun at all. Such is life, though. We went to In-N-Out Burger for supper. Mom loved it. It’s too bad that they aren’t in Wisconsin! After dinner, we watched the American Idol results show. I was very disappointed to see that Adam guy stay. I can’t stand him.
Thursday night, Mom made tuna melts. Delicious! It has been so long since I’ve had them. I got her hooked on Food Network this week. :]
On Friday night, we took her to Olive Garden. Then, we watched the movie “Australia” before calling it a night.
We woke up at 6:30 on Saturday morning and got ready to leave for the airport. It was sad to see her go. The week flew by! I had a great time with her. There is so much more that I could write, but it's 11:00 PM and I'm so tired that I can hardly think straight.
Jeff, Joe, and I went hiking after that. I wasn’t expecting a difficult hike, so I didn’t wear hiking boots. It wasn’t until we were walking to the Camelback Mountains that Joe told us how difficult of a hike it was going to be. It wasn’t as bad as Angel’s Landing, but it was hard. We didn’t eat breakfast or bring any kind of snacks. We were unprepared. There were parts where there was no trail and we were just climbing rocks. It got really steep in some spots. We made it though! I will post pictures on Facebook soon. I was pretty sore today!
Last night, Jeff had some friends over. He grilled carne asada. I went to sleep early. I was wiped out. I actually fell asleep talking to Allie on the phone. Oops.
Today Jeff and I went out for lunch at Pizza Hut, and then we went to Cabella’s. Jeff still had a gift card from Christmas time, so he bought a TomTom with it. I’m so jealous! :]
We went to see the movie “Taken”. It was so good! If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it!
Anyway, that is about all that I know for now. I will try not to let it go so long between blogs next time.
*Names have been changed to protect the identity of the magnificent people that I work with.
2.21.2009
I've Found All I've Waited For, And I Could Not Ask For More.
Gosh, I didn’t realize how long it had been since my last post. Sorry to all my faithful readers out there! I’ve been meaning to blog all week, but have been wiped out by the time I got home. I’ll try to keep it short – so as not to bore you. ;)
Where to start?
Last Friday, Jeff and I went out to an Irish pub called Lis Doon Varna for his friend’s going away party.
Yet another one is leaving. He is going to Alaska. It is only a matter of time before Jeff gets orders. So many people around him have been given them. When is it his turn?
I really don’t want to leave Arizona, but when the time comes, we will have no choice. I’m definitely looking forward to some good travels, though. It’d be nice if he got orders out of the country. We are in for one hell of an adventure together. :)
The pub was fun. They had a live band. They were really good. I drank Diet Pepsi and hot tea all night. I’m such a badass. I met some new people. They were all really nice.
Anthony, the guy we are renting from, is on TDY in Las Vegas for three weeks. He showed up last Friday and stayed until Monday. It was a sucky weekend for him to show up since it was Valentine’s weekend, but oh well. I’m not a huge Valentine’s Day fan, but it was our first one together. Plus, the next day was the anniversary of our meeting.
We left the pub a little early because everyone else was going to another bar. Jeff didn’t feel like it, so we went home. Thank the Lord. Nothing like sitting in a bar completely sober surrounded by drunken morons.
Anthony complimented me on my weight loss. That was sweet. No one else, besides Jeff, has noticed.
On Saturday, I woke up early and took Toby for a walk. Jeff took me out to lunch at TGI Friday’s. That was where our first actual date was. We weren’t impressed, but we got a free piece of red velvet cake in honor of V-Day. Yum!
Jeff went out to a club on Saturday night with his friends. I went over to Nicole’s house and watched a movie. I passed out at like 11:00. I was so tired.
On Sunday, I took Toby for another walk. Jeff, Anthony, and I went out for lunch at a Chinese restaurant. So good! Anthony went out again. Jeff and I just stayed home and hung out, which was nice.
On Monday, we got up early and went for a walk together. I made homemade chicken noodle soup and a loaf of bread for supper. I deep-cleaned while it simmered.
I had an appointment at LA Fitness to tour the gym and talk about a membership. The gym was really nice. They offer a ton of classes, have all the equipment that you could think of, a swimming pool, sauna, everything. Plus, I got a free session with a personal trainer. So, I signed up. The registration fee was more than I was expecting, but in the words of one Ms. Sally Field, “I’ve got this one body and this one life.” So, damn it all, I’m worth a few dollars a month!
After work on Tuesday, I went straight to the gym. I worked out with Natasha, the personal trainer, for an hour. I love her, but she kicked my butt! I am still sore today. As of yesterday, it was a huge struggle for me to dress, undress, and feed myself.
After the workout, we discussed nutrition. I got some good advice from her, but I don’t care how much she preaches, I’m not limiting my carbs or giving up soda. That is not negotiable.
I worked out on Wednesday, too, avoiding weights. I did two miles on the elliptical machine, one on the “dreadmill”, and a little over six on the bike. My plan is to go three days a week. I will work my arms one day, my legs another, and either my abs or whatever I feel like the final day. That way, my muscles will be given the proper 48 to 72-hour healing time, so that my workouts are actually effective. I’m not going for buff. I just want to tone up a bit and, of course, lose a little weight. More importantly, I want to feel good, healthy, and energized!
I’m already feeling better.
On Friday, after work, I took the cycle fit class. What a workout! I was the only beginner there, but I had fun. My legs feel great today.
Jeff and I didn’t see each other at all this week. He didn’t have to go in until 11:30 all week and worked 12-hour shifts. So, he was asleep when I got up, and I was passed out when he got home. We were missing each other all week.
This morning, Jeff and I went for a walk. Then, I got ready for Nicole to pick me up. We went to see “He’s Just Not That into You.” I loved it! I am going to buy it as soon as it comes out on DVD. It was nice to get out of the house for a few hours.
One of her friends is going to babysit her kids one of these nights so that the four of us can go out together. I look forward to that!
Jeff took me out for dinner at Arriba's Mexican Grill tonight. I had the BEST chicken enchiladas ever! Even Jeff was impressed with them. Sure, they weren’t diet friendly, but one meal won’t kill me. Then, for dessert, we shared sopapillos. If you’ve never tried it, it is deep-fried bread. They are square and hollow. You tear open a corner, squeeze honey inside, and enjoy. Yum!
I’m not sure what we are going to do tomorrow. Probably just relax. We are talking about going to Jerome next weekend and California one of these days.
I honestly don’t know how life could get any better. I don’t remember a time when I was this happy. Finally. :]
Where to start?
Last Friday, Jeff and I went out to an Irish pub called Lis Doon Varna for his friend’s going away party.
Yet another one is leaving. He is going to Alaska. It is only a matter of time before Jeff gets orders. So many people around him have been given them. When is it his turn?
I really don’t want to leave Arizona, but when the time comes, we will have no choice. I’m definitely looking forward to some good travels, though. It’d be nice if he got orders out of the country. We are in for one hell of an adventure together. :)
The pub was fun. They had a live band. They were really good. I drank Diet Pepsi and hot tea all night. I’m such a badass. I met some new people. They were all really nice.
Anthony, the guy we are renting from, is on TDY in Las Vegas for three weeks. He showed up last Friday and stayed until Monday. It was a sucky weekend for him to show up since it was Valentine’s weekend, but oh well. I’m not a huge Valentine’s Day fan, but it was our first one together. Plus, the next day was the anniversary of our meeting.
We left the pub a little early because everyone else was going to another bar. Jeff didn’t feel like it, so we went home. Thank the Lord. Nothing like sitting in a bar completely sober surrounded by drunken morons.
Anthony complimented me on my weight loss. That was sweet. No one else, besides Jeff, has noticed.
On Saturday, I woke up early and took Toby for a walk. Jeff took me out to lunch at TGI Friday’s. That was where our first actual date was. We weren’t impressed, but we got a free piece of red velvet cake in honor of V-Day. Yum!
Jeff went out to a club on Saturday night with his friends. I went over to Nicole’s house and watched a movie. I passed out at like 11:00. I was so tired.
On Sunday, I took Toby for another walk. Jeff, Anthony, and I went out for lunch at a Chinese restaurant. So good! Anthony went out again. Jeff and I just stayed home and hung out, which was nice.
On Monday, we got up early and went for a walk together. I made homemade chicken noodle soup and a loaf of bread for supper. I deep-cleaned while it simmered.
I had an appointment at LA Fitness to tour the gym and talk about a membership. The gym was really nice. They offer a ton of classes, have all the equipment that you could think of, a swimming pool, sauna, everything. Plus, I got a free session with a personal trainer. So, I signed up. The registration fee was more than I was expecting, but in the words of one Ms. Sally Field, “I’ve got this one body and this one life.” So, damn it all, I’m worth a few dollars a month!
After work on Tuesday, I went straight to the gym. I worked out with Natasha, the personal trainer, for an hour. I love her, but she kicked my butt! I am still sore today. As of yesterday, it was a huge struggle for me to dress, undress, and feed myself.
After the workout, we discussed nutrition. I got some good advice from her, but I don’t care how much she preaches, I’m not limiting my carbs or giving up soda. That is not negotiable.
I worked out on Wednesday, too, avoiding weights. I did two miles on the elliptical machine, one on the “dreadmill”, and a little over six on the bike. My plan is to go three days a week. I will work my arms one day, my legs another, and either my abs or whatever I feel like the final day. That way, my muscles will be given the proper 48 to 72-hour healing time, so that my workouts are actually effective. I’m not going for buff. I just want to tone up a bit and, of course, lose a little weight. More importantly, I want to feel good, healthy, and energized!
I’m already feeling better.
On Friday, after work, I took the cycle fit class. What a workout! I was the only beginner there, but I had fun. My legs feel great today.
Jeff and I didn’t see each other at all this week. He didn’t have to go in until 11:30 all week and worked 12-hour shifts. So, he was asleep when I got up, and I was passed out when he got home. We were missing each other all week.
This morning, Jeff and I went for a walk. Then, I got ready for Nicole to pick me up. We went to see “He’s Just Not That into You.” I loved it! I am going to buy it as soon as it comes out on DVD. It was nice to get out of the house for a few hours.
One of her friends is going to babysit her kids one of these nights so that the four of us can go out together. I look forward to that!
Jeff took me out for dinner at Arriba's Mexican Grill tonight. I had the BEST chicken enchiladas ever! Even Jeff was impressed with them. Sure, they weren’t diet friendly, but one meal won’t kill me. Then, for dessert, we shared sopapillos. If you’ve never tried it, it is deep-fried bread. They are square and hollow. You tear open a corner, squeeze honey inside, and enjoy. Yum!
I’m not sure what we are going to do tomorrow. Probably just relax. We are talking about going to Jerome next weekend and California one of these days.
I honestly don’t know how life could get any better. I don’t remember a time when I was this happy. Finally. :]
2.08.2009
I'm Taking This Chance To Say That I Had The Best Day With You Today. <3
My birthday celebration actually started a few days early this year. On Thursday, one of the participants at work made me a card and I was showered with happy birthday wishes from everyone. When I got home and checked the mail, I got cards from April, Jeremy, and Brendan. Also, I got my very first edition of Rachael Ray from Alicia. :)
On Friday, at work, Eva stuck a candle in a piece of carrot cake and everyone sang happy birthday to me. Jeff and I wanted to go out for dinner together. We were really craving Mexican food and wanted to go to Rio Mirage, but there was a 40-minute wait. We were too hungry to wait. I wish we would have, though.
We ended up going to Red Lobster, which I'd been craving. I used to go all the time when I lived in Madison, but hadn't been there since my 22nd birthday. Neither of us were impressed. We should have gone to Olive Garden.
When we got home, Jeff gave me my birthday present. He got me beautiful diamond earrings - my very first pair. :) I absolutely love them! I wasn't expecting that at all, and I still can't believe it.
We were asleep by 9:30. Party animals, I know. :)
We woke up at about 7:45 on Saturday morning. We had waffles for breakfast. Jeff mowed the lawn and set up for the party. The house is always clean, which saved time since I only had to do a once-over - sweep, vaccuum, and light candles.
People started trickling in at about 3:30 or so. I wasn't expecting so many people. I think that about 14 people showed up. Plus, we had five kids there - two newborns even. :) They were so cute.
Jeff grilled brats. We also served baked beans and chips of every flavor. Thayer and his wife brought a huge pan of butterscotch cookie bars and a huge pan of baked ziti. It was really nice of them.
We played Catch Phrase, which was even more fun with a huge group.
I got my chocolate cake with whipped frosting. Oh. My. God. It was sooo good! I protested the singing of happy birthday, but they did it anyway. I was so embarrassed. We still have a few pieces of cake leftover. Thankfully it isn't half a cake, though! I'd be in trouble.
Everyone except for Magee and Nicole left around 9:30. It was a long day. It felt like way more than four or five hours. When the others left, we played Wii until about 11:30. Then they left, and Jeff and I passed out.
Next weekend, Beau and Jeff are going out because Anthony (the guy we are renting from) is going to be in town. He is on TDY in Las Vegas, so he is going to come here - I guess.
While they do their thing, I am going to Nicole's house. I will help her with the kids and hang out with her. I am starting to get really comfortable around her and hope that we become really good friends. Both her and her husband are great people, and I think that it would do me some good to have a best friend here. I already love her kids.
The following weekend, Nicole and I are going out - maybe to a movie or something. I can't wait!
I ate way too much this weekend, but I feel completely okay with it. Not every weekend is my birthday, nor is it a celebration. I overate, but did not binge. For that, I am proud. Jeff and I declared it a calorie-free weekend. No guilt here.
I honestly think that my 23rd birthday was the best one so far. Jeff made me feel so special. The only thing that would have made it better was if my family had been there.
On Friday, at work, Eva stuck a candle in a piece of carrot cake and everyone sang happy birthday to me. Jeff and I wanted to go out for dinner together. We were really craving Mexican food and wanted to go to Rio Mirage, but there was a 40-minute wait. We were too hungry to wait. I wish we would have, though.
We ended up going to Red Lobster, which I'd been craving. I used to go all the time when I lived in Madison, but hadn't been there since my 22nd birthday. Neither of us were impressed. We should have gone to Olive Garden.
When we got home, Jeff gave me my birthday present. He got me beautiful diamond earrings - my very first pair. :) I absolutely love them! I wasn't expecting that at all, and I still can't believe it.
We were asleep by 9:30. Party animals, I know. :)
We woke up at about 7:45 on Saturday morning. We had waffles for breakfast. Jeff mowed the lawn and set up for the party. The house is always clean, which saved time since I only had to do a once-over - sweep, vaccuum, and light candles.
People started trickling in at about 3:30 or so. I wasn't expecting so many people. I think that about 14 people showed up. Plus, we had five kids there - two newborns even. :) They were so cute.
Jeff grilled brats. We also served baked beans and chips of every flavor. Thayer and his wife brought a huge pan of butterscotch cookie bars and a huge pan of baked ziti. It was really nice of them.
We played Catch Phrase, which was even more fun with a huge group.
I got my chocolate cake with whipped frosting. Oh. My. God. It was sooo good! I protested the singing of happy birthday, but they did it anyway. I was so embarrassed. We still have a few pieces of cake leftover. Thankfully it isn't half a cake, though! I'd be in trouble.
Everyone except for Magee and Nicole left around 9:30. It was a long day. It felt like way more than four or five hours. When the others left, we played Wii until about 11:30. Then they left, and Jeff and I passed out.
Next weekend, Beau and Jeff are going out because Anthony (the guy we are renting from) is going to be in town. He is on TDY in Las Vegas, so he is going to come here - I guess.
While they do their thing, I am going to Nicole's house. I will help her with the kids and hang out with her. I am starting to get really comfortable around her and hope that we become really good friends. Both her and her husband are great people, and I think that it would do me some good to have a best friend here. I already love her kids.
The following weekend, Nicole and I are going out - maybe to a movie or something. I can't wait!
I ate way too much this weekend, but I feel completely okay with it. Not every weekend is my birthday, nor is it a celebration. I overate, but did not binge. For that, I am proud. Jeff and I declared it a calorie-free weekend. No guilt here.
I honestly think that my 23rd birthday was the best one so far. Jeff made me feel so special. The only thing that would have made it better was if my family had been there.
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