Miscellaneous Ramblings

Somehow I have deleted my post titles... I didn't mean to! I think I did it when I was trying to fix the header at the top of the blog (which I still haven't gotten the way I want it).... anyone know how to manipulate these blogs and can help me with that? I want that "Brend-a-muses" at the top gone and just to have the lovely matching header, which I would change to include "Brend-a-muses" if I could get rid of the other one. I'm sure that makes no sense! But, this blogging can be frustrating. And hopefully I can get my post titles back soon....

Job update: I finished my first week of work! :-) I was a little worried at the beginning of the week because I was working more hours than I had really wanted to... but there was alot to catch up on.... (which I think I have done) and Thursday and Friday I was off by noon... yay! As long as I continue to mostly be there only 4 or 5 hours, I will be happy. I can handle the occasional longer day if there is work that needs to be done.

I like the work okay... it's kind-of boring there, as it's a small company and there's no one to really chat with very much. I know I generally hate people (people in general, no one in particular), but I also need them. Such a contradiction I live. Ha. :-)

Kids update: Last night we went to Krispy Kreme to get their free doughtnuts with their report cards. Jacob actually didn't get any A's (all B's) but the lady gave the girls (who both got all A's except one B each)... two extra each and then gave me and Jacob a box with four! Yum! (I only ate one!)

Sarah has a practice/scrimmage for soccer in the morning. Their tournament is next weekend. Jacob has his last roller hockey game in the morning. And Libby wants to start a "club" with me where we cook together! Libby can't just cook, it's got to be a club. Anyway- I've got to find some things for her to do.... because I don't really want any club memberships for myself at the present time. Ha.

I have a potential blog topic rolling around in my head, but I have been too tired to write anything of importance on here! Maybe soon!!!!

TGIF! (Not sure when I valued a weekend so much as this one!!!)

Beautiful Flowers from a Beautiful Friend

The award for "The Most Thoughtful Gesture by a Friend" goes to my friend Misty, who yesterday, on my first day of work, had flowers delivered to me!! I was sooooo surprised and delighted! Aren't they gorgeous?!!!! They really brighten up the office. And if I was as thoughtful as Misty, I would not mention this next part....but...... she had written on the card "Happy Birthday a Day Early", and my birthday is actually JULY 9 and not JUNE 9. Because of that error, I will have to reconsider her application for the position of BFF (I think you will agree a BFF should know the birthday).... but I'll keep her anyway. Flowers wins her BIG points.

The job....... I think the jury is still out. I have worked more hours than I intended and I do not enjoy being away from home so much. I miss the kids (yes, you heard me correctly!) and I'm tired. It's also kind-of lonely there, as it's a small company and everyone (but me) is at job sites frequently. But, it's only been two days and I will give it some more time. I can handle the work and will enjoy getting my first paycheck. And it is definitely good for my emotional health to be busy. Also... who knows how God may intend to use me while I'm there....

A Job? Really?

I got the job! And decided to take it. I am having the hardest time really believing I am about to be among the "employed" again. I don't think I really believed anyone would hire me. :-) Now I have to get up Monday morning, get dressed in something more than jeans and a t-shirt, and go to work. This is such a foreign concept to me, as I haven't had a job in 13 years.... I don't really know how I'll handle it. Could be a good thing. Especially when I get my first paycheck! I'm just not sure how they are going to handle it when I tell them I have to have my morning nap by 9:00! :-) Check back and I'll let you know!

Stuff

I'm posting to UPDATE everyone on the happenings in our lives. I intend this post to cover alot of ground. I'll try to keep the words to a minimum! :-) The first update is that I dropped my camera and the flash is broken. Tim is working on fixing it, but that will explain why I don't have any good pictures to show. All my pictures are either out of focus or the lighting is bad, or both. Please, just bear with me. :-)

Next, the kitchen floor is just about done. It would be completely done, but when they were finishing up today, one of the guys scratched the floor (a gouge about 2 feet long! oopsy!) and so they have to come back and fix it. Other than that, the floor looks awesome! I am really, really happy with it. It was almost worth the water leak to get a floor I like better than the one I had.

The next exciting news is we got a new dishwasher... yay! No more dish-pan hands!!!Today I had my first JOB INTERVIEW that I have had in like 15 years. :-) It's a long story, but I am sort-of looking for something part time now that the kids are in school. I had sent out some resumes a few weeks ago, but hadn't heard anything and had since put the idea of a job out of my mind for now. But then I got a call and went for an interview today for a part-time administrative assistant job. It is a job very similar to the one I had before I had Sarah... small company, similar work, pleasant environment. I think the interview went well and expect an offer. My problem now is deciding if I want to take it, if it is offered. I've also been contemplating cleaning houses... is there something wrong with me that cleaning houses sounds more appealing than a nice office job???

Here is me before I left for the interview this morning:

We've been getting to spend alot of time with Sam... he took two or three naps last week cuddled up with Libby on the couch... so sweet.

Sarah has four soccer games this weekend, starting tonight (a mini regional tournament). In a couple weeks they have the area tournament. They're not the best team I have ever watched (did I just say that?!) but she is having fun. Both she and Jacob will play soccer again in the fall.

Jacob has a couple more weekends of roller hockey, too. I got to go watch him for the first time last Saturday and it was so much fun. They played 2 on 2 (sometimes they play 3 on 3) and the rink (training facility, actually) is in the back of a Piggly Wiggly warehouse. (Piggly Wiggly is a grocery store, for those unfamiliar with it... and yes, it's a stupid name for a grocery store!! :-)) He was the star of his team this past Saturday. I was also really proud of him because there was a boy that was playing for the first time and Jacob could have just played the whole game himself and scored lots more goals than he did (as it was he scored like 7), but he was a good sport and tried to include the new kid by passing to him and letting him take the face offs. Jacob is like that and I love it about him. Here he is a couple weeks ago (he's number 1 in the blue jersey in these pictures). Going for a goal.......
And just to give equal time, Tim got a better picture of Libby at the piano recital than I got. He didn't get any of Sarah, though.

And that's the story from the Newmans.... :-)

Floor Update

We're getting our new kitchen floor this week. Due to water damage from our dishwasher AND a series of leaks under the sink (in January!!!!!!), we are finally getting the new floor and the dishwasher will be repaired (or replaced). I will be so happy to have this done and NOT have to do dishes by hand any longer.... you have no idea.

Here is a "before" picture from March when I was waiting on the plumber...

And here is what it looked like yesterday after they left. They actually had to take out the sink and the cabinets on the bar area and the dishwasher so they could replace the plywood underneath. This picture was taking after they ripped out the old floor.

The black stuff on the floor is some sort of vinyl they lay down to protect the subflooring.
Sarah posing where the refrigerator used to be (it's in the dining room for now).

The sink in the living room.

Hopefully in a few days I will have lovely "after" pictures to show. I am kind-of excited! I also had an idea a couple nights ago that I am still mulling over in order to help me enjoy my kitchen more. It has outdated brass knobs (pulls) on all of the cabinets and drawers and they are getting worn looking, so I am thinking of replacing them. I've been looking online and the really cute ones are kind-of expensive (as much as $10-$15 EACH)... and I will need 31 of them... so right now I am thinking of buying plain wood pulls from Lowes (for $1.99) and painting or staining them myself.

Recipe Saturday

My awesome sister MELISSA sent me the recipe for this "de-lish" cake. Wow- it's a keeper! And very easy to make. I think this would be an awesome cake to impress company- and it is very good warm (microwave a few seconds!)

EASY PINEAPPLE CAKE
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix by hand; combine all cake ingredients. Pour into a greased and floured 9X13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Note: You are reading correctly... there are no eggs in this cake.

EASY PINEAPPLE CAKE ICING
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 stick margarine, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

Beat with mixer the cream cheese, margarine and powdered sugar. Add the chopped pecans and pour over HOT cake.

Recital

On May 17, the girls had their piano recital in their teacher's back yard. It was an evening event, that was supposed to start at 6:00 (but actually didn't start until 6:30) and Sarah was the last (of 25!) students to play. You don't know torture until you have to sit and listen (and don't forget-- look interested) to 23 kids who you don't know, play the piano. Add to that the bugs and the increasingly cold temperatures as the sun went down.. wow... was it worth the chips and Costco cream-filled cake afterward? Almost. :-) Jacob, who avoids torture whenever possible, curled up on Tim's lap and fell asleep about 5 kids into it! I tried to sleep with my eyes open and a smile on my face, but was unsuccessful. And as I realized how cold my fingers were, I worried about whether Sarah would be able to play if her fingers were as cold as mine... but she still did awesome. Both of the girls did!

So, the lighting was horrible and we weren't able to get any really good pictures at all. The only two (below) that are decent, were taken when they were first coming in and being seated at the very beginning. I got video footage of them playing, but Libby's is out of focus and in Sarah's, it's so dark you can only hear, but not see. I don't know how to upload them here or if it's even possible. If I figure that out, I will.

So here is Sarah (in between the two boys), looking as though she knows that in two hours, she is going to be bored senseless and getting ready to play the piano with stiff, cold fingers in front of 50 or so bored senseless parents and one just senseless piano teacher. ;-)


None of this had yet occurred to Libby: (she's the pretty one looking at the camera)


Disclaimer in case the teacher ever reads this: She's an excellent piano teacher- the girls have done so well with her. She just has ALOT of students (this was only one of THREE recitals that she hosts). But she has alot of students BECAUSE she's so awesome. And I couldn't really ask her to host six recitals in order to make it easier on ME. :-)