Recommitted

So back in October 2006 I started a new weight loss program with the help of a free website called Sparkpeople.com. I loved tracking how many calories I consumed daily and learning more about what I was really putting in my body. I easily lost 30 pounds, but then stagnated. I have not gained any of the weight back, but have not lost any more and I easily have another 30 -35 to lose, so TODAY I start again in earnest.

WICKED ~ ~ ~ ~

OK! We yanked the kids out of school early on Wednesday and headed to downtown Houston to go see the musical "Wicked." It was absolutely fabulous -- as I expected-- but a surprise to my hubby and son. They enjoyed it so much more than they thought they might.

I don't know why, but anytime someone singing live in front of me hits a great note, or creates a beautiful harmony, my eyes well up with tears. This occurred numerous times last night. The show was funny, clever, and extremely entertaining.

Before the show, we stopped to eat at a downtown restaurant named Cabo "Mix Mex" Grill. While the Happy Hour atmosphere wasn't a perfect family setting, the food was incredible. The salsa was fresh with lots of cilantro and the plate I had, the Chicken DeCabo, is something I will crave for a long time.

On the way home today, we stopped to tour the Blue Bell Ice Cream factory in Brenham, where my children "joyfully" posed for me.

Her, in a whiney tone, "WhaaaAAaaat??"
Him, with a stern look, "The sign says not to touch it."

Then we stopped to take advantage of a Central Texas tradition--taking pictures in a field of BlueBonnets (The State Flower of Texas).

"Like all the best families, we have our share of eccentricities, of impetuous and wayward youngsters and of family disagreements."

-- Elizabeth II

Give a girl a razor...

UPDATE: Added photo on 3/29/2007

Ms. Thang, knowing Oh so Much more than me!! Shaved half her eyebrows off tonight!!! I should have taken a picture, but instead I exploded with disappointment in her ridiculous decision.

I asked her how many commercials or shows had she seen where a woman shaves her forehead. I asked her how often she heard conversations about ANYBODY shaving their eyebrows. She shaved down the middle from her nose to the middle of each eye.

She took another moment where I gave her an inch of trust, of responsibility and took off like a wild child with no guidance.

She no longer has a razor in her bathroom and I pity her for the ridicule that is sure to come tomorrow at school.

Growing up too fast!

Some changes come gradually, and one day you finally notice. Others come so fast, that the extreme change is physically visible.

I taught Kaelyn how to shave her legs this weekend--something she has asked for since she was 10! She only cut herself twice - the dreaded knees and ankles--but overall did very well.



Tony grew so much this year that there are huge stretch marks across his back. Perhaps this is more common than I am aware, but I am curious as to how this will look as he gets older. He knew nothing about his back until we pointed it out.

While I am not quite ready for my kids to grow so quickly, I know that it is a very exciting time for each of them.

There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

-- Anais Nin

Mixed emotions

The first part of the process for accepting this new position was to fill out a criminal background check form online--which I did on Thursday night. Then on Friday I turned in my signed offer letter and headed to another location for the drug screening. Once all that was done, I returned to work to write my resignation letter.

Ideally I would have notified my consultant agency first, but I was so flabbergasted by the quandry of who to send my letter to, that I unfortunately skipped that vital step. Anyway, I submitted my well-crafted, gently worded resignation to four people--my previous three managers and their manager. I immediately received congrats from two, and heard nothing from the other two. Don't know if any will step up to coordinate an exit plan for me, so I may need to initiate that. I then forwarded the letter to some of my internal customers to let them know, and many stopped by to wish me well. One of the well-wishers is a co-worker who I have great respect for. He is incredibly intelligent, extremely dedicated, and always friendly and respectful to everyone. He is an extremely valuable asset to the company. I guess my resignation let him feel comfortable enough to vent on me his frustration with his work and his plans to leave. It was a bit discerning since I was just joining the company.

After work I headed to a Happy Hour with friends I used to work with at another company. One gal in particular also works for "Dell-ville" and has been cranking in the overtime hours, working weekends and nights for two years. She let me know that she submitted her resgination last week. She has no new job lined up. She is just exhausted and wants to take a break--mentally and physically. This is also an extremely dedicated person with a go-go, Type A personality. It was so out of character for her. This is a gal with no kids, who can work those types of hours without too much complications, and she is still overwhelmed.

Oh yeah - and while at the Happy Hour, I get a call from my Agency, confused about why someone is checking my employment history with them (the background search began). Very awkward moment. I completely forgot to let them know I was leaving. I felt like a schmuck--they have been so good to me.

So, while I am excited to become a badged employee of the company, I do know what I am getting myself into and need to be prepared to sell out to the company for at least a couple of years. Hopefully my experience won't be as painful as my friends, but currently, there is no telling.

So, talk about a mixed bag of emotions.

"Life is the sum of all your choices."
---Albert Camus

I got it!

They low-balled the offer and for the first time in my life, I firmly pushed back--yet another new risk for me. It worked. They brought up the dollars. Whew!

I start April 9th, but was sure to also negotiate my previously scheduled days off, too! So I can still attend my First-Born crop in Denton on April 12th and my two separate vacations planned for this summer. [I think I have had a new job or was in transition to a new job at each of the Denton crops I attended. Not the way I envisioned my career.]

Now to give my notice. Since the latest re-org in my department, I now report to a little gray box on the org chart called TBD.--I report to a vacant position, which means I need to escalate up a level. That should be interesting.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
---Mark Twain

New Job Offer...

Eeesh! Ever apply for a job then wonder if you really want it?

I applied for a job that I am absolutely 100% qualified for, but during the numerous interviews, the interviewers described a very different job--a much higher-level job with higher exposure, and higher responsibility. I faked my way through, answering the questions as best I could, ocassionally wondering if I should just throw up my hands and show my cards and be honest with them about my ability to successfully perform this job. I chose to stay strong and keep fighting for the job. That was weeks ago. I guessed I did not get it, and that was OK. I am happy with my current position.

Today, I surprisingly got a call from the hiring manager asking me to come in to talk. I was told the job was mine and that HR would discuss compensation in a separate conversation.

HR called, and while we talked pay, HR offered no numbers--today. Said I will get an official offer tomorrow. Accepting this job is a bit of a risk. It could be the best move of my career, or it could set me up to fail. If the money is right, I think I will take this risk. I think it is the right time.

"There is no security on this earth. Only opportunity."
--- Douglas Macarthur

What do I know? I'm just your mother.

My son brought home a form for us to sign - a progress report of sorts, showing how he brought up his Social Studies grade from a surprising 70 to a 96. When we asked how he was able to pull it off he mumbled something about us taking away his X-Box 360, but then heard his father offer up something like "did you buckle down and study harder?" The bright boy then said, "Yeah, let's go with that one."

We have explained numerous times that our daughter cannot practice her flute and watch TV at the same time. Apparently she knows better. Tonight was the fourth time I walked in to find her TV on while she practiced. She quickly defended herself by blurting out, "I'm not watching. I have my back turned towards it. I am just listening to American Idol while I play."

The great communicator

So last night, at dinner, I tried chatting with my kids.

I ask my daughter how her day went. "Fine."
I ask if she turned in her form. She looked at me totally lost by the question.
The form we signed for TAKS Academy. "Oh that's what that was?"
Yes, didn't you read it. "No."
Who did you turn it into? "The Attendance Office."
What?!?! Why? It was supposed to go to your teacher. "Well, she took it."

Turn to my son and ask how his day went. "Fine."
Did anybody say anything about your pony tail? (first time he wore one to school)
"Yeah, lots of people."
Cool - like who? "Some I knew, some I didn't"
OK - so the ones you did know - what did they say?
"Well, it was only people I didn't know."
What?
"Well, actually it was only one person and I didn't know him."
Well, what did he say.
"I don't remember."

Then I gave up on trying to have conversation during dinner.

Write Here. Right Now.

OK - I give up. Here's my BLOG.

My hope is that I will diligently add to this blog, documenting my family's busy little life.