A moment of Silence please

I just wanted to announce that today I celebrate(?) nine years working for Chase Bank. This was going to be two year job to help put Chris through school, but I'm still here. And it's not that bad really. I've just never worked anywhere longer than a year and a half. Even at the bank I never stayed in a branch more than a year. I liked to move around, but in yuma, where there are only two branches and your sister works at the other one....I've been forced to stay at my branch for over three years! I started working for Chase when it was Bank One and I worked in an In-store branch, which is a small branch inside a grocery store. We were opened from 9-8 and 9-6 on Saturdays. I remember working three 8:30-8:30 shifts in a row. That's not my idea of bankers hours, but grocery shopping was a breeze. Since then I've worked at: Golf Links/Kolb, University, River/Campbell, Grant/Silverbell, Back to River/Campbell, and now Yuma. I could seriously write a book on annoying Co-workers, wierd bosses, the two robberies I was in, how banking works (I just LOVE it when customers think they should make the rules and I would love to show everyone how to fill out a deposit slip), and how not to spend your money! I also know what $375, 000 looks like. But it's been a great blessing working there because I only work 20 hours a week and I get full medical, dental, and vision benefits for my whole family and I get four weeks paid vacation.....so I'm hardly ever there. I counted and I work 12 days a months. Not bad. But regardless I can't believe it's been that long and I am wearing all black today. And I know I have said many times to other people....I am close to quitting. I am starting a business and hopefully within the next few months, that will be it! And if next year, it becomes my ten year anniversary with the bank, I'm putting my "Next Window" sign up, locking my cash drawers, and walking out.

Tip of the Day

I have always heard that you should never go to the grocery store when you're hungry. Well, I made the mistake today of going to Walmart to do my grocery shopping after I hadn't eaten anything all day!! (Other than a doughnut for breakfast) So at 5:30, my stomach is growling, I'm dizzy, shakey, and my mouth is watering at everything I see. My whole shopping experience happened in a fog and before I knew I was checking out. So......$150 later, I think the only complete meal I had in my cart were oero's and milk.

Fine Art Show at the Thompsons

My girls go to a preschool three days a week while I work. Everyday they bring home coloring pages and crafts that they did that day. I was telling Chris that, while I love to see their creativity, the quality of art projects at their school seem to be lacking. Anyway, I was cleaning up my kitchen and I was throwing away a huge stack of stuff they had brought home, when I found a few I would share. Above you see a self protrait of Ryan. Have you ever seen "The Ring"? I told myself that the second that picture says "Seven Days", I'm burning it. Ryan also always draws a belly button on everyone she draws! Notice the big black dot in the middle of her belly.
Now this is more like it.....nice, cheery, springy....I thought it was cute.
Now this is a bird feeder, made out of an old milk jug, Reagan made in her class. They stuck a bunch of foam stickers on it and they even gave her a little bag of bird seed too....bless their hearts. I think I'm going to hang it up next to the Soda Can Wind Spinner my dad gave me.
Thanks Dad!

How I know I'm getting old....

This year I will be turning 29. Twenty-nine! I'm holding on to my "late twenties" with all I've got! I can't believe it. I still feel like I'm 22, so to take the current year and subtract it to the year I was born...and come up with 29.....there's no avoiding it. It's coming.....29 then 30 then 31 then 32....you get the picture. I started to notice things in my life that has made me realize that I am indeed not 22 anymore. First of all....I have kids! I am in charge of the well-being of little kids. I have to provide for them.....feed them....dress them....wipe their bums....dry tears....clean up throw up......and I'm the one who has to kill spiders for them. I never thought the day would come for that! My mom killed all the spiders for us! I don't even know what I will do if I have to kill a cockroach! EEEWW! So, I'm getting older!
I am in the Young Womens program....which means I'm not a young woman.....you have to be 12-18 years old for that. And I catch myself saying...."What are they thinking...?" or "When I was that age...." I CHAPERONED a youth Dance and I kept telling Chris that my feet hurt and the music was too loud. HUH??? I also remember dancing with Tia at church dances and I know we looked cute! Not anymore....I tried dancing....I think I look like the leaders that tried dancing at my youth dances back then.
My television habits have changed. I used to watch MTV and VH1 all day! Never missed Real World (Seattle's my favorite!...followed by Hawaii....then New Orleans) or Road Rules. Not anymore. Those channels are COMPLETELY different now. Now I TiVo Designed to Sell and House Hunters on HGTV and I watch TLC. I do have my shows like House, American Idol, The Office, Project Runway, and Lost that keep me up-to-date.
By far, the thing that made me realize I'm getting older was that one day Ryan asked me to do a cartwheel for her.....and I did......and I pretty much almost broke my wrists and I stretched every muscle in my inner thighs. I also got really dizzy and I felt nauseous. I think I should start taking Boniva. Man...is it hot in here??? Uh oh...here comes menopause!

Yes we went to the Fair

I normally do not go to the Fair. I haven't been in over ten years. I don't like the crowds, rides, and the animals....I know....I'm a blast to hang out with. But now that I have kids, I wanted to take them to see the animals and ride rides. Plus it's way cheaper than going to Disneyland and I think they think it's just as fun. Reagan, though, was not tall enough to ride any of the rides. Even the little Train that goes in circles. She was, however, tall enough to ride the Bumper Boats. Really? She's allowed to sit on a very unstable tube that has a small engine in a pool of 2-3 feet of water???? OK. She had fun.
The petting zoo was free and you could pay two dollars to feed the animals. The girls really enjoyed it. I think they were in there for about half an hour.

This picture above is us looking at the pigs. We've been reading Charlotte's Web to the girls and Ryan was excited to find Wilbur, Charlotte, and Templeton. She said she did find them.
Ryan on the helicopter ride.

What does this mean?

Isn't it in "The Godfather" that if you wake up with a dead horse in your bed, some mobster will do something bad to you or your family.....I don't know....I've never seen "The Godfather", but I've picked this up from other movies. What does it mean if you wake up with the broom on your bed? That's right....we woke up this morning with the kitchen broom on our bed....thanks to....you guessed it....Reagan. During the night....she woke up and wandered around the house and decided to find the broom and bring it to me. What could that mean? and I don't think that it means I need to clean or sweep.....that's too literal. Any ideas?

Easter Day!

Chris got a new camera thanks to our tax return, so he went a little crazy taking pictures. I think he took around 150, but we got some really good ones. I was excited!
Who are these kids? I'll keep them!

When Chris took this picture above of Ryan she said, "Here's the egg....take the picture." Imagine that with a "here's the freakin' egg....hurry up" kind of tone.
So we had a good easter. We didn't do baskets, mostly because I forgot, but we just had dinner with Chris' parents and they had an egg hunt ready for them. I think we hid the eggs around fives times. Then Ryan had a turn hiding them, with Reagan right behind her picking them up saying "I found an egg!" It was pretty funny.

Hope everyone had a great Easter!