Happy Birthday Mom!

So Saturday was my mom's birthday - we worked at her job together though so we didn't get to celebrate. So Sunday we went to Luigi's for dinner - it was packed though but overall good. Her birthday present finally came in on Monday (and I can finally post it now!). I made her a book from blurb.com of our wedding pictures...she loved it of course! There are a few pics below of what it looks like - overall good quality, pages were a little purple vs. my navy blue that I was going for but only in certain lighting. But as any typically Mom she didn't care at all...:) HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM I LOVE YOU!

Nick and Lydia's Engagement Party

Just wanted to come back and post a few pictures from Nick and Lydia's engagement party on August 1. It was at a church in Cuyahoga Falls...can you guess what their color will be?? :)

25 things that inspire me

Most of my fellow fallen knotties have taken to doing this as will I :)

1. Roses - especially when they are given to me :)
2. Pictures
3. My mother
4. My puppies - Harley and Duke
5. A nice warm day sitting on my deck
6. A new recipe for dinner
7. Saturday nights out drinking
8. New Clothes
9. A chipotle date with Diana
10. A good new show on TV that I fall in love with and scramble to find all the re-runs :)
11. My twin sister and our randomness
12. Comfy new shoes that are cheap :) (I'm good at finding these)
13. New hair cut or color (thanks to my sister that happens more often then not when I go see her at work)
14. Arizona
15. My wedding pictures
16. Vacation days with nothing planned
17. Good phone calls from friends
18. Dinner with friends
19. Putting new pictures up in the house
20. Holidays with the family
21. Reading a good book
22. Giving away old clothes
23. Going bargain shopping and actually finding something
24. New jewelry :)
25.My husband

And time passes by...

Not much going on right now that I can think of.

I am still waiting to hear on the job. I am not sure who has and hasn't interviewed yet but I know I haven't gotten a second round interview yet so no news on that front.

Just today Lydia asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding next year (July 11). I gladly accepted :) Her engagement party is tonight and we are having lasagna...yum! She was in my wedding so I'm excited to be in hers! Her and Nick make a cute couple! I will post pictures from the party.

My mom's birthday is next Saturday :) Me and her will actually be working together though...the Wellness Center that she works at part time needs some extra help catering a served wedding reception. Just a word to the wise...any party/wedding planning people....never do a served dinner. It's a horrible idea - it's very hard to get everyone served at the same time so then you run into cold food issues. So please everyone do me a favor and inform all friends that this is just not a good idea...at all. So I will earn a few extra bucks next Saturday and work with my mom and it's her birthday so at least I will get to spend some of the day with her! I ordered her a present but she might read it on here so until I get it (which might not be until after her b-day) it shall remain a mystery. But I will post pictures once I give it to her...

Me and Ben are doing good. He is still busy working away and so am I. Nothing specific going on there either. I am working on our wedding book from Blurb right now but I am waiting on a good coupon because I'm getting the big deluxe one that's like $60. But it will be worth it considering photographers charge over $300 for wedding books. So hopefully I will have that done in the next month and a good coupon will come along.

So there is my boring life with nothing of real significance going on :)

Time for an update

So I literally thought this week would never end!! The annual mid year meeting at my company (GOJO) was this week and I am so exhausted but glad it is over. It's nice to see everyone gathered together but it makes for long days. I was gone from about 6:45-7 every morning and not home until after 7:30 each night - sometimes later. So I got some overtime but I'm just happy it's done and over with!

Now about my interview - I don't know what's going on. Someone was supposed to interview on Friday but I don't think it ever happened. I hate not knowing! But what can you do? I figure if it's meant to be, it will be! So now I just sit back and wait. My boss is on vacation this coming week so it should be kind of a slow week for me. It seems like I don't have much to do when he's not around. So wish me luck on that! Hopefully I will find a few things to do besides play on the internet all day!

Not much else going on...went to Olive Garden (my favorite!) last night with Ben and my parents then we went to the movies and saw batman. It was a good movie - I really liked it. Ben said he wasn't too fond of it though but oh well. It was a long movie and we didn't get home until kind of late so hence more sleepiness has ensued. If I could sleep for the next two days I would :)

All right I best be off to try to accomplish something around the house, maybe some laundry or cleaning....

Interview

So I got my interview - it's Monday. I found this out yesterday (Fri) morning. So I had to go shopping today at Macy's to find something decent to wear. I think I got something but it's not a full suit. I would hope they would judge me on what I am wearing though :) I am excited but nervous at the same time. I want this job pretty bad so here's to hoping...

Down Day

Well I can honestly say this whole week has just been a down week for me.

Let's start with the job situation. I honestly like my job that I currently do - for the most part. I do feel that I kind of get the "extras" everything everyone else doesn't want to do - and being the Unit Admin Coordinator (yeah yeah it's jsut a fancy name for Admin Assistant!) I get most of that slack. There are a few things that I feel fall out of my job description that I kind of helped out once and everyone assumes that since I helped out once I become the keeper of that item. Usually I don't mind but it gets to me sometimes that my time seems expendable to them. I know that is some of my job, to help out where needed, but it gets really frustrating at times. But I do it with a smile on my face and gladly accept because I know I am helping them out because I am hoping that wouldn't ask unless they really didn't have the time - which I know some of them don't. Now I did apply for another job in my dept, I feel like I could do a good job at it because it was a position created at the beginning of 2008 and some of the duties that I did got transferred to the person they hired (and some that were supposed to never did because she wasn't there long enough). I also feel like it's time for me to take a step up, not saying that it would be a step up pay wise but the UAC postion is always a starting point within the company. I figure it would be a good way to build my knowledge in other areas of our business.

So I applied...and I haven't heard anything really since. I did ask the hiring manager about the interviews being set up and she told me this week. I do believe I should be given a shot but I know some else has interviewed for this position and yet nothing has been set up for me. And I keep asking myself why and I'm full of doubt...is it because they don't need to interview me because they know my skills because they work with me already? Is it that they feel this other person is more qualified and don't think they need to interview anyone else? I am hoping for the first but not really quite sure since I haven't heard it mentioned nor do I know our company policy on that sort of thing. I don't know what to think at this point and I really am not sure that I will get it. I mean if they wanted me wouldn't they set me up for an interview around the same time as the other person so they can compare? I just have no answers and that's more frustrating then anything. I would just love to make the move to another position and be away from my boss. I feel like he can be so negative sometimes and I hardly ever feel positive about the work that I do for him. There are times but very few and far between. That is no means why I applied for the job but I just feel that there are MANY positives for me to make the move to this other position. I'm sure I would still be working with my boss because there are things that with my accounting background I'm sure I will still handle but I'm ok with that.

As for everything else, well I'm kinda consumed by the above issue :) Money sucks in general (what's new) and I am all banged up between mosquito bites, some kind of unknown bite on my finger that hurts like a mother trucker, and a charley horse in my leg last night that has my leg killing me. I'm just falling apart! I've really tried to start eating better - my biggest issue...portion control. Let's just say I haven't been doing much of a good job at it still but I'm trying. I wanted to go walking around the neighborhood tonight but with the previously mentioned charley horse issue and a very uninspiring large hill outside of my house I am not particularly up for it tonight. I want to start walking though, but maybe not up the hill. Last time I walked up that thing I had an asthma attack, just wonderful! So yet another thing for me to work on!

My other half...

And no I'm not talk about my hubby, I'm talking about my twin sister. I figured I would put this out here because it seems like the thing that shocks most people when they find out. People are just so intrigued by twins and I've always found it so funny. They want to know if we are identical and if we look alike. They want to know how we get along.

Me and my sister have always had and up and down relationship. She is my best friend but at the same time we fought constantly growing up. It was always nice to have someone to play with though. We did look a like for a long time. I can remember in either 2nd or 3rd grade getting called down to the office because they couldn't tell whose school pictures belonged to who because we looked exactly alike and had been dressed the same. One of us was wearing a necklace - that's was the only way to tell us apart in that picture. My mom has always been able to tell who is who but I have to admit that sometimes I don't even know looking back at the old pictures. We have always attended Twins Day in Twinsburg until recently. It is a blast and nice to actually be "normal" for a day, and neat the see the multiples (more then twins ie triplets). I've never known how my mom put up with the both of us seeing as how we were TERRORS but she did and I love her for it. We were soooo bad (ie. drinking cough syrup together and getting REALLY sick when we were younger). So here's to my sister and my best friend!

Going Crazy

This week has been not so good. Lots of things going on but nothing I really want to talk about.

I am patiently waiting for the interview to be scheduled for the position I applied for. I really wish they would just do it already so I know. I wanted to know before that mid year meeting but I don't know if it will happen now since we it's less then 2 weeks away. We will see!

Not a whole lot else going on right now. Just work work and more work.

I will update when I have something more interesting to talk about :)

Happy 4th of July!

So another 4th of July has come and gone. This year we had an awesome time! We decided to cook out here at the house - my parents came and so did Liz and Kyle. I had hoped that some more people would come but oh well! It was just as fun. We had hot dogs and hamburgers and all kinds of sides. We headed to downtown Akron at about 8:45 pm for the fireworks. We park in the same lot every year and sit in the same spot. This year though Melanie and Brian wanted to go sit with Melanie's sister which was about another 15 min walk from where we normally sit - wish I would have know because we should have parked some where else. Poor Liz wore heels not knowing it was that far and her feet are still killing her today! The fireworks weren't too bad but I wish the finale would have been better. After that we just came home and hung out with Kyle and Liz a little bit longer. Over all a very relaxing and fun July 4th...see pics and a video of the fireworks finale below...

Oh and congrats to me and Ben - 3 months married today! :P

Ode to Arizona

Well we have been back for 2 weeks now from vacation and this is the first moment I have gotten to write about our (mostly) lovely time in Arizona. I miss it tons! I especially miss Ben's loving family out there. They are just so wonderful.

We did a ton of things while we were out there...we had dinner a few nights with his family. On Monday we drove north to visit Ben's mom (which in my opinion was a disaster afterwards but just my opinion I guess, Ben was glad to get to see her). We hung out at the hotel most of Tuesday and Weds. Weds we both got burnt really bad at the pool. Mine was really bad on my legs and Ben's was on his back. We also went to a western themed town called Rawhide Weds evening, we took "old time" photos which were fun - we were going to eat there but it was a long wait and expensive! Thursday morning we went to the Phoenix Zoo which was a very nice but so so hot by 11 am. Thursday evening we went to the dog tracks with his great aunt and uncle. That was very interesting but a good time! Friday we had another dinner with the family which was nice. And then before we knew it, it was time to leave Saturday. Minus our rental car and Ben's mom I would say the vacation was the best I have ever had! It was so sad to leave Ben's family out there but we are already planning a return trip in April 2009. :)

In other news....lets see work is crazy for both me and Ben. I had a huge mid year meeting (whole company including our field sales people) are required to attend. I do the planning for our business team meeting, which includes ordering lunches and agenda planning. It's just a crazy time of the year. I can't wait for it to be over! Also, I have applied for another position in our dept, mostly to get away from my boss at this point. We have been clashing quite a bit lately and I come out of all of my monthly 1x1's very upset. I just can't deal with him anymore. He seemed to take the news that I was applying very well - he said he could see me in that position. So keep your fingers crossed for me!! I want this position pretty bad, I already do some of the work that the position requires so it would be learning just a few new things. I am excited about the possibiltiy. I am hoping to have completed the interview and know the outcome before the aforementioned mid year meeting. Ben has been doing really well at work but just working a lot. Other then work things are pretty calm.

We are cooking out today at our house for July 4th. My parents and our friends Kyle and Liz are coming over. I better be going now so I can get ready for people to come over but see pictures below from our trip!

Ben in the pool with the girls at our hotel/condoMe and Ben at the Phoenix Zoo

The family <3>

Me at dinner at the 3 Margaritas

Ben at dinner

Ben, me and Jaz when we were at Ben's mom's

Us :)

Beautiful mountains!

Uncle Huey and Aunt JoAnne's beautiful backyard/pool, cool western theme!

3...2...1...

That's right, 3 more days until we leave for vacation. Saturday can't come soon enough. I am so ready for this vacation, well I guess we both are. Ben has been working his butt off this last week and a half so he can take this vacation. It will be nice to just lay around for a week, I don't know if I am going to be able to do that though! It will be a nice change :)

Plus we will get to visit with Ben's family out there. They are so wonderful and we can't wait to show them the wedding pictures since they didn't make it to the wedding. We aren't sure yet if we will make it down to Overgaard to see Ben's mom because it is a 2 hour drive and neither of us are sure we are up to that. She originally was supposed to come to Phoenix and stay, then we were supposed to meet half way and now she wants us to come all the way down there - not sure if we are making that trip. I know we are planning on going to the Phoenix Zoo and Rawhide Western Town but so far that's all for the planned events. I kind of want to be lazy and not do much anyways so this should work out perfect!

Today I should be recieving my wedding book that I made for Ben's mom from Blurb.com. We will see how it turns out, the girls on my message board gave Blurb pretty good reviews except for 1 so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Well I think that is all for now...there will be pictures and many tales I'm sure when we return from Arizona!

Sick as a dog

Now normally I don't like that expression but it's all I can use to describe how I have felt that last week. I have been sick since last Thursay and over the counter stuff that I bought is not really helping. It has helped some but not completely. I have scheduled an appt for tomorrow at the doctors but knowing my luck it will clear itself up today! Not a big suprise to me but whatever.

Getting very excited....10 days until we board our plane bound for Arizona for our honeymoon! I just can't wait. It will be so nice to get away and relax for a little bit. Plus it will be me and Ben's first real vacation EVER together. I have been a few places but we have never been anywhere together...can't wait. But now will start the craziness of getting a list together of what needs to be packed and all that.

A little of this, A little of that

So this weekend was pretty great. On Friday, we always cookout with our friends Melanie and Brian and Kyle and Liz. We take turns cooking at our houses so we can see each other each week and we don't have to cook for 2 Fridays in a row :)

So this Friday was no different except for me and Ben brought along some alcohol to make the night more interesting and everyone was grateful for it! Ronnie had been staying with us all week and after a nasty wreck on Friday with a van who stopped really quickly he was not feelin so happy. So he came along with us and had a few too. Well all had a really good time and stayed out pretty late. Saturday I worked out in the yard while Ben was at work and did some laundry. It was nice out but a little hot. Saturday night we went Tim and Christina's house for a bonfire at about 9:30. It wasn't too bad but it was kind of cold for a bonfire so we left and went where anyone would go at midnight...the bar! So we stayed there until about 1:30 am and then finally wnet home and crashed since me and Ben didn't have to work Sunday. Sunday we were pretty lazy but then we finally got motivated (after some breakfast at Bob Evans!) and did some more yard work. I pulled a bunch of weeds and cleaned up and Ben mowed the whole yard and used his grandpa's hedge trimmers to cut down our out of control bushes! Then we went over to Melanie and Brian's so Ben could help Brian in his yard since they don't have a lawn mower. Me and Melanie took off in search of white skates with pink wheels for her neice's brithday and then spent some time at Brian's mom's house. The boys called when they were done and we headed back to Mel and Bri's and then got mcDonald's together. Then we got a call from Kyle and Liz saying they wanted to have a bonfire so we went over there. Half way through the night we decided smores would be a good idea and made a late night trip to giant eagle...but all were happy to have them, no one more so then me :) We didn't leave until about 1 am again...another late night for us.

We were both off for Memorial Day so it was another day of sleeping in for us! At the last minute we decided to cook out with Kyle and Liz. We met them at Acme and picked up the food and then headed back to cook out. Of course, during Kyle cooking on the grill the heavens decided to open up for about 30 minutes. We still had our delicious food though and had a relaxing afternoon. After leaving at about 6:30 we just went home and relaxed for the rest of the night!