Updates on my roller coaster of a life:

Monday- Sucked.....in a word. It was announced for the whole agency to hear that our jobs were going away, and everyone there had an opportunity to go for the three positions that use to be our jobs combined. It was humiliating to say the least. We didn't know the extent that the CEO would go into it. She didn't mince words, that's for sure. She basically said that the Coordinator job has grown to the extent that we are doing way too much and not enough time to do what matters. True. She then said that we hated a large portion of our jobs because of that. Untrue. She said that we were apart of the decision making process in creating the new positions. Untrue. She told the crowd that they are opening the doors to the bus now, and want the right people in the seats. We were sitting ducks, trying to not to look devastated. I can't do this day justice, not at all. I can't really describe it right. Afterwards, some people got it, they saw what was happening and that our jobs were in jeopardy, they came over and offered their sympathy. Some people would say that they were sorry for what was happening, but did I think they would be great for one of the positions?! Some people wanted to go for one of the positions, but truly believed that us Coordinators were getting first "dibs", as someone put it. We then had to participate in an end of the year celebration picnic.

I met with a Small Business organization called Score on Wed. They actually told me that my coffee shop idea was not crazy!:) They were great! They gave me some contacts to help me get started, and we talked about the Franchise angle. There is a perfect Franchise out here that would work if the owner goes for my special tweak. I left there full of hope.

I wrote my Resume and filled out the Internal Transfer form and turned in the HR this week. My resume is now ready to upload into Monster.com, and to take with me to Sheridan, Wyo. and RC.

My Silpada Business is taking off this month! I had a great party on the 2nd, and several more to come.

I will be interviewing for one of the new positions I think on the 14th. This will prove to be the hardest day. It is said to be a grilling. Pray please. Pray that Ron doesn't push my buttons, that I can match his questions with strong answers. I really am ok with whatever the outcome is. I just don't want him to humiliate me further. He really is .....well lets just say he's a jerk.

As you can see, up and down. My roller coaster life........

Baptism Day. I did it. Not by myself, but with my Church Family. They were very supportive. You know I am nervous though when I start acting like Chandler and crack jokes at odd moments. Like, before I read my Testimony, I said " Wow, there seems to be a lot more people here than there were when I was standing in the back." And when I was leaving, I said this to my Pastor when he complimented my testimony: "I aim to please!" I left quickly after that, but I left them laughing. :)

Our jobs were posted yesterday. It is all starting. Think about me and my co-workers on Monday. It will be announced in our General Staff meeting, and I know we will be questioned by all our teachers.

My life, a roller-coaster.


My current job position is going away. We have been fighting this with everything we have for it not to happen for a long time now, but it is happening anyway. They will be splitting my job into three positions. Instead of being a Child Development Coordinator, that essentially does a little bit of everything, the positions will be either Supervisor, Mentor-Coach, and Early Childhood Special Educator. Right now there is 8 of us. Only a few of us work 10 months. As it stand now, there will only be one each of these positions that will be Year Round. The majority will be 10 month positions. As you can imagine this effects many of us, would mean a cut in pay for most. If I were to go for the Supervisor position, I would be doing mostly HR stuff, paperwork, handling disputes, chained to the desk, little contact with the classrooms except by phone. As a Mentor-Coach, you would help to train new teachers, or teachers who are struggling. It will be an hourly position, and minimum degree they want is an AA in Early Childhood. That is bottom of the barrel really. The Early Childhood Special Educator (ECSE) is more like I did in Denver, only I wouldn't necessarily be the one organizing and running the IEP meetings. The ECSE is really a therapist who works with the kids on IEP's and consults with their teachers. I could also do screenings, write and update goals, etc. There are 4 Supervisor positions, 1 Year Round. Also 4 Mentor-Coaches, one Year Round. And 3 ECSE's, one Year Round and already guaranteed to one person. The part that really sucks is, we all have to apply for what we want and re-interview. This wouldn't be so bad except that they are opening it up agency wide. We were first told earlier on that we would interview, get first dibs so to speak, then open it up to the agency. Now we really have to compete for a job, and are not guaranteed a position. I have been exploring the opening my coffee shop thing, but when I attended a workshop, it was clear this could take a year to two years to get off the ground. I need a job in the mean time. I really am trying not to freak out, but I lose that battle every so often. I hate not being in control. I think if I could choose the job I would most want out of the three, I would go for the ECSE job, knowing that I will have to work 10 months. Supervising is hard most of the time because you are dealing with complaints and conflicts most of the time, plus you have to be good at playing the Politics Game, something I hate. Doing ECSE is being able to go into the classroom with only that hat on, work with kids and talk to the teachers about what they are doing with these kids. I can work collaboratively with the teachers instead of dealing with all that's crappy with their jobs. Mentor-Coach would be fun, but not as secure of a job position. It would be the easiest to get rid of if they needed to. I would also not be able to live on the salary they would pay. Anyway, all this is scary. I feel that I am at a crossroads. Is it time to move home? Is there anything there for me job wise? I am looking here in the Springs, RC & Sheridan. I am also setting up a meeting with Business Counselors about my business plans. I am really praying that God opens the right doors soon, and firmly closes the ones that need to be. I have a had a lot to say this weekend, haven't I?!

It's really hard to do my new windows justice, but here is my attempt. I had all my windows replaced this week. It only took him two days to finish. I can already tell a big difference. The draft is gone! Outside noise has decreased quite a bit. They are so easy to open!! That is the best part really, since there were only 2 windows I could open before.

So, a couple Sunday's ago it was announced that they will be having a Baptism in a few weeks. I felt an immediate tug. I just felt like it was time. It is something I thought about for years, but wasn't ready to do because I feel that it is a serious statement to God that you are ready to follow him completely on his terms. Something I seem to fight quite a lot. However, in the past year, I have really felt me changing in my heart. And now that so much is happening in my life. Things that I haven't written much about, and things that I have. I just know that God wants me to surrender completely to him.

After thinking about it a few days, I called my mom, brother, and gramma and asked them if they could make the trip in a couple weeks to be here for it. I firmly decided that I don't want to go through another milestone alone. I'm not entirely sure they understood how important this thing is to me, and how could they? I talk about my faith, but not to the extent that I should. It was a full week before I had to call my mom to find out if anyone was coming. She told me that both gramma and Brook said they couldn't go. Brook has a lot going on in his life, and gramma & grampa aren't doing great at the moment. Mom was hedging whether she should go. Without saying it, I don't think she wanted to drive by herself. I know it isn't cheap either. I started to cry when mom asked if I would still do it if she didn't come. I JUST DON'T WANT TO! I am sooooooo tired of doing things on my own I could scream! Seriously. So, mom did immediately change her mind when she saw that this was important to me. But I knew nothing was written in stone. So, God and I have been doing the tug-a-war thing about doing this Baptism thing with or without people. I feel somewhat defiant about it, and I know that is the wrong way to think. I talked to mom again the other day, and she is again hedging. The baptism is going to be on May 4th, and I still have not said that I would do it officially. I also have to write a testimony, yikes! It is my choice if I read it or not, but I haven't written that either. So, here I am. At a cross roads again. Here is my Blog testimony from a while ago. I know I have to tweek it to reflect what has been going on recently. Tell me what you think.

This is what I am putting into the ground in the backyard today. I got my tax check, yippee! So, this would be my first official purchase. In case you can't tell what this is, it is the electric fence that will hopefully keep my neighbors safe from Millie. I am also hoping that it keeps the ground from digging, since all the craters are along the fence. Happy Weekend everyone!

My Millie

Millie bit the neighbor today. He was leaning up against the fence along his property, and Millie went for him. She always barks and looks ferocious whenever anyone gets near the fence, but I NEVER thought she would bite anyone! And this neighbor, of all neighbors, has been trying to make friends with her since I moved in. Lucky for us it WAS this neighbor and no one else. He is a very nice man who seems to understand dogs, and knows Millie just doesn't feel safe. Also thank goodness she only nicked him, no puncture wound. Also thank God, I just finished getting her shots up to date. I felt really bad though. I have heard of dogs getting labeled "Dangerous", and taken away from their owners, and worse.... Like I said, he was very cool about the whole thing, but I can't let this happen again. So, electric fence it is. When I get my tax check that will be the first thing I spend it on. I can't even think of the possibility of losing Millie. She really is a sweet dog. And the really weird thing is, if I let him in my fence while I am there, she will not hurt him, she would be nervous but would end up licking his hand. Oh Millie.....

Happy Birthday Rooby-Roo!

It's my first born pride & joy's 5 year old B-day today! We started off the day singing the song while she licked my face in bed. For Breakfast, she received extra yummy treats included in her usual food. And tomorrow we will be going on a hike with the weather cooperates. I'm sure a present will be involved at some point. Millie did lick her ears this morning for her present. So, thank you Rooby for 5 years of joy. I love my poopy!

So, in thinking about what I wanted to blog about this week, I really thought it was going to be a "woe-is-me" type of post. Apparently, shocker, I can only stay positive for so long before my feelings get the best of me. Nothing new or bad has happened at work. Nothing new is going on just yet with my business dream. My life is just following the status quoe like it has been for QUITE A WHILE. The reoccurring realization that I am alone right now. I know this time is for me and God to be together, and for me to grow. It just gets old and lonely sometimes. Anyway, this has been heavy on my heart again this week. Like I have said before, I go up and down with this. So, when I went to church today, it was still weighing heavily on me. So much so, that I couldn't t even tell you much of what the pastor talked about. All I kept thinking about is that I am alone in a sea of people. I was sitting by myself. I went up for communion by myself, and sat by myself to take the communion. I kept praying, when is this going to end, this profound loneliness. When will I feel connected to people in my church? When will my husband find me. Ya see, in the old days I have my friend alcohol to help me make friends. I could be more fun faster than I can now. Without my friend alcohol, I am slower to warm up to people, which gives them the impression that I don't want to know them. So, then end of church comes, and I am picking up my stuff to go, when my pastors wife, Tamera walks straight up to me to say hello, but instead asks me if I am feeling connected here. I instantly said no and started to cry. I told her that I knew it was mostly because of me and how I relate to people, and it is frustrating and hard. She talked with me for awhile, both of us crying. Then she prayed with me. When we were finished, a girl walked by, Tamera asked her to stop and talk with us. Her name is Joy, and she is close to my age. She introduced us, then had to go. Joy and I talked for awhile. She said she was feeling sad today too because they love it here, but have to leave the Springs this summer because her husband has to do his Fellowship in Ohio. She doesn't want to leave. After talking a while more, I gave her my card with my email and phone # on it. She thought it would help us both if we got some girls together and do dinner sometime. So you see what God can do? I cried all the way home because of how amazing that was. I also told my mom about it. I'm still hoping God gets his hooks into her. Have a great week everyone, and know that if I didn't have all of you in my life.....well you know. Thank you for Blogland!

Spring Break at a close.

So, Spring Break is done, and I am back at work. Bummer! I had a really good week. I hiked 3 different days, shopped for some much needed Spring clothes therapy, and did a lot of Spring cleaning. The best was just hanging out out with the pooches.

I am going back to work with a new purpose though. I have decided that I need to find out once and for all if my coffee dream can be a reality. I knew before I left for Spring Break that I don't want to stay where I am at very much longer, and I STILL can't stop thinking about my dream. I need someone who knows to tell me I am full of it, or I need the doors to swing wide open. I have stepped up my plans, and went to the Chamber of Commerce last Friday. They gave me a number of a nonprofit organization that counsels people like me on whether I should really start my own business, and if so they help you get started and are there for you whenever you need it. My first task with them is to go to a Workshop April 17th. It's called, appropriately enough, "Should you start your own small business". I have been instructed to start writing my business plan draft using tools from their website. I am also looking into South Dakota & Wyoming as possible sites. So, please pray for me that I listen very closely to God. I really feel that he is leading me in this direction. Right? God?

This is what I found in my laundry yesterday! Can we say "shopping"? Well, maybe. I am tempted to see what I could get in a cute spring shoe.

Spring Break!

What does Spring Break mean to me. Well, for one a lot of SLEEP! I love sleeping in as most of you know. Yesterday, we kicked off the week with a hike at Red Rock Open Space. Karen, it is soooo much better than when you were here last! They have opened up so many new trails. The area is huge, and they are still working on new trails. I was hiking for an hour before I new it. This pic is not from Red Rock, I forgot my camera, so next time I will swap the pics for the right area. In short, I just couldn't believe the beauty that is right inside the city. Gorgeous! It's good to live in Colorado.

The rest of the week will be spent on projects I neglect normally, cleaning (spring and otherwise), yard work, and research for new possibilities out there career wise. So, not glamorous at all, but nice. The downside will be the blogging I think. I have time to blog right now, but many of you do not. So, I will have to entertain myself by writing instead of reading blogs. Anyway, Happy Spring everyone!

Getting Old? Or Sexy Librarian? I ask you.....

Yup, I fell off. Off the wagon that is! I knew it would happen, but even though is has, it is not going to stop me. The month of February has been an extremely busy one for me work wise. My agency had a big Federal Review from Head Start to prepare for. Not doing well, can effect funding. So, we really had to work hard to make sure everything is up to par. Loooonnnnggggg days, and late nights. Then there is the Silpada thing, getting that going. So, as you can imagine no time for my New Years Resolutions here. No Yogo being done, no Pilate's, no hand weights. I have done some walking with the poochies, but not as much as they would like! I have no idea what I weigh, and I am scared to find out. I have been eating more fruits and veges, but I am not on a good eating schedule right now.

Oh well, we are in a new month, right? So, I am no longer going to call them New Years Resolutions, and not because I can't keep them. But because they really are a promise to myself. And even though I fell away from it for a while, I made a promise to myself. I am going to get right back up in that wagon!

Well, I can finally breath! What a week I have had. My agency went through our Federal Review this week, which has meant a lot of work this month, but most especially this week a lot of early mornings and late nights for me. And this is the week I plan my first Open House! Sounds crazy even to me, but I just knew that my work friends would be needing a fun release right after the Review, and I was right. I didn't get my whole house cleaned, had to shut some doors, but it didn't seem to matter. The important areas were clean. The picture here is the after affects of the party after much playing with jewelry. People liked my table presentation. The Sangria was really good! Almost everyone bought something! I even had some out of towners buy!:) I forgot to do a lot of things, it's hard being the hostess and the Rep. at the same time, but luckily my sponsor Vivian had my back. I didn't talk much at all about what Silpada jewelry is, but I really didn't need to since most of these people had been at my other parties. I messed up on my math, Monkey help! But we fixed everything, and people were happy. The party ran long, which was great. I earned more free jewelry to add to my table, and a profit, which I need to pay back to my self. I really need 5 more parties like this to start making a profit for me. But I was able to get some Bookings for April and May. I have a couple phone calls to make for possible bookings in March. So, this was a great start! Thank you all for your prayers and support!!

Slippers-n-Sangria

It seems like I started this whole Silpada thing purely out of selfish reasons, to become more financially independent. At least that is what sometimes creeps in. How can this silly jewelry business, when all you do is have parties and entice people to spend their hard earned money on pretty jewelry, really do anything to glorify God in my world or just beyond me. I think I am feeling some guilt, and worry that God won't bless me because this seems a frivolous venture. But even though I haven't earned a red cent yet in my little business, something is truly happening, and if I sit back long enough to look at it, I can see it. It is changing me. I pray all the time that God could please bless me through this business in many different ways. Yes, financially. I really need to feel secure, and I need some freedom. But also I pray that what ever I do in this business, God is glorified because of it. And you know what, it is happening, and it is even spilling over into my full time job. I am seeing myself differently at work. I am putting more effort into the people I work with, the children I work with, and am not just getting through my day flanked with frustration. I could still find myself fired, that could still happen, but it doesn't seem to matter as much lately. I pray that I can put myself firmly in his hands everyday, and he seems to take care of the rest. I am opening myself up to possibilities more and more everyday.

My first party for Silpada, my Open House, is this coming Thurs. I already have many different people coming, than came to my party when I was only the hostess. I am praying that people bring people who are not a part of our agency, so I can begin to branch out. I see this taking off, even if it is in steps. And there is so much I want to be able to do. I want to take care of my dogs, because they are my family, I want to be able to see friends & family more often, I want to be able to Tithe at church especially since I am a member now, and I want to make my house special for me. Not to mention that it would be nice to be able to save for my little coffee dream. Thank you, my blog friends, for your support and prayers. I know I will have a great turn out at my party, just on prayer alone!

Frustrated?

I don't know. In someways I am, and in other ways I am hopeful. I am working on getting my Silpada business up and running, but man it can be hard. I sorta hoped that it would just take off because I think it is fun, and other people should too. I can't believe all the people I run into that don't even want to listen to me when I am telling them there is no sales pitch and no pressure to buy. They don't believe me. Another friend from work actually said to me, " I am not a home party girl. I don't do things like Pampered Chef, for example." She said this to me...I'M NOT EITHER!" Still, she doesn't believe me that these parties are fun. Sometimes I don't know what to do. I refuse to start being pushy. I don't want to be that girl that people turn and go the other direction because they are afraid that I am going to hound them. This is what I have done so far:

* I have gotten the word out by email and by word of mouth.

* I have talked about how my co-workers can book a party and be able to get free jewelry at staff meetings (just a couple mtgs).

* I put flyers in people's cubbies at work, and catalogues in different department as well as mine.

*I set up a Silpada Bookings Calendar, which I keep in my office next to a catalogue.

* I wear the jewelry every chance I get.

* I then set a date for my Open House, which is Feb. 28th.

Still, no bookings. I have taken hints from my training CD's and look for opportunities to be excited about Silpada. Example, if someone compliments my necklace, I tell them where it is from and that I sell it now. If someone comments on the jewelry being a bit too expensive, I talk up the hosting a party thing and getting what you want for free, using my experiences as example. Still nothing. I do know there are people coming to my party, so I am really hoping they bring people outside the work crowd. I have offered tickets for door prizes for RSVP's that are coming, and more tickets if they bring friends. I went to the dollar store and got some really cute items that I will package up for the event. I also bought some things to spruce up my jewelry display that are so me. I

* I went to a dinner party last night, and brought along invitations to my party, which I handed out at the end. Of course, the group of ladies I invited from this party all work Thursday Nights, and one lady already buys Silpada from a friend of hers. Bummer.

* I handed out invitations to some ladies at church. They say they are going to come, but who knows.

* I have flyers to hand out in my neighborhood tomorrow.

So, this week, I am going to send out my reminders for my party, and start giving out tickets to those who are coming. And I guess we shall see. I will also include people who do not live in Colorado in being a part of things through email. So, as you can tell, I really am going for this, but am fighting feeling a little discouraged. My Sponsor says that this is the hardest part, but it will get easier. I am praying that it does.

Green Chili Soup



Ha! I finally have a good recipe to share. A lady from church made me dinner last week, and it was sooo good I had to make it for myself! I know you cooks out there have made something sorta like this, but it was very simple, so I am sharing it anyway:

2 Chicken Breasts
* Boil in 2 cups water and 1 Chicken 'Knor' Bouillion cube for 15-20 minutes.
In crockpot, add diced up chicken breasts
1 can Green Chili Enchilada Sauce
2 cans White Northern Beans, do not drain
Cook in crockpot all day! Come home to yummy soup smells. Add some tortilla strips, grated chedder cheese, and salsa on top.

Bling!

My new venture revealed.

I have decided to start selling Jewelry.

The company is called Silpada Designs.

Silpada Jewelry is awesome!

I say this, because I am truly hooked on it.

I love real Sterling Silver, and jewelry that lasts!

The idea is to set up home parties with hostess that are fun, relaxed, and with no pressure to buy anything.

Those who know me well, know that home show products are not my thing.

I don't love going to these so-called parties where you play games, listen to a sales pitch, then feel tremendous pressure to buy something before you leave.

Hate that!

I had two of my own parties as a hostess, and had so much fun and was able to get quite a few pieces for free!

The best part is that the people who came had fun too, and didn't have to worry about me or the Rep. pressuring them to buy.

My last party I had was the wine and appetizers party before Christmas.

People came, drank some wine, played with the jewelry, and had fun.

Only those who really wanted to buy something did.

There was no pitch, true to the Reps. word.

So anyway, I have been struggling financially since the dawn of time!

I'm tired of it.

I knew I needed to find something to help suppliment my income, but I really wanted to do something that was fun.

So, I decided to give this a try.

I have received my own Silpada Rep. number and website.

I'm getting business cards, and working on training right now.

This Saturday, I went to my first Silpada meeting with regional Reps.

Everyone was very nice and supportive of me getting started.

As a Rep., I can sell jewelry individually through the catalogue and my website.

I can have my own Open Houses, and help others host their own parties.

I love that it is a Girl's Night Out theme.

I can even travel, and do shows other places/states and be able to write most of the trip off!

You will have to check out my website once it is up.

I just created it, so it may be a couple days before it is officially up and running.

Here is the website address:

mysilpada.com/chris.stromer

I hope you check it out and see what you think.

I am excited, and can't wait until this starts getting off the ground.

Not much has happened yet.

Pray that I get some parties scheduled soon.

I really need this to work.

New Years Resolutions Update




I wanted to put in a quick link to my previous post so you could refer back, but I can't figure out how you do that. Karen, you did this once, can you help me out? Anyway, I thought it has been a month, and in order for me to stick to my resolutions, rather than dump them by now, I have to do regular updates. More for me than you though, sorry!:)
Resolution #1: Lose 10 pounds

Well, this may not be very accurate I am afraid. For years I have avoided getting on a scale by principal. Scales discourage me. So, it is not a habit. I have had to remind myself, so I have only gotten on it twice in a month. I really don't know what I weighed for sure Jan. 1. But from the first time I weighed in and this last Friday, I lost 1 pound! I am choosing to celebrate this, because for some reason, even though I don't have a lot to lose, it is extremely difficult for me to lose period. Even when I had a personal trainer and ran! So, this is a victory for me! I have been really good at keeping a consistent work out schedule. I have only missed one scheduled day in a month. Pretty good for me! I am walking with doggies, switching up hand weights and yoga and pilates. I have been doing pretty good with portion control, allowing myself to slip on that once in a while. Snacks have been hard for me. Mainly because days I am out in the classrooms, I can't bring in my own food, so that means no snacks. I started out with carrots, nuts, and fruit. The fruit eating part continues to me a big challenge for me. When did I start not wanting to eat fruit?! Apples rotting in my fridge as we speak.

Resolution #2: Giving up Control to God

This is has been up and down for me, but mostly up. God is really working on me. Life at work is VERY stressful right now, and I am not feeling job security for a number of reasons. But he keeps reminding me that he is in control, and you know what? I am not freaking out nearly as much as I usually would be. I feel ok about whatever the future brings for the most part. He has always seen me through. Not to say I don't have a few moments though. I am working on some new ways to make a living until I can realize my dream, and I have to put myself firmly in his hands everyday.
Resolution #3: Make new friends

This has been a slow progression, but I am moving forward here. I joined the Easter Choir at church, and have met a couple different people even though we haven't had a rehearsal yet. This Sunday we will. I have been going to a Wed. Bible Study, and will go to the once a month Women's Group this coming Thurs. night. I do have to work on skipping out of church as soon as it is over, instead of sticking around and try and talk to someone. I have also been more open to different situations, like when I met my friend at the bowling alley last weekend. I met her husband's bowling league wives. They were mostly Airforce Wives, and they turned out to be great. They even want to set me up with someone. :)Resolution #4: Coffee Dream

This one sadly, has taken a back seat for the time being. I have been running into some difficult financial issues, and I have had to re-evaluate my life, expenses, etc. I am working on a new venture, which I will share in a blog soon. But until I get my feet planeted more firmly, I just can't move forward with it yet. I have gotten applications at a few places, but they really aren't hiring right now anyway. This is their slow season.

Resolution # 5: Keep in contact with old friends.

I really am working on this one. Too often, I get caught up in my own little world and things I have to do, so calling people gets put on the back burner. But I have connected with a couple friends in the last month, one I hadn't talked to in quite a while. That was fun. I will keep this one close to my heart though, and not let it go. I do hope that some of those friends will call me too though. I tend to get discouraged when it is me doing the calling. I am working on that one too.

So, really I am doing well here I think. There have been a few moments when I have wanted to ditch my resolutions, especially the working out one, but the thought of writng you my progress kept me going.

I ask you.....am I old already??







Last night I went to the Black Rose, which is a community center in
Black Forest. My boss had asked me and another co-worker if we wanted to go to this place to listen to music featuring Chuck Pyle, seen in this picture. I said "Yes!", thinking that the other person was going to say yes too, we had had a stressful week. But she said no, and so did everyone else she asked, so I was stuck. My boss loves going to the Black Rose, and loves Chuck Pyle even more. He is actually famous in the Country Music world, and has written many songs for famous singers, but I only knew he was old and sang country songs. Here is an epitaph I found on his website:



An accomplished songwriter, Chuck's songs have been recorded by John Denver, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Suzy Bogguss. Country fans know him best for writing, "Cadillac Cowboy", recorded by the late Chris LeDoux, and "Jaded Lover", recorded by Jerry Jeff Walker.

At the Community Center, they serve cookies and brownies, coffee and tea. No wine. I really needed some wine! You also have to sit on metal folding chairs for 4 hours! There were three acts before Chuck, who were three guys with guitars from Madison Wisconsin. They were all really good. Then Chuck came on, and to my surprise I liked him. He has been doing this a long time, and he is very comfortable on stage. He is also a really good story teller. So, despite the headache I had the next morning from sitting in those chairs, I had a fun time. More importantly, my boss had a great time.

Ok, the reason I asked if I am old before my time, is tonight I am going to a Bowling Alley to hang out with a friend from work. I am learning to knit. I joined the Easter Choir at church. I sit at home a lot. Seriously, who am I??

Ahhh domestic bliss.....

Here is my attempt at Banana Bread last night. I baked it the time it stated in the recipe, forgetting that I sorta live in high elevation. I used the tooth pick method in the middle, and nothing clung to it, so it's done right? I set it on the stove to cool, and when I came back, this is what I saw. I did eat some this morning. I had to microwave the 'bleep' out of it to cook the middle, but once that was done it was pretty good. Guess I won't be taking this little beauty to work with me.

Which side is my side?

I dare you to figure it out! Yeah, like it's hard! Welcome to my new hobby. A hobby I thought I would never attempt, mostly because I am not crafty and I lose patience easily for things like this. Some women from church taught me, or at least got me started. I borrowed a project from a friend of mine from work who is really good, as you can probably easily see which end is hers. She had said she messed up on it anyway, but I couldn't find where, unlike my side where you can see billions! It, surprisingly, is pretty fun and relaxing despite my lack of skill right now. I am getting better, and I really like the process. I am just doing one type of stitching right now until I firmly have a handle on this one. The group from church meets again, their craft group is called UFO (Unfinished Objects), next month. I can't wait to show them my progress! Custom made scarves, here we come!!:)

Christmas' last hurrah!

As you can see from the first picture, I was smiling from ear-to-ear all night! A couple days before I went to RC to see my old friends, I was going through my Hope Chest, Gramma made me. She is slowly trying to get rid of stuff, no easy feat if you have ever been to my Grandparents house. Anyway, I found a box of notes written to me from my friends from High School. I had notes from Suree, who affectionately referred to me has "Pisshead" or "Piss", Cher wrote some funny ones as you might imagine, those of you who know her, and some from Janet and Beth. There were several from people who called themselves my best friend, but I can't for the life of me remember who they are! For some reason Karen and Carey's notes were not in there, I think I had them in a different place. Anyway, it was so fun reading these, and made me want to be in RC that much sooner. My intention was to bring the notes, so Cher, Suree and I would have a good laugh. Also thought it might be a good conversation tool in case we have those awkward gaps in conversation. Why I always worry about that, I don't know, cuz that never happens with these friends of mine. It really truly is as if we are in each others lives everyday. We don't miss a beat. I forgot to bring the notes anyway! But we did talk about them, and did some reminiscing of the past. We were laughing pretty hard already by the time the guys showed up. Our guys!:) I haven't seen Mitch, guy with the snow hat on, for 20 years! It was even easy to talk with him, as if time has never past! Mitch is happy, married and has a youngin that he beams about. His smile was as big and constant as I have always remembered him to be. It was better than I can describe to you all, how it was for me that night. I have never had better guy friends in my life, and I really miss that, having guy friends. And my girl friends, well I love them so much, and I will carry my time with them in my heart for a long time. I haven't laughed like that in so long. I haven't felt a part of a group in so long....trying not to cry here. So, thank you Suree, Cher, Robbie, Pat and Mitch for a night I will hold very close for a long time. Can't wait to see you all again soon! Mitch and Pat said they will be coming to the big 20 year! They better! I told Robbie, who graduated a year before us, that he might as well come, he practically was an honorary member of the '89 class! Happy New Year my friends!

Squeaky Dog Christmas, second annual!

I couldn't put the pictures in order. I guess I am still not all that savvy with this whole blog thing. Anyway, we had Squeaky Dog Christmas on New Years Eve. In part because I was snowed in Cheyenne the night before, and in part because I didn't have anything going on this year for New Years, Wa! It was fun though. After dinner, I brewed some Starbucks Christmas decaf coffee and put a little Carmel Bailey's in it!:) Then let the festivities begin. We had lots of dog treats of course! First came Rooby's stocking, but each toy I brought out went to a different dog. Then Millie's stocking was opened. As you can see, Rooby had a blast running around trying out all the new toys. Millie seemed, much like last year, a little overwhelmed by all the activity. And Rooby wasn't even stealing the toys away from her this year. So, not sure what was up with that. I had to prop the toys around her for pics, unlike Rooby. Millie did play with some toys the next day though. You can also see that a couple of the tennis balls I bought met their demise almost right away. Do not buy tennis balls from a pet store. Always better to buy real tennis balls, they last longer. Anyway, we capped the night with watching the ball drop in Time Square, see dogs in their hats. It really wasn't such a bad way to spend New Years. I thought it might be a little depressing, but I was also happy to be home and not still in a blizzard. Happy New Year! See comments WAY down below, not sure how I did that either!

I thought I would start out my New Year with some resolutions that I soooo want to keep! We will see where they take me:

1. The ever popular main goal: lose 10 pounds. To do that I plan to get back into better portion control; eat more fruits and veges; check out videos of yoga and Pilate's; more exercise with the poochies. I plan on losing a pound a week.

2. To give up more control to God. My life needs to be more about what he wants for me. I am getting there already, but I still have a lot of work left to go. Less about me, and more about what he wants for me.

3. Make friends. Also going in the right direction here, but I really want this/need this to happen.

4. Make my coffee dream come true. This also needs to happen in steps, but I need to really step it up. First step, get a part time job in a Coffee House. Finish writing my business plan. Sign up for Chamber of Commerce Business class.

5. Keep in better contact with close friends. All my really dear friends are far away. I want to make it more of a priority to keep up with their lives. I never want to lose contact with the people that mean so much to me, and would love to reconnect with others I haven't talked to in years.

There you have it. And they are in writing so I can reflect on them often. These goals mean a lot to me, and I don't want them to slide. I hope to update my progress periodically on my blog. For your enjoyment of coarse!:) May this year be good to us all, and full of great surprises!

Merry Christmas everybody!

Karen gave me the idea when she said she got a snow flake on her toes. I just had these put on my thumbs, the rest is red. I am sooooooo tired of always having crappy nails, especially when I go home and am going to be seeing my old friends. So, after feeling horrible about them all through Thanksgiving break, I vowed to have them done for Christmas! I am just hoping they last. I haven't quite figured out how to be still afterwards, you can tell I am typing. I so want to be a girl, but on these kinds of things, the tomboy in me peeks out! Anyway Karen, hope you don't mind. They make me think of you when I look at them, so if you do mind...tough!;)-

Now, more importantly, I hope all of you have a very special Christmas. And we all remember to keep him in the season. Merry merry Christmas, and have a Happy and safe New Years!

Is it weird that I cried when I put my new bed together? My first what I call, "grown-up" bed. I was sitting there looking at my headboard, and started crying. I realized at first that I was happy. Happy that I bought this beautiful bed on my own, happy that I put it together by myself, happy knowing that I worked hard to pay it off. So, I dried my tears and finished up. But before I knew it I was really crying. Crying because I was also sad. Sad because I put together my bed by myself, sad I made another significant purchase without my husband. I am glad that I had God to help me with the whole thing. He definitely helped me put it together, cuz if he wasn't I would have threw a few fits. I am also glad that he held my hand through my tears. And now I have a beautiful new "grown-up" bed.

It's been awhile, it feels like since I wrote anything. So, a few updates about what has been going on with me in the last week. I went to my first Women's Bible Study from my church last Thursday night. Of course, I was late! I got lost trying to find it. But it was great, just like in church, everyone welcomed me in without overwhelming me. I recognized many of them from church, and a few of the ladies I had met last Sunday were there. My teacher, who I supervise was there, along with a former teacher of mine. So, there were enough people there I knew to make me not as freaked out. We talked about Christmas Traditions, which was very interesting since my family doesn't have very many, and those we do center around food. All in all, I felt like this is the right place for me to be. I look forward to actually getting to know these incredibly sincere amazing women. I am baking cookies this weekend for the lady who works for the Mission. I don't get to bring the cookies to the Mission myself, because when they are going I will be at work, which is a bummer. But I at least feel like I am doing something good outside of me. Jan talked to me again about the Craft Group, and me and my two teachers were laughing about our silly projects that we could bring, for example I have three coats with buttons hanging on their threads that I just don't fix because I am lazy! But I really do think I want to learn how to knit, so it will be fun.

The next big event for me is I have been planning my Wine and Appetizers Party for a while now, and it is just right around the corner! Next Tuesday night! Yikes! There has been so much going on, that I haven't written you all about it. I will break it all down for you, and welcome any suggestions that I have missed, since I am not an experienced party planner by any means. Karen really gave me the inspiration for what I am doing after reading about one of her parties she gave in Bama. So, here goes. Like I said it is Wine and Appetizers, with some Silpada Jewelry mixed in! I love Silpada parties because they don't put on stupid presentations or games. There is no pressure to buy. They bring a display of many of the best pieces, and you get to try and wear anything you want! The rest of the time you mingle and have fun. Towards the end they do ask if anyone wants to buy anything, and if several do, I get some free jewelry for being the hostest with the mostest! My favorite part!:) Anyway, I loved loved the bamboo wine plates Carey got Karen for her burfday, so I went and bought some green ones for my party. They are perfect, because I don't have a lot of places to sit, so several people will have to stand. I also bought some new wine glasses from World Market, I didn't have a set. Oh, and I got some really cool magnet Europe inspired Wine Charms. They go with my Europe picture wall in the Dining Room. Now the Appetizers part of the party. I picked several easy recipes from my 5 Ingredients/3 Easy Steps cook book. Recipes include: White Pizza Dip w/French Bread, Monterey Jack's Dip served with chips, Quick Mix Dip served with Veges, Sausage Balls, Olive Cheese Balls, Tumbleweeds (dessert), and Red Hot Christmas Punch. I will be adding more little desserts on my own. I only have about 8 people coming. I split each of the recipes up in twos, meaning there will be teams of two people bringing ingredients and making the recipes together. It is all a surprise. I handed out cards with half of the recipe on each. They don't know who they are making it with, or what they are making. I will work out a schedule so each team has a time slot to make their recipe. This way, we have a continuous flow of apps throughout the night. So, what do you think? Seriously, what do you think! I have lots still to do. I need to reorganize my newly painted office, clean clean clean, and get my schedule written. Did I mention I need to clean? And do some shopping? And I am sitting here writing this blog?! Yikes, I really need to get going.

But before I do, I just wanted to say that yesterday, as you may know, was Sue's funeral. Karen, I was there in spirit, but it killed me to not be there. My mom was suppose to go in my place, but the prospect of bad weather scared her so she didn't go. I haven't called, because I am trying to keep a respectful distance. I know Karen has much to deal with right now. I am missing you though. I know you are getting through this, and you have support. I am thinking and praying for all of you.

I will miss you Sue. Until we meet again.....

Another Church Story

I walked into church a little mad at myself for once again being late for the before church prayer and the divvying up of serving tasks.

I haven't made it once for this.

But, I am early for church when this happens, so that's good.

I was, however feeling like I am still looking in.

So, I made myself go stand by myself in the hall where everyone is coming in. Before I could get my prayer out to God, someone approached me.

This someone happened to be the Pastor's wife.

Instantly, she started taking me around and introducing me to several ladies in the church.

Before I knew it I was accepting all these invitations!

Some of which you will laugh at, like the crafty group I said I would be a part of:) Ha!

Why did I say yes to that?

I guess I just so badly want to get to know these people, I will almost say yes to anything.

I also found myself telling this nice lady that I will help her bake cookies to give out to the Mission.

I was invited to join a Women's group that meets once a month on Thursdays.

I think I am the most excited about this prospect.

They meet this Thursday night.

I was invited to a coffee thing tonight for new people at the Pastor's house, but I am not going to make it to this one sadly.

I think I overwhelmed myself today.

So, cookies, ladies and knitting (they're going to teach me) for now.

God is really moving.

I have never been to a church so welcoming before.

I love it!

Bobbi made this for me, and one for Karen. I just had to share it, because it is so pretty and unique! She said she used the inspiration of my coffee shop for the design. I can hardly wait to wear it there! Thank you Bobbi for being you.