Buyer of Boots

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Well, it's been awhile.   As I mentioned before I have started a new job and am still getting my feet wet.   As a courtesy to my employer(s) I won't actually state where I work but if you know anything about the industry and the location I reside then you'd be able to narrow it down on your own.

I'm a Purchasing Agent.   I buy boots.   No, I'm not in the fashion industry.   I would never survive in that industry because I don't have a lick of fashionable sense of my own.   I buy the kind of boots that go on your vehicle, more specifically the prop shaft/half shaft areas of the vehicle.   Boots and a number of other things, even grease.   You just don't know how much grease goes into making a car.   Yeah, so as I've said previously I'm in the automotive industry.   And I like it.

So far things are a bit slow.   I'm starting my second week and my boss is out of the country for the next two weeks.  I acquired my new laptop on my first day; my work cell phone last Friday; but I have yet to get my buyer access in our system to actually buy stuff.  So until then I'm just working on open issues via email/phone communications with suppliers and coworkers.   That's a good chunk of the buyer role anyway.  And boy today was a doozy.

I've also been given the green light that I need to get my passport soon.   So I plan on getting that done this week.  Just gotta go get that wonderful photo taken {apparently you can't even smile} and then find a nearby place to stand in line to hand in the paperwork in person.   Yes, this is my very first passport.  Never been out of the country before aside from about an hour across Niagra Falls on a bus.   It was uneventful.   But with my job we have locations all over the globe.  And I'm supposed to visit several suppliers also all over the globe.   So my boss has many travel plans for me, including the rest of North America (Mexico and Canada) and even Brazil.  

I may actually accomplish that "visit another continent" goal that's on my bucket list!  I should be able to cross off "getting my passport" in t-minus 6-7 weeks too.  :)

Omaha Steaks Review

I'm not really a review type of person but I recently had a delivery from Omaha Steaks and thought I would share my experience.

First of all, I used a Groupon for an awesome deal for Omaha Steaks.  I've never tried them before and with Father's Day coming up and our getting a new grill I figured, Why not?

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So I got the above Flavorful Feast Deal and immediately placed my order using the Groupon code on OmahaSteaks.com.  My shipment arrived a few days later in a refrigerated cooler.  {UPS actually arrived way after 8pm that night too -- I think they are supposed to finish their home deliveries by 7pm.}

Upon opening the cooler I found it, well, not cool.  The "dry ice" was completely evaporated.  All the meat was thawed, still cool fortunately but of course, THAWED.  As in, NOT FROZEN.  Even the lava cakes were thawed out and they aren't supposed to be thawed at all.  You heat them up when they are still frozen.

Refer to their shipping information below.  Supposed to "arrive frozen".

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So I immediately went to my order online, linked up to their customer service and sent them a message about my Disappointment.

The next day, Friday, they actually responded and were going to send out a replacement shipment. 

I received the shipment notification on Saturday...  Are you telling me that you seriously boxed up more meat on a Saturday, having to wait for Monday for it to be picked up and then having it scheduled for delivery for me on Wednesday?  Am I really going to get frozen meat this time??

:: crickets chirping ::


Good News!  My new meat box arrived and there was still a nice-size block of ice inside and the meat {and lava cakes} were still frozen.  Woohoo!  So the previous shipment, which was on the truck for less time by the way, must have had a bad seal or something since it didn't stay frozen.

So, as far as reviews go.  I haven't actually tried the meat yet.  But as far as the service, my first shipment came in non-frozen but Omaha Steaks quickly responded to my complaint and sent out another shipment, rectifying the issue.  And I received a good set of filet mignon, sirloin steaks, franks and lava cakes.  Can't wait until we eat 'em up.

For the Dads

"Anyone can be a Father,

but it takes Someone Special to be a Dad."

Hubby - You're the bestest!         

Daddy - If I could talk I'd say, "You're the bestest!"

So long...

...biopharmaceuticals!

It's been {somewhat} nice knowing you.  I gave you a try but you're just not for me.

I was fortunate enough to find a job in your industry when I needed it and I am grateful for you putting me back to work after a very long stint of Moving-in-the-middle-of-pregnancy-and-then-brief-Stay-at-Home-Mommydom.  But it's time to move on.  And on to the industry that I know.

So come Monday I start my new job and it's Hello Automotive!



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How I met your Father

SPECIAL *Double* FEATURE

 

Now time for my version of how we met...  But first, make sure you didn't miss the first part: How I Met Your Mother.

My sweet boy!

With Father's Day coming up I wanted to tell you, Lucas, about how your father and I met.  Nothing interesting, just through mutual friends, but I have to say it took awhile for me to notice him.  :)

I was a freshman in college at UNC-Charlotte and lived in the dorms that year.  I had one roommate and several hallmates.  One of my hallmates, your Auntie Holli, was a Communications major and loves Loves LOVES Nascar.  Our college was apparently well known in the racing industry for its Motorsports program within the Mechanical Engineering program.  {Being in race country should have clued me into that one.}  There actually were several in the group that had traveled out of state to join this program - Ohio, Missouri, Pennsylvania and New York are a few of those I personally knew.  Even Holli came from out of state just to be in "racing country".  Anywho, the floor above ours was a boy-floor and we made friends with Jon and Charles, also on the motorsports team. 

Second semester rolls around and is quickly coming to an end.  Mid-April Holli has a party at what was at the time a Jillian's at the mall to celebrate her birthday.  There were probably a dozen or so people there and I didn't know half of them.  Apparently your father was there.  Who knew?  Maybe we were even introduced...  I just never noticed him.

I managed to snap a shot of Holli with Bradley at her party - and your father was in the background!

Then just a few weeks later was Charles' birthday and a smaller group met up at the local Hooter's to celebrate.  I have to say the most memorable thing I remember from his party is when Holli and I tried to stuff Charles' face with his birthday cake.  :)  He out-maneuvered us but we still got him!  Again, your father was there.  It was a smaller group this time and I vaguely remember him being there but still at this point I had never talked to him.

Cake in the face!

The summer goes by and my sophomore year of college has just started up.  By now I've become friends with not only Holli but Charles and Jon from the boy-floor as well as a few others.  I had started mingling with the motorsports crowd. 

Charles and I attended a house party just outside of campus together {only as friends}, the house belonging to a motorsports member, Scott {soon to be marrying into the family!}.  It was a low key party where we ended up playing drinking card games into the night.  This was the first time I spoke with your father!  The party dies down and we begin having a conversation about the basics.  Where are you from and stuff like that.  Wouldn't you know how small a world it was?

Apparently we had many things in common.  The most prevalent being that we were both originally from the same area.  His family is still living in that area whereas mine moved away when I just started middle school, moving me from a small town to a metropolis.  There were plenty of other things that I don't recall but that was the one that stood out and caught my attention, but the other smaller things definitely helped cynch my interest.  I had finally noticed your father.

Just a few weeks later I heard about another house party in the same set of townhomes off campus, just a few doors down from Scott's at yet another house belonging to some motorsports members.  I made it a point to go to this party knowing that your father would be there.  I headed over to Ryan and Nathan's place and this party was busy BUSY.  It's also important to mention that I dressed extra special for this party, looking my very best.  I went seeking him out and dressed to impress!

Now there may or may not have been some drinking at this party but I just had the "punch".  I flirted my very best with your father!  I may or may not have accidently stumbled into him, accidently grabbing his behind...  And at some point I may or may not have had too much punch, and ended up hogging the upstairs bathroom for quite some time.  And your Auntie Kenda may or may not have had to hold my hair for me that night.  Needless to say it was a very very late night.  I had crashed and burned for a few hours and was finally ready to head home at I believe around 4am? 

I recall finally walking outside and seeing Kenda and your father chatting out on the sidewalk.  I'm certain they were waiting to check up on me.  I ended up sitting in Kenda's car for a little while longer.  {Such a great friend of ours!}  When I was finally ready to head out to my car your father offered to walk me to it.  At that time I was a bit embarrassed of course and felt like CRAP so I wasn't into chatting with my crush at that moment.  When we finally arrived at my car he surprisingly asked me for my phone number!

I said No.

Shocking, yes, I know.  But I just told him that I wasn't feeling well and it wasn't the best time.  It really wasn't, I promise.

That was a Friday night.  I thought about him all day Saturday.  By Sunday morning I made the decision to get his number and call him, hoping he hadn't changed his mind about me because of my rejection.

First, I called Kenda to get his phone number.  She gave me his cell number.  Straight to voicemail.  I must not have left a message.  Instead I must've called Kenda back and asked if she had the number right and she must have then given me the number to Tim's place, where he was renting a room.  I called that number and spoke with Tim.  He informed me that your father had gone home for the weekend.  I found out later that he had driven straight from Ryan's house that Saturday morning {after that 4am rejection from me and getting no sleep that night} to go racing {about a five hour drive}.

Tim was kind enough to take a message from me.  Your father actually had been home that Sunday morning at Tim's!   Tim didn't know he had been there, after having driven straight back right after his race that Saturday night...not sure why he didn't want to stay at his parents and get some sleep instead of driving another five hours back?? So he was actually in his room at Tim's finally catching up on his sleep.

Meanwhile I talked to Holli who at the time was dating Bradley.  I don't remember if I had talked to her before your father called me back or right after...  But at some point your father called me and he agreed to go out with me. 

So I had arranged a bowling date that very night {Sunday} for your father and I.  I was most comfortable having us go out with some mutual friends for our first date so I had arranged for us to double date with Holli and Bradley.  Instead of having him pick me up I chose to have us both meet at Bradley's house, which was nearby the bowling alley we were going to attend.  It was a fun night and afterward we spent a few hours hanging out at Bradley's house.  But then of course it was late and classes started early for me on Mondays. 

Our first date.  You can't tell but those are turtles on my shirt!

So he walked me to my car {for the second time} and we said our goodbyes.  And yes, he kissed me.  He was the worst kisser ever {not that I had kissed many boys}.  And yes, your father knows this so I can tell the whole world.  :)  He's one of those kissers that gets his teeth in the way sometimes.  Fortunately not all the time, but yes still!  {I hope you don't inherit that trait from him.}  And I didn't hold it against him.  We had our second date the following night!  A dinner date with just the two of us.  And your Aunties' Holli and Kenda had much to do with getting us together which is why they are so important to us.  :)

And that's how it all started. 

Loving you bunches!

Mama

CLICK HERE TO SEE HUBBY'S

VERSION OF HOW WE MET

How I met your Mother

SPECIAL *Double* FEATURE

I asked Hubby to work with me on a collaboration of sorts.  I wanted us to write letters to Lucas about how we met each other.  After much gentle reminding {I finally turned the tv off and told him to sit his ass at the computer} he finally wrote his story. 

I have to admit I was impressed with what he wrote.  And you have to keep in mind that this is from his perspective -- and mine might be a wee bit different.  Of course, I did have to remind him the order of events to help him with his editing {because Mama is always right}.

So, here is Hubby's take on how we met...

Dear Champ,

Since one day you will me ask “how did I meet your mother,” I decided (your mother told me) to write it down to make sure I get it right.  Of course, like all my stories, it starts with racing.  

As much as your mother won’t like it, if it wasn’t for my racing, we would not have met.   Like most couples today, we met each other while attending college.  However, if not for racing, I would have continued my college career at UNC-Wilmington and never transferred to UNC-Charlotte.  I transferred to Charlotte for the Motorsports program offered by their engineering department.  This program is what brought the people into our lives that would one day introduce me to your mother.

As you know, there is a little bit of an age difference between your mother and me.   So when she entered college and lived at the freshmen dorm, I was living off campus with roommates that were on the racing team.  One of her freshmen dorm friends, Charles, joined our Legends race team and spoke of your mother a lot at the shop.   

However, the first time I actually met your mother was at your Auntie Holli’s birthday party at Jillian's in Concord Mills.  See, at the time your Auntie Holli was dating Bradley, a guy that was good friends with some of us racing guys, so we decided to attend the party.  Like usual, we had been working at the shop on the cars and arrived to the party late.   I was introduced to your mother but I didn’t get to talk to her much, actually hardly at all.  Honestly, I thought Charles and your mother were dating during their freshmen years.

See, the moment I actually took an interest in your mother was at Charles’ birthday, a few weeks later, which was at Hooter’s in Concord.  It was a smaller group of people and I was able to pay attention to your mother’s antics. 

Soon after, the school year ended.  With the arrival of summer, the Legends team became involved with the Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway and I didn’t have time to chase girls.  I was racing during the week with the Niner Legends car and then on the weekends with “Crissy”, my own race car. 

I didn’t see your mother again until the end of summer once she got back to start school.  Your mother started to come to some of the groups’ “gatherings” and play cards with us. 

It was only until a certain specific “gathering” at Ryan’s that she made it clear that she was interested in getting to know me.  She grabbed my butt as she stumbled out of the downstairs bathroom.  Of course, being in college implies that “gatherings” are actually drinking parties, and your mother was well on her way to reaching her drinking limit.  She got sick.  A lot that night.  But Auntie Kenda and I kept an eye on her and kept her safe during the night. 

So as the night turned into early morning, she became sober enough to drive home.   I walked her to her car and as she was getting in, I asked her for her number.  She shot me down.  Major crash and burn.  After putting the flames out, I drove to my place in Harrisburg.  But before I could turn the car off in the driveway, I was called by the Legends team to drive them to Jacksonville for a stock car race.  This was a five hour drive…  So began my long day at the track without any sleep.

After racing, we again drove the five hours back from Jacksonville in the middle of the night.  Once home I went straight to bed, since I hadn’t slept in 48 hours.  While I slept, your mother was quite busy.  She had been making phone calls in an all out effort to talk to me.  She called Auntie Kenda and got my cell number.  She called my phone but I didn’t answer because I was unconscious from having been awake for 48 hours.  Since I didn’t answer my cell, she once again called Auntie Kenda to get my house number.  My roommate answered when she called and he said he hadn’t seen me in two days.  Your mother left her number with him and shortly after my long sleep, I woke up surprising my roommate that I was actually home and he gave me her number. 

After getting over my initial surprise of her call, I called her back and she wanted to go out later that same day on a double date with Auntie Holli and Bradley.  So, our first date was actually chaperoned by your Auntie Holli.  We went bowling, and just like now, your mother was very competitive.   After bowling, we went back to Bradley’s house and watched a movie.

The movie ended and I walked your mother out to her car.  That’s where I kissed your mother for the first time.  And it was horrible.  We banged teeth when we kissed.  Not my best Casanova moment.  Yet your mother did have dinner with me the next night.  But I guess my kissing has gotten better, since your mother did marry me. 

Love ya much,

Da-Da

O, Fishface, O, fishface

CLICK HERE TO SEE MAMA'S

VERSION OF HOW WE MET

Flag Day



Downtown Raleigh


Happy Flag Day everyone.  Although not a federal holiday, today we celebrate the adoption of the flag of the United States.

Here are a few shots I've captured of the flag to commemorate.

Ravencroft School, Raleigh, NC

Roxboro Dragway, Roxboro, NC

New Bern Motorsports Park, New Bern, NC

New Bern Motorsports Park, New Bern, NC

Fossil Festival Parade, Aurora, NC

Aurora, NC



Blood Drive as a "Short Timer"

I was able to finally give blood at work.  I usually try to as often as I can {ever since college}, and that only seems to be if my workplace is running the drive.  I never seem to be able to get to one anywhere else if it's during the work day -- I can't really afford to take the time off to do so.  And I don't usually find any drives close enough on the weekends.  That's the good thing about companies sponsoring them for their employees.

So, yeah, workplace blood drives are my best bet.  If your workplace does not currently sponsor blood drives at least once a year, I highly recommend you contact your HR department and make that suggestion.  It only benefits EVERYBODY.  And technically they should be able to run a drive every quarter, in line with how often a person should be able to donate.  How easy is that??

And I say "finally" because I haven't had the chance in nearly two years since my previous workplace.  I couldn't at all last year since I was pregnant.  And I'm just now getting around to it this year.

I feel like I have to get back into it and also pick up the slack from Hubby.  You see, he's Trypanophobic.  Haha.  BIG WORD.  I just learned it actually.  Googled "needle phobia" and yep, that's Hubby!  So since he is unwilling to give blood I need to give as often as I can. 



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And of course, I sent the below picture of me to him just to tease him.  Unfortunately the lady wouldn't let me take a picture of her putting the needle in me to send to my husband -- because that's too mean.  Hehe.  So even without an actual needle shot I still got this response from Hubby, "Not funny! I just gagged a little."





I was the first Donation of the morning.
My "war wound"

I've also been called "Short Timer" a lot this week.  On account that it's my last few days working there.  All I can do it smile and nod.  Because yes.  I am a Short Timer.  :)

I hope my new workplace runs Blood Drives.  If not, I'll be contacting the HR department to encourage it.

Another thing: Giving blood is also on my 101 in 1001 list.  Another one to cross off.  :)  Woohoo!



http://www.redcrossblood.org/



Give Blood.  Find a Drive near You.

Special Feature: This Week

Another clue of what's to come TOMORROW!

Is that...

...wait a minute...

 

...it is.

That's Hubby at the computer!

Summer Woes and Quarter Throes

Ah, yes.  Summer vacation must have started.  School is out, eh?

We can tell.

Parents: Do you know where your kids are?  Do you know what they are doing when you allow them to go hang out with their friends?

I can tell you.

Now that they have nothing better to do you allow them to run a muck -- driving around -- getting into trouble -- hitting mailboxes -- egging vehicles and/or houses -- slingshotting quarters at vehicles...

Ah yes.  Hubby and I came outside this morning to leave for work when Hubby found this lovely surprise on our Nissan.

Yes, that is the rear side glass.  Unfortunately Hubby often leaves one of the vehicles parked on the street rather than in the driveway.  Our driveway does in fact house two vehicles lengthwise.  However, he usually gets home before I do in the evenings but wants me to park in the driveway first, closer to the door so we can get Lucas out in his car seat without walking so far.  Sometimes he'll move the other car back into the driveway afterward, sometimes not.

Needless to say we won't be parking the vehicles out on the street unless necessary from now on.

Nothing was taken.  It wasn't a break-in.  And let me tell you...that little window in vehicles are sometimes the most expensive to replace, NOT the big windshield.  I should know.  Back in college I did have my little old Escort broken into and they decided to break that little back window to unlock the car.

$500 deductible...

$167 to repair the window...

The culprits left us a shiny {slightly bent} quarter as a souvenir!  Great.  Only $166.75 more needed.

So it was Hubby's conclusion that some very naughty kids were out and about last night -- most likely late-late because it had downpoured in the evening and fortunately there was no water leak damage from the window.  They must have used a slingshot or something to get that quarter to break through the glass.  And yeah, that quarter is definitely bent up.

Most likely the same group of kids that egged this same car last Summer.

Some Parents need to do some actual Parenting.

A Crazy Lazy Weekend

Sounds like an oxymoron, eh?  Yeah well, we did a good bit this weekend and somehow it was still a quiet and restful weekend.  With A LOT of naps.  Fat Mum Slim's photo a day challenge for Sunday was "The Best Bit of your Weekend" and I really meant it with my photo - Naptimes were wonderful.

Oh, and if you aren't already doing a photo a day challenge but are interested I recommend doing Fat Mum Slim's.  It gives you an excuse to takes pictures of something other than your baby.  Yeah, try something outside the box every so often, like, maybe even a door...

IG photo of Naptime

Anywho.  Our weekend started Saturday morning with Hubby cleaning out the garage.  That consisted of him taking everything out of the garage and putting it out on our driveway {making it look like we were having a garage sale}.  I don't think he had anyone coming to check though.  Although we would have freely given some stuff away. 

Hubby broke down more boxes {majority being for Huggies diapers or wipes because we get them by the case at Costco}.  And we had intended on going through all the bins of miscellaneous stuff and clothing to re-consolidate them -- packing some up for donation, etc.  Fortunately we don't have too many more of those bins to go through but I'll have to do that this upcoming weekend instead.

Then Hubby made a trip to the dump to dispose of the cardboard to clear out room and then reorganized everything to put it back into the garage.  The fun began after Hubby found something new in the garage.  A big box with a picture of a new grill on it.  :)  Yep, as a partial Father's Day gift plus "Just because it's Summer", Lucas and I got Daddy a new grill. 

We've been talking about getting one every summer for a few years now.  Some times we want a gas grill and some times charcoal.  So I decided on the best of both and got a new Char-Griller 5050 Duo Gas-and-Charcoal Grill.  But Hubby put off working on the grill for now.  We had other stuff to do.

After cleaning up the garage we went out to our local mall to eat some lunch at the food court.  I wanted to also go because Curious George was visiting for a few hours that day.  Alas the lines were really long to even get a picture with him.  And Lucas is still too young to even know who he is or read his books.  So we opted for no picture.  :(  But yummy food!

Back at home that afternoon the mail had come and with it we got our first Wittlebee box!  More on that another time.  Because we were just too tired to get excited about it at the time. 

So then it was time for the first of many naps - the nap of all naps.  We puppy-piled it on our bed and the three of us took nearly a two hour nap.  Re-fresh-ing!

Then we headed out to a nearby track to watch some drag racing.  Spectators only!  It was a small field of cars so it wasn't too late of a night.  I do think however that the Junior Dragster class is just as big as the main events.  {Some people have some mucho dinero in this area.}



Daddy's on my Pit Crew

Lucas got to wear his ear muffs again.  He did good for the most part but he did try to remove them a few times.  And we brought him wearing this cool "Pit Crew" shirt but quickly changed him into a romper since it was ridiculously hot.

Hubby brought the camera with us to the track {he actually forgot it and we had to make a trip back to the house to get it} expecting me to take my usual photos.  I just wasn't feeling it this time.  I mainly took some photos with my phone.  I didn't take the Canon out until the sun started setting and then it was the skyline I was taking photos of, not the cars.

Phone/IG shot

Phone/IG shot

Tailgating!

Next thing we know it's Sunday morning.  Time to dig into that grill box.

"Daddy's Little Helper" and I started out in the garage right alongside Hubby after he had unpacked the box.  At least I was able to help get the base of the grill assembled with him before Lucas started fussing about.  So it was time for us to go back inside the house and try to put Lucas down for a nap.  He didn't want to go in his crib so I could go back out and help Hubby.  {Oh no he didn't!}  So I ended up having to lay down on the couch with him and he finally went to sleep.  Oh darn, I have to take a nap with him?!  Sucks to be me... ;)

And yes, some guys actually DO look at the instructions when assembling.
Doesn't my Turtle look like a little turtle clenched to the stroller?  :)

About an hour or so later Hubby finally came back in the house after completing the grill!  We had decided to heat up the grill {charcoal side} to let it cure and then afterward while it was still hot we could get some dinner out of it.  So Hubby went off to the store to gather the essentials {uh, charcoal} so we could get that started.

Daddy has to show Lucas how it works.

Our first meal on the new grill?  Hamburgers and veggies {eggplant, green pepper and onion} and baked beans.  Sorry, no photos...we ate 'em up too fast.

But now we're ready for our Father's Day cookout this upcoming Sunday when my parents are coming to visit.  :)  Ma, you can bring the Pasta Salad!!

Why do I blog?

It's funny because I was thinking about this a lot recently.  And then Stephanie from My Messmerized Life did a guest spot on Growing up Geeky the other day asking the same question and giving her own response.

My own response is similar to Stephanie's.  I came across the life of other bloggers in my circle and thought, That's cool!  And at the time I was pregnant with Lucas.  My brother, Nick, had actually mentioned to me that maybe it's something I could do now that our family was growing.

Thus, I created my very own blog shortly after having Lucas. 

And since then I've really taken to it I suppose.  Lucas became my very best reason for blogging and posting a ton on pictures.  And as a result of all the picture-taking I became more and more interested in photography itself. 

So not only has this blog become a way to keep my family and friends in touch with us, it's also become a way to express myself through my own writing and new hobby of photography.  As I predicted in my initial post, it has already evolved.  Who knows what else is to come?

But now I will be starting a new job really soon.  And I intend to be super busy with it {going from one extreme to another!} so I expect my blogging to reduce significantly.  I do have several drafts in the works that I might be able to dredge up to scratch eventually.

So, I ask you next.  Why do you blog?



smitten & hooked photography



Special Feature: Next Week

I have a Special Feature coming for you next week. 

I'm so excited about it that I wanted to give you a little clue about it's content...



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Don't you just LOVE that show??

Sitting Poolside

I went out and bought a little infant pool this past weekend -- thanks to the $5 OFF coupon I had for Buy Buy Baby it only cost me $15.  It has an inflatable cover as well, but I haven't bothered with that yet.

I blew it up {yeah, no help from Hubby} and insisted that Hubby take it outside on the deck and fill it up with some water so that we could put Lucas in it that evening.  {It took me nagging at him several times -- have you heard that before?} 

Since it was the evening Hubby thought the water from the hose would come out too cold.  So he actually opted to get a large tub and fill it up with warm water from the bathtub -- it took three trips to fill the pool up a little less than halfway, good enough for now.  And also since it was evening we didn't need the cover so I didn't have to bother blowing up that inflatable to attach {whew!}.

I keep nagging Hubby for us to go the to pool again since we were finally able to get Lucas out there for his first time.  And he's just too much of a homebody to want to make the short walk down the street.  I know it does get crowded quickly.  Such effort to get everything together for a 20-30 minute trip to the pool! 

So that's why I went and got us the infant pool.  Of course, I can't go swimming but at least Lucas can get wet more often and learn to get used to it.  {It was even hard enough to get Hubby to go a few feet out the back door onto the deck with this pool.}  And because it's our own pool in our own backyard we didn't even bother dressing Lucas in his swim trunks.  Just his Little Swimmers.  Heck, next time maybe even naked.

And is it bad that we went ahead and got his baby shampoo out and actually bathed him in the pool?

I mean, we used warm water and it wasn't chlorinated... 

...and he needed a bath anyway... 

...and why waste the water?...  :)

Hey y'all! Check out my pool!

School Daze

Have I mentioned before how much I really love Lucas' daycare?  His teacher is great.  The owner is great.  And they all LOVE my little boy. 

Even the teachers in the other classrooms will stop me before I leave with him because they hadn't gotten a chance to see him at all that day.

It's been nearly five months since he started going and I started my current job.  And now I'll be starting a new job.  Does that mean a new daycare?

I picked up Lucas after school the day after I accepted my new position.  His teacher, Kristy, and the part-time substitute were there.  I usually like to chat with them for a few minutes.  Finding out about Lucas' day and whatnot.  I mentioned to them that I got a new job.

"Are you moving?" says Kristy.

"Not anytime soon.  But we would love to buy a house if this job becomes permanent."

"Will you leave here?"

"Well...the area we would like to settle in is outside the city, looking at the [next rural town over] area -- we don't want to deal with city taxes when buying and we'd love the land.  So we would probably have to find a new daycare since this would now be out of the way."

"I just bought a house out there.  I can pick him up and bring him to school everyday."

I gave her this baffled laugh...

"Seriously?!  By the time that would even happen he wouldn't even be in your class anymore."

"That's okay."

And that's how much they really really REALLY adore my little Lucas.

I also {finally} remembered to ask if any of the ladies there did any after work babysitting in the evenings or on the weekends. 

"We still don't know many people and well, we know all of you and y'all already know Lucas."

They said they do!  That means Hubby and I just might be able to manage a free date night soon.



His "containment" unit AKA daycare crib.  :)



"If only they all can be like him."  Yes, they actually said that to me too.



Just look at this cute smushed face!!



Silhouette Ghetto-style

I took this photo this past weekend as you saw from a previous post.  Hubby actually saw the shot and got my attention, "Look!"  {He's got a good eye too.}  As soon as I saw it I also knew it would make a great silhouette.

My attempt to create a silhouette now, well...let's see.  I don't have Photoshop and the simple software I have doesn't have that Threshold feature I found is necessary to the process.  So I just used a variety of methods in Windows Paint.

Here is what I came up with.

Eh, it's okay.  Definitely what I envisioned.  But.Just.Blah.

I also Googled {of course} free online editors for silhouette-making.  I came across this YouTube video that was helpful except that it was for Picnik, which Google eliminated recently.  And their version doesn't have nearly the bells and whistles.  No Threshold feature.  I commented to the video owner asking them if they have another option now that Picnik is no more. She {Nicole I found out} recommended Sumo Paint as another free online editor that could get the job done.

Here's the Sumo Paint silhouette.

Definitely better.  You can see the difference between this and my previous attempt with Windows Paint.  The first one I tried to fill in too much, trying to clean this up and that, basically altering the look.  The second one is closer to the photo!

Now...what to do with this...

Any other suggestions using free software?  I'm just not sure at this time if I want to fork over the money to purchase Photoshop.  Maybe one day.

No Time for Prime Time

Ugh.  I've been a slacker with my shows.  The DVR is steadily accumulating more and more.  Well...actually it's at a standstill now since most shows are off for the season.  But then there's still the Summer season getting started.  Fortunately, it's fewer shows we record.  I may even be able to watch them in real time!

I record a TON of shows during the Fall season.  And I used to be able to actually watch most of them while they were on, so then the DVR was just a backup plan.  And I would typically be caught up with shows that would run simultaneously by the following weekend.  But since Lucas made his appearance and I went back to work the DVR has had it's work cut out for it.

I literally have several shows with 5-7 weeks of episodes that am behind on.  Yes.  I am that far behind on Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice.  House?  10 episodes I've missed, practically the whole final season.  Fortunately no one on Facebook has ruined much for me with the story lines I've missed.  I did manage to start on some of them.  Currently I'm working myself through the CSI shows.  {So long Miami!}

When I do get some free time I usually try to catch up on some of my reading instead.  Otherwise I'm most likely in front of the computer editing photos and writing on the blog.  I have tried to watch some of the shows once I get home from work.  I'll let Lucas play on the floor with his toys and start up a show, but then he decides to get all chatty and loud and I can't hear so I have to stop the show.  There have been times where I've made a few attempts on one episode.

But I'm not a total slacker!  I did manage to keep up with a few shows.  With so many that I watch I knew I had to put some on the back burner and only watch a few regularly.  Some that I kept up with include Once Upon a Time, New Girl, Bones and The Finder {I cannot believe that they cancelled it!}.

Other than those, Hubby pretty much had control of the remote.  And most of those I just listed were the shows he would also watch, which explains why those were the ones I remained diligent about, eh?  Ahhh, makes sense now why Grey's Anatomy wasn't a frontrunner!  :)

Otherwise, Hubby pretty much had the tv set on the cooking competition shows or HGTV.  And now?  Well, a few weeks ago when Holli was over babysitting little Lucas I upgraded our tv package.  For some reason, the All Star Race {which was on that particular night} is the only NASCAR race that is NOT on Fox -- rather it was sooo special it was only broadcast on the SPEED channel.  And we didn't have that channel.  Since Holli was doing us such a huge favor I couldn't not have the race for her to watch.  And Hubby wasn't going to be upset about having SPEED.  So I upgraded.  {Yes, Holli, you are that special!}

So now with the new package the tv is more regularly on SPEED and BBC America.  Top Gear marathon anyone??

I've got to make it a point to catch up on more shows.  Once I finish the current book I'm reading I'd like to get on that.  Buuuuut I've got two more already checked out from the library, so I'll have to finish those first.  And it's taking for.ev.er to get through those.  {Reminds me that I need to go online and renew 'em.}  I also just had a new one I preordered that downloaded to my Kindle this week.  I can't believe that television has not kept my interest these days.

So here is a look into my Dish DVR queue:





Okay, way to start it off with a guilty pleasure...Pretty Little Liars just started their new season last night and it had just finished recording.  So yeah, I've already missed the first episode.  I saw it was recording but I was busy doing something for my SIL.  And let me just say that I only started watching PLL last summer because I had moved and stopped working in the middle of my pregnancy.  I was basically at home all day {job searching online of course} and a PLL marathon was on.  So I got caught up from the previous seasons and got started watching it regularly.

 

Looks like Melissa & Joey are back for a new season as well.  Huh.  How'd I miss that?  That's another one I picked up last summer.  Uh, the Duck Dynasty is not mine.  Although it's crazy funny hilarious I'm just not into the reality {although heavily scripted} television shows.

Already mentioned Grey's and PP.  You can't watch one without the other.  Hello Gossip Girl!  XOXO!  What kind of crazy scandals have I missed??!  And there are the two CSI's I still need to work on.  Since Miami was my last viewing I've dipped into Las Vegas, so that's where I shall pick up at. 

Ah, throw in some of the latest comic movies that Hubby DVR'd too.  Shouldn't take too long to watch those Up All Night episodes.  Wow, Repo Men has been in there for quite some time...I guess I'm not that interested in watching that one.  Ah, and you can just look past that last movie listed {courtesy of a free Showtime weekend!}.

Huh, so it's really not that bad, eh?  Well, I mean the number of shows is manageable.  Just the number of episodes that's over Fifty Hours worth.  Eek!  Oughta keep me busy for a while once I take a break from my reading.  Better get on that.