My Hottie Husband.

I barely recognize him . . . he got his haircut tonight. For the record, he does not allow his pouf out of the house.

Week one is down

What a fantastic week. I was actually expected to think and was trusted to follow through.

Additionally, I'm at my wits end with Tony. I HATE how he drives, so I have a terrible beginning and end to the day. On top of that I've always needed more space than he, and while we're not with each other through out the day, I do not want to be by him when we get home ... And he of course has missed me the whole day! Meh, it makes me feel terrible, because we haven't really spent any quality time together . . . and yet it seems like everytime I turn around he's there.

Just needed to get that out there.

does this work?

I'm on my blackberry.

Remember when I said . . .

That I'm not a blackberry girl? It's because I'm sooooo not! Lol. Seriously. I'm usually pretty quick on technology, but seriously this thing has been owning me!

Also, I forgot and now realize why it's called a crackberry . . .

So my proposal is due tomorrow, before I go to the Chamber of Commerce lunch, you know to schmooze in the industry I still know nothing about! Gah.

It's almost 11:00 and I have no idea what I'm going to wear.

Additionally.

Tony has been stripped of any estimating powers . . . from here on out. His first mitake(s) concerned how cheap redoing the bathroom would be. However, the killer underestimate: our privacy fence!

Tony priced out what the material cost of a 6' privacy fence would be for our whole yard at $3000. This was based on his experience at Michael Lee Remodeling, fast forward to the bathroom and suddenly he began retracting his belief in his estimate.

Sure enough, we got an estimate in, soley for materials: $4200.

Just a little different, right?

We have the additional money, but gah, we just didn't want it used for this!

So . . . you guys, right?

In college I developed a terrible habit, that thankfully . . . only exhibits itself on the occassion at this point in my life. I surrounded myself with friends that thought I talked too much . . . which might have been true, but to safeguard almost all of my sentences began with "So . . . " after which there was guaranteed to be a "you guys," and almost always finished with a "right?" because I wanted to ensure that they'd actually been listening . . . With that, I give you.

So you guys, you'll never guess what finally got through my brain today. I'm outrageously blessed beyond any extent of the imagination. It finally, finally started to work it's way through, as I was working on a $3 million dollar proposal, actually employing the skills that I was so passionate about going to school for. Finally, finally, right? To top it off, I almost started crying out of sheer happiness, yup crying on day two. I would have been the crazy girl, right? Lol.

In addition, you'll never guess who's husband text messaged my husband to find out how I'm liking my new job . . . that's right, not that she's checked in to find out.

On the other side.

I've frequently been asked how it feels to no longer work for Target . . . and to be honest, I have no idea. I have not recognized the fact that I gave that world up. There will no longer be Team Meetings at the TT (Team Table) to discuss the next FFF (Fast, Fun and Friendly) event. Nor will there be conversations analyzing why our product is arriving earlier from Guatemala as opposed to Florida, whether or not we caught on to a fad too early for our democratized fashion guest or setting up a status just to grab a cup of coffee. No longer will I be able to go to work, decide against my outfit and waltz into the sample room to find something I like better.

Additionally, I will no longer feel as though I am without self worth. I think that's a worthy trade off.

You could say my first day went well at KOMA, although I did not do much other than paper work, attend a company meeting, grab lunch with the stockholders and set up my company account with Verizon. And yes Chris that means . . .

To say that I face high expectations is an understatement . . . now here's to performing!

I'm poopered.

Holy crap.

I ran 3 outside, went to my soccer game without subs, and then came home and ran my final two on the treadmill.

I think I want to die now.

However, I am able to eat completely guilt free. :) Which means I got a little creative, and popped my favorite Uncle Ben's 90 brown and wild rice in with a few frozen potstickers from Trader Joe's and added 2 Tbl of Archer Farms Thai Peanut sauce! Super super yummy, plus the peanut sauce is only 50 cal and 3 grams of fat, but packs a ton of taste! Next time I'm going to add veggies lol.

Whoo hoo!

Tony and I have been bizzzy!

So first of all my Mom is OOT for the weekend, and we were able to repay her for all of her help pet sitting in the past by taking care of Foxy, our family's 7 year old pomeranian.

In addition to the extra little one under foot . . .

Tony continued his work on the bathroom, we put up a temporary fix for the two sections of our fence that are missing, I spruced up my flower beds, transplanted some seedlings and finally, finally painted the wall that I unsuccessfully "touched-up" months ago!

Today, Tony primed the trim around our "new" doors which have been naked since the fall, I went for a glorious 3 mile run (even though it was supposed to be 5!). We also found a section of our shingles on the front flower bed . . . so we'll be re-shingling our roof very near in the future!

Here's some pictures of our work, before I leave for my soccer game . . . thus the reason I only ran 3 instead of 5 lol. Although I hope to knock out the remaining 2 miles when I get home.

This was my wonderful touch up job, I kind of figured it would look horrendous, but I wanted to try anyways. It was a faux suede by Ralph Lauren.
Now, it's basically the same color, sans feathery splotches lol. It looks great in person, but after seeing this picture we might do one more coat.
My mini green house! Seriously, it's going to be an addiction from now on. I went to Lowe's and almost wanted to start laughing at how much everything cost, in comparison to the little bit of light and water I needed to spend on a few dollars worth of seeds!!

14 miles/week.

That's our schedule this week . . . oops, when I said we though, I was a little generous. I meant myself, seeing as how Tony hasn't run since last Thursday given all of his work on the basement. :

However . . . I just needed to say that I'm constantly starving!!!

.

People are ridiculous.

I love my husband.

Throughout our ups, downs, closeness and time apart, I know that he deeply understands me with a respect that is unmatched. For this reason, he shows me a love with a depth that I hope to never challenge, but know is limitless.

I only hope to find a true friend who will offer 1/100th of his understanding and consideration.

Inspiration Board

#1 Capri light fixture from Menard's $78 purchased

#2 Framed mirror, my father in law will be constructing, materials $75

#3 Price Pfister Catalina faucet $90 purchased

#4 Corian "Maui" countertop, TBD

#5 Craftsman vanity by my father in law, TBD

#6 Marshall's rug $7 purchased

#7 Valspar at Lowe's "Woodlawn Colonial Gray," TBD

#8 Corian "Maui"

#9 Artwork from flickr, $30. purchased

So . . .

the downstairs basement isn't all that. It will be a neo-angle shower, with a toilet and vanity. The end lol. However, the upstairs basement will be much more . . . oh so much more, which isn't saying much, because it wouldn't take a lot to be more than this . . .

And yes . . . I am standing in the tub, with my back to the wall. The space is 5 by 6.75

There are 7 finishes in the bathroom! Seven!

There is a pile in my basement . . .

of dirt. Gah. I can't use the bathroom and I'm being told a shower may not be in the works for this evening (don't be afraid, I did shower today!).

In our true fashion, we never take accurate "before" pictures, more like "during."
Buh bye, laundry tub.
Pile o'dirt.
He swears this will be a good idea . . . it's starting to dawn on me that he may have just been bored and wanted something to do . . .

Fricken Ridiculous.

If you want to play with the big boys, be prepared for what the big boys bring.

I had my co-ed soccer game tonight at 11:00. It's a highly competitive league, seriously it is, and we're one of the top contenders consistently. So tonight we play the "Cheerios" team, they honestly wear Cheerio's jersies . . . except for one girl, who's name is Fashion Tee or Skills, depending. These names are not affectionate, Fashion Tee generated from the fact that she always wears a squareneck fashion t-shirt instead of jersey or regular tee. Skills . . . because, well, that's basically all she talks about, as her mouth is constantly flapping about how we don't have skill and she does.

Tell me how retaliating after being beat by throwing yourself onto, locking into a headlock and subsequently throwing a guy to the ground constitutes as skill. Please tell me.

Additionally explain how the guys deserves a yellow card, of the same severity that she receives?

That's not soccer.

I can take the heat.

I'm in touch with my dorky homemaker side.

Please ooh and ahh at my seedlings.

Official time.

I received the postcard in the mail today with my official race time: 48:16.

Of the 220 runners, I was 141 lol.

But out of the 100 women I was #45.

And of the 27 in my category (18-24?) I was #14.

So all in all, I'm average lol.

Alrighty then.

Yesterday morning, I set up time with my buyer at the crack of 9:00 for a quick touchbase in an enclave. No sooner than we enter the room, she just wanted to know what was up. She said that's she's been around long enough to know, when a random meeting pops up first thing Monday morning, it's not good news.

When I broke it to her, she seemed genuinely excited and said that it seemed like a perfect fit for me. I requested the opportunity to contact her in the future, as she was an account exec at an advertising agency.

After that it was all business, as she prepares for my replacement. Unfortunately she only has two options. Yikes.

I informed my previous buyer, after he discussed my most recent raise information lol. I told him, that's nice, but it only affects me for two weeks. He was shocked but extremely happy for me.

I still haven't spoken with my senior buyer. I feel like I truly disappointed her. It was completely unfortunate timing for this team, as I was just placed 1 1/2 months ago. However, I can truthfully say that I did not seek this out! And that makes me feel just a tich bit better.

So . . .

I'm nervous about tomorrow. I'm finally putting in my two weeks at Target. My plan is to work through the 18th, as we supposedly, potentially, maybe have a bonus coming to us.

I've only quit two jobs in my life, Baker's Square and Acapulco. They both knew it was coming. I'm not going to handle disappointing people on such a grand level very well. :(

I'm loving spring!

First off! I have sprouts already.

Secondly, Tony and I drank too much last night. As in, there were shots involved.

Not too shabby.

Look I'm a runner, I swear.

I almost died twice, hated the Earth for having hills, and had to go to the bathroom, but Nancy, Tony and I finished within seconds of each other at 48:12. Not too shabby, considering my bathroom break, and that our only goal was to keep 10:00 minute miles!

Call me crazy.

Tony and I are running Grandma's at the urging of a close friend, who then found out she had to work (she's an RN)! As a make-up, we're running an 8K with her this morning.

Um, I'm stupid. This is the worst idea ever. Our long runs have been 4.5 miles on the treadmill, this will be our first outdoor run!! Gah.

And, I completely blew off a baby shower at 10:30. Half of me thinks I can make it after the 9:30 race, but the other half just doesn't want to bother.

Today's purchases!

Yay! So after my seed starting, I went and made a few exchanges and purchases! I'm so excited!

While at F21, I overheard two ladies discussing their steals at Ann Taylor Loft!

The Maplewood Mall Loft is closing, so everything was 50%!

There were a few more purchases, but all in all, I bought 2 dresses, 1 bag and 6 shirts!

I'm the biggest dork ever!

This is the beginning set up.

Looks promising, yes?

Yay! The power of water!

Today's Friday!

I totally forgot to mention that I'm taking tomorrow off, for two reasons:
1. I have 3 days of personal hours.
2. I'm going to try my hand at seed starting!!!

So first off . . .

Last night Tony and I went out with Beth and Randy, to celebrate Randy and I both getting new jobs. We had such a good time at The Local! There was a table of women to our left, and just in passing as they were leaving, one woman had the balls to say, "Thanks for keeping it down tonight girls."

IT'S A FRICKEN BAR! Lol.

So, we come home from HH, which lasted well past HH, and snuggled in for the night. I ran my 3 miles, Tony ran his 3 miles, I discovered a massive bulge on the top of my foot, we go to bed.

This morning Tony looks out and our new neighbors house is completely boarded up, with caution tape and siding bubbled and burned! We think their house was on fire sometime during the day yesterday, and we didn't even notice when we came home last night!

Crazy!

I'm so not a blackberry girl . . .

I'm really not, and all of a sudden, I'm in this world lol.

I just ran up to the Verizon store and got the low down on the Pearl and the 8830. The 8830 was suggested to me, but I'm not comfortable with such a large device.

I think that I'll be going with the Pearl, although I'm a little nervous about the QWERTY keyboard.Now the last remaining questions to be answered, will it be expensed or will my contract be taken on by KOMA?

Also, I'm back on track.

Sunday's are supposed to be our long runs, but unfortunately my soccer game threw that off. Yesterday I worked at Acapulco, so even though it was a rest day I wasn't able to catch up. Tonight we were scheduled to run 3, but I completed my 4 from Sunday.

Only two more weeks before our real training mileage increases!

On Saturday I'm also branching out and running an 8K (5 mile) race with Nancy!

So here it is Tuesday.

First off, The Biggest Loser is on tonight! Yay! Tony and I love to watch this show, and especially run while watching it!

But, for the true bulk of this . . . I accepted the offer. On Monday I received an offer with 6 weeks 50% paid maternity leave + opportunity to work from home, which for the A&E industry is actually unusual. I have a start date of April 21st, and I will be putting in my two weeks notice on April 7th. I already put my two weeks in at Acapulco, I can't wait until I'm able to drink there again!! :)

My official title is: Business Development Manager.

I will be getting a Blackberry and a fast enough laptop to be able to run CS3.

I'm scared out of my freaking mind and I feel like a fraud at work.