Advents Corner

Matt is working so much lately sometimes it seems like forever before I get to see him. Now that he is the operations and IT manager they look to him to take care of a lot problems. Even though he could get other people to handle it the president likes to know that Matt is there making sure everything is going well. The other they were having trouble with the patch panels so he did not get home until we were all in bed. I get up at 5 am so staying up late to wait on him is sometimes out of the question.

Matt’s parents are moving down (hopefully sooner than later) and Dad told Matt he would have to get some golf clubs and learn to golf so he can go with Dad and Don(Matt’s brother). I guess we will be shopping for Matt some Callaway irons before too long. Then we can go golfing with all the guys because he is the only one that does not golf, so we knew it was only a matter of time before “peer” pressure kicked in.

While Matt and I were out at Costco getting diapers and wipes for Lani we were looking at all of the new games for the Wii. We are wanting to get Guitar Hero III but they only had it for the Xbox and we really want it for the Wii instead. I love playing the when we have guests over because it gets everyone involved and talking and laughing. Besides it gets you off of the sofa unlike the other games out there you actually have to do the work when you play the game. Like bowling you can bet you arm is going to be sore the next day after a marathon bowling session with the family.

Michaela got a new job and she starts next week. We are hoping with the new job she once again learns the joy of savings accounts. She did really well the last time she had a job by putting money into her savings account every time she got paid. With her trying to save money to pay for her car insurance I think she will start socking away money in savings one again. She graduates from school in June so I know having a car will become very important to her.

Well I am still liking the new job but I do believe sometimes the agents that call are taking testosterone boosters because WOW!!!!! Sometimes they are really bold. We had someone in the office not doing their job so well and those of us that are left are paying the price, which can be very frustrating most of the time.

I am so sorry to all of those the keep tabs on the blog but since I started the new job I have been working 10 hour days and it takes me an hour to get there and an hour to get back so my commute time has doubled and I just don’t seem to have enough time for anything.  Most of all family.  I have been putting alot of things in the slow cooker to cut down on cooking in the evenings but still giving the family a good home cooked meal.  Most of all I miss the time with Lani.  I will try and keep up more on telling you guys what is going on, I promise.

One sad thing about working at the firm again is that I can not wear my slippas anymore to work. I had Michaela in my closet last night trying to pick out some shoes for me because I am lost now without my slippas. Maybe I should get me a pair of those Naot shoes, maybe I could get away with them. So while Michaela was looking in my closet to find shows, she found the ones I bought in Hawaii. On one of our stopping trips and they had these cute little mules on clearance so I bought a pair in every color. So today I wore the blue ones.

I has been a long time since I updated the site.  Alot has happened.  I have started a new job and I really like it.  I have been working alot which is a change and I get home later than before but I really like what I am doing.

I am back at the firm that I worked about for 4 years from 1999 to 2003.  It was my very first job when we moved to Florida.  In fact when we were going to move down here I set up some interviews and Matt and I drove down for me to go on the interviews.  It was my first scheduled interview and after I left out of it I told Matt that I really wanted that job.  I had another scheduled interview right away but I told Matt I wanted to go straight back to Mom and Dad’s and wait for the phone call.  A couple hours later they called and I accepted on the spot.

It is nice to be back.

It is the weekend and Matt has already said he will have to work at least one day. I guess it would be a good weekend to start some spring cleaning. Usually that is the way it happens, Matt goes into work and I clean. I tend to clean when I get bored so that is a good thing I guess. Could be worse, I could be one of those people that shop when they get bored.  With spring coming and me changing jobs I feel I want to get a few things done around the house that maybe I have been putting off. I would like to get some new roller shades for Lani’s room and try and get some painting done that I have been thinking about doing. I sprayed the weed killer out in the yard on Thursday so this weekend would be a good time to cut the grass.

Matt and I are finally looking into getting a head and foot board for our bed. It is kind of sad; we have been together for years and have never had one, it has just never been high on our list of priorities. We are thinking about getting a platform beds in a dark cherry to match the bedding we already have in our bed room. It is fairly new and we really like it so we do not want to have to new bedding to go with a new bed so we are going to get the bed to match what we have.

Matt is off and traveling again.  He goes to Miami, then Canada, then Phoenix, then back to Las Vegas.  I want to go with him to Canada or Vegas.  When Mom and Dad move down maybe we can talk them into watching Lani for a day or two and I can fly out with Matt and get a cool Vegas hotel or something and get some alone time.  I wish Lani was a little bit older then we could just pick her up and go to but she is still a little too young to be flying all over the place.  Don’t get me wrong I don’t want her to grow up any faster than she is already.

We are off the aquarium today.  Lani loved it so much last time that we thought we would go back today.  We are also going to pass by two houses in Valrico that Mom and Dad are looking at on line and we want to see if they look as good in real life.  Michaela has a couple of character parties today and tonight her and I are going to go see The Best of Momix at the performing arts center, it should be a lot of fun.

I had the chance to try a new shampoo and conditioner called naked naturals. One of the first things that got my attention was that this hair care product is all natural. Now wait before you flip the screen, I am not here to tell you that you should wash your hair with this stuff because it is a natural shampoo and you could save the environment and all of that stuff, which by the way would be a good reason, but I am not talking about that.

Naked Naturals for color treated hair is made with awapuhi and lavender. The first thing you notice when you pour the shampoo in your hand is that it is clear, perfectly clear then you smell the aroma of lavender. The lavender just fills the shower and you start to relax for those few moments of quite time.The next step is the conditioner. I dye my hair from time to time and my favorite part of the entire process is the conditioner. It just always makes my hair so soft, I call it super conditioner. To my surprise Naked Naturals has a “super conditioner”. After I let the conditioner set in my hair for 3 minutes and started to rinse it out, my hair was instantly soft. Combing my hair out after my shower is usually a task but tonight it was so soft and smelled so nice.

Give it a try and you will not be disappointed.

We are getting so excited about Mom and Dad moving down.  I hope they get a yard big enough at the new house that maybe we can ask them if we could put up a swing set for Lani.  Our yard is junk so we can not put a swing sets back there, not to mention the dogs would bother her when she would go back there to play.  Maybe we can convince Grandma and Grandpa to let us put one up in their yard because they always have such pretty landscaping.  Then again if Lani has a swing there that would be just one more reason for her not to come home.  LOL

Today is the day Michaela and I go to get our passports.  We are getting so excited about the trip to Asia.  The girls are going to have so much fun.  We are very sad that Lani will not be joining us but we thought it would be better if she did not come on this trip.  She is so an excellent traveler but it is just too many flights and they time difference would just be so bad for her.  She is going to stay with Grammy for the trip and Grammy is going to try and potty train her while she is there.  Stay tuned for updates on the trip.

Yesterday we spent most of the day with Don taking Michaela’s picture for her graduation announcements that will go out later this month or next month.  We still can not believe she is only a couple of month away from graduation.  Time passes so fast it is hard to accept it sometimes.  I would be feeling really old right now if I would not have two more behind Michaela.  I can’t believe I have one graduating and one in diapers.  It is funny how your life puts you in places a few years ago you would not have imagined you would be in.

I knew it was bad but was not too sure how bad until it came time for my employee performance evaluation. I was brought into the room and told even though my performance is always stellar the company has put a freeze on all increases until we “get over this hump”. I was also told that I am at the top of my pay scale so other than the cost of living increases I would not be getting anymore raises. Way to bust a bubble right, especially considering I am not even getting the cost of living increase because of the freeze. I was given the consolation prize that when the freeze is lifted the increase would be retro active. I should not complain, I make really good money but it is just dishearten to think that no matter how good I am at my job will not make more than what I am making now.

Sorry about that but we had a server problem with the sites last night and most of this morning.  We are back online now.

Matt’s brother took this picture of us a few months ago and did some work on photoshop with Lani’s shirt. This has to be one my all time favorite photos so I just wanted to share with everyone.

After flight cancellations and flight delays, Lani and I finally made it back home.  We were suppose to get home at 4:30 pm but we did not land in Tampa until 10:40 pm and by the time we got our luggage and made it home and got in bed it was midnight.  We were so tired but of course Lani did amazing.  She is such a good little flyer.  On the flight from Houston to Tampa it was her 20th flight.  She is a seasoned flyer now.