Life on a Beautiful Day in February!!

Today was an absolutely beautiful day in Seattle! Was so nice after so many rainy and gloomy days! We spend most of the afternoon at Seward Park in Seattle. We tried to go to Coulon Beach in Renton...they don't allow dogs!!! Can you believe that!?!?! Rudest thing I have ever seen!! So we drove around the lake to Seward instead. We walked for almost four miles! Of course, we got almost to the end and turned around, not knowing that it went in a circle! So we walked like twice as far as we needed to!! I'm such a nerd!! There were these amazing treese there as well! They had reddish trunks and branches with bright green leaves and it all looked great against the bright blue sky! Max really enjoyed himself, he was acting like he has never been out of the house before! There was so many people there and so many dogs as well! What a gorgeous day! We couldn't have asked for more! Here are a few pictures from our day!

Quote of the day: It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Life in Engagement Photos

WWW.RAY-JULIE.COM

Quote of the day: A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.

Life at Work

So Tiffany has given her two weeks notice and her last day will be Wednesday the 20th. She is going to a bigger company that will hopefully make her happy. In the meantime I have put myself out there as interested in the position and I know that I can do it. I know that I am almost already doing it. I do almost everything in this office. I will admit there are a few things I would need to learn/need to ask questions on while I'm starting out but I know I can do it. This company looked me over for the Assistant position before and learned that I was the best at it. Now I think I'm going to get looked over again for the Manager position and that will be their mistake. I haven't decided yet what I will do if they do hire outside of the company. I may stay and see how things go. But if the new manager and I don't go well together or I end up training them on stuff, then I will leave. They had Jayme come in on the day that Tiffany announced her leave to make sure that none of the other staff would leave as well. Even Tiffany has been telling Jayme that I should get the position, that I can do it. It is really really frustrating to work for a company that won't even give me a chance to prove that I can do it, someone that doesnt' believe in me! I know I can do it, I know that if they hire someone else that they will be making a big mistake! I have learned a lot the last two years working for Tiffany and I just wish someone would give me the chance to show that! So that is how work is going right now...my job is basically in balance until I hear back from them. And the way Jayme has said things I don't think I'm going to get it. :(

Quote of the Day: Anyone that can walk to the welfare office can walk to work.

Thoughts

So I finally have a picture of our new car!!! Isn't it purty!? I also have attached a photo of my hairpiece for the wedding. Sorry about the layout, I'm having issues with blogger right now.....

I have decided on colors finally, teal, white and a light blue. We found some really cute gerbera daisies at Michaels and they were having a great sale so we are going to use those in the vases from Jaime's wedding with sand as the centerpieces. :) Now I just need to find napkins and plates to match those colors. :)

We are getting our engagement photos taken on Sunday! Olga will be taking them and I'm so excited! I hope it is a nice day out! PRAY FOR NO RAIN!! We are going to this place in Marysville where Matt and Kevin had their senior photos taken. They should hopefully turn out well! I'll get those posted on our wedding webpage as soon as possible!

So my new outlook on life is to be happy and to not let other people's attitudes affect me. (This is not easy for me to do!) I'm trying really really hard but working here makes things even harder! I feel like the harder I try to stay happy the more stuff goes on here to make me unhappy. The newest thing is that I can't trust my leasing agent to do anything correctly. Really, very frustrating! I just wish I could do my job and be done with it but it isn't turning out that way! I've even been reading a morning/evening devotional since I have not been going to church. I think I've just been so torn down and heard so much complaining in the last couple of years that I can't get out of the rut. I don't want to complain all day long, it isn't fun and it doesn't do anything for me but make me feel worse but it's a habit that is hard to get out of! I know that complaining about my job isn't going to change it and it isn't going to change the company, it will just make me do a bad job and make me unhappy. :::sigh:::

QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'First thoughts are not always the best'

New Car!!

Ok, so I have updates but I've been trying to get pictures but it has been so icky weather that I haven't gotten that far yet.

So we got a new car!!! My car needed so much work and for having about 90,000 miles and not being worth the money that it would cost to fix it, we traded it in. We got a 2007 Chevy Trailblazer! I LOVE IT!!! I like being up higher in a larger car! It doesn't have all the gadgets that I would love but it is perfect for our current budget!! I definately will be posting pictures of it as soon as it isn't raining outside.

I also took photos of my hair comb for the wedding but again, on the camera and I can't find the cord right now...I have some issues...

I'm still kinda looking for a new job, haven't really heard back from anyone. I got contacted from one property for a position I wasn't too excited about, I went for an interview anyway to see what I thought. The company sounded like they would be wondeful to work for but it wasn't something that I really wanted to do. I don't want to just settle for something that I'm not going to love. I love my job here. I love the work I do. I love most of the residents. I don't love that the attitudes in this office bring me down. I don't like being an unhappy person. I miss being the happy Julie that everyone loved. My mom helped me realize that and I'm trying very hard to not let negative attitudes get to me and to stay positive. (and it is not easy!)

It has been nice to spend time with my mom once a week going over wedding stuff. Could you have imagined me saying that two years ago?? I know!! We've gotten a lot accomplished together and it feels nice.

I have my dress, and for some reason when something isn't sitting right in front of me I don't always remember it. So I haven't even put it on yet...also has to do with Ray being home when I'm home and so this Monday I think I will try it on for the first time! :) I need to start shopping for a bra that won't show and jewelry.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Love comes unseen; we only see it go.

Wedding Wedding Work Wedding

So I find my days filled with wedding stuff now. It is even hard to focus on my job! I honestly can't believe how stressful this is! I wanted a small wedding so I wouldn't get stressed but this reception is killing me! I've had a headache for the past 4 days! It is fun, don't get me wrong, just stressful and tiring! I won a TV from the last wedding show that Olga and I went to! I'm going to pick it up on Saturday! That is, after I get my car fixed...just want I needed is for my water pump to go out! Anway, this is what I have accomplished!

Ceremony:

Ray and I wrote our entire ceremony and vows. We pulled a lot of ideas from other things and put it all together just the way we wanted. We are having the ceremony on Cannon Beach on May 31st. It will just be parents and siblings. We talked about having everyone down there but you need a permit to have more than 50 people, so this will still make it an intimate ceremony. I am using a destination wedding specialist who provides help with everything, the officiant, photos and flowers if I decided I want that. http://www.beachweddings101.com/ We have made our hotel reservations and we are staying at the same hotel we usually stay at! I have my hair piece, thank you Tom and Olga! I think this is how I will do my hair with the comb they bought me - which is NOT a feather like this! But this is the best photo I could find of a french twist.

I have my dress...or so I hope! It was delivered yesterday while my parents were gone and my dad didn't get it last night when he got home so I pray it is still on the doorstep! Isn't it a perfect dress for the beach??? I love it! http://davidsbridal.com/bridal_gowns_detail.jsp?stid=3177&prodgroup=210

Honeymoon:

My dad booked our honeymoon at Disneyworld! I just read something today that says it is better to splurge some and stay at a nicer resort and not one of the value priced ones. Which is where my dad booked us. So that kinda stinks. Maybe the reception won't cost as much and we can upgrade or something. We are on our honeymoon from the 3rd-1oth! I am so excited first to fly, second to be away from work and third for being at DisneyWorld for 7 days!!!

Reception:

We are having our congrats party (reception) on June 14th. We have decided to have a build-your-own sandwich buffet with some sides like pasta salad, green salad, potato salad and chips. I went to Sam's the other day and priced out everything they had available and should be around $600 for sandwich makings/condiments/water/silverware/cups and plates. I need to find champagne. I'm not sure yet it if we will serve champagne or just have it for Ray and I and have sparkling cider for everyone else. Tables and chairs are so expensive it is crazy! $1.00/chair and $10/table! My aunt Tammie offered to let me use the vases and tableclothes that they purchased for Jaime's wedding! I need 10 volunteers to make cupcakes, those will be our dessert and our centerpieces! Each table will have a cupcake stand with different flavored cupcakes from the 10 volunteers! Then we may just do a small cake to cut from Sam's because their smallest cake is $108 so pretty good price!

So this is what I have accomplished so far. I actually feel a lot better about it once it is all down in writing! My project is to find a bra and jewelry for the wedding day. I think I will wear the dress again for the reception which means I need to find shoes as well! We also need to find wedding bands, there is one jeweler desiging a few for me to choose from that will match mine. We have Ray's but it is too small. We also need to find what Ray is wearing for the ceremony.

**I am always up for ideas and suggestions and hints!!**

Isn't it supposed to be MY day??

So today is a venting post. I apologize in advance. I know I haven't yet shared about the holidays, sorry for the venting before the fun.


So the part of the wedding process that is frustrating me the most is not having it really be MY day. I know that every girl grows up hearing how important their wedding day is. We grow up hearing that it is a day all about us and we get to plan our dreams. I'm learning that it reallly has nothing to do with what I really want. I really wanted to elope and not hurt anyone's feelings because we wouldn't invite anyone. But since my parents are giving us some money and my mom almost started crying when I told her we wanted to elope, my choice went out the window. Now anything we plan really isn't my decision. It is who will be upset by this choice, who will be happy if I do this? I can't even say what type of plates and silverware I want at the reception without being told that it isn't nice enough, and shouldn't I care about that? Honestly, I don't care. I don't understand the whole reception thing right now. If we are having a private wedding ceremony, going on our honeymoon and then having a party, why do I still need a standard reception? I really just want a party for everyone to celebrate together. I don't understand why I'm stressing out about what will make everyone else happy. What about me? What about Ray? What about what we want to do? If we get a small amount of money then we should be able to do what we want with that. I think really, if my parents want to make their own decisions and this is what they want or this is what they think is better, than they shouldn't have put up such a small budget. I do appreciate the help but it really isn't enough to do what THEY want. Having only parents and siblings was a stretch, they wanted over 50 people! What happened to a small wedding? Apparently my dad had a discussion with me before I moved out of their house that since I was moving in with Ray that they wouldn't be helping with a wedding at all. So them helping at all is a gift because they want to help us out. If it is a gift then why are there strings attached? I understand my parents want to be there but then why do girls grow up thinking that it will be the happiest time of their life? Yeah, one day. One day is what people stress out about for months! The one day doesn't matter! The rest of our lives together is what matters! Why is it so important that everyone watch us exchange vows and rings? That is 30 minutes out of a lifetime. A marriage is not a day, it is a lifetime. I don't understand. If someone has all the answers for me, please help! I don't want to spend the next 5 months feeling like this. I lost it today at work because I'm so stressed. I don't even know what to do anymore. I just want it to be my day, Ray's day. A day for us to share our love with each other and vow our lives to each other. Ok...I think I'm done...please help if you have the answers.

I can only be me!

Ok, so Tiffany has been out of the office since the 1st of December. Can I just say that I am so happy she is going to be back tomorrow! I have been going crazy! It has been really busy because rent is due at the beginning of the month and 20 people did not pay on time...that took awhile to send out 3 days. I like being the assistant manager because I don't have to have the answer to everything and I don't have to be the one dealing with all the maintenance, construction crew, corporate, etc. Now don't get me wrong, I do want to be the manager of a property. Just not this one. The thing about being in charge while Tiffany is gone is that if someone says Tiffany told me this, I have to wait to check with her, I can't just give them the answer I want to give them. And the fact that our maintenacnce can't get jobs done in a reasonable amount of time is ridiculous! On Thursday and Friday I wasn't just me, I was a leasing agent, an assistant manager and a manager. And I did it all, I sent out 20 3 day notices, I sent other residents to the legal department, I rented an apartment and I dealt with resident issues. So all in all, I handled everything and I did what I was supposed to do and I left Tiffany's desk cleaner than I found it. I just wish that now this company I work for would recognize that and give me what I deserve. Give all their employees what they deserve. Tomorrow we have TRENDS which is a huge trade show for the industry in Seattle. It will be fun to hang out with vendors and go to a few classes and see what other property management companies are hiring. So with luck, I will speak with someone tomorrow that loves me and wants me to work for them and they will call me and offer me a job! :D But I may be dreaming.

Merry Christmas!

So we are well into the Christmas season! I've bought way too many presents on my credit card, like always! The joy on someone's face though when you give them that perfect gift is well worth it! Some people are so rude still this time of year and I can't understand that. Some lady yelled at me and all my cousins at the mall when we first met up because we were standing in the aisle at Macys. Someone needed some much needed Christmas spirti!

Thanksgiving this year was quite crazy! Ray and I spent Thanksgiving day at Ray's mom's house. We had a wonderful dinner! I even got to make the mashed potatoes! We then watched football for as long as we could stay awake after our yum yum turkey! Below is a picture of the table all set up and ready to eat!

So the day after Thanksgiving I drover over to Silverdale to go shopping with the women like we do every year. This year it was very cold out and pretty frosty at 7 in the morning! My mom called me when I was in Federal Way and started crying on the phone. She scared me so bad on the phone because she told me the girls (my cousins Melissa, Jaime, Janae and Erica) got in an accident and rolled the suburban! I got so scared I took my foot off the gas pedal (good timing for the phone call because there was a speed trap and I was speeding). So anway, my mom then tells me she will see me at the mall at the time she said she would be there. I didn't understand this since she said the girls just got in an accident so I called her back after she calmed down some. So after talking to people every 5 mintues and waiting at the mall for over an hour, everyone finally got to the mall. The girls had hit a patch of ice on the road. They fish tailed alittle in the road and then skidded to a stop on the side of the ride, on an embankment, then the suburban fell on its side. So they didn't really roll the car but it was still pretty scary all in all. The girls are all ok, thank God! So my uncles had to wait until 11am for the two truck to come. They then called us because Karen had the keys and had to get to the ferry in 30 minutes, it took us 20 mintues to find her since Jim had her phone. She hurried down to the ferry and missed it and then had to go back to my Grandma's because Jaime had accidentally taken Dean's keys and he had to be at work. So there was only 8 of us at lunch, we had to sit at different tables because we didn't want to wait an hour for lunch so shopping was definately not the same as normal. It was still so nice to see Melissa and Janae since they are away at school. Great to catch up with the newleywed Jaime also.

So the Saturday after Thanksgiving was the 100th Apple Cup and the COUGARS WON!!!! That is right...Huskies lost all!!! HA HA HA!!!! It was a really great game and very interesting. I again was so tired after such a busy weekend but I was still super excited that the Cougs won! Below is a photo of a house divided, Ray's Brother Randy and mom Rhonda. Randy and I are the big Cougar fans of the family!

We got a little bit of snow last weekend. Enough to get me super excited when I got out of bed and everything was white. It started snowing really hard for a couple of hours and then all melted away by the rain. Now it has been flooding everywhere. Rhonda's basement, where Randy and Shawna are living right now had 3-4 inches of water. Centralia was totally covered in water and I-5 was closed for days. I did get a few photos while it was snowing. Enjoy!

So this week at work has been kinda crazy. Tiffany has been on vacation and it is so not easy to be the only one in the office for two days in a row. I had to be three different people yesterday. Being Manager, Assistant Manager and a leasing agent is hard. I got a lot of stuff down today though because it was slow. I sent out 20 3 days (res that don't pay their rent have 3 days to pay before going to legal) today, rented an apartment and completed a large stack of POs. So I've been learning a lot about being a manager and I know I will do a good job once I get a new job.

Well, I wish you all the best this Christmas - and I love saying Merry Christmas! I'm seriously so not happy with all this politically correct stuff that tells me I can't say Merry Christmas! Let me celebrate what I want and you can celebrate what you want. Why do people have to be all pissy about things? ok...that was my vent session of this blog...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

It is finally official!

I know I have been horrible about updating lately, so sorry! I am finally engaged! I feel like I have been waiting for forever! Today was our 3 year anniversary and Ray proposed before we went to dinner at Anthony's on Pier 66 on the Seattle waterfront. The ring is beautiful, I absolutely love it! I can't wait to start planning everything! I got my hair done today too after 7 months so it was an extra extra special day today!! :D Sorry, we forgot to take pictures of us all dressed up for our first engagement photo. Here is at least one picture of the ring! :D

Summer

Ok, it has been awhile since I have posted anything and I have been very busy. So let me catch you up on what I can remember of our summer activities.

4th of July:

For the fourth we went with Julio and Christina over to their friend's house that is on Lake Washington and enjoyed watching lots of fireworks from there. We could see fireworks all around the lake and even up and over the hills into Seattle. I have no pictures on this computer yet, sorry!

Bite of Seattle:

This is my favorite event of the summer but this year was not the best. It rained all day and although I tried to not let the rain get to my attitude, it got to my body. I slipped on a metal grate and fell right on my left knee. I skinned it a little but since it is all bone it just hurt and I had no bruise to show for the pain. So after walking around for bit and eating some amazing crab cake wraps, chicken skewers, alligator and a smoothie it was time to go home.

I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry:

We saw this movie the day after the Bite since it didn't go too well that this was my uplifting outing. This movie was absolutely hilarious! I haven't laughed that hard in a movie in who knows how long! I highly recommend it!

Dell.com:

We got approved to purchase a computer on Dell.com and Ray let me pick out a laptop. I got a red one since we are sharing it but I absolutely love it! It is a 17" and is so big! So happy to have a laptop now and take it with me wherever.

Seafair:

We actually joined in the Seafair fun this year, something neither of us has ever done and we both grew up here! It was sooooooo much fun! It was the most relaxing day of the summer and I can't wait to go next year! We went out with Dan and Carin, and Julio and Christina, who's house we were at for the 4th of July and met up with a bunch of their friends while out on the water. I had such a blast watching the Blue Angels, they are amazing! I went swimming and that was fun. I had problems getting back in the boat and I slipped and hit my left knee on the motor (if you weren't paying attention above, this is the same knee I fell on less than 2 weeks earlier) We had a ton of good food and the only drawback was having work call me 6 times. The pics below are Julio and Christina, Me and Ray and the Blue Angels.

Mt Baker Cabin:

Julio and Christina rented a cabin on Silver Lake up in Mt Baker which was right outise of Bellingham. The cabin was so cute and relaxing! I ate too much food and was full the whole time we were there! (bad me!) It was a short weekend but it was nice to get away and relax. We had absolutely no cell service so we really got away. It rained most of the time we were there but it was nice to sit inside by the fire as well and play games. Pics below are of Ray out on the boat fishing, the front of the cabin (or half of it), Danielle and Christina, Ray Julio and Tom, Ray with his fish, Racoon eating bird seed and me and Ray in our standard 'us' picture.

Jaime and Dean's Wedding:

Jaime Williams is now Jaime Giampapa and married to a wonderful man that loves her so much! They had been dating for 5 years and actually waited until marriage for sex, so proud of them as it is hard to do nowadays! They are so very much in love and it was a beautiful wedding! They are off in Cabo now enjoying time with each other! I was glad to share in their joy with the rest of the extended family! And can you believer I forgot kleenex!?!?!?! Crazy me!

Lots of photos below: Jaime and her Bridesmaids, Jace my cousin and Jaislynn Dean's neice, Bride and flower girl, each vase of flowers on the table had a 'G' on them and most of the flowers were from Grandma and Grandpa's garden, wedding cake with a 'G', cousins- Melissa, Kyle, Erica, Jesse, Luke, Tara and Jace, Kristin sang at the wedding, first kiss, the happy couple, me and Ray, Grandma and Jace, Blanks kids, me and Janae, L family and Janae and Melissa

ER and Gall Bladder Surgery:

So to catch everyone up a bit I have been having very very bad pains in my stomach at night every now and then for about a year. On Tuesday morning I woke up at 3:30am with these pains the worst they have ever been. I decided at 5am that I should go to the hospital not knowing if they would be able to do anything for me. I was in ER until 7am when they took me to Ultrasound to find out if I had gall stones, turns out I had a few. I was asked if I would like surgery that day or to schedule it later. Now I know if I had waited I would've freaked myself out with the idea of having surgery so I opted for that day. I got transferred to a room around 10am and was there with Ray and my mom until my surgery at 2:30pm. So since I was getting so many attacks they took my gall bladder out. The surgery is laproscopic and it went well except for my gall bladder being inflamed but went really well otherwise. The OR was freezing cold and waking up afterwards was the worst! I fell asleep when Tiffany and Nate came by and I felt really bad for that! I was pretty good through the night but I had to get up a lot cuz of all the fluids in the IV. I got to go home around 4pm on Wednesday and I have been laying around on the couch since then. I've been trying to walk around some more but I'm still pretty sore. I have four small incisions on my stomach, one in my belly button so they should heal up well. I go back to work on Tuesday and I know work has been crazy without me so I'm not looking forward to that. Didn't take as many pictures as I wanted but here is one of me in bed (looking freaking HUGE even on a diet!) with the hippo from Tiffany and of some of my flowers! Thanks to everyone that was praying for me! Very appreciated!

For Julie

Rules:



1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.

2. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.

3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog (about their 8 things) and post these rules.

4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose people to get tagged and list their names.

5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.





My 8 Random Facts:



1. I have addictions to foods. The only problem is it is one food all the time until I get sick of it. Then it is on to a new one. I've been hooked on Cheetos, Parmesan Garlic Cheez-Its, Mini Rainbow Gummi Frogs, Gummi Frogs, Orange Milano Cookies. Now I'm serious here, I will stock this food and have it every single day until they either stop making it (Cheez-Its and Mini Rainbow Gummi Frogs) or until I've had enough that it is no longer appetizing. My current addiction is Coldstone Raspberry Sorbet with brownie mix-in. AMAZING


2. My desk at work is MY space. My space that is so extremely organized that when I come back from my weekend and a pen is not in the right place I get upset. I take it way too seriously and it sometimes ruins my morning. I currently share a desk with our leasing agent so it has been really hard for me to let my not so organized desk stay that way.



3. My dog Max is so very much like my child it even worries me!



4. My absolute favorite movie is 'The Other Sister' and you should so watch it.



5. I am currently patiently waiting a proposal and I know it is coming due to a joint bank account and I know it does not go with tradition but I guess that is how our relationship works and planning a wedding in my head for next August! You better be there!



6. I don't know if I can come up with two more facts about myself



7. With the hot weather we have had this summer, I undress as soon as I walk in the door and usually lounge around in bra and underwear or tshirt because clothes are way too uncomfortable.



8. Like Julie my alarm is never set to an even time but always ends in a 7

Water Aerobics

So Tiffany and I started water aerobics last week. Oh my goodness! What a workout! My legs hurt for three days! It was so much fun! It is every Monday and Wednesday. I didn't go last night because my neck was hurting yesterday, I couldn't even turn my head to the left. Not fun!

We started a myspace page for our apartments hoping to get some more advertising from that but not sure how else to get the name out there other than telling all my friends and so far that hasn't worked. :(

Last weekend was Duvall Days and on the way there I got rear-ended. That made for a fun night. I'm thinking that is why my neck still hurts some. They still haven't been able to get ahold of the lady that hit me and it wasn't her car and they are trying to find out if she has insurance or not. Not really any damage to the car but it made me really mad. She was driving like a crazy lady, I think she may have been drinking and the cops haven't done anything. I told them she was driving erracticly, was probably drinking and had no license or insurance on her and they haven't done anything. Makes me mad!!! Then people like me will probably get pulled over for not using a turn signal! (the truck's aren't working)

So at work I got shopped and it came back bad so now Liz wants Tiffany to write me up. I really don't think it is fair that I'm being written up for that. I remember the lady that did the shop and I didn't deserve the score she gave me. She was so rude and her kids were rowdy and when she apologized for her kids I said it was no problem, I was so nice and she didn't want to see the model and was looking for a three bedroom which we didn't have available to show and so I got docked for that. Then her daughter asked me to go to lunch with them and I said I usually don't leave on Sundays and she docked me for that too! That is bull because I'm not allowed to leave with a prospect and go to lunch with them! That is wrong! So then they sent another shopper since that one was so bad and I was with a resident signing a lease and I told him that Tiffany was more than welcome to help him or he could wait and I would be with him in a minute and he YELLED at me "NO! I WANT TO TALK TO YOU RIGHT NOW!" It kinda creeped me out and I said "I'm sorry sir but I am with a resident but Tiffany is more than welcome to show you around" and he got all huffy and then gave me the exact same score as the other lady!!! Little fishy if you ask me! This shopping company they use is bad because they were both trashy people, rude people and most likely people that have no experience and they don't know what to look for until they get home and read the report and realize what they were supposed to do and then we get docked for it. I'm so mad about it! I really want to be back in Redmond right now. I wish Simpson was hiring because I would love to be back up at Ray's old place on Redmond Ridge. I did apply with HSC so I guess I'll see if anything comes of that. Maybe I'll start secret shopping on my days off and get $100 each! People just looking for money!

Anyway, I got my hair cut last Wednesday and love it! Feels so much better to have it thinned! I met up with Olga for lunch and we were pigs! :D Then I got a chocolate raspberry milkshake to go and that was delicious! Now I'm just waiting for payday on Friday...how fun huh?

Exciting Times

Hey everyone, I can't believe it has been so long since I last posted! Work is going well, it is nice to have the extra responsbility and now my next goal is to be the manager! :D Still have a lot to learn but I enjoy that.

Ray and I went back to Cannon Beach to celebrate his bday. We took Max with us this time and that was a blast! He absolutely loved the beach! He was so tired on the way home from all that running! He was a good boy, we got to take him off his leash to run all he wanted and he had a big smile on his face!

I'm really happy right now because we have less than two full payments left on the truck and that is so exciting! We can actually start working on paying off more bills! We're hoping to have my dad paid off by the end of this year as well so that will be so nice!

We had fun yesterday for Memorial Day. We went down to Greenlake and walked around the lake. Max thought he was there to meet all the other dogs and to run, he loves to run! When we were almost around the whole lake he started walking normally without pulling on his leash...just takes 2 miles to get him tired! We then had BurgerMaster for lunch and it was so yummy! Max enjoyed the fries!

Well that is about it for our exciting lives. I'll try and get some pictures posted now, see if it will work. There is our Cannon Beach slide link on the bottom.

Ray's Bday with his Family Me and Ray at Claim Jumper Bday Dinner

Max running in the sand!

Fav sunset pic on the beach

http://www.slide.com/r/KOETie5AuT-5YTcFGqNktUj8PbSLVfPe?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url

PROMOTION!!!!!!

So it has finally happened y'all!! I got promoted! It happened a little later than I had hoped but it has happened and that is all that matters! I'm going to be the new ASSISTANT MANAGER at Hillside Village Apartments and with that comes a $2/hour raise!!! :D I'm so so so so so happy and excited that this has finally come! I really feel like things will start to get better now! :D I took myself shopping today at Kohl's to celebrate! So in order for me to get the job, Kerry emailed Tiffany today and told her that she is coming in on Friday to turn in her keys and get her personal items. I really don't understand how someone can just leave a company without giving two weeks notice. That is really immature and irresponsible, especially when you have kids to feed. Anyway, things are going to be really busy from now on while we try to find a new leasing agent and move our office over to the vacant unit while they are doing construction on our office. They will be working on it for about 3 months so it will be interesting. So I just had to share my great news with everyone! :D

The Hat Game

So I have actually been watching American Idol this year and have been enjoying it up until last night. I don't understand who/why people are still voting for Sanjaya. He really can't sing and it makes me sick that he wasnt' even in the bottom three and Gina was voted out! Haley should have gone home long ago, along with Sanjaya. It makes me sick that people are no longer treating this as a singing competition. I'm glad that Jordin, Melinda and LaKisha are in the top three. But then what is going to happen to Blake? He is going to need to do something to beat out those girls. So that was my vent session about American Idol, I hope you support me in it! ;)

In other news work is a little better I guess. Except for the fact that Liz is now telling Tiffany that Kerry and I both need to work Sat and Sun and Kerry is really pissed. I don't care, I would've liked to have Sunday off but since I don't know it doesn't really affect me. I'd most likely get Mon-Tues off which would be nice to have with Ray being able to take those days off better than Wed-Thurs. Tiffany said that she is really happy with my work right now and said that I have really stepped it up and she is impressed. She wishes now she had bumped me up instead of hiring outside but oh well, hopefully I'll still be rewarded for the work I'm doing.

My dad turned 50 last week so we had a couple different things for him. On his bday the fam went to Olive Garden, I got the Eggplant Parmigina...yummy! My dad's mom was in town so it was nice to see her. Then on Thursday we had my parents and grandma over to dinner and I made Crab and Artichoke Stuffed Chicken and was told it was very good. (sure hope people don't lie to me when I cook) Then on Saturday the entire family went to my parents for Taco Night. My uncle David brought over his Wii and my dad was being his competitive self on the bowling game. It was fun to see everyone. I guess Easter is at my aunt Nancy's this year, hopefully I can leave work a little early to head out there cuz I love being with everyone!

On Sunday we went to Tiffany and Nate's to play games. Nate's parents and sister were over so it was fun to meet them. We played 'The Hat Game' and it was so much fun! You put a bunch of names in a hat (famous people) and you draw out of the hat and you can say anything about this person but the name but it's hard sometimes because you might draw someone you don't know and try and figure out how to get people to guess it. Hopefully we'll be getting together more for games because it has been really fun!

I have booked our trip to Cannon Beach for May and I'm so excited! We won't be able to do as much as last time because we will have Max with us and he can't stay in the room alone. Wish they had a doggie daycare! ;) It will still be nice to get away and put out toes in the sand! Ray wants a BBQ for his bday so I also have to save up for that. I would've liked to get my hair done but money is a little tight right now. Kristy's wedding is on the 21st and I'm SOO excited! It should be fun! :D I think that is it for now, hope y'all are well!

Not much to say....

Not much to say but work has been good this week so that is a good thing. Ray and I are getting ready to book our vacation to Cannon Beach again. We will be staying in the same place just will have Max with us this time! I'm so excited to get away if only for 3 days! It will have been a year when we go down there that I have done anything! Still trying to save up to go to Florida sometime. Once we get the truck paid off that will save a lot of money. I wish I just had $2000 laying around so we could do that. Will be so nice to have that extra $400 a month! Then my car should be paid off hopefully by the end of the year since I'll be able to pay my dad more once we pay the truck off. It will be great to get all that taken care of so we can really get out of debt and start saving for a house! That is about it for life right now, not much else to say. I'll try and post some pics from st patty's soon!

Is this normal? I want to be happy!

Is it normal to not like your job? I mean, I would love to love my job. I love the work I do but there are things about it that make me unhappy. Then when I tell someone they just tell me that everyone hates their job. I don't want to be one of those people. I want to be one of the few that can truly say they love their job. I don't know if I'm over-reacting on some stuff but I feel like I shouldn't be here. I feel like the work I do isn't appreciated. Honestly, to me, recognition is really important. If I don't get a 'thank you' or 'good job' I feel like I'm not doing well and that stresses me out. I just want to know that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. And if I do something wrong I would like to be told in a way that will help me not make me feel worse. I don't want to just be told that I can't do part of my job until I talk to someone. I'd rather be told that someone would like to go over some more training with me because maybe I wasn't shown something correctly or I didn't understand something. There are a lot of things you learn as an employee that make you think of what you will and won't do if you're ever in management, I wonder if people ever really do follow through with what they shouldn't do when they get promoted. I feel like so many things are going wrong here and I don't like that feeling. We've been here for 4 months and they've already cut our commissions, I've been looked over for a promotion, our overtime got totally nixed, we are being constantly watched by the maintenance staff, I do way more than my title requires of me and don't get a thank you for any of it and our medical insurance stinks. I know that I am a hard worker and a dedicated worker but that never seems to matter when they look for someone new. I'm always the one that is looked over. I want to learn and I have a passion to learn but apparently that isn't good enough to be promoted. It really does bother me a lot that I got passed over. I've tried talking to my manager and that didn't help. Now they are just trying to hide the truth from me by giving her a 'different' title so they 'dont step on any toes' (those being my toes, thinking that I won't quit then) I love our apartment here and getting a discount on it helps a lot, along with discounted cable and free water/sewer and not driving but I just don't know if my happiness is worth it. I know the last few posts I have made have been all depressing and about work but I can't make things better. I thought they were for a day but then it just goes back again. So I'm really sorry for all the depressinness, I just can't sleep and need to type.

Wishing and hoping

So I realized that with all the friends I have found on myspace from years ago, there are only two others besides me that aren't married! I so so want to be married and I'm jealous of everyone that is. I went to another wedding last night and it was fun and she looked gorgeous but I so want it to be my time! When will my time come?

Work

So I feel like I'm stuck in this place in my life (work life) that won't allow me to move up because of my age. I feel like no matter what I try doing I will never be good enough or be trusted enough to move up and I don't understand that. I'm a good worker, I do everything that is asked of me and more. I'm always there, always there on time. I'm always willing to work overtime and work on my days off. I'm always wanting to learn and be given more to do. But for some reason that says that I'm not ready to be an assistant manager. I understand I haven't been in the industry for that long, ok. But I've proven myself to be a hard worker and I've proven that I want to be the assistant and I've proven that I will try my hardest to do the best job. But yet, they hire someone else who has been in the industry forever and who has manager experience. I like her a lot, she's nice and fun and easy to talk to. I just get run over in the mean time. I'm back at the front little desk at work and really, it is little. Hard to get work done without desk space. My days off are back to Wednesday and Thursday...supposedly until Kerry gets the hang of things and can be alone on Sundays so I can have Sun-Mon off. (which will be great if it really happens) I know a lot of the stuff has to do with Liz not liking me and that really bothers me as well. I know she's not around a lot but she still is the regional and she still gets to make the decisions. I really have an issue with people not liking me. The company also just told us we cant work any overtime, NONE at all. Not even maintenance who only has two guys and we're trying to start a rehab. Right. They also cut the amount we get for commission which means our pay is cut. It was also interesting to see that the budget calls for me to get a raise in march but yet nobody has said anything to me or to Tiffany. And of course, Tiffany doesn't have time to ask about it to let me know. I've been looking around at jobs again. I hate bouncing around like this but I'm not happy working here. I love living here, love our apartment. Just money is an issue. I could find a job that makes more so I can afford market rent on this apartment (we get 20% off) but that is only rent. We have discounted cable, free water/sewer/garbage and I walk to work so that saves a lot of gas and wear and tear on my car. It's also nice to be able to walk home to let Max out. But maybe corporate is the place for me. I just need to find something where I'm back to Mon-Fri, someplace that has good benefits, good pay and good vacation. I know most people hate their jobs but I don't want to be one of those people. I loved going to work at Piedmont but not here. Things are different and I never know what they are going to change when I go in. I almost feel like I'm back at WIT where I'm working for a small company that is trying to get bigger and they tend to overlook their employees and I don't like that. But then what if every company I go to turns out to be a bad choice as well. I can't afford to bounce around jobs. So yeah, basically work life sucks right now. Sorry I have been so depressing lately, but this is what is going through my head all day every day.

How do you correct life?

Right now, I want to be right in that spot again. I want to be watching a beautiful sunset with the man I love with no stress. I'm not sure really what to write now. Life hasn't been the best lately. Work has been pretty stressful. I feel like Tiffany doesn't want me as the assistant and I really don't understand that. She promised me that position when we left Piedmont and now I don't know what changed. I don't even hang out with her anymore and I once again feel like I have no friends. Life was better before. I was hanging out with Tiffany and Diana and work was good and now I'm lonely. Money is a little tight lately and I'm trying to get Ray and I on a joint account so I will be tackling all of his bills as well. I learned a lot from my dad as far as getting stuff paid off and I'm willing to help Ray do the same so that we can eventually be debt free and buy a home. I didn't get my ring as planned because of some financial issues but I'm hoping for soon. I keep trying to tell myself to stay optimistic and it will come but I've been doing that and I'm still not there. Its just I wish I didn't want it as much as I do, but I want him to want me and to love me and want to marry me, but I'm beginning to wonder if it will really ever happen. And with work I feel like I made a bad decision in coming here but then I feel like I had no other choice since there were no other offers. And it's not that I just made a bad decision for me it's that it effects Ray and Max as well. I don't want to find another job but I also don't want to be treated the way I have been lately. The really sad thing is that I have seen my aunt three times since last summer and that was Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years. All family things and we never even got to really talk. I feel like she is doing the same thing that my mom did to her that she promised me she wouldn't do to me no matter what. I know she is busy and has three kids and is working at the school but I miss her and I miss the kids and I feel like I can't go over there anymore cuz I'm doing something they don't approve of. I'm also realizing how much I really do love my parents and how much they really do love me. I've never been huge fans of them until now and I miss them. The one thing that I have been thinking about is to go online and find a job in Texas or Florida and just move down there and start over but I can't do that to Ray and I'm scared. I'm sorry this is such a depressing post but I had to get some of my feelings in writing. Hopefully I'll be up and cherry again soon. Love you all!