Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Writing A Short Story

We all have a story and what makes the story significant is the way in which it is told :-) Lately I have been working on a short story or a chapter, if you will, that will hopefully someday have a place in my novel (<-- better known as my life).

I have been selling bags on Etsy since January... Wow! I now have 32 sales which is pretty exciting... Last week I landed my first 'official' store order. My LYS has ordered 12 knitting / craft totes and 12 fortune cookies!!!! I cannot explain the excitement! And I think John is finally starting to take me seriously --- I have a lot of ideas, bless his heart. At this point I do not have any real intentions on this bag thing; it is more or less just done for the love of beautiful fabric, and the fact that a girl can only have so many bags... It also provides some additional funds for yarn.

I will be posting regular updates on RoseKnits (roseknits.etsy.com)... Because it is fun and it is all me!

Anyways, what are you guys writing about lately? What is going on in your lives?

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

PJ's for the Little One

Here are the adorable little PJ's for baby Brynn! When I purchased the fabric for these I could not remember what the pattern said exactly so I bought 2 yards of each fabric. John says, "I do not even sew and I am quite sure it is not going to take 4 yards of fabric to outfit a baby..." Whatever! Now I have enough to make another pair; fitting since yesterday I found out that I am having a little sister!

About that... As a person - more so as an adult, we have choices that we have to make. I have a lot of emotions and feelings about the new little one, but at the end of the day, I love my family - and I would like for them to remain actively involved in my life and I would like to remain actively involved in theirs as well. The little one is part of that equation... So, I'm on board.

I will have days where I am sure my emotions will not remain in check, and for those days, I have a loving husband who will suck it up right next to me - and fortunately, still be my husband the next day! And the other days I'll spend buying ridiculous stuff (i.e. the pink rubber ducky I found yesterday) and making even more ridiculous stuff for the little one - we want her to know how much she really is loved!!

Happy Hump Day!

 
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Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Gotta Love Little Girls

The news is in: I am having a little sister!

Tuesdays with Annie

My patience of lack of is rearing its ugly head this morning! I consider myself to be of average intelligence. I think with effort and diligence most people can do anything they want to do. I truly believe that. My most recent happenings at work has required me to communicate with an HR person at another company. Regarding benefits (-Not my favorite HR topic).

Do you ever have conversations with people and you are saying that exact same thing and they cannot make the connection? Well that seems to be the case this morning.

Here is your insurance lesson for the day… Our companies have the same exact spouse work rule that states if your spouses company offers him/her medical insurance, they must elect that insurance as primary insurance. They can continue to be covered on the plan, but only as secondary. If they choose not to enroll in their companies insurance as primary, then they are no longer eligible for our coverage and they will be dropped from our plan. The argument: when we implemented the spouse work rule we did not force spouses off of our plan, we did not define a date in which loss of coverage would occur – we simply said, when your spouse has open enrollment, please do the right thing and have them enroll in their companies plan. The conflict: a particular spouse, after saying yesterday she missed her open enrollment period, had me speak with someone in their HR department today stating that they had no open enrollment. Hmmm… I guess I am skeptical because I dislike speaking with a persons ‘HR Representative’ that sits right next to them in the office. I think this can sometimes cause mistruths to be communicated.

Enough about work – if you’re still with me! Things have been busy at home, sewing, knitting, and trying to be a great wife like I aspire to be! I have a meeting this Thursday to show a local shop owner some of my bags – I am very, very, nervous. I do not do well with criticism (better get over that one and quickly) and the thought of standing there while having your objects inspected is just pure frightening! I am sewing up some special goodies for the meeting - will show those on Thursday – after the meeting!

I also intended to post the very cute Kimono Pajamas made from Amy Butler’s kiddo sewing book (can’t think of the title) but I forgot to upload them this morning. I will post those tonight. In newspaper, we used to say something about there being too much writing – not enough white space – and I believe this post is pushing those limits. Photos tonight!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Babies Are In the Air!

One week ago today I made a post and John's little sister was in the hospital to deliver her first baby! By 4:30 that afternoon we were blessed with a beautiful baby NIECE - her name is Brynn Grace! Very amazing and very happy for them!

Last night, the phone call that I have dreaded since 2002 came. My birth mother who I met in 2001, called. She's 48 - and she's pregnant. 13.5 weeks to be exact. I have always been the baby in my family and an only child to her and now she's having a baby.

I'm quite sure I am still in the shock stage. I have felt more emotions in the past 12 hours, more painful than happy, than I ever care to experience. Once I have absorbed and come to terms with all of this I may try to explain how it feel to be in my situation and have this happen. My coming to terms will most likely take a long time.

On a happy note, it's Thursday - one more day until the weekend! Oh, and after work I am going to stand in line at a book signing by Sally Melville and Caddy Melville Ledbetter - their new book that is a mother - daughter collaboration is out!! Yay!! And Loops, my LYS, was lucky enough to host them for a book signing. When I told John about it he simply laughed. Here is where he's the good husband, though - I said, "Honey, remember, this is what I was saving my birthday gift cards for..." He replies, "I still think you should use your gift cardsd to buy yarn - pay cash for the book..." Oh, yes, yarn lovers - that comment sent me straight to heaven!!

Happy Day everyone!!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Old Man Winter Pays Oklahoma Another Visit!

In Oklahoma there is some saying about if you do not like the weather, just wait a few minutes?? At any rate, the past week we have seen spring and summer temperatures – lots of sun, thoughts of working in the yard and planning of what to plant for this year… Today, we are being serenaded with fluffy, white snow puffs. It is rather peaceful outside. Perfect weather for staying in the house; only it is a weekday, and grown ups do not get to stay in the house on weekdays!

This morning I had to visit the dentist to have some fillings replaced on both sides, so my entire upper lip and upper half of my face was completely numb. I am beginning to regain some feeling, thank goodness!!

An avid reader and co-worker, Ryan, turned me onto this book called The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. I initially started reading it to be annoying because I had the Kindle and could download it within seconds of him breathing the title (it took him a few days to get to the bookstore), and surprisingly, it is actually a good book. I think for me it is just what the doctor ordered right now. It speaks of positive thoughts and the idea that if you think something the body and reality will follow. Very, very good book that I would recommend for anyone that needs some uplifting words!

And let's end on a very happy, high note! John's baby sister, JoAnne, had a due date of March 3rd. This is the first baby in their immediate family... Well, she just was not budging so she was admitted to the hospital last night... I believe the plan is to induce labor - so we are hoping for a new niece or nephew by tomorrow! John and I may be out shopping this evening for goodies to send in a care package! Yay!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Don't Forget to Count Your Blessings

It was brought to my attention that I have not blogged in approximately one week! Some days I am feeling inspired, begin to write something magnificent, then my computer goes on the fritz and all inspiration leaves me.

This week has been an interested and somewhat sad week for me. I feel like I have, literally, been surrounded by death. On Monday morning when I came to work I walked in and blasted my usual overly chipper, “Good Morning, Tyler. How are you today?” This Monday, he did not look like he was doing well. Immediately assuming the worst, I thought *oh, sh*t, did I do something last week that I forgot about…* He quickly relieved me of my narcissistic thoughts, but only to share that one employee lost his son to cancer the previous Friday evening and another employee was killed in an accident Sunday evening. The son who died was only 21. Then on Tuesday we had another employee lose his mother. I literally feel like I am surrounded by death.

When faced with death, I think it causes us to reflect on things that we do not do on a more regular basis that we should because as demonstrated, time is not infinite. It will also cause one to count their blessings, because as bad as it may seem, it really could be worse.

So I hope that today you will take a moment to count your blessings – I have been trying to do more of that this week and limit my whining to the first 30 minutes of the morning – only after saying ‘thank you’ for having awakened from the night before.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Week In Review

Happy Thursday everyone! I would have to say that life manages to stay pretty exciting in our little piece of the world. This week has been fairly busy and short (thank goodness) due to taking off of work this past Monday for my birthday! John cooked a fantastic dinner – no wonder why I married him – we dined on filet, grilled shrimp, grilled Portobello mushrooms, salad with homemade blue cheese dressing and a carrot cake made from scratch! What a hubby, right?

In addition to the fab dinner, he also made me the proud new owner of an Offhand Designs Zelda Weekender bag! My knitting, Kindle, wallet, and everything else I drag along fits quite nicely.

Current knitting projects: Provence Marl Empire Waist Cardigan and also the Hemlock Blanket. The Cardi I am doing on my own and the Hemlock I’ve joined with some fabulous ladies for a KAL. Cardi is my travel project, Hemlock my home project.

I received my first public kudos on RoseKnits from Amby at Julip Bags. That was probably one of the higher points in my week (thanks, Amby!!)

For those of you who know me well or read fairly often, you know that I have an odd sense of humor when it comes to work – or anything else – and that I remain in constant turmoil over my job situation. I often think about why we work, do I want to work where I feel I am underutilized in exchange for a better salary, or do I look for some place that offers a challenge and maybe less of a salary. It is all a balancing act that I am trying to feel my way through. Mr. Economy is allowing me extra time to think about this since this is not exactly the perfect time to go job hunting, but it is on my mind. I am hoping by the end of the summer to make some decisions which will undoubtedly affect my future career, etc. Exciting and scary all in the same.

Hope you are all having a fun week! We’re headed to the golf course after work today… Then I’ll spend my weekend sewing for the shop! Yay!

Sunday, March 1, 2009