the savings has started

so we decided to plan a trip to California for the end of the summer next year. we are so excited to see family we have never met, and to catch up with old family members we rarely see, and to see disneyland in the mix. it’s not a lot, but I saved my first 200.00 and put it in an account seperately from everything else so I can’t touch it until I have enough for plane tickets. I was very pleased to notice that plane tickets are very inexpensive. anyways I just had to shout out how excited I am to go on a big adventure next year…….11 months away

we are driving all over the state so we should see a lot. I’ve never stayed at a bed & breakfast in cali……I wonder if I can find one? we loved the one we stayed at in Boston I wonder if I will have time to see the redwoods…..David would fall in love with them at first sight! maybe a little hollywood? who knows……..I will start venturing the net and see what I like and narrow it down to a few things along our stops.

all I can pray for is a nice uneventful year so that nothing stops us in our tracks

work – challenging week

I work in a residential home with 2 women that both have mental illnesses and intellectual disabilities. One is 21 years old and the other is 45 years old.

Yesterday my 21 yr. old was being rude to me, coming home after our agreed times, and lying to me.

My 45 yr. old I will call A, wanted to go to friends house when she called at 6:30 p.m. I wanted to stay home and make sure “C” got ready by doing laundry, preparing lunch, freezing water, and so forth and going to bed early since she was planning to get up at 6 a. for a trip to a concert that was far away with incoming staff.

I wouldn’t have made this plan if I didn’t think it was okay. They both started giving me a hard time telling me that they aren’t independent anymore, and I’m trying to control their lives. “C” called the senior staff, and was complaining, and I talked with her, and she told me that it is my job to take her to her friends house when she wants to go no matter what time it is, and that “C” will stay on task……..whatever! so I looked like I was an idiot and lost all respect from them, and “C” was walking all over me the rest of the night and the next morning. I was so angry and so frustrated……I called David and talked it out and calmed down. I gave the senior staff member crap for not preparing me in training and making sure I know all the ins and outs of my job. This company is so unprofessional I swear!!!!! Was “C” prepared the next morning? no…she didn’t get one thing done and was suppose to be ready by 8 a.m. and she rolled out of bed at 7:45 a.m. and the staff let her go anyways……what a great way to teach her about living independently….Yeah, let’s all just wing it and not be consistent as a team with everyone’s plans etc. I sure will have a lot to say at the next team meeting for sure.

They both were much better with me the next morning and were super nice. I’m just not sure if I want to be in a job  where I have no control whatsoever. The whole purpose of me being there is to help give them both the skills they need to live successfully on their own. Having a plan and meeting their goals is all part of it. If I’m not given any authority at all of what needs to happen to reach goals in the evening to make the next day a success then what is the point. I might as just be  a zombie and be their servant and driver……yeehaw! I can’t wait to be able to go back to school, finish my degree, and get a real job! ***totally venting here***

movie time!

yes, I do not watch boring repeats on t.v. this time of year. I could waste my time reading a book or chatting with friends or catching up with David. Here is the list of movies that I have watched in the past month or so:

The Duchess - fabulous movie…love the style and the intelligent writing

 

Highlander: The Source - bad movie………horrible ending

 

Tinker Bell

 

The Women

 

Love’s Unfolding

 

The movies we plan on watching this summer:

 

 Cinderella III : A Twist in Time

Dragonlance

Cassanova

Surfer, Dude

Disney’s Little Einsteins : Race for Space

Into the Wild

Step up to the Streets

Daddy’s Little Girls

Surf’s Up

Beowulf

TOPS

this weekend was a pretty big weekend for me. My mil and I stayed in Bangor together and we stayed for Friday night and all day saturday events for SRD (State Recognition Day) for the group TOPS (taking off pounds sensibly) that I belong to. We have known for a year that the President of TOPS would be there and part of the processions. Barbara Cady is truly an inspirational person. She hasn’t lost all the weight that she wants to loose yet, but she is working on it with the rest of us and supports us the best she can. She has an open door policy to all her staff and TOPS members.

She spoke about the word FOCUS on friday evening. She used parts of her own life, parts of healthy living and eating, and asked the audience for ideas as well. It kept my attention the whole time and I have never been so inspired. It really geared me up to get moving again.

I have gained about 10 lbs. since all the family medical scenarios that have happend in the past 6 months. It really isn’t from that. It is mostly from the change in my schedule and learning to work in the city and not grab something to eat all the time. I had a very controlled environment staying at home, and pre-planning anytime I went out in the city. Now, I am there every day and it is very hard to plan every time I go into the community. It is a daily thing. I’m so good when I’m not working. I have to do things like pack my snacks and meals the night before, go to bed early, make time to exercise and so forth.

I was so inspired and so was the rest of the people in our chapter that went that night. We were talking about how we should all be on the stage graduating next year. Ofcourse I was in a mode that I didn’t think it was possible. Then someone said “I’ll do it if you do”. I was in denial and just made a smart remark. Then she said, “seriously, I will get to goal if you do it with me.” I didn’t think she would make a bet. I wagered her and held out my hand, and before I knew it we were shaking hands.

My mil, Alice, and I were walking back to the hotel, and it finally hit me that comittment I had made. A hand shake is like a written contract in my book. So now I am freaking out. I have to work my tail off, no cheating, and loose it all by the end of this calendar year. I am so scared.

Give me positive boosts whenever you think of it. I will really need them! I have 35 lbs. to loose!

my new haircut. do you like it? give me your honest opinion :)

My new Valentine’s Day present!

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8965738&type=product&id=1217029991611

look at the clarity

 

it even picks up ghosts…..see those orbs on the wall????

starting Thursday I have a new role as…

DSP: direct support professional. I received an offer to work at OHI after all. I have my training schedule. It will be a little stressful with having to work full days and being away from my girls all that time, but on March 16th I start my normal hours of 1-6 p.m. Monday-Thursday. I think it will be a great schedule. I can still drop off and pick up Summer at preschool, and see Adrianna on the bus in the a.m. David’s parents will watch them in the afternoon, and either David or I will pick them up in the evenings. I get to tuck my girls in every night once the normal hours begin, and that is important. I will miss my time with the girls from 4-6, but that will be okay eventually. Once I get use to this schedule and the guilt goes away I am hoping to go full-time…..maybe next year when Summer starts the full day program. They do a full day program to get the kids ready for kindergarten since they have full day kindergarten in our school district.

So, on Thursday I have FBI fingerprinting to do, then basic employee paperwork, then OSHA training, and test to take for some certification that allows me to work with mentally disabled people by the state, then a little job shadowing……should be a fun filled day!

Stay tuned!!!!!!!!

Christmas

It was nice to have an uneventful holiday…..here are some pics of the day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

work? already?

yes…….I have been humoring the idea to work for a company that would in return pay me money……what a thought……to actually work and get paid….I like that idea, since I have been slave driving around here without any reimbursement

so I applied to a company called OHI. They work with the mental disabled or intellectually challenged. I would be in a field of work that I have never been in before. I would be assisting them in their daily living. I love people, and rarely judge others, I have a positive attitude, and a lot of patience. I hope I really enjoy the work when they give me  a job offer. I’m still waiting on Human Resources to call me in for paperwork so they can do background checks on me. It’s almost been a week since I had my last meeting and they said they were handing it over to HR. They are short a person so they may just be delayed. Stay tuned for updated info

my new gym membership

Alright, so my treadmill is falling apart. I went to use it back in October when it started getting darker and it turned on, the incline worked, but the treadmill would not move…..I guess it had something to do with the motor.  I didn’t have the money to call anyone so I had to wait for David to have time to work on it. I jogged and walked outside while Summer was in preschool for a little while. Then after it dropped below 30 degrees it was just too damn cold. My Dad went in for surgery and I exercised while down there. When I came back it was freezing up here and all kinds of snow on the ground. It was a good month without exercise. Then I had my first weigh in back at TOPS at the beginning of the new year and I gained 8 lbs.!!!!!!!!! (hadn’t weighed in for 2 months). I had to find a gym and the only one that was close by was 12 miles away! It is right next to Summer’s preschool. It was only 30 bucks a month. It is limited though. It only has one treadmill, 2 stationery bikes, and 2 steppers. There is a ton of weights and muscle toning equipment. I am also doing turbo jam dvd on the days I don’t go to the gym and my abs are feeling it big time. So, back in motion. I have lost 50 plus lbs. and looking to take the last 30 off this year hopefully. I am hoping that once the warmer weather sets in I can go back to running with the sun shining on me, the beautiful scenery, and the wind in my hair!