8 Years and Counting

Last week, I celebrated by 8 year work anniversary. I can't believe it has already been that long! I started working at my job pre-marriage and pre-kids....life was sure different back then, but I wouldn't have it any other way now. Right after college, I started working as an accountant for a moving company. My commute was waaaayyy too long, and I knew that my next job would definitely be much closer to the house. After about a year of working there, my good college friend, Jill, let me know that her new company she started working for had a job opening for an accountant. I quickly updated my resume and went in for a couple of interviews and it was history after that...and eight years later, I'm still there and don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon.

There are so many things that I like about my job...the people, the commute, the atmosphere, the benefits, the flexibility when my kids are sick, the fact that we are still busy in these hard economic times, etc. One thing that I am not too fond about is the vulture who cannot be decent around food. Slurping the fruit out of the ladle is a little much for me.

I am glad that I chose to be a working mom. It can be a bit overwhelming at times, but I think that it has benefited my kids in many ways...they have play dates every day, they learn A LOT, they are very outgoing, their immune systems are building, they get to be in many activities/sports, they get to go on vacations that many kids may not have the chance to go on, they are provided for very well, etc. If I was a stay at home mom, I don't think they would have the opportunities that they do now. They sure wouldn't be able to go to work with their daddy for "Bring Your Kid to Work Day". Anabelle LOVED coming with me to work last year, and this year Brady will be able to join us...fun fun!! :)

The next few months should be interesting at work as there are a lot of changes taking place. Not to mention...within the next few weeks we should be learning of our raises and bonuses! :)

Next week, I just need to push that second box of candy bars a little harder that I am selling at work for Belle's cheerleading fundraiser. :)

Work Conversation - WEIRD!

Today at work, Deanne came into my office to show me some pictures and to chat. When she left my office, the Word document that I was working on before she came into my office had a message typed on it that I did not do.

This is what it read...

"Am on Monday night and I have no idea why they are endowed by selling a home LAN (the author of the L.A. law and running on a on the wrong time why I don’t know if you have an entry in the area have me a line to read and it remains living on the lot on my land-only meaning when I am going to need I say here in the UNEI U. N. I mean why anyone enlighten you will hang in handling
And how I can hang on a long time, and in a long been a long year, and I. N. E. and a half gallon in the home of the U.N. and the NRA the menu and the content of the anyone here who didn’t mean no one in any real idea on the home a new meaning that you plan on how and why I: 1999 in viaa viable oh no, and then in an area in the on going on in the in the only year in the end of the handling of the union army in the 1999
Any U.N.. And if he had to be the same time on the line in nineteen 94391 another, and then go from here on a little in the whole company has been having a long time that the company Herand) and area in the U.S. dollar gas and electricity from anywhere in the one hand, you can hear from him by saying the year two thousand me any attempt in 1989 years in the putting green bay
And I’m the one in the nineteen to one in ten years. The reality of the end of the things that used to deny what the same in the planning stage and you know, and now than in 1998 times a day now they want a yearlong one in the coming year and one) won an evening in the rain and the U.N. high one in the county in 1988 U. E. 111 thing in nineteen 81 and one in the"

I started freaking out thinking that some hacker got into my computer and was doing some crazy stuff. I had Nancy and Jill come in my office to show them this wacky message that started appearing on my computer. We all thought it was so weird! Nothing made sense in the typed message!! I immediately called our IT guy and had him come to the rescue.

He told me that I somehow turned on the microphone function that would translate any conversation it "heard" into a written message in a Word document, and I just so happened to be working in a Word document too! I was so relieved to find out that it wasn't a hacker! After he told me what it was, I told him that about an hour or so earlier, I had accidentally pressed some keyboard keys at the same time and a little microphone thing popped up that I just X'd out of. Silly me! LOL! :)

My new laptop must need some new "ears" because Deanne and I were not talking about all that rubbish above. LOL! :)

Passing Down the Good Traits

When I was growing, my mom sometimes carried more than one job just to make ends meet. She has always been a hard worker and still is to this day. She has taught me what good work ethic is all about. Here's to hoping I pass down to Anabelle what my mom has passed down to me...not only being a hard worker but also being a wonderful mommy too!

Here is Anabelle in my office at work....getting a feel of what "work" is like :)


okay...then we were goofing around a little too...posing for the camera :)...the good, fun mommy part :)

Bring Your Child To Work Day

On June 19th, my work had "Bring Your Child to Work Day". It is usually in April, but this year, it was moved to June. All of the kids had to be at least 5 years old to participate, so I was really excited when they moved it to June because Anabelle turned 5 in May and was able to attend. YEAH!!

The kids went on an R&D tour and watched the "mad scientists" do some really cool experiments...safety glasses required! :) Anabelle's favorite was the marshmallow experiment. There were also crafts, BINGO, a scavenger hunt, etc. When I asked Anabelle what was her favorite thing, she said the scavenger hunt. When I asked her what was her least favorite thing, she said nothing. She loved everything!

We had a nice lunch together, which consisisted of Jimmy John's sandwiches, chips, and cookies. YUM!

It was so funny to hear what the ladies at work had to say about Anabelle while she was playing and I was working. (The Administrative Assistants wore red shirts and were the helpers for the kids.) Deanne told me that when she took Anabelle potty one time that Anabelle told her that she needed to put toilet paper down on the seat just like her mommy always does. We were cracking up at that!

Then, Sue told me a funny story about how Anabelle kept checking with her on where she had put some of her stuff....she wanted to make sure that Sue didn't lose it. :) Sue asked me "How old is she?? She acts so much older." I told her that Belle was 5 going on 15! :)

We had such a fun mommy/daughter day together! Can't wait to do it again next year with BOTH kids! :) If they thought Anabelle was a hoot, just wait until they meet Brady! :)

Here are some pics...

I Will Miss You Cafe Time!!

Every Friday at 10am, my place of work puts on Cafe Time where the mailroom clerk goes to Jewel and buys lots of food...cookies, crackers and cheese, fruit, vegetable tray, trail mix, bagels, etc. It's a time where everyone visits with one another for about a half hour and fills their bellies. It would be my breakfast/lunch for the day. My plate was always F-U-L-L!

As of this week, Cafe Time has been cancelled to cut back on costs. It will be revisited in the fall. Although I will miss eating all of the great food and chatting with my co-workders, it will be good thing for my waistline! I will also not miss watching that FOOD VULTURE who scrounges up the crumbs with his fingers and then eats over the damn food! Can you tell that I really can't stand him? LOL!

Here's a pic of my plate from a few weeks ago that I texted to my hubby when I was chilling at Cafe Time! :)

What....a RAISE AND a BONUS????

Yep, that's right!! Yesterday at my performance review with my boss, I was informed that I would be receiving a raise AND a bonus this year...payable to me next week as a matter of fact! I am so thankful to be working where I am because not many people today could probably say that they are actually being awarded with a raise AND a bonus in these hard economic times.

I know that a lot of people are currently being layed off, taking pay cuts, having to take days off unpaid, looking for employment, etc... I am just so blessed that Jason and I have good jobs that continue to be stable in this economy. Jason is actually on overtime if you can believe that.

We are just very blessed to have what we have, that we are able to continue to live the life that we have come accustomed to, and that we are able to provide our kids with everything that they need and more.

P.S. I see another vacation on the horizon! :)

My New Office

Last Friday, I spent most of the day at work packing up my stuff to get ready to move into my new office. It's really nice! It's freshly painted, has new carpet, and has a nice big window. I will miss the cubicles because it was really nice just to be able to talk to my co-workers without getting up! :) One nice thing about the location of my new office is that it is right across from the bathroom. I have a new chair on order and the window blinds will be in on Thursday. I can't wait for the blinds...I am getting a killer glare on my computer screen that is quite annoying!!! I am now unpacked and ready to get back to work!

Take a look!







View from my window