Clearing the Clutter

I am sad to say that I think I have been having a case of the "green eyed monster". I look at where I am in my life, and yep, for the most part, things are good~ but there are always things that you want, or things that you wish would go or have been going better.

I look around at some of our friends recently and, really, it just doesn't seem to be fair. Luck is with them all the time, no matter how much they "mess up," or get into something that seems too far over their heads, they end up getting helped out of it by someone else, or things just happen to magically work out.

There are others who seem to have their lives virtually "set." They have the house that they will grow old in and both have stable incomes for both of them in the household. While I still feel like we're in limbo, I am sure that has to do with the fact that we have only been married for a couple of years and Derick doesn't have a stable job yet.  I am looking for his "break," for our lucky streak to hit, but it gets hard when things have been hard for so long. Money is stressful. It feels like I am counting the pennies in my bank account and then watching as they suddenly all fall through the cracks when it is time to pay the bills.

I am a big fan of making my own mistakes and learning from them - and this is one that I have learned from doing some of the things we did do with our money when I bought the house and after we got married...

1. Bought a house that was at the high end of our budget and not really budgeting and accounting for the fact if Derick did NOT have a job (we never thought that would be possible).
2. Do not put all of the furniture you buy at one time on your credit card and scoff when the sales person offers no-interest financing for one year.
3. Live with the furniture you have for the time being. Eventually you will get the things that you need/want, but don't rush out and get everything. Limit yourself to the basics, even though it seems like a ton of fun to set up your first real place.
4. I will never be "house poor" again - limiting the house mortgage payment to under one week's salary for the entire household income.

Thanks for letting me complain and express my discomfort with life right now - if anyone is reading this. I don't think many people do, but that brings me to another point. I am thinking of  cancelling my blog all together. I am not sure how much good it is actually doing me right now. We'll see. I used to hand-write in a journal all the time in grade school through high school. I ended up tearing up and burning and recycling all of them except a few of them before I moved out of my parent's house. It didn't make much sense to hold onto those things anymore.

I will give notice when and if I choose to quit the blog-mosphere, but for now, I carry on.

-L

My life in FF >>

Things seem to be happening in my life at warp speed. It is insane how an entire month can start, and be gone in what seems like one day.

Work - things are speeding like a cheetah catching lunch - and then some. I am grateful to be busy - but really? THIS crazy busy!? Tis' the time of year for us in retail - and I imagine, ALL of us in the retail world.

Personal Life - things here are not seeming like they are going by too fast when you take a look at us...we are a pretty boring married couple. I guess that happens when you have no "fun" budget money to do anything - so I have been trying to make use of things that I have at home to do - but that only lasts me so long before I get antsy and want to go out amongst other people. The hermit life is certainly not for me. My husband, yes, but not me. For instance - this coming weekend is Labor day weekend, and I have Monday off. Well, Derick and I were trying to discuss what we were going to do for the long weekend. I threw out a bunch of options, asked for his input and he did not have an opinion at all. I think he really wants to stay home - but really, I can only stand so much of that before I get antsy (and probably annoying). We'll see. We don't really have any money to go and do anything, but we will make it to the State Fair this year! yahoo!

On the other hand - if you look at the lives of our friends, life is FLYING by! Here's the headline: Laura, ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS ARE EITHER PREGNANT OR HAVE ONE KID. That in itself is nuts to me. I don't feel old (heck, I doubt I will ever really FEEL old) but looking at where other people are in their lives - man! I feel like the tortoise! But not in a bad way - I don't want kids yet. There are going to be a lot of "if" factors for me to do that business anyway - healthwise. I am not a huge fan of my doctor because of this - but that is a different story.

I guess that is all for now - just wanted to give a quick post on current thoughts!

Update! Update! Read all about it!

So, here's a little glimpse of the happenings in my life recently...

This has been a pretty busy, crazy week!!

Tuesday was the pre-floorset alignment meeting at Eden Prairie with the merchant teams and some of the executive team. It went well.

Wednesday was our all company picnic! I went to set-up the picnic at 9:15am and got ready for the rest of the company to arrive! The picnic was a lot of fun! We got a bunch of lawn games, had Famous Dave's cater the event and had 40 prizes to give away! I didn't win any, but a lot of the "Culture Keepers" won prizes, so that was really neat!

Thursday - all day I was at the floorset. I ended up leaving a little early in order to go pick up my mom at her work and then go downtown to see Wicked!! It was a REALLY great show! And wow, can those actors SING!!! It was nuts!

Friday was the floorset walkthru. It was VERY early that we had to be out there. That also went fairly well. All -in-all it was a really stressful, tiring few days!!

So, upcoming plans for the weekend - pretty minimal actually, and that is quite alright with me! I need to go grocery shopping tomorrow and get some things done around the house. I also need to log in some hours actually working from home this weekend to get the VMUs done on time. This was a pretty big floorset for us with a bunch of new initiatives, so that is going to make my job a little more in-depth than normal.

On the docket for the weekend, however, is to make a new kind of cupcake from my cupcake book. I need to go out and get more frosting tomorrow though, or at least look and see that I do not have any that got shifted in the pantry...

Alright, well, it has been a long week. More later!

-L

In with the new!

I ordered another medical bracelet from one of the coolest places that makes them, Lauren's Hope! I never used to wear an id tag because, let's face it, some of them, and some of the older ones are UGLY!! Not these ones!
 www.laurenshope.com.

They have some of the neatest designs! I got one that is more casual for the "everyday life," and I also got an updated tag with my married name. I am pretty stoked to get that in the mail! So, I will be waiting by mailbox if you need me...

The Great Fish Tank-off

Alright, so, apparently the Doberstein Great Fish Tank-off has begun!

This past weekend, Derick and Paul got together and had a man-date over fish, plants, heaters, lighting, filters fish tanks and I am sure a plethora of other fishy business.

First, there was the purchase of a 55-gallon fish tank.

Then there was the conversion of the 45-gallon tank hood, and the 2 10-gallon hoods.

Then last night there was the drive down, pick up and "donation" of $10 for a used 55-gallon tank stand.

(mind you this is in ADDITION to the 45-gallon and the 2 10-gallon tanks we currently have set up in our sunroom at home currently)

I am not entirely sure of the rest of the events of the weekend, but a few 2-liters of Mtn Dew and a messy kitchen later, I assume that they finished what they set out to do this weekend.

Where was I this weekend, you might ask?

Well I was at only the most AWESOME place ever. Naturally, Camp St. Croix, or better known for the next 2 weeks: Camp Needlepoint 2010!!!

It was time once again, for me to assume my role as "Camp Mom" Friday night for the counseling and CIT staff who would not be driving the long distance back home, but who would be staying overnight at camp. It is usually a really fun time. We work around camp, prepping things for the week, go out on the town of Hudson, eat a good "last meal," and call it a late-er night. Usually, in the past, the group has been about 4-6 people spending the night. Well, that number BALLOONED up to 25 people this year! Yikes! It worked out well though because we were able to have 1 cabin full of the girls and one cabin for the rowdy boys (who ended up staying up into the wee hours of the morning). It was SO hot out that night that it kept me awake until about 4am, that, and probably the fact that I was excited to be there and my brain was running, running, running!

Saturday was more camp training - more in-depth. That night I temporarily moved into the "Staff House." WOW. Was that ever a nice place to be!!! It was newly-remodeled this year, and complete with 2 bathrooms, 2 living areas and air conditioning! SO nice! It almost didn't feel like you were at camp staying there! I slept really well that night for sure! Becca, Wendy and myself went out to buy supplies and 2 carts full of junkfood to feed about 80 counseling staff for "staff snacks." It is always amazing to me how much junkfood we go through for one round of staff snacks- and we're diabetics! haha.

Sunday, we were up and setting up the front of camp for all of the 220-some campers that were coming to Camp Needlepoint session 1. It is always a whirlwind of activity, but this year, everything seemed to click into place! And THEN the campers showed up! For the next three hours, I stood outside in the sun with my Camp Store clipboard taking people's camp store money forms and playing "flight attendant," telling the moms, dads, siblings, and other miscellaneous relatives of the campers the next steps in their camp check-in experience.

After that, the rest of the opening day activities fell into place and we were off and running. I ate dinner at camp - tacos- YUM and then decided to head for home around 7:30.

Back to the real world, work. Boo. It was funny because after dinner, me, the camp director, asst. camp directors and I were all standing around thinking of ways to tell my boss I would be gone for the 2-week time span of camp that year...it was priceless!

So, those are the most recent events in my life right now. On Sunday I will be back out at camp with the Camp Store responsibility once again and I will be there to help kick off another awesome week of CNP!

-L

Training the Future Leaders

Friday morning starts off one of the best times of year ever. Camp Needlepoint. Staff Training.

I will be busy packing tonight for my 3-day stint out at camp, assisting the camp director in training the new staff and the counselors in training. Friday morning it all begins, and I become the "camp mom" Friday night for all those staffers who are too far from home to drive back home that night and come back the next day. We usually end up staying out at camp, finishing up some things in the medical center, going out to dinner as group, coming back, showering and calling it a night. I might have them help me with putting together the staff "get to know us" board that night, so it is all ready to go. we'll see.

Saturday is day 2 of all-staff training and everyone comes with all of their belongings for the entire week or 2 weeks that they will be on staff at camp. That night, we all hang out, eat a lot of really bad junk food and then turn in for the insanity of the next day, which is camper check-in and arrival day!

Sunday, the campers, parents and, yes, sometimes pets, come to camp, check-in, move-in and the week begins! I usually end up collecting all of the camp store forms (Becky says it's because I look so trustworthy...). I hang around for awhile, checking in on cabins to see if I am needed. Most times I stay until dinner and then head home, other times I have stayed for the opening campfire and then call it a night. Only time will tell.

All I do know is that I am looking forward to it. The usual things happen, but then again, the new people and some new twists are always evident and keep things interesting. I get to see staff friends that I haven't seen or talked to in some time, so that is always fun to catch-up and see what they have been up to.

So- until later, happy trails!

Stay-cation

So since last Thursday, I have been on a "Stay-cation" with my husband.

Initially, we had plans of going camping, or working on some house projects that we have been wanting to get done. We went another direction, for the most part, due to some plan changes!

On Thursday morning, we headed out on the dreary-sprinkling day, to the Como Zoo. Our initial thoughts were, well, it looks like it might be a rainy, cooler day outside, so maybe that will deter some of the people from hitting the zoo. Wow, were we wrong...we got to the zoo about 1/2 an hour after it opened. We had to go down and park in the overflow zoo parking lot and hop the shuttle back over. (At the end of the day, it was mutually decided that we would just assume to park over there next time, as it was rather easy to get to and home from, and the shuttle came and went fairly quickly!)

Friday afternoon we caved and got the entertainment center we had been eying at Target. We spent most of the afternoon putting the beast together and now it looks very nice and the room is looking even more put together!

Saturday morning, Derick's cousins: Joe, Cathrina, and Joe's girlfriend, Brittney came over and we headed out to Bunker Beach in Coon Rapids for the afternoon. It was a pretty fun day! We hit the body slides, the tube slides, the wave pool, lounge chairs and the fabulous lazy river! The day was fun, but when we got home, most of us discovered that mr. sun had not been too kind...we were burnt!! Mine is still sore in places as I type this!

After our fun in the sun, we came back home, showered, and the girls and I ran to Cub to get cupcake decorating supplies to make the Stirng Monsters (see my facebook album) and the guys prepped the kitchen to make our "state fair food." Most of the food turned out really well. We made mozzarella sticks, popcorn shrimp, popcorn chicken, cheese curds and then mini doughnuts the next morning. We played Apples to Apples and found out that Derick and Joey are connected on some sub-atomic level that no one fully realized until that night. We all seemed to crash pretty early from the extensive sun, fun and fair food, so it was off to our respective corners for some well-deserved sleep!

Sunday morning, we all got up and I took the girls shopping in Maple Grove. We were successful getting Cathrina some of the left over things on her college list. I also bought some jeans from American Eagle - on sale (and thank goodness because I was in desperate need of some jeans!!) and a new fragrance of foaming soap from bath and body works. mmm.

After the gang left, Derick and I relaxed and watched some tv. I then went into the office and began sorting through all of my magazine tear sheets and put them into the binders that I had started long ago. Today I finished that up for the most part, with the exception of moving the overflow of the "articles" section to a new binder and placing them all within that new binder. But it makes me feel so much better that they are all in there and I can now flip through them to find something, rather than go to the dreaded box - that had become the dumping ground for the clippings that I wished to file "at a later date." Whew, at last, the "later date" finally came!!

Tonight, a couple of the ladies from our townhouse association and I will be going out to Costco and the dollar store to rangle-up items for our National Night Out - Tomorrow night!! Finally I will be rid of the prizes that have been on my counter for the past month and a half!!

Whew, so that is the Reader's Digest of what I have been up to, so I will leave you with some pictures...