Random Tomfoolerie

Last weekend was awesome. It was pretty mellow but it gave us a chance to just get away for a couple of days, eat some good food, see some good friends, spend some quality time in the pool (three sessions of about 90 min each!!!) and do some shopping at the outlet center on the way back! I even read an entire novel while I was gone (Digital Fortress by Dan Brown).

Gina, Bryan and Kyla joined us Saturday night after driving up in winter weather conditions from Southern Illinois. She is one of my best friends - we met when I was pregnant with Jackson on a single mother support board and we only get to see each other once or twice a year so that was a total treat!

Here are some pictures of our goofing around:
Kyla, Gina and Jackson cracking each other up - Now WHAT are we having for breakfast??? LOL)

The whole crew at the Iowa Machine Shed (above)

Playin' in the pool (below)

The three musketeers!

Late this week but...

'Tis the way when you are busy busy busy...I did pretty well on my goals for last week - I was pretty proud. The house is currently very clean and I feel like I was a really good mom and girlfriend.


It DEFINITELY helped to take time out every day to reflect, pray and focus my life. It's amazing how much a little perspective can do for you - I started off Wednesday spending an hour before I went into work, collecting my thoughts and finding a peaceful place and lo and behold, I spent the rest of the day busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest. Good things on the horizon and none too soon either! My business needed that kick in the tail in a BIG way!

I've also come to the shocking realization that in a mere two weeks I will be turning 30!!! It's not that the milestone disturbs me or anything its just one of those things that slips by you and then sneaks up, sheesh.

Meanwhile while life has been marching on - look what made an appearance...a little bump...(no not the one on the backside) thanks to Ashley for taking the photo for me...crazy right? Only 5 weeks from today we find out what is cookin' in there. I still believe that it's Isabella Mary but I'm practicing my reaction just in case there are boy parts in there again, yes I will love it no matter what but I haven't talked to anyone yet who doesn't believe that there is a girl in our future. April 30th we shall find out - and believe me - you all will be the first to know!


I'm so glad its Friday. Tonight we take off for Bettendorf for the weekend with my mom and dad and Jackson. I get to see some friends that I haven't seen in a long time and Jackson gets to spend all weekend getting pruney in the pool. It'll be nice to get away a little bit - read my book, eat some good food and spend time with good friends. Oh yes - there will be photos!!!


Until next week!

A change of approach (Roles and Goals)

OK - if last week was the week for my massive pity party - this week will definitely be different. I am going to drive myself to greatness through the use of lists and goals and - to make sure I stay on track - I get to post them publicly and either do them or suffer the shame of having to admit that I fell short. Going back to my Franklin Planner days I've split them up into main categories of life so I have a track to run on no matter where I am or what role I'm performing. I built each of these things into my actual schedule so I have a course of action each day!

Roles:
Mother
- Spend at least one hour of electronic free time with Jackson outdoors each day
- Eat dinner at the table with the family without reading or being distracted.
- Begin a chore chart/commissions for Jackson to help him learn responsibility in the household.
Girlfriend/Homemaker
- Control "over emotion" by being clear in communicating with Chad.
- Keep on top of the budget and inflow - outgo issues.
- Make a nice dinner at home at least twice a week (and no frozen pizza doesn't count)
- Store away winter jackets in front closet and organize shoes in the kitchen (rearrange???)
Daughter/Family Member
- hook up Beta/VHS players and begin the process of transferring the last of the old home movies.
- get scanner hooked up to downstairs computer
- be more grateful for the blessing that is having family close and show that more fully
Financial Advisor
- FOCUS when at work on the tasks at hand (yes - I realize the oxymoron of blogging at work but I do get a lunch break...)
- Reach out to current clients and natural market for referrals to help grow my business.
- Utilize my calendar better to maximize my time for prospecting/case development and follow up appointments. (See more people - make more contacts - build more relationships)
Friend
- FEAST Friday night - restore relationships with CJ and Dawn.
- Send some mail to my friends. They deserve it.
- Have a lunch with someone I haven't seen face to face in awhile.
Woman/Self
I know this shouldn't be the last on my list - and its not in real life but it seems better that way (besides this is the hard part and maybe you won't make it this far).
- Set aside time for myself once a day (lunch breaks?) to do discipleship homework, meditate and pray.
- Get back on a workout schedule of 2x/week "The Firm" tapes and walking outdoors with Jackson.
- Spend a few hours on Sunday organizing the scrap area and sitting down at my table - letting my creativity flow for awhile.
- Make sure I am getting enough rest for me and the baby. Don't stay up just because I feel like I "should".

Just remember: If God brought me to it - God will bring me through it.
Whew - better get to work!!!

Can I whine for just a cotton pickin' minute?

I'm sorry for this completely self serving pity party post but - I tell you what this has just been a week from hell and I need to get it off my chest for a sec.


but first....our baby's first photo...photogenic already isn't she?


Let's just start with Monday morning - the bane of my existance anyway (well except for Thursdays but that's a whole different can of worms...) 4:00 AM...a rude awakening of my little boy crying because he threw up in his room. Mind you I can count on one hand how many times he's actually done that so I call in and call him into preschool when, lo and behold, the big kid gets sick too. YAY!

I have an OB appointment in the afternoon where I get to do a glucose tolerance test - for those who don't know this means I have to go have a completely empty stomach - nothing to eat or drink for 12 hours prior except for a sugary glucose drink one hour before I go in. So I leave my crabby boys alone together to go in and take this test - which I presently fail by 7 points and have to be scheduled for a THREE hour exam on Thursday. I get reprimanded by the doc for LOSING 9 pounds in my first trimester but get to hear baby's heart beat (160).

That night - after I put Jackson to bed. I start getting sick. Fabulous. Spent all day Tuesday going between bed - the bathroom - and the sofa...yuck. Seriously....YUCK.

Wednesday I haul myself into the office - check on our tax return and - without going into too much detail - get screwed in that regard - have lunch with a friend which did not settle well and very wisely decide not to go back to work for the afternoon.

So today was the big three hour test - for those not familiar with a three hour test let me explain. You go in 12 hours fasting which means I couldn't eat anything after 8:30PM Wednesday night. I hauled into the "draw center" this morning where they proceed to take two vials of blood out of my arm and send it to get a baseline. I'm then sent to sit in a freezing cold waiting area for an hour before the tech comes out and gives me the ever so yummy glucose drink. I then find out that there is a waiting area on the second floor that is very warm...I go there with my book for another hour then get ANOTHER vial of blood taken. (still no food). Wait another hour in warm sunny waiting room for ANOTHER vial of blood to come out(...that's right still no food...). Finally get really into my book when its time for the fourth and final blood draw and then am released by the vampire queen to go about my day.

Shaky and woosy I find myself at the Burger King across the street consuming my body weight's worth of chicken fries and a large Coke after which I felt much better and went to collect a receipt from a client and felt MUCH better. Upon arrival at the office my secretary passes me four notes from a client needing immediate assistance. I save that account after some time but have so far pulled out a big ZERO for appointments this week between illness and cancellations which does not look pretty on a paycheck...

By my clock it's 5:10. Time to start calling to drum up some appointments. Everyone keep your fingers crossed for me to get some quality appointments next week and some business in my hopper. It can only go up from here RIGHT?