May 2011

I have been meaning to sit down and post, but I just haven't. However, today while I was picking up the house and getting ready to start the new week I realized that I haven't posted anything all month. This is problematic because one of my 101 goals in 1001 days is to blog at least once a month. Well I did an freaking awesome job the first few months of the year, but this month has been an epic fail. So to meet the minimum requirement of my goal I must post today, since tomorrow is shaping up to be a super busy day, and is the last day of the month. So today I will attempt to document the highlights of the last month.

I mentioned in a previous post that I was so excited to be back in Casper because I wanted to be with my kiddos at the Arc again. Well that didn't really work out as planned. I got in touch with my old boss, an amazing lady whom I look up to. She is my mentor and friend, and has played an important role in my life and some life choices. Anyway, I started chitchatting with her and let her know that I was moving back. She was excited, but one major problem. The organization is a non-profit and she could only pay me what I was making when I left. Well that would mean a 4 dollar an hour pay cut from what I was making in Laramie, and because the kiddos were still in school she couldn't offer very many hours either. Well needless to say that was not going to work. So I went in search of something else. I was offered a job at a similar organization that paid a little better and would provide more hours, so I accepted the job. The first few weeks were consumed with all of the paper work that comes with working for a state funded organization. Then I was able to start working with some individuals, but I was just not getting enough hours, so I went in search of finding another job to add to it. I was able to find a job working as a lead preschool teacher at an early child education center. I am excited about it, and the group of kiddos is great, I am just a little bummed that I wont be working in the field of disAbilities. I just keep reminding myself that it is important to know and understand typical development too. The center is Reggio Amilia based center, which if i had to pick just one philosophy, Reggio would be the closest fit. Although a combination of a few others would be most accurate. I am excited. The director has a great vision, and hopes to eventually be NAEYC accredited, which is a good sign. It will be good, and I will still be doing respite on side so it all works out. I just wish that I had a clearer vision of what it is that I want to do with my life as far a career goes. Anyway enough of that.

Joe is loving his job. He has 13 jobs on the board which puts him above his expected quota for the year. If he keeps it up like this he will be closer to 75 jobs rather than the anticipated 50. As far as his selling percentage goes he is some where in the 80's where as the guys in Denver are in the 20's so that is pretty awesome!

Joe and I and his mom and her fiance took a motorcycle class last weekend. Joe has been wanting a motorcycle for quite some time now, and I told him that I would be more comfortable with it if we took a class first since neither of us have any previous experience with motorcycles. His mom has also wanted to learn how to drive since long trips on the back of a bike are extremely uncomfortable, or so I hear. So we all took the class. To date it is the worst thing I have ever done. The class was not conducive to learning. The class was on Friday from 6-10pm, Saturday 7:30am-6:00pm and Sunday 7:30am-3:30pm. It was awful. Riding a motorcycle was not bad and I actually enjoyed it for the first little while but then it was just miserable. I had never been on a bike before, but I had done some research. I knew that it was going to take some physical endurance, but expecting a first time rider to ride for 7 straight hours is crazy! And it wasn't like we were just cruising along for 7 hours, no we were in a parking lot and had to walk the bike and maneuver it over and over and over again. Plus it was raining and cold. I was not impressed. A lot of what was talked about in the classroom was contradicted the next day when we were expected to ride even though we were all physically and mentally exhausted. Not a great experience, but I still like the idea of riding and would get on a bike again, but will head the advice given in the classroom. When you are tired mentally or physically it is time to get off. I see myself being more of the leisurely rider, I am by no means cut out to be a hard core motorcyclist.

On the wedding front. We have picked out our wedding rings and have them ordered. We have also decided on wedding colors; purple white and silver. The purple is a deep dark purple almost like eggplant. We are still undecided on a date, but we have narrowed it down for sure to a weekend in September. We have been all over the place with a date, because there are so many things to factor in, school, work, family traveling etc. We have also decided that we want the ceremony to take place in Casper. Which will be very intimate, and will include a very small number of people. Then we will have a sit down dinner with family and a few close friends. I think I have found a dress, but I wont know for sure until it gets here and I can see what it looks like on. So we will see what happens there! Oh and major bummer I found the shoes I want, but they are no longer in stock... anywhere! Sad day.

These are the ones I want, but cant find anywhere.

So next best option.

 Find a pair of deep purple sling backs and a shiny rhinestone shoe clip to add the necessary bling!

But I am having a hard time finding a shoe in the right shade of purple 

so maybe just splurge on these guys!