Thankful

Thursday is Thanksgiving.
I am thankful everyday for my blessings in life. I have a beautiful family and support circle that hold me up every minute of every day. 
Today as I am sitting in the library and working on my huge paper that is to be the culmination of my graduate studies, as the rain gently falls, as I finish my red cupped cappuccino I am struck with being thankful for the struggles.
I am not perfect... not by any stretch of the imagination. My house always needs to be picked up and cleaned. My clothes are not of the most recent season's styles, probably not the past three years worth of styles. Currently they are a little baggy because I have been watching what I eat (and don't eat) but usually they are a bit tight because I carry extra weight. I have emails that I mean to write, calls that I want to sit and make, books that are towering over my nightstand... these are my daily struggles.
I struggle to be present in every moment with my child because I know the times is quietly slipping by. I am struggling to be patient with my mom; the days are hard and time is so precious for us right now. I am struggling to get it all done; work homework, housework, preparing for the holidays, being a good mom, wife, sister, daughter being good to myself.
Although I am struggling, I am thankful that I am trying and not giving up. I am grateful that I have a circle of people that are so supportive and care for me that they are there to allow me struggle.
In this holiday season I am hopeful to be more appreciative of my people and to let them know that I love them and am thankful for them and thankful that they allow me to be me.
I hope for everyone that this Thursday is a day of reflection, love, hope and being grateful. 
  

I'm sorry... so sorry

I know, I did it again. Took a huge hiatus and didn't tell anyone. Not really sure how it happened... except that I decided not to take a class this summer and REALLY enjoy the time with my girl and my family AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I DID!!!
It was lovely, truly lovely. We went to the park after work, splash pads and pools on the weekends. Weekend trips and museums and everything in between. Calli and Daddy took a music class and loved it. Calli and I took swimming lessons and kinda sorta loved it.
Toward the end of the summer we had visitors from Germany and took them to the beach for a week and we ALL loved it. The summer of love. I promised myself that I wouldn't take any more summer classes... but if I take a class this spring, I could take a class this summer and BE DONE. Ohmygosh!!! Can you believe that in less than 12 months I might be done with this darn degree!!! Wahoo. I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch and all but dang, that could be AH-MA-ZING!!!
In other news: Calli said the F word yesterday. It was hilarious and terrifying at the same time. I always joked that her first word was going to be the F word because my hubby and I have such bad language, but when it finally happened I didn't know what to do. Of course stopping laughing hysterically was the first thing I needed to do, but after that... do I punish her? punish hubby? Well... we didn't do a thing. My second thought was, the less of a big deal I make this the less she will make of it as well. Hope that works.

Ok my long lost friends.
Ciao for now.
S

Corporate Life

So... it's been crickets over here because I've been working hard for the money... so hard for it honey.
This new job is my first foray into the corporate world. I've never worked for such a huge corporation. It's very different... V E R Y!!
For instance...

• There are 7000 people in my office... and 17000 in the whole corporation. So the people that I walk by everyday may never know who I am. #sosadforthem
• There is a process for everything and a process to learn those processes and a process excellence team. Chances are if you need help there is a process for that too... You can't just walk down the hall and go sit with  Flo to figure out where you are with the budget.
• When there are this many people working on the cog wheel meetings are important, and there are plenty of them. They start on time, they adhere closely to an agenda and it's all about ending on time... or before... people love to get those few precious minutes back.
• Since there are people all over the country and on 22+ floors, a lot of the meetings are virtual so a lot of my day is spent on the phone.
• Meetings aren't the only virtual thing... most of the trainings are virtual too. I am virtual too... meaning I get to work from home... whenever I need to.
• The budgets match the workforce... huge. Two sponsorships and a membership is the whole 12 year budget at my last job.
• You can't really tell what someone does by their title. I guess that happens everywhere....
•  There are a million acronyms... M I L L I O N S...
• Since there are so many people you literally need a map to the different parking lots.
• Head shots are a big deal. In some instances it is the only way to see what someone looks like.

All in all things are going well. I am enjoying the challenges and looking to overcome the hurdles... Would you expect anything else?!


Ciao
S

Birthday Weekend

Everyone told me that she would grow up before my eyes, but I didn't believe it... or didn't want to believe it. But now I am a believer. The last couple of weeks Calli has really turned into a little girl. All the baby stuff is gone... except that bottle. It her crutch!!
She talks up a storm, and sings and remembers the stories we read at night and answers Mickey when he asks if she knows which tool they should use to solve the problem.
We turned her car seat around so she can see what we see; she was AMAZED!! It was so fun to experience that with her for the first time.
She will also tell you when she doesn't want something, or to do something... or actually all the time. She says NO! all the time. She is feisty and independent and strong. She might play shy but she loves people and will talk to everyone... (wonder where she gets that!!)
We had a great birthday weekend. We got her a tricycle and although she didn't seem interested at first she really got into it.
I didn't get a lot of pictures at her birthday because I was having such a good time soaking it in.
We went to the doctor today for her 2year check up. Stats: 29 lbs. 11oz, 34 inches and 47 cm.
She is doing great! And no shots... love when there are no shots.
Here are some videos and pictures from the weekend.
(note... I couldn't get the videos to load so check it out on FB)

 

Ch ch ch changes...

Things are changing round here... big time.
I am leaving the U to a new job at a big insurance company. I never thought I would but the right opportunity came at the right time and what can I say... I grabbed it.
I will be the program support specialist for diversity and inclusion; which means that I will support all programs both internal and external for diversity and inclusion. It is a group that is in the HR department, so I don't need to even think much about the insurance product at all.
It will be a lot of the stuff that I am currently doing as far as the events and projects but with a different focus. A focus that has always been close to my heart.
Wahoo...
Of course I am also scared... starting a new gig is always a little nerve wracking for me.

Also, my mom has decided to retire. I think it is going to be great for her.. and probably scary. She has always identified very closely with her job and considered a lot of her client close like family so that will be tough as well.

Calli is a little weary of all the changes.

More snow

We are totally over it! The snow is crazy tiring. Here is something to lift your spirits.
Calli was playing quietly in the other room... I know, always worrisome, and she started calling to me... I stuck... I stuck.
When I found her, this is what was happening. I knew that she was ok and that we had to record the moment before she got unstuck.

Winter break

This week Calli's daycare has been closed. Hubby was home Monday and Tuesday and I am home the rest of the week. Monday and Tuedsay happen to be REALLY cold days so the duo had to stay home. Hubby was pulling his hair out by the end of the day Tuesday with our rambunctious toddler. So I knew I had to step up my game to keep this kid under control.
Yesterday we woke up at 6:30am very happy and ready to tackle the day. By 9:30 I was ready to get out even though we didn't have plans til 11. Calli and I have had a couple of successful trips to the library and since it is so close it is my go to plan. So we headed over there. We got there a few minutes before they opened and only had about 50 minutes to spend... perfect in toddler time. When we got to the kids section there were a bunch of other toddlers getting ready for story time!! Score. We have never done story time before, mostly because they are during the day. At first Calli was indifferent to it and wanted to leave, but then they pulled out the drums and she was hooked!!! It was hard to pull her away. Next we accompanied Nonna to her doctor's appointment and then off to lunch and some retail therapy!!! She was so good.

This morning we had some errands to run before we headed out on our adventure. This time Jaime and Rob joined us. We were going to go to the Science Center but since we only had a few hours we decided on the Wadsworth. They have a Coney Island exhibit that I was interested in seeing. Calli was awesome. She loved hearing her echo as we walked around but that was the extent of the naughty. She stayed close by the whole time and seemed genuinely interested in the exhibits. We ended our adventure at Bear's Smokehouse where we (minus Calli) got to enjoy some deee-lish BBQ.
Tomorrow we are planning a playdate to Timber Gyms in Newington. If that doesn't work out I have some tickets to Imagine Nation in Bristol.
 I wasn't that excited about having to take this time from work, I am working on a huge project right now. But we have had an amazing time and I am loving it. It helps that the weather has been cooperating.
Hope you have a great day!
xo
S