Road trip last week

We went to my dad's for Christmas again this year. Since Chris wasn't coming home until this week, it worked out great. We loaded up the car on Wednesday and set out for the 4.5 hour trip.

First stop... Chick-fil-a or as the little girls call it "flick-chi-lay"

I was teaching Caitlin how to use my good camera so the pictures taken in the car are from her.

We saw some really cool looking clouds on our way there. This one stretched out as far we could see. It was bright blue on one side and then white on the other. The clouds were so thin behind that puffy cloud that it looked bright white.

We were coming to the top of one of the many hills along the way and I saw a lot of smoke all of the sudden. Once we got to the other side we saw this.

And then this. The family did get out but I can't help but think about the panic that they must have felt. Notice the trunk is open. I hope they got all of their gifts out of the back so at least their kids had something to open on Christmas.

Scary. I had a car do that once. It's the scariest thing I have ever been through.

Sophie pretty much stayed like this the whole time.

While Lilly stayed like this. Constant motion. Always.

Salvaged picture. I forgot to change the settings from the night before and the picture was WAY off but I really like it in black and white.

Trucks picked up at the truck stop on the way.

They were on clearance so everyone got one.

I stepped on them approximately 1,357 times while we were there.

Sophie's boo boo from the mean concrete.

One of the many messed up pictures I took while we were there. I love this one though even if it looks terrible.

So thankful

If you haven't noticed by now, I'll let you in on a little secret.

I COMPLAIN A LOT!

I complain on here because I have no one else to discuss things with. Being a trucker's wife is a very lonely thing. And when that trucker drives teams and is on the night shift, it tends to be even more lonely.

This my complaint box.

But it is also my praise box. The place I like to write down what I am truly thankful for, so that I never forget.

This is one of those times where I will praise rather than complain.

Right now, I love the company my husband works for.

A lot of people don't.

BUT that's OK because it works for us. (at the moment)

I know there is no such thing as the perfect trucking company. I knew that going in. We both did. What sets this company apart, I think, is the fact that they actually try to be as accurate as possible.

He has had one error on his pay sheet in the time he has been there. It was corrected the following week.

His paycheck from his previous carrier had an error on nearly every check. 2-3 weeks to get corrected as well.

Not cool.

The place he works at now pay detention pay.

Previous carrier. Nada.

Now? Prepass.

Previous? Had to request toll money, got charged. Withdraw money from ATM, got charged. Lucky if he ever saw his toll money reimbursed.

What I am getting at is that when he lost his job back in July, I freaked. I cried. I was so upset.

I should have been on my knees praying to God thanking Him for His blessing.

My jeans fit!

So as y'all know I started Weight Watchers a couple of weeks ago. I am tired of being round. I would like there to be some definition in there somewhere! :)

I didn't weigh myself yesterday like I should have. I have been so busy with bows and the kids and trying to watch what I eat, that I slacked a little at the end of last week. I didn't go over my points, but I knew I wasn't eating good for me stuff. Like, it's not great to get all your points in 2 meals. I found myself not having time to eat or drink water and that is never a good thing.

Yesterday I had to go to the Walmarts and get stuff for Caitlin's science project. I figured I'd try on my new jeans and see if they fit. OK, by new I mean I bought them back in February and they didn't fit. Well they fit but I have to lay down on the bed just to get them zipped and then couldn't breath again until I took them off. So yeah.

Anyway, I tried them on again yesterday and THEY FIT! I'm talking I just pulled them up and they fit. I buttoned them without having to suck in and I didn't have to get on the bed and try to pull up the zipper with a pair of needle nose pliers!

So even though I slacked off a little last week, I didn't let it discourage me from continuing on! I may not have lost any weight this past week, but I gained 2 new pair of jeans!


and just because I don't want to post without a picture

They STILL aren't looking at the camera.

Today was that day

Today was one of those days where I wished I had another set of hands and eyes around.

One of those days I wished my husband wasn't an OTR truck driver.

I had some errands to run and one of them was going to the bank. But not just to the bank. Oh no, I had to go IN to the bank. Normally it wouldn't be a big deal. But remember, my 2 little kids, ages 3 and 4 are with me at all times. I'm talking 24/7/365 y'all.

I avoid going IN anywhere like the plague. It's one of the reasons when I go grocery shopping, I GO grocery shopping. That way I don't have to go for 2 or 3 more weeks. It's what works for me.

Anyway...

I love my bank. I really do. But I didn't love it today. I needed to get a certified check. The lady had me swipe my debit card and enter my PIN. Done. Next, fill out a check for the amount you need plus $10. 10 bucks? Just so they can print out a check. Rediculous. Fine. Here ya go.

I'm sorry Mrs. Sanchez but your signature doesn't match. Can you please re-sign the check with your signature. Um. OK? Sure.

Nope still not a match. She's looking, looking, looking to see if she can find my signature on another check that I have written. I write ONE check a month. My rent check.

By this time my kids are entertaining everyone in line. A line growing by the second.

She calls over the manager. She wants to see my drivers license. I hand it over. So now they have my debit card and PIN, my check and my drivers license and they STILL aren't sure if I am who I say I am.

They assure me it is for my own protection.I assure them if any of my information had been compromised, they would be the first to hear about it.

Let me just tell you this. Every time I swipe my debit card and sign for a purchase, my signature is written. They sure don't have a problem knowing it's me then!

I'm not kidding you when I say it took over 30 minutes in there. I threatened to withdraw all my money and switch banks by this time. The manager then told me she just wanted me to have "a little patience".

I don't know about you, but when the next thing I can give them is a blood sample or my first born before they believe me when I say I am who I am, my patience is wearing pretty thin.

Thankfully my little one's were so well behaved in there. I didn't even crack a sweat!

But it would have been so much easier if I had an extra set of hands and eyes with me.

Wordless Wednesday

I can always count on the oldest to look right at the camera.

The other 2 have yet to learn.

Pretty much just random...

I am up to my ears in ribbon. My dining room looks like WW3 just took place and it left all it's crap for me to clean up after wards.

Speaking of which, am I the only person that feels weird saying crap. I see a lot of bloggers saying that and I think nothing of it. Until *I* type it. Then I feel like my Dad is standing over my shoulder saying "Casey, crap is not a very Christian word to say". It's true. My oldest doesn't say it. She calls it the "C" word.

Is "crap" not a nice word? I like it better than the alternative.

I have a very foul mouth. I do. Whew I feel better getting that out there.

I let WAY too many words slip. I'm not perfect and it's something that I am working on.

Anyway...

ribbon.

I have been making some new items to go in my Etsy shop. I am actually working on something now. A ribbon wrapped headband with a flower. I've made the braided headbands in the past and I do enjoy making them, they are just more time consuming. This way I can get items in my shop, promote them and then hopefully sell them.

This one will be for Valentine's Day. My favorite time of the year to make bows. I love pink and red. And I especially like them together like in this bow!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/63676464/valentines-day-layered-boutique-hair-bow

I also added a "You Pick Your Color" listing for the ribbon flower.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/63766604/ribbon-flower-hair-clip-you-pick-color

My oldest wore this red one to school the other day and received so many compliments. She had girls asking where she got it from and when she told them her mom, they thought it was "so cool". So, I have a few flowers to make for her classmates. :)

What a difference a year makes

One year ago my husband quit his job. He quit because his job was being outsourced to India.

Again.

See 2 years prior to this, his job with a major shipping company got outsourced to India. Then *surprise surprise* their customer satisfaction went WAY down so they moved their software support BACK to the states. Just not back to where Chris worked.

He got placed with a job he hated. Customer support. He sat at a desk for 9 hours a day and listening to people complaining.

He started getting depressed. Not like clinically depressed. Just depressed about all the shoulda coulda woulda's he felt he missed out on.

Then he found out his job would be ending. The company told him that they would be slowing letting people go, anywhere October to December. He stuck with them until the end.

He took about a week off after he quit just so we could get things in order. Financially and emotionally.

He was starting CDL school.

He and I had talked about this for quite a while. It's something he and I've always wanted to do. I can remember my mother telling me to go get my CDL way back in like 1996. I never did. I should have, but I didn't.

I sure as heck didn't want Chris to miss this opportunity to get his. He had turned down the chance once before and wasn't letting it slip away again.

Monday, December 7th, 2009 was the day that changed everything for us.

I was now married to a trucker. For a year I had tried to get myself emotionally prepared for this roller coaster ride. The first 6 months after he left were the worst. I saw him 3 times. Well 4 actually. He just so happened to have a drop here in Jacksonville while he was out with his trainer so they stopped by and stayed the night.

I have always considered myself to be independent. I was a single parent for nearly 5 years. I know how to handle being alone. What I didn't know how to handle, was being a wife and being alone. I pretty much stunk at it. And still do at times.

There were times during this year that he wanted to quit. He was tired. Worn slap out. I wouldn't let him quit. I still won't let him quit.

He has dreams and is willing to go the extra mile to makes those dreams come true.

He knows what he is doing. He is respectful of others. He is a safe driver. He is an awesome husband and by far the better parent.

AND he is about to have that "Golden Year" under his belt. I thought I would never see the day and I am so proud of him for the sacrifices he is making for us.

Guess who's back? ME!

Before I EVER started pinching pennies I was a bow maker. I hinted around to it a couple of times in this blog but never did anything about it.

I love making bows. I started selling them about 4 *I think* years ago on eBay and Etsy. After that I purchased my own domain and BOOM I was selling my bows in my very own store. Soon after that I contacted a local boutique to ask them if I could sell my bows there. She loved my bows so pretty soon my bows were being sold in a real brick and mortar store. I loved it!

The owner of the boutique decided she would redo her website, making it look more professional. Since I had a web store already, she wanted to hire me to keep her website updated and to add new products. My business was growing like wildfire and I got burnt out.

QUICK.

So, I quit. Like just canceled my website, pulled my name from everything associated with bows and basically went on vacation for nearly 2 years. I had more ribbon than one person should ever have and it was just sitting around. I tried selling it, but it was so time consuming and not very fulfilling.

Which brings me to now.

I finally am ready to start back making them. I had forgotten just how much I really do enjoy making bows. All I needed was a swift kick in the rear a little encouragement to get me going.

So thanks Wendy! (you big ol' bully)