Freedom!

Yay! Right after I wrote that last post, I quit Swiss Colony.... like hours after. It was the best decision I've ever made. I had no idea how much that job was bringing me down. I didn't hate the job and I didn't mind the people I worked with, it was just not right for me at this point in my life. I was working too much and my family was paying the price. So, now I'm free to spend more time with the people that matter the most to me. I am very grateful for that.

So now because I have a little free time, I've been finding projects to do. My dear friend Stefanie got me hooked on Pinterest. (If you haven't checked it out... do it... seriously... right now.) I have found sooooo many DIY projects on there that I want to start. Only problem... no money. Hey, I guess that's what happens when you quit a job. But, what's more important: family or money? No brainer. Anywho, I've taught myself how to crochet and I've made a few hats and stuffed animals and scarfs. They're pretty cute. I'm trying to get the motivation to finish up a scarf for my sister-in-law, a fox stuffed animal, and a koala hat. Hopefully today I can get those puppies done. Next on my list to crochet are two slouchy hats for my mother-in-law, a sweater, a hat for a friend's baby, a Winnie the Pooh hat, and a blanket for my daughter. We'll see how far I get before my fingers fall off. :)

We're hoping to remodel our basement within the next year, so I'm getting super excited about getting my teacher/craft room all set up and ready to use. I can't wait! I *might* be getting it as a Christmas present... fingers crossed! I was on Pinterest (surprise surprise) and I found this blog that showed this woman's sewing room. I think my jaw hit the floor and drool flooded out of my mouth. You can see what her craft room looks like here. If only my house were HUGE and could accommodate a room that size. I am perfectly happy having a teeny tiny room as my craft room. <Enter huge grin>... SOOOOO EXCITED!

*If you want to join Pinterest, let me know your email address and I'll send you an invite.

Back to the Holiday Bustle

Well after a looooooooong busy summer, it is now fall and with fall comes the holiday season. Last year, I started working a temporary seasonal job at The Swiss Colony to help pay for Christmas presents. Against my better judgment (why is there no 'e' after the g in judgment?!), I decided to go back for year number two. Let me first preface this rant with why my summer was so busy.

Early this summer I started working for a photographer that owns photobooths. Dan and I are able to work together attending the photobooths at weddings and other occasions. I like this job, and my boss is awesome, but summer is wedding season, so the weekends were pretty much jam packed with photobooth jobs. And when we had a weekend off, we filled it quickly with family events and other things. During the summer, it wasn't so bad because I wasn't working during the week. Now, since school has started, I can't breathe.

I am a substitute teacher for 6 different schools (and love it), I work at Swiss Colony at night, we do photobooths on Saturdays, and then Dan and I clean a hair salon for a friend on the weekends (usually Sundays) as well. The weeks start running together when there isn't any time off. Many days, I work from 7:30am -10pm and that means that I'm away from my house from 6:30am to 10:45pm and that's just the days that I only have to work until 10. Soon, I'll be getting home after midnight. That is stressful enough, but that also means I don't get to see Bella or Dan. I think the only time I see Dan is when we're working together, and then we're usually fighting because the week has been so hard on us both. I need a part time stay at home job where I can work a couple hours a night and get paid like $150 a week. If you know of one, let me know.

I'm super stressed right now because of everything going on. I don't really like my SC job at all, and have thought about just quitting multiple times, but 1. I would feel bad leaving them hanging like this and 2. I need that extra cash. It's just such a pain. I have to work every night during the week (and soon, I'll have to start working weekends), if I want to take a night off for something, I get penalized for it (I got penalized last year for going to a meeting for Bella's baptism... awesome), and I have to work on Halloween (Bella's second) and the day after Thanksgiving. I know a lot of you may not know, but my holidays are so incredibly busy it's ridiculous. We will have probably about 7 Thanksgivings to go to. In a what, 3 or 4 day period? That's going to be just about impossible this year. Dan and Bella will have to go without me, which is unfair for both sides. I keep telling myself that SC is only until the middle of December, I can do it. But then I look at a calendar and realize that is 11 weeks away. That's 77 days. That seems like eternity. I don't know if I can do it. 

My house is a mess and I have absolutely no motivation to do anything about it. When I get home at night, it's not like I can just fall aleep right away. It takes time for me to unwind. I fell asleep last night around 1 and Bella was up at 6 this morning. I have no energy and I'm grumpy all the time. Not good for the family. You're probably thinking, well why don't you just take a nap when Bella does? Well, I have to get in the shower (because I can't trust her alone and awake), and I have to *try to straighten things up as best I can, and get laundry done, and everything else before I have to leave for work at night. Boo. I don't mean to be having a pity party right now, and I know a lot of people have it a lot worse than I do, but I just needed to get it out there, and I just want one person to tell me it's ok, and that I should just quit and it will all be ok.

I do still have things that make me happy:

*Crocheting... I just recently taught myself how to crochet, and I'm LOVING it

* Baking... I will be starting a blog January 1, 2012 that has a different dessert recipe every day for 365 days. I love the blog crockpot365.blogspot.com and her wonderful idea to use her crockpot every day for a year. I can't cook to save my life. My friend Jeremy can vouch for me when I say I should not be allowed near the stove with ideas in my head of deep frying ravioli. It's just bad. I, however, CAN bake. Pretty well some times. I love to try new yummy recipes that involve sweet ooey gooey stuff, so that's my blog. Be ready 2012!

* Friends... I have awesome friends. You guys are great. I love my "mom friends" and my high school and college friends. One of our friends *may be moving into Chateau Purcell for a little while if all things work according to plan. That is exciting and scary at the same time. More on that later if it happens.

* Family... I seriously couldn't do all these jobs if I didn't have such a supporting family that helps me take care of Bella (at no charge) ALL THE TIME. I love that if Bella is not with Dan or I that she is with grandparents, great grandparents, or aunts that love her. We are blessed to have a large loving family.

And of course Bella and Dan. I love having such a supportive husband that can handle me when I lose my mind and freak out about stupid little things that don't matter. He's always there for me, and he's got my back, even when I'm not aware. Bella keeps me on my toes and makes me laugh. She is going through a tough stage right now, but she's growing up and finding herself. I don't know what I'd do without her.