Ugh...work. Ugh...school. Ugh...responsibility. OK, just kidding. Well, sort of. I go back to school tomorrow after two wonderful weeks off. I can honestly say that I don't think that this break went by too fast. I feel like I had a lot of time to see family and friends as well as get some much-needed rest and relaxation. I will be sad to see it go but it must come to an end.
I started on my organization mission today. I didn't get as much done as I had hoped since I stopped in the afternoon to get things ready for school tomorrow. The paper sorting/file making is coming along nicely, though.
And speaking of going back to work, a bit of a funny story to share. Justin doesn't love to hear me say that I don't want to go back to work since I just had two weeks off and he barely gets a vacation each year, but I do it anyway and he groans every time. So we are watching the weather tonight and see that "they" are calling for a snowstorm on Thursday and the weatherman says "I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of school delays and closings on Thursday and Friday." I kind of laugh and say, "Yeah, after a full day tomorrow, it might be nice to have a break." Justin didn't find it amusing. Oh well!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Mission Organization
With a new year usually comes a time when I freak out and realize that I'm not exactly as organized as I'd like to be. I know, you are shocked. I think I seem put together on the outside but there are some aspects of my life that could use a lot more organization. I was reminded of that this evening when I had a small panic attack when I couldn't find our marriage license. Did I need our marriage license for any specific purpose? No. For some reason it just came to mind that if someone came up to me right now and asked me to present our official marriage license that I would have no idea where to look. Well, I wouldn't have known about 20 minutes ago. But I know now.
So I decided to tackle some piles of stuff in our guest room that have been growing lately. I started sorting through a lot of it and not only found papers (like the marriage license) that need a proper home in a file folder but found several office supplies that we aren't using. Me not use the wonderful, shiny, new office supplies? Crazy. I have a small obsession with all things that live in Staples, and I've been known to go in there for a mechanical pencil and come out with $50 worth of items.
Tomorrow marks my last day of winter break freedom and the first day that I start getting more organized around the house. Tomorrow you can find me curled up with a big stack of unorganized papers, new file folders, and the label maker!
So I decided to tackle some piles of stuff in our guest room that have been growing lately. I started sorting through a lot of it and not only found papers (like the marriage license) that need a proper home in a file folder but found several office supplies that we aren't using. Me not use the wonderful, shiny, new office supplies? Crazy. I have a small obsession with all things that live in Staples, and I've been known to go in there for a mechanical pencil and come out with $50 worth of items.
Tomorrow marks my last day of winter break freedom and the first day that I start getting more organized around the house. Tomorrow you can find me curled up with a big stack of unorganized papers, new file folders, and the label maker!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Dear Walmart Customer...
As a frequent Walmart shopper, I feel it is due time for this letter. Am I aware that it takes patience to shop at Walmart? Yes. However, I feel these suggestions will improve the lives of Walmart customers everywhere.
Dear Walmart customer,
I completely understand your need and desire to shop at Walmart. I, too, feel that several items are priced lower than in other grocery/department stores. But I feel that I have some suggestions, or "rules" that every one of us should follow to make the Walmart shopping experience pleasant for all.
1. When entering the Walmart parking lot, know that everyone else in town is probably at Walmart at the same time as you are and while you may want to circle the lot 423 times, it is much more efficient and practical to simply park your car in the back of the lot and walk the extra 30 paces to the door instead of waiting for what seems like 10 minutes for a spot that is only five spaces closer to the door than the next available spot. Not only will you get some added exercise by walking the extra 30 paces, but you will make the person behind you (probably me) very happy that he/she does not have to wait to park because he/she is perfectly fine with parking in the back.
2. Upon entry into the store, get your cart or basket and get going. I'm not sure if your trip to Walmart is the highlight of your day, but for some people (like me) it is simply a race to get in and get out so those people (me) don't appreciate your leisurely stroll to get said cart and then take your time getting out your list, wrestling your kids into the cart, checking out what Hostess cakes are on sale this week, etc. If you must take your time with these tasks, step aside so other customers (me) can get his/her cart quickly and run past Subway as quickly as possible so the smell doesn't stick to his/her (my) clothes.
3. Now that we have all started our journey up and down the aisles, we are truly getting the most out of our Walmart experience by saving money with the low prices on the items we are placing in our carts. However, was it necessary for you to bring all 64 members of your family with you to enjoy your shopping experience right along with you? Because I feel that is excessive. If you do need to bring all of your sons/daughters/aunts/uncles/cousins/second cousins/third cousins/best friends with you, please have them form a single line behind you instead of crowding around every inch of your cart so that the customer behind you (probably me) can get down the aisles quickly.
4. When going to get an item off the shelf, it is not OK to leave your cart in the middle of the aisle.
5. Decide what kind of milk you want before approaching the cooler. There are not that many choices. And yes, I'm aware that Walmart has been slacking lately in carrying 1% milk in the Great Value brand so either decide if you want to pay the extra $1.25 for 1% Deans milk or if you still want the cheap Great Value brand and grab a gallon of 2% and get out of the way.
6. Wear clothes that are clean, free of profanity, and that cover all parts of your body.
7. If you only have five items and choose to go in the "20 items or less" line to check-out, please re-read the sign that says "20 items or less" and don't breathe heavily, shift your weight impatiently from one foot to the other, and give the person in front of you (probably me) a if-looks-could-kill look because that person (me) has 19 items. The sign "20 items or less". Nineteen is less than 20.
8. Please do not leave unwanted items from your cart at the end of the check-out conveyor belt or better yet, on the floor in the check-out line for others (probably me) to maneuver around or trip over. If you wanted the item ten minutes ago when you put it into your cart, why don't you want it now?
9. When walking back to your car with your 64 family members and cart full of bagged groceries, pick a side of the aisle in the parking lot to walk down instead of weaving around somewhere in the middle.
10. Finally, when exiting the Walmart parking lot, utilize the big yellow arrows in the parking lot. They tell you which direction you should be traveling.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Leavell
Oh, and one more thing...
Dear Walmart employee,
When a customer buys eight different cans of food product to make a pot of chili perhaps, it is not OK or even smart to put all eight cans into one plastic bag and "double-bag" it thinking that those two bags will withhold the weight of eight cans. They won't. All of the handles will break. Trust me.
Thank you,
Jennifer Leavell
Dear Walmart customer,
I completely understand your need and desire to shop at Walmart. I, too, feel that several items are priced lower than in other grocery/department stores. But I feel that I have some suggestions, or "rules" that every one of us should follow to make the Walmart shopping experience pleasant for all.
1. When entering the Walmart parking lot, know that everyone else in town is probably at Walmart at the same time as you are and while you may want to circle the lot 423 times, it is much more efficient and practical to simply park your car in the back of the lot and walk the extra 30 paces to the door instead of waiting for what seems like 10 minutes for a spot that is only five spaces closer to the door than the next available spot. Not only will you get some added exercise by walking the extra 30 paces, but you will make the person behind you (probably me) very happy that he/she does not have to wait to park because he/she is perfectly fine with parking in the back.
2. Upon entry into the store, get your cart or basket and get going. I'm not sure if your trip to Walmart is the highlight of your day, but for some people (like me) it is simply a race to get in and get out so those people (me) don't appreciate your leisurely stroll to get said cart and then take your time getting out your list, wrestling your kids into the cart, checking out what Hostess cakes are on sale this week, etc. If you must take your time with these tasks, step aside so other customers (me) can get his/her cart quickly and run past Subway as quickly as possible so the smell doesn't stick to his/her (my) clothes.
3. Now that we have all started our journey up and down the aisles, we are truly getting the most out of our Walmart experience by saving money with the low prices on the items we are placing in our carts. However, was it necessary for you to bring all 64 members of your family with you to enjoy your shopping experience right along with you? Because I feel that is excessive. If you do need to bring all of your sons/daughters/aunts/uncles/cousins/second cousins/third cousins/best friends with you, please have them form a single line behind you instead of crowding around every inch of your cart so that the customer behind you (probably me) can get down the aisles quickly.
4. When going to get an item off the shelf, it is not OK to leave your cart in the middle of the aisle.
5. Decide what kind of milk you want before approaching the cooler. There are not that many choices. And yes, I'm aware that Walmart has been slacking lately in carrying 1% milk in the Great Value brand so either decide if you want to pay the extra $1.25 for 1% Deans milk or if you still want the cheap Great Value brand and grab a gallon of 2% and get out of the way.
6. Wear clothes that are clean, free of profanity, and that cover all parts of your body.
7. If you only have five items and choose to go in the "20 items or less" line to check-out, please re-read the sign that says "20 items or less" and don't breathe heavily, shift your weight impatiently from one foot to the other, and give the person in front of you (probably me) a if-looks-could-kill look because that person (me) has 19 items. The sign "20 items or less". Nineteen is less than 20.
8. Please do not leave unwanted items from your cart at the end of the check-out conveyor belt or better yet, on the floor in the check-out line for others (probably me) to maneuver around or trip over. If you wanted the item ten minutes ago when you put it into your cart, why don't you want it now?
9. When walking back to your car with your 64 family members and cart full of bagged groceries, pick a side of the aisle in the parking lot to walk down instead of weaving around somewhere in the middle.
10. Finally, when exiting the Walmart parking lot, utilize the big yellow arrows in the parking lot. They tell you which direction you should be traveling.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Leavell
Oh, and one more thing...
Dear Walmart employee,
When a customer buys eight different cans of food product to make a pot of chili perhaps, it is not OK or even smart to put all eight cans into one plastic bag and "double-bag" it thinking that those two bags will withhold the weight of eight cans. They won't. All of the handles will break. Trust me.
Thank you,
Jennifer Leavell
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Maggie's New...Toy?
Wanting to buy for all members of our family this past Christmas, Justin and I set out to Petsmart about a week before Christmas to find Maggie the perfect gift. We got her a few packs of her favorite treats and a couple of catnip toys for her stocking before searching for a larger gift.
We had noticed lately that when we take her to the vet (she has to get weighed every six weeks to monitor her weight for the hyperthyroidism) and we don't put the pet carrier up right away, she will sleep in it for hours at a time because it is enclosed and dark and comfortable to her, I guess. So we decided to look for a bed for her that was enclosed. We found one, and while we had our doubts that she would actually use it, we got it anyway.
Fast forward to Christmas when we gave Maggie the bed, and she had no interest in it. It continued to sit in our living room for the next five days and she wanted nothing to do with it. She would walk by it and we would encourage her to get inside and she would look at us as if to say, "Why would I sleep in some glorified pillow on the floor when I have two separate beds to choose from in this apartment including one that has my own blanket on it?" And, well, she had a point:
That's her sleeping on her blanket on our bed. You can find her there about 20 of the 24 hours in a day.
So we located the original tags for the bed and back to Petsmart we went. They took the bed back without any problems and we were left back at square one with having no idea what to get her. Who knew that the hardest person to buy for in the family would be the cat? We walked around the store for awhile and we suddenly had the idea to get her a new water bowl. We decided that she (and us) could really benefit from one of those water bowls that looks like a miniature water cooler that stores a lot of water. We are constantly filling up her water bowl since she drinks a lot in one day (blame it on the hyperthyroidism) so we went to the aisle with all of the food bowls for cats. While looking at the water-cooler-like bowl, we found something even better.
This something was the perfect gift for our kitty. We didn't just buy her a water bowl...we bought her a water fountain. Yes, a water bowl that has a fountain that she can just step right up to and drink from. Maggie has always been facinated by water running out of the kitchen sink faucet so we thought this was the best thing we could buy for her.
We got home and Justin set it all up. Maggie, curious as to why her regular water bowl was missing, stood around us wondering what this new object was.
We turned it on, and well, didn't quite get the reaction out of her that we thought we would. Instead, this happened:
We had to laugh at her a little. But then we gave her a nice pep talk about how it was just water and about how she can drink from the fountain. We thought that if we made the stream of water smaller she might not be so hesitant of it. Here's what happened next:
We were relieved that she was warming up to it, but the stream of water needed to be back at regular speed (we thought) in order for her to drink from it, but she now had another use for the fountain:
Great, we thought. She thinks we bought her a new toy, not a new water bowl. We were worried that she wouldn't drink water from it and putting her regular water bowl out right next to it would kind of defeat the purpose. We even looked like idiots trying to demonstrate just how one drinks from a fountain (not recorded, sadly), and then she started doing this:
Success! Well, sort of. She wasn't so much drinking from it, but rather biting at the water. But we felt she started to understand the concept. So we decided to unplug the fountain and see if she would drink from the bowl without the water running (we decided to unplug it each night because if the water level gets below a certain line then the motor can break and we weren't sure how much water she drank at night). Notice how she is confused now by the missing fountain of water:
We had noticed lately that when we take her to the vet (she has to get weighed every six weeks to monitor her weight for the hyperthyroidism) and we don't put the pet carrier up right away, she will sleep in it for hours at a time because it is enclosed and dark and comfortable to her, I guess. So we decided to look for a bed for her that was enclosed. We found one, and while we had our doubts that she would actually use it, we got it anyway.
Fast forward to Christmas when we gave Maggie the bed, and she had no interest in it. It continued to sit in our living room for the next five days and she wanted nothing to do with it. She would walk by it and we would encourage her to get inside and she would look at us as if to say, "Why would I sleep in some glorified pillow on the floor when I have two separate beds to choose from in this apartment including one that has my own blanket on it?" And, well, she had a point:
That's her sleeping on her blanket on our bed. You can find her there about 20 of the 24 hours in a day.So we located the original tags for the bed and back to Petsmart we went. They took the bed back without any problems and we were left back at square one with having no idea what to get her. Who knew that the hardest person to buy for in the family would be the cat? We walked around the store for awhile and we suddenly had the idea to get her a new water bowl. We decided that she (and us) could really benefit from one of those water bowls that looks like a miniature water cooler that stores a lot of water. We are constantly filling up her water bowl since she drinks a lot in one day (blame it on the hyperthyroidism) so we went to the aisle with all of the food bowls for cats. While looking at the water-cooler-like bowl, we found something even better.
This something was the perfect gift for our kitty. We didn't just buy her a water bowl...we bought her a water fountain. Yes, a water bowl that has a fountain that she can just step right up to and drink from. Maggie has always been facinated by water running out of the kitchen sink faucet so we thought this was the best thing we could buy for her.
We got home and Justin set it all up. Maggie, curious as to why her regular water bowl was missing, stood around us wondering what this new object was.
We turned it on, and well, didn't quite get the reaction out of her that we thought we would. Instead, this happened:
What is this? What do I do with it? What is that strange liquid coming from that spout? It looks like water. It smells like water. Should I touch it? Probably shouldn't.
We had to laugh at her a little. But then we gave her a nice pep talk about how it was just water and about how she can drink from the fountain. We thought that if we made the stream of water smaller she might not be so hesitant of it. Here's what happened next:
Oh, I get it! It is water! And I can touch it!
We were relieved that she was warming up to it, but the stream of water needed to be back at regular speed (we thought) in order for her to drink from it, but she now had another use for the fountain:
Wow, guys! What an awesome new paw-washer! Think of the time I'll save now! Instead of cleaning by incessant licking, I can just use this! Thanks!
Great, we thought. She thinks we bought her a new toy, not a new water bowl. We were worried that she wouldn't drink water from it and putting her regular water bowl out right next to it would kind of defeat the purpose. We even looked like idiots trying to demonstrate just how one drinks from a fountain (not recorded, sadly), and then she started doing this:
A paw-washer, a toy, and I can drink cold water from it? Awesome!
Success! Well, sort of. She wasn't so much drinking from it, but rather biting at the water. But we felt she started to understand the concept. So we decided to unplug the fountain and see if she would drink from the bowl without the water running (we decided to unplug it each night because if the water level gets below a certain line then the motor can break and we weren't sure how much water she drank at night). Notice how she is confused now by the missing fountain of water:
Hmmmm. Where did that stream of water go? Not sure, but I'm thirsty from all that playing and paw-washing.
Well, she'll drink from the bowl, but will she drink from it when the water is running?
Yes she will! And now we repeat that entire process each time it is plugged in every day. It's the best toy/paw-washer/water fountain/water bowl/gift we've ever bought for her.
Yes she will! And now we repeat that entire process each time it is plugged in every day. It's the best toy/paw-washer/water fountain/water bowl/gift we've ever bought for her.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Hello, unknown. My name is Jenn.
OK, so I will admit that I was a little down in the dumps when I wrote my post yesterday. Like I said, I'm not really sure why, but Justin came home from work and it turned out to be a fun, low-key New Year's Eve.
Since Justin is still getting over a nasty cold he got (OK, I probably gave him) the day after Christmas, we decided to stay in last night. We made chicken for dinner, played a lot of Wii Fit Plus (oh my goodness...hilarious and addicting games on that thing), watched a little TV, and were in bed to watch the ball drop and then fall fast asleep! Lame, you may say, but it was perfect for us and believe it or not, the first time that I have been able to kiss Justin at midnight in about seven years so that in itself was worth it!
I call 2010 the unknown because obviously no one knows what it will bring. And with that means change and (brace yourself if you really know me) I'm OK with that. I'm even a little excited about what's to come. I keep telling Justin that 2010 is going to be a big year for us. While I don't want to jinx any good things that might be coming our way, I can fully see a first home in our future as well as hopefully a new job for Justin and perhaps news that a little Leavell is on the way? Only time will tell. I'm just glad that I'm fully comfortable to sit back and let the change(s) happen.
Since Justin is still getting over a nasty cold he got (OK, I probably gave him) the day after Christmas, we decided to stay in last night. We made chicken for dinner, played a lot of Wii Fit Plus (oh my goodness...hilarious and addicting games on that thing), watched a little TV, and were in bed to watch the ball drop and then fall fast asleep! Lame, you may say, but it was perfect for us and believe it or not, the first time that I have been able to kiss Justin at midnight in about seven years so that in itself was worth it!
I call 2010 the unknown because obviously no one knows what it will bring. And with that means change and (brace yourself if you really know me) I'm OK with that. I'm even a little excited about what's to come. I keep telling Justin that 2010 is going to be a big year for us. While I don't want to jinx any good things that might be coming our way, I can fully see a first home in our future as well as hopefully a new job for Justin and perhaps news that a little Leavell is on the way? Only time will tell. I'm just glad that I'm fully comfortable to sit back and let the change(s) happen.
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