misplaced momma

Looks like I let time slip by me without answering the daily questions from Gwenbell!

December 19 Car ride. What did you see? How did it smell? Did you eat anything as you drove there? Who were you with?

The longest car ride was when we drove from FL to MI after my dad past away, with my then 2 month old! It was the longest trip ever! Then when we decided to move back to MI we had to make one more long trip! That’s 3 times we drove the 23 hour trip!

The most memorable moment was when we were lost in Atlanta. It was late and we were about to pull over for the night but we wanted to get through Atlanta first. We were tired, and hungry, and on edge from getting on the wrong highway and getting turned around trying to get back to the right place. And wouldn’t you know it, Abby had the messiest poopiest diaper EVER! It had leaked all over the place, she was covered! Her carseat was a mess.  She was screaming, and I was about in tears myself. I said, I dont care how much the hotel costs, we’re going to the first one we see! As soon as we got the room I had to put her in the sink to wash her down!

December 20 New person. She came into your life and turned it upside down. He went out of his way to provide incredible customer service. Who is your unsung hero of 2009?

Well, not completely new… but I think it counts if I saw her in a new light. It’s my step sister in law. I never really got a long with her all that much. But things changed when we came to MI and his family threw me a baby shower, and she was pregnant too. We just clicked, I think because we had something in common now. And since we moved her, she’s been a blessing! She’s shown me around to places I needed to get to, she’s watched Abby when I needed her to. She’s actually pretty much the only person I ever talk to or hang out with up here!  So she has been such a blessing to me, and I appreciate her a lot more now.

December 21 Project. What did you start this year that you’re proud of?

I’m writing more. Not necessarily on this blog, I’m still sort of slacking when it comes to that! But just writing in general.

December 22 Startup. What’s a business that you found this year that you love? Who thought it up? What makes it special?

Wubbanubs! Seriously, check it out of you have a baby, if you’re going to a baby shower or need a baby gift. BEST PACIFIER EVER!!! The babies can hold onto the animal so they don’t drop the pacfier half as much! And they’re the pacifiers you get from the hospital. These were the ONLY pacifiers Abby would take.

December 23 Web tool. It came into your work flow this year and now you couldn’t live without it. It has simplified or improved your online experience.

Picasa. I love making collages of pictures on there! I’ve made one collage for each month of Abby’s life.

December 24 Learning experience. What was a lesson you learned this year that changed you?

oh boy… that you can be a lot broker then you would ever imagine! That yes, there is a chance you could be scarping by, but you know what… Money isn’t everything, and you can get by. You may have to cut things out of your life you never thought you could, but when you’re forced to, you can realize what you can live without. And when you need it most, the money just seems to come your way. It’s a humbling experience and really tests you, but you can make it!

December 25 Gift. What’s a gift you gave yourself this year that has kept on giving?

How about life?? We created and I gave birth to my beautiful baby girl. She makes our lives worth living each and every day. She knows how to brighten our day when we think it can’t get any worse.

December 26 Insight or aha! moment. What was your epiphany of the year?

See Dec 24th answer

December 27 Social web moment. Did you meet someone you used to only know from her blog? Did you discover Twitter?

hm I discovered some mom blogger sites like mom logic and mom bloggers

December 28 Stationery. When you touch the paper, your heart melts. The ink flows from the pen. What was your stationery find of the year?

wow, I didn’t get anything new this year! but my favorite is some van gogh blank cards.

December 29 Laugh. What was your biggest belly laugh of the year?

Playing Catch Phrase with my family… see post here.

December 30 Ad. What advertisement made you think this year?

I always laugh at this commercial … but of course I can’t think of it now!! I hate that… I’ll update if I can remember it or if I see it again lol.

December 31 Resolution you wish you’d stuck with. (You know, there’s always next year…)

I dont make resolutions for the simple fact that I don’t stick with them. Why set myself up for disappointment?? LOL

CHALLENGE COMPLETE! WOO!

GwenBells challenge check it out here

December 18 Shop. Online or offline, where did you spend most of your mad money this year?

Oh Boy… Walmart?? lol. That’s where we grocery shop now! That’s about all the money we’ve been able to spend this year… I did buy a pair of jeans when we moved to Michigan from JCPenny for about $17. I didn’t need any in Florida, all I wore were shorts, capris or dress pants to work… who needs jeans in Florida? But actually, baby stuff is what we’ve bought the most of, we spent a lot of money in Target back in Florida… no targets up here That’s my favorite store too!! I miss it! haha.

But if you add up all the receipts I bet that walmart wins…Sad… I kinda hate that place…

Gwen Bell’s Challenge Dec 17th question…

December 17 Word or phrase. A word that encapsulates your year. “2009 was _____.”

HECTIC…. CRAZY…. LIFE CHANGING….

Refer back to my post about the major events of this year and you will see why!!

December 16 Tea of the year. I can taste my favorite tea right now. What’s yours?

I like green tea with mandarin Orange flavor. And I love to drink anything hot in my awesome Tinkerbell mug I got in Disney! (pictured below)

Ooops I got behind on the challenge! I’m doing Gwen Bell’s challenge and here are the questions to catch me up!

December 10 Album of the year. What’s rocking your world?

I would have to say my favorite song right now is Use Somebody by Kings of Leon. So if I could buy an album it might be that one, either that or Beyonce because I know I’ll like a lot of her songs!

December 11 The best place. A coffee shop? A pub? A retreat center? A cubicle? A nook?

Can I go back to Florida please!?!? This weather is killing me! I knew it would be the roughest winter, getting back to the cold, so I tried to brace myself… it’s sort of working but I’d still rather be in the warm sunshine! I had a cute little spot on the beach I liked to visit. It was kind of out of the way and in between a hotel and some houses so there was never a ton of people there, which I loved. And it was easy access, I didnt have to park far away, so it wasn’t a hassle.  I just had to drive kind of far to get there so I didnt go often, it was a special treat when I did go!

I loved just putting my feet in the sand, instant relaxation

December 12 New food. You’re now in love with Lebanese food and you didn’t even know what it was in January of this year.

Plantains! I was introduced when I first moved to FL in 07 by one of my Latin co-workers. She took me to a place called La Granja (something like that…) and they were gross! But then I went to visit a friend and she made them for us with this meal she made us for lunch, they were AWESOME! Here I thought I didnt like them but the way she made them just made me realize that I didnt like the way that resturant makes them. So I tried them again at a different resturant, now that I knew I liked them one way, and they were good there too. So that one place almost ruined it for me!

December 13 What’s the best change you made to the place you live?

umm…well we just moved this summer… so unpacking would probably be the best change haha.

December 14 Rush. When did you get your best rush of the year?

oh, I talked about this already in another question for this challenge… here… laughing so hard that you can’t control yourself… thats one of the best rushes for me, feels so good!

December 15 Best packaging. Did your headphones come in a sweet case? See a bottle of tea in another country that stood off the shelves?

I think it was this year…I wished I would have taken a pic of it too, but I didn’t. Rialeilani sent me a baby gift. It was a personalize blanket with a frog head with my daughters name on it (the theme for her room is frogs and ducks!). I’m pretty sure she bought it from someone on etsy. They folded it all cute to actually look like a frogs body, and it was in this cute plastic wrap bag with crinkled paper on the bottom and tied with pretty ribbons. It was adorable! I loved it!

Blog find of the year. That gem of a blog you can’t believe you didn’t know about until this year.

http://www.dooce.com/

I didn’t know anyone could be so accomplished with just writing a blog! Amazing!

Workshop or conference. Was there a conference or workshop you attended that was especially beneficial? Where was it? What did you learn?

Well, I suppose it was sort of like a work shop. The closest thing I attended was child birth classes!! lol. I didn’t learn all that much per se. Nothing I couldn’t read in a book. But it did give me a little more insight into what to expect. Well… that might be a lie, the breathing exercises we did I dont think I would have had the same effect had I not had someone teach me to do it. It really did help when I was going through a contraction!

Best Of 09 Challenge question for Dec 5th:

Night out. Did you have a night out with friends or a loved one that rocked your world? Who was there? What was the highlight of the night?

The best night I’ve had in a while would have to be at my sisters in October. We were getting our pictures taken the next day by one of her photographer friends. They live 4 hrs away so we drove in the night before. My mom and grandma went too. We ended up playing this game called catch phrase. It was to most fun I’ve had in a long long time. I haven’t laughed that hard in a while, and it was just great. But even more than that, my mom had a lot of fun too. She laughed so hard and I think she truly had fun. I dont think she’s felt that way since my dad past away. So it was nice to see true light in her face.

I’m always up for a good challenge! I just found this one here:

I clicked this badge on my buddies blog www.rialeilani.com!

One question every day. But I need to catch up since it’s the 4th! So here are the first four…..

December 1 Trip. What was your best trip in 2009?

Wow, I didnt have a good trip in 09! Here’s to trying for one in 2010! lol. I was pregnant the first 3 months and had a new born after that, and moved across the country… no time! But I guess going to Clearwater for my baby shower in January was pretty nice. And my parents flew down from Michigan to attend, so that was even better. However… thats the trip my camera broke and I lost the pictures of my shower, and also the last picture of me and my dad together! So Hm… not the best trip huh? lol.

December 2 Restaurant moment. Share the best restaurant experience you had this year. Who was there? What made it amazing? What taste stands out in your mind?

Hm a couple come to mind actually… When we were in Michigan (when we still lived in FL) we met C’s grandparents and Aunt and Cousin at Applebee’s. It was the first time I tried this Orange Chicken Rice Bowl. It was sooooo good! A more than plesant surprise. And I had enough for leftovers too haha. I love leftovers.

The 2nd one is actually times 3… We went to this place called Aruba’s on the beach in Fort Lauderdale. (2nd picture on this post here)They have the best fresh bread with warm cinnamon honey butter. We went for our Anniversary dinner in January. When Curt’s dad came to visit we went back in April- both times I got chicken quesadilla. Then the 3rd time Curts mom and grandma came, I got this shrimp dish that was really good. But the best part about this resturant is the view! It’s right on the beach!

December 3 Article. What’s an article that you read that blew you away? That you shared with all your friends. That you Delicious’d and reference throughout the year.

The only one I can remember sharing (off the top of my head) is about 18 kids and counting tv show on TLC. Yeah, they’re having their 19th kid! CRAZY!!! It’s like a car crash, you dont want to look, but you can’t help but watch lol.

December 4 Book. What book – fiction or non – touched you? Where were you when you read it? Have you bought and given away multiple copies?

My mom let me borrow a book she got from her book circle at work… it was Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks. I hadnt read a fiction book since before my daughter was born! So it was nice for a change for one, but it was a really really good book and I couldn’t put it down. It was one of the quickest reads for me.

I’m still looking for a job… I’ve read that you shouldn’t blog about your current job, but, you know I can’t hide this one… I work a ridiculous schedule for very little money and not very many hours…It just isn’t cutting it. So I’m looking at indeed.com for another job and come across this one…

This is a list of the requirements for a Lead Analyst – Data Management at General Electric…

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
· Please submit your application for employment through Gecareers.com to be considered
· 18 years of age or older
· Must have unrestricted authorization to work in the United States
·Willing to submit to a background investigation and drug test as part of the selection process
· Willing to work out of an office in Visteon Village, Wayne County, Van Buren Township (near Ann Arbor / Detroit)
Additional Eligibility Qualifications GE will only employ those who are legally authorized to work. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen.
Desired Characteristics · Oracle 11G experience
· Strong analytical skills and problem-solving skills
· Strong written and verbal communication skills
· Ability to translate business requirements to application specifications
· Green Belt certified

….Did you get that… Green Belt Certified….??? For an analyst-data  position?? At GE…. WHAT?? LOL. This is not a lie… see for yourself if you don’t believe me!!

http://careeradvocate.com/page/job/Job.html/37caa05e1256054149