Work

So many feelings that come from one little word. I used to work full time and then stopped. I really missed my paycheck! Then this past summer, I started working part-time in the evenings. The purpose? To have some "play money" that could be used for fun stuff (like Chuck-E-Cheese or the recent HSM on Ice event). Well, it looks like I may not be having that job too much longer. Not because of getting fired, but because I won't be able to work the hours they want me to much longer. Starting in mid-January Brian will be here and there and everywhere, but in no particular pattern. He's got a field op in Jan for a week, Cajun Viper in February, then leaves for about 7 months in March. When he's gone, I won't be able to work my usual evenings because there won't be anyone here to watch the kids, and who wants to watch children until 12 - 1 in the morning? I really like where I'm working and I've made some new friends as well. I'm hoping that I'll be able to get a job that I could work during the day (mostly during school hours to save on childcare), and on base would be a plus. I did get a call back about one job, but I am not sure how that is going. It is an instructor position, and I've got plenty of instructor experience, however, I don't know the subject they want me to teach. It would pay rather well (about $50 - $60K / yr) but I'm wondering if it would be worth it. I'm starting to doubt myself. I could always stay home, but since the kids are all in school I find myself rather bored a lot. I need to have something to do to keep myself occupied, otherwise I'll just become a couch potato. (computer potato?) Well, something to think and pray about.

Four years and counting

It's hard to believe that Brian & I have been married for four years now. By this time next year, he should be back from Iraq and we'll probably be in Mississippi visiting his parents for Christmas. They say time flies when you're having fun. We have a lot of fun, usually. Sure we have our down times, but I'd take down times with him anytime as opposed to good times without him. After a good, long talk earlier today (Wednesday, that is) I've come to the realization that I do not function well without him. Not that I'll fall on my face when he's gone, but more recently, due to job scheduling, we haven't spent as much time together. We're together, but not talking or enjoying each others company. We're back on track and I am feeling so much better. Last week was an off week on its own due to the store being on extended hours, and add us not really being together really made it an off week for me. I love my husband so much, it is really going to be hard when he's gone. Oh, last night we went to Olive Garden for our Anniversary dinner. Since it's still new (just a month old), we had to wait a little while, but it was worth it to spend some time together without the kids. Thanks to Brian's parents, as in our anniversary card from them, they tossed in a gift card. They're so sweet!

It's been awhile ...

Well, it sure has been awhile since I last posted. Things have been pretty constant around here. Constantly busy, that is. By Thursday evening, all 3 kids will be here at the house for the winter break. Fun times for me! I wonder what I can do to keep them occupied throught the day? hmmm

We started our extended hours a couple weeks ago at work. Extended it by an hour in the morning, then last week we extended them another hour in the evening so now we are open 8am - midnight every day of the week until December 23rd. Oh, I forgot to look at the schedule tonight to see when I work next week. Thankfully, since I close, I shouldn't have to worry about opening the day after Christmas. I want to go shopping! :-)

Last Tuesday, Karah's (brownie) girl scout troop went caroling

with my girl scout troop (I'm a co-leader of a junior troop) around the neighborhood. I managed to get a picture of her and her friend, Krissy, singing. Krissy is the daughter of my co-leader and was in the same troop as Karah last year.

They had a lot of fun and then had cookies and hot chocolate
afterwards. Karah's troop leader got them all Santa hats and

used glitter glue to write their names and troop number on it. They were so cute!

These two little brothers (of Karah & Krissy) got to tag along and hopefully it got them somthing for cub scouts. I'll have to check the book and find out. They really enjoyed their hot chocolate, can you tell? Vincent and Carson are both in 1st grade and go to cub scouts together. Since Carson's daddy is in Iraq, Brian takes both the boys to cub scouts for their den meetings and also watches the boys when the girls to go girl scouts. The roles will probably be reversed when Brian goes over. In any case, they have a lot of fun together. :-)

Last weekend, we went to Raleigh, NC, to see High School Musical on Ice. It was arranged by Karah's troop leader, and since there were more than 10 attending, we were able to get a group rate for the tickets. All five of us went and we enjoyed ourselves. We got a surprise, when after the show was "over" they said it was going into intermission and that HSM2 would be starting in a few minutes. I thought we were only going to see the first one. We had a blast! We got the kids snow cones in souvenir sports bottles so they could have a drink and souvenir in one, and also got a souvenir program, and a picture of the kids with the cutouts of "Troy" & "Gabriella" (the main stars of the show, although there are several). If I can get my scanner to work, I'll scan the picture. Until then, I'll just put up this picture of the kids with their souvenirs. I had them dress warmly because it had been rather chilly, but it really wasn't to bad that evening. It did keep them warmer inside, though, since it was a bit cool in there.

Well, I guess that's a pretty good update for now. Brian just woke up, so I'm going to go snuggle.

Scattergories

SCATTERGORIES...it's harder than it looks! Copy and paste into a new email. When you are done, send it on, including to the person who sent it to you. *Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following...they have to be real places, names, things...nothing made up!

Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same first initial. You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.
You're up!!

What's your name? Rebekah

4 letter word: rage

Vehicle: Rendezvous

City: Rockford

Boy Name: Roger

Girl Name: Renee

Alcoholic drink: Rum Punch Occupation: Realator

Something you wear: Reeboks

Celebrity: Rachel Ray

Food: rigatoni

Reason for Being Late: ran out of gas

Cartoon Character: Roger Rabbit

Something You Shout: Rah! Rah! Sis-Boom-Bah!

Subject: "The Few, The Proud, The Marines" - Marine Corps Recruiting Commandrequests your support completing a slogan survey

I don't forward much stuff on usually, but this was worth it. Please take a moment of your time to vote! The Marine Corps means a lot to me, and I know quite a few of you as well. ~ Rebekah


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Whether you are one of the few and the proud, or simply one of the faithful to those who bear the title United States Marine, we ask that you browse to the URL: http://advertising.yahoo.com/advertisingweek_07/slogan_poll.html to vote for the slogan that has meant so much to so many. If you have Internet access in more than one location, you can vote more than once, so rememberto vote from home, work, the library, and anywhere else you can find acomputer! With a dedicated constituency of active, former, and civilian members of the Marine Corps, strength of message, and patriotic nature of our institution, we are confident a concentrated effort will deliver "The Few. The Proud." into the hall of fame, establishing it in its rightful place among elite American brands. We thank you for your support!

Marine Corps Recruiting Command
(703) 784-9433
MCRC Advertising Department
3280 Russell Rd, Quantico, Va 22134

Just a bit of an update

Well, so much has happened since my last post. Things have been crazy busy around here. We got the kids back from Texas, moved houses (2 blocks away), kids started school, I'm the PTA auditor for Vincent's school, a co-leader in a Junior Girl Scout troop, plus I work the closing shift part - time.

So far, the kids are adjusting to school life well. Vincent is doing much better this year than he was last year. He is in a K-1 multi-age class with the same teacher he had last year, and he comes home talking about "the little kindergarteners" ... it's so cute! Karah is at a new school yet again, but seems to be enjoying it so far. The kids ride the same bus but walk to their respective schools (they're right next to each other). The reason for the schools is because Johnson Primary (Vincent's) has around 700 students and that is just K - 2. Karah goes to Bitz Intermediate which is for 3rd - 5th grades. At least they have some former classmates there and it's not totally new.

I don't know if we're going to do sports this year as things already seem so busy. Karah starts going to her Girl Scout meetings in a couple of weeks, and Vincent will be starting Boy Scouts soon. I think that will be enough to keep them busy for the time being, plus it lasts longer than the sports.

Brian just found out today that he'll be going back to his old unit in a week or two to start doing training before going to Iraq. Right now, we think he's leaving towards Spring-time 2008. He's not looking forward to going back to the unit, but he doesn't have much of a choice. Hopefully it will be better than before, but he's not holding his breath about it.

Me, well, let's just say I have a busy schedule. Not that I'm complaining ... I'm glad to have something (useful) to do. I'm really excited about the school year, actually, as there will be so much I'll be able to help do. There's lots of things we have planned for the girls in Girl Scouts, plus there will also be much to do with the PTA. It's so nice to be able to do the things I was unable to do when I was in. Much as I may miss the Marines, I wouldn't change my decision about getting out. It's been good for me and the kids being able to spend more time together.

Well, I guess I've ranted on enough for now. Off to bed (soon) and up early to get the kids to school and run errands...then take a nap before work!

Almost ...

Well, the time is currently 12:52am EST on Tuesday, August 14, 2007, and 24 hours from now I will be on my way to the airport in Raleigh so I can go get Karah & Vincent. It's been rather lonely here without them around. I've missed them a lot. I'll be flying out at 8:40 am EST, have a layover in Houston, then land in Midland at 12:47 pm CST. Larry should be meeting me there with the kids, and then we'll transfer some things to the suitcases I bring with. After being in the airport for a couple hours, we will then hop on a plane to Houston at 4:25pm CST, then land in Raleigh at 10:56 pm EST. We plan on staying in a hotel that has a shuttle, so Brian won't have to worry about coming to get us ... I think the kids would like to ride on the shuttle, too. On Thursday, we plan on stopping in Goldsboro so that Karah can spend her cookie bucks at the Girl Scout store before they expire. We were thinking about seeing a movie at Seymour Johnson AFB, but I just checked the schedule, and they don't have anything playing at all until the weekend. Oh well, we need to make it home sometime before dark anyhow. On the way home we'll be picking up Brian Lee, and then once we get here figure out sleeping arrangements.

The movers will be here on Monday to start packing, so we are thinking of letting Karah sleep on one of the pull out beds until her bedroom is set back up at the new house. Brian and I have peeked in the windows over there and it is teh exact same layout as here, just has a garage, an extra room, better screened porch, and patio. It also has a service road (alley) that the kids will be able to ride their bikes and scooters on without being in the road. I can't wait!

Well, I think I have been up long enough for now. Time to get some sleep, as I have a long couple days ahead of me.

Random musings

Well, it is Friday and I have another day off of work. It is rather nice, actually. Tonight we plan on going to see Transformers again and taking Brian Lee with us as he is the only one not to see it yet in our family. However, in order for him to see it, he has to really behave himself today as he got himself grounded last night. He's trying hard to be good because he really wants to see it.

The car wouldn't start today so Brian took the truck to work. It kinda sucks, actually, since I was planning on going places today. I probably still could, but I want to know I'll be able to make it home. We think that it's the starter going out on the car, as the battery is holding a charge just fine. Much as the car has been a help, it is time to "retire" it and get a new(er) vehicle. I want to get a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT fully loaded with a black exterior and preferrably dark/black interior as well. Brian wants a number of vehicles, among his favorties are Pontiac Trans Am, Dodge Charger, Chevorlet Camero (2009), and Pontiac Trans Am Firehawk.

It's hard to believe summer is almost over and school will be starting in two weeks. It seems like school just let out, and here I am buying school supplies all over again. I think I need to get a plastic tub, and just keep school stuff in it. Stock up when the prices are cheap, so then I won't have to go and buy stuff every time they need it. So far I've gotten most everything for them, with the exception of folders, as I'm going to wait and let them pick them out for themselves. We bought the kids' backpacks last weekend: Vincent the Bumblebee Transformers, Brian Lee the Optimus Prime Transformers, and Karah a pretty beige one w/an embroidered butterfly on it. When she comes back, I'm going to take her to get some paints and accessories so she can decorate it, as that's what she wanted to do this year.

I have found myself with plenty of things to do this year, as I'm an executive board member of the PTA, a co-leader for Junior Girl Scouts, working, and I'm putting in for an instructor position here on base. I think I would really like to get a blackberry, if for no other reason for the fact that it would have Microsoft Office on it, and I use the calendar in Outlook on my computer all the time, and this way it would be much easier for me to keep track of things, especially since it looks like I'll have a full calendar this year.

I started on a family newsletter for me and my cousins, but I wonder how far it will go? I did complete it, but haven't had a chance to get it printed out and mailed. I'd love to keep it going although it would require the input of the other family members as well in order to keep everyone updated. Maybe I'll just stick with a personal family newsletter and then I can send it to all the family ... hmmm. Although I must say, that I think my articel for the Cousin Connection was a pretty good one, especially for someone who doesn't like to write. :-) I think I'll start on that personal family one now.

The Beginning

Well, this starts my first blog. Where it goes from here ... who knows? I look at this right now as a type of online diary, so I'll try it for a bit and see how I feel about it later. I'm not going to write too much right now as I need to get to bed, but I couldn't go before putting in at least one entry.