For all those who can put two and two together... and have read the news lately esp. dealing with a certain big box retailer and might be slightly worried about me... I am fine and still have a job.
However, a lot of dear friends of mine are either leaving the company, or currently trying to find a new spot within the company and are dealing with a lot of heartache right now.
It has been a difficult week for us all, and I truly understand the devastation that come with losing your job. I went through it when Macy's consolidated all of their headquarters to just New York... and then found out I was pregnant with Emily.
Bryan has gone through it when his company outsourced his job two weeks after Emily was born... and did I mention that we were going through voluntary layoffs at that time as well (I got that call 2 days after Emily was born).
So yeah, I totally understand the uncertainty, the yuckiness, not wanting to talk to anyone and just feeling lost and undervalued. But none of this makes it better for those affected. It just doesn't.
It doesn't help to tell anyone - it will all work out - just wait and see. Even if in the end it is the best thing that has ever happened to them.
Right now the best thing to say is probably nothing or in many cases... you will be missed.
March 31, 2012
March 26, 2012
Death to Dad's Office
So as Bryan has had a few days to process his loss of an office (let's just be a little honest with ourselves now - it was a glorified storage room).... I am now on the hunt for playroom inspiration.
But hold on for just a second, if you think that this is going to be a room covered in primary colors and cartoon characters you don't know us. We are still very very selfish parents who want their house to remain grown-up and pretty (that is the end goal - right now we are living in many half projects).
So these are a few of the ideas I am holding on to:
So to be totally honest, I lost the battle of stripes in the kitchen. With the vaulted ceiling and the yellow table it might have looked like a big top. So the clown kitchen is out and a solid gray is a go.
But, the battle has moved to the playroom which I plan to bring in my stripes! Grown up but playful and it will flow with the color theme from the kitchen same gray tones used in a different way = less cans of paint = less money to spend! I think it is a win all around.
As for accessories here is what I am thinking:
And that is what I have for right now! I am just so excited to have my ideas in place, and a design flow through the main part of the house.
1. Gray kitchen with super light gray cabinets with a pop of yellow and big thick bright white base boards
2. Living room dark navy with big thick bright white base boards and little pops of yellow and gray
3. Playroom with light gray and super light gray stripes with .... I am going to let you guess on this one...big thick bright white base boards!!!
So yeah, we will let B and my dad handle the kitchen and playroom and I will focus on the living room!
I might be proud of my house by the end of summer!!! Whoot Whoot!
Oh and an update on the little guy, double ear infection. Will only sleep on mommy's or daddy's chest which make us feel like we have super human healing powers (or the baby Tylenol & pink medi has finally kicked it) ...
Hope all is well with you!
But hold on for just a second, if you think that this is going to be a room covered in primary colors and cartoon characters you don't know us. We are still very very selfish parents who want their house to remain grown-up and pretty (that is the end goal - right now we are living in many half projects).
So these are a few of the ideas I am holding on to:
These are the colors that are the closest to what I am thinking...
And I am loving the thick stripes but......
Then there are these thin stripes.
So to be totally honest, I lost the battle of stripes in the kitchen. With the vaulted ceiling and the yellow table it might have looked like a big top. So the clown kitchen is out and a solid gray is a go.
But, the battle has moved to the playroom which I plan to bring in my stripes! Grown up but playful and it will flow with the color theme from the kitchen same gray tones used in a different way = less cans of paint = less money to spend! I think it is a win all around.
As for accessories here is what I am thinking:
For the art work
For the up coming pocket door (on the playroom side)
Who wouldn't want a Tee-pee?!?! And a place to hide from small little brothers?
And that is what I have for right now! I am just so excited to have my ideas in place, and a design flow through the main part of the house.
1. Gray kitchen with super light gray cabinets with a pop of yellow and big thick bright white base boards
2. Living room dark navy with big thick bright white base boards and little pops of yellow and gray
3. Playroom with light gray and super light gray stripes with .... I am going to let you guess on this one...big thick bright white base boards!!!
So yeah, we will let B and my dad handle the kitchen and playroom and I will focus on the living room!
I might be proud of my house by the end of summer!!! Whoot Whoot!
Oh and an update on the little guy, double ear infection. Will only sleep on mommy's or daddy's chest which make us feel like we have super human healing powers (or the baby Tylenol & pink medi has finally kicked it) ...
Hope all is well with you!
March 24, 2012
One Fish, Two Fish, Green Fish, Blue Fish
Grandma Mimis arrived Thursday night to save my sanity from a week without day care (Renee can't wait for you to be back!!!!) thank god.
With her she brought a fishing pole for Emily. It was one of the two little kid fishing poles we brought with us on a trip to visit my parents... One was a Cars themed pole and one was a Barbie fishing pole. This is how we announced to my dad that I was pregnant .... and so not married at that point - but those are small details :).
So yes Bryan took her fishing on Friday. All by himself. From what I hear it was challenging. emily hooked herself - just her shirt thank goodness, and a nice lady had to help Bryan un-hook her. And they came home empty handed and in tears cause she didn't catch any fish.
So today Bryan took reinforcements aka. Me while Grandma Mimis stayed home with a super sad baby with what I think is the start of another ear infection (I love my mom for this by the way).
And we caught our first fish!!!
As you can see ... Bryan is super proud and thrilled to catch the smallest of the small Bluegills if it made Emily happy. And I do believe he loved the thrill of the catch no matter what size... he outsmarted the fish.
Then mom and I tried to come up with a realistic game plan for my dad's visit:
I might even take some time off to join the boys!!!! I am truly excited for April... Easter ad the Easter Egg Hunt (I used to shove my sister down and out of the way to get more eggs than her which always ended in tears but that is what big sisters are suppose to do right?!?) and then at the end of April my dad's visit ... Whoot Whoot!
And on top of all that my Magnolia bush is about to bloom!!! I love spring I really do - but on the bad bit of news - I am losing the battle with the dandelions yet again. Boo.
And here is a BIG thanks to my mom for coming down and saving my ass from chaos this weekend and making my little boy comfy no matter what... she went through quite a few outfits filled with baby boogies, baby nose boogie bubbles, baby puke and baby drool. Gotta love her.
With her she brought a fishing pole for Emily. It was one of the two little kid fishing poles we brought with us on a trip to visit my parents... One was a Cars themed pole and one was a Barbie fishing pole. This is how we announced to my dad that I was pregnant .... and so not married at that point - but those are small details :).
So yes Bryan took her fishing on Friday. All by himself. From what I hear it was challenging. emily hooked herself - just her shirt thank goodness, and a nice lady had to help Bryan un-hook her. And they came home empty handed and in tears cause she didn't catch any fish.
So today Bryan took reinforcements aka. Me while Grandma Mimis stayed home with a super sad baby with what I think is the start of another ear infection (I love my mom for this by the way).
And we caught our first fish!!!
As you can see ... Bryan is super proud and thrilled to catch the smallest of the small Bluegills if it made Emily happy. And I do believe he loved the thrill of the catch no matter what size... he outsmarted the fish.
Then mom and I tried to come up with a realistic game plan for my dad's visit:
- Install a pocket door between the kitchen & the playroom
- Mud and tape the playroom & the kitchen (there are a few areas that need a little love)
- Paint the kitchen & playroom
- Paint kitchen cabinets
- Install door trim and floorboards in the kitchen & playroom
- New hardware installed on cabinets
- Paint kitchen door
- Install kitchen door hardware
- Fix a bit of wiring in the kitchen
I might even take some time off to join the boys!!!! I am truly excited for April... Easter ad the Easter Egg Hunt (I used to shove my sister down and out of the way to get more eggs than her which always ended in tears but that is what big sisters are suppose to do right?!?) and then at the end of April my dad's visit ... Whoot Whoot!
And on top of all that my Magnolia bush is about to bloom!!! I love spring I really do - but on the bad bit of news - I am losing the battle with the dandelions yet again. Boo.
And here is a BIG thanks to my mom for coming down and saving my ass from chaos this weekend and making my little boy comfy no matter what... she went through quite a few outfits filled with baby boogies, baby nose boogie bubbles, baby puke and baby drool. Gotta love her.
March 22, 2012
One Project Done And Done and One Just Begun
So finally we have a finished project to brag about!!!
Yeah!!! So that part of Eli's "Industrial Tough Baby" themed room is done. We are also planning to do something like this in the corner for a bookshelf:
with lighting somewhat like this:
So..... Slowly but surely we will get his room done. It is not a super high priority since the boy hates his crib and really wants nothing to do with it (yay for me).
But the other real project we have started was converting the office into a playroom (sophisticated playroom according to B - he is still in mourning from losing his office space).
I wanted to gain back a little sanity in my house and so instead of battling the clean up of the living room everyday and becoming a rage-aholic we decided banishing all the toys and such to a designated spot might just help.
And so, this is the start of the Playroom:
These two are pure chaos I tell you. Emily is everywhere. Eli wants to be everywhere and I can't keep up.
And this is the desk/vanity that I bought off Craigslist - thinking it was much bigger than it was.... You should have seen the face B gave me when we pulled up and saw how small it was. Not the man desk for his man office that I thought it was going to be.
He didn't go with the idea that it would make him look much more powerful and manly towering over it while he pounded away at work... so it has been hiding in the basement for a while waiting for the perfect opportunity to make its debute.
And so here it is.
As you can see, the lamps even dwarf it. But it will be perfect for the kids for quite a while... painted a great shade of gray.
My goal for this room is to paint it something like this:
to make it feel a little wider than the space really is (more gray tones vs. brown tones)...
Then have bookshelves on both sides of the window (probably Billy's from Ikea) made to look like built-ins.... and so there you have it - another room under construction!!! But really this just needs a little paint and a small amount of storage solutions!
Wish us luck!
Yeah!!! So that part of Eli's "Industrial Tough Baby" themed room is done. We are also planning to do something like this in the corner for a bookshelf:
with lighting somewhat like this:
But the other real project we have started was converting the office into a playroom (sophisticated playroom according to B - he is still in mourning from losing his office space).
I wanted to gain back a little sanity in my house and so instead of battling the clean up of the living room everyday and becoming a rage-aholic we decided banishing all the toys and such to a designated spot might just help.
And so, this is the start of the Playroom:
And this is the desk/vanity that I bought off Craigslist - thinking it was much bigger than it was.... You should have seen the face B gave me when we pulled up and saw how small it was. Not the man desk for his man office that I thought it was going to be.
He didn't go with the idea that it would make him look much more powerful and manly towering over it while he pounded away at work... so it has been hiding in the basement for a while waiting for the perfect opportunity to make its debute.
And so here it is.
As you can see, the lamps even dwarf it. But it will be perfect for the kids for quite a while... painted a great shade of gray.
My goal for this room is to paint it something like this:
to make it feel a little wider than the space really is (more gray tones vs. brown tones)...
Then have bookshelves on both sides of the window (probably Billy's from Ikea) made to look like built-ins.... and so there you have it - another room under construction!!! But really this just needs a little paint and a small amount of storage solutions!
Wish us luck!
March 19, 2012
Long Time No See
Wow it has been a while! and believe me the project bug has been biting!!!
Spring officially showed up this past week (the kind that almost has you worried that there is a April/May snow storm headed your way cause the weather is just that good). And so I have be digging in the dirt, looking for signs that my flowers made it through another season.
I am glad to report that my bleeding heart made it, my delphiniums made it (these were the fickle ones I was worried about)... and all my dollar finds made it through!!!! I am a bit nervous about the peony bush I planted - but I guess patience is the best thing!!
Annnnnddd... I am back to tearing up the drive-way Bryan started last summer... Yeah. Not sure how I feel about it mid process. It just looks like a hot mess... but the way it has been pitched to me is that I am going to have a gorgeous big backyard for the kids to play in... it is currently a pile of crumbling asphalt...
I am also back to the kitchen... Let's start with the pretty pictures:
Oh yeah that is the chandelier that has been hiding in our basement for 3 years - the one that we bought with a lovely gift card to Crate & Barrel from our lovely friends for our wedding... yeah it has been that long.
We were hemming and hawing on where to hang it and trying to decide if it truly was an impulse buy gone bad.
Then I finished (okay okay it still needs poly) my kitchen table and I went down stairs to the basement and pulled this guy up...
And then for Valentines Day Bryan crawled up into the attic to get this thing hung up... it took a bit more time to get it wired (the light switch could have killed someone I swear) but now I can turn on and off the light and even dim if the mood is right ;)
However... the wires remain outside the ceiling and not inside... B is not in any hurry to climb back into the attic and army crawl across the beams if the light is "technically" not broken. And he is waiting for my dad to come and help with that... so he says.
And now on to my newer project. Okay I am back to sanding my cabinets. It is not a fun job to say the least. But if I really want a kitchen that I am not ashamed of it must be done.
And what ever the last owner tried to stain the cabinets with YIKES. They are the stickiest, nastiest, grossest cabinets ever. And they are mine :(
But I have half of one side done and will just keep at it.
Yup. Those are them. But Bryan and I agree that the actually design will probably work really well with the table however it won't work with the color/stain they are now....
Goal is now to paint them a white/very light grey to give it a more updated fresh look.
I already want to crack open the primer for some instant gratification - but Bryan has kept me from it so far... which I know is best since it is good to go in the correct order... BUT I WANT IT SOOOO BAD.
But on to other things that I have been doing in the kitchen:
YEAH. That is all me right there. I made snow crab with a homemade butter sauce and rice (I have a rice steamer that has become my favorite thing ever!!).
Now if you remember I don't cook... I don't like the prep, I don't like waiting and I don't like cleaning. But somehow Bryan has tricked me into trying a few things out... And so has Pinterest. And so has the need to eat healthier.
And without me trying new things I would be eating grilled chicken and iceberg lettuce day in and day out to "eat healthy" cause that is all that I know... So I have to stretch myself a little...(and yes I know the butter sauce does not equal healthy but it does equal something new.
So we shall see if Bryan and I come down with food poising tonight or not...
And for the final catch up this is my little man who is not so little anymore:
He is the most needest, lovable, part bulldog little boy there is. He has more wardrobe changes than Emily ever did due to soaking and sopping wet shirts... and I don't even know if we can totally blame teething... the boy is just full of drool plain and simple.
And he stood up all by himself today. Boo - ya.
Spring officially showed up this past week (the kind that almost has you worried that there is a April/May snow storm headed your way cause the weather is just that good). And so I have be digging in the dirt, looking for signs that my flowers made it through another season.
I am glad to report that my bleeding heart made it, my delphiniums made it (these were the fickle ones I was worried about)... and all my dollar finds made it through!!!! I am a bit nervous about the peony bush I planted - but I guess patience is the best thing!!
Annnnnddd... I am back to tearing up the drive-way Bryan started last summer... Yeah. Not sure how I feel about it mid process. It just looks like a hot mess... but the way it has been pitched to me is that I am going to have a gorgeous big backyard for the kids to play in... it is currently a pile of crumbling asphalt...
I am also back to the kitchen... Let's start with the pretty pictures:
Oh yeah that is the chandelier that has been hiding in our basement for 3 years - the one that we bought with a lovely gift card to Crate & Barrel from our lovely friends for our wedding... yeah it has been that long.
We were hemming and hawing on where to hang it and trying to decide if it truly was an impulse buy gone bad.
Then I finished (okay okay it still needs poly) my kitchen table and I went down stairs to the basement and pulled this guy up...
And then for Valentines Day Bryan crawled up into the attic to get this thing hung up... it took a bit more time to get it wired (the light switch could have killed someone I swear) but now I can turn on and off the light and even dim if the mood is right ;)
However... the wires remain outside the ceiling and not inside... B is not in any hurry to climb back into the attic and army crawl across the beams if the light is "technically" not broken. And he is waiting for my dad to come and help with that... so he says.
And now on to my newer project. Okay I am back to sanding my cabinets. It is not a fun job to say the least. But if I really want a kitchen that I am not ashamed of it must be done.
And what ever the last owner tried to stain the cabinets with YIKES. They are the stickiest, nastiest, grossest cabinets ever. And they are mine :(
But I have half of one side done and will just keep at it.
Goal is now to paint them a white/very light grey to give it a more updated fresh look.
I already want to crack open the primer for some instant gratification - but Bryan has kept me from it so far... which I know is best since it is good to go in the correct order... BUT I WANT IT SOOOO BAD.
But on to other things that I have been doing in the kitchen:
Now if you remember I don't cook... I don't like the prep, I don't like waiting and I don't like cleaning. But somehow Bryan has tricked me into trying a few things out... And so has Pinterest. And so has the need to eat healthier.
And without me trying new things I would be eating grilled chicken and iceberg lettuce day in and day out to "eat healthy" cause that is all that I know... So I have to stretch myself a little...(and yes I know the butter sauce does not equal healthy but it does equal something new.
So we shall see if Bryan and I come down with food poising tonight or not...
And for the final catch up this is my little man who is not so little anymore:
He is the most needest, lovable, part bulldog little boy there is. He has more wardrobe changes than Emily ever did due to soaking and sopping wet shirts... and I don't even know if we can totally blame teething... the boy is just full of drool plain and simple.
And he stood up all by himself today. Boo - ya.
March 11, 2012
When Work Hits too Close to Home
So the other night things got interesting in bed.
I was super tired and went to bed a little early, and started off with a good portion of my own bed... then slowly I started to lose my valuable space. 1st Bryan came to bed, fine. Then Thomas the man cat decided to sleep on my head, boo, but I could suffer through it. Next came T-O-Double Dizzle who loves to perch on my side, back whatever is available to him.
It was starting to get rough.... Then Miss Emily arrived. Cried that Thomas had taken her spot, so he took more of my spot and Emily got her normal spot back. And began to kick and elbow me. I got mad, I got super mad and asked B to help me scoot her over a bit so I wouldn't fall off the bed.
He didn't hear me so in my half sleep I started to rage. And this is where it gets interesting.
I Ripped Bryan's body pillow out from beside him (and yes I do give him a hard time about it - it is seriously the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen) and then tell him to scoot Emily over again to make room for me.....
And the LG Bundle.
His response was "LG Bundle?!? Do you mean Eli?"
My response "NO LG and the Soundbar!!!"
B's response "Meg, are you even awake?"
Which infuriated me even further, to which I said "YES!!"
And so Bryan asked again "LG who?"
I again responded with anger "LIKE LG - THHHEEE BRAND!"
He responded "Oh I can't wait till we wake up in the morning to tell you about this."
Luckily, I remembered quite a bit of it, and how serious I was about making room for me and the LG Soundbar Bundle in bed. I just have to shake my head.
I have had only one other major incident like this before, and it was when I worked for Macy's and was pretty sure I had to run clothing samples up to the 8th floor to present our plans for the ad... in all actuality I grabbed Thomas the cat in the middle of the night, startled him, and woke up with a huge gash on my arm from his lovely little claws. Turns out he did not appreciate being mistaken for a bundle of samples.
So yes, work is starting to infiltrate my dreams and I believe I might be going insane... but at least it gives B some good laughs!!!
Hope you have a great weekend!
I was super tired and went to bed a little early, and started off with a good portion of my own bed... then slowly I started to lose my valuable space. 1st Bryan came to bed, fine. Then Thomas the man cat decided to sleep on my head, boo, but I could suffer through it. Next came T-O-Double Dizzle who loves to perch on my side, back whatever is available to him.
It was starting to get rough.... Then Miss Emily arrived. Cried that Thomas had taken her spot, so he took more of my spot and Emily got her normal spot back. And began to kick and elbow me. I got mad, I got super mad and asked B to help me scoot her over a bit so I wouldn't fall off the bed.
He didn't hear me so in my half sleep I started to rage. And this is where it gets interesting.
I Ripped Bryan's body pillow out from beside him (and yes I do give him a hard time about it - it is seriously the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen) and then tell him to scoot Emily over again to make room for me.....
And the LG Bundle.
His response was "LG Bundle?!? Do you mean Eli?"
My response "NO LG and the Soundbar!!!"
B's response "Meg, are you even awake?"
Which infuriated me even further, to which I said "YES!!"
And so Bryan asked again "LG who?"
I again responded with anger "LIKE LG - THHHEEE BRAND!"
He responded "Oh I can't wait till we wake up in the morning to tell you about this."
Luckily, I remembered quite a bit of it, and how serious I was about making room for me and the LG Soundbar Bundle in bed. I just have to shake my head.
I have had only one other major incident like this before, and it was when I worked for Macy's and was pretty sure I had to run clothing samples up to the 8th floor to present our plans for the ad... in all actuality I grabbed Thomas the cat in the middle of the night, startled him, and woke up with a huge gash on my arm from his lovely little claws. Turns out he did not appreciate being mistaken for a bundle of samples.
So yes, work is starting to infiltrate my dreams and I believe I might be going insane... but at least it gives B some good laughs!!!
Hope you have a great weekend!
March 3, 2012
Life Decisions
I was working on a post the other day, in which I had written that I felt like I was at the tipping point of something... not knowing what.
Was it the frustration I have had lately at work? Was it the frustration at home and the many half projects that I have started and totally want finished...NOW. I couldn't tell. I knew I was taking some actions trying to help those stars align and trying to get off the pity party train... but still something felt like something was going on behind the scenes in my life and I couldn't put my finger on it.
Turns out my feeling was right. There is an opportunity at work that could help me advance in the right direction faster... if I take the opportunity and run with it. It is not a promotion but in an area that I use to work and that I could capitalize on and show everyone what I am truly made of.
However, it would mean leaving the current team I am on - which is a very high visibility team. Like super visibility team. The one that makes Black Friday - Black Friday. And my current Manager and Director are really great. Really great. However, there is very little time on this team to polish my skills and truly develop on the schedule and time line I would like.
This is where my old/new team would come in.
I have everyone's support - which ever way I choose.
Life decisions. Gotta love them. I am leaning one way - -really leaning. Bryan supports this leaning... but there is some hesitation... just like there was some hesitation to paint my table yellow... knew it was the right move but really really had to mull it over.
In all honesty I am surrounded by people who are looking out for me and wanting the best for me and this wouldn't have been proposed if it wasn't a good idea.
And when you ask the universe for something and it gives it to ya - better take it - or someone else will!
UPDATE: I will be moving to the new team I believe sometime next week!
Was it the frustration I have had lately at work? Was it the frustration at home and the many half projects that I have started and totally want finished...NOW. I couldn't tell. I knew I was taking some actions trying to help those stars align and trying to get off the pity party train... but still something felt like something was going on behind the scenes in my life and I couldn't put my finger on it.
Turns out my feeling was right. There is an opportunity at work that could help me advance in the right direction faster... if I take the opportunity and run with it. It is not a promotion but in an area that I use to work and that I could capitalize on and show everyone what I am truly made of.
However, it would mean leaving the current team I am on - which is a very high visibility team. Like super visibility team. The one that makes Black Friday - Black Friday. And my current Manager and Director are really great. Really great. However, there is very little time on this team to polish my skills and truly develop on the schedule and time line I would like.
This is where my old/new team would come in.
I have everyone's support - which ever way I choose.
Life decisions. Gotta love them. I am leaning one way - -really leaning. Bryan supports this leaning... but there is some hesitation... just like there was some hesitation to paint my table yellow... knew it was the right move but really really had to mull it over.
In all honesty I am surrounded by people who are looking out for me and wanting the best for me and this wouldn't have been proposed if it wasn't a good idea.
And when you ask the universe for something and it gives it to ya - better take it - or someone else will!
UPDATE: I will be moving to the new team I believe sometime next week!
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