Craigslist Win? Lose? or Draw?....That is the question...

I am learning that Sundays are the best days for free Hostas... seriously I am going to have a great garden next year once all of the Hostas have time to adapt and grow to their liking...

Scored 3 more Hostas today off of Craigslist for Free... I love the word free right now... I love Free projects too...

So there is my first score for Craigslist for the day.  Pretty good.  Then I stumbled on to this guy...

He...(I gave him a "he" since he looks so sturdy and what is the word? Strong?  Maybe) but anyways enough about the gender of this piece... He is free.  He is a "curb alert" which means he is sitting on the side on someone's driveway waiting for me to come and pick him up.

Trouble is... he is in Savage.  My daughter is napping.  Oh and I am due in exactly two weeks and I am sure that even if I could load this bad boy up into my car... I would get scolded by not only my husband, mother and all my distant relatives... but I would probably be scolded most by my co-workers who really would like me to last these last two weeks.

The other bad news about being a "curb alter" is that other people have access to my prize and that the person discarding this table won't be holding it for me.

Back up plan A: Be prepared to be disappointed

Back up plan B: Already texted the hubby requesting that his day at work be over - and that he might want to pick up this table for me...

Back up plan C: Be prepared to be disappointed that my husband does not get off work early, and that some other DIY crazy has picked up my table.

My odds are not good.  (As I am typing this I am continually refreshing my Craigslist page to see if it has been removed - so far so good.

UPDATE: and it is gone.  Today turns out to be a draw.

Mouse Shoes by Marc Jacobs

SO back in the day, when I worked as an assistant buyer at the Macy's North Headquarters (before they consolidated - boo) I had a lovely little employee discount.

How did I abuse this discount?  Shoes. And more shoes.  My favorite purchase above all was the following:

How could these not bring smiles to your face when you put them on your feet?  That was over 3 years ago.  I still wear them to this day... still one of my "go to" pieces with a pair of pearl earrings.  But sadly to say they are starting to show their years of chasing a 2 1/2 year old.  The little metallic pink noses are getting a little dirty :(  but I still get comments on them every time I wear them :)

So on and off I have been searching for a replacement pair.  Of course he has come out with black ones, pink ones, metallic ones... but nothing with quite the personality I was looking for...

Until I stumbled on these:

So now - these are a a little more recent than my last purchase so now I know exactly what I am going to get myself for a "yay" you just had a kid... but let's hold off on buying a whole new wardrobe until you lose the baby weight gift.

If my husband was super smart - he would read this post - go into my closet find my mouse shoes - check the size and then hunt these down... to show me that he could "read my mind" and buy me the perfect gift.

What I am expecting is this - my husband going into my closet - finding my mouse shoes - and pulling them out saying "look, you already have a pair, I found them.  Why would you need another pair?"

I am going to have to pull the "because it is my birthday month" logic on him.... I just know it... and if all else fails I will use the "I just had your kid" logic.

To be continued - wish me luck in my hunt!

P.S. Can you tell that I have kind of gotten a little "too pregnant" for projects right now?  I am sure there will be more project posts coming - right now I am just dreaming about shoes my feet can actually fit into at the moment.... sigh.

Tears at Work Happy Hours are Not Welcomed

I have done it.  I believe it is worse than the morning walk of shame in college.

It is worse than the time I dyed my hair a chicken yellow from a box that was suppose to give me a bleach blond look - and then went out and got wasted beyond belief - and then puked and broke a blood vessel in my eye - getting that scary mental picture in your mind - good now image that you had a breakfast date with your grandparents at a very very busy restaurant the very next morning...

Yeah worse than that.

I, being 9 months pregnant went to a "celebratory" happy hour for all the changes on the team... people being promoted, people moving to new roles, etc.  And then there is me - who is going on maternity leave pretty much any day now... and coming back to.... I am not quite sure.

Yes, I have a job when I come back - but I am not sure what it will be... and I really really don't like the unknown, and as much as it might seem like I have all the confidence in the world, I second guess myself all the time.

So by the time the 5th person asked me where and what I would be coming back to... I did the wabbly chin and then the tears started to form.  I almost had it under control.  Almost until a friend started to rub my back and ask me what was wrong... touching = more tears.

And this is when it just all came out... and as much as I knew I this was pretty much career suicide I could not stop.  I was yelling at myself in side my head "STOP STOP STOP" and yet I couldn't.

The only plus was that the majority of the people at the table were women - and knew I that I was pregnant (I really can't hide it anymore) so at least I can blame a smidgen of my mental instability on that... but really I hate myself now.

As I am telling B this story - he says "I am sure you did it professionally" in reference to me crying.... Thank you B.

And then he tells me how I should have handled it.  Should have taken the question and played it to my favor and really used it as an opportunity to self promote.  Where was he when I needed him?!?!? I have now invited him to all my future happy hours (if I ever get invited back). 

So now, as I am sitting in my self-shame, I am dreading going back to work tomorrow... really, this couldn't have been a Friday happy hour? At least then I could have had the weekend to feel a little better about my ridiculousness... but no.  It is Wednesday, I still have Thursday and Friday to get through...yay for me.

And what is worse is I am pretty sure I made a few people uncomfortable.  Great I am that girl.

So yeah.  That is how my day was... I am trying to tell myself "no one is going to remember" "no one is going to care" "everyone cries at work functions eventually" and that last one just really isn't holding any water for me.... bah.

Can't wait for the walk of shame tomorrow morning.  It is going to be fabulous.  Have to go pick out some great shoes to wear just for the occasion. 

Hope your night went slightly better,

Meg

Give a Girl a Sprinkler and her Dad is Surely to Follow

So Sunday - I was exhausted... and Monday I was a super grump (might even upgrade that to b*!ch) so I figured we would just skip over those types of posts and wait for a more "cheerful" day to post...

Father's Day Recap:

Tried to sleep in.  Not really an option with a two and half year old who woke up at 3 am crying about boogies in her nose...

Got up... B went to get Breakfast (it is pretty much his favorite meal of the day).  Thank you Mc D's for being open so I am never expected to cook this meal...

Then decided to let Bryan rent Company Men off of CinemaNow (a nice little app on our blu-ray player that helps us avoid late fees and actually watch new releases).  Well if we were looking for an up beat underdog story... this was definitely not it.  A little too real look at the recession and job loss...

So on to the park we decided.  I started to try and find clothes that still fit and broke down on my bed in tears.  Bryan is not so hot at saying the right things at moments like these - but he did try his hardest...

So after that breakdown... we loaded up into the car and we were off.  And made it half way down the hwy when we decided we actually wanted to go swimming.  U- Turn and back to target to find me a maternity suit.

Let's just say that I am not willing to pay over $45 for a damn suit that only makes me feel half way confident to step out of the dressing room... so back home we were since Emily passed out back in her car seat.

As we pulled into the drive way, Emily with her perfect timing woke up and looked around and asked "PARK?".

Back to Ravine Park we went.  And that is where the day started to turn around.  Emily had a great time on the jungle gym and said the sweetest thing Bryan could ever hear...

"Dad, Wanna catch fish."

After Bryan gave Em a huge hug, he said he had the best father's day ever.  They then went down to the dock to watch all the other fishermen fishing as Bryan planned to buy Em her own little fishing pole to go fishing on Monday after gymnastics....

Emily even got to see tadpoles that another family was catching and releasing.... as we walked away one of the little girls knocked over the bucket and released the tadpoles a little early than everyone wanted... glad it wasn't us :)

So on our way home we decided homemade burgers sounded good - and maybe a sprinkler for Emily to run through... I got a call from B who was in the store asking if what I meant was a slide thingy that was near $40 - I said noooooo.  Just a sprinkler....  Bryan tends to go "big" with things... but he came out with the perfect little sprinkler thing below...

 To say they had fun would be an understatement.  But to try and judge who had more fun - that would be a hard one.

So B had a great father's day!

And I actually had a great day today as well...

My coworkers threw me a baby shower!!! Yeah, how sweet right?  Got tons of cute clothes, books and some receiving blankets.  And then there were wonderful confetti cupcakes - yum.

So yay- I am in a better mood.

OH MY GOSH!!!
I almost forgot - today was super awesome since Emily decided today she was going to wear "big girl undies" to daycare!  I had packed an extra pair, and a change of clothes just in case.... but NO!!!! Girl didn't need them!  SUCCESS and right before the new little one shows up.... and no I don't need any stories right now about how the older ones tend to revert with the new little ones in the picture...I want my proud parent high to last a little longer thank you very much!

Wallpaper or a Dictionary?

So let us move on from complaining about being overly exhausted and all things complain worthy...

So as I mentioned last night, I somewhat got my organizational groove on last night.  Yeah - cleaned out the closet in the nursery packed away the heavier bedding that most likely I will need at the beginning of August the way our lovely MN weather is going...

But as I was doing so.... I had to keep walking past our "office".  Which has become partly my project dumping ground, Bryan's book storage center and then there is just the stuff we have no idea what to do with at the moment.

I have decided that this needs to stop.  The room needs a purpose (office/guestroom) and a better flow for the whole house.

So I have been scavenging Craigslist for a foldout couch - that isn't from the 60's or 70's... without much luck.  This one we might just have to save up for to get the look we want.  But I did happen on to this fabulous idea:

How cool would this be as an accent wall?  I think I am totally in love with the idea.  I have seen variations of this using your favorite book and having the edges roll up for texture... but really my taste is more along this line.  A dictionary - you get images and words, you could have a word of the day,  totally fits with an "office/educate yourself" theme, and plus it isn't your normal wall paper!

My only concern is if we do choose to leave this house at some point...how much am I going to hate myself for doing something like this?  But then I have to stop and think - this is my house right now.  It needs to fit me and my family.

So I have decided - I am not letting the "next" family dictate my design/decorating tastes now. So there.

And the geniusness does not stop there! Oh no - I am on a roll this morning (B and Em are still asleep - I am so enjoying the silence and not having to watch CSI or Shark Tale)...

And then do something like this on the wall over a black desk (which I will be searching for as well since the office desk went into Emily's room).

I am so inspired right now - and want to go out and buy a dictionary right now!  Might go to one of those used book stores or I bet a thrift store would have one...

And then there is this desk from Ikea - which isn't too shabby - however Bryan like drawers to hid junk... I like to throw out junk... I will win this one... I have conceded too much lately...

So that is on my radar.  Might not happen anytime soon since I guess this kid has an open invitation now to join the world.  T minus 3 weeks more or less... slightly unprepared... yup.  Freaking out inside my head... yup.

And that is where I am at the moment :)  Happy Saturday!

Mentally Exhausted

No Daycare today.  But that is not even it.  Emily was seriously the best little girl for me today.  Work killed me.  Working from home is not at all as glamorous as it sounds.

It is battling a new laptop that doesn't want to connect.  It is battling a laptop that disconnects at exactly the wrong moment.

It is vendors changing their minds five hundred and fifty-two times.

It is people "testing" things and then asking you to do something very last minute at 4:45 pm.

It is trying to juggle another thirty- two tasks on top of it. 

And did I think I had an advantage going for me this morning by proofing all my ads last night - ho yeah.  Stay till 7pm was surely going to make today easier.  Should have known better.  Silly Meg.

But the one thing I totally accomplished was finishing and submitting my resume... with a friendly reminder from both my mom, and one of my wonderful coworkers Brooke.  Brooke even reviewed and proofed the resume so I didn't totally shoot myself in the foot with this application.  What would I do without her.

So yes, I am sticking my neck out there and applying for another position.  Within the same company so don't everyone panic now.  I am just trying to climb the corporate ladder and get somewhere.

Who knows if I will get an interview, who know how I will do on an interview - it has been 3 years since my last... and here is a funny..... image funky flashback music...

I had an interview with Target for a Store Lead position of some sort... It was my very first interview- held on the college campus.  I am not sure if I really prepared for it, but I think it would be safe to say that I was very naive about the process - assuming that everyone appreciates it when people are themselves and honest.  Not so much.

And I guess when they ask "What your perfect day would be"  they are more or less looking for a response something like this "Working hard, getting results, and saving little kittens out of large trees on my way home from volunteering"... not so much of "Sitting on the couch, in comfy clothes watching trash TV while it rains."

If you are one of the smarties who catches on quickly, the last response was mine.  When I came home from the interview, and Lindsey and Laura (my roommates at the time) asked how it went and I told them this question - we all just kind of knew I wouldn't even get a call back to say "thanks but no thanks".  I think Laura - who is pretty much a pro at interviewing - even tried to be nice and said "At least you where honest".... and trailed off into silence.  It is one of their favorite stories, and I usually tell it to anyone who feels less than confident going into or leaving an interview.

But back to the topic...  the application process was killer... trying to talk up how wonderful I am is slightly harder - I couldn't attach any of my before and after pictures to the application.  So I am hoping luck is on my side for this one.

Other than that - got the nursery curtains up... washed the car seat fluffy stuff - what is called a cover?  washed all of Emily's old white Gerber onsies and mopped the nursery floor and cleaned out the closet.

So feeling slightly better there - slightly.  At least I know I can bring the kid home now :)

Now my tired bum is on the couch - and I don't think it is getting up anytime soon.  Might just sleep here.

Remember this project?

Remember this guy?

yeah... it has been a while.

Stripping.

Sanding.

Priming.

And finally painting:

And TADA!  It is purple.  I won the battle with B... kind of.  When we took out the baby furniture out of Emily's room it kind of left a big hole in the room... nothing was placed quite right and it was missing something.

So at first I primed a half table from Ikea that I had from the college years to put in Em's room.... Then B liked it in the kitchen...so that option was out.  Then we talk a little and decided that my Grandpa's desk that was originally set to go back into the office would be just the ticket.  It was going to be black, maybe gray or white ... but in now way was it ever going to be the eggplant/plum purple I wanted.

Well, Emily's room has a lot of colors pinks, greens, yellows and now a lilac purple from the Lauren Ashley bedding that I used to have in my own room.  Well I went off that lilac purple - and found Rustoleum's French Lilac BINGO!

I have the perfect color and Emily has a new desk... minus a little bit of hardware but that is coming this weekend.... I was just a little too excited to be almost done with one of MY projects - I jsut had to brag a little!

We moved the bed from the other wall and will be centering the shelf with her name, I like the balance and am hoping her not looking out the window at night might cut down on the nightmares.

Missing a little bit of extra, but it is getting there :)

Dad had just given her a purple Popsicle. Sarcastic YAY.

So yay.  I am happy.  B is happy and I think Emily is pleased.  Can't wait to get the hardware back on and a few little nick nacks to add a little bit of extra to the desk - oh and I need a little chair or bench...

Craigslist here I come.