Nothing New!

Not a lot of things going on around here. We are all just "trucking" along through each day. Nate is working, I am working, Cori is going to school (stressing about grades, even with making all A's), Joel is going to school and making great grades too. The days and weeks are just flying by. We are about to start the "birthday season". Within 31 one days we have mine, Joel's and Cori's birthday.

We have signed up for Netflix, which let's us stream unlimited movies and tv shows through our computers and tv's. We are all getting a lot of use out of it and I hope to not have to rent/buy movies for a while.

Nate was home all weekend and I enjoyed the meals he cooked for the family. I have decided that one of my favorite places in the house is to sit on the bar stool while Nate cooks dinner. It is fun to watch him cook and me just sit and watch, then enjoy the meal. Nate loves to cook most of the time and he loves that we (the family) loves his food.

Couple of Prayer Requests

I find myself always thinking of the ways God is blessing us and then want to "blog" about them. This time I am asking for your prayers (before or while God is working). There are a couple so thanks in advance for the added prayers.

Nate's Job ~ Nate has been working for a gaming studio for the last couple of months. He was hired as a "contract" worker, which means when the contract or project is up, so is his job. This is the way a lot of company's work to help cut costs in the industry (and California in general). His current project is up the end of February. He might get offered another contract on the next project or they may not have any extra work for a while. It is very stressful waiting to hear the verdict. They have already closed out the contracts on 2 other guys and they only got a 2 day notice that their contract was up. Nate can go back to Maggiano's full time but he would rather work for this company or somewhere else in the industry.

Dawn ( my baby sister) goes to the Doctor tomorrow. She is pregnant and this will be her 1st doctors visit tomorrow. I hope and pray everything goes well for her and David.

Christie's husband Jason has been diagnosed with a heart problem. I do not know all the details or fully understand everything but Jason and Christie were sent to the Mayo Clinic to have some tests run. The Dr's want Jason to have heart surgery in the next couple of months. Please pray for healing, strengths for dealing with doctors and overall peace for Christie and Jason.

Thanks for your prayers and I will update as God answers them....

Surprise answer to prayer.... Last year Cori's school required the 5th graders to get a booster shot of the whooping cough. It was free and the shot was given by the school nurse. It was optional (not required yet...). We went ahead and had Cori get the shot. Last week I received a notice from Cori's school this year, requiring all 6th graders (going into 7th grade) get this shot. Cori has already had the shot and all I have to do is take the shot record to the school. We are so grateful we had this done in B'ham already.

New games!

Tonight was the first night in a long time that we have been able to go out somewhere as a family. Of course we picked the one night in a month that is was raining but we needed groceries and the family time. Nate and I have been working so much and wanted to say thank-you to the kids for being so good. We went to the mall and had Japanese food to share. We talked about life, Noah and the flood, how the new song by Black Eyed Peas is not theirs originally....(some was made popular on the movie Dirty Dancing...Time of my life), how all parents hate the music their kids listen to and how Nate and I both got in trouble for our music as high schoolers, new boyfriends...etc.

Then we went over to Gamestop to let Cori and Joel get a new(used) video game. Nate got a game for his PC (WOW) and I got one for my computer. We also went grocery shopping and are all at home now. Joel is in my room on his DS and the tv. Cori moved the wii into her room to play and Nate and I are in the living room on our computers playing our new games.

YEAH! for family night!

Surviving Valentine's ~ 2011

I SURVIVED! It may not sound like much to most people but it was a hell of a week.

Last Thursday was my off day for the week. On Friday, my work day went well but in the afternoon I started feeling sick. By the evening I had a full blown cold, fever, body aches, can't breath....etc. When I got up Saturday morning I was barely able to stay vertical. Nate doped me up on vitamins and cold medicine. I went to work all day, and it was pure torcher. I came home and Nate had made me some chicken and green beans. Where were great. I ate and went to bed. When I woke up on Sunday morning, I was feeling SO MUCH better. It was amazing how much better I felt. I still had a cold but the fever and body aches were gone.

Sunday, I headed into work for a 5 hour shift. After a couple of hours, the manager asked if I would stay and work a double. It was my first night shift and my first double. I worked 10 1/2 hours and it made for a really long day. Monday, I went in and did it all over a gain (not the double) but an all day shift. Just went we thought the Valentine's Day rush was over, Tuesday hit. Tuesday was just as busy as Monday (for all the people who did not want to go out on Valentine's Day). The restaurant served over 1100 people just for dinner on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday also were very busy days but now I am off for an entire day!

Here are just some of the crazy things we heard (from guests) in the restaurant during this weekend.
~ Where are the toilets? (not bathroom, restroom etc but)
~ Asked a guest if they enjoyed their meal and this is the response "My legs hurt like I have been having sex all day!"
~ (on Valentines's day) Why in the world are you guys so busy? (really?)
~ A couple came in celebrating their 70th Valentines together (impressive)
~ People standing in line to pick up their carry-out order and calling the restaurant and asking what is taking so long and is their food ready.

The life of a server is NEVER boring or the same thing everyday!

Last week at a glance!

Last Thursday, my cousin Joseph came for a visit. He brought a friend, Willy. These two guys are college boys so I knew the weekend visit would be totally different then when the family visits. They guys arrived late Thursday night. They slept in Cori's room which meant she was to sleep on th floor in Joel's room. Joel was so sweet and gave her his bed. Later I heard him getting 2 glasses of water. When I asked him about it, he said he had to give Cori some since she was a guest in his room. It was so sweet, and very rare.

On Friday, Joseph, Willy and I drove to Pasadena to see the Rose Bowl (where the BCS Championship was last year, and Alabama won their 13th Championship), went to the scenic place to see the Hollywood sign, drove down some CRAZY narrow streets, had appetizers at Hooters in Hollywood and were back home thru rush hour traffic in under 6 hours. Guys site-see so differently, and faster then girls.

We were both so upset that we left our Alabama shirts at my house!

On Saturday, the guys went to San Diego and then to Joseph's family friend a bout an hour from us.

Sunday was SUPER BOWL SUNDAY! I was given the day off from work, We hung out around the house all day. The game starts here at 3pm so we camped out in front of the TV to watch the game and commercials.

Watching the game with the patio door open....70's weather

More watching

The Food Spread ~ Thanks to Nate!

I learned a couple of things about college guys. 

~ will sleep thru anything

~ like to just "wing it" and not plan....which includes asking for directions

~ can drink some BEER!

~ they site-see like I Black Friday shop......go, see, leave

~ Love the Ladies! 

~ will get in the ocean that was only 50 degrees. 

~ they are really no problem when it comes to taking care of them!

Monday, was back to work week. Joseph and Willy left to go back to Atlanta and the rest of us went back to school and work. Cori and Joel have been really nice to each other this week. I hope I don't jinx it right now. I have been fighting a cold, and losing. Nate has been working very hard. He has until the end of February to see if he will get to keep his job, or if he will have to go back to serving at Maggiano's.

Monday night I went to the Maggiano's Christmas Party. Nate opted to stay at home with the kids. Wise choice on his part, and the party started at 9pm - 2am. I got there at 9 and was an early one. I was a little disappointed with the food. We had the party at a mexican place, with very little mexican food. A friend begged the bartender for chips n salsa for us. The party started out like a middle school dance with the lights and music blaring but no one dancing. After the dance contest and the raffle drawing, I hit the road. I was very glad, there was a lot of drinking and craziness after I left.

Cayla and Sam A

Cori had a Valentine's dance today at school and I took Joel to get his Valentine's cards for class. Joel got some Prince of Persia ones with tattoos, Bakukon with magnets and Transformers with pencils. I think we are all set for the party tomorrow. Joel turned in a bunch of his DS games that he had beaten. He had enough to buy the new Pokemon White that comes out March 6th. He was super excited. After picking Cori up from the dance she told us about how lame it was, no one danced, and that music was really loud. Joel asked what kind of music was playing and I said rock, Cori corrected me and said no it was pop and R and B. My bad, I thought rock and pop were the same thing. Cori said I was just getting old. Joel corrected her that 50 was old, so I was not old yet. I will not mention the family members that both kids started pointing out as old. You can guess that one on your own! 

~ Homesick ~

I have these moments when I get especially homesick. They come at different times and when they are happening, I can't talk about it or let Nate hug me because I will cry. I had one of those moments yesterday. It took me all day to get it under control. (I sound like a druggy or something) There is nothing that triggers it but I will be driving or walking and just want to cry because I miss family, friends, activities, family drama and the lifestyle I have known my entire life. These moments are getting further apart, and I am not getting AS homesick as before but it still catches me by surprise sometimes, and yesterday was that day. Even my cousin was telling me that my text messages were short n he could tell I was "out of it". 

So after those kinds of moments I try to re-focus and excentuate the positive. So on we go.......

After my mom and sister left last week, we have been back into the regular routine of work, play, school and more work. Nate's project is getting closer to the end and he is working overtime most nights and some weekends. They are trying to push the game on to the developers and release June 1st. I am working 5 days a week and helping my neighbor keep her little boy while she takes her other son on auditions. I have been spending a lot of time on a new Harry Potter Lego games... I am a casual gamer and so when I find a game I actually want to play, it takes up a lot of my time. 

My sister Christie had her birthday on Tuesday. Her husband Jason is going to the Mayo Clinic next week to have some tests run on his heart. Please be praying for them as they travel and receive the results of the test. 

Nate's cousin Rachael (husband Jonathan) had their first baby girl yesterday. Elizabeth Marie Bailes was born yesterday afternoon on Ground Hog's Day. Mother, baby and family are all doing well. She is so cute and has lots of hair. 

The weather for the last couple of weeks have been amazing...(not to rub it in the face of the people in Bama with the ice storm). The weather has been great with lows in the 50's and highs in the 70's. Nate and I have been able to go for nice walks in the morning and the kids have been able to roller blade and play at the park. 

My cousin Joseph is coming for a visit tonight. Joseph and his friend Willy are crashing at our house for the weekend.  So we will have people over to watch the Super Bowl with us. Will be cheering for Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers. 

Playing Card Collection

After Nate and I were married, I was going through some of his stuff and found a couple of decks of playing cards.

3 Florida and 1 Colorado Set

This is what has spawned my collection of playing cards. I now have over 100 single sets and 8 double sets of cards. I am really enjoying this type of collection. I can look at the different decks and remember the people and places I have been. Some sets are from people who are not a part of my life now, but I have great memories of our friendships.

These 2 are from our friends Rob n Kristyn Evans (they live in TX now)

This is my International Set (From different family members travels)

These cards bring back events in my life and the lives of my friends and family. The first deck in the above picture is from Aruba, where my Uncle Kerry went for a month when the girl from Hoover went missing. The one from Greece, is from Nate's Mom when she went with Aunt Betty to Europe. There is one from Kazakhstan, Britain (Uncle Mike went for a visit) and Paris when Nate's Mom was there too. 

A few sets from my friend Christine Malik - I love the double deck with the one picture.

These are from Christie and Jason

These 3 are from Matt and Amy Palmer

This is my Braille set

This is my random sets for Christmas and Birthdays

This is just a few of the many decks I have. I love adding to my collection either from my trips or from trips my family and friends take. Here is a glimpse at my whole collection, that has to be in 2 photos to get them all.

 

I have different ones from the same state or the same location, like 3 from the San Diego zoo, but that does not matter to me. I have different memories from each deck. Nate's sister Jennifer gave me 2 decks from her trip to the zoo and then I got one when we went on our first visit to the zoo. I have a couple of clear decks, a deck replica of the civil war times, and a playboy deck that shows the covers of the magazines through out the years (and how they have changed). So keep me and my collection in mind the next time you take a trip. A couple of special ones I am looking for are.... Dallas Cowboys deck and Hard Rock Cafe deck. 

(I am putting pictures of the whole collection on facebook).