Instead of doing a whole bunch of resolutions that I will never keep I am making a list of 12 things I want to do or accomplish in 2013.
In no particular order of importance....
1. Meet my 2 nieces, Alice and Olivia
2. Visit 5 different places or cities I have never been before (Vegas is first the end of Jan)
3. Read a book a week
4. Take vitamins regularly
5. Finally get a California drivers license (shhhh, I know I should of already done this one)
6. Turn 35!!!!!!
7. Take more family day trips with Nate and the kids (which I can do with my new schedule at work)
8. Help the kids be more active and involved in church/youth group
9. Cook dinner for the family at least once a week (right now it is maybe once a month)
10. Blog More!
11. Enjoy each day and be thankful for everything God has blessed our family with!!!!
I'll let you know how this all goes!
Happy 2013
Friday, January 4, 2013
Ringing In the New Year 2013
It is now the 4th day of 2013 and we have so much good news....
Nate was offered a new position at Blizzard. He is now a Scripting Engineer with the battlenet automation team. This is an actual programming job and a lifelong dream being fulfilled. I am so proud of him. He starts the new position on Monday!
As for my job, I have been offered the Assistant Accounts Manager position at Maggiano's. This means I am moving into the office, less weekends, more day shifts, evenings home with Nate and the kids. My move will have more of a transition period over the next month and will still be in charge of training. This position will let me use my accounting, organizational, and business experience to good use.
Cori is trucking along in school, she is almost half way thru her last year in middle school. Making straight A's and lots of new friends at church and school.
Joel will be starting some medication for his ADHD. This was a long time coming as we were not sure if we wanted to go the medication route. After weeks of praying, crying and researching, we are starting his medicines this weekend. We hope this helps his focus and he is able to get more of his schoolwork done in a normal amount of time. Right now he is in school 8 hours and then he is spending another 4 hours a day on homework and unfinished classwork. Joel is very smart and makes great grades when able to focus and apply himself. I hope thru all of this he will realize just how smart he is and it will also raise his confidence level.
Like I said, we are only a new days into 2013 and God is already blessing our family in many ways!
Nate was offered a new position at Blizzard. He is now a Scripting Engineer with the battlenet automation team. This is an actual programming job and a lifelong dream being fulfilled. I am so proud of him. He starts the new position on Monday!
As for my job, I have been offered the Assistant Accounts Manager position at Maggiano's. This means I am moving into the office, less weekends, more day shifts, evenings home with Nate and the kids. My move will have more of a transition period over the next month and will still be in charge of training. This position will let me use my accounting, organizational, and business experience to good use.
Cori is trucking along in school, she is almost half way thru her last year in middle school. Making straight A's and lots of new friends at church and school.
Joel will be starting some medication for his ADHD. This was a long time coming as we were not sure if we wanted to go the medication route. After weeks of praying, crying and researching, we are starting his medicines this weekend. We hope this helps his focus and he is able to get more of his schoolwork done in a normal amount of time. Right now he is in school 8 hours and then he is spending another 4 hours a day on homework and unfinished classwork. Joel is very smart and makes great grades when able to focus and apply himself. I hope thru all of this he will realize just how smart he is and it will also raise his confidence level.
Like I said, we are only a new days into 2013 and God is already blessing our family in many ways!
Monday, November 5, 2012
October Recap 2012 (might be kinda long)
I seem to be getting further and further behind on my blogging and general update on all things Barber! My goal through the next few crazy holiday months is to do a monthly recap...So for October here we GO!!!!
October started great with Nate and I celebrating 14 years of marriage....add on the 3 years of dating and we have been together more than half our lives....Man that seems like a ling time, then it seems to just be flying by. We had a great weekend with mini golf, line dancing, Venice beach (and some crazy pot heads), and Mexican food with a quiet walk on the beach to end the weekend.
In addition to our anniversary, My youngest nephew, Bryce turned 2 and loves him some batman. My middle nephew Davey turned 3 and was bombarded with little people toys. I hate missing the birthdays but the pictures and sending of gifts is fun too.
This month Nate finished his schooling and now has a Bachelor's Degree. So proud of him for finishing school in 4 years while working full time, being a father and husband.
Cori is now officially off Facebook, if you had not noticed already. This new social networking with a teenage is pretty hard. So many new rules and ones that Never applied to when I was a kid.
Joel had a rocky month with grades and some lying issues. He has been grounded for 2 weeks and counting.... Grades are coming up and I WILL break him of the lying or he may not make it to enjoy Christmas!
The kids were able to trick or treat with friends this year. First time we did not take the kids out for Halloween. I had to work so the kids found other friends to go with. I have to say I did not miss the trick or treating at all. Kinds over the whole things after 13 years.... I did take the kids and a friend to Blizzard where they got to trick or treat around the different buildings through spooky corners and mazes.
Life for me is LIFE! Not a lot of changes just living at the restaurant and taking care of the family and watching football on the weekends, all weekend. On the medical side, it has been 3 months since my surgery and I am doing well with very little pain, thankfully!
We have found a home church for now. We are not members and with my crazy schedule, we are not in a small/life group yet but that is okay with me. I can't work one more thing into my schedule at this point. The kids get to go on Wed nights for the most part and are really enjoying it.
And finally the best news of the month, We are planning our first visit home! We are planning to be in Alabama the first week of April. I know it sounds like a long way off and it is, but we have to plan and save as well as work it into the kids spring break. There was no way we could pull it together for the holidays and I am not ready to go back for a Cold Alabama winter. So on that note I will say Happy October, See you again after Thanksgiving!
October started great with Nate and I celebrating 14 years of marriage....add on the 3 years of dating and we have been together more than half our lives....Man that seems like a ling time, then it seems to just be flying by. We had a great weekend with mini golf, line dancing, Venice beach (and some crazy pot heads), and Mexican food with a quiet walk on the beach to end the weekend.
In addition to our anniversary, My youngest nephew, Bryce turned 2 and loves him some batman. My middle nephew Davey turned 3 and was bombarded with little people toys. I hate missing the birthdays but the pictures and sending of gifts is fun too.
This month Nate finished his schooling and now has a Bachelor's Degree. So proud of him for finishing school in 4 years while working full time, being a father and husband.
Cori is now officially off Facebook, if you had not noticed already. This new social networking with a teenage is pretty hard. So many new rules and ones that Never applied to when I was a kid.
Joel had a rocky month with grades and some lying issues. He has been grounded for 2 weeks and counting.... Grades are coming up and I WILL break him of the lying or he may not make it to enjoy Christmas!
The kids were able to trick or treat with friends this year. First time we did not take the kids out for Halloween. I had to work so the kids found other friends to go with. I have to say I did not miss the trick or treating at all. Kinds over the whole things after 13 years.... I did take the kids and a friend to Blizzard where they got to trick or treat around the different buildings through spooky corners and mazes.
Life for me is LIFE! Not a lot of changes just living at the restaurant and taking care of the family and watching football on the weekends, all weekend. On the medical side, it has been 3 months since my surgery and I am doing well with very little pain, thankfully!
We have found a home church for now. We are not members and with my crazy schedule, we are not in a small/life group yet but that is okay with me. I can't work one more thing into my schedule at this point. The kids get to go on Wed nights for the most part and are really enjoying it.
And finally the best news of the month, We are planning our first visit home! We are planning to be in Alabama the first week of April. I know it sounds like a long way off and it is, but we have to plan and save as well as work it into the kids spring break. There was no way we could pull it together for the holidays and I am not ready to go back for a Cold Alabama winter. So on that note I will say Happy October, See you again after Thanksgiving!
Monday, October 8, 2012
Anniversary Vacation Staycation!!!!
Wednesday night on our anniversary we went to dinner and ate mexican food. We both worked the early shifts on Thursday. When I got home from work at 6pm, there was a guy on my patio, my patio closet door was open, half my closet was on the patio.....I ask the guy what in the world he was doing on my patio! He was wiring the new Verizon internet and tv to the guys upstairs. I go inside where the kids sitting on the couch playing cards bc they had no tv or internet. I walk to the patio to tell the guy about my cable and that it had to be fixed ASAP! and before Grey's Anatomy comes on! He did not even know he had cut the line to my house. Nate and I had planned to go to Knott's Scary Farms (an amusement park) that evening. By 8pm, we knew we were not going because the guys were still trying to get our tv back up. At 8:45 the guy upstairs came and apologized, ordered up pizza and let me watch Grey's upstairs because of what had happened to us. He felt really bad. The tv was finally back on around 10pm, it took them 4 hours to get ours back up!
Friday we went to the Vera Bradley store (which is in LA) and then the Venice Beach (which we have never done). Venice beach is crazy with lots of weed and crazy people walking around. We saw a guy in his underwear, with a boombox on his shoulder, singing. They have a skate park and muscle beach. We saw a couple of street performers, and I danced with them a little, (I was not very good).
Saturday we went to Camelot Golf and played some mini golf for a couple of hours, then we took the kids to see Batman! Nate beat me by 1 stroke on both games of golf!
On Sunday, We took the kids to church. We have found a church that we all like going to. We are able to go most Sunday mornings with my schedule and 1 Wednesday night a month I can take the kids to youth group. Sunday afternoon Nate and I were watching football and on the computer when we heard a crash and saw a shoulder and arm come thru our living room window. The same people who made us lose our cable have now broken our window. So we help clean up the glass and board up the window. The guy is coming late Monday night to fix it. Then we went to Knotts Scary Farm and went thru mazes, scary houses and rode rides thru the haunted park.
Monday we are resting around the house, hitting the beach and enjoying dinner while watching the ocean. This has been a great weekend of fun and crazy memories!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Pinterest Project #2 and #3
Decorations for Fall!
Project #2
Project #2
I bought a vase 50% off at Michael's
Orange candle at Wal-mart
2 bags of each, kidney beans, corn kernels, and split peas.
I started with the split peas and make a nice layer on the bottom of the vase.
I added the rocks in the middle to add some height to the peas without adding even more peas
Next came the layer of kidney beans and then a layer of corn kernels (no picture)
Next, I added the orange candle in the center of the vase
I added some raffia to the middle of the vase. I tried to make a bow and that did NOT work out.
Here it is on my mantle
Project #3
Start with a round brown placemat
Add 3 different size vases
With 3 different size candles, and they all have a brown color tone to them. Place corn kernels in each vase, then the candles. I added a couple of fake fall leaves to the back of each candle. Placed them on the
place-mat on my coffee table. Then I added a few more leaves and berries to the mat.
Top view
Table view!
1st Pinterest Project Complete!
This past weekend I found a couple of Pinterest projects that I could actually do and fit into my house. Nate said it was way too early to decorate for fall but since Saturday is the first football game then I say it is FALL!
I found a great Alabama wreath on Pinterest but it was $40 on Etsy. I said no way, I can make this for much cheaper. So off I went to Michael's, Joann's and Walmart for supplies.
Supplies ~
1 - straw wrapped wreath ($2.99 at Joann's)
1 - package of red and white felt (3.99 ea at Michael's)
3 - sheets of grey felt (.50 each)
1 - Roll of Houndstooth ribbon
1 - Philips head screwdriver
I already had a rotary knife, and cutting board. These are needed, scissors work but the rotary cutting makes it so much easier.
I found a great Alabama wreath on Pinterest but it was $40 on Etsy. I said no way, I can make this for much cheaper. So off I went to Michael's, Joann's and Walmart for supplies.
Supplies ~
1 - straw wrapped wreath ($2.99 at Joann's)
1 - package of red and white felt (3.99 ea at Michael's)
3 - sheets of grey felt (.50 each)
1 - Roll of Houndstooth ribbon
1 - Philips head screwdriver
I already had a rotary knife, and cutting board. These are needed, scissors work but the rotary cutting makes it so much easier.
First, you cut out 4 in squares in each color, I forgot to count out how many I used but the felt I bought made 90 squares and I did not use all of the them. You can use any fabric to make different styles of wreathes but the felt worked better for this project.
Place the screwdriver in the center of the square and poke into the wreath.
Like this. If you don't like the way you placed it, just pull in back out.
Here is the start of the wreath after about 12 of each color. You just take the different pieces and poke them into the wreath as you want the pattern to go. I randomly poked in the gray for added colors.
This is about half way, when I had to stop and go to work...lol.
Finished wreath. I made a bow with the ribbon. I used a garbage tie to tie the bow and then a black zip-tie to attach it to the wreath.
ROLL TIDE!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Blizzard Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament
Just wanted to post a few picks about the dinner we just had compliments of Blizzard (Nate company). The company rented out the Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament for over 1600 people this afternoon. They incorporated Blizzard games and fan favorites into the story line throughout the show. We have a great time being entertained, watching the jousting and fighting and eating dinner with our hands. This is something we could not have afforded to do on our own and was even more fun with all the Blizzard family and friends. Here is some pics from the night as well as a couple of videos.
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