Landscape Update

I realized I have not posted any pictures of the landscaping renovation that's been going on for a few months. It's been such a daunting task. We started relatively late in the year and it got real hot, real quick. It's hard to get out and do such hard labor in the middle of 100+ degree weather. But we have finished 2/3 flower beds

and are pretty much at a standstill. I'll tell you more about that later. Here is a before picture of our yard:

 

Ok. What we did first was create a whole new flower bed in the middle of the yard by the tree. The grass wasn't growing in that area anyway, so we decided to just rip up the sand (we don't have dirt) and then create something more appealing to the eye. Here it is:

                

 

Finally finished! Then we moved to the side flower bed which was next to the garage. We decided to have a trellis with some climbing flowers to draw the eye up and to make it not so boring on that side. We also had to put down weed fabric so it wasn't overcome by weeds and crap. It seems like the only thing we can grow here is weeds!

Here are some pictures of the side bed:

I realized that there is only one picture and I didn't even take a picture of the plants in the ground. But I do remember that we finished this bed about 10:00 one Sunday night. We used Dan's headlights to give us light to finish planting. And then his battery died and I had to run up to walmart for a new one. Yeah it was a bad night. Probably why I didn't take any more pictures! 

So now I'll let you know of the problems we are facing. We (I should say Dan) put in gutters because we didn't have any. Well we thought it would solve the problem of water falling into our beds and drowning our flowers. Well we were wrong. It seems that once we put the landscaping bricks in, we only made it worse. See below:

So this seems like quite the problem. Our entire front lawn is flooding every time it rains. And the picture to the right is our 3rd bed. We haven't planted here yet because we aren't sure what to do about the flooding. It got to the point that Dan had to remove a brick from the walkway so the water could flow. SOOO.... for now, this bed is on hold pending a solution. 

As far as the fence goes, we have not started yet. We are waiting because it is a very expensive project and if we are only going to be here for maybe 1 more year, it seems not worth it. And secondly, the surveyors came and looked at our property and our beloved trees along our back yard line are not ours and we would have to build the fence in front of them. Chloe loves those trees and we would hate to take them away. 

For now, we are just trying to finish some small projects around the house, plan our fantastic 1 year anniversary to KEY WEST, and enjoy the summer!!! Hope you like what we have done!

Sweet Summertime

Well it seems like it's been forever since my last update... and it has. A LOT has happened since then. Time is flying so quickly.

We have begun our training for the Air Force Half Marathon. I am hoping to finish in less than 2 hours. Dan says I can do it because the course is flat and fast. But I'm having some difficulty with training in this weather. It's HOT down here. I mean hot. It's been over 100 degrees for the entire month of June almost. It's just icky. My body is still adjusting and every time we run I get a little better. So hopefully my body will adjust and I will be able to kick this half marathons butt!

We have been home to visit Dan's family and for the boys' baptism. It was so good to see everyone. It went by WAY to fast. But it was very good times with great people! We attempted to go to the Reds vs. Indians game but it was bad weather which resulted in a beautiful rainbow!

We had a relaxing 4th of July. I took off 2 days (Friday and Monday) so Dan and I had 4 days together! It was so nice to be with him! We spent the weekend looking for a new car! We decided on a 2008 Toyota Rav 4 Sport! It's so freaking cute! It's got a nice DVD player as well, which was a bonus. We didn't even know about it until we got up to the dealership. It has average miles but was a really good deal. Here she is:

We also bought new bikes! They are Trek 7.2FX fitness bikes. They are pretty much amazing. Pricey, but well worth it. The other day we rode 28 miles to Perry and back. We had a nice little day planned until we got to Perry and all of the restaurants were closed. We ended up going to DQ but it was worth it because the blizzard was delicious!

Lastly... I cut my hair! It was so amazing to see it all cut off and hold it in my hand. I donated 8 1/2 inches and I am so proud of it! I will probably keep this cycle going. Only next time, I was to donate 10! Here is my short hair!

Latest Happenings

It's been a while. I didn't mean for it to be this long. But things happen. Like life! :)

Not much has been going on here in GA. We went from winter to summer in about a day. I was not ready for the 90 degree weather but you get used to it. Dan and I are trying to figure out the plan for our landscaping. It's horrible right now so whatever we do to it, even if it is ripping everything out, will be an upgrade. We went to Lowes and spent an hour or more trying to pick out shrubs, flowers, pavers, mulch, etc. I got sunburnt, but we found our plants!!! :) We didn't buy them but we will when we get back from our adventures at home!

I have been speaking previously about job interviews and offers. Well I got another offer for Bibb County Schools. They gave me less than 24 hours to decide. Which I think is a little rushed. It's a BIG decision going from a SNF to the schools... at least for me. I was mad about the short time frame, but Dan and I talked thoroughly. I decided to turn down the offer. The pay was low and it would be the same commute. The only difference is the schedule and children instead of adults. I feel like I am finally establishing myself at the SNFs where I work and I like it. Nurses are actually coming to me and asking me questions about patients and referring for swallowing/cognition. They weren't doing this in the beginning, so it's a step up. And not to mention, the pay was very different for the schools and I just couldn't take that amount of a pay cut.

So looks like it's skilled nursing for me until we move!

We are going out of town on Thursday to visit Dan's family! I can't express how freaking excited I am. It's been 6 months since I've seen them! 6 months! That's a crime. But we will be there Thursday through the following Wednesday. I am also glad to get away from work for a few days. I need a break every once in a while. We are also going to Cincinnati for our Nephews baptism. Also, VERY VERY VERY excited about that. I haven't seen those boogers in 2 months. I miss them like CRAZY! I can't wait to post pictures of them to show everyone (or anyone who cares, really).

Well that about sums up the fast few weeks and the next week. Until next time! :)

all alone

so this week has been interesting. dan is working 12s from midnight to noon. it wears him out, but i think it is worse for me!! LOL. by time i get off work and get back from my workout, he has been asleep for 4 or 5 hours. he sleeps until about 9 or 10 at night. then gets up, eats breakfast (HAHAH), and then goes to work.

i had to rely on myself to cook and keep the house neat and tidy. HA. like that was going to happen. first of all, for those of you who don't know, i DON'T cook. well i try, but i'm simply not good at it. for example, the other day i made BBQ chicken. i had to use the grill and i think that is where it went all down hill. i did everything dan told me to light it and get it ready. but for some reason it would not get hot. all i could get it to was about 250 degrees. well i had planned on my chicken taking 20 mins and instead it took something like 35 or 40. so my potatoes were cold and i had already eaten my okra because it would have been inedible by time i got to it. i also had to watch chloe. which is a job in itself. she proceeded to steal my umbrella from my bag, chew dan's boots ( i caught her before any damage) and actually did damage his boot straps. she is so annoying some time. dan was mad but i explained to him that it was hard doing all the cooking and babysitting and he understood.

i can't wait until this week is over. i'll get my husband back! :) i guess i sometimes take him for granted because he is really helpful,i just don't realize it. but now that he is gone, i miss his help and him. so friday is his last day of these 12 hours shifts!

i still haven't heard back from Bibb county schools. i guess i'll wait until the end of the school year to find out. i feel as though they are waiting for all other suitable applicants to decline and then they will offer it to me. ha. oh well. i still am not sure what i am going to do. unsure of what my current job holds in the future being that they are closing one of my buildings.

in other, way more exciting news, i am actively looking at cars. i am trying to see if i can turn mine in early becuase i WILL be over my miles. i had a nice stockpile, like 5000 miles, but with driving to and from macon every day plus travel between buildings and to the gym, i am currently 1 mile over where i should be. and i'm averaging 100 miles per day recently. so it's scary.

well that is all in my boring, uneventful life. hope to be more exciting next time. Missy is coming on friday! :)

Job Decisions!

Many of you may not know that I am trying to get another job. A few people know, but I was trying to keep it on the DL for as long as I could. Well I finally had to tell my supervisor because she kept asking me daily if I was going to stay with Integra or if I was leaving after my CFY.

There was a point in my CF that I hated my job and hated the one facility where I worked. It was very hard to go to work everyday because the people there (mainly dietary and a few nurses, the administrator and DON) made me want to pull my hair out. They were constantly criticizing the decisions I made and trying to make it seem like I was a bad SLP. And I know that is not true. Being that all of this happened right after my first CFY review in which Amber, my supervisor, had said that I was a great CF and that she was very impressed with my knowledge and the way I do my therapy and evals. I got all good feedback from her and from my boss. Then I come to this building in question and I feel like I'm doing something wrong because they are always mad about my decisions and always asking me why.

To make a long story short, we eventually worked out our issues and for the most part, I am getting along with everyone and they are happy with the work I am doing there. I can't say I get along with Dietary. For some reason they all just hate me and it's like a chore for them to get me something I need out of the kitchen. I would rather go out and buy all of my own snacks and sippy cups then have to go back there and ask. And that is just sad. Other then that department, I am happy to work there.

But when I was not happy, I went out and looked for another job and had every intention of leaving from there and completing my CF elsewhere. But by time I got interviews and such, I was getting along with everyone. It's complicated. Anyway I had 3 interviews: one for Bibb county Schools, one for Houston County Schools, and one for The Speech Path. I was very excited about the Speech Path. It's a private practice and they were SOOO awesome when I went there. I could see myself working there. But they offered me a position and it was not in the pay range I had wanted. I thought it was going to be right around what I'm making now, but it was a lot less. Dan and I had been talking about doing things (travel, vacations, yard work) and if I took the pay cut, those things would not be possible. So I turned down the job. Which was a good decision because they lady was very rude when I told her and that made it a little easier.

Now for the  schools.. Ugh. Not sure if I want to work in that mess. I would need a lot of help because I know nothing about IEPs. But they said they were more than willing to help me learn. Bibb county (in Macon) has not offered me a position yet, but we are actively speaking about it. I wish it was Houston county. That is my dream school that I want to be in. But they never called me back. Assholes.

Anyway. I am weighing the Pros and Cons. Oh and I forgot to mention that the other building where I currently work is shutting down. Therefore, I would have to work full time in the building that is less than desirable (the aforementioned facility with the horrible kitchen staff). So that is a big CON on my list.

So for now, I will be thinking about the pros and cons if I leave Integra and go to work in the schools. Please provide input if you have any! Until next time!!!     :/

update!

Well hello there. It's been some time since I updated....such a busy life we lead! Not too much has been happening since our last update.

The weather here is BEAUTIFUL!!!! In one day we went from spring straight to summer! It was 90 degrees the other day, which I was NOT ready for. It was so bloody hot and my body just wasn't ready for that. The pollen down here is CRAZY! It blows around and seriously looks like a sand storm. We were doing yard work last weekend and Dan was stirring it up with the lawn mower and it was blowing ALLL over me and our garage. I think it was like 1/2 inch thick on my car. I've never seen it this bad. The locals (haha) said once we get a good rain, it will take care of it. So we did get one day of rain. Then the next day the pollen was back. Oh well! I guess I am getting used to it now.

Speaking of yard work... we are completely re-doing our yard and flower beds. We are ripping out most of the plants that the old man left for us and putting in some brightly colored flowers. Our house needs some color! We are putting in a fence soon and as we speak, Dan is at Lowe's buying gutters!
FYI: No one is Georgia has gutters for some reason. There are about a handful of people in our neighborhood that have gutters and those people happened to live up North before moving here. Imagine that.

We are hoping to get the surveyor here in the next week or so to mark our land. Then we can put in our fence! We are doing it all on our own, so this should be interesting! I will keep you updated with pictures of the yard as it progresses and of the fence project!

Easter was last weekend. It was a nice little Sunday. We went to Rachel's house and had a pot-luck Easter. It was so nice outside and nice to be with friends. I wish I was at home to see my Nephews, but soon enough we will be back there!

We will keep you updated!

Pictures from the half

Well here are the pictures from the website that took our pictures (obviously). I want to order some but they are ridiculously priced. But we will most likely order the one of us together because that is just priceless! We can hang it next to our medals that we won! Enjoy!

Clock time is a little off on these pics since it took me about 5 mins to get to the start line! Perks of running with 16,000 people!

I was WAYYY to excited to see the finish line too! LOL

               

I wanted to die in the picture on the far right! The race was TOUGH!

So glad to be finished!!! Another half marathon down for me and another marathon for Dan!