Goodbye Crossville Tile & Stone

I sit here in tears today as I write about a very sad day for me yesterday.  It seems I have become another statistic of the economy, I lost my job at a great company.  They said they were eliminating my position.  It was nothing that I did wrong they just had to cut back.  I am still a bit confused on why they picked me but I guess I have to just look past it.  Everything happens for a reason and God has a plan for me.  I just have to trust in Him and know that it will all be ok.  I just hope I can find something else soon.  If there is anybody hiring they probably aren't going to do so until the first of the year so I'm sure I will be unemployed at least for the month of December.  Why is it that companies let people go right at Christmas?  I guess they do it because it is the end of the year but it really sucks.  In my industry it is really hard to find a job right now.  I was really very blessed to have the job I did for so long.  I'm sure I'll have to do something non design related until something else comes up.  Which is fine, not what I would want, but fine.  What is most important is that I have the means to provided for my sweet angel.  Thankfully Zac still has his job but he can't keep us afloat by himself for too long. 

A part of me wants to get mad and just scream about it.  Then the other part wants to just cry.  I had 6 years invested there.  Granted the last 2 were probably the best.  The other ones I would be happy to forget.  All in all I had friends there and don't regret too much.  I will miss everybody.  They are all great people and I loved being there with them everyday.  I think that is what makes it so hard.  I actually liked going to work.  Some days were stressful but what job doesn't have that.   There aren't too many people that can say they like their job but I truly did.

To my co-workers:
You guys were so good to me and I can't thank you enough for being my friends.  We all went through a lot and leaned on each other in the process.   I am so thankful for each and everyone of you.  All I ever wanted to do is help and I hope somewhere along the line I did help you.  I am thankful for what I learned from you all while I was there.  The information is invaluable and I will carry it with me all the time.  Thank you again for all the good times and I hopefully I will see you soon.

My 100th Post and a coupon or 2!!

With this being my 100th post I thought I would share a few online codes for Shutterfly.  I ordered a photobook last week and when I got it in the mail I had a coupon for 10% off my next order and one for 5 free folded greeting cards.  I know everybody is getting ready to order pictures or cards for Christmas so I thought it would come in handy for you guys too.  


Here they are:


TNA7-32MV-ZYRZ-VJMTU - 10% OFF


PAUK-3CFZ-6SAB-9KND9R -  5 FREE CARDS

Thrifty Decor Chick

Check out this new blog I found!  This girl has some great ideas.  If you read her bio she said she decided to follow her dream of being an Interior Designer.  Well, with me having a degree in Interior Design I was intrigued to see what all she comes up with.   I think it's mostly like cute DIY crafty ideas for your home.  Which means I wouldn't necessarily call her an Interior Designer but that is a whole other post.  :)~  She does have some great ideas for your home that you can make yourself though.  I really like this one so I thought I would share. 

Memo Board and Cute Magnets


What I like so much about it is the magnets she made.  It is really a great idea and your kids can even help with it. 

Aren't these cute!  And you can use whatever paper you have to make them.  They don't have to be Christmas themed.

I really need to do this because our fridge is getting over run with coupons and junk.

Check out her post and you can learn how to make them yourself.  So cute!!

Reckless Raven

As most of you are aware, Zac brought home a black lab one night last year he found on one of his jobs.  She had a hard knock life up until then.  She was dropped off in the ghetto and forced to fend for herself.  Zac and all the guys he works with would feed her every night but then when his job was about to be over he couldn't stand to leave her out there.  So, we now have Raven.  She is a great dog but has a bad habit of just eating whatever she can find when she's hungry.  Maybe its the whole living on the streets thing.  We have a running list of what all Raven has eaten since we've had her.  Ready for this.....

• A pizza box (I can't blame her.  It had cheese still stuck to it!)
• A carpenter pencil
• A plastic bowl
• A plastic paint can lid
• Numerous cat meals
• Electrical tape (the whole roll)
• Hardwood flooring
• A plastic Lowes bag
• One of Zac's running shoes
• A paint stir stick
• A paint roller
• A blueberry bush
• Numerous cat toys

As you can tell it's a long list and it just keeps growing.  And these are just the things we've caught her with.  And when I say ate, I really mean that.  Like nothing was left.  So it wasn't like she was just chewing like labs often do.  We have learned that if we don't feed her at a certain time she will just eat whatever is there.  Needless to say we are very careful about what we leave out.  No worries, I keep a good eye on Reagan.

The point of the story is that on Monday I noticed Raven having a hard time sitting.  When I would ask her to sit she either wouldn't or would kind of hobble.  Of course I was worried but Zac said it was nothing don't worry she just wants her treat.  Well he gets home on Tuesday and notices that she can't wag her tail.  We thought her tail bone might be broken so he called Dr. Bean's office and took her in.  After a thorough examination and $50 later they told him she had swollen anal glands and was constipated.  Constipated?  You don't say?  I mean she has a very balanced diet. ;)  I just can't imagine what would have made her that way.  (Refer to list above)  They gave her some steroids and said to bring her back if she wasn't better in a week.  I am happy to report that when I got home yesterday she was wagging her tail.  I can guess though that she isn't going to learn her lesson.  As we add to the list I'll update it.  I really gets to be comical at this point.  

Watch Out for My Toofies!! (5 Months)

Not my toofies but Reagan's.  I can't believe that before she was officially 5 months old she had 2 teeth!  Its amazing!  I went to work on a Friday morning and when I got home that afternoon she had teeth.  I was shocked!  As you can imagine it is hard to get a picture of said toofies but I'm sure you can picture them in your head.  And if you try to feel them she will bite you.  Just so you know.  Did anybody else have kids that got teeth this early?!?

I haven't updated on miss Reagan lately so I figured I needed to.  When we went to see Dr. Blair for her 4 month check up she was 13.9 lbs (50%), 24" (55%) long and her head circumference was 16 1/4"(60%).  She must be really smart.  Ha! 

She is doing a great job at rolling over.  We got video of it but of course I don't have my camera with me right now to post it. She will roll over then get mad because she is on her tummy.  It really is kind of funny.  She's getting better about it though. 

She LOVES her furry sisters!  Every time we let them inside she just squeals.  It is the cutest thing.  She loves to pet them and they don't mind at all.  She'll touch their nose and pull on their jowls.  It's funny.  CoCo can only handle the squealing for so long though then she's done.  I can't wait until she is older and can really play with them. 

She started eating veggies now.  So far she likes sweet potatoes and carrots but that is it.  When it comes to fruit she loves bananas, pears and prunes.  Yes, prunes.  She does great with her cereal.  She loves it now.  At first I thought I was never going to get her to eat it.

She is still a great sleeper.  We have had a few during the night wake-ups but I think that was just because she was teething.  She normally wakes up between 5:30-6 to eat.  I can hear her in there just "talking" to herself.  She doesn't cry or anything.  Just jabbers away.  I am so glad she is a good morning baby! 

We recently got a new channel on Direct TV called Baby First TV.  It's all educational shows for babies.  We really like it and so does Reagan.  They show Baby Einstein and some other generic shows.  She has a few that she will really laugh at.  I'll prop her up on our bed in the mornings to watch it while I get ready for work.  She'll just sit there and watch it until its time to go.  It's really great! 

I can't wait for the holidays to get here!  Mainly because I get to be off work and spent more time with my family.  I really love my family and love spending time with them.  Sometimes I think I must be the only one in the world who actually likes their family.  Ha!  But I honestly do.  So, yea for the holidays and starting new traditions with my own little family this year!! 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Lisa Leonard Giveaway

Lisa Leonard is giving away 5 of her new Snowflake ornaments!!  All you have to do is comment on her blog. You can also post it on your blog, tweet it and facebook it for extra entries.  If you haven't checked out Lisa's jewelery you need too!  I posted about it a while back here.  It is gorgeous!!  And it is made custom for you!  Great for Christmas!

Free Baby Carrier

 I got this email today! Go get yours!!


Promo Code for Free Baby Carrier!


Seven™ Slings wants to wish a happy Thanksgiving by giving you a promo code for a free baby carrier (a $48 value) at www.sevenslings.com! The promo code is "babies".

Go to www.sevenslings.com, click on "Shop Now", select any baby carrier you would like (be sure to go to their sizing page so you can get the right size carrier for you). Once you have selected your size, you will automatically be directed to the "shopping bag" where you can enter the promo code "babies". This promo code will take off 100% of the baby carrier purchase and all you are required to pay are the shipping fees.

You can use the code more than once - you just have to open a new browser/window to do so.

Due to its nature, this offer can't last long so please hurry.

Thanks again and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
SevenSlings.com

Happy Halloween

Click here to view these pictures larger

We had a great Halloween!  On Saturday we went to the Oktoberfest fest at our local park. It was much bigger than last year and I wasn't expecting that!  The first few pictures are from there.  They had a train, camel rides, food and all sorts of booths with arts and crafts.  

That day Reagan got most of her "trick-or-treats" from the family members we saw so we didn't really have a place to take her that night.  We decided we would go out for our anniversary dinner to Chuy's.  It was A-MAZ-ING!  I love love that place.

Since we didn't get to take Reagan anywhere in her costume besides the park we took her around to the people who didn't get to see her.  Mainly her Papa Spanick.  She was a very cute bumble bee if I do say so myself!  It was a great weekend!!