A HUGE update

It's been a while since I've blogged because so much has been going on. Today I have a few minutes and thought I would take the opportunity to give everyone an update.

I don't want to get into any nitty gritty details, frankly it's a long story, but I was finally just laid off from my job with Jason. It was a miscommunication mixed with who knows what. Pretty much it just wasn't meant to be. Luckily, he's paying me 3 months severance pay.

I don't know how much I told earlier but just before all the drama started with Jason my old boss from Panera had contacted me offering me my job back. Well, not the job I left with but a higher position and more pay then I was getting at Jason's. It was perfect timing. So, I start that on August 3rd. I will be working at the store in Concord which is new for me. But I'm really excited to get started again and get my career going again.

Soon after I was let go I made a quick trip to Southern California to go to my best friend's wedding reception. It was so great to get that south and be in the part of California I can't seem to get enough of. It was also nice to spend time with people who are like family. They give some of the best hugs and keep some of the best company. Also, it was a beautiful reception with delicious food so how could you go wrong?

I came back on a Sunday from So. Cal and the following Tuesday Michael and I left in a hurry for an emergency trip to Idaho. There was a funeral we needed to attend and so we went. It was a great trip. I got to meet some family of Michael's that I wouldn't of otherwise met and that's pretty awesome. Also, I got to see his sister's, Erin, family and I was not expecting that. Also, since the family was together and Harry Potter 7 Part 2 was coming out we took the opportunity and went and saw it. It was fun. Pretty much it was a time of laughs, tears, and good family fun.

Since returning I've been enjoying life as a stay at home wife. I started a new book series called Chaos Walking. I highly recommend them. I finished the first book, "The Knife of Never Letting Go." I was glad that I already had book two, "The Ask and the Answer," because book one ended on a cliff hanger. So, go check it out.

We have bought a new car, 2008 Chevy Equinox. We were in need of a bigger car and didn't really think much of our Corolla. Our first car we owned together was an Equinox and we missed it so we are glad to have one back.

I guess that's it for now. Michael is just getting ready for his 2 week vacation to Idaho coming up here soon. I'm still trying to figure out if I'm going to be able to go at all. I'm thinking I'll be able to take a week vacation...maybe. But I'm busy trying to get our February trip to Hawaii under wraps. It's 'spensive to go there and I'm trying to find us the best deal. It'll be worth it once I'm there.

I'll try to keep you updated a little better now that things are back on track!

Feeling a little better

There has been a lot of drama going on at work for me. In so many words I'm getting let go and my boss refuses to accept that and makes it look like I'm the one quitting. It's been rough.

Today my boss made a phone call to me that pushed me over the edge. He didn't know that on the phone because I kept my cool so well. We just decided we would talk it all over tomorrow.

The thing about my boss is he doesn't ever let you finish your story. He interrupts and often doesn't listen to everything you have to say. In all other situations I just scream inside, smile on the outside, and let it go.

Not this time. I just sent him an email that just UNLOADED on him. I did not say awful, mean things. I just said things that needed to be said so that he could understand my side of the story. I would post it just so that you could see how nice I was being but then it would leave a lot of open ended questions that I'm not prepared to answer right now. Mostly because I don't know the answers to most.

I just wanted to let you know that I feel so much better. Just knowing that he now knows where I'm coming from makes me feel like when we talk tomorrow we are on an even playing field.

Having fun with dinner

Whenever people ask me if I love to cook, I just smile and say, "No, not really." Michael always chuckles and says, "She's just burnt out."

He knows me so well.

It's true. I love to cook...FOR MY FAMILY...but because of my awful culinary school experience and my not as fun experience as a "personal chef" I often don't make dinner at home because I just don't want to. We were spending a lot of money on eating out. Eating crap that makes you fat. I had to get a handle on things.

At the end of every month I pull out my little calendar and write in what I plan on having for dinner every night for the coming month. This way I can do the proper grocery shopping and I feel compelled to actually make dinner. That worked every once in a while. We still mostly ate out. (I typed made out at first. Hehehe)

Right before I left to my trip to Idaho at the end of May I was buying some magazines to read on my flight and bought a cooking light magazine. In it were tons of recipes that I wanted to try. I had an idea. I would try a new recipe every night right out of that magazine. This way it's fun, it's new, and enjoyable. It works. I have been cooking a lot more at home now. I just buy a new magazine every month. I think I'm just going to subscribe so I don't spend as much.

Since it's a new month there is a new magazine and a whole bunch of new recipes. Tonight was Lemon Vegetable Risotto. I've never been good at making risotto but I was feeling adventuress in my cute little apron and hoped for success. I chopped all the veggies, grated the cheese, and measured exactly. FYI: measuring exactly is a really big thing for me...I don't really like to do it. For those that don't know, risotto is a long process. You add stock a little bit at a time, to the rice that is, until you end up with a really creamy rice. YUM. So I stood in my kitchen next to the hot stove on the hot day with my migraine making risotto. For an hour. It made my whole house smell so good. I had to stop myself from eating the zucchini, squash, peas, asparagus and Romano cheese. I just kept telling myself how good it would be when it was all mixed together.

Finally, I was finished. It looked so good. I grabbed my plate and filled it up FULL with some of the most delicious food I'd ever seen.

It sucked. The grossest thing I have ever put in my mouth. It had too much salt, too much lemon, and the rice was not even close to being finished. There was nothing I could do. It's just bad food sitting on my stove waiting for it's trip to the garbage can.

It's ok, though. There's always tomorrow. What's tomorrow? Grilled Plum Salad with Grilled Chicken. Maybe I'll let you know how it goes.