Day book 12/26/2011

Christmas was good but very subdued this year. We didn't decorate or even have a tree.  Unfortunately we didn't make it to church either. My son's wife left him and took the baby one the 22nd. We have been dealing with that everyday. Praying for an outcome that is best for the baby.

Outside my window it is rainy and dark. It has been unseasonally warm lately.

I am thinking about my son and the hurt he is going though. Praying that this makes him stronger and doesn't kill him.

I am thankful for my family and the time I get to spend with them. Not all the family was here for Christmas but they were in touch. As long as we stay in touch we will never be that far away.

In the kitchen there is leftover Mexican food and lemon bars.

I am wearing jeans and a red t shirt.  Too lazy to go put on my pjs.  LOL Now that is LAZY.

I am creating quite a big photo album of Emily.

I am going back to work tomorrow. It is nice to look forward to going to work.

I am wondering how long I get to stay in the big office. I share my office with the network server and had to move for maintenance. I have been in an office of someone who works very part time.  I like it and would love to stay. I have been secretly plotting his demise. lol

I am reading "The Edge" by Jeffrey Deaver

I am hoping for a relaxing New Years with my family.

I am looking forward to my WMU meeting tomorrow night. I hope we can get more members and be more active than in the past few years.

I am hearing my husband playing Jeopardy on his iPad.

Around the house the dogs are bathed and the laundry is done and the kids are settled down. Can't wait to snuggle with my man.

I am pondering what tax season will be like at my new firm. I hate learning a new tax program "on the go" but that seems to be the only way I have ever learned them.

One of my favorite things is naps. I only got one over the 4 day weekend. That makes me sad.

A few plans for the rest of the week include my WMU meeting and going to the YMCA.

Here is a picture I wanted to share

That is Aurora Eden, my second granddaughter, who will be here in less than 12 weeks.  I can't wait.
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Day Book 12/20/2011

Outside my window it is dark since it is 9:30 at night. Today it was rather warm and rainy. I wish we would get to winter already.

I am thinking and praying for my youngest son and his wife.  They got married and had a baby this year and they are so young, Divorce has already been mentioned.  I hate to think of Emily not having both her parents daily. Divorce is such a sad, heartbreaking thing.

I am thankful that my kids are old enough to know to truth about Santa, even though I told them very young.  They already got their big present (birthday and Christmas combined) and are fine with not having anything to open.  We will go to church and spend the day together with movies and food and it will be wonderful.

From the learning room, Nothing. Everyone on break.

In the kitchen  there is still the smell of homemade lasagna that I made tonight. I haven't tried to make homemade pasta yet but I will over the long weekend. And I still have tons of lemons that need to become lemon bars soon.

I am wearing a long night shirt and grey shorts. In fact I am sitting in bed writing this.

I am creating nothing. Sad but true.

I am going to be very busy the next few days.  Heather and Lindsay are having their bon-fire/movie party for their birthday on Friday night and then Christmas.  They might as well make my husbands check out to Walmart since it will all go there for food. LOL

I am wondering what I am going to fix for 15 teenagers to eat Friday night. .

I am reading "The King's Speech". And I need to catch up my bible reading. 

I am hoping that I can find the money to take at least one class next semester.

I am looking forward to two long weekends in a row. Of course tax season starts after that but I am not thinking about that right now.

I am hearing my husband on his ipad.

I am pondering if 2012 will be better than 2011?  It has been a hard year.

One of my favorite things is sleeping late on the weekends. I haven't been able to do that in a few weekends and Christmas eve is looking like a good candidate. 

A few plans for the rest of the week include planning menu for Christmas and birthday party and then shopping. Getting ready for party, sleeping late on Saturday and church and cooking on Sunday and then (I just remembered) I am off Monday and can sleep in again.

Here is a picture I want to share

That is Heather and Lindsay, my youngest, they will be 16 on Thursday.  Amazing since it was just last week they were learning to walk. 

Join the fun and share your day: http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Fresh lemons plus new kitchenaid mixer equals lemon bars.


- Alesia

Emily

I never knew I could love a child I didn't birth this much.



















My youngest son - her daddy

- Alesia

Only the lonely

Yesterday I took my last final of this semester. As on most college campuses, parking is an issue and I had to park quite aways from the class. As I was walking back to my car I was thinking how I felt differently as an undergrade.  In those days I would often crisscross campus to get from one class to the next. I always had a bookbag/backpack and one year I even had one with wheels. (I am over 40 lol)

Even though I live in a neighboring state, I was lucky to find people who live near me that were also going to UWF. We took almost every class together. There was hardly a day that I walked to a class alone. I knew people in my class, we talked often, studied together. I LOVED going to school. I made great grades and the years flew by.

Yesterday was totally different. Most Masters classes are online. To provide more flexibility since even people who went to college straight out of high school would now be working. I don't know my classmates, I study alone, at home.  Even my family doesn't "get" how much time I need to study.  And after work, dinner, spending time with kids and husband, when I finally sit down to teach myself the material - I am exhausted.  And alone.

I think that is what I hate the most.  I enjoy the interaction and learning when I am on campus. But since school is 1 to 1 1/2 hours away, it is hard to leave work, especially during tax season.

I have no motivation, no drive. I am not enjoying school now.

I need to find a way to "get it together" for my last 6 classes.  6!! Yes that is all and I will have my Masters degree.  The joy from that fact needs to carry me on. 

Day book 12/8/11

Outside my window it is sunny but cold. High in 50's, lows in 30's. I hate living where we have to endure the cold but don't get the joy of snow. I guess if I lived where there was snow I would feel differently.

I am thinking about my finals I have tonight and tomorrow. This was not a good week to painfully discover I have a cyst on my ovary and lose two days and nights to hospital and pain killers.

I am thankful that we had the money to pay for the deposit on the ER visit. I won't have insurance until February. It broke us this week but at least the deposit was paid for.

From the learning room, well I don't home school but there are 4 of us in the house in school. Me - Masters program. Ashley - Freshmen in college. Heather and Lindsay - sophomores in high school. We are all in the middle of finals and will be glad when this week is over. Heather also has her drivers test this week, I hope she passes.

In the kitchen there is sadness. Nothing in the crock pot tonight. Last nights' chicken and dumplings were amazing as usual and tomorrow I am making the filling for chicken tacos in the crock pot but tonight we are having store bought pizza and such due to final deadline.

I am wearing grey dress pants, black long sleeve shirt and flats. YES flats. It is truly a sad day.

I am creating a new kitchen. Over the summer we had got granite counter tops. (I sleep with the granite man so all we paid for was slab. LOL) and now my husband in putting up paneling. I can't wait till it is finished.

I am going to stop stressing over these two finals. What is the worse that can happen? I might have to retake one of them. It won't stop me from becoming a CPA, it won't kill me, so get over it already. What is DONE is DONE.  Thank you Lord, Amen.

I am wondering............not about much. I am not really a wanderer (?) I like to know exactly what is going on, find  out the reality of the situation and go from there. Maybe I am just to busy to wonder today.

I am reading "The Girl who kicked the Hornet's Nest." Final book in the series. Will probably watch the movie also.

I am hoping that my cyst plays nice until February when I get insurance.

I am looking forward to the break from school until January 9th. I don't remember undergrad being this hard.

I am hearing ladies chit chat down the hall at work. I work with some great women.

I am pondering what else to get the "Angel" at church. We bought two fairly expensive gifts. I thought about a stocking full of various fun stuff.

One of my favorite things is the way my husband smells. I love hugging him and just inhaling his scent. Before work, after work, after shower, first thing in the morning - doesn't matter. I love his scent.

A few plans for the rest of the week include getting past finals, finishing the last 3 episodes of Mad Men on Netflix with Ashley. (We will then be ready for the new season in March). And getting to the YMCA this weekend and sleeping late on Saturday.

Here is a picture of my granddaughter Emily Payton

Join the fun and let us know what your day is like:
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School update

It has been two weeks since I posted anything. Time has simply gotten away from me.

So what has been going on..................

It is finals week and I was really optimistic until Tuesday.
Tuesday morning I woke up and drove Lindsay to school at 6:30 for ROTC. My stomach hurt and I was uncomfortable sitting in car. I didn't give it much thought. Assumed it was normal "stuff" for the abdomen area and would go away shortly.

Well it didn't.

I could  not stand up, I could not get relief sitting or lying down. I called into work.
The pain intensified over the next two hours and when the vomiting started I freaked out. I woke up Ashley to drive me to the hospital.

I got an IV, a shot of intense pain killers and a CT scan.

I have a cyst on my ovary.

I had heard they were painful but I had no idea just HOW painful. I was released around lunch time and went home to bed. I was out of it the rest of the night. Wednesday I was not much better. No pain but so tired I had trouble staying awake if I sat down.

And now it is Thursday.

One of my professors emailed us our final Tuesday night so we could work on it - it is due Thursday by 8:00 pm.  Well I lost Tuesday night and Wednesday night to work on it. So I am leaving work today at 3:00 to go home and work on it and turn it in by 8:00.  Not looking good.

I have another final tomorrow during the day and I have no time to review for it.

Good or bad I am looking forward to coming home Friday night - this semester will be over.

Day Book 11/22/11

Outside my window it is overcast, no rain, but warm.  Today the high was 79 degrees. 79!! in November. I wish I lived somewhere with seasons and snow.

I am thinking all the homework I am sooooooo behind on. It seems impossible that I will be able to catch up, much less finish a research paper.

I am thankful that I have a crowded, clean, noisy house to go home to.  And I get to babysit Emily about 5 hours a day over the next several days. Definately NaNa time.

From the learning rooms. I don't homeschool but there is a lot of homework going on at my house all the time. Heather is in Drivers Ed. (scary). Lindsay is still taking parenting. She has decided that she is NEVER having children. Great class!!! I am studying Estate/Gift Tax and Advanced Financial Accounting, with a research paper on International Financial Reporting Standards.

In the kitchen there is only green bean casserole. We have our church Thanksgiving dinner tonight and that is all I am taking.

I am wearing my favorite pair of work pants and, as always, high heeled boots.

I am creating a wonderful keepsake for my grandchildren. Every week or so I write them (even the unborn one) a letter. One day I will give them to them.

I am going to have to reconsider Weight Watchers. It is not working.

I am wondering if maybe going for my Master's Degree was mistake. I am so tired of school.

I am reading "The Girl Who Played with Fire"

I am hoping to have some alone time with my husband very soon.

I am looking forward to Friday. I am cooking Thanksgiving at my house that day and babysitting Emily that evening. I forsee a whole day in my pjs.

I am hearing "Midnight Train to Georgia" on my ipod.

I am pondering how to get all the things done that I need to for family and school. Can I go without sleep for about a week??

One of my favorite things is coffee. You can never have to much.

A few plans for the rest of the week include having dinner Thursday with my husband's aunt. I don't really want to but I will do my duty as his wife.

Here is a picture for thought I am sharing

This is our cat Marco. He is 1 yr old today. He was a great addition to our fur baby family.

Share your own story and met some amazing ladies:
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Day book 11/11/11

Outside my window it is dark.  It was a rather cool, 65 for the high, overcast day.

I am thinking about all the baking I have coming up. My WMU makes pies for the Inmate Work Release center for Thanksgiving each year. I want to make 2 pecan and 2 pumpkin.  We are also having a church-wide Thanksgiving dinner and I want to make my Sour Cream Pear cake. I hate only making dessert so I may make something else to. Plus pies for family.

I am thankful for my Sunbeam stand mixer, even though I crave a Kitchenaid.

In the kitchen tonight I marinated chicken breast and put them under broiler. (We wanted to grill but were out of propane.) Turnip greens, creamed corn and cooked baby carrots.

I am wearing my flannel sleep pants, white tshirt and pink and purple socks.

I am creating a list of recipes to give to my oldest daughter and daughter-in-law. 

I am going to the symphony tomorrow night. Beethoven and Blue Jeans. 

I am wondering what I can do to get more women interested in our church's WMU.

I am still reading "Girl with the dragon tattoo."

I am hoping to get quite a bit done on my research paper for school this weekend. I wanted to compare/contrast GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) with IFRS (international financial reporting standards) but not sure I have enough material to do a 10-20 page paper. We will see.

I am looking forward to the Community Thanksgiving choir performance at our church. Our church's choir, along with 3 others in the community, get together each year and perform together.  I love getting together with all those women each year.

I am hearing my darling husband in the shower.  He thinks I am crazy when I say I love the way he smells.  After work, after a shower, especially in the morning, still under the covers - that sleepy musky smell. (He needs to hurry, I wanna snuggle).

Around the house......Clean sheets on the bed, clean blanket over our comforter because we have dogs. One of which has slept with us since she was little.  She doesn't understand that she is ALOT bigger now and I need room.  She is enjoying the clean blanket right now. I also did two loads of laundry while I cooked dinner.

One of my favorite things is coffee.  I wanted to make some tonight. I can drink a pot and go right to sleep but yet I can function in the morning without it.  I didn't make any but I have flavored creamer for in the morning.

A few plans this weekend include grocery shopping and homework.  We also have to go to the YMCA 8 times before the end of November.  My firm will pay for a family membership IF I go at least 8 times a month.  Got it all set up a few days ago so I need to get going.

Here is a picture I want to share

I love lighthouses. I would LOVE to live in one.

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Day Book 11/9/11

Outside my window it is partly cloudy. We were expecting rain but I don't think it will make it.

I am thinking about the fact that Thanksgiving is just over 2 weeks away. AND I have two birthdays before then.

I am thankful that I stayed involved in WMU.

In the kitchen, my daughter is cooking again tonight.

I am wearing dress pants, black long sleeve shirta and flats.............yes flats.

I am going to choir practice tonight and going to try to stop missing them.

I am wondering is I will ever be able to handle 2 graduate level classes at the same time.

I am reading "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."

I am hoping that the holidays are not stressful.

I am looking forward to the symphony this weekend.

I am hearing Casting Crowns on my ipod.

Around the house, I need to go through bookshelves and get rid of old books and get new ones.

I am pondering the idea of starting some regular baking.

One of my favorite things is my husband. He totally started my day off great this morning.

A few plans for the rest of the week include laundry and cleaning bathrooms.

Here is picture of my wonderful husband and one of our youngest daughters.

Write and share your own daybook.

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Prayer

I have always been afraid to pray out loud, in front of other people. I believe my conversations with God are private, just between He and I. I have also always believed that I pray differently than most people I know - not better, just different.
We have prayer meetings on Wednesday nights at my church. We have a printed prayer list and we can also add any of our own. I noticed long ago that people will always pray for healing and complete recovery when someone is gravely ill or going through surgery.
That is not how I pray.

I pray for recovery ONLY if it is His will.  And that is it is not, then I pray that the person knows God and goes to heaven and for comfort for their family.

I have always been worried what people would think. I know I shouldn't but I do

Day book for 11/2/11

Outside my window it is bright but partly cloudy. There is a 40% chance of rain today.

I am thinking about a friend of mine. When you leave a job or move, etc., people tend to stop being in contact with someone they were very close to and I don't want that to happen with her.

I am thankful that I a have a job. Money is always tight but that is our fault.

In the kitchen there is Sante Fe soup in the crock pot for later.

I am wearing dress pants, purple mock turtle neck and, of course, heels

I am reading nothing at the moment. Last night I read a short story titled "Dog, passing through". It was cute but now I need to find something else.

I am hoping that a current conflict in my home is resolved with all parties unscathed.

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving. I love cooking big meals and everyone eating and spending time together.

I am hearing my ipod because I CAN'T work in silence.

Around the house there is to much "stuff". My husband has a tendency to leave things where he last used them.

I am pondering how to live on 4 hours of sleep a night like I did in my 20's.

One of my favorite things is coffee. I drink it everyday and can drink it all day. My grandmother used to give me coffee with lots of milk and sugar in a bottle when I was a toddler.

A few plans for the rest of the week - STUDY!!! I have a paper due 12/2 and finals the week after.

The picture I want to share is my profile picture. Meet Nikko, our 3 year old Rottweiler. He is a big baby.

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

New blog

I started a new blog. Well not new I actually started it awhile back but didn't post anything. It is a christian blog and I was going to just scrape it and do everything here but I don't want to. Not sure why. I just like the idea of things I wonder or think about spritually having their own space.

I don't know, weird.

Anyway you can get there by going to my profile or to actinginfaith.blogspot.com.
I will try to list a link on my page itself but I am not very good with that. LOL

Alesia

Halloween

We decided not to do Halloween this year. Kids are all to old to go trick of treating, granddaughter is too young. We only get around 5 kids anyway. So I bought candy for us, we turned the porch light off and watched Twilight. Lol


- Alesia

Simple Woman Daybook

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Outside my window its dark now but I know my Crepe Myrtles are out there and it will soon be time to prune them.

I am thinking about my exams and what classes to take next semester; during tax season yay.

I am thankful for my wonderful children and of course my first granddaughter Emily.  My second one will be here in 5 months.

In the kitchen my oldest daughter cooked tonight but I have been putting my crock pot to use alot lately.

I am wearing pajama pants and a while tshirt.  My staple at nights and as many weekends as I can get away with.

I am creating a wonderful collection of crock pot recipes.

I am going to sttick to my reading plan for the bible.

I am wondering if I can handle the responsibilites of being our church's WMU director.

I am reading the final book of the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind.

I am hoping to start blogging more.

I am lookimg forward to the holidays with my new daughter in law and grandbaby.

I am hearing my youngest daughter getting a shower and her sister singing to herself.

Around the house we have different candles in almost every room.  Gets a little intense sometimes.

I am pondering where to put the christmas tree this year.  We don't have "empty" space.

One of my favorite things is having dinner with my kids every night. I hear about their days and whatever is on there mind.

A few plans for the rest of the week include taking the youngest to the fair, dinner with friends and church.

Here is a picture for thought I am sharing. I hated these flowers as a child and destroyed my grandmothers bush and blamed the dog.  Now that she is passed, I plant them to remind me of her.

Update

So, I have been neglecting my blogs. It is easy since, unlike children, they don't make noise. LOL

I have started a new job and I love it.
I am a staff accountant with real staff accountant responsibilities. So far everyone here is nice and patient and helpful. I am not hovered over or micromanaged.  It is nice to be given something, given directions and then left alone.
I am not looking forward to tax season, but it is part of the job.

Still working on Masters degree.

Unemployed

No I'm not really unemployed but I dont have a job to go to Monday morning. I finished my two week notice at my former job and I don't start my new job until October 3.
Just enough time for me to get sick of being home all day. Lol


- Sable

Singing in the rain

I love my big colorful umbrella but I dread getting into the car.
Sitting there with the door opened trying to close the thing. Water draining off of umbrella, down your arms and all over the inside of the car door. Then it's finally closed, door shut and now you have a soaking wet umbrella that you have to drag across you to find someplace to put it.

Wasn't the whole point NOT to get wet.???


- Sable

Watching Marco (our kitten) and Karma (our pit bull/boxer) play makes me smile

- Sable

A woman is only helpless until the nailpolish dries.
Love it.

- Sable

Another day at a job I hate. But thankfully not many more.


- Sable

Vacation

Day 1 of vacation.

6 hours of driving to Marietta.
Checked into hotel and then Bass Pro Shop.

The cool thing was it was attached to an indoor mall.  We ate at Johnny Rockett's and walked around mall. Now back to room to chill out and get ready for tomorrow.

Six Flags White Water.

Safari Adventure

Everyday I question my decision to become an accountant.
Everyday I question my desire to get my Masters and become a CPA.

Some days I feel knowledgable and smart, but sometimes it is something small that trips me up and makes me feel stupid.

I LOVE personal income tax. It is like a puzzle you have to put together or eating all the cracker jack to find the prize. I love the journey of a new tax return.

Corporate tax, on the other hand, is predestined.  You know the answer before you begin.
Where is the fun? Where is the adventure?

I just don't want to be the "stupid" tour guide.

So three saturdays down and 12 more to go. Sigh!

I found my groove and I am feeling good for the January 31st deadline for W2s and 1099s.

Still not sure about new tax program. I haven't used it enough to be comfortable with it and the state portion doesn't work like I am used to.  But it will be what it will be and the returns will get done, one way or another.

I need to get back to church.  I have been tired (and suffering from migraines) and have been skipping it and choir practice.  Not good.

TGIF - NOT

I got my first tax season overtime check today and it was awesome but working on saturday still sucks.

I am just not in the groove yet this year.  We have new tax software that I am not comfortable with. We are short one person and I do not what all she did to help Renda out so I feel kinda useless. Of course tax season will kick into high gear whether I am ready or not. So I will "get it going" when I have to.

I believe that january should be all and only about payroll. Payroll reports and W2's. My boss thinks otherwise. He has been driving me crazy with getting year end work and corporate tax returns done that are NOT due by the end of January.

Ugh.  But he does sign that nice overtime check.

Yay!!

tax girl

My boss stole my brownie

Most people before they go on a diet they binge. It is human nature when faced with upcoming famine, of any kind, we over do it on what we will soon be denied.

Last week should have been my period of binging. The last week of the year. Last days before the longer hours and weeks of tax season. Now I am not suggesting that we should have taken the week off. There was stuff to do, but it could (and should in my opinion) been done in a calm, relaxed manner.

But NO

My boss ran around like it was April 14th and we had 40 returns left to do. He was high strung, over reacting, and down right grumpy. 

When we return to work on Monday the "diet" begins and I didn't get my brownie.