It's Always Darkest Before the... Dark?

I'm not sure about anyone else, but I've been having such a hard time this year with daylight savings time.

It all started off fine and dandy, we got an extra hour of sleep, everyone felt more rested, it was light in the morning when we left for work. But now? Now it's darkness practically all day, every day.

Okay, maybe that's a little dramatic. But it's dark all the freaking time!

During the week I leave home by 7am... in the dark. I leave work around 4:30pm... in the dark. I feel deprived of daylight! I get to see my husband's handsome face in natural light on weekends only, when we try to cram every possible thing we need daylight to do into the, oh, 8 hours a day that we maybe get.

So what's a girl to do? Lately, I've just been tired. My body clock is out of whack and it's making me tired at odd times of the day, particularly when I get home and change out of my work clothes into something cozy and warm. Perhaps that's the problem, that I'm making myself too comfy? All I know is that I need to snap out of it, and soon! This girly is starting to feel like a vampire, living in the dark!

Hmm... if darkness is my only option, do you think I could get sparkly skin?

Image

On second thought, just give me the sun!

Happy Birthday, Hubster!

Today my main squeeze turns 31!

Happy Birthday, baby!

Christmas Cards Can Be FUN!

I mean, shouldn't they be? Really. Yet, as this time of year comes around I find myself becoming overwhelmed by all that the holiday season entails... gifts, baking, wrapping, decorating, and sending out Christmas cards. Each year I tackle all of the tasks on my list, with the exception of one... I can never seem to get those darn cards in the mail and to their intended recipient! Well, this year is a different story...

You've all heard of Shutterfly, right? If you haven't, or if you've heard of them but never been to the website, go! Now! This year we're going to do our Christmas cards on Shutterfly, and I'll be picking a design, uploading pics of The Hubster, the pups, and I, and they're going in.the.mail. Promise! Here are some of the designs that have caught my eye that I think would work well for our little family:


I thought this one was a super cute, modern option that would easily accommodate pictures of us and the dogs...




I love the classic feel of this one. And the monogram? Swoon!




Anyone who knows me knows that I fell in love with this turquoise cutie the minute I saw it. Adorbs!




This one makes my heart pitter patter... I love the clean lines & the classic black look with that gorgeous turquoise!



Modern and ADORABLE, right?! Love this.

This little sweetie makes me wanna curl up with some hot cocoa, wonder if the recipients would feel the same?



Pink and red?! Yes please! So cute.



So, it looks like I have my work cut out for me. I need to pick a design and fast!

With the holidays fast approaching, you should also think of Shutterfly for some gift ideas! Apart from their endless selection of holiday cards, they offer some terrific prices on photo books, wall calendars, and canvas wall art that are not only gorgeous, but affordable too. Are you sold on them yet? Because I am!

Added bonus? But of course there is! Fellow bloggers can click here to find out how to get 50 of your own holiday cards for FREE!

Yup, free.

What are you waiting for?! Go! I'm off to pick out my final choice for my cards. Come Christmas time it is my goal to have our pictures on the fridge of every family member, and these cards aren't going to create themselves. Wish me luck!

The Best Things In Life... Aren't Things

I recently bought some wall art with that saying, and it ended up in my shopping cart to come home with me because it truly is how we live our lives for the most part. We don't have many things. Sure, we own our home, have a newer TV, nice clothes and food in our cupboards, but when it comes to things of value, they are few and far between.

We own both of our cars outright, and they both have seen better days. We have been using the same hand-me-down loveseat as our couch since we moved in.  Going out to an expensive dinner for us is dropping $40. Splurging on a date night is going to the regualr movie theatre, and not the $3 one. We have never been the type of couple that are constantly "keeping up with the Joneses", and we are happy knowing that it doesn't take money or items to make us who we are.

So, I bought the wall art to put up on our wedding pictures wall, where it looks perfect. Not too long after I had put it up The Hubster and I found ourselves referencing it several times in a conversation that would continue into the evening and onto the next day, a conversation sparked by someone who would look at that saying and probably laugh. Laugh because things are important to them, to the detriment of their family and lifestyle.

This is someone that we've come to realize we don't know very well at all, so when we sat back and looked at the situation we were able to see it for what it is. We asked ourselves why someone would be drawn to having things over a happy life, things over stability, things over a savings.

Things over friendships.

We came to this conclusion... We can never begin to understand what makes others do the things we do, we can only be responsible for ourselves. All we want to do is live life simply to simply enjoy life.

Who cares if we don't have the best cars, or the nicest of everything. Who cares that I buy store brand items when it really makes no difference, or that I rarely pay full price for anything. Who CARES if others think down on us because of our choices. They're our choices and we no longer care about what other people think of us or the decisions we make. We are who we are, and if you make a decision based on thinking we are cheap, selfish, penny-pinching, or whatever, well then, I feel sorry for you. Sorry you don't get to know who we really are, sorry that you are so quick to judge, and sorry that there is something so wrong in your own life that makes you feel as if you can sit in judgement on others.

And this is where the apoligies end.

THIS is who we are. Unabashedly, unapologetically, irrevocably us. Penny-pinching, sale shopping, life loving, and respectful... This is who we are. We live simply...

so that we can simply enjoy life.

It's another post!

Only, not at this blog. Sorry!

Mosey on over to Little Home, Big Love and check it out!

New Blog!

I've started a new blog! It's called Little Home, Big Love and you can find it right here!

The new blog will be about everything home related... Decorating, house projects, cooking, baking, and making a house a home. This blog will stay up as well, but will mostly be resigned to things NOT home related... working out, stress, work stuff, etc.

So, please click to check out the new blog and follow me, if ya like!

Fed Up

The title of this post says it all. Well, it almost says it all. What it should really be saying is "Fed Up With Bullshit Drama by People Who Make Others Feel Invisible to Feed Their Own Egos". But, you can see why I didn't go with that title... it doesn't really roll off the tongue easily.

Anyway, I'm fed up. Fed up with being ignored, made to feel inferior, questioning whether my work abilities are being doubted because I'm a woman, or because said person is just an idiot.  I would like to give this person the benefit of doubt that it isn't a sexist thing because, really, in this day and age we really should be beyond that. Still, it makes me question the way I'm being treated and the reasoning behind it, and it doesn't feel good on the soul.

I have been at my current job for just over 3 years, yet this last year has made me consider pulling up camp and looking for another job. Yes, in this economy I'm entertaining the thought of leaving a secure, well-paying job WITH BENEFITS in hopes of finding something that I'm not entirely miserable doing. Crazy? Probably. Unhappy? Definitely.

This person, and I'm not going to use names because this is a public blog and I NEED my job, has made me dread coming to work daily. There are some days that I feel physically ill at the thought of returning to my loud, thankless, privacy-lacking, cubicle occupying job. Days when I find myself wishing I'd be sideswiped on the freeway on my way to work, or that I will miraculously come down with the Swine Flu, just so I could call in with a legitimate reason for not being there. In short, I'm miserable. Don't get me wrong, I like the job part of my job, the part where I'm actually doing something productive and the part where what I do is appreciated.  I hate that my skills and abilities aren't being utilized, or even appreciated. I'm constantly overlooked for projects and work groups, when I'm one of the people who should be most included. I also don't like all the other crap that comes along with the job, like dealing with a certain person and their attitude.  Now, I know not everyone likes their job, and most people feel shorted in one way or another, but I'm telling you, I've reached my limit.

This person that's having this effect on my is not on my level at work, meaning they're a "higher up". Woo-freaking-hoo. What that means to me, and apparently to this person, is:

• They can pass down their work to their little minions (me), and then turn around and take credit for it once it's completed. It's not even the whole department that gets to claim the work that was well done, it's the person, and it pisses me off.
• It also means that they can choose to ignore me whenever they want, apparently. There have been several, and by several I mean at least 20 times that I've counted, where I've been blatantly ignored by this person. Whether I'm asking questions, responding to questions they've asked, or even correspondance via email, I'm ignored. Disregarded. Made to feel unimportant.
• I've repeatedly asked to be included in more, to no avail. It's as if this person doesn't want me involved in anything, so I'll look like I'm not working as hard as I could.

I'm good at my job. I genuinely like what I do. I get great feedback from our "clients" and have a good work ethic. I complete tasks promptly, often surprising the person who assigned the task. It's just how I am. I don't do anything half assed, and I pride myself in that. I work HARD.

So why am I being treated this way? Why does this person not see the value they have in me as an employee and actually do something to keep me? It's bad enough that there weren't any raises this year for the entire staff, but I can guarantee there isn't anyone else who is being treated this way. I've heard the "They're threatened by you"s and the "Just bide your time, it'll get better"s, and I am, frankly, over hearing them. What I need now is a change to be made, or a new job that will make me happy again.

At the rate things are going, I'm dusting off the old resume and I'll begin putting myself out there. I'm worth more than this.

I deserve better.

And I'll get it.