(not our photo sent with cards, but a cute one nonetheless)

2010 is winding down...just a few days left. our family christmas was wonderful, complete with time with family, gifts, a roaring fire, and..snow! as the year comes to a close, it remains to be one of reflection and optimism. i'm sure the next few days will be filled with joy and a lot of thinking/planning about what 2011 will hold. i am still holding out for a planning gig--i still haven't received a thin white envelope from the one i REALLY want..hopefully they're just teasing me! :/ and, i've just sent off 2 more packets (transylvania county/brevard & albemarle) and will be sending two more (edenton & pa) before the year is over (& maybe an online app to il)...so we'll see what the new year will bring!

i hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and is enjoying the snow! :) i did finally get ALL of my pictures ('cept the new ones) put on a cd, so the new year will be filled with posts with pics! (a new year resolution for sure!) hope you enjoy the end of 2010 and ring in 2011 with the ones you care about most!

nc state plays tonight & ecu plays tomorrow afternoon (military bowl, dc @ 2:30pm). GO PIRATES!!!

merry CHRISTmas!
(courtesy of craftily ever after)

today is monday. i woke up early...to the muffled sounds of my parents getting ready for work..yet managed to stay under the covers until ~ 8am. there's just something about being under the warm covers, with the sun filtering in windows with a touch of frost.

today, i unpacked, sorted, and repacked my kitchen..into 8 boxes. i didn't pack most of those boxes during the move in mar/april so, for the most part, i didn't know what each box contained. now, dishes/glasses/etc. are more carefully packed (with bubble wrap), numbered and ready for the next move.

tuesday, after i meet with a lady at my dad's office, i will tackle what is currently holding residence in the breakfast nook (what was taking up residence in the living room for the past 6 months). after that, i will carry the boxes up to the bonus room, to live in the window nooks until the next move. that will clear the first floor of my "crap" after...7 months. ;)

wednesday-thursday, i will be in charlotte & then fayetteville for interviews. the fayetteville one is a follow-up (2nd round) to last week's phone interview. please say a prayer (+)!!

friday, my dad's supposedly going to be on vacay...so i'm gonna use this day to decorate the house for christmas, minus putting the ornaments on the tree. that's a family tradition. :)

that's the way i have my week planned...hopefully, it'll work out just like this! :)

december

~ job (i had a phone interview today and have another one next thursday)

~ massages (plenty to have before the end of the month!)

~ decorate (this weekend! i made space for the tree yesterday)

~ sort/purge/repack (living room & bonus room will be ready by christmas!)

~ gifts (i am ALMOST done!)

~ bowlin' in dc (pirates take on an acc opponent in the military bowl, 12/29 in washington dc)

debt free by 30!

sunday night, while tackling my stack of bills, i came to the realization that i could be debt free by my 30th birthday! (including, or not, the money i owe my folks..but that's a different kind of debt..the interest free, no terms & conditions kind.)

how?! well, i have been carrying balances on 2 credit cards (one +3,000$ and one under 600$). the smaller one, i paid 1/2 the balance last month. this month, i bit the bullet and paid the remaining balance (~ 300$). what a relief! :)
so, now i'm left with one credit card balance. i realized that after doing the math, i could have it paid off within a year! (can you see my HUGE grin?!)
then, there's the car. i was fortunate to get 0.9% interest on a 3 yr loan so it is entirely realistic to try and cut it down to 2 yrs. i'll have to double up in the 2nd yr, but provided i get a job here soon, it's totally possible!
long story short, i can be...

DEBT FREE AT 30!!!!

wishing everyone a wonderful thanksgiving!

mid-month update

so much as happened/changed in the past few weeks, i thought i'd provide a mid-month update. obviously, i bought a car this past weekend! the coupe wasn't even on my radar, but i fell in love with the color & basically the rest is history! :) i love it and it's so fun to drive! i settled with my insurance company. my dad is a mad negotiator and got them to come up almost 1k without having to go to arbitration, affording me the opportunity to put a 10k down payment on my car (side note: with the blowout price of just over 15,200, 0.9% APR for 36 mos and a 10k down payment, my monthly payments are still less than they were with the mazda and i have a shorter term period..awesome! *also, since i am unemployed, i couldn't get financing, so my dad had to co-sign my loan with me*). i went to court this afternoon for my ticket from my accident. the d.a. dismissed it..it took longer to for my dad to find a place to park than it did to check in, sit for a few minutes and then talk to the d.a. but hey, it works for me. now, i just have to wait to see how much my premiums go up in january.

mentally, i can cross #2-4 off my november list..i am still working on the job situation..i had 2 interviews last week and i have another one scheduled for monday 11/22 at noon. hopefully, something shakes out here soon because it's getting more than mildly depressing....bella's having her spa day on wednesday and hopefully i'll be getting a massage by week's end!

p.s. the news i'm sharing with the world...last night, i went on a long awaited date (the guy and i have been talking for..months!) and it was great. call me aggressive or forward, but at the end of the night..i took the leap and kissed him. and it was PERFECT. i suppose there's nothing like standing in the middle of a parking lot enjoying a great kiss. i think my body went numb...i have never believed the "fireworks" analogy when it comes to kissing, but if i didn't see 'em, they were going off somewhere. he called me while i was driving home and he thought it was great too.....so we'll see what lies ahead. i probably shouldn't talk about it, but it was the best kiss of the year (if not, of my life) & i wanna tell everyone! :)

here she is!

2010 Honda Civic Coupe

(Royal Blue Exterior & Gray Cloth Interior)

despite being a monday, today was great!

details aside, i ended up submitting my cover letter and resume online this morning for a tech position and by the afternoon, i had an interview lined up..for TOMORROW! (they're doing interviews on wednesday, but i couldn't make it work since i have one in virginia that afternoon.) so tuesday morning, i will be off to ...wherever it is that i-40/i-85 is going to take me. ;) after my interview, i'm gonna drive to concord and see my old co-workers, since i haven't been in to visit since june.

after setting up the interview (excited!!) and mailing another app packet (going to a nearby town--i should've hand-delivered it i suppose..), i met my dad at my insurance company to sign the power of attorney paperwork, get my letter for court, and get my money!! (**my dad has mad negotiating skills..got them to come up $1k from their original offer, without having to go to arbitration!) so, that total + taxes/fees - deductible - what i still owed on my car = a pretty nice down payment on a new ride (& maybe less some to pay off one credit card (<$300 to go!) and some on another). :)

now that i have my money, a new ride is right around the corner..unfortunately (not really!) with my interview schedule this week, i won't be able to make it to the ford dealership until thursday (to check out the '11 fiesta)..but, maybe i'll have a decision by this weekend?!

things are looking up! God is so good!

november goals

1. JOB (STILL working on this one..but november has started off right with two packets mailed, two more to be mailed later this week, and one to be done online. i have an interview lined up on nov 10th.)
2. court (nov 16th, a result of my accident last month)
3. work out the insurance "stuff"
4. car (i can tell you i've ruled out the mazda2. it is TINY!!)
5. gym (my account's on hold for the next 3 mos.)
6. church
7. massage (i have 5, maybe 6, to get by the end of 2010!)
8. finish the "jessica" project (it should be ready to hang this week!)
9. finish my room
10. sort, purge & re-pack the living room
11. start to work on the bonus room (to be finished by christmas, as a gift to my parents)

the hunt continues

monday, i had an interview down towards wilmington. i think it went okay, but considering how well i thought the last two had gone & still didn't get an offer, i'm not going to get too excited. so, it wasn't stellar but wasn't awful either. i think it'd be a great place to be, with the exception of where to live. i drove around for about an hour or so afterwards, and didn't really see any great housing options...guess that's what happens when you're near the beach (but how can you complain if you're near the beach?!). so, we'll see. i should know one way or the other by the end of the month or early into november (since my interview was towards the end of the process this time).
in other job news, i have another interview scheduled for nov. 10 in virginia. this job, to put it mildly, would be a few steps backwards. but, it is a planning gig so i would be thankful considering i'll soon be entering my 10th month of being unemployed (7th of being supported by the government). if nothing else, it's more interview practice. this one will be a panel of 3-5 staff members including the director. we'll see what shakes out.
more news: two more jobs in the charlotte area have posted that i am going to apply for...can you tell i'm itching to get back to the queen city?! one's for a planner southeast of charlotte (monroe) and the other is for a tech in the lake norman area. the 2nd, i actually had a telephone interview with them the first go-around (the post-college job hunt) for a planner. i lacked the experience then, but i have it now, so maybe that will bode well for me this time?!

pro-actively waiting to see what shakes out....

new car

i am on the hunt for a new(er) car..hard to believe since i was rollin' around in a '07 mazda3, just shy of having it paid off too. i was down to a year and was planning to squish the payments together to do it in six months. but, i was in an accident and it's been deemed a total loss. wednesday morning, i said farewell to my purple phantom. :(

the weekend of july 4th 2007,

i traded in my '87 windex blue cavalier

(given to me by my grandma out in CO)

for the phantom

my parents and i are working on a rental..which needs to happen ASAP considering i need to drive down towards wilmington on monday for an interview! so, while we're working on that, i'm dreaming of which car i will soon call mine. (food for thought, with the great apr offer for october, i could potentially have a lower monthly payment on a new mazda than i "currently" have on the '07..)

here are my favorites:

2011 mazda2

2010 mazda3

ford fiesta

obviously, there's a trend and a loyalty to mazda. what do you think? any other cars/small suv's i should be condsidering? wish us luck!

october 14, 2010 is a day that changed my life.

i won't get into details because it's not appropriate but i will say that i know God was looking out for me because things could be worse than they are. it's not always about what happened or didn't happen, but it's about how you pick yourself up off the ground, pick up the pieces, put your life back together and move on with your life.

bad things happen, but so do really good things.

like, waking up to my mom in my room telling me that another jurisdiction called and wants to interview me! (monday, october 25 @ 2pm)

confession

i have a confession. i have fallen off the working out wagon. i was going strong there for awhile, completed my foundations courses and then BAM! it all seemed to happen at once. we went out of town for the vt/ecu game. i found out i didn't get one of the jobs that i REALLY wanted (& thought i actually might get) and got pretty depressed. then, once i got over that the world wasn't over and that there are more jobs out there to be had, i got sick (oh, and my ear swelled & burst TWICE during these past few weeks!). that's about 3 weeks of loser-ness. why am i admitting this to the world?! to be held accountable. because like getting to be a planner somewhere new, getting fit & healthier is something i really want to say that i am.

i thought the start of october would mean a fresh start..get back into it, get my life back on track..but last week, i just wasn't into it. plus, i found out that i could go to the women's class at 9am, and that there's a class at 11am, so i wouldn't have to face the people in the 430-7 classes with shame if i didn't want to. i really was going to go today..but i stayed in bed too long. whoops! so tomorrow is the day! i think i may try the 9am class first (but if i miss it, there is the 11am) to see what it's like...i just kinda feel like a big loser. so, that's gonna change.

in job news, i'm on the edge of my seat waiting to hear back from the two jobs (va & nc) this week. i'm sending off another packet today (nc) and will be applying for one more job (a HUGE step down, but hey, it's a job)...and then will be waiting for more to post. the end of summer has brought a serious slump in postings..and since i said i'd give this unfortunate turn of events a year, i have until january 19 to find another planning position. after that point, i'll really have to start looking at my options..my mom thinks i'd make a great copy editor/graphic designer/home designer/etc. so it gets me thinking that maybe..just maybe..planning isn't the field for me. being unemployed sucks because you have all this time to doubt yourself. i love planning..i love the people part, the knowing what's coming part, the conflict, the success..everything. so to think that it may not be what i'm supposed to be doing for my career is heartbreaking...heartaching stuff. i've been praying about it..and am anxiously yet patiently waiting to see what God does.

wow, this post was just supposed to be about how i went from a motivated mini-FA to a constantly depressed, less motivated mini-FA and it really turned into a confession on all accounts. well, you can't fault me for being honest.

an update. yesterday i had an impromptu phone interview. usually when a prospective employer leaves a message about wanting an interview, usually the return call is done in order to SET UP the interview. not this one. i called back and the director proceeded to ask me 9-10 questions. i was completely thrown off and not prepared. i tried to recover quickly and will know by next week if i make it to the actual round of interviews. other positive thoughts..i made it through the initial round and into the pre-interview round of another job that i REALLY want (i know i say this a lot, but it's true..this one is near charlotte, i could actually LIVE where i work & still be able to have a life (as opposed to taking a job in bfe)). so, for both jobs, i will know my fate within the next 2-3 weeks.

october

1. JOB

2. finish my room

3. finish the "jessica" redo project

4. unpack/sort/repack my belongings

5. start to work on the bonus room redo

6. gym. i think i'm going to start going at 11am weekdays as opposed to waiting until 430-630 to work out.

7. church. it's a new priority. i really like the summit.

8. whatever else i can fit in...

september

1. JOB (still working on that one)

2. paint my room (DONE)

3. redecorate my room - new bedding, rods, panels, etc. (DONE)

4. frame for my bed (not yet & not a priority)

5. headboard (same as #4)

6. redo the "jessica" piece (it's ready for this weekend!)

7. unpack, sort, repack what i own (not yet but in the immediate future)

8. bonus room (this is related to #7 so see above)

9. gym consistency (blame the vt/ecu game, my week of being depressed, my week of being lazy)

10. church. i went once this month.

11. whatever else (i got TWO massages this month...i gotta use up my prepaid massages before the year runs out!)

how i felt this week..

disappointed.

depleted.

depressed.

unmotivated.

angry.

exhausted.

lost.

waste of space/time/energy/etc.

thursday marked 8 months since my last day at the office. since january, i have applied for 29 positions, had 7 interviews, and here i sit. it sucks. and the truth of the matter is that monday, i got an e-mail from a planning director which informed me another candidate had been selected. this is a municipality i interviewed with when i was first getting into planning, for the same job. i REALLY wanted this one. and the fact of the matter is, that i lost. i lost. i thought it was my best interview yet. i was perky and enthusiastic and felt like i answered the questions better/confidently. and i lost. am i too confident? too perky? too eager? who knows. i even e-mailed this person in hope of getting some feedback (beyond competitive applicant pool & qualified candidate jibber jabber) and/or some tips to no avail. ugh. so this week, was my pity party.

culmination blouse

well behaved jacket

switching lanes cardigan

(navy)

obviously, i got in some retail therapy this afternoon...it was more about getting out of the house. but i am ecstatic to report that these items came home with me. i've been lusting after the blouse and jacket for quite some time..and bonus! last night i found the jacket to be on sale! :) the striped sweater was on sale too! and a pretty bracelet. :) i love anthropologie (although i still believe the stores in charlotte are way better than the one at southpoint).

vs

saturday, september 18

~ 1:30pm

lane stadium ~ blacksburg va

"it's going down! argh!"

it's a new season with a new coach, a new qb and 7,000 additional seats at the stadium (to make 50,000+/-)...sold out crowd for the first game of the season and the pirates did not disappoint! ecu defeats tulsa 51-49! :D

did you see that?!

september 1. how can it already be september?? now it's been nearly 8 months without so much as a bite on the line at a new job...i've had 7 interviews and the past 2 have been ones i REALLY want (not that i wasn't interested in the others, but these 2 have the added bonus of not having to move right away & would give me more time to find a fabulous new home for the two of us). i can say that for both, i made it to the top 11 (and for yesterday's: 440 applications, half made it through the hr screening, and then they narrowed it down to eleven. they'll pick 2-4 candidates who will be interviewed by the director, who will make the final decision. oh, i hope i get a call back!). so, the job hunt remains numero uno on my monthly "to do" list. the rest is as follows:
1. JOB
2. paint my room (eucalyptus, like my bathroom)--planned for LABOR DAY weekend!
3. redecorate my room with new bedding, rods, panels, etc.
4. get a frame for my bed, since the one it's currently on is the one i brought back from charlotte in march/april.
5. make a headboard?!
6. redo the "jessica" piece my aunt & uncle gave me years ago. it's a gold frame with a yellow mat, cut with "jessica," and a white back mat. so, i want to spray the frame silver/nickel (or find a ready-made frame), paint the yellow mat dark gray, green or eucalyptus, and remount it.
7. go through EVERYTHING i brought back that's boxed up, sort and re-pack/re-box.
8. start to work on the bonus room...this is a HUGE project and will take more than a month, i'm sure.
9. stay consistent with the gym...finally get some sort of muscle tone, preferably around my middle. ;)
10. church. i went last saturday to the summit and would like to go again..saturdays are more ideal than sunday mornings!
11. whatever else i can cram into this month!

hope everyone has a great month and a great labor day weekend.

new favorite song

i looked in your eyes and saw it for a moment

the passion in your cry, the chains of life are broken

put to death by your people, you came to bring us life

only hope for the hopeless, will you remember me?

i've been ashamed

i've been put down

head in my hands

life on the ground

left heaven to save liars and thieves

sinners like me

your blood sets us free

who am i

that you would remember me?

spent all of my years stealing from the world

with everything i had i was still so poor

you have everything to lose but you're dying here with me

i believe, will you remember me?

i've been ashamed

i've been put down

head in my hands

life on the ground

left heaven to save liars and thieves

sinners like me

your blood sets us free

who am i?

take what i have left, my Savior

take me with you from this cross

when i leave this life completely

remember me

i've been ashamed

i've been put down

head in my hands

life on the ground

left heaven to save liars and thieves

sinners like me

your blood sets us free

kutless "remember me"

this weekend, my parents and i are traveling to northern va/washington dc. we're going to see the sites (the "new" aerospace smithsonian) friday afternoon/saturday morning and then saturday, paige and paul will join us for a gladwin family reunion. mike, lisa and kelly are coming from california and jordan, charlotte and declan will be there as well. it's an opportunity to get together and catch up...i saw them at the wedding, but let's face it, i was more interested in beer, dancing and taking pictures; and, to meet the newest additions to the family. :)

bella will be spending the weekend at suite paws. i know she'll have a great time...and this time, the pool should be open (i hope she's careful, she's never been swimming before!).

i have some good news to report as well...yesterday, a town to which i'd applied called to set up an interview (tuesday 8/24). this afternoon, a city/county called to set up an interview as well (tuesday 8/31). i am really excited!! these two jobs i am super interested, plus i wouldn't have to move (well, not any great distance at least). on the new job front, i have 3 within nc to apply for and one in richmond, va (the first one closes 8/31, so when i get back from dc & after my interview, it's 'go time'!)....

hope everyone has a great weekend!

i figured it was time for an update. lo and behold, i am still doing forged fitness/crossfit...this week should be my first full week and i'm looking forward to it...although today's WOD doesn't seem as "easy" as last wednesday's. ;) last thursday and friday i was in greenville for the 2010 nc apa summer planning institute. it was awesome and i'm really glad i got to go. i think i made a couple of good contacts and most of the sessions were so interesting. some people i'd interviewed with were there (& hopefully some i'll see in the near future), so i think that made a good impression. i am still hanging in there as far as the job hunt goes. i have decided not to apply for a couple of positions, mostly because i either figured out i wouldn't want to live in that town or because i really thought about what the employer was looking for and feel that it's a level or two over my head. sure, it's good practice, but let's face it...there are other opportunities out there that better suit my qualifications, like the 2 that posted last week. yep, 2 in one week (within a day or two of each other at that!). so, this week, i'm working on conover, village of marvin and the cog (wilson). financially, things are going great. this weekend was the first time i've dipped into my reserve, and that's mainly because i was behind on doing my weekly certifications (whoops!)..i filed three weeks worth yesterday. so, as soon as that comes into my account, i can pay off my reserve to get it back up to 500. but, that's pretty great for me..7 months without dipping into the pot. woo hoo! baby steps! :)

so, that's my mini update. hopefully i'll have some more good news to report in the near future!

it's official. i have been unemployed for seven months and have been living with my folks in raleigh for four months (on sunday). i have been having a tough time lately...it's really hard to get excited about a new job post after seven months of looking, applying, interviewing, and ultimately, getting denied. i figured, at seven months, it was time to tally what's what.

as of 7/31, i will have applied for 23 planning positions

1: position frozen for fiscal year 2010-2011

3: denial e-mails

5: interviews (highest honor? making it to the top 5 of 100+ applicants)

7: no response given (even with a follow-up after an interview!)

8: denial letters

three packets were sent last week: durham city/county, kinston and suwanee (ga).

the next round of deadlines are rapidly approaching for: fairfax county (va), cary, ncdot (raleigh), nc dept. of commerce (raleigh), and chowan county.

wish me luck... :/

*day 3*

i was back with drew tonight. another 3 round "game" but different than monday. :) the first round consisted of 1 minute jump rope, 12 burpees (modified), 12 knee lifts and 12 shoulder presses. second round: 1 min. jump rope, 9 burpees, 9 knee lifts and 9 presses. third round: 1 minute jump rope, 6 burpees, 6 knee lifts and 6 presses.

a burpee, if you don't know, is basically when you do a full push up and then jump to a squat and then jump with your hands over your head. my modified burpee was everything except the push up. knee lifts: hanging from a bar like you're going to do a pull up but instead of pulling your body up, you pull your knees up to work your abs (again, modified...the intent is to get your knees to your elbows!). presses: dumb bell presses from your shoulders straight up.

and then of course, you go for speed. i did it in under 10 minutes (the jump rope got me caught a few times).

so in looking at my times, just under 10 on monday; just under 20 for tuesday (the HARD day!) and just under 10 today....so now i have a jumping off point.

this week, i am trying a new gym: forged fitness. it's the same gym where paige & paul train, in the crossfit program (they have other programs like martial arts). i get three free sessions before i decide if it's something i want to pursue (i still have a week free voucher from o2 fitness i won in a raffle at church). yesterday was my first one. drew is my coach and paul, now certified, is my co-coach/cheerleader.
*day 1: i warmed up by running around the building 3 times..man, i am out of shape because i could barely make it around the 3rd time! :( Then, we played a "game". game, my ass. the game consisted of 3 rounds of 30 step-ups, 5 push ups, 10 sit ups and 10 ball squats each. it sounds easy, but it wasn't. step-ups are not regular box step-ups. these, you stand at the top of each step and push your hips forward), the push ups were the knee kind, which made it easier but still hard when you're trying to go fast!. the sit ups were not "normal". you put your legs in the butterfly position with your shoulders on the floor. you do a sit up but it doesn't count unless you sit straight up. and these ball squats...were tough to get a handle on. i'm used to squats that you sorta lean forward..with these, you curl your toes up so that your weight is forced back on your heels. then you push your hips/butt back (like you're sitting down) and down to touch a medicine ball with your butt..using your arms to keep your balance. it took me 10 minutes to do 3 rounds. after the second, i thought about giving up...the idea of doing 30 more step-ups wasn't my idea of a good time..but i did it! i would've been mad if i had quit.

i'm a little bit sore, mostly from the push ups because i stretched my legs quite a bit afterwards...it was fun. friendly faces since i've met quite a few of the members at social functions for the bsd's and paul's birthday. plus, it's a way for me to spend more time (at least in the same space) with paige (& paul). i go again tonight at 7...drew said it's better to go back-to-back so that i don't get as sore. i tried to get some details from paul but all he told me is that we wouldn't be doing the same thing as yesterday. i imagine there's some rowing and kettle bell lifts in my future. :) and, as much as i hated it, i'm actually looking forward to going back tonight...am i crazy or what?! ;)

*day 2: i actually made it around the building 3 times...i was gonna go around for 4 but i didn't want to push it too hard & if i had known what the workout was, i definitely wouldn't have gone 4 times. 4 rounds of: 300m rowing, 10 lunges, 12 wall balls, and 15 kettlebells. rowing on the machine was tough, since we were going for speed. lunges to the wall. wall balls were the squats i did yesterday coupled with throwing and catching a medicine ball above the line on the wall (that was tough). kettlebells are squats with a kettlebell and then swinging it up over your head and then back down. they had to decrease my weight in the balls and bells. i only made it through 3 rounds which i'm kinda disappointed in, but i also didn't want to kill myself! i don't know my time but i know it wasn't fast considering i was doing the class with 2 fit men (father and son) who were able to get through their 4 rounds. i didn't watch them much because i didn't want to get more flustered. i'm alive, but my quads yell at me everytime i walk down the stairs or sit down! today is my off day...and boy do i need it?! i didn't sleep well last night at all, and i have my interview tomorrow morning so i need to be well-rested. we'll see what day 3 will hold tomorrow night. paul won't be there b/c he has band practice...but, i'll be okay. i just want to get the techniques down well enough before i really try to go for time.

i am happy to report that i accomplished most of everything on my july 4 weekend 'to do' list. :) i primed and painted my bathroom in 2 days. it looks great, but very different considering it's always been a little room of color. for the past few years, it's been a bright shade of apple green (almost more like lime)..very bright. now it's a beautiful, subtle shade of eucalyptus from restoration hardware. my dad has to help me hang the towel rack (ikea). i had bought a new stainless tp holder (ikea) but i think i'm leaning towards a stand-alone type...decisions, decisions. once it's ALL done, i promise to post a picture. i don't have a good "before" pic so an "after" will have to do. ;)
the girls went shopping saturday, mainly for my sister's birthday, which we celebrated on tuesday night. i still have to order the last part of her gift..trying to keep it even between how much p&p spent on me for my birthday last month. we did grill out (steaks on the weber grill) and i did have some skinny dip. matt didn't get a chance to stop in raleigh on his way back to charlotte since apparently traffic was a mess on i-40w (no surprise there). but, all in all, it was a great holiday weekend.

this week, i'm working on 4 app packets to go out tomorrow. this round is amherst (va), suwanee (ga), kinston (nc) & fayetteville (nc). i know, no one wants to move to fayett-nam but it's a state job so....it's good practice in the very least. :) more good news, i got a call yesterday morning for another interview. this one's for a town not too far from where my parents live (literally, like 20 minutes driving time). it will remain nameless for now...but, i'm excited. the interview is thursday 7/15. time for some new pictures to add to my portfolio!

hope everyone's having a great week...stay cool because it is BALMY outside (to say the least)!

hope everyone has a great july 4 weekend!

my holiday plans: prime, paint & redo my bathroom with my ikea finds and paint from restoration hardware; shop with my mom & sister; order my sister's birthday gift (& something for me of course!); laundry; some relaxation...grill out with the family, throw in some skinny dip/fat tire & seeing a friend from charlotte on monday and it sounds like a great time! :D

july 1. can anyone believe the year is six months over already? as much as january-june kinda sucked, it also wasn't so bad. i mean, even though i lost my job, had to leave charlotte, lose some of my independence, move in with my parents, have bella be stuck in her crate when she's inside the house, and have applied for over 20 jobs..........i also live rent & essentially bill-free, bella has a yard to frolic across, raleigh's not so bad, i've made it to the top 5 and interviewed for 4 jobs (& the jury's still out on 2). life doesn't suck, it's all in how you look at it. this is my year to learn how to be optimistic and keep the faith in myself and in God's plan. He has something great planned, I just know it. I just wish I could really understand His timing. ;)

goals for july are much the same as june...nothing really seems to change does it?

- keep applying/interviewing for jobs (there are 8 i am waiting to hear about & as of today, 3 more to apply for)

- get a massage (i'm behind...i never got mine in june)

- go to the art museum. for easter, my mom got us a membership...plus, it's time to renew at the mint & it makes me sad.....

- prime my bathroom

- paint my bedroom and bathroom (after a VERY successful trip to ikea last weekend, i really only "need" double curtain rods & a bed frame for my room for the project to be completed).

- put the finishing touches on my room. i am completely excited!

- begin to work on the bonus room. i have great plans...but, i need to get my dad on board (especially since i need him and his saw/sanding skills). ;)

- have a good 4th of july weekend.

- maybe have a date? ;)

yesterday, my birthday horoscope said that "the Force would not be with me" concerning matters related to business, career, jobs, etc. well, that horoscope couldn't be more wrong! tuesday, my interview went well i think. the director actually told me that he had received 100-150 applications and i was one of 5-6 that they'd chosen for interviews. that's amazing and the equally amazing part is that the ad specified that they were requiring applicants to have a Master's degree and 5 years of experience. i have neither..and i still got an interview. :)

in other happy news, i got a call for another interview opportunity. it's thursday 6/24 @ 3pm. i'm excited.

i promise to do a post here shortly about my job search, prospects, regrets, etc.

i also had a great birthday yesterday. i slept in until 11:30! (my mom was here and let bella out in the a.m. for me.) took my interview thank you cards to the post office, made my cake and then the family went out for dinner at cantina 18 in cameron village (my shrimp taco was delish!) and then cake/presents at p&p's. i am so blessed (& apparently kinda spoiled) and thankful for my family. i don't know what i would do if i actually got an out-of-state job offer and had to move....

hope everyone has a great rest of the week! i'm gonna go wrap the gifts for father's day. :)

interview. tomorrow.

*p.s. i turn 27 on wednesday!*

Rolesville Baptist Church

Church Wall Close Up

June 3, 2010

new additions

kelsner "kelly" artist snyder

may 28, 2010

parents: mike snyder & lisa piastrelli

(my cousin & his wife)

7.15lbs, 21 1/4" @ 5:39am pt

&

gage paxton brown

may 31, 2010

parents: jackie & wes brown

(my good friend & her husband)

7.3lbs, 24"