Heeeeeeee-eeeey, don't I know you from somewhere?

Yeah, I know...it's been a long time. I tell myself all the time, "Dude, self, you need to get back to blogging. Maybe once those fingers get moving on the keyboard you might remember what you have to say." And then one of the kids bellows, or a customer wants to yell at me because it's my fault that she can't afford her medication, or my weary husband needs some attention....yeah, what's a blog?

So there really has been a lot going on. Both of the girls recently participated in the science fair at school, and both did great. Beth got an A for her project on what happens to cornstarch peanuts in water/vinegar/acetone. And Catey took first prize for the fourth grade for her project on which environment a salt garden would grow best in. I'm so stinkin' proud of them, and yeah, a bit smug because I TOLD THEM that they could do great once they applied themselves. Bethany's grades have improved exponentially, and I'm thrilled. Catey's have actually dropped, but it's because the twerp doesn't turn in her work. It seems like I ask her daily what the point of doing her homework is if she's not going to turn it in and GET THE CREDIT. She'll get my point, someday, right? RIGHT? *scared that she'll turn out just like me*

Matt keeps busy in his rockin' cool kindergartener-ness. His teacher made me tear up a little bit at his conference a while back. She said that he's the sweetest, most tender hearted boy in the class, and is always going out of the way to help the kids that have disabilities. The other kids had started off ostracising the two little boys, but Matthew took them under his wing and NOBODY dares pick on the boys now. When they try, Matt tells them that they have to be nice to HIS friends. *pride* He spends every waking moment that he can with his best buddy, Ryan, who lives next door. I swear, sometimes it seems like he eats more meals over at Ryan's house than he does here. Meh, at least he's eating, right? (I should probably pitch in on Trish's grocery bill, though!)

Brian is pushin' on at work. He's the head of Wing Training, and makes sure that all the airmen go through their required courses to keep up on...AirForcey stuff. It's not his dream job, but he's working toward that. Hopefully he'll be able to go to one of the courses that's required for him to be able to DO his dream job, in February. If he does he'll be gone the entire four weeks. It'll suck being without him, but he'll be taking that next step to be able to do what he really wants. Seeing that pride in himself and satisfaction in what he's doing will be worth it. He's also been doing the Mr. Mom thing quite a bit, since I'm on such an insane schedule at work. On the nights when I have to work late he's the one making sure they eat, making sure homework is done, trying to prevent fights, coralling toward bed, answering the incessant..."Daddy, I want you!" Yeah, he loves it.

As for what's going on with me...I was promoted to team lead back in April, and since then I work a rotating schedule each week. First week is 7-4, next is 8-5, all the way to 1-10. The late shift SUCKS, thankfully, one of the other leads hates coming in early so we trade quite frequently. Especially lately. Starting next week, though, I'll be supervising a team of contracted employees. (Nice speak for TEMPS.) This will be my first time supervising a team, so it's great for my resume. I'm not worried, since it's pretty much everything that I'm doing right now, it's just people that don't know me. And in all reality, it's probably easier with people that don't know me as opposed to the people on my team right now that went through training with me. It was unnerving at first, going from peer to leader and staying on the same team. I'll be supervising this contract employee team for their full time with the company, and once they leave at the end of January I'll likely be leaving as well.

This was a really hard decision to come to. I absolutely love my job, and was really looking forward to applying for the supervisor position that's coming open. However, what with the issues of Catey not turning in her work, Beth thinking that it's OK to float through life like a dumb blonde, and Matt's whining...it's time for me to be back at home. They're adding a 2-11 schedule at the end of December as well, and the new supervisor is going to be required to work that shift for the first 6 months. That's just not feasable for our family. Brian has also essentially put his career on hold so I could work. The few times he's gone anywhere has only been for a short period, and we've had to ask friends and neighbors to help with the kid roundups when I couldn't make it home from work in time. Now that my sister has moved away I have even less support, and don't want to take atvantage of neighbors. So since Brian is going to a new training course for February and I need to go back to WA for a visit in March, January 31 seems like the perfect "quit date." A few people at work know already, but I'm keeping it on the quietish side. I still want to do this contract employee supervisor thing, and I know I'll do well. I don't want to give my manager a reason to think that I'd give it anything less than 100%. (And I'm REALLY not looking forward to telling her about it.)

So what do I plan on doing with myself once I quit? Matt will be back at home with me in the mornings, since he'll no longer be in daycare, so we'll do the general housework & laundry, and go on mom & boy dates before school. While he & the girls are in school I'm going to start working on my photography again. My hope is to do "living portraiture" and stock photography. I'm setting up some shoots with some co-workers so I can use their photos in my portfolio. This summer we'll hit the museums & library, have campouts in the backyard and do the things that we really missed this past summer. As much as I love my job and I know I'll miss it, I'm really looking forward to being a stay-at-home mom who's never home again.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand...now you're pretty much all caught up. One of my goals is to get back to blogging, at least once a week. Most of the time it feels like I have nothing to say, but the words pour out anyway. I don't even know if anybody reads this blog anymore, but it really isn't the point. I need to get that part of myself out again. I was seeing a therapist for a while but it seemed like everything she & I talked about is something I've blogged about in the past. Might as well just put it "on paper."

Anyway...I need wine. And I think there's part of a bottle of Cranberry Bog left over from Thanksgiving that's calling my name. YAY WINE!!!