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We definitely need to go soon. We tend to go there ridiculously often, since we just went a few days ago to buy wood to expand our DVD shelf and some other items. Then we were there a few days before that for Christmas garb.

There’s just a few things we need to pick up once we look at our budget. I know we need soaker hoses for the foundation, as well as another braided metal hose for our front yard. We have one in the back and I LOVE it, but the one in front is just a cheapo rubber hose that has all kinds of kinks and knots in it. I use that one the most, too, so I definitely need something of quality out there.

We also need to get some grout to fix up some of the tile in our house, as well as spackle and paint to fix some cracks. Our foundation has shifted a bit (which is common in this area) so you have to maintain as you go.

A few weeks ago we drove to Mineral Wells State Park and did a little trail walking. It was nothing crazy, as we brought Matthew and both dogs, but it was good to get out, the weather was nice and the park was beautiful. It definitely didn’t look like what I expected, though I’m not sure what I expected. All I know is that we sure need some more hiking stuff if we’re going to do that more often. I need some different shoes (I have great trail shoes, but when we were climbing up rocks I could feel the sharp points stabbing into my foot, lol) and I’ve been looking at dakine backpacks at RockyMountainTrail.com .. I need something better so that I can pack smarter. I should be bringing plenty of medical supplies including candy bars and my emergency kit. I’d hate to have something happen in the middle of nowhere. Also, it’d be nice to have something to carry a few other things in, such as sandwiches, extra bottles of water and the camera.

I had always thought I wanted Jeremiah to put on some jeans and a hat, with some pointy boots. I think cowboys are hot. However, at the store the other day I decided that some men do not belong being cowboys. He is a good looking guy, but not in a cowboy hat. He looks better in a baseball cap.

HOWEVER, he still looks good in jeans so I wouldn’t mind him wearing some carhartt jeans for men and maybe some hiking boots, but he just cannot pull off the all out Texan southern guy look.

I can’t even sit here and type to you anything that happened that would have made my week exhausting. It just.. was.

Monday and Tuesday Jeremiah had off so we had family time, did some running around and just spent time together at the park, gym, home, wherever. Tuesday I had a doctor’s appointment early in the morning which always kind of makes your day drag. Wednesday, I don’t know. I went to the gym, I cleaned the house.. Thursday went to the gym, worked in the garden until Jeremiah came home, then saw him off to San Antonio for the weekend. This morning I went to a mom’s group that Matthew and I were invited to by one of the mom’s from the soccer team we had been coaching, and we both really enjoyed it. I’ll be joining the group as soon as possible.

So this weekend I’m just here relaxing. I’ll probably tidy up the house again tomorrow after the gym, then just try to relax and de-stress. I’m actually going to TRY to spend some time and work on my blog. I’ve been so fatigued that when I sit at the computer desk I just want to lay my head down and sleep. It doesn’t help that with DST, Matthew has been getting up an hour earlier. Six thirty isn’t a big deal, but it is when you’re used to 7:30 or 8 “UPPP TIMMMEEE”s.

Next week we have a few things going on, and then we start getting ready to go to Florida for Thanksgiving. It’s going to be a horribly long drive each way, but it’ll be worth seeing family and such. I’ve taken some photos of Matthew and plan on taking more so hopefully I can have those up soon. Working on my blog and maybe figuring out a new layout needs to be my first priority though!

After over a week of slacking and being lazy, I finally got up today and put makeup on, flat-ironed and did my hair nice and headed out of the house. It was just a playgroup but it had really been a while since I’d put any effort into myself. I never spend a lot of time because I’m naturally beautiful (hah, just kidding!), but really, I don’t like obsessing over make-up or anything. I’d change a few things about myself to pretty up, but not a whole lot. Once I lose enough weight the chubby cheeks should go away. I wouldn’t mind nicer eyelashes and eyebrows (click here for eyelash growth products) at some point, but I need to put effort into many other things first before that can change at all. I’d like to find a lipgloss color that looks decent on me, but I’m absolutely HORRIBLE about that kind of stuff. Now that I think about it, I need some sort of stylist or fashion guru to straighten me out!

It is so hard still for so many people to find jobs. The jobs that are available typically call for years of experience or training in that field, and some sort of degree. People who have lost jobs that they’ve worked at for 20+ years find themselves struggling and unable to find anywhere else to work. One of the fields that is always hiring is medical. It takes school and training, but it’s worth it.. and there are jobs for medical all over the world. You could go to school for a short time and look into Healthcare Administration Jobs. Honestly, once Matthew’s a bit older, that’s likely something I’ll be looking into. I’m not crazy about the medical field, but it’s an administrative job so you’re not dealing directly with patients, and it makes you money. I’ve called places and dealt with healthcare administration so many times and I feel like it’s a job I could do well.

Today was Matthew’s last soccer game for this season. The Tiny Tigers will be no more. We had a great two months with all of the kids, and it was great coaching them and seeing them change and grow in such a short time.

The game went really well. We were lucky to play against a team with a very easy going coach. We worked together to make sure some of the kids who generally didn’t really make goals during the season, were able to make one on their last day. Matthew made four goals, and at least two of them were for his team.

We had a little party after the game where we had cupcakes and handed out the trophies. It was sad to see some of them go, and thinking now that I won’t see most of them again is pretty heartbreaking. At least two of the moms have made plans with me to hang out and keep in touch. I’ll post a couple of pictures soon from throughout the season.

Recently I received in the mail, a free sample of Seattle’s Best Coffee. When I signed up for the sample, I was asked which level I’d like to try. I’ve had their brand of coffee before only at a coffee shop they have inside the base hospital in San Antonio. I don’t remember what I thought of it then, as it was a busy day and I was running back and forth between appointments. At the shop they didn’t have the levels, so I wasn’t aware of them. It was quite refreshing to have them, surprisingly, as rather than “light, medium or dark roast”, they have 1-5, each explaining the difference.

Level 1 – Mild, light, crisp.
Level 2 – Bright, lively, easy drinking.
Level 3 – Balanced, smooth, full-flavored.
Level 4 – Rich, elegant, complex.
Level 5 – Bold, dark, intense.

Each level also describes the flavor profile, such as chocolaty, medium acidity with a nutty nuance and clean finish, pleasing acidity with a little bit of sweetness, etc. It also tells you what it pairs great with. I chose level two, which explains “Spontaneous and fun, you’re a curious optimist. Fond of going off the beaten path, you enjoy creating your own adventures and seeing where your heart leads you.” It has a flavor profile of “Slight aroma of cocoa and lively acidity” and says it goes great with citrus fruit.

I chose level two because strong coffee upsets my stomach, but I wanted to have plenty of flavor and a smooth experience. I don’t like a lot of coffee, in fact I consider myself pretty picky. I loved this coffee. I added just a drop of coconut milk, and drank it this morning alongside 2 eggs and a few slices of avocado. It was smooth, full of flavor, and did not upset my stomach one bit. I definitely recommend trying this coffee, even if you think you’re not crazy about having a cup in the morning. It’s given me plenty of energy (in fact, I just scrubbed my kitchen floor!) and was a surprising experience.

I will be looking for this on my next grocery trip (2 days away!) and I highly recommend trying it for yourself.

Disclaimer: I wrote this review of my own will. I was not reimbursed. Everything in this post is purely my opinion and was not altered or influenced in any way.

So, the whole issue with the Thunderbolt? Yeah, making my blood pressure go way high.

Our two Droid Charge phones were mailed out earlier in the week. On Tuesday, Jeremiah’s phone came in the mail. On Wednesday, the two backs and two batteries for the phones arrived. On Thursday, I watched the post man come and go, and decided to call Verizon. I thought perhaps the order didn’t get done right or it was just delayed. They tell me the phone was signed for and activated the previous day. Um, no.

So Verizon calls USPS with me on the phone and turns out it was “received” at 9:47am on Wednesday. Our mail doesn’t come until at least 3pm, at the EARLIEST. So USPS filed an investigation and gave me a case number. Verizon reported the phone as stolen and overnighted me a new one. The girl I talked to verified 2 or 3 times what phone she was sending to me. I got the box today, and it’s another Thunderbolt. ARGH! I called them yet again, and they are sending a Charge Fed Ex overnight Saturday delivery. Problem, maybe solved?

Fast forward to today. My mom has also been waiting on a replacement phone. It was scheduled to come this week, and it’s Friday, so I told her she should call to make sure her phone didn’t disappear. Sure enough, she calls, they track it, it was “delivered” at 9:36am on Thursday, signed with the same signature. They are also shipping her a new one. When she talked to them she told them about my case, so that they can link the two together. USPS is supposed to follow up in 2 business days, so I’m hoping they can tell us they figured it out. Whoever is taking our mail should be punished. We did have a substitute mailman this last week, and today our regular girl is back from vacation. I talked to her and told her what happened, and she said it must have been taken from the post office or something, to have been “received” so early.

In the end, I’ll get my phone and mom will get hers, but the whole situation has been so frustrating! I don’t blame Verizon (except for sending me the wrong phone) and everyone I dealt with was super nice, but DANG, I just want a fully functioning phone!