Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Photo Book Tip: Create an adventurous travel photo album at Shutterfly.com.

Girl Named Exhausted

 Well we have had quite a busy weekend! Friday I drove down to Rogers, AR to have a few meetings for work, then met Heather Z. (we had a race there Saturday morning) for dinner at P.F. Changs (favorite place ever!) and did some awesome shopping at the Pinnacle Hills Promenade. We stayed at a hotel then got up bright and early for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure!

Me and Heather before the Komen race!

 This was the biggest race I've ever done, there were probably 10,000 people there! There were so many sponsors, and they all had tents giving away samples and cool stuff - I came home with 2 bags of swag! The actual 5K was no good - it was SO hilly, one hill was impossible (for me) to run up - I checked my elevation change afterwards and it was 121 feet! My final time was 42:28, which isn't my worst time, but it's also not my best. I had really hoped for under 40. I just know that one of these races I'm going to feel super-good and run it in 35:00! (36:00 is my fastest time, but I think that course was only around 2.9 miles long) I had to start taking Amoxicillin on Thursday, when I finally went to the dentist for my toothache and found out it's infected. The Amoxicillin gives me a few undesirable side effects, including dizziness, so the 5K did not go as planned and I am really proud of myself for just finishing it at all! After it was over, and we visited all the tents, I drove back and picked up the girls at my moms, came home, showered, then went to Heather C. and Andy's house for Avery's 4th birthday party! She had a "fiesta" party, and it was a lot of fun (but there were A LOT of kids there, and I think if there hadn't been margaritas there I might have went crazy!) 

Claire wearing a super-hero mask at Avery's party!

 We came home and ate dinner and the girls crashed. Today we got up and cleaned the house until lunch, ate Mexican Villa (of course), went to Walmart, came home and I ironed all the curtains for the basement (16 total, 4 windows with sheers!) and we got them hung up (our furniture should be here soon, and I can't wait for it to be finished!) and I organized both the girls closets, and did 7 loads of laundry. I just sat down for the first time at 7:30 pm, and I am exhausted! We accomplished a lot though, so it was a good weekend! Now, back to work tomorrow - I have a Director of Marketing from an Ashley store in Mississippi coming this week to shadow me, and learn how I do everything. It is very nice because my boss told her boss that I do such a good job, so he's sending her up here to learn from me! I've only been here 3 months, so I hope I can teach her something and not bore her!


Neutrogena Review

I'm a BzzAgent, and received my first kit yesterday! It is Neutrogena, and it included 3 different shades of Revitalizing Lip Balm, an Eye Brightener, and an eyeliner. I was so excited! You can read my review up top (it's part of the agreement of being a BzzAgent, to share my reviews and thoughts on the products I try). I've always been a fan of make-up, and Neutrogena, so it was perfect for me!  

Girl Named Not Ready For Monday

Well this was a very fun and eventful weekend! 

I started Saturday morning off with the Pitter Pat 5K, it was a great course but I only ran it in 40:12. I was a little disappointed because my goal was under 40, and I had to walk 3 times because of these pesky side cramps. My next race isn't until April 28th in Rogers, AR, and I just downloaded a new training program, so I'm really hoping to run a lot faster in that one. After the race I came home and showered, then got my hair done (and it looks fabulous, thank you Shannon!). Then we took the girls to Rutledge Wilson farm for their Easter celebration and had pictures with the Easter bunny, saw the animals, went on a hayride, it was a lot of fun! 

Then last night Heather and I went to eat at Ophelias (we've made a commitment to go once a month to eat someplace we've never eaten, an "adventure"!) then went to Big Whiskeys and sat on the patio and talked. It was so much fun! 
   Today I was woken up with a phone call that my grandma was in the emergency room, with heart problems (she's had issues before and is on medication). I anxiously awaited news from my mom, to see if they were going to admit her and if I needed to go to Monett or not. They ended up increasing her medication and sending her home, so hopefully that will help her and she won't give us any more scares. So then we went to Walmart and to Mexican Villa (of course). Then came home, Claire took a 3 hour nap so I got in some good cleaning time (while Pete was playing golf). We grilled for dinner, and after that is where our night got interesting...right after dinner we went in to start baths. Claire was in her diaper and she sat down on her potty. So I took her diaper off and put her back on it. About that time, Kylie came in crying and holding her mouth. We were asking her what was wrong (thinking she bit her tongue or something) and she proceeded to throw up ALL over the bathroom. So she's crying, Claire is crying, Pete gets Kylie in the bathtub as I try to clean everything up. Claire gets up off the potty and slips in the puke (disgusting) and falls, so she cries even more (I might add that I also threw up while trying to clean everything up, I can't stand puke!) I get everything cleaned up and get Claire in the tub, and notice that she peed in the potty for the first time! Well, 10 minutes later is too late to praise her and get excited, so we missed out on that first. We asked her if she peed in the potty and she said "ya", so we acted excited and gave her a piece of candy, etc. but I don't think it had the same effect as if it were immediately afterward. Now I'm afraid she'll think every time she uses the potty, Kylie will throw up! Oh well, at least maybe she's ready to start potty training!
   I can't believe it's already Sunday night, our weekend went by so fast, as always. So back to work tomorrow (at least for a half-day, we are keeping Kylie at home so I'm going in a half-day then working a half-day at home). Next weekend is our 5 year anniversary, so I'm sure it will be fun too! 

Girl Named Excited

     Apparently once a month is all I'm writing! Oops! I've been busy, blah blah blah. I'm approaching the 3 month mark at my new job, and I still love it! Andrew made a decision on our office situation, and signed a lease tonight! For the next year and a half we will be in an office building at 777 E Battlefield (across from Buffalo Wild Wings). Heather (Cotter) and I met Andrew to look at the offices yesterday, and they are special. They were built in 1987 and from what I can see haven't been updated since! But it's space, and it will work. I am still sharing an office with Andrew, and I think he's getting sick of me being in there! I am so excited - Heather (Cotter, I don't want you to get confused with Zoromski!) and I picked out my office furniture (working at a furniture store has it's perks!) and it's going to be awesome! Our offices are right next to each other, so we'll get to see each other and yell around the corner (reminiscent of my time at CMN!). We are hopefully moving in in the next 30 days, and I will have my OWN space! Then after a year and a half, we will begin building our new warehouse on MM and James River, with custom offices attached (I'm hoping for a much bigger office and a window at that point!). I'm learning things every day, and every day I'm there I feel more at ease and more like I know what I'm doing. I have a long way to go, but I'm getting there! I'm even taking a Photoshop class, and tomorrow is my second class, so that is exciting too. Andrew even has a lake house with 6 bedrooms, boat, 4-wheeler and 3D movie theater that he lets us use in the summer when we want to, so I can't wait to go there in July! I am just so blessed and so thankful that God gave me this opportunity, and it truly makes me realize how an employee can and should be treated. I couldn't be happier right now! Plus, I have all the furniture picked out that I want in the basement, and dining room, so as soon as my discount kicks in in 2 weeks, I'll be set!
     The girls are getting so big - I can't believe they will be 4 and 2 in June! 

 There they are before we went to Branson last weekend, so cute! (Kylie kind of looks like a pirate in this picture) Now we are trying to make a decision about to have or not to have a 3rd kid... the first two were a no-brainer, but the 3rd is a bit of a decision! Time will tell...
     I've gotten back into running, Pete and I ran a 5K 2 weeks ago (it was his first!) and I didn't do too well. I have one this weekend with Heather, and I know that I'm going to do much better. Heather and I are also doing one in Arkansas the end of April, and Pete and I are doing the All-Star 5K in Kansas City in July. My goal is to run the July race in under 35:00. I think I can do it! Pete has been running for 2 1/2 months now, and has lost 20 pounds and is running an 8 minute mile, and 4+ miles each run. I'm pretty sure I hate him :)
     That's about all I have going on right now, I think. Busy busy as always! I will try to write again before a month. :)
    

Girl Named Busy

Oh. My. Word. I have been SO busy, I haven't posted in over a month and a half! My new job is still fabulous, but I have so much to learn and so much to do. Since I've started I've learned how to use Photoshop (and I'm taking a class to learn more!) and designed a lot of signs, flyers and mailings. I've written scripts for radio and TV spots and gotten them produced, I've booked charities for the next year for our community nights, I've paid (what seems like) one million invoices for advertising and printing, I've helped to plan the next 4 months of events for all 4 stores, I've met with what seems like every media outlet in Springfield, I've given away 50 beds to kids in need through our Beds for Kids program, I've made 3 trips to Memphis (and enjoyed seeing my awesome friends I've made down there, and gone to do a lot of fun things with them!), I've doubled our Facebook fans, created a Pinterest page and a Twitter account...and that's just what I can think of right now! I am learning SO much, and still have SO much to learn! I previously had no idea how financing on furniture works, from this side, but now I've learned! It is so exciting, and kind of scary at the same time. I am not a person who likes to not know things, so this career change has definitely been a humbling experience for me! Last week we were honored with the title of "Fastest Growing Company in southwest Missouri" by the Springfield Business Journal, so that was super exciting for us, and it's exciting for me to have gotten in on the start of what is going to be a very successful growing company! 

The girls are getting big so fast! Claire all of a sudden started talking, and now says all kinds of stuff. Her favorites are "Awww, man!",  making the monkey noise, and singing "e...i...e...i...o". Kylie can read short sentences now, and spell a LOT of words, and count to 100. I just can't believe how fast they get big! It sounds cliche, but it's so true. I always say "the days are long but the years are short", and it is so true. I can't believe their birthdays are coming up in 3 months and they're going to be 2 and 4! And 1 month from today is Pete and my 5 year wedding anniversary, and in 3 months we will celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the day we met! I can't believe it's been that long. The days are long but the years are short. We've both been dieting and he's started running, and of course he has the willpower of an ox (or something with a lot of willpower...) and has lost like 20 pounds, and I've lost a couple... But I'm so proud of him for deciding to make a change to be healthier and be with us for a long long time! We are running a 5K together for the first time next Saturday, and I'm pretty excited! I'm sure he will smoke me at the race, but we will start together and see each other at the finish, and that's what matters. We are also doing the All-Star 5K together in KC this July, and I'm REALLY excited for that one (we get an All-Star finishers medal!).

Hopefully I will find time to write more often now that I'm more settled in with my new work-life! 

Girl Named Elated

That's not a word I throw around lightly - I am absolutely beside myself with happiness right now! My new job is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Today was my 2nd day of training in Memphis. I wanted to blog the first night I got here, but we didn't get in until about 11:30, and went right to bed. Unfortunately, we were rudely awoken about 1:00 am by a piercing fire alarm. We thought it was just ours, then realized it was the whole hotel. We slowly evacuated our room and went outside and found 3 fire trucks. After waiting about 10 minutes, they called the all clear and said it was someone on the 3rd floor that burned popcorn. We seriously considered finding that person and doing them harm. We then went back to bed and got up promptly at 6:15am. 

Monday we went to the ad office here that does the advertising for 21 Ashley Furniture Stores total, all in the Covington family. I met everyone, and they are absolutely the nicest people in the world. I love them all. I knew they were my people when at 9:30 in the morning they began discussing what we were eating for lunch, and at 11:00 they decided we needed to leave soon to eat (just like home, Heather and Kelly!) because everyone was starving. I knew I would fit right in. We went to Patrick's, a local hole-in-the-wall-amazing-cheeseburger-and-mac cheese place (so much for my diet). I got to work on schedules, I got to sit in on an ACTUAL script revision and writing for ACTUAL tv commercials (I know, I'm easily excited, but this was easily the highlight of my day!). I learned how to make a quarterly advertising calendar, and made my own budget for 2nd quarter ads. We then went to Benton Grill, another local hole-in-the-wall place, where they serve an amazing "basket of fried heaven" meal, that one in our group was WAY too excited to get! Then Heather (my new friend and co-worker, the Director of Merchandising for our 4 Ashley stores) and I came back to our room and discovered the Bachelor was on, so of course we had to watch it. We laughed so hard at those girls and had so much fun, then discovered neither of us had watched the first two episodes, so we grabbed the iPad, propped it on a chair, and proceeded to watch approximately 5 hours of the Bachelor (until midnight, I might add) and finally went to bed.

Today I went back to the office and worked with an awesome girl named Mandy who taught me SO much about advertising, media buying, production, placement, promotion...I could go on and on, she is amazing. When Andrew dropped me off at 8:30 he of course had to let everyone know we were all meeting at noon at his favorite restaurant here, called Leonard's (he also organizes his day around lunch, and I love that). All 15 of us went to Leonard's, which is - you guessed it - a local hole-in-the-wall restaurant (that's been on the Food Network!) that is famous for it's ribs and catfish. I went in a little skeptical when I saw it, but let me tell you - it was the best food I've EVER had in my life! Ribs, catfish, potato salad, baked beans, fried okra, chocolate cake...(there goes my diet again) and I wanted to move in and live there. Tonight I wasn't really hungry, so I just got something at Wendy's (that, and my friend Heather went back to Springfield tonight, so I'm alone now!)

I know this was lengthy, but I wanted to write it so I will always have the names of the restaurants, and always be able to relive my first days at this job. Andrew, his wife Tammy and son Cash, David, Jarrett (sp?), Heather, Kim, Mandy, Katie, Lauren, Chad and of course Arnie - are some of the most amazing, hospitable, welcoming, helpful, caring people I've ever met. It is such a change to be treated this way by my superiors, I truly am so thankful that God has very much blessed me with this opportunity. I can't imagine anything better. I will write again before I leave Friday!

Girl Named Nervous Nellie

Well, tomorrow is my last day at Children's Miracle Network. After 8 years, I've taken a new position as the Marketing Director for Ashley Furniture. I am so excited to start my new job doing something I love, but I am really sad to leave CMN. The circumstances surrounding my departure are less than favorable. They result from a decision made by one person, that has affected a lot of people's lives. I hope it gets better at CMN, but I can't stay to find out. I am SO nervous to start my new job though! I leave Sunday night for Memphis, and I'm staying for 3 weeks to train (I will come home on the weekends). It's much farther than I've ever traveled alone, and is way out of my comfort zone. I guess that's part of growing in life and becoming successful. I hope I'm good at the job and I hope I enjoy it, it's going to be a lot different. Not to mention Pete has to be Mr. Mom while I'm gone, and has a lot of responsibility to take on. For that, I will be forever in his debt and I love him more than he knows for being so supportive and so willing to help. I hope the next 3 weeks go smoothly and quickly for both of us, and we can return to normalcy soon!

I'm really going to miss my job at CMN, the families we work with, the sponsors I work with, and all the relationships I've built over the years. It's the end of an era, but I'm the last one to go. Everyone else has moved on and I have to as well. I have very fond memories that I will never forget. A lot of major life milestones happened while I worked there - got engaged, got married, had Kylie, had Claire. The people I worked with are some of my best friends, and I know we will continue to be friends. Actually saying goodbye to my office tomorrow is going to be hard.

I stayed home today because Claire had a fever and diarrhea, and I am going to go in in the morning to get the rest of my things but then come home because Claire is throwing up, so we can't take her to the sitters house. It's not how I wanted to leave, I feel like I need proper time to close things out, but now I don't have a choice - I have limited time left. I wish that Claire wasn't sick at this moment, but I can't change that. I also feel bad leaving Kristen there in the situation, but I think she'll be fine. 

I am just very stressed and nervous and emotional right now, but I know that once I get started at the new job I will never look back. I will always support CMN and it's mission, and believe in the good that is done in the community. I just can't support current leadership and the decisions they are making. My new boss is wonderful, and I know we are going to get along very well, and I will be appreciated. I can't wait to fast forward 6 months when I've learned the job and am settled in and my life can finally calm down a little bit.

Thank you to all my wonderful friends (you know who you are!) for supporting me through everything the past few months, and I will pay you back one day! Ultimately, I am very blessed to have had the job I've had for 8 years, and have found another good job to go to. I'm blessed to have my friends and family, and our health. I couldn't be happier or more excited about our future!