Round and Round We Go, Where We Stop Nobody Knows....

Just kidding.  I never stop.  

That is an issue. 

The next two months will be a whirlwind. 

A lot is going on. 

We are holding a quarter auction in March to benefit 

our Relay for Life Team for Clinton County Relay for Life. 

This has been a lot of work and cannot wait for the day to get here.  

I hope we have a good turn out. 

Our team is small but I firmly believe we can do big things.

I want this even to be more than just raising money for cancer. 

I want it to be family fun event. 

I am beyond thrilled that my mom, sister, daughter and I are doing this together. 

Without their help, I'd go nuts. 

We have eye appointments, a passport appointment and band event covering every Saturday in March, in addition to the quarter auction. 

In April, we have my niece's birthday, Easter and Xander's birthday.  

Not to mention, probably another band event and getting ready for vacation.  

The car needs maintenance before we go (not yet but before making a 14 hour drive).

Items need to be bought (more summer clothes, swim suits, travel stuff)

Arrangements need to be finalized for the dogs.  

We have someone lined up but I think we need to do a meet n greet with them

 because Abbie is a bit protective of the house. 

Goal Met

On January 2, I posted my goals for this year.  

One was to plan a family vacation.  Somewhere beachy.  

Well I did and we are going somewhere beachy but not just beachy.  

We are going on a cruise. 

Thanks to my sister's encouragement of how wonderful they are 

and a impeccably timed Facebook post by KMOV 

we are going on a cruise to the Bahamas. 

All four of us. 

We have been married 10 years this fall. 

Never had a honeymoon.

We have never done a family vacation 

aside from a group vacation to Holiday World 

and frequent Chicago visits which I don't count 

because that is a 2nd home to me. 

Ryan has done GenCon, 

I have done girls' trips to Nashville, Chicago, and a float trip. 

We need a family vacation.  

So yes, I suppose we could ditch the kids and go just us.  

A lot of people have asked why we are taking the kids.  

Because...that's pretty much it.  Just because.  

Because nothing beats seeing your kids excitement of doing something new. 

Because nothing beats getting away from it all with your entire family. 

Because our kids are at a "perfect" age to remember and enjoy this trip.

Because NOW is the time to enjoy our kids.

Because later we can go on a trip just the two of us. 

Because this just seems like we would enjoy it more.

Because I don't want to regret not taking them. 

Because I don't want to miss them. 

Because I don't want to think, ahh Serena would have liked this
or Xander would have enjoyed that. 

We could go just the two of us but what's the point.

We will still get alone time. 

We will get family time. 

We will have fun and they will have fun.  

Changes

People have asked me because of my posts recently of how "wonderful" my job is 

if I hated my old job that much or if it was that bad there or if I miss anything from there.  

My job had good days and bad days like any job.  

It’s just being this close to home and working for a family oriented company cannot be beat.  

Hands down the best move I ever made.  

I miss some parts of working there and I miss some people from there.  

But this job change truly is the best thing I have ever done 

and opened new doors for me like getting my producers license.  

I am just happier here.  

That’s all.  

Yes I am still in my honeymoon phase 

but seriously even in the worst of days I walk out of here smiling. 

 I am able to leave it all here.  

I used to let things fester inside all the way and just get more and more mad about things 

so when I got home, I was in a foul mood.  

Now, if something is bothering me, I have a 2 min. drive until I pick up Xander and once I see him anything that I was thinking about just goes away because that kid is a nut.    

This job was a good move for me.  

A good move for my family and good move for my sanity.  

I feel blessed that this opportunity came when it did.  

That's all.  

I am happy.