I Love Time Off!

So, my sister and her hubby Sam came in on Wednesday and were here until yesterday afternoon. We played a lot of games and had a lot of fun. The time went by so quickly and now we are counting down the next three weeks until they come back for Christmas. While I was off I got quite a bit accomplished. I have started a habit of going to the gym and am really enjoying it. Me and Beej went together yesterday and I got a good run in. My grandparents are still in town for a few days so we are going over to my parents again tonight. We have been spending basically every evening over there since last Tuesday. We are both so glad to be getting a break from cooking (except for the things I made for Thanksgiving). My grandpa likes to have little projects to work on while he is in town, so on Wednesday, they installed an attic door in my garage. This year after the Christmas decorations come down, I'll get to haul my stuff up to attic and it won't take so much space in my garage. Thanks Grandpa and Dad and Mom! My current projects include finishing decorating the house (the tree is up and the outdoor lights are up, but the rest needs to be finished), sending Christmas Cards (last year they never got done), Christmas shopping, memorizing my lines for various Christmas productions, and painting the backdrops for the Christmas play. I am hoping to get the first two done during my free hour after BJ goes to bed the next couple of days. We haven't been home in the evening since we are spending as much time as possible with the family and it has been hard to get some of these projects done. I love that they are able to come visit, it just puts a few things on the back burner for now. Wednesday I have got to get most of the first back drop completed. I am running out of time. I don't even have an idea for the second backdrop yet, so that one may take me a little longer to figure out. Our Christmas play is on December 20th, so I must get those done soon. Maybe some day soon I'll have some great, deep post about my thoughts, but for now I am doing good to just get something posted so all you get is my long list of things to be done.

Making a List, Checking it Twice

I like to plan and make lists, though not quite as much as my friend Elisha or B.J.'s friend Paula-Beth who makes her grocery list and organizes it by aisle at the grocery store. Now, that is craziness. With that being said, I have a huge list of things around the house that I'd like to get done while I am taking it easy at work and getting an extra day off each week. It it literally 2-3 pages long and tomorrow I plan to tackle 4-5 things on that list. Tomorrow is my last day before family arrives. Family will not totally take over my days this week, but I'd like to spend as much time with them as possible, so probably after lunch, I'll head over to my parents starting on Tuesday and going on through the weekend. I keep telling myself a few things every day and this list will be done. In reality, I am adding things to the list as fast as I can take them off and this is like only paying the minimum payment on your credit card. That is definitely no way to get your balance paid off. For anyone who reads this, you should know by now that every thought that passes through my head as I'm writing makes it to this blog, so it doesn't always make sense or really express my logical thought or opinion, but my feeling of the moment. Ok, so back to ranting and rambling... Sometimes, I just need to be my own cheerleader and encourage myself to get stuff done. GOOOO SANDRA! (picture me doing a cheer complete with spirit-fingers) In the end I always feel better when something is completed. My main issue is that the fun things on my list that I want to do are not necessarily the things that need to be done first. My other obstacle is that I am technically off from work and who wants to use their free time to be productive? I am totally satisfied to sit on the couch and sleep/watch TV until January, but I should really get things done. In the end of the argument with myself, I'm sure I'll at least get some of this list done, but probably not all of it. Hey! You win some, you lose some, but you always just keep moving forward, marking one thing off the list at a time.

Success!!

Today I had a very successful day off. I got a lot of things done. First, I got up and went to the gym. No, my alarm was not set, but our lawn service was mowing at 7:30 so that is when I got up. I got moving pretty slowly but was at the gym at 9. When I went to the Ladies retreat a couple of weeks ago I realized that I much prefer jogging on a treadmill to jogging outside. So I decided to join the gym where BJ is a member and go running on a treadmill at least once a week. It was definitely a great start to my day because running on a treadmill is exhilarating. Then, I came home and watched some tv before I headed out to run errands. My errands included going to the bank, getting my hair cut (which I love by the way), and going Christmas shopping. I went to Kohl's first because I had Kohl's cash to spend. Then I went to some other places which will remain nameless because I bought BJ's gift and he knows that. I did swing by Ann Taylor Loft and Compass Trading before I did some grocery shopping. I bought everything I need for cooking for thanksgiving, our work lunch for Friday, and our church potluck on Sunday. I think this is the first year I will not be going to the grocery store the week of Thanksgiving to get stuff so I can cook. This evening we had home made chicken noodle soup and it was yummy. Now we are sitting on the couch and it feels like 9 or 10 and it is only 6. Starting at 7 we have so many things to watch on TV but for the next hour we will be channel surfing in hopes of something decent to watch. My grandparents are flying in on Monday and my sister is flying in on Wednesday. I, however, have 3 more work days before I am off for the week. I cannot wait. Since the Nov 15th deadline is over, I am so not in the mood to work and it is really bad. The days go by so slowly and I don't feel like working on the few things I actually do have to work on. Friday at 5, please get here quickly!!!

It's Over!!

We finished the last 990 today and we are officially on the down hill slide until the end of the year. Praise God!! Some days I wondered if it would ever end and it actually did. We survived 5 weeks of total craziness and everything got done. Starting next week, I'm working 4 day weeks until the end of the year. Next week I am off on Tuesday and then I'm off the week of Thanksgiving and Mondays after that until 2010. Now I get to catch up on all the things that are not related to work that have been pushed to side. My list of things to do is ridiculous, but at least I have time to start marking things off. Tomorrow I am sleeping in until whenever my body decides to wake up. I'm sure I'll be up by 8, but it is the principle of the thing. I could sleep in until noon and it would be totally okay and I wouldn't need to feel guilty one bit. Also, I met my first production target and got the related bonus. Wohoo!! At lunch I went shopping and may do some more of the same tomorrow just because I can. I bought some new tennis shoes and some other shoes (since they were buy one get one half off). Tomorrow I plan to hit up Kohl's and see if I can find anything fun. I was going to think about Christmas shopping tomorrow, but I think I'll hold off on that until during the week since the weekend shopping is getting crazier every weekend and by the end of a shopping day I feel totally useless. Thanksgiving week my grandparents are flying down and Jill and Sam are coming for a few days. I guess this is the first holiday that Jill has had to travel to come home. We have 23 people coming over to my parents for Thanksgiving. I guess this is really one of the only family traditions we have. This year we have my parents, BJ's parents, Jill and Sam, my cousins and their 7 kids, two sets of uncles and aunts, and my grandparents coming. I have decided I will cook the dressing and three pies. I'm ready for some relaxing and playing games. Kim, my best friend, and her family are traveling to Wisconsin for Thanksgiving, so I hope they get to really relax and have some fun. Kim really needs a break from work and the craziness of having so much going on, so I'm really praying she gets just what she needs on her little escape from normal life. I am going to take the opportunity of being off to spend some time with some old friends who I don't see often. I am hoping to plan a few lunch dates on the days I am off and get to do some catching up. So here's to time off, pushing through the craziness, and achieving success!! ~ Sandra

Ladies Retreat

Last night and today I went to the North Texas District Ladies Retreat. It was nice. I really enjoy being able to go to a service and just be a participant. I am very used to staying busy and I am getting pretty good at being able to worship while I play piano and sing every week at church, but it is nice every once in a while to just worship. The speaker was Lisa Bevere and she was really good. She is very passionate and had a very good message at both services. Last night's service was not as good as this mornings, in my opinion, but overall it was a really great time. God led Lisa to pray for a specific need that I am currently dealing with, so once again, I was assured that God has everything in control and I should always trust him and never lose hope. God is definitely stretching me lately. The last two years, I have had the opportunity to drive people to the retreat that I don't talk to on a normal basis. It is not natural for me to just talk to people, so it is a good thing when I am forced to step out of my comfort zone and have conversations that I wouldn't otherwise have. Last year, Betty rode with me and this year it was Shirley and Sis. Perez. I've got to realize it is not all about me and my insecurities and fears, but it is all about the Kingdom of God and what I can do to make someone feel God's love through me. We are God's hands and feet and quite honestly, the people of God need to be hugged a little more. You never know when God just wants to use you to be his love to someone who is having a bad day. If you never get past your comfort zone, you may miss an opportunity for God to use you.

Winding Down

Things are slowing down some, kinda. Church Fall Fest, check. Scrapbook for friend, check. 2 Sundays without BJ, check. Baby Shower, check. Today is November 1st so there are only 2 more weeks until the end of my crazy season at work. Things are starting to wind down some and I'm really liking it. I went to a baby shower yesterday and someone asked me what my next project is. I honestly don't know. Trust me that I do have a few more things on my list that needs to be done, but for now I'm not actively working on any of them. I'm looking forward to the end of month when I start working 4 day weeks. Maybe I'll get some projects done then. I'm really glad I can see a light at the end of the tunnel of my current craziness, because working 50-55 hour weeks gets old. You'll be very proud to know I updated the background for my blog all by myself. That is usually BJ's department, but this time I figured it out all by myself. Let me leave you with an excerpt from a song that I've been listening to this week:

The beauty of the cross is that there's one who has redeemed my soul. The beauty of the cross is that I'm finally free and letting go. The beauty of the cross is that your grace has found me just as I am.

The middle line bring the biggest smile to my face. God is teaching me to let go of the things I hold so close and let him be God. In letting go, I can finally be free.