This and that...

Yesterday was the opening of deer gun season in our area. 

Colton hunted for the first time without his Dad.

Didn't get anything, but enjoyed hanging out with his friends. Sounds like he will go again next weekend too. 

We received a dusting of snow earlier in the week, but it has melted off.

The snow could hold off indefinitely in my opinion. 

Was a balmy low 40's walk up to the mailbox yesterday.

I think I must have a scratch on my phone camera lens, do you see that blue/green orb on the left side of pic? You can only see it when I take pictures at sunset. Odd right?

Anywho, it's been busy around here with work and all. 

We changed computer software last week so I get to learn anther new system. 

Everyday coming home I was just whooped. Lots to take in and assimilate. 

I am thoroughly enjoying the job though!

My coworkers are great and I am surprised how much I am liking dealing with the public again.

Cute picture from the fall school concert. 

They were singing Mama says from Footloose.

Our boy got a letter jacket this year!

It looks great!

He is even busier this year than last with working at the tree farm every weekend.

I think he needs to take a day off to rest, but he wont. 

Check it out! My Christmas cactus has decided to bloom in November!

Just the one bloom so far, but looks like more are coming!

Chyann will be home for Thanksgiving on Tuesday evening. Fingers crossed the forecasted storm hold off till after she gets here or even better, misses us completely.

Hey, guess what!?! 

I saw a black bear driving home from work last week.

It was only the fourth bear I've seen since we've lived in WI. 

Was pretty cool. 

Hope you all have a great week and wonderful holiday!

later :)

This and that

I tell you what, this working full time thing is hard work!

I am really enjoying the new job!

However being gone from the house for over 9 hours a day is taking some getting used to. My hours rotate daily, so some days I'm off at 430, 5 or 530p.

After getting home, changing, and tidying up its time to make dinner. 

Dinner has been the most problematic for me since I'm damned if I don't forget to take meat out to thaw in the fridge at least once a week! 

Today I'm going to make up a few casseroles that will just need to be reheated on week nights, which I hope will ease my weeknight meal time frustrations.

My working full time away from the house has been a transition for everyone. 

Including the pets. 

I have an entourage that follows me almost everywhere when I'm home and when I finally sit down, they pile on for cuddles and scratches that they've missed while I was gone.

Winter is trying to arrive in our part of WI. 

Had some super cold temps earlier last week that felt more like the deep freeze of January rather than mid-November. Then it warmed up some which allowed a bit of snow to fall. 

Our boy is back to working at the tree farm on weekends and a few days after school. They are getting ready for the holiday season and tree sales. Guess Caden has already sold a few trees even which seems to early to me, but some folks like to start celebrating the season early.

 His working after school will come to an end tomorrow as basketball practice starts. 

later :)

Good NEWS!

I got a JOB!

Started working on Tuesday of last week. 

The job was kind of an afterthought that I applied for on a Sunday two weeks ago.

 I thought that might be a good job, but didn't have any experience in a doctors office so I didn't have high expectations of hearing back from them.

Received a request for a phone interview the next day, which went well. 

Then got a call for an in person interview, next day they called and offered me the job, which I would start four days later!

It was a whirlwind!

Remember that list I had of things I wanted in a job?

Well this one meets about all of them. 

Its close, only about ten miles from home. 

Will be a good drive in the winter because its a main road that is kept plowed (will only really have to worry about making it out the driveway).

Good benefits and wage. 

After I complete training I'll only work four days a week, which will be awesome!

The hours vary during the week, 730-430, 8-5 or 830-530 so no one gets stuck having to close everyday.

Its a small company with about 26 employees.

They had signs up all over welcoming me to the job on the first day. 

How cool was that?!

I even managed to meet up with my long time gal Krissy for lunch last week. 

Was so nice to see and visit with her!

I am hoping we will be able to do lunch a few times a month since I'll be working in the town she lives in. 

In other news Caden and his girlfriend carved pumpkins last week. 

Not sure why, but we haven't done pumpkins in several years. 

It was fun watching them do it and roasting the seeds. 

We've had a lot of rain this month, something like 8" so far. Isn't that crazy?

I am glad its rain and not snow though.

later :)

This and that

And here we are, heading towards the end of October. 

Our baby celebrated his big 17th birthday ten days ago. 

His girlfriend brought chocolate silk pie and I already had the cake so we had lots of deliciousness to celebrate his day.

Chyann was home for consecutive weekends this month.

We toured UW Eau Claire where she thinks she'd like to go for her Masters degree and since I wasn't working I was able to look at apartments with her. 

We hadn't spent so much time together in a very long time. I really enjoyed her company.  

We did a lot of laughing and catching up.

It was really nice to have her here so much, course now she probably wont be home till Thanksgiving. 

It's about deer season here in WI.

Those buggers are EVERYWHERE!

Unfortunately Colton was unable to avoid hitting one on his way home last week. 

He is fine thankfully. A bit sore from the airbags deploying though. 

His car is completely totaled.

The hunt for a replacement vehicle is on.

Caden and four other boys from our school sang with a choir of 264 high school students from across the state on Saturday. 

I dropped them off at 730a and they practiced all day for the 7p show and it was wonderful!

Finally talked Caden into getting a haircut!

Doesn't he look sharp!

We've sure seen some glorious fall foliage this autumn.

Love this time of year.  

later :)

September round up

 It has been a crazy month!

After being rained out the first fall travel game, the second one was full of surprises as Chyann and Ben showed up to watch with us. 

On the first defensive play in the first game Caden fielded the ball and threw it to first base.

The ball went plunk about five feet from him. 

We were like what was that?!?! Batter made it to first.

Caden stood there shaking, twisting and flexing his arm. 

Would you be wondering if it was the same arm he broke two years ago?

The answer is yes it was. 

 He said it hurt like crazy when he first threw the ball, even heard a pop that made him think that maybe he broke it again. It was tender, but seemed fine so after that inning he put on an arm sleeve and kept on playing.

He hit, ran the bases and took it easy throwing for the remaining games.

Took him to the doctor the next day. 

Over use injury due to throwing too much to the team he coached, his own ball practices and likely weight lifting didn't help. 

REST, ICE and anti-inflammatory meds. 

He is bummed of course, but realizes the importance of rest and taking a break from baseball throwing. 

sigh.

Meanwhile autumn is in full swing here. 

Beautiful fall colors are showing themselves.

The boys got the pool covered, just in time for a late September heat wave.

The heat sure felt good after an unusually cool August and early September.

Of course the high humidity and heat brought severe storms our way. 

Even a tornado about five miles south of us that did some serious damage!

I think yesterday may have been the end of the heat wave. 

We were one degree from breaking the 84* record. 

Other parts of the state broke heat records as they had less clouds and made it up to the 90's.

Crazy. 

Today is cool and chilly with highs only in the 50's. burr.

No job yet. 

Still interviewing and applying.

I may have to start being a little less picky.

Here's to a peaceful October :)

Animal Friday and other fun

Already the middle of September. 

Its been cool and wet here recently. 

Danged if between Tuesday and today that we didn't get almost 4" of rain. 

Barn is flooded of course. 

Standing water in the yard even.

I've been canning and applying for jobs. A few interviews here and there, but no offers and still nothing out there that I think I'd really like to do. sigh. 

Me and Dodgie the other day. 

In other news after YEARS of knowing we needed a new roof it has finally happened!

Look how pretty it is!

Got the garage done too and new gutters put on!

I think the hubby is most excited about those gutters. 

They have hinges on them to lift up for mowing, if you can believe that. 

Fall league baseball came to an end too. 

I tell you what, there is nothing better than seeing our boy playing at Mt. Simon. 

He thrives there.

The atmosphere, the instruction and coaches are the best around. 

His team took the championship again!

This was the fourth time he played in the fall league and has been on the winning team three times!

Unfortunately this was the last year he could play in the fall league due to aging out of the program.

Marching in our local firefighters parade last Saturday.

I think I will be picking the last of the peppers and tomatoes today and pulling the garden out tomorrow. 

Sunday we will try fall travel baseball in the cities again. 

Drove all the way there last Sunday only to be rained out. 

Came home and took a 2.5 hr nap lol

Have a good one!

later :)

A few more firsts

Can you believe our girl is a senior in college?

She started school on Monday. 

Mark your calendars because she will graduate on May 8, 2020!

Check out those new glasses too. They are super cute!

Somehow big frames have came back into style. 

They remind me of some I wore back in the early 90's lol

And the youngest is a Junior. 

The hubby continues to carry on the tradition of taking the first day of school off to go to school with me and the kid(s) to get that required first day of school picture. 

Not much new on the job front for me. 

Have had a few video, phone and in person interviews that haven't amounted to much. 

In the meantime I am canning tomatoes, salsa, and sauces. 

The weather has been super cool the last two weeks with highs only in the low 70's and high 60's. 

That cool weather makes for good baseball playing though. 

Fall league is almost done with the playoffs this coming Tuesday. 

Caden's team has had five kids drop out due to injuries, which sucks so am not sure how they will fare. 

Have a good one ;)