If you have been following me this summer you know that my girls, E-squared swam on a swim team this summer. They both did a great job here are some to the ribbons they received.
Elisabeth: 2nd year swimming
7th - 200 Meter Freestyle Relay 3:50.38
6th - Mixed (male and female) 200 Meter Freestyle Relay 3:18.99
5th - 100 Meter Freestyle 3:25.14
5th - 200 Meter Freestyle Relay 3:25.14
4th - 200 Meter Freestyle Relay 3:17.72
3rd - Mixed 200 Meter Medley Relay 3:12.33
Personal Best - 50 Freestyle improvement of 1.93 seconds
Personal Best- 50 Freestyle improvement of 4.41 seconds
Evelyn: 1st year swimming
6th - 200 Meter Freestyle Relay 3:56.95
5th - Mixed 8 & under 100 Meter Freestyle Relay 2:33.63
5th - 200 Meter Freestyle Relay 4:56.93
5th - 200 Meter Freestyle Relay 3:36.93
Personal Best - 25 meter Back Improvement of 11.10 seconds
Personal Best - Still to come but I think it was for 25 freestyle
I am so proud of them they did a great job this summer and we will keep swimming through the winter and have them ready to break more of their records next year.
"Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming" quote by Dory in Nemo.
20 July 2009
Vacation or Bust
We are getting ready to leave to visit my Dad in OBX, NC. We leave Friday and will be having the time of our lives. Yesterday was my Birthday this is my last year to count after this year I might just not celebrate any more. I had a great day, I got to sleep and read (my 2 Favs) and then my hubby made a Wonderful Dinner of Homemade Mashed Dirty Potatoes and Roast Beef, I made the gravy, then we had Homemade IceCream and Cake, I ate way to much, but I was so good. I actually got my present earlier in the week, we went to the Harry Potter 6 movie, It was great as a movie, I still like the books better. The whole Family went with me which about broke the bank but was worth it.
Today the girls and I are doing the laundry and paking for our Family Vacation, they can't wait either. So if I'm not on here for a while that is why. I hope to get lots of pix between catching fish and playing in the surf and when I get back I will start to post them. See you on the flip side.
Today the girls and I are doing the laundry and paking for our Family Vacation, they can't wait either. So if I'm not on here for a while that is why. I hope to get lots of pix between catching fish and playing in the surf and when I get back I will start to post them. See you on the flip side.
04 July 2009
Life in the real World.
I was thinking about the jobs I have had throughout my life. I started working about the age of 16 like most teenagers that i grew up with f we wanted spending money we had to work to get it, our Parents where doing everything they could just to keep food on the table and save enough for us to go to college. So my 1st job was working at a stuffed animal shop called "Freddy's Zoo" it was in Potomac Mills Mall, I don't remember the neighborhood but I do remember that there was a Pizza place next door and the Cinnabon store was about six stores away. I started this job because I had tried all the Vets offices in the area and nobody was hiring or at least they never called me back. so right before Christmas I got the job, I hated it then I got lucky and was fired, they accused me of taking money out of the change jar that was kept under the counter, I didn't take it and I knew who did but was never able to prove it so I was the one fired, Didn't bother me much as within 2 yrs the store closed for unknown reasons.
The next job I got was working for Dr Grissom at Woodbridge Animal Hospital. After losing the job at the Zoo I started back at the beginning again with the Vets offices. When I went to see Dr. Grissom she told me she was glad I came back because they wanted to hire me the last time I was there but someone had lost my application. I learned a valuable lesson, when you have an interview always check back with them, don't assume that they didn't hire you call and find out.
I worked for Dr G until I finished High school and it was probably the best place I have ever worked for even thought I was the "Pooper Scooper." Well I did a lot more but my main job was to clean the kennels and runs. I knew then that I wanted to be come a Vet Tech.
After HS I moved to the Shenandoah Valley and went to Blue Ridge Community College, I didn't stay long I wanted to play more than study, there goes the dream never to be again. the next job this bum got was working for Lowe's Home Centers, at the time it was just Lowe's Hardware. after my interview here I pestered the manager until he gave me a job. he told me that the reason he gave me the job was because I was the one that showed the most interest (2nd Lesson Learned) I worked for Lowe's for about 61/2 years. I worked my way up from being a cashier to Department Team Leader, basically at was the assistant department Manager. I worked in Bath, Electrical, Lighting, Power tools (#1 Favorite) Hand tools, Paint and Home decor, and Lawn and Garden (2nd Fav). I also worked for about 1 1/2 years on the over night stocking crew. I worked in 3 different stores Harrisonburg VA, Elizabeth City NC and Staunton VA, But i also traveled to other stores and help reset or set up a new store, one of my favorite jobs to do with the company. I wasn't making the kind of money I wanted even with all the jobs that I did for the company so I decided to changed jobs, but the best compliment I ever got was when I was transferring to a new store and my old manager said that he was "going to have to hire 4 men to replace me."
The next job was for R. R. Donnelley and Sons, Inc. a book binding company I worked for them for 6 years. I did many different jobs there too, I started as a Material Handler, in other works I did the boring job of feeding the pages of the book into the machine or I boxed at the end of the line. I was also a Forklift operator and moved stuff from one place to the other. I worked in the roll stock warehouse, this is where all the rolls of paper is kept. Then I got to work in the receiving department and High bay warehouse, this warehouse had a section that was so tall you had to use a special lift to store things, it was fun moving this machine that was about20 feet long and as tall at the building from one aisle to the next. I also worked in Handwork where things where done that could not be done by machine. probably the best paying job I ever had although they didn't pay you enough for the sweat and hearing damage done. But they decided to get rid of me when I got Pregnant with Evelyn, they actually laid me off, so I decided to move on.
I decided then that I wanted to work in a bank, so I started applying at all of them, Bank of America was the only one hiring. I became a bank Teller, and anyone that says banking is a great place to work has never worked in one. First off, Banking Hours are not what they used to be, I remember as a child my grandmother saying she had to get to the bank before it closed, at 2pm. then I remember bank closing a 5pm, But BOA didn't close the drive thru (my Job) until 6p. I also remember banks where not open on the weekends but they are now, I went to work about every other Saturday, but only 1/2 a day but by the time the bank closed at 1pm your day was gone. then seeing all that money was depressing. I would sit there and wish that one day the bank would be nice and call us up and tell us that what ever money we had in our till we could have to do what ever we wanted, it never happened.
I decided to leave the banking world and try my hand at staying home and doing childcare out of my home, so in 2003 when Elisabeth started school I started working from home. I loved this because I was able to be home with Evelyn and be there when Elisabeth got off the bus in the afternoon. The 1st year I only watched teacher kids, I figured that way I could be off when the kids where out of school. I did this until Evelyn started school in 2006, At this time I decided I wanted to work for the school system so I became a Substitute teacher or anything they needed me for to do, that is how I became a Lunchroom monitor. I also took the bus driver class and was a sub driver until this year, when I got my own route.
So life in the real world for me has been fun I have learned from all of my jobs and have enjoyed certain aspects of all of them. I don't know what the next step will lead me to, but I await the adventure when it comes.
The next job I got was working for Dr Grissom at Woodbridge Animal Hospital. After losing the job at the Zoo I started back at the beginning again with the Vets offices. When I went to see Dr. Grissom she told me she was glad I came back because they wanted to hire me the last time I was there but someone had lost my application. I learned a valuable lesson, when you have an interview always check back with them, don't assume that they didn't hire you call and find out.
I worked for Dr G until I finished High school and it was probably the best place I have ever worked for even thought I was the "Pooper Scooper." Well I did a lot more but my main job was to clean the kennels and runs. I knew then that I wanted to be come a Vet Tech.
After HS I moved to the Shenandoah Valley and went to Blue Ridge Community College, I didn't stay long I wanted to play more than study, there goes the dream never to be again. the next job this bum got was working for Lowe's Home Centers, at the time it was just Lowe's Hardware. after my interview here I pestered the manager until he gave me a job. he told me that the reason he gave me the job was because I was the one that showed the most interest (2nd Lesson Learned) I worked for Lowe's for about 61/2 years. I worked my way up from being a cashier to Department Team Leader, basically at was the assistant department Manager. I worked in Bath, Electrical, Lighting, Power tools (#1 Favorite) Hand tools, Paint and Home decor, and Lawn and Garden (2nd Fav). I also worked for about 1 1/2 years on the over night stocking crew. I worked in 3 different stores Harrisonburg VA, Elizabeth City NC and Staunton VA, But i also traveled to other stores and help reset or set up a new store, one of my favorite jobs to do with the company. I wasn't making the kind of money I wanted even with all the jobs that I did for the company so I decided to changed jobs, but the best compliment I ever got was when I was transferring to a new store and my old manager said that he was "going to have to hire 4 men to replace me."
The next job was for R. R. Donnelley and Sons, Inc. a book binding company I worked for them for 6 years. I did many different jobs there too, I started as a Material Handler, in other works I did the boring job of feeding the pages of the book into the machine or I boxed at the end of the line. I was also a Forklift operator and moved stuff from one place to the other. I worked in the roll stock warehouse, this is where all the rolls of paper is kept. Then I got to work in the receiving department and High bay warehouse, this warehouse had a section that was so tall you had to use a special lift to store things, it was fun moving this machine that was about20 feet long and as tall at the building from one aisle to the next. I also worked in Handwork where things where done that could not be done by machine. probably the best paying job I ever had although they didn't pay you enough for the sweat and hearing damage done. But they decided to get rid of me when I got Pregnant with Evelyn, they actually laid me off, so I decided to move on.
I decided then that I wanted to work in a bank, so I started applying at all of them, Bank of America was the only one hiring. I became a bank Teller, and anyone that says banking is a great place to work has never worked in one. First off, Banking Hours are not what they used to be, I remember as a child my grandmother saying she had to get to the bank before it closed, at 2pm. then I remember bank closing a 5pm, But BOA didn't close the drive thru (my Job) until 6p. I also remember banks where not open on the weekends but they are now, I went to work about every other Saturday, but only 1/2 a day but by the time the bank closed at 1pm your day was gone. then seeing all that money was depressing. I would sit there and wish that one day the bank would be nice and call us up and tell us that what ever money we had in our till we could have to do what ever we wanted, it never happened.
I decided to leave the banking world and try my hand at staying home and doing childcare out of my home, so in 2003 when Elisabeth started school I started working from home. I loved this because I was able to be home with Evelyn and be there when Elisabeth got off the bus in the afternoon. The 1st year I only watched teacher kids, I figured that way I could be off when the kids where out of school. I did this until Evelyn started school in 2006, At this time I decided I wanted to work for the school system so I became a Substitute teacher or anything they needed me for to do, that is how I became a Lunchroom monitor. I also took the bus driver class and was a sub driver until this year, when I got my own route.
So life in the real world for me has been fun I have learned from all of my jobs and have enjoyed certain aspects of all of them. I don't know what the next step will lead me to, but I await the adventure when it comes.
02 July 2009
E-Squared Swims
Tuesday night the girls swim team had a meet against Broadway, we had many swimmers out of town so my girls had to swim a fair share of events. This is only the 1st year of swimming on the team for Lil' e and it was only her 2nd swim meet, the 1st meet of the season her nerves got the better of her and she scratched out, then last week (meet #2) she told them to give her just one event the Back stroke (25 ft). But this week they gave her 3 Events one being a relay where she swam Free Style (not her strong suite yet) the others where a 25 free style and 25 back stroke. She did Great in all of these, but I wish you could have seen her face before she started the 1st event (which BTW was event #1 a free style relay) she was green around the gills and looked like she was going to lose it all over the pool deck. But she over came her nerves and swam great, I think they placed 6th in that event. When her back stroke event came up she was very confident, she had swam it last week, this week she did amazing I think (don't have the official times yet) she shaved about 12 seconds off her time. Then came her last Event again another Free Style, but this time she got in the water an swam like she was a fish, I was so proud of her. I can see her confidence growing by leaps and bounds.
Big E also swam she had 5 events, she too swam in event #1 but not on the same team as her sister, which I'm not sure if that is good or bad. Her relay team came in 5th place, then she did the 100 free style this is a 1st time event for her. and by the end I could tell her had given it her all, but she came in in 5th place, way to go Big E. the Next 2 events where the 50 back and the 50 free, she did well but I don't have the times yet to see where she placed. I do know that she need to work on her turns she loses a lot of time on those turns, but she swam great in between.
Then her last event for the night was #70 which is almost the end, it was also a relay but one fo the boys on the team didn't stay around for the event and they had to scratch that one, she was a little disappointed and relieved at the same time, I think she was tired. This was the 1st time that she had to swim so many events in fact she was maxed out they are only aloud to swim 5 events. I can see a lot of improvement in Big E this year especially now that she got over the attitude that she knew everything and didn't need to learn from the coach.
Way to Go Girls, keep swimming and leave the other team to EAT YOUR BUBBLES and Kiss Your Feet.
Update on the swim meet results from Tuesday night.
Evelyn-
200 Free Relay- 3.56.95 6th place (1st time swimming relay)
25 Back- Last weeks time 1.02.27 this week 49.45 didn't place very high but beat her own time.
25 Free- 48.63 again didn't place high but was !st time swimming a free style race.
Elisabeth-
200 Free Relay- 3.25.14 5th place (1st time swimming this relay)
100 Free- 1.55.83 5th place (1st time swimming this race)
50 Back- she was DQ not sure why but will work on.
50 Free- Last weeks time 55.16 this week 52.48 (didn't place but we really don't care)
I think that my girls are awesome swimmers they can beat me in the pool which isn't saying much.
Keep it up E-squared.
Big E also swam she had 5 events, she too swam in event #1 but not on the same team as her sister, which I'm not sure if that is good or bad. Her relay team came in 5th place, then she did the 100 free style this is a 1st time event for her. and by the end I could tell her had given it her all, but she came in in 5th place, way to go Big E. the Next 2 events where the 50 back and the 50 free, she did well but I don't have the times yet to see where she placed. I do know that she need to work on her turns she loses a lot of time on those turns, but she swam great in between.
Then her last event for the night was #70 which is almost the end, it was also a relay but one fo the boys on the team didn't stay around for the event and they had to scratch that one, she was a little disappointed and relieved at the same time, I think she was tired. This was the 1st time that she had to swim so many events in fact she was maxed out they are only aloud to swim 5 events. I can see a lot of improvement in Big E this year especially now that she got over the attitude that she knew everything and didn't need to learn from the coach.
Way to Go Girls, keep swimming and leave the other team to EAT YOUR BUBBLES and Kiss Your Feet.
Update on the swim meet results from Tuesday night.
Evelyn-
200 Free Relay- 3.56.95 6th place (1st time swimming relay)
25 Back- Last weeks time 1.02.27 this week 49.45 didn't place very high but beat her own time.
25 Free- 48.63 again didn't place high but was !st time swimming a free style race.
Elisabeth-
200 Free Relay- 3.25.14 5th place (1st time swimming this relay)
100 Free- 1.55.83 5th place (1st time swimming this race)
50 Back- she was DQ not sure why but will work on.
50 Free- Last weeks time 55.16 this week 52.48 (didn't place but we really don't care)
I think that my girls are awesome swimmers they can beat me in the pool which isn't saying much.
Keep it up E-squared.
Moving a Mountain
I believe I have the worlds smallest washer and dryer, it is a stacking one, and it lives in a corner of my kitchen. On a good day, meaning not doing anything but washing clothes I can get a weeks worth of laundry done in 24 hrs. But if I don't stay on top of it it gets a way from me. I hate doing the laundry, and Jill before you sent me your "Nothing says I love you like clean underwear" story I've read it and I have tried that attitude, I still hate it. I will only do laundry once a week if I'm lucky. But yesterday after looking at this mountain of clothes that was growing daily in my living room floor I decided to take on the mountain I was either going to conquer or it was. I also decided to better my odds so I took all of it to the laundry mat. It filled the trunk of the car and 1/2 of the back seat. But I like the laundry mat and have decided if I ever get my dream home I'm going to have one in it. They have the largest washers I've ever seen there, I believe that i could fit inside one if I was so incline. With the mountain i had if I had done it at home I would have had at least 15-20 loads, see hubby and I are both not what you would call skinny or average built, in fact I call it FAT!!! so in our little washer at home only about 2 of his jeans and 2 of mine will fit in the washer at a time. But at the laundry mat I had 3 large loads Whites, Colors and Darks, then I had a small load of towels that I put in one of the smaller washers. To wash dry and fold only cost me less than $25 and about 2 hrs. that is the great part two hours later everything was done and I was on my way to a visiting teaching appointment. The mountain was tackled and my sanity saved, now if I can only get everyone to put there clothes away correctly. I really should rethink my doing it once a week maybe if I try twice a week I will not have to move a mountain next time just a mole hill.
Been There, Done That, and will be doing it until I die.
Been There, Done That, and will be doing it until I die.
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