I don't know, where have YOU been?

Okay, so I couldn't subject you to more Daisy without an update of where the heck I've been, already.

The boring first. I've been hanging out hating my job. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind the work (sometimes I even like it) and most of the time I really like my coworkers. But last week was rough. I spent every day except Friday crying. And on Wednesday night I started to say, "I don't want to go to work tomorrow" and I just lost it and started bawling. Not a good sign, I'd say.

The bulk of my unhappiness had to do with one of my coworkers. My friend/coworker S and I came to this job to follow a manager that we both really liked working with. And we met R. We became a superstar team (much to the dismay of the other half of our office who hated seeing us be successful) Apparently R was offered a new job moving to another unit, and when I asked her about it, she flat out told me no, she wasn't offered another job. I thought that sounded weird since her new manager pretty much had confirmed it already. So, the next day R comes into my office with all kinds of excuses about how I asked this and not that and so she really wasn't lying. But even then, she was lying. Maybe not just to me, but to herself. I really felt like I'd been betrayed since we had become this all for one, one for all team. I think S and I deserved to know what she was up to. Maybe I'm naive and stupid. But I was really really hurt by it.

And to top it off, the manager we followed is also moving. And S and I had no real hope that we'd be able to move to other units where they weren't trying to sabotage us for being successful. Thankfully, something came through on Thursday and S and I will be moving to new units too. The three of us will be on different units, and I will be the only one still working directly for the manager that brought us over. Overall, though, I think it's a good move for all of us. And most importantly, the crying has ceased. Thank God.

And then there is the fun stuff, which, while fun, was still time consuming and stressed me out. I coordinated an office charity project, which included adopting three people (a mom and a daughter and then a single man) through the Volunteers of America. We also were collecting scarves, gloves, socks, and hats too. So, I had to keep hounding everyone for their gifts and their donations and whatnot. We ended up buying the girl and her mom robes and tennies for both of them, a cookware set and a vacuum, a toy and pjs and a pretty sparkly dress. And for the man we got him a leather wallet and a dress shirt, along with a gift card for Jamba Juice (in the wallet). AND we collected 2 boxes of scarves/hats/gloves. And we delivered it all to the organization on Friday. (so, in other words, thursday was spent buying the vacuum and wrapping everything).

Then! Also on Friday, our social committee had to transport all our secret santa gifts (which I was also collecting all week - my office looked like Christmas threw up in it) to our Holiday Luncheon, which I also planned. (why did I do all this for the same week? I don't know. Or because I'm INSANE). The lunch turned out really nice. We had it at a local Indian Casino Buffet, so no one could complain about the food. (yeah!) Once I was able to sit down and enjoy my tiny chocolate mousse dessert, and our office presented the social committee with a gift certificate and posters with everyone's comments on how much they appreciate all that we do....all my hard work was so worth it.

We left the luncheon and had just a couple hours until our bunco Christmas party as S's. It was nice to relax and exchange gifts with the girls with all the stress of last week behind me. I've pretty much got everything bought and wrapped, and I just have one little present to get for Mark and a gift card for my dad and I'm DONE! woohoo! And then all our Christmas parties start on Sunday.

Bring on the Holidays!

Long Time No See!

Hi Gang! Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving! Are you still here with me?

I had a nice long weekend. We got to go home a little early on Wednesday, right after my boss gave me my evaluation, which was awesome. (go me!) I didn't have to cook on Thursday, but I was supposed to make the pies. Mom was going to make pear, and I was going to make pumpkin. Mom ended up making both because for some reason I was a disaster in the kitchen that night. It was quite tragic really. My mom even made the extra pumpkin pie that I was making for my dad too.

Mom, Mark, and I went to Mark's parents' for dinner. As usual Mark's mom made too much food - but everything was so good. We had tons of leftovers and yes, we're still eating them. (how many ways can YOU use leftover turkey?) We also loaded up the truck with firewood. Which, Yeah! except for the part where the truck had to also be unloaded and then the wood had to be stacked. Let's just say that our pallet of wood looks more like a pyramid than a square, but whatever. It will keep us warm all winter and probably still be enough for campfires all summer.

On Friday, mom and I braved the lines at Kohls and went shopping. I got Mark a really nice button up shirt in a burgundy/red color. LOVE. (and it will match one of the shirts that I may potentially wear to the holiday party next weekend) I also bought cute sunglasses, and I may have made a deal with a woman to save me a place in line. (she dropped a t-shirt several aisles away...so I agreed to go get it for her if she saved me a place in line...I ended up getting cuts and only waiting 1/2 the time i might have if i stayed in the line I was in originally. go me!)

We also braved the mall and Mervyns (twice!) and Target. I met Mark for lunch and shopped a little more. We did that unload the truck/stack the wood thing and visited his grandparents. Then we went out for appetizers and drinks. That was nice. (a great change from turkey!) Plus, it was half price. yeah!

On Saturday, we spent the day 4 wheeling. I was very scared at first - but eventually warmed up to it a little. I even drove the truck a bit - but not on any big hills. I put on a brave face when our friend took a picture of us going up one steep hill the second time (the first time I had my eyes squished closed and a death grip on the oh shit! handle - I may have had a discussion that ended with "well, if you're going to die I may as well go too so we can die together" Thankfully we lived! And we got to eat hot dogs and hang out with new people. So that was cool. (hopefully I'll have some pics later in the week...all the pics I took were of the other people)

Today I went shopping (again!) and then went to J's to discuss our holiday cooking baking strategy. We picked out some really good recipes and made some chocolate chocolate chippy type cookies that are so rich and yet SO TASTY. I have made a list of cookie baking instruments that I require now....because even though I don't bake a ton - I love kitchen gadgets. I fell in love with the little ice cream/cookie dough scoopy things. Too cute! And so much easier than a spoon and your finger! (and less tempting too!)

Also! Remember when I mentioned the shirt that matches Mark's shirt that I might wear to the holiday party? I can't decide what to wear. I have it narrowed down to two outfits. One, I like better, but I just bought the shirt at a store that is very popular amongst Mark's coworkers....so I'm afraid that I might end up wearing something that someone else is wearing. The other isn't as matchy matchy (which I really like matchy) but it's pretty. I just like the other one better. I think. Sooooo Internets, since you did so well picking out the outfit that I wore to the Mountain Dew themed wedding....I'm going to let you choose again. Tomorrow I will post the two outfits. You'll have till Friday to tell me what you think.

What would I do without you guys?!