The RED/WHITE/GREEN Job

I’ve been on a mission to find red/white/green Christmas lights for our house. After driving all around CDA last weekend I thought I’d finally found them at Lowe’s. I was so thrilled. Lo and behold when I opened them up today they cannot be strung together. I was so ticked. But Mom saved my back up lights and brought them all over this weekend. She and Dad helped me string them all up. It took us most of the afternoon. We were all soaked through by the time we finished. But it was well worth the work. The place looks just beautiful. I may not have gotten my red white and green lights, but red and white looks just wonderful. (Pictures to come later.) I’m so excited for Matt to see it when he comes home in 2 weeks.

There were a few scary moments; like having to put the ladder in the bed of Dad’s truck so we could reach the peak of the gable on the garage. But it was by far the best when we all started singing the Jack in the Box “Mini Sirloin Burger” song. Mom and I nearly peed.

My tax class is going really well. I’ve been so busy studying and trying to keep up with things around the house while Matt is away that I haven’t been online much. This week I only have to attend class on Monday and then we’re off for Thanksgiving. The following week is the final week of the tax prep class and then I have two weeks of proper procedures.

I’m planning on spending the week at my folks’ house if the weather is good enough to make the drive. My trek over there in last weekend’s snow was not fun so I’ve sworn off making the trip at night if it’s snowing.

The Onion Job

Matt left early Monday morning. I’m back to cooking for one for a while.

My Tax Pro classes are going well. I’m surprised that I’m understanding and retaining things so well. I took my second quiz today and I was really scared that I wouldn’t know the answers, but I did just fine. I have to keep telling myself to take my time reading the questions. It’s always been a problem of mine to not fully read questions on tests and miss a critical word. I’ve really connected with one of the girls in the class. Her name is Bridget. She is my age, married and has two young kids. We found that we are very similar. Today we even found that our husbands are very alike. Her husband works on power lines. They travel all over the country for his job sometimes living in a hotel for a month and sometimes (like now) being able to settle in for a whole year. I’m really enjoying the class. I just hope that the actual job is as satisfying.

Bravo is almost adjusted to Matt being gone. The first day he cried. He searched high and low for Matt when I got home. He thought every little noise was Matt pulling in the driveway. Later when he realized it was past the time that Matt usually comes home he lay by the front door and whined. It made me really sad. He had to do one more search through the house before he would come to bed and then slept on Matt’s side almost the whole night. Today he still looked for Matt when I got home, but he settled down a lot faster and I think he’s stopped expecting him to come home. I know he still misses his daddy though. Matt gives him so much energy. That’s a nice way of saying that I’m out of shape and get totally winded when I try chasing him around the house.

The Cough Job

It’s my first week of training and I’m sick. Go figure.

This week has been insanely busy and all I want to do is eat soup and lay around. But I have to learn tax law. I’m extremely grateful that the classes are every other day. It’s giving me some time to rest in between.

Bravo seems to be doing well with the adjustment. Our neighbors have been taking him an hour or so after I leave and dropping him off an hour or so before Matt and I get home. I’m hoping that by doing this it will help him get used to being alone and teach him that he’s not being abandoned. I was really happy to see him come trotting around the corner from the living room when we unlocked the door yesterday evening. It was breaking my heart to think that he would just be lying by the front door while we were away.

Matt is leaving for Virginia on Monday. I’m not looking forward to being alone for a month, but I’m glad that my classes will keep me busy. If I can get over this cold I plan on doing some Christmas shopping and decorating before he gets home. As a bit of an early gift I’m going to hire someone to install our garage door openers. It’ll be so much easier to push a button once the snow flies.

The Halloween Job

Our Halloween/Houswarming Party went really well.  Everyone showed up in a costome in the evening.  I was really impressed with the amout of trick-or-treaters we got.  This was the first year we’ve ever had kids come to our door.  It was so much fun seeing their costumes and giving out candy!

The Suck Job

After returning the first vacuum I dove back into research, but I got impatient and decided to just grab a cheap one to take care of the carpets. WTF was I thinking? I really don’t know.

On my next trip to the WalMart I eyed their vacuum aisle and ultimately grabbed an $89 Dirt Devil. Bad choice, Kelsey! Ugh! I took it home, put it together, vacuumed all our bedrooms and tried it out on the couch. It was fine in the bedrooms, fine enough at least. Of course I was disappointed with its performance on our couch, but I thought I would be able to put up with it. Matt talked me out of my indifference.

So tonight I packed it up and we returned it.

We picked up a lighter version of the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser at Lowe’s. It wasn’t until I got it home that I realized it is just what I’ve been looking for. There is a power switch for the brush so I can turn it completely off when using it on our laminate floors. There is a pet hair tool just like the first one had, and it works wonderfully on the couch. There is also a really cool feature that detaches the middle of the vacuum from the base so it can be easily moved around when using the attachments. Very cool.

So I think our vacuum search is over. I’m not a Dyson owner, for probably the same reasons that I’m not going to be a Mac owner this year either.

The Carve Job

Matt and I went went to a pumpkin carving party at The Amandas’ house in CDA this weekend.  It was great fun.  Matt met a bunch of my old friends.  Bravo got to play with Dexter (and bark…a lot).

Sunday morning we were up early for breakfast with some of Matt’s work friends.  Sheila (aka The Jeep) got us lost, and we were both too tired to realize it until we were 12 blocks too far north and across the river.  Once we finally made it we enjoyed some good food and good company.  Apparently it’s a Sunday tradition among the group.  I certianly wouldn’t argue with a once a week breakfast out.  I love breakfast.

This week I’m getting ready for our housewarming/Halloween party.  I’m trying to finish up some decorating projects around the house and making the final decisions on the party menu.  I don’t even want to think about the cleaning and prep work that I’ll be doing Thursday and Friday, but it’s all good.  I’m really excited.

The (Secret) Job

Or The Real Job part deux.

After not getting the management position I interviewed for with H&R Block, the managers encouraged me to apply for the Tax Professional openings in the area. The interviews were supposed to be held at the end of September and I never heard from them. I’d written it off and after talking with Matt I got less serious about looking for employment. I dropped a couple of applications off at retailers in the area looking for extra seasonal help right now, but I was starting to settle back into being a housewife for a while.

Then I got a call last week. I must have made a good impression on the district managers because one of them called me personally to offer me a position as a Tax Pro in her office. Of course I said yes. Actually I think that there word was “absolutely,” but still. I start my paid training on November 2^nd and come January I’ll be doing people’s taxes. I don’t know what my hours will be like yet and it is a seasonal job, but I can do something with this. I can move around with it and I will have opportunities to advance. Not to mention I’ll have the summers off.

So there’s the secret. Kelsey is now back among the employed; officially a contributing member of society. Woot!