Week 1

I've beem leaving home closer to 9am & am getting to work in 10-15 minutes. My cubicle is in the 2nd floor. There are 2 other marketing staff in addition to myself. We share the 2nd floor with Accounting. I got a 32" Vizio display monitor by Thursday and a new Dell notebook by Friday on my 1st week (I was using a loaner my 1st few days. They have several wireless networks available so people can work on their notebooks to meetings and I seem to be in meetings a good part of the day each day. So far everyone's been really nice & I am really enjoying my work & the company. I especially like my boss. He is very mellow and even keeled. I loved my previous boss but he was a little too hyperactive. My new boss seems really calm. To my amazement, very few execs have type A personalities and there is very little yelling/cussing. People also don't act important which was what I really disliked about people from my previous job.

Our irises are blooming like crazy!! I don't remember them being this beautiful! The fig tree and one of the wisterias are finally sprouting leaves!! I just love the snapdragons & bacopas. I think I will be planting those annuals more often/all over since they are just so lush, beautiful and easy to grow in the spring.

The weather was nice last Saturday (last weekend was HOT!) for us to plant in our front yard. We planted carnations, delphiniums & some groundcovers. The fruit trees in the front yard are not doing as well as those in the back but Kevin fixed the sprinklers so hopefully they'll catch up.

Kevin & I were called to be Ward Family History consultants. Kevin is especially excited about this calling. We missed church again last Sunday and also Rob's birthday dinner. Linda, Ryanne and her boys dropped by Saturday afternoon on their way home from visiting Jenn but Kevin wasn't home. He was out buying some stuff for the sprinklers or the pond or something. He stayed home again Monday but was feeling much better today so he went back to work.

End of my leisure days

We removed the rosemary (which I had earlier thinned to 1/4 its size) altogether. It was a direct view from my kitchen window so we decided to use the prime space for more flowers. We trellised the pink jasmines back against the wall (and planted a new one too) and added a Delphinium, Azalea and other flowering groundcovers. Here is my first mulching experience. I remulched a few days after this photo was taken because I read mulch should be 1 of more inches thick above the ground. We've also been spending a few early evenings weeding and working around the yard.



Denise gave me cuttings of her Chinese wisteria which I planted in the front yard. I hope for it to hang over the front fence. She also gave me cuttings of her plumeria and Arabian jasmine. I planted the plumerias in pots for now and the Arabian jasmine in front of the Pink jasmine. Arabian jasmine is sampaguita which is the national flower of the Philippines.

I've been doing several errands this week requiring me to leave Max & Cooper home (not something I've done while I've been home). After coming from one earlier this week, I found that Cooper has been doing a lot of digging in my newly planted garden beds. Cooper was a heavy digger when he first lived with us but he stopped after 6 months or so. I figured this is because he's feeling more secure about his place in our home. I think he is sensing I will be leaving them home alone again so the digging has started. I am torn between wanting to give them full access to the yard or just keeping them in the house while I'm at work. I think I am going to keep them in the house until he becomes more confident and then slowly give them outside access. I hate the thought of not having him around me all day. As a consolation, it is only a 10 minute drive from work to home so I plan to come home for lunch as much as possible.

I was shocked and disappointed at Michael Johns' elimination. I voted several times for Carly last Tuesday because I was afraid she was going to be next. I just love her version of "Here You Come Again". I think I will download it from iTunes. I should have put in a few votes for Michael but I was too lazy to punch in new numbers (it was easier to just hit redial). I was a big fan of David Archuleta especially after hearing his version of "Imagine" but he no longer interests me. I am turning into a major Duff Goldman fan!!! I love Ace of Cakes!!!!

We are closing on refinancing later today. We decided to do this to avail of lower rates and hopefully get our monthly mortgage down. To the contrary, we will be paying more because portions of the loan will have a much shorter term. The closing could not have come at a better time since I'll be getting a steady paycheck to help out with the payments. We are so blessed. We can feel the Lord's hand in everything that's recently transpired in our life as things just fall into place.

New Job

I got the job!!! I interviewed with a consumer electronics company selling HD and plasma TVs (you will find them at Costco & Walmart among other places & I know Terry Lisonbee just got one late last year. You might even already own one!!!) last August shortly after leaving Playmates. They put the position on hold. They called me last week Tuesday to find out if I was still available and on Thursday they called again to set up an interview with their Marketing VP who I met the following day Friday. They called me today and the offer letter is in the mail. They are only 8 miles away from me and the job is similar to a good fraction of my last job except on a bigger scale so I am so excited. I start on Monday, April 14. Thank you all for keeping me in your prayers!!!