Hanging Rock

was incredible! Will and I left Friday after work and had a great time! Matt decided not to come because he didn't want to be a "third wheel." I told him it wouldn't be like that, but he insisted. So we got a nice weekend together, with Sadie of course, without phones and computers and TVs...it was wonderful!


We decided on Hanging Rock instead of Julian Price Park because it is closer (only about an hour and 15 minutes away) and there was no chance of rain there. So we got to the park around 7:00 and were able to get pretty much all set up before it got dark. Then we cooked bratwursts (that I had boiled earlier in beer for over an hour!) on skewers over the campfire. They were delicious!


Saturday morning we woke up and had bacon and pancakes cooked on the camp stove and then headed out for a hike. First we did the main hike up to the actual "hanging rock." The trail map said it was only 1 mile, but I think they were lying! Either that or we are incredibly out of shape and slow!


After a brief lunch break back at the campsite, we headed over to the lower cascades (a .2 mile hike...much better! lol) and took Sadie swimming!!! She's part lab, part beagle (we think), so she should like the water! But so far we hadn't had much luck. This time were successful at getting her to swim- Will carried her out in to the water and put her down! But she immediately headed for shallow water... she didn't seem to mind getting wet though- and willingly went as far as she could still touch. I think if the water had been warmer, and Will and I were actually swimming too (not just wading) she might actually enjoy it. We'll have to try again this summer, when it's warm enough for us to swim with her!


That night we actually got to eat before it got dark, which was much better, and we had the most delicious steaks ever! Marinated in one of Will's special concoctions since Thursday night and grilled over the campfire- YUM! But after our hiking and that big dinner, we were exhausted! Call us lame, but we crawled in the tent pretty much as soon as it got dark.... so like 8:30 LOL! I think we may have read for about 30 minutes, but that was it! Man, we're old.....

Sunday we packed up camp and went for one more short walk around the lake before heading home. The great thing about Hanging Rock is that we still got home around 1:00! We had plenty of time to unpack everything, and even got to sit out on the patio and grill out for lunch!

It was a great weekend and I think we all thoroughly enjoyed it. Sadie is still exhausted though! And I am too, since I didn't really sleep that well either night. I think I was so worried that Sadie wouldn't sleep, that I stayed up listening for sounds that might disturb her! Ha! Oh boy, motherhood is going to be such a challenge..... lol.

Shout Outs:

• Mother Nature: Still doing great- this weather has been absolutely gorgeous!

• Will: I'd camp with you anytime! I love you and I had such a great time with our little family this weekend!

Prayers:

• Our country, and the world in general: I've heard so many awful, terrible news stories related to senseless violence lately and it really makes my heart ache. I just pray that people will learn to put their differences behind them, love their neighbors, and live in harmony.

No phone call...

...from the staffing agency. I'm hoping that just means that the director-lady was busy and didn't answer the staffing agency back, and not that the staffing agency didn't contact the director-lady. Haha... got all that?

Anyway... since I haven't heard back yet, I think I should probably not leave town tomorrow, just in case she calls and wants to meet tomorrow or Monday. Plus, like everyone has said, that's a long drive just for a couple days and I'd rather go when Will can go too. And I'll see Owen some other time, when I can have him all to myself =) So.... camping it is! I'm so excited for Sadie- she is going to love it! Hiking and being O-U-T (yes, we have to spell it because she knows that word and gets excited, lol), and sleeping in a tent with her Mommy and Daddy. And today has been so gorgeous, I'm hoping the weekend is the exact same way! I spent most of today running around doing errands and shopping with my Mom, who took today off to get ready for her trip to Florida tomorrow! She is going to Ft Lauderdale to see her best friend from high school. They both turn 50 this spring- friends for 38 years!

I have a prayer request for today too... I have a cousin (third cousin or once removed or something) up in NY who is in first grade, his name is John, and he has been in the hospital since last Friday. I'm not clear on all the details but it started out as a fever and nausea Thursday night and Friday morning he woke up with a large lump on his neck. So far it sounds like they haven't determined what it is, only what it's not. It's not strep, it's not meningitis, and it's not a few other things. A CAT scan was done and showed some sort of abcess (sp?) on his throat and tonsils. He was moved by ambulance to a bigger hospital last night. He's still running a high fever and can't keep food down because the antibiotics are strong and keeping him nauseous. Basically, he's a very sick, scared little boy. What makes it worse is that before John was born, his parents, Peggy and George, had another son, named Skipper. Skipper died when he was 11 months old from shaken baby syndrome. His Nanny shook him, not hard and only for a few seconds, but was sentenced 3-10 years in prison for reckless manslaughter. It took Peggy and George a long time to even be ready to think about having another child, and now their second little boy is in the hospital and very ill. Please send some good vibes their way, I know they need it. And please, PLEASE.... don't ever shake a baby!!! I know it sounds like common sense, but it happens more often than we realize. They are such fragile, precious angels and it doesn't take much to do serious damage to their little bodies.

George "Skipper" III

Dec 24, 1999 - Dec 3, 2000

Shout Outs:


Mother Nature: Great job today, keep up the good work! =)



Prayers:



John, Peggy, and George, and our extended family: I love you all and am thinking about you and wishing John a quick recovery. Stay strong, little man, I know you're going to be okay!! XO



Mom: Have a great trip to Florida, and be safe!!!

*Interview*

I had an interview today! First one since I got laid off at the end of March. I was really just glad to know that someone was actually looking at my resume, since I have applied for several positions and heard nothing back! Well the "interview," if you can even call it that, was with a staffing agency. I was not impressed. I've never worked with a staffing agency so I guess I just wasn't sure what to expect, but my interview was at 2:00 and it was at least 2:15 before anyone acknowledged me. The receptionist was on the phone, so finally she asked if she could help me with anything. I told her why I was there and she handed me a stack of papers which took THIRTY freakin minutes to fill out! By the way, I hate when places make you fill out an application listing all the exact same info that's on your resume. So, I fill out most of the paperwork, even though it includes tax forms and an I-9 and stuff and I don't even know anything about the job yet. I felt like handing the papers back to her and saying I would wait to fill them out until I had actually accepted a position! But, like I said, I've never gone to a staffing agency before, so I didn't know if that was the norm or not. So I sit and wait while this woman hollers all over the office asking if anyone wants a soda cause she's running to the vending machine. The woman comes back and hands out the drinks. 5 minutes later, she comes back out to the "lobby" area to get me.... this is the woman I have my "interview" with. So by this time it's almost 3:00. I sit in her office while she basically reads me my resume and asks the same two questions that she asked me on the phone yesterday. So she says she is going to set up an interview for me to meet with the employer. And that's about it. Seriously. That was the extent of my "interview." Oh, and PS: She was on the phone with other clients for about half the time I was in her office. Rude?? I think so. I can't believe I bought a new outfit for that!

Anyway... I should hear back from her tomorrow about setting up that interview with the actual hiring company. The position sounds pretty good- The director of some sort of counseling center has been handling all the HR stuff herself, but is getting overwhelmed so she wants to bring in an HR Generalist. I love the fact that it is with a company that does something I'm interested in (hello, psych major), and that it is located near Friendly Shopping Center! But, the down side is that she is only looking for a part-time HR person for right now. 2-3 days a week, flexible scheduling. The pay rate is about what I was making before (hourly), but with only being 16-24 hours a week, I would be making less there than I would if I continued to collect unemployment. So, I'll do the interview and see if I like her and like the place and then decide. If I did take it, at least it would be experience to add to my resume, and would look better than having a large gap, and the staffing agency did mention the possibility of getting a salary increase/benefit options, so we'll see... I'll keep you posted.

In other news... I'm having trouble deciding what to do this weekend. Do I,

A) Go camping at Hanging Rock with Will and his friend Matt, and get to be with Sadie (the puppy) on her first camping trip; or

Me and the Sade-ster, cheerin on the Heels!

B) Leave Fri to drive 5+ hours by myself to see my extended family and be there for my nephew's first birthday party?

That's me and Owen on the right, and my Mom and the nephew who is 7, Mason, on the left. Mason was being camera shy and trying to squirm away!

WWYD? I'm almost hoping that my interview is on Friday so that will make my decision for me. I would love to be there for Owen's birthday and get to see all my nieces and nephews (ages 7, 4, 4, 2, and 1) but I also really want to take Sadie camping! She'd have so much fun =)

Shout Outs:

• Katie: So glad we got to catch up today! Everything is falling into place for you and I'm so excited!! =)

Prayers:

• Kelly: Hope you feel better soon! We'll do wine night some other time
• Molly: I miss you and I hope that you are happy and safe, wherever you are!

hmm...all three of my b-maids today, weird =)