Trying New Things

All Aboard hosted a private showing of Frozen 2 tonight. Beth needed to transfer buses to get to the theater so last night we drove her to the transit station and explained exactly what would happen. Then I sent her a text with a picture of the buses, "DART will pick you up at home, Para Transit will drop you off at the theater..."

She did great! She sent me a text when she got to the theater and even sent us this picture:

Then she texted when she got home and said she loved the movie! This was the first time she's had to transfer buses and thankfully she waits on one bus until the other bus arrives so she was never left alone but this morning she did say she was nervous. But she did fine!

We drove around last night and looked at Christmas lights. There were so many cute little characters from tv shows and movies... 'Christmas lights' sure have changed a lot from when I was a kid!

I mentioned a few posts ago that we were going to make some changes with my desk at work. I've found trying to run my department while helping to run the front office isn't working. I just don't have time to do both. My boss wants me to remain centrally located (as opposed to putting me down on the first floor) So yesterday we put a wall up by my desk. We'll try this and see how it goes. 

My desk is in the back. This is what it looked like before:

And after we put up a taller wall:

I used to see the receptionists desk and out to the office area where the guests would come in. Plus through the window and down the hall...

But now I'm hidden behind the wall. I won't be answering the phones as much and even though it'll take some getting used to I'm hoping it gives me more time to be out and about helping my crew and getting things done throughout the building. 

And speaking of getting things done, we were setting up for a Senior Adults Christmas Party yesterday and Beth was helping to set out all the chairs when I looked up and saw her sitting with some of the ladies folding napkins. She's normally very shy but she just sat right down and began folding! She loves doing this kind of thing, being creative and working with her hands.

What about you? Are you creative? Do you make things or paint or draw...?

Lights, Pictures and Hope

 

Linking up with Knit By God's Hand

 

I have so many things to be thankful for:

Our washing machine continues to work well

Chuck is doing well and is losing weight like crazy!

We've had quite a few days of dry weather

Hot chocolate with marshmallows!

Sending and receiving Christmas cards

Beautiful twinkling lights

Quiet days at work

Beautiful sunsets

Christmas pictures of when the girls were young

The anticipation of snowfall!

(We're not expecting any, but I'm hopeful!)

I hope you're having a wonderful week!

Thanksgiving, Double Digits and Julie Andrews

Thanksgiving kicked my butt this year. 

These are pictures from last year (I didn't have time to take many this year) to give you an idea of what the Thanksgiving Outreach at our church looks like.

This is our gym, we call it The Commons, ready for our guests

 The first seating. 
When they're done we clean and re-set the tables and do it again. And then again.

In years past I've lead the Buser and Server teams, overseeing the Commons. Or the Condiment team, putting the rolls, black olives and pickles on all the tables then bringing out the pumpkin pie after dinner. But now that I'm the Custodial Supervisor at church, I lead the Custodial team this year.

I went into it thinking, "So we empty trash for a few hours. How hard can this be?" Oh my word, I had no idea just how MUCH trash we'd need to empty. And if we didn't get to it soon enough how heavy it would be to lift out of the can. And how much heavier it would get as we carried it out of the building and out to the parking lot. And how it would be even heavier as we tried to toss it up and into the dumpster! (I eventually got smart and went downstairs to grab our big rolling trash bin so we could fill it and didn't have to carry them out of the building.)

And the trash in the Commons would fill up within seconds. Not exaggerating!! Plus there were trash cans in the Reception area at the other end of the building. And in the childcare area downstairs. Plus cleaning and restocking the bathrooms. I'd clean one sink, move to another and someone would come in and immediately use the sink I just cleaned. I can't tell you how many times I'd be in the middle of cleaning and 15 people would walk in.

I had a few volunteers help in the morning but for the most part it was just me and Beth. She would go into our Women's Cry Room whenever there would be a break and it didn't take her long to fall asleep! It was a very long and exhausting day!

  

 

And when we got home... no wonder my feet hurt!

Last month I ended up buying Julie Andrews new book and I'm loving it! It's funny and surprising... I'm only about a third of the way through it but I highly recommend it!

Today we celebrated Allie's 10th birthday! Sharaya always does a phenomenal job on decorating and themes... she's really gifted in this area! It was a Winter Wonderland theme and there were so many fun elements to it. All the kids got to make gingerbread houses, there were snowflakes and snow and nutcrackers, it was amazing!

And look at this cake! Her friend Jen from Tasty Spoons Bakery made it and all of her cakes are stunning!

Happy Birthday Allie!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you all have a blessed weekend!

Random Stuff

I've been in a funk the last few days. I think it's due to stress and so much responsibility on my shoulders right now. I know you've been there too, when you can't turn your thoughts off and you're waking up in the middle of the night thinking of all the things you have to do or trying to remember if you did everything you were supposed to do... and I hate feeling this way during this time of year!

Beth has been home sick all week. I think it's just a cold, there's no fever, she's just really congested.

There are 4 staff members at work who have had the stomach flu this week. The rest of us are using disinfecting wipes everywhere!

I thought our washing machine broke a few weeks ago. After doing a load the laundry room floor was flooded! I took the rug outside and mopped up the mess. We didn't use it for a week and then one afternoon when Chuck was home I laid out a bunch of towels and did a small load.

No water.

Then I did a medium load and then a large and there was no water on the floor! I have no idea what caused it before but I'm so thankful it's still working! It's really old, we bought it about 15 years ago but it's still going strong!

I just looked through my camera to see if I have pictures I could post but they're all of work! Crooked doors, a big event last week, part of a shelving unit I want to replace...     

Chuck continues to do well with his new diet. He saw the nutritionist on Monday and now he's able to eat soft foods like applesauce, soft scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, etc. His clothes are looking really baggy on him!

Are you doing okay? I hope things are going well for you and your families.  

I Was Sure I Had Killed It

Chuck and I finally went and saw Downton Abbey the other day. There were only about 8 of us in the theater cause it's been out for so long already but it was really good! We love those characters! As we were walking to the car he asked if I noticed they left the ending open for another movie. 😊

Sharaya and Allie come over for lunch on Sundays and Sharaya sometimes goes grocery shopping while we watch Allie. One Sunday recently we all went outside and cleaned up the driveway. I was told evergreen trees don't lose their leaves, they stay green all year so our first winter in Washington I saw our huge cedar trees needles (not sure you can call them leaves?) turn orange! What?! I started to panic! I was sure I had killed this 50 year old tree! But no, some of the older 'leaves' turn orange and fall off, covering your driveway and front porch and sidewalk and they get in your car and your house...

So you have to go out and clean up. We got the leaf blower and brooms and got to work. It's not as fun as jumping in a huge pile of maple leaves but it's family time!

 

After the yard work we went in and played Mexican Train. It's such a fun game! Look at that concentration! If I remember right, Beth won. Of course. She's so good at this game!

Work is still very busy but my boss and I are trying to come up with a solution to lessen my workload. Honestly I'm not sure his idea will work but I'm willing to give it a try. I'll let you know after the changes have been made. I had another meeting with my team today. With our Thanksgiving outreach right around the corner things are about to get even busier!

Are you already prepping for Thanksgiving?

Family and Surgery

Sorry, I didn't realize it had been that long since I posted! 

Chuck had weight loss surgery last week. What an ordeal that was! The surgery went well but it took him a while to come out of the anesthesia. Not that he slept a long time but when they called me back he was dressed and walking his laps around the nurses station but he was still really groggy. I stayed longer than I planned to and when I left he was still out of it. But by the time I picked him up the next morning he was doing much better

This was in 2001                                            This was last week

This is how much weight he's lost on his own! For the last 18 years he's changed habits and worked so hard to lose the weight and keep it off! And now this surgery is the help he needs to take off the last of it! I'm so excited for him and what this means for his future. So many things are going to change for him! For the better!

Allie spent the night last weekend. Did I remember to take any pictures? Of course not. We played bingo and battleship... I love hanging out with her.

My sister has been trying to figure out all of my dads paperwork, his accounts and insurance policies. I called her today and she's so overwhelmed. She didn't sleep well last night and was up early this morning so she could get to the bank right when they opened... We prayed over the phone and she'll go to the bank again tomorrow when it's not a holiday. 

As I write this Chuck and I are watching the Seahawks game and he yells, "Why didn't their guy get called for that?!" And from down the hallway we hear Beth say, "I dunno." She's such a goof! 

Thankful Thursday Becomes Forgetful Friday

(I wrote this a couple days ago so I'd be ready to post on Thursday. Only to wake up on Friday and remember that I had forgotten!)

 Linking up with Knit By God's Hand

I have so much to be thankful for this week! 

In fact this month, this year!

We've had beautiful sunshine this week!
 

I've hired two new custodians this week

Chuck is doing SO well with his pre-surgery weight loss!

Sharaya had a great time traveling in the midwest

The chaos at work is beginning to calm down
(I wrote this on Thursday. I take it back on Friday)

I read some scripture this week that the Lord used to encourage me and my joy is returning

Even though work is still crazy, I've got a confidence that can only come from the Lord

I know that no matter what happens in my life, the Lord is in charge of my life and it's going to be okay

I hope you have a wonderful day my friends!

Bricks

I was thinking about my dad today. 

As my dad got older he fell in love with trains and he donated financially to the Pacific Southwest Railway and Museum. So when my sister asked me to plan the train ride as part of our memorial/celebration, that's the one she wanted to go to but it was an hour away and it was kind of expensive.

So I made the decision to just ride the commuter train up the coast of San Diego and back again. It would be quick and inexpensive.

But no. My sister insisted we go to the Pacific Southwest Railway and Museum. She said our dad volunteered there over the years and she wanted to ride that train. So we all piled in our cars and drove the hour out to Campo, CA. 

I had read on-line that we could buy a brick in honor of him and they'd put it in the walkway leading to the station. We all talked about doing that, it could be nice!

When we got there, we all headed toward the office and what did we see?

Bricks!!

He had already purchased bricks for himself and for me and my sisters!! I'm so, so glad we followed my sisters advice and took the time to go out to that train! It really made us feel like he was there, like he bought them knowing one day we'd go out to ride that train.

 I bet he smiled as we darted about the walkway searching for bricks! "Here's another one!"

I miss you dad. 

Random Stuff

Sharaya took a trip to New Orleans this weekend. As a single mom she tries to get away one time a year for just a little 'me' time. 

So Allie spent the night on Friday! I took her to her school's Halloween dance. Allie and her friends hung out in the center of the gym and danced a little, they ran around outside, there was pizza and cookies... I'm glad I got to take her. It was fun to watch her in her element.

Afterwards I was showing her all the pictures I took and in this one she said they were pretending they were jumping off the titanic. 😊 

 Saturday morning I took her to gymnastics. 

Now she's staying at a friends house for a few nights.

Look at this face!! 💖

Saturday night was our Harvest Party at church. The theme was Candy Land and there were games in every classroom: laser tag, cookie decorating, ring toss, bowling, a lot like you'd see at a carnival. 

Then the gym was set up with  large inflatables and there were hotdogs and chips... it's always so much fun! We ended up having more than 1500 people come through!

All the volunteers stayed to help clean up and by the time my crew and I cleaned and restocked the bathrooms, vacuumed, mopped, set the alarm and headed home, it was 10:30!

We gave away a LOT of candy!

One of the photo spots

 

When it was all over...

I just spent a couple hours creating gift bags for my crew. They work incredibly hard throughout the year and I can't thank them enough!

 Just a few of the 8 custodians on my staff

(FYI - he's 6'10")

I've really been loving fall this year. It's usually not my favorite time of year with summer ending and all the sunshine going away for 5 months... But for some reason this year I just can't get enough of it! The cooler temps, the beautiful colors... I'm loving this!

Do you like fall? What's your favorite season?