Etsy....Jack and Norah

I've been so extremely busy lately working on our new online boutique, Jack & Norah. I'm really trying to make sure that all of our pictures are perfect and that our descriptions are enough. Matt's been so awesome about all of the crazyness. I can't ever fall asleep because I have so many ideas in my head about products and ways to market them. When I took the boys to Sozo yesterday I had 2 compliments on my hairpiece and handed out business cards to each of them. I'm going to start wearing my stuff all the time so that I can do that more. Haley made me some cards yesterday before we left just in case that happened. It was so nice of her to do that for me! All of the kids are taking a nap right now thank goodness...it was an insane morning. None of them wanted to listen or cooperate with anything that was going on. Tomorrow Haliam leave for Chicago with the kids so I'll only have 2 Thurs and Fri...nice break.

I really need to get models for my items. I think I'm going to ask Haley if she will along with the kids. I wish I had a really good camera for it. One day. I'm working really hard right now to advertise and market all of our products from our Etsy site, to facebook and twitter...we'll see. I even started a blog. I just have to work on it a lot more. I wish I could take a class about blogging to get better at this. I'm having so much fun making everything, now we just need it to sell...like really "need" it to. Our apartment is covered in products and supplies and just crafts everywhere.

We will definitely be going to the Fremont Market this Sunday and are hoping to make a lot of money there. Hopefully to knock down our debt a bunch. If we can just use all the money from the markets to get rid of our rediculous and never ending debt (well not so bad..but for US it's bad), we will be a lot happier and stress free! I need to start making more products and I need a logo so that I can hire another Etsian to make me some fabric tags, cut-out product tags and some business cards.

*sigh*...it's fall.

I am really loving the weather we have been having lately. Fall is definitely my favorite season and here, it is perfect. It's not to cold and still sunny (knock on wood...I know that won't last). The weekends have been so much fun lately, I love being outside and having to wear a scarf and hat...especially when I've made them myself. Yesterday I baked 12 dozen cookies... you may ask, why on earth would I bake that many cookies for just Matt & I? Matt doesn't like chocolate chip cookies and I love them. So I made a batch of chocolate chip and a batch of butterscotch. It was so much fun to bake all night and now, we have cookies to last us a while! I was pumped to make them because I bought an electric mixer! Not the kitchenaide one I'm dying to have, just a hand held one, but at least it got the job done.
I found another item that I love making to add to my etsy. Baby onsies. I had paint patterns onto them and they are turning out absolutely adorable. I'm really excited about them and hoping that they sell. So far I have only sold 2 things and it's almost been 2 months now that I've had this site. It's a bit frustrating, but I just have to find my nitch and find what sells.
Matt and I are going to pick pumpkins today and I'm really excited about it! We were planning on doing it when we lived in FL, but we never had the money to do it at the time, so now...we're actually going to go. There's a pumpkin patch right by our house and it looks like a lot of fun. We have had some busy weekends and are going to continue having busy weekends all through the fall. This month we have 2 parties to go to and lots of appointments (dr., dentist, vet, etc). Matt's calling this month operation get better...financially and health wise. So far so good. I put away $100 of my paycheck this week to go towards winter quarter of school and it felt really good. One step closer to actually getting to go! I can't wait!
I'm going to save as much money as I possibly can because the more I save the more classes I can take. I'm won't have in-state tuition so it's a lot more for winter quarter. I'd like to be able to take 2 classes, I want to have a head start on this. I just can't wait to graduate!
I'm thinking that in April when my nanny contract is up that I'm not going to be able to sign on for another. The boys are going to be starting school, Isaiah might even in the spring. So it just won't be enough money with the kids in school and me in school as well. I'm going to try to get either another nanny job here that pays higher or a job working in a daycare or preschool setting. I'd love to work for either a montessori or autism center....
Alright, well time to get ready for the day.
Happy Fall!

Double Stuffed Chicken Parmesan in Chelsea's Kitchen...Episode 1

Tonight I made my first "real" meal. I found a recipe in the October issue of Everyday Rachael Ray for Double Stuffed Chicken Breast. I always feel like I can't cook and then came to realize...I've never tried. I have made family recipes, made things up....I can also make a mean box of Kraft Macarroni & Cheese, but tonight it's safe to say that I can cook!! This was a terribly messy to make recipe, and I loved every second of it! Stuffing the cheese/noodle mixture under the chicken skin was so much fun! (Be gentle and after stuffing fold skin over and wrap tight)

Things that I changed were that instead of using breasts I used thighs...but only because we got 12 chicken thighs for $5.00 on sale tonight. Instead of baking for 50 minutes, I did for 60 minutes...(I'm a spaz about eating undercooked food...sick!) We used organic cheeses and marinara sauce from Trader Joes. I also didn't put parsley on top at the end, I felt there was enough inside.

Feeling very proud right now!
Tune in next week to see what's cookin' in Chelsea's kitchen!

PS. Matt LOVED it and has enough for 2 days leftover lunches : )

we're taking our time and having fun!

We had a busy Friday and Saturday. Matt's grandma came from California to visit and I was glad to finally meet her. Last night after work, Matt and I went over to Chris & Megan's with the rest of his family and we all had dinner together and talked a lot. It was fun! Then today, Matt and I woke up way too early for a Saturday morning (6:00) and got ready right away so we could take our car in to get the brakes checked and fixed...buuuut, when we got there they told us they couldn't look at our brakes until we got all 4 of our tires changed. That stinks, but we do need new tires, sooo we are going to get both the tires changed and hopefully (if it doesn't cost a fortune) the brakes fixed too. I'm hoping it's just the brake pads, but I'm afraid because of us having to wait now, that they're just going to get worse.......... So...after getting our brakes "checked" we went to Matt's parents house and I helped Marie make a delicious breakfast. I then went to the craft store to stock up on stuff to do while they watched the Cal game...then football all day and a yummy yummy dinner!

We were supposed to be going to the market in the morning tomorrow. I thought I was ready...all day. Then, we got home late and I realized we had a lot of missing pieces. No change & more importantly not enough sleep to be waking up at 5:30 on a Sunday. Lame I know. Must be thinking, "figures they arent' doing what they said..." But, we are now enjoying our Saturday night together instead of me going to bed right away and being stressed out. It's our new way of thinking....taaaaking our time on things! We like it better this way.

Matt said he's not worried about us having all of these "products" right now and waiting until April to sell them all at the Issaquah market. We may be "losing" money from them now, but if we start only spending about $5-$10 a week on the stuff we'll be fine. BECAUSE, Megan had a good point tonight at dinner...even if they don't sell at a profitable price, we can always sell them for what they cost and break even.

Matt and I have some exciting plans for October. Lots that we want to do together! Next weekend we're going to Issaquah's Salmon Days with the family and that's going to be SO much fun. We've only heard good things about it. We really want to go camping and to Oktoberfest in Leavenworth. We also will have a family Halloween party to go to. This will be a fun month!

Announcements & such...

A lot has changed since the last time I wrote a blog...and that wasn't too long ago. First of all, I've been having a great week at work. Charlie and Ave are both in school now and it makes my mornings go by so much faster than before. Only 2 kids until lunch and then they go to sleep and I just have 1 until 3:10....then 4 , but just for a bit. Not so bad. My pay is dropping, which sucks...but that is what's lead to this decision. (Well this, and many other reasons as well)

Matt and I have decided to postpone our wedding until June of 2011. We don't even have a date yet...we should probably get on that. It's nice because now instead of having these next 9 months be crazy and stressful, we just have time to get out of debt...go to school and then focus on the wedding. We are going to start making small payments here and there on the wedding just to make sure we aren't left in this same situation next year. Nothing is changing. Not our florist, photographer, location..anything. I talked to our florist today because we have already sent out the deposit, and they were totally fine with keeping the deposit and using it for our later date. Matt and I feel 100% comfortable with this decision and are feeling a huge weight off our shoulders because of it. Now time to re-focus on our debts...which are almost gone and to get Matt into school. Matt going to school is priority #1. I want to go back in the spring...I hope I can. I'm thinking I'm going to do what I've said since 3rd grade and be a teacher. That will be my back up plan in case I can't or don't like being a stay at home mom 24/7 when we someday have a family together.

Other big news is that my parents are moving. Crazyiness. Just to Erin, but still crazy. I grew up in that house so it's a little sad for me. I won't get to have closure with leaving my "home" but hopefully that will be okay. Maybe the new owners will let me lol...that would be wierd though. I don't know.

Other than that, life's good. I'm meeting Matt's grandma this weekend and hopefully getting to go to the market to start selling everything that I've made. We could use it right now. Our brakes are bad on our car and we need all new tires...yuck. This damn car lol. One thing after another right now.

Tomorrow's Thursday and this week went by fast so that's good. Hoping for another good day with the kids tomorrow. One of my nanny moms told me I was only a B- nanny today because the playroom was a mess...made me feel a bit bad. She had an "lol" in the text...but it still hurt. Hoping I can ignore that and continue being okay with my 2 hours of commuting to work everyday to be a B- nanny...K, I've vented now lol. Feel better. (I'm a DAMN good nanny! who DOES drive 2 hours to be with 4 children simply because she's grown attached to these damn kids lol and also to that particular mom who even though was 1/2 joking, hurt my feelings today). K..i'm really done now. Will probably talk to her tomorrow about that. I feel like if I'm taking care of the kids and they are clean, safe, well rested and fed as well as learning new things and exercising that I'm doing my job perfectly fine. ...PS I'm potty training Isaiah right now, simply because I decided to take on the extra challenge...and....he's had only 2 accidents with me since last week. That's sounds like an A+ nanny to me lol. I'm proud of him : ) Every time he goes potty both of us feel so accomplished, it's awesome!

Ave in kindergarten, Charlie in preschool, Isaiah potty training...it's great watching them make these milestones....but....at the same time, I had to listen to my little sister read me her first story over the phone today. That's not how I ever pictured that one. REALLY proud of you, Cirramani! And you too Cylie for your cross-country meet today and You too Caleb just for being Amazing! Love you!!!!!!!

things are tight, but...it's worth it!

275 more days until I get to marry the love of my life. The time is just flyin' now...almost too fast. We've been doing a lot of extra babysitting for my nanny families to earn extra money. I'm exhausted from it, but because of that, we have a larger deposit than needed to send to our florist. Finally we are making a payment and getting somewhere. I was getting a little worried. My Norah Riley business hasn't gone anywhere. Still creating tons of new items, and none have sold on my website. It's a little frustrating. I'm really excited though because on Sunday I am setting up a table at the Fremont Farmers Market in Seattle. I'll...We'll, be there from 10-4pm and I'm hoping that we make a lot of sales then. All of that extra money is also going towards our wedding. Today as I was leaving my nanny families house to go to another house to babysit, my nanny mom hollored out the door to me, " your weddings going to be BEAUTIFUL!" I have to keep remembering that all this extra work is going to be worth it when we have chairs for people to sit in during our ceremony and music to dance to at the reception. We are definitely being put to the test during this time to make sure we can get through difficult situations. There are times when I think, maybe we should have waited a little while and set the date out further...but that would just drag all of this out. If we just work hard, save, and do it...we're going to have an amazingly beautiful wedding...and more importantly, an Amazing wedding day together! If I do well at the market this Sunday, we're going to continue to do it every Sunday that we are able to. Same with babysitting...we've babysat 3 nights this week after work. I wanted more than anything to say no and just go home, but just knowing that it is helping us A LOT made it all worth while. .... looking forward to a fun & RELAXING weekend!

update.

It's 10:25pm on a Friday night and I'm sitting in Haley & Liam's kitchen with Matt. We're both on our laptops...we're babysitting but all 5 kids have been asleep for 3 hours now. Easy extra wedding money is the way we look at this. This is the 2nd time we have babysat for them this way. I'm exhausted because I've been here since 8:00am, but it's definitely worth it for us.
I've been getting pretty anxious about Etsy. I've had it up steadily with items for a week now, and with over 400 views of my items, still no sale. Today, during nap time while I was busy entertaining Charlie...we (Haley & I) decided that she needed a cape, so...I made her one. It took me 3 hours because I sewed it by hand, but I did it and it's super cute! So now, we've decided that I'm definitely going to make those for our Etsy! Charlie loves hers, and hers is just made out of old towels lol.
I'm so pumped that it's finally the weekend. I'm not so pumped that it's in the 80's again here and I apartment might as well be a sauna when it gets like this. (Not a fan of hot weather in Washington). I was so pleased with the weather last weekend, low 60's with a breeze & sunny. Perfect fall weather. I wore my fall boots and ran errands while Matt watched football. This weekend will be fairly similar...we'll just be dying of some heat stroke during the day.
Work went well this week because Ave started kindergarten. So now, instead of watching 4 children all day long, I only watch 4 children for an hour and a half a day. This up coming week will be just 3 again and then Charlie starts school half days...it's going to be great!
Wedding planning is still going well. My mom is focusing on making some payments on the location and my dress right now while i'm focusing on paying for the florist. So all is good there. We still have yet to find a photographer (I'm a little picky & have a lower budget) sorry...but we're not paying $3,000 for that! We thought we had a dj, but turned out that he's not going to be what we were looking for...a bit too immature and seemed uninterested...not ok for the guy who will basically host our reception! I hope to find both the photographer and dj this weekend. That's my big goal. Along with working to make a few capes and magic wands...
Matt's job is still going great! He's so happy and that makes me so happy. He's pumped about starting school again as well...
All is good right now.

NorahRiley.Etsy.com

I have finally done it! I have started my own business!!! It's coming together slowly but surely. I have found a website called Etsy.com and from there I created my own website where I sell lots of things. I'm trying to keep it just to children's items, but right now I also have 2 adult scarves for sale. I've learned how to crochet flowers to pin onto the scarves I'm making for children. They're awesome and I'm so proud of it! I also made 20 hair barrettes for little girls. (Actually Matt's idea). When we were at Michael's he said, I'm your husband...I mean future husband (hehe) and that makes me your partner in this...I'm your business manager! It makes me so much more excited about it knowing how supportive Matt is about this! My mom taught me how to crochet when I was little and now it has become a business for me. Starting in April I'm going to start selling my items at the market as well. Matt's mom taught me how to sew and I made my own purse that gets tons of compliments, so I'm going to make lots of those to sell as well. I'm really really excited about this. It's not a dance studio...but it will hopefully help us have some extra money for the wedding. Start up costs for this are amazingly low, so here I go.........

For all of you wondering why we named it Norah Riley...if you don't know already...someday you'll find out.... ; )

less than 10 months away!

I have too many thoughts in my head to write them all in a journal form, so I'm going to list everything that I'm excited about right now.

*Mom, Cylie and Kaylin were here this past weekend and we had a blast

*Saturday was our Engagement Party and it was perfect

*Kaylin and Cylie helped me make my save-the-dates...well we got them started. I'm finishing them now.

*My mom took our engagement pictures and they turned out beautifully!

*I took the girls to see my wedding dress and they love it just as much as I do!...mom's making a down payment on it soon!

*Sunday we had an appt. to choose bridesmaid dresses and we ended up choosing the bridesmaid, junior bridesmaid & the flower girl dresses. Kaylin was also measured for her dress so we'll be able to order it when the time comes!

*I've discovered that I'm really good at making these save-the-dates and I'm going to start making lots of stationary and selling them at the market and on my Etsy website

*Matt and I are extremely happy

*He started his new job today and was thrilled to find out that he gets his own office!

*He also registered for fall semester classes yesterday, can't wait for him to start : )

Lots of exciting things happening!! I'm so excited!...WE'RE so excited!

august 24

Matt and I just had a great weekend. Friday night we went to our new favorite place...Trader Joe's together and went a little overboard on groceries, but this is good now because we have been have some really yummy dinners! Afterwards we went to Issaquah and drove through the highlands...where we hope to someday own a home together. I absolutely love it up there and was pleasantly surprised to discover that the homes are actually not too expensive. Our current goal is to own a home in 7 years! I sure hope so! Saturday night was a marinated pork tenderloin and tonight we're having mahi mahi!! Saturday was somewhat of a relaxed day. I had my dance class at 1:00 and couldn't really move afterwards (I still really can't). Then we headed to Ikea to get some sheets and things for when my mom, cy and kaylin are in town. Sunday was a nice day. We cleaned out our car which was long over-due. Took it to get a wash as well which was refreshing. Felt good to drive to work this morning. After we finished cleaning out the car (and going to Target to buy a swiffer!, ) we headed over to Matt's parent's house to have dinner. I got to finally meet some close family members, Aunt Colleen & Uncle Gary. It was great to meet them! We are going to plan a trip soon to go down and visit them and see Portland. We're going to stay with them for a weekend soon. She's great at beading jewelry and I'm excited to do that with her. We also got to meet Mel's "boyfriend", Clint. He was really nice and we're just really happy and excited for her. We also went bowling with them afterwards and it was nice to go on a double date together. Matt and I got competitive and had a great time being silly together.
My mom and Cylie will be here soooon! I can't wait to see them, I feel like the days are going way too slow while I'm waiting for them to get here. They'll be here on Wednesday at midnight *so Thursday* and then Kaylin will get in late Friday night. It will be great to finally show them where we live and what my life is like here, because really...it's so much different. I was talking with Haley today about how my refrigerater is going to be foriegn to them because we have a lot of organic and "healthy" food. I'm just so excited!! 2 more days!
We found our wedding florists and they're absolutely amazing. We will be sending them a check this week....let the wedding cost begin......yikes.

dancing again.

I took a hip hop class today at Westlake Dance Center. I was nervous going into it because I haven't danced hip hop in a long time and have only ever been taught hip hop "Energizers" style. Todays class was hip hop II and I'm so glad that I didn't go to a higher level. It was the perfect amount of comfort and challenge for me. The instructor was Mindy Lu and her style was really smooth. We danced to a P Diddy song that I don't know the title of. My legs are still in pain. I haven't had to "get low" in a while lol and I can totally feel it. Now that I have danced though, I'm going to be going there all the time! It felt so good. Monday night at 5:30 I'm taking a lyrical class. I watched one today that was going on before my class and I wanted to be in there so bad. At the end of class the instructor turned off the lights and they ran through it in groups a couple of times and were all so into it. It was amazing. I won't be going to classes this coming weekend because my Mom, Cy and Kaylin will be here. I'm really looking forward to my Monday class. Matt watched me dance today and I liked being able to show off a little lol. It was lots of fun and I learned a lot. I'm glad I got out there and went.

the dreams still alive...and strong!

Last night I went to Westlake Dance Center to take a ballet class. The class was a level I/II and I found quickly that I am only ready for ballet I and will be attending that class from now on Tuesday nights. I thought I had a much larger knowledge of ballet than I actually do. I am really excited to learn and to hopefully become more graceful (and toned before our wedding!). I am also going to try a hip hop class tomorrow (a level II) I think I can handle a more difficult level, but since I haven't taken a class in a long time, I'm not sure how quickly I will be able to learn. I found out the 2 weeks ago when I took the jazz/funk class in Redmond that my speed learning is definitely not where it used to be. Matt is going to come and watch me and I'm really excited about that. Besides when we clear space in our apartment and I dance in front of the patio doors at night, Matt's never really seen me dance (Disney parades do not count lol).
I am also looking to find a place to start teaching classes. My nanny mom Haley's sister has offered to let me teach classes in their garage and I can't wait to get that started. I'm hoping that from that I will make enough money to open the studio in a place I found on craigslist today. It's only $995/mo. and is the perfect amount of space for what I need right now. I'll be the only teacher at this "studio" for now and can only teach at night after work and on the weekends. To be able to afford this place I need at least 25 girls. Any more than that and I'll make a profit! 25 girls is nothing. That's only 5 classes with 5 in each class. Easy. Well in my perfect little bubble of my dance studio dream...that has been going strong since my junior year of high school, it seems easy...

For a while here I had given up on this dream of mine after a conversation with Matt's brother and sister-in-law when we were discussing our future. I want to be able to spend a lot of time with my kids when we have them. But, if I can get this going the way I want to now, I should be able to by then! Let's hope.

I'm also going to try to start to get going on making my purses to sell. I get SO many compliments on it and I would love sell them on Etsy and at the Issaquah farmers market in April. I have a lot of work ahead of me!.........and wedding planning! Why do I always overwhelm myself with more than I can handle lol? I believe I get that from my dad...

my mind was moving faster than i could type.

So thought I could convert my blog to strictly dance related topics...

Oh how wrong I was. It is impossible for me to not let everything just spill out of my mind when I start typing...so there will be lots of dance news (I have some now) but also just life in general.

I nanny for two families, one of them being from Wisconsin...love it. Matt and I have been becoming very close with them these past few months and have spend lots of time with Haley, Liam, Charlotte and Maclin outside of me working. This past weekend Haley's sister's daughter Cora turned 5 and Matt and I went to her birthday party to help Haley out with the kids. While we were there Haley's sister, Paisley, asked if I would like to start teaching dance classes to her children and a large number of their friends. I of course accepted. So starting in September (cross your fingers) I will be teaching hip hop classes for these children in their garage which will be fully equiped with mirrors for me! I'm so excited to teach again. This will be a great way for me to network and get my name out there in Kirkland, WA. Hopefully this will lead a path to my dance studio that I am determined to own one day. The dream is still alive.
I also got a job with the Kirkland Recreation Department. I actually created the program and will be the teacher for 3-5 year old art classes. I will read them a new story each week followed by an art project, songs or dances that correlate with the story. By teaching these classes there I will get to know the staff there and hopefully get to start teaching dance...or ultimate goal...start a dance team through them. (again, cross your fingers that this doesn't fall through)
It's so important to me that one day when Matt and I do have children that I can be a stay at home mom and teach dance classes to keep my love for dance and...just get a break! I'm hoping that these are two open windows for me right now that will eventually lead to my being able to stay home, get a degree and have a path for my studio.

Wedding update.

We have decided on our entire wedding theme which will be a classic backyard style wedding with a bit of a vintage twist here and there (my ring really is vintage and my dress might as well be...it's beautiful...no details here though, Matt may read this. Sorry) Along with that style, the colors are yellow and white with a bit of green. The ceremony will be outside with classic white chairs and our reception is going to be in a beautiful white tent, large enough for the 300 guests that will be invited. (yikes) One of our flower girls will be pulled down the aisle by my baby brother (who will be sporting some amazingly cool sunglasses) in an old radio flyer wagon. Our flowers will be white hydrangeas and peonies with some daisies and sunflowers possibly. And because of Matt's wonderfully cute idea, our reception will have a lemonade stand which I am hoping the kids will take turns playing with and serving the lemonade to everyone...lots of children at this wedding.
We are so excited about it and are hoping for the entire night to just be fun. We want everyone to leave our wedding saying, "wow, that was SO much fun!" Matt and I aren't fancy people...we like to try lol, but really...our style is simple and just very happy together. I feel so blessed that I've found Matt. And just to think that we met while working for Walt Disney World living in FL (something I never dreamed I'd have the guts to do) and now have an amazing studio in Washington with a beautiful view...it's crazy.
We are very happy, and in the end...that's all that really matters. I forget that often while I wish we had more "things" ...and I need to remember more often that it doesn't matter. When we're 80 years old and are looking back, I'm not going to remember the amazing dress I want from Gap or the amazing home decor from Crate and Barrel, I'm going to remember laughing at Matt while he freaks at our kitty for attacking us while we try to sleep. Or how we love to go grocery shopping together. Or just how nice and safe it feels to be in out apartment and watch a movie together.

Being a 21 year old engaged nanny for four children who lives 2,000 miles away from my incredible family is not easy, and I just wish that before I have panic attacks about all of this and feel like something is wrong with me because I make too many lists and worry about things way too much, I should take a step back (like Matt is always telling me) and love how much fun it is to be 21 and how I am loving this wedding planning business. I need to love every second I spend with my four nanny kids because they are all so wonderfully unique and creative and funny! And as for being 2,000 miles away, I do have an incredible family....and they love me so so much and I love them just as much back. And we chose to live in Sammamish because we have opportunity here for our future children.

This blog was all over the place and I know I'm going to read it back and be slightly confused myself...so sorry about that whoever is reading this. If anyone reads this?

We have a lot going on right now...Ooo and I almost forgot....honeymoon----Sandals in the Bahamas!!! Amazing!

Ok, I'm done now. That's all for right now.

found a studio!

I am now converting my blog into my dance experience...taking classes. craving dance. wanting to teach. hopefully teaching.

Last night I dreamt that my old dance coach and my parents were sitting in my living room with me at my parents house. I was 21 years old just like I am now and they were telling me that I was going to be able to be apart of the Energizers again, but I had to prove that I could still dance. So, my coach asked me to show her a leap. I began to prep and realized that I didn't know how to anymore and that I had 0 flexibility. It was a terrible leap that any 5 year old could have pulled off. I began to cry knowing that it was terrible. I began to throw things around the room and I was very angry. Then to make matters worse, my coach called in two of my former teammates Amanda and Christy. They were trying to calm me down and motivate me to remember how to do this. Throughout the entire dream I couldn't get it...
I woke up at 7:00 in the morning (on a Sunday) now wide awake, feeling like I had to go in the hallway and leap, and...I still have it.
I went to a dance class on Thursday night feeling this same strong urge to dance. I went to an adult jazz/funk class in Redmond at Premiere Dance Center. It was a great class and my instructor, Megan Adams, told me of about three dance studios around where I live that are great places to teach and to dance. So, now this week, I am going to be taking classes at a studio in Seattle that is only for adult dancers (amazing). Westlake Dance Center. I want to take ballet, hip hop, lyrical and jazz. Who knows, maybe I'll throw belly dancing in there as well. At my Thursday class we learned a Bollywood routine and it was so much fun! Not only did I learn something new, but I got to release a lot of stress that I have on my right now.
Living in a new place, with all new people (-Matt), being engaged and planning a wedding, working in a stressful job, missing my family and friends, having 1 car between the 2 of us, and not having dance...not a good combo for me.
I'm going to start dancing more...a lot more. Here is the schedule of classes I'll be taking this week!
Monday Hip Hop III/IV 6:30-7:30 Westlake Dance Center with Rex Kinney
Tuesday Jazz II 6:30-8:00 Westlake Dance Center with Kirsten Cooper
Thursday Ballet I/II 5:30-6:30 Westlake Dance Center with Sandy Brown
I am going to be taking classes like crazy this year so that I can up my level of dance training and experience yet again and boost my resume for teaching jobs. I am going to really focus on dance and on getting teaching jobs. This week I am going to contact the Village Theater in Issaquah to see if I can get a teaching assistant job (no pay) so that I can get my name out there and be apart of musical theater as well.
Ultimate goal...be a stay at home mom who gets to spend an enormous amount of time with her kids, love and take good care of her husband & dance...a lot!

http://www.westlakedance.com/

Perfect Timing...

Matt made it through three rounds of interviews and got a new job at Microsoft. On September 1st he will be recruiting coordinator instead of a receptionist. This is great news for him...for us! He is closer to his dream job at Microsoft, he's on the right path. He will have higher pay and instead of working from 10-7, he will work either 8-5 or 9-6...he hasn't found that out yet. Either will be better. We will be able to spend more quality time together at night instead of basically getting home, eating dinner and then going to bed. I am so incredibly proud of him! This is going to make things so much better. I love him so much and he really needed this. It is an eight month contract until April. After which he has 100 days before he can work for Microsoft again. Hopefully he will then get signed for another contract...and then another after that. If he can keep getting signed on while he is in school (which he is going back to in September), he was told theres about a 99% chance that he will get a job as a Microsoft Recruiter. Amazing. The timing for this could not have been better with our wedding around the corner. It is going to help us a lot.

I am also excited because my Dad is also on the track for 2 jobs....hoping for and needing that as well.

My mom decided tonight that she will be buying her airline tickets tomorrow to come to Washington to see where I live and meet everyone here! She is actually coming for our engagement party. Kaylin may be coming as well (maid of honor) and her mom, and possibly Drea and David! I really wish my dad could be there, but they can't find anyone to watch the kids...anyone want to babysit?

My job is going well. I absolutely love my kids but am looking forward for school to start so my life will be 2 children easier!

All good news today!

false hope.

no car tomorrow. have to wait until monday. sucks. i'm pretty upset....
i'm going to try to relax and read now. our apartment is like a sauna because we don't have air conditioning. no one really does here. it's wierd to me. it gets to be in the 90's. not fun.
i'm starting another Jodi Picoult book. i was listening to The Tenth Circle before the car situation happened and now don't have that so i just finished the book. loved it. i'm going to read Mercy now. maybe that's what i'll do this weekend. we could take the bus to greenlake together. we were hoping to go to see a movie this weekend. looks like that's not happening.
this would be the best time for us to just all of a sudden win like $500.00 and be able to go away for the weekend. we need it. we're both so frustrated, upset and stressed out. it's not good for us to be this way together. okay, i'm really going to go and read now. i miss dancing so much. that used to be my outlet...now that i don't have that, i'm not good at dealing with stress...at all. reading helps though, its another world and then i dont' have to think about mine.

we're on our way...

The end of our rocky week is coming to a close. We will again have a car tomorrow and will not have to worry about getting rides or taking the bus. We have learned so much and in a way, I'm glad that something like this happened. Not glad for the trouble it caused, but for what it has taught us. We not only learned how to deal with a terrible situation, but found out that together, we can get things done and will be alright in the long run. It will be great to have the car and to direct our focus back to getting out of debt and paying for and planning our wedding.
I've learned that I can be 2,000 miles away from my family and can still get through a crisis on my own. Well, with the help of Matt. We're a team and always will be.
Matt has a lead for a new job through Microsoft and I am really hoping that this goes somewhere. If it does, not only will our financial situation be looking up, but Matt's chin will go up as well.
My dad is on the road to getting a new job and after his interview today, that he said went so well, he is thinking that this job will be his. This is the best news that we've heard in a while. Even with all that is going on with our car...well, Matt's car technically. I'm praying for both of them that this all goes well for them.
So with only three credit cards, medical debt, and a college semester left to pay off...along with the car, our apartment and our wedding...I'd say we are on our way again to getting out of this hole we've dug ourselves into. When we get married, I want all of our debt to be gone and for us to have some money saved. (That's what I'd like to happen ideally...realistically, just to be out of debt would be great)

We are definitely on our way...

he's sleeping. i'm writing.

It is 2:30 in the morning and I have just finished reading, "The Time Traveler's Wife." I couldn't put the book down! I love books that are that way. The book was slow to start and then the more and more I read, the more and more I wanted to read. I'm always a sucker for a love story.

As I was reading and even now, Matt is laying next to me sound asleep. All I can think about while he is here next to me right now is that I want to be with him for all of the time that I have here. I don't want to miss a second with him. While I was reading and he was curled up next to me I couldn't help but to stop reading and just hold him. I know he didn't know I was doing it, but the story is all about "waiting" and I just felt so happy to know that I didn't have to wait anymore to find him...he's right here with me. I am the luckiest girl in the world to have Matt. He loves me more than I ever could have imagined I would ever be loved. Tonight we were sitting on the couch; just talking and thinking about everything that is going on right now and he said to me, "You're my number 1, you will always be my number 1 and you will always come first." I don't think he expected me to from him saying that because he looks at it as a given, but it made me cry. Just to know and feel that he loves me more than anything in the whole world and to know that and believe him when he tells me things like that...it's amazing. The best feeling I've ever known.
I hope that we always have this feeling. I hope that there will be nights when we're in our 30's or 50's and our 90's where I lay next to him at night and know that I am the luckiest girl in the world to have him. Nights where I can't help watching him when he sleeps or to just hold him so tight and make sure he feels as much love from me as I feel from him. I can't even get it out in words how much I love Matt. Every single day I love him more. I have heard people say that before, but never knew it was really possible. I wonder how much I'll love him when we're 43. It will be an absolute crazy amount! ...I am crazy about him...(even when he's driving me crazy)...that's a good sign.

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.

We are in such a tough spot right now. No car and neither of us work where we live. I have learned how to take the city bus. I'm not a fan, at all. I work from 8-5 in Seattle and if I want to get there by 8:00, I have to leave by 6:00am. I got a ride from Matt's dad yesterday so I didn't have to leave until 6:30...got to work at 7:30, and my nanny mom had me start working early. So I worked for 9.5 hours yesterday. Then it took me 2 hours and 20 minutes to get home from work...I missed my first bus and then had to find a whole new route and walk a mile to get to a new stop. It was a long day...and it was just the first of many more to come. Well, hopefully not too many, but I know that for sure I'll have to do this next week. Next week is an easy work week, so that stress will be gone and that's a blessing for timing. I usually nanny for 4 children. Monday I'll only have 3 kids...Tuesday I'm off...Wednesday just 3 kids...Thursday 1 kid and Friday 1 kid for a half day and then I have to spend the other half of the day organizing the play room and cleaning. That won't be so bad. Hopefully by then, we'll have the car back.

I'm going dress shopping with my soon-to-be sister-in-law today! I'm going to ask her to be my bridesmaid and then we're going to the dress shop. It will be a lot of fun : ). I am so relieved that we have a wedding date and that from tomorrow, it is just 11 months until we're married! I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with Matt. We have been through so much together and we're so in love...he's amazing. Now that we have our location, we just have to work through all the details. I love wedding planning!

it's a date.

June 19, 2010.

Our wedding date.
The planner at Chula Vista Resort gave us some amazing news today.

We thought that we were going to have to pay a $1,000 deposit on our reception location before we would be able to officially book our date. My grandma's boyfriend works at the resort and spoke with the planner. It has now been worked out that we HAVE the date and will worry about the money later! This is the date we really wanted and to actually know the date we will be married, the day that will forever be our anniversary, is the most amazing feeling. And now, the countdown officially begins...we couldn't be happier about this!