Single parent

Ok, so the reason I haven't posted until now...

Single parent this week.

All I can say is yikes! I was good except the addition of teaching. That was the straw that tipped this camel's back.

With all the grading, test making, and lecture prep most all of my free time is taken up by class. And it never stops! College kids are needy, and request a lot of stuff...

I mean a lot.

I now understand why some professors seem so strict.

But I digress. I called in reinforcements one night. Thank goodness for my parents! I am blessed to have them!

Now I'm playing catch up and trying to get far ahead on my classes. That way when single parenting strikes again...and it will sooner than I think...I'll be prepared.

An End and a Beginning

So it's official, I'll no longer be a postdoctoral fellow at UNC-Chapel Hill.

I knew this was temporary position, but somehow you aren't always prepared for it...

I've enjoyed working for my mentor's lab the last two years.  She is a wonderful person and excellent scientist.

It makes me sad too..because very soon, I won't work in or for a lab.  For the last 10 years, I've always been in a lab.  Now that officially changes, I'm a teacher and editor.  Strange to end something that has encompassed a third of my life.

But no worries, it's also a new beginning.  A new identity of a teacher.  Helping to guide students onto their own paths.

Plus in the spirit of a positive outlook, is the fact that all these changes over the last year have resulted in me being able to stay at home with my girls the majority of the time and there is noting better than that!

Who knows, maybe I'll join research again one day.  I know I would enjoy it.

But until then you can find me teaching, wrangling two adorable girls, trying to convince my hubby to start a farm, working on my etsy store, and in general just enjoying the wonderful life I've been given. 

No pictures of me in UNC gear, but this is when I graduated from UKY.  Five years in one lab. :)

Teaching

So two weeks ago, I started teaching again.

It's been about a year since I have taught and believe me, I had forgotten how needy students can be...

Don't get me wrong.  I'm used to needy, I have a 6 month old and a 3 year old.  But at 18+, you tend to expect a little more independence.

Overall it seems to be going well.  My neuroscience students have gone from sheer panic to a comfortable nervousness, which I think is good for them.  I mean, it's not suppose to be an easy subject...

The good parts are when I see glimmers of life among the glazed over expression I usually get.  However, that's usually when I talk about drugs...

But how can I judge, that's what always what caught my attention as a student too.

C'est la vie!

Work break

So life seems to always catch up with me...

While I'm keeping up with work, I've got another big push to get some more data done.

There is also a push at the editing company I work for to get some stuff done by the end of the month.

Plus I just found out, I will be teaching this fall at our local University.  Yay!

I've got two courses lined up.  So guess what I get to do?  Build course material, which if anyone knows the first time you have to do this for a course takes a LONG time.

Finally, I think I've finally decided to take the Etsy plunge.  I'm going to start with crocheting.  While I love my sewing machine and the embroidery it can do, I need some practice on things before I start selling. 

In addition to work, I'm testing out patterns and figuring out price points.  Add this to our already busy schedule and things are getting a little crazy.

So I'm probably going to be posting less, but I will try to keep up with things.  Just don't be shocked if you don't see much from me or hear from me. 

But once things get back to normal, I'm thinking free stuff! Though after I bounce some ideas off you all.  ;)

One of those Days...

So I woke up this morning very happy for two reasons. 

1) We had power. 

You see we had this huge storm and lost power.  I couldn't work, we had to light candles everywhere, and so eventually we just went to bed early.  Of course the power came on at 12 am and woke Elizabeth, so I had to lay down with her.  I finally got back to bed around 3 am.

2) My work week had reset. 

I'm officially not behind at work.  I'm going to stay on top of my hours, at least, that's the plan.  There aren't any major trips ahead of us or parties...so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll maintain this week.

But my happiness was short lived.  Everything fell apart pretty quickly...

We loss power.  I was looking into playing with my new sewing machine, finally, and we lost power.

Evie started coughing again and getting upset.  I started to call the dr, but couldn't find the number.  No power- no internet and the yellow pages didn't list our dr.  Then Elizabeth had an accident.  She took a step forward and fell backwards.  I dropped the phone book and checked her.  By this time, Evie was screaming.  I settled Elizabeth down and tried to calm Evie.  It didn't work. 

I picked the phone book back up and found them in the white pages, I got the nurse on the phone.  The verdict- bring Evie in and just watch Elizabeth (I'm super paranoid about head bumps).  I got Mark home, got Evie ready, and we were out the door.

Two hours later- Evie has a URT infection and is on antibiotics.  Power is finally back on, the house is a wreck, but I did manage to get both of them asleep at the same time.  I'm hoping I can just play a little with my machine.  I really want to get started on some projects, especially because I have a baby shower in a week to go to...but work comes first.

Life sometimes seems like a comedy of errors, only it's not so funny when it's happening to you. ;)

Worn Out Wednesday

So I'm just going to say it,

I'm not going to be a good bloggy friend the rest of this week or weekend. 

I'll do my best, but no promises.

I'm too tired and worn out.  I've been working like crazy.  My days are running from about 7 am to 1 am with at least one wake up for feeding. 

Why so crazy? One word.  WORK!

Now that everything is sorted out- my cup runneth over.

I'm tired, covered in spit up, and trying to maintain.  So if I don't post a lot, leave comments, or reply quickly it's probably because I'm working...or sleeping.  I HOPE sleeping.

Things will get better this weekend.  We're going to an amusement park on Saturday and there are all the Holy week celebrations.  Tomorrow our choir is joining another choir from a neighboring UMC to do an Easter musical.  I'm excited, as I love good singing.  Friday of course, we have the Good Friday service and Sunday- EASTER! 

Speaking of Easter, Elizabeth and I did Easter crafts today.  Friday, we'll be dyeing Easter eggs, just in time to get covered in dye and go to the Good Friday service.  ;)  Here are a few pics and videos. 

First video- Evie on her playmat.  She laughs, it's adorable.

 

Picture- Elizabeth in bunny gear showing off her artwork.

All our coloring pages.

 

 

 

 

 

Second video- Elizabeth talking about who she drew pictures for, she made one for all her grandmothers (two are called Maw).  

Quiet

It's super quiet here today.  Eerily quiet.

Elizabeth is at her Grammy's today.  It's so I can get a full day's work in, yes, they sorted out my paperwork, yay! 

It's so quiet, I can hear the cat sneaking around, like he's going to pop out and attack me at any moment.  He's stalking me...

Ok, maybe I'm just paranoid without a two year old screaming talking constantly around.

Don't be deceived, he's a killer....of bugs!

Nightmare Monday Night

So we had a horrible monday night.  It all started when we went out to eat.  You see Elizabeth and I had been cooped up all day, since the weather has been awful.  No running around means she was not tired at all, which means whiny bedtime.  Wanting to avoid this, I asked if we could go some place with an indoor playground.  So we went to a local fast food place (I know bad health choice, but not letting Elizabeth play is worse).  Two things happened.

1) a little girl ran into a little boy and he fell.  HARD.  I mean we heard his head pop on the tile floor.  Everyone was freaking out.  He had to go to the dr.  It was a total accident, but scary.

2) the same little girl followed Elizabeth up into the playground area. They were playing really well together.  Then we called for Elizabeth to come down.  She was on her way and then all of a sudden started screaming.  I ripped my shoes off and climb up into the play area...the little girl was holding her down.  I got Elizabeth up and asked what was going on.  Elizabeth was too hysterical to answer and the little girl wouldn't.  I think either Elizabeth fell and what started as a hug turned into a hold down or the little girl didn't want her to leave.  To be honest, I think it was the second, because the little girl's dad had also been calling for her and she wouldn't come down.  When I told her that her daddy was looking for her, she told me she was too afraid to go down the slide.  I think when Elizabeth turned to leave, she realized she would be alone and afraid, so she stopped her.  I asked if she wanted to come with us, and she seemed relived.  Needless to say, I'm not going to that type of playground anytime soon.  A nice open playground that I can see my babies seems much safer.  Better yet, time to get that playset up so I don't have to go to the playground!

When we got home, we got the girls settled.  Elizabeth calmed down and after watching a Veggie Tale movie she was back to her old self.  Then I checked my email.  TWO emails both from my two employers with changes to my work.  Now I don't have all the details for either as I have to talk to my bosses some more, but it looks like things are changing.  I'm not losing either job, but if things proceed like I think (especially with one) I may need to look for a better job in the near future.  UGH!!!  Worst monday EVER!!

It's OK- Tuesday

Welcome back to it's ok, Tuesday.  A time to just accept things and let them go all at once.

So it's ok that...

-I let my daughter lick butter off of her biscuit the other morning and not eat the biscuit.  I mean we are southern and except for sweet tea, butter is our life blood.

-my husband has a knack for starting laundry when I get in the shower, so I get a spray of cold followed by hot.  At least he's willing to do laundry...

-I got super excited that we went to Lowe's and got a nice clothesline for really cheap.  I mean, I'm not old...no really, I'm not.

-my oldest daughter likes to steal my disposable breast pads and stick them to the side of her head pretending that she is Larry Boy.  Don't know who Larry Boy is, see below.

-I got two bombshell emails from both of my places of employment. Yes, I still have my jobs, but it looks like things are changing...(cryptic I know, but I don't know all details yet)

-the only time I was alone today was in the car to Chik fil a. It last all of ten minutes. I at least got to listen to some of my music.

-I'm looking forward to grocery shopping, since I'll be able to leave my house for a little while.

-the weather is seriously ticking me off.  I mean would it kill the sun to come out so Mark can install my new clothesline, I can lay out Evie's diapers, we could walk, and Elizabeth could play outside. Oh and no more rain.  I'm tired of rain and cold...it even snowed Monday morning!

-that I'm so busy during the day and getting things together at night, that I can't seem to work in exercise time.  It makes me feel like I should name my fat rolls, since I'll be seeing them for awhile. ugh.

Manic Monday

So it's becoming one of those non-stop days.  I'm actually writing this, while I cram leftover quiche into my mouth.  Not the best of eating habits, but hey that's what a mommy has to do...

Anyway, why manic?  Well, it's my first day back to work.  Now I work from home, but keeping up with two girls, keeping the house clean, and working in time for work is difficult.  So why am I blogging?  Because I want to, don't judge me. ;)

Next up is cleaning the lunch dishes, laundry, changing sheets, and then getting to work.  I'm hoping to work in an exercise hour too, but we'll see...

If I get all of it done and supper too, I'm going to be this:

But feel like this:

Wish me luck!!