Thursday

SUB is under the impression that we need 3 student workers during the Fall semester and possibly 3 during the Spring semester. I have a few issues with that. First of all, there have been days that our workers have had NOTHING to do. Why have three workers that are bored or get sent home early instead of two? Secondly, I ask for the number of workers that my BOSS tells me we need. Thirdly, I did ask for three workers this Fall, but SUB and MB had issues with one of the guys we were given because of his lack of work ethic. Fourthly, SUB states that the workers are working too slowly. They have finished most everything in a pretty timely manner. There was only ONE thing that I needed to finish because they didn't. They are working on her project right now, and this project doesn’t even have to be completed until the LAST week of November. They started it yesterday. They’re here for a total of ten hours each week between the two of them. They will have them done in PLENTY of time. We do have a BUNCH of grab bags that they will need to put together, but we aren't ready for them to start on those yet. Her project will get doen with lots of time to spare.

On another note, Mom’s WWB (Weight Watcher Buddy) isn’t helping her too much. WWB is on Weight Watchers with her husband. She is not losing as much weight as she would like or as much weight as Mom. That is completely understandable because each person loses weight at their own rate. She would lose a lot more weight if she actually worked Weight Watchers the way you’re supposed to. She doesn’t limit her portions to the correct amount. She continues to make fattening desserts. Once she’s finished eating one meal, she’s already thinking and talking about food. She is obsessed with food and talks about it constantly. She tries to push Mom into taking some of the desserts home on the pretext that it’s for Grandma, but she shouldn’t do that. Mom is doing great especially with her best friend being the food pusher/enabler that she is.

Mom has lost 13 pounds so far and still going strong. I continue to call her each week and try to encourage her and support her as much as I can. I know how important it is for her emotionally as well as for her health. She is using Weight Watcher’s Core Plan and loves it. Mom has a hard enough time at home with Dad and Grandma (who both eat sweets and snack constantly). She definitely does not need her WWB/BF giving her more temptation. WWB/BF left Tuesday for an 18-day cruise. I have no clue how she’s going to work Weight Watchers while she’s on the cruise. She went with Mom to a quilt retreat a few weekends ago and didn’t limit her food or make good choices either day. That was only 2 days! Now she’s going to be gone for 18! This lady kills me. She had gastro-bypass surgery years ago and has had nothing but health problems for the past ten years, but she doesn’t change her habits. She is as big now, maybe bigger, than she was before her surgery. I really think she needs to talk to a professional regarding her addiction (that’s the best way to explain it – an addiction).

New subject! I will be watching K2 this Saturday while the rest of the family is working a party at the restaurant. K will probably be there, too. He likes to help and loves to be with his dad. That’s fine.

H will be working late Friday night and possibly Saturday depending on how things are going. They are moving their data center this weekend from an outside source to their building. H has been put in charge of it. They are giving H more responsibilities at work. I think they are grooming him for a manager position. They have mentioned it to him in the past and wanted him to step up. At his company, they want to see you work the job before they give you the title and salary that go with the job. It’s kind of ridiculous because they want him to help others be more efficient, but he has no authority over them so they could easily get offended. That hasn’t happened yet, which is good, but it is sometimes frustrating for H and I can understand that. Hence, just one more reason, I love secretarial work! I’m good at it and I have very little stress. Sure, my paycheck is just as small as my stress level, but that’s okay. We don’t really need the money I bring home. We’ve been living on one paycheck for the past six years while H and I were both in school. What my paycheck does is pay my student loan and give us a little breathing room during the month (not a lot of breathing room, but enough so we feel comfortable and don’t feel deprived of anything).

We are working on lowering our debt and finally getting that paid off. It will take us a few years the way we are going, but we’re okay with that. We want to enjoy life a bit while we’re paying off our debt as opposed to scrimping so much that we feel guilty for going out to dinner once in a while, taking in a movie, or even taking K to the store for a toy. I will be getting a bonus in my next check, so we will be using that for Christmas gifts. It should be pretty easy this year.

Our gift list is as follows:

G – gift card to Wal-mart

M – gift card to Bath and Body

W, A, and B – gift cards to Toys ‘R’ Us

Dad – gift card to Wal-mart

Mom – gift card to fabric store

Grandma – See’s candy (her favorites are the “soft centers” and toffee)

Grandpa – cash (he doesn’t understand the concept of gift cards and thinks
the store is cheating him – always!)
K – toys

K2 – rattle, clothes

H – new headset for his computer (it seems there was something else, too;
but I can’t think of it right now. Maybe I’ll think of it before
Christmas)

H's parents, brother, and SIL - we have no idea yet what to get them, but it
always gets done.

*By the way, my family gets gift cards because we aren't with them for Christmas and it's much easier to mail gift cards than anything else. :-)