Starting off February...

WITH A BANG!

Well boring January has ended and we started off our busy month of February full blown!  First up...Super Bowl!  We planned out our menu for some special treats, picked up the groceries, and I started my work in the kitchen.

First course: homemade pretzel bites and cheese sauce.  SOOO good and was totally worth all the work.

Second course: Little hot dogs wrapped in bacon and baked with brown sugar...Yes, I too am surprised we're still alive.

Side of chips please!

Guess good foodies come at a cost.  Oh my what I disaster I made.  I definitely can't wait for a bigger kitchen some day.

We had a pizza ready for course three in the freezer, but we couldn't even make it to course three because we got so full.  A very fun night filled with a good game (once the blackout happened) and good food.

This weekend Patrick's best friend Ross happened to be in Chicago and so Monday night he found his way to our apartment.  We gave him the best Chicago tour we could on Tuesday and then sent him on his way this morning.

This morning I kept our February full with the final step in the interview process with Bright Horizons.  The final step is going into a classroom for about an hour and jumping in right away so they can make sure they like the way you can interact with the kids.  I can't lie...I'm pretty sure I killed it.  The sweet 3 & 4 year olds flocked to me.  I learned how to make the letter J, dried a few tears, calmed an anxious heart, and shared secret smiles during a story.  It's interesting how easy each step of this interview process has felt even though their process is super intense and filled with steps.  Hopefully I feel that ease because I have finally found the right fit.  Everything has happened quite quickly so I'm sure I'll know by the end of this week or next week.

We have many more exciting things coming up!  A birthday, Valentine's day, and family visiting.  Cheers to the start of February and getting one month closer to warmer weather!

P.S.  Shout Out to my DEAR Friend Lauren! We've been through it all.  I can't believe we're 23!

Happy Birthday Girl!!!!!!

We Need YOUR Help!!

So the other day I saw this commercial...

"Are you Chicago's cutest couple?  If so you could win a trip for two and a Massage Envy gift card.  Enter now at WGN."

Okay, seriously I NEVER get into these contests.  Do I vote for my friend's cutest kid?  Sure.  But I never enter.  I can't lie though.  This one called screamed my name.  Yes Amanda, you are Chicago's cutest couple.  See you hear it too.  So, I entered.  With one click on the submit button, my competitive edge took over.

Now, I know you have to believe (since you are reading this) that we MUST be Chicago's cutest couple you know.  So, therefore you have to...err...get to vote for us!  This is how it works.  It started today at 2pm and goes through Feb 8th (Next Friday).  That's only 1 week of voting!  You can vote up to 100 times each day per device from what I understand.  

So for one week we ask beg you to click on your computer a few times for Chicago's sweetest most adorable CUTEST couple for the next week.  We just need to get in the top 10 of 1529 couples.  Pshh NO PROBLEM!  We got this!  We appreciate each vote so very very much!  

Link: (This should take you straight to our picture, but I believe we are #987)

http://wgntv.upickem.net/engine/Details.aspx?p=V&c=80450&s=30392468&i=1&sort=SORTORDER#SD

Qualified Part 2

Well I didn't come in my sweatpants, but I guess whatever vibe I gave off was good enough for a one-on-one interview.  So an interview was scheduled quite quickly today and I will be ironing my best sweats for 2:30 tomorrow (Tuesday).  Okay so maybe I'll pull out the black pants, but either way it's going down tomorrow afternoon.  I pray that God has His hand over my interview and all the other ones taking place, and I can be content with whatever the outcome may bring.  Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!!

Qualified?

Can you rock out the tight sweatpants such as this girl?

Then good news!  You're qualified to come to an invitation only event for those interested in working with Bright Horizons!

Confused yet?

Don't worry, Thursday night I was confused as well and was left wondering if I was at the right place.

Let me explain....

Thursday night I went to an invitation only event because they are opening a new Bright Horizons in my neighborhood!  Yes, if you were wondering I would desperately LOVE to get this job.  Although, I have found myself saying this about jobs before.  This event was to give out information about this new location and meet people/gather documents to start the selection process.  Aka step one of getting this job.  I'm about the 5th person to arrive out of almost 40, so I was able to sit, wait, and watch the fellow people I need to "beat out" (not that i'm competitive or anything).  As I watch I obviously am interested in how others are dressed to present themselves.  I was rocking out black pants and this pink sweater type shirt with a black collared shirt underneath.  I see some people dressed similar to myself.  Then I found myself taking a second glance.  There were people coming in with jeans on.  Ummm did I miss the casual memo?  I was surprised a little, but I think there always has to be one.  But then,  I found myself taking a second glance, rubbing my eyes, and taking a third and fourth glance.  Could it be?  Yes, a girl walks in with black tight sweatpants on and was obviously wearing a thong underneath...guess she had nothing to hide.  Where am I was all I could think. Only a week previously you could have found me basically crying and having a break down in New York & Company because I couldn't find anything I liked. I was having a serious emotional breakdown of how young I look.  And this girl was walking in with sweatpants?!!!!!!! May I please at least get to the next stage of callbacks?

As January finds this home pretty darn quiet, I have found myself with nothing to blog about.  I hope this story is fuel for a little laughter in your heart as it has now become the new running joke in our home when either of us puts on sweatpants.

P.S. I have something exciting to blog about but can't until it becomes official.  Look for a blog on Feb 8th at about 5:15. And no, I'm not pregnant.

The Lady Who Wrote my Life...

Nancy Poydar....I'm pretty sure she has written a book about me.  I haven't read it yet, but from the description and by the picture on the front it's got to be about me!

Sam is getting nervous. The BIG TEST is coming. The older kids claim the BIG TEST booklet is as huge as a telephone book. They say when it’s over, you have to put your arm in a sling. They tell Sam that nobody ever finishes the test.

This will be my fate come tomorrow afternoon.  And, I might even come home with a sling.

Dear MTLE social studies and science,
         I love you.  Can we please part ways after the test tomorrow?
Sincereley, with all the brain power I have,
Amanda

I swear after I finally pass this test I WILL be buying this book and if it holds up to it's title, I will read it to every student I'm blessed with.  If there is any teacher out there who's got sympathy for a kid taking a test it's this one!

Roller coasters

I never have liked them very much.  Not sure if it's the long, torturous time it takes to go up the clanking rail (that I'm sure is about to fall apart any minute) or if it's the going down where my stomach and all other organs in my body suddenly end up in my mouth, but I usually can only handle those baby roller coasters. Pepsi coaster at camp snoopy anyone?

Life is a lot like a roller coaster.  Up and down.  Down and up.  It always seems to be one or another.

Up - Going home at Christmas
Down - Coming back and having to buy groceries...seriously we have tax on our groceries here!!! Ugh

Up - Getting a job at Huntington in 24 hours
Down - A month later they "don't have a job for me" after having not gotten one minute of work (No you didn't miss anything. I never posted about this because I was too upset.)

Up - Notre Dame getting into the National Championship game
Down - If they lose tonight

Up - Getting everything in order to take the MTLE...again (Jan 18th)
Down - Having to pay the registration fee on top of the test fee once again because it only lasts for a year

Up - Starting to knit myself a sweater
Down - Making a mistake and realizing exactly how long this is going to take!

I recently have had a few other Ups happen.  Upon our return I found out about a new Bright Horizons that is opening right here in Hyde Park. I found where to apply and quickly sent in my application.  You may remember me applying here before.  I had a first stage phone interview that went great, but the location just didn't need me.  That same person I had an interview with invited me to an invitation only event for people interested in working at this new location.  I GOT IN! Jan 24th I'll be putting my best foot forward in hopes for a job with them.  The second up was another opening that I stumbled upon. It is for the same very first position I applied for in June.  A teaching assistant.     

Both of these Up's in my roller coaster ride have me hopeful for more work once again.  I'm not begging for your prayers (even though they are so so so greatly appreciated), but instead am resting in the fact that it's all in God's hands.  If either one of these Up's are leading to a Down in the near future, then it wasn't meant to be.

Hope your own roller coaster is treating you well!!!

Christmas Craze

Well another Christmas has come and gone.  Although Christmas always seems special and fun and my favorite holiday, this Christmas held special moments and new traditions as we learned how to be married and celebrate with everyone at the same time.  Was I nervous for how everything would pan out?  Maybe.  Did I have anything to be nervous about?  NOPE!  We got to see everyone on Christmas day and eat more than I can believe.  Pretty perfect if you ask me. We celebrated the day with Patrick's family, my family, and even our beloved Jaeger family.

Poor Lady...The boys wrapped up a treat and she couldn't get it.

Mom opening some dishcloths I made her

The huge box would have been more exciting if he didn't already know what was inside.

Matthew at the start of his scavenger hunt to get his new hockey bag.

Getting the clue out of Lady's dog house.

Christmas was a little overwhelming for poor Lady

Mom's beautiful Christmas dinner table

Bennet and I found some time for snuggles admist his hard day of tears.

Lakin opening our gift of 1000 stickers!!  Yes that's a lot of little stickers for Mom and Dad to find around the house!

She was soo happy!

Showing off her tutu from "Lady."  She had two red tutus on at this point.  Girl can never get enough tutus

 In Shupert fashion we also spent our fair share of time at the hockey rinks all across Minnesota as well.  The team won 4 of the 5 games we were home for and Matthew kept up his scoring streak.  Can't ask for much more!

Patrick and I went to his best friend's gig to kick off the new year.  It was quite an interesting crowd but with the help of Patrick's brother we made the best of it!

Take notice...Hot new boots!!  Thanks mom and dad!

So now it's January 2nd (almost 3rd) and we have made it back to the land of Chicago where there is NO SNOW!  Not a drop people!  Although it was really hard leaving everyone once again, driving back, and unpacking, the routine must start again sometime! We were so blessed to have a perfect first Christmas.  Here's to hoping 2013 brings fun new surprises and challenges no bigger than we can handle.