My Life

So, for the past 3 years I worked for New York Life as an independent Financial Services Rep. I have worked from home for the past 4 1/2 years. I have really enjoyed it, but I have to say it is hard. Especially with kids and summer break. When I first started working from home, I had set things that I had to do. I had set files to work on. I only worked 20 hours a week. So, I got my work done and I still had plenty of time to volunteer, play with kids, shop and help with family. Then I started working "full time" and it seemed like I never worked 20 or more hours. I did not have set things to do and so I filled my time with all these other things. AND to top it all off I had a really good month in May and basically I did not work all summer. That might seem fun and nice for some of you but for me I felt lost. I felt like I was wasting my life away and doing nothing. I felt like I needed more direction. I felt like I needed more purpose and routine. So I started looking for a "real" job. I am happy to announce that I found one. I will be working for the University of Phoenix as an Enrollment Counselor.
I have to admit that I am pretty nervous about it all. Working full time and all. But I am excited about the job and excited to be working with people. And I'm excited about benefits and a regular schedule.

I have to go to training for 2 weeks in Milwaukee, WI. I'm ok with that. Thank goodness my mom is here to watch the boys. Otherwise, I don't know how that was supposed to work out. But I don't start until Sept 8, so I guess I have a couple more weeks of my vacation- like I need it.

Julia Story

When we are traveling I take pictures like this: Scenic pictures. Pictures of building/skylines/things. I also have them in my scrapbooks. Well we were looking at them the other day and Donna (Aunt Ev's sister) thought it was funny that I took these pictures & comment that I was taking pictures of the "road". Which I was not. HOWEVER, Julia did take pictures of our roads. Just the road. In Germany they don't have long straight roads like we do (highways). She said their "long roads" are curvy so you can't even tell how long they are. But she was shocked by our long straight roads & how many of them that we have.

And the worse thing that I heard about Germany was that scrapbooking is not really done there!! If it is, she has never heard of it or seen it!

It is fun to hear about the differences in other countries even in the 21 Century.

What a week

Whew what a crazy busy week. Let's start with last weekend. Friday, I headed to OKC, with a stop in Tulsa to eat lunch with my old youth group friends. Especially Angela & Giovanni visiting from Italy.Left Tulsa to meet up with Katie at Matt's new job to see him and to hang out with her a little. We had a little quality cousin time.

Saturday, Ashley came to OKC to see us. So had some more cousin time and then headed to two parties. A BDay party & Matt's 3rd of July Party that was held late due to scheduling issues this year.

Sunday I picked up some of my 3rd cousins Elliott & Oliver to spend the week with us while their mom & sister hang out with their Grandma. My great Aunt Ev that has pancreatic cancer. Monday, I took the opportunity to go work out, look for a new job and go on an interview for a job (it was ok-had a 2nd interview on Friday-I'm not sure how I feel about the job). Then Tuesday all the "kids" and I headed to Silver Dollar City - minus Cody - he had band practice.

Wednesday the boys got to hang out with more of Aunt Ev's grandsons Phillip, Michael and Anthony(Anthony is only 6 months old). SOOOOOOOOOO cute though.

Wednesday got some pool time in during the day.


Then Dixie Stampede that night. This is Julia (silent J). She is from Germany and she is staying with the Spillers this year. She loved Dixie Stampede. She really like horses & they have mostly formal horse shoes. And nothing that you could eat a meal & watch a horse show!!!

Thursday, the boys hung out with their mom & I went to volunteer at the hospital then I just took the two girls to Ripley's Believe it or Not. We couldn't believe it...

Friday was another relaxing day of hanging out & then that night we went to a Springfield Cardinals game. The Cards won. They played the Drillers. I was going for the Drillers. Julia wanted to make sure that she was supposed to be going for the Cardinals & she wondered if I was like the only one going for Drillers. I assured her that I was the odd one! Then they had fireworks at the end. She really enjoyed that. They aren't as free with fireworks in Germany as we are here in the states.

Crazy week but lots of good fun!! Happy to have this time to spend with this family. They go home today. Now Bray's birthday Sunday!!!