Why I am currently unemployed, but actively looking for work.

Hey Ya'll! 

So, there has been a growing question with my family, friends, and even potential employers, regarding why I quit my last job, without a new job already in place. So I want to touch base on that, and maybe it'll shed some light on some of you guys also who are in the midst of making life choices similar to these. 

Although me leaving my most recent employer (a record retrieval company here in Utah that will remain UN-named) was sudden, it certainly wasn't unplanned. 

The long story short of it, is that it's been known for quite some time that the job was no longer fitting 'ME' as an employee, and I just was not being challenged in positive ways anymore, which had been going on for ... I'll say about a year and a half, but even before that things were irking to me.

This led me to be increasingly frustrated with work, I had a hard time 'letting go' of work and I brought that frustration home to the kids and all of that, which led them to insist in their cute and annoying little boy tones, that I need a new job. 

So I've been spelunking the job scene for some time, and my husbands move to a new employer last year, was somewhat a decision based upon the fact that he would be making enough money for me to leave the retrieval company, and we would be okay for a little while on the one income while I job hunt. 

Honestly, I HATE not working, in most circumstances. Unless I am working or going to school, at least part time, I am jittery and just, need to be doing something of that nature. Either give me money, give me education, or (and preferably!) give me both! ha ha. 

However this round, we planned on me being unemployed for at least a couple of weeks, and much of that decision on my part, was because of these guys right here: 

 

 I haven't spend NEARLY enough time with my husband in a long time. We always work opposing shifts because that's what is more financially sound (we don't have to pay for daycare) and it's what works best for the family as a whole, and the baby, I didn't get the time with him after birth that I really wanted. 

I had Coulson in March of 2015, via a planned c-section, for medical reasons. (.. okay the kid has a HUGE head. measured 12" in the ultrasound 2 weeks before the due date ... no way in hell could I have VBAC'd that kid. ha ha). I had Coulson and because we had just moved and what not, I couldn't afford to take maternity leave for longer than 2 weeks, because we have unpaid leave. We have to paid time off, and I wasn't able to save as much as I had planned, because of the move, and being violated upon filing taxes, by Utah state. (ha ..... ha?) 

 

So I went back to work 2 weeks postpartum, and didn't get to spend nearly enough time with Coulson buddy. Then a few days after I went back to work, my surgery site hadn't been healing properly, causing it to open, then have to be surgically re-opened and then me having to do wound clinic several times and home health visits several times a week and would vacs and all of that. In someone who has had experience with depression and severe postpartum depression, this really just ruined my ability to relax around the kids and just didn't help in the bonding department at all.

 

So right now, I am LOVING being unemployed, because I get to spend several hours a day, alone with Eric and Coulson, while the older boys are at school. We are bonding amazingly (Cole and I) and Eric and I are re-forming a deeper bond. Also, although Eric was Coulsons 'go to' guy, he's saying 'mama' more and coming to me more, and THAT is worth more than me having a new job lined up right away. 

 

Don't get me wrong, I want to be working very soon, because I am made to work, but the last couple of weeks have been an absolutely necessary and amazing thing, and I am thankful that I've had the opportunity to come back to the simple for a moment, and unwind/unravel the negativity. This has also left me better able to be patient with Ethan and Ryan too, so they are getting that benefit also. 

I am not crazy. Just a little peculiar. 

;)

 

 

CJ 

Interviews, Allergies, and the meaning of the word 'Rape' ....

What is up everyone! 

 

Here's the DL. 

My husband and I have generally always worked opposing shifts, me during the day, and he during the night. 

Here in about another 1.5 wks, his shift is going to be changing to graveyards, which gives him a major boost in his ability to spend time with the family on weeknights, and he'll finally be off on weekends pretty much completely. 

So I made the comment to him this afternoon of "Are you sure you want your schedule to change? Welcome to what your afternoons will be like. Chaos!"

In our household today, here is what is going on. 

This morning Ryan had PE, which he hates and it leaves him feeling 'dumpy', so we allow him to eat extra breakfast to help. Then this afternoon he had SAGE testing, which means he's going to need a bit more fuel at lunch too. So he took a 'cutie' orange and a cereal bar to school today and I gave permission for a bit extra lunch if he wanted it, and sent them out the door. 

I then had a job interview with a local police department for their records department. I think I did well, but it's the first interview I've had in years so, I was of course a bit nervous. I should know about that in about a week or so. 

Eric and I do not bake. It's just something we do not do, but we're wanting to get into it, so we're attempting to make bread today. It's currently in it's first 'rising' stage, and looks okay so far so ... wish us luck! ha ha. 

After school is when the 'fun' started. 

Eric and I started the bread making process. If it works out good we'll post the recipe:

 Eric has been having allergy issues all day, and his allergies are NASTY. To the point where he needs allergy shots again, sooner rather than later. Well he has touched SOMETHING that has made his right hand swell up and itch like crazy. You 'may' be able to tell on this photo, but .... probably not as well as in real life: 

 

My thought, although it sucks, is 'thank God it was the right hand'. Last time his hand swelled up like this, it was his LEFT hand, and it caused a happy little trip to the emergency room to have his wedding ring cut from his finger, as his finger was turning dark purple. ... not fun. I've since taken his ring from him today, just in case his left hand decides to be an ass.

THEN! We had a LOVELY little discussion with Ryan about rape. 

There is a kid in his class, who I shall not name, who I don't know if he just doesn't say these things at home, or if his parents don't care, or don't catch what he's saying or WHAT, but this kid says and does the most inappropriate things. He needs some guidance for sure. 

He's been throwing the word 'rape' around a lot lately, and it bothers Ryan because Ryan doesn't know what it means, but this kid says it, and other kids laugh and run off and being idiots. So Ryan asked us what the word means. ..... yeah. 

So how on earth do you explain what 'rape' is without explaining how sex works? You really can't ... at least we couldn't think of a way. So. We explained what sex is, only in detail enough that he knows that it's what couples do, and that its when you put your little 'you know what' into a gals 'you know where' (yes we used the actual terms with Ryan), and then explained how rape is doing that without being told 'yes, that is okay'. We also explained that it can happen to boys, girls, adults and kids, and that it's not okay for people to throw the word around and act like it's no big deal, because it is. 

This face was staged after our discussion ... didn't have the phone out during it of course.

.... Well thank God again for me, that when I am explaining what 'sex' is to Ryan, he's still young enough to not be interested at all, and made a face similar to the above ^^^^. ha ha. 

 

Coulson WAS sleeping through the night for a couple of weeks before the family went on vacation last week. We went on vacation and he got ruined, because of stomach issues. He's relapsed on his acid reflux issues like crazy, and he's having really bad gas, and some yeast issues, and bowel movement issues. He's also itching his face like crazy and 'rolling his eyes' ... which at first we though he was just being a punk, but we now think it's because his eyes are actually itchy. So we're trying to get the diaper rashes under control, and starting him back on acid reflux medications, and on probiotics, in hopes that his stomach issues will subside VERY soon, and he'll be back sleeping through the night. Here is he right there ^^^ eating banana on his own for the first time this afternoon. He thought that was pretty awesome. 

 

 

Thank goodness that Ethan is 'innocently' in his own little world this afternoon, homework done. There's no insane requests for word definitions

 

 

 

So there's today's nutterness. Ryan has more testing tomorrow, I have another interview in the morning for a surgery scheduling gig, and HOPEFULLY Coulson sleeps better tonight because he's kind of murdering us. ....  

Now Eric is trying to check Ryan's homework and has been working on the last problem for about ten minutes now because that benedryl is hitting him now. .... Okay nevermind. Eric is now falling asleep on the couch. ... SO ... looks like I am on my own.... 

.... Save me ...... 

CJ

Inappropriate Boys! ..... Mainly ETHAN, as always!

Oh my hell! 

Today is one of those days where you REALLY try to parent but the things that come out of my children mouths are just HORRID! hahaha. 

I can't even stop laughing it's so dumb, and the boys are in the other room giggling and it's just awful! 

So Ethan and Ryan are in my room and Ryan is getting ready for bed. Don't ask why he's doing that in my room, cause they have their own bathroom, but he freaking is! 

Ethan is in here too right? 

So Ryan is putting on his pajama's, and he's just... you know ... hangin' out there for all to see. 

So I say: "Ryan turn the freak around, I don't want to see any of that!" 

So Ryan turns around and of course we can see his bare bottom but, that's MUCH better than the other side! 

Ethan says: "You know mom, you can still see his booty" 

I reply: "Yeah but it's better than the other junk" 

........ ..... and here is what Ethan is famous for .... 

Ethan says very matter of fact: "You're right, hamburgers are ALWAYS better than corn dogs." 
.... 
...........
................
ba hahaha! 

While this is WILDLY inappropriate, and a totally inappropriate situation .. I can't even state that because I am too busy laughing hysterically. 

Another round to goes to Ethan for the most wildly random commentary! 

*sigh* .... This is what it's like to live with just boys. Lord save me! 

(photo credit of random Google search)

- CJ

Whats the DL!? (Down Low for those who don't spreakins' me)

Hello again today! ... Tonight . rather. 

So let me tell you whats going on in the family right MEOW, so you know where were at and where we're coming from. 

Ethan and Ryan are in school. 

Ryan is finishing up 6th grade and we've already done preregistration for Junior High. .. We all know what Jr. High was like right? *shudder* So Eric and I are really worried about all of that and Ryan, and of course Ryan isn't very good at sports and his electives are Theatre and Art. ... annnnnnd it's not a secret to his classmates, that Ryan would like to be a famous fashion designer as his career choice. Please pray for him ... hahaha. 

Ethan is finishing up 4th grade. He has always been very smart, but he has had issues this year with behavior that is absolutely not like him AT ALL. So we're hoping all that stops. He's been thoroughly punished and things look brighter. He took 2nd in his school spelling bee, and went to district bee, and then regional bee. He didn't go further but, he's in 4th grade so, he has 3 more years to get to Nationals, which is of course the goal. There is $30,000 at stake!

Coulson is in his toddlerhood and teething and tantrum-ing and being his awesome little self. Not much going on there except general baby-ness. ... He's a late crawler but he's always been much more interested in walking. His head size totally throws him off balance though. He's about 60th percentile for height and weight ... and 100th percentile for his head! ... so yeah... little bit un-matchy! 

Little Coulson Cotton Tail! haha

Eric works full time with UTA. If you live here in Utah, you know what that is. He makes good money and he's happy there. He makes more money than he's ever made, and his work isn't rush rush, so he has time to do artwork and things of that nature while on shift. 

I WAS working about 3/4 time until about 2 days ago, for a local record retrieval company. After many months of back and forth debating, a situation arose about 2 weeks ago that made it very clear that it was time for me to move on. So the family and I agreed that I would resign. Just not being challenged in positive ways, is how I am putting it.

I fully plan on going back to work at least part time, and am currently job hunting and have some interviews lined up for next week, but right now its SO NICE to have time off to focus on other things, such as Eric. Eric and I have been on opposing schedules for God only knows how long, because it's cheapest and works best with 3 kids. So it's really nice having time to ourselves (okay Cole is here too, haha) to just be together. It's also a blessing that Eric makes enough money that we can support us through my unemployment, which is a part of the reason that we decided that him taking the UTA job was the best idea. We have kind of known for quite a while that I would be leaving retrieval company sooner rather than later. 

Eric and I are just doing what we can to keep our sanity, to not let our love affair with one another die out, and now to lose weight and get healthy. The years have been hard and very busy, and we've not taken care of ourselves in the process at all. So we're ramping up for shedding pounds and inches.

This was taken July 2014. I was about 6 weeks preggo with Coulson bubbers here.

So right now I'll leave you with something Eric and I often times wonder about one another. It's all about poking fun at one another in nice ways, and apologizing and touching the butt. haha. 

Good Night All! 

-CJ

INTRODUCTIONS!

Hello Everyone! 

Yes, another blogger spreading their 'awesome' events around the web! WOO HOO! ... yes, it's exciting, hush. haha. 

Let me introduce you to the horde.  

Me! - Mommy!
I have many names. Carrie. CJ. Carebear. ... 'wench' if you've pissed me off and are muttering under your breath as I walk away. haha. 
I am a Mother of 3 boys, married to my husband for going on 15 years now, and I am currently 31 years old. ... I think. .... hang on .... Yes. yeah. Sorry. After 21 it all kinda blurs together. 
Love pretty much EVERYTHING. Reading (nearly any genre). Music (also nearly every genre, but I have a specific love for boy bands...#BSBFOREVER!). Movies (most genres). Love arts, crafts, family time, event planning, learning. In love with my husband and then motorcycles. ... Don't have a motorcycle though.... LAME! #someday!

My husband - Eric. 
He doesn't really go by anything other than 'Eric' or 'Daddy', but his nicknames range from 'Sugar Goblin' to 'Riceman' or 'Rice'. He's the daddy of our 3 boys and married to my amazing self! ... .. Shh. No eye rolling there! He's about to turn 32 in several weeks. He loves video games, working, making money, tinkering with things, cooking, art, family time and vacations. Also rough housing with his children, and I have to remind them MANY times not to do this with their glasses on... (He and Bug)

My Oldest - Ryan. 
Ryan is ... well ... Ryan. He just turned 12 and is in the wonderful period of per-pubescence.  His diagnosis, as Baemax would put it - Puberty. 
We love him dearly, but he is absolutely complicated. He has an Autism Spectrum Disorder. By the time doctors around our area became using 'ASD' as a diagnosis, Ryan was old enough that we were handling his symptoms on our own, and he's so over the board that no one has a set 'place' to put him, category wise. He LOVES anything sparkly, anything purple, anything shiny. He's a Brony, loves video games, Legos, and believes that he should have been born a girl. He's very sensitive, very analytical at the most inconvenient times, and just generally loves everyone unless they are a major jerk to him. 

Our middle child - Ethan. 
He goes by 'Bug', and has finally allowed me to call him this in public, as he's not yelling at me for it every time now. He just turned 10, and he is a Daddy's boy through and through. Anything Eric loves, Ethan wants to love too. Video games and rough housing are his favorite things. He was our NICU baby. Not a preemie at all, but spent 6 weeks in the NICU when he was born and tried leaving this world a couple of times. Now he's healthy as can be. He's also the king of 'random' comments. You'll see that in future posts.

Our youngest (and last of 'our own') - Coulson buddy!
His name is Coulson. Cole for short, but we really only call him 'Coulson Buddy'. He is names after agent Phil Coulson. Yes, from Shield/Marvel. We love Agent Coulson. He's smart, funny, loyal, honorable. .. we also had no other names to use family wise so ... ... Coulson it is! 
He's just over a year old, and he's just hilarious. He's in the 'terrible twos' early, and throws tantrums like there is no tomorrow, but it's funny because if you just look at him with a raised brow, his squished tantrum face will realize that your not reacting and he'll just start laughing. He's such a freak. haha. He's also the biggest of the kids. Tallest and heaviest of the bunch, and his head is HUGE. 

Anyhow! 
There you have it. There is a horde. I am the den mother and Eric is the brood master who is clearly incapable of making girls. We call him the 'kingmaker' now. 

We'll be using this blog as a family journal of sorts, and posting MANY things on here. Comics we come up with, cause we have ideas for some. Recipes. Family fun moments and stories. 

Also, Eric and I are trying to lose weight, and it's awesome to be able to put the failures and the successes on a more wide scale and laugh and cry about them all with everyone. 

Stay tuned folks!