Actually glad the weekend is over...

I know, I know. I'm glad the weekend is over??! Sounds crazy right? But, if you were me you would totally understand.

This has been a tough week and you can see it in my face. My eyes are bloodshot and my chin has broken out. Don't ya just hate what stress does to your body?

This morning we had our annual physical inventory at 5am and all week we had to prep for it. For those of you wondering what that entails... basically we have to count each and every item in the store, which totals to almost 30,000 pieces. I shouldn't take all the credit though, I had a great team from RGIS (retail grocer inventory solutions) that came in and did all the scanning. I got really lucky this time around, they can make or break your inventory experience.

Also, Saturday was the last day of January for us and I needed to make $14,000 to make my sales plan for the month and bonus. I was a little bummed as I headed out because we were only on track to do about $10,000. Well, right around 10pm last night I got a text from one of my assistants saying we made it! I was so pumped and so proud! I just love it when hard work pays off!

Now, the real doozy that's been getting me down. A year ago this week the company I worked for before now closed. I still can't believe it's been a year and I still miss it just as much. It really is like I've lost an incredible friend.

You can read all about my experience with them here.

I sincerely hope everyone had a much better weekend then me! ;)

Giveaway winner = early birthday present!

About a week ago I found out I won an awesome giveaway hosted by Jessica and LuShae Jewelry!

I was allowed to choose any piece of jewelry, FREE! It was soooo hard deciding because all of the jewelry was so cute! I kept gravitating towards the necklaces as I have been wanting a nice "everyday" necklace, buuuuuut apparently I have a custom made "everyday" necklace on it's way to me, so I resisted the urge to pick out a necklace. Instead I picked out some adorable earrings!

I just recently sent in my order, less than a week ago and they're already here! I was shocked just now when I checked my mail! (And actually a little nervous while opening up the small box. My imagination can go crazy sometimes.)

Here are what they look like,

They are made of sterling silver and cubic zirconia. Aren't they cute? I figured I could use a nice pair of earrings when I want to dress up. I tend to just throw on plain ol' silver hoops with everything and these are very versatile. Don't cha think?

I just checked the website and this style is now out of stock!

This was a great surprise birthday present and I can't wait to wear these! Thank you Jess and LuShae Jewelry!!

My crazy fast week!

Oh my gosh I haven't posted in FIVE days!

::very sad face::

This week went by very fast, or actually I should say last week went by very fast. It is Sunday after all.

I wish I could say I have been up to some fun stuff, but I haven't. Just working. Working, working, working!

Although, on Thursday I did have a meeting at a school that I am really interested in and I think I may have found what I am looking for!

Since I already have a bachelors degree, I didn't see the point in going back to school for another bachelors degree but what I want to do now has nothing to do with what I did my undergraduate work in. Luckily, this school has a program for people just like me.

This program results in a Masters of Science in Education and will give me licensure as an elementary school teacher. The other schools I was considering did not have this option for elementary education and unfortunately that isn't an option for me. I specifically want elementary.

It will take three years because I am working full time while going to school, but I am so excited! I feel like this is what I am supposed to be doing and what I can be happy doing for the rest of my life. Scary stuff! The rest of my life? When I say that I feel so old.

Hopefully I get in though! I still have to get two letters of recommendation and take two tests. Luckily, I do not have to take the GRE or the GMAT. I have to take an essay test that is unique to this school and the Praxis I. I hate tests, so they are making me a little nervous but all I can do is prepare!

So... that is pretty much the excitement in my life right now. I haven't told my current boss, but I am going to wait until it's a done deal to do that. I'm going to get moving right away on the letters and tests because I want to start classes this summer. I know, I'm crazy huh?!

What has been going on with all of you?! I'm trying to get through my Reader, so look for my comments soon! :)

The Da Vinci Code

Description from Amazon.com

A murder in the silent after-hour halls of the Louvre museum reveals a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected by a clandestine society since the days of Christ. The victim is a high-ranking agent of this ancient society who, in the moments before his death, manages to leave gruesome clues at the scene that only his granddaughter, noted cryptographer Sophie Neveu, and Robert Langdon, a famed symbologist, can untangle. The duo become both suspects and detectives searching for not only Neveu's grandfather's murderer but also the stunning secret of the ages he was charged to protect. Mere steps ahead of the authorities and the deadly competition, the mystery leads Neveu and Langdon on a breathless flight through France, England, and history itself

I know I am a little late to the game with this book seeing as it was published several years ago but I'm really glad that I got around to reading it. I even avoided seeing the movie because I have this thing with movies that are adapted from books. I must read the book before seeing the movie. If I don't there is a 99.99% chance I will not read the book after seeing the movie.

This type of book really isn't my "thing" and I'm not really into thrillers like this but I may be changing my mind! I tend to lean more towards the chick lit genre but in 2009 I tried to broaden my reading tastes and am looking forward to continue doing so in 2010.

The Da Vinci Code is fast paced and really easy to understand. This is a book of fiction but there are several references to Christianity that I know are true and it was really interesting to read about. Dan Brown is truly an exceptional writer and I cannot wait to pick up more books by him!

If my pets could talk...

Dear Amber,

If you could stop that filthy mongrel from eating my food, I would really appreciate it. Maybe you should feed him more food. He is obviously starving. Also, I understand you don't like it when I climb on the very tip top of your furniture and appliances (I love the top of the fridge!) but I have to escape that beast somehow, right? I mean, he is so persistent and is trying to be friends with me but, uh uhhhh, it's not happenin' sister! This pretty kitty does not socialize with dirty dogs.

Also, that guy that's been hanging around lately? I know he doesn't like me and you can let him know the feeling is mutual.

That's all.

Adoringly,

Libby

PS: That electric blanket gets a paw up from me. This winter is brutal!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Amber,

Thank you so much for taking me in, this home is a million times better than my last one. I don't know why they didn't like me, maybe it's because I eat a lot? Speaking of food, why can't we go to that one house with the nice older lady more often? She feeds me lot of treats and I like it. I especially like the Pupperoni, do you think you could pick those up the next time you're at the store? Also, speaking of food (it's all I think about) could you mix more of that canned food with my boring dried food? It makes it taste so much better. I promise I won't vomit all of your house again if you do. Speaking of vomit, remember yesterday when I threw up in the living room? I was in the kitty litter again. I am sorry.

I really wish that pretty white kitty would play with me. I mean, she keeps waving her paws at me and it seems like she's whistling at me. Is she playing some messed game of Hard To Get? I don't want that... ewwww, she's a CAT! I just want someone to play with when you're not home.

Lots of dog kisses,

Zeke

Oh, and don't forget the Pupperonis.

What would your pets say if they could talk?

Wordless Wednesday (kind of)

I couldn't think of anything I wanted to talk about today so I thought instead I would show you some pictures of a few shenanigans I have been up to lately!

New Year's Eve at a local sports bar watching ISU win their bowl game!

Our last drink at midnight before we passed out from exhaustion!

These picture are the bookstore we visited in Cy's hometown. It used to be a bank! In the top picture on the upper left side you can see one of the vaults that houses books now! It was so cool

.

There I bought this:

and this:

My good friend Lesli also came to town for a visit!

We also paid a visit to one of our favorite bars when we were younger, that is now closing. Sad! It's also where two of my best friends met and now they are married!

He was getting annoyed at me because I wouldn't stop taking pictures!

The crazy icicles outside my bedroom window! Can you see them? Nobody's getting in my room! Ha! :)

Are you a picture taker? I'm really not as much as I would like to be, but the little bit that I am drives Cy crazy! Muwhahahaha! ;)

Happy Hump Day everyone!

Vacationing on my couch

This week I am on vacation, and I have to admit although it is pretty incredible I am starting to get bored.

The vacation couldn't have come at a better time but I wish I had had something planned. I'm ready to start taking real vacations with my free time off. In 2010 we definitely have things planned but in 2009 I didn't have anything good on the agenda!

So, this week is being spent on my couch. The thing is, I'm not good at being stationary for long periods of time. I have to always be doing something. For this reason, I decided to make a "to-do list" of productive things I could get done this week.

Want to know what is on this list?

Ok, I'll tell you

1. Call Mediacom and order an HD box (and maybe DVR too)

2. Take down Christmas tree (so sad!)

3. Call Aspen and make sure my gym membership is still active (my contract ended on 12/31)

4. Call bank and explain to them that I double paid Decembers car payment so I would like that second payment to be January's payment (seriously, how did I do that?)

5. Clean out the fireplace (it's bad!)

6. Look into education programs at Simpson, ISU and Drake (I think I scratched Simpson off the list yesterday)

7. Get nails filled (that's a Friday thing, so this one will wait till the end of the week)

8. ALL laundry (yuck)

9. Order personal checks (I only write checks for my rent and for the past 4 months I have been getting money orders to pay it. Cy went with me last time to pay it and was shaking his head the entire time. LOL!)

10. Find plant (that I like) for the living room (this could take awhile. I'm really picky. And cheap.)

11. Read. A lot. That requires me to be stationary though and I'm not good at that lately!

Soooo, that is pretty much it. I was really stretching for things to add to this to do list, huh? I could probably go somewhere but I really want to save money. I'm so horrible at saving money and if Cy and I do move in together in May I want to be able to contribute... and right now, well... that could be hard.

How do you tend to use your vacation time?

Back to school, back to school...

When I was a kid I wanted to be something different every week. Sometimes when I think about it I am reminded of Vada from the movie My Girl. Do you remember how she wanted to be something different each summer?

Well, I was just like her and sometimes think I still am.

I have been thinking a lot about the future and what I will do with my career. I think it's evident that I love my job, but just as much as I love my job I also hate it. If that doesn't make sense to you then you probably have never had a love/hate relationship with your job.

All weekend Cy and I were discussing my options (well, I kept bringing it up) and we came to two conclusions. 1. I'm not going to be happy doing what I am doing for the rest of my life, and 2. I need to do something about it now while I'm still in my twenties. (I turn 28 soon).

You see, I know I am not going to be happy doing what I'm doing for a long time because I don't even want my boss's job. If I don't want her job that means I don't want to get promoted, which to me means I am not ambitious enough in this field. Which then leads me to ask the questions... What am I doing?

This may sound a little irrational, but trust me, I have thought about this long and hard. It's not anything recent. This past Christmas only confirmed it for me. If I stay in this job I will miss out on so much! I already miss out on a lot and it depresses me all the time. One thing that I am really not looking forward to is missing all the football games next year with Cy. He and his friends are going to every single game next year and someday I want to be able to do that with him.

Back when I lost my job in early 2009 I was going to go back to school for a Masters in Education but my boss now convinced me that taking this job would be a better move financially. She is right, but it's not necessarily making me the happiest. I hate dreading going to work and lately, that is exactly what I have been doing.

So, I would like to go back to school for education. I would love to be an elementary school teacher. When I think about what I miss most from Club Libby Lu, it's the interaction with children. I have interaction with children at my job now, but it's nothing like what it was at CLL. Nothing!

There's a couple of schools around here that offer programs for working adults, but I'm hoping I can get some advice from some of you teachers out there.

I have a BS in Apparel Merchandising/Design. Should I go on for a Masters in Education (although my prior degree has nothing to do with Education whatsoever) or should I try to get a teaching certificate? There are both programs. What I am worried about is if I get a Masters I will be less desirable to a school district because they would have to pay me more money without having any teaching experience.

That's my main concern. I am setting up an appointment at the school I'm mostly interested sometime this week, so of course I will ask her all these questions.

My gut feeling is telling me that this is the right thing to do for so many reasons.

Since I am a list person, here is my list.

1. I could see myself teaching until retirement

2. It's the perfect job for when I want to start having kids

3. Iowa has an amazing benefits and retirement program for teachers

4. It would be positive interaction with kids again

5. It would be working with kids again. Period!

6. The schedule is ahhhh-mazing!

7. It would probably be the most rewarding job I have ever held

So... that is what I have had on my mind the past couple weeks.

Have you ever gone back to school as a working adult? How did it work out? Advice?

New Year's Resolutions 2010

Now, I don't usually like New Years resolutions because I tend to to break them within the first month, so what's the point? The point is, I need to stick to something an I said I had a New Years resolutions post coming so here it is!

Here is what I resolve to do better in 2010...

Exercise. I resolve to work out at least twice a week. This is going to my hardest resolution. Someone needs to PUSH me to the gym.

Eat better. Drink less pop/soda (whatever you want to call it) and more water, eat more veggies and eat out less.

Cook more. I want to cook at least twice a week. Twice a week is kind of a lot for a single girl, so the leftovers will really stretch.

Be a better blogger. My blog has really turned into a diary, which is okay but in 2010 I would like to see more controversial topic posts, features and book reviews.

Read more. I have found that I read more the first half of the year. I can't explain why, but January - July I read about a book a week and the rest of the year it is significantly less than that.

Be a better friend. Contact friends more, and not just through text or Facebook. Reach out more and make myself more available.

Travel more. Ok, this is something I just want to do. In 2009 I hardly traveled at all and so far possible trips for 2010 include: a skiing trip, a trip to Las Vegas, a week in Cancun and a couple days in Chicago.

Pay all bills on time. I tend to skip certain bills in order to buy... oh, I don't know. Shoes? It's pretty ridiculous and a bad habit of mine.

Well, that's pretty much it for me. It's a pretty hefty list for me, but I think I can do it!

Do you like to set New Years resolutions? Have you ever kept them?

Starting a New Year!

No, this isn't a New Years resolutions post; although, I do have resolutions this year and that post is coming soon.

My 2010 has started fantastic, yesterday will probably be a day I remember forever and will try to recreate several times.

Cy and I started the day waking up on one of my best friends couch after her New Years Eve party. We passed out early, but only because we started drinking at 5pm for the Insight.com Bowl. We didn't miss the first few minutes of the new year without a kiss though! It was just promptly after that we fell asleep!

So, we woke up around 8am. Waited for my friend to wake up and take us to our car at the bar and then headed back to my apartment to be lazy. We had plans to go to lunch at Chili's so after Cy had a two hour nap and I laid around and read we headed out for lunch.

After lunch we just drove around town doing random things, which I absolutely love! Days without an agenda and just going wherever we feel like are awesome! I love it.

First up, Barnes and Noble. From there we decided to stop (well I would stop) buying new books and would only get books at Half Price Books or Amazon. So, then we had to go to Half Price Books (where I spent $10 on two books). But not after first running through Golf Galaxy, which is in the parking lot of B&N. Cy is a big golfer, he loves it! It was so cute to see him show me which clubs he has, which driver he uses and which bag he would get (because he needs a new one). Just adorable! But then again... everything about him is adorable. ;) (I know, I understand if you're ready to vomit right now).

Then we decided to go to Target because we wanted to buy The Proposal and he wanted to get some headphones for his iPod. After Target he wanted to go to Play It Again Sports which is a used sports equipment store, once we got there we found it was closed. Darn!

After that I decided I wanted to run through the Goodwill store because my sister found a GREAT used vacuum there and I wanted to see if there were more. Of course, there weren't. We didn't stay long because it stunk in there, so we quickly hightailed it out of the Goodwill store.

We were right over by Homemakers, which is a huge furniture store (kind of like Nebraska Furniture Mart) and we walked around for over an hour looking at furniture, trying out couches, mattresses, comparing bedroom sets... etc. Now, I cannot wait to furniture shop with him!

After Homemakers we went to Walmart because Target didn't have headphones he liked (and neither did Walmart). After Walmart we decided we were hungry again, because it was dinner time! So we headed to HyVee to pick something up, but only ended up picking up two Redbox movies and decided we wanted to eat Arby's. So, we got Arby's, headed back to my place and spent the evening at home!

Whew!

Don't you love days like that?

How was the first day of 2010 for you?