Last day of school...

The girls last day of preschool was May 19th. It was a long year, but it did go fast. It started out difficult for them leaving me or my mom. But after a while they realized it was fun. They learned alot and made lots of new friends. 1st day of preschool!

Last day of preschool, they look so grown up!

Kayla wearing her Pap pap's shades! She's so cool!

Sunny days..

We were able to set the pool up a couple of weeks ago. It was really hot and sunny. The girls had a great time be out in the warm sun. Eating popsicles and just being kids!

Popsicle faces!

Chloe watering her strawberry plant!

I'm hoping for alot more sunny days!

Powder Puffs!

Something told me I better go check on the girls, it sounded like they were in my bathroom. As soon as I walked into my bedroom I smelled baby powder. I knew it wasn't going to be good. I get to the bathroom and they have the door locked. Once they opened it, this is what I discovered.



Pretty much an entire container of baby powder was emptiedl on them and on my bathroom floor. That was a fun mess to clean up.

That will teach me to keep baby powder up higher and check my emails when they are sleeping!!

My last day...

Today is my last day at the job I have come to for the past 15 years. Over those 15 years I have met some really great people and have made some great friends. Although my actual "job" isn't really that rewarding, spending time with my co-workers was. I'm going to miss them and hopefully we will keep in touch. Even though I know how that works too. You keep in touch for a while and then eventually drift apart. Which is sad when you think about it, all the great people you come in contact with in your life and some come and go. I've been thinking about all the time I've spent here and how many life events have taken place. Some of my memories that took place in my life during the time I worked for American Express.

1. getting layed off from my very 1st travel agent job back in 1994 and my then boyfriend encouraging me to apply at American Express. So thanks to Dave I applied and got hired.

2. Getting engaged to Dave in 1995, planning the wedding, then calling it off 3 weeks before. My friends at amex were there for me.

3. Deciding to move to Virginia in 1999, transferring down there with amex. I met one of my greatest friends, Yvette. If I hadn't met her and got to work with her I probably never would have stayed in VA that long. When I moved back to Pittsburgh in 2001 it was hard to leave her since we were such great buds, but I still to keep in touch with her.

4. My travel buddy Maureen. We took so many fun trips together, Aruba, San Diego, L.A., New Orleans, Florida a few times, Boston, Philly, Amsterdam, Ireland...we always had a great time.

5. All the fun trips I've taken with co-workers to NYC. Going to Barcelona with a great bunch of co-workers, we had a blast. That was my 1st flight after 9/11 along with most people that went on the trip. I know most of us were thinking about that day when we boarded our flight.

6. Working in Chicago for week with Yvette, spending our evenings hanging out in that cool city on Rush Street or the Navy Pier. Good times.

7. Working with my friend Leigh was always fun too. I remember our "beauty days" at work, those were fun! Hanging out with her outside of work was a blast too.

8. I met Shawn while working here, got married.

9. Found out I was pregnant and due the same day as my great friend and co-worker Jenn, August 30th. We didn't plan that!!

10. Found out I was having twins, spent 42 days in the hospital before they arrived on July 6th. Jenn's baby was born on time August 31st!!

11. My 3 remaining grandparents all died while working here.

12. I bought my townhouse, sold my townhouse, then bought a house.

13. I bought my 1st car a 2001 grand am. I loved that car. Sold it when the girls came and
bought a family car.

14. Was able to take the girls to Disney World twice and they are only 3, thanks to my travel benefits.

15. Working with my great friend Alex, sitting next to him for 5 years was always a treat! You name we talked about it, food, gardening, family, friends, kids, music, movies, politics, sports. We argued, laughed, complained...he was like my "work husband" some people would say.

It's been fun but I'm done. Moving on to the next chapter!!

I Heart Faces ~ Week 18 ~ "LAUGHTER"

This is my 1st time joining i heart faces it seems like fun and I have nothing to lose.

I just love this picture of my girls and their two little friends. They have so much fun together and I think this picture shows pure enjoyment and laughter!

Little Turkey Hunters

Shawn is bound and determined to make sure his girls are into hunting just like him. Honestly, I hope they do enjoy this hobby with their dad. However, the first time their dad actually "gets something" in front of them, not really sure how they will react! But, ya never know they might like it. Me, I just don't get the whole "hunting" thing, but I didn't grow up with it either!

He took them to Mountain Gander as Chloe calls it to buy new camo for the 1st day of Turkey. They did go hunting for about 45 minutes in the woods behind my moms house. Shawn said the girls were very good, they whispered in the woods and even practiced their turkey calls! But 45minutes was their limit, they were done after that! At least it's a start. And they did look so cute!!

Kayla, Chloe, and Shawn

Kayla (doing a ballet pose, that fits, right??) and Chloe looking at her silly sis!

A new job, SAHM!!!

After working for the same company for almost 15 years I am being let go. I'm in the travel industry (corp. travel to be exact) and work for the largest travel company in the world, however with the economy, corporate travel has really dropped off. Since last year our call volume has dropped over 60%. There are 12 people on my team and we knew this day would be coming. For the past six months during work I've been reading, blogging, scrapbooking, watching movies and playing games. Every now and then there would be some real work to do. I wasn't the only one doing all that stuff either. Everyone was! Management decided to reduce our staff by 1/2. In the back of my mind I knew I would be going, but in the back back of my mind, I thought maybe not, maybe I'll get to stay. They annouced their decision last Wednesday, I was told I was one of the ones impacted. I guess because it was kind of expected I wasn't too upset. My last day is Friday. Although I will miss coming to work everyday and seeing my co-workers who are really my friends, I've known some of them forever! I am looking forward to staying home with my girls. My company is generous enough to give me a decent severance package that will allow me to stay home for about 6 months without any financial impact. It will definitely take some time to get used to being at home, but it will be good. I just have to figure out how to be a sahm!!!! My goal when the girls start kindergarten is to work at their school in some capacity. That way, I can have the same hours and days off as the girls. Granted the pay will stink, but Shawn is willing to take on more hours to make up for it. So it's all going to work out great, I hope. I'm looking forward to my first summer home with my kids!!! I can't wait to go to the pool and the park. I can't wait to actually have time to make dinners and clean my house without being stressed out!!