Blast from the past photo...and updates

Awww, Piper puppy. It is hard to believe that big lug of a dog once fit inside our sink. Now she clears side tables with her huge tail, sneaks into the garbage, counter surfs for food... and for some reason and have yet to find out exactly HOW.... she knocks my plug in febreeze noticeables sideways making it to where I am constantly turning them straight again. (Really Piper? Really? It's annoying!)

You know what too? I miss that sink. That was an awesome sink.

I promise I haven't abandoned my blog. Kohl's is keeping me busy. I'm still new, so I hate to say no if the person in charge of scheduling asks me if I want to cover a department for somebody and pick up some extra hours. I figure I should build up my good karma account since someday I'm sure I'll need a day off for something. Plus....shhhh.....I have to admit.....this job is easy.

- and I'm enjoying it.

Next week, myself and a bunch of the scrapping world will be doing the "week in the life" project. I took this class from Ali Edwards at CKU a long time ago. It's so interesting to go back and see the things that have changed since I did that project. Like the sink in the photo above. I've always loved the everyday stuff. It's the best part of life really. So I am kind of excited to get this project going this week. So I'll have a lot of new photos to post...

AND

I also need to get some work done for Karla. Wow, she has come up with some amazing kits and I've already seen a peek of some that are coming out soon. It's almost overwhelming because I love it all so much. When I start to slack on my scrapping, I think about Karla. She is definitely superwoman. So there will be more layouts coming up soon too.

Have a good weekend!

Spring break - Friday

"Welcome to Mitchell's. We have fishies!" It's a silly family joke that gets the kids laughing every time Mike says it. - Friday morning we went to Newport on the levee to see Diary Of A Wimpy Kid, then walked around the inside mall, then walked around outside and across the purple people bridge. It was windy, a tad chilly if you didn't have a jacket on, but gorgeous, sunny and inviting blue skies. You can't go out on a day like that and not walk across the bridge.

Below: Reds superfan. The shirt lives on. He really needs a new one soon since he is wearing this one really thin. Here is Matthew with The Great American Ballpark in the background. Believe it or not, this was early on opening day too. Note to self: get that boy to a Reds game this season!

Matthew is still little enough that he can get a ride on daddy's shoulders. Lucky. It's not like it takes long to walk to Ohio, but I bet the view is pretty good up there when you are little.

And with that, was the end of Spring break 2010.....for me.

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I was given some extra hours at work on Saturday that I wasn't originally scheduled for. I worked in the shoe department. I usually work in the junior/misses/men's section. Everybody was asking me what I thought of shoes. I don't know if it's a favorite of most of the people who work there. There is a lot of taking calls from other stores, and finding things in the back. I think a lot of people don't like the monotonous job of stacking and straightening shoe boxes either. Me? When my manager asked me what I thought I smiled and said, "It totally appeals to my OCD." (Shhhh....and new shoes smell soooooo good too.)

Sunday I worked too. The weekend was a blur at Kohl's. Same on Monday. Which is why I have been a bad blogger. Today I had a day off and went and did some errands in Cincinnati. Not much exciting stuff going on.

The kids were actually all happy to be back in school this week to see their friends there. It is hard to believe that there are a little under two months of school left until summer vacation.

Spring break - Alpine Slide and Mammoth Cave National Park

Ever since we moved here I have been wanting to go to Mammoth Caves. I have no idea why other than it sounded cool. Mike starts a new job on Monday and was given the past few days off from his old one, and with me being a new hire at Kohls and not on the schedule until the following week.... this was IDEAL for a spring break road trip. All those things together meant we had no reason to not go do something today.

The road trip itself was nice. Nintendo DSs charged, snacks and picnic lunch packed... we drove south past Louisville. The interstate is beautiful right now with spring in full swing with bright green grass, new green trees and purple blooming trees and flowers.

I think I'm pretty brave to be putting my windblown, close up face on here...but here is Trevor and I on our way up the mountain. The fam always says that I'm never in photos, so this is proof that I really was there.

We went down twice, and I went down first to try to get some pictures of the kids coming down the slide. Megan got to the bottom right after me, then Mike and then the boys who had raced each other downhill.

On our second trip up to the top Matthew and I were going to race each other. I thought I had started too quickly and left him behind. This was the serious look he was giving me before I headed down.

Only to hear a minute later the loud laughing and scraping sound of the concrete as he passed me like I was standing still. I had my camera around my neck and in my lap, so this is blurry but the moment was funny as this little guy passed me. He had a blast.

After the slide we drove over near the visitor's center of the park for a picnic. We packed sandwiches, oranges, grapes, salty snacks and cookies. After lunch we found a trail and went on a hike.

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Kitchy dinosaur at the entrance of Dinosaur World. We thought he was cool and had to get a picture of him.
Kids. After a picnic lunch and before losing all of their energy after a long hike to the caves. Mike was making them laugh while he was standing behind me. Matthew cracks me up in this photo.

We stopped at a pretty overlook and watched the Green River below us. It was so pretty and you could see for miles. We continued our walk until we reached one of the entrances to the cave. This is the main entrance, and it was so cool. We didn't go on the tour of the cave since it was about 45 minutes long and we had already killed most of our day. I would love to go back sometime and take the tour. As you sit at the top of the entrance a constant 50 degree wind comes out from below, like natural air conditioning. It felt really good after our walk, even though we really weren't hot... but it smelled good and was refreshing. It was nice to hear the water dripping from the top into the water below too. All in all, just a cool place. I really don't think pictures do it any justice.

We stopped in Louisville for dinner and then continued our way home.

Spring break.

The beginning of spring break! Yes! And the weather is perfect! Yesterday was Easter. I have to admit my heart wasn't in it as usual this year. I had bought some candy and some goodies for the kids earlier in the week, but I waited until the last minute to put it all together. It didn't help that I worked Friday and Saturday night which left me exhausted since I'm not used to that kind of work. Saturday night was a much anticipated 'party' night of Mike and I having snacks by the TV after the kids go to bed. I got off at 10:00, so he had everything ready for a nice sit down. So, instead of cute spring colored Easter baskets, I used what I had on hand. Kraft colored gift bags. Oh well....I think they cared more about what was IN the bags then the whole presentation.

Mike cooked an amazing dinner as usual. Then before we knew it.... the weekend was over.

Monday. Today I must be the luckiest person ever. Megan was looking at a friend's facebook page with some photos that her mom had taken. I think her mom must be Tara Whitney, because the photos are GORGEOUS. But... Megan asked me if I could take her out and get some new photos of her this week. Hello? YES. I love when they ask me! We'll do that later.

Then I don't know what it is, the planets aligning or whatever.... but Trevor put down his DS and cleaned his room without asking. I mean cleaned his room, not just putting stuff under his dresser! THEN he has been walking around cleaning the counter tops in the bathrooms! Holy cow. Don't worry I'm sure this won't last long but I can't think of anything he's buttering me up for either. Legos? Trip to the mall? Movie?

Off to Kroger, and to Kohl's.