Random

I think I miss my one bedroom apartment. It was sooo much easier to clean! This additional bathroom and bedroom is a pain by myself!!!

I figured that before this trip I would clean clean clean this apartment. It would be one less thing to worry about while I was gone. Hopefully it will stay this way while I'm gone too! The list included:

• all laundry
• sweeping
• mopping
• vacuuming
• dusting
• all dishes
• all trash (ppsshh and litter box...eeww)
• I also did additional cooking for my trip

I cleaned the bathrooms yesterday so that was one less thing I had to do. So tomorrow hopefully since everything is done, Josh and I can spend some time together. With his schedule right now we don't get a lot of that. With his work schedule (and prepping for his work classes at home), school (he has a paper due Monday) and sleep just doesn't leave a lot of time for me. I think that has been my hardest thing being home like this. I spend all day and all night by myself. Every meal by myself. Since he works so late at night it's hard for him to go to bed right when he gets home. So he's up late causing him to sleep in later and then he gets up to go to work. I'm jealous of the 2nd bedroom now. With the desk, computer, and a lot of his things in there, it makes it easier to do everything in there. I'm thinking the extra room was a mistake lol. It makes it hard for me to stay up that late to wait for him to get home since I'm used to waking up soo early. But even then he needs some alone time. He socializes all day with his class and needs the quiet time when he gets home....but me? yup I don't have that all day so I'm eager to socialize anytime he's awake. Wondering how things will be with me being gone. We will only have one day off together now and that's on most Sundays this month. Even then I picked up some extra trips to prepare for the holidays and to be able to pay him back some money from me being off. I know that wasn't easy. So it's all a bit frustrating right now. Hopefully it will get better soon though.

I picked up some post card stamps today. In the beginning I got Hannah a large united states map and a photo box. We had decorated it with airline decor and it was a place for her to store all the post cards I was going to be sending her. I've tried to send them to her from each new place I go. She also has pushpins to mark in the map. I told her we would start that up again since I had been lacking.

I'm eager for the following holidays. I've started making a menu for Thanksgiving. It looks like it will just be Josh and I in Salt Lake City. I'm not sure how to cook a turkey so it will be a learning experience. Everything else I know how to make. I'm hoping to make a few pies too. We'll certainly be eating a lot of left overs! But I LOVE LOVE LOVE turkey sandwiches. I can't wait to have enough turkey to be able to have a bunch! I'm hoping that we will be able to have our dining room table by then too. I would like to be able to eat at the table rather than in the living room like we have been. I just want to have it decorated and make the apartment feel more like home, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas. I started looking at trees at Wal-Mart. There is one for about $40, which I didn't think was too pricey. I definitely want clear lights and two different colored ornaments. I saw some silver and light blue ones but I don't think Josh is going to go for that. I'm sure he will want green or red...or BOTH. We will need stockings too. I think I am going to get one for Molly and Aiden too and fill it with new treats and a few toys for them. I just want it to be pretty.

Well, tomorrow is Halloween so I hope everyone has a safe and happy one!

Just Me

Today has definitely been an off day. I'm irritable, agitated, and extremely emotional. It's frustration to go from one to the other, literally in less than 60 seconds, and even then they sometimes overlap. Talk about giving a girl a hot flash. Even those have been miserable today.

I think maybe the hot flashes are from the anxiety. I haven't been quite on top of the medicine and I can see the side affects of not taking it. I lose control over my emotions quickly. I can't even tell when. . . .it's like a lightening bolt; sudden, unexpected, and damaging. And then that lightening bolt is the ignition for the volcano of emotions overflowing into a pure mess. Does any of that make sense?

Anyways, there are a lot of emotions right now before Monday comes. In fact, Sunday night will be nerve racking. This whole time I have been on reserve and haven't been called. I will admit that has been a relief but perhaps a mistake, although one I'm okay with at the current time. See, it's all about control with me. I haven't had it in a lot of situations in my past so then when the opportunity arises that I do...watch out! I have been at the bottom of the list for reserve each day, simply because I have enough seniority. It wasn't just that though. Regardless, if I worked or not I was going to get paid the same. That wasn't going to make a difference at all (except maybe more chores getting done). Also, it was a matter of going back on my terms and not those of crew support (they can play diiirrrtyyyy!). So now here it is, me going back on my terms. Monday is a BIG HUGE day. And a long one at that. I have a 7:55 AM show time (time I have to be checked in for my trip and ready on the aircraft) and won't be finished until 22:37 (10:37PM) in Montreal (yup, that one there in Canada, eh). Talk about a LONG day for my official first day back flying.

Also, everyone seems to have an opinion about how I should handle things going back. Between management, two therapists, and myself, there have been decisions made on how to handle situations that may present themselves. It's extra frustrating though that the other individuals have all given me their opinions, assuming that their way is the correct way but yet haven't really asked me, COURTNEY, what I want to do about it and simply supporting it. Because at the end of the day, it's still my life, my experiences, and I'm the only one that needs to be okay with my decisions.

Christmas Cards & Photography

Recently on one of the blogs I follow there was an opportunity to enter a contest to win a photo session with a local photographer. I immediately fell in love with the idea and did what I could to enter. Unfortunately, I didn't win. However, she's offering everyone that entered 10% off. I thought it would be a fun idea for Josh and I to do this and make it into a Christmas card! I LOVE the idea to pieces! The $75.00 (but it's 10% off!!!) and includes one and half hours of shooting, 35 high resolution images on a disk, and we can do it anywhere here in the valley! I would love to have them taken up in one of the canyons. Besides, this is where we met so why not do this and take advantage of the amazing offer?! It's something we both like here in SLC too.  Best part: we don't have to order prints!!! She literally gives us the images on a disk with a copyright release so that we can print out our own! Umm, hello!! In Missouri that never happened, maybe it's changing with technology now. But make sure you check out her site here --->>>>Rachel Stephens Photography

I think this would be super cute as well to order Christmas cards with. We could even do different photos. I'm determined to be on top of cards this  year!

So now, just gotta talk Josh into it!!!

Birthday Cake

So today is Brittany's 25th birthday. How crazy is that?! Holy smokes we are getting old lil sis!

So while I'm on the phone with her I inquired about her cake. See, Brittany and I got to the point where we RARELY had actual cakes for our birthdays. Troy's (our stepdad) b-day is Oct 17th, 10 days later it's Brittany's, then 11 days after that it's mine. Troy normally has german chocolate cake, Brittany used to have angel food cake or pie, and then me, hmmm....well I ALWAYS had pie! So MOM told Brittany to asks me what kind of cake I wanted. Well MOM we are in two different states....how would that work?! Brittany said they were going to make it and eat it without me. But MMmmmm I want a cold stone cake. Darn it, Sedalia is too small for one of those (they are seriously missing out!). But the more I thought about it how yummy would that be. There aren't really any plans. I think Josh should cook, he thinks we should go out, but I hadn't thought about cake! For his birthday this past February, I spent EIGHT, yes the number 8 hours (with the help from an awesome friend Rachel and her KitchenAid mixer...I want one of those!) and made this for his wish of a Texas themed cake....I'm a smart one.

So I had figured...a Texas themed cake, he's from Austin, LIVE music capital, a guitar cake was perfect for him. I am still soo proud of that darn cake!

But I was looking at cakes and what would be more perfect that this! There's chocolate on my peanut butter pie!
http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/cakes/signature_pies.html

It's still my pie! And soo rich and yummy. I don't know if I would want to even share this! HA! Besides I don't see Josh making me cake with an internal fountain (Kansas City is the city of fountains!) of chocolate! Hmmm...so there ya go Mom. That's what kind of cake I want!

New Uniforms!

The airline chose to get all new uniforms to update out look and appear more professional. It's been a trip through trial and error but the new uniforms are finally here and I love them! When we did the fit test (we all went into to management and tried pieces on to see what sizes to order) I wasn't impressed with a lot of the pieces. We didn't really have a lot to choose from either. We were allowed the following as our initial order: 4 shirts, 2 bottoms, and a finishing piece which was either a sweater or a vest. Our current uniforms have gotten out of line. We had soo many different colored shirt options ( 2 different blue ones, a gray one, 2 different style white ones) and then between the skort, skirt, and pants, 3 different dresses, a twin sweater set, a vest, a blazer, and a cardigan. Whew!!! Way too many options that it was rare that two flight attendants working the same flight together looked liked the even worked for the same airline! All of our shirts now are all white with the inside of the collar being a dark navy blue and the same blue stitching on the sleeves. So I did 3 short sleeve and one long sleeve, a skirt and a pair of pants with the vest. On November 1st we are allowed to order additional items such as a turtleneck, blazer and twin sweater set, or a cardigan. I just love the idea that we are actually going to all match one another now. I really want to order the turtleneck to wear with the vest. (Pppshsh now we look like DELTA!!!)  I'll have to get all fixed up and take some photos!

I went yesterday to try to find some decent black shoes. Normally during the winter I wear my black boots but the skirts are soo long now (and we aren't allowed to alter them, thank goodness because we have some girls that have no class!). Well of course I headed over to DSW and found an adorable pair with the right size heel (has to be at least a dime) and with some padding in them for only $39.95. Not bad I didn't think for them being Madden Girl, which is a decent brand. But of course I always buy my purses from there too (I have a thing for Guess purses) and there was a perfectly sized black one that is of course, Guess! Super super cute. The shoes and the purse are both patent leather and shiny and pretty and OOOHHHHH Courtney wants them bad! So hopefully this week I will get the remaining short term money to pay some bills and  buy these two items. How awesome would it be to go back to work for my first trip in 3 months with a new uniform, a new coat, new shoes, a new purse, a new haircut (like a few weeks ago but still.....) and be able to have my awesome luggage that I already have. It would be perfect to help out with the new attitude right?! Ummm of course!!!

Oh and did I mention we all got new company issued coats (Brand New) so we all look the same again!!!! So everyone cross their fingers that I get that extra and last check!

The Older We Get . . .

 The more expensive everything is! Obviously November 7th is right around the corner ;-) along with the BIG 29! There are soo many things I would love to have but it just seems the older we get the things we want cost more and more. So I've been trying to come up with things that really don't cost that much. However, my idea of inexpensive could always be someone's wallet really stretching too far.

Obviously, right now the older I seem to get the more things I want for the apartment. I really want this super duper crock pot  . . .

Now tell me that's not awesome! I just want one that is programmable. I'm getting soo domestic :-( Other than that, I mentioned the Oneida utensils for cooking. I'm completely in LOVE

with my new found hobby with vinyl from Wonderfully Wordy (check it out under my blog list!). There are soo many cool fun ideas that I have (hence the recent: I want/need a house!) I'm excited about going back to work just so I can start on some new projects and get this apartment decorated for Christmas!

The one thing I have always wanted and is a bit pricy is this:

Like I said, a little too pricy. But as long as it was a free standing, espresso or black finish I would love it. I adore this one though.And this one:

Which is MUCH cheaper and I think I might like this one even more, and it's from Wal-Mart!

 ( Now if I could have a nice pretty piece of jewelry to go in it from a certain store, hmmmm.....I'll keep dreaming!)

However, I guess the older we get it's just easier to get girft cards, which is soo much easier when you live in a different state!

This is when I wish I was a kid again when for $100 you would have thought your parents had robbed the toy store because you could get soo much. Now with an older age, you plan on getting one item, if that!

Starting New

Well, I have officially been on reserve for 8 days now and haven't been called yet. I'm sooo senior to everyone else on the list that I've been at the bottom. Management said that staffing is stable and there was a chance that I wouldn't get called. Whew! It's a relief so far since I don't want to fly the Brasilia!!! Turbo prop airplanes just freak me out!

LOOKS SCARY RIGHT?! PPSSHHH!!! YES!!

This is MY BABY though!

(76 seats, 12 that are first class! And Delta just has more options for passengers!)

So yeah, so far this girl hasn't had to fly it yet. Although, maybe it would be good for me. I had my IOE (initial operating experience-when you're not qualified for a specific aircraft you fly with a LEAD who is trained in trainging newbies for it and you fly with them for a trip on that aircraft in order to become qualified) nearly 2 years ago! And being as senior as I am having flown for nearly 4 years altogether now I have the ability to bid against it, meaning, in most cases that aircraft doesn't get awarded to me. Not a smart idea when you get put back on reserve! So I'm a bit nervous to say the least. I've been studying up on it though with my manual. Because with my luck, I'd have to prepare and evacuate that plane on my first flight for an emergency! HA!

I am pretty eager to go back though. While Josh has been extremely supportive with the taking on the financial responsibility for both of us, recent therapy and new medical diagnosis, I'm excited about being able to contribute financially again. I haven't been able to contribute in that form very much. And while the short term disability was VERY helpful, it just didn't go as far as it needed to. Although. I did contribute by doing all of the laundry, cleaning, coupon clipping, and errands. How this boy is going to survive with my gone now is beyond me! I'm sure he'll do fine. I just have a different outlook now and a new plan on handling certain situations and other personalities. I've certainly learned that I don't want to hear gossip about ANYONE. . . EVER. It's like a dirty game of telephone where everything is just blown out of proportion and it's ridiculous for any age group, especially ours.

Starting October 31, 2010 though is MY own schedule. As of right now, I have 3 five day trips. That's a long time to be gone after being home for 3 months! On the 24th of each month we are able to go through SEP (schedule enhancement period) where we can add, drop, and exchange trips that haven't been awarded to anyone or those that other flight attendants are trying to get rid of. One of my trips is during Thanksgiving. I don't want to be in Billings, MT, alone! So I definitely need to get rid of that one! I don't even know what I am doing yet but still . . .