by Sarah | Feb 4, 2019 | All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Family, All About Home, All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, All About Ripley, All of Us, Blogging Life, Disney, Disney Mom, Florida Dreaming, Oola, Redefining Perfect, Universal, Universal Studios Mom
*disclaimer* I am writing this over a week before publication. All information is subject to change. I’ll try to update if that happens, but I’m working a LOT, so it’s not 100%
We decided on this move in June of last year.
For over six months I have been applying at hospitals all over the area we’re looking at moving to (central Florida – i.e. Orlando area where our son lives).
I have managed to garner an interview and a half in probably 50-100 applications over the past six+ months. It’s been rough with all of the no’s stacking up, knowing a good deal of them likely come because I am here in Indiana.
It’s not easy being entry level and trying to move. They keep touting they want “a quick turnaround” and none of my assurances that I can be down in two weeks, three tops seems to make a difference in their eyes. Although what company doesn’t want you to be conscientious and put in a two week notice?
Frustration is lacing into every second of this for me. It’s tarnishing the excitement and making me doubt it happening.
Then, after six+ months of doing nothing on his job hunt…
My husband finally jumps into the fray. He works in a pretty specific industry with 20 years experience there, but again…pretty darn specific.
He has sent out THREE resumes. Three. About two weeks ago.
In less than a week, he got a call on a potential job.
Four days later, a phone interview.
The job? Not ideal…but if they match his current income…we are GONE.
So fingers crossed.
We could make this a reality.
Our target date: July 2019
Current status: One positive interview for husband, still plugging away for me. Savings is on target. Would feel more confident if I knew tax refunds were coming.
We’re heading toward our dream #Oolalife…we are getting there. Every day another inch closer.
*~*
Edited for update: I have also had a promising pre-interview this past week. No set date for a real interview yet, but hoping to have one soon.
by Sarah | Jan 4, 2019 | 50 before 50, All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Family, All About Home, All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, All of Us, Bucket List, Community, Florida Dreaming, Oola, Personal, Redefining Perfect, Story of Me
Several years ago we decided that we wanted to leave the land of the midwest and journey south to Florida. Our son moved down two years ago, and his move rather cemented the idea in my head – and with a bit of nudging (or years, you know…potato/potahto), the husband was on board as well.
In 2017 we made actual plans to tackle our debt, get things in order to move in five years. 2022 seemed a good year. The girls would be nearly grown, and we could make our way down much more financially settled .
Eyes on the prize, we dug in. Lapses occurred, things bounced forward thanks to my new job, then went back again. You know, life. We did what we could.
Then, 2018 happened.
2018 brought about trigger points for many changes in our lives – and our future.
We found Oola in late 2017 and used it in 2018 to refocus our goals.
A slimy, underhanded, jerk of a man bought land on our quiet street and plans to build as many rentals as he can.
We were told in no uncertain terms to go for it.
Relationships in our life took turns.
Most of all – we got tired of waiting to chase our goal, and decided to make a mad grab for it.
In June we sat down and had a good long talk and decided we didn’t want to stay here any longer. We decided we were done waiting for our life to happen. We decided to go for broke and make the leap.
With a target date of mid-2019, we’ve set things in motion to move. In some ways we still don’t know how. Finding a job in another state, in a low level position is NOT easy. I’ve been at it six months, so I know. I took the holidays off, but come next week I’ll be back at it hard, with two letters of reference in hand to help boost my resume. I’m going in full bore. The husband is going in full bore.
This is going to happen one way or the other.
2019 is the year of redefining so many things in my life…but the biggest is how we’re going to redefine our future by no longer staying where we’re comfortable. We’re breaking out of our comfort zone. It’s terrifyingly exciting.
by Sarah | Jan 1, 2019 | All About Family, All About Home, All About Me, All of Us, Florida Dreaming, Oola, Personal, Redefining Perfect, Story of Me
Happy new year! Welcome to 2019, the year of possibility, of joy, of redefining so much.
2019 I went full on with another unusual word – yet not so much when you look at this blog.
REDEFINING.
2019 I’m going to redefine so much. Our lives, our family, our future.
I’ve struggled with many things in the past couple of years.
The meaning of friendship.
The meaning of peace.
Depression.
Balance.
Too much, vs. too little.
Oola.
My faith.
Being true to myself in every area.
Avoiding the world.
Trying to dive into the world.
My job changing.
My writing (or lack thereof).
My weight.
Myself.
As 2018 began to wind down much faster than it began, I’ve been digging in, holing up, searching myself and my heart.
I’ve found that I can look at all the inspirational memes I want in the world. I can echo mildly in my head their words and sentiments. I can cheer on others as they take steps or find new meaning.
But what good does any of that do if I don’t GO ALL IN.
This year I’m redefining myself. I’m going all in. I’m baring my soul, my true heart. I’m probably going to lose friends, but I’m probably going to gain friends, too. I’m going to be open, honest, wholehearted, unflinchingly myself – even when it’s uncomfortable to do so.
The only way to make true change is to make yourself uncomfortable. To step outside of the comfort zone.
To document this – I hope to keep this blog going, to keep myself in check, to see the changes as they come.
So, come on 2019 – let’s do this. I’m ready to be redefined.
by Sarah | Feb 20, 2017 | All About Denver, All About Family, All About Home, All About Me, All of Us, Disney, Make-A-Wish, Redefining Perfect, The Adult, The Teenager
A few years ago we longed for this day.
For the past year we’ve dreaded it.
This past Friday arrived. Dreaded, anticipated, excitedly awaited, tearfully faced…
The teen got in his car and drove hundreds of miles away to the land he calls home.
I have been a bit of a mess through the whole thing – and yet I’m proud of how I’ve handled it all. Because, knowing his aversion to overly emotional stuff, I’ve kept my cool, and only been a bit more huggy than usual.
We had our time to talk, and I was emotionally exhausted on the day he left, and been glad for the preoccupation of plenty of other things since he’s been gone.
But there are those times.
Those brief moments…
When it overwhelms.
When I cry.
The empty room.
Soon it will be cleared out and transformed into my home office again.
But it isn’t yet. There are still pieces of him in there.
And we all still pause outside the door expecting to hear Disney music emanating from within.
The quiet nights.
Nightly he would hang out with me after everyone else was in bed…we’d watch a Disney show of some kind, or Star Trek, or just talk with some random show on. No matter what, the boy would be chatting, annoying, teasing, something…
I still sit at my desk and glance at the door expecting him to walk through the door.
It’s the frequent reminding of myself that he isn’t going to walk through that door that hurts.
I know in time I will adjust.
I know that he is happy.
I know that I am incredibly proud.
But oof…
This empty nest thing hurts…even when you have two more sitting around pestering you.
by Sarah | Jul 19, 2016 | All About Home, All of Us, Blogging Life, Giveaway, Random, Redefining Perfect, Sponsored
*This post is sponsored by Phoenix Trading Company. I was given an air fryer in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.*
In the world of home appliances, I have both too many, and too few. Recently I got a new kitchen appliance that has brought about some good.
See, we have had a bit of a problem in our marriage since day 1.
I LOVE fried food.
Erik hates it.
So some of my favorite meals, he only picks at. He doesn’t like the grease, slime, general heaviness of fried anything.
When I was approached to try out this Air Fryer, I jumped at the chance.
What better compromise could this nearly-14 years married couple make than air frying?
No greasy food, just pure taste. At least, that was the hope. Hubs wasn’t so sure once he heard about it, and saw the thing. But, I persisted.
I made the one meal I love to make often, and hubs has always liked the taste of, but not the frying.
Breaded lemon chicken (just call me Debra Barone).
I did everything the same as I always did, but instead of fighting dropping it in a pan, I set it in a basket, spritzed it with some olive oil spray and slid it into the cooker. Ten minutes later, they were done.
Bonus points I didn’t even think of?
- I didn’t have to worry about the chicken being cooked through in the middle. Normally in oil I either get the breading burned, and the inside isn’t cooked…or vice versa. In the air fryer every single piece was perfection, from the thickest to the thinnest.
- Oil burns be gone! See, I have a bad habit of getting burned by everything I cook in oil or in its own grease (hello bacon, my delicious nemesis). Holy cow is it nice to be able to not worry about that. My hands, arms, and even my face are free from grease splatter.
- If I was just cooking for one or two of us, I could have slipped our whole meal in one basket as their cooking time was the same. However, there were four of us, so I had to spread it out. Still, for a quick lunch, I’m all over this.
- It’s a smaller kitchen appliance that can either sit on your counter, or slip into a cabinet should you have a tiny kitchen with no counter space like me. 😉
- Did I mention the no oil thing? A little spritz of olive oil instead of sitting in pools of oil will help keep me out of that plus size clothing 😉
- My husband eats the food. Scarfed it down, actually.
So we had a delicious meal. Perfectly cooked chicken, potatoes and cauliflower. A meal that everyone ate up, and turned out to be easy as pie.
Oooh, pie. That’s something I should make next. Little mini pies in no time flat.
You in with me? I can help you with that super easy.
Because I’m sharing a giveaway for a Todd English 1500W 3.3 qt Touchscreen Air Fryer w/ Filter & Accessories !!!
Seriously, you want in. Soon as I get that pie recipe done, I’ll share it with you. I’m on it tonight.
About Phoenix Trading Company (PTC):
First, we’re not in Phoenix, Arizona. Never have been (we’re in Boston). Our name refers to the
mythical bird, the Phoenix, which is reborn to soar again. Our clothes and other products are
sort of like that. We buy large volumes of out-of-season, overstock and clearance designer
merchandise from national retailers and TV shopping channels, then pass the savings to
you—on average offering our goods at 60% below retail. And by the way, the pictures of shoes
and clothing you see on our site are the actual items that you’ll get in the mail. Nothing photo-
shopped here.
People seem to like us. We started in 2001 in 700 square feet subleased from a machine shop,
and have grown to be one of eBay’s top three women’s clothing sellers. We’re also an eBay top-
rated plus seller. Not that we’re bragging. It’s just true.
There is something we’re kind of proud of, though: A third of our workforce are people who are
housebound, either through physical disabilities or childcare responsibilities, and who would
otherwise not be able to have a job. And honestly, we couldn’t function without them.
So, that’s us in a nutshell. Phoenix Trading Company, bringing you style and savings at the click
of a mouse.
Social Media Links:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/PhoenixTradingCompany
Tumblr – http://phoenixtradingcompany.tumblr.com/
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/phoenixtrading/
by Sarah | Apr 5, 2016 | All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Family, All About Home, All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, All of Us, Redefining Perfect
March was a sucktastic month, I’ve made no secret of that.
But it’s over now.
With some carnage around us, we are gathering the pieces together, and re-evaluating some things.
The teen is graduating soon and moving on to bigger and better (and warmer) things. He’s pulling up stakes and moving down south to pursue a dream.
Whether it’s me turning 40, hubby turning almost-50, the teen leaving home, or just the hell of a month we went through – we are starting to look at where we are ourselves vs. where we want to be.
We’ve begun to dream big.
Bigger than we’ve allowed ourselves to dream in a while.
Right now it’s all pipe dreams and wishes,
but as Walt Disney said – “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”
Now all we have to do is muster some courage and pursue them all.
We needed a spark of hope, and we’ve given it to ourselves.
It’s kind of terrifying, and so very exciting.
I’d gotten in a rut, and sort of beat down.
It feels really good to dream again.
We decided on this move in June of last year.
