I was wrong.

Ok, so yesterday topped the charts as far as Bad Day's go for me. It was not a good day until last night. We had our CommUNITY group last night and we played kickball and it was SO FUN! Also, a close friend of ours gave us some money that he said he'd been saving to tithe to the church, but he felt like God was giving him the ok to give it to us. WOW. I know. it's a very long story and I'm about to go to lunch, so I don't want to start typing it yet. But, I'll tell you in a bit!


OH, and Jules has a very promising interview today at 4:00.

Things ARE going to be okay.

I counted to ten.

Ok, so I'm feeling better.


Sorry for being so dramatic. Things will work out.












I hope. :)

That hole in my bucket that I mentioned before...

Things are really not going very good in life right now. I am typically not a person who lets things get her down, but honestly--I'm down. I am in this hole right now that I can't really see a way out of. Everytime there is a small ray of light to help me see my way out, something happens and the light disappears. All this has to do with money and finances, and I HATE having to worry about stuff like that. Julie had to quit her job a few months ago, and I don't blame her for that. She did the right thing. But it has been harder than we both thought for her to find a new job. That has weighed heavily on both of us. I think Jules feels guilty. I don't blame her for any of this though. If she had stayed at her old job she would have just continued to become a mean, bitter person. So, she quit and instead of bitterness she now feels guilt. I wish she didn't. There is nothing more that she can do to fix the situation than she's been doing. She's applied for like 50+ jobs. She's gone on interviews. She's doing everything she can.

Tomorrow she has an interview for the job she has wanted since she quit her previous job. It seems pretty promising. It seems like a job she'd actually like and be happy doing. It's a job where she gets to help people. Tomorrow. At 4:00pm. And we really really need this to go well.

When Jules first quit her job, I said that we could make it until August with my paycheck, but after that we'd have to get help from somewhere. Tomorrow is July 31st. The day before August starts.

Also, when trying to see the silver lining, Julie's parents have not had an extra penny to squeeze for years. Starting in August her parents will have freed up some extra money and be able to help us with a few bills. IN AUGUST. The month where I said we wouldn't make it.

So, it's proof that God has not forgotten us. And although I KNOW that things will eventually work out...I'm not feeling that way. So, for the *maybe* two of you who read this...please pray. We're not doing so good.

Open Letters (copying Chick)

Dear God,
Julie is trying so hard to find a job. And the jobs that she's applying for...it's not about the money. It's not about prestige or being at the top. It's about finding a job where she was HAPPY. Her quitting her other job was not because she didn't get any respect (although she didn't). It was not about not getting enough money (although she didn't). It was not even about having to do two people's jobs along with her own (although she did have to do that). It was about standing up for what is right. It was about saying that the things that were going on in that office were not okay, and she would not be a part of it. That's called integrity. Doing the right thing even when it's a hard decision. So. If it's not too much to ask, could you please have one of these jobs work out, since she's trying to glorify you with her life? I mean, money's gettin' kinda tight here, but it's not even about the money. It's about the fact that she tried to do the right thing, and it feels sorta like it's biting her in the butt.

Thank you and I love you,
KrustyLynn




Jules,

Hang in there. We have not been forgotten! Something WILL work out.

~your best friend.








Heather,
I am so glad you liked your Boobie Bungalow I made you. I am no professional, so to hear you say such nice things about your gift makes me so happy. I never knew it was so easy to please you.

Love you sister,
KrustyLynn.

P.S. I wish I could buy you that stroller.







Dear Mike and Erin,

Thank you for feeding us. I am sure you feel like a soup kitchen. And right now, you sorta are. But we appreciate you. Also, Will is the male that got voted off last night. :(

With A Hungry Heart (and tummy),
KrustyLynn






Dear Dentist,



You are either Crazy or you are associated with the Devil. I hate you. I will not be your friend, nor will I go to lunch with you like you suggested when I was at my appointment the other day.

Sincerely,
That woman you tried to kill with your poker.

P.S. when I come back today, please don't hurt me again, or I'll have to cause a scene. Thank you.






Dear Tube of Concealer that busted in my make-up bag that was in my car yesterday,

I know Denver's sun is a mile closer than you're used to. I know that the car gets approx. 2,000 degrees during the day. I know that you were under a lot of pressure. But exploding like that? NOT OKAY. Now I am forced to scrape little splotches of dried concealer from all of my make-up items, and that is just not how I want to spend my time. So, the next time you feel like your contents are under pressure, get a massage or something. Just don't ever explode like that again. Ok?

~KrustyLynn

The best birthday gift i've ever given!

Yesterday was heather's birthday. She told me about three weeks ago what she would like me to give her. It was a present that had to be made, which is why she told me so far in advance. We'll just call it a Bosom Bungalow. It is a blanket that ties/secures around your neck so that you don't have to worry about it slipping down while you are breastfeeding your baby and showing the world your ta-ta's. So...i checked it out online so I could get an idea of how to make them (since there are no patterns). Then, instead of starting it that day or that weekend...i forgot. Which brings me to July 18th, at 7:00pm. I had been off work since the 15th, and therefore I was unaware of what date it was and how quickly heather's birthday was approaching. So, right then I went to Walmart and got the materials i needed to make her Bosom Bungalow. I got home at 8:30 and worked from 8:30 until 1 AM knowing that I had to mail it on Saturday if it was going to get there anywhere around her birthday. And since there was no pattern, it was a whole mess of trial-and-error (mostly error). :) So, finally I finished it and dreamt all night that she hated it. I got up at 9:00 on Saturday morning so that I could take it by the Post Office. It was by no means a professional-grade product...but it was cute, it was nice, and it was pretty. It didn't match her 'bedding' for the crib and that had me worried.

So today she got it (only ONE day after her birthday! yay!!) and she apparently LOVED it. I am so glad that she loved it. And she said it surpassed her expectations, which means that it was a lot nicer than she thought it would be! I was pretty impressed with it myself, and I am so glad that she loves it. The best part of giving a gift is seeing how much that person enjoys it...especially when that person is your sister who you love so dearly. :)

Happy Birthday Heather!

There's a hole in my bucket...

I feel a little bit overwhelmed at work right now. It's not that we're really busy or anything like that. It's the fact that I feel completely out of control in my job. I am at the mercy of the "big dogs" and I just have to do what they say. My direct supervisor, who is a great person, is also at the mercy of the "big dogs" who are not great people. Yesterday my boss got cornered and was given an ultimatum-type situation. From what I can understand the point was: Make more money or else. And the specific method of making more money was pretty much assigned. And this method of making money, although interesting, is a whole lot of NEW. And we don't care much for the NEW around here. So...all this new is going to come upon us pretty quickly, and I don't feel very excited about it.

Luckily I have a few days off to think about it. I think the fact that this is not my career for life will help me get over my overwhelming state...since, in the long run, this will only affect me for a while.

But right now....definitely feeling the overwhelm.

Oh, how I love thee!

Krispy Kreme Doughnut! :) Since Wednesday I have been on this diet/food program. It is something that Jules and I were wanting to do for a long time, and when her mother came into town, we took that as the perfect time. Seeing that we would have a 3rd person to hold us accountable for saying we're on a diet then eating a quarter-pounder meal for a "treat" for losing a pound. :) You see the problem with our self-control, right? hahahahahahahhaha.

So, Since Wednesday the 2nd of July we've been doing this soup diet. I won't go into the details of the diet, but it is pretty hard. However, since Wednesday I've lost 6.5 lbs. IN LESS THAN A WEEK. That's exciting!! So, today was the last day of the weekly program, and then we were going to start all over tomorrow. Since we had proven to ourselves that we could do it, I felt good. I didn't even feel as though I was depriving myself. I was even telling a friend of mine that I felt fine doing this "diet" and that I wasn't upset or sad or mad or bitter or anything. So, last night I went home, ate supper with the girls, and was just getting settled in bed when I heard the TV pause and there was whispering in the next room. I knew that Jules and her mom were the only ones in there, and the chances that they were whispering about me were very low, so I just rolled over and continued to burrow down into the bed. Then, I heard, "Krisssssti." I stopped moving, to be sure I had heard them. "Krissssssstiiiiiii!? Can you come here. I have something to tell you," Julie's mom yelled. I got up with no glasses and walked in there, only able to see two blobs of color. Julie's mom said that she is on vacation, and even though we've been doing this diet SO GOOD, she just can't take it anymore. She said that she wants to be able to eat whatever she wants when she's on vacation. I just smiled. We all promised that we'd do the diet together after her mom got home, and that's exactly what I intend on doing. But for now...I GET TO EAT WHATEVER I WANT AGAIN!!

Freedom has come, at last.

Oh, and can you pass me that doughnut?

I LOVE FIREWORKS

Don't you? I just love fireworks! They are so happy and fun. Nothing suits me better than a fireworks show put on by someone other than your redneck neighbor who keeps shooting bottle rockets at your hair. :)

One year we went to the Huntsville Stars game and a little boy and his family were seated directly behind us. He must have just had a science lesson on fireworks in school...or maybe he worked part-time in a fireworks factory because he proceeded to tell us after every. single. fireworks display what made the color that just appeared. The fact that he was like 7 made me pretty sure that his knowledge did not, in fact, come from a part-time job at the fireworks factory. Nonetheless, it was one of the most annoying things I've ever experienced. So annoying that despite the fact that it happened only once about 10 or more years ago, we still joke about it EVERY SINGLE 4TH OF JULY. :)

We are nothing, if not predictable.

So, today is the 3rd. There are going to be "celebrations" all over the suburbs tonight, tomorrow night, and Saturday night. There will be fireworks at the local Major League Baseball games downtown on each of those nights and there are several neighborhoods/cities within a 20 mile radius having little festivals to go to. I'm very excited, to say the least. Just the thought of going to sleep to the sound of fireworks all night long makes my cup runneth over. :) I love the 4th of July.

I wish y'all happy hot dogs, hearty hamburgers, and cold, cold homemade ice cream for the 4th! I'll be back on Monday!

Oh, and try to remember our Troops this 4th of July. They are overseas fighting for our right to shoot off fireworks in celebration of freedom. In honor of them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0VZdpv9H20


HAPPY 4TH!

As a Hornet!

OOOH! Man, I've been having a hard time this week. I am just so exhausted. I feel like I cannot catch up on my sleep. Staying up late and getting up so dadgum early for work is KILLING me. I am a girl who LOVES to sleep. If sleeping were a sport, I'd be in the Olympics. I love to sleep. There is nothing that satisfies my soul like slipping under the covers after a long day and drifting off to the one thing that will restore your tired body. OH MAN! I LOVE SLEEP.

So, you can imagine what a delight I've been to those around me, since I haven't been getting enough sleep. I'm sure I'm just a slice of PURE HEAVEN.

Or perhaps we need to go in the other direction. Through the soil, earth's crust, and through the hot magma to find out where my attitude comes from. Because I have been ill as a hornet.

Yesterday, while on my way home I was drifting off to sleep. I decided that when I got home I would take a nap, so that I could spend time with my Wednesday night group instead of, you know, passing out in the big over sized chair. So, when I got home I took a nap from 5-6 and then I knew I had to get up and shower before everyone came over. I just KNEW that my HOUR nap would help me wake feeling refreshed as if I had slept for days. Much to my dismay (and the dismay of those around me) I did not wake up refreshed. Instead I woke up with the fury of 1,000 burning suns. I was mad at the world, and as much as I tried to improve my attitude during my shower, it did not get better.

I ended up snapping at Jules last night over something stupid. I got mad, yelled at her, and went to bed. Without saying I was sorry. Without even telling her I was going to bed. I have never, EVER done that before. Usually when there is a fight or whatever, with ANYONE, I cannot sleep. I have this fear that I'll fight with someone and go to bed mad and they'll die in their sleep and I'll have to live with my hatefulness forever. Or I'm always afraid that they'll like go for a walk or a drive or something, you know, to cool off, and they'll get in an accident or get hit by a car or whatever and die. And then I'll left being consumed by guilt and self-loathing my whole life. I'll grow up to be the woman who lives in her bathrobe, never leaves the house, and has 65 cats (until the Humane Society takes them away). And I don't want to be that woman. And I don't want the people I care about to die mad at me. So usually, when I get in a fight with someone, I want to resolve it BEFORE i can go to sleep. As you can imagine this usually results in loss of sleep as well. Oh, geez...where was i?? OH yeah, so I went to bed mad last night. For the first time in my life. And this morning, instead of feeling better and even slightly rested, I felt horrible for how I snapped at Julie. I felt bad for going to bed mad. I had yelled and made a butt hole of myself in front of her mother. I felt embarrassed and ashamed of my toddler behavior. So, I woke Jules up and told her I was sorry before I left for work today. I'm not sure she'll remember the conversation, mostly because she was in the middle of a deep, dark slumber (oh, I'm jealous!). So, I'm saying it now. I'm really sorry for being a butt hole. I'm sorry for getting mad about something so stupid. Although I am severely sleep deprived, that doesn't warrant my acting so hatefully. You are my best friend and you do so much for me everyday. Even last night when you were mad at me you still got up and fixed my lunch. I'm sorry for being so ugly. I hope you'll forgive me.

It's a holiday weekend, and I plan on getting lots of rest so that this doesn't happen again. I hate to apologize. Not because I am too prideful to do it, but because it means that I have done something wrong, and I just want to do things right! I guess that's life tho. There's no way to get out of doing things wrong, and that is why I'm so thankful that my life has already been paid for. Otherwise, I'd be in some deep trouble, especially after last night.

So, let's hope the sleep helps, and I don't have anymore temper-mental outbursts. It is, after all, Independence Day tomorrow! YAY! I love fireworks, and I'm sure there will be lots in store. Stay tuned and maybe there will be pictures!

And I'm going to try to get some sleep. The world, (at least as far as I am concerned) will be a better place.

Pringles Post

When Julie's dad was here with her mom, he would cook supper for us almost every night. He would go to the store earlier in the day and sometimes would start cooking just after lunchtime. He'd make things like smothered pork chops and Paula Deen's casseroles. One night I got home and I was STARVING. It had been over 5 hours since I had eaten, and I knew he would be cooking. I thought about stopping to get a snack before I got home, so that he didn't say anything about me eating when dinner was coming up. But, after I thought about rush hour traffic and delaying getting on the road by even a few minutes, i decided I would just get a snack when I got home.

I was nervous about walking right into the kitchen where he was cooking and just getting something out of the pantry to eat because he's an outspoken man and I didn't want him to embarrass me for eating. I was afraid he'd say something like, "Don't rurnt yer dinner, naw, Kristi." He's an outspoken man. One time when I was staying with Jules at her house I had to...well, you know...go #2. So, I went in the bathroom and used it and before I left I turned on the fan and shut the door. My reasoning in this was that if the door is closed, the STINKY smell would not escape and kill all people in it's path. Also, with the fan on, it would suck up the stinky air and be gone in just a few minutes. So, i close the door and proceed to the living room where (I can't remember) everyone must've been watching tv or something. Well, Jules' dad walks up from the back of the house to the kitchen (probably to cook something) and he smells my poopy bathroom. He yells out to the group of us, "Who crapped in the bathroom?!" Thinking, I guess, that it was one of his girls. I raised my hand and said it was me and he said "Gosh. use some spray next time." I was MORTIFIED. i just said something like 'yes, sir' and hoped I would disappear. ....why was I telling you this story??...oh yeah! He's an outspoken man!

Anyway, because he's so outspoken, i was afraid he might call me out on eating a snack before supper was ready. So, when he wasn't in the kitchen I ran in there and stole a can of pringles from the pantry. I stuffed it in my shirt and ran to the bathroom. There I proceeded to lock myself in and eat the remaining half a can of crunchy chip delights. There was just one problem. When I finished the chips, where was I going to put the can??? I thought about throwing it in the trash can in the bathroom, but I was afraid Julie's mom would take out the trash and see it. I thought about throwing it in the kitchen trash, but i knew her dad was back in there cooking by then. I honestly did not know what to do, so I did something I THOUGHT I would never get caught doing. I stashed the can in the top of Julie's closet where she kept her suitcases. I took special care to make sure that it could not be seen from outside the closet, and that if reaching up into the closet you would never touch it. My plan was to go back and get it out after Julie's parents were gone. That was my plan.

Last night, when I was getting ready to go to bed I asked Jules and her mom what they were planning to do today. They said clean out Julie's room and closet. CLOSET. (where the pringles can is stashed). So...i got this really embarrassed look on my face and when they asked what was wrong I told them the whole story. I am not kidding when I say that they were laughing SO HARD.

If I had been a faster thinker I would have written a note and taped it on the can instead of telling the story. Oh Well.

Oh, and you may be wondering if I went and got the can and threw it away, since my secret was out. Nope. It's still there. :)