This post will probably sound like a vent and maybe it is. I was reading a post on a moms website asking about Thank You cards... are they out of date?
I make sure that I write (handwrite) thank you cards for all of the gifts that Katherine, Brett and I receive. I look at it as though, the person giving the gift really didn't have to go out of their way to give a gift to us. They spent the time thinking of us and we need to thank them. That is just my personal opinion.
It does burn a bit when I make a special trip to the store to buy a gift (or gift card), a card and wrapping and never receive a thank you.
I am just as busy as the next person but how hard is it to sit down and write three sentences on a note card and throw it in the mail? Okay, yes, you have to first you need to find a thank you card (plain paper works as well), then figure out what you are going to write, write it, put it in the envelope, address it and then put a stamp on it.
So, you cannot find any stamps, send an email. Let the person know that you appreciate their efforts, even if you don't like the gift. Regift. That's all I am saying.
The point is... it's the thought that counts and let the giver know that you appreciate the thought.
So, in todays technological world... call, email, text or even snail mail your thank you's. I have sent out many Mother's Day gifts, birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, baby gifts and it's a bit of a let down not to receive a thank you.
Getting back to the original post that I saw about Thank You notes. At the conclusion of the post, Thank You notes are not out dated... people are just getting lazy and not sending them or even calling to say "Thanks".
I am not going to be a lazy person and I am going to continue to send out my thank you cards. I will probably rethink who I send gifts to as if I take the time to chose a gift for you, you should take the time to at least say, "Thank You". If not, there may not be a gift waiting for you in the future from me.
Emily Post on Thank You Notes:
http://www.emilypost.com/communication-and-technology/notes-and-letters/99-thank-you-notes-to-send-or-not-to-send
It’s never wrong to send a written thank-you And people always appreciate getting “thanks” in writing.
Why? Handwritten notes are warmer and more special than other forms of thank-yous. The rule of thumb is that you should send a written note any time you receive a gift (even a ‘thank you’ gift) and the giver wasn’t there to thank in person. But notes are not always necessary. If, for example, the gift is from a close friend or relative (and it’s not a wedding gift) you can email or call instead if you prefer. Below are some other note-writing guidelines:
Shower gifts.
Even though the gift giver attended the shower in your honor and you had a chance to say thanks for her gift, you should still send a written note.
Wedding gifts.
Each wedding gift should be acknowledged with a written note within three months of receipt of the gift. It’s best to write the notes as soon as possible after gifts arrive, however. Write a note even if you have thanked the giver in person.
Congratulatory gifts or cards.
Anyone who sends a present, or a card with a personally written message, should receive a note in return.
Gifts received when sick.
Thank-you notes should be written as soon as the patient feels well enough—or a friend or relative can write the notes. It’s okay to call close friends rather than write.
Condolence notes or gifts.
Everyone who has sent a personal note, flowers or a donation should get a written thank-you. A close friend or relative can write the notes on the recipient’s behalf.
Kat and her best friends...
Monday, August 29, 2011
Thinking of Christmas
We are at the end of August and I am really looking forward to fall and winter ~ my two favorite times of the year. I am also really looking forward to the weather cooling off. I like hot but it has been HOT! HOT! HOT! here. Hopefully we will be under a 100* by Halloween.
I think that Katherine is ready for the weather to cool down as well. She asked when we could go play in the snow again. So, I have started making Christmas plans. Since I am working now and can only go on vacation when school is out, I think that we celebrate Christmas here in Phoenix and then go up to a cabin where there is snow for a few days after. Not sure if we will fly or drive. Brett says that the airplane likes the cold but then we would have to rent a car.
I also have all of my Christmas shopping done for the cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Yea! I guess that I was at the right place at the right time ~ lots of sales. Now, I have four months to wrap. I really am not a fan of wrapping and if I can predict the future, even though I am done with shopping, I will wait until the last minute to wrap.
The past two years, I have had wrapping parties and they are wonderful. You get all of your wrapping done in one night with all of your friends. They bring a few rolls of paper, you bring a few rolls paper and poof! you don't need to do any wrapping paper shopping. It's awesome! You are also talking so much and sipping on a hottie tottie, look down and you are done. All done with all of your wrapping. It's a very productive and fun night.
Not sure how I ended up on that tangent but I guess what I am trying to say is, I am really looking forward to the end of this heat and ready for Christmas music on the radio. My husband has different views on this subject. :)
I think that Katherine is ready for the weather to cool down as well. She asked when we could go play in the snow again. So, I have started making Christmas plans. Since I am working now and can only go on vacation when school is out, I think that we celebrate Christmas here in Phoenix and then go up to a cabin where there is snow for a few days after. Not sure if we will fly or drive. Brett says that the airplane likes the cold but then we would have to rent a car.
I also have all of my Christmas shopping done for the cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Yea! I guess that I was at the right place at the right time ~ lots of sales. Now, I have four months to wrap. I really am not a fan of wrapping and if I can predict the future, even though I am done with shopping, I will wait until the last minute to wrap.
The past two years, I have had wrapping parties and they are wonderful. You get all of your wrapping done in one night with all of your friends. They bring a few rolls of paper, you bring a few rolls paper and poof! you don't need to do any wrapping paper shopping. It's awesome! You are also talking so much and sipping on a hottie tottie, look down and you are done. All done with all of your wrapping. It's a very productive and fun night.
Not sure how I ended up on that tangent but I guess what I am trying to say is, I am really looking forward to the end of this heat and ready for Christmas music on the radio. My husband has different views on this subject. :)
Monday, August 15, 2011
What's In A Name?
My first name is pretty easy but rarely is it pronounced correctly. I usually hear, "Susan" and when I correct the person, most times they have a blank face. The name Susan is not the same as Suzanne. Two totally different names. Crazy, I know. And then throw in the mix of having a cousin named Susan ~ talk about messing up an entire family.
Anyway... and then there is my maiden name. Probably shouldn't go there but I am. Dumbolton. Wow! I don't miss spelling or typing that name. It's long and not many want to even try to pronounce it.
So, going through school with a first name that was pronounced incorrectly more times than correctly and then a last name that nobody want to even touch with a ten foot pole... not so easy.
Fast Forward A Few Years...
While I was pregnant with Katherine, finding the right name was one of the most important things to me and one of the hardest. Yes, I had a tough pregnancy getting sick from the moment that I got pregnant until the moment of the eviction but finding the right name was worse.
When we found out that we were having a girl, each name I came up with, Brett would say, "Amanda to the main stage. Grace to the main stage", etc. Yep, he called them all striper names. We could not agree at all.
I wanted for her to have a classic name ~ not a trendy one or one that every third child had. I also wanted a name that she would not have to correct ~ Suzanne not Susan. I know that it's crazy that I put so much thought into her name but growing up with a tough first name and a difficult last name, I didn't want to put my daughter through the same as what I had to go through.
About two weeks before she was born, we decided on her middle name ~ Anne. It is the last four letters of my first name. Easy. Done. Then, about a week before she was born, Brett and I agreed upon Elizabeth and Katherine for first names.
In the middle of her eviction, I thought about her initials and they were either going to be EAT (Elizabeth Anne Tossell) or KAT (Katherine Anne Tossell). Not much do I remember of her birth but I do remember that. It was solved! I was not going to have a little girl with the initials EAT ~ it could go in too many different directions.
Her name was going to be Katherine Anne! I told Brett once we got back to the room and then I fell asleep.
That night, Brett started to fill out her birth certificate and I remember him asking how we were going to spell it. He wanted to spell it with a "C" and I wanted "K". I told him that I gave birth so it was going to be with a "K". :)
My reasoning for a "K" though, if she wanted to go by Kate, Katie or Kat, it would be a lot easier with Katherine than Catherine ~ Just my opinion.
So, we have a little girl with a classic name. Not one that I thought was very popular name until I heard two other moms today, at her gym where she takes gymnastics, call their little girls over, Katherine. I also noticed on the class rooster that there are two girls in her class named Kaitlyn ~ hence the blog post.
It's only going to get more popular ~ I think. Kate (Catherine) Middleton. That is all I have to say.
Yes, her name is going to get even more popular but she is Katherine. There is no question. It is a long name for a little girl to learn to spell but it is the right name for her. She is her daddy's Katerino and mama's Kitty Kat Katherine. It is a name that she can goof around with as a child and a classic/professional name as an adult.
At the end of the day, I wasn't very happy with my name as a child (just like my eyes) but growing up, I am pretty fond of it now. It is different and I know if a solicitor is calling because they cannot pronounce it at all. Easy fix. "Nope, nobody by the name of Susan here". (hehe)
A name is a name no matter how you look at it and how much time you put into it. It is just a name. We named our daughter the right name and had fun naming our dogs... Little Ms. BJ and Lucky Dog.
Anyway... and then there is my maiden name. Probably shouldn't go there but I am. Dumbolton. Wow! I don't miss spelling or typing that name. It's long and not many want to even try to pronounce it.
So, going through school with a first name that was pronounced incorrectly more times than correctly and then a last name that nobody want to even touch with a ten foot pole... not so easy.
Fast Forward A Few Years...
While I was pregnant with Katherine, finding the right name was one of the most important things to me and one of the hardest. Yes, I had a tough pregnancy getting sick from the moment that I got pregnant until the moment of the eviction but finding the right name was worse.
When we found out that we were having a girl, each name I came up with, Brett would say, "Amanda to the main stage. Grace to the main stage", etc. Yep, he called them all striper names. We could not agree at all.
I wanted for her to have a classic name ~ not a trendy one or one that every third child had. I also wanted a name that she would not have to correct ~ Suzanne not Susan. I know that it's crazy that I put so much thought into her name but growing up with a tough first name and a difficult last name, I didn't want to put my daughter through the same as what I had to go through.
About two weeks before she was born, we decided on her middle name ~ Anne. It is the last four letters of my first name. Easy. Done. Then, about a week before she was born, Brett and I agreed upon Elizabeth and Katherine for first names.
In the middle of her eviction, I thought about her initials and they were either going to be EAT (Elizabeth Anne Tossell) or KAT (Katherine Anne Tossell). Not much do I remember of her birth but I do remember that. It was solved! I was not going to have a little girl with the initials EAT ~ it could go in too many different directions.
Her name was going to be Katherine Anne! I told Brett once we got back to the room and then I fell asleep.
That night, Brett started to fill out her birth certificate and I remember him asking how we were going to spell it. He wanted to spell it with a "C" and I wanted "K". I told him that I gave birth so it was going to be with a "K". :)
My reasoning for a "K" though, if she wanted to go by Kate, Katie or Kat, it would be a lot easier with Katherine than Catherine ~ Just my opinion.
So, we have a little girl with a classic name. Not one that I thought was very popular name until I heard two other moms today, at her gym where she takes gymnastics, call their little girls over, Katherine. I also noticed on the class rooster that there are two girls in her class named Kaitlyn ~ hence the blog post.
It's only going to get more popular ~ I think. Kate (Catherine) Middleton. That is all I have to say.
Yes, her name is going to get even more popular but she is Katherine. There is no question. It is a long name for a little girl to learn to spell but it is the right name for her. She is her daddy's Katerino and mama's Kitty Kat Katherine. It is a name that she can goof around with as a child and a classic/professional name as an adult.
At the end of the day, I wasn't very happy with my name as a child (just like my eyes) but growing up, I am pretty fond of it now. It is different and I know if a solicitor is calling because they cannot pronounce it at all. Easy fix. "Nope, nobody by the name of Susan here". (hehe)
A name is a name no matter how you look at it and how much time you put into it. It is just a name. We named our daughter the right name and had fun naming our dogs... Little Ms. BJ and Lucky Dog.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
The Start of School
We started back at school on Wednesday and the ladies in the office were running around trying to get everything ready for the first day of school. I let them know that if they needed anything, my last job before I had Katherine, I was an executive admin and I would be happy to help them out ~ answer the phones, making copies, fax, etc.
Thursday was the official first day of school. The kindergartners and pre-k didn't start until Friday.
So, lunch time on Thursday went really smooth. It was fun to see everyone back at school.
Friday... a very different story ~ Kindergartners.
They were so small and so lost. I showed them to their tables and their teachers took those that needed hot lunch, through the line. The teachers went to have their own lunch and these little guys ate so slow because they had no idea what was going on. My favorite was those that tried to hand me their trash. When I told them that they had to throw their own trash away, they looked at me like I had two heads.
Watching the three tables of kindergartners, there were also three tables of sixth graders and four tables of third graders. It was a bit busy in there and I was the only duty aid with help of the principal.
It was a bit overwhelming. After those kindergartners were done, it was time to switch ~ three tables out and two tables in. Time to do it all over again. There was even one little boy who came up to me and said that he was lost. He didn't know what color hair his teacher had and none of the kids looked familiar. We finally found his class all at the same time making sure that all of the other grades were behaving.
So, it was a bit busy. Finally when the kindergartners were done and it was just the first graders, the principal asked for me to see him after I was done. Ugg! Oh no! What did I do wrong? It was busy and crazy!
I just went on with my day, trying not to think about having to "see the principal". I don't know why that fear is still in me after all of these years.
Katherine's class came into the lunch room at the same time that the first graders were there. She didn't see me because I was on the other side of the room. Once the first graders were done with their lunch, they were dismissed and went outside to play. Katherine's class was still eating and I finally got to go and say "hi" to her. She was so surprised! Lots of hugs and she looked like she was having fun with her new class.
I was finally done with my day and it was time to see the principal. My heart was racing.
He called me into his office and said that they need to find someone with office experience to help out in the office. Oh, I could breathe again. He was offering me a position with more hours to help out in the office. I can totally do that. It's during school hours so I don't have to have before or after school care for Katherine when Brett is working. They are going to work around my schedule. Yea!!
I was on the fence if I was going to go back to school next semester to get my masters in education but it's so expensive ~ $17,000. Crazy! I also wasn't so sure if I would even be able to find a job after finishing school and I would have to start paying on the loans right away (thanks Obama) without a job and still in school. So, this is the best opportunity to happen. It is just an assistant to the administrative assistant right now but next year, they are hoping to have a third admin position and I would be the first to be considered.
What I have learned that in this economy is that patience works. No, I am not making the money that I was making before I left the workforce but starting back at the bottom and working your way up, works. I can walk to work (when the weather is cooler) to save gas, see Katherine through out the day and have the same schedule as Katherine and not have to pay for childcare. So, as I said before, I am not making the money as before but I am saving on gas and childcare which at the end of the day, can be very expensive. So, I think that it all washes out at the end. Woo Hoo!!
Thursday was the official first day of school. The kindergartners and pre-k didn't start until Friday.
So, lunch time on Thursday went really smooth. It was fun to see everyone back at school.
Friday... a very different story ~ Kindergartners.
They were so small and so lost. I showed them to their tables and their teachers took those that needed hot lunch, through the line. The teachers went to have their own lunch and these little guys ate so slow because they had no idea what was going on. My favorite was those that tried to hand me their trash. When I told them that they had to throw their own trash away, they looked at me like I had two heads.
Watching the three tables of kindergartners, there were also three tables of sixth graders and four tables of third graders. It was a bit busy in there and I was the only duty aid with help of the principal.
It was a bit overwhelming. After those kindergartners were done, it was time to switch ~ three tables out and two tables in. Time to do it all over again. There was even one little boy who came up to me and said that he was lost. He didn't know what color hair his teacher had and none of the kids looked familiar. We finally found his class all at the same time making sure that all of the other grades were behaving.
So, it was a bit busy. Finally when the kindergartners were done and it was just the first graders, the principal asked for me to see him after I was done. Ugg! Oh no! What did I do wrong? It was busy and crazy!
I just went on with my day, trying not to think about having to "see the principal". I don't know why that fear is still in me after all of these years.
Katherine's class came into the lunch room at the same time that the first graders were there. She didn't see me because I was on the other side of the room. Once the first graders were done with their lunch, they were dismissed and went outside to play. Katherine's class was still eating and I finally got to go and say "hi" to her. She was so surprised! Lots of hugs and she looked like she was having fun with her new class.
I was finally done with my day and it was time to see the principal. My heart was racing.
He called me into his office and said that they need to find someone with office experience to help out in the office. Oh, I could breathe again. He was offering me a position with more hours to help out in the office. I can totally do that. It's during school hours so I don't have to have before or after school care for Katherine when Brett is working. They are going to work around my schedule. Yea!!
I was on the fence if I was going to go back to school next semester to get my masters in education but it's so expensive ~ $17,000. Crazy! I also wasn't so sure if I would even be able to find a job after finishing school and I would have to start paying on the loans right away (thanks Obama) without a job and still in school. So, this is the best opportunity to happen. It is just an assistant to the administrative assistant right now but next year, they are hoping to have a third admin position and I would be the first to be considered.
What I have learned that in this economy is that patience works. No, I am not making the money that I was making before I left the workforce but starting back at the bottom and working your way up, works. I can walk to work (when the weather is cooler) to save gas, see Katherine through out the day and have the same schedule as Katherine and not have to pay for childcare. So, as I said before, I am not making the money as before but I am saving on gas and childcare which at the end of the day, can be very expensive. So, I think that it all washes out at the end. Woo Hoo!!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Past, Present, Future Friendship
There are those that come into your life, leave and then return...
Facebook has helped find friends that you may have lost contact with due to moving, going to a different school, or when you enter/left college.
I have had a grand time finding old friends on Facebook and reconnecting with them ~ from my grade school that I went to until the 6th grade, high school friends, old roommates, girls that I did gymnastics with, to those that I worked with.
In the past four weeks, I have seen three people that I didn't think that I would ever see again. Modern technology is pretty amazing.
I saw on Facebook that a friend of mine from high school was here in town. She invited me over to where she was staying as they were having a 4th of July party. I was hesitant to go but I am so glad that I did. It is crazy but we pretty much caught up where we had left off. It wasn't weird, it was comfortable. We talked for hours. It didn't seem like almost twenty years had past by.
When Brett and I went to Vegas a few weeks ago, I sent a message to a friend of mine that I used to work with at the bank. While I lived in Vegas, I rarely went down to the strip but she made a special trip down to see me and my family. It was so special. Then again, her and I caught up like no time had passed by.
Finally, a friend of mine in grade school was coming into town to stay with her mom for a few weeks. I suggested that we get together and she came over to our home with her family. Wow! This again, was so easy just to get right back to where we were thirty years ago. It was kind of like we were kids once again but grown ups. Not only did we talk for hours, we continued talking over lunch and into the early afternoon a few days later.
My mom gave me a poster when I was a kid that said:
"Make new friends but keep the old,
One is silver and the other is gold"
I am really looking forward to catching up with more friends. Life takes each of us down different paths with different experiences ~ what an exciting adventure!!
Facebook has helped find friends that you may have lost contact with due to moving, going to a different school, or when you enter/left college.
I have had a grand time finding old friends on Facebook and reconnecting with them ~ from my grade school that I went to until the 6th grade, high school friends, old roommates, girls that I did gymnastics with, to those that I worked with.
In the past four weeks, I have seen three people that I didn't think that I would ever see again. Modern technology is pretty amazing.
I saw on Facebook that a friend of mine from high school was here in town. She invited me over to where she was staying as they were having a 4th of July party. I was hesitant to go but I am so glad that I did. It is crazy but we pretty much caught up where we had left off. It wasn't weird, it was comfortable. We talked for hours. It didn't seem like almost twenty years had past by.
When Brett and I went to Vegas a few weeks ago, I sent a message to a friend of mine that I used to work with at the bank. While I lived in Vegas, I rarely went down to the strip but she made a special trip down to see me and my family. It was so special. Then again, her and I caught up like no time had passed by.
Finally, a friend of mine in grade school was coming into town to stay with her mom for a few weeks. I suggested that we get together and she came over to our home with her family. Wow! This again, was so easy just to get right back to where we were thirty years ago. It was kind of like we were kids once again but grown ups. Not only did we talk for hours, we continued talking over lunch and into the early afternoon a few days later.
My mom gave me a poster when I was a kid that said:
"Make new friends but keep the old,
One is silver and the other is gold"
I am really looking forward to catching up with more friends. Life takes each of us down different paths with different experiences ~ what an exciting adventure!!
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