Monday, December 22, 2008

Pictures, Pictures, and more Pictures

So I said I would post pictures today... here they are, starting with the lovely views of snow around my house....

Go for a car ride???? Please



This is the Church across the street, it has all these beautiful trees.... lovely just lovely




Fortunately my office was closed today so I don't have to unbury my car!







This a pic of the house early in the week, it buried all our weeds, Yay!
I will post the ones of Ronin's room later... as I seem to be having a difficult time with this thing, lol...






I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

Well... I sit here as the snow falls continuesly on the streets in front of my home... cozyily typing with my puppy on my lap and my husband playing video games... Ah the world is good right now.

It is not often that Mike and I get to have a day of together, I have weekends off and he has Monday's and Tuesday's off, so it does not make for a lot of 'us time'. But I have had two days off with him in the past week, and it is all due to the lovely fluffy stuff falling outside!!!! Yay for the snow!!!!!!

I never thought I would live to see a White Christmas (and considering the craziness of the weather, may not) But I do hold out hope. I am gald that it is snowing today as I also do not have to work!!! Wohoo! I have so much planned for today- finishing cleaning my office, making pumpkin bread, laying around doing nothing!!!! oh the joy of no time constraints.

I would post some picutres of the lovely snow, but to be honest, with my puppy sitting on my lap looking at me saying "if you move I will be VERY unhappy" I really can't get the cord that would attatch to my computer and download the pictures. YES I AM LAZY. Actually I wouldn't say I am lazy, those who have been 8 months pregnant before will understand that the process of getting up from a comfy couch (that sits rather low) is something that takes alot of will power and a good amount of energy. Generally I start by thinking... I am going to get up and make myself some tea... 5 minutes later I may actually have gotten up, or else I have completely given up the thought and remain comfortably where I am at.... haha.

I may post some pics later today... as we have some cute ones of my beenie baby (minture dachshund, named Maia) out in the snow.. she loves it! I am not sure what she thinks of it, Yesterday she went out side, just after it had snowed then freezing rain covered that snow, and she was walking around on top of the snow... it was too cute, she kept looking at me as I watched pleading with me to let her stay a little longer and explore, which was fine, as our yard is enclosed in the back. She loves it! So do I.... Well, that tea I mentioned earlier does sound good.... Ill let you know later if I actually got any, hehe.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Oh the weather outside is Frightful!

I love the snow... I just wish that it didn't get so darned icy- or that my place of work would close down so that I did not have to brave those icy roads to get there. Fortunately my wonderful husband has driven me to work the last couple of days.

But Snow days are those days that just call you to you to sit and drink a cup of hot tea/cider/coffee, and look out at the beautiful white covered landscape, and the delicate falling snow. I do hope it clears up enough for my Mom and Step-Dad to make it over for Christmas eve, and so that my Dad can come over the day after Christmas..... oh the treacherous irony of such beauty.

Well, speaking of the trecherous irony, and icy roads and having to go to work... I really should get back to the grind stone......

Oh by the way, I only have 4 weeks until my son..... MY SON is born... Oh my.... he is telling me "Yes mom, almost time for me to make my appearance, it is getting crowded in here."

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

I'm Still Here

I am still here! I just have been going in so many different directions that I haven't had time to sit at my computer and write. Even as I sit here now my body is saying "go to sleep Janet." Unfortunately I still have several hours left in the work day.

I did want to share something that I found absolutely wonderful! I went to go get the Thanksgiving Turkey, as it is at my new home this year. I was thinking that would be the most expensive item on my list.... but no.... it was probably the cheapest item on my list. I went to Safeway and used my Safeway Club Card and got a 22 lb. turkey for just $5.00. I was amazed and pleased when my total read 33 dollars and then when I slid my Safeway card it read 13 dollars (and some change). I am now a walking commercial for Safeway Club Cards..... most of their stuff is a tad spendy, but what a deal when it is on sale!!!! I think now the most expensive item will be the pork for the cabbage roles, unless it is on sale.!

Well I have not had any new pictures taken of me yet.... I know, I know, every one said I should chronicle my pregnancy with pictures each week. But it seems that when ever I remember to do it I am all by myself, and the one 'self portrait' I took was really quite sad...... But I will post pictures not only of me but of Ronin's room when it is complete, and I will try and post more frequently... even if it is just me rambling, I am told by my good friends that my rambling is funny and interesting.... so I am sorry but you can blame them if you find me boring.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

One small step at a time.

I was reading my friends blog yesterday and was inspired. She titled that day’s entry as purging + purifying, going on to describe the small changes she was wanting to make in her daily life, one step at a time. This is a goal that I have wanted to take on as my own, changing my self, to become more like Christ, one small step at a time.

I have a tendency to take on the world. I want to make a change in my life and I feel like it has to be BIG! And then I get overwhelmed and just give up. That is a rather exhausting way to live your life, honestly!

On discovering that I am going to be a mom I have realized one thing, that I CANNOT do it all. Being pregnant is one of the most exhausting things ever…. At the end of every day I feel as though I have climbed mount Everest, when all I have done is sit at a computer all day, occasionally getting up to go to the printer (which is five steps from my desk). I do not have the energy I once had, and it has made me realize that my lofty goals of not only having a spotless home, but of being a famous author, painter, and at some point entrepreneur, are just too much to take on all at once. Like my friend said in her blog, “For me it is important to start slowly, not expect to much of myself, and to celebrate small victories(not dwell on the failures).” Right on sister friend is what I say.

So here’s to starting slowly, celebrating small victories and starting on the road to becoming a better, less stressed person!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

IM SO EXCITED

You realize you are an adult when small, seemingly silly things excite you. Case in point. My husband and I have just bought a house, and with that, we had to get a new refridgerator and oven. Well... the fridge we got had a water/ice despenser in the door that we have been unable to hook up as to location etc... Well... today we got it hooked up, and I am sitting here at work , just waiting to go home and try it out!!! HaHaHa. I feel so silly. But it really is a nice feature to have and it has been there but unusable for the past 3 months.

Heavy sigh!

Back to the grind stone, for now, will attempt to post some new pics later today.

Friday, August 29, 2008

Being Pregnant

Oh the joy's of being pregnant!!! I am starting to 'feel' pregnant. Like trying to get up from the couch, I can't just jump up like I used to, I make that grunting noise and "lug" myself off the couch. And I am only 21 weeks!!!! Granted I did start showing early, but I don't think I am that big. Imagine if now I feel like it is a trial (albeit a minor trial) I can't imagine how much of a trail getting up from a lying/sitting postion will be by month 9. Yikes!!!

Another joy I have found is that my ability to concentrate, along with my desire to concentrate has gone OUT the window. I say OUT in capitals, becuase it seems likely it is gone for good. Which does not bode well for the job. hehe

My final joy (are we noticing that the last to joy's were not in fact joy's?) is those comments and 'advice' that everyone gives you! Seriously, did I ask you your opinion??? NO- so stop talking. Or for example, I told my wonderful husband that I was really starting to feel pregnant, and his respone was, "Oh your not even close" as if he knows, and even if you do know, please let me just make my comment and shut up!!!

I was reading Jenny McCarthy's Belly Laughs (which is a great read by the way). At one point she talks about Pyscho Chick. Now, granted I have been psycho chick before I got pregnant, (around that time of th emonth). But this Pyscho Chick is always lurking in the back ground, I am pretty good at controling her, but let me tell you, if one more person makes some comment that belittles what I am saying (or makes me feel like they are belittling my experiance) she could come out and start throwing things and screaming and crying.... whhoo boy she will.


I have yet to have a chance of experiancing what I consider to be the one true joy of pregnancy yet, and that is to feel little Ronin moving. I know that it can happen anywhere between 16 and 22 weeks, but I want to have it happen NOW!!! I think it would make me feel more comfortable with the fact that YES there is really a baby in there you are not going to wake up to this being a dream.

Well I could go on babbeling about this, but since I am at work and my break was probably over 5 mintues ago, I should go back and be productive (insert sad face here)

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Ode To America

I got an Email from my dad with this article. Lets just say that it brought a tear to my eye and a smile to my face to know how others view America.

Enjoy

~An Ode to America?~

Why are Americans so united? They would not resemble one another even if you painted them all one color! They speak all the languages of the world and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations and religious beliefs.

On 9/ll, the American tragedy?turned three hundred million people into a hand put on the heart. Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the Army, or the Secret Service that they are only a bunch of losers. Nobody rushed to empty their bank accounts. Nobody rushed out onto the streets nearby to gape about. Instead the Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a helping hand.

After the first moments of panic , they raised their flag over the smoking ruins, putting on T-shirts, caps and ties in the colors of the national flag. They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in every place and on every car a government official or the president was passing. On every occasion, they started singing: 'God Bless?America?!'

I watched the live broadcast and rerun after rerun for hours listening to the story of the guy who went down one hundred floors with a woman in a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the Californian hockey player, who gave his life fighting with the terrorists and prevented the plane from hitting a target that could have killed other hundreds or thousands of people.
How on earth were they able to respond united as one human being. Imperceptibly, with every word and musical note, the memory of some turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes. And with every phone call, millions and millions of dollars were put into collection aimed at rewarding not a man or a family, but a spirit, which no money can buy. What on earth can unites the Americans in such way? Their land? Their history? Their economic Power? Money? I tried for hours to find an answer, humming songs and murmuring phrases with the risk of sounding commonplace, I thought things over, I reached but only one conclusion... Only freedom can work such miracles.

~Cornel Nistorescu

published under the title 'C'ntarea Americii, meaning 'Ode To America ') in the Romanian newspaper Evenimentulzilei 'The Daily Event' or 'News of the Day'

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

ITS A BOY

Mike is VERY happy that he was right and that it is a boy. I am excited too. Once I got over the fact that I won't be reading the "Anne of Green Gables" series to him, I was just fine.
So here is a big welcome to Ronin Kael Olson

I still am in awe at the fact that I am going to a Mom... I still feel like I am 16.... and NOT ready for that much responsability. But here we go anyway, right? I always feel that way when I pay bills and have to go to work, but those just aren't as constant as having a little one.... God is going to have to kick me in the toosh. LOL

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Exhaustion



So I heard that it was not unusual to be tired in your first trimester (and a month into the second) but I never knew how bad it could be... Since we moved in I have had little to no energy to do anything towards butting my house together, and when I do try and get stuff down around the house, by the time that I am done, I am exhasuted ( and that is only half way done). And htat is how I feel right now I have done a lot today and really wanted to post a current picture of me (at my mom's request). Here I am at 16 1/2 weeks:




I also had to include a picture of my wennie dog in rapt attention towards the cat sitting on the fence. She just loves cats, and doesn't seem to understand why they don't like her. :)

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Me and my house



Okay- so here are the pictures of my house I promised(not such great quality I know). And one of me at 12.5 weeks. I am now at 14 weeks. and will have a new pic soon.


Friday, July 11, 2008

Baby Names

It is not an easy task trying to pick out a baby name. There those names you like, but your husband doesn't, and there are those names that are associated with a person you care not to remember, and the list goes on. Well, we have decided on the names.... Ronin Kael Olson for a boy and Madalyn Grace Olson if it is a girl.

Just had to share them with you all!!!! and next time I post I will have a pic of me and the baby (about 3 inches now)

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

FINALLY THERE!!!

Well- we are finally in the new house!!! It is WONDERFUL, but messy. I have yet to take pictures but will add them as soon as I do. I just thought I would update everyone the status of moving, as per last blog entry I was waiting waiting waiting. Lets just say that Mike and I have decided to stay at this place for the next 10 years because we HATE the process of buying a house. Way to much stress.
I am at work, so really should get back to being productive. But those pics will be up soon, I promise.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Almost there!

You hear people say that buying a house is stressful. You think to yourself.... how stressful can it be, really? WOW it is very stressful... to say the least... there are a great many number of things that can hold up closing... let's just say that next time around I will be more prepared . (if there is a next time.) We are on the home stretch and hope to be in soon (not giving a date for fear of jixing it, not that I believe in that kind of thing.) But let us not dwell on things that are out of our control.... I do not want to stress about it any more.

Moving on to 'more funner' things (i love to say that for some strange reason, I think it is the rebel in me, haha).

Baby pics... sort of.... he/she is 1 1/2 inches long right now, and you can tell it is a baby. :0)
This is baby at 10 1/2 weeks, the size of a kumkwat according to the baby cener email I get.

Well, although it is not late, i am tired and want to vegg for a big... so more later, I promise

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Wonderful Surprise

My husband and I have started the process of buying a house, my mom says it isn’t really ‘buying” a house like you can buy a car or groceries; it is negotiating for a house. Oh so true. My real-estate agent was saying it was the “hurry up and wait” game.

Well on top of the house buying we found out that we are expecting our first child!!! I am so excited, it was not really expected, but we are thrilled none the less.

Life is wonderful right now (minus the stress of negotiating for the house).

Monday, March 3, 2008

A moment of Pure Insanity

It has been a long time since I have written. I find it interesting that I love to write… but seem to find so little time to do it in. It is not that I am too busy… I just seem to find things to fill my time up with that are really unimportant. I spend too much time in front of the television for example. I do make blankets from crotching, so the time is not 100 % wasted, but it seems that the one thing that I truly enjoy doing (writing) I spend very little time actually pursuing.

Why is that I wonder…. Well, I know that when I get home from work I am really tired. Although my job is rewarding, it is very mentally consuming at this time. I truly enjoy it but it is the first job I have had that has required any amount of mental activity. Which I feed on, since I am no longer a student it is nice to have something to replace that void with… but it makes for a very lazy Janet at the end of the day.

Well I am sitting here as I download songs off CD’s on to my computer so t hat I can put them on my new iPhone. Yes… I gave in to the technology hype and got an iPhone. I breathe a heavy sigh as the reality of the situation sets in. I, was going to stand my ground an NOT get an iPhone; have fallen into the technological abyss known as the iPhone. I almost felt like I was in high school , everyone was getting one and so I HAD to get one, but I was determined. Well look w here that determination got me… NOWHERE.

Oh well, it is not as if I sold my soul or anything. I just got an iPhone. Let me tell you something. It is awesome. I love it. I can do EVERYTHING on this baby. Haha

Well I should get going it is getting late… but I wanted to write a little since I have been unintentionally avoiding it.

Friday, February 29, 2008

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Too Long

I heave a heavy sigh as I sit to write tonight…. It has been quite some time since I last wrote… life does get away from you at times, and often we wonder how it happened.

But here I am, sitting at my desk, writing words on a blank page, hoping at some point in time that a glimmer of brilliance will appear. I chuckle to myself at this moment, thinking that my brain has nothing in it at the moment… it has been a long several weeks, were my down times are literally times when I just want to do nothing. I long for the days when I had half the day to while away… nothing to do except look at the mounting pile of dishes in the sink thinking “I really should do those now” but needing to do them at that moment because tomorrow was just as good. Now it seems like I am not home to actually see the mounting pile of dishes, I only know it is there, and the knowledge eats away at me. I normally do the ‘heavy’ work on the weekends and save the easy stuff for the week days. Unfortunately I have had something every weekend for the past month. One family member or another visiting, or some even that is a must attend. It is these that I blame my messy house on, but only because it makes me feel better.

Enough about my messy house and my inability to sit down at my desk and type………

Ah, the brilliance still evades me…

Well since it evades me now would be a good time to wrap it up, hoping that next time I will come back sooner than this.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Head banger

I sigh heavily as I sit down to write tonight. It has been one of those days. You all know them, the one that makes you just want to take the advice of the sign that many people have hanging on their office wall, "bang head hear!"

I will preface with this. I love my job! Let me say that again I LOVE my job. It is the first “real” job that I have had. Mostly up until this point I have worked retail (which I hate with a passion I cannot fully put into words) or those tedious repetitive jobs that make you want to pull your hair out because there is nothing better to do. But it is days like today that the tedium of my old jobs is something I long for. I look at my desk and see the piles of paper getting larger, and the phone keeps ringing with return calls, half the time can’t even remember why I called them in the first place. ( I’m supposed to note it in our computer system, but I am creative and that sometimes is too concrete for me hehe). To top it all off we had a procedure meeting, heavy sigh! We are a relatively new department so certain things have not had a ‘set’ way of doing them, and this meeting was meant to clarify things. I laugh out loud and ask how that was supposed to help… I don’t know… really I don’t know.

I take a few moments and pause, calling my dog, as she probably has gotten into the garbage again. I have decide to close the door, so she can’t get to the garbage ( I am SO clever). Coming back to my computer, my thoughts have made a slight course adjustment… which it often does. I don’t even need a brief pause, I will, as many of my acquaintances will attest to, jump from one topic of conversation to the next with out any prior warning. The one thing about writing that has an advantage over talking in real life is that I can prepare you for my course adjustment, and any alterations. All this to say that what I want to say next is only partially related to what I have already said. (Oh My I even amaze myself sometimes.)

Isn’t it odd that society has somehow ingrained in us that we should be a certain way. I mean take my work situation. As I mentioned I have worked slightly above minimum wage jobs most of my life post high school life. Some of which drove me to a near nervous breakdown due to my extreme hatred of them (Wal-Mart/State farm Call Center). I had convinced myself that being in my late 20’s and working at some of these jobs was degrading, I mean I am told that I am intelligent (don’t always believe it, but hey) and due to this vote of confidence from friends, family, and an odd stranger here and there I felt like I was far above the jobs I had work. I would tell my self that I was worth more than this. Now… when you really take a look at the why behind those jobs, a whole new story comes to light. So, what was they why behind these jobs. I have my bachelors. I worked at Wal-Mart to pay the bills while I got that. The State farm Call Center job was also a job to help pay the bills while I was working on my Master’s ( I was married by this time). I have finally found a job that allows me to use my mind… I get to make important decisions, and I am not jus the girl behind the cash register or on the other end of the phone line annoying the heck out of you. It is not my dream job, but I love it.

So what does this mean. It means that society doesn’t matter. When you boil it all down, you have to make the decision of how to perceive your world. Are you going to let the preconceived prejudices of this world hold you down and make you feel less worth. My answer to that is: heck no. This world, sadly enough, is corrupt, and in that corruption these preconceived notions of what is the norm are born. I have not read my bible in too long, but one thing that I do know, God died for me… if I was the only person on the planet, He would have died for me. He is the one that we should be looking to for validation, not the person on the other side of the cash register, not even the people who read my blogs (although I appreciate comments). When someone speaks something to you in love, take it, evaluate it and grow. When someone makes an off hand remark about where you are in your life, remind yourself that you are just where God has placed you, and don’t let that off hand remark get you down. This is something that I often have to remind myself off, along with those I love.

I always feel as though I should have some wise word to sum things up with, a ‘good ending.’ But all I can say is this… live your life the way YOU want to live your life… not the way that society says you should.

Friday, January 11, 2008

My Second First Time

This is not my first time starting a blog- but it will be my first time maintaining said blog. I have a wonderful tendency to start something and then forget about it. I have every intention of keeping up on it, but for one reason or another the darn thing slips out of my mind. Well... I make a promise that today I will start anew... it helps that my dear friend who suggested I would be a wonderful blogger most likely won't let me forget about it. But with that said, I will tell a little about myself, as that seems appropriate for my first posting.

My name is Janet Olson, I grew up in a small town that most will know as the home of Keiko the Whale (for a brief time) which is Newport Oregon. Due to the nearness to the ocean, I am fond of wide open spaces, and love the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. The one major thing that I miss about living in Newport is the sound of the fog horns out on the ocean as I drifted off to sleep in my youth. There is nothing more soothing than the lulling sound of the deep horns warning the ships that land is near.

I am an alumnus of Western Oregon University, which is located in the small town of Monmouth (yes even smaller than my home town). I graduated with my BA in English Literature, with a minor in Art. I enjoy painting, but due to lack of space have not done as much as I would like. My medium is Oil's and my subject matter is what ever strikes me at the moment. I currently am fond of abstract art, partially because perfection does not enter the picture (since I am a perfectionist this takes away the element of frustration I often get) and partially because it allows me to choose the color combinations, free of any real world restrictions.

I am very close to finishing my Masters of Arts in English Literature, I just have some corrections to make on my Thesis, and then it will be up to those who are reading as to whether or not I should get it. My mentor says it is good, and she has good taste, so I take her word for it. The title of my thesis is Humor as Social Commentary in the Novels of Jane Austen. Some day I hope to apply this to all of her novels, but as it stand I choose her Juvenile works along with Pride and Prejudice and Persuasions. It was fun to write, and I learned a lot about the brilliance of Jane Austen and how she attempted to "buck the system" in her own way. I would say that she is the female version of Shakespeare, she could comment on the society that she was writing for, and they enjoyed it, not realizing that she was criticizing them. If that is not brilliance then I don't know what is!

I will be married for 3 years this coming May! Marriage is a wonderful, yet difficult path, but it is worth it. My husband is such a caring person, and I strive to be as generous as he is. We don't have any children yet, but we do have our miniature dachshund Maia! She is quite the handful... at this moment she is attempting to get comfortable on her pillow, but had been whining for me to play play play.... I wish I only had half as much energy as she does. Lately she has been a very disobedient little thing... any suggestions anyone might have on keeping her in line would be greatly appreciated.

Well.... I could go on and on and on and on and on and well you get the idea, but it seems that it is time for me to stop.

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