the making of our swing-set

Grandpa and Nana came over on Saturday morning to start the ridiculously tedious process of putting together our new swing set.  Now, what you should know is that when Chris and I started talking about swing sets a month ago we BOTH decided that paying to it delivered and assembled would be the way to go. To us a couple hundred bucks is worth avoiding the loss of a weekend and the huge headache of putting it together ourselves. And then we found the swing set at Sams, super cute, big enough for our girls to use for years and very affordable. But they don't have assembly as an option. Damn. Well, we thought for sure some pieces would be put together and it would come at least partially assembled. Not a chance! I am not kidding people every board, bolt, screw and piece of plastic was separate. We could not believe it! 

Anyway, we got started. 

 Avery (and Sam at different times) had to test out the slide.

 Avery also wanted to help sweep up our mess...

which apparently turned her into a witch!

Here is our progress after day one! 

 And here we are at 2:30 today!!  I could not believe that Chris and I powered through it and got it done today. The girls could not have been more excited.

And I am one happy momma, knowing that once again I can open the door and send them out for hours of fresh air, imaginative play and exercise! 

 Next step...customize their little cottage to become the best mud kitchen ever!

i got a job

I am getting my foot in the door. I am doing something for me! Starting tomorrow I am a working mom, at least for three months. After a lot of randomly sending my resume out to people that seemed to have connections to environmental education in the Peoria area I actually peaked someone's interest! There was a part time biology lab technician position open at Bradley and they thought I might be interested in it. Now, it has been since my freshman year of undergrad that I have graced a biology lab but the professors in charge of the position said that what they really needed was someone for just three months (that is the time left on the grant funding for the position) with grant writing, publication writing, networking and administrative experience. And I have all of that! Plus, the two professors that are in charge of this position play pretty major roles at Bradley, one of them is the co-director of the STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics) Education Center at Bradley, which does a TON of great teacher education programs and outreach programs with the area public schools. I am honored to be able to work with both of them and show them what I can do. So, is this my dream job? Nope. BUT showing them what I am capable of may help me land an awesome job somewhere down the line at Bradley. This job is just from now until May 31st. That gives me three months to show them I am awesome and that they just have to hire me back for a teaching or program development position in the very near future!!

On the flip side...me going back to work means my girls are going into full time care two days a week. And then my amazing new neighbor will keep the girls for me on Fridays. That is three days a week that they are in the care of someone else. It is crazy that I have been praying, begging and striving to get a job for two months and now that I have one (and start tomorrow!) the mommy guilt is almost overwhelming. Why am I doing this to myself? Why for once can't I just be confident about my decision, know that my girls will be fine (better than fine probably) and this will be good for all of us? AHHH! Well, too late to turn back now.

Our life changes big time tomorrow!