Just two days away from a weekend of minimal responsibility!

Woohoo!

You have no idea how ready I am for a vacation. Even just a weekend one because we can't afford to take more time off work. (More in the job security department than the money department, even though that is also an issue.) Last May, Mike's birthday weekend and Memorial day weekend, we took a "stay-cation" and spent the weekend at Nicolette's house. Before that, for my birthday (January 2008), we (along with Nicolette and Jeremy) spent one night in Wendover....aaaand...that's the extent of our vacationing since July 2007 when we went to Oregon and Washington for two family reunions. It is now April 2009!

Between jobs and school (on a side note, I am happy to report that I passed my Flash class last month, so THERE!) it's hard to take time off. Even a few days off puts us behind. We finally just took the plunge and I requested this weekend off at work. That's three days of work I'm missing, three days of pay. OH WELL. Thank goodness for tax returns, right?

We have flights to Vegas booked. We're not wasting a second of our time on driving. The 9 pm flights are considerably cheaper, and we have to wait for Joshua to get off work anyway, so that's when we're leaving Friday night and returning Sunday night. A room, for two nights, at the Luxor is also booked. My parents are ready and excited for their favorite (and only) grandson to spend the weekend with them. My brother in law Jefferson is ready and excited to take care of our dogs for us. Those are the important things, taken care of. Beyond that, we don't really have any plans yet. It'll be nice to just get away, knowing that Mike (and the dogs) are ok, and just do whatever we want to do. Nowhere we need to be, nothing we should be doing (not a single diaper needing to be changed!), and the weather being in the 70's instead of the 30's. ha ha.

Sure, I'll miss Mike, but it will be nice to have two nights of sleeping straight through the night. :)

Things Mike learned this weekend

I was at work pretty much all day both Saturday and Sunday. These are the things Mike learned while I was away:

- He now says Daddy, where before he just said Dad. (more like Da) He has recently done this with Mommy/Mom, too.

- New word: Puppy. Clear as day.

- He can open his bedroom door from the inside. I guess I need to childproof if I want to keep him in there at nap time.

Las Vegas?

Joshua and I need a vacation. Our last vacation was one night in Wendover for my birthday over a year ago. As a server, you don't get paid to go on vacation, and Joshua doesn't have enough vacation hours at his day job to go anywhere big. So...we're going to be huge copy cats and do what Nicolette and Jeremy did this last weekend - a weekend in Vegas. We'll probably leave Mike with family and take off as soon as Joshua gets off work on a Friday, then come home Sunday afternoon/evening.

So...I need suggestions and tips. Especially from those of you who live there. Best hotels, best places to eat, etc. (on a budget of course!)

Dear Anonymous Commenter

"Just finish school." Is the worst advice I've ever heard. Easier said than done. I know the best solution would be to finish school. Duh. I'm looking for advice on how to do it.

You don't go to school to get brains. You go to school to get a piece of paper that says you're worth more than someone else. I have brains.

I guarantee that every hug and kiss I get from my son means more to me than that piece of paper that means so much to the rest of the world. I hope you're blog hopping. If I've ever met you in person, please let me know so I will never let you near my child.

Being a MOTHER is the most important thing I could ever be. If that means a college degree is the only way my husband and I can provide a nice home for our son all have all three of us be home at the same time more than a few hours a week, then that's what I'll do. I just wish I didn't have to.

School

School is not going so well. It should be going well. Considering school, mine is really easy!

A few reasons why it's not going well:

1. Joshua isn't home anymore to take care of Mike while I listen to my class. The nights he is home we want to be doing things together!
2. Classes are BORING. I have a really hard time focusing, even when I don't have Mike with me.
3. I live 45 minutes away from campus, and books are only available to be picked up on weekdays before noon. I'm almost halfway through my current classes and haven't done anything because both classes require books. Books I don't have because I haven't had a car and when I have had a car, I haven't gotten myself and child up, ready, and out the door before 11 am. (Haven't tried very hard either)
4. The biggest problem, which goes along with the others: I'm just not motivated anymore!

As much as I hate quitting, I would really just like to. The reasons I haven't yet:

1. I would have to give back my laptop.
2. I would have to pay back my loans without anything to show for it. (like a degree)
3. The classes I've taken in the last year don't transfer to any other school.

Wouldn't it be nice if I didn't have to worry about getting a good job? Can't I just stay at home with my son (and future children) and NOT work?

I have less than a year left. I just need to get it done and behind me, but I don't want to!

Anyone with dogs?

The two dogs have been getting along great, for the most part. This evening Dom has started playing a little too rough with Hayley. Probably because he was wanting to go to sleep, but didn't want her stealing any of his areas. So, for Hayley's safety, we separated them for the night. Dom is blocked into the family room, as usual, and Hayley is in a kennel in the front room. Now they're both barking. Are we going to get any sleep tonight?


(PS Hayley came with the name Haylee from the shelter. I changed the spelling to be like the lead singer, Hayley Williams, from the awesome band Paramore. They are coming to Utah with No Doubt, who is back together - obviously, in May. Hopefully I am going to that concert!)

It's official, I've gone crazy.

We felt bad for Dom. He accidentally killed his friend. So...when I was at the shelter today to pick him up, I asked if there was a friend there for him that he wouldn't hurt. They suggested this little girl. I thought she was cute, so we adopted her! She is a 6 month old Staffordshire Terrior. She looks small (compared to this bear we call our puppy), but she can hold her own! She can pin Dom to the ground whenever she feels like it. He is loving it! I'm happy to have Dom back, happy to see him exhausted, and happy to have another female in the house!