How to Make Cute Turkey Cupcake Toppers
2 years ago
It seems like I've been looking for a job for a year, and well, it's been just about a year now! Recently this has gotten very frustrating for me because I've been applying for pretty much anything that has come along. Most of the jobs out there have nothing to do with my degree which is sad to me seeing how long it took me to get it, but I'm applying anyway. I've had some interviews and been told I'm over qualified for positions have come up empty handed.
If you remember back to this post and this post, you'll remember that I went on an interview last fall with a magazine called Hilton Head and beyond. This was a graphic design job and one that I was very interested in. Well, I didn't get the position, they decided not to hire anyone at that time, however, I've just been in contact with them again this week about the position! They have me doing a project as part of the interview process this time. They've given me sort of a fake task to complete and have given a deadline for it. So this weekend I've been working on 2 ad designs and a 4 page magazine spread. I'm really hoping this job works out as I would love to have this position.
Right before this position opened up I decided that I was getting tired of waiting around for a job and I was going to try and get my own graphic design business up and running. I've been working on getting a website with some of my work up and have made a few contacts. At the very least I hope to get some freelance work rolling in. I've also been meeting with some friends and taking a lot of pictures in the hopes of also doing some photography on the side. These are a few pictures of my friend Ellen's little girl that I did this week.
This is what I did last night while Joe was out for a bit...White chocolate raspberry cheesecake! It is sooo yummy!
Watching my morning cartoons
The shirt says it all
Grandpa says this makes me a true "guy"
There's an elephant loose!
Bath time!
I LOVE pickles!
Grandma with her favorite boys
Reading books with Grandpa
Uncle Chris and Jackson sporting their Tigers hats!
I'm cool
I'd had enough sun so napped right here for a few hours!
Well, I'm not sure if I have any faithful readers left since I don't seem to update much. It's my goal though to be better.
I can't believe how quickly the summer is going! My mom came to visit the first week of June, just a few days before Joe was done with school for the summer. She was here just shy of a month. For one of those weeks my brother was also here and for the final week my dad was here. We had a lot of fun enjoying the sun (not so much the heat) but hitting the pool most days and the beach a few days as well. Other than that we just hung out playing with the baby. She spoiled us rotten, and even though it was such a long trip it was still sad to see her go. Her and my dad, as well as my brother will all be back the first part of August though as we are having Jackson baptized. It's looking like they are the only family that will be here so it will be a pretty low key event. My dad will preform it in the ocean!
Joe has been off of work since the second week of June and quickly became bored! He was able to go to Atlanta to Six Flags with the Jr. High youth group we both work with and then from there they headed into Tennessee and spent the day white water rafting. He seemed to have a great time. Shortly after he got back he decided to seek out a part time job as he was bored. So, he's working 25-30 hours a week at Staples. He's just really getting into the swing of things this week. School goes back here much earlier than it does in Michigan, Joe goes back August 10th and the students start back the 17th. I'm in a wedding in Michigan the 15th, so Jackson and I will have to make the trip alone.
Jackson is so much fun! With each new stage I think I like this one more than the one before it! He's 6 months old now and getting to be a big boy. He's learning all sorts of new things and it won't be long now until he's mobil. He loved having Grandma and Grandpa here, Grandma was the only one that could really get him giggling. He's sleeping through the night for the most part, and we're working on trying to get the 6am (sometimes 5) wakeup calls to a more reasonable hour! He's eating solid foods now and it's fun trying new stuff with him. He also loves our pets but by the fistfuls of hair I've found I'm guessing the dog doesn't always appreciate him!
As for me I'm still enjoying it here in South Carolina. The heat took a little getting used to, some days it nears 115 with the heat index, but I'm getting there. I'm STILL searching for a job and it does get quite frustrating. It's been almost a year now that I've been searching. I've had some interviews but there just aren't many graphic design opportunities right now. I've been applying for office jobs and am also trying to get my own graphic design/photography stuff up and running. I'm working on a website now and then hopefully I can drum up some business.
I think that's all that's going on here right now. I will post some pictures of what our summer has looked like so far.
Once again I apologize for being such a slacker. Most of the time it just doesn't feel like our lives are full enough to update anything!
Things in SC are good. We are still enjoying it here a lot. I enjoy being able to go down to the beach whenever I want and put Jackson in his stroller and just walk. I'm already amazed at how warm the water is! Growing up I was either in Lake Michigan or the New England coasts which never really get all that warm. The water here is already warmer than Lake Michigan gets! In fact, over labor day weekend last fall we went to the beach one day and the water temp was 91!
Things in general here are getting warm if not HOT. The high today is 96! We are trying to really get a lot of use out of our pool here and thankfully Jackson loves the pool.
One nice thing is that we are starting to meet more and more people in the area. It's been hard, especially since I'm not working, to meet friends but we've formed a really great group of friends from our church and are enjoying that. We are also helping out with the Jr. High kids there and have meet some people through that. Most recently we have starting hanging out with our neighbors. I had talked to her at the pool one day as they have a baby boy 2 months older than Jackson (and a 3 year old little girl), and Joe and her husband have hit it off as well. They are in a similar situation as us being new to the area and not knowing many people. So again, little by little SC is becoming more and more like home.
Joe only has 3 full days of school left and 2 half days. He is READY to be done. I'm not sure who's more ready him or the kids. He's had a great year and does loves his job but he's ready for a break! One thing we are learning is that schools here don't have the long summer breaks that we are used to in Michigan. They don't get out until the second week of June, but they go back much earlier, Mid August for the kids and the first of August for the teachers.
We don't have a whole lot planned for the summer at this point. My mom is coming down on Thursday and will stay for 2 weeks and then my dad will join her for another week. We are planning a trip to Michigan (hopefully) in Mid July for a friends wedding and then I am in a wedding in Mid August in Michigan. The July wedding we're all going to try and come for but the August trip will most likely just be Jackson and I as Joe will already be back to school. If you want a beach vacation we have space and would love to see you!
I have enjoyed being home with Jackson so much but have also been job searching for about 3 months now. It's frustrating and there's not much out there at all. We were hoping that I would be working all summer since Joe will be home with Jackson but we'll see. I continue to look and there are a few prospects out there. We're just hoping that something comes along soon.
Now every month I say in regards to Jackson that "this is such a fun age!" and they all have been so far, I love being a mom and watching him change every day but this 4 month stage has been SO MUCH FUN! He giggling and rolling and eating some solids and in general is so much more interactive. I can't believe how much he's changed since we got home from Michigan just over a month ago! He's pulling up to his knees which reminds us as he's turning 5 months that mobility is just around the corner! How fast time flies!
This is how Jackson and I spent our Mother's Day....curled up for a nice long nap!
Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.
I did NOT snack on a piece of fruit pizza at 4am while making a bottle!
I also did not waste away almost an entire weekend and ignore my child and husband playing a stupid video game. Nope I would never do such a thing.
I also did not let the dog lick the spit up off of the child or the floor. I wouldn't do that cause that's just disgusting!
tonight we found out that we were pregnant with Jackson. It was the best surprise ever! Check it out here.
We found these pictures the other night forgetting that they had ever been taken...It's so hard to believe that it's been 4 months already! Jackson is getting to be such a big boy and he's so much fun! He's learning something new every day weather it's rolling over, or new sounds. I don't think we had any clue before he was here how smitten we'd be or how much fun we'd have!
We've gotten a glimpse the last few days of how South Carolina summers will be. Yesterday a friend and I took our little ones walking in the strollers. My stroller happens to have a temperature gage on it and it read 106 at 2pm. I think it was a little off but the one in my car said 96. It was hot, especially since I don't seem to own a SINGLE pair of shorts! Anyway, today was another warm one so we took advantage of our pool. We had a great day hanging out and floating with Jackson. The pool was still a bit cool but he didn't seem to mind at all and it felt great being that it was sooo hot! The pool was full of kids but the were all careful to watch out for the baby. We also found that it's a great place to meet some people. So, we hung out there all day. It's nice that it's directly across from our house as I was able to run home quick and make lunch and bring it back for us and stuff like that. I've decided that Jackson and I may need to take advantage of this on a daily basis while daddy's at work ;)
Getting ready to go to the pool
Lookin' Good!
Floating in my crab, I liked it much more than it looks!
Splashin'
Played so hard I took a nap in my stroller
Then we all took a nap when we got home!
and settle in because it's gonna be a long one! We are finally back from Michigan, but my parents have the worlds slowest computer so I wasn't able to do any updating while I was there, so you get it all in one giant post!
The trip went really well. I was so nervous to fly with Jackson, I just didn't want to be the lady with the screaming baby that everyone was annoyed with. He did so well though! He didn't make a peep the entire trip, in fact he slept...the ENTIRE time! The flight left at 6am which was a little rough but worked well as he normally sleeps during that time.
The first week I was there I just kind of hung out. I went to Mt. Pleasant and visited some friends which I always love to do. I also went to Indiana and spent a night with Joe's mom, and stopped and saw his grandparents on the way home. They were so excited to meet their great grandson! However, I ended up with a NASTY bout of the stomach flu that day! And I apparently spread it everywhere I went (Indiana, and in Jackson, and everyone I came in contact with for a week!). We were supposed to be leaving the following day to go to New York to visit my aunt and uncle but we were too sick! So, that second week we just hung out around the house for the most part. We did some shopping too, due to the fact that it was COLD in Michigan. In fact we got 6 inches of snow at one point.
Look, I'm starting to find my thumb!
Hanging out on my grandma's bed
On Good Friday, which was also opening day for the Tigers we stopped in to see my dad at his office because Jackson was dressed for the occasion! Needless to say Grandpa and him went home to watch the game!
Jackson changed so much in the 3.5 weeks that we were gone! I think I've seen the most change during this period than any other thus far! He's really "talking" these days and will lay in his crib and babble for long periods of time. He's also become quite interactive and will "talk" to you and also smile. He also had a new trick while we were gone. If you put him in front of a mirror he will smile and flirt with the cute baby in the mirror! Too funny! Oh, he also went through quite a growth spurt!
Joe got there on Good Friday around 7pm and we were really happy to see him. He was surprised at how much Jackson had changed in 2 weeks. The first few days he was there were consumed by the fact that we bought a new car...a mini van! I remember being in high school and being mortified that I had to drive my parents minivan and now I bought one for myself and was rather excited by it...how life changes! We had kind of a horrible buying experience, but got the car that we wanted.
For Easter we went to church and then Joe's mom came to my parents and we all had a big meal. It was great having both sides of the family there to be with us and Jackson and it meant that we didn't have to drive all over the place. Both Grandma's spoiled Jackson to death. My mom bought him an adorable first Easter outfit and Sandy got him the most creative Easter Basket. She filled it with all sorts of baby food, cereal, spoons, etc. It was a lot of fun and we even tried out cereal for the first time later that night.
After we got the car situation worked out we headed on the road to visit the rest of the people that we needed to see. We started by spending and afternoon with Joe's grandparents and dad. Again, they were so happy to see Jackson. We just hung out and then went to dinner.
4 generations of Evenden Men
Next we headed to Indiana to spend a night with Joe's mom. Again, we didn't do much but got to spend a lot of time with her. She is smitten with Jackson and I think was sad to see him go. Next we headed to Grand Rapids to visit Joe's good friend Drew, his wife Katie and their kids. They have a daughter who is just a year older than Jackson and she was really cute giving him hugs! Maybe Jackson's future girl friend?
Drew and Joe and their kids!
Olivia hugging Jackson
The last thing we did was to head to Mt. Pleasant for a night. Joe was really excited to go to the bank and see all the ladies and have them meet Jackson. We also had lunch with a friend and then a few friends meet us for dinner. After that we had a babysitter and we went out for a night on the town with all our friends. I have to say I haven't had that much fun in well, almost a year! It was good to just laugh and hang out with old friends! Thanks everyone! The next morning we headed back to Lansing and packed up the car and then went and visited my mom at school, and then we all went out to dinner. Needless to say Grandma was not excited to see us or Jackson go!
We waited until Jackson went to bed around 8:30 pm and then we hit the road and drove through the night. One of Joe's co-workers was with us for the drive home and having the van was so much more comfortable. Driving through the night wasn't that bad, especially with 3 drivers. We were home but noon the next day and Jackson was only awake for about an hour and a half of the whole trip! We had a great time but it's always nice to get back as well! Especially to the nice weather!
Home in my bumbo chair!
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