Funny

My visiting teacher thinks my name is Amanda, and has called me that a few times now...it will be really funny when she realizes that my name is not Amanda.

Portfolio

I added a few new pics to the portfolio if you would like to check them out! deannaleeshaw.blogspot.com

To do Today

The time of boredom is over. I have had a very slow-paced summer and fall. I have come to the realization that I now have no time left. I have had some great progress with my paintings and have some projects to work on (which I am pretty excited about). And I am also trying to learn how to use all of these programs to get me started with Graphic design. The programs are pretty complex and there is a lot to learn (no wonder people make an entire major of it). Consequently I am pretty busy these days with all that on top of my full-time job. I actually love being busy, as long as it is not stressful, my only obstacle at this point is Andrew. Without me around to constantly entertain him, he is pretty bored while I am either painting or on the computer. Unfortunately there isn't much hunting in the evening ( I never thought I would say that) Maybe I will make him study for the GMAT HA!...yeah right. Somehow I will try to find time to do the everday things, like put up my Christmas decorations.

I thought I would add that our microfiber couch cushions went through the wash very well, you can't even tell a difference! Consequently after restuffing all of the couch back together we have fixed the cat pee problem...if it weren't cold that cat would be OUT. Speaking of the cat however, I have to add that the cat and puppy are really cute together. The puppy of which, just occured to me, I haven't yet mentioned. I have mentioned how fiesty the cat is, well, she now has a friend to play with and they are actually a pretty good match for eachother. They play together so much that the cat is now pretty friendly with Andrew and I...sweet.

SO, the new puppy came as you can imagine as a result of skip dying. The guy that sold us skip was selling these as well and felt bad and gave us this one for free. Andrew named him Wiskey. He already seems to be promising for a good hunting dog, but until then he sure is a cute puppy...and no, he isn't allowed on the carpet/couches etc.

So I just copied my blogs into a word document so I could print them as a journal and it ended up being 20 pages. Who would have thought that I would have 20 pages worth of journal entries since August. That is way better than any journal entries I have averaged. This journal even has pictures!!

Pets

So, I can admit that I am a little crazy. Letting my husband have the number of pets that he has isn't exactly normal. I have one pet that I would call "mine" and I have to say I am more willing to give it away than any of the others. Arriving home from the Thanksgiving vacation, we came home to find that the cat had used our couch as its own personal litter box. Why after months of using its regular litter box it decided to use the couch, I don't know. The smell of male cat urine is far worse than dog pee. I am a firm believer. We spent the evening lest night removing the cushions from all the couches and reading up on the best ways to clean both microfiber and cat urine. Note to self: Lock the cat in the basement next time we leave.

Frazzled

Yesterday after work I ran to the grocery store to get some last minute items for Enrichment/Thanksgiving. I was going to try and leave work early but we ended up being busy, so I would just have to hurry. I was about to my house at 6:00 when Andrew called and said sorry he wasn't home yet, but he had a meeting run late at work and the errand I had him run for me wasn't done yet. I then told him that I wasn't home either. His only response was, you're not...the house is a mess. I was fully aware of this. I told him to get done what he could asap.

When I got home I scrambled. I gave myself 15 minutes to do a quick clean of the house, which meant I stuffed everything in the bedroom and closed the door. I then quickly whipped up a batch of snickerdoodles in the time that it took the oven to preheat and got the first batch in. I then did the dishes, which if you do not remember doesn't include a dishwasher, unless you call my hands and soap a dishwasher. I then scrambled to get things ready with the centerpiece for my table in the process breaking a new glass candleholder that I had (grr), and all the supplies out for the activity, put another batch of cookies in the oven, and proceeded to sweep the floor. It was about 10 minutes to 7:00 at this point and I decided to do some more cleaning. I threw the dirty cookie bowl and beaters into the fridge and hurried and washed the last of the dishes. I also put up the extra table and chairs we barrowed from the church. Andrew called at least 2 more times to tell me that he was going to be longer than he thought...I just told him that if he wasn't going to be there than I had to go, and I couldn't talk!

Quickly 7:00 arrived...then 7:10 and Brittany and a friend of hers showed up, about a half hour later a member of the Relief Society came. All of that and I had 3 people show up to my house!! I really wouldn't have minded at all, but someone at church on Sunday said "we are all going to fit in your house?". This naturally made me think that maybe a lot of people would come. I wasn't really expecting very many until she said that and it freaked me out. So, even though we had a good time and did what we planned to, I admit I was a little dissapointed and exasperated at the amount of rush I went through for 3 people. Oh well, I did my job, what else can I do.

The rush didn't end there though. As I was laying in bed last night I was thinking about the Jello that I needed to make for Thanksgiving, realized that there wouldn't be much time to make it the day of, and in order to have it set up in time for the drive down south I would have to make sure it was ready before we left for work. SO, this morning I got out of bed early even though I didn't need to shower and proceeded to follow the directions to the Jello I had never made before (the directions are a little confusing might I add, for someone who never made it before) I pulled my dirty cookie bowl and beaters out of the fridge, hurried and washed the beaters so I could blend the cream cheese mixture. I Proceeded adding everything together, realizing the bowl wasn't big enough, switching to the bigger one, splattering cranberry sauce on my clean shirt, throwing a tantrum ran and changed. I was almost finished when I realized that this had to be set up in layers. With 10 minutes before I left for work I sent Andrew to work on what he could. Shouting orders from the bathroom while I tried to flat iron my hair and put some make-up on. Andrew was only awake at that point because as I was boiling water the cookie dough I spilled on the hot plate had burned off and sent the fire alarm off. As I was freaking out, Andrew told me to calm down, to go to work, and he would bring me some breakfast and finish the Jello (I love him). SO, I can sit here and laugh at my morning/evening, because I am calm and at my desk with my Egg McMuffin and Orange Juice that Andrew brought and able to look back at this and see whatever humor there is in it. HA!

Hellooo

Well, I have to say thanks to everyone who posted to the last blog, you are all very sweet. We are doing much better and Andrew is already looking forward to the day that he can get another dog. I have to keep reminding him that the next pet we get will be a child.

We have a pretty busy week this week. Tonight I have Enrichment at my house and then tomorrow Andrew has the Scouts coming over. Plus of course there is the trip south for Thanksgiving. I have to say I am a little nervous! I have never been nervous about doing this kind of thing before, but I think I am mostly scared about how many people will show up, my house is only so big and I hope I can fit them all in! They haven't had enrichment for a while in my ward so I imagine that the first few might have a pretty good turn out. Hopefully all goes well. We are doing a really cute activity, I will post more about it tomorrow.

I have to say that even though there is extra work involved, I love feeling like I am a part of my ward and am being actively part of my community. I haven't felt that for a little while and it is really comforting to feel like you are not watching life going on around you but not living it yourself.

Things are coming together with the Graphic Arts endeavor, we are waiting for one last thing to come in the mail and then we are in business. Meanwhile I have had some painting requests and some people interested in getting some prints, so that is great! I have been spending most of my evening working on different painting projects which is of course one of my favorite things so that has been really fun. hmmm...I might bring them home for Thanksgiving, that is a good idea.

Well, ta ta for now!

I've Seen Better Days

Yesterday Andrew called me after he got back from Pheasant hunting, with his brothers and the dogs, stating that he thought he would take Skip to the vet. We have noticed that he hasn't been feeling very well lately and gets tired pretty quick when he is out hunting. Andrew took him over and the vets first thoughts were that he possibly had pneumonia or maybe even worms. Unfortunately they had to do a bunch of tests to be sure. After work we were both going to meet at the Vet's. I almost got there when Andrew said he was already leaving and that we could talk about it when we got home.

Getting out of my car Andrew pulled up, I waited a second for Andrew to get out. When he did he just said that he needed a hug and burst into tears. I gave him a big hug as he explained that Skip had Myochardiopothy and was only going to live a maximum of 3-6 months on medication. The Doctor gave him the choice of whether he wanted to put him on the medication, which would only prolong the ineviteable, or to have him put down. Andrew decided to have him be put down. He said he was choking up when the doctor asked if he wanted to go see him one last time. Andrew said he couldn't do it, so he just let the doctor take care of it.

As much as we have had problems with him, we somehow got attached. Andrew mentioned that he was his first dog that was his own. It was really hard on him, he even felt stupid that he was so emotional about it (because you all know how "manly" Andrew is) but he loved his dog. So, sadly I write to you today with one less dog. The doctors said that they had never seen the heart problems escalate so fast (we just had him checked in April) and even asked if they could look at things after he was gone. So technically Skip was donated to science :) .

I do have to admit, it solves our dog-house problem, and our dog-carrier problem, and we no longer need to buy an extra shock-colar. I am very glad that we have Tucker now though, so Nash doesn't have to be all alone. He will probably be sad too. It is a good things all dogs go to heaven. :)

(Oh wait except Otis, Brittany's dog, he apparently didn't)

Wish me luck!

Andrew and I have decided to make a career change. I am now going to learn the basics of Graphic Arts! I have a sister-in-law named Liz that is currently a Graphic Artist and has worked for Watkins Printing for 7 years. She with this job has been able to work at home with her kids while putting her husband through school (he is now earning his PHD). She talked with her boss who said he would give me a job doing a similar thing if I put together a good portfolio and took a design class. Well, this has become interesting because yesterday we went and got Liz's old Mac computer (which is still pretty nice) from her work who was selling it because Liz's just upgraded. WELL, we got home from buying the computer at Watkins and came home to fine that there was no power chord attached (?) and the free monitor I got from work is so ancient that it doesn't even plug into the computer! So I was so excited to try out my new computer and everything just to be dissapointed. Much to Andrews relief we now are needing a new monitor, Andrew hated the other one thinking it was a real dinosour that took up the whole desk. Regardless, I am really excited about the change, since I sit on photoshop for hours anyway playing with all my pictures, I might as well get paid to do it with other people's pictures. They said I will more than likely be working on designing peoples wedding announcements and stuff! Fun hah! I will probably stay here at the Title company for a few more months until my future job is secure and then we will make the switch. I will probably make at least 2 dollars an hour more starting out and then freelance work is almost double that, SO we are hoping that this investment will pay off. :)

Are you ready for this?

I hope you are all ready for this because it took me all morning! I am actually pretty excited about it. I thought I would put that up for now and then add the rest later (I need to move my legs a bit). http://deannaleeshaw.blogspot.com/ Check it out!!!

Extra Christmas Cash

Well, for the most part everyone on this blog doesn't really apply to this message, however you can help me spread the word if you would like :). I am doing any portrait drawings or paintings or anything of that nature for whomever, if you are interested and would like to give something like that away for Christmas or know of anybody who might, let me know. Andrew and I are trying to save as much money as possible this Christmas/season of time, 'till the CC's are paid off. Consequently we are thinking of extra ways that we can save money...SO I thought throw this out there and see if there are any takers. I have also been doing a little Graphic Design type stuff at work lately and have really liked it and am going to try and learn all the right programs and software to take a stab at that as well. (In case you are wondering, the prize at the end is the ability to go off birth control, so you can understand my motivations :) ) I will probably see about uploading some of my previous work that you may not have seen so you can decide if I am worth it or not.

As far as pricing goes...I am really not sure what it is worth to people, so maybe you could help me decide? Since you are all close friends/family anyway right!

Four places I've lived: Woodland Hills, Logan, Benson, Elkridge MD
Four jobs I've had: Picking only four I would say Pier 49, Mountain West Title, Deseret Book Northern Title
Four things I'd like to do before I die: Learn to play the piano (well), Publish my pumpkin book, Sell some paintings, Have lots of kids.
Four favorite desserts: Peach Cobbler, Lee's Milkshake (with nestles, mallows and banana and crystalized milk chunks in my ice cream) , Chocolate moulten cake, cookies and milk
Four interesting facts about me: I can lick my elbow, I can rarely find shoes in the "adult" section of the shoe store, I am in the 90th percentile for my size doing the bench press, I was pigeon-toed.
Four favorite movies: Pride and Prejudice, Pirates of the Caribean, Lady and the Tramp, Fugative
Four people I'm tagging: Cali, Sheena, Brittany, Paige (since all my sisters have been taken)

Check out my Slide Show!

Okay OKAY!

This is the picture from last year, we didn't think to take one this year, but it pretty much looks the same now as it did then. Sorry you don't get to see the whole thing but the bottom of my little red dress is flared out with a circle hoop at abould mid-thigh length and then I just wore a tight black skirt and boots underneath. I won a $25 gift card to Best Buy...It might be worth it, except everything I want at best buy is a few hundred dollars, so $25 bucks doesn't really seem to make a dent. I am sure I can find something to that I like however :) In case you are wondering the person to my right is Andrew and he is scorpion. Both of our costumes were selected from the Walmart kids dept. If I weren't at work I would get the original and show you all a full body shot, which does make it better, but I am at work and don't have access to any of my pictures (I stole this one from my myspace page). Andrews costume amazingly he stretched into and the legs stop just below his knees and the arms are quarter-length, but it was the condition that actually got him in a costume. If he made a joke out of it, it wasn't nearly as bad I guess :).

Halloween

Yesterday I dressed up at Strawberry Shortcake, the same costume as last year. I decided that nobody at work had seen it so it was fine to wear. I quickly felt foolish at work when I was the only one who seemed to dress in any costume at all. All embarassment was dimmed by two other women at work who decided to celebrate the festivities of the holiday and dressed up as well. My boss had advertised that there would be prizes for the best costume, so I thought there would be a lot more dressed (especially since the prizes here are usually pretty good). WELL, since there were only 3 of us, it wasn't hard for us all to win, first second and third place. With the votes cast I have to say that, YES, I won first place. :) The second I left the building I took everything off and will have to seriously consider if I will dress up again.