Life Update 3/3/09

So again I have fallen off the wagon with posting. Well I promise to post once day on my crafting blog so I should be on here more often. I have been busy though. My dad had some heart problems, which weren't fun but Kaiser fixed him right up so he is fine now. Jason has had a hectic time at work, mostly because his co-teacher has never actually materialized. But even with all of this life has been getting a little easier and happier in the Moratuk household.

I am subbing much more often (still not enough but better). I have found I really miss the classroom. It is nice only having to be in one classroom for the day without any planning or grading but I miss having the kids be my own, not just for the day! Hopefully, next year I will be able to teach in my own classroom again. I am applying to every district I can reasonably get to each morning but no bites yet. I probably have to wait until they know their budgets better. Well a girl can hope, can't she?

As for Jason he is taking his last class before he gets his clear credential. He is also taking to his dream district about a job for next year so we are keeping our fingers crossed. As for this year he is doing the best he can with what he has. He was supposed to have a co-teacher, which never actually happened, and his kids just don't seem to want to learn, which really hurts him. But he is doing relatively well with it. At least spring break is about a month away and we don't have plans yet.

In other news, we are still in love with our apartment, but Jason is itching to buy a home. Maybe if I get a full-time job next year we will be able to. However, Jason needs a new car and to emphasis it even more his car was recently broken into and his stereo stolen. I guess it is time to look into one. We are still discussing what would be right for us and maybe mine will be mostly paid off by the time we actually have to buy the new one.

Jason is still making his way through his video games. We had a huge high streak in the fall but now we are on a low. Most of the games aren't worth playing but we look forward to many hours on the new Resident Evil, but probably on the Wii not XBOX. He is also looking forward to Watchmen which comes out on Friday. We can't wait to see it!! I hope it is at least good, if not close to the novel. We are both on a reading lull right now. Neither of us can find books we really want to read and I can't even make it through Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets and can't seem to start Twilight. However, my new book club book looks promising, In the Woods.

I have also been very active in both my online community (someone finally got me to rejoin Facebook... so bad!!) and I am also on Ravelry (also bad!!) and more crafting boards than I care to list. This month is also NaNoEdMo, where I should try to finish and edit my novel from November and some inspiration to do that would be great too. Also I need to finish going through the wedding photos. I just can't seem to get into it anymore... I just have too many of them. I have been busy with my crafting, especially crochet. In fact, I am now testing patterns and enjoying it. Maybe I will be able to do it for profit one day. If nothing else I am getting a ton of free patterns. But you can read all about my crafting exploits on my crafting blog (Found Objects).

Well that is most of it. I will relay what I am doing for the Lenten season and about our most recent date nights soon. Oh and I should have book reviews if I ever finish these books. I also have some fast and yummy recipes I just need to write up. So stay tuned!!

Some goals for 2009

So last year was great, we moved home and got married but now I have some BIG goals for this year. I know I have said I am going to do this and that but now I want my readers to hold me to this.

My goals for 2009 (so far)
1. Get in shape and find a way to stay in shape (I wasn't for my wedding and I have no excuse)
2. Get a job
3. Finish my novel (and maybe look into publishing)
4. Blog at least three times a week (keep me on this please)
5. Start crocheting and crafting for profit (and finish some items early)
6. Read 50 books this year (and get at least 200 points each quarter)
7. Be more thrifty (find ways to save more money so we can really work towards a house)
8. Be better about my health care (I hate going to the dentist and doctor but if I will be TTC one day then I need to be in the best health possible before the baby comes)
and lastly...
9. Get rid of some stuff (I am way too much of a pack rat... things need to go and not be bought again)

Ok so that is what I hope to do... please help me stay on these. Oh and maybe stay in better contact with people... can that be a goal? How do I achieve that? Hmm... that will probably be the hardest for me.

Suzy Homemaker

What does a wife do when she hasn't found employment yet? Well look for a job... but other than that? Oh yeah, she plays at being a homemaker. I feel really good about myself today. I have been sick but finally I am getting stuff done around the house. I got the floors swept and/or vacuumed most all of the floors, cleaned the sinks in the bathrooms (which I hate doing), cleaned up the dishes, baked cookies, and found a way to make most of our Christmas gifts for this year. I am so proud of myself!!! I know not everyone wants homemade gifts but I think they will be lovely and personal. I will even post some hints as to what I am making, either on this blog or on my other blog (which I haven't visited since I started this whole blogging experience.

I guess that since I am still trying to find a job I can be a great wife! Having purpose feels so good. I promise to post some pics of what I made today that has inspired my Christmas crafting plans!

Job search and life update November 9th

If you didn't know Jason and I have been very sick lately. Jason caught something when he first started subbing and subsequently gave it to me. I have almost completely recovered but Jason is still recovering. Apparently, Zicam really does work. I took it since I found myself felling poorly and I have progressed through the illness much faster than Jason has.

Our home is progressing quiet well though. I am just about to change the decor over to fall from Halloween and at the end of the month I will switch it over to Christmas. All of this will come with pictures in the blog if you want to see the transformation. I have been having a hard time keeping our home as clean as I like with our new illnesses but I hope to catch up on my cleaning this week as well.

In other news I think we will make all of our Christmas gifts this year. We are much poorer (not broke but we can't risk it) then we expected so I hope no one expected anything amazing and store bought from us. I will use all of my skills to make you all something you want but it may not be your dream gift. It is the thought that counts, right? Speaking of artistic exploits I have been busy with some other projects too. I am almost done with my first block for my quilting bee. I am also fairly well started on my Nestie exchange item too! I will not finish my blanket for fall though. I guess it will have to be done for next year. I do hope to buy some fabric to make some winter themed pillowcases this year. Lastly, we are still working on our Christmas cards but those should be made soon.

As for work, Jason has already begun subbing and is working most days. I take the test for the county this Wednesday, wish me luck, and did not get the community college job. I am disappointed but still looking. I am applying to almost anything I can find. I have started working towards subbing and hope to find a position in retail that is just seasonal. My mother seems pretty confident that I should be able to get the county job. Let's hope so because nothing else seems to be appearing.

In the kitchen you may have noticed I have been pretty quiet. That is because we have been sick and not in the mood for cooked food or for cooking food. I am hoping next week to cook again. We need some vegetables but I have tons of meat so I am thinking something exciting should becoming this week. Jason really wants Stromboli, so once he is well enough I will make it for him and post the recipe here for all of you.

What about your writing, how is that going? Well I am over 10K into NaNoWriMo but I needed to be at 15K today so I still have a ton of catching up to do. This does not help the cause but I do enjoy the therapy it gives me. I am also up-to-date on my blogging (you can check if you want) for NaBloPoMo, there at least I am on top of things. Sadly, I am very behind in my reading. I still have three book club books to read and now a full vampire series (which I have almost finished the first book of), the Outlander series to start, and an extra book for one of the book clubs. So much to read and write and only so much time in the month.

Lastly, I guess I will give a little update on the other parts of our lives... those we love dearly. Jason's uncle has a rare form of cancer and Jason is afraid that he may lose him. This is a sad time since we can not afford to go and visit but Jason's uncle seems very brave and untroubled by his illness. The rest of Jason's family is in good health though. Bob, Jason's father, is coming out in December to visit, which we look forward to. My family all seems to be in health. My brother and sister-in-law have settled well up north and love their new puppy very much. We are all looking forward to their visit this month even if it is only for a few days and we have to share them with Nicole's family. At least we will get to see them. I miss them both very much. As for friends they all seem to have legs and arms enough between them. We worry about Bob but we trust he should be fine until his return. Bianca, our lovely cat, has lost her collar, again! I guess this whole outdoor thing is not working with the whole collar thing. She does seem to be used to it by now. Once it really starts the bad weather we might have her live indoors most of the time.

Ok well that is all of us. I hope all of your lives are going well and we will update you again in a few weeks. Take care!

Crafting with Sherri

I know that I am not the craftyest person in the world. I have often tried my hands at projects that only end in disaster. I can crochet, knit, embroider, sew, and sort of quilt. I can draw (but not paint) and I have beaded and done other crafty things like scrapbooked. But anyone who knows me well knows I will get all of my wedding albums from Shutterfly and that I will probably do the same with all of my kids albums too! I am way better online than in person at this stuff.

So what is the point well I am helping my friend (Sherri) start her craft business. She wants to make different things and sell them at fairs and online (maybe). So far we have made doggie treat/candy/craft supply/birdseed holders (pictures to come later). We have also been working on these beaded things. Now what are they you ask? Well they are actually a lot of different things.


The first picture shows the girly (and more childlike) zipper pulls. These are super heavy duty and can be used for purses or backpacks. They are totally child safe (since they might be used by children why use anything toxic?) and really cute. They will sell for about $4.50 each or 5 for $20.00.

Next you can see the sports zipper pulls. These are school related but there are also professional teams too! They are the smae price and even come in masculine ones so guys don't have to feel silly having one.



Then we have the cell phone charms. I like having a charm on my phone for several reasons. A) it helps me to know my phone from the 8 million other identical phones out there, B) it helps to find the phone in my purse... it is something to pull on if I find it and a way to hang the phone if need be, and C) They are just so darn cute! These are also $4.50 each or 5 for $20.00.

Sherri is also doing keyrings (that are a little less ornate and showy but very sturdy). We hope to have a ton by her first show in November and we will see how things go. I will post more information about show locations and times as I get them. If you want to order one, just let me know and I will get you all set up.

Ok enough pluging but they are super cool and I am helping so I feel even better about them. Got to go help Jason with a Fable II (as in the XBOX game) level.