Saturday, January 25, 2014

Week In Review - Ten Things Of Thankful (32)


Ten Things of Thankful






What a fun week. What an exhausting week. With, once again, tons of things to be thankful for. I didn't get to spend as much time with the family this week as usually, but I had the opportunity to meet many new people, catch up with some I had met before, share interesting conversations and many a laugh. The best of this last week?

1. Fresh apples from the north of Germany, hand-carried to me by my co-worker!

2. The official dinner with all the coaches and attendees for the training. The food was ok, but the fun we had was totally worth nearly starving in between the pasta and the fish course  :-)

3. My training on Wednesday going well. It was my first time speaking in front of a larger number of professionals. Some of the colleagues had decades of experience, some were fairly new to the company. It was definitely a great experience (and I got at least one "excellent" rating).

4. A great dinner with one of my co-workers from the training. Hubby made his yummie pasta sauce, we talked (way too much about work, but what to expect??), played with the girls, mused about the future.

5. Despite having my colleague over for dinner, I caught an early to-bed. I so needed it after 2 late nights in a row.

6. Hubby being my rock and supporting my professional antics without ever complaining. He's such a wonderful man!

7. The girls for being supportive, even though I know it's difficult for them. I'm glad to enjoy lots of quality time for them this weekend.

8. Surviving an afternoon with "terror girl". I met Lily's friend's mom while out grocery shopping, and she told me that both she and her husband were sick. So my helper's syndrom kicked in and I invited Lily's friend over for the afternoon. Much too much candy was consumed, Violet was properly pestered and prodded, Lily forgot her manner, and hubby had to really contain himself during dinner to not give her a crash course in table manners.

9. Having the chance to attend hubby's concert tomorrow. My parents are going to watch the girls and I'll meet up with a friend and two colleagues, one with her husband for the concert. I'm so excited!

10. Hubby asking me to be his "+1" for the buffet reception after the concert. Love it if he officially asks me out on dates.


Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

30 comments:

  1. Sounds like you had an exciting week! Isn't it great when the family is understanding and supportive of "professional antics"? (Love that!)

    Glad you survived "terror girl" - I'm so not ready to enter this school buddy play date world for just that reason. And a tiny bit of fear that my Kidzilla might end up being someone else's "terror."

    The concert sounds so exciting - can't wait to hear about it!

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    1. Well, I give that particular girl some leeway, given her family situation (when she was very young, her dad had a serious work accident that caused him needing bone marrow from his spine to be removed, which in turn caused leukemia). But I cannot stand her pestering poor little Violet all the time (calling her short forms of her name, which we don't do and Violet told her several times that this was not her name, pinching her, kicking her out of rooms, etc.) And I hate that Lily gets pushed by that to forget her manners as well. Most kids are alright, you'll find out soon enough who you rather won't have around.

      I didn't know what to do if I didn't have this wonderful support system, Lisa. Something I'm really, really thankful for!

      Have a great weekend!

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  2. Terror girl... eek says it all... I cant believe the stuff above this comment... I would have been with your hubbie trying to keep myself from educating her very quickly... SOunds like a great week though and you kinda conquered a lot of new territory! Especially at work... but talking in front of a group and getting an excellent... fab!

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    1. Thanks so much, Zoe! We survived the day, and Violet got plenty of cuddles to get over the ordeal of the afternoon. For some reason, she wouldn't walk away either but kept going over to the older girls.

      I was really thankful for the opportunity I had professionally last week. Meeting all those people was awesome!

      Have a great new week, Zoe!

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  3. We had a "terror" girl in one of our past neighborhoods, too--and you're right to look beyond the behavior to family circumstance. It's not easy, but I bet your home is a bit of a haven for her.

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    1. Well, I don't know how things are at her home, but when she's at ours, we set her boundaries. We call her out when she behaves unacceptable, but we're nice about it. Thank you so much for topping by, Kristi! Have a great new week!

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  4. Such positive things going on in your life! Sounds like you're doing a pretty good job of balancing career-family-couples time.. good for you, I know it isn't easy! You were a sweetheart to invite/endure a little friend over to help our her parents. My son had one friend who nearly lived at our house when his parents were going thru a nasty divorce, I felt so sorry for him, but seems like he's grown up and turned out just fine.

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    1. Thank you so much, Josie! It's difficult sometimes, but I do my best to keep a balance somehow.

      I'm glad your son's friend found stability in your home. Lily's friend's family situation is better again, but she is just not used to taking others into consideration. But she'll learn I'm sure.

      Have a great new week, Josie!

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  5. major busy sounding week… it's funny, this kind of schedule often appears more challenging in retrospect than it does as it unfolds… the energy of the activity, in a sense, keeps us going…then at the end of the week or at moments away from the things we are busy doing, it's, like, 'really?' all of that…7 days?
    lol

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    1. Oh, I felt it during the week, and I was so glad when it was over. An on to another 2 weeks of craziness. It's kiddy-birthday time!

      Have a great new week, Clark!

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  6. I'm so glad your training went well - that's BRILLIANT news. And to receive such positive feedback is hugely encouraging.

    So glad you get to have a night off (after your good nights sleep) and go to the concert and have an Official Date. That's pretty adorable that you still get asked out formally :)

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    1. Isn't it? He's a really great date, and we had fun. The concert was awesome, and I was at the edge of my seat during Richard's solo.

      I'm glad that the training went well, too! It was a relief when I was done and everyone seemed "informed" :-)

      Have a great week, Lizzi!

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  7. Aren't terror girls the worst. My niece is actually up there as one, but you will never hear me say this out loud on my blog with my in-laws reading, but she totally is! That said yay for being actually asked out on a date and maybe I will be again someday soon now!! Enjoy the rest of your weekend :)

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    1. Oh, I wouldn't say things like that either, if I know that parents or grandparents are reading it :-) I hope that you don't have to deal too much with terror-cousin!

      We had a great date. The concert was awesome, and afterwards there was a buffet set up for the members of the orchestra and their guests.

      I hope you have a great new week, Janine!

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  8. Good for you, speaking in front of a large group at your training! I would rather have hemorrhoid surgery than do that (and I have, indeed, had said surgery and thought it was going to kill me). Now, a room full of preschoolers, then no worries.

    In spite of Terror Girl, you seem to have had a good, but busy, week. Glad the girls were able to adapt to your schedule. Your hubby is awesome (and cooks, too!). And he made you his +1!

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    1. Actually, I have asked my boss during an evaluation a year ago that I'd like to have the opportunity to do a training, and she remembered and let me do it. It was a really great feeling, after the first bout of "I'm going to faint" had passed :-)

      The girls were definitely great, even though it was difficult for them as well. Hubby was so awesome this weekend. He did so great during his solo, and a very lovely date afterward :-)

      Have a great new week, Dyanne!

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  9. Oh, those kids (for us, it has always been a girl) who gets a kick out of tormenting a younger child make me nuts. We've known several, and I've had to say things to make them stop in front of their own parents. Good for you, inviting her over. Next time, if there is one, I wouldn't hold back on letting her know that sort of behavior won't be tolerated. In a nice way, of course.

    Good for you, getting up there and speaking. So many people are horribly afraid of doing such a thing. And good for you getting positive feedback!

    Enjoy your date, +1. :)

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    1. We did call her out, Christine; of course, in a nice way. But I couldn't be at their back constantly. In the end, after he had pinched Violet in the arm, I convinced Violet to stay with me and watched a movie with her. If I have her over next time, I'll definitely have a heart-in-heart with her, explaining that this is not how it works.

      The training really went better than I'd thought. Can't wait for the official results of the evaluation!

      We had a great date, Christine! Thanks to my wonderful hubby.

      Enjoy the new week!

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  10. SO nice of you to invite of "terror girl"...here's to hoping you don't all get sick as your payment for doing so. Fingers crossed, right?

    Other than that, sounds like a perfectly lovely week! :)

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    1. Oh, the sickness with pass, thanks a lot, Mrs. AR. It was a great and really, really exhausting week.

      Hope you have a great new week!

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  11. I am jealous of the fresh apples! :)

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  12. Fresh apples, what a treat! I never take my California produce for granted. Glad to hear training went so well and feedback was good. It sounds like you hubs is a great partner.

    We have had plenty of "Terror" kids around here. What a beautiful example of caring for your neighbor in caring for them. It is a good teaching moment of service with boundaries.

    Woo Hooo on a good night's sleep and a date.

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    1. The apples were indeed a treat. Totally gone :-)

      Hubby and I were really sick a while ago, and we would have loved if someone would have taken out the girls and given them the chance to have some fun. So I offered to take the little girl for the afternoon to have fun and her parents to have time to rest.

      The date was awesome, the concert so lovely and the buffet afterwards delicious. My parents are the best watching the girls on a Sunday evening!

      Have a great new week, Rebecca!

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  13. Awww I love the one about your hubby asking you out. So sweet! I'm glad your training is going well. It's so nice to have family as a support system. My hubby is my rock too so I can totally relate. :)

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    1. Hubby is simply the best, in so many ways, and I'm eternally thankful to have him. The girls were troopers, too. I'm so glad that I can be away for an evening every once in a while without having to feel too bad.

      Have a great week, Brittnei!

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  14. I love all that you're thankful for - especially #10. ;-)

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    1. The date was awesome, Susannah! I'm so glad he asked me out :-)

      Enjoy this new week!

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  15. Yay for fresh apples, public speaking going well and for supportive girls. And I love that your hubby asks you out on official dates. I'm going to have to mention that one to my hubby...

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    1. Do that, Kristi! It's still fun to be asked out; doesn't happen that often any more, so I treasure the rate occasions even more!

      Have a great new week, Kristi!

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