Swim Lessons...

Lexi started swim lessons this past Saturday at the high school. In the past we have had her in a swim school where the water is heated. At the high school...not so much. She was just shaking because they make her get in and out of the water so much. I felt bad, (even though I am saving $175 for the warm vs. cold water), so I told her she didn't have to go back if she didn't want to, but she said she had fun so we will try it again next week. Lexi is also in the same class as her friend Alec Bartz, pictured below.

More work pics...

It has been many years since I have had to do the company orientation. (the person that trains the new hires on the floor took it over) Since my promotion at the beginning of the year, this has once again become part of my responsibilities. This time though we are in our new building and I have this big, beautiful training room right off my office. The building was built three years ago and so far we had only used the downstairs for offices and once in awhile use the conference rooms upstairs. Now I am up there by my lonesome. After being at the hub of everything for so long I thought I would have a hard time with the silence, but I love it up there. I decided to take a couple of pictures before I started orientation on Tuesday of my new office and the training center.

My office - haven't decided what to put on the walls yet - so it is kind of bare.See the office next to mine (the one without the light on). Well today I received a call from the elementary school saying that Lexi was sick and I needed to come and get her. I was so busy at work that I dreaded leaving, but Rick was two hours away at a client and I didn't have a choice. (not that I don't love my child - but you know what I mean) So I brought Lexi back to work with me to clean up my desk a bit before we headed home. Long story short, she is on some meds that I think upset her stomach and made her feel really sick, but only for a short period of time. She said she thought she could sit at my work for about a 1/2 hour. Well, by the time we were there 15 minutes I could tell she felt better and there wasn't really anything wrong with her. So she sat in the unaccompanied office next to mine while I tried to get something done. She did really well keeping herself occupied pretending she had her own office and doing some filing. She even figured out how to call me in my office. It was a bit later and I was on a conference call for an HR meeting and she came standing in my doorway with the note below. She is actually starting to get really good at her spelling, but this one didn't come out the best. She meant to say, I am hungry. It was so funny I had to grab the camera and take a picture.She turned the camera on me (along with taking about 20 pictures of little things around the office that I didn't include in this posting - LOL)

Date Night...

We had Rick's Christmas party this weekend in Appleton. So neither of us had to worry about driving, we got overnight babysitters (Heather and Jim) and spent the night downtown. We had so much fun. The night started out with dinner on stage at the theatre, then we moved out into the theatre seats and thirty employees were part of a hypnotist show (which was hilarious)and the party ended with a DJ. A handful of people then went across the street to have another cocktail.

O.K., you know the couple that couldn't make it to midnight on New Years? Well we stayed up until 4 a.m.! As most of you know I am a light weight when it comes to drinking. I shocked myself that I made it that long. The bad part...Sunday was a complete waste of a day. There was no laundry or grocery shopping done like I had dreamed would happen. Even today I could barely get out of bed at 7 a.m.! LOL - Ughh, getting old stinks.

Here are a couple of pics. Rick wouldn't let me take it to the party, so I only have a couple of pictures before we left and then a couple in the hotel room.

We set the camera timer and took this one in the hotel room.

Then we have the after pics....

Me eating a sub and trying to keep my eyes open so the room wouldn't spin.

I took the camera while Rick was in the restroom and was going to take some pictures of the room. Well, since my head wasn't doing the clearest thinking..I forgot my original plan and started taking photos of myself, which in my state made me get the giggles and I never did take any pics of the room. I know this picture isn't the best...but trust me it was the best out of the other self portraits I took. LOL

Happy Birthday Maddie...

Lexi was invited to a sleepover at Maddie's house for her birthday on Friday. Unfortunately, her little sister was ill so her mom Tammy had to call it off. As Tammy and I were talking, it dawned on me that they could still get together for a sleepover, just change it to our house instead. Neither of us was looking forward to telling them the sleepover was cancelled and having to watch the tears start to flow. Both girls had been counting down the days for over a week, so it was the perfect solution. Tammy and I took them out to eat at Applebees and then they came back to our house. Since Maddie's sister was feeling better on Saturday, Lexi still was able to attend her family party at her house. Thought I would share a couple of pics. Playing a little DVD bingo Saturday morning.

Ready to go to Maddie's house for presents and cake.

Happy Monday

Here are a coupling of smiling faces to start your week off. I took these just this morning before I took Lexi to school. I didn't take many pictures this weekend, so it has been a slow blogging week. On Saturday we kept up with doing a bit more of the organizing, Lexi had a birthday party at the roller rink for a couple of hours and then my mom and dad came down later in the afternoon. We all went to church together and then out to dinner. It was a nice time and Grandpa and Grandma brought the kids bikes along that Santa had left at their house over Christmas. Sunday we worked in Lexi's room. She had gotten the new bed, but we hadn't finished taking all the old stuff off the walls and filling holes, etc. So we did that yesterday and it turned out really cute. Not quite "blog ready" yet though. The walls are still pretty bare, I just need a couple more items and then I will do the before and after. Stay tuned for next Monday...date night.

My last inventory...

Every year for the last eleven years at work I have been a part of our monthly and year end inventory. I don't have to go out and do physical inventory, I just get the end product and have to go through and make sure everything is accounted for.

This year for year end inventory was different. I got up like usual around 4 a.m. on the Friday after New Years and headed into the office, but this would be my last inventory with "the guys". About a month ago, I was promoted to a Human Resources Administrator which I begin full time after the 1st of the year.

Our office is somewhat small. The company employs around 130 people, but there are just four supervisors, our boss Marty and myself on the day shift in the office. "The guys" are like the big brothers I never had. We fight/tease like siblings probably because we spend 10 1/2 hours together everyday.

Our Wisconsin office is strictly manufacturing, so all other areas are covered at our corporate office in Mass. (Eng., HR, Sales, etc.) So with our growing manning, they decided it was time to have someone full time doing the HR at our plant. In my current position as the Production Assistant, I was already doing some of the HR duties, but now that will be my primary focus.

So I wanted to document my last inventory with "my guys". Although we will still be working together everyday, it won't quite be the same.

Steve Gurgel- 1st Shift Production SupervisorMy inventory partner Boyd Randerson. He is a 1st shift Production Supervisor and once all the inventory data is compiled, he and I go through it together.Bob Janssen - 2nd shift Production Supervisor, Boyd Randerson - 1st shift Production Supervisor, Marty Etteldorf - Plant Manager

Jason Waeckerle - 1st shift Production Supervisor

Jodi Zemlock - has been with us for six years and was promoted to my current position as a Production Assistant. Lisa Schrader - just recently hired, but was promoted to Jodi's current position taking care of our parts inventory, receiving and blueprints. Marcia Anderson - has been with us for five or six years and currently holds the position of QA/Trainer.

This picture was taken by the commerce when we were selected as the medium Manufacturer of the Year in 2008.

Time to organize...

What is it about the time immediately following Christmas that makes me want to organize every drawer and closet it in the house? Since we have had kids, we have a boat load more presents to bring back after Christmas than we used to. I was talking to two of my friends and they had the same feeling after Christmas...instant need to organize.

So last Sunday Rick and I set out to reorganize the playroom to get rid of toys they no longer played with and put the new toys they received from Christmas in the room. When I had just Lexi, I used to wash her toys every time I cleaned, now that we have two kids cleaning every toy they have usually only happens 3-4 times a year because it takes forever. Just cleaning the dishes in the kitchen area and all of Lexi's little figurines she plays with takes hours. I think this time we spent a good six hours just cleaning the toys with soap and water.

Since they got two more items that require wall space in the playroom (the lego table and the workshop), we decided to put some items of furniture in the middle of the room to create little rooms. I think it turned out good. We try to switch it around at least twice a year so the kids don't get bored in there. Lexi and I switched the posters today also. The Little Mermaid just wasn't cutting it in the space we created for Will. His poster is now Cars.

When did Lexi become taller than the kitchen set? Up next...Lexi's hair accessories drawer. Ughh!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! I for one have not seen midnight on New Year's Eve for the last three...well now four years. First I was pregnant with Will, then the following year I am not sure why we stayed home, last year Lexi had just had her tonsils removed and this year we all had to work all day and just didn't feel like going out. (By the way...I did make it to 11:30 this year though)

We spent the evening with Jenny and Todd and their kids Ayden and Alec. It was a nice, low key, run around in comfy clothes kind of night. We made steak and shrimp for dinner and played our new Wii.

Ayden and Todd - this toy by the way left a big red mark on Todd's forehead - LOL

Todd and Jenny playing a little tennis.
Will, Lexi and Alec having a snack. Lexi took this picture of Rick and I at the end of the night.Ayden
Alec
We spent New Years Day relaxing also. I slept in and then we went to a movie around noon. Will had woken up early (6:15), so I figured he wouldn't stay awake for the movie, but he made it...barely...but he made it. We saw Madagascar 2 which the kids gave two thumbs up to. Lexi and I picked up Guitar Hero for the Wii this afternoon at the store, so I am sure that will wrap up the rest of our evening.