What's Goin on with AM~Erica?

So, anyway...

I have a few things to put into this post. So, just bear with me.

Let me jump back a few nights ago to our church's annual auction (formerly MUMC Youth Auction, now Missions Auction which still helps the youth PLUS missions). This is an insane, fancy event! My hubby & I went to our first one last year, and we couldn't believe the amount of $$$ being put out there for items. There was a silent auction for a TON of stuff, then there's a oral auction with an auctioneer - a REAL one! We were so out of our league last year, we mostly went for the food & hoped we could participate in the silent auction. We did win a pair of tickets to see High School Musical at the Muny for my daughter's b-day...that was it. We spent the rest of the time eating and smiling & nodding (plus we enjoyed the company of the people at our table).

This year was different...very different. First, it was VERY scaled down & low-key. We are in a recession, so I know that had to hurt this fabulous even quite a bit. Plus there was a lot of other things going on during the weekend, so even the attendance was much less than in the past. No silent auction this year (WHAT...that's how we got to participate last year!), but still an oral auction with the same auctioneer - who, btw, has done the MUMC auction all 16 years it's been in existance. But there was a great change! People actually got to BUY for missions! The 4 major organizations our church supports had booths set up with displays of what they needed - then people could buy one of those things, or give toward it. Wow - it was so much more meaningful to actually see what you were doing for the organizations first hand. In return, you could get tickets, depending on what you spent, to go toward a donation RAFFLE. There was a few neat things we were deciding what to put our tickets toward - including the unbelievable safari package that contained jungle games, books, toys, stuffed animals, A YEAR'S MEMBERSHIP TO THE ST. LOUIS ZOO & BEHIND THE SCENES PASSES TO GO WITH IT. Amazing. We definately wanted to try for that one...especially with the kids. We put in a couple of tix for the "Girls Night Out" package that included 2 tickets to Hairspray at the Fox Theatre. I would take Liz, of course. Then, God Bless Betsy. Betsy is a wonderful woman of God with a GIANT heart. She & her hubby bought several items for the organizations & had more tickets than they knew what to do with...they were GIVING THE TICKETS AWAY!! She gave us about 12 more. So...we put a BUNCH more into the zoo bucket, another in the Hairspray bucket, and then a couple more into one called "All About Me" - a spa package. Why not...

We had a pretty good meal, the oral auction didn't have the money flowing as abundantly (it was all still too much for us), but we still had a fun table & glad we got to participate & get all dressed up. You will love to know that I wore a gorgeous dress that is bright turquoise with a touch of sequin & beading detail - an $8 find at Goodwill. I got more compliments in that crowd than I would have imagined. Glad I wore it! OH...and I, of course, had a scarf for my hair that happened to match.

As for the raffles, I won the "All About Me" package...you know - the "afterthought" one! YEA! Oh, darn - now I have to find sometime to USE it! OK - I have a year. There's bound to be a little time in there somewhere to get a pedicure & a spa treatment of sorts, right? We didn't get the others we were really pulling for, though. Oh well. It was a fun night! And, don't worry, I did thank Betsy for the spa package since it was her ticket that got it for me.

Today is Earth Day & also Administrative Professionals Day. Since I'm an "administrative professional", the guys at work got me flowers (which happend to match my outfit today - FUNNY) & they are taking me to lunch at the Brickhouse. YUM! I love my job!

And, I have caught a bug...the Twitter-bug! Seriously...you can follow @ http://twitter.com/iTweetAM_Erica. And it's connected to my FaceBook status updates.

This is what I have for now. I am trying to work up the courage for a much harder post. Pray for God to give me strength for that post to help with my healing. You will understand once I can get it posted...next time...

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

PS ~ you can follow me on my blog & on Twitter! Just hit the "Follow" button on either if you have an account or after you set one up. It's easy to do on BOTH! See you there!

Insane AM~Erica

So Anyway...

Things have been crazy, but productive.

It looks like I have remained in the same room at work now, so a little more consistancy. I am working with 1 - 1 ½ year olds.

Oh, and Christian LOVES school! I am so happy about it! And we have made real progress with potty training today. We will keep encouraging!!

The choreography is coming along for the play...only 1 song behind & trying to figure out where to make it up. The play is only Dec. 5-7 & I've done 2 of 6 songs & only 3 practices a week. YIKES! We'll get there!

Tomorrow I begin the Hanging of the Green dance...only 3 rehearsals to do this song in. It shouldn't be a prob. We'll see how this one goes...

And a big B-Day shout out to Hubby!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HONEY!!

I baked banana nut muffins this AM for him, a German Chocolate cake this afternoon, and a loaf of pumpkin bread. I'm done baking for a while!

OK...stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica Countdown to Craziness...

So anyway...




My job is going well! And the Halloween party was fun! I have no idea who won the teacher costume contest, but it obviously wasn't me. Oh well, I know how to plan for next year...work the parents of the kids! Apparently, that's who vote. It was fun creeping some people out anyway.





Then, off to dress as Her Royal Highness, The Queen of Manchster for Sir Ethan's medeival birthday party, and sister, Liz, as the Royal Court Jester, "Candy". My mom made the most amazing castle cake, too!!


























Oh! Here are the invite pics I promised, too! We put info on both sides of half a sheet of paper, tea/coffee stained it, then rolled them into scrolls:






































Now, I must shift my focus (HA!) to all of the dancing..."Once Upon A Mattress" dance rehearsals begin on Monday; Hanging of the Green dance rehearsals begin 1-week from Sunday. I guess I should figure out the dances now, eh?




Oh, I must share the most amazing Halloween! Some of our friends from the church invited us to go to a family gathering & go trick-or-treating with them. We felt weird because we didn't want to intrude on "family time", but we didn't know what else to do in this new place, so we went...and it was like a magical scene out of a movie or TV show! The trees were just colored & a lot of leaves to step on & hear the crunch, the weather had just a chill in the air, neighbors were getting together for bonfires in yards, people handing out candy asked the kids to tell a joke first (apprarently it's a thing around here), and there were children in costumes EVERYWHERE!! It was amazing! Christian got the hang of it after about 2 houses. Oone of our friends' kids, Abby, came as a Candy Corn Witch (which her mother made), and the other, Audrey, wore a black dress, pearls, had a black updo wig, golves & carried a "Tiffany's" sack for her candy...yep, she was Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast at Tiffany's". They were awesome, too!



Here's a pic of our kids & "me" (really, it's Trish Barnett - a homemaker visiting from Stepford, CT).







There's also Sir Ethan of the Round Table, Liz as Princess Winnefred from "Once Upon A Mattress", and Christian as a monkey (we also lead him around with his monkey backpack/leash, so there was a little monkey on his back). Aren't they adorable?


Whew! Things are insane!


Stay tuned as things progress...


God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica Whirlwind

So anyway...

I'm full swing in my job now. My schedule varies everyday, and I am floating room-to-room most of the time. Christian LOVES his school! He gets so excited when we pull into the parking lot!

Lizzie is having fun with her play, " Once Upon A Mattress". As it turns out, their choreographer was pregnant & due mid to late December, but she delivered 10 weeks early. YIKES!! So, that left the middle school play without a choreographer, right?? Well, guess who was asked to step up & take on the role! Yep! Yours truly! This will be so much fun! I've already done a high school version of "Pippin" and "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe". I met with the director, and will start my rehearsals in November, when the rehearsal times get longer. So exciting!

Oh! I was also asked to take over the traditional "candle dance" for our church's Hanging of the Greens service. No pressure there! So I will be doing that throughout November, too.

In the meantime, I am cleaning my house for my mom & dad to come visit for Ethan's 10th (boo-hoo, sniffle-sniffle) b-day on Sunday. She is designing the coolest cake for him. He is going to have a Medieval party with knights & princesses on Saturday afternoon. I will get pics of the invites and put them up. That's about as crafty as I get (mom & Heidi)!! Ethan & I tea/coffee stained the invites to look old. They turned out so awesome!

Before the party happens on Saturday, it turns out my workplace holds their Halloween party on the Saturday AM prior to the holiday. This is so that any families who do not want their kids to participate in the party are not really left out. This way, they don't have to come to the 2-hour event. However, this is their 1 big social gathering every year (the whole 2½ years they've been open). So, all employees are supposed to participate, but I've been given the option since I JUST came on. So I think I will since I will get paid for it. Then my mom (and maybe dad) can come up with Chris to see where I work. Plus, there is a costume contest for the teachers...YEA!! It's what I live for!

Whew! Got lots going on, and very little time to do it in. I will do my best to keep up my posts during the craziness.

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica Gets Jobbed!

So anyway...

It's Official!!

Here's how it breaks down:

* The preschool went out & pulled my resume & contacted me

* The job is mine if I want it, I just need to give the OK

* The preschool can get me on the schedule on Monday

* There will be benefits & holiday pay

* There will be pay starting next week

* There is a place for Christian to be

* I will be working with kids

OK ~ bottom line is ... I've accepted the position!

The other position would be great, but I don't even interview until next week, that still leaves me without childcare, I don't know if there would be benefits, etc. The point is, the preschool wants me now! And, I would still have $$ from each paycheck for anything extra we would need...even after paying for discounted daycare. Plus, it just felt right.

Prayers are appreciated as I begin this new transistion in the continuation of newness in our lives in StL!

Love you all & stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica