School, work and other stuff!

Well, that didn't go so well.  I spent Monday thru Wednesday training for my new assignment.  Monday I created a worksheet for the plant manager in Excel (which he loved), Tuesday I input data into another Excel spreadsheet (which took about 15 minutes) and then spent the rest of the day training in a different system to learn how to release and schedule orders for the floor to process.  I got to do it myself for about a half hour and did pretty well.  Wednesday, I input more data into the 2nd spreadsheet and then went into the other system and started going through the steps to release orders.  I was making an instruction sheet for myself because I didn't know how long it would be before I actually got to do it myself after my training.  When I got to the point where I had questions, the trainer walked in and we started training again.  He took me on a tour of the factory and showed me where all the different sizes and types of steel tubing are kept, where the saws are, which ones cut which tubing, etc.  Then we went back to the office and he let me release and schedule all the normal orders and he doublechecked them.  He made a few minor changes, but, all in all, said I did pretty well!  Before I left, he asked how I thought I was doing.  I told him that I didn't feel comfortable doing it on my own yet, but that a day of doing it with him checking would probably do it.  He said ok, see you tomorrow and I left!  Thursday, while I was getting ready for work, Office Team called.  The company had called to say that they did not want me to come back.  I didn't have enough experience in Excel for what they wanted.  Huh???  So, now I'm back to waiting for a new assignment!

My personal trainer is working hard.  He had me work on Tuesday with just the leg weight machines (40 reps each on 4 different machines), then a couple of core exercises, and then 30 minutes on the treadmill.  Wednesday when I went in, I told him that I was pressing charges for attempted murder!!  I get to work with him again on Monday on the arm weight machines.  Then I'll have 5 weeks on my own before I work with him again. 

Mariah has officially started schooling at home.  We enrolled her in Oak Meadow Elementary School in Vermont, but she's doing it online.  After speaking with the special ed director and going over all her test results from last year, we felt that the best way would be to have her repeat 2nd grade.  There were too many core things (like multiplication and division) that she just was completely lost on.  So, we have 1 year to get her through 2nd grade.  We can fly through what she knows and mainly concentrate on what she really needs.  We have a nice little rhythm set up.  In the morning, we do either math, science or social studies.  Her science project is her favorite -- she's growing strawberries!

You can see they're starting to pop up.  She's been very diligent about watering them, just a tiny bit, every day!  She keeps a journal in which she writes her observations about them once a week or when she sees something new.

After lunch, we work on reading.  We take the chapter of the book we're reading and she writes down 3 things about each chapter into a notebook.  She's getting pretty good at telling me what happened.  Now we just need to work on her handwriting!

After that, she has arts & crafts.  She's learning to knit on my Knifty Knitter looms. 

Right now, she's making a scarf.  As soon as I figure out how to wrap the small round right, she's going to make a hat for her new cousin for Christmas.  We have a stuffed mouse to make that goes with a book and she's giving that to Diana.  Then we have to figure out something for Luke!

As far as my crafts go, I'm almost finished with Carla's model!!  I am 100% done with the black thread and have only the red left.  I'm working on the line that seperates the last two bands today.  I got some more done on Mariah's coffee cup.

I also am working on two crocheting projects, both are for an exchange.  The first is a book cover.  I'm going to put it on a copy of 'In the Kitchen with Rosie', a cookbook by one of Oprah's personal chefs.  I still have to block, stitch and decorate it. 

The 2nd is a tea cozy.  It's a pretty mustard colored yarn and I'm going to thread a green ribbon through the top of it.

Both projects are my own design!!  I can't wait to get them finished!

Well, that's it for me this week.  I still have 2 more assignments to finish for school by tonight.  Then we're going to watch the finale of Food Network Star and the season premiere of The Great Food Truck Race. 

And how was YOUR week?