Tag Archives: REI

June 24, 2013 · 2:59 pm

Update on Life

Hey guys!

So sorry for not posting a whole lot lately. It has been crazy. I have been super busy with work and then on the days that I actually have off, I am either trying to work on projects or out hiking just trying to find some refreshment from the craziness of working retail. I am realizing more and more that honestly, I am not meant for corporate retail. Things have just so tiring lately. 

Anyway, I can’t remember if I have posted on here about TJ and I starting to run. Did I? Well, if I haven’t, we started running about a month ago. Nothing super fast or anything. I have an app on my phone called Runkeeper and we started a training program that is beginner to 5k. We ran 2 straight miles the other day. I must say I was proud of myself for that. Haha. I have never been a runner but I am realizing more as I get older that it is a great way to stay healthy for a lifetime. A month ago, I could not run 2 straight miles even if you begged me. So, needless to say, TJ, Faelyn and I are having fun running together. Getting all of us in shape. 

I went for a run this morning, and after a particularly bad weekend at work, it was nice to pound out my frustration in some intervals. It really is a great stress reliever as well as exercise. You may not be a runner, but just get out there and move. Running is seriously doing wonders for my energy levels, emotional levels, stress levels, as well as overall fitness. 

Other than that, I did try a new recipe recently. Post to come on that later! 

I have been still reading. I actually put down a book so that I could touch base with you guys! Will make sure my reviews are up to date and my list as well! I can tell you right now, finishing the list on time just isn’t happening lol. I am still pushing for it but honestly, I don’t think I can read that many books. I am so terrible at this whole 52 books thing. I get so distracted and it just does not work out well. 

Anyway, I will most definitely start posting more. Promise!

See ya!

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May 14, 2013 · 11:52 am

Busy, Busy, Busy

So, this week and next week and even last week I have been and will continue to be super busy! REI is having their anniversary sale starting on Friday through the 27th. We have been preparing for it for a while but our event trucks which bring the products that will be on sale during the anniversary sale have been coming in. Our storage is so full! I have no idea where in the world we are going to put all the product that is coming in today, and the next couple of days. So, anyway, I am working everyday this week until Sunday. It is going to be a long week. Posts may be few but I will do my best to keep up here! 

I am currently reading The Tiger’s Wife. By the way, adding it to the 52 books list and it is definitely a must read. 

I did try a new recipe the other night. It was a breaded chicken with a creamy sauce and some mashed potatoes. It was amazingly delicious! You could also easily eat it with pasta! I was kind of in a hurry and did not take any pictures, but TJ agreed it was definitely a repeat recipe and I will be making it again hopefully sometime soon. 

I do have a funny Faelyn story about the chicken that we were going to be using for dinner the other night. I had been thawing some chicken on a plate on the counter. I had completely forgotten about it when I ran to Starbucks to participate in happy hour (half off frappucino). I honestly did not even think about the chicken until I was back home unlocking the back door to come in. I was really hoping he was oblivious and did not even notice the chicken on the counter. Nope, he most definitely noticed. He took one of two pieces of chicken I had out. He was very pleased with himself lol! Such a goofball. 

Hope your week has started out awesome!

See ya!

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November 1, 2012 · 2:24 pm

Happy November!

Happy November guys!!

I love Halloween but I have to say, Thanksgiving and the whole Christmas/New Year’s season is by far my favorite all year! It is time to start busting out the Christmas music and start the baking. You can’t tell me its too early because its just not lol. But before I get ahead of myself, let’s talk about Halloween. Unfortunately I had to work last night. No big deal, the store was just ridiculously empty. But, the upside was that I got to dress up and get a two dollar burrito bowl at Chipotle. You honestly just cannot go wrong with that. So, I put on my Rosie the Riveter costume and went to work! Yay!


So, thoughts? You like? You not like? Let me know!

As well as dressing up Halloween, I also painted my toes!
I saw this on pinterest:

And did my own version on my toes:

I am by no means a pro (as you can see on the right toe) but It was still fun to try!

Well, there you have it! Happy belated Halloween and don’t get too sick on candy!
Stay tuned for my latest cooking and decorating adventures!
See ya!

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August 24, 2012 · 12:56 pm

Newest Apartment Furnishings!

We have basically a full set of furniture in the house! It actually looks like people live here instead of just storing stuffs here! How crazy right?! This week we picked up a couch for not nearly the amount we would have had to pay for a couch brand new. This one has been barely used. It just sat it this couple’s office in case the had guests but it never really got used. It is so our style. It is not exactly the style of the chairs but it pulls them in very nicely. I must say I love finding awesome deals on Craigslist or at a thrift store. It really is awesome! We can make our house look like our personalities without spending a massive amount of money. So awesome.

Anywho, here is the couch:

It has a rustic pattern to it that is kind of goofy but definitely our style!
Here is the whole living area together:

The green of the chairs is in the couch so it all kind of pulls together. At least for now.


We now have a whole living space. Thankfully you cannot see the couch up close in this picture because Faelyn thought it was a great idea to sneak out of the bedroom last night and sleep on the couch. What a goober!

We finished the dining room table too!!!!! It looks great! My hubby did an awesome job on the top of it!

That is the top of it! He did such a great job! It looks amazing!

What I love is, how the edges look darker than the top. It makes the top look like its been worn down and used and what not. We actually just had to redo the top of it because the first staining looked horrible. Just plain ugly. We had used a stain/poly mix and that did not go on well. So, the second time we used a stain a couple times and let them dry and then did the poly and let that dry. Not it looks awesome. It looks great with the chairs. All that is left to do of the dining room set is change the fabric on the chairs but the red looks good for right now.

This week has been super crazy. This was my first full-time week at REI and we have been prepping for our Labor Day sale that starts today. We have to leave to go to work in about a half an hour and I am not excited about going. It is going to be a long week. But I am continuing to work on reading my book so I can post a review as soon as I am done. I am currently reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It is hilarious! I love Pride and Prejudice and adding zombies just makes it that much better Lol!

Well, I’m off!
See ya!

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August 5, 2012 · 1:01 pm

The Week In Review

Wow, this week has had a mix of slow and fast sections. I’ve been busy and also not quite so busy. 

I am not really even sure what happened at the beginning of the week. All I know was it was definitely uneventful. Nothing special to report on that front. I did spend some time gathering more books for my 52 Books/52 Weeks Challenge. That is always exciting. I even found some books at the library that I liked and were on my list so I snatched those up. I must say, I love libraries. I definitely do not have the money for books on a regular basis right now (unless they are steals at Goodwill or some other thrift store) and so being able to get them at the library is a highlight of my week sometimes. 

The system at REI was still having trouble getting me into the system at the beginning of the week. No biggie. Finally, on Thursday I was able to start training. It was pretty straightforward and easy. I got to work a whole shift which was nice. I wasn’t stuck at home feeling like a shmuck for not helping support our little family. Friday I was also able to go in and work for a bit. I really was able to get comfortable with their cashier system and memberships and dividends and such so that made me feel more confident and less under pressure at that point. 

Saturday brought a day off for the two of us and since we had both been working, it really did feel like a day off. We found a nearby dog park (that was a little smaller than the one closest to our house) and we took our little man to play there. He had been getting a little antsy lately and just wanting to run and play more. We thought this would be a great opportunity for him to get out and run and also get to play with some other dogs. He absolutely loved it. Even after TJ unleashed him and was still holding onto him, you could tell he knew he was getting a chance to run and play. It was only about 75 degrees as a high yesterday so we knew it would be a perfect day for him to test out the park without getting too overheated. The only “problem” we had was he was having so much fun, he did not want to stop and take a drink. That led to extra salivating and he had a goatee of saliva bubbles by the time we left. I felt bad because I did not want other dog owners to think he had rabies or something because he is up to date on all of his shots and vaccinations. But he just had no interest in slowing down to take a drink. We think it will be one of his favorite places in the world when it cools down and once he gets used to it enough to stop and take a drink every now and then lol. 

After the dog park, we came home and hung around while he got his breathe back and we figured it was ok to leave him be without him freaking out. I was super tired and laid on the floor for a bit while we waiting and he decided to get super playful. Well, TJ who was laying on the floor next to me threw Faelyn’s toy and he came back with the toy to give it to TJ and decided my face was a perfectly good stepping stone to get to TJ. I had no idea he was even there. I thought he was still over by the door. The I get a nice big paw scratch right on/under my right eye. Oh boy, did that hurt. I have a nice mark and the swelling was so bad at first that I was mortified someone would think it was domestic abuse or something. It has definitely gone down today but walking into REI to get TJ’s schedule yesterday I definitely got a look or two. 
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My little man just plays rough sometimes. 

After getting TJ’s schedule, we then went and looked at houses in the area. We found this one that I had fallen in love with while we were still in PA. It had sold before we got out here but I still think about that house all the time. Well, we drove past it and it was even cuter in person than it was online. I mean I did not get to see the inside but the outside was everything I thought was going to be and more. It was beautiful! So, I told TJ that we have to keep an eye out if it comes back on the market. I love it lots!

Today, TJ had to be in at work at 11. 😦 And since we only have one vehicle, that meant I was not going to go church searching and I did not want to do that without my hubby anyway. So, here I am, cleaning and reading and just enjoying my day. Hopefully this week brings more work. We could definitely use the money. 

See ya!

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July 18, 2012 · 6:13 pm

Update on the Goings On In the Parnell Household

So much and yet not so much has been happening in the Parnell household this week. TJ started working in the store on Monday. He is loving it already. He is a natural born salesman especially when it comes to products that he loves and uses as it is. He loves being able to just talk with people and not be standing in one place all night long. It is so nice to see him significantly happier here than he was at the Distribution Center. There are also more people here with a firm belief in Christ and a desire for Outdoor Ministry, which is also making him that much more happy.

I start this coming Tuesday hopefully. The lady that can put me in the system is on vacation and so I can’t be hired until she gets back and can put me in the system. Crazy huh? Oh well, it is giving me another week to make this place home, to knit, to read, and to keep working on that rug. The Lord is providing and guiding and so I am not worried at all.

I know I mentioned several weeks ago that I was going to start reading 52 books from July 1, 2012 – July 1, 2013. Well, that obviously did not start yet. I was not thinking originally and did not realize that that would be the time when I was getting ready to move and moving across the country. So, I changed the dates a little bit and decided to move it up to August 1, 2012-August 1, 2013. That way I can continue compiling my list and can finish getting things put together around the apartment and what not. So, again if there is any suggestions you have in regards to what I should read, please give me some suggestions. If you want to know more about the new challenge and section or what kind of books I am looking to read check out the original post here. 

So, anyway, TJ is home and I am off to spend my evening with him.
See ya!

 

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July 11, 2012 · 5:27 pm

We are (mostly) Moved In!!!

Hey guys,

I know that it has been a while since I have posted. But as I have mentioned many times over, my hubby, my puppy, and I have all packed up, said good-bye to the East Coast and rode off into the sunset as we started our new adventure in Aurora (currently), Colorado! Well, we are here in our new apartment. We moved in on Saturday and first priority was dishes (so we could have breakfast the next morning) and the bed. After that, we took some time to just check out our surroundings. Since then, we have gotten most of our belongings unpacked. There are just a couple boxes of books and my grandmother’s dishes that just do not have a home yet. So, even though our house is in a bit of disarray, I thought I would give you a quick tour and thank everyone for their prayers and support as we ventured out here.

Here is my kitchen! It is nice to have a full size fridge and a dishwasher and more counter space than I was working with before. We have definitely enjoyed using the space in this kitchen already.

Here is our dining room, we are on the look-out for a cheap (yet sturdy) dining room table, so thus we have been eating elsewhere at the moment.

Also on the look-out for a couch and bookshelves. No biggie. We were improvising with the crash-pads as our make-shift couch yesterday lol.

I did take the time to decorate my mantle though lol. My bottles with coffee in the bottom and some candles, our unity rock, and some lights. This picture honestly does not do justice of how cute it is.

The bedroom. You can’t see it, but we did get a new bed frame from IKEA that has drawers in the bottom. We love it already lol. Also, one lamp we got at IKEA as well. We intend to get another one, just haven’t picked it up yet.

There is also plenty of room in the bedroom for the tv and some shelving.

Ok, so it would not let me rotate the picture, but we have a nice walk-in closet. Love having the space in there. I have yet to do laundry as you can tell there lol. Don’t mind the pile.

Also unable to rotate this one,  but we have a nice little bathroom vanity area.

I have a full tub!!! I cannot wait to take a bath in it! Having room to shave my legs and just shower without bumping into the walls in definitely nice.

Here is our front door. We are on the bottom floor and our neighbors upstairs and really all around us are quiet and clean. It is nice to not have to worry or get annoyed with neighbors for their noise or trash or what have you. It was definitely something I was worried about.

And there we are, 107. 🙂

We are definitely enjoying exploring a new area and really a new way of life for the three of us. We have found our favorite grocery store already. It is called Sprouts and is a natural/organic grocery store. Their produce is inexpensive and honestly phenomenal. We have more produce in our fridge than we ever did in Altoona, and we are eating it and loving it.
We have explored several of the shopping malls in the area. Its fun to check out stores that I have seen online and can now look at in person.
We have checked out the store we will be working in and met with the boss who is super chill. We also checked out the Denver flagship store which is amazingly cool. TJ will probably get to work there on a regular basis.

We have also come to realize that when we do buy a house in the coming months that we need to move more westward, toward Littleton/Englewood area so that not only can we be closer to work but also closer to some state parks and some mountains.

The weather has been in the 70’s and 80’s and our boss says it is the norm, so I’ll take it. We have had thunderstorms the majority of the days we have been here which always makes me happy.

Overall, we love it here and are coming to the conclusion that we may never leave.

See ya!

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June 18, 2012 · 9:27 pm

Monday: Weekend Update!

This past weekend was my birthday weekend! It was on Friday and my hubby had the whole day planned out. He is amazing! First he let me sleep in, which was much appreciated. 

Then we made our way to Pittsburgh. I love the city of Pittsburgh. If we were not moving to Denver here in just over two weeks, I would make us move closer to Pittsburgh. First of all, it is just a great city and it is really beautiful if you like slightly run down but making a come back kind of places. But anyway, we went to Pittsburgh to go to our favorite climbing gym. It has this massive bouldering area which is exactly the type of climbing that we love. We spent several hours in there just climbing to our hearts content. We definitely realized that we are not nearly as good of climbers as we thought. I mean we knew we were not great but I at least felt like I could be better. We are hoping that once we move to Denver, we can find a great gym to get involved in. We want to climb on a much more regular basis. 

After we were exhausted enough from climbing, we went closer to the heart of Pittsburgh and hit up the REI store and Cheesecake factory there. I could not help but being giddy while I was walking through REI because I know that I will be working there in three weeks! So excited! Just knowing that I will be working in an environment that I actually like and knowing that I get those pro deals just makes me super super excited! 
Then we hit up the Cheesecake Factory. MMMMMMM That place has delicious food. I had their chicken parm sandwich. So yummy! Yay! Then I had the Adam’s Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple cheesecake. Dude, it has butterfingers and reese’s in it. What is there not to love about that cheesecake?! 

After that, he surprised me with a trip to the Drive-in to see Madagascar 3 and Snow White and the Huntsman. Oh my word. So awesome! I love the drive-in and he could not have picked a better ending to the night! Both movies were awesome! 

Overall, I could not have had a better Birthday date day with my hubby! That led in to the rest of the weekend which was work work work work. 

Well, I am off to eat and continue packing up my house! Yay moving!

See ya!

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