Friday, November 19, 2010

Stocks & Benefits

Before I started working for my publicly traded company, I knew a small, but significant amount about stocks.  We have Ameritrade and Edward Jones accounts.  Eric and I both have 401(k) accounts that we are quite "involved" with.  However, I hadn't really ever followed stock prices on a regular basis.  Now that I have stock options and am enrolled in our awesome perk of the employee stock purchase plan, I definitely follow our stock.  It is getting a little better each day.  I am crossing my fingers that it will hit $20 sometime soon.  I may be waiting for awhile, but hopefully not.  I definitely see how having these sorts of benefits as well as the return on assets bonus structure encourages employees to focus on the bottom line more than at other privately held companies I've worked for.  I realize that the bottom line isn't all that matters (especially as my role in HR) but as a team, we are much more conscious of costs/spending when it directly impacts our pay. 

GO STLD! :) 

Volunteering

Life is busy and I have tried to focus on the fact that regardless of how hard I may think my life is, it is still leaps and bounds easier than many other people's lives.  Therefore, even if you never feel like you have enough time or money to get by in life, you probably do have at least a little time to give back. 

I joined the Ann Arbor Jaycees 4 years ago.  I joined because I wanted to add variety to my life and get out and experience new things.  Boy, did it give me that!  The organization also introduced me to a large like-minded group of people that I have become great friends with.  I have found that I enjoyed the community service projects quite a bit.  Now that I work in Jackson and live in Livingston County, Jaycee events are a bit difficult to make it to.  I did a bit of research and found a cause that I felt strongly about in Jackson.  I started training with the AWARE shelter earlier this fall.  It is a shelter/center for battered women and their children.  The training is extensive but I am excited to have found a way to give back.  I have had some stumbling blocks in my life and was always so lucky that there were people there to help me along the way, both family/friends and strangers/new friends.  Many people do not have anyone to lean on.  Actually, many may not be the accurate term.  It is probably more accurate to say a large percentage of people feel that they do not have anyone that can help them. 

How to be a Good Person

After some recent events, I really started to wonder what others felt made a good person.  I did some research and feel that the article above is a pretty good representation of what I found.  No one is perfect and I know that there is no way in life to make every person you come in contact with happy.  What you can do is try your best to be the person that you can respect.   I'd say that is my goal. I'll keep on working on constantly trying to achieve it. 

Happy Thanksgiving to my cherished family and friends.  Love you all. 

Thursday, November 11, 2010

I am SO tired of this

People, when did it become ok to pry in to a person's very private life (especially in public conversation)? 

It didn't. 

Don't Ask

Run thru Hell on Halloween!

Running a race on Halloween thru Hell?  Sounds just about perfect!

Friends

Over the past several months, I have reflected a bit of life and specifically friendship.  Life is busy and time passes by very quickly.  I believe that true friendship exists when you are able to pick up the phone after any amount of time has passed by and talk to a friend like no time has passed at all.  I am truly thankful for all of the meaningful relationships in my life.  I have learned to let go of the things go that do not feel right or are too much work. 

Thank you to all my wonderful peeps! 

Here is a pretty good one!  :)


The Darc

Monday, October 11, 2010

My Mom is an amazing woman!

My mom was very recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  Cancer doesn't "run in our family" and my Mom is young so we never saw this coming, but it did.  She is an amazingly strong woman who has always taken such wonderful care of all of us.  It has been nice being able to take care of her a little.  :)  She lives a bit too far away from me for me to be able to see and visit her as much as I wish I could.  I love her so much and am happy to report that the treatment path that she chose was a success!  She will have a long recovery ahead of her but she is officially cancer free!  The relief that you feel when you hear news like that is indescribable.  She truly is a fighter!  She is doing a little better every day and she is definitely back to being the Mom that we all know and love.  My awesome dad surprised her a few days after her surgery with something that she has wanted for years - her very own LAPTOP!  She can now video chat with all of us, including my sister's 3 beautiful children.  The smile that puts on my mom's face is amazing. 

Not long after the diagnosis my Mom and I went to a spur-of-the-moment weeknight Tigers game.  It was a blast!  I hadn't been to a weekday/night game in a million years.  Even though it was late September, it was one of those Michigan fall days that feels like summer.  We even had time for a little stop by the casino, one of her fav activities. We both love the Tigers and had a relaxing night. 

I love you MOM!!!!!!! 

 

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

MLB Parks Update

I'd really like to find time soon to post a few entries but in the meantime, I am updating one of my bucket list items! 

In addition to the many home Tigers games we attend each year, we are visiting the Tigers at away games and moving along on that "project".


Los Angeles - Dodgers Dodger Stadium
Atlanta Braves - Turner Field
New York Yankees - Yankee Stadium (We visited the old Yankee Stadium in 2008 - need to visit the new one)
Colorado Rockies - Coors Field
Toronto Blue Jays - Rogers Centre (2010)
Texas Rangers - Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Arizona Diamondbacks - Chase Field
Baltimore Orioles - Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Seattle Mariners - Safeco Field
St. Louis Cardinals - Busch Stadium
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Philadelphia Phillies - Citizens Bank Park
Cleveland Indians - Progressive Field (2008)
San Diego Padres - Petco Park
Cincinnati Reds - Great American Ball Park
Milwaukee Brewers - Miller Park
Washington Nationals - Nationals Park
New York Mets Citi Field
Detroit Tigers - Comerica Park (have visited every year since it opened in 2000)
San Francisco Giants - AT&T Park
Chicago Cubs - Wrigley Field
Houston Astros - Minute Maid Park
Chicago White Sox - U.S. Cellular Field (2009)
Minnesota Twins - Target Field
Kansas City Royals - Kauffman Stadium
Florida Marlins - Sun Life Stadium
Pittsburgh Pirates - PNC Park
Boston Red Sox - Fenway Park
Tampa Bay Rays - Tropicana Field
Oakland Athletics Oakland -Alameda County Coliseum

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Bucket List Update

1. Travel to London (traveled to London May 2010)
2. Travel to Paris (traveled to Paris May 2010)
3. Travel to Australia
4. Travel to Hawaii
5. Travel to Alaska
6. Learn Spanish (enrolled in and attendingSpanish class) 
7. Go stargazing
8. Develop craft/creative blog and post regularly (developed in spring 2010)
9. Go on a road trip with my hubby, Eric, to places we’ve never been
10. Create my dream home
11. Start a business with Eric
12. Go scuba diving and/or snorkeling
13. Swim with dolphins
14. Volunteer to help children in need (volunteered with Make a Wish in July 2010 but will continue to do so)
15. Achieve my ideal weight
16. Run a 10K
17. Really learn to golf (Eric and I have been taking lessons with Rudy and they are going well!)
18. Make a positive difference in someone’s life
19. Plant and grow tomatoes
20. Plant and grow a garden
21. Plan a family reunion for the Holbrook family
22. Learn sign language
23. Visit Disney World with our (future) children and my extended family
24. Visit all of the MLB parks with Eric http://creativitybyjen.blogspot.com/2010/04/mlb-parks.html (scheduled to visit Rogers Centre to see the Tigers play the Blue Jays in August)
25. Take the SPHR test and pass (putting off until 2011 while I achieve my CLRP certification in 2010)

WAM 300

Darci and I volunteered through the Volunteer Match Site with the Make a Wish Foundation this past weekend.  Bike riders started a 300 mile ride from Traverse City on Friday.  They rode 100 miles each day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, finishing in Chelsea.  This is where we came in!  We spent the morning and early afternoon on Sunday preparing for the arrival of the riders and then assisting the Make a Wish kids when they presented the riders with their medals.  The kids were truly awesome and amazing!  Even though they are very ill, they have so much spirit.  We loved the experience and hope to help again in the future. 

The area that we worked in was called the Wish Hero Barn!



This was the stage that the kids were on when they put the medals on their riders! 

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Tigers vs Twins

We had a fun family outing at the Tigers game.  Eric's Mom, sister and Aunt Betty, Eric and I went to an afternoon Sunday game.  It was a warm and sunny day.  We all had a great time.

Who doesn't love a claw!!!  I forgot mine in the car in Chelsea! :(


We loved the plaid and bought matching hats - just different colors! 

Relay for Life Golf Tournament

Eric and I are involved in two Relay for Life teams each year.  The first relay event was a couple of weeks ago in Ann Arbor.  We were part of the Ann Arbor Jaycees team.  We also walk with the OmniSource team in August.  The OmniSource team does a ton of fundraising.  This year we even had a golf outing to raise money.  Eric and I were lucky enough to play.  We played a scramble with another couple with SLIGHTLY better skills than us.  That really isn't saying a whole lot.  :)  Eric and I have only ever golfed one other time together.  We need practice but had a great time!  It was such a long day though!  We literally golfed for 7 and a half hours.  It was crazy!

We need help!  :)  We are going to a "Couples Golf Clinic" next weekend - maybe there is hope!

Eric's Mom gave us personalized tees for Christmas!  They are FUN!
Jody and Travis
US
It rained very hard about halfway through the day.  We took a short break.  After the rain settled down, we found this snapping turtle.  Apparently Travis traps them.  He REALLY wanted to take this one home but it was mean! 

Birthday Weekend

Oh the summer, HOW I LOVE YOU!! 

I was SO happy to finally have some time at home over the 4th of July weekend.  We had Darci and Patrick over for my actual birthday.  We spent time many hours out on the boat.




We hung out all day, grilled out for dinner, and went out again at night to watch the fireworks on our lake.  It was one of the best birthdays I've had!! 




I have been trying to learn how to do a few more things on my "simple" camera.  I like the Fireworks feature. 

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Red Robin

How in the world is anyone supposed to eat right when things like this exist? YUM 

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Mudhens Game


Eric and I visited Toledo to watch the Mudhens play on Saturday.  We went with my mom and dad and Andy and Cheryl.  We had a great time with dinner, watching the game and then the fireworks! 



Sunday, June 6, 2010

It's 5K time!!!!

Darci and I decided last Tuesday that instead of being fans at today's Dexter-Ann Arbor run, that we should sign up to run!  Neither of us felt like we were ready but we finished with great times and never walked!  I had problems with my calf last weekend that just wouldn't go away and Darci has knee pain but we did it!!! 


Eric's Mom and her friend ran the 10K which was just amazing!!!  We missed her finish because she finished before our race but she was awesome!


Then it was time to watch Patrick and my Dad finish the half marathon!  What a great day of running.  Eric even came out to cheer us all on.



Sunday, May 30, 2010

Boating Fun

My parents came over on Saturday for grilling and boating.  We saw this yummy cookie dessert at Meijer and knew that my mom would just love it!


We bought a tube for our boat on Friday and tried it out when my parents came over yesterday.  We all had some fun.  The weekend has been amazing.



What a Storm!

Last Friday brought a strange and very strong storm to Kaiserville.  Eric was at work and Presley and I were working on dinner.  It had been raining for awhile but it was just "normal" spring rain.  Very suddenly, the winds picked up and the rain started coming down very hard.  We lost power quickly and shortly after I heard the cracking of a tree starting to fall.  We have had two large and dead trees that we've been talking about having removed for quite some time.  If one of those were to fall on the house, it would kill anything in its path.  I definitely thought it was one of them, but...  thankfully it wasn't!  It was a tree that we thought was quite alive.  It came down hard and fast.  The wind was so strong that it basically tore the tree off of it's trunk and moved it about 5 feet.  A branch from our tree or possibly another tree flew off and punctured our neighbor's house.  The end result was a house that looked like it has a tree growing out of it. 



The tree and our yard needed a lot of work.  We had to take a trip to the Chelsea Village Hardware Store to pick up a chain saw!  Eric was so happy about this purchase.  He has wanted a chain saw for a long time but could never justify it to himself.  Well, the time had arrived!  He had about 8 hours of work on Sunday to take care of the tree and all of its waste. 

This whole experience finally motivated us to get a quote on the two dead trees.  I talked to Dave's Tree Service early in the week and they were able to come out on Friday.  They were impressive.  They brought a crane and cherry picker.  They had both trees down within an hour.  The stump grinder then went to business.  Eric talked them in to grinding the stump of the tree that was destroyed in the storm.  It was finally done!  Over the next week, Eric and our neighbor will be working on splitting all of the wood for Wayne's indoor wood burner.