Memorial Day 2010 Shopping

Today is Memorial Day and many people get today off hence is a 3 days weekend. 

               Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 31 in 2010). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. soldiers who died while in the military service.^[1]Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the Civil War), it was expanded after World War I to honor dead Americans from all wars. (Adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day)

I happened to have Saturday off but had to work on Sunday and so happen my off day falls on Memorial Day hence I have today off too. I was telling hub and everyone else I'm not off because I have the day off since is Memorial Day but because is my day off!

Anyway I got up at 7am as usual (I'm not sure why but lately I've been getting up at the latest 7:30am doesn't matter what time I go to bed) and played with the dogs a little before I got myself up of bed and cleaned up. I suddenly had the urge to buy something for because I've not really gotten anything since my birthday (which I've not blogged about because I forgot and its been 6 months ago!) 

I woke the hubby up at about 8am and told him that I was hungry :p and I wanted to go be at the mall before it got crowded.  I got ready and made him and I some breakfast got the dogs ready and then we ate. After that we cleaned up and got dressed to go to the mall. We reached the mall a little after 10 am and I knew which store I wanted to visit. we walked in Neiman Marcus a little bit but I didn't find anything I wanted and headed to the store.

Memorial Day shopping damage done!The Speedy 30 with Strap in fresh Monogram Idylle. I saw this bag a few months ago and have been thinking on looking at it but figure since I already have the Monogram Canvas Speedy 25 I don't want to get a similar one but hubby really like this one plus I do not have any of the Idylle collection so we decided on this one. I was thinking of getting it in Fusain but hubby and the Sales Associate thinks that this is a nice color. I'm happy :) but a hole in my wallet!:P...

We barely walked around the mall and left early because there was nothing else I actually wanted to look at. I should tell the hub that this is our Anniversary present from him to me since I gave him an ipod on our Anniversary.

Another Horrible Experience

Yesterday (Sunday) when I was at work Aunt L text me and asked if we wanted to go Cheesecake Factory for dinner together and since hubs was on call last weekend I asked him if he wanted to go or if he had to work. He said that we would go so when I got home I showered and got ready to go. We stopped by one of Aunt L's property before going for dinner and since we were close to the Galleria we decided to visit the Galleria Cheesecake Factory Restaurant.

When we got there to our seat we noticed that there was nets (fruit flies) around. We told the server and she just apologized and didn't even ask if we wanted to change our seat. She was slow she didn't give us what we asked for and the worst part was her uniform was dirty. The cloth that she used to carry our plates was dirty and looked like it has not seen bleach for a long time. We quickly finished our food and asked for our bill. YES we didn't even eat our dessert!!my favorite CHEESECAKE!! Anyway before we asked for our bill a floor manager walked passed us and we were getting really irritated with the nets so I called him and told him about the situation. He said " I apologized about the problem and would you like to change our seat ( we were done eating at that time and was already paying)?" we told him no and the next thing he asked was do you need a box for our food! WTF I mean didn't offer a drink or anything!! We could have called the Health Department on him! He never came back with the box or anything! We were not too happy with how he handled the situation while waiting for our box nets were flying everywhere. We were getting so irritated because we had to keep swatting it. We finally killed one with our napkin and decided to go find the same manager and showed it to him! He was talking to me (I don't really know what he was saying because the restaurant was noisy and he was NOT even looking at me.) He didn't even make ANY eye contact with me hence I didn't really grasp what he said but I know that he didn't apologize to me. Anyway he offered us ONE slice of cheesecake to make this better BUT the worst problem was he told me to go get it from the counter (there was a long que) and snuck away again! Did not even get me my piece of cheesecake! I was doing all the talking the whole time and finally Uncle R could not take it and told him to go get the cheesecake for me. We were so upset with the way he handle this situation!We don't expect to visit a fine dining restaurant and get this kind of service!

Anyway I was so upset that I decided to call the General Manager today (The GM was not there yesterday) to tell him what happened. I didn't even mentioned to the floor manager at that time that the floor there was slippery that many customers was slipping including us was slipping around! This morning when I called the restaurant the guy told me that the GM was not here so I told him that I would call corporate but he was nice and told me that he's the AGM that he can help me too since the GM was going to be gone till Wednesday. I was telling him everything just chewing him up and suddenly I notice what he's telling me does not make sense to notice that I called the wrong branch!!I called the Woodlands branch(the one that we always go)! I was so embarrassed and quickly apologize to him several times. He was nice and understood what I told him and told me that it happens all the time!Phew! He gave me the Galleria's number and the GM's name.

I was getting my car washed and vacuumed just now and decided to give the Galleria restaurant a call. The first person that answer the phone asked who I was looking for and put me on hold. 5-8 person did the same thing and just drove me nuts because I was on hold and every time someone answered the phone I had to tell them who I was on hold for and my name etc so the last two ladies that answer the phone I told them who I was and who I am looking for and I told them that I would just call corporate. Finally the last lady I told her I'm not going to go on hold anymore that I will just call their regional manager and asked her for the name and number. She gave me the RM name and number but insisted that I spoke with her. I was thinking no harm done since she was someone in charged too I think she must be the AGM. I told her what happened to my dining experience with her establishment. She told him that fruit flies is pretty popular especially during the hot summer time blah blah blah. Anyway I told her that I don't care if it's hot summer I do not expect a fine dining restaurant like this to have fruit flies flying around and asked her if she's seen fruit flies in other fine establishment. I told her that is her restaurants problem and it has nothing to me and we could have gotten sick because the food flies was flying around our food! Anyway to show her sincerity she was going to send me a gift card (I don't know the denomination) but she told me that  is worth 2-3 entrees and some dessert so I'm going to see how much she's actually sending me. I hope she don't intend to play games with me and though of sending me a $10 gift card because that would be a wrong step on her behalf!

I don't think I would blow up as much if I didn't have to wait to talk to someone for such a long time. Plus if the floor manager would not try and brush me off like I'm a the irritating bug I would not be that pissed. If I get the gift card will try and update!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

I know that I'm a little early to wish all the beloved and pretty mother's out there but I wanted to send my wishes out just in case I don't find time to blog this next few days since I'm always swamp with work weekends.

Wishing all the lovely mother's that has sacrify for their kids and family a wonderful mother's day! Hope that everyone can spend time with their mother's to honor them on this day!

I would most probably be working anyway but I asked the hubs what will the kids get me for mother's day. He said that they would not get me anything because they are not working hence no money 0_o

I changed it AGAIN!!!

At the end of January (not quite sure of the dates) I changed the kids food because I read a lot of review that Canidae All Life Stage Formula Chicken, Turkey, Lamb, and Fish Meals Dry Dog Food was a crappy dog food because they changed their recipe and a lot of people was having problems after feeding their dogs. Although I did not have any problems with the boys (We didn't have my baby girl at that time) I decided to change their food. A friend and the people at the store recommended California Natural Lamb Meal and Rice Adult Dry Dog Food to us and we tried them. Stanely's poop was still runny and he was still puking white/yellow foam here and there. When it was time for me to go to the store (I went by myself) to buy their dog food I was telling her about Stanley etc and she recommended Orijen Adult Formula Dry Dog Food to us. Orijen has been working well for us but it is getting pretty expensive to buy this dog food to feed all 3 of them. 

I will not give them dog food that has grain in them anymore because ever since all 3 of them have been on grain free (Stanley especially) I can see a lot of improvement in their bowl movement. A 29lbs bag last us about 1-1.5 months and it cost about $80 per bag I've been trying to find a cheaper grain free food out there. 

The other day I happened to stumbled upon Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry Dog Food with Roasted Bison and Venison, 30lbs 

It is so much cheaper than Orijen and is also grain free! I was so excited because it is almost time for me to buy their food again. I just bought a bag of food for them about a week or two before my parents came now I am needing to buy them again. I called the pet store and tried to find out more information about this food and she told me that many people are switching their pets to this brand because is gran free and is a cheaper than a lot of grain free food out there. I was hyped and got the hubs to go get a bag so I can start switching them over. Hubby just found time to grab a bag and I think I'll be slowly switching them today or tomorrow. I've read online and have not really seen any negative rating so lets hope that this one will work for them.

I know a lot of people asked me why do I always change their dog food and how come I would spend so much time researching their dog food and my answer is not because I have time but my dogs are important to me and I want the best for them even though is much more expensive than a lot of brand. I decided to keep them and have them in my home I will try my best to give them what they need.

Lunch in a hurry

When mom and dad was here dad's job was to help dust the house and watch the dogs while mom would be busy in the kitchen and dust the house too when I was gone to work or anywhere. So when mom left mom made a bunch of food and we were either eating food mom made or ate out. 

Since mom and dad left for home about a week ago we have eaten almost everything that she's cooked. Since most days I don't go to work till noon or later I've been trying to eat something heavier before going to work so I will just need to snack on something light and then leave work and be home at about 8ish to have dinner with the hubs. 

Lately all I've been eating is ramen with lots of vegs and added ingredients like fish balls or chicken etc. I've not been cooking because I've been busy with work or I get home too late from work.

My lunch is suppose to tie me through at work until I get an opportunity to come home to eat with the hubs. Hubby and I normally try to wait for each other to eat our dinner since we don't get to see each other or eat with each other through out the day.

This is a big bowl of ramen and if you are thinking if I'm capable of finish them up yes I did. It is mostly lots of vegetables and fish balls in my ramen anyway today there was even an egg in it for additional protein :). Healthy? maybe not but will it tie me through till I get done with work including a small snack at work hopefully!

I miss.....

having them home with me when I'm at home

eating my meals with them

going out with them shopping for anything from groceries to clothes

getting up knowing that they are here with me

having them make my meals for me

ironing my clothes

doing my laundry

cleaning my house

playing with the puppies or taking them out for walks

coming home from work and have dinner ready for me

and most importantly I just miss spending time with them

Oh how I miss my parents so much! I've just been crazy with work ever since they left. Today my manager was nice enough to give me a day off because I've just been working too much! I'm thankful for that because I'm so beat that I really need the day off but now that I'm home I just miss my parents so much. Their room is untouched is still how it was when they left. I cannot stand the thought that they have gone home and I don't know when again I'll see them again. 

I think I'm just very emotional right now. I mean I know that I can always fly home or they can always fly here to see me but I just feel sad because my parents are not getting any younger and I want to take responsibility on taking care of them and I feel horrible because I am so far away and I cannot take care of them when they need me.

I know being at home today does not help the matter any better but I do have a lot of housework to attend to if I'll move my butt but at this moment in time I just don't have any motivation to do anything but just to sit around!

Family Time

I've got a gazillion back dated post which I've been planning to post but had not have any time on hand to actually sit in front of the computer to write. I have some spare time today and decided to update a little.

In February the in laws came to visit for a few days but I was swamped with work and was working every single day. I only spend a day with them which was Sunday because it was my off day. 

Then I found out that my Mom and Dad was coming to visit me in April! I was pretty excited yet nervous because initially they were suppose come over to visit in August. Our company is launching a new software and we were not suppose to take any days off one week before and one week of the launch. I didn't know about that and had to get approval from my manager. My manager was fine with it but our Market Director would not allow me to take off without pay because she said that I don't have the privileged since I have not accumulated any Vacation Days. I was pretty upset about it but decided to make do with what I could get away with.

So a month before mom and dad came we had to clean the house and rearrange the stuff in the house. We were cleaning and rearranging until the eleventh hour before they arrived! We managed to get about 30 minutes to rest before rushing to the airport to pick them up!

It was a nice and relaxing visit for them I think. We didn't really do much because I am not sure what to do here except shopping. My parents basically chilled the first day they were here as I had to work all day. Then we went shopping every day and ate! The only weekend we had we went over to Austin, TX but didn't get to do much because the weather was not cooperating. It was raining when we left and was raining when we went there. Austin has a lot of places to see and visit but they are all out doors and we don't have an umbrella there plus it consists a lot of working and my dad cannot walk that much because his knee bothers him. I've told him countless times to get that check when he gets home. He thinks that he might need a knee replacement but he needs to consult the specialist and I told him not to wait any longer.

So instead of staying there a few night the next day we decided to head back and just hang out in Houston. We went for Dim Sum on Saturday and also to the Asian grocery stores which was nice because I've not been to the Asian grocery store for a very long time since I started working so I was able to stock up on some of my Asian groceries. My mom also showed me how to make the Chinese Wine for cooking so that I could have some since I love to eat them.

Mom and Dad didn't do a lot of shopping here as they will have to pay to check in their luggage so they tried not to buy too much and bought most of their stuff at my sister's place. They still bought quite a bit here although they tried so hard not to since there were some stuff they didn't see when they were at my sis's place.

I had to go back to work straightaway the moment I send them off because they were launching the new software the next day and technically I was suppose to be at work days before that but since my manager is so great to me they decided to work around me and thankfully I have no problems using the new software.

Life has started to be back to normal apart from the fact that this week I would be super busy catching up and helping at work. I've not even had time to sit around and be sad since my parents left my place. I am really sad inside but in a way I am glad that I've been so busy with work that I don't have time to think about anything. I really miss my parents a lot and I know that I'll always be their little girl :). 

Today they flew off from my sister's place for home. I didn't even get a chance to talk to them before they flew off. Since I am working half a day today I have some time at home hence blogging today. I am really sad that they are gone but I know that this is part of life. This is the road I chose and this is the consequences that I have to face. I just hope that I can see them more and spend more time with them as they are both aging.