Off time... and medium-sized news

So after a couple more weeks I've managed to come up with a little off time, just in time for Labor Day.  I spent most of yesterday preparing for yesterday.  Sound a little odd?  Well, it was.

I woke up late yesterday morning and decided to give Cassie a call suggesting that we go to Costco for supplies for our little opening game get together.  Unbeknownst to me this turned into a five hour trip.  First, it was just going to be there and back.  Then my mother called... 'sure we can me you at Starbucks for a cup of coffee.'  Which turned in to a great little lunch and trip to the home goods store.  Then we were on our way to the big store so we could buy big snacks.  Then Cassie wanted to go to Wrapsody, a local shop that sells up-scale odds and ends (Vera Bradley purses, personalized stationary, blah, blah, blah).  We spent another exciting half hour there.  Well, finally, on to Costco... were we debated for another hour (plus) on whether or not Luke really needed 72 Bagel-bites, whether boneless chicken wings were really chicken wings at all (five pounds it still too much, I say), or if we should go to a real grocery store.  Finally we purchased our over-sized goods and headed to Publix to spend another 40 bucks on food for four people.  Sure the case of Samuel Adams Oktoberfest was great, but geez, we had enough food for a small army!  Finally the game started.  We all gorged ourselves on over salty food (funny how that pound of baby carrots remained in the fridge) and Auburn won.  phew.

Today?  Well, most of today I've spent watching the fabulous TV phenomenon Heros.  I love it!  Does it count as the exercise that my body so desperately needs... maybe not.  But I am exhausted if that counts for anything.

Tomorrow we will be happily travelling to Montgomery for an Upchurch family gathering.  I'm really excited!  (And thanks to Costco I now have 165 sturdy paper plates for the family!)  I feel like we haven't been home in ages, even though that's not entirely true.  We will, unfortunately, be taking the bean as our sweet ride tomorrow.  The Sentra has less than 100 miles before it needs an oil change and we don't want to go over (for the sake of the warranty).  Lets hope its not a hot one tomorrow!

On to the medium-sized news...

I've been promoted!  Not the big promotion I'm hoping for this time next year, but it will definitely do for now.  The company has created a new position, 'travelling manager'.  That pretty much sums up the job description too.  I'll be able to appoint an assistant manager in my home studio and travel to other studios in the region helping out, trouble-shooting, re-training, etc.  The new position comes with an increase in pay and bonus potential and also increases the likelihood that I may have a region of my own before too long.  I'm pretty excited about it professionally, but the prospect of being away from home more is a little troubling.  I do wish that Luke could come with me when I have to travel.  He may be able to come every so often, but in between those it'll just be a fat orange fluff ball and a particularly patient husband at home awaiting my return.  I won't be the only 'traveling manager' in the region so I won't be gone all the time, but I do think that amongst all the benefits there's a little guilt built in too.  But this is the next step for me professionally and who would have guessed that it could have come so quickly!

I can't wait to see all of you in Montgomery (if possible) tomorrow, and Jason I promise we will bring you your magnet one of these times...