Feeling Drained

My body is in serious need of relaxation.

Being a full time nanny is extremely draining and tiresome.

Don't get me wrong, I love the girls I watch, but I have to constantly keep them busy and take care of them.  They are ALWAYS hungry, and half the time, they're fighting or annoying each other.

However, the main reason why I'm always feeling drained is because the other part of my job description is to be the (not paid very well) housekeeper.  

When hired, I was asked to wash the dishes, do laundry, and tidy up a bit.  I was fine with this, but I wasn't considering how much work it would be, since I'm a neat freak, and realizing that I am being WAY underpaid for it.  And...

It. is. KILLING. me.

My body always aches, I feel like I could just sleep for days, and my patience gets lower and lower every day.

I know I should ask for more money for everything that I do, but for one, I hate asking for that, and second, when I asked them to pay for my gas for all the driving I do, it was like pulling teeth from a tiger.  Ridiculous!

And right now, I'm bored out of my mind sitting in class, trying not to fall asleep because I am so freaking tired.  And to top it all off, I usually have Fridays off, but since they gave me a half day a few weeks ago, and the mom is out of town tomorrow, I get to go in at my usual time and work until noon without extra pay, to make up for the half day.  All because the mom doesn't want to put too much stress on the dad.  Oh boo hoo.  He wanted to be a dad, so he should be able to handle things like a dad.

I've been keeping my eye open for a new, better paying job, but haven't had much luck.
For all the wealthy people who live in my city, they are very much tight-wads when it comes to paying the people who take care of their children.


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Ok, I'm done ranting.
Just needed to get that out there.

Thanks for listening :)

Me from A-Z!

I'm bored at home.

Already ate, showered, watched my shows, did a mud masque, and painted my nails.

Now what?

Steal ideas from my fellow bloggers and do a fun A-Z post

I saw on Tricia Nae's post.
I think yes :)

{a} age... 23.

{b} bed size... full.

{c} chore you hate... laundry.

{d} dogs... one fur baby.

{e} essential start to your day... brush teeth, wash face, stretch.

{f} favorite color... pink!

{g} gold or silver... silver.

{h} height... 5'6"

{i} instruments you play... used to play clarinet and violin.

{j} job title... nanny.

{k} kids... in the next few years.

{l} live... in a cute little apartment.

{m} maiden name... not married...yet.

{n} nicknames... panda. 

{o} overnight hospital stays... never.

{p} pet peeve... people who don't clean up after themselves.

{q} quote... live laugh love.

{r} righty or lefty... righty.

{s} siblings... four sisters. one brother.

{t} time you wake up... (work days)6:50am. (non-work days)9:30am.

{u} university attended... University of Phoenix.

{v} vegetables you dislike... peas and celery.

{w} what makes you run late... deciding what to wear.

{x} x-rays you've had... teeth, knees, and chest.

{y} yummy food... sushi and ribs.

{z} zoo animal favorite... pandas!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Wow, it's been a very long time since I've linked up for WILW @ This Kind of Love, or any link up really.  Sad, I know...  Lets just say it has been very stressful the last few weeks.  Very.  But here are a few things that have made me smile...

I'm loving... that I get paid tomorrow.

(because we're broke)

I'm loving... that I'll actually have time to paint my nails tonight.

(and use my new crackle nail polish!)

I'm loving... my new job.

(the girls are freaking adorable!)

I'm loving... my favorite shows.

(Awkward. The New Adventures of Old Christine. Dance Moms. Teen Mom.)

And as always, I'm loving... my super handsome, amazing boyfriend <3

Pretend City

There is this place where I live that I have never heard of until I started working for these families in my town: Pretend City.  I have only ever heard great things about it and that it is actually an entire city made just for little kids.  Sounds interesting, huh?  I thought so.

Well, today I got the privilege of touring the little pretend city, and I have to say, it wasn't as totally awesome as I had pictured in my head, but it was up there.  It had little grocery store, a post office, an art place, a fire station, gas station, movie theatre, and much more.  They even give the kids "time cards" and ATMs to get fake money.  We were there for two hours today and the kids loved it - they didn't want to leave.

This idea of creating a little pretend city was such a great idea!  I only wish they had something like this when I was a kid.  Kids these days are so spoiled!  I'm just saying...

Stressed Out!: UPDATE

If you haven't noticed, I haven't been blogging much lately :(  These last two weeks have been crazy hectic and I'm so tired!

Well, after that horrible day of back and forth 'yelling' text messages and screaming phone calls to the new family saying that they stole me, I was treated with a cold shoulder for the rest of the week and let go last Friday.  I continued to work for the new family this week, but I was told that they were interviewing new nannies because they still hadn't gotten a 'blessing' from the previous family I worked for.  I was really bummed about it, especially the fact that I had to look for a new job.

I applied to about 15-20 jobs, had two callbacks, and one interview.  The whole time though, I was secretly hoping wishing that the new family would just get over the whole 'blessing' thing and keep me as their nanny.

Well...after working the last two weeks with them, I guess I really impressed them, because today when the mom came home to relieve me, she said the words I've been longing to hear, "Sarah, would you like to continue working for us?"  Umm..YES PLEASE!  I'm so glad I don't have to go through anymore awkward interviews or send out my resume anymore.  To me, that is the worst thing about jobs: finding one.

A huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and the knot is finally out of my stomach.  Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers :)  I really appreciate it!

************
Sidenote:   Sometime next week (I believe next Thursday the 1st), 

I will be guest posting on Casey's blog over at Stress Case while she is on vacation.

If you have a chance, please go over there and take a look!

Thank you!

Stressed Out!

As most of you know, I nanny two of the cutest girls during the week.  Well, since they are back in school now, my hours and paycheck have been cut in half, and I'm barely surviving money-wise.  I've been searching for either another part-time job to go along with my current job or find a full-time job to replace my current one, but it's been rough.

My prayers were answered when sadly, another nanny friend had an emergency and had to leave her full-time nanny job, and she called and asked me if I would like to take over her job.  Without hesitating, of course I said yes.  The mom she worked for called me the next day, and we worked it out for me to just work in the mornings until school gets out, so I can still work for my current family until we figure out other arrangements (either combining all the kids together for after school or they find another nanny).

I talked a bit with the current mom I work for about the situation, because she told me if I found another family that goes to the same school as her kids we could work something out if needed.  Well, she totally took what she said back!  She kept coming up with excuses like Miss Lazy-Know-It-All would get too distracted while doing homework and five kids is too many kids for me to watch.  Um, I'm sorry, but those are lame excuses.  I've worked with kids for over eight years and I'm the oldest of six kids...I think I can keep a girl focused enough to finish her homework and be able to watch 5 kids.  So we kind of just left it at that I will continue to watch the new family in the morning and watch their kids in the afternoon for this week and then go from there.

Welllll...things are about to turn for the worst!  Ugh :(

I go into work this morning to watch the other family's kids and I get a text from the current mom I work for saying that she wants to know what my plan is about my job, and that the girls love me, blah blah blah, and really just wants to know what my plan is.  It didn't sound to mean or anything, just sounded like she just wanted to know.  Now, I was planning on talking to her about it tonight when she came to pick up the girls, since I would have a chance to talk to her alone without the girls around, but since she asked, I figured it would only be polite to answer instead of leaving her hanging all day.

Here's what I wrote:
"I love watching the girls, however I'm put in a predicament because I've been offered a full time job and I really need the hours to help pay for bills, rent, and groceries. You guys have been so good to me, but since I can't afford to live on a 20/hr work week and I can't find a compatible morning job to work with it, I feel I have to consider my means of living and take the full time job. I really wished I could've watched all the girls after school, so I wouldn't have to leave you guys. I'm sorry and I'm so sad to leave. I hope that I can watch the girls the rest of this week, and maybe next week with all of them combined since its all short days and they have Thursday off. Let me know if that works. I've also been trying to find someone to take my place for you." 
--- I thought that was pretty nice and sweet, don't you think?


Well, I guess she didn't.  She came back at me full force.  You could feel the anger through the text message.  She said things like:
"But when were you going to discuss this with me?" Um, tonight when we had a chance to talk alone, away from the kids.
"Do you think it's fair for them (the new family) to do this to us?" It's not the family's fault that their nanny left abruptly and she gave them my name.
and
"You had enough time to find a new job." Um, but you do know that the job market is at an all time low and it is very hard to find a job in, I'd say, less than two months.


And to top it all off, her husband called the dad from the new family (while I was there watching his kids) and yelled at him.  I mean, seriously!?  This has all been blown way extremely out of proportion and it's making me feel sick, stressed out, and sad.  And the new family says that if they don't get "the blessing" from my current family, I'm out of a job (with them).  Can I go scream in a pillow now?


So, in about half an hour, I will have to confront the current mom I work for when she comes to pick up the girls.  My stomach is in one huge knot and I've been on the verge of tears all day.  If you have a moment, please keep me in your thoughts and say a little prayer for me that this all works out.  Thank you.

Thanks for listening to me vent :)

Anyone else ever been in the same situation?

Whether working for a family or with an employer?

When Life Gives You Lemons, Drink LEMONADE!

If you read my WILW post, you'll know that today this week hasn't been a good for me.  It's been one of those weeks where I just feel like crap and life sucks, which is really odd for me.  Well, here are a few reasons why I've been in this funk, as my mom would say...

1.  My hours at work got cut in half, which means my paycheck got cut in half.

2.  Since our vacation to expensive-ville Miami, we've been having a hard time with money (i.e. paying bills, buying groceries, shopping, etc).

3.  Even though 'that time of the month' is over, I'm still feeling fat and bloated.

4.  Searching for a new job sucks.

5.  Our kitchen pantry has been EMPTY for the past week or so now.

So going off all that, I haven't been in the greatest of moods lately.  It makes me feel even worse, because even though I still try to be my sweet self, I snap here and there and I feel so bad.  

But...

Today on my way home from work, I took my usual detour so I wouldn't have to sit in traffic with all the construction going on around us.  And while driving through the neighborhood across the way, there were the cutest little kids holding up a handmade sign saying "Lemonade Stand 50 cents!"  

[via]

I just had to stop.  The parents with them made it seem like I was the only one who would stop with the comments they made.  These kids were so excited and it put the biggest smile on my face.  When I gave them a dollar and told them to keep the change, it was like they had just won the lottery.  It was so cute!  The whole way home I couldn't stop smiling, and the lemonade was pretty good too.  It made my day so much better and I just have to keep telling myself that things will get better.

They actually filled it 3/4 of the way!

I guess when life gives you lemons, drink lemonade!

60 Day Challenge: Day 37

Day 37 - A picture of the people you spend most of your day with

Miss Lazy-Know-It-All and Miss 5-Going-On-30

These are the two cute little girls I nanny.  I don't spend as much of my day with them now days since they're back in school, but a majority of my week is spent watching these silly girls.

What I'm Loving Wednesday

I'm loving that it's already Wednesday!

I'm loving that my new favorite show, Awkward, recorded last night,

and I got to watch it this morning.

I'm loving that I finally watched Tangled at work today.

I'm not loving that my right hand keeps twitching!

It's like my finger is trying to do a dance.

I'm loving that this weekend I get to make my margarita popsicles again!

(thanks to the idea from Heather @ Under Cover Blonde)

I'm loving that I should be getting my makeup order from e.l.f.

that my mom got me for my birthday soon.

I'm loving my shorter hours at work since the girls are back in school,

but I'm not going to love my paycheck this Friday.

Hopefully, I can find something else soon to replace the lost wages.

I'm loving that I've been able to work on my tan

and it's coming out pretty good.

And, as always, I'm loving my amazing boyfriend!
He can always make me smile.

Craft Time

Today, while at work, one of the other nannies that I occasionally meet up with, with the girls I watch, invited us over to do some crafts.  I haven't done crafts (other than coloring and painting) in such a long, since I haven't worked at a school/preschool in over a year.

The other mom had the cutest idea, that the kids go out and pick flowers and leaves and other things nature, then paste them on a piece of paper with a doll shaped figure on it.  I thought that was just the cutest idea ever!  After the kids did that, all of us (even us nannies) painted rocks!  I don't think I've painted a rock since I was in kindergarden!

Here are some pictures of our art:

(obviously, these are mine)

60 Day Challenge: Day 25

Day 25 - A picture of your day

Watching Harry Potter at work.

I love my job.

What I'm Loving Wednesday

For starters, I'm loving Amazing Boyfriend.

I sliced open my foot last night,

and he took such good care of me :)

I'm loving getting to lay on the couch

and put my foot up...

while at work.

I'm loving that I just had cheese and crackers

for breakfast,

because the family I work for never has anything to eat.

I'm loving that tonight, Big Hearted Sister

is coming over to my cute little apartment

so we can watch the special reunion of 16 & Pregnant.

I'm loving that I still only have one follower

on my blog...

I'm loving that I'm watching Victorious right now.

I'm loving that I bought more of my

Wild Vines Strawberry Zinfandel

last night, so I can have it when I get home tonight.

I'm loving that I get Friday off of work this week.

I'm loving that I have to write yet another

psychology paper before Thursday night.

I'm loving that I can finally paint my nails tonight.

And I'm loving that when I get home tonight,

I get to go through the new clothes I got in the mail yesterday

from WetSeal :)

(I know...more shopping guilt)

Topic Tuesday: Kids

Today's Topic: KIDS

I make this today's topic because I'm a nanny and today I just need to vent about the kids I watch.  I don't know if it's because I'm just tired from lack of sleep or because I've been with them 10 hours a day for the last week and a half, or because it's almost that time of the month, but I am just so irritated with them the last two days.  I love these girls to death, but I think the biggest problem I have with them is that they are too spoiled.  Their parents let them do whatever they want, eat whatever they want, and buy them whatever they want...and they (the kids) know it.

Now, they're not the typical spoiled brat girls that you see in movies, where they talk back and only care about themselves, thank God.  However, since they do get whatever they want, when they don't, they whine and Miss 5-Going-On-30 throws a tantrum.  And in the end, they get what they wanted in the first place, so no lesson is taught, and they don't learn anything.  Uh, yeah, Miss Sarah does not tolerate that.

When I first started working for them, they were pretty bad in that aspect, but after a few months of teaching them that that is not how you're supposed to act and they need to be grateful for what they have already (which is way more than I ever had when I was their age), they slowly but surely got better....however, only when I was watching them.  As soon as one of their parents walked through the door at 6pm though, they went right back to their old ways.  Ugh.  But the thing that made me laugh a little inside, was that the mom would admit to me that she knows they act better with me and then go crazy when she has them, and she doesn't understand why.  Hah!  Well lets see, I actually discipline your children and don't give them whatever they ask for, that may be why.

It's been almost a year now since I've been with these girls and they act a lot better and from what I've heard from Miss Lazy-Know-It-All, her sister doesn't throw tantrums anymore when she doesn't get her way (when I'm not there).  The greatest thing is that Miss 5-Going-On-30 knows now that it's not good to throw tantrums, so she'll get all excited when she tells me she went to a store and didn't get mad when she didn't get something she wanted.  So I give her a high-5 and tell her what a good job she's doing.

The only thing that we're still working on (well me mostly), is my 'say-so' getting overruled.  The girls will ask me for something or to do something, and if I say no, Miss Lazy-Know-It-All will then (sometimes) text her mom or dad for the same exact thing, and of course they say yes.  That has only happened a few times, but depending on what it is, I will either stick to what I said, or let the parent's decision overrule.  They will also do the same thing when the parents come home, usually when it involves sweets.  They will have already had a dessert with me, and then when the mom comes home, they will ask for another, and I will say that they've already had one.  And of course, mom will say yes...(still working on that with the parents and enforcing my rules).

The last two days, they've gone back to their old ways a little bit, and I think that's another reason why I'm so stressed out.  I've been trying to keep a good attitude and stick to my rules, but I'm just so tired that I've caught myself slipping, and letting them get away with things I don't normally let them do.

I need to stay strong (and breathe...) because I'm with them for 10 hours a day for the next few weeks until I finally get a week vacation, which will be very much needed!

Fabulous Fridays

I am so glad today is finally Friday!  It has been one long week.  Since the girls I watch are out of school, I have been working 8-6 (10 hour days!) since last Thursday, and I am so tired!  Hah, as I'm writing this, I am yawning almost every other word.

Lets see, for this Fabulous Friday, what will I be doing...

...watching kid shows with Miss 5-Going-On-30 and Miss Lazy-Know-It-All

...take them to the park

...buy/make them lunch

...keep them entertained

...take them to swimming lessons

...get PAID!

...deposit check

...go to the store to buy soup for very sick Amazing Boyfriend

...then most likely go home and REST!

...and pour a glass of wine :)

My Job

I'm a nanny as most of you know.  I have been taking care of two girls for almost a year now.  The youngest is 5 and just graduated from kindergarden, and her oldest sister is 10 and going to be a sixth grader next year.  They are pretty easy to watch, but when I first started there were a few habits I needed to work on.

The youngest girl, Miss 5-Going-On-30, literally acts like she is a 30 year old woman.  She is such a fashionista, with all her make-up and jewelry, and caring about how she looks all the time.  She has this cute little attitude and talks like she's your mom.  However, she gets very carried away at times, and she throws tantrums when she doesn't get what she wants.  That's where I put my foot down.  See, her parents, whom I love, let their kids do and have whatever they want, and when I started working for them, I had to nip that in the bud.  Miss 5 going on 30 is perfect when I'm with her, but as soon as a parent comes home, it's like there's this switch that turns on and she's back to being a spoiled brat, although she has gotten a lot better since I've been here, because her parents (well mostly the mom) has somewhat gotten on the band wagon with me and saying no a little more.

Miss Lazy-Know-It-All, the oldest, realizes how her younger sister acts, and sees how annoying it can be, and  knows that she can't just throw a tantrum to get what she wants.  She reminds me a little of myself, very smart and kind of funny at times.  However, she is very lazy for a 10 year old.  All she ever wants to do is watch TV, although, I guess, what kid at that age doesn't.  She also can never close anything or put anything away!  I'm kind of a neat freak, and she just leaves cabinets and drawers open, lights on, food and trash wherever she's sitting.  I constantly have to tell her "put this away," "pick this up," and "close this."  Even though she drives me crazy at times, I still love her.

I love my job and I love these girls...