Our Destin Vacation

We made the trip to Destin, Florida last week for Kevin and Traci's wedding. This little peace of paradise is freaking incredible!! If you have never been I would definately recommend going. We played on the beach all four days. The Gulf water was cold, tolerable for about 15 minutes at a time, but that doesn't stop an anxious 4 year old!! We (actually Ava) built fun sand castles while I easdropped on conversations about the presidental campaign, the bail out, the oil crisis, some "stupid" conferance this man was attending at the resort(stupid was his word), and I had quite a time sitting back and people watching--which happens to be my FAVORITE hobby. The BEST place to people watch is on the beach!!! The hotel resort we stayed in had nice heated pools. Ava learned to swim in this nice heated pool. I would have more pics to publish but most of my family chose to stay in the room and watch the TX/OU madness and various other sports programs. SOOOO...Ava and I enjoyed the beach by ourselves minus the camara.




Site of the wedding






Perfect sunset



Ava loves that Katie



Happy cousins



Katie to Ava: Your daddy is watching us with a camara.

People have asked

Many people have asked why I don't blog on here more. Actually I blog quite a bit, just not here. I blog ALOT on myspace. I post ALOT more pics of Ava and our family on myspace. The reason is this: I can control who sees my myspace page. This little google analysis thing I have on my blogger page reveals some crazy stuff... so I don't know who all is looking on here. If you want to keep up more with the kid..and me and John, get a myspace. You can set your profile to private so only your friends see your page. You can even set certain blogs to private so only the friends you want reading specific blogs can read it.

I like myspace much better than facebook also. I rarely even get on facebook.

See ya at myspace if you want. You might be suprised at everyone you find on this crazy site!!

http://www.myspace.com/berende

You wonder what I have been up to?

Well, I'm officially on the job hunt. I found out on October 7th, 4:59pm, that I would be losing my job. Corporate blames poor sales and the economy. The 20,000 employees (who survived the first 120+ store closings) that will be losing their jobs blame Mr. Leon Black and Mr. Bob DiNicola for mismanagement of corporate funds, lack of skill and know-how on running a multi billion dollar company and maintain its profit margins...

I would say more but, frankly, I am tired.

BUT, do me a favor. If you plan to shop a LNT in the next 11 weeks left of their existance, have a little compassion for the employees who are losing their jobs during such a poor economy, not to mention right before the holiday season. The liquidation sale that starts on Saturday is only starting at 10% off the entire store. Most of the inventory will be sold before it hits even 40% off.

I will have little tolerance for guests that come into my building looking to haggle over prices or try to return items bought ALL SALES FINAL. My team and I have worked way to hard, missed way to many family funtions preparing/executing the daily taskloads, preparing for corporate visits...to deal with such behavior. I have had to deal with miscommunications from corporate about this situation for the past year... I am now going to protect the employees who have been so extremely loyal to me. It's unfortunate I have to protect my associates from my guests.

I am lucky. I have a husband that can support our family on his salary. I have many, many friends in this company who will no doubt be hurting over this tragic state of affairs.

I will say this: I have never in my life had the priviledge to work for and with such great people. From the VP's, Regional Staff, DM's, my own peers, and then my own personal staff... I can't say enough great things about my staff. Eden, Jennifer, Melody: you ladies are part of the best team I have ever had the priveledge to manage. I will do everything I can to make sure you find great jobs. I have already started reaching out to my connections to get you placed.



Linens 'N Things to begin liquidation this week

By MAE ANDERSON
AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Specialty retailer Linens 'n Things, which filed for bankruptcy protection in May, plans to begin liquidation sales at its stores as early as Thursday after failing to find a buyer that wanted to operate the company.

"It's a straight going-out-of business liquidation sale," said James Schaye, president and chief executive of Hudson Capital Partners, one of the members of the investment group buying the company's assets. He expects the process for the company's approximately 371 remaining store locations will take about 11 weeks.

Last week, the Linens Holding Co., the parent of Clifton, N.J.-based Linens 'N Things, said it would put itself up for a sale in an auction on Tuesday.

The company agreed to a preliminary "stalking horse" bid from a joint venture between Gordon Brothers Retail Partners LLC, Great American Group LLC, Hilco Merchant Resources LLC, Hudson Capital Partners LLC, SB Capital Group LLC and Tiger Capital Group LLC for about $475 million for its assets.

A stalking-horse bid is an initial offer on a bankrupt company's assets from an interested buyer chosen by the company. Linens 'N Things planned an auction including the initial bid along with others for its assets on Tuesday, but since it received no other qualified bids, it canceled the auction, according to documents filed late Monday with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

After facing weak sales and a slumping home furnishings market, Linens 'N Things, based in Clifton, N.J., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May. In August, the company said it reached a plan of reorganization with the bankruptcy court. However, it later decided to auction its assets as conditions in the financial markets worsened.

Things I can control.

I can control most things. Things like what Ava eats, drinks, watches on tv. I control who she interacts with, what books she reads, when she goes to bed.

Last night I realized she controls one thing: her body. And let me tell you, she CONTROLS it!

Last night I noticed her shaking her leg, which if you know me at all, drives me INSANE. (This hatred for all leg shakers started with my mom...she shakes her legs all day every day. I can feel her shaking her leg now..and she is an hour and a half away. UGHHHHHHH. And then I married a leg shaker. The house is shaking. KILL ME NOW!!!)

Ava wouldn't stop shaking her legs. Then I noticed the "dance." I told her to go to the bathroom. She refused. So I literally DRAGGED her to the bathroom, and MADE her sit on the toilet. So far, I'm still in control. She is on the toilet, but refusing to go. I can tell she needs to go, so "GO!!!" (This is me starting to lose control of my temper, which I tend to do with leg/body shakers.) "JUST GO ALREADY."

Then the mood changes. Something is terribly wrong. She has the most terrified look in her eyes. Not a look of fear of me, because I have lost control of my temper. She, unfortunately, is used to my own personal lack of self control. (That's not a proud blogging moment right there.) She is terrified of peeing. She starts crying uncontrollably, begging to get off the toilet. I ask what is wrong. She won't tell me. She calls for her daddy. Daddy comes in the bathroom too.

I'm totally lost. What's the problem? I'm losing all control...

John tells her to use the bathroom. Screaming ensues. A few hours later, after an emergency call to the pediatrician, a couple of baths, a TON OF BRIBES, and finally a rush to go to the emergency room, she pees.

Long story short, I believe she has a urinary tract infection. 48 hours will tell. The doctor thinks it is because of bubble baths. I think it is because I let her have soda. She is now enjoying the distastefullness that is cranberry juice.

I am also enjoying the distastefullness that is cranberry juice. Mine is on ice with a splash of vodka. This is how I regain control.

(No, I am not an alcoholic. I very rarely drink. So quit judging me.)

Random blog.

Growing up my parents had a hidious avacodo green electric can opener. This can opener was so incredibly ugly that I was embarrassed to have anyone see it. Whenever our babysitter (or anyone for that matter) came over, I would hide the thing in the back of the cabinet. This can opener lasted until I was a senior in high school. So, we had this can opener for at least 17 years. When that can opener finally died my dad bought one of those crappy metal manual can openers. I think they still use it.

My grandma has a white electric can opener that has that fake wood panel on it, made by Black and Decker. She still uses that same can opener from when I was probably 5 years old.

When I was registering for my wedding, I wanted to register for an electric can opener, but John didn't want one. Didn't matter anyway, because on the night of my wedding one of my great aunts walked up to me and INFORMED me that I didn't register for an electric can opener and she got one for me. I was so excited.

That can opener lasted me about a year. Since then I have gone through 4 more electric can openers. I threw the latest victim away last night. (So, 5 can openers in 9.5 years of marriage.) I am preparing to buy another can opener tomorrow. This time I am bypassing the Black and Decker/Hamilton Beach brands and going for the Cuisenart for the stupid price of $49.99. At least I get a discount.

This is KARMA. If only I hadn't despised that avacodo green can opener. If only I had proudly showcased the thing on the counter for all to see.

I would give anything for an old avacodo green can opener that would last me 17 years.

Sarah Palin

Wow!

I don't even have the words to describe how excited I am to have her run with McCain. Move over Hilary, there is a new woman about to make history!

First day of PreK.

First day of school and she acted like she was on the catwalk! What a rotten kid!