Good bye lay-off beard

After I got laid off I decided to not shave so often- I was "giving my face a little vacation as well". But really, I just didn't see the point in shaving every single day just to work in the yard,the house, and to pick up the school carpool!!! You always think "Who is going to see me anyway". That is until you go out for a quick errand and run into a girl you dated in high school who then goes home thinking, "boy am I glad we broke up back then. Doesn't look like he has gone anywhere with his life! But last week I decided to go on a job interview/shaving strike. I was not going to shave again until I got a job interview. Sadly, (but not for Teresa), tomorrow morning I will be saying good-bye to the lay-off beard as I have my first job interview. Sad to see it go, but glad to be going in for a job interview. Can't wait to tell you all about it tomorrow! I am actually a bit sad about it because I loved working at Stampin' Up! more than any job I have ever had (sorry Dad, but it even beats that year you made me help you clean out the dryer vent- what a blast that was!) Wish me luck.

Pic of the "Lay-off Beard"

P.S. If you have a story about a time you ran into someone from your past looking, well, not your best, please add it here so we can all have a good laugh- at your expense! :)

Color Combination Creative Challenge #1

I want to start something new here, for my crafting friends around the globe, that I have not done on my blog before. I want to start posting a "Jaron Winder's favorite creative color cobination" and then have everyone create projects using those colors. I get so much inspiration when I see all of the amazing things people create, and to be honest I often times copy their ideas on some of my own projects. That's right I said it. I copy your awesome inspiration amd I am not ashamed of it!

Today I was at Ace Hardware and saw a color combination that I really liked. It was on a label of a new hose I bought- see inspiration really is everywhere if you look. So here is the color combination (in Stampin' Up! colors): Old Olive, Taken with Teal, and Soft Sky. I just tried it at home and I LOVE it. It just looks fresh. Now I want you all to try your hand at creating something with it. When you finish, post it on your blog and then respond to this entry so that we can all link up and take a look at it. Everyone wins, if they try. However, there are no awards yet, since well.... I am unemployed and all :) Those will have to come later!!!

Can't wait to see what you come up with!!!!!!

Your friend,

Jaron

Today...is a gift

Today was beautiful. For my LAD #8 (layoff day) I landscaped all day long with my friend, James. He lost his job a while back, so we just had a good laugh about how pathetic we are. Not in a negative way just trying to have a good old fashion belly gafaw! And we did. It was a great day and I am greatful for good friends. Plus I had a few calls today for some potentially awesome job prospects. I am ecstatic to say the least.

I allow myself one moment each day where I am free to to feel a wee bit discouraged. One moment-that is it! No more. But today in that moment, my thoughts suddenly turned to a neighbor of ours that has been fighting cancer for sometime now. She has two sweet boys cheering her on andan amazingly strong husband. She has been quite ill at times and yet still remains an absolute fighter with a huge smile on her face. Though I don't wish to have to go through what she has, I do wish to become more like her. The Winder's love ya Jen! Today is her birthday and a great milestone. So I am calling on all my good friends around the globe to throw a prayer Jen's way if you get a chance. I do believe there is strength in numbers! Thanks

Your friend,

Jaron

What a glorious day...minus the sunburn.

What is the best part about being laid off? Spending time with the fam! But next to that? The sun was shining bright today and I swear I could hear it calling my name from inside the house. Jaron...Jaron....Jaron... you get the point. Let me give you a quick run down of LAD #5 (lay off day #5) . First of all, I wanted to sleep in- anyone that knows me can verify that I LOVE sleeping in. But not today. Teresa wanted me to get up and go jogging with her ( I think she just wanted me to get up today). I might point out that she is training for a marathon right now- so not your ideal beginning jogging partner. I final compromised to a fast-paced walk. I swear within 10 seconds I was already lagging behind. Perhaps getting in shape should be a lay off goal as well (there are so many stacking up). We ended up going about 5 miles-thank you to my Albuterol inhaler! Mama mia!! Since I could barely walk afterwards I decided to sit in the yard and rip up some grass for a new flower bed-which led to weeding-which led to fertilizing- which led to a picinic with Teresa and Sophie-which led to Sophie and I playing "house" (no not the nedical show- man I have got to get a job quick). Which all led to the uncomfortable sumburn I have on my arms. But you know what, the sun was shining today, we are all healthy, and we were all here together today. For the record the yard is spring-ready, the garage door is fixed, the clothes dryer is spinning again, and I have installed two new faucets in the house. And it is only LAD #5!! I can't wait to tackle the next project on the "Now-that-you're-laid-off Honey-Do List"- Unless it involves jogging again.
To end, I want to say a giant THANK YOU, to anyone that has posted on my blog over the last few days. Your kind words and encouragement are exactly what I need right now. Sharing your memories brings a great big toothy smile to my face.
Your Friend,
Jaron

Farwell to Stampin' Up...but not MY demos!

I am soooo sorry for not posting yesterday. I needed to give myself 24 hours to think before I could write. I almost always just blurt things out without thinking and that gets me in heaps of trouble!!! :) Because of the sensitive nature of this post, I wanted to gather my thoughts first. Yesterday was one of the hardest days of my entire life- and I have had a few. We all knew that layoffs were coming. We had been told almost 30 days prior- but nothing can ultimately prepare you for it. I had seen and overheard a few things at the office that led me to believe I would be leaving. I felt prepared....until they called me in. They were generous in their severance for me. I respected that. I came out of the room and all my team mates were crying for me. I never felt closer to each of them. I cannot even begin to describe how much I will miss each of them. And I won't be able to pull myself together and finish this if I do. I walked into a conference room, called Teresa (my wife) on the phone and I sobbed like a baby for 10 straight minutes- I have rarely in my life experienced such pain and anguish coupled with a wee bit of anger :) I felt like I had failed my family. But I got it out and that was that; no looking back. I have been asked a lot if I feel like things could have been handled differently? Sure I do. However I do also understand that it was a difficult day and there really wasn't a good way of doing any of it. I hope SU does not have to go through this ever again. I wish much success to the company. I have a few other things I want to say:

First of all let me say, I LOVE every SU! demonstrator I have ever had the privilege to meet. I have formed friendships that I know I will have for the rest of my life. I have loved being able to talk to so many demonstrators at events and they just make being away from home so much easier because I always feel like I am with family. Makes it a little easier to be away from my little chickens (kids). My heart was truly warmed today when I literally received hundreds of calls, emails, blog entries, posts, and texts from demonstrators. I have felt your prayers all day today as I have struggled to make sense of all of this. So keep those prayers coming! I need every one of them :)

I LOVE Stampin' Up!, as a company. I strongly believe in it and what it stands for. Shelli Gardner created an incredible company and in doing so created many lasting memories for me. I respect her enormously. She has always treated me with the utmost respect and kindness. Once I even sat next to her on an airplane (I know, how jealous are you?) and talked her ear off (imagine that- me? Talking an ear off?) and she didn't even complain one time! Wow! Shelli loves every single employee and more importantly, every single demonstrator.

I LOVE the people I have worked with for the past 5 years. What incredibly talented people. I am sad for every single person laid off-very talented, dedicated people. I would love to say I understand why it had to be this way- but I do not and may not; not yet anyway. But what's done is done.

I LOVED picking the kids up from school yesterday for the first time ever. Malorie said "So did they give your job away?" I said "no but they did send me on an extended vacation." She was ecstatic! I looked in the rear view mirror and saw all three kids lined up across the back seat laughing and playing, put my sunglasses on and cried the rest of the way home with a giant smile on my face. Man I love those three rotten little things!!! :) I picked them up again today and loved it again. But also said " Don't get too used to it. Daddy loves it but Daddy needs a job! " :)

I will keep finding inspiration in little things, and finding ways of staying in touch so we can continue to bless each other's lives. And if you need somone to clean your stamp room- I am your guy! (mostly cause I am unemployed-ish) I hope our paths cross many more times throughout our lives and God willing, I know they will.

Favorite Indulgent Snack

I want to discuss for a moment something that we all have. That's right... a favorite indulgent snack! It could be when you are feeling stressed, happy, sad, energetic, angry, or completely at peace...but we all have an indulgent snack. Here is mine...Paradise Bakery's Chocolate Chip Cookies. Good grief, what do they put in these things....meth? crack? What then...because I can't get enough. You know how one always come with your meal. Well I always order another one for on the side. Can you ever have too many? Undoubtedly the cashier will always say:

Cashier: "You know that these are buy one get one free right?"

Me: "Yes sir I am more than aware of that."

Cashier: "Well it's just that you already get one with your meal so then you would actually be getting THREE sir!!"

Me: "Do you work for Paradise Bakery or do you work for Jenny Craig? Now back off buddy and wrap me up thsoe cookies pronto!!! You know what, just bag the wrapping and give me those cookies STAT."

So what is your indulgent snack. What do you just love to eat? You HAVE to share. We'll be wating to hear from you..............