Robin, Cody, and Alivia: Livin' and Lovin' Life One Day at a Time
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Long winded
Cody just read the previous post and said I am ridiculous. He said the post is waaaayyyyy too long. He laughed every time he happened upon another paragraph. He said that if my readers weren't scared away by all the posts being of Alivia, they sure would be by the length of that last post. We were both laughing pretty hard about that fact.
I love that he's so funny and that I accept criticism with ease. Because the truth of the matter is, he's right. I'm extremely, ridiculously, long winded!
I love that he's so funny and that I accept criticism with ease. Because the truth of the matter is, he's right. I'm extremely, ridiculously, long winded!
Incompetence
I have little patience these days for incompetent people. I seem to be encountering them more frequently. Is there a breakout, an epidemic? Let me offer two examples.
Just this week I went to get my haircut. I go to The Haircutters. It's fast, cheap, and I don't need an appointment. I know this sounds reckless, but remember I have curly hair and a slightly poor quality cut is often hidden by the curls. They are quite forgiving. Plus, I've never really gotten a bad cut from this place.
Well, this week...my hair was driving me nuts and I had had it. I wanted some of the length and weight off my hair - stat. So I left Alivia with Cody and printed a coupon for two dollars off and went to get my haircut. Well, the lady who cut my hair was nice enough. She chatted about kids and meds and breastfeeding and the like...all the while cutting my hair horribly. I tell you, I have never questioned an end product mid-way like I did this haircut. She did a horrible job. I can't stress this point any harder. Horrible! But hopefully, it won't show because, once again, I have curls.
But then we went to check-out and this is where I died. She took my coupon. Read it. Said it will be two dollars off eighteen. And. Then. Pulled. Out. The. Calculator!!!! Can you believe it?! She couldn't subtract 2 from 18! I was floored. I mean, if you can't cut hair, at least be able to do basic math. Have something to offer your clients. Something!
I have come to the realization that niceness is no substitute for competence. I once thought that it maybe could be, but I now have a firm belief that if you are completely incompetent in helping and serving in your given place, niceness is of little use to me.
This takes us to my second example: Walmart. Now I'm not a snob who thinks she's good enough for Target but too good for Walmart. I lived in Arkansas and know how nice Walmarts can be. They can be clean, stocked, and full of helpful and well-groomed employees. They just can't be that way here in California apparently.
Two weeks ago, Cody had a big order with Urban Outfitters and needed a lot of a certain sized box. While Cody tagged the blankets and got the order ready, I went to Walmart for 30 boxes. They didn't have any on the shelf. I found an employee and asked her to check in the back to see if they had any back there. TWENTY minutes later...she strolls down my isle, after seeing my "what did you find out" look, she said, "oh yes, I'll now go and look for your boxes." WHAT?! I said I thought she had been looking this whole time and asked her what she had been doing all the time I was waiting (I even asked another employee to try to find her), and her simple and pathetic response was "oh, I had to pull something for someone." Awesome.
She later responded that there were no more boxes but that I could go to customer service for further assistance. So I wait in line and when I reach the customer service rep, I ask if another store has my desired boxes. She asks me what the box's upc number is. I say I don't know. She says she can't do any searching without the number. She then proceeds to stare at me. She doesn't radio a rep in that department to have them look up the upc number as she should. She finally says I need to go back and get it if I want her to look it up. UGH! I go back to the isle, get the number, and the lady finally says they should have 200 in the back. What? The other employee said there were none in the back. Then the rep says then the computer must be wrong and that the only thing I could do is find a store manager to have them get the keys and look in the storage unit out back, but that the process would take a long time.
So she says my best bet is to go to Huntington Beach Walmart because they are supposed to have 500 boxes and there is no way they don't have 30. But, wait for it, I go and they have...0. That's right, zero! Did I mention I have Alivia with me? The store manager can't explain for the fact that they are supposed to have 500 and don't. And for that matter, he said he saw them just a couple days previously. Are you being robbed? Are your employees absent minded and misplacing 500 boxes? Excuse me store manager...but how do those things go missing?
He says to follow him. I have alivia in a stroller and I'm pulling a cart. He doesn't offer to push the cart for me. That would have been a gentleman's gesture. But whatever. We go to the "only place where the boxes could be" and we see none. He then says, "well, I'm awful sorry, but I can't help you." To which I say that I refuse his response. I had just driven from Orange at the suggestion of the rep there and he was the manager and I needed boxes and he should have 500 and he is wasting my car gas and my time. He said he'd give me a ten dollar gift card and an apology, but that was the best he could do.
Well I took his money because I'm not stupid. But I was still bugged. He took me to the garden center to purchase my other items (packing tape and other supplies) because "the lines are shorter in the garden center", but the garden center doesn't have gift cards. So now I have to wait twice as long for him to go and get a gift card, ring it up, and bring it back to me. All the while, I'm in line and the teller closes her lane when I'm the next in line because the customer in front of me has a check that didn't clear...and all the other tellers just left for break. She's the only option, and she's closed. Awesome.
The store manager finally comes back, hands me the gift card, and asks what else he can do. I thought the answer was obvious, but I didn't have much faith in him to figure it out, so I asked him to open another lane as the line I was in was growing and there were no other tellers. He looks around and asks the teller of my closed line were her co-workers are. Oh brother! She says they are on break. He asks when they should be off of break and so forth. Finally, he radios more employees to come and assist while the teller of the closed lane mouths "thank you" to me.
First, I wrote Walmart corporation about their horrible computer inventory system. What is the point of one if it can be 200 and 500 points off mark. Secondly, the customer service reps and manager were minimally helpful at best. Thirdly, I'll just say that the dress code is grossly misfollowed here in California. Grossly misfollowed! And it's hard to distinguish employees if they look like any other shopper. And lastly, all the greeters were extremely friendly. And you know what, I couldn't have cared. If you as a store are completely incompetent, it doesn't matter that you have a nice man or lady at the door complimenting my child and smiling and saying nice words like, "Merry Christmas," if you as a store, are operating as I've mentioned above. That nice employee will not insure my continued business.
I will say that I tried my best at being nice to the nice people, because, afterall, I'm a Christian. And these greeters are paid to be nice, and they were nice, which makes them the most competent ones of the bunch!
Just this week I went to get my haircut. I go to The Haircutters. It's fast, cheap, and I don't need an appointment. I know this sounds reckless, but remember I have curly hair and a slightly poor quality cut is often hidden by the curls. They are quite forgiving. Plus, I've never really gotten a bad cut from this place.
Well, this week...my hair was driving me nuts and I had had it. I wanted some of the length and weight off my hair - stat. So I left Alivia with Cody and printed a coupon for two dollars off and went to get my haircut. Well, the lady who cut my hair was nice enough. She chatted about kids and meds and breastfeeding and the like...all the while cutting my hair horribly. I tell you, I have never questioned an end product mid-way like I did this haircut. She did a horrible job. I can't stress this point any harder. Horrible! But hopefully, it won't show because, once again, I have curls.
But then we went to check-out and this is where I died. She took my coupon. Read it. Said it will be two dollars off eighteen. And. Then. Pulled. Out. The. Calculator!!!! Can you believe it?! She couldn't subtract 2 from 18! I was floored. I mean, if you can't cut hair, at least be able to do basic math. Have something to offer your clients. Something!
I have come to the realization that niceness is no substitute for competence. I once thought that it maybe could be, but I now have a firm belief that if you are completely incompetent in helping and serving in your given place, niceness is of little use to me.
This takes us to my second example: Walmart. Now I'm not a snob who thinks she's good enough for Target but too good for Walmart. I lived in Arkansas and know how nice Walmarts can be. They can be clean, stocked, and full of helpful and well-groomed employees. They just can't be that way here in California apparently.
Two weeks ago, Cody had a big order with Urban Outfitters and needed a lot of a certain sized box. While Cody tagged the blankets and got the order ready, I went to Walmart for 30 boxes. They didn't have any on the shelf. I found an employee and asked her to check in the back to see if they had any back there. TWENTY minutes later...she strolls down my isle, after seeing my "what did you find out" look, she said, "oh yes, I'll now go and look for your boxes." WHAT?! I said I thought she had been looking this whole time and asked her what she had been doing all the time I was waiting (I even asked another employee to try to find her), and her simple and pathetic response was "oh, I had to pull something for someone." Awesome.
She later responded that there were no more boxes but that I could go to customer service for further assistance. So I wait in line and when I reach the customer service rep, I ask if another store has my desired boxes. She asks me what the box's upc number is. I say I don't know. She says she can't do any searching without the number. She then proceeds to stare at me. She doesn't radio a rep in that department to have them look up the upc number as she should. She finally says I need to go back and get it if I want her to look it up. UGH! I go back to the isle, get the number, and the lady finally says they should have 200 in the back. What? The other employee said there were none in the back. Then the rep says then the computer must be wrong and that the only thing I could do is find a store manager to have them get the keys and look in the storage unit out back, but that the process would take a long time.
So she says my best bet is to go to Huntington Beach Walmart because they are supposed to have 500 boxes and there is no way they don't have 30. But, wait for it, I go and they have...0. That's right, zero! Did I mention I have Alivia with me? The store manager can't explain for the fact that they are supposed to have 500 and don't. And for that matter, he said he saw them just a couple days previously. Are you being robbed? Are your employees absent minded and misplacing 500 boxes? Excuse me store manager...but how do those things go missing?
He says to follow him. I have alivia in a stroller and I'm pulling a cart. He doesn't offer to push the cart for me. That would have been a gentleman's gesture. But whatever. We go to the "only place where the boxes could be" and we see none. He then says, "well, I'm awful sorry, but I can't help you." To which I say that I refuse his response. I had just driven from Orange at the suggestion of the rep there and he was the manager and I needed boxes and he should have 500 and he is wasting my car gas and my time. He said he'd give me a ten dollar gift card and an apology, but that was the best he could do.
Well I took his money because I'm not stupid. But I was still bugged. He took me to the garden center to purchase my other items (packing tape and other supplies) because "the lines are shorter in the garden center", but the garden center doesn't have gift cards. So now I have to wait twice as long for him to go and get a gift card, ring it up, and bring it back to me. All the while, I'm in line and the teller closes her lane when I'm the next in line because the customer in front of me has a check that didn't clear...and all the other tellers just left for break. She's the only option, and she's closed. Awesome.
The store manager finally comes back, hands me the gift card, and asks what else he can do. I thought the answer was obvious, but I didn't have much faith in him to figure it out, so I asked him to open another lane as the line I was in was growing and there were no other tellers. He looks around and asks the teller of my closed line were her co-workers are. Oh brother! She says they are on break. He asks when they should be off of break and so forth. Finally, he radios more employees to come and assist while the teller of the closed lane mouths "thank you" to me.
First, I wrote Walmart corporation about their horrible computer inventory system. What is the point of one if it can be 200 and 500 points off mark. Secondly, the customer service reps and manager were minimally helpful at best. Thirdly, I'll just say that the dress code is grossly misfollowed here in California. Grossly misfollowed! And it's hard to distinguish employees if they look like any other shopper. And lastly, all the greeters were extremely friendly. And you know what, I couldn't have cared. If you as a store are completely incompetent, it doesn't matter that you have a nice man or lady at the door complimenting my child and smiling and saying nice words like, "Merry Christmas," if you as a store, are operating as I've mentioned above. That nice employee will not insure my continued business.
I will say that I tried my best at being nice to the nice people, because, afterall, I'm a Christian. And these greeters are paid to be nice, and they were nice, which makes them the most competent ones of the bunch!
Baby's First Christmas Day
I hope your Christmas was exactly what you wanted. I was quite pleased with ours.
Look at my little nugget below! This is what Cody does with Alivia most mornings. I'm already downstairs pumping and she creeps around the corner. Sometimes it takes me awhile to notice her, and when I do, I laugh and she smiles and the day is made. On Christmas, I was downstairs with the camera ready for her to come downstairs. Cody said that when he went in to wake her up (since we had to be at church at 9), she seemed more excited and happy than any other morning. Like she knew it was Christmas.
Loving her new toy...
We went to our Christmas service at my parent's ward.
I was so excited to have Alivia experience Christmas for the first time. I wrapped all of her presents...and basically unwrapped them too. She enjoyed the process though...and the wrapping paper!
Oh, and did I mention that my husband spoils me?! He got me the thing I wanted most...a nice camera. Not like our old one, but a real legit one. My blog is about to get way more overloaded with pictures.
Look at my little nugget below! This is what Cody does with Alivia most mornings. I'm already downstairs pumping and she creeps around the corner. Sometimes it takes me awhile to notice her, and when I do, I laugh and she smiles and the day is made. On Christmas, I was downstairs with the camera ready for her to come downstairs. Cody said that when he went in to wake her up (since we had to be at church at 9), she seemed more excited and happy than any other morning. Like she knew it was Christmas.
Loving her new toy...
We went to our Christmas service at my parent's ward.
I was so excited to have Alivia experience Christmas for the first time. I wrapped all of her presents...and basically unwrapped them too. She enjoyed the process though...and the wrapping paper!
Oh, and did I mention that my husband spoils me?! He got me the thing I wanted most...a nice camera. Not like our old one, but a real legit one. My blog is about to get way more overloaded with pictures.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Santa Baby...
On Tuesday, Alivia saw Santa for the second time at the Snoopy Movement at Costa Mesa City Hall. More on that later, as well as her first encounter with Santa, but for now, here is our little Livy Pearl with Santa.
Merry Christmas!!
Merry Christmas!!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Grammy's Card
These new additions to the Bendheim clan got together to photograph for my Mom's Christmas card. I can't get over how much Alivia has grown since June, which is exaggerated when she's placed next to brand-spankin-new, straight-off-the-farm, baby Hunter. She also looks so fair (butt-white) next to him too. But he was jaundice...so there you have it.
It's so cute that Rockford and Alivia love socializing with each other.
It's so cute that Rockford and Alivia love socializing with each other.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The Most Wonderful
It's the most wonderful time of the year. In the Orvin household, we love December. We love it because of Christmas...and the merriment, the cheer, the lights, the hot cider, and the family time.
Here is our house this December:
I love that my Grandma Bendheim's Christmas ornaments adorn our tree.
I love my Grandma Sprague's Christmas Carolers.
I love that Alivia loves the lights on the tree.
I love Cody and my Travel Tree...ornaments acquired on vacations.
I LOVE Christmas cards. They make getting the mail so much more fun.
I love Connie's Advent Calender.
I love it, love it, love it. And I can't believe Christmas is already this Sunday!
Hope you're having the most wonderful time in your household too.
Here is our house this December:
I love that my Grandma Bendheim's Christmas ornaments adorn our tree.
I love my Grandma Sprague's Christmas Carolers.
I love that Alivia loves the lights on the tree.
I love Cody and my Travel Tree...ornaments acquired on vacations.
I LOVE Christmas cards. They make getting the mail so much more fun.
I love Connie's Advent Calender.
I love it, love it, love it. And I can't believe Christmas is already this Sunday!
Hope you're having the most wonderful time in your household too.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Greed...
Lately, I've been daydreaming about being extremely wealthy. I've been planning on Cody starting up a company and we sell it for anywhere in the ballpark of 2 to 30 million dollars - depending on how greedy I am on any particular day.
With the money I:
buy a gorgeous home.
buy a newer, bigger car. Nothing too crazy though.
go on vacation.
buy clothes for me and clothes and bows like crazy for Alivia.
And so on.
I'll admit that I've been really greedy...and covetous. Which is wrong and bad, I know. Especially this time of year, when giving and Christ-like attributes should be in the forfront of my mind. Trust me, I'm super grateful for what Cody and I have...and know that the things we own meet our needs and beyond. I'm just in a material state of mind this week I guess.
Seems like it's time for me to go to the giving tree at Walmart and be Santa for some kids. The only way to cure my greed is spend my money on someone else.
With the money I:
buy a gorgeous home.
buy a newer, bigger car. Nothing too crazy though.
go on vacation.
buy clothes for me and clothes and bows like crazy for Alivia.
And so on.
I'll admit that I've been really greedy...and covetous. Which is wrong and bad, I know. Especially this time of year, when giving and Christ-like attributes should be in the forfront of my mind. Trust me, I'm super grateful for what Cody and I have...and know that the things we own meet our needs and beyond. I'm just in a material state of mind this week I guess.
Seems like it's time for me to go to the giving tree at Walmart and be Santa for some kids. The only way to cure my greed is spend my money on someone else.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Thanksgiving
We were in Logan with the Orvins this year on Thanksgiving. We had a great time as always. We saw movies (The Help and Breaking Dawn - loved it and loved it) and ate out and shopped (with every other person in the Cache Valley) and spent the days with family.
Alivia had her first flight and handled it like a champ. I was nervous...because you never know how the altitude and cramped space will affect your baby...but Alivia was happy to have the attention of both of us, as well as the other passangers who sat next to us. She also loved the TVs in the Jet Blue seats. I think the picture below says it all. She couldn't even take her eyes off the tv for the picture.
Alivia in the snow (the hat didn't quite fit - oh well)
I am super grateful to have such amazing in-laws. I never imagined enjoying my husband's family as much as I enjoy the Orvins. Connie, in particular, makes me feel so welcomed and loved. Especially since every time we leave, she says good-bye with tears. She gets teased for being easy to tear, but I love it because then I know she loves us and will miss us until our next visit.
Cody and I helped with the Thanksgiving dinner. Cody made his rolls and mashed potatoes. I made my mother's stuffing/dressing, a salad, and cheesecake. Everyone made a little something and we had a ton of food...just the way I like my holidays to be.
Life really is wonderful. Sure it can be difficult and hard and confusing at times, but all in all, with family, friends, and some food on the table - life is a beautiful blessing.
I love my husband. I love my little Livy. And I appreciate the Thanksgiving holiday that reminds me to stop and notice all the many things to be grateful for.
Hope all your Thanksgivings were as good as ours.
Alivia had her first flight and handled it like a champ. I was nervous...because you never know how the altitude and cramped space will affect your baby...but Alivia was happy to have the attention of both of us, as well as the other passangers who sat next to us. She also loved the TVs in the Jet Blue seats. I think the picture below says it all. She couldn't even take her eyes off the tv for the picture.
Alivia in the snow (the hat didn't quite fit - oh well)
I am super grateful to have such amazing in-laws. I never imagined enjoying my husband's family as much as I enjoy the Orvins. Connie, in particular, makes me feel so welcomed and loved. Especially since every time we leave, she says good-bye with tears. She gets teased for being easy to tear, but I love it because then I know she loves us and will miss us until our next visit.
Cody and I helped with the Thanksgiving dinner. Cody made his rolls and mashed potatoes. I made my mother's stuffing/dressing, a salad, and cheesecake. Everyone made a little something and we had a ton of food...just the way I like my holidays to be.
Life really is wonderful. Sure it can be difficult and hard and confusing at times, but all in all, with family, friends, and some food on the table - life is a beautiful blessing.
I love my husband. I love my little Livy. And I appreciate the Thanksgiving holiday that reminds me to stop and notice all the many things to be grateful for.
Hope all your Thanksgivings were as good as ours.
Friday, December 2, 2011
5 Months!!!
"This is why you've lost viewers, and your ratings have gone down, Robin. Our blog is now just a baby blog." Someone, who shall remain nameless, but who is a male adult who sleeps next to me at night, said this to me just a minute ago. I guess he's sensitive to those who frequent our blog and might be sick of seeing our daughter's face.
All I can say is, "What...a dork." First, I started a blog in part to document my life. And like it or not, my life is my daughter these days.
Second, some of you viewers are interested in our little Livy, because you are an Aunt or Grandma or baby lover. And I couldn't miss a blog post marking our 5 month old Alivia and disappoint those viewers.
And lastly, I can't resist this face. It consumes my affection and attention. And I will have to do these monthly posts until she is one year old...and then y'all will get a break.
So at 5 months, Alivia has mastered purposefully rolling over from her back to her stomach. As a result, we have found her sleeping on her stomach when we check in on her. She is catlike in her obsession with scratching all surfaces within reach of her small hands. I have been on top of cutting her nails as a result - man those thin nails grow like crazy and hurt more than they should.
She is happiest in social settings. Seriously, we were at the airport the other day and she was smiling from ear to ear the entire time. People always comment on her disposition - and big eyes. I over heard a lady say to another passenger, "look at that baby, she is smiling at nothing."
Alivia had her first cold this past week. Colds suck. It made her spit up and wake up in the middle of the night.
The sad news is that Alivia now often wakes up crying from naps. Gone are the days of walking in on her awake and happy (except for in the mornings, where she still wakes up happy and content). Also, Alivia is getting more demanding...she wants to be social with me when I want to clean or cook or blog or watch TV. She can be so insensitive to my need to waste time! Just Kidding. I don't cook.
I could go on...but I'm sensitive to ya'll. My "queen of the world" (what I always tell her) at 5 months.
Trying on a Christmas Dress
Wearing clean laundry
Enjoying the outdoors
Being all prim and proper
Matching so well (thanks Shaunna!)
Getting ready for bed (No, she doesn't wear the bow to bed, she was trying on her new bow from aunt Brooke)
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