Trying to move forward: New "Gig"

As I began my new management role last week, I saw just how work can consume one within it. Last week after getting shorted hours due to changing stores, I still ended it with over 43 hours. Do I fear getting burnt out? Not really, because a lot of what took extra time is something that will change here soon when I'm not dealing with others who aren't nearly as organized as I am. But then again, who's to say what'll come from me not having another individual holding me back. This could be awesome, or a giant disaster. lol... I think I'll do well, I have faith in that w/out question. I just have to get my rhythm and once that's established it'll flow perfectly. :)
I really have enjoyed it thus far. I see what I need to work on within the store, and what needs to be worked on in general around the store. I understand a lot more since I've begun, just last week (in this store) and I can feel more confident in my job performance which is a difference from what it was last week. I learned a lot and I look forward to learning a lot more along the way.
I went into Panera, (my old store) on Friday to get my fix on Friday for my iced sugar free skim vanilla latte. It was incredibly delicious. I called before going in to have them hold a few muffins for me and it was nice to hear my old supervisors voice. Once I got there though, it was completely different to me. Everyone looked so unhappy and for me looking at it from the outside, people looked miserable. It was such a tense environment for me since I had been working elsewhere and felt entirely different about how work should feel. It was good to see some of my old people, without question, especially since many of them I still feel good about keeping in touch with outside of work. I, on the other hand, feel like I wish I could help them get away from that misery. This was the first time I'd seen my old GM since leaving and he asked "How's the new gig going?" This coming from him I knew deep down he didn't want me to be entirely happy with my job because before I left I had informed someone that it was my last day and he said as I left the conversation to go help guests, "So she thinks that'll be her last day." as if it was some kind of cult and I wasn't allowed to leave.
I feel so lucky to have had the chance to walk away from restaurant business (for the several times I have) again. This time I feel like I've accomplished something far more than I have in my prior times leaving the restaurant business. I'm more educated, and for this job to give me the opportunity to move from such a business, I feel it'll mold me for a career which definitely requires a lot of what I have lacked within the field of study. This is a job that allows me to build my career from the outside while still giving me the opportunity to build my strength within the field while volunteering at the Humane Society.
Everything else is going well too. Just been getting Claire ready for the start of 4th grade on Wednesday. We have orientation tomorrow and that's when we'll find out who her teacher will be. She's really excited about starting this year but I've definitely been getting her prepared. She has a planner this year that I have informed her to use daily like she did some of the year last year. Trying to inform her of just how important it is for her this year and how she needs to be on her A game. This year is preparing her for the next year. Next year is huge. I said that because the school supplies list is really large in comparison to what it was this year. It's nearly triple the size of what this year was. I'm in hopes that with her starting at this school this year, unlike last year, she won't feel so lost when she goes in this year. With the huge transition from a shitty school to a more intelligent school last year, I think she felt uneasy and quite in question of her capabilities. By the end of the year though, (thanks to a lot of tutoring) she improved her scores and was at grade level once she left 3rd grade. At the start of 3rd grade she was quite below her grade level and her reading understanding was very low. I was able to see that improvement over the year and especially over the summer. Her retaining has definitely become stronger and her vocabulary has grown much more over the summer. Here's hoping that what I've seen is shown in the classroom.
D is on vacation for the next few days and has completed yet another round of classes, successfully. This will allow me and Claire to get our rhythm down while he holds down the fort. Plus it'll allow him to rest more and get his gears ready for a week and a half from now when he begins his next semester.
We did have a day at Kings Island which was a nice time away from home and giving us some family time at the same time.

Claire in front of Breast Cancer Awareness Snoopy. She is now 55" tall... Just an inch above what she needed to be in order to get on ALL of the roller coasters.

The duckies were all purchases for donations to Komen. I bought 5 and landed one in a ring which gave us unlimited drinks for the day.

The beautiful clouds on the way home. Claire was asking a lot of information about clouds and so I figured I'd take photos of them as a memory of that conversation.