Swimming Lessons

I'd been dying to do swimming lessons with Ash since he was born.  After working at Goldfish I just loved the idea of these little babes being able to swim so early.

I thought I'd be able to teach him on my own, and he did pretty good last summer.  This summer though he was just too distracted, and trying to get him to do anything at the busy public pools wasn't happening.  So I decided to sign him up for swim lessons in Pleasant Grove.

I tried going in with ultra low expectations, but I was still disappointed.  Goldfish really just raised the bar as far as what I expected out of a swim class.  

Ashton still had fun though, and even though he wasn't the swimming master I had hoped, by the end of classes he was incredibly brave and was going down the big tunnel slides and jumping in all by him self.  

Plus we got to spend some quality pool time together.  Even Jason took him to one of the classes.  He sure doesn't like listening to directions, but cried every time class was over.

Love you little fish.

2010: the year of the SWITCH

Start off the year in Michigan... 

Switch, we are now in Utah

 Jason started the year as the VP of Marketing in Michigan... Switch, he is now a full time student

I started my year off at my favorite job ever, Goldfish... 

Switch to my "dream job" as the Event Coordinator for  Blue Lemon

Start off the year with great friends... 

Switch, new great friends in South Jordan

Start off the year planning trips to the beach and rain forest... 

Switch, we now look forward to getaways in the snow

We got hooked on LOST... Switch, we can't stand how much time we wasted watching LOST

We started off the year eating a lot of junk food... 

Switch, who am I kidding we still eat A LOT of junk food.

We went from our own Michigan apartment... Switch, living with the Parents... Switch to my favorite apartment ever

Started off the year with 2 new Mazda's... 

Switch, we now own "used" vehicles again.

We went from teaching obedient adorable 5 year olds in Primary... Switch, 11 year olds? Seriously?

Talked about buying bikes... Switch, we finally bought the bikes we so long talked about

Lost a brother (Eric left for Korea)... Switch, gained a brother (Jayden came home from his mission) oh and Eric came back eventually too. 

Went through heartache and despair... 

Switch, we witnessed MIRACLES!

Started out with Jason not wanting anything to do with Harry Potter... Switch, after a Harry Potter Marathon he now loves it (or at least tolerates it with me)

We started off with the hopes and plans for an amazing year in Michigan... Switch, we created new hopes and plans for an even more amazing year in Utah.  

It has definitely been a year of change and it has definitely had its ups and downs. But we have learned patience and trust in the Lord.  Their was a reason we needed to quit our jobs and move back to Utah.  School, Family, New Work Opportunities, Friends, Skyler, the list goes on and on.  

2010, it's been a good year and 

it's good to be home.

Goldfish, I miss you

http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/23701792/

Farewell Michigan

After exactly one year and two weeks in Michigan we have said farewell. That's right we are no longer "Michiganders".

When we first moved there I couldn't wait to leave and now leaving has been so hard. We have had quite the adventure here and I wouldn't trade it in for anything. We have had so much fun and have been blessed while we were here.

We were able to attend all the major sporting events... Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, Pistons.

We had fun with visitors. My family came and stayed with us. The Cherrington family stopped and stayed with us on their way to New York. My good friend Autumn came and played, and my friend Kristi and I were able to get together a few times since her mom lives here. We also got to visit and go on trips with my favorite couple: The Moons.

We got to do some exploring in the state of Michigan and the surrounding areas.

We met and worked for a lot of different people,

Doctors, Lawyers, Baseball Players, VP's, Photographers, Car people... Oh the many

jobs I had in Michigan.

My favorite job, was with Goldfish though. I have had the hardest time saying goodbye to them. I love my little swimmer kids. I loved the thoughtful gifts and pictures they would bring me. I loved seeing them get so excited about swimming. I loved the hugs and high fives. I loved the people I worked with. I loved going to workevery day and being surrounded by friends. I loved all the crazy people and dramatic stories and laughing so hard at them at the end of the day.

We will also miss our little five year olds in our primary class. We fell in love with Primary and the special spirit in there.

I may or may not miss our little apartment though. It was a great first "home" for us. But I will not miss the constant head aches from all the smoke that constantly seeped in through the walls or the weird noises or the fear off being home alone in an unsafe area.

I will miss the lakes. I will miss the green. I will miss the good outlet stores. I will miss my yoga classes at my favorite gym. I will not miss "Michigan lefts", that is for sure.

I am excited for family and Utah friends though. It will be a fun new adventure that involves Jason going to school, and me finding a job to support us. I am excited to be able to talk about "stakes, wards, LDS, CTR, BOM, FHE, and missions" and not have people look at me so confused.

Thank you to everyone who took their time to come out to our apartment to say goodbye to us. Thank you Goldfish for the farewell lunch and fun weekend. Thank you Michigan for making our first year of marriage such a memorable one. You will be missed!

Decisions

We all know I have a very hard time with decisions, that and commitments. I finally got over part of the commitment phobia by actually getting married, but I still struggle with the decision end of things. My biggest one at the moment is jobs, employment, career, work, however you want to word it I just can't decide what I want to be when I grow up!

When we first moved here it took me about a month and a half to find a job.

I truly feel so blessed that I was able to find such a great family to Nanny for. Originally I didn't want to nanny again, but knew it was something I could always fall back on. No matter what the job market is, people always need other people to watch their kids. Knowing this was just a temporary position I think I was able to avoid my commitment issues when accepting this job. I still get to babysit Robbie and end up seeing them at least once a week. Jason and I have so much fun "playing house" and spending time with that family.

Anyways, I am now working at Goldfish Swim School, I've been there for just over two months now. I teach swim lessons and work at the front desk. I love it for the sole fact that I actually get to interact with people my age. At the same time, I've been told that I am overqualified for the job, there really is not much room for any more growth than I have already done, I barley get over 20 hours a week, and I'll be honest with you the pay is nothing to brag about.

That being said I've always known this was a good job to just hold me over till I could find something else. I have constantly been looking for that dream grown up job. One that challenges me and uses my hard earned college degree and one that I feel like I am really making a difference in. This job is apparently non-existent. I have however, found two different "executive" families that I could nanny for.

So it is decision time.

Do I go back to Nannying? I love the kids and interacting with them and all that goes along with that, but at the same time, I get so isolated out here when Jason and I have really no other friends or people our age to interact with. The pay is awesome. The hours are good. With the pay and hours put together I would be making over 3 times what I am making now.

But I have done the whole nanny bit, and part of me thinks... "I'm going to be raising kids for the rest of my life, if I want to work outside the home this is the last chance I'm going to have to do it." So with that thought in mind do I stay where I'm at? And continue looking for that dream job? Being able to put Goldfish and the experience I have gained there will have a greater impact on a resume than yet another Nanny position.

I also have the regret factor to worry about, if I decide to Nanny again, am I just going to get isolated and lonely again and regret leaving a work environment where I am surrounded by people every day. At the same time if I stay where I'm at am I going to constantly be thinking about the money that I am NOT making?

I know I really have no right to sit here and vent about this decision since there is a very large percentage of people in this area who would kill to have three job offers in front of them. I just can't figure it out. And I kinda need to, like tonight, so anyone out there want to tell me what to do?!