Track Break

So, the boys get year round school this year. This kind of presents a bit of a problem for me because for the whole month of October they don't have school, but I have to work and the girls have to go to school. Same thing for February. Ugh. I can't really afford to pay for daycare. Luckily, my boss at RC Willey was willing to work with me and is allowing me to come in from 3 to 9 for the whole month of October (well,til my last day with them anyway, which is this Friday). It's been so nice to have an understanding employer. I will miss my RC Willey family. It really is a great company, but retail is just a tough gig. 

So, anyway as soon as Jon gets home from his day of work, I leave for mine. We haven't seen much of each other, which kind of bites. But that'll change with the new job. 

Anyway, since I've been able to spend the mornings home with my boys, we've been having a few fun trips. 

We visited Ethel M Chocolate Factory last week and toured the Cactus Gardens. 

Had to snap some sweet pics while we were there. 

Enjoy. 

We had a picnic lunch and visited a park on another morning.

 Love these slides, they're a lot of fun. 

And then we visited the Wetlands park. 

Love to walk around here and just enjoy the wildlife. 

We got to see a heron. That was pretty cool!

We saw lots of bunny rabbits....

More wildlife.. ;)

We took some pics of the poo that we encountered on our walk.  They have a cool nature center you can visit, and we were hoping to be able to figure out what kind of animal poo we had encountered. We never really figured it out. 

Saw some ducks and fishies and turtles....

Another day we just hiked the mesa behind our apartment complex. 

And found more scat....

and cool rock statues....

October ended up being a great month for them to be off. The weather has been almost perfect for enjoying the outdoors. 

Homecoming Parade

Haley's band class got to march in the High Schools Homecoming Parade tonight. 

So, of course we had to go watch. 

:)

Looking cute in her uniform. 

Waiting for another parade to start...

They look miserable because it was HOT!

 Yay, it's finally starting!!

 She is somewhere in these two pictures....can you spot her? Where's Haley?????
(look around the edges, I did a really lousy job of catching her, but in fairness to me, the sun was in my eyes)

There was a fun little carnival after the parade and before the football game started. 

We enjoyed lot's of junkfood. 

Sorry, no pics....I know you're devastated.

Waiting for the game to start. 

Seriously, this beautiful sunset was the best part of the game.

Except for the halftime performance.....

We waited til after Haley performed again at halftime, and then we split. 

I used to love high school football games, but I really didn't enjoy this one. 

Lots of foul language all around where we were sitting. 

High school just isn't like I remember it. 

PSA

Freshman are friends, not food!

Big Change for me

Wow!!
I'm beyond excited. I'm so over the moon right now I can hardly write.
A few weeks back a friend from church asked if I was still interested in a job with the city. We had talked quite a while back about how unhappy I was with my work schedule and how I really wanted more family time. Her husband works for the city and she had mentioned way back when that she would keep an ear out for any job openings I might be interested in. Well, the day finally came and there was an opening in her husbands department and they were taking referrals. Her husband put in a referral for me and so, I applied. They were filling three positions. I got called in to take an examination and if I passed that, I would be called in for an interview.
Well, I passed.
 Got the interview.
Got a little coaching from my friend and her husband.
Asked my bishop to pray for me.
The interview went ok. I really didn't think I had blown them out of the water, and my friends husband said they were looking to be wowed. I certainly didn't think I wowed them.

Well, today they called. And I have been offered a job. Squee!!!!
 It's part time, two days a week! It pays double what I make now per hour, so I can afford to go part time. No benefits, but we use Jon's benefits anyway.

I am so very, very grateful for this opportunity. I really cannot express how blessed I feel. I really, really feel like Heavenly Father has blessed me with this wonderful job. I hope I will be able to do it well and learn quickly.

Five days a week off!! Four day weekends! Holidays off with my family. Weekends off with my family. Seriously, a dream come true.

Back, Back, Back to Shool!

First day of School Pics.

Ashley's looking less than thrilled.....

There's a smile. 

Overall, I think the only one who actually looked forward to going back to school this year was Haley. I think she missed her friends. 

But they all had a good first day anyway. 

Hope we have a great year!

I choose to believe

I haven't put my thoughts to paper (or rather, keyboard?) lately. Thought I'd take a few minutes tonight to do so.

While driving to work today, I was musing about some facebook posts I've seen recently by friends or extended family members who consider themselves to be atheists.

I often think of the conversations we might have with each other if we were discussing my belief and their lack of belief.

They might ask me to prove to them that God exists, and I imagine them smirking when I tell them that I can't prove it to them.

I have no memory of God. And yet I believe.

I believe He is the father of my spirit. I believe He loves me.

Why do I believe this?

Maybe because of those feelings I get now and then.

Like the spring day when I was walking home from visiting a friend and I felt the warmth of the sun's rays on my shoulders and that warmth filled my heart and my soul as the thought came to me that my father was smiling down on me in that moment.

Like the overwhelming feeling of love I feel for others on odd occasions--and not just for my family members, but for perfect strangers at the four way stop on my drive to work. That feeling of love feels like it's ready to burst out of me and I just want to share that love with everyone I come into contact with. And I realize in that moment that it's the same feeling my Father has for every single one of His children.

Like the day when I was feeling so angry and sad all at the same time because my husband had stopped going to church after a very brief period of activity. And my bishop chose in his message that day to share with the congregation my husbands testimony to him during his baptismal interview--something I really needed to hear at that moment.


Does any of this prove that there is a God?
Maybe not to you.
But it's proof to me.
And I choose to believe.

last night

We had some spectacular thunder storms yesterday. 

I loved the way the clouds looked as dusk came on. 

Made for some very humid weather today.
I can't wait for fall.

Baptism Day

So my boys got baptized last weekend. 

Thought I'd just share the pics we took.

There was a rainbow outside when we left the church.

Pretty sweet!

When I am Baptized

I like to look for rainbows,
whenever there is rain.
And ponder on the beauty
of an earth made clean again.
I want my life to be as clean
as earth right after rain.
I want to be the best I can,
And live with God again.

I know when I am baptized,
My wrongs are washed away.
And I can be forgiven
And improve myself each day.
I want my life to be as clean
as earth right after rain.
I want to be the best I can,
And live with God again.
--Nita Dale Milner

They were baptized by their friend's dad. She was also getting bapitzed, so I figured since he would already be there in the water, why not ask.  Jason and Justin really like him a lot too, so I thought it was important for that trust to be there.

Our bishop confirmed them. He's also our home teacher, so it felt right to ask. 

Unfortunately, my parents couldn't make it up for the baptism, otherwise I would have asked my dad to confirm them. It turned out nicely regardless. 

:)