The Journey Begins

April marked the time I aggressively began searching for a new job. My days at work consisted of periodic trips to my car for phone interviews with companies in Phoenix, the Bay Area, Charleston, Austin, Boston, New York, etc. Many of these did not result in a second interview because it wasn't the right fit for me: not enough experience, over-qualified, not a good cultural fit, me just not wanting to do that job. But I felt confident I was heading in the right direction and that I was making progress in figuring out what and where that path would lead. In the mean time, I still found time for some fun and family.

Last time I went running. Not a bad time.

First rock concert = success!

Home

My great aunt's funeral; my grandma was part of this trio

Love spending time with this guy

Challenge accepeted: 1st birthday cake

Seeing a Shadow

I came back from Mexico not quite sure the next steps in life. I had turned down one job without having a clue as to why except I didn't feel it was the right move for me. I did know one thing that would happen after coming home. Time to move again. My friend and I found a place that was perfect for us: two bedrooms with connecting bathrooms, a nice kitchen, a garage, plenty of storage space, and a month-to-month lease. While packing up, my little niece commented that I moved too much. My defense started sputtering out when I realized that I four times in the past four years. She was right. I needed to find something more permanent.

New view

After moving and settling a bit, I had decided that maybe I needed to stay in Utah and started to toy with that idea a bit more. During that time, Eloqua invited me and 10 other customers to their Advocates Summit in Deer Valley. We had meetings in the mornings and activities in the afternoons. I noticed that the CTO and SVP of Product Development were skiing both days and had the distinct thought that I'd be stupid not to ski with them. You can see where this is leading. After two days of skiing together, these two execs knew me pretty well, and gratefully I impressed them with my meager black diamond/mogul technique. But as far as a job, nothing was discussed and I continued on my path of staying in Utah and staying at my current job.

Deer Valley

Babysitting; Feeling a bit parental

Babysitting nieces and nephews. We had a good time!

Eyes of a Child

Obviously I didn't continue my days of gratitude for November. Oh well. Not going back.

I realized that I've been missing out on something I love doing: writing and telling stories. My blog is the best place to do that because I don't want to be over-sharing on Facebook and for the most part, I know who reads my blog. So I'm trying to re-dedicate time to something I love and that is important to me.

Story time...

My sister and brother-in-law brought their kids to Disneyland and the beach for Thanksgiving. Yesterday my nephew shared with me their adventure and I got a kick out of his comments. In describing where they stayed he exclaimed, "It was a real hotel. Like a ho-ho-hotel. Not just a motel, but a hotel. It was like 10 stories high! And the breakfast buffet was so good. It had everything...like bacon!"

I just cracked up laughing. I guess we regularly stay in 2 story motels and the thought of having to ride the elevator to his room was a new experience. And what made the breakfast good to him was having bacon. Ah, the joys of an eight-year-old. Two days at Disneyland, a day at the beach, and bacon. But I have a hard time disagreeing with him. What's not to like?

A montage of pics from their beach trip

Life is Good

Loved watching General Conference this weekend, especially with this little guy. He's kind of captured my heart.

I am grateful that this is how I feel about life:



I am grateful for a CEO who shares his extra tickets with employees. My nephew and I were able to partake of my CEO's generosity and enjoy a BYU basketball game on the 2nd row. Have I told you that I love my job?


I am grateful for the good friends I was able to see tonight. It has been since March since we saw one another and it was good to catch up tonight. And we made plans to hang out after I get back from my December travels. Love my friends and the positive influence they have on me.

Living Life Backwards

I am grateful for Elder Neil L. Andersen's recent General Conference talk. In contemplating my life from high school to now, I recognize that nothing has gone as planned. More specifically, I am not married with four kids and two more still yet to come. Instead, I have two graduate degrees with a promising career ahead of me. Elder Andersen helped me see that even though my original plan has not happened, it doesn't mean that it is out of reach. Patient persistent in waiting upon the Lord (thank-you Elder Hales) and promised blessings will be fulfilled. I'm just living life backwards. :)

In having this realization, I thought back to Elder Uchtdorf's message to the Relief Society sisters. Even though I don't have children now, I still have the opportunity to influence many people for good including my nieces and nephews. I have been working on memorizing the seminary scripture mastery scriptures with my nieces and nephews. I love watching my seven-year-old nephew use the iPad app to memorize the scriptures and then pass it off with me. Obviously, I'm learning them at a faster rate, but it thrills me that we are doing it together. And that I can be that encouragement and example for them.

Another area I'm trying to be an influence for good is with music. They've already been indoctrinated to the Broadway/Musical genre but classical music is still a work in progress. Since I have always wanted to hear the 1812 Overture at the Deer Valley Music Festival (Yes. Always. At least since I was in junior high. Yes. I'm a music nerd.), I decided to take my oldest nieces to the final night of the festival. We stopped at the outlets first and I introduced Rachel to Banana Republic jeans. I don't know if her mom will ever forgive me for that one. Then we headed up to Deer Valley.
The nice thing about the outdoor venue at Deer Valley was the outdoor atmosphere helped the girls feel comfortable, we were able to bring a picnic in with us, and we were surrounded by the beautiful Utah mountains. The music selection was perfect! The girls recognized everything that was played. And the finale...Wow! Live cannons synched perfectly with the 1812 Overture. The girls grinned from ear to ear every time they cannons went off. And I absolutely loved it! Worth the wait! Afterwards, Josie said to me, "I thought it was going to be boring but I actually had fun." I turned to her, smiled, and told her never doubt me when I tell her we are going on an adventure. Good times had by all!

Here are a few pictures of us enjoying ourselves during the intermission.



So even though life hasn't gone exactly they way I planned, it's okay. The Lord has a plan for me and I know if I just continue pressing forward with faith, all will be revealed and promises will be fulfilled. How grateful I am for my testimony in the gospel of Jesus Christ and the sustaining power of personal revelation.

Having a Bit of Fun

Last June when I was babysitting my nieces and nephews, I decided we needed a break from the house. I packed them into the car and headed up the canyon not really having a plan. I found a backroad near Sundance and began driving just to see where we would end up. We found a perfect spot at the base of Stewart Falls. Even from the distance, we could see how powerful the waterfall was and this was in June! After we explored a bit there, we headed up towards Aspen Grove. We played around on the Timp Hike trail and Aspen Grove before heading down and calling it a night.

The next day, I was driving with my two nieces as we ran errands for their mom. The oldest found my camera and started having some fun taking pictures of herself, her sister, and me. I love to attribute their silliness and craziness to their parents, but I always seem to be around when things like this happen. Hopefully I've been a good influence on them. :)

 

Fun All Around

My nieces and nephews bring such joy to my life. Gratefully two of my sisters live nearby so I get many opportunities to spend time with them. Here are a few things I love about my nieces and nephews:

* My niece grabs a spoonful of peanut butter, places chocolate chips in the mass, and begins eating it. A girl after my own heart.
* The twins who joyfully scream my name whenever I enter the room.
* My nephew who jumps out of bed, even though he is supposed to be asleep, and runs to say hi because he hears my voice.
* Stretching out their muscles with me after I have worked out on my sister’s treadmill. The four year old could easily touch her nose to her knees. Me…not quite there.
* Making and eating a batch of Scotcharoos. For those who don’t know this divine treat, it is a mixture of corn syrup, peanut butter, and sugar mixed with Rice Krispies, then topped with a melted butterscotch and chocolate chips. Like eating a bit of heaven.
* Being invited over to “babysit” even though the oldest is twelve.
* The two-year-old twins jabbering away telling me about their day. I know that is what they are doing because I hear things like bath, book, train, toys, etc.
* Getting text messages from my niece who is using my sister’s phone.
* The twins fighting to sit on my lap and reading stories.
* My nephew who makes pictures for me.
* Being called their second mom by many of them.
* Snuggling up to me when watching a movie together.
* Being silly together.
* Big group hugs.


At a party last summer, all the girls wanted to sit with me.

The boys wanted in on the action too.

Gratitude Day 26

1- Siblings who recognize what I need especially when I don't want to burden them or when I am purposefully avoiding/hiding what I know I need. I truly have generous and kind siblings (and in-laws).

2- Nieces and Nephews. Many years ago, one of my nephews asked with concern in his voice why I didn't have kids. I told him that I needed to be married first and jokingly asked him if he knew of anyone. His four-year-old mind raced and replied with a sad voice that he couldn't think of anyone. He was quiet for a few more moments, then said to me with a wisdom beyond his years that he and his siblings would be my kids until I had my own. I have enjoyed playing with all eighteen of my "kids" this week. They have been a joy and a blessing to me. I am also grateful that they all seem to get along with one another. Every one of them has a cousin they consider a friend.

3- Having fun. I love the variety of interests in my family. If you were a fly on the wall in my house this week, you would have seen people playing video games, chess, card games, board games, watching and playing football and basketball, singing around the piano, playing the piano/guitar/trumpet, talking about a wide variety of topics including politics, religion, medicine, business, sports, etc., and loving every minute of it. I am grateful for a family that enjoys being together.

AOG - Day 8

1- I am grateful for nieces and nephews. I am really glad they are old enough to play games that are fun for me too.

2- I am grateful for homemade food. Too often I rely on processed foods to help me as I run from one activity to another. A good home-cooked meal is greatly appreciated.

3- I am grateful for the little mistakes we make in life because they help us avoid the big mistakes that could come later if we didn't change after the little ones.

Gratitude - Day 16

1. I am grateful for the Wall Street Journal's daily quotes. Usually these are taken out of context or connect to a random memory of mine which makes them quite humorous. Here is today's quote: "You fill out a job application and you can’t write ‘long-range reconnaissance and sniper skills.’"
Here is the context: Andrew Spurlock, an Army infantryman who was disabled in the Iraq war, on his search for a job that paid better than delivering pizzas.

2. I am grateful when I can escape technology. Yesterday my phone died and my computer was unable to connect to the internet (okay it was actually turned off, but I really was away from an internet connection for a while). Well, I was completely exhausted! So, I crawled into bed knowing I would not be disturbed. When I woke up, my voice mail was full and I had a bunch of emails that were waiting for me. But, for a brief moment, I had escaped the demands of technology.

3. I am grateful for my twin niece and nephew. I had such a fun time juggling the two, bouncing one with my leg while cradling the other. Just when I had one calmed down the other started squawking so I would re-adjust their positions. Very time consuming and emotionally draining, but I had such a good time hanging out with the little ones.

Gratitude - Day 6

1. I am grateful for the laughter of little children. Yesterday I brought my sister's two oldest children to the park. Her daughter spent the whole time on the swings. Every time I pushed my niece higher, she would cackle and giggle! Such an innocent sound of pure enjoyment.

2. I am grateful the church posts general conference talks online in mp3 format. I download them and am able to listen in the car while I drive. It is a great way to start my day.

3. I am grateful for the night sky. Last night, the sky was so clear and the stars so bright. Next new moon, I plan to take a drive away from the city lights, wrap myself in a blanket, and watch for shooting stars.

2 for 1

I have waited to post this new information because I wanted Lucille to post on her blog first. Last Tuesday, my sister Lucille went into labor. The ultrasound months previous did not give any clear indication whether she was having a boy or a girl. So, she and her husband picked out a boy and a girl name and brought a boy and a girl outfit to the hospital. Well, little did any of us realize (including the doctor) that all this was an omen of things to come. Three hours after her water broke, her little girl Marie Margaret was born. Ten minutes later followed her little boy Peter Hardy. Twins! Lucy and her story have now become the topic of conversation in the maternity ward, mother-baby ward, her work floor in the ICU, her husband's work, their ward, her in-law's ward, my hometown, my sister Kathrine's work, and so many other places. She has gotten responses on her blog from people she has never even met! The miracle in all of this is both babies are healthy and strong. Her ward has rallied behind her in ways no one could have imagined. It was Bishop Edgley who spoke about enduring together as ward members in general conference and I am so grateful for all the help and support Lucy and Scott have received from their ward. The babies are adorable and I am excited to be their aunt! So much fun to be had.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Once I got the hang of the single mom thing I stopped writing about it. Actually I got so busy and was so worn out I decided I would rather play computer games and watch the Olympics than write. Here are my final thoughts on the whole single mom for two weeks adventure:

*Brought all five kids with me to Costco and we made it out without a scratch on any kid. Of course it helped that sample time was over. :)

*Took a walk on a bike path and the kids enjoyed being outside.

*Went to first day of school with no obvious mishaps. Did I mention it was the first day of school? I only had two kids for four hours and as soon as the kindergartner got home I put baby down for a nap. Loved it!

*Baby took a bottle and went to sleep without too much fuss. No problems after the first few days.

*I was finally able to work out after I dropped three kids off to school. Everyone should have a jogging stroller.

*My computer came in the mail! Granted it was shipped to Utah but came nonetheless.
*The last week there, the high temperature was above 100 degrees. It finally cooled down the day I picked up my parents and brother and wife at the airport. I abhor the heat! At least the kids were able to play on the slip-n-slide to cool down after school.
*In attempts at drying out the back lawn to mow it, I killed some grass in the front lawn. Who has two sprinkling controllers?! Got most of the lawn revived before leaving but never did mow the back lawn.
*I really don't like whining. It bothered me as a teacher and bothered me more as a "parent."
*I have a lot of patience at times and very little at others. See previous line. :)
*Teething babies can be difficult. Gratefully Infant Tylenol did wonders for baby!
*My sister Suzy saved me at times. I saw her everyday and loved talking with her. We talked about the kids, school, our own personal frustrations, and most importantly, the Olympics. It was fun to share my life with her for two weeks.
*Most importantly I came away understanding what kind of mom I want to be and maybe how to be that. The key to that is having a good husband to help. Being a single mom is tough. Every child needs two parents and every parent needs a good spouse to help support him or her. Dads balance out moms and moms balance out dads. I'm sure all you married people understand what I am trying to say. I believe a child needs a mom and a dad. As for those who thought being a single mom of five for two weeks would squash any desire for my own family, they were completely wrong. If anything it fueled the fire.

Things of Note

*Baby likes new schedule so much more. He even refused to let his sister help him eat. He wants me now.
*Five-year old comments maybe innocent but can still be hurtful.
*Being a single mom can be lonely. Good thing I have older sister here to visit with often.
*Two parents are so much better than one.
*Kids need lots of love and affection and attention in life.
*Kids like knowing how to do things themselves. Better to teach them than to say no all of the time.
*This experience has not sqaushed my desire to have my own family.

Moving Right Along

Yesterday, I tried doing one long nap with Eric since the two small naps the past two days wasn't working. Baby slept 3 1/2 hours! He went to bed early too and as a report from this morning slept in until 7:00. My sister Suzy suggested I put a bottle of water in his bed and a book. I heard him "talk" this morning and went to get him out of bed. Low and behold, he had the bottle in one hand and the book in the other. It was nice because he wasn't crying which usually wakes everyone else up too. I want to try this schedule again today. Oh! He also drank 4 oz before going to sleep last night so I am making progress. All the other kids are doing well. They try to convince me that they can stay up later, not clean up their messes, etc. Unfortunately for them, I was a school teacher. Their excuses and pleas don't work.

ABCDEFG...

Yesterday morning, Eric (the 11 month old) barely ate any breakfast. The kid had to be starving! I had a brilliant idea. I had Tiana (8) feed him. Little one ate the whole bowl of rice cereal. Eventually, he will get used to me. That morning we went to the park with my sister Suzy and her kids. It was nice for the kids to run around with friends and get energy out and it was nice for me to talk with Suzy. We always have fun conversations. Lunch was great. Now for naptime. Believe it or not, Eric fell asleep to me singing the ABC song. I sang it over and over again and kept singing it as I put him in the crib. Still sang it and rubbed his back as he settled in the crib. I think I found a winner! I know that parents get a routine down that kids are familiar with and maybe this is my routine with Eric. Suzy also gave me a suggestion to help Eric take a bottle from me. He didn't drink his usual 6 oz. but he drank something. I'm going to keep working on this one. The kid has got to be thirsty. I also used the ABC song again for nighttime and it worked! So Eric slept the whole night long. I also figured out that it was better to put Josh (3) and Andrew (5) down before the older two. I'm getting the hang of this mom thing. I swear it is easier when you add them one at a time instead of five at once!

Being a Mom Day 1

My brother, his wife, and my parents left for Denmark yesterday. Crazy fool that I was, I offered to help babysit his kids while they were gone. In my defense, I offered when they only had four kids. :) Yes, you read that right. I am now a single mom of five kids ages 9 1/2, 8, 5, 3, and 11 months. The kids are getting used to me and my tolerance level, and I am learning what they need. The five-year-old and I are working on helping him use a "house" voice. He loves to yell and scream everything. The older two are just great helpers. The three-year-old is actually doing really well with me and loves to help. That leaves the youngest. Naptime was okay. I finally had to let him cry himself to sleep which he did within five minutes. Bedtime however was almost a nightmare. He was so mad his mom wasn't there. He only drank 1 oz. and refused to calm down. He even started crawling around, crying the whole time, looking for his mom. My favorite is when he put his head on the floor, falling asleep for just a second and then kept searching and crying. Eventually, my niece held him until he was drifting asleep and then I took him. After I put him in his bed, the three-year-old sang to him. Gratefully he slept all night. This morning when I got him out of bed he looked so disappointed to see me instead of his mom. Hopefully he gets used to the fact that I am here.