Lately...

So we haven't been up to much, but things have happened here in the last month or so....(warning: this is mostly a picture-less post, I hope you'll still read it though)

New Opportunities...
At the beginning of November, I got a new job!  Hooray!  Seriously, it is an amazing blessing that came at exactly the right time for me.  

I'd worked for Wells Fargo for about a year and a half as a teller/lead teller. It wasn't a bad job; I enjoyed the people, the pay wasn't bad-but the job was originally intended to be a temporary, just for a few months, kind of deal and it obviously turned into quite a few more. It was okay for a while, but I was getting burned out, especially since I didn't really love the job to begin with. I finally hit the "move up or move out" wall, couldn't find any "out" jobs, so started trying to "move up" by applying for banker positions within the company. I didn't want to be a banker since their main job is sales, which I really don't like doing, but although I wasn't excited about it, I could do the job and do it well. 

So over a couple of months I applied for several openings, interviewed at most of them, and had GREAT interviews!  My feedback was always, "you were the best one we interviewed...but we went with someone else." SO frustrating!  I was working really hard to be the right person for the job, and Ben will tell you, I came home from work discouraged and frustrated just about every day for months.  And then...


I was browsing KSL after another disappointing banker interview and found a job that looked interesting.  And it just so happened that Trish, one of my good friends, worked there.  So I called her up for some info on the job and she told me to send her my resume and she'd get it to the right people.  The next day I got called for an interview and went in that same afternoon. Two days later I got asked to come for a second interview a couple days later. I had my second interview, and that same afternoon I was called and offered the job. What?!?!  I'd been trying for months to find something new, and this all happened in a span of 6 days. I didn't need to think too hard about it though--I knew after my first interview that this was the job I wanted, and when it was offered I didn't even hesitate to say "yes!" 

So...you are now looking at (or, I guess reading about) the new Surgical Coordinator at the Mount Ogden Eye Center!  I've been there a little over a month now.  I'm one of 2 that do various parts of the job, and I love it!  I work with doctors, patients and surgical centers in regards to scheduling and coordinating eye surgeries.  I have no background at all in ophthalmology but I'm learning a lot as I go and I can't wait to learn more (someday soon I hope to be able to go watch one of our doctors perform cataract surgery). The people I work with are wonderful, it's a two minute drive from home, my hours are 8-5 Monday through Friday and I'm making a difference there...could it be any better?  

I can't even begin to express how incredibly blessed I was by the timing of this great opportunity. (Interestingly, in the midst of all this I had had one more banker interview.  I withdrew from consideration when I accepted the eye center job, but the regional manager proceeded to call to ask me to stay, offer me the banker job and more money...but I finally found a job I knew I would enjoy, so I didn't hesitate to thank him for the offer and turn it down).  I testify with all my heart that when we pray for and work hard for our desires-the Lord comes through at the right time with the right way to fulfill that desire.


So....long story, but great outcome.  Thanks for indulging me while I express my excitement about this new step in my life.  


Thanksgiving...
I LOVE FAMILY!  I can't say it enough!  And Ben and I have been blessed with such amazing ones!  There are some people who struggle with their in-laws, especially when the holidays come around and you have to figure out how to share your time without offending, hurting or angering anyone. But both of our parents' are so understanding and accommodating that we don't ever have to worry about it.  It's wonderful!  


This year we went with my family to my grandmother's house to join a small but fun group of family.  My aunt and uncle and one of my cousins and his family came in from out of town to join us and it was delicious and fun!  I love it when Ben finds things in common with members of my family, and he did just that with my cousin.  What a great day! 


Since we missed Ben's family on Thanksgiving, we devoted our "Black Friday" to avoiding shopping by eating leftovers, playing games and doing puzzles with them.  Once again, a small but fun group and a wonderful family to be a part of! Who could ask for anything more?

(And curse me for not taking any pictures!  I guess I was having too much fun!)


Christmas is Coming....
And it deserves it's own post. Soooo....
 


 ......TO BE CONTINUED.......(tomorrow)

Pumpkins

It's no secret that I hate Halloween.  Okay, maybe hate is a strong word, but I can say without hesitation that it is my least favorite holiday by a long shot.  Lucky for me, Ben feels the same way.  So the chances of us ever decorating and/or dressing up for Halloween again are pretty slim (don't worry--we'll still let our kids dress up and go trick-or-treating, we're not that bad).  

However, there is one Halloween tradition that I DO enjoy--and that is carving pumpkins. We had ourselves a good time of it this weekend too:

 We didn't know what to carve in our pumpkin
so we "Google'd" it.  :)

Bobbie-Jo and Jeff's awesome Ninja Turtle pumpkin

Jeff wanted to cook pumpkin seeds later-
but he had to dig through the goo to get them! 

In order of creators: Anna, Ryan, Ben & Kat, Kat, Bobbie-Jo & Jeff

 And tonight we will celebrate the holiday with a yummy fall dinner (I'm thinking soup and bread bowls), cozy up with a (non-scary) movie, do a puzzle, and hand out candy to whatever kids happen to drop by.  

Here's to another Halloween successfully celebrated without a costume.

A Love Affair with Autumn

I LOVE the FALL!  Not just because my birthday is at the end of September ;) but because it's such a beautiful time of year!  The smell in the air (there is nothing like it!), the temperatures (until November hits--then it gets too cold), the sunflowers that grow along the side of the road (so fun!), the crunch of leaves under your feet, people decorating with hay bales and cornstalks, pumpkins stacked outside the grocery store...and most importantly, the unbelievable colors we get every year!  To me this time of year is MAGICAL. As much as I hate the winter that follows, I can't imagine living anywhere that I couldn't have a season like this. 

I didn't get my camera out even close to early enough this year--but here are a few shots of some of that fall beauty I just couldn't get enough of (and probably didn't capture on camera well enough to do it justice):

This is the "backyard" of our apartments!  WOW!

This is Ben and me last year on a drive up the canyon to see the colors. 

Amazing how time flies. I'm so lucky!

How the Summer Ended-Lake Powell Fun!

I'm writing about it a month late--but we had a fabulous end of summer vacation with my family to Lake Powell.  My uncle had a houseboat and invited us to join them for some pretty fun adventures!  Here are a few highlights:

This big floating tube my aunt and uncle call the "booze cruise" :)

  

We found this gorgeous private cove to park the houseboat-with our own second little cove nearby!

Wearing life jackets this way is great for water sports! (it looks great too ;) )

Can't go to a lake without tubing, wake-boarding and water-skiing

Went on a hike, climbed really high-I stayed at the bottom and took pictures (my camera has an awesome zoom lens)

We built an awesome bonfire on the other side of the cove and watched from the boat

The boys were really into fishing, especially with a bow and arrow--they even had some success (and Bobbie-Jo DID-unintentionally of course-kiss that fish)

Ben was a little jealous--but someone had to take pictures from the boat!

And THIS--was probably one of the best parts of the trip-Ben and my brother-in-law Jeff going down the rock slide of death while the rest of watched (and made some funny commentary on the video).

 I LOVE Lake Powell and I LOVE LOVE family!  Best way to end the summer! :)

Dinner Time Creativity

Ben found a fun idea for dinner last night....

What's that Ben's doing? Yes, he's skewering a hot dog onto a fettucini noodle :)

 And the final result.......

It was actually pretty good, I'm not a huge fan of hotdogs (unless they are cooked over a fire or a grill), but the pasta was good, and Ben liked the hot dogs mixed in.  And it was really fun to do something different!

What Happened In July

Although we didn't do anything spectacular or adventurous, we did have some good times this month!

We played with fireworks and sparklers on the 4th with Bobbie-Jo and Jeff:

Saw my niece perform a solo in her summer music camp: 

Saw some fireworks shows (I love fireworks, one of my favorite things about summer!):

 And finished off with a family reunion at Bear Lake (sadly, it was overcast and cold that day, but we still had a good time on the wave runners, playing croquet and badminton, and eating some good food!): 

July was great!  August is going to be even better!  Summer is flying by and we have to make the most of it!