Job Update

Yes, I have a job! I actually got the offer a little bit ago, but we've been on vacation so I wasn't able to post. :S So, I will be working for a company called Fiserv. Most of you have no idea what company that is or what they do, but at least I won't have to explain that I work for Fidelity-not-Fidelity-Investments-but-a-different-Fidelity-that-does-banking-technology-stuff anymore. Fiserv is actually a competitor (the biggest) of my old company and they do pretty much the same stuff, just more of it. I'll be doing a little bit of sales but mostly supporting salespeople that do what I used to do . . . you know, extensive traveling, meeting with clients, meeting sales quota's, etc. I will be traveling much, much less, just to the occasional conference or user group meeting. I can work in the office or work from home, which is a very nice thing. It is a pay cut from what I used to get, but should hopefully be a stress cut as well so I don't mind. :) I start on January 4th and I'm excited. It will be great to have a new challenge and meet new people. I still miss a lot of my old co-workers, but hopefully they will still be nice to me, even though I'm "working for the enemy."

Happy 1st Birthday Sasha!

Someone at the party told me that if I keep up this level of party for my daughter, by her 18th birthday I'll be speaking to them all from the front of an airplane saying "Okay everyone, thank you for coming to Sasha's birthday party. Please buckle up and settle into the first class cabin. We'll be landing in Europe in about 17 hours." I didn't think I went that overboard! You be the judge. I had a great time putting everything together and I think it turned out to be pretty fun.

I love this banner! I think it will be used for many birthdays to come!

My friend Lindsay W. made the delicious cake and cupcakes. I made the cute little pics on my cricut. I am so in love with these! I had to save some for the scrapbook. :) (If you click on the Bombolo Creations button on the right side of my blog it will take you to her blog. She makes some amazing cakes!!)
My flat-top cake pops.

Before the "destruction"I had hoped that she would dive in and make a huge mess of this cake, splattering it all over the walls, the floor, herself. No. Instead my daughter starts to pick the white frosting snowflakes off the top of the cake . . .

I finally had to dig her hands in there myself and it still didn't get that messy.

She got lots of great presents from her friends and family. Thanks everyone!

Grandma DeEtte gave Sasha her first piece of luggage. I love it!

Just about everyone at the party.

Thanks to everyone that came. My little girl sure is loved!

Ride 'Em Cowgirl!

Grandma Lilly gave Sasha this adorable rocking horse and she loves to ride it!

I just love this face!

Major cuteness

This is about the messiest my kid gets. It's totally my fault that I will probably never have one of those pictures where she is covered from head to fingers in food because for some reason it just drives me crazy! But we were having fun and she did get a little messy . . . and she's getting to be such a ham! She gets the camera now and I can get her to smile pretty good for me. I love it!

I'm going to tear my hair out!!! This SAHM thing is tough.

Week one

Well, I've been unemployed for almost a week now. Still kind of strange and hasn't totally sunk in yet. It kind of hit me on Thursday when I took my laptop, phone and other work-owned stuff back to my boss. Sasha and I hung out for a bit and I went to lunch one more time with 'the gang' (Kevin, Vic and Brian). I don't think my boss really wanted me to leave. I know he felt bad about having to let me go, but I know he didn't have a choice, and I'm really looking at the whole thing as positive. But still. In a way, I didn't really want to go either. I've worked there for over 11 years and even though I did plenty of complaining about my job- I really loved a lot of the people that I worked with. I will definitely miss them.

So what have I been doing with all my 'free' time? I can honestly say that my house has never stayed this clean for this long. I think it's a new record for me! I finally cleaned out my closet but have yet to make it to reorganizing the bathroom. I have done a few scrapbook projects, but not nearly as many as I'd like. Oh, and today I became an official Wish Magician for the Utah chapter of the Make-A-Wish foundation (more on that later). So I've been busy.

Sasha's birthday party is coming up so fast! I can't believe my little girl will be one!!! It's totally crazy but I'm so glad that I get to spend all this time with her. I admit, it has been an adjustment for both of us, but we're getting along just fine. She is so close to taking her first step. She stands up great on her own and you can see that she wants to move her feet but she just can't quite get the movements and the balance down. But I know it will be soon.

Josh takes the first of four exams for his CPA on the 20th. Please keep your fingers crossed for him! He has been studying so hard these last few weeks. I'm practically a single mom, he studies so much. I can't wait until this is over . . . unfortunately it's going to be a while.

TTFN!

New Adventure

Today starts a brand new adventure. It's one that I knew was coming but wasn't sure how I would handle it. And now it's here, so far I really like it. Since I was 16 years old I have had a job. Well, that all changed today. I was laid off from my job, a company I have been with for over 11 years. I started there in high school! It has been a good company to work for. I moved up, gained a lot of experience and they even paid for my education. How could I complain? I received a severence package and Josh and I have been preparing for this for quite some time so it's not a major shock and it's not even really a tragedy. I have a couple of opportunities that I am exploring and if nothing pans out right away, well there is always unemployment. Nothing will start until December so I have a couple of weeks off to get some projects done around the house, hang out with my favorite little girl and even get some scrapping and girlfriend time in. I'm kind of excited, actually. It's going to be interesting to see the inside of a different office and what it's like to work for a new boss.
I am definitely going to miss all the friends I have made at work and some of the clients as well. But I'll keep in touch, I'm sure.
This is definitely a new adventure for me, even if it will be short. I think I will go back to work. I've discovered that I like to make money and I hate trying to live on a budget. That may sound selfish and worldly, but that's me. I'm sure when we decide to get have a sibling for Sasha then I will stay home, but that's not happening in the too near future (sorry if I got anyone's hopes up).

In the meantime, Josh is still studying for the CPA exam. All summer long he spent every spare minute running and exercising. Now he spends every spare minute studying. I can't wait until he is done! He takes his first exam on the 20th of November. The exam is 4 parts and with tax season in the way he will hopefully be done sometime early next summer.

We're the modern stone-age family!

We were the Flintstones this year for Halloween. Sasha makes a super-cute Pebbles! Josh and I went to a party at our friends the Quayle's and it was awesome! The theme was sitcom characters and there were some pretty clever get-ups, I must say.

We had a big pile of leaves in the back so of course we had to play in them. Sasha didn't like it so much. Josh on the other hand . . . .

. . . had the time of his life. :)

Family Pics

Our pictures turned out so cute! Thanks to Kasey who did an awesome job on these. I already have my Christmas cards done, can you believe it? That's how excited I am about these pictures! Here's a few of my favorites . . . . . okay so this is all of the shots she gave me. What can I say? I love my family and I think we're pretty darn cute! Although Sasha kind of looks like a sourpuss. She didn't nap that day plus it was freezing cold. But she still looks cute.
(Grandma's are welcome to call me and tell me which ones they want and I will happily print them for you in whatever size you would like.)
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