New Job!!

The working thing has been a tough adjustment, however since I got my secretary aide job at the middle school things have been awesome! I LOVE the people I work with and the amount of time I work (17.5 hours a week) was perfect. However, with a missionary in the field and teenagers at home the budget for our family has been thin. It also was even more difficult given that I don't work at all over the summer and that I would get every holiday break off that the kids have. Now, I LOVE having the time off, but I need the money more!! So, I started to pray for a job opportunity and I would search job listings often and even applied to a couple that I never heard response to. During Christmas break I saw a job posting for our school district that sounded really great, however the hours and pay were not included in the posting. I almost just assumed it was full time, but instead of doing that I texted a neighbor who just happens to be the Human resource director for our district. He responded and told me it was a 20 hour a week job and that it would be $4 more an hour than I make now! I was STOKED!!! I immediately called Chan to tell him about it and get his opinion. Needless to say I applied for the job THAT SAME DAY! It is exactly what I was looking for! The posting was up on their site until January 5th and after that they reviewed all the applicants before asking a few for interviews and I was one of them. I found out later that they had narrowed it down to myself and ONE other person. My neighbor told me it was mine to lose! He really wanted me to get it! And 2 hours after my interview I was offered the job! YAY! I will be working the front desk as an Assistant to Human Resources. I greet ALL who enter the building and I work with one other person and our shift is half day Wednesdays and all day Thursday and Friday. And the best part is it's year round! I start next week! Yikes!! I am very excited and nervous for my new work adventure! I FIRMLY believe that I was led to this job! Like I said before, it is EXACTLY what I was looking for. And here's an interesting bit of info... my neighbor ran the numbers on my pay and I will be making almost exactly $400 a month more than I do now. That is the exact amount I pay monthly for my missionary. I know it's no coincidence! It's the blessings of having him out there serving! I just know it! I am so grateful for the opportunity and just hope that I can do the job well! Wish me luck! :)

Finishing touches in Carter's room

 Once Will's room was done it got me wanting to finish up Carter's room. Back when we did Brianne's room and moved their stuff around I kinda lost my steam and never hung Carter's pictures etc. So I figured I might as well get it all done!

 I went to Hobby Lobby and purchased some frames for his favorite posters so I could make it look really nice! And I have to say I was rather impressed with myself that I figured a way to balance out the pictures by using his hats! It turned out pretty cool! :) The poster of Lamichael James he made himself in a class in high school!

 Then I had Chan hang another shelf in Carter's room for some of his books, hats etc (and I still need to hang that Eagles sign up above the shelf) and I framed a picture of the Orlando temple we got shortly before he left and hung it next to his favorite picture of Christ he has had for a while. I did  put it in a new frame as well.

 It's funny how painting can make everything look clean again! And this is the exact same color he had in his room in the basement. he loved that color so I didn't want to change it.

This is that plaque on the wall- I made it at a relief society activity last fall.  I felt it was the PERFECT thing to make and hang in his room! That way if people come and stay they will see who's room they are staying in! Haha! Actually I just thought it was a precious reminder of what he is doing! How blessed we are to have a missionary! I hope he likes his new room when he gets back! :)

Will's room re-do!

 Since Brianne and Carter were essentially getting "all new" rooms I told Will that I would do some changes in his room as well. Which truthfully was WELL over due! His room was the one that had NO changes really since moving in! It was time!

 After going through every drawer, closet and shelf and getting rid of A TON of stuff we got to work moving things around to paint. I had almost the entire room painted in one day. I only had one wall left to finish the next day.

 Then I had to get Chan's help to hang the new shelf, put together the new nightstand and hang the TV with a mount kit. Can I just say how much I love IKEA! I LOVE their shelves! :)

I also got these great hooks there for his hats :) We still have a couple pictures to hang, but we managed to get the entire room done in two days! Woot woot! It's brighter and has much more space with the way we placed his furniture. And the best part is he LOVES it! I am so glad!

Hair changes... again...

I was ready for a change again with my hair! I guess I get bored quickly? Anyway, I went back to a dark color with blond highlights and cut a few more layers in! I LOVE it! We'll see how long it lasts! I may go black to blonde again in a year! Haha! :)

Painting Class

Will took a painting class this past quarter and did pretty well! This was his final project for his class! He chose to paint a picture of a photo I had taken of him and his brother at a game before he left on his mission. How sweet! Probably not the best painting out there, but I love that he chose THIS picture to paint! I love it! :)

Gifts from our Missionary!

 We got a box from Carter with a few small gifts for the family! Mine was a T Shirt from Wild Florida and a very precious necklace/earring set that he picked out for me. He said in the letter that he knew it was "cheap" but he likes the figure 8 in it because it reminded him of eternal families. How sweet is THAT! :)

 He gave Chan this tie. It was his tie and he wore it during his first baptism on his mission. He said every time he wore it a miracle happened and he hoped it would do the same for him! LOVE!!!

 This was Will's- an alligator head, because everyone should have one of THOSE! Hahaha! As well as a hat and a couple treats.

 Brianne got these treats- which are some of her FAVORITES as well as.....

This beanie hat! He said he got it for her because it was just FUNNY! And I have to say that I think it's pretty awesome! And she does too!

He also sent this green laser pointer for Will and Brianne to share. I have NO idea where he got it, but it's pretty neat! They have enjoyed playing around with it!

It was so thoughtful of him to send us things! It made our week!! We all loved it! Thanks Carter!! :)

Sweet message!

I woke up one morning and discovered this on the door to the garage! How SWEET is this! He left it there for me before heading out for school. I couldn't be more happy to have such thoughtful kids! :)
(And yes, I went immediately to Starbucks and got myself a yummy frappacino!)