Yup...I have a job!

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."
--Confucius

I hope that this quote is true...I hope that I have found a job that I love because this is going to be hard for me to leave the kids.  I have had a wonderful 10 months without school or working and it has been blissful.  If I could win the lottery and stay home...I would!  I would have more babies and continue to be the best mom ever!  I used to say that I would go stir-crazy if I were to stay at home, but for the most part I could totally rock the Stay-at-home-mom thing!  But I digress...

...Wed, Feb 12 my mom came over to watch the boys while I went out and networked and submitted resumes and applications.  Prior to this I had applied to about 50-70 jobs online and a couple around town with no hitch...no calls, no emails, no interviews, no anything, except a Correction facility close to home.  Most places said that I needed experience, but how am I suppose to gain experience if no one will hire me!?  So I've been frustrated with the job search.  So when my mom came over to watch the kids, I didn't think anything would come of it, except making myself feel better about trying to find a job.  SO I went to one place, a doctors office close to home, but they weren't hiring and didn't know of any place that was.  Mr. H suggested a place by his work but I had applied there already.  But I went in and asked if I could talk to the facility manager about a job, but she was in a meeting.  I was asked if I would like to fill out an application...sure, why not!?

When I was almost complete, the manager was out of her meeting and she asked if I had a few minutes...COMPLETE SHOCK...Ahhh yeah, sure!  So we sat and talked, I was relaxed after 10 mins or so, she said, "Well, I should probably ask you some of these questions!"  NERVES...I had to tell myself to just relax and answered her questions.  She got up and asked if I would like to tour the facility...yes, why would I decline!?  So she took me around and explained how things worked there...she tried to find another woman to introduce to me but she couldn't find her.  She walked me back up to the front, we shook hands, I asked when I should hear back from her, and I left.  I felt good...why would she take me on a tour if I was a no-go!?

Anyway, the next morning, on Thursday, I received a phone call from them asking when I could come in for fingerprinting and drug screen.  I told them I would be available Friday.

Once I got there the lady (never met her) pulled out a contract and basically ran through it with me.  "WAIT...I HAVE THE JOB!?"  My mind was racing, I was excited and nervous at the same time!  I was satisfied at the offering and so I signed the contract.  The shift will be from 3-11pm and I get shift diff.  The days vary, may be on the weekends and/or weekdays.  It's full time.  It's the med-surg side of the Nursing home...people who are not sick enough to stay in a hospital but too sick to go home.

One thing that I'm really concerned about is I won't see KK until he is already in bed.  We would only see each other for that short time in the morning before he went to school for 5 days a week!  It's going to be an adjustment for everyone.  I have orientation on Wednesday and we will see when I start and I will know more information about the job after the orientation.  One thing at a time...right!?  First thing up...DAYCARE!

Woodland Lights

Another tradition we have as a family during the winter is to go to Woodland lights.  One awesome thing is that it's literally in our backyard!  We can see our lights from our garage!  It's so pretty.  So we decided to walk to the Rec Center and KK rode his new razor scooter.  Here are some pictures:

There is a train that the kids can ride...it will be a sad day when KK is too big to ride in that thing

ET is just hanging out looking at all of the lights and watching his big brother on the train.  It was really cold, but we bundled him up really good!

After the ride

There are other rides that KK was able to ride on, this one went around on a circle.  There was another that you took a hay sack up to a tall slide and slide with the sacks.  KK went with Mr. H first and KK won cause he cheated...before Mr. H was even sitting down KK took off!  What a turd, so guess what happened when Mom went with KK down the slide!?  Yup, a little taste of his own medicine!  lol

Another ride, this one was kind of like a Ferris Wheel, but a lot smaller! 

This was the last ride and after the ride KK told us that he liked the rides at Disney World better!  lol.  

While KK was riding the rides ET got a little bored and fell asleep.  So he missed all of the bright lights while walking around!

There was a little cabin that people could come in and worm up by the fire.  KK loved sitting in here

There was also animals on display, such as foxes, turkey, reindeer, and wolves.  

Precious is still sleeping!

The boys likes looking at the animals

Looking over the pond, the boardwalk is closed off because of the ice and they don't want anyone to slip and fall into the pond but 4 years ago Mr. H wanted to take me across the caution ropes and propose to me on that little platform.  I wish he would have!

Hanging out with my KK

An airplane light display!

K's crazy hat hair and him getting a gingerbread man painted on his face

There were gingerbread houses that were displayed and KK liked this one, it was a Ninjago themed house and I think a family in our church ward created it.

Huge Clydesdale horses that pull a carriage.  This year we did not go on the carriage because we didn't know where to park our wagon with the carseat without someone taking it.  I'm sure it would have been fine...but I'm a little worried about things like that

KK wanted me to get a picture of the face painting before he went to bed.  The frog's name is Ribbert and he loves sleeping with it.  I got it for him for Christmas.  

Merry Christmas

Last year on Christmas we shared the news with everyone that we were pregnant...it was very exciting and now we have our little bundle of excitement to share Christmas with.  KK spent the night on Christmas Eve with his biological father and we picked him up around noon on Christmas Day then we headed to my parents house.  At my parents house there was some drama from one of my siblings and that postponed opening gifts...but no one wants to hear about the drama.  Opening gifts was awesome, this year we decided to do homemade gifts, which I loved that idea.  My youngest sister made me this awesome shadow box for ET, with his footprints, and pictures, and even the badge from the hospital!  I love it.  

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She also painted me this picture that looks like 'Starry Night' but it's the Hogwarts Castle!  I think everyone knows by now how much I LOVE the Harry Potter Series.  So this picture is perfect!  She's so talented.  

By the time we were done opening gifts and we had eaten we needed to go home to open our gifts.  But first I wanted to get a few pictures in front of the tree.  I love them so super much!  I am one lucky mother!

This was the best photo that was taken with ET and I, KK was behind the camera and most of the other ones were blurry or he had his finger on the lens.

Look how little he is with his stocking...although he's bigger than KK was for his first Christmas!  KK was only 10 days old...ET was almost 17 weeks old.

Very excited to see what was in his stocking!  He is so special and very handsome!

After opening gifts I was ready to go to bed.  It was a long and exhausting day.  But I loved seeing happy and excited faces when gifts were being opened.  I loved spending time together as a family.  I loved how happy we were at the end of the day.

Happy 7th Birthday KK!

First of all, I cannot believe that MY FIRSTBORN is 7 years old!  I remember the day he was born, I remember when he was little and getting into trouble, I remember most everything...time really does fly when you're having fun.  And I digress, KK wanted a Winter Party for his birthday.  Since we were doing it at our home to save money he could invite a limited number of people.  10 boys attended and it was crazy!  I forgot to take pictures of the activities, but when they first got here they decorated cookies to take home.  Next, they played Winter Bingo.  Then they played "Pin the nose on the Snowman".  KK opened gifts and received a bunch of fun boy stuff.  And lastly, I handed out their gift bags but since everyone had something different and I didn't want anyone to be upset I read a story about Frosty the Snowman where they had to move the bags to the left or the right.  The story goes like this:

As I read this story, whenever you hear the word RIGHT, continuously pass the gifts to the RIGHT until you hear the word LEFT, then switch direction and continuously pass the gifts to the LEFT.  Are you ready?  Here we go…

Frosty the LEFT-handed Snowman was a RIGHT jolly happy soul with a corncob pipe and a button to the LEFT of his nose and two eye LEFT and RIGHT, made of coal.

Frosty the LEFT-handed Snowman is a fairytale they say he was made of bRIGHT white snow, but the children know he came RIGHT to life one day.

There must have been some magic LEFT in that old silk hat they found for RIGHT when they placed it RIGHT on his head, he began to dance RIGHT around.

Oh, Frosty the LEFT-handed Snowman was alive and LEFT-handed too and the children say he could laugh, wRITE.  and play just the same as you and me

Thumpety thump, LEFT, thumpety thump, LEFT, look at Frosty go, Thumpety thump Left, thumpety thump LEFT, RIGHT over the hills of bRIGHT white snow

Frosty the LEFT-handed Snowman knew the sun was bRIGHT and hot that day so he said, “Let’s run, we’ve LEFT time for some fun now, before I melt RIGHT away.”

RIGHT down to the village with a broomstick in his LEFT hand running RIGHT here and there all around LEFT square saying, “Tag my RIGHT hand if you can.”

He led them RIGHT down the street of town RIGHT to the traffic cop and only paused a moment when he raised his RIGHT hand and hollered, “Stop!”

For Frosty the LEFT-handed snowman had to hurry RIGHT on his way.  But he waved goodbye and LEFT, saying “Don’t you cry, I’ll be RIGHT back again someday”

Now you know how his story went.  Which way did the gift go?  To the RIGHT and to the LEFT, stop the passing and open your gift!

After the party, I was ready to just pass out!  11 kids in a small house was very tiring, plus the decorating mess...I just wanted to stay home...until our good friends called us and asked if we wanted to go to Clifton Mill for the lights.  We've wanted to go (but I didn't want to THAT night) and I thought, "Might as well go now, cause we may not have the motivation to go another time this year!"  So we accepted their invite.  Once we got there, Mr H. and KK went to meet our friends while I stayed in the car to nurse ET, then I joined them.  It was very cold and I'm glad that I was able to bundle the kids warmly...although KK's boots aren't insulated enough and his toes were so frozen and hurt by the end of our time there...he started crying about it, so that's when we knew it was time to go home.

Once at home, KK wanted to cuddle and I was able to warm up his toes.  I'm glad they we went...I just hope that my kids can look back on their life and think of the happy childhood they had.  I hope they think we, as parents, did enough to create memories and happy times.  I love my family and have so much fun with them!