Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Change is happening.

Well, it looks like it is really happening this time…we are moving to Vegas for Jesse's job. I say this time because actually in the last year or so he has been offered to go work out to state a couple times but just hasn't felt like it was quite right. We then decided that maybe it is ok for us to stay working here but that we should move down closer to work-Jesse commute wasn't the best…in the summer he can work really late sometimes and not make it home till close to 10 and in the winter when a snow storm hits it can take him over 2 hours to get to work. Typically it takes him about 45 minutes..which still is close to then 2 more hours away from us. It was hard with the days Jesse would basically never see Corbin. Anyways we were getting close to finding something closer to work but then we talked again about an opportunity for him out of state. We decided to stay put in our house and wait and see when the right opportunity would come-which was said to be possibly 6 months to a year ish? not really knowing for sure…well I think it happen in about 2 months!
This is a great opportunity for Jesse to move up in positions. He wasn't able to really move up in Utah and we know that he has a lot more potential then what his job was-not that it wasn't a good job-it was a great job! But Jesse just has more in him then where is was. He will be the general manager of the camping world store in Vegas. When I say Vegas-its basically the most southern part of the valley before you leave…from the map it literally looks like the last building before you hit just dessert. So I am not quite sure where we are going to live but its looking like the south west area-we want close to work of course!
Jesse was told about this job Friday at work-he came home Friday night and I could tell he had something to tell me. He asked if I wanted the good news or bad news first…I said "are the one in the same?" and sure enough he was telling me they offered him that position. He said they wanted him down Tuesday to start training/working, and for him to look for a place to live, and then move down the following week and start working full time. When Jesse told me this I was a little in shock! uh…you want me to be packed up, moved, and living in Vegas in a week and a half?!? All Jesse said was its going to work out!…uh ok…? (just keep a smile on my face..ha)
Thankfully he had a few more chats with his boss and we will have a little more time to work things out as far as moving down there…but we will have to live away from each other these next couple weeks as he drives/flies down there and back to start working since they needed him right away.
So like I said this is a great opportunity for Jesse, he is way excited to be getting this position and knows it will be good for our family-especially in the long run. We might not want to be living away from our families but this job is a stepping stone (we hope) for our future and where he is going. Thankfully I have been at ease…or maybe just denial? ok I think its more denial…as I sit here thinking I really should be starting to pack up my home but I somehow am finding myself not doing that yet…I guess I don't know where to start? (I feel like we have a lot of stuff) And I can even admit I have gone shopping in the last day-when why would I want more stuff to just pack? 
Yes I am sad to be leaving and moving away but I am also happy for this opportunity and know it will work out. It will definitely be hard. I hate thinking about being away from family and friends but I know Jesse and I and our little family will grow closer together! And thankfully we will only live 6 hours away-I can drive that in a half a day! :)
I am a little nervous about the whole move since I have never lived outside of Utah…and yes I can say I have enjoyed my "bubble" I guess. I get nervous about liking my neighborhood and feeling like its a good place to raise a young family. But I have heard many times and know that usually the members and wards will be great. I know I am being very blessed right now and I need to just stay positive! I might be a little nervous about having my second child down there in June when its nice and hot away from family-but Heavenly Father knows whats best for us! And I love that I know that! :)
So here's to change!

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Cali-forn-I-A

This past week I went and visited my sister in California because Jesse had to leave to Washington Sunday through Wednesday for work training and the lovely RV show started Thursday and the last day is today! yah! Jesse knew we wouldn't be seeing each other much-or at all (working 8am-11pm) during this past week so he told me to plan something so I wouldn't go insane. ha! But we sure are grateful for his handwork and LONG hours at work-he will definitely be tired after this week! And we sure missed him-even though we wouldn't have seen him much its just being completely away that makes it hard! (thankfully I didn't have to mope around on Valentine's day not being able to be with Jesse since we were both busy and will have to celebrate another day) and we celebrated a little by making waffles with raspberries and heart shaped meat loaf and sugar cookies!
Courtney moved to Cali at the beginning on January and so we figured it would be a great time to get out of the cold and be able to enjoy some nice weather and visit them! (Hopefully it doesn't have to go too long between times we get to see them now  living in California) 
We flew out Saturday morning and of course I will a little nervous flying with Corbin knowing he doesn't really sit still for that long-thankfully the flight was around 1 hr 30 minutes-so really not too bad! (Flight to Hawaii in march will be a different story) Well I got pretty lucky and the plane wasn't full so Corbin got his own seat which made it easier. And we had a cute little baby sit right behind us as well and they entertained each other for a while. By the end of the flight he was done-and it was getting close to nap time.
Saturday night to Sunday morning was interesting because Corbin being in a new place didn't go down so well and woke up nice and early-being an hour behind there doesn't help either…So every morning I was up at 6…but 7 Utah time. Church wasn't the most successful-even when he went to nursery-so I finally had to just take a drive till he fell asleep and took a small nap in the car. They were all very excited to take a bath together the first night we were there…Corbin has randomly turned into a little fish and loves to spend time in the bath…but mostly for the bubbles! A little obsessed!
Sadly my sisters kids were sick for most of the time we were there.. Pink eye and the flu we think. Surprisingly we were blessed and both of us didn't get sick-even with everyone else there feeling pretty crummy at different times! But the sickness didn't completely stop us from getting out-well it would have stop my sister but since I was there I guess I made them get out more than they would have ;)
It was nice just to be able to play outside in the nice weather! We went to the park a couple times but one day we went over right around noon and I got quite toasty in my pants. Going from freezing temperatures in Utah to 80 degrees there was a little shock to the system maybe! ;) But we did enjoy it still!
And probably my favorite picture on randomly got while playing outside…seriously who's child is this?! ha ;)
We went to a nice park that I would definitely take advantage on if I lived there. It had huge ponds and ducks all over and a shaded park area as well!
 
 
We of course had to go to the beach and we decided to go and check out Dana Point beach because my mom told us about the tide pools there with crabs and star fish. We hiked around the rocks on the coast looking for star fish and other things but we only saw the little crabs. Which the kids still enjoyed and thought were cool! We went and had ourselves some fish and chips and then hung out at a little beach-that actually kinda seemed like a lake to me because there wasn't the tides coming in so it was a little more kid friendly. The kids enjoyed playing in the sand and water and getting dirty.

 
 
 
After we had to go get ourselves some frozen yogurt at a place my family has gone to a lot. And something about that frozen yogurt makes it taste better. We definitely all enjoyed a little (BIG) treat! Corbin enjoyed it and then passed out within a minute.
These two pictures were taken within a minute of each other! Satisfied for sure!
Courtney only living in Riverside for a month didn't really know of many things to do around there yet but we tried looking online to find ideas but being "winter" there a lot of things were not open. I read about Citrus State Park and it seems worth checking out. I called and told them I had a two and four year old and if it was something for them and they made it sound like it would be a fun little trip. We went and Courtney now calls it Cirtus Lame Park. Ha! It was kinda what we expected as far as being a bunch of citrus trees but I guess I just expected a little more-or at least being able to buy some yummy fruit there… But the kids still enjoyed running around outside in the open…but I don't think they will be going back!…Even though it was pretty!
 
It was a fun little vacation to get out and see them and enjoy the weather and now I am back to rainy cold utah for now-Im hoping spring won't be shy to come within the next few weeks! :) I have a feeling we might have to hang out outside more now since Corbin loves being outside!
He wanted to be a big kid a ride Max's bike around! My baby is growing up….ah!
Yesterday Corbin woke up not in the best mood and was just ornery…we got to the airport and he was still ornery! It was making me real nervous for the flight home being right during nap time…ugh! I figured out the plane was completely full so he would be sitting on my lap. We end up at the very back of the plane next to a 300+ man. Oh goodness…I apologize right as we sat down knowing he probably wasn't too happy about it either…But I must say I was completely blessed and prayers were answered! Corbin could not have been better of me! He sat on my lap the whole time entertained with reading, cars, and food! Definitely grateful for those times!

Monday, February 3, 2014

Having strength through hard times.

I came across this video today and I just was impressed to write my feelings down about it. ( I have been wanting to be better about writing impressions down more often) I feel like I have been very blessed with strength and faith to know everything is going to be ok and that its always going to work out even when I am going through a hard time. I feel like I have gone through my share of trails in my life ( I definitely would choose mine instead of other peoples) but I feel that I have been blessed to always feel peace through them for the most part and know that Heavenly Father has a plan, that he is in charge and he knows what he best! Watching this video just brought those feelings up again to remind me of those things! Just like Elder Nelson said similarly as well, I have been through my parents divorce, I have had a niece pass away and good family friend, I have had family members who have struggled or still are struggling, mental health, illness, fear etc. But I am too grateful to have the knowledge of God's plan and the gospel in my life to give me strength through hard times or even to have hope for the future!
(If you can't watch the video here it is Elder Nelson: Men's heart shall fail them)