Thankful

I can't believe the end of my 5 day vacation is over. It's back to work tomorrow for Hunter and I...and we have a five day week this week -- oh boy! So, here's a quick update of the changes in our life recently...

1. Chase and I got married on November 19th. Really, we just signed a common law form, but it does state that the only way to terminate our marriage is through divorce or death, so we're basically married! Yay! June 13th still seems so far away though, and I'm really looking forward to our actual wedding. It's a lot of fun referring to each other as husband and wife though...

2. I started a new job watching a few little boys in Franktown on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They are good boys, but very long days. I'm hoping it improves as we get on some sort of schedule, but basically it's Go Go Go all day long! I still watch Henry, now on Monday and Wednesdays, so I do have three day weekends to work on photos...with the exception of this week!

3. Chase started working p/t with my brother in law selling windows. In his first week, he brought home over $500 in commissions, so we're really excited about the prospect of this. It's really win win for everybody, as the more Chase sells, the more money we get, and the more work my Dad has!

4. Hunter had his 2 year appointment. He is healthy and happy according to Dr. Jacobs who always tries to convince me that she doesn't tell all of her patients that they just keep getting more and more cute! He is doing very well though, so we'll keep up the good work!

5. Thanksgiving came and gone. Cayden Brandt, Tasha's new little boy, was born early Thanksgiving day, giving me a huge reminder that my Grandfather is still around! His birthday is the same as Cayden's and it makes me smile knowing they will share the day, even if Cayden never knows it!

6. We bought our first Christmas tree and a new set of ornaments! This will be our first Christmas as husband and wife (yay!) as well as our first Christmas in our first house! This Christmas will be light on the presents side, but huge on the family side -- Chase and I plan on spending lots of quality time together celebrating!

7. I am in the process of changing my name. Soon, I will be Holly Kristeen Anderson. I'll let you know when it's official!

8. Chase announced to me last week that he will be bringing home a $2000 *before taxes* Christmas bonus this year. This was HUGE for us as it will help bring us out of debt...we are very excited to no longer feel the strain of credit card debt. We are also excited to be able to hopefully help my parent's out with wedding costs, as well as save up for new cars and our honeymoon! It is a huge leap in the right direction for us.
I think that's all the new updates!

So, on another note...for 2008, this is what I'm thankful for...

I am thankful that I am healthy and happy, and that my family is healthy and happy. I am thankful that we were all able to spend another year together. I am thankful that in the time of this horrible economy, the people closest to me still have good jobs, their houses, and money to support their families. I am thankful that my son has had another year to learn and grow. He is a wonderful little boy, and I am thankful for everyday I get to spend with him. I am very thankful that I have gone another year without having to put him in daycare. I am thankful that I have such a wonderful, loving, and amazing husband. I am thankful that Chase and I were able to purchase our first home this year, and thankful that we got the house we did on the budget we have. We are very happy here, and love our wonderful town home. I am thankful that the snow has come late this year, and we have had so many wonderful snow free days! I am thankful that Lisa's ordeal is almost over, which is one step closer to bringing my sister home for good! And last but certainly not least, I am thankful for my cute, loving puppies, who really make our house a home!

Happy Birthday, Happy Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Happy Day!

I know, it's been awhile. I've been slacking, really. I do have a semi-good excuse. I've been having some back problems lately, so...I pretty much don't do much of anything anymore! Today's the first day in quite some time that I actually feel pretty good, so yay! I've been seeing a chiropractor, so maybe it's working!!

On to other more important things...

Hunter is two! I can't believe that my little baby is "officially" not a baby anymore. So far, two has been much the same as one! Lol. Some grumpies here and there, but overall, Hunter's a pretty content kid. Although I do think he's been watching too much tv lately, but...well, see above. :)

We celebrated Hunter's birthday for two days. On Halloween, I was babysitting Henry, so Hunter, Henry and I went to our playgroup's party at an indoor park. That was a lot of fun, and the kid's got to wear their costumes and eat some yummy treats! After nap time, we went trick or treating at RE/MAX so Chase could show off Hunter to all of his co-workers! For dinner that evening, we took Hunter to Red Robin. They sang Happy Birthday to him, and I swear he acted like he was all embarrassed. It was pretty hilarious! Afterwards, we went to Adam and Kim's house to go trick or treating with Peyton and then to just hang out for awhile! I love Hunter and Peyton together...they are too cute!


Saturday morning, we woke up early and gave Hunter his birthday gift from us! He was so excited...I think it's easy to see that he loved it!


Then, we got ready for our birthday party!!! Although it wasn't as big of a turn out as we had expected, Hunter still had a lot of fun, and got some great gifts! We mostly asked for clothes, but Hunter didn't seem to mind, and still got plenty of toys anyways! I think he enjoyed the cake the best though!




Well, there ya have it! I have a lot of other cute pictures I need to add sometime, but, sometime may be a few days away :) Aside from my back, photo shoots and wedding planning are taking up quite a bit of time now a days. Oh well! :)

Happy November Everyone...and just keep in mind...it won't be my fault, I voted for McCain :).


P.S. Thank you to everyone who helped make Hunter's birthday a success. I could not have done it without all the help I received! I truly appreciate everyone's kindness while I've been a bit out of sorts! Thank you thank you!

Going to the chapel and we're gonna get married...

I'm excited! The whole point of this blog entry is to say I'm excited!

We're really starting to put together all the details for our wedding. I did accept the job with Farmer's, but told them I would probably start after the holidays. I wanted to give myself a few months to have my nanny job, do the photo shoots I already have lined up, and to get as much wedding stuff done as possible!

Obviously, the wedding stuff is what I'm excited about! We really started to put some stuff together last weekend -- our "Save the Dates" are complete and will be going out soon! I have a ton of ideas for the "little details" of our wedding, and have actually begun to gather the supplies to put it all together!

This weekend, the boys in my family are going deer/elk hunting. I'm excited for Chase's first hunting trip (even though I despise hunting and generally turn into a vegetarian for about a week after each trip), but more than that, I'm excited that I get to spend the weekend at my mom's with her, Mandy and Shawna putting together wedding ideas! I think we're going to do our card box, flower girl basket, ring bearer pillow and possibly start on our place cards and programs. I know we still have months to go, but again, I'm trying to get as much in place as possible so that when I start my new job I have less on my plate and won't be stressing about all the wedding things I need to accomplish!

Chase is less than thrilled about all this going on, and how I've turned our kitchen table into a craft zone - with magazine pages and fabric swatches littering the area. I don't think he quite understands it -- just like how I don't quite understand why he would want to go shoot a poor little deer.

The good news is...I'm excited!

Time will tell

I've got a lot of things on my plate today -- not only today, but in October, and, well, in the next year, and maybe the next rest of my life. Today is a day of work, as will the next, and the next. I feel I need to take a few minutes though and write my feelings so that maybe someday when Hunter reads this, he will know the process of my decisions and how I'm trying to do what is best for our family. I hope he does not see me as selfish or uncaring. I hope he does not get angry at me for leaving him. I hope he can understand.

I decided to take a job with Farmer's Insurance Group. It's more than a job really, it's my own business. I'm in charge of making it grow, or letting it fail and it scares me so incredibly much to have that power when I have so little experience. They see potential in me though, and I know I have plenty of potential to give...but I'm so fearful of having it fail. At first, I have to struggle with my day to day routines that I currently do while trying to build up my business. I need to get some income generated while doing what I do already -- nannying twice a week, laundry, cleaning, cooking, and most importantly, caring for Hunter, Jetta and Miley. Eventually, when the pace picks up due to some income growth, Hunter will need a caregiver -- either a school type environment several days a week, or a nanny coming to our home and caring for him.

In the next few weeks, my biggest concentration is going to be getting myself relicensed. I originally though I have up to 6 weeks to do that, but, they want it done asap -- in a matter of 2 weeks or less. I ordered my first study materials this morning, and have already dived right in relearning the vocabulary I once took 3 months to learn. On top of that, I start my nanny job next Wednesday, and have photo shoots lined up every weekend this month.

Right now, I need courage, strength, wisdom, and encouragement. Right now I need to know that I CAN and WILL acomplish everything on my plate, do it to the best of my ability, and become a shining star in this new business opportunity. I have never had a job that I failed at -- in fact, I always do shine. I am always loved by my employers, and have always strived far above what they expected of me. I have gained so much through this -- knowledge, leadership, and a great sense of maturity for my age. As I approach what may be the biggest challenge in my life I need to use everything I have been given, and everything I have earned and put it into creating a stable future for my family. I can do this, and I will do this. I will succeed at it. I will put every waking moment into creating a future in which Hunter will someday be thankful for.

...Just let me get through today first.

Lol

So Chase was complaining about heart burn and saying he wanted some Pepto Bismol and he was saying how he thought "Bismol" meant the end of the world and I said "No, that's Obama."

Hahahahahahah, I'm hilarious. 

Ok, not really, but Chase and I got a good chuckle. 

Could you repeat yourself? You couldn't possibly want me to cook for 60 people...

Quick update before I go settle in and watch me some OTH and The Hills.

Job Interview #1 today went very well. I'm fairly confident she will extend the position to me, and I am fairly confident I will accept. It's a nanny position on Wednesday afternoons and Friday mornings to a 2.5 year old little boy named Henry. He has great toys, and lives in a great neighborhood, and I think him, Hunter and I would have great fun together! And they are willing to pay me quite a bit, including a Christmas bonus when I won't be working over the holidays. 

Job Interview #2 today is where my subject line comes from. The interview was for a night/weekend job for an apartment community in Highlands Ranch looking for an event planner. Easy work right? Not when they want you to personally cook for 40-60 people every weekend...my reaction was essentially "you want me to do what now???" I couldn't believe it. Crazy people. I'm not a chef...I can plan an event...I can PLAN an event, like your ad asked for...but I'm certainly not cooking for one every weekend by myself. Crazy people.

Keep your fingers crossed again on Wednesday morning as I have the interview for the position I REALLY want to accept (on top of the nannying). It will require me to do some schooling, and I'm actually sort of excited about that prospect, and in the end I will be able to work my own hours, and from home if I choose too. 

My fingers are crossed...are yours?

Let's Go Rockies, Let's Go!

I guess I have a lot to blog about, but not a ton of time...

Friday night we went to the Rockies game with my Mom and Dad. Chase's dad was nice enough to get us awesome front row tickets, and we had a blast! It was so much fun...

It was a great game, followed by an even better fireworks show, and an extremely croweded lightrail ride home!

I guess pictures are better than words, so here's a few from the game, and a video of part of the end of the fireworks show. 

Hunter and I love to bake cookies almost as much as we love to eat them! Here we are making our new favorite oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies! Daddy just happened to be home to capture it!

Lol, Hunter has a good friend named Jillian. Here is a cute video of the two of them showing their love...

I have five job interviews this week. Wish me luck on Monday morning and Wednesday morning, as those are the two I want to accept. :) More details to come if I get them....