jan. 10th, 2017

We're opening up our second BB store the end of Feb/beginning of March. These next 6 months are gonna fly by, be busy, stressful, and exciting.  At least this time around it won't be so NEW since we've done this before. I hope and pray this store is as successful or even more so than the Cooper Store. Wages went up by $2 Jan. $8 to $10 an hour. I believe my first job in the summer of 1997 was $5. All our employees make minimum wage and they are all 16-21 years old. I think of many of the good we've done in the community with the store and am happy, proud, and grateful we've facilitated in helping schools, clubs, and families financial in many cases.

Jan. 9th, 2017

I'm grateful for sunsets; and some days Arizona has the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen like the past 2 nights. Levi and I were looking at it tonight: blues and pink with fluffy clouds. It looked like cotton candy we concluded. Jeff left for an overnight meeting in Scottsdale. It's been a few days of stress. Here's the story and some background--Jeff got laid off from Pfizer a year ago and started with Amgen. They gave him a nice signing bonus and the stipulation was that he couldn't resign for a year or else we'd have to pay it back. Well the year with Amgen was pretty ugly. The atmosphere, manager  was unlike he's ever known. An opportunity with Pfizer came up and so in applied for the job and technically signed with Pfizer Dec. 16th. Jeff had just enough vacation days to use until his official year mark with Amgen so he wouldn't have to resign, thus paying back the signing bonus. Well Amgen received confirmation of this development and fired Jeff today, 2 days before his year mark. Thankfully we found out he wouldn't have to pay back this signing bonus. We were both relieved about that. So I'm also grateful for that in addition to sunsets.

Jan 8th, 2017

I'm grateful that primary went well this morning. I taught a new song and tried a new method. Thanks to the internet I can use other people's ideas. Our ward starts at 8am so we hustle in the morning and it's a miracle when we make it to church on time. Later today I realized the all 6 of us our in primary together. Jeff teaches Levi's class now and Macie is a Sunbeam.

Jan 7th, 2017

I'm grateful for date nights. Sometimes I think how cools it would've been to been alive during the 1940's or 50's. I wish I danced more. When I think of the 1940's and 50's, I think of fun and good dancing. I find myself thinking/imagining what a place or street looked like back then. Music and dancing now is raunchy and unoriginal. Funny thing is I don't even know much about music, but I do know if  I like the beat of a song cuz then I can dance and move around.

Jan 6, 2017

Today is Rowan's 12th birthday. When I think of her turning 12, I think of Sydney turning 12 in 11 months. I'm scared of Jeff and I being parents to a teenager soon. I hope and pray our kids can talk to us, gain a testimony at a young age, and hold on to it, have good friends and leaders, and have fun during their teenage years. Most of all, I hope they will know how much Jeff and i love them and that they are daughters of God and son of God (for Levi). This is my prayer for them. I'm grateful to get things organized and orderly around here.

Jan. 5th, 2017

So today was truly the day the kids went back to school. Nothing too eventful to my day, normal things like working out, cleaning, spending time with Macie, errands, etc. Along with my desire to seek God daily, I also plan on working hard to tone my body and fuel my body with healthy food. I'm still trying to figure a nutrition/workout plan that will work with me so it can be a lifestyle change. To keep track, I plan on making a fitness IG account. Similar to why I'm journaling on a blog--keep track, document, and see change.

Jan. 4th, 2017

This morning I read 10 ways to Increase your Faith in the Ensign. I was validated to read that one of the ways is to read the scriptures and pray EVERY day. It confirmed to me that my resolution and desire to seek God EVERYday is exactly what I need to be doing. Grateful to know I'm doing that the Lord wants me to do and hope to see changes in myself.

Jan. 3, 2017

Today I pulled a Lauren and got the kids ready for school, walked to the bus practically running to it. When we got there, no was one there. Turns out school doesn't start until Thursday. Oops! Kids were really happy when we came home and we found out they had 2 more days of Christmas break. Grateful for a relaxing day to catch up on sleep and work on Primary Chorister stuff.

Jan. 2, 2017

Cleaned the Christmas decorations, rearranged Jordyn's room, drove around in Jeff's new truck, and now I have a horrible headache. Most likely from detoxing from a bad diet of treats and Diet soda the past few weeks. Grateful to be home!

jan. 1 2017

New Year, new goals and resolutions. This year I plan to seek God EVERYday though prayer, scripture study, and journaling (thus blogging-I'm back). Here we go... I'm excited to do this. I feel like it is kinda like an experiment. Eager and yearning to feel changes within myself by seeking God EVERYday cuz I know I need to boost my testimony and faith.