Monday, March 28, 2011

Changes......Again!

It seems as though we go through a lot of changes at once. Here's an update on what has been happening recently: Travis received a job offer we couldn't refuse from CHG Healthcare. The way the job came about was pretty amazing. We decided we should do Real Estate on the side and started job searching. We had always been blessed to find employment through friends and family previously, but we had to start from scratch this time. Initially, we had no idea which companies would be good, so I Googled it! I looked through Forbe's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For and there was only one company located in Utah, CHG Healthcare at #27. I clicked on their link, clicked on Careers and saw they had posted a job for a Business Analyst the previous day that fit Travis's qualifications exactly. We applied online and received a phone call the next day to set up a phone interview. Travis had two phone interviews and two in-person interviews before he was offered the job - all within a two-week timeframe. He did a fantastic job in the interviews and they were very impressed with his skills and personality (who wouldn't be?). Then he started the following Monday. The more we learn about this company the happier we are with the job. They are very employee-oriented with a lot of fun things going on in addition to being cutting edge with technology and open to change. The only downside is the long commute - one hour each way. Hence, the next question......To move, or not to move? Spring is attempting to blossom around here. I say attempting because it will be warm one day with the flower bulbs peeking their heads out of the soil and the next day it snows! We started soccer practices and games this last week. The first practice was on Friday where it snowed most of the day but melted just before practice. Then the girls had their games on Saturday morning. Tyla's game was quite chilly and all the girls were pretty lethargic from their winter break. Alayan and Tiana had a fun game and played like 'super-fast dolphins'. Their team is the Blue Dolphins. I love their age group because it's all about having fun and cheering (even when they score in the wrong goal) and laughing. We have a great time. I'm a little taxed, though with being the coach of three different soccer teams. I coach Tiana and Alayna's AYSO team, Tyla's AYSO team, and Tyla's All-Star team. That makes for a lot of soccer. Good thing I love soccer! Mason will start in the fall so we'll see how that goes.... Alayna and Tiana were so excited this week when I announced that they are now old enough to have their own library cards. I purchased small totes for them to use for library books and they had a fantastic time picking out their books and checking them out with their brand-new library cards. They're getting to be good little readers and are also enjoying listening to chapter books on CD like 'The Magic Tree House' and 'Geronimo Stilton'. We spend a lot of time in the van driving back and forth from school and I've discovered this is the secret to quiet van rides! Ragen just cut her second tooth, is a great sitter, and loves her family! I'm always so grateful when al the kids are home because I don't have to entertain her all the time or keep Mason from bugging her. The older girls just love to carry her around and play with her. And she sure loves the attention! As soon as she learned to sit she decided she didn't need to move anymore. So she sits on the counter while I cook, sits on the floor while I do hair, and sits in her booster seat at the table. We're working on reating real food and she is 50/50 about it. Some days she'll scarf it down and others she doesn't want anything to do with it. The only foods she good about eating are rice and oatmeal cereal. She doesn't know what to do with fruits and veggies yet. We love to make her laugh and smile and her favorite thing in the world right now (besides nursing with Mom) is taking a bath. She gets so excited and splashes like crazy!