The Search Continues

When we last left our job hunters, they were looking for jobs in a smaller city in the midwest so it could still feel estern but not be as uptight. Somehow, I'm not really sure how, we kind of started to focus on Columbus, Ohio. There are quite a few firms there and while Jason isn't sure he's really excited about the work that they do, he is willing to give it a chance. Two firms got back to him and said they really liked what he has done and would love to talk to him if he is ever in the area. Sadly, that doesn't seem to include getting him to the area. We thought about sending Jason out if more people expressed interest but no one did. Then Jason got another blessing and it talked about how important it was for both of us to go out there and soon. So we are leaving tomorrow to talk to the two firms that have gotten back to him and leaving Anna here. Jason has tried to set things up with some of the other firms that haven't responded but so far no one else is interested.

So while this has been going on, we have also started looking for work in Denver. The funny thing about Denver is that although Kristen had mentioned Fort Collins, we weren't really interested in something that far west. Then Jason was praying one day and asking about where we should go and the answer came, clear as can be, that we should go to Denver. Sadly, his first reaction was 'but I don't want to go to Denver'. Fortunately, we have enough trust in the Lord to know not to argue with Him, so Jason has been researching and applying to firms in Denver. Fortunately, Jason is more interested in the work that they do in Denver than in Columbus so that's good. He is also starting to hear back from those firms (a pretty quick response time) and while they seem to like what he has done and is interested in him, they don't really have a place for him right now. There are still more to hear back from.

Then, out of left field, he got an email back from a firm outside of Boston saying they are really interested in him and would like to have a phone interview. The interview went really well and lasted for about an hour. At the end of it, the guy said that the position that they have that would be a good fit for Jason would be the Creative Director. Needless to say, Jason was taken off guard. The guy said he would have to talk to the other people there and would be able to get back to him in mid-January at which point, Jason would have an in-person interview.

Needless to say, this has all been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. I liked the idea of Columbus but it was hard to get too excited about it because Jason just could not get interested in the work that he would do there. Then I had a hard time getting behind Denver. I don't really have anything against the place but I jut don't know how I feel about living in the mountains and being a 'mountain west person' instead of an 'east coast person' which I already identify with. I think there are enough things to like about the area that I can be ok with it. Then the Boston call kind of threw us for a loop because we had already kind of mentally moved on from Boston and we were not expecting a managerial position like that. Now we aren't sure if we would still like the Boston area or not.

So for now, we are just trying to focus on what's ahead of us - the trip to Columbus tomorrow. Plus, we are tryting not to get worked up over jobs that we haven't been offered yet and remember that anything we get offered (even if we don't like the job or the place) can be leverage for something we like more.

Christmas Lights

Last weekend, we went to the bay and watched a Christmas boat parade. People decorated their boats with lights and drove up and down the bay. We got a place to stand by the edge of one of the restaurants and were able to block the wind a bit until it died down. We weren't sure how hard it would be to find a parking place so we got there pretty early and hung out a while before it started.

We ended up being near other little kids around Anna's age. It was really cute to watch her interact with them. Some of them she liked to jump with, others she would reassure with a hug and at one point, she seemed to be making introductions. There was one little girl that she stood near most of the time and they watched the boats together. She has already learned that things are more fun when they are shared.

The parade lasted a while seeing as no one was going very fast. Some of the boats were more decorated than others but they were all nice. We were in a place where we were able to look down the bay and see them all lined up before they turned around and came back.


Then, last night we went to a neighborhood Christmas festival thing. They closed off a street and the people and businesses along it got all decked out with lights. Some of the houses had carolers (there was even a pretty good rock band), some had live nativities and others had treats. We got some cookies, didn't feel like waiting in line for the cotton candy, laughed at the ice cream and ran out of hands for the hot chocolate.

A guy from our church played the Grinch. You can't see it but he had a little dog up there too. He was totally playing the part and had a huge megaphone. This morning, there was a picture of him in the newspaper.


When we got almost ready to turn around, it started to rain. Lightly at first and then picking up so that before we got back to the car, it was raining pretty hard. Fortunately, we had just bought umbrellas that afternoon so we were mostly dry. Mine is even a golf-sized one so I held it out in front of me and it covered Anna too. I think the rain kept the crowds down because it wasn't too bad.
This house had Scrooge. When we went by the first time, people were waiting but nothing was happening. When we came by the second time, he was out there but it was raining pretty hard by that point so we weren't so interested in stopping to watch.

We have had fun getting involved in local Christmas activities.

Taking Care of Luke

Anna sharing her banana with Luke a little bit ago (she sleeps in wamer jammies now).

Anna loves Luke. He is now about the same age Anna was when we got back from London (totally trippy). They like to play together and when he was out of town with Kristen, she was really excited when he came back. She still calls him 'Baby' and has taken to taking care of him. The other day we were eating lunch at the park and before she could sit down and eat her lunch, she had to make sure Luke was taken care of. First, she went into the diaper bag and got his bottle followed by his thing of formula, bib, baby food and spoon. She would get it out of the bag and take it to him and put it on the tray on his stroller. It was so cute.

Then last night at dinner, she was eating her dinner really well until Luke started fussing. She had to hop right down and take care of him before she could continue. When he hears him crying, she says "Baby sad" and likes to try to comfort him. She will be a great older sister some day.

He loves Anna too. Today Brennan came over to play (Anna also loves to play with Brennan) and they were running around playing tag. Luke kept trying to crawl after them. Sadly, he was never able to catch up but that didn't keep him from trying.

A (Bath) Room of Her Own

Anna sleeps in the bathroom that is attached to our bedroom here at Kristen's house (yes, it is a good sized bathroom). While there isn't a ton I can do with regards to decorating it, I have been able to do a couple of things.


We got a shower curtain and folded it a few times to help keep the light out and hung it with hooks that stick to the walls. We chose a shower curtain so that it wouldn't get funky with all the moisture in the room and folded it so it would be extra thick. A while ago, the hooks fell and wouldn't stay up. We found a cool bar that we could hang the curtain from that stays up by magnets (there is metal in the corner of the window). So it is effective and pretty. Plus, this one makes the room all purple in the afternoons.


On the day after Thanksgiving, I got Anna a purple plush blanket. When I was choosing which one to get, I remembered that I want to do her bedroom in purple and yellow. Anna loved it instantly and it helps her sleep better. She did have a blanket but it's kind of small and it turned more into a security blanket type and less of a sleep under type.

So now she has a big blanket that she can sleep under and I think she moves around less at night under it. I was worried that she moves around too much at night for it to do her any good (which is why we are just barely getting to a blanket) but it stays on her better than I thought it would.

Mother of Eight

We had an exciting week last week. Kristen and Nathan and Luke went to Kentucky to be with Nathan's sister's family whose husband/dad has just been diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer. Nathan actually went out the week before and was there for two weeks. Kristen joined him for Tuesday through Saturday of the second week and they came home together. So, Jason and I got to be the parents for that time.

There was some question as to if she would go or not. Before she left, the whole family was sick (see her blog about it) including Luke. We were concerned about taking Luke, with his having just been sick, to the house of a man whose cancer is in his bone marrow and is probably a touch immuno-suppressed. After talking to them, they thought it would be ok. We weren't as concerned about leaving sick kids because they were all pretty much better and going back to school by then.


Understandably, I was a bit nervous about the whole thing. Although we have been here a while and I know the workings of the household and the kids are used to having us around, they can sometimes be too used to us being around (as in no longer listening when I try to tell them to do things, I have become background noise at times).

Surprisingly, the week went really well. The kids had off school on Wednesday for Veterans' Day so we took them to the park. We find they are a lot easier to watch outside of the house (and less messy). They also had a half day on Friday because it was the end of the term. We decided to just play at home rather than try to do something. Then on Saturday we went to the beach to play at the dunes again.

Since it has been so long now since it happened (sometimes I think that I shouldn't start blogs unless I can finish them then, this whole getting back to it seems to not work) I can't remember too many particulars of the week. What I do remember is right before Kristen left, I prayed to have things go well. Then, on Thursday while making dinner it occurred to me how well it was going. That night, during my prayers, I was thanking for how well the week was going and the thought came to my head that this was a direct answer to my earlier prayer. I love it when the answers to my prayers are pointed out to me. It helps me remember just how much the Lord is watching over me and helping me in my life, even in the little things which can make a huge difference.

Candy! Candy! Candy!

Anna has discovered the wonderfulness of candy. Monday after Halloween, there was some candy on the coffee table in the family room when she woke up. Needless to say, that was way more interesting than breakfast. I went with the 'no candy before breakfast' rule but she was quite loud before I was able to get her away from the table. At least she can be distracted and momentarily forget about the candy.

Then, after breakfast, she rediscovered the candy. Unfortunately, it was not her candy so some of the other kids were trying to keep her from eating it. We soon learned that simply telling her no or pushing it into the middle of the table would not do it. The high-pitched, ear-piercing scream let us know. So I put that candy in a bag and put some of her candy in her own bag. She happily carried it around and got the bag and herself completely sticky.

I was beginning to think I would have to bathe her every day since she was getting totally sticky all the time. Some of the candy I have to open for her but the lollipops she can get into all by herself. Since she doesn't have the patience for a whole lollipop at once, she often puts them back in the bag (without the wrapper) or just on the floor where she is. I keep picking wrappers and half-eaten candy out of the carpet.

Fortunately, we didn't get too much candy so it is almost gone and it will all be over soon.

Sand Dunes

A few weeks ago, Kristen, Nathan and Jonathan went down to the temple with the youth from church. They left freakishly early in the morning (before 6) and got home late (after 10). So Jason and I were in charge of the rest of the boys. We knew we had to schedule an activity so we wouldn't all drive each other crazy and decided on playing in the sand dunes at the beach.

Christopher (the oldest) stayed home to work on homework and we were able to leave Luke (the youngest) home with him. I'm not sure if they had been to this particular place before but how do you not love giant hills of sand? We were even able to keep them away from the water with tales of the strong riptide.

We found a place where they could jump from the hill and into the sand.


Sadly, our camera is kind of slow so I missed a number of the shots. Oh well, I did get a few good ones.


Then Jason dug holes for them all to sit in.

They made little castles in front of themselves which morphed into a mansion for the caterpillar they found and named Bob. I don't know if he fully appreciated the amenities of his home but they sure enjoyed making it for him.

It was a great way to pass the time while parents were away.