Where did he get that!?....

It seems the busier I get, the more organized I get.

Lets just say, I am getting pretty organized lately!

About a month ago I was thinking that I was going to be without a job. My work had come up with a non-disclosure/ non-compete clause they wanted me to sign. Although I understood their reasons, I wasn't so keen on signing it without compensation or benefit for me.

Neither was Dave.

Part of the clause said that if I was no longer employed with my company, I could not work in the same field for 2 years after. I've been with this company for over 10 years now and didn't see myself leaving. (In fact, if I ever did I would probably go back to school and become a kindergarten teacher. ) Even though I thought I would never 'need' the clause I just couldn't bring myself to sign it. Several phone calls/emails later there was still no agreement on compensation for signing the clause. I really thought it might be end. Then I thought, what do I REALLY want?

More then anything I want more time with my kids.

As it is I was working half day Friday's so I could use the spare 4 hours volunteering at the school. Now with 3 kids in school, those 4 hours were getting divided in too many classes. I panicked at the thought of next year. Oliver will be in Kindergarten and Zach will be in (the dreaded!) middle school. How was I possibly going to spend 4 hours in 4 class rooms split between two different schools?

This had really been weighing on me. So when it came to 'what I wanted' from work...I wanted more time off. So I talked with the President and suggested that my payment for signing the clause was to have Fridays off. And...it worked!

Now, a few months later not only and I still employed...I have Friday's off and have been promoted. I now have 4 new properties to supervise. I am now over 11 properties with a total of 35 employees in 7 different cities! With the added properties came an assistant and new company car. The bad news is, more properties means a little more time from home.

Some nights, this is how I say goodnight to the kids...

TGIF indeed! I am so thankful to know that even though I am gone a few days here and there, I will always be home to spend my Fridays with the kids at school.

Last week I learned my lesson about preparing to go out of town. I always wait til the kids go to bed and then leave to head somewhere. So last Sunday as I pull into Pahrump it is a little after midnight. Its a small town and on a Sunday night I didn't think it would be a problem getting a hotel. I was wrong. EVERYWHERE was sold out. After calling and driving around for an hour and a half I came to the conclusion that I was going to sleep in my car. Then I remembered that I had keys to the office...and instead ended up with a bed of pillows on the office floor.

When I wasn't working, here are some other fun things we did...

Saturdays have been spent helping our friends...

Build houses..

And moving into new houses.

Brooke and I packed up Shan's kitchen for her. We had some fun with things we found.

You think you know someone...then you find a ChiaObama head in their kitchen!

Zachary and Coleman had a choir concert.

It had a Dr. Suess theme. Jaylee dressed up like the Lorax, and Zach....

...he was himself.

Jaylee ended up with a broken foot. Since Brooke took such good care of Oliver when he was sick, we decided to take care of Jaylee. Coleman NEVER wants to go to the store with me, but when I said that I was going to get something for J...Coleman HAD to go.

I think if you are going to crush on a girl, you cant get much better then this:

The long awaited Hunger Games movie came out. I loved the book and was debating on seeing the movie at the midnight premiere. Then Claudia said that her daughter wanted to see it and asked if I would see it with them. So I had a really good excuse to stay up late on a Thursday. I drove up to St. George and we had a little girls night with Claudia & and I and Ariel and her friend.

This is what happens when you get in your seat 2 and half hours before the movie starts! But the movie was worth it. Its so much fun to read a book, then see it come to life on screen.

Another positive thing about my travels, is that I have A LOT of time to think while I am driving. Most of the time I think about my boys and what I could be doing differently/better. We are doing better now with reading nightly and having family night.(Roasting Marshmallows for family night)

This past Sunday was Fast Sunday.

I came in late and couldn't find Dave. So I sat in the back with a friend of mine. After the Sacrament I had spotted Dave and she suggested I go up and sit with them. I didn't want to leave her alone, and as I pointed out to her-its a lot funner to sit behind Dave and watch him juggle the kids.

Halfway into the meeting Coleman and Oliver find me and came to sit with me. My friend I was sitting with wanted to bare her testimony, but didn't want to go up alone. So Coleman decided to go up with her. Oliver then had to go up, and Coleman helped him. I was sitting there thinking about how awesome my little men where- when I see Dave up in front with Ben. After Ben gave his testimony Dave got up to explain. Ben had seen Coleman get up and asked Dave what Coleman was doing. Dave replied that he was bearing his testimony. To which Ben exclaimed, "Where did he get a testimony from!?"

Even though Coleman and Benjamin seem to argue more then any of my kids, Ben just adores Coleman. Everything Coleman does is amazing to Ben. I am sure I do things wrong daily, but every now and then there is a moment that gives my hope that I am on the right track.

I love my Boys.