Reflecting on a year

It's been one year since we moved into our little home! I can't believe how fast it's gone and how much we love it here!! It took us 4 months to finally get the keys - Danny and Alva's home just couldn't move fast enough for either of us. We lived out of boxes for months and listened to the kids complain about the drive in town to and from school/work and ask every night "are we moving tomorrow?" but we finally got in just a week before Christmas in 2006. The first thing unpacked was our Christmas tree. No ornaments but unboxed and plugged in for a while. It was a late Saturday night and we had just finished dinner at In N Out when Danny called at 8pm and said, "I think we're ready for ya. Come on over and get the keys." We arrived to find that most of the house was empty. A few friends stopped in that night to help unload our moving truck - which was 1 or 3 loads and packed since the night before! :) - she helped me run the vacuum through all the rooms before the furniture got put down. By Sunday evening we finally were out of the other house and had settled in to start unloading boxes. Geoff worked hard and I helped a lot. We love our family but no one ever seems to help up move. Sunday morning as we were unloading our last load, the ward was getting out. We had 3 men from the ward come over and ask if we needed help! Bro. Read called some YM and had it done in 15 min. It was great! Another excitement of the move was my baby grand purchase! I have always wanted one and didn't ever have the room. Now I did and I was going to be moving studio home and I wanted a baby grand to teach on! :) We got a smoking deal because I worked at Washburn (well, rented a studio space) and got it at cost with $100 for delivery!! Couldn't pass it up!
We love our little neighborhood and ward! A few highlights are:
Great neighbors! - we love the Allens across from us! Geoff and Shawn have become good friends and we appreciate their friendship! I had the best VT, Courtney Milius, across the street, whose boys are great friends with ours! From high school, Cindy Read, lives 2 doors down and we have really enjoyed getting to know them and their cute kids. Spuhlers and Davis' live near too. They are the party people!
Great ward! - my oh my!! How can I even begin? We have felt at home since day 1. Bishop Doane and I chatted online and by phone before we moved in about cub scouts (issues with our last ward). He spread the word we were moving in and away it went! Then at the first ward temple night we ran into the Banks' and Geoff's older brother was best friends with Dave growing up. They had a great time reminiscing. And then the connection was made with Allens and Banks and their other brother, Kevin, who I did a show with. Fun fun fun! And Geoff loves that the ward consists of both Mtn View and Mesa High groupies! He feels right at home and so do I!
Activities galore! - this ward/neighborhood have traditions that are crazy good!! Neighborhood Bunko nights (crazy loud and fun), Halloween carnivals (in our driveway), Halloween parties (which we have learned are dress up - we didn't know and were considered the party poopers. But you have to warn me more than 2 hours ahead!), Block Watch Extravaganza! (the kids loved this one) and the list just goes on and on!

We have thoroughly enjoyed this area and my students comment all the time about how they "just love this little area - is it HOA?" I love telling them no, we just all take pride!
We have found flaws and have learned to just ignore them. The house has need of some TLC but we'll wait til it's officially ours to do them. We have painted and changed lights and fans, etc. Loads more to do but we'll be patient. There are neighbors that started kind but have grown to be 'not what they seemed'. We just ignore them and wave with a smile. Kill with kindness, that's what I was taught.

Truly a blessing to be here and hope we will be for many, many years to come!!

One more to go!!

It's Sunday night and I'm done with yet another crazy weekend!! Tonight was my students recital and it went soooo well! I say this every time but my students are the best!! They work hard and make me so proud!! Everyone seemed to enjoy the new venue - we went to a church instead of the normal Washburn's. It was beautiful and I didn't have to do anything! :) Had a mom do the refreshments, a mom do the decorating and they bldg maintenance cleaned up for me! It all cost me less than $300 and I was more relaxed than ever! It was great!! I even got to buy myself a sparkly new shirt for it! :) Geoff and I were on our way to Wal-mart to buy the ingredients for the punch and I saw that store, Fashion Bug. I went in to check it out. Lo! and behold! It's a branch of Lane Bryant!! LOVE IT! They had great clothes and it's closer and easier to get to than the mall! They even take Lane Bryant gift cards, etc. I'm thinking this is a new store for me now. They have big lady (which I am on the border of being) sizes and jr. sizes (for when I decide to finally lose the weight). Most would have been proud of me tonight - I wore the new shirt, black dress pants (not jeans! :)), and jewelry (rare!), HOSERY and heels!! :) If I can find a skirt to go with it - I think I'll wear this ensemble next Sunday for church. Oh! And with my new hair - I looked hot! :) But it went well and now that's done. Something else to check off my list.
Last night I found out some icky news! The show I was hired for at the end of the year was taken away from me. The director that asked for me to music direct isn't doing the show anymore. They hired another director and so I got bumped. I'm REALLY sad but I guess it's for the better, right? I talked to the producer tonight and he told me that I'm not totally out of the picture but this year is only Singin' in the Rain. I decided tonight that I'm going to just take it as my boost! I'm going to go on my diet and stick to it with exercise and go hard core into the weight loss!! I'm going to show them that I can do it! And then I'm going to audition for their shows and show them! No more "sorry - you are not the right 'look' for the role"!! No more subtle ways of telling me "you're TOO FAT to play any real good roles"!!! This is it!! I'm going to be a size 10-12 or smaller by JUNE!! Wish me luck and send me encouragement!! I have to do it!
Well - I have lighter load with week. Less than half the students this week and more time to just relax during the day. I do have a show every night and 3 on Saturday but that's ok. The kids are out of school on Thursday and Friday - so I'll get to sleep in. :)
Well, Happy Shopping and I'll catch up with you soon!