The Good, the Beautiful, and the Ugly!!!

Well, this week has been nutty for us here in Tacoma. I could hardly contain myself during last weekend because I was excited to begin my new job with DaVita on Monday. I love this company and love working for the corporate offices in Tacoma. I had a few days of intensive orientation and then a meeting all day Wednesday. I have just started "learning" the ropes of my new position but so far love the people that I am working with and will be leading in the months to come. Many of the staff take walking lunches at DaVita, where they walk during the lunch hour in downtown Tacoma, and then eat a brief lunch at their desks sometime during the afternoon. I have joined a few ladies from my department in a brisk afternoon walk and have enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine. Today's photo was snapped during my lunch walk, it was a real blessing to enjoy!

Jim was offered a Team Lead promotion within Honeywell yesterday; he applied and interviewed for this new position over the summer. For one reason or another the offer had been delayed but he happily accepted the offer. This new role will bring new challenges and new opportunity for Jim, I know he will be very successful in this new adventure. Some additional good news from Honeywell is that after much discussion and negotiations, Jim's office will remain in the Redmond facility. There had been some concern that his office might relocate out of the region due to the lose of the building lease with Microsoft. Honeywell was able to find space within the buildings that they own on the Microsoft campus for the entire department to be housed. The plan is that over the next 6 months building 4 will be remodeled and sometime mid 2008 the relocation will happen. We were so pleased that this all worked out for everyone in the Global Data Center to stay here in the Seattle Metro area.

Okay, the ugly thing of this week is that I was in a fender bender on the way home from work Friday night (yes just today). Luckily, I did not have the kids as I had just left the office in downtown Tacoma and no one was hurt. My Pacifica has medium bumber damage in the front end and the other car is similarly damaged in the backend. Yes, the front end...which means I hit the car in front of me. I wish I could blame it on something but unfortunately I can't I honestly thought he started moving and I just went forward...right into his back end. Thankfully the cop was nice and didn't issue me a ticket. So, my car is parked for the weekend until Jim can meet with the insurance adjuster on Monday to assess the damage. Jim is alittle miffed at me and I am disappointed too but I guess if it had to happen I am just thankful that no one was injured.

It's Your Birthday, Ashley!!!

Happy Birthday, my sweet princess! Ashley turned 4 today. She is such a beautiful, loving and spunky child. Just as it should be... I had a hard time today because I guess it really hit me hard that she is no longer a baby. But a little girl reaching and growing towards the young woman she is becoming. She had a great day being our princess as normal! Memaw and Papa came down for lunch at that great Mexican restaurant we all love, then we dined on chocolate cake, opened presents and had some outdoor fun! Ashley was pretty easy going on us adults this year; she asked for a gameboy of her own and chocolate...How could any of us resist her. Memaw and Papa found a pink gameboy, two games and a few outfits for Ashley, Deryck gave her a few girly games, and Jim and I thought it was time for a "big girl" bike. She loved everything and after a little coaching she was able to scoot around on her new bike. Memaw got a great video clip for you all to enjoy!

September is Fair time...

I always loved going the fair when I was younger...the food, the rides, the games, animals, shopping, and haggling with vendors for the best price. Those were the days... Well, Jim and I took the kids to the fair this weekend. We went early before the crowds got heavy and spent all day walking and enjoying the day. The kids had a great time looking at all the animals, eating yummy (once a year) fair food, and rode a few rides each. Deryck caught his first fish at the fishing pond, shot a pellet gun and hit a few bulls-eyes with a bow and arrow...he loved it and asked about archery and marksmanship lessons again. Gotta love little boys excited about the outdoors. Ashley rode on her first roller coaster and asked to bring a baby pig home. Three days piglets can melt everyones heart. By the end of the day we were all well fed and had enjoyed the sights, sounds and people of the fair. The kids had a wonderful time and I remembered why we only went to the fair once a year when I was a kid...my feet hurt from all the walking and my back hurt from carrying the kids and all of the fair stuff. Hehe...I can't wait for next year already!

Back to School means Big Changes...

Week One of Back to School completed and we survived. Deryck's new teacher, Ms. Seeley, is very nice and is excited about getting back in the school groove. This is Ms. Seeley's second year teaching ~ at Edison and the third grade. She and Deryck hit it off right away, he really likes her and is excited about returning to school. Hopefully this excitement will continue throughout the school year and lots of learning can take place. Ashley has been having a great time at her new Pre-School and she has transitioned nicely there. I think it has been easier on her so far because Deryck joins her in the mornings before school and then again after school is out until I pick them both. The kids have been great about going to bed on time, however we are still struggling with our morning routine.

I start working for Comcast this coming week, but honestly I am still holding out for a position with another company I have interviewed with three times now. I should know a final answer from the other company mid to late next week but in the mean time I will start with Comcast... just in case.

Jim is still waiting for a formal approval of the promotion that he is expecting within Honeywell. He is excited about this new position as it means another set into management with increasingly more responsibilities within Flight Sentinel and International Trip Services.

Hopefully life will settle into a nice routine and the changes will slow down for all of us. Well... maybe just a nice routine is enough to ask for.

Treasure's Found...

Well, we unpacked a few more boxes and Ashley found the "Dress Up" Clothes I made her last Christmas. She never really played with everything I made before and I was super excited to see that she loved the "new" Princess clothes. She was happy to dance and twirl around all afternoon and evening. She loves running around in the skirts, feather boa's, and jewelery. Deryck even got into the game and dressed up as a Knight and ran around with her for a while. It was hard to get the skirts off at bed time, but with the promise of more time to play the tomorrow she reluctantly got ready for bed. Enjoy the photos... Deryck was being camera shy so no shots of him. I think we doesn't want anyone to see that he actually "plays" with his sister. I'll get him, I just have to be quicker.

Birthday Boy...Grandpa!

Papa turned 60 on Sept. 1...we had a small family get together at a great little restaurant one of Jim's co-workers recommended, Vuelvea la Vida. If you love authentic Mexican food this is the place to go, I have learned to not judge a book by its cover or surroundings; you won't find chips and salsa instead you will find great food and a desire to come back for more. Sarah and Andy drove down from Bellingham for the weekend spending time with the Lewis's and the Arnold's. We all enjoyed spending a few hours together at our house and at the restaurant. Here are all the grandkids with their Papa: Theo, Deryck, Ashley and their Papa.