Where did time go?

I am so sorry to all of my fellow blog followers. We all got caught up in life and haven't had a chance to share with you about it. Ali and I arrived home from Montana after seeing my parents for 2 weeks at Christmas. We had crazy amounts of snow and I enjoyed every minute of it. We got a sled for Ali which she didn't get to use b/c it was -30 below at my parents house. Bummer! Tim had started his new job before we got back. It was a lot of extra work, little pay, and many many hours away from home. I felt like I didn't get to see him at all. He would leave right when Ali would be getting up in the morning and getting home after she had already been in bed. Long days for all of us! 2 weeks after we were back my family came out for Ali's big 1st birthday. We had so much fun. SHe hated every minute of her cake, but enjoyed opening her presents. After they left my brother, J.T. got to stay the rest of the week. It was so great to spend so much time with him. Then some how ALi got Scarlet Fever??? How?? Who knows? I was really scared at first, but after looking more into and getting her on antibiotics she was fine. She had a fever of 104, really red cheeks, and a very bumpy body rash. It took a good 2 weeks before the rash went away. Tim started really not enjoying his job and the way that J.P. Morgan and Chase was heading. He interviewed with a small community bank, Cascade Bank, for the assistant manager job. He got the job. He went in and told WAMU he was leaving. His Manager asked him to leaver early, paid, b/c he was going to a competitor bank and could have access to customer information. He found this out Thursday morning. He calls me and says,"Let's go to Montana!" OK! We packed the car in 20 minutes, fed Ali, and were out the door. We drove to Missoula and stayed with my brother for a few nights. We rented a room at Faremont Hotsprings for 1 night. Ali loved the hot pools. We must have swam the first day for almost 3 hours. After we got home we were only here for 2 days and then drove up to Whistler and stayed for 3 nights. The guys skied and the women hung out with the babes!! After we got home Tim still had 2 weeks off. He went to insurance school one of those weeks. He passed his test and now he can sell insurance. Tim started his new job on March 16th. He leaves the house around 8:30 and is home by 5:30. His wife is much happier now. He seems to really like it. It is a lot of new information to learn and different systems, but this bank is very family oriented and customer friendly he will have no problem fitting in. Ali has since got 2 teeth, finally!!! She isn't a mouth full of gums anymore. Starting to say some words, walking around like crazy, and she is just her own little person now. I hope all of you who read this can follow along ok. It has been forever and I wanted to try and fit all the details in. I promise I will update more often from now on. Sometimes life just gets a little crazy!!!!

Girls are Home

It was great to see Karly and Ali yesterday stop into my new work and say hi on their way home from the airport. It is amazing how much Ali has changed in the two weeks since I have seen her. From facial expressions to personality it is amazing to see her grow so quickly. With the added commute home from work, I have been getting in around 7:00pm which doesn't make for any extended time to hang out with the girls. Last night they were both in bed when I came home, Ali catching up on sleep and Karly recovering from vomiting and lack of sleep. Ali got up and played with me until around 9:00 but didn't acknowledge or even look at me for the first hour. This morning was better as she was sweet with her hugs and giggly at my tummy blows. It is great to have them home again.

Wanted: Assistant Manager

With the great news of my promotion, an expected side-effect has come to be true. Most new managers have to deal with employee turnover within the first year of their tenure. This is true in many professions, but especially banking as a new management style can challenge underperforms to get on board with a new direction and leaves them with the option of contributing or finding something different. Already at the Greenwood Branch I am heading into starting January 5th, there have been several employees including the existing Assistant Manager that have decided to pursue other opportunities. Even though this means that I will have to train someone new, which requires an inconvienient amount of time, I much prefer to have someone that is willing to be trained than someone who fights back on everything they are asked to do. Additionally, it means that there is a person who has risen to the forefront of my wishlist to be my new assistant manager. He is someone who has great management experience, can commute with me to work when he moves in with Karly and I, and could be a great asset to the bank. Who is this person you might ask? JT Schubert.

Tim's Promotion!

Last night Tim found out that he is going to be the manager of the Greenwood WaMu branch in Seattle. I am so proud of my hubby for all of his hard work and dedication to keep our family going day in and day out. I LOVE YOU Timmay!!! Ali says she loves you too!

Promotional Material

Apparently I interview pretty well because I was chosen over 7 other highly qualified applicants as the new Store Manager/Vice President at the Greenwood Branch. I am excited about the new opportunity, but with it comes some negatives. My five minute commute will now be twenty five minutes which means no coming home for lunch. Also, having to work until 6:30 will mean that I won't be home until after Ali's bedtime. I guess that means having to take the most advantage of the weekends and mornings. I am also not looking forward to losing the 3 years of relationship building I have done with customers and staff at Edmonds. Nonetheless, it is a promotion and it is nice to move up another rung on the corporate ladder. As Barack Obama says, "it is time for a change". I hope this change works out for the best.

Our life in a little nut shell!

Wow, December already. I can't believe that Ali's first birthday is going to be around the corner before I know it. We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving. We went up to Tim's parents house for dinner. It was so great to see everyone, eat good food, and have great conversations with people we love so much. Also, it gives Mommy and Daddy a break with Ali. Then we put Ali in her pj's and boarded the train to Wenatchee. I thought it would be the easiest train ride ever, but Ali was tired and cranky. Tim and I took turns walking up and down the aisle until she finally fell asleep. Ali had her first taste of shopping all day. We got up at 5:30 and were out the door by 6:00 a.m. Ali shopped all day with us. It was so great to see Great Grandma and Grandpa.
Ali is learning all sorts of new tricks. Over the past week and 1/2 she can now clap, wave, high five, say "Momma", points to everything, and is getting close to walking. I hope everyone is having a great Holiday season.
Love ya ALL!!!

We have been back from our trip from Montana for a couple of weeks now. Time has seem to fly by. Ali is doing great! Her bowels are finally back to normal and she is eating more food than she ever has. Her new favorite food is blueberries and of course cheerios. Ali is crawling up and down the stairs now. I am glad she learned how, but now she thinks it is a fun game and when we are up stairs she tries to crawl as fast as she can to go down the stairs, we don't have a gate at the top.
Tim is very excited that Husky basketball started. He has been to two games this week already, he bought season tickets. Ali and I are invited to two games only, one this week and on Valentines Day. How romantic!! This is his escape from the family, can't blame him for that.
I have been getting very excited about the holiday season starting. I can't wait to eat lots of good food, drink lots, and see friends and family. I am a little bummed about the Christmas tree issue. I really want to put one up, but I can envision it now, I sit down to use the bathroom and I hear a loud bang from the other room and when I come rushing out with my pants down ALi is trapped underneath the tree or I just have to keep telling her NO don't touch the tree every 5 seconds, either way it sounds like too much work. We are praying that we have some good snow fall when we head back to Montana for Christmas. Ali and I want to roll around in it and make naked snow angels, well....maybe just snow angels since my Dad hasn't got the hot tub up and running. HOpe everyone is doing well....until next time!!!