Employee Day

Once a year, Rich's work allows the employees and their families to come play at the pool park all day.  It's so much fun!  These pictures don't do it justice.  It's hard to take your camera down the lazy river or down a water slide, or even over to the kiddie pool when your baby is fearless and likes to constantly walk into the deep end.  But I did what I could.  We love going to his work, pool or not.  It's the most gorgeous place and is always fun.  It's the biggest JW Marriott in the world.  It's the only time of year that Rich can swim there.  The kids and I are allowed to stay whenever we want (if we pay an arm and a leg, even with a huge discount), but Rich or any employee is never allowed to stay there overnight.  So we soak it up!  We went last year too and my sister's family stayed there for a few days last summer and we were allowed to swim with them then.  I'm really going to miss this place when we move back to Utah someday. 

Jonah, Jonah, JONAH!  Have I ever mentioned that Jonah is the most stubborn child I have ever met?!  Well, he is and I honestly mean that, unfortunately.  He hates family pictures.  It's rare that he will let me take any pictures of him these days, but especially family pictures.  I do get lucky sometimes though, but not this day.  Jonah actually took the top picture.  He loves being behind the camera because he wants to be a photographer when he grows up.  It saddens me that we have so few family pictures with everyone in them.

Julien and his friend Keagan.

Exhausted and going home.

Good bye JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country, we love you!!!!

My Boys

The kids LOVE when Dad does this "magic" trick!.....

He finally let them in on the secret of that trick after we video taped it.  Jonah is all into magic now and is constantly asking me to do some magic...I only have two little tricks that I do and he thinks they are so great!  He gets frustrated when I tell him that I don't know anymore magic.

 A couple of nights ago the boys had a camp out in the living room.  They have been dying to do this with their Dad and Rich finally had a good time to do it when he didn't have to be at work so early the next day. I was picturing 4 chairs with a blanket thrown over the top when they mentioned a fort.  Rich had something else in mind.

 He took our old bed sheet, punched holes in it, tied string, hammered some nails in the wall and tied the sides to our vacuum and front door.

It was so funny and fun to watch them brainstorm on how they were going to put this thing up.  I remember building forts with my cousins and those were some of the best memories of my childhood!  Anyway, they stayed up late, playing games on Rich's phone and playing cards. 

In the morning, They told Daddy how much he snored.  They had a blast!

   AND SOME UPDATE ON OUR FAMILY....we are very excited that in just 2 weeks (maybe a little less), Rich will be leaving one of his jobs so that he will only have one!!!!!! Yes, this means that our income will be cut in half and things are going to get more disciplined with how we spend our money, but it's so worth it to have him home more.  He works all of the time.  To give you an idea of how tired he is, the other day he fell asleep on our bed and Jonah was trying hard to get him to play a game with him.  Rich was out cold.  Jonah then took a flashlight and starting shinning it in Rich's ears and then flipping his eyelids up and shinning it in his eyes.  When I saw him do that I told him to stop so he wouldn't hurt Dad's eyes; then I just starting laughing at how funny it was and sad that he was THAT tired!  I caught Jonah doing that several more times and Rich didn't even budge.  I told him later, and he could not believe it.  So having one job means a lot for our family; one of those things being a more rested husband/dad.  We are so excited to have him quit because we barely see him.  He gets home most nights around 11:30 pm but many times even later.  He then wakes up around 4 am to do it all again.  This isn't everyday, but most days.  He is a zombie and I don't know how he does it.  So with a schedule like that, the kids sometimes won't see him for 3 days straight and when he is home he is very tired most of the time.  It's been rough and we've both had our share of burnout.  I could go on.  It is just time for him to be home more and for things to improve in all the ways that money can't replace.  I just wish he was done already!   I'm so grateful for his hard work and sacrifice, and I'm so happy we (especially him) can all have a life again! That's it for now!