LeiAnn has been picking up extra shifts at work, so she doesn't always feel like keeping up a blog. She prefers to keep up on feeding children and husband. Why would she do such a thing when she clearly hates it and feels like death? Because...
Joe is in the middle of a job change, which many of you already know. He is taking his licensing exams to become an investment advisor, and will be soon starting at Waypoint Wealth Management. He spent the summer working full time and studying in the evenings. He took and passed the state life and disability exams. And recently, he passed the Series 7, which is a beast of a test (6 grueling hours, to be exact). And when I say passed, I really mean he kicked that test's trash!! Anyway, a few weeks ago, he decided to quit working at JRCC because he wasn't able to study very effectively, and he really just wanted to get done. So his last day was the 10th. His last test will be this week or next, depending on when he feels like he's ready for it. We're fine financially while he's in transition, but I have been taking extra shifts when they're available just to make sure we stay that way until Joe's income is steady. When Joe's getting discouraged, I like to show him pictures of his new office.
In addition to studying, Joe got the particularly lovely experience of going to jury duty. He had to report two of the three days he was scheduled in September. The first one was a case about a DUI, assaulting a police officer, obstruction of justice, and hit and run. The lawyer asked Joe if he would be biased if the defendant didn't testify in his behalf. Joe said he would automatically think the guy was guilty if he couldn't look the jury in the eye and say he was not guilty. So he got to go home. The other one was a case of pedophilia (and yeah, the guy lives not that far away from us!). Thankfully, Joe was able to get himself disqualified for that one as well. We are constantly amazed at the serious lack of efficiency in the government. This was a prime example. Joe and 44 other jurors were forced to take 2-3 whole days off work this month and were compensated $10 a piece. Honestly, the $10 is more of a slap in the face than compensation. But the lost productivity is ridiculous. Not only that, but it took an entire day to disqualify almost all of the people there and narrow down the numbers. Dumb!
AJ read a whole bunch last spring and won a ticket to Silverwood (the largest/only amusement park in the Northwest). We were really proud of him, and we promised to use it some time before it expired. Well, Silverwood, being in Northern Idaho and all, is not open all year round, for good reason. We waited and procrastinated and waited some more until we really just had to make the time. Also, we made it halfway through the Book of Mormon and needed a place to celebrate with the kids. So we skipped a few other activities and took off last Saturday. It was a little drizzly and about 50 degrees, and perfect!! We didn't wait more than a few minutes for any of the rides, even the really big coasters. And we were well prepared for the weather, so we were fine. The kids absolutely LOVED it!! Natalie was barely tall enough to ride the roller coasters and more than a little scared, but she bravely rode all day long. AJ just loved it. And they even had great rides for Brooklin, who loved it to death.
Natalie is working hard in school. She is OBSESSED with twinners lately. She insists on picking out Joe's clothes, so they can be twinners in color. And she and her friend, Emily, at school (who, by the way, is the girl with the pink marker) have to plan their hair every day to be twinners. And Natalie is absolutely thrilled that she and Brooklin are both going to be fairies for Halloween this year. Here's a picture of her and AJ doing their homework.
Our activity this quarter for primary was singing at the nursing home. They were very gracious, and the kids enjoyed performing their program songs for the residents. They also got to perform solos, and AJ played "Star Wars" on the piano. I wish I had a picture of his face. He was so proud of himself!!
Brooklin is well on her way to being bigger than Natalie. I measured them for their costumes. Brooklin's chest and waist are officially an inch larger than Natalie's. So I'm making their costumes the same width, just lengthened for Natalie. Brooklin still doesn't talk much, but she signs to us quite a bit. She likes to be helpful by picking things up (most of which she randomly deposited on the floor, but who's counting?) and taking her dirty diapers to the trash outside. She very dutifully folds her arms through the prayers. She knows all of her body parts and thinks it's hilarious to poke people in the belly button. I wish I had a picture of her the other day. She was trying to get out of her high chair and fell head first into the trash can. I would have taken a picture if she hadn't been crying. Luckily, the trash can had been recently changed, so it wasn't gross. And she wasn't hurt, just mad. I realize that I'm a bad mom for laughing at her, but it was just funny.
