Job that Won't Accept My Resignation, Snow, Wedding & Weight Loss, Car Issues and The Best Parents Ever - How's that for a Mouth Full of a Post Title!

I thought I'd give a little re-cap of what I have been up to in the past 3 weeks.

Right after my last final in December, literally left from the parking lot of it to take a 5-hour drive north so I could get ready for that holiday wedding I booked.

Lucky me, got to drive a trailer in a blizzard and pack it up for a wedding in one heck of a storm...  That lucky part is sarcastic, LOL

Did all my wedding prep work in 8 hours, probably the fastest rush job ever!  Then took a drive to beat out a storm so I could arrive to set up for the wedding early

The storm that was supposed to hit didn't, just a nice 5 degree's out that morning. It froze the locks on my trailer, thankfully I am full of hot air, LOL and was able to blow into them enough to get them to unfreeze and unlock.
The rest of the day went perfectly, we were rushed but it was some of our better work and we did it in record time, I was thrilled!  My team that helps is incredible!!!!

The bride and her family all loved it and were more than happy without work, so it was a great day!

Spent the night for a slumber party with my niece and nephew. We attempted to make cupcakes with her new baking tools.
Apparently, it did not go so well, I guess you can't bake the frosting mixed into the cake batter, LOL LOL

EARNING SOME $
Since I was coming up north and my old library job, well they apparently never accepted my resignation so I decided why not make more money while I am here and pick up a few shifts. A few turned into many and before I knew it they asked me to pick up 44 hours.

So yeah, that first two weeks was a little more work than play, but that was okay. I got to get together with past co-workers and catch up. Great times!

Christmas Eve my dad and I took a drive up the mountains to pick something up at my sisters, and then hit up a new gun store and target range, because well that's what we red-blooded Americans do on Christmas Eve, LOL.

SNOW SNOW AND MORE SNOW
Christmas was wonderful. We woke up to 14 inches of fresh snow, so we definitely got our white Christmas! Had so much fun chilling with the family and playing!


My sister won in the gift department, she saw these awesome boxes. HILARIOUS 
Makes the receiver think that is actually what is in it, and she gave it to my pregnant sister. Inside was a gift card, but it was fun and laughs.

FUN
Took a night and went and slept over and played for a day with one of my sisters kids who live up in the mountains. Truthfully, we in the valley were in a yucky inversion. So I enjoyed getting up to the mountains for a day where the skies were blue and the temps were a little warmer than the valley!

The kids loved tearing it up with the snowmobile in the back yard for sure!

Between working, I had a great time hanging out with friends and family and catching up! I also got my fill of snow, all together it snowed over two feet in the series of storms we had. So fun!

DECEMBER WEIGHT LOSS
Last time I wrote I mentioned I was planning on sticking to my weight loss goals for December. Well I forgot that I would be up with people who haven't seen me in many months and I couldn't even tell you how many restaurants I visited for lunches and dinners those first two weeks.

I know I could have turned the offers down, but I may not get so see them again for a while so that would just be rude. So I am avoiding the scale and enjoying all the food and fun chats!

However, although I wasn't even trying and the loss was due in no part to actually trying, I still managed to drop 2 pounds during the month. Nothing to give a shout out to, but that brings my total to date now to 16 pounds lost.

NOT SO FUN NEWS
My final week home up north, I had no plans to work and millions of plans to do fun things with family and friends.
But as luck would have it on New Years Eve I came down with a terrible horrible cold/flu, I pretty much didn't even get out of bed for a week.
It's been horrible and I am more bummed because of all the people I wasn't able to see, and all the plans I had to cancel, when I don't know when I'll be back up to see them all again.

CAR PROBLEMS SAME OL' AGAIN
During my week of sickness, I did make it out once to drop my car off at the dealership (same problem as all 6 times before that the other dealerships haven't been able to fix.) Turns out my Warranty was to expire 12 days after I dropped it off.

They diagnosed the problem and finally had a mechanic who was a specialist and had seen it before and knows exactly how to fix it. Problem, the part they need is on National backorder and will be taking two weeks to get.
I had no choice because if I took the vehicle from the dealership while I waited for my warranty would expire. But keeping it there meant it was an open case and even though it will be fixed after the expiration, because it is still in shop it still counts as the day I brought it in.
So yes, my car is staying there for a few weeks.

(I am finally hopeful that maybe these mechanics have more experience and might actually fix it!)

MY AWESOME PARENTS
Problem was, I needed to drive back to my home down south and I didn't have a car. So my parents who are amazing gave me their car to take back.

Top it off, my mom knew I was sick and wouldn't be up for grocery shopping when I got home. So she went to the store and filled the trunk with groceries for me. No worries on keeping them cold, it was -11 to highs of 5 degree's, LOL
By the time I arrived back in the 40's in the desert where it's a little warmer they were fine.

In addition, since I have been so sick and they were worried about me driving, they even drove me half way so I could sleep more and have less of a drive alone.  So sweet of them!

I am still sick, but I'm finally starting to feel like I may be on the turnaround!  Which is great because I started classes today, I had my first two this morning, and I will start my next three tomorrow.

This is going to be an insanely busy semester, not only am I taking 15 credits, but I am beginning my Senior Thesis (early yes) the research phase.
What is a senior thesis? Well, I'll probably tell you more about it another time, but basically it's about half the work of a Masters Degree. So as you can see I have my work cut out for me!

On a side note, now that I am back, I am hoping it will snow down south. Ever since I moved back here I have been looking forward to seeing snow on palm tree's, don't ask me why I just am!

MIA No More and Lots and Lots of Life Changes

A lot has happened to me during the past few weeks, I won't bore you with all the details, but I do want to share a few highlights and explain why I haven't been around as much the past three weeks,and why that will change!


WHERE INTERVIEWS LED

Three weeks ago, bored of job interviews. Since no one interviewing was showing any sort of originality as they questioned me.

(Creativity is a must for a potential employer to show me.) 

I was about to call it all off and begin a job I was hired at a month ago. (But knew I would hate.)

On my way to a final job interview that I literally almost turned around on my way to it. But at the last second decided to go through with it anyway.

Turned out to be an interview that literally lasted 12 minutes. (Yes I know, far too short to even be considered a candidate in normal circumstances.)
They threw their cards face up on the table right when I walked in, telling me they were already in love with me based on my fun resume and just wanted to meet me in person???

(I do get professionally creative with my resumes, have I ever told you that before? I even get paid at times to help others fix their resumes up. LOL)

Even as odd as a 12 minute interview sounds, I gave them points for it because of how they approached it right off, and well that was a first for me, ha ha.

I walked out of the door to the shortest interview of my life thinking I'll never hear from them again. Only to hear from them later that day to begin the background testing process, and well in short I accepted. It felt far more right than the other job I already accepted or any of the others I have been offered over the past month.


A STAYCATION WENT WRONG...

I took a week off before starting the new job, I was going to go on vacation. But the weather in Utah has been pretty crappy (its spring in Utah so rainy, occasional snow is normal this time of year).
So I gave myself a first ever Staycation and one of the rules was, no online stuff, no blogging, no business stuff, no Facebook and minimal Instagram and not keeping my cell on my all day etc...

It was only supposed to last 1 week, but...
Then I caught a bad cold, and well BLAHHHHHH


The Staycation became me trying to get over a terrible cold, before I started a new job.... Didn't happen, I still felt super crappy on my first day, but I pretended to fake it so others wouldn't cringe looking at me being sick.  Ughhh it was a terrible orientation day, I almost fell asleep like a dozen times!!!
On the plus side, the offline portion was extremely nice once I got used to staying off my phone, ha ha.


THE NEW JOB

Officially started my new job last week, not even sure exactly where I was going to be working and no clue on what hours and schedule I would have.  I even had to text them the evening before to find out if they cared what time I showed up, ha ha.  I know funny. But let me explain.
I have decided to go back into the Healthcare industry and well when you work with Doctors and Surgeons you never know what your going to get.

I lucked out, I wasn't there 5 minutes and my new boss sat me down, gave me the "scare." You know, the don't do this, do that, but do your job, but don't get into this, but do this, and stay away from this..... LOL He was in a hurry.

I was loving the job already and my new boss. My biggest fear of going back to work was having a boss that micro manages. I mean I've been my own boss forever, I like to just go in, do a good job, and get out and not have to report to on a constant basis. But try to have fun while I'm doing it all.


THE SWEET DEAL

In that lowdown of his expectations, he also gave me my schedule.
I get Friday, Saturday and Sunday's OFF.
Just 9 hour days Mon-Thurs.
I know, crazy!  People work in hospitals and clinics for years and never score that coveted schedule.

Not only that, but although I thought I wanted to be placed in Family Medicine, I was pleasantly surprised and was placed in a specialty clinic for Dermatology.
After 3 hours there, I literally realized I got the best end of the deal.

It became clear I was one of their new hire favorites. Well because one of the gals in the group interview came right up to me and told me, LOL She also told me, she was bummed she had to switch her schedules and give up her Fridays off to me.
She also has a great sarcastic sense of humor. I think her and I will be getting along great!!!


SCORE

In fact 3 hours into the job one of the Nurses comes out and asked if anyone wants free Lazer Hair Removal because she needs bodies to pass off some of her tech requirements.
I'm like, heck yes!
It's so expensive, I've wanted to start it forever.
The gal who was taking me around showing me the ropes said it's quite often they give free lazer or botox to anyone who wants it who works there, LOL
I literally signed a waver and walked into a room and began it right then, ha ha... I wasn't going to let the opportunity pass me by!

I have no need for Botox, but the Lazer Hair Removal ummmm SCORE!!!!


WEDDING CRAZY BUSY

My wedding business has also been busy. I've got a few hilarious stories to tell, I'll have to share another time because this post is already way too long.
I have another wedding this week, that I love the colors for so I am really looking forward to seeing it all come together. Even if I will be up past midnight most nights to get things ready, now that my days are spent at another job.


BLOGGING CHANGES BEGINNING

I have begun the changes I want to make on my blog this year. One of which is going over to being self hosted.
I finally got my domain switched to the .com, you may or may not have noticed.
I would have done this years ago, as I bought my domain years ago. But I totally completely could not remember the account and login to get to my domain. Yeah, I've been trying to remember what email and everything I set it up under for years and years.
TERRIBLE I know.
I bought my domain the first day I started blogging as a just in case.
The only problem is, that was too many years ago to remember how the heck I set it all up and well when you buy through Google, lets just say its impossible to get a response.
Finally I remembered it, and once I did, I had it transferred in less than 2 minutes, LOL
I plan on finishing the entire switch over later this fall, but will be working on it little by little through the summer to get things ready.


INSTAGRAM GOALS

On another exciting note, in April I was working on cleaning up my Instagram account. Its been the hardest for me find steady growth for some reason.
I have a high turnover rate from bloggers who follow and then unfollow. (cringe at them.)
So I decided to begin going after a different audience on my blog Instagram, and not going after bloggers as much as just regular people who share like minded interests.

It's been working, I haven't done much but clean things up and change hash tags around, I saw a Instagram growth of +345 during April.
I'm excited about that, because it was with very little to no effort. Best part is, the retention is almost 90% higher than when I used to try to only attract other bloggers or those in Ambassador groups I participate with.

Why are some bloggers so follow just to unfollow I don't know.... I have a fun round of ideas on this, that I'll be sharing later this week with some tips, just FYI if your interested.

I have a few other exciting life changes to share. But I will save them for another time, when I haven't already written a novel, ha ha ha.

FITTING IT ALL IN

While I am having a little difficulty right now trying to fit blogging into my new schedule. I am sure I will come up with some good options.
I enjoy blogging, so its definitely not something I want to let go.


So those are a few tidbits of why I have been MIA the past 3 weeks. I think, things will be changing.
I actually have posts written a month in advance. But I cancelled all scheduled posts the past 3 weeks because I knew I didn't have time to respond or return visits. So as I feel I have figured out how to fit blogging into my new life changes, I will get back to posting regularly.


If your a blogger, tell me something I may have missed on news on your blog.
Or tell me something exciting you have coming up in your life.
Do you find some Instagram followers to be finicky too?


Today, I am linking up with HoHo Runs and MissSippiPiddlin today for their Weekly Wrap! If you have a post to link up, and time to participate and visit a few others in the link up, you should totally come link up with them too!