Medora

Yesterday was a tiring, but very fun day. I started working my second job this week and so the last few days I didn't get very much sleep. Then yesterday instead of sleeping all day like I originally planned, I drove with Erin to Medora where we met up with Heather. It was a lot of fun. We walked around, bought Taffy, looked in the shops, ate lunch, visited the Theodore Roosevelt museum, and basically just enjoyed being together. It may be the last time for a while that the three of us can do something just us, with no other distractions.
Oh, we also rode in a stagecoach! Check out the pictures:

Erin, me, and Heather eating Jelly Bellies

Me on a bucking horse

Erin, me, and Heather eating jelly bellies

Heather, me, and Erin in the stagecoach

Moving

Well, I have officially and completely moved out of Utah. (We really had to pack in the car to get Sara up to Brigham City. The following pictures show just how cramped we were. Of course, I had plenty of room, being the driver and all, but I had to feel bad for Sara. She definitely had the least amount of space. In fact, she was practically buried!!!! And that is only because we had already stashed some of Gizmo's things in the car I drove up to Brigham City that morning. Otherwise, Sara would have had to ride on top!) I have left nothing behind, except a sister or two, and a car that I gave to one of those sisters. Everything else I have gotten rid of. It kind of feels nice. I feel like I have dejunked myself a little, but there is still much to do. Gizmo is quickly getting used to being in a new place. He acts like he doesn't like change, but he really doesn't care as long as his people don't change . . . aka I don't leave him.
It was a long drive, but I made it without stopping once. I sure am tired, even though I slept pretty much all day since then.
I'm gonna go now. I hope to update you soon, especially since I start my new job on Monday!

McGee Family Reunion

This weekend has been an interesting one. On Friday we drove up Price canyon to my aunt and uncle's cabin. (Left - one of the games we played around the campfire. It is called Rock. You pass a rock from hand to hand, trying to keep the person in the middle from finding it. I took this picture because my grandparents were actually playing, too!) It was quite a ride. Their place is kind of secluded, but it is nice. We made it for dinner, though I was a little worried when we missed the turn off. After dinner, we mainly hung around the campfire. We played a couple games before people started to trickle off.
Saturday was a much more eventful day. In the morning, we had breakfast before getting ready for games. (Right - the line for breakfast in the morning) The kids went on a scavenger hunt to find things for crafts. Then we started other games. We had a 3-legged race (which I was skipped over competing in until the end, so I didn't have a fair chance to be the actual winner, even though I ran the race I was in), a pillowcase race, a horseshoe competition (in which Lizzy did fairly well. She won two games), a suitcase race, and the candybar game. You know, the one where you have to put on a bunch of clothes and try to eat a candy bar with knives before someone else either gets a specific number, or rolls doubles (we played rolling doubles). (Left - Pillowcase race. My sisters are in this one, but they are way far behind) I didn't get a lot of pictures, but I did get some good ones.
I won the pillowcase race for the 18yrs+ group, Bob McGee (uncle) won the horseshoe championship, and I don't remember who won everything else. We had trophies for the winners made out of a thick branch, debarked and written on, then with a string tied around each end and beads on the string. I really like them. I should have written down the winners, but oh well.
After we finished the games, we had some free time before dinner. Dinner was served and afterward we handed out prizes to the winners of the games followed by dessert, peach cobbler and cherry cheesecake. (Right - me racing in the pillowcase race).
After dinner and dessert, most people started to leave. We stuck around because we didn't really need to get back to anything. I'm glad we did because after we cleaned up, we got to go out on 4-wheelers. I rode with Monty (uncle), Sara rode with Jim (uncle), and the kids rode in a larger off-road vehicle that I don't remember what it was called with Heidi (aunt). Then Monty taught me how to drive a 4-wheeler. (Left - racing in the three-legged race with Trishelle against Michele and Jenna, the champions. We beat them, but didn't get recognized for that. It sure is hard to run with a kid attached to your leg though, because they have a much smaller stride than you do and you don't want them to trip) That was a lot of fun. I guess I'll have to get one someday so I can practice a little more.
When we got back, I made Lizzy go, though she rode in the larger off-road vehicle. By the time they got back, it was getting dark and we headed out. I was glad to get back and get some sleep. (Right - Gizmo came along, too, though he mainly stayed in the new carrier that I bought him. I felt bad for him because he was in it all night and all day, but whenever I tried to bring him out, he didn't want to! Sometimes he would stick his head out, but he didn't want to leave. Sometimes I think it was because it was warmer in there, but other times, I think it was because he could smell lots of things that scared him. He was terrified of the fire, the dog, and pretty much everything that moved). I hadn't had much sleep the past several days. Unfortunately, I think it all caught up to me and now I am sick. I was pretty miserable this morning. We went to church and after church I drank a lot of herbal tea (which really seems to have helped) and took a long nap. I'm feeling a little better, though still pretty miserable. Still, despite all that, I had a great time this weekend and I'm really glad that I was able to make it to the McGee Family Reunion.

Suitcase race, we had a tutu, bra, and little girls' swimsuits. It was quite amusing. We also had one extra person, so considering that, we did pretty good coming in second.Candy bar game. Here Carla is putting on the clothes. We had these little girl mittens that only covered our fingers. We couldn't get our whole hands in.Betsy playing the candybar game with her son Daniel on her lap.Elizabeth playing horseshoes.On the 4-wheeler that I learned to drive.

Another Update

So, I was just thinking how I forgot to mention some more recent happenings in my life. My friend Colette told me about a place called CrossCountry Courier that was hiring. The president of the company is the Relief Society President in our ward and she had mentioned to Colette that they were hiring a full time and a part time employee. I don't know how my name came up, but Colette told her about my job aspirations and this ward member told her that the part time position takes less training, so that would be ok.
We went together to turn in our applications and to have an interview. We both felt that it went really well. During my interview, they asked me if I would be willing to work full time, so I explained my future career plans and told them that I would not be able to guarantee how long I could work for them. They were grateful for my honesty.
The next day, while I was sleeping, I received three phone calls from CrossCountry Courier. The first one I didn't hear at all. The second one I heard, but not in time to answer it. The third I finally answered. They wanted me to come in for a second meeting the next day. I wasn't sure what it was about, but I went. I was surprised to discover that they wanted to "bombard" me so that I "couldn't say no" in offering me the full time position. I was shocked! They had considered my future plans, and were still so impressed with me that they didn't care that they would have to search for a new employee in the future. I have to say that I have never felt more wanted by a prospective employer before in my life. I felt like they would have done anything (within their power) to get me to say yes. They outlined the benefits I would be eligible for and just made me feel really wanted. So, I said yes. The hours aren't the best: 11-8pm. But, the pay is better than at Wal-mart, and I'm sure the work will be less exhausting. Now I just have to tell Wal-Mart . . . I've been meaning to tell them that I want to go to part time (I'd be willing to work part time there, especially since I know how short-staffed they are), but with my vacation time coming up, I didn't want to rock the boat. I guess I'll have to tell them when I get back and hope that I can handle working two full time jobs until I get into the part time schedule.
Oh well, at least I will make some good money during that hopefully short time. Maybe it will be enough to pay off my couch! Or my bed! That would be awesome!

Back in Utah

Boy am I exhausted. So, I've been working nights, right? I worked Wednesday night and then left for Utah on Thursday without going to sleep. I was really tired at first, so I stopped at a rest stop somewhere in Montana for a 20 minute power nap. (Left - my new vehicle, for a week) Surprisingly, it got me all the way here. That means that I made a 16 hour drive with only 20 minutes of sleep (and some caffeine, too). But now I am really exhausted. I was planning on sleeping in since we got here at 2:30 in the morning, but I forgot to bring my eye mask and now it is way to light for me to sleep. I have gotten a lot accomplished this morning, though, while my two sisters sleep. I think I'm going to have to take a nap soon, though.
You may wonder what I am doing in Utah. Well, first there is a family reunion this weekend. More importantly, I needed to come down to get Gizmo and the last of my stuff. I planned it around this weekend so I could go to the reunion.
My car, however, would not have made it, so Lizzy and I rented a car. (Right - me driving with very little sleep. This was after driving for 7 1/2 hours, somewhere in Montana) It's a really nice car, the nicest and newest car I have ever driven. It is a 2009 Subaru Impreza. The only annoying thing is that sometimes after I have come to a complete stop, and I start to drive, the engine will run really fast (high rpms) until I get to about 40 mph. If I'm on a slow road, it is really annoying. But other than that, it is great. It has a 6-CD changer, a device that calculates the average mpg, and lots of other fancy things that I haven't figured out what they are for yet. (Left - Elizabeth sleeping while I drive. She basically slept the entire way) It took me a long time to figure out how to get the windshield fluid to come out, even longer to figure out the bright beam headlights. I also discovered that there are controls on the steering wheel that work the radio/CD player. That is pretty cool.
I've also figured out that it is not worth it to buy Flying J gas. Now, mind you, this isn't scientific or anything, but with Flying J gas, I got 6 miles less per gallon than Exxon gas. Flying J gas was only 6 cents less per gallon. That means it cost me about about $0.78 less to fill up, but it cost one more gallon to go the same distance, which cost $2.63. That means it actually cost $1.85 more! Now I just need to compare gas mileage for the other gas stations . . .