We have started out the year with a bang. When we got back to Vegas from Christmas we had pretty much decided that we just weren't making it financially here so something needed to change. I hadn't been able to get a job even after applying at a million places so we were thinking about moving back to Utah. We went to take in our 30 day notice to our apartment management and they told us we would have to pay back to them $4900 in fees for leaving before our contract was up. That was pretty much our deciding factor on staying here at least until June when our contract ends.
That weekend I got a call from a girl in our ward who was wondering if I was still interested in babysitting for her (in August I had met with her about babysitting, but she decided to use someone else who ended up giving her a notice before Christmas that she needed to find a new babysitter). Of course I was because that would make it possible for me to continue to stay home with the kids. It also works out really nice because she works for the school so she has all the days off that Ethan has off except Staff Development days. Her son is 9 months and is very easy to take care of. I am also still watching a little one year old girl 2 days a week (her mom works with Jordon).
About a week after I started watching him, Jordon's sister, Lindsey, lost her babysitter for her daughter Avery. She asked me if I would watch her and I of course said yes! My kids are all crazy for her and love talking to her and playing with her when she is awake. She is also just starting to sit up by herself and roll so we have been able to take pictures and video of her doing these new skills so her Mom and Dad won't miss it either. She is also quite an easy baby so it makes it extra nice.
We were able to get my parents and sister, Jess, to finally come visit us in mid-January and had a great time playing with them. My mom got Jordon and I hooked on reflexology (she had read a book about it and gave us foot rubs each night; it was SOOO Nice!). They also took us to lunch at the Rainforest Cafe where we met up with my aunt and uncle who were also down visiting and my dad's cousin. After lunch we walked the strip to M & M World and down to the Bellagio to see the fountains and the gardens. We had a great time with them and my kids are still talking about how fun it was. We also spent some time at my dad's cousin's house visiting with him and his wife and at the park playing Bocce ball with my parents and sister. Before they left we were also able to fit in a visit to Ethel M.'s Chocolate factory where we didn't see much being made (it was a holiday), but did get a nice sample at the end. We are looking forward to their visit in March when they will be coming with another one of my sisters (Amy) and her family.
The last week of the month we spent celebrating Ethan's birthday! Thank you to all the family who gave him money for his birthday so he could get the thing he wanted most of all: Super Mario Bros. Wii game. He loves it so much and was so excited to be able to buy it with his own money. We told him we would take him to Chuck E. Cheese for his birthday and he wanted to invite a friend, which later turned into 3 friends, so we did a small party on the Sat. after his birthday. We had lunch and fun at Chuck E.'s and then came back to our house for cake and ice cream and opening presents. He had a great time and I was once again reminded that boys just have too much energy. Might have to skip the party next year so I don't go completely insane.Things are now back to normal for us, as much as they get normal anyway. We just had a friend move away and she was so nice and gave us her king size bed so we now have much better accommadations for guests (hint, hint). She also gave us a computer chair as well that has been so nice since we were using a camp chair before. We have very much enjoyed both and are so grateful to her for being such a sweetheart and great friend to us.
This month we are looking forward to having one of my friends from Logan come visit us and a girl's weekend with my mom's family. Should be lots of fun!
