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Thursday, November 21, 2013

Tomorrow - just one day away

Tomorrow is my last day of working at the bank. After putting in my notice 6 months ago {yes, I gave 6 months notice} it is insane to me that the time has already come for my last day working here. To be honest, I am getting pretty scared. Part of me was debating the other day on changing my last day to a few weeks from now, rather than leaving now, but I feel good about leaving at this time. My nesting "desires" are kicking in big time and it'll be nice to be able to focus more on prepping for princess and not trying to find time when I get home from work and I'm tired.

We've been doing GREAT on establishing our Emergency Fund and have either 4 or 5 months worth of expenses saved. So we could make it for 4-5 months if Jake lost his job and be totally fine. Our goal is to have 6 months worth, and we will hit that goal just after the New Year, at the latest. Then, we are going to make a mini emergency fund for our cars, just a few thousand for car repairs or new tires or whatever car repairs come up so that we have money set aside for that and can leave our real emergency fund ALONE.

Having all the math done on paper makes me feel better about leaving my job - we can totally do this on Jake's job. But still, the worrier part of me is petrified something will happen. But that's why we prepared and have our emergency fund. And I know how hard of a worker Jake is - if something were to happen and he lost his job, I know he'd find a new job pronto, even if it's flipping burgers at McDonald's. He has an amazing work ethic and I know he will make sure we are taken care of. And we are going to be fine.

And yet I am mentally having a really hard time leaving my job. I love my job. I love the company I work for, I love my co workers, I love my customers. I just love my job. I came here in 2010 during a pretty dang low spot in my life and the bank has been a wonderful part of my life ever since. Even though I switched branches, I immediately loved the customers and co workers at my new branch. I truly have loved my job, so it makes it that much harder to leave.

But I know I'm going to love my new job even more.

Am I scared for this new job? OH MY GOSH YES!

What the heck am I doing?! How am I supposed to take care of another human being?! How am I going to function on no sleep? And still be a nice wife, that cooks and cleans and makes sure my husband has clean clothes to wear? I'm PETRIFIED!!

But I know, with absolutely every single part of me, that I will not ever regret staying home with our kids. Yes, I am "old fashioned" in wanting to be a stay home wife and mom with ALL of my kids, not just my second or third child. Yes, I know that I could totally continue working if we needed the money. I wouldn't want to, but I could do it. And I'm grateful I don't have to. I'm grateful that I GET to be a stay home mom, with our first child.
Grateful isn't even the right word for it. I am grateful to infinity for Jake and how hard he works, and how supportive he is of me staying home. He has not, even for a second, suggested that I should try to keep working. He has told me if I want to work he will support that {he's very awesome at letting me make my own choices}, but he never told me that I either HAVE to work or I HAVE to stay home. But throughout our whole marriage, whenever the "talk" of kiddos came up, we both always thought it would be nice for me to stay home.

Tomorrow is my last day at the bank. And then I'll have a "new boss" that I get to meet in 6 weeks and "new co-workers" in Max & Jake that I already love more than anything. I'm nervous for the changes, but I'm also excited. I'm grateful for the reassurance I have that I am doing the right thing in staying home. I just hope all my anxiety goes away at some point soon!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Halloween festivities!

Halloween isn't something Jake & I usually get into, but I think that'll all be changing next year with our princess being here. Something about Halloween just seems way more fun when you have kiddos!

This year, the festivities started with the Young Women Halloween party that Janaca Cann planned {way to go Beehives!} Everything turned out great - we played a mafia game, had a costume contest, and had YUMMY food. We made sure to bring appetizer food along with the treats so the girls wouldn't get TOO sick with all the sweet treats normally found at a Halloween party!

Playing Mafia
Jenny Wall was in charge of leading Mafia and did a great job!
All of those who were able to come to the party!
I love my calling and am so grateful I am able to work with these awesome girls!
 
On Halloween, Jake & I decided to have pizza for dinner. I was working until 6 and didn't think to call ahead of time to get it ordered. When I got off, I realized the entire county ALSO wanted pizza, so we ended up getting pizza from Little Caesar's because everyone else had a 90+ minute wait. I brought the pizza home and JUST as I walked in the door, the trick or treaters arrived. I was so worried I was going to miss them, but I got there in time for the first bunch! Jake & I watched Ghostbusters and the Saturday Night Live Halloween Special while eating pizza and handing out candy. It was a super fun night.
 
Next year, we're going to dress up! And we'll have a cute munchkin to dress up too!

My work baby shower!

Last Thursday, I had my first baby shower! It was hosted by my friend & manager Angie at her home in Eagle Mountain for all my friends at the bank! 

The delicious spread of food!
Ice cream with soda - super yummy! And adorable - love the little ducks!
Salad Lindsey brought, along with chips & salsa and crackers with raspberry cream cheese
Amazing cake bites that Faith made! They were strawberry flavored!
The favors everyone received. Love the antique carriage she used to display them!
Close up of the favors - chocolate covered popcorn. MMMMMMM!
One of the games we played was to guess how many marshmallows were in the bottle
We also played a game where we each smelled 6 different flavors of baby food and tried to guess what flavor each one was. After games, I opened the gifts I received and I got SPOILED!

The loot I got that night! There were a few gifts waiting for me the next day from those who hadn't been able to attend the shower!
Me & Denise, who I worked with in PG when she was a float teller. Lindsey, Faith, Jessica from PG, Nicolette, Rochelle & Angie were also there but I didn't get pictures with everyone.
It was a super fun night and I really felt so spoiled with all the gifts I got. The only clothes I had received so far were the few BYU items my mom got, so it's been SUPER fun getting clothes for our little miss! When I got home, I brought it all into her room and was organizing it when Max discovered what I was doing. He couldn't stop smelling all the clothes, and they don't even smell like her yet haha!


It really was a great night, I feel very lucky to have the amazing friends & co workers I have at the bank!

33 weeks - a pineapple

Dear Kaycee,

Mom totally dropped the ball on weekly updates about us - sorry! Wish I had some awesome excuse, like I've been working 50 hour weeks or something but nope, I got no excuse for why I haven't been blogging. This week, you are a pineapple. And what a cute pineapple I'm sure you are. Last week you were a honey dew! 

The last few weeks have been a little unnerving actually - it's really starting to hit me that you are coming soon! And as excited as I am to meet you and see your cute little face and fingers and toes, I am also getting nervous. I am VERY much a planner, as I'm sure you know, and knowing that I can't plan every second of my life for the next 6 months because I don't know how you'll sleep or if you'll be perfectly healthy or whatever has me stressed! It's been good for me at the same time though - I need to just have faith and trust in the Lord and everything will work out the way it's supposed to and I just need to take it one day at a time. Much easier said than done!!

Me and Max reading a book in the chair in your room. I love being in there, and so does he!
Sleep is getting interesting lately. My hips hurt most of the time, and laying on them since I have to sleep on my side doesn't make it much better! Sometimes they even hurt when I am walking. But it'll all be worth it, of that I am sure. I just hadn't ever heard people talk about having hip pain during pregnancy, so I wasn't expecting that at all! I sleep really good when I sleep on the couch, but I'm too stubborn and would rather sleep on my bed. Yesterday, dad & I went to the chiropractor and so far that seems to be helping. I may be visiting the chiropractor a lot in these last few weeks!


I am starting to notice some new cravings! Nothing crazy uncontrollable like I had imagined, but you seem to really like red meat & Kit Kat's. I didn't like either of those things very much before you came along, but dad LOVES both of those things. I hope that means you'll be a daddy's girl. Nothing would make me happier to have you be just like your dad.

The day before we hit 33 weeks
Mom & dad registered for a pre-birth class to take at Utah Valley Hospital, we start taking the class in 2 weeks. I am VERY excited about this class, mostly because I am hoping it will help me feel a little more at ease about the day of your arrival. I'm still feeling really scared about all that and we're hoping this class will help!

Your big brother hasn't been cuddling up to you as much lately, but this morning he sure was! I pulled him under the blankets with me about an hour before I needed to get up and was trying to get him to snuggle me with no success. As soon as I was about to give up and let him just get back on the floor or go wherever he wanted to go, you kicked him SUPER hard and he IMMEDIATELY cuddled right up to you. His head was RIGHT on top of where your kick/punch came from, and he laid there, in that exact position, for the whole hour until it was time for me to get up. As soon as he cuddled up, you stopped kicking, which I think means you like him just as much as he likes you. I hope you two are good friends when you meet.

It's been a whirlwind 33 weeks - can't believe how fast it's going by! Less than 7 weeks until you're due date, which means we could be meeting you within 7 weeks! SO crazy to think! And that means mom has 3 days left of working. 3 days. 3 DAYS! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN SO FAST?!

Sure love you princess - keep growing for us.

Love,
Mom