So much to do. Nationals? Check!

SO...I took my National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork this morning and PASSED! Seriously, people...you can't even imagine my relief right now! It was a really hard test. Harder than what I expected actually. But all that matters is that it's over and I passed. $225 well spent! (Yes, it was a bit expensive!)

However, that being done doesn't mean I can breathe easy just yet. I have 7 more nights of learning and 5 nights of finals still. And apparently the Structural II final is the toughest test at UCMT. It's a 4.0 breaker. So...that is why I am stressing! I have worked too hard to mess things up now! But it 5 finals left, there is a lot of opportunities for error and breakdown :(

But I feel much better having completed that National exam :)

Riley's leg is now looking much better. (I will tell that story in my next post, promise!)

So the last thing stressing me out right now is just the uncertainty of whether or not Travis will still have a job after the next couple months. For those who haven't heard, Omniture has been acquired by Adobe. We are told they plan to keep as many positions/employees as possible. But we have no guarantees. BUT we are hopeful. Travis loves his job and it has been a wonderful job to have. We feel blessed and hope that he will still have his job in the future. Plus, Adobe is an awesome company to work for, so I hear. Keep your fingers crossed for us, please?!

If you REALLY know me...

You know I have arachnophobia. As a result of this, I can spot a spider from a mile away. Almost always. Because I am on the look out for them. In Idaho, we got a lot of what I assume were Hobo spiders. (I am almost certain they were). They were everywhere. And on occasion, they haunt my dreams. AKA, I have spider nightmares. I have for years. Since my early teen years.
I used to freak out and cry at the sight of a spider. I had to call in my mom to kill them. Ask her. But over time, I have had to kill my own spiders. And I am at the point now where I can look at one, and while inside I am freaking out, I am not crying or as freaked out for all to see.

We moved to Orem last summer and while we would get an occasional house spider, I hadn't seen anything big or even very many spiders at all thankfully. Then we bought our home. Welcome to spider hell. I found them EVERYWHERE for weeks. Not hobos, I don't think, because they were light colored and small. I can't be sure what they are or were. I am no spider expert. And SO we sprayed. And by we, I mean I PAID someone to come spray. And it definitely helped. It didn't prevent 100% of spiders, but it was a large improvement. But about 45 days later (that's about how long these sprayer people guarantee it for), I was heading down the hallway to go upstairs when a hobo jumped at me. I am not kidding. It was HORRIFYING. I had the guy come spray again. But I can't afford to do that every 45 days. No way. Since that one hobo, I have had 3 more. The latest visitor was this morning.


Now, as I said, I am no spider expert, I think this is a hobo, but does anyone know for sure?? I wasn't about to get any closer for a pic, but this was necessary!! Any closer, and I am sure this thing would have attacked. I can't even get spiders with a shoe or anything, I have spider spray. I have to poison them from a couple feet away and make sure they aren't moving before I can convince myself to get something to pick it up and dispose of it. If it weren't for the fact that I am protecting my kids, I would wait for Travis to come home and dispose of it. I am ridiculous, I know. BUT THESE THINGS ARE FREAKY!!! NIGHTMARES, PEOPLE! I am so embarrassed, but hey, I can admit it! HOW do I get rid of these things????

Riley goes to Preschool!

Last week Riley had her first week of preschool. She goes Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday from 9:45-12:15. She really loves it and I have to say I love it, too! The first week was a bit of an adjustment. But in more good ways than bad. For example, before, most days I had nothing to do in the mornings, so I would lounge, and lounge some more. Some days I wouldn't even shower until well after noon. NOW...I get up at 7:30 and shower. Because I don't want to drop my kid off at preschool un-showered. And because I am showered early in the day, some times that means I am more productive! (Notice I said sometimes).

SOOOO....the first week she came home really grumpy. I think it was the new schedule...it's a big adjustment and they keep the kids really busy. And by the time she gets out, its lunchtime. So that equals hungry, which means GROUCHY!!
But other than that....I would say it was a SUCCESS!!!

Before heading to the first day of class!

She found her hook and hung her bag up!
After the first day, waiting to be picked up!

On Thursday they had a balloon launch to celebrate a new school year. It was sort of cute, except Riley wouldn't sing with the class...and she loves singing! What a little stinker!

The month of August.

I began my fifth and final quarter of classes the first week of August. It's hard to believe, but I am almost done and so ready! I take my National exam in less than 3 weeks. YIKES! and then I just have to pass my 5 remaining finals (hopefully with all A's).

One fun thing we did in August was that my friend Rachael helped me take the girls to Seven Peaks in Provo. Oh my gosh! I wish I had known how much the girls (especially Isabelle) would love this place! I also met up with Latissa and her husband there, they had given me a buy one adult admission get one half off and it was awesome! Thanks! Below you can see Riley enjoying the wave pool :) She was too busy for pictures.

This video is of the last time Izzy went down the kiddie slide. She had been down it about 15 times. So by this time the excitement had worn off a bit, but trust me, she loved it so much she wanted to keep going down! Since Travis had to work, I had Rachael take her down so I could take a video for daddy to see.

Here are a couple close ups of the girls. Sorry for their shirtlessness. Summertime is too hot for clothes!
Check out Riley's sweet tan (burn) line. I SWEAR I covered her in sunscreen twice the day this happened. You would think that would be enough for 4 hours outside! Nope. Lesson learned.

These look like the same pic, but they aren't.
Also in August, Travis began P90X. He is on a quest to get fit. Go Travis! So proud of you ;) And no, I am not saying that because that's what you want to hear! I really am!!! I wish I had an ounce of the motivation you have! Maybe when school ends? I snapped this picture of Travis doing P90X Yoga while Randee and Kim were here and joined in. Sorry ladies...you should know you have got to be careful in my house. I love taking pictures!
Check out Trav's form! So focused!

Also, as previously mentioned in my last post, Riley turned THREE. Many friends and family stopped by to eat cake and ice cream. In total, we had 23 people. Thankfully not all at once. Aunt Maria and her friend Robert even drove up from Albuquerque. She spend more time in the car to and from than she actually got to spend with us. But oh well...it was so nice to see her!
She got an awesome set of Tinker Toys (in girl colors) that adults enjoy probably more than kids! :) I think they are fun!
Izzy enjoyed eating cake!
But mom probably enjoyed it more and ate way too much. No pics of that, though!
Riley sporting the bow off of her present from Uncle Brad and Aunt Kim: a shopping cart with play food items. This is a hit! With both of our girls.

On August 29th Isabelle got to sleep in her finally converted to toddler bed. When Riley was just 15 months we converted the crib to a toddler bed but Isabelle is almost 21 months and we have finally done it. And the miracle is, she stays in it. All night. It's awesome! What a big girls we have. And what mixed feelings that gives me :( :)
And the last couple videos from August were taken at John and Dana's house. We had a family get together over there and Isabelle had a blast on the slide. She seriously went up and down it for a good hour. What a great way to tire a kid out!


Then at one point, I had set my camera in the house on the kitchen counter where Riley went and got it. She played with it for awhile, and then Hailee joined her. Sort of funny. They were trying to take pictures but it was set to video. Lets just say there were quite a few video clips recorded. So many, they filled my memory card. I have never even done that!