We hope everyone has had a great start to 2011! This year we chose to not send out our annual Valentine's Photo due to conserving time & money. You can view our ENTIRE Valentine Photo Shoot at our Shutterfly photo site (see side-bar for link). If you choose to view this, you can see why it's been difficult to find "THE ONE" photo to use. I can certainly appreciate those child photographers that get the most precious pictures. It's hard work! You can also see additional photos taken from our trips described below.
January started off with a boom! We were travelling quite a bit and were home for only half of the month. We left our happy home one Sunday after church, for Fresno and then to Bakersfield for some training Scott provided. While Scott was busy working, the kids and I toured local museums, parks, and other facilities to keep them entertained for the day. We also took the kids to a couple of movies in the evening and had our first experience with a pizza/amusement park restuarant. I'm not sure who had more fun there, Scott or the kids!
After Bakersfield, we headed down to Pasadena for a few days. Scott's college buddy was getting married Sunday evening. We spent Saturday visiting the La Brea Tar Pits, and Sunday before the wedding at a local park. Scott had unfortunately come down with a nasty cold after his training-so he wasn't feeling up to par to do a whole lot, but we knew we couldn't keep the kids cooped up in a hotel room. We attended Warren & Karla's wedding Sunday eve, and then headed home Monday morning.
We were home long enough to do laundry, visit with the grandparents, and pack again to head back down to Ventura the following Monday where Scott had another training. The kids and I visited Mission San Buenaventura, toured the town of Ventura, a local park, and relaxed at the beach during the days, while Scott and team worked. Poor Scott never once made it to the beach with us :(
We headed back to Rescue Friday, and it took us awhile to get use to the cooler weather back home after our 75-80 degree weather in Ventura.
We will be home for the duration of February. Scott's only training this month was local-Placerville. March is another story with all 3 trainings scheduled for out of town. So we are preparing for another crazy month.
I am still working on my time management skills. With Scott incorporating his business, it has created another dimension to my workload with trying to figure out payroll. We will officially both be "employees" of the corporation. For those that haven't done so, you can check out to see what Scott is doing at http://www.thorneonyourside.com/. Mainly he's been providing the "QSD/QSP" trainings along with his cousin Peter's company-BT Consulting. This has been our main source of income since September and so far God has provided for our needs. We have been blessed in these hard economic times where so many others are struggling just to put food on the table, or keep their homes.
Speaking of blessings, Scott and I attended a marriage conference at our church last weekend. I think we both went away with some great insight, but more importantly, feeling as though we were doing pretty good-all things considered- in our marriage. The last few years we've had laid upon us some challenges with Nolan's birth & health issues, as well as Scott's lay-off from Centex/Pulte Homes. But with each of these obstacles has come opportunities; and we feel very fortunate that instead of these distancing us from each other, they have drawn us closer together.
So as many of you celebrate Valentine's with your loved one's, I will be celebrating with mine my 38th year here on earth! I can hardly believe I am 2 years away from 40! And unlike most people I know, I am not dreading the progression of age, but am in awe of it, as I surpass each year beyond my "expectancy" ~ whatever that is :)
Happy Heart Day and remember to take care of your own heart physically & emotionally because (usually) it's the only one you've got!
Love,
Jill, Scott, Leah & Nolan
