Drum Roll Please!

This post is dedicated to 2 of my friends, Dustin and Amber.
Due to my timing issues, I started my Bachelor's program late, so in reality, I was in 2 different 'groups'. I finished 1 group and had to take 2 classes with the next group of students. Dustin was in group 1, and Amber was in group 2.
One day in group 1 Dustin and I were discussing work and he mentioned that he had a position opening in his department that he would really like me to apply for, so I did. I had an interview, which went great, but someone swooped in with 20 years experience, and I just can't beat that. I would have had to start work at age 8.
Amber works in the HR department of the same organization Dustin works for. She also sat in on my interview, and is also in group 2 of school with me.
See where this is goin?
So months go by. Group 1 is completed. Group 2 starts. I complete my 2 courses with group 2. I get a call from Dustin who says Amber was really impressed with me in my interview and my presentations in class, there's another position open and she wants me to apply and she'll look for my application coming through. So I applied. I took an assessment test. I interviewed, which I may be bias, but I thought it went great!
Weeks go by. I get an email that says 'Thanks for your patience, you're still being considered." Fair enough. More weeks go by. I get a call from Amber who says they're going to check my references. And 2 days ago..... I get offered a job, using my education, with none other than:



It was bittersweet and sad to tell my current employer, they have been my family for the past 5 years and I checked in everyday for years while life's events were happening... but it's time for change and forward progression in life, and I'm so excited!
It is a nice added perk that my last day is Dec 21, after which I get to head home for Christmas, and I don't have orientation until Jan 9.... I haven't had a break from a job that long in 12 years! I'm overdue, thrilled, and couldn't feel more blessed for the changes coming in my life!

Agree or disagree, but I'm a firm believer of, "it's not what you know, it's who," That line has gotten me my past 4 jobs, my apartment, and a sweet deal on a flat screen tv.

Nontraditional

This year, was a little nontraditional for me for Turkey Day. For effect lets just say, I spent it alone... "aaawww, poor Jules..."
Hold your tears.
Long story short, due to my job, I was unable to make it home for Thanksgiving. Jamaica was headed north, and Jen was spending the holiday with her in-laws, which leaves those of us without kids or spouses doin' the independent thing.
It was a sad reality at first, I felt a little sorry for myself in all honesty...
BUT, here's how the weekend panned out:
* I had a dear friend who flew into town and needed a place to crash, so we stayed up late, caught up on boys and girly issues, and I loved every minute of it!
* I have another friend who's working on her RN and had to work until 6AM Thanksgiving Day, and go back to work at 6PM for another 10 hour shift, so I invited her over for food.
* I spent the WHOLE day in my pj's.... yes, the ENTIRE day, it was awesome
* I cooked my first Thanksgiving dinner, and only cooked the items I love about Thanksgiving, which excludes deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. For those of you in the family, I had an ENTIRE pan of Raspberry Snow to myself... you're getting jealous now aren't you? It went off without a hitch! I call it beginner's luck since my lil 9 lb turkey was in the over for almost 6 hours! BUT! Everything came out of the oven at the same time (which, lets be honest, NEVER happens with a crowd to feed), everything was warm, delicious, and the turkey was the most moist turkey I dare say I've ever had!
* I napped when I wanted to nap, I had leftovers about 4 times... on Thanksgiving Day, I watched movies, and relaxed until it was time to hit up Black Friday, which started at 10pm on Thanksgiving, but THAT is another post in itself.
* Confession: I don't know if I can go back to having a chaotic, big hoopla of a Thanksgiving dinner. I LOVED IT! Don't get me wrong, I love hangin with the fam, but sometimes it gets chaotic, the turkey ends up cold, and I end up having to make the deviled eggs. So this was AWESOME!
* And to top off the weekend I drove to Evanston and played volleyball ALL day with a group of really fun girls! Man, we played a lot of volleyball, and we were exhausted, but it was great!

I'm starting to realize that being single sometimes makes us 'exceptions to the rule' on a lot of levels. It somehow entitles us to some interesting situations. For example: If you have a spouse and kids and tell your entire family you want to cook your own Thanksgiving dinner entirely alone, they may say you're selfish or crazy! So see, being single has its perks!

All Caught Up and Ready For Fall!

My FAVORITE thing about Fall is the crisp air, sweaters, scarves, baking, and the LEAVES! I LOVE THE FALL COLORS!!!
BUT.
We Don't have any of that here in the desert. So... my favorite thing about October in St. George, is the SG MARATHON!
Jamaica is the Captain over Clothing Retrieval, so of course I volunteer on her team!
It's kind of insane if you think about it... we get up at 3:30AM and drive 45 minutes up the Hwy to sit in a U-Haul truck while 7,000 runners HURL their belongings at you in a bag! I may be nuts.... but something about it... I LOVE!
Very few people get to see the start line of the marathon that don't have to run 26.2 miles back into town... I'm one of those lucky people, and it's awesome! Here's the view in the AM...And the fire dept even lights fires since the race basically starts in the mountains and they start bussing athletes out to the start line at 4am, so they bring blankets and sleep next to the fires, this is prior to everyone showing up
Daniel brings his scouts out to pick up clothes on the way back into town...
All these bags were AIMED right at my face hours earlier, after which they are stacked in the Uhaul and zipped into town where they are organized by the athlete's number and picked up at the finish line...
Last year we made friends with the radio announcer.... Ed Rogers... love that man, he's awesome! And then we ran into him volunteering for the Ironman in May too! So you could say we're race buddies, and a radio announcer is a guy to be friends with, cause they give you a legit 'shout out'... listen carefully, at the very beginning.... we have been coined as 'The Frahmettes' with Ed, and he lets everyone know where to bring their clothes! He started it last year because he thought it was so cool that our trio of sisterhood tackled the 'morning clothes' together. Thanks Ed! See ya in May at Ironman!


Jamaica refuses to relinquish her role as Captain of Clothing, so she does what she has to... even if that means truckin her kids around at 4am... luckily, they love it and take it like champs!

Playing Catch Up- September pt 3

AND, to finish off September, we got together with the fam again..... for 2 BIG events!
Jen and Jimmy were able to be sealed in the SG temple. They've been working on this since they were married in 2009 and it was great to see them reach their goal
The lil Lindell FamAnd if you haven't learned this about our fam.. when we're together, we take pictures! But I decided to bring the props from me and Coll's photo booth... and have a fun family pic! I LOVE it!
I love this group of goofs! It's so fun to think all this started with the Fab Five.... and in 2012, our numbers will be a good, even, round 14! (Jen is expecting, if you hadn't heard...wahoo!)

And on Sunday the 25th, Daniel blessed Jaida... It was great to have mom and dad in town again and all be together celebrating all these milestones for our family! Love you guys

Playing Catch Up- September pt 2

Another milestone was reached! I have officially lived with my FAVORITE roommate for 4 years!
Colls and I have made some very fond memories and we decided a 4th Anniversary Bash was in order to commemorate! Colls has had over 70 roommates, but none have lived with her has long as I! I am number 68 and holding strong! (Jen (#67) and Lana (#69) got married, and Amber (#70), moved out in May) We invited almost everyone we know over, and had a blast! We had outdoor movies going, a bonfire, and lots of good food. But my favorite part was turning our spare room into a photo booth! It was a hit!
Some of my favs....

This is why I love Sunny.... not to mention she did a voice with every outfit she put on!
My niece Mya, Ta'ai, Britt, Me, and Tom
Our friends Kelly and Kevin, they're so cute and fun!
Our friend Keena and Colls
Daniel and Michael were camping, so Jamaica brought the girls over and they all had a blast! I'm so glad they could come! Mya LOVED the photo booth and found herself in nearly 1/2 of the entire photo shoot!Thanks for all our friends who came to celebrate! Love ya Colls! Here's to another great year of fun and memories!

Playing Catch Up- September pt 1

September brought my 2nd invitation to the 'Annual Bridger' trip! My friend Sunny's dad works for the Forrest Service, so we get to use the FS cabins up in the Uinta Mountains and enjoy one last hoorah to say farewell to the summer!
We ride 4-wheelers...
This year, we made the mistake of attaching the lunch cooler to one of the boy's machines.... BIG mistake. Boys will be boys, showing off, and going off jumps.... and dumping the cooler, and ruining our lovely packed lunch...
We play cards, eat LOTS of good foods, play volleyball, tell stories around the fire, and take an annual 'ROCK' picture...
We've all agreed life would just be more simple if we could all just live in Bridger.... but every year we load back up and say goodbye to summer and Bridger, and head back to reality. Thanks for the invite, and great memories!
This year was enjoyed by Sunny, Me, April, Rikki, Lisa, Clint, Dave, and Deamer

Playing Catch Up- August part 3

What better way to finish off the month of August than a road trip back to my roots of ol' WY? It was SO nice to go home. Mom had a whole week off and I had a blast hanging with the parents and getting to spend time with friends I've had since kindergarten...
I went 4-wheeling with my parents and we found a HUGE herd of elk. May I just say, there is something simplistic and amazing in watching wild animals in their natural habitat. It made me so sad for every creature that is locked in a zoo. I could have watched these elk all day, it was phenominal! There was a patch of snow they kept prancing and playing on, it was so fun to witness!
And then they caught our scent, and suddenly, they were gone, like a flock of birds they moved so seamlessly together down the canyon... it was amazing
Mom, Dad, and I took a couple days and went to Yellowstone, I hadn't been there since I was probably 5, and it really is such a cool place! My dad was like a little kid in a candy shop, I could have mistaken that he was in Disneyland, it was so fun! I think it was 40-something degrees, and coming from 100+ in St. George, it was so rejuvenating!
Right after entering the park, we saw our first wildlife, up close and personal.... and right on the road... in the other lane to be precise...He was so pretty, and just truckin down the road, and then he glanced over at us... Dad panicked, and hit the gas and we were on our way on to the rest of Yellowstone!
We saw 5 or 6 waterfalls, a bunch of buffalo, a wolf (he was HUGE), 2 bears, Old Faithful Inn, and the famous Old Faithful... don't worry, it's still erupting!

And there were a few people there to witness the explosions with us...
to my left...

and to my right....
and in case you're wondering, yes, we ALL did 'The Wave' while we waited :)
Dad went to CO to do the Century ride so mom and I loaded the bikes in the truck and rode them down the old highway up above Ten Sleep... it's one of my favorite things to do... I love the Bighorn Mountains, they're where I grew up, and I truly believe they are a hidden treasure of WY!