Seattle Pride 2013

Today we woke up early to hit up the Seattle Pride parade.  Erik and Destiny stayed the night so they could watch the boys in the morning (after a hilarious attempt by Andy and Erik to put the garage door opener up only to find it was too short in the end).

We got there and it was hot.  It was humid and 93 degrees. Ugh.  Luckily, we found a spot of curb in the shade and staked it out so we wouldn't die during the parade.  We met up with Leslie and Krissy, but later met up with a lot of my old rugby team and Andy's cousin Emily.  The parade was awesome- definitely the most colorful parade you're going to find.  I'm pretty sure Pride is the best people watching you're ever going to find too.  I was completely shocked to see some people brought their kids of age to remember this stuff to watch though, there is a lot of nudity (yes, full nudity) and weird fetish clubs that march.

Waiting for it to start

It started with "dykes on bikes"

Followed by the boy scouts

So much color

Chipotle brought a guy riding a burrito

Microsoft 

Jackie from the morning show we listen to

Rugby people

 We were there for a few hours before we started to get burnt out.  It was a LOOOOOONG parade.

We decided to hit up the festival afterwards but it was PACKED.  We waited in line enough for a lemonade, gyro, and later an ice cream and after a final round, we decided to go home.  It was too hot and humid and weaving through people wasn't that much fun anymore.

It was definitely fun though.  Would go again.  Hopefully next time it isn't so dang hot though.

While I'm gone

Sawyer has so much fun at his daycare with Eli and LJ, and this past week they got to do some fun activities.  On Wednesday they went to the Children's museum, and Friday they went to Dash Point beach.

My job's disappearing

The title says it all.  We had heard rumors the past couple days when we got an invite for a conference call just including management, SSR's, and FR's.

Basically, they said for the "customer experience" they would be getting rid of all of the finance reps (my job) and drastically lowering the SSR's (they do customer service stuff and do not receive commission).  I think what they mean is they made some poor decisions and have to cut costs because it wouldn't help the store to have more sales reps, especially in locations like ours that rarely have lines. What they are doing is letting the current SSR's keep the jobs that will stay open, and the other SSR's and FR's have to apply for any open positions.  They will decrease our jobs but will open the same amount of jobs as sales reps or asst. managers and per union we get the first shot at them.  The thing is though, they are giving OUR duties to the SSR's.  So yeah, basically they are giving my job to another title and instead of making me that title, I have the option to apply for it if there isn't already someone that has that job (but there is in my store) or apply for a sales position...which is dumb because why don't they just keep us in that job and change our title?  Now they have to spend thousands and thousands on training for them and us. If we choose not to apply for a new job, ours will be ended at the end of 2013 and we can get the severance (which is not worth it.)

So yeah, I pretty much will probably have to be a sales rep.  Which sucks because I'll have quotas.  I'd have to go down $4/hr but be making about $1500 in commission more each month so I'd probably make more money but not sure its worth it.  I had perfect hours m-f 9-5 but sales reps don't get those hours. :(  I guess I'll see if I can find another office job that pays that well (hah, good luck) and otherwise just try to get good at sales.  Hopefully I would even get that job- they are making me apply and take the assessment so if I fail that I couldn't even interview.  I think they're going to find people are going to do a lot more things that cost the company money now that there aren't people like me to stop people, and the managers won't have time to do the stuff that I would do now.  The benefit of this is I would have a lot less responsibility.  Right now they pretty much have me in charge of everything in the store except for sales, and we are on the same pay scale as an SSR which is dumb.  I'll have relief in that at least!

I did have a good night though.  I blew off steam at the bar with Krissy and Kyndyl and we discussed all the major convo topics.  It was fun and I'm glad something positive happened today.  I would like to point out that my manager was really nice and helpful and encouraging to me, insisting I would be really successful in sales with my personality, and my co-workers were sympathetic and helpful too.  I do love the people I work with :)

The Haps

I haven't posted much the past week because we have been pretty overwhelmed.  I started back at work one week ago, and it was also the day Andy left for San Diego.

We have been doing ok.  I'm a bit jealous of Andy though as I change diapers and try to feed a sick baby and he sends pictures of giant hamburgers and the beach.  I think he owes me.

Work has been good.  Unlike last time with Sawyer, Natalie was filling in my spot and doing my jobs so I came back to get right back in the groove of things rather than doing make up work for hours on end.

Anyway, here are some things we've done the past week. (This will probably be long)

Tuesday we took pictures of baby Axel (you know I love this pose, even though it is so hard to do- you have to hold them in the right spots and then put 2 or 3 photos together in photoshop)

Sawyer got to spend his birthday money and got a Mack to hold the bigger cars and a Dinoco McQueen set that he does little tricks on the track

Our new bed set came in the mail

We went to Meeker Days with my mom and dad.  It was too hot for my liking but we found some shade and I got a Philly Cheesesteak so all was worth it :)

 Sawyer took this picture in the car

  He took this one of my dad too

Then we went to a birthday party for Trevor and Aiden

 Pinatas are more awesome now because they just pull strings instead of swinging bats

Water balloon fight ended poorly for Sawyer when a mom trying to hit her older kid ended up pegging Sawyer straight in the stomach

 At least he got to throw some before he got hit.  This picture cracks me up because Ashley's hiding behind the BBQ

 Aiden taught Sawyer how to play Xbox

The next day we went to take pictures of Ashley and family and someone broke into their truck at the barns while we were just over in the field.  They stole her purse.

We had a play date later that day for Sawyer and the neighbor Josh (who moved into the Pogue's house) and Kellan got to play in this thing.  He was actually hitting that stripey kitty that jingled.

Sawyer has been spending a lot of time in his sandbox, even when the weather has been wet.  It has been wet and like 80 lately.

Today we lined up all his Disney Cars we could find.

I cannot wait for Andy to get home on Wednesday!  It has been pretty rough with just me and the boys but we are doing ok :)

Officially three

Sawyer's official birthday is today, but don't tell him that.  We didn't want him to think he got another party or more presents (though he did get a leapster computer thing in the mail today from Jenna).

We love him so much!  He has such a big personality.  Sometimes too big.  People always say  if you think the terrible twos are bad, wait until they are three.  We have been getting a taste of that lately for sure.  He is big enough to talk back, lie, and have opinions about everything.  It is definitely an adventure!  He is so sweet though so it makes up for any of his wrong doings.  He always says please and thank you/no thank you.  Plus he looks so guilty when he does something wrong you almost feel bad for him ;)

Some things he likes are Little Einsteins, Jake and the Pirates, Caillou, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Cars, and trains.  He plays with mostly Cars toys.  He also loves his new sandbox.  He loves to run everywhere and his favorite color is orange.  He loves baths.  He mostly will only eat bubbly cheese sandwiches, bagels, bananas, eggs, chicken nuggets, or pizza.  He also likes to count things.

Some milestones he is at is using the potty by himself and no accidents at night (he just this week started taking his pants on and off and using the step stool so I don't have to help him if he goes pee), full sentences, knows the alphabet (can point them out individually and sing the song), he has a very good memory (he can play the memory match card game very well and can repeat lines from tv shoes and movies after only seeing them once or twice), does puzzles, sings songs, has a good imagination (talks his toys to each other and he likes to pretend to be things like kitties), can play catch and kick and dribble a soccer ball. He runs with good form pretty fast and jumps off of big things. He also makes friends everywhere.  We caught him leading some kid away from his family once at the beach lol.  He still can't say his R's or L's or S's very well though.  He is still "Thoy-uh" and his brother is "Kowan"  His favorite phrases are "But..." and "What you said?" (he normally has better grammar than the later, but he does still refer to all women as "He" "Him" and "His".)

He is a great big brother, but sometimes plays too rough.  He always tries to hug and kiss Kellan, and we've thought he was about to run off a few times but he just wants a better view of the baby.  He says things like "awwww, he's so cute" to him and "I love him!"  He even got Kel to stop fussing once in his swing by talking to him and bringing him a stuffed kitty.

Night time is a little difficult...he knows he can sneak into our bed and we won't notice for awhile so he takes advantage.  I can see him late at night before we fall asleep and he will come in and see we are still awake so he takes back off to his room.

He always says that people are his best friends and I love when it is us.  He is like our little buddy!  I can't wait to see how he continues to turn more into a little person.  We are so proud of him!

Sawyer turns 3, pirate party

Sunday we had Sawyer's pirate party.  He was so excited, the first thing he said when he woke up was "Is it happy birthday to me?"  We were up late the night before and didn't have much time after church to get everything ready so we appreciated the help from everyone.  A few people told us it was such a great party so it was worth it :)

 I never see him as happy as when everyone sang to him, well, except when Andy got everyone to start saying "Sawyer! Sawyer! Sawyer!" afterwards.