To catch you up

Tanner lost his first tooth.

We rented a cabin near Flagstaff for Thanksgiving.

Built a gingerbread house.

Went to Polar Express (and ran into Veronique/Arween and family).

And then it SNOWED!

Went to the zoo today with our favorite neighbor, Tori.

I asked my boss if I could work part time for the next 6-9 months and he approved it. Starting in January I will only work 3 days a week. This gives me more time to donate to Phoenix Volunteers, which is growing. I will also attempt to launch a small business I have started called Employee Reach which provides volunteer services to businesses.

But, most importantly, on Mondays and Tuesdays each week I will pick Paige up from daycare (Grandmas) at 1:30 and then pick up Tanner from school. I can't wait to spend the afternoons with my kids. I have purposely found some parks and activities to do with the kids because I don't want to take them home where I will be tempted to clean, let Tanner play video games or just sit around. I want the afternoon to be nothing but laughing, running, exploring, and playing. I can't wait!

I hope the next 9 months will offer some alternatives to going back to work full time. Although my boss was "ok" with me working part time, he asked me to commit in writing that I planned to be full time again later this year. I am hoping that before I have to go back full time that either my new company will take off, I find another part time job, or the economy improves enough to make it safer to have only one income.

What will be will be. In the meantime I plan to enjoy the next 9 months of more time with my kids and an exciting new opportunity trying to build Phoenix Volunteers and Employee Reach, both of which fill me with passion and allow me to do something worthwhile with my brain and time.

Here's to 2010!