Leaving the place we call home...

Genna and I have been married just short of five years now. We've had a lot of fun, made some money, and really grown. Now we're taking a risk, maybe not by some people's standards, but definitely by ours. Genna is set to quit working and start school this fall at Western State University College of Law. This will be a big step for her to reach her desired career goal.

For me things are a bit different. I have been working at Chili's making next to nothing. Now I'll be starting a new job at Disneyland. It's exciting but scary since it starts at part-time and we're going to need all the money we can get. It seems like a great company and I have a lot of chances to advance as I stick it out.

So the adventure will truly begin in a few weeks when I move to Fullerton and start working in Anaheim. Genna will stick around Roseville until August. This will be a challenge for her and I but it is for a good purpose. After a few hard months she'll come down with our wrinkle-faced dog to start a new life. We'll be back in an apartment which is good and bad. Mainly I feel bad for the dog since he's had a great life in the Robinson yard. We've all been lucky to live with Genna's parents and to have my family so close as well.

So, the future is bright and scary. We'll enjoy every minute and it will all work out in the end!

Waiting... Always Waiting

So, Genna is waiting for word on her many law school applications. Like all things that require patience this is not coming easily. The truth is that we have put our lives on hold to a degree while we wait to find out if we'll be relocating or staying put.

We're lucky to be free from a lease to reak or any contracts to cancel. The truth is that it's just lame having to wait. Luckier still, we know that with the different options we've got a loose gam eplan on how to make each of them work. Truthfully, it would be best to stay in the area since the least amount of change would be needed. Still, the idea of moving sometimes feels pretty good.

Until the answer comes we'll just have to check the mail and hope for the right envelope. It's a lot like my mission call. The difference here is that I'm sure it won't be someplace overseas. Well, at least that's what Genna said when she told me the list of schools she applied to.

Spring Training

Better late than never!

Genna and I got a chance to spend the first weekend of March in Arizona with her parents. We soaked up the sun, great company, delicious food, and baseball.

In three days we hoped to see two baseball games. Once we got there Genna thought it would be cool to catch a third. That Friday we drove down to Scottsdale and bought some tickets off a guy on the street. (Genna was so mad at me. He seemed a little shady and I gave him all the cash we had.) What we got in return was two seats 5 rows back from the field for less than 40 bucks. It was so much fun. We also got to meet Gaylord Perry, the Hall of Fame pitcher.

(Gaylord Perry and I. $20 bucks got me a signed ball, a picture, and a handshake. This was at the Giants Stadium in Scottsdale)

The next two games were equally fun. Genna's parents joined us and we saw games at two other stadiums. It's amazing how close the stadiums are. The fans are totally awesome too. We were not doing anything out of the ordinary by going to all these games in a short period of time. Most of the people we met were traveling with the Giants too.

(This is us at the Dodgers/White Sox Stadium)

It was also great to see Craig, Linda, and Walker. Walker may have felt a bit differently though. While we were there I went outside with him one night. Out of habit I shut the sliding door, something that Craig and Linda weren't always doing when he went out. Not long after we got out he decided to go in, full-speed. Dog plus glass door equals loud bang and yelping pooch. It was awful, but I'm guessing he proceeds with caution more often now.

This was a well needed Spring Break for Genna and I. Thanks to Craig and Linda for making it happen. They have a beautiful condo down in Mesa. Now I know where Genna gets her good taste from.

(Us in the Oakland A's Stadium)

Well, for the time being this is all I've got. We have a lot of fun planned this year and I'm sure we'll share it with the blog readers out there. (I hope someone is reading this.)

Keep Your Eye on the Ball

The new year is turning out pretty good. I (Jeff) have found ways to play basketball 4 times a week. This has resulted in the next wave of weight loss and muscle gain I'd been hoping for. Unfortunately it also resulted in a black eye.

Playing church basketball is supposed to come with injuries, but this is the second black eye I've had in the last 8 months. I know, I know, everyone has a church basketball joke or two. This injury actually happened out of poor timing on my part, and the flying elbow of another player who wasn't paying as much attention to my face as he was the rebound.

In another segment of our world....

Genna and I are both waiting on school acceptance news. I'm not sure I can go, but I've applied to Sac State and I'm pretty sure I'll be in. Genna has bigger fish to fry. She's got applications out to law schools all over this great nation.

Every day the mail check is going to be exciting. I'm hopeful that she gets into more than one school so that we can consider our options and make the best choice for us. I actually don't have a preference about which school she gets into, as long as she's happy and we're not in the Midwest. (Sorry, but I don't want to be away from the ocean or coastal towns.)

Finally.....

Working for Chili's has been an adventure. I'm a returning employee so it wasn't totally foreign, but it is an adjustment. The hours are few and the pay is meager but I'm happy to have a job when people all over this area are struggling. I'm also looking for a second source of income. Putting ads on my blog is one possibility...

(Nothing more fun than a blog with ads for Volvo and Triscuits.)

Here's a sample ad!

Nothing says delicious like Old Timey Bread!

(Seriously though, who named this?)

Seriously though, things are really good at Chili's and I'm hopeful to have one other job come through that I've interviewed for.

Life is wonderful!

This is a picture of Genna, my sisters and two of the nieces! Love it!

Super Bowl Madness

This Super Bowl was all about the food. We always enjoy the game, but none of us are fans of the Packers or the Steelers, so this year we were fans of the food.

We had pastrami sandwiches, nachos, homemade potato skins, pizza, breadsticks, fried macaroni and cheese and the star, homemade wings. I don't mean to toot my own horn, but they were GOOD. My dad even asked where we got them. It was truly a Super Bowl to remember. I probably won't remember who won Super Bowl XLV, but I'll definiately remember the food.

New job, new semester, new ward, new plans, new year!

So, when making this blog I should consult Genna a bit more. I'm not sure what she'd want to say but I'll try to cover the basics.

Lot's of new things have come to us this month.

- We've gotten a new year, which isn't that exciting except for all the excitement we'll create fopr ourselves.

- We're in a new ward. After a meeting last week the Granite Bay 3rd Ward was dissolved. We've been moved into the Roseville 4th Ward now. I'm sure it'll be cool. We just really loved our old ward so the change hard as always.

- I (Jeff) got a new job! I'm back at Chili's where I worked in 2007. I still know a few faces and I'm excited to be working at all. Now I need a day job and I'll be set. I'm hoping an interview I have next week works out.

- The Spring semester has begun. I'm only in two classes and a lab but I'm actually excited. After this I'll be eligible to transfer to Sac State whenever I want. This is a big deal for me since I've taken the long and winding road through my college experience. (I'll probably have over 110 units by the time I transfer.)

- We have a few plans made for Disneyland this year. Season passes make the plans easier since we're not going to be paying for tickets with each trip. We need to squeeze the life out of these passes!

Well, enough about us. Although I suppose that's what a blog should be about. Until next time, thanks for stopping by!

This is a photo from the photo book I produced last fall.

Wedding Day Workout

So, yesterday was quite a day. Our good friends Eric Davis and Wendy Clement tied the knot. The ceremony was held at the Sacramento Temple and it was awesome.

Genna and I decided to donate our time and talents as a gift to the happy couple. Genna spent the week making the cakes (cupcakes actually) and a large cupcake for the bride and groom. They looked awesome.

I spent yesterday working as their photographer. It was quite an experience. Nevermind the fear of failure when you shoot a wedding. I was mostly nervous about making sure the 11 siblings between both families were happy and able to be in the pictures that the couple wanted. It went great. Eric and Wendy looked great and the families played along well, even when it got cold.

The reception was great too. The hall was decorated by friends and family and looked wonderful. Our friend Melody went up to decorate with me while Genna slaved away over the cupcakes. Then on Saturday Melody slaved away with Genna to get the cakes set up and put  the finishing touches on everything.

The five of us got a quick moment before they rushed off to their honeymoon.

In the end I hope it was everything they hoped for. I still need to get the pictures finished up and back to them for the final review. Right now I'm sure they're not worried about that though.

What an Adventure

I'm not sure what this blog is supposed to accomplish. Other people seem to use them to share all the details of their lives. Maybe I'll do that. Maybe we'll just share the highlights. Maybe the low points too. I guess it's just a chance to stay connected to all the people that we know.

2010

-     We saw a lot of Giants games. Some in person and a whole lot more on TV. This is not an exaggeration. We might have watched upwards of 120 games throughout the course of the season. It ended well so we won't be seeking any counseling services this year.
-     We went camping and then to Disneyland with a group of close friends. What great memories.
-     My sister and her two kids and great husband continue to be awesome!
-     The Robinson side of the family is good, two nieces and nephews that we miss a lot.

2011

This will be a year to remember. We have had such a great 2010 that in some ways it's a bit scary moving forward. This year will be the jumping off point for a lot of new goals and tasks.

-     Genna will start law school this year. I'm lucky to have such a smart wife.
-     I'm looking for work. It's not that exciting to anyone but me though.
-     We'll have our 5th anniversary. We made it this far, I think we can stick it out for an eternity or so.
-     Indiana Jones, our faithful four-legged sidekick will be 5 years old.

So enough about our year coming. I hope we can share the moments with anyone interested in reading this little blog o' mine.