Christmas Mischiefs

Slinky Spastics 

Suspicious Spectator

Starving Soldier

Sleepy Creepers

Our family did the 12 days of Christmas for a cute little family in Toledo, but we wanted to make things a little more exciting than in years past... so instead of being the Christmas Angles, or Elf's or some sweet and kind little magical Christmas character we were the Christmas Mischiefs! It was an adventure every night! These pictures are from the first night after we were almost caught in the act. Can you believe that, almost caught on the fist night!?! Luckily two of us were daring enough to get down and "do the dirty" to make sure the job was done right; me and Lucas volunteered....

Lucas and I ran up near the stairway to the front door and hid ourselves up against the house behind a small bush. It started pouring down rain as we arrived back at the house after the first failed attempt to deliver the package to the door. The garage was open and there was a man inside of the garage working. Just when I peeked around the corner of the house to check if we could make it to the door with the package without the man seeing, someone else came from the house into the garage and the man in the garage started down the driveway (right past us) to a house across the street. Lucas and I thought we were home free but the man came back from across the street and this time he had a latter with him, which he carried into the yard right next to where Luke and I were hidden. I told Luke that if we didn't move he couldn't see us... or was that dinosaurs that can't see you if you if you don't move in Jurassic Park? Oh well, we didn't move for a few seconds and we had convinced that if we couldn't see him then he couldn't see us. I suddenly made a break for it cause there was no way we were making it out of there unseen. I wedged my way in between the house and the bush, ran the package up the stairs, pounded loudly on the front door, and I gave Luke the go signal. We sprinted down the wet and slippery driveway towards the car. They totally saw us running away, but we were just thankful to have made it out without falling down the drive way and successfully delivering the package. I call that spirited service. Too fun!

Home to Stay for an Extended Visit...

I moved home to Oregon about three months ago on faith and a prayer that Heavenly Father had something in mind for me... I had been living in Salt Lake City Utah for about 2 1/2 years and working at a day service facility for adults with disabilities. When I started working there, the Work Activity Center, in the summer of 2008 I really thought it was going to be a very temporary job, just something to pay the bills until I found a design job. Well that little thought-to-be temporary job turned into a job and people that I absolutely fell in love with after only a few short months. 

The first weekend of October 2010 I had some impressions and really felt like some things in my life needed to change. Just a few weeks later, after much prayer and contemplation, I put in my month's notice (resignation) at my job. I had worked as a program lead in one of the behavior departments at the day service for almost exactly 2 years 3 months.I felt I had made the right decision, but I was also feeling very anxious and concerned about money, because if I didn't have a job there was no way I could stay in Salt Lake for very long. I prayed very hard that if I was suppose to stay in Salt Lake I would find a job before my last day at the Work Activity Center. Let me tell you, the Lord makes a way for those that have faith, put forth their best efforts, and trust in Him... about a week after I quit my job I landed another job! I was thrilled because I felt that meant I should stay in Salt Lake and I was going to be working as a ski valet at a resort in Deer Valley so I would be on the mountain everyday through the winter... DREAM JOB! :) Well some other things happened during the month before I was going to start the ski job and about two weeks before I felt kind of unsettled about the job. I continued to feel this way up until about a week before I was suppose to start the job. So... Monday November 21 I called home, bought a plane ticket, packed a little carry on suitcase, and by Wednesday November 23 I was home in Oregon with my family. I really do move with the wind sometimes and it can be cray, fun, and exciting, but sometimes my life is totally chaotic because of it!

I planned on staying for about a month, but plans changed as mine usually do. I got a job working at the Toledo High School as a teaching assistant for some of the PE Classes. It's been a great opportunity for me to work with the students and to also get some experience with  design under my belt. I have also taken the initiative to start designing the new student lounge at the JR/SR High and have been working with the student leadership class to present ideas, assign responsibilities, and make decisions. I look forward to seeing how the final design comes together!

In the meantime my family and I have found ways to keep ourselves busy in our little small town. For the past three months we have been eating, sleeping, and breathing basketball because all three of my little brothers, Lucas (17), Isaiah (13), and Conner (9) are on basketball teams. We have been going to at least three games a week, and that's on a slow week. Luckily we are all Marchants so we LOVE basketball...it's in our blood! Aside from basketball we have found other great things to do with out time such as, find perfect locations that you could only find in a small town to take fun pictures. Lucas and I had so much fun and it was a sweet little bonding experience for us both. I love my family so much and I'm grateful to be home for this unplanned extended visit.