Seattle Summers

I feel like this summer has been rushing by! We are already 7 weeks in, and I feel like we've done so much! We've kayaked, and hiked, camped, and played at the beach. We've slack-lined, and learned new talents. We've gone to movies, and hung around downtown Seattle. We've been to festivals and fireworks shows. We've gone to markets, gone out to eat, and went to a baseball game. We've decorated, and hung out together. I've sat by the pool, read books, and crafted. We've played with kangaroos and fed llamas. We've gotten into our jobs, and have made friends here in Seattle. We even got church callings (primary teachers...again). Over-all, it's been quite the summer.

Despite the fact that I have a job, I feel like this has been one of the most relaxing summers of my adult life. Rather than working 9-5, I work from 6-9:15 and 3-6:15 with a few random hours here and there. At first I didn't think that I would like working so early. However, once I started to fully realize the possibilities of having the days off, I have grown to love the schedule. I can work, read, craft, sit by the pool, hang out on my porch swing, run errands, exercise (with my free YMCA membership...), and tidy up the house, all before noon. It's fantastic! I'm applying for a job with the same hours during the school year, so please cross your fingers for me!!

We should know in the next few weeks if the YMCA is going to hire Derek on for the fall!! It'll be exciting for Derek to have a full time job with benefits. He works so hard, and he really deserves for this to work out for him (and us). Derek always goes above and beyond in everything he does, so I will be really surprised if he doesn't get the job. There are currently four full time openings in his program area, so we are really hoping it works out!! Derek loves his job, and would love to continue working for the Y.

In other news, we just found out today that after our 4 month lease expires in September, they are raising our rent close to 100 dollars a month, even with a 12 month contract. It's CRAZY. I mean, the apartments are nice, but not nice enough to be paying close to 1000 dollars a month for a 1 bedroom apartment...I suffered through paying 885 a month, merely because we could sign a 4 month lease, but playing close to 1000?? Not gonna happen. So we are in the market for a new place. We are broadening our search, and seeing how much bang we can get for our buck. We found a 2 bedroom condo online with a large backyard for 840 a month, so maybe having the rent go up is a blessing...It opens up so many possibilities for us that we didn't even consider before. It'll suck to move, but unless our complex agrees to $780 a month (What it would have been originally if we signed a 12 month lease...), we are out of here. Vamoose. Skedaddle. Adios

Amigos!

So that's pretty much what's been going on in this neck of the woods. We are loving Seattle, and we are hoping that our move here can be a permanent one...settle down....start a family. You know the drill. I am just lucky to have a cute, hilarious, and helpful husband to share this journey with. He makes life fun exciting! I am so grateful I have him for time and eternity!