Nothing new to report

Even though this last week has been an emotional roller coster, there is not a lot going on.
Yes, I am still worried about keeping my job. Yes, I hate the fact that it could be another 7 weeks until we get a definite answer to if I will keep it or not. Yes, I hope that everyone I work with will have a job within WaFed.
But no, I still don't think its really the time to start looking for a new job. I really don't want to start out at the bottom of the totem pole so to speak. I really, really don't want to work for another small bank that at any moment could go through the exact same thing as Legacy Horizon branches are going through now. It sucks! I would not wish this on anyone. I now know how WaMu employees felt when they were closed. As much as people say they know what happens when a bank is closed by FDIC, they don't. Especially when they say it is going to be ok. They have no idea.
One new thing to report...On the same day Legacy Horizon was closed, Jake (my husband) found out that the school district he works for is in BIG trouble. Big enough that the State of Washington might have to step in and take over. Ugh. A broke entity taking over another broke entity. Why? What a stupid idea. And if that happens there will be lots and lots of cuts. As far as we know nothing is safe. From the Principal. To all sports. To even the teachers.
Yes, once again, even after 4 years of teaching Jake is still worried about is job and if he will have a teaching position next year. We were very fortunate that last year Jake was one of the lucky ones to keep his job. But if sports are cut, students will leave to go to schools with sports and there will be a need to cut more teachers. Eventually all you would have are those kids who don't care, who sell drugs, and who make very bad decisions.
As of now it is hard to say that there will actually be cuts at the school, and that is most likely worst case. It is hard to think of anything else.
I guess only time will tell. Both Jake and I are hoping and praying that we keep our jobs and everything works out. As it always seems to do.
I hope that there is someone out there looking out for us.

It is part of the World's history.

I got an email from my mom today about the Holocaust and some people wanting it taken out of the history books because it might offend them/someone or even some people saying it never happened. It truly saddens me that this could ever happen. Millions of people died. And even more peoples' lives were forever changed. It did happen. It is part of the World's history. And it is not something that can just be taken out of or history books because someone doesn't like it. Here is the email:

When I was a kid, Ike was president, I couldn't ever imagine why he was so popular. Maybe this has something to do with it:

General Eisenhower Warned Us

It is a matter of history that when the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, General Dwight Eisenhower,found the victims of the death camps he ordered all possible photographs to be taken, and for the German people from surrounding villages to be ushered through the camps and even made to bury the dead.

He did this because he said in words to this effect:

'Get it all on record now - get the films - get the witnesses -because somewhere down the road of history some bastard will get up and say that this never happened'

This week, the UK debated whether to remove The Holocaust from its school curriculum because it 'offends' the Muslim population which claims it never occurred. It is not removed as yet.. However, this is a frightening portent of the fear that is gripping the world and how easily each country is giving into it.

It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended. This e-mail is being sent as a memorial chain, in memory of the 6 million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians, and 1,900 Catholic priests Who were 'murdered, raped, burned, starved, beat, experimented on and humiliated' while the German people looked the other way!

Now, more than ever, with Iran , among others, claiming the Holocaust to be 'a myth',it is imperative to make sure the world never forgets.?

This e-mail is intended to reach 400 million people! Be a link in the memorial chain and help distribute this around the world.

How many years will it be before the attack on the World Trade Center 'NEVER HAPPENED',

because it offends some Muslim in the U.S. ???

Do not just delete this message; it will take only a minute to pass this along.?

FREEDOM ISN'T FREE...SOMEONE HAD TO PAY FOR IT

Welcome to WaFed

So I must say, I am feeling much better about being bought by Washington Federal. They held a meeting for all the NEW WaFed employees up in Bellingham. I cant for the life of me remember the name of the hotel, but oh man I wanna go there for a weekend. Anyway, from what they said I think WaFed will be a good company to work for. Good and honest.

Now the problem is going to be just keeping my job and staying on. It is for sure that the Mount Vernon branch of the ex-Horizon will be closed. The branch I work at will be closed. We have no idea when it will happen, but it will be months not weeks. Even just that part alone makes me feel a little better.

So here is to good luck, keeping my job, and liking my new employer. I'm kinda excited for the change.

Unknown future...

This afternoon the bank I currently work for, Horizon Bank, was taken over by the FDIC and sold to Washington Federal Savings. It has been looming in the distance for so long, it felt like it was never going to happen. We all worried that the bank was going to be sold to a 'big' bank like U.S. Bank or B.O.A. but never did we really think that a local bank would buy us. Its a good thing, I guess. But, and here is the kicker, there is a Washington Federal Savings less then 20 feet from the Mount Vernon office. 20 feet from where I work! You can say I'm a little nervous. No, nervous is not the right word. I am straight FREAKING OUT! I have no idea if I will have a job in a week, a month, or a year. No idea. No idea what so ever.

As I was driving home, all I could think through the tears, was what bills we were going to pay off with the $8000 tax credit and would it be enough to live on if I didn't have a job. Would we be able to survive if I worked part time? Finding a job right now isn't the easiest thing to do you know. Do we know enough people here that I could find a job with one? Could I go back to Big Blue if there was something open? What is going to happen to all the people that are now my friends from the Mount Vernon Branch?

So many questions. But yet no answers. I might have more information tomorrow after a meeting that Washington Federal is hosting for all the EX Horizon Bank employees. My fingers are crossed that everything will work out and that I will keep my job.

Here is the FDIC website with the article about the sale of Horizon Bank to Washington Federal Savings. http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2010/pr10004.html
And another website with some more information. http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/horizon-wa.html

Everything happens for a reason. Please keep my husband and I in your thoughts and prayers.

Turkey Cupcakes

I saw a picture of this in with some coupons and had try them. I was surprised at how well they turned out.

What I used:

White Cake mix (and made it per the instructions on the back of the box)
Chocolate frosting

Candy Corns

Chocolate sprinkles

White and Black Wilton decorating gel
and Cup cake holders

I mixed the cake mix with the required ingredients from the back of the box and poured them into the cupcake holders.

And cooked them for a little too long I guess. They started to smell a little like burnt cake so I took them out.

Once they were cool I decorated them. Generously covering them with Chocolate frosting. And rolling some of the frosting with the knife to make the head

Then I stuck some candy corn in the opposite side of the head for the tail.

Next steps are to put the candy corn in front for his nose and chocolate sprinkles on top for...feathers maybe.

And last but not least the eyes. First the white and then black Decorating gel.

The finished Turkeys: What a great treat for Thanksgiving Dinner with family :O)

Change my focus

In the spirit of relaxing and not focusing on getting pregnant... Jake and I have been making plans for the next few months. They include spending time with a good friend of mine in a few weeks watching New Moon and enjoying her company. Spending time with friends and having a few drinks (which I would not be able to do if I was pregnant.) Going to my Branch's Christmas party in December. Seeing family for an extended Christmas weekend. Along with the holiday season and all the joy it brings. Going to 2A State Basketball. And now, a decision we just made tonight, a long weekend in April to Victoria, BC during spring break.

I know it is going to be hard not to focus on getting pregnant over the next few months. I hope the distractions will work and I will be able to relax a little. I cant wait for these distractions. If anyone has any other ideas I'm all ears.

Continuing Disappointment

**I need to say this up front: This is not a recipe for food or anything related to food. It is something I need to get off my chest. And here was the only place I could think of.**

Goal: Getting Pregnant

Yet again it feels like everything is going wrong. It seems to be that disappointment is a common theme in our house as of late. Actually the last 20 months have had the same outcome and I'm not sure why I even think there will be something else.

It started when Jake and I decided to try to have a family. It was right after basketball season was over the year we got married. We decided to stay in the area, not to move home, and start a family. Seems easy enough, right? Well apparently not.

After 6 months I made an appointment with my doctor and have had almost everything checked (including the little swimmers) and there seems to be no reason why we have not gotten pregnant. I have checked for ovulation every day for months, had sex on the appropriate days, and crossed our fingers. When that didn't work we had sex every other day for an entire month. That didn't work so we had sex every day for a month. Twice a day for the two weeks around the possible ovulation time. And probably every other combination you can think of. We have even tried Clomid for 5 months. Clomid increases the chances of pregnancy by increasing hormones that cause ovulation. There are a long list of side effects, most I'm sure I have experienced. But even that hasn't worked.

To date nothing has worked. A few months ago I decided I wasn't going to 'track' everything and just not let it be a priority. And then we were told about Pre-seed by a friend of mine that had just found out she was pregnant. I was sure that would work...but obviously it hasn't worked, I'm typing this.

Everyone keeps telling me that it 'will happen when it is suppose to' but I don't know if I believe that any more. It has been 20 months of nothing but disappointing month after disappointing month. We have seen most of our friends and family get pregnant, have babies, and even some get pregnant again. I know some people get pregnant really easily and others don't. But what if I never do? What if I can't?

We do have a few options but all require money we don't have. Tens of thousands of dollars that we will probably never have. I want a family, I want children, even if we adopt. But is that even a possibility? We have decided to take a few months off and then try again after the 2009-2010 B-E basketball season ends. It is going to be really hard to not think about it, or the possibility of it at the end of each cycle, or what we are going to do come the middle of March.

I guess only time will tell and I truly hope that everyone is right.

It will happen when its suppose to, right?