Teeth Studying

Well, just an update on David's life... He's studying extra hard for the DAT (Dental Test), besides the fact that he still has regular undergrad classes, working, and trying to figure out what dental schools to apply to...  He's signed up for Friday May 13th to take the dental test.  And yes... I totally encouraged Friday the 13th!!  Hopefully it brings good luck :)

I'm so proud of my baby and all that he's doing.  If you happen to be thinking or praying and want to add him to your list, I'd appreciate it!  He's going to do GREAT with all of the studying and practice tests that he's doing.  What does this mean for me???  Well, it means I don't get to see him much or almost at all...  But the little free time he does have, he gives it all to me!  He should take some time for Wii Mario but unless we do that on the weekend nights (date nights) together, he doesn't even remember we have Mario games too much.  Yeah, that definitely proves he's very focused right now!!

So for me I get to work on projects around the house and find other activities to do, I'm doing okay with my independent time, but I can't wait to have my David back!!!  One project completed was combining all our emails and journal for the before and first year of marriage and putting it into a book - that has been a long project but definitely worth it!

If you need a girlfriend to hang with... let me know :)  And if you happen to have passed the DAT recently and want to help a brother out... do let David know he's going to do just fine! :)

Happy May 13th!!  And next up... June 1st we will be submitting our applications to our top dental schools ---- the list of schools we've picked ---- to come later this month -----

PHR

I'd like to introduce you to the newly...

Andrea Everts, PHR

Yeah, I'm sure no one knows what that is huh?? I hadn't heard of it till I started my job. And now I have it at the end of my name!!! So, what is it?? Okay...

Back in September I started studying and taking an HR class to take a huge test to get these 3 initials after my name. It's called the Professional of Human Resources Certificate. It's a way for those in HR to distinguish themselves. Its not mandatory or anything like PhD or stuff, but it felt like quite an accomplishment last weekend after the 4 hour test was over and the computer printed the words - "Passed" !!! I spent every Tuesday night this fall at an HR class with about 20 other professionals where we studied all the different facets of HR. It was a 4 hour class that was pretty long for me after work, but it was definitely a help for my preparation. Then I spent the last 2 weeks studying at every moment possible, even during Thanksgiving, sadly... I was pretty worried since the test is actually pretty gruesome. I had memorized, or tried to memorize all the many HR Laws like Civil Rights, union stuff, benefits laws, salary stuff, and so much more. And then the test is actually isn't just factual, but more about the HR best practices and what the best thing to do in certain situations might be. So, it felt tricky - and who knows how I passed. David, co-workers, and friends would tell you it was because I studied ALL the last few months anytime I could. Yay!!! I'm done!!! And even better, I passed the test and I have something to put on my resume and get a bit of a raise hopefully :)

Now it's on to the wedding planning... only about 2 months away. Can't wait!! Oh, and Christmas, which should be good too.

Not yet...

So... It's not Christmas YET...........but SOON!!!

I saw this picture and I just HAD to post it :) !! Really, I would totally do this if I had a real house and cool neighbors that I would never be able to beat at decorations. It's so funny to me!! (The title of the e-mail going around said "Money Saving Christmas Idea" :P )

In other news... here are the updates so far:

• I went to AZ this past weekend!! It was an awesome 48 hour trip - I'll have to post some pics soon when I can get a few minutes.
• I have 2 WEEKS until I take the PHR Certification test. YIKES!!! I just took a test at my study class and didn't pass....yet. So, I've got LOTS of studying to do. I'm thinking positively, but if I don't get it, I can try again in May. BUT, for now I'm going to try and study at every down moment possible.
• It's getting COLD, but it's good - the Holidays are among us.
• Work has been very hectic with problems with payroll commission stuff, a few layoffs today that killed me, gift card problems that are never ending, etc etc etc. I could write about all that jazz forever too. But instead I should be working, so I will.

Happy Christmas!! Okay, not yet. NOT YET... but SOON!!! Happy November and week before Thanksgiving. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas :)

The leaves are changing

Hi!! Happy Halloween month!!

We went shopping/browsing for costumes this past weekend... and look what we found?

Well, I'm actually going to be a Hocus Pocus witch at work, and probably the same for on Halloween as well. But, it was fun to play around, see the costumes, and get more excited for Halloween!! Yes! :)
David and I have LOTS of good plans for the fall and I'm pretty excited about it all... And of course intermingled is a lot of studying and school and work... Okay, I know no one really reads this, but if you are wondering, yes ... David is the new MAN in my life :) And he's the BEST ever. So, that's why most of these posts have been and will have him included through it all... Just FYI. And that's another reason why life is just so grand at the moment...

So, a few weeks ago it actually SNOWED here in Utah. Yes, we live in the crazy weather time. As Court once told me, the weather has PMS. It's definitely true. Hahah. Well, it also is FALL and AUTUMN and hopefully not fully winter yet. Lots is going on like:

• HR Class - Maybe I can devote a whole post to this, but I'm taking an HR Prep Course to get my PHR - Professional of H.R. - in December. It's a big test that's pretty scary to me right now, but hopefully come December I'll be more ready
• My house - So, my roommate Megan moved out sadly, so I could look for a roommate, or not... And also my windows are LEAKING. So that's the bad part of when it rains... I just can't seem to get anyone to fix it. But, maybe someday, probably when I move out. It's a bit hillarious to see me running around with towels and moving furniture into the middle of the rooms so that water doesn't ruin it all. It's not too bad unless it really pours. It's probably getting worse though... so that's one good reason to wish for snow. No more water leakage...
• Work - It's crazy busy at work. I have a LOT on my plate, and I can't seem to get it all done! We had an HR intern for a bit who quit, so I'm up to my ears in projects and am still trying to get filing and other stuff that someone else should be doing done. I've also done a few more Performance Plans and am working hard on our Recognition (ACE) Program and hopefully in a few weeks that will be done so I can work on the Intranet Updates. You'd think I'm the Web techy here, but I sure am not. Oh man... But it's good.
• Church - We have a new bishopric and the boundaries changed, so all changes bring a bit more work, but we're getting it all under our belts. The exciting day will be when I have 3 RS teachers that are called and teaching and I'm not needing to worry about calling someone since another left or moved or whatever... Someday right? Hopefully.
• Social - Well, my only social is David right now. And that's how I like it. So, life is great there. He's in school and working and we just try and fit a little time to see each other every day, and then on the weekends the most.

Looks like Fall is busy huh? And it only gets more during the holidays. But, I'm totally ready for it!! So, Happy Haunting time everyone! I'll get back to you with all the fun that's going on around here soon :)

50/50 chance

So I filled out a bracket this morning - for March Madness!! I've never done one before, but have had several friends do this over the years. Well, today at work I was told I had 20 minutes and that I needed to sign up. So, I did. Do you think I picked the winners?? Heck YES!! Okay - wow, I'm being optimistic...because I have no idea what teams are good, who are likely to win, or even where some of these teams are and had now 15 minutes to do it all. But, I finished my picking in record time - like 5 minutes. I kinda felt like I was back in school..... there I was sitting in class and the teacher pulls out a pop quiz/test over the reading/lecture. And I grab the test and have NO IDEA what the answers are. I am overjoyed to see that at least 80% are multiple choice, so I have some percentage at getting it right. And then for the fill in the blanks - I would write some random finance/business term that maybe could fit? The class I'm imagining was one of my worst classes - Business Risk Management. We took these "quizzes" every lecture, and it was always on current events or lectures, etc. This was my least favorite class ever!! Oh gosh, I really don't know how I sat in it for 1.5 hours 2 times a week. Lectures were bad, and then the quizzes were worse. They were the ones that no matter if you read or not, I wouldn't get them right. So, I gave up studying ever and just hoped for the best. Sad!! I think I have a better chance at my bracket than with those tests. I have 50/50 right? At least for each game... but overall, a LOT less - too bad I don't feel like doing that math, or I'd tell you my chances :) Instead I'll be sitting at work, watching my brackets, and just so happy because I'm not in school anymore and I don't have that stupid class or stupid quizzes. Another little blessing of graduating!! Go March Madness!! (The blue font is for BYU!! Go BYU...although I didn't pick you to win it all... guess I'm not that loyal, but I did pick U of U to get further...haha...the things I do now that I'm in Murray...)