January 2025

 Traditionally January is the WORST month of the year for me.  It is a total let down following the holidays.  Our house looks lame after we take down the Christmas Decor and it takes my eyes a whole month to adjust to the boringness and sadness of that look, feel and smell being absent.  Rals has to climb up on the roof to take our big wreath down.  This day is SO sad.  I hate it.  We didn't take our decor down this year until January 4th.  I just didn't want to do it.  Can we normalize Christmas Decor year round?

 In years past I have found myself to be in a bit of a depression..... I mean as depressed as I get, which thankfully is relatively never bad.  From a mental health perspective, I have been blessed in that area.   

It also always seems like it takes FOUR months to get through the 31 days.

It is the slowest month of the entire year in Vacation Rentals too, so the days usually feel like weeks.  

BUT NOT THIS YEAR!!!

In anticipation of the impending monotony of the season, I decided to create some excitement and super fun jobs for myself.  I have come to discover that you have to create your own job description.  You have to create your own happiness.  You are only as good or as happy as you make up your mind to be.  

I completed my assignment of decorating our NEW OFFICE bathroom.  It is darling and is such a gigantic improvement from the lame lavortory that was turned over to us by the old tenant.  

Pretty bad

I turned that into this

I also accepted a challenge from my boss to use AI (specifically Chat GPT) to improve my work life.

I spoke of this last month.

I created a Good, Better, Best Proposal to send to various homeowners whose homes are struggling competitively due to not being up to date with decor.

I propose to them that I would love to transform their home in one of three ways depending on how much they would be willing to invest.

I sent my proposal to my first owner.

And he took me up on my BEST offer.

And I did my very best to make his little home competitive and up to date with newer, modern decor with colorful bedding and more current lighting and artwork. 

I removed the 90's vibe from the upper cupboards and replaced it with 21st century countertop decor instead

This is the photo that someone from our company (probably like 6 years ago) actually put on the website for this home.

I couldn't believe it when I discovered it. 

How dare we? We should be ashamed of ourselves.

I mean..  the bar was set so incredibly low here.  Simply opening the blinds would have been a drastic improvement.  Also, this is how my 12 year old makes a bed.  Who did this?  I want names?

At least a slight attempt to get the blinds up in this room was made.  

You can tell the person was probably only 5'3 and this was simply as high as they could get the blinds.

Don't go find a chair to stand on.

Don't do that.

Just get them as high up as you can.

Also, don't turn the lampshade seam to the back.

Don't do that.

And find the same 12 year old to make this bed too.

I loved every minute of this project

I am very TASK oriented.  I love having an assignment to work on.  Checking off a written to-do list.  I love planning it out and seeing it all the way through and I really love standing back and looking at my work, knowing that I have made a significant difference.

This was very much that.

Because this particular home is one of the smallest, in one of the most struggling of communities, an underperformer in every way, I didn't have much of a budget and so I did the best with what I had....

but at the end of the day, I did some good work and even made a little bit of a profit for the company.

Not too shabby.

Then I sat back and watched the reservations and interest start to take effect.  

He made his money back in four days, and we are only in January, my friends.

You're welcome Sir, it was my pleasure.

The following Monday, my boss came in to my office in a bit of a panic....

"We just aquired a lagoon front property in Desert Color that is scheduled to have a photoshoot on Thursday and the decor in the 5 million dollar home is lackluster so say the least.  

The owner will give you $1000.

Will you take the money and do as much as you can with it 

IN. THREE. DAYS."

9 bedrooms, 4800 square feet, $1000.00????

CERTAINLY....

I'm on it

I gathered up every single item in my "showroom" closet upstairs where I keep 40 darling decorative pillows, several comforters and a few plants.

I stripped Peyton's bed.

I headed over to Passport with a 1000 bones and negotiated and manipulated that cash so that I got the very most out of it that I possibly could have.

Then with the help of my new assistant, I got to work.

This

Turned into this

This

Into this

This

Into this

This

Into this

This

Into this

Again.....  Super tight budget

But so fun and SO rewarding

Here is a picture of my NEW OFFICE space as well.

It is a delightful little corner, although I haven't spent very much time here given that I am 

decorating all over the town and running from store to store buying all the pillows

Moving on....

All three of our kids received callings this month to class presidencies.

What good little disciples they are.

Ryker loves being a Teacher and preparing the sacrament.

In addition to my Relief Society Instructor calling, I am also a Sunday School teacher, which means that I teach 3 out of 4 weeks of the month.

It is forcing me to stay up to date with my learning which I love and I am learning a TON.

I get to teach the seniors.  I love that class so much.  I taught them when they were freshmen, so it is fun to be back together.  They are eager to learn and they are respectful and so funny.  They laugh at my humor and participate maturely when I ask them questions.

We were able to go to the temple on the last Saturday of the month.

It was a very cold and overcast day.  

We went earlier in the day this time but it was still dark when we came out.

There is no better feeling than sitting in the Celestial Room. 

Especially the Celestial Room of the Red Cliffs Temple.  

The most darling temple in the whole world (IMO)

I lost 3 pounds and gained quite a bit of muscle what with all of my running around this month.

For the first time since the onset of menopause, I easily zipped up my "honeymoon" skirt.  This is a freaking big deal.  Menopause is no joke.  It kicks your trash.  It has sure kicked mine. But, I have worked really hard.  I was determined not to let it get me.

I think I am on the other side of it enough to say that I am a survivor and I am declaring myself victorious.

I know I can't let my defenses down.  I will keep up my routines and hypervigilance.  But this was a good day.

Had to document.

We had a 2025 Kick Off Event at work this month and it was so good and so fun

And the managers had to stand up in front of everyone and recite the Company's Vision

that we had memorized

And Mom and Dad, my very favorite inspectors were there

We ended the month with the finishing of our new office 

and the mood and vibe is so much better.  It feels so good to be 

separated from the PM side of the company.  Really nice people but.......

It feels so good to be in a space with just US.

Yay.... we did it.

We survived it again.

So many good things happened this month.

We were awarded 7 additional days off to our Time Off Calendar at work.

Our first, MLK day.

It is so nice to have days off.  Especially three day weekens and four day work weeks.

We got to spend some time with Kori and Russ this month.  Russ rented a special van and they made the incredibly long and uncomfortable journey to St George from Eugene Oregon.  My biggest regret of this month is that I did't take a picture of our visit.  I even cried a little bit over that mistake.  It was so fun to see them and have them teach us about their new life adventures.  I enjoyed hearing them tell us how the people in their ward are serving them.  It was so good to hear Kori's voice.  I wanted to stay and visit longer, but their calendar was SO booked up trying to see as many old friends as they could while they were here.  She has a new fancy electric wheelchair that gets her all around more easily.  I am in awe of her positivity and outlook on life in spite of unspeakable challenges.  She is unbelivable.  I pale OUTRAGEOULY in comparisson to her.  It certainly makes you think differently about your life and your thoughts and your gratitude and your humility level when you are with her.

I know that our Heavenly Father and his angels are vigorously working to concecrate all of this for her good.  I cannot wait to see the day that those consecrated efforts are made manifest.

It sure makes the story of the four friends that lowered their crippled companion through the roof down to Jesus, so he could heal him, take on so much more meaning and relevance.

That is absolutely what we would do for her if we had the chance to do so.

I was given two bonus' for my hard decorating work.

I have an envelope where I stash unexpected windfalls.  

I am well on my way in 2025 to some new boots or maybe I will see what else comes in the next few months and I will get something BIG.

Raleigh is a powerhouse Bishopric member. 

He conducted this month and did so with complete perfection and sexiness.

He helped me hang all of the artwork in my home projects

It was so fun to meet him in the middle of the day for lunch and spend time together on the clock, so to speak.

He continues to be my greatest treasure.  I love him more than I will ever be able to express.

I am grateful for all of our blessings which are too many for the natural men that we are.

We don't deserve this much

So happy February is here