Good News!!

I got a job offer today as the development and finance coordinator at a nonprofit organization in Salt Lake. I won't mention the organization's name on our blog because I will probably accept the offer and I want to keep my work and private life separate. Who knows? Maybe I'll end up being best friends with my coworkers and I'll share our blog with them. For now, let's keep my name and that of my probable future employer google-y separated. (Definition google-y separated: when you google my name and the organization there are no results).

Anyway, it is a great job and I am really excited about it. My main responsibilities would be grant writing, planning the annual dinner auction, grant report writing, and other financial/accounting responsibilities. If I were to accept I would start in about a month and we would move closer to Salt Lake at the end of July when our condo contract ends. The organization is well-established and well-funded. There seemed to be a great mix of people working there. What it comes down to is that they actually want to pay me and give me benefits!!

Intramural Night

Well the wait is over my loyal readers (I feel confident making that plural), its time for the highly anticipated post about our night filled with intramurals. Tonight Carly had two softball games, I had one, and to top it off we had a kickball game. It was practically a miracle that we got to play tonight after old man winter decided to throw a couple more cold days at us . It is nearly June and it was freezing cold and rainy again today, and this is after it was near 90 degrees on Monday and Tuesday. What a jerk.

Before I fill you all in on the happenings of our games I must apologize for forgetting our camera which means no pictures. Now I know this is upsetting, but it will be ok and I will even allow everyone time to go get a tissue and get themselves together.

Ok now that everyone has their emotions in check we can get on to a run down of the games. Carly won both of her games by rather large amounts, one of them was a 25 run victory. Carly was an animal at the plate, seriously she was acting like a different animal each at bat, it was a little ridiculous (see animals playing baseball). She really did have some great hits followed by her flexing her muscles repeatedly.

My softball game was a forfeit because the other team didn't have enough people, but we picked up a couple of guys and played for fun. So I guess you could say that we won.

And now onto the kickball game. It was yet another blowout. We are like a runaway locomotive that just can't be stopped. Hopefully we can duck, dodge, and kick our way through the playoffs. Our game also may have contained the greatest kickball play ever. It went like this...very deep hit to left center field followed by a 4 man relay to get the ball in and as our catcher catches the ball, without looking and in one smooth motion, he throws the ball between his legs just as the guy who kicked it is about to score. Needless to say the guy was out and he more than likely is crying himself to sleep tonight. This play inspired all of us, and people around the world, to either continue or start to play kickball. Even this guy in the picture.

Spanish Lessons Have Begun...

Lexie and I are taking a Spanish class through UVSC on Tuesday nights. Last night was our first session and I was amazed by the people in the class. I thought the things students said in the finance class I TA'd were funny; these people are hilarious! One of the women actually asked Juan, our teacher, if he could just please pronounce everything the way an American would so she could understand him. One woman asked Juan to tell us how to say, "When did you come to the United States from Mexico?" or something similar to that. At first I thought maybe I understood everything because I took Spanish in 7th and 8th grade, but Lexie hasn't had Spanish before and she had no problems. If you ever want to feel intelligent, take a continuing education night class from UVSC.

Changes and Kickball

Ok so I decided to mess around with the blog and how it looks. I know its kind of messed up now, but in the next day or so I figure that Carly will fix it since she has way more patience than I do. Who knows if we will keep this look (I think it is too skinny), but we figured it was time for a change so let us know what you think of the new look and music. Of course when I say let us know what you think, I am talking to the 3 of you that actually check this. Anyways we will see if we decide to keep this look.

I haven't posted in a while mainly because I haven't been doing much of anything, but with the spring intramural schedule in full swing that will start to change. So far we have yet to lose a game in men's softball, women's softball, and lastly and most importantly coed kickball. Kickball is great because you get to peg each other and feel like you are back in 3rd grade again. We will put up some pictures of the action later this week. Hopefully we will look as good as this guy does playing Americas game. Is there really any other way than a unitard to show how much you love kickball? I think not.

Hillary We Love You

I was looking through some wedding pictures the other day and found myself giggling at a series of pictures. I am not kidding; the first four below were IN A ROW. I think I remember Hillary saying at the time that she may have been making some funny faces. She was right.

#1

#2

#3

#4- Then I noticed Matthew next to her. He needs to be included in the next few.

#5

#6

#7- This one is my favorite of Matt.

We love you Hill! Lest any of you be mistaken, Hillary IS photogenic and absolutely, drop dead, gorgeous (see below). I am just picking on her because I am jealous. And these pictures made me laugh.

Dedicated to Honeycomb

What ever happened to the honeycomb we knew and loved?

We miss him. If you want to see some videos of the good times click here or here. Those were some good, no GREAT, times.

Honeycomb turned into this hippie:

GRADUATION

I AM DONE!!!

Six straight years of school are over. Last week I graduated from BYU's master's program in public administration. What is public administration? Well, BYU's program somewhat parallels the MBA program, except the classes are geared toward the government and nonprofit sectors instead of the private sector. We want to change the world as opposed to go out and make as much money as possible. At least, that is what we tell ourselves. I am still looking for jobs at the moment. Anybody want to give me one?

So many people traveled from faraway lands to celebrate: my parents, Grandma John, Aunt Jeanette, Carolyn (Daniel's mom), and Carolyn's parents (Dwight and Velna- St.George could definitely be considered a faraway land.) Then Daniel, Alicia and Courtney came as well. Lexie and Nick showed up for the food. Typical. It was great! Thank you all for coming!

BYU MPA Class of 2008

Can you find me?

Supporters

The John side
The Nielson side

Me and Jen. The end of a legacy (same undergrad major, married one year apart on the same day at the same time in the same temple to tall goofy guys, same graduate program, live next door to each other, in the Relief Society presidency together). Our lives may finally diverge. Maybe not. I hear there is an opening on the gopher women's basketball staff.....

Why Daniel didn't get a masters. He can't even figure out how to wear the hood.

Dinner
We had a great dinner at Macaroni Grill. Grandpa Blood was on his A-game and bonded with my dad over the love of the word "moron". They are true linguists.

Candids
Alicia caught us at a great moment. I think I look smarter.

Ok, so maybe this one isn't technically candid. I dominated the Tanner Building.

Malad

The day after graduation the Johns headed up to Malad to do some work around Grandma John's house. The extended John family went to Malad's hip happening hot spot, the Dude Ranch Cafe. We were ecstatic to find out they have ho-made pies! Who would of thought? Ho-made pies are available in small-town Idaho! They didn't have much variety available when we ate there, but some day we will have to try their ho-made pies.