Switzerland day

Yesterday, Wednesday September 8th, 2010, a day which will live in my mind as the worst day ever. It started out good though!

I was excited and nervous to go to my first Nike training day! I was excited that I get to work with one of my friends! I was excited that I actually had a schedule! However...

My car randomly died on my way to meet my friend Ali so we could carpool. Just driving along and it suddenly just shut off. I coasted onto some random street by McDowell and 44th. And there it sat until after our training. Luckily, that stupid car decided to die only a couple streets away from her house so it wasn't a big deal for her to come pick me up. Anyways...

We get to the training and it is actually at the Mariott on Scottsdale Rd. and the 101. We did all the paperwork, got introduced to our Managers, who are awesome people, and some of the people we get to work with. Funny thing, we are sales associates, but our job title is Nike Athlete. :) I'm pretty sure I'm going to see all kinds of Phoenix Suns and Cardinals while I'm working. :D But!... we can't ask for anyone's autograph or picture or we could get fired. :S We also got to order our uniforms, which consist of: brand new shoes (that are HOT pink and white ....), yoga pants and 2 pairs of running shorts, 2 black shirts, and a jacket. ALL FREE!!! I'm pretty sure they are spending about $400 on each employee... It's so LEGIT!!! I'm so excited! Back to reality...

At 4, when we were done with training, Ali took me back to my car. We were silly girls trying to jump start my car. We thought we were doing something wrong because my flipping car wouldn't start, but that's just my car. So my Dad says to take the battery to the Checker Auto close by and see if it's charged. My battery was brand new, but I was hoping my Pops was right. So we have to call Larry to come help because he has tools and Checker won't loan them out... Fast Foreward to 8:00 pm and Jeanie and Larry are still with me towing my car to the mechanic's house so he can replace the fuel pump and filter. Which he says will take about 3 hours. I say we will come back tomorrow (today) around 5:15. So...

To thank my friends, I tell Larry to take us to a really good REAL Mexican food place. He was practically a Mexican for his job this summer, so he knows real Mexican food... The place we went had DELICIOUS watermelon drinks, strawberry drinks, and mango drinks. The food was really good as well. Torta's and quesadillas and chicharones... it was heaven for my Mexican food loving taste buds!

So, lets tally. Positive has 3, negative has 3 ( I consider not being able to get autographs or pictures a BIG negative). So it all cancels each other out... which leaves me to wonder, what kind of day did I have? Neutral day? Cancelled-out day? I like Switzerland day. Only the name. I hope I don't have one ever again.

Once upon a time, I had these friends named Larry and Chad. They were kind of upset one day because they came home to discover goldfish in their sinks and the contents of their closets switched to opposite rooms. Enlisting the help of me and some of our other friends, they plotted and schemed to carry out what we like to call, Operation: Fish Food.

The Break-in

The Switch

The Hack (Changing passwords)

The Dye in the Kitchen sink and Shower heads

The Jello :)

And Ultimately....

We ate their Otter Pops.

I believe that a couple of days later, the victims called and asked for a truce. Apparently, they didn't think they would ever be able to top that. And they knew that if they did, the return would be 10 times worse. Just like this time.

Skimboarding

These pictures are kind of old. They were taken in like, April, but we do this stuff all the time. My friend Matt (green shorts) is all about "doing" something fun. No "hanging out". So what does he do? He makes a skim boarding lane. Out of PVC pipe and a tarp. Just fill it up with water, and there you go! We started that afternoon in his front yard....

But then we migrated to the Tri Stake Center around the corner where they were irrigating the grass.

Below is Dallin if you can't tell. His hair is different. :)

And there is Matt. The brains and pro.

It was a fun day.

Nike

This past month has been not fun. Looking for jobs is not fun. Waiting to hear about hiring place is not fun. However! I have a friend who told me a week ago about a new Nike store that opened in North Scottsdale, and that they were hiring all kinds of people on account of, its brand new, 2 story Nike-land. I applied online and got a call a couple days later. We had to be at the Mariott hotel on Scottsdale road and the 101. Waaaay up there... So, I ask my good friend Larry to drive me in his very nice truck that has very nice Air Conditioning, because apparently, people have that in their cars. I promised him Yogurtland after. He said ok in 2 seconds. :) So, I get to the hotel, and there are two guys waiting there already. I'm thinking, "Shoot. I'm going to be here for a while. Sorry Larry". But no. One guy comes out and says "All of you can follow me". We ALL go into a conference room with the long tables and comfy seats and we sit on one side across from the 3 interviewers. They ask us all questions and we answer them in order. It was a first time experience I have to say. I just remember that one of the interviewers was a black man named Dulyle (Doo-lyle) like Kyle but with an L. Anyway. I felt good about the interview. It went smooth and I threw a couple of jokes in as well. I guess I am good at talking when I'm under pressure...? Haha! Two days later (today), I get a call that says "Hi, we would like to hire you to come work at the Nike store!" And I said, "OK!" and hung up. Just kidding! It was longer than that but it all comes down to I got hired to work at Nike! :) Also, if you have never been to Yogurtland, I strongly recommend it. It is a very yummy place... haha

Swoosh!

Cohen and Jace

I'm so glad I get to see these kids so much! They are so fun and so dang cute!

Safford Trip

I think the week after I got back, I took a trip down to Safford. I got to see Janiel and her cute family. Baby Jesse is such a smiley chunk!

I also got to visit the Herringtons and play with all those families. It was a blast! I ended up getting a ride back to the valley with Leslie and Brian and Bella and Sammie. :)

I guess there has to be a first for everything...

We took family pictures. All wearing white shirts. And dark jeans. Barefoot. At the beach. Could you just die!? I think it's hillarious/ridiculous.

Dallin and I took a separate car to meet the rest of our family who had to pick up my Dad and Sis. Hoffman (photographer). It was very funny trying to pose on the beach in our silly matching outfits in front of people in bathing suits and fishermen. When we were driving home, me in the driver seat, Dallin being the passenger, we came upon a small intersection. I didn't have a stop sign, but the guy in the SUV did. I kept driving. I saw him stop, but then he pulled out into the middle of the road right in front of me. 3 seconds before I slammed on the brakes, held my breath, then closed my eyes, I saw him look up over his left arm that was holding his cell phone to his ear. I don't remember any loud crashing sounds, and I don't remember him wobbling his car off the side of the road, but I do remember all the smoke coming in through the AC. And the airbags in my face. And the shattered windshield. And my door not being able to open. And the rear-view mirror hanging down off the ceiling. Luckily, there were people sitting on their porch in the house by the intersection, and there was a very nice lady driving behind the guy who pulled out. The hick porch people called the police and the driver lady stayed to talk to the police officer. I think the hick woman made it sound like there were multiple casualties to the dispatcher, because fire marshals came, a firetruck with like 10 firemen came out, an ambulance came that had to call in and cancel the SECOND ambulance that was coming. But only one police officer came. Lucky for us, the guy told the truth and took all the blame. He admitted to pulling out in front and all that jazz. No injuries on anyone, either! I have a little rash on my collar bone from the seatbelt, but I'm not complaining!

My first car accident EVER and it happened on some small road in the middle of Georgetown, Delaware. What the heck?!

P.S. Every time I look at our new family photos, I get to be reminded of this. Awesome.