Tuesday, April 27, 2010

why not join the fun?!

So I think I'll join everyone and get a blog. It is the popular thing to do lately. To start out, Aaron and I have been married for almost 2 years (May 31st) and we have been together for 4 1/2 years now. It seems like much longer, but the time has really flown by! We are incredibly happy in our life. We are both fortunate to have excellent jobs. Aaron is a "GSI 3" which means that he is a Home Theater Installer. He installs everything related to Home Theater equipment-such as TVs, audio equipment, wireless networking, wire running etc. There isn't really anything the man can't do. He also just got a promotion, and now he can Calibrate TVs too!!!! That means he makes the picture look even more amazing than it already is-its kinda like magic! He works so hard, and I couldn't be more proud of him, or more lucky to have someone so great!
I am the Computers/Portable Electronics Supervisor at the Best Buy in West Des Moines. I am very active in Best Buy life-I am a member of the Digital Imaging/MP3 Retail council (we conference about what's working in those departments, what's not working, sharing best practices, and coming up with new innovation to make the departments better). I am in a Mentorship program as a mentee to learn how to be a better leader with the help of a Store Manager, and other supervisors. I also am piloting a Mentorship program in our store for employees that want to move up in Best Buy. Its meant to help employees learn how to take a leadership role, and what to do with that role. I recently learned that I was chosen to be a part of WOLF (Women of Leadership Forum). This is a great group of women that do community work, travel, and work to make Best Buy an even better place for women to work. Last thing, Aaron and I are going to help with Best Buy's partnership with the Iowa Speedway this year. Best Buy is a sponsor at the Speedway, and we go to promote technology and what Best Buy can do to help! We are certainly busy kids-and that's all just work!
Aaron and I have an adorable cat, Sammy, who we have had since Spring of 2006. We adopted him from our formal General Manager because his daughter ended up being allergic to him! He is a total goofball, but he keeps us entertained constantly. We also recently adopted a retired racing Greyhound, Peyton. Peyton just turned 4 in March and has settled in with us quite well. He and Sammy get along great! Peyton wags his tail a lot, and Sammy tries to eat it. They are the perfect goofball pair.










Aaron and I enjoy a lot of things. Aaron loves to play video games. He currently has an XBOX360, but I think I have finally let him talk me into letting him get a PS3 too. We also have a Wii that we usually play together. I love to play with my dSLR. I haven't been able to play with it a lot lately, but with the nice weather finally here, I'll get back into practice. I love to take pictures of my best friend, Amy's twins-they are great and challenging subjects. I also have a new set of twins to photograph from my other best friend Audrey! I'm blessed with great subjects!
We are both huge Saint Louis Cardinal fans! Aaron took an interest when we started dating-which was a perfect year, since the Cards won the World Series! Aaron likes to collect STL hats that are replicas of what the players wear. We try to watch as many games as we can, and if we can't, we follow the scores online.
We are both so blessed to have the GREATEST family in the world on both sides! I am really lucky to have the best in-laws ever!!! They welcomed me into their family many years before Aaron and I ever started dating. Terry (Aaron's mom) actually told Aaron after seeing me at True Value (where I worked my senior year of high school) that one of her sons would marry me, and she didn't care which one! I always tell Aaron that she's a smart woman! Carroll (Aaron's dad) is so much fun, and is a great sport putting up with all of us teasing him. Aaron has 2 great brothers-Leigh and Cole. They are a lot of fun to be around. Leigh has a sweet girlfriend, Alyssa, and they have blessed our family with a sweet little angel, Haleigh. Or as I refer to her "my Haleigh-baby". We are so lucky that they all live just minutes away!My parents are really the greatest people I know. Everything they have ever done has been with me in mind. They are the most generous and loving people. My Daddy works all the time, and loves to do it. I think its his favorite thing...tied with golf. He loves all of his family so much, and makes sure to always know what's going on in their lives. My Mom is so kind and funny and everything. She does the sweetest things like rescue sick kittens off the street and feed them and nurse them back to health. She recycles everything possible...and they don't have a recycling program in their neighborhood-she drives across town (Houston) to recycle. She also does random sweet things-one time she was in line at a store and there was a young hispanic couple in line behind her buying diapers. Mom payed for the diapers without telling the couple. Mom was at the store the next day, and the cashier recognized her and told her that the couple was so confused and happy that they cried. That's just who my mom is. I told you-they are the best!!!!
I really am the luckiest girl in the world.