Retain and Train

As you all know, we moved down here because Josh got a job as Store Manager for The Buckle. It all started coming together when we first moved down here and Josh had to get his office put together and organize the things that had already arrived. He was there everyday all day and the store hadn't even opened yet. If any of you know Josh, organizing is not his strong point so he called me in to help him out. Yes, I went in and worked for free to help him get everything started. But when Darren, his district manager came in and asked why I wasn't getting paid to do all the work I had been doing; he set me up with a store number and from then on all the hard work I was doing was making us some money. Although my hard work didn't compare to the physical and emotional work Josh was doing: 12 hour days full of interviews and people constantly asking him what to do next. The store wasn't even open yet and there he was day in and day out doing what he does best, well one of the many things he does best. As I watched him work (while I was working too) it gave me a greater appreciation for the job he has and the way he has always provided for our family. He went through job after job until he found this one. One he loves and is really great at. He is passionate about the job his new team and the store. He has been working 13-14 hour days and isn't really complaining because he knows that this hard work is going to pay off. His team is doing great, and I am still a part of it... and I LOVE it! I love going in and working with such an awesome manager and husband. He runs his team with care and firmness.

He is awesome, and I am so proud of him. I am so proud of the man he is and the husband he is and the father he is.

Not only is his store full of a great team and an awesome manager (and an awesome merchandiser: which would be me) but they are really showing how awesome they are in the numbers they are pulling in. Most of these people have never worked in sales positions before, but they are doing so well and actually helping Josh's store to beat out his old store back home in Chattanooga and another store in Douglasville. These stores are higher volume than what Josh's store is projected to be (at least in its first year) but they are still no match for my husband! Hopefully soon he will be able to take a break from the 13-14 hour days and catch up on his rest.

The title of this blog is taken from a quote Josh uses with his team. After he teaches one person on the team how to do something new he always ends with, "Retain and Train." This is just one of the many ways he helps motivate and teach his team. So now I hear them repeating it and sharing with each other the new things they have learned, isn't it so cool to watch someone you love lead a group of people so well? Did I mention I was so proud of him?

Counting Points... Again

After I gave birth to Caden I had to get rid of all my baby weight and more. After doing weight watchers for 6 months I lost a total of 70 pounds! Man I felt so good about myself, so good that I stopped eating good food and starting gaining some of my weight back. I was so upset with myself when I got on the scale the other day that I said to myself, "this is it! I am going to fix this!" Anyways so I am back to counting points again. And I guess I am doing well because I started on Monday and have already lost 6 pounds! I hope to lose a ton more and get down to where I want to be by my birthday in November. Once that happens, I am going on a shopping spree! :)

Old Friends, New Friends

Lately it has really hit me hard that we are in a new place without our old friends from back home. I miss my friends terribly (not to even mention my family), but these are the friends that were with me through everything! These friends never left my side when things got ugly or scary, they just helped me get through it all. They were with me before I was married or a mom, they have always been there and will always be there. I miss them so much, and it is so hard to have moved away and to be missing out on their huge life changes. Like the ones they saw me through: marriage, babies, moving... you name it and they were a part of it. Now I am missing Brittany go after her first real teaching job and I am missing out on baby Mason growing up. I guess I wouldn't say missing out because I am a part of it through the telephone but it just isn't the same. When both Brittany's basically helped raise my two little ones, I feel like I should be there with Mason and when Brittany decides to have one of her own. This is hard, real hard, but as the weeks have gone by I may have found a substitute for them. Definitely not a replacement because they could never be replaced, but someone who can be a friend down here.

Her name is Kristin and she works for Josh as the freight girl. She has been married for 6 months and her and her husband are also new to the area. She too knows what it is like to be new somewhere and not have any real close friends around. We hit it off from the start, we are so much alike and even though she doesn't have any kids she has 2 dogs so we can relate (both of us care for 3 other beings besides ourselves.) She is funny and fun to be around, we think alike and have the same taste in things. We are both organization freaks and Josh even likes her husband, so maybe we will both make a friend out of this couple. I think Sunday night we are even going to dinner, and Kristin and I are working on surprising Josh with John Mayer tickets in Atlanta. Her husband is a marketing rep for Life Water (which is owned by coke) so if the venue is sponsored by coke we can great tickets for really good prices!

So even though I miss Brittany and Brittney terribly, I am so glad I found a friend down here!

PS Girls if I haven't told you what amazing friends you are then I am sorry because you are! I miss you guys so much and thank you for being there through everything! :)

GPS=Awesome!

This is probably the coolest invention ever! Lately I have driving around a strange city and going to and from work in Statesboro; also if you read my earlier blog I drove to Grayton Beach at night and got lost (if only I had bought this a week sooner!) Since I was little I have always had a terrible sense of direction and it still hasn't gotten any better. Since I am going to be traveling and selling insurance I told Josh I had to get one of these and today I went to Wal-Mart and got one. As soon as I got back in the car I set it up; even though I knew my way home I typed in our address just to see if the route would change in. And to my surprise there is a shortcut to Wal-Mart and I took back roads instead of the main highway. After going home I realized I needed to go back out to make copies of the papers I am taking with me tomorrow. I didn't know where an Office Depot was so I just typed it into the GPS and it took me to the closest one! What did I ever do without this thing? It even tells you "points of interest" so if I was craving Italian food and didn't know where I could find a restaurant closest to me, it would tell me. This thing is awesome and it is my new favorite toy! I highly recommend everyone go out and buy one, trust me you will not be sorry!

Vacation!

Jacob and I went to a playground one night, he loved this swing!






Three sisters, Freia JJ and Me









Jacob pushing his dump truck all over the beach










Somebody always has to be buried on the beach... this time its Freia






Me Freia Jacob Caden and Josh hanging out in the water









Look at Caden swimming!












What a big boy!










Caden bug









Oh the breeze!










Taking a break






Jacob the pool shark









He never parts from this dump truck, Caden chased him all over the house.





My sanity is slowly coming back after a SEVEN hour round trip by myself with my two little munchkins. Last year when I made the trip solo with Jacob I told myself I was not going to do it with one let alone two, but somehow I talked myself into taking them to the beach to meet up with my dad Freia JJ Tyler and Freia's boyfriend Josh. Unfortunately my hubby could not make it because he had to be here at the store, but next year he WILL be going with us! I worked Monday and decided to leave here at 5 (which really we didn't leave until 6:30) so that we could eat in the car and then they would fall asleep shortly there after and sleep the entire trip... I was wrong. After fussing for over an hour they finally fell asleep at 10:00 pm. I figured I would get there around 1:00 am, but by then I was lost! Not only was I lost at 1:00 am but my cell phone was dead and I could not get ahold of my dad to come find us. I drove around for about 45 minutes before taking a road I thought might get me there and saw a bar that was still open. So at 2:00 in the morning Jacob and I walk into a bar full of drunken pool players to ask for directions. I can't imagine what they were thinking when I walked into a bar with a 2 year old... mother of the year award should be presented to Courtney K. Williams. Anyways we were not far away so we find the house and dad opens the door claiming he was trying to get ahold of the Grayton Beach police to keep an eye out for me.
After getting over that hump both the boys got to spend time with Aunt Carol (my dad's sister) and Uncle Jim the next day and then we were at the beach all day every day! We have been going to Grayton beach since I was like 8 years old and the neat thing about it is there is this lake attached to the ocean and the deepest it gets is about Caden's chest. So not only is it very shallow and perfect for a 1 and 2 year old, but there are no crazy waves or jelly fish! We had so much fun all week and did not want to head home on Saturday morning.
I was dreading that trip and it went from 7 hours to 8 hours and 30 minutes! They would sleep for
about an hour and then scream for about 30 minutes. But we made it home and got to spend all afternoon with daddy because he took the night off! Here are some of our lovely pictures!







Jacob and Jampa John looking at a kite










Happy little bug










Aunt JJ and Caden








This was our spot of choice everyday!








Running to the sand!











Auntie Eia and Caden










Jampa John and Caden













Jacob in the sand!










Caden chasing Jacob






Jampa John and Caden bug

My Very Own Linus

Caden bug has become very attached to his blanket and whenever he gets tired he has to carry it around and suck on it. He has always liked his blanket and never took a pacie, but has never been this attached to it. He pulls it out of his bed when he finds it and even starts yelling at his teacher when she picks it up off the floor to put in his cubby. I guess we are going to have to change his name from Bug to Linus. :)

Chucky Cheese or Yucky Cheese?

This is what my mom calls it and I am beginning to agree with her. I took the boys there to celebrate Caden Bug's first birthday since we don't know anyone here and could not throw a proper party. Oh well he didn't know the difference. Unfortunately Josh could not be there because his month of nonexistence started the day before Caden turned 1. Once again I think I was the only one who noticed, but we did have a great time! We ordered a pizza and drinks ( I already had cupcakes ready for the birthday portion.) And then while the pizza was cooking we headed off to the games. I think all Chucky Cheese's are alike so if you have been there you will know the exact truck I am about to explain. There is this huge pick up truck that comes up to my chest and Jacob immediately ran towards that one. I put Caden in beside him and then stick a token in the slot. You would have thought they were dying! Both of them started screaming and crying so I hurriedly pulled them out and hoped this would not ruin the night. The next toy they got on Jacob immediately said in a shaky voice, "Don't put money in it mommy!" So I just let them sit in it and pretend to drive it. The pizza was ready so we sat down and enjoyed the quick break. They both ate like 3 pieces and then wanted a cupcake. Instead of eating it though Caden decided it would be more fun to squish it in his hands and throw it on the floor. After we got all cleaned up the boys got back up to play, this time not scared of the toys when I put "money" in them. We had a great time and the boys slept great that night!

What is a Bodger?

This is the question I asked my 2 year old Jacob as I watched him talking into the couch. While Caden was taking a nap I was sitting on the couch watching HGTV and Jacob was playing with his toys under my feet. All of a sudden I see him talking in to the couch and I watch him for a little bit before I asked him what he was doing. He said that there was a Bodger in the couch and he was talking to it. I asked what a Bodger was and he replied that it lived in the couch. So I played along and started talking to the Bodger. Jacob said, "Mommy don't put your hand in there the Bodger will get you!" Of course I stuck my hand down in the couch and pulled out really fast yelling, "OUCH!" He thought that was hilarious and kept asking me to do it. I kept playing around like the Bodger was biting my hand so Jacob said, "No no Bodger don't hurt my mommy!" He then wanted to do it and pretended it bit him too, naturally I got on to the Bodger for hurting my Jacob. This little joke has been going on all day and every now and then Jacob will go and talk to the Bodger in the couch. It amazes me that my 2 year old has such a big imagination and it is such fun to watch him play!

4th of July

Josh and the boys horsing around before going downtown








Time to be serious! How cute are they?









Caden bug taking a little nap before our adventures downtown












Jacob being a ham as usual









I don't think either of them want to be in a stroller







Look at Uncle Tristan!








GiGi and the boys!










Josh (you can barely see him) chowing down on blue crab and shrimp









Uncle Tristan and Jacob awaiting the FIREworks









3 generations... how sweet!











Look at Josh's mini me







Our little family... We were all sweating (it is hotter than the devil's armpit here!)

GiGi Came to Visit!

I haven't blogged in a few days because I have been busy hanging out with my mom and little brother Tristan. I didn't realize how much I had missed them until they showed up late Wednesday night! We had a blast going to the pool, duck pond, and playing around in the yard. She stayed until Saturday morning and then took the kids home with her so that they could spend some time with MiMi and Pop Pop... Josh and I have so much free time on our hands we just don't know what to do! They have only been gone a day and I miss them terribly!