(Sent Feb26, 2023)
Hello Family!
It's been a while since we've sent out an update...there's been a lot going on, so we'll do our best to catch things up, but we're sure we'll miss something!
- Shane has a new job: After over 3.5 years at SimpleNexus (and roughly one year after the nCino acquisition), Shane is leaving the mortgage software industry for a new job as the Chief Product Officer at Canopy. His new office will be in Draper near IKEA...not as close as his current office, but still within 20 minutes from home. He's excited to be working in a smaller company again. Canopy makes software for tax professionals to serve their clients better (scheduling appointments, submitting tax forms, and collecting payment.) He'll begin working at Canopy on March 12.
- Job news for Alicia: There've been changes at the Kneaders Warehouse, too. A couple of long time employees left recently and the current warehouse manager is leaving in March for a new opportunity. So a new manager was hired and he is already working to streamline processes to make the warehouse more efficient. Alicia is in charge of the retail collections, returns, and damages. It's too much to get done during her mornings at the warehouse, so she'll be doing some work from home as well. It's given her additional incentive to get her home office cleared out and furnished.
- College acceptance letters and scholarship notifications: Adria has heard back from 2 of the 3 colleges she applied to and has been accepted to both the U of U and BYU (she will hear from Stanford around the beginning of April). Shortly after each acceptance letter came scholarship info...she's been awarded a Merit Scholarship to the U and a Heritage Scholarship to the Y. The Heritage Scholarship is significantly better, so Adria is planning on attending BYU (her first choice anyway). She's really looking forward to college...senioritis has been hitting hard, but she's being diligent and working hard to finish strong!
- Dancing Queen: Rella continues to be extremely busy with both studio and school dance programs. She was able to attend the High School Day at the U of U Dance Department earlier this month. She and her studio dance class all went together. She enjoyed the workshop and meeting the teachers and students from the college program. It had more of a contemporary dance focus, so the program that the team put on was...interesting. Afterwards one of her dance teachers (who attended with Rella's class) remarked, "Sometimes I don't understand the arts."
- Rock Climbing: We've been working on finding a physical activity for Calder to participate in. The trick is, he doesn't enjoy team sports or anything that forces him to compete. He decided to give rock climbing a try. He has taken bouldering classes before as well as participated in a rock climbing camp while we lived in California, so it's not totally new to him. Shane took him to the Quarry in Provo and he had a great time. He made it to the top several times and can't wait to go again.
- Church stuff: Alicia was called as the assistant RS activities coordinator earlier this month and helped to plan and execute an activity this past week. It was really fun and she is starting to feel like she is putting down roots. Shane hasn't had a calling extended to him just yet, but he has an appointment with a member of the Stake Presidency on Thursday evening. Since Stake Nursery Leader isn't really a thing, it must be something else. Adria and Rella miss the YW group in Lindon, but still attend activities there whenever they can. They also both attend the mission prep class in our old stake, which they really enjoy. Calder is loving Deacons Quorum and has some really great leaders and YM in his class. He has been passing the sacrament and helped host an activity at our house this month. He's also done baptisms for the dead a couple times now.
- Sickies: It's been an up and down kind of week at our house this week. Adria picked up Covid at a track event she went to in Idaho last week. With President's Day and a snow day, it wasn't the worst week to have to stay home from school for a few days. We were hoping and praying that the rest of us would escape being infected, but very sadly, Rella tested positive on Friday after school. This would normally just be annoying to her, but it was the Girls' Preference Dance on Saturday evening and she had really been looking forward to going with her friend Ammon. She was sooo disappointed! We're starting to plan a dinner and dance for her and her friends to make up for it. It won't be the same, but it will still be fun. Adria was well enough to go, but is more exhausted than usual today, as she is still recovering.
- Coming up: Shane is headed to Vegas this week for his last Mortgage Trade Show. He's looking forward to the warmer weather, but not the Vegas scene. Rella has another round of the ACT next week to prepare for (she's just SO excited for that). Alicia is excited for February to be over and March to begin. Adria is gearing up for track season...she PR'd in her mile race at Simplot last weekend. And Calder is getting a couple of teeth filled at the dentist this week.
- Snow snow snow: Our resident skiers have been able to go a few times this winter...Adria has gone the most, but Shane and Calder have gone a couple times as well. There's been some sledding and playing in the snow, too. Our neighbor, Trent, helped Calder hollow out a snow pile in our driveway to be an igloo. Our radiant heating in the driveway and front walks has sure been worth it!
We hope you are all doing well! Stay safe in this crazy weather!
Love,
Shane, Alicia, Adria, Rella, & Calder
From Wendy: Wow, lots of exciting news for your family! Congratulations, Shane on your new job!! Also, congratulations, Adria, on your scholarship to BYU! So awesome!! Janelle got accepted into BYU and is very excited. So sorry to hear about Covid, and Rella having to miss the dance! Darn, Covid!! We have had some sickies at our house too (just colds, but still the pits) and are hoping everyone is better soon. Our family (Rick, Wendy, Josh,and Jenna) is going on a 7 day cruise to Mexico over our Spring Break (March 10-17). The kids are very excited -- especially Jenna. Josh was also, but is a little less excited now that he has learned he will have to miss at least two soccer games (his coach is NOT happy about that). Jaiden is almost finished with her mission papers! She and her boyfriend, Maddox, have both been filling out their papers and both just need their final dental visits, which are scheduled this week. They might get their calls at the same time (hopefully not to the same place!) They sang in our ward today for a missionary farewell. I will attach their song just for fun (even though it sounded better in person). It has been tricky for Janelle navigating through BYU stuff and FSY hiring paperwork while in Taiwan (especially with all of the two-step verifications!) She gets home on my birthday -- April 29th! We are planning on her homecoming on April 30th if anyone would like to come. Then she and Jared start work for FSY in May. Today I taught the lesson in RS and it went well. Rick is hoping to get released from the High Council soon (the Stake President made it sound like he would, but so far it hasn't happened). Like Shane, he would opt for nursery, ha ha! Or Sunday School. I am hoping for the latter since I love watching him teach. Love to you all! Wendy
From Derek: Thanks for the update! Great work on BYU and the scholarships Adria! That is a huge accomplishment! I attended a CES event for work last week with Elder Gilbert (who is the commissioner of education) and we talked about how difficult it is to get into BYU these days. I'm sure I wouldn't get in now! Canopy is lucky to have you Shane! Excited to see what you do there! Derek
From Chris: Thanks for the update! Congratulations on your job changes. That’s great that Shane will travel less calm and that you can work from home some Alicia. I sure enjoy it. Shane, does canopy provide products kind of like Taxdome? Anyway, that was kind of a portal that my tax guy wanted me to drop things in. But I ended up doing my own taxes, he was too slow. Congratulations Adria! I loved BYU and had a great time there That’s good Calder enjoys the rock climbing. I can’t do that for very long before my fingers are too sore. Chris and Kim
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