CCAC and Getting a Job Offer

After my interview with Clearfield City and a couple other places, I was going along with life, just doing my thing and working at Collin County Adventure Camp. I received a phone call, they left a message and it said to call them back. I tried calling for a couple days and finally I spoke to someone in HR. They offered me a job! I was finally offered my big girl job, after nearly 2 years of applications! Clearfield City was offering me a job to be a recreation programmer, starting asap. 

After hanging up with HR, I called my mom sobbing and then went and told Josh. I was in tears. It was the end of a long search. So, I put in my two weeks notice and started making arrangements to move back to Utah and start wrapping things up in Texas. 

Winter in Texas

Final days at camp - learning Texas History.

In two weeks my car was packed, my new apartment had been chosen and the drug test had been taken. I was ready to be out of Texas and back to Utah! 

Dad's Visit to Texas

Playing Host

My Dad came to visit the weekend before Thanksgiving. I was excited to have a visitor and see some family. He got in late Friday night and Josh and I picked him up from the airport. Josh played a game called "is that Brian Hill". It was funny and passed the time.

The next morning my Dad got a taste of dining hall/southern food with biscuits and gravy. We made our way to Oklahoma. I had decided to try to go to Lake Texoma on the border of SUPRISE, Texas and Oklahoma. We walked around the lake for an hour or so talking and catching up. We had lunch, went and saw Skyfall then went grocery shopping. He took Josh and I out for an amazing steak dinner. It was the best food I'd had since I got here.

On Sunday we went to church and then I took him on a Polaris ride around camp along with curriculum lecture and all. I think he enjoyed seeing what I do. We even shot arrows (I kicked his butt ;). He stayed in the infirmary. It was really funny because the first night he was here he kept saying that 'this is the way every horror movie starts. You come to a camp, late at night and stay in a place with a lot of doors and few lights." Josh and I had a good laugh about it, he told me every morning that he'd made it out and that the werewolves didn't get him. On Sunday night we had lasagna dinner, watched 'Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter', ate Blue Bell Ice Cream and played dominoes and most importantly, we introduced him to 'adult Trouble'.

I got a note from his saying how much he enjoyed the visit, and so did I!

Camp - leaves were still changing while he was here

Archery. I am Katniss.

On the bridge by the lake

At Saltgrass Steakhouse for dinner

Lake Texoma

CCAC 2

Collin County Adventure Camp Happenings
Fall 2012 

 A sunset one autumn evening

The Lake one night before campfire

We matched from head to toe one day|

One of my students drew dinosaurs in his food web|

My bruises of glory- queen of the archery range

If you look carefully you'll see a copperhead snake.
I pointed it out to my students on the trail one day.

Texas Happenings Too

More Fall Happenings in Texas!
Life at camp, Dallas Zoo and Anna Football


Hanging by the pool - so hot here!

Lake Lindberg at camp

Lake Lindberg

Meal time at the Dining Hall - pure chaos 

A Scorpion 

Turtle in the road! 

A visit to the Dallas zoo

Dallas Zoo

Zoo Time

Zoo times.

Gorilla

Anna High School Football Game

They seriously love football here

Josh and I at the football game

Plano ISD 1

My first Plano School of the year was Sept 12-14. 

Boggess Elementary: I really enjoyed my students and was impressed with their knowledge. The 1st week of school went amazingly smooth. I learned some general classroom behavior control techniques. The highlights were our campfire where one girl was doing gymnastics and fell on her head (not a good thing, but definitely exciting) and bartering at our camp store.

Outdoor Education Instructor

I mentioned that once I moved home I spent double the time looking for a job anywhere I could find one. While I was in Washington I met someone who told me about coolworks.com. So, I went online looking for something seasonal for the fall-spring. I found a job in Texas that didn't look too promising, but since I was holding myself accountable, I applied anyway.

Well, I got an email back, asking for an interview on August 8th and I had to remind myself what the job was (as per usual, luckily I had a system by then). I interviewed with a guy named Wes, the job was at a YMCA camp in the Dallas Fort Worth Area in Texas at a camp called Collin County Adventure Camp. At first I wasn't sold on the job, but the more I spoke with Wes the more interested I became. Wes told me to call my references because they'd be checking in the next few hours. I called Patty and Matt and lo and behold, they had already been contacted. Things were moving fast.

Within the next couple of days I was offered a job. I told them I'd think about it and let them know by Friday. I had about 10 interviews during this week, and most of them seemed promising, but as soon as I was offered the job I knew that it was the right decision. It just felt right. So, I called Wes and let him know I'd be coming. The information started coming and before I knew it I was having a going away dinner with my friends and packing the Geo to the hilt for my road trip across the midwest.

I was around to meet my newborn niece, spend time with my family, get surgery and see my friends before I left. I can't complain. I left on the 23rd of August and planned on arriving on the night of the 24th. It was a loooooong drive. I spend the night in Santa Fe, where I couch surfed with a really cool guy and pretty much had a studio apartment to myself. I would definately couch surf again if I needed to. I also hope to spend more time in Santa Fe. It was a pretty cool city from what I could tell.

The next morning I finally made my way into Texas. The day was sooooo long. I was driving through the most boring part of the state for nearly 10 hours. By the time I saw the sign for McKinney (which is about 30 miles from camp) I was jumping up and down in my seat. The trip took about 25 hours and $140 worth of gas. But, I made it, and that's all the matters!

I had the weekend to rest and get situated (which was perfect) then we started work the coming Monday! It was a whirlwind, but I know this is where I'm supposed to be so I'm making the most of it.

Leaving Utah. There was a storm that followed me the whole first day.

I decided to do a brewery tour on the way there - to split up the driving. It was a great idea.
This is a porter from Ska Brewing

Next stop: Steamworks Brewery in Durango, CO

Southern CO, Northern NM

Finally made it to NM!

My accommodations for the night in Santa Fe

Leaving NM, Into Texas! I was so excited but little did I know, I still had HOURS to go.

Wicked Beaver Brewery in Amarillo

Hitting the 1000 mile marker of the trip. Serious road trip people. 

Texas welcomed me with a rainbow!

By this point I was delirious with boredom and was singing show tunes to myself at the top of my lungs. Luckily I only had about an hour left, or I might have just died out there on the side of the highway.