With all the stuff that has happened lately to us financially, I have to be so very grateful for all the blessings as well. I'm still heartbroken over being fired from Core, but I'm recovering and I know that the people who knew us, know that we didn't get fired from anything we did wrong.
Core fitness was just forcing out any instructors they think are checking out the new club and making up false reasons to make it look legal. I find it funny that Jason and I never got wrote up in 4 1/2 years and yet they still find reasons to fire both my husband and I. It's really too bad for them that now several members of their club are quitting Core just to join us at the new clubs we are teaching at.
Here are a few awesome blessings this week!
1. We arrived home from Utah in one piece. Our van made it!!! It was a hard drive 20 hours across the country, but the weather was gorgeous on the way home with little or no wind whatsoever. Even in Wyoming, my most unfavorite state of all the states. And the children I swear hate each other now since they were sitting so very close to one another so the idea of even being the same room must be horrible for them. However last night I saw Alyssa (my 9 year old) hug Scott (my 6 year old) so all the fighting must be forgotten now.
2. I have been hired at 2 clubs officially to teach aerobics. Even though I'm not up to a full teaching schedule yet, I will be soon. I am so excited about both, for they will bring so much opportunity and growth to my teaching abilities. The first club is North Dodge Athletic Club in Iowa City. I will teach Body Step, Body Pump and Zumba there.
then Ladies Workout Express, I will teach Zumba there.
3. Today is Halloween and even though my husband doesn't find this day fun, I love it. I love going to the children's parties at school and watching them in their parade of costumes and then serving all the treats I made. I love being a room parent. I love to dress up as well. My costume will be displayed later in another post.
4. Fuel prices are down down down!!!!! Today I paid only $1.92 a gallon. You ask how????
Well the prices are down to $2.19 a gallon in Iowa. Yes they are, what a wonderful state to live in. And because HyVee fuel runs specials and today is one of those days, it is 12 cents off per gallon today with a Hy-Vee receipt. And I had a 15 cents off per gallon coupon. I feel so very lucky to have filled my entire car with fuel for $23.17 Yes it's awesome!!
5. The weather is gorgeous today. So wonderful for Halloween when the children will be out in their thin costumes to have nice high 60's weather to gather candy in.
6. Tomorrow both Jason and I will participate in the launches for Body Step and Body Pump at North Dodge Athletic club. Along with other instructors we will show off the new releases of the programs. Participating in launches is one of my favorite things to do. So fun. Our fitness coordinator asked us to dress up as either a Saint or Sinner. I'll post some pictures of the launch and you can decide what we were.
It all started with Michelle Lewis from Ohio, and Jason Clark from California. We met on a bus in Chicago in January of 1992. This is a blog that documents our crazy life.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Independant segregation was kind to Caleb
I know, you are asking, "Huh? What is independant segregation." Michelle saw that title and called me a biology nerd. Independant segregation is the genetic law that essentially governs how we look. Anyway, here are some pictures of Caleb.
Not bad, eh?
That's a nice looking retaining wall, isn't it?
He does have teeth! I haven't seen them for a long time.
Not bad, eh?
That's a nice looking retaining wall, isn't it?
He does have teeth! I haven't seen them for a long time.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Unfairly Fired
There are many things in life that don't make sense and we wonder, what do we have to learn from this experience?
Each experience will only make us a stronger person and how we take that lesson and grow defines us as a person overall.
It's 3 in the morning and I'm wide awake due to all the stuff that happened yesterday.
I was fired from my fitness instructor position at Core Fitness in Iowa City, Iowa yesterday.
I loved that job and taught 6 classes a week. I was there whenever possible and only subbed my class out if I was sick (which was rare) or my children were sick (again rare thank goodness). In the begining 4 years ago I would teach at 5:30a.m. twice a week. I never missed a class ever, even in dangerous weather. I was always there no matter what.
The members of Core that I had the privledge to know over the 4 years that I worked there are very special to me. I taught a variety of classes ranging from
Body Step, Body Pump both of Les Mills out of New Zealand, and also a new class called Zumba (a latin dance aerobic class). Over the years I have subbed for other instructors and met almost everyone in Core fitness. I tried to learn all their names and personally cared about every person. I loved that job.
I have never in my life been fired from a job and never saw this coming. This is a shock to my system and the only reason I can see why I was fired would be becuase my husband, Jason, had decided to leave Core and go to a new gym to teach in November. He gave his 4 1/2 week notice on Monday and I guess the management at Core must have decided to push us both out of there along with other instructors as well.
I had made the decision to stay with Core since I had many classes and didn't want to give them up. Since I have never been fired in my life from any job, I'm not sure how it all works, however I was sure that when someone is to be fired that they are brought aside personally and explained why they are being let go. I was fired by e-mail. In my opinion this is so extremely unprofessional and wrong.
My heart will heal from my sadness, and in time I know I will be moving on to other gyms to teach once again, at least I hope. I am sad and will miss the members of Core.
Here is a copy of the e-mail I received from my fitness coordinator yesterday.
Michelle,
After extended conversations with the owners it has been decided that you will be released from your Les Mills contract and from instructing at Core, effective immediately.
This termination has been necessitated by numerous violations of the Group Fitness Instructor Guidelines you've received. Specific reasons include, but are not limited to:
-habitual and repeated subbing of assigned classes
-inappropriate and derogatory comments, verbal and via e-mail, with
members as well as other employees
Core cannot meet and maintain high standards under these conditions, which is obviously why they are specifically pointed out in the Guidelines.
We do thank you for your past efforts and wish you the best of luck in the future.
Rick, Tracy, Jen, and Brett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nice wasn't it?
Each experience will only make us a stronger person and how we take that lesson and grow defines us as a person overall.
It's 3 in the morning and I'm wide awake due to all the stuff that happened yesterday.
I was fired from my fitness instructor position at Core Fitness in Iowa City, Iowa yesterday.
I loved that job and taught 6 classes a week. I was there whenever possible and only subbed my class out if I was sick (which was rare) or my children were sick (again rare thank goodness). In the begining 4 years ago I would teach at 5:30a.m. twice a week. I never missed a class ever, even in dangerous weather. I was always there no matter what.
The members of Core that I had the privledge to know over the 4 years that I worked there are very special to me. I taught a variety of classes ranging from
Body Step, Body Pump both of Les Mills out of New Zealand, and also a new class called Zumba (a latin dance aerobic class). Over the years I have subbed for other instructors and met almost everyone in Core fitness. I tried to learn all their names and personally cared about every person. I loved that job.
I have never in my life been fired from a job and never saw this coming. This is a shock to my system and the only reason I can see why I was fired would be becuase my husband, Jason, had decided to leave Core and go to a new gym to teach in November. He gave his 4 1/2 week notice on Monday and I guess the management at Core must have decided to push us both out of there along with other instructors as well.
I had made the decision to stay with Core since I had many classes and didn't want to give them up. Since I have never been fired in my life from any job, I'm not sure how it all works, however I was sure that when someone is to be fired that they are brought aside personally and explained why they are being let go. I was fired by e-mail. In my opinion this is so extremely unprofessional and wrong.
My heart will heal from my sadness, and in time I know I will be moving on to other gyms to teach once again, at least I hope. I am sad and will miss the members of Core.
Here is a copy of the e-mail I received from my fitness coordinator yesterday.
Michelle,
After extended conversations with the owners it has been decided that you will be released from your Les Mills contract and from instructing at Core, effective immediately.
This termination has been necessitated by numerous violations of the Group Fitness Instructor Guidelines you've received. Specific reasons include, but are not limited to:
-habitual and repeated subbing of assigned classes
-inappropriate and derogatory comments, verbal and via e-mail, with
members as well as other employees
Core cannot meet and maintain high standards under these conditions, which is obviously why they are specifically pointed out in the Guidelines.
We do thank you for your past efforts and wish you the best of luck in the future.
Rick, Tracy, Jen, and Brett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nice wasn't it?
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Load of Crap!!!
There is a new gym opening up in town. It is called Performance Health and Fitness. Both Michelle and I were offered positions there. Michelle decided to stay on at Core for a while but I decided to accept the new position. The new gym will open on Nov. 15. One of our fellow instructors at Core was hired at Performance to be the new Group Fitness Manager (GFM). When she told the management at Core, she was fired. Shortly thereafter, another instructor was fired. Both terminations were punitive and therefore illegal. The rest of us decided to clam up about our decisions until the time to quit drew closer. Management demanded that we let them know what we were doing so that they could ostensibly get a new schedule made out. Our current GFM assured me personally that they hadn't fired anybody so I felt relatively safe letting them know that I had made the decision to leave.
Today they fired me. And Michelle. And another instructor. The reasons they gave me in my termination email (they don't even have the spine to talk to me in person) were completely false.
I have done everything in my power to leave Core in a very professional manner and this is how I get repaid. There is a limited supply of good instructors in this town and they are burning bridges faster than they can build them. What a bunch of morons.
Today they fired me. And Michelle. And another instructor. The reasons they gave me in my termination email (they don't even have the spine to talk to me in person) were completely false.
I have done everything in my power to leave Core in a very professional manner and this is how I get repaid. There is a limited supply of good instructors in this town and they are burning bridges faster than they can build them. What a bunch of morons.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
bad news
Life was working out well lately. Everyone's healthy. The weather is gorgeous. Jason and I are happy. We still have our house and so many other blessings that I can't even begin to name, so maybe I shouldn't even post this complaint, but it hurts and I need to vent.
We took our van into the shop to get an oil change and safety check. I told my trusted mechanic to be sure and check everything because we have at least a 2700 mile journey ahead of us. We are careful with our van and get our oil changes done regularly and checks done as well. So why does this repair need to happen right now and take most of our vacation money? Some lesson obviously needs learned. But what?
Our Left Front Wheel bearing is loose. Unrepairable. I asked, "Why can't it be tightened and lubed up." He showed it to me, it's basically almost broken. The van only has 65,000 miles on it and according to my research it says that those things should last 100,000 miles, so I really was confused. I asked him all kinds of questions about the wheel bearing and it's importance and basically it comes down to this. Something like that can't be messed with, has to be replaced. You don't let something like that go and you don't make a long trip on a bad wheel bearing. It won't last much longer. Along with the oil change, oil filter and another filter that hadn't been replaced in way too long the total repair bill will be over $500
So sad since we had saved $600 for this trip and that's it. We save money for vacations or extras from the money I received donating plasma. We've been saving since we heard about the wedding. Usually when we save something like an unexpected bill comes up and we take that money from the vacation/extras account to cover it. With the children starting school and birthdays all summer (5 of them) all the extra money was drained to zero. So I started it over and we cut out a lot of stuff in our lives, no eating out, no ordering in, no movie renting and we even walked to church to save on fuel. I understand that an unexpected bill is $200 or so and those will happen, not $500 and not now.
I thought we were doing so well to have saved $600. I was thrilled and sure we would be fine since fuel was planned on costing us around $400-$450 and then after I figured out all the fuel costs back a month ago, the fuel has dropped nearly $1.00 a gallon, so I have been even happier lately knowing that we could make this trip and it wouldn't set us financially back and there would still be some in savings for an unexpected adventure.
Just sad right now, and instead of eating something bad for me, which is totally emotional eating and exactly what I want to go do, I need to go make myself busy and either exercise, clean, make dinner or all three.
We took our van into the shop to get an oil change and safety check. I told my trusted mechanic to be sure and check everything because we have at least a 2700 mile journey ahead of us. We are careful with our van and get our oil changes done regularly and checks done as well. So why does this repair need to happen right now and take most of our vacation money? Some lesson obviously needs learned. But what?
Our Left Front Wheel bearing is loose. Unrepairable. I asked, "Why can't it be tightened and lubed up." He showed it to me, it's basically almost broken. The van only has 65,000 miles on it and according to my research it says that those things should last 100,000 miles, so I really was confused. I asked him all kinds of questions about the wheel bearing and it's importance and basically it comes down to this. Something like that can't be messed with, has to be replaced. You don't let something like that go and you don't make a long trip on a bad wheel bearing. It won't last much longer. Along with the oil change, oil filter and another filter that hadn't been replaced in way too long the total repair bill will be over $500
So sad since we had saved $600 for this trip and that's it. We save money for vacations or extras from the money I received donating plasma. We've been saving since we heard about the wedding. Usually when we save something like an unexpected bill comes up and we take that money from the vacation/extras account to cover it. With the children starting school and birthdays all summer (5 of them) all the extra money was drained to zero. So I started it over and we cut out a lot of stuff in our lives, no eating out, no ordering in, no movie renting and we even walked to church to save on fuel. I understand that an unexpected bill is $200 or so and those will happen, not $500 and not now.
I thought we were doing so well to have saved $600. I was thrilled and sure we would be fine since fuel was planned on costing us around $400-$450 and then after I figured out all the fuel costs back a month ago, the fuel has dropped nearly $1.00 a gallon, so I have been even happier lately knowing that we could make this trip and it wouldn't set us financially back and there would still be some in savings for an unexpected adventure.
Just sad right now, and instead of eating something bad for me, which is totally emotional eating and exactly what I want to go do, I need to go make myself busy and either exercise, clean, make dinner or all three.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
We have Pumpkins
Daniel
Brenden and Jared
Alyssa
Scott
Brenden
Jared
Pumpkins have butts too!!!
of coarse Jared picked this one for his pumpkin this year, it's in our front window.
Brenden and Jared
Alyssa
Scott
Brenden
Jared
Pumpkins have butts too!!!
of coarse Jared picked this one for his pumpkin this year, it's in our front window.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Hawkeye Game
It was a beautiful September day and we decided to go to one of the Hawkeye Football games. We thought we were getting a deal at $25 a ticket and technically you are at that price, however multiply that by 8 and it's not so great anymore. We haven't eaten out in over 2 months because of that game.
Because parking is so expensive near the stadium (as you will see in a picture down below),and we live farely close (2.46 miles each way) we walked, and walked and walked to the game.
However Scott was grumpy about the walk the entire time and so Jason carried him most of the way.
He was still grumpy when we took our seats at the stadium.
And it began. What a great football game it ended up being. We played Florida International and we won 42 to 0.
It's hard to get a picture of Caleb these days so you have to just sneak up on him and just take one when he least expects it.
Daniel and Brenden
Jared and Mom
Daniel, Brenden, the side of Caleb's head, Jason and Alyssa
Because parking is so expensive near the stadium (as you will see in a picture down below),and we live farely close (2.46 miles each way) we walked, and walked and walked to the game.
However Scott was grumpy about the walk the entire time and so Jason carried him most of the way.
He was still grumpy when we took our seats at the stadium.
And it began. What a great football game it ended up being. We played Florida International and we won 42 to 0.
It's hard to get a picture of Caleb these days so you have to just sneak up on him and just take one when he least expects it.
Daniel and Brenden
Jared and Mom
Daniel, Brenden, the side of Caleb's head, Jason and Alyssa
Alyssa and Scott
Fun Halftime show by the Uof I marching band. However I have to say I was super dissapointed in them for using Music Stands while they marched. My HIGH SCHOOL band never used music stands, not once. We weren't allowed to even buy them. We memorized our music.
Jason and Brenden
Scott taking a picture of himself.
Jared, Alyssa and Me again
. Alyssa still doesn't look happy. I think she was miserable the entire game, just didn't want to be there.
Daniel ducking down so Caleb could get photographed
Jason and I taking a picture of ourselves. We look so cute!!!!!
What a fun day!!
. Alyssa still doesn't look happy. I think she was miserable the entire game, just didn't want to be there.Daniel ducking down so Caleb could get photographed
Jason and I taking a picture of ourselves. We look so cute!!!!!
What a fun day!!
then we walked 2.46 miles back home (not so fun)
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