Sander was recently hired at the company he's been working at for two years. Confused? Me too. But not about that. Two years ago my h...

Kids Corp Christmas!

Thursday, December 07, 2017 , , ,

Kid's Christmas Party

Sander was recently hired at the company he's been working at for two years. Confused? Me too. But not about that. Two years ago my husband took a new position at his company's biggest-ever commercial job, as a contracted employee. Meaning, he's been employed by the company he's been at for 8 years, but the last two of them he was actually working at a client of his company's. Confused? Me too. About everything.

Anyhoo, I guess they liked Sander so much, they decided to bring him on board into their IT department. He's doing slightly different work, but with all the same people he's been working with for two years now. Except now he's not a contracted employee there, he's a legit employee there, with all the amazing benefits that come with a large, happy, healthy-even-through-the-recession company. While his previous employer was so good to us over the years, this was a very happy step forward for our family and Sander.

Especially since now--as he's no longer a contractor with the company--we get to enjoy all the benefits that come with being an employee there, such as the kids Christmas party!! {And this spring, also Take Your Kids To Work Day!} My children had previously not been able to enjoy these things at daddy's work since it wasn't technically daddy's work. Still confused? I give up.

He got hired by the bank, and now we get to have a kid's Christmas corporate party! Get it?

Me neither.


Kid's Christmas Party

The new employer, Sander's previous employer's client turned employer {am I making things worse?} is like a credit union for the farming industry.
For the last two years, they've been as good to us as they could be, given that Sander was not a legit employee.

I've been to plenty of "regular" company Christmas parties, this is the first time we've ever been invited to an employee Christmas party for the kids!

They invited Santa too.
Even though he's not a kid of an employee.
{How is that fair?}

Kid's Christmas Party

And Santa was a really good Santa, if you know what I mean. Cracked down on tooth brushing and the room cleaning while still giving warm hugs, a toy elf, and a candy cane. 

Kid's Christmas Party

Oh dear, look at my 9-year-old. She's looking like this might be her last year sitting on Santa's lap.

Kid's Christmas Party

There was a professional photographer, but I have yet to see those photos. 

Kid's Christmas Party

Then we got to see daddy's cubicle. This building is very lovely--if you can call an office building that--as it was built two years ago. {Sander's previous employer was picked to install all their TVs, conference room stuff, fancy Crestron equipment...and that was his previous job, maintaining that $ystem for the bank.}

Kid's Christmas Party

Now I can actually visualize the space he's working in when I call him at work because there's a spider, or the internet is down, or if I need to rant about the kids' behavior that morning. 

Kid's Christmas Party

AND we're totally jealous of his views. 

Kid's Christmas Party

You have to keep in mind, this was the first time in two years we were allowed into his building, so it was kind of exciting. 

Next, we headed to the cafeteria, where the bank's chef had prepared a breakfast for hundreds. 

Kid's Christmas Party

There was a hot cocoa bar, a coffee bar with baristas, French toast, pancakes, and even the chef's own pop tarts with whatever toppings the kids desired. 

Kid's Christmas Party

From now on, we can also come have lunch with daddy when we feel like it at the bank's restaurant. I hear they have good breakfast burritos.
I'll be the judge of that. 

Kid's Christmas Party

Without going into much detail, this new position and job at the bank for Sander is the answer to many prayers. Things had been feeling up in the air, and uncomfortable for the last several months. We weren't sure what was in store for the future, but we did know he wanted a permanent position at the bank and that our family would really benefit from the benefits. 

Kid's Christmas Party

If I can be perfectly frank, 2017 has been a bit of a hellish year for my whole family. Okay, so none of us were diagnosed with terminal illness or anything, yes, we're keeping it in perspective. But everything from my dad's car accident and subsequent surgery and long recovery and the time that took out of my parent's lives, to my sister's family being uprooted from New Mexico suddenly and plopped back here in Denver--which we're thankful for, but it wasn't the way anyone had planned. 
Sander and I had it easier than all of them this 2017, but it's been rough for all of us trying to carry each other's burdens. 

Now, can I offer a praise report? 
Out of my very small family here in Colorado {6 adults, 5 kids}, FOUR adults are starting great new or better jobs they wanted this Nov/Dec. Sander included.
My dad also got hired by a company that made the top 25 WORLD employers in 2017.
In a very similar fashion to how Sander was hired, he'd been a contracted employee of sorts and they liked him so much they brought him on as well.
How 'bout dat? 

Kid's Christmas Party

All that to say, while 2017 has been a somewhat rough year in surprising ways, we're tying up 2017 with a pretty tidy bow, after all. 

Kid's Christmas Party

Back to the kids Christmas party, after breakfast we headed to the Elf Academy in the conference room. 

Kid's Christmas Party

They sang a carol, they made paper airplanes, an ornament, and each got an Elf Academy certificate with assignment to any given country around the world. 

We'll be sending Paxton off to Thailand pretty soon here.
Eisley, Belgium. Violet, I forget...
{It's a middle child thing. You forget a lot.}

Kid's Christmas Party

Lastly, they rode the train. 

Kid's Christmas Party

Sit down, Paxton!

Kid's Christmas Party

Wait, I mean, lastly we waited in line for balloon artists who'd just spent the last 3 hours making balloon animals for hundreds of kids. They totally looked like they needed a spiked eggnog by the time we got to the front of the line. Bless them. 

Kid's Christmas Party

So, consider this part of our Christmas letter 2017. 
Sander has a new job at the place he's worked at for two years. 
It's a definite good thing. 
We have the balloons and elf dolls and new health insurance to prove it.

{Fun Fact: At his previous employer, insurance for our whole family cost more than our mortgage. Which meant our kids were on CHP+, which the government might be axing soon anyway. So this came at a good time for us. But many aren't so fortunate, so consider reaching out to your local congressmen?}

Kid's Christmas Party

And I won't be resentful about Take Your Kid To Work Day in 2018, because apparently that's a pretty impressive event at the bank too. 

Kid's Christmas Party

Now, the "adult" corporate Christmas party is in early January, in the ballroom at the Denver Center of Performing Arts.
I really hope those balloon elves are there.
We hope your employer treats you well this Christmas too. 

Cheers,
Heather

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