While I was working, I didn't have time to do much more than the basic things that needed to get done in our life/family, so I didn't take many photos, nor did I blog, for over three months. It also doesn't help that our camera is pretty crappy. Nevertheless, here are some photos of events and things we did from Jan-April of this year.
In January we pretty much just tried to settle back in our routine after a fun Winter Break and fought off some colds. It was pretty uneventful. Around this time G-ma and Paka went on a road trip all the way to Florida to escape the cold weather. Even though we missed them, it was also nice to relive what it is like to be a family of four.
In no time, it was February. For Valentine's Day, Arden wrote to us a Valentine's Day card. That was pretty cool because he doesn't like to write. Also, Newel surprised me with a wonderful date. We got a babysitter overnight to watch the children. Then, he took me to the Grand America Hotel where we stayed over night. We had not left our children overnight since Arden was six weeks old. Well, with the exception of when we drove to Mississippi to help out with Hurricane Katrina clean up efforts. Other than those two times, one of us had always stayed home with the children. It was a wonderful date. One that I still smile when I think about our date. We had so much fun being together. I just love being with someone I don't get bored with, no matter how much time we spend together.
Around this time, Arden had some sort school thing where he dressed as a cowboy. Not bad improvising.
Also, a great job opportunity came up for Newel. He was hired to work for a new company on a pretty neat project. Utah County is rebuilding I-15 and Newel gets to work on that. During this time we were deciding whether to accept the job or stay at his old company. The new job felt like the right path to take, so he signed on with them. With this new job opportunity, we knew we would need to move. So we started looking throughout the valley for a place to rent. We didn't want a long commute for Newel and I still needed to live close enough to Arden's school and my job. So after driving through the entire Wasatch Valley, we settled in the southern most point in Salt Lake County. At first I didn't like the place because there are not big trees. However, it was the best choice for us. I know that sounds petty, no big trees and everything looking dry, but I'm from a tropical country and I've lived in FL most of my life, so green is the color I want to see around me.
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| Enjoying a cupcake masterpiece |
So on March 20 we moved...again. This being our 7th move in less 8 years. We like our new place. We didn't have much furniture since we had gotten rid of most of it when we lived in Cali and we didn't need furniture at G-ma's and Paka's. Nevertheless, we still had a big truck full of stuff to move. Something fun about moving is decorating, so may be one day I'll post pics of the changes I've made to our place. The picture of Maya and Arden is when we went to the fabric store in search of fabric for our pillows. I let them play with the camera so I could shop. During this time, commuting was a bit challenging and rather tiresome, but I knew it was only for a few more weeks. So this is how it went. We got up, got dressed, packed breakfast, lunch, and left the house. Got on the HOV lane, fed the children breakfast while I drove for about 25 minutes to our old neighborhood and dropped Arden off at the bus stop. Then, I would take Maya to the day care and finally I would arrive to work. By the time I arrived to my school, I had been driving for almost an hour. After I was done teaching, I had to do it all over again, but in reverse.
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| Somewhere in there is Arden's masterpiece for Art Day at school |
Even though it was a lot of work driving around, it was worth it.
Time flew by quickly. In April we drove to Vegas for Gretta's baptism. It was great. It was a cousin fest!
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| Gretta and Ruth-E |
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| Phil taught the kids how to play marbles |
After the baptism we had a family luncheon. The children played and had so much fun together. That night, the Walters and us walked around the Strip. We walked and walked. We visited different places and ate yummy treats.
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| Those crispy treats are about the size of their heads. |
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| A delightful way to eat a doughnut! |
Something I enjoyed doing while I was teaching was cooking for my students. Whenever they had a test, the class with the highest average would get a dessert. In the 2nd semester, during progress report cards and at the end of the quarter, I invited the top student and most improved student of each class to lunch. I would cook an authentic Mexican meal. Of course lots of teachers also joined, including my friend Meghan who in the picture.
Towards the end of the school year and during my spring break, I was able to attend Arden's Kindergarten performance. That was kind of funny. Of course Arden didn't want to participate and instead of signing and lifting up the signs as the classes practiced, he would bend down and pretend like he was sleeping. I felt a bit embarrassed, but in a way, it was pretty much expected.
Oh, and Maya was kind of naughty, too.
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| She's kind of naughty, but really cute |
During my Spring Break, I also had the opportunity to volunteer at Arden's school for a day. That was such a treat for me. I think Arden also liked my being in his class. I wanted to do something fun for my Spring Break, so I took the children to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point. They had so much fun. We went in the afternoon and there was hardly anyone there. We pretty much had the museum to ourselves.
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| Playing at the museum |
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| Sand and dinosaurs...what else could a girl ask for? |
I think it was mid April when we attended the Utes Spring game. It felt like spring...we had a long winter and that was a 'spring like' day we had.
In the 2nd week of June, it finally got "warm" summer like weather. So, on a Monday night we had FHE at the pool, followed by eating some yummy popsicles. 
On June 25th, I turned 30. A new decade! It was a pretty uneventful birthday. I wanted to celebrate it with my best friends in FL, so I didn't do much in UT. Newel did get me a cake. Looking back 10 years, they have been wonderful. In 10 years, I met Newel, finished college, got married, moved 8 times, lived in 5 different cities, had 2 children, bought a house, lost a house, gained knowledge, and I've had the time of my life. Thirty is a good age. It'll be interesting to see what this decade brings.
Maya got her first hair cut. Finally! She was so good and calm while she had her hair cut. I had previously trimmed the front, but not touched the back. She looked a bit older.
