The Dreaded GRE

Yesterday Jake took the GRE. I'm so glad it's finally over and I hope he doesn't have to take it again. He did everything that he could and I'm proud of him. He took all the advice he could get, i.e. reading The New York Times, reviewing vocabulary flashcards and doing math prep tests. The results won't be back until November, so waiting will get annoying. This semester has been reasonably stress free for me. I have my first test next month and so my anxiety might raise by a point, but I think I will make it by. I can't believe how much my little nephew has grown. It's so crazy to think! He's already sitting up in a Bumbo by himself. Max is sooo stinking protective of him, and every time he hears a knock on the door he asks if it's the baby.

School has definitely been controlling our lives the past few weeks. Jake has been really on top of things, which includes disputing with his professor when he doesn't agree with his quiz score. Also, he started his new job, which has been really great. I can tell he likes it much more than his last one. Our dear friends the Carters are moving away this week. Eric was a member of the Bishopric and was released this afternoon. Jackie and Otto, their little boy, spent many hours playing with Max. I got a little teary eyed when they spoke during church today. Eric has been our Home Teacher for the past year and he came every month. We will miss having them so close by.

Today we were talking about the Spirit World in Relief Society. I can tell this was some thing I really needed today. I was thinking about my Dad a lot this past week, probably because we went to the Cucina Toscasa to eat as a family in his memory. He would have gotten mad that we all ordered our own desserts. Anyways, in the Lesson we were reminded that the spirit world is really on the earth. I hope with all my heart that my Dad is looking over little Max. As of now he still remembers him and likes to point out his picture to us when he gets the chance.

This past Friday my Mom got my Dad's Life Insurance check and she had a really hard time with it. I think it was just a symbol of how he's truly gone, but I really feel that he's still with us. max still likes to run up to his picture and say "Gwamka" Which means Grandpa.

I found out that the SLC public library gives a way free passes to some cool venues around town. These include red butte gardens, the discovery center, the art museum, and the museum of natural history. However, they only give a few passes away and then you have to show up when the library opens the first of every month. Max and I decided to check it out and the crowds were arriving ten minutes before the library opened. I ran in and mauled my way past everyone considering I was the third person to get there but had moved around a lot since max is a very active toddler. I got my pass.....it felt like a golden ticket. And then we left. We're excited to use it, but can only get one every 6 months so everyone can feel the love.

It has officially started to cool down, it still gets a little hot in the afternoon, but I can handle pushing Max on the swings for more than 10 minutes in the afternoon sun. I'll be glad when fall is here. I was really excited when summer came so that we could go swimming, but Max wasn't as excited about the kiddy pool as I thought he would be, he was more intersted in just running around the park or at least trying to get as far away from me as he can, but he's getting much better.

Summer is beginning to end. I got my grades back from my classes. I got two A's and a B. I was shocked that I got a B in my Stats class. I got a C- on the midterm but I guess I did really well on the Final. I was worried about it cause you have to retake it if you get below a C and I know people who had not passed the first time. But now I'm down to two classes. Hopefully all goes well with them this coming semester. I'm watching my nephew all day 2-3 times a week. It's good for max. he gets all excited when jack comes over. He yells, "The Baby....Baby". It's quite humerus.

Now the semester has started and Jake has been really on top of things. He's working really hard to graduate in May. He's taking 15 credits and works 36 hours a week. I could care less about the money, but Jake is worried about benefits so he is continuing to work. Which is a good thing because he just got promoted at work. NO more shipping department, and a raise! he really put in his time at Regional Supply, but now he works at a different branch of the company, and he's a manager so he can try to delegate and do things the way he sees fit. I'm so proud of him. This will also be a good opportunity for him because a management position will look really good on his graduate school application. (which is due in January...yikes). Anywho, life has been busy and I enjoy watching my little nephew. It's really fun to see him and Max together. My semester is fairly easy going, since I only have two classes, but I'm really excited for my Aural Rehab classes. I've become really interested in Audiology and hope to make that my discourse when I go to graduate school (in like 10 years). After I graduate I just want to be a Mom and devote my time to Max and any other future kids. School hasn't taken up too much of my time, but life will be a lot less stressful without it.

Pulhapanzak Falls

So I'm a little behind in my Ensign reading. I found the February 2011 still wrapped in plastic behind the computer. I've been slowly reading it over the past week and found an article that made me so happy. Brother Olsen was a counselor in our old Bishopric when Jake and I were in the singles ward. During one FHE he had his son come to speak to us who is an author for the Ensign who also travels the world looking for cool stories from members. In this issue I saw his name as an author for an article entitled "Revelation pouring Down From Heaven". It was on a member from Honduras, from one of my Zones. The picture is of a young man standing in front of Pulhapanzak Falls in Honduras......I've Been There!!!! It's a beautiful waterfall that I went to when I as in La Zona Villanueva (the zone that I spent 6 months in with my compa who hated me). Anywho, the point of the story is that you have to get wet, or completely jump in the water to be truly converted. I love when little things come into my day that remind me of my time I spent there. I love this picture on the bottom cause you can see the rainbow!!

Summer Time

This summer is almost over, and I can't believe all the stuff that has happened. I had classes this summer, approximately 10 credits. One of my classes was a month long....Women Cross Culturally. I've decided that I enjoy studying anthropology but hate anthropologists, they annoy me. That class ended in June and then my statistics and Adolescence classes have endured for the whole summer, but finals are this week. In June I went back to Illinois. It was a nice farewell, but I've decided I would never want to move back there, or anywhere in the vicinity if I can help it. Jake may not care for it, but I enjoy the mountains and many aspect of Utah, it's not a bad place. Juli and I spent some time in Chicago (Shopping of course) and stayed with our old friend Effie. It was nice to catch up. the remainder of our trip was in Rockford, where we ate, and ate, and ate. I had dinner with my old high school friend, Barb Moyer, and then Lunch with Stephanie Holden. It was nice to catch up with people. Juli, Effie, and I went to the old house on Gregwood Place. The people who live there are a little interesting, but it was disappointing to see all their dumb cats everywhere. My Mother would have died. I really missed being away and was so glad to come home. Jake even told me that max missed me so much that he would lay in his bed and say "Mommy......" until he fell asleep.

I flew back to Salt Lake on July 4th and my Grandma Boots tagged along. 5 hours after arriving home My father passed away. In reality he was just waiting for Grandma to get here. It was difficult seeing him suffer and to feel so lonely and bored all the time. The last few months were like prison to him, but I know he is an extremely better place and that he watches over us. Grandma has been a big handful, she's starting to lose here memory at a rapid rate and she's constantly losing stuff. Here clothes and personal items were suppose to be here weeks ago, but the moving company sucks and her stuff still remain in Rockford. She too is having a hard time living here, but we are glad that she's around, she still makes me laugh.

Barb and Ralph Brooks came for a few days in July. I feel like we spent little time at the house, which was nice, but also cause our apartment flooded the moment they arrived. We went to the water park, we went to the cemetery where many of the past church leaders are buried, and of course partook on some traditional SLC fro-yo. It was nice to have them around, and hope to see them again next summer.

finally, and of course more importantly to Jake is the part of our summer we spent camping. In june we went with our ward. This was a dry run for max, who isn't the best camper, but really, what toddler is. He cried a lot that night, but overall he was pretty good. Then we made the big trip to Montana that Jake had been waiting for. We drove 12 hours to Spotted Bear campground by Crazy Hoarse and Glacier National Park. I enjoy camping, for like 2 days max, but for a week......NO. I enjoy indoor plumbing, beds, and stoves. I feel like I did my time when I lived in Honduras for 18 months, now I'm done. The point is, I can camp, but I choose not to! Anyhow, Max loved the river, he could of sat by it throwing rocks in allll day. Jake was a crazy man when we floated the river, I couldn't get him to stop yelling like a crazy person when we hit the rapids. Max got to spend even more time with Grammy Barb, I think he loved sitting with her by the fire before bed time. We had sacrament meeting around the fire early Sunday morning. It was a cool experience to hear people's testimonies and to be outdoors while Jake's nephew peed in a bush during the sacrament blessing. Most of Jake's family was there, intermediate and extended. But just like the saying goes, family is like fish, it starts to stink after a few days, so it was our time to leave. I think if we spent 5 days with my family we would kill each other! But everyone was descent. It was nice to arrive home after max had barfed twice on the way home, one time outside of Bountiful.

Life is back to normal, Jake is preparing to take the GRE. I am extremely nervous for him, he studies when he can, but I think he's trying to enjoy what little time he has left with Max and I before school starts on August 22. He is never going to be home this Fall and I hope all goes well so he can graduate in May. Of course he will still have to take classes next summer. I'm taking 2 classes this Fall, one at 7 30 A.M. Tues and Thursdays, and the other online. Max is excited cause he gets to go play with his BF Eleyna while I'm in class. She lives upstairs, so it's very convenient. other than that, max and I are hanging out with Jack a lot. He's my sister Laura's son, he's only 10 weeks, but he's a cute little bugger, especially when he's asleep. I know my Dad would be proud of us, and I hope he knows how much we miss and think of him.

Spring Break

Spring Break for us wasn't so eventful. But I have been able to spend lots of time with Max. Today is a beautiful day and when he wakes up from his nap we are going to go for one of our first walks outside in months. Max enjoys walking around in the grass, but I think we need to see some scenery. It may be spring break but I've still been doing school work. I have a paper due on Monday and a test due on Wednesday. I also have a paper due on April 9th, which I haven't started, but have began research for. It must be 6 pages single spaced. I haven't written a paper that long in 2 years. My allergies have been starting to bother me so I'm trying out some new allergy medicine. I'm just so glad that I'm not pregnant this year.

Last month Jake and I decided to stay in Salt Lake until he finishes his Bachelors degree. I think we were both really excited to move onto something new, but it would be too expensive to move right now. We are trying to get R.A. positions but the competition is on, we still might have a chance in getting it, but I'm not planning on it being a definite position just yet. A few weeks ago I started Weight Watchers Online. I haven't had too much time to exercise but I've still been loosing 1/2 to 1 lb. a week. I just want to feel comfortable this summer wearing a swim suit. Also, I just want to be a little healthier. I can't believe how many carbs I normally consume.

Most of Max's teeth came in over the past couple of weeks. He was having a really hard time with it for about 5 days. It was like we couldn't take him anywhere. If anyone looked at him, he would grimace and then cry. He kept bitting Jake's shoulders and would do things to try to be annoying like through stuff at you. I stopped by my old work place the Early Childhood Education Center. I hadn't seen any of them since the beginning of last spring. Max was angry the whole time and wouldn't let me put him down. I was embarrassed and kept saying he isn't always like this. Even when he had RSV back in February he wasn't this bad!

There is officially one month of school left, and then summer classes start. I haven't taken a summer class since 2005. I'm taking one class that is twice a week from 6-9 P.M. But that class is only in session for one month. Then I have a class that is online that goes until August. It should be a good sumer. Jacob and I bought passes to 7 Peaks Water Park. Groupon had a great deal that we couldn't pass and Max gets in free. I really want to spend a lot of time outside this summer and to take advantage of the time Max, Jacob, and I will have before school starts again in the Fall. That's all for now. I'll post some picture real soon.....at least Pictures of Max before Jake chopped off all his hair.

February.

It's been awhile since I've written in our family blog, but school has been so crazy and time consuming I just haven't found the time or desire. Right now Jake is reading his comic book version of the Book Of Mormon to Max as he attempts to brush his own teeth. He loves when I bring out his tooth brush, I guess it feels really good on his gums. Tomorrow is Presidents Day and I'm glad we have the day off from school. Mostly so I can get some school work done and take a little time to relax before my test in my Hearing Disorders class on Wed. That will be the 3rd test since I've had since last Wed. I guess 15 credit hours will wear you out!

Valentine's Day was really mellow for us. Jake had class and I had to study for school so we didn't make it out Monday night. We did exchange gifts. He got me a little pink IPod shuffle. I like the shuffles cause there isn't too much music that I really enjoy so it works out for me. I gave him a funny little card to open up Monday morning and then had a pizza delivered to his work for him to enjoy at lunch. It was a pleasant surprise.

Jake wanted to make dinner this evening. We choose Tamale Pie since we already had all the ingredients for it. It didn't turn out very well and nobody ate it, it went down the garbage disposal. I hate wasting all that food. So looks like our Sunday dinner will consist of leftovers and cereal. Max is still not walking. He can do it, but chooses not to. I guess that's just his stubborn personality shining through. Last night we went to California Pizza Kitchen with Grandma Mary. Max liked watching all the people in the crowded restaurant get up and walk away then come back. That place is expensive and overrated, I don't think I'll be going back for a long time.

We realized how funny little Max is today while we were in church. During Sunday School he kept smiling at all the people and going over and greeting them. I'm just glad he's a friendly little guy. Apparently he was the main entertainment during Priesthood.