Update

So things have been busy around here. I became the Enrichment Leader for Church and have been working on getting Humanitarian projects started, small groups started, and we have an Emergency Preparedness class tonight. They haven't had regular groups or meetings for a long time so I am hoping that we have a good turn out.

Maddie is doing great in school. She is reading and writing very well. At school they have different centers, one of which is the writing center. She is able to look at a picture and then write two sentences about it. Ok, I totally was just bragging, but she is only 5 so I have to brag a little.

Reagan's vocab has greatly improved. She enjoys conversations on the phone even if they are only about two sentences long. She still has an opinion on everything, but luckily, she usually wants things that are already around the house. I am certainly not running to Walmart anytime she wants something.

Garrett is enjoying school. I am grateful he has a group of friends that we can hang out with. I love my church friends, but I also love our "school" friends. It is definitely a different bunch (no kids, wives working full-time, etc) so we don't go out as much b/c their nights usually start at 8pm, but when we do we have a great time. We are going to have them to our house next weekend. Garrett will be attending a law school in Hanghzou China for three weeks in May/June. I plan on meeting up with him as his courses are ending and then heading to Beijing for a few days before flying back. I am 95% sure I am going, but it all depends a lot of tax returns. We are planning on using those to pay for my ticket. I assume we should get a big return since we actually have more write offs this year and about half the income as the previous year so we are crossing our fingers!

I am loving San Diego. Garrett has admitted it and I know things around our home are much more pleasant b/c when "mom is happy, everyone is happy." I am still dealing w/ the miscarriage in the sense that sometimes I will be like "well if I was pregnant, I would be..." I usually don't cry about it, but the emotions are still there. Perhaps I am lucky not to be in Idaho where we always had a plethora of pregnant women at church :-)

I have started a Girl Scout troop for K thru 1st grade with girls from Maddie's school and the local Montessori school. I was hesitant at first, but have been pleasantly surprised at how much fun these girls are. Garrett and Maddie combined have sold over 100 boxes of cookies. This is the first year that the Daisys can sell and I was NOT planning on she alone selling so many. A little overwhelming, but it will be nice to have the money to spend on our girls for crafts, field trips, etc.

Oh, and just to share, Garrett actually said after going clay shooting one day that it "was almost like being back in Idaho." That made me VERY happy!

And if Adam V is reading this (or Meredith) make sure that you guys come w/ us to Beijing. Seriously, after all these little bits of advice from the professors going, having a Chinese speaker w/ us is WAY cheaper than getting a english speaking taxi driver instead of taking the public transportation. I will bribe him.

at the beach

My brother and his friend came down on Thursday to go surfing and target shooting. Yesterday, Reagan and I joined them at the beach. It was very windy and very cold. The car temp display said it was 60 out, but on the beach w/ the cold wind it felt more like the high 40s. We did had fun watching the boys.




I don't think the video gives it all the justice it deserves, but it was so so funny to watch.

Video from this weekend

This past weekend

This past weekend we decided to head to the beach for a nice relaxing couple of hours. With everything that has happened these past few weeks, it was good for us to get out. I was excited that Garrett came with us too b/c he usually stays home and studies. I purchased a beach umbrella at Costco a few weeks back which was nice to have. Although I stayed out in the sun, Garrett sat under it as well as the girls when they had their lunch.


Madison was in the water the ENTIRE time. Now of course it was nice and warm outside and I got some color, but the water was absolutely freezing. Reagan wanted one of us in the water with her for a bit. Garrett went down first and then I went. The water was so cold my feet started hurting after a little while. I can't figure out how they could stand it, but have decided kids just can do things us old folks can't.




Reagan eventually got adventurous enough to get in w/o Garrett or I. The only problem with that was one minute she would be on the sand and the next she would be mid thigh in the water with a wave coming towards her. Luckily, the waves were pretty pathetic and didn't knock her down. I don't even know why surfers were even out that day. They looked bored on their side of the beach just sitting on their boards, but whatever.

Well Garrett's birthday is coming up. He will be 30 this weekend! We look back now and realize that we have been together over eight years now. Time really does fly by!