We are still around and happy! School has been a whirlwind for me and today was my last day of Summer session... I do start again August 20. We have been staying busy traveling and having fun at home with family and friends. San Diego is treating us good and I will do some better updating over my short break:) Adios for now

June

First of all I am so thankful for family and friends that have looked after Lainey and Jak so all the things on my to do list for school can be accomplished! I could not do it without my wonderful husband John and the amazing support group I have! THANK YOU! June started with my first hygiene screening for school. I was nervous but it was nothing.

That first weekend of the month was spent just John and I in La Jolla at our friends adorable house! We had our amazing friends Andrea and Jarred watch Lainey and Jak so we could really catch up. I thought I would be sleeping in but thanks to milk overflow I was up at 6:30. We went ocean kayaking, enjoyed a nap, went downtown, and dancing! It was perfect...until my camera got dropped in a glass of water so this month is lacking in the pictures!

I started a night class the Monday after our adventure...6 week courses can be difficult, but I was blessed with the perfect teacher and curriculum. Culture and Media expanded my horizons of racism, rights, laws and the many diverse and sometime untruthful ways they are depicted in the mass media. Very interesting stuff!!!

John was a champ and put the kids to bed three nights per week for 6 weeks. I always came home to a clean house and a happy hubby! I have a lot to be thankful for!!!:)

Somehow we still managed do do all our others activities too! Birthdays, family returning, the zoo, and dinners.

Jak took his 1st step on the 22nd and has not stopped since!

Lainey is going through a naughty stage of not listening and challenging us but still is a sweetheart and such an amazing helper and big sister.

We celebrated the end of the month with a trip to the fair and really had a great time!

Time is going by so fast and me returning to school is coming too quick but were going to get through it and have fun at the same time!!!!!!!!!!!:)

May

This month was as usual...Chaos! Trying to have a schedule with kids and keeping up with friends and family tends to be very difficult for me! I HATE goodbyes! Sending my sister and her family back to England was hard but I am so thankful we got tot spend time together:) More zoo and usually we go at least once a month...the scenery is beautiful and the animals are always fun to view... plus good company makes it even better:) May brought some change...John and I went on quite alot of dates(movies, dinner, temple) and got to enjoy some time alone!!! I got CPR certified for school and the next week Megan Guerrero and Janae Beus came for some girl time!!! We really enjoyed ourselves and got to go see lots of beautiful San Diego while catching up! Always making memories is one of our mottos be it our good friends Justin and Giaan graduating from college, a cousins wedding,visitors, or a BBQ with an old boss. We love catching up and making sure others know were there for them and are happy to have them in our lives!

April

April was busy from the start! Our LDS General Conference was the first weekend and it was so fun to have the kids watching and playing with one another! They play so well together I count my lucky stars:) Next came school orientation for me! I am returning to school to finish with a Dental Hygiene program. I have been on the waiting list since I first found out I was pregnant with Lainey! They called me a few weeks prior to the orientation and gave me a week to decide if I was going to start this year! it was very stressful. We went to Huntington Beach for a farewell party , while there poor Jak busted his lip on a table and had his first bloodshed. Next it was off to Big Bear for a week long family reunion. My niece Ashley came to stay with us and drive up to the reunion with us too! it was so fun having an older kid! My sister Tara and her family came to San Diego prior to the reunion and got to stay after also so we could enjoy some extra time together. Oh such great times with family!!! Being with family is priceless and I hope one day we will be closer so we can get to see eachother more othen:) I had a Silpada jewelry party to help out a friend at the end of the month and it was a really fun night!

March

Only 4 months behind!!! yikes!!! March was a zoo month! John and the kids got me a zoo membership for my b-day so we all took full advantage of many trips to the zoo. Lainey now has a special connection with the baby hippo there that was born in January. Whenever we go to visit they chase eachother accross the window and it is the greatest! Jak started eating veggies and his teeth started popping out:) We remained busy with many activities with both family and freinds...NEVER a dull moment!

Love

February brought new health and a new cousin:) Our new cousin Zachary Thai was born Feb. 2 to start off the month! I was so sad I could not meet him right away:( I finally felt better around February 9th and things went back to normal. Valentines party on the 12th, Decorating cookies on the 14th and meeting two new babies, my Dad arrived, John and Hoa(leah&zach's dad) had a surprise dinner for V-day, I taught a RS Gluten-free cooking class the 15th, the sister missionaries taught me how to make enchilada sauce from scratch the 16th, the 19th we had a marriage and our friends were sealed to their little guy, then My Dad, myself, and the kiddos drove to Folsom. I guess if I want to slow down I have to get really sick! The drive to Folsom was very frustrating...but we made it and had a great time with Nana, Grumpy, Jake, Penny, the Websters, GiGi, and many friends we got to catch up with! Luckily it only rained one day! My mom took me out to PF Changs for an early b-day and it was really nice to just be with mom. I miss home alot! So glad I get to visit somewhat often:) Lainey at first hated the new puppy but after an hour adored her and would not leave her alone:) Also Nana and Grumpy were loved alot by Lainey wich is rare! Jak is really mobile...rolling, crawling, and now standing up! He makes me very nervous!! We were in Folsom for an entire week plus a couple days and John joined us for the weekend before flying home! We really can't stand being apart:) Cant wait for the Carter Family Reunion!

Happy New Year

Welcome 2011! To start of the year we headed up Cowels Mountain(3miles total). It felt great but carrying Lainey has gotten a little harder! Kids grow up so fast! I have been really enjoying Lainey's hair and the things I can finally do with it. Surprisingly she allows me to:) Also I love giving Jak a mohawk and think he looks quite handsome! January was a hard month I started with being sick...kept doing all the normal stuff...enjoyed a trip to mission beach with cousins, had lots of fun with Eva before she moved to Germany, threw a baby shower, etc...then it turned into pneumonia...It was gnarly and thank goodness the kids and John did not get it! My fever got up to 104.5 and i was week and miserable. Luckily John is the best hubby and did everything he could to help. Plus I had help from Johns mom and sister. Also my little brother Jake came for almost two weeks and played with the kiddos during the day and did other chores so i could rest. Thanks also to all the family and friends that brought dinners! I hate not being able to be in charge and doing! But it was so nice to have help!!! Love you all!