January: New Job, New Routine, NewToys

Ok so I realize now that I have failed to mention one the most important change that has happened to our family. Gigi is walking. She had been pulling herself up on things and moving along hold ing on since sometime in November but then in December right before we left for Florida she got all brave and let go. From then on she has been getting more and more confident with her walking skills. I don't know where this energy comes from but her balance is getting really good so we have had to buy her some good shoes (Converse) so she can practice walking and balance. I don't know where I am going to get the energy to keep up with her and I am only with her half the day. Church is done. She just won't sit still. My mom says that this sounds very familiar but I am still trying to figure out what that means. :)

Bubba started his new job as a Senior Estimator for HD Supply. He seems to really like his new job. He uses all the knowledge that he has gained from working with his Dad, college, engineering etc. It seems to be a great fit for him. He went to Arizona for a week to do training which left Gigi and I alone for 5 days. That was a big adjustment for all of us. Gigi is used to being with Daddy all day. So since he has started working she has started going to a babysitter. She stayed out our friend Kristin's for the first little bit. I think it was nice for her to go to a familiar place. Kristin's daughter Lily wasn't as excited about Gigi spending her days there. But of course right when Lily was getting used to the idea we switched her over to an in home day care. She seems to really like going over to Ms. Amy's house. There are boys there which Gigi loves. She is such a flirt.

Gigi and I have enjoyed our increase amount of time we spend together. I get to take her and pick her up from daycare most days. On game days Bubba picks her up and then they have some time together. I think I hate daycare more than she does. The soccer team is doing well and I am constantly having to stretch my mind to find ways that I can better meet their needs as players and students. Teaching is going well. We are getting into my favorite part of the year. The 20th century. I am such a dork.

My cousins Quinn, Cymri and Damien came down to visit. Gigi and I had a great time playing with them. Especially because Bubba was out of town for half of the time. We went shopping, to the Bellagio dancing water show, Paris, Tiffany's, New York New York, Cesar's Palace, T.I., Mirage, Shark Reef, MGM, M&M store and the Cocoa Cola store (wow that was some crazy touring). We even planned an adult night out and got a babysitter. I love kids but sometimes adult time is so nice. It is always so much fun to hang out Quinn and his family. We are glad that we all for now live close enough to plan little trips together.

I know that January is not quite over yet but I figure since I am logged on I may as well update. Other wise it may be another 4 months before I do this again.

Pictures of this month to come...

Christmas back to Thanksgiving!

Finally I am taking the time to update the last four months. (It is a little long) So much has happened and changed since the last time I posted anything. Since Halloween we went to a UNLV basketball game, Thanksgiving at Aunt Margaret's in California, Soccer season in full swing, a 12 hour black-out, Gigi's first Christmas, a trip to Florida, and finally Stephen got a job, and I cut 10 inches off my hair. So I'll recap our events starting with Christmas and working our way back...

Family Christmas pictures at the atrium at Bellagio. It was beautiful. Despite Gigi's expression she thought so too. So much to take in all at once I guess.The Hair Cut!!! I have had long hair most of my life. So this is a pretty big change for me. I was really worried that Gigi would be weirded out because she loves to play with my hair. But she didn't seem to notice the difference.Gigi in her darling Christmas dress. I went out all by myself on Black Friday and found some great deals. I just happened to wake up at 6a.m. and everyone else was sleeping so I decided to get up and go play. It was great. I would shop at that time of day any day. It is like jogging in the morning. Peaceful, relaxing, energizing and helped me get in touch with nature/natural impulses to shop.
We kept it simple this year. Which helped make this Christmas amazing. We borrowed a tree from friends and decorated it with red and silver. We bought each other just a couple inexpensive gifts. Wrapped everything up and celebrated Christmas in our own little home with our new little family. Truly grateful this year for the Lord's hand in our lives. It will always be one of the most memorable and treasured for years to come.Gigi relaxing with her Aunt Jayni and Aunt Amanda. We flew into Ft. Lauderdale and spent a couple days with my parents and siblings. It was awesome to have the whole family together this year for the first time in two years. I know some families go longer than that. But we never have. It was great. When I get a copy of our family picture I'll share that.We drove up north to spend a few days with Stephen's side of the family. It was a really nice time to see his parents, Quy and Dayne and Myhoa. Next year we will get to enjoy David reunited with us. But since he couldn't be there we tried to have a much fun as possible to make sure we had plenty of "No Sally" stories to tell him and make him feel really jealous. We went to Orlando and stayed in a condo with the family and did some site seeing. We went to the Temple which was really cool for us and Myhoa and Dayne. Neither of us had been back since our weddings and it was neat to track down our sealing room. We ate a lot of really good food and played in the snow. Yep snow in Florida! (Well bubbles that looked like snow... it actually turned out to be pretty gross but was nice to see "snow" and still be warm enough to wear flip flops.)Gigi is helping Aunt Myhoa make dinner reservations. I guess she wants to make sure there is a good kids menu. I just think this is a funny picture.Then we went back to my parents to celebrate the actual Christmas morning. It was fun to see Gigi play with her new gifts and most importantly the trash and dogs.
Gigi met her favorite person yet. Of course Uncle Andrew and Gigi met in April at her blessing but she was 2 1/2 months she may have forgot how cool he was. But when he came down for Thanksgiving she was in love. She held his hand and cuddled with him. Yep she thinks he is super cool. As tradition would have it we went to spend the long weekend with Aunt Margaret, Uncle Gary, Rebecca and Grandma Mary. Sometimes we have others come an sometimes it's just us. Either way we have a great time. We drove down on Wednesday afternoon and helped get ready for the big feast on Thursday. We went walking in the morning which is one of the traditions. They have a great park by their house. Then we watched movies and vegged most of the day. Dinner was late this year which was fine. I snacked too much earlier and needed to make room. Then on Friday the kids who could walk (that means not Gigi) went to Magic Mountain. It was a great day and not too crowded. I don't know how we didn't take any pictures that day. Then sometime on Saturday we headed back to Vegas. It was a great trip. Gigi got to spend the day we went to the park with her "Great's". Great Grandma Mary and Great Aunt Margaret and Great Uncle Gary. And from what we could tell when we got back they all had a great day.Great-grandma Mary and her Great-granddaughter Gigi.
Free tickets for teachers got us to go watch UNLV baskteball. Our seats were pretty high but it's college basketball so it doesn't really make a difference where you sit. It reminded Bubba and I of our college days. We also hosted the annual teacher making night. At the beginning of each soccer season we make dinner for the girls and they come over and make spray paint t-shirts. This year to make things a little more exciting it rained all night. That wouldn't make a difference but then some how a transformer near our house blew and the power went out from 4:30 pm right when the girls were getting there until the next day at 10:00 am. We found all the candles and camping lanterns we had and made the best of it. Luckily we have a gas stove that was already on heating the Tortilla soup when the power went out so the girls still got a hot meal and a fun night. We on the other hand had to figure out how we were going to survive a power out in December in Las Vegas with a little 10 month old baby. All I can say is flannel sheets and cuddling.

It was a different kind of year. But even with our lows this year they don't compare to the ups. Gigi is the greatest thing that has ever happened to either of us aside from getting married to each other in the temple. We have learned a lot about how to save money and communicate and work together and about the other ones roles. I think it will help up to more understanding in the coming years as our roles in the family seem to be now getting a little closer to what we had originally planned. Stephen got a job offer while we were in Florida from a company here in Vegas that we felt really good about. A week later he got his test result back from the Engineering test that he passed. Things seem to be falling back into place. We know that nothing comes without the help of our Father in Heaven and we are so grateful to Him for the trials of 2009 and know that we will continue to be faithful to Him.