BIG NEWS!!!

(This is Sophie sitting on the steps of the bridge that goes over the lake by our house.
Yes, we are in walking distance from a lake. A man-made lake-- but it's water!)

Sophie went down a slide ALL BY HERSELF! I know this may not sound big or important to you, but it is. Sophie is the most cautious creature I've ever met. While other kids at the playground are doing dare-devil stunts, Sophie just enjoys watching. She never liked to go down the slide unless I went down with her (and even then I had to persuade her to do it). So imagine my surprise and delight when without a word from me Sophie sits down at the top of the slide and tells me to catch her.

Here's Sophie being happy in our backyard.

Okay, so now about The Move. For those of you who don't know, we moved away from Tucson (tear). We now live in The Great Valleeey (I found it! (I hope someone just caught my allusion right there. It's from Land Before Time if you don't know)). I don't like to say exactly where since we are on the Internets but you get the idea.

Here's a pic showing that I am starting to make our house more homey.
Actually I just liked that you could see my reflection/shadow in the picture.

More pictures of our home to come...

Now for news about AMAZON-AMAZINGNESS!!!!

Me with Mr Darcy, Elizabeth Bennett and Emma. I LOVE BBC. Also with two great books Deep Blue and Devil's Cub.

Dave with his geek-gear.

I traded in 3 or 4 text books with Amazon and look at all the stuff we got from them!! I still have more amazon credit to spare and more books to trade in for amazon credit.

The Man.

My Valentine

This is my husband...

I know what you're thinking.

It's okay to be jealous.

This is a Halloween picture from before we were dating in 2006.
You can see how lovingly I am grasping his arm.
Dave made a very handsome James Bond.
That was the year I won best costume as a nerd.
By the way, this picture is cutting out a cute girl that was on Dave's other arm.

A very special date. Some Winter Formal that we went to.


The day after we got engaged.


Some official engagement pics:



Our Wedding
August 11, 2007

It's no secret that I love Dave. He really makes me happy.
Here's why:

• He gives me back rubs! (I am always promising to give him back rubs...but I never actually do...)
• He is almost ALWAYS the first to say "Sorry" even if it's not his fault.
• He loves his family. That includes me, Sophie, his family, my family. Everyone! He's a GREAT dad, by the way.
• He helps with the chores.
• He still loves me even though I'm stinky. I will say no more on the matter.
• He encourages me in my interests. He's very supportive of everything I do.
• He likes to go to the mall with me.
• He is completely faithful and dedicated to me and to God.
• I could go on but I think Dave is going to catch me writing this any second! You get the idea...

♥♥♥ I know. Now you're REALLY jealous. :) ♥♥♥

This is Yeast in Action

My Mom was bakin' and Dave took these pics of some very active yeast:

And Now..... Some EXCITING News!!!!

After months and months and months and months of searching.... We have a job!!!! Dave's new job title is "Virtual Construction Engineer" (so he is now an architect turned engineer :). So we're moving North. Yay! We're very excited to begin some new adventures.

Here are some recent family photos. I just love how they turned out.

I Wish I Had Some Exciting News....

...but I don't. Yet.

This week we turned my parents' living room into a recital hall and had a little piano recital! I had my 9 wonderful piano students play their Christmas tunes for their families. It was great. I have LOVED teaching piano but alas, I have let them all go. We are anticipating a job offer and acceptance by the end of the year (that's why I'm no longer teaching). We've actually have had a couple job offers, but we're waiting to hear back from one more place.

It's weird not having my students, so Sophie and I have been playing a lot outside with the camera.

A Cold, Autumn Day
A Summery, December Day

A Happy Day

...Oh, by the way. Guess who gets to talk in church the day after Christmas? Yep, that's me.

A few uplifting thoughs on marriage

Marriage has been getting a bad rap in the media and stuff. I don't think people generally don't believe in happy marriages anymore. On TV Dr. Phil is constantly counseling estranged couples and then you hear that your favorite Hollywood couple just broke up, etc... Marriage is scary!

However, I believe and have hope in this quote from President Spencer W. Kimball:

"Marriage can be more an exultant ecstacy than the human mind can conceive. This is within the reach of every couple, every person."

And this one from President Gordon B. Hinckley:

"It is not going to matter very much how much money you made, what kind of house you lived in, what kind of car you drove, the size of your bank account--any of those things. What is going to matter is that dear woman who has walked with you side by side as your companion thorugh all the years of life and those children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren and their looking to you...with respect and love and deference and kindness.... The only things you will take with you, when all is said and done, are your family relationships."

I don't mean to downplay the difficulties that come with marriage--because they'll surely come! But I hope that people will begin to believe in marriage again.

To end, I'd like to show how much Dave must love me through this madlib. I created it, Dave filled in the blanks (the red words).

Once upon a time, Dave met the most bouncy squid in his life. Her name was Lindsey. One day, Dave squished off a cow. It just so happened that Lindsey was dancing by. Dave yelled, "Ow-ow!" Lindsey asked, "Do you need help over there?" Because Dave was only holding on to the cow with one frenellum, he said yes. So Lindsey reached out her orange hand and helped him up. It was then taht Dave cooked into her impressive eyes. He suddenly wanted to run her luke-warm lips. And so he did. The End.

Picture Post

For those of you who haven't seen my beautiful baby girl in a while, here's what she looks like today...
Sophie enjoyed being a choo-choo train for Halloween. Her costume was amazing. We even took her to Pennys to get some "professional" photos, but I wasn't very happy with the outcome.
Sophie is a silly girl that likes to do what her Mommy does.
She loves her Daddy. Daddy time is play time!

I don't have any news to update you on other than Sophie is learning lots every day. Oh- and we had a Binky Weaning Day. It failed. However, Sophie really likes to say "No more binky!" while wagging her finger. We've talked about it a lot, but it's easier to say than do!

Knock, Knock...

Last night Dave and I drove home from Tempe. Most of the time we're driving at night we play silly car games to keep us awake and talking. Last night we were making up our own Knock, Knock jokes. (Note: Kids love Knock, Knock jokes. They are always telling me the most un-funny Knock, Knock jokes. It is because these are the easiest jokes to make up. You just simply fill in the blanks. Who cares if they don't make sense!) Anyway, I came up with a Knock, Knock joke that (I think) is actually funny! Here it is:

Knock Knock.
Who's there?
Pat.
Pat who?
Pat the Bunny!

I don't know if it was the content of the joke or if it was just really late at night, but we kept repeating that joke over and over and cracking up because it.
I hope you enjoy my own original Knock, Knock joke. If nothing else, maybe your kids/cousins/nieces/nephews will like it.

Inception

Have you seen this movie?



Whoa. We scored free movie tickets and were able to watch this movie. It was an awesome experience.

"I was nervous the entire time," says Lindsey. "I give it 5 stars!" If you know Lindsey, she's not easily impressed when it comes to movies. "This was the best movie I saw in the theatres since The Lion King." (Okay maybe that's a slight exaggeration--but not by much.)

"Whoa" --Dave. "It gives a whole new meaning to interpreting dreams."

"Mommy!" says Sophie. Okay, she didn't see it, but that's what she says all the time.

What did you think about it?

Les Poissons, Les Poissons! Hee Hee Hee Hua Hua Hua

Utah Trip

Here is Dave with his new friend, Paul. We met him at this side-of-the-road hamburger/hotdog and fishing stand.
Note: Sophie did NOT like Paul.

Dave, Lindsey, and Brigham Young.

We had the amazing opportunity to go to education week at BYU with some family. Let me just say this: It's a wonderful feeling taking whatever classes you want and not worry about assignments and homework.

The Melvilles. She's having a baby though you can't tell from the picture (or in person for that matter.) I hope I'm allowed to say.

Sophie & Kennedy. Yes, Sophie is eating her shirt.

We spent A LOT of time with some of our cousins this past summer. One cousin in particular has taught Sophie the word "Mine!" Soph uses it often. :)

Other things Sophie has been saying a lot (just a few):

• "I Don't Know"
• Prayers
  (muttering and saying Mommy and Daddy while folding arms)
• "Go!"/" Go?"
• "Mommy!"
  (Apparently 'mommy' just means 'Someone pay attention to me now!")
• "One, Two, Threeeeeee!"
• "Please", "Cheese" (they sound almost identical)
• "W" (I could have sworn I heard her sing along with the ABCs song and say 'w')
• "Doing?"
  (What are you doing?)
• "Apple"

Things she sings:

• "Ee-I-Ee-I-O!"
• "Clean Up! Clean Up!"
  (But it sounds more like "Pick up! Pick Up!"

"Home" in Arizona

Dave, Sophie, and I are glad that the temperatures have been dropping. We've been taking advantage of this with lots of nice walks. We love the desert and all it's surprises --Including cactus flowers and fruit.

Raise your hand if you love the desert!