Bad Mommy

I have been having a bad Mom kind of week. First I clipped Shayla's leg in one of her onesies. Then she had a clumsy kind of day and kept falling hard on asphalt while we were walking places. (Of course we ran into my little old German lady neighbor. Who we only seem to see when Shayla has just fallen or is tired or is crying hysterical for one reason or another. I swear she is going to call Child Protective Services on me.) Shayla was left with a big goose egg from that day.

Then she was watching cartoons on the couch and I guess she thought it would be a good idea to fall face first into her toy bin on the floor. So we added a few more bruises. But wait, it gets better!

Shayla woke up Friday morning having slept in a poopy diaper all night long. Her bum cheeks were about the color of a fire truck. So she ran around naked all Friday.

But the best moment of all was when she fell down the stairs yesterday. Yes my child fell down the stairs. Well actually she fell down A stair. Just one. This of course was right after I was bragging to Jon about how well she was doing on the stairs. I didn't think too much of the spill until she wasn't able to walk on her left foot. Luckily for me our best friends here just happen to be doctors. We didn't rush to the emergency room, we rushed to Jason and Carrie's apartment. Luckily they reassured us it was just a sprain.

Can anything else happen to this little girl? I'm afraid to ask... Bad. Mommy.

Christmas Craziness.

There are some days when I feel like a wonder Mom/wife. I even have the shirt to prove it. This last week has been full of days where at the end I just sit back and sigh. To put it lightly I have been a busy bee. Between Christmas Shopping and food shopping and Laundry and decorating for Christmas and wrapping Christmas presents and working on Christmas presents/projects and baking and writing a Christmas letter and addressing all of our Christmas letters and buying Jon new pants (since he apparently forgot how to shop for himself) and  all of my regular cooking and cleaning and Shayla activities. I have even found time to take Shayla to the park during all of this Christmas Craziness.

Since the next week will be occupied with baking goodies (that will definitely make me gain back the 5 pounds I've lost), I have decided to document it with photo's. (The food, not my gaining weight)

These are truffles. And in case you are wondering they are divine! mmmm... I love chocolate!

These are the ones that wouldn't fit in the two large containers that I put in the freezer. Darn it all, I'm just going to have to eat them. HARD. LIFE. I was even nice enough to send Jon links to presents that I would like so that he could just order it online since he is working 15 hour days. My only request is to have him for part of Christmas Eve and all of Christmas. I don't think that's asking for much.

Our Christmas Tree Adventure!

We decided to cut our own Christmas tree this year. There is an adorable little tree farm on the way to Half Moon Bay with Santa and train rides and everything you would think was a little kids dream. So we packed up the car and headed down there with Carrie, Jason and Lola.

Here's Shayla on the car ride there.  She was giving me a huge cheesy grin seconds before this but the darn flash on the camera took too long to charge so I ended up with an "Are you crazy Mom" look.

Shayla had fun wandering around looking at the trees and even found one that she really liked. Too bad it was $50 regardless of the size of the tree or else we might have bought one for her room too. It kind of reminds me of the Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

The girls had a lot of fun playing with each other. They are about as cute as they come. Each of them gets so excited when they hear each others name or see the other one. And you all know that Shayla likes to go and knock on their door.

Lola decided she liked the tree as well....

Isn't it gorgeous here? Kind of strange to be looking for a Christmas tree when it's 65 and sunny outside! 

We didn't like any of the trees there so Jon had to at least pretend like he was going to cut one down.

Like I mentioned before there was a Santa there. So Jon got the camera ready and I laughed my head off. What a great picture! I think you can see all the way to her tonsils. I laughed so hard. Maybe that makes me a mean Mom. Bahaha! Poor Santa....

Then we headed back to Mountain View and picked up a tree from our local super market. It was actually significantly less and looked a lot better. I picked my favorite one and it is MASSIVE. I wasn't sure if it would fit in our apartment. Jason and Carrie actually cut down a tree while we were at the tree farm but it had leaches on it so we left it there and walked away very slowly to not raise suspicion. Here are the proud Daddy's. The really huge tree hanging out of the back is ours....

There were a few low hanging branches that needed to be cleared away so Jon was happy to take his machete to it. Oh, yes, he used a machete. Shayla was placed in her highchair so she would be safe and out of the way.

Here is the finished product! Our apartment is now decorated and smells nice and piney. MMM... It's beginning to SMELL a lot like Christmas, even if it isn't beginning to LOOK a lot like Christmas. Don't get me started on my season confusion! (Notice how it barely fits? There is about an inch of space above the tree before it hits the ceiling.)

Can you tell he's her Daddy?

I came across this picture of Jon's first birthday the other day...

And now for Shayla's first birthday...

I've decided that she has my eyes and just about everything else is Jon. All of these are old pictures now. It amazes me how fast she is growing up. It's interesting to look at old pictures of each of us. I think Jon and I must have looked similar as babies. It will be interesting to see who she turns out being more like. Some people say she is all her Momma and others think she is her Daddy. I think she is a pretty good mix.

I forgot how to use a camera...

Not really. But in the 2 1/2 weeks I was in Utah I managed to not take any pictures at all! You'll just have to believe me that I was there.

We had a great time catching up with friends and family. Took advantage of having Grandparents around and went out on as many dates as possible, and spent way too much money!

Here are a few of the highlights. The Friday after Thanksgiving I dragged Jon to the art exhibit at BYU. I'm a huge fan of Carl Bloch and I told him that I was going with or without him. It was one of the few things I wanted to accomplish while we were there. It was FANTASTIC! Everyone who has an opportunity to go, should. Such a wonderful exhibit that focuses on the Saviors life and so interesting to see the inspiration that can go into a work of art.

When we arrived we were standing waiting to hand someone our ticket and check in our coat. Jon pulled on my arm and motioned to a man standing about 100 feet away from us and said, "Isn't that a General Authority?" It was. It was Elder D. Todd Christofferson. It was exciting seeing an apostle that close to you. And not on a stand or something. We checked in our coats and he was not more than two feet away from us when we walked out of the coat check room. We smiled at him and were prepared to go on our way, not wanting to impose. But he turned to us and shook our hands and asked what our names were. He then proceeded to introduce himself. (As if we didn't know who he was, we haven't grown up listening to him speak in General Conference or anything.) I looked at him and with a twinkle in my eye, said, "Oh, we know who you are." He, and everyone in his group, laughed at us and we went on our way. Such an amazing way to start that exhibit. It definitely helped put us in the right spirit. We rented ipads for the tour and it was amazing. Carl Bloch was so inspired.

We were also able to attend the baby blessing of Dan and Lisa Argyle's little girl, Lydia. You forget how little babies are. They grow up so fast. I feel like every time I turn around Shayla has grown up a little bit more. I'm sure that they will continue the same thing about their little angel. You turn around and they are a toddler, the next thing I know she will be entering kindergarten.

Shayla started warming up to everyone in Utah. Much to the happiness of her Grandparents. We haven't ever stayed with Jon's parents for an extended time. They had the opportunity for a few days to have us there and Shayla really warmed up to them. She even walked over to Shannon at one point and held up her arms to be held. (She usually screams if Shannon comes near her) Shannon looked at me and asked who's child this was, it couldn't possibly be Shay! But it was. She loves both sets of Grandparents now.

My niece Abby was baptized on Saturday and Shayla was on one. We had moved into the Chapel and there was a musical number. She decided she should be up there and escaped and was up on the podium peaking at everyone over the banister and shrieking in delight. It was one of those moments when I just decided to pretend like she wasn't my child. At least until she became too disruptive....

It is really nice to be home, and in 60 degree weather again. Shayla has been looking at everything in wonder. She is so happy to be able to go on walks without being in a huge coat and still freezing. I think she also must have thought that I got rid of all of her things. She kept running around and bringing things for me to see.

It is really nice to be back and have Jon with us again. We sure missed him when he came back to California without us. He surprised Shayla with a teddy bear when he arrived at the airport and she showered her Daddy with hugs and kisses. She loves him so much. And he is wrapped around that little girls finger. I have to do all the discipline when he isn't around, he's just a big softy when it comes to her. He is such a good Dad. We are both lucky to have him.

Movember

What is Movember you ask? No it isn't a typo... It is for mens health awareness month. In honor of it Jon grew a beard.

Looks pretty good, eh? I just hate kissing it...

No that isn't Wolverine... That's Jon. This was the beginning of the transformation into a mustache. He almost went to work like this...

Instead he went to work like this. I busted out laughing every time I saw him, and I think Shayla may have been a little scared. He got a lot of odd looks at work as well. Not how you would expect an investment banker to look, is it?

Last night he shaved it all off and I am happy to report that my clean cut husband has returned!

SUN!!!

I checked the weather today. Not the weather for California but the weather for Utah... I immediately started mourning the loss of warmth and sun when we go to visit. How can there be such a big discrepancy when we only live 12 hours away? I celebrated still being in California by going to the beach with Shayla and our Neighbor Carrie and her daughter, Shay's best friend, Lola. Shayla was so excited that she tried to get in her car seat before we put it in their car.

We had a good time playing in the surf. Then we headed to the blanket to play with some sand toys. Shayla loved it! We built a sandcastle and she liked grabbing sand and putting it in the toys.

Lola got sick of the toys pretty quick and decided to go and flirt with a little boy playing on the beach too. She kept throwing her toys at him and expecting him to pick them up for her.

Much to Jon's approval Shayla stayed and played in the sand. She didn't really care about the little boy. Even when he came up to see what she was doing. Carrie and I joked around about how Lola would be mad if Shayla didn't back off from her man!

I love that we are able to get out every day and go to the beach or the park and enjoy the sunshine. Jon was really confused about the weather anywhere but here and didn't understand why someone would need a climate controlled storage unit. It hasn't even been cold... I then reminded him that it has been snowing in Utah. Not everyone is used to 70 degrees and sunny every day. We sure are loving it here!

Stubborn

The one thing I can say about Shayla is that she is stubborn. She always knows better than Mom. (I thought I had a few more years before this started!) She always knows how it should be done. She is my most avid critic. She also has decided that she knows where we should be going. One thing that I have really liked about having Shayla walk is that I don't have to carry her everywhere. She just follows behind me. Until this last week...

If Shayla doesn't like where I am going she just sits right down on the sidewalk and refuses to move. She'll just smile at me like, "I dare you to come get me". So I do go to get her and...

she crawls away from me. Yes she knows how to stand up and walk but she will crawl away. Maybe she thinks it's faster...

The best part is that she is headed to her best friend Lola's house. They live just a few doors down from us and Shayla knows where it is and how to get there. If she happens to get there before I can catch her she will pound on their door so that she can come in and play. Sometimes she gets confused and knocks on some strangers door... Then I have to explain why my 15 month old is pounding on their door. Not awkward at all....

BeAcH DaY!!

One of the perks of living in California is that we can go to the beach on November 6th and play in the surf. Plus it's only about a half hour away from our house so it's really convenient too! No sooner did we arrive than we promptly removed our shoes to feel the soft sand between our toes. Shayla even drew in it with her fingers and then got upset when the sand wouldn't come off her hands so that she could eat a graham cracker.

The best part is watching Shayla play in the surf. She just laughs hysterically as the water starts to come up to her. She likes to stomp on the foam at the edge of the tide.

She also loves to play with her Daddy in the water. No joke after we started going to the beach she started really enjoying her baths. I guess she decided if water was that much fun at the beach it must be ok when Mom is trying to clean her as well.

She also enjoys finding shells and rocks and bringing them to me. She is a little smarty pants and observes everything. Last time we were there I was looking for sea shells and sand dollars and this time she would find them on her own and bring them to me!

She and I also hung out on the blanket and ate treats and watched all of the dogs playing on the beach. She really liked one Retriever that would run into the surf and retrieve a stick his owner had thrown in and then start rolling around in the sand. Shayla would laugh and giggle and start woofing at the dog. All I have to say is I'm glad that I'm not the one who had to clean up that dog after that! It was hard enough cleaning all the sand off a 15 month old!

We had a blast! Shayla was so sad when we left that she just kept waving goodbye to the beach as we walked back to the car.

Jon's favorite part of the day was that we saw what looked like a pirate ship sailing out a bit from us. There were a lot of sail boats out and it was a gorgeous day to be there! 60 degrees and very pleasant. It is by far one of our favorite things to do here! (Looking at these pictures can you believe that it isn't summer anymore?) I'm starting to have season confusion. It's still September in my mind because of this weather!

What a great day! Plus BYU won their football game to boot! We are one happy Laudie family tonight!

Piano

When we moved to California we moved our piano from Houston, where it has been residing the last few years with Jon's sister Liz. We gave it some much needed repairs since it is over 100 years old. As soon as it arrived it became Shay's favorite piece of furniture.

She usually only gets to play when Jon is home. Another reason why she is so excited to see Jon walk through the door. (Most days she wakes up just as Jon is leaving for work and goes to bed before he gets home. They spend a lot of time together on the weekend.)

I think the only down side for Jon is that if he is playing she will come over and take his hands off the keys so that she can play. This little girl always gets what she wants from her Daddy! (Another reason she is always happy to see him) When I won't let her do something she usually goes running to him. Yep she already knows how to work the parents.

I think we have a little musician on our hands. She loves music and likes to sing along too. I love this girl. She makes me smile!

Halloween

First we got ready and went to church. The best part was when Shayla was so tired she couldn't sit up any longer. She was playing with some of the other little kids in the ward and she just was lying there. So a little boy named Brad came and started nuzzling her, and a little girl named Kate came up and laid down right on top of her. It was just a big cuddle fest. None of the parents sitting there could tell you what happened during the last 15 minutes of Elders Quorum/Relief Society because we were all laughing so hard!

Then after she finished her dinner we let Shayla enjoy some of her spoils from the night before.

Can you tell she's happy about it?

Then we got ready to go out trick or treating... Shayla helped herself to some of our candy a little early.
Such a cute little kittie. Her costume was a big hit!

Then her best friend Lola arrived to go trick or treating with us.

We had so much fun and Shayla insisted on carrying her pumpkin full of candy. She even remembered the drill from the night before and would go up and pick her own candy... sometimes she would help herself to more than one. She was so sad when we came home and I wouldn't let her eat any of the candy and she had to stop trick or treating. What a little trooper! I can't wait to go with her again next year!

I did go around in the hat... I left everything else at home though. One night of being all dressed up was enough for me. Especially after Jon looked at me and told me that I'm much prettier in real life. That was his way of complimenting me. Oh how I love my husband!

Picture of the week

Ok so this picture is a month old, but I love it. This is what we wake up to in the morning. Isn't she a doll?

Trunk-or-treat!

We just got back from taking Shayla on her first trunk-or-treating experience. She loved it. At first she was pretty apprehensive and just wanted to be held in our arms, but the last half she actually walked up to people to grab candy. This is her type of holiday! Free Candy!

She loved seeing all the other kids running around. We were a little apprehensive about taking her, thinking that she would just be a big pill and cower in our shoulders. She surprised us and was a big cutie. She would walk up and take a piece of candy and then try and turn to put it in her plastic pumpkin she was carrying, but it was so heavy with candy that it would turn with her. Hilarious and adorable all at the same time.

Everyone went all out with it, lots of decorations and music and candy. Any kids dream come true! The ward did a really great job of making it festive. After the trunk or treat was over everyone went inside for pizza. We had to bounce right after that to put Shayla to bed but it looked like it was going to be a Halloween extravaganza! Maybe next year we can stay for longer.

We went as a Witch (Carrie), a broomstick (Jon) and a little black cat (Shayla). Yes we were a themed family. That's right. Tomorrow we're going trick or treating with some friends and Shayla will still be a black cat but I'm going to leave the wig and outfit at home.

I love going on dates with my husband. It happens far to infrequently, especially since moving to California where we didn't know anyone to watch Shay for us.

Last night some of our friends watched her for us so that we could drive into San Francisco and have dinner with one my cousins and her husband. They were here for Ryans work for the weekend and we took the opportunity to go and have a good old time.

We drove down Lombard street, ate at a little whole in the wall Thai restaurant (It was amazing by the way) and then drove to Ghiradelli Square to have some ice cream. We even got stared at by a few crazy guys.

All in all it was a success. Our car wasn't towed when we parked it at a broken street meter. We made it through the city safely. And Shayla had a really good time. The nice part is that she didn't even cry when we left.

Oh and the most exciting part of the night was when the Giants won against the the Phillies so we're headed to the World Series!! This excitement is coming from a girl who has NEVER followed baseball. There is something exciting about it when it's happening 30 miles away from where you live.

For some reason I have one of those faces. I can't tell you the countless conversations I've had with people who think they know me from somewhere. Everyone thinks they know me, or that they grew up with my parents. Jon and I had a discussion about this the other day when I had a woman walk up to me in the grocery store. I was in the self checkout line with Shayla in her stroller. She came up and said, "Are you open?"

I was a little shocked but then kindly explained to her that this was self checkout. Jons response was that I just have one of those faces. That's not quite what I meant by I have one of those faces. I can't tell you then number of times I've been in a store and been mistaken for someone who works there. Do I just look very approachable? It used to make more sense to me when I would be there in a work uniform, but a lady pushing a stroller? Really? You think she's working here?

In Houston I had to stop going to Walmart alone because without fail I would be cornered by some person telling me a sob story and why I needed to give them money. Really I stopped going to walmart in Houston for a lot of reasons. All of these experiences have made me wonder though.

I've also made an October resolution and will be posting on our blog more regularly. Especially now that we live in the land of the liberals!

Picture of the week

You would think I posed this, but no it really is a candid shot!

We made it!

Let me relate the story to all of you.

Jon left on August 1st to Chicago for a two week training. I being the planner that I am decided that it would be a good idea if Shayla and I arrived via plane on August 12 so that we could check into our apartment, hopefully the moving company would arrive with all of our stuff, and we would be able to start unpacking our apartment before Jon had to officially start in the Palo Alto office on August 16th. Jon flew in to the San Francisco airport on the 13th. That way we could avoid the 14 hour drive with a one year old. I thought this sounded like a great plan! Definitely less painful than a car ride. As I'm sure most of you are aware we made it safe and sound to California. So far we enjoyed our time here but when I first arrived Jon was afraid (and rightfully so) that I would turn myself around and buy a ticket back to Utah for Shayla and I.


Oh, the one detail I forgot to mention is that Jon drove one of our cars out to San Francisco on July 30th so that we wouldn't have to pay to move the second car. (The company paid to move one car, since we are a two car family that meant we needed to get the other one out somehow) Then he parked that car at the airport that he flew out of and that Shay and I would be flying into. We had it ALL planned out...

So the morning of the 12th arrives, Jon's parents had been kind enough to let me sleep at their house that night and then drive me to the airport at 5 am. We thought it would be best if I arrived in the morning so that I could get everything settled. That meant that I had a flight at 7am. ouch.

I dragged myself out of bed. Interrupted Shayla's peaceful slumber and we all loaded into the van so that I could begin this journey. I thought that if I could just get through the lay over in LA we would be home free...

Well we got through the layover and I got our bags. Now you have to realize the pathetic site I was walking through the airport. I had a baby in a stroller that I was pushing with one hand and two suitcases linked together be dragged by my other hand. I had multiple people offer to help but I declined because I could do this! I was tough!

Then I tried to find the car...

These were the instructions I had. We're parked in level 2 section D in long term parking. It's an orange section. It's in a parking garage. You may have to take  a shuttle, but I don't know because some terminals are right next to it, so you might just have to walk across the street.

So I just had to find a parking garage and 2D. I saw a sign for a parking garage, this was going to be easier than I thought. So I took the elevator and walked to the parking garage, took another elevator up to level 2 and saw D. Victory! So I dragged and pushed my way around section D. I went up and down all the aisles. No car. Then I looked down at the paper and it was supposed to be in an orange section. Well B was orange, D was purple. So I dragged and pushed my way to the other end of the parking garage and walked up and down section B. No car.

By this time I was hysterical. I had blisters on my feet. I was exhausted. I called  Jon, "Where did you park the car?" (I may have been a little meaner than that)

After a lot of "I'm sorry dears" from Jon I realized I was in a parking garage but not long term parking. So now I had to figure out how to get back to the airport. It was harder than it sounded. After a few maps and a few elevators I finally got back. Barely holding back the tears I went to the information desk and asked them how to get to long term parking. Go upstairs and across the street. OK.

So I went upstairs and saw a police officer and asked him. He told me to cross the street at a certain junction. ok.
Then there was a lady blocking my way. and she snapped at me to wait a minute when I tried to get around her. Yes me, the lady pushing a stroller with one hand and dragging 100 pounds of luggage behind her. So I waited there... and waited, holding back tears. Finally she looked up at me and smiled and I gave her a half smile back and walked past. Then she saw me. And said, "Oh, you poor dear." That is when I burst into tears. From that point on I had people offering to help me and miss their flights, get my luggage on the shuttle that would get us to the car (finally). And overall a huge outpouring of sympathy.

One woman said, "Well at least your home now!" Ummm, I'm just moving here today. "Oh well you have family around, right?" No... "Where is your husband?" Chicago, until tomorrow. "Do you know the area at all?" No. Then the bus driver asked me where my stop was and behind tears I said, "I don't know. My husband just told me 2D."

Looking back now it's fairly humorous. Then... not so much.

And poor Jon, in Chicago, can't help us at all, feeling horrible, crying along with me. Boy was I glad when that day was over!

I promised Shannon (Jon's Mom) that I would blog about this story. It's pretty classic.
We did eventually find the car after searching for an hour and a half. Got to the apartment. Our other car was delivered to us. I set up the pack and play and an air mattress. Met one of my neighbors who has an 11 month old little girl and just happens to be a pediatrician. She's taking the year off so that her husband could do a residency out here. Things started looking up. Now we are enjoying our time here. We've already started making friends which I am so thankful for. Heavenly Father has really been looking out for us.

I'm really glad I didn't turn around and buy a ticket back to Utah. Luckily for Jon the thought didn't cross my mind.

Shayla has recently mastered the art of waving.

She waves to everyone who walks in the room, she waves at everyone who walks out of the room.
She waves to her toys, and the pictures on the wall.
She waves at the tv.
She waves at cars and trains and animals and trees and plants.
Sometimes I'm not sure what she is waving at. I love that this cute little part of her personality has started to come out.

She also has started to learn the art of dancing. (Yes it is pretty obvious she's my daughter, why do you ask?) Every time music starts she starts bouncing to the beat. My favorite was when she did this while she was sitting on me watching super why.
She also does a little hip thrust wiggle when she's excited... I always wonder what people think when they see it....
Jon and I just laugh. I love that girl, sometimes I'm still overwhelmed with how much I love that little girl. That is my little update on her.

Well among the craziness of last week we also moved in with my parents for the next few months to save on a rent before making the big move to California. Shay was a little skeptical about the whole thing at first but once she realized that Mom and Dad were staying she decided to milk it for all it's worth. My parents are eating up the extra time with their granddaughter and Shayla is loving all the extra attention. She is convinced that she is the center of everyone's universe. She is a riot.  She likes to play a game where she passes from one person to the next. Then she lays her head on their shoulder for about a second and then reaches for the next person. She is too smart for her own good.

I took her to the doctor last week and he said that she was advanced for her age. Verbally and Motor skills. She's a smartie pants. He was checking some of her reflexes and she was crying like the world was ending, so he gave her back to me when he was done and she laid her head on my shoulder crying, then looked at him and glared like he was the worst person in the world. As he left she perked right back up and he said, "You have a little manipulator on your hands." Yes, yes I do.

It was also our two year anniversary on Sunday. Yay for us! We left Shayla with my parents Saturday afternoon and had a nice date. It was really nice being a couple again rather than parents. We sure love being parents but you need to have time to just enjoy each other.

We are still attending our ward in Spanish Fork since I'm still in the YW Presidency. I guess the Bishop was informed that if he released me there would be a revolt on his hands. Jon is a little opposed to the idea because we both think you should attend where you live, but he was really opposed this sunday because if we had gone to my parents ward then he could have watched the Jazz game. Good thing they lost or I might really have been in trouble! Normally I wouldn't stay going to a ward I didn't live in the boundaries of but since it will only be for a few months I'm pretty indifferent about it. Every time we start planning an activity for after I leave it makes me a little sad though.

I had a big realization the other day. I was sitting at home wishing that we had friends. Don't get me wrong we have friends. But some of them have moved away, some are still single and want nothing to do with married people, and some I've just completely lost contact with.

It's all my fault. I completely realize that. For the first time in my marriage I found myself longing for more company than just my husband.

We have also met friends in all of the wards we have moved into. In Houston we were too interested in seeing everything Houston had to offer. Plus the one time we tried to make friends there was that unfortunate incident with the antique chair. In this ward it seems like just as we were starting to make friends we were offered a job out of state so everyone knew we were leaving and wrote us off, and we didn't try too hard either. I have a few good friends in the ward. Emily and I take our babies on walks together and I love everyone in the Young Womens Presidency with me.

Our other obstacle seems to have been that we have family so close that there is almost always something going on. Not a bad thing at all. Just a part of the equation.

I realized that if we are going to be happy in California we are going to have to really extend ourselves and make sure to try and develop friendships as soon as possible. Maybe then we won't miss Utah and all that is familiar. Maybe we won't feel a big void in our life from moving away from our family... Maybe.

I'm looking forward to this new adventure we have in store. I'm looking forward to being "The Laudies" Not an extension of Ron and Shannon or Gary and Diane. I'm looking forward to the weather and all that there is to do there. I've heard the wards are great and I'm looking forward to meeting new people.

I'm looking forward to a lot of things. But I also realized some of my weaknesses that I have after being married. I never had this problem as a single adult. I always had a plethora of good friends. I've also recently realized I have an irrational fear that people don't really like me. (Or maybe rational, who knows) Sometimes I worry that people are only friends with us because they love Jon. It amazes me how marriage has changed me, or how life has changed me. I'm not sure which. I hesitate putting this out there because I'm not looking for anything. These are just realizations I've had about myself the last little bit.

HE DID IT!!!

Jon Graduated! Yay!

After two very long graduation ceremonies, that chapter of his life is closed. I can truly say I helped my husband graduate. After all I did most of his history class for him. If it wasn't for me he wouldn't have graduated, right? Well I can claim that at least.

In celebration we bought a new car today! A brand new 2010 Hyundai Sonata. I won't tell you how much we spent. Just rest assured that Jon is still a Laudie and we got the best deal possible. We have the spreadsheet to prove it. Hyundai had a killer sale going on and after much deliberation (and a really bad experience with Menlove Toyota) we finally decided to go for it. It should be a nice car to travel back and forth from California in. Over all we're quite pleased with ourselves. We'll see how happy we are once we start having to pay for it though. It is probably the only new car we will drive because mile for mile it would cost less than buying a used car. Again we have the spreadsheet to prove it. Yes Jon graduated in finance. Is it that obvious?

Jon sold his Honda today. There has been great mourning in the Laudie household.

At least by him... He keeps asking me about sellers remorse. Then I remind him that they paid above book value.

So the story goes something like this:
Jon: So I put my car up on KSL and someone is coming by to look at it tonight.
Me: Oh... I thought we weren't planning on selling it until after graduation.
Jon: I just wanted to see if anyone would look at it. I didn't put any pictures up or anything. I listed it way above book value.
Me:Oh, okay. Well I guess it won't hurt to have them look at it.

2 hours later they were offering to buy it above book value so Jon came in and asked if it was alright. I told him that it was more than anyone else would pay for it, so go for it.
He came in a few minutes later near tears watching his car drive away. The car that he fell in love with me in. I have a funny sentimental husband. I hugged him, told him it would be alright and then asked him to take care of Shayla while I finished dinner. After all, you can only mourn so long for a hunk of metal.

Shayla

Here are some fun pictures from a family photo shoot we did.
We have such a cute little pill. With the chubbiest little cheeks.
She kept making the funniest faces. And definitely was not in the mood to have her picture taken. But we got a few good poses out of her.
It was also a little colder that day then we had been expecting.