Our first few weeks in Salt Lake. . .

Well, I'm definitely liking things a lot better than the first few days that we were here! I'm starting to feel a little more comfortable and familiar with my surroundings. It’s been really great to be so close to family. We spent a day at Angela's house just hanging out. I see Stephanie just about every other day and we had a family dinner at my brother Ken’s home on Sunday. He makes the best Curry meal!

Last week we took the Trax into SLC.

Although it is an adjustment for me to live in a big city, there are definitely pros about it. There is so much to do!

While we were in Salt Lake we went to the Church History Museum. This is a video of Ellie at the “I Am a Child of God” center in the Church History Museum.

We also went to the Beehive House (Brigham Young’s Salt Lake home) which brought back many childhood memories. My little sister, Stephanie, and I hated to shop when we were little, so when we would go to SLC, my mom would take the older kids shopping for school clothes and my Dad (who also wasn’t keen on shopping) would take Steph and I to the Beehive house and around Temple Square. I always looked forward to those trips!

We went to the Conference Center to see Leon’s (Aaron’s Dad’s) paintings of Elder Scott, Elder Bednar and Elder Cook - aren’t they amazing?! (The photo we took of Elder Scott's had too much glare.)

This is a picture from the Green Roof at the Conf. Center (I'm pretty impressed with my photography skills on this one)

I LOVE going to Temple Square!!!

Carly’s favorite part of the day was the escalator (cheap entertainment)!

We went to Gardner Village last weekend – it is the coolest little set of shops! They also have a petting zoo and a pony carousel ride.

Our next door neighbors here are so nice – it seems that we just always get lucky when it comes to neighbors – in Rexburg, Moscow and here! Our neighbors have made us feel so welcome. They have a son, Jose (11 yrs), and a daughter, Joselyn (9 yrs) – they adore Carly and Ellie and vise versa. They are such a neat family.

Our ward is so different from what we are used to – it’s what you would call a “Newly Wed and Nearly Dead” ward (ours is about 80% “Nearly Dead” and the "Newly weds" have all been married longer than we have)! When we sat down in sacrament meeting Ellie looked behind us and, pointing at one of the older men, said "That bishop is going to die"! I guess she thought he was a bishop because of the gray hair. Funny girl! Everyone was very kind on Sunday and made us feel welcome.

Of course the day after we moved here we made it to the public library to get library cards and have been there about 4 times in the past week and a half.

Carly finally got her own bike.

And Ellie has been wearing big girl panties for 3 days now. We've tried potty training her a few times before this, without success, but hopefully this is it!

Also, while we’ve been here we received a job offer in Oman (in the Middle East). They offered amazing compensation (like nothing you would see in the States) and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but it wasn’t right for us…at least for now. This is, by far, the hardest and most stressful decision we have made since being married!

The End . . . of this Chapter

a.k.a. Super-long Post

On May 10th Aaron earned his Masters Degree in the field of Landscape Architecture!
We moved to the Salt Lake area 3 days ago and . . . . lets just say we're getting used to it. I've shed a few tears of homesickness. I'm definitely not used to living in a big city (I.F. is the biggest city I've ever lived in).


Here are some graduation pictures:
Aaron and Steve Drown (Aaron's major professor)


My parents and us (Carly is such a character)


Aaron's parents and us (I was closing my eyes in most of the pictures)
Note: My mom - barely 5'; Aaron's mom - 4'10" Is there any question as to why Carly and Ellie are under the 5% on the height curve?

Missing Moscow: I wasn't sure what to expect when we came to Moscow 2 1/2 years ago, but I know I didn't expect to love it as much as I have. These are a few of the things we will miss here.

I think it is the people who really make a place great, and that is no exception with Moscow. We have so many great friends there that will be missed. I was really nervous about making friends when we moved here, but I had nothing to worry about because the people there are so wonderful!
-The Palouse rolling hills - much better in person!




- The beautiful U of I campus - old architecture and mature landscape

- Ladie's Nites with friends

- U of I Institute classes and "Happy Thursday" (fresh homemade bread at the institute building - free for all)

- The Nielsons (see the post below for more details)

- Our ward family. I know that Carly and Ellie are going to miss Bishop and his goodie jar.

- Library Story Time with Miss Kathy

- Farmers Market

- so many parks to go to

- the water park (we only went the first summer we were here, but it was fun the few times we went)

- the small college town atmosphere - some people would think I'm crazy, but I love the size of Moscow

- the people here, they are so down-to-earth and friendly.

- Eastside Marketplace's inside play area (it's great when you are desperate to get your kids out of the house in the dead of winter)

- Hillside Village apartments - we were lucky enough to have awesome neighbors and tons of little kids for Carly and Ellie to play with.

- The view coming down Rodeo Dr.

- Grittman Hospital (I loved their new maternity wing when I had Ellie)

- Main Street

- Loco Grinz Hawaiian "kalua pork" (I've tried to make it and it's just not the same)
- For the most part I think that Moscow is a good distance from SE Idaho (not too close, not too far)

- the opportunity to make friends who aren't LDS

- celebrating holidays for the first time on our own - I was really nervous about this, but I've really enjoyed starting our own traditions and not stressing about how to split our time between my family and Aaron's family.

- the Landscape Architecuture program (Aaron has learned a lot and really enjoyed it). Aaron has made friends with people he wouldn't have known otherwise. One person imparticular is Aaron's major professor, Steve Drown. He really saw Aaron's talent and potential and has given Aaron confidence in his abilities and really encouraged him. I am so grateful that Aaron had such a caring and excellent professor.

- the farm animals down N. Polk road (horses, chickens, goats)

The Spokane Temple

The Nielsons

One of the things we will miss the most about Moscow is our good friends, the Nielsons. Aaron went to high school with Jordan and Jenny, and they moved here about 6 months after us. It was nice to have some already-made friends who lived just 15 yards away from us.

Jordan and Aaron often took breaks from their school days to visit each other and they went to each other's Masters thesis defense. Jordan has been such a long-time and loyal friend to Aaron.

Jenny and I probably never went more than 1 or 2 days without seeing each other (unless we were out of town), and we traded off kids or had play-dates on a weekly basis (or more). She is such a great friend to everyone - I don't think I've ever met anyone that is so easy to get along with. Everyone who knows her has only good things to say about her.


One of our many Rook nights. We would set up our monitors and play Rook when the kids were in bed. Jenny and I pretty much killed the guys every single time because of Jenny's awesome hands! :-)




We've gone to Robinson Park a few times for BBQs.








We've enjoyed fishing with them a few times

Ellie's first B-day - Jenny made her that little beanie



Ellie 2, Emery 3 1/2, Graham 5, Carly 2 1/2



Olivia's turtle face - Carly and Ellie can't get enough of her!




A letter to Ellie from Graham "le [Ellie] thank you for kard [card]"

An evening at the park - May '08

I could probably make a whole scrapbook out of pictures of just Emery and Carly. They are such great friends - Carly's first best friend. They get along so well, I know they will really miss each other. The other day Jenny told Graham and Emery that we were moving and asked Emery if she was going to miss Carly. Emery started crying and told her Mom "My eyes won't stop watering". It gets me choked up just thinking about it.

Fishing - summer '06

Easter weekend '07

Sun Bathing

Building spaceships with their friend Kaydence

Reading Scriptures

Best Friends!

Silly faces!

We Love You Guys! Good luck with the job search - you deserve the best.

p.s. Thanks for helping us with the moving! I don't know how we would have done it without you.

I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations

My Father-in-law sent me an e-mail with this story:

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County
Clerk 's office, was asked to state her occupation. The Clerk was
obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding
title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar."

"What is your occupation?" she probed.

The words simply popped out: "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations." The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest,"just what you do in your field?"

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't) in the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door. As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!

Motherhood! What a glorious career!

It's certainly the hardest, most rewarding, and worthwhile job I've ever had!

Welcome to the world Baby Annabelle!

Aaron's sister, Franci and her family welcomed Annabelle into their family on Thursday, May 8th. Isn't she beautiful!? We are so happy for them - Josh and Franci are such great parents, we really admire them.

Franci and Annabelle


Josh (Daddy) and Annabelle



Proud big sister, Kaylie, with her baby

We had our first professional family pictures taken a couple of Saturdays ago. (Thanks Katy!)

Carly is 3 1/2 and Ellie is 2

The Girls thought of this pose.




Aaron and his three Girlfriends!

Ward Variety Show

Let me just say that we have a very talented ward. I wish I would have taken videos of everyone.

Carly and Ellie sang this song. (I couldn't get the videos from the Talent show to download, so this is from a video taken at home.) The lyrics are below.

You take a boy and a girl in a little canoe

when the moon is shinin' all around.

As he dips his paddle,

he doesn't even make a sound.

Well, they talk and they talk

'til the moon goes in.

He says you got to kiss me or get out and swim.

So you know what to do in a little canoe

When the moon is shining alla',

the moon is shining alla',

the moon is shining all around...

Get out and swim, SPLASH!

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P.S. We accepted the job in Salt Lake City, so we'll be moving there as soon as we have somewhere to live. Aaron's job starts June 2nd. We are so excited!!