Summing Up

Figured it out. Thanks, ladies.

Let's see, there's not a great deal new with me. I'm still working on getting my various degrees in hopes that I can one day take over the world. Before that happens, my long term goals are to get a second Master's degree in poetry and have a nice little place to live with my cat and dog. I also hope that I can get work as a teacher. Short term goal, other than graduate in May, is to...that might be it for now, actually.

Little things, though, I'm enjoying my classes and some new pieces of literature I've been discovering. Someone I think you guys may enjoy is Lawson Inada. I also watched Stardust for the first time and I find Septimus weirdly hot.

Good night.

Once upon a Catherine Rose...

Okay, sorry I took so long. I’ve never blogged before. We are in Pearland, Texas (Houston area) and I just love our little house. I never thought I’d end up in Texas, but I think we are here to stay. Mike is an actuary, and there aren’t too many job opportunities for actuaries in Utah. But if we couldn’t live in Utah then Texas would definitely be my next choice. Plus I can’t stand the winters in Utah.

Lately Mike’s been working on a project onsite at one of his clients at a children’s hospital, plus January is always a busy month for pension actuaries so he’s always at work, but at least he gets paid overtime, I guess. He loves bragging about his girls at home to his coworkers. (Mike wrote that last sentence) As for myself, here goes: In about the last year I have thrown food at a homeless person while I was pregnant (I blame the hormones), had a baby, fed my husband breast milk for dinner and didn’t tell him until after he ate it, went horseback riding and was bitten by an ostrich. Just a typical year I suppose except for the baby part – that’s new!

Lily-Rose was born Thursday, May 26, 2011. At four months she started swimming lessons, at 6 months she went on her first pony ride, she also got to sit on a deer and was licked by one too. This last month her favorite thing to do has been clapping. She’ll be 8 months next week and time is going by SO fast! I just love her so much! Motherhood has brought me a type of love and happiness that I have never known before. Life is not perfect, but I don’t think I have ever been happier. Heavenly Father knew what I needed and sent me the perfect baby for me.

Alright, enough with the gush, Mike and I hope to come out to Utah sometime this summer. I am really excited. I am already making a list of things I want to do, eat, and see while I am there. And you all are on it. :)

RoseE's Update

So life with me. It's good. I've been spending the last year figuring out how to be a grown up, learning about things like 401(k)s, oil pressure, spring-form pans, and interest payments. It's been quite the education. I'm living about two blocks away from my parents, in a room I rent from a sister in our ward, and working downtown for the Church at peculiar hours. My job's getting progressively less fun, so the master plan is to hold onto it through May, then go back to my beloved French camp for the summer and start grad school in the fall. My application for grad school is ready to go. I've filled in all the blanks, taken the GRE (not as nice as I would have liked on the written--it was my lowest score--but the reading was nothing to sneeze at, so we should be okay, I think), and am ready to click 'Send' . . . now I just have to work up the nerve. Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm a wuss. A super wuss. I've heard 'The worst they can say is no,' but this isn't true. The worst they can say is 'No, because you're worthless and untalented and we don't want to have to associate with you for two years, and you smell funny, and your mother is an aardvark.' I suppose the odds that anyone would actually say this are slim to nil, but the possibility's there and it annoys me that people won't acknowledge it. So in the last little while I've figured out how to repair a busted oil pressure sensor, apply eyeshadow, goad results out of management, run a cub scout troop, walk in three-inch heels, hitchhike to Disneyland, cook fish, and belly dance some more. (Those darn taxims are still giving me trouble, though.) And that's the news from Lake Woebegone, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.

Tatiana's Post

Hey girls! We're in VA where Ross is on yr 2 of a post-doc. We have Mikey age 4, Charlotte age 2, and Joseph (JoeJoe) 6 months on Sunday. I've been busy doing those things that I always thought sounded dull, like doing a 72hr kit, and a yr supply of food storage (It's done!). Turns out it can really be fun! I've got lots of awesome whole wheat recipes now, and always interested in new ones. Mikey is in a preschool coop which meets twice a week and I teach every 5 weeks. Its been fun but he might be going into a full-time preschool soon, we'll see. We are hoping to find a job in UT starting in Aug, we'll see how that goes :). So fun to read about you guys! Miss you all! PS, the pic is 6 mo old, but oh well...

Laura's Update

Me? I'm tired and hungry/nauseous most days (yes I looked up how to spell that..) but mostly relieved that my EXTREME forgetfulness is justified! I join the ranks with Felicia and Monica, I too am preggers. Oh wait?! Who all has been invited to join this blog?! I haven't gotten to everyone yet!! And I forgot about 95% of all October birthdays within our group, and without, so there.

I just had two really vivid dreams lately, two people I don't know but that I interacted with in my dream and woke up very clearly remembering their faces. The second dream was of a newborn baby in my arms, it was a boy. ^_^ Ha ha don't tell my family members yet, I'm not sure they're ready to hear that kind of news. Job sure wasn't!! It's all good, I'm planning on learning how to sew homemade ties so my menfolk can all be matching for Easter and all those other fun holidays..

My parents moved away from Provo, lived in SLC for almost 3 years and now are doing their absolute best to move back but this time into a super ritzy neighborhood north of the city. Too bad it wasn't timed up with Halloween, I hear they give out king-sized, or at least full-sized candy bars around those parts! Speaking of candy bars... who still hasn't shelled out..? ..Sarai??

Monica's update!

We are in Mesa, AZ. Justin is finishing up medical school this year and will be done in the spring. Blake is 4.5yrs, Emma and Rebekah are 18 months and we are expecting another girl (Hannah) in February. {yes we are crazy}

I actually just became an official business owner of Craftswithasideofyou. I sale custom crafts and vinyl lettering. It is busy and exciting. Because this is working for me, I probably will discontinue teaching preschool. I took off the last two years because of the twins and it is kind of nice to have a more flexible work schedule.

We most likely will stay in Mesa, Justin has a lot of great contacts here and my family is here as well.

I am excited to stay in touch with you all better!

Monica

Felicia's Update

This will be short, but I wanted to do something before I put it off and forgot. Big news in our family is Jonathon is a final away from finishing his online English course which has been a year and a half battle, one I think he gained quite a bit from, both in writing skills and more importantly, discipline and working passed mental barriers. I can now return my focus to my thesis which I want desperately to defend before Thanksgiving. I am expecting number 2, another little girl, December 19th. Hailey is set on naming her "sister". She is also insistent taht she is a toddler and not a baby because she is 2. Hailey is speaking in full and completely understandable sentences and continues to amaze me everyday with her knowledge and skills. I love it when she makes up songs to sing to me. Our favorite of late is "creepy toddler".