Saturday, November 24, 2012

Buddies Visit :)

In August one of my best buddies and her family came for a visit!  It was so nice to see Susel, Derek, and Josh James again!  Her mama tagged along and had a good time too :)  At that time Baca was still working constantly so we planned a mini getaway to Sea World.  They stayed for about a week, and we kept pretty busy!
We walked along the beach




Went to get pics of the Hollywood sign (pretty good hike btw lol)



Sea World!  This is when we first got there...all clean, pretty, not sweaty....We started the day at 9 am when it opened.  We lasted until 9pm.  It was AWESOME.  Super long day, but glad to hit it out.
We saw most of the shows there.  The seal show was my favorite!  It was hilarious to be there for the Sesame Street show...they squirted water at you through the seats..Lets just say there were a lot of crying kids in the audience, including June!  

Shamu time!

Cool show!  We stayed later for the night show for Shamu!
My favorite part...we got to pet the dolphins!  

 When we went to Sea World, we rented a hotel.  We walked around San Diego the first day and enjoyed the weather and let the kids play at a park.  Lets just say we could all live in San Diego.  It is a really pretty place.  
Josh, Susel, Derek and Susel's mama went to the beach and rented bikes one day while bug and I stayed home.  We ate out at a nice little Italian place, we went to Hollywood Blvd and walked around, and saw the Chinese Theatre.  
(Hollywood Blvd)
Good times with good friends!! 

New Mexico Trip

Since Baca was working so much, I planned to go to visit my parents over Halloween.  It was such a nice get away!  Even though most of the trip June was sick and was super cranky!!

My pretty bird!

The whole town of Los Alamos gets involved in Halloween.  They shut down a street, and had all the businesses around pass out candy.  It was on the coldest day there, so we were all a little chilly from the wind but, once we got going she loved it.  Actually, once she got ahold of her first lollipop- she was all gun ho from there!
As you can tell...most of the pictures is with her and her sucker.  She just sat there and licked and licked.  
Yummmmm


TWe had a picnic and walked around it.  They have some nice little parks out there!  June and Gma were airplanes flying around :)

We went on a nice little trail, June loved all the rocks and we had to coax her along once she was out of the stroller.  We didn't make it that far when she walked so we had to shortly put her back in her stroller!  

Updates and Pictures...lots of Pictures

After a long time since I last posted, I finally feel like I have become a little more stable here in CA.  I am getting to know more people, June has branched out into toddler hood, and Baca feels more comfortable at his job.  Thank goodness!

The beach pics are when B, June and I went to the beach last Wed before Thanksgiving.  Baca ended up actually getting a 5 day weekend for Thanksgiving this year!  We are not used to it with our past 5 years of being in school and working odd jobs that usually only allow us to have holiday itself off (if that).  So, it has been nice to relax and hang out!  

June had her first hair cut Nov 2 at a friends house.  Lets just say she was bribed with Gaba and a lollipop.  Even her cousin Titus tried to help, but with enough distraction, she made it through!  
Rob and the family went to the LA zoo for the second time!  The kids just wanted to run around but it was still a nice trip.  Got some cute pics :)

This was a picture from Robins surprise Bday party at Bucca Di Bepo.  Thanks to Levi for putting up a front of forgetting her Bday, it went smoothly and a lot of great people showed up!  The people at Bucca took the pics and I had a friend take a picture of the picture for me...sad, I know.  But- I did not want to pay $10 for it!  Such a good night, sis was totally surprised!


Another fun trip to the pumpkin patch!  10/12/12  We got a cute pumpkin and enjoyed the cow train, and the singing chicken show!  

Sunday, July 22, 2012

California- The Good Life

Here we are, in sunny California.  2 miles from the beach, 70 degree weather, anything you want or can think of- is here.  I am still adjusting to being a stay at home mom, it is very different.  I am glad to start over in a new place, be close to some family, and have the opportunity to be with the bug more!

It was a very hectic move!  John and I ended up going straight to California after we drove out to Vegas for two days.  So, we went to Vegas, then to California.  We had one day together in Cali so Baca and I can look at apartments.  We got to see about 3 apartments, and we ended up jumping on the one we are at.  It is a nice little area, all gated, 2 bed 2 bath.  It took some calls and a lot of emails to secure the apartment but John was in the place in a couple of days.  I flew out the next day to start packing up our place.  It was just June and I at home, and I had to pack up our place.  I was positive-at first. I had to go to work for a couple of hours to help train the new girl.  I really miss the people I worked with, it was so fun to be apart of that small company.  Thankfully the new girl caught on pretty quick and I finished working there with in a couple of days.

 Packing for me is not the fastest process.  Susel helped clean out all the junk and pack a bit.  Time flew by and the moving company dropped off the trailer.  It was the type of company that you pack it, they ship it (and you unpack it).  The only problem was that this was a semi trailer...parked in our little parking lot.  It took up 3 spaces.  It was nerve racking.  I had a few neighbors on my side and one very grouchy neighbor.  Later that day, I got a visit from my landlord.  It was not pretty (and not horribly ugly) but it was my breaking point.  I call Baca and I held back tears.  After he hung up the phone he texted asking if I was crying.  I said I was having a hard time, which was def true.  30 minutes later he calls saying his work will fly him out that day so he can help me pack.  I would fly back with him the next day as well. I felt bad but I really needed the help.  The shipping company was picking up the trailer the next morning, it had to be done by then.  He got a flight out but it got delayed, instead of being in by 7, his flight got delayed and he was in at 10pm.  We didn't finish packing until 3 am.  Happy neighbors?  At that point we didn't care!

We said our quick goodbyes and got on the flight.  Since I had left earlier than planned, our stuff was getting to our new apartment later the next WEEK.  All we had was a pack and play, a king size mattress pad, and a cooler.  Apparently in California, you buy your own fridge when you rent.  WHAT?  So crazy.  We found a fridge after a few days and a week later we get our stuff.  Having a bishop for a brother in law came in handy, we had help to unpack and it took all of 2 hours to get our stuff in a Uhaul, then to our apartment (we had to park the giant trailer at my sisters b/c it couldn't be parked on the street where our apartment is- oh yes, very fun).

During this time my mom was visiting to help my sister Robin.  She was due with her 4th baby.  I think Robin was due around May 21st, all in the midst of many things going on.  On our second day in LA, I was driving home and I look in the rear view to find June having a seizure.  It was the second time she has had one, but this time I didn't have my RN sis in law holding her.  I pulled over and held her on her side while calling 911. Since this was a first time for me handling this, it was an all new experience.  We got to ride in an ambulance (the fastest way to get around in LA!  ahha) to the hospital and wait for 5 hours to get Tylenol to help with her fever.  It was a long night but all was good.  Come to find out she was still sick after that, she had a fever and one day I noticed a rash on her bum.  Then it spread down her legs.  After trying to wait it out a little bit thinking it might have been heat rash, we found it was Hand Foot and Mouth.  It made sense, she had stopped eating, breaking out, and had a fever for a long couple of days.  The doc said all we could do was wait it out.  After that went away, another wave of fun came along.  I got sick, with a fever and chills.  I had a rough several days, waking up in a ball of sweat, night chills, and then the coughing... I coughed for 3-4 weeks.  I lost some sleep and even when I went to the doc, there was nothing that came up.  No strep or anything else.  I thought I had whooping cough b/c when I had a hard cough I would cough so hard I almost puked.  That was a scary thought with me being around my sisters newborn.  But again, all was well and it eventually went away.

 June playing on the beach :)
 June and Titus playing outside


John got thrown into the fire when starting work.  It was 12 hour days and just Sundays off.  That is how it has been since the beginning.  Now he is adding some more  hours on to that for a game that has to be shipped in about 20 more days.  He is being stretched thin, and our sanity is both being tested!  The good thing is we are paying off a little debt and can afford our bills.  I am so grateful that he is working and getting his career going.  He has worked so hard!  June is doing wonderful, she is growing and talking a lot more.  She looooooves being with her cousins.  SO thankful she is getting some socialization.  We miss our family and friends in UT and hope to visit on Holidays!

Saturday, May 12, 2012

We Are Moving

        Not unusual right?  Well, this time instead of moving around SLC, we are moving to California.  Los Angeles California.  Yep.  John got lucky and got a job offer at a place called SuperBot out in Culver City.  Of course him fresh out of school, no experience will weigh on the final salary offer but, the opportunity is a pretty amazing one.  Most of Baca's other classmates have yet to find a job after graduation, a 'green' person like him would rarely get a gaming job ( and I mean rarely) without having experience in a gaming company,  his first day (May 9th) and he is already working 11 hour days because it is crunch time (yes, they do offer overtime- another rare thing for salary jobs in the industry).   This is how it went down:  John got flown out for an interview about 2 weeks before he graduated (May 4th).  They said it was a go and asked when he could start, the dummy told them Wed May 9th. the day after we got back from Vegas.   We had plans to spend 2 days in Vegas for a grad gift.  Instead of driving to Vegas and back, we ended up driving to Vegas, then to LA to look at apartments.  John stayed there, and I flew home May 8th to start packing and train a replacement for my job.  Thankfully we got one in a great area, although our windows face a really busy road, the other side is a beautiful street with million dollar homes.  Plus, my sister and brother in law live right down the road.  My brother in law is bishop of the ward too.  Thankfully we have my sister there, because LA is huge and I wouldn't know where to start looking.  It is a fun thing to start over somewhere new, even though our rent there is a nice house payment here haha.  Baca's career will get going and I might be able to stay at home for a little while (not sure for how long), if I have to get a job, it would only be part time thankfully.  Anyway, I am letting June watch videos while I update the blog, gotta hurry.  I have a pod coming Tuesday to pack our stuff in, and I fly out Mon May 21st.  So, if those of you reading haven't heard from me, I am sorry, I am literally moving our family myself (except for help from some friends and family -thank you!!).  Baca is on the floor in our new apartment sleeping on a pad in the dining area (don't ask why he chose to sleep there) and bug and I are ready to go be with him!  I will miss Utah, but we were ready to try something new.  A new experience and journey awaits us and I am excited!  Love you all!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Easter 2012



Another fun Easter At Grandma's!  Except this time we had June and cousin Ambree to make it more exciting!  They were still a little young to get the point but the park was a blast for them!

This toy calmed June down a lot.  Even now she is flipping out at the picture of it...
Beautiful cousins

Family pic :)  

Grandma Deb, Grandpa Shannon, Jake, Holly, Ambree, Pa & Mary Anne, me, John and June

Tower of eggs for Bug.  She wasn't as into it as Ambree.  


Girls at the park 
I love our little family!  Thanks to all those who came and for the amazingly creative little gifts form Holly and Gma <3  And of course delicous food from Gpa Shannon!


I Married A Gamer

I knew when I started dating my husband that he liked video games.  We almost fought all the time over the game World Of Warcraft that he played religiously after school/in his free time.  Two years of dating the one thing that remained the same was his love for games.  He changed his major 3 times to get to his major now (computer science) and it was worth it.  He will be graduating on May 4th 2012 with his bachelors.  We are so relieved and excited to see the end of it near. Until the last week....

Our backup plan of graduate school was definitely only a backup plan.  He has been looking for jobs and had two he 'almost' got (he was beaten out by someone with more experience).  The economy isn't want it used to be that is for sure.  I think we both knew graduate school was a large possibility, we just didn't want to think about school anymore!  My dream was for him to have a decent job when he graduated, get good health insurance, I could have the option to stay at home, we could actually save money, ect.  Instead, we are back to square one with him trying to find a job that pays well enough, making sure we can get loans, and figuring out our schedules to who gets June when.  Given a year or two ago I would have been furiously taking it out on Baca.  Now I am at least grateful to have a plan.  As frustrating as it is to do the scheduling and praying for finances to add up, my lovely husband works harder than anyone else in his class (and probably program).  He is passionate and is great at what he does.  The past couple of months, John coming home from school at 2-3 in the morning has been routine.  I don't know how he gets up the same morning and takes care of June!

So, as of right now John is going to do graduate school starting Fall of 2012 in the EAE Graduate Program.  It is a 2 year program, and classes thankfully will only be Mon, Tues, and Wed starting at 1.  This will give me a chance to just do a switch off with John on those days with my work (I am hoping anyway).  I am extremely grateful for my husband.  He is doing this for our future and I am jealous that he has found his passion and is going for it.  I truly admire him.  All I can say is thank you for working so hard in what you do.  You will make it one day and I will be right behind you <3