Ladybug First Birthday

Yesterday Laralei turned one. I feel so blessed to have her as a part of our family. She is a great joy in our lives. 2 Behives in our ward have taken a fancy to Laralei and came over yesterday to enjoy a ladybug cake. It was a lot of fun. Check out Laralei and her first birthday cake and celebration. We will have a family party on

Sunday. Didn't Shawn do an awesome job on her Ladybug Birthday Cake?!

Finally Setteling In

I have not posted for some time. It has been a busy summer full of moving and school. We enjoyed spending the last few months in Utah where we were able to spend time with Faith and Donald, Leisel and Blake and Keb, Melissa and their kids. Shawn has been thrilled to have his mountains back and we all enjoyed our summer.

Now we are settleing into our apartment in Pomona California. The warm weather is fun and we have enjoyed going to the beach. Shawn has been anxious to get back up on a surf board, and we are all excited to go to Disneyland. A new season of BYU Football has gotten a magnificant start, and Shawn is enjoying classes at Claremont. Our new ward is kind and very helpful. We have both given talks, Shawn has substitute taught Sunday School, and is the Duty to God specialist. Laralei is making new friends, and everyone is charmed by her sweet smile and pigtails. We feel overwhelmingly blessed to be in our new home and new life here.

First Steps

Last night Laralei took her first few hesitated and unsteady steps on her own.  She is still a little ways off from walking, but it won't be long now!

My baby ate dirt!

Well, it's official. Lee has tasted dirt. We went to Liesel and Blake's home today and enjoyed an outdoor dinner. I set Lee down for a little bit so that I could eat as well. The next thing I knew, she turned around, and dirt was oozing down her chin in her perpetual teething slober. She had managed to get her fist into the neighbor's flower pot and put dirt in her mouth. She must not have minded the taste too much, because she headed back for more, but her efforts were thwarted as her dad made a dive to intervene.

Well, we are now in Provo UT for the summer. I have 3 classes to finish and I will graduate from BYU. In August we will continue our westward journey to Los Angeles CA where Shawn will start his Phd program.

Lots has happened in the past month. Besides moving, Shawn graduated with his Masters degree from Purdue and my sister Faith married Donald. I will be posting pictures of the happy couple, as well as lots more of the past month soon. Little Lee is growing as always, working on pushing through her top two teeth and learning what "no" means.

Shawn, Lee and I feel so blessed that we have been able to spend so much time with so much family recently. I think that the only siblings we have not seen are Keb, Melissa and their kids (we will see them next week-can't wait!).

Here she comes!

Laralei began to crawl today and we've taped her first lengthy crawl for you to see! This crawl also enables you to see the steps to crawling...she gets onto her knees, rocks back and forth, and then rather unsteadily moves forward! It is amazing as her mom to see her develop. Look out world--here she comes!

Mmmmm...

Laralie is learning to mimick sounds, such as Mmmmm and dada.