Christmas 2010

I’m being a total slacker this year and not sending out cards or newsletters. This will have to do!

We began the year in Lewiston, ID. The girls and I were there staying with my parents while Cory was rotating at various residency sights throughout the country for the school year. Lauren was in Kindergarten so we stayed put while Cory did all of the travelling. Then in June we moved to Florida! We had a good summer going to the beach and enjoying the sun. The humidity took some getting used to but Cory and I both agree that even though Phoenix had a “dry” heat it was still more unbearable in the summer than this summer in Miami was. We could get in the car and actually touch the steering wheel and not have the belt buckles scorch our skin! We have enjoyed visiting the unique areas that this part of the country provides. We have gone to the Florida Everglades several times, We drove down through the Florida Keys while Cory’s mom was in town and took a glass bottom boat tour out of Key Largo and saw the coral reefs up close. And of course we have been to several beaches! What is nice is all of these places are within a half an hour of where we live.

Kristen turned 3 in August and loves having her alone time with Mommy during the day. She plays perfectly by herself and is happy to just be home and have all of the toys to herself! She has had her potty training ups and downs but as of right now she is trained…we’ll see next week though, things change fast with our little Jekyll and Hyde. She so sweet one moment and a total bum the next. Lauren is usually the unlucky recipient of Kristen’s rage!

Lauren started first grade in August and is doing fabulously. She was the only one in her class to receive an award for the Advanced Reading program. Then a couple of weeks later she received an award for being on the Honor Roll! Cory and I laugh because neither of us were on the honor roll in school. She is growing in to quite the tall, beautiful girl.

Cory is working hard being a first year Podiatry resident. In June he graduated and can officially be called Doctor! We are so proud of him!

I am trying to keep things afloat at home. I have a little house cleaning job I do a couple of days a week for a little extra money. It’s nice because I get to bring Kristen along and I do it while Lauren is at school. It works out perfectly. The downside is it leaves very little motivation to clean our own place! I was called as the 2nd counselor in the Primary Presidency the second Sunday we went to church here! The other ladies in the Presidency said they had been praying for someone to come along for quite a while and nobody seemed right. But when I came in to the ward they said “That’s her!!”. What a wonderful welcome !

We miss all of our family and friends but we have made some great new friends here and are enjoying our new church family! Here are some pictures from the last year-

On the glass bottom boat ride, everyone striking a pose!

Miami Beach

Catching Florida Blue crabs in a parking lot

The first day of school in uniform!

Fun with Nana at the gator farm

Exploring the Everglades (see the alligator??)

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2010!