A Mover and a Shaker...

We've got a wild one!  I'm only 16 weeks, but already I've felt Baby roll over, kick, and otherwise attack me from the inside out.

Kind of feels like my belly has become a popcorn popper. 

Only 2 weeks until we find out if this active baby is a ninja or a ballerina!

          

So that’s why Mormon missionaries are such babe-magnets!

I guess this Axe commercial is the real deal.  They didn’t get the name tag quite right and I must ask: just where is this elder’s companion?  But they did make the slogan at the end look a lot like the church’s logo, plus I think I made out a Book of Mormon for a split second .  The clip is pretty funny. Plus I just love the song.  It will probably make some people mad, but then again, a lot of us Mormons could stand to get a sense of humor about ourselves.  

Unfortunately, as any missionary or RM can attest, this effect is all too real (no Axe Body Spray needed).  Ironically, many of the missionaries in my mission used Axe religiously (pun definitely not intended).  Probably because it is relatively cheap (missionaries have tight budgets) but strong enough to cover up the hard day’s worth of smell that is inevitable after walking through the heat and humidity of the Philippine Islands.

Awkward Family Photos

April and I started following this site a couple of months ago.  I thought the premise would wear thin but we still find ourselves visiting about twice a week, especially now that we don't have TV. I laugh every time, it just never gets old.

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

You owe it to yourself.

Seminary Graduation

It's been quite a year.  I can't tell you how proud we are of the kids and how much we will miss teaching them. Being a young Latter-day Saint in the middle of Los Angeles is not easy.  Our students have been the source of intense scrutiny and sometimes even derision from their classmates at their high schools.  This was especially true after the fallout over Proposition 8 where our students were in the unenviable position  of being targets simply for being members of their church, irrespective of their views.  The kids have been a source of  great strength to each other and to us as well.  

This was also a year in which April and I had some significant trials in our lives.  Being able to get up each morning to teach these students the Gospel and to feel of the spirit that they bring to class has helped to buoy us up through these challenging times.   We wish our graduates, and all of our students, a happy summer and a bright future.

Another Notch on the Belt

I love running with Nike. He can keep up with me any distance from 1-30 miles, doesn't care if I go fast or slow, and loves running as much as I do.  Even though he was sick today, he was so sad that I almost left him home that I had to take him running anyway. I have this great leash that I use to run with Nike. It has a padded belt that goes around me (gotta love hands-free), a pocket for bags and cell phone, and also a leash with a bungee cord to absorb some of the shock if Nike sees a squirrel. It works much better than just having a leash around my waist.

I've been trying to avoid it until this point, but the belt has gotten tighter and tighter in the last few weeks as the baby has been growing. I have been putting the leash up higher on my waist instead of sitting low on my hips.  Today, I finally stopped denying the fact that I was going to have to loosen the belt because today was the day I needed it. It's a good thing it fits up to 54 inch waist!

Saint Augustine's Carnival '09

We spent Friday evening at the carnival at the St. Augustine Parish down the street. 

We were most extied fo the Filipino food, which is the best I have ever had this side of the Pacific.

Our only disappointment was that there was no whack-a-mole this year, April is unbeatable.