Life After Graduation

Here's just a quick little update of our life. Dave is working a few different jobs right now. He put his name in at a 'temp agency' and they got him a job working full time for a costume company. He is doing costumer service, answering phones and taking orders. It's their busy season, so they hire a bunch of extra help for the next couple of month. Not the most exciting job, and not using his degree at all, but it's paying the bills for the next little while.

The most exciting thing that he is doing right now is teaching a class at Salt Lake Community College. He is teaching a Human Biology course Tuesdays and Thursdays evenings. We are thrilled with this opportunity to get a foot in the door with the college. Teaching his 'own' class will be great on a resume, and he is using his degree. He is also going to be subbing a few times at the BYU Salt Lake Center, teaching General Biology (another foot in a door), and he got approved to work part-time at BYU with on of his Professors. He has been a busy boy and we miss him around here.

The girls and I just hang out at home most of the time. They are crazy, fun and smart little stinkers. They definitely keep me busy and for the most part I'm maintaining my sanity.

Chloe is BUSY, BUSY, BUSY...it's unreal how many things she can get into in one day. I thought that my house was fairly child proof, she is proving me wrong. She climbs and wriggles her way into places I would have never thought she could get to. Maggie seems to be getting a little easier these days, but maybe Chloe is just so hard right now that it makes Maggie seem better (just kidding). Maggie is growing up quickly, she blows me away with the things she says and what she remembers. Both the girls have fun little personalities....I kind of like 'em.

Here are a few recent pictures of the girls for your viewing pleasure.

Bath time is a favourite time in our house. The girls LOVE it and I love that they are easy to contain while they are in the tub.

She loves corn, she ate 2 1/2 cobs that day. Being from Taber, this makes me very proud :)

(I'm missing Cornfest this weekend...sniff, sniff)

PIGGIES

It's hard for me to get her to sit still for very long, so I was exciting to get her hair done.

It lasted a little while, until she decided to pull them out.

Maggie calls Oreos 'black cookies'...Chloe calls them 'delicious'! (I call them messy)

I just took this picture a minute ago, it's so funny.

Chloe has not been good at going to sleep on her own, I still have to rock her to sleep most of the time. She is finally starting to get better at it.

After I put her down I could hear her playing in her crib for a while, when things were quiet I peeked in to check on her....this is what I found.

I guess I can't put her down without something over her diaper anymore.

I'm just mostly proud of her for going to sleep on her own :)

We are all happy and healthy. We're hoping that Dave will be able to find something full-time and permanent, but we are headed in the right direction.

BYU GRADUATION 2010

This week was a big one for our little family. Dave officially graduated with his Master's Degree and we are so excited. We were able to have both set of parents attend the graduation. It was so wonderful to have them with us. My Mom and Dad got here Tuesday and we have had so much fun playing with them. It's always hard to say goodbye.

I'm am so proud of my Husband. He has worked so hard and this is a huge accomplishment. I got a little emotional when I heard the music playing for the processional at Commencement. I spotted Dave quickly even though we were sitting way far up at the Marriott Center and Dave was down on the floor.

We took a lot of pictures, I'm am posting some of my favourites. My Dad brought his fancy new camera with a telephoto lens, so we were able to get some pictures of Dave even though he was really far away.

Thursday, August 12

BYU Commencement

Walking to the Marriott Center (I love this picture)

The Graduate

Dave and his girls

Our Family.

It's hard to get a good picture with a 1 year old and a 2 year old.

Our support group.

Our parents have done so much to help us get through school. We can't thank them enough.

Dave hasn't quite found us yet, but it didn't take him very long to find us, with me standing and waving my arms like a lunatic.

All the Grads:

The Doctorate and Master's Students are on the floor to the left.

Faculty are on the floor to the right.

Undergrad are on the first sections of the stands.

Dave is fifth from the end.

My Mom did a great job entertaining the girls when they needed a break from sitting in the stands.

Photography by Grandpa E :)

We just happened to be by the doors that the Master's students came out of.

Maggie was excited to greet her Daddy.

Posing at the waterfall on campus.

This is such a great picture of Chloe. I love her facial expressions.

Maggie's turn with the Hat.

Friday, August 13

College Convocation

This time Dave knew where to look :)

Dave got to be front and center at his Convocation.

The 4 graduate before him are Doctorates, he was the first Master's student for the College of Life Sciences.

Waiting for his name to be called. Dave and the three graduates that follow all had the same academic advisor.

Being greeted by the Dean as part of the Presentation of the Diplomas.

The Master :)

Greeted again by Mags.

Grandma and Grandpa Betts with Chloe

This is the main reason I wanted Dave to walk. I wanted to have this picture.

Dave has been in School for most of our marriage. We have 2 BYU babies and this has been our life so far. I know that it will be a small portion of our life together, but it's been a exciting, challenging, wonderful, hectic, crazy few years.

My Graduate :)

I LOVE this picture.

Dave got to wear fancy 'hood' along with what Maggie called 'Daddy's Dress'

Dave with his Parents.

Isn't this the sweetest picture ever. Chloe loves her Grandpa.

Dave's Building.

The Widtsoe Building is where he has had his office and lab for the past few years; his home away from home.

Congratulations Babe, you did it!

Summertime and The Living's Easy

July has been a fun, crazy, eventful month. It's hard for me to believe that it is already August, time flies when you are having fun. I've been really lacking in the blogging department, so this post is HUGE. I'm just going to make one giant July post, I hope it's not too overwhelming.

Our Canada Trip

As soon as Dave Defended his thesis, we packed up the car and the girls and headed north. We had a great time with my family.

Southern Alberta in the summer is gorgeous and a heck of a lot cooler than Utah, it was so nice to get a bit of a break from the heat.

We did some Geo-caching while we were up there.

We took my parents and the Heggie kids on an adventure along the river bottom in Cardston.

Maggie with Alberta's Provincial Flower, The Wild Rose.

One of Caches we found in Cardston. Someone had hollowed out the log to hide the container it.

It was pretty cool.

After the walk, the little ones (Maggie, Chloe, and cousin Jovi) cooled off in the pool.

I think it's hilarious that Maggie is wearing her water wings in 3 inches of water (she insisted).

Safety first, I guess.

Summer days are exhausting.

We went on a carriage ride at the Remington Carriage Museum.

Canada Day/Waterton

Our Picnic Site. Waterton is my favourite place.

Chloe was just happy to be outside.

Uncle James and Maggie

She was a little nervous, but the other day she was telling me about how much fun she had when she went with Uncle James in the Boat.

Chasing Deer

There is a Geo-cache where you have to fine this marker about Blakiston Valley and take the info that you found back to the Museum in the Town and they give you a book - Fun and educational.

Blakiston Mountain in the background, the tallest peak in Waterton.

The R.C.M.P were dressed in their Traditional Uniform for Canada Day.

When we got back to Cardston we drove by the Temple and were able to get a picture of 2 Owls that live there.

The Town of Cardston had a Party in the Park that evening. My girls were VERY excited about the petting zoo.

Chloe and Aunt Julie.

Too much excitement for one day.

Back at Grandma and Grandpa's for a Hot Dog Roast.

Somebody started to take her first steps while we were in Canada.

July 4th/Whitefish Montana

We went to the Parade in Big Fork on the 4th.

This is one of my favourite pictures.

I love that she still has her Maple Leaf Tattoo on while she is waving the American Flag.

I hope I can instill a love of both Countries to my children. We truly are blessed.

Aunt Tammy with nieces from both sides. Chloe and McKinley are just a week apart.

Maggie and Jovi enjoyed the sand at Whitefish beach, while we waited for the fireworks.

Still digging.

The fireworks were amazing. I love this time of year.

Back Home to Utah

These are just some random pictures of the girls.

She picked out her own outfit for the day. She's got an awesome sense of style.

Admit it, you just want to eat her up...maybe it's just me...

I love Maggie's Smile, she's got the biggest grin.

Bald Mountain

We went with Dave's family on a hike.

The girls woke up that morning with colds and it was really cold and windy the higher we got, so we turned around about 1/2 mile from the top.

It was still beautiful and the drive to the mountain was gorgeous.

You could see so many lakes in the distance.

Chloe was asleep on my back.

Provo River Falls, we stopped on the way back from our hike.

Dave and Maggie at the Falls.

Poor Chloe, July has just worn her out.

Visit from the McLachlans

Julie's family came to visit and spent a few days with us on their way to Lake Powell.

We went up to SLC and did the touristy stuff Downtown and at Temple Square.

Maggie and Kwynci playing in the fountains at the Gateway mall.

I love the action shot.

Dave's name is on the wall by the fountain as a tribute and thank you to all the volunteer of the Salt Lake Olympics.

The McLachlans.

It was so much fun to have them visit. We all miss them very much.

This is the new model of the Temple in the Visitor's Center.

It's really quite amazing.

Farewell July.

Thanks for all the memories, you were very good to us.