Were Still Here!

We have been really busy lately so I haven't had much time for blogging. Here is what we have been up to lately.

Jared - Jared has been working really hard at going to school full times and working part time. His school classes are really hard this semester and he is working really hard. Along with this he also has his calling at church where he has to go to mutual on Wednesday nights and teach 1-2 Sunday's a month. He is also working hard on creating an app for the Driod and he is so close to releasing it.

Amanda - I have been super busy with work every day. Once I finish one thing there is always something else waiting for me. I am also taking a business class online. It doesn't take too much time. I have quizes and a small paper due every couple of weeks, so its not too bad. Also, every other Thursday I have my Activity Girls. Thankfully I am a co-leader with my mother-in-law, so planning the activities is easier since I see her at least every other Sunday for dinner. In my spare time, as everyone knows, I am sewing. There are so many people that I know and love having babies and I of course have to make blankets for every one of them. Along with the baby blankets I made a large blanket for my best friend for her birthday and I am now working on one for my sister-in-law and one for my brother for Christmas. Somewhere in the mix of all this crazy I find time to do the normal wife things like laundry, cooking, cleaning and watching my favorite shows.

The past couple weeks have been insane because my parents have been out of town so we have been taking care of my little sister. She is 10 years old and so much fun, but she is an extremely busy child. Not only does she have homework every day but she has swim practice everyday, a swim meet last Saturday, Activity Days, and tutoring twice a week.

We have been really busy the past few weeks, but we have been having a lot of fun. I love getting to play 'Mom' to my little sister while my parents have been gone. Its just great practice for when Jared and I get to become parents.

Blake & Rachel's Wedding

September 4, 2010
I can't believe my little brother is married. I am so happy for him and his new beautiful bride, Rachel. It was so much fun getting to be a part of their big day. The wedding and reception was held at our grandparents house in Anaheim Hills. The wedding was absolutely beautiful! Below are some pictures from the wedding.

Beautiful Bride

My new Sister-in-Law!
All the bridesmaids Wedding Party

Jared and I waiting for the ceremony to start.

Chloe and I at the reception. Chloe was a flowergirl.

The happy couple cutting their beautiful cake.

August Birthdays

August is a big month for us with birthday's. First Jared's little brother, Jake, turned 3 years old on August 2. Then, my Dad turned 50 on August 12, Jared turned 25 on August 16, and my little brother, Blake, turned 22 on August 20.

Jared and I decided to take Jake to Disneyland for his birthday since he could still get in for free. It was so much fun to be at Disneyland with a little kid. We went on the Winnie the Pooh ride, Dumbo, the Carosel, and the Tea Cups. Jake's favorite ride (and mine) was the Winnie the Pooh ride. We got some fun pictures of our adventure.

Jake on his Carosel horse.

Jared, Jake & Me

Jake on the Tea Cups showing off his big muscles.

For Jared's birthday we went to Hibachi Steak House with his parents and later in the week we celebrated with his family. I decided to make the cake. I thought I would be creative and make him a surf board cake. I wasn't too proud of it, but it was the first cake I carved, so that has to count for something.

Jared's Birthday Cake

Later that month we had a family party to celebrate all of the August birthdays. Usually my grandma makes the birthday cakes but she decided to let me do it this year. My cake was really yummy. I made a white cake with strawberries and homemade buttercream frosting. Yum!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JAKE, DAD, JARED & BLAKE!!!!

Mexico Cruise, Part 3

MAZATLAN

Our next stop was Mazatlan, Mexico. We did the Cactus Island Tour. Well, things weren't what we thought... I was expecting a beautiful beach that we could be lazy on, instead it wasn't very pretty and we did a lot of different things that took up the whole day. The best part of the day (now that I think about it) was kayaking around Cactus Island. It took us a little over an hour to get all the way around. It was a lot of fun... but here is the kicker... the water was full of these little jellyfish. So I was kinda freaking out that one was going to sting me, since my brother's fiance got stung before she got into her kayak. After the kayaking we got back on shore and took a Mexican limo (that is what our tour guide called a tractor that was pulling a large wagon) to a restaurant that took over an hour to get a couple things of nachos.

Cactus Island (shows how far we had to kayak)

PUERTO VALLARTA

This guy was completely covered with sand.
Jared and I in front of Puerto Vallarta

I had no clue what these were but they looked cool.

These guys made a bunch of things out of sand.

The perfect sand castle.

Climbing some crazy metal ladder to nowhere.

Mexico Cruise, Part 2

CABO SAN LUCAS

Our first stop on our Mexico cruise was Cabo San Lucas. Jared and I went with my brother Blake and his fiance Rachel to go on the Cabo Canopy Tour. We drove for about 45 minutes into the desert and got outfitted to go on the zipline. Jared and I had done this before in the Caribbean, but this was another story. This was like survivor! We did a lot of zipline, rock climbing, walking across a tight rope and a shakey bridge, and to top it off it was HOT!! We werent allowed to bring out camera's on the tour with us.

Jared and I after the tour.

Blake and Rachel after the tour.

This was the long zipline at the end.

Jared and Blake did the repelling... Rachel and I were too exhausted.

Jared had a lot of fun!

Rachel rock climbing

My baby brother ziplining.

Me on the zipline... it was so hot!!

Hot husband!!

This was our group with our guides (the three in front).

Mexico Cruise, Part 1

Jared and I had the opportunity to go with my family on a Mexico cruise. It was so much fun and I wish that we could have stayed on the boat for another week. Since there was so many thing and so many pictures I thought I would break this down into a couple different blog enteries.


Below is a picture of our room. It was really tiny and the bathroom was even smaller, but it was great for just the two of us. My mom told me that sometimes they fit four people in rooms this size.. that I dont understand. We were on Deck 2 and our window (port hole) looked right out over the ocean.

This picture is of the middle of the ship from Deck 9, which is where my parents had the family suit. In their larger room was my parents, Blake, Rachel, Chloe and Rachel's cousin Parri. There room was a lot bigger than ours so fitting that many people was fine. In the middle of the ship they had things like live music playing, a Ben & Jerry's ice cream stand, and lots of shops.
The next two pictures are of the little animals that our stateroom attendant made for us. Normally you get them every night but we only got three... one of them I forgot to take a picture. My favorite was the bird.

Cute little elephant!!

Jared and I dressed up for one of the formal nights.

As a treat we decided to get a couples massage during the first sea day. I had gotten massages before and was really hoping that we would get one. Jared had never gotten a professional massage. He loved it!!! That made me happy and hoping that we can get them more often. (hehe) This was the first time I got the hot stones massage. That was amazing and I would totally do that one again.

To Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity

My grandma sent this to me and I thought I would share...

1. At lunch time, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hair dryer at passing cars. See if they slow down.

2. Page yourself over the intercom. Don't disguise your voice.

3. Every time someone asks you to do something, ask if they want fries with that.

4. Put decaf in the coffee maker for 3 weeks. Once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addictions, switch to espresso.

5. In the memo field of all your checks, write 'For Marijuana'.

6. Skip down the hall rather than walk and see how many looks you get.

7. Order a diet water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.

8. Specify that your drive-through order is 'To-Go'.

9. Sing along at the Opera.

10. Five days in advance, tell your friends that you can't attend their party because you have a headache.

11. When the money comes out of the ATM, scream 'I WON! I WON!'

12. When leaving the zoo, start running towards the parking lot, yelling 'Run for your lives! They're loose!'

13. Tell your children over dinner, 'Due to the economy, we are going to have to let one of you go'.

14. Pick up a box of condoms at the pharmacy, go to the counter and ask where the fitting room is.