The Graduate

Daniel graduated from the University of Utah with his Masters Degree in Architecture!  It feels so good to reach this milestone, for both of us.  Daniel says he feels like every day is a weekend now.  It's weird to not be worrying about what school work he needs to get done each night and just play instead.  Emersen thinks it's great that Daniel doesn't have to go to school anymore.  Now she asks when he'll be done with work.  Ha!  We are so happy to be starting this next phase of our lives (and making some money too)!

Daniel didn't want to participate in graduation, but he was kind enough to humor me.  I felt like such an accomplishment needed to be acknowledged.  It was such an exciting day.  I am so proud of him!  I could kick myself for not getting very good photos of the day; I was just in such a hurry to take them.  This called for some photoshop help (though some of them were beyond help).  At least I got pictures, even if they're not great.

Daniel's and my parents joined us for graduation in the Union Ballroom.  They have all been so supportive of this entire journey.  We couldn't have done it without them.  The kids were so good through the ceremony.  We did need a little iPhone help at times.

I almost missed getting this shot of Daniel receiving his diploma!  I was too slow getting around the crowd.  

  

After the ceremony, we walked to the architecture building for refreshments and to look at the final projects.  It was such a beautiful day!

   

 Daniel's final project was a designing a gondola system down Broadway in NYC. 

  

 Daniel with some of his buddies.

For the first time in our married lives, we are no longer students!  Hooray for that!

 Congrats to the Graduate!

All About April

After traveling so much in March, it was nice to have a low-key April.  We didn't really do much that was exciting, and I didn't take many pictures.

The weather was all over the place; one day it was snowing, the next we wanted our swim suits on.  

Daniel worked really hard on his final school projects and spent a lot of time on his computer or at school.  He finished his final classes of his entire school career!

We started going to a ward play group each week, which is great for all of us.

We went to Daniel's mission reunion and had an awkward moment when another couple with their first child said to us, "You know how it is - babies don't sleep."  Daniel and I looked at each other and thought, "Actually . . ."

We enjoyed another wonderful General Conference, with especially timely messages.

We got to meet my sister's brand new baby, and play with her other little boy, in her cute new Perry home.

I got some cute spring clothes when my mother-in-law took us shopping for a mother's day present.  I hope someday to be as generous as she is.

I worked A LOT preparing for our annual conference.

The kids put up with me working a lot.  The iPod and Nexus help with that.

Bentley HATES getting his hair cut, but it just sticks up straight if it gets too long (as you can see above).  However, it's such a fight that I decided next time to pay someone else to do it.

We finally got some major yard work done.  I love the look of brand new bark. 

My cousin stayed with us for a couple nights, so we invited some of my other cousins over for dinner.  All of the kids had so much fun playing together, and I loved visiting with the girls.  I don't know why we don't do it more often.

We had ward conference, and for the combined adult meeting, we shared traditions and other ways that we strengthen our families.  It was such a good idea to see what works for other families and to get some ideas.  Now that Daniel is finished with school, I feel like we can really focus on this now.

Emersen is really into drawing right now.  She especially likes to draw princesses and her family and friends.  I love watching her pictures evolve.

On an especially nice day, we had an impromptu visit to a playground that we pass on the way home from preschool.  Bentley slept in the van, while Emersen played.  A week later, it burned down!  So I guess we won't be stopping there again for a while.

 Here is Emersen's photography attempt.

We had some more cousins over for the evening and enjoyed some fun Wii games.

Finally, we spent an afternoon at City Creek and Temple Square.  We keep a strict tradition of going downtown every year to see the spring flowers.  I die over the tulips and the kids love the fountains.  We may have also played a little game of "Red light, Green light" on the lawn in front of the temple.