May 9th-16th, 2010

Thanks to my dear friend Keri for starting me a blog. She tells me that even though I am what they call "technically challenged" I should still be able to do it. I guess now that we are off on our adventures in sunny California that maybe people will want to read about it.

So we have been here two weeks and I feel like we are getting adjusted. Boxes are unpacked, kitchen and clothes are organized, and Mike and I have already argued about where pictures should hang on the walls and where items should go in the refrigerator. We were pleasantly surprised with the size of our apartment. We hadn’t seen it before we got here to California, and feared that it might be really small.

We had a really fun time with Mike's family at Disneyland. It was so much fun to start our move off with a fun vacation! Here is a picture of me and Mike on Tower of Terror! It wasn't my favorite to say the least. :)

Tanner is doing great, and loving the beach, sand, and sunshine. It is so fun to be outside all the time, and Tanner’s hair is quickly turning bright white. I hear they got snow last week in Utah. I am not sorry I missed it.

Tanner seems to be feeling better. I am hoping that the health issues from the last year will now be a distant memory. Still I am scared to be too hopeful. I have to remember that this whole adventure started with a three hour stay at the emergency room in Barstow after an unexpected asthma attack on I-15. This kid has quite the sense of humor.

Speaking of sense of humor, we are on week two of potty training and I am losing mine. There is nothing more terrible than making lunch in the kitchen when your 3 year comes in with a handful of brown goodies and says “mommy, I pooped!!!” I am hoping I will survive this. Good thing I have wonderful friends and family members who have been through it and tell me I will. With all that said, Tanner is the greatest. I don’t know how such a little body could have so much personality. We have been going to Disneyland frequently and it is so much fun to take it all in through his eyes. He truly thinks that Buzz and Woody are real people. His life is complete after Astro blasters and Pirates of the Carribbean. He even sports his pirate patch and sings “yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirates life for me.” It is so cute, but we are trying to get him to stop singing it in the middle of sacrament meeting at church.

He is also enjoying the beach a lot more and is finally getting in the ocean. He loves to run away from the water as the waves hit the beach. He has also found love on the beach. The other day he met a little Hispanic girl who ran around with him for a good hour. They were so cute together.

Mike is doing well and is training so hard and we are so proud of him. He says the California game is so different but he is getting his “sand legs.” My first thought was, if…YOU aren’t in sand shape where does that put me? He is making a bunch of new friends and is already making a name for himself. His main goal right now is to find a good partner for the next AVP tournament on June 3rd.

We are all set up on Skype, and have enjoyed talking/seeing some of you. It is a fun way for Tanner to see friends and family and stay connected with them. Tanner loves to see himself on camera, and is already famous for his funny Skype faces.

Ashley and Jared are coming down this week so I look forward to being re-united for our birthday. My parents were originally going to come down, but my Dad hurt his foot and had to have surgery. We wish him a speedy recovery. Tanner is obsessed with talking about my Dad’s hurt foot, and always says: “Zurg (my Dad) has a BIG owwey!”

We miss you all! We will continue to keep you updated through this blog, and look forward to sharing our experiences with you all.