Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Virginia year 2

Where to begin with this post?  When I started this blog I promised it would be a mini journal I would update every few months...considering my last post was over a year ago that obviously hasn't happened.  Life gets crazy and time gets away from us, an excuse I tell myself far too often.  But this past year has been such a wonderful adventure- I don't want to forget it.  So here I am with a quick recap:

Winter 2014 was a rough one on the East Coast, but spring finally came in April and we soaked up every second of the warm weather.  Literally.  We took 3 beach trips in May/June of 2014.  In May we flew down to Sanibel Island in Florida to enjoy beaches and sunshine with my family.  It was just what we needed coming off of a crazy/stressful first year of MBA school.  We returned to Cville and packed up our car a few days later to make the 6 hour drive to Myrtle Beach.  This trip was just the three of us, and it was amazing.  The East Coast really knows what they are doing when it comes to beaches.  Coming from Northern California, we were used to taking a jacket with us every time we went down to Santa Cruz.  Not the case here.  Sunny skies, warm temps, and perfect sand for miles.  After Myrtle Beach we packed up once again and flew to Utah.  After a couple of weeks Kyle made the drive down to Dallas to begin his internship with Bain & Co.  I was able to fly out to Cape Cod (Caleb free) and meet Kyle before he began his training there.  After this I returned to Utah, and Caleb and I spent most of the summer with family.  Having our little family separated was so much harder than we anticipated, but we made it through the summer (we did fly back and forth a few times).  In August Caleb and I flew to meet Kyle in Dallas for the last 10 days of his internship and explore the area a little bit.  At the end of his internship,  Kyle was given a full time offer we happily accepted.  Our family will return to Dallas and Kyle will start work with Bain this summer after graduation.  

We returned to Charlottesville in late August, just in time for Kyle to begin second year.  Fall is easily my favorite time of year in Cville, and I would bet most people who have spent time here would agree with me.  We tried to enjoy every minute of it since we knew it would be our last  In October we rented a beach house with 9 other grad school couples in the Outer Banks. We lucked out with amazing weather (rare for October) and did everything from donut runs (Duck Donuts = best donuts ever) to night games after the kids were in bed. Such a fun week.  In December our sweet Caleb turned 2.  So crazy! Not sure where the time has gone, or how our baby is now a little boy.  These past few months have been so much fun with him.  He is talking up a storm and growing up so much.  Another highlight of December would be our trip to Mexico.  We met up with our brother and sister in-law and their two year old to spend the week in Playa Del Carmen.  Seriously so fun.  Caleb had a blast playing with his cousin and we loved exploring the town and having a break from the cold winter weather.  

January up until now has been pretty low key.  Lots of cold weather days and inside activities.  When we do get nice weather, we try to take advantage and do something fun/outside.  The weather is starting to warm up- finally! Kyle only has class 2 days a week this semester so we are trying to take advantage of as much family time as possible before life gets crazy with work/baby #2.  

Baby #2, a small detail I didn't mention.  We found out in early January we are expecting our 2nd baby! Baby is due early September and we are thrilled.  We find out the gender April 24th (I will be 21 weeks).  

Alright that pretty much catches us up. I glossed over a lot but what can you do?  The next few months consist of graduating, house hunting, packing/moving, graduation trip to Hawaii (can't wait for that one), and getting settled into our new life in Dallas.  Hopefully I will be better about updating.  A few pics from this past fall/winter below..

Crabtree Falls hike

James River Parkway in Richmond

Outerbanks

Outerbanks

Greenfield Farms hayride

Halloween 

Jamestown 

Caleb's birthday


Mexico

Sunday, January 26, 2014

1 year and Christmas break

A little over a month ago we celebrated Caleb's first birthday.  I feel like such a parent saying this, but seriously where has the time gone?? It feels like a week ago that we were bringing home a newborn from the hospital, and now I have a toddler running around with a personality of his own.  Also, am I the only parent who feels like I deserve an award for surviving the first year? Just kidding...kind of.  Parenting has its challenges but we are lucky to have such a sweet boy.  He makes life more fun and we can't imagine it without him.

Blowing out Caleb's candle...
he needed a little help

Playing with a new birthday toy.
Who needs a shirt in December?

Every year before students go home for the holidays Darden throws the annual 'Darden Ball'.  Basically it is an excuse to get dolled up and go out, which as a stay at home mom I was excited about.  It had been a while since we had gotten dressed up for a night out (date night for us is usually casual) so it was fun to do for a change.  

Dressed up for the ball

After Kyle finished finals we flew to Utah for the holidays.  Flying 6 hours with a 1 year old is not what I would call fun, but we made it there in one piece.  Once we were there we enjoyed some much needed time with our families.  We made gingerbread houses, sledded, snowshoed, went to movies, caught up with friends, ate lots of food and relaxed.  Unfortunately I was terrible about taking pictures but did take a few.  
Caleb hanging with his future girlfriend Eliza

Christmas Eve night

Temple Square

Our bizarre but awesome gingerbread house

Caleb discovering himself in the mirror

And it wouldn't be Christmas without being traumatized by Santa

We had a great time in Utah but it is always nice to be back home.  Kyle has spent these past couple of weeks interviewing for summer internships, and we found out about a week ago he will be interning with Bain Consulting in Dallas this summer.  We are excited for another adventure! And after freezing in Charlottesville these past few weeks, Texas sounds pretty good right now. Growing up in Utah we should be used to cold winters, but spending the past 3 years in California spoiled us. We are definitely ready for spring! 

Dressed up for interviews- couldn't 
resist taking a picture

Random picture of Caleb putting his stamp 
of approval on Cheerios


Fall Semester

Wow. Hard to believe the last time I wrote on here was September.  Back then we were just getting settled into our apartment, and Charlottesville was a new place.  A lot has changed in just a few months! For starters Charlottesville has quickly become home.  We love it here.  Fall semeseter was insane for Kyle- Darden doesn't mess around when it comes to working their first year students.  Luckily Caleb and I made some great friends who made adjusting to life in a new place much easier.  We are lucky to be surrounded by so many wonderful people. While Kyle was busy studying/recruiting we kept busy with lots of exploring and playdates. And the fall here...don't even get me started.  I have never seen such a long, perfect fall.  The trees and weather from mid September to about mid November were to die for.  Something I am missing with the current 20-30 degree January weather. Below are some pictures that highlight a few of our advenutres over the past few months.

Caleb and me at Carter Mountain


Caleb hanging out with the Section B Bird- a fun tradition at Darden

Weekend trip to Virginia Beach



Caleb hanging out at a pumpkin patch

Kyle decorating Halloween sugar cookies

Caleb and me in front of the Rotunda while trick-or-treating 
at the UVa Academical Village

Our little gnome dressed up on his first Halloween

Hiking Humpback Rocks

Weekend trip to DC

Grandma and Grandpa at Monticello while visiting us in Charlottesville



Monday, September 9, 2013

Summer

So you can probably tell from my lack of posting that this summer was a little crazy. Good, but crazy.  May/June consisted of Kyle wrapping things up at Ernst & Young, interning at a new company, and packing.  Lots of packing.  When we applied to MBA programs we didn't think about the actual moving part that came with going somewhere 3,000 miles across the country.  Yeah, Silicon Valley to Charlottesville is about 3,000 miles.  Needless to say we pulled it off.  Or I should say Kyle pulled it off.  I helped with the packing but Caleb and I flew from California to Utah at the end of June.  Kyle stayed in California for his internship until mid-July.  He drove both of our cars to Utah (separate trips), packed the U-haul pod, got rid of excess furniture (most of our stuff wasn't worth moving across the country), cleaned up the CA apt, drove one of the cars to Virginia (the other is still in Utah), and got us moved into our new place in Charlottesville.  Caleb and I flew to Virginia, we weren't about to attempt a cross country drive with a 7 month old.  Not that flying with a baby is a great alternative, but luckily Caleb was a doll and slept the whole flight.  We were glad when the move was all over!

Cal helping us pack

Caleb and I waiting for our flight in Oakland

Leaving California was much harder than we anticipated.  We loved the Bay Area and were sad to leave family and good friends behind.  Not to mention the blessed weather.  80% humidity in Virginia has been a bit of an adjustment! Who knows, maybe someday we will be back.

Caleb and I spent all of July in Utah.  Kyle was able to spend about 2 weeks there.  We got our Cafe Rio fix, did lots of splash park dates, went to Park City, hiked, and spent lots of time with friends and family.  Unforunately I wasn't great at taking pictures but did pull out the camera a few times.

Caleb ready for the 4th of July

Annual neighborhood 4th of July parade.  Only in Utah :)

Never too young for rock climbing

Cute nieces and nephew

Matt, Corynne and baby Brynlee

Kyle, Caleb and me at Battlecreek Falls

Caleb meeting Dan and Mikelle's baby Eliza. 
He was a little forward for a first date.

Caleb chillin in Park City

Lounging by the pool in Park City

Caleb with our cute niece Tara

Caleb with some new friends

Beautiful Utah sunset

Fire fountain at City Creek mall.  We were impressed!


As crazy as things were it was a great summer!

Monday, May 13, 2013

Mother's Day and 5 months

This past weekend I celebrated Mother's Day for the first time as a mom.  Becoming a mother has definitely given  the holiday new meaning, as well as increased the appreciation I have for my own Mom.

We have some great friends who live close to us, Richard and Francesca.  They have a baby girl who was born a little over a month ago.  Kyle and Richard brainstormed and decided that for Mother's Day Fran and I would go out shopping on Saturday while they tended the babies and made us a nice dinner.  It seems like a simple gesture, but any new mom would probably agree that as much as we love them, getting out to the mall without your little one is a treat.  Not having to deal with the diaper bag, stroller, figuring out how/where to feed, etc...is a nice break.  So off we went! We came home to two happy babies, roses, and a delicious dinner. It was a great first Mother's Day!






It is hard to believe our Caleb is 5 months already.  I know this phrase is overused when it comes to babies, but seriously where does the time go? The weeks are flying by.  He is such a happy, sweet boy; we feel very lucky to be his parents. 

Here are a few of the things Caleb is doing at 5 months:
  • Laughing and babbling 
  • Sucks his fingers...and basically anything he can get in his mouth (including his toes)
  • Rolling over both ways
  • Drooling constantly- I think teeth may be in the near future? 
  • Standing with support.  He gets a very proud look of accomplishment when we help him stand up. 
  • Lifts up his arms to be picked up
  • Loves doing 'super baby' when we hold him up in the air
  • Loves looking at himself in the mirror and watching phone videos of himself
  • Having slight stranger anxiety, but not too bad yet.