Where has the new year gone?

Everyone please forgive me that I have long periods of time between posts as my schedule does not allow for much leasuire time these days.  I cannot believe it is almost the middle of February!  That means I only have 7 more weeks to complete my Masters project and turn it over for edits if I want to graduate in May.  Just thinking about it is making me anxious!  It will all be worth it in the end, right?  My days consits of leaving before the rest of my famliy wakes up and then getting home at dinner.  I am glad I get to spend 2 or 3 hours with Em before he goes to sleep but then it is back to homework, writting my report, and reading scientific papers.  Trust me, you can take any subject and instanly make it boring by putting it in scientific journal format.  This semester has been interesting.  I changed my Masters from Geology (a thesis reguired and due to late and early snow I could not get field work done) to Applied Enviornmental Geoscience (a project reguired as well as 9 extra class credits).  I had to take classes outside the Geology department which made me really nervous but I am survivng and things are coming along.  From my Remote Sensing class I have been learning all about the physics of radiation and it makes me wish I went to school to become a meterologist like I had originially planned.  There are lots of things I would like to go back to school and do (pastery school, dietician, meterology, chemist) too bad school isn't free or maybe I would take a class or two at a time and be an eternal student!  My other class is Restoration Ecology which has not been as exciting as Remoste Sensing but hey it is a means unto an end.  Just wish me luck that I can keep up this crazy schedule!!  One fun thing I am able to do right now is Irish Step dancing!  I am SO happy I can do it again.  When I was in 8th and 9th grade and we lived in Germany I started dancing.  I basically ate, slept, and breathed dance and then we moved to South Dakota and it was only sadness.  That was the hardest part about moving, no more Irish Step dancing :(.  But a certified dance school opened up last yearish and there is a free preforming group that I get to be a part of!!  If I could I would be at the dance studio all day instead of school.  Kids can start taking Irish Dance classes when they turn three and I already plan on signing Emmett up :).  Gerg has been a busy stay at home dad.  I don't know what I would do without him, he certainly keeps our family going!  He has enjoyed spending so much time with Emmett and Cyris but both of us will be greatful when our roles can be reversed and he can go to work and I can stay home with my babies.  I hope that role reversl can happen sooner rather then later, the stress of not having a job just might kill me.

When Life Gives You Lemons

I am not very good at journaling so I haven't written about my family's experience with job searching.  I want to write down my thoughts and here seemed an easy place where I could read it again later.  For the past year Greg has been searching for an entry level mechanical engineering job.  He tried a semester of Graduate school but with budget cuts the classes he wanted to take were no available, the professor in the area he wanted left and it just didn't seem worth the student loans for something he would not enjoy.  Fortunately I had my TA job from January-May and then September-December and Greg worked with facilities on campus from April- November so we could pay the bills and have some money to do fun things but of coarse we were stressed out about finding Greg a real job, a career, something he would enjoy doing.  Greg has had several interviews in the past year but no luck (obviously).  It has been quite the experience and I just wanted to share what we have all learned this past year.  From January to April I was SO stressed out, I didn't feel like Greg was doing enough to apply to jobs and I was always nagging him to be doing stuff.  Needless to day it wasn't very much fine.  Sometime in May I finally realized Greg's job search is up to him, I cannot be in charge (which is what I had been trying to do). I told him I was willing to help with whatever he needed help with and most importantly I realized the Lord knows what we need to do and where we need to be, we just have to be patient.  Since then the Lord has blessed us in so many ways.  I have come to realize there is not a lot I need in this world to make me happy.  Sure there is a lot of stuff I would like but to be happy I do not need it.  I have found such joy in raising and just being with my little family.  I realized I just want to be able to provide a stable, nurturing atmosphere where the gospel and learning and laughing and loving are what we do.  I have realized that by following the Lord's simple commandments I have more joy then I know what to do with!  I started a gratitude journal and by doing so have realized how many amazing blessings the Lord has given me, I have never felt happier before in my life then I do right now!  There are three specific experiances I want to share related to our job search.

In September I was stressing about what happens if Greg never finds a job and I have to go to work everyday and leave my babies at home to provide for my family.  What is it takes another year to find a job how are we going to provide for ourselves, etc.  On Sunday I was sitting on the couch in the foyer during sacrement (we just cannot be on time to church lately!) and I was stressing about my families situation when the phrase "I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it" came into my mind.  I know that was Heavenly Father speaking to me, telling me everything would be fine, just have some faith and a little patience and I have something great instore for your family.  I just hold that promise for the Lord in my heart and just let him guide us as we look for a job and go about taking are of our family.  Since then I have not worried about the future, we will be provided for in some way as long as we just keep following the course He has for us.

The second experiance came when Greg and I were reading Elder W. Christopher Waddell's talk from Conference "The Oportunity of a Lifetime"  The talk is about serving missions and about an elder from Spain who was called to serve in Arizona he didn't know why he was sent to Arizona because most forgin missionaries are called to serve in their own countries.  He came to realize the Lord knows excatly where everyone needs to be.  This missionary was able to meet the man who baptized his father in Spain and able to show this man that he had been a wonderful missionary (the man all these years had thought his mission a failure because he only baptized on man).  From this talk the Lord told me that he know where my family needs to be and that is in Mendon with my family.  We have been living with my mom and sister for a year and a half and we are so grateful that we can do so.  There is no way we could afford to live on our own and I wouldn't have been able to continue my masters degree without my mom to watch the baby.  This whole time though I have wanted to live on my own.  I am a adult, I want to be self suffient etc.  I feel like people look down on me when they know I moved back home but after this talk I know this is where the Lord needs us to be.  He needs us to be here so my parents can help us survive and we need to be here to help my mom and sister while my dad serves in DC and Afghanistan.  I am at peace now with living back at home.

My third experience came while reading "Waiting upon the Lord: Thy Will Be Done" by Elder Robert D. Hales from conference.  By turning our selves over to the Lord and waiting for the right time and season for everything we can receive so many blessings.  The talk made me realize that since I turned myself over completely after that experience in September the Lord has blessed us in SO many ways.  Greg and I have never been closer, I feel such a strong love for him.  I find myself filled with so much joy I feel like I am going to burst.  Emmett and Cyris bring so much love a fulfillment to my life, I have the desire to sever the Lord and to follow his commandments with renewed conviction, and I KNOW that we will find a job, the Lord will bless us with a way to provide for our family.  

Life usually doesn't turned out how you planned it and it is better that it doesn't because the Lord has a plan in store for each of us and while we have to pass through trials, we come out of them a stronger, happier, more faithful person.

Here are my 3 favorite pictures we had taken in October.  I just love my family!

Dr. Seuss Birthday Party for the Birthday Boy!!

Our little man turned ONE on October 20th.  First off, he has such a cool birthday, 10/20/2010!  What a wonderful year it has been!  We all just love our little guy so much!  He has such a personality!  He is such a great sleep compared to a year ago ;), he loves to eat his finger foods and will try new things, he says mama, dada, dog, and talks all day long.  When he plays he talks in a really high pitched voice, he loves bath time, loves to be snuggled at bedtime, LOVES to play with the dogs, is a flirt, and there are so many other things I could say but the post would be way to long. 

Emmett David Pearce

One Year 10/20/2011

20lbs (15th percentile)

29 inches (30th percentile)

Emmett had a Dr. Seuss Party.  I went all out on his party because he is my favorite little boy and needed an awesome celebration!  My sister made his invitation (she is so creative)!  There was a picture from Oh the Places You'll Go and it said: Big B Little B what begins with B?  Birthday Bash Bonanza, B, b, B!  Oh me!  Oh my!  You'd better come by for dare I say it's Emmett's First Birthday!  So Please, Oh Please pick up your keys and join the fun as the clock strikes one on the 22nd day of the 10th month.  Where in Mendon you will find a party right out of Dr. Seuss' mind!  So be inspired and come seussically attired.  Be a smarty and come join the party!

For the party my mom made a Cat in the Hat felt hat and a banner with all the Dr. Seuss characters.  She also helped me make the onsie.  I made a ton of Dr. Seuss inspired food, what kind of party would it be without food!    

 Beezul Nut Juice (sprite and Jello cubes)

 Water From the Cool of the Pool

 BBQ Iota (little sausages)

 Poodle Eating Noodles

 ABC's of Dr. Seuss

 Fruits and Veggies From the Jungle of Nool

 Cheese Trees

New Blue Goo (Carmel Rice Crispy Treats dyed blue)

 One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Seuss cakes, we also had red and blue homemade ice cream

 Emmett's Cat in the Hat Smash Cat

Emmett eating his smash cake.  He loved it!

 We gave these out as party favors, they said: Today was good!  Today was fun!  Thank you, thank you everyone.

A slideshow of our little man

 

The sign says: WAIT!  Stop here you see, and write a very special message to ME!  A Birthday Wish or just to say HI, to your very favorite ONE year old guy!  On the front, the back, or any pages.  It is something I will treasure all of my ages!  Signed Mayor Emmett.

This will be a fun tradition to read this to him every birthday and read how much his family loves him

 We had three guessing jars.  They said: tell me the correct number of candies in the jar.  If you're the winner you'll take them home in your car!

There was a Dr. Seuss Trivia Quiz that said:  Think you know your Dr. Seuss, take a guess but you won't win a mousse.

We played pin the star on the sneetch

We also had Ring the Gak (horseshoes) and Tweetle Beetle Battle (croquet)

My cousins came seussically attired, aren't they so cute!

He had fun opening presents.  He got books, a ball, some food, a stuffed animal, his Caterpillar Halloween costume his Grandma Pearce made, and a wooden dog his Grandpa Pearce made.  Thanks everyone!

 He likes to play on his toy caslte from his Koontz grandparents

And he is in LOVE with the dump truck that makes sound that me and Greg got him.

Thanks everyone who came to his party!  We love this little boy so much and are so glad we could all celebrate him!

What the Pearces been up to

Well I do not have a good excuse for not posting the past two months.  August we spent hanging out with my dad.  We had so much fun with him!  Emmett certainly loves his pappy!  Emmett turned 10 months old! 

 We had a fanily reunion up in Idaho.  Emmett had fun grabbing everyones plates and causing a few messes and playing with the grass.

We went down to my cousins daughters baby blessing.  (Matt is my cousin who married my best friend from eight grade Alana, funny huh!)

Emmett loves Cyris.  He loves to play in his dog kennel.  One day I got all three of the boys in there.  Now I know what to do with them when they are being naughty.

 Emmett has progressed from standing with assistance to all on his own from the middle of the room.  It won't be much longer before he is walking

 Emmett is obsessed with his tooth brush.  He is going to be a dentist someday.

 Emmett is bound to be an animal lover with the amount of critters in his life.  This is my sisters horse.

 Emmett and his cousin Hayzlee getting into trouble!  They are so cute together!

 Cyris turned 2 on September 19th.  Here is his birthday peanut butter concoction.

 Emmett doesn't hold still anymore and keeps me on my toes all day long.  Here he is planning on what pony to buy with my money.

 September 20th Emmett turned 11 months old.  He is so goofy, what would we do without this boy?

 Emmett keeps himself pretty entertained with whatever is around.

 

I have been trying to work on my thesis project.  I finally got to go up the first weekend of October.  My field area is in Franklin Basin.  It is an hour drive and then a 3.5 mile hike to my rocks.  My project is to measure the thickness of the Garden City Formation and describe the rocks and fossils to determine what sea level was doing at this location and what life way like back in the Early Ordovician Period (about 450 million year ago when Utah was about 5 degrees north of the Equator forming the shore of a warm tropical sea).  Greg is my field partner.  He is convinced now that Geology is boring after all we did for two days was measure the thickness of rocks.  The current title of my thesis is "The Sequence Stratigraphy and Paleoecology fo the Garden City Formation, Utah and Idaho"  although it needs a new title "The Seris of Unfortunate Events".  My project has been doomed from the beginning.  Summer of 2010 was when I was suppose to start but my professor went on a trip to India and Nepal where he got sick until the end of July.  By the time he was better I was almost 8 months pregnant and hiking 3.5 miles up to 9000 feet is not something a pregnant women should be doing.  Summer 2011 was a contunuation.  The snow in Franklin Basin did not melt unitl the end of July.  In the beginning of July the snow was still 66 inches deep!  August my professor injured his leg and could not hike.  Finally the first week of October I made it out and got a lot done but still need 6-8 more days to finish.  Now there is 6 inches of snow in the mountains again.  Who knows is I will ever get my degree.

Here is Greg in front of the snowmobile cabin in my field area.  There was so much snow this past winter that this cabin was completely covered, nobody could find it (note:Greg is 6 feet tall, that is a lot of snow!).  

 Here I am in my geology get up

Here is my field area this weekend.  My friend Ryan took us up on his Rino but we gave it up.  There was no chance of finding rocks under all this snow.

 This evening Emmett fell asleep in his high chair.  Poor boy was so tired!

East Coat Vacation

On the 24th we drove down to Greg's parents house.  Scott and Heather and the girls were down too so we had a fun night haning out with all of them.  Here Emmett and Hayzlee are crawling around together.

We got up the next morning at 4:15 am and headed to the airport.  Remind me not to leave on a 7:30 am flight again.  Here we are waiting to board the plane.

We sat on the last row on all three flights.  It kept Emmett entertained with all the people going back and forth and the flight attendants right there getting things ready.  We flew to Detroit where we were zooming down the runway to take off when we braked really fast.  Apparently there were thunderstorms in Baltimore.  We sat on the tarmac for about an hour and a half.  Deplaned and hung out in the terminal for another hour and a half and then got back on the plane and waited another 45 minutes.  It took three attempts to land but we did get on the ground in Baltimore eventually.  We were traveling for about 12 hours and during that whole time Emmett did not fuss even once!  He slept most of the fly time and when awake jibber jabbered, charmed all the passengers around us and played with his toys.  He was a perfect angel, we are so lucky to have such an easy going boy!  

We headed to my dad's house.  He is stationed at Andrews AFB in Maryland.  On Tuesday we toured the base.  Went to my dad's office and meet his work family as he calls them, and hung out with some of my dad's friends that night .  On Wednesday we were going to see the sights in DC and go to the Smithsonian but Emmett woke up in the night with a fever.  We spent all day Wednesday relaxing.  For being sick Emmett was still happy and easy going.  He slept a lot.  We would give him medicine every thre hours (alternated with Tylenol and ibprophen) but if you gave it too him too close to when he had just nursed he would throw up everywhere.  Mom went through several pairs of jammies that day.   

Thursday morning Emmett only had a slight fever so we got up and headed to Harrisburg Pennsylvania where Greg had his interview.  While he did that the rest of us went to the National Civil War museum.  It was really nice!  They had it laid out chronological and all from an unbiased view point.   

  That afternoon we headed over to Bedford, PA to surprise Emmett's Great Grandma Koontz.  She couldn't believe we were there, it was so fun! 

Great Grandma Koontz loves chickens so Emmett wore a special shirt just for her.

Friday we headed in to town to see the sights.  At the Bedford Historical society my moms quilt was on display.  She made this quilt to auction off for the Historical Society in celebration of Bedford's role in the underground railroad.  Each block represents some aspect of life for the slaves. 

We visited with all the Aunts and Unlces.  Emmett loved playing with Aunt Janet.

Here Pappy and Emmett are playing peeka boo, one of Emmy's favorite games.

Saturday morning we went to the Bedford County Fair.  My cousins Ashley was fair queen but I don't have the picture we took her on my camera :(.  Emmett had fun petty all the animals.

That evening we went to the cemetary and got the traditional Koontz family history lesson.  Emmett is sitting between Eve and Nicolas Koontz, the first Koontz in the USA.

Here is my Grandmas house. 

We had so much fun in Bedford and enjoyed all the amazing food my grandma makes.  That night we headed back to Maryland to my dad house.  Sunday we got ready to come home and had fun watching Emmett play with the Rocking chairs.  Aren't these matching chairs so cute!

We got home late Sunday night and boy was Cyris happy to see us.  While we were gone our garden exploded.  How cute Emmett is sitting with all the veggies!