A McMinnville Excursion

Last Saturday, Jamie and I had an excursion to McMinnville, Oregon. Jamie wanted to buy some Maurices' pants, and according to our GPS, this was the closest location. We had a good time seeing the country, and the several little towns as we drove. There was one in particular we found to be comical, by the name of Yamhill. We thought this was very original, and wondered where the hill of yams were. Also we wondered if they were close to blueberry hill, yet as luck would have it, we were unable to spot either one. We eventually found Maurices, and pants too so that was exciting. Later we ate lunch at Dairy Queen (my personal request) while there we saw a 1950 Chevy Deluxe car just like my old car. Yeah, I was really excited. I look forward to cruising around in my old car with Jamie, someday. It was quite the trip!

August 3rd

We are 20 weeks along in our pregnancy and we have gotten some really bad news. First the baby has a twin that has already died. Second the fluid around the baby is very low. Third the baby has what is called Body Stalk Anomaly or Limb Body Anomaly. This defigurations is Lethal and the Baby is going to die. Body Stalk Anomaly has many characteristics such as a short amblical cord, Limb Deformations which in our case is the legs, Absent Kidneys and Bladder. This baby has very small abnormal Kindneys and no bladder. The Baby also has a shortened limb. This Anomaly happens in only 1 to 10,000 pregnancies. We have been told that is not a genitic disorder and the Doctors have high hopes for normal future Pregnancies. We are grateful for all your support and prayers.

-The Franciscos-

Yellow Stone Trip 4th of July Weekend

We made it back from Yellowstone National Park it was so much fun! Blake has never been up there before so this was a new experience for him. It was cute he was so excited to see every little thing that it made it new and exciting for me too. It was a long day of travel that first day but well worth it when we got up there.

What we Saw!

Buffalo lots and lots of Buffalo
(We got stuck in a herd of them crossing the road)

Two Black Bears

( I had never seen a Black Bear before)

Elk and a Bull Elk

(Blake had to get off the road when he saw the Bull It was Exciting)

Dear and Bucks

one lone Coyote

(grandpa said it would be a cooler story if we said it was a wolf but it was indeed a Coyote)

Tons of Not very smart People.

(Orientals trying to Pet Wild Animals)

Attractions:

Old Faithful

Geysers

Mud pots

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Water Falls

Mammoth Hot springs

(grandma Was said because this has changed and is no longer active)

Grand Tetons on our way up.

We had a great trip we stayed in my grandparents Moterhome with them. My parents and Caleb had their Trailor also. After yellowstone we were happy to go to bear lake and have a hot shower. We all needed them by then. That is where aaron and his new bride chrissy meet us and spent the night. It was a great trip to have with everyone before we make our way to Oregon Next week.

Percussion Retreat in June

My professor Lynn Vartan decided that it would be a fun idea to get people together during the summer and have a percussion retreat. She was right it was a blast we had two of her students from Suu (me and Joe) along with three students from California come and enjoy this week of playing music and having fun. The week consisted of three private lessons (in which i learned and memorized a new piece which for those who know me know that the memorizing part was a huge accomplishment.) Three master Classes where we play for each other and get feed back and talk about issues such as how to promote ourselves and further our education. We also worked on several ensemble piece that we recorded together at the end of the week. So much Fun!

Along with working hard we took a day to see some interesting and beautiful things around cedar city.

Our first stop was stoping around Cedar Breaks. It was a beautiful day for this.

Lynn, Aime, Kat, and Megumi ( I am not sure how she spells her Name)

Next we found our way over to the Parowan Gap which i had never heard about before but it turned out to be a really cool Site.

Needless to say we had a great week and look forward to doing this in years to come.

Graduation May 2nd, 2009

Graduation was alot of fun my family and friends were able to come from northern utah and celebrate with us we also had blakes parents and grandparents who put on an amazing party for us complete with great food company and presents. I have included pictures above for your enjoyment. my mother is going to send more so maybe i will put more up later.

Trip to Portland

This Week Blake and I went on a trip to portland Oregon to see if we could find a place to live for the next three years while Blake attends Pacific University. I have quikly Fallen in love with the Portland area and look forward to living there.

The Bonuses of Oregon:

• My Skin was Soft and did not itch from being dry


• It is so much easier to hike there becouse you are so low in altitude you don't lose your breath you feel to strong and energetic.


• You feel like you live in the woods even if you are in the middle of the city because there are so many trees and they are so tall.


• It is only an hour drive to the ocean.


• It does not get as cold or as hot as Utah and you don't have near the amount of snow.


• The Oregon residents assure as that it does not rain all the time.

We found a great apartment that we really want and hope to have seccured in July the lady working with us to get it seems really optamistic.

Please enjoy the photos we took.

Last Weeks of School

It is crazy how quickly the semester has gone by. Blake is finishing up his last weeks of school and i am finished and just waiting for May 2nd to come when we can be declared collage graduates. This semester Blake has been taking a communication class and an economics class both of which he finds a little boring but he is willing to do the work. I have been student teaching out at Parowan which is about half an hour north of here. I really enjoyed the students and miss them all ready. Now that i am finished there i have finished up my Teacher Work Sample or TWS and my E portfolio what a stress relieve to have these finished. To pass my time now I do a little cross stich and a substitute teach once and a while. i am also joining my former students on their trip to provo to state solo and ensemble festival which takes place on the 24th and 25th of this month. Cary(the teacher) and I will both be driving vans up with approx. 9 students. we will get their on the 24th treat them to some activites for their hard work and then do their competition and drive back home on the 25th.
On the 18th of these month is SUU's Day of Percussion. it is a day packed with Percussion classes and master classes along with performances and just a whole lot of fun i missed last years Percussion day Because we were getting married but look forward to attending this years.

Blake is the secretary to the bishop and is working as a manager at Brad's Food Hut. When he is not doing these things or studying he is trying not to cut his fingers off doing wood working kits or using the new saw he got for his birthday yeasterday.

Graduation takes place on the 2nd of May. President Thomas S. Monson his the key note speaker at 9:00 in the morning. Our 2nd ceremony takes place at 2:00 in the randall jones theater on campus.