Joshua Foster has been accepted to Harvard and we are moving to Venezuela!!

APRIL FOOLS!!! Just kidding, just kidding! The moving part is true though...

For those who have not heard, Joshua has decided he doesn't want to be a doctor but would rather be a Chemistry teacher and teach at a college while doing research. The way he realized it is a pretty funny story. He was walking to take a final for one of his pre-med classes last semester and this small thought slid to the front of his mind, "I don't like pre-med material or classes; what am I doing?" He tried to ignore it at first but knew it was true. After Christmas he told me all about it and to be honest, I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me, but I was also relieved. It makes perfect sense! Josh is meant to teach because he does it ALL THE TIME and he LOVES it. And if you are wondering if he really likes chemistry, rest assured. The latest and greatest of his sleep talking includes things like "phosphoralase.”

So you might be asking what next? Josh has done an excellent job at getting his schooling worked out. He will walk in April and graduate in June. He's applied for five graduate programs and has been accepted to two out of the three that have responded. Those two are Georgia Tech in Atlanta and The University of Utah. Josh visited GA Tech last weekend and really liked the professors, research, and campus. It's also a great school for biochemistry so it's likely we'll go there. We will hopefully know by the time Josh walks for graduation where we are going to graduate school! It won't be Harvard (phew!) but it will be the right career track for Josh.

Yet Another "Josh is a nerd" Proof

What do you think this picture is?
A blueprint? Driving directions? a chemical equation?....

.....or maybe, just maybe, a recipe??

Yes, you may not have guessed it, but this is a recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Note the symbol for heat next the abbreviation for butter.
I know! Put that kid in a graduate chemistry program quick!!
(He's smirking from his picture in the plant if you can see it...)

Trip to Idaho!

Josh decided to visit Georgia Tech last weekend so I thought I'd visit Melanie and Chris up in Idaho instead of being alone at home. My sister Katie was more than happy to come with me, and my parents joined us the next day! It felt really good to giggle hysterically with my sisters again, it was a lot of fun. The giggles continued as Katie and I stayed with my parents in a hotel. I dropped a whole bowl of cheerios in the hall because I couldn't control my laughter at having a million things in my hand and trying to open the door at the same time... you just had to be there!
Anyway! Melanie was nice enough to do an amazing photo shoot of McKenzie, her pictures turned out really really well. They were exactly what I was hoping for!

Here are some of my favorites...




This last picture is priceless, every time Riley was in reach of Kenzie she would try to pick her up! She's already a little care taker :)
I'm excited to the pictures touched up and cropped :) They will also be found on Melanie's website: melaniedunbarphotography.blogspot.com
I wish I would have taken a video of Melanie and I trying to get Kenzie's attention and make her smile, wow. Chris made us waffles using his Mom's whole kernal/blender recipe, they were amazing! There is a secret to making waffles soft and yet crispy!
I didn't realize how good the new Pizza Cafe place is in Rexburg, they had some divine dessert pizzas! It was good to go to Idaho and be in a friendly town where no one honks at you. Though it's a college town the pace seemed much slower which I needed to experience. It's been go go non stop for a few weeks so this was a nice breather.

Random Funnies

Kenzie and Henry could spend hours playing together! As long as Kenzie doesn't love him to hard, they are great!

"I'm so proud of myself!! I can stand on a tote!!"

My Mom took this picture while she was staying with us, it's McKenzie to a T!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTFA9JnD14A
I am loving these laughing fits Kenzie has every morning before her nap! I've got this down to a science! I just have to make a mess right when she's watching and she goes ballistic!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uMJVSpsAOg

Christie's Crafty-ness

And no, I don't mean that title as preface for an play amazing prank on my husband, at least not this time. :)
The Christmas before we had Kenzie, Josh gave me letters for her name that we could paint. They've been waiting about 14 months but they are now officially painted! Josh painted most of the solid color and I worked on the details. We all agree it's very Kenzie-esque.





The next project was my jean quilt. Mom had cut a lot of the blocks and kept track of my old childhood jeans and I pieced them together when I was about 17. Now it's finally up, tied, and ready to be bound. Mom is borrowing a quilting frame and has initiated the whole process. I'm so glad she decided to take time out of her crazy "in the process of moving" life to do this! I can't believe it's almost done! I'm so excited to use it! The backing is very appropriately soccer balls with a maroon background. I love it :)

Cloth Diapers

So this might seem a strange switch for someone who can get diapers at $0.13 each using coupons, but even getting them that cheap can't save as much money as using cloth diapers. I went to a class at the Stake Women's Conference and made this awesome diaper!





This is called a pocket diaper which means there's a hole on the inside that you stick a terry cloth in to absorb all the fluid. The fabric on the outside is a waterproof PUL and the inner fabric is microfleece.
There a quite a few people in my ward who are using them so they have been my inspiration. It'll take a lot of time to make but I think it's worth it and I think Kenzie will enjoy them more. I tried this one on her but she thought it was too tight so I'll make the bigger sizes first and then go from there.

I love Couponing!!!

I have found my new favorite sport!! Finding, clipping, organizing, and using coupons has become awesomely fun and financially satisfying! I've been doing pretty well. There have been a couple episodes where I have made a mistake with the sale or haven't thought the cost versus coupon through, but it has paid off to learn from those mistakes! For example! I just got back from Smiths where they are having their last day of $3 off Now and Later 10 items sale (also known as a great Catalina! or in Smith's case a Daytona)so I researched the store ad, Krazy Coupons Lady, Coupon Mom, and Savvy Shopper Deals all this afternoon and found a way to get a great deal on pasta and laundry soap (two things that are always worth a trip to the store). Here's my shopping cart:
5 Ronzoni Garden Delight pasta On sale $1.29 - Coupon $1 off 1
5 Purex Laundry Detergent 50 oz Catalina sale $2.39 - Coupon $3 off 1 (I was hoping it would work!!!
3 Gatorade 32 oz Catalina sale $0.69
1 Shout Catalina sale $2.19
1 Ocelo sponge pack Catalina $2.99

I only got the Shout, Gatorade and sponges because they were part of the sale and it's stuff we use. If I had stuck with just gatorade I think the store would have been paying me to shop! It was pretty close as it was. The total came to $6.36 including tax and a 5% student discount. But then I got a $3 off Catalina to use at Smiths (part of the Daytona sale) which is like dropping the cost to $3.36 - I was pretty stoked!