I was going to post a picture of Ella playing with her new baby doll, but when I caught her racing around the house with a truck, I decided this won. What a well balanced child I have.

Updates... not too much. This week we're planning on going to California, Davis and San Fransisco, if all goes well. Paul has an MBA interview at UC Davis. I found an organic pick your own strawberry farm near there, so hopefully we'll come home with delicious strawberries. It has been kind of nice to roam the country with Paul so he can attend grad school interviews. Good Times.

Bed head and other news.

I am pleased to announce that Ella's hair is long enough for her to have bed head when she wakes up. I have included a picture for your viewing pleasure. Don't get me wrong, there is still plenty of spareness on the scalp, but where it has come in, it is quite nice. With any luck we may even get a little curl in her hair... one day.

Paul had an interview with a Notre Dame alum today. It was fantastic. They really hit it off. For me the high point was when he said, "I'm going to call Notre Dame and tell them to get you on board." It always makes you feel good when people are clamoring over your husband. We are still waiting to hear back from several schools. Next weekend is the UC Davis interview, which I am thrilled about. I can't wait to pay a visit to Davis, even if most of the people I knew well have moved on (I was in the student ward there). I am hoping that when we get there Paul will feel this burning desire to move to California, because right now UC Davis is his bottom choice. It is my top choice, I think, based solely on climate. Notre Dame... well, let's put it this way: it's colder than Idaho. I didn't even know that was possible. The average high during the hottest month of the year is 83F. That is positively sinful. Sigh.

As for me, I am fine. It's been a rough couple of weeks. This breadwinner stuff isn't all its cracked up to be. I was called as ward camp director, which is really fun. But there is an element of bittersweet because I am really worried about being away from Ella for so long. Paul says he'll come up to camp every day if I want him to, which makes me feel a little better, but with work and camp I feel like I am being forced to let go of the infant stage before I am really ready. I know Ella is old enough to be without me for a few days... but it's just hard. So that's my life. I mean there's other good stuff happening, too. I am really enjoying playgroup, and so does Ella, which is nice. I have great clients at work. We have a couple who seems genuinely interested in buying the house. My husband is cleaning the kitchen really well, when I thought he was going to stop after he finished the dishes. So, there are lots of positives right now, but, like I said, it's just been a rough couple of weeks.

Sorry about the long periods in between posts. I can't promise it's going to get any better this summer. But in the fall, life should calm down a bit. Right?

Drumroll please...

Paul is finished applying for graduate schools!! (Unless we have to resort to the backup schools, whose applications are due later in the summer.) It's the essays that were all the work. The last school we applied to (Notre Dame) was the easiest by far, because we just cut and paste from all of the other essays that Paul wrote for the other schools. They only had one original essay question, out of four. It was: "What, outside of work, inspires you?" My question is, is anyone inspired by work? I am not. At least not the kind that people pay me for. I wish I could get paid to be inspired.
I have considered starting my own church for this very reason. I think I would make an excellent preacher. I liked doing the full-time religion thing, too. The mission was great. Unfortunately, starting a not-true church just might not have the same appeal. Yeah, I guess I'll stick with Truth.
In any case, we are done for now, which really opens Paul's schedule up for: HOUSEWORK!! Yea! He is the stay-at-home parent! No more bathroom cleaning for me, friends. No more vacuuming, or sweeping. And luckily, I never did dishes before, so I am anticipating a pretty sweet lifestyle. Just in time for Mother's Day.

Bring on the heat.

We are in Sunny Arizona this week for Paul's interview at ASU. Carolyn, Paul's sister lives here, so this trip has turned into a fun weekend with her. His interview went great, and we've spent our time basically enjoying the beautiful heat.

Today we visited a hotel resort, and enjoyed the luxury therein. And by visit I mean, snuck in. In our defense, it should have not been so easy if they really didn't want the public to take advantage of their marvelous amenities. They had a lazy river, complete with complimentary tubes, and a waterslide. Ella was too short to ride, but we all took turns holding her so everybody got a chance to go. Seriously fun day. I have a feeling it was made even more fun by the fact that we really weren't "supposed" to be there....

Sweet Ella fell asleep half-way through, so we wrapped her in towels and let her nap on a lounge chair while her Aunt Carolyn sunbathed.

We live a good life.