We Saw Our BABY!

Today was my 20-week ultrasound.  Nate and I went together to see our baby.  After seeing its hearbeat and brain, and everything else that looked good, we found out the gender!

Announcements

We Moved!
After 7 great months at the Davis residence, Nate and I broke down and found an apartment! It is one of those "don't judge the book by it's cover" type of places. The inside was renovated right before we moved in and it is located in a safe/happy Sugarhouse neighborhood! We are totally excited to be here.

We are going to be Parents!
Yep you heard it right, come October 5ish we will be having a baby! If your like me and haven't done the math in your head yet, that puts me 18 weeks along! On May 15 we will be finding out the gender of the baby, and I will be about half-way along! It really seems to be flying by. I have felt pretty good for the most part. It has been so fun to plan, prepare, and talk about the changes that will be coming for us. Nate and I are really excited to be parents and feel really blessed.
So, if you have any advice, tips, whatever, we welcome any help we can get!

Spring Break to Middle America

Even though Nate and I are not students anymore we figured we needed a Spring Break! So we asked Ali and Pete if we could come out to stay with them in Omaha! They were totally surprised that we really wanted to drive all the way to Omaha for a long weekend, and didn't believe us till the week of the trip!

Downtown Omaha is so much fun! These slides are one of the highlights.

Our original plan was to go to a session of the NCAA tourney in Omaha on Friday. We decided to buy scalpers, and found some for a great deal while we were downtown.

The first game we saw was Florida vs. Virginia which ended up being a blowout! The next game (which we thought would be a blowout) was Missouri vs. Norfolk St. It was one of the best upsets of the tourney, and Nate and I were so glad we decided to go!

The Theurers were excellent hosts and really catered to us! They made great BBQs!

In planning with Al and Pete we decided to take advantage of being in the Midwest to see some of the church history sites so we rented a van and drove through Missouri and Kansas on Saturday!

Adam-Ondi-Ahman was one of our favorite sites. It is so beautiful there. In the car we read about the significance of this place and the history of the people who have set foot here. Nate said it was the best because of its "historical significance, present importance, and future promise" or something profound like that...

Next, was on to Liberty Jail. There is a museum built around the jail, and they now have it cut out so you can see inside. We had a great time learning about that trial, and the trials of the saints in Missouri.

The new Kansas City Temple is going to be dedicated in April.

The dedicated temple site at Independence, MO. Missouri is such a beautiful place, and I can imagine it is even prettier in the summer when everything is green. Owen and Anders were such troopers all day going to all of the church sites. It was so fun to play with them!

At the end of the day we stopped at this cool shopping center called Legends in Kansas City for dinner. Owen and Anders were pumped about the dinosaur place!

Nate was pumped about the middle distance running legend statues.

Even though we had been there before we had to go to the Mormon Trail Center in Omaha. Ali served her mission in Omaha and spent a lot of her time at the trail center, so it is always fun to go. It is amazing to hear stories about the pioneers and their journeys to Salt Lake. Owen and Anders have been there so many times they new exactly what were the fun things to show us!

What a fun trip it was! Nate and I were so glad to take a "spring break" and were glad to spend time with Theurers before they move to Dallas in May.

No we have not died

Wow my blogging habits have become about as bad as my journaling habits.  I always tell Nate I am so glad he is so good at recording what happens in our lives in his journal cause I struggle. 

So what are we up to? 

Well while I spend my days enlightening the minds of tomorrow, Nate works as part of the "corporate America" part of the "evil" banking sector. (At least that is what those Occupiers are saying) 
Yep, it is just as I have said... kind of

I am nobly performing my civic duty as a high school U.S. history student teacher at Syracuse High School.  Or maybe it is more like I am serving my due time of 14 weeks counting down to graduation?
I guess it has been a bit of both for me. Teaching, I have discovered, is a lot like life.  You need to be happy, you need to work hard, you need to have fun, you need to have ENERGY! It is hard, it is rewarding, it is silly, it is draining, it is nerve-racking, it is good. 
I mean, Isn't everyone fascinated studying leadership, tactics, advantages in the Civil War? Aren't people interested at looking at the inter-workings of the government?  Isn't the industrial revolution critical to our understanding of the divisions between North and South?
Answer Dani: YES!!!
Answer students: WHAT!?!

Let's just say that I have empathized with almost every part of this SNL clip where Jerry Seinfeld is teaching a history class.  Click here to watch (it is a great watch) 


Now, with only 3 1/2 weeks left I am somewhat reflective on my experience.  There have been more good days then bad, I have had some really good lessons, and I have gained valuable experience that really culminates my college career.  


Nate is doing just great at his new job with Zions.  He is enjoying working downtown, and liking the full-time work schedule.  Most of all he looks back to last year in his masters and he is grateful to be done with that crazy program. He is also going to start coaching two basketball teams, and playing in a league with friends. 
We have loved being in Salt Lake for the fall, football, family!

We are happy and well, and looking forward to the holidays and festivizing!!!

Summer Slideshow

Do you have four minutes? Well then turn up your volume, sit back, relax, and enjoy the following slidshow!

Thank Heaven for Little Girls

Meet:
Sophie Jayne Burton
Born May 4,2011

We are so excited you are here! We love you Soph!

We threw another successful party! Despite the Christenson's moving two days later, Sophie being born, and finals ending! Up Green Canyon we had a zesty taco bar with sweet pork, lime rice, black beans, and guacamole: all to be topped off with Jarritos soda straight from Mexico.  Sara made her own pinata out of paper mache adorned with red spikes and the Mexican flag symbol. The party would not have been complete without our authentic Mexican costumes. I mean look at Nate... can you say Speedy Gonzalez! What a party!