New School Year for Etta and Me!

Since no one has posted anything in a year, I thought it was the perfect time to get things started again!

This new semester will prove to be a hard one for Etta and me. Etta is studying for the MCAT (the entrance exam for medical school) on top of all of her classes. She is taking Complex Analysis and Intro to Numerical Methods (those are both MATH classes she is taking with her major), along with the second year of Russian, Organic Chemistry Labratory, and a Mathematics seminar class. I am starting my junior year and taking Introduction to Microbiology (a 100 level class that I have procrastinated until now), the first semester of Organic Chemistry, Immunology, and Book of Mormon. We both have pretty busy schedules. It has only been the first week of classes and Etta hasn't stopped doing homework and I am working on a research project due later this month. Needless to say we are busy.

Some of the best news we have is that we both were hired into a lab to do mentored research. We are working for Dr. Burnett (http://mmbio.byu.edu/FacultyStaff/tabid/1643/ctl/FacultyProfile/mid/2308/FacultyID/240/Default.aspx)

. She is heading a research team in trying to figure out how to more efficiently make transgenic mice. Etta is responsible for surgery done to mice, and I am responsible for doing the DNA work after she is done. I won't bore you with specifics, if you want them feel free to ask. But this is a great opportunity for Etta and I. Etta would like to do research for medical school (the more extra circular activities you do the better), and I need to do it before I finish my undergraduate degree. I took a class from Dr. Burnett last semester and was really interested in the work she was doing with transgenic mice. Lucky for us, she sent out an email this summer offering 4 positions in her lab. Out of 30 people that were interviewed, Etta and I were two out of three that actually got into her lab. It isnt' a paid position, but we do get school credit for it. Mentored research credit actually goes toward my degree.

So with the Lab and school we are busy people! But life couldn't be better!

Gilberts Family Vacation

This is my favorite picture of Allan in a hollowed out tree. He wanted everyone to get in with him., but he didn't realize how small it was.
Thats a tree around us. We were at Calaveres Big Trees
A few cameras were going off at once and Allan was pointing at them
Pretty Colbie getting big
Danny golfing, Can you find the ball?
We went to Merer Caverns. This is A group shot of us. We didn't bring Colbie cause we didn't know if there would be any crawling or shimming, so we left her with pregnant Annah and her daughter Karlee.
Getting a good family photo is hard!!!! But this will work

Happy Birthday Grandma Smith

Janessa and Briley. Briley is the cutest thing ever! (sorry Colbie i love you too)
We take grandma Smith out to eat for her birthday every year. Its a fun tradition and a good reason to see eachother!
You can tell they are related. ( 3 generations) Tanisha, Gail and Helen

Ariane, Taylin, and Janessa... say cheese!

First time for everything!

Colbie went swimming for the first time! And she loved it. But did we think any different, she is part Bair she has to love the water.

6 flags trip

Hey Sylvester thanks for the photo. ( Briley is not in the photo since people in costumes scare her.)
Taylin helping Allan put his hands up for the "gekee" boat ride
Taylin and Allan on Dumbo
Taylin frolicking!
Allan playing in the water
" I ride green truck" Quoted by Briley... over and over and over. Good thing she always got the green truck.
Allan, Alisa, Austin, Taylin, and Briley in front of the shark exhibit.
Allan, Taylin, Austin, and Alisa on the Frog jumper. They LOVE this one. Trust me Allan is enjoying him self

Harold the Helicopter. Taylin and Briley are on it also you just can't see them.
Bertie the Bus. Tanisha was a good sport and went on it with Allan twice, then Taylin took him a few more times.
This is the longest train ride. But the kids love it and thats all that matters... right?

one of the only ride Briley is NOT scared of... its the merry-go-round

My New Look!

Well, since I went to New Mexico I have gained a little weight.  Rose (Etta's mom) is such a good cook!  I just couldn't help myself.  And after I gained some weight I found out that New Mexico has one of the biggest immagrant Japanese populations, with the biggest "Little Tokyo" in Albuquerque.  Etta suggested that I try my luck out in sumo wrestling.  Despite my preliminary hesitations, I found that I am actually quite good, as you can see by the picture.  Don't worry, Rose is a doctor by profession and said that I am perfectly healthy.  

New Mexico is AWESOME!