Slingshot....Engage!!!!

Last Summer Dryw, my little brother, my Mom, and I all bought passes to Knott's Berry Farm and Knott's Soak City. They were having a sale where you could buy a year pass to both parks for $99. The very first week of having the passes we had already used out money's worth...we were there just about every day.

We have had a ton of fun with our passes and it makes for lots of fun, easy, and cheap date nights. During the winter Dryw and I would catch the last hour of Knotts and ride almost every major roller coaster there. They have a new ride called The Excelerator. It is so much fun!!! It takes off super fast and goes straight up and around and straight down...it is gnarly!!!! One morning Dryw, my little bro, and I rode it about 5 times in a row. We switched seats every time and came to the conclusion that the very back seats are the best.

Right when it takes off and gets to the top and drops down, if you are sitting in the back row it feels like a slingshot and the weight of the front of the roller coaster snaps the back end down. It is so much fun...you have to try it for yourself!!!!!

Last week our passes expired so Dryw and I decided to go for the last hour the park was open and get one last slingshot in. We waited in line for about 15-20 mins (so good for how long the line can be) and engaged in our final slingshot of the year.

Just before we got on The Excelerator. We also we able to get on Supreme Scream...another one of my favorites, especially at night!!!!

We decided that we had to get a funnel cake...especially with the famous Knott's Strawberries on it. It was so good!!! So rich...I decided that even though the Strawberries are so yummy, I favor the plain funnel cake with powdered sugar

It just looked so good!!!!!

Not sure what is going on here...lol

It was dark and I was far which is why the picture didn't turn out very well...but I wanted to have something to document our night at Knott's. (If you look closely you can see The Excelerator...crazy looking right???)

Fabric Shopping!!!!

Recently the boundary lines were re-drawn in our Stake and our ward became the home to a lot of young couples!!! Dryw and I were very excited because we were one of the few in the Ward up until this point and we couldnt wait to make new friends. Dryw has no problem making friends but I can sometimes be a little shy and a little bit of an introvert at first...but once I get to know people I can be load an obnoxious and a complete goof ball... I am so glad my husband has no fear and made friends quickly!!! I am starting to get to know some of the other girls and they are so much FUN!!!! I have been playing bunco with them once a month which is so much fun, and recently some of us went to the LA Fabric District to look for some quality fabric for less!!!

I have never sewed but always intended to learn and I thought this would be a great way to not only get to know some of the other girls but to also get motivated to learn. I can be crafty but I am so busy and my brain gets so scrambled with every day life on top of ideas that it all seems to mesh together and I cant seem to sort it out!!! So with the help of some of the girls I am going to learn how to sew and I have a feeling that once I get the hang of it that I wont be able to stop...Dryw is a little frightened to see what might happen if I learn...he may NEVER get to spend time with me!!! lol... I just hope all of the ideas I have in my head can come to fruition and that I will be able to master the art--even just a little bit!!!

Here are some pics from the shopping day:

Getting ready to start the shopping adventure...

I dont think LA was prepared for the swarm of LDS women this warm Saturday morning...

With children and goodies in tow we all headed back to the cars to grab some lunch

You can't go to LA and not eat at the original El Cholo's...so yummy!!!! The Enchilada Suiza is (are) to die for!!!

Some of the fabric I bought...I cannot wait to see how this turns out!!! I have a special project in mind for these pieces and once it is complete I will be sure to publish a post!

I am also excited for these pieces. Again, pictures will be posted when it is completed...

Let's hope I can learn well enough for my projects to turn out half way decent!! (I can't wait for our student/teacher session!!!)

Girls Camp!!!!

Kirsten, Whitney, Mary Elena, And Abby

(Crazy girls!)
Kirsten, Mo, and my partner in crime, Sista B!!!

Some of our beautiful Camp Council Girls!

Testimony Night...our Theme was Wizard of Oz and the goal was to return home.

(only way to get there was to follow the yellow brick road and through Temple City to Heavenly Father )

Abby is notorious for bloody noses...so the girls thought it would be a good idea to use a tampon to clot the blood and stop the bleeding. It was hilarious to watch...we even have it on video. We sent her to the nurse and they too thought it was funny. Brother Waite (who was able to come for a night) was horrified and scared for life when he saw little Abby.

Sista B and I with the Camp Council in front of our cabin

The beautiful girls of the Euclid Ward along with Bishop, Sister Suarez, and myself

I walked in the door and this is what I found...along with a very clean apartment I might add (very impressed). I think my husband missed me.... :)

Ansley Marie Jackman/Nevada/4th of July

Perfect Baby Girl...Welcome Ansley Marie!!!

The proud older brother...hence the shirt!

Very proud uncle Dryw...she alreayd has him wrapped around her little finger.

Already hamming it up for the camera...Watch out sis--you have a little star on your hands!!!

Taking a break from moving to get a quick tickle session and picture opportunity

My contribution to the 4th festivities/blessing.

Ansley taking a nap with Uncle Dryw...they were prepaing for the fireworks later that night! :)

So much stuff...so little time...

So we have been up to a lot sine my last post...Here is what has been going on in the busy life of the Waites:

1) It is Official!!! Dryw signed his hire letter with LA County Fire Department and will enter the academy on September 3rd and graduate January 12th!!!! We are so excited...and so very lucky!! We have been blessed with this amazing opportunity and it hardly seems real!!! :)

2) My sister had baby number 2, our niece Ansley Marie Jackman!! She is adorable!!!! The pregnancy process still blowes me away!!!

3) My twinner and her husband, Amber and Justin, moved to Nevada because Justin was accepted into a masters program there. I was so sad and so excited for them at the same time. Dryw and I helped them move and we stayed with them in their cute little place and we managed to get them all set up before we left on Sunday--almost all of the boxes were unpacked and we even had things hung on the walls!! It was amazing. I didnt want to leave because I was going to miss my adorable little niece and nephew, but mostly because I was going to miss my best friend--my sister!!! I cried almost the entire way home. Every time I stopped something would remind me of her or Jasper and Ansley and I would tear up again. I am better now, but it sucks that I cant just hop in the car and drive 15 mins to be with them...but I guess that's life right?

4) Girls Camp!!! I was able to be a leader at girls camp this year and it was so much fun!!! We had some crazy days and nights and I cant believe what amazing young women we have!!! I was lucky enough to be one of the leaders over the camp council and it was amazing watching them interact with the other girls and watch them grow. Our Stake has some beautiful young women, inside and out!!!

5) 4th of July!!!! Amber and Justin came back to bless Ansley on the 4th so it was fun to be with the family and enjoy such a wonderful blessing and celebrate an amazing holiday!! We kept it pretty low key this year because it was on a Sunday, but we were able to spend it with friends and family and it made for an amazing time.

(I am going to post pictures in separate posts so you don't get overloaded with all of the craziness!)

6) Presently: Dryw's last day at Fed-Ex is next Friday (Yay!) so we are going to be able to spend a little bit of time together before he goes into the academy. I will still be working full time, but at least I will be able to see him when I get home from work!

That's about all I have for now!!! More to come later...