The Ward

Ha! So since I don't know anyone in the ward yet, they don't know my blog and I can say anything I want. Don't worry, it won't be THAT bad :) Really, it won't be bad at all.

Tyler and I have always been in a family ward, meaning, we go to church with a congregation made primarily up of married, widowed, or single people above 30. If you are 18-30 and not married most people go to the young single adult ward, or congregation. Rochester has a pretty diverse group of people of all incomes, education levels, interests, ages, etc... although racially it's not that diverse at all. Rochester is so happy to have new people in its boundaries (because what congregation you go to is determined where you live), instantly you get a calling, are invited over for dinner, and quizzed on your interests. Well, that's the way it seems.

In Ann Arbor, we go to a family ward too. There is also another married student ward for families living on campus. So generally a lot of LDS members in the Ann Arbor area. Now for the weird part. In our ward there are people not in school, but I would say that's only maybe 100 people? So around 30 percent. On Sunday they read in the records of probably 15 families, all new, most going to school. The ward is pretty racially diverse, but the one odd area it is not diverse in is level of education. It seems around 90 percent of people have at least a Masters degree. This is SO weird. Everyone is smart and seems to dress nice. All the moms I see are super skinny (even while pregnant) and pretty. So if you are one of these moms, congrats!

Oh, and all these moms have at least 2 kids, going on 3. Playgroup today had at least 5 pregnant moms.

First real day as a student

Tyler has his first day at something called the Ross Leadership Institute today. He got his section number (there are at least 6 sections of about 80 people) and even took public transportation aka the bus, to school! I think it's going to be a bunch of leadership activities that are very active. They said to wear comfortable shoes. I whimped out yesterday and drove to the library.. had to even pay for parking. Actual classes start Sept. 7, but until then he has RLI each day.

It seems like yesterday we were sitting in the basement of our old house, at his desk, looking at jobs in CA. We looked at what there was, what they paid, and what the requirements were. Bottom line: it's hard to switch states and get an "in" with a company when you live across the country. So we decided the best way to move up the ladder, switch companies, and move to the place we've always wanted to was go get an MBA at the best school possible. Since then many nights have been spent writing and organizing everything to go to school. I am so proud of Tyler for sticking it out. And I'm even more excited for him to be challenged by his classmates. Last night he put together his new desk. Today I'll pick up the office a bit for him.

The girls have been doing well. Making messes, changing clothes and throwing a few more tantrums than normal. I think they're getting older and just fighting more with each other. But they're best friends. What else do best friends do? Last night they slept in their swimsuits and stayed up until at least 10. Ava sleeps in, while Violet gets up at the same time every day crying, and comes into bed with us. Still don't have the camera up and running. Laziness I guess!

New Home

We've completed our move and have a new address. We're about an hour away, but living student life again, with a new ward and everything is a lot to take in! Our neighbors are LDS, which is going to be fun, and there are lots of kids around.

We're still unpacking boxes and trying to get pictures and lights hung. It's always weird the first two weeks you live somewhere. It doesn't feel like "home" yet. But it will.

Tyler leaves on his backpacking trip with classmates on Friday for 10 days to New Mexico. Apparently he's the first Mormon to go on one of these trips. They make it sound like they're pretty crazy Real World style. No joke. We're a little nervous but hoping that since it's a very strenuous backpacking trip to the Pecos Wilderness that will fill people's time. It's good to be online again, but opens up so many things that I have to do!!

Later.. with pics..

Dentists, Zoo, Etc

We're moving on Friday and I'm getting ready to go on a girls camp canoe trip tomorrow-Thurs, so it's been busy! Our family is still here, still taking pics, so enjoy!


The Detroit Zoo has a dinosaur exhibit. We went there as a family today. The girls were a little scared, but Ava loved looking at the "dying" dinosaurs. She wanted to go back over and over. I'm assuming with doing no research that it's a normal phase to talk about death a lot.
Eating lunch.

My mother and law and I have been working on my genealogy. This is the house where my grandma was born in Grand Rapids, Mi. Pretty cute, huh?


It started pouring rain and lightening while we were at the cemeteries. No need to waste a 2.5 hr. drive over a little rain and lightening, right? So we bought trash bags, and commenced running around in our bare feet looking for headstones. It was an awesome, memorable experience.


This summer in the Romeo branch Tyler and I were the nursery leaders. Tyler's magic tricks were a huge hit, along with fruit loop necklaces, walks, songs, lessons, and messy home made play doh.


We had four kids in our nursery class. Perfect size for controlled chaos. Usually our kids were the worst ones. You can see Violet, Ava, Lydia and Mark.

Ava had her first dentist appointment! She was really excited. Shhh she does have to go back to get either a sealing or a filling, not sure which yet. But you can totally see the decay in her tooth. Sick!! So we're just brushing really really well hoping for the best at her follow up appointment.


A cell phone pic from the Paint Creek. There's a nice waterfall there (man made of course)


Daddy's animal masks made out of paper plates.

It's hard to believe the summer is finally ending for us here at the Paxtons. We are so thankful to all of our family for supporting us on our journey to school. Although it's not ideal to move back in with the parents - it has been a huge blessing to be able to save money. The girls have fallen totally in love with their Aunts and Uncles, and their Aunts and Uncles have fallen totally in love with them. Tyler and I have had a lot of time to do other things, and having babysitters here has been really nice as well. I'm excited to start really homeschooling again (it's been too chaotic and busy lately), and have a "new" place. I have no idea where this expensive adventure will take us, but here we go!

Ann Arbor is a really fun city. Probably as California as you can get in Michigan, if that makes sense. Lots of hippies, liberals, with a little ivy league feel mixed in with beautiful buildings, ivy, football and of course, the college atmosphere. Ava's going to get signed up for her first dance lessons and I can't wait to go to the farmers market. It's weird making your last post from a house.

See you on the flip side.