Ray Family: It's been awhile...the last 9 months in a nutshell...

So I didn't realize that it has been 9 month since our last blog entry! This year has been so busy!

Here is the last 9 months in a nutshell...

Dave has gone back to school to earn another degree! He is a full time student at the University of Phoenix. He is majoring in Marketing and will complete his Bachelor of Science degree in Business with an estimated completion date of Fall 2012! He is doing so well and we are so proud of him and all his hard work!

Our pups Toby and Nala had a rough year health-wise. Toby had another mass removed from the bottom of one of his back paws. He also had a mass on this shoulder that turned out to be cancer. We were fortunate that the vet was able to remove it all with a good margin. We have to continue to check him daily for any new masses, but so far he is back to the healthy pup he always has been! Nala has had some severe allergies and now is on a custom mixed serum. She has been doing better and hopes that the serum will continue to do it's job.

We have been on a couple of trips this year also. In May we went to Tennessee to visit Dave's best friend and his family. We had a blast! It was nice catching up with Keith and Mary and playing with Sofia. Mary cooked a lot of good food and we even exchanged some recipes! We also played Rock Band for the first time and are totally hooked! We have that on our list to buy soon!

Mary making us her delish pizza!

During the same vacation we also went to Virginia to visit my best friend Donna and her family (her daughter Kate is my God daughter.) In Virginia Dave and I visited my family's old stomping grounds in Yorktown. There we visited the Yorktown Battlefields. During this trip Dave met several of my friends that were not able to make it to our wedding. The humidity was a bit rough, but seeing everyone made the trip well worth it!

Dave at the Yorktown Battlefields. I even got him to wear and ODU shirt!

In September we went to visit his side of the family for a couple of days. During our visit we we met his sister Jody's new son, Baby Nash. He is such a cutie! We were also able to help celebrate Joe, Dave's brother in-law, birthday. It was definitely a fun time. The party was at Jody and Joe's new house which was beautiful! Along with all the family activities, Dave and I still were able to find time to relax and even indulge in a couple's massage! Visits with family are never long enough, but it was great seeing everyone again!

Dave and Baby Nash

Dave and Mom

Joe's surprise birthday party

Joe, Baby Nash, Ella, and Jean

Dave, Mom and Dad at Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach, CA.

Jody and Dave

Family shot

Dave and I at The Cannery Restaurant in Newport Beach, CA

At the end of the summer I also received a promotion at work. I am now a Housing Specialist. I am responsible for all the vouchers that port into King County. The training period was a little rough, but now I think I have the hang of it.

Last but not least, our biggest blessing this year is that WE BOUGHT A NEW HOUSE! As many of you know this home buying process was a hard one for us. We have been searching since after our wedding. So after 4 different houses and 1 year later we have moved into our new home! It is located in an established neighborhood in Issaquah, which is a great school district. The neighborhood has tons of amenities (i.e. 2 pools, several tennis courses, trails, lake, playgrounds, shopping center, and an elementary and middle school!) We are glad we moved here because there are tons of young families here just like us.