The Beach

Yes, we love living 10 minutes from the ocean, and we go there all the time.

What's that?

You wonder why, if we love the beach so much, we don't have better tans?

Welcome to Northern California.

Valentine's Day

Thoughtful Benj always out does himself on holidays. I think it's a trait he learned from his mother - which I (and the girls) REALLY appreciate.
Valentine's day was on Sunday this year, and as usual, he was at church meetings before we woke up. But when we did wake up - we found that cupid decorated the house with balloons and Valentine notes, had the table set and breakfast made, and gifts for everyone - including a scavenger hunt for me!


So thoughtful, unexpected, and appreciated!

Our little Valentines resting after church, and Ella with her heart Valentine creations:

LDS Family Night

As if "being Mormon" doesn't already set us apart in the Bay Area - the Golden State Warriors hosted an LDS Family Night in February when the Jazz came to play. This is us - Welcome San Francisco Stake!

In truth, it was a lot of fun. We had yet to attend a Warriors game (generally try to avoid Oakland at all costs:)), Benj loves the Jazz, and who can pass up a ticket fee that includes a hot-dog and Gatorade?

Though we were about as far away from the court as possible, sitting with friends made the evening. Ella and London lead the cheering section.

Glad we went - Go Jazz!

Gardening

I've been trying to find the perfect preschool - close, interactive, educational, affordable ...

Millbrae Montessori and Glen Oaks Montessori both tried to sell me on the fact that they have planter boxes and the kids are able to grow little gardens - for $550 a month (MWF 9-12) once a week the kids tend little gardens. Wow. Maybe Ella deserves an allowance raise?

Graduation

Whew! We made it, and I am officially done with school. The Broadcast Electronic Communications and Arts (BECA) school graduation was Saturday, May 22.

This is the graduating class - professors are on the front row: .

The family even braved the two-hour ceremony, and made it through without much assistance. It was a very relaxed event - each professor was able to say a few words, and then there was a receiving line where we said good-bye. I'll introduce you - Betsy Blosser, and Hamid Khani, two of my graduate committee members; Miriam Smith, a fellow BYU alumni who I did an independent study course with; Hun Yul Lee the Professor I taught for one semester, and Elliot my T.A. who basically ran the class ; my BECA BF Michelle Kennedy; my supportive family; and of course my amazing husband (though that sounds trite, I mean it sincerely) who not only supports my ambitions and goals, but gives me the resources to pursue them, takes care of all the details, and never takes the credit he deserves. Thank you. I am actually really excited to have a diploma from after marriage because it has his name (Becker) on it too - and he certainly earned it! (In truth, he earned his name on my BYU diploma too).

There were several events leading up to the final school graduation that are documented bellow (we opted out of attending the University graduation - for obvious reasons of disinterest, length and over crowding).

First up on the list of celebrations was the Graduate Expo - a science fair for SFSU Grad students. I started the program with Michelle Kennedy, and we've been BECA BF ever since. She was a reporter (most recently for KRON4) and wants to go into teaching. Here we are with Nancy "Sami" Reist, our graduate coordinator, and Marty Gonzalez, my committee chair (he's also the weekend morning anchor for KRON).

Then there was BECA Bash. This is Scott Patterson, the Department Chair, getting the party started. I was nominated for, and won (happy grin after the award) the Stewart Hyde writing award. Here's my BECA BF again:.

Next up was BECA Fest - the "academy award" for Beca students. I didn't have my camera, but Michelle took this picture of me by the poster with my writing sample on her phone.

Then there was The Hood Ceremony - each department nominates a graduate student to attend.

Ella and Anne bidding me farewell .

Walking in carrying my hood, being read in, hooded by the university president, and walking out wearing my hood.

There were a couple of awards given to the "outstanding" graduates among the different colleges (of which I did not receive) for research in areas like burlesque dancing (the woman who won actually choreographed a burlesque dance exposing the racial inequality of the art form, from the department of Ethnic Studies), creating a Web page for transgender/bi-sexual families who feel discriminated against with health care coverage, and other "social justice" fighters. I guess the BayAreaBabyBeat.com just doesn't measure up:)

"Welcome to San Francisco State," is all I can say.

Ella's Ballet Tap Combo Class

Here are a couple of pictures and video clips of Ella in her dance class.

Can you see why she won the "graceful gallops" award?