Per your request

Sorry for the lack of updates. I sat here for a few minutes trying to think of some sort of excuse (we were abducted by aliens...uh we went on worldwide cruise...uh Ly finally got a pet panda) that would adequately explain the significant lack of posts. Needless to say I couldn't think of anything so sorry will have to suffice.

Anyway. Here are some highlights of the past days (weeks? months?) since we've last posted.

1. Ly and Alan moved to an awesome new place that is across the street from the bookstore. It is also bigger, nicer, and cheaper. Ly loves the new place - and the fact that in the month or so of living here she has recently acquired at least a dozen new books and 3 new bookshelves.

2. Most of Ly's books are now safely out of their boxes and in the above mentioned new bookshelves leaving no room for any new books - a thought that encouraged the purchase of the shelves in the hopes that the amount of book purchases would significantly decline. However, Alan discovers new books on a weekly basis anyway. (Hello, hasn't the girl ever heard of a library?)

3. Ly and Alan recently discovered the awesomeness that is goodwill. We go on a weekly basis in search of old furniture to restore (a new hobby of Alan's), yet more often than not come home with 3 books - and no furniture.

4. Ly recently learned the wonders of spray paint and now likes to find various items to spray paint - picture frames, pedestals, candlestick holders, people, etc. This proves to be quite the messy adventure.

5. Alan has completed a million (maybe not a million but at least over a dozen) secondary applications for medical school. Now that we have paid all the schools even more money, we get to wait for them to ask us to fly across the country to interview...well that or reject Alan. But I'm sure it will be the former rather than the latter. Can someone invent a time machine and let it be May already?

6. We celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary in July with a surprise trip to NYC. Does that mean we're no longer newlyweds?

7. Alan has managed to convince Ly that camping can be enjoyable, especially when you have a tent that keeps rain, bugs, and sand outside where they belong. The air mattress probably helps too.

8. Ly has spent a lot of time on her photography recently, and she would love to take some pictures of people for her portfolio. Any takers?

9. Alan and Ly attended numerous back to school sales (did we mention that the new place is also close to Target?) and only purchased 1 box of crayola crayons for a quarter. While she wanted to buy more than one box (obviously) she resisted. Alan danced for joy.

10. And of course, the most important news in our family is that the panda at the San Diego Zoo gave birth to a baby boy about a month ago. Ly (and Alan too) watches the live 24-hour video feed of the panda for hours at a time. He is adorable. Go see for yourself.