So long Kansas..Hello California!

It really was so surreal packing up and moving, even as we were packing the moving truck and leaving it still didn't feel real. I couldn't believe that we were finally leaving! Don't get me wrong there were some really great things about Kansas. It is where two of my kids were born and we had some really amazing growing experiences out there. We met some really awesome people that we will always be friends with. But it just wasn't the place that I wanted to stay. It was too far from most of our family, plus it is too small, I hate having to drive long distances to do anything, and the weather stinks! It never felt like the place we should end up.

So Monday the 9th we packed the house and drove that night to Tipton to stay the night. The next day we drove 7 hrs.to Denver, which in a lot of ways was the hardest day even though it was the shortest driving distance, because I had to drive the girls by myself and Kevin drove the truck and towed the car Poor guy it was his birthday too, but he was a trooper. The girls were really good except about a two hour period that Jane screamed. So i was a little worried about the next few days because there was going to be a lot more driving. But thankfully we picked up my Mom and brother Joe in Denver so that we could have help. The next day was one of the hardest because we were staying together and the truck could only make it up to about 60, so there were times when I felt like we were just crawling along. But seriously the girls could not have been better that day. It ended up taking us about 13 hours when it would have been like 8 hours. The good thing was we made it to Utah that day and stayed that night and the whole next day so that the girls didn't go too crazy. They were so happy to have a day to spend with their cousins, and it was so nice to not have to drive hat day. The next day Kevin and Joe left about three hours before we did and actually made it there before we did. We decided not to drive together because we were both slowing each other down. So it all worked out. There was a really bad traffic jam about 100 miles before we got there, that really was hard because we were so close. When we got here we were so relieved! We are so excited to be here and see what the future has in store for us!

I didn't get many pictures on the trip but this is what happens when you give a baby a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without any supervision. It was the first day when it was just me and the girls in the van and there was nothing I could do but just watch. After that first day of crying Jane barely cried at all the rest of the trip, she was sooo good, poor baby all strapped in.

The cousins playing together. One day was way too short, but we are glad that we did take that day. It was so fun plus it is always so fun to see my sisters.

Nellie and Max had to sleep with each other. They were so excited to see each other and play together. The first two days driving Nellie was AMAZING! She even said "Mom, I didn't say HUNGRY!!!, one time!" It is a joke house because Nellie gets a little crazy sometimes and will just yell HUNGRY! for no particular reason, in fact a good portion of the time she will have just not eaten her dinner and then she will yell that. It is funny, although when she is doing it I want to lose it. The third day of driving Nellie was not good she threw quite a few fits, but hey two out of three isn't bad.

4th of July

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I realize this was a long time ago, but I just loved this of Jane. She loved the fireworks so much.

Goodbye Grandpa

My Grandpa passed away last month. I knew probably it would happen soon, but once it does happen nothing can prepare you for the emotions you feel. It has been since I was a little girl that a family member has passed and I would have to say it is much more difficult as an adult. It just felt so surreal to realize that I wouldn't get to see and talk to him again in this life. All of us grandkids felt so close to our Grandpa because he made us feel so special. He was always a jokster and my mom said even at the end in the hospital when he was in so much pain he still was joking with everyone. I will miss him so much and I am so sad that we won't get to enjoy seeing him now that we have moved out here. He will be missed very much! This is the only picture that I could find on my computer of him, it was taken last Thanksgiving, and it wasn't even a very good picture. :(

The funeral was wonderful and even though we really didn't have the money to spend on a plane ticket, it was SOO worth it to go and say goodbye. Almost all of my brothers and sisters were able to make it and it was so neat to all be there together. We all cried through the whole thing and none of us girls had any makeup left by the end.

This was a picture of my step-grandma and Joseph walking up to the burial site. I just thought it was really cute. My grandma died when I was 8, and my grandpa got remarried shortly after so she has been my grandma for a good part of my life.

I love this picture. I just thought it was so neat to see my brothers carrying the casket. We missed Jarom, but he was taking his boards that day and couldn't make it, but my 5 other brothers were there.

Here is our family at the cemetery. We all had a great few days remembering my Grandpa and telling funny stories about him, and just celebrating his life. I am so glad to have the gospel and know that death is not the end and that we all will get to be together again someday.

Little Stinker

Jane has an obsession with taking off her pants and diaper. I think maybe she is getting ready to be potty trained but now is NOT a good time for this so if she would just hold off at least for a couple more weeks! Anyway if her diaper gets a little bit wet, off it comes. Unfortunately the same could be said for if she is poopy. One day she had pulled off her diaper and I didn't realize she had pooped a little. Well I put a diaper on her, but then a little while later Nellie brings me in a little wad of brown play dough and said "Jane was playing with this." Guess what it wasn't play dough! And I of course held it up to my nose to smell it.I do just want to squeeze her little buns they are so cute!

The other night Jane didn't go to bed right away, and I heard her in there playing, well she kept getting louder and louder so I went in there to tell her to go to bed and I found this.She had taken all of her animals, her blankets her clothes including her shirt, which I have no idea how she got off and of course her pants and diaper and then had peed all over her bedding, and we had had asparagus that night for dinner so it was stinky!She of course had managed to pee all over her blanket too before she threw it out, and she will not go to bed without it. So she of course got to come out and watch TV with me and Kevin, while I washed her bedding and blanket. She thought she was such a big shot. Oh what little manipulators they are from such a young age. She sure is a cute little stinker though!