All Packed Up and No Place to Go

  Like I mentioned earlier, back in December Jake flew out to Boston to engage in further interviews with a firm he had started talking to last April (before he'd finished his LL.M.). Since to that point the process had moved like molasses we didn't really think anything was going to change, but all the sudden everything was put on turbo speed. We heard back a couple of weeks later and after a lot of thought and tears, he accepted the job and we were supposed to be there just 2 weeks later for him to start work (I am exhausted again just thinking about that whirlwind of events!) Obviously the weather in Arizona is great, the people were amazing (we seriously made some of the best friends in our short time there) and Carder's school in Arizona fit him like a glove. There had definitely been some stress at the beginning as he started 6 weeks later than everyone else.  This was a combination of transitioning to all day kindergarten, being in a totally new place, as well as being the new kid. But after all that he was finally settled and doing great so the thought of uprooting him just broke my heart and gave me SO much anxiety. But after weighing out all the options, talking to him about it etc. we decided the move was the best thing for our family, so we quickly got to packing up our stuff so we could get it into the shipment container by the end of the week so it'd be there by the time we arrived in Boston (did I mention we had no idea where these containers were going to be delivered to?) 

Clockwise from upper left: Carder exhausted from packing made a nice little bed out of a pillow on the floor since everything was packed up. Brenn's dirty face showed how grubby we all were (moving is seriously the worst!) Jake was pretty proud once we had that POD all packed up and picked up (though we did have to get a couple of UPACKs as well even with giving away almost all of our dressers/bookshelves). Brenn double-fisting some cookies on our car ride out from Arizona, its how we do it ;)

While our things made their way across the country, we retreated to California to hang out with my family. Jaxon, Ellie and Jet were all there, so the kids had a blast with all their little friends. 

Brenn loved getting all beautiful with Ellie and snuggling her Mimi

No trip to Mimi's is complete without lots and lots of dressing up

The kids loved going to the San Diego Children's Museum with all the friends...

Brenn was particularly fond of painting, whereas Carder was quite stoked to make his own planter and build his own toy car

We also got to make a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth...

Brenn was SO happy to see her favorite lady "Cinder-lella" as well as some other fine princesses

We were also able to go to one of Jaxon's basketball games where I am pretty sure he had the best cheering section around... (after which the kids got a special treat of Mac & Cheese which they were rather delighted with, since Mom doesn't usually supply such "yummy" like Mimi)

Jake was able to take a couple of days to fly out to Boston to find us a place to live (which in February is no easy feat!) Fortunately he was able to find a place that was being remodeled where after a short stay with Brit and Leon we were able to move into. We took a red eye out there which was great for the kids (not so much for me). We went out to dinner with my parents prior to the airport where I started feeling a little queazy  Then by the time we'd checked in and made it to the terminal I was feeling really queazy, I went to the bathroom and threw up thinking that'd be the end of it. Boy oh boy was I wrong. I am pretty sure I threw up for most of the 6-hour flight. Every time I sat back down in my seat it wasn't more than a couple of minutes until I had to run back to the back again, finally I just stayed in there (they even just let me stay in there during landing). It was the worst. As we were getting off a lady gave me a Zofran and it was probably the only way I was able to get from the plane to the Johnson's house (I was so dehydrated I remember there was literally no wetness on my tongue or the roof of my mouth). Between my flu bug in El Paso and this nice little spout they were nice little reminders of what pregnancy is like...why can't the stork be real???

El Paso

We spent Christmas Day with my parents and siblings, then my Dad headed back to CA to get back to work and we went on with my Mom, Jaxon and Kelsie to meet up with all the extended family in El Paso. (Jake stayed behind to work and met up with us a couple of days later). It was so fun to spend time with Nana & Papa as well as all the aunts, uncles and cousins.

Pedi Party with all the girl cousins

One of the fun activities we did that week was go to White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. It is just what it sounds like--white sand as far as the eye can see, that people dig in, sled on, etc. The kids LOVED it (as did the rest of us). Such a fun activity and even more fun that we got to do it with all the family.

Brenn hamming it up for the camera, she was especially pleased with the Hot Dogs she got to have for lunch (something she loves that mom doesn't so much, so it was a special treat for her)

The kids would wax the bottom of the saucers so they'd go nice and fast down the hills

Brenn was especially thrilled with her thrill ride. Every time she'd make it down the hill she'd run to my mom who was sitting at the bottom, run to her with a big smile on her face and jump into her arms and giver her a big bear hug.

Brenn's Miss Independent came out later in the day as she insisted on both climbing and carrying the saucer up the hill all by herself. It was a pretty impressive feat for a newly turned 2 1/2 year old.

Jake and the boy cousins tried to take it up a notch by building jumps at the bottom of some of the runs. They must have done a decent job as one time it even made him lose his shoe.

Aside from the sledding and sand, the boys (and Kelsie & Brenn) got a nice little game of football going on.

We were also there for New Year's. The Ingles sure know how to party, there were fireworks a pinata and all sorts of goodies. Sadly I came down with a horrible flu so didn't get to enjoy the festivities as much as I'd have liked (and basically captured no pictures, so if any of the aunts have some they want to send my way...please do!)

Like I said I came down with a horrible flu so we ended up staying a day longer then we planned because I couldn't get out of bed and even the next day Jake had to carry me to the car for us to be able to leave (man, did I feel pathetic). Aside from the horrible bug, we had so much fun in Texas with the Fam. Love you guys!

Seasons Greetings

After we got back from Thanksgiving, the holiday festivities were upon us. A lot of our ward resided in one particular neighborhood which closed down a few streets to have a huge block party complete with Santa, a bounce house, a talent show and delicious Navajo fry bread. One of Brenn's favorite people in Arizona was a little 4-year-old girl named Amelia, who even invited her over to have playdates a couple of times. Brenn just adored her big girl friend, so was quite happy to tag along side her that evening to see Santa, etc. 

With all the moving Carder had started exhibited some anxiety, like literally had to know where I was/see me at all times. This was the first night he went off to play with some of the kids in the ward on his own (without me having to be glued to his side), it was so comforting to see him FINALLY getting comfortable. The people in Arizona really were so great!

 

While I was at the neighborhood holiday party Jake was across the country attending the BYU game. Jake is really good at just happening to be somewhere at the time there is a BYU game. (Case in point, the weekend he went to get our stuff/Uhaul from Utah just happened to be the weekend of the  BYU vs. Texas football game). Anyway, over the summer he had a bunch of interviews for prospective jobs, one of which was for the one that we are now at here in Boston. He actually started meeting with them the previous April when he was still in his LL.M. program at Boston University. We were told that they moved super slow in their hiring process, and man were they not kidding. After twice postponing his deadline to notify the Arizona folks of his decision, and still not hearing anything back from Boston, he accepted the job in Arizona. After being settled there he got a call from Boston out of the blue (this is months after no communication) asking if he was still interested. He called me in disbelief asking my opinion on the matter. Since Arizona had complications of its own, I thought he should at least explore the option, I mean what could it hurt? He made sure he had them fly him out the weekend of the BYU vs UMass game so he would at least get a fun BYU experience out of it if nothing else. Britt and Leon were still living there, so he had a fun weekend with the Johnsons and his beloved Cougs.

December was full of festivities, from stuff at Carder's school to awesome adult parties with our new friends. A highlight was the Ugly Sweater/White Elephant party thrown by my friend Marci, which was capped off with everybody going down to the local ice rink for a game of broom hockey.

The kids looked adorable in their Christmas Sunday outfits and were super excited to come home from church with the biggest candycanes I've ever seen.

My Parents along with Kelsie and Jaxon came up to our house for Christmas Eve. We went down to the Mesa Temple to see all its lights and nativities.

A lot happened in 2013...here is a little peek of our Christmas Card which highlighted some of the big events from the year...

Thanksgiving (Utah)

A little over a month ago our dear friends lost their little girl to an illness. She was 2 years and 5 months old. She was one of Brenn's playmates and our families are close friends. Marjorie's passing has seemed almost unreal at times because it just happened out of nowhere. The weekend sweet Marjorie passed I went over to visit with Marjorie's mother, Mary. As we sat on her couch talking, crying, etc., one of the things she mentioned has stuck with me. As she spoke about the wonderful nearly 2 1/2 years she got to spend with her little girl she said how grateful she was that everything about her life was documented and up-to-date. She could literally at that moment gather it all up put it in a box and have little Marjorie's life preserved in a neat little box. At the funeral services, both Mary and Derek spoke and Mary used excerpts from her blog to give us a glimpse into their life.

As soon as we had that conversation, panic rushed over me thinking of how far behind I had let myself get on documenting our kids, family and life. So here I go recommitting to catching up. "Write it down so you don't forget" has been something that has been said fairly frequently in the past month, so even though I am so blessed to have my two little people, they keep growing up everyday and my babies are turning into not-so-little people. I never want to forget a moment of each phase of their little lives because they go by far too fast.

Ok now rewind to Thanksgiving 2013 (I know I let it happen, over a year behind on this blog...pit in stomach!) We were still living in Arizona. Having lived across the country from all of our family for that last year we learned that if you can drive there in a day, you are close. So we took full advantage of this and made our roadtrips to see our loved ones as often as we could. This roadtrip was through Navajo country to go to Utah for Thanksgiving. Thanks to basically living in our car that last summer, Wreck It Ralph and the outstanding bribery of if we make it to the next fill up without any issues you can pick out a treat at the gas station, the drive went pretty seamless.


We arrived safe and sound late that night and the next morning (Thanksgiving) Jake's family had us all signed up for a 5k. It was freezing, it was running (both two of my not-so-favorite things), but seeing Carder run alongside us and be so excited to cross that finish line almost made me think about doing one of these again.

Georgann had a whole day set up for the kids to construct gingerbread houses. (well in Brenns case she was more on the quality control side as she had to taste test all of the materials) I don't know who had more fun--the kids, or Jake and I.

The kids loved visiting Grandpa & Grandma's house, they played dress up had a blast hanging out with their cousins!