A Great Chapter

Two weeks ago tomorrow, all our belongings were packed up and we loaded up the Pilot for our new adventure. Get ready for some picture over load on the blog the next few days...

Yup, that's the best we could do, family. At least Buzz and Woody made it. {Thanks, Lauren}

The week before we left was filled with sad goodbyes. We were truly blessed by loving friends and family. Thank you everyone for such heartfelt goodbyes. We miss you already!

Such an awesome going away gift!!! Our door, surrounded by our friend's doors! It is already in our new house. Thank you, Katie for all the pictures!

J had some sad farewells, also. Whitney documented our last playgroup, so I'll link to that when she posts. We will miss those get togethers so much!

Another special friend, Allie, came to say "see ya later" on Thursday. I'm happy to say that J and Allie have already been skyping. {Below, Lauren may or may not have sang Veggie Tales with motions to get them to cooperate}

Finally, I am sad I missed getting one of Whitney with her boys the day we left. She watched BOTH kids, BOTH mornings the movers came. She has a 2 year old AND an infant of her own! THANK YOU! LIFESAVER.

And then we were off! I plan on posting on our road trip tonight or tomorrow. I'm a little overwhelmed by how behind I am! {Just got the interweb hooked up today.}

I haven't forgotten about the blog!

We just don't have Internet yet... We are supposed to have it Thursday. I've also been slow and short on email replies- I'm not wild about typing too much on this tiny iPhone. Although, I doubt much internetting would have gotten done anyway. We have been busy, busy. Unpacking, organizing, starting new jobs (M), sewing curtains (me),finding Buzz and Woody (J) and pointing (Bean).

I hope to be back to my cyber social self and have pictures soon!

Gonna miss this porch...

Go ahead and take a wild guess on who was more cooperative...

At least bribery is starting to work. Just applesauce. I hope it stays that simple for a long time.

 

Bean-pie is 9 months old! Well, now it's more like 9.5, I'm a little behind getting this post up.

She is all sweet. And into everything- pulling up, crawling, irritating J... 

They irritate, but are thick as thieves. J has already defended her at the neighborhood pool. He marched right over to two brothers and their Mom, informed them that that toy was his baby's.  All with a yellow inter-tube bathing suit on. That's love.

I've included this gem, because the below smile and action is what I get if I ask J to "hug your sister!" He leans over, and says "awwwwwww" making that face. Wonder where he picked that up?

J is 2 and 4 months. "Funny, Mommy!?" That's what he says when he finds it funny, but he suspects that I won't.

Like when he gave AP the toothpaste.

"FUNNY!!!".... "Baby mess." 

It's kinda hard to keep a straight-face a lot of the time.

Gonna miss this porch. The house we brought our babies home to.  

I suppose we're taking the babies with us, which makes it alright.

Movers come next week... stay tuned!

Baby S! Baby S!

"Baby S!"- that's "VBS" in J-speak. 

I helped out this week, so J and AP were treated to what I am quite sure is the finest nursery in VBS history. Playtime, music, dancing, playground, crafts... the list goes on. The first day J came home asking for "piiizza" and "Allie". We got the Allie, and quickly figured out that "piiizza" was "panda". As in the VBS mascot of the week.

Every day I would sneak a peek of J in his room, observing the panda (covered with children) quietly from a distance. Every night he would talk about the "paaanda" (say it like you're on coffee talk) and M would encourage him to give the panda a "high-five". They would practice.

Today, at the very end of the last day of VBS, I took him with me to the "big kids" closing ceremony. Naturally, we were being a bit loud and had to leave. Wouldn't you know, that panda was all alone outside the sanctuary. J got to high-five, hug and play peek-a-boo with the panda. He was so proud. And since Bean was still in the nursery, I got to snap a picture with my iPhone.

I cannot help but think that God orchestrated the giant panda, in the last 5 minutes of VBS, to be at the exact place J was going to be with no older kids around. He knows just how important pandas are.

My children have made me much less cynical.

Sorry for the lack of posts. It's not for lack of material! Moving plans are in full swing. Goodbyes are awful, but the way things have come together, the timing of the smallest details, helps us trust that God is in control of panda meetings and our big move.

Before I sign off-- big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Grandpa Jay AND Momo! (whom J has started affectionately calling, "Janice") My Dad's birthday is today, and my mother-in-law's is tomorrow. We love you both so much, hope it's a great day! 

Our Big News, Trains and Tigers

 Once again, I'm behind on the good ol' blog. This time I have a great excuse. We found out for certain a week and a half ago that we are moving. And not just down the road. The abbreviated version of our emotions: we are so sad to leave family, friends and our wonderful church; we are excited to open ourselves up to a new area, people, and hopefully outstanding pizza.

Of course, all it really means for the blog is that we are moving from one vague area to another. This one is colder. That's all I'll say.

More on all that later...

On to trains!

Last week we went with our friends, Lauren and Allie, to the train depot. J had the best time.

We left soaking wet. I had to remove his shorts before we got in the car. I think that equals fun in little boy.

Trains, TRAINS, TRAINS!!!

 And of course J loves playing with Allie. We will miss our sweet friends.

These two are so funny together. J climbs things while Allie expressions her emotions. Nothing really changes I suppose.

Then we rode on what I can only describe as a "zoo-like" train. J was psyched.

After Lauren and Allie left, and not 2 seconds after we both said the "mini-beach" was disgusting (it had just rained), J found himself a "James" in the sand and set up camp in a puddle. You really can't deny little boys puddles when you have no where to be.

So we stayed. And he ran. And ran.

I think I'll have this B&W one framed so I can see our city from our new home.

Bean did as Bean does.

J with a train. I find it adorable that J now wants his picture taken WITH things.

Shoes on the wrong feet. Whatever, it's a train. 

That night we met Momo and Popo for Tiger Trek 2011. Trains and Aubie in one day?!

We anxiously awaited Aubie's appearance during the tiger walk. J was in awe. I think he was also pretty tired.

Once Aubie was spotted at a distance there was extreme excitement and frantic waving.

As Aubie got closer J's waving turned a bit more hesitant.

He didn't cry though. You have to admit an 7+ft overly animated tiger is a little overwhelming. This is the only picture I got thanks to having the wrong lens on. I was so focused on J's face I almost missed Aubie entirely. I did miss Chizik walking by. M touched his hand. M properly introduced J to Aubie a bit later, and he got a high-five after a little encouragement.

Later we had Chizik sign some photos of us at the game.

Seems everyone wanted a picture with that crystal football, so we opted for a distance shot to get home before the meltdowns began.

These 2 are more realistic.

J is pointing out Aubie (whom he had to constantly be facing). The moostash on M is just bonus.

Sorry Bean is giving her stink face. She's tired. Isn't her dress cute? My friend Libby made it for her daughter last year and passed it along to us.

Thanks, Momo & Popo! We had fun! Chris and ML, we missed y'all being there!