Brigham City

During our little visit to Utah (while my sweet husband packed up the moving van and moved all of our stuff to Iowa), the kids and I took a day trip to Brigham City with my parents.

They are building a new LDS temple in Brigham City.  It is gorgeous.  I can't wait to see what it looks like finished, but I love the nostalgic feel to it.  It reminds me so much of some of the first temples that were built more than 100 years ago. 

We had such a fun day... walking around Brigham City a little, visiting a park, seeing the temple, and we capped it all off with a lunch at Maddox.  Their rolls were, as usual, heaven-sent.  I love the memories Maddox brings flooding to me.  Special dinners as a family around Christmas-time, High School graduation lunches for myself and each of my siblings, dinner with Dennis and my family the first time he came to visit, our wedding breakfast... yummy food and great memories.

Pretty Princess Pedi Party

For our very last day in Oklahoma, we had Sarah's two best friends over for a party.  We picked them up and headed to McDonald's for lunch (6 kids at McDonald's + 1 Mom = some very interesting conversation, lots of messes, and some empathetic looks from other adults).  After our lunchtime adventure, we went back to our house and had a pedicure party.  While Jared napped and Andrew entertained himself with his new light saber from his Happy Meal, I gave the four girls a pedicure.  They loved it! 

Sarah really had some great friends in Lauren and Paige, and I hope she can find some more friends in Iowa quickly.

All Our Bags Are Packed...

And we're ready to go...

The house is packed up in boxes, and the kids and I are headed to Utah today.  Two and a half weeks of play, and then on to our Iowa adventure.

Anxious

anx·ious

/ˈæŋkʃəs, ˈæŋ-/ Show Spelled–adjective

1. full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; solicitous.

2.  earnestly desirous; eager

3.  attended with or showing solicitude or uneasiness

People lately have been asking me how I'm feel about moving.  I think it can all be summed up in one word.  It's the first thing that comes to my mind... I am ANXIOUS.

1. I am full of mental distress and uneasiness due to the fear of packing up my house, unpacking in a new place, having to leave my Okie friends, trying to make new friends, having the kids make new friends, settling into a new routine, and on and on and on.  I like to hold on to old friends because I feel comfortable with them.  I can be myself.  I know what to expect.  I am worried about having new people get to know me and my quirks and put up with the antics of my cute, but crazy kids.

2.  I am earnestly desirous and eager about the new an unknown our Iowa home holds.  I can't wait to see what kind of changes are coming our way.  In a way, I love love love change.  I like things new and fun and exciting.  Will we love being in a branch vs. a ward?  Will our children thrive and grow to love Iowa like Dennis and I do?  Will they look back at this change as a great thing in their lives?  Will Dennis love his new job as much as we think he will?  Are the kids going to love that they get the opportunity to grow up close to family... grandparents less than an hour away, and tons of cousins as well?

3. I am uneasy about getting our lives in order - getting the girls in school, Andrew in preschool, and getting involved in the community.  I am especially uneasy that my parents are leaving on a two-year mission to Papua New Guinea the day Dennis starts work at his new job.  I won't get to call my mom any time I need to vent or ask for advice or ask about a recipe, or when I just want to tell her the cute things Sarah/Emma/Andrew/Jared just did.  

My life is about to turn up-side down.  I am eager, uneasy, and desirous.  I am ANXIOUS.

Three-Year-Old Antics

Andrew may be short, but he is not short on personality.

  

Stop looking at me

Anytime Andrew has the sun in his eyes, he says the same thing.
It makes me laugh EVERY time.
"Mommy, the sun looking at me!"

Happy Trails

It only took us 4 1/2 years, but we found the best, #1, numero uno, supreme, most wonderful trail to walk/bike/scooter/stroller along.

For the last two Sundays, we've decided to use up the kids extra Sunday energy by taking a stroll and a scoot along our new-found trail.

We've found caterpillars, sticks, rocks, ticks (on Sarah's back tonight), new bushes and trees, wild flowers, and smiles.

In true Emma fashion, she crashed and burned at one point.

Not only did she get a little road rash on both knees and an elbow, but she hit her neck on the handle bar of her scooter as she fell.  It left a nasty little mark.

Emma rode the rest of the way with Jared in the stroller, while Sarah and Andrew posed for my camera any chance they got.

 

I need to get some family pictures taken while they are in the picture-taking mood!