Happy Thanksgiving

We were able to spend Thanksgiving with our families in Utah this year which was unexpected.  We shared Thanksgiving dinner with Travis' parents, grandparents (Sam and Mirian) and his two siblings.  We ate at the Garden House, and it was so great to visit with them all.  I have so much to be grateful this season. Here are a list of the some of the things that I am grateful for:

1. Travis.  He is the best husband and father.  I feel most of the time I am not worthy of him, but am so grateful everyday he chose me.  We have grown a lot this past year with having new, fun and trying times which were new to us.  He is so steady and consistant and me and his children are always his top priorities.  It sounds so cliche' but truly I am the luckiest girl in the world.

2.  Adelyn and Boston.  I never thought I would like being a stay at home mom, but this past year it has worked best for me to be at home, and I am so grateful.  I love playing with them daily, and I find so much joy in them.  They both are so fun loving and strong personalities, our days are rarely dull.

3.  Our Families.  Being thousands of miles away really makes you appreciate the time you get to spend with family.  We are so grateful for the family support we have received this last year while moving TO Florida and being in Florida.

4.  The Gospel.  I learned more about the organization and formalities of the church this last year than any other year in my life.  I have definately gained a greater appreciation for active members in the church, for the knowledge I have been so greatly blessed with all my life, and the simple formalities that make a ward run the way it should.  I learned so much more this last year about things I never thought about.  It is hard to put into words.

5.  Friends.  People really make or break a place I have found.  I found some amazing friends in Vero Beach, some of which I would have never thought to be my friends are some of my lifelong besties.  I am grateful for the friends I have made in college, high school, and already in California.  I hope I can be a better friend to everyone. Truly... people make the difference.  And even one person can make a huge difference.  I hope I can be that person.

6.  Dreams and Hopes.   It is so great for me to be able to see Travis reaching his dream in his career.  In my journal in college I wrote that I wanted to be a stay at home mom while my kids were little.  I am living my dream right now.  Travis is such a dreamer and such a positive person which is one of the things I love about him.  We are constantly dreaming of the day we will be able to this and that.  And we are realizing we are fulfilling some of those dreams now.  What a cool thing.

7.  Sunshine.  We have had the privilage of living on both coasts this year where the sun is always shining.  I love the beach and realized I truly love the mountains I took for granted all my life.

8. Perspective.  This last year I realized its the simplier things of a lifestyle that I truly find joy in. I am so grateful I can leave my door open and have no lizards or frogs or huge bugs come in. I am grateful I can go to the park and have my kids play without being bitten by bugs, or dying from the humidity.

9.  Health.  This is really higher on my list.  I am grateful for Travis', Adelyn, Boston and my good health.  One of my besties is blessed with an angel who has spina bifida and a daughter who also has serious health issues.  She is amazing and I think the best parents are given the most special children to care for.  She is one of those.  It really has made thankful for good health.

10.  Love.  I have felt more this year than almost any year the love my savior has for me and my family.  We have been taken care of in our travels thoughout the country.  My love for Travis and our children has grown immensely this year also.  My love and appreciation for my parents and siblings has grown also.  I have been blessed this year with love, and for that I am grateful.

Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!

PEPP KINDERGARTEN

First day of PEPP Kindergarten

She was a little nervous this time

With her Satchel (aka backpack they make you buy)

Lining up with her class

I went to go sign Addy up for preschool the first couple of days we lived here, and come to find out, she is Kindergarten age in California.  I cried for abouty 2 hours when I found out. I was not ready for Addy to go to Kindergarten already.  I thought I still had a year to prepare for this day.  When I went to sign her up at school, they told me about PEPP. It is in between kindergarten and preschool.  I know that Addy could handle Kindergarten, but if we move back to Utah like we plan on, she would be doing Kindergarten twice.  I put her in PEPP.  We accidently went on Monday when they told me her first day was going to be Tuesday, so the pictures below are the ones we took on Monday. On Tuesday, I was nervous to drop her off at this school in California where there were tonz of kids and people.  But my prayers were answered.  As I walked into the classroom this woman came up to me. She had a nametag that said Nichole Parent Volunteer.  She said to me, "I recognize you from church. I am Nikki and this is my daughter Brooklynne. She is in this class and I am the parent volunteer today.  I teach Addy in Sunday School.  She will be ok."  Immediately I felt immense peace.  I could let Addy go.  She had a instant friend, and I had someone to watch her for the day and protect her.  Tears fill my eyes even as I write this.  Nikki and I have become good friends already.  Adelyn and Brooklynne play everyday with each other.  I am so grateful Heavenly Father puts people in our path to remind us he loves us, is mindful of us, and he knows what we need.  I am feel so blessed by this little family.  What a gift they are to us.  Kindergarten PEPP.  She loves it!!!

What we thought was her first day of school 

She was so excited

Moving to California

Adelyn helping set up her bed

Kitchen/living room

The kids play room

Our new kitchen table

So happy

She's happy too!

We moved to Utah on Nov 2nd. Travis traveled up to S.L. to work on a job for a company in Springville and came back with our new 2011 Chevorlet Traverse, and then flew to California. By the end of the week, we were all in California moving into our Deerwood apartment.   It was a whirlwind.  But we are loving living here.  We have already made some great friends and we love our ward.  They have been so warm and welcoming.  It is great to have a mountain literally out our back door, a park and pool in the apartment complex, no bugs, no lizards, no frogs, trees changing colors, warm weather, and great friends for Adelyn and me already.  We feel so blessed.  I feel like Travis was truly guided to find this area in which we live.  Now all we need is furniture (we have bought a table, but still no couches).

Las Vegas Air Show

The kids, my parents, and I traveled down to the Las Vegas Airshow.  It was really fun and the kids liked it.  They are so loud and such a long day for the kids though.  Luckily they had a bunch of bounce houses and rides to break up the time for the kids.  I am glad we went and the kids liked it.  Just wished Travis would have been there with us because he is the one who knows about airplanes.

Traverse

We bought a Chevrolet Traverse!! We have been looking at these cars for months now, but there was no such thing as an all wheel drive in Florida so we decided to wait.  We are glad we did. We found one in Utah that was the colors (dark interior and dark exterior) that we wanted and one that is AWD.  We are so excited!!!

Happy 5th Birthday Adelyn

Adelyn and her cake

She got ALL things Barbie

We flew to Utah on Nov. 2nd. We sent our car with a car shipping company and our stuff with ABF trucking again.  We were able to celebrate Adelyn's birthday with family.  We ate at Addy's favorite place, the Pizza Factory with family members.  Afterwards we went bowling. She loves the show Cake Boss, so there was a lot of pressure on the birthday cake this year.  She liked it, phewww.  Adelyn got furniture for her barbie house, a barbie car, barbies and barbie clothes.  She truly got spoiled.  I cannot believe it has been 5 years since she came into our family. I cannot remember my life without her. She changed me and my life forever.  She is always so happy and outgoing. She is such a blast to be around.  And she is so smart.  And beautiful.  She will be a triple threat as a teenager Im afraid:  Beautiful, fun and smart.  We feel so blessed to have her in our family.

Packing and saying goodbye

It was bitter sweet to leave Florida.  I will miss the people and friends I made there, but I am so excited to be on the West coast again.  Florida felt like so far away.  The kids and I never got to see the sunrise over the beautiful Atlantic, so the morning before we flew out I woke the kids up early and we drove to our favorite Restaurant "Mulligan's).  Mulligans sits right on the beach and there are benches next to it so I figured the kids and I could sit and watch the sunrise, eat breakfast and then take Adelyn to Preschool for the last time. 

Our favorite Restaurant "Mulligans".  It's family oriented and right on the beach.  They have a "band" every weekend and Adelyn and I would just dance and dance on the dance floor.

Waitng for the sunrise over Atlantic

The sun is peaking....

So pretty. The pictures do not do it justice.

Our good friend Mary Volsky came over to give Adelyn an early birthday present she got her.  Mary, although not very old, became like a Grandma to Adelyn very early on.  They absolutely adored each other and I was so grateful for Mary to somewhat fill a void there for Adelyn. Adelyn would sit with Mary during Sacrament sometimes and they would just giggle.  She gave Adelyn this expensive Lilly Pulsipher outfit.  Thanks Mary!  We definately will miss you!

So excited

Mary insists "Try it on now!"

Cute outfit for a cute girl

Adelyn drew this picture of her and Mary on some filler moving paper.  Mary wanted to keep it.

Here we are packing and saying goodbye to our house.  We also had to leave behind our couches and our kitchen table.  The Kubush's were excited to get new furniture and we were grateful they could take it!

Our couches we had to leave

Our kitchen table we had to leave.  This was our wedding gift from Darrell and Susie so it was super sad to leave behind. 

Living room

Kitchen before tearing it all down

Kitchen window the lizards would try to come through

Our bedroom

Our living room

And we are off! Bye Florida

Seriously guys... this early?