Catching up

I guess that since a few months have passed, I can update my blog again.  Can't be too on the ball and set too high of a standard for myself!  So...we moved!  Here's what's been going on during and since the move....

My parents and Dan's dad came to help us move.  What would we do without family??  My parents came 4 days before we left to help us finish up the packing (and load the truck...my dad can't be stopped when he gets an idea in his head.  I kept telling him that we had people coming the following day to help us, but he loaded it all by himself.  Crazy man...).  Dan's dad came the morning before we moved to help Dan drive out the moving truck.  We stopped by the pool briefly before packing up the last box.

Dan and his dad at 6 am on July 29.  They drove the truck and pulled the Saturn on a trailer behind the truck. They were road warriors and made the drive in 2 1/2 days.  I drove the van to Panama City where I picked up my sister.  We drove the 2100 miles in 4 days.  We had some crying spells here and there (mostly by the 4 month old baby), but all in all, it went pretty well!

The kids are keeping their bad habits....first night in the new house and here's Eric and Jeffrey in mom and dad's bed.  We've GOT to break this trend!

Latisha and I...she was the unpacking hero of the trip.  We pulled in late on Monday (Aug. 1) and had the basement and most of the kitchen unpacked before we went to bed that night.  By Thursday morning the pictures were hung and we were totally done.  It was SO NICE to be out of boxes and feel like we were really in our new home.  Thanks, Tish!!

Dan made me a yummy oreo sugar cookie cake for my birthday.  He takes such good care of me!  Love Caitlyn's face in this one...

One of the good things about living in Utah....friends are likely to pass through!  My good friend Jennie stopped by with her kids and hung out for a few hours.  It was so good to see her!

Grandma Milton sent a fun package with a new game - we love new games!

We went to a pool with my old college roommate, Rhonda, and her kiddos.  Our kids played great together and mine are begging to get together again.  Another plus to Utah...

Eric never made it into a picture frame on the wall when we lived in FL, so when my parents and Sara came to visit a few weeks after we moved here, we did a mini photo shoot.  He's getting to be a big boy - 5 months old.  He's officially a part of the family now that he's on the wall :)

Can't really stand, but with a little awkard help from Aunt Sara, he managed for a few seconds.

The picture that finally went in the empty frame on the wall.

While Jeffrey was in school one day, Caitlyn, Andrew, Eric, Grandma Leckie, Grandpa Leckie, Aunt Sara, and I went up to Temple Square.  The kids loved to see the Salt Lake Temple.  Here's a blurry Andrew in front of the Christus. 

Caitlyn wanted a picture of herself and Andrew in the circle that she made.  She really isn't choking him.

Andrew and Jeffrey hanging out in the new house.

Jeffrey climbing a tree in a park that we were checking out while Dan was gone to a conference in Seattle.

 Jeffrey has been begging nearly every day since he saw the bowling ally in the WILK to go bowling.  When Dan made it back from his conference, we went for FHE.  They have a $1/game deal - nice!). Andrew wasn't so into the whole bowling thing, but he loved messing with the arcade games and managed to find the light switch for the whole bowling ally.  Who thought it was a good idea to put the switch where a 2 year old could reach it?

We were going to get Jeffrey a new bike for his birthday in May, then decided we'd just wait until we got out here.  We've been walking/riding him to school everyday and it was getting really old taking the training wheels on and off since he and Caitlyn were sharing his tiny bike.  So we finally got him one that is the right size for him - it's taken some getting used to, but he loves his new bike.

Jeffrey riding his new bike (only problem...thorns.  They are EVERYWHERE.  Within about 2 days I had patched 4 bike tires.  I think we have some new stuff that should help...the whole holes in the tires thing is getting really old!)

Eric hanging out in the Exersaucer.  We don't have any FSU stuff...shirts or anything.  So I guess we'll have to wear UF stuff to show support for our former FL home.   

So here we are...settled and getting used to our new place.  It's been fun to see family that we haven't seen for a long time and enjoy the mountains and dry weather.  Don't know how long we'll stay in Utah, but we'll try to enjoy it while we're here!

Jeffrey's 6th bday

Jeffrey has been counting down for a LONG time now - and the big day finally arrived.  After much debate...do we invite friends, do we just do the family thing...we decided that we would take cinnamon rolls into his class at school and that would be his 'party with friends' and we would just do the family thing for cake and presents.  He seemed fine with the plan.

The kiddos and the lovely cake. 

So I'm not sure what will happen when my kids actually want a fancy cake - so far they're thrilled with my amateur attempts.  This is a 'puppy cake' with no icing on the actual dog, pink frosting for the ears, chocolate chips for the eyes, a trimmed mini oreo for the nose and black halloween sprinkles meticulously laid out for the mouth.  Lovely.

Opening the new Hot Wheels track from Grandma and Grandpa Milton

The new 'real' bat that he found after going on a scavenger hunt (too hard to wrap that awkward-shaped thing).

 A Nerf hoop that hangs on the back of the front door (he plays basketball ALL THE TIME in the house anyway - might as well have a real hoop to be aiming at).

New basketball from Grandma and Grandpa Leckie.

Caitlyn trying the new hoop.  It was certainly a hit!

We finished up the day by going to the pool, Chick-fil-A for dinner (Jeffrey's pick), Brusters for dessert (mom's pick) and then Dan and Jeffrey played baseball out back for awhile to try out the new bat.  He seemed pleased enough with the day.  Happy Birthday to our big 6 year old!

A few more pictures

So Crystal has been bugging me almost daily to post a few more pictures.  It's probably good for me to post a few more for history's sake.  So, Crystal - a few more pictures of Eric.  These are mostly 3-4 weeks old....

So I haven't actually taken many pictures of Eric, because every time I turn around, Caitlyn or Jeffrey are taking a picture of him.  I guess I took for granted that they were actually good pictures of him.  Here's a few of the not so great pics....

The Magic Drawer

I've never been very good at including my children in the chore of laundry.  For now, I prefer to just do it all on my own.  So after I do laundry, I usually put the clothes back in the drawers when the kids aren't around - either when they're playing in another room or at night after they are asleep.

Tonight I was putting Jeffrey's clothes away when he was still awake laying in bed.  He said, "Mom, what are you doing?"  I said, "Just taking care of the magic drawers, Jeffrey."  He didn't respond, so I turned around and said, "Do you think the drawers are really magical, Jeffrey?"  He said, "No."  And I'm sure at this point that he's coming to realize that the only reason he has clean clothes to wear everyday is because his dear mother labors so hard to constantly wash and fold and put away all the dirty clothes that are produced by a household of 6 individuals.  My dreams that he was finally coming to appreciate me came to a quick halt when he responded, "We have a washing machine."

Maybe next time....

Our newest addition

After a little drama around 29 weeks (a night in the hospital and a week on bedrest), the due date finally approached for our new baby.  I was due on March 30, but was a little worried I'd have a baby when Dan went out of town to interview at BYU.  But, Dan went out of town, returned, and 3 days later we woke up and immediately headed to the hospital after some unexpected bleeding.  We arrived at the hospital at 8:00 am and at 8 cm.  At 10:34, our little guy was born.  I had been trying to mentally prepare myself to have a totally natural birth with no pain killers and was so happy to accomplish my goal.  I don't know that I would try it again, but at least I can check it off of my list of things to do in my lifetime.  He's an absolutely perfect and beautiful baby.  We're so thrilled to have him in our family.

 Carbon copy of his 2 older brothers!

 Meeting older brother, Jeffrey.

 Meeting older sister, Caitlyn.

 Sweet little boy!

 Aunt Latisha came over from Panama City for a few hours to meet the new little guy.

 Eric and daddy.

 Jeffrey has turned into the baby photographer - don't know why he took a picture of Eric's head.

 My parents brought some very welcomed help...what would we do without family??

Jeffrey's pictures....

 Lots of love for the little guy.

Camping at the Florida Caverns

During Dan's spring break, we decided to go camping at the Florida Cavern's State Park. We figured March was the perfect time in Florida for the weather to not be too hot or too cold - but we were wrong.  The lows were in the 30's the night that we camped and we were all VERY cold. But despite the cold, we had a really fun time with two families who came with us.  

 Dan and Brady enjoying the fire.

 Andrew feeding Logan some cheetos.  Logan doesn't need the help, but Andrew doesn't seem to care.  They are so cute together.

 Caitlyn and Jeffrey sitting in front of the space heater in the tent.  They stayed the warmest in their sleeping bags, but it was awfully cold getting up in the morning.

 Cold Andrew trying to get into the tent.

 The next morning we went into the caverns (Dan stayed out with Andrew).  Here are some of the stalactites we saw.

 Caitlyn wasn't so impressed with the caves.  The novelty quickly wore off and she was ready to head out.

 Jeffrey and his friend Annika touching the only surface that the public is allowed to feel.

Jeffrey, Logan, Brady, Quinter, Annika and Caitlyn.  It was a fun trip with really fun people!