Beach Trip

After a long week of traveling, unpacking & getting settled, we decided to take the boys to the beach today for a well-needed break. We took off fairly early this morning and drove to Atlantic City, NJ. The beaches there are pretty nice; not quite like some, but the sand is powdery & soft and it's a good family environment that prohibits alcoholic beverages etc. Jacob and Caleb absolutely loved it. They loved getting into the sand and building castles (more like destroying the castles that we built for them). They even helped Jeff dig a big hole, and then took turns standing in it & smiling for the camera. They especially loved the water. They day was a bit overcast, but it didn't keep them from playing in the water. When we finally took off, they were both exhausted and slept most of the way home. It was a fun day together as a family!

Idaho Baby Shower

I came across some old pictures on our camera that I forgot to post. About a week before we left, the Young Women in our ward in Idaho had a surprise baby shower for me and another leader in Young Womens who was expecting a little girl in August. We had another activity planned, but before we left we had to go to the young womens' room to do a few things. When we opened the door, everyone yelled "Surprise!" It was so sweet of them! We played games, had great refreshments & enjoyed the time. So many people were so thoughtful. It really meant a lot! Thanks Castle Park Young Women!

We Made It

We finally arrived at our destination late Monday night. It feels strange being back in Philly again, almost like we never left. We have a nice little 3 bedroom home just outside the city that we're renting for a couple months while we look around & decide whether to buy or rent a home for the three years we'll be here.

The trip went surprisingly well! It was nice to go a little slower & enjoy some of the attractions along the way. Some of our favorites were Yellowstone National Park, and Mount Rushmore.

Jacob and Caleb were good boys during the trip, pretty patient and cheerful. I'm sure the portable DVD player helped greatly with that. They enjoyed the couple hotels we stayed at; and did pretty well those nights where we just slept for a couple hours in the car before taking off again.

We also learned a few things along the way, such as in Minnesota they have an annual "Tractor Pull" that draws pretty much the entire state to a small town called Tomah & it's virtually impossible to find a hotel anywhere within a 4 hour radius. (Believe us, we tried!)

We had a few issues along the way, such as a couple spark plugs that needed to be replaced in Indiana. But we were in a great little town with friendly people, and Jeff was able to just change them out himself. The boys and I enjoyed visiting their pet shop, that had a large variety of animals including a piranha, & a few other places for a couple hours; and then we were on our way again. And then the time in Montana where our trailer lights weren't working and needed a little work too. I can definitely say I'm married to a multi-talented man! Jeff was great!

Then there was that time in Wisconsin that Jeff drove away from the gas station before he remembered to take the hose and nozzel out of the car. Yes the hose does get ripped from the pump, but luckily it doesn't spray gas like it shows in the movies. We left that place in a hurry!

Then there is always the fun adventure of trying to get ready for church when you've pretty much been living out of your car. You pull out wrinkled church clothes & try to find the nearest Walmart so you can use their bathroom to wash your face & attempt to straighten hair.

Anyway, it was definitely a trip we'll remember for a long time. It's nice to be settled and getting back into somewhat of a routine. We're looking forward to the next three years and the adventures ahead!

On the Road Again...

Well today it's official. We sold our home about 2 1/2 weeks ago & closed on it today. What a relief, I'm so glad to be done! We were really blessed & got a full price offer with a good amount down & closing quickly. We've worked hard and put a lot of time and effort into the home. We were glad that it was sold to someone who was so excited & absolutely loved the home.
We've spent a lot of time over the past couple weeks getting things packed & finishing the last minute things. If everything works out, we'll be taking off tomorrow afternoon to start our long cross country drive back to Pennsylvania. I'm not anticipating the drive, I feel like I've done it way too many times already (and it seems like I've been pregnant during a lot of the drives) ; but we have some fun stops planned along the way & we'll be taking our time this trip. Not like our previous ones where we drove continuously & switched off driving when we got tired. We made those trips in a day & a half. Our trailer is packed to the max and I don't think we could stick another box in if we wanted to. I'm still wondering how we did it last time with a bookshelf, table & chairs, and couch. All I can say is that Jeff is an expert packer!
We're sure going to miss our families, but we're looking forward to the good times and adventures ahead. I'm sure the time will go by quickly, so we're going to try and have as much fun & enjoy the time as much as possible! Life is a Highway, here we come!

Date Night with Mom & Dad

After a packed day, we decided to continue the fun & do a date with my Mom & Dad on Saturday night. We haven't been out together for quite a while and our time here is nearing the end, so we figured we'd take advantage of the moment.
Uncle Cole babysat Jacob and Caleb while we went and did a fabulous job! The boys sure love playing with him, and they had a great time. Cole even had a monumental achievement, he changed his very first diaper! (okay, it was only wet; but I was proud of him!)
Jeff and I went with Mom and Dad to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. It's one of our favorite places to go together. Even without reservations we were in pretty quick & enjoyed a delicious dinner with good company.
We finished up the night be going bowling. It was Jeff's or my best night, but we enjoyed being with Mom and Dad & had a great time. My Dad finished off the night with the high score of 164. I was just grateful to be over 100 that night, like I said it wasn't my finest hour.
When we got home we visited a little while longer, then loaded up the boys who were asleep and headed home. I love being able to spend time with Mom & Dad. Some of the best times were just while we were driving in the car. I'm sure going to miss being around them when we head back.

Eagle Fun Days Parade

Saturday morning we went to the Eagle Fun Days Parade. It was a perfect day & so much fun! This was Caleb's first parade that he actually enjoyed (we went last year when he was about 9 months old, and it wasn't his favorite thing) It was so fun to see Jacob & Caleb both so excited about all the floats, horses, and especially candy! They loved waiting watching everything and waving to the people in the parade. They got tons of candy & even some apples, water bottles & otter pops. Now the famous thing about the Eagle Fun Days parade is the water part. The last third or so of the parade is pretty much a big water fight. The people have water guns, buckets, hoses, etc & will get everyone on the sidewalks. The people on the sidewalks do the same. So everyone is spraying, squirting, soaking everyone else. You wouldn't believe some of the vehicles. They're these big trucks with huge buckets of water. People will be ducking down behind the sides and get up and fire at everyone. Then there are always the boats, hummers, etc. One of the favorites is the local fire station truck. It actually uses the big fire hose and sprays everyone in sight. Needless to say, we stood a little further back during the water part & just watched everyone else. Actually Jacob did have a little squirt gun that he used to get grandma and aunt Lacey. It was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed being able to spend time with family and visit with some old high school friends.
Afterwards, we went & spent some time at grandma's. They boys enjoyed playing in the pool & spending time with everyone. Jeff and I also went on a date with my parents while Uncle Cole babysat!

A Night at the Rodeo

Tonight we enjoyed the true “Idaho spirit” and took the boys to their first rodeo. Every year in Eagle, ID they hold the annual “Eagle Fun Days.” It’s about three days filled with a carnival, rodeo, parade, bike and running races, bands, shows, games, food, fun & lots more! Tomorrow we’ll be going to the parade, but tonight it was all about the rodeo. It was a little expensive, but lots of fun and we had a great time! Some of our favorites were the barrel racing and especially the bull riding. Jacob and Caleb thought it was great and even tried their first cotton candy, which Caleb refused to eat. He looked at us like we were crazy. I’m glad we had the chance to go before we head back to the big city where rodeos are something you’ll only see on television. We got home pretty late and the boys were tired, but we had a great night! Yee Haw!

Joe's Crab Shack

Yesterday after a long day of cleaning, organizing, and packing. Jeff's mom called us up to see if we'd be interested in meeting them for dinner. Great! It was just what we needed. So we packed everyone up and met Grandma, Janette & Kadie at Joe's Crab Shack. Jeff and I had never been there before but it was great! It was a fun little restaurant with a festive, party atmosphere. It was a great place for kids and the food was excellent. The boys really liked trying the crab and shrimp. It was also fun that we went yesterday because all day Jacob had been trying to convince me that we should go to the beach so we could see some fish & crabs. I kept trying to explain that the beach was too far away & that we would go another time, but Jacob wasn't satisfied. So even though he was eating the crabs & fish instead of actually seeing them, he thought it was pretty fun. We finished off the meal with a huge mountain slice of chocolate cake, one of the best I've tasted! More than anything it was so much fun to go out with family. The boys love playing with Kadie, they have lots of fun. And Jeff and I enjoyed spending the time with Mom & Janette. It was a great evening!

THE RESULTS ARE IN....

After a second ultrasound, we discovered that our baby is definitely not modest, just a big tease!

IT'S A BOY!!

Yes, after the second ultrasound today we found out that we are definitely going to parents of another little boy. I am so excited and couldn't be happier! It was funny, the tech doing the ultrasound said she was surprised our doctor couldn't tell (The OB actually did say he thought it could be a boy, but he just wasn't sure & didn't like to say unless he was positive because he's never been wrong). Anyway, the Tech said that the baby was not being the least bit shy today; it was pretty obvious that it was a little boy. I guess it helps when the baby cooperates though and gives you a good shot. It was sure fun going to the Fetal Fotos studio to have the ultrasound done. It's a nice relaxing place and they just make it so fun. It was Definitely worth the extra money! Especially since we were able to find out what we're having.

So it looks like we're going to be three for three on the Chinese Gender Predictor chart. I'm super excited to have three cute little boys. More than anything I'm grateful that everything looks good and healthy. It will be fun to get to know this new little one!