Moving Day

Next on our agenda was: Move to Payette. The week following Ty's graduation, we spent our time boxing up our little apartment, although our apartment didn't seem so small when it filled so many boxes. My mom came in to help us with the chore and of course, Cash thought he was our helper as well. Here he's climbed into the empty cupboards - he was having a great time.

I also just had to let my mom hold and enjoy Vanna for a minute cuz soon she wasn't going to have that chance so often.

Our good friends and neighbors, the Nelsons, helped us load the Uhaul the day before take off. Then we headed over to the Carlsons to do one of my favorite things - socialize (I think it's a girl thing.) We had dinner with the bishopric and their families and enjoyed every minute of it. We're leaving so many good friends and people.

Moving day was Friday, May 16th. We said our goodbyes (which was especially rough with my mom - it was hard to leave her) and were off.

(Ah yes, you'll see I got a perm and I actually like it. It's easier to do which is helpful now that I'm getting two kids ready in the morning.)



Ty's parents drove up to Payette with us and helped us unload the truck. The drive went much better than I had expected with two little ones - thanks in large part to the portable DVD player we got for Cash. He was enertained with 101 Dalmations for half the trip. We got to Payette at about 5 pm and unloaded the truck. We realized we didn't have water just minutes too late for the city to come turn it on for us so we were without water for the weekend - that was fun. Anyway,we were all exhausted by the end of the day.


Saturday we went and bought a washer and dryer (oh gosh, it's so nice to finally have our own) and a refrigerator and entertainment center (to fit Ty's big screen TV one day - hopefully we can get it for him this month - it is supposed to be his graduation present). We also enjoyed a little drive as we showed James and Orillia around the area and where Ty will be working. Our friends in Fruitland - the only people we knew here - let us use their shower thank goodness and we made it through the weekend on bottled water.

So many goodbyes! Sunday we said farewell to Ty's parents but not before taking some pictures. We are so grateful they could help us out with our big move.




Above is a picture of our kitchen and below are some pictures of the outside of our new house - how exciting!!! We'll get some pictures posted of the inside once we get a little situated.

A Triple Header

We had a packed weekend before we moved. Ty graduated May 10th and on May 11th we blessed Vanna. We wanted to bless her in Pocatello before we moved even though Vanna was still so new and tiny - to do it in the ward we had grown to love so much and also so that it would be easier for family to attend.

I truly don't think I've ever heard a better blessing given by a father to his sweet daughter (but I'm sure I'm biased). Ty truly did an amazing job. Vanna behaved well during the blessing. We didn't hear a peep from her and of course she was beatiful in her long white dress and big white bow.

Cash is kissing Vanna's head here, we just didn't catch it real great. He has been so good with Vanna. We haven't had a single jealousy episode yet. He just likes to pet her and kiss her head. When he hears her crying he'll say, "uh oh" and run to her where he then says, "hi Nanna". I've been so pleased with the way he's so easily taken on the role of big brother. Cash is such a blessing and joy in our lives - now Vanna is too.

After Vanna's blessing we had a luncheon outside our apartment where we celebrated her arrival and blessing day, as well as Cash's birthday and my mom's retirement. Cash's birthday wasn't for another couple weeks but I wanted him to feel special and be with his cousins one last time before we left. So we had cake and ice cream. Him and his cousins dug right in. Cash loved the marshmallows and skittles on the cake. Cash got a couple books from family and we got him his first bike. He loved to sit and tip-toe his way around the playground on any bike he could find outside so we thought he'd love his own bike - we were right.

Like the title says - we had a triple header. We also celebrated my mom's retirement. We were a little early on this celebration as well but again, our family wanted to do something for her before we moved. She had taught for 33 years and we figured she deserved some recognition. She also got a cake and each of us kids provided her with a new updated family picture to display on her new shelf Tab's building for her. We also got her a nice set of lugguge to accompany her on her trip to Nauvoo. That's what her and Tab are doing to celebrate her retirement (and Tab got her a new sewing machine - he spoils her - but that's what we like).

I have been so blessed to have such an amazing mom! She took care of me beyond anything I could have expected while I was on bedrest and trying to take care of Vanna in the hospital. She and Tab watched Cash several times, she took care of all my household responsibilities like cleaning and laundry. I counted and I didn't do a load of laundry for 8 weeks! She made many meals for us, did my grocery shopping, oh she just did oodles. I couldn't have asked for a better mom. She made it hard to leave makes it very hard for me to be away. We have so many to thank in our families and ward for all their love and help through our ordeal as well! We thank you and love you!

Graduation-It Finally Came

Ty finally graduated!!! The big day was May 10, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. He will be so embarrassed that I posted this stuff but I have to brag him up a bit. I couldn't be more proud of Ty. He's accomplished so much more than I know I could have done. His schooling was so hard and required so much. Ty did it so well too - he made the dean's list every semester of pharmacy school and so he graduated with high honors. He also received an award the night before graduation, at a pharmacy banquet dinner, for communications while doing his rotations. We plan to hang his diploma and award up in our new house - now I just have to decide where.

Ty had been going to school for 8 1/2 years so graduation day had been long awaited. I thought he deserved a congratulatory kiss!

Doesn't he look good in all that get up? One set of cords is for his high honors and the other is for his membership in Rho Chi.

Yes, Vanna was there to watch her daddy graduate. Where we were due with her so closely to Ty's graduation date we were really wondering how things were going to work out and just hoped she wouldn't come while I should be watching him "walk the walk" for graduation.

We left Cash with our amazing friends, the Jepsons rather than make him suffer through the 4 hours or so that it took to get through all the graduates. He had much more fun playing with his friends Carson and McKenzie. This was just one of countless times the Jepsons saved us with their generosity and help. We will miss them since we won't be so close anymore. We also got to see some of our other friends graduate - Crystal Roskelley, Anton Nelson and Ryder Carson.

Ty's mom and dad and my mom and stepdad were also there with Vanna and I to watch Ty graduate and celebrate his accomplishment. In fact, Ty's parents took us to Sizzler afterwards to eat - Yum!

We're just so glad this day has come!