For Jon

We miss him already. He flew out this morning, super early, headed for Florida to drive our cars to Kansas City. His dad is helping out, thanks Matt! He also gets a fun detour on the road, meeting up with his brothers Tommy and Steven in Little Rock. Then they will drive somewhere to go to the Ole Miss v BYU game. It's late and I honestly can't remember where the Ole Miss campus is. It's not Little Rock and it's not Memphis, but it's around there. My brain these days! Anyway, I probably won't be seeing Jon for a whole month. The kids and I are staying with my parents for a month and then we'll go to St Louis for three months with Jon. It's going to be a long month. I kinda like the guy. But, I promised Jon I would keep the blog up to date with lots of pictures of the kids. So here is what we did today. Amidst getting all our stuff into storage and a little unpacking.

We played in the sand

And ate popsicles.  This was the first time Benson got to hold his own.  The cold surprised him a little, when he got a big chunk.  But he went crazy for that sugary water.  He ate/spilled all of his and half of Vanessa's.

We also jumped on the tramp, looked at the clouds, made a huge mess at dinner, took a bath and Vanessa crashed reading books at 7:00.  Benson followed soon after around 7:30.  Yes, that is a record.  Neither kid took naps (well Benson skipped his afternoon nap) and we spent ample time outside running out energy.  I don't remember Utah summers being this pleasant.  Have they always been this way or am I really that used to Florida heat?  I could sit outside in the shade here at the hottest time of the day and feel great.  In Florida, my under layer would have been sticking to my body and sweat all over my hairline.  It's a nice change.  Though I do have a sudden need for chapstick and lotion that is not so nice.  I guess I have a love/hate with humidity. 

We miss you already Jon.  Hope you have a fun road trip and rock your cardiac rotation.  We'll keep the pictures coming!

I'll Miss you Florida

We are leaving in just one short week.  We actually have to have our house completely packed by Sunday because they give us a three day windown of when the truck will come.  Nuts, I know.  They are supposed to let us know by Friday a definite time.  It has been kinda crazy and kinda chill around here at the same time.  I've been trying to take the kids out for half the day and pack for half the day.  It's exhausting.  I feel tired all the time.  And on top of that, all the thinking and planning and anxiety and excitement has left me NOT sleeping very well.  Sheesh.  But, before we leave I felt I MUST write some of my favorite things about Florida.
I love the winters.  Summer is okay.  Ironically, I felt I enjoyed it more last summer, when I was pregnant.  Weird, I know.  But it's just so darn hot and honestly, with two babies, I get bored going to the beach and sitting on the sand and building a gazillion sand castles that are destroyed in five seconds.  Yep, that was pretty positive.  So, back to winter.  Winter is amazing.  Parks all the time. Walks all the time.  The weather is just perfect.  Plus, it's Christmas and there are some people that really get into the spirit and do awesome decorations.  We went and looked at least once a week before we went out to Utah.
There is awesome shopping here.  I really am not much of a shopper and buying things on loans definitely looses it's appeal, but there are some awesome stores here.  I will definitely miss the year round green and palm trees. 
I love how chill the ward is.  I don't feel that pressure to let a calling be your life.  People get their stuff done, but they also don't expect hours and hours and hours. 
I love that no one really does their hair.  Honestly, it gets ruined in about five minutes after stepping outside anyway.  Why bother?  And because everyone is always at the pool or the beach, I don't feel like everyone is all judgey about swimsuits and cellulite.  It's pretty awesome.
The thing I will definitely miss the VERY most and possibly an unbelievable amount is my friends.  Of course, all of them are from our ward.  I honestly don't know how people move across the country, not know anyone and then just magically make friends.  Jon's classmates have eachother, but we aren't quite like them.  I mean, we did take our kids clubbing once, but that was totally by accident and a traumatizing experience.  So really, I don't know what we would have done without the ward.  And I LOVE the ladies in our ward.  They are some of the most amazing women here, who have seriously impacted my life.  I just can't imagine what I would have done here without them.  I don't know that I ever would have made friends if it hadn't been for the church.  What an amazing organization, in so many ways.  I will miss you Plantation and Davie ward ladies.  I love you all and I seriously hope to see you all again someday!