Our send off

Only 6 days left! Ahh...crazy how quickly three years has come and gone.  Our time here in New York has been truly full!  We've experience so many wonderful parts of the country and have made wonderful friends.  We've learned a lot about ourselves and our children, and have strengthen our testimonies in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We've are so appreciative of our time here.  It is a beautiful area, and we've tried to squeeze as much life and adventure into every possible minute.  

One of the best things about living in so many places, far from family is that you get to make close, enduring friendships with people who become family.  We have been truly blessed to find amazing friends wherever we've been.  Thank you to all of you - you make our life that much richer and more enjoyable.  The worst thing about this is that our moves have all been temporary, so we always knew that goodbye was coming - and it is always sad to say goodbye.

The Weston's were the first family that took us under their wing when we moved out here 3 years ago and they were the family that saw us out as well.

Max and Parker Thun!  Two little buddies that might have to learn to be pen pals! The Thun's have been such a highlight for us.  We've spent many of a time with them and our kids have grown up side by side.  Samantha and I were always up for an outing and I will miss getting together with her to pass the time while our husbands were at work. 

We met up with our good friends - the Baptista's for one last afternoon of fun.  Sam and Hugo hit it off right from the start, and Lyv and the twins, Margo and Sabine, have recently become wonderful playmates.  Alissa was in Primary with me, and she and I became really great friends.  She always had great food, fresh cut flowers, an new fun place to adventure to!

Moving also brings a lot of work!  I've been packing since May and I'm still at it!  One milestone was reached yesterday as I was busy packing.  Max doesn't like me to be out of his sight, so I sat him in the high chair to watch me work.  I looked over a few minutes later and he had dozed. I've never had a child fall asleep in the high chair before!  It was too precious, and too sad...poor neglected baby!

 Finally last thing and I'll be retiring from posting until after we make the move to Washington - cicadas.  These crazy, alien looking insects have resurfaced after a 17 year incubation.  They are here in hoards and in some areas are so thick that the noise is deafening.  At Sam's school it sounds like a car alarm is going off.  The kids love them.  I think they are nasty, but it's a cool thing to be here while they're here!

7 Month Max

Poor Sweet Max - 7 months old this month and still a BIG BIG boy.  Everyone comments on two things: 1st your size, 2nd on how happy you are!  We love you so much, and here are some fun things you are doing right now:

Eating baby food - loving veggies, not a huge fan of fruit!
Shaking your head no - like a bobble head when you see a familiar face.
LOTS and LOTS of baby talk - you are a chatty little guy and your siblings egg you on as they screech and yell, and you echo them right back.
SMILE - you always have a happy smile for everyone who shows you attention
Sucking your toes- gross but true.
Sleeping like a crazy man.  Never the same schedule - one night its 1 night time waking, the next 4!  Make up your mind because I'm one tired mama!
2 teeth - but working on a few more.
Spitty Bob - because you're constantly motoring your lips and spitting all over.
Wiggling - you're never still.  No matter what position, some part of your body is constantly moving.
Anxious Hands and feet - you rotate them all the time, like your worried about something.
A LOVER!  You give actually hugs, especially to me.  I love it - and hope you'll always enjoy cuddling.
You love my hair - you grab it, eat it, swat at it....it's just plain fun!

Bon Voyage Belleayre Beach

LOVE - LOVE - LOVE this place, and it was a wonderful way to end our adventures here in New York!

Big A Burger and a Summons for Shawn's Arrest

We got this little beauty in the mail a week ago...from a town that we've never heard of....accused of doing something we couldn't really do.....only in NY!  So Shawn was asked to appear in the Village of Valley Stream in Long Island, accused of landscaping without a license (which Shawn loves to do as a hobby).  If he failed to make an appearance it may result in the issuance of a warrant for his arrest!  Even better!  We've started to get it cleared, but worse case scenario....we'll never come back to NY again.  When I called Shawn about it, he laughed his gloriously contagious laugh and said, "Oh, you just made my day!"  Who knew that a warrant for his arrest is all he needed for that?

For Father's Day Shawn requested the biggest, baddest burger that could ever be created....well we delivered!  This burger was topped with cheese, grilled onions and mushrooms, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, thick-yummy bacon (direct Shawn quote), and onion rings.  We completed the meal with homemade fries and toasted marshmallow milkshakes!  Shawn could have died and gone to heaven right then and there, but I'm happy to report that he still walks among us, and we are sure glad he does. I had to speak in church that day, and all I have to say is that he made my talk easy to give.  He is a wonderful father - truly he is.  He give so much of his time and love to his kids, and I told him that is one of the biggest reasons why I love him.

Jack the Gymnast

Tuesday was Jack's final day of gymnastics and he received his 1st medal!  He couldn't have been more excited.  Shawn showed up to see him receive his award and that was the icing on the cake.  Gymnastics has been a great environment for Jack to let out energy, mostly because it is padded and okay to tumble!)  He can do a pretty great front roll and tries his hardest to do a cartwheel.

 

Jack loved the harness and flew all over the place.  I have to admit I was a little jealous!  I would love to bounce around with that and feel free to do back flips and the like.

Tuesday morning class was awesome because it was nearly all boys!  One little girl came, but the rest were wild unruly boys just like Jack and it made it all the more fun!

Goodbye to Hurley Nursery School

Jack's final day of preschool was last week, and he was super excited to experience his first summer vacation.  Preschool has been a great experience for Jack.  He has learned so much and was surrounded by great friends and caring teachers.  His teacher, Mrs. Moorhus, was a wonderful teacher.

She took an especial interest in Jack and helped out with the getting him services for Early Intervention.  She was very supportive of all his work in speech, physical and occupational therapy.  Jack has made some strides in all of these therapies - especially speech and physical therapy.  He's gotten a lot more aware of his words and tries very hard to say them correctly.  He still struggles with his coordination, but that will improve with continued focused practice.  We are so grateful to all of the people who have taken time and efforts to help our Jack Jack!

Lyv also loved Jack's preschool experience because she was able to tag along to each and every field trip!  Here's miss Lyv at the farewell picnic...cutie!

M.V.P. Sam

Baseball this year was great for Sam.  He not only had a great time playing, he improved in all aspects of the game.  He had great coaches that took the time to help out, and we loved attending each game and cheering the Volcanoes on.  Sam came home nearly everyday, grabbed his bat bag and begged Shawn or I to go and pitch to him.  He ate the game up. He was invited to play on the All-Star team, but because of our move he won't be able to this year. 

At the final game the coach handed out awards to each player - which included their batting average.  Sam had the highest average and was named the team's MVP!   He was thrilled!  He's now decided to become a baseball coach when he gets older - I told him I know a good guy that he could learn from (Uncle Chad), and hope that he'll continue to love baseball.

School finally let out for the summer today, but it was a bitter sweet day for us all.  First of all, Sam said goodbye to his two best friends here in New York - Vincent and Logan.  These three have been best buds for the past two years, and we'll really miss them both.  We also had to say goodbye to Anna Devine Elementary, which is closing down this year.  This has been a WONDERFUL school to attend, and I feel extremely blessed that Sam had the opportunity to go there.

(Sam reading his story at the Author's Tea in Ms. Yonnetti's 1st Grade Class.)

Oh, how time flies...

We did our final "u-pick" in New York last week and came home with some amazing strawberries from Kelder's farm.  Jack was at school when I broke out the camera, so Max and Lyv represented the pickers of the day.  We have been incredibly busy these past few weeks, and our last two weeks look to be just as busy, so we'll be updating as much as possible.  The end of the school year is crazy town - why did no one tell me this?

Here's a preview of Sam's baptism pictures.... I can't believe this handsome boy is going to be getting baptized in a month!