our stay with Gpa Marc and Gma Betty

We stayed with Marc and Betty in St. George for a few days before we headed the rest of the way to Salt Lake.  It was so nice to be there and to just relax after our long week of birthdays, graduation, and packing and moving.

We went to church with Marc and Betty on Sunday, the kids played and did crafts, we swam a ton, played at the park, ate all of Betty's delicious meals, and just enjoyed our time together.

Brooklyn showing Grandma Betty all her swimming skills.

Jake's birthday, John's graduation, and moving

The week of Remmy's birthday, Jake's birthday, John's graduation, and moving was EXHAUSTING.  We had lots of family in town which was fun, but I would never want to re-do that week again.  My mom (my dad couldn't come last minute because he was sick) and Marc and Betty arrived on Tuesday (Remmy's birthday).  We had cake and ice cream that night and kept it super simple.

Jake's birthday was the next day.  He turned FOUR!  He woke up super excited and was a good sport about waiting for John to get home from taking care of last minute graduation things before he opened his presents.  His big present from John and I was a super hero Lego set - a big kid one (according to Jake).  He was so excited and grateful for it.

That night was a banquet for John and all the optometry graduates.  My mom, Marc, Betty, and John's brother Joe went with us.  John's sister Shari had just arrived in town and babysat all four kids for us.  So nice of her!  We ate dinner ($50 a plate,,,rip off) and then sat through a program they put on.

The next morning was graduation.  John's other siblings Sonya and Heather had arrived by this point too and we were so thankful for all the support we got from family.  It meant so much to us to have them there, helping us celebrate John.

A few selfies before the ceremony started..

The ceremony started and the audience was asked to stand while the graduates walked in.  We just happened to be by the isle that John walked down and I snapped this picture of him as he went by.  Thing had been so busy so far that week and I hadn't really thought yet about graduation and what it meant.  As John passed me smiling, wearing his cap and gown, I got teary eyed and couldn't stop the happy tears.  I am beyond proud of him.  He has worked incredibly hard the last four years through optometry school.  I couldn't be more grateful for all that he does for our family.  

This picture is hard to see, but it is of Joe "hooding" John.  They let family members do this to the graduates if they are also a doctor.  

hugging each other 

Joe and John 

Shari, Marc, Heather, John, Betty, Sonya, and Joe - all of John's siblings came except James who had work obligations

Tal, Alison, and Tayvri - some of our very closest friends.  Optometry school was a whole LOT better because of them!   

Alison, Janet, and I - love these two like sisters.  They are incredible people/friends/moms/wives. 

We went to Cheesecake Factory after for lunch to celebrate.  

I had scheduled Remmy and Jake's well visits after lunch (gotta get those last free appointments in before we moved!).  Remmy was hammin' it up for the doctor and Jake was brave for all those 4-year old shots.

We got home to this HUGE truck in the front of our house (and we filled it FULL).  The rest of the afternoon/evening was spent packing/moving/packing/moving/cleaning/etc.  We were so thankful for everyone's help and couldn't have done it without them.

The next day John drove the truck down to Sahuarita to move all our stuff in storage for the summer.  The house we found wasn't available until mid July, which worked out well because we didn't have to pay rent while we were in Utah.  Marc followed John in his car and helped him unload.  Betty, the kids, and I drove in our van to the leasing office to pay the deposit.  I was able to show Betty around Sahuarita, our house (from the outside), and we stopped and met Jake's preschool teacher.  We went to the storage unit so I could relieve Marc for a bit while he and Betty took the kids to play at McDonald's.  It was blazing hot that day (of course) and John and I were dripping bullets as we unloaded and packed all our crap into the storage unit.

Once Marc came back, Betty and I drove back to Glendale, grabbed our stuff, and checked in to the hotel we stayed at for the night.  We got in late and were exhausted.  John and Marc eventually met us there.

The next morning we headed back to the house to clean before our landlords came over to check us out.  I drove to a few friends homes to say goodbye and Janet came over to my house to say goodbye.  Those goodbyes were HARD.  I was a mess and couldn't stop crying all morning.  We LOVED Glendale and will forever be grateful for those fast 4 years.  I made some of my closest friendships and so thankful those will continue on.

It was bitter sweet pulling away from 6713 W Wescott Drive.  This little home was perfect for our family and has so many wonderful memories I will always remember.

all of May

Still trying to catch up so doing the whole month of May in one...

Lots of swimming with friends - we would usually pack a lunch and take a break mid swim to eat it.  It was perfect to wear them out in the morning and come home in time for naps.

A little photo shoot from my phone with Kate - I just love her.  She is my smallest baby so far.  She's not necessarily small, but to ME she is :)  from my other chubby babies.

I sent this to Jeannette and she said she looks like Aunt Jemima - ha, I agree!

Another pool day with friends - Remmy laughing it up with her BFF Tayvri.

Brooklyn, Jensen, and Reese 

bright sun in his eyes 

I love matching them and will be sad when the day comes that I can't find cute outfits in all their sizes.  It I was rich I would match them every day (while they let me).  I love it.

John and I flew to Minnesota one weekend for a job interview.  We took Kate with us and my friend Alison and her husband watched the other three.  I don't think they missed us at all and had the best time!  Alison took them swimming, bought them each a toy, had a movie night, etc.

At first I wasn't thrilled about the idea of Minnesota.  I didn't know anything about it, but after I started doing some research thought if things worked out and that's where we were meant to be, than I would be happy and fine with it.

We got in late the first night and the hotel I had booked was a DIVE!  It was seriously disgusting!!  Stains on the bed and furniture, dirty floor (I wore socks the whole time), dirty bathroom, you get the idea.  If it hadn't been so late we would have left and found another hotel (we did the next night).  I put Kate in bed with us because no way I was going to put her on the nasty stained furniture.  

it was a pretty area

We stayed closer to Minneapolis the second night and were really close to the Mall of America.  That was cool to see!  I would have loved to have more time there.  We sent a few pictures to the kids to show them where we were. 

Flight home.  Kate was a gem the whole weekend.  John thought the interview went well and if he had been offered the job probably would have taken it.  He got a call a few days later that they had offered the position to someone within the company, but offered him a job in Pullman, Washington instead.  

Mother's Day - love these FOUR so much.

matching summer monkey pj's

first time in the pool - she usually is sleeping in her car seat.

my favorite - I love these one piece outfits

feeding the ducks

more matching sisters

more pool time

Remmy's new thing she started was taking off Kate's diaper.  She wouldn't even take Kate's clothes off all the way, just undo the straps and pull it up.  Crazy girl.  Not a fan of that when she did it.

Why do they always blow out in a brand new white onsie?  Every time.

Brooklyn graduated from preschool!  She was so excited and is so ready for Kindergarten.  Her teacher did an assessment the last week of school and she passed with flying colors.  It was fun to read all the things she's learned and knows.

preschool class

Brooklyn and Reese

Brooklyn and Miss Katelyn 

Katelyn and I both got teary eyed saying goodbye.  This was my first goodbye of many and I wasn't expecting it to be so hard.  We will miss Katelyn SO much!  She has been an incredible preschool teacher for Brooklyn and Jake and swim teacher for B, J, and Rem.

feeding the turtles

girl's night on campus 

I got a call one afternoon from Becky C. that she, Jake, and Richard O. were on their way down to AZ to watch Vinnie for the weekend and asked if they could stop by for the afternoon.  It was a fun surprise.

splash pad

more feeding the ducks 

tried to take some pictures of Kate, but then Remmy came along.. 

so we tried again in the other room, this time with Jake 

it went much better 

working on their preschool books 

Kayla and I

We went out to dinner just the two of us to a Mexican restaurant.  Kayla became one of my closest friends in Glendale and I will miss her (and her kids) so much!  I was so blessed to have such amazing friends and make friendships that will last forever.

John had an interview in Phoenix one Saturday.  It was a last minute interview and I didn't think much of it because all along John has told me that Arizona is too hot and we wouldn't stay here for a job.  He called me right after the interview and said I think this is it!  They didn't even talk about the job in Phoenix, but a job in Nogales (close to the Mexico border).  I was shocked, but I could tell in his voice he was excited and the more he told me about it the more I realized it was exactly what we were both looking for.   I told John that before he accepted the job I had to see the area where we would live (I had a few things on my "it must have" list).

We drove down to Sahuarita and I knew it was where we were meant to be.  John called the guy back and accepted the job.  I started looking for housing, researched the schools (and preschools for Jake), and we set up a few homes to look through the next weekend.

We took the kids with us the following weekend and made a day out of it.  We walked through 5 homes and they were all pretty good, but nothing I was excited about yet.  There was one house that I loved from the outside and from pictures that were online, but it wasn't available to view inside yet because people were still living in it.  We drove by it anyway and I told John that's the one!  It is in a great neighborhood, within walking distance to one of the three pools we have access to, and has grass in the backyard! (a hard find in Arizona)

 We stopped for lunch at a park we found and ate and let the kids play.

We loved this lake in the community.  There is a walking path all the way around it, you can fish, paddle board, kayak, etc.  

I did a super easy birthday for Rem and Jake/goodbye party at the park and invited our closest friends.  We had pizza, grapes, bottled water, and cupcakes and called it good. The kids had fun playing on the playground while the adults visited.

Margo and Burkli 

Davidge and Remi 

Annabelle 

 Girls lunch at Zupas - this group right here is by far my closest friends (minus Alison who was out of town).  I love them all and they have been such a huge part of my life the last 4 years.

Brooklyn and Lexi - cute girls.  We went out to dinner with the Bartholomew's.  It was a fun night together.

Nixon and Jake 

Remmy turned TWO!!  We sure love this crazy girl!  She makes me laugh as much as she drives me crazy, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  John comments all the time how she is our happiest child, and it's true.  She is a happy, spunky, sometimes naughty, funny girl.

She knew right what to do when she woke up on her birthday.  She found her presents and started unwrapping (with her Dad still sleeping).

Love that cheese face.