Beach bums

We spent most of our first week in California unpacking, but our first big adventure was a trip to the beach just a few days after arriving. We're about an hour away from a handful of beautiful beaches. We quickly discovered that the Pacific Ocean is way too cold to go in past your knees, but the sand and sun (well, clouds) have been great!  We've spent most Saturday's at the beach and have visited a new one every time. The kids love it, and we love it too!  What a beautiful place to live!

Our big move

I have been so busy lately that I haven't had time to keep up with blogging, but I know I'll regret it later if I don't. And right now the kids are asleep in their car seats, so I'm stuck in the car with them. A perfect time to at least start catching up. 

We moved. Across the country. It was crazy and hectic and stressful, but we survived! It's been about 7 weeks now, and so far we are really happy with our new home. Thank goodness! It's so scary to make such a big change and to be so far away from family, but we know we made the right decision and are exactly where Heavenly Father wants us. And that feels good!

A nice thing about working for a great company like Apple was the relocation service. I don't know how we'll ever move again without packers, movers, a truck driver, and unloaders. It was glorious. 

While our stuff moved across the country, we spent a few days with my family. It was such a bittersweet time for obvious reasons. But I'm so glad we got to spend so much quality time together, and we all held it together impressively well. 

Our flight was crazy early. We woke up at 3am and were on the road well before 4am. Poor Kyle flew with us and had a rough day, but thank goodness for doggy drugs. He was back to himself by the next day and has adjusted so well to our new place. 

The kids handled everything so, so well. They were exhausted from being woken up so early, so they slept quite a bit on the flights. Even Andrew and I were able to doze off a couple of times. 

We landed in San Jose and stopped at the In-n-Out closest to the airport. Delicious! We ate outside, enjoying the gorgeous weather. Which has probably been the best part of California so far. It's always, always beautiful. I've gotten used to that SO fast :)

After our burgers, we drove to our new apartment complex, which was so surreal and exciting! We went inside, officially signed the lease, and they showed us our unit, the parking garage, etc. We had only ever seen it on a floor plan, but it was just what we were hoping for and has worked out great for us!

What I was most nervous about was going from 3 bedrooms to 2. The kids do have to share a room, but it has gone SO much more smoothly than I could have even hoped! It turns out the kids do better together than the ever did apart! I didn't see that coming, but I'm so very grateful. That's a huge answered prayer for me!

That first night we set up an air mattress that we had stick into a suitcase and all slept in the kids' room. 21 long hours after leaving my parents house, I think we were all tired enough to sleep no matter how rough the conditions were :) And thankfully the kids room is huge- way bigger than I had even imagined. I think that has made sharing so much easier too. 

We slept well and the next morning our movers arrived- 2 football players from San Jose State University (who promised us tickets to the BYU v San Jose game!!!). It was fun to get to know them, and fantastic to not have to load all our stuff up to our 4th story apartment. Thankfully there are elevators! We only had a few items damaged with the move, and recently we got a check to make up for it. Happily we got a new vacuum out of the deal :) I won't complain that they broke that!

To keep the kids out of the way of the movers, I took them to the nice city park that is a 3 minute walk from our place. That has been so wonderful to have so close!  While at the park, I started chatting with the nicest girl who actually goes to the same church as we do. She was so sweet and invited me to all the fun groups she's involved with, so we made friends right off the bat. What a blessing! I was so worried that people would be snotty and stuck up in California, but I think they've actually been some of the nicest people I've ever met. I think that because it's such a tech area in Silicon Valley that most people don't have family around, which means friends become like family to them. People have been so warm and kind. 

I worried and worried about moving, but it has gone practically perfectly. I'm so glad that when Andrew was offered this job that we prayed and received an answer from Heavenly Father that this is where we're supposed to be. I doubt we'll be in San Jose forever, but it feels so right and good to be here for now. 

McKenna's 2nd Room

We lived for a few months after McKenna was born in River Oaks Apartments and then moved to Willow Bend. So in just 19 months, McKenna has already had 2 rooms and will soon be moving on to a 3rd. Crazy! Hopefully the kids don't mind sharing, as they'll have to for the next while!

But McKenna obviously won't remember what her room looked like, so we took some pictures to document:

And here she is sleeping for the very last night in her Hilliard room- can you even spot her? She has to sleep with several stuffed animals and a whole slew of books. Such a sweetie!

Almost!

5/29/15

Andrew is almost done with school. I'm talking SO close! I have been thinking that he's nearly done for about a year, but now it's literally just days away! He defends his dissertation Monday and then will likely have to make a few changes to the document suggested by his committee, but then, that is it! Graduation isn't until August, but for all intents and purposes, this seemingly never-ending phase of school will be over! 

We have been really grateful to spend the last 4 years in Columbus. It's been a great place, especially because my family is so close. We've been able to spend so much time with my parents and Kim and Darrell. It's been awesome!

Despite sadness and some anxieties, we're excited for new adventures ahead. We believe strongly in God and that He leads us in the directions we go, and certainly we have felt His guidance in Andrew accepting a position at Apple. I never thought I'd live in California, but it seems that a lot of things I say I'll never do seem to happen to me whether I like it or not :) And it always works out for the best. So in a week and a half we will follow our hearts and divine inspiration and start an exciting new adventure in San Jose, CA. 

I'm excited to see what the journey ahead holds, but I am forever grateful that we've been able to spend the past 4 years in Ohio ❤️

(P.S. Maybe when we're there we can figure out how to take a family selfie :)

Jake's 2nd Room

We have loved our townhome in Hilliard! It's really homey and has a great feel to it. It was our first place with 2 levels, and it's where so much growing up has occurred. 

Last night we gave Jake's changing table to some friends who needed one, as Jake and McKenna will have to share a room in our next place, and there isn't room or a need for 2 changing tables. I was happy to give it to a sweet family who needed it, but it was a little sad to say goodbye to the place where we changed our first baby's diapers. Andrew was surprisingly more sad to see that go than I was. It was the washer and dryer that got me!

Before sending the changing table along, we took some pictures of Jake's room so he could look back and remember someday what it looked like. The furniture isn't arranged in an aesthetically pleasing way...at all. But Jake, that is your fault! You climbed the changing table and jumped off of it for fun when you were way too little for it! So we had to remove the shelves and put it in a corner with your dresser shoved right next to it to prevent any more monkey business. 

Jake made his own alphabet decorations, which he is rightfully proud of. It may not be the cutest little boy, Pinterest-worthy room, but it was perfect for Jake! It kept him safe and happy!

McKenna

McKenna is now 20 months old. I can't believe she's about the same age as Jake was when he became a big brother! I don't think she'd handle a new baby very well. In fact, she gets jealous even if I pick up Kyle (our dog). She's a mama's girl, unless Uncle Darrell is around. She seems to have her first ever crush. It's hysterical to watch! She loves her grandparents and Kim a lot too, and I'm excited for her to get to know the rest of her extended family more. From Andrew's side, she's only ever seen her grandparents, and she certainly doesn't remember that because she was only a few weeks old! Thank goodness for FaceTime. 

McKenna is a sweet and sensitive little fireball. She is super cuddly and gives the best hugs, but watch out if she gets mad. And she definitely knows how to get what she wants. I love her personality! She reminds me so much of Kim it's ridiculous. The way she looks and her demeanor- all the sweet and fiesty. I hope she continues to be like her Aunt! She's right about the top of my 'favorite people ever' list.

McKenna has so many great qualities, but being a good sleeper is not one of them. I can't really complain, she does stay about 11 hours per night in her room, but she doesn't like falling asleep and has a really hard time going back to sleep if she wakes up, especially if Andrew or I try to go into her room and comfort her. That's a scary thing, since she and Jake will be sharing a room so soon! She takes a nap every day too, usually for about an hour and a half, including her book time before and after actual sleep time. The girl loves books! Especially books with tabs and are touch and feel. She loves Sesame Street and Curious George. 

McKenna is quite the performer and loves to sing. She has almost mastered the ABC's and really enjoys songs with hand motions. Especially with grandma. She can also bust a move and is quite a cute little dancer.  2 skills mama doesn't have! 

McKenna loves exploring outside, the animals (especially fish) at the zoo, walks in the stroller, Sesame Street, parks, carrying things around, and smiling. 

I'm so glad I get to be McKenna's mom! She's so easy to love!

Jake

Jake is now 3 years and 5 months old. I can't believe how fast it's going!

I feel like from about 20 months until he was almost 3, I worried sometimes that he'd be a mean kid and hard to handle as he grew up. Poor Jake. I just needed to give him some time to get out of his terrible 2 phase, which really was terrible some days!

Jake has his moments still, but he is such a good kid. He loves playing outside, jumping off of the tallest things he can get on, Curious George, fixing things/using his play tools, running, washing cars with grandpa, and playing baseball (which could be with any ball or anything that even slightly resembles a bat- ie cookie scoops, spatchulas, etc).

Jake's favorite 

Movie: A Bug's Life

Game: hide and seek

Food: pickles (???)

Activity: fixing things with dad, baseball

Color: red

Time of day: when McKenna is asleep and he gets to watch a show

Treat: blue ice cream

Animal: shark

Pretending: shopping for pickles, being a cat

Music: Frozen

Sing: wheels on the bus

Jake loves going to the park, and he gets really excited if there are other kids there to play with. He's making leaps and bounds socially, and I love watching him interact with others his age. 

He's been doing well going to bed by himself (although it has taken quite a bit of coaching), but he usually comes and climbs into our bed with us around 5 or 6 am. He is attached to a stuffed alligator named "Snap," although only at night. I think I have him convinced that he's lucky that he and McKenna will have to share a room when we move. I, however, am not convinced at all. I'm kind of freaking out about how much less sleep they'll get. 

Jake is so sweet, loves to sing, observe out the car window, and has been really good at being s nice big brother lately. I'm so glad he's mine!

(Also, check out his selfie skills- he takes a picture, turns the phone around to look at it, and laughs hysterically :)