Moving

Moving! Ugh. I abhor moving. It's the worst. Probably because after 3 years I was just barely getting things decorated the way I liked, then it is time to box it all up and ship out. Ugh again. I tried as best I could to keep things organized and efficient, but my organized is probably everyone else's chaos. There were a lot of boxes, and the kids LOVED the boxes.

 

This was a regular sight for quite some time.

 

Um, Eleanor... be soft! If I had a nickel for each time I had to say that...

The kids in their room mid-pack, also know as "constant mess".

  

I know this is dorky, but I took a few pictures of my upstairs bathroom. This was one of the better transformations in the house. Broken, off-centered vanity and mirror under an off-centered light fixture... no storage or towel bars... I tried to use what the landlord had and fix what I could by moving things, re-grouting the tub and floor etc... and in the end we had an ok bathroom that I thought was kind of cute.

The kiddos snuggling on our bed while I packed up the pictures and stuff in there.

 

One last night out with a few friends. That's me, Ashley Stevens, Angela Johnson and Kim Bowles.

 And one last baby shower the week before we moved.  Sweet Ashley was having a boy! From left: Zach, Angela and Bennett Johnson, Erica Hampton, Ashley Stevens, Sarah Stradley, Kaylie Keogh and Jessica Anderson.

 

And one with me in it, thanks Jess.

One last trip to the Detroit Temple. In Michigan people go in groups to share child care while the adults go through, it's so nice.

 

And one last outdoor play time with out best friends in the best backyard we'll ever have.

That is sweet Charlie Bowles with our Winston. This was 6 months ago, Win looks like such a baby!

 I couldn't help myself.

 I just miss the Bowles and Johnsons so much right now!

 Speaking of the Johnsons and Bowles... a quick shot of us all together. Please pardon the hideous get up I am in. After church, but still packing, so I am half church clothes and half over sized t-shirt grossness. It's a testament to how much I love these guys to even post this picture.

And the Hutchinsons! They moved into the Phillips spot when they moved last summer.

 Ugh, the giant moving truck! We let the kids go nuts in it before we had to load it up.

  It's hard to see, but from left: Bridger Oliver, Eleanor (rocking a sweet onesie), Josh Hutchinson, Holland Oliver and Zach and Grant Johnson. The Olivers moved into the Seedalls place when they moved in December.

 

 This was my last view of our place. You can barely see Clayton next to the truck. His father Rex, flew in to help drive the truck back to Utah. I flew home with the kids, we didn't even get to see Rex before we left! Moving week was just a blur, everything happened so fast. A huge shout out to the Johnsons and the other neighbors for all of their help.

 

Angela and the boys drove me and the kids to the airport. This picture is honestly hard for me to look at. I know Eleanor, I know!

Did I mention they have a sweet van? 

 

 On the plane! We had a short flight to Maryland, a three hour layover and then a long non-stop flight to Utah. Winston was WIGGLY! I don't thing I have ever had a harder flight with the kids. Even the time Eleanor spent the entire night before vomiting. Piece of cake compared to this flight. E was, again, an angel, and Winston was, well, he was a 11 month old baby. As we got on the plane we found the very last row (in order to tick off the least amount of people as possible) and Win instantly got loose and found the crawlspace next to the bulkhead across from us. I wish I could have let him just hang out there for the flight, but you know, FAA regulations and all. A sweet pilot who was non-revving sat next to us and he was terribly understanding about Winston wanting to remove his epaulets, hat, pins, tie etc... I know, it sounds like I was asleep at the wheel, but he was just extra busy that day. Too much stimulation etc... The funniest part about the whole flight was one of our flight attendants: she was insanely pretty with long, wavy black hair, fair skin, big blue eyes... just so so lovely. The other flight attendants jokingly called her Snow White and they weren't wrong. Well, Winston fell deeply in love. He would be fussy or chattering or wiggling and if she came within 10 feet of us he would stop everything and just stare at her, mesmerized. He had previously only had a crush on his cousin Megan but this gal captured his heart.

 

Which was awkward for him as Megan met us at the airport. That's ok, she has Shane. So. My parents, Jenni, Megan and Allie all came to the airport to welcome us home. They even made an awesome sign! After such a ridiculously hard flight it was heaven to have so many helping hands.

 

 Mom and Dad even got Allie and Eleanor Princess dolls to make it special. Have I mentioned my mom is the cutest?

 

Allie and Eleanor! (Unknowingly reenacting a shot we took of them a year and a half ago at the airport.)

 

Remember?