The Move

We are officially Idahoans! Although the move was stressful, busy and exhausting we made it. We had lots of wonderful people helping us which made all the difference. The first day of driving we made it to Rock Springs, WY.

Our truck. Our friends here in Rexburg (who used to live in Kansas and helped us get the job) bought a car in KS and we brought it with us. 

Wyoming proved to be faithful to its stereotype. 

Cade spent several hours riding in the truck with Grandpa. He loved that. The kids held up really well. The next day of driving was harder for everyone because we were pretty sick of it. But we got into the mountains which was beautiful. Cade really liked looking out the window at them.

We then finally pulled up to our house we are renting. So many perks to having a house. A yard, garage, more space, being in a neighborhood-all things we have yet to experience. The best thing about this house is the location. Cole is only 3 blocks from his office on campus and our backyard literally backs up to Cade's elementary school. Cole's mom and brother as well as Ciera and Adam all met us art our house to help unload. Plus we had lots of help from the EQ here. We got the truck unloaded in less than an hour! So a big thanks to all the help we got. Here's to tons and tons of unpacking!

Fourth Festivities

The best part of the fourth was that we got to have some family time! That lately is few and far between. We started the morning at a flag raising and muffin pot luck church event. It was really good and patriotic. It was probably the nicest and prettiest July morning Kansas has ever seen. Cool, not humid, clear sky. It was perfect.

Cade loves Americana colored things. The night before the 4th  he set out red, while and blue clothes to wear including underwear :)

Then Cole worked a little bit and the kids and I did some packing. Then we had a BBQ at the institute building with the branch and hung out and played afterward.  We have some friends in our ward and in Cole's program at school that invited us to do fireworks with them. They had bought a ton. So our family and a few other families got together later that night to shoot them off. I had never done my own fireworks before but it was really fun. Not crowded, we got to control how long and where, and then no traffic when we left. Cade has been looking forward to fireworks for like a month now. He really enjoyed himself although he still covered his ears. Rylee was a little impressed but was more into the candy and treats that were there. 

Happy faces on our way to fireworks

The men. If you can still call them that after all the giggling they did. They really enjoyed blowing things up.  

Wives and children

 

Packing

Well packing is definitely under way. I am starting early because I want to make it as organized as possible and I have a lot of purging to do as well. Cole is the busiest he has ever been so I will probably be doing 95% of the packing myself. Which I am OK with, I actually kind of enjoy it. The process of going through things, organizing it into boxes and labeling it isn't bad. The hard part is doing all that and having happily entertained kids while I do it. But they love to help and so far have done a good job...kind of.  They have.....

helped with the bubble wrap....

helped me find things to put in the boxes...

made the bubble wrap into a popping runway...

helped me see the Olympic potential of our packing tape...

kept the boxes nice and in one location...

 helped me broaden my horizons on what boxes can do...

stayed busy and on the job...(sorry for the indecency)

and for the most part stayed happy and calm through the whole process...

Yay for packing!! :)

BYU-I

As of Wednesday, we are the  newest future residents of Rexburg, ID!! Totally random, I know! Cole has another year left of his PhD, but an opportunity came up, we took it, and we are going with it.  The position is a 1 year temporary position as an instructor at BYU-Idaho. He will be an ABD (all but dissertation).We have a friend currently working in the Department of Home and Family. He let us know that this position was available. It was not open to the public, but through his recommendation we were able to apply. We then got an interview and then offered the position. Cole's last year of the PhD is reserved for client hours and working on the dissertation. Cole is desperately trying to get all his hours done this summer before we go. Then he will finish up his dissertation while he is working so we can still graduate May 2014 like planned.

This idea had taken lots for warming up for me. Idaho? Really? I never pictured, or wanted to picture myself there. But I know Cole will love teaching there, income and benefits sounds great (no matter where it is), it will look great on a resume, and with Cade starting school in the fall I am liking the idea of a heavy LDS influence. Plus how can you not be excited about your first real job out of school?! And I am actually looking forward to the process of de-cluttering and starting over with new place to live. With that said, we are terribly sad to be leaving Manhattan a year sooner than planned. We have come to love it here.

The kids were, understandably, kind of confused. Cole made a little powerpoint presentation about where we are now, what he is doing, and why we are moving and to where. Then we showed them some pictures of what Idaho looks like. Cade was only really happy about it when we told him there are no tornadoes in Idaho (something he talks and fears about almost every night). Rylee knows we are moving and just wants to make sure her blue blanket is coming too.

Cole needs to be there August 26. So we packed our first and only box today, we have no idea where we are going to live, and Cole is putting in 12 hours days (between teaching and clients) right up until we leave. So lots of work to do, probably some high stress levels but we are grateful for this opportunity!

Daily Reports

Everyday when Cole comes home I ask him about his day. I love to hear about it. I want to know all the little details and how he felt about them and what he liked and didn't like. I feel like it is important that we know more about each others day than just if it was "OK" or not. He knows I like to hear so he tries really hard to come up with things to say although it really doesn't come very natural for him. I like to hear these things because I also like to tell these things. When Cole asks about my day, I like to tell him all the details of my day. What the kids and I did, what we ate, who I talked too,  updates on potty training, and any other details I can think of. I probably give more than he really asked for. But he loves hearing about our day. A few Sunday's ago after Cole got home, he asked Cade about his day and what he learned at church. Cade simply said, "I don't know." Cole then turned to Rylee and asked her the same thing. She went into great detail about her day. She included how we went to sacrament meeting, and then mommy took her to nursery, then she had a snack, and she sang a song, then she played with toys, and then she waited for mommy, then "we got in the car and Mommy turned on the cold air and then we drove home and then came inside..." We thought the comparison was pretty funny.  :)

Birthday Weekend

On Friday, we celebrate Cole's birthday. The big 30!! Then on Sunday we celebrated Rylee's 3rd birthday. I like having them close together. The celebrations linger!

For Cole's birthday we did a pirate parrrrty. Cade wanted to hide his presents and put an X on them. So then we made a map of the house and marked where we hid them. We had our traditional pancake breakfast and then Cole opened his map. We followed him as we looked for his treasure. He found a book of duets for him and I to learn together, and pictures that Cade and Rylee drew for him. Cade drew a picture of a pirate wearing a hat and finding his treasure. Then he circled the hat because that is what he wanted to get daddy. So we will go shopping later for a new hat for him.

Then you better believe we put 30 candles on his little cake.

Cole and his kids on his 30th birthday!

 Later that night Cole and Cade left for the Father and sons campout. Cade was really looking forward to it. They had a lot of fun. Cade said his favorite part of sleeping in the tent. 

I didn't get any picture of Rylee and I, but we had a fun girls night. She totally loved having a night all for her. She had it all planned out. We played with some blocks and then painted nails. 

Then for Rylee's birthday, she woke up with a room full of balloons. She was so cute about her birthday. She would keep asking if it really was her birthday. When I would say yes she would sing and dance around the house.

Then pancakes again and presents!

A crown that Aunt Shanna made. 

New dancing costume

The requested purple toy from Mimi (a camera)

Rylee requested pink cupcakes.

And then today is Memorial Day!! What a fun family filled weekend. It is a great start to our crazy upcoming summer!

Ciera's Wedding

Ciera got married on May 10. It was fun to have a wedding and family events to look forward too. But very weird to have Ciera getting married. I can't even imagine what it will be like when Kayla and Alyssa get married. I was so glad we were able to make it to see her go through the temple. It was really neat to be able to be together inside the temple. And then all the wedding events commenced. We had a family dinner the night before the wedding, then the wedding morning, and the reception that night. It was really nice to be able to meet Adam's family and get to know him and them better. It was also fun to see other family members that traveled in for it. Ciera and Adam went to San Francisco for their honeymoon and then back to Utah to continue school. Overall, a very successful weekend. Here are probably way too many pictures. (All just my camera so nothing remotely professional).

Family Dinner

Last night as Ciera Black!

Twin picture just because we can!! 

Mr. and Mrs. Walker

Black family

3 down..2 to go!

Four generations!!

Loved seeing Cole wear a cardigan. First and probably last time wearing one.

The kids had some good cousin time. They all looked so cute in their wedding attire.