Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Sleep Walking

So Craig bought me extra storage space, which means the pictures are back! Personally, I'm very excited about this advancement. Honestly, the blog is just not the same without pictures. Well, we had our annual trip to the Zoo for Thanksgiving. We're hoping it wont be so cold out in PA that we'll be able to continue this tradition out in the East Coast.

First stop; We checked out the giraffes that we'd be feeding later.

Vash was navigator and official map holder. Mostly he just pointed and kept asking to see the alligators. (We never did find them. Shhhh!)

Rhyla's favorite exhibit was still the monkeys. She was telling a stranger how much she liked them. Vash's favorite thing was the safari train ride, but I didn't manage to get a good picture of  that.

"I used to think that we were forever- ever." What am I saying? Of course we're forever! Love ya Snap Pea!

Smith Family and our pet giraffe Zumi.. or Zundi? I can't remember, but it started with a Z. 

This is Vash explaining to Rhyla why he get's the last drink of the ICEE. There were tears all around when it was gone.

I'm 99% sure that I got an exact picture like this last year! It'd be fun to put them right next to each other and compare how big she's getting.

And of course, we've got Vash here who's sprouting up so much that he's already more than half my height. Yeah, he's going to be taller than me by the time he's ten. So much for disciplining him after that... LOL.

Well, we braved Black Friday this year. Craig got up early and hit up JC Penney for winter coats. He said that the women's floor was crazy but that you could have lain down and taken a nap in the aisles of the men's section and no one would've cared.

My mom helped me with the kid's later that morning and we got some winter church clothes at Kohl's. I saved over $113 dollars. Gotta love that. 

I know we're not very hardcore, but what can I say? I just don't care for pummeling people to death over a toy or electronic. Maybe I'll psych myself up for it and try harder to at least bruise somebody next year or maybe throw myself onto something expensive and tell people they'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands.  

So I know you're wondering; what's with the sleep walking? Well that would be Rhyla. Papa woke up at four this morning, which is normal, but came downstairs to find Rhyla, standing at the coffee table, reading the family history book Grampi assembled. Yep... all by her onesie. Woke up and toddled out to read a book at four am. I was both amused and terrified. She can't be up walking around and letting herself out. Can any one say padlocked doors?

Moving Prep

Yeah, so I can't post any pictures this week because I'm apparently out of space... so yeah. Just deleted the entire first year of the blog for nothing... good thing Craig turned it into a book for me. So, we'll have it but it's lost to the world. *tear*
Anyway... We've mostly just been getting ready for the big move across country. Have everything set. Got the job, the place to live, and the moving truck to get there. Been working on overhauling our wardrobes from constant summer to intense winter...So now all we have to do is pack up our clothes and the kids' toys and we'll be set to go!
I've been making mix tapes for us to listen to on the way, and the kids are stocked up on color wonders and etch-a-sketches. Hopefully between that and the portable DVD player we'll be good for the five days it's going to take us to get out there. Is anyone else excited about eating at the places on Triple D that are on our travel route? I'm pretty stoked. I only wish the place that serves bacon covered doughnuts was on the way. It sounds weird, which means it's probably delicious.
As for stories of the week: The kids and I met up with my cousin Brooke and her kids for a farewell play date this last Saturday. Brooke has always been the cousin I'm closest to, because our birthdays are just days apart, we're both married with kids, and we actually got married just a month apart, too! She's the one I shared every birthday with until I was like ten or something. We both realized how much we're going to miss each other and how sad we are that we didn't take more time to get together while we lived so close. The kids got along so well. Vash just loved Hunter and Logan. Tatum, Brooke's daughter, apparently loved Rhyla so much that she kept asking Brooke where she went after we parted ways. I'm torn between thinking that that is the cutest or possibly saddest thing right now. Well, you rarely appreciate what you have until it's gone...sometimes. Not always, but it's definitely the case here.
I've been helping Santa work on the kid's Christmas presents. (Home made Toy Chests... Shhhhhh!) We're trying to have them done before the move obviously, so we can just bring them with us. It'd be awfully expensive for Santa to ship them out to us, otherwise... LOL. So I've been covered in paint the last few days, trying my hand at being an artist. They obviously won't look professionally done, but they're still pretty cute. What can I say? The elf Santa had build the things (An elf named Grandpa) is super talented but not much with a paint brush. Or so he tells me. :)
Tomorrow will be Craig's last day at his current job. Yey! I know he's sorry to go in a way because they were super nice to him, but I know he's thrilled about going into a job where he can use the degree he worked so hard to earn.
Every one at school keeps asking me if I'm ready to go, or if I'm freaked out. They want to know how I'm feeling. I keep telling everyone the same thing. It doesn't feel real yet. I don't feel any differently because it doesn't feel like anything's going to change. I wont truly believe it until we've pulled up into our town home and we start unloading into our new life. Then... I'll probably burst into tears. Shocked tears, not upset tears. Then I'll get the house set up, eat a box of Twinkies (since it turns out they're going to be OK after all), and just get on with our new lives.
Here's to change and here's to tolerating it with grace, dignity, and hostess snack foods.
Hope every one has a Happy Turkey Day!

Less than 3 Weeks!

Well, today we found out that our application has been accepted and we now have a town house to live in when we get out there. That's always a good thing; having a place to go. And Craig put his two week notice in at his current job. He was expecting them to be mad, but actually, they're all just telling him they're going to miss him.

Took the kids to a fancy cupcake place this week. It was right next door to the place where we get the kids' haircuts, so we decided to try it. Super yummy. My mom and I shared a salted Caramel one and the kids each got a cake pop. Well, Vash got two. He's so darn cute that the woman running the place let him have a second on the house.

Enjoying the cooler weather here. Vash is going to be really upset when we get out to PA and he can't wear shorts and sandals everyday any more. He's been playing this new game lately where he pretends to be hiding from a robot. I really don't know where he got the idea from though.

Rhyla has perfected following Vash around. She imitates his every move. And she likes being silly. I call the kids silly gooses, and she must like that because occasionally she'll come up and ask, "Mommy, I'm Gooses?"

Had a play date with one of my good friends. Our oldest two are three weeks apart to the day, and our second ones are three weeks apart to the day. Girls older than boys, both times. But now she's due in January and I'm not even pregnant! Threw off our groove, lol.

Chelsea and me. It's hard to believe that only nine years ago we were taking a ballet class together and trying to get good parts in the Nutcracker. Now we're both married and mamas! Time really has a way of changing things. 

Vash woke up ridiculously early the other day. Sun wasn't up. He was so proud, he says to Craig," I wake up like Daddy! When it's dark!"

Oh, and he was so angry when we took our first walk after Halloween was done. All the decorations are down, right? Well, Vash had a favorite door and it was normal when we passed. He says, "Hey, where's my spooky door?"

We told him it was all done, and wouldn't be back until next year.

"Oh, fine. Good idea," He starts, sarcastically, "Take the spooky down. It's fine!"

So much attitude. It was hilarious.

Rhyla has figured out what ear buds are and since she loves music and dancing, if they're plugged in, even if the computer's off, she'll put one in and dance around.

Vash said this was Mickey. (Disney Rocks!) Vash has also started thanking me differently. When I do something he likes he says, "Thank you, mommy. You're my hero!"

Didn't get any pictures, but we visited with Grandma and Grandpa for a bit who came down to say good bye. They wished us the best and I felt like crying. All I could think about was all the holidays we spent together growing up, my family and my cousins that are more like sisters than cousins. I thought about my grandmother teaching me how to sew, embroider, and bake cookies. I thought about me and my cousin Megan sneaking into the kitchen and peeling the crispy skin off the turkey. And how Brooke and I shared every birthday party until I was ten. I remember my grandpa teaching me to Tango in their living room, and thousands of games of Mexican train. I remember joking with my uncle Brian about being the scapegoat and not being able to take me anywhere! And of course, there was the time we toilet papered a neighbors house for killing Brian's best friend's dog. Ha ha. I remember a camping trip with hours of swimming and ants getting into all the cereal one night. I remember my grandmother teaching me to pray for comfort when I got panic attacks. I love you both so much and I'll miss you every special moment for as long as we're apart. Thank you for so many beautiful memories to take with me and share with my children.

Old Hallows Eve

Did everyone have a good Halloween? We did too. In fact, we did a whole three days of celebrating. Monday with the pumpkin carving and all. Tuesday night I had class, (I'm sketching pretty good croquis now! Should post a pic...) so my parents took the kids to a block party around the corner from their home.

They had games, food, and dancing. I'm assuming this was a bean bag toss of sorts. Rhyla wanted to hold my hand the other day and she says, "Give me dat! Hands..." 

My dancing babies. I'm going to vote Rhyla is upset because someone else wore the same costume! But she wears it better don't you think? More authentic ;)

Ok, so I'm NOT a Twi-hard or anything, but does anyone else think my son looks like a baby vampire in this picture? The crazy blood red eyes... Kinda Creepy. But this is the sweet boy that was kissing my arm the other night and telling me to have sweet dreams. Definitely not vicious in behavior.

Not sure what's going on here, but I liked the picture.

Wednesday was actually Halloween so Vash insisted on wearing the costume the entire day. Rhyla settled for a Snow White shirt.

Aren't they darling? By the way, Vash is Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates.

When we were out and about he tells Craig and me, "Thanks for letting me play outside after the moon is awake!"

These are the pumpkin's faces. Jack was looking pretty sinister... not gonna lie. Ariel was probably freaked out. (Can't imagine why they had two pumpkins together *joke*)

Some trick or treat action. I wanted to get video but my camcorder died right at the beginning of the night. Sad day. Vash was knocking and asking for candy like a pro, but Rhyla refused to say anything except "Happy Halloween!"

Do you see him? Just over Craig's head. Jack was hanging out at a neighbor's house. Vash was pretty excited but I think he freaked Rhyla out. I'm pretty sure they wanted to know what Jack was doing out of the spooky house.

Then last night, we took the kids to our ward's chili cook off. Vash is trying to crack a peanut over his head. Turns out Rhyla is a pretty adventurous chili eater... loves her some tortilla too.She's been eating a lot lately. So much in fact, that when Vash is finished eating, she'll hop up into his seat and clean his plate!

So, fun was had by all. The kids ask if we can go trick or treating every night now. Hard to explain the concept of 'once a year', but we'll try again after Christmas I bet. I guess the best way to expand Halloween would be to start celebrating Dia de los Muertos. We are a bit Hispanic so actually it could work. And who wouldn't eat a sugar skull if given the chance? (They'll all candy and not at all real skulls by the way.)