Colorado Springs and Garden of the Gods

July 5th

We headed to Colorado Springs on July 5th. We planned to just get up and go but that definitely didn't happen. Nora wasn't feeling well and I wanted to take her in before moving and not have a Doctor when we got there. So we got her a sick visit and and they called in a prescription in North Platte where we were going to stop anyway to visit a good friend of Richards. Eric was driving the truck and ran some errands and then we were officially off. The drive wasn't as long as I expected. Probably because I had my mom with me and Eric took turns with Ava and Dresden in the truck. They loved it!
We got in when it was still dark but we explored our new empty house and unloaded a few things.

 ^^Poor Eric had to drive this giant thing!^^

^^Nora had a blast exploring all the toys while we unloaded.  Our next door neighbor was outside and turns out he is a member. We was so sweet to call the Elders Quorum and missionaries to help us move.^^

 ^^I looked outside to see Grandma IN the play house! Now that's a good Grandma!^^

Garden of the Gods

 We decided to go to the Garden of the Gods while Grandma was still with us. Everyone told us that was a place we should visit. We packed a lunch and headed up. It was pretty neat to see. Right as we were finishing lunch at a picnic table it started raining. Clouds rolled in and being to high up we had to pack it in. :(

We tried to wait it out in the car for a while but it was only getting worse. I was passing time by taking lots of pictures. 

^^One picture as were were leaving.^^

Tidbit Tuesday

I saw this little idea on another blog and I'm going to try it out. I am so far behind on posting and I feel like I am forgetting what the kids are actually doing right now! So hopefully I can do this a few times a month so have a record of things they are doing and saying that is current!

:  :  ava  : :

1. This was for school pictures. 

Ava decided she wanted "bow" hair for pictures. 

School pictures are my least favorite thing to spend money on but I feel like it's one of those things you just have to do!

2. She is loving 1st grade and has homework everyday. 

Most days two sheets of it. 

Is that normal?

3. She failed her eye exam at school and will be getting glasses in a couple days. 

I don't know how she has been living with such terrible eye sight. 

She is thrilled though and loved picking out her own glasses.

4. She loves all things bread, pasta, cheese, and chocolate.

 I have no idea how she is so stinking skinny!

5. She is currently loving Halloween wars on T.V. 

She wants to have a family Halloween wars where we make scary things out of play-doe.

: : dresden : :

1. He loves his baby sister.

 He asks where she is at least 4 times a day and doesn't understand why she has to take TWO naps.

He hides under this blanket and she will always come find him and lay all over him.

2. He likes preschool but said he misses school in Lincoln.

He only goes 3 days a week.

 It's a Christian church preschool so he prays and learns bible stories. 

One day when I picked him up his teacher was telling me what a good boy he is and that "he has such a love for God." :) 

He loves praying so I wasn't surprised. 

3. He says the sweetest things ever still. 

One say he said "I like your hair mom." I said "thank you bud" and then he said "and your beautiful face!"

 I melted! 

He will still says it every once in while because I told him that it was the nicest thing any one has ever said to me. :)

4. He just soaks up everything he learns.

 He has a great memory and is a rule follower.

5. For the most part he is my angel baby, but if you catch him on an off day he has no problem pulling out the whining, throw yourself on the floor while kicking your legs FIT! 

: : nora : :

1. We attempted pigtails on Sunday. 

Totally adorable but not quite long enough for it all to fit. 

Maybe one more inch.

2. She is officially 13 months old and has become a picky eater. 

She used to eat anything but now I have no idea if she will like something.

 Her favorite right now is yogurt. She will eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I let her.

3. She started walking a couple weeks after her first birthday. Her wobbly steps are the cutest thing ever.  She thinks she is such a big girl now.

4. She knows what "smile" means. She pulls out the cheesiest smile ever too.

5. She is still nursing. What in world!?! She hates all types of milk but I think it's just more out of habit. That's just how she is used to falling asleep. Not sure how we're going to ween! I've never nursed this long.

4th of July and Goodbye's

We love the 4th of July! Well the kids love everything but the actual fireworks. I'm so glad we decided to stay for the 4th. It just felt right, that's how we were welcomed into the ward and where we met the wonderful friends we have. Our third and final 4th of July in Lincoln was a bitter sweet day. We had so much fun at the ward breakfast and bike parade. I was trying to pretend like I wasn't leaving the next day but it was hard. We also finally got to see the Nehrings who had just got back from a month vacation to Utah and Canada. We stayed and hung out at the park for a bit and then made plans to go swimming at the YMCA. 

 ^^Annual bike parade^^

 ^^These two...love them and their cute personalities!^^

 ^^The girls! Ava was lucky to have so many fun girls to hang out with!^^

We went home and tried to pack up some more stuff and get it loaded and then my wonderful mom stayed home to clean while we went swimming. Nora also stayed home for a nap. Of course the kids loved every minute.

Love these families!

Stacy and Josh were so nice to keep Ava and Dresden at the pool with them while we went home to finish up the last of the packing. They even took them back to their house after for one last play date! What would we do with out them?! We were pretty rushed all day but we made it to Julie's annual 4th of July party! She is so nice to host and has the perfect set up for it.

^^Ashley painted faces again too!^^

^^Poor Nora wasn't feeling very good so she was pretty chill.^^

Once it got dark Nora was out and Ava and Dresden were scared to death of the noise and fireworks. They wouldn't even do sparklers. These are a few phone pictures from the night.

 ^^How both kids spend the night!^^

 ^^This is the girls tradition they do every year. So sad to leave such fun girls!^^

Saying goodbye was the worst. I felt the same way I did when we had to leave Vegas. IT STINKS and I didn't want to do it!! How did it come so fast? After lots of goodbyes and lots of tears the Nehrings walked to our car with us and sent us off. We know we will keep in touch so that made it a little easier. I grew to love Lincoln and especially the people that lived there. It really doesn't matter where you live, it's about the people in your life. Good friends are the best and I miss all my dental school friends. We will always look back at the last 6 years and remember them as some if the best times in our lives!

last days of the good life

 JULY

I can't believe how fast July came. I was dragging my feet and didn't want to leave at all. My mom came to stay with us and help for our last week there. So lucky to have such a sweet mom! She was super helpful and made packing and cleaning much easier. I wanted to enjoy every last second we were there. 

^^Nora was unpacking as we were packing! ^^

^^Enjoying some Popsicles with grandma!^^

^^ My mom and I were lucky enough to get pedicures from Ava. Bright red even! :)^^

 ^^Eric and I were able to go the the Winter Quarters Temple before we left. My mom took the kids to the visitor center and walked around the Temple with them while she waited. She is the best! ^^

We got in one last Jex's pool day before we left. (A sweet lady in our ward let's us come swim for a couple hours every Wed.)  So sad! It just felt so annoying that I was just going to have to leave in two days and there was nothing I could do about it. My friends were so sweet though and making it so fun for us. Sometimes when it's Wednesday Ava or Dresden will still say "dang we missed Jex's pool day!" We have been here almost three months! :) We really looked forward to swimming.

^^Dresden doing Hawkeye off the diving board!^^

^^Good friends!^^