When Grandpa Comes!

My parents came out to visit and see our new apartment! My dad retired last Monday and flew out that night, so we feel really special that he would want to start out his retirement with us. But unfortunately as soon as he got here I had many, many jobs for him. Most importantly the kids' rooms. I decided to keep their rooms really clean and simple. It is so easy for an apartment to feel and look cluttered. I wanted to try stripes and details on the walls and this is what we came up with. I LOVE how they turned out. It is so nice to finally have Grey's room decorated since he really hasn't since he was born (we knew we would be moving in 6 months and it just wasn't worth it!). Anyways, thank you Dad for all your sweat and labor during your first week of retirement!

PS Thanks to Ruth Ann for the quilts-they are so perfect and what gave me the inspiration for both rooms.

Tag I'm It

A-Z Tag
A: ATTACHED OR SINGLE - Attached
B: BEST FRIEND-Adam
D: DAY OF CHOICE - Thursday night when the kids are in bed and we watch The Office-love it!
E: ESSENTIAL ITEM- Binki-don't leave home without it & water-so hot here in Texas
F: FAVORITE COLOR - Green
G: GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT- Right now, that I am exercising again. Two years ago never thought it would happen
H: HOMETOWN- Bountiful!!!!
I: INDULGENCES - Candy and ice cream
J: JANUARY OR JULY-It is so hot here in July that now I would have to say January. I hear the winters in Dallas are awesome.
K: KIDS - Lucy and Grey
L: LIFE IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT -My family
M: MARRIAGE DATE-August 12, 2008 yep I got married when I was 19 and we are coming up on our 10th year anniversary. I totally can't believe how old we have gotten.
N: NUMBER OF SIBLINGS-2
O: ORANGES OR APPLES -Apples for sure
P: PHOBIAS OR FEARS - Being trapped in our elevator.
Q: QUOTES- I don't know
R: REASON TO SMILE- Grey
S: SEASON - Spring/Fall
T: TAG THREE FRIENDS-uhh I know most have your have already been tagged so I will tag Emily P and Sam because I think you would do it. If not oh well!
U: UNKNOWN FACT- I don't know, my sis-in-law Ashley had a really good one: "You can determine the outside temperature by counting a cricket's chirps for 14 seconds and then add 40. It's true!"
V: VERY FAVORITE STORE - TARGET!!!!!!! (and Costco)
W: WORST HABIT - Biting my nails-I know grow up and stop it. Its a nervous habit I don't even know that I am doing it.
X: X-RAY OR ULTRASOUND - ummm have had plenty of both and don't really like either.
Y: YOUR FAVORITE FOOD - Treats-that's a "food"
Z: ZODIAC- Aries

Back To School-Again

Since I am using this as our family journal/scrapbook I had to post that it's Adam last first day of school (I hope!). He started orientation at Children's Hospital today. Tues and Wed he will have orientation at two other hospitals and he will finish off the week at Baylor University. I also have to mention that he looked so good this morning in his "business professional" clothes instead of his Army uniform! And for all of you who don't understand what he is going to school for, yes he is already a Dentist but he is specializing in Pediatric Dentistry. That means he will only work on children and special needs patients. He will be working with a hospital and doing dental surgeries there as well as in a dental office. I know its confusing but that has always been our plan and I am just so happy its happening. Good Luck Ad we are so proud of you!

There She Blows!

I totally forgot to blog about Lucy's first science project. She decided the week before we moved that she needed to make a volcano. Lucy asked Adam who of course got so excited about the idea and it went from a "great idea" to a major project. First they built the volcano with aluminum foil and paper mache on top of that. Then paints were needed. Lucy decided that the mountain needed to be brown and gray. Ad and I thought they gray wouldn't work, but it turned out looking really good. Then we had to make trees, bears, rocks, and huts to put on and around the mountain. We had Lucy's good buddy, Andy, make the rocks while Lucy focused on cutting out the trees with her play dough cookie cutters. We then baked them so we could paint them. Fours days and lots of paint later Mt Lucy was complete and ready to blow. It was a great project-thanks Adam for bringing Lucy's imagination to life.

Just Another Day In Dallas

These were taken at the lake right behind our apartment building. We go often to feed the ducks and geese. So much fun.

Happy Father's Day Ad

I wanted to recognize my hubby this Father's Day. First, I had to post my FAV photo of him. It was taken during his deployment to Iraq. Some random soldier took it of him and gave it to him later. Adam is such a great dad, husband, and provider. I know that we are his priority and that he considers us the most important things/people in his life. When he comes home from work the kids' eyes light up and he is usually trying to find a way to give all three of us the attention we are wanting from him. We are always so glad when Daddy comes home! What amazes me about Adam is that he sets a goal either in cycling, work, or educational related and he always accomplishes it. And he is so giving. In my previous post I mentioned that we went to REI and I ended up with things for myself. Well I loved the new skirt so much that yesterday he went online and ordered another one for me! Any man that is willing to buy his wife clothes on Father's Day weekend is truly amazing! Lucy and I made this awesome card for him:

and we meant every word of it! We love you Dad

This is a letter Lucy made for Adam in Primary-so funny. To the left is a pic of Lucy and Adam, I think you can only see Adam though. She always draws him with the straight hair that sticks out from his head. So cute.

And I have to write all that she did just in case you can't read it:

My Dad is the most wonderful dad in the world! His name is ADAM. He is as handsome as a ROCKSTAR. He is 55 years old. He has GREEN eyes and BLACK hair. He weighs 33 pounds and is 10 feet tall. His favorite food is TACOS. In the good old days when he was little, he READ BOOKS. I think my dad is funny when he TELL STORIES. I wouldn't trade my dad for BOOK. I love my dad because GISES ME HUGS.

Finding our way around TX

Awesome places we have found:

• Costco!!! (I wish we could share Brad & Chrissy). We have officially joined the warehouse shoppers.


• REI which unfortunately for Adam I was able to find the perfect skirt for this HOT TX weather (seriously it is amazing) and a perfect purse. So for Father's Day I got gifts and he did not!


• The coolest McD's in the world-at least that is what Lucy thought. Look at it-it is pretty cool!

• The temple, oh how we love to see the temple only 20 minutes away.

• Cheesecake Factory need I say more?
• The Container Store. It really is heaven on earth.
• A Whole Foods that's construction is underway and just right down the road from us!!!!
• And lots of other great places, these were just the highlights for me. Lucy still cant get over that we have a pool. She also loves the lake and feeding the ducks which we do regularly.
  
  She even road her bike on the bike path around the lake (which is Adam's fav thing about our new home). Although when a group of "fast" cyclists came up behind her she would stop and just about caused many many pile ups!
  
  

Forgotten Photo

So I had to post this pic of Grey. It was taken somewhere between NY and TX at a rest stop. He had a blow out and needed a good cleaning. Hes so cute!

We're Here Y'all

One of many food stops-as you can tell the kids had had it with the car.

In a hotel-plastic bags, not a good toy but after 3 days in a car I guess its okay for a Grandma to get desperate.

"We're in Texas!", Lucy was yelling at some random gas station.

Our first night in our new apartment and Lucy made dinner for all of us.

So we made it! We just got our Internet hooked up today so I thought I would update y'all. Updates: No furniture just living on the floor. Pool is great but a baby (not Grey) pooped in it so they had to totally drain the whole pool to clean it. Met a neighbor who is also a cute young Mormon mom. Love the trail that goes along the lake. Found IKEA and Costco. And as of an hour ago we became members of the Dallas Arboretum. We spent the day there and had so much fun. Can hardly wait for Lucy's half day camps start up.

So glad we made it safe and sound but waiting for our stuff is driving us all a little crazy. We are excited to make Dallas feel like home.

"This is Beautiful Country"

Grey's first time swimming-he didn't love it
still not loving it
now just tolerating it
ahhhhhhhh!

We are on Day 3 of our moving adventure. So far we have driven through New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee (I thought about you Emily R), and tonight we stopped in Arkansas. The reason for the title of this post is because my mother-in-law (who amazingly agreed to making this trek with us to help with the kids) has seriously been saying that at least 5 times a day! I have been giving her a hard time because of it. The kids have done great. Lucy has always been a great traveler, but we were more than a little concerned about Grey. He has actually done really well. By the end of the day he gets fussy, but really we all do. There is no sight more beautiful than the "Hampton Inn next exit" signs. I really don't remember much about the trip other than green trees and lots of freeways and they all look the same from one state to the next. Also I have never seen so many "adult superstores" in my life. In fact I didn't know they existed! It has gotten much warmer the further south we get-the Bushells' are going to struggle for the next month getting used to weather warmer than 70 degrees.

More awesome moving pics to come-just too tired to do much more!