Leaving Cleveland, First Dental Office Prospect

After graduation we exhausted ourselves with preparing what wasn't already packed for the move. I really hate moving from state to state. The inner-city move is so much easier! Everything isn't so final. You can move your stuff and come back later to clean up. When you move from Cleveland to Burley you must pack up your truck with everything you have and then clean. After that you just got to get out of town. There is nothing left to sit on or eat or anything. Uggh! I hate moving! I do appreciate my Dad for flying out to help us in our efforts and then drive across the country with us.

The day my Dad flew in I had to pick up Taylor from preschool on my bike because Kelby took the car to get my Dad at the airport. Taylor was so excited to have his mom show up on a bike. On the way home he told me that, "I wish Dad would use the car more often when you had to pick me up." Taylor always says some funny things. I love that kid, (go figure, I'm his mom).

Ian fell asleep on the couch while Kelby and I were busy getting things ready. Our kids were really neglected during the move. I'm surprised they lived through it. I guess there really is alot to that saying that kids are resilient.
One of Taylor's final projects at school. He is so cute when he brings them home to show me.
One last picture before we drive off. This is our house half covered by a tree. It is split into three apartments and we occupied all of the first floor.

I am so going to miss the cemetery nearby our house, the parks, friends, the library system, and the Cleveland Music School Settlement. One of my favorite things was the fireworks show every 4th of July on Mayfield Road. Guys would come running out of the back of a local restaurant with boxes on their shoulders, light off the fireworks, then clear the road so traffic could still get through. I always found it humorous and felt spoiled that I could just walk up the street and get an amazing show for free. I loved it! Cleveland has been good to us and we learned alot while we were there.

Driving across the country was fun. We started Friday evening, drove all day Saturday, Sunday, and then half of Monday. It got a little old Monday morning when I knew I would be in Salt Lake that afternoon. I had the GPS on and I counted nearly every minute down. Coming through Parley's Canyon and seeing the valley was awesome. I couldn't believe we made it!

We spent Memorial Day evening at my sister Jen's house. Ian cried when I put him back in the van for the 40 minute drive. He was not about ready to leave Grandma's house. In fact he cried all the way to Jen's house. Poor thing. I kind of felt the same way too.

On Tuesday we trucked out to finish our trip to Burley, ID. Now we are staying with Kelby's mom until he can find permanent work. I hope it is soon!

After visiting our first dental practice prospect we went to lunch with Jill at Chili's in Pocatello, ID. She watched our boys for us while we met with the dentist. Thanks Jill!
Kelby & Ian being silly.
Me taking a stab at being silly.

If you look careful you can see Taylor taking a pic of me with my cell phone. He was so busy taking pictures that he didn't end up in any of them, but he was there. One night after I put the boys to bed when I came back to check on them I found them together. I guess there is nothing better than a little comfort from a sibling. Taylor and Ian miss Cleveland and all their friends. It is hard to explain to them that everybody else left too or is going to leave in the next few years. Just watching a movie with their Dad. Can you guess which one? Probably Toy Story or Toy Story 2. The move jarred Ian so much that he took to new movies. Cars still has a place in his heart, but he has found a new favorite.

Kelby is a Dentist!!!!! YAAAAYYYY!

Graduation day has been along time in coming. We are so proud of Kelby. Thanks to everyone who has helped support us along the way and made this possible. We haven't forgotten you!

All the Family that came out to support Kelby for Graduation.

Just us.

Us with Joe & Jessie. We hated Cleveland together our first year and then we got over it. So crazy it is over!

A happy man leaving with his degree.

Wow, we waited four years for this!

Laura, Jon, Matt, Kelby, & Kevin, (or was that Matt?)

Jon, Matt, Kelby, & Kevin. These guys make lavender and teal look good.

Jon & Laura. Laura was my running partner for a week. I miss her already! See you guys in Wisconsin!

Jon & Kelby

Me, Krystal, Jessie, & Caprice. Sorry Elise. The one with you in it was blurry.

Miriam and me. She is the best visiting teaching companion ever!

Taylor, Audrey, Josie, & Ian. Ian & Josie only get along if the stars are all aligned, but other than that things go just fine.

Ian, Kalissa, Kyla, & Taylor. Ian and Kalissa don't usually get along either. I'm seeing a trend here. Taylor and Kyla are going to get married after their baptism or so they say. We'll see.

Just a cute picture of Taylor Bug the friday before graduation. Looks like he is posing, but he isn't.

Ian takes this potty thing seriously. He has started this potty training all on his own. I wish he would have waited a month so that we could get out of here first, but I humor him. When he has to pee he calls it poopy. Confusing, but I've got it figured out by now.

More of Us....

Taylor found Ian asleep and told me that he was so cute we just had to take a picture of him. So we did.

Taylor & Ian saw us packing and they found some boxes and started to pack their toys. We wouldn't want to forget those.

Ian busy packing.

My helpers. Ian refilling our flour container, (now really if you think about the ensuing mess you would think twice before calling him a helper, but what can a mom do?)

Taylor helping my mixing the waffles. Usually a portion of it ends up on the table, but I try to smile through and be grateful for the "help". Someday I won't get this.

Ian is so crazy. There is nothing else to say.

Earth Day Run in Cleveland Heights

Our first and last official run. Oh how I will miss my running partner/visiting teacher! We had the best visits on our morning runs. It is so amazing how calming running a few times a week can be. I have so much more patience with my kids when I get my excercise and alone time in.

Don't we look snazzy all geared up? Okay, so we look funny and the best part of it is we dress just like this everytime we run. It was so COLD that day! I was wishing I'd worn my black cold gear with a shirt on top instead of the cold gear I wore. Oh well...next time.

Brooke's husband came too. He pushed a double jogger with their 2 youngest and still only came in just after us.

I'm behind the guy in the coat and that is our 5k time. The very best part of the run was coming within view of my kids and to hear them yelling and cheering. You would have thought I just won an Olympic medal. It's nice to have that kind of support.

Yay! We won 3rd place in our age group. We are quite the runners. Maybe not, but we love it and that is all that counts.

Case Dental Senior Dinner

Kelby's Senior Dinner was so fun. It was kind of sad too. We are ending an era and moving on is the only option. Thanks to all of our fun friends that made life in Cleveland so enjoyable. I'd write about the video that was shown, but I didn't get half the jokes seeing as I wasn't the one in dental school, but I'm sure Kelby will tell you about it if you really want to know.

Kelby and his chummies. Did you think Docs & Dentists were mature? Nope. I've heard the stories. (Jon is going to be a doc, oral surgeon to be precise). From left to right, Kevin, Kelby, Matt, & Jon.

Katie & her husband Steve. Katie was in Kelby's group.

Kelby & Jon. These two are the funniest ever, or should I say Jon is the funniest ever and Kelby doesn't mind going along for the ride.

The Tillmans & us. Kelby & Wes worked at lifebanc together harvesting tissue. They are the nicest people you will ever meet, and I mean the nicest. I'll miss lifebanc bashing with Kristen at the park. They also have the cutest kids. Lucy always has a purse full of something and looks just like her mom.

Kelby & Joe. First year study buddies. Joe is quite the funny guy. We'll miss you!

Me, Dana, and a friend. I can't always remember names because I am terrible like that. If anybody knows leave me a message and I'll fix this. Dana is one of my best friends. She is so positive and a go getter. She hates gossip. I love that in a person!

My running pal and her husband. Don't they look great?

A whole heck of a lot of us gals who helped each other help our husbands through dental school. We made it guys!

From far left, Brooke, Crystal, Miriam, Elise, then one down is me, Kristin, Celeste, Jessie, Carissa, & Janean.

Us again, just a few anyway...Back...Miriam, Elise, Brooke, & Jessie...Front..Me, Kristen, Celeste, Marni, & Carissa.

Me & Brooke. Probably smiling because we have some run planned already, or maybe we just like each other!

Easter 2009

Happy Easter! I stayed home with Ian from church due to Ian's stomach bug. Because of that the Easter Bunny, (a.k.a. me), had to wait to set out the eggs. There is no confusion about who the Easter Bunny is at our house. Taylor was excited to tell Grandma Olson exactly who it was. Oh well, I don't like lying to my kids anyway. I can understand Santa, but the Easter Bunny?

Happy Easter mom and dad, look at the mess we made? Of course the trucks were involved.

Taylor & Ian scooted around the house with their buckets full of eggs. These two are the silliest brothers I've seen. Do all kids do things like this?

Just for Laura

So I have been slacking and my pal Laura T. is getting after me. May I use the excuse that I am stressed and I was recently out of town, (okay, so two weeks back, but seriousely it takes quite a toll)? Anyway, we have been quite a busy little fam, but we forget our camera where ever we go. This lack of pictures makes it hard to blog, but here goes. This is for you Laura. Someday you will have to be my neighbor again....

So we went to UT & ID, (March 12-March 24th). This is us having fun...... Kelby met with some dental reps and interviewed with a dentist. What will happen is anybody's guess. I sure would like to know where I am packing my things to, but I suppose life isn't always so transparent. Ask me in a year and I'll let you know how it went.

Then when we came back and after about a week we ran off to an indoor waterpark with the Cowdens. The boys loved it! Taylor was a waterslide maniac. Ian was a kids slide expert. We sent him down a bigger slide once, but that was enough to scare the pants off him so we had to stop. Poor scared thing and his parents laughed....oh dear. My favorite part was riding the tube slide with Taylor while he laughed uncontrollably all the way down.

Next Kelby and I raced off to the dental formal. We had a blast! The restaurant was positioned in the Indian's stadium overlooking the field. I think I could handle being rich and eating my lunch there while I watched the game. We had one of the best tables in the house, plus we sat with Jon & Laura R. Very entertaining people. How lucky is that? And my friends all looked like hot babes.

After such a crazy weekend filled with waterslides and pretty dresses I was worn out! I came down with a nasty cold and have payed the price ever since. But I didn't let it keep me from videoing Kelby sleeping while Ian pestered him. A very funny video, but I can't post it because I value my life. Either that or I am afraid of what Kelby would post about me, (possibly a pic of me sleeping with my little eyecover). Just let it be said that the video is stinkin' hilarious.

Now this is just a few days ago and in the house so as you can see I had my camera. Our Ian is quite the kid. I heard him making some unusual noises and it turns out they were part of his effort to break free of the paper towel packaging before we caught him. Ahhh Ian, we are all knowing parents and you can't hide from us! At least not yet.....

And then he fell over and I felt so sorry for him that I took a picture before I helped him up and out. Classic parenting.

I must admit that I take an inordinate amount of sleeping pictures of my children. Aren't they so cute? Despite all that fighting intermingled with play at the end of the day they love each other.