To Kirtland and Back

We met up with Spencer's oldest sister Lori and her family:

Brad (husband), Stefanie (oldest daughter) & Max (her husband),

Lindsey (daughter), Bryson (son), and Jacob (son), on part of their

two week road trip.

We stayed at a HOTEL WITH them IN Kirtland, Ohio and then

made our way to Columbus, showing them some of our

favorite places. Oh, how my girls LOVE the attention from their

cousins. They were so sweet to my kids,

it was SAD to see them go!

FAMILY TIME... cosi & biking

We made it out to COSI's (center of science and industry) FAMILY FRIDAY NIGHT. The girls got free coupons from the library's summer reading program. I have been excited to take my kids here again. When we lived in Columbus two years ago I had a family pass. I enjoyed many cold winter days entertaining my girls here. They have so many cool things for them to play and learn with. We enjoyed seeing LOST EGYPT exhibit that is there now and seeing THE GRAND CANYON ADVENTURE in the IMAX theater.

Not to far from our house we have a little pond where we can feed ducks and enjoy a nice biking trail that goes through a beautiful wooded area. It has become one of our favorite family activities.

Visit from Grandma & Grandpa McD

My parents came to OHIO for the weekend.

It wasn't a long visit but enough time to accomplish all the things the girls had on there list :

#1. Get cotton candy ice cream with eyeballs and sprinkles with Grandma & Grandpa at Graeters.

#2. Get a toy... Kayla just wanted to "look" at build-a-bear and the next thing I know Kayla & Avery have their animals picked out and stuffed.

And that about sums up their list. We did manage to do a few more fun things as well.

( Mom & Dad we were glad you could come out for a few days. We love you!)

You know how people are always analyzing the difference of raising girls and boys, I have to say even though Evan is only 16 months old there has been a big difference in him than my girls. The thing of late is his obsession with balls. If he sees one anywhere he freaks out and wants to get it. I have learned to always have a few in my car in case we go to a park or a place he might try and take others.

With that said you can imagine his excitement when we went to a park and they were setting up this ball...

With out fail he tries to reach these balls every time we walk past... when will he learn he is not that tall.

FIELDSTONE TRACE & THE FOURTH

Here are a few pic's for the old Fieldstone Trace crew...

I was missing ya all when I passed by our old stomping ground the other day.

The girls had a ball snorkeling at Aluim Creek a few Saturdays ago, as I sat on the beach thinking how nice it would be to have a boat. Maybe someday?

I think most holidays are hard away from family, this year being so far away seemed extra hard. But we ended up having a fantastic day. My highlight of the fourth was this amazing creme brulee (even though it's french) the Christensen family brought to the BBQ we had at the Young's house. I am grateful for the friendships we are making with so many wonderful people here. It has made the transition of moving easy.

We ended up having some rain in the evening but it didn't slow down the kids in the least bit. It cleared just in time for the fireworks.

OUR PROFESSIONAL WATER SLIDER

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE SUMMER!!! LONG SUNNY DAYS, WARM NIGHTS, GREAT BBQ'S AND TONS OF ICE CREAM. LAST WEEK WE SQUEEZED IN GOING TO THE ZOO & KINGS ISLAND BEFORE SPENCER STARTED HIS RESIDENCY. WHICH JUDGING FROM THE FIRST WEEK; HIM COMING HOME BY 2 OR 3 IN THE AFTERNOON, IS NOT GOING TO BE TOO ROUGH... SO DON'T FEEL BAD WE ARE BACK IN SCHOOL.

EVAN COULDN'T GET ENOUGH OF THE WATER SLIDE AT KINGS ISLAND'S WATERPARK. I DECIDED IT WAS WORTH FIGURING OUT HOW TO SHOW VIDEO ON THE BLOG, TAKE A LOOK..

Angie & Easton

Four years ago Angie moved into my Ward in Worthington in Ohio, soon after we became great friends. With both are husbands in dental school and both of us having two kids we loved to escape to Easton, our favorite outdoor mall.  We would split a BBQ chicken salad from CPK and let our kids play at McDonals or run around by the fountains.  We made many great memories together.

This past weekend I was so excited to spend some of Angie's last days living in Columbus with her.  Since her husband had already packed their moving truck and left along with her two boys, I got to meet her baby Emma, who was due the same day as Evan, and hang out with Angie at her hotel.  Friday Spencer and I took our kids to eat with Angie and Emma and then swimming at the hotel.  Then Spencer took our kids home and Angie and I went to Easton.  We picked up some cheesecake and took it back to her hotel room and chatted until after midnight.  Though Angie and I had hardly talked during the two years I lived in Colorado it was as if we were back in the old days.  That is what I love about good friends, it could be a day or years since you have seen each other and it as if no time has past.  Saturday night I was lucky again to go to her hotel along with many of the women from my old ward.  It was great to spend an evening eating and chatting.  It is funny how women can get together and hours can go by sitting in one place.

 Angie thanks for all the good memories at EASTON, and all the other places!  Good luck with settling in PORT ANGLES, I am sure I will be coming to visit someday!

 

P.S.  For those who were wondering I am sad to say I not in the Worthington Ward.  The house we found is in Hilliard.  But we love the area and the ward already.

Yay! For Internet!

After living in Ohio for more than a week and a half we FINALLY got a phone line & internet.  So now I need to catch-up.  Beware of a LONG post...  

PART I:

**COLORADO**

Karla was such a trooper to fly out from Utah and work her rear off helping us move.  Watching her sweat through her clothes unloading the truck after already loading it, cleaning my house, and then driving me and my kids most of the way to Ohio made me feel pretty guilty.  I don't think she truly knew what she was in for... but I promise, Kar, I will repay you someday.  We were thankfully able to slip in some fun stuff too.  

It was great to have two of my favorite people, Karla and Laurie meet and hang-out.  We took the kids to Garden of the Gods one last time the day before we moved.

**MOVING DAY**

Brent & Laurie were kind enough to let us stay at their home for two days before we left.  The kids loved having a sleep-over and we loved staying up late watching movies.  Saying good-bye was not so much fun.

***ST.LOUIS***

We didn't have a inch to spare in our truck and poor Spence couldn't get it to go faster than 60 mph.  It was one LOOOOONG trip.  We stopped to see my brother Rich and his darling family in St. Louis.  It really helped having a day and a half to regroup and enjoyed time with his family.  

The girls loved playing with their cousins and enjoying their hot tub and big back yard.

SILLY COUSINS!!!!!  Watching the fireflies from the back deck.

Can you guess what Kayla wants to be for Halloween, now?

PART II:

**OHIO**

I couldn't wait to take the girls back to some of our favorite places here in Columbus.  I never thought I would get the opportunity to live here again, but now that we are back I know what it is like to miss this place and I really want to document it for the future.

Spencer has gone to the Memorial Tournament five out of the last six years.  This year they just happend to move it to the week after Memorial day and Paul Allen just happend to give us practice round tickest. (I think the golf gods must know how much Spencer loves to go).  I loved walking around the beautiful course and did I mention we got to watch TIGER WOODS practice.  I don't get too excited about golf but who wouldn't want to watch Tiger Woods play.

TIGER WOODS

Polaris Mall

The first time we moved here we took Kayla, who was Evans age, to the Polais Mall to play.  It is crazy to go back there now with three kids.  I LOVE this mall:)

Here is a pic of the home we will be living in for the next 27 months.  We feel blessed how all things have worked out it feels GREAT to be settled once again.