September-January Recap.

I'm going to have to try a lot harder to update more than every six months ! Since September... we went home and visited family (October), November we spent Thanksgiving with my hubby's family (and black friday shopped) and December was a blur because a day after our October trip to Kansas... the husband got a call offering him an AGR position in California. We had 48 hours to decide and... surprise, we took it! We now live just about an hour from Disneyland, we visited Hollywood the day before the Oscars. After going home to Kansas again for Christmas. Easier to sum it up with  photos. I really missed the trees changing color and the cooler weather. Turns out, it does happen in Texas, but it happens when it's winter everywhere else. :)

This is the same pumpkin patch we took the kids to every year since my K-man was a tiny thing. Great memories! Sad that we probably won't make it this year... it's a day and a half drive! :(

Thanksgiving 2012 with the in-laws.... it was good times, great food. I miss them a lot.

A week or so later, I got influenza from my little man and lost 12 pounds. Never been so scared for my kiddos, ever. No sleep, sick myself and seeing them that miserable was the absolute worst experience. I haven't had soda since though. Almost 4 1/2  months now!

December consisted of packing, cleaning, getting rid of stuff and spending time with our best Texas friends. I miss Texas, and miss them. I kicked and screamed moving there and I am pretty sure I cried more when we left Texas than a year before when we moved from Kansas. Lots and lots of "see you later" was overwhelming. It's nice to still be able to keep in touch, though. Planning to have friends to stay with us here this summer, cannot wait!

Christmas/farewell summary-

Christmas in Kansas...

Great times! :)

We traveled from Kansas to Colorado, then through the Rocky Mountains to Utah, crashed for the night and then moved on to Las Vegas. GREAT trip. It was exhausting, but well worth the memories.

Bellagio fountains! We waited 45 minutes for about a 5 minute show... but it was worth it just to check it off the bucket list.

Another bucket list... top of the (Vegas) Eiffel tower. 

View from the top.

Kids on the top!

We spent 3 weeks living in a hotel. Exploring the area and fell in love. We got K in his new school, which (long story), we later transferred him out of. It wasn't in our housing area and there was insane drama between some of the parents in the class that made the learning environment less than idyllic for our kiddo. So we moved in, switched school and finally have settled into our routine. 

It's beautiful here!

And that's all I've got for now. I missed a lot, I'm sure... but to get to the next, it was necessary. And proves a point for what I'm working next. :)

Recap.

Yesterday was the first day of fall... celebrated with caramel cinnamon rolls and bacon for breakfast for my babes. Second day of fall... slow cooker bbq pork chops for dinner. We plan to visit home next month... it's already pretty cold there, so I am definitely looking forward to hoodies and crunchy leaves and cider at the pumpkin patch! I think it's the only thing that will make the Texas faux-fall tolerable. We will have one chilly morning with nice breezes and leaves falling, get out fall clothes and by the afternoon it's almost 100 degrees. Not cool at all, mother nature. Very much looking forward to seeing family and close friends, and especially how beautiful it is there this time of year. Our post is brown, colorless (and I'm serious... everything is brown or tan and it's either dead grass or dust).. I'm ready for trees in different colors, beautiful buildings, bricks.

I never thought growing up that I would miss Leavenworth, KS if I left.

The funny thing is... that while I'm anxious to visit there, I cannot imagine moving back. It makes me sad to say so. It just feels like it would be living backwards, not to say I couldn't imagine living in the area. Even the thought of it makes me feel claustrophobic. MY ideal would be spending 9 months out of the year in a different state, then spending fall and the first part of winter at home.

Little man started school. It's going well, I miss him during the days but we have finally gotten past the rough adjustment patch and developed a routine. Loving lunch with him every Friday... kindergarten is cute. :)

 Our first day of school tradition. :)

This followed our first trip to the Gulf! 

And then our little girl turned 4 years old! How time flies... we celebrated with a much smaller than normal party, but it was perfect for her. She wasn't feeling overwhelmed, it was just us, her best friend and their family and another couple who are family friends. Taco bar, Dora theme... sopapilla cheesecake. 

Individual 7-layer dip.

My princess, her bff and their matching "Best friends" necklaces. :)

The day after the shin-dig, we celebrated our baby's birthday and said goodbye to summer and made our yearly trip to Sea World!

                                   

                               

And now we are back to reality... till it's time to go home and visit. I am so ready for our pumpkin patch trip! I found my kid's first year scrapbooks yesterday... including our first trip to the pumpkin patch when my son was just 5 months old. I think it's my favorite of our family traditions. :)

And I've really got nothing else. Sorry for the vague recap that relies almost completely on the "one picture is worth 1,000 words" thing. So I'll just leave with a cute picture of my kiddos and my sweet girl with her bff at story time this week.

Can you tell we're ready for a season change?

Our sweet girls in their matching bff shirts and necklaces.