The big three o!

Seth turned 30 on the 24th of July. We met shortly after he turned 20 so we had some nostalgia looking back on the last decade we have known each other. It was Sunday so we just had a fancy dinner at home with the kids. Of course there was chocolate cake and ice cream to follow. One of his goals in life was to finish school before he turned 30, “technically” he did, so he can check that off the list.  

With age comes responsibility. We have a community back yard but we are still responsible for mowing the front and backyards.

I love that our home backs up to a nature reserve/park area. There is a strong deer heard that lives out there so we usually see some every day.

The Fourth Of July, Blueberry Picking, the National Zoo, and a Splash Park!

The Fourth of July was just two days after we arrived in Maryland.  I’m not sure why these are the only two pictures I took the whole day but I guess they sum up how we were all feeling at this point in our journey.  Some kind members in our ward invited us to their barbeque of delicious food so we weren’t all alone. We had high hopes of venturing into the District for the firework show; sadly we opted for early bedtimes for all. Next year for sure!!

Seth had a week from when we arrived and when he started work. We tried to have a little fun mixed with all the unpacking. We took the kids to a blueberry farm to pick some fresh blueberries. You park your car and get to ride on a trailer pulled by a tractor out to the fields. They were fat and Juicy so I had a hard time not eating everything I picked. It was really hot so we only picked for about 20 minutes but had a whopping FIVE pounds of blueberries to show for it!!

We decided to be brave and take the kids on the Metro to the National Zoo. They loved it all and it gave them good context when we explained Seth would be riding it everyday to and from work.  The Zoo was wonderful, FREE, and really humid. Thankfully they had misting machines going so we could get some relief. I thought the highlight was seeing flamingos because you don’t see those in any Utah or Michigan Zoos.  Lucy’s hair was super curly because of the humidity. Oh, the humidity, it’s been an adjustment.  

In an effort to “get out” and cool off we went to a splash park in a neighboring town. Lucy was FREE and the boys had a ball. They did eventually ask me where the pool was……. 

Saying goodbye to Ann Arbor!

It’s really hard to leave a place you LOVE! A place full of wonderful people, places, and memories.  Of course the people are at the top of the list of what we will miss but then there is downtown, Frito Banditos, Washtenaw Dairy, Buhr Park Pool, Gallup Park, the Michigan Barn, football Saturdays, libraries, libraries, and more libraries, parks, parks, and more parks, and Zingerman’s Sweet Potato Fries! I’m so grateful we lived there for SIX years. We truly felt like it was home and neither of us would complain if we ended up there permanently (not likely).  Even Charlie asked if we could move back “home” to Michigan after we were done in Maryland. The sting for Charlie and Matthew has been lightened by the fact that most of their friends have moved or were moving away around the same time as us. Thankfully they are learning to love Maryland and have become really good friends for the first time in their lives. They really don’t have any other options right now (or at least friends that live close).

Matthew and his delicious cookie and the boys: Ben Quinn, Jude Price, Matthew, Charlie, Oliver Kotter, Spencer Nielson (not pictured- James Tang)

Matthew has been in a playgroup with the same group of boys for the last year. He has loved them all (maybe even James). Lisa (Ben’s Mom) was nice enough to throw Matthew and Jude a goodbye party!

The younger siblings in the group (Addison, Caleb, Harper, and Lucy). Charlie was happy to tag along to Matthew’s party (I love their squinty eyes). 

This was our last “morning out.” I vividly remember attending morning out the first week we moved in (2005) with little baby Charlie. It was actually held at the same exact park. 

Kirsten and Siri                                                                             Anne, Candice,  and Lisa

Lucy managed to get into lots of trouble with our home being torn apart for packing. This was after she found an open jar of peanut butter to play in!

This is us with the Thompson family (Dave, Darlene, and Shannon). They have lived right next door to us for the past year and consequently we have become great friends. Their daughter Shannon was a favorite pal of not only Charlie but of Matthew. Even thought he was a couple years younger than her, he was very devoted. 

Rochelle and Jude came to say goodbye right before we drove away. They have been in the ward for the last three years but Rochelle and I started running together in the morning a couple of months before we moved. As with all running partners, she probably knows more about me than she cares to know.  We stopped at the Gibson's so we could say a final farewell.  Eden was one of Charlie’s first friends when we moved to Ann Arbor (she was almost a year older than him but they were roughly the same size). Since that time both families have added a couple more kids to the mix. Thankfully, they are moving to Boston so I’m sure we’ll be seeing them.

This picture was taken about one minute before we drove away from Hemlock Court. I wish I had taken a picture the day we moved in five years ago (we spent a year at an apartment). Charlie would have been 19 months and I was barely pregnant with Matthew. Wow, how time goes by. I’m so grateful we were able to live in this little townhouse. It was very affordable and allowed us to live comfortable through school (and we actually made money on the deal)!

The night before we drove out of town we stayed with the Wintch family. I’m not sure how I got out of there without snapping a picture of them or their cute boys (I stole this picture from facebook). After a very long and stressful day, they took us in and and fed us delicious food. Not only that but we were able to laugh hard with them late into the evening. I’m so glad we have a pleasant memory of our last night in Michigan. Thanks for the hospitality Matt and Lindsey!!

At exactly 6:00am the next morning the three boys took off in the moving truck. The little boys were giddy to have the experience of riding with Dad in the big truck. Lucy and I took our time getting ready, ate breakfast, and then hit the road. Thankfully, the trip was a breeze. Lucy slept a lot of the trip and was content for the rest. Seth was able to go faster than we anticipated so It took me most of the drive to catch up. We were only 30 minutes away from our new home when Lucy threw-up (car sickness). Thanks to the GPS I found a close gas station and we were back on the road in no time. I was greeted at my new home with a wonderful sight, the Elders Quorum from the Rockville Ward!! It was a hot and humid day plus we had a lot of stuff plus a lot of stairs, but they moved it all in! I am convinced there is a special place in heaven for people who help with moves:)

After all the work was done, the Cherrie’s rolled into town. Just kidding, they helped a ton putting all our stuff together!! Natalie and Mike were great friends from Michigan who have since moved to Tucson. They were in DC for a wedding the exact week we moved to DC. It was comforting having friends around in a completely unfamiliar place. They were our first official house guests and didn’t complain being surrounded by “stuff.” My favorite memory of the whole move was unpacking my kitchen with Natalie while she made a delicious dessert of baked chocolate chip cookie with ice-cream on top, yum! I also loved watching Mike drive up in their rented Corvette, so Mike.

A funeral, party, birthday, high school reunion, wedding, and more!

I planned a trip to Utah right before we moved because I found an UNBELIEAVABLE deal on a plane ticket. My grandmother passed away the week before my trip but thankfully I had purchased “trip insurance” so I was able to switch things around. I’m so thankful I was able to attend her funeral. It was wonderful to hear stories of her life and see all the good one person can do in the world. It was nice to reflect on all the wonderful memories I have of her.  It was also wonderful to see and visit with my HUGE family. My grandma had eleven children so I have 50 plus first cousins plus many are married and have kids of their own.

 

The oldest son from the families each of her eleven children were the pallbearers.  Sisters! Sharon, Nora, Isaac, Vanessa, Luke, where’s Donna?

My grandparent’s Eleven children!

The day after the funeral (Tuesday) Nora and I loaded up her Pilot and headed North to Pocatello to visit Vanessa. I seems every time I come for a visit we are loading up the Pilot and everybody always fits!! It was also my BIRTHDAY! Vanessa had the four layer chocolate cake from Costco waiting for me (plus the creamy vanilla ice cream). It was truly heavenly. We took a trip to the park and then sat around Vanessa’s deck for the afternoon and evening enjoying her new home. The weather was perfect and we were enjoying the chit-chat so much it was late by the time we took off.

 

I made a quick trip to visit Logan Holly in West Jordan (we met in Logan). It was a true delight to see her pregnant belly and “yes” that is her baby hiding her pregnant belly. Why have just one baby when you can have two babies? I was able to witness some of Juliet's first steps and they are coming just in time.

The night before my Grandma’s funeral, Nora hosted a barbeque for all the Ackerson family in town. I still think about the shish kabobs and jalapeno poppers…

Allen became attached to one of  Nora’s Chicken, who new you can keep Chicken’s in West Jordan? The girl cousins practiced and performed a singing skit.

Nora found these adorable dresses for her girls and was kind enough to pick up a matching one for Lucy. On Thursday night I met up with the Brown family (Seth’s sister) and we went our for ice cream. Who’s had the subzero experience?

On Friday I visited Mandy in her beautiful new home, we were even able to sneak away for pedicures because there is a girl next door that loves to babysit. That evening I went to Alaska Holly’s amazing wedding (we worked in Alaska together)! Her and her new husband had just roasted s’mores when this picture was taken. Their reception had more of a party theme which meant a good time for everyone. I loved the hot dogs and pinata!                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Lucy and I spent Friday night in Midway. This is a picture of Donna and the baby girls in front of her new “Swiss” home (which is getting all new landscaping) and sweet Anna excited about our delicious breakfast!

On Saturday Donna and Bevan took me to a  Mexican restaurant in Midway which had it’s own salsa bar (the mango was the best). The morning before the Mexican food we ran with the babies to the top of memorial hill! I would move to the Heber Valley in a second if the opportunity arose (not a high chance:(

On Saturday I celebrated my 10 year high school reunion! It was fun but a million degrees (someone stole the copper wiring around the ac unit) Go Granger! (Lori, Tiffany, and Me)

Miranda drove into town late the night before I flew out. It was hard to only get to see each other for a few hours, but I’m grateful we got that.  Her and Lucy bonded immediately!

We lucked out coming home! There was an extra seat so Lucy wasn’t on my lap and we were in the row just behind first class which meant a ton of leg room for me!
I was anxious to get home because we moved to Maryland just FIVE days later!