40 years of greatness!

First stop on our farewell tour was Midway Utah to celebrate the 40^th wedding anniversary of Cam's parents with his entire family.

We had a great weekend of nothing too exciting but hanging out and relaxing.Just what this girl needed!

Here are my inlaws on their wedding day
 and this was the front part of the invitation that my uber talented sister in law Brittany made
to tell them about the weekend celebration we were having in their honor

40 years later still looking good!
(not the tuxedo, clearly that was returned quite a while ago, but the suit he wore to and from the temple

on the chair lift up to the alpine slide in Park City

The coaster slide in Park city was a blast!  We  haven't ever done anything like that.

a little golf action

the silly Shirley cousins

some fishing

good ol' quality time

Kimball also got into the dress up action when we celebrated his birthday and he was re gifted his favorite Beetle Juice sweatshirt from his youth.  Looks like it still fits! ;)



The SHIRLEYS



 

 

FIRST FLIGHT

Our trip to Utah was the first time Callan had been on a airplane and the older two  hadn't been on one since they were little so these guys thought the trip was great!

The flight was only 4 hours and really simple and I kept thinking

"I hope they keep up this enthusiasm after spending all night on the plane to Hungary next month."

Luckily they did!

super excited for takeoff

the plane was full and we didn't have all our seats together.  Luckily someone traded Creed so that he could sit by Cal and I, but we couldn't find anyone willing to trade Mack so he could sit by Cam. The upside though he was too nervous or shy to talk to the people sitting next to him, which made it an even easier flight.  ;)

this is what Mack did most of the flight

and this is what Callan did!

Not one of our usual moves

Preparations for our move to Hungary were unlike any other move we have done.

We have lived in 9 different homes,

6 different states,

we have lived in the north, the south,

and on the west coast and the east coast

but all in all it has always be in good ol' USA! 

Although most of those took significant planning and work they tend to pale in comparison to the Grand Master, the King of Kings, the all time Mother of all moves.

Moving overseas!!

This type of move not only being unique to us, is unique to the military, and because of that we were unable to draw on our military friends experiences.Especially since we aren't moving to a military base or installation it

takes to a whole other level.

With that being said we sold or gave almost everything not nailed down. 

Some of the victims were our two cars. We are kind of weird with our cars and get unusually attached to them;

I think its because we spend so much time in them and take them so many places with us that they become like one of the family.

We sold furniture, toys, appliances etc. Gave away almost all our baby clothes and items

(that was surprisingly really sad for me)

And at the end we watched 6000 of our usual 13,000lbs of our life get on a truck to hopefully then be taken to a boat to eventually meet us in Budapest.

*FINGERS CROSSED*

The fun and loyal Mazda

the amazingly resilient Acura!

Our lucky find in Alexandria

Our earthly possesions

 

New and Old

Over the last year in DC I would tend to get a little homesick for South Dakota and my wonderful support group and friends back there.

I was very blessed that two of my good friends from our first time living in SD were there again the 2^nd time we lived there and we were able to continue to grow our friendship. And while there the 2^nd time I added other great friends to my friendship fold, 2 of which I became especially close to.

And as luck would have it over the last year I was able to reunite with a few of these besties.

As most friendships go these girls have been there with me for lots of good times and some hard times.

Aren't friends the best!

Susan came last winter

We got to see the Stephens in the spring

Finally met up with Nicole

and a last minute surprise seeing Mandy!

RUN boys RUN

With 3 boys in the house there is a lot of movement and A LOT of energy.

So when the school district puts on a track meet for the 6 elementary schools in the area, I knew I had found a great afterschool activity for the boys.

At first the boys were a little unsure of all the running and I am not sure they got the point. Especially when I watched a practice where in the middle of Mack's relay race, where he was in the lead, he turned around to let the kid behind him catch up so they could use the batons as light sabors. {SIGH}

Luckily though when race day came, the batons were restored to their original intent and Macks relay team took first! In large part to

 Mack's leg of the relay, where they were in third place, but he put them back in

first for the final leg runner to take it home.

Creed also did great taking 1^st place in his 100 and 200 heats and 2^nd in his 400 heat with a 2^nd and 3^rd place overall.He was also chosen to do the shot put and got 2^nd place in that.

Despite others around me who feel like track meets are boring, I really enjoyed being there all afternoon. *weather permitting of course*I love the individual competition and focus that track provides,

I hope this is one of the sports my kids will want to continue.

Mack taking the lead

Creed after realizing he was passed and recoverd his lead

 

"Awesome" niece

I don't know officially what term to use "great" or "grand" when referring to my niece's daughter but anyway you say it, it means awesome!

My niece and her husband live in Boise and they have the cutest little girl ever!

The two of them came out to NJ to visit her family and all the girls decided to surprise me and come to see us before we move and to let me meet Paisley.

I am so glad they did!

 I kind of got a glimmer of what grand parenting is all about

and although I can truly wait patiently for that time in my life, definitely not in a rush,

but I know it is going to be so much fun!

Paisley is such a doll and my boys and I couldn't get enough of her, it was such a joy having them around!

More sights in DC

Another hot spot on our "see before we move" list

was Arlington National Cemetery. A great Sunday afternoon activity for us It proved to be another historical place in DC that makes you darn proud to be and American.

Besides, the obvious must see spots in the cemetery Cam wanted to see

where one of hisheroes was buried, Jimmy Doolittle,

We had a little bit of trouble finding his headstone, we just assumed he would have a larger marker or headstone, but it was a simple marker like everyone else.

  I have feeling he probably likes it that way.

JFK memorial.... i love how the kid on the right looks like a mini secret service agent, wondering what our intentions are...

tomb of the unknown soldiers

the "SEAT" in the amphitheater.