WhiLe DaDDy's AwAy......

SUMMER TIME! SUMMER TIME!

Cannon is out of preschool for the summer and we have been so busy packing, working and getting ready to move that yesterday evening I decided to spend time playing outside with the kids. It was a really nice evening, Not to Hot, Not to Cold! Cannon kept telling me to take pictures of him and Karlee. He was being really funny and every time I told him to smile, he would, until right before I snapped the picture and he would make a grumpy face and laugh hysterically. He thought he was hilarious! He was laughing so hard we all started laughing at him. Karlee was even trying to pull funny faces.

This is what happens when we try entertaining ourselves while Daddy is studying.
Cannon almost lost it. He started cracking a smile before I took the picture.
I hope everyone enjoys looking at these pictures as much as we enjoyed taking them!

The Best MoVinG TeAM

Last weekend my sister Lynette and her kids stayed at our home. They were in the process of driving a U-Haul from Virgina to Montana. Her husband just finished dental school and moved out there early to start working. So it was up to the Lynette, her kids and my parents to get her all packed up and drive across the United States. They decided to spend a couple of days here in Des Moines and we enjoyed every minute of it. Cannon loved having cousins to play with and Karlee loved having there kitty to chase around. While they were here they decided to help me pack boxes and disassemble some of our furniture. The packing was fresh on their minds so they were lots of help. I was so happy they got to spend time here and I appreciate all of there help. Who needs to pay for professional movers when you have family?

(Lynette, Mom & Dad, Scott, Sarah and Elise)

Too Cute to Not Post

This picture was taken at one of the last picnic's with a group of our friends.(Cannon, Karlee, Cohen & Nixon)

This last week my parent came to visit. They watched our kids while we went to Michigan to find a place to live. When we got back, we decided to do some fun things. We took my parents to Camp Dodge and Blank Park Zoo. My parents were so much help while they were here. They helped pack boxes and clean my house. My dad even ran errands for me. They will be missed. Here are a few pictures I took.

{HaNdSoMe BoY}

I love playing around with my camera and the other day I was able to catch this awesome picture of my handsome boy. He looks so innocent and sweet. I think black and white pictures can say so much.

Life's been CRaZy

This last week and a half have been really crazy around here. Steve is finally done with his school as far as lectures and going to campus. He now is focusing on taking boards and the day after boards we plan on moving out of our apartment and heading for Idaho. We will be staying in Idaho for a month and then we are moving to Michigan. YEAH!

Monday was Memorial day I was able to just hang out with the kids. Cannon and I got to spend some time together. He rode his bike to the ice cream store and I jogged along beside him. It's about 4 miles round trip so I was really proud of him. Along the way he talked NON-STOP. He talked about how I was Carnage Mom (spiderman character) and Karlee was Carnage Baby. He told me how millipedes jump and how King Cobra's can climb up trees. He told me to keep calling him Travis Pastrana because he was riding his bike in the dirt like motorbikes without training wheels. It was so fun to get some one on one time with him.

Tuesday was Cannon's last day of school and they had a little program for the parents. They did the chicken dance and sang another little song for us. It was really cute to see him with all of his school friends and teachers. We also got to have one last dinner with our good friends, Fenstermakers before they left.

Wednesday we drove to Omaha to pick up my parents from the airport. They flew in that afternoon to come stay with our kids while we went to Michigan. It was so nice for our kids to spend sometime with grandma and grandpa.

Thursday, Steve and I got up really early in the morning and headed for Michigan. It was about a 9 hour drive to get there. Once we got there we met with a realtor to show us some rental homes. WOW, that was interesting. Some people's style and taste are so different and you just walk away from the home thinking "REALLY?" "They want how much for that?" At the end of the day we were really worried if we would ever find something. We stayed the night at my cousin Chelsea's home and it was a blast. We stayed up really late just catching up. I forgot how good of friends we were growing up. It was like we just picked up from where we left off. I am really grateful to have her in Michigan, even if it will only be for a short time.

Friday, we met with this guy who had responded to my ad I put on Craig's list. He had two homes that he was willing to rent. Matt and Skye met with us Friday morning and we checked them out. They were really nice homes and are only 3 doors down from each other, so we all decided to take them. I am so excited that we get to be neighbors. It was such a blessing to eventually find a home in a good neighborhood, next to Olson's, in a good school district and not very far from Steve and Matt's hospital.

Saturday we met back at the homes to do the walk-thru and we took pictures. Matt and Skye headed to the temple and we met up with Bridget and Mario LaGiglia. We had breakfast together. It was so good to see such good friends and to catch up from the last year apart. There kids are getting so big and are such cuties. You should see Rigley's dimples! They are adorable.

We headed home right after and were able to get home before it got dark. I think our kids missed us, but not very much. They had lots of fun with Grandma and Grandpa. They were excited to tell us about all of the treats they got to eat. Its nice to be back home and tons of stress has been lifted knowing we have a nice place to live in Michigan by some great friends!

{DaY DReAmER}

I took this picture of Karlee while at the Tulip Festival in Pella. I didn't notice until I got home the exact name of the type of tulips. It just fit the picture perfect.

SuNDay PiCniC

We decided to go to the park on Sunday. I made homeade BBQ Chicken Pizza and then a Pepperoni Pizza. They turned out wonderful! We packed up the pizza, frizbee, kite and snacks and headed to Dewey Park. I was such a nice day outside. Steve and I played frizbee while the kids played on the toys.
Steve got tired of chasing my frizbee so he thought he would join Cannon on the horses. Needless to say, I think the horses are permently lop-sided. They will never be level again.

Karlee wanted to climb up everything, and she wouldn't let us help her. If we touched her back or leg she would start yelling, "NO, NO". So we just stood close making sure she didn't fall.

MaC & ChEeSe

DURING LUNCH

THE FINAL PRODUCT

Karlee loves Mac and Cheese. The other day she was just stuffing the food in her mouth. The spoon took too much concentration and time. She was being such a ham that I had to get my camera and take these cheese face pictures of her. WHAT A CRAZY MONKEY! (as Cannon would say)

{rite of passage}

(Steve, Joe, Steve, John)

Steve receiving his pin. (I couldn't get him to look up)

For all of those who don't know, Tuesday was Steve's "Rite of Passage" ceremony. What it is, a ceremony celebrating what they have accomplished and the next step of medical school, the beginning of clinical rotations. During the ceremony Steve's professors talked about how the students should have an open mind going into rotations and how they will probably change their mind many times about what they want to specialize in. Clinical rotation is a time to explore many different specialty's and determine what is the most appealing to the student. The students all had to wear their white coats. Everyone received a DMU pin and was able to stand and recite the student oath. I am very proud of Steve and all of the time and hard work that he has put into medical school. He is a great student, dad and husband and I admire him for being able to make a balance between all of his responsibilities. He is a very determined and passionate student and I believe that this will carry through to his profession. We are so proud of him and all of the other students and families who have made it this far. Good luck to all of those in the class of 2010! WAY TO GO!