My first trip to San Fran...a VERY long story

So last week I went to try and help Ryan find a place to live in the beautiful bay area. We have a few places picked out that we would like to live and they all focus in areas that the BART goes too--we call it the Metro back in DC but its the train system out there. So here is the map of possibilities.
So many people have liked the Walnut Creek area so that is where we are focusing I guess. I went to one of the wards and they were so great. Also, it was beautiful and had great shops/restaurants/trails/parks...really family oriented place. Ryan will then take the BART everyday (a 45 minute ride from Walnut Creek to his stop--Embarcadero), which I got to experience first hand, and yes it was quite the experience! Well, i guess just getting out to Cali and back was the experience and as always with me it seems that life is never uncomplicated.

So the day I was supposed to leave. Ryan scheduled my flights so he of course had me leaving at about 7 pm (which we all know who have kids you shouldn't leave on an airplane at the kids bedtime right?!). So I thought I had the whole day to get ready. Well this is what happens of course. We get up, eat breakfast, take care of Lucy (our dog), start some laundary...get a phone call...well the phone says that our car is TOTALLED. Well, the car looked pretty bad but it was just the front, so it can be fixed, right? Nope, its a volvo and one headlight costs $400 dollars and so if you include two headlight and the two whiper blade things it adds up to $1200 dollars...so you can guess that to fix everything else (the whole front including things in by the engine, possiblly the engine the....blah blah blah)....so basically the car was totalled because it was simply too expensive to fix--i'm not a huge volvo fan at the moment! The guy says that there were some personal belongings found in the car that needed to be picked up. Which means that for me that had to happen THAT DAY, since I was leaving. so then I look at the time, 10 something...okay this is do-able right. then he says it about 45 minutes away south of Dallas. OKAY, its still do able right? Well, I'm doing laundry for the trip, Harrison needs a nap forsure to survive the 3+ hour flight, I need to pack for Harrison and I, take lucy to a place to stay, spend an hour on the phone with the insurance, need to drop off the rental car, figure out how to get to the plane from rental place, drive down to the middle of nowhere to pick up a toll tag and some trash (personal belonging--Hah!), drive around on side roads to avoid the traffic that is at a stand still on the freeway because 3 trailer tractors turned over on the freeway (but we knew that would happen today right!!!) And still made it to the airport just in time to make it to my gate and find out the the plane was delayed and I get to spend the next two hours walking around the airport trying to calm down knowing that we are going on a 3+ hour plane ride still (all by myself), getting on a train for an hour and a half and will make it to our hotel at about 3 am my time. Sounds fun huh! But we have all had one of those days...especially when you get to your destination and find out that you flew to Cali for 5 days to find a house with your husband and find out that his work scheduled a last minute trip for him that would take up 3 of those days!!

The return trip was a little easier but I have definitely had better days. Ryan was of course out of town the day that I left so I packed up everything and planed my return. Ryan said to take a cab but I'm too cheep to ride in a cab for over 45 minutes when the train would just cost 7 bucks! So I swallowed my pride and got everything on my own. I used my sling to hold Harrison, put my bag under the stroller, ballanced the car seat in the stroller and pushed that with one hand and pulled my suit case behind me with the other hand, and walked to the BART!! It was close but it still didn't save the embarrasment of walking down a busy road to the station and have taxi driver's yelling to see if I wanted a ride to the airport! Then I got my ticket and almost fell down the escellator trying to balance everything (yes, I should have used the elevator but I couldnt figure out how to get it open without a key, weird huh?) I made it on train, survived the 1 1/2 hour ride figured out the trains at the aiport and made it to the gate. Well, then I had to figure out a way home! I had returned my rental car so I had no car, and when I called they were all out of cars (how's that possible I don't know but it was me so it happened!). So my brother in law called me back and they could get me. So that was set, so I get on the plane, Harrison sleeps for a little while and then wakes up with a fever! I luckily have tylenol but he is miserable! But I make it and I called my brother in law to see if there are any cars becasue I have to have one incase I have to take Harrison in (with my luck the one time he needs to go to the ER would be the day I have NO CAR!). Well after going to all of them there is one car that I can get for $61 a day, which I think is steep but, I need a car. So we finally get home and we survived (though poor Harrison keeps a fever and starts throwing up, a runny nose and coughing--I think he got every bug possible huh!) I don't like traveling anymore!

Anyway, If you made it this far in my blog Cali was gorgeous and It was fun to walk around. I had a great time those couple days Ryan was there looking around and spending Mother's day with him (which he was totally sweet and got me yummy see's chocolates, and picked out some clothes for me, which I do have to return because they don't fit, but they were too cute and its the thought right?!). I also got to see one of my Jerusalem roommates and her family!!! Which is the one, if any of you remember the story of how Ryan and I met there, helped start us out in the Holy Land! We had a great time and Susan was a ton of help talking about the area, which is where she grew up! Sorry for the way long story but...hey just needed some commiserating!

Just thought I would throw in a picture of my little sweety!!

San Francisco here we come...with a few extra bumps!

So no, these pictures aren't because I have suddenly grown a soft spot in my heart for bridges. Just thought I would give you a small taste of where we are offically moving! Ryan has accepted a job in San Francisco California!! Okay, so we live in Provo for eight years and finally make the move to Dallas and now here we are a year later going to San Fran! Here a few more:


So, I consider myself from the East, who has lived in multiple place in the midwest, am getting a little nervous for this big step to Calfornia...and not only Cali but San Francisco! Craziness! Everyone who has ever been there is telling me it is the most beautiful city, had so much culture and so much to do so I am excited just getting nervous...well really not looking forward to PACK ALL THOSE BOXES AGAIN! And trying to find a place, find new doctors, get to know a whole new area, a new ward, new people...wow a lot to get used to but I guess didn't grow up moving couple of years in the military for no reason right?!

And to top it off, or should I say getting this wonderful adventure started out "right" on our way today, to visit family before I drop Ryan off at the airport to go and meet his new team this beautiful picture...happens!
Yup! That WAS my beautiful volvo! Some guy decided to pull onto and drive on the WRONG side of the road, right in front of the truck in front of us who slams on his brakes which inturn (this would make a great physics lesson wouldn't you say...newton's laws in action) makes Ryan slam on our breaks but...just not quite enough time eh?! But amazingly through a wonderfully nice witness and police and insureance company and family, Ryan got to the airport intime and I got a rental car since OF COURSE our other car was picked up this morning and is heading on it way to San Francisco, right?! And hey, we are all okay, but just for future reference--we bought the volvo because of its great saftey features and you would think that a car that looks like this in the front SHOULD have had the air bags deployed? Well, they didn't. We didn't need them but it would have been nice for a little extra saftey huh?!

Pump it Up!

Has anyone ever gone to Pump it Up , I think that is what it is called.  I went with two of Ryan's cousins (Erin and Erin!)w/ their kids, and Harrison LOVED IT!  It was a big room filled with those big blow up things they have at carnivals, adults are free and are encouraged to play with their kids.  Then Harrison wasn't two yet, so he was free!  It was so much fun, sliding down the big slide, jumping and playing basketball (sorry I can't get you anymore pics!), climbing around, and they had little cars they could drive around on the ground--it was so much fun!  I will have to see if they have one here in TX !

....outerbanks...

Here is a beach picture with the three of us.  Because spring break was earlier this year I was worried the weather wouldn't be that great on the outer banks but this year it was wonderful!  I even got in the water (which was TOTALLY freezing but my soon to be sister-in-law went in so I couldn't let me be the only wimp!).

...so I can't figure out on my iphoto how to resize pics so i can upload a lot at once so I will try and post one at a time with each post I guess.

sorry...no more pics..

okay so I have been trying forever to get some more pictures and they just keep downloading and never finish so...I will try again later!

Back to reality!

Sorry I haven't posted forever!  I went to visit my family in Marlyand for a few weeks.  I was able to go the the Outer Banks, NC with them for a week and then stayed at their house the rest of the time.  It was so nice relaxing, having them entertaining Harrison constantly, eating good food and spending time with family that I don't get to see often enough living so far away!!  Well, lets see if I can get some pics up here!

This is Easter Sunday and Harrison is with my Dad collecting the eggs we "hid" for him!  He has so much fun and was so cute when he found one.  After a few of the real ones cracking, I switched and started hiding the plastic ones that I got for him and he wondered around for a while. I told him to find the eggs and he walked around and just looked at each plastic egg but wouldn't pick it up, I was getting frustrated.  Then I said to find the eggs one more time and he walked over to the kitchen and pointed to wear I had put the real ones!  You can't fool a one year old I guess--real ones are ALWAYS better than plastic!

This weekend my Mom, Grandma and Uncle Layne flew in to Dallas so they could see where we lived and then we all drove down to Houston to go to my cousin's wedding.  Though I feel bad that they had to endure a 5 hour car ride to get there I am glad that they came and to see us in Dallas and the road trip was fun (Harrison survived anyway!).  I actually let him face forward for the first time!  Yes, he is 21 months old but he finally reached 20 lbs. a month or so ago and I just haven't switched him because it is safer rear facing so--this was a treat for him (he had no idea that I was still torturing him by having him stare at the back seat!).  This a pic of my Mom and I at the Houston temple.  Lindi, Ryan's sis, lives in Houston so she was so great and drove to the temple, took him to a park with her boys and drove him back when we were done! Thanks SO much Lindi!  He had so much fun!!  He didn't even say good-bye once I got him in the car and he saw his four cousins!!

This week has also been crazy because I kind of started a job--kind of!  Well, anyone that knows my husband knows that he can't only do one thing at a time.  He does work for Blockbuster but he also has a trucker recruiting company on the side.  One of the employees not only recruited but she did some of the office work.  Well, is having a baby in a couple of weeks so I am see if I can handle doing the updating of spreadsheets and hires and stuff.  I am hoping that I can do most of it in the evenings when Harrison is sleeping....So we will see how it goes right?  Last week I was kind of "trained" by her and yesterday was my first official day (and was up till after 1:00) so hopefully I will figure everything out and will get it done MUCH quicker!  Hope all is well with everyone!

Snow in Texas?

So 

I guess that I need to keep posting huh?!  Well, this past week it was pretty rainy and cold here (for Texas of course).  And they even said that it snowed! Well, here's a pic, I will let you be the judge! Can you see that "white stuff" on the roof? Well, yes that is snow...kind of! At least it got cold enough to have freezing rain, which I would have to add is worse than snow if your driving!

The second pic is in Utah in Jan--that is a little more like it huh?!  Sorry you guys in Utah for your crazy snow filled winter!  

Anyway, we also got colds/coughs this week, pretty unexciting, though when the weather goes from 70's to 30's it has to be a shock to the system huh?  I can't complain though we have been so lucky with sicknesses I think this year they have come and gone and not been that bad.  Last year was awful so I feel really blessed!  Harrison just woke up so...gotogo!  Thanks SOOO much for all of your comments and emails!!  It was great to hear from all of you and I hope all is well with everyone!!

20 months and 20 days...

Today is a start; Today is new
Yet today I am sad it is true
For two lived to yesterday but only one lives today

My son will run and jump and play
On the 20th month and on the 20th day
I guess that is okay, for one day my daughter
Will do the same
When she reaches her 20th month and 20th day

You see when your first child only lived to 20 months and 19 days, each minute, each hour today is a new beginning and a sad ending.

What will happen that is unique? What books will we read? What colors are the butterflies that we chase? Will he choose the hotdogs or the mac and cheese? How soft is the blanket as he takes his nap? What will he smile at? Why will he laugh?

What will she miss?

Well I guess you could say, nothing important. Because I know that she will grow up, that she will be given her own time. But she will be able to grow up without all that we have to worry about today. So really it’s not what she will miss but...

Can we handle missing her?

I hope so. We hope and pray that you are happy Kennedy and we miss you but I know you will have your 20th month and 20th day and I am doing all I can so that I can be there to see it!

Kennedy