Catching up. . .

So YES, we are back in Utah. Back into the basement apartment we lived in as newlyweds. It's weird how life tosses you around sometimes! We are doing well, and the kids are as happy as can be to have all the cousins and grandparents and aunts and uncles to play with. It took me about 1 hour within being back in the valley to get some Granato's into my belly. And another day or two for some Italian Village. You just can't beat going out to lunch!

We spent about a week packing up and moving and unpacking, and it is so not very fun. But we had loads of fabulous helpers, and luckily Chris has really big bumps. (oh, bumps are muscles - it's a long story from my nephew's childhood. But basically he thought chris and hercules and the work out guy on a infomercial had the same size bumps!) And LUCKILY I am really good at supervising and telling people how to lift and move boxes around. GOOD THING!

A few photos for giggles:
I had to clean out the puppy's ears with cotton balls, and Thatcher decided to do his own as well.


We had a 'carnival' at the elementary school and Thatcher was absolutely infatuated with the mascot. He kept following him and hugging him and trying to tell him stuff. It's funny, cause Gretchen always cried and ran away from mascots. It's so weird having a boy who is into everything and fearless!


So Grandma and Grandpa Holmes flew down to help us drive back (Grandpa drove our other car while Chris drove the moving truck and Grandma helped me out with the kids). The kids were pretty good. We did have the pleasure of spending the night in Beaver, which was actually nice. I was pretty wiped out and it was late. But Thatcher had this funny obsession with markers on his face. . .
This was the second day and try as I might to be mad about it, I just couldn't help but giggle when I looked at him! He had of course done it the day before with brown marker, but not nearly as bad. Luckily, I have limited him to the washable markers!

So Gretchen started her first day of school with only minor tears, and the second day with smiles. She is loving having only half day kindergarten, and making new friends. Mostly she looks forward to riding the bus home!