On the Move: Road Trip Life

Here are some pics from the road trip across the country. I drove the boys, while Justin drove the moving truck, pulling the Honda on a trailer. We all stopped at a hotel halfway to South Dakota, then we made the second leg of the trip in one day.

Donovan found some cookies. Who can say no to a face like that?

It was his 18 month birthday, so why not celebrate with a cookie the size of his head. First he picked at all the chocolate candies in it, then he nibbled on that cookie for a good three hours, and then fell asleep with it, half-eaten, in his car seat.

This is the best McDonald's playground I've ever found. We've visited a lot, too. It's fun to find ones with unique themes. This had a piano slide that played the keys as you slid. The drums really drummed. And that's a red guitar on the ground, you can also play music on that.

And of course, they had to play chopstix. We're working on Heart and Soul.

On the Move: Stop in South Dakota

I packed up all our mini life in Alabama, and Justin came home two days before we moved and piled it all in the Penske truck we rented. I will miss being so close to family. And I will miss my friends in the south. I am excited to live in the same house as Justin again, so if that means leaving my friends and family behind to do so, then so be it. Here comes the next adventure!
On our way west, we stayed with Justin's family in South Dakota for about ten days. It was nice to be with his family. It was really, really cold. I've been to South Dakota at this time of year before, the first time I met Justin's family. It was cold then, too. Stacy was with me, and we almost died in a whiteout storm on I-80. I thought I'd promised myself to never drive through that part of the country in the winter again. Oh well. We did it. The windchill this time was negative twenty-seven degrees. I looked outside and it looked like glitter falling from the sky. Justin warned me that if the snow looks like that, you stay indoors. (And that was coming from an Eskimo!) I knew it had to be cold.
The last couple days warmed up for us, though. It was nice to see everyone again.

Daddy came home for good!

Our mini-life, all packed away and shoved in a corner.

In South Dakota, enjoying Daddy.

TV time

The Pantry Pencil Sharpener

Due to arctic temperatures, we sought indoor entertainment. Mason wanted to set up the pins HIS way.

It's warm enough to go outside!!!!!

Once we got out, Justin made sure to do one of his favorite pastimes-- yelling "I love you!" up the Yankton water tower.

Donovan only wanted to play on the oldschool playground equipment.

I felt really sick once we got to SD. So I took a test. I am pregnant! And I really was sick, too. Unfortunately, the rest of the house got sick as well. I'm just grateful it was a bug and not morning sickness!

And here is a music video for your enjoyment.

Last Days in Alabama

What are my boys going to do without their Grandma to take them on a Bear Hunt?!

Marshmallow igloo. I told Mason to make a funny face for the pic.

Race car games on the Wii.

Donovan finally wears shades! It's hard to keep them up on his little button nose, but it's so cute.

Mmmmm

Corn Husker

Bathtime!

Bubble Gun. It was cold and rainy.

Mason wrote his name for the first time! He hasn't really shown interest in writing letters until now.

Snow in Alabama

It snowed in Alabama. The boys LOVED it! I hope they love it when we have it all the time, all over the place.

"Mom, we're standing in real snow! Can I make a snow angel? I want to throw a snowball!"

Quick Trip to Georgia

We made a quick trip to GA to go to my very good friend, Megan Bartlett's, baby shower. I'm going to miss them so much when we move!!!!

Hangin with the peeps

Mason had a ball on the trampoline with Jessie's daughter, Lexi.

What would I do on my road trips without Cracker Barrel?

Wii Dancin

Here are two videos of dancing entertainment. The first is shorter than the second. The second is for those who really really need a lot of Mason in their lives. Maybe if Mason learns from his Aunt Lisa he'll have a chance at shakin it to the rythm. He's not going to get it from his parents.


 And this one goes on for a while. I wish you could hear the music a little better. I just can't get enough of his little wiggle.

A Rocky Start of 2013

Justin said goodbye to us a few days after Christmas for a month-long journey to DC and Colorado. I spent New Years with some friends at a party (missing my husband the whole time). The New Year brought us lots of hospital visits. Grandpa Cheesman was in the hospital with blood clot issues and kidney failure, but thankfully he's okay. 

Grandpa can still read stories in the hospital.

And then Donovan got RSV and he and I spent the night in the hospital. Since RSV can be fatal for infants (Donovan was old enough for it not to be too worrisome), we were kind of treated like a biohazard. The doctors and nurses didn't want to spread it to the other kids in the hospital. Poor Donovan thought it was the end of the world. First they made him wear a bracelet. Not happy. Then they made him do a breathing treatment. Twice. He fought the entire fifteen minutes of the first one. He kept looking at me, wondering why I was letting them torture him so. The second treatment was an hour and a half long. He gave up and fell asleep during that one. Poor guy. Then they vacuumed out his sinuses. That one killed me. His oxygen levels were still down after all that, so he was admitted. I wonder, however, if that really needed to happen. They put an oxygen monitor on his toe, which he immediately began yanking at with all his strength. I checked it and it had been pulled apart and the wires were exposed. His readings kept jumping all over the place. They didn't take me seriously when I requested a new one. The next morning I insisted he get a new one, they put it on, and from that time forth his oxygen levels were just fine. We went home. He doesn't trust doctors much now. I'm grateful that I had my parents to help with Mason while Justin was out of town.

He fought the bracelet for about half an hour. I wanted to capture the moment.

Second breathing treatment, too tired to fight it anymore.

The breathing treatment made him hyper, and he was a ball of energy when my mom came to visit.

Literally jumping up and down in his crib. This is about an hour after that second breathing treatment.

Trying to find entertainment.

I love those legs.