Fun Together

I loved our time together today.  We went to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park for a couple hours after lunch today.  The rangers had a free program about frogs for the kids and then we went for a walk in the national park.  The river was flowing VERY fast from all the snow runoff.  Joshie kept climbing on the wood railings and scaring this poor mother half to death.  I would hold onto his shirt, which he did not like, but I was scared he would topple right over.  He, of course, had no fear of it all.  The park looks so different from when we went hiking there last summer when Alanna and Eric were here because the trees are all still barren of leaves but it was great to be outside enjoying the time together.  The railroad runs through the park and you can go on a scenic train ride through the park (about 2 hours long).  The kids really want to do this and we told them we would take them sometime but we would rather do it in the summer or even fall when the leaves are changing colors and it will be prettier.  They think it would be fun to do when family comes to visit us.   After our time at the National Park we headed to a playground to run off more energy and enjoy the outdoors.  It is amazing how warm 55 degrees feels to us now!  After coming home the kids spent even more time outside before coming in for baths, stories, and bed.  Days like today really make me excited for the fun activities we can enjoy as the weather turns warmer in the coming months.

Could it be Spring?

The kids assure me that it really is Spring because the calendar said the first day of spring was sometime last month.  I have been reluctant to agree with the snow we continue to receive.  Yesterday afternoon, however, the snow had melted and it was really quite nice outside.  We headed outside after naptime and had so much fun.  I think I had forgotten how wonderful it is to get outside and just play.  It was amazing to hear the kids laughing and giggling as they rode their bikes and scooters.  Soon they were off running around finding rocks for their "rock collection" and climbing in the trees.  They were amazed to see some flowers beginning to bloom from the bulbs.  We picked weeds, cut back a bush we had forgotten to before all the snow came (it had been completely flattened from the heavy snowfall) and just loved being in the yard.  Sammy and Joshie found every mud pile imaginable and were in absolute heaven jumping in the mud, picking it up and watching it ooze through their fingers, and making prints in it.  We loved being outside and it made me even more anxious for more days like this.  I am amazed at how quickly our grass has greened up as well.  Our backyard, especially, is already a vibrant green.  It was brown and dead just a few days ago from being dormant in the winter.  I thought for sure it was going to take longer to green up.  I am pleasantly surprised.  I can't wait to experience an Ohio Spring.  We've been told it is just beautiful! 

Winter's Not Over Yet

I guess the warm up over the weekend was nothing more than a teaser for us. Sunday evening brought snow and then another ice storm. Monday was another day of super low temperatures and then snow really started to fall in the afternoon. In about 10 hours we got about 8 inches of new snow. It is cold again and we are back into a winter wonderland. The days of seeing green and the kids playing in the mud almost seem like a dream now. We have been told that we can expect snow storms and ice storms through the end of March. We can't count winter over until at least April.

(If you look closely at the branches you can see ice hanging from them.)

Another Snow Day

We were notified last night that there would be another snow day today. Joel and I headed out again this morning to shovel to find another foot of snow since less than 12 hours earlier when we last cleared the driveway. There was so much this morning that it was actually faster to just shovel than to use the snowblower. When we were about halfway through our driveway we looked at each other and Joel asked me, "Are we still having fun?" It's amazing how different we look at the situation from just a week ago. It seemed to take an extra long time shoveling this morning. Maybe because we are tired (physically tired as well as tired of shoveling). We also were tyring to figure out where to put the snow we were shoveling off the driveways. We can't find the sidewalk anymore so we didn't even bother with shoveling that today. Just enough of our driveway and Sue Ann's to get the cars out. There is also a lot of snow hanging off the roof that we need to knock down too. I knocked a huge section off Sue Ann's roof today just as a HUGE gust of wind came by and blew it all on top of me. I thought the below zero temp was cold but it was nothing compared to that temperature with snow down my coat and shirt! We actually have had very little new snow for most of the day today (I don't need to shovel for Joel to get back into the garage!) but it is supposed to start up again by 5:00 tonight. It is just beautiful outside though!

What were we thinking?

That is the question that was going through my head tonight as I was shoveling the driveway again today so Joel could pull in after work tonight. We have over 3 feet of snow now and this storm is supposed to continue through Wednesday and then Thursday we get a reprieve before it starts again on Friday. We got just enough cleared for Joel to get into the driveway when he got home and then we were working on the rest when the missionaries showed up for dinner. The 4 Elders were so kind to help us finish our driveway and Sue Ann's. It went a lot faster with all of their help. Joel even had to resuce Spring tonight when she got stuck in the snow in the side yard. It was past her waist and she couldn't move. I wish he had the camera to capture it but we didn't! The kids are hoping for another snow day tomorrow and I would be surprised if that wish doesn't come true.

Snow Day

We have our first snow day today! The kids have all declared it an official pajama day as well. Joel and I got up around 5:15 this morning to about 9 inches of new snow and headed outside to clear the driveway for him to get to work. We would make one swipe of the driveway and when we looked back the ground was covered again. We finished our driveway and Sue Ann's. Within an hour of clearing it there were already at least 2 inches on the ground again. Joel worked from home for the first few hours and then decided to clear off the "bus" and try to get in to work. The residential roads had not been plowed yet and he knew he wouldn't be able to get anywhere in the car. It took him over 45 minutes to get into work where it usually takes him about 15-20 minutes because all the roads were so bad. The wind is blowing too so at times we can't see our neighbor's house behind us. The kids are all having fun playing it (they are already hoping for another snow day tomorrow) and then they have to come inside because it is so cold with the windchill. Most of the snow had been washed away yesterday morning and early afternoon due to the freezing rain we had before the snow came. I can't even imagine what the accumulation would have been like if all the snow from last week's storm was still on the ground. It is beautiful outside and I am so grateful for a roof over our head to keep us dry and warm.

Pure Joy

We woke up to about 7 inches of new snow this morning. Our wonderful neighbor, SueAnn, had offered to let him use her snowblower so Joel told her he would clear her driveway everyday too. Spring and Joel hung some Christmas lights for her last night so she sent the snowblower home with Joel so he could just leave it in the garage. It was such a blessing to have this morning. He started clearing driveways at about 5:15 this morning. I finished feeding Gideon and then went out around 5:30 to help shovel the patio, walkways, and around the "bus". Around 5:45 Thomas came out all bundled in his snow clothes and said very enthusiastically, "I'm ready to help you guys!" So he grabbed a shovel and headed to SueAnn's house to shovel her walkway and porch. We were done by about 6:15. While Joel showered I made french toast (everyone was awake now except Joshie) and we all had breakfast together before Joel headed off to work.

The older kids hurried to get all their responsibilities finished and then they wanted to go play in the snow. Thomas, Spring, Sammy, Mary, and I headed outside to play in the snow. Even with all the prodding from everyone Joshie was not going to even think about going out to play in the snow. They played outside from about 7:30 this morning until almost 9:00 when the bus finally came (it was 1/2 hour late). Then Sammy and Mary stayed outside playing. I loved watching and listening to our kids as they just loved every moment playing in the snow. They were so excited to play with each other and fall in the snow, crawl around, throw snowballs at each other. Mary would be walking to keep up with the others and I could hear her say, "Wait up guys...I keep sinking!" It was really cute. Sammy just had this sparkle of pure joy in his eyes. He discovered he could run in the ruts made by car tires and then slide on his feet. He told me, "Mom you gotta try this. It's the most fun in the whole world!" When I told him I didn't want to try it he said again, "Come on Mom. It's just great! Just try it and you won't want to stop doing it!" I did try it and it was quite fun. I'm just glad I didn't fall!

The snow is continuing to fall quite hard and is not expected to slow down until late Tuesday night. We are in a "lake effect snow warning" (I think that is what it is called) until late Tuesday night. Later this afternoon we are supposed to have blowing snow (not sure what that will be like really). I plan to stay home with the kids today and enjoy it. I'm sure we will be outside playing a lot today!

Going to Church with Snow

We realized another new thing this morning. It is not quite so easy to get to church in the morning when there is snow on the ground. We got some snow during the night and the "bus" that we need to take to church so we can all fit in it can't fit in the garage. We are spoiled to usually get into vehicles while they are in the garage. Spring actually asked if we could just take 2 cars so we didn't have to go outside in the cold to go to church. Joel was so kind to us all and shoveled a path from the front door to the van so we wouldn't have to walk through the snow to get in the van. He also had to wipe snow and then scrape ice off the windshield. I was grateful he did this for us and so was Joshie because he is still afraid of the snow. He likes to look at it but he refuses to step in it. He will just stand there saying, "snow. Snow." until someone carries him to dry ground. He is going to have to get used to it soon. When we got to church Joel helped me get the kiddos inside and then headed back out for some more snow shoveling and throwing out salt at the church. It is cold and expected to get colder all week. It has been snowing all day today so I am sure there will be more for the kids to enjoy in the morning.

Going to School in the Snow

We woke up this morning to snow beginning to fall. The kids were beyond excited and wanted to run out in it first thing this morning. Only after finally allowing them to run out did they realize how cold it really was and wanted to come right back in. The ground was frozen because it rained all day yesterday and then temperatures dropped drastically overnight. I am a little anxious because it seems we have hit winter here. High temperatures dropped 20 degrees from yesterday to today and for the next 10 days we have snow forecasted each day with temperatures not forecasted out of the 20's. Those cold temperatures paired with 20 MPH winds, and the wetness makes for cold weather for us Californians! I know we will adjust and things will be fine but it is a new experience for us and the unknown can be intimidating. Thomas and Spring were excited to walk to the bus stop today in the snow. I hope they didn't slip on the icy sidewalks. I am excited to hear about their day when they get home. I had to get a picture of them on the first day they went to school in the snow.

Our Saturday

Joel and I were able to go to the temple last night together. We left home at 4:30 and got back around 1:00 am. Needless to say we were not ready to get up this morning when the kids were ready for us to but we did anyway. After breakfast we decided to check out some local farms that sell their produce. We have been told that sweet Ohio corn is the best you can get and we were not disappointed! It is delicious. We also found a U-Pick farm and picked lots of green beans. The kids got stuck in the mud in the fields since most of us wore flip-flops. Sammy's whole foot actually got stuck in the mud and then Spring got stuck trying to help him get unstuck! I should have gotten some after pictures of the mess but I didn't. We discovered they have U-Pick for all kinds of berries as well but we missed it for this year. We will have to do that next year.

We came home to wash up and some of the kids had to change clothes. We had a quick lunch and then headed to Amish Country. There is the largest community of Amish and Mennonite people about an hour from where we live. We could tell we were getting closer as we started to see horse drawn carriages in the roads and fields of wheat and hay that are not done with machines. The area is breathtakingly beautiful. There are rolling green hills and quaint barns and homes. Spring was in love with all the horses she saw. We were able to visit their heritage center and go on a tour that explained more of their history and beliefs. It was quite interesting. We visited a one-room school house which is still how they are schooled. We were shown a barn and they explained how the barns are built. We saw carriages and were able to get inside the carriage. We enjoyed driving around the community and seeing all the little shops and experiencing their lifestyle for a short time. We are in awe that they are willing and happy to live such a simple life. There really is so much we can learn from them. They are a very Christ-like people. Spring really wanted to be able to ride in a carriage being pulled by horses or be able to pet a horse but we didn't get to do that today. It was really interesting and quite inspiring to see that the community pretty much shut down once 5:00 came around. All the shops were closed and there were not people working in the fields any longer. It was family time. We will definitely return again to experience and enjoy the serenity of the area.

Kirtland

We went to visit Kirtland today. We toured the Kirtland Temple and then spent a couple hours at Historic Kirtland. The kids really enjoyed it. Thomas told me he was so happy to see all these places that he had seen in movies and read about. He told me it was hard to believe he actually was in Kirtland...somewhere that Joseph Smith had been and where Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ had visited. In the evening we attended a musical put on by the Kirtland Stake entitled, "This is Kirtland." It told the story of the early Saints in Kirtland. It was a very enjoyable day. We are glad Alanna and Eric could be with us and that we were able to let our children have this opportunity. Spring has already asked me when we will go back.

Lake Erie

I never imagined I would see Lake Erie-let alone swim in it! We did just that today. We spent 6 hours at Lake Erie having a wonderful time. It is only about an hour from our home. It was a beautiful day and the water temperature was perfect. We felt like we were at the ocean because you couldn't see the other side of the lake; however, it was so relaxing to swim and play in the water without all the waves of the ocean. There was a large swimming area that was shallow enough that the kids could touch for the most part. We spent almost the entire day in the water. Mary was a little daredevil in the water and loved being with Uncle Eric wherever he was. Joshie kept wanting Aunt Alanna to thow him up in the air out in the water. At one point he fell asleep on the boogie board out in the lake. Thomas and Spring enjoyed diving under the water looking for different rocks. Sammy liked building sandcastles and also riding the waves (from the boats) on the boogie board. It was so much fun and something we will definitely have to do again very soon.

Campfire and Fireflies

We had a wonderful evening tonight. We made a fire in our firepit in the backyard. We roasted marshmallows for smores. Mary just liked roasting (or burning) the marshmallows and then letting someone else use them for smores. She didn't like to eat them herself. Joshie liked blowing the fire off the marshmallows. Scout loved cleaning up the marshmallows and crackers that fell to the ground. Thomas and Spring made pinhole planetariums and looked at constellations. They all had fun jumping on the trampoline as well. When it started to get dark (around 9:45 pm) they were in awe to see fireflies for the first time. They went around the yard and, with the aid of Dad, caught fireflies. It was so fun to watch them get so excited. Then we all just relaxed by the fire and sang some songs before having family prayer and them going to bed. It was a wonderful evening to enjoy the beauty we are surrounded by, to relax, and to enjoy time with each other. We will definitely be doing this again soon. We also think it will be fun to start the fire up in the morning for the kids to make bacon and eggs in a paper bag or muffins in an orange peel!

Our Library

I love our library here in town. When we left Manteca for Lemoore the library program was one of the things we missed the most. We spent so much time at the library in Manteca; however, the Lemoore library left a lot to be desired and unfortunately, we didn't spend much time there. We are in heaven with our library here. We attend the library at least twice a week and we can spend a couple hours there easy. The entire 2nd level is the children's area full of books, games, puzzles, toys, train table, aquariums, and lots of places to enjoy reading together. A huge bonus is that it is air conditioned which has been really nice with all the hot humid days we are having. Free AC is always appreciated!

The kids have been busy with the summer reading program. Spring finished it today and received her final prizes. They also have storytime 3 days a week and lots of craft activities throughout the week for the kids. Thomas and Spring will be attending a science challenge tomorrow all about the science of water and on Saturday they get to attend a workshop on making pop up books. I am so grateful for the many activities and experiences they are having at the library here. They all ask me (including Joshie) if we are going to the library everyday.

Tour of our Home

Keeping Busy in an Empty House

We had a fun week exploring the area last week while we were awaiting our household goods to arrive. We went to parks each day, the library almost daily, and played with the few little toys we brought with us on the plane. The kids really like the park with the hiking trails. We hiked for a while and they found a river to play in. This entertained them for a long time and they were all soaking wet and muddy for the drive home. We will spend a lot of time there this summer, I think. The kids were so good. We were happy to recieve our household goods on Saturday though and have been busy ever since unpacking and organizing.

Our Whirlwind trip to Ohio

We woke the kids up at 4:30 am Saturday morning to head to the airport. The rental car was jam packed with luggage but we made the 3 minute drive just fine. We really thought we were giving ourselves lots of extra time for our flight but as it turned out 2 1/2 hours was just the right amount of time. We got to the gate about 15 minutes before loading began.

It was quite the ordeal getting all the luggage and kiddos into the airport from the car. We all, including the kids, made an initial trip in with some luggage. We then had the kids sit in chairs by the luggage as we made a few more trips to get the remainder of the luggage. We then found a cart to put some of the luggage on while we headed to check our baggage. Let me tell you...it takes FOREVER to check in 11 pieces of luggage and 2 carseats. The kids had fun during the process watching the luggage go on the conveyor belt though. Mary put her backpack on the ground and layed her head on it and fell asleep while she was waiting. After getting our baggage checked we only had the kiddos, the puppy, 1 carseat, and backpacks for each child. Going through security was really quite easy. The kids did wonderfully and were so well behaved. It then took us a while to make the trek to the gate. Joshie decided he did not want to wear the backpack with the "leash" on it and promptly threw himself on the floor and started to cry. It was actually quite comical.


The first flight was great. Spring was scared and needed to hold my hand during take off. Other than that it was uneventful. Mary slept almost the entire flight. Thomas and Spring read books, wrote in their journals, and played games together. Sammy talked, talked, and talked some more. Joshie slept some and then just looked around a lot.

We landed in Dallas and had to take the Skyrail to another terminal. Sammy and Mary were in heaven that we were able to "ride on a train." We had just enough time for them all to go potty, take Scout potty, and grab some lunch for the kids before boarding our final flight. This time Spring informed me that she did not need to hold my hand anymore. Spring slept all the way through this flight as did Joshie. Mary sang songs almost the entire flight; some recognizable songs and some she made up herself. Thomas read books the whole flight. And, you may ask, what did Sammy do? Well, he talked, talked, and talked some more. When we began our descent into Cleveland Sammy kept saying, "YEA! We're in Ohio. I can't believe we're in Ohio!"

We then just had to get our luggage and then take a 7 minute shuttle ride to the rental car area. We got a rental car and headed to the hotel. Most of the kids fell asleep on the drive. Spring and I then went to the grocery store and ended up getting TV dinners for dinner that night. We were all so tired and didn't want to eat much. We ended up getting to bed around 11:30 Ohio time (8:30 CA time). It was a rude awakening this morning when we had to wake up all the kids for church at 4:00 CA time. They were all so tired that they didn't even eat breakfast. At church Spring, Mary, and even Sammy fell asleep in Sacrament Meeting. For the rest of the day we haven't done much. We are all really tired and suffering from jet lag. We are able to get into our home in the morning and it will be nice to not be in hotels anymore. I think I would prefer sleeping on the floor and having no furniture to living in hotels. The one downside is we will be without internet for a couple weeks.

We are grateful the kids did so well for us during the travleing. They were amazing and we couldn't have asked for any more from them. We will see how the next few weeks go.

Random Happenings in the last few days

The last few days have been interesting. We feel we are in a state of limbo as we try to finish up things here and prepare to move next week. The kids are excited for all the new adventures...especially the airplane ride. I don't know how prepared I am for the plane ride, though. I know it will be fun and much better than driving. I just keep running different scenarios through my head. Can you just see us with 5 little kids, a puppy, carseats, and luggage getting through security at the airport! I am sure people will be amused and get a laugh out of it. It will be fun. It has been fun to listen to them ask questions and talk with each other about all our new adventures. They are also sad to leave their friends and teachers behind here.

Here are a few pictures and a video of some of our happenings. We were able to be at Neoni's baptism on Saturday. He had asked Joel to baptize him. We are so grateful he was baptized before we moved. Spring and Thomas mowed the lawn on Saturday and Joel thought Spring looked so cute with her pink hat on that he had to take a picture. Scout loves to "wrestle" with Sammy. By the time we got the video rolling they were about done so you don't get the full effect. Sammy had been giggling and rolling around on the floor as Scout was chewing on his ears and nose. It really was quite funny but the video doesn't do it justice. We are grateful for the time to have Joel home with us the next couple weeks as we prepare for our adventure.

Day 2 in Ohio

Hi Thomas, Spring, Sammy, Mary, and Joshie!

We have had fun today finding lots of new and exciting things. We are so excited to bring you all here and let you see all these things too. Here are some pictures to help you see what it will be like. We love you and miss you!

WATERPARK AT THE HOTEL: This is an indoor water area at the hotel we are staying in. We will stay at this hotel for the first couple nights after we move here so we thought you would love to see the fun you will be able to take part in when we are here.

ECHO HILLS ELEMENTARY: This will be your new school. It is Kindergarten through 4th grade. The school is all indoors and you get a locker in the hallway to keep your jackets, backpacks, lunch, and your winter clothing.

SKIP PLAYGROUND: This playground is HUGE and amazing. Sammy, you will love climbing all over and finding lots of hiding places at this park.

LIBRARY: We were in awe when we walked into this library. The entire second floor is the Children's section. There is storytime 3 days a week, craft programs, free typing classes for the children, weekly programs about science, crafts, and other subjects, and lots of other great things. There are so many great things to check out from the library...puppets, science experiment kits, hands on learning kits, audio books, and many more things. We will be spending lots of time together here!

ARBORETUM: This park is amazing. There are hiking trails that just go off into the woods for a long way...we went for a long time and still didn't come to the end of the trail. It is so peaceful and so beautiful. We could hear birds the entire time and that is about all we heard.

PLUM CREEK PARK: This park is close to Daddy's work. There is a creek that runs around the park. There are basketball courts, ballfields, playground, and lots of grassy fields.

We can't wait to bring you here. We know you are going to love it!

Love, Mom and Dad

Our New House

Here is our new home.

This park is a couple blocks from the house.

This is the building we will be attending church at.