Porter's First Trip To Michigan!!!

Yay!!!! It only took 17 months to get back with him, but on our way cross country we stopped to visit my family! After 3 LONG days of driving, we got to my parents at 9 p.m. last Tuesday. We decided to stay until Sunday so that we would be in a hotel for less time after making the rest of our journey to the new destination! We were able to see quite a few people! Still didn't get enough time, but it was good to be back.

Us & My Aunt Lorene!

Us & My Grandma Tomlin (my mom's mom)

Us & My Mom & My Grandma

Us & My Dad & My Grandma

Four Generations!

One cold, muddy day, we went to the park to play. Cole was off playing basketball with Cole and so there are no pictures of him....

"Oh no I fell in the mud!!!"
 

We can't get away without fishing! My dad had the boys practice casting in the front yard without any hooks until they got the hang of it!

Then it was time for the real deal!

There were 17 fish total when they were done!
 

Dave even had a go at it!!!
 

 
Well, even though short it was still fun! I didn't take any pictures, but we spent dinner one night at my sisters with her husband and two girls. My friend Robyn also drove to my parents for a day and it was fun to hang out with her!!!!

Kangaroo Zoo.....

When we found out we were moving the boys and I went down to Centerville to play with a few friends. We ended up at Kangaroo Zoo and they all had a blast!

Aaron, Josh, Zakk, Logan, Cole, & Braxton!

Marissa & Paige!

Braxton & Logan!
 

They even had a clown that came in to do balloon animals while we were there!
 

 

A Few Other Good Friends...

These two friends of Braxton's were really good friends! He really had a hard time when we moved in with Dave's parents because he was going to miss them. He truly has and there were some nights he cried because he wanted to go back.

Braxton & Sam
 

Braxton & Brian
 

One of the first things Braxton even said when we got to Pennsylvania was promise we'll move back next year...... probably not!

It's Way Past Official!!!

I have yet to post the exciting event taking place on Saturday! We are leaving to start our journey for Pennsylvania! Dave got a job near Pittsburgh and starts there the beginning of April. We are going to make the 1900 mile drive and stop in Michigan for 2 days on the way.

So....if you haven't heard before now, now you know!!!

We will be in transition for a while also. The place we are renting won't be ready until the middle of April, so for about 2 weeks we are going to be in temporary housing until we can move in. Once we are settled and change the mail into our name I'll get the specifics out!

This Little Guy........

is super cute.....

very daring.....

sometimes tired of errands.....

NEVER tired of bbq sauce.....

obsessed with suckers.....

and lately.....

JUST PLAIN MOODY!!!!!

Currently at 16 months he has four teeth coming in on the top, two of them are molars. He will cry for hours some days and as much as I know he's in pain and I feel bad, there's only so much crying ones ears can take!!! Hopefully it won't last much longer!!!

I'm Sick.......

of being sick!!! Seriously. It started 2 weeks ago with Cole. He threw up on Monday. Braxton threw up all day Tuesday, and was still sick Wednesday. I took him to the doctor and he had strep. He stayed home on Thursday so he wasn't contagious, finally went back to school on Friday. The next week went by ok. Saturday night I was up helping Dave get ready for his flight to Pittsburgh on Sunday. It was midnight, I had heard a noise from the bedroom, but ignored it. Porter started crying. Dave went in to find Porter, Porter's bed, all down the side of his bed (and ours), and the floor covered with vomit! Poor kid, his first round of being sick. I slept on our love seat, biggest piece of furniture we have with us at the moment, and he threw up for an hour and a half every 10 minutes. All night long he was sick. Most times before I could get the bowl to his mouth. I don't know how many times he got me. Sunday around 7 a.m. the diarrhea set in. It was awful!!! He couldn't eat or drink anything the whole day. He did go most of the day without throwing up. Monday morning I wake up to him throwing up in his bed. Great still sick. Now, I'm starting to not feel hot. Tuesday, Porter is better, me....not so much. Wednesday, worst day for me! Couldn't eat or drink anything. I lost more and more energy all day and by 2 could barely move anymore. Needless to say I've dealt with this and everyone on my own for two weeks.

Last night I started to feel better. Got to bed and knew I would be better today. The next thing I know, I hear someone throwing up. I look at the clock. It's only 10:30. The room reeks, Braxton threw up EVERYWHERE in his bed. I asked if he was able to throw up in the bowl he had by him. He said yes. Then grabbed it and threw up the second time.... I stripped down his bed, got his bowl washed out, put him in a sleeping bag on his bed and laid back down. Thirty minutes later I hear it again. "Mom I got most of it in the bowl this time, only a little on my bed." I check things out. Um, Braxton you got it mostly ON your bed, BARELY any in the bowl. Once again strip down his bed, start the second load of laundry. I come back downstairs and Porter is crying.....I got him calmed down and he went back to sleep.

Today, no one has thrown up, or had diarrhea. I hope it stays that way or this mama is going to lose her MIND!!!!! Not that I haven't already!!!

5 1/2 Months...

We have been in this basement for 5 1/2 months now! I can't believe that much time has passed. At the same time gone so slow! I'm so grateful to my in-laws for letting us stay here for a while! However, I hope the stay won't be much longer. I need sunlight, lots of windows, and my own bedroom. I guess also to live with my husband :) I hope that in the near future we find a way to make things work and spread our wings again!

A Few Pictures...

What Do I Do.....

when I don't want to get back to the grind quite yet??? I change up the blog!!! Now that I'm done I should write a little post after an absence of more than a month. We have been trying to adjust to life in our new environment. We still haven't figured it out. It isn't getting any easier. If anything, we have been without Dave home every night for 5 months now. We still miss having him around. The boys and I miss Centerville terribly!!! Braxton I think is having the hardest time. He had great friends there and hasn't made many new ones here. We have gone back a couple times and I always cry on the highway when we get close cause I miss our home!!!

This winter has been long. Not too much snow, just freezing cold!!! The high everyday barely makes it higher than 10 if it even gets that warm. The nights are close to zero if not below. We don't get out much. We don't want to brave the cold if we don't have to. We have cabin fever in the worst way I'm affraid!!!

Christmas was fun. This year was small and simple. It was the first year our boys knew about "Santa" and suprisingly it was still fun for them. They were really worried that there wouldn't be much this year, but when it came down to Christmas morning, it didn't seem to matter and they were happy with what they got.

I have been staying way too busy with the boys, the laundry, the cleaning, the housework, and doing it alone. I have been watching Dave's nephew since shortly after we moved in. He is about nine months younger than Porter and it got to the point I decided I couldn't do it anymore. Everything was always a disaster and I felt bad for Braxton and Cole cause they were feeling left out with two babies in the house. I am only going to watch him now on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a few hours each day. Hopefully it will be easier for all of us!!!

Getting older and becoming more of an adult is a lot harder than I ever thought it would be. We have made many mistakes along the way that have put us where we are today. If I could go back and change it all I would. I would have made wiser choices. I can't go back. I only have to make lemonade out of the lemons we grew, and hope that one day we can find the right recipe to make life sweet!!!

Porter's 1 Year Pictures!