Decision

Our decision has been made- we are moving to California! I will be busy packing, running errands, visiting friends, Christmas shopping, and trying not to be too overwhelmed this month. Yes-we are moving before Christmas. Brent is busy studying for Boards on the 21st. Please pray for him and all that he has going on right now. I also wanted to post some fun pictures:

Casyn's bib says I love my big sister- and he does! These two really do have a bond!
I was in the kitchen, Casyn was crying and I told Aubrie to go play with him. A few minutes later he was GIGGLING! She put all of his toys around him and was singing to him. SO PRECIOUS!

This is my favorite fall shot at Gorgas park!

Just because I am busy-doesn't mean that I don't have time to make yummy pumpkin bread!

Trip to Vermont!

Last weekend we headed to Vermont, for another job interview. It was beautiful there!

Here is a shot of one of the many airplane rides(4 to be exact) we took in 4 days. This one is the way home-when they BOTH fell asleep at the same time!


This is on the upper level of the Burlington Airport. New England rocking chairs to relax in and watch the planes!

I had to get a shot of our good traveler - getting changed here in our hotel.

This is Lake Champlain. It was enormous, breath taking, and as you can see VERY cold!

This was my favorite part of the trip. Getting to see our good friends the Culbertson's while we were in Saint Albans. They were the BEST host and hostess ever-taking us on tours and to this adorable family restaurant in Burlington.

Trip to California!

What a weekend! We visited the town of Fortuna California (The friendly city). Brent had his first interview. Lets just say we were totally wined and dined. They pretty much sold us on this place. It is a tiny town population just under 11,000. Brent said he felt like the doctor on Arachnaphobia. Everyone knew who he was and why he was there. At the grocery store, the cashier asked me if I was visiting!;)


We first flew to San Francisco. From there we were waiting at the airport to fly to McKinley. We noticed our tickets said aisle 10 - so we were thinking -cool we will be at the front. Then they announced now boarding. Not zone 1 or 2 but ALL seats. This is a picture of the small plane. There were only 10 rows on the whole plane! Scary!

Brent has a friend living there- they took us to Trinidad (about an hour away) it was breathtaking.

Here is a picture of the cabin we stayed at. Complete with hottub, woodburning stove, full kitchen, greenhouse, 2 bedrooms etc... etc... it was beautiful! The entire thing had mint green tiles on the floor and long slanted wood ceilings. When we arrived there was a huge gift basket
on the kitchen table welcoming us to the Redwoods Hospital!

Little Casyn was such a GOOD baby. Here he is holding some United wings in his hand. This is the 2nd cross country trip he has taken and he is just shy of 5 months! Poor Aubrie had to stay home. We sure missed her!

Here we are at the beach. This one is only about 20 minutes from Fortuna.

We had a wonderful trip. It felt more like a vacation than an interview. Next week we are headed to Vermont. I am so excited to see it and have something to compare California with.We will hopefully know where we are moving by December- Yeah!

Trip to Utah!

We had SUCH a great trip.It was fantastic to see so many of our family and friends and FINALLY introduce everyone to Casyn! Shenell's wedding went well and my family was so great for inviting me over for dinners and watching my kids (Mom!).

Grandma Dawson

Shenell, Ryan, Hayden, Aubrie
My "favorite" niece & nephew. Over the years I have taken this picture pose with these 2. How did they get so big?!

Aubrie LOVED being with her cousins-she misses them desperately!

Even Casyn had a good time!

Everyone thank you so much- it was a much needed visit.

September Happenings

Aubrie started Pre-k at Shawmont Elementary. She is there every weekday. Some days until 3 p.m. They feed her breakfast, lunch and a snack-(my favorite part). They have dressups there (Aubrie's favorite part!)
Casyn still doesn't like his carseat;)

Brent finished his preceptorship in ER

We are on a countdown here at our house. Brent has only 60 days left until he is done with school. Then it will be time for studying for boards and amidst all this we need to decide where we should move. Exciting and scary- but mostly exciting!

Schuylkill River

We had quite the adventure Saturday night. We were just out for a leisurely stroll by the Schulykill river here in Philly- we wanted to show Casyn one of our favorite walks.

We did our usual feeding the geese. These were all in the water- after one drop of bread was thrown they swarmed us. Aubrie was totally freaked!

Here are my 2 cute kids! We were packing up to leave and decided to stop and feed Casyn before we headed home. THEN someone starts yelling- drowning- call 911. I look at Brent and say, "Well you better go" he does and it was so neat. He totally helped save this lady from drowning. Within minutes about 10 police cars show up, life flight is above us, a firetruck and ambulance. I just stood there( from a distance) trying my best to stay out of the way and answer Aubrie's questions as well as rubberneck with the locals. Crazy stuff. All I have to say is Brent is amazing- he wasn't even flustered by it and just got in the car and drove us home. Wow!

26 Days

This is what I have been devoted to for the last 26 days!!!

He is here!

Casyn Joseph is here! We had a rough time getting him here, complete with some scares- but he is here and ADORABLE! He came Saturday morning(the 19th- at 9:30 a.m.) Lucky for me 10 days early!
His measurements are EXACTLY the same as Aubrie's were. 7 pounds 12 ounces. 19 1/2 inches long. All the nurses and staff were in disbelief when we told them. I will include his birthstory and pictures soon.

The Last Month

Recently a few of my friends were giving me a hard time about not updating my blog. Well all I could think about writing is about my last month pregnancy symptoms. How my flip flops are now tight, how I pass out everyday about 2 pm, everytime I drop something on the floor I want to scream... I must admit that my least favorite thing about this stage is the comments from people. I have had some real bad ones. Some lady told me her daughter was due the same time I was but, was a lot smaller than me & was having a 7 pound baby. Another said she weighed 200 lbs. at this stage but HERS was only water weight. Today some guy asked me if I could get my daughter to push me in the grocery cart because I was so big. Um- gee thanks?!

Oh this will be over soon....
We really are so grateful to be having another one and are incredibly anxious to make sure that he is okay.

Actually, I have been having a lot of fun with Aubrie this month. We have tried to get out a lot and play before this new little one gets here.



Aubrie's last day of preschool picnic.

Our zoo pass just expired- sad- but this display is entirely made of legos!

Visit from family!

This park really has nothing but benches, grass, and this turtle but Aubrie loves it!

Room

Aubrie wants to know HOW we are going to fit her brothers crib and new clothes in her room?!

Hershey

This nice size bar cost a mere $39.95

We spent Saturday in Hershey, PA. It was a quick 2 hour drive and the whole place smells like chocolate! The streetlights on Chocolate Ave. are hershey kisses and with Aubrie's sweet tooth she was in heaven. We had a great time on the great American chocolate tour followed by spending money on crazy good candy in the HUGE gift shop, and finally a swell lunch at a cute little cafe in the museum. Such a fun day!

Easter

In March we had a blast in Utah. We celebrated Aubrie's 4th Birthday and got to catch up with lots of family and friends, (so fun)! Easter was wonderful with conference (although I must admit I felt a little strange NOT going to church on Easter), the day before we had a great Easter egg hunt organized by some friends in our ward at a local playground. I'm not sure if Aubrie had more fun running around the playground or hunting for eggs! Aubrie greeted us at 6a.m. with the news that, yes the Easter Bunny had come. I went downstairs with her, admired all "the goods" and then she helped me hide jelly beans for a living room egg hunt while Dad caught a few more minutes of sleep. It was cute, she hid about 10 in a cupboard and then as soon as the hunt started she dashed for that cupboard. BTW Dad did not win the prize for the most candy found - Aubrie did and here is her chocolate bunny reward! Then as soon as breakfast and all the fun was over I went back to bed until conference!

Snow Days & Aubrie is Getting a Brother

We are all shocked by the news of.... our new family addition will be a boy! Luckily I was able to make it to the hospital for that appointment, but church, work, school, pretty much everything else has been cancelled or postponed around here for the last few weeks. We have had one snow storm after another. I know I made fun of Philly in December for freaking out over snow, but even us local Utahn's must admit these latest storms have been BAD. In one night and a day we got 28 inches of snow, and it was a TOTAL blizzard outside. The average time of digging out your car here was 1 1/2 hours. The main problem is there is no where to put the snow. Plows sometimes come through and push the snow into parking spots, which has created fights over spots, nasty notes for taking people spots, and my personal favorite- saving your spot with a table or chair. (We laughed at first, but of course joined in). Here are some pictures of playing in the snow and my favorite part- the hot chocolate after!

20 WEEKS!!!

Yes! I have made it halfway through this pregnancy, which has been SO very different when I was pregnant with Aubrie. I just wanted to announce that my ultrasound is scheduled for Friday and I am DYING to find out. Aubrie is certain it is a girl, Brent says he doesn't care either way, I must admit I would love another little girl to make bows for and play dress up. I feel so incredibly blessed and for some reason most of my other cares are on the backburner. People keep asking me if I am counting down to Dec. for when Brent will be done with school and honestly this little one is all that matters to me right now. I am thrilled. Having said all of that, I want to know your guesses. BOY or GIRL?????????????????????