MO!!

 After Nolan, Ollie and I went to MN for the week, Jon and Seth drove up to Missouri to visit grandma and grandpa. Eli and Alexa  (plus me and O.N.) drove to meet Jon in Des Moines and we made the switcheroo and spent the remainder of the week with cousins and MO family. (Forgive me. Does that even make any sense? It seem like a simple and logical plan, which I am unable to describe. ha.)

Tree climbing Noey!

Cousin Movie Night

Our favorite Missouri farmers!

Turtle Time!

Dinner with some of our favorites.

The wind-swept look. :)

This picture makes me smile. I bet I have a picture of every single one of grandpa's grandchildren playing with his hat. 

Breakfast of champions.

Hiking around the farm. 

And of course time in the swing.

Look at this super cool project Joy and BJ were working on. Their back deck originally had no yard access, which was just silly. They improved things so much by adding a slide and stairs. The kids had a blast playing out here. 

You guys... you'll never believe it, but I also interviewed for and accepted a job while in Missouri! (The job is in Texas, don't get confused again.) Yay for zoom interviews because you can be states away and still get a job. Plus have notes and talking points spread out all around you and they can't see. Plus I wore pajama shorts. Plus I had an ice pack with me so I didn't look like I was sweating to death from nerves. 

Earlier this year I was passed over for a classroom teacher job and was pretty devastated. (That may be an understatement.) I was super excited to get another interview chance, since I haven't worked full-time in more than a decade, I think I'm somewhat of a gamble on paper. Plus for more than a year over 140 people are moving to the Austin area EVERY DAY and the teaching market is saturated. The interview went really well and I accepted a position to be Hutto Elementary's Technology Teacher. I am actually way more excited about this than being a classroom teacher and am glad I got this job rather than the first one. Anyway, I'll always have an extra fond spot in my heart for Joy and BJ's basement now as that's where I interviewed and got a job.  

Hutto-versary

One year in Hutto! Jon had a great idea to get our good friend to take pictures of our family before we moved from Lubbock. I think it's my favorite family pictures we have ever done. With all the hub-ub in moving, I forgot to post them on the blog last year. So here they are! Just in time to celebrate one year of suburban Austin life!

Laura, thank you again! I'm glad a little 'ol thing like a move hasn't come in the way of our friendship!

Minneapolis

 We are home from 2/3 of our summer traveling to M-states. (Missouri post coming soon!)

Park time! The weather was phenomenal. Summers in Minnie are where it's at. 

Mini golf! Let the record show that I was only a few strokes behind Eli. 

Neighborhood park. I have a feeling Alexa will be over here pllllllenty next summer.

Pool Time!

Family of 3, coming soon! 

Snoopy sighting while walking to the Children's Museum.

Do all young boys love dinos?

And do all big boys love launching ping pong balls?

This was an exhibit in the Children's Museum. What is the world coming to where you have to pay money and go see an exhibit to wash a car?? (And yes, I feel like an old cranky lady muttering this to myself.) 

This is terrible picture, but a super cool exhibit, where there were tons of laser lines and you had to ninja around the room without disturbing any of them. Nolan loved it!

Chilling at home!

Out for a famous Juicy Lucy with Aunt Alexa.

Just the boys playing on screens. Eli delighted all the nephews and joined Roblox.

I love my Pointdexter pose. We will get this gear figured out, yet!

Ta da! 

Dining room converting into crafting room for the newest baby girl!

The boys found an old baseball bat in a flower bed and put it to good use. 

Only Eli, Ollie, and Alexa went to the state's biggest candy store, but I hear that it did not disapoint. 

Who wore that belly better? :)

What? A soda that Ollie won't even try?

Yay! Finally found Platform 9 3/4! 

Out for some walks

And finally, some maternity pics! July is almost here!

First father's day present!

Thanks for letting us come stay for a week! We had a great time!