Moving is NOT for the weak and faint of heart....

So, this is going to be boring and pretty short.  But, I needed to take a break from all this packing and cleaning!  And....Sedona is FINALLY taking a nap and I could use one too, but instead, I will blog...(what the?! oh yeah, my bed is in storage. no nap for me.)  Anyway, I have been so busy getting ready to move that I just haven't had time for a really good post.

I always forget how many things have to be done before moving out of an old place and into a new...besides the packing and cleaning!  Call your current electric and gas companies to cancel service...pay bills and disconnecting fees with both, call electric and gas companies for NEW apartment and pay CONNECTION fees for both, arrange cable and internet for new apartment as well as washer/dryer rental delivery, renter's insurance and of course, gym memberships.  ( I GOTTA have my gym this summer. Last summer was sooo hard for me to not have a place to release my stress! And working out at home for me is SO NOT motivating or stress-relieving.) Call bank and let them know you are moving so when they see account activity in WY, CO, TX, and OK they don't FREEZE your card and leave you stranded. With no money. for 24 hours....uhg.

Okay, so I have a friend in OKC already (the company owner and his wife) who has done all the grunt work for finding the apartments, etc. I really am grateful for that.  Our apartments are also furnished...another HUGE blessing!  We also work with and for amazing, honest, kind, and FUN people.  Seriously.  I could not be happier and more excited about our new adventure! We also get to end our summer with these amazing people on a cruise ship to Mexico.  My first. EVER. And I am so excited.  Talk about motivation to stay in shape this summer!

I will miss our friends and family here.  A lot.  I am sad for my Baby Girl, who is already struggling with this change in her world.  I am sad that she will not be close to her Mimi and Jojo and her Grannie and Grandpa and the Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins who love her so much.  I get choked up just thinking about it.  I am sad for her (and Austin and me) that she has to be in a car for 19 hours, because she HATES traveling!  But, I am so excited to take her to the Zoo and go swimming at the pool at our complex and watch her learn how to walk and talk and interact with her friends K and JL, and make more friends....so many good things ahead! I just wish she understood....

Well, that's about it for now. Sorry no pics this time.  I will try and post as soon as we get all settled into our new place in OKC!! Until then....

An Afternoon at the Park

Today was such a gorgeous day in Rexburg! We just had to go out and take advantage of the sunshine and the fact that we didn't have to even wear a jacket! Sedona LOVES to go to the park and see all the other kids and swing on the swings.  Austin doesn't have class on Thursdays so we were able to get him to come with us. It was so much fun!

She may look just like her Daddy, but when it comes to LOVIN' the sunshine, she is deffinitly MINE! Here she is just soakin' up that sun!

Daddy really is the best "pusher" at the swings!

Kiwi Loco is just down the street from Porter Park. OF COURSE we had to finish our outing with a little frozen yogurt! It was an awesome day!

My Silly Girl

I LOVE these two! After a few days away from her Poppy, Sedona misses him something fierce.  She is such a Daddy's girl and I love it! 

One of her new tricks. I say, "how big's baby?!" She raises her hands above her head and we say, "So BIG!"  She loves it and will do it over and over.

This morning after she woke up from her nap, she was being so silly! 

I seriously cannot get enough of that sweet little face.  She brightens my every day and I LOVE every...er, uh....okay, MOST every moment at home with her.  I can't believe she is getting so big, but I really enjoy her fun personality and how much she is learning.  Being a mom is the best!

Prom

I would rather have been able to go watch Tessa compete in her State Basketball tournament. But, that didn't work out...  Last week, Austin had 3 big exams so that's why Sedona and I took off and went to WY.  It just happened to be Tessa's Jr. Prom last weekend. 

Tessa before:  beautiful but makeup-less and hair not quite as done as she would like it for a formal....whew that was a long description!

Livi did her hair, I did her makeup. 

Livi said, "When I do this I have so much fun and I think, 'I am in the wrong kind of school!'" She did a fantastic job and Tessa loved it!

The audience:

After: Taffy said, "wowza!"  I agree...

LOVE her dress!

Dad reading Colt's "application to date your daughter."  Uncle Chad said it would be a good idea for Tessa's prom date to fill this out and get it to Dad.  Dad agreed. So, Tessa gave it to Colt when she told him she would go to prom with him.  It was really cute and it got some good chuckles out of Dad.  The application was acceptable and Colt was granted permission to take our baby to the dance.

So cute.  Grandma Teichert said she looked "breath-taking" and he looked so "classic and handsome."

Tessa's best friend and cousin, Brigham Teichert.  To top off the night, Tess was crowned Prom Queen.  Congratulations, Tess!

COUSINS!!!

I cannot, for the life of me, find the pic I took of Sedona and her Micheli cousins this past Fall...I so wanted to put that pic on this post! I guess that's what I get for putting the hiatis on blogging for most of last year.  ):

Sedona LOVES playing with other kids, ESPECIALLY her cousins.  She is so happy to just play play play and I love watching her interactions with them.  This last week, we took a trip to Star Valley and then Cokeville to see family.  We had such a great time and I feel so blessed that we are close enough to them that we can just go when we want/need to! 

Kimball and his black-eye...when I asked him how it happened, this was the conversation:

"I bonked my head on the top of Tel's head."

"owweee, did that hurt?" (dumb question, I know)

"Yes! It hurted real bad!"

Tel chimes in..."No it didn't!"

Kimball replies: "Well not you! ME!"

Tami's youngest, Owen.  Seriously?! Look at that face. He is so adorable. I could kiss his cheeks all day and still not get enough of him.

Not the BEST picture of Tel, But I love it because it captures all his silliness! He is such a good little boy, trying to always do his "chores" and help whenever he can.  He said to me, "Violet, will you play with Owen for a little bit? That would be a BIG help to me."  Glad I can help you, Tel.

These 4 munchkins had a lot of fun together!

 Wednesday evening I got to go watch Tami play volleyball with her city league team.  It was so fun to watch her play. I wish I had taken a few pictures.  In the middle of her game I texted my Mom and Dad just to let them know that she's still "got it."  They weren't surprised.  

I also got to watch Tel at his pee-wee wrestling meet.  (Casey really is a very nice guy, I just caught him off guard ...thus the "if looks would strike you dead" look)  

Tel and Levi...his mom's cousin's little boy ( i know, i know...)

We had a lot of fun in SV and then got to head over to Cokeville to help Tessa get ready for her Junior Prom and to see Aunt Livi one last time before we move to Oklahoma City!

Emotions

I know you all have at least one child who is not a "cuddle bug."  I hoped so much that Sedona would be.  It started off easy to cuddle her. She had no choice.  And, she was too little to push away from me!  She was an infant that HAD to be swaddled, though, or she would not sleep.  As time has gone by and she has gotten older (and bigger) she has become exactly what I feared...INDEPENDENT and completely un-cuddly. (if that is even a word)  Not that independence is a bad thing, it will serve her well. And I quite enjoy that she is self-entertained and that she likes to do things by herself.  She is sassy and full of personality that totally reminds me of myself as a young kid. (maybe this isn't so good...)
Anyway, it has been quite a while since Sedona has wanted (or allowed) me to swaddle her.  It has been MONTHS since she last let me rock her to sleep and sing to her.  She is great about letting me give her a bottle and then placing her in her crib, shutting the door, and then going to sleep on her own.  I know, every mother's dream, right?! And I should be dancing in circles with gratitude that she is so. dang. easy.  Not so...not for me, anyway.
She is my only baby. For now. Maybe forever.  I HAVE the time to cuddle and sing and rock her to sleep!
Well, today, for some reason, she didn't follow her normal routine.  I did exactly what we have been doing for the last several months (even when she was sick) and ten minutes went by and she was not sleeping.  Fifteen. Twenty. Still upset.  I went into her room and picked her up. She snuggled right into me.   "Wow. Okay, I'll take that!"  I sat in the practically unused rocking chair and began to rock her.  She squirmed and pointed for the door.  "Well, that was short-lived," I thought.  But no, she needs to take her nap.  So, I held her tighter and she fought it, but only for a second.  As she relaxed I started to sing to her.  "I Am A Child Of God."  Her favorite song since she was an infant.  She relaxed and put her hand on my face.  Heaven. This must be what Heaven is like.
Within the time it took me to sing 3 Primary songs, Sedona was fast asleep. In my arms. I didn't want to let her go.  My baby is getting so big. So...grown-up.  I was filled with emotions.  Lots of happiness and gratitude for this beautiful blessing in my arms, and a tinge of sadness because it is all happening so fast.
Mommys...remember the tender moments.  FEEL the emotion of the moment. Record it, somewhere.  They are such a blessing in our lives.  I hope you all have a great day doing and being what we were meant to do and be!

Lately....

....Sedona has an obsession with this particular picture. It's her Grannie and Grandpa Teichert.  She loves ALL pictures of people she recognizes, but she HAS to carry this one around every morning.

She has an obsession with stuffed animals.  It started over a month ago when she had strep-throat.  I thought she'd be over it in a week or two but she's still going strong!

Sedona LOVES her Gerber Cheetos...

She had a nice long visit at her Mimi and Jojo's house...

She wrestles with this guy every morning. She can't seem to get enough of this sheep chair her Aunt Sadie gave her for her birthday. Her favorite thing to do is give him kisses and poke his eyes...

She LOVES to empty things! Especially her wet-wipes and...

...Mommy or Daddy's wallet. She has pennies in her little paws.

We are trying to get her to take her first steps...

And she LOVES to watch the Ellen show with me every day at 4.  She loves the beginning where Ellen dances because I will dance with her all around the living room.  She squeals with delight and is now quite the dancer herself.  Whenever music comes on in the house, the car, the store...she starts to MOVE! While this picture is NOT the best of me, it captures her joy for sure!