Catching Up Part 1 - California

 I totally do not have time to blog, but I need to because it's basically my journal now.  So I've glanced through my pictures and will try to hit some highlights before I've forgotten everything.

Hazel and Jack love having Gemma in our family.  They are great older siblings and always super sweet to her.  She gets so much love from them.  I hope that continues as she gets older.  (Don't be alarmed that Hazel is naked - she's just being Mowgli.  It was a daily feature in January and February.  She does have panties on.)

Gemma got a staff infection on her forehead and had to have antibiotics.  It was so sad.  Thankfully it cleared right up.

Todd left to start pre-deployment training in central California the first of February.  It was difficult, but I tried to remember that I would see him again for a few days in three weeks and hold on to that instead of sinking into despair.  It helped that I was watched over by dear friends and that my mom came out just a few days later and stayed until we moved.

Hazel was sad to say goodbye to her best friends, Nova and Spencer.  She's gotten really close to them as they've been her preschool buddies this past year.  Their moms are my best friends and we all cried a lot saying goodbye.

 Gemma started smiling and hasn't stopped!  She is a cheerful, social little buddy with a ready smile for anyone who looks at her when she's rested.

We soaked up our last few days of warm California "winter" before our departure.  I tried to get the kids outside every day that last couple of weeks before our move.  They had no idea what they were headed for!

The last week of February, Todd returned and we frantically finished packing and loaded the moving truck.  We had tons of support from our dear ward family: dinners, babysitters, packers, loaders, carpet cleaners ... It was amazing.  

Todd blessed Gemma in church on February 24th, our very last day in California.  

Todd drove the moving truck as it pulled our Altima, and I drove the van with my mom, while she wrangled the kids.  With the kids and a breastfeeding baby, every pit stop took an hour.  It was a loooong drive.  We're glad we drove past Reno on Sunday after church and finished the drive on Monday.  Either way, we drove until about 11:00 each night.  

I was disheartened by the cold when we arrived.  Brr!  Ug, real winter.  I don't miss it!  Luckily, it has only gotten warmer and warmer every day we've been out here, so our first view was our worst.