...a little of everything...

I'm alive!

WOW...it's been a while since I've updated our blog! Our days have been jam packed and A LOT has happened in our lives as of lately. The past few weeks have been full of excitement, tears, joy, and CHANGE. I just posted WAY too many pictures....and it didn't even make a dent in what we've done. I'll have to do Mother's Day and other events later:) I am, however, trying to to get caught up because Jarom wants me to publish my blog soon...and it will be such a blessing to look back on the first year of little Jaxson's life....and all we've been through together as a family.

***

I tried to post these events in order...so enjoy. The story begins a few weeks ago in Omaha Nebraska. Jarom's family arrived in town to visit, shower jaxson with love and attention and help me get ready to MOVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY...no small task, let me tell ya. We had the pleasure of showing them around town and visiting some of our favorite spots with them.

***

Omaha will always hold a special place in our hearts.

We grew as a couple there, enjoyed our first pregnancy and started our family there, made life-long best friends there and Jarom was able to achieve his goal of continuing his education. We are forever changed by that experience...and we will miss it greatly:)

***

One of my FAVORITE PLACES in Omaha is...

~CONAGRA LAKE~

Jarom, Jaxson and I spent MANY afternoons there feeding the ducks and enjoying the sunshine. It is such a peaceful place and we made sure to visit one last time before we left.
***I want to add***
....that only a moment after this picture was taken a Bull Dog jumped into the water and tried to eat that beautiful swan. I, then of course, said a few choice words in front of my mother-in-law who probably was in shock at my mouth...it was pretty exciting! The only bad habit I picked up in Omaha...cussing. Whoops:(
We then visited:
~CREIGHTON CAMPUS~

This picture meant a lot to me! I have a picture of us in this exact location three years earlier...only our family was missing little Jaxson. I believe it was on Jarom's first day of classes! This last year of Law School...the one WITH JAXSON...was the most challenging, but definitely the Best:) He brings us so much joy.

We came to Omaha as two...left as three...

Jarom showed us (and his mother and sister) around Creighton Law School and the rest of campus. This picture was taken in the Mock Courtroom used to practice in. He spent MANY hours here during his 3rd year he informed us all:)

It was such a beautiful day...and Creighton has such neat buildings. Creighton is a Jesuit School...or Catholic...so a lot of the buildings are adorned with giant crosses. The prayers during the graduation ceremony were pretty interesting and entertaining to say the least!

Jarom's sister Maren was playing around with my camera...and Jarom and I were goofing off a bit. I jumped in his arms...and then Jeralynn made us get this picture:) It made me laugh, and I was glad she did...because when I see it I feel like shouting..." WE DID IT...YAY!"

We had a wonderful Sunday afteroon with the Bishops. Also-my cute sister-in-law Maren is serving a mission this Fall in Wisconsin. Congrats to her...she will do great!
***

Our next adventure was...

~HENRY DOORLY ZOO~

I have mentioned this place probably 100 times...but we loved it there. Jaxson was just getting old enough to LOVE every minute of it...and become completely enthralled by all the animals. I loved this picture of him checking out the fish. He was so excited...and when he gets excited he makes the most hilarious faces and noises.

He also LOVED the jelly fish...and so did I.

Isn't that cool:)

The Gorilla's are also an awesome part of the zoo. This huge Gorilla stared at Jaxson for quite a while. Jaxson couldn't decide if he liked all the attention from something quite so big and hairy and he kept clinging to Jarom, it was priceless.

***

The best part was the lady standing next to us.... explaining to her 4 year old little girl that this ape was her great- great- great- grandfather. OH- Omaha...we miss you already!!!!

The petting zoo.

A section of the Omaha zoo is a petting zoo...which is super fun for the kids. Jaxson was thoroughly enjoying it...UNTIL....I decided to bring my stroller inside so that a freak wouldn't try to still my purse or something. The stroller was holding our leftover picnic items (bread, chips, etc.) and the goats went wild. I started screaming for Jarom to get the bread away from the goat because it was eating the plastic sandwhich baggy as well and I didn't want to be responsible for killing it. When Jarom ripped it out of the goats mouth they all freaked out and started swarming Jarom...he chucked the bread hoping they would follow...and nope. One started trying to climb Jarom and about HOOFED him to death. I ABOUT DIED LAUGHING. Where was I you ask? I grabbed my in-laws, my son, my stroller and got the hell out of there!!!

***
Oh ya...Jarom survived.

We then had a wonderful picnic lunch and enjoyed the 85 degree heat and 88% humidity! It happened to be a beautiful day for Omaha standards...but it was no Utah.

Goodbye Humidity...I will not miss you ever.

It was a nice relaxing break from packing. That is all I had been doing for WEEKS...and I needed to get out and enjoy Omaha during my final days there.

***

~GRADUATION PARTY #8~

The celebrating kept on going and going and going...and we enjoyed yet another round of food and treats at our friends Hans and Jessica's. (the celebrating and parties and eating out went on for over a month...and I have gained 10 pounds...I am seriously not lying either).

I owe it all to people like my friend Stacey... who is really good at making cakes...good ones like this! It was fun to have one big Hoorah with the 3rd years...before the big move. It was our last time together as a group... we all started together 3 years ago and enjoyed sharing the experience.

Here they are. The GRADUATES. Left to Right: Hans, Brandon, Jarom, Bryce, and Cody.

Congrats boys. They were such good friends...and we wish them all the best of luck in their new careers.

The Bishop Family.

(We all had to get pics under the graduate sign.)

OH YA. Jessica is an animal-lover and Jaxson was able to play with her dog Odie and her Snakes. Jaxson did not know what to think at first...it was pretty hilarious. He was shy and hesitant to touch it...but he soon warmed up to the disgusting creature.
***

As you can see by this picture below... HA HA HA HA!

no, I will not let him have a pet snake.

Jaxson and Avery. They enjoyed the party...and had a fun time together. She is just old enough to LOVE babies and is wonderful at "mothering" them and taking great care of little jaxson. She made sure to feed him lots of cake and share her ice-cream. She's such a cute little girl.
***

Which brings us to...

~CREIGHTON GRADUATION~

I'm not looking so great here. I had been stressed and sick for a few weeks at this point. I'm actually surprised to have made that far alive.

***

That being said...it was such a humbling and wonderful experience to be there and support Jarom. I am so proud of him and his effort in reaching his goals. He is a great husband, hard-worker and even better dad. Thanks for all your hard-work honey....and Congrats.

You made it :)

Awesome. This was Jarom's Hooding.

The ceremony was FOREVER...but I was grateful for my mom to watch and entertain Jaxson...and my dad who sat by me and held my hand as I had a chance to watch Jarom. It was a neat experience.

I LOVED this picture. Don't they look happy??? This is Jarom, Hans and Bryce. I was so proud of them and happy for all of them. They all did amazingly well in school...and were grinning from ear to ear for about a week straight. This picture gives you a glimpse into their sheer happiness. A group of 30 year old men...laughing like kids.

I've told you about Jaxson's obsession with Hats. He LOVED his dad's cap and tassle. It was so cute to see them together afterward.

My bestest friend Brittany who I love to death...and her husband Bryce. They just moved to Lovelock Nevada last week...while we moved here to B.C. Utah. They got a great job...and we will miss seeing them as often. It's strange how I cried when I had to move to Omaha...and leaving it behind made me just as sad. I loved getting to know her. NO WORRIES THOUGH...we had been apart for about a week and so she drove 6-7 hours yesterday to come see me in Brigham City:) We got to visit a few hours last night...and she left this morning. I loved having her come visit.

I have a feeling it won't be the last time:)

We love you Jarom:)
***

~MOVING~

THEN, the fun began. Holy Crap do I hate packing. It's crazy how much you can accumulate in 3 years. I swear when I moved there I had about half the amount of CRAP. I spent weeks de-junking...and still had more stuff than I think is even close to normal. I took 3 loads to the dumpster...and several loads to the salvation army. Not to mention...half my decorations to my friend Jill! It was a LONG process....but I finally got done. Towards the end...we just started throwing it all away. All the dishes, knives, glasses...it was just easier than taping together one more stinkin box.

For our three years in Omaha...we stayed at the Ontario Place apartments. WE have great memories there...of Thanksgivings with friends, Easter barbeques with classmates, bringing our first baby home there, and spending summers at the beautiful pool. It was a great place to be.

We loved you Nebraska...thanks for a wonderful few years.

(I leaned out the Window and took this as we were driving straight out of that state...headed for HOME) We loved our time there....but UTAH and mountains: HERE WE COME!!!
***

I had to throw this in for memories sake. This is our semi....or our moving truck. The biggest one they offer. They told me this would fit a 6-8 bedroom home EASILY....whatever. Jarom packed amazingly well....(with the help of a few over-eager missionaries who practially ruined my leather couches...) and we barely...I mean barely fit. I lived in a ONE bedroom- den apartment. I told Jarom that it took ABSOLUTLEY AMAZING organizational abilities to fit that amount of stuff into our little home:)

THE DRIVING BEGAN

I am a bad mother...and about half-way through the 18-20 hour drive (I HATE CARS AND DRIVING) I strapped my baby into the giant Penske Truck right between my parents....to allow myself bit of a break. He seemed to enjoy it...but it was hilarious to look back in the rearview mirror and see his little head bouncing along between them.

WE FINALLY MADE IT!!! Our long long long journey was over...and we were so happy to see mountains and feel the comfort of home. This last picture was thrown in to exemplify just how full the truck was....because this was after Jarom had unloaded several boxes onto the driveway. CRAZY! I wish that the work would have ended there...but of course, we spent days UNPACKING what we had JUST PACKED so nicely.

THAT WAS THE LONGEST POST EVER....and I got too tired to post anything about Mother's Day...and other things. Maybe later:)

***

Thanks to all those who inquired about my dad and brother...they are great, so THANK YOU!

***

1- My brother was almost deported from his mission in Madagascar during the middle of our move...because his Visa is expired. He was jailed for a short time...and might be coming home any day. Kind of overwhelming...but exciting. Now that were home....we can handle ANYTHING.

2-Now, about my dad. Well, the morning of Jarom's 2nd graduation ceremonyhe awoke in horrible pain. He suffered with it for several hours...and had no idea what was wrong. My mom suddenly woke me up...and we took him to the ER. He was passing kidney stones which are super painful...and he was not very happy about it! An IV and some pain killers later...and he was a little better. I just felt bad that he had to then spend the next 2 days driving a truck loaded with all of our crap across the country. I have some great parents.

And yes...we all watched Jarom graduate from Law School...but not one of us made it to watch him graduate from Creighton! What a crazy few weeks.

***

We are now home...enjoying the Utah weather...my moms wonderful cooking...and round-the-clock FREE babysitting from VERY eager grandparents.

Life is GOOD:)