Journey Across the Country

On July 14th, we left Champaign, Illinois after 6 years of living there.  Nate drove the big, ole Budget truck that pulled the Ranger and Bladen and I followed in my car.   

The 1st day we drove through Illinois, Missouri and boring Kansas (picture above).  Nothing eventful but 10 hours on the road.  Our 1st night was spent in Topeka, Kansas! 

The 2nd day we drove through Kansas and Colorado (pic above).  The drive is so boring until you hit Denver and the mountains.  Our 2nd night we spent in Frisco, Colorado. 

We woke up in Colorado so pumped for our final day of driving.  We had about 9 hours left to make it to Cedar City!!  And then of course the following happened... 

We were going through the Rocky Mountains when Bladen and I started smelling burnt rubber.  I was a ways back from Nate so I called him and said are those your brakes we smell or the diesel in front of you.  He said that an old couple had just passed in and had pointed to his trailer but from what he could tell nothing was wrong.  Well I ended up speeding up to him and there was black smoke just barrelling out the back of the trailer.  I told him he had a flat tire and needed to pull off, but coming down the mountain there are NO shoulders to pull off so I sped ahead of him to find the next exit.  Thank heavens right around the turn was a rest area so I pulled off and called him to tell him I had found somewhere to pull off.  I waited for him off the exit and when I say him stop at the stop sign I saw the tire roll on by haha.  We get to the rest area and call Budget and they send a repairman to fix it.  We knew there would be nothing he could do as the tire and the lug nuts came completely off the axel.  He pulled up 90 minutes later rolled down his window and said there is nothing I can do you need a new trailer... well DUH!  So Nate spent the next 5 hours arguing with Budget on the phone.  They were telling us that there was nothing they could do for us as it was a Saturday and everywhere would be closed on Sunday and they had no extra trailers.  At this point we had been there for over 6 hours, I started freaking out when they told us there was nothing they were going to do for us so I called my parents in a panic who were in SLC for my dad's race.  My dad told us to start driving on 3 trailer wheels to Grand Junction where he would have one of his friends waiting for us with a trailer.  I'm so grateful for my dad and his connections!  So we headed off to Grand Junction going 35 miles an hour over 100 miles.  We made it to Grand Junction safely, got hooked up to a new trailer and left Budget's trailer in a parking lot and told them to pick it up!  After a disappointing day, we ended up staying in Grand Junction for the night to get some rest... it came out to be a good thing as Nate's grandparents and Uncle and Aunt were also staying the night in Grand Junction so we headed over to the KOA and spent the night chatting with them since we wouldn't be able to see them while we were in Cedar because they were starting a cross-country vacation! 

Me and Bladen hanging out at the rest area... thank heavens we were prepared with food and water!  And in 100 degree heat we were thankful for SHADE!

Nate arguing on the phone - we ended up getting the trailer for free and they paid for our hotel in Grand Junction!  Only inconvience was the wasted time and the cost of my dad having to take his friend's trailer back to CO.

B was such a trooper on our trip!  He did not make one peep!  He had his DVD player, computer, games and snacks to keep him occupied!

On our 4th day we FINALLY made it HOME to Utah!!

Good-bye Play Date

Bladen had some really good friends in Illinois!  About a week before we were heading out, we had everyone over to our house for a play date. 

Bladen and Kendal were like brother and sister.  They wrestled and pestered each other just like siblings.  K has a special place in my heart as I was the one who almost had to deliver her in the car!  And her mom is one of my best friends ever!  I sure do miss these 2! 

Taylor, Bladen and Lauren walking to the park hand-in-hand.  These 3 were born within 3 months of each other and all of us mom's worked together at M&P when they were born.  They started swim lessons together when Bladen was just 6 months old.  I can't believe they are all going to Kindergarten this year... where did the time go?

Kendal and Gwen - 2 years old 

How many kids on one slide! 

The crew - Gwen, Lauren, Taylor, Kendal and Bladen 

I love how Bladen is acting like the girls have cooties :)

It's been almost 2 months since we left and we sure do miss our friends.  The ONLY reason I was sad to leave Champaign was because of my "family" I came to love.  When you have no family around, you build some of the closest relationships.  I gained some of my best friends over my 6 years in Champaign and truely miss them!

Chicago Trip

While my mom was visiting for Bladen's graduation, we decided we'd better go see Chicago before we moved.  We rode the Amtrak train up since Bladen had never been on a train and we had a great time!

We got a sweet deal on a room that was right on Michigan Avenue off of Priceline! B was in heaven because he LOVES staying in hotels!

Right when we got off the train we headed down the busy streets to a boat for a river and lake tour.  It was so cool to learn about the different buildings on the river and then to go out on Lake Michigan and see the Chicago skyline. 

After the boat tour, we walked over to Navy Pier and had dinner at Bubba Gumps and then sat and watched a concert and the fireworks on the pier! 

The next morning we woke up and jumped on the bus (us sitting in the bus stop) and headed to the Shedd Aquarium. 

We got to see so many different fish, coral and other creatures.

Our favorite exhibit was the Jellyfish.  I never knew there were so many different kinds of jellies! 

We got to watch Dora and Diego in 4D!! 

Ugliest fish at the aquarium! 

Our hotel - the Palmer House

After 2 days of walking over 10 miles we were pooped and ready to go home by our 3rd day.  The morning we were leaving, we took our time getting ready since we had time to spare before our train departed.  My mom happened to turn on the TV as we were walking out the door and saw on the news that 2 trains had collided at Union Station and they had halted all incoming and outgoing trains.  Needless to say we spent ALL DAY, I think almost 10 hours, in the station waiting for our train to leave!  My mom got to experience a lot of NEW things on her last trip to Champaign!

The night she got there we had a tornado warning with the sirens going off and the house about ready to blow over.  We ended up taking cover with all 4 of us stuffed in my closet!  The tornado ended up touching down really close to our place.  Poor mom was shaking and so nervous!

Then there was the train crash and us waiting for hours on end with thousands of other travels at the Union Station

Then to top it off she woke up the next morning with a black eye! 

Champaign was like my mom's 2nd home - she came to visit so often.  She really loved the city and knew her way around so good.  I'm sure she will miss it as much as us!

Utah Bound

All you Utah Peeps - I will be heading to the Cedar/St. George area in 2 weeks and will be there for a whole month.  If you need any bows, etc. let me know.
http://twopeasinapodbow-tique.blogspot.com/

*** Bladen's Graduation ***

I can't believe my baby is old enough to graduate from Preschool!  He was so excited to graduate from the Hippo's class at Little Hearts and Hands... I on the other hand was devastated since this is where he has went to school since he was 12 weeks old.  His graduation day was his last day at school for good since my mom and sister will be here to watch him until we leave for San Diego... p.s. 5 weeks from today!!!

My graduate :) 

We were so excited that my mom was able to come and see us for 2 weeks! 

He looked so cute in his cap and gown 

L to R:  Lauren, Kyle, Elise, Bladen, May and Payton 

He couldn't wait to get his "graduation paper" 

And his yellow flower.  He told my mom that day that he wanted "a yellow flower with a surprise gift from my Nana for graduation"... we are thinking he got the yellow flower idea from this :) 

All graduated!  They sang us 3 songs, which made me cry like a baby - I'm a Little Graduate, Our God, and Jesus, Lamb of God.  As you can tell this is a Christian daycare and we have absolutely loved him going here.  We could not have asked for more wonderful teachers over the past 4 years! 

B & Clara 

B & Lauren

Clara and Lauren would fight everyday in class over who was going to marry Bladen and see who could make him the most love letters.   

B & Sean 

B & Ms. Jenny 

B & Ms. Kelsey 

B & Ms. Liz (Cheetah teacher) 

I can't believe these 2 will be starting Kindergarten in the Fall.  They have been little buddies since they were born. 

I guess I shouldn't say Bladen will be starting Kindergarten for sure... in Illinois he would not be able to start because of his November birthday, but in California the deadline in December so he would be eligible.  There are so many people that have given me pros and cons to both and so we are so torn on what to do!  This is one of the major stressors at the moment!  I am so proud of Bladen!  He is such a smart, little boy and we just love him to pieces!



What we are up to...

Life at our house has been out of control since we got back from Christmas.  On top of it being busy season for me at work, which consists of long hours days, 6 days a week, we also have Nate trying to finish up his PhD.  So the tension and stress is running full force!  And on top of the craziness, we had to move out of our house a month ago and luckily found a nice apartment to sublease for our last 6 months here.  We've come to learn that this move was the best wake up call for us... moving out of a huge 4 bedroom house into a 2 bedroom apartment opened our eyes as to how much CRAP we have accumulated over the years.  We have honestly given Goodwill so much stuff that it just makes me sick; what a waste of $$$$$!  But we will be living in a cardboard box in San Diego I'm sure, so we definately had to downsize!!  I have really enjoyed this apartment though... fast to clean, no stairs to drag laundry up and down and Bladen can play in his room without dragging all his toys into the living room since we are all right here.  Now if Nate's advisor would just let us go!  He is holding onto Nate tightly and is having a hard time letting him go.  We still don't know when we will be leaving here or a what Nate absolutely has to do before we leave, so that has been very very very very very stressful for us since our lives are on hold until he says go! 

I have not taken hardly any pictures since Christmas but I did sneak up on Bladen the other night after work while he was outback looking at all the birds with his homemade binoculars he made at school :) 

And if you've never been to Illinois, you can tell from this picture that it is flatter than flat and there is nothing to see but at least in the summer there is corn and soy beans in all these fields.

Christmas

As always, we headed to Cedar for Christmas this year.  We always have so many things to do and so many people to see, but what would the holidays be like without all the hustle and bustle. 

Bladen and I flew back to Cedar a week before we were expecting to leave for Christmas for my Grandpa Bulloch's funeral.  I decided to keep Bladen in Cedar for a week while I went back to work in Champaign and then Nate and I flew back out a week later.

Papa and Bladen matched for the funeral

Thank heavens Bladen was not with Nate and I on our flight to Las Vegas.  We were supposed to get into LV at 9:30 and didn't get up getting to St. George until 4:30 in the morning due to the rain and flooding in LV.  By the time we got to Nate's dad's in St. George I could not sleep because I was so excited to see Bladen so I pretty much pulled an all-nighter.

Our reunion 

Bladen and his Aunts taking pics of their silly faces 

Bladen and "his" Nana - he does not like SHARING HIS Nana

Patiently waiting to open his Christmas Eve outfit 

Brandi, Mom and I at the Bulloch Christmas party 

Bladen got a Chemistry set from Santa at the Bulloch party... he wants to make "reactions" just like his dad and be his dad's assistant when he gets big 

I can't believe how big my baby is getting... people ask all the time if I'm ready for another one... nope good with just one! 

I really enjoyed my time with my sister-in-laws, Camille and Kristal 

By the end of Christmas Day, B was beat and fell asleep on Grandma Sus' lap 

Brandi and Bladen... these two have a love, hate relationship... both are the babies. 

Playing marble run 

Playing basketball with Uncle Ty at McDonalds 

Me and Brynn... I took over 50 bows back home with me and she was my biggest customer :) 

Snowmobiling up Right Hand - Bladen's "girl" snowsuit is almost too little :( 

Me and Brandi 

Ty's 1st time snowmobiling 

Me making some BIG snow angels 

Bladen and I rode with Papa and Nate, Brandi and Tyler all rode their own.  We were the leaders and after we went up a pretty steep hill, we stopped and waited for everyone else to make it up.  Next thing we see is Tyler jumping off his snowmobile at the top of the mountain and running down the hill and a huge puff of smoke and snow just flying up into the air.  Bladen and I jump off and my Dad went to see what happened.  Brandi is so dang skinny and the snowmobiles are so heavy that her weight wasn't enough to get her turned up the hill and it ended up rolling and throwing her about 20 feet with the snowmobile landing on the throttle and blowing the motor on the brand new sled.  Good thing we had dad there!!  I ended up being towed back on the wrecked snowmobile so Brandi could calm down and ride with Tyler.  I'm so grateful that the snowmobile threw her as far as it did so it didn't land on her or suck her leg into the track. 

Being in the mountains is so peaceful... one of my favorite places ever! 

Cedar City 

Bladen playing fetch with Buck 

We always enjoy spending time and playing games with Grandpa and Grandma Bushnell 

Siblings

My time in Cedar always goes by way to fast.  I dread the day when I have to leave and come back to real life here in freezing cold Illinois.  Only a couple more months and we will be bound to Cedar for a month and then to San Diego!!