Every Kitchen Sink Should Have One

 On my list of my recent favorites:

This honey's hair can tackle your toughest dishes...and she looks sweet doing it. Don't you think washing your dishes would be better with her along?

Heads up to my sistahs - your birthdays are on my calendar.   ;)

8 Days a Week

Disclaimer: sorry there are so many photos - I didn't have a lot of time to create separate slide shows, plus I don't really know how.

Our summer vacation, though unfortunately timed with the move, was awesome. The last of my sunburn has just about finished pealing.

The Meltons have had this in the works for a year now. Mike's mom worked out the "day of service" project that we did to earn one of our days at Disneyland. She had us all making quilts back in February. It was a great thing for the kids to be able to do.

On Sunday we drove to Las Vegas where we met Mike's brother, Gary. We stayed the night and then on to California the next day to hook up with Mike's othr brothers: Tim, who lives in SoCal, and Jimmy and his family who flew out from Michigan.

We spent a little time in Long Beach, Mom's home town, eating at her #1 favorite spot: Hoff's Hut. We also stopped at the cemetery to see Grandma & Grandpa Searle's graves.

Dad put us up in a great hotel that night - just a mile or so from Disneyland. The next day was California Adventure day.

It happened to be Mom's & Dad's anniversary. At lunch, without anyone knowing, little Grace walked up to the mariachi band and asked if they would play something for her grandparents' anniversary. They were good sports. It was sweet.

The next day we checked into our beach condo in Newport. (Thanks for finding this place, Dad. It was amazing!) This was so cool. We were practically on the beach with plenty of sand pales, beach umbrellas, boogie boards, towels and chairs for our use - and a quick walk across the street to get there. The weather was PERFECT, and the surf was great. We spent 3 days soaking it up. When not at the beach there was a whole lot of World Cup watching.

Dad got us all up early Thursday morning to hike around the tide pools up the road. What a cool way to begin the day! We saw so many amazing things: star fish, crabs, muscles, anemone.

Friday afternoon all the girls got in the car and drove up to Beverly Hills to visit American Girl Place. In case you haven't heard about the whole American Girl doll phenom, let me just say that somebody totally nailed the concept of marketing to young girls. It was very cool. (Thanks, Jacque for indulging our girly side!)We ate lunch in the cafe there, including the girls' dolls. The dolls got their hair done at the salon (thanks aunt Tami!), and of course we shopped. Fun.

 

We said our goodbyes on Saturday at Newport. The Michigan Meltons flew home. Tim & Gary headed to Vegas ahead of us (For a wedding, we were told. We got our hopes up, but as it turns out, it wasn't for either of them. ha ha.)

With Grandma & Grandpa all to ourselves we went to Disneyland for another day of magic. We went all out, staying until 11:00 that night. Sully didn't even put up a fight.

A VERY late dinner - a mouse-ears pretzel at 10:00 PM.

After thoroughly wearing our kids out...

we drove on to Las Vegas the next day, where we checked in to the Golden Nugget for the night. When we told my mother, a native of Las Vegas who grew up right off Fremont, she said: "Why?!?"

HERE'S the reason (it certainly wasn't for the second-hand smoke):

Where else can your kids get a chance to swim with sharks? That's a water slide going THROUGH the shark tank. Only in a casino...

After a quick stop at Trader Joe's the next morning we drove the 300 or so miles back to SLC, with only 2 emergency pit stops at the side of the road.

 

What a great trip.

(Thanks again Jacque & Howard for making it all happen.)

We're In...sort of.

We are moved in.
I use that phrase loosely. Two days after our close, we took off for 8 days to Southern California with Mike's family. (We had a FANTASTIC time, by the way. More on that later.)  We returned late last night. The flooring on the main level had been pulled up. Today we had installers putting in the new floor all day. They'll finish up tomorrow.
Most of our stuff still lives in boxes. But someday (I keep telling myself) life will be sort of normal again.
Bigger news: We had a new nephew born while we were out of town.
Noble Ezekiel Roanhorse Sullivan. He shares a first name with our Noble (after grandpa Noble)...but I have a feeling he'll be going by Zeke (Helen's choice). I can't wait to see him!

The Big Day has Arrived

So the 2 1/2 weeks we've been here have seemed like so many years. That's no criticism of the hospitality at Mom's house - but when you expect to be in and out any day and find yourself delayed again and again, time just drags on. Mike and I are still a little insecure on some level that the appointment at the title company tomorrow morning will end something like: "Oh, sorry, but Form R1850365037506 needs approval from... (name of random agency).  Go away - it will be another week."

We've checked and double checked with everyone to make sure every proverbial 't' has been crossed...but we've had the rug pulled out from under us before.

Adding to the drama, we're leaving on vacation this weekend - so we're cutting it very close. Mike had to lean on them pretty hard to MAKE it happen before we leave town. I love it when Mike gets tough. : )

I'm excited that it's finally happening & anxious about what we're getting ourselves into. It's been a wild ride. The next several days will be another whirl-wind of action (move-in, packing for vacation, essential home repairs, Jessie's horse show going on for the next two days...blah blah blah).

Thanks for all the positive vibes. I can't wait to be HOME.

The Bachands Came Home and Grace got Baptized

Emory and Grace together again! (Grace insisted on being woken the minute Emory arrived home - here they are at 11:30 PM Tuesday)

What a week! The Bachands (at least most of them) returned from Mexico, our kids finished up their last day of school (summer vacation!!!!), we were delayed another week in closing on our house, and Grace was baptized!  Bachands home + Meltons out of school + living in the SAME HOUSE = cuh-razy play till you drop every day.

I've tried really hard to chill about the house. I spent an angry day earlier this week when we found out about the latest change in timing. I guess the good news is they're actually talking about scheduling our close this time for Friday...not just giving us another estimate. If we do close Friday it will happen none too soon, as we're leaving town for a week and a half on Sunday. We need stuff from the Pods for that.

Grace was baptised today, and that was awesome.  It was emotional for me.  She was beautiful - and so happy. It was great to have so many family members there. (Lena took the 'real' photos of the day. I'll post some when I get them from her.)

Afterward we had all my sibs and their kids over at Mom's house for a slip-n-slide / ice cream / boogie down.


Slip-n-Slide from Angie Melton on Vimeo.

It's amazing how well kids can entertain themselves (for a long time) when water is involved.