Oooooooklahoma

We left Utah headed for Oklahoma, stopping in Monticello and then Amarillo. Parker has become quite accustomed to these roadtrips. As long as he has his iPad playing Elmo, Dora, Mickey Mouse, Thomas, or Blue's Clues, and throw him the occasional treat, he is gooooood to go. Lyla slept 90% of our time in the car. It was a miracle, because every time we got in the car prior to the roadtrip to run errands and go places, she generally screamed the whole time unless I drove with my left toes on the gas, one hand on the wheel, and the other hand reeeeaching back to stick the binky in her mouth. Thank you, thank you.

We checked into our apartment in Lawton, dropped off a couple bags, then headed down for Dallas, another 3 hours away. The two days of driving seemed like such a breeze in comparison to past roadtrips. We chatted with my mom and Kayla, got the kids down for naps, then met everyone at Janene's house for dinner and pictures with all the grandkids.

Have you ever tried to take a picture with 7 kids under the age of 3? It's chaos.

 Total success. There was lots of screaming, bouncing, hair-pulling, and face-making. And that was just the adults behind the camera.

my favorite guy of the bunch

 The next day we blessed Lyla at Spencer's house with everyone. It was sweet to dress her in the dress that I was blessed in as a baby, a headband and bracelet that Grandma Anderson gave me, and with the blanket and booties my Grandma Packard knitted for all of the grandkids. You tend to reflect on things you're supposed to reflect on during these moments, and this was not an exception. I thought of her growing up, turning into a young woman, and the responsibility it will be to be her mother. The kind of mother that she is going to need, how could I try to be a good example? How close will we be? What strengths will she have? How can I foster those in her? How can I show her I love her so that she feels it the most out of anything else she ever feels? I'm so excited to have a daughter....I watched this last General Women's Conference from home with her while Steve took Parker out to run some errands so I could listen, and the same reflecting happened. I hope she will be my little shadow, and we can do girly things together and she can confide in me and cry with me and we can grow together to be friends.

Parker was not interested in smiling at the camera. He would say cheese when they told him to, but he never looked up and he didn't crack a smile when he said it over and over and over. It's OK, Lyla got the memo at least.

Such a beautiful little one!

Love these girls! Can't wait to move here permanently!

We spent the rest of the day going through our stuff, packing up a truck with what we'd need in Lawton and then went out to dinner with Steve's future colleagues. It was good to get to know the other doctors and their spouses, chat a little more about the practice and what to expect, and neither one of us said anything stupid! It was perfect! So exciting!

The next day, my dad was being released as Bishop of our home ward, and we were planning on staying but a snow/ice storm was expected there as well as Lawton, so we thought it might be better to skip out and take off first thing in the morning. Good thing we did, because the roads the latter half of the trip were terrible and cars were barely moving. And it was 12 degrees with a wind chill of -10. Perfect truck-driving-and-unloading weather. The missionaries came to Steve's rescue while I stayed inside with Parker and Lyla trying to keep warm as we waited for the heater to warm up our little apartment.

 My parents had sent us with food for lunch, then for dinner we went to Braum's. Parker was a wired little lunatic, bouncing around, 'freaking out', jumping in the booth like a crazy man. So funny. And his shoes were on the wrong feet. We love that kid like crazy and he certainly tests our patience.

Steve took the car for the first two weeks, and it was cold and rainy and super windy so we did a lot of nothing inside all day. I actually didn't mind it until the last couple days.

 Lots of reflecting going on here in these parts.

 The blessed missionaries. We stocked up on Bluebell.

 It's no secret that Parker's favorite letter is X. He was playing a game with the letters:

"An E for mommy, S for mommy, H for mommy, Y for mommy.....aaaaaand X for Parker!"

 3.5 months: we're still trying to figure out this sleeping well thing. She naps only 45 minutes at a time, rarely a 1.5 hour-2 hour nap, so we do the eat, wake, sleep cycle like 6 times during the day. It's kinda exhausting. And she's still waking at night to eat. I'm trying new things all the time to try to fix all of the above. One day, one day. Morning snuggles in bed make up for everything though.

 One day when we're all grown up, she's going to ask him for a car. He'll say no, then she'll show him this picture and remind him of that time when he was still in school, so weary and ready to be done, eating at a card table in the middle of nowhere without a cent to our name (just negative cents), and how she could still make him grin ear to ear. Then he'll say yes. 

 We heard amazing things about this Meer's place. They raise their own Texas Longhorn and make burgers. We tried a bunch of different things, and it was pretty good! Literally out in the middle of nowhere with great people-watching.

 Again, with the morning cuddles. What do they think about?

 Steve worked on his Dad's Midget every single Saturday morning during the last two months we were in Utah, as well as some evenings at the house. There was lots of drama getting it shipped out to Lawton, but it finally arrived and I get my car back. And my baby's a happy, worry-free man again. Life is good (and Parker loves riding around in it in the parking lot 'wiff Daddy').

 Have I mentioned he loves driving cars in water? "Water tires" he calls it.

Happy 5-year anniversary to us. I'll keep it short and simple, and mostly because it's hard to put into words just how much I love this man and love being married to him. He's my best friend, and I love spending as much of our lives together as possible. Best decision of my life. Love you, muffinbutt.

really wish we were honeymooning in Mexico right about now...

 squeals and screaches, eats ten fingers at a time, gives the occasional cuddle

 Parker was getting a little cabin fever so we braved the wind (it's seriously obnoxious here) and headed to this pretty sweet park. I pushed Lyla around in the stroller and she fell asleep. He loves jumping on the swingy bridge things, only swinging for about a minute, and occasionally the slide. Mostly just running up and down everything carrying a car and stooping down every so often to drive the car along something cool. We ended the date at Chick-fil-a. Love dates with my little man!

 "Wanna throw uh rocks in the water? Mommy?"

"Was that?" ("I don't know, Parker, what is it?")

"Is a big green tractor!"

 I realized we were all in neon. Yesssss.......

 that one time when the closing prayer was 9 minutes long and the bebe is practicing her vocal range so you walk out and hang out in the mother's room. and hang out a bit before heading to Sunday School. cherishing every moment, right?