Update!

Well, it's been awhile since I updated! Thing got so crazy once we got to PA, it has been a whirlwind of unpacking. But man do we love it! Here's the gist :)

We toes up to the house and the movers were already here. Look at that big rig! Don't worry, our stuff only took up a small portion of it. Haha. 

We weren't allowed to help them bring anything in, so we just kinda hung out and told them where to put stuff. 

Isn't Nick sooooo handsome! Haha

The boys have been THRIVING in the space! They have re fallen in love with their toys, and each other. It's so awesome! We've been here about 5 days and from the time they wake up, until they go to sleep, they are playing! With toys in their room, outside in the snow, hide and seek all over the house, board games in the basement...these kids are living the dream. We have only broken up a Measley percentage of the fights that we had been breaking up before we got here. So, basically...I'm in heaven.

Look at our beautiful street!

The first thing nick did when was the movers left was set up the projector and sound system in the basement :). So, for our first night in our new home we started a Harry Potter marathon! We've watched one every night so far :). 

The thing is, we REALLY wanted some popcorn with our movie. But we hadn't yet discovered where our pots were...

Did we let that stop us?

NOPE!

We DIDI find a cast iron pan and a baking sheet :). No stopping us ;). 

That night it snowed, so our first morning in PA, Nick got to shovel! 

landon took it upon himself to free the car if its icy prison, such a helper :D.

My kids are pretty cute :).

Other than that, we've just been unpacking. It's taking so much longer than I thought it would. But It's so nice to have all of our stuff in one spot again!! 

I'll post pictures when everything is unpacked. 

Effingham, IL

We totally slept in this morning. We finally groggily awakened around 10...which is coincidentally when breakfast ends! Oops. It was such a lazy, awesome morning. We ended up skipping breakfast altogether and just grabbing lunch. At Arby's. It was super healthy ;). 

And then we hit the road to effingham. Such an awesome name "effingham". I giggle every time I say it, lol.

I didn't take many pictures today, sadly. But I did finish listening to Jane eyre! Such a good book! I love love stories that aren't perfect, they are much more relatable :). I can't wait to read the book, there were so many quotes that I wished I could have marked! 

I started listening to "the name of the wind", which is nicks favorite book. And he wanted to share it with me, and I'm really enjoying it so far! The author is such a fantastic, engaging story teller. 

Derek measures him time by how long it takes to get from a snack stash replenishment, to a bathroom break, and so on. And that time in between "takies for woooooooooong" translation: "takes for long." Or "takes a long time" depending on your understanding of the English language ;)

And our night ended with the most violent pillow fight that I have ever witnessed:

Some quick flips:

A quick jaunt on the ceiling:

And...I'm not really sure how this happened: 

Haha!

We ended our night with dinner at Denny's...at 10:00 at night. Which is really 7 to us...but still. We need to get on a better schedule. But since none of us are inclined to wake up early, that probably won't happen until we are settled in PA. Sawl good!

And now I've got to get the crazies out of the bath before they flood the room under us ;). So not regretting this vacation :D

Onto Miami!!!...Oklahoma, that is ;)

Hoo boy our sleep schedules are messed up. Last night landon and I couldn't get to sleep until around 3am! It was fun snuggling and talking with him though, I dont do that enough :).

The day started as usual, Nick got derek dressed. 

Always an adventure ;).

It's finally getting cold enough that we have to bring the fish inside so that they don't freeze in the middle of the night...imagine how horrible a discovery that would be!

Derek's got the fish there ^. How doya like my little fish contraption? I've got them taped into a make shift box. There's even a compartment for their food! I'm probably more proud of myself than I should be...

The boys are so awesome at helping us get out the door in the morning! Well...landon is. He looks forward to putting the pullout bed away. Derek prefers to jump off the couch. ;)

At dinner landon got a quesadilla and French fries, apparently his body craves more though! Because when he saw a pile of lettuce on nicks plate he asked if he could have some and proceded to stuff his mouth full over and over again! Not something you see everyday :).

We only drove about 6 hours today, and it was so easy! We are quite shocked at how fun and knead any this drive has been! Having one kid per car is probably been what has made it so awesome, I am truly loving all of this one on one time with my boys :). 

Oh funny story! So I'm listening to Jane Eyre on Audible, and the reader is so awesome. She has the most engaging English accent. Well, the whole book Jane keeps referring to someone named "Rita". I have no idea who that is, so I thought I just zoned out and missed something and hoped she would explain who Rita was agin. That was...until she referred to "Rita's", and then I realized that I had forgotten to take into account the English accent! "Rita" is "reader"...haha! I still feel like an idiot. But I guess I just need to spend more time listening to this accent until I get used to it. There is no other choice. I must venture to England. ;)

And I leave you with a picture of my (finally) sleeping children. Who are nearly naked because we ran out of clothes and everything is still in the dryer. 

Looks like landon got a back scratch :)

Drive to Pennsylvania, days 1-3

Man, we've covered some ground these last few days! 

Day one we hit the road from San Diego to bullhead city, Arizona, in one straight shot. It was an easy drive, only like 5 hours or so. We stayed at the edge water hotel, because I vaguely remembered it being possibly...less crappy than the rest. And it was surprisingly nice! Considering it only cost $35!! Ah the beauty of supply and demand ;). Honestly, ever since the movers took our bed last Wednesday we've gotten such horrible nights sleep that the bed at that cheap hotel felt like a feather mattress fit for a king!

The next Morning we went to go visit my grandma, I had forgotten how much fun she is to spend time with! She has the keenest memory and most fascinating stories! It was a great visit :). But since she is blind, we couldn't let the boys disturb anything in her house....they were less than happy at the need to sit in one spot. The result was this happy picture...

Not *quite* a shareable picture. But I'll cherish the memory nonetheless :). I have resolved to call her much more often.

We spent an hour and half with grandma, and then hit the road for flagstaff, Arizona. Which was a quick jaunt up the freeway, only 4 1/2 hours or so. We spent pretty much the whole evening at chik-fil-a, so that the boys could kill some energy. And then another couple of hours at barnes and noble, we're all obsessed. The boys got a new book! I left it in the car, and I can't remember the title. But it's a book of fairy tales (little red riding hood, three bears...etc) with the most BEAUTIFUL illustrations! They love the pictures, and I can't wait to record it and add it to their story time collection!

The next morning we started our longest day of driving that we will experience on this trip 8 1/2 hours...

It was surprisingly awesome. Haha. I'm not even kidding! While on the freeway we discovered that meteor crater was only a short 6 mile detour, how could we pass that up!?!?!?

So detour we did :)

And after shoving out *$36* we finally got to see a giant hole in the earth. Worth it? ;). Lol, no it was really awesome. 

And after stoping in Albuquerque, for some AMAZING pizza that nick was introduced to when he did a field assignment there, we finished the last leg of our long drive, and now reside in Amerillo, TX. Which, in case you're wondering, smells like cow turds. The whole city.

Let me just tell you, taking two cars and splitting up the boys was the best decision ever! Not a single cry or whine In either cars, all day! I had Landon today, and we listened to Jane Erye for several hours, I laughed so hard when out of nowhere he yelled "he can't marry her! He's already married!!!" Hahaha!!

Start 'em young ;)

Good day :)

Today was the last day of nicks winter vacation! It was an awesome couple of weeks, we got so much done! I'm really sad that he has to go back to work...but he gets another couple Of weeks off when we move next month, so I'm excitedly looking forward to that!

I should have been blogging all week...but this happened:

And I can't even blame the boys. I am the reason that we can't have nice things.

I'm totally kicking myself for thinking that i was responsible enough to not have to spend the money on an otter box case.

I just have horrible reflexes.

I would have been the first to die during the hunger games.

We went to Costco  today!

Always a fun experience for Nick ;)

derek tried sushi for the first time.

That didn't go over so well..

Landon taught Derek how to climb into the basket.

Which totally backfired when he accidentally kicked landon in the face upon entry.

And derek could NOT understand why he was crying.

We also cleaned out the car today, there was mold on the floor in front of Derek's car seat which was DISGUSTING! And also mortifying. No food in the car ever again. I think mountain trolls are neater eaters than Derek. We definitely need to clean out the more more regularly, lesson learned!

*BREAKING NEWS*

Nick has new clothes!

Doesn't he look studly? (Probably not the best picture, since it's dark out and the shirt is dark blue, but nick enjoys having pictures taken of him almost as much as he enjoys shopping..so this will have to do) 

Considering he has been wearing the same clothes since we started dating (almost SEVEN years ago), and apparently also since before his mission...this is pretty huge. Lol

Well, that's the Jones family update :). HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Where do babies grow?

We just had the most awesome conversation because of this picture. It went as follows:

Landon: "you were pregnant in that picture. With me and Derek!"

Me: just with you love, Derek didn't grow in my tummy for a couple more years.

Landon: did you eat????

Me: when you were in my tummy? Yeah, of course I did.

Landon: so it just fell on my head!! Hahaha!

Me: haha! *insert discussion of organs and where babies grow here*

Landon: did Derek grow in a juketerus too?

*nick and I childishly giggly at his mispronunciation of "uterus"*

Nick: No, Derek grew in moms tummy. He was a special case. And when it was time for him to come out, mom threw him up! And that's why he likes food so much.

I could only keep a straight face for so long, poor Landon looked horrified! Lol. 

Just one glance Into my awesome life :)

Poor Landon

Satans cold is at full force here in the jones home, poor Landon is feeling awful today. 

Right before I took this picture he said "my face feels like it exploded, and my eyeballs feel like they're eating my brain"

I think that means his head hurts ;)