Let's see what I have on my camera….

School has officially started here!  

Gavin gets to attend half-day preschool at the Elementary.

Jordan is in 1st grade.  He is loving homeschool and is very diligent in doing all of his work.  We are in the process of adjusting his work to his current ability.  He is way above the math and reading they are wanting him to do.  That is one of the great things about homeschool.  We can advance him in the subjects which he excels in, but keep him at his grade level for the others.

Makenzie is in 3rd grade.  Homeschool has been an adjustment for her, but I know it is best option for her.   I'm glad to be able to be the one to work through these challenges with her.  She needs this attention and I know this year will allow her to work hard and find success. 

It's soccer season!   We gave all the kids the option to play this year and they each excitedly agreed.  Makenzie and Jordan are enjoying the sport and are gaining a lot of knowledge and skills.  Gavin…. well, you know how 4 year old soccer is like!  He is usually more interested about things happening off the soccer field than on.   

The butterflies are in season and we have found plenty around outside. 

This cool garden spider has made it's home in our bushes.  It's a yellow-backed zipper spider.  This was  the first time I've seen one and I found it very interesting.  They make the middle of their web in a thick zigzag line.

Ellionna gets to tag along with me a lot while the other kids are doing their activities.   I usually keep her happy with food or playing at the parks :)

 We continue to do a kid-date each month.  I took Makenzie to the pet store (which is the same request every month!)  and out for dinner at Golden Corral.  She felt so spoiled to be able to have cotton candy and ice cream for dessert!

 We had a picnic at the park with all the home school kids who are enrolled with the Ohio Virtual Academy.  It was a great time to meet all the kids in the area who are doing the same thing as us.  We played games (pictured is the marshmallow races) and making new friends!

Before church today…..

I should have got a picture of later today, but I didn't.  My boys snuck outside this evening and turned on the hose.  They decided to slide down the muddy hill with their church clothes still on!!!  

Boys will be boys! 

Wenatchee, Washington!

Wenatchee, Washington will be our future home!

As of June 20, 2014, Tyler will be officially done with his medical school training and we will be FREE to go where we want!  We have been doing a lot of research the last six months on cities and job opportunities.   Tyler and I have decided that we are done moving.  We are ready to stay in one place long-term,  to set roots, and grow old. :)  We each wrote down 5 things on a list with what we wanted in our "dream town" and then we set out to find it.  And find it, we did!

Not only is the town and area a perfect fit for us, but the medical center where Tyler will work seems like a perfect fit with his professional goals.  We went out for a 4 day interview trip this past month (without kids.)  We were able to get to know the area and meet a lot of people.  There were 5 positions available at various clinics.  They have several satellite clinics in more rural towns an hour or two away.  We actually felt drawn to one of the rural clinics.  It was a PERFECT fit for Tyler professionally,  but I don't think the town was a good fit for our family.   We considered maybe just trying it out for a few years.  They really wanted him there!  So much so, that they threw a lot more bigger numbers with $$ at us if we decided on the rural clinic.  But with a lot of prayer, fasting, and pondering, we stuck with one of the clinics in Wenatchee!

Wenatchee is in Central Washington by the Cascade mountains.  

The weather is very seasonable and not like the rainy Seattle coast.  

There is so much outdoor recreation to do.  

It's made my head spin as people have told us of all these great places to see.

There is a lot of fresh produce!  

It is an agricultural area where you find plenty of orchards and vineyards. 

 Hispanics help a lot with the work, which gives Tyler the opportunity to use his Spanish more.  

The town is safe and small, but also has plenty of shopping and educational choices.  The church is pretty strong there.  It has 3 full ward buildings and a stake.  All it needs is a temple now! 

A river runs through the city and splits it into East Wenatchee and Wenatchee.  There is a great 12 mile paved trail that follows each side of the river. 

We checked out the local farmer's market.  

We visited the town of Leavenworth, which is about a half hour away.  

It is a cute little Bavarian tour town in the mountains. 

We stayed in a hotel by a lake.  It was so beautiful.  

Here we are about ready to leave for the day of interviews. 

Tyler has his Uncle Tyrone and family that lives in the area.  They have been a great help about telling us about the area.  We conveniently scheduled this trip the same time that Tyler's cousin, Katie, got married to Todd.  It was great being able to see and spend time with so much family.

We are so excited for this next step in our lives!

North Carolina

We became great friends with the Miller's at the beginning of med school in Missouri.  Makenzie and Aida were two years old.  They became BEST of friends and they continue to have a connection.  I  decided to make a visit to them in North Carolina before we move next summer.  Tyler had to stay home and work.   

The girls and the boys hit it off great.  

Jordan asked me if he could marry Ariah someday. 

Ellionna loved the horse.

We spent a day at the beach on the military base. 

Ellionna loved the sand.  

Best of friends!!!

The boys LOVED the waves.  They were cracking me up as they would pretend to "fight" the waves.  Most often the waves would win and they would be knocked under. 

We found a crab roaming the beach.

And of course, we had to bring home some sea shells.

We checked out a local aquarium.   

 The kids got to touch the stingrays.  

Gavin could barely reach them and was getting frustrated.

Ellionna enjoyed the viewing pleasure from her stroller.

Captain Hook, aka Jordan.

Jordan checking out the fish.

We enjoyed a small nature hike. 

 Ellionna got to go off-roading in her stroller. 

Makenzie is showing off just a few of the critters that they found in the backyard.

A color changing lizard.

 A frog with very long legs.

Thanks Annie and Nate for letting us invade your place for the weekend!  It was a very enjoyable visit and worth the drive.

Happy Happy Birthday!

We have a big 4 year old in the house!  Hooray for a summer birthday!  (Except it was a rainy day, again!)  Gavin wanted to have a "Spiderman" birthday, just like Jordan did when he was four.  

He blew the candles out right when we started singing.  

He couldn't wait until the end!

Makenzie and Jordan decorated the house the night before and helped wrap Gavin's presents.  They were so excited for him. 

 

He was very happy about his remote control car!

We decided to take the kids out to the State Park and see the nature center, which is full of creatures.  Unfortunately most of the critters were gone and on display at the State Fair.  The kids got to hold a few snakes, which kept them happy.

The snake was trying to kiss Makenzie!

 Gavin had to wear one of his new dress-ups that he got for his birthday- a flight suit.

We went on a small hike, which was great.  

The trees sheltered us mostly from the rain.