We Live!

We live in Kansas. I'm from Nebraska - I don't think it ever occured to me that I might one day settle in Kansas. It's crazy how things work out!

My excuses perfectly valid reasons for not having blogged in several weeks:

We traveled - a lot - to many places.
We packed.
We job-hunted.
We packed some more.
We got a job.
We moved.
We lived with family and friends for three weeks.
We lived out of suitcases.
We didn't have internet.

If it helps at all, I've been itching to blog everything from the end of summer up through now. So here I go. Forgive me if the next few posts are in a random order and a mismatch of photos thrown in.

 Ellie is as cute as ever. Cuter, in fact. She helped me do the laundry.

Yesterday she turned four months old. I don't know how the time is disappering so quickly! But we sure love this girl. The best part is trying to make her smile and giggle...watching her follow everything that goes on with her eyes...and wondering what she thinks of our craziness.

In case you missed the news, we moved to Kansas. I know I mentioned that earlier. It just seems surreal to me. I think I'm finally an adult! (When did that happen??)

The story goes like this: Steve and I had felt like it was time to leave Arizona. I think part of the push to go was our desire to be closer to family. Steve was also ready for a change in his career. So the search began!

While we knew we wanted to end up in the midwest, we weren't sure where the job would take us. We decided to move to Nebraska temporarily while Steve continued looking for a job. He searched for jobs while I packed up our house. The morning before we were supposed to move, Steve was offered a position within his same company but at the Kansas City, KS site. We felt good about the job and took it!

Naturally, I spent the entire day on the phone making arrangements for our change of plans.

Dad and Steve securing the piano - I tell ya what. These guys sure did a LOT of work getting everything onto the truck. Bravo. Bravo.

Mom - I think this was more fun than work... 

My parents are amazing. We're so lucky they are still young and spunky enough to fly out and help us move. My mom helped finish packing and cleaning house while my dad helped load the truck. Oh, and dad also drove our 26-foot moving truck with Steve's car towed behind it - all the way from Mesa, AZ to Kansas City, KS. What a trooper!

The trip was an adventure. What was supposed to be a two-day trip ended up taking four. In a nutshell, the rental truck broke down in Albuquerque, NM. We sat there most of a day while it got repaired. We took our time the rest of the trip. Let's just say we were all glad when we finally returned the truck in Kansas City!

Our truck being towed. That's a lotta truck to be towed!

Ellie watching her first football game on tv. She loved it. No joke.

For the next two weeks, we stayed with my parents, also spending a few nights with my sister Joni's family. She and Henry gave us tickets to the Nebraska/Fresno State football game! It was Steve's first Husker football experience live and in person. It's an experience unparalleled by any other football game I've been to. I think he's converted...

The week before we were able to get into our apartment, Steve started his new job. My friend Shelly and her family let us stay with them for the week. We had so much fun doing crafts and making freezer meals :)

Then, finally, it was time to move into our new place! I've gotta say - my brother Jake, my brother-in-law Henry, and my dad helped Steve out so-o-o-o-o much with unolading the truck into our storage unit and then coming to help load it back into the truck and into our apartment. Thanks to the men in my family for bring their muscle!

 Henry. (He and Steve also moved his family the week prior - let's just say they are experienced movers...)

 Jake

My parents, my love, and my aunt Jane - I'm sure she was glad to be visiting when we were moving.

So. This week Steve is loving the short commute to work (eight minutes) while Ellie and I unpack and set up house.

And because I'm sure you're just dying for more pictures of our cutie pie, here are some random shots:

Ellie learning to drive

 Uncle Jake and Ellie

 Sleeping on Papa

 Me and my girl. Love her face in this one. She was cold and not amused. Or maybe she didn't want to be kissed by her mama...nah. It couldn't be that...

 With daddy

I can't seem to get a good smiling picture - this is either right before or after the smile. Then again, maybe she was about to go into a yawn. I'm not sure. But it's cute regardless.