Lazy Summer Daze

So we did it. We moved. You might have guessed. Our stuff is still packed up, including my camera cables, making it ever so difficult to blog-ument. I'm borrowing my parents' cables right now so I can keep you all posted. I'm actually borrowing a lot from my parents right now: their guest room, their storage space, their sanity . . . some days. Despite some of the obvious frustration that comes with living at home AFTER 5 years of marriage, and AFTER working our hineys off to earn our college degrees, and even though it appears everyone to the left and right of us is still managing to get ahead in this recession, we are sticking it out, we will make it through alive even if it kills us, it's all gonna be fine. Lucky for us, we LOVE my parents and there are hardly better people we can think of to share not-at-all tight quarters with. And of course, we are getting loads and loads and loads of family time and that is positively FABULOUS!!!

So here's some more about that:

First, the goodbyes. Well, for these guys, it's merely a see-you-later. They're too awesome. They know that. This was J-dawg's b-day at Happy Sumo. I love sushi, by the way. Well, you know, the wussy California/tempura crunch-type roll things.

This goodbye, however, was the real thing. The tears started as I was vacuuming the front room just before we left. The last room. That sweet condo was such a good home to us. I remember offering our last prayer in that front room that the next owners would be good to this very special place, and that it would bring them as much joy and happiness as we found there. Okay, enough of that, I'm tearing up again. But I did leave the blinds open when we left. Lovely symbolism, I thought.

So I have seen these fantastic kiddies almost EVERY DAY! It has been so awesome! Auntie Em and Uncle Jake are getting some seriously good niece/nephew time!

And did we mention family time? Cheesecake, anyone?

How about Corn and Taters with half the city of Mesa? A.k.a. The Arnetts.

Happy Father's Day! This was also the day of David's farewell talk. Speaking of David, he left on his mission on July 8th to Riverside, CA.
We've already gotten two letters. Mom is thrilled. We are so proud of him. We knew it was a brave decision on his part, I mean, two years.
That is no small sacrifice, and it's sure to have its share of challenges, but if I know anything about the workings my mother's prayers, he's going to make it through just fine. We love you Elder Dalton!
And we've been living up the hobbies! Did you know that I sew? Well I do and here's the proof:
That's right ladies and gentleman. That sexy quilt was made by yours truly, and don't I wear it proud! Okay, I definitely had LOTS of help from my genius seamstress mother-in-law and she is so gracious to humor me and give me all the credit. Isn't it awesome? I totally sew. Like with a sewing machine. I thread the bobbin and everything. Sew cool.

I've also enjoyed the luxury of working on "all those things I would do if only I had more time:" playing the piano, recertifying for group fitness instruction, reading Little Women, and crocheting baby hats for eagle projects, for example. And of course, playing lots of games. I love to play games.

This boy, however, really only needs one game. And he has played a lot of it lately. I am very, very happy for him. He works so hard. There was many a night he slept over in his office at BYU to finish whatever impossible task needed to be done by whatever impossible deadline without complaint. He's amazing. And I quite enjoy this view.
So while we were on a recent trip to LA for Jabco job interviews, we managed ourselves a little unnecessary, but oh-so-juicy, fun.

Like the improv show in Santa Clarita that the ENTIRE Clifford clan just happened to be attending? I can't decide what was more amusing: the show or Darlene's mother. She is an absolute hoot! What an awesome bunch of people!

And if that wasn't enough, we finished it off with a trip to Disneyland. And not just for one day, my friends, we bought annual passes. We may be riding the delicate line between faith and near stupidity on this one, but I could care less. That moment was a dream come true for this little girl. And that beautiful golden ticket to the happiest place on earth currently resides in the most visible part of my wallet--right next to the Mickey-shaped confetti we caught during the parade.

Rob is awesome. He is so much fun to go with to Disneyland. We had the best time with him. He loves Fantasmic like cherries love chocolate. It is so fun to see him skip through the park. And you all know he was skipping! Nice to see other grown children who love the magic like I do!

Happy 5 years honey! We took this same picture on our honeymoon 5 years ago and I just couldn't resist a sequel. I don't care what anybody says, this man is my Prince Charming, and I, for one, think that is something worth celebrating. Here's to a return trip--very, very soon!