Bon Voyage... for now. I am a Craner so I know we will be back! My best friend Michelle watched Ethan for us all day so that we could spend the day at Disneyland with Colby before we left California. Ethan wouldn't have lasted but we will definitely come back for his turn.

We are leaving California and turning a new leaf. This was a lovely day to end California with. Colby as the age where he understands he is leaving behind his friends and we wanted to do something special for him. We are trying to explain to him that hopefully we will stay in contact with his friends and can go back one day and visit. He is a very good sport and I hope he can make some more great friends in Utah. We certainly have made some great friends in California and will be greatly missed. I am always scared to start a new chapter but I know that this is a good thing for us. We will really miss California and all of our friends that we call family, even our ward was our California family. We had some really great experiences here and we will miss it.

Posted in: 2011, colby, craners, darrin, riss, us on Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 0 comments  

 This was my car before I met Darrin. I will miss this car, I loved this thing. 4-runners rock! This was an older car and wouldn't be reliable for the journey back to Utah. We had to sell it:( I miss it!

Posted in: 2011, us on Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 0 comments  

It is pure excitement for me to move back to Utah, I finally have family close by. I have always been a home body and it has been very nice to have family around. When ever a huge change occurs in my life (moving, career change) I have horrible anxiety. I'm a train wreck, and it takes about a month for me to recover and feel like myself again. Colby has been having a rough time too. I will tuck him in at night and ask him how he is doing with the move, he looks up at me and says "Mommy, I want to go home" or he will ask if Caden or Brynna can come over and play. Colby and Caden were in the same nursery class and after the first time going to church here, that night he told me he wanted to go back to his church. I know we will soon get on a routine and Colby and my anxieties will go away but I about melt to death when I hear him say stuff like that. I don't want my kids to go through hard things, sometimes being a parent stinks! Does this anxiety happen to anyone else?
After a couple weeks things are beginning to settle down. Since growing up we never moved that much. I always thought it would be so fun to move a lot - I'm now realizing- I HATE moving! Yuck. Since moving to Utah (for beauty school) I have moved 11 times!!! Crazy!

For the heck of it I've decided to make a pro and con list for Utah and California
Here goes......

California

P- made some great friends, friends I hope to keep for life, they were my other family
P- weather, oh how I loved the weather, perfect year around
P- close to the beach, I have visited like 20 and my favorite beach area is Laguana and San Diego a close second
P- shopping, not like I have a ton of money to shop but there is everything here, way better deals too
P- I loved the city of Rancho Cucamonga, fast speed limits, tons of stores and all super close by,
P- thouroughbred street, a neighborhood that in the association it states that your house MUST be decked out at Christmas time, the whole street is amazing, they have carriage rides, and sell hot cocoa and treats on their driveways, so much fun

c- so expensive!!
c- houses, property taxes, car registration, insurance everything went up by a long ways, you better make bank if you want to live in California and in a nice enough area to feel safe
c- about a million freeways, you need a GPS the first year until you get the 10-20 u use down to a science
c- rush hour towards LA starts at 6-10 am and starts again leaving LA from 3-8. Plan wisely where u want to visit

Utah
p- family, it is so nice to be around family, sunday dinners, or for double dates, babysitting, holidays- it's great
p- being driving distance to my fam, not having to pay plane fair, YUCK!
p- having access to Craners boat, muhaha (that's my evil laugh!)
p- living in a house, with a backyard, TONS of room for the boys, LOVE IT

c- freezing!!! brrrrrrr C-O-L-D
c- have to drive 1/2 hour to get anywhere, everything is so spread apart
c- 1 freeway, the freeway, I don't think I can ever get lost :)
c- speed limits, so slow

Posted in: 2011, riss on Monday, March 21, 2011 at 4 comments  

My baby and me!















Ethan chillin on the bed. We were living with zero furniture in the house for 4 days, Ethan knew where to kick it.














My boys would always hang out in just their diaper or underwear. Now that we moved to Utah they are always fully dressed, so much colder!!!!!!!















Colby is so smart, I was getting short tempered trying to pack up the kitchen while Ethan kept coming in and unpacking everything. Colby blocked off the kitchen for me and then started playing with Ethan to make him happy. Such a sweet boy!

Posted in: 2011, colby, ethan, riss on at 2 comments  

My husband, Darrin- loves to learn and he is quite good at it. Have you ever met someone or are the person who is naturally great at school. Of course, you work hard I know that but you pick up things fast and speak the text book language. Myself, not one, would love it but nope.. on the other hand Darrin is that person.
He bought some GMAT books at Barnes and Noble and after a few months decided he wanted to take the GMAT. We were both very nervous, not having a lot of study time while working and having some family time we decided after a short period it was time to for him to take the test. We were nervous because it is always best to get a good score and not have to redo the test, added pressure. The GMAT is a HUGE test, and a huge part of getting into MBA school. I never knew this but with the GMAT the test adapts to how well you are doing, it is crucial you start out well, and keep it up, crazy how smart tests are getting. 50% is Quantative (math) and 50% verbal.
We were shocked but he got a great score! (well he was shocked but I know how smart he is) We knew that an MBA program was now possible.
Everything started moving in place, we finally realize that all along certain things never happened and I believe it was an answer to our prayers. Darrin got accepted into BYU's MBA program for the fall of 2011! YEAH! It all happened so fast and was pretty unexpected. We are moving in 2 weeks which is a little quicker than we expected, but we will move into Darrin's parents house, thanks Greg and Penny, and we will get to house sit while they go on a mission.

I know sometimes I feel like prayers go unanswered (like finding a house) but now I know that is for a reason, God always has a reason even if it is by not answering back right away. Things always happen for a reason. Things are sliding into place and it makes me know that moving and all of these big changes are the right thing for our family. That is all I want, I want my family to be happy and loved.

Thanks everyone for all of your support.

Posted in: 2011, darrin, riss, us on Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 8 comments  

These 2 are best buds. Tonight Caden came over while his parents went out, we have a great time trading for date night. I was making them some Mac and Cheese and I turn around and I see this..

The first picture Colby is smiling all adorable and Caden is distracted by the tv but still a great smile.

roles reverse

Caden is now picture perfect and Colby is smiling but watching the tv and this is what I get. I LOVE IT! This picture just makes me laugh.

Ethan, hanging out below wishing he was a little older so he can play with the big boys.

Posted in: 2011, colby, ethan on Friday, February 11, 2011 at 4 comments  

My 2 handsome boys! I found these adorable shirts at Target, I couldn't turn it down. Now I have 3 boys for Valentines Day, I am so lucky! Colby's shirt says "Love Stinks" with Pepe Le Pew on it, and Ethan has a big heart and Mickey that says "Momma's Boy".

Posted in: 2011, colby, ethan, holidays on at 1 comments