Hello From Vancouver, WA

We made it. We got everything packed up and ready on Sunday so we would be ready to leave EARLY Monday morning. Monday morning came quickly. My alarm went off at 3:15 and we were on the road by 3:45. Keegan did great as always, he went back to sleep in the car and slept until we were almost to Boise. We stopped in Boise for breakfast and were done there by 9:00. We were making great time.

Then for lunch we stopped somewhere in Oregon, not sure where but it was so WINDY!! You can ask Jacey, she called Josh while we were there and I am sure she could barely hear him.

At this stop there were some HUGE stuffed animals, since there were no signs saying we couldn't put Keegan up there we did it. So this is somewhere in Oregon.

The last 3 hours of the drive were along the Columbia river. Here is one of our first views of the river. I was driving so I made Josh take the pictures. Had I not been driving there would have been a TON more pictures to post. I had to force him to take this one.

This picture isn't the greatest but, in the distance you can see Mt. Hood.

So far so good here. It is REALLY different than the last place we were. It is green EVERYWHERE you look, and no road runners.

I'll post more pictures soon.

Busy, Busy, Busy

We have been busy around here. We got to Utah and immediately started building a room for Keegan at my mom's house. It turned out really cute and we just have a couple finishing touches and then we will be done in time to move away again.

While here we got to do our annual pumpkin carving with Jacey and Jon.

This is Jacey's

Mine

Jon's

Josh's

Keegan had fun watching and even dared to scoop out some guts. Last year he wouldn't even touch them so this year was a big step, maybe next year he will do his own. Ididn't get any pictures of Keegan in his costume. He never really wanted to wear the whole thing. We went trick-or-treating and at everyhouse he lost a piece of his costume. By the end I was holding all of it.

After Halloween, we finished Keegan room enough that we could move in. The part I was dreading was the moving of all of our crap! We had been moving boxes with each trip over to my moms and then it was just the big stuff left.

So this pic is just because I kind of ''forget" what the Wasatch Mountains look like when we are away. LOVE THEM.

So now we have under 2 weeks left in Salt Lake and then it is off to Vancouver, WA. We are really excited and can't wait to go see somewhere new. Now, if Josh's company would just tell us where we are going to be living I would feel soooo much better.

Plans change so quickly around here!!

Since before we left ABQ we decided we would take the rest of the year off and make sure we were home for the holidays. WRONG!!! This morning I was woken up by Josh's phone ringing, in the back of my mind I already knew who it was. Even though there is no reason Josh's recruiter should be calling, he was. He was calling to let Josh know that there were new openings in Vancouver Washington, right across the river from Portland. He knew that Josh wanted some time off but also knows that Josh loves Washington. So after some talking we decided it would be alright for him to send Josh's info up to the hospital up there. If some of you remember any of our other travels we have NEVER ended up going to the 1st place that has come available, so while we were torn we didn't think that there was anyway that they would call. So less than an hour later his phone rings again, with an out of state area code. Guess who it is..... the stinking hospital in Washington. So now after hearing all about it, it sounds like a great area and a great hospital. Guess where his boss was born and raised.....Albuquerque. So needless to say, Josh said yes. He starts on November 18th. So no holidays here in UT but we get to go off and explore somewhere new!!

Vancouver here we come...in 3 weeks.

Busy Busy Busy

We have since left ABQ and made it safely back to Salt Lake, with a minor detour in St. George to deliver some chilies. Since being back we have started building a room at my mom's house for Keegs since we will be staying with her instead of my sis. So far things are going well. After MANY trips to Home Depot (3 yesterday) We have framed, electrified, insulated and done 1/2 the sheet rock. ( we would have had it all done but a fishing trip today was a MUST DO. ) Most of you know my husband well enough to know this kind of stuff is not his forte' Thanks to his Dad's help we are both learning a lot.


I was going to post some pictures but the computer is freaking out and wouldn't let me, maybe another day.

Last one I swear....well for now at least.

Ok, I swear, this will be the last post about hot air balloons.

We ended up staying an extra day to see the special shaped balloons. We got up super early, loaded on to a school bus and schuttled to the park. It was AMAZING, seriously the coolest thing ever. It was so much fun to be right there and see how big some of these balloons were. There were sooooo many to look at, here are a few of my favorites.

This space shuttle was sooooo tall, the balloon in front if it is a normal sized balloon.

Not sure what this one actually is but it was HUGE.

There was a Darth Vader balloon (scroll down further) and along with it were Star Wars characters. Josh was excited to get his picture with them. The pink bunny ears are from the Energizer Bunny baloon people.

Darth Vader getting ready to go up.

Trying to get as many as possible in one picture, there really was too many to look at.

And the much anticipated Darth Vader balloon, that was being "held hostage" in China after a balloon festival over there. Apparently there were some shipping issues and many feared he wouldn't make it to ABQ in time for our Balloon Fiesta, luckily he arrived safely the day before the "Special Shape Rodeo" Yay!!!

Possibly my favorite, just so cute and happy

One of the "regular" balloons getting ready to go up.

We had a GREAT time and I am already hoping that we get to go back someday.

It's Time to Say Adios to Albuquerque

I'm actually quite sad that we are leaving. We have really enjoyed our time here. As usual it wasn't our first choice and we didn't know what to expect. In my mind I was expecting a cross between Tucson and the Wild Wild West. We got here plesantly surprised to see NO cacti and NO cockroaches. And that there are the same kind of trees we have in Utah. We also learned that the weather here is quite like Salt Lake.

Unlike the last 2 places we have gone, I have always had something to complain about. Here....I have tried REALLY hard to come up with something just to even things out and the best I can do is....the parking spaces are narrower than other states , and the library system kind of sucks. Or maybe the food is WAY WAY too YUMMY!!!!

Here are some of the things we are really going to miss

1. The food. There is something slightly different about mexican food here. They call it New Mexican.

2. Waking up to Hot air balloons out my window almost every morning.

3. The Balloon Fiesta!!!! Still the coolest thing I have EVER EVER EVER seen. Everyone should see it atleast once in their lives.

4. The roasted green chilies on EVERYTHING. I love them!!! Maybe that is why I am bringing almost 50 lbs of frozen chilies back to UT.

5. The fun things to do...zoo, aquarium, botanical gardens, tram

6.My apartments bathtub. To some of you this may sound strange and to others you know my obsession.

7. Did I mention the food??


So in 13.5 hours we will be leaving one of the funnest places we have been so far.

But the good news is, that if after the holidays no other hospital calls Josh to work for them, The Heart Hospital in Albuquerque told him that he could come back!!! Yay Yay Yay

I woke the boys up early for this....

I forced the boys out of bed at 5:45 this morning to see this. I know they are blurry but these are the 1st balloons getting ready to take off. They blink on and off soooo cool to watch.

Here are more of them, glowing in the dark, the first ones to take off for the Balloon Fiesta

The sun is coming up as the balloons headed north.

Keep scrolling down to the next post of soooo many balloons that I can't even describe it.

The Coolest Thing I Have EVER Seen!!

We got up early to see the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

We weren't prepared to battle the crowds today so we found a place where we could park the car and see the entire valley. So most of the pictures are from far away and may be a little blurry but give us a few days and we will have some UP CLOSE pics.

We found Nemo

I couldn't get a picture to do it justice, there were sooooo many balloons.

There is a Pirate Balloon in this picture and the blue one in the middle is actually a globe.

There is a Pepsi can in this one as well as a beer Stein

An Owl

Another wave of balloons getting ready to take off.

A goldfish

This isn't even all of them, I couldn't get them all in the picture, there are just as many to the left of this pic and to the right as well.

The sun finally came up

There is an alien balloon in this picture.

2 bumble bees

I must say, if you can ever get to Albuquerque to see this you should!!! It was unbelieveable. Can't wait to get up tomorrow and see it again.

New Trick

While at dinner last night "Pa" taught Keegan a new trick. He did it on his first try.

He has been having a great time with "Pa". Who else lets him play in the street, sit on the edge of the balcony, stay up late, and teach him silly tricks at a restaurant? (not me thats for sure)

New Mexico State Fair

Last week we decided it would be a lot of fun to go to the State Fair. If we are in Utah we always try to go to our fair up there. Well this year there was no way we would make it to the Utah State Fair....so the next best thing (actually a much better thing) was to go to the New Mexico State Fair. I just have to say, it is really big!! The amount of food and rides was amazing

We started out heading towards the animals. Obviously what Keegan would enjoy. He loved these little sheep, they wanted food but there was no way I was going to pay $2 for the tinest little amount of grain.

McDonalds sponsors an area for the kids called, what else.....McDonalds farm. Keegan had a great time. You start out by getting a basket and a set of directions. The first thing it has you do is collect an apple and some nuts from the first area...an orchard then tells you to head to the tractor barn..

Here is Keegan on the big tractor.

Now one more his size.

The farm hunt also had us go through a corn maze ( if you can call it that) collect some chicken eggs and also some wool that had been sheared. Then it had you take a ride on a horse. Probably not the best horse ride this kid has had but a cute picture anyway.

After the "horse ride" we went through a dairy barn where he learned how to milk a cow, and then on to picking produce. Here he is with his super cheesy smile and a basket full of produce.

After you pick all your produce you had to take it to the "market" to sell. It really just consisted of the kids sorting all of the stuff in their basket back in to separate baskets. They returned their basket and for payment they got a popsicle.

After that we went and saw more animals. We saw horses and part of a horse show, and cows that he got to pet.

After that we went to find the Tigers, yes I said tigers. They had a tiger show with 5 or 6 tigers. It was really fun, we didn't get to see very well but Keegan up on Josh's shoulders got to see well enough.

They also had a daredevil show, including a highwire motorcycle act and the motorcycle in a sphere. Keegan like those a lot, well they were motorcycles so of course he liked them. They also had these crazy ladies who climbed up these "Sway Poles" they were 75 feet tall and had NO safety nets or ropes.

They did all sorts of tricks even at one point trading poles.

We also wanted to let Keegan ride on a ride but they were REDICULOUSLY priced. So instead I will just take him to the mall to ride their merry-go-round.

Afterwards I asked him what his favorite part of the fair was and he responded "The horse show" definately winning brownie points with my mom on that one.

Just needed somthing new

Nothing too exciting to report, still in ABQ and waiting to come home to UT for the winter. So since I hadn't posted anything new in a while I thought I would post these. I mean, who doesn't like clean kids and bubble baths?

I'm sure going to miss this tub. It is so big, especially for an apartment bathroom.