Monday, May 19, 2008

HIGHLY Anticipated Update!!

You know how things seem to get more and more exciting as the anticipation builds and then you FINALLY get what you've been waiting for and you're completely disappointed? Well, to anyone who has possibly been waiting for our update and photos, this will probably feel the same way! :) Sorry to disappoint!

Anyway, so Baltimore was WONDERFUL! The kids, as I mentioned before, were so good on the plane! Here's my Jackster on his very first plane ride!

And Payson. She can't seem to smile normal for the camera anymore. I don't know what her deal is. P.S. She wouldn't let me put the window cover up the whole flight. I wanted to see the view, but NO! She wasn't having any of it!
Here's Jack just minutes into the flight! Perfect timing! By napping we avoided all ear issues!
The kids just after eating. Always happy with a full tummy. And of course, Payson is hamming it up the second the camera is out.THIS GADGET WAS MY SAVIOR! Payson watched dvd's on her portable dvd player for a good portion of the flight. Whoever invented thees things is a GENIUS!

This was the apartment: When you walk in the front door you see this dining area.
To the right is the family room area. I didn't take this picture when the room was clean, obviously. Also, I'm realizing more and more that either I am the world's worst photographer or my camera totally blows. I'd like to blame the camera.
The view from our balcony. I enjoyed watching everyone out the window during the day. I'm terribly voyeuristic.
Kitchen.Jack enjoying the kitchen.


Laundry area in the kitchen. Thrilling, right? I know.The kids' room. I swear to you I make beds every day. I'm really good about stuff like that. But Payson likes to ruin the bed the second I make it. Notice the mattress on the floor. The company never put furniture in our second bedroom so my cousin and her husband brought us their mattresses. Thanks, guys!
Master bedroom, prior to putting sheets and bedding on the bed. Obviously.
So, we're home now. Jason just wasn't selling and we felt like we weren't in a position to continue accumulating debt in HOPES that he would all of the sudden get it and makes millions. :) The company was wonderful, despite the nightmare stories you hear about the different options out there. We were with the number one office in the company and my cousin's husband and his cousin were really, really great managers. But we simply couldn't afford to stay. Maybe if we didn't have kids, but with those two precious extra responsibilities we just felt like we shouldn't. I can't even tell you how disappointed I was. We prayed and prayed and prayed. We felt good about our choice to go out there and as much as we wanted to say maybe we made a mistake, we couldn't. We did what we felt was right. So apparently there were some lessons we needed to learn out there. We both feel like we took away so much from our experiences in the month we spent there. I wish the right answer would have been to stay. There were too many things I love about that place. I loved living there before and I loved living there with my family now. But oh well! Life goes on and we're home now. So we'll try to figure things out here and move forward! Anyway, our last Sunday (coincidentally, Mother's Day) in Maryland we drove to DC to cram in what site seeing we could. First stop, the Museum of Natural History. Payson LOVES dinosaurs!
Payson loved chasing the pigeons. She kept asking if we could leave the museums and chase the birdies. :)
The Washington Monument
The Air and Space Museum...just before the rain came POURING down!
And this is how we spent the rest of the afternoon. It started pouring so we stayed in the car and drove to different monuments. We'd hop out and take a picture then run back to the car DRENCHED! Jason and I were having a blast and would have just played in the rain all day and seen everything, but not with the babies!They spent the rest of the site seeing like this. Pooped.

I've been to DC quite a few times, but Jason hasn't been much of anywhere, so we had to get photos of him at all the key points.So there are a few photos from our adventure to and from Maryland. We decided to drive home. When we went out, I flew with the kids and checked several suitcases on the plane and Jason drove packing the car as full as he could. That way we were able to get more out there. So driving home with the extra luggage and three extra people was an adventure! We found a roof top carrier that didn't require a roof top rack (since our car doesn't have one) and pack it as full as possible, stuffed everything we could into the car and somehow squashed everyone and everything in. Three days of driving in the most cramped conditions later and we were home. Can I just say my kids were AMAZING?! I mean, they for sure had their moments and I wanted to strap them to the roof with the luggage, but for the most part they were ANGELS! SO GOOD! I love them. So now we're home. And by home I mean living with my parents until we get settled in and find a place. Jason already started working in Salt Lake. So who knows how life will go from here. But I'm missing Maryland like crazy. I have way too many good memories there. If not for Maryland I wouldn't have my husband or beautiful kids. As cheesy as it sounds, Maryland saved my life once. It really has this incredibly special place in my heart. But that's a long story for another day.

So finally, here are some random pictures my beautiful daughter begged me to take of her today. Seriously, she's such a ham. But I couldn't love any other little girl anywhere NEAR as much!


9 comments:

The Brandt Clan Fam! said...

I'm sorry it didn't work out, but glad you're back safely! My mom was excited to see you all, and thinks your kids are adorable! Gatta love Maryland!

Anonymous said...

What a great post! I'm so sorry it didn't work out, but you're right; everything happens for a reason! I loved the pictures, I can't get over what beautiful babies you and Jason make! Great job! :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the update. I'm sorry it didn't work out but it sounds like you guys had all your bases covered. Good luck.

Aubree said...

Welcome back!! If your husband is working in Salt Lake Maybe you should rent my house and live up here?!?!? Think about it! Glad you're home. Maybe some day you guys can move back there again.

Semi Granola Mom said...

Ha! Payson looks like she is saying " You... are going DOWN "
:)

Jason & Kelli West said...

yay for piggy and kermit!! Sorry to hear things did not work out for you guys!! That must be hard! It looks like you had fun though. I hope you can get settled back in quickly!! welcome home!!

Jason and Bri said...

hey~ So I totally have been there, well not with kids. but the year mark decided to go sale with apex, jas and me decided to try but we went to Indiana with my brother with a new company called pro alarm. It was a really great experience, but we came home too, not cause jas wasn't sale but he just didn't like it. But it was so great cause on our way hoem we did the sight seeing since both me and jas haven't been any where, we went to the mall of america which was so cool and mount rushmore. well any ways, ur pics are way cute and I am glad u guys had fun.

Lynette said...

Wow that is quite the adventure!!! I think just by getting through all that and being as positive as you are is amazing. I would be so frustrated...so maybe that was your test...maybe that was why you felt good about going and you passed! :) Your kids really are too cute!

Lynette said...

p.s. those pictures of pason are too funny and adorable!