Settling into the Home of the Blue Angels and Beautiful Beaches

We found our house three days after we got to Pensacola. We signed the lease on a Wednesday and didn't get our stuff until the next Tuesday. We just wanted to get out of a hotel so bad ( 2 weeks is a long time to be in one room). Anyways, it was interesting living in a house with no stuff, but it worked itself out. We love our house. It is a four bedroom with an office and a playroom. We definitely need a bigger house than our one in San Diego. We were busting out of the seams. We also love our neighborhood. We live in a cul-te-sac with lots of little kids. Brynn and Aubrey have found little friends to play with. (Although they can't replace the little kids friends from San Diego). We are only a mile from the backgate of the Naval Air Station where Brett works, and there is an awesome bike route that goes from here it Alabama. It is great. We feel super blessed.

Brynn started school the day after we got a house. ( We couldn't register here until we had an address). She has been in school for 2 weeks now, and she really loves everything about it. The day she started they had an open house, so that is a picture of her and her teacher from that night. Everyday she comes home with something new she has learn. I am impressed with how smart she is. She love Ms Werner. She has been a great teacher for her.

Aubrey also started preschool twice a week. She likes it once she is there. She is not into it as much as Brynn, but she told me she found a friend in it. Hopefully that helps. Cute Aubs has had a little harder time with all the changes, so hopefully when things finally settle down a little more she will like school better. She says she doesn't like to go because she like to be home with Brady. (She is such a nurturer).

Another thing we love about here is the beautiful beaches. The sand is white and since it is the Gulf of Mexico there aren't huge waves and it is really shallow. Aubrey even loves going out in it. Brynn of course would actually prefer the waves, and Brayden just loves the "waa-waa". He love sitting on the edge of the water and letting the waves splash him in the face.

NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM

This is the sick call room where Brett will work.

This is a museum out here that has so much cool stuff. It has a lot of Blue Angel stuff in, due to the fact that this is the home of the Blue Angels. The kids loved getting in all the planes.

BRETT'S 34th BIRTHDAY

Look at my hot husband. You would never know he is the ripe old age of 34. I just have to say I am so happy and grateful that I am blessed to have this wonderful man in my life. He is so patient and kind. He works hard to provide for our family, and he is such a funny caring dad. It has been nice having him around the last month. ( He just started back to work on on Wednesday the day after his birthday). He is truly my best friend, and I am lucky I get to be with him forever.

The kids wanted to do breakfast in bed for him, but our bedroom is right off the kitchen. Needless to say he came out before it was ready. We started his party in the morning by all wearing Navy Blue Angel shirts.

I took the girls to school and Brayden and Brett went and watched a Blue Angels show right behind the museum. Brett said Brayden really liked it. (We are privileged enough to see the Blue Angels practice twice a week right above our house. The kids all love planes, so it is a fun thing for them).

Brett is still as cute and fun loving as 7 years ago when I met him. ( I met him two weeks before his 27th birthday, and by the time it was his birthday I knew I wanted to marry him). :) He no longer has his Blue Angel shirt on for his party because he "loved" it so much he couldn't take it off for his run, so he ran in it and it got to sweaty to wear.

I had to get a picture of Brynn, the party planner. She LOVES planning parties. She thought of a Blue Angel party because Brett is going to be flying soon. (I think in her head she thinks Brett is going to fly with the Blue Angels. I am just going to let her keep thinking that because it is cute). She wanted to get blow-up jets and she really wanted us all to wear the same shirts. She has such cute ideas.We had Brett' s party after the kids got home.

I have to say that Brett got spoiled on his birthday. He has been wanting a big screen TV (47") for a long time. I keep dragging my feet because Brett say I am jealous of the TV. It is kind of true sometime I wonder who is more important.:) Anyways, we finally got one for him. The other things seem small comparatively speaking, but I think he had a fun birthday.

After his party we went to this awesome beach 5 miles from our house called Johnson Beach. ( It has to be cool if it is named after me :)). Anyways, it is by far the most beautiful beach I have seen. It wasn't crowded, and the kids had so much fun in the warm water. We finally flew the kite my mom got us, and played in the sand. We stayed to see the beautiful sun set, and then went and got take out and had it in our backyard. ( We had to bribe Brynn with a prize from the treasure box for her to take our picture. We are trying to teach her how to take pictures so we can get more pictures of us together. She is improving).

Our Drive Across Country

We staying in Jackson Mississippi the next night. Then on Saturday we only had a 4 hour drive. We made it to Pensacola on Saturday evening. We couldn't be more HAPPIER! We pulled into Navy Lodge, and the kids couldn't get out fast enough. The next day we went to our new ward. Then we went to this awesome park, which is now basically in our back yard. Then to the beach. It is crazy her because you have trees on one side and then the ocean on the other. We found a place to live a week and halfd ago. We love it. It is about a mile from the backgate. We are about half mile away from the ocean, and we are in a great neighborhood with lots of young kids. We feel very blessed. We just got our things 3 days ago, so now we are busy unpacking.

We couldn't miss visiting the Bill Clinton museum. (I am not a huge fan, but it was so cool. They had all of his journals, and everything he did for the 8 years he was in office). They had mock oval office, and a bike that Lance Armstrong gave Bill Clinton. Brynn loved all the things. For some reason she really like posing for pictures. (In case you can't tell).

We stayed at a KOA in Little Rock, Arkansas. This is picture of what is looked like inside. The girls loved the bunk beds, and the bed for Brett and I was alright. The kids loved being in the woods. We tried to teach the kids how to roast smore's over a grill. They loved it of course. The next morning they loved playing around in the tree and the creek while Brett and I took turns running along the Arkansa river. I think the kids like having a break.

We went through Texas on Tuesday and stayed at a hotel that night. Then on Wednesday we so happy to go to my brother Spencer's house. He and Steph are in Oklahoma City going to orthodontics school. It was the highlight of our dive. We got there and cute Steph had dinner all made. Then the kids got to play with their daughter Sofie. They loved all of her toys. Just look at the picture close and you can see they dumped our every toy. Anyways, it was fun for the cousins to get to know each other better. Sofie is four months older than Brayden. She turn 2 next week. It the best part was being able to get caught up with Spencer and Steph. They are such a fun couple. I alway love being around them. It is a bummer we don't live closer, but we are hoping to meet halfway for Thanksgiving.Anyways, it was a nice stay. We got to sleep in a comfortable bed. Then after going for a sweet bike ride through rolling green field, and a couple loads of laudry we were on the road again.

This is monday morning. The start of our rode trip. We were packed two cars full.

We stopped in Glendale, AZ. We let the kids stretch at our old park. It was crazy to think Brayden was able to run around and play at that park. When we left Brayden was 3 months old. It was fun to see our old house. We hadn't planned on going through Phoenix/Glendale, but when we re-routed due to the storms this is the way it took us. The ice cream truck was even circling the park, so they got ice cream from the ice cream man for the first time.

We drove 8 hours this day and made it to Flagstaff were we got a KOA cabin. We roast hot dogs over the fire. The kids thought it was great. The next morning Brett and I both had great road rides through Flagstaff. We never drove 8 hour days after this. It was more like 4-6 hours. We just took it really slow.

Saying Good-bye to great friends

This was the last night in San Diego. We went down and just watched the waves come in, and built sand castle. We had such a wonderful time our for the 15 months we were privilleged to live in San Diego. We really hope Brett Navy career will take us back.

We had to say good-bye to our California beaches, but lucky we have a beach here as well. We are too spoiled. :)

The last weekend we were here we got together with my friends Jana and Audra and their families. We were still at the lodge so they meet us there. My friend Vicky and her family were out of town, but the three of them had gotten together earlier and had made me a going away gift. We were all in the cooking group together, so the picture of me in my apron is what they made me. They had all the kids put their had print on it. It was so sweet. They also made me a going away basket with snack for our drive. We used it tons.

Anyways, we spent the day at the beach and had a great time. I was so blessed to have made such wonderful friends in San Diego. I hope the friendship I made will last forever.

We got together with the Sambars a couple times a week at the park. This was one of our last times at the park together. This was after a little mom and tot preschool we did. My girls miss Ryn so much.

This is my cutest neighbor Eleanor. She was the friendliest and kindest lady. My girls called her Grandma. She lived by herself, so the kids really brighten her day. She would always say it was so quite when we left on a trip. The night before our mover came she made us dinner. We are sure going to miss her. ( Luckily we have found great neighbor here).

Lemonade stand

Brynn had wanted to do a lemonade stand for months. We finally did one a week before she left. We did it with her friends Elanor and Ryn. No profit was made, but the kids had a great time.

WE MADE IT FROM CALIFORNIA TO FLORIDA

We finally made it to Pensacola. It took us six days. The kids were so good so it really wasn't that painfully. It was a little long, but now that we are here it seems like it was so much better than planned. We did some fun stops along the way. We stayed at a couple KOA in cabins and a couple night in hotels and it we all had a great time. One of the highlights of our trip was staying at my brother Spencer and his cute wife Steph's house. It really broke things up, and we just had a wonderful time. They were so good to us. We actually got to relax a little. We arrived here last night. It is beautiful here. We are staying at the Navy Lodge until we find a house. Our lodge is on the beach. The beach here are gorgeous. I have been trying to post pictures, but our internet isn't super fast, and it can't pull them up. I will post pictures when I can. Thanks for all your prays and concerns along our path across country.