New Home, New Class, and Hanging Out

Both of the boys kept busy this week: Landon had Cub Scout day camp, and Mike made the long trek up to Provo to teach a week-long doctoral seminar at the Y. He also got the keys to our new house and camped out there. Meanwhile, the girls had their own fun hanging out with friends and family.

On Monday morning, Mike and Landon went with Landon’s friend Luke to Westlake for Cub Scout day camp. Mike worked with a couple of Boy Scouts as a program leader, guiding all the boys’ dens through six sessions of Bug Olympics (various relay races and games of tag). His assistants were super helpful, and their great attitude (plus the ample shade of the area we held the events) made for a relaxing and enjoyable day with the cubs.

Once he dropped Landon off at gymnastics and took Luke home, he packed up the Momobile in preparation for his drive to Utah. He thought to pack almost everything he would need—almost. Hallie thought to include some items he forgot, and both forgot to remember other things until Mike was already on the road or at the new house. Such is moving!

Landon continued in camp throughout the week, earning credit toward his advancement and learning how to shoot BBs and arrows. The kid has great accuracy and enjoyed getting out there and having fun. He also sweat and smelled like a pig at the end of each session. To top it all off, he had gymnastics all this week in the afternoon. Let’s just say that he didn’t work quite as intensely as usual, and he missed a day just to rest some.

Mike woke up before 3:00 a.m. Tuesday in order to hit the road quickly and beat both the LA and Vegas traffic (which he did). The Momobile did him well, with the minor exception that it started to overheat every so often (another reason to keep moving at a steady pace). Mike anticipated that there might be an issue and took it easy, making the trip to Springville in about 10½ hours or so. Ugh. The car is comfortable, but he was glad to be done before the day’s heat set in. As he was a bit early to meet with the rental agent at our new house, he got a Beto’s breakfast burrito for lunch (and dinner too as it would turn out. Two meals there—so huge! So good!) and got a library card at the Springville Library. He also made a stop at the giant Smith’s Marketplace on 400 South, just a few blocks south of our new house. Turns out that the store was not quite yet open. Its grand opening was set for Wednesday.

After getting the keys and walking through the house, he rested some before getting a few necessities at Walmart, which also turns out to be quite close. In fact, everything we like or need seems to be tantalizingly close to where we will be living: School and church are less than half a mile north on Center Street, Airtime Gymnastics is just down by Walmart and the DI Thrift Store, and Hallie even has a Starbucks by the new Smith’s. The library and the art museum are along Mike’s route to and from work, as is Sam’s Club. Costco is not too far from Walmart and gymnastics. Hobble Creek Canyon is just a few miles up the road. All we need is family and the beach, and things would be pretty near perfect!

While we have electricity in the new house, we don’t have gas. Moreover, Mike forgot to bring a towel and a pillow. He did think to bring two sleeping bags, a ground pad, an air bed (kid-sized, unfortunately), and other toiletries. So he ate well, ran the A/C, kept his food cool, and slept OK. But oh, what a cold morning shower! After chattering his way through that, Mike went up to the university campus Wednesday morning to get a haircut, take care of his hiring paperwork, and unload his office boxes in his new digs. He has a corner office on his floor—which is great. It’s just that it’s a dark inside corner with a wee transom window to let in whatever natural light leaks in from the transoms of his neighbors’ offices across the hall. He thinks it’s awesome and keeps chuckling about the situation to himself. It’s not likely that he will have anything like the view he had from his WSU office anytime soon.

Everyone at the new office was super friendly and helpful, which made getting ready for his class at 1:00 that afternoon a bit less overwhelming. All too soon, though, it was time to get to work. This educational leadership EdD seminar on multicultural education is being taught with another seminar on the history of American education. Dr. Ferrin took all day Monday and Tuesday along with Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Mike took Wednesday and Thursday afternoons along with all day Friday and Saturday. Let’s just say that is a lot of intense time for both teachers and students. And Mike thought one Friday and Saturday per month was a lot to do teaching-wise! Still, what a fun class! He and the students had a great time and learned a lot about the topics covered from each other. Unique aspects of the class include the custom of opening with a prayer and of openly bringing church-related concepts and ideas into the discussion, both elements which he appreciated. We had a couple of profound moments of the sort he has not had in the last 10 years of his teaching. Humbling and awesome, to be sure.

When he wasn’t teaching, Mike ran a few job-related errands on campus and went to the university bookstore and the library. After getting home in the evenings, he ran some home-related errands and unpacked the boxes we’d brought up for the house (the Momobile held a massive amount of cargo: boxes upon boxes along with several pictures, the sleeping gear and luggage, and so on). Mike continues to marvel how we live in a magical time, technology-wise. Just with the data plan on his cell phone, he could not only prep for each day’s class and answer emails but could watch TV and otherwise keep entertained with everyone else so far away.

I spy a university bowtie! 

Posted speed limit? Where? Oh. . . .

He went to the Smith’s Marketplace grand opening on Wednesday (along with everyone else in Springville, it would seem) and then again later in the week when it was a little less overwhelming. He also did some walking around in the long twilight hours to gauge the distance to stores, schools, and church. Seems pretty nice all around. He even made it to church on Sunday (to the 9:00 a.m. ward. No sense babbling about our moving in given that we won’t really be here until August, right?).

Still, with all the adventuring, Mike was more than ready to get back to Hallie and the kiddos and to hear about all their activities while he was away. 

Tuesday, while Mike was headed to Utah, Hallie and Eliza took the boys to camp. As they arrived they saw Grandma M and chatted for a bit. Then Hallie saw her friend Libby. They have been friends for over 20 years, but it has been a while since they have seen each other in person. How fun to chat! Eliza and Hallie decided to go visit the Maygren/Hopkins and play for a while. Sawyer and Eliza played so well for nearly 3 hours, and Hallie got to hold and play with Finnley while she chatted with her parents. What a great time! The girls headed over to get Hallie’s nails done and set up an appointment for them to be all glammed up before Diamond’s big day in just about three weeks!!!

After taking the boys to camp again on Wednesday Hallie and Eliza took our cute as a button neighbor Annabelle with us to see Ice Age Course Collison at the local movie theatre. The girls had a great time.

Both kids had gymnastics, and let’s just say this is where Landon started losing his steam. It has been quite warm every day, and then gymnastics has no air. Poor guy. Coach Wu didn’t quite understand what was happening and why Landon couldn’t push himself more. We appreciate each coach's dedication and love seeing him give our little ones those extra pointers to improve. 

Now that Hallie’s portion of transporting the boys was over, it was time to rest. At the end of last week Hallie started feeling really tired, which is a bit of a turn since surgery. So, Hallie emailed her doctor and asked some questions. The answer was take your iron and rest. Grandma M. came over to visit for a while, and we went out to lunch. They had a very nice time and ran an errand afterwards to buy sandpaper. A while back Eliza decided to put green handprints on the newly installed fence in the backyard and now that we are moving we are trying to get it off. No luck with the sand paper. Everyone hung out the rest of the evening.

On Friday morning the girls headed to Sam’s Club for a few items and then it was time to do some chores around the house. Grandpa M. came over with an electric sander to take his shot at the fence. His shot worked!!! It was so exciting to see it clean and to know that little thing was off our backs. Grandpa also helped Hallie empty three large water containers that they will be getting rid of; no heavy lifting for two more weeks.

Landon came home a bit later in the afternoon and laid around after a long week. For pizza and a movie night we watched a movie called Magic Ice Skates which was quite cute.

A late start was had Saturday when Hallie woke up with only 20 minutes to get to gymnastics. Everyone went really fast, and we were only five minutes late even with getting some gas on the way. Hallie went back to Camarillo for a little bit and attended the Farmers Market where her friend from school was selling homemade bath products. Then it was back up the hill to watch the kids at gymnastics. Landon is learning how to do giants on the high bar, and Eliza is perfecting her skills on the beam.

In the late afternoon we headed to our friend Jack’s surprise birthday party at Valle Lindo Park. All of the kids had so much fun playing. Their energy always amazes Hallie. Moreover, how do the kids always make it on top of the playground structure?

Shortly after getting home, Carly sent us a text about meeting her and the family at Panera for dinner. We try never to miss a chance to meet up with family! The kids had a great time hanging out and walking around the Outlet Mall.

Sunday we went to church. Hallie taught her primary class and had an interview with the Bishop so she can apply for school. Wah hoo! We called and sang our nephew/cousin Porter Happy Birthday and talked to his parents for a few minutes. We are trying very hard to find a time to go and visit the Maygrens in Washington. Hallie has continued to be very tired, and so the kids watched TV L most of the afternoon as Hallie drifted in and out of sleep. Mike won’t be home soon enough in Hallie’s mind.