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Leaving California for Seattle in March 2006

Leaving Seattle for California in August 2015

 It's HOT here!!!

 Back to School Night at Alisal!

 The kids stayed in Sunnyside while Steve and I went to CA to house hunt!

 At Grandma Diane's helping with the brownies right after arriving to CA!

 Our family in the Liahona in Italy!!

 A glimpse into hotel life, which was actually quite nice. 

 After Jake's Court of Honor.  He was TI-RED!!!!

 Welcome to California!  Our first night at the Livermore Residence Inn.  Love how they are sleeping in the shape of a heart!

 A jar of love notes, written to us by our ward family.

 Packing up Round 1--Oscar and family helping us load some things for storage.

 And there's the scoreboard!  We missed the installation, but Ross Hoover sent us pictures of the big day!

A trip to the zoo with Gary and kids--squeezing more fun in before we start packing up.  We are really going to miss these guys!!

The day before High School!!  Learning his way around Amador Valley. 

Santa Cruz

Steve left mid-week (after the first day of school) to go back and oversee the house packing (or, as I like to describe it, packing up all of our life into boxes, shipping it on a truck, and unloading it all in an unfamiliar and strange place), so today we decided to continue with our bravery.  First 4 days of school were done.  No week of school could ever be harder, right?!  We wanted to do something fun!  Something that would help us  really like California, so we went to Santa Cruz.

 Natural Bridges State Park

 Santa Cruz Boardwalk

We loved our day at the beach and on the boardwalk.  It may have even softened up a few hearts!

the (dreaded) first day of school

before and after school

The day I worried about most...turned out pretty okay.  We all survived.  I mean our whole plan for Jake's BYU t-shirt to win him over some friends today didn't work.  That was a little bit disappointing and frustrating.  No one said anything to him or started singing "I am a Child of God" or anything, and he ate lunch by himself! :(  So did Emmy.  :(  Ali, however, met a very nice group of girls who made room for her at the lunch table.  (Thank you forever to Mrs. Buttafoco who placed Ali right between two girls--Maggie and Celeste--that have been friends since birth.  It totally worked!)

Steve, Drew, and I just sat around, mostly in the car, looked at our watch, and waited and wondered. Wondered and waited.

before and after school

 I literally felt like if these kids could conquer this extremely difficult and uncomfortable day, they could do anything!  And conquer they did.  They came out smiling, all in one piece, and ready to go back the next day.  Amador Valley High School and Alisal Elementary School are lucky to have you!

what good-bye looks like

And we're off on a new adventure!

Good-byes

good-byes

good-byes

and more good-byes.

 Pulling away at church...

Emmy:  "I've cried so much my eyes are out of tears!"

Emmy: "I'd rather have the Seahawks lose all but one game than move!"

Emmy: "I'd rather eat cat food than move!"

leaving our home and loved ones.

going away

The Dayleys graciously offered their home (or 2nd ward building as we like to call it) for a going away par-TAY.  Normally I don't cry much at parties.  This one I did.  We love these people like family.

Verners & Tanners, group, Thompsons & Meekers & Mengs, Dongs, Shipleys

group, playground group, Jake's friends, Julie & Michelle, Shelly & Cary, Thuan, group

Marlowe, Jacksons, Balkmans, Emmy's friends, Salmons, Huffmans, Sherwoods, Roberts

Kearns, Hollie & Colleen, Johnsons, Jensens, Hansens

Andersons, Teheros, Sanellis, Atzbachs, Monsons

Christensens, Rincons & Hutchisons, Kristin Eliason & Copleys, Afton Tanner & Drew

Browns, Dayleys, Winders, Cooks

Happy (early) birthday, Ali!

And the party continues!!  This time for Ali and friends!

 What a great group of friends!!

Cecily, Aubrey, Hannah, Ava, Elaina

She's known some of them for as long as she can remember.

Aubrey, Makenzie, Elisa, Anna, Olivia

And some since kindergarten.

 Such fun and adorable friends.

 fun, fun fun!

 Happy (early) birthday future Surfer girl!

Happy (early) birthday, Emmy!

Because we are moving about a month before the girls' birthdays, my amazing, wonderful, thoughtful, selfless, super talented friend, Melynda, offered to throw birthday parties for the girls.  Not just one party, but a party for each.  It was the best, most thoughtful thing!!  There was no way I could've pulled off two birthday parties (or one) before we moved.  The girls were THRILLED.  I was GRATEFUL.  It is a gift we will always remember and one that will inspire us to be KIND and go ABOVE and BEYOND as Melynda did.

Happy (early) birthday, Emmy!

 Work it girls!

 She LOVES her friends!

Ella, Hailey, Lily, Amelia, Lucy

 Silly girls!

Emmy, Lauren, Cora, Alyssa

 Lots of fun, lots of friends, lots of goofy, lots of love.

(birthday cake by Melynda, too, per Emmy's request)

Eagle Scout

We didn't think we'd get the papers back in time from the National BSA office to hold Jake's Court of Honor before we left.  However, we received them just a few weeks after submitting them.  Tender mercy in my book.  We wanted to celebrate with his troop, YM and Scout leaders, and with our friends who have been so supportive!  And that we did!  Mathew Maximo also got his Eagle so it was perfect timing.

 We are so proud of Jake!  He is an Eagle Scout!!  That's awesome!!

 Jake and Mathew as the newest members of the Eagle's Nest.

 Grandpa and Grandma drove over and back just for the Court of Honor.  And Jim Feltis has been a marvelous and supportive leader!

 Jake chose to give Anne Maximo the Eagle Pin for her help and support with his fundraising efforts.

Kyle Tait, Jake's YM leader, said some really nice things about Jake and presented him with his Eagle swag, and Jake gave me the Mother's Pin.

It was a really special night to celebrate Jake's and Mathew's huge accomplishments!