An update

We are in Arkansas with Chris! In January, Tony convinced him to manage/sell for Pinnacle. I didn't care what he decided. We knew we would be apart though because I wasn't going to move with our kids and stuff for 4 short months. Then he decided to do it for 5 months. That's almost half a year! I already had my mind made up that we weren't going to move. We have a huge house and huge yard that I have to care for, and I really enjoy. I also love being near my family. Plus, Chris works 10-12 hours a day so that doesn't leave much time for him to spend with us. He left April 2 and we didn't see him for 4 1/2 weeks. We did face time (on our iphones) and skyped almost every day though and it flew by.

While he was gone I had a surgery done on my leg. I had my biggest varicose veins removed (and I still have to have another procedure done for the rest). We stayed at my parents house for 5 days because I couldn't get around. I had no idea it was going to be so bad! I had to prepare my yard for my long vacation but with my leg and Jocelyn I absolutely couldn't get anything done outside. It was really frustrating!! Then one day, my Hispanic neighbor (who knows no English) started doing my yard work. She worked out there for three days with her kids, then the Young Women in my ward came (about 20 of them) for mutual and everything got done! I definitely put in time as well but there is no way I would have gotten everything done. Bless those that helped me! I don't think they know what a burden they took off my shoulders. I also had a relief society meeting where I taught how to do men's/boy's haircuts and bow making. I took way too much time figuring out which type of bow to make and then made way too many while trying to perfect it. I am the "Relief Society extra meetings Chair" (AKA Enrichment). I LOOOOVE my calling! We do activities once a month, about 10 months of the year. I love throwing parties.

I got everything situated (I hope) and I am here in Arkansas for 3 1/2 weeks. I've been here since last Friday. The day we flew here, I had to wake up at 3:30 am (after going to bed at 1:30). We left our house at 4:30 and the kids were surprisingly super super good!!! It may have helped that I put them to bed 2 hours early with Benadryl :) This is not something I have ever done, but I couldn't have kids crying and screaming as I drug them through the airport at 6 am! We had one layover in Denver. Each flight was almost 2 hours. I had anxiety about getting to Arkansas but I must have had help from above. Also, strangers were so sweet and helped me on and off the planes. I checked 3 suitcases and had to carry (with the help of my double stroller- a moms best friend) my diaper bag, a carry-on bag, 2 mini backpacks and blankies, and Jocelyn with her carseat. Caiden slept the whole first flight. Jocelyn was happily talking and apparently bugging this psycho girl who obviously hates babies. She would look back at us every 10-20 minutes, roll her eyes, and shake her head!! Who does that?! Especially when the baby is happy? I almost walked up to her many times to ask her for duct tape for my babies mouth or if she had any advice on keeping babies quiet. Or to tell her that if she wants peace and quiet that she should buy a private jet. I was happy when Jocelyn stopped talking and started crying. Seriously... crazy person.

The day we got here was super humid and hot. I hate humidity and thought I was in for it, but it was just that day. We have been to the pool a couple times, the park, Braum's (yummy fast food), Becca's house (Chris' sister that lives here!), and Walmart about every day. My kids are sick of Walmart. P.S. this is the Walmart headquarters. We are going to go to the visitors center one of these days. I was bored on the first normal day here, after I got all situated and Chris was working. It was because I was trying to entertain and pack in as much as we could as if we were on a short vacation. By 6 pm I was ready for Chris to get home. He doesn't get home until 10 though. Now, I just take me time doing everything and know that we have a lot of time :) We have been having fun! We spent Thursday at the pool for 4 hours. My back got fried. Yesterday we shopped all day. I was looking for the perfect sandals for Caiden. He gets blisters easily and hates flip flops. He is a shoe lover. He has to love his shoes or he absolutely will not wear them. 

Speaking of Caiden, I have had a hard time convincing him to be potty trained. He is 3 3/4 now and has not cared at all about being a big boy. He says he is a baby like Jocelyn. When he has a wet or stinky diaper on... who cares?! He'll sit in it all day! He would be content using a diaper for the rest of his life. He doesn't care that all his friends/cousins don't wear diapers. I didn't pack one diaper for him. Just underwear and pull-ups for bedtime. He has done ok. I have to take him to the bathroom or he just does it in his pants. One day he took himself to the potty 2 different times. It was weird. He WILL NOT go #2 in the toilet though. Its working though. Hopefully in a couple more weeks he will be potty trained, before we go home.

Every single day that we have been here (including the first day), Chris begs me, "please don't leave me!" He loves coming home to us, but we have a lot of time that he isn't here :( He wants us to move with him next summer. He is doing extremely well with sells!!! Its been a great summer for him so far.