So Jen will shut her yapper

So much has happened in the last two months since I posted.  Most of it boring.  But as a quick update, Justin passed the Colorado Bar and was sworn in just this morning.  He's now officially an attorney in two states.  He's been working odd jobs and scrapping copper for his dad while he's applying at firms and trying to network.  Looking for a job is the pits, and I'm so glad it's not me doing it.

Charlie and Dylan started school.  It was so much more of a difficult adjustment for them than I imagined.  Charlie, mister social, had a hard time making friends right away.  He would swing on he swings by himself during recess and eat lunch alone.  He seemed just so angry.  And I was just so sad.  It physically hurt my heart.

Dylan's kindergarten class is all day.  He told me after the first two days, "Mom, it's SOOOO long.  I feel like I'm going to be there until night time!"  He would come home grumpy and throwing tantrums and would usually fall asleep on his bed within minutes.

About a month ago, a little boy befriended Charlie and invited him to his birthday party.  That was a game changing moment for Charlie.  He and his new friend Joey eat lunch together now and play during recess and we've even had him over to introduce him to 'Napoleon Dynamite.'  Charlie's anger level has gone WAY down and he's kicking butt in school.  He was asked to be part of the gifted and talented leadership program and we just got his report card with all A's.

Dylan is doing much better, but still struggles with such long days.  I help out in the classroom every Tuesday and its been so fun for me to see him doing his thing and meeting all the other kids.  I'd say 50% of the time he's happy to go to school, and the other 50% he cries about something minor and then ends up being a half hour late.  He's just such a homebody and if he had it his way, he'd just color hot wheels pictures in his underwear all day.

Macy and I have had TONS of together time with the big boys gone.  I watch a friend's three year old son twice a week, and my mother in law watches my two nieces once a week, so there's always someone for Macy to play with.  She still uses a binky and her teeth are seriously JACKED from it.  I just took her to the dentist and he said she may need jaw surgery.  I need to figure out something fast.  Justin wants to just take the binkies away cold turkey, but I'd rather do something with a binky fairy or a prize.

Jude the dude is getting to be so funny.  He has a sense of humor and has no issues being pushed around by his older siblings.  He poops up his back at least once a week even though his diapers are huge, and already hates baby food.  Luckily he's able to nap through just about anything except when Macy plays the piano.  He's always trying to play in the dog's water bowl and eat as many fistfuls of my hair as he can.

As for me, I've been surprised at just how family friendly Colorado is.  The parking is easy breezy everywhere we go, there are tons of parks and trails, and tons of activities for kids at all the libraries.  I HATE the snow and cold.  Few things are more miserable to me than driving the kids to school in a freezing car when it's 25 degrees out.  I still miss our old home a ton.  I miss our ward, the beach, the great restaurants, and friends; especially Lisa, Sara, Jen, and their families.

But I do have the added bonus of living by so much family.  After nearly ten years of living hundreds of miles away from any family on either my side or Justin's, it's nice to have so much so close now.  There's always an excuse for a get together....stock car races, presidential debates, birthday parties, or just random visits.  I love that my kids will know their cousins on this side of the family so well.