Update

So much for my commitment of weekly updates! I am back in Utah with Addie and Cole and so happy to be home! Unfortunately Dave had to stay behind and work, but he will join us next Monday for a few days. I've been surprised at how much I've missed the mountains, I loved flying in and seeing them. I have no sense of direction in Arizona without them! This trip home has been a little bitter sweet. We sold our house the day before we moved to Arizona, I haven't said anything because I didn't want to jinx it! But we close on Friday so I came up to pack the rest of our house. Dave came up for a day to move the heavy stuff and we've had so much help from family and friends. There is no way I could have done it on my own. It is a little shocking how much stuff we have accumulated and we are so thankful to those that are letting us use their garages to store our stuff for the next week!

First, Arizona...

Cole learned to role over! He can go from his back to his stomach and his stomach to his back. He doesn't seem to be as excited about it as the rest of us though and is still pretty content to just lay on his back and watch what is going on.

We've also been doing a lot of swimming. It is so nice to have a pool just steps away from where we sleep! I've started swimming laps and never realized what a great work out it is. I have much more respect for swimmers, it is hard!

And of course we've spent a lot of time around safes and at the fair with Dave. Whitney and I went to the Lady Annabella concert at the fair, Cole's first concert and Addie's second! The flash was so bright in the dark arena that this is the best picture I could get of Addie!

Second, Utah...

I'll start with the flight up. Who knew that a simple bottle of apple juice could cause so many problems. I know that you can only take 3 oz of liquids on a plane so I was very careful as I packed, but I also know that you can take liquids for babies. So, the only liquids I had were two bottles of apple juice for Addie. I was flying alone with two kids, I was going to make sure that I had plenty of things to keep them happy! Dave was able to get a pass from the Delta agent and help us get to the gate. We went through security and they told me that they would have to screen the bottles on a new pilot device that checks liquids for explosives. Notice that I said, "pilot device". Just our luck, one of Addie's bottles, of identical juice, tested positive. So, any normal person would think that they would just throw away the one bottle, right? We found that TSA is not so normal. This positive test meant that all of our luggage had to be unpacked and checked and that we all had to be body searched, even Addie and Cole! Like I would hide a weapon on my 2 year old or 5 month old! When Dave questioned this pilot program and the fact that we had two identical bottles and we would even let Addie drink from both of them things got really interesting. They took my boarding pass and ID and told me I couldn't have them back until the 9th TSA employee, yes you read that right, cleared us. When Dave asked to speak to a manager or someones boss we found out that they are all the boss! Then the US Marshall showed up. He was actually very nice and let us know that TSA isn't very rational but that this issue was out of his hands and he couldn't do anything for us. He did go down to the Delta gate and let them know what was going on. This was actually very helpful. One of the Delta employees came down, got the carseat, stroller, etc all tagged for me so I could just jump on the plane as soon as they let us go. He even got them to hold the plane for us for a few minutes. Finally after an hour in security we were cleared to fly. As I was getting on the plane the Delta employee who had been helping us handed me Addie's bottle. When I called Dave later he said that he (the Delta employee) walked up to the table, took the bottle and walked off before TSA could say anything to him! When Dave flew out a few days later he made sure to say hi to our friends in security! I'm sure everyone on the plane was happy to see that a mom with two kids is what had held up the flight! Addie loved the plane ride, especially pushing the button for the flight attendant, she thought that was pretty funny! Cole slept for most of the time until Addie kicked him in the head during one of her attempts to push the button. He screamed as we landed and everyone was so willing to let us go ahead of them once the plane landed! Flying by myself with two kids isn't something that I'm looking forward to doing again anytime soon! As all of this was going on I was sure happy with my decision of having Addie drive back with Dave while Cole and I fly!

The US Marshall is in black, the Delta employee in pink and 3 of the 9 TSA employees are in blue. I wanted to get a better picture, but I was afraid they wouldn't let me fly if I started taking pictures!

Cole and I patiently waiting in security!

The bottle that started the whole mess.

Finally on the plane!

Like I said, I came up with the kids to pack up our house. This has been harder on me than I thought it would. I'm so sad to be moving, especially from a house and neighborhood that I love so much. I've spent the majority of my time packing holding back tears, all the more reason I'm so thankful for all of the help. I haven't been very productive! It is easier when I don't think about it, so as sad as I am to see our house go, I'm looking forward to Friday when it is final and over. Now I can look forward to finding a house in Arizona, it is hard not to have a place to call home.

I was excited with the timing of everything that we were able to spend Halloween in Utah. I wish that Dave could have been here for it, but it was so fun to have Addie and Anna together and to be able to spend time with both grandparents. We went to Justin & Jake's flag football game in the morning, visited gpa and gma Beck, went to Gardner Village to see the witches (I'll have to post pics later, I forgot my camera so I need to get Kimmie's pics!) and finished up the day with trick-or-treating and football with gpa and gma Cutler!