Going to My New House

Day 1

Well, it all happened when Mama and Dada picked me up from my friend's house. I could tell something important was happening because there was lots of things in the back of the car. I figured it had to do with all those big dadas that were in my house putting things in boxes. I'm not really sure what happened to all my stuff because we didn't go back to our house. Instead we just kept driving. And driving. I started to get bored, so I whined. Dad gave me a cookie and giant phone to watch a show with! 

Mommy said we weren't going home. She said we were going to drive really far to a new house. She said it will take 4 days to get there. I don't know how many is 4 days, but it sounded long... and exciting. I asked "New house?" and she said "Yes our new house. It will be much bigger, and there will be a room for you and baby Dallin to sleep in. And you will have a playroom for all your toys. And there will be a big yard with lots of grass for you to run and play." This sounded pretty cool. But I had to be sure what it was called. "New house?" Mama said, "Yes, our new house!" I was so excited I kept singing "New house? New house! New house? New house!" the rest of the night. 

We got to a place with lots of hallways and rooms. Mommy said it wasn't our new house. We slept there. Mommy took this picture to show how small Dallin is compared to her turtle pillow. That's like mommy's blankie.

Day 2
On the second day, I got to eat eggs and then we drove some more. Dallin was pretty boring. All he did was sleep and eat the whole time. We had to stop a lot so that Mama could feed him. That was cool I guess, because then I got to run outside with Dada. I wanted to play with the baby, but Mama wouldn't let me. She wouldn't even let me grab his arm! It's not like I was pulling on him THAT hard.

We stopped at this place that has lots of rocks. I saw so many "BIG rocks!" Daddy said the place is called Bryce Canyon in Utah. Some of the rocks looked like towers made with my blocks. Mommy wouldn't let me walk past the fence. That was lame, I wanted to get closer! We got to watch a movie and play in the store. I saw a baby bear at the museum. It didn't move. Mama said it wasn't alive anymore.

We drove again until it was dark.

Day 3
The next thing I knew, it was morning and I was in someone's house. It was Uncle Zach's house! I remembered him from when he played with me at Christmas. He showed me the yard and a water fountain. I was gonna play with Zach more, but we had to go eat breakfast at a restaurant. I saw Janae! I ate my eggs and sat next to her husband. He let me play with his phone.

Everyone talked about baby Dallin. It got a little annoying. And I think that Janae is too small to hold the baby. Baby Dallin looked big when she held him.

I really like Janae and JoseLuis. But Mommy said we had to say goodbye right after we ate.

After that, I got to go play at the park in the mountains! That was really fun cuz I got to see Zach again and my Aunt Katrina. She was so pretty and nice. She had a big belly like my mommy's, so I think she might have a baby, too. I call her "Cheena" for short. My baby cousins were at the park, too, with Aunt Katie and Uncle Steve. I said "Hi beebee!" and gave them kisses. I put necklaces on them.

Me and my uncles and Daddy played lots of games with a ball. I ran and fetched all the balls for them. We took this picture. Uncle Zach said, "Everyone hold a baby!" Dada thinks I'm still a baby!

There was a creek. Aunt Katie showed me how to put my feet in the water, but it was "Sooooo Coooooooold!!" We screamed and laughed together.

Mama didn't play with me much. She was too busy with baby Dallin. I don't know what she likes about him. All he does is lay there.

While me and the babies slept in the shade, the big people played a game with trains. I can't believe they didn't tell me about it! But I heard the wind kept ruining their game, so I guess I didn't miss out on much. After that, we went back to Zach's house and before I knew it, we had to say goodbye. I cried when we drove away from Uncle Zach. I really like him.

The next thing I knew, we were meeting some other big people. Mama said it was her cousin Justin. They were all laughing at jokes so I pretended like I knew what they were laughing at.We had to say goodbye again. I started to wonder if that was our new life now- drive, see new people, then say goodbye. Mama said we were getting closer to our new house. I fell asleep in the car.

Day 4

I woke up at one of those places with all the rooms and hallways again. We got to eat eggs again for breakfast. I love scrambled eggs! At breakfast, I was a really good boy. Mommy and Daddy were getting their food, and I stayed at the table and watched baby Dallin. When he started crying, I got down from my seat and rocked his carseat and shhh'd him. Mommy and Daddy were so proud of me!

We drove some more, I watched another show on that big phone, and then Mama said we were in Colorado. We went to Great Grandma Robertson's house. I remembered her house from before because it has lots of tiny wooden and glass toys to play with. 

Everyone wanted to see and hold baby Dallin. They should start living with us because then they could be like me- I get to hold him whenever I want!

Aunt Tanya and Nana took me to go see a cow outside. They kept calling it a horse, but I know that it's really a cow.

Soon, we had to say goodbye again. 

We ate dinner at Nana and Papa's house. They have a "baang" (aka barn). Aunt Tanya pulled me around in the wagon. I love that wagon!! But nobody got a picture of me in it. They just took more pictures of Dallin.

Soon, we had to drive AGAIN. I didn't want to get in the car, but Dad made me. We slept at another one of those buildings with rooms. Mama said it's a hotel.

Day 5
I was so happy. EGGS for Breakfast again! But then we had to get back in the car. We drove and drove and drove. After a while, Mama got all excited. "Tanner, we're almost to our new house!" and then Mama and Dada started singing "Oh, we're on our way, we're on our way, on our way to our new house!" I smiled and was excited. I sang "New house? New House! New House? New House!"

I looked out my window to see if our new house was there. But all I saw was this.

Mama said we were almost there. We pulled up to a big house. I was so excited to get out! I squealed and shouted "New house, Dada! New house, Mama!"

We all walked in together. It was so amazing!! I ran from wall to wall and laughed and laughed. It looked so fun. But I wasn't sure why all the rooms were empty. Where were the toys?

We lived in the empty house for 4 days. I got to watch shows on the phone.

And I worked hard helping Papa fix things. He became my new best friend! Best of all, Papa gave me my own "hamma" and "shoe dgiva."

When the moving truck came, Mama and Dada were really happy.

Now we have everything in our house and most of the boxes are gone. I have lots of toys to play with! After a couple of days in our new house, I told Mama "I like new house, Mama. I like my new house!"

Final days in HB

After Dallin was born, we had exactly 10 days before moving to Minnesota. We tried to make the most of our last chance to enjoy Huntington Beach.

Gramz stayed with us and helped us survive. She made meals, kept Tanner well entertained, kept us organized with packing, and cleaned the house for the final walk through. 

My Auntie Lorna was in the neighborhood, so she got to have a quick visit with us!

The boys played outside every chance they had. And good thing, too, because we are in MN now and it has rained almost every day we've been here.

We took lots of pictures of Dallin.

Tanner continued to be darling with his lil' brother.

I made a mohawk with Dallin's hair!

We went to the beach one last time. We attempted to take family pictures there. Tanner hated it because he wanted to play in the sand. When we finally let him play with Dada, he was thrilled. Tanner also had a blast running around on the grass with another kid. I sat on the grass with Gramz and Dallin. It was such a beautiful day. As I sat remembering all the wonderful times we have had there and at other beaches in the area, I couldn't help but feel a little melancholy. It was especially hard to leave the beach knowing that Tanner is at the age where he understands how to play at the beach and loves it. 

Here's the crib situation before the move. 

One night, Gramz and Tanner made cinnamon roll snacks together. Tanner helped pour the sugar and cinnamon on the rolls. The next day, I walked in the kitchen and my bare feet were soon coated in sugar.

Gramz took Tanner to the Santa Ana Zoo where they got to ride the train. And she also took him to the Irvine Regional Park where they got to ride a train! Tanner has been obsessed with trains ever since.

Tanner also went to the playgrounds with Gramz. He was her little buddy for 2 whole weeks!

Dallin got to spend time with Gramz, too.

I spent a lot of time time trying to figure out Who does this kid look like?

We had one last time at the pool. Tanner loved it, which only made leaving harder.

Goodbye Huntington Beach and Orange County! You've been wonderful to us during the past 5 years. We are SO blessed to have had the opportunity to live here this long (remember it was only supposed to be 18 months!) We've made wonderful friends and wonderful memories. We've learned a lot, worked a lot, and played a lot. And we doubled the size of our family!! We will miss our life here very, very much.