Moving Back to California

January 2015

After spending a year in Texas where Ian was an administrator we are moving back to California for Ian to manage a facility in Riverside.  When we first moved out to Texas, it was because Ian started training in San Antonio to become a skilled nursing home administrator.  Once his six month training was up, he was placed in a facility in Texas City to manage and we moved from San Antonio to a suburb outside of Houston, called Sugarland.  Three months later, Ian was offered a job for a different company back in Riverside, so he took it to return home to our family and friends.  

Here's a few pictures from our road trip back to California from Texas

Saying Goodbye to Sugarland

January 2015

packing boxes and the girls are getting into all kinds of things!  the original super hero cape: a pillow case 

 I took them to the dollar store so they could spend their money they earned.  I love that they picked out fans! 

Cheyenne and Lorela saying goodbye to our sweet friends from Sugarland.
We will love and miss you Ninoshka, Cheyenne and Charlotte!

Our favorite spot to grab dinner in Sugarland was at the town square at a place called Lasagna house
It was a cute little Italian restaurant where we became regulars!  The last night we were in Sugarland
we ate here!  I had to take a picture to capture the moment and Gwen's face was hilarious!  

Getting ready to leave Sugarland!  It was good to us!  We will miss our friends, house, neighbors
and even though we were here a very short time, Sugarland will always have a special
place in my heart.  The beautiful trees, the amazing houses and master planned city made out
of brick was so classy.  Such a beautiful place (a little too much rain) but other than that it
was wonderful!

Saying Goodbye to the Gregorys

September 2014

Saying goodbye to our San Antonio sisters, the Gregorys!  We will miss all these girls so much, Christina, Kaitlyn, Samantha and Lauren.

Samantha and Lorelai hugging.  Christina holding Lauren, Melissa holding Charlotte and Kaitlyn holding Gwen

Labor Day Weekend in Sugarland

September 2014

Ian had been working in Texas City, Texas for six weeks and received a job offer to be the administrator for Oceanview in Texas City.  This meant we would be packing our bags from San Antonio and moving east to the Houston area.  We had a weekend to find a house to rent so we spent Labor Day weekend in Sugarland searching the surrounding areas to find the perfect spot.  We stayed at the Sugarland Marriott in town square for the weekend.  We started south in Texas City and kept driving north up highway 6 to figure out where to move.  I just fell in love with the First Colony development in the Sugarland and Missouri City area, so although we knew it would be a commute for Ian, it was a perfect spot for our family.  The entire master planned community of first colony is all brick houses and old fashioned street lights and lamps.  Its so charming and full of beautiful trees and lakes.  Aside from the beautiful scenery, the community also has a huge community center with water slides, a lazy river and splash pad!  Lorelai will go to Austin Parkway Elementary for kindergarten.  

Driving from San Antonio to Sugarland, girls only!  Can't wait to meet up with Dad

Exploring the Sugarland Marriott at Town Square

Lorelai and Charlotte 

 Dinner at Lasagna House with these sweeties

Saturday morning we stopped in Pearland and got new Vans

Pearland Town Center with my favorite people

grabbing some pancakes the next morning...still searching for a house

raise your hand if you want pancakes

and we found our house!!!  Its actually on the border of Sugarland and Missouri City.  In the Fort Colony developement called Heritage Colony.  Its perfect!!

Texas or Bust!

Ian decided to take a job with Ensign Group in Texas, as a healthcare administrator managing a short term rehabilitation facility.  We found out we would be training in San Antonio for 6 months and then once Ian was certified would be given a facility to manage somewhere in Southern Texas.  This is the biggest move and one of the biggest decisions we have ever made.  I have lived in a 60 mile radius in Southern California my entire life, so moving to Texas really made me nervous and anxious, but excited for a new start with Ian's job.  The choice to move to a state where housing is so much affordable and schools are predominantly ranked better was one of the leading factors in our decision to move.  This would help solidify me being able to stay home full time with my girls, and that was the most important reason above all else.  So here we go.  Texas or Bust!





Loading up the truck to Texas!  Thank you Randy, Dad and Vern for helping Ian

And we're off!  Here we go to Texas.  The girls are equipped with coloring books, snacks, candy
toys and all kinds of other goodies thanks to Christi Postoian and Leisa Plocher who put together
goody bags for them to take on the trip. 

We made it to New Mexico!  Stopped to grab a bite at this yummy Mexican food restaurant



  

So happy to be free and out of the car!



The girls made it!  Playing around in their new room

Let the work begin

So happy to be in their own bed tonight!

Saying Goodbye to Cali

It was a whirlwind of outings trying to fit as many excursions and seeing people in before we made the big move to Texas.  Saying goodbye to all these lovely people in my life was so hard, but I knew I'd see them again when we come visit Cali.  Which hopefully will be sooner than later! 

the girls and Grandma Susie on their "grandma day" they spent all day with grandma and grandpa
at the Long Beach Aquarium before we moved

  

Gwen's nursery leader and my lovely friend Sis Green.  I was so happy to have Alicia as Gwen's
nursery leader and she always talked about "her sister green" whom she loved too!  we miss her!

Before we moved Elyse and Lorelai spent the whole day together.  These two girls have been best buddies practically since birth!  Leaving each other was hard, and she still talks about how she missed Elyse and wants her to visit.  Elyse gave Lorelai a friendship bracelet that matched hers so they can always remember each other! I'm heartbroken these two won't be growing up together. They are the cutest and love each other so much!

You know you're good friends when you can spend 5 hours talking at a restaurant and never
run out of things to say.  We will miss our friends Liz and Jeremy Jergensen so much! 

Grandpa Ed!  These girls love their great grandpa Ed Ludloff!  They think he's a big teddy bear!
Gonna miss visiting my grandpa in Long Beach and going to lunch with him.  He's so fun! 

Last day to see our best friends, the Postoians.  I can't even think how I'm going to manage life without Christi.  She's always there for me! They are family to us and we love them so!  They came to see us off to Texas and I appreciated that more than words can say.  I love this family!

Ian and his Randy

Everyone was holding someone, and we told my dad to hold the dog so he wasn't empty handed!

Gonna miss you dad!  Love hanging out at your house and our long talks!  Can't wait to see you soon

Girls night with my girls I became friends with in Canyon Crest.  I love these girls! 
Lacy Merrill, Gina Silva, Alicia Green, Melissa Lane, Michelle Gifford, Michelle Lauritzen

Saying goodbye to these ladies was rough.  They have been my friends since I moved back to Riverside. For over 5 years these ladies have made dinners for me, babysat for me, helped me, laughted with me, celebrated with me. I love them so!
Liz Jergensen, Mellissa Hafer, Melissa Lane, April Hunsaker, Christi Postoian, Karen Fry (missing Angie Giles and Susie Demke)