I guess it is time for somewhat of an update.. The most exciting news is Dan swore into the Air Force Thursday the 16th.   We are so relieved especially since the sales here in California are not good at all. For this same reason, we decided we will go back to Coeur d' Alene and get some jobs up there till it is time for Dan to leave for basic training. We are waiting for a job to open up then that will determine when he will leave.. We are hoping it is sooner rather than later, so that he can possibly be home for when the baby is born. 

We hate to leave California so soon,  but it is beyond expensive and we'd be better off keeping up with bills and feeding ourselves by going and getting some jobs up there.  It has been kinda a vacation of sorts being here... A very very stressful one, but things are starting to look up. We should be packing up today tomorrow and leaving on Monday.   Here are a few pictures of EmmaLynn. 

modeling the night gown I made her. Silly face... She calls in her "pretty princess dress" Her hair is getting longer, I am loving it.

This is her favorite thing to do. She puts her arms up and has mommy tickle lightly... every time I put her to bed I have to sing her a song and do this to her arms or on her back, or tummy or leg or where ever she wants it.. lol. She is so funny. 

The finished product. EmmaLynn's Nightgown

So here is the finished product. It fits a tad bit too big on EmmaLynn, but she loves it and calls it her pretty princess dress.  Luckily it is a little big so she will be able to wear it for a long time.  Now I have to decide what I want to make with the other material I have. 

I thought this was quite funny. Check it out.

My First Stay at Home Mommy Project... Kinda

So, I said before that my new ward is super great. Part of what I have been doing with some of the girls in my ward is a sewing class.  I have always wanted to learn how to sew, my mom started to teach me, but got too sick to really finish. I wasn't quite as interested then as I am now. I am so excited, we have a really great teacher and a fun group to chat and sew with. We meet together twice a week and pick out our projects to work on.  I started with something small, easy, and affordable. I got the material for 60 percent of on sale. So this is my first project. I am making a night gown for EmmaLynn. 

The one on the right, the longer one. That is the one I am making for her. I am going to make it short sleeves like the picture above it has. I am so excited. Below is a picture of what I have done so far. it is a pretty simple pattern so far. let's just hope it stays that way.  I will post a picture of the finished product later. 

What is going on in our life?

Well, we had decided a few weeks ago that we were going to move to California to have Dan work the security systems again. My job was less than enjoyable near the end and quite a bit more stressful than needed. So our plan was to leave the Friday after Memorial Day weekend.  Well, plans quickly changed and our move date was moved up to Tuesday after my mom passed away. So we packed up as much as we could Monday and left Tuesday. It was a 3 day trip to California. A very very long and exhausting trip.  EmmaLynn was stuffed in the back seat and had her own little corner with DVD player and some books and a few toys.. It was a little rough for her. We had to pad her seat cause it wasn't the most cumfy carseat. We used a bunch of plastic bags we got from a very nice gas station attendant somewhere in Oklahoma or Arkansas.  She slept better after that.We arrived in Santa Clarita about 4 am Friday morning slept a couple hours and got up to get ready to be at LAX in time to catch our plane to Spokane. EmmaLynn and I arrived safely there, much thanks to my sweet sister, Gailyn, for helping us get there for the funeral.  I decided to stay a bit longer with EmmaLynn since I didn't have a job to go back to. So we enjoyed some time with family we hadn't seen in quite some time.  We hung out with Dans family.  My sister in law, Brooke, and I went to Silverwood with EmmaLynn and Christian and spent some time. We had a lot of fun. We also got to spend the last week with Eleasha and her 3 muchkins. It was so much fun. I wish I had taken my camera out more while I was there.. It was the last thing on my mind. I am so bad at picture taking. Dan does a lot better than me.  EmmaLynn was in heaven  having so many other kids to play with. We will miss everyone so much, but now that we war much closer it will be easier to get back every once in a while to visit. So, for now we will wait on the Air Force to see what comes of that and do a lot of praying that Dan is able to make enough sales each week for us to survive for a time and pay our bills.  We had a chance to go to a ward activity right when I got here.  I met several very sweet young couples.  Many our age with kids EmmaLynn's age too.  They have already invited me to several different things like play group and sewing class and birthday parties.  So many very sweet and very welcoming people. We are very excited to be in such a wonderful ward. The best I think I have been in for the first time. So the post below has some of the pictures of our adventure over here and our fun time with family.  That is what is going on in our life. Thanks to everyone for your love prayers and support in the time of loss for our family. 

pictures of our latest adventures.

riding in the car before our trip with her cool sunglasses
sleeping at the table.. too exhuasted to eat
She decided she wanted to read on the potty. We were trying to potty train before we left.. not successful yet...
here she is stuffed in the back with all of our stuff
wearing Daddy's hat.
here is what our ride looked like... with a car top carrier on top stuffed, as well as the trunk. 
trying to find a new movie for EmmaLynn... the dvd player was a life saver.
Swinging at Grandma Johnson's
Climbing on the toys in the back yard.
She loved jumping on the Trampoline
and playing in the little house outside 
and of course loved to play in the sand.
here she is with Daddy on the tramp.
she wouldn't take a nap so here she is all tuckered out.. around 5 pm.. she just curled up and fell asleep.
A day at Silverwood with Brooke and Christian.
Riding the airplane with Christian.. they rode many other rides but a few I was riding with her too, so I didn't get any pictures. 

This is a video of her singing the song from Sleeping Beauty what she could remember of it. " I know you, once upon a dream" 

My mother

Well, It has been quite a long week. We traveled for 3 days from Florida to California. We arrived in California at 4 am and got up at 7 to get to LAX to catch our flights to Spokane for the funeral. Not only were we exhausted but being pregnant on top of everything proved to be a bit more difficult.

 I made it in time to Spokane to be with my sisters to dress my mom in her temple clothes. A very hard, and bittersweet thing. It was so hard to see her body and not see her smile like she always did. Yet, I know she was there with us in spirit. It was difficult but a privilege nonetheless. Some moments it still feels unreal, even though I know it is real. There are still tears when I think about her and how much I will miss her. I am so grateful for her and everything she taught me. She was so talented and she was so patient and always willing to do whatever needed to be done to help us girls. She taught us many things, and I am who I am because of her and her trial. She is such a great example of endurance, even in the hardest of times she joked and laughed, and always had a smile on her face. She served as much as she could whenever she could.  She even was able to help and uplift others simply by her sweet spirit, and in this way blessed many lives when she physically couldn't. I am so thankful for her example and her love. 

The service was sweet and exactly what she wanted. She always wanted us to celebrate her life and not to mourn her death. So we had balloons and cake just as she requested. There is still an empty place that will not be filled by anyone but her and for that there will always be a little sadness, but also a hope to live my life worthily to be able to be with her once again.  I am so grateful for the plan of salvation that allows us to be families forever. I am so thankful that Heavenly Father allowed Me and my sisters to be here on this earth together with our dear Mother. 

Thank you so much for all your thoughts and prayers. They are greatly appreciated.