Farewell to Ohio

I have been dreading the move from Ohio for a long time, yet also looking forward to moving back to Utah.  I feel like I said goodbye to my friends about a million times and I kept feeling sadder and sadder as E and Sammi had their last playdates with their little buddies.  I cried a lot.  Luckily we did a lot of fun last things, and soaked up our time in our cute little house.

Here are the puppies pretending to take naps.  I love how clever they think they are to be pretending.  They didn't pretend too long though because they were worried I would make them stay there.  I'm mean like that.

 Here is Sammi with her best friends, Boomer and Kay.  They lived next door to us and were so good to us.  One of my favorite things about Ohio was sitting out on our back porch in the evenings and chatting with Kay while Sammi went back and forth between playing with Boomer and sitting on Kay's lap.  Kay likes the same shows I do and is always up for chatting about Sister Wives and My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding.  (Confessions, anyone?)

 Sammi and "Ruff-Ruff"

 This is how I like to think of my girl-- On her third bowl of cereal, wearing her shades, bananas untouched.

 Thinking she's big stuff on the swings at Homestead Park

 This is Emerson's favorite outfit these days.  Did you know that boots and a John Deere hat go with absolutely everything?  Well to E they do.  He makes us refer to him as "The Cowboy" or "The Puppy" or "The Train" or "The Lifter Truck" depending on what he is being that day.  He also refers to himself in the third person all day every day.  For example, "The Cowboy misses his mommy."

It's so bright outside!

 The adventurers

 Here is a picture of the four buddies in our neighborhood.  It's hard to believe that four years ago E was only 4 months old, and Taylee was 16 months old and Mathis and Sammi weren't even around!  These kids look so big.

 Here are E and Tuck (with Grayson in the background) on their last playdate.  (I stole this from your blog, Britni!)  It makes me tear up every time E asks for Tucker.  They have been buddies their whole lives!

 Sammi in her favorite spot in the house.  She went in the pantry whining for a snack and she got a big surprise when it was all cleaned out.

 Our last picture before we moved away from 4771 Perlman Street.

 We've loved this house and have so many memories.

It made me cry to see it empty, but I started crying the hardest when I vacuumed the kids' room for the last time.  

It sounds funny to cry about vacuuming, but I think it's just because this is the only house my kids have ever known and we've grown so much as a family here.  We've met and grown close to so many amazing people who have taught us so much.  We're so happy to be close to our families again, but it felt like we were moving away from our family too when we left Ohio.  Thanks everyone for being our family away from home.  We miss you dearly.