So, now we've decided to move to West Virginia. It has been a pretty interesting journey and we have had some fun times...and some not so fun.
A couple days before heading out the fantastic yong men and their leaders got together and did some fluid changes and check ups on our cars. They were so cute and they worked so hard. They are such a great bunch of kids..and that includes the leaders.
We had had Dru-Shea's birthday a few days before with a slip'n slide so we decided to have a midnight slip 'n slide. So much fun and no sunburns
Our wonderful Deer Valley first ward friends and neighbors came out to help us finish packing and loading the truck. We totally forgot to take pictures and that bums me out because we have some really wonderful friends in Phoenix that we will never forget but wished I had some pics to show everyone their beautiful faces. We finally got finished and loaded up before 11pm on Thursday, May 21st. Even though we packed and crammed we left a whole bunch of stuff that we wanted to bring, we just didnt have enough room. Hopefully our family will decide to come out and bring us the rest of our stuff. We finally got everyone rounded up and left our Phoenix house at exactly 11:11pm. I drove the moving truck with two kids, Darryn drove my Excursion with the trailer and 4 of the other kids, and Po'u, Darryn's BF, drove her Explorer w
ith one of the kids. The funny (and irritating) thing is that the tarp and the straps on the trailer came off 3 times before we even hit Anthem-less that 15 mintues away. So we stopped at the Walmart in Anthem to buy a new tarp and some better straps. As we were there some people said the freeway was completely stopped and blocked by a really bad accident so we couldnt have gone anywhere anyway. I might add at this point that it started sprinkling about halfway into loading the trailer and was still raining at this time. So we re-strapped and tarped the trailer in the rain. We finally got everything resituated and covered and back on the road around 2:20. So I am using that as or official departure time. We did actually get to see the clean up of the accident we had heard about at Walmart. It was a travel trailer. I really hoped that it didnt freak Darryn out...and it didnt. She was too busy driving to see details. Phew! It was a mess and pretty scary.
ith one of the kids. The funny (and irritating) thing is that the tarp and the straps on the trailer came off 3 times before we even hit Anthem-less that 15 mintues away. So we stopped at the Walmart in Anthem to buy a new tarp and some better straps. As we were there some people said the freeway was completely stopped and blocked by a really bad accident so we couldnt have gone anywhere anyway. I might add at this point that it started sprinkling about halfway into loading the trailer and was still raining at this time. So we re-strapped and tarped the trailer in the rain. We finally got everything resituated and covered and back on the road around 2:20. So I am using that as or official departure time. We did actually get to see the clean up of the accident we had heard about at Walmart. It was a travel trailer. I really hoped that it didnt freak Darryn out...and it didnt. She was too busy driving to see details. Phew! It was a mess and pretty scary.Our trip was actually pretty un-eventful with the exception of the stinkin tarps and straps. We stopped to sleep once before we left AZ for 3 hours because we were all exhausted. Woke up and started off again refreshed and ready to go. Every time we stopped to get gas we had to fix the straps and tarps. Finally in Oklahoma I got sick and tired of repairing and fixing. I went into the truck stop and bought a roll of duct tape and fixed the thing red-neck style. Pics are included. lol 
I am sure people driving by us thought we were totally red-neck but at that point I just didnt care. We stopped again and slept for another 3 hours also in Oklahoma. We tried again when we hit Kentucky because we were so tired but it was daylight and the kids wouldnt let us sleep so we just got some energy boosts and kept on driving. We came into West Virginia at about 5:30 am on Sunday, May 24th. but got to our destination on Coon Creek in Culloden, WV @ 6:20 am. We had actually planned on going to church on Sunday because it didnt start until 11:30 but first of all we packed half of the kids' clothes and we were to exhausted to get motivated. lol
I am sure people driving by us thought we were totally red-neck but at that point I just didnt care. We stopped again and slept for another 3 hours also in Oklahoma. We tried again when we hit Kentucky because we were so tired but it was daylight and the kids wouldnt let us sleep so we just got some energy boosts and kept on driving. We came into West Virginia at about 5:30 am on Sunday, May 24th. but got to our destination on Coon Creek in Culloden, WV @ 6:20 am. We had actually planned on going to church on Sunday because it didnt start until 11:30 but first of all we packed half of the kids' clothes and we were to exhausted to get motivated. lolThe fun thing was that I got to drive the big diesel moving truck. I finally realized my childhood dream of being a truck driver. I love it! I might just do it for a living! lol The other thing is that Dane got to sit in the big truck right in the middle and was an ANGEL the entire time he was in there. When we stopped in KY the kids wanted to start switching cars and he got moved to Darryn in the Excursion. He wasnt such an angel then.
The other funny thing is that we must have had a dark rain cloud following us the entire way to WV. Which sounds like it would be a bad thing but it really wasnt. Darryn's Explorer is old and if driven too long or too far overheats and it uses ALOT of oil. So every time we stopped we had to check all the fluids but because of our little rain cloud it was cool and sometimes rainy, but it kept her car from over-heating. So no incidents there. What a blessing!
We are now in West Virginia. Darryn asked me if I felt like we were moving backwards moving from a nice house in the city to a two bedroom, cabin-like house, out in the country. I guess some would think that is true, but our family is together again and we are living in one of the most beautiful places in the country. It is absolutely amazing. Yes it has rained quite a bit since we have been here but that in itself is great because it has kept it from being so hot along with the humidity.
One of the first days here I look out the front door and there are wild turkeys in the front yard. Dane, in his carefree,fearless manner goes running after them. Needless to say they havent been back in front of the house since. lol But they do wander around the back of the house in the early mornings. We can hear them gobbling and catch sight of them if we are quiet.
We had an interesting incident with a 5 ft.black rat snake. One morning the kids and I are sitting in the kitchen area when Darryn says there is a snake on the window (outside-thank goodness!). She thinks she is Steve Erwin so she goes outside and wants to grab it. I am phoning and messaging people like crazy trying to figure out if the silly thing is poisonous. After much research we find out that it is not. That it is a constrictor and eats rodents, eggs and birds. Darryn gets a long stick and carried it out to the creek and throws it across to the other side and it ends up in the woods.
The next day we are eating breakfast when one of the kids says "Its BACK" and sure enough the snake is back in the window. So I am thinking, it has to be after something. I go outside and look and find there is a bird nest right in the eave of the house. This snake was after whatever is inside. The Discovery Channel buffs that we are, we get out our lawn chairs and prepare for the show. We have video of the snake getting to the nest and sadly enough what we thought were just eggs was in fact 3 baby birds. So we got to watch it eat them. It actually ate two in the nest and constricted the other but it dropped out of the nest. The entire time the parent birds were dive-bombing the snake trying to get it away from their nest and babies. 
When the snake finished in the nest it climbed back down the ladder (that Darryn had provided it)and finished its morning meal with the one that had fallen out. Discovery Channel lesson over. lol Half the kids were fascinated the other half were disgusted. But almost all of them sat and watched. When it was over Darryn took the snake to the woods and flung it. It hasnt been back.
The next day we are eating breakfast when one of the kids says "Its BACK" and sure enough the snake is back in the window. So I am thinking, it has to be after something. I go outside and look and find there is a bird nest right in the eave of the house. This snake was after whatever is inside. The Discovery Channel buffs that we are, we get out our lawn chairs and prepare for the show. We have video of the snake getting to the nest and sadly enough what we thought were just eggs was in fact 3 baby birds. So we got to watch it eat them. It actually ate two in the nest and constricted the other but it dropped out of the nest. The entire time the parent birds were dive-bombing the snake trying to get it away from their nest and babies. 
When the snake finished in the nest it climbed back down the ladder (that Darryn had provided it)and finished its morning meal with the one that had fallen out. Discovery Channel lesson over. lol Half the kids were fascinated the other half were disgusted. But almost all of them sat and watched. When it was over Darryn took the snake to the woods and flung it. It hasnt been back.
We have had so much fun mowing the endless grass. Well, I wouldnt say all of us have had fun. Daniel has been in charge of the weed-eater after the first day when I did it and got a sunburn. Darryn and Del actually got to do the push mower on the side of the hills and Mike and I have gotten to repair and use the riding mower to mow the flatter parts. last night Mike was actually mowing in the dark because he finally finished fixing the riding mower after work.
That was our Family Home Evening. What fun! The kids went out and caught fireflies (lightening bugs) and frogs. It is hard to get them inside at night...at least the smaller kids anyway. We had to ground the bigger ones from phones, movies, and video games during the day just to keep them from being lazy.Dane in his au-naturale state. As usual.
We have cleaned out the creek because it was overflowing into the yard and kinda shot ourselves in the foot. Because now we dont have the babbling brook outside our window. It is really quiet now. But the Birds. Oh my goodness the birds! We have whip-or-wills (sp?) right outside our window. The first week I wanted to go bird hunting because I think our specific whip-or-will is spastic or has tourets. It definitely needs some Valium or Ridlin (sp?) but I have since gotten used to it and actually enjoy it.
Every morning I open my window and shades and read my scriptures. It is so peaceful. And it really makes you appreciate nature. This morning I kept having that song by Louis Armstrong going through my head: "What a Wonderful World"
Every morning I open my window and shades and read my scriptures. It is so peaceful. And it really makes you appreciate nature. This morning I kept having that song by Louis Armstrong going through my head: "What a Wonderful World"And it truly is. I feel so blessed to have my family together and happy (for the most part) and healthy.
Mike is enjoying his job and the kids are adjusting to a slower paced world.
I love it!
