Back in Bloomington but not for long

Our South Bay summer was a blast. We lived right in Torrance, 10 minutes away from the beach as well as from Toyota where I worked. We were within a few hours of both of our families, which made it even better.

Not long after coming back to Indiana, Amanda had baby number three on Sept. 23. A girl. But hey there's always next time.  Elise is very cute though, and I'm sure she'll have me wrapped in no time. Not long after that Amanda often found herself alone with the kids while I was traveling and interviewing for jobs. Thankfully that part of our lives is over, and it looks like we will remain in the Midwest for the foreseeable future. After I graduate in May, we'll move to small-town southwest Michigan where I'll be working for Whirlpool. It is a great place for families, which we are on track to have an abundance of. We'll be right off lake Michigan and about an hour and a half away from Chicago.

Redondo Beach over the summer

Nathan in a rocket ship overlooking where we lived in Torrance.

Back in Bloomington picking apples

and Amanda had a baby in September

My girls

So glad Grandma Talbot came to help!

and Grandma Tew!

Great day at the pumpkin patch

Trick-or-treating the fraternities at IU

Creek nearby our house

Grandpa Tew and little Leesie

Baby blessing

Snow!  #@!$*!

Too many babies

California love

Nathan has somehow managed to make his own blog posts. I deleted his first post but left his last one up because I figure we could use some additional activity on here. He has become quite the technologically savvy little three-year-old.

We finally know where we are going this summer. I'll be working at Toyota in Torrance, California, so we are currently trying to figure out where (and how) we are going to live out there.

We will be minutes from the beach and less than 2 hours from Amanda's family in Escondido. We are very excited to go back out west for a few months.

Tomorrow Amanda turns -wait for it - 30! We are only 2 1/2 years apart, but I always thought it would seem much more than that for the 3 months that she is 30 and I'm still 27. So little time to rub it in.

Halloween - our little love bug

Volleyball intramural champs

Very cute little Vivian strolling our neighborhood

Nathan's first date

1st Thanksgiving with just our little family

Snow time in Indiana

Christmas in California

Christmas lights in Las Vegas

Yay for 4 years!

She. is. adorable.

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B-town update: The truth

The honest truth is, we love Bloomington. We enjoyed Phoenix, and miss our friends there, but we love Bloomington. It might have something to do with the fact that we can go outside anytime of the day and play, and have been able to since about the first week of September. We might change our minds now that winter approaches...

One of the things I really love about Bloomington is the Symphony! I summoned up all my courage and auditioned for the Bloomington Symphony, and made it in! Mark took pictures before I left for my first rehearsal- almost like my first day of school or something. What a sweet thought. After a masters degree, two kids, and almost 4 years of marriage, it's nice to be back in an orchestra again.

Another thing we love about Bloomington: things that are really amazing and indoors don't cost alot of money (my Phoenix friends will understand this). This is Wonderlab, a children's science/play museum close to our house.

Our first Halloween in the midwest! Vivian was a lady-bug, and Nathan was a superman/ spiderman hybrid. But Mark had to study for yet more tests so I dressed the part of a single mom.

Indiana University's campus is so beautiful- just so different from what we are used to, having grown up in the west.

The truth is: Mark and I debate back and forth about whether we should stay in the midwest, or try to get work back out west. The west is close to our families, but we have really grown to love the mid-west. Everyone is so family friendly! Neighbors are neighborly. People talk to each other at the park, just because you are there at the same time. And Bloomington is a small enough town that you run into the same people at Target, at the park, the library, etc.

I think I have never really loved living someplace until now. Indiana seems to be a conglomeration of everything I love- music, family, lots of moms with little kids to get together with whenever you want, parks, lactation consulting (more about that later). The university brings a sense of culture and opportunity to this cozy little town.

The Incident

Our perfect child...

Today in church we were sitting on the right side of the aisle just a few rows back from the front. Nathan had been getting increasingly restless. Right in the middle of the sacrament, Vivian spit up on Amanda's arm, and Amanda asked me to reach over her and get the wipes, which were in her purse. I reached over and pulled on the purse, but it was stuck between the wall and the end of the pew. Nathan noticed I was trying to get it, and he latched on while yelling (yes, yelling) "This is Mama's! This is Mama's!" So in order to avoid a public battle, I reached and pulled out the ziploc bag of diapers and wipes from inside the purse. But he got even more upset and continued to fuss while I pulled out a wipe for Amanda to clean her arm. Hoping to appease Nathan quickly, I put the ziploc diaper bag back in the purse, but he grabbed it and started hitting it against the wall. At that point I shot up, bent over Amanda, and quickly scooped him up with one arm. He hadn't let go of the diaper bag, and as I stood back up with him, he flung the diaper bag up in the air in a fit of fury while trying to escape. I turned around in what seemed like slow motion expecting to see someone in the middle section getting pelted in the head with diapers. But the bag must have gone straight up and almost straight down because I turned around just in time to see our primary president in the pew behind us catch it flawlessly, as if that sort of thing happens all the time. She didn't miss a beat. I got several smiles from parents on our long walk down the aisle toward the exit. It's always good to know you're kid isn't the most misbehaved, why wouldn't they smile? After church, we even had people thank us for the entertainment. They loved it. Anything we can do to enhance the experience of others...

And on a less frustrating note...Bloomington is great! Our neighborhood is great! School is great! More on that later...

Farewell Arizona

Dear AZ - You’ve given us so much: two adorable kids, good employment, great friends, beautiful scenery, a nearby temple, emergency air conditioning service, controversial legislation, and temporary tax increases. We will miss you.

Here's a before and after of the woman who makes it all possible. Amanda you are the best! Thanks for following me all over the country.

2007

2010

Check out my stache to celebrate our departure.

Amanda wasn't too fond of it, but my kids thought it was awesome.

Nathan has loved his 2 1/2 years in Phoenix.

He is one cute little man.

Vivian feels like she got short-changed with a mere 10 months.

I LOVE this girl.

still not sure what a hoosier is...

No it's not a menorah, it's Indiana University! That's right, we're off to Bloomington and the Kelley School of Business in about 3 months!

We were both impressed with how stately and historic everything looks. I guess that's what happens when you've lived in a Western bubble all your life.

Could I pass for a midwesterner?

Amanda in front the Jacobs School of Music. Among the top 3 in the country. She is very excited to get involved.

Amanda and Viv in the music library. A little indoctrination going on here.

Amanda and Vivian zonked out in the hotel.

Doing the webcam with our little precious at Grandma's house in Las Vegas.

Viv playing with hotel cups. She is an excellent traveler, easily entertained, and just an overall delight. Wish I could say the same about you know who when he was that age.

We went from not being at all sure about coming to Indiana on Thursday to signing an apartment lease on Monday right before we headed to the airport. I was very impressed with Amanda's swift decision making.

Who knew there were highways with trees on both sides? It'll be a far cry from Phoenix, that's for sure. Come visit us!