Trip to CA

Alrighty, so here's some pics from the move. Jason's dad Bob flew out on the 20th to help us and drive the car (with a trailer) while J drove the truck (with a trailer). Which was super super helpful because then Z and I were able to fly out (on the 25th). I can't even imagine trying to drive all the way across country with a little kid - yikes! But it was nice to have another person keep an eye on Zach while we were packing. Though it took him quite a while to warm up to Papa Bob - he got pretty fussy and didn't want to play without us. But he did like playing in the trailer!

This first picture was on March 23...and it was snowing. Which was kind of ironic, just sort of an emphasis on why we couldn't wait to get out of there. And we also joke about that whole "global warming" thing. Snow!! Anyway, we had a heap of trouble actually getting the trailers we had reserved. Seems like U-Haul needs a good competitor along with a good kick in the pants. But we finally got one of the trailers and began loading it up. It's funny, because right when we were going to load the couches it started this crap. Snowing!!

I think Bobster took this picture. It's actually pretty.

So a funny story about our packing...when we weren't using the trailers during the day or overnight we'd lock them up. Jason decided (he's got a bad track record :)) that he'd just toss the keys on the ground while we relaxed and had some Fat Jimmy's pizza. While I like Boombazz better, it was still pretty good. But anyway, we're packing things up and ready to start loading again. But we can't find the keys. Zach is usually pretty good about finding something he was playing with, so we asked him. But he didn't know. And he didn't have a lot of time as he had to take a nap. So while we're looking super quietly, we're also brainstorming about cutting the lock. I really didn't think Z had the keys, because I would have heard them and he can usually find stuff. We decide that maybe Zach put them in one of the boxes I was packing, but after opening 4 or 5 boxes, we still can't find them. Finally I think to check the box going to Good Will and at the very bottom were the keys. We were so happy to find them!

Mmm, another thing was the day before we left I got my bagel from Panera Bread, which by the way is on the West coast now!! Of course, I've since looked up the caloric content and would you believe they can pack 410 into that thing? Plus the cream cheese...yummy :).

Random note (as most of this is): if you ever need moving boxes, check craigslist! I ended up getting like 150 boxes (no joke) from this family that had just moved (and I was in the car that day! Two trips later...). I was super relieved - we had been having a tough time finding free ones. Liquor stores had crappy ones, and I didn't really want to hit the grocery store at 10 pm. We didn't use all of the boxes we received, so I was able to pass the others along.

We also had to do a heap of cleaning. It was not fun. Z and I flew out at 6 (our flight left at that time), so the night before we were cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. I think we finally hit the sack just before midnight. Bob actually did a fair amount of dishes (don't tell his wife! :)) while we were packing and doing more labor intensive jobs. It was super helpful. But you know me, being super particular we had to do a decent job cleaning. Not only to get our deposit back, but so someone else wouldn't have to do it. They have a cleaning crew come through, but I think it's just basic stuff. I figured it should be left as clean as I'd want it if moving in. After I left in the morning, J and Bob had to finish up some stuff before "checking out." The lady said it was one of the cleanest apartments upon check out she had seen! Yea us!

Here's some pics of the boys' drive over.

Massive flooding somewhere.

I love this sign! When I think of "Land of Enchantment," I think of Disneyland or something comparable. But not the flat nasty desert! Might as well be Kansas!

Bob spent some time working down at Los Alamos a few years back, so when they drove though they hung out with his buddy Dale.

Random dishes, somewhere. They're actually pretty cool.

Sunset, somewhere :).

That's all from their drive. I can't imagine being stuck in the car for that long, but thankfully they were different! Z and I had a pretty good flight out. We got to the airport at about 5:30 (remember my flight left at 6?). It was pushing it - closest we've ever been. I didn't expect the place to be busy, but it actually was! There was a long line for security, and I was seriously wondering if we were going to make it. Then comes an employee telling me I can skip the line because of the stroller! Yea! It's the same line they send people with wheelchairs through. Though it's not really a separate line so much as cutting - but I was grateful!

Z actually fell asleep on the airplane, which I was not expecting. 'Bout an hour, which I consider a passing grade. I made sure he was eating and drinking on all take-offs and landings so he didn't have any trouble with his ears. And I had plenty of toys to try to keep him occupied. He actually got several compliments about his good behavior. He really is such a good little boy. AND, he did really well with potty training the entire day (and really after that - everyone kept telling us to expect a setback, but it never happened. Yea Zach!). We'd sit on the potty at his normal times, and while he was a little scared (planes are so loud!), he did really, really well. Though I did get one nasty look from a lady as I walked by with Z and his potty seat - which was in a plastic bag. Like I was going to contaminate her with an incurable disease! Clearly not a mother.

But I'll tell you what, if I can avoid it, I don't think I'll travel with Zach and without Jason again! We had four checked bags total (which was the max they'd let us take - Z had his own seat). Then I had a heap of crap including the carseat (we brought his infant one while J drove over his toddler one), stroller, backpack (full of toys and potty seat), and a lunch box full of Z's food. Not to mention the boy! My hands were pretty full. But it worked out.

My bro Luke picked us up at the airport (after working a whole 15 minutes). The plan was to head back to his apartment and let Z take a nap, but since he had one on the plane there was no rush. So Luke decided to take the rest of the day off :). We went to In-N-Out and hung out at his pad for a while. It was warm outside! Yea California! Then Z kept telling me that he was all done with Luke's house and that he wanted to go bye-bye, so we headed over to Paul's. Random story - when we got here there was a cat outside that didn't have a collar. While I told it to go away, Luke started petting it. And then it just stayed here. For days. We didn't feed it for like three days, but it was intent on living here. It would try to get in the house when we opened the door, and meow at all the windows. It was a very friendly cat, but it didn't belong! Paul and I are both allergic, so there was no chance of it actually living here. But finally Maggie decided she'd take it to work and try to find it a home (she's a vet). Once that decision was made, she figured she could feed it. It took two months, but she finally found a home for it!

So Z and I spend the week at Paul and Maggie's while the boys drove over. Maggie's dad and brother were actually in town for a visit, so I didn't have a whole lot of space to kind of set things up. And boy was Z needy! I think all the moving and new people really stressed him out. But it was nice to visit. And we didn't have a car, so we couldn't go anywhere. That was different - had to hitch a ride with Paul and Maggie to go to the store :).