In Chicago

We are here.  These pictures are in the wrong order so you can start from the bottom if you want.... I'm too lazy tonight to rearrange them.  I have gotten to visit with some fun friends from high school since moving here.  They only get up here about once a year, and two of them happened to come my first two weekends.

Lindsey lives in Chicago, in the down town area so I have been able to see her the last two weekends.  Cyndi came up to visit yesterday and we took a river boat architecture tour together.  It was fun to learn about Chicago and ride on the river.

Scott and Adam stayed home, we didn't think Adam would last on the tour.  It was fun to have lunch and catch up with an old friend.

One day this week Scott needed to go into the city so Adam and I tagged along.  We walked along Michigan Ave and checked out the River and the Bean Statue.

Fun River

Adam likes water.

We went out to a steak dinner on Monday in memory of my sister.  She passed away almost 7 years ago and Last Sunday would have been her birthday.  It is a fun way to remember her and the amazing example she always was to me.

Last Saturday, the day after Adam and I arrived, my friend Erin from high school and her boyfriend came up.  So we all met up downtown and played together for awhile.  At the end of the night we rode the Ferris wheel and had a wonderful view of the city from up high.

Erin and her boyfriend

The girls.  We went to the Shedd Aquarium and Adam lasted for a little bit and then Scott took him home cause he was so tired.  Erin was nice to give me a ride home later so that I could stay and hang out longer.

We parked at the Navy Pier and took a water taxi over to the meausum and Adam loved looking at the water.

We are here...but without stuff.  It still hasn't arrived, but should be here this week.  Adam is loving the room to run right now and it makes cleaning easier but it will be nice to have a place to sit again.

At the airport.  Saying goodbye to Utah was hard.  We have made such wonderful friends and have loved living close to family.  We miss everyone more than I can describe but are enjoying our new adventure.

Our car getting loaded onto the car hauler.  Adam was at my parents house and we were sad that he missed it, but we did a video chat with them and Adam watched the whole thing until it drove away.  This boy sure does love everything with wheels.

Changes

So the last month has brought some changes in our family.  Scott's aunt, Diana, has been really sick with cancer.  After years of suffering we knew the end was near.  This is the women that was a second mom to Scott.  She is his step dads sister and that is how is step dad got to know the family.  Diana and her family were around when Scott's dad passed away when he was 5... So anyway, it was a bit of an emotional time.  Well we knew the end was near for Diana and Scott wanted to go down and say goodbye.  He debated for awhile but we finally decided on Sunday about 4 that we just needed to drive down as a family and say goodbye.  We were on the road 2 hours later.

We got to say goodbye to Diana, she could open her eyes while we were there, even if she couldn't talk and Scott feels that she recognized him.  We saw her twice that week and she passed away shortly before we thought we would leave to come home so we ended up staying for her funeral.  We were so glad that we got to be done there and spend time with family... Even if Phoenix in August is the last place l want to be.  Adam had a blast playing with grandma and he would wake up early every morning and just ask to go downstairs and if grandma was awake yet.

The other thing that happened while we were in Arizona was that we decided that it was time for Scott to leave his company.  We were ready for more steady income and some new opportunities.  So while we were down there he started looking for a job.  He had tons of options and people calling him, but we soon realized that a good job with decent pay and any chance of progression would require us to move out of Utah.  That was really hard for me.  I love being near my family and I already had Adam signed up for preschool.  But as we thought and prayed about it we decided to focus on Chicago which had several opportunities that Scott was excited about.  So we have now accepted an offer in Chicago.  At first they wanted him to start next week, but it looks like that will get pushed back a week so that he will be here to help get everything ready for us to sell our place and to move.  It has been a bit overwhelming and emotional to think about getting everything ready and we still have so much to do.  I am so sad to leave Utah but we are excited for this next adventure that life is giving us.  We have found a place to leave and are now trying to figure out dates and movers and travel plans... Still so much to work out but we are getting there.  And soon I will have lots of new adventures to chronicle on this blog.

Park City Weekend

In July we took a family trip to Park City to get away for the weekend.  We left on Friday when Scott got off work a little early and started the trip at the zoo.  We saw a few animals and had fun together.  Adam loves the carousel and Scott got to ride with them.  All of a sudden Adam leaned over and gave him a kiss...I missed the picture the first time so I made them recreate it...  We stopped st Walmart on our way into the city and got some food to make since we had a kitchen for the weekend.  Then we checked in and took it easy.

On Saturday we headed into town.  Adam's favorite thing is the trolley or bus ride.  So we headed to the bus station and rode the trolley around Main Street once.  

This kid sure loves things with wheels.  He was so disappointed when I told him he wasn't going to get to ride a bus to preschool....

And he might have been a little tired

We rode the trolley around once and then rode it again to get off on the street were they had some classic cars.  We thought Adam would enjoy seeing the cars.  He did but he was overly excited.  He just saw the bridge in the background and wanted to go up there... And then he saw the ski lift and wanted a ride... So while Adam and I checked out the bridge, Scott checked out the ski lift.  We sure are suckers for the things Adam wants...

So on the ski lift we went.  It was a pretty long ride

And the view was amazing

I tried to capture the event while still being really careful with my phone

Adam was a good little boy to stay in his seat

But mom was sure nervous the whole time

It got a little cold up there but Adsm sure had fun... He is a little dare devil at heart....with most things.  After the lift we went back for a movie/ nap time.

Then we headed out again and checked out the Olympic Park.  It was a little rainy and cold put they were still jumping and Adam enjoyed watching them.

Once Adam was done watching we went inside to check out the museum they have inside.  Adam loved getting inside the equipment.

My future Olympian!

H is one silly boy.  He started acting tired as we walked back to the car so he climbed up here and put his head down...how that is relaxing I'm not really sure.  We picked up some dinner on our way back to the hotel and then we spent most of the rest of our trip just relaxing there and watching movies.  It was nice to have a break and be in a place a little cooler...I sure am getting sick of this hot weather!  Summer has been fun.  But I kinda feel ready for fall...but at the same time I can't believe how fast the summer has gone by.

Independence Day 2013

This year for the 4th of July we decided to check out the hot air balloon race in Provo.  Adam has been very excited when we have seen one up in the sky so we decided to give it a try, even if it meant waking up really early.

So we woke up early in the morning and it was a bit overcast.  We woke up the little guy and headed down to Provo, checking the whole way down on Facebook and wherever we could to try to see if it was still happening since it was overcast.  We got there and their were no balloons, it was too windy up high.  We were a little disappointed but Adam still loved seeing the fire truck that was on the street....they even let us climb on for a picture!  So we left and picked up breakfast on the way home.  In the afternoon we headed to my parents and had a BBQ with Tammy and her boys and the Goodmans.  That was the family that was in town and it was fun to spend more time with the cousins we don't get to see very much.  Ryan and Kyle were both sick, and Scott wasn't feeling the greatest so he offered to stay home with the boys while the rest of us went to Thanksgiving Piont for the Lehi fireworks.  I went over early with Lindsey, Kayla, and Emily to save a spot and we played cards until the rest of the group arrived with the younger kids.  The kids played together until the fireworks started and then we had fun watching them.

The next morning Scott and Adam happened to be awake about the time we would have to leave to try the balloons again so we took a chance on it.  It was a lot less crowded and we got to see the balloons at all different stages.  We saw them laying them out, and blowing them up, and then taking off.

Adam was a little nervous with the noise and the fire

But some food, and distance, helped him warm up.

My crazy boys!

I am one lucky woman

We sat on the grass to watch

And got to see them take off

Adam liked the balloons so the 2 early mornings were worth it.

Nix Family Reunion

We had our family reunion at my brother's new house.  It was nice and big and actually worked to have our family spend the night, 16 kids and 12 adults ( well most of us spent the night).   Friday night we got to Dan's house at different times and let the kids play.  We took some family pictures that night, but i don't have s copy of those right now...so i will add those later.  Poor Emily fainted during the pictures and was sick most of the weekend, but she was a sport and participated when she could.  We had a BBQ that night and played some games.  Dan got out his Razor and the family took some rides.  Dave was excited to be able to drive the Razor! 

And Adam enjoyed the ride.  I was just a little late getting the picture taken.  

Dave driving!

We played water balloon volleyball.  We had to fight the kids off while we were filling up the balloons.

It was fun with lots of cousins 

Adam loved getting a turn to play too

Much of the group sitting around outside.  Then we had homemade ice cream and played around.  Once we got the kids off to bed some of the adults stayed up late talking.  It was fun to remember our childhood....I also loved hearing stories from my brothers about before I was born.  They told one where mom freaked out on them one Sunday at church and they all got in trouble after church.  Dave said they couldn't figure out why they were in trouble....mom said she was sure they deserved it.  It may sound bad but I was excited to hear that.  I don't remember my mom freaking out at me at all.  She was always so calm and patient...maybe it is because I don't have the best memory, or maybe it's because my sister and brother got my mom used to things and there wasn't much I could do to freak her out...anyway... I was just glad that I'm not the only one that freaks out....even my wonderful mother freaks out sometimes!  Anyways.... Back to the family reunion...

Saturday morning Adam woke me up early.  We went on a walk with mom and then hung out until Dan made everyone a yummy breakfast.... of course in the Nix house it had to include bacon...

Lots of boys and lots of cars and trucks.... Many little boys in little boy heaven.

Cousins and cars...Adam was so happy

We played the game Disney Foreheads and my mom just looked so cute in hers.  We had fun guessing what Disney characters and objects were on the cards.  We also played Bingo.  My mom created a game with our childhood memories and it was so fun!  We had to explain some things to some of the older grand kids and there was lots of story telling.  There were even big candy bars as prizes and that was sure a hit!

In the afternoon we went to the Bountiful Pool.  Adam was brave and went down the slide with Daddy.    He had just finished his swimming lessons and went down the slide there with his teacher on the last day.

Landing in the water.  I couldn't believe how much he learned from his swimming lessons.  He was going around the pool like a fish...as long as he had something to help him float.... And we stayed close by.  They had a pirate ship outside in a splash pad and Adam loved it!

Saturday also was Ryan's birthday and he wanted a piñata for his birthday so all the kids got a turn.  The kids were in heaven.  So Saturday after swimming we hung out and had pizza...celebrated birthdays and hung out until it was time to go home.  It was a very fun weekend and great to spend time together.