Moving Day

Monday was the big day--moving in day! We've had the date marked on our calendar for months now, and each day that drew closer made it feel more real. In July and August I had been helping Brad get his dorm supplies, clean out junk in his room, and get the boys ready to swap rooms after he was gone. Then Monday came and it was time for his years at home to end, and his next journey at university to begin!

It really is true about parenthood when they say the days are long but the years are short. I still vividly remember the long days of infanthood but also being aware of how quickly he was growing.

When he started PreK it was a big milestone to see him being away from home for hours and adjusting to the new environment and people he was around. He loved school and thrived in the environment, and adjusted very well even when we moved across the country in between his 1st and 2nd grade.

By the time he started high school, he was already way ahead of his peers and on a journey to obtain his Associates degree as well. He challenged himself daily and taught himself more than his college professors usually could!

As his senior year was drawing to an end it was becoming even more real that he was growing up fast and would soon be moving on in his education journey. Just weeks before he turned 17 he walked the stage of Genesee Community College with his Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Information Systems.

On his 17th birthday he walked the stage once again for his high school graduation in the Top 10 students of the county with a Advanced Regents Diploma and Mastery of Mathematics.

His summer was short but he grew more excited by the day to begin college life at RIT!

August 17 we packed up the car with his essentials and his bike, and spent the afternoon with him at his dorm. We explored the campus, talked to his advisor, met his roommate, set up his room, and had our final lunch with him before waving goodbye and heading home without him.

He seemed nervous but excited and this first week is freshman orientation so he has time to adjust and learn his way around before classes start on Monday. So far he's doing great and meeting lots of new people who have the same interests as him which is wonderful.

Thank you to everyone who has showed support and given words of encouragement along our journey. My baby boy has grown up and I can't wait to see what life has in store for him!

Oklahoma Road Trip 2024

Another 2600 mile road trip in the books! Maybe our last one for awhile...

Due to family deaths and health concerns we decided to take the family trip to Oklahoma while the kids were out of school this past week. Nick had business to take care of with his mom's estate, and I had several things to help my father with. As always we got a rental car--Kia Soul--and left early Friday morning bound for Terre Haute, Indiana.

We have always stayed there for our halfway point going and coming, and each time gets more uncomfortable with the state of the hotels and accommodations. So for our return trip I booked a hotel just 15min west in Marshall, Illinois and it was much better! New halfway point.

We arrived to our hotel in Moore, OK around 3pm Saturday. After checking in, unpacking, and cleaning up we all headed over to my dad's house to say hi and for me to start prepping for everything I would be doing--mostly cooking!! The next day was Easter so I went ahead and got all the groceries I would need that night. He is looking good and doing much better after recent surgery and cancer treatment.

That evening my mom and stepdad brought pizza to our hotel for dinner and to visit! Always nice to see my mumsy. My stepdad Gary had big plans up his sleeve for the boys while they were there.

Sunday was Easter! Nick's original plan got a bit derailed so he spent the day with me. After hotel breakfast, we all headed over to my dad's where I started the plethora of meals I would be cooking for his freezer. Nick was my sous chef and very helpful! 

In between cooking I was able to give my dad a haircut, and around 1:30pm we wrapped up what we were doing to head back into town for Easter dinner at my brother Eric's house with his wife and stepkids. They made a ton of delicious food, and the kids got to do an egg hunt in the front yard.

After Easter fun, it was back to work at my dad's house where I completed lots of freezer meals for him. I wrapped it up that evening and we headed back to the hotel.

We had time in the evening for the boys to enjoy a dip in the hotel pool!

The next day we dropped the boys off at my mom's house for a fun day with grandpa Gary. Nick dropped me off at my dad's, and he headed out to Foster to take care of some business with his sister for their mom's estate. I continued cooking my little heart out at my dad's ALL DAY.

The boys had a bunch of fun with grandpa including shooting guns, driving, arcade games, pizza, and candy! They got done before Nick was back in town, so they convinced grandpa to let them swim again at our hotel. He had them all dried and changed by the time we got back for dinner!

For dinner our last night there we FINALLY got to eat our absolute favorite Chinese food from TnT--a little hole in the wall place in OKC that is the best. I brought it back to the hotel, and shortly after my brother Shane visited us there with his gf Regina, son Cameron, and Cameron's gf.

So we got to say bye to everyone that last night before I headed back to my dad's house to do his taxes for him. We had severe storms forecasted that evening with tennis ball size hail, but thankfully it was a bust and we just got a bit of rain. I finished up his taxes and finally got back to the hotel around 11:30pm. After some much needed rest we hit the road in the morning around 9am and made it to our new halfway point in Illinois around 7pm. We grabbed some Wendy's for dinner and tucked in early, and hit the road for HOME by 6am!!

After a long day of driving and coming home to snow we got home around 4pm safe and sound with Cuddles holding the fort down for us. It was so nice to be home and sleep in our own beds!! Another visit down.

Visiting Oklahoma

We finally got to take our family trip to Oklahoma! We were supposed to go in Feb but had to cancel last minute due to sickness. So thanks to the school schedule we had to wait until summer time to go. I reserved the rental car, hotels along the way, and we hit the road last Thurs morning!

I ordered 2 different DVD players for the car and both arrived broken....so the kids had to entertain themselves! They actually did really good. Snacks helped!

Our rental was upgraded to a 2023 Nissan Murano.

We stayed at our usual halfway point in Terre Haute, Indiana on Thurs night with Dominoes for dinner. We hit the road at about 6am Fri morning to make it to Oklahoma in early evening. Our hotel for 3 nights in OKC was much nicer and had an indoor pool. I booked a suite so we would have a bit more seating room for us and visitors.

My mom invited us all over for dinner Fri night so we started off with seeing them that evening.

After dinner of course the boys wanted to hit the pool for a bit. It was very hot while we were there--95-100 each day--so cooling off in the pool was nice. My brother Shane met us there after he finished working and hung out with us by the pool.

Sat morning after breakfast we headed south to Foster to see Nick's family. One of their cats had kittens so the boys had a lot of fun snuggling on them.

Nick and his mom

Brad and his cousin Zoe (they are the same age!)

Nick and his sister Sarah

After that visit we headed back into OKC to meet my dad at our FAVORITE Greek restaurant Athena's. We all got gyros with some falafel for an appetizer. So good!

And baklava for dessert!

Saturday evening we had dinner with my brother Eric and the boys swam in his pool for a bit.

Sunday afternoon my stepdad Gary picked up the boys for a fun afternoon out with grandpa. Jacob got to shoot his first guns! He did so good, and hit his target several times.

Brad also did very good and shot some big guns! He also got drive grandpa's new Bronco on some country roads.

While they were all gone Nick hung out with his friend Terry and I visited with my mom and brother Eric at his house. I got to go swimming for a bit in his pool then came back to the hotel and got cleaned up for dinner. Gary took us all out to a new Mexican restaurant for our last night there and my dad also met us there.

My dad and me

Papa Tony and his grandsons!

That evening I met up with my brother Shane and his girlfriend Regina for one last visit, and caught this beautiful sunset on my way out!

It was great to see everyone as usual, I just wish more people would take the journey north to visit us! It's very hard to make this trip each year, we are not sure how soon we will be able to make it back. Thankfully our house and Cuddles were safe and sound when we returned! It's nice to be home in our own beds and with our cooler temps. Until next time!