Well, it certainly has been awhile. Our lives have completely changed. Jacob graduated and was lucky enough to find a job teaching high school English in Safford, Arizona. We found out about the job at the beginning of July. Jacob left JC Penney, I left Archiver's, and we moved. On July 24 we packed up the truck and left Ohio on July 25.
My amazing friend Jessica helped us pack. There is no way we would have finished without her! Chelsea was laughing and covering her mouth :) (Jul 24)When we first got to Arizona, I was excited to be able to go to the Baker Family Campout. There is one every year, but because every member of my family has lived too far away to come, I was happy to be the Turner Family Representative. It rained all weekend and was cold and muddy. Chelsea had a great time. It was great to see everyone, but I was happy to go back to a nice warm bed.
Chelsea LOVES playing with dogs. Even if they are twice her size. This is my Uncle Tom and Aunt Ginny's dog. (Jul 31)
Chelsea loved being able to play in the dirt. I never let her get dirty. (Jul 31)
Chelsea loved being able to play in the dirt. I never let her get dirty. (Jul 31)It sure was hot here. Chelsea and I decided to go for a walk one day. It was about 3:00. We walked down the road to get a snow cone. I was hot, and immediately regretted even coming outside. But we wanted that snow cone!
She wasn't very interested in eating it but she did insist that it was on her tray. That was the only day we went for a walk at that time--I decided we needed to go earlier next time. (Aug 2)
Chelsea has loved playing in the kitchen. Not cooking, just playing with the dishes. She gets them out, runs around the house with them, and sometimes puts them back where they belong. She loves the water jugs, rolling pins, and brushes. Oh, and we have to check things before using them because she likes to put Legos in them. We'll be in trouble when she figures out how to open the oven...
(Aug 12)
This apron was made by Jacob's Grandma Lauritzen. Chelsea loves wearing it! (Aug 23)
This apron was made by Jacob's Grandma Lauritzen. Chelsea loves wearing it! (Aug 23)Chelsea also loves to play with Grandma and Grandpa Lauritzen's Legos. She loves to put them together, take them apart, carry them around, and put them in and out of things.
(Aug 24)
We blew up her tiny pool and put it out in the yard. She had fun playing in the water, but wasn't really sure what to do. She lots of fun though!
(Aug 28)
We had been wanting to go down to Phoenix to do some shopping. There really isn't much shopping in this town. We decided that Labor Day weekend would be a good time to go, hoping to catch some sales. We also wanted to go to the Phoenix Zoo. We decided to get a membership so that we could go whenever we head that way. The weather said it was supposed to be 104 that day. We had been looking forward to it, so decided it wouldn't be that bad, so to go ahead and brave the Arizona heat. Bad idea. It was so hot the animals weren't even really out and we were sweating like crazy. Chelsea was a trooper. We decided to spend the rest of the day in an air conditioned mall.
This picture wasn't too long after we started. It was so hot! (Sept 4)
We let her out of the stroller to run around a little bit. We have a picture from last summer on a frog at the Cleveland Zoo, so we thought it would be fun to get a similar picture. (Sept 4)
She didn't want to go back into the stroller. (Sept 4)
We let her out of the stroller to run around a little bit. We have a picture from last summer on a frog at the Cleveland Zoo, so we thought it would be fun to get a similar picture. (Sept 4)
She didn't want to go back into the stroller. (Sept 4)I try to let Chelsea help me do things during the day. She likes to help put dishes away (of course) but she loves to help me with the laundry. I decided to take some pictures of her :).
(Sept 4)
We go to the park every once in a while to play. She loves the slides but won't get on the swings. She also loves to play in the dirt. But, her favorite game would be keep away...keeping Chelsea away from Daddy, that is. I have also managed to get her hair in pigtails a couple of times. She doesn't sit still for me to do it, so it hasn't happened much. This girl is finally getting some hair though!
(Sept 10)
We went to Taco Bell after playing at the park. She was treating her burrito like a baby doll. Here she is hugging her "baby." I wish we would have gotten a video because it was the cutest thing in the world. We just didn't realize what she was doing, and when we did, she stopped. (Sept 10)
Jacob built her this out of the waffle blocks. She was having a tea party. Notice the boots? Yeah, she found them and wanted to wear them. Napoleon Dynamite? (Sept 12)
You can never start too young! :) (Sept 12)
Jacob built her a pirate ship. It was so much fun to watch them play together. This is Daddy and daughter being pirates--notice the hooked fingers? (Oct 3)
Jacob and Joseph after the hike. (Oct 16)
We went to Taco Bell after playing at the park. She was treating her burrito like a baby doll. Here she is hugging her "baby." I wish we would have gotten a video because it was the cutest thing in the world. We just didn't realize what she was doing, and when we did, she stopped. (Sept 10)We don't have church until 1, so Sunday mornings Chelsea gets alot of playtime with Daddy.
Jacob built her this out of the waffle blocks. She was having a tea party. Notice the boots? Yeah, she found them and wanted to wear them. Napoleon Dynamite? (Sept 12)
You can never start too young! :) (Sept 12)
Jacob built her a pirate ship. It was so much fun to watch them play together. This is Daddy and daughter being pirates--notice the hooked fingers? (Oct 3)One thing that I was excited to go to was the Graham County Fair. It was hot outside, and we weren't really interested in the rides, so we just walked around and looked at stuff. Chelsea loved seeing the animals. Some of the chickens and turkeys were so big I was really surprised.
(Oct 8)
That same weekend we got to go to Mesa. My mom was in town, as well as Darbie, Chad, and the kids, and Derrick came down with his fiancee, Anika. It was great to meet her and we are excited for her to join the family! It was a fast weekend, but it was amazing to get to spend some time with my mom!
We took a four generation picture before we left town! (Oct 11)
We had been wanting to go hiking, so for Jacob's friend Joseph's birthday we took him to lunch then we went hiking. It was fun. The views were just beautiful.
Jacob and Joseph after the hike. (Oct 16)I made cupcakes one Sunday and decided it would be fun if Chelsea helped me frost them. She was actually more interested in eating them, but we got a family picture!
(Oct 17)
So, if you made it through all that, that is what we've been up to the last 3 months in Arizona. It's hard to believe that we have been here that long already. In other news, Jacob is working like a madman. He teaches high school English, adjuncts at Eastern Arizona College, and is doing ETutoring for The University of Akron. He's surviving, but we are excited for the semester to be over and have a vacation. We decided that after Christmas we are going to go to Disneyland with my friend Jessica (who is coming out to visit) and Jacob's friend Joseph. We decided it would be a good way to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary, and it isn't too far.
I love being able to spend so much time with Chelsea, but I decided to take a class at the college to give me something to do. It is just a break, and I'm really enjoying the class. I've been scrapbooking LOTS, and am starting to get into doing other little crafts as well.
Chelsea is growing like crazy. We finally had her 18 month appointment, and she was 33 inches and 23 pounds. When we left Ohio, she had 5 teeth. Now she has 13 or 14. At least 4 of them came during the move. She is trying to talk, and can say basic words like Mom, Dad, Up, Ball, Book, Box, Dog, Purple, and a couple others that I can't remember right now. We're trying to teach her to say trick or treat for this weekend. Other than that, she just plays all day. She loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and will sit and watch it for hours. We have gone to story time at the library a couple of times, but most times I am too lazy to get up to take Jacob to work.
Anyway, things are going alright here in Arizona. We really miss Ohio, but we're settling in here with Jacob's parents. Maybe I'll actually start updating this thing to make everyone think we actually have real lives out here...:)
I love being able to spend so much time with Chelsea, but I decided to take a class at the college to give me something to do. It is just a break, and I'm really enjoying the class. I've been scrapbooking LOTS, and am starting to get into doing other little crafts as well.
Chelsea is growing like crazy. We finally had her 18 month appointment, and she was 33 inches and 23 pounds. When we left Ohio, she had 5 teeth. Now she has 13 or 14. At least 4 of them came during the move. She is trying to talk, and can say basic words like Mom, Dad, Up, Ball, Book, Box, Dog, Purple, and a couple others that I can't remember right now. We're trying to teach her to say trick or treat for this weekend. Other than that, she just plays all day. She loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and will sit and watch it for hours. We have gone to story time at the library a couple of times, but most times I am too lazy to get up to take Jacob to work.
Anyway, things are going alright here in Arizona. We really miss Ohio, but we're settling in here with Jacob's parents. Maybe I'll actually start updating this thing to make everyone think we actually have real lives out here...:)
