Out of School in January

 

Hmm I can't find the pictures of the first weeks of January, so I will just blog with these.  January was all about learning about our new area.  We were in a three bedroom apartment which was fine.  It definitely fit our needs, but boy oh boy did I miss having a garage!  Our apt. was three flights up, so that meant every grocery trip was super annoying to unload from the car.  Our apt. complex was right next to The District, which is the new really big shopping center in South Jordan.  It's got a Target, a huge movie multi-plex, lots of clothing stores, restaurants, and just a fun place to go to.  Of course was one of my favorite things of our first month in Utah was getting to see family. 

The other pass we decided to purchase was one for the Herriman Rec Center.  It's got a great gym with a day care center (not as great as a day care center as Gold's Gym for the older kids so the boys are not fans), it has a little merry-go-round, a little rock wall, and a big indoor water park type place.  I decided that was a great thing to do during the off track times in January, April, and October and so far they have enjoyed swimming and playing there.

 

Kathryn and I decided to check out the Loveland Aquarium in Draper, so we took our kids and met there one day.

It's a pretty fun place!  Definitely smaller than aquariums I've been to (I mean growing up I had only visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium which is like one of the very best).  However, there are few fun exhibits, a 4-D theater that shows 5 different short films on marine life, and a really fun huge, indoor playground that was honestly, the biggest selling point in getting a years pass. Well that and the fact I am only like 12 minutes away!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our anniversary was in January!  We were able to go out (and have my cute 13 year old niece, Mylee, babysit!).  We ate some dinner and saw the movie Selma.  That is an excellent movie.

 

 

 

I had to instagram our Ben and Jerry's we ate to celebrate our anniversary.  For me I can not eat Ben & Jerry's (which to be honest we rarely do bc it cost so much more than Dryers haha) without thinking of one of our first dates we had.  Erik brought some of this exact flavor to my house to watch a movie (I think it was 8 Seconds.  I was a lot more accommodating in what we watched while we were dating haha).  I just thought it was such a sweet, simple, romantic thing to do and it immediately endeared me to him further.

Just taking a picture of the kids before church :)  We've really been liking our ward.  Its full of very nice, friendly, good people that have welcomed us warmly.  I got a calling working with the Wolf Scouts which is a lot of fun.  I get to be den leader with a wonderful woman down the street.  Erik just got a calling as ward clerk.  So I think both of us being busy with church will further help us to integrate and get to know people.  The kids have been enjoying their Primary classes.

January was also all about getting the house ready!  We closed on the house (I know I have a picture of that somewhere!) on the 14th and celebrated by going out to Texas Roadhouse (and finally using our free kids meal coupons we got in Winchester trick or treating there).  Of course, Erik started work on the house right away.

 

 

Jackson did swim lessons on their last week of break.  I'm hoping to get him interested in doing swim team here.  He is a great swimmer I think he would enjoy doing that.

 

 

On Martin Luther Kind Jr. Day, I was trying to figure out a way we could commemorate and learn about this important man.   We checked out a couple of books at the library which was great and then I googled "Martin Luther King movie for kids" and found "Our Friend Martin."  Which was a great show for them.  And bonus, the whole movie is on You Tube!  I love how technology makes things so easy sometimes.

We also found a pediatric dentist and got appointments out of the way.  The boys did great.  And Anna had her very first dental check up. She got a little nervous after sitting in the chair, but made it through like a champ.

 

And I had to take a picture of the pediatrian's check up room.  I loved the superhero murals!

During the month of January, the kids didn't have any of their toys (except what they got for Christmas), we didn't have a back yard (and it was winter anyway), and they were out of school all day.  So we also went to a couple movies which of course I LOVED doing!  We saw Annie and Paddington.  Both movies were really cute, but I really was taken with Paddington.  What a cute movie!  Anna loves the new Annie's soundtrack and listens to it any chance she gets.

We like taking pictures in front of movie posters :)

Uh, we didn't see that one.

 

 

More fun at the splash pad.

And at the aquarium's playground.

 

 

 

 

 

I had a painful thing happen to me in January.  Anna scratched my eyeball one Friday morning!  Immediately it was super painful, and I could not for the life of me open my eye.  Erik was able to come home in the afternoon and take me to doctor.  The doctor put some yellow drops in my eye that showed my scratch (in the neon green).  She also put a numbing drop in my eye that gave me such immediate relief it was a godsend.  The great thing about eye scratches is they heal fast.  I was feeling better the next day!

 

Making choices in our kitchen.

 

I loved seeing how the kitchen looked once the cabinets were painted.  It was just the look I was hoping for. 

 

We enjoyed hanging out in our empty house after church and then taking a walk to the boys' new school. 

 

And making friends with our neighbors!