We're here!

Our new house! We're so excited about it:) You can't see the tops, but the tallest trees are palm trees (Ike calls them pineapple trees)

Outlook over Phoenix-- hot hot hot! The entire expanse is city as far as you can see in any direction and still there is more city beyond that. Whoa.

Ike and Zach at the Science center (Ike is a Knight... because it was the only shiny costume not princess related)!

Cool spot along the way

I'm sure you've all heard by now that we've safely and happily made it to Arizona. I'm not sure how many hours were spent in the car... We left Laramie Friday afternoon- a very bizarre feeling knowing that this is no longer a hub central to your life and you may never travel that awful I-80 corridor to return to your own home... weird after 8 years (of course we'll still visit, but it won't be "home"). Saturday morning we took a little "time out" and drove from Salt Lake to Logan to attend Ben's cousin's wedding- what a beautiful experience! Attending the temple is always such a great "time out" to realize what is really important and help you remember your family and the bonds we have there.

Beautiful Wedding.

We were lucky to get to see a good part of Ben's family too and spend a couple of hours with them before our long journey. Ike suggested we eat at Wendys (a Pieper favorite-- I think it made his Grandpa proud!) So, we did that too! Saying goodbye has been really really tough for us and this one was no exception. We have been blessed to see Grandma and Grandpa Pieper and the animals more often this year than ever before... it will be a strange concept to not be able to see them as often!

Anyway, late afternoon we finally pulled it all together and took off again on the open road. I should mention that my dad did take the "opportunity" to drive down with us (what a HUGE HUGE blessing). While we went to the wedding, he took our Penske (Pinksy as Isaac refers to it...) down the road to Cedar City, where we met up Saturday night and then switched off driving with both of us the rest of the way. Sunday morning we all went to church and then packed back up for another "adventure" through the mountain passes from Cedar City to Kanab, UT and then to Flagstaff, AZ. What beautiful country! Beautiful mountain passes! Slow, slow Pinksy!! The mountain climbs and curves made it very interesting for a 22 foot truck pulling our Honda, but Ben was a master driver and everything went really well! We stopped in Kanab for lunch/dinner and ate at a place called Denny's Wigwam... food was average, but the atmosphere was really cool- much like an "old west" village with lots of quaint little features- I highly recommend it, if for some unknown reason you ever find yourself in Kanab! Then we also stopped at Glenn Canyon Dam. Beautiful! When we got out of the car it was finally HOT and we were WORRIED! I think it was around 90 or so and I kept telling myself, "Oh, this isn't so bad..." Feeling the heat and seeing a very different climate has been my biggest fear... strange, I know.

We pulled into Flagstaff that night around 8pm for one last night in the mountains before our descent into, well... Phoenix. The air was nice and cool. Flagstaff has about the same weather as Laramie, as far as we can tell. It will be our mountain home away from home when we need a "quick fix." We made it to Phoenix by 3pm Monday afternoon. The boys were so so good on the trip, well at least the little boys were! Ben and my dad were SO SICK for driving the "Pinksy" and I was sick of following it! Though, we did average over 40 mpg with the Accord following them at 65 mph and under (sometimes 40 going up mountain passes)!

Our move in went very smoothly! As we were pulling into the valley my dad says "So, are you worried that your house may not be what you are expecting?" Umm, not until then... So, it was an even bigger relief to get here, see it and know that it will work out just perfectly for us. The house itself is in great shape and the room sizes are perfect. There are so many little things that I never knew I was missing until now (like the ability to do laundry at whatever time of the day or night... or wash dishes, for that matter! I also love having a yard (even if it is too hot most of the time to play in right now) and a double car garage! We have never been so happy to be able to purchase groceries and carry them directly inside without a huge exhaustive trip up to the third floor with two sleepy kids and arms loaded (the week before we left, I made 6 trips up and down the stairs carrying in groceries and kiddos- whew!) Anyway, all of our kitchen stuff is in the kitchen (no food storage in our bedroom closet anymore). Crazy.

Cool Splash Pad Near Our House

Now we are adjusting well. Ike still makes a crazy whiny noise everytime we step out into the direct sunlight (which is all the time) and REFUSES to go anywhere without his ball cap and sunglasses (not sure what we'll do if he ever loses either... must purchase a backup soon! On the other hand, if Zach is at all fussy in the store, he immediately quits as soon as we step into the 110 degree heat! He LOVES the HOT HOT HOT car and just basks in it! Too funny. Ben also makes that whiny noise (ha!) and even plans his clothing so as to attract the least amount of sunlight... I have determined that any temperature outside above 95 registers with my body as way hot... there's no difference between 95 and 115 (both of which I have felt down here)! I do, however, love that it's 90-100 at 8 or 9pm when we are swimming outside.. you don't even get cold when you get out of the pool! Speaking of pools, we have been going across the street to swim about 5 nights of the week and Ike is becoming quite the swimmer... he is independent now with his "lifejacket style" suit, but of course, we still watch him like a hawk and are ALWAYS right there with him (this is one of my biggest fears).

So, yes, life has certainly changed for us! We have been so lucky to have Ben home with us for a few days before school started. I wish we could live the life of unemployment forever... ok, not really... but, we have really been able to enjoy each other and explore the city (el cheapo style). Monday starts the school phase for us, but we are geared up and more than ready (we've had 3 years to prepare)! We just feel really blessed to be here, even if it means we're living on the sun and far away from family and friends (missing everyone desperately)!