Wrapping up

Ok, it's obvious that I'm not posting enough when I had to recover my password before I could post last time (March 7) AND just now... Anyway, moving began last week--we (when I say "we" I mean Darin, 7 guys from our elders quorum and Ben) loaded a 26 foot Penske truck last Thursday & Friday, then we (minus the elders quorum) started the drive to Las Vegas. We didn't get away until after 8pm Friday night, so we went as far as Grand Junction that night, then the rest of the way Saturday. Ben was definitely needed and appreciated on this trip--thanks to him for coming out, and to Bec, Tessa & Breann for letting him go for 3 of his days off! Ben drove the Suburban, towing a 5x8 trailer with 2 motorcycles inside, and Darin drove the big truck with me & Gavin to keep him company, towing a car carrier with the Land Cruiser on it. The truck was much slower, especially when we tried going uphill, so Ben would go off in front of us, and then stop to let us catch up every so often. He was usually about 20 miles in front of us every time he stopped. He said he got some sight-seeing in, and some extra walking while he waited. Thanks Ben! We drove all day Saturday & arrived in Vegas around 7pm. We went straight to the storage place, where we met Mom & Dad and Vance who were there to help unload into two 10x20 units--thanks Mom & Dad and Vance! What would we do without such great brothers-in-law??? The unloading was done by 9pm when the storage place closed for the night, but the work was not done. They re-loaded the things that belonged at the house back into the truck, and after a quick stop for Fatburgers to go, went back home & they unloaded those things, THEN loaded all the boxes and things that Mom & Dad had ready to go to storage. We finally let Vance go home--I think it was around midnight Saturday night--and that was after unloading one piano and loading another piano into the U-Haul trailer! Thanks again Vance!!! Gavin was pretty excited about his new room. He slept on the yo on top of his twin-size mattress (first time out of a crib or port-a-crib), and he was thrilled! When I tucked him in & covered him with a blanket, he cuddled the blanket up to his neck & said, "Thank you, Mom!"

Sunday, the day of rest... NOT! Gavin & I went with Mom & Dad to church while Darin & Ben took the truck back to the storage unit and unloaded Mom & Dad's things for storage. Dad left after the Sacrament to join Darin & Ben. They finished unloading and then returned the car carrier and truck. Dad, Ben & Darin wrapped up Grandma Merrill's china cabinet & loaded it in with the piano and secured it with straps. Ryan wanted the china cabinet, and the piano was going to Ben & Becky's. We had a great lunch, a Mexican buffet whipped up by Mom, and then we hit the road again! We got to Sally's house just after 10pm and dropped off the china cabinet--no broken glass! Then we finally released Ben of his duties to go home. Bec was there to greet us, and we hung out for a bit, then had a good night's sleep. Darin had a meeting with Deseret Book Monday afternoon, and I worked, we wished Tessa a happy birthday a day early, and went out to dinner at Goodwood, then the Williams went home & we headed to CO! We got as far as Grand Junction that night, then went the rest of the way Tuesday. I'm just about exhausted after typing all that! It was a BUSY extended weekend!!! Now we're packing up the last of our things & wrapping up the things that need to be done around here--our closing is scheduled for 9:30am on Tuesday, 3/31, and we'll be on the road again after it's done!

Today we've been inundated with SNOW! We woke up to just a dusting, but around 9am it started really coming down & is STILL coming down right now at almost 6pm. I guess Colorado is punishing us for leaving. Darin lamented that we ALMOST escaped having to shovel the driveway all together this winter, spending all of Dec & Jan in AZ, but, no such luck! We'll definitely be doing some shoveling... Not today though--we didn't set foot outside, and luckily, didn't have to!