Destination: Charlotte!

After the packers came and packed, the movers loaded all our stuff and we cleaned up the house, we set off for our journey to Charlotte! We caravaned down with the cars since my Dad had volunteered to drive as well. The boys and I packed into the Mini Cooper armed with a portable DVD player and Joe's favorite movies!). It took longer than expected as there was a TON of traffic on I-95 but we finally made it around 10 pm on July 18! We stayed at Aunt Ann's (Ken's aunt) house for the weekend. We found the house pretty filthy when we got here so Ann rustled up a cleaning crew and we made it spic and span in time for the movers on Monday. Moving day was hot but bearable under the shade and by evening all of our stuff was inside. Now the REAL fun began with the unpacking! The one downside to the day was I went to go get the camera out of the car and it went sailing onto the ground and I broke the lens, thus explaining why we only have one picture of that day!

The moving van in front of our new driveway!

Last day at school!

Today was the last day for Joe and Thomas at "The Children in the Shoe", the daycare they had been going to while we lived in Olney. They really enjoyed their time at the center and will miss all their teachers and friends. As luck would have it, we forgot to take the car seat out of my mom's car and so I had to walk Joe to the center on one of the HOTTEST and muggiest days we have had all summer. UGH!! Ken picked me up from there though, thank goodness!

My mom poses with Joe, his teachers and Thomas

Pack it up!

The packers arrived Monday morning and the movers came to start labeling everything on Tuesday. They also decided to start loading some of our stuff. By the time all was said and done, our stuff filled almost the entire tractor trailer! Holy Cow!Joe's room is now filled to the brim with boxes!
It takes talent to back a tractor trailer into a cul-de-sac without doing any damage!

While Ken and I spent the day with the moving crew, Joe hung out with Mamama at the park and rode the carousel and the train. Thomas spent the day with his friends at daycare.

Joe LOVED going on the truck!

Getting back on track

Ok, I know that all you fans out there must be QUITE disappointed with my lack of updates for the past,oohhhhh six months, but what can I tell you? I have been REALLY busy. I will slowly back track and put pix up from those months but in a nutshell, here is what happened:

January - started having stronger "Braxton-Hicks" contractions and was feeling lousy so I stopped working 2 weeks ahead of schedule then went to a routine prenatal appointment on January 28 and then ......SURPRISE! Thomas Gustavo Nelson was born Jan 29!

February - mostly a blur but consisted of lots of feedings, changing diapers, not sleeping and family staying with me to help out

March - YEAH! Ken came home from Iraq albeit a week late due to an unfair command decision but better late than never! Also had a whirlwind of trips to Disney, Charlotte and Cumberland

April - back to work (BOO!) and Thomas started day care, Joe starting to become a little parrot with all his new words

May - boys growing at break neck speed and us trying to get into some sort of new routine, Thomas baptized over Memorial Day weekend

June - a brutal month for me as I worked like a maniac while the boys and Ken tried to live with the crazy woman I became

and now......July! Just came back from a fun trip to Deep Creek Lake for 4th of July and now in the midst of packing operations! We managed to squeeze in a photo shoot for Thomas too! Here are his 5 month shots!

Don't worry! Lots of pix to come!!