Packing day. saying goodbye

That's it.
The house is packed.
It took 4 men, one day, to pack it all.
All that is left: my mini laptop, 5 beds, and one little t.v. Other than that, the Stott household is in boxes. LOTS of boxes.
It's done.
So strange.
And I'm exhausted, I am running on adrenalin or caffeine. Not sure which.
I didn't have to do much, but my mind won't let me rest.
To many things running through my mind (don't forget the boys socks, keep out Jake's soccer gear, leave out Ashlyn's books, pack toothbrushes and shampoo..etc!)....You mama's understand right?!
And I won't show any pics of the empty house because my house will never be empty in my mind.
Nope, this was our house, the Stott's house, one we built, from ground up. It is full of memories and good days. I love it. always will.
We are good. So good.
I got my hat (that will stay on the next 2 weeks), my karma and friend love (thanks Nat) necklace around my neck (for good luck),

my four kiddos with me, and a hubby flying in soon.
Yes, Life is good.
Time to almost go.
Time to be together again. We are so excited.
We have missed Dad for almost 3 months. (but so glad to stay for school! It all worked out perfectly.)

We can't wait to be a Stott family again...
Our house is waiting for us in CO, a house I am so excited to decorate and make it feel like home. A new V.P. job, a new neighborhood, and (hopefully) some new friends (for the kids!)... a new life in Colorado.(so weird to say that!)

yes it's time. We are ready. So ready.
I love you all !

Thank you again for all your love. really. We have been flattered. We will think of you all every day (ok. now I'm sad!)

You have all been my support and my strength!

I have some great posts and pics to show,
But it will all have to be on the other side of the move.
I do want to thank my best friend girlies for last night.
One last hurrah. One last dinner. One last time.
The words, the gifts, and the laughter. oh and the spilled diet coke as always! (why do I do it every time?)I am so lucky to have my best friends of 10 years...I will miss you.

BUT to my sissies and friends: we will be back. Oh yes we will. Good to know I will always have YOU! And so good that we have facebook, blogs, emails and 52 minute flights!)
Now off to entertain Mace, get some more caffeine,
and finish. business. up. here.
Here's one last pic:

Our babies (yes mace is still my baby!) always need their security...

a.k.a Mace's Daddy Baby Mimi's (his names),

otherwise known as: his blankets.
xo!

p.s. the moving truck is here and is ginormous! It's almost packed up with all my goods. My home.

My. last. night. here.

wow.

Good thing at 6:oo a.m (oh yes!) tomorrow morning the

sister trip begins.

(thanks awesome hubbies for watching the kids!)

can't wait! love it, love u!

xo!

goodbye's.

Ashlyn gave her bracelets to all the sisters yesterday.

It was her idea. A farewell gift.

A bracelet with a heart attached to each one.

The idea:

When the girls wear it, they will think of Ashlyn and I.

She worked hard and was so excited.

She attached a heart to each one.

At the party, she let each girl pick one.

She gave each of them a hug. It was cute.

This weekend was so busy.

Twins 11th birthday party (so fun!)

(one for Ash, one for Aus),

We had a birthday bash with 14 of all their closest friends...
(I will do the post in CO.)
Ash- aquarium, Aus- hoop bouncer.
Then we all met up for a big BBQ!

It was so much work and so much FUN...more later.

Then we had two farewell parties in

honor of the Stott's!

( one for adult's and one for the cousin love)

It was such a great weekend...

but soooo emotional too!

Ry and I will never forget this weekend and the LOVE

we felt from my family.
it was happy and sad.

A good moment

for

goodbye's.

The adult party at Misty and Bri's house.

(thank you so much! It was beautiful)

My family made Ry and I's favorite dinner: tri-tip, homemade breadsticks, pasta salad, spinach salad, and strawberries and banana's.

It was so divine!

(notice the sign!)

A party with memories, and lots of stories.

Stories from the past and stories from the present.

Words that had us laughing with tears and words that had us crying with tears.

Each person bringing gifts and momentos...stories with each one.

Care packages for my kids, special necklaces and books, pillowcases with well wishes written on them, picture frames with me at the beach with sis's, minkies for Mace...

It was so sweet...

I've got to tell you, I was blown away by the love.

A night and a day we will N E V E R forget.

All the details made the party perfect for us.

Here are a few pics and I am off to get ready for movers tomorrow.

I love you guys so much.

Thank you to my family,
Ry and I are flattered.

Really we can't thank you enough.

Love my Brown's.

Pics:

Adult party.

Misty and Bri's house.
(some of the girlies!)

Troy, my twinner. posing funny for the pic.

(And I want to thank my bro, Troy, who switched his business trip to Manilla and left on Mother's Day (sorry Kristin!) so he could be back for Ry and I's farewell party! You are so sweet!)


Jan and Hugh (oldest sis) and Kristin (Troy's wifey. love her!)

And NO I am NOT that tall! It's just our pose!

The family roast.

Oh man did I get it! I was laughing so hard. And then crying so hard....

pics of everybody....

Sunday afternoon,

Family farewell party #2 with all the kids
Cousins saying goodbye...

High point park

My family took the whole park!

Grace and Carson

(my twin bro and Kristin's kiddos)

made the Stott family the

cutest CARE package for the car!

We loved it. Coloring books, magazines, drinks, our favorite treats!It was so thoughtful and such a good idea!! Thanks cute kiddos

They decorated them too! It meant a lot to us.
(love my earrings!)

At the park:

Ashlyn's bracelets. sister love. Never forget us!

(Remember us when you wear your bracelet love.)

We just want to say, from the bottom of our hearts:

Thank you everybody.

thank you.
so. much.

The Stott's had a fabulous weekend...

So emotional and so hard (to say goodbye's)

but yet happy too.

One we won't ever forget.

We L O V E you all.

NOW off to get ready for the movers! 24 hours!

Official goodbye's in a bit.

xo!

p.s. sister trip in 4 days! yay. A much needed break for me. The house will be all packed up and on it's way OUT to CO.

Then Sunday I fly out and move everything in the CO house.

and then fly back to S.L and let the kids finish one more week of school..(living at gma's!)

then it's an OFFICIAL GOODBYE!

are you sick of us yet?? j.k!

My sweet mama, celebrations, and memories

My mom puts on the best parties.

Really she does.

She is a woman who can handle it all.

She can pull a fabulous party off without a hitch.

and there are lots of Brown's to entertain...

I have 9 siblings. (5 sisters. 4 brothers.)

Honestly she is the cutest grandma. ever. She cares.

Every Holiday is a celebration. Every Holiday is party:

Halloween, Christmas, Birthday's, Easter Egg Hunts, Valentines...

my mom is on the phone calling us all up,

planning. the. party.

And you know what,

we love it.

The grandkids love it.

She is creating memories.

She is creating an experience that the grandkids won't forget.

Oh Y E S, they will always remember Grandma Penny

as fun, sweet, vivacious, and energetic...

a grandma who loves them.

You can tell my mom, loves being a grandma.

it shows.

Last weekend my mom

had a Treasure Hunt

for the grandkids and a

Mother's Day celebration

for us Mom's.

It was a beautiful spring afternoon!

We all love being up at the Mountain House together.

We are a close knit family.

We love any excuse for a party or a celebration.

We usually are all together a few times a month.

We love it.

I am grateful to be part of a family that enjoys being together.

and a family that cares about each other!

My parents always made family priority. period.

Now here are a few pics of Grandma's treasure hunt.

She put on two treasure hunts:

One for the 6-pack and one for the older bunch.

Here is Dax, Trey, Mace, Landri, and Cade

looking for the clues...

the clue says,

"where's the red flag?"

and they are off....

Up and down, back and forth...

the kiddos hunt for the new clues.

It is so exciting to them.

Mace and Cade looking for the

little clue..

do you see it?

The parents join in and help.

Ryan and Troy...

Run to the last clue:

in the oak trees by the playset...

Mace found the treasure.

Happy Kids!

They all want the prize!

Take a look at all this loot!

each grandchild got a bag of treats:

Mari, Brendan, Maddie, Savy, Mckay,

Austin, Ashlyn, Jake, Mace,

Gracie, Carson, Chloe,

Blake, Josh,

Quinn, Lexi, Landri,

Ali, Matt, Cole, Dax, and Trey.

W O W. thanks Grandma.


It was such a fun evening.

I am sure going to miss them. (alot!)

Thanks mom for always putting on such great parties.

We are a lucky Brown bunch to have a mama like you!

(and a grandma who lets 50 plus people gather at your home. wowsies.)

(and Happy Mother's Day mom)

We all L O V E you!

T O D A Y

Today. Today I no longer own my beautiful home. It is no longer mine. Papers have been signed. It has a new owner.
I have a new home to purchase tomorrow.
A new, fabulous home. 800 miles away.
Today, an unexpected wave of emotion hit. One I wasn't quite expecting.
One of love, one of fear, one of courage, one of gratitude.
SO many of you have reached out.
I am grateful.
I feel so much love from all of you.
Really I am humbled.
We have four farewell parties scheduled, it is so close now.
I have been weepy all morning with so much racing through my mind: moving, saying goodbye, our new adventure, the kids hearts, life.
Ry and I have literally been non stop for weeks now.
Lists a mile long, so much to do and decide.
Stress. Yes. lots of it!
The good news: his company does the work and picks up the tab. I don't have to pack a box. It is all taken care of. That is a relief.
But when the dust settles and it is quiet,
my thoughts turn to all of you.
Thank you.
Thank you for all of your love
and support.
It means the world.
With so much to do, blogging will slow down for a few weeks. (I will have no computer!)
I have a few more posts to do before I go, but will resume fully on the other side. In Colorado.
I have the twins big birthday bash this weekend, sister trip to St. George (the day we move out!), a household to move.
This is not a final farewell yet. No.
I will say goodbye a little bit later.
Now here I go, send me courage to keep on going. The Stott's can do this. We chose this adventure, we are ready....
Today, off to plan the twins big bday bash, pick out carpet for the new house, and a farewell lunch with some of my favorite girls.
love you all!
xo!

Top 13 reasons why I LOVED Mother's Day

Top 13 reasons:

(Flowers at the Mountain House)

#1. Mace running early into (my bedroom) to hug me and then realizing his Dad is home (from Colorado) runs over to his side of the bed, squeezes his neck and says, Happy Mother's Day DAD!" He was sooo happy to see Ry.

#2 Jake's card (homemade..the best!) telling me that

"I make the whole wide world better" and "the world is beautiful because I am in it." and then signing his card, Love Your Tootsie eyes. (my fav. name I call Jake:)

#3. A Hubby who did everything. From breakfast in bed (eggs, spinach, toast, and fresh O.J) to a lovely card with a page of his own sweet words. He got the kids ready for church, picked up the house, did dishes, and vacuumed. He also surprised me with my fav choc. covered cinnamon bears (yum!) and gift cards to my favorite shops.

#4. The kids belting out Happy Mother's Day song to the Happy Birthday tune while I ate breakfast in bed.

>

#5 Mace whispering sweet nothings in my ears all day long. He would say, "Happy mudder's Day, I love you Mudder, You are the best Mudder ever..." It was sweet.

#6 Austin's watercolor painting! He made a special painting of a Poppy Flower. He worked so hard on it. (my cute neighbor and Austins art teacher, Kari Tarbet) S U R P R I S E D me and had it custom framed at Reuel's Art and Frame!

I saw it and was blown away. It made me cry.

It's going up front and center at the new house!

I LOVE the colors!

#7. Listening to RY (while getting Mace ready for church upstairs) to get Mace to sing to me at the Primary Program for church. Mace wouldn't have anything of it....(Ry tried for a looong time. it didn't work. but it was cute to try!)

#8. Watching Aus, Ash, and Jake sing to me at the Mother's Day program. And watching Jake's cute smile and big eyes (he never stopped looking at me once!) . I love those primary programs every year. They make mama's cry...

#9 Ashlyn's turquoise bracelet she made me. With a bird and a heart attached. My favorite! She made me two beautiful bracelets.

#10. The sunshine! It was a beautiful day.

We spent most of the day outside.

After church we went to our favorite park (Granite park), on our favorite walk, played outside with Dad...it was so lovely! I soaked up the warmth.

Kids miss Ry. They loved playing with him and I loved watching them.

Ashlyn and I's favorite walk! Granite park

The Mountains were beautiful!

On our nature walk we saw people on horseback, spiders, red ant hills, snake holes and amazing views.

#11. Receiving texts from all my girlie's wishing me a Happy Mother's Day...(Nancy, Nat, Kim, Cindee, Rob....thank you girls!) (and btw, we celebrated my mom's mother's day on Saturday and RY's mom the week before...it was all my day. nice!)

#12. My bro-in-laws (Tyler's) Flan. What a treat. My sis called me over for some homemade flan. They know I L O V E flan and had to have a piece.

It was seriously DIVINE!

#13. Last but not least: My kids telling me I am irreplaceable. period.

I feel it is a women's divine role to be a mother.

And I love. it. every. single. day.

Thanks Ry and the kids for making my day so great!

Love you and Happy Mother's Day!!