One Year!

Monday marked one year of marriage for Jason & I. It is crazy to think that a year ago we were leaving Shelby County and heading off to make Ashley, IL our home. This past year was definitely an adjustment for both of us as we are still trying to get used to living with one another!

After loading up the car with everything Monday morning, including the top of our wedding cake that had been in my mom & dad’s freezer the past year, we headed for home. Since we didn’t have any luck car shopping in Quincy & Hannibal we decided to go back through Columbia. After 4 ½ hours at the dealer we left with an Escape. Jason has definitely set my expectations high for future anniversary gifts! We stopped in O’Fallon, IL to eat and finally made it home before 10. Yesterday was my first day back at work since the 15th so it was a super long day.

House Hunting

Last Monday we made the trip to Redwood Falls to begin looking for a house. It was a nice drive, but long! We visited the site that I will be working at starting the end of June and met everyone. After touring the plant we met up with our real estate agent. Tuesday & Wednesday we looked at several houses. By the end of the week I couldn't keep them all straight. We found a couple of houses we are thinking about, but aren't getting real excited about the house hunt yet, we still have 3 weeks to find something though. It was nice to have a little vacation from work. We made it back to Missouri Thursday afternoon to start our weekend. Jason spent quite a few hours on the river over the weekend checking bank lines. He promised he was just going to leave the camera in the truck, but Sunday morning when he got back he wanted me to check out the action shots he had gotten. I'm not sure how he took them from the truck- I'm just glad my camera isn't in the river! We decided with selling most of the dogs and the high gas prices we don't really need the truck so we spent Friday and Saturday car shopping which was almost as much fun as house hunting! Sunday afternoon I traveled to Monroe City for a wedding shower and Jason stayed in Shelbina at a family gathering. He got to see most of his cousins and had a good time! Our annual Memorial Day Croquet Tournament was later that night at my parents’ house with my family. We had a good time even though Jason didn’t win either game.

Jared atop a bluff on Salt River~ I'm glad Jason wanted a picture and didn't climb up there too!

BJ Jared Jason

Andi ready to swim at mom & dad's

Par-tay!

The work week following Mother’s Day was short for us as we left at noon on Thursday for Missouri. After 25 years as the North Shelby Ag Teacher my dad had his final banquet and we wanted to be there. Next year he will be the High School Principal. The banquet was good and we are all so proud of dad and all his accomplishments as an Ag Teacher! Friday I went with my sister-in-law to Kirksville. We ate lunch and I got to watch Rhett for a little bit while she was in with the doctor. Later that afternoon we headed to Shelbina to meet up with the boys. After supper we visited outside around the fire the boys made and got to roast marshmallows (my favorite thing about this time of year!) Saturday morning, decked out in our Mizzou gear, we headed to Macon for Andi’s birthday party. It was a beautiful day outside and the kids got to play with all the new toys and entertain the rest of us. After the party we stayed in Macon to hang out with Jessi & Travis. Sunday morning we headed to Paris for my cousin Callie’s graduation. It is so hard to believe she is already graduating from high school- I am getting old!

Andi Marie ~ 2 years old (almost) Jessi & Andi The party's was MU tailgate theme Andi getting ready to blow out her candle

Mother's Day Weekend

I am a little slow this month and am just now getting Mother's Day weekend on the blog. I promise I will eventually get caught up! Jason & I took a vacation day on that Friday and headed back to Missouri Thursday night for the final weekend of Missouri's spring turkey season. Thankfully it worked out that Jason was able to hunt with his brotherFriday and Saturday. Friday night we got to see Jason's family for Mother's Day at his mom & dad's house. Saturday night everyone was at my mom & dad's and we surprised mom with her present, a swing to go with the frame she has had as long as I can remember! Sunday we were able to visit both sides of my family in Middletown and see my grandparents and most of my aunts, uncles, & cousins.

Jason's MO bird Jason & Allison playing outside Jessi & Andi skipping the fruit tray and going for the leftover icing!

MiNnEsOtA

Last week I was offered a position as the Seed Quality Supervisor in Redwood Falls, MN. This was very unexpected and Jason & I were caught off guard. However, we decided, while this move will take us further away from our family and we will be leaving many people in Southern Illinois that we are blessed to call our friends, we are ready to take a chance and make the move. While we are both nervous about leaving the community we have now lived in for almost a full year and all the people we have met since living here we are also excited to try something new. Luckily, we were able to put the move off until the end of June so we will be able to keep our plans in May & June. We will probably be running around crazy because we have something going on back home (in Missouri) just about every weekend between now and July. I will be sure to keep everyone updated on our move.