Easter 09

I know I am a little slow to get this posted, but here are a few pictures from our Easter weekend.

We made it back to Missouri for Easter after all. Jason didn't have to work on Friday so we drove back Thursday night. We were thankful to be able to be back for Easter and to be able to share our big news, about moving to Illinios, with everyone in person. Saturday we had Easter with my mom, dad, Travis, Jessi, Andi, TJ, Kyle, & Stephanie. We had an egg hunt and some people even got to ride in the Barbie Car. Sunday morning we spent some time in Shelbina with Jason's mom & dad, Leslie, Chase, & Chelsey before heading to Macon to Justin & Megan's house for lunch with Justin, Megan, Allison, Rhett, Ed, Lola, Grandma Cile & Megan's family. After lunch there was a big egg hunt for Allison & Rhett and after a bit more time of hanging out we headed home.

Jason & I Easter morning

TJ upset because somebody went outside without him Andi & I coloring eggs

Jason even got in on the action- helping with stickers

Hunting eggs or maybe just playing in the water- TJ ended up a little wet

Andi & Kyle hunting eggs

Driving the Barbie car after the egg hunt

Stephanie's turn in the Barbie car...Kyle had to give a push to get up the hill

Justin & Rhett hunting eggs

Rhett

Allison with an arm full of eggs

Looking for me

Megan & Rhett near the end of the egg hunting

Allison & Rhett with their Easter baskets

Move Update

I was planning on putting some Easter pictures up, but I'm not sure when that is going to happen so here is an update without pics. I had meetings in Mason City Monday & Tuesday this week and it made sense for Jason to go along so we could look at houses while I was down there and he could look for a job too.

We went a day early and met with the realtor on Sunday. We looked at 20+ houses and really liked one of them so we made an offer. Jason met with a guy about a potential job and things really worked out well for us! We signed a contract on the house yesterday afternoon before leaving town and Jason has a job lined up. We will actually be working in the same town and our house is in a little town about 8 miles south.

Now for the crazy part- we are closing on our house May 6th- only 2 weeks away! There is a family living there now, but they will be out and we will get possession that day so we will have a few days to get moved in before we start work- which will be nice!

Since my meeting got over Tuesday night and we weren't going to make the drive back to Minnesota last night we drove to Missouri so Jason could turkey hunt this morning. Of course that makes sense, Shelby County is on the way from Central Illinois to Minnesota- right?!?! Not really, but to get another day of turkey hunting in I guess it is. Jason is actually out hunting right now and we will head home as soon as he gets back. We will get to drive the 8 hours to work 2 days and turn around and drive back to MO on Friday night. If we had more than 6 days left to work we probably would have just stayed in MO all week, but there are things to finish up at work so the extra trip it is! This weekend's drive back will be the last from MN...we are not going to miss the long trip and I am definitely not sad we didn't get to experience that drive with a newborn!

Driving to Shelby County from Mason City yesterday was so fast, I don't think I had even gotten settled in my seat before we arrived!

In our other countdown- we only have 9 weeks left before my due date! It is crazy how fast the time has been going by and I'm sure it isn't going to be slowing down anytime soon! Hopefully I will get some time next week to update with some Easter pictures and get caught up with everything before the move!

4 weeks!!

No this isn't our countdown to the baby (that is 10 weeks away)- we have a new countdown...how long before we move!

That's right we are moving. I accepted a transfer to the Mason City, IL production site and we will be moving BEFORE the baby arrives! Mason City is north of Springfield and will be much closer to northeast MO which we are very excited about.

My first day at my new job is set for May 11th which will give me about 6 weeks to work before my due date (and hopefully our kid) arrives! I'm sure the next few weeks are going to fly by since we have lots planned and quite a few miles left to travel, but like I said we are excited and ready for the move!

Mall of America

Last weekend our friends from Iowa, Austin & Mariah, made the trip up to visit. Since there isn't much happening in Redwood Falls, we actually met in the cities and spent Saturday at the Mall of America shopping. We all 4 agreed it was time to leave at the end of the day we were worn out! We spent some time relaxing at the hotel, including a little while at the hot tub. Jason took his swimming trunks along, but Mariah, Austin, & I found comfort in soaking our feet. It felt sooo good!

That night we went to an awesome place to eat that Austin & Mariah had seen on tv. The 5-8 Club, they are famous for their burgers, one in particular, the 'Juicy Lucy'. It is a half pound burger with the cheese on the inside. I got blue cheese and it was so good! There wasn't a crumb left on anyone's plate when we finished- what pigs!

We headed back to the hotel and watched the basketball game (UNC vs. Villanova) and then headed to bed. Sunday morning we spent some time looking around at IKEA and then headed back to the mall for lunch and one more store before we headed home. It was a relaxing weekend and great to see Austin & Mariah.

Jason in the hot tub Mariah & I soaking our feet

Austin & Mariah with their Juicy Lucys

Jason & I at the 5-8 Club

Getting ready to leave the Mall of America

'Eckler' girl photo shoot

The last weekend of March we headed back to MO for a long weekend. We got back earlier than expected on Friday and called mom & Jessi on the way back and we had a fish fry. Travis did an amazing job! Kyle was home, all tan from Florida, so we got to see him too! Andi got to spend the night at mom & dad's (her mom survived) and the rest of the Belt's came back up or lunch on Saturday. Jason spent most of the morning out in the woods somewhere! Mom & dad had visitors Saturday morning- the Heinecke's, so we got to see them for a little while too.

Later in the afternoon we headed to Shelbina to see all the Pollard family. We watched the Mizzou game- it was a good game, but not quite good enough! We ate dinner and got to hang out with the whole family. Sunday morning after Jason finished 'playing' in the woods we headed back to Shelbina for some more time at the Pollard house. After lunch we stopped back by mom & dad's. Jason spent some more time in the woods and Stephanie had driven up from Miller so we got to see her and the Belt's had made their third trip for the weekend so we got to see them a little more before we headed home.

While we were at my mom & dad's on Sunday Jessi & I got some pictures together. Thankfully, I didn't get anyh other pictures taken over the weekend. It was actually fun and I got a couple of good pictures thanks to one of our amazing photographers, Jason! He, Travis, & mom were snapping away and like Jessi said on her blog- mom got the good ones. Our due dates are 2 weeks apart

Jessi critiquing Travi's photography skillsA good pic of us sisters without the bellies!