The month of April was one for the books my friends.  We packed just as much as any person probably can into our days and weeks  and I am so thankful we were able to make all these special memories before our big move but man, oh man, am I exhausted!  So what exactly have we been up to you ask?  Well grab a cup of coffe and I’ll give you the scoop on the dinners + parties + not so glamorous stuff that we have been up to this past month.

As this will be our fourth move in four years you would think we would have this packing and moving thing down right!??  Well you would be wrong, it seems that it takes longer and longer each time for some reason.  We have even been trying hard to be very intentional about purchases over the last few years knowing that this big move was coming, which has helped, yet I still found myself needing to purge and give away so much before we even started packing.  Then there is the fact that at first we will be moving in with my husbands parents -this complicates things packing wise- some boxes will be going to storage while others to the house.  Boxes + bubble wrap + packing tape + two four year olds rule our world right now and it is crazy town.  Add to this a busy work schedule this month for both my husband and I and we are so ready for things to settle down. 

With all of the craziness though has been so, so much good.  We had a trip to quite literally take a walk down memory lane when our friend Amy took photos of us at some of our favorite KC spots.  The most special being the spot on “the bridge” where Arshia proposed to me 8 years ago.  It was the first time we had been back on that bridge with the girls and to say looking at those photos is emotional is a bit of an understatement.  These photos all turned out amazing and they are truly helping me to relive some of my best memories.  Thank you Amy!

KC Photos by Amy Nix

I have also been a little more concentrated on spending more quality time with the girls making sure to give them some undivided attention during this time, so we have been hitting up some of their favorite spots like the zoo, science city and crown center.  Spending time and exploring the city with them on my days off over these past few years will be high on my list of Kansas City memories and I’m so thankful that my work schedule allowed me to be able to do that.  I’m so glad I got to squeeze in a few more outings with them this month and they were as well (and they were glad about all the candy and treats thrown into the mix too, what can I say I’m a sucker for a smile right now)!

Speaking of exploring and adventures, this is what we are most looking forward to with our move.  When it came down to listing pros and cons for giving up everything we have here in Kansas City and moving across the country to California, the biggest “pro” we had was the amazing opportunities it had in store for our girls.  Like many children, our girls love being outside and love being on the go and staying active.  We have ventured to California many times over the past few years in preparation for our big move and the girls are always beside themselves with excitement every time we head back.  They are too young to understand the “sad” emotions of moving away and all they feel is joy and excitement right now so it is fun to watch that through their eyes.  

Arshia and I on the other hand are going through all the emotions of leaving the city that we have known and loved our whole lives.  We are leaving behind so many amazing family and friends and it makes me too downright sad to even talk about it much other than to say we will miss them dearly and they have been the most supportive bunch that there is.  We have many that have promised to visit so we can’t wait for them all to come enjoy the sunny weather with us as we await our next trip back to KC!

Like I said, everyone has been so supportive of us and our crazy dream to start completely over in a new city and we have been having going away parties right and left with our people.  We have made some wonderful memories over this last month with everyone and shed many tears while holding each other tight!  Keep scrolling to see and read about some of the amazing times we’ve been having!

One Last Flamingle: The girls had a blast having one last hurrah with their preschool friends at a gymnastics center for a flamingo themed party.  They twirled, jumped and played their way through the afternoon, had their first experience with a piñata, and thoroughly enjoyed every moment.  Target dollar spot and Etsy provided majority of the decor and I even had time for a small DIY.   If you are planning a tropical or flamingo party this summer be sure to check out my tutorial for a DIY Flamingo Garland. 

Some Links In This Post Are Affiliate Links, See Disclosure For More Details

Flamingo Glasses: Target Dollar Spot

Flamingo Cupcake Picks: Pick The Cake

Let's Flamingle Sign: Hobby Lobby

Flamingo Cups & Straws: Stesha Party

Flamingo Napkins: Target Spritz Line

Striped Table Runner: Flora Touch

Home Is Where The Heart Is: Our family and friends party was one big “I love KC” shindig.  Kansas City’s best barbecue (Oklahoma Joe’s) was eaten, Boulevard beers were aplenty, and everyone sported their favorite KC attire.  We got to hang out with some of our favorites while the cousins and friends all played, and we ended the night with some family board games and fierce competition.  I couldn’t have asked for a better send off. 

Light Up Marquee: Heidi Swapp

"Our Love Story" Sign: Gale Nation

"Home Is Where The Heart Is"Wooden Signs: Rustic Home By Design

Shhhh... It’s A Surprise: My work good bye gathering was supposed to be myself and a few other doctors so when I walked in the door to see 30+ smiling faces at me I was blown away and the tears started flowing.  This job had been nothing but good to me and I am so thankful for the opportunity and for the friendships I have made.  Can’t wait to see my J&L family again soon!

A New Chapter Begins: To round out the parties we had a farewell party at the dental office that my mother in law started over twenty years ago and where my husband has worked his whole Kansas City career.  Patients filed in for over two hours to say thank you and goodbye and welcome the new doctor who will be taking over, Dr. Rhoads.  It was an amazing site to see so many people taking time out of their weekend to come wish their dentist well... I mean how many people do you know that love their dentist that much!!??  We are sad to leave this community but know that we are leaving them all in very caring and capable hands and we certainly look forward to building a strong community in Mission Viejo!

We ended the weekend saying our final goodbyes to my parents, brothers and sisters and their children and it was almost more than I could emotionally take.  But as we kept reminding each other, this was not goodbye forever and their will still be great times together in our future!  Quick shout out to them, you all are the most loving and supportive family EVER!!

And with that, California, we are ready for you.  Bring it on!