This Chapter is Done.

 

 

 

 

 

Did I ever mention that I liked living in Minnesota?  

Well, I did.

It's been hard to say goodbye.  I've been in Utah for not even one week yet, and it still doesn't feel real;  feels like my normal month long vacation, except Justin is here.  

I shed many tears saying goodbye to such wonderful friends. I feel blessed to have made friends in Minnesota with people that finally understood me and accepted me for my quirkinesses.  

Adios, Minnesota!  Until we meet again!
The Dittmer Household is turning over a new leaf.  Our lives are going to be changing drastically over the next few months into years.  This move to Utah is huge for our family.  Let's pray for happy endings :)

Things...and in no important order

Things I'm going to miss about Minnesota:

My wonderful friends

Being a Mormon in the mission field

The ferocious thunder storms 

A small intimate temple/Seeing people I know often there

Fun thrift stores

Aldi

Having four kids is unique

Green Green Green

Pretzel bagels from Deal Smart

Awesomest accent in the country

Black caps in July
A lake at every turn
Mountain bike rides at Elm Creek

Things I'm NOT going to miss about Minnesota:

The fox bark in my back yard

Mosquitoes and bugs in general

Crazy hot.  Crazy cold.
Early morning seminary

Things I'm looking forward to in Utah:

Hobby Lobby

Tiny Spicy Chicken

That yummy fresh rain smell

Family

D.I.

Camping/Hiking

Temple Square
No more early morning seminary!!!
Dating for the kids

Typical families
Dusk walks
Seeing cows and farms

Things I'm NOT looking forward to in Utah:

The accent

Having four kids is NOT unique.  At all.  Nor is being a Mormon.
Squishy yards.  Give me space!
Dumb news stories

Randomness :: May

May 1  Today is my brother Kent's birthday.  Tomorrow is Bruce's.  

Jacob is home with a sore throat today.

5/3  It rained a lot today.  And thunder.  Ammon said it was like puddles coming down from the sky.
I heard some possessed animal screeching last night.  It was a fox.
5/4  Ammon saw the fox this morning in our backyard, except he called it a woof (wolf).
I never feel like I get enough sleep.
I have a massive headache coming on.
I shot a wedding reception and bridals tonight.
I did a quick filter and have lots of great captures to choose from.
Guess that's better than too many bad ones.
I love my new lens.
I went with Jen to Stillwater and walked around shops and ate about a pint of ice cream.
May the fourth be with you.
5/5 Cinco de Mayo.
I have no energy and feel basically like junk today.  I have so much to do.  Bleck.
I'm doing a semi-migraine thing today.  I took my night time medicine at 4pm, which has melatonin in it.  Going to be an interesting evening.
5/6  Waxed my armpits this morning.  I thought it wouldn't be that bad but it was.  Boy, it was.
They are screaming mad 8 hours later.
I also cut my finger making rhubarb cake then found out I was out of eggs.
Surprisingly, I'm not that grumpy.
Feeling overwhelmed trying to come up with new colors, logo, website for photography.
Not even sure if it's going to work in Utah.
5/7  I was woken up by the fox again in the middle of the night.  It's making me want to move sooner.
Ammon keeps on insisting he wear these ugly cut-off sweat pant shorts to school.
5/13  My laptop will not power on.  Boo.
That means my randomness won't be as easy to do.
Isaac is making waffles for breakfast.  (Mother's Day).
5/21  Time's a tickin'.
Ammon and I went for a late bike ride around the field.  We both got ticks on us.  Ewwww.
I love getting prints from my photography in the mail;
Allison had an xray on her foot (fell off a zip line) and it's not broken.
5/22  Anxiety is building by the day.
5/23  Mall of America Park field trip with Allison...bus patrol Thank You.
I woke up with a migraine.  Still here tonight.  So much....to do.....
There is a delightful thunderstorm outside.  Happy.
Allison had her first band concert tonight.  5th graders rock.
I hate.  Hate.  When people don't say anything about their pictures after I give them the disc.
Don't they know how many hours I slave over my computer?  I'm giving them part of my soul.
Even just a simple "thanks" is better than nothing.
5/24  Pruned the maple tree after/during a major rain storm.  I loved it!
A house Justin and I fell in love with instantly has an offer already on it way over what we can pay.
This stinks!
Ahahahhahaha!  Just finished my initial edit of my last session for a few days.  Let the nap commence!
5/27  We were driving home from Meikjns tonight in the middle of a massive storm.
Thunder/lightning in one babang!  Scary!
Plus stupid people blocking the exit on the freeway so they could sit under the underpass.
The roads were like rivers.

I got busted with my eyes closed in Sunday School.

5/28  Up and at em.  It's a packing kind of day.  But I want to play.
I can feel the anxiety building just thinking about packing.
Went for a walk with Justin in the rain last night.  It was fantastic.
Ammon learned the "vampire sneeze" at school.
It's going to be a busy photography week again.
5/31  Shewwwww!  What a day!  Newborn session that took five hours.
 I'm not a baby whisperer, I decided.  But got some fun shots!
I was able to shoot at a fellow photographers studio, which was amazingly fun!
During the session, Justin called to tell me that Ammon was in the nurses office at school with a fever and pukies.
Seriously???
Aunt Grandma graciously dropped everything and picked him up from school.  (She's pictured above in the red).
Finished up with the initial edit of one of the St. Cloud families I shot last night.
What was that?  Yes, I AM awesome.

Allison's First 5th Grade Concert

There was excitement in the air.  At least 100 5th graders sitting in chairs randomly playing their instruments.

A mother (me) laughing in the audience.  Seriously, it was cute.  They did sound terrible, but there was great comic happenings throughout the evening.  The band director leading in 4/4 time and the band playing in maybe 3/4.  

 Allison and Naomi

 Gracie

 Gracie

 Allison on the flute

Allison in front of Westwood Intermediate - 5th grade.

New Terrain

Justin mountain biking in a race near Price Utah.  

Mother's Day 2012

My kids are great.  They let me sleep in.  Isaac made waffles (from scratch).  

He also did the dishes without me asking.  Isaac, Allison, and Ammon all made me cards.  Ammon's included two dollars taped to the back.  Justin mailed me a nice letter.

We skipped church for a somewhat lame reason.  We were all dressed and ready to go and had been invited for lunch at LaMon and Barbara's (which was yummy and I'm going to miss these guys!)

There we talked about the hand/foot/mouth virus going around church.  Boy do I not want to have to deal with this, so we stayed home.

In the afternoon Jacob drove us to Tamarack Park in White Bear Lake.  Super fun!  I wish we'd had more time to spend in the kids area, but it closes at 4:30.  We hiked one of the shorter hikes and saw some wild life:  three painted turtles and an otter.  Everyone was happy.  Which makes me happy.

 

 

 I want to make this walk way.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 There were many of these forts/teepees along the trail.

 Jack in the Pulpit.  The biggest one I've ever see!  It was over two feet tall.

 Allison feeling the Tamarack tree.  Soft.

Painted turtles.

Randomness :: April

4/3  Thunder storm during the night.

Justin comes in two days.

It's going to be a caffeine kind of day.

I love that I'm busy this week with friend time.

I have the BEST friends.

I don't think they're going to miss me even near as much as I'm going to miss them.

Allison got the cutest haircut yesterday.

I've been loving my new 29er mountain bike.

I try to go for a ride around the neighborhood most days.

I love peanut butter rice crispies topped with chocolate.

I want a tilt shift lens.

I haven't bought any Peeps yet this Easter.
4/6  Justin is home!  I love him!!!
Sleeping in and snuggling.  Smile.
We watched The Hunger Games last night.  I'm always one to poo poo things when they're hyped up, but it was a good movie.
4/10 It's 4:45AM and I have yet to fall asleep.  At this point, I'll just wait to get Jacob in an hour.
Hard to say goodbye to Justin today.  The worst.
Had a nice weekend with him.  Did a family bike ride at Elm Creek.  Painted eggs.  Hung out with friends.  Went to the temple.
I was asked to speak on Sunday.  Joy of joys.  I am the WORST speaker in the universe.
I'm embarrassed to say that I don't remember the weights of my babies.
4/14 It's going to be at least another two weeks until we hear about the Layton house.
My talk is mostly ready for Sunday.  Woo-hoo!  It'll be nice to get out of the way.
It's about gaining a testimony.  I did a trial run tonight and it was 17 minutes.
I cried giving the talk to the wall.  Wonder what will happen during a live one.
Now on to other projects...quilts, website.
I almost pulled the trigger and bought a lens today.  Twice.
Who do I think I am.  Mrs. Money Bags?
We move in nine weeks.  Nine weeks.  Holy. Crap.
4/15  Guess I wasn't meant to buy that lens on eBay.  My internet wasn't working at the exact moment I needed to bid.
Girls night out was super awesome yesterday.  Pedicure.  Dinner at Chino Latino...super yum.  Peal.  Made jewelery.  Stayed up until 4am talking with Becca.  The best!
My talk in church went well.  At least according to reports I got.
I was super sleepy in Sunday School so went out to the van and slept until 5:10.
Church ended at 4:30.
I was supposed to give Kristy a ride home.  Also lead the music in Relief Society.  *Blush*
I am really really going to miss the thunder storms here.
4/17 I love when you get an extraordinarily great sunflower seed.
Justin went through the yellow house in Layton again tonight and took pictures this time.
I LOOOOOOOVE this house!  My hopes are way too high.
4/18 Pretzel bagels.
Ammon had a tick on his ear last night.  He felt it and picked it off, then looked at it and  squealed! A second later crying he said, "that freaked me out!!!"
He flung the tick and I couldn't find it.
I bought a 70-200 lens from the Canon refurbished site.  It still hasn't shipped yet and I'm getting anxious they are going to cancel it.
Found out there are other offers on the Layton house. :(
Went out with my middle/high school friend last night, Karen.  Great girly bonding.
I really like sweet potato fries.
Got an email that my lens is going to be shipped!!!!!
Ammon makes me laugh.
I bought way too much stuff at a beauty store today.  But what fun nail colors!
Jacob and Isaac are at a scout camp out.  Allison is staying over at Gracie's.
Just me and Ammon.
4/21  Rainy day.  Wanting more sunny days for walking and riding bikes.
Worked on Ammon's jean patch quilt.
It's going to be a busy week.
4/23  Met the owner of our house today.  She is very nice.  They are an engaged couple.
Got my hair dyed and styled today.  I love it.  Thanks Kristy!  I don't know what I'm going to do without you!
Did a photo shoot of Kristy's family.  Ezra is 18 months and was a busy little man but still got several great shots.
I'm always amazed that I can find ones I like.  Maybe I have more talent than I think.
Only six weeks until we move.
Our lawnmower battery is having issues.
4/24  Frustrations.  When I sewed Allison's quilt, the tension wasn't right, so I now have to machine quilt it.  Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Got the lawnmower started with a charger, couldn't get the top on very well.  It ran out of gas.  arg.  Jacob mowed 95% and did a great job.
Had to take a shower because I smelled like gas.  Petroleum gas to be exact.
Allison is giving Ammon a faux-hawk.  They're giggling in the bathroom.
I hate having brittle peeling nails.
It's been almost four weeks since we put in our offer.
Only three more days of being a home owner.
4/25 The 'For Sale' sign was taken down some time between 3 and 4 this afternoon.
My new 70-200 lens came today.
It was love at first sight. After the first click, it turned into a soul mate.
I loved hearing my kids' reactions to it, cuz it's a big lens.
I can't believe we haven't completely run out of tp.  We were almost out Monday and it's still holding out.  It's like the loaves and fishes.
It makes me sad to see poorly shot engagement pictures of people I know.   I can handle not great, but super cruddy was sad.
4/26 Our garage smelled like thawed frozen tator tots this morning.
4/30 Bye Justin.  We plan on meeting again in two weeks.  Either I'll fly to Utah, or he'll come here, depending on if there any houses to look at in Utah.  Round trip tickets are close to $500 so we're going to do standy by on American Airlines.
I'm sleepy all.the.time.
Ammon and I played UNO.
I love grapefruit with butter, brown sugar, and warmed up, but it gives me the runs.
I'm lonely for Justin.
I have approximately 8 photo sessions before I move if they all go through.  Some are for friends and not paid, but some are paid which is great and can help pay off my lens.
I'm craving licorice right now.  Chocolate, black, any type of red.