Bittersweet

Ahhh... where to even begin. As everyone knows, we were completley caught off guard when Derrik was released last August from the Reds. We had really been in survival mode financially ever since then. We did what we had to to get by, but it resulted in Derrik working 70-80 hours a week. Luckily he's an amazing guy and did what he had to do, but obviously we were looking for more then that for ourselves. We really tried to hold off as long as possible with hopes that baseball was still in the cards for us, but as much as we tried to make something come together it just wasn't happening. Essentially, he was just too much of a risk to any team having only been back such a short time after two surgeries.

Moving on now.... while we had really hoped a baseball oppourtunity would come along we weren't dumb about the fact that it might not come along. Derrik had played around with the idea of going back to school, police academies, and jobs in many different areas. We really weren't sure what he wanted to do. I can't tell you how many job applications we both filled out for him. Some we were hopeful and waited on and others we never even submitted because we'd just change our mind. Last month another "hopeful" job came our way. It had great pay, benefits, and lots of room for advancement. After an interview, Derrik was offered the job, and he took it!!

The catch in all of this, the bittersweet part of it, is that it is in Pennsylvania!! Bittersweet is the exact word to describe this job and this move for our family.

The Sweet.... Derrik's family is from there, we are BEYOND excited for the boys to get to know his family, we are excited that Derrik's job is 4 days on 3 days off... 3 whole days with him at a time!!, we are excited for stability, to plan vacations, and to feel like things are finally "normal" for us :)

The Bitter.... oh the bitter.... I'm having to pack up and leave my family, friends, my home town, and everything i've known as "home" since I was nine. I know i've done this a million times before, but it was never forever. In the last year the boys and I have built such a life here. I've gotten so use to seeing my family almost daily, having a great group of Mommy friends we hang out with multiple times a week, found Ryder a great school, and finally made a home with all of our belongings in one place... and pictures on the walls! The idea of moving on from this is obviously heartbreaking.

So bittersweet it is. Everyone keeps asking me how I feel about it all. I honestly feel good about it all. As hard as it is to have to say good-bye to friends and family who I love with all my heart, technology really keeps everyone so much closer these days and there will be lots of visits. I know this is a good move for us, and we are excited about it!! Derrik has already been up in Pennsylvania for just under two weeks. He's been working for over a week and is really liking the job. The four days he works are twelve hours days so they are exhausting, but worth it for three days off. He is staying at his mom's now. We have signed a lease on a house up there already. Next Friday, the 25th Derrik flies down to help me pack up a moving truck to move all of our stuff. The boys will be staying with my mom. We decided it was best to keep them in an environment they were comfortable in while we got things settled up there. I will fly back to Florida the following Friday to get the boys and spend one last week soaking up precious time with our family and friends before we say our final good-byes. Blogging might be lacking a little during the move, but you can be sure that once we are settled up there that blog will be up and running better then ever.... or my mom will kill me! So that's all for now... I guess it's time for a new chapter for the Lutz family... we're excited :)

Disney: Round 2 - Part 3

Whoops! I got ahead of myself and forgot to do our Day 3 update from Disney.

Our third day we spent at the pool in the community we were staying at. We rented a vacation townhouse so we could all stay together. It was so perfect for our group and definitely what we will stick with from now on.

Our little slumber party on the pull out couch on our last morning

Having fun in the pool with Auntie Ally

 Part of our group

 Auntie Hailey enjoying the slide

 The slide in this pool was pretty decent size with about three good turns down it. The kids took no time at all to warm up to it. There was no lifeguard around or anyone for that matter watching over the slide. So, of course, people were doing crazy things on it. The kids were going down in groups, on their bellies, on their backs, and we took the babies down. It was so much fun!!!

 Such a fun weekend!! Truly wore my guys out!! Ryder has asked to go back every day since... I guess we need to plan our next trip :)

April on the iPhone

My lack on blogging the last month has led to one great big iPhone update post!!!

Get ready for random at its finest....

This is how the boys like to ride in the stroller now a days. It is so cute watching them cuddle and laugh in there. Ryder was all hot in sweaty making his cranky face in this picture.

My friend Natalie was in town visiting, and we let her little girl Finley try out riding with Landon.

Landon got such a kick out of it :)

Monster Jam

This is what my coffee table looks like most days... actually every day!

This is Landon's pissed off face when I tell him no after he throws food on the floor...

It's so hard not to laugh!

He loved this singing Donald Duck Nini sent him for Easter

Passing time pushing his Bubby in a Publix shopping cart while waiting for Daddy to finish his hair cut

Loveeeee sleeping baby pictures

A cute picture Miss Megan snapped of Landon at the Little Dipper Pool one day

Cuddle time in Ryder's bed

I watched as Ryder threw a bunch of toys in the hallway and closed his door so Landon would leave him alone and not cry.... too funny those two!

This dude crashes hard for nap

He does too.... sometimes :)

Happy Birthday to Grammy!!

Heading off for a day at Monster Jam Summer Tour with Daddy

I mentioned I love sleeping babies right?

A new favorite :)

Serious damage with those new teeth... we have a teething guard on this now... such a butt head!

Our new room decoration :)

Motorcycle arcade game every time we go to Cici's Pizza with Daddy

We LOVEEE the free Publix cookies at the bakery

I've never had a video monitor and loved watching Landon sleeping in Dyson's crib one day when we were hanging out

The birthday boy and his brother going grocery shopping the day of his big party :)

On the way home from the party with his birthday balloon

Later that night it was time to celebrate Daddy's birthday!!

Enjoying Landon's birthday present from Mommy and Daddy

Birthday morning!!

Brother picture on Landon's birthday... poor Ryder was sick :(

The birthday boy at 11:29 AM... exactly when he was born...

He was born at 8:29, but it was in Arizona which was 11:29 while in Eastern time... do we celebrate it at 8:29 or 11:29? Not really sure....

Birthday cupcakes at Grammy's house

Landon is SOOO BIG

Enjoying their new t.v.'s from Grammy and Mack

My sick boys at the doctor. They both left with antibiotics.

Ryder with an ear infection and Landon with a sinus infection.

I feel like we are ALWAYS sick!

We have found him sleeping with a leg dangling out like this a couple times. It can not be comfortable!!

A picture on our way out the door to Grammy and Mack's so we could have a date night

As Landon likes to say, UGH OH!

He loves coloring these days and is so good at coloring in the lines :)

Grammy stops by our place a lot of mornings after she drops Hailey off at school since we are on her way home. Lately Ryder BEGS to go home with her.... usually because he can convince them to do something like this :)

Cuddle time :)

I love when he crashes at the mall like this