K-Ville

We're officially in Kirksville (that's Kirksville, Missouri) now.  I've sort of dropped the ball on keeping up this blog for two reasons:
1.  No internet in our new place until now
2.  I left my camera cord that connects to the computer in Utah, so pictures will be few and far between since I'll have to get them put on a CD at Walmart (yes, there's a Walmart here) before uploading them to my computer
However, I plan to do better to keep the fam/friends up-to-date!

Recap from our pre-move:

Gabe was shivering, so Jackson wrapped him up

Messing around with Mitra

Grandpa Ross wants Gabe to be a DJ

Saying goodbye to great-great grandma

Farewell to Skye

And I thought we would have a half-empty truck...

Kirksville

What do we think of Kirksville?  . . . We love it, absolutely love it!  It's a small town, but not too small.  All the houses are old, but unique.  The two universities here (which are both only a couple minute's walk from our home) create an interesting climate.  We're in a family ward, but there are lots of students (mostly married, and some with a kid or two), so we'll have people to connect with.
Our duplex is AMAZING! We were kind of scared driving into the city for the first time, never having seen the place before.  But, we hit the jack-pot with this place!  It's huge, compared to our last apartment, super-clean (it's only 4 years old, and they just re-painted), bright, a 3-minute walk to campus for Phil (it is literally THE closest place you can get to A.T. Still. . . who knew?), and we have a washer/dryer, dishwasher, AC (works great).  All for cheaper than our moldy old place in Provo.  Gabe's got tons of space to run around, and his own bedroom! No pictures of the duplex yet, but once I have some, I'll post those puppies!\\
Love the ward, love our home, love the city!

Thousand Hills State Park - 8 minute drive from home

Updates: Gabe got his first tooth, has learned how to roll the ball "back" to me (he gets it to roll, but the direction is usually off), and he is trying really, really hard to crawl

Tried to capture the tooth, but his tongue is always in the way

Rocks back and forth on knees, but either gets scared or faceplants it (as shown)

Wash Hut

I just changed the background on our blog -- to one of the templates already on the website.  I love this background!  These washing machines are the exact ones we used for 3 years at the WASH HUT on the corner of 600 North and 500 East in Provo.  I wanted to include a picture of the actual building, but couldn't find one online (quickly), and now I'm kicking myself for never having taken a picture of this blessed landmark.  Fond memories.  Phil and I met at the Southridge Apartments right next door to the Wash Hut.  We would do our wash at our apartment's small laundry room, where the washing machines only cost $1.  Then, we would heave our wet and heavy clothes over to the Wash Hut, where you could get 10 minutes in the dryer for just a quarter.  After we got married and moved several blocks south, the Wash Hut was still the closest place to do laundry, so we continued to take our clothes there until we moved out of Provo.

Chunky

We're so happy that we have a chubby baby!  I haven't seen his neck in months and the tire he has around his middle makes finding diapers that fit nearly impossible.  Abbas, my step-dad, calls it his "Gypsy belly."  Last year, while I was pregnant, I started praying for a chubby baby, primarily because our baby would need to be big if our plans for this year's Halloween would work out.  I won't unveil our plans yet, though... Anyway, here is a sampling of Gabe's rolls and chunks from his 17-pound body:

This picture was taken several weeks ago, but it really accentuates the belly!

His legs get stuck in his Bumbo

Gabe Jeter

Gabe got a new baseball hat from his Grandma and Grandpa Wells.  He's ready to go play some ball.

New Firsts

Gabe had a doctor's appointment yesterday (shots included - ouch!), and we got the go-ahead to start giving Gabe solid foods.  Our trial run was last night.  I think he likes the cereal, but he purses his lips so tight and spits out everything we succeed in shoveling in.

Cabo/Daybreak/Nephi

I'm the famine or feast type of person.  So, this will be a quick update for all of my readers (namely Phil and my mom, who were either present at each of these events or have already heard all about them).

1.Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Last month, Phil's parents were kind enough to take us, along with Phil's married sister, Lauryn and her husband, Dallin, to Cabo San Lucas.  We all had a blast!  The weather was perfect while we were there.  Our condo was beautiful, relaxing at the beach was awesome and the fish & chips at the Tiki Bar were delicious!

We discovered that we have a sweater for a son.  Gabe has never been exposed to a warm climate before, and his first taste of the sun was not comfortable. There were multiple times when he fell asleep in my lap (inside the air conditioned condo, mind you), and when I stood up to move him, I thought that he had peed through his clothes and mine, but no...it was sweat! Let's just say that he was happiest naked.

Unfortunately, our week-long stay was not long enough for the Casper Family to get a tan!

Here is Phil in his typical beach pose.  Phil spent all of his time right next to the water.  One day, he discovered that he had been too close.  Below this picture, you'll see one of his foot, welted by the tentacles of a jellyfish that had taken a liking to Phil's ankle.  No, he did not pee on it.

This is Gordo Lele, the owner of the Gordo Lele restaurant.  The entire restaurant is about double of what you see in the picture, and all three tables in the room are surrounded by walls plastered with posters of the Beatles.  Near the end of the meal, Gordo Lele asked if he could serenade us.  He started some Beatles music in the background and then, all of a sudden, started belting it at the top of his lungs into his fake microphone!  Amazingly, Gabe slept through all of it.  Great tacos!

Another cute picture of my baby.

2. Daybreak, Utah
 Last week, my cute cousin Drew was baptised at his family's ward in Daybreak.  We were lucky to go and see him and visit with all of my Wells family that we hadn't seen for awhile, including aunt Skye.  We didn't take enough pictures, but here is one of the three of us.

This picture was taken just shortly after the baptism, but it's the only one I have of Gabe and uncle Levi.

3.  Nephi, Utah
Last Friday, Gabe and I drove down to Nephi with my mom and Mitra to visit my great-grandma Collard.  She turned 95 this year!  Gabe is her 14th great-great granchild!  Now, how many people can say that they and their great-great grandmother were alive at the same time!  She is still so full of spunk and we love her!

Chatty

Gabriel loves talking.  I caught him on video yesterday while he was laying under his mobile.  He is so happy and talkative everywhere, though.  He'll sit in his swing or lay on the floor or couch for hours every day and just talk away!  I can't get enough of his chubby cheeks and it just melts my heart when he smiles and gets excited every time he sees me. 

Phil is loving his job at Red Robin.  Who knew being a waiter could be so fun and profitable?!  He's even considering putting off medical school just so he can continue working there...  Just kidding!