things i love:
-the weather. everyone keeps talking about how hot it is. ha! it's gorgeous. even on the crazy hot days i can be comfortable in the shade. i love not breaking a sweat just getting the kids in the car.
-the lack of bugs. there are lots of flies, but far fewer mosquitoes. i'll take the flies.
-living in a smaller town next to smaller big city. castle rock's population is just under 50,000, whereas the woodlands was just under 100,000. denver is around 620,000 whereas houston was 2.1 million. so far this has meant better access to amenities. our lowe's is very nice. and full of helpful workers...who actually have time to help. the zoo is a nice but low key affair.
-having family near by. my uncle todd & aunt krista are an hour or so north of us. we've already seen them twice & they were able to come to lu's birthday party (another post to come)...it's awesome & something i haven't had since living in dc.
-living next to a fabulous outlet mall!
-living next to a huge park...with live music every wednesday night in the summer. talk about picturesque family fun...families with dogs, dads & kids playing frisbee & football...kids running a muck playing pickup kickball...
mixed blessings:
-our house. we love its potential. but everywhere i look i see $$$. we thought we'd get to spend most of our budget on pretty, but are having to spend it on function. we already spent a small fortune on having the floors refinished & putting in carpet upstairs. then we got here. and realized every.thing.we.touch.is.broken. every faucet leaks. we had to get a new dishwasher. the trash disposal leaks. the ice maker in the freezer doesn't work. the stove is missing a knob. the fancy (and only) air filter system needs new lamps. the heavily textured walls have been seriously damaged in places. then onto the pretty...the paint colors are so.not.us. (and that includes the painted ceilings). and we are in some serious need of window treatments. and a proper guest suite. and the black & white back-splash that is such a focal point of our kitchen/family room stops just short of making my skin crawl. and the kitchen island has a counter top that isn't attached. not to mention the big hole that exists cause we took out the trash compactor that wouldn't open. the list goes on & on....but i did get a new screen for the kitchen sink faucet today for under $3, so that was a win!
not so great:
-i could use a girlfriend or 4. but i might actually have to leave my house to make this happen, and i've been doing nothing but feverishly trying to get settled.
-the kids could use some friends.
-grocery stores. they stink. i miss HEB...where everything really is better.
-direct tv has nothing on u-verse. i hope u-verse heads this way soon.
-our poor savings account.
-clay is commuting back to houston until september. we really wanted to move before luci started school (august 8th) so we came before he could be based here (sept was the earliest possible). so that adds stress and takes away valuable time he could be spending with us. it's only temporary, but it stinks for now.
and i need to hit the sack. but i'll sign off with some seriously over due photos of my beloved. i've got tons of posts that need writing. hugh is 7 & 8 months. (did i even post about 6 months?!?!). the lu turned 5 on wednesday.
oh, and i need to send a serious thank you out to both my mom & my mother in law.
my mom came to houston before the move, flew the kids out here to colorado with me, and then stayed for a week with us while we waited for clay to join us. without furniture. in a dirty house. with a grumpy daughter. she mothered me through the emotional part of the move, and once again illustrated to me the kind of mother i want to be. thank you.
and then my mother in law picked up where my mom left off. she came out the day our belongings arrived and stayed with the kids & me while clay was off with the navy. tireless as always she watched the kids, baked home made goodies, encouraged me to press on with the organizing & unpacking (and helped with it) when all i wanted to do was curl up in a ball, and provided loving companionship during a time that would otherwise have been very lonely and frustrating (alone with 3 kids & tons of boxes & no friends). the house (and our family) is functional because of her help. thank you.
oh! and both of them tended to hugh at night. so i've actually been sleeping! what a treat!
i am one seriously blessed daughter/daughter-in-law.
and with that, here are some recent photos of my peas. more to come, i promise.
