Settling In

Ok After 4 months in the Lone Star State, no winter and lots of NEW things happening, I think I finally feel like "I live in TEXAS!"  I am really loving the lack of snow.  Work is going really well.  I love the atmosphere and the boss is great!  All said, Life is good.  After a couple of months of getting bids and searching for the right contractor, we have finally chosen one to build our new house.  Should see groundbreaking in the next few weeks!  Can't wait to see things happen on the new homestead.

Great Friends are Hard to Find

Just when you need it most, my dear friends pay a visit to my new home.
Four months into our new adventure, I spent a wonderful weekend with my dear friends Kim & Cindy.  It was so great to see them and show them around beautiful San Antonio.  You must remember, I had spent the most wonderful passed 9 years with these two ladies and they have become part of my family!  My close family.  Their visit was awesome and a much needed breath of fresh air.  The weather cooperated,giving us sunshine every day.  The city was not lacking for adventure and things to do with Mardi Gras & Alamo reinactment activities all weekend.  One of the highlights was a trip to The Majestic Theatre to see the show"Wicked".  Truly a high point of our weekend.  We had a great dinner at  Biga On The Banks- is my new favorite!  Excellent menu and great atmosphere all make it a worth while experience!  I will return!  As I saw my dear friends to the airport and watched them board their plane home, I found it quite difficult to fight back the tears, but I know that I will see them again soon.  Thanks my dear friends for ....well the friendship!  Love you both.

That's TODAY...

Building a house is a long and drawn out process filled with debate and compramise.  The planner in me makes it buch more entailed and sometimes more overwhelming too.  After 5 contractor bids, 3 financing comapnies and many debates it feels as I am no further in the game. That's today, I know tomorrow I will feel differently, but that's TODAY! 

Saturday Morning Plans....

Isn't it funny how sometimes the best of plans evolve into an adventure.  I'm sure my dear husband is not in agreement of my calling it an adventure.  After setting our plan for our Saturday the night prior.  We woke this morning, warm weather, had a good cup of coffee, took the pups for a walk, chatted with the neighbor- a good start right. So here's where the adventure started...
We live in a "tiny" apartment.  Coming from a 4 bedroom house with a full attic and basement, 522 square feet is TINY!  It's an apartment- temporary, but doable for us while we get settled, find work, and build our new home.  WELL for weeks now I've been "complaining" about the condition of the carpet- needs a scrubbing to freshen it up a bit.  My dear husband agreed to take on the task with me this Saturday morning. 

MOM....

My mother is my hero, every day in every way. There is not a day that passes that I do not think fondly and lovingly of her and all that she is.  There is no catagory in the realm of "momdom" that best fits her.  A kind, loving, genuine, unselfish, devoted and fun soul from the inside out. Throughout all my life she has shown her strength, by far the strongest of any I know. 

Grandad...

OK I just thought I'd share some bits of fun.  I really had a great childhood.  Lots of fun with my siblings, friends and family.  I'll try to share a bit along as it comes to me. 
To start things off, I'll start with a Grandad named Axthle.  The name sets the stage and says it all.  Granddad was to say the least, a "character."  He spent his life as a truck driver for International.  He was quite proud of his work and all the people he had gotten to know all along the east coast. 
He was an extremely outgoing person and a HOOT to grow up with.  After retiring,

A Perfect Plan...

As I have stated before, I am a PLANNER.  Our moving trip was just another opportunity to do just that.  Day one began at 6am with breakfast with our beautiful children before we shuffled off.  Daughter, Maddison started us out with "snack bags" filled with our favorites.  DORITOS were most definately on the menu- I'll fill you in later on that note. 
Our caravan of 3 vehicles, 4 drivers and 2 dogs left Meadville, PA at 8am right on schedule.