How are we REALLY doing?

I've been posting about our daily coming and goings.  

I know pictures can look pretty and seem great. Especially this one....

 but I just wanted to post about how we are really doing....

How is Momma?

Momma is good.  Momma is thankful to be with Daddy full time again. 12 or so weeks of living apart was hard.   Daddy works at an office away from home now, so that is different.  I am CEO of the daily household agenda again. I am the cooker, cleaner and bather of children.  I am the homework helper.  I like to have dinner ready when Daddy gets home.  I usually help the kids with their baths so Daddy can just hang out with the kids before bedtime and not have to do chores.

Momma is glad the utilities are all set up.  I was stressed out at first getting everything turned on and set up.  I had to change our address and then doing that changes your credit card address and then your bills won't process until you change the card billing address and so on.  You get me here?  That is pretty much all updated.

I'm making friends easier than I thought I would.  It is awesome!  I'm so blessed and thankful.  Everyone so far is genuinely nice and friendly.  We had our first ever babysitter on Saturday night and that was wonderful for everyone involved.  It allowed Gary and I to have a date and it allowed the kids to hang out with someone other than us or family.  Layla loved having a teenager in the house.

I'm loving the small town feel.  I love the scenic town we live in.  It is so picture perfect.  I know all small towns come with their own issues.  I'm sure eventually I will hear of drama, but so far everyone is nice and very welcoming.  When I say small town I don't mean a town like my hometown of Clifton that had a population of 3,300.  I mean small town with a population of 15,000-ish.  Way smaller than Fort Worth, but large enough for a Walmart, Kroger and a few other grocery stores.  Right now the Super Walmart is my preferred shopping place.  Kroger is just mehhh and Giant Eagle is different.  It's close to my house, but different.  I'll let you know more about my grocery shopping adjustment later.

Momma is not a fan of this house.  The contractor that remodeled the house cut some serious corners.  Most things are probably fixable, but he did things cheaply and we'd have to redo what he has already redone.  It is a hot mess of a house. Most things are little details like missing trim around the cabinets in the kitchen.  The tile was laid in the kitchen crooked and uneven.  I think a kindergartner (why does that looks like it is spelled wrong) painted this house.  There is paint splatter all over the wood floors and windows.  It looks really nice in pictures, but I wouldn't dream of owning this house.  #1 there is not much of a backyard and #2 i want a bigger kitchen.  I'm thankful for this house though and the neighborhood is to die for.  I'd love to own a house around here.  But this house is a learning experience.  Thankfully we are renting and now we have time to find where we really want to live our new town!

So honestly except for a few small road blocks (no heat being a huge road block) Momma is good.  The heater is working and the guest bathroom sink is unclogged, so Momma is happy!



How is Layla?


Layla is doing good.  She has been in school for about 9 days total with the Thanksgiving break and a holiday for Veteran's Day.  She was really nervous going to school Monday after Thanksgiving break.  This morning it was rainy outside and usually the students play on the playground before school starts every morning.  This morning they went straight into the gym.  This little change in Layla's routine made her nervous.  She was so uncomfortable and unsure where to go.  She is doing so well with adjusting to a new curriculum, but some of the day to day things still make her nervous.

Layla loves her room.  She loves our house.  She has always wanted a two story house.  She loves the friends she has made so far.  She talks about 3 or 4 girls in her class.  I think things will be even better for her once we get into a more normal routine after the Christmas break.  We are planning to enroll her in dance or gymnastics.  I'm excited for her!!

All in all Layla is doing good and she loves her new winter wardrobe.  That poor girl showed up here in Ohio stocked full of skirts, shorts, capri pants and flip flops.  She is all set now with a warm snugly wardrobe!  She is ready for the first snow!


How is Hayden?


Hayden is great.  He is loving this house.  He loves having two staircases.  He loves running through the house hearing his loud footsteps echoing through the house.  Hayden was very excited and ready to start preschool.  After we visited his school asked every day for a week when he was starting school.

Hayden has always been a laid back boy and I think his young age has helped make this transition easy for him.  Oh and he is getting to wear all the coats he wanted to wear in Texas but it was usually too hot to wear them!


How is Daddy?


Daddy is good.  Daddy is busy.  Daddy is finally challenged in his career again.  Daddy is using the college education he worked so hard to get and I am so proud of him.  He enjoyed his job before, but it was just a job.  This new job is perfect for him and he is rocking it.

Daddy might be a little overwhelmed with this house.  I think he wants to fix things that really don't need to be fixed.  On the weekends we have both been working on making things better around here.  It's just our nature. We want things to be nicer than nice.  We cleaned out the disgusting garage and manicured the backyard. He tried to fix the heater.  He tried to unclog the bath sink that was filled with nasty remodeling materials.  He hung a new ceiling fan.  It seems like he works more on the weekends around the house on the weekends than he did back in Texas.  Well, our house in Texas didn't need work.  Anyway, once things are more settled around here I think he will be able to relax more.  I know that both of us are looking forward to exploring the area and finding a home we would love to buy.

I think Daddy is doing great and I think once our house in Texas is sold or leased he will see more of the money he is working so hard to make for our family.  He got a nice pay increase, but paying for two households, we aren't reaping the benefits just yet.  I know everything will work itself out in time.  Gary is the provider and knowing the house is Texas is taken care of will make him sleep so much better at night.  I'm thankful for my hard working husband.

Many of our friends have commented on how nice our town looks.  It really is quint and homey.  I like it here and think we will be very happy calling it our home town.  Moving to a new state comes with tons of new challenges and experiences for the whole family, but we are all taking it in stride. I am so proud of the kids. I am proud of my hard working husband.  I am proud of myself for staying strong on some days when things got hard. We are good.  We are blessed.  We are thankful.