Thursday, March 12, 2009

Life Without TiVo

Since we are living in this temporary apartment until we get our house, I have been forced back into the dark ages when there was life before TiVo. Now, let me be clear.... we were late bloomers when it came to TiVo. I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. I mean, we had perfectly functioning VCRs and why in the world would anyone want to rewind or pause live TV??? The whole idea seemed ludicrous to me and hype to get people to spend money on more soon-to-be-worthless electronic gadgets.

Weeeeeeeeeeeelllllllll..... it's not often that I'm wrong (insert snicker here), but Lord have mercy was I wrong about TiVo. Suddenly, a whole new world opened up to me! I was no longer a slave to the TV, we no longer had to buy cumbersome and expensive VCR tapes, and I could pause live TV! Oh, the brilliance!

Sadly, without my beloved TiVo, I have missed every episode of John and Kate + 8 since we moved, all new episodes of CSI, CSI Miami, and most heartbreaking, Ghost Whisperer. I'm seriously near tears as I type this. I literally may have to set an alarm tomorrow night to remind myself to sit down at 7 pm and watch Ghost Whisperer. *sniff sniff*

Also, I was reminded today just how much I have missed the unpredictability of Texas weather. In San Fran, it was always 50-60 something degrees, foggy in the morning, clear in the afternoon and got chilly as soon as the sun went down. Not only that, if the weather person said it was going to be 62 degrees, then doggone it, it was 62 degrees. Not 63, not 61, but 62 degrees! B-O-R-I-N-G.

The saying in Texas is, "If you don't like the weather in Texas, wait a minute." Let me tell ya, after 26 years in Texas, this is no exaggeration. The weather in Texas can swing 40 degrees in 12 hours. It's bizzare. Yesterday, it was 81 degrees here. Today... 44 degrees. You just never know. LOVE it!!!!!!

Friday, March 6, 2009

Texas Our Texas, All Hail the Mighty State

We arrived safe and sound in Sugar Land yesterday! The trip was blissfully mundane and uneventful. When we left San Fran we were in jackets and sweaters. When we stepped off the plane, I immediately began sweating profusely and I'm not sure I have stopped since. The kids are gulping water at lightning speed... and it's only March 6!!!!! This summer is gonna be rough!

We went house hunting today. I have been dreaming of this day for 3 1/2 years! I started to go cross-eyed after our 12th house and now I can barely remember what any of them look like! It's all one big mush of kitchens and half baths and a maze of various staircases. Ughhhh. We did manage to narrow the pile to two houses - one of which is a really good possibility. It needs minor TLC, but it has lots of room and a park right behind the back fence. Nice!

Our realtor is super cool and I really liked her! She was nice enough to loan us her laptop tonight to hunt for additional houses - which is how I am able to update this blog tonight. I'm thrilled - my first official friend in Sugar Land!

We spent the afternoon soaking up some local luxuries I have been foreced to live without for the last 3 1/2 years. We shopped at SuperTarget, passed a Whataburger, Chick-fil-A, Texas flags galore, and yes -- we ate at SONIC!!! I plan to do that daily for the next few months. =) Our realtor got a kick out of my Sonic addiction. I even noted in the "plus" column for one of our houses that it was 1.4 miles from the nearest Sonic. Hallelujah!

Our temp apartment is really nice... as far as apartments go, that is. It is two bed and two bath, 1030 sq ft. and fully furnished and stocked. I'll snap some pictures and post them. The complex is pretty new and our unit has a washer/dryer inside it! This is a HUGE plus. I was dreading the laundry mat.

The boys are adjusting well. They are excited about everything being new and different. My family is coming out for a visit next Saturday and I am SO excited about that! They slept really well last night. Except that they are in a double bed and our guard rails havn't arrived from California yet. Poor little Matthew fell out of bed at some point last night and I found him sleeping all curled up on the floor this morning. Poor baby. So tonight I fashioned a palate for him on the floor out of some extra blankets and pillows. It might not be as comfortable as the bed, but at least he can't fall out of it!


As soon as my computer gets here, I'll post pictures. Stay tuned!!!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

All My Bags Are Packed...

Tonight is our last night in this house! Can you believe it? We have lived in this house for three years – since Matthew was five months old. (He's 3 1/2 now!) I'm not sorry to say goodbye to it. It was only a rental, after all. However, I do feel blessed that we were able to live in the same rental house for the last three years. It gave the boys normalcy and a sense of security. We have made many good memories here, but honestly, I am so incredibly anxious to move on to the next phase.

My computer will be down for about the next two weeks, so I will be unable to update this blog. However, I can still receive email on my iPhone and my cell number is not changing. I will post our new (temporary) address on my facebook page as soon I can, but for now, email and my cell are the best way to reach us.

I want to end this post on a super happy note. My dear friend out here, Melissa, gave birth to her first child last Thursday, and I got to be there for every second! It was wonderful and Haley is a beautiful, healthy, happy baby. Melissa and Jeremy are very excited and I am so blessed to have been invited to take part in such a special moment in their lives. Here are a few pictures... welcome to the world, Haley Lynn Horst!!!

I was exhausted in the next picture... I'd been up all night!!! =)

This is Melissa, Jeremy's Mom, Barbara, little Haley, and Jeremy.