Welcome to Texas!

In case anyone is wondering, yes we are still alive and yes, we made it to Texas:-) I actually had a long post typed up right when we got here and my computer crashed before it was saved. Things got to crazy with closing on the house and getting settled in to post again so I'm going to try to catch up. Following is what little bit was saved from the original post so I will leave it:

After a very long trip of a week and a half, we are finally here! We really enjoyed driving in and seeing the different countryside. Everything was really pretty driving in with rolling ranches and lots of cattle...we even had a moment of panic when there were 3 huge cows grazing on the side of the interstate! Fortunately, they are not fast like deer. We even saw a gorgeouse ranch that had the white horse fence and lots of horses...it reminded us of Kentucky so we thought we might not get so homesick. It got dark about an hour or so before we arrived so our sightseeing was over.

(Some scenery driving in)



(All the flags Texas has flown under)

(The bike path driving into our neighborhood)

(A view of our street from our driveway)

(Our front yard...figured I better get a picture of the flowers before I kill them all:-)

(More scenery of the drive in)

(Driving up to our subdivision)

(Our subdivision)

(The community center in our subdivision)

And of course, I had to check out the mall while we were waiting to close. The kids enjoyed the play area.

(This was Blake's first time getting down and playing in one of the play areas and he had a ball!)

(Alexa wouldn't sit still long enough to get a good picture)

(Enjoying the last days of summer at the pool at the hotel...It seemed weird to be swimming at the end of Sept)

Leg 3 to Texas...Arkansas

Even though our drive to Arkansas was the longest leg (7 hours with no stops) it was actually the easiest drive. We decided to leave later so most of the trip would be the kids bedtime. I was really afraid it would backfire on us and they would just be really cranky, but much to my shock...they actually slept about 5 hours! We didn't get in until after midnight and man, was I dreading unloading the car again.

The next morning, Alexa woke up and was so excited to see the kids. She had so much fun with them all weekend. She saw Ryan's picture at Nic's parents and said "he's my best friend!" She is so funny because she isn't yet into all the girly stuff and would rather play with him because he is 8 and carries her all around the house and makes a big deal over her. She went to school with Lanette to pick him up and he was introducing her to all his friends. She had a great time playing dress up and play-doh with Emma. Emma was crazy about Blake and was a great helper with feeding him and changing his diapers.

(Alexa and Emma playing so sweetly together)

(Emma entertaining Blake for me)


(I've never seen Blake laugh so much as did with the dog. He crawled after her everywhere and she loved jumping on Blake)

(Blake was in love with Marley...it almost made me want to get a dog...ALMOST)

(My big boy sitting in Ryan's chair...he loved it!)



We got the opportunity to go to the fair in Arkansas and it was so much fun! Alexa had a ball petting all the animals and riding some rides. I laughed so hard at the look on her face while I watched her on the on the Tilt-A-Whirl...it was a mixture of glee and, I'm going to puke:-) It was so funny at the animal barn someone had a giant rubber spider hanging from the ceiling and they would drop it when you walked under it and Alexa would not go past it even when I told her it was fake.

(Alexa would not quit sticking her hands in the cages...I was afraid she was going to get her finger bitten off)


(Alexa and Emma petting a baby bunny)

(Alexa and Daddy on the Ferris Wheel...I don't think he liked it too much)

(Sweet baby calf)

(The giant pig was the only thing Alexa was afraid to get too close to. She finally touched his snout when the owner showed her how)

(so cute!)

After a great weekend with Kieth and Lanette it was time to load the van yet again for our last drive into Texas! I dreaded loading up but I was so excited to finally get to our destination. All week Alexa has been asking to go to her new house so it was nice to get one step closer. Unfortunately, we have 5 nights in a hotel before we can move into our house but at least we can explore our new city. After a fun time at Emma's birthday party we headed out of town...

...Texas, Here We Come!!!

Leg 2 to Texas...Owensboro

The drive to Owensboro was a little stressful since both kids decided to be a little fussy. After 3 hours we made it and were very glad to spend some time with Nic's parents. Blake had a wonderful time crawling all over MawMaw and Daddy Bob's house exploring and Alexa had so much fun in MawMaw's garden picking all the baby watermelon that weren't ready yet...sorry Mawmaw.

Nic and I were even able to go on a date night...we had forgotten what that was:-) We spent a lot of it at the cell phone store since I had lost my phone. I thought for sure it was at my parents house until I finally found it in the bottom of my suitcase after 2 days. Poor Blake probably had to listen to it ringing 100 times since the suitcase was in his room. I was actually disappointed to find it since I am trying to talk Nic into getting me an Android:-) Nic and I also went to dinner where we ran into some of his friends and had a great time talking with them.

(I think somebody wanted to escape)

(Blake had a wrestling match with the bear...he resorted to biting his ear)

(Blake loved this bear...it was wearing on of Nic's outfits from when he was a baby)



After a great visit with Nic's parents, it was time to say goodbye. After the dreaded loading of the car with all of our junk (I am already tired of it and we still have 2 more stops), we said our goodbyes and went to Meet Nic's Grandparents and Aunt Barbara at Ryan's for lunch before heading out of town. We had a great time getting to visit with them. After lunch we rolled out of town...On to Arkansas!

(Alexa and Blake enjoying ice cream cones at Ryans)



(With Pawpaw and Aunt Barbara)

(Alexa and Nana...I love this picture!)

Leg 1 Of Our Journey...On To Lexington!

After leaving Columbus it was on to Lexington/Georgetown to spend a few nights with my family before we move halfway around the world (well, halfway across the US anyway...but it seems much further).

We had a pretty pleasant drive...of course it was only 3 hours of our 18 hours we had to drive. We really enjoyed spending time with family.

(Grammy just couldn't leave anyone out so she had to give 3 horsie rides at once)

(The highlight of the trip for Alexa was making cookies with Grammy)

Alexa had a ton of fun with her cousins, especially when we went to the pumpkin patch. I was so excited that the timing worked our for us to go since it's my favorite pumpkin patch and I may never get to go again. Plus, it was really special since it's Blake's first fall and pumpkins. It was a great time, especially since our friends Kyle and Isaac were in town so they came with us.

(Sweet Brother and Sister)

(Kate, Graham, Alexa & Blake)

(Alexa and Graham walking in the "Rat Run")

(Grammy and Poppy with the Grandkids...I was sad Blake was asleep in the Bjorn so he couldn't be in the picture)

(Blake and Big Cousin Graham)

(Blake's first experience with Pumpkins...he's so cute! :-)

(With Kyle and Isaac)

We got to meet my new nephew Owen who is so tiny and just precious. It made me think that I may just need another baby:-)

The timing was also perfect to be in town for our friend's Mark and Traci's baby shower for their twins! It was so great to see them and all of our KY friends and I loved getting to see her pregnant. I am so excited for them! We had so much fun with everybody.

(With our friends at the shower)

As expected, it was hard to say goodbye to my family and of course I cried some more. I think it would have been much worse but I don't know if it has fully set in yet that we are moving and will be so far away. It felt like we were just there for a visit and then going home to OH. It also helped that my mom and dad are planning to come to Dallas for Thanksgiving. It's in writing here Mom so now you can't change your mind:-)

After 4 nights we loaded the van back up (I felt like we were moving again with all our junk we had to load back up) and started out on the 2nd leg on our journey to Dallas.


On to Owensboro...

Officially Homeless...Goodbye Columbus:-(

It was a sad goodbye to Columbus and friends. It was really nice to have a girls night the day before closed on our house. I got to go to Cheesecake Factory with my good friends Shannon, Alicia and Bethel. It was such a great time but it was sad knowing it was the last time I was going to get to go out with them.

We closed on our home Thursday AM while the movers were at our house loading the truck and packing the last minute things. We were so excited to finally be closed after our last sale fell through the day before closing! Yay, we are officially out! While the movers worked I was able to meet one my friends at the mall to meet her new daughter Ana that they just got from China. It was a little bittersweet because we really enjoyed getting to meet Ana and play with her and her big sister Audrey but it sad knowing it was the last time we would see them. After we said goodbye it was back to the house to help the movers finish things up.

(Audrey, Alexa & Ana)

When I got back to the house I was busy helping the movers finish things up and cleaning things for the new owners. When the movers left my friend Shannon and her girls came over to tell us goodbye. When I had to say goodbye to her I had my first tears because it was so sad to say goodbye to my college friend that I was so fortunate to get to spend the last 3 years with in Ohio. Hopefully we can live near them again and Alexa and Blake can grow up with their buddies.

(Shannon with Blake and her baby Juliette...Blake looks so huge next to her!)

(Alexa and Ava saying goodbye)

Then it was time to say goodbye to the house. It was kind of sad to see it all empty. Alexa kept saying, "those guys are taking my stuff!" and I had to keep explaining they were taking it to our new house. The funniest was when she wanted a Popsicle and I told her I didn't have any scissors because they were packed and she said, "we have scissors, they're right here" and opened the drawer and said "hey, somebody took my scissors...put them back!" She managed to make friends with the movers though and kept saying "those guys are my friends" and taking them bottles of water.

(Our empty living room)

(I'm over living with boxes everywhere. This is my new table that was delivered the morning the mover's came. I can't wait to see what it looks like!)

(our empty dining room)

After we said goodbye to the house and pulled away with the van loaded to ceiling we went to our friend Alicia's house to goodbye to her and Bryce and Jillian. It was another really sad moment and after some more tears in the car it was on the pick up Nic at his work and leave Columbus for the last time.

On the the next let of our 5 leg journey to Texas! It's going to be a long two weeks as homeless gypsies until we settle into our new home.

Heading To The Lonestar State

Well, I can't believe it since I told Nic before we got married that he would never get me to move to Texas, but 7 years later we are Texas-bound. The movers come in 2 days to load our truck and then we close on our house on Thursday. I can't believe it is almost here. I am a little excited and a little sad. I am really sad to leave our friends here in Columbus and to be so far away from our families. And I'm nervous about how hot it is going to be but I can't lie, I am NOT going to miss the horrible winters here:-)

I'm not sure Alexa really gets it yet. She goes around wearing Nic's cowboy hat singing a song he taught her about Texas but I don't think she understands we won't be coming back to this house. We sold our kitchen table and she came downstairs and asked where her table and chairs were and I told her we sold it for the move and she said, "put it back!" I don't think she really likes change much. Blake is just having a ball crawling all over the place getting into the boxes that aren't sealed yet! Since we won't see everyone as much now, I'm really going to try to update more on our new lives in Texas.

Despite all the reserves I am feeling, I am excited for the adventure of starting in a new place. It seems like a great place to live from the limited time I have spent there while looking for a house. We did find a house and will be closing on it two weeks after we leave here so I guess we will be drifters for a couple of weeks. We are looking forward to spending some time in KY with our family and friends before we make the looong drive to our new home.