I told you I wouldn't be good at this....

A friend who doesn't have facebook ask for some pix of the house, so bare with me.  You may have already viewed some of these photos.

                                                     These are our only regular visitors!

View from our bedroom to the pool.

We are all still trying to adjust.  Just when I think we are nearing the top of the mountain.....something knocks us back down.

The kids are all doing well in school.  They are making friends but have not....I don't know how to say this....they won't let themselves get involved with friends or school.  I know it's hard to have left so much behind.  I feel it too....everyday!!!!!  I miss home too!!!  They just don't think I "get" it, but I do.  They need to take the opportunities that they have to create strong friendships like they left behind.  With the exception of Madison, the friends that they are missing were friends that they made in Junior High....not life long friends.  I realize they don't miss them any less.  My point is....if they made friends so easily in Jr. High.....they can do it again.  I love these kids more than life it's self, but it may be time to unwrap the "blanket" I have been keeping them in.  It's time to move on....we LIVE HERE NOW!!!!  Make the best of it.  WE have a beautiful home, we are all healthy, Jim LOVES his job, the weather is amazing and they are fun kids to be around.  Let's go....get involved and show this school who you are!!!

Maddie got to twirl at our County Fair a couple of weekends ago.  She did an amazing job!  She is making friends on her new team.  I know she misses Kelly's Kuties, but again....this is her new team and she needs to show some pride and ownership in Patrick's Patriots.

Kayla is improving her volleyball skills at Tampa United Volleyball.  She will likely be playing on a 14/15 Florida team with this organization.  She is doing great!  We couldn't be more proud of her.

I am guilty of not taking as many pictures as I should.  I will try and do a better job.  We have decorated the house quite a bit since the above pix were taken.  The guest room is ready and waiting for visitors.  It looks like my parents and sister/brother in law with be our first house guests.  They will be here the Tuesday after Thanksgiving for a few days.  The girls are so ready to see their cousin.  They miss him TONS!!!!!

We have done a little exploring....Sarasota is a sleepy little town and we have driven over to Orlando to go to an Outlet Mall and Downtown Disney.

Maddie will be marching at a parade at Universal in early December, so we will spend the day there at that time.

The weekends seem to go so quick....not enough time to really get out there yet....we still have so much to do around here.

I sent out address cards for anyone I had info for.  I got a few back though.

So...

here is our new address:

16324 Palmettoglen Court

Lithia, FL  33547

The girls LOVE mail....btw!

Thanks for reading.

  

Fourth Week

I told you I would NOT be Phsyco Blogger....

We have been here almost 4 weeks now.  We are all coping with things better.  I am "dealing" with my OCD, the kids are making friends and settling in to a new school year.  Jim is soooo busy, but really loves his new job....most days.

Maddie started with her new baton team.
Tony did not earn a position on the baseball team, but he felt really great about his performance during tryouts.  I was very proud of his attitude.  He said, "Mom, I looked good, I played well and I did everything I could do to make the team.  These kids are just really good!!!"  So grown up!  I love this boy more and more every day!
Kayla starts volleyball camp this Sunday!
The kids all have challenging classes.  We are most worried about Madison.  She is really have a hard time with her algebra class.  She is me made over.  I NEVER "got it" in math....I had hoped she would do as well and Tony and Kayla, but she is really struggling.

Jim and I will be in STL Sunday night through Wednesday afternoon.  The movers will pack on Monday and Tuesday and load on Wednesday.  With that being said, we have a walk through on the new house this afternoon.  We are looking (very optimistically) at closing 2 weeks from today!!!  Please keep us in your prayers.  We really need to get in the house!  It's looking amazing.....

We had to pick up a few new pieces of furniture over Labor Day Weekend.....a guest room was on the top of the list!!!  I bought fabric to recover our dining room chairs.  It's getting closer and closer.  They were working on the pool this morning when I drove by.  So maybe this afternoon.....I can get some new pictures.  It has rained so much here that it has put them behind on some of the outside stuff.  The carpet will (should) go down tomorrow.

I went to my first PTSA meeting this morning.  I am helping with picture day tomorrow!!!    Thought this would be the easiest way to meet people.

I got Madison to the orthodontist and gathered some other doctor/dentist referrals.  Tony has been car shopping.....not sure where this will wind up.  I am starting to find my way around a little better.  I am starting to find some "shortcuts" and be able to visualize an area when someone says...you know...that's off HWY 60 or Causeway BLVD, etc.  However, GPS is still my co-pilot!!!!

oxoxoxoxox

Linda

Week two has begun....

It was a good morning for the kids.  I know they are still adjusting, but the tears and misery seem to be diminishing.

Maddie starts baton class with her new team tomorrow.  She is excited, but nervous.  She wants to be able to fit in with the group.

Tony has baseball tryouts tomorrow.  I am praying that he does well and makes the team.  He is nervous!  I pray that he can settle down and just be his great self.

We are working on getting Kayla involved in volleyball.  They have a camp starting that's once a week.  I am trying to get her enrolled.

Jim is planning on meeting with Forman Jim on Wed. morning.  He is going to make them give us a date for closing.  We have got to get things moving.  Tonight the kids got yelled at 2 times by some lady in the parking lot for playing catch.  The neighbors smell....literally....they are all different cultures and their cooking and homes stink....we are surrounded.  The smells sneak in to our apartment.

 The house is looking great!

Hoping for a closing date this week.

oxoxoxox

Linda

Day Three

Today was a MUCH better day!!!!!!  Kayla actually said good-bye this morning and told me she loved me!!!!  They are meeting people.....hoo-ray!!!  This afternoon she said that several people commented on how cute her tennis shoes are....for a girl...that's a big deal.

Maddie has a teacher that she adores...she is from New York and has tattoos.....hmmmmm.....go figure my girl would find this one to attach herself too.

Tony is going to try out for a Fall Baseball team at school next week.  He may also join the Ping-pong club....yes, folks, The Ping-pong Club!!!!!  He LOVES to play Ping-pong, so he will probably love the club.  Here, a club is almost mandatory....once a month they have a club day and spend some part of that day with their club.

We are adjusting.....home will ALWAYS be St. Louis, but we have to make a home here too.  I am surprised by the ease of living in such tight quarters.  I really thought we would all be ready to kill each other by now....almost two weeks in!

The house is still a few weeks off....I even delivered sweet treats!!!!  I really think we will all be better off once the house is ready.
We stopped by today and the pool pavers are finished!!!!!!  Moving forward every day.

oxoxoxoxo

First Day is D.O.N.E.....

Tony was very quiet.  Maddie was near tears in the car.  Kayla had a meltdown once we got back to the apartment.  Tony is amazing "big" brother...he talked her off the ledge.  They sat in her room for 20 minutes or so and he helped talk through the day.  He is such an incredible young man.  I couldn't be more thankful for and blessed to have him as my son!!!!!  Maddie hasn't stopped talking since she got in the car...she couldn't talk ALL day, so now we are "getting" it!
My prayer is that tomorrow and each day after get easier for all 3 of them.  Tony already has plans to stay after for a Fall Baseball Meeting tomorrow and has said that he plans on staying after several days a week to do basketball conditioning.
They have loosened up a bit....I am pretty sure they wanted me to KNOW how miserable they were and didn't want me to catch a glimpse of anything good.

I had hoped that the first day would be easier on them.  I knew it would be hard, but I was praying for a happy beginning.  I know it will get easier.  They are awesome kids and will eventually find their niche.

Week 1

So we have been here for a week now.  I have not gotten lost....that's a plus.  It's expensive to live in temporary situations.  Everyday we discover something we need that we just don't have here.  We can not survive without a grill....today we bought a portable grill.  At open house we were told from the first week of school on Kayla would need access to a printer....ummm those are in St Louis too!  The kids broke the laptop...more expensive to repair than buy new.  Check.  Can't do without it...it's where we pay the bills.  My back is aching on this bed.  I want my own blankets and shower.  I am the only one complaining though.  When I agreed to this whole move thing...I NEVER in a million years thought we would have to live this way.......

School starts Tuesday.  We have a meeting with Forman Jim....he really needs to get the job done sooner than later!!!!!

School supplies have been so expensive....I don't know how less fortunate families do it.

This has turned in to a vent session.....sorry.  I promise to be more positive in future posts.

oxoxoxoxo

Going to give this a try....

With us being away from St. Louis now....I thought I might try to do a little blog for our friends and family.  I make NO promises.  I really don't know what I am doing, so it will truly be a learning process.