While we are enjoying our time here, there a few things that are annoying. Here they are in no particular order:
-TRAFFIC!!!! It is worse here than any other major metropolis I have lived in. Phoenix, no problem. Seattle, annoying. Miami, bad. DC metro area, GAG!!!
-Drivers that honk! I'll admit that the honking is worse in Miami, but here it is even more pointless. I guess it's just a stress reliever for all the people that live in their cars here.
-The mentality of some people here that this is the center of the U.S. While I agree that there are important people out here that make important decisions for the rest of the country, there isn't a good understanding of the rest of the nation. Again, this is only some people - not all.
-POTHOLES!!! The roads here are pretty torn up, and we had a flat the other day that was caused by a pothole.
-Seven Corners. Whose bright idea was it to have 7 roads meet up in one location?
Monday, March 8, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Yes, we're still alive...
Every day I get on here and feel guilty because I haven't posted in a while. We have been in Falls Church for just over a week now, and everything is going great. Our ward is fabulous, and everyone at the kids' schools are really friendly. Of course, it took a little bit longer for Aubree to be enrolled because of her Diabetes and all the paperwork that is required, but it is all taken care of, and she's settling in nicely.
Aubree is the one I was worried about the most, but she is doing awesome! The kids at the schools here are either Foreign Service kids and won't be here long, or they are used to all the Foreign Service kids coming in and out. She is playing the violin in the band (the violins play the oboe music), and the band teacher wants her to join the jazz band to play the piano. Jazz band would be an after school activity and start in a couple weeks. There is so much more offered here than any other place we have lived.
Chris is loving school. They are studying ancient Egypt, and it's spilling over into art. He comes home so excited about school! There are lots of boys in our building, so he and Nick have plenty of playmates.
Nick is still in preschool 3 days a week at the community center. The first day we walked in, I introduced him to his teacher, and he was off! I don't think there is such thing as a stranger in Nick's world - there are only friends he hasn't met yet. He has gotten into an obnoxious loud, "I'm totally crazy" thing that is driving me crazy, and I'm hoping it will get old for him - fast. The joys of a 5 year old with no place to run.
The snow was pretty crazy when we first got here, but it is slowly melting. Nick has loved playing in it in the courtyard off our patio, but it isn't so much fun playing by himself. There is a park close by that the city dumped a bunch of snow in, but are now removing, so we're going to go check it out and let him get out some energy.
Mike is doing great in his language training. He's teaching us new words every night that he has learned, and I am trying to get a good handle on the alphabet. If you want to see and hear the alphabet, visit this website. I'm having to take Mike into work every day, since he doesn't start until 12:30, but we're hoping that his class will switch to morning so he can take the shuttle in. It's only about 15 minutes away, though, so it's not too bad.
We are starting to explore the area. Last week we went to the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center with some friends. We saw a portion of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal that runs parallel to the Potomac River. It was cool to see the lock system they used. This Saturday we're going to learn how to use the Metro and visit a museum.
While we miss all of our friends and family, we love being together as a family again. We have some family coming this summer, but please let us know if you want to come visit us. We would love to have you!!!
Aubree is the one I was worried about the most, but she is doing awesome! The kids at the schools here are either Foreign Service kids and won't be here long, or they are used to all the Foreign Service kids coming in and out. She is playing the violin in the band (the violins play the oboe music), and the band teacher wants her to join the jazz band to play the piano. Jazz band would be an after school activity and start in a couple weeks. There is so much more offered here than any other place we have lived.
Chris is loving school. They are studying ancient Egypt, and it's spilling over into art. He comes home so excited about school! There are lots of boys in our building, so he and Nick have plenty of playmates.
Nick is still in preschool 3 days a week at the community center. The first day we walked in, I introduced him to his teacher, and he was off! I don't think there is such thing as a stranger in Nick's world - there are only friends he hasn't met yet. He has gotten into an obnoxious loud, "I'm totally crazy" thing that is driving me crazy, and I'm hoping it will get old for him - fast. The joys of a 5 year old with no place to run.
The snow was pretty crazy when we first got here, but it is slowly melting. Nick has loved playing in it in the courtyard off our patio, but it isn't so much fun playing by himself. There is a park close by that the city dumped a bunch of snow in, but are now removing, so we're going to go check it out and let him get out some energy.
Mike is doing great in his language training. He's teaching us new words every night that he has learned, and I am trying to get a good handle on the alphabet. If you want to see and hear the alphabet, visit this website. I'm having to take Mike into work every day, since he doesn't start until 12:30, but we're hoping that his class will switch to morning so he can take the shuttle in. It's only about 15 minutes away, though, so it's not too bad.
We are starting to explore the area. Last week we went to the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center with some friends. We saw a portion of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal that runs parallel to the Potomac River. It was cool to see the lock system they used. This Saturday we're going to learn how to use the Metro and visit a museum.
While we miss all of our friends and family, we love being together as a family again. We have some family coming this summer, but please let us know if you want to come visit us. We would love to have you!!!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
The House is Empty...
Well, it's almost empty. The movers came yesterday and packed everything, then came again today to load the truck. We still have a pile of stuff that will go in the car with Mike, and we are supposed to be packing clothes into the suitcases to go to the hotel tonight. However, I'm on the computer, and Mike is serenading me on the guitar. Okay, he's really just playing and we're in the same room. The cleaning fun begins tomorrow at 10! I'm SO not excited! Both my sisters deserted me to go to Boise for my brother Caleb's missionary Sunday, but there should be plenty of sisters from the ward to help out. The best news about this move is the money we have made on our yard sale, and selling big items through Craigslist! Hooray for Craigslist!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Texting...
We decided that Aubree's Christmas present from us would be texting on her phone. We were able to add it to our family plan to cover all 3 phones at $30.00 a month. I got the first bill today - Mike sent/received 74 messages, I had 182, and Aubree had 2183! I'm thinking it was worth it! Of course, when it was shiny and new, she was texting people she was sitting next to. We put a stop to that (I think). We'll see what next month's bill looks like.
A long goodbye...
We are now at 2 1/2 weeks until we leave. It's hard to describe how I feel about it, now that it's imminent. I finished my stint as PTO president, and I already miss the time I spent working with so many wonderful ladies. I don't feel like I did enough with my sisters, and I'm trying to figure out how we can cram in more time before I leave. I have made some very good friends that seem more like sisters. I hope that I can have the same relationship with them as my mom had with some choice friends - no matter where they lived, or the time apart, they would call each other or visit, and it was like there was never a separation. So, to all of you that I got to know these past 19 months - thank you for your support and understanding! Thank you for listening to me whine when I needed to, and lifting me up when I needed it. Your friendship helped sustain me through it all. I love you!!!
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