We moved to Texas a month ago. It's been quite the month, I must say.
We drove from Colorado to Texas with all the kids and our stuff. We intended to drive straight through (16+ hours) because we're crazy like that, but we ended up with a flat tire on the trailer carrying the car somewhere near Memphis, TX and it took 3 hours for a repairman to come out and change the flat (since we were renting the trailer we weren't allowed to change it ourselves and had to wait for a service company). Always never get a flat tire near Memphis, TX it's pretty much in the middle of nowhere.
We stayed in a hotel that night and got up and drove the next morning. We had to drive straight to closing so we signed papers looking like we hadn't slept, because we mostly hadn't, and like we'd been driving for two days, which we had. That night we slept in our house sans furniture. Luckily, we had a couple of air mattresses.
And thus began our move to Texas.
We did get furniture and now all have beds to sleep on.
We proved we were actually citizens of the US so we could register kids in school (who knew you needed a driver's license, social security card, closing documents and a first born child to register kids for school here).
And while I'm on the subject of school, all the schools are within a mile or so from our house. In CO, a mile = about a minute of driving. In TX a mile = 10-30 minutes when trying to drop off and pick up kids from school. No kidding. For both elementary and middle school, parents line up in their cars and you wait in line for sometimes 30 minutes just to get your kid. It's insane. Surely there's a better way to let parents pick up kids from school. I drive my elementary kids to school and take them into the school. Then my 7th grader and I walk to his school. I really love that because it gives us time to talk and bond and also allows us to both get some exercise.
I've never seen so much water. Seriously. People were talking about how this area was just in a drought. I had to laugh. Everything is green. People have water. It rains. I know drought. I lived in a drought for most of the last 19 years. Drought = brown, dead plants, no grass, and 2 minute showers (if you're lucky). I've seen more rain in the last month than in the last 19 years combined in CO. So, please, you want to talk drought? Let me tell you what a real drought is.
I love that it's so green here. I love all the trees and the beautiful flowers. I love that it's still summer, I love that we are blessed to have a pool and can cool down when it gets too hot and humid. I love that everything is so close.
I've grocery shopped at Walmart for forever. I know Walmart. I know that in Walmart it's next to impossible to get someone to help you. I know that I have to pack my own cart and load it into my car. I know that in exchange, I get low prices. At least I knew that until . . . I shopped at HEB. And don't pronounce it "Heb" it's "H" "E" "B." it's like grocery shopping heaven. Same prices as Walmart. Helpful employees all over the place. They not only pack the bags and the cart, but load it into the car. I didn't even know what to do with myself. And they have yummy samples so if you're hungry when you're shopping, you can get snacks throughout the store. And the people are so nice. And this grocery store is around the corner from my house.
We've also met some very kind and helpful people. Our ward has been awesome and made us feel so welcome. The teachers at the school have been great. We enrolled our youngest son who has Down syndrome and the school personnel keep telling us how they've all fallen in love with him. I'll have to blog about his school experience separately.
I also love that we are only an hour from the coast. We went to Galveston and had a blast at the beach. Galveston is the cutest place. Totally touristy and fun.
Where we live now is about as opposite as we could've chosen (unless we went to a foreign country). We're in a city, it's hot and humid, it rains all the time, we only have half an acre, we have green grass, we're close to everything, there's a ton of traffic, TX doesn't measure distance in miles but rather in time, the schools are ginormous.
And it's awesome. Yes, we're still adjusting, but it's awesome.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Blog Tour: Working it Out by Rachael Anderson
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Author Rachael Renee Anderson
Rachael Anderson is the author of five novels (Working It Out, The Reluctant Bachelorette, Minor Adjustments, Luck of the Draw, and Divinely Designed) and two novellas (Twist of Fate, from the All I Want anthology and The Meltdown Match from The Timeless Romance Anthology: Summer Wedding Collection). She's the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.
Working It Out
A chance encounter . . .
Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.
A chance for love . . . Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.
Blog Tour Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
MY REVIEW:
I LOVED this book! It drew me in from the first page (I loved "the kiss") and kept me entertained to the last word. The characters were all so well developed and unique. Seth wasn't your average hero--he had depth and he felt like a real person. I loved how the romantic relationships developed, but I also loved how the relationships between the other characters developed and changed. Grace felt like she could be one of my friends.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good, clean, entertaining, and satisfying romance.
Awesome book!
A chance for love . . . Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.
Blog Tour Special Price Drop!
Grab a copy of Working it Out for just $2.99!
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 9/10/13
MY REVIEW:
I LOVED this book! It drew me in from the first page (I loved "the kiss") and kept me entertained to the last word. The characters were all so well developed and unique. Seth wasn't your average hero--he had depth and he felt like a real person. I loved how the romantic relationships developed, but I also loved how the relationships between the other characters developed and changed. Grace felt like she could be one of my friends.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good, clean, entertaining, and satisfying romance.
Awesome book!
5 Stars
EXCERPT:
Seth met Grace’s gaze once again and held out his hand for her to take. “Ready to go?”
She felt her resolve slipping, but couldn’t let it go completely. She stared at his hand, wanting to touch it, hold it, to interlace her small fingers with his strong ones. But she was his therapist, not his girlfriend.
Therapist.
His fingers wiggled. “My keys, please? I saw you pick them up when you were cleaning earlier.”
Huh? Grace glanced down. Sure enough, his keys were clutched in her hand. There was even an imprint on her palm from squeezing them too hard. Her face flamed, and she quickly handed them over.
Without another word, she turned and headed for the front of the building, wanting to crawl into the trunk of Seth’s car and hide. When she reached the outside air, she drew in a deep, steadying breath then grabbed the passenger door handle, ready to yank it open and dive inside. But it wouldn’t budge. The car was locked.
Duh.
Forced to stand there, clasping and unclasping her hands, Grace waited for Seth to catch up and unlock it. But instead of clicking the button on his keyless remote, he walked toward her, stopping directly in front of her.
Grace stood frozen as he reached around and manually unlocked the car. His chest bumped against her shoulder, sending tingles up and down her arms. In and out she breathed, telling her racing heart to slow down and her body to stop responding. It was only a touch. A simple touch. Nothing to get all worked up about.
But then Seth looked at her in that intense way again, his face only inches from hers. Grace trembled, feeling like all of her defenses and inhibitions were falling in a garbled up heap around her. Nothing made sense anymore. Not Seth. Not her feelings. Nothing. Grace didn’t know what she wanted or didn’t want anymore.
“If you’ll step aside, I’ll open your door for you,” Seth said.
EXCERPT:
Seth met Grace’s gaze once again and held out his hand for her to take. “Ready to go?”
She felt her resolve slipping, but couldn’t let it go completely. She stared at his hand, wanting to touch it, hold it, to interlace her small fingers with his strong ones. But she was his therapist, not his girlfriend.
Therapist.
His fingers wiggled. “My keys, please? I saw you pick them up when you were cleaning earlier.”
Huh? Grace glanced down. Sure enough, his keys were clutched in her hand. There was even an imprint on her palm from squeezing them too hard. Her face flamed, and she quickly handed them over.
Without another word, she turned and headed for the front of the building, wanting to crawl into the trunk of Seth’s car and hide. When she reached the outside air, she drew in a deep, steadying breath then grabbed the passenger door handle, ready to yank it open and dive inside. But it wouldn’t budge. The car was locked.
Duh.
Forced to stand there, clasping and unclasping her hands, Grace waited for Seth to catch up and unlock it. But instead of clicking the button on his keyless remote, he walked toward her, stopping directly in front of her.
Grace stood frozen as he reached around and manually unlocked the car. His chest bumped against her shoulder, sending tingles up and down her arms. In and out she breathed, telling her racing heart to slow down and her body to stop responding. It was only a touch. A simple touch. Nothing to get all worked up about.
But then Seth looked at her in that intense way again, his face only inches from hers. Grace trembled, feeling like all of her defenses and inhibitions were falling in a garbled up heap around her. Nothing made sense anymore. Not Seth. Not her feelings. Nothing. Grace didn’t know what she wanted or didn’t want anymore.
“If you’ll step aside, I’ll open your door for you,” Seth said.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Working it Out by Rachael Anderson
Working It Out
A chance encounter . . .
Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.
A chance for love . . . Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.
Book Blast Special Price Drop!
Grab a copy of Working it Out for just $2.99!
BookBlast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 9/6/13
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
We're Moving to Texas?
Last summer, we planned to build an addition onto our home. Though our nuclear family isn't growing (which makes me sad), our extended family is and we wanted to have a place that is comfortable when all the kids and grandkids come home to visit. We put together plans, got bids, and even had the financing ready to sign.
Then we got nervous. The election was looming and were were worried that if President Obama were re-elected he'd continue with his plan to close coal-fired power plants. We decided to wait it out and when he won, we put our plans on hold indefinitely.
In December, the company my husband works for announced they would be pulling out of the area because the coal-fired power plants would be shutting down, hopefully only partially, but enough that it is no longer profitable for the company. We learned that in 3 years, the company for which my husband has worked for 24 years, will no longer be in the area.
We had decisions to make. Can he find another job in this area? What about his retirement? Our healthcare? Should we move? Can we leave family and friends? How would our kids react to moving? What other options do we have?
We have a great life in Colorado. We've worked hard for 19 years on our home and property. We were in the midst of changing over to solar power. We have animals. We just built the barn my husband has been dreaming of for 15 years. We live across the highway from my sister and her 12 kids, who've all grown up together. My husband's family lives here. We know what it's like to live here--we know how to ration water in the summer, what teachers are good and not-so-good, how long it takes to get to town, where to shop. We have a doctor we love and a dentist we love. We know the weather patterns. My son, who will be a senior was going to be a yearbook editor and seminary co-president. And, did I mention, my sister lives across the highway? Right across the highway.
We've spent months thinking about it, talking about it, praying about it. The bottom line is, in 3 years we won't have a job and we risk losing everything. So, we've decided to move. To Houston.
I hear it's hot down there. And humid. And h-u-g-e. Probably a little bigger than the 20,000 that live in Durango. Not a small town feel like we have here. Lots and lots of people. And it's hot. Really hot.
But, Houston is thriving and it's full of opportunities. And it's the only other spot in the US where the company for which my husband works is located. So that's where we're going. We can hang onto our retirement, keep our healthcare, and we know this company.
Everything will change for us, but we hope there will be good changes. Our youngest will have more opportunities. He's right on the cusp of starting to speak more. We hope we can find a good school with teachers that will help him blossom. Our other kids will have new opportunities--new friends, new schools, new classes. My oldest son at home wants to go into aerospace engineering--we'll be right next to NASA and close to Texas A&M. My kids will have more choices for community colleges. We can save them each 3 hours of their lives every day by not having to ride the school bus. Schools will be within a mile of our home. The church building will be within a mile. And a temple within a few miles. We can go to the temple on a more regular basis because it won't be a 7-hour commitment. There will be a grocery store within a mile or so, too. I won't have to calculate a 45 minute drive to everything. We can go on day trips to visit losts of new places. Go to museums. The coast. I'm sure there are many more things we'll learn about as we live there.
We are excited for this new adventure. We hope things work out well. We hope it isn't too hard to adjust. We hope everyone can make friends. We hope we can deal with the heat. And the humidity. And the big city.
But, did I mention, I have to leave my sister and her family? Yeah, that stinks. No matter how I try to look at it, that part doesn't ever get better--that's just going to be hard, hard, hard. But, we plan to come back to Colorado for Christmas and summer, maybe that'll make it a little less painful. Or not.
So, say a prayer for us that all will work out!
Then we got nervous. The election was looming and were were worried that if President Obama were re-elected he'd continue with his plan to close coal-fired power plants. We decided to wait it out and when he won, we put our plans on hold indefinitely.
In December, the company my husband works for announced they would be pulling out of the area because the coal-fired power plants would be shutting down, hopefully only partially, but enough that it is no longer profitable for the company. We learned that in 3 years, the company for which my husband has worked for 24 years, will no longer be in the area.
We had decisions to make. Can he find another job in this area? What about his retirement? Our healthcare? Should we move? Can we leave family and friends? How would our kids react to moving? What other options do we have?
We have a great life in Colorado. We've worked hard for 19 years on our home and property. We were in the midst of changing over to solar power. We have animals. We just built the barn my husband has been dreaming of for 15 years. We live across the highway from my sister and her 12 kids, who've all grown up together. My husband's family lives here. We know what it's like to live here--we know how to ration water in the summer, what teachers are good and not-so-good, how long it takes to get to town, where to shop. We have a doctor we love and a dentist we love. We know the weather patterns. My son, who will be a senior was going to be a yearbook editor and seminary co-president. And, did I mention, my sister lives across the highway? Right across the highway.
We've spent months thinking about it, talking about it, praying about it. The bottom line is, in 3 years we won't have a job and we risk losing everything. So, we've decided to move. To Houston.
I hear it's hot down there. And humid. And h-u-g-e. Probably a little bigger than the 20,000 that live in Durango. Not a small town feel like we have here. Lots and lots of people. And it's hot. Really hot.
But, Houston is thriving and it's full of opportunities. And it's the only other spot in the US where the company for which my husband works is located. So that's where we're going. We can hang onto our retirement, keep our healthcare, and we know this company.
Everything will change for us, but we hope there will be good changes. Our youngest will have more opportunities. He's right on the cusp of starting to speak more. We hope we can find a good school with teachers that will help him blossom. Our other kids will have new opportunities--new friends, new schools, new classes. My oldest son at home wants to go into aerospace engineering--we'll be right next to NASA and close to Texas A&M. My kids will have more choices for community colleges. We can save them each 3 hours of their lives every day by not having to ride the school bus. Schools will be within a mile of our home. The church building will be within a mile. And a temple within a few miles. We can go to the temple on a more regular basis because it won't be a 7-hour commitment. There will be a grocery store within a mile or so, too. I won't have to calculate a 45 minute drive to everything. We can go on day trips to visit losts of new places. Go to museums. The coast. I'm sure there are many more things we'll learn about as we live there.
We are excited for this new adventure. We hope things work out well. We hope it isn't too hard to adjust. We hope everyone can make friends. We hope we can deal with the heat. And the humidity. And the big city.
But, did I mention, I have to leave my sister and her family? Yeah, that stinks. No matter how I try to look at it, that part doesn't ever get better--that's just going to be hard, hard, hard. But, we plan to come back to Colorado for Christmas and summer, maybe that'll make it a little less painful. Or not.
So, say a prayer for us that all will work out!
Friday, July 19, 2013
Aura is $.99 For a Limited Time
What if the greatest weapon in the age-old war between good and evil was inside of you?
Crystal Scott has always felt different but tried hard to blend in. Now that she's scored the lead in the school play, has a boyfriend she adores, and a best friend she can't live without, she finally feels like she belongs.
A few days before prom, a mysterious young man appears and suddenly she has to figure out how to use the weapon of Light she has inside her or mankind is doomed.
Crystal Scott has always felt different but tried hard to blend in. Now that she's scored the lead in the school play, has a boyfriend she adores, and a best friend she can't live without, she finally feels like she belongs.
A few days before prom, a mysterious young man appears and suddenly she has to figure out how to use the weapon of Light she has inside her or mankind is doomed.
Demons are determined to tip the war in their favor no matter what the cost and they're hot on Crystal's trail. With danger around every corner, she doesn't know if she can save herself, never mind anyone else. When things look darkest and there's nowhere to turn, Crystal must find the strength to use her newfound gifts against the tide of evil threatening all of them--or die trying.
You can purchase Aura here.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Crazy Summer
I've been absent from blogging for a while. It seems like life became so crazy I could hardly breathe for a bit.
The end of the school year was hectic and then I started potty-training my youngest. I'd tried potty-training him before, but gave up after a few days. This time, I decided to stick it out. The first week was a bear with plenty of accidents, but now, more than a month later, he's potty-trained. Yay!!!! He sleeps in underwear. He has an accident here and there, but he's doing great. I'm going to write about what I did more in-depth on my blog about my son The Upside of Down if you're interested or know anyone else who might be.
My 20-year-old daughter came home to be a counselor at a theater camp. Just prior to the beginning of the camp, we all went to the lake with my sister's family. We were playing in the water and having a great time when my daughter, Olivia, had to leave to attend a meeting for the camp. We didn't get an reception out at the lake so when we left an hour later, we had some strange messages on our phones. We got the "call" parents don't want to get: our daughter had been involved in a serious car accident and was on route by ambulance to the hospital.
It took us almost an hour to get the hospital, all the while worried and stressed at what we'd find. I rushed into the ER and found her on a backboard with a neck collar waiting for x-rays--not an image that I'll soon forget. She was bloody and crying. A state patrolman was there giving her a ticket when we arrived. Yep, giving her a ticket. We didn't even know how injured she was and he was giving her a ticket.
Thankfully, she ended up with only a concussion. She should have died. She definitely had angels round about her. She was in the passing lane when it was about to end so she merged into the right lane. the car ahead of her was going slower than she anticipated, so she slammed on her brakes. She went off the highway and the car went up on its nose, turned a circle or two while on its nose, then came to rest on its roof. She'd left the lake not wearing her seat belt, but had been prompted to put it on. That saved her life. Had she not been wearing her seat belt, she would've been ejected and she would never have survived the accident.
Those who watched it happen and were on scene shortly afterward, were amazed she survived. Even the insurance adjuster who saw the totaled car was amazed. I am just so thankful Heavenly Father protected her and kept her safe.
She is now walking to work and everywhere else, but she is walking.
I'll blog more about our crazy summer in the next week or so.
The end of the school year was hectic and then I started potty-training my youngest. I'd tried potty-training him before, but gave up after a few days. This time, I decided to stick it out. The first week was a bear with plenty of accidents, but now, more than a month later, he's potty-trained. Yay!!!! He sleeps in underwear. He has an accident here and there, but he's doing great. I'm going to write about what I did more in-depth on my blog about my son The Upside of Down if you're interested or know anyone else who might be.
My 20-year-old daughter came home to be a counselor at a theater camp. Just prior to the beginning of the camp, we all went to the lake with my sister's family. We were playing in the water and having a great time when my daughter, Olivia, had to leave to attend a meeting for the camp. We didn't get an reception out at the lake so when we left an hour later, we had some strange messages on our phones. We got the "call" parents don't want to get: our daughter had been involved in a serious car accident and was on route by ambulance to the hospital.
It took us almost an hour to get the hospital, all the while worried and stressed at what we'd find. I rushed into the ER and found her on a backboard with a neck collar waiting for x-rays--not an image that I'll soon forget. She was bloody and crying. A state patrolman was there giving her a ticket when we arrived. Yep, giving her a ticket. We didn't even know how injured she was and he was giving her a ticket.
Thankfully, she ended up with only a concussion. She should have died. She definitely had angels round about her. She was in the passing lane when it was about to end so she merged into the right lane. the car ahead of her was going slower than she anticipated, so she slammed on her brakes. She went off the highway and the car went up on its nose, turned a circle or two while on its nose, then came to rest on its roof. She'd left the lake not wearing her seat belt, but had been prompted to put it on. That saved her life. Had she not been wearing her seat belt, she would've been ejected and she would never have survived the accident.
Those who watched it happen and were on scene shortly afterward, were amazed she survived. Even the insurance adjuster who saw the totaled car was amazed. I am just so thankful Heavenly Father protected her and kept her safe.
She is now walking to work and everywhere else, but she is walking.
I'll blog more about our crazy summer in the next week or so.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Penumbras by Braden Bell
My review:
5 stars
I LOVE this book. I LOVE the characters. I LOVE the magic system. I LOVE the message that's woven into this exciting and fun story about friendship, love, and discovery.
Penumbras is an engaging read for everyone. It targets middle-school readers, but I found myself cheering for the characters. It also has some tender scenes that made me teary, especially at the end.
There's plenty of action and some intense scenes as well, but I loved the relationships between the characters and their growth.
Bell is a master storyteller and the depth of this story is amazing. Those who love a great story with realistic, layered characters will want to read this one because it's so captivating.
You can learn more about Braden Bell here.
You can purchase Penumbras here.
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