Soaked to the bone

I decided to walk to pick up the kids from school today. I saw some grey clouds overhead, but they didn't look too ominous, so I continued. About a third of the way there, huge raindrops sprinkled down. Oh well, a little light rain. So, I continued.

Then it really started raining. Again, I figured, how bad could it get, and stayed under the trees. Now I was late and wet, but I tried to convince myself that it was a nice summer rain and that we'd have fun walking home together.

When I got to the school, the kids were gone. As I started up the hill, it was pouring. I continued home (what else could I do), soaked to the bone and blinded by the rain in my eyes. Finally, a good samaritan mom picked me up. Turns out her daughter is in Sam's class. So nice. I rejected her offer initially because I was dripping wet, but she said, "no problem! I have leather seats!" I explained I was worried about my kids and sure enough, we found them huddled together, walking home.

We picked them up too and made it here safely. We had to strip off the soaked clothes-- my running shoes may never be the same-- and take warm showers.

Kate just sat down next to me and said, "Sam told me we'd survive, and we did. He was right, God did have a plan for us to get out just in time!"

So cute. God does have a plan. (I think it includes no soccer this season for Kate, unfortunately. Haven't had practice in 3 weeks due to rain. In the desert of all places!)

Our Vegas Anniversary

I really wanted to write something pensive, profound even, about our first year in Vegas. Unfortunately, there is just no time. Suffice it to say, we've made it. And now Henderson is truly our home.

I think the picture attached says all we need to say. Look at those happy faces! (Well, except for Sam who was pouting because Kate won more tickets than him.)

Pre Christmas

With this being our first holiday away from home, we're trying to adapt to the craziness of remote present-giving. I bought a lot online and shipped it directly to grandma's, but we had a few things that just didn't make sense to ship, namely an Easy Bake Oven that I couldn't find online and bought here locally. So, we did a Matthews Pre-Christmas and opened several things early. It was strange not having all the presents on one morning-- the typical Christmas Story-esque consumer orgy-- but it was so much easier to have some things that didn't require shipping. We opened on Saturday night, so the kids would have a day to enjoy before we took off for the Midwest. In retrospect, I do miss the family time for Christmas, but I'm not sure how we'll really adjust to that in the future. Maybe more gifts in Henderson? Maybe traveling home before or after the holiday? Who knows. I'm open to suggestions.

The kids used some of their own  money to buy gifts for each other this year, and they seemed to really appreciate it. A good tradition to start.

Video Games R Us

It's an Easy Bake Oven!

It's so hot in Vegas that Sam can't even wear his shirt inside!! (No, it's all that sweaty Lego building...)

Easy Bake red velvet cupcakes. They are Barbie-sized-- can you see them on the plate? Hilarious.

Snow!

Yes, that's right. Today in the hills of Las Vegas we woke up to snow! We had this crazy windy storm overnight, but I didn't hear rain this morning. Storms not being the torrents of rain we're accustomed to in the Midwest, that's typical. But when I pulled apart the blinds, snow! Very fine, crazy, swirling snow. It lasted about 30 minutes off and on, and covered our backyard, the cars out front, and the mountains behind us. It was beautiful, but minimally intrusive. The kids were singing "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!" all morning. We were late getting Kate to school because of the school traffic, but what a joyful morning.

Our new home

I just realized there are no pictures of the new house on the blog! Oops!

Here it is!

Stu and the kids on the first visit to the house.

Obviously this is during Mamaw and Papaw's visit in October

Visitors!

We were so excited to have out first visitors this weekend! Mom and Dad came to visit for the long weekend. They had never been to Vegas, so the pressure was on to show them an extra good time. We tried!
Friday was Kate's birthday, but other than cookie cake, we really didn't celebrate until Saturday night, when we headed to Margaritaville (the pirate restaurant) and had dinner. Kate got a special birthday balloon and visit from one of the girls on stilts. They offered Dad a hat too, but he passed. Instead, we got him an official Tshirt. We went to the Bellagio and saw the Conservatory and also the fountain show. It was Halloween weekend, of course, so it amped up the freaky people watching a bit.
The rest of the weekend we just enjoyed family time. We shopped, went to church, carved pumpkins and made cookies.

It was hard to see them go, but we had a great time!

The ad on the baggage claim reads: "HINT: You aren't in Kansas anymore. Welcome to Vegas!"

Mom and Dad above the Strip.

Love this picture in the Bellagio Conservatory!

Bored in Las Vegas (Henderson, actually)

Kate's birthday

What? Kate had a birthday?

She did!

First she had a Chuck E. Cheese party with her new Las Vegas friends. We invited 9 kids, plus mine, and ALL of them showed up! I don't think I've ever had that happen before. Now, some of those were siblings, but clearly Kate is much loved by our new friends. Sam had a couple of buddies there too, so everyone had a great time. She chose a Barbie theme.

Then, Mamaw and Papaw showed up for their first visit, just in time for Kate's birthday. We picked them up LATE Thursday night, and honestly Kate was grouchy for the next 2 days (including her birthday). Oh well. Lesson learned. We got a cookie cake for home celebration and singing on the night of her birthday, but her real wish was to go to Margaritaville, which we affectionately refer to either as the Pirate Restaurant or the Volcano Restaurant. We just knew Papaw would LOVE the pirate restaurant! (Actually, the best thing about this visit to Margaritaville was finding out about the locals discount card for future visits! Go locals!) She loves the restaurant

Thank you to all who remembered Kate's birthday from afar. We had so many gifts sent from friends and family back home, and it was a great treat for Kate to see what came through the mail.

Who cares about the writing??? Here are the pics!

The Birthday Girl with Leilani

Dancing with Chuck E Cheese was a big source of excitement.
This is Bailey (from new preschool), Kate, and Jaeden (old preschool)

Montana and her mom Anna take games seriously!

Kate and Jaeden. I'm not sure what they're doing.

Opening presents!

Barbie birthday cake! (The boys especially loved the Barbie theme!)

Present opening could not wait for clothes, or for Dad to get home. (We held back a few gifts for him to witness, but it was hard to wait!)

A lamp from Uncle Lysle and Aunt Carolyn (no, they didn't ship it from Independence!) It's for her new room!

Grandma and Granddad sent the Barbie hair salon, complete with a working (questionable term) sink and markers for hair coloring. It took some real work, but we managed to get it up and running. It was a big favorite of Kate's. FYI, Moms love this type of gift. Really. Fun.

This is the October 28 birthday cake.  

First day of School!

Sam and Kate both started school today. Not many stories really, but I did get some pictures. Sam loved it and liked math best. Kate said all they did was puzzles, but I'm not too sure about that. I hope not!

Our kids on the balcony of our temporary apartment-- Looking good, right?!

Walking to the school. We had to park about 2 blocks away-- it was crazy!

Sam with school supplies in tow. Can you see all the people? Chaos!

Kate's first day at preschool Nothing as cute as the mural at Stepping Stones to take pictures in front of, but here she is anyway, dressed in her favorite purple with purple shoelaces in her (required) tennis shoes!

After school... happy boy = success!

Road Trip Pics



They started happy... this is in Lee's Summit McDonalds.

Scenic Hays Kansas (we made a lot of scenic stops, ha). Subway, Sam's favorite. Still happy!

Day 2: Rest Stop in the Mountains on the west side of Denver

Amazing scenery! I 70 from Colorado through Utah is lonely, but truly scenic!

Ghost Rock overlook in Utah. Amazing! (Day 3: Still Happy!)

Dad does not approve of the dancing on the rocks!

Beautiful

My New Las Vegas Lifestyle

I sit here, at 5 pm, Pacific time of course, lounging poolside and writing this post. We are thankfully shaded here, and I hate to admit to you that is pool is much more plush than ours will be, once built. But then again, we're staying in a million-dollar condo high-rise, so I guess there should be perks.
The kids are playing eith 5 other kids in the large pool, various ages and ethnicities, but all getting along as if they'd been friends for years, or at least weeks. Kids are remarkable in this, the ability to find friends and forget friends easily.
Our day started rough, despite my pep talk. Prayer would have been a better start, but ad it's not on any of my lists, it was forgotten. Kids woke too early, i even earlier. I had a dream about old friends, which seems the pattern. Last night it was a Colorado football game with Jolie and the girls from League. Colorado, I thought. It's not even in the Big 12!
I did manage to work. More than I thought when I added it all up. Kate is still impatient (I know where she got it) and restless, and who can blame her. It's like the first day of the next month of our lives... Too temporary to be more or less.
Stu is gone overnight. Adjusting to his schedule seems totally different when my expectations are of the perfect, nuclear family. I'll readjust when life gets more of a pattern.
We went to a park, which took me at least twice as much drive time as it should have because I was trying to find other parks, but ended up back up in Highlands, near our house and the school. Got a call from the school nurse about immunizations missing (need a pediatrician already???), so ran up there. Good thing is we ran into Sam's new teacher totally at random (thanks God), and she gave Sam a big hig and was great. Yea!

We went to a mall. Boring, like most malls, and with expensive food and no Hallmark store. (Do people still buy cards at hallmark stores?) Ended up at CVS instead.
Registered for library cards. Our first official Vegas identification. Establishing quiet reading time each day for the kids' benefit, to balance out screen time and for my own peace.
People here are fantastic. Really, I do not exaggerate. Even the hoopty 20-somethings in the building are nice to the kids and smile or introduce their dogs (sniff sniff). I'm so glad to find this aspect of Vegas totally different than Albuquerque. Hallelujah.
Now here, poolside, typing and reading a book. Bliss. They are working out their energy and can be as loud as they want without splitting my ears! Later dinner, and more glamourous unpacking. Beautiful.

On the road to Vegas, day 1

Where have we been all summer? What have you been doing wi your summer of fun?

Well, I'd love to answer that, but there's no time.

We're on the road to Vegas! After 8+ years of Stu's traveling every week at 6 am on Monday morning, we're finally relocating to join him where he lives. It's a big move. Lots of planning. Lots of waiting. Lots of sleepless nights. Lots of traveling.

We left this morning after a week or more of teary goodbyes to friends and family around 9:30, with the goal of getting to Limon, Colorado. Which, we did. We've had a blissfully uneventful trip so far, eaten at a mcdonalds, a subway, and a local Limon hangout. We have a faulty connection in one of the beloved headrest DVD players, but no real problems to speak of. Kids have been well fed and well entertained by movies, scavenger hunts, present unwrapping and tons of goodies delivered by our friends for the trip.

When we crossed the state line into Colorado, it occurred to me that I really feel more like a Kansas girl than a Missouri one. An Independence girl for sure, but my husband, my parents, my college, my work all exist on the other side of the state line. Lea ing all that behind is an interesting process. Who am I, if not a KC local? How am I defined, if not by the friends and family I have, the places I like to go, the work I like to do?

Well, that's why we call it an adventure! Sam's considering going by Samuel out here, which is totally doable! We will have new places to call favorite, a new church home, a new home home! I guess this is where rubber meets road. Who am I, and who do I want to be?

Watch and learn.