Life in El Paso

Well, we're here in El Paso. We've been here a little while but I'm finally able to get online and post! We ended up having to stay in a hotel for about a WEEK after arriving because our household goods couldn't be delivered until this past Friday. The hotel stays were really tough because not only were we travelling with a three year old and a baby, but we also had two REALLY ANNOYING miniature dachshunds tagging along for the ride (where did they come from again?) and we had to find dog-friendly hotels. Then, we were in a different hotel pretty much every night for the first several days, so that meant we had to take all of our stuff, a boy, a baby and two dogs in and out every night and morning. AUGH!
And there were two times that I had to do this myself!! Try lugging a luggage rack with everything needed for a baby and little boy PLUS two dogs on leashes PLUS a stroller with a crying baby who just wants to be held (really, mom, is that too much to ask?) and a kid who wants to hold the dogs and ride on the luggage dolly thing while simultaneously being held (again, is that too much to ask?)... let me just say, it was CRAZY!!

Anyway, we got to our new house and I absolutely LOVE it!! I'll post pics soon but the only pics I have right now are the "in progress" pics with boxes everywhere and I'd really like some pics now that we have the house SOMEWHAT in order. But, of course, my camera batteries died! I bought some more yesterday but they didn't work. So, now I'm trying to charge up some batteries so that I can get some new pics.

Unpacking has also been crazy. I have a baby whose feeding schedule has been completely blown apart due to the time change and all the driving (and she WAS sleeping through the night), so I'm working around her wonky schedule (which is sometimes feeding EVERY HOUR!) and trying to control my son! His latest source of joy has been chasing or harrassing our dogs. He thinks it's hilarious to watch them tottle around on their tiny little legs. I was walking into our bedroom the other day and saw Frankie running out. I turned the corner to see my wonderful, compassionate son with a yellow plastic baseball bat up above his head running after the dog with a look of pure glee on his face.

The bat was confiscated.

I put it in "time out" on the mantle over the fireplace (yes, we have a fireplace!!) only to hear a few hours from Colin that "the bat's time out is over" just in time for me to look over and see him balancing on two packing boxes at the fireplace reaching up to grab the bat. This sense of adventure and complete lack of reason MUST have come from his Daddy.

Anyway, I now have the computer set up and am finishing the unpacking process upstairs (yes, we have stairs... another source of joy for Colin... sigh). I'll hopefully have some pictures up soon.

El Paso is really neat. I think we're going to like it here a lot. We have a view of the mountains from our house, but they're unlike any mountains I'd ever seen before... there are no TREES! Seriously, aren't all mountains supposed to have trees? They have cactus (cactii?) and yucci plants (is that how to spell them?) and LOTS of rocks, but no trees. It's like a whole other country out here! And given that we're only minutes from Mexico, it makes sense. Although, Jamey will never let me forget the time I listed Mexico as a state (really, I was THINKING Texas!!), so I'm not sure it counts.

There's not much more news except stuff with Jamey's job (exciting stuff that I'll post later when I make sure I get the details right with him) and the fact that it snowed yesterday. It was SOOOOO pretty! It looked like a Christmas card! And speaking of snow at Christmas, my son has gotten it into his head that they are interchangeable... snow means Christmas and you can't have one without the other. So, he announced this morning that it wasn't Christmas anymore because it stopped snowing. I really hope we have a white Christmas or things will just not make sense to him! How did a little Florida boy get this idea?!

Ok... that's REALLY it for now. Post again later!

I'd really LOVE to hear from you all!! I have a new email address, so take note: TeamElphaba@live.com

Hope to hear from you (someone? Anyone?) soon!! (I'm not homesick at all)