(Jane this pic is for you :) I will think of you often :)

So we finally have the internet at home!  PRAISE GOD.  I never really FULLY knew how much the internet meant to me.  Right now it is my MAIN source of communication to friends!  It is still in the works... we dont have wifi and the ONLY area in our house where I can plug in my lap top is in the kitchen in the corner by the refridge... so it isnt the best of circumstances...

Ok skype friends... SKYPE ME AWAY!  If you dont have skype... GET IT NOW :)  even if you dont have a camera, we can chat... you would be able to see me (Tara I have fixed my webcam)  I just wouldnt SEE you... I could hear you... and did I mention it is FREE!!!!!

I havent joined a mops yet.  The one I wanted to go to hasnt contacted me yet!  errrrrrr  There isnt info on what time they meet or else i would just show up.

The fall colors are beautiful here!!  I didnt know trees could really turn these bright brillant colors.  

My mom has been having a ton of fun with the kids... Cupcakes.... reading.... all sorts of fun.  You can keep Haley in prayer... I really think she is going to struggle the hardest once my mom leaves Nov 3rd. Right now... she wont leave my moms side.

this is our VERY pink dining room.  Since we re renting... this is how the house came.... :)  I think it is good JIm is color blind

Aunt Jenny and Uncle Scoby fun

We are ONLINE.... FINALLY!!!  I will post more later

Adjusting update

We are all adjusting pretty well.  We are in our home now... have been since monday night.  Jenny and scott have let us borrow their GPS (who I have named Bob) so we havent gotten lost recently :).  

Hunter has not started preschool.... the school I thought he was going to go didnt work out ... so we are looking into a preschool that we found that is in cahoots with the elementary schools here in Hall county.  It reminds me a lot like the preschool he attended back in Cali.  Mrs. Jones will be proud :).  He misses Mrs. Jones a LOT!!  Not as much as he misses nate, though... one conversation my mom had with Hunt went like this...

Hunt: Nana, do you still miss papa?

Nana:  Ya.. do you miss papa?

Hunt: No........ I miss Nate!

The kids are having a hard time adjusting to a new bed time... we are three hours ahead of all our california people... 

I think I found a mops group I might try.  There is a church 2 minutes away from our home that has a mops group... I am hoping to try that out next Tuesday and see what I think.  SO far I havent heard back from the chick in charge who I have emailed.  

This sunday we are going to attend a church in Jefferson (15 min from where we live).  We heard about them threw Steve and Kevin (some resource they have I guess).  Anyways... We had met the pastor and his wife back a year ago on line... and recently caught up with them and met them in person.  they seem so great and we look forward to seeing how their church compares to our beloved Flipside :).  They told me I could wear my flipflops... so sofar... a thumbs up :).

Haley and Hunter went to awanas last night....  they loved it.  I attended a womens "bible study" while they were at awanas.... (I used quotes because it wasnt like any bible study i have been too.... yet that is what they called it).  A paster wife got up and gave a talk.  It was realy nice, but it was so hard for me to focus on the talk... her accent was WONDERFUL!  I wanted her to say pharaoh over and over again... 

The weather here is AWESOME.... breezy, cold... but not too cold.... when I walked out to my car today I got hit by these things falling from the sky... it scared me at first... there were a ton of them... (you know me... my first thought was bugs)  then I realized it was leaves falling.... It is so pretty here!!!  

I had to go to the public health department here in gainesville, ga.  to get my kids into the school system.  While I was at this LOVELY environment... I got to learn some LOVELY facts about Georgia...

1. Georgia is the number one state with the highest % of syphilis

2. Aids is also HUGE here!

3.  Teen age pregnancy is VERY HIGH.  According to the lady who saw both Haley and Hunter... she told me that there is a lot of "Hanky Panky" that goes on here.... NICE

4. Abstences is attractive (that is a poster EVERYWHERE in this building)... the funny thing is is the guy in the picture isnt cute at all.... :)

It is pretty here and I love all the southern hostpitality.. but there are a few things i miss from Cali...

1. Vince's spaghetti

2. Flipside and friends

3. Family of course

4. Toilet seat covers (maybe this is why syphilis is big here...no just kidding)  it seems that there are no toilet seat covers in public bathrooms...

5. streets that have ONE NAME... I am not kidding every street here has more then one name.... mostly three.... winder hwy is also mundy mill rd and also known as 53 hwy.... and you need to know all these names because at anytime the street sign will show only ONE of these names.... AHHHHHHHH

6. Street lights... even though I love the stars

7. A fenced backyard for my dogs so I dont have to go outside in the cold to let them pee....

8. Faster service... like with TV, Phone and internet

9. a FLAT driveway.

10. Side walks... I miss walking Haley to school... you dont walk your kids to school.  When I signed Hay up for school I told them that we might walk... the lady told me not to do that... that no one walks to school... and it is true... there arent sidewalks....

Overall though... I do enjoy it here.  It is starting to feel less like a vacation and more like we are here to stay.  

Gotta go home now and feed my kids...

I really enjoy getting sweet txt messages and emails and a call for you all once in a while... It is very encouraging... :)

Photo Booth fun

Jimmy and I

Cousins

My mom has gained a few pounds in her face

My mom really misses my dad!!!!

We are pretty!

my web cam isnt working right now... I just get  a black screen... anyone with a mad know what I can do to fix it???  

Bare with me please

Things here in Georgia move slower then in Cal.  we are TRYING to get internet up at our house, yes we are in our house now, and so to get on line I have to go to my aunt and uncles house to get on.  today I am sitting in their driveway (they are all at work) trying to catch up on emails, reading my friends blogs (no time to comment on them - sorry) and update my own blog... so I am not prof-reading or anything... :) ... 

Hopefully we will be getting internet soon... :)

remember to keep us in your prayers!!!  We could use it :) 

Haley's second FIRST day of school

 

She really likes her class... she has already made friends.  She comes home from school happy!  I really think this placement for her was the best... 

Aunt Jenny bought her a dress for her first day of school!  It is so good that she has her aunt jenny... Aunt Jenny has the same girlie-ness to her that relates well with haley!

When you pick your kids up from school... it is a beautiful thing.  Each kid is assigned a number and each parent has a car sign with that number.  The cars move threw a line ten at a time and the kids get escorted to their parents car.  it is a VEry smooth process!!!  As a teacher who has had duty... this system (which I dont think I am explaining well) is WONDERFUL!

Buds Last NIght

Bud treated us to Cracker Barrel on his last night with us. 

While in the cracker barrel, Hunt had to use the bathroom... so I took him, lucky me...

This was our experience...

H: Mom, can we go in together (the stall)

Me: yes Hunt... (Of course... i am not leaving you alone) WAIT>.... let me go first... (I dont want to go after him)

H:  No mom... I want to go first.  (then he pulls down his pants...)  Mom, we can go together (then he proceeds to go to the side of the toilet to make room for me...)  Here, mom, you can pee on that side and I can pee on this side... we can pee together!  (he says this LOADLY that the lady in the bathroom proceeds to BUST UP)  

Me:  its ok Hunt... I will go after you...

H:  Mom... PEE NEXT TO ME!

me:  No.... 

Then he decides to pee while trying to squish his penis between the seat and the toilet.

When he finished and then it was my turn to go :)  Hunt decided it was his time to leave and walk out while I was in the process of going... thanks Hunt!

Bud was a GReAt help to us... thanks Bud for EVERYTHING.... you rock... the kids are so going to miss you :)  We love you!!!

Chestnut Mountain Elementary School...

This is Haley's new school.  It is brand new this year.  

It is COMPLETELY indoor...

Haley is going into kindergarten AGAIN.  The Cut off date in California is December 1 and in Georgia it is Sept 1.  Her b-day is Sept 26.  Even if we WANTED to have her go into first grade... we would have to fight it but really, they would RATHER her in kinder.  It is all good.  Her school is so beautiful!  

When Jim and I went to check out the school and met with the principal, she said, "Well, usually in kindergarten we dont like to get that many kids in a class.... we typically have 15 kids in a class... this year, I am sorry to say we are at 16 kids in a class but don't worry, we cap at 18 kids!"  Oh yeah and there is a teacher with a FULL time aide in the class... 
Haley asked yesterday, "Mama, the people here talk funny."

"Ya... I know... it is a little different"

"It is because we live in a different country."

There are two major wings to the school, k-2 grades and 3 - 5th grades

ALL grades rotate each week... one week they spend an hour in pe in the GYM...  then the next week, music, a week in art, a week in HOME EC...  During this time.... the teachers get prep period.  They hire part time teachers and teachers who ONLY teach the art period... or music...

The gym...

They are in BIG HUGE need for teachers out here....watch... I end up teaching here!  HA!

When you drop your kids off... school starts t 748am... but you can drop your kids off at 715 for breakfast, ... you can pretty much drop your child off anytime between 715 - 745... 

the main wing...

The main library

Super Walmart

I love WALMART!  It has EVERYTHING.... it is sooo nice here... and even has SUBWAY inside!

Aunt Pam's and Uncle Rodger's diggs....

No this isnt their place.. This house is going for $500,000.  EASY over 5000 sq ft. 

This is their place...

The view from their yard

Yeah, this is nice.. We are staying here AGAIN tonight... just for the NIGHT.  We still have no heat in our new place and our beds are getting closer to being set up... we COULD stay there, but since we have the option of sleeping at their place, we are jumping at it...

Above is their second driveway where there is a second entrance to their house... to their basement... This is where scott and jenny stayed.

This is the room Jimmy and I are staying...

This is the Georgia Bulldog room that Haley and my mom are staying in.  Both High School and College football is HUGE here!

A view from the upstairs loft down to their living room.  My Aunt Pam cleans this house herself!!!  CRAZY!

This is Bud's room in the basement... this is the room scott and jenny lived in.  It is REALLY NICE.  Notice how the windows go really low.... I LOVE IT!!!

Watching baseball... in their den

More living room pictures

Below is the Dining room.

This is the room that Hunter and Joe are sharing here at Pam's...