Aunt Bonnie

The day my mom left we stopped by to visit my mom's aunt Bonnie.... Rodger's mom.  My grandma Lembke's younger sis.  She had knee surgery and is recooping in a local recoop center place.

Below is the view out of our guest bedroom :) hint hint

finding our place

Sorry i haven't updated you guys in a while.  

It is weird being on this end of things... what I mean is, I have always lived in Alta Loma (for the most part) ... and attended the same church for ever, then when the Flipside broke off, I went there.... pretty much, I was never the "new girl."  I was always the one who was encouraged to help new people feel welcomed and belonged... and now I am on that end of it... I am the new girl trying to find my place in this new culture.  

I have a friend now... Kimberly!  She is super sweet and nice.  She lives in Jefferson and has two boys... (I have talked about her before) Her and her husband planted a church in Jefferson a few years back.  They, too, are non-natives to Georgia.  We have attended their church a few times in Jefferson.  It is about twenty minutes from our home.  We really enjoy Darrel (Kimberly's hubby) and his sermons and just who he is.... their church is small, which is nice.  I don't want to go to a HUGE church where you are just a number.... but on the other hand, there isn't a whole lot of friend choices for Haley... as in, NO girls are in her class in the church... she either goes with Hunter (which she has) or she sits with us in the big service.  

I have gone to a moms group that meets really close to my house.  It is not affliated with any religious groups... which is fine with me.... I kinda wanna see what else is out here.   I went only once.  I am not sure if I will go back.  They were all very nice.  It cost money to join and the kids that go are a lot younger then Hunter and he is who needs the socialization.... so we will see. 

This morning we went to Lanier Hills Church, in Gainesville.  It is about 35 minutes from us.  We really enjoyed it.  It has  some  groups for us to check out and possibly get involved with to meet people.   Haley and Hunter have the same class... which was a plus.  The only bummer is that the church isnt super close to where we live.  And some of the groups meet even farther then the church is from us.  

So we havent really found our home church yet.  We are still praying about which direction we should go.  Maybe we will continue to check out other churches closer to us. 

I am finding that I am having to put myself out there... I have to make the effort to meet people and ask questions.  I have to be brave and go to a play group without knowing anyone there.  It is easier then I thought... just time consuming.  Being a mom is time consuming as it is and to maintain the friendships you already have take up time and energy as well....  I guess I just pray there are girls out there who are willing to pour time into getting to know me.

Just some things I am learning

- FIRE ANTS.... this is my current fear right now.  my friend, Kimberly, has a son Hunter's age who once fell in a fire ant hill and got HUNDREDS of bites from the ants.  Of course out of all three children of mine, who would fall into a hill.... HUNTER.... and he did.  LUCKILY he did NOT get bitten.  I guess they hurt.   Haley got bit by one yesterday and she screamed... she said it stung.  YUCK

- HAY STACKS.... they are everywhere!  What do you do with hay?

- MIN speed limits.... You cant drive less then 40 miles per hour on the INTERSTATE.  I laughed at this law... but the other day I got caught behind someone who WASNT going faster then 40 and because there isnt like five lanes on the Interstate to pass the slow poke... it isnt fun 

- I LIVE IN THE BIBLE BELT..... I have a lot of things to go under this fact.... you know you are in the bible belt when the TEN commandments are posted on the interstate for all to read.  Also, people have it posted as a sign in their yards.  When you meet people in the store.... they ask, "Have you found a church yet?"  One guy told JImmy, that he has to find a good baptist church.  EVERYONE here goes to church.  

- ROAD KILL HERE IS DISTURBING.... it is like a BIG honking carcass to avoid with your  car.

- I hit a dog... :( because there are not a whole lot of "privacy fences" dogs run loose.... oops... I didnt kill it... but it scared me to death.

- EVERY CHURCH HAS A CEMETARY.... nice

- SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED ON ELECTION DAY.  Today Haley is hanging out here because schools close down on election day because that is where people vote.

- THE FALL COLORS COME OUT MORE AND MORE EACH DAY.... it is beautiful!

- DEER WILL JUST VISIT YOUR HOUSE.... the other day JIm saw deer crossing our street.... just out cruisin' the neighborhood.

- Hunter and Jonah sharing a room STINKS......  It is getting better but they like to wake each other up.... NICE

- GEtting use to east coast time is weird.  It is weird to watch a baseball or football game and on the game it is daylight... but you are watching it live and it is pitch black outside.

- COLLEGE FOOT BALL IS HUGE.... HUGE.... on a game day, people dress themselves... their mailboxes... their shoes... walmart has a Georgia Bulldog ROOM to shop in with all stuff Georgia Bull dogs.... 

- You can see the stars.... :)

Thats it for now ... :)

Halloween

Flowery Branch and neighboring cities, do not do a ton of Halloween stuff.... Trick or treating isnt huge here.  Most shopping centers pass out candy for Halloween.  

And they trick or treat between the hours of 4 and 6 :) so it is day light.... and warmer... which was nice

We went out to jefferson, georgia to trick or treat with some new friends, Darrel and Kimberly.

A church in Jefferson had a free bounce house thing.

Jenny came with us.... scott worked

Haley was in rare form

Below was during our car ride to Jefferson.... Hunt took a cat nap.

Both Hunter and Jonah are wearing costumes that I got from my MOPS costume exchange.... Pooh Bear and a Chicken.  Haley went as a High School Musical - East High Cheer leader. 

Pumpkin Carving Fun

Ok... I am still learning my new computer and cant figure out how to move the pictures into the order I want them.... I am frustrated so I am leaving it as it is :)

Scott and Jenny (well, I think Jenny) went out and bought the kids pumpkins before we even got here.  They wanted to help the kids carve pumpkins... which, if you know me, was a huge load off.  I am not thrilled with getting my hands inside the pumpkin :)

Scott "helped" hunter.... meaning... Scott did Hunters pumpkin for him while Hunter told him what he wanted.... Now this was a crack up.  Hunter wanted a train tunnel... SHOCKER... scott tried to get him to have a train tunnel threw the Jack-o-Lanterns mouth... NO... Hunter wanted a BIG rectangle as a tunnel...

He was SOOOOOOOO thrilled with what Uncle Scoby made!  (Check out the picture where is almost hugging it... then he hugs Uncle Scoby!)

Jenny helped Haley.  Haley attempted to help scoop out the stuff.... but i think Jenny did most of the pumpkin :)  

I made Jonah's.... YES I even scooped out the crap inside... It was NASTY!

My mom roasted up the seeds and we ate them afterwards.

The kids had a blast!!!  

We did this a week ago and all BUT Hunter's tunnel has collapsed.  

(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!