Trick or Treat Neighbor

We had so much fun trick or treating tonight in our new neighborhood. We live in an older neighborhood, so we were thrilled to find out that we have neighbors a few houses down with a little boy just a bit older than Graham. And....Brad, the husband is from Austin! Yea for fellow Texans!

We invited them over for burgers tonight before we all went trick or treating. The kids all had a blast, and Audra and Brad were so much fun. Not only are they fun people, but they hooked us up with a babysitter!!! That might have made my night.

Family photo op....

Brad, with all three little ones...Adddison is into saying "cheese" whenever she sees the camera, so we've been getting a lot of nice "natural" shots.

My little lion

Lion and the ladybug

Unlike my neighbor, Audra, who has yet to introduce her child to sugar...I allowed Addison to stuff M&M's straight into her brother's mouth. I figured it promoted sharing.

He didn't seem to mind

I love this one....

Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!!

Latest Happenings

Well, we've officially been here a week. My week has consisted of sorting through the last of the boxes, hanging out at the DMV for 4 hours, playing with the kids, being outside as much as possible, and missing friends and family terribly.

I'm not just saying that about the last part. I have had a few "down" days lately. I feel kind of guilty for even feeling that way because I seriously think we live in one of the most beautiful places ever, we love our house, but it is lonely and just weird starting completely over.

We have met some really nice people, but I miss that feeling of comfort when you hang out with friends you've had for what seems like forever. I don't like the whole small talk thing, it reminds me of going on an interview for a job you're not even sure you want.

I know it will get better, and I know it takes time, but it's still.....just a little sad.

We are having some neighbors over to grill out an go trick or treating tomorrow and we are also going to try out a church for the first time, so hopefully we'll be making some connections soon. In the mean time, I've been having fun exploring with my 3 favorite people.

I have also taken up running. I say this so loosely. To be fair, I'm just starting with interval training, building up to a 5K, but it's hard not to want to at least try it out here. I don't even have to sweat doing it. That, and the YMCA charges for childcare, so my gym is the pavement.

This gives you an idea of what my gym looks like....=) No humidity, cool, & beautiful. I will take it.

Yesterday, Addison was asking to go to the beach, so we drove to La Jolla, which is just so beautiful. We actually live about a 5 minute drive to the beach, but La Jolla is about 20 minutes south of us and well worth the drive.

Then yesterday we went to the park for a Halloween party. It was put on by a group of moms near where we live that I found online. Andy met us up after work, so it was fun to let the kids run around and meet a few people....but again, just a little weird being the new kid.

Addison had a blast though.


Then today she insisted on wearing her costume again over her pajamas....if it looks familiar, it's because it was also last year's costume. Hey, it's the best we could do after all of the chaos of the last month.
Graham and Addison are really starting to play together more. He is just happy being around her, and she has been really good with him. It makes me smile.
And it makes Graham smile too.

Long Overdue

October has been a blur. I knew it would be, and oh, it was. We are finally settled in Carlsbad. Andy and I are not ones to leave things undone or wait until we just get around to it, so the last two weeks have been a mad frenzy trying to make the most of our time with childcare, i.e. Grandparents, and get everything done.

I cleaned out my camera today, and I was finally able to unload pics from our last few weeks in Houston, which were amazing.

Let me start with Oct. 2.

That was my birthday and the day that our movers came to load up our house.

Sheila had called me a few days earlier to let me know that she would be "kidnapping" me for a girls pedicure and Sam would make a pancake breakfast for the kiddos while Andy supervised the movers. I was so excited for some good girl time and showed up as ordered to her house with kids in pajamas at 9am.

As soon as we opened the door, I realized that we were not going to get pedicures, but it was a gagillion times better.

My sweet, sweet friends had thrown a surprise birthday party for GRAHAM. You see, I was already a little bummed that we wouldn't have our friends around to celebrate Graham's first birthday in December, so Sheila had gone all out, along with Georgia, Mary, Kim, Kat, & Becky to celebrate early because as Sheila said, "Everyone deserves a first birthday party!" Oh, how I love these girls. Graham didn't know what was going on, but he was thrilled just the same.

**Let me also interject that he had a slight boo on his nose from our failed photo session on the front porch where he face planted the day before. Cute just the same.

She even put all these little pictures that she had highjacked from my blog on the paper as decorations.

Ok, don't get me started on these two. Sheila, Sam & Beckett took us in for over 2 weeks during the time we were "homeless" in Houston. Addison slept in Beckett's car toddler bed, and as I like to say, we were homeless and Addison was sleeping in the car. Funny to me....not so funny when she proceeds to tell her teacher at school.

But back to Addison and Beckett. These kiddos are best buds and I want to cry every time that Addison asks to go see him now that he's a plane ride away instead of a 2 minute car ride.

Kim and the early birthday boy

This kid is always smiling.

Playing with Miss Lexi

Opening presents! Yes, there were even presents.

I love this little guy so much

Ok, and then it was time for my birthday fun. It was a great excuse to get some of our closest friends together to celebrate the big 3-2 and say, sniff, sniff....goodbye.

Starting off at the Goose....

Jacqueline, me, Sheila, Becky, and Georgia

Fun at Grimaldi's!!!

Kat, Sheila, Georgia, Ashley, Becky, and Jacqueline

Lots and lots of fun.....and wine.

Andy and Matt

Kat

Birthday night was so much fun. I didn't include the pictures of the three hours that followed of venturing back and forth between Crush and Baker Street, stealing feather boas from bachelorette's and paying the shot girl to NOT come back to the table, because, well....that would just be embarrassing. But trust, me....good times.

Back to wholesome goodness

Addison's teachers Miss Lisa (Wisa) and Miss Delyn

Addison loved the short time she was able to go to school and keeps asking to go back. She and I are both so sad that she had to leave. I will most likely be waiting until next fall to start her out here so we can get to know the area, etc.

And now to our first week in CA.

Nana flew out with us last Friday and there is NO WAY I could have done it without her. I'm not just talking about the plane ride.....everything.

Graham loved having time with his Nana

Addison loves playing outside. It's such a change from Houston, where I gave any excuse not to go outside because I am a wimp when it comes to heat, humidity, and mosquitoes.

Here.....go outside anytime you want kiddo.

Feeding her new pet fish.

Graham taking it all in.

I am sure that sometime in the next week, I will be finally testing out that hammock.

Graham has really become all boy. He loves cars and any ball he can get his hands on. He is already picking them up and throwing them overhead. Quite the little jock.

Happy girl

Today was our first real day. I say real because we had to take Nana to the airport this morning. I just kept asking her not to go. I have never lived a plane ride away from my parents. It's a weird feeling. I know I'm in my thirties, but it's still hard.

Driving back home from the airport, I decided to try a farmer's market near our house. I am in love. It's open every day of the year and owned by a Texan. Not only does it have beautiful produce, but homemade tortillas and salsa, made fresh daily. The day was looking up.

I'm going to try to do a little "tour" of our new home in the next couple of days. We are really enjoying it and would want to stay here forever if we could just pick up all of our friends and family that we left behind and move them here with us.

Tomorrow we actually have a playdate. It's with a girl that I met on the airplane out here! Isn't that crazy? She was so friendly and had a sweet little baby girl, so I just put myself out there and asked her to come over. It's the weirdest feeling knowing NO ONE.

So Texas friends, come visit soon!!!