Please note the year in the title of the post. That is not a typo. I am three, yes, THREE years behind. But I am determined to get caught up. I'm enjoying the little trip down memory lane. I can't believe how small my kids are, though!
*This new doormat for our new home sums it up!!
*Once Jared had accepted the job offer in Texas knowing his commute would be 100 miles each day and before leaving Oregon, he traded in his "new" Honda Pilot for a brand new Honda Civic to help us with the cost of gas. After driving up to Madisonville and back each day for a month or so, Jared felt that a hybrid car would still be an advantageous help. Even though gas prices were coming down, they were still pretty high. So he started to look into trading in the Civic for a hybrid one. The problem we discovered is that College Station--a large college town out in the middle of nowhere and off the beaten path from any major city (over an hour to Waco, 3 hours to Dallas, 2 hours to Houston, 3 hours to San Antonio, and over an hour to Austin)--doesn't have any options for used cars. :( Not really. One dealer per common auto maker at best.
So what probably would have taken only a weekend (maybe two, tops) in Oregon, ended up taking about six weeks (and many of his free Saturdays) for Jared. He first had to find a hybrid car that he was interested in, then he had to talk to a dealer employee about "numbers." Then he would have to drive to go see it. He drove all the way to San Antonio on Sat. Nov. 1st with a promising lead only to come back without a car. A whole day off, wasted. Finally, later that week, he found one in Dallas that he thought would work. Everything fell into place and blessedly, someone at the dealer offered to drive the car down to Jared's workplace in Madisonville (only two hours each way!) and swap it out with the one we were trading. We were so grateful to not have to drive all the way to Dallas and back. Unfortunately, for the employee, he left his wallet in the car we were buying so Jared had to mail it back to him!
The car is nothing fancy. Same color as our other one. It's a year older and not quite as fancy than the new one we had, but it gets great gas mileage!
*Even with a hybrid, we still had a suburban and loved seeing the steady decline in gas!!
*On Monday, November 3rd, I had an ARD meeting regarding placement for JJ in the district's speech program. But there was a fire in the room we were to meet in and it was currently under some water thanks to the overhead sprinklers. :o So...we rescheduled.
*On Wednesday, November 5th, I arranged for a babysitter for JJ and began what I thought was a trip to the DMV to surrender my Oregon Drivers License and get a Texas one. Ah, no. It was a fail of epic proportions! The massive DMV (about 30 minutes north of us on the outskirts of the Bryan area) was virtually empty and my wait time was maybe 2 minutes. I should have known there was a reason for that. Jared and I pored over the DMV web site to make sure we had everything we needed and even called and listened to the automated message about the process. So when I went to my assigned window, I had all the necessary documents showing my identification and proof of residency, etc. I told the lady that I wanted to switch my license over. She asked me for my TX car registration. I told her my car isn't registered yet. She said that one cannot get a TX drivers license until the car has been registered in TX first. What? This was news to us! So after getting some fuzzy directions, at best, from the lady who was kind enough to give them to me, I set out to go into downtown Bryan to find the Brazos County Tax Office. She might as well have sent me to Mars. I am terrible with directions and was in a big new place and was not feeling very hopeful. Miraculously, I found the office. This place was a lot more crowded. When I finally got to my window, I told the lady what I was trying to do, but that I needed to register my car first. She asked to see my vehicle inspection report. You've got to be kidding me! Okay, maybe I should have known I would need to get my vehicle inspected first, before registering it. But it had been a really long nine months and it was not an obvious thing at the time. Besides, I just do as I'm told. The lady at the DMV said I needed to register the car first. Not that I needed to get it inspected THEN get it registered. *sigh* At that point, I realized I was done for the day. I had no idea where to get the car inspected and that was my next task.
*One of our amazing ward members, Susan McKneely, whose husband served in the stake presidency, was over stake public affairs. She was able to arrange for the movie "Meet the Mormons" to come to College Station for a limited time and we were all so excited to see it! Cooper got to see it with a friend on Halloween. Jared and Jake were going to see it the evening of Thurs. Nov. 6th. So Karcyn and I went to see the 5:15 showing of it before them. We had a great time just us girls. It was a wonderful and moving documentary about all the different faces of members of our church around the world. You can watch "Meet the Mormons" here.
*On Saturday, November 8th, our Elders Quorum organized a Progressive Dinner for the adult ward members. I volunteered to host since we could seat 8 and actually had a new home and dining room that would allow us to do so! I just had to make the main course, which was a yummy baked chicken with rice and the other couples would bring the other parts of the meal. Hosting such things actually gives me a little stress. I'm not an entertainer in any sense of the word. But I enjoyed trying to create a small table-scape and festive place settings.
When I put the second leaf in our dining room table, I was so sad to learn that it had been warped just enough that it wouldn't close 100%. So there was a teensy weensy gap (big enough) that I was hoping the place mats and food would cover!
*On Wednesday, November 5th, I arranged for a babysitter for JJ and began what I thought was a trip to the DMV to surrender my Oregon Drivers License and get a Texas one. Ah, no. It was a fail of epic proportions! The massive DMV (about 30 minutes north of us on the outskirts of the Bryan area) was virtually empty and my wait time was maybe 2 minutes. I should have known there was a reason for that. Jared and I pored over the DMV web site to make sure we had everything we needed and even called and listened to the automated message about the process. So when I went to my assigned window, I had all the necessary documents showing my identification and proof of residency, etc. I told the lady that I wanted to switch my license over. She asked me for my TX car registration. I told her my car isn't registered yet. She said that one cannot get a TX drivers license until the car has been registered in TX first. What? This was news to us! So after getting some fuzzy directions, at best, from the lady who was kind enough to give them to me, I set out to go into downtown Bryan to find the Brazos County Tax Office. She might as well have sent me to Mars. I am terrible with directions and was in a big new place and was not feeling very hopeful. Miraculously, I found the office. This place was a lot more crowded. When I finally got to my window, I told the lady what I was trying to do, but that I needed to register my car first. She asked to see my vehicle inspection report. You've got to be kidding me! Okay, maybe I should have known I would need to get my vehicle inspected first, before registering it. But it had been a really long nine months and it was not an obvious thing at the time. Besides, I just do as I'm told. The lady at the DMV said I needed to register the car first. Not that I needed to get it inspected THEN get it registered. *sigh* At that point, I realized I was done for the day. I had no idea where to get the car inspected and that was my next task.
*One of our amazing ward members, Susan McKneely, whose husband served in the stake presidency, was over stake public affairs. She was able to arrange for the movie "Meet the Mormons" to come to College Station for a limited time and we were all so excited to see it! Cooper got to see it with a friend on Halloween. Jared and Jake were going to see it the evening of Thurs. Nov. 6th. So Karcyn and I went to see the 5:15 showing of it before them. We had a great time just us girls. It was a wonderful and moving documentary about all the different faces of members of our church around the world. You can watch "Meet the Mormons" here.
As we left the theater and headed to the suburban, I realized the car next to us was parked really close to my driver's side. I am not that big around and while it's not easily seen here in this picture, I could barely suck-it-in and squeeze through so forget about the door opening! I could barely stick my foot in. So I got into the suburban on the passenger side and proceeded to engage in an unplanned and very uncomfortable aerobic and yoga workout trying to get my body over the middle console and behind the wheel. Not cool!
*On Saturday, November 8th, our Elders Quorum organized a Progressive Dinner for the adult ward members. I volunteered to host since we could seat 8 and actually had a new home and dining room that would allow us to do so! I just had to make the main course, which was a yummy baked chicken with rice and the other couples would bring the other parts of the meal. Hosting such things actually gives me a little stress. I'm not an entertainer in any sense of the word. But I enjoyed trying to create a small table-scape and festive place settings.
When I put the second leaf in our dining room table, I was so sad to learn that it had been warped just enough that it wouldn't close 100%. So there was a teensy weensy gap (big enough) that I was hoping the place mats and food would cover!
We had a wonderful dinner with the Elder's quorum president and his wife (Gary and Jennifer Thurgood), the primary president and her husband (Laurie and Nick McKernan) and a senior couple in the High Priests group (Steve and Mary Nielsen). After dinner, I presented each couple with a framed saying about thankfulness and gratitude and then we headed off to the final home for dessert and a white elephant gift exchange with the rest of the ward couples!
*On Monday, Nov. 10th, we had a family lesson and meeting and for our activity, we took the car topper of the burb, which meant I could finally pull it into the garage!! Yay for progress!!
We also enlisted the help of the kids in putting together the cardboard can organizers. I packed the ones I had in Oregon in our deep freezer for our move so they would stay intact. But because of my super pantry here in Texas, I needed more. I ordered them here. They come in 4 packs and are flat pieces of cardboard when you get them. A quick look at a "how to" video online and the kids were good to go!
JJ was having fun stacking the organizers and making a VERY tall tower.
A little too tall!! :)
Whoops! I was just glad JJ didn't do an "end-o" off the table! He's good at that I'm afraid. :(
*On Tuesday, November 11th, JJ started the SMILE program (speech through the school district for children between the ages of 3 and 5). He was super excited. He was in the afternoon session every T/TH and the bus transported him to and from Pebblecreek Elementary. They picked him up at 11:30 and brought him home around 2:25--about an hour before Karcyn and Calvin got home from school.
*On Wed. Nov. 12th, I had planned to swing by Auto Fix for that car inspection, but it didn't work out. Probably because the little kids were out early that day at 12:45.
*Later that week, Calvin came home with this award. I didn't know what it was for. His teacher didn't say anything to me about it. (I have since learned the students are recognized at a school-wide assembly when receiving these awards). But I was proud of him anyway and put it on the fridge. (Notice I had to tape it there. If I didn't mention this already, take a magnet with you when buying a refrigerator. Silly me thought they were all magnetic! Not true.)
A couple days later, I found this note on the counter. (The granite looks pink...it is not. :)
And here is that very special first grader. At least he said "Love, Calvin" in his note to Cooper.
Karcyn's third grade picture.
Jake cuddling JJ.
*Jared and I went to the temple on Saturday, Nov. 15th. We have found that if we leave College Station at 5:15am, we can make it to the 7am session. Then we are home around 10:45am. The kids are asleep for about half that time, which helps with certain sibling relations.
*Sunday, Nov. 16th, we pulled into the church parking lot. There was a big, white passenger van that had the words "TERMINATE TEMPLE" written in bold marker on the windows. Jake questioned it with confusion in his voice. "Terminate Temple? Really? Why would they say that?" I was briefly stumped myself, but the absence of the article part of speech "the" was key for me. "I think they meant terminate a sports team from Temple, TX." Jake was relieved and said, "Man, I was wondering why they were even at church if they wanted to terminate THE temple!" ;)
*On Nov. 17th, I tried to go to Auto Fix to get that inspection for the suburban, but it didn't come to pass that day either. On Nov. 20th, I finally spoke to someone at Auto Fix to find out about a car inspection. They were super busy but said that Wednesday, Nov. 26th would work. I calculated that this was the day before Thanksgiving. I clarified that they were open that day. The guy said yes and asked if 1:30pm would work. I said, yes. Hallelujah.
*Karcyn and her silly glasses she earned at Mathnasium.
*The little kids enjoying their big back yard on a warm November evening.
*Jake's Lego replica of a cell that he made for pre-AP biology. His teacher was impressed.
*The before picture of my brand new bedroom carpet that got stained when an unthoughtful repair main tracked mud in off his boots.
*Fortunately, I own this stuff called Branch Basics and it does wonders!! We've had miraculous success with getting strawberry juice out of cream carpet and blood out of a brand new Tae-Kwon-Do uniform. And it got mud out of brand new carpet, too!!
*JJ dressing himself for church, with not just one, but TWO shirts! Such a big boy. :)
*Our new bed and bedspread. Still no lamps. Our bed is so high that while it's a queen sized mattress, we had to get a king sized comforter to fit. I love my high bed. The ledge helps us get in. :)
*On a walk with JJ, we found a butterfly and a fuzzy caterpillar. Love the weather here during the fall!! Wow!
*On Wednesday, Nov. 26th, Jared worked only a half day in Madisonville, from 8-noon. So as soon as he got back around 1pm, we took the suburban to Auto Fix for our 1:30 appointment to get this blasted car inspection done. When we arrived, it was closed. That's right. Locked up. I was so miffed. Since my adventure when I first attempted to get my new license, someone had told us that you're supposed to get your out-of-state drivers license switched over within 30 days of moving to Texas. Because we were moving into our new home a few months after we got here, I didn't want to have to get a new license or a sticker to cover up my previous address, so I thought I was being really clever to wait until we moved into our new house. I obviously didn't know about that "law." After finding the doors to Auto Fix closed for the day, I dared any officer or sheriff to pull us over for out-of-state plates. I had a few choice things to say about the matter and it certainly wasn't for a lack of trying!!
*Would you believe there is a street less than two miles from our house called McCullough Road? Yeah, we couldn't either. So we stopped and got our pictures taken in front of it to let our McCullough clan back in Oregon know they will always be on our minds...especially when driving north on Wellborn Road. :)
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