Okay, this is how desperate I am for my e-mail!  I bribed Kate with a GIANT muffin at P*anera so I could check my e-mail.  I think it makes me feel more connected to my friends since our move:)

So, I can read my e-mails but not answer them.  We lost ALL of our television  and our internet! The cable company cannot get out to fix it for at least a week. I was so sad because this is premiere week, Ladies!!!!!  I did beg one of my friends to let me watch Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters last night at her house.  She kindly obliged and we even had wine while we watched the shows together. I felt like a "desperate housewife" as I dialed my girlfriends to inquire if they watched it.  None of them do!  

I am really going to miss television at around 4 p.m. everyday.  That is when I let Kate watch Superwhy or Little Bear while I supervise homework and cook dinner. She does not have all of her toys in our little apartment so this is gonna be a fun week!

Be back in about a week...

Kim asked me to post for her. She is ok, but her internet is down :( She'll be back to posting comments, emailing and the blog world in about a week.

Jennifer

Thank you Jennifer!

You might remember Jennifer (we met Memorial Day weekend this year).  We had such a nice time with Jennifer and Landree in the park!

Well, Jennifer is doing a 3 day walk to raise money for "Susan G. Komen for the cure."

Jennifer will do a blog makeover for you for a donation for this walk. She did mine and I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE it!  So, if you want to help with Breast Cancer research and you need a blog lift, go see Jennifer! She is so sweet and has a heart of gold.

Thank you again Jennifer!

Photography Blog and New house!

Upstairs Hall

We got the house!  Well, we don't close for a few weeks and we need to do inspections etc...But the above photos are of what ought to be the new Peanut home. This is a brand new house.  The reason it is furnished in these images is that it was "staged" for a photo shoot and showcase. Dave and I are not feeling too excited yet.  I think we have had such a challenging time finding something that we are wary.  The real estate market here is the only one in the US that is actually thriving and booming.  Prices are super high and the market is very competitive in the areas we want to live in. We were not prepared for that.  It took us a long time to realize how little we would actually get here for our money (in town).  We are all excited to settle in here and make this house our home.  Thanks for all your your good wishes and prayers.

Since we moved, I have not really been taking any photos.  I really love photography and I want to improve.  I plan to take some classes and to concentrate more on technique and editing.  So, I have started a photography blog.  I am such a novice. I know that. Most people who have photography blogs are actually photographers who display their techniques and talent. That is obviously not my purpose.  I want to track my progress and I would love kind and helpful hints.  I hope to look back and see the improvements that I make over time.  I also think it will force me to take chances in my photography and to take more photos.  So take a peek here.  I am having a header made soon.  I cannot use my blog making software on my Mac (lumapix).  I need to learn how to make them in Photoshop now.

Sorry it has been a week...

There have been many times as a Mom that I said I was in "survival mode." I have said it when the kids had the flu or we went back to school and thing seemed hectic. However, these past two weeks in Houston have truly been survival.  In the beginning, we tried to make the best of things but then there were some days we were not sure where we would get food or groceries or gas and we were not sure where we would sleep.  We were VERY lucky to have friends and family who opened their homes to us.  We are back in our apartment.  Will and Harry are back at school (Kate is not). We are getting back into a routine. Houston was a MESS!  Many people (including us) were without power for over a week and some are still without it.   Traffic lights are slowly beginning to work.  You can buy gas now and grocery stores are open.  

This week I am thankful for...

~Water, air conditioning, food, beds, electricity, ice and family.

~living in a city with gracious and neighborly people.  I cannot even begin to tell you the stories of community and kindness I have seen here. This city really came together in a time of need.

~a sweet little surprise of adorable photos of Kate and Hannah at the beach on my friend Daleea's blog. Go check them out.  She took beautiful photos!

We made another offer on a house and I REALLY hope this works out.  We are exhausted and we need a place to call home.  I keep teasing Dave saying that I am a "stay at home Mom without a home."  We need stability.  More soon...

Here is a little slideshow of our time in San Antonio at the beginning of our evacuation.

Thankful Thursday

Please direct your prayers to this family.  I have learned of them through the loving community of blogging and Chinese adoption.  This family recently met their daughter Susannah in China only to find that she is very ill and hospitalized.  They need lots of prayers for her health, their strength and some logistics in getting her to better health care in the US.  Please lift them up at this very difficult time.

This week I am thankful for...

~ the help and love of friends and family.  So many people have extended their kindness to our family this week. Thank you Lisa and Diana, Tessa and Leslie and everyone else who has helped us (I know I am forgetting people and I don't have much internet time). Thank you for the prayers and wishes and calls and e-mails. We have been displaced for about a week now and although we are all getting crabby, I realize our problems are so small compared to what many people endure every single day.

~ I am thankful that God is in our hearts and He has protected us and reminded us of all of our blessings.

~I am thankful for my incredible husband.  He is so much stronger than me and when I am weak, he just takes over.  He has taken over a lot this week.

~I am thankful for the health of our family.  In reading this blog from an amazingly strong woman, you realize just how precious life is. Lisa's fight with cancer (two different kinds), her courage and willingness to share her story have blessed me this week.  I know she will save a life or change some outlooks by doing so.  She has changed me.

P.S.  I am receiving e-mails but for some reason I cannot send them.  I have drafted several to respond to people but on my friend's internet connection, I cannot send them.  Sorry.  Call me if you need something right away.

Our "Hurrication" continues...

We returned to Houston today because we were informed that we had power.  We stopped at Wh*le Foods and another supermarket in San Antonio.  We stocked up on water, ice and food. However, we returned to NO POWER! Apparently, this is the worst and largest power outage in Texas history!

Luckily, earlier in the day, my sweet friend Leslie called and said that she had power and to call her if we did not.  So, I immediately called her and we grabbed a few more essentials from our apartment and headed over to her house.  Poor Will has a migraine (he told me he is stressed out) but Kate and Harry are faring well.  I was close to tears as I am sick of all of the transition and uncertainty in our life.  However, I quickly said a little prayer and reminded myself how very lucky we are.  I am not sure how long we will be without power and how long the kids will be out of school.  We are taking everything one day at a time.  Houston looks really bad.  Traffic lights are dangling in the middle of intersections, roofs are ripped off, trees are everywhere.  I really wished we had stayed longer in San Antonio.  If our power is going to be out for a long time (it might be weeks)...we will head to Virginia for a while.  I don't even have the heart to take photos.  It all is very sad.

Thank you again for all of the kind comments.  They have lifted my spirits.

Hurrication

THANK YOU so much for all of the kind and caring ways you all have reached out to us.  It has been a little tough but we are making the best of it.  We were already living out of suitcases and at a bare minimum for the past few weeks in our corporate apartment.  Then we quickly grabbed 2 days worth of clothes and made a run for it to escape Ike.  I am so glad that we did. We have turned this chaotic time into a mini vacation for the kids as best we could.  We moved to a nicer hotel, went to Sea World, visited the Riverwalk,  attended church and lunch and dinner with this sweet family and much more.   But now, we are all ready to go home and I think we will head that way tomorrow.  We are hoping we will have power!  Our plan is to stock up on groceries here (we bought some coolers) and hopefully we will have enough to get by until Houston is back on its feet.  I feel so lucky that we could get out and that we could stay out to avoid the aftermath.  My heart and my prayers go out to all those who lost so much.  I think our apartment is fine and I am thinking that there is certainly a reason we had not found a house yet.  

Thank you Lisa and family.  You guys are incredible.  I am so glad that we were able to meet and I will post photos when I have time:)

We are calling this little adventure our "hurrication" (hurricane, evacuation and vacation).

We are okay

Yesterday morning, we made a quick decision to evacuate Houston.  One whole side of our corporate apartment is comprised of windows and they looked paper thin, so Dave and I were concerned about them blowing out.  Also, the kids have had so much to deal with we did not want them to be afraid and huddled up in an interior closet all night.  My good buddy, Diana called us and she was on the phone trying to find us some people to stay with in either San Antonio or Austin. Thank you so much Di!  You are a faithful and true friend.

As we grabbed a few things and got on the road, my dear friend Tessa was on the internet in Virginia trying to find us a hotel room somewhere that would take our family and Scout.  So we drove west for two hours (with virtually no traffic) even though we had no idea where we were going to stay.  Finally, about an hour from our planned destination, Tessa found us a room (YEAH!). Tessa REALLY worked hard.  She convinced a place that does not take pets to allow us to bring Scout.  I will never forget that Tessa. Thank you!!!

Another friend from Virginia (who we did not even know that well) had recently moved to San Antonio and offered to let us stay with them.  They moved around the same time as we did AND they just welcomed a brand new baby into their family.  I thought they had enough on their plate but I am forever grateful for their kindness.   Thank you VS family!

So, I am sitting in the lobby of a conference in center in San Antonio with tears in my eyes from all of the incredible e-mails and comments and prayers from family and friends.  Thank you for your kindness. We don't have a plan but reports indicate that Houston might be without power for a long time. So, we might try to stay out of town until the power is back.  We have no idea if we have windows in our apartment or not.  Luckily, we have connected with a blog buddy here and had dinner with them last night. She was so kind and welcoming to our family and I am smitten with her adorable, articulate and brilliant daughter!!!!  

Our hearts go out to everyone who suffered loss of life or property during this horrible storm. I am especially praying for the family of a 10 year old boy who was struck by a tree branch and died. I cannot imagine their pain.

YIKES...Here comes IKE!

Please pray for two special intentions...

~Our dear friends lost their loving Father/Father-in-law this week in a tragic accident.  He was struck by a truck while walking to work as he did every day for 18 years. He worked at a church. PLEASE pray for this dear family and their sudden and tragic loss. My friend (it was her father in law) is pregnant with twins right now and this loss is devastating to them.

~Secondly, we are directly in the projected path of hurricane Ike.  Please pray for our safety and everyone else who will be affected.  We are not evacuating as it is too late and we are not in a mandatory evacuation area. Plus, we are not even sure where we would go.  Our corporate apartment is on the second floor which will be good in case of flooding but we are nervous about windows shattering and losing electricity.  This city is CRAZY right now.  It took me an hour to go a few miles to Kate's school (YEAH--she let me leave today!)  I realize people will figure out where we live (general vicinity anyway) by this post but I am really scared and I really cherish your prayers.

I really appreciate the incredible support and prayers that y'all have given me and our family these past few weeks.  THANK  YOU!

Kim

Update

I wasn't going to post today because quite frankly, it was been a hard couple of days again.  I like to be positive but I am also honest. A few people e-mailed me asking for updates on the houses and school situation so here it my update:

~ Harry is REALLY struggling with his new school.  My sweet happy Harry is not sweet and happy these days. Please keep him in your prayers.  It is breaking my heart.

~I met with the principal (we had a great meeting) and the boys are allowed water now.  They are considering a snack since Will goes almost 6 HOURS between breakfast and lunch!

~ Kate and I had our second day of pre-school and she did better.  I was even able to leave for about 45 minutes at the end.  When I came back, she ran happily to me.  I said, "See Kate Mommy always comes back for you."  She said, "thank you Mommy" about 4 times.  I plan to stay as long as she needs me tomorrow too.

~We were about to make an offer on the "old house" on Monday. Dave had even signed the papers but I just could not do it.  Something in my gut was stopping me.  It is a gorgeous house. It doesn't make practical sense for our family because there is no breakfast room, no attic or basement to store Christmas decorations and all of our stuff, no place for our computers...etc. But it wasn't any of those reasons.  My gut just said no.  Dave and I have been married for almost 13 years and this will be our 5th house purchase.  I absolutely KNEW each of the other houses were the right ones at the right times.  I did not feel that this time.  Still waiting....

~I joined a book club.  Think I can read Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility by tonight?   Would anyone share some cliff notes?

~As we drive around "newcity" the boys point out the various houses they would like to buy.  Now, none of these are for sale (and likely not in our price range either) but I snap photos because I think their tastes are interesting.

Will likes this one because it looks like a castle.

 Both of the boys LOVE  this house!

Harry LOVES very geometric, modern houses.  He calls them "modern day houses."  We are looking for just the right one to photograph for him. 

This one is right around the corner from their school (so I pass it everyday) and I think it is beautiful.  Although, I would never want to call it "home."

My favorite things (right now)

Every now and then, I like to share some of my favorite things.  I love when other people do this too.  Here are things that I love right now....

~Clean Eating Magazine 

I stumbled upon this little gem last week.  I was in a waiting room and picked it up. They have great articles on healthy eating and awesome recipes too.  This magazine is not about losing weight or cutting any one specific food out of your diet. Instead, it focuses on eating unprocessed foods that are closest to their natural source. The current issue has "15 minute school night" dinner recipes and a healthy Thanksgiving menu. It also has recipes for 30 days of meals and their accompanying shopping lists for the week.  I LOVE it! As soon as I have an actual address, I plan to subscribe. 

~Wedgits are about the coolest toy we have ever had!.  They have won all sorts of awards.  I love them because they are great for all ages.  Kate will sit and play with them for a long period of time and the boys will too. In fact, they fight over who gets to use them.  The label says for ages 3-103 and it is true! They are great for spatial relations, imagination, colors, etc.  They even sell a set that is all PINK!

  

Harry and one of his Wedgit creations.

~Paul Mayer Attitudes ballet flats

Now, I LOVE the look of Tory Burch flats but they are very uncomfortable as they have no support.  I found these adorable Paul Mayer flats here in new city and they are both stylishly chic AND comfortable,  They actually have some support.  I love a bargain and mine were less than the prices I have seen on-line.  They are pricey but I will wear these shoes a lot.  

Freeman Shampoo and Conditioners

In graduate school, I discovered the Freeman shampoos and conditioners.  They were reasonably priced, they smelled good and my hair was healthy and shiny.  Over the years, I could not find this brand in the stores anymore and I moved on.  However, a few weeks ago in CVS, I saw this "Shine Overload."  It is FABULOUS!  Not only is it GREAT ---it is only $3.99!  I use both the shampoo and conditioner. (In looking them up on-line, I read that they have been "gone" for about 5 years.)

Now, Miss Kate has funny hair and she uses this.... Schwarzkopf Bonacure Smooth Control Shampoo and Conditioner.  It is more expensive but for perfect for her hair.  It does last a long time (6 months for us).  Debbie told me about it and we saw improvement in Kate's hair immediately.

~Klean Kanteen

I bought the boys these for school this year and I love them.  The are the only water bottle that does not leach anything at all.  I heard on a radio show that recent studies on Si*gg bottles show that they even leach a little. These are good for the kids, good for the environment (no waste), and easy to clean.  I need to get one for Kate and one for myself now!  I am thinking we need pink!  I bought ours at Wh*ole Foods but you can order them on-line, I think.

(On a side note---but a few people asked---the boys are allowed to drink water throughout the day now.  I met with the principal today regarding some things we needed to know as a new family.  She is taking the snack suggestion under advisement but is concerned that parents will not send healthy snacks.  I volunteered to find a dynamic nutritionist to come give a talk about the benefits of packing healthy lunches and snacks.  We'll see what happens?)

What are your favorite things?

Seen and heard in "Newcity"

Only in Newcity.....

One day last week, Kate and I were in the park and we saw a homeless man with a totebag that said, "I am a Human Being."  I liked that.  It made me think that people might look at him with more dignity. 

Then an hour later, I stopped by Target for diapers.   At the Target entrance I saw a uniformed chauffeur putting a woman's bags in the back of her Black Cadillac Escalade. He opened the door for her (in back) walked around and drove off.  Talk about two extremes.  I have never seen a chauffeur at Target!

Finally, today I went into a shop and saw a cute cotton orange dress that I thought would look adorable on Kate.  It looked a little small and they did not have a bigger size.  The clerk asked me if I would like to take it out on approval.  I said yes. I thought the tag said  "$38" but when I got it home, I realized it said $238.  Yes, you read that correctly---$238.00!!!  Well,

needless to say I did not keep the dress.  Who pays $238 for a cotton play dress?  It was cute but not special in any way. Sometimes, I think I have lived in a cave for the last 4 years.

I did however, splurge on this at that same shop...

It looks so cute in Kate's hair.

And I might order these too...

(you can order them on-line here)

P.S.  The sleepover was GREAT!  Thanks for all the encouragement. Also, since I claimed to be the queen of stain removal, several people have e-mailed me asking about my arsenal of products and methods.  I never thought to post on such a topic.  But I truly am obsessed with laundry and stain removal.  So, I am working on a post where I will share my secrets.  Tyler if you are reading this...go here for crayon stain advice (for set and dried stains).

ADDDED: Read "Red's" comment below to learn to make these bows yourself.  Thanks, RED!!!! I just might give this a try (but I am rather "Craft challenged.")

Call me CRAZY....

We are having two fifth grade boys sleep over tonight in our two bedroom apartment. I pick them all up from school any minute now! Will wanted to invite two new buddies from school to spend the night and I agreed. Will and Harry will be on the floor and their guests will be in the twin beds. There will be seven of us in our cozy apt tonight. My game plan is to take everyone out for ice cream (or sorbet for us) after school and then to Blockbuster to pick a movie. I want to keep them out of the tiny apartment as long as possible. Then, Dave will take them to the pool while I order pizza.  We'll eat, they can watch a movie, play Legos, go to sleep and voila' it is morning! Wish me LUCK!

This lego scene currently resides on the boys bathroom counter.  We are so squeezed for space that they take turns locking themselves in the bathroom with their Legos!

And of course, I thought it would only be fair to share another photo of one of the houses.... 

This is the master bath (newly renovated) of the "older" house.  Oh my...it is even more breathtaking in person.  The current owners are taking those mirrors though...pity.  See! See why this decision is so hard?!

"Our" first day of School

The original title of this post was "Kate's 1st Day" but since I stayed at pre-school with her the whole time.....I changed it. I never thought I would be one of those mothers that stayed at school with my child;)

Kate was accepted at the Montessori school that Harry previously attended in Virginia and we had planned to begin this Fall.  When we decided to move, I applied to a school here that I knew of.  Kate was on the waiting list which was fine with me.  I figured we would get settled and when there was an opening, we would try it out.  Well, the other day, I stopped by the school to get some forms and they invited Kate into the classroom.  She LOVED it.  She said, "Mama, I like that school, friends." When they offered her a spot on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, I said sure.  Both the boys went 2 days at this age and they loved it. She is very inquisitive and I thought this would give her a chance to socialize with children her age.

Well, Miss Kate loved it as long as I was in the room (that is why I got so many photos).  If I even went near my purse or looked as though I was leaving she wrapped herself around my body and screamed!  So, I stayed.  Luckily, the school has a loving "phase in" transition where parents are welcome to stay the whole time for the first few weeks.  As you can see, Kate mopped and played in the kitchen, she had music class and went on the playground.  She even ate lunch, read books and painted.  In fact, her beautiful schoolhouse dress is covered in paint (as are my nice clothes).  Lesson learned...I need to buy Kate some"school clothes."  The teacher said to me, "Oh, don't send her in anything you care about."  Inside I was thinking..."oh, you don't know me....I don't buy clothes for Kate if I don't love them!"  Luckily, I am the queen of stain removal. 

I will say this, pre-school is exhausting!  I would much rather be at home with Kate than there.  But I will keep going until she is comfortable.

Now, I know you all want a house update....

We still have not decided.  THANK YOU for all of the comments and insights.  Each one made me think and consider new things.  I truly mean that. In fact, that is what I am thankful for today! We were supposed to meet with the builder on the new house this morning to see if we could make some cosmetic changes to the exterior but I had to stay with Kate.  I flip flop back and forth. No one loves an old house like I do.  I am just not sure about not having a breakfast room (or table) and not having some practical living space.  It is not a really small house, it just lacks some practical spaces. And while I would love to overlook that, I despise chaos and clutter.  Also, eating in the formal dining room might be nice but it might get really old.  

I see how much more we all bicker in this small apartment and that makes me nervous.  Hands down...I would buy the old house if we were a family of four but that third child adds a lot of stuff and need for space.  I am anti-McMansions and feel very conflicted. I have prayed about it and this morning before I even opened my eyes, I prayed again.  I saw and heard one word, "wait."  So that is what we will do for now...wait.  We might lose one or both of the houses by doing so but I would second guess myself too much if we made an offer right now.

And just to show you some of the "old" house details that the builder put into the "new house"...here is some eye candy.

This is the upstairs hallway. Isn't it beautiful?

P.S.--the new house is completely new and has never been lived in.  It was furnished for staging and a showcase of homes. And for you Kimi---the photos in the last post are in this order..."old house " kitchen is first and "new house" kitchen is second.  I am not sure if people were confused.

Old or new---that is the question.

This is more for me to sort out my own feelings but I know some of my friends (and readers) like houses and decorating as much as I do.  I have found two more houses that I really like (one just came on the market).  I REALLY like them both.  They are on the same street and they are the same price.  One is new and one is old.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE old houses.  We lived in an old house before we moved to Virginia and I loved it.  This old house has been lovingly restored and tastefully updated adding a beautiful white marble master bathroom and HUGE walk in master closet with built in dressers and shoe cubbies.  It has a gorgeous backyard with an incredibly landscaped garden.  The grass is some exotic variety that is heat and drought resistant and it looks like a putting green.  It is cushy to walk on.  Although Dave claims you need a special lawnmower to cut it?  This house is so charming with leaded glass interior transoms and an old quaint corner sink in the powder room.  The problem is....we have gotten used to living in a new house (built to look old though).  We are now accustomed to large closets and bathrooms all around.  We have had a walk out terrace with a guest room and play room and office. We are used to a lot of space.  This old house is charming and beautiful but it is essentailly 3 bedrooms and there is no playroom or study.  They call a narrow attic room a 4th bedroom and Will wants to live there but there is no closet and it would be very tight. Since it is an attic with slanted walls, there is no way to add a closet.  And since this house is at the tippity top of our price range, we cannot do an addition anytime soon. I know, I know....we don't really need all that space but we sure have gotten used to it.  As much as I love this house, I worry that we will feel crowded as the kids get older and we will have no room for guests.  

This is the kitchen of the old house.  It has been recently renovated.  I did not take the photos.  I copied them from the listing, hence the blurriness.

Okay, now onto the new house.  This house is craftsman style (which has never been my favorite) and so the outside is not my style.  BUT the inside is stunningly beautiful. The entry and upstairs hallways are really wide with incredible millwork you usually see in older homes. They are wide enough for substantial furniture and upstairs there is a built in reading/window bench. There is a beautiful study and fabulous kitchen (very similar to my current one).  The kids bedrooms are big and their bathrooms are beautiful (white marble again).  The floors are wide plank dark hickory.  There is a little "homework" area  with two built in desks and a small mudroom.  There is even an elevator shaft should we need one down the road.  This house has a "media room" or playroom too.  It is a big house but it feels cozy and warm.  Oh what to do?  I think we will make an offer on one of these houses.  I just don't know whether to follow my heart or my practical side....I think if we had two kids, I would definitely buy the older house but I think with 3 kids (and Scout) we need the space.  I feel lucky that after my last disappointment, I have found two houses to get excited about but I cannot make a decision....HELP!  Dave likes them both too.

This is the kitchen of the new house.  It reminds me of my last kitchen.  Again the photo is not great but the best I could copy.

  P.S.  The boys had a good day at school today AND there are BIG things happening for Miss Kate this week too;)  More soon.

We are safe but maybe not sound

We are safe from the storm so far.  Still struggling with the newcity. The boys hid this morning when it was time to go to school (and it broke my heart) but we are putting on our best attitudes and marching forward.  Kate and I need to find some activities/friends to keep us busy during the day.

Go over to the Matilda Jane blog today to see Kate in a most "ladylike" pose:)  We were at the zoo and it was hot so she kept lifting her shirt! It is a funny shot. Here are some other shots from the zoo....

A very hot and very tired Harry on the train.

Will looking pensively at what used to be his favorite animal (when he as a toddler) the Okapi.  He was obsessed with Okapis for a few years (pre-hedgehog obsession). In fact, at our local zoo then, he could touch and pet the Okapi.  Everytime we visited, the Okapi used to go right up to Will for a petting.  It was as if it recognized him.

Kate looking at the sea lions in  her cute Matilda Jane skirt.

On the train....It is a little out of focus.  I only brought my 50mm and I struggle getting a few subjects in focus with the  shallow depth of field.

Again, thank you for all the good wishes and prayers.  We have needed them and I am grateful for each and every one.  Our prayers go out to those who have suffered loss from Gustav.