We are FINALLY here!!

I know it has been awhile since I have made an entry, but we have been crazy busy. We FINALLY had the movers out last Wednesday. They left with our stuff very late Wednesday night, so they didn't make it to Colorado until Monday morning. We hung out in Texas until Sunday morning, and then we left early and began our move to Colorado! We had a few things in the bed of the truck that we wanted to take with us, so we covered it with a tarp for the trip in case we ran into rain; however, even though we tied it down with rope and bungee cords, the tarp kept blowing up and whacking the back of the truck. So we had to use duct tape to secure the tarp. Holy cow!! Did we look like a bunch of rednecks that packed up and moved to Bever-ly! But, thankfully, the tape held, and we made it to where our hotel was at a reasonable hour. Speaking of the hotel, we forgot to check if they accepted dogs, since of course we had Gracie with us. Yeah, well they didn't; so we got stuck sneaking her in in her carrier like some illegal form of contra ban. Thank goodness she is such a good dog, or we would've been totally busted. The hotel was nice though, and after the 800 plus miles we drove, the bed was nice and comfortable. The next morning we ate breakfast and waited for the movers to call us to give us their ETA. It wasn't too long before we heard from them, so we finished up breakfast, ran back up to our room, got our stuff together, and smuggled Gracie back out to the car. Monday was a blur as we directed the movers to where to put boxes and items of furniture. The altitude is something we all have to get used to, and so we were pretty worn out by the time the movers left. We cleared a pathway to our beds, unpacked the essentials so we could sleep, and headed out to eat dinner. Tuesday was spent getting the kids registered for school, Wednesday was spent unpacking the kitchen (always my hardest room) and buying school supplies. Thursday was the kids first day of school. Cameron was nervous; but had met his teacher the day before and really seems to like her. The girls were really nervous about middle school, but they got the schedules they wanted, and had someone show them around. They all three seemed to have a really good first day, and we were very happy about it. We met friends for swimming today, and then went out to dinner. The kids are completely worn out with our first week in Colorado, but they all seem to really like it. I am so glad we are finally here, and beginning this new chapter in our lives. Here is to making new memories; and many more fun times!!

Holy Cow, we are FINALLY moving!

Ok, so we have talked about it, planned, looked, signed, and packed, and here it is.....the day is FINALLY here!! We had the movers out yesterday in 104* heat loading the stuff up. It was SO hot, but they got things done quickly with the 3 guys that they brought. They will be at our new address tomorrow afternoon, so we are leaving later today after one more Mexican food fix. We will have to stay in a hotel tonight and drive the rest of the way tomorrow. Have to get all squared away for the most part over the weekend since we have to get the kids ready for school starting Monday. We can't even see Cameron's school supply list, so I have no idea what he even needs until we get there. Which makes me crazy by the way. Bouke keeps telling me to relax, which I can't even do during a massage!! Seriously, I have to be the only person I know who has to remind herself to relax while I am getting a massage. Sick I know. But I like to plan things out, especially when we are doing a huge move like this, and starting a new school/school year at the same time. I have to get all of their paperwork together and we have to go talk to Cameron's teachers, prepare Mikayla for beginning middle school, and prepare Alyssa for her last year of middle school. I am nervous for them, and nervous that they are getting older and I know that I have to start letting go some. I know they aren't babies anymore, but things are so different now from when we were in school, and kids can be evil; I just worry. You know how it is?? Mama Bear. Anyway, we have a 13 hour drive a head of us with 3 kids and the puppy, but it isn't anything we haven't tackled before. I am ready to go, the kids are ready to go, Bouke was ready to go before we even moved back here. However, this time is a little different; my mother is moving and my mother-in-law is moving too. My mother has been in the same house for a LONG time. I grew up in the house she is leaving, so it is surreal this time. I know when we come back for Thanksgiving, I won't be coming 'home'. We will be at "Mom's house". My mother-in-law has been in her current house since Bouke was a sophomore in high school, so it is the same for him too. So it is just weird this time. Last time we moved out of state, we could still come 'home' this time it is like we can't. So there are several emotions with this move; some I have felt before, and some I haven't. But I am anxious to get there and start our new lives. Let's just hope this is the last move until Cameron graduates from High School!! Stay tuned for Hale family updates!!

O.M.G.

Holy cow, it is Monday, and the movers will be here on Wednesday!! I can't believe we are finally at this point. I am cautiously excited about our move. I can remember six years ago when we moved to Chicago and on the day we left, I was ready for the move. But I remember the days before when the nerves kicked in; were we doing the right thing? Were we going to be ok? How was I going to find my way around Chicago? Were the kids going to meet new/good friends quickly? The list went on and on. When we moved back to Texas, I cried the night we left, not sure we were doing the right thing completely going back. Now, it 48 hours before the movers are packing us up; and I am trying to keep my nerves at bay. There has been so much stress the past few months, that part of me is SO ready to get on with this. But of course, I am worried about silly things like finding my way around town, and more important things, like school for the kids and how they will adjust. They are older now, so I hope that they get in with the right group of kids. I am sure they will, they are such good kids, but I am a mom and I worry. I am happy about having someone we already know though in the area, that will help a lot. I guess my biggest concern is will I like it as much as I did in Chicago? I LOVE Chicago, and I am more an East Coast person; while Bouke is the West Coast type. It was my idea to move to Colorado, so I guess I will have to own it. I will approach this the same way as I did when we first moved to Chicago though, I can either choose to be miserable, or I can choose to be happy, and I make the choice to be happy. The kids are excited, Bouke is excited, and I am too. So ready or not Colorado here we come!!

A Little Family Time

We decided to take the kids out for a little time together. I guess we have gone to get yogurt one time too many, because Miss Alyssa decided she did not want yogurt. So we had to take a little detour to Starbucks for her, so she could get her Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino. Mikayla had her espresso and cookies and cream yogurt, Cameron had his chocolate yogurt, I had espresso and dulche de leche yogurt. Bouke decided he was tired of the yogurt as well, so when we took the detour to Starbucks, he got his Vanilla Bean Frappuccino. It seems that yogurt places have popped up all over the place again like the did in the late 80's as the 'new' thing. It is a lot healthier than ice cream, and it is lighter, so it is nice to have the alternative. But I guess with anything, if you have it too often, you do get tired of it. There is a place in Chicago called Oberweis, that we used to go to all the time when we moved there. There was one close to our house in Lake Zurich, so we used to go over there all the time. However, it was real ice cream, no HFCS included, real ice cream, cream, whipped cream, totally awesome. I am so looking forward to being in Denver, and being with the kids like we were again. We had a total blast when we were there over Spring Break, and I am looking so forward to being there with all of us together. But until then, we will have our yogurt time !!