We are here at Last!

Well we are here at last!  It's so great to be back in the north country again, all the green, the flowers, the huge trees.  All the houses are different and the people are so darn friendly! Samantha is doing very well and is having a blast with her cousins. She is loving the idea of running around, somewhat free outside. Last night she was at my cousins house and the kids were outside running around the house, laughing away, then they went for a walk in the woods with Gram and Gramp. 

We got here officially on Friday night, and Sat. we all set out for the Pinkdelicious house! We all love it!  It's so different from anything in AZ, there really is no comparing it to our old house. In fact while I am in there, I have a hard time picturing my old house. Weird. 
There is still much work to be done, I had my weekend of seeing people and not doing much, but now it's time to get to work! Today I bought a new washer/dryer and am close to picking out carpeting and Vinyl flooring for the baths and kitchen.

 

Samantha in her room.

 

The Living Room

The Retro Kitchen!

Tomorrow I really need to make some calls to pre-schools and set up some times to go visit some. Then over to the house for cleaning. 
We hope to be in the house the first weekend of June. 


Oh! I know I have mentioned the Lilac Bushes before, but there are 3 of them, 2 purple, and 1 white.  I promise to take more "before" pictures of the house tomorrow! 

Last Weekend as Arizonan's.......

What a week! Frank and I were pretty much buried alive with all the packing and prepping for the big move.  The first pod arrived last week, and by Sunday, it was full. We had dinner, lunch, or breakfast plans with friends every day this week, and every day we barely made it!  It was however a very memorable week. Sunday we took Samantha’s bed apart and she slept in our room on her mattress.  She called it camping and it worked out beautifully!  

We don’t think she fully understands that she is not really coming back, but she is wondering about it.  I guess at this age, that just is not comprehendible.   Friday, May 13 was her last day at school. It was tearful for Mommy, can’t believe that the time to say goodbye has started. 

Today, on the way home from Grace’s party, she asked; “Are all my friends going to go to school without me on Monday?” 

Grace’s party today was really nice. She had a great time. She and Grace were glued to each other and loved getting all dolled up like Princess’s. Afterward, Shannon, her mom Janet, and the girls, stopped for ice cream, and had our last time together, until we come visit, or they come visit. Was very difficult day for us. 

Last night was our last night in the house, tonight we are at my mother’s and Sam is excited to sleep in her tent!

So...anyway....

Well, my intentions were to keep this blog up with the goings on...ahem...we can see where that has gotten me! SOOOOO much has happened, and I am sooooo far behind!  Lets give you the Readers Digest version...better yet, how about bullets?!  Bullets it is.

• Frank got new job at GE
• Renee tells Brian @ RedBrick they are moving back east
• Renee and Frank tell everyone they are moving back east
• Frank goes on a job for 2 weeks
• Samantha names the new house in NY the PinkDelicioius House
• Renee Packs (with great help from Linda!)
• Frank orders U-haul
• Renee cancels U-haul and orders PODS
• Frank goes on a job for 2 weeks
• Renee packs
• Renee find new assistant for Brian
• Renee, Melanie, Samantha, Shannon, Matt, Janet, Grace and Cash go to Disneyland
• Samantha is on Princess overload for 2 weeks after
• Renee Packs
• Frank gets new job in Amsterdamn
• Frank goes to NY, stays with the Tongues for 1 month
• Frank paints, cleans, tears up carpet, primes....PinkDelicious House
• Frank quits job in Amsterdamn..still "working at GE"
• Tom, Maggie, Linda, Dad, George and Frank have no life for a week, working on PinkDelicious House
• Renee Packs
• Renee has wonderful farewell happy hour with awesome RedBrick people
• Frank Comes home
• Samantha has Fabulous Birthday Party
• Ross, Karl, and Frank pack POD #1
• Great dinner @ Mom for Mother's Day. 

Phew...Yup...that bring us to today, now, 3:54am

• Renee can't sleep....again

Samantha’s 4th Birthday!

What a month!   As we prepare for our big adventure to move across the country, doesn’t it seem typical that we would plan this with her birthday right in the middle of it all! 

However, I took the easy way out!  No party at our house, which really would have been impossible considering our house is in a state of chaos! We did the party, right on her special day at Toytown, in Phoenix. All I did was send out the invites and get the cake!

Daddy came home that morning, and, according to Samantha brought her birthday home with him! Mel and Ross picked him up at the airport that morning.  Once he got home she opened her presents from us and we had a little family time then off to the party!

Samantha and her little friends had a great time, it’s a wonderful place for a 4 yr old party.  They all enjoyed dressing up and pretending to work in ice cream shops and pizza parlor’s. Everyone got along and we got to see some friends for the last time for a while.

That night we got a little cake at Cold Stone Creamery and had a little family party with Mimere, Pipiere, Mel,Ross and Sandy.

Was a wonderful day, and my girl is 4, or as she says, “all grown up now!”.

Chinese New Year!

We had a great and busy weekend!  Saturday we did some packing...not so much fun, but Sunday we met some friends at the Chinese Cultural Center in  Phoenix. Samantha rode the ponies, the train and the ferris wheel.  There was some wonderful dancers, and of course the Lion and the Dragon.  Was a good and exhausting day! 

I heard her in  her room that night saying over and over until she fell asleep, happy new year in Mandarin.  Such a cutie!  

Yesterday was Valentines day, and I, mother of the year forgot! Luckily I was able to rush and and do something on the fly...phew.  Still getting used to doing everything on my own.  Daddy will be home soon! 

2011...Going to Be a Game Changer!!

Well, this is it, it seems.  Looks like we are headed back to the northeast! Frank took a new job that will have him traveling  90% of the time, so Samantha and I are going to be learning to fend for ourselves.
The only location requirement is that he is 1 hour from a major airport, so that he can get to and from his work sites easily.  He is very excited, though I have  a little more trepidations.  Its a lot that is suddenly going to be thrown on my plate.  The household, cleaning, cooking, maintaining, bills...yard work!  Ugh! Plus all the childcare and my full time job.  Yikes!

The job comes with great beni's, and some real opportunity though, so we are going to get through it. The biggest change will come in the Spring, when we leave pack our house and head back to the northeast.  This job came about while looking for jobs back there, so now it's official.  We will be living near my family, and closer to his. Exit hot summers and warm winter's, enter 4 seasons....including...gulp...winter!

We are making a bucket list of sorts, "Things we must do in AZ before we leave!".  Today we took advantage of our great location, drove 10 min to the desert and went for a walk.  collecting rocks, sticks, and checking out the different animal footprints.  Any desert dwellers got any ideas for "MUST DO's" before we go?  Would love to hear them.

TTFN

A wonderful Holiday Season Passes

Thanksgiving, Christmas, all have passed  and now we are in a new year. Samantha enjoyed the holidays completely.  She is truly at the height of her belief in the magic of Christmas. Early in December we went to the Apache Junction Christmas parade that started with tons of snow deposited on Main St. It was definitely a little more uh..Apache Junction-ish, ahem...last year was much better, and cozier on the library grounds.

Megan and Sage came with us, and thanks to the girls, Miss Samantha actually sat on Santa's lap this year!

Sage, Sam and Megan on Santa's Lap

Then the following weekend we went to the annual party at Jr's and Janet's party in Glendale.  She had a great time again and we got to see some of the adoptive families that we have come to know over the past few years. She again was so excited about Santa.  Mrs. Claus gave all the kids a bell, and she read them the  

Polar Express.  Each child was to ring the bell if they believed.  Samantha was wide eyed as Santa came through the gate.  When he called her name, she went right up and sat on his lap.  He gave her her present and she was beyond excited!  She got a camera!  She has played with it ever since. 

We did a few drives around the neighborhood looking at Christmas lights, and the week before Christmas we went up to dinner at Ben and Erin's.  We had a really nice evening and after the fashion show with the girls, we went to a home in Gold Canyon and checked out the elaborate train set up for Christmas by one of the neighbors.  People ask, how can it feel Christmasy here with no snow?  That night felt like the ultamate Christmas event.  Hot chocolate, Christmas music, kids the train set up for Christmas...was perfect! 

The two Diva's during their fashion Show! 

Megan and Sam at the Train House Drinking their hot chocolate.

One of the other big events of the season was Samantha's dance recital! She did amazing!  Was a long tiring day, but she did a great job! 

The attendies!




We also met Denise, Todd and Jiandra at the McCormick Train Park! The lights were amazing there! The girls had a great time playing with all the characters, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Buzz Lightyear...was fun!

Christmas Eve my mother had a party and the usual Christmas Revelers came over!  A good time was had by all!

   


 

Christmas morning was magical!  Thanks to Skype we got to visit with family back east while we open some presents.  Santa was very good to Samantha, he brought her all kinds of goodies.  A trunk full of princess dresses, and some electronics...was  a great day. 

The Holidays wrapped up with a New Years Eve party at our house!  

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!