It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

The First Snow

 It happened right after Halloween.  It snowed.  We had just finished lunch, and I had just put Rex down for his nap.  Roanin looked out the window to see huge wet snowflakes floating down.

 By the time Rexy woke up, it had just about stopped...but that didn't stop us from getting in our gear and heading out to check it out. 

 They were more than impressed.  They tried pitifully to put together snowballs with which to hit me with, and even tried to scrape together a poor snowman.  Although there wasn't really enough for all of that - it was fun to be out and welcome winter. 

It was so crazy...this snow.  Although we lived in Idaho, where it snows quite a bit, this snow was different.  It actually made me freak out a little bit.  And after fretting around and worrying if we are "winter ready" and stressing about whether I know how to do everything I do in the snow, it hit me.  This was the first time the full reality of us living here set in.  It was like the last 5 months I have been able to sort of limp along and exist like things have always been.  Without knowing it, I was equating the climate with my life.  With our lives.  It was almost the same, and so I didn't feel the overwhelming change that we had indeed been through.  But the flakes did it.  They made me think about the fact that we are in a different place.  Doing different things.  Doing things we haven't done before, with people we haven't known before.  We have closed a chapter of our lives and have opened a new one.  With the transition, we have lost a lot, and gained even more.  We are different.  I am different.  My future is going to be different.  Seeing all the snow led me to think of how I will learn to deal with a true winter.  How I will drive in 4-wheel-drive.  How you don't turn on your windshield wipers when it is below freezing outside (I broke one already).  How I will spend 30 minutes just getting the boys dressed to go outside.  How I will have to wear a coat...for like 5 months.  How we will shovel our driveway, and burn fires in our fireplace.  How my boys will grow up with the memory of white Christmases and sledding.  How they will have the knowledge of this life, like it is how it has always been.  But it hasn't always been this way.  It was different. 

And just like I will learn the ways of a Midwestern winter, I will also learn the ways of my new life.  The perspective I choose to take, the people I let in, and the path that is in front of me. 

And after I realized it, I was fine.  I was better than fine.  I was excited.  So excited about this life we are carving out and molding into what we want it to be. I was thrilled at the thought that we are taking charge of our family and our future and demanding it be all that it can be.

And with that I say....bring on the snow.

Da Da Da Da, Da Da Da, Da Da Da

 We had a theme going on this year for Halloween.

 Please note Aniken (true Star Wars fans are cringing at my awkward spelling skills) Skywalker's hairpiece.  It totally reminded me of the skaters back in jr high who rocked tails. 

 We did a little candy-snachin' with friends. 

It ain't a party if Princess Leia doesn't show up, am I right? Holla....

 Game faces - on.

 Who is that tall masked man and why does he have the impression that he hooks up with Leia in the end?

Hope your Halloween was as happy as ours. 

Now go back up to the title, and sing it to the Star Wars theme song.  Go on, you know you want to.

It's Fall Ya'll

As it turns out, Nebraska actually has a fall and we have been out taking full advantage. 

 The boys love the cooler weather and so do their parents. 

 We even had to order snow boots (never mind the fact that Rexy is wearing Roanin's on the wrong feet).

 Shawn pulled a romantic stunt and surprised me with an afternoon out on a sailboat.  It was amazing.

 We are just starting to figure out "winter gear."  It's quite exciting right now, however, I am sure we will be totally over it around February. 

 And the leaves, THE LEAVES!  It is crazy.  This orange beauty is in our back yard.

 Fall is perfect swinging weather.

 I am happy to report no one was injured at the completion of this move.

So far so good.  We'll take a little more before the snow...

 These few shots were taken back in July when we first arrived. 

 Just so you know...the weather is not like this anymore.

 Last night it was chilly to say the least. 

But I was looking back through my pictures, and had to get these up just because these little guys are so cute (at least I think so). 

before

So, when we landed in Omaha...this is where we set up shop.  Our new little house, soon to be made into a home.  Quite different from what we left - stone instead of siding, huge mature trees instead of poor little newly planted crepe myrtles, one acre instead of the roomy ten acres we were used to, grass instead of weeds for a yard, 85 year-old house instead of a 7 year-old one, deck instead of a porch, neigbors instead of horses and goats. 

(Back yard off of deck)
But there are many similarities too - stairs providing entertainment for my boys and legwork for me, 3 bedrooms, a tiny kitchen, a backyard that can easily be transformed into an ocean full of pirates by two little imaginations, sunny spots for both Professor and Pia to take naps, many projects to keep us busy, and tons of potential for filling it with special everyday memories with this crew of mine.

(view of the backyard from the back fence)
We bought it with the understanding that we would have tons to do on it to make it what we want.  But, also, it seems like house projects are our thing.  We have done it so many times, and it always makes us excited and energized about the possibilities.  The potential that no one has uncovered yet.  The future - our future.

(view from driveway up to deck off back of the house)
And this time was no exception.  We looked at all of the overgrowth, dirt, grease, grime, faded wallpaper and dingy carpet and knew this was it. 

With a gormet kitchen like this...wouldn't you be sold as well?!?!? And let me just go ahead and answer the question that must killing you: yes, that is actually all of the counter space.  I'm such a lucky little cook...

(Living room...opens up to the dining room on the right)
Stuff everywhere, sometimes it is hard to see the potential.  But it is there. 

(powder room half-bath on main floor)
Really...did you know there was a trend of putting carpet in bathrooms?  What's that you say?  You don't believe it?  I have some lovely mauve shag in two out of the three bathrooms in our house to prove it.  YUCK.

(Stairway going up middle of house)
And don't even get me started on the pomegranate wallpaper.  Seriously...I know Oprah made everyone aware that they are a super-food, but this just takes it a step too far.  And how bout the code that banister adheres to?  You can almost drive a truck through those openings. 

(master bedroom)
Speaking of wallpaper...it is everywhere.  The walls, under paint on walls, and if the ceilings aren't popcorn...yep, you guessed it, they are wallpapered. 

(Rex's bedroom)

(Roanin's bedroom)

But the boys don't seem to mind at all.  In fact, the move was quite seemless for them.  They got adjusted very quickly, and don't seem to mind the outdated conditions and endless construction projects we have going on. 

We even make them help.  It doesn't take much persuading.  Roanin loved pulling off wallpaper so much, I had to actually stop him from doing it in other places (like new neighbor's houses, whoops...)since we have been here. 

And whatever the big does, the little follows (sans pants, of course).

(Shawn pulling lavender (you heard it right) LAVENDER! carpet off the stairs in his go-to uniform)

So the plan is, to show you all this before, and slowly show you the afters as we get to them.  This will be a long, slow process, but one that we are not only up for...but so grateful to have.  This process is so good for me.  Because with each piece of wallpaper that rips off, every piece of carpet that comes up, every wall that comes down, and each dust pan full of dirt that is swept, I feel more like me.  And this house feels more like us.