Displaced Yankee Chick in Texas

This blog chronicles my life as a displaced Yankee chick in Texas. I'm from the NY/NJ/PA area and quit my job 1.5 years ago to move to TX with DH and become a SAHM to our 3 kids (2 DDs and 1 DS). **Please note that names have been changed to protect the innocent.**

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

It's contagious!

Yesterday morning DH had an appointment in town scheduled for 9am. I took the kids to daycare and golf school and parked my car in the middle of our two car garage when I got home. I knew he wouldn't be back until after I went to pick up B after golf school.

DH arrived home a little after 10 and told me his appointment was canceled. It was fine though since he had an 11am conference call. Later that afternoon he came out of his office to tell me he had missed the call. How? I asked, since I knew he had been in his office and on the phone. He had misread his boss' email, which read "conference call at 11 Eastern time". He knew he had a conflict with the appointment if the call was at 10, and just read 11am. Whoops!

Fast forward to today. I've taken the kids to daycare and golf school. When I got home I got on the computer to see if DH's BIL had emailed us pictures of DNephew. Then it was time to pick B up from golf school. Since it was raining, I took B to the movies to see Over the Hedge (very good BTW). As we were driving home I realized that I was supposed to see the doctor at 9:30 this morning for a recheck. Oops!

I just called them and they were gracious enough to reschedule it for tomorrow morning. I had better not forget this one!

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

He's here!

SIL called DH earlier today to let him know that she had her baby boy. Since I wasn't home, I don't have all the details. What I know so far is that they started the induction around 9am, he was born sometime between 4 and 5pm and weighed 8 lbs 10 oz. She had an epidural so she didn't suffer, and pushed for 7 minutes and out he came. They haven't yet agreed to a middle name, and the first name appears to be Mac. Soon-to-be-4 year old big brother is in love with him.

Monday, May 29, 2006

About 9 hours from now

DH's sister will be induced. As I type this, she is in her hospital room, all checked in and ready to go. Her baby boy's original due date was June 1st, but considering her firstborn was two weeks late and over 9 lbs, her doctor decided not to let her go over. At her last ultrasound, the doctor estimated that the baby would be a 9 pounder with a huge head (her husband's family legacy).

Let's all hope and pray that everything goes well and baby (whose name is still undecided) is born healthy and quickly.

This pic was taken the first weekend of May. MIL said on Saturday that SIL was "HUGE" and SIL told me that she's just started to get uncomfortable. Her feet have just begun to swell. She's very grateful for the mild northeast spring.

End of month update

B's last day of school was last Wednesday. The school had a half day, and the bus driver let the kids sit where ever they wanted for the ride home. B was thrilled to be able to sit anywhere other than the front seat!

To celebrate the end of the year I took B to the movies. She had been begging to see "RV" for weeks so we saw that. It was OK, but really like a bad version of "Vacation".

Last Tuesday was the Kindy Celebration at school. There was an awards ceremony, slideshow, and musical performance. It reminded me of the Preschool Celebrations they had at the daycare the kids used to attend. However, this was sweeter with the personalized awards. Each child received an award, like "Awesome Artist", "Terrific Technologist", etc. B's award was the "Personality Plus" award; and boy, does that kid have personality plus! The slideshow was a compilation of pictures of the kids in the class taken since the beginning of the year. Clay's parents were sitting next to DH and me, and Clay's mom got choked up when the music started. The music accompanying the slideshow was Lonestar's "Let Them Be Little" (Richie McDonald/Billy Dean).

I can remember when you fit in the palm of my hand
Felt so good in it,
no bigger than a minute
How it amazes me, you're changing with every blink
Faster than a flower blooms they grow up all too soon

So let them be
little 'cause they're only that way for a while
Give them hope, give them
praise, give them love every day
Let them cry, let them giggle, let them
sleep in the middle
Oh just let them be little

I've never felt so
much in one little tender touch
I live for those kisses, prayers and your
wishes
Now that you're teaching me things only a child can see
Every
night while we're on our knees all I ask is please

Let them be little
'cause they're only that way for a while
Give them hope, give them praise,
give them love every day
Let them cry, let them giggle, let them sleep in
the middle
Oh just let them be little

So innocent, a precious soul,
you turn around
It's time to let them go

So let them be little
'cause they're only that way for a while
Give them hope, give them praise,
give them love every day
Let them cry, let them giggle, let them sleep in
the middle
Oh just let them be little

Let them be little
Those of you who know me, know that I'm no fan of country music. The Eagles is about as country as I get. However, this song is so sweet and heartfelt, that I can't help but like it. And get choked up, of course. No great surprise to those who know me, and know that I can cry at a Hallmark commercial. LOL!

On Friday the 19th, I went to see first showing of The DaVinci Code at the local theater. I didn't have to be the first one in the theater, but I'm a cheapskate, and the first matinee is cheapest. I just recently read the book and was eager to see how it translated to film. I thought it was good and entertaining, but I thought that had I not just read the book that I would have been lost, missing some of the details. Of course, the book was way better IMO. I devoured the book in one weekend. I felt the same way I felt after seeing The Firm in the theater. It was OK, but a disappointment after the book. (And I finished The Firm in 24 hours while traveling through Europe.)

Friday, May 26, 2006

Texas wildlife, part 1

Holy swimming snakes Batman! What the heck is this doing in our pool??!!

Once I retrieved our reptilian friend from the water, I sent him to a better place. I flung him over the fence into the neighbor's backyard. LOL!

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

End of the school year

Here's a picture of my big girl on her last day of school. She doesn't know yet that she will indeed be repeating Kindergarten in the fall. Believe me, she'll be thrilled when she finds out.

Saturday, May 20, 2006

This is neat


create your own visited states map


create your own visited countries map

Monday, May 15, 2006

Mom Make Over Day at B's school

was today. The kids in kindergarten all had their moms come in and bring their makeup and hair accessories (and nail polish and lotion); it was suggested that we wear our robes as well. We moms were welcomed into the Kindy Day Spa and the teacher greeted us at the classroom door asking with whom we had an appointment. Then our "beautician" came to the door and led us back to our (their) respective seats. Soothing spa music was playing and the kids gave us massages on our backs and arms.

Then the hair accessories and makeup came out and madness ensued. I usually wear that CG Outlast lipstick, so I brought an old tube of lipstick, in a pretty dark shade. What the heck, right?! So Bridget used my face powder, blush, lavender and grey eyeshadow, and then my creme foundation. She had to apply my lipstick twice, because there apparently wasn't enough on me after the first application. Then she gave me a manicure and pedicure.

How do I look?! LOL!

Here I am with hair clips giving me pig tails.















Here I am with my two coats of lipstick (well applied, don't you think?!), eye shadow, face powder and blush, and as an afterthought, my creme foundation, which she did not blend (you can see it best on my nose and chin). Plus you can see my amazing manicure:















Here's my pedicure (photo taken by B).














I gave B big smooches on each cheek before I left. It helped to work off some of my lipstick. LOL!

Friday, May 12, 2006

Hooray for Mother's Day!

I got an e-coupon from the Greatest Italian Take Out Place on Earth, better known as Landi's in my email recently. Once I started ordering Mother's Day gifts for MIL and GMIL, I realized I wanted to do something special for my mom. So I ordered her some of her favorite foods from Landi's. I was excited to see that they now have their stuffed eggplant available for shipping. I sent Mom some stuffed eggplant, lasagne, veal and mushrooms, round ravioli, and tomato and basil sauce. It arrived yesterday, and my mom danced and jumped around when she saw all the food.

After I placed Mom's order, I told DH that all I really wanted for Mother's Day was some food from Landi's as well. He was cool with that, so I sent us some veal and mushrooms (yes, the girl who HATES mushrooms, will eat veal cooked with mushrooms. I don't, however, eat the 'shrooms), lasagne, square ravioli, and tomato and basil sauce.

YUM! My order arrived today. I can't wait to eat it!

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Plans are finalized

DH spoke to his sister earlier this week, and as he thought, the baby's christening is scheduled for the Saturday when we will be away. Had it been on Sunday, we would have tried to be there. He also found out that the OB will not let SIL go past May 30th. She went 2 weeks overdue with her first, and she started contracting the morning of her scheduled induction. Her DS was over 9lbs and had a HUGE head. The doctors are expecting this boy to also be over 9lbs and with a HUGE head as well. SIL was originally due June 1, and had been told that she would not be allowed past that date. Now if he doesn't come by May 30th, then they'll induce that day.

DH and I spoke by phone while he was driving across the state. I was consulting a calendar and we talked about our plans for the summer and the drive up to NJ. Looks like we've narrowed down the dates for our departure from TX, and an approximate return date as well.

We're going to try to work in some time up at DH's grandmother's house in RI. We spent a quick weekend there last Labor Day. DH finds that house so relaxing that I know he'll want to spend more than a weekend. I know he also wants to be able to see his sister and have some time with the baby. He'll see if she'll still be on maternity leave when we plan to go to RI. Perhaps her family will go up there at the same time we do. Otherwise perhaps we'll stop at their house for a visit on the way up.

As happy as I am that we are going to spend the long weekend with my family as originally planned, I am disappointed that we will miss the christening. I know how much I was looking forward to it; I kept asking SIL when it would be so we could schedule our plans around it. I'm sure DH was looking forward to seeing his family; I imagine a bunch of his family will be going to the christening.

Monday, May 01, 2006

ARGH!

I'm rather frustrated right now. Here's the backstory:
DH's sister is pregnant and is due in one month. We've been asking for MONTHS when the christening would be. Since it seemed that SIL and BIL would plan the christening for when we would be up north (they live in New England) this summer, I emailed SIL as soon as I had two dates (one Saturday and a later weekend) on which we had plans. I gave her practically the entire month of July, mentioning that my parents will be celebrating a milestone anniversary this July, but we'd schedule that celebration around the christening.

Fast forward to 2-3 weeks ago:
SIL called the house as I was running out to pick up the kids. I let the machine pick up. DH spoke to her about a day later and told me that she was hopping mad. It turned out that she asked her DH's family when they'd be coming in for the christening, and mentioned that they would not, under any circumstances, consider doing it the weekend in July when we'd be away. The family could work it out and come up with dates. Well, they did. They came up with the weekend that we're going to be away with my family. And not only that, but they all booked their airline tickets as well!! SIL told them that that was completely unacceptable, since we had already told them the date would not work, and the family had been told that. She refused to have the christening without her brother present. BIL didn't understand what the problem was, after all, we are ONLY going to an amusement park for the weekend, and we can easily change our plans. Not quite. We are going as part of a group, and that is the weekend. The tickets we purchase will not be good for other days. SIL told this to her DH (that we are going on a corporate-sponsored trip, and the dates cannot be changed for the thousands of people attending) and that his family will have to change their plans. Hey, they didn't follow the rules.

Fast forward to last night:
DH had called his father and grandmother. After the call I asked him what the situation was regarding the christening. So he told me that "We can't go." His family refuses to change their plans, since BIL's father's birthday is apparently around that same time, so they are making some sort of christening/birthday weekend thing. Which would be fine and dandy, but no one has told us that Pop is turning some special age, which would really matter. Most adults I know don't care when or if their birthday is celebrated, so does Pop's birthday really matter for that weekend, or could they move it one weekend either way?? I dunno. Apparently SIL was also told that it would cost $1600 to change the airline tickets. Quite honestly, with what I understand SIL and BIL bring home, they could probably afford to offer BIL's family the $$ to change their tickets. Heck, I'm so annoyed, I'm even considering offering up the $.

WTF?!

Now I have to decide what to say to DH about what we as a family should do. We've all been looking forward to this long weekend. We get afternoon admission tickets for Fri, then all day Sat tickets and a big BBQ, then tickets good for any day Sunday to the end of the amusement park's season. Our plan was to get there Fri afternoon, go to the park Fri, Sat and Sun, and then head back to my parents' house on Monday. We'd be able to take a leisurely, scenic and educational drive back, giving our oldest something to talk about at school this fall. Do I tell DH to go alone to the christening? Do we give up the weekend with my parents, brother, SIL and their kids, and go to the christening? Do we attempt to do both, especially considering it is about a five hour drive between locations? Or do we boycott the christening and enjoy the weekend we originally planned? Does anyone else see other options? Anything I haven't considered? If you have any ideas, please comment.