Update

Wow, it's been a long time since I have posted. A lot has happened between August and now, most notably, a cross country move. It has been a very busy, frustrating, exciting, fun, horrible, tearful and happy time. So now you will see a bunch of back posts starting in August and hopefully catching up to present day.

Raleigh...

So our start in Raleigh was rocky to say the least. Nothing like going from paradise and routine and familiarity to sweltering heat and not knowing anything. And living in a hotel for 2 weeks. With kids. And an impossible school situation. And no good vegetarian options. And macaroni and cheese as a vegetable. Now don't get me wrong, I love mac and cheese, but I also need vegetables and there is just no way that it is truly a vegetable as it is considered here. I digress. But my point is that the adjustment was (and is) very difficult. Less difficult now that we have moved into our house, but still hard starting over from scratch. So we made sure to have some fun for our sake and the kids' sakes. 

Trip to Marbles Kid's Museum

A little amusement park on a crazy hot day while our car got cleaned out. That morning we went to drive Jeff to work (our van hadn't arrived yet despite promises to the contrary) and it was filled with ants. Two hours, an Uber for Jeff, and a bottle of lysol later, I had cleaned out enough of the ants to get it to a car wash place to do the rest. Mercifully, there was a little amusement park type place for the kids across the parking lot. This was right after moving into our temporary apartment. We took this apartment because (1) it was the only one available on short (1 day) notice, (2) it was fully furnished, (3) they allowed 30 day rental and (4) it fed into a good school for the kids. Yea, nothing says welcome to your new (temporary) place like a million ants crawling through your car. 

Emily decorated her bedside stand with her sweet picture from best friend Haiden. 

Bear passed out in a huge bed. 

Goodbye San Diego

Today was the day we bid farewell to San Diego. Talk about emotional. We have loved San Diego and were so happy to call it home. We miss it so. 

Our last night in San Diego, we stayed with our friends a few doors down. Simon just loves Aaron and Aaron loves Simon. I love this sweet picture of these two. 

Betsy's kids and my kids all before we left. Emily, Eric, Ian, Aaron, Kyle, AJ & Alice. What a fun crew! Great memories with this bunch and more still to be made! 

Goodbye hugs and kisses at the airport

Farewell San Diego, Point Loma & Coronado. We will (and do) miss you! For when I can't remember, this is obviously a view from the plane, but you can see Point Loma. You can also see Coronado Beach, where we spent a lot of our summer. 

Hello Raleigh

After too many hours of flying, we arrived in Raleigh. 

Why in the world is there a picture of a McDonald's ice cream cone do you ask? Well, growing up, whenever we would travel to a new city with my dad, he would always have to sample the ice cream. Even if it was a McDonald's cone. We were going to a new city and I was super emotional so I decided to get some ice cream - even if it was McDonald's and even if it was in Chicago O'Hare which we've been to a million times. It was comforting. And bloating. But the emotional soothing made it worth it. :-) I had one. And then brought one over to the kids and Jeff. 

Hello Raleigh

We arrived in Raleigh late in the evening if I remember correctly. Aaron was in good humor and got a huge kick out of rolling his backpack over the bumps after the escalators. He said something like, "backpack farting". Great comic relief kid at just the right time!

Zoo finale, San Diego finale

Today the packers arrived. That meant we had to get out of the house. I needed to get out of the house for my own sanity and emotional well-being. Nothing like a bunch of strangers putting everything into boxes and clearing out your house to make a move get very real. 

So we went to the zoo. A place I have always loved. And it was on my San Diego bucket list to visit before we left. So we hit our favorite spots - the Skyfari (Kyle used to be terrified of this), the meerkats and the spider monkeys. 

Aaron had been asking to ride the train outside the zoo for some time. Today seemed like a perfect day for that. :-) So we rode the train. And Aaron loved it. Check one off Aaron's San Diego bucket list. 

Aaron had also been asking to ride the carousel near the zoo. Again, what better time to check one off his San Diego bucket list than 2 days before we left. 

Yea, then there's the move... it's still emotional seeing these pictures nearly 3 months later. I know this is just stuff, but the "here's your life in boxes and a home that holds so many memories" part is what gets me. 

That evening, Emily's best friend Haiden invited us over for dinner. They made a delicious meal for us all to eat together and the kids got to swim together for a long time. It was a welcome distraction to the move (on our last night sleeping at our house) and a wonderful time with wonderful people. 

Nobu

Another item on our San Diego bucket list was to eat at Nobu again. We had been there before and loved it so we wanted to experience it another time before moving away. And it sure didn't disappoint. Emily was so pleased (this was one of her suggestions) with the meal. 

Barbershop boys

The boys have always loved going to the local military barber shop for their haircuts. And they have always done a way better job here than at any of the fancy kiddie haircut places. They actually cut hair here! There may not be fun cars to sit in, but the kids love it here. They get great haircuts and sit very nicely for the cut, 2 year old Aaron especially (this is about the only place he sits still). And it's cute, the ladies all fawn over him there and are pleased to greet Bear. Sadly, this was the last time we were at the barber before our move. Will be hard to find a place as good as this one in Raleigh.