Texas.........our life in pictures

Can you believe we have been in Texas almost 6 months now? Some days it seems hard to believe that it has really been that long already, but then there are those days that I am really missing friends and family, and then it seems like it's been FOREVER! The kids have adjusted really well, but they too have their days when they are really missing our life back in Idaho. I have tried to keep them busy and involved here to help make this transition a lot easier for them. Many things about are life are so very different from what they were in Idaho. We went from Mountains and Streams, to Oil Rigs and Pump-jacks. We sacrificed a lot things to be here and the chance for Garrett at a much better opportunity than he ever would have had if we'd stayed in Idaho. I am so thankful that he is much happier with his work and that makes us happy. Our family is together, and that is what is most important. It's HOW we live, not WHERE, that matters most!

February 2013

The "Hundred Year Snooze", Logan's first musical. The Third Graders put on this fun musical and Logan was able to be one of the princes for this production. They started rehearsing for this after the kids got back from the Christmas break, and that is when the kids started school here in Texas.

It was a great way for him to jump in and be included in something. He had a lot of fun with it, and he did a great job. He didn't even complain about having to dance!

Spring 2013

One of the benefits of being in Texas vs. Idaho, is well, Texas is a lot warmer and so the winter doesn't last nearly as long as it does in Idaho. The kids really have missed their swing set back home, but thankfully we live really close to a great park. Kids enjoyed being able to get out and play when normally they would be all bundled up because of the snow!

As you can see it's pretty dry here......they have been in a drought for the past few years. Sadly this year is not off to much of a better start.

MARCH 2013

Happy Birthday Logan! Cannot believe he is 9 already! Where did that time go????? Logan is such a good kid! He has a good heart and is full of energy. He has a great imagination and his ultimate goal in life is to become like George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars.

Normally we would take the kids to a fun place in Idaho Fall's called, Leo's Place, for their birthday. It's kind of like a Chuck E. Cheese, but better. They would invite their friends and have a fun day. Sadly, there just isn't anything like that close to us here in Perryton, Texas, and Logan was really missing his friends on his special day. We did our best to cheer him up and still make it a great day.

My cake decorating skills are lacking, but I do make a great tasting cake and frosting!

Sure do love this kid! Can't believe he is 9!

Grandparent's Visit - March 2013

So happy to have family visit! We have missed our family a TON. It was such a blessing living close to both of our parents. We were so happy when they both came to visit us at the end of March. Sadly, the visit did not seem long enough. I wish the kids would have been out of school so they could have spent more time with them while they were here. Hoping to see them again this summer before the kids go back to school!

Having a fun day at the park with Grandma and Grandpa Brinker!

Soccer Season!!!!

Logan was one of the biggest kids on his team, and so he learned to play goalie. At first he was a little scared because this was all new to him, he'd never played soccer before. By the end of the season he was doing a lot better. Who knows, maybe he will grow up to be like our favorite goalie, Nick Rimando,of the Real Salt Lake, MLS team!

This was Logan and Alaina's first time ever playing soccer. Because Perryton is a pretty small town, the sports activities are done by age groups. This made it so they were able to be on the same team! They had a ton of fun!!!!!

My kids, never ones to stand still for a picture. They are always hamming it up. They definitely have personality!

"Happy Trails" - MAY 2013

The First Grade put on their own musical, called "Happy Trails". Alaina was excited because she got to sing! Something she loves to do and she does it all the time. The song she sang was, "I Know A Little Ol' Cowboy".

She had a lot of fun and was super excited to get to do this musical. The only downside, her daddy couldn't be there to see her perform. He had just started on his out-of-town job in Oklahoma. Thankfully, we got a DVD of it so he could see it. She enjoys watching it all the time.

Alaina's Birthday!

My little princess turned 7 this year! I can hardly believe it! She is such a doll and joy to be around. She truly has a magical and sparkly personality. She is kind to everyone she meets and wants to be friends with all.

Always so much fun to open presents.

My 'Laina Bug! Look at that smile! Sure do love her!

Since I am no cake decorator, I did my best to put a castle cake together for her. She is after all my little princess!

One of the changes that we are starting to get used to.....DRIVING, DRIVING, and more DRIVING! We are really in the middle of nowhere. So to do much of anything, we have to DRIVE. This is the view we are getting exceptionally used to seeing.....

Examples........

So my kids started soccer this morning, they will have a couple more practices before their first game in a couple weeks. This is the first time either of them have ever played soccer. Now, we are soccer fans in our house. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE watching the professionals. We have, thanks to some amazing friends of ours, been to several MLS games to see our favorite club play. I've tried for a couple of years to get Logan to play, but he hasn't wanted to. Alaina on the other hand has been asking for a couple years to play but because of her dance schedule it just wasn't really an option for her. Now that we have moved and their whole lives have been upended, we decided to put them in soccer. They have been so used to having stuff to do, that it's been hard on them not really doing anything other than school and church. At first Logan wasn't too thrilled, but the closer it got to being time to play and then finding out that his first practice was going to be this morning, he became really excited. Afterwards he said, "Mom! That was a lot of fun! I think I'm really going to like playing soccer." Alaina of course had a great time too and was happy to finally be given the chance to play. Interestingly enough, already this morning we were able to have conversations about work and practice ethics. We talked about how Beckerman and Saborio listen to their coaches and do what they are asked to do. Logan wasn't really thrilled about all the running on the field and so he was just kind of halfheartedly running. I talked to him and said, is that how Beckerman runs on the field? How about Saborio? His answer, was of course, no. We talked about why they were such great players and how they worked hard on and off the field, ate healthy, and did their best. His attitude about it changed, and I'm so grateful that I had some tangible people that he knows, and has watch play live on the field as well as on T.V., to put into perspective of what needs to be done. I know many people say that athletes shouldn't be role models because most of them self-destruct. While I agree mostly, I think that they can be used for teaching certain principles. In my son's case he really likes these players, and we do too. Having him understand that he can see how hard Beckerman and the other players run on the field, focus, and work as a team is good. He can see the difference in how they are approaching their play versus how he is. Now, I know that a lot of athletes and other famous people are real jerks, but there are those few bright spots among them that really shine because they aren't like that. I for one am thankful that we had some excellent examples this morning for my kids to think about and hopefully help them WANT to be better at working hard on the field.

Life's a dance we learn as we go........

So it's been a little over two months since we made the move from Idaho to Texas. That still seems almost surreal to me that we made that change in our lives, but it was the right thing for Garrett and our family. I do however miss HOME, for Idaho and Idaho Falls will ALWAYS be home to me. All the things I took for granted that I sure do miss now. Walking/running paths, parks galore, mountains and rivers, lakes and streams, grass and trees; all seem to be extinct here and it's FLAT FLAT FLAT. I miss my Idaho potatoes, something that was ALWAYS there, but here they are very hard to find and there is NOTHING like a real Idaho potato. I'm sorry, but the potatoes they grow here are crap! They don't taste right! I miss being able to see family on a regular basis, thankfully I still talk to my mom daily so that helps. I miss having things like Walmart and various places to eat and shop within a 15 min drive. I miss my house and our backyard, the swing set and the trampoline. And as crazy-busy as it kept us, I miss the kids weekly activities that they loved: Alaina in dance and in her first year of baton; Logan had Cub Scouts, piano, karate, and dance. All these things came to a screeching halt when we moved here. And, we all miss our friends from home. We love you all so much! Life here is different. It's not better or worse, it's just different. We are all learning to adjust to the new life we have chosen. Garrett is so happy to be out of his previous job and it is so good to see him back to being himself and I know that this new job will open up opportunities for us we never would have had if we'd stayed in Idaho. We are starting to find where things are at, and I will say that I am grateful for the kids' school. They were a little behind when we moved here, but their wonderful teachers have worked hard to get them caught up. Their school in Idaho Falls was great and they had AMAZING teachers, but I have to admit that the curriculum here is further ahead and more advanced than it was in Idaho. I am grateful to live in a conservative state where there are still plenty of religious people living in the community. We are definitely in the minority here with our religion and beliefs, but that's OK. It has given us so many new teaching opportunities for our kids and a renewal of commitment to our beliefs and LIVING them. I am happy to live someplace warm, but I could certainly do without all the wind! NOT really excited about tornado season either...........but just like anywhere else where people live, you learn to adjust.