Settling In...to the cold.

O.K.  It took less than a week to get from Texas to Massachusetts, and to sign a lease on an apartment!  We are truly loving our new town of Newton.  There is a lot to explore by foot.  I am enjoying the fact that there is a downtown within walking distance to the house...as well as a stop on the "Green line".  Scott is loving the running trails through the woods behind us that lead into Boston College campus.  The kids are looking forward to their independence now that I agree they are old enough to walk to town on their own.  Our home is at last feeling like it was ours all along.  Pictures are hung and the cabinets are full.  We have even had company over already!  Thank you Cathy and Cate!!!! I feel I have to pinch myself when I see friends and family and don't have a time limit to visits.  Really takes the pressure off.  What a treat it was to go to Ellie's house for her birthday celebration!  So much better in person than on "facetime".  How exciting it was to drive to Kittery, ME to see Hallie and meet the gorgeous Viola at last!
I am also glad to be getting the kids back to their regular studies.  It is interesting how things we read in our books bring us back to our travels.  We definitely have a broader perspective.  Today we are going to get our new library cards, and poke around for a huge bundle of books.  I LOVE EXPLORING LIBRARY'S!  Eventually we will come up with a new routine, and things will feel even more settled.  Until then the four of us will keep figuring things out together...as we learned to do so well in the trailer.   And yes, we miss "Rolling Thunder".........

We savored our nights at Gammy and Gampy's.  Even when Gampy beat on us with Gammy's yoga noodles...

I can't believe it.  Ellie's eleven.

My three kids just love the playground by our house.

Fiona and Ethan called dibs on the third floor.

Hallie and Viola.  Beautiful, right?

Nothing says fun like being dragged around in a basket.

Fiona was taken with the guinea pig.  Of course. 

I could have taken that kid home with me, no problem.

"Morning Sissy.  We have to move today!"

I cringe when I see UHUALS now...

IKEA construction site.

Cozy living room on Thanksgiving Day.

Scott the magician managed to cook a full Thanksgiving meal while unpacking!

There are some lovely woods down the street.

Classroom all set up, and in use.

Upstairs bathroom.

"Picture" wall ended up in stairwell.

Master bedroom.

Origami master fine-tuning her craft.

Can you guess where we are? It starts with "M" and ends with "assachusetts"!!!

Wait!  What?  Massachusetts you say?!  How?  When?  WHY????  Let's start at the beginning.  Scott and I never had an end date for our latest adventure.  As it turns out, we made an exact circle around the entire United States (with a little time in Canada).  Seemed like where we began was a great place to end.  AND as it turns out, our storage unit was up the end of November, we wanted to be home for the holidays, and Texas was a much better place to sell the trailer than MA in winter!  The kids were on board and so the brainstorming began.  Boston became our new destination.  Now to put the plan into action.  As soon as we got back to The Woodlands we cleaned the trailer and I took tons of well staged photos.  A day after we arrived, we had her up online on three different sites.  Two days later the trailer was sold!  Step two...sort and pack the storage unit.  YUCK!  Thankfully we have AMAZING friends down there in Texas who were more than willing to take the kids and spare them the anguish of the storage unit.  (I can never thank them enough for their undying hospitality and love for my family).  Scott and I initially rented a UHAUL trailer to hook onto the truck, BUT after we got it to the unit, and stared at it a while, we realized it was just too small....  UGH!  So, back to UHAUL to return the trailer and get a box-truck.  (Glad the kids were not around for the "calm conversations" during that evolution!)  Once all was packed it was time for a nights rest before the kids and I flew home...and Scott was to start the looooooong drive north.  Dad picked the kids and I up at the airport on Wednesday afternoon after a smooth flight that actually arrived early.  Scott is still en-route, with the potential for arrival this evening!!!!!!  Mom and I met with a realtor yesterday and apartment hunted in Somerville, Cambridge and Arlington.  We are meeting another guy today to look in Newton and Somerville.  Then another meeting set for tomorrow to look in Alston.  I am so excited to give city living a shot.  The goal would be to have one car for Scott, and the kids and I can get around using public transportation.  As soon as I find a place I will get some pictures up.  Wish we could just fast forward a few weeks and be settled in somewhere...but hanging out at Gammy and Gampy's is pretty nice.  Kids would be happy to stay here!

One of our last adventures...New Mexico.

"Rolling Thunder's" powerful shadow.

Yes!  More petroglyphs!

Here is Fiona getting quizzed by the ranger.

Kids are earning their fourth "Junior Ranger" badge!

Our first stop back in Texas!

The quintessential Cadillac sculpture.

Miles and miles of cotton fields.

Reunited and it feels so good!

Here is a loose rendering of the path we took!

Ewww!  YUCK!  I strongly dislike (HATE) having a storage unit!

We are not 20 anymore, and packing makes us feel that in our bones.

Ethan and his good friend Tiger.

Fiona and Zoe...drawing!

                                   

One last duck feeding with the Dutys.

Farewell Dutys.  Just until you come north.

Best buddies.  These girls are sooo cut from the same cloth.

Those Morrison's know how to have fun.

Kids set up their own "camp" in the yard.  Fire and all!