Christmas Spirit

 We have been so busy unpacking, trying to figure out where we are, driving to the grocery store, doing homework, and working – yes, I am working now – that it feels like Christmas is no where near here.  Yes, we have a tree and our chimney has Christmas decorations – and YES I did send out Christmas cards this year(finally), oh and I did bake one set of Christmas cookies too, but still it just doesn’t feel like Christmas yet.

What to do to make it feel like Christmas? Join the neighborhood caroling group of course! No, I can’t sing and you really don’t want to hear me sing, but I still enjoy doing it. Our neighborhood has for the first time, got together and tonight went caroling. We met  at our pavilion, had hot chocolate, cookies, and sweets, practiced singing, and then jumped on a trailer covered in hay bales and set off down the road to sing to some neighbors who have a had a hard year. 

The kids were super excited, hopped up on sugar, and raw energy, the adults enjoyed socializing, and making other people feel good.  All in all, it was a nice way to “bring in” the Christmas season. So, get out there and do something Christmasy.

1 month already?!

walking down the road
to see our first snake!

So, here we are at a little over one month into our new adventure.  I feel like I have been here forever and yet like we only just stepped off the plane all at the same time.  Is this normal? Who knows, but we deal with it and enjoy the feeling every day.

So, here we are in Austin, Texas.  Living out in the country, surrounded by trucks, big SUVs, wide open spaces, dry caliche soil, horses, cows, HUGE highways, HUGE houses, HUGE super markets, and HUGE bugs. We have a fantastic neighborhood where EVERYONE - and I mean everyone has been 100% welcoming, we love our rental, we love the bigness of it all, A is in school and in LOVE with it, C adores going to the library, playing outside and the DEER! We have wild deer that roam our yard all day long! The foodie in me says "Hello fresh venison loin in blackberry chipotle sauce" the naturalist says "Hello beautiful four footed animal that I can watch and enjoy over a cup of coffee."  I wonder who will win that battle??

dinner or pet?

Honestly, we couldn't be happier with our move.  It has taken some getting used to, I won't lie. My eyes are still not trained to see trees instead of ocean when we crest the hills out here in Hill Country. Every day it takes me by surprise that I can't see the beautiful azure sparkling sea of the Caribbean. Having to use a GPS and still not knowing where I am exactly is hard. Not knowing all the rules of the road is hard. Not being able to keep my tan is REALLY hard. Having a litter box inside in killing me! Worrying about coyotes eating the cat is really annoying - although I think he would put some serious Crucian bush cat whup @ss on them if given a chance.  Never knowing what the weather is going to be like is hard......

fire pit in our yard.

BUT we LOVE it here. People are really so very NICE. I don't know how to explain it, everyone on St. Croix was NICE, but this is..... different. Case in point, the lady in Home Depot who sold us our washer and dryer not only called me 3 times to see if they had been delivered and how they were working, but she got me an awesome super sale price, AND wrote me a THANK YOU NOTE after they were delivered! Plus every time she sees me there I get a BIG hug!!!!  The cop that pulled me over for using high beams "within 1000 feet of another vehicle"(who knew??) only gave me a warning since I wasn't used to driving in Texas and smiled the whole time!!! The people during the black friday rush - yes, I went - GAVE me their cart because they didn't need two(where was the pushing, pepper spray, and tasers?)!


So, hello Austin - we really like it here so far.  Now, can you please put some other Latin music on the radio aside from Rancheras and Nortenas, I need Reggaeton!