One month retrospective

Well, it's been a month since I've moved to Pennsylvania. I've had much of a chance to see much, because it's been very cold and I don't have access to transportation. How can I describe it - it's both hilly and flat. Driving along a single road, and you'll go up, down and around like a kiddie roller coaster, however the absence of mountains is obvious. If I were to go outside on a cloudy day I wouldn't be about to tell you where north was. In Salt Lake, if the Wasatch mountains were on your right, you are facing north. I haven't been been able to find a large enough landmark to help me find my way around. Though, there are some days in Utah, where you can't see the mountains because the smog is trapped in the valley, Harrisburg has similar bad air - you just don't have to chew it.

I miss my local grocery store. Bagged, put back in my cart and loaded up in my car, with my kids and I sitting comfortably inside. Harmons is a rare breed - too bad others don't adopt their model. Other things they don't have - Tree Top apple juice (best tasting IMO) Denny's or IHOP, though the cruelty is they have Denny's commercials on all the time. Western Family store brand. Most of their productions are actually better than the name brand, and no one makes better frozen blueberry waffles. Two stations of PBS - man were we spoiled. One was a little more for the older set - they still showed Lawrence Welk repeats, while the other was big on British Comedies. Because there were two of them, they could show a wider range of programming, and if you missed a special, it would usually be on the other channel w/in a week. I hope to find something like Gardner Village here - it's a quirkly little shopping plaza of independant shop owners - not a chain store in the bunch. Sometimes it's the little things we miss the most.

While Salt Lake city has been known to flood - it's in a bowl after all, Harrisburg is about 380 feet above sea level, (Salt Lake is about 4200 ft above sea level) and I've noticed a lot of flood watches already. Luckily we don't live close enough to any of the rivers - but that doesn't mean we are immune from a major flood. After the first "major" snow storm since we've been here, we only got a few inches of snow and there were anouncements of school closures and opening delays - if Salt Lake gets 3 ft of snow they might delay the start of classes. It takes a lot of close the schools for a day. Usually power failure or burst pipes are involved. It's very icy here, so just a little will shut everything down. I am not looking forward to the hot humid summer. But, I've got so many people coming to visit us, I hope to be too busy to notice.

I don't think I'll ever get used to the time zone change. I am used to everything coming on an hour earlier. So, my nightly news would come on a 10, followed by Lettermans monologe, then it's off to bed by 11. Now, I am lucky if I get to bed before midnight. I am thinking I'll have to cut out Letterman and go to bed right after the news. I've just been so tired, I am barely functional.

I still plan on spending my time here visiting all the sites, and that it will just be one long field trip. We hope to get over to Hershey soon - Sariah will love checking out the chocolate.

Our church here is wonderful - they are very nice people. That is one thing I love about my religion is the only thing that changes from one place to another is the people. I miss the immediate access of news, I had in Salt Lake - I heard about Pres. Hinckleys on the internet, because I just happened to be on at the time. My family would have notified me when they heard about it though.

I hope things get better when it warms up.

Moving pt. 2

Well, it's been two weeks since I got to PA. Our flights were very long and while the children slept from Vegas to DC, I did not. When we finally got to Harrisburg, I slept for 2 days, minus time to eat and I did go to church.

That Monday the movers came in. The first thing they did was scratch up my couch. They said they had to take the cover off to get through the door. (HOW IN THE HECK DID THEY GET IT OUT OF MY HOUSE W/ IT ON!!!) Things are missing, broken, damaged and mistreated. I was taken advantage of the movers, by breaking the glass on my entertainment center and I was distracted by them and the kids that I didn't notice it listed as broken on the inventory sheet - then I signed it. I will never move w/o another adult present ever again.

Now, I need to compile a list of everything and submit my damages claim. I hope I am not given too much grief about all the damages. We plan on telling my husbands company that we don't want to use them again when we move again.

My Last Night in Utah

Well here it is, almost midnight, and I am still up. It's my last night living in Utah for a while and I am running the gambit of emotions. Scared, excited, nervous. . . anxious, ready to go, but part of me holding back. I am going to miss so many people including a few who I didn't get a chance to talk to before leaving. If you are one of them, and you are reading this, I am very sorry. I've just been busy, and w/o car for much of my final days here. I will miss you all. Keep in touch.

At 10pm, I will be on a plane to Vegas, then Dulles before finally arriving in Harrisburg, PA. Yep, traveling the red eye w/ two small children. If there are no more entries, you'll know I didn't make it, and I am in a rubber room somewhere.

Ok, my fingers are falling asleep. Still have a few things to do. Good Night Utah!!

Moving

I hate moving - lets just be upfront on this. I hate it. This is big because I try to avoid absolutes and extremes, but I honestly hate moving. I've moved a lot. I went to 3 different junior highs due to moving, when we moved yet again, I cried "uncle" and went to the high school where my friends from the last 2 jr. highs fed into. Then there is all the back and forths during college. This is my forth move since getting married.

Moving is such a hassle. Connecting and disconnecting utilities, things get lost, broken or damaged. Though, this is the first time we've had someone else pack and move us. It's made things easier, since I've been sick, and my husband is already in PA. I won't move any other way again.

This time around I have to find services. Doctor (though, I am considering coming out twice a year and see the doctor who delivered both of my kids - she's cool w/ that btw) Pharmacy, dentist, bank, etc. Ugh! Hopefully people in my ward have good references.

Thus endeth my rant on moving.

2008

Here it is 2008 and I'd thought, that since I am going to be far from family and friends, I'd start a family blog. It also may turn into a venue to vent. Who knows???

It's been a crazy evening - We went to Emily and Shanes for the festivities. We watched Ratatouille for the kids, and Some Jeff Dunahm skits, more for the adults. Naomi didn't go to bed until 10:30 and Sariah wouldn't sleep until an hour later. Crazy kids. We are home now and I thought I'd start early.

New Years Resolutions??? I'd like to loose 25 pounds and be back to pre baby weight. I realize that pre wedding weight of 135 is unattainable at this stage of life. I would also like to get more organized and eliminate clutter.

Well - there's my start to blogging. Don't know how much I'll post, or what I'll write about, we'll just have to see what 2008 holds.

TTFN (Ta ta for now)