One week later...

The house is clean - well mostly - the floors are rather a mess b/c it has rained a ton and we've had lots of people in and out. We are seeing dead or half-dead roaches everywhere since the bug man came on Thursday. I know we will need additional treatments.

We went to our first social event today. It was so nice to do something normal. One of Kate's schoolmates had an Easter party - well his parents did. We went out to their house with a bunch of other people. Made a connection with a couple of moms - am looking to get recommendations for doctors, dentist, etc. We are going to need a babysitter too - very important! Todd gave Kate a cupcake with all the frosting on it at the party - Good Lord - her behavior since has been not so good. I couldn't believe he didn't know to take the frosting off.

I have a paper due for school tomorrow - not sure how I am going to pull that off.

Since we arrived...

Oh Lord, so much has happened since the movers showed up on Saturday morning. Let's start with them - said they would arrive between 8 and 10 am. Showed up at 9:45 am - within the window, yes, but still... Took them until 3:30 pm to load the truck - when they showed up the lead guy said they would be finished by 1 pm. No nap for Kate - and HELLO, have you tried to entertain a toddler in a semi-empty house with the moving men there? We finally get on the road to Tallahassee at 4 pm - we arrived at the new house at 10:30 pm to drop the cats off so we can stay at the hotel. The movers are supposed to deliver between 9 and 11 am on Sunday morning. Sunday morning - no phone calls and no movers. They showed up at the house at 1 pm. Thankfully the cleaning lady was there to call us and let us know. The driver had forgotten to bring our cell numbers with him. What, really???

Now, the cleaning lady - there is the best part of this story. When we arrived the house was FILTHY! They were supposed to have cleaned it during the week and had it 'ready to move in' when we arrived. From what I've heard, the tenants before us had 4 or 5 bulldogs in the house/yard plus they smoked. The house reaked of smoke and had roaches too. First thing Sunday morning, we pull out the yellow pages and started calling cleaning services. Finally found someone who could come the same day. She spent six hours on Sunday cleaning and that was only part of the house. We had another cleaning service in (2 people) for another 6 hours today. There is a small amount of cleaning left at this point. We are finally going to really move in tomorrow. We've been staying at the hotel.

We are having issues with our long-distance landlord. He doesn't want to spend the money to completely repaint the house and of course, we paid for the cleaning services out of our pocket. What choice did we have? We left our home in Palm Harbor and Todd started his job today. The moving van was coming - what were we supposed to do? He is asking us to split the cost of painting the inside of the house. They have already treated the walls with a product called Kiln, which is to permanently seal off the smoke smell. The floors are all tile so no issues there. I just don't think that is right - I don't feel we should have to pay for any of this. Not sure if we can do anything about it.

More update later... must get some sleep now.

Found a house..

Todd and I looked at rental houses on Friday afternoon and Saturday. Friday was a dud and we thought "oh, no". But the house options on Saturday were much better and we actually found two we really liked. We decided on the one closer to Todd's new office. After we move in, I will post a photo or two. It has 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, living room, dining room, and eat-in kitchen plus a 2-car garage. Rent is $1200 per month, which is not bad.

Todd was sick the whole trip and is still sick. And, now...drum roll please...I am sick AGAIN!! I was so hoping to avoid getting sick again. I have the same symptoms - runny nose, slightly stuffy, itchy eyes, and low-grade fever. I am hitting it with all the herbs I have in hopes of keeping it from getting too bad. I think I may have to see Holly this week and get a few refills.

The latest....

Kate is feeling much better although still having nighttime breathing/coughing problems b/c her sinuses are draining. She was so happy when I picked her up from school today. Just really in a good mood - she was pleasant all night - brushed her teeth well and everything. It is so great to be with her when she is sweet and cooperates. She saw the dentist on Monday and she was very pleased - said we are doing a much better job brushing Kate's teeth. Todd said Kate didn't even cry this time. I still crack up when they suggest flossing - right! - like I am going to floss a toddler's teeth. Hell, I barely floss myself.

Todd is now sick - apparently he got what Kate had but much worse. This is the sickest he has been in a while...totally miserable. He is taking everything he can get his hands on - TheraFlu, some of my herbs, Tylenol, whatever...

My job has provided me with a laptop and supplies so I am all set to work remotely. Came home at lunch today and just didn't go back - worked from home this afternoon. Oh I love being at home in my shorts, working.

Penny, my Mary Kay director, has given me some names and numbers for directors in Tallahassee. I need to find someone I like and ask to be 'adopted' into her unit.

I am taking Friday off and Todd and I are traveling up to Tally to find a rental house. We have about six places lined up to look at between Friday afternoon and Saturday night. Some of them are really nice. We have seen some with new this and that plus 300 - 400 sq. feet bigger than our house right now and rents between $1000 and $1200. Also most houses up there have fireplaces and decks out back. I am really getting excited.

Kate

Kate was sick with something viral Thursday/Friday. She had three small "spots" that were itching her the day before she got the fever. There is good news here. One, it had been a month since she was last sick, which these days is huge. Two, she is feeling much better already. We immediately switched her to her "sick" herbs and extra doses at that. I am so excited about her early bounce-back.

She was so cute at bathtime tonight. She told Todd she was happy and he said why? She said "because I love you". How freakin' cute is that?

She has been staying in bed at night too. The sticker chart seems to be working. She has earned herself The Lion King DVD.

More news on the job front, etc.

Todd has a solid offer. He is on the phone with his new boss right now. I think we will like Tallahassee – Todd says it has rolling hills, less traffic, and one side of town to the other is about 30 mins. Of course, we’ve been here six years now and I finally have friends and places to go. It kind of sucks to start all over but it was bound to happen sometime soon. Pinellas county where we live is SO crowded and especially this time of year with all the tourists and snowbirds. I get really sick of all the people all the time. We are stepping all over each other here in Tampa Bay.

Todd may start work up there as soon as next week so I may have a bunch of time alone. My mom says she will come help but she can’t stay here for a month, nor would I want her to. If it weren’t for school, I would not be so worried. This semester is lots of work and I have to do school work every night, just to keep up. It is hard to do school work starting at 8 pm after all day of work and all evening with Kate. I plan on taking 2 classes again this summer so I can graduate May 2010. After graduation, I will sit for the CPA exam and hopefully qualify to sit for the CFE exam also. You need certain job experience for the CFE.

And, in addition to all this, we are trying for baby #2. I realize that may sound crazy but I am 37 and not getting any younger. I don’t want a baby at 40 and Kate really needs a sibling. I am ready to get on with it.

As soon as we move, we need to find a new preschool for Kate plus a weekend babysitter. It is nerve-wracking finding someone to care for your child. I worry about how Kate will adjust. She is so happy at New Horizons and really has a couple of classmates to whom she is close.

Todd has been speaking with a realtor and checking craigslist for houses to rent. Tallahassee is a college town plus part-time residents with the FL legislature. The rental market is a bit tight. I would prefer to not rent an apt and be living next door to some partying college kids.

I think Todd has a job...

I've been trying to find time to write for the last 3 days or so. Truthfully I don't have time - I should be in the shower right now, getting ready for work. School is keeping me super busy this semester. My e-commerce class has a insane amount of homework. The group of ladies I work with (b/c everything in this class is done in our group) are on assignment #4 together. Each "homework" assignment ends up a 20 to 30 page paper, every 2 weeks. It is brutal.

As for Todd, looks like the Tallahassee job is going to pan out. Salary-wise it is not quite what we hoped but otherwise looks good. And right now, we need a job - the horizon in the Tampa Bay area is rather bleak. I really don't want our house foreclosed on - would much rather short-sell and have the realtor do battle with our bank to get the unpaid balance written off. We've had about 5 showings so far on the house and it has been on the market for one week.

Will write more details later...