She Learned her ABC's and 123's

"All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten"

-Robert Fulghum

Kindergarten was a big year for my little girl.  She was so scared to start the year, but settled in, and began to love it. Starting math was a breeze after what I had taught her before school started, and reading has taken off, much to this mom's delight.

There were snacks every day, and we made sure to make ours cute and fun.

She survived the 100th day of school and even had her own fun poster for the parade.

For Dr. Suess day she refused to be something "weird" so she chose to be fox in sox, from Fox in Sox of course.

She even had a tail!

When field day rolled around, she wanted to know what it was.  From my experiences as a child I told her it's a great day of competitions like big kid field and track, with relays, dashes, distance runs, high and long jumps, and distance throwing.  I wasn't sure for her, but in my school there were first, second, and third place ribbons; but for if you didn't place you still got a participation ribbon and could be happy.  She was excited for the event, and hoped she might even place.

Boy was I wrong!  Either they do things different here or they had changed a bit since I was at field day.  There were several events such as stick horse races, little scooter riding, jump roping, parachute play, hurdles, and obstacle courses.  Not a single one was highly competitive, some not at all.  No prizes were given, and no ribbons.  I guess in the name of equality they chose to keep it more of an event day instead of a track and field day.  I personally enjoy a  bit of competition to encourage kids to try their best and learn to be gracious when loosing, but in this was not the case and I guess that's okay too.  She had so much fun with her friends, but was a little sad I had mentioned ribbons, and been a big fat liar.

Sometimes you get bucked off!!!

Her kindergarten class.

Then there was kindergarten graduation, an adorable ceremony  where kids get confused on their cues, sit in the wrong places, and parents gush over their first big accomplishment.

They even performed a few songs.

They sang, "We learned our ABC's and 123's, we learned to get along...now we're going to be a part of it, first grade, first grade." to the tune of New York New York by Frank Sinatra and also sang What a Beautiful World by Louis Armstrong.  Later when I sang it with her, she asked me if I had learned the lyrics to What a Beautiful World when I was in kindergarten also.

One of the biggest disappointments she's had this year was when she turned six this May.  On her birthday, she asks me if she has a loose tooth.  I check, and nothing is wiggling; so I ask if her tooth hurts.  She says, "The dentist said I would loose a tooth when I'm six."  I explained it was likely, but he was referring to sometime during the entire year she is six.  That was not her understanding and she feels jipped. I'll be sure to inform the dentist of his mistake.  :)

Now if she would just stop growing up!!!

A Year And A Half Later...

 “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” 

~ Anthony Robbins

Morning sun through my bedroom window.

 We've lived in Texas, in an RV, for a year-and-a-half and to some it may seem genius, to most a bit of craziness.  Sometimes I feel it's a bit of both.  There's a lot of give and take when you undergo such a change in lifestyle, but we feel what we have given up has all been worth it.

I've often written about the changes, but with another year under foot, I feel the need to write up another list. (Sorry list haters.) So here it goes; the positives and negatives of selling everything, moving halfway across the country for better employment, and moving 3 into an RV:

Zoey and the neighbor Courtlyn.

Positive aspects:

Zoey, Savannah, Tessa, Sara, and friend :)

• Cut out the Fat -We own very few possessions and cannot purchase more unless something goes.  It keeps things concise.
• Fewer bills - We've cut out the unnecessary including a mortgage.
• No More Plastic!! -Bye-Bye credit card debt....I hope to never see you again.
• Vacations!!!- Now we can afford to take a vacation without breaking the bank or putting it on credit.
• Being a mom - Zoey starts school next year and I'm savoring the moments with her.
• New Friends- We have friends at the hall and Zoey has made a good friend with the 3 year old neighbor girl, so I feel more comfortable when she wants to play outside knowing she's not alone.  (Zoey says this is the best part of moving to Texas.)
• Realizing our dream - We are well on our way to someplace exotic!!

Everything must fit in there.

Negative aspects:

• Long Hours - John's work schedule can be crazy long hours, and I miss him often...temporary life upset.
• Midland, TX - I hate to be such a downer on Midland, but....I keep saying temporary. (Zoey says we need to find "a place with just the right hot and cold.")
• Bad Bathroom Setup - We knew this when we bought our RV, but finding  an affordable RV with space for 2 bedrooms; limits options.  The bathroom/bedroom combo gets a bit tight and chaotic....not our forever home=temporary.
• Limited Space - As I said no unnecessary purchases, but I LOVE to shop and find a great deal.  So sometimes I bring something home, a toy, dress or shirt, and find there's no space....grrrr.
• Organizing - Part of this is my fault, I've never been good at keeping things tidy, but I feel I'm organizing this place allllllll the time and it still needs work!

Fun little craft projects are great in the RV.

My sister-in-law, Jessica, asked me when we were last in Idaho if the RV ever really felt like home?  The answer is: Yes, it is home.  It's amazing how easily a completely different environment, especially a nontraditional one, can become a home.

 In the end, things get to me at times when we can't find much to do or get any customer service in this town, or when I shove another shirt into an overflowing drawer and reorganize an entire cabinet to fit a box of cereal.  When I feel whiny, I think of all the progress we've made, the stresses we left behind, the fun we're enjoying now, and the dreams we're realizing; and I remember the little inconveniences are worth it.  Everything in life has positives and negatives, the trick is finding an imbalance between the two.  For us the positives of our change vastly outweigh the negatives.  It's good to be imbalanced.

Desert Oasis

 

“In the desert, the only god is a well.”
― Vera Nazarian, Dreams of the Compass Rose

We live in a desert, and like all deserts, there are oases.  All of the oases in Midland are man-made, slippery slime coated ponds unfit for even the ducks who frequent them or local highly chlorinated pools where every soul for miles retreats during the summer 100° temperatures.  Last weekend Karlie, Melissa, Zoey and I decided to make the trek to find a pool a little less chlorinated and whole lot more beautiful; Balmorhea.

Balmorhea State Park was created under Roosevelt's New Deal program in the 1930's during the great depression.  The program cemented in an area of wetlands to create a 3.5 million gallon freshwater swimming pool, complete with a shallow area for kids and 25 ft deep "natural"  (term used loosely) area with rocky bottom.  Many people bring their snorkel and scuba gear to view the various underwater mosses, fish, snails, and the occasional turtle (from what I hear).  All of this bad for the habitat, but good for a fresh dip.

We arrived early since the park limits entrance to the number of parking spaces and made full use of the crystal clear waters.  Zoey is practicing her swimming abilities, ie thrashing, so she donned a cute little whale fin life jacket for the adventure (I think it's a shark, but I guess sharks aren't cute enough for her). Zoey spent a lot of time in and out of the pool because the 70° pool was just too cold for her skinny little body to endure for too long, but she enjoyed every minute nonetheless. 

The kids in adult bodies, Karlie, Melissa and I, took turns snorkeling and improving deep water diving skills.  Once as I floating along I viewed a man scuba-diving nearby.  I waved and he waved back, then rose from the bottom extending his spare regulator towards me.  I was not going to pass this up despite the little thought of what other slobber may be on the regulator.  So I quickly dove to meet him, and grabbed the regulator, shoved the possible germ infested piece into my mouth, purged the water (this can be done by pushing the purge on the back of the regulator...a little trick I learned during a short lesson 13 years ago scuba-diving through Sandals Resorts in Jamaica) and off we went along the bottom of the pool.  It was a blast, and upon surfacing I am convinced I need to get certified.

Midway through our day we walked to the source of the water, where, in the 90's, efforts have been made to rehabilitate a fraction of the wetlands that were destroyed during the construction of the pool. As in the pool there were several large black Headwater Catfish, Mexican Tetras, and Comanche Springs pupfish(an endangered species specific to the area).  We sat on a dock tossing bread crumbs to the fish,glimpsed a garter snake slither throughing the water, and lured Red-eared slider and Texas spiny soft-shelled turtles to the surface with our delectable white bread, not fit for human or animal consumption.

A little bit sun baked and a whole lot tired, we left around 3pm for a quick glimpse of the Balmorhea Lake then on the road again, Zoey was out like a light and slept the entire 2 hour drive back to Midland.  Along the way we took a few moments to photograph one of the many cool old farm buildings supposedly abandoned when farmers and ranchers became rich from the oil under the land they once worked.

The trip was a great outing for the weekend and was reminiscent of  the cool although not so clear waters of Dierkes Lake I had grown up with.  I think we'll have to go back sometime, perhaps next time we'll drag John along, even if it isn't his cup of tea.

Look Who The Wind Blew In!

 "Besides, I'm a gypsy at heart and I like to travel around"

-Reba McEntire

Melissa and Karlie in service on a windy day!

Moving to Texas has been the right move for John and I, and I believe it is working out nicely for Karlie.   I hesitate to promote the move to most people because as far as Midland, Texas is concerned, the climate is so-so, the scenery is poor, housing is scant and activities are little to non-existent.  Many locals love it here because, I assume they've never been anywhere else and they have large thriving families that tie them to the area, but to outsiders this place is a bit lacking.  This is not only my opinion, but I've met others who share it.

I've had a few friends ask about the area and I tell them just that, but some people just don't listen, and a few weeks ago the wind blew in Miss Melissa Cuthill.  For those of you who don't know her, she's a vibrant beauty in her early twenties who has truly gone where the winds have blown her.  This gypsy girl had blown from Idaho, through Oregon and down to California, but in her wanderlust, she had not established herself financially.  As I always say, you move to Midland for money and not fun, so in need of a way to make money, she soon came where she least thought she would find herself: A whole other country, where everything's bigger in the lone star state...Texas.

Having lived where she could rely on city transportation, she didn't have a vehicle of her own and arrived via Greyhound with a bicycle and a suitcase.  Karlie lovingly provided a couch for her to rest her head and in a weeks time she found herself working for the City of Midland and on the list for low-income, starter apartments.

Downtown near where she works....for now.

You may think that working for the city is a GREAT job, and in most places it is, but here, it's merely mediocre.  The problem is this; in a town where jobs are abundant, a city with a set budget is only able to offer limited pay, in fact less than the local Walmart.  Although she is sticking with the job for now, she hopes to move on to a better job once she gains some office experience, transportation alternatives, and a little bit of base income.

Karlie has become a welcome fixture at our home many evenings and we are happy to have added Melissa too, although the space in front of the TV is really only built for three, with a little wiggling we make it work.  Melissa got accepted to the apartments and will be moving out soon, but only up the street, so we know we won't be seeing the last of her as long as we haven't scared her off yet. (Little did I know, low-income apartments are wayyyyy easier to get into around here because there's so much money floating around that they are in low demand.)

We're all on this ride together!!

So Melissa, welcome to Midland and brace yourself, the heat is on it's way...or so they say.

When Sheds Fly

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot 

and the wind blows cold:  

when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."

 -Charles Dickens

Right behind the house.

It's spring in Texas, and the weather changes are brought on by strong winds. When we moved spaces last fall, we knew we would get a little more wind having lost the windbreaks of other houses, but the shade of the trees and the unobstructed view to the west behind our house is worth the extra little bit of shaking we feel in the trailer.

Our better, shaded spot.

Our new spot had a small metal shed on the lot, which we were excited to use for storage or laundry, but it had been placed on the cement pad, taking up half of our precious patio space.  John moved it to the back of the patio, thus removing it from it's tie-downs.  Result:  High flying shed.  oops

Before I arrived it had taken a few rolls, and since then it has continued to roll.  We thought placing it behind the trailer would help, but it continues to roll when the wind strikes it just right.  You may be thinking, 'why don't you tie it down or put a floor in it?' Well, the truck has been on the fritz so we haven't gotten the supplies and we keep thinking of fixing the problem, but with each roll it looks worse and worse, making us less and less excited about keeping it. For now we have it propped sadly behind the house awaiting a settling ground or to be hauled to recycling. 

Who's That Following Us?

"Sister to sister we will always be,
A couple of nuts off the family tree."

-unknown

 My sisters and father had at times expressed the desire to move to Texas-Corpus Cristi area to be specific.  Oddly, through my sudden change in circumstance, I am the one who ended up moving here; even though I had never considered it.  I had no intention of bringing anybody along or influencing others to join me, after all the housing situation in Midland is inadequate, although the jobs are plentiful.  As it turns out, somebody was going to surprise me.

Karlie had found herself in a difficult situation in Idaho.  She was working overtime to make ends meet and along the way she was loosing her health and sanity.  She decided, as the circumstances presented themselves, she was going to join me in Texas for a fresh start.  

During John's visit to Idaho in August, we were able to help her find cute fifth-wheel of her own for an amazing price.  Her fifth-wheel has a single living room slide-out and a spacious front end kitchen.  Storage is abundant so she filled it with her things and has room to spare.  The wallpaper is peeling to reveal a nice wood finish underneath and the windows could use some coverings (Can you say projects!!).  She secured a place in the same trailer park as us, with our influence on the managers, and her home preceded her to Texas as John towed it down.  Sounds a little familiar doesn't it? (see post Small Space Living)

I truly enjoyed having my sister join me on this road trip, although keeping her on my tail made negotiating big city traffic a bit challenging.  We drove our final day through Arizona, New Mexico, and into Texas through a flash flood.  I continued to reassure her I moved her to a desert, but she was skeptical.  

Anxious to start making a paycheck she set out immediately to find a job.  With determination and no direction sense (a curse of my siblings, not myself), she managed to only get out 3 resumes the first day.  She was called for 4 interviews that afternoon and the next evening she was offered four jobs.  She accepted a position with Reliant Holdings Ltd. for $3 more an hour than she was asking and full benefits....welcome to Midland.

Karlie replacing breakers.

As she moved into her trailer, which John had parked for her in a spot about 3 blocks away from us, everything worked fine... to start with.  Not familiar with the constraints of RV living, she quickly blacked out her trailer by using a heater and hair dryer on the same breaker.  The breaker would not flip back so her house was in the dark for a few days.  She and I tried replacing the breakers and rigged a battery of mine to give her some temporary DC power, but in the end we girls failed and John was able to fix what we could not once he got off work...three days later.  Well, we tried!

Karlie easily made friends, as she often does, and was soon joining her new friends for house warming parties, dinner parties, football games, ice-skating, soccer nights and the like.  

What a  beautiful bunch of girls!!

Rooting for the Longhorns...and they won!!

She even managed a camping trip over the Thanksgiving weekend to Inks Lake to visit our friends from Corpus Cristi.  (I'll have to make her do a guest blog on that one.)

John and I are happy to have her here where we can help her get going, point her in the right direction, literally and figuratively, and enjoy her company.  Karlie has found, as I do, that Midland is not the prettiest place,  but with a positive outlook and surrounding yourself with awesome people, any place can be great.  She's really making her own way successful out here.