Settling In

Getting used to Arizona has been a fast paced, fun process!

  What hasn't been fast paced, however, is the rate that we have gotten our stored belongings from our parents' homes!  They have been storing stuff for us for almost a decade now!  With us getting into a home that we want to settle into, hopefully for the long haul, they have both kindly encouraged us to get our stuff;o)  What has been stored all this time?  For one, the black rhino was brought home that Jared gave to Jed.  This should be interesting, uncovering what we thought were treasures 10 years ago!

Back to school shopping, we did have to do at a very fast pace!  We had to buy their school uniforms at a fast pace, since the school failed to mention to me on two previous calls that I had made to them a couple months and a couple weeks before school that they were a uniform only school!  So, after finding out the Wednesday before school (the day we got to our home), we did swift shopping trips to pick up uniforms, shoes, and school supplies, all the while trying to move in and unpack boxes while not at the stores.

 But...WE MADE IT, and these cuties started school in the middle of July!

My verdict is still out on what I think about the uniforms.  I think the girls look adorable and I understand the benefits of them, but since they caused me a lot of added stress this school year and have rendered their initial 'back to school' outfits as unwearable, I am going to wait until next year before making a final judgement about them;o)

We came upon this fun statue, when we were going to a store to return a lot of Addie's glitzy clothes for uniforms and backpacks, so we had to take a picture.  I need to go back some time and read the plaque by his side, since I am curious about who he is and what he is supposed to stand for!

 The thing that we are trying to develop swiftly in our children is a love for Mexican food.  Down here, we have great Mexican restaurants!  We are way excited about that, and are trying to spread that excitement to our little ones.

We knew our girls were feeling settled in, when they hosted a party in the home for our family.

 This party was for Lexi, and...Nope...it was not her birthday.  She just wanted Addie to plan a party for her, and Addie was happy to oblige!

 

It had decorations, and PARTY OUTFITS...ha ha!  Addie changed into this shirt/dress (that would have benefitted greatly from leggings;o)).  Jed, seeing Addie's new outfit, went and got new pants to pair with his pajama shirt, creating the below, belly showing, ensemble.

  Gotta Love It!!!

One of my favorite things of the party was the 'Draw Away' coloring book that Addie made for Lexi.  She drew coloring pages of many varieties for Lexi to get to color in.

My kids make life a party;o)

Something else that is a party in my brain is getting to take in views like this while just coming home from the grocery store!!!

Thank you, Arizona, for being lovely!  I hope you stay lovely for me for a long time!

I know that you all want to come and visit this, right?  You would have free room and board, my girls would throw a party for you, you could take in views like the one above, you would get to eat fabulous Mexican food, you'd get to see random statues and black rhinos, and I would love you forever.  Enough with the begging, eh?  Then, just do me a favor and think about it!