Internet, Finally

Woo Hoo! Internet was finally hooked up today at home so now I can blog more frequently and, since the camera and cables were also located, I can also add some of our pictures of the first couple weeks in Arizona. It's been a crazy few weeks with their share of ups and downs but I think we are turning the corner and getting more ups than downs. I miss Idaho like crazy but at the same time am loving living here for the most part. There is something about driving into the Grand Canyon National Park to pick up a few groceries and our mail every few days that helps me remember just how lucky we are to be living here. The boys (big and little) love it here even with all the challenges it provides and that makes giving up some of the comforts of city living easier.

Today I registered Tom and Logan for school. What a difference. I had to fill out about 20 pages for each of them - yikes! - just to get them registered and then the hunt began for their birth certificates. As luck would have it, I could find Logan, Dylan, and Ethan's original but Tom's was no where to be found. Finally, after much searching, I found a copy we made for soccer last year in the filing cabinet and, after making another copy, took that in praying it would be accepted. It was and they are officially registered at the Grand Canyon School. The bus picks them up at our house practically which will be nice during the winter snow storms. There was only one part of the whole process that made me a bit sad. When I got to the emergency contact part, I didn't have anyone to put down from here. The secretary told me I needed to get her some names by Thanksgiving at the latest. Nothing like a deadline for making friends!

I do have a confession to make. We have been here two weeks and the boys have only caught little glimpses of the Grand Canyon itself. When driving by on our way to town and one little drive around because Dylan was actually quiet in the car, we passed a couple of the look-out points. Sad, I know. Soon, when the summer tourist season dies down, we will take them on a hike or two or even just to the look-out. Maybe we'll even stop to get our picture taken at the sign.

Here is a photo of our carport with all the boxes the day after the movers unloaded here. Finally the boxes are unpacked or put in the right place at least but now the cardboard remains. They are suppose to come get it soon and then, finally, I can park in the carport.

The kitchen was the same story. We had boxes EVERYWHERE and finding even enough space to make sandwiches or cook on the stove was comical for a while. It's almost together now. We even found our dishtowels late last week! After we get everything settled in a bit better, I am going to start figuring out how I want to paint it. Everything is really dark in the house with the paint colors the last person chose and, with our tall trees in the backyard, we don't get a lot of sunlight to balance it out. Any ideas on colors?

If you look closely at this picture, Tom is up in this tree. Not the best picture, but I was a bit worried about him getting down. Not worried enough to not find the camera and take a picture though. Boys and trees. I seem to remember a time when I was pregnant with Ethan that Tom climbed a tree and couldn't get down and I had to climb up and rescue him. Maybe he should pick another past time? Anyway, the video that follows is of Gary helping Tom get out of the tree. This all happens in the backyard of our new home. I'm sure it isn't the last time we will be finding a way for them to get back down!