The Box

For me personally, one of the best things about moving is getting outside your comfort zone.  Thinking outside the box. Growing as a person. Looking back at the last two years, I am so thrilled to be in a different, better place both physically and mentally.

Labor Day weekend will be two years since I left Alabama and I really haven't looked back. I was so burnt out there. I was emotionally exhausted from all the game playing and back stabbing by people I trusted and thought of as true friends. I would do anything for anyone and that is probably my biggest flaw. And unfortunately my girls have inherited that trait. I don't something for someone hoping for something in return.  I do it because you're a friend and if I can help, I will.  Very simple.  Too often though, I started to feel used by some of the most disingenuous people I have ever met.  Horrible people who hid behind Christianity and fake Southern sweetness (you know the type... the ones who use "bless her heart" on a fairly regular basis).   In fact, I hardly ever ask for help (another flaw of mine).  So if I was broken and in need of help, it would have to be pretty bad for me to seek some type of assistance.  And being let down by a friend is the worst kind of betrayal there is.

Yup.  I was in a pretty bad place two years ago. However, I am so happy to be where I am now. stronger and a thousand times happier.  Hell.  The entire family is happier.  KJ will admit it was tough for her to leave Hoover. She was born there and that was the only home she knew.  However, she's learned so much about herself during this whole process. She is so incredibly mature and confident at such a young age. She's not afraid to push herself and think outside the box. And, hopefully, she's learned a few things from watching what I went through. I hope she and Taylor will continue to be strong, independent women and a good friend to all.  I know they will be disappointed by people they met but I hope it doesn't beat them down the way it did me.

one down ...

Week one of school is in the books. I think both girls had a good week.  KJ  said she wasn't nervous about the first day of school at all but already knowing some girls from volleyball helped tremendously!  She said the first day of school in Texas was no where near as nerve-wracking as her first day of school in Maryland even though her new school is 3x larger!  she it was much easier this time around since she kinda knew what to expect.

Volleyball is going great!  her team is playing well. The 6:30 am practices are killers and she has volleyball as her 1st period class from 8:15 to 9:30. Then they do conditioning for an hour after school.

T has a good schedule this semester... no classes Monday or Friday so she didn't have her first class until Tuesday. She's doing 2 nights a week this year for NewsWatch and she and Pony Boy hit the gym almost every day this summer and will continue to do so during the school year. They are so cute together and have such a wonderfully mature relationship based on respect for one another. They never fight and share the same warped sense of humor.  Pony Boy is a true Southern gentleman and takes very good care of her.

So, a great week was had by all!

Fall into Fall ???

Sitting by the pool drinking my morning cup of tea and it is positively glorious!!  The temperature is way down, there's a beautiful breeze and you can actually smell the rain coming our way. I'd say the weather is starting to transition to Fall and I'm excited to see what Fall in Texas is all about!  I actually dreamt of Fall decorations last night (which I can explain!). Fall is my favorite time of year and Fall up North is gorgeous and Fall in Birmingham was always fun and fantastic. Coach loved putting his TV on the back deck, having a fire in the pit and watching some SEC football.

Last night Cosmo and I went to the Rangers vs Mariners game and had a great time!  He's  been to that stadium many times before (honestly, where hasn't he been) but it was my first Rangers game. One of his vendors dropped off the tickets and we had great seats 25 rows up off the 3rd baseline. The stadium is nice but I really think Camden Yards is my favorite place to see a baseball game. The O's are coming to town next weekend so maybe we'll catch part of that series.

We couldn't figure out why the Rangers mascot, which is a horse, was running around wearing a tartan kilt and a set of golf clubs. And then Jordan Speith threw the ceremonial pitch. 

On our way to the stadium last night we passed this great little nursery by our house. On the way there I noticed they had some Fall/Halloween decorations up but couldn't get a good look. On the way home it was dark and the decorations were lit up and looked super cute so that's why I think I dreamed of fall decor!!  I love the layout and look of this house and think my Fall things are going to look great in this house! 

I'm Still Here!!!

So it's been several weeks (months??) since I've blogged but I'm still alive and kicking!!  I don't think I've sat down since mid-June!!

The big move from Maryland to Texas went great!  Very smooth process overall (still can't find the damn toaster though!!) and I have to say everyone, particularly Trixie and Kendall, have transitioned incredibly well!

The months of June and July were basically a blur between having the house packed up, mine and KJ's road trip to Texas with a wonderful stop in Birmingham, the pageant, having aforementioned household goods delivered, T's 21st birthday, my parents and KJ returning from their big southwest road trip to volleyball camps, high school registration,  (successful) volleyball try-outs and the summer culminated with the big boss man, the Legend, the Guru getting inducted into the US Lacrosse Alabama/Mississippi chapter hall of fame.  Whew!!!

It's been hot here in Dallas but it really hasn't been awful. We've had a couple of 100+ degree days but the humidity is very low. Having the pool is great and I can't imagine living in Texas without a backyard pool!  We've done a couple of quick day trips since we've been here (visiting the TCU campus to see where Cosmo will be coaching and a fun day at the Ft. Worth stockyards) but honestly, we just have been super duper busy.

We luv, luv, luv being closer to T and she has come home twice and we also got to see her this past weekend in Birmingham.  Pony boy came with her to the HOF induction and if he can put up with our crazy Cos life, that boy can put up with anything!!  He's a trooper for sure!! 

i wish i drank coffee!!

So Cosmo has survived the great Texas floods of 2015 and our house is still standing. I thought for sure the pool would have over-flooded or one of the trees in the front of the house would have come crashing down but all is well. 

If I can get through the next couple of weeks it will be a flipping miracle. 
Coach flies in for one last weekend and KJ is having a big going-away party Saturday night.
The movers will be here to pack up on Tuesday and Wednesday and will load the truck on Thursday and we kept Friday open as an extra day if need be.  KJ's last official day of school is Monday, June 15. It's only a half day and all of her exams will have been complete by Friday, June 12 so the game plan is for us to be on the road on Sunday. I promised her we could stay the weekend so she could attend a friend's b'day party. 

Originally we were going to ship my car but because it would go on the car carrier with stops to pick up other cars on the way, there was the possibility I would be without a car for up to 3 weeks.  So, rather than try to get thru that last week car-less and fly to Dallas with the dog, KJ and I decided to take a little road trip and stop in B'ham for a few days to visit with friends. And then, the minute I arrive in Dallas, I have to drive to Vicksburg to check Miss Amory in with pageant officials because she's not 21 yet.  KJ and Coach will be in his fancy corporate apartment until the day competition starts. 

So, I'll be in Vicksburg for over a week and then drive back to Dallas on Sunday after the pageant crowning Saturday night.  We've scheduled the delivery of our household goods for Monday, June 29.  And then T-bone will arrive at the new house on Wednesday, July 1 just in time to celebrate her 21st b-day!!!  meanwhile, KJ will be somewhere out West with my parents.  we'll all be in Vicksburg together for the pageant but when it's over, my parents and KJ are going to road trip and hit San Antonio, the Grand Canyon, the Four Corners, etc and then bring her to Dallas. The day after she gets to Dallas she heads to SMU for volleyball camp for a few nights and then she'll start open gym at her new school. We've got an appointment with her guidance counselor to pick her schedule and the following week school starts. I mean, seriously!!!  Poor KJ!!  By the time she comes back from the pageant, her trip out West and volleyball camp, she will not have slept in her own bed for almost a month!!!

By the time we depart for our cruise in September, I will be exhausted and may just sleep my way through Europe!! 

everything's bigger in Texas

Even though we've known we were getting relocated since Christmas, we didn't tell too many people because we weren't sure which market it was going to be. But now its officially official!  We' re  heading to Dallas!  Cosmo got an amazing promotion and we're excited to be off on another wonderful adventure! So that's why we were in Dallas for Easter and that's why I flew in last week.

Cosmo has actually been there since the end of March but again, we didn't tell a lot of people because we wanted KJ to get used to the idea on her own and we wanted her to tell her friends when she was ready. Plus we didn't want it to affect her playing time on the lax field or on the volleyball court. 

The Dallas housing market is positively insane right now and incredibly competitive. Homes are receiving multiple, above-asking offers within hours of hitting the market. Because this is not our first rodeo (see what I did there?), I was confident Cosmo would do the initial groundwork and KJ & I would fly in, put an offer on the best of the bunch and that would be that. Yeah.  That didn't happen.  Cosmo was busting his hump to look at houses the minute they were listed and presented 3 offers on 3 different houses in our target area over the last 6 weeks. He was getting so frustrated so at the last minute he called in the big guns (me). 

Thank God my parents were back in PA and were able to drop everything and stay with KJ!  I flew to Dallas Wednesday morning and by lunch time I was hitting the streets with our realtor. It was a very disappointing day and was beginning to understand Cosmo's frustration. Thursday was a better day. Several houses had hit the MLS that day and Keith had appointments set up.

I've kind of lost count of how many addresses we've had since we've been married and obviously every house has been different as far as square footage, layout, quality of materials, etc. but nothing had really prepared me for Dallas. First of all, there are no basements.  That is just so bizarre to me. Also, almost every house we looked at had a study. We don't need a study.  Cosmo doesn't work out of the house and has a very nice office at his place of employment thank you very much.  And game room / media rooms on the 2nd level are big in Dallas. Which is great. Since there's not a finished basement, we need someplace for KJ and her new friends to hang out.  And the house had to have a pool. And be in our target area.

So we saw a house we both fell in love with Thursday afternoon. We loved the layout, the updated kitchen and masterbath and the backyard was a tropical oasis. We were the first ones to view the house. And then we saw another house that was going to be our back-up if house #1 didn't pan out.  Both houses were expecting multiple offers and were not going to make a decision until Monday evening, after their weekend open houses. On Friday we sat in Keith's office and finalized our offers for both houses. I flew back to BWI Saturday evening somewhat dejected and not very hopeful.

Sunday was Mother's Day and KJ made me a delicious pancake breakfast and my folks headed back home. Cosmo called me later that afternoon and said "soooo, how do you feel about owning a home in Texas??" I was pretty shocked because we weren't supposed to know anything until late Monday and there was always a chance our offer wouldn't even be accepted.

So now things are moving right along. We submitted a good, solid offer and there wasn't any need for additional negotiating.  Yesterday was the inspection and we're looking at a mid-June close!!

Has it really been almost a month since I last blogged?  Wow?  Well, let's see . . . As usual, it's been a busy couple of weeks!  

KJ's lax season is winding down but volleyball is in full swing.  It feels like this travel volleyball season has gone on FOREVER.  We were supposed to participated in a tournament at the U of Delaware last weekend but at the last minute the team decided to do a tournament closer to home and the girls ended up winning it all.  KJ, like T, has had a difficult time juggling the two sports (T had to juggle dance team and lax in high school).  Actually, I shouldn't say that.  She's been very clear on what she needs to do to be a contributing member of each squad and has to make some tough decisions.  I think she's done a great job (especially maintaining her grades!  Honor Roll again baby!!!).  It's been her coaches who have had a harder time.  She's had to miss some lax for volleyball and vice versa.  The weekend they won the volleyball tournament she had to miss a lax game and her lax coach was a little upset with her.  On the flip side, she's had to miss volleyball for lax.  Fortunately, she's playing great on both both squads and has had two lax goals this season so far and numerous assists!  Big Daddy is SO proud!!!

Easter in Dallas was a ton of fun and we had such a great time at Six Flags with T-bone and Pony Boy!  Johnny Frat-Boy had never been on extreme roller coasters before and I think he had a thrilling time!  We had a wonderful brunch at the Westin and after T and Fratty headed back to Oxford, KJ, Cosmo and I spent the afternoon exploring downtown and did the tour at the Book Depository at Dealy Square.  Fascinating exhibit and the history nerd in me loved it!  We also walked around the campus SMU.  Monday, while Cosmo was at the office, KJ did some shopping at Grapevine Mills and had a fun lunch at the Rainforest Cafe and walked around the quaint town of Grapevine.  We fond the new Steel City Pops and chilled with some pops and had lunch at a great Mexican restaurant before KJ and I flew back to Baltimore.  Cosmo likes the Dallas branch and his apartment is very cool, kinda feels like an upscale New York loft -- HUGE bathroom, granite counters, chef's kitchen, etc.

Cosmo flew home this weekend and my parents were also here for a few days on their way back to PA from wintering in FL.  It was a nice, low-key weekend.  The weather was nice, but only in the low 60's w/ lots of sunshine,  We had Jimmie Cone for the first time this season on our way to dropping Cosmo off at the airport.

Gotta busy week coming up -- lots of landscaping going on and we're going to open the pool soon.  KJ has lax and volleyball this week and I've got to get my car registered in Maryland since my Alabama registration is about to expire.