A Weekend with Friends

This weekend we were blessed to spend time with our close friends from our old life.
5 of my closest girl friends came up the mountain (and 2 of their babies) to hang out, shop, eat, and laugh. I am so thankful to have such great friends. Truly they are one of the best gifts I have received on this planet.

John took the kids down the mountain to hang out with these ladies' spouses and kids.

Ethan was also thrilled to see his best bud (pictures above). He has really missed that guy!

Thanks, to all our friends for a great and refreshing weekend.

A Time to Rejoice

Olivia and I had the opportunity to rejoice with some of our best friends on Sunday. We attended a special tea party for a new member of the Shaw family... Patricia.

Our dear friends, Nate and Kim, just returned from Good Shepherd's Fold in Uganda with their beautiful and blessed daughter, Patricia. So, the women from our small group (and their daughters) wanted to throw a party to celebrate and welcome her.

Olivia with Patricia and sweet friends Caroline and Rachel.

Olivia enjoying her punch and tea cakes.

We are so thrilled for the Shaw family! We know that God has a plan and a purpose for Patricia- we consider it a great honor to have been able to pray for her and welcome her into the family of believers here in North Carolina. So from the Hoots: Welcome, Patricia, we are excited to see what the Lord has planned for your precious life.

Want to see more of their journey click here.

A Chilly 44 degrees

We had a great weekend.
John's parents came up on Friday night and we went to Blowing Rock's Winterfest. It was a beautiful day and really fun. (Forgot to take my camera).

Then on Sunday we drove down the mountain to our nephew's birthday party. It was great to see family and get off the mountain. (Forgot to take my camera).

After the party we had an impromptu dinner with some dear friends. It was great to see everyone and catch up on the last month. (Forgot to take my camera).

After all the fun and festivities we traveled back up the mountain to our log cabin. When we got here we realized the heat was broken... yes really! So it was a cold night!

Now it is a chilly 44 degrees (in the house) and we are waiting on the repairman to come fix it. The kids won't even get off the coach - because it is so cold. They are bundled up under 6 blankets and are watching Mickey Mouse.

is it possible for a house to be a "lemon"? If so, I think this one might qualify.

Something We Like About Living Here

So after my last blog post many of you emailed and messaged me - concerned that we are miserable here.

So far living here has been challenging...

E has gone to school 7 days.

(Two were delays. One was a half day on a Saturday).

He have had 8 snow days.

The expedition has slid off the driveway 1 time.

The heat did not work the first 8 hours we were here.

The hot water heater has broken 2 times.

The van doors have been frozen shut about 10 times.

We have left the mountain 3 times. (We have not even been here 3 weeks).

Other than school 7 other activities have been canceled because of weather.

We have made snow cream 3 times. (Only E likes it).

We have watched 342 movies.

Gone through 25 cans of play dough and 2 entire coloring books.

But, we have also had 1 visit from family.

Been to an indoor swimming pool 3 times.

Eaten at Mellow Mushroom 1 time.

Been over to 2 friends' houses.

Attended Awana 2 times.

Attended our new church 2 times.

So far the best part about living here has been our new church. The church is actually not "new" to John and I. It is where we met in college. The church has certainly changed in the last 13 years ( we met there 13 years ago), but the people are still extremely friendly. The children's ministry is phenomenal (our kids keep asking when we can go back), and there are still several familiar faces. In an effort to accentuate the positive today - the above picture is of our very happy kiddos just back from Awana. Don't know what Awana is? Check it out here. Every week it is a time of games, bible stories, activities, and fun. It reminds me a lot of all the fun activities we did at Camp Willow Run.

Well, that is enough for now. We are not doing much here that is blog worthy. But as least now you know we are surviving!

A Whole New World

So, we moved to the mountains at the worst possible time! It is officially blizzard season here - and every other day the local weatherman calls for snow squalls... yes squalls folks!

John and I went to college here - and although it was cold and it snowed- it was nothing like this! We could (pretty much) always get out and about. Those days are gone!

School has been out for five days (Ethan only went for two before the snow started). There is no end in sight. I don't think I have ever longed for spring as much as I do now! Thank God for a warm house.

Our snow covered front yard on Saturday. We have even more snow now.

We probably have close to two feet on the ground at our house.

Our driveway has disappeared. The van cannot make it up and even John's expedition has been unable to make it up the hill... he slid off last Friday during the snow storm and we had to call AAA. (There has NEVER been a road or a hill the 4WD Expedition has not been able to get up - this is a whole new experience for us).

The van has been covered and at the end of the driveway since last Wednesday night... this is a record for the longest time not driven! On the weekend and at night we have been driving John's car. During the day I have not left with the kids. For five days!

Even our bear is snow covered!

(Can you see him carved into the tree there- he is looking at the house).

The major highway hear our house... we have driven on it at least a hundred times this was the worst (Saturday morning) I had seen it. It was passable, but slow going.

Even the college here shut down today. In the 4 years I went to that college it only closed once.

It is nuts here... we need some more snow day activities! Play dough, snow cream, markers, movies, and toys are just not cutting it anymore! Any ideas??

So We Moved...

Greetings friends and family! I finally took the time to go take a picture of our new home so I could update you on our circumstances. It is true... we moved... to the mountains... about 2 hours west of our old home. (I don't want to divulge our exact location for all the crazy folk that might try to come burn our house down!).

Here is our new home. We feel blessed to have found a mountain home to rent until our house back in The Triad sells. It is quaint and has plenty of mountain charm (and stairs)!

This was on move in day. My awesome friend Amy, one of many who spent the day helping us pack, clean, unpack and drove up the mountain with us. We are so thankful for our friends!

This is our family room.

Awesome friends, Emily and Ashley in the kitchen trying to unpack and organize my stuff! The greatest challenge with the house so far has been trying to figure out what we really need for the next 18 months of our lease. The house is adorable - but a lot smaller and not all of our stuff will fit. (And, we seriously thinned out our "stuff" before we moved!).

I will post a tour of our house once we are decorated and all the boxes are out... so next June!

The kids are all doing well. Ethan has started 1st grade at his new school and all has gone well. We have also tried a couple things at our new church- MOPS and AWANA and everyone has enjoyed that too. Overall, everyone is adjusting well and enjoying the new adventure.

Everything concerning this move happened really fast. It seems like one day we decided and the next day we were driving the trucks up here.

Even though it is an exciting season of new adventures it is also a time of sadness for us. We really loved our church, our house, and mostly our friends back in the Triad.

On the one hand there are so many things we are having to let go of... and on the other I know there are so many things we are going to be able to take hold of in our new life. It is an emotional season and we are still adjusting.

To our friends and family, thanks for all the prayers, gifts and help you provided in making this move happen. You made it so much easier for us (and so much harder- if you had all been jerks it would certainly been easier to say good-bye!).