Virginia is for movers

We've arrived in our new home, unpacked many boxes, hung pictures, eaten our fair share of ice cream at Pop's Ice Cream & Soda Bar so it's fair to say, we reside in Roanoke and we really like it. With sprinkles. Annie and Oscar are enrolled in the same preschool within walking distance to our house (we tested it). Jay started work and he keeps going there, so that's a good sign. I'm finding my routine and joining a lot of non-profit groups aimed at entertaining young people to keep us busy and get myself in the proverbial "out there." I have also found a new passion of sorts: sewing. It's not so much a passion as a little bit of an addiction. I think it's because it's creative and can be done at home (two criteria that any hobby must fit if you're me). I've made purses, clothes for Annie, curtains for the house, reusable lunch wraps for the kids. I'm two stitches shy of making a toaster cozy, but I'm not there yet, thank goodness.

Oscar is so much a big boy now, it's kind of making me reminisce for when he was a wee little baby, but then I remember all of the times he almost killed himself, and the feeling passes. He's talking like a real kid now, even yelling, "Maahhhhm! Come up here!" from the top of the stairs. Melts a mother's heart. He LOVES Annie with a ferocity only matched by a puppy's love for its owner. She loves him AND loves having someone to boss around who actually does what she says. We'll see how long that lasts. Right now their favorite games are pretending to be in music class where Annie is both the mother and the teacher; restaurant, where Annie is the waiter and the cook; and house/school, where Annie is both the teacher and the mother. Sense a trend? My favorite moment of the day is right before bed when they say "goodnight" to each other. No matter what kind of day they've had, whether it be fighting or loving, they always give a huge hug to each other and kiss. 

Oscar is also a lot more forthcoming with his words of affection than Annie was as a baby. He often says "[Insert family member name], I love you too," even though we haven't initiated the exchange. It's like he assumes that everyone must love him and be feeling it all the time, so he better reciprocate less he offend us. What a great way to live. He's a huge hugger and snuggler. He loves Eskimo kisses and playing "trot, trot" games with anyone who will lift him on their lap. All of these positive traits far outweigh the stress caused by his disdain for naps, stubbornness (which I can not emphasize enough), and food habits.

Annie's gearing up for Easter and the chocolate that naturally follows. Oscar has her back on that one. We've explored every playground in a 2-mile vicinity. We have planted a bunch of seedlings Jay grew for fresh herbs and vegetables for the summer. Jay built a beautiful bookshelf for Oscar (I'll take a photo soon) while he was off from work. He has a legitimate shed now, which helps him with space and me with sanity as I'm not constantly dodging piles of saw dust and strewn tools in the basement. You could say we're pretty much settled. The scenery here is simply a breath of fresh air and the weather has been gorgeous. I think Virginia likes us.

Our new home

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