A beautiful day in the neighborhood

(Maia and her friend Kaitlyn at the Houston Zoo)

Today's weather (mid-70's) is exactly why Jeff and I moved down here to Texas! It is going to be gorgeous the next couple of days with temps in the mid-70's. Okay, so Sunday it's supposed to rain, but still be warm.

This Sunday the choir is off, but the bell choir is playing, A Servant's Heart is singing and I have to stay for three hours after the second service for a "new members" meeting which I guess is required to join the church, however being raised in the Presbyterian church I think it's kind of goofy to have to sit about learning about the Presbyterian denomination. I understand it for real newcomers, but oh well.

I found a new house for us to rent next year. It was my hope that we would be able to buy, but unless we can finagle a down payment of $9,000 in the next month, it will have to wait another year. We can come up with 5k, so donations for the other 4 would be accepted! :) We are going to rent a home smaller than the one we're in now. It's a three bed room and coincidentally right beside Eli's babysitter Esmeralda, so it's right down the road, keeping the kids in their schools. It's a one-floor open plan and the lady who owns it said her electric bill in the summer is half of what I paid this summer! I'm hoping our landlady will let us out of our lease two months early so we can move in at the beginning of April. It is a lease to own, so in a year Jeff and I will have first choice if we want to go ahead and buy the home through owner financing or a commercial lender.

We found out earlier this week that Maia's friend Kaitlyn is moving not only from the plan, but to Humble (pronounced "umble") here in April. It will take her to an entirely new school district just before the year is over. I think Maia is pretty bummed about it, but since she's the only other girl in this plan, it doesn't bother her to move in a few months herself. Maia came with us to see the house and announced right away that she liked it.

Work is going well. The Spring issue went to print this week and next week I'll be finalizing my editorial calendar for Summer. The kids and I are excited to be making the trip back home to PA in March. However Evan has already said he's concerned it will be "cold" up there still! Well that's all for now. I should go out and enjoy the rest of the day - if only Eli didn't like to keep my hostage at home!