1. Sleeping all night. H has adjusted no worries. T seems to alternate between great nights - once sleeping 14 hours, and terribly - waking at 2 or 3 in the morning and not going back to sleep till 6am. Im not too tired during day as im busy but when boys go to bed, I'm just physically shattered.
2. Wishing family and friends were here especially when I see things and think oh this person would like that.
3. Writing and editing this blog on my phone. Grrr...
4. Money - We are currently doing everything in cash. All notes look the same, sizes aren't logical and a 1 c coin ffs! My approach so far is to pay for everything with notes. Might just take the kg of coins I seem to have collected in change and bank it.
Things I've found harder than expected
1. Getting boys into the car in the heat especially as it's so hot inside the car. Its ok with G off work as he can pre-cool the car. Will have to think about how to go about getting them in, and the car as cool as possible, as fast as possible.
2. Lack of fresh air. Im not a big air con person much preferring windows open but here thats not practicable. Trying to get out for walks and to sit by the pool when I can. The mosquitos have obviously sized me up as fresh blood ( in every sense).
3. Food shopping. I knew everything in the supermarket would be different but I never really realized how hard that makes it, especially trying to read labels ( dreaded sugar content for t, gluten free for me) on everything. Makes it quite the ordeal.
Things I've found easy
1. Shopping. Already been to target. Total amaze. Only had half an hour there before we had a meeting at the bank but managed to to fill a trolley quite easily. Can not wait till I get a proper look at the shopping here. Sidenote: Walmart is way cleaner and better organised and less crazy than the Internet promised. I was both disappointed and relieved not to run into too much crazy. It also stocks some similar baby products - toys etc that ive bought for the boys before at like quarter of the price. G pointed out the the 55" samsung smart tv we paid $2500 for at home there for $700.
2. Settling into our accommodation. Bigger than expexted and sweet facilities including a gym with kids playroom, pool and beach volleyball court (or giant sandpit in t's eyes). T is loving time in the pool and again im making the most of G being off to swim kidfree.
Things I've found easier than expected
1. Finding fresh good quality salad and veges - everyone warned me about the food but we are about 5 mins drive from an organic supermarket and of course it's waaaay cheaper than nz.Tonight we had Salmon orzo salad packed full of asparagus, cherry toms, corn and black beans. Not quite the hotdogs with cheese from a tube that people kept warning me about.
2. Opening a bank account was easier than getting our last video store account. Literally a passport was all that was needed.
3. Driving. Yep I've been driving. Even been out without G as co pilot. Its actually quite fun. I really like our rental car. Hardest part was a left hand turn at a busy intersection. And I pretty much have to chant ' lefty loosy, righty tighty' at every turn to remember which side to turn onto, but im sure/ hope that will get easier. Observation - seems like everyone here leases their cars/ buys new. We have literally seen less than 5 cars older than 2 or 3 years in the week we have been here. But that might be the area we are in? Will see how this holds up as we drive further out.
Things that have weirded me out
1. How polite the sales/ reception ppl are on the phone. The phone manner here is really different. One person I rang today answered the phone saying ' This is Dotti, I can help you'. And she could and she did but the NZ in me made me think. .. 'hold on Dotti, let me be the judge of that'....
Another women at a bank thanked me a couple of times for asking when I replied 'Good thanks and you?' when she asked me how I was. The ma'am thing just makes me feel old.
2. Really orange cheese. So far the cheese has been the worst thing about living here. We are trying lots of types but T has stopped eating it altogether.
Things we have done.
1. A couple of toddler gym times. One in particular was awesome and T had a ball
2. Met up with a group of mums in a meetup.com group who were super friendly
3. Been to the Texas State Aquarium complete with splashpad and dolphin show. T absolutely loved the splash pad.
4. Been to lots of shops and the mall here. H already has some new clothes and T some new toys.
5. Found a pretty cool playground down the road from us after it was recommended to us. T had been asking every day to go to one, so took advantage of a couple of cooler mornings to go.
6. All come down with a nasty cold, sore throats etc. G and I taking turns to look after boys or rest. Hopefully it will be gone before long. Poor H is totally miserable tonight
7. G went to a friday night high school football game. Such a massive thing here
8. Had stereotypes confirmed when a hairdresser asked if we drove to Texas from NZ. Not often am I rendered speechless...
Things im grateful for
1. Skype
2. The ten days before Garth starts work to explore and find everything.
3. Google.
4. Knowing a couple of people before we got here who have been invaluable for advice and recommendations.
American Flags seen: 47 Texas Flags: 5 Guns: 0
