New to Florida

Hi Everyone!!!

First off I want to share that we miss our friends in CO. Hope you're all still planning on visiting...

Well the first week here in Orlando is behind us. Travel day was, as anticipated, absolutely crazy. Up early in the AM and saying goodbye to special friends - how's that nachos recipe coming guys??? Looking forward to the next time in FL. Then back to the house, last minute clean up and pick up the pets. Get everyone loaded in the rental truck and off we went to the airport. Left Bizzy and Bitz with Continental SmartPet - pressurized and temperature control travel (much safer for all you pet lovers out there that need to take your animals on airplanes). Then off to get on our airplane (one last cat, Brie, still with us)... Actually went quite well, except Brie couldn't help but express his disappointment with his economy class seat above his head every 30 seconds (figured he'd have kept quiet if he'd have been shoved under a first-class seat... :) Tilden, managed to charm the pilot into a picture in the cockpit to note his first flight - which Tilden managed to enjoy greatly (the greater the turbulence the sounder he slept - amazing!!!). Grabbed a car and off to our new temporary living diggs. Dropped Tam and Tilden off and back to the airport to pick up the rest of the family - no problems!!!

Rested.... And, oh boy, did we... We couldn't help but get out to see the house. This was the first time Tam and Tommy were able to lay eyes on it and, thankfully, they loved it. The inspection went off without a hitch. We closed on Friday morning (8/29).



Above is a "character" picture of Tommy after his first dip in our new pool. Yes, those are his red shorts under the towel....

It's strange, we don't have any furnishings to put in the house yet (all in storage for now) but we just can't stay away!!! We've been scheming and planning for the past few days on where we want which couch and what we need to research. Lots of driving to figure out all the different resources we like having available - Costco seems to be a big one for us... :) Got our FL driving licenses on Wednesday - also Tommy's first day in his new school (can you believe 3000 students!!!). The lic pitures are pretty bland but Tommy's first day of school was full of lots of flavor - good kids at this school. He can't remember all their names yet, but he's pretty pleased with how many he met right off. I figured he'd be pretty intimidated with how big the buildings are and how strict the rules are, but nope. So far he's pretty proud of his new school reputation.

Tilden is doing fantastic. Can you believe he's 5 weeks old??? He's looking so different from pictures we practically took yesterday!!!

Yeah, he needs constant attention and will let you know in the span of one (very loud) breath that he's in need... but he's just fantastic. Tam, Tommy, and I have settled into routines that get us where we need to go. Basically, Tam is on-call at all times to nurse. She really is enjoying it, though it is taxing. Tommy gets his morning started with shower, dog out for a walk, and whatever. Then Dad puts Tilden in the car seat and we all walk out to breakfast. I stay with Tilden armed with bottle and pacifier, while everyone else gets their food, then I get to cruise the Residence Inn buffet. We eat and discuss what's planned for the day. Then, back to another dog walk for either me or Tommy, check a diaper, and then we're off... Shopping, school, meeting with someone about work, health records, doctors, checking the pool water chemicals, getting someone to cut the lawn for a couple of months (mower's in storage), getting the auto insurance changed over to FL in the midst of hurricane weather - hahaha, like that's gonna happen... - and, oh yeah, keeping an eye on the weather. Nothing yet from the hurricanes here in Orlando. We did experience some wind and rain form Gustav, but nothing really more than mild weather. I suppose Hanna and Ike will provide us with some more excitement, but people here in Orlando (newly met neighbors) really don't worry. Apparently, the people we need to pray for are the people that live closer to the coastline.

I start work on Monday. Not sure what to expect yet - all the paperwork was mistakenly sent to our old address... And even the email promised for today didn't show - it was supposed to tell me where to report on Monday. And everyone with Lockheed is supposed to be enjoying a long, 9/80 Friday off tomorrow, so we'll see what happens. Not too worried, just amused. I'm not planning on going to work for a group that had is all working perfectly - that wouldn't really be any fun, would it. So, we'll see what happens and I report back later.

One closing comment... Sorry for the traffic jam of thoughts. It's a bit late here and lots going on. But hoping to keep in touch with all by keeping the updates going.

Love to All,
-ty