Getting Settled...

Well, we've been out of commission on the blogging front for a little while as we've been busy getting settled into our new home.  We had a whirlwind first week, which I wanted to recap, just so that we would remember it for years to come.  Here is a list of lessons learned:

• For some reason, it always seems to take forever to get the internet connected and working correctly, and you still have to pay someone to come out, even if your husband is a computer science internet security research guy.  
• Washers are more difficult to find on craigslist than we thought.  You use (or want to use) washing machines a lot when unpacking.  Thankfully Home Depot delivers.
• It is best to mount baby gates.  We bought one that would work mounted or unmounted, and had intended to mount it, but hadn't gotten around to it when we had a tumble down the stairs.  And no, it wasn't the 10 month old.  It was the almost 3 year old who thought he could either climb over or plow through the thing and took the gate with him down the half flight of stairs.  No injuries, and I don't think he'll try it again.  But the gate is now mounted, regardless.
• Don't have inside doors with keyed locks.  Especially when you don't have a key to the lock.  And when you buy a replacement doorknob, install it as soon as you get home.  Don't wait 12 hours like we did, or, in that amount of time, your son may lock the door to your room and close the door with no one in it, and you will have to call a locksmith.  And that is just not fun.
• Know where the nearest pediatric emergency room is.  Yes, I know this sounds like Alan, but it was James.  He had a fever which sent him into a seizure and completely freaked me out. When the doctor's office put me on hold twice, I called 911, and the paramedics came.  He was conscious again by the time they got there and they informed me that it is common in young kids to have seizures from fevers.  We still went to the ER to get him checked out, and thankfully he is fine.  Just keep your kids on ibuprofen, tylenol, or both.
• Turns out, we live in the woods.  Not like the middle of nowhere, where I grew up, but woodsy all the same.  We've met lots of fun creatures in our yard.  A wild turkey, groundhog that lives under our shed, tons of frogs.  Alan even had a tick attached to his head one night.  Successfully removed, and no worries, but we are constantly checking now.  And may get some spray.
• Wait to mow your grass until it is soooo long that the 12 year old kids down the street come and offer to mow it for you to welcome you to the neighborhood.  Great way to meet neighbors and get your lawn partially mowed.  (had to call it quits for baseball)  Turns out we have a kind of big yard.  And we put off buying a lawn mower because we couldn't decide on whether to get a riding mower or a push mower.  When the 12 year olds came over with the push mower, it helped sway us that way and we've decided on the push mower to start.  Yeah, it will take a while to mow the grass, but we figure it will be good exercise.  Luckily we had a great group of helpers this week.
• Have family come visit and put them to work!  My family came up for Memorial Day weekend and got sooooo much done.  They mowed the grass, trimmed bushes, planted flowers, cleaned bathrooms, cleaned our rental home, unpacked, assembled new shelves, took down old shelves, organized, moved freezer, and mounted tv and gate.  We are miles ahead of where we would have been. 

All in all, a fun first week.  Wait until you hear about our second week. :)