We have arrived and I have started to recover...

We are here! Finally and after all the stresses of recent weeks.  I am, to say the least, completely exhausted.  I am not sure if my body wants me to get a cold or some other lurgy but I can feel something coming on; only to be expected I guess!

Steve is delighted to have us all here - he was even enjoying my hen pecking yesterday - long may it last!!! He has brought both boys a really nice skateboard each which they were practicing madly on yesterday.  There is quite a group of similar aged children here at the Verde Riverwalk (http://www.verderiverwalk.com/Community/LiveAt-VerdeRiverwalk.aspx).  The boys were out playing soccer with them late yesterday afternoon but they are both too shy to skate with them yet - apparently there are some real professional skaters down there, according to Tom.

Here are the boys practicing yesterday:

Here is a view from our balcony yesterday morning:

Whilst the boys were playing with the traffic - literally - although the drivers here are very careful when children are about - I had a peaceful morning getting all domestic and doing washing, making breakfast and putting clothes away.  Normally boring jobs but I welcomed back these tasks as it means normality and routine!!!

Having done my house wife bit I took myself off for a long soak in the bath and read my book - it was lovely.

We then decided to have the tour of the apartment facilities.  We saw the clubhouse (apparently making s'mores outside tonight whatever they are), the gym - looks nice but I am yet to make it in there, the pool - far too cold to get in and then we headed off down the running trail that takes you around the fishing lakes.

Rudy was delighted and ran at 100 miles an hour towards the lake but we managed to stop him in time.  A wet dog in the apartment would not be good!!! Plus there are turtles in there and I have no idea what he would make of them because they are pretty big!

We got back just before midday as we had an appointment to view a house which Steve had been to see.  In fact Steve has been viewing lots oh house in my absence and I had been looking at the video he had taken.  We are able to stay in the apartment until mid December which is great and it is a fantastic bolt hole but the reality of longer term apartment living does not really appeal.

It's cheaper to live in an apartment and you get use of all the wonderful facilities.  It is also very social and secure.  However, just being here for two days has put me off.  Having a dog in an apartment is not impossible, many people do.  However, it is a pain when you have been used to letting your dog out wherever you want.  Today I was standing outside in the dark at 7am with my pj's and boots on whilst Rudy did his business. I am now the mad English woman of Verde Riverwalk but actually this side of apartment living is a pain.
I will yearn for my own space I know.

We all loved the house and the area it is in. Steve had already been to check out the local school - Heritage Elementary - which is a blue ribbon school and is ranked 56th in the USA or some such thing.  Steve was holding court with 9 ladies in the office this week apparently when he dropped by to double check it was the catchment school for the house.  He thinks it's great and they will be delighted to take the boys from next week! That won't happen as there is the question of transport but also I want to spend some family time together.  Maybe later this month once I am going mad!

So, that's it we have signed the lease and will pay the deposit next week.  We could keep looking but having been here before I think we have a pretty good idea of where we want to be and which are the best schools and Heritage is one of them.

The added bonus is that the lady doesn't want to move out until late November so we will be there from 1st December.  She is also leaving quite a few things for us to use like the white ware, pool table (very happy boys) and some of the furniture which means that we don't have to buy much ourselves other than a bed for the guest room.

Our goods are due to arrive in Houston on the 24th November so fingers crossed the timings will all work out and we will be in the house, with our own things, by December 1st!

Here is the outside of the house and the link to blurb about the house.

http://www.movoto.com/real-estate/homes-for-sale/TX/Grapevine/3256-Shady-Glen-Dr-402_11457992.htm

The house was on the market for sale but the lady really wants to hang onto it so renting it out for a while suits her better - which suits us too!

Once we got back from seeing the house we all chilled out for a bit and the boys carried on with skateboarding practice until the school bus arrived back and the kids returned from school.

We headed off to the Mall late afternoon and grabbed some dinner there and the boys did a bit of shopping but by 8:30 pm I was fading fast so we headed home and to bed.

Now, I must go and make some breakfast as the boys are hungry again.  Ah normal life! All our love to you all and please keep your emails and Skyping coming through.  We have managed to speak to a few people which has been great! All well here and hope all well with you too! Lots of love, Bex, Steve (who sensibly is still asleep) and Will, Tom and Rudy xxxxxxxxx