cleveland.

warning: this is my blog therefor i have every right to change the contents in this whenever i want....say come january or february. this has been my experience in the summer time. not the winter.

the hubs dream job - just NOT the dream place to live.

that is how i would explain the move to cleveland ohio when asked why/where we were moving.

i mean, really, what in the world does cleveland ohio have to offer.

besides lebron james {which, they don't even have him to brag about anymore}, have you heard of anything exciting, neat, fun, good about cleveland.

uhm, yeah, that makes both of us.

i've been waiting to write this post until we get in the house.

but, i think i need to share it now.

there are a lot of you that i don't talk to on a day to day basis.

and i don't think i have shared my thoughts on this place yet.

well, i have some, but not this part.

ready....

i.LOVE.the cleve.

yep, you read that right.

and i will love it even more when i get into the house.

this apartment is the only thing holding me back from 100% satisfaction.

let's get right down to it....bullet style:

• the weather. can i get an AMEN on the weather. we live with 70's and 80's most days. the occasional 90's get mixed in there. i.am.NOT.a.fan of those days. 
• it is down right BEAUTIFUL here. the trees line each and every street. with huge trees on most house lots. my mom said, 'it's like we're driving in yosemite.' and we were on a main street when those words were spoken. it is so green and lush here. i marvel at the beauty every time i get in the car. 
• the beach. as said before, i grew up with a {real} beach/ocean close by. i have very fond memories of the beach. while our beach is technically lake erie. to us and all the other clevers...it's a beach. but really, it has everything any other beach has to offer but the big waves and the smell of the ocean...oh how that would be nice. no, perfect. 
• when i would mention to people that we were moving to ohio, i would hear two things: the people are so friendly {indeed. this is so very true and i love that} and they have great food {this is also true}. there aren't alot of the chain{y} restaurants here. like at.all. so, it's mainly by word of mouth to find the good ones. which every single one we have been to has been out.of.this.world. AND so different. which i love.
• living in OK, you would think i would be used to the slow pace of life. but, actually tulsa has nothing on this slowness. most streets {even the main ones} are two lanes and the speed limit is 35 mph. the highway/freeways are 60 mph. it's been an adjustment to say the least, but a nice one. nobody is in a hurry around here. it's very go.with.the.flow out for a sunday stroll every day of the week. 
• there is so much to do outdoors. parks galore. metro parks are what they are called. you see, when you have 6 months of winter you LIVE for the outdoors. everyone comes out from hiding and spends every waking minute outside. i love that. in texas we spend every waking minute inside as it's so darn hot.
• uhm, can i also get an AMEN to a full time/part time babysitter! one of the agreements between the hubs and i was that if we were moving i was going to get someone to come over during the day so i could leave and have some 'me' time again. i found her. and we all love her. she comes 3 days a week for about 2.5-3 hours. she is on vacay this week {how dare her, just when i was getting used to it}....i miss her so! this is my gym time. grocery shopping time. running errands time. antiquing time. this time to myself has made me one happy mommy.

we have done more. seen more. explored more. had more firsts in the last 7 weeks than in the boys whole first 13 months of their lives.

sad. but true.

sometimes, you just need a change.

it's a very scary thing to move so far.

away from everything/everybody you know.

but it can sometimes be just what you need.

for me, it was just that.

i needed forced out of my bubble.

i needed out of the house.

i needed to let the boys be boys and explore and learn what the outside was made of.

to get dirty. and sandy. and even meet {and scream} with strangers.

i/we needed to feel the sunshine on our faces.

and get tan lines on our feet.

to pick flowers in the grass.

and play ball with sissy.

if we were still in texas we would still be cooped up indoors because it's too hot to be outside.
and i wouldn't have been FORCED out of my bubble.

nothing would have changed.

for us, this move came at the perfect time. 

with the perfect season.

to the perfect state and city.

i'm so thankful that our plan for our lives was in place wayyy before we were even placed on this earth.

it makes the changes in life easier knowing that when doors open......

they were opened for a reason and in the perfect season.

in unrelated news: mullet boy as daddy liked to refer to him as, has a new look.
i cut the curls off on monday night.
i didn't take pictures OR save the hair.
i think i am that upset that i gave in to the mullet boy comments.
nonetheless, in my eyes, he's still a cute and sweet flower picker.