We Love it Here!

We have really been enjoying getting settled here in Michigan...but the humidity takes a lot of getting used to; it's like going to a sauna fully dressed when you go outside.  Some days are better than others, but we are hoping to adjust before too long.

So the trip here was pretty good.  Thank you to all those who helped James pack up the truck - he said it was quick and easy.  We spent the first night out in Billings, Montana at the Country Inn & Suites.  It was the BEST hotel of the trip, and also the cheapest.  I would definitely stay at that location again - there were free cookies, it was really nice everywhere, the beds were SO comfy, the staff was great, and the free breakfast had a lot of variety. 

Then we drove and drove again. 

NOTE: If you ever drive through North Dakota, stop at a rest area even if you don't need it.  They are the nicest I have ever seen!!  They were all clean, smelled good, automatic, and most were inside a very nice air conditioned building.  And my mom talked to a lady who was cleaning one of the ones that were pretty average, and she cleans them 3 times a day!  That is not a job I would enjoy - it's hard enough to clean my own bathroom.

We stayed in Jamestown, North Dakota and then Tomah, Wisconsin the next two nights.  Nothing too superb or spectacular, although we did find a mexican restaurant that we will not be going back to...it was not good. 

We stopped in Chicago and visited with my aunt and cousin for a short time, and then got back on the road so we could pull into our apartment complex with just enough time to sign the lease before she closed the office for the night. 

Our apartment is pretty nice.  We have 3 bedrooms, an attached garage, and laundry just off the kitchen.  I really like it.  There are a few things that are not my favorite, though: carpet in the kitchen (at least it's industrial-type and not plush), the bathroom sinks are too low and I have to bend down to wash my hands, and they are constructed of concrete & some of the rooms don't have much padding under the carpet, so you can't stand there for too long.  Also, the tub is a little smaller than our last place.  But it's bright and clean and we get a lot of natural light all day.  And we overlook a pond and can listen to frogs croak all night.  James made a good choice of a place to live.

And we are ALMOST done unpacking...I opened all of our book boxes today and started sorting through which ones to keep packed (like my yearbooks) and what to put out on the shelves.  Hopefully that will be completed tomorrow.  And I found the iron, so I can start sewing again.  Woohoo!!  We still have 3 or 4 boxes in our bedroom and then need to finish working in Scout's room and then we are pretty much done.  It's pretty nice to not be looking at a tower of boxes in the living room, especially after having them in our last place for a couple months before we moved.

And we have enjoyed our ward - they are very welcoming and excited to have us here.  And Maiby had fun in nursery her first week, which is a big plus.  She played with the kids and wasn't too scared to just be dropped off right away.  Hooray!

So that's the catching up from us for our first week and a half here.  James started work yesterday and has enjoyed it so far, but it's mainly paperwork and safety stuff.