Fresh Start

Where to begin....

Many people think we are crazy for considering a relocation. For us...it is something Scott and I have thought long and hard about for a very long time. California is a beautiful state. We are located in such a great area; 45 minutes from the mountains and 35 minutes from the beach. The problem is not the beauty, the problem is the economy and the direction of this state.

We know the move will be a challenge and I'm sure we will question whether we are making the right decision. We just know in our hearts that we do not want our children to struggle in a state that is going no where. To give you an example, California has the second highest unemployment rate in the country! That explains why Brandon has been looking for a job for over one year!

So the question remains...where will we end up? We have narrowed our selection to three places; North Carolina, Virginia & Tennessee. Each place has pros and cons. The benefit is Scott has a job option in each place. North Carolina and Tennessee top our list for me because of my chances of getting a good teaching position. We are still weighing our options.

To be continued....

Hiking...How I Have Missed You

January 1st 2011....hiking new trails! Our new New Year's day tradition is searching for new and exciting places to hike. This year we found a beautiful trail that led to a waterfall. It was a gorgeous day. The air was cool but the sun was shining bright.

The hike took us deep into the Cleveland National Forest. The waterfall was a special treat to see. We do not have many of those so close to our house. With all the rain we had in December and early January the falls were flowing pretty good.

We stopped to eat lunch at the top.
View of where we were headed...the top!

The water was frigid!

Mady found out the hard way...with her foot!

2011....REALLY?

Is it really January 2011? Is it really almost February 2011!?! They say time goes by a lot faster when you get older. Whoever said that wasn't kidding!

It's been so long since I have updated my blog. Between school, kids and life I simply haven't had time. I decided to try and keep up on it now that the new year is here. Yes...I'm a little late into the new year to decide this. We'll see how it goes.

Here's some family pictures I took in December. We decided to save money and take them ourselves. We had so much fun. Laughed til we were in tears many times!

As you can see, my babies aren't babies anymore. 11 & 16! Scary!!