C L E M S O N!!!

So much going on.

I got a job at Clemson University as web designer/writer with Public Service. Then university is moving to a CMS web software and is developing a whole team for the university (there is currently no web team). I am the first on hired so far of a team of 7. Three of us will be at Public Service and the other 4 will be in the Promotions office doing university wide web design. The university is about to get a whole new web presence and i am on the team to make it happen!!! That's exciting! Also, I will work as a prepress designer for all Public Service literature. I am also excited about that.

I've been busy visiting family at the lake, and family on the river. The children are registered for schools or on the waiting lists.

I will probably remove this blog in the near future. There is a lot of personal information on here and I would not like it to get into the wrong hands. I'm sure you understand!!!

Anyway. We are very happy, very tan, and very busy!

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visiting family

(an attempt at a post on Sunday!)
We're having a good time in Columbia this weekend visiting my brother and Ken. The dog (Jackson) as been in the lake for hours. He wears a lifejacket so he can stay in longer and not get so tired. He loves the water (Golden Retriever...go figure). So he just swims all over, splashing and biting at the splashes! He's a beautiful BIG dog. The children aren't so sure about the lake. They played a little bit. Right now they've had their fill of watermelon and are crashed on the couch. Robin is fast asleep and Nicholas is enjoying Robots! We went to my grandparents house again this morning to visit a bit with them. Nicholas and Papa are buddies. Papa walks Nicholas all over the yard teaching him about the plants. Nicholas is so cute. Papa was showing him a hot pepper and how you can eat the outside and it is not hot. Papa shaved off a bit with the vein and seeds to show me what NOT to do. He threw that on the ground so the children wouldn't eat it...or so you'd think. I say directly to Robin "Robin, don't eat that. Papa will cut you a piece you can eat". Next thing I know she was spitting and rubbing her month. I told her to go the back of the house and get some chips form Phil, Ken and Meme who were visiting back there. When we made it around to the back she was quite as a mouse, rubbing her mouth and spitting a little bit. But never any noise or obvious signs of discomfort. Finally I took her in to get a glass of milk and some ice cream. When we went in she started crying. back outside everyone commented about how calm she was a never cried.

(wasn't able to complete this post before because the connection messed up)

I think we're going to get internet at home. I have decided that it is virtually impossible to get much "done" during the day as a fulltime mom. No time to unpack...run errands...the children need/demand all of my attention all of the time. I'm sure it would be easier if we had not moved and we were in a familiar place with a settled home. Today, I need to find the post office, the DMV and need to get my oil changed! Whew! It can pile up. BUT...we have a washing machine and dryer now and a dishwasher....so life is good!

at last

We are here in Greenwood at last! Boy it has been a crazy transition.

An update:

Robin LOVES the pool now. She is a CRAZY water bug! We reallyhave to watch her. She loves to jump in, go to the bottom and "swim". She's learning to push off of the bottom of the pool to get to the top again! What a transition. I can imagine that with 2 trips to the pool a day, she'll be swimming in no time!

Nicholas still loves it as well. And doing uite well swimming also! He is meeting lots of children here and being exposed to a lot of different things thna we had at "home". Stining and biting bugs are the most obvious. His body does NOT like them however, seems ants are drawn to him. FINALLY after years of fussing at him to walk onthe sidewalks...that is all he does lately...FIRE ANTS LIVE IN THE GRASS!!! His foot is swolen from various days of bites. You should probably buy stock in Benadryll!!! Not to mention the wasp he found today in the pool. It stung him trying to get it out!

Someone just knocked on the office door wanting a turn at the computer before the office closes. So I need to go.

Pleas know that we are all well and adjusting to this new life!!!

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in transition

We are able to move into the apartment THIS WEEKEND! What a welcome surprise!!! This week the children and I enjoyed the pool while daddy was at work. I felt pretty lame complaining to Rob and laughed as I told him how tired I was from paying at the park all morning then in the pool for 3 hours in the afternoon! I realized that I need Gadget arms to reach parts of my back, which now ache from sun burn.

We are at Momma El’s this weekend relaxing and waiting for Sunday when we head back to greenwood to move all of our stuff in to the apartment. It is now in a garage (thanks to the help of our friend Brian!). Rob is in Boone today cleaning the apartment and checking out. We could not fit all of our stuff in the truck so we left it! He’s going to find some time to meet with some buddies to hit softballs. He signs out at 11 on Sunday then off to Greenwood!!! We’re going to try to move most of the stuff Sunday night and Monday so we can really enjoy the 4th!!!

As far as a job for me…my resume and electronic portfolio is being passed around Piedmont Tech. It’d be nice to have an adjunct position if needed. The director of the Art department where Graphic Arts is housed is out ‘till next week. No word yet from the interview, they said it’d be about 3 weeks. I need to get in touch with the fine folks at Cube Creative Design and have a further conversation with the owner! I’m ready to talk more seriously about possibilities there!

We have the new address but no phone yet. I forgot to call them Fri to have it hooked up. If you want our new contact information, please email me. As soon as we get a landline we will disconnect our cell phones (trying to save money!!!). We also do not have Internet at home yet, so no correspondence for me unless I got the “business center” in the clubhouse. When Internet becomes a work-related necessity for me, we will get digital. So, until then, there is no immediate way of getting in though with our family.

I’ll post every now and again, when I can jump on a computer. Until next time. Know that:

• We are all quite well.
• Nicholas LOVES the pool (Robin …not so much).
• Rob LOVCES his job and his new coworkers are wonderful! His boss is into softball and musical theater and that excites Rob! I’m sure when we’re settled, he’ll auditioning for something in town.
• I have a few weddings in September I’d like to attend. But until I have a job, we can not commit to either of them.
• We really miss our dog, but know she is in great hands.
• When I mentioned “where can I recycle the cardboard boxes” to our new landlord, he looked at me like I was NUTS!!! Guess I’ll have to get something going in the complex. I have no idea where the recycling centers are (if there are even any).
• RealSimple magazine has a GREAT spread about saving energy in this month’s issue…check it our and SAVE!!!
• We went to animal shelter in Greenwood and learned how to become a volunteer. The children are excited about “borrowing” a dog to walk and care for. They have a 3-week summer program called “Camp Good Dog” for children to learn to train and care for dogs. It is wonderful! They have a graduation ceremony at the end and the children and “borrowed” dogs show off their skills. When all the children invite family, and friends to graduation, all of the camp dogs (and some others) end up adopted! Everyone wins!!! (makes me cry)
• Sure it is hotter here. But not unbearable yet…the AC and pool are VERY nice to have here.
• I picked up a turtle from the middle of the highway in took it in my car (maybe a mile) to mom’s house to show the children. Good thing we have an element, it peed ALL IN THE CAR!!
• The Fire ants are horrible here. Robin shows her frustration with “Those frickin’ fire ants!”
• It's fun to drive through Clemson's campus on the way to and from mom's house!
• The lakes are so nice and look like so much fun. Maybe we can borrow a boat or jet ski sometime!
• We miss our friends in Boone! We have an extra bedroom!