THIS-N-THAT

Somehow, my views bumped over 100,000. I missed it....but am stoked. I mean SOMEbody is still looking. I don't know if they are looking for me, per se. Or, even reading, but they end up on my page somehow, and for a few moments, anyway. Cool, huh?

So, I'm a bit calmer than I was during the last post, for a couple of reasons.

I am doing better, because I am home. It may seem odd, considering what I am about to say, but still....it is good to be home. Not necessarily in Texas. (Though Texas is STILL awesome!) My kids were growing more and more out of sorts, as they were having to deal with high heat (high for Montana) without air conditioning. And, some of the promised activities didn't pan out, due to various circumstances. 

Then, there was the whole cooking issue. I mean...I LOVE to cook and bake. I really do. However, the conditions I found myself in were less than ideal. It was......functional......for someone with lacking skills and desire to put out anything more than a Stouffer Lasagna or a few cans of chicken noodle soup. 

I was missing SO MUCH. The biggest pot I had access to was a 6 quart....and only 1 of those. There were no baking pans. Only 1 rubber spatula....a cheap one that doesn't really scrape. And, the seasonings....well, there was salt and pepper and a few seasonings (garlic powder and Italian seasoning) with a date stamped before Gabriel was born. Yeah....I had to make a few of my own purchases, and make smaller batches of my homemade soups. And the oven....holy smokes! There was a hot spot.....a HOT hot spot in the back left corner....a few sacrificed biscuits taught me to keep everything crammed to the right. 

Oh well, it made me appreciate my ability, as I was able to adapt and still turn out some good grub.

(On a side note, and speaking of grub, I made my own sushi today. Pretty cool, if you ask me. I have wanted to do it for awhile, and considering our Alaska fishing trip that is coming up, well.....now I can make sushi using FRESH salmon. It's gonna be awesome.)

OK....so, the fall apart of a few weeks ago. It's because we looked at a house. As in.....*if we like it, we will put in an offer.

DID YOU HEAR ME? 

I go to Montana on vacation, and look at a house......TO BUY!

*just. breathe.

So, yeah....I OK'd the whole "we should look at it, because it sounds perfect," then subsequently had a meltdown; complete with snot, tears, and blubbering idiocy.  The talk was that if we liked the place, and made an offer, we would come back to Texas, pack up, and be back in Montana by the time school started. 

Yeah......about 7 weeks.

Unfortunately, or fortunately.....not sure which.....the house was NOT what we wanted/needed. 

Now, let me throw this out. Talk of moving to Montana is not new....nor is it undesired. We (my hubby and I) have talked bout it for almost 20 years. We have always stated a desire to move to Montana, but in my mind, it wasn't really feasible. Kind of like, "Oh, yeah. Someday, I would like to win the Mrs. America pageant."

*stop laughing*

My point is, it was a desire, but as I didn't really think it was possible - it hasn't been actively pursued or thought about.

Until about a year ago. Without going into detail, it has since come up that maybe....just maybe, we could make it work. Then, we went for vacation. We LOVE it. Seriously. The kids love it. It has things that Texas could use....cooler summers and support of guns. (I know Texas supports conceal and carry, but in Montana, you only need a license to conceal.....but you can openly carry without a license. Awesome....but I digress.)

So, being up there, and loving the area, made us really sit and look at things. And, it seems likely that we will be moving to Montana. We reached this realization about 2 days before we looked at the house. And, while I am excited about it, I need more than 7 weeks to transition. Of course, we have to pray about it. We won't move for the sake of moving. We need to make sure that it is of God. Fortunately, my husband is in a career that allows us to live almost anywhere (in the country) we want. And, right now, it seems we *want* to live in Montana.

When will we go? 

Who knows?

Next summer?

Three years?

When 1, 2, 3, or all 4 kids have graduated?

We won't know until we know. 

Then you will know.

Meanwhile, I am enjoying my trips to The Lobby and Chipotle whilst sipping my CFAST. Gotta enjoy those things, 'cause once we move.....they are gone.

I wonder if Chipotle will overnight me a barbacoa burrito bowl?