We're In

Well, we made it to NC. We drove down from Chicago overnight Monday and got here early Tuesday morning. It went really well and A slept most of the time. We switched drivers every couple of hours, though neither of us was really able to sleep much when we weren't driving. We would try, but we ended up talking and had tons of nervous energy that goes with a big move. The hotel let us check in when we got here and after a quick nap we made rounds around town. We went to get keys from the rental place first, then to utilities. The rental place was interesting. They are excited to have our place rented out and were doing a bunch of work on it as we were about a day earlier than we had anticipated getting into town. They found out the basement flooded when the cleaning ladies tried turning on the washer, so that was interesting. Everyone that we talked to had something to say about what a drastic change this is going to be for us. We'll see how it goes.

On Wednesday we went by the university. I got to meet the department chair and she was quite nice. She walked us around campus picking up forms for Chris to fill out. He will do an orientation his first day (Wednesday) so it should be interesting. Towards the end of our walk she talked with me about what I was going to do here. She says that there are regularly non-tenure track chemistry faculty positions available, so I may try for one in the summer or fall. Hopefully that would come through as we are in a great location for the uni, and it would be a good way to get into college teaching.

Wednesday our moving people came as well and delivered stuff. It ended up being the same team of people that was in Chicago. So far we've unpacked a lot of our boxes and have only discovered one broken glass. They packed us up on Sunday (well, packed all of our stuff in the truck). Originally I was against the idea, but now I'm not so sure. Chris and I talked about the whole experience on our drive and helped to sort things out, at least in my mind. Apparently the movers didn't realize that part of the reason we wanted them was for their driving ability, since we didn't really want to go up into the mountains with a truck ourselves. That and Chris didn't think an extra day of just me and A in a car would have been a good idea. They came in an really overestimated what we had. On Wednesday after talking with them we also realized how little they were paid, which is another reason that they wanted us to pay them to move our stuff in a UHaul. Ah, the inner workings of companies.

One of our fun conversations we had around the Ohio River was exactly how many states A has been to. She is just over eight months old, yet she has been to or through: Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina. We opted not to go the route through Ohio just for saying that she's been there as well. We are close enough to Ohio that we could take a trip there for something if we really wanted to.

One other thing that we've realized is exactly how much kitchen stuff we own. We are down to the last dozen or so boxes left to unpack and most of them are kitchen. We aren't entirely sure how we fit all that kitchen stuff in our condo, it really is a seemingly exorbitant amount. However, when you spend as much time in the kitchen as we do, it makes sense that most of our stuff would be from there. Thankfully the basement has a kitchenette and we can put some of our unusable stuff there. For example, we have a small oven and anything over a 12x14 cookie sheet doesn't fit. This isn't such a big deal as I still have some cookie sheets from my grandmother and they all fit perfectly.

Well, it sounds like baby girl is up from her nap. Hopefully she is adjusting to sleep patterns here with a new time zone, new house, new lots of things. It has really helped all of us to have our own stuff around. Today it is super windy outside (30 mph) and raining (it should be snow!) so we will have a lazy day I imagine. We all need the sleep desperately as A hasn't been very good about sleeping this trip. She's been kind of stressed and has actually slept best with us. We aren't super happy about that, but it helps us all sleep and we will deal with the repercussions later I suppose.

NC Moving

Playing with a tube in our condo before we left

Well we now have a place to stay and stuff so we don't feel quite so homeless. We drove overnight Monday and were able to set up a lot yesterday so that when the movers came today we didn't have much else to do. So far we like the house, and the rental company was excited to see us. Apparently they have been referring to us as "the Chicago couple" and so we walked in well known. Chris has set some stuff up at the uni and hopefully I can get an adjunct position there. Overall things are good. Time for more unpacking.

In front of the new fireplace.

Helping to unpack boxes

Who wants her?

Well, we are in full scale packing mode. We've got a lot of our non-essentials boxed up, now we have to wait a few days and get our essential stuff boxed on Sunday. Besides for being sick this past weekend, we've just got a lot of boxing stuff up done this week. Chris and I are still working, though I said good-bye to my first class today. We also had some great help from my small group ladies tonight. We managed to get a ton of stuff boxed, so hopefully this trend will continue. I will have most of tomorrow and Friday alone with me and A, then this weekend we'll get Chris again. Then on Monday, the movers come. It is exciting and scary all at the same time. We are very much looking forward to the opportunities that are being presented with this change. As any good baby, A has decided that boxes are really a lot of fun. She likes to help us push them against the wall, so she is really working on walking. She is starting to let go of things and stand there. Then when she realizes she isn't supposed to be doing that, she freaks out and falls. Here are a couple pictures of her "helping."

With her helping us out, we are having trouble getting her to sleep. There are a lot of changes going on, and I think she can sense that. It isn't like we would leave her here, but if anyone wants me to complete the box and ship her to you, let me know. Besides for a breastmilk heavy diet, she loves all types of squash, carrots, green beans, and whatever is on Chris's or my plate. I imagine this last bit would transfer to anyone who wants to take her. Tomorrow I get to stay home with her though, so hopefully we will get some good sleeping in that will help get us on some semblance of a routine.

Marbled Brownies

I've made this recipe a couple of times now, and I'd like to put it here for my future use. Or use when I'm not home.

6 oz of chopped chocolate
12 TBS Butter
4 eggs
1.5 C granulate sugar
1 C almond flour
1/4 tsp gum
8 oz softened cream cheese
vanilla

As with brownies in general, you melt the butter and chocolate together while you blend 3 eggs with 1.25 c of sugar. Then after the chocolate mixture has cooled a bit you add it to the egg mixture. Then add the flour and gum to the gooey mixture. In another bowl, beat the 4th egg, 1/4 c of sugar, cream cheese and vanilla. Pour the brownie mixture in a 9x13 pan. Add the cream cheese mixture to the top. Use a spatula to marble the two layers. Bake at 375 for 30 min or so, until top is springy and/or a toothpick comes out clean.

As a variation: I added a 1/4 c of Baileys to the cream cheese mixture and it turned out great. Also, I've put some espresso in with the chocolate and butter mixture to make more of a mocha brownie. A third way would be to add some cinnamon somewhere.

Cheers

Chris regularly has tea with A. Here they are having tea. I'm also trying a new posting form from my phone, so I will add the video later. Here is a picture of a tea time though.

 

Snow!!! Finally!!!

Well, as you may have imagined, we finally got some snow. They are plowing as we speak. How I've missed that snow plow sound. Well, not really, but I have thoroughly missed the snow. Today was the first day all week that I didn't have a lot to do, so I let Chris take the car to the train, which meant A and I got to go outside in the snow to play! I got to do it first and introduce her to enjoying the snow as opposed to being ambivalent about it. :)  Then when Chris got home we all went out again! It was so much fun! She didn't like having the socks on her hands (I couldn't find mittens or gloves her size, but socks work well) because she couldn't figure out how to use them as well. She did like the snow though and we've got some pictures to prove it. Here are a few, one from when A and I went out, and a couple from when all of us went out.

Snow Angels

After we got back inside

This week I started teaching during the day on Monday and Wednesday. This means that A has gone to a baby-sitter's twice now. :) She has done really well. The lady who sits has a 2.5 year old son with water on the brain. He and A are apparently quickly becoming good friends. He even tried to kiss her Monday. They play well together and there is no separation anxiety on either part for us. It has been interesting going to work, and the students still don't listen to me. We'll see if that changes before they all wreck their grades.

Our biggest news is that I more than likely won't be blogging for a few weeks. Chris has accepted a position in Boone, NC and we are packing up and moving out there the 23rd. We've managed to find a house close enough to walk to campus and for a reasonable rate. I won't be changing the domain name, though I may make a newer version of the blog with us in NC. We will see what changes this brings. We are super excited, none more than Chris. He is ready to work with the people there and not be working at UIC.

The Last Few Museums We Visited

The past week we've gone to a LOT of museums. Everyone has been great. I've had my zoo pass, and it is free days at the Art Institute time so we've gone to: MSI, Art Institute Chicago (finally), the Field, and the Sears Tower. We had friends in (who are amazing) and it was a lot of fun. We walked all over downtown with A in on my chest. As always, she got "how cute" and "how old is she" in spades. The MSI (got to see Dr. Seuss and the Christmas Trees one last time for the season) and the Art Institute were our favorites, while the Field and the Sears Tower weren't really worth it in any of our opinions. Here are some pictures:

With the Art Institute Lion

Chagall, American Window

865 A's to be as tall as the Sears Tower

Not so sure what to think of "the Ledge"

We are now working full swing into moving mode. It looks like Chris will start in NC February 1, so we are headed there. It is awesome that we have such a good place to end up. We found a place to stay, now to figure out what to do about our place here in IL.