Tour Guide

Last weekend, Sebastian, Michael and I took a drive down to our new town and drove around the surrounding areas.  We stayed overnight in a hotel that is situated in a well known shopping area and business district.  There's a man made lake right next to the hotel and the weather was just beautiful that everyone was outside.

We actually visited this area when Sebastian was four or five years old.  I remember taking pictues of the very same bronze animals on the benches.  I just don't remember where the pictures are.  So I had Sebastian pose for me again. 

On Sunday, Sebastian and Michael had to go back home to pick up Ava.  I stayed one more night at the hotel because I had a job interview the next day.  I walked around the lake again and couldn't help missing my family.  I saw families outside on the playground, kids feeding the birds in the pond, girls selling Girl Scout cookies......I felt so alone.  Michael said now I would know how he felt like everytime he had to travel on business (missing the family so much).....and I did!!

So while I was on my own for the entire day, I took advantage of my free time.  Using my GPS system, I toured around and found all the crucial landmarks.  I did a practice run between apartment rentals, office buildings, daycare and school.  I wanted to see the distances and travel times for myself. 

This is the first apartment we'll be living in for the first 11 days.  It's a little bit further out from Michael's new office building and I will have to taxi the kids to and from school. 

Of course along the way I saw a street begger zig zagging out of traffic.  It's kind of ironic because you can be driving along a stretch of gorgeous homes and shopping areas and then literally cross over the tracks to the "dark side".  It is really amazing how drastically different the scenary the changes in such a short time. 

I took some street shots of the second apartment rental we'll be staying in.  The relocation company couldn't find us a three bedroom apartment until after April 5th so we have to move again.  This is a street shot of the main intersection, looking out from the main apartment complex.

This is a side shot of the street.  I'm sitting at the main entrance and when you turn your head to the left, you can see the marquee sign and Michael's office building on the right side of the picture.  The office is literally a stone throw from the second apartment.

A close up of the office building where Michael will be working.  We are going to be truly spoiled by the end of the three month stay in the apartment.  I'm pretty sure our new home will NOT be close to work.

This is a view of a walkway going between apartment units.  At least the kids will be able to enjoy the swimming pool in the apartment complex.  The pool will open at the end of May and we'll be there until the end of June.

I know this doesn't look like nothing much but this is an entrance shot of the shopping are right across the street.  It's one stop shopping because there's at least ten restaurants, dry cleaner, shops, grocery store, etc.  There's another shopping center about five miles down the road and it too has a grocery store and several restaurants.  Gee....I'll never have to cook again!  Yeah, right!

I took pictueres of Ava's new daycare. The building use to be a furniture store and it's located in a shopping mall strip. There's a gas station and a McDonald's right next door. Oh great....Ava is going to bug me every day about stopping at McDonald's!

Last but not least, a shot of Sebastian's new elementary school.  I picked up the paperwork for the school and daycare.  Let me just say, the number of forms I have to fill out, my hands will be numb for days.  I can't believe how much paper work we have to fill out for just three months of school left in the year!