According to the thermometer on our garage it’s a temperate 88 degrees Farenheit outside and even though it’s not that humid, any way you cut it - It’s HOT. The New Jersey Hertels have been in our new place for 18 days now, and I’m sure that some of you are anxious for an update so here it is.

We arrived late on the 1st and we unpacked the Uhaul as a family on the 2nd - I would say that Matthew unloaded 75% of our things. He was so gross at the end of the day. His belt was sweat soaked and when it dried this salt residue showed up - deeeeeeesgusting. The next day we woke up with a dead squirrel in our driveway, and no clues as to why it was dead. I watched Matthew from afar as he tried to pick it up with a snow shovel, and it wouldn’t get on the shovel, but just kept scooting on the asphalt. After I had a good belly laugh, I helped him by holding a board that he could use for resistance to scoop up the little guy. New Milford’s fireworks display was really great, and we had a great time both nights we went to see them (the first night they were postponed due to rain). Matt began work on the 7th, and is really enjoying it. On the 11th we went to the Takasago Company Picnic at Kruckers restaurant and grove in New York State. We had lunch & dinner, snow cones, cotton candy (twice), swam in the pool, played Bingo and won two MP3 players in the process. Matthew works with so many lovely people - it was a great break from unpacking.

I’ve pretty much been working steadily every day, going through a few boxes while the kids play in the back yard. Something different about this move is that I have the time and energy to go through all the things we’ve been saving for all these years. I’ve repacked, condensed and organized and it feels wonderful. There were boxes of things that we moved from house to house over the past 11 years and I never looked into them once until now. The kids are all adjusting pretty well. The big girls have each other to play with and watching Matheson and Lindy keeps us all busy during the day. It was rough the first week for Lindy...I think at her age insecurity shows up as temper tantrums. It really helped when I got her and Matheson’s room set up, and their familiar toys came out of boxes. A few days ago I decided to purchase a big inflatable pool, and it’s been fun for everyone.

Some of my first observations of NJ are:

• These people love their Dunkin’ Donuts. There is at least one in every single Borough
• and that’s another thing - it’s a borough, not a town or village.
• Everything is not more expensive. Much to the chagrin of the Barber who charged Matthew a “whopping” $15 for a haircut and then bragged about how it’s so great to live out here because everyone makes more money than people with the same jobs in the midwest...hmmm... last time I checked he paid about $15 for a haircut in Maumee, Ohio...
• Unless I decide to drive up to New York State for gas, which I wouldn’t do because it’s nearly a dollar more up there, I will never have to pump my own gas while I live here. All the gas stations are FULL service. We didn’t know that our first trip out here and we drove around for an hour trying to find a self service gas station because Matt refused to pay more for full service when he could pump it himself for cheaper, except that every time we went into New York where it was self service the gas was 84¢ more than everywhere in New Jersey.
• It’s beautiful here, and while I know there are parts of NJ that aren’t so pretty, we are blessed enough to live in one of the places that earned this state it’s unofficial nickname.

Enjoy this video of Matthew in the pool with Lindy and Matheson. Not sure how good it will come out. Please leave me comments or questions if you have any. Much love to all!