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Old 03-15-2016, 09:58 AM
 
Location: Austin, Texas
160 posts, read 231,187 times
Reputation: 41

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I really have wanted to move for a few years now. The first year we moved here, it was still new and fresh and I tried to keep an open mind. But, I'm really over Texas, now. Fun to visit, but not to live in. I grew up in Minnesota and lived in Billings, Montana for 3 years before moving to TX. We've been in Texas 4 years, now. For reference, I am 30 and my husband is about to turn 34 and we have 4 children, 9 and under. I am a stay at home mom and we homeschool our kids, so uprooting them is not an issue. No family and not many friends here.

The only real plus to living here is that my husband has a nice job with the city. The reason I find Texas intolerable is because we can't be outside most of the year. The only time it's OK to be outside is when it's colder and the days have less light and it's only like that for about 4 months.

My husband and at least one of my kids are very allergic to fire ants. There are fire ants EVERYWHERE.
My daughter got bitten by one or two when we went on a walk a couple years ago and got hives all over her body. I was able to treat her with benadryl, but it was scary. I was ready to pick up and move the next day seeing that. (my husband not so much)
My husband got bitten and turned red all over from an allergic reaction and had to go to urgent care. I still don't know if others in our family will be allergic, but they are unavoidable and pesticide resistant. These are the main reasons I want to leave and find it intolerable here. I can't send my kids outdoors to play because it's dangerous for them to be out there. I followed the advice of putting socks and shoes on them, but we went to the park yesterday and the fire ants were crawling all over the playground equipment. I had them crawling on me before I realized it. Thankfully, I just brushed them off and we got out of there before anyone got bitten. I also hate the cockroaches that come around when it's warmer. We have to set traps and block up all the drains and stuff. Haven't had an infestation, yet. But, I've had one rub up against my foot once and one come out of the emergency sink drain when I was washing my face and nearly had a heart attack.

My husband has over 10 years experience in the civil engineering field and is known as an expert in the field. So, he should be able to fairly easily find a job elsewhere, but I'm having trouble convincing him to move because his job with the city is secure and mostly 40 hours a week. He takes on more hours through other people, though. So, doesn't seem to keep him from working extra hours in reality.

If anyone has any advice or suggestions, that's would be great. Maybe you know of other places that might be good for a homeschooling family with civil engineering related opportunities?? I will keep bringing it up to my husband in hopes of getting him more open to moving.

Last edited by Danimarie; 03-15-2016 at 10:30 AM..
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Old 03-15-2016, 03:23 PM
 
26,867 posts, read 43,334,989 times
Reputation: 31501
There are areas with more moderate weather you might consider like North Carolina, Virginia or Tennessee. Fire Ants aren't an issue from Raleigh westward through Durham and Greensboro-Winston Salem on toward Asheville in NC (or Greenville-Spartanburg in extreme northwest South Carolina), in Virginia west of Richmond including Charlottesville and the whole I-81 corridor or in Tennessee largely east of Memphis around Nashville and east to Knoxville, Chattanooga or Johnson City in the NE. Pretty much all of those areas are family-friendly, thriving with decent work options and has weather where you can spend a vast majority of the year outside.

Control Fire Ants - Fire Ant Control and Fire Ant Elimination | Fireant .tv
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Old 03-15-2016, 05:14 PM
 
Location: Willowbend/Houston
13,384 posts, read 25,602,579 times
Reputation: 10580
Wisconsin. That's a beautiful state and has very mild summer.


Madison is an amazing city. If I wanted to live some place cold, Madison or the Chicago area would be 1 and 2 of my list.
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Old 03-15-2016, 07:03 PM
 
Location: Austin, Texas
160 posts, read 231,187 times
Reputation: 41
Quote:
Originally Posted by peterlemonjello View Post
Wisconsin. That's a beautiful state and has very mild summer.


Madison is an amazing city. If I wanted to live some place cold, Madison or the Chicago area would be 1 and 2 of my list.
Thanks for that. I was actually considering WI as an option because the homeschool laws seem reasonable. Good to hear that you also like it. I've visited a few times since it borders my home state. Would make it easier to visit my family in MN, too. I put Idaho and VA on my list, too. I have a friend who's like family in VA and we have some family in Portland, OR.
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Old 03-15-2016, 09:55 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
3,298 posts, read 3,856,746 times
Reputation: 3141
You should stay where you are. You have 4 kids and you don't work. There is no additional financial support coming from you. He is supporting the entire family. Do what he wants. He is the bread winner. If he doesn't want to move, then suck it up. Your family is better off than most. If you move and it doesn't work out for him jobwise, then you are all up a creek and your husband will blame you.
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Old 03-15-2016, 11:44 PM
 
Location: Tempe, AZ
152 posts, read 297,298 times
Reputation: 251
From my experiences talking to Midwesterners who move south and end up moving back north is that regret moving back north. It usually takes someone to leave a place like Austin to really appreciate what they had. A lot of time after the first move they start dwelling on the small reasons why they hate the place, then after the second move they are like crap should have stayed.
As for the ants, Max force granules work amazing. Sprinkle around the yard and the next day the ants are gone.
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Old 03-16-2016, 12:00 AM
 
Location: Silicon Valley
18,813 posts, read 32,274,906 times
Reputation: 38559
There are far less bugs in the west. I'm from the SF Bay Area, moved to WA, then to TN, Mexico, Canada and back. Only TN and Mexico had horrible bug problems of anywhere I've lived. It's the humidity, at least as far as cockroaches. I don't know about fire ants.

I'd start looking at any areas in the west that are not desert type areas to avoid the fire ants. It seems like your husband could find work out west. I can understand him wanting to keep a job that will guarantee your futures. I can also understand not wanting to live somewhere with bad weather and bugs. Good luck to you.
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Old 03-16-2016, 08:05 AM
 
Location: Center City
7,528 posts, read 10,192,212 times
Reputation: 11018
Quote:
Originally Posted by bluecarebear View Post
You should stay where you are. You have 4 kids and you don't work. There is no additional financial support coming from you. He is supporting the entire family. Do what he wants. He is the bread winner. If he doesn't want to move, then suck it up. Your family is better off than most.
While you're at it, kick off your shoes, get knocked up again and rustle up some victuals in the kitchen.
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Old 03-16-2016, 08:56 AM
 
3,615 posts, read 2,309,266 times
Reputation: 2239
Fire ants are not that hard to control, ambro or a service should do away with them, a pest control service is usually around a few hundred dollars for a year service and unlimited visit until the pest problem is gone. I think your husband may look at the job situation, austin is one of the hottest economies in the country.

the notion a colder place has less pest is a myth. the only time i have ever had a reaction was to a tick bite, the midatlantic and northeast has the highest numbers of ticks and lyme disease etc in the country. there is always something, i would just make sure where you move has a good economy. rdu area is nice, maybe arizona or out west too
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Old 03-16-2016, 11:05 AM
 
Location: Minneapolis (St. Louis Park)
5,993 posts, read 10,132,406 times
Reputation: 4401
Quote:
Originally Posted by peterlemonjello View Post
Wisconsin. That's a beautiful state and has very mild summer.


Madison is an amazing city. If I wanted to live some place cold, Madison or the Chicago area would be 1 and 2 of my list.
Yeah, or back to MN. I'm sure you've discussed that though.
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