First Impressions

[MtnSurfer]

Wow Jiffin4java,

That is a great shot! Mt. Hood really looks beautiful from your location! I love how green it is around there too. And I am amazed how fast you did that. Did you already have an account with photobucket? I am not sure why it didn't work. But the link works fine. I am going to try your link here and see if it works. I hope you don't mind.



Good, it works! Ok all you have to do is copy your url - http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/b...n4java/002.jpg. Then click on the insert image icon and paste it in. Just make sure it is the full URL and not the ... abreviated version you see here.

Colorado Springs is really nice. But I just love the ocean too much to stay here for the long term. We are enjoying the Rockies while here though. We are thinking that Portland would be better fit for us in the long run with close proximity to the coast and mtns. and rivers. As you can tell we love the outdoors and so do our kids.

That is funny that you mentioned the Sierra to Sacramento commute. We were actually considering the Sierra foothills (Sutter Creek, Jackson, etc...) for a time because we also really enjoy the High Sierras (Yosemite, Kings Canyon). But it just seems so far removed from everything especially the coast and jobs.

As far as our time frame it is probably a 1-2 year plan. We need to sell our home out here and find the right opportunity there. But I am a planner and researcher by habit. So next Saturday starts the first leg of our journey as we explore the neighborhoods and just enjoy our vacation there. We plan to drive the entire coast as well.

[Amberyl]

It makes me happy to read people saying good things about OR. I am really wanting to move there, but i want to make sure to make the right decision.

So many people on this site have bad things to say about OR. Glad to hear something good for a change.

[jiffin4java]

Thank you! I don't mind at all! I wanted everyone to be able to see the picture. Yes, I was amazed at how green and hilly it is here too. I love it! It's all the rain! You know, Derek....being so far removed from the ocean was a big concern with the idea of moving to Colorado for us too. I think the FAA picked the perfect place for us here. LOL! Enjoy your trip! I hear the drive down the coast is amazing and I can't wait for us to do it ourselves. Amberyl, Oregon is a wonderful place. If you can deal with gray skies and rain through the winter and you are friendly, you'll fit right in.

[EnricoV]

Great photo! What a view! It's so great to hear that you're enjoying your move.

[jiffin4java]

Okay. Tiffany has called me out on taking too long to update! LOL! So here's my latest update on our new home in Oregon. First of all... I love the fruitstands! So many delicious raspberries and strawberries! I've never tasted such sweet strawberries! I've been thoroughly enjoying my garden as well! We try to get out as much as we can as a family and enjoy the beauty God put here for us to enjoy! A couple weekends ago we went to a trail near Welches, OR. I wanted to share a couple pictures I got. Keep in mind, I have not edited or played with colors/exposure AT ALL. It's amazing! ENJOY!!!








I absolutely LOVE this last one of the tree.

[jiffin4java]

Okay. We have had ONE bad experience, but it's kind of comical so I'll share. We have an old bat who lives next door who thinks she rules the neighborhood. It was a nice and quiet neighborhood until we moved in. LOL!!! Well, my kids are the only kids on the street. All the kids seem to live around the block. We have a golden retriever/chow mix named Boscorelli Moose who this woman is convinced is evil and viscious and has reported him to the city as such. We have had a visit from them already. Meet Bosco....


He looks mean, doesn't he? LOL!!! She also is not fond of kids (even though she's raised four of them) and sits out on her porch just waiting for them to do something she doesn't like so she can yell at them. Well, one day she went too far and I'd had enough and I went outside and walked up to the old woman wagging her finger at my son and gave her an earful about scolding other peoples' children, especially when they're doing nothing wrong. I told her if she had a problem with my kids she should come knock on my door and let me deal with it. She didn't like that at all and started wagging her finger at ME and so I told her to walk on back down the street to her little house and leave the kids alone and let them play; they're doing nothing wrong. She said to me, "Why don't you go on back to California!" OH, I SEE! You're one of THOSE! So I came back with, "OH! I'm sorry, but weren't you raised in INDIANA and aren't A LOT of Oregonians NOT born in Oregon? If you'd taken the time to get to know people instead of becoming instant enemies, maybe you wouldn't be such an angry, intollerant person. Oh....and by the way....I was raised in MICHIGAN." Well, it seems the neighborhood is no longer ruled by the "queen" next door. Kids can play freely again and dogs can play fetch in their backyards. Seriously....this woman really thought she was in charge!

Anyway, I share this story because no matter how friendly you are, there will always be people who are just GRUMPY and UNHAPPY to try and make you feel unwelcome. Just don't let them. Even having such a person right next door....she's the only person with this "go back where you came from" attitude that I've met so far (and we've had the opportunity to meet a LOT of people) and most people are very genuine, warm, and welcoming as long as you are too. So in a nutshell.....we love it here in Oregon and hopefully we'll rub off on the old woman next door as we have the rest of the neighborhood. She's really missing out on the BBQ and fellowship with the neighbors on the other side! LOL!

[tiffela74]

YEAAAHHHH For you!!! (and horray for me, the guilt trip worked, eh? lol)
Im so glad to see your posts and wonderful pictures up here on the forum!! Lovin all these beautiful pics that also show how much ya'll are enjoying your new home here in Oregon! You just made my day. Thanks so much for posting these!!!
ya, your dog looks just terribly mean and brutal. grrrrrrr.... LOL
ugh, what a grumpy old bugger!!! sheesh! Bad luck to end up w/someone like that for a neighbor. ugh. But hey, like you said, sounds like she is the one missing out and maybe you can thaw her. And if anything else, sounds like the rest of your neighbors are a happy bunch. Very cool And I know you love TF too, so there you go. Hooorrrayy!!!
Thanks again so much for gettin on and sharing both the photos and your experiences! Terrific for other maybe transplants to see/hear.
Happy Day!!
Tiff

[jiffin4java]

LOL! I knew you'd be the first to reply, Tiff! LOL! I'll try and do better with updating. I know how hard it is to move to a completely different place (Lord knows I've done it enough and hopefully won't have to do it again!) and it helps to hear how others deal with it and how they like it. [Tiffany, there's more pics like these with the kids and stuff on my myspace page.]

[DzzRed]

I love reading this thread.

Hubby and I are looking somewhere to move, with our 2 kids. Not now, but in the future. We narrowed it down to Oregon, Washington or Idaho. I keep coming back to Oregon.

jiffin4java, if you don't mind me asking, where exactly did you move too?

Please keep updating this forum, I like to read all the good and bad, it's more information for us.

PS - You have a teddy bear for a dog

[jiffin4java]

Originally Posted by DzzRed

I love reading this thread.

Hubby and I are looking somewhere to move, with our 2 kids. Not now, but in the future. We narrowed it down to Oregon, Washington or Idaho. I keep coming back to Oregon.

jiffin4java, if you don't mind me asking, where exactly did you move too?

Please keep updating this forum, I like to read all the good and bad, it's more information for us.

PS - You have a teddy bear for a dog

Awe! Thank you! Bosco really is a sweet dog. Best I've ever had and I've had my share. We live in Sandy, Oregon. It's about 35 minutes SE of the airport and probably the same distance from Mt. Hood. It's a smallish town of somewhere around 7,000. The elementary school is great. Has a wonderful principal and amazing staff. My son has some special needs and they've been very supportive and proactive in getting him the help he needs and working towards a diagnosis and a plan for him. I love that I can drive down many roads and have a beautiful view of the mountain. It takes me 20 minutes or so to get to my daughter's gymnastics class twice a week, but the drive is just beautiful. In Oregon (and probably Washington too) you'll never run out of places to explore if you like the outdoors. And if that's not your kind of thing, there's plenty of things to find indoors too. I'm looking forward to checking out Portland's children's museum.

I'll be sure to keep updating. The journey's not over yet! We hope to buy a house in the Sandy area as soon as my husband gets checked out (he's a new air traffic controller) and is at full pay, hopefully next spring.

Good luck on making your decision! I know how hard it is! The FAA made us list the states we preferred to be placed and that was SO HARD!