1 year, 12 months and 365 days (and then some!) went by in a flash. Even enduring a global pandemic, our time in Texas felt so quick. To be honest, there were so hard times adjusting. Building a house, moving everything you own across the country, maintaining a business and two little kids all with limited support is not for the faint of heart. Needless to say I didn’t do anything well this past year and I’ve accepted that. Throw in statewide closures and quarantines, and well…let’s just say I’m fortunate to not have had a legitimate mental breakdown of some sort. Or maybe I have…it’s hard to tell sometimes.
Anyway, I always get questions on how I like living in Texas living (vs CA), especially now with the uncertainty (or lack thereof) of the economy opportunities, and lifestyle/social demands. How’s the weather? How bad are the bugs? When do you plan on moving back? And so on and so on. So I thought I would answer some FAQs here.
The most asked question…Are the mosquitos, snakes and bugs as bad as they say? Short answer: We’ve not had any issues so far, but this really depends on where you live! Like any bigger city, bugs and critters are limited. Honestly I’ve seen more gross bugs, giant lizards and roaches where I used to live in Chino Hills, CA. And recently had 8 mosquitos bites in one day in Santa Ynez, CA. Here in the suburbs of Houston, never had a bug bite or any unusual animal sightings. If I lived in East Texas or some rural parts of town, I probably couldn’t say the same. Also something to note, my city and HOA does a good job of mosquito control. I believe they do a fogging repellent a few times a year. We also have an in-home pest control service come once a month.
Is the weather just too hot? Yes, and no. For the first time in my life, I actually experienced seasons! Yes, the summers are hot! But you know what I did when it reached triple digits in CA…stay home in my nicely air conditioned home! So that is exactly what we do here on hot days! Yes, there is humidity, but I weirdly don’t mind it as much. I just plan for it. Truthfully, I like the humidity better than the dry heat. I can see and feel the immediate benefits. My skin is always hydrated (keeps the wrinkles away!) and a lighter skincare and makeup regime provides clearer pores! And Kingston’s eczema completed dissapeared. In CA, we were always in and out of the pediatricians office getting some new skin rash looked it. He has the best skin now!
As far as the hurricanes and storms, I love the rain so it doesn’t bother me much, and I don’t mind the hurricanes either. We always have time to plan for it, and we live in an area that specifically doesn’t flood or get heavy weather damage so not much of negative…so far. We did evacuate for the Hurricane Laura warning and it ended up missing Houston completely so we just got a fun Austin staycation out of it.
How are the people? Texans are so “different.” Yes, they are! Texans are the nicest, most hospitable bunch I’ve ever met. Of course, like everywhere else, there are some not so nice, but they do tend to lean on the “nice” side of the fence. That said, Texans are generally very proud, independent people, who are strong minded, and love everything home grown made in Texas, and honestly that pride is contagious. Also they (as a general rule) watch out for neighbors. We have neighbors bring us food, offer to watch our kids and just exude honest Southern hospitality. Manners are also just a way of life for most Texans. Everyone calls me Ma’am, which I didn’t like at first, but now I love it because its very polite. Jaxson says “ma’am and sir” to grown ups, and I couldn’t be more proud of him.
Is everything dirt cheap there? What are taxes like in Texas? Well, depends on where you live. In Houston (and likely any of the big 3 TX cities), I haven’t seen much that is cheaper than CA other than gas. Property is more affordable (again, depending on where you live) but the property taxes are MUCH MUCH HIGHER (and go up every year!). When you factor in maintenance and insurance, and there are lots of it in TX vs CA due to the weather and climate challenges here, housing almost nets out the same. Same goes for food and entertainment. But there is no state income tax which is always a win! Other things we have found to be more expensive is health insurance, auto services and good avocados! That last one really stuck out at me.
Do I ever see real cowboys? Not a one. I barely meet anyone that is actually from Texas. Lots of transplants in this part of Texas.
Does everyone have a gun? Probably. And they are proud of it.
Some negatives….well the beaches aren’t that nice here and its generally flat lands (except for areas of central Texas). I do miss looking at the mountains but was never much of a beach goer so I haven’t given much thought to the water. Also Texas is HUGE, so everything tends to be far away but during the pandemic, it was nice to take long drives to explore different parts of the cities.
I am honestly really happy with our lives here. The kids are thriving! We have made some good friends within such a short amount of time (and during a pandemic). And being such a homebody, I love having the space to host friends and for the kids to play! The only question I ask myself is…why we didn’t make the effort to move to Texas sooner? I know God’s timing is always perfect, and I am very grateful God has brought us here!
Will we be here the long haul? I sure hope so! But we never say no when God says, GO! We’re just praying he brings us closer to wine country next time. 🙂
