Summertime sadness

I'm not talking about Lana Del Rey's song (I like the remix more than the original), but my own sadness. It happens every year during this time. People get the winter blues but I'm the opposite, the dreadful heat makes me depressed. Don't get me wrong, I would pick a sunny day over a dreary cloudy day, but being out in the sun during the summer is unbearable. The heat is such a deterrent to go outside or anywhere for that matter. And being cooped up indoors makes me crazy.

So I constantly daydream about moving. During my downtime I would browse realtor.com and trulia.com for homes on sale. I look at my favorite cities... San Diego, Portland and Denver. I compare school ratings in the neighborhoods listed. I look for job openings in those cities. But in the end, I convince myself that it's never going to happen and I should stop wasting my time. It's just so comfortable here. Steady job. Family is here. Friends already established. Familiarity.

But then again, I don't want to be content. I want to experience new things. To venture into the unknown. So what's holding us back? Why not stop dreaming and make it a reality? Okay, if I'm truly serious about doing this, I need to really think of the pros and cons before making such a major life changing decision. All with the approval of the family, of course.

Why moving would be awesome

• Better weather:  No more nasty humidity. No more sweating in work attire. No more getting caught in torrential downpours. No crazy ice storms. Ability to enjoy sitting outside in the backyard.
• (San Diego) Great weather. All of the above but year-round!
• (Portland) Closer to outdoor activities: Forest Park with its endless trails of running and biking. Mt. Hood, (only a short drive away) for snowboarding.
• Avoid traffic:  This is dependent on where we would be going but anything has to be better than Houston. Here, people are always in a rush. Super aggressive. If I'm not tailgating the car in front of me (who's already going 10 mph over the speed limit), some asshole will find a way to squeeze in between us. I want to live in a place that has easy public transportation. I hate driving and parking in congested areas. 
• (Portland) Ability to bike:  I can bike to work or the store without fear of getting run over by a car.  

Why moving would suck

• Away from family:  No more free babysitting for those weekends when you just need a break. No more gatherings during the holidays and special occasions. The kids will be without their cousins.
• Making new friends:  It's going to be tough to make new friends. 
• Sacrifice a good job:  I would give up making my own schedule (no weekends), no long hours (on average I work about 6 hours/day), low stress, no boss breathing down my neck (I don't even know what he looks like!) and decent pay for the amount of work I do.
• Moving the kids:  The boys would be "the new kids", well Jacob and Andrew. They would have to adapt to their new school and environment, which could be tough. I would feel guilty if they had a hard time adjusting.
• Spend more money:  Everything is cheaper in Texas. Gas. Food. No state income tax.
• No baby #4:  That slim 5% chance of having a baby will turn into 0%. There's absolutely no way we have another without the support around us.
• Starting over:  New friends, new job, new house, new schools, new everything... but isn't that part of the appeal of moving?

I'll probably update this page as I think of more reasons to go or stay. And if you're reading this... any advice would be helpful. What should we do??