there was a breaker on the generator that was off. Flipped it on and everything works! That made my day, now why was it off? Maybe since it was new nobody turned it on to begin with, as long as it stays on I'm happy. This is all new to me so I'm learning every time I step in to it.
Oh and there must be an auto transfer switch because when the generator first started it took about 30 seconds or so before things worked. First thing I heard was a beep from the microwave, then i verified all outlets worked including the front TV.
thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions!