Adjusting

So we have lived in our apartment for a week now.  It still feels...surreal.  I've been so busy going through the motions of day to day that it really hasn't sunk in. I thought to myself the other day as I was heading out to walk the dogs,again, "so this is really my life?"  But then I was to busy taking care of the dogs to really think about it. 

Apartment living isn't the greatest but I KNOW it could be a lot worse.  Although it does feel a bit like living in purgatory.  We know that this living situation is just temporary, but I can't seem to glimpse the light at the end of the tunnel.  I'm sure that has something to do with the move being pushed back a month and a half.  Rationally I know it is only 60 more days but it feels like a lifetime.  I have been waiting for sooooo long and I just want the wait to be over.

Enough whining.  I've been thinking about the pluses and minuses of apartment.  There are some things that I like better, the same, and things that just plain suck.  Here are a few of the things I have noticed:

Having NO yard for the dogs just plain sucks!  I have a love-hate relationship with the stairs.   I love that they are forcing me to get some activity.  I hate them for the same reason when I'm tired.  I hate them when I'm unloading my spoils from shopping.  Especially after a Sam's trip.  I took me 4 trips up the stairs for my last trip to Sam's.  Then the dogs needed to be walked.

I love the faucet in the bathtub.  I know this seems silly, but I have good reason to love it.  In the house I had to fight to turn the water on and off.  It was a stinking struggle everyday.  But in the apartment I could us my pinkie finger to turn the water on and off.  It is awesome!

I like my new kitchen.  It has a ton of cupboards and counters.  Not to mention it is more ascetically pleasing then the house.  I never loved my kitchen, I just tolerated it.  I wouldn't say I love the kitchen here but it is much better.

I miss my fridge.  My fridge has water and ice in the door.  Including crushed ice.  This fridge has an ice maker, so happy about that!  But it doesn't have crushed ice.  Good new though, my blender is awesome.  I mostly use the crushed ice for smoothies, and this week I learned that my awesome blender does just fine with regular cubes.

We are adjusting to having someone live above us.  The first few days were hard, but it is getting better.  They don't walk very quietly.  Which makes me wonder how loud we sound to the lady below us.  I try to be quiet, especially at 5:30am when I'm getting ready for work. 

Happy news: 4 more days until spring break & 59 days until the last day of school.  The count down is on!

Moved

I took last Friday off of work so that I could do all the last minute packing and running around.  It was a long day but I had everything done by the time Neal got home from work.  Saturday started early, 5am.  Turns out we didn't need to get up quite that early but  it all worked out in the end.  We picked up the Uhaul around 7:30.  Neal and I had all but the fridge and few last minute things loaded by 10.  We rock!

We had asked our amazing volunteers to be at our house at 12pm to help load the fridge and then help unload at the apartment, so we had some time to spare.  We used the time wisely by bringing all the fridge items over to the apartment and unloading some of the stuff that was in the car.  We also dropped of Neal's car, as we had one to many vehicles for us to drive.  During the time at the apartment I made at least six trips up  and down the stairs.  This is when I began to pray extra hard that lots of guys would show up to help us.  I knew that without help I was not going to make it to the end of the day.  I would die of heat or exhaustion or being in terrible shape, you choose. 

Fortunately my prayers were answered and we had A LOT of help.  They were able to load the fridge and other odds and ends, drive over to the new digs, unload the storage stuff into the garage and bring all the rest up to our second floor apartment within an hour!  The totally and completely ROCK!  I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am to those men who took time away from their families to help us out.  In the time that they did all of that we wouldn't have even made a dent in the storage stuff.  They have all made my hero list.  A special thanks to: Merrill Delimont, Ryan Fitzgibbons, Dustin Fraiser, Zack Hassel, Kevin & Issac Ferri and George Peters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Moving sucks, but with these guys on your side it makes it so much better.  I know who to call on in July when we make the BIG move.  Love you all you are the BEST.

 Merrill

 Ryan

 Dustin & Zack

 Bishop Ferri, Zack & Dustin

 Neal

The kids waiting on the patio.  Some more patient then others.

Because of all the great help not only did I not die, but I had everything unpacked and in place yesterday (Sunday).  This shocks and amazes me.  But I also have to remember that 3/4 of my stuff is in storage. Enjoy the before and afters.

 Bedroom

 Bathroom

 Kitchen

 Dining room

 Living room

The patio.  Check out the doggie "litter box".  It is a work in progress.

Moving

This Saturday we are moving into a 1 bedroom apartment for 4 months. If I had my way an investor would have bought our house so that we could rent the house back until the big move in July. But you can’t always get what you want. This will be the 1st time in our 12 years of marriage that we have lived in a 1 bedroom. Our first place was a 700 square foot 2 bed, 1 bath fourplex. It wasn’t huge, but the 2nd room was great for extra crap. The apartment has 1 closet, it’s a good thing it is big. We haven’t shared a bathroom since we lived in that 1st place, 10 years ago! Hopefully we don’t kill each other.


The limited space I can live with, I hope. The biggest drawback of living in an apartment is not having a yard for the dogs. All three dogs are dog-door trained. They are used to having the freedom to come in and out as they please. As of Saturday that freedom will be completely taken away. Poor kids! The plus side for them will be lots and lots of walks. We plan on buying a couple pieces of sod to put on the patio so they have somewhere to go potty in the morning before I am dressed and ready to walk them.

Although there are some big cons to living in an apartment I am really looking forward to the swimming pool and the exercise room. Summers in Vegas suck! They are unbearably hot. I usually hibernate all summer long. I’m sure I will still do my share of hibernating, but I’m looking forward to taking advantage of the pool to help cool me down. Hey maybe I will actually get a tan this summer. Baahahahah

I’m trying to think positive thoughts about the move. It’s not like I have a choice so I might as well make the best of it. I’ve made a pro & con list. I made sure that the pro side was bigger so I can stay focused on the good. I added some to the cons because I have to be honest with myself. It is not going to be all roses, but it could be worse. We could be living in weekly rental housing were we don’t have a patio for the morning potties or a pool. Now that would truly suck!!!

Presidents Day Weekend Family Fun

For President's day Neal and I took a four day weekend, we loaded up the car and quads and headed to Yuma to spend the weekend with my parents. We figured we should get in one more visit before the move up north. The biggest draw back of moving to UT is that we will be doubling the distance to my parents.  We love visiting with them.  We always have a great time.  We are going to try to take the trip again for Thanksgiving but that will depend on our new jobs.
I took a bunch of pictures while there...most of them of my dogs.  They are so cute I couldn't help it.

KC & JJ in the car on the way down.

Lillee looking all sweet and innocent.

Neal looking bummed because it was raining Saturday morning and he wanted to ride.

Dad was pushing the water away from the house.  They have one trouble spot.  Good thing it doesn't rain a lot in Yuma.

JJ looking all handsome.

KC was being clingy, but I love him so much it didn't matter.

Lillee and JJ didn't like being on the other side of the gate.

Lillee and KC looking out of the yard, waiting for someone to bark at.

My Dad and Me.

The rain did go away.  The weather was not super warm but we did have some sunshine to go riding in.

Neal and Dad attempt to pull the some tree stumps out.  Dad is going to go back with his chainsaw for some firewood.

This is my Mom...kinda hard to tell under her bandanna.  The bandanna is great for blocking cold wind and dust.

We took the kids on real rides for the first time ever.  I have giving them rides up and down the street before, but this time we took them over rocks and dirt.  They all seemed to really like it.  For those of you worried about us running over our dogs, don't.  They were securely fastened to us, they couldn't fall off.

KC and Lillee rode with me.

JJ rode with Neal.

We are an ATV'n family.

Papa and JJ sharing a pillow, too cute!

Nascar Driver

On January 30th Neal and I went to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway to support childrens charities.  For $30 we got to take our car onto the track and drive three laps.  The speed max was 75mph. We were not allowed to pass the car infront of us, no matter how slow they might be going.  It was a great experience, to be able to see what the driver see.  Hope you enjoy all the pics.

Headed into the track to wait for the event to begin.  We arrived 1.5 hours early to get in line.  We were in the first group to go on the track.

Driving through the tunnel, under the track.

The early birds.  We were about 10 or twelve cars back.

See the cars behind ours?  The line was so long by the time it started that the

went all the way down and then back.  I'm glad we got there early.

Neal the "nascar driver"

We got to go "behind the scences"  Sooooo cool!

All qued up and ready to get on the track.

He looks sooo happy!

Headed back down pit row...toward the winners circle

On the way out. This is not an experience we will soon forget.