Feels Like Home

How have we survived the past week in our new house you might ask? One word sums it up...PERFECT! This feels like where we've always been meant to be. The last few nights in our old house, I was really stressed out. I would lay awake and wonder "what if we get in the new house and we hate it?"...."what if no one sleeps for the first few nights because its new?"....

From the very first night it has been better than I had ever hoped for. Kids have settled in and I'm pleasantly shocked at how well they've adjusted. They are getting involved at their schools, making friends and doing really well in their classes. Bed times are very organized and we seem to be slipping into a great schedule with kids and bus times and the new arrangement of chores as we've had to adapt our chores to our surroundings. For instance, at the old house, one of Cole's chores was cleaning up the 'dog mess' in the backyard. Clearly here, not so much a problem as it's hard to find tiny amounts of dog poop on 2 acres of land ;) So, Cole had to be designated to a new task. But so far they are still so excited about moving into the new house, that chores are done willingly....doubt that will last long.

As for me, I'm doing better than I thought I would be. Not only am I on my own every afternoon....but in a new house that isn't close to anyone...and a community where I know no one... I was kind of worried about me. But I'm so relaxed here - this has been a good move for me. Not sure if it's just the fact that all the move stress is over...or if it's the quiet country life; but whatever it is it's working.

Home Sweet Home

We finally made it. Tuesday at noon I arrived at our new house....3 hours later the first U-Haul load was unloaded and the unpacking began. By the end of the first night, I was still looking around wondering if I really was getting to live here. When I had seen the house previously, it had been full of the previous occupants crap. Messy...untidy....but it was still gorgeous. But when I walked in on Tuesday and it was empty, I fell deeper in love. They had actually cleaned it up better than I thought...I expected to spend the first 3 days just cleaning...but as it worked out, it only took a few hours. First night, Keith, I and kids were sleeping on mattresses.....but I was so happy to be in the house, it did not matter. By day 2, all of the stuff was moved from the Chestermere house. I got the entire kitchen unpacked...so much room that I think I even have 2-3 empty cupboards..hmmmm to leave empty or shop??

Today was awesome! Kids started on the school bus. So the only time I have to go to the school is at noon to drop Zachary & Brooklyn off for kindergarten. It was very interesting this afternoon to be home from dropping off the 2 little kids and had 3 hours on my own. Got a lot of unpacking done, laundry, organizing...and then waited on my gorgeous deck watching the children come down the driveway from the bus. They came running into the house with their big stories of all the fun & excitement of the day. A very good day!

Keith has not worked a lot the last 2 days with the move going on. So now, he is working at the Calgary Home Show this weekend....which means tonight - Sunday...not home until close to 10pm. So, the kids and I have a mission of cleaning all day Saturday at the Chestermere house. Needs to be done, and most definitely will be easier with all the furniture out of the way. It will be nice to have that last cleaning done and then we'll just be here.

I took a few minutes off from unpacking & cleaning yesterday afternoon while I was on my own here. Took a walk around the property and even discovered that we have an apple tree. Picked a couple, washed them and shared with the kids when they got home from school. They were very excited. I would love to have more fruit trees & a garden...but my fear is that all the wild life would just eat it. I'm hoping to try anyway. During this whole move the weather has been cloudy & rainy. Next week it's suppose to be cool but at least dry and sunny, so I'm hoping to get out in they yard and pull some weeds and do some raking.

So now with Keith out tonight until close to 10pm and the kids back on a good bed time schedule, I'm thinking it might be a good night to try out my big jet tub =)

I'm going to take some pictures around the property....stay tuned!

The Last One......

This is the last blog post that will be written from our Chestermere house. Today is moving day!!!! Moving truck will be here in about 5 hours & for the most part, we're ready to go. Our 16' sea-can pod was moved out to the new house on Thursday. Since then we've been emptying rooms, cleaning and loading furniture into the garage and the main level to try and have the truck loading go as smoothly and organized as possible. After all my complaining and stressing...I think having more time on this end definitely was helpful as the packing process was very organized as we didn't have to pack in a rush. And, of course, if the packing process was organized....that makes for an organized un-packing. Keith didn't have to go to the lake this past weekend - so we got a lot done. 3-4 loads to the dump...furniture moved...and also put some unwanted furniture out on the lawn for free...it was all gone within an hour. That in itself was probably 2 dump loads - so glad that someone could use it.

Now the moving truck is coming this afternoon & I'm hoping to be headed to the new house soon to start cleaning and getting ready to move stuff in. I feel surprisingly calm....which is probably a good thing. As the house got more and more empty yesterday...memories started to flood in. Keith and I got married in this house. Babies were brought home here...had first steps here...lots of good memories. But the thought of a new place, new memories....makes for a very exciting time.

So now this is the end of this chapter. We've loved this house....we've loved this town....now onto the next chapter....

On A Positive Note.....

After I threw my huge fit last week (although truly justified), I remember that during that meeting at the new house, while the guy who currently lives there was busy being condescending and rude....I was noticing things in the house that I hadn't before. I began imagining things like cooking dinner in that gorgeous kitchen or sitting in the yard watching the kids play -- as I thought about this over the past couple of days, I realized that my patience will pay off as this will be worth it.
After the first week of having the children in their new schools and doing some trips back and forth from our new location and seeing the inside of the house again...it does feel like home out there. Even as I stood out in "our" cul de sac (I can says ours because we are the only house in it) after the meeting, pacing back and forth while talking (ok yelling) on my cell phone to Keith giving him the information....it's so peaceful out there....quiet....relaxing. The kids love it out there. As soon as they got out of the truck, they just ran...the extra space will be a huge perk!
When I left that meeting and was told we wouldn't be moving in until the 15th, it felt like forever. But this morning I realize it is only 9 days away - I think I can handle that.
Keith's been gone to BC again this weekend. Knock on wood it's the last weekend he'll have to go, but who knows. It was sort of good to have him gone. This move is putting a great deal of stress on me and it was nice to have some time to be in a bad mood if needed without having to constantly be/act happy. A few days, some clarity found..should be a better week.
Big Brother is coming to and end - oddly enough on Sept 15th (moving day)..I wont have Shaw hooked up at the new house until the 16th, so I'll probably be watching it on a laptop, but who cares. With the end of BB comes a little sadness as it is my favorite show and with it only airing during the summer, it's another 9 months until it returns...but also comes the excitement of all the new shows starting and favorites returning....finally repeat hell is over.
Plus, the kids and I realized this weekend that Halloween is next month. Halloween for us is like pre christmas.....we LOVE Halloween! Not quite sure what trick or treating will look like this year as we're out in the middle of no where. Probably drive across the highway to one of the edge of Calgary communities and take the kids out. Might need more Halloween decorations with more space to decorate =)

From Your Lips to Gods Ears.....

Well after the hissy fit I threw the other day (it was pretty impressive), it was decided that yes, indeed, it was time to make a decision regarding the date of this move. So this morning was that time...me (with 2 kids in tow - of course), the house builder, the house owner & the current tenant (all men). Usually I prefer to deal with men....yes, I have great girlfriends, but in the workplace or other situations - me and men get along very well...women are too meow! Until today....the current tenant is a gigantic ass! He was completely annoyed that I was there - even more so that I'd brought children with me. Terms such as "we can discuss details later after she's gone"... or "I'd appreciate discussing that after she's left"....you can kiss it buddy!
Not sure if he was pissed that I was there....or because until I threw my fit the other day, all these men were just happy to coast along waiting for the tenant to dictate what was going to happen...like he had all the power. Well my rant and threat to pull the plug on the whole thing put a damper on that. Amazing what sort of attention you get when you use a phrase like "I've been happy in this house for 8 years and I'll be happy here for 8 more". All of a sudden, magically, there was a meeting scheduled with everyone and that was that. So after leaving it in the hands of them men for 3 months...I got more decided in 2 days then they did in those 3 months - YOU"RE ALL WELCOME!
So....the 15th is it. I would have preferred to deal with this over the upcoming long weekend...but I guess 13 days wont kill me.

Grrrrrr STILL HERE!

Well...as the title of this entry might suggested....I'm very pissed off right now! Since we first discussed/decided on moving..I've now heard 5 different possession/move in dates - ALL of those have come and gone.
Yesterday it took me finally telling the all other parties that my patience has ran out and that should we not have keys in our hand by Monday, that I think we should pull out of the deal and just stay where we are. (I know...ballsy)
A few hours pass.....the reply to my rant is that it looks like we're all a go for September 14th....yes, that's right....2 more weeks! WTF???? NOT a happy girl!!
But apparently I'm the only one who is not happy by this. Which, interestingly enough, I'm also the only one that this is a huge pain in the ass for.
So...kids have started in their new schools.... in Bearspaw & Cochrane...which is a 1 hour drive from the Chestermere house. So they have a hired car & driver that is taking them to and from school. What will happen come Tuesday when my two youngest monsters start kindergarten - who the hell knows!
So.....I'm still here and I've gone on strike. I'm not packing, loading, cleaning or anything else until I have the keys in my hand to an empty house. I've already done so much, that to now find out that we have two more weeks of living out of boxes, suitcases and eating on 'dishes' that are only suitable for a picnic. So when the other house is empty and all of a sudden there is a huge rush to get out of here in a big hurry....I think I'll just take my sweet time. See how all the rest of them like having to wait on me for a while.