Officially Moving On

We have officially left Markham park. Jason spent a few days on a family camping trip. I decided not to go with him. I originally thought it was a guys only trip, but later found out a few of the women in the family ended up going as well. I am glad he got the opportunity to spend time together with his family. 

While he was camping, I went and visited my cousin Maggie in Naples. We spent our time shopping, eating, and making decorations for her daughter Hannah's birthday party. I am excited to have her close by once we move over to the west coast. 

I ordered furniture for the new house while Jason was away. He told me I get free rein over the house and decorations. 

I just love the look of everything. When I picked Jason up from his camping trip, I showed him the pictures and then took him to see it all in person the next day. Thank goodness, he loved it too. 

He said he couldn't have picked it out better himself. That made me feel so good. Now I just have to figure out which colors to paint the walls.

Jason and I have been staying with my dad and Tammie on their couch bed. It's been more fun than I expected it to be (swimming in the pool, dog walks, dinners at the house, etc.). Jason and I even went shopping for a new lawn mower but ended up not getting it just yet. We will probably wait until we get over there for that purchase. We also found an amazing tool chest for the garage on Memorial Day special. Jason seemed pretty excited about it

The next step is getting the U-Haul on Sunday. We will pack it up the entire day and then take off towards the west coast at night. We'll sleep in our RV one last night (which is parked on Jason's dads' property) and then head to the house for the walk through on the 3rd. 

I will no longer be continuing my blog under Home Is Where Your Hitch Is (unless we decide to sell everything and go back to the RV full time. . . not going to happen), but referring back to my original blog;  Life of a Homemaker (http://lifeofahomemaker.blogspot.com/). Feel free to read along with all of new homeowner challenges and accomplishments.

I probably won't have time to blog between now and then, but I promise to pick it back up on Life of a Homemaker once we are moved in :)

Last night at Markham

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Last night marked the last time we sleep in the RV at Markham park during our adventure. It wouldn't be the same if it didn't end with us laying in bed while Jason slept and I watched TV. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something move. A frog! Seriously? I thought we were done with this. I screamed for Jason and my hero saved me. He scooped the frog into a cup like he has done in the past and threw him outside.

We took all day yesterday to purge the items not needed anymore in the RV and brought them to my dad's house which will ultimately end up being uhauled over to the Fort Myers area. It hasn't really hit me that we are about to be done with this journey. Jason goes away this weekend for a camping trip while I head to Naples to spend some time with my cousins. I think it will hit me when I go to pick Jason up from his dad's and we head back east. 

We will spend the few days between our trips and moving with my dad and Tammie. With Tara being gone, it opened the back bedroom for us. The plan is the rent the uhaul early on the 2nd, pack it up, and take off that night to the west coast. We will park it at his dad's while we do the walk through and closing on the 3rd. I am assuming the 3rd will consist of transferring the boxes from the uhaul to the garage and cleaning the house. If we work hard enough, maybe we can start painting by the 4th. I have high hopes. 

I feel like a kid going to school for the first day. I am excited to move into the new house but nervous it may be too much for us. Jason says I feel that way because of the bad experience we had with the first house. Maybe so. I chuck it up to this being the first time I have bought a house. Jason purchased his first 2 homes without me. I never got to find the house, select it, put an offer, sign the papers, and move in. I just moved right in. This time, I have tons of pressure on my shoulders. I found the house and Jason refused to look at it because of the 0.26 acre lot rather than the 1+ acre lot he desired. Will he resent me for it? I chose a house on the west coast when he preferred to stay local near friends and the Atlantic ocean. I think he will like being closer to his dad and their side of the family, but will he be upset with the distance from friends? Will I be able to get my design plans out of my head and execute them in the house just as I see them?

So many things are running through my head. Any advise?

Key West or bust

What an amazing surprise. . .

I decided to sleep at my parent's house while Jason was on shift. I get too tired at night to drive the 1/2 hour out to Markham and just find it easier to sleep on the couch here. Jason called on his drive home stating he was planning a surprise and that he would be the my dad's in a bit to pick me up.

A few hours later, we were in the car and headed the the Keys. I always try to get him to stop at the outlet mall right off the last exit. There always seems to be a reason why we can't. This time, it was our first stop. We walked into the Coach store and I remembered a bag I purchased last summer in Sanibel. I mentioned to the girl that I had purchased the bag but never used it. I was too nervous to get the light colored fabric dirty. The sales woman stated if the bag had the tags on it, they would be able to accept it back for the current price. If I had the receipt, I would get what I paid. While walking through the store, I told Jason to run out to the car and check my trunk, that the purse may be in there still from last year. A few minutes later he returns with bag in hand. I couldn't believe I randomly had it with us, receipt and all. $139 was ours to use towards new merchandise. A new bag for me, a wallet for Jason, and a new key chain all for $1.82 balance. Seriously??? Who does that? ME!

After the outlets we headed south, stopping at our traditional Starbucks. Our favorite stop is at Island Grill at Mandalay Bay in Key Largo. I dream about their tuna nachos. The view from the outdoor deck is one of the best I have ever seen. We watch the boats go by, pelicans fish for food, and talk with the locals.

We toyed with the idea of staying near Key Largo or Islamorada, but I just couldn't see us being so close to Key West and not taking advantage of it. Afterall, with the move to Fort Myers coming up, it will probably be a while before we are in the Keys again. Key West bound we were. I wanted to get down in time for the sunset, but without hotel reservations, we would have to put some time into searching for one. With my husband. . . nothing is really planned if I don't plan it myself.

We called a few hotels on the way down, but had no luck. Everything was booked. Friends of my family own the Duval House. Luckily they had vacancy. We pulled in right off Duval street into this mini parking lot. Joanne showed us a small room downstairs with a queen bed and a larger room upstairs with a king bed, tub, and balcony. It was a little more than I wanted to pay, but seemed to be well worth it. Upstairs it was.

Living in an RV for 7 months now, things like a king sized bed, leg room, a large tub, and enough room for a balcony are luxuries to us. We couldn't pass it up.

We brought what little things we had upstairs and got ready to go out. I in jeans and a cute shirt and Jason in basketball shorts, a t-shirt, and sneakers. He didn't think to bring any clothes other than pajamas/workout clothes. Awesome!

The first store we walked into was selling mens shorts for $79.99. I am the girl who just got a Coach purse, wallet, and key chain for $1.82. There was no way we were paying that much for shorts. The next store had shorts for $30 (not what we would typically pay) and flip flops for $20. At thins point I didn't care. All I wanted to do was see the sunset over Mallory square. We purchased the items and took off walking.

Of course we missed the sunset, but were still able to enjoy a gorgeous view out over the water. After walking a little more, we ended our night by eating at Caroline's, and singing 'back up' to the awesome performers at Irish Kevins. I sipped my irish coffee while beer was on Jason's mind. It really was a great chance for us to refuel our relationship.

The last time we took a trip together without the dog or RV was 1 1/2 years ago to DC celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary. This was a much needed trip.

Thursday morning, I woke up early enough to watch the sunrise from our hotel room balcony while Jason slept starfish style in the large king sized bed. It was tough getting him out of it, even for breakfast. Home made waffles with syrup and strawberries really hit the spot. A few minutes spent in the bed and breakfast hammock was so relaxing. It's hard to believe just outside the gates is Duval street (crazy drunk people) and inside is a lush tranquil garden setting.

 

That was our room, top right.

Our day was spent doing more of the same; eating, drinking, walking. We walked all the way to the buoy only to be greeted by the infamous line of people waiting to get their picture taken. A long armed shot worked for us before a good samaritan took one for us. Jason and I ran to the back of the buoy and took our own shot in front of it without having to wait in the long line. You can't really read the words on the front anyways. Suckers!

After our photo with the buoy, we made our way all the way to the other end of Duval street to Mallory square. There I got a turtle charm in honor of Taylor's turtle obsession.

 

Oh honey, It's only $20K

Back to the hotel for a swim in the pool and a good conversation with an older couple from North Carolina. Dinner on Duval street was a must before our long trip home. We watched the sunset from the car, stopping at our traditional Starbucks before making our way back home.

It was such a great trip and I am so glad he surprised me with it. We are always hesitant to just take off for a night long trip, but it is so worth it. Getting away does so much for your relationship and your mood. We now have a renewed love and devotion to one another and recommend everyone doing the same.

Crying while typing

I knew the day would eventually be here. You can't really plan for these things, they just kind of sneak up on you. It didn't really hit me until we arrived back at the RV from a Mother's Day lunch at my dad's house. I stood in the RV and looked at our dining table. All I could picture was Jason, Justin, Tara, and I sitting down eating dinner. The countless number of times they came and spent the day with us ending with a sit down dinner for the four of us. The boy would have spent all day mountain bike riding while Tara and I would talk and take the girls to the dog park to play. It hit me like a ton of bricks. What would we do in 3 days when we want to hang out with them and can't? I began to cry and could not stop.

Jason did his best to comfort me, telling me we could visit often. It just doesn't seem to be enough. I don't want to become holiday family members. I always in visioned our children growing up together. It's so hard to realize that is less likely now. It is my mission to not let that happen, but to keep us as close in spirit even if we can't be close in distance.

I truly am so excited for Justin and Tara, just so overcome with emotion. I am happy to see them live out their dreams, try something new, and follow their hearts. I am eager to watch their journey unfold as mine and Jason's is about to do as well. Although we may be 5 1/2 hours away in distance, Tara and Justin will always hold special places in our hearts. Not only because Tara is my sister, but because they truly have been our best friends for the past 6 months. We will miss them terribly.

I hope the pain becomes less and less as the days go by. I hope that my tears eventually dry up and my heart begins to heal. I pray they get everything they are searching for out of this adventure. After all, they did say 2013 was the year to live a more adventurous lifestyle. They are definitely living up to that resolution. I am so proud of them but am secretly hoping they eventually find their true home near us in Fort Myers, FL.

Crying while typing. . . 

A good memory to have

Monday, May 6, 2013

We have officially been approved for our home loan and have moved the closing date up a day to Monday, June 3rd. I can't believe in just 18 days we have found a house we LOVE, got our offer accepted, passed inspection and the appraisal, and have been approved for the loan. Wow! How our lives are changing so quickly.

On May 16th, it will be our 6th month in the RV. Time has not flown by nor stood still. I feel like living in the RV has given us the freedom to pack up (pun intended) and do what we want. We have visited family more in the last 6 months than we did in the first 3 years of being married. We have gone and stayed with friends for a week straight and have truly learned to stop and smell the roses. I've never noticed more sunsets in my life. Getting time to spend with Taylor everyday at the dog park makes my heart melt. Watching Jason bike down the road towards the trails puts a smile on my face knowing he is happy. Our lives were never this joyous before the RV. We were stressed and miserable. We thought we had all we needed to be happy, but we didn't even know what happiness was until now.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

I went to storage today with Tara and my dad. With 4 kids and a wife who keeps all her children's baby stuff, my dad needed a storage unit. He used to have 2, but is now down to 1 10X10 unit. Tara hadn't been to storage in quite a while. I had recently been with Tammie to help clear out some junk, mostly mine. Box after box, Tara and I went through it all. Old photos and childhood memorabilia. We just laughed and joked about the stupid crap we used to think we cool. I absolutely need to keep AIM conversations. Hilarious. My dad stayed for a little. He helped do all the heavy lifting. That's what dads are for. He joined in on our Spanish accent conversation that Tara and I indulge ourselves in from time to time, but then left to run a few errands while Tara and I finished up.

The dumpster is always a thrill at storage. Watching Tara and I lift these heavy boxes over our heads and make it in the dumpster is always comical. My favorite part was watching Tara admire the roll of carpet left in the corner by someone else. She was definitely eyeing it. We sat out front of the storage facility for about 15 minutes before my dad came back to pick us up. I was remembering being 15 again waiting for our parents to come before we ever had cars of our own.

It had been a while since Tara and I went to lunch with our dad. Where else could we go other than Arbys of course. I remember going to Arbys with my dad when we were young and getting 5 for $5. Those were the good old days. Pretty soon Tara will be off to Orange Park and I will be gone to Fort Myers. Probably never going to get together just the 3 of us for lunch. It's a nice memory to have. Glad we got the chance to spend the day together.

Appraised!!!

We appraised!!!! The seller was a bit worried about the home appraising. It then made Jason and I worried about it as well. She listed the house for $216,900.00. Jason and I wanted to come with a strong offer seeing as there were 2 other offers on the table. We offered $218,000.00 and were accepted. The house was appraised at $225,000.00. The comps were definitely in our favor. The appraiser had to venture out a mile just to find comps because of the lack of inventory on the market. He stated in his report that the turnover ratio for the neighborhood was extremely low. Looks like we made the right choice :)

We went furniture shopping the other day. What else are we going to do on a rainy day? I really fell in love with a sofa, love seat, and a set of tables from Rooms to Go. Now we just have to figure out the logistics of it all. When to buy, how to buy (i.e. cash or open a 0% interest for 5 years account with them), etc. We may have to do without furniture for a little while because of all the costs associated with closing. Everything is so expensive.

 

Here is the couch I like, minus the pillows.

Completely fell in love with these tables. Wood + metal + wheels = LOVE

Graduating and moving on

Monday, April 29, 2013

An early wake up and an hour drive all to see my younger sister Tara graduate. I unfortunately wasn't able to make her last graduation from the University of Florida, but I made it for her masters degree from Florida International University. A 2 hour ceremony and a bunch of pictures later, she is done. . . unless she decides to go back for her PHD. 

It is becoming a bitter sweet time for me as Tara and I go our separate ways, her to Orange Park and me to Fort Myers. If I think about it too much, I'll just break down crying. Just trying to stay positive about the situation and think of all the blessings coming our way.

Jason was unable to make Tara's graduation ceremony. He went to Fort Myers for the home inspection on our new house. The seller was present at the inspection and questioned why Jason didn't bring Taylor this time. How cute??? I wish I were able to go. Jason said the house is better than he even originally thought. The seller does everything herself, i.e. cut the grass, trim the bushes, clean the AC unit, etc. The inspector only mentioned 4 very minor recommended things in the home. No termites, good roof, and overall a great house. I am so excited! Our appraisal is tomorrow. I need everyone to cross their fingers that the house appraises for the offered amount.