Pros and Cons of Moving

Pro: Running in a new neighborhood. Having new streets, new houses, a golf course all help to make the run more enjoyable.

Con: Running in a new neighborhood. That's FULL of big hills. Finding yourself 5 miles into your run at the bottom of a very large hill and there is only one way home. Up. And it's 100 degrees out and you're tired and hot. But you won't walk it because you're me and you refuse to walk up hills.

Pro: Going through all your stuff, giving away what you don't need or want any more and organizing the rest so that when you unpack everything is where it should be.

Con: Not being able to find your underwear.


Pro: Having neighbors with kids the same age as your own kids.

Con: Having neighbors with kids the same ages as your own kids. Who your kids are constantly asking to play with. Constantly.

Pro: Moving into a house where they left their basketball hoop and bringing your own so you now have two hoops and can show your kids how you can school your 6'3'' husband on the court.

Con: Moving into a house where they also left their trampoline causing visions of broken bones and head injuries to haunt your dreams.

Getting Settled

We are almost done unpacking! Yahoo!! Here are a few shots of 'home' for the next few years. After all the packing and unpacking I hope we can just stay here. Forever. But I know Jon will be itching to build again soon so I better not get too comfortable.

This is the family room in the back of the house. I still have a few pictures to put up here. The kitchen is off to the left and there's a screen porch to the right. Pool is located right behind here.

Here's the kitchen. I'm not crazy about the color but I'm not going to do anything about it any time soon. We need to get a couple of bar stools for the island bar, but otherwise it's 'done'. There is a desk to the left and our kitchen table to the right.

Now to the front of the house. This is the foyer. It's big and bright. That pile of pictures and mirrors on the floor is Jon's 'to-do' list.

The dining room. The colors of this house are the same as our house on Skipaway, so everything 'goes'. I have bought nothing, it's great!!

And the formal living room. This room and the dining room are open to each other and the foyer . It's a nice space. And the best part? It's done!! Not a thing to buy, paint, decorate or put up on the walls.

The rest of the house is coming along too. Kids' rooms are pretty much complete and the third floor playroom is FULL of toys. I will post more pictures soon. But I guess I better go do the only thing left to do around here ~ laundry. Lots and lots of laundry.

Hot Enough For Ya?

I think we picked the hottest week in ten years to move. It's been hot. And humid. And down right miserable. The day we moved in the heat index was 118. The movers were exhausted after hauling all our crap up a VERY steep driveway and then carrying most of the boxes to the 3rd floor playroom. I don't think they will agree to move us ever again.

We've been trying to stay cool in the pool at this house. It's very nice! But since the temperature was 100 degrees yesterday (and that's without the heat index), the water feels more like bath water.

The pool here is not nearly as big as our old one, but it's much nicer. The backyard in general is just beautiful. This is right outside the kitchen and family room so even while I'm unpacking box after box. After box. After box. I get to gaze at this scene. I must say I am really enjoying it.

And looking forward to being outside more once the temps calm down a bit. But for now it's keeping our little fish busy. Meanwhile we are getting settled in nicely. This is the first house we've ever lived in that we haven't built ourselves. It feel a little bit like a vacation house. And who wouldn't like to feel like they're on vacation every day when they wake up?

Time Out

So much for bombarding you with pictures eh? My computer is maxed out at the moment and I just don't have time to mess with it. We are moving next week and I am spending all day every day packing. Current packed boxes: 127. And I haven't started on my shoe collection. So ... I am going to have to step away from the blog for a bit while I continue to pack, move and unpack. I will post the link to ALL the pictures from our road trip as soon as I can take Jon's computer from him for a few hours. Our trip consisted of: two and half weeks, 2,700 miles, 14 states, beaches, mountains, lakes, cities and highways but the best part was spending time with friends and family. I have a gazillion pictures. Hope to see y'all again real soon!

Things I Miss

There are things about Maine I really miss. The rocky coast is one. I didn't technically grow-up on the coast of Maine, but the coast was certainly apart of my growing-up. Living about an hour away from the ocean we spent a lot of time there. These pictures are from Two Lights State Park. If you go to Maine you have to go here. It's just too pretty to miss.

It's hard to capture the scale of rocks and water with a camera. Yes, even with my Nikon. I may love that camera but by no means can it capture what the human eye can. But compare for a moment the size of my children to the size of these boulders. It's truly breathtaking and beautiful.


















It was also a perfect 75 degree day. Warm enough and breezy enough for me to wear jeans in July. What's not to love about that? If I ever move back to Maine it would be for the months of June, July and August ... and then for a long weekend at the beginning of October to see the fall leaves. Of course moving back for those months alone really would make me a tourist.

This is us moments before, seeking shelter from a rain. Camryn was sleeping in the car and Jon was puking his brains out. Luckily the storm passed, and so did Jon's stomach ailment and we all enjoyed the day with Mammie and PopPop. I have TONS of photos from this trip alone. I will try not to bore you with all of them. But this is just the beginning. Consider yourself warned.

Dislcaimer: This is the first time I've used Picasa to upload my pictures to the blog. I don't know why they are small and I don't know how to make them any larger. I'm still trying to figure this all out so bear with me.

More from Rehoboth

My girls. Kate is a pretty fantastic big sister.

Will might disagree since the two of them can get into some pretty heated battles, but Camryn thinks the world of Katie. Not having a sister myself it's pretty amazing watching these two. My hope is they will be life long best friends.

Grandma Baba and Cam. I love how they are covered in sand and happy as clams!

"Beach" is one of Camryn's newest words. "Me swim beach. Me play beach. Me go beach. Me eat beach .... no." She learned quickly.

This is the beach house. My cousin's wife's grandparents build it in 1960. (mailman, ex baby sitter, twice removed ... kidding) It's adorable. And bigger than it looks from the outside. It held all of us very nicely. Six bedrooms and 3 baths with plenty of open living space. Stepping inside in like stepping back in time. All the 1960 furniture and fixtures. It was so totally chic. I love it! Of course the fact that you sip coffee on the screen porch while watching dolphins frolic in the water is pretty darn cool too.

Rehoboth Beach

Such a great time was had at Rehoboth Beach. We stopped for a few days on our 1,000 mile road trip to Maine. My cousin, Ralph and his wife Ellen, have a house ON THE BEACH. It may have been toasty hot, but the beach was fantastic. I love this picture of my Dad and Barb above. It's so them.

This is one way to keep from having to chase the kids all over the beach. Our kids love sun, sand and water. Jon and I enjoy it too. We are a beach lovin' family for sure! Not only did Papa and Grandma Baba join us but Cory, Matt, Beth, and Cousin Chris came too. It was great to see everyone. I hope we can make this a yearly vacation spot for all of us.

Will does not sit still. Not even on the beach. He chased this soccer ball for hours on end. The boy just keeps on going and going and going.

Papa learned what you need to do to entertain kids and rest at the same time; let them bury you in the sand. Can you see the joy on the kids' faces. They were oh so happy to put that old man in the ground. Ha! Kidding Dad.

As always you give the man a beer and he'll be happy to do whatever you ask of him. Especially if he can do it laying down in the sun listening to the surf.


More fun beach pictures to come!